New Years eve

    Well, uneventful weekend with the exception going to the bathroom 1 to many times.  Lazy and did not do a darn thing.

    Woke up this morning and there was between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of snow on the ground.  Thank whomever that I did not have to drive in it unlike my wife. Since I did not receive any calls I assume she made it to work safely.
Since it was so grayish outside, with lightly falling snow, I decided to turn on the outside lights.  Yeah, these are they lights I was going to take down this weekend but didn't 'cause it was way to cold to be messing around outside.
    As a matter of fact I can't keep my nose from running and I have a sore throat. All I need is to get sick...

Since I don't feel like going outside in the snow and cold, I'm not taking the lights down but instead I am going to watch the movie "Battleship" (http://www.battleshipmovie.com/).

I guess swearing/cussing can land you in jail! !   Since, lately, I have found myself swearing more, check this story out:

 Swearing woman freed from jail

NILES, Mich. (UPI) -- A Michigan woman jailed over the Christmas holiday for swearing as she left a court clerk's office has been released on bond, officials said.

LaRue Ford left the Berren County Jail on Friday after her bond was reduced to $500. She had been jailed since Dec. 18 for cursing in the court clerk's office.

Ford said she was cussing to herself, not to the clerk, because she was frustrated as she attempted to clear up an old traffic ticket, WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, Mich., said. A district judge ordered her arrested when she came back with $50 to pay the ticket.

Ford, 49, had no criminal record and has a master's degree in social work.

"It wasn't necessary, it wasn't even necessary to put me through all this," she told WOOD.

The American Civil Liberties Union had filed an emergency appeal to get Ford freed on bond. 

AND another story regarding those "annoying" words:

  'Whatever' slips in annoying words poll

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (UPI) -- "Whatever" remains the most annoying word or phrase in the English language, a poll indicates.

"Like" and you know trailed in the show and place positions, the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., reported Thursday.

Almost one-third, 32 percent, of the adults surveyed selected "whatever." Another 21 percent picked like and 17 percent you know.

"Just sayin" was the only other phrase to break into double digits at 10 percent. Another 9 percent picked Twitterverse and 5 percent gotcha.

"Whatever" has now been in the top spot for four years running. But it has lost ground from last year when 38 percent found it most annoying.

Older respondents, non-college graduates and people with incomes under $50,000 were more likely to be annoyed by "whatever." Respondents under 45, college graduates and those with larger incomes tended to go for like.

Marist surveyed 1,246 adults by telephone Dec. 4-6. The margin of error is 2.8 percentage points. 

For a Sunday

For Sunday


and

.

Is Christmas over?

That is the question.  Is Christmas over?  Hell it never began.

Have most of the decorations re-boxed, tree ready to be (now get this) taken apart, and out side lights down tomorrow or this weekend.  Bam over and done with.

Day after Xmas

Just another day..but check these stories out ! !

 After 48 years, marriage found unofficial

REDLANDS, Calif. (UPI) -- A California couple said they had to have a second wedding after discovering their 48 years of marriage were not legally official.

Bob and Norma Clark of Redlands said they were preparing legal paperwork to get their affairs in order and soon discovered the San Mateo County Hall of Records had no documentation of their Aug. 29, 1964, ceremony, the Redlands Daily Facts reported Monday.

The couple said the church where they held their wedding had a copy of the certificate, but they were unable to file it because it had been more than two years since the wedding.

The Clarks said they went down to the county Hall of Records on San Bernardino's Hospitality Lane Nov. 21 with the bride's siblings, Deanna Silvestri and Bill Thrall, as witnesses for the filing of their new marriage certificate.

"I got her a nice bouquet, and it was just a hoot," Bob Clark said. There were about 35 people there who were asking us why we were there. We told them that we've been married ... and we brought along a book of all our pictures and showed them [off].

Bob Clark said he abided by a man in the crowd's suggestion that he "kiss the bride" when the filing was done. 

How about this story, bet MSNBC did not cover this one ! ! 

 Woman collects 500 black Santas

POMPANO BACH, Fla. (UPI) -- A Florida woman who has been collecting black Santas for more than 40 years said she has more than 500 objects depicting dark-skinned St. Nicks.

Connie McKinley, 68, a retired teacher from Pompano Beach, said her collection includes 5-foot-tall dancing dolls, small figurines, tree ornaments, and toys depicting Santa doing a myriad of activities, including firefighting, cooking and creating art, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Monday.

"There are Santas doing everything," McKinley said.

