Pope gets a free lunch

Pope Francis has lunch at the Vatican workers' cafeteria, Friday, July 25, 2014. 

Pope Francis got a free meal on Friday when he popped in unannounced at the Vatican workers' cafeteria and lined up, tray in hand, along with stunned diners. 

Cashier Claudia Di Giacomo told Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano that when Francis presented his tray with a plate of cod fish, a bowl of fusilli pasta without sauce, a side of grilled tomatoes and "just a few" french fries she "didn't have the courage to hand him the bill." 

Francis chatted with his tablemates five Vatican pharmacy stock clerks. His tip? A papal blessing and photos snapped with diners, said the cafeteria chef, Franco Paini. The pope usually dines at the Vatican guest house where he lives. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)

Amazon worker piloted drone around Space Needle

SEATTLE (AP) — An Amazon.com employee from out of town was the operator of a drone that buzzed the Seattle Space Needle this week, police said.

Witnesses told police they saw the craft fly back into a fifth-floor room of a nearby hotel. Police contacted the man and he admitted operating the drone equipped with a camera Tuesday. He told authorities he wanted to try out the craft he recently purchased at a hobby shop.

Police had received reports that the drone had crashed into the landmark of Seattle's 1962 World's Fair, but they saw no evidence of that.

The man showed officers video taken during the drone's flight, police said. It showed people waving from the Space Needle's observation deck but no indication that it had struck the tower.

The man agreed not to fly his drone in public while in town.

Amazon.com Inc. recently asked the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to use drones as part of plans to deliver packages to customers in 30 minutes or less.

The FAA allows hobbyists and model aircraft makers to fly drones, but commercial use is mostly banned. Amazon is asking for an exemption so it can test its drones in the U.S.

US evacuates embassy in Libya amid clashes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States shut down its embassy in Libya on Saturday and evacuated its diplomats to neighboring Tunisia under U.S. military escort amid a significant deterioration in security in Tripoli as fighting intensified between rival militias, the State Department said.

"Due to the ongoing violence resulting from clashes between Libyan militias in the immediate vicinity of the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, we have temporarily relocated all of our personnel out of Libya," spokeswoman Marie Harf said.

The withdrawal underscored the Obama administration's concern about the heightened risk to American diplomats abroad, particularly in Libya where memories of the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. mission in the eastern city of Benghazi are still vivid and the political uproar over it remain fresh ahead of a new congressional investigation into the incident.

"Securing our facilities and ensuring the safety of our personnel are top department priorities, and we did not make this decision lightly," Harf said. "Security has to come first. Regrettably, we had to take this step because the location of our embassy is in very close proximity to intense fighting and ongoing violence between armed Libyan factions."

The evacuation was accompanied by the release of a new State Department travel warning for Libya urging Americans not to go to the country and recommending that those already there leave immediately. "The Libyan government has not been able to adequately build its military and police forces and improve security," it said. "Many military-grade weapons remain in the hands of private individuals, including antiaircraft weapons that may be used against civilian aviation."

Believe It or Not!

Wyoming Town for Sale Includes Home, Bar, and General Store, But It Has a Few Downsides

Your wish to own a town can be granted — if you have $1.5 million to spare.

Welcome to Aladdin, Wyo. Population: 15. Yes, the town is named symbolically after the riches-seeker in the folktales of "Arabian Nights." Judy Brengle's husband had bought her the town as a gift after their kids left for college. It's now up for grabs, via a handwritten for-sale sign.

Formerly a coal-mine hub, the town now sees motorcyclists or travelers en route to Devils Tower.

The new owner could inherit:

-A bar (Although, you can drink anywhere on the 30 acres)

-A functional general store along Highway 24, with a famous, historic "Liar's Bench" on the porch

-An outhouse for the General Store, since there's no indoor plumbing or sewage system

You could find your whole new world in Aladdin, or like what happened in a neighboring town —purchase and rename your newly acquired piece of the West. Buford, Wyo., which was purchased in 2013 for $900,000, is now called PhinDeli Town Buford and boasts one resident.

Israel rejects Kerry’s cease-fire plan as deadly clashes escalate in Gaza

You can be sure anything from Obama and Kerry was not in Israel’s best interest.

