Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."-- Thomas Jefferson

"When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." .... jbd

"When once a job you have begun, do no stop till it is done. Whether the task be great or small, do it well, or not at all." .... Anon

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein

Television is one daylong commercial interrupted periodically by inept attempts to fill the airspace in between them.

If you can't start a fire, perhaps your wood is wet ....

When you elect clowns, expect a circus ..............




Monday, May 31, 2010

What a Day this has been ....

Brad Dooley is married, Bernie is now Bernie Dooley, what a great addition to the family. It was a perfect day at The Would, in Highland, New York.

You can't imagine a more perfect setting for a marriage ceremony.

Right now, it is almost midnight, I am exhausted, and will write more tomorrow and in days to follow.

You'll hear some about Gil, Gail, the minister, Debra Dooley, Dean Dooley, Zach and Ash, and many more. I will also, because of public demand, get a photograph, and tell the story about the "ring," everyone asked about it. I didn't want it to overshadow the ceremony, so I purposely did not wear it to the ceremony.

The food was superb, the surroundings, impeccable, the Colon family, unsurpassed, It was a glorious day. Be sure to check back in the  next few days, fotos that you won't want to miss, and more information about the wedding.

It is late, I am sitting on the patio of our motel, beautiful out here, getting a little chilly. Later

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Memorial Day

Memorial Day 2010

The year that the president did not participate, which is fine with me. I think he has done nothing to warrant being a commander in chief, and in my opinion, it is an insult to all Veterans when he salutes them. I remember from my old Navy days, the expression was, "You are saluting the uniform and the rank, not the man." That served well when there was some officer that you didn't like.

They at least had done something to attain their rank. If I was in the service, I would have a difficult time if the occasion arouse that I had to salute the president. My resentment reflects itself in never capitalizing his name, or that of the office he holds.

My Father often told of his experience when he went off to war in WWI. He vividly remembered the look on his Father's face. His Father had served in the Civil War, and was aware of what was ahead for his son.

My Dad wrote me a letter and handed it to me as I boarded a train on my way into the Navy in 1952.

I remember that morning when our son Brad left for the Navy. We had to get up early, and the recruiter picked him up, and it happened so fast. He was out the door and into the waiting car, they drove off, and we just stood there and my wife and I both cried. All of a sudden, Brad was gone. Perhaps the most empty feeling I have ever experienced.

And that empty feeling has been experienced by millions of families, the day the son or daughter goes to war. Veterans gave up so much of their lives, to become Veterans, and many actually gave their lives.

Just think about what that actually means. A person leaves their family and home, perhaps leave a house that has been their home all of their lives, to that eventful day, the day they went into the service. In the service they are subjected to a vigorous training program, and then, perhaps an extensive training program to learn a particular skill or trade.

They have raised their arm, taken their oath, and now have their "service obligation." They take their orders, and generally, do what they are told.

In some cases they are put in harms way, and many have given their lives. None of them wanted to do that, but they "gave their life for their country." And that is what Memorial Day is for. To give some thought, to say a prayer for and in some way, pay our respects, for all Veterans, but especially those who gave their life. Just think about that phrase .... "gave their life for their country," the ultimate sacrifice.

So, at least, spend a minute or two, on Memorial Day, and think about that phrase, what it means, and be thankful for those that sacrificed.....

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Absent-in-Chief: Obama MIA for Memorial Day, Vacationing as Spill Worsens

I, for one, am glad to see him NOT participating in Memorial Day Ceremonies. In my opinion he has NO right to do so, in any way. Hopefully, the traditions will live on, without the man who REALLY DOES NOT deserve to be there .... MAYBE he has experienced a "moment" and thinks he is doing the  right thing. I would, however, rather see him in Louisiana, sleeves rolled up, covered in oil, helping some poor bird. He probably would blame the bird for landing in the sludge.

Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:58 PM
Already under increasing fire for his handling of an oil spill that many experts now say will be the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, President Barack Obama is riling conservatives and veterans with his decision to skip the traditional Memorial Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery.

Instead, he will vacation in Chicago.

The decision not only has angered conservative pundits such as Glenn Beck but also has riled military families and others who expect the president to follow tradition on the day reserved for honoring the sacrifice of America’s soldiers.

On Jacksonville.com, run by the Florida Times-Union newspaper, a blogger who identified himself as a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy blasted Obama for being missing in action.

“He is not only MIA for Memorial Day,” wrote Luke Memminger, identified as a professional pilot. “The economy is faltering. The stock market is ready to enter a worldwide dive. North Korea is precipitating a war with South Korea that will involve us. Iran will destabilize the Mideast by developing a Nuclear weapon soon.

“The coastline of Louisiana is being contaminated through inaction and inept leadership from the government,” he continued. “A mosque will be dedicated at Ground Zero on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 massacre. We still have military deployed and fighting in two war zones.

“Where is Obama? Chicago,” Memminger wrote. “Where are those brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for Freedom and Liberty? Arlington Cemetery.”

