The Tiger ..... and his problem

In my earlier post, I think I was close to the truth.

Wonder why the air bag did not deploy, unless the car ignition was not turned on and the car went down the driveway by itself. To spend all that money on a car and they the air bag doesn't work ..... strange.

Enough said, the incident is closed. It is nice, though, to tell the police you are too busy to talk to them, and they say, "Oh, OK." More questions arise, because none were answered.

That takes him from my list of "true professionals."

James Whitcomb Riley

This was one of my Moms favorites. Riley was from Indiana, as was she, and I think somewhere years ago, my Grandfather or, my brother's wife, Rebecca Rhue's Father, John, met Mr. Riley. We heard this poem, or parts of it, often, around Thanksgiving time. Most of my family are Hoosiers, around Marion.

When the Frost is on the Punkin

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then's the times a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here --
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock --
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves, as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries -- kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below -- the clover over-head! --
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the celler-floor in red and yeller heaps;
And your cider-makin' 's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With their mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and saussage, too! ...
I don't know how to tell it -- but ef sich a thing could be
As the Angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me --
I'd want to 'commodate 'em -- all the whole-indurin' flock --
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!

James Whitcomb Riley

Another Memory

I was in the Navy, San Diego, Yeoman School, in 1952, and a classmate of mine lived in Los Angeles, and we occasionally went up to his house for a weekend visit.

His Dad was a Dentist, and as I recall, that year he was President of a Los Angeles Dental Association.

On one particular visit, his Dad was very busy putting the finishing touches on a large annual meeting the association was having that weekend. Dentists were coming in from all over California for the event. It was being held a a large convention center somewhere.

It was unusual for his family to be home during our visits, they were generally off somewhere for the weekend. He had a girlfriend who lived in Beverly Hills, her Father had something to do with one of the large studios. We visited her home on one of my visits. I remember she lived in a corner house, very large, and in close proximity to her house, some of her neighbors included Jimmy Stewart, Jack Benny and some other well known names.

We were sitting out at their pool one morning, and Dan Dailey, entered and went around saying hello to everyone, followed by Virginia Mayo and Frank Lovejoy. They were putting together a movie they were working on. It was a big event for me, a kid from Ohio, sitting around the luxurious pool, waving, and saying "Hi Dan."

That happened on Saturday morning, and the convention was that evening. The entertainment for the evening was Martin and Lewis.

Of course I didn't attend the meeting, but when his Dad got home, rather late, we were sitting up watching "The Peter Potter Show," which few will remember. He had a late Saturday night show, from LA, live, came on around midnight, and would keep going as long as guests showed up. All very impromptu. I remember one night Sammy Davis stopped by, before his accident. All the "stars" who lived in LA stopped by at one time or another. It was the first "Late Night TV Show," remember, this was in 1952.

His Dad got us tickets, for a Sunday Morning show at one of the downtown theatres in LA, The Martin and Lewis Show. If memory serves me, the show started around noon, or something like that.

Lewis came out first, a little late, apologizing to the filled theatre, explaining they had done a convention the night before that went on till the wee hours of the morning, and they had very little sleep. He clowned around a bit, then Dean Martin came out and they went through some of their normal routines. They primarily did what they felt like doing, and it was hilariously funny. I gathered they were still a bit "high" from the previous night, so the entire hour plus show was nothing but laughs. The great thing about the show, they had no idea what was coming next, they played the whole show, doing whatever they felt like doing next. It was great.

It was a great weekend, and a great show, early Martin and Lewis. Prior to that, I had listened to them on the radio when they broadcast their first "telethons," which were from some theatre in New York, with the midshipmen from Annapolis, going through the crowd collecting money .....

New Security Chief Named

In view of recent security breaches at the White House, Obama named a new Security Chief, Alfred E. Neuman, who will take over the duties immediately.

Obama was quoted saying, "Now that I look back at all those photographs, that incident scares the hell out of me. I shook hands with them, they got that close, and no one knew who they were. One of them could even have had the flu. They walked right in, through the metal detectors, met everyone, had pictures taken with everyone, shook hands with the first black president of the United States. I think the reason they didn't do anything to me is that he is a Muslim terrorist. Tareq is pretty good though, maybe we should get him on the security staff."

Michaele and Tareq Salahi, were not available for comment, they were meeting with their agent, who is making arrangements for all their TV appearances. Michaele, who is anorexic will appear on the Oprah show as soon as arrangements can be made, and they both will appear on either the Letterman or Leno show, whichever bids the highest. Ellen is scheduled for later this week.

Celebrity Digs has them down for a Christmas segment, which gives them time to purchase a new more elaborate home with their earnings from their appearances.

Tareq, apparently, has to return to his home sometime soon to complete a tour of duty with Al-Qaeda. He was recently released from Guantanamo on an Early Work Release Program instituted by Obama. Ironic that he showed up at the White House to thank the man who had gotten him out of prison.

More on the "Woods" Incident

Apparently what happened, Elin, Tiger Woods wife was upset that they had not been invited to the White House for the BIG dinner, and they got in to a heated argument.

"Everyone was invited, but no, not us."

"I have a tournament to go to on Monday, I needed to rest up."

"You always put your golf first and me second."

Then, on her laptop she saw the above picture, and that really set her off. Not only were they not invited, total strangers got in to the event.

She pulled out a five-iron and took off after him. He jumped in their new Caddy and started the engine. Before he could take off, she used the five-iron on the rear window, which caused the Tiger to put the accelerator to the floor.

She saw him lose control, hit the fireplug and the tree, and ran to his aide. She opened his door and pulled him out, giving him a shot in the mouth for good measure.

That explains a lot:

Why they didn't find a golf club.
Why his mouth was cut, even though his air bag went off and protected his face.
What they were doing up at such an early hour.
Who was watching the baby?
I wonder how long their driveway is.
Why she used a five-iron, seems more appropriate to use a Wood on Woods!

Tiger, the fireplug, the tree, the wife and the golf club

Tiger Woods was injured early Friday when he lost control of his SUV outside his Florida mansion, and a local police chief said Woods' wife used a golf club to smash out the back window to help get him out.

The world's No. 1 golfer was treated and released from a hospital in good condition, his spokesman said. The Florida Highway Patrol said Woods' vehicle hit a fire hydrant and a tree in his neighbor's yard after he pulled out of his driveway at 2:25 a.m.

Windermere police chief Daniel Saylor told The Associated Press that officers found the 33-year-old PGA star lying in the street with his wife, Elin, hovering over him.

She was frantic, upset," Saylor said in a briefing Friday night. "It was her husband laying on the ground."

She told officers she was in the house when she heard the accident and "came out and broke the back window with a golf club," he said, adding that the front-door windows were not broken and that "the door was probably locked."

"She supposedly got him out and laid him on the ground," he said. "He was in and out of consciousness when my guys got there."

Anybody wonder about this, I don't think I buy it at all ............early morning, 2:25 or something like that, near his home, he hits a tree and then a fireplug, his wife, who is inside the house (wonder why she is not asleep?), runs to the car, doors are locked, so she breaks in the REAR window with a golf club, (she just happened to have, she always leaves the house with a golf club) got him out of the car, and laid him on the ground. Hi class community so no breath-o-lizer, I think they pay for and have their own police force.