Israel’s security cabinet unanimously rejected U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s proposal for a temporary cease-fire in Gaza Friday, as bloody clashes continued between Israel and Islamic militants.

Kerry’s proposal called for a temporary truce to make time for Israel and Hamas to hold indirect talks about easing the border closure of the blockaded Gaza Strip. Hamas has demanded that Gaza’s crossings be opened.

Israel TV reports that on Friday evening, Israel’s Security Cabinet — which groups top ministers on security issues — rejected the proposal in its current form Friday, mainly because it would mean Israel has to cut short an ongoing effort to destroy Hamas military tunnels under the Gaza-Israel border.

There was no immediate Israeli government comment.

Kerry met twice Friday in Cairo with United Nation chief Ban Ki-Moon and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri to negotiate an agreement for at least a week-long halt of the fighting between Israel and Hamas in the nearly three-week war.

White House Fears Impeachment If Obama Unilaterally Grants Amnesty

Can you really imagine Obama worrying about this? He doesn’t seem to care about anything he does. This is spin to keep it in the headlines.

Check it out  .....................

As is always the case with anything involving former-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, our unbiased, objective, not-at-all-liberal media couldn't wait to mock her impeachment case against President Obama — but not everyone is laughing. According to reporting from The Hill, The White House fears exactly that should the president take executive action to grant amnesty to thousands of illegals.

Senior White House advisers are taking very seriously the possibility that Republicans in Congress will try to impeach President Obama, especially if he takes executive action to slow deportations.

Dan Pfeiffer, a senior adviser to Obama, said Friday that the White House is taking the prospect of impeachment in the GOP-controlled House more seriously than many others in Washington, who see it as unlikely.

Obama’s senior adviser, Dan Pfeiffer, as quoted by The Hill: “I saw a poll today that had a huge portion of the Republican Party base saying they supported impeaching the president. A lot of people in this town laugh that off. I would not discount that possibility.”

Pelosi: Dems ‘Committed’ to Protecting Rights of Migrant Kids

House Democrats will fight to ensure migrant children crossing the border keep their legal protections, Rep. Nancy Pelosi  vowed Thursday.

Appearing in the Capitol with the presidents of Honduras and Guatemala, the minority leader suggested Democrats wouldn't accept any border-assistance bill that rolls back the mandatory due process rights currently afforded those children.

“We are committed to addressing their humanitarian needs; we are committed to due process for them,” Pelosi said during a briefing. “In order for that to happen, we must pass the president’s request.

”With more than 57,000 unaccompanied children crossing the border since October, Congress is wrestling with a legislative response that will speed the processing of those kids while ensuring they aren’t sent back into harm’s way.

Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina blamed the crisis on drug smugglers, known as coyotes, who are “misinforming” families that they can buy their children a permanent home in the United States.

“They’re making a lot of money,” Molina said through a translator, “but through deception.”

Can you say FLIPFLOP

Do you know what these are called?

First lady Michelle Obama on Thursday night urged Democrats to “dig deep” into their pockets and “write a big fat check” before the midterm elections, but minutes later complained of too much money in politics.

Speaking at a party fundraiser in Chicago, Mrs. Obama said Democrats must triumph in the November contests if President Obama is to make progress on his agenda during the final two years of his term.

She also blasted special interest groups that funnel money to Republicans.

“So, yeah, there’s too much money in politics. There’s special interests that have too much influence. But they had all that money and all that influence back in 2008 and 2012 and we still won those elections,” she said.

Mrs. Obama then urged fellow Democrats to add even more money to the political system.

“There is something you can do right now today to make a difference, and that is to write a big, fat check. I kid you not,” she said. “I’m going to be honest with you. That’s what we need you to do right now. We need you to write the biggest, fattest check that you can possibly write.”

Tesla Motors move to Nevada would be lithium boon

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Lithium-ion batteries are not exotic, complicated or big.

But if Tesla Motors locates a "gigafactory" here, the lipstick-sized batteries could change Reno's whole universe.

An announcement isn't expected for months about which among five states would ultimately land the electric car-maker's battery factory, though Tesla is expected to start breaking ground on two or three spots this summer.

If northern Nevada ultimately wins the factory, the region will need a crash course in "li-ions," (pronounced "lie-ions") as they are known. Reno already has some experts.