Traditionally on Memorial Day, the president lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, in Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington. But Obama plans to speak at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Chicago instead.

Vice President Joe Biden intends to take the president's place at the Arlington Cemetery.

Obama will convene a press conference on Thursday at which he is expected to announce stringent new offshore oil regulations, as political pressure mounts amid the gulf disaster.

Obama will take questions from reporters in the East Room of the White House, an official said. The media appearance will take place a day before the president's next visit to the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, The Associated Press reported.

The White House has insisted it has done all it can to mitigate the spread of the massive oil slick, which is beginning to clog the southern U.S. coast.

Officials will watch closely on Wednesday as BP makes a fresh attempt to plug the gushing oil well, more than a month after an explosion aboard the Deep water Horizon Rig that set off an environmental catastrophe.

At KSLA News 12, which covers a region including parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, Web posters also were angry at Obama’s decision to skip Arlington.

“I am a black woman, and I feel this is so wrong for the president to do,” one commented. “There is no excuse not to do this. This country already doesn't do enough to help or take care of people who serve in the military and this is just an additional slap in the face. The United States is more than capable of taking better care of those who serve and who have served.

“It's not all President Obama's fault about not taking care of veterans, this has been going on for years in this country,” the poster continued. “Yet you still have men and women who continue to serve, bless them all.”

Beck blasted Obama over skipping the wreath laying, saying he is "sick and tired of people believing the lie" that Obama "has respect for the soldiers."

“Obama is skipping out on a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington Cemetery because he'll be in Chicago on vacation, I'm sorry, I don't ever, ever question the president's vacation,” Beck said Tuesday on his nationally syndicated radio show. “I didn't under Bush, I didn't under Clinton, I don't under Obama . . .

“I have no problem with the man taking a vacation. But I am sick and tired — sick and tired — of people believing the lie that this administration has respect for the police or has respect for the soldiers of our country. I'm tired of it."

"Obama skipping the Tomb of the Unknowns this weekend for Chicago is offensive," added Erick Erickson, a conservative commentator for the Red State blog and CNN. In a Twitter post he wrote, “Obama skipping the Tomb of the Unknowns this weekend for Chicago is offensive. Chicago can wait. The Commander-in-Chief has a job to do."

Erickson did acknowledge that a president's missing a wreath laying is not unprecedented. But in the most recent examples in modern times, President Ronald Reagan was involved in a contentious economic summit in 1983, and George H.W. Bush was on the campaign trail in 1992. He instead spoke at an American Legion event.

“Barack Obama wants to go on vacation — the second vacation he has had since oil began spilling out of the gulf,” Erickson noted. “That’s okay though because the oil spilling is George W. Bush’s fault, just like all the new dead soldiers are George Bush’s fault, too. Why should he care?

“The problem for Barack Obama is simple,” Erickson continued. “The troops don’t like him no matter how much the White House propaganda machine tries to gin up staged pictures of Obama voting soldiers fawning all over him. But see the tepid response from cadets at West Point or talk privately with lots of soldiers and sailors and you get something else — they fundamentally do not respect their commander in chief.

“There was no question they respected and loved Ronald Reagan. Same with George H.W. Bush, the last veteran of World War II to serve as president.”

© Newsmax. All rights reserved.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is fast approaching, the day we pay tribute to Americans who left home, either because they volunteered or were drafted, many died, many were wounded, but all are Veterans.

I am a Veteran. My Grandfather served in the Civil War, my Dad was in WWI, my Brother in WWII, I was in during the Korean Conflict, one son served during Viet Nam and another son during Desert Storm. Grandfather, Father and Brother, are gone, so they will be uppermost in my mind, and I will be thinking of them.

I have a problem. I don't know what the word is, there are many, but none seem to say it right.

I have a problem with obama, paying his respects, saying he is Commander in Chief, saluting, just even being affiliated with any ceremony paying respects, to American Servicemen and Women.

I see no difference in Bin Laden or obama, paying their respects to Veterans. It is somewhat like an Atheist going to church. I know he is not sincere, and one has to wonder why he is in church. No, I take that back. Once the Atheist is in church there is at least a chance, if the right program is successful, he might change his mind, be saved, and believe in God.

There is no chance that obama can change his birthright or his religion. In my opinion he is in no way an American, probably is not, in fact, a citizen, and  his interest in America is a smokescreen..

I cringed when I heard him address the Cadets at West Point. I had to wonder what was actually in the back of his mind.

His appearance at the University of Michigan I could understand. The same people who hired their football coach, probably had a lot to do with asking obama to give the graduation address.

I must admit I do admire one quality he possesses. He can lie with a straight face. I kid a lot, but when my kidding reaches a certain height, I have to smile or laugh, he can just go on and on.

This Memorial Day will be even more eventful, my youngest Son, Brad, is getting married, and we will be attending that ceremony in New York, on the 30th.

