What Chandelier Is Right For Your Home?

Deciding that you want a chandelier in your house is the easy part. What room wouldn’t benefit from such an incredible fixture? The hard part is choosing the right one. Chandeliers come in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Even once you have selected traditional or modern, large or small, many lights or few, there are still choices to make.

Placement is extremely important. Chandeliers are meant to be showcased, and will generally be the most extravagant fixture of any room they are in. But also keep in mind that they are not meant to be the main light source, ironically enough. They should definitely be supported by other fixtures which can provide ambient lighting. Also be sure that your chandelier is large enough that it will take up all the space it is meant to in a room. Sometimes one that is too small is worse than not having one at all.

Michael Moore backs Obama

need I say more? Obama has quite the cast of backers. One would think this would be a negative but Obama has "powers" that are not "normal".

The US needs to be self supporting.

That is the basic gist of the conversation with the big wig at Shell. The US needs to produce it's own oil. I could not agree more. The US has used the "not in my backyard" excuse long enough.
I think over the past few months we have become numb to gas prices. Then to hear that the oil companies posted record profits was a slap in the face. One thing the media didn't tell us was the percentage of profit. That is a HUGE element.

In my business, If I cannot double my money it is not worth completing the sale. I cannot survive on 7 1/2 % profit. That is what the oil companies are making 7 1/2 percent. Bottom line is at 7 1/2 percent a small catastrophe could wipe out an entire years profit.

The gas stations talk about the fact that one driver driving off without paying can wipe out an entire days profit.

I am not feeling too sorry for the gas companies but...... I think that until the US stops relying on terrorist nations for fuel we will continue to see $4.00 a gallon gas. The US needs to be more self supporting in more areas than fuel.

We need to stop buying China's junk. I will gladly pay more for a US product. The problem is the box might state US but then when you look close you will see product imported from China. It was assembled in the US. NOT RIGHT.

Things your body can do after death.

• Get married - In china anyway.
  
• Unwind with a few friends - Mummies frequently fell victim to Victorian social events.
• Tour the globe as a scandalous work of art - Body Worlds in Japan displays humans without their skin.
• Fuel a city - the Swedish city of Helsingborg uses crematoriums to supply 10% of the heat for it's homes
• Get sold, Chop Shop style - selling body parts is a very profitable business.
• Become a Soviet tourist attraction - Stalin put corpses on display in Red Square.
• Snuggle up with your stalker - Count Carl von Cosel stole a body and slept with it for seven years. Replacing the decaying flesh with wax and plaster of paris
• Don't spread an epidemic - Contrary to popular belief decaying bodies do not harbor infectious diseases any more than the general public. Pathogens can't survive long on a corpse.
• Stand trial - Pope vs Pope.
• Stave off freezer burn - cryonics facilities are no longer freezing the bodies because of freezer burn.
• Grow nails and hair
• Discipline your spouse - This poor lady was pinned under her dead husband for several days. It gives new meaning to the threat "you will never leave me"
  

Miley Cyrus apologize?

I have been listening to this story for days. It is basically not my type of thing to blog about. But then I heard the comment about her apologizing, that Disney made her apologize, I became a little intrigued.

In the very beginning I heard Miley say that she was very intimidated by this photographer Annie Leibovitz. That "nobody" tells Annie no!

Exactly where did she hear this? I can tell you where. Her wanna-be Daddy. You want to talk about a child needing to be removed from a bad parent you don't have to look much further. Have you seen pictures of Billy Ray recently. He looks and acts like he is her boyfriend, not her father.

You want to blame someone blame Billy-Ray. He is using that child. He was a one hit wonder and he is determined that she will not be the same. You want to talk about child slavery. Billy-Ray is a scum bag and he will sell his daughter to get the fame and fortune that he could not acquire with is own "talents" (or lack of talent).

Billy-Ray must have been present for some of the pictures. He was in some of them. Did the photos look like a father and daughter photo? NO! You tell me when the last time you and your Dad posed for a picture like this. This is disgusting. He looks like a scum bag biker guy. He claims to have left the shoot before "those" photos were taken. Why in the world would you do that? Why would you leave your 15 year old alone with photographers that you have told her not to say no to? I don't buy it.

Miley has pushed Billy into a spot-light that he has never had before. He is eating it up and he doesn't care that he is standing on his daughter to do so.

Need a fan?

How about a BigAssFan? When I first read the name for this website I was quite offended. I mean really, couldn't they come up with a better name than BigAssFans. We all know how prissy I am in regards to language. OK now that I have stopped laughing.

BigAssFans are made for warehouses, distribution centers, and immense places. The fans use 1 to 2 horsepower motors, yet they move up to 337,000 cubit feet of air per minute. I don't think there is any doubt that that is one BigAssFan.

When you get to the site click on their store. They are selling pink BigAssFans t-shirts. The lovely pink shirt gives you a warm feeling all over because all proceeds go towards breast cancer research.

I could use these fans in my stock room. I have a temperature issue. Some days it is cold and other hot. A Big Ass Fan easily addresses both concerns. The fan mixes air layers creating an even temperature facility.

I don't disagree with Bush on much BUT

I have always wondered why Iraq was not supporting itself. I know that Bush didn't want to prove the Democrats right (the ones that claimed we were only in it for the oil money) but we are talking about a very oil rich country. There is no reason why they should not be spending their own money to rebuild.

The time has come.... The American tax payers should not have to continue to foot the bill to liberate these people.

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Too Little Too Late

Obama is finally "outraged" with his pastor. I personally think he is only outraged because the public has demanded he be so. Obama cannot be held responsible for what Mr. Wright says but I am glad he has finally spoken out against him. Mr. Wright is the type of person that wants to blame the white population for every problem the black man has. I guess it is easier than admitting that the problem lies within.

Looking for the same quality

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In addition to clothes they also carry footwear, flashlights, gas masks, handcuffs, eyewear, batons, gloves, and too many other items to list.

LA Police Gear is always running promotions that allow you to earn free products, free shipping, and sometimes both free products and free shipping.

Like I have time for this.

My neighbor is upset because CAL really doesn't want to play with her son anymore. She wanted to talk about it the other day and I just put her off. She then proceeded to give me a laundry list of the things that CAL has done "wrong" to her son. This is my friend with cancer. I told her that neither she nor I should be worrying about the situation.

Later that night I started thinking and getting more upset about the situation. She blames CAL for the entire mess.

To help me sleep I started making a list of things that "S" has done in the past few months. It was not long before I had a list that was almost two pages. Now this list included all the things that I had wanted to "complain" to her about but didn't because 1. I know what her answer will be a. that is just him b. Well CAL did this or that. 2. She has cancer and I didn't want to stress her out. 3. I have other things to worry about, and an eleven-year-old's friendship with someone whom I really don't want him to be friends with anyway, is not high on my list. 4. It is just not worth it to talk to her.

One of the recurring complaints that I have is that "S" will NOT listen. You have to talk to him at least three times before he will even acknowledge that you are speaking to him. The other day we were in the road playing kickball. I yelled "car" and everyone starting clearing out, everyone except "S". I yelled again and then he proceeded to start throwing the ball up to himself. I yelled a third time just as the car got to him and he was still juggling the ball. Now if he would have lost control of the ball as the car was passing him he would have been hit. He still at that point had not acknowledged that he heard me yell car. I wanted to grab him by the ear and escort him home.