Wonder why he was out at 2:30 in the morning driving around.
Wonder why his wife was not in bed.
Wonder why she was awake and heard the wreck, and knew it was HIM.
Wonder where the golf club came from.
Wonder why he was leaving at that time in the morning.
Wonder why Charges are Pending.
Wonder why she smashed out the REAR window, maybe she had already started working on it while he was escaping down the driveway, or maybe she had already busted the window before he started his escape.
I wonder, if all the doors were locked, and she broke out the rear window, did she climb in, over the broken glass, over all the seats, to get to the front of the car, to open his door, and drag him out, and which door did she exit from.

My Scenario: They were up partying and drinking till the wee hours. They had a fight over something, she chased him out of the house with a golf club. He got in the car and took off. She chased him out of the driveway with the golf club. He hit the fireplug and the tree, she was right there to get him out, just happened to have a golf club with her. That's how I think it went down.

But, Im sure it didn't happen that way.

Wouldn't you just love to know, what really happened?

Thanksgiving Eve 2009

"Backward turn backward ............." I now have 77 Thanksgivings to remember, well, not the first few.

I remember many at 319 South Brown Street, in Dayton, Ohio. A big old house, tall ceilings, big rooms, I vaguely remember those, I was 11 when we moved to Oakwood. I mostly remember Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley, my Mom. she loved holidays and family, they were precious to her. She was never happier than when she had the whole family around her for a Thanksgiving Dinner.

She had table items just for specific holidays. Turkeys, pilgrims, a small horse drawn carriage, special dishes and plates, and always, too much food. We always ate early so we could help get rid of some of the leftovers in the evening.

I always liked to see Thanksgiving Day come, it meant Christmas was not too far away. What a great time of the year, Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Most of the years memories revolved around that time of the year.

I think in the 40's sometime, we started watching the New York Parade, followed by the Lions football game, all black and white, and I think some of those memories were in front of the old Philco radio, rather than a TV.

I think I can reflect and still capture those aromas that came from the kitchen, sneaking out and taking a bite of Mom's dressing, and if early enough a bite of some turkey parts.

I think I liked the leftovers as well as the dinner, more informal, could use your hands .... that's when I developed my love for cold turkeys, cold turkey and cranberry sauce and leftover dressing. That dressing, Mom let the bread dry on a cutting board, would boil parts of the turkey for stock, and then to top it off, that rich broth in the bottom of the roasting pan. It was one of the very old, domed top roasters, this one my great grandmother had owned. It is in New Jersey now, I hope it gets used tomorrow. I have her backup one, will do a ham in it tomorrow. Boil celery and onion and butter in that rich broth and pour it over the dried bread, into a big roasting pan, and into the oven.

I think I was generally full, by the time the dinner call came. I guess I ate more before and after the actual dinner, didn't have to mind my manners as much.

One Thanksgiving stands our in my mind. Late 50's in Reno, Nevada. I was working at the Primm, got off at 11 AM, stopped for a festive drink at the bar. Jim Jones was there, we talked, he had no place to go, so I invited him home to dinner. Well, Reno, a lot of divorced gals and single guys, all alone. So, I started inviting them home for dinner. I got home early enough to warn everyone. We went out and got more of everything .... and around 3 or so, they started coming in. Two people had stopped and somehow picked up two large cooked, still hot, turkeys. Everyone brought something, we had an abundance of food. We used card tables, stuff we borrowed from neighbors, but we all got around a large table. I'm thinking there were 16 or more for dinner. One gal, who was a 21 dealer at the Primm, recently divorced, before we started eating, asked if she could say grace.

This was a pretty wild bunch, some professional gamblers, crap dealers, 21 dealers, 2wheel dealers, 3 keno writers, one boxman and a floor boss. Some had grown up in the "rackets" so to speak. I will never forget her prayer. All heads bowed, very reverent, and all thankful that we had all somehow gotten together for this meal.

Everyone hated to leave after dinner, we all just sat around in groups and talked. None had family's in the area, some had none at all, but that group became family, an many sat and talked till late in the evening.

My next shift at the Primm, it was the talk of the club, those that weren't there were jealous, and those that were, talked of the great time we had. Everyone thanked me, again and again. One old boxman, Jack Bailey came up to me as we were getting off shift, took my hand and said, "I really want to thank you for yesterday, it was the nicest Thanksgiving I ever had."

It was a memorable day, obviously one I will never forget, and I am sure tomorrow, any of that group that is still left, will be thinking of that impromptu Thanksgiving Dinner they had in Reno, way back in the 50's.

A quick one today .... getting ready for tomorrow ...

Honk if you love Jesus.
Text if you want to meet him.

The Darwin Awards

The Darwin's are out!!!!

Yes, it's that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.

Here is the glorious winner:

1. When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

And now, the honorable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15.
[If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away.

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

In the interest of bettering mankind, please share these with friends and
family....unless of course one of these individuals by chance is a distant
relative or long lost friend. In that case, be glad they are distant and
hope they remain lost.

FREE 200 Products with Resell Rights

I have been trying VERY HARD to break in to SUCCESSFUL Internet Marketing. I don't expect to achieve a 6-figure income, I am just looking for some supplemental income, especially since OBAMA and his friends have seen fit to NOT give us a raise this year. EVERYONE else gets one, but not us old folks, for the FIRST TIME ever. Our rent went up, everything else has, so between the wife and I, we are going to fall short this year. And, we are probably not alone.

I have become affiliated with, and was Email corresponding the other day with Cody Moya. He is a well-known Internet Marketer, and he mentioned how his website is here to offer free gifts! Opened up a world of thoughts for me.

What are the gifts, you ask?

Here they are:

A Giant Package of 200 Products with Master Resell Rights

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The catch? Cody said he can only offer this for a short time, and then the deal is off. Go ahead and click the link, sign up, and download your gifts now.

THIS WILL TAKE YOU TO THE SITE

P.S. - You may be wondering, "what's the catch?"…well, there ISN'T one. Simply go and enter your name and email, and you'll receive 200 Products with Master Resell
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Whoops.................

Back in the late 50's I lived in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Long story why I moved there, so won't go in to any details right now.

Klamath was a nice town, Bing Crosby had a place not too far from there, saw his wife on a few occasions in town to do some shopping.

The Klamath Tribe had a reservation not too far from town, they sold off a lot of land, I was there the day they all got their checks. Will save that story for another time.

I got a job working at Montgomery Wards, and worked in the Automotive Department, down in the basement. It was one of those older buildings, a front door which led to a big stairway that took you to the basement, and stairways on the side to take you to the second floor. I think there was an elevator, but not sure.

It was a very busy store, downtown location, not sure of the hours, but I think the store opened at 8 or 9 in the morning and closed at 7 in the evening. Normal "town" store hours for those days.

Our store manager was named Steve Gotschall, have never forgotten that name for some reason.

One morning, almost noon, he came rushing down the stairs to the basement, fuming. The store was on a big promotion selling "service" and he noticed a lady carrying a portable TV up the stairs, and went to her aid, carried it out for her, and helped her load it in to her car.

