Tsunami debris floating across Pacific toward US

This file photo taken March 13, 2011, and provided by the U.S. Navy, shows a Japanese home adrift in the Pacific Ocean, days after a massive earthquake and the ensuing tsunami hit Japan's east coast. Scientists believe ocean waves carried away 3-4 million tons of the 20 million tons of debris created by tsunamis that slammed into Japan after a magnitude-9.0 earthquake nearly a year ago. One-to-two million tons of it _ lumber and other construction material, fishing boats and other fragments of coastal towns _ are still in the water and are being carried across the Pacific by ocean currents. One to five percent of that may reach coastlines in Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon and Washington states. 

(AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Dylan McCord)

By AUDREY McAVOY
HONOLULU (AP) — Refrigerators, TVs and other debris dragged into sea when a massive earthquake hit Japan last March, causing tsunamis as high as 130 feet to crash ashore, could show up in remote atolls north of Hawaii as soon as this winter, with other pieces reaching parts of the West Coast in 2013 and 2014, experts say.
Debris from the tsunami initially formed a thick mass in the ocean of Japan's northeastern coast. But ocean currents have dispersed the pieces so they're now estimated to spread out some 3,000 miles halfway across the Pacific.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday the first bits of tsunami debris are estimated to make landfall this winter on small atolls northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands. Other pieces are expected to reach the coasts of Oregon, Washington state, Alaska and Canada between March 2013 and March 2014.

For those who asked ...............

https://www.facebook.com/dooley3

and

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dooley-Observed/297434956972754

Worth a thousand words

America's problem in one picture This financial crisis is forcing State and local agencies to make some tough decisions. If things continue for much longer, there's a real risk that we may have to lay off Jose.

OOOOPPPPPSSSSSSSS

In February 2009 Obama said, "I'm pledging to cut the deficit we inherited by half by the end of my first term in office." After Obama uttered those words, the deficit actually shot up to $1.4 trillion dollars in 2009.

It then came down to $1.3 trillion in 2010, then stayed flat for 2011.

The Congressional Budget office estimates 2012's deficit will be $1.1 trillion dollars -- a far cry from cutting the deficit in half.

Three years ago, in an interview the newly-inaugurated president Obama gave to NBC's Today Show.

"If I don't have this done in three years, then there is going to be a one-term proposition," Obama said.

Bleeding Edge of ObamaCare Rationing

Nancy Pelosi said that Congress must pass ObamaCare to find out what's in it. Now we have healthcare rationing by committee, the cornerstone of ObamaCare's socialist approach to medicine.

Sarah Palin was right. If ObamaCare is allowed to stand, an unelected and unaccountable "death panel" made up of bureaucrats in Washington D.C. will be charged with...
Rationing the health care options for tens of millions
Limiting access to life-saving treatments
Limiting medical breakthroughs or delaying their treatment
Dictating which prescription drugs are government approved

Everything about ObamaCare is about restricting your freedom, taking health care decisions away from you and giving them to a collection of bureaucrats, politicians and lobbyists that Barack Obama thinks "know better" then you about what's best for your family.

Even Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Barney Frank supports H.R. 452: To repeal the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act providing power to the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). Frank was the 12th Democrat and the most prominent of the 212 members of the House, to co-sponsor the bill currently stuck in committee.


IPAB is a 15-member board, appointed by the president that is scheduled to begin rationing care in 2014.

In order to reduce per capita Medicare spending, the board will recommend levels at which Medicare recipients, our nation's seniors, can be reimbursed for health care expenses by rationing healthcare benefits.
ObamaCare also forces The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) to decide what preventative health treatments will be covered by ObamaCare's government-approved insurance.
And to give you an idea of what's to come... In November 2009, USPSTF suggested women age forty to forty-nine should not get routine mammograms. The country was outraged at the mammography proposal as USPSTF was weighing the benefit of breast cancer screening against the cost savings of letting some additional cancers go undetected.
ObamaCare and its death panels could make the mammography recommendation a government mandate.

Duct Tape to Remove Warts

In 2002, a group of doctors compared duct tape's effectiveness with liquid nitrogen in removing warts.

After two months of wearing duct tape on a daily basis and using a pumice stone about once a week to exfoliate the dead skin, 85 percent of patients' warts were gone, whereas freezing only removed 60 percent.

"The question is whether there is something in the chemical adhesive itself, or if the occlusion (suffocation) causes the destruction of the wart," says New York City-based dermatologist, Robin Blum, MD.

"The other thinking is that the duct tape causes irritation, which stimulates our body's immune cells to attack the wart."

A Spoonful of Sugar to Cure Hiccups

In 1971, Edgar Engelman, MD, conducted a study to find out if a spoonful of sugar really is an effective cure for hiccups. He assembled a group of 20 patients who had been experiencing intractable hiccups for more than six hours, eight of whom had had them anywhere from a full day to six weeks. Each of the test subjects was given one teaspoon of white granulated sugar to swallow dry, and for 19 of the 20 hiccup patients, the cure was immediate. André Dubois, MD, a gastroenterologist in Bethesda, Maryland, noted in The Doctors Book of Home Remedies that "the sugar is probably acting in the mouth to modify the nervous impulses that would otherwise tell the muscles in the diaphragm to contract spasmodically."

Romney holds a rally in Detroit, nobody comes

Hey, Remember When Nancy Pelosi Blamed George Bush for High Gas Prices?

It’s estimated that gas prices could surge as high as $6 per gallon by this summer. There’s no end in sight to how high the price of oil will rise. The Obama administration is doing everything it can to keep producers from extracting oil domestically. So, why isn’t Nancy Pelosi blasting Obama the way she blasted Bush a few years ago? I haven’t heard a peep out of her about Obama’s illegal drilling ban.

Here she is during a press conference in May 2007 when she blamed President Bush for high gas prices. She even used a little gas pump chart to make her point.

Pelosi blaming President Bush

Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it?

1. Back in 1961 people of color were called 'Negroes'.
So how can the Obama birth certificate state he is 'African-American' when the term wasn't even used at that time?

2. The birth certificate that the White House released lists Obama's birth as August 4, 1961.
It also lists Barack Hussein Obama as his father.
No big deal, right?
At the time of Obama's birth, it also shows that his father is age 25 years old and that Obama's father was born in " Kenya , East Africa ".
This wouldn't seem like anything of concern, except the fact that Kenya did not even exist until 1963, two whole years after Obama's birth and 27 years after his father's birth.
How could Obama's father have been born in a country that did not yet exist?
Up and until Kenya was formed in 1963, it was known as the " British East Africa Protectorate".
Wikipedia about this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_Colony

3. On the birth certificate released by the White House, the listed place of birth is "Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital".
This cannot be, because the hospital(s) in question in 1961 were called "KauiKeolani Children's Hospital" and "Kapi'olani Maternity Home," respectively.
The name did not change to Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital until 1978, when these two hospitals merged.
How can this particular name of the hospital be on a birth certificate dated 1961 if this name had not yet been applied to it until 1978?