Another incident was the other day, he was trying to torment the other kids that were here on the slip and slide. He was standing on the hose to cut the water supply off as they were trying to use it. I yelled at him to get off the hose. Nothing. I yelled again "S get off the hose" NOTHING. My husband then stepped in and yelled at him. NOTHING. Finally the fourth yell came from across the street and it was her. She heard us yelling and came out. Now "S" didn't hear us and he was about 20 feet away but his mother heard us and was across the street and up a house. He finally got off the hose but there was never an acknowledgment or an apology.

Now I just mentioned two things that he did. I have not gone into any details of things he has done to CAL. He is jealous because CAL has more new friends. His mother wants to believe that CAL is dumping him because of his new friends. To a certain extent she is right but not for the reason she wants to believe. CAL is now finding out that you do not always have to play by the "rules" of the other person and that you actually have a say in things. His new friends let him have an opinion and a say. With "S" he has never had that.

I dubbed him the "Little Hitler" many years ago. I have always said to hubby that when CAL decides that he wants more friends, that "S" will be left behind very quickly. I hated watching for the past eight years while my son was "controlled" by this child. I am very glad that CAL can finally see it and doesn't want that friendship anymore.

This "vacation" is not that good so far.....

I am starting to get worried about our kickball games. Friday was the last day of school for a week for the kids and we had seven or eight here to "celebrate". No one wanted to play kickball. They decided to play some silly game called "pickle".

Saturday we had two girls spend the day with us. It was interesting. CAL was not sure really what to do. I felt bad because he wanted to play basketball and other boy things and the husband insisted that he entertain his friends.

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday it has rained NON-STOP. It is cold and damp. I want to get outside and work or play. I need to lose some weight and release some of my aggression.

Yesterday was a very stressful day for me and I just wanted to smash something. I could have used a game of football, kickball, or anything to relive the stress.

Tomorrow is suppose to be better and I hope so or I might have to invest in one of those elliptical machines, and as I am sure you are all sick of hearing, I don't have the money for that.

It is NOT your religious "right" to

have s3x with children. Just in case you have not heard the latest to come out of the Warren Jeffs "camp" more than half of the children age 14 to 17 either are pregnant or have been pregnant.

I am so burnt out this week I really don't have much more to say about the subject. Sickening.

The NAACP and Jeremiah Wright a match made in

HE double hockey sticks. When is this racists 15 minutes of fame going to be up.

Bottom line is this. If a white person had made the same remarks directed towards blacks that this "pastor" made he would be finished. Not receiving a long and loud standing ovation from an audience of 10,000.

I stopped going to my last church because I didn't like or agree with the way they were preaching (it was all about money and a new building - it was not something as important as racism). It only took two or three sermons to decide. It took Obama 10 years.... Can you image how long it might take him to make a serious decision.

Obama cannot be trusted to make good decisions in a reasonable amount of time. That is unless you consider ten years to be reasonable when making such a small decision.

Obama, over the years, has surrounded himself with racists. Do you think the pastor is the only one in that church. You can hear people AMENing, clapping, and yelling YES during his "rant". These are Obama's peers. His wife has only recently become proud to become an American. He has all these people around him because he is one of them.

I am very scared to think that this person could be our next President. I pray to Jesus on a regular basis that he will prevent this from happening. The wonderful thing about Jesus though, is the fact that he has given us free will. If we want to invite the devil into our home and hearts, that is our right. He will allow it.

Come on America, we need to step up and show Jesus that we do not want the likes of Obama or Clinton in The White House. We need a person that is concerned with the moral decline of this great nation. A democrat cannot lead this nation.

Say it with me now:

Say no to Osama
to Obama
and to Chelsea's Moma

UPDATED: When, if ever, is this guy just going to shut his mouth? I have no idea who he is talking about when he states "the privileged avoid war". Both Bush and McCain served. He must be talking about the fellow Democrat and draft dodger Clinton. Actually maybe this guy should keep talking, if it were not for him Obama would have won this thing already. Then we would really be in trouble. I take my comments back. Keep on talk'in Jeremiah Wright.

Cases like this make me question

the human race. I have heard some pretty scary/sick stories during my short 38 years on this Earth. This story is probably one of worst incest cases that I have heard. Incest is such a horrible form of abuse. These poor children are betrayed by one of the two (maybe both) people that they should be able to trust more than anyone. How do you function as a "normal" person when you have been "damaged" so badly by your parents.

A 42 year old woman, Elisabeth F., has recently been rescued from the basement of her father's, Josef F -age 73, home where she has been held prisoner for almost 24 years old. She was reported missing when she was 18 (presumably by her father). She has reported that that was when she was locked in the basement and repeatedly raped by her father and gave birth to seven of his children.

In 1996 she gave birth to twins, but one died. Josef F (the father) removed the body and buried it. It is unclear if she had these children without any medical treatment.

The police described Elisabeth F as being "greatly disturbed". She finally agreed to talk to authorities as long as she would no longer have to have contact with Josef F and her children would be cared for.

The children range in age from 20 to 5. There are several unanswered questions in this case. Where is the mother? The father was 73 so I assume the mother was dead, but when did she die? Where the children also held hostage? Did they know the relationship between their mother and father? Do the children have any health issues because of their genes? I am sure that we will never know.

My prayers are with this women and her children.

UPDATED: This story has many updates. Check here: Several of my questions were answered. Personally you have to be pretty stupid not to know that there is a another family living in your basement.

Thank you Taliban

You have proven George W Bush correct again. You have no rhyme or reason other than to kill and attack everyone and anyone. The Afghan president was on your side, even stating that the US was being to mean/rough on the poor Taliban (need I remind you who put the Taliban in power? OK I will it was Bill Clinton - Democrat - great job Bill and now we are thinking of putting another Clinton-Democrat in office.)

I am sure they will twist and turn this like any terrorist/Democrat that once again this is Bush's fault. Isn't it funny that terrorist and Democrats have the same line of thinking. They both want Obama for President, they both want the US out of the War, and they both was the US to become the dumping ground for raise/educate their children to be future terrorists (illegal immigrants).

A great gift idea for friends and family.

Shoes as a gift? I guess I have never really thought about that before, other than the time I wanted to buy WB Crocs because she hates the looks of them.

Infinity Shoes.com is suggesting just that, to purchase shoes for a loved one’s birthday, anniversary, or any special occasion. Out of curiosity I logged onto their site to see what I could find.

The variety was surprising, as was the number of brand names that they carry. They carry some of my favorites. Birkenstock, Dr. Martens, Ed Hardy, Eric Michael, Frye, Indigo, Keds, seychelles shoes, Toms, Timberland, tsubo shoes, and minnetonka boots just to name a few.

I thought the Sabra’s Flat leather gladiator sandal, with 6 adjustable buckles from ankle to calf, and a rubber sole, would be perfect for WB for her upcoming birthday. She really likes looking stylish with the shoes and boots that come up on her calf.

Infinity Shoes offers free shipping on all orders over $59.98 (for a limited time). The also have a quick and easy return and exchange policy. You can sign up, using your email, for their program called “The Scoop” where they will send your special offers and sales notices. Who doesn’t love the special treatment of sales and discounts.

CAL is famous

for Earth Day, he entered a contest through school to be chosen to help clean up at a local park. I couldn't understand how that was a "prize" but he thought it was great. Oh to be young again.

Anyway, his picture ended up in two of the local papers. One, he is the subject and another one he is in the immediate background. He is working! I was shocked and now have projects lined up for the entire summer for him. Not such a smart idea on his part, I didn't think.