McKinley said she bought her first black Santa about 1970, when she saw it in a catalog.

"I kept thinking, I want to show my daughter a Santa that looked like her," McKinley said. So I bought a black Santa.

McKinley's daughter, Jackie McKinley, 43, said she didn't really appreciate the meaning of the black Santas until she reached adulthood.

"A Santa that looks like me, that's deep for a kid," she said. I just thought they were cool ... . I start to think about it now, though, and I go into stores and I'm like, 'Why doesn't this store have a black Santa? Come on!' 

Post # 2 for Xmas

Christmas Day

 

• 

and another

• 

and another

• 

Well now.. Having a cup of coffee with my doggie on my lap.  Wife is at work-yeah go figure, Grandkids are in some far off place called California, and one nice thing about today is/was yesterday.

    Got/received a call from a friend that I've known and ridden bikes with for over 40 years! ! !  Lord, some of the things we used to do would have us shot today !  !
Spent almost 2 hours catching up.  Now that we both are officially old we also have the old age stories to go with the age.  He suffered a stroke so sometimes words get substituted and it comes across really funny.

   Just edited some stuff out .....

   Hell, I started this log as a way to vent some of my inner anguish and to tell you the truth I can't for fear someone will read what I have wrote and get all pissy assed over it.

    Damn, sounds like a frikken confessional doesn't it .......

Screw it.  here are some pictures:

Christmas eve

Well here we are again only this year is a 100% better than last year.  Last year at this time I was laying in a hospital bed with a tube sticking out of my back.  It was draining fluid out of my left lung so needless to say I was not doing very well and was down to 122.5 lbs.  What a difference a year makes.

Thought you might like to know - -

 Santa suit sellers: Claus getting fatter

LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- Sellers of Santa suits, including Adele's of Hollywood, said the jolly old elf has been packing on the pounds over the past few years.

Adele Saidy, owner of Adele's of Hollywood, said she has been selling custom Santa suits to Kris Kringles the world over for the past four decades, and the largest size suit she makes has increased from a 50-inch waist when she started to 76 inches this holiday season, ABC News reported Friday.

"They are getting larger and larger," Saidy said. Last year and this year, 25 percent of my Santas -- oh, I don't want to say it -- they are really overweight.

Fellow St. Nick costumer Santasuits.com said its largest suit in 1996 was a 2X, accounting for about 12 percent of business, and it now offers a 4X, with plus-sized suits accounting for one-third of all business. 

and if you are tracking Mr Clause's  route:

 New options available for Santa-tracking

COLORADO SPRINGS (UPI) -- Anyone who wants to take part in the time-honored custom of track Santa's progress on Christmas Eve choose from multiple Santa-tracking services this year.

Longtime Santa-tracking partners North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, and Google parted ways and each is offering a tracking service, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

NORAD, based in Colorado Springs, has paired up with Bing Maps for a 2-D Santa-tracking display, as well as Cesium to show a 3-D version of Santa's progress. The system will be available online, as well as in application form for Windows, iOS and Android phones.

NORAD's Santa hotline, (877) HI-NORAD, will be functioning as of 2 a.m. Christmas Eve for those with questions about where the jolly elf is.

Google is offering its Santa-tracking application available at google.com/santatracker.

Santa-tracking began in 1955 when U.S. Air Force Col. Harry Shoup -- who was director of operations for the agency that became NORAD -- began receiving calls from children trying to reach Santa. A local Sears store had set up a Santa hotline but misprinted the number in its catalog, sending calls about Santa to Shoup.

The agency has been tracking Santa for the public ever since. 

Sunday the 23rd

And because I just like this one:



And because I think it is also cute:

World did not end...

Could of told ya that.

Condo fees are outrageous..check this story out.

 $1 condo fails to get offers

LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. (UPI) -- A California condo being listed for $1 is proving hard to sell due to its location in a retirement community and $1,718 a month in homeowners association dues.

Cathy Flores, the listing agent for the condo in The Towers complex in Laguna Woods, said the sellers want only $1 for the 500-square-foot condo and are offering to pay $1,500 for new paint and carpeting but she has yet to receive an offer for the property, the Orange County (Calif.) Register reported Tuesday.

The fourth-floor condo features dinner service, maid service and utilities included, but Flores said potential buyers are put off by the condo being in a retirement community -- which means no residents under the age of 55 are allowed -- and charging $1,718 a month in dues to the homeowners association.