I hope no one invited obama.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Ganache Brownies

This brings back some fond memories of days gone way by .................. I think I got this recipe from a dealer we had at the Primm in Reno, she was French, and came to Reno via Cuba, where she was a wheel dealer at the Hotel Nacional, which I think was run by Myer Lansky. She had also worked at some world class casinos, in one capacity or another.

Bittersweet Brownies topped with a rich French frosting ............

6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
7 ounces of semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup of heavy cream
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Butter a 9-inch square pan. Line the bottom with waxed paper and butter the paper. Flour the pan.
  3. Melt the bittersweet chocolate and butter in a heavy pan over low heat or in a double boiler over hot water. Cool slightly
  4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until uniformly yellow. Beat in the sugar until thick. Add the vanilla. Add the chocolate gradually. Sift together, the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the chocolate mixture. Fold in the walnuts.
  5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake about 35 minutes until firm and/or a cake tester comes out clean.
  6. Cool in the pan for ten minutes, then remove the brownies and place them on a plate.
  7. Chop the semisweet chocolate fine and place in a small heatproof bowl. Slowly bring the cream to a full boil in a small saucepan, stirring frequently. Pour it over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Chill briefly until it is thickened, about 15 minutes. Spread over the brownies and let cool until a glaze forms on top. Cut the brownies into squares, and enjoy.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Standard Brownie is a Classic

Many of you know my love for Brownies. Someone asked me about my favorite Brownie, so, here it is. This is the best ............

4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup of butter
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
  2. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan
  3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over hot water or in a heavy pan over low heat, stirring occasionally; let cool slightly.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, gradually adding the sugar. Beat until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla and stir in the flour and salt until just blended. Fold in the nuts.
  5. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan and cut into squares.
Keep checking back, more GREAT recipes to come ....... I have collected them for many years. Some are quite old, my Mothers, my Grandmothers quite a variety and many variations.

Amanda Zust, what a kid she must be

There are GOOD things that happen in this life, today, and we never hear of them. I saw a replay of their game with Michigan. It was Senior Day, her brother walked her out on the field and sat and watched the game. Can you imagine the pride those parents had ............ WOW

Iowa City (AP) — Less than 48 hours after going through a lengthy medical procedure to save the life of her brother, Iowa senior pitcher Amanda Zust was back in the circle, trying to help the Hawkeye softball team.


“I asked her, ‘Do you want to play today?’ ” Iowa coach Gayle Blevins said. “Zusty did what everyone expected her to ... she played.”

Zust — who moved to 15-10 on the season with a win over Minnesota recently — never expected her senior season to be like this: ... Getting texts from her mother before games letting her know how her brother Robbie, a sophomore at Iowa, was doing in the hospital.

“As hard as things can get on the softball field, you have to realize what is going on outside of that,” Amanda said. “If you find yourself in a tough spot, it’s nothing compared to what other people are going through.

“We all want to win those games, and I compete as hard as I can, and that’s all I can do. That’s all (Robbie) can do, too.”

Robbie was diagnosed in January with ALL, or acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells.

It is a cancer that can be fatal in as little as a few weeks if untreated. Robbie immediately started chemotherapy.

“It was shock,” Amanda said of hearing the news. “It’s one of those things that you don’t really know what you are going to feel like until you experience it. It was shock, and it was fear not knowing exactly what was going to happen.”

Robbie underwent nine weeks of chemotherapy in Des Moines and later had radiation treatment at the University of Iowa to kill the cancer. But to survive, Robbie needed a bone marrow transplant. His older sister, Sarah, 25, wasn’t a match, but Amanda was.

“We kind of joked about it in the beginning,” Amanda said. “I don’t like needles and my sister, she’s a nurse. So Robbie would tease that he knew I was going to be the donor from the very beginning.”

On April 22, Amanda went to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and over about six hours, she had blood taken out of one arm, sent into a machine that took out stem cells, and then put back into her body in her other arm.

“I sat there doing that, I couldn’t imagine him going through everything he went through,” Amanda said. “All the procedures he went through, he acted like it was nothing. I looked at him for strength. I think he was what kept our family so strong.”

The next day Amanda left with the Hawkeyes for a Big Ten trip to Penn State, and the day after, she was back on the mound.

“Our hope was that we would be able to rest her that first day and give her another day to recover,” Blevins said. “That was our game plan. As it was, it didn’t turn out that way. The best laid plans don’t go the way you want them to go.”

While Amanda was traveling to State College, Pa., her stem cells were administered to Robbie. Since then they have checked his white blood cell count every day. For a week it remained at 0.1, but by the middle of this past week, it was at 6.8.

“It’s been increasing a lot in the last few days,” Amanda said. “He’s up more and talking like himself again.”

Amanda watched her brother battle cancer daily.

“He’s always been a skinny kid, but seeing him go through the process of being really sick and fragile,” Amanda said. “That type of thing is hard.”

“It’s the first thing we talk about every day,” Blevins said of her brother. “Today was a good day, or today he was sick. You know that’s in the back of her mind.

“She sits in the dugout between innings, it’s hard not to go where other concerns are. It’s difficult.”