Why hasn't this been discussed in the major media?????

If you are concerned, please forward this blog to those who might find this of interest. I think these questions should be pursued. I personally have not verified these facts, but they do raise a question.

Tats...........

When and why did tattoos become so popular? I remember when just sailors got them, had MOM or some old girlfriends name on his arm, and hung out in pool halls and bowling alleys. We had an old family friend who had a tattoo on his arm, Nils Olson, and I always looked at him in awe.

Nils was from Chicago, born in Sweden, and was a master carpenter for the Baldwin Piano Company. Nils was a friend of my Aunt Eva's, who lived in Marion, Indiana. They went together for many years. He was as nice as they come.

We moved in to a new house which had a pool table in the basement, I spent a lot of time practicing, thought I was pretty good. Nils came over for a visit, accepted my challenge. He had spent his off hours in pool halls for many years. He was gracious about it, but, well, he cleaned me. He and his tattoo.

Saw one guy today, arms and legs covered with tats, nickle sized rings in his ear lobes, tats on the back of his neck. I guess. I guess one of the reasons athletes get payed so much money is so they can pay for all those tats. Just wonder when that mindset came in that you needed ink all over your body. In years to come I can hear little children saying, "Show me your tats, grandma."

Danica Patrick wins Nationwide pole at Daytona; gives naysayers something to chew on

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A moment of silence, if you please, for the "Danica Patrick gets gifts she doesn't deserve" argument.

Cause of death: Patrick's triumphant capture of the pole for Saturday's Nationwide Series Drive4COPD 300.

Here it is: You have to either accept that Patrick is a bona fide, legit stock car driver, or you have to buy a conspiracy that the entire Nationwide field, including Daytona 500 and Sprint Cup champions, laid down for her.

"Anytime you show that you have a fast car, it's encouraging for people to want to help you," Patrick said. "That starts to earn you some respect and credibility."

Patrick walked away from a brutal crash in the Sprint Cup Series' Gatorade Duel 150, a qualifying race for Sunday's Daytona 500.

Patrick posted a speed of 182.741 mph, besting Trevor Bayne by only seven one-thousandths of a second. As driver after driver tried and failed to match her time — the field includes Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski — Patrick fidgeted nervously in the garage, talking with Earnhardt and Stewart. Cameras swarmed her as the results became official.

Way to go Danica, one of my heroes.............

To ALL Politicians ...............

Get all of your assembled asses and hit the bricks .......... I am making it a point, this election to NOT vote for anyone who sends me a palm car or any advertising piece in the mail, or calls on the phone, with an ANONYMOUS number. Get off or YOUR ass and hit the pavement, go door to door, work for your vote, don;t leave it up to some volunteer to get votes for YOU.

I am making of list of TRASH mail I receive, phone calls, and will take this list to the polls, and I GUARANTEE you, that names on that will WILL NOT get my vote. If it works out, I WILL NOT vote for anyone.

Politicians used to WORK for their votes, now they are LAZY, and they will not get my vote, regardless of the party. Don't think the internet is going to win an election for you.

I imagine your lack of work now would follow you to your office, should you get elected, and if you are depended on my vote, DON'T.

My guess is you intend to sit on your fat behind when you get elected, but, for me, that will not happen.

Get off your BUTT and go out and work at your campaign..............

Valerie Jarrett: Unemployment Stimulates the Economy

White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett has adopted a stance on unemployment that is sure to infuriate many, arguing that it stimulates the economy because people who receive unemployment checks are going out and spending them, reports The Weekly Standard.

“Even though we had a terrible economic crisis three years ago, throughout our country many people were suffering before the last three years, particularly in the black community. And so we need to make sure that we continue to support that important safety net.

"It not only is good for the family, but it’s good for the economy,” Jarrett argued during a speaking engagement at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina.

“People who receive that unemployment check go out and spend it and help stimulate the economy, so that’s healthy as well,”

Something to think about, right or wrong, to be, or not to be? Paying out money we don't have, to people who are not working, is a good thing. Would like to hear your comments and opinions on this subject.

FOUR things about bottled water YOU should know

Bottled-Water Secret #1: It doesn't taste any better 
In a 2010 study published in the Journal of Sensory Studies, researchers asked people to rate the taste of six bottled mineral waters and six types of tap water. They found that, overall, bottled water didn’t perform any better than the stuff from the tap. The reason: It’s mineral concentration, not "water purity," that influences flavor. The study’s participants preferred water with medium mineralization, which they described as “tasteless” and “cooler,” but whether it came from a bottle or the tap made little difference. What is clear: By filling your belly, drinking water before meals can help you lose a ton of weight. In fact, it's one of the 20 Habits Skinny People Live By.

Bottled-Water Secret #2: It’s not necessarily pure
The Natural Resources Defense Council recently tested 1,000 bottles of water and discovered that about 22 percent of the brands in the study contained chemical contaminants at levels above state health limits. And in 2011, California State University researchers tested six brands of bottled water and found that while none contained more than the legal level of contaminates, all six exceeded California public health goals for arsenic. There’s also substantial research showing that when certain plastic bottles are heated at high temperatures, chemicals from the plastic can leach into a container’s contents (a good reason not to store cases of water in the garage this summer). The takeaway: Don’t let label jargon like “pure” and “natural” fool you. Unlike bottled water, tap water is subject to strict federal, state, and local guidelines, making it a safer beverage choice.

Bottled-Water Secret #3: It may be glorified tap water 
Exotic names and labels conjure up images of tropical waterfalls and mountaintop springs, but in reality, roughly 25 percent of all bottled water comes from municipal water sources. Coca-Cola’s Dasani, for example, is nothing but purified tap water with added minerals. And Pepsi’s Aquafina? Another bottle of city water.

Bottled-Water Secret #4: It’s hurting our planet
Most water bottles are made of a plastic called polyethylene terepthalate, or PET. There are two problems with PET bottles. Problem 1: They take a boatload of crude oil to produce. University of Louisville researchers estimate that around 17 million barrels of oil are used each year to produce PET water bottles—a major reason why bottled water costs roughly four times as much as gasoline. Problem 2: We’re chucking our water bottles in the trash, instead of the recycling bin. According to the Container Recycling Institute, nearly 90 percent of the 30 billion PET water bottles we buy annually end up in landfills—a huge problem when you consider that PET bottles take from 400 to 1,000 years to decompose.