"It is a good deal, but it's not a good investment," Flores said. It's really for someone looking to enjoy the amenities in Laguna Woods. 

Once again - Nothing in Particular to impart

     Have 2 doctor's appointments today.  One for Coumadin and one for the B-12 shot.  Considering this time last year I was headed for a week long stay in the hospital I feel really good ! !

     Still having trouble with the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting and the gun hysteria that follows.

    Disturbed or not, why little kids?  There are a ton of evil adults out there.  Maybe because I'm older or myself having come so close to death, I find myself continuing to tear up over the personal stories of grief coming out of the shooting.

  Other than the above I truly have nothing of note to say - not that I have ever had.

Just some more people stories

......

 Kiteboarding Santas break record

FORT DE SOTO, Fla. (UPI) -- Twenty-five people dressed as Santa gathered at Fort De Soto near St. Petersburg, Fla., to set a record for the most kiteboarding Santas.

The Santas traveled from all over the United States to Fort De Soto for the event Friday, the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times reported.

Although there were 25 Santas, only 12 of them got in the water.

Organizers, who got the word out about the event via Facebook, said they believe they broke the record; however the previous record was only one kiteboarding Santa.

"The wind picked up a bit," said Ken Brackin of Tampa. It's a great day to be on the water.

Organizers said they plan on doing it again next year and maybe linking the event to a charity. 

 Guide dogs have their sea legs

LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- Eleven dogs on a cruise ship bound for Hawaii aren't not dogging their duties as guide dogs for the visually impaired, their owners say.

Most of the dogs, graduates of the Guide Dogs for the Blind, also are experienced sea dogs with several cruises notched on their leashes, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

"I never would have been brave enough to venture out on a cruise by myself," Texas resident Nancy Shugart, who took her first cruise in 2005, told the Times. However, with my faithful guide dog by my side, I took the risk and have been cruising every year since.

Shugart is one of 19 people escorted by 11 dogs on the Golden Princess Hawaii cruise, which left Los Angeles earlier this month for a two-week trip with stops at Honolulu, Hilo, Kauai, Maui and in Ensenada, Mexico.

Dimensions in Travel, a Northern California-based travel agency, organized the cruise. It sets up "one or two cruises a year," Andi Cercos, who specializes in travel for visually handicapped clients, told the Times.

The agency arranges for special check-in, orientation tours, pet life jackets, dog play areas and the all-important potty zones. 

And one for the road...

 U.S. companies parlay Dec. 21 publicity

LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- Two major U.S. restaurant chains are getting in on the hoopla over the pending end of the world as predicted by the ancient Mayan calendar.

Carl's Jr. this week unveiled a massive 21x21x21-inch hamburger that was painstakingly crafted by the gang in the fast-food giant's test kitchen in honor of the catastrophe predicted for Dec. 21.

"If it's not the end of the world, then it's definitely the end of your hunger," said a notice posted on Facebook along with a picture of the sandwich, which is made up of a dozen beef patties, 12 strips of bacon and equal number of cheese slices.

The "Last Friday" campaign by T.G.I Friday's includes apocalypse eve bashes in Los Angeles and other major U.S. cities. The final fun for customers includes dancing, free use of the photo booths and Mayan Margaritas. Proceeds go to charity.

The Los Angeles Times said a number of U.S. retailers, hotels and other establishments are marking the Mayan prediction with a mix of good humor and great specials.

"We believe the Earth was built to last, just like our new Open Country A/T II," Toyo Tires wrote on Facebook, where it also offered a contest that included a free trip to the Mayan homeland in Mexico's Yucatan. 

Sunday once again....

Dealing with the Doctors

Had a goofy day yesterday.  Needed to go and pick up my prescription for the narcotic which is used to slow down my motility.  Anyone with Short Bowel knows exactly what I'm talking about!

Anyway drove down to Kaseman Hospital - http://www.phs.org/PHS/hospitals/hospitals/kaseman/index.htm

to pick up the prescription.  Had initiated the process via Presbyterian's "My Health" messaging system.  Since I had never used it before ( and listening to my wife's positivity) I ended up calling them to ensure they had received the request.  They had but were waiting for the Doctor to come back in.