Cathy Zust, Amanda’s mom, knows the sacrifices Amanda made during her final season at Iowa.

“I think she did a great job,” Cathy said. “It is a distraction, and I know she thinks about it all the time. She’s had her ups and downs but has hung in there tough and did it for him. He wouldn’t want her to quit.

“She goes out there and gets wins for him, too.”

Robbie came to the University of Iowa in part because his sister was there. The two are close in age and share a special bond as siblings.

Cathy sent pre-game texts for Amanda.

“I would tell her to do it for him,” Cathy said. “His thing was battle, attack, defeat. Fight for him and yourself and your team. Win the battle.”

At the moment, Robbie has won the battle. There is hope that he will be able to leave the hospital soon.

“We’ve got to get him eating and drinking, but he’s doing very well,” Cathy said. “We have several months to go yet, ... but I think he’s planning on going to her senior day.”

Amanda — who has worn a ROOTING FOR ROB bracelet all season — had her senior night in May when Iowa hosted Michigan at Pearl Field.

She may even have her brother in the stands on his road to recovery — a recovery she made possible.

“It was something that I’d do in a heartbeat,” Amanda said. “And over and over again if I had to.”

Monday, May 17, 2010

Woman Shot in the Head

I am not sure it is true, my guess is that it is, the bottom line when I received it was that she voted for Obama. I am going to leave that off, I think it is a cute story, and probably true, I just can't iimagine anyone making it up.

Linda Burnett, 23, a resident of San Diego, was visiting her in-laws and while there went to a nearby supermarket to pick up some groceries. Later, her husband noticed her sitting in her car in the driveway with the windows rolled up and with her eyes closed, with both hands behind the back of her head. He became concerned and walked over to the car. He noticed that Linda's eyes were now open and she looked very strange. He asked her if she was okay, and Linda replied that she had been shot in the back of the head and had been holding her brains in for over an hour.

The husband called the paramedics, who broke into the car because the doors were locked and Linda refused to remove her hands from her head.

When they finally got in, they found that Linda had a wad of bread dough on the back of her head. A Pillsbury biscuit canister had exploded from the heat, making a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot, and the wad of dough hit her in the back of her head. When she reached back to find out what it was, she felt the dough and thought it was her brains. She initially passed out, but quickly recovered.

Licking Memorial Hospital

Well, I finally did it, I had some blood work done this morning. I had no choice. One of my prescriptions ran out, and the Doctor won't refill until the results of the blood work come back. So, they gotcha.

Went to the local hospital to get the blood work done. They have a new revolving door, one that is almost a "Stress Test." Really takes a lot to get it to move. This is one of those hospitals that is ALWAYS doing something, remodeling, new building, something.

As you go in, there are signs and arrows everywhere, and the lab is not where it was the last time I had to do this, so I had to ask. Got directions, got lost and had to ask again. Found the waiting room.

Sat down, realized that I was doing something wrong, so they pointed to the door, and there was a touch screen where you had to put your name. Put in the name and sat down.

Looked across the room and saw an old friend, John Eshelman, so I went over and sat with him, not for long,, they called his name and he left.

My name was called, went to the three stall sign in desks. Driver license and Medicare card. Computer screens and all sorts of printers around her. One copies the drivers license and Medicare card, and one gigantic computer spits out all of the paper work. I have her one sheet of paper, she did her keyboarding and printed out four.  And, the printer printed out on both sides, not all printers do that, automatically. Two initials and a signature and I went back to sit down.

Just got seated and my name was called. I was ushered to a small room down a hallway. She pointed to a rather elaborate chair, arms that closed in front of my, like a small TV tray of yesterday. On the wall, another computer screen that she entered the same information in that the gal out front had done.

I never have understood why their computers do not communicate with each other. You used to just take a folder from room to room, and gave them the information one time. Now, each computer terminal wants and needs the same information.

Technology when I entered, instead of a ticket, a touch screen to enter your name. Elaborate computer to take down the information. One comment, I have been coming to this hospital for forty years, seen all sorts of changes, from pens to typewriters to computers. But I still have to go over all the information, each time, to a computer. I really do not understand that.

When I just had a folder, they just passed the folder around from person to person, office to office, they would ad sheets of paper, but the information stayed the same. Then computers .... every time. Progress is wonderful.

Anyway, she swabs my arm, draws the needle near, and I automatically looked away, to my right, and there on the wall by the door, surrounded by all this technology, was a WOODEN BRACKET, with a hole in it, and in that hole, a two-cell flashlight, probably cost three bucks, their EMERGENCY LIGHTING SYSTEM. I let out a laugh just as she put the needle in my arm.

But one of the really new, neat things, right outside the blood work lab, as you head to the front door, a new room, a coffee shop, selling Starbucks. Well, you have to "fast" before the blood work, so I am dying for a cup of coffee, and lo and behold, a few feet from the lab, coffee, bagels, danish, muffins. How smart is that? The same people who have a flashlight as an emergency lighting system are smart enough to put a Starbucks outside the door of the lab. $1.60 for a small coffee, but it was worth it.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Bing Davis

I came across these items the other day, and I think it is a great tribute to my brother, Dean Shannon Dooley. I think it is unique in a way, Bing is well known and a celebrity in many ways. In most of his biographical material he attributes his path in life, to my brother. Not many do that, I think it is neat.