In honor of the 44th President of the United States a new Ice Cream Flavor

has been introduced,  Barocky Road ..

Barocky Road is a blend of half vanilla, half chocolate, and surrounded by nuts and flakes. 

The vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised and usually denied as an ingredient. 

The nuts and flakes are all very bitter and hard to swallow.

The cost is $92.84 per scoop...so out of a hundred dollar bill 

you are at least promised some CHANGE..!

When purchased it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, 

but after you pay for it, the ice cream is taken away and given to the person in line behind you at no charge.

You are left with an almost empty wallet, staring at an empty cone 

and wondering what just happened. 

Then you realize this is what "redistribution of wealth" is all about.

Aren't you just stimulated?

Spencer - a very worthwhile read

I found this a short time ago, when you have time, read it all .... I just did .... it is well worth the time.

A VERY GOOD READ

If it looks like a duck ...................

"If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.”

"If it looks like a candidate, acts like a candidate, talks like a candidate, is perceived like a candidate, has the charisma of a candidate, then it probably is a candidate," or, even, a President.

Perception, how are the candidates "perceived"? What is your perception of them?

WHY does Romney think he looks "distinguished, presidential, cool, a man of the people" when he wears those damn jeans and an open necked shirt? I would think that with his money he could afford a suit. He even could get some appropriate attire at his local Goodwill Store.

He doesn't LOOK like a candidate, he doesn't ACT like a candidate, he TALKS and says whatever is appropriate at the time, he has NO charisma, and I, for one, don't perceive him as a candidate.

Insurance .... ads on TV

Oh, hi Jan, I know it's been tough on you since your husband died.

Yes it has, Lillian, we were together for so many years, living alone is not easy. Oh, look, my insurance check is   here already, it will come in handy.

That was sure fast, have you had the policy long?

No, Ken just got it a few months ago, then I found out he had been going out with his secretary, and he had another policy with the same company that all went to her....... This crummy check is only for one thousand dollars, his love life there gets over fifty thousand, and the bitch even gets the house.

Why is that, Jan?

I guess they have been going together for quite some time, Lillian, and he had three children with her, and I have heard that he had policies on all of them, to pay for their college and all. Ken was so thoughtful, and she just loved this house.

What company is that, Jan, I am going right home and give them a call, I want to see if Harry has any other policies with them. Does it cost much.

Less than a postage stamp a day Lillian, of course that only gets you four hundred bucks, but you can have a nice night out with that. Good by Lillian, I'll let you know where I move to.

Just wondering ...........

HOW do you create jobs? I thought that demand created jobs. Every politician involved today made a statement in reference to creating jobs. Jobs produce something that is sold, either a product or a service. Creating jobs just for the sake of creating jobs makes no sense to me. It is a nice statement, sounds politically  correct, but I really wonder what, when, where and why those jobs are created.

Prediction. I think if Romney loses in Michigan we are going to see a Gingrich resurgence. Let's face it, Obama got elected for one reason, charisma. It cannot be bottled or put in a can. It is just there, and you either have it or you don't. Now, he hot only has that charisma, but he and his staff have had four years to formulate their "war" plan, To me, that makes him unbeatable. The only candidate left with any measure of charisma is Newt, and he is a great debater. Santorum is getting some bad advice on what to say and has to do too much damage control each day.

Gas Prices. Heading to $5.00. Why? If Obama woke up tomorrow morning, let the world know that all government vehicles were going to convert to NATURAL GAS .... we would soon, be paying $2.00 a  gallon in no time at all. WHY are they making moves to make gas prices go up?

One school in Columbus, Ohio has gotten the message, they are teaching Chinese, wonder what they know that we don't

Gingrich: Romney Should Quit If He Loses Michigan

By Amy Woods


Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says that, if he, Mitt Romney, or Rick Santorum lose their respective home states in the upcoming primaries, “you have, I think, a very, very badly weakened candidacy.”


Gingrich, appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” said Romney in particular would face a setback if he lost the Michigan primary on Feb. 28. 


“Here a guy who’s been running for six years . . . has outspent all the rest of us . . . if he can’t carry his own state . . . I don’t see what he says the next morning to his donors to stay in the race,” the former House speaker said.

Italian police seize $6 trillion of fake U.S. bonds

By Elisa Forte and Gavin Jones | Reuters

POTENZA, Italy (Reuters) - Italian police said on Friday they had seized about $6 trillion worth of fake U.S. Treasury bonds and other securities in Switzerland, and arrested eight Italians accused of international fraud and other financial crimes.

The operation, co-ordinated by prosecutors from the southern Italian city of Potenza, was carried out by Italian, Swiss and U.S. authorities after a year-long investigation, an Italian police source said.

It began as a investigation into mafia loan-sharking, but gradually expanded as prosecutors used telephone and computer intercepts to unearth evidence of illegal activity surrounding Treasury bonds.

The fake securities, worth more than a third of U.S. national debt, were seized in January from a Swiss trust company where they were held in three large trunks.

The U.S. Embassy in Rome thanked the Italian authorities and said the forgeries were "an attempt to defraud several Swiss banks". It said U.S. experts had helped to identify the bonds as fakes.

President's Day-A Washington Memo

George, would you believe, your country is $15.416,904,67,664.00 in debt and growing every minute. Now, let me explain who is President right now. Well, you remember those slaves that some people had, well, one of them is President, I can't explain it to you, it just happened, and he may be a Muslim, do you remember hearing about them, way overseas?

What, well yes, we have had a little trouble, well, hard to explain. We took the country back, then the North and South had a battle, then we took on Germany, then in the next one we took on Germany and Japan and some other countries, then a problem in Korea, then Viet Nam, then some Arab countries, and then, well, we've had some problems with what we "call terrorists."

What George, well a terrorist doesn't really have to do anything, they just have to threaten. Oh, they've done damage, flown airplanes into some tall buildings, well, George, we have really tall buildings now, much bigger and taller than your place. George, you can not believe all that has happened to this country since you were elected.

But, we did set aside a day for you, well, over the years there have been man presidents, actually, so we have one day for  all you guys. Well schools are closed, banks are closed, government offices are closed, and, so is the post office. What, well they deliver mail, to everyone, yea, at their homes. Expensive? Yea, well they are having a little trouble..

But, this day we set aside for you, and the other presidents. Well, I think we take a wreath to your tomb. A wreath is flowers in a circle, and a tomb, well, that is where you are buried. Well, they decided that Washington was a better place than your place, I guess.