"Why didn't one of you help her carry it out, the TV was heavy and she should have gotten some help from someone. Here we are trying to promote good service to our customers and something like that happens. We are slow this morning, there is no excuse for it," he went on for quite some time, preaching about good service, helping our customers, etc.

He went on and on, scolding each person in the Electronics Department, one of which was a good friend of mine, who was just standing there, smiling.

He finally told Mr. Gotschall, "We haven't sold any TVs this morning."

Silence.

Stefanie Spielman

When all of this first happened, one had to be impressed with both of these people. It was a great love story, and a great battle, against all odds. I have my own mental list of TRUE Professional Athletes, those who play their game with devotion, and also they must live their private lives the same way. It is a small list. Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, John Havlichek, Bobby Orr and a few others. I put Chris in that list some time ago. He had his priorities in good order. They did much for cancer awareness, Marilyn and I have lived through her bout with breast cancer.

There were many nice tributes on Saturday, one at Michigan Stadium, the OSU team wore SS on their helmets, and a moment today at the Lions game in Detroit, and probably some others around the league. Some really good people go way to early. I never met Stef, but have always held great admiration for her and her husband.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Stefanie Spielman, whose public battle against breast cancer gripped central Ohio for more than a decade, died Thursday. She was 42.

Spielman and her husband, Chris, tirelessly raised breast cancer awareness and helped form Stefanie's Champions, raising millions of dollars for Ohio State's James Cancer Hospital.

In 1998, at 31, a biopsy confirmed her fears, that she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the couple began their battle.

Without hesitation, Chris Spielman put his career on hold with the NFL's Buffalo Bills to be at his wife's side.

"For me, to leave (Stefanie) in Columbus and go play football in Buffalo would be against everything I stood for," Chris Spielman said.

"It meant the world to me," Stefanie Spielman said. "That's been the hardest part -- seeing him give up what he loves -- the best, for me."

The Spielmans said that they had two options when they learned about the cancer. The first was to quit. The second was to come out and fight the disease.

The couple fought with determination and a deep love.

Even talk show host Oprah Winfrey was moved by their story.

"You are about to hear an extraordinary story of love and devotion," Winfrey said at the start of her show. "What a man. What a woman."

Bury the ACLU ..... with Christmas Cards

I am not sure who originated this, perhaps Jim Madison, in Oklahoma, but it is a great idea. Let's pass it around. Send this BLOG to your friends. Put this BLOG URL on your FACEBOOK, that will get a lot of exposure. Pass this on to your church, co-workers, family, and friends. What do you have to lose but 44 cents, what do you have to gain ----------- more than you will ever know. What a great idea!

Yes, Christmas cards. This is coming early so that you can get ready to include an important address to your list.

Want to have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU a CHRISTMAS CARD this year.

As they are working so very hard to get rid of the CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice,

CHRISTIAN card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world..

Make sure it says "Merry Christmas" on it.

Here's the address, just don't be rude or crude. (It's not the
Christian way, you know.)

ACLU
125 Broad Street
18th Floor
New York , NY 10004

Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations because they wouldn't know if any were regular mail containing contributions. So spend 44 cents and tell the ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is no such thing as a " Holiday Tree". . . It's always been called a CHRISTMAS TREE!

And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to communicate with the ACLU! They really DESERVE us!!

For those of you who aren't aware of them, the ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything Christian away from us. They represent the atheists and others in this war. Help put Christ back in Christmas!

Sarah Palin ......

I remember when McCain introduced Sarah to the world, I know I was impressed. I immediately tried to get sarahpalin.com, and when I first went to it, in Yahoo, it said, AVAILABLE, and I thought all my troubles were over. Then I went to purchase the site and it was NOT AVAILABLE. I later heard that some URL's with her name in them went for quite a bit of money. I ended up with sarahpalinhasitall.com, really didn't work it much, got nothing in return.

Now, a lot of people in the country are getting up at ungodly hours, just to buy her book, and/or get one autographed.

The media is still polarized, they either like her or not. It does seem though, that the Republican faithfulls like her, and the Democratic side, does not. If nothing else, the exposure has made her a millionaire. I have never seen a cover on a magazine of Hillary or Nancy Pelosi in jogging attire. That was a low blow to Sarah, even though she looked good. The biased MEDIA.

She is a beautiful woman, for one thing, could be a cover girl for Cosmo, or Better Homes and Gardens, or be a spokesperson for the NRA. I noticed some fans did not take her flowers, they took her Elk Jerkie.

We can talk about her "rack," and not necessarily mean antlers on the wall.

She seems very approachable, very down to earth. I would like to sit and have a beer with her and talk things over, and I imagine she would enjoy that also.

Could she lead the country? Well, if we look at our present and past presidents, a resounding YES. I don't think experience in office means anything. I think it is the person and their qualities, their knowledge, their ability, that are the main qualifications. Experience in Congress means a person is a POLITICIAN, knows pork and how to get it, voters and how to get them, knows all the "perks" and how to use them. Has nothing to do with running the country,, just fattening a wallet.

I forget the country, but if elected, they audit you, and when you leave office, you can't have any more than when you went in. Let's see if we can get something like that passed in this country, yah, right.

I think she would make an excellent President, and I, for one, would be very proud to have her represent ME, around the world. And, she has the RIGHT experience to get the job done. A lot of the success of a President is determined by those he surrounds himself with. He, or she, is like a good football coach, he lets you know what he wants done, what he expects, and then you carry your particular load.

Sarah has run a BIG state, raised a family, and still remains effervescent. Look at some of the other women in politics and compare them to Sarah ..... NO comparison.

My guess is she likes old country music, George Jones, Hank, Waylon and the boys. Her favorite song is "Friends in Low Places," a real knee slapper. And she probably likes old Gospel Music. She stands when the National Anthem is played, puts her hand over her heart when the American Flag passes, and goes to church on Sunday, with her family. And, can generally be seen wearing an American flag lapel pin.

Her career so far has been like a thrown boomerang. She was here, got thrown away, and has returned, and after a very rough, shaky trip. She has been insulted, torn apart, criticized, by the press, and I think she has emerged with a brighter image.

She is near here today, in Columbus, Ohio, and the lines started forming last night. I think that is quite a tribute. I wonder if the party is intelligent enough to realize who their front runner is. Her star shines the brightest.

Check out the sky tonight, you will see one star that shines the brightest, that is the Sarah Palin star.

How to Win EBay Auctions

I thought everyone knew it, but after tallking with some people, I guess they don't.

There is no secret to winning EBay Auctions, there is a program that will do the bidding for you. I have never used it, but THE BIG BOYS do, and those who make tons of money on EBay.

SNIPE ...... a program ..... it monitors what you are bidding on. You let it know what your high bid would be. Set it and forget it, as Ron Popeil would say.

EIGHT seconds before the BIDDING closes, it will check the last bid, remembering your high bid, AND NEVER GOING OVER THAT ............. EIGHT SECONDS BEFORE CLOSING it will make a bid for YOU, one bid higher than the last bid, and you get the bid. How simple is that?

You see an item you want. You will go $50 on it. Eight seconds before the bid closes, say the bid is at $30 ..... it will bid the next bid, say $35, and you win.

