All Hallow's Eve

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, PUMPKINS!!

JP & Lizzie Borden = Awesome

I did a post about JP Borda when he was deployed to Iraq back in the summer with his Bad VooDoo Platoon. (search)

I noticed that people were finding it by using "awesome stories" so I decided to try that myself. Turns out there is a site called awesome story dot com. JP's story wasn't on that but did show up when it was googled. He's still awesome--just ask him! (zing)

Anyway, I was looking around and came across the Lizzie Borden story. I read the book long ago about her parents' murders while she was home--before lunch in Fall River, MA, in 1892.

You've mostly likely heard this little ditty:

Lizzie Borden took an ax

And gave her mother forty whacks,

When she saw what she had done

She gave her father forty-one

There was a trial with a twelve man jury (no women allowed) who just couldn't believe she could do this to her father.

She was upset with her wealthy father for putting some of his property in her stepmother's name. Property that she thought belonged to her. Money can be a great motivator! I guess you could say Lizzie took matters into her own hands!

You can read the story here:

http://www.lizzieborden.com/thestory.htm

There are even a couple of crime scene photos. Most of the townspeople thought she was guilty and her life was never the same as it had been. I remember the tv movie with Elizabeth Montgomery and there is a little facial resemblance!

Today, the house is a bed and breakfast so you can arrange to go there and sleep in the actual house where Lizzie was swingin'an ax! Are you reaching for the phone?

Just in time for Halloween! ;)

http://www.lizzie-borden.com/

But Mommmm!

What Can Happen

I was walking down the street when I was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked me for a couple of dollars for dinner.

I took out my wallet, got out ten dollars and asked, "If I give you this money, will you buy wine with it instead of dinner?"

"No, I had to stop drinking years ago," the homeless woman told me.

"Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?" I asked.

"No, I don't waste time shopping," the homeless woman said. "I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive."

"Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food? " I asked.

"Are you NUTS!" replied the homeless woman. "I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!"

"Well, " I said, "I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight."

The homeless Woman was shocked. "Won't your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting."

I said, "That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and wine."

Death in Family

Just wanted to let you know that I won't be posting for a few days. One of my brothers-in-law died today and I'll be spending time with my family. He was being treated for cancer and the thought is that he had a heart attack while doing some errands which caused him to wreck his truck. 

Update: There was a very large turn-out for my brother-in-law's funeral. Lots of family and friends. He was buried under a huge tree that, at least, one squirrel and several birds were enjoying during his service in Montgomery. Hard to be grateful for sudden death but he didn't want a long suffering death and most likely faced one with cancer.

Thank you for your comments.

Love your loved ones.

5000

I hit 5000 on the sitemeter today! Since it took awhile to get sitemeter up and counting when I started this blog, I think the true count is over that but that's the official number!

Try to hold the applause down! ;)

In honor of that milestone--and 'cause any reason will do--I'm posting my most favorite hunk of hotness! Yep, that would be Tom of the Selleck kind! Seems appropriate since my first post was about his birthday!

Doing a little Catwoman growl here! heh

A Picture Worth......

[YouTube link]

Click to view -- if you dare!

Hmm... did someone forget to tell whatshisname that his heart is alittle further up? heh

12 Germiest Places

I don't want to be a germaholic like Howie Mandel or someone who constantly scrubs their hands but I do believe in washing hands before and during food preparation and keeping the hands clean. Where do you think the germiest things are that you come in contact with?

1. Kitchen sink

2. Airplane bathroom

3. A load of wet laundry

4. Public drinking fountain

5. Shopping cart handle

6. ATM buttons

7. Your handbag

8. Playgrounds

9. Mats and machines at health clubs

10. Your bathtub

11. Your office phone

12. The hotel room remote control

You might want to buy some stock in Clorox, wipes, and anti-bacterial soap! The remedies offered by "Health" magazine are available at:

  http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21423163/

Fire

This is a picture my niece sent me this morning telling me her neighborhood is on fire and she had packed her car to evacuate! Her brother has had to do the same.