Ever wonder about a group of Baboons. 

They are the loudest, most dangerous, most obnoxious, most viciously aggressive and least intelligent of all primates. And what is the proper collective noun for a group of baboons???
Believe it or not ……. a Congress!

Why Me?

Show an abused dog or cat and there is a public outcry. Newsmen say, "These next scenes your family may find objectionable," and then they show scenes of animal abuse.

So, WHY, is it OK to show Alligators being hooked, drugged and then shot, point blank, in the head, and there is a whole series devoted to this scenario. Another one shows hunting and killing wild hogs. I must admit I have not seen that one, but saw the promos. I have not watched the Alligator show either, but came across parts while channel hopping.

Some schools have an Alligator as a mascot, whey have they not said something.

Are networks that hard up for shows? How about a live show from a slaughter house showing how they kill all those cows each day? Where are the animal rights activists when you need them?

Well, so much for that .............

Obama poised to win 2012 election with 303 electoral votes: The Signal Forecast

By David Rothschild & Chris Wilson | The Signal

With fewer than nine months to go before Election Day, The Signal predicts that Barack Obama will win the presidential contest with 303 electoral votes to the Republican nominee's 235.

How do we know? We don't, of course. Campaigns and candidates evolve, and elections are dynamic events with more variables than can reasonably be distilled in an equation. But the data--based on a prediction engine created by Yahoo! scientists--suggest a second term is likely for the current president. 

This model does not use polls or prediction markets to directly gauge what voters are thinking. Instead, it forecasts the results of the Electoral College based on past elections, economic indicators, measures of state ideology, presidential approval ratings, incumbency, and a few other politically agnostic factors.

A must see video ...........

Most in a foreign language, but the point certainly comes across.

It is certainly worth watching ......

WATCH NOW

Record Sale at $88 Million

The most expensive apartment in New York has passed from the hands of a retired American banker to the family of a Russian billionaire, setting some new milestones in the Manhattan real-estate market.

The sale for a penthouse with a wraparound terrace at 15 Central Park West owned by Sanford I. Weill, the former head of Citigroup Inc., closed on Wednesday, brokers said.

The price paid, as expected, was $88 million, 66% above that the previous record sale.

The purchase was made in the name of a trust for Ekatarina Rybolovleva, a 22-year-old college student and daughter of Dmitry Rybolovlev, a Russian now based in Monaco who made a fortune in potash fertilizer.

Hall F. Willkie, the president of Brown Harris Stevens, confirmed that the sale had closed at the full asking price. He said that he understood that the buyers would keep the custom-designed space as is, including an oval bedroom, and a study paneled in Brazilian rosewood.

The sale generated close to $2.5 million in city and state taxes, and produced what brokers said was a record commission on a residential sale of about $3.5 million for two brokers at Mr. Willkie's firm. Kyle W. Blackmon represented Mr. Weill, while Maria Torresy represented the Rybolovlevs, brokers said.

The marquee sale shows the growing footprint of international buyers in New York in the past few years. Many of the units at One57, a new 1,004-foot tower under construction on West 57th Street, have gone to Russian and Chinese buyers, brokers said.

Rainy day thoughts .........

Funny what rain will do. A  variety of thoughts have been racing through my mind this rainy day, Sitting here with the laptop, Google Maps, took a trip to Klamath Falls, Oregon, Reno, Nevada, San Diego, California, Dayton, Ohio and some other spots. It is a source of amazement to me that I can sit here, in Newark, Ohio, and look at a place where I used to eat in San Diego. Even more amazing that some things are still standing, after almost sixty years.

Looked at some old places in Dayton, Ohio. My old house is gone in favor of a "freeway." Some of the adjacent streets are there, but could recognize very little.

Then, after all these years something made me think of Skidoo, I can still smell the aroma of that cleaning product, Jessie, my Mom, used it on everything. Every sink had a can of Skidoo nearby.

Some ad copy I found: Vintage cream and navy blue Skidoo cleanser tin. The household creamy cleanser. The scouring soap. Use on kitchen sinks, enameled ranges, cooking utensils, pots. etc...The cleanser with the creamy lather. No dust, no waste, no untidy odors, keeps hands smooth and lovely.... The Skidoo Co. Columbus, Ohio Copyright 1938.

Funny, the things you remember on a rainy day.

One last word ..................

Everyone is so concerned about the plans for Whitney's burial, the church, the fans, the family, the community.

Where were all these doting people in her life when she needed them the most. About the only element that has been silent is the medical profession and doctors, doctors who perhaps gave her all the prescription meds that she wanted, not needed, wanted. Where were all these "friends" then. My guess is that many, not all, where there for her while the money held out. If she had any "true" friends, she would probably be alive today.

It is not easy to be a true friend. True friends tell people things that they do not want to hear, and have them do things they don't want to do. I imagine that a true friend to some, is almost like an enemy to them. I suppose too, that true friends have a tendency to give up and walk away. Really true friends are hard to find.

A number of people come to mind, who would be alive today, if only they had the one true friend.

True friends are exceptional people, and, we rarely hear of them.

Some questions to answer for me .........

My question is this. "Who can use a school facility for an event.?

Recently I have noticed some politicians using school facilities for meetings. A community meeting is being held soon at a local high school to discuss "fracking." Not sure who is sponsoring it.

I wonder what it costs, who do you pay it to, who pays for liability, who pays utilities, who pays for staff to clean up after a meeting, who, who, who?

Can anyone rent a school?  If so, what rooms within the school?

One more question, why does the county pay the owner for sheep that are killed? Where does that money come from? If a lamb gets hit and killed by a car, does the county pay then?

If a dog comes on my property and kills my dog, will the county pay me?

All good questions, any answers?

Send all answers to dooleyobserved@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Man Suffers Severe Injuries After E-Cigarette Explodes in His Mouth

A Florida man is recovering at a local burn center after suffering severe injuries from an electric cigarette that exploded in his mouth.

Tom Holloway, 57, of Niceville, Fla., was smoking the e-cigarette Monday night when his wife heard an explosion from their study. She reportedly said it sounded like a firecracker had exploded in the house and she heard him scream, one of Holloway's neighbors told ABC News affiliate WCTI.

Chief Butch Parker of the North Bay Fire District responded to the call. He said a faulty battery inside the electric cigarette likely caused the accident. Parker described the explosion as if Holloway was holding a "bottle rocket in his mouth."

"I have never heard of or seen anything like this before," Parker told ABCNews.com.

A Sad Story --- The Loving Husband

A man had two of the best tickets for the Super Bowl. As he sits down, another man comes along and asks if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him..