SNIPE did it for you ..... there are some that cost money and some are FREE.

If you do EBay, this is for you .......

One I found ........

http://www.auctionsniper.com

Some Good Advice

Don't let them go to Parties or Sleepovers until You Know Who They will be Spending Time With

One of the most important aspects of raising children is to ensure they are well socialized. This process usually begins early in life and is one of the main driving forces for parents to enroll their children in preschool. Play dates are also a big part of the early socialization process.

As they grow older, children forge bonds with other children from school, church, and sports. Part of the social learning process is for them to take part in parties, sleepovers, and other group activities.

How can you keep your child in a safe environment?

Every parent wants their child to grow up happy and healthy, and to have the companionship of friends. As they develop an increasing amount of independence, their need to have mom or dad close at hand diminishes. As difficult as this is, it is a necessary part of growing up.

However, it is important as a parent to ensure we know as much as possible about our children.

An INFORMATION RESOURCE

Gitmo conversation .......

"Muhy, did you hear, they are sending us to New York for the trial, can you believe that?'

"Khalid, do you think those people up there are going to be mad at us.?

"They will have forgotten by now."

"Will the government pay for our attorneys?"

"Sure, it's the American Judicial System at work, we're Innocent till they prove us guilty. So don't go around anymore telling everyone how we got those guys to fly those planes into that building, you know, the virgin stuff and all."

"Can we get the same attorneys that OJ had, hey, we might even get off free, then we can get a loan from the government and open up a Howard Johnsons in White Plains."

"But look what they did to that Madoff guy, he did nothing but take billions of dollars from people. If we go to prison I hope we get put in with him and learn some of his ideas for making money. Osama will be pleased if we do that."

"Don't worry, as soon as we get to New York we will ask for a change of venue."

"What's that."

"We will get our trial moved to a Muslim area of New York, try to get an all Muslim jury. Do we want any virgins on the jury?"

"There are no virgins in New York."

"It's the American system, we can do whatever we want."

"Will we be on TV?"

"Sure, you can bet on that, probably Letterman and Leno, maybe Oprah and that other woman's show, the one that does that weird dance, definitely on that show at night where that Grace woman talks about crime. She can string this thing out for a few years. She's been talking about that kid that was abducted for three years now."

"How can we get on that show where we go to meet the thirteen year old virgin for sex and then that guy comes out with the TV camera and interviews us. Will we have to get up early to do Good Morning America. I don't want to talk to that Couric woman, she scares me."

"I want a jail with a Masque."

"If they don't have one, we'll sue."

"Khalid, I'm feeling better about this already. Grab your Quran and let's go get something to eat and then head to the Masque. I think we are doing water-boarding later on tonight. That has really helped clean my sinuses, but I see where they may make them cut water-boarding out."

"If they do will they get me some sinutabs then?"

????????????????? It's Monday

I started in on this today, six times, and have not finished one of them. I started with the Obama bow. (I think they should make that bough, bow is something you make from a ribbon) They say Washington is upset. I imagine they are all Republicans that are upset. I doubt that we will hear any complaints from Pelosi or other Democrats.

Maybe Obama realizes that we, as a nation, are not as strong as we once were, and as a show of respect to a "reborn" country, that we may all need each other some day. A little close to December 7, but most are not old enough to remember that.

I am not an Obama fan. In his religion, a bow is the thing to do. Now, that is scary. Did a Muslim bow, or the President of the US? He seems to bow to everyone. I don't know that any US President, in this day and age, can carry himself with the same aloofness and arrogance that he once could.

Than I was going to write about the Belichick call last night, but I doubt that many really care about that, and I wasn't sure how to spell his name. I've done many stupid things, but I don't think any have equalled that.

Take Adolph back to Berlin to try him, take Tojo back to Tokyo and try him. What about Change of Venue, whatever that means. Would it not be something if Mohammed got off like OJ did. And, some are getting tried, some not. Who made that call?

Picture, if you will, the World Trade Center, before 9/11, but being hit every day by many "little" planes, or objects, or people, or rocks, or things, but slowly deteriorating before our eyes, on TV, but so slowly, that we don't even notice that it is collapsing ..... I think that is what is happening to our country today. But we just glance, and then turn away. Maybe we just don't want to know what is happening.

Just wondering

Big discussion, someone asked my opinion, so I gave it.

I am becoming increasingly concerned that we are living during a time when we are being sold down the river. I think there is a massive plot, by someone, or some group of someones, to infiltrate and eventually take over the entire country.

Just think of all that has happened since January. How could one person have come up with it all, and still been out of the country most of the time.

People question the Book of Mormon, how could a man have written it without divine assistance. How could the Health care Bill and all else that has happened, been accomplished without divine intervention. I would like to know who the "divine intervention" was.

This whole scenario we are living in has not happened overnight. What we are seeing unfold is a highly complex "symphony," well orchestrated, with the president sitting First Chair in the violin section, and we really don't know who has the baton.

It is much like a good magician works, our eyes are distracted to the right, and we miss what is happening on the left. Just think of the complexity of the "illusions" we see magicians perform today. In comparison to what Blackstone did years ago, today's magic is beyond comprehension. But it pales in comparison to the "magic" we see today, by this administration, and we are not even aware of it.

We will never know how vast, if, in fact it is, the conspiracy really is. I don't see how everything that has happened, and is happening could possibly have come about without a pre-planned. carefully calculated, plan, conceived by not one, but many minds.

I think back, and wonder how, in the 30's and 40's, in Germany, all that happened, did in fact happen. Do we have a tendency to shut our eyes, not get involved, and just let things happen, and run their course. How can one man exert his will over millions, turn their heads, and let things happen. It could be happening right here, right now.

It is a fact, that there are people, who want to kill us. The book that they read talks of "taking over from within." Just think, we are not 100% sure, that the man who is leading this country, is qualified to be there. A court case is coming up in January to determine this. I am sure, that by that time, there will be concrete evidence of is eligibility ............. by that time. If they can pull of what they are pulling off, that "problem" will be rectified.

The die is cast, whatever will be, will be. Some are "involved," some look the other way, a few speak out. I guess it has always been that way.

How to fix the economy............

Please find below suggestions I received in an EMail for fixing America 's economy.

Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan:

You can call it the "Patriotic Retirement Plan":

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. ...
Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new American CAR. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off Their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!

If more money is needed, have all members Of Congress and their constituents pay their taxes...

I think it's a heck of an idea............

More on Cucumbers.....

TESTIMONIAL ..... After I did that post on the benefits of cucumbers, I have started eating, in the afternoon, a BIG slice of cucumber, about one inch plus. Since then, I have felt better, had more energy, and a lot of soreness, aches and pains, have gone away. (Knock on wood) My arthritis has gotten better. Maybe a coincidence. Now I am working on losing about ten pounds. I have noticed a change in a few weeks ...... Here is more on the cucumber ......Cucumis sativus

The cucumber is a member of the Cucurbitaceous family, like melons, squash and pumpkins.
This vegetable is very high in water and very low in calories.
It is an excellent source of potassium, vitamin C and folic acid (only if it is unpeeled)
Cucumber is a women's friend when they are on a diet but also for its cosmetic properties.