Dr. Willis Bing Davis


Chairman: Board of Directors National Conference of Artists

Cultural leader, Willis "Bing" Davis was born on June 30, 1937 in Greer, South Carolina to Verona Hargrove Davis Buffington and Livonia "Lee" Davis, a coal truck driver and gospel singer. Growing up on Dayton, Ohio's East Side, Davis attended Washington Elementary School.

Bing agreed that the smallness of the community also meant a lot of camaraderie and mentoring from older members in the community. Bing talked about his high school teacher and coach, Dean Dooley: “More than a teacher, he was there, he talked with my family, talked to my mother, aunts and uncles, to point me in the right direction.”


Bing remembered that when Coach Dooley found out he was planning to drop out of Wilbur Wright High School, he took him and three other boys on an impromptu road trip to visit DePauw University.

The trip changed his life, not only because he ended up attending DePauw and went on to become a prominent artist, but because his coach’s interest in him showed him the importance of having supportive, encouraging mentors reaching out to you.

“If someone had not nurtured me, I would not have been able to do it. The potential might have been there, but I would not have done it.” The work he does as an educator is his way of giving back for all he received.

The New Masthead

I think it needs a bit more explaining.

Joe Conforte, Nevada brothel owner, who I dealt craps to on numerous occasions in Reno, is in this photograph seen shooting craps in prison in Carson City, Nevada. Gambling, of course, is legal in Nevada, so they had a casino in the state prison. It was reportedly the most honest game in the state. You didn't want to get thrown out of there, there was no place else to go. Joe is not living in Brazil.

I remember Joe pulling up in front of the Primmadonna in a cordovan colored Lincoln Continental convertible, camel top coat, nice fedora, big cigar, walking in to the club with a few of his girls, all nicely dressed, in town for some entertainment, generally on a Thursday night.

Ernie Primm had a special bottle of something, just for Joe, and a box of cigars for him also. Joe spread his money around pretty good, so everyone took good care of him. I had a few occasions to not only deal to him, but also to chat. I always liked him.

The Chris Craft on the pond. Well, I always loved boats, in those days they were all wooden. I had driven a Chris Craft on one occasion, in Michigan, on Burt Lake, that was owned by Hoppie, I think his name was John Hopkins. He was a dashing figure of a man, vacationed at the lake, made a lot of money during the war and moved up to the lake. He bought John Greenmans's store and tavern, turned it into a full time tavern, and it still is there today, changed quite a bit, but still Hoppies.

We had the pond, I saw a Chris Craft for sale, and the practical person I was, bought it, put it on the pond, got it running and had a ball with it. Don't ask what happened to it. I decided to refinish it, ADD kicked in, end of story.

Don't bring up the subject if you talk with my wife, please.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Beck, Rush and the Boys ..

I am taking Rush, Beck and Newt off of my Facebook. They are using it as a TOOL to SELL, SELL, SELL and SELL. T-shirts seem to be the big item, and bumper stickers.

They do one post of SCARE STUFF, Obama this and Obama that ............ and OH, I have these T-shirts to sell. They have thousands of followers buying this junk from them. I wonder how they feel about those posts where people would like to have the item, but, "just don't have the money to get one now."

Facebook is FREE to them to gain their following, and FREE for them to sell their wares.

Leroy acquired his vast following through TV and appearances in his church and others. Then, he sold them pills to do all sorts of things, and then, he said that God told him just where to drill a well on his property for water, they he told his followers, the pills will work better if you wash them down with his water, "Sold in four gallon cartons, no broken cartons." That is a direct quote.

I think of him when I see Beck and all the "good old boys," selling their wares on Facebook.

Scare them, make them feel that the world is coming to an end, there is no future, so, buy and read my books, t-shirts, caps and cups ..... I have NO solutions, NO suggestions, just books and t-shirts and cups, and OH, Yea, "Wait Till November" and everything will be OK, then, if you read my books, etc. etc.

In many ways, they are more dishonest than the politicians. They fill the public with SCARY thoughts and ideas, but offer no solutions, while making tons of money ........ now that is REALLY dishonest.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

A Tribute to Shammy

Shammy, what a cat.

We had a print shop in East Newark. I opened the doors one morning and in strolled this cat. Have no idea where she came from. She looked all over the place, checked out each room, strolled back to the front and jumped up on the counter, and never left.

Customers loved Shammy. I would get excited thinking we had a customer coming in, "No, just stopped in to see Shammy."

People that did not like cats, liked Shammy. We were doing a menu for a good customer and friend, Jim Eshelman. He didn't like cats. He came in to look at a proof and shooed Shammy away. She let it go and let him read in peace.