"No", he says, "the seat is empty."

"This is incredible!" said the man, "who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the Super Bowl, the biggest sporting event of the  football calendar and not use it?"

He says, "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. My wife was supposed to come with me, but she passed away. This is the first Super Bowl we haven ' t been together since we got married."

"Oh... I ' m sorry to hear that. That ' s terrible. I guess you couldn't find someone else, a friend or relative or even a neighbor to take the seat?"

The man shakes his head...

  ......"No. They ' re all at the funeral."

Chuckle for the day......

We were watching TV this evening, and a commercial came on, one that we had often seen, and the same thought entered by mind.

The "Fonz," Henry Winkler  talks about "Reverse Mortgages." Talks about their good and bad points, explains a bit about them. I imagine they use him to appeal to his audience, the elderly.

During his explanation he states, "It's guaranteed by the government." I have to chuckle every time I hear him say that. That used to mean something, years ago, if it was "guaranteed by the government," it was good as gold, etched in concrete, no worry.

Today, when I hear that, it means NOTHING. I, personally, have no faith in the government, and my guess is, that permeates through the general public.

Much like "political promises," none of the "guarantees" by any government agency seem to have much meaning any more, my faith is gone, and I think I am not alone. I think I would rather see guarantees by Bill Gates, or T, Boon Pickins, or maybe even the Bank of China. Guaranteed by Microsoft or Dell, I would feel more secure.

I went to Emerson School, Oakwood Junior High School and Oakwood High School. for twelve years, and I cannot recall one day that we did not have school, or were let out early. Almost every day, on TV, some school has been let out for one reason or another.

We weren't close to a bank, so that accounts for no "lock downs," just in case a bank robber robbed a bank nearby. We never closed for "Weather" related occurrences. We even had a parade pass the school one day, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles Kettering and Orville Wright, and had to watch it from a window.

I walked to school every day, all those years, but, I did not have a ten pound backpack to lug, I just carried the needed books. I did have a motorbike, and rode that some days, and I did drive one year or two.

It seems like anymore a school bus has a wreck, a school closes for some reason or other. I never rode on a school bus, rarely ever saw one. The backpack might have been easier though.

Economic and Business Development in our county

A little more on our county commissioners, township trustees, chamber of commerce and others who feel they can do this job. Will all those of you who are qualified, please raise your hands. This is a Job Description for a position to accomplish what they hope to ..... and they think that they can do it?


JOB DESCRIPTION 
Job Title:  Economic and Business Development Director 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under direction of the Board of County Commissioners, directs and performs complex work in planning, development, and implementation of community development and economic development plans and programs.  Prepare grants and other financial incentives that promote economic development, revitalization, and infrastructure development projects for the county.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Must have a Bachelor’s degree; preferably with advanced degree; minimum of four years experience with economic development, urban planning, finance, public administration, or closely related field.  Should have experience in a government setting, thorough knowledge of the federal and state grant process, knowledge of laws and regulations pertaining to economic development programs, ability to analyze complex information, ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with local, state and federal agencies and the general public, excellent writing skills, strong mathematical and computer skills a must.

My Two-Cents Worth about the GLCCIC in Licking County

I have been involved in some similar situations when I was involved with the old NDA. We wanted to start such a group and were given a big NO by local realtors, they said it was their job, and up to them, they already had the wheels in motion to perform such duties. I think all involved, including myself, at that time came to the conclusion that ...... "build it, and they will come."

It takes expertise, a great deal of time and knowledge,  to attract business to come to the area. What does the Chamber of Commerce do. I know they used to refer clients to Heath, instead of Newark. I think other counties have even established and filled the position of Development Director, a full-time position that was allotted to an expert in the field. I can't imagine that those who will be on this board have many of these attributes, but some will probably volunteer to go on various "junkets," all expenses paid, probably to San Diego, Florida, Las Vegas or other prospective spots.

Look at the money that was squandered downtown to develop it. Jerry McClain is trying, assist him in his endeavors, and I am sure there are others.

ALL that money would be better used within the county to make it more appealing. You have to have a good product to sell, otherwise, it is a waste of time,

"Build it ................ and they will come."

Let those who already have the wheels in motion do the job, assist them. How many "Developers" do we have in Licking County, many come to mind, let them do their job.

Again, "Build it, and they will come." First things first.

Whitney Houston .... the way it should be done

THE STARS SPANGLED BANNER

More wisdom from Al .................

Romney wins 2012 straw poll of conservative activists

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -

Mitt Romney won a presidential straw poll of Republican conservative activists on Saturday in a boost to his suddenly hard-fought battle against Rick Santorum.

Romney won 38 percent support among the 3,408 who voted at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Santorum, who swept three contests last Tuesday and has emerged as the chief threat to Romney, was second at 31 percent.

Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich won 15 percent to come in third, and libertarian Ron Paul took 12 percent of the straw poll, which was conducted online during the three-day conference.

’5-Hour Energy’ drink inventor revealed to be a Buddhist monk billionaire

By Eric Pfeiffer
"A Buddhist monk" would not be the first guess from most people when asked who invented the 5-Hour Energy drink.

But Forbes reporter Clare O'Conner discovered that's exactly who is behind the phenomenon that has a 90%-near monopoly of the energy shot market.

Specifically, credit goes to Michigan resident Manoj Bhargava, 58, who came up with the idea after visiting a natural products trade show in California several years ago.

So, how does Bhargava's billion-dollar energy drink invention line-up with his personal philosophy?

"5-Hour Energy is not an energy drink, it's a focus drink," Bhargava tells Forbes.

 "But we can't say that. The FDA doesn't like the word 'focus.' I have no idea why."

"Why is the photographer taking so long?"
"He's gonna focus."
"Bofus?"

I remember .................

Do you remember when Obamacare was finally passed? 

It was a group of Democrats, led by Michigan's Bart Stupak, who held out

 because they objected to taxpayer funded abortion.

Obama won the vote with an executive order promising that wouldn't happen.

Now we've got him ordering dispersal, at no cost, of morning after abortion pills!

To ALL politicians for every office ...........

We get a number of calls from UNKNOWN CALLER and, guess who it usually is, some politician.

They purchase yard signs, get palm cards printed, all sorts of advertising, radio and TV, just to get THEIR NAME OUT.

WHY don't they want me to know WHO is calling me?

WARNING: We do not answer any calls that come in that way. If they leave a message it is automatically erased. We are trying to program the phone to not accept UNKNOWN CALLER calls.

If THEY don't want me to know who is calling, we don't want to listen to THEIR MESSAGE.