I will only link to the one because he is not identified in the picture. The other picture has his name so I won't link to it. CAL is the boy behind the main girl in the picture. He has his arm swung behind him.

I guess it doesn't matter on the other one because they did not post any of the pictures with children in them on their web site.

Shangri La Botanical Gardens & Nature Center

When I saw the web site for the Shangri La Gardens and Nature Center, the first person I thought of was my husband’s daughter. She is a nature lover and amateur photographer. She finds the beauty in swamps, forests, and other types of nature that most people find unattractive.

I know that both WB (his daughter) and Sherlock (her husband) would love to visit the gardens which are located in Orange TX.

The Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is a program of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation. It is 252 acres of beauty that contains more than 300 plant species.

The Gardens are one of the most earth-friendly projects in the world. It offers a small glimpse of how people and nature can live in harmony. It gives people the opportunity to have an oasis for a retreat and renewal all in one, with the added bonus of exploring, discovering, and learning.
The Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is the first in Texas and the 50th in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's Platinum certification for LEED®-NC, which verifies the design and construction of Shangri La reached the highest green building and performance measures.

On their web site you can view pictures of the habit. I know that WB will love the love the pictures in the photo gallery, especially the Spiders of Shargri La.

If you are interested in visiting The Gardens they can be found In Orange Texas. Admission is only $6.00 for adults and a reduced rate for your children depending on age. A Family membership is only $80.00 per year and offers the following benefits.

GENERAL BENEFITS FOR ONE FULL YEAR INCLUDE:

• Unlimited admission to the Botanical Gardens and Outpost Tour (except for special events) for one year from date of purchase
• Invitations to members-only special events
• 10% discount at the Garden Store
• Separate members’ express entrance during peak visitation periods
• Notification of events through Newsletter
• Free or reduced admission to selected events
• Early admission to plant sales
• Exclusive access to Shangri La on Saturdays year round for 2 hours prior to opening (7-9 a.m. March-October and 8-10 a.m. November-February)

This would be an excellent gift for the nature lover in your family. The Gardens offer special programs for teachers. They offer educational programs, teacher workshops, Eco Rangers, an Orchid Festival, and special celebrations for Earth Week. This would be an excellent place for school field trips.

Justice WAS served.

if you try to run over cops, you die. Bottom line. A car is a deadly weapon, they claim that Sean Bell was unarmed. BULL the car was his gun. This guy was drunk and driving think of how many lives the police saved by keeping him off the street.

Fifty shots is extreme, no doubt but really if someone was trying to run me or other innocent people over I would unload my clip also.

I have no sympathy for Mr. Bell. His actions cost him is life and destroyed his family. HIS ACTIONS. His decision to get behind the wheel of a car and attempt to run someone over.

Now the argument that the police didn't identify themselves. Really, police are probably the most conceited people you will ever meet. They love to tell everyone "I am a police officer." What motive would they have for not identifying themselves.

Brace yourself NYC. This will be a Rodney King riot all over again.

As if we didn't have enough reason to stop our kids

from watching PBS. It appears that the wonderful PBS conducted an interview with the now infamous Jeremiah Wright. Now if a white person had made those same comments/rants about a black person, PBS would not come within a 100 miles of them.

PBS now gives this racist more "airtime" to spread his hate and justify it. I think we are all getting really sick of hearing the "my Great, Great, Great, Grandpappy was a slave - that is why I don't have a better paying job - excuse. The other excuse that is becoming increasing popular "my words were unfairly taken out of context". Really?

I don't remember Imus being interviewed. Don's comments were very wrong and stupid but Wright's comments were even more so. But Wright cannot be a racist because he is black. How in the world can a black person be a racist? That word is reserved for the white man. Only blacks are allowed to use the word, just like another well know "N" word. Only blacks are allowed to use it.

I hate PBS and I am very glad that CAL is at an age where he has no interest. Why do I dislike PBS. Well many reasons, but the one that sticks out the most is the fact that they had a drug user (and very proud of it) hosting one of their most popular shows. Theodore Tugboat was hosted by Denny Doherty. You might remember him from the Mammas and Papas. We watched a video of the band and Denny hosted the video. He laughed and laughed about the bands drug use. He thought it was so funny. Great choice PBS. Needless to say CAL was never allowed to watch Theodore Tugboat.

Not Star Struck

I must confess that I think I am the least "star struck" person that I know. I don't care if (insert ANYONE famous here) is across the street, I would not waste my energy to go there. I refuse to shake hands with most people so the chances of me touching someone famous are non-existent.

Now I have a few Hollywood people that I despise more than others. Now two of my most hated will be together again. Tom Cruise and Oprah. I have blogged about my feelings on Oprah before. She is an attention whore. She cannot go to the bathroom without a camera following her around. "Oh here camera I am going to make my tax deductible donation, please follow me while I donate (what appears like a huge amount to the stupid public but is a drop in the bucket to me) to this poor charity. Better yet I will start my own charity and that way I can secretly take some of the money back and no one will know."

Then there is Tom Cruise. This dumb nugget thinks he has the answers to all of life's problems. He will tell you exactly how to raise your children, because he does such a good job hiring someone else to take care of his own. If you ask me he is as gay as they come. Just come out of the closet and be done with it. Why do you think Rosie had such a crush on him. He was safe. She didn't like men and he didn't like women. What a safe crush.

Anyway Tom and Oprah are teaming up again. I just hope that the public gets over their stupid need to see these dysfunctional idiots tell us how to vote, raise our children, what religion we should practice, and on, and on, and on. Don't be brainwashed.

Don't forget about my carnival

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My little boy is growing

and I don't mean in a positive way. CAL has put on some massive weight. He does not "appear" overweight but if you knew his size before you would understand my concern.

We have been trying to cut back on the junk food. (No that is not a dozen donuts you see on my kitchen table - I ate two - it is only 10)

We have also been exercising. The neighborhood kickball, wiffle ball, football, and water gun fights help that cause. CAL also has been riding his bike to school everyday. Now the funny thing is CAL can tell his children he had to walk to school uphill both ways. We live in a neighborhood that is on top of one of the largest hills in our town. You go down this hill into a small valley and then back up a hill about 3/4 the size of our hill to the school. Our hill is a pretty big hill and CAL can make it up without stopping. He rides home from school with a lot of friends and he is the only one that can make it on a regular basis.

If the exercise and cut backs don't start working I am going to have to buy some of the best diet pills that they make and get him back on track.

Every once in a while I become a thief.

I had a bunch of Canadian dollars I needed to exchange, so I went to the currency exchange window at the local bank.

Short line...Just one lady in front of me...an Asian lady who was trying to exchange yen for dollars and she was a little irritated. She asked the teller, 'Why it change? Yesterday I get two hunat dolla fo yen. Today I get hunat eighty?? Why it change?'

The teller shrugged his shoulders and said, 'Fluctuations.'

The Asian lady says, 'Fluc you white people, too!'


I laughed so hard at this one. I normally am not a laugh out loud type of person.

By the way I stole this from Jelly at Puro Chisme!

Wesley Snipes needs to serve several years in jail

if not for tax evasion, then for being such a handsome man and looking this dorky.

I don't think this was a joke/prank, I think he thought this look was stylish.


It is sad that certain celebrities seem to get away with crimes that us normal folks would be rotting in jail over.

I don't understand how he was able to avoid the felony charges. This is a case that just makes you shake your head and wonder what kind of "friends" he has.