Health benefits

Its high content in water makes it diuretic.
Cucumber has a cleansing action within the body by removing accumulated pockets of old waste material and chemical toxins.It might help in the treatment of arthritis since it helps eliminate uric acid.
Its poor content in calories make it the perfect food for diet.
We say that its juice is nourishing for our skin and hair. Its liquid has the reputation of being rejuvenator and makes us feel and look young. If you want to try, puree or slice a cucumber and apply it on your face.
Cucumber may also have the power to relax and alleviate the sunburn's pain.

Some people do not digest cucumber very well. If you do, prepare the cucumber a few hours before serving. Cut them into small pieces and sprinkle them with sea salt. Let stand for at least an hour in the refrigerator. You can also peel them.

How to eat it?
If your cucumbers are organic and unwaxed, you can eat them unpeeled. Just wash them thoroughly under running water.
Serve them sliced or diced in a salad or by themselves with a vinaigrette, garlic, mint or sesame seeds.
You can add a few slices in a sandwich or you can even juice it along with other vegetables.
You can cook the cucumber like you would do for a squash: steaming, boiling, braising... but you would lose its vitamins and minerals.

Peak season
Like all the other vegetables, cucumber can be imported and found in supermarket throughout the year.
If you have a garden or if you buy your food at the farmer's market, you will find cucumber from May to July.
When you buy a cucumber, it must be firm, especially at the extremities, and dark green. If it has already turned yellow and is wrinkled, it means that the cucumber is not fresh anymore.

Storage
Fresh unpeeled cucumber can be store in the refrigerator for about a week. The longer you store it the less crisp it is going to be.
If your cucumber is already prepared, peeled and cut, you can store it in the refrigerator but just for a day.

Cucumber Recipes

After my cucumber article ..... well, here are some recipes.............
I think there is more to the cucumber than meets the eye.............

1 tbsp. sugar
1 c. sour cream
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Cucumbers and onions
Mix sugar, sour cream, vinegar and salt together. Peel - slice cucumbers and onions. Add to cream mixture and chill for 2 hours.


3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 cucumber
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of dill
Mix the mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small bowl. Mix until smooth.
Peel and slice the cucumber very thin. Pour the sauce over the cucumber; sprinkle with dill,

Chilled Cucumber Soup

5 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and quartered
1/2 c chopped mild onion (such as vidalia)
1-2 cloves minced garlic (degermed)
3 c low- or nonfat buttermilk
1 c nonfat plain yogurt
1/3 c fresh dill sprigs OR fresh spearmint leaves (not both)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine onion, garlic, mint (or dill) and 1/2 c buttermilk in blender and puree thoroughly (don't want large chunks of either). Pour into large container. Coarsely puree the remaining ingredients together in several batches, dividing the buttermilk and yogurt to provide enough liquid for each batch. Add to the onion mixture. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt, pepper, or more lemon juice.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Keeps for several days. Serving suggestions: Garnish with mint leaves or dill sprigs, a dollop of sour cream, freshly toasted french bread croutons (rub cut garlic clove over crust, thinly slice bread, brush with olive oil and toast till lightly brown).

Pumpkin Cheesecake ..... outstanding

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cut into 16 pieces, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup caramel topping, if desired
Pecan halves, if desired

Total Time: 8 hours 20 min 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In blender, place all ingredients except pecan halves. Cover; blend on high speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. (Or beat in medium bowl with hand beater 2 minutes.) Pour into pie plate.
3. Bake about 45 minutes or just until puffed and center is dry (do not overbake). Cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 3 hours until chilled.

Drizzle servings with caramel topping; garnish with pecan halves. Store covered in refrigerator.

Veterans Day Reflections

My Grandfather, Caleb Dooley, served in the Civil War. Not too many people around who can say that.

My Father served in WWI. He was too young to enlist, but somehow was taken in to the Army. 42nd Rainbow Division from Indianapolis, Indiana.

My Brother was in WWII, Submarine Service, served on the S-11. He was a Lt.J.G in the US Navy. He went through a V-12 Program. I remember going to Great Lakes in Chicago to visit him during his training. Going to a Sunday Morning Church Service at that large Chapel they had, stands out in my mind. I have never forgotten the sermon the Chaplain gave that morning, it revolved around a poem about the Bridge Builder. It is worth repeating here.

THE BRIDGE BUILDER

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim-
That sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when he reached the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength in building here.
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way.
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head.
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

I have never forgotten that Chapel Service, had a lasting impression on me.

I was in the Korean War, 1952 to 1956. Stationed at the Receiving Station in San Diego, California and also did a two year tour on the U.S.S. William T. Mitchell, TAP 114. She was a transport ship, home port, Seattle Washington, and we primarily took troops and passengers to Japan and Korea, and also brought them home on the return trip.

I had one son who served in the Navy during the Viet Nam conflict and another who served during Desert Storm.

It's rather sad that WAR and CONFLICT HAVE become such a big part of our lives. Peacetime has become short lived. I suppose there are some who don't know the meaning of that word, it has never been used during their lifetime.

Veterans Day, 2009.

The Amazing Cucumber

This information was in 'The New York Times'several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems. Some good information that is worth repeating ......... jbd

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains: Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon?
Put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower?
Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror. It will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds?
Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area..

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool?
Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes. The phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache?
Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge?
Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explorers for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes?
Rub a freshly-cut cucumber over the shoe. Its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge?
Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa?
Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a pot of boiling water. The chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finished a business lunch and realized you don't have gum or mints?
Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath. The phytochemicals will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?
Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean. Not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake?
Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing - also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!

And to think that I just used to add some water, vinegar, sugar and some spices. Now, looking back, we used to eat a lot of them in the summer when the garden started yielding them, and, we always felt better in the summer, I wonder?

45 YEARS AGO ..... on the 11th

Marilyn and I got married, 45 years ago, on the 11th of November. Veterans Day. Much has happened in the world since them. We have had 9 Presidents in the White House.
36. Lyndon B. Johnson
37. Richard M. Nixon
38. Gerald R. Ford
39. James Carter
40. Ronald Reagan
41. George H. W. Bush
42. William J. Clinton
43. George W. Bush
44. Barack Obama

There was no Super Bowl in 1964, none till January of 1967. Have had 43 Super Bowl Champions since then.

I think it was in 1967 that we were visiting Marilyn's Grandmother, Emma, who lived out in the country, in a little town called Linnville, actually where Marilyn was born, and Emma had lived there all her life. She was close to 100, not sure exactly. She still cooked on an old wood stove and did all the housework. She actually lived in her old homestead with her 80 some year old son. Emma lived to be 102.

I remember sitting out on a porch talking with her son, Paul, who still worked and drove a road grader for the township. All the talk, everywhere, was about the up-coming Super Bowl. The Coursons were never known to be "talkers," so it was never easy getting a conversation started with any of them.

To get one started, I asked Paul, "Are you going to be watching the Super Bowl tomorrow, it's a really big thing, everyone is talking about it?"

He replied, "No, our TV set broke a few years ago and we just never got around to getting it fixed."