  Ok ... so far so good.  Got up to the second floor, stood in line like a good little automaton, waiting for my turn although there was no one in front of me.  OK, I get it no problem. Finally I'm called over and she asks "How can I help you"
-Ehhh ... so far so good - - I relayed to her saying I was here to pick up a prescrition, she said what doctor I said Dr Weiss.  She look in some racks behind her and found nothing then she said it was sent to my pharmacy.  I said HuH this is a narcotic and I needed to pick up manually.  She said OH no it was sent, so I said when did the policy change and if it did why weren't we/I notified.  She said Oh no it has been like that for quite some time, now it's my turn to go HUH again ! !
At this time I'm getting a little uncomfortable and my patience is starting to run  out when some little girl (a woman would have waited HER turn) jumped in and told the receptionist she wanted her co-pay back.  I kinda roll my eyes but I keep my mouth shut.  Anyway when the receptionist gets done dealing with this little twit, she tells me hold on while to speaks to Dr Weiss's nurse.  Sure no problem.

So this starts off another argument style conversation between the nurse and the receptionist.

Bottom line to all this the nurse then brought out the prescription and said I will deal with the receptionist. Then we talked for a minute or two regarding the "My Health" messaging system.

Had another glitch with my blood testing but don't feel up to writing about it.  Maybe tomorrow.

Ate at Carl's Jr on the way home.  Hamburg, Fries, and a milkshake was sick all evening and through out the night.  Crapped my brains out... enough said.  Kinda miserable today.

Here is some more human stupidity:

 Xmas lights on truck yield $274 ticket

WICHITA, Kan. (UPI) -- A Kansas man given a $274 citation for decking his pickup truck out in Christmas lights said his illuminated vehicle has been spreading holiday cheer.

David Hill of Wichita, founder of the group OneSpark, which aims to feed and clothe the homeless, said he spent 16 hours covering his truck in Christmas lights and hooking them to a generator in the bed of the vehicle, KAKE-TV, Wichita, reported Thursday.

Hill said he was surprised when he was pulled over two weeks ago on the highway and fined $274 for his light display.

"I'm not saying he was right or wrong," Hill said of the ticketing officer. The bottom line is there's so many people in this town right now that are hurting. And literally, there's been thousands of people that have taken pictures with that truck and it's brought a smile to their face.

Hill said he will leave the lights on his truck to spread Christmas cheer and bring attention to his organization's charitable efforts.

Police Lt. Joe Schroeder said the lights could prove a dangerous distraction for other drivers.

"When you take a vehicle and you cover it with that many lights, it's an issue of safety," Schroeder said. You're going to get the rubberneckers who are going to be staring at the vehicle. They're going to have a collision or rear end somebody because they're too busy looking at this car that's driving down the road. 

12-12-12

Has a nice ring to it.  Wonder how lucky this number is?

Anyway another goofy human story out of all places, Youngstown Ohio.

Pig discovered in towed vehicle YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (UPI) -- Police in Ohio said an abandoned vehicle found in the middle of a road had a pot-belly pig in the back seat when it was towed away. Youngstown police said officers responded to a report of an abandoned vehicle around 1:30 p.m. Monday and they arrived to find a 2011 Nissan Cube parked perpendicular to the curb with heavy front-end damage, two flat tires and both air bags deployed, the Youngstown Vindicator reported Tuesday. Police said there was a 250-pound pot-belly pig in the back seat of the car when it was towed away from the scene. Officers said they tracked down the owner of the vehicle, a Pennsylvania woman who said she had left Penelope the pig in the car while she visited a friend in Youngstown. She said she had noticed the vehicle missing, but had assumed the "kids took it." Police said they are looking for suspects in the auto theft and animal authorities have been notified of the incident. And just for the heck of it check out: FakeTV.com.

More goofy human stuff

Another human stupidity story:

 Handgun found in package of frozen meat

ROSWELL, N.M. (UPI) -- Authorities in New Mexico and Colorado said they are trying to find the origins of a gun and ammunition packet discovered in a package of frozen meat.

Police in Roswell, N.M., said a worker at a local Albertsons store discovered the Rock Island Armory .38 Super and ammunition Wednesday in a case of frozen ribs originating from the Swift Packing Plant in Greeley, Colo., KRQE-TV, Albuquerque, reported Monday.

"We could speculate on a lot of things," Sgt. Jim Preston said. It could have been someone just dropped it there, or it could have been something that someone put it there trying to hide it for 100 different reasons.

Greeley police said they are looking into whether the gun may have been involved in any local crimes in 2011 when the meat was packaged. 

 Festivus pole added to nativity scene

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (UPI) -- This year, a Nativity scene in Deerfield Beach, Fla., features a "Festivus pole" made of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer cans, as well as a Menorah.