Next time he came in, took the proof and went to the back of the office and started reading and I saw Shammy inch a little closer to him.

Third proof, same scenario, I looked back, and there was Shammy on Jim's lap, looking over the proof with him.

Sherryl Callendar loved Shammy. Whenever she was out our way she would stop by to say hello, even wrote to him from Florida and sent him some pictures of her yard, with an alligator in it.

We had a couch in our waiting room. People would sit on that couch, Shammy would go over to them, and they would sit and talk.

One lady, a PhD at OSU, brought some printing out one time. Loved Shammy. She would often just stop by and they would sit on the couch. I think she loved Shammy, the comfortable couch and the atmosphere, and the love she got in return, from Shammy, for just a few strokes down the back. She sent Shammy a Christmas Card one year.

There was a Head Start program in our shopping center, and almost every morning, a group of little guys would walk down by our shop, and every time, Shammy was on the back of the couch to greet them. Another class of 4th graders from a school nearby made a class project out of writing to Shammy.

For a while we did a weekly newspaper in our area. One popular column was, Advice from the Shampster.

She gave advice of all sorts to all people.

More about Shammy .............. later.

SNOPES EXPOSED

My suspicisons have been confirmed ........... I had received emails/rumors, etc., that they had even received some support from the Obama camp via the Party ..... really don't know who to believe anymore. On two occasions I had received information that I thought had validity, checked snopes and they said to the contrary ....  now I know. Now we have to decide if THIS is True or False ....

For the past few years (http://www.snopescom/ has positioned itself, or others have labeled it, as the 'tell-all final word' on any comment, claim and email. But for several years people tried to find out who exactly was behind snopes.com. Only recently did Wikipedia get to the bottom of it - kinda makes you wonder what they were hiding. Well, finally we know. It is run by a husband and wife team - that's right, no big office of investigators and researchers, no team of lawyers. It's just a mom-and-pop operation that began as a hobby. David and Barbara Mikkelson in the San Fernando Valley of California started the website about 13 years ago and they have no formal background or experience in investigative research. After a few years it gained popularity believing it to be unbiased and neutral, but over the past couple of years people started asking questions who was behind it and did they have a selfish motivation?

The reason for the questions - or skepticisms - is a result of snopes.com claiming to have the bottom line facts to certain questions or issue when in fact they have been proven wrong. Also, there were criticisms the Mikkelsons were not really investigating and getting to the 'true' bottom of various issues.

A few months ago, when my State Farm agent Bud Gregg in Mandeville hoisted a political sign referencing Barack Obama and made a big splash across the Internet, 'supposedly' the Mikkelson's claim to have researched this issue before posting their findings on snopes.com. In their statement they claimed the corporate office of State Farm pressured Gregg into taking down the sign, when in fact nothing of the sort 'ever' took place. I personally contacted David Mikkelson (and he replied back to me) thinking he would want to get to the bottom of this and I gave him Bud Gregg's contact phone numbers - and Bud was going to give him phone numbers to the big exec's at State Farm in Illinois who would have been willing to speak with him about it. He never called Bud. In fact, I learned from Bud Gregg that no one from snopes.com ever contacted anyone with State Farm.

Yet, snopes.com issued a statement as the 'final factual word' on the issue as if they did all their homework and got to the bottom of things - not!

Then it has been learned the Mikkelson's are very Democratic (party) and extremely liberal. As we all now know from this presidential election, liberals have a purpose agenda to discredit anything that appears to be conservative. There has been much criticism lately over the Internet with people pointing out the Mikkelson's liberalism revealing itself in their website findings. Gee, what a shock?

So, I say this now to everyone who goes to snopes.com to get what they think to be the bottom line fact 'proceed with caution.' Take what it says at face value and nothing more. Use it only to lead you to their references where you can link to and read the sources for yourself. Plus, you can always Google a subject and do the research yourself. It now seems apparent that's all the Mikkelson's do. After all, I can personally vouch from my own experience for their 'not' fully looking into things.

http://www.wikipedia.org/ or http://www.snopes.com/

I have found this to be true also! Many videos of Obama I tried to verify on Snopes and they said they were False. Then they gave their liberal slant! I have suspected some problems with snopes for some time now, but I have only caught them in half-truths. If there is any subjectivity they do an immediate full left rudder.

Truth or Fiction, is a better source for verification, in my opinion.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/

I have recently discovered that Snopes.com is owned by a flaming liberal and this man is in the tank for Obama. There are many things they have listed on their site as a hoax and yet you can go to You tube yourself and find the video of Obama actually saying these things. So you see, you cannot and should not trust Snopes.com, ever for anything that remotely resembles truth! I don't even trust them to tell me if email chains are hoaxes anymore.

A few conservative speakers on Myspace told me about Snopes.com. A few months ago and I took it upon myself to do a little research to find out if it was true. Well, I found out for myself that it is true. Anyway just FYI please don't useSnopes.com anymore for fact checking and make your friends aware of their political leanings as well. Many people still think Snopes.com is neutral and they can be trusted as factual. We need to make sure everyone is aware that that is a hoax in itself.