Don't give me an reasons, WHY, I don't want to hear them either.

Progress in medicine

Just brought my wife home from the hospital today. She had a Defibrillator placed in her shoulder. Rather nasty little incision, with stitches. Don't life the arm and another batch of instructions she has to follow, has to take it easy for a week or so, then a checkup in two weeks.

Our hospital has been remodeled a number of times, and for its size, it is probably a "state of the art" hospital. If it is new and advanced, LMH has it. I did not get to go into the operating room but I imagine it is a maze of modern technology. I was even given  a little disc thing that would vibrate when the operation was over.

Her room is also very modern, all sorts of monitors, computers, scanners, motion sensor plumbing in the sink and some other new gadgets.

My point being, it is a very modern, up to date, state of the art hospital.

When she was finished, I was ushered into a small consulting room where the Doctor came after the operation to let me know how it went, and to give me some other instructions. Then, to the room, and instructions to both the wife and I.

The Doctor went over the instructions, the do's and don'ts, things she should and should not do. No moisture around the incision. This can be accomplished by going to the store and purchasing some  "Glad Press N Seal," it does the best job keeping the incision dry.

All the modern technology and then ........... that.

Trust .......

There comes a time when a woman just has to trust her husband... for example...

A wife comes home late at night and quietly opens the door to her bedroom.

From under the blanket she sees four legs instead of two.  

She reaches for a baseball bat and starts hitting the blanket as hard as she can.

Once she's done, she goes to the kitchen to have a drink.

As she enters, she sees her husband there, reading a magazine.

"Hi Darling", he says, "Your parents have come to visit us, so l let them stay

in our bedroom. Did you say ‘hello’?”

Some final thoughts for the day.

Why do we see all these photos on TV of stray dogs and cats, sad faces, needing a home, and then turn the channel and see them killing Alligators or Crocks and that is allright. Or even killing wild pigs. They catch those Gators, pull them near the boat, and shoot them. WHY has there not been an outcry about that?

How about watching moonshiners make illegal hooch, and broadcasting that on TV. How can you televise something that is illegal? Is it OK to see a crime being committed and not report it?

There is very little that we have not seen on TV. I wonder what they will come up with next????

Federal Judge Dismisses PETA Lawsuit Claiming SeaWorld Whales Are Slaves

SAN DIEGO (AP) — An effort to free whales from Sea World by claiming they were enslaved made a splash in the news but flopped in court Wednesday.

A federal judge in San Diego dismissed an unprecedented lawsuit seeking to grant constitutional protection against slavery to a group of orcas that perform at SeaWorld parks, saying the 13th amendment applies only to humans.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller stopped the case from proceeding two days after he became the first judge in U.S. history to listen to arguments in court over the possibility of granting constitutional rights for members of an animal species.

“As ‘slavery’ and ‘involuntary servitude’ are uniquely human activities, as those terms have been historically and contemporaneously applied, there is simply no basis to construe the Thirteenth Amendment as applying to non-humans,” Miller wrote in his ruling.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed the lawsuit in October and named five whales as plaintiffs. PETA says the wild-captured Orcas are enslaved by SeaWorld because they are held in concrete tanks against their will and forced to perform in shows at its parks in San Diego and Orlando, Fla.

SeaWorld called the lawsuit baseless and a waste of the court’s time and money.

Ellen

For those who could not get to the network link, here is Ellen's page.
http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2012/02/ellen_addresses_her_jcpenney_critics_0208.php

Jack

I don't know what made me think of it this morning, but my thoughts went back many years, to the Crystal Bay Club, North Shore, Lake Tahoe. That was in the days when there was a slow, two-lane road around the lake, a Summer resort, many places closed for the Winter.

The North shore had a few casinos, as did the South shore.

I worked at the Nevada Lodge, first Winter it had been opened, and had a room under the Crystal Bay Club, which was right across the street, nice. Since there weren't many places open, we spent most of our time in the Crystal Bay Club. I got to know the bartender there well, Jack, only his last name is forgotten. Don't know why, but we called him Homer, Homer Lipschitz.

 In the mornings a crowd of us would often go to someones home nearby, around the lake, fixed great breakfasts, had some really nice times. The lake was beautiful in those days, before the Winter Olympics and all the crowds and new construction.

Back to Jack, or Homer. One shift at the club, he had a heart attack and ended up in the hospital in Carson City. As the story goes, when he came to and woke up some hours later, his wife was on one side of his bed, and his girlfriend on the other. He said he just closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Never did hear how the story ended, but knew the best part.

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS ........................

That seems to be the loudest cry from our candidates.

"When I am elected, I will create JOBS, JOBS, JOBS," etc., etc., etc.

What is it we need manufactured, where are all these jobs going to come from, and what will they produce? Aren't jobs created because of consumer needs, what is it the consumers need? Do we just take millions of jobs away from other countries, and if we manufacture products in this country that are not competitive price wise, what then? Maybe just create a few million government jobs, local, state and national.

Hypothetical. You receive a ten million dollar grant to start a manufacturing plant, what would you make?

I thoroughly agree we need jobs, I just don't understand where they are going to come from, and what they are going to produce. Maybe go back to the "barter" system, that would cause people to produce products or services on their own to barter.

We need consumers also, to purchase those products.

Solution, more casinos. You work in the casino for a wage. You take those wages to Walmart to buy your groceries. Walmart pays their employees, who take what they have left over, after getting their groceries at Walmart, go to the casino, and lose their money. One BIG cycle. I think casinos are the answer, Ohio is hoping so, they are building three, we may need more if these politicians create all those jobs they are promising.

Got this from an old friend, Ernie, an old Navy buddy, and a bagpiper who does not have a GPS. He was our navigator on board ship, and the one who had the helm when we ended up in Okinawa instead of Hawaii.



Joe

As you know, I am a bagpiper, and I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man.  He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the California back country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight.  There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.

I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends.   played like I've never played before for this homeless man.

And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.

As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Apparently I'm still lost....  it's a man thing

Ernie

Fans bet $94M on Super Bowl at Nevada casinos

Someone, somewhere, has money, things aren't too bad around the country. This was just Nevada, just think of ALL the other bets that  were made around the country and the world. Just think what might have been wagered in China, they have more money than we do. Are all of our "ducks in a row"?

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) —

Sports fans bet $93.9 million at Nevada casinos on Sunday's Super Bowl match up between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, the most wagered in the past decade.

The Gaming Control Board says unaudited tallies show 184 sports books won a little over $5 million on the football action. New England was about a 3 point favorite, but the Giants won 21-17.