One more about Emma. Sometime, in her late 90's, her kids had tried to talk to her a bout "taking it more easy." They didn't think she should do all the cooking, cut firewood, have a vegetable garden and a flower garden, do the wash and all of the house cleaning. So she cut back.

One evening she got out of her chair, got dizzy (from not exercising and working) fell, and broke her hip. The ambulance took her to the local hospital. First time she was in a hospital, and no once could remember when she was sick last, or ever sick, or had seen a doctor.

Anyway, Marilyn and her sister got the call and headed for the hospital. You can imagine how many nieces, nephews, cousins and relatives were in the waiting room when they got there. It was full.

Emma asked for Marilyn and Joyce to come back to her room.

They went in, started chatting, and then started telling this dear soul who all was in the waiting room waiting to see her.

She pulled Marilyn down to her, and said, "I just don't see how I can entertain all of them right now."

I remember visiting her when she was in her 100's, and looking at her in awe, wanting to hear, from her, what it was like, 100 years before. She knew so much, and had lived through so much history, if only. 100 years back.

Little Eagle came to town

I don't know how many of you remember, but there was a considerable amount of turmoil over the Octagon Earth Works that we have here in Licking County. To show support, a number of tribes sent representatives to Newark, to show support at a pow-wow gathering to be held at the Octagon Earth Works.

I had the pleasure of meeting a few Paiutes, and a few Osage that came in from Oklahoma. There were also a few Klamath Indians that drove all the way from Oregon to attend, as well as some Wahshoe from Nevada.

I think, altogether, there were around 300 Indians, from different tribes, that made the journey to Licking County to show their support.

We had the restaurant in the Arcade then, and a few of them came in to eat.

I remember early one morning, an Indian entered, and introduced himself as Ernie LaPointe, the great grandson of Chief Sitting Bull. Trying to be polite, I raised my right arm to my shoulder, and said, "How," thinking that was a traditional welcoming gesture.

He replied, "Scrambled."

Got this a little while ago .................... in an EMail

Email I received this morning, just a little while ago ................

Joe ........................ The US will pay for your Nursing courses.

I'm at the age where I just hope they have enough to pay for my Nursing Home.

A comment worth sharing

Since my post on Charles Laughton, I have received a few replies. I thought this one was worth sharing ..............There are probably very few around who remember the incident, or are even aware that it ever happened. Nice to know there are at least two of us.

Wow.

I'm a great fan of Laughton, so needless to say that I just loved to read your post.

Raymond Massey, in one of his autobiographies tell us of how he was ill with fever and Laughton (who directed the play) had to understudy him.

Massey stayed at Laughton's home, nursed by Elsa Lanchester. In his account, Massey wrote that Tyrone Power "gleefully recounted how with only a director's familiarity with the part, Charles made it seem as if his was the only way in which it should be acted"

I must say that I am highly envious of you for having witnessed this one-time performance of Charles D.

Now I understand..................

Sitting on the side of the highway waiting to catch speeding drivers, a State Police Officer saw a car puttering along at 22 MPH. He thought to himself, "This driver is just as dangerous as a speeder!" So he turned on his lights and pulled the driver over.

Approaching the car, he noticed that there are five old ladies - two in the front seat and three in the back - wide eyed and white as ghosts. The driver obviously confused, said to him, "Officer, I don't understand, I was doing exactly the speed limit! What seems to be the problem?"

"Ma'am," the officer replies, "You weren't speeding, but you should know that driving slower than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers."

"Slower than the speed limit? No sir, I was doing the speed limit exactly....Twenty-Two miles an hour!" the old woman said a bit proudly.

The State Police officer, trying to contain a chuckle, explains to her that "22" was the route number, not the speed limit. A bit embarrassed, the woman grinned and thanked the officer for pointing out her error.

"But before I let you go, Ma'am, I have to ask...Is everyone in this car ok?"

These women seem awfully shaken and they haven't muttered a single peep this whole time," the officer asks.

"Oh, they'll be alright in a minute, officer. We just got off Route 119."

Memories

We were talking yesterday with some neighbors, and the subject of my Navy days came up, and I was reminded of an incident that took place on one of my many visits to Japan. I was on a transport ship, and we pulled in to Japan on a regular basis.

A shipmate, Harold Hunt and I took the train from Yokohama to Tokyo, to spend the day sightseeing. Now remember, this was 1954, not too many years since the war had ended, so there were still installations and damage from the war.

We visited many interesting places, temples, museums, some landmarks that we had studied in school, and some of the government installations that had been used during the war. I grew up hearing about the war, so it was still quite fresh in my mind.

We took a tour bus, up the mountain, to the Shuragachi Temple, which was surrounded by some beautiful gardens with ponds and bonsai trees, little bridges connecting the ponds, it was very lovely, and quiet.

We were in a group as we entered the Temple, and the only sound in the temple, was our shuffling feet. We had to take our shoes off as we entered, and left them on rows of shelves that surrounded the walls.

As we were quietly strolling through the beautiful Temple, we kept hearing "crick, crick." We weren't sure if we or someone had picked up something on our socks or not, but every once in a while, we would hear that "crick."

As we were leaving, after we had retrieved our shoes and put them on, we started talking with an Army Major, who had taken the tour with us. He was accompanied by a Japanese guide, I think his name was Moshi. We were walking out the giant Ivory Temple door, and Harold and I were talking about the strange noises we heard in the Temple.

Moshi told us, "That is the noise a Japanese camera makes."

One more Tahoe story ..............

One came to mind. All the locals hung out at the Crystal Bay Club on the North side of Tahoe. Back then, there were not many places up there, open year round, so the Crystal was the place to be.

And, it was right across the street from the Lodge where I worked. Then, the Crystal had a number of motel type rooms under their main building, and I rented one of those.

Get up, shave and shower, go upstairs, have a coffee at the Crystal bar, walk across the street, put in your eight hours dealing to the few customers we had in those days. Generally, the North end was closed during the Winter months. They kept it open then, to get ready for the Olympics and the anticipated growth when it all expanded.

So, the days were pretty slow. Then, after work, go back across the street to the Crystal, amuse yourself at the bar until time to go to bed, and start the process all over again. There was not a lot to do then, very few places open, so entertainment was at a minimum.

One of the bartenders, Jack, and I cannot remember his last name, got to be a good friend of all of us. He had a great sense of humor, had many stories, knew everyone, and had been at the lake for quite a while, and had many stories to tell.

I ran around with him quite a bit, would occasionally go to someones house for an early morning breakfast, we all just had a lot of fun together.

One day, Jack had some severe chest pains and passed out. The ambulance to him to the nearest hospital, which in those days was in Carson City, quite a distance away. Jack was unconscious when they put him in the ambulance, and apparently stayed that was for quite a while.

When he finally came to, and woke up, standing on one side of his bed was his wife, and on the other, his girlfriend. The story goes, he just closed his eyes and prayed, not knowing what to do. This was told to me by a good friend of ours who was sitting outside his room, in a waiting room, and knew what was going on, and was helpless to do anything.

Knowing Jack, he probably talked his way out of the situation, but he had to do a lot of talking. I always wondered what ever happened to old Jack.

A Morning to Remember ....................