Before Tesla was a gleam in Reno's eye, Denis Phareswas planning to make lithium-ion batteries here.

Phares formed Dragonfly Energy in 2012 and was joined soon after by partners Justin Ferranto and Sean Nichols. He's a former USC instructor and current executive MBA student at University of Nevada, Reno. The partners have picked up several business-competition wins and will head to the Cleantech Open finals in October.

Right now, Dragonfly, which pays some of the rent as a middleman for selling China-made batteries online, is aiming for big-money backers to fund research into making lithium-ion batteries faster, cheaper and easier — and here.

"It's the highest energy and power density combined of any energy-storage medium," Phares said. Li-ions are also safer and longer-lasting than conventional batteries. That's why Tesla uses them and wants more.

Dragonfly's west Reno lab is strewn with battery parts, tools and tables. They're developing streamlined methods to build their own lithium-ion batteries in Nevada — not specifically to power electric cars, but for electric power grid applications and as replacement batteries for lead-acid models currently used elsewhere.

Dragonfly has a patent pending for their more efficient battery-making system.

"The goal is to bring manufacturing back home," Phares said.

Martha's Vineyard Break Will Put Obama Over 140 days On Vacation

When President Obama wraps up his 16-day summer break next month on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., he will have taken all or part of 141 days of vacation, time split between Summers on the island, Winters in his native Hawaii and birthday weekends at his Chicago home.

Obama has been criticized for taking costly and lengthy vacations, especially compared to the short trips most Americans take. The U.S. Travel Association told Secrets that the average American vacation lasts just 3.7 days.

Pregnant Woman Unable to Cross Street to Hospital Because of Obama Motorcade

I am admittedly not a fan of Obama. I am concerned, however, that we are so busy, with other things, many political in nature, that no one is "standing post" at our front door. My guess would be,  that the below article, was deemed newsworthy by a republican backed organization. ..... 

"Okay, park the limo here for a while, I'll tell you when to go .... Yes Mr. President ...... Do you think that woman up there is in labor, oh boy, she is trying to get across the street to that hospital ....OK floor it .... I don't want her crossing the street, I want her to have that baby at the bus stop, on that bench .....look, there is another guy ..... great .... that will give them something to talk about .. good job, we're heading out on the jet tonight, wanna come along ... bring your clubs"

A pregnant woman was stopped from crossing a Los Angeles street Wednesday afternoon because the road was closed for President Barack Obama’s motorcade.

NBC4 anchor/reporter Robert Kovacik witnessed the woman take shelter at a bus stop bench on the south side of Third Street east of Robertson Boulevard and across from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The pregnant woman was with her spouse at the time. Witnesses and two LAPD officers on scene said they believe the woman was in labor and told NBC4 an ambulance was called to the location as a precaution.

NBC4 talked to the woman on the scene, and she asked not to be shown on camera. She was out of breath and appeared to be in active labor.

Police on the scene tell NBC4 there were two medical emergencies during the president’s motorcade, the woman’s pregnancy and a man having post-surgical problems.

A baseball incident of years ago ..........

I had a neighbor years ago, he was older than I. He apparently had bumped in to someone, my name came up, he wrote, and sent me one of his books. I was reading it again yesterday, and in view of some recent news, I thought this was interesting.
An excerpt from a book I have, written by John (Jack) Matthews, who is from Dayton, Ohio..

"Years later I was out of college and working at E.E MacDonald Company and one of the buyers gave me two tickets to the opening day Reds game. I asked Dad if he would like to go with me. It was the first day that a young rookie had come up from the minor leagues to play for the Reds. His name was Pete Rose. Pete's first time at bat, he was walked. He surprise the entire opening day crowd by running all the way, full tilt, to first base. What a fantastic moment."

True story and a good read ..... so to speak ..

A true story you may like .. pertains to a Father, mine. He was a Doctor in Dayton, Ohio, GP till '43, then OBGYN. I did a blog on him once. Got this reply, a little long, but inspirational ..... 

Your dad Dr. R.Dean Dooley saved my life on February 21,1956 at Miami Valley Hospital. 

He had previously delivered three healthy sons to my parents but for months Mom was ill and having "female problems" that went on so long she consulted another physician who said Mom needed a hysterectomy. Since three boys were already more than she could handle; at age 28 she consented to the operation and checked into Miami Valley for surgery the following day.