It was a different story for Nevada casinos when the same two teams played in the 2008 Super Bowl. The Patriots opened as 14-point favorites four years ago, but Giants backers bet the line down to 12 points and got paid when New York earned a 17-14 win.

Nevada casinos lost the most money ever on the Super Bowl that year — $2.6 million.

A great poem ....Walk With Me As I Age

A dear friend sent this poem in an email, and I wanted to share it with all.....


Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 3:05 AM
To: Joe Dooley - Marilyn Dooley
Subject: Fw: "Walk with me as I age." Please read--it is so lovely and it has meant so much to me!!!

Love you both!

This is so sweet, I just wanted to share it with my special friends.


Subject: "Walk with me as I age." Please read--it is so lovely!!!






  Walk with me as I age..





  I hope this poem has the same spellbinding effect on you as it did on me - then my forwarding it will be well worth the effort. I know you will be richer for the reading...



  Walk With Me By The Water - worth the read...



  A BEAUTIFUL POEM ABOUT GROWING OLDER:










  Damn...

  I forgot the words....

Shelters planning Super Bowl parties

I was searching about the number of Homeless in Indianapolis when I found this article. Turns out there are not too many homeless there, and they decided AGAINST rounding them up prior to the Super Bowl and keeping them away from the downtown. Then I found this, haircuts, meals, TV, all for the Super Bowl. That makes the Super Bowl more important than any other day of the year ..... a game, something wrong with that picture, somewhere.

Wheeler Mission Ministries, which provides services and shelters for the homeless, annually holds a Super Bowl party on game day for the homeless and will do so Feb. 5.

"They'll be able to watch the game, have some pizza and enjoy the festivities," said Steve Kerr, chief development officer for Wheeler. In addition to its shelter on Market Street, Wheeler has overflow space at its center at 245 N. Delaware St.

Wheeler Mission Ministries also operates a shelter for women and children at 3208 E. Michigan St., and Kerr said holding another Super Bowl party at that shelter is under consideration, depending upon the interest.

Among others planning Super Bowl parties for the homeless is Homeless & ReEntry Helpers, 940 E. Michigan St., which serves as a resource center for the homeless and provides a Helpers Helping Others Outreach Team.

Founded by street ministers about three years ago, the resource center serves meals three days a week to about 450 homeless people, said Don Hawkins, executive director. The center hopes to add a fourth meal day after the Super Bowl.

On the day before the game, the homeless will be offered free haircuts and a meal from 3 to 5 p.m. On game day, meals will be served from 3 to 5 p.m., after which those attending can watch the game on two big screens.

"We just thought it would be nice," Hawkins said.

Who won the Super Bowl ...

What a world-wide event it has become, around 116 million viewers. chickens lost though, 1.25 billion chicken wings eaten Super Bowl weekend. The players made money, the owners, the league, ad agencies, the networks, TV stations. One guy plopped down $1000 on a first score being a safety, I think he won $50,000, the list of  "happenings" goes on and on.

I remember the first one, and have watched all or part of all of them since. I did not like the "strike" situation this year, and as a result, my own "silent protest" consisted of watching no NFL games this year. During the game, I was channel hopping and did see Brady throw that pass that cost them two points, and I watched the last two minutes of the game, which really was all that was needed. 

I am not clairvoyant, but I did predict a Giants victory. I am skeptical and have been for quite some time. TV is the reason for the games, so I think TV has a lot to do with outcomes. Welker rarely drops passes, but if he had held on to that one, the outcome might have been different, so he dropped it. Maybe a coincidence.

TV loves close halftime scores to lure people back for the second half. You don't see him, and I have not been to a game in a while, so it could be different, but on the sideline, near the end zone, is a guy with a brightly colored sleeve. When his arm goes up, no football, when it comes down, they play. He lets them know when it is OK to play. He is the TV guy on the field, not the refs or the line judges, the guy with the colored sleeve tells them when to play, controlled from up above by the guys on TV.

Both the losing team and the winning team players will be able to relax in their million dollar homes, work out the kinks in their Jacuzzi s, maybe take the trophy wife and the kids to Disneyland, or Nassau or some exotic place to unwind, been a grueling season. "Hey hon, I'm going to take the Bentley and get some steaks and lobsters for dinner tonight."

Everyone is happy, the fans, the networks, owners, teams,  all the stores who sold the goodies. Well, maybe some who are homeless, out or work, hungry, maybe some right there in Indianapolis, not far from the game, maybe they felt better knowing everyone was having a good time, maybe.

The Quote of the Decade:

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, "the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”

~ Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006

A SUPER BOWL Memory

This is number 46, this memory goes back to one of the first games, not sure which one, could have been number one or two.

On a Saturday, we were visiting my wife's Grandmother, who was almost 100 years old, and lived out in the country. She still cooked on a wood stove, kept house and was active. She had her son, Paul, still living on the farm with her, he was in his 80's

It was a nice Winter day, not too cold, and we were sitting on the stairs on an outside porch. The news of the day was entirely about the Super Bowl, radio, TV, newspapers, everywhere, the talk was about the Super Bowl.

During the course of our conversation, I asked Uncle Paul, "Are you gonna be watching the big game tomorrow, looks like everyone will be watching it."

The reply. "Naw, our TV went out a few months ago, and we just never got around to getting it fixed."

Caught me off guard, got me thinking and rearranging my priorities a bit. Everyone in the world was excited about The Super Bowl, all except Uncle Paul and his Mom, In Linneville, Ohio, their TV went on the "fritz" a few months ago. Certainly made me stop and think.

When did HE go to the pump last?

Obama Jokes About High Gas Prices

So sad.

President Obama plays comedian and cracks jokes about gas prices. He told an audience today that there’s “a few places” we’re not drilling… the National Mall… at your house.”

Of course, like most everything Obama says, a quick Google search paints a totally different picture of the truth.

Obama has chosen almost always to limit production. He canceled leases on federal lands in Utah, suspended them in Montana, delayed them in Colorado and Utah, and canceled lease sales off the Virginia coast.

His administration also has been slow-walking permits in the Gulf of Mexico, approving far fewer while stretching out review times, according to the Greater New Orleans Gulf Permit Index. The Energy Dept. says Gulf oil output will be down 17% by the end of 2013, compared with the start of 2011. Swift Energy President Bruce Vincent is right to say Obama has “done nothing but restrict access and delay permitting.”

“The U.S. consumes more than a fifth of the world’s oil. But we only have 2% of the world’s oil reserves.”

The Next VP Surprise?

Although largely unknown outside her district in eastern Washington state, Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers could be the next U.S. vice president.