UPDATED: Three years..... and he will probably live like a King in a special jail built just for him for about 3 weeks. Time off for good behavior ya' know.

Losing my innocence

When we first moved into the house there was a security system. Most of the components are still in some of the rooms but for the most part we had NEVER considered activating the system.

We lock all our doors at night and whenever we leave the house but for the most part we are very trusting. There has not been (knock on wood) a crime in our neighborhood in years.

That being said with all the crime that seems to be happening all around us, we have started talking about upgrading with a ademco system. I think it is only a matter of time before crime starts to seep into our neighborhood.

Several years ago we had trouble with teens because there was a HUGE parcel of land at the end of our road that was vacant, and the kids would have parties down there all the time. Now the land has been cleared and a retirement community is there. I never thought I would be thankful to have a couple hundred old timers in our backyard.

Two more days

Then CAL is off for a week. This year has been so stressful for everyone. You might remember that the teachers were threatening a strike for most of the year. They were upset that they were not being guaranteed a raise each year for the next five years. They were also furious that they have to pay 10% (instead of 5) of their health care.

Our overpaid and under worked (oops sorry) Over worked and underpaid teachers are supposedly back to normal. I get to the school at 8:30 or before EVERYDAY. The first bell rings at 8:45. If you see more than four or five teachers (out of 30) that is a busy day. Most of the teachers that I see walk in seconds before (sometimes after) the bell rings. Yeah back to normal.

It is our own fault

The economy is bad there is no doubt about it. We are personally having financial troubles because business is off. Significantly off. I don't blame this on Bush. I blame it on us. We made poor business decisions (or lack of decisions) and personally we had no idea what a budget was. We do now.

We have tightened the reigns on the purse. We no longer have cable service, , CAL does not get something every time we walk into a store, we rarely eat out (if we do it is cheap like Subway or KFC), and we have cut back in other ways.

Speaking of Subway. They are running a $5.00 sub special. This means that I can feed the family for $15.00. It is difficult to make a meal for less than $15.00. The only problem is that when you go the place is packed and you might have to wait in those theater rope lines for thirty minutes.

Anyway I digress......

It is time to take some personally responsibility. I saw an article the other day about gas prices. They are high, ridiculously so but..... how can you complain when you drive a Yukon, Mountaineer, or some other honking car. As Americans we live more extravagantly then any other country. Maybe it is just time to cut back and live more reasonably, and stop blaming everyone else for our own self created troubles.

This is going to get .........

tricky. I wonder what the ramifications of this will be. The phone call that lead to the sect invasion could very well be a hoax. My question is how did the caller come up with the right last name of someone who lived there? I hope and pray that they find significant evidence of abuse or this is going to get real messy. (that sounds strange doesn't it --- I hope there is abuse) that is not what I meant.

The number one killer of women?

MEN!

This man killed his wife because he thought she was cheating on him. Even if she was does that really justify killer her? Not in the US.
This man is charged with attempting to kill his wife. Her crime? He didn't win the Boston Marathon. The look on this guys face tells me that he doesn't care what a US court says. In South Korea he would have been able to kill her with no questions asked. How dare the US step in and violate his right to discipline his wife.

I love taking dream vacations.

I love to visit NYC and when we do, we spend a significant amount of time in China Town. My husband and I went there for our honeymoon and we spent so much money buying "oriental" items. Most of which I still have. It was hard because of all the extra "baggage" that we took home on the plane.

My two favorite pieces of furniture in my house are these oriental chests that sit in our dining room. Bottom line - I love oriental.

One of my many dream vacations would be taking Flights to Hong Kong(because apparently I would need to make more than one?) and visiting that beautiful city. While in Hong Kong I would have to see all the sites and taste real Chinese food. I will also have to mix a little business with pleasure. I have several vendors in China that I would have to visit to keep them honest about their quality.

Obviously one huge reason to fly to China right now would be the Olympics. But I guess I am weird because I have not a single ounce of interest in the Olympics this year.

If I have time for only one "tourist attraction" I would have to visit The Great Wall of China. I am sure that it probably looks "like a wall" but that is one long wall.

Ethanol : threatens to plunge more than 100 million people into hunger

Our food prices are skyrocketing because we are all worried about "saving our planet". From what? GOD. Do you really think that we are going to hide in a cave and God won't find us.

WB over at Pereiraville wrote a post called Ethanol: our future fuel or our future famine?, She was talking about this subject back in July. I could not agree with her more.
The cons are out weighing the pros on this subject. God put the oil in the earth for us to use. This Earth will only last as long as necessary. Read The Bible. In the end times (i am not saying we are in the end times) there is a major food shortage. Everything that has been "predicted" in The Bible has and will come true.

Everyone hungers to predict the future. The problem is they don't like what has already been told in The Bible.

A "MUST READ" for Pennsylvania Voters

I found this over at Oddybobo 2.0. This lady hits the nail on the head and it is the BEST rant I have read on the Internet to date. I will give you a sample and then head over to her site and read the rest. Pennsylvania it is up to you. You need to send Obama packing.

Hey Obama

Remember me? I'm one of those small town Pennsylvanians - you know - the bitter ones?

I live in a Pa town of about 497 people. Small enough for you? The surrounding Township has another 500 or so people. Most of us, me included, have carry permits and mini-arsenals at home. Many of us attend church services weekly or at least as often as we are able. A lot of us are anti-illegal immigration, but not for the reasons you suggest.

We don't cling to guns or religion or anti-illegal immigration because we are bitter about job losses. Sure, some are bitter about the dearth of jobs in Western PA, but that bitterness isn't what causes us to cling to guns or religion or anything else. No, if bitterness comes into the equation at all it is because the government, people like Clinton, Obama, Pelosi, and their ilk are constantly suggesting that our guns are bad or religion doesn't have its place in a free society or that we should turn a blind eye to illegal immigration because they have.

Small town Pennsylvanians like many Americans are bitter that the government, and Dems in particular, are continuously chipping away at our freedoms. "No you can't have that handgun because you could get hurt" or "You don't have a say because you are Christian and Christians are bad" or "Your law abiding, self sufficient relative can't come live here in the U.S. lawfully because so many live here unlawfully." Here is my bitterness.

My bitterness is aimed at Dems and at the government who thinks it is ok to tell me how to raise my child, how to discipline my child, how to hunt, fish, work, drive, when to see a doctor, who I can sell my property to, how many guns I can buy, when I can buy guns or to whom I can sell them, to which school I should send my kid - or that is ok to tell me that once I do send my kid to school, I don't have a say in who teaches him, that teachers here making 70,000 a year can go on strike so they don't have to spend 10 a month for insurance. I can go on. Oh, and there is more. I'm bitter because my aunt who wanted to live here lawfully, was told it would take 10-12 years - she is 63. She doesn't have 10-12 years to wait. But my taxes pay for illegals seeking medical treatment and going to public schools.

Read the rest here.

I have learned my lesson

I have decided that I am turning over a new leaf, the reason, I just got my computer back and I dodged a HUGE bullet.

My computer guy said that I had over 2000 viruses, worms, cookies (bad ones), and other harmful bugs on my computer. He warned me about toolbars and other things that you might not think of. Apparently I had several toolbars that I didn’t even know were on my computer.

I have NEVER run a virus scan or any security program. That stopped today. I now have three programs that I will be running on a regular basis to keep the bugs out.