The pole, a reference to the Dec. 23 atheist "holiday" that became a pop culture hit after being featured in a Seinfeld episode, was installed Thursday by activist blogger Chaz Stevens, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

Stevens said he had been trying to get the city to remove the Nativity scene for five years, and this year he decided to ask for space to express his own beliefs.

"It's just 23 beer cans stacked 8 feet high and conveniently located 6 feet from Baby Jesus," said Stevens.

"Think of how many people have died over the years to give us our freedoms," Stevens said. So I've got to push back a little. 

November Weight stats

Forgot to do the stats for November...

What is going  to be surprising is next months weight. To be done around the 1st of Jan.

More human stupidity..

 Man gets jail for stealing, snorting ashes

SILVER SPRINGS SHORES, Fla. (UPI) -- One of three men accused of stealing, then snorting human and canine ashes in Florida, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison.

Jose David Diaz-Marrero, 20, pleaded guilty in June to four burglaries, including one in which he and two others stole urns, that contained the cremated remains of Holli Tencza's father and her two dogs, the Ocala (Fla.) Star Banner reported.

The trio also allegedly stole about $1,500 worth of jewelry, a laptop, a DVD player and a 42-inch flat-screen television.

When questioned by detectives, the suspects said they thought the urns contained crushed pills and decided to taste and snort the contents.

Later, they realized they snorted were the remains of a woman's father and her two dogs.

"I recognize that I've made a big mistake," said Diaz-Marrero, who was sentenced Friday.

"I wish the victims were here so that I could tell them how sorry I am," he said.

Along with serving 8 years in prison, Diaz-Marrero was sentenced to six years probation, and to pay more than $20,000 in restitution to the victims in the cases.

One of Diaz-Marrero's accomplices, Matrix Andaluz, 19, pleaded guilty in June to the burglaries and was sentenced to nine years in prison and 12 years of probation.

The other suspect, Waldo Soroa, 21, still has a pending case. 

Sunday's Finest

7 Dec 1941

For what it is worth - probably very little to those that have been taught revisionist history.

Words to remember

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. " ~ Mark Twain

Need to find the male version..

How about this one from Facebook?

23 Adult Truths and one stupid news story

1 Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind-of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Light than Kay.

17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

23. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.

Ladies.....Quit Laughing.

 Probation for Maui woman in bat incident

WAILUKU, Hawaii (UPI) -- A Hawaii woman told a judge her anger-management therapy was going pretty well after she cracked her boyfriend with a baseball bat.

Mirivic Simpliciano, 30, was placed on probation in a Maui courtroom this week after pleading no-contest to beating her boyfriend in April, and told the court she thought she now had a handle on things.

"After the incident, I took the initiative to get some help," Simpliciano said.

The Maui (Hawaii) News said the woman's public defender told Judge Rhonda Loo his client was indeed getting her feet on the ground with the help of a therapist.

But the judge wasn't entirely convinced. "You do have an anger problem," Loo told Simpliciano. You need to keep it in check. If you don't keep it in check, I'm going to check you into prison.

The incident began when Simpliciano's boyfriend came in a little late at 7:30 p.m. She started out flailing at him with a foam-rubber bat and a toy light-saber. But she moved up from kid toys to the real deal and let him have it with a metal bat, the newspaper said.

"Couples argue, but most couples don't take it to the level of getting a baseball bat and using their boyfriend's body for batting practice," Loo said. You did cross the line. 

3rd post for today & from a newspaper in France

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03 December 2012 - 23H14

Study finds social networking taking up toilet time

Blame social media the next time it feels like forever for your turn to use the toilet. According to a study released Monday, 32 percent of people in the United States aged 18 to 24 say they use social networking in the bathroom.

According to a study released Monday, 32 percent of people in the United States aged 18 to 24 say they use social networking in the bathroom.
The same report from marketing research firms Nielsen and NM Incite also found that 51 percent of US adults between 25 and 34 use social networking in the office -- more than any other age group.
While personal computers remain the primary tools for logging onto sites like Facebook and Twitter, the report -- posted at blog.nielsen.com -- noted a significant increase in the use of cellphones and tablets as well.
Forty-six percent of respondents said they used a mobile phone to connect online, up from 37 percent last year, while 16 percent used a tablet like Apple's iPad, up from just three percent in 2011.
Facebook remained by far the most popular social networking site among Americans -- but there was a stunning 1,047 percent year-on-year increase in the number of unique PC visitors to the online scrapbook Pinterest.