I took Caleb, our dog, out, early this morning, and I was greeted by a crisp, clear, cool autumn morning hitting my cheeks. For some reason, I was instantly taken back to a similar morning I experienced in the late 50's, my first morning walking out of my room at a small lodge, on the way to work, at the Nevada lodge, at Lake Tahoe.

This was before all of the development that took place prior to the Winter Olympics, it was still rustic, one two-lane road, and basically as it was during the 30's and 40's. North Lake Tahoe was strictly a Summer resort. There were ski lodges that opened in the Winter months, but nothing like it is today, or even as it became in 1960.

I had taken a room in a small lodge, had a basement room with my own entrance, and I will never forget that morning. The fragrance in the air, all those pine trees, the cool air, the bright clear, clean alpine air, and I was on my way to work, just across the street, at the Lodge, as a dealer, working for Lincoln Fitzgerald.

I had worked in Reno for him previously, but had left and returned to Ohio. A number of changes took place in my life, I called him on the phone, asked if he had any openings, and he told me to "Come on out, I have a job for you." This in itself made me feel good. Fitz, remembering me, the grouchy old seasoned gambler who was a legend around Nevada, remembered me.

I took the train from Ohio to Reno, had too change trains in St. Louis. That was in the days of drawing rooms, club cars, dining cars, elegance, and not many dealers. I was received with a "celebrity" status among my fellow travellers. "You're a dealer, in one of the clubs, WOW."

In St. Louis, as the train was loading, an "entourage" came on board, family, kids, maids, nurses, a whole group. Augie Busch, was taking his family to California. Needless to say, there was ample Budweiser for all, compliments of Mr. Busch.

I still remember getting off the train at the old station, in Reno, and going directly to the Nevada Club, to let Fitz know I was in town.

"I want you to start at the Lodge, up at Lake Tahoe, day after tomorrow." He had bought the Lodge when I was back in Ohio, but the thought of working up at that "wonderland" made me feel special. And, then as I talked with some other dealers and told them where I was going, they were envious. A very select "few" were chosen to go to the lake, or "work up on the hill" as it was called.

Anyway, I got a ride to the lake, found a place to stay, unpacked and decided to take a walk through the Lodge. I knew a few of the dealers, spoke with them, and the more I took in all that atmosphere, the more excited I got about this new job.

"Doc" Ledford, one of the shift managers, put me on the day shift, to start with. Old one eyed Burt was working, Eddie Beatty, Bettye Johnson, were all dealers I knew from downtown. I was really impressed, with myself, this little "kid" from Ohio, was going to be working at Lake Tahoe, at the beautiful Nevada Lodge, heaven on earth to me.

That is why I still remember that first morning. I was already on "cloud nine," had on my heavily starched white shirt, French cuffs, nice cuff links, gorgeous tie, tasseled shoes, alligator belt with an attractive buckle, and my green apron in hand .... that Tahoe wind on my face, life was good, not a worry in the world, walking across the street from where I lived, in a log paneled room to the Lodge..

I will never forget that feeling, or that morning, life was as good as it gets, and I was one of the "elite" few, that Fitz chose to work up there.

More, on Mr. Laughton ............

This to Gloria, who responded to my last blog.

I remember the night pretty vividly, and it was one of those experiences that was so sudden, and kept growing in intensity .... the play itself somewhat dimmed in importance, as Mr. Laughten continued with no prompting, and no glancing at the script that he held in his hand.

I think all of the attention of the audience was directed to his performance, and what he was accomplishing ..... on the spur of the moment. Our respect for him, grew with each word, and Power and Anderson, who I think were also in awe of him, became supporting players, and I think they knew it.

As you say, I witnessed a "once in a lifetime" performance.

Thanks for responding ..............

Charles Laughton.............

I was just watching a movie on TV, and during an interview period, saw Charles Laughton, and brought back a memory of many years ago, back to the early 50's.

I was in the Navy then, and an opportunity arose to get tickets to see a play, "John Brown's Body," Tyrone Power, Raymond Massey and Judith Anderson, direction by Charles Laughton. It was at a theatre in San Diego. I was not a big "play goer" the cast sounded too good to turn down.

It was unique in that the only players were the headliners, backed up by the Voices of Walter Schumann as a chorus. It was a trial, a lot of dialogue, with musical response, but, a lot of dialogue.

Curtain time, and Mr. Laughton stepped out and announced that Mr. Massey was not feeling well, and he, even though he had never played the part, only directed the show, was going to stand in for Mr. Massey. He begged the audiences indulgence, as he would have to read from the script.

The stage lit up, the lights came on, the three characters entered.

I am not sure who spoke first, but when it came around to Mr. Laughton, he glanced down at the script before speaking, spoke his lines .................... and that was the last, that he ever glanced at the script. Just directing the play, he had memorized all the lines. It was extraordinary, and there were many, many lines, the play was all dialogue similar to a trial, at the bar of justice.

At the end of the show, all three actors came out ....... two bowed and gracefully strode to the wings, leaving Mr. Laughton, alone, to take his well deserved bows.

It was memorable ......

A memory

This story came up recently, and someone suggested I should put it on my blog.

For many years, my SS check would come, I would endorse it, my wife would take it to the bank, and they would cash it for her, no problem. She even had my power of attorney to do so.

Then one day, she was at the bank downtown, and they turned her down, it had to be signed, by me, in front of them.

She called me, and I drove downtown to the bank.

The bank was pretty full when I entered, I spotted her, walked over, and she handed me the envelope with the SS check in it.

The bank was pretty full, I knew most of them, and they knew me.

As I opened the envelope and looked inside, I said, loudly, "How long have I been getting these?"

There was a quiet in the bank, as everyone stared her way.

I signed it, handed it to the teller, and walked out. I never looked back.

Show your GRATITUDE .............

Give Up ..... let them take over

I honestly do not care whether casinos come to Ohio, or not. I spent a portion of my life in them. They are no more than an elaborate set, where you lose your money. A casino is nothing more than "opportunity." Something for nothing. An unlimited amount of money to be won ...... if only.

No good ever came out of a casino, and only winners come out. The worst thing a person can do in a casino, is "win."

I just wish all the "supporters" would just tell the truth ..........

Ohio needs money, people don't want to pay any more tax money, the only way we can get it is from casino revenue. People won't pay more tax money, but they will lose their money in a casino. We need that money.

Why don't they just say that. If it becomes a moral issue, they lose, if it is solely fiscal, they may win. It has been turned DOWN so many times, the people spoke out, NO CASINOS IN OHIO, er ah well OK this time.

The Economy gets tight ..... the casinos get tight

Ohio AFL-CIO backs casino plan
June 11, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The chairman of the Ohio Jobs & Growth Committee announced Wednesday that the Ohio AFL-CIO is endorsing its plan to develop four casinos in the state. The chairman, Charlie Luken, described the union backing as "strong confirmation of our belief that this proposed constitutional amendment can help Ohio's working men and women navigate these treacherous economic times."

The Ohio AFL-CIO represents 700,000 workers in 40 national unions. Its president, Joe Rugola, said "The time is right for Ohioans to embrace a responsible gaming proposal. This initiative will keep our gaming dollars in-state, create thousands of good jobs and generate billions in tax revenues."