Another area that I have to start protecting much better is my identity. My idea of identity protection is running all my mail through my shredder. This is an area that I will work on.

Identity theft costs US citizens millions of dollars each year. It also takes up valuable time for the victim. Suddenly it becomes your responsibility to fix things. Identity theft is a crime which requires the victim to “clean up the mess”. The problem is that most of the time you have no idea who stole your identity, and no one is ever punished for the crime, nor are you able to recoup your losses from an individual.

For seven straight years identity theft is the biggest complaint received at the Federal Trade Commission.

As you know my blog devotes a lot of time and energy to giving people their 15 minutes of SHAME. Unfortunately when they finally catch these criminals little shame is associated with their crime. They are sometimes viewed as “computer geniuses”.

I am sure you have heard of lifelock. They are the top name in identity protection. For as little as $10 a month you can have peace of mind that your good name remains just that a “good name”. The other benefits of LifeLock are a reduction in junk mail, $1 million guarantee, and they also offer a child protection program. That seems to be the new crime wave, stealing the identity of children. I read a news report the other day where a mother stole her young daughter’s identity.

I think everyone should be as concerned with identity theft as they are with any type of theft. You would not leave your car in the driveway unlocked with the keys in the ignition, would you?

The Night Chicago Died

It appears that for 32 people that night was over the weekend. An "epidemic" of gunfire rattled the city.

Maybe if Obama was cleaning up his own backyard........ Honestly, he cannot be of some help to a single city, exactly HOW is he qualified to run our country?

It is not the first time that Chicago as had a rash of violence.

During the same weekend last year, there were 19 shootings, including four homicides, and 21 shootings were reported during the same weekend in 2006. All while Obama was claiming to be "his brothers keeper"

HELLO do you see a trend here. This is inexcusable. OBAMA take care of your own business.

I could be wrong but.... I think this might make a new record for the deadliest day since the war started.

I have to start making a list

I have so many repairs that need to be made to the house right now.

I broke the outdoor facet this weekend. The handle was not turning the water totally off so I decided to "make a repair". Well as you can guess I broke it worse than it was.

I have to purchase new motion sensor lights for the front of the house. The set that we have out there now is not working (they are not the sensor kind) and as long as I have to replace them I might as well go to an upgrade. Plus it is a pain when you arrive home in the dark.

I also have to purchase a repair kit to fix the shower in our bathroom. The stupid thing is leaking really bad right now. I know nothing about this type of repair and I will probably break it more but.... I have to try.

A drawer in the kitchen has been broken for some time. My Mom had to point out that fact the last time she was here. She is very good at telling me all the little things that are wrong with the house. I should just invite her up and walk around all day with a notepad.

A HUGE thank you to the parents of

Ryan Schallenberger. They called police when bomb supplies were delivered to their home. I am sure this was the hardest decision they had ever made in their life.

I am sure that most parents would have made excuses and tried to deal with the situation without involving the authorities. They did the right thing and they may have saved several lives.

This 18-year-old had such a detailed plan laid out. The police were reported as saying, "I don't have any doubt that he was going to carry it out," Lear said. "On the surface, he was one thing, and in his writing, he was something else."

Schallenberger was not your "normal" Columbine type student. He was very handsome and had many friends. He was not a loner. These kids are changing and even the best of them seem to be madmen.

OK People if you insist on

sailing, fishing, or being off the coast of Somalia, then you get what you deserve.

There are pirates in them there waters.

Another boat has come under attack off the cost of Somalia. This time it is a Spanish tuna boat. You will remember that earlier this month the pirates seized a French Yacht.

It is reported that US and NATO ship patrol that area. You know if the rest of the world wants us to mind our own business then I think we should do just that. I don't think we should be helping foreign countries that are not helping us, and those countries that repeatedly have negative things to say about us. Hello France are you listening. Save your own boats from pirates.

Kickball

On Thursday and Friday we had some huge kickball games going on at the Lukie house. Both days we had about 13 to 17 (different numbers at different times) of CAL's classmates here playing kickball, slip and slide, basketball, fose ball, and water gun fights.

I really enjoy when all the kids are over. I do have one problem, however, there are two girls that come with their friends. These girls are 10 or 11. The do not have cell phones and they never ask to call their parents. Both nights there were here from 4 to 7:30. How in the world can these parents not check up on their kids for 3 1/2 hours.

I am calling CAL at least once an hour. I don't understand what these parents are thinking.

Happy Monday

to the rest of you. For me it is horrible so far. I am so sick of the stress of being self-employed. I just want to go get a job flipping hamburgers. I know that at the end of the week I will have my $100 and I will be on my way.

Being self-employed you never know when payday is going to be. If things don't turn around real soon on the home front we might be living in a condo hotel real soon. Frankly those things look nicer than my house so maybe that is not such a bad idea.

I caught a virus

Well according to my computer guy I caught 2,000 viruses, worms, cookies, and other harmful bugs. My computer is in the shop. I have no idea how much it is going to cost to have it repaired. I am working on CAL's computer right now. What a pain. I never remember to make notes of my passwords and user id's. The computer always remembers them.

I certainly did not need this stress right now.

I will not know if my computer will need to be rebuilt or if they can remove all the harmful bugs until about 3 p.m. today. They have had it all weekend. Until then I sit on pins and needles.

Spring Break

Spring Break is right around the corner and I was hoping that CAL and Hubby would be heading to TN for a few days. That does not look like it is in the realm of possibility right now. Being poor is no fun.

If you remember I had them all ready to go on a plane for the mid-winter break and then we just could not swing things. The plane tickets would have been free but there are other expenses involved with traveling, meals, spending money, travel insurance, and whatnot.

Oh well summer is right around the corner and maybe they will be able to make a visit then.

Copy Cat.

This is unbelievable. A group of middle school girls videotaped the beating of a 12 year old schoolmate and then posted it on the Internet. They believe the attack is "inspired" by the Florida attack last week.

This is why the media has to downplay these instances instead of plastering them all over the TV. These mixed up kids view the beaters as heroes and inspire to be just like them.

I put a lot of the blame on the media, and the lawyers, and in this case Dr. Phil. The main girl in the other beating, Mercedes, was viewed as a god to these mixed up kids watching at home. There needs to be instant punishment, so that kids do not get the idea that they were rewarded for this type of behavior. Walking out of the jail with cameras flashing and people supporting her was not discipline.

The middle schoolers were particularly stupid they beat the daughter of a police officer. Not smart. I hope those parents are held more accountable. Did they not discuss the previous case with their kids? I know I discussed it with CAL and I think any responsible parent should have discussed it with their children.

The best part of the entire incident is Clarksville school Superintendent Stephen G. Fisher said he did not anticipate disciplinary action against the students because the fight did not occur on school grounds.

What he is saying is that they can all return to school and continue life like nothing happened. This is wrong. School grounds or not they must be punished. The school has to step up and do what is right. The parents obviously are NOT!

I must confess that I am guilty, I clicked on the video. I am glad to report that at least this child fought back and didn't just let them beat her up. She got a few good punches in herself. Some of our kids have to be told it is OK to defend yourself when animals attack.

A printing company you can rely on!

One of the areas often overlooked when starting a new company is a printer. You will need company letterhead, cheap checks, bank deposit stamps, postcards for advertising, business cards, and the list goes on and on.

A professional inexpensive printer is often hard to find but is a necessity. Over the years we have used mostly local companies because Internet shopping is fairly new and sometimes comes with more headaches than it is worth.