Dr. Dooley just so happened to be in the hospital and stopped by to see Mom and pray with her before surgery in the morning.

But I was told by my aunt; who was in the hospital room; that Dr. Dooley seemed troubled and asked my Mom if he could perform and examine on her because he thought Mom looked the same way when she was pregnant the other three times.

Mom consented but was certain she could not be pregnant. At 11:26pm your Dad brought me into the world slightly premature but a healthy 6.15 lbs. I have always known he was my guardian angel.I didn't get a chance to tell him in person but I know he hears me!

Thank you Dr. Dooley. You did the right thing.
Sincerely
Dr. Debora Heflin

Austrian Boy And Marmots

AUSTRIA — A nature-loving family says their 8-year-old boy has become friends with some of the Austrian Alps’ shiest creatures. “Matteo loves those animals and they are not at all afraid of him because he has a feeling towards them and they understand that,” the boy’s father, Michaela, said. 'It’s amazing to watch the connection between a boy and his animal friends.'

It's already Friday...

My, how times fly's, another week almost over, 30 some days till football season  Walking Caleb this morning, that damp grass was rather chilly on my feet, the bad news, they mowed yesterday, I tracked grass all over the place. I don't know how he does it, but Caleb is amazing. He knows the exact minute, down to the second, when I get my first cup of coffee, sit down and get really comfortable, laptop and the ready, poised to hit a key .... and there he is ... just sits, and casually, looks up with that ..."hey, I gotta go out" look, no words, no gestures, just that ............ look. 

So we've gone through all of that now, second cup of coffee, I am ready to type, but what, China? That new carrier they are building looks formidable. I am no great history buff, but looking back, it seems like "a person" has been responsible for many of the problems encountered in the world, one country, governed by one person. I have been fixated with China for some time. They have accomplished some of the greatest "feats" the world has ever seen, quietly, unobtrusive. 

I was thinking this morning, while the coffee was brewing, they might be able right now to take over this country, but, why would they want it? We only think we are a powerful, wealthy nation. And, why, do we honestly think that we are so good .... Oh, they told us so. We  YELL the loudest. What did China think of that airplane being shot down .... I doubt that they cared. Instead of worrying about that, they are constructing colossal structures, building a giant of a Navy and a powerful country. 

The President of the United States wants answers. Who, wants what, to what? What value, actually, was his stand, on that plane crash. It was politically correct and the echo sounded good to Obama, but who, around the world really gave a "rats petootie," so to speak. I am sure Obama's wife, or maybe I should say partner, was impressed, as were his kids, and, of course, Biden and the others in that little "click" in Washington. I would have to wonder how many people, really, in the world, even heard him?

I imagine at Obama's urging, he is awarding medals at the White House. One was on Letterman last night, a hero, no doubt, but why. In the past, medals were awarded in a nice ceremony, and everyone went home, and the medal was displayed, eventually in a drawer. I did watch that segment of Letterman. He said something rather prophetic at the end, I wish he had gone farther .....something to the effect .. the medal recipient had a young son, many accolades were bellowed on the soldier, and a rather detailed explanation of the incident that he had been involved in ...... this is not a quote, but the "jist" of his comment  "you have a son, I have a ten year old son ... I am on television, and then Letterman waved, "Hi son" ..... I think he was trying to make the point perhaps the comparison of the accomplishments of each, and perhaps the soldier was much more deserving .... that was what I got out of iit ..... I WISH Letterman had compared the difference in money earned, during their time on the show together .... not bragging, just a comparison to show how underpaid our troops actually are. And of course they pointed out he had received a phone call from the president ... the soldier did not seem overly impressed with that.

We are an arrogant nation, we are an arrogant people, we are never in a foreign land, we want to lock our front door, so to speak, but our house is already full, do we really know what an American is? 

I am not going to worry about it, I know we are safe from aggression, we are in good hands, I am going to go take a nap ...... we be OK!

A final thought ....... "The Fox ... don't need to be in the Hen House ... cause he owns it"

China looks to dominate the Indian ocean with this new aircraft carrier

(LONDON ) - Calling it a quantum leap above anything the USA has even on the drawing board, experts agree that the Chinese government thought 'outside the box' with this new design.