The plan is a proposed constitutional amendment for the November ballot that will license 4 casinos, one each in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.

What the heck does that mean? "can help Ohio's working men and women navigate these treacherous times." THEY are the ones who will be losing their money in the casinos. Their people are working, making money, being taken care of by the union. They will be the biggest losers.

"Responsible" and "gaming" should never be used in the same sentence, they just don't go together. If a person is "responsible" they will not throw their money away on gambling.

Honestly, I don't care if casinos come to Ohio or not. I probably will never visit one. I have spent enough time, and money, in casinos to last me. I just wish they would be honest about, and not feed us all these "lines." I have a hunch that if the amount of money that has been paid out to individuals, groups, organizations to get them to support this "initiative," that our budget crunch would be over

The two main backers know what is at stake in Ohio, they know the potential. Otherwise, why invest BILLIONS? The money comes in so fast they can operate legitimately.

I bumped in to a frequent casino visitor the other day, she told me, "It is getting harder and harder to win money anymore. seems like the machines have gotten "tighter" and I win less, or nothing at the tables. The economy gets tight, the casinos get tight."

Gosh, don't you just wonder WHY?

Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan ... or, "Let their be casinos in Ohio"

I find it rather strange, that the FOP, in previous years, was ALWAYS opposed to casino gambling in Ohio. I remember they had "honorable" reasons to oppose it. Morally, ethics, criminal element, were all words that were mentioned as to why they opposed it.

But now, some budgets around the state are "tight" ........... some threatened "layoffs" of police and they now endorse casino gambling. Who else does.

Now, gambling, casinos, are supposedly a part of a BIGGER picture ..... now they have a plan. Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan ........ a PLAN paid for by the below mentioned names ................. and endorsed by everyone money could buy.

The Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan is a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution
that authorizes first-class casinos in the state's four largest cities
(Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo). The plan would generate $11
billion in economic impact during construction and the first five years of
casino operations. It would create 34,000 new jobs for Ohioans, and would
provide an estimated $651 million in tax revenues each year for all of the
state's counties, its major cities and every public school district in the
state, with projected annual tax revenues rising to $772 million by 2017.

Primary backers of the proposal are:
-- Penn National Gaming, Inc., a prominent operator of gaming facilities
and horse racing tracks, including Raceway Park in Toledo; and

-- Dan Gilbert, through his Rock Ventures partnership. Gilbert is majority
owner of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers and operator of Quicken Loans Arena
in downtown Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic Courts, the Lake Erie Monsters,
Veritix and Fathead, as well as Chairman and Founder of Quicken Loans,
which operates a 350-person Internet web center in downtown Cleveland.
Gilbert, who began investing in Ohio in 2005, employs more than 2,500
people throughout the state.

Now, that is some heavy money, wonder if they donated any to the FOP? It is no longer a "moral" issue, now it is financial, backed by a Loan Shark, and a corporation who exists because of casinos, and the BILLIONS that people lose in them.

WHERE does the money come to generate all these BILLIONS ......... people, just like you who choose to lose your money in a casino, WHY? .... because you have a little window of opportunity, to get something for nothing .. WINNER WINNER WINNER, a word often used in a casino ............ you never hear the word LOSER LOSER LOSER.

Even on a "seven out" on a crap table, a loser, the dealer doesn't say loser, he mentions those few who won ... everyone is a winner in a casino, bells going off, lights blinking ...... "I won" .... but I lost money to do it.

Some Monday Morning Advice

Who do You Trust? Should You?

We all have someone in our lives with whom we feel we can share all of our thoughts and secrets. Usually it is a member of our family, or a schoolmate whose friendship has endured through the decades. These people have usually seen us at our best and at our worst, and they have been right there by our sides to see us through it all. Such friends and family share in the triumphs and suffer through the sorrows. There are no ulterior motives.

Many of us also have friends we have known for quite some time, who are always open and friendly, but never really help carry the burden when the going gets tough. Or we have family members who suddenly pop into our lives from seemingly nowhere.

How many of these people do you trust? Would you trust them with your life? Can you trust them with a secret? Or do you trust no one?

Be careful who you trust - your welfare may depend upon it

When it comes to matters of great importance, we must be very cautious with our secrets. How many times have you heard stories of the trusted caregiver stealing his or her elderly charge blind? Suddenly a helpless senior citizen with no family to speak of is left destitute, their life's savings stolen from them by the very person who was supposed to care for them.

Or, how many times have you seen one person suddenly befriend another, only because they wanted something they couldn't otherwise attain? Remember Selena, the singer? Her trusted manager and friend not only stole from her, but she eventually killed her.

How do you know who you can trust, or if you even should? In cases of close family, you most likely already know who has stood by you through it all and who has not. However, when it comes to other people, use caution and trust your judgment.

Research their intentions and past, easily and legally

If you feel someone has befriended you because they want something from you, play detective and try to find out what that person's wants and needs are. Learning what they lack in their life may very well hold the key to what they are looking for from you - giving you the knowledge to protect yourself and your assets.

If you suspect your new found friend is in financial trouble, try looking into court records to see if any bankruptcies have been filed, or any judgments have been made against that person. Look for property foreclosures, IRS or other tax liens, or court-ordered wage garnishments. Try to determine if your friend has a gambling problem.

On the other hand, you may suspect your new friend is a thief, or running from someone. A personal background check should reveal secrets about your friend's life, including any criminal misconduct.

Most of this investigation can be done via the Internet by searching public records. However, you may have to dig into many different databases to get the answers you want. If you are looking for an easy, quick way to search an individuals true history, an online background check service, such as Net Detective, is an affordable way to search all available databases from one location.

Looking into someones past may not seem necessary, but it will be well worth it if it saves you the headache of a stolen identity or an empty bank account. It will also be worth it if you are able to forge one of those rare, lifelong friendships.

One Resource for This .............

Clocks .... that time of year, again ...

Why can't all clocks be like my computer, it automatically moves back or forward.

I think, along with Income Tax Day, this is one of the worst, setting the clocks. First I have to remember is it Fall back and Spring forward or Spring back and Fall forward.

Once you get that settled, then you have to start doing it. It used to be simple, you moved the hour hand back or forward. Digital is not that easy, and some of them are so small they are not easy to work with. One really small one that I have in the living room, that my son gave me, a "keepsake," never gets changed. The date is generally right, but the time, you are never sure. As some great thinker once said, "When you have one watch you always know what time it is. When you have two, you are never sure."

We have two clock radios, the microwave, the coffee pot, three assorted clocks around the house, and the worst of all, two cars.

Clock setting time is out of my memory span time frame. I can never remember how to set the clocks in the cars. They will probably stay wrong until I am sitting alone in the car, while my wife does some errand. Then I will take the time get the book out, find that page, and set the clock back.

I remember years ago, about this time of year, time to take the screens out and put in the storm windows. Now, that is not that much of a chore. Actually, here at the apartment, we do nothing, I like that.

I remember years ago, an author wrote a book called, "There is a Fly in the Room!" That triggered a whole series of events, putting screens in, getting ready for Spring and Summer, and everything that it signified and went with it.

Now it is "Fall Back" and "Spring Forward."