They are both in the San Diego area of CA. She said the wind was getting stronger!

Please say a prayer!

No Stick in the Eye.....Yet

Went to ye ole eye clinic today expecting to get an injection IN my eye, but instead I got more drops! The drops I was using 6 times a day will now be used every hour that I'm awake! Still have some to use 2x and another 4x! If the extra drops don't get rid of the inflammation in 2 wks, I'll get a shot right over my eye. Incentive anyone?

Yeah, I'll be yanking my eye open every hour on the hour and crossing my fingers!

Pompeii

The Birmingham Museum of Art has opened a Pompeii exhibition that will be here until January '08.

http://www.pompeiibirmingham.com/

I am very much looking forward to seeing it, at least once. We were lucky enough to actually go to Pompeii while in Rome on a company sponsored trip in 1989. It was so interesting to see what they had uncovered! Also surreal when you're told the ruts in the cobblestones are from chariots, frescos on walls have lasted longer than you can wrap your mind around and just trying to imagine the streets and houses full of people of that time! My regret is that I didn't keep a diary because there are holes in my memory now! I did take pictures but not nearly enough! The ones I posted are of the work area where the finds are being readied for display. The first is a human figure, the second has a dog in a glass case that had been chained, another human figure and I'm not sure what's in the other glass case, and the third picture is a sacrificial altar which involved humans as well as animals. I'm hoping the trip to the museum will revive my memory about some things. It's hard to concentrate on what the tour guide is saying when you're trying to take in the surroundings!

If you use the sidebar at the museum's site you will find links with various pictures and interesting facts about Pompeii. And, if you search for Pompeii pictures there are also lots of links.

I might do a post about our trip to Rome. It was a couple of months after the Lockerbie explosion, which was on my mind BIG TIME!

Lt Michael P. Murphy

I know you've heard about Goreacle for the past few days ..or is it months?! But have you heard about Lt Michael P. Murphy, 29. a Navy Seal who gave his all in the mountains of Afghanistan while greatly outnumbered by the enemy? He was wounded but went out in the open to use his phone to call for help for his team. He was shot again for his effort. On Oct 22 his parents will receive his Congressional Medal of Honor, the US's highest military award.

The only survivor from this day, Marcus Luttrell, has written a book, Lone Survivor, about the day that cost so many soldiers their lives. Bless them all and their families.

Btw, I did a post about the book when it came out and continue to get multiple hits everyday from all over for it. The msm may not talk about it but there is plenty of interest!

link

UPDATE: Lt Murphy's parents were given his medal yesterday (Oct 22) and before the ceremony, they gave President Bush a gold dog tag with their son's name engraved on it. He put it on under his shirt and wore it during the medal ceremony.

Blech

So ...

I guess his energy sucking house and private jets don't count?

Tragedy

The Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, while visiting a primary school class, found themselves in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings.

The teacher asked both men if they would like to lead the discussion of the word "tragedy". So the illustrious Rev Jackson asks the class for an example of a "tragedy".

One little boy stood up and offered: "If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a runaway tractor comes along and knocks him dead, that would be a tragedy."

"No," says the Great Jesse Jackson, "that would be an accident."

A little girl raised her hand: "If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy."

"I'm afraid not," explains the exalted Reverend Al. "That' what we would call a great loss." The room goes silent. No other children volunteer.

Reverend Al searches the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"

Finally at the back of the room little Johnny raises his hand. In a stern voice he says: "If a plane carrying the Reverends Jackson and Sharpton were struck by a missile and blown to smithereens that would be a tragedy."

"Fantastic!" exclaims Jackson and Sharpton, "That's right. And can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?"

"Well," says little Johnny, "bwcause it sure as hell wouldn't be a great loss, and it probably wouldn't be an accident either."

Click for the punch line...