The new aircraft carrier offers more speed, larger capacity, increased stability.

It is absolutely a true 'blue water' long range vessel with what appears to be an endless list of advantages and capabilities.

According to what we are learning, the new carriers can service their nuke and sub fleet in between the twin hulls and it is also reported that they can easily launch amphibious operations from the same area, and that they will launch in half the time the Americans can currently do the same.

It certainly is one formidable looking weapons system.

The extra 'parking and readiness' station between both hull structures, and of course the launching and landing capabilities from the utilization of twin flight decks at once, offer the gigantic vessel a clear advantage.

We understand that six of these vessels would be used in the Pacific (2), the Atlantic (2) and one in the Indian Ocean, and one in the Mediterranean Sea. That would cover roughly the entire world, with strong air and naval defenses.

As information about the carriers becomes available, it is also important to remember that Chinese are currently drilling oil in several parts of the world that are off-limits or difficult access for the United States, including Cuba, Brazil and Venezuela.

CHINESE HAVE COMPLETED THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DAM ( THREE GORGES ).

THE WORLD'S LONGEST OVER-WATERBRIDGE (65 TIMES AS MUCH STEEL AS IN THE EIFFEL TOWER).

THEY CONSTRUCTED A 15,000 FOOT HIGH RAILROAD INTO TIBET (ALL CONSIDERED MAJOR ENGINEERING FEATS).

THEY ARE THE ONLY NATION OTHER THAN RUSSIA THAT CAN LAUNCH MEN INTO OUTER SPACE (THE USA CAPABILITY ENDED WITH THE LAST SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH LAST YEAR ).

THEY HAVE ALSO SHOT DOWN A SURVEILLANCE SATELLITE (ONE OF THEIR OWN) FROM THE GROUND.

PLUS THEY "OWN US" IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEBT GAME AND PROBABLY OUR ARABLE FARMING LAND ONE DAY.

CHINA'S NEW A/C CARRIER COULD BE TWICE AS FAST AS ANYTHING THE WESTERN NATIONS HAVE, PLUS THE STABILITY OF A CATAMARAN TYPE HULL WILL GREATLY REDUCE THE PITCHING, YAWING AND SWAYING COMMON TO OUR PRESENT DESIGNS.

These aircraft carriers look formidable and of ultra modern design. There are reports the 1st Chinese aircraft carrier is under construction and could enter service around 2015 or earlier. It won't be long before we see the real thing. Defense analysts are waiting; watching anxiously.

China's aircraft carrier puts naval ambitions on show

At a northern quayside China's first aircraft carrier dwarfs nearby vessels, its take-off ramp rising higher than the top deck of the cruise ship at the next berth, symbolizing the country's naval ambitions.

Dalian, where the Liaoning was refitted and undergoes regular maintenance, looks out over the Bohai strait, gateway to the Yellow Sea, and beyond it, Japan and the Pacific Ocean.

Beijing proclaims that China's rise is entirely peaceful and it has no interest in hegemony, but analysts say its goal is to surpass the naval capability of Japan's Self-Defense Forces and ultimately rival the US Navy, masters of the Pacific.

That will require a number of aircraft carrier battle groups, developed over decades and costing billions of dollars.

The 300-metre (1,000-foot) Liaoning -- a Soviet-era vessel Beijing bought from Ukraine -- was commissioned in September 2012, and officers have acknowledged that it is not yet ready for combat, with naval fighter pilots taking years to train.

But it is only the first Chinese vessel of its type. Analysts say future carriers will be entirely Chinese-made and ultimately nuclear-powered, vastly extending their range.

Police puzzled by dolls left on porches in California city

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Police said on Thursday they were investigating porcelain dolls that had been left on the doorsteps of at least eight homes in a Southern California beach city that homeowners said bore a resemblance their daughters.

The dolls were found over the past week on porches in San Clemente, a community of more than 60,000 people about 65 miles southeast of Los Angeles, Orange County Sheriff's Lieutenant Jeff Hallock said in a written statement.

"Families in each of the homes where porcelain dolls were left voiced concern that the dolls resembled their daughters," Hallock said.

He said the dolls had been collected as evidence and were being examined to determine their origin for clues as to who had left them.

President Obama greeted by scandalous art in Los Angeles