Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Have a VERY HAPPY and BLESSED Thanksgiving Day, everyone!
Remember to thank God for all of your blessings!

I am thankful for my three children and their spouses/fiancee,
as well as my four grandchildren.
For my work.
For a warm place to live.
For my friends.
For all of our military personnel,
policemen, firemen, and emergency personnel.
For so many things that I can't begin to name them all.

12 Step philosophy encourages an attitude of gratitude,
and Scripture encourages us to Praise Him in ALL things,
because He will cause ALL things to work together for good
for those who love and serve Him.
Even when we cannot see it happening...

Drive safely, Eat well, Enjoy family and friends,
but don't forget where it all comes from.

May God bless you and keep you, Make His face shine upon you, and give you peace.

Let it Snow, for once.....

It is already a white Winter Wonderland outside my patio door, and I am grateful, thankful, pleased.

NOT for the white stuff, but for the fact that I did not have to work the second shift last night and drive home in it, nor the third shift -- worse, because it would have meant driving both ways in it!

Not my favorite thing to do, though I am a Wisconsin resident nearly all of my life (with short stint at birth in Minnesota, and a few years right after that in Illinois). So many of my fellow Wisconsinites act like maniacs, and continue to drive the speed limit, in spite of the fact that everyone else with brains is going 40-45-50 MPH. And then, those semis! They often zoom past you in the center or left lane, swirling snow behind them that creates a white out, and endangers everyone behind them! Some of the larger vehicles also cause that snow to swirl this way, but NOT like a semi going like a bat out of hell on the highway!

While there are many more drivers that are safe, there are others who just have no conception of what their driving does to others on the road in snowstorms, INCLUDING a few who go extremely slowly on the highway.

It can make for very tense driving, believe me

So, on this wonderful snowy wintry 33 degree morning here in North Eastern Wisconsin, I wish you all a safe drive, and a good day, as I thankfully stay indoors and revel in that fact. It is a long winter ahead of us.................

X marks the Spot?

Interesting story, and if I had not had to work the night shift, I would have written about this last night. So what is this? Apparently, it popped up frequently for under a second each time.

Subliminal propagandizing? Or... who knows? CNN called it a 'glitch', according to Hannity and Colmes last night. A Glitch, huh? See the story at Drudge

And, if more shows up elsewhere, I will update.

ADDENDUM:

Nov 23, 2005

They just 'tried it' on Fox. However, they did not really try. They left the X on much too long. Have heard, read, that it was o.7 (seven tenths) of a second that the X stayed on the screen during the real thing on CNN. Drudge also had more on the topic. CNN has apologized, and done a segment saying that it can't be done on purpose.

Whether or not subliminal messages really affect us, is still being questioned. But is it ethical, is it even productive, especially when found out, as this has been?

But whether done intentionally to give any sort of message, or done as a joke by someone who does not like Cheney, etc, this needs to be looked into honestly. The explanation that this was a technical "Glitch", if true, leads one to question why it happened during Cheney's speech rather than some other time. Maybe it is one of those doo doo doo du, doo doo doo du moments.......

On Murtha's Words....

While I was at Dad29's blog, I also read the exact wording of Murtha's statement that he posted.

I think that those who have been so outspoken were 'called' on it by the demand for a vote. As in 'put up or shut up'.

Those who abstained or voted for immediate withdrawal are:

Three Democrats, Jose Serrano of New York, Robert Wexler of Florida and Cynthia McKinney of Georgia, voted for withdrawal.

Six voted present: Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington, Jerrold Nadler of New York, Maurice Hinchey of New York, Michael Capuano of Massachusetts, Major Owens of New York and William Lacy Clay of Missouri.

Such a tragedy!

I remember hearing his story, and thinking that this kid was growing up well, accepting responsibility, and would grow into an excellent example for his child. His schedule sounded as hectic as mine was while working, raising my children, attending as many of their sports/etc activities that I was able to, waiting after their classes/practice to get home, sleep, and get to work, all at the same time that I was attending school myself, carrying minimum of 12 to 15 credits per semester. It was exhausting for me, and I am sure it was for him.

When I heard of him, it did not stay with me long enough to think to blog about him, but I thought "A parent must really be proud of him!" I now wish I had followed up on the story.

For the sad news, read past this story:

76ERS HOSTING TERRELL POUGH ON NOV. 1 AS THE SIXERS FAN OF THE GAME

Philadelphia, Pa. - Nov. 1, 2005 - Terrell Pough, who was featured in "People Magazine" on Aug. 29, as an outstanding single father, will be in attendance tonight at the 76ers season opener versus the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wachovia Center. Pough will serve as the 76ers Fan of the Game.

Pough is a responsible young adult who juggles his high school education, part time employment and care for his 2-year-old daughter, all as an 18-year old.

A typical day for him includes: dropping his daughter Diamond off at daycare at 7:45 a.m., arriving at 8 a.m. sharp for his first class at school, and eating lunch with Diamond at daycare at 12:35 p.m. He then leaves school at 3 p.m. to check in on Diamond - who is then picked up by Pough's grandmother - so he can arrive promptly at work by 4 p.m. After he leaves work at 10:45 p.m. and picks up Diamond, he arrives back home at 12:30 a.m. to tuck her into bed and starts his homework.

Pough is also a member of his high school's Males Achieving Responsibility Successfully program. The MARS program, affiliated with Philadelphia Public Schools, instructs 100 young fathers annually. In this program, students are taught among other things, when children get vaccinations and how to warm a bottle.

At each 76ers home game, the Sixers select two lucky fans (parent/child) to represent the thousands of loyal 76ers fans throughout the Delaware Valley. The lucky fans receive a photo of their courtside experience, appear on the arena jumbotron while having their names announced by 76ers PA Announcer Matt Cord, and get the opportunity to line up with the players for the pregame introductions.

In a time when we hear so many sad stories of kids his age, we need to have more of this, to remind us that most kids are good kids. Most live up to challenges put in their paths either by bad choices they may have made, or by other things that life in general put in peoples' paths.

Tonight, on the news, they announced that Terrell Pough is dead.

There are many stories that you can Google, but two are here and here.

My sincere condolences go to Diamond, to Terrell's family, friends, classmates, and co-workers.

I am truly glad that he was able to be acknowledged for the hard work he has been doing trying desparately to be good father, student, and worker. To be 18 years old, and night manager says a lot about this young man. He will truly be missed by all who knew him, and those of us who only knew OF him.

What a shame.



This post is also available at Blogger News Network.

Pope praises film on John Paul II

The other day, I heard about a new film about JPII via CWNews. Today, they had another article about it that goes a little deeper into it. Jon Voight stars as JPII.

One comment made there says that this is going on the person's Christmas wish list. Apparently this writer has seen the film, and the opinion express was that it was good.

It will air on CBS on Dec 4 and Dec 6..... have to either get blank tapes for my VCR, or check my calendar to see if I am off those days. It sounds like one I would like to see!

Italians Pass, the Austrians Flunk, the Brazilians...

From CWNews, this article came across my screen. As I read it, all I can think is....see here and here

Whoa, what is he going to say to OUR Bishops? What is he going to say to Canadian Bishops?

And when is this going to happen? Interesting, interesting, interesting..... the article begins...

The Italians Pass, the Austrians Flunk, the Brazilians...
The Bishops under Examination
And the pope is grading each of them. He urged the bishops of Austria to “change course.” But he gave an extra chance to the bishops of Brazil: he will come in person to encourage them – at the sanctuary of the Aparecida

by Sandro Magister


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ADDENDUM at 4:35 AM 11/20/05

see also here and here