Carter - No Regrets

Jimmeh Carter told his interviewers that he had no regrets about his presidency--wouldn't change a thing! Really?

 Well, okay, maybe one thing. Referring to the Iran hostage crisis, Carter said, "I have a specific regret in not having one more helicopter when I wanted to rescue our hostages.  If I had had one more helicopter, they would have been rescued. I might have been reelected president."

Be still my heart! Reelected?!

No Candy

Registered sex offenders in Baltimore are required to post a sign on their front doors saying "No candy at this house"for Halloween. They also cannot answer the door, must leave the lights off and stay inside from 6 pm until the following morning. However, they can make other arrangements with their probation or parole officer to be out of the neighborhood for that night.

Several other states ban registered sex offenders from giving out candy, going to kids' parties and being on the street.

Sounds like good ideas, but still.....

The Transcender

A group of grassroots Democrats has written to the Goreacle, imploring him to run for president!

 "America and the Earth need a hero right now — someone who will transcend politics as usual and bring real hope to our country and to the world," Draftgore's letter said. "Please rise to this challenge, or you and millions of us will live forever wondering what might have been."

Ye gads!

And just imagine if he ran and lost again--who would be blamed for it?

Few Problems

The blog was MIA most of the afternoon and there's a few things I need to do to get it back like it was. Thankfully, basil has done the hard work. My blogroll is gone and I may go to the library to put it back together--it's faster. I'm having trouble working up the mental process to get things done. Sometimes I like blogging and sometimes I don't. Today made me think I was being given a clue to stop.

I'm under alot of stress--who isn't? I have an appt with the eye clinic on the 19th to see the retina dr who will decide whether or not I need a shot in my eye.  Everyday I put drops in all day--one twice a day, one 6 times and one 4 times. Sometimes I manage to get them in my eye! I just wish this could be over!

I also just found out that we will have to move before next Sept. The woman that owns the property we're on has sold it and the new owners have plans. I'm going to try to give the shortest version of this that I can. My husband's business went under and we lost our house with it. That was a pleasant experience--NOT! Anyway, we moved to an "aluminum condo" on someone's property as a temporary solution. Three years later, we separated and that's the way it's been since then.

I have felt safe here,  it's a very pretty area and very convenient to a lot of things. Now I have to make all kinds of decisions and I'm not looking forward to any of them!

Have Mercy

Five police cars are parked outside the north Birmingham church while they meet to decide whether to remove their preacher from the pulpit! Seems he has brought a gun to church!

Disputes have brought police to the church for the past four Sundays and they will remain until after the meeting!

Sounds like someone is being moved by something other than the Holy Spirit!

Blue Morpho Butterfly

I think these are so beautiful!

The blue morpho butterfly gets its colbolt blue hue from thousands of semitransparent scales that "filter blue from the visible spectrum and radiate out from the wings."

They come from the rain forests in Central and South America. They are tiny, living works of art.

Well, of course, this one is no longer living, but it still retains it's beauty!

Anne Frank’s Tree

The chestnut tree that brought comfort to Anne Frank while her family hid fron the Nazis is sick. Of it, she said:

Nearly every morning I go to the attic to blow the stuffy air out of my lungs," she wrote on Feb. 23, 1944. "From my favorite spot on the floor I look up at the blue sky and the bare chestnut tree, on whose branches little raindrops shine, appearing like silver, and at the seagulls and other birds as they glide on the wind. ...

"As long as this exists, I thought, and I may live to see it, this sunshine, the cloudless skies, while this lasts I cannot be unhappy."

They 've gone the extra mile to try to save the 150 yr old tree and have taken a graft so a sapling can replace it. Fears are it may fall on the Anne Frank Museum if not cut down.

Anne Frank died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration canp in 1945.

The Right to Leave

Speech by Prime Minister John Howard - Australia

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on National Television
"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said.

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians."
"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia " "However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."
"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"

"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."

"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.

"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."

"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."

Amen to that!