I recently had to have some business postcards printed. I prices out the local companies and then decided that for the amount that I would save it was worth ordering off the Internet. I am very glad that I did. It was well worth it for my company.

I designed the cards myself using the company’s software and within a week I had an extremely professional postcard to send to my customers.

I would like to recommend a printing company to you. VistaPrint is an excellent company that offers a huge variety of printing services. They do all that I stated above along with car magnets. I have wanted to get a car sign advertising my company for some time. The price was very reasonable and I will be designing one later today. I will take a picture when it arrives and give you a further review.

Stay tuned!

I am taking the day off

to go do some yard work. It has been a stressful week and I think I just need some time off. Since I am the boss I have allowed myself to take 1/2 day off. What a great boss.

Buying and selling stocks.

I have always wanted to be a stock market guru. When we had money, several years ago, I tried buying and selling some stocks. It is much harder than it sounds and obviously I was not very successful. I didn’t loose a lot of money but I didn’t “earn” any either. I was not informed or educated enough and really didn’t want to invest the time and effort to be successful.

Now there is a site that could have helped me a lot. FinGad is a site where you can go to discuss and study strategies with fellow investors. Maybe I would have been more successful in my stock market game if I had this site.

FinGad.com is running a Win $1000 with FinGad contest right now that I would love to join. You have virtual money and the person who picks the best stocks and gets the maximum return wins. One of the fifth grade teachers at our school runs a contest very similar to this each year (without the money of course.) He requires his students to invent a company and product. It becomes quite intense and is very fun and rewarding.

Anyway I digress. The contest is at www.fingad.com and you can find the official rules here. Check back and I will let you know how well (or how poorly) I did in the contest. Maybe some of you would like to compete. Do I have any takers?

"The world owes George Bush a huge debt of gratitude"

"The world owes George Bush a huge debt of gratitude" and again "The world owes George Bush a huge debt of gratitude".

I like the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He is our friend. Now if the silly Democrats would see what civilized people see, we would be all set.

The only people who hate George Bush are the terrorists. If you hate GW then maybe you should take a look deep inside.

I am so tired tonight I cannot seem to put a coherent thought together. I just want to thank PM Brown.

The poster child for civilized countries.

Yemen -- A judge dissolved the marriage of an 8-year-old girl to a man (that her father forced her to marry).

I find this entire case quite barbaric. The judge dissolved the marriage and the 30 year old man was "awarded" $250 for repeatedly raping and beating the child. Yes you read that right. The 30 year old man was awarded $250 from the girls father because the marriage agreement was broken.

The judge did not dissolve the marriage because she was eight, or because she was beaten and raped, or because the husband was 30 and she was 8, no the marriage was dissolved because the girl had not reached puberty. If she had reached puberty at the young age of eight all would be well with the marriage and the girl would just have to suffer. AND there will be no charges filed against the 30 year old because they do not feel that he did anything wrong. He had the father's permission.

The funny thing is females are still being treated as slaves (s3X slaves) and there does not appear to be any outrage from within these countries. This is fine with them.

Yet here in the US the black man thinks he has the corner on slavery. The reason for all his trouble is because their great great great grandfather was a slave. When in fact the black woman is the one that has reason to be angry. They are the ones that have been mistreated (still today) by EVERYONE.

Anyway I digress, this is one very strong little girl and will probably not see her next birthday. She will be viewed as a threat to the Yemen men and they will have to punish her for stepping out of line and standing up for herself.

I ROCK!!!!

I have three full size vacuum cleaners in this house. You would never know it because I hate to vacuum and don't do it very often. My vacuum of choice is an Electrolux. I have two canisters and one upright. If you know anything about Electrolux you know they are expensive.

A couple years ago the upright stopped working. I had purchased this one off eBay and didn't really think it was worth fixing. The vacuum was still sucking but the "rug beater" was no longer spinning. This morning, knowing I have to vacuum the garage and didn't want to use my good one, I decided to see if I could fix it. I am not exceptionally handy but I do like to take things apart.

I had a hard time getting the cover off the stupid thing because they make them like a secret puzzle. I was just about ready to give up when the cover suddenly popped off. Ok good start. I looked at everything. The belt looked fine. I decided that the vacuum was DOA because the motor that drove the spiney thing was not working. I gave up and put the cover back on, which required "a little" pounding (because I had no idea how it came off) and was going to put it back in the closet. I then decided to make sure that it was indeed sucking because I could probably still sell the silly thing and get a hundred bucks.

I turned it on and guess what? It worked. That pounding that I did must have jarred the motor that drove the spiney thing.

Yea!!! Go me. Now I have my upright back and can clean the rug in the garage. The funny thing is the last time I used the vacuum must have been at Christmas because the office now smells like a Christmas tree.

Gosh if I can repair vacuums, maybe I should open my own repair shop and try TV's, DVD's, or just about any and all electronics. I will confess that if they require more than a pounding to fix I might not be in business long.

First teenagers and now the elderly.

Each and everyday I open my browser to read the latest in news. I refuse to subscribe to our local newspaper because it is just a democratic rag. I have noticed for the past couple of years that teenagers seem to be constantly in our headlines. They are killing for thrills, beating people to make a video, planning mass murders, and the list goes on and on.

This morning I was in for quite a surprise. The headline read "elderly women convicted in murder for profit case". What is the world coming too. You some what expect teenagers and younger immature people to commit crimes but the elderly. I honestly hope that this is going to be a rare case but something tells me we just might be in for long list of elderly headlines.

They killed two homeless men to collect millions of dollars in insurance payouts and were convicted Wednesday of conspiracy to murder, and one of them was convicted of the murders themselves. Helen Golay, 77, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 75. HELEN and OLGA. Do they sound like killer names to you.

This monkey has some real talent

During a conversation with WB the other day, I made a comment that I was surprised that she didn't have an opinion about the monkey video. She said she didn't see the video. Well just for her, here is the video again.

This monkey reminds of a little boy that CAL went to preschool with. His mother told me a story very similar to what his happening in this video. Thank goodness the little boy didn't have the success that this monkey had. Now for all you people who believe in evoultion, what do you have to say about this?

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad you are a jackass.

I hope that BUSH stays in office long enough to add this jackass to the list of dead. This idiot has been quoted as saying.

"Four or five years ago, a suspicious event occurred in New York. A building collapsed and they said that 3,000 people had been killed but never published their names,"

Really you &^%$#*& idiot. I do believe that a list of names has been released. I have a list with a picture of each and every victim along with a statement from their family. If you would like me to send it to you I would be more than happy to. Just give me time to research and item that I would like to send along with it.

"Four or Five years ago some building fell." I think that we have all seen those planes be flown into the building. I don't think it is a mystery as to how they fell. I also wonder exactly what attack he may have been thinking about that was four or five years ago. Maybe it was the one that President Bush foiled.

This guy is such an idiot. We eliminated the biggest threats to his country in the past 6 1/2 years. Is he thankful? No he is too stupid to be thankful. Saddam should have been turned lose in IRAN instead of hanging from a rope. I hope that the Taliban unites and takes over this country. We funded the Taliban before maybe we should consider it again.

Maybe this will teach them a lesson.

Cal has a project at school in which he has to bring in a recipe known to a particular country. This is what I found for ICELAND. I just sent an email to his teacher letting her know this is the recipe that we plan to use.