Thank you,

Alan Strong

Alan Strong CEO/Chairman
Commercial Programming Systems, Inc.
4400 Coldwater Canyon Ave. Suite
200 Studio City , CA. 91604-5039

My Prediction

My Prediction ...........

There will be a game SEVEN .............. in Cleveland

The NETWORK wanted it that way..............

The Cavs will win, on Thursday, in Boston, then back to Cleveland for game Seven ...... James will revive his game  ............. and be the HERO .............. as he enters FREE AGENCY ..........

The Cavs take a dive

Is there anyone now, who doesn't believe that professional athletic events are not controlled by the networks.

The James "tank job" last night was proof of that. It shows the depth of his actual talent that he can so accurately miss shots. I wonder how much he got paid for his performance. How great does he have it, he can get to paid to either win or lose.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Rush and Beck

What do I have to do to get a gigantic following of readers so I, too, can open an online store and make BIG BUCKS selling T-shirts and cups and hats?

Beck, who admittedly does not like politics* has a store and now has some sort of a pay-to-view show admits he is nothing but an entertainer, and they still blindly follow him and take his word as gospel. I think all these talk show hosts should be made to get Ministerial Licenses. They are nothing more than Evangelists,

I'll bet if you look deep enough, Leroy Jenkins is on the Beck advisory staff. They both do or have done the same think. GET A LARGE FOLLOWING AND THEN SELL THEM STUFF.

They have the bold faced audacity to critiize politicians for thier money making schemes, then they go on Facebook, get a large following and then start their "selling ways."

*In a 2010 interview in Forbes, Beck asserted that he was not political and his business is entertainment: "I could give a flying crap about the political process," continuing on to say "We're an entertainment company".

Monday, May 10, 2010

A Letter MOST CHILLING .... and very true ........

SUBJECT: A LETTER FROM A PROCTER AND GAMBLE EXECUTIVE TO THE PRESIDENT


THE LAST SENTENCE IS THE MOST CHILLING

Lou Pritchett is one of corporate America's true living legends- an acclaimed author, dynamic teacher and one of the world's highest rated speakers. Successful corporate executives everywhere recognize him as the foremost leader in change management.. Lou changed the way America does business by creating an audacious concept that came to be known as "partnering." Pritchett rose from soap salesman to Vice-President, Sales and Customer Development for Procter and Gamble and over the course of 36 years, made corporate history.

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

Dear President Obama:

You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.

You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you.

You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.

You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.

You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll.

You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.

You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others.

You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail.

You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America ' crowd and deliver this message abroad.

You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector.

You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.

You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves.

You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world.

You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.

You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spending proposals.

You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people.

You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient.

You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.

You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaugh's, Hannitys, O'Reillys and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view.

You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing.

Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.

Lou Pritchett

This letter was sent to the NY Times but they never acknowledged it. Big surprise. Since it hit the internet, however, it has had over 500,000 hits. Keep it going. All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing. It's happening right now.

Lena Horne

Lena Horne passed away yesterday, no big "break in the news" way of letting us know. If it had not been for Monica Day on my Facebook, I would not have known.

Some lesser known "celebs" have gotten more press than she has. She made this comment one time, never forgot it, I thought it was sad and true.

She said, “I was unique in that I was a kind of black that white people could accept,” she once said. “I was their daydream. I had the worst kind of acceptance because it was never for how great I was or what I contributed. It was because of the way I looked.”

A sad legacy.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Casino

Well, the voters in Ohio have voiced their opinion, put the casino on the West side of town,which, oddly enough, is where the developers wanted to put it.

Now. everyone on the West side is excited. One guys has a pizza place right across the street from the casino, how lucky is he? Everyone is looking for more business and traffic. Construction jobs, casino jobs, prosperity in the West of Columbus.

Ironic, in a way. Voters turned down many levies, libraries, schools, education, they are not voting for anything that costs them money. Wiith the casino coming to town everyone will have more money. Where does all that casino money come from? OH, people losing their money, the money they saved by not voting for the schools can now be lost in a casino. Makes sense.

Where does the money come from to pay all those casino workers. OH, people losing money.

Granted, some people buy a drink, they pay money and they get a drink. Some buy food. Some will pay for a room, so some people do get something for their money. But the BIG bucks are made in the casino, people wagering and losing their money. Most voters rationalize, and maybe don't realize, what a casino is.

A casino get a license from the state, and I think they also have to get a federal gaming stamp and probably some city, township and other licenses, but basically, a license to take peopless money. As we always called them in Nevada, a license to steal.

Now the homeless, living across the street, will have a nice casino to look at. New, elaborate, opulant and I think they are going to call the Columbus casino something about Hollywood ....

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Buy a T-shirt from Glann Beck


I am really upset about Beck and all of these other DJ's, who by having loud voices, and an audience of sheep, who hear something that appeals to them and they become "fans," capitalizing on their fame. How much to you imagine that Beck makes, with his store, selling EXPENSIVE T-shirts and other items, cups, hats, many items by taking advantage of their following.