First elected in 2004, McMorris Rodgers is now in her second term as vice chairman of the Republican Conference, which makes her the highest-ranking Republican woman on Capitol Hill. She has built a significant amount of behind-the-scenes clout, and has become one of her party’s most influential leaders on issues like international bailouts, earmark reform and the fight against Obamacare.

McMorris Rodgers also has the kind of compelling life story that political operatives always look for. The daughter of produce farmers who operated a fruit stand, she was the first member of her family to attend college. She earned her MBA from the University of Washington in 2002. By the age of 24, she was a member of the state House of Representatives.

Married to a retired U.S. Navy commander, McMorris Rodgers is also one of only eight women to have ever given birth while serving in Congress, and the only woman who has done it twice.

Her first child, Cole, was born a month premature and was diagnosed with Down syndrome. That experience led her to form a bipartisan Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus, which educates lawmakers about the disorder and aims to protect Americans who have it.

According to Kellyanne Conway, a veteran Republican strategist who was among the first to float Sarah Palin’s name as a possible VP pick in 2008, McMorris Rodgers might actually benefit from her relatively low profile.

Seeing is believing...

Saw one today that took me by surprise. Went to the ATM at a Speedway Gas Station here in Newark, parked on the side so the wife could go inside. Looked up ........

And there it was. A machine, to put air in your tires. Not just any machine, this one needed 75 cents to get the machine working, OR, your CREDIT card. That's right, you could use your credit card to get 75 cents worth of air. Maybe the 75 cents was for a specific amount of air, and if you got more it cost extra, thus the credit card.

It also gave the instructions in Spanish, or Instrucciones.

Big Ten coaches upset with Urban Meyer's recruiting tactics

Erick Smith

I remember his reputation in Florida, he is up to his old tricks .... "old ways die hard" 
OSU may have gone from the "frying pan into the fire" .... Woody, Bo, and Joe, they, and their ethics, are gone ....................

The dust has settled on Urban Meyer's first recruiting class at Ohio State, and there are some hard feelings from some Big Ten coaches.

One issue is Meyer's strategy of poaching commitments from other conference schools.

In the two months after being hired by the Buckeyes, Meyer managed to flip several players, including defensive Se'Von Pittman from Michigan State and offensive lineman Kyle Dodson from Wisconsin.

Spartans coach Mark Dantonio, a Zanesville native and former Ohio State assistant, wasn't pleased.

"They've got a new coach, and it's different," Dantonio told The Detroit News. "I would say it's pretty unethical, in the end."

Meyer also took advantage of Penn State's disarray following the firing of coach Joe Paterno which led to the Buckeyes grabbing All-USA defensive lineman Tommy Schutt and linebacker Camren Williams from the Nittany Lions.

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, like Dantonio, was unhappy about the developments and was proactive about addressing his concerns about Meyer.

"There are a few things that happened early on that I made people aware of that I didn't want to see in this league, that I had seen take place in other leagues," Bielema told CBS Chicago. "Other recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal.

"I was very up front and was very pointed to the fact, actually reached out to coach Meyer and shared my thoughts and concerns with him. The situation got rectified."

He later added that he was happy the Big Ten coaches held itself to a different standard.

"Our league is based on certain values that we're going to hold to be true and if you don't hold those to be true, you are going to be held accountable."

Stores busy as Colo. prepares for major snowstorm

By DAN ELLIOTT | Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — A powerful winter storm moving across Colorado Friday has dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas.
The storm has prompted a blizzard warning for the northeast, forced flight cancellations and school closures, and calls from highway officials to slow down on icy roadways.

National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Kleyla says the snow began falling Thursday night and by 3:30 a.m. MST Friday, six inches had fallen on downtown Denver, more in suburban areas and up to 15 inches in the foothills west of the city.
He adds that Boulder and some areas just north of Colorado Springs were struggling with 10 inches of snow.
But despite the weather, Colorado Department of Transportation spokesman Jarrett Handy says there are no current road closures, even though many roads are icy and snow packed.

He urged motorists to drive cautiously, especially during rush hour.

Roseanne Barr seeks Green Party presidential nod

By ANDREW MIGA

WASHINGTON (AP) — Roseanne Barr said Thursday she's running for the Green Party's presidential nomination — and it's no joke.

The actress-comedian said in a statement that she's a longtime supporter of the party and looks forward to working with people who share her values. She said the two major parties aren't serving the American people.

"The Democrats and Republicans have proven that they are servants -- bought and paid for by the 1 percent -- who are not doing what's in the best interest of the American people," Barr said.

Occupy Wall Street protesters popularized the "We are the 99 percent" slogan in their fight against economic disparity and perceived corporate greed.

Barr has submitted paperwork to the Green Party for her candidacy. The party's presidential nominee will be selected at a convention in Baltimore in July.

When asked if she would be singing the National Anthem at the convention, she commented, "You gotta be kidding."

To Ohio State Fans

Urban Meyer is looking good, at this time, for Ohio State, but remember where he came from, and recruiting policies that were in effect down there. In the Big Ten there has always been an unwritten agreement between all the school that when a candidate makes a commitment to a school, it is hands off. Urban has ignored that.

He may field a better team, but he, and the downtrodden, maligned  athletic department will take a lot of criticism at his "no holds barred" recruiting policy. The team may be better, but the school will lose a lot of respect around the league, and that's a shame.

Going from "overlooking" to "Shanghaiing." It may come back to haunt them. It would be nice to see them field a good OSU team again, one with NO controversy surrounding it. James, out in Oklahoma, I am wearing my OSU sweatshirt again, with a black armband, the armband is for Woody, I think he may still be turning in his grave. Time will tell.

Tongue in Cheek News Article

Ashhad Amal Samallan, entrepreneur from Steubennille, Ohio, and owner of a number of Indian Casinos across the United States, and a recent recipient of a government "Baleout" loan from an unknown Wall Street Bank, announced today the formation of an airline that would cater only to those on the governments "No Fly" list.

In an interview, Ashhad stated, "The list has grown significantly, and they have every right to fly. There is no proof that they are terrorists, and I figure that putting them all on the same airplane will insure a safe flight. We basically have reverted to the old "Non Schedule" airlines of the 50's. We don't even have security checks to get through our terminals, no need, it would be foolish for a terrorist to blow up a plane of terrorists."

He indicated that they were having difficulty in obtaining any jet airliners, and that all of the prop planes were not worth fixing up. He said the old workhorse, the Ford Tri-Motor was the answer, and that they had been able to pick up a few in Arizona, at the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction.

Samallan further stated that he hopes to get the airline in operation by Spring of 1012. They have had many inquiries since the prospect of a Spring War in the Middle East was possible.