I hope this teaches these teachers a lesson. STOP GIVING KIDS ASSIGNMENTS THAT THE PARENT ENDS UP DOING. I graduated from 5th grade once already. I don't need to do it again.

BLOOD PUDDING

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 quart pig's blood
• 12 ounces bread crumbs
• 1/2 lb. suet
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 quart milk
• 1 cup cooked barley
• 1 cup dry rolled oats
• 1 ounce ground mint

PREPARATION:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl; pour into a large kettle or Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Pour into a wide shallow bowl and season again if necessary. Chill thoroughly, until firm.

I must confess when I read this last line I almost threw up. CHILL.

Wall Clocks, Mantel Clocks, Grandfather Clocks, Oh my!

If you have been reading my blog for long you know that I have a clock fetish. I have over 20 clocks hanging in this house right now.

I have several hanging on the walls that don’t even work. I love wall clocks, but my favorite type of clock would be the grandfather clocks. I have never been fortunate enough to actually own one.

Every year we go to The Big E. They always have several grandfather clock dealers and I spend a lot of time picking out just the right clock. My dream clock, the detail on this clock is unbelievable.

I currently have two cuckoo clocks, a huge outdoor clock hanging above my fireplace. It was just too nice to hang outside. I have a mini-grandfather clock hanging on the wall in the living room – this clock stopped working years ago but I just cannot take it down. I have a wall clock that has a display case built into the bottom of it. When CAL was little I had this displaying all his baby items. I have a clock that has a gold picture of the earth as the face. It is in this frame. Very hard to describe but it is beautiful. A few years ago my husband received a mantel clock for Christmas. This is his pride and joy. I could go on and on but I am sure you would be bored. We even have a clock for our Jeep hanging in the game room. Also hanging in the game room I have a clock that reminds me of the Ridgeway clocks that are on the www.1-800.4clocks.com site. Oh I also forgot I have three atomic clocks in the office, stock room, and living room.

I am not big on home décor or interior design but if you visit my house you see that clocks are my vice. I also notice that I am not the only one who goes a little crazy over grandfather clocks. There is a blog that is devoted to this subject. I wish my family had thought about the idea of a grandfather clock as a heirloom, instead they have a nice gun collection that they just cannot wait to give me. Yes you read that right. I hope my father lives forever just so I don’t have to deal with his “gift”.

This will make you want to put your fist

through the computer screen. Gee, they are teens what punishment do you think they will get? I don't understand how any attorney can sleep at night knowing that they help people like this. I could NEVER be a defense attorney. Obviously this is not the worst crime we have seen this week but honestly what defense can there be for this act?

Melvin Blevins and a sixteen year old girl are "believed" to be the criminals. They both claim "I am innocent". Melvin looks like a real upstanding citizen. He is eighteen. I say that he is beyond reform and should spend the rest of his miserable life in jail. If you are this "disturbed" at eighteen, why bother.

The Darwin Award Goes to.......

Antonio Nararainsami. Antonio could not wait in line like everyone else leaving the Mets ball game and decided to take the "fast lane" and slide down the escalator.

Unfortunately he lost his balance and fell four stories.

I feel sorry for his family and hope that he didn't have any kids that will suffer from his stupidity.

UPDATE: Now if you believe this one, I have some ocean front property in Arizona that I need to sell. His daughter has come out with a statement. "He wasn't moving or nothing, he was just walking down. I don't know how old this child is but, walking is "moving".

The advantages of being FAT!

It seems that there is new technology that can "see" through clothing. I have no problem with this whatsoever.

I have no worries of people abusing this technology on me. They don't want to see me with my clothes on. I am sure the last thing on their mind is seeing me with my clothes off.

Then you have the people who "think" they would be abused. Those are usually the people who leave nothing to the imagination anyway.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Tricia Walsh-Smith has taken her divorce to YouTube. It is probably good that she hyphenated that last name it will make it easier to go back to her original. Her husband is the president of the largest theater owner on Broadway.

In her YouTube video she goes into some pretty embarrassing details regarding their non intimate life. If you look at the picture of the two together it is quite the "Beauty and the Beast" situation.

She appears to be very upset about Phillip wanting a divorce. I think it might be because of the money but who knows, maybe she really loves him.

You might not want to waste the 6:22 minutes in watching the video.

Louisiana has it right, how about the rest of the states!

The state of Louisiana believes that if you rape a child you should pay with your life. AMEN!

Patrick Kennedy sits on death row in Louisiana's maximum security prison. Angola Prison is the size of Manhattan. Kennedy is one of 94 men waiting execution he has been convicted of raping his 8 year old step daughter. Kennedy is the first person in 44 years that could be executed for a crime other than murder.

Of course you have people like Billy Sothern who think that he should not die because his victim lives.

Kate Bartholomew disagrees, She said "In my opinion the rape of a child is more heinous and more hideous than a homicide."

I could not agree more. Kennedy is an animal, he raped this 8 year old child and the attack caused internal injuries and bleeding that required extensive surgery. I am sure she will never be able to have children. Kennedy claimed two teenage boys committed the crime. They even arrested an innocent African-American teenager.

This case just makes me sick to my stomach.

Has Spring finally arrived in New England?

Spring is finally here in New England. The trees are bushes are starting to blossom. The allergies are unreal but I always enjoy seeing the snow melt. I am usually not happy with the amount of work that is revealed when all the snow is gone.

Yesterday the hubby and I walked around our yard looking at all the flowers and trying to decide how much work is in store for us this summer.

I am happy to report that things look great. I am very pleased. Most of the bushes are already starting to produce new growth. Now I just have to motivate myself to get out there and pick up all the leaves and spread new mulch.

First things first however, I need to purchase a new pair of Naot sandals. They are the only thing that I will wear in the summer. I have a couple pair that I have to alternate back and forth.

This is really no surprise.

China is number one in the world for putting people to death. These reports are sometimes very misleading, however. China has the largest population in the world and they have very strict rules.

The other thing I am sure was never taken into consideration is in countries like Iran, did they count all the people that Saddam put to death and burried in mass graves? Obviously not. There are other countries where you know the death toll is much higher they are just not admitting it to anyone.

The US ranked 5th in the world with 42 deaths compared to China's (admitted) 470. Iran came in second with 377. You know it was higher there. They have probably killed that many women for being raped.

I have to do some shopping.

I am always looking for coupons and deals on everything from food to clothes, for our family. I never realized how important money was until our recent financial troubles. It makes me so frustrated to think how much money I have wasted in the past. That money sure would come in handy right about now.

I have to purchase some clothes for CAL for the summer. I am always looking for the best buy when it comes to his clothes. I am a firm believer in “you get what you pay for”. I have always purchased his clothes from Old Navy, The Childrens Place, or The GAP. Target has cheaper clothes but….. they do not wash as well. Needless to say my son has great hand me downs.

Right now he needs shorts. He is on the short side and has been able to get away with wearing 4T in shorts for several years. Over the winter CAL gained A LOT of weight and he will NEVER fit into those clothes now. I am very thankful for my blog, it gives me a few extra dollars to spend on necessities.

Worth Repeating

SCREAM. My husband was forced to purchase a new computer a couple months ago. His computer handles all the paperwork side of the business and you could tell that the hard drive was on life support. He would have to reboot several times and day and for no particular reason the computer would just freeze up.

We didn't have the money set aside for such an expense so we debated for several months before biting the bullet. The last thing we needed was to have his computer completely die.