He has the bold faced audacity to  call the politicians unprincipled, thieves, stealing money, and the stupid looking guy in the above banner ad, from his site is as bad or worse than them. They at least had the guts, or whatever it took, to run for office, while Beck just goes to his studio and expounds his home spun propaganda.

He commented on Obama reading from a teleprompter, while he himself has a staff feeding information into his ears. I wonder if he is donating any of his PROFITS to any political party?

We are a great people, our country is falling into ruins and we buy T-shirts and cups and hats and let DJ''s tell us how to correct all of our problems ..... his new line ............ FAITH    HOPE    and   CHARITY T's  21.95 each ............... soon coming out with a new line ......... Get the Bill of Rights .... on  a T-shirt ........... ONE LETTER AT A TIME...............

Is that political commentary or merchandising ............ does he want you to listen, or BUY?

Another one

Golly, another PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER raped a young girl, he was a hall of famer, no less. They are on my FACEBOOK, I didn't see an entry about it. Lawrence Taylor, old LT as he was known. He and Ben.

May 5th

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

May 4th

Women have more strength in their looks than we have in our laws, and more power in their tears than we have by our arguments.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Food for Thought

God has given us two ears, two eyes, but one tongue, to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

The Funeral


Jim put on his suit, chose one of his four neckties, and looked at himself in the mirror as he was expertly putting the knot in his tie. He was still puzzled by Jessie's reaction to the news of Walt's death, and even more puzzled that she wanted to attend his funeral. The only time they were apart was when he went to work, and then, of course, Jessie had taken that job at the Colville Feed Store, she did put in some extra hours there. "Maybe I had better pay more attention to Jessie and what she does," Jim said to himself.

They walked the few blocks from their place on Hudson to the funeral home on 2nd Street. It was a clear day, a little chilly, but pleasant. Jim thought perhaps that they could get a ride to the Cedar Hill Cemetery.

They entered the flower bedecked room at the funeral home, and Jim recognized a few familiar faces, as, of course, everyone visited the Arcade at one time or another, and Jim was generally there, and had occasioned to meet and become friends with many of the towns residents.

The only vacant seats were near the front of the room, and Jim and Jessie made their way through the tight rows of chairs. Jim was walking behind Jessie, and couldn't help but notice that Jessie received a more than passing nod or glance, or in one case, a wink, from some of the men in the room.

As they sat down, Jim mentioned to Jessie that she seemed to know so many people.

"Oh, they all come in to the Colville Feed Store," was her reply, and I see some of them when I attend football games.

Jessie had become an avid fan of the sport, and attended many of the exhibition game held in the area. On occasions, she rode with her friends to Canton and to Dayton to see the Bulldogs and the flyers in action.

Jim accepted this explanation, even though he felt some concern that a few of these men would have no reason to go in to the Colville Feed Store and were not football fans. He knew that Mr. Young, who lived farther up Hudson, in the "nicer" section, had sold his horse, and purchased a new "automobile" for his transportation needs.

Jim also recalled that he was a "widow," as he had seem him strolling through the Arcade with different women of questionable character, and spent many hours at the picture show in the Arcade. Some of the women worked in the "East End" of town, and had acquired rather notorious reputations.

Jim thought to himself, "I wonder have all these years with Jessie been a lie, and that there perhaps have been others that she has been seeing when I was at work. Perhaps I should have opened my eyes years ago .... Yes, things were coming back to Jim ... why was she so upset over Walt, was there more than just the introduction?"

And he thought back to their school days, and some of the things he had heard about Jessie, her athletic ability, her love of sports, but never believed ... she couldn't have done those things with the other boys in the class .... Jim just wasn't going to believe anything about Jessie that wasn't .... Well, pure and honest .... And we're so happy .. I think.

Sitting in the flower decked room, Jim leaned over to Jessie ... he asked ... "Jessie, did you ever see Walt after I briefly introduced you to him some time back ... I have to know."

"Of course not, Honey, I did see him in his big rig truck the day he was killed, he was just pulling around the corner from Main Street, and I glanced up in to his deep blue eyes, for a moment, one thrilling moment, ... and I remembered that you had introduced him to me some time ago, that's all."

"Oh," Jim responded, "I guess I never really looked into his baby blue eyes."

Jessie pondered, why did he call Walt's eyes ... baby blue ... I saw them as deep blue. Oh, good heavens, could Jim be seeing other men ... could there be more going on with his "crew" than just keeping the Arcade heated.

Good Grief, I remember some of those stories from school about Jim and some of the other boys .. I can't believe this is happening ... I thought they meant he was happy, when they called him that.

And then, a startled Jessie saw her sobbing husband, overcome with emotion, rush to Walt's flower draped casket, and his emotion racked body fell limp over the lifeless body of Walt.

"I can't go on, " Jim sobbed.

"Oh my God," Jessie cried out.