We knew that we would purchase the computer from Staples because that is where we had the most credit available. We knew that we would buy a HP because I love HP and we have had the least amount of trouble with them. Well..... There was a Toshiba on sale that we just could not pass up. We went against everything we believe and purchased it.

I HATE it and I am so glad that it is not my computer. If it was I would have taken some Cleveland golf clubs to it months ago. None of the software that we had worked, we had to invest in new Quicken, Quickbooks, and most of the Microsoft programs. The printer and scanner that we had didn't work. We bought a brand new scanner and that didn't work with Vista we had to wait for a patch to be mailed to us. When we called customer support they told us that they had to mail one. I thought that was very strange. When the disk didn't arrive I called HP again and the person on the other end acted like I was stupid. All I had to do was download it. I guess the first clown at HP had a good laugh that day. It is like giving wrong directions to someone who is lost.

Anyway back to the Toshiba computer, I just don't like the way it performs. Nothing is where it is on my HP. I just said to him that when we get enough set aside we are buying a new HP and giving the Toshiba to CAL. We promised CAL a new computer as soon as we can afford one because his computer is very old and has many quirks.

Grateful

I don’t know where my blog would be without WB. She has helped me (held my hand) since the beginning. I don’t tell her enough how much I really appreciate it.

I also don’t tell Sherlock enough how much I appreciate everything he has helped me with over the years. Sherlock is a very talented man and I wish I had the funds to hire him to do more work for us.

If I have “technology” questions they are my first email. Even when it came time to purchase my digital camera WB was my first email. (I asked her to ask Sherlock). Now I have a question and they will be first on my list.

I am having some computer issues , and I need to know of this KVM Switch will fix it.

How many people need to be injured

or worse yet killed before someone is going to make owing a Pit Bull illegal. These dogs are dangerous and not worth the risk they pose to humans and other animals.

Every person who owns a Pit Bull claims that "their" dog would never hurt anyone. Bull, it is instinct for these dogs and no amount of love is going to change their instinct.

At the very least, in order to own a Pit Bull you must prove that the dog is 100% secure. Keeping the dog in a fence is not good enough. They get loose.

Owners should also have to undergo extensive training related to the care and treatment of these killer animals.

CALGON take me away.

I am having a miserable day today. The weather is nasty and I had plans to get some housework accomplished today but everything fell apart. I am so sick and tired of being sick and tired. My allergies are knocking me on my tush. That is one bad thing about the nice weather, with it comes the allergies.

CAL was sick two days last week. I thought it was a cold but now I think it is just his tree allergies kicking in. I wish it was a cold. Then it would have been over with in a few days. I just need a vacation, time to get out of the house and forget all the stresses with business, school, and life in general. A cruise on the royal caribbean would be nice right about now

News worthy Knuckleheads!

I wish they had listed the names of the geniuses involved in this crime. They deserve to have their names plastered all over the Internet.

A word to the wise. If you are planning on stealing a GPS you better have a plan for when they activate it and find you playing with it in your living room.

It is old news but it is still good for a laugh.

The Discovery of Tundra Diamonds

The discovery of Canadian loose diamonds is attributed to Chuck Fipke and Dr. Stu Blusson. Throughout the nineteen eighties the pair searched for tundra diamonds throughout the vast and untouched natural beauty of the Canadian tundra. After a decade of searching they discovered trace elements that are often present in the same areas as diamonds. With the discovery of this sign, the two partnered with a drilling company and uncovered a large deposit of tundra diamonds.

The discovery of the first tundra diamonds sparked the Canadian diamond rush. Drilling companies purchased land in many areas of the Canadian tundra. The most notable of these companies was the diamond giant De Beers. Each Canadian tundra diamond receives official certification from Canadian authorities as a certified Canadian diamond.

Parents need to understand

that having a messy car very unsafe for their children. There is an article on CNN that shows the interior of a car. It is a total mess with garbage all over the place. The most noticeable piece of garbage is the Obama sticker, but I digress.

You will also notice the baby seat.

If this lady was ever in a car accident (even a little fender bender) all that junk becomes airborn and will act like deadly weapons. The baby could be hit with, something as simple as, a soda can and it could kill them.

Parents you must keep all your "junk" safely secured in a vehicle. The next time you get into the car with your kids, look around. If you see something that could seriously injure them during a car accident, please take the time to secure the item.

I am NO fan of the Pope

I think this is one area where Catholics really miss the mark. Christians cringe when they have their religion associated with the Catholic religion.

I have no idea where they get more than half of their beliefs. It is most definitely not The Bible.

If God said thou shalt not have false gods before me then why do Catholics idolize the pope? Why do they confess their sins to a human (a child molesting human at that). This post could go on forever.

I don't say this often but..... President Bush is WRONG. He should not be giving the pope this god like treatment. He is not a god he is a human with the same sins as everyone else (probably more). Who gave him the right to "create new sins"? Who gave him the right to give FORGIVENESS for sins? Only Jesus can forgive you, only Jesus.

How many "slips" is Obama allowed?

The warning signs are there America. Are you going to wake up before it is too late? Obama has had more "slip of the tongues" than Monica had in the White House.

This guy is the biggest racist, bigot I have ever seen. He supposedly has been a Christian for ten years. During that time he "supposedly" has attended church on a regular basis. How does someone who attends church once or twice a week criticize others for clinging to religion?

Selling our Wii - $750 for everything listed below:

Wii with 11 games and the Guitar Hero Guitar.

Game console and all cables
2 controllers with numchucks and four covers
Wii Sports
Excite Truck
Pirates of the Caribean at Worlds End
Spiderman 3
The Biggs
Star Wars The Complete Saga
Super Mario Galaxy
Madden 07
Need for Speed Carbon
Thrillville
Guitar Hero - Legends of Rock
The Guitar for the Hero

Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have.

Have trouble making friends?

let me suggest a social community network called 3GB Communities.

There are several advantages to this type of network. I will join 3gb community www.3gb.biz it in an attempt to gain more visitors to my blog. You can also upload photos, join groups, chat with other members and even hear MP3 hits.

If you run our own small business sometimes these networks are ways to get your company noticed.

Oops she did it again

Britney Spears has been involved in another minor accident. Spears was driving her 2008 Mercedes on Ventura Freeway when the accident happened but it is still unclear as to what happened. No tickets were issued.

Honestly if she was driving she needs to have her license taken away. How many times does she have to prove that she is incapable of making even the smallest decisions.

She will end up seriously hurting someone. Driving is not a right it is a privilege. A privilege she does not deserve, regardless of this particular situation.

I have NEVER liked Dr. Phil

I can honestly say I don't think I have ever watched more than 10 minutes of his "show". I hate things like that. He is not doing this to "help" people, he just wants a good story.

Now I have proof. It appears that Dr. Phil has posted bail for that little angel Mercedes Nichols. You will remember Mercedes as being the animal that beat her classmate so she would have a video to post on Youtube and become famous. When she was released on a $30,000 bond, Dr. Phil's producer ordered the local medial to leave the area because The Dr. Phil Show had exclusive rights to the story.

It makes you wonder if Miss Nichols and her family planned this entire incident to get their 15 minutes of fame. They had bigger "dreams" than Youtube.

If that was my child I would not be worried about "selling her story" to some Hollywood quack. Exactly what "story" does she have to tell. I didn't think criminals were allowed to make money from their crimes.

Neighborhood Kickball

Yesterday we had the biggest neighborhood kickball game that we have ever had.

Last fall we started having football games after school until the time changed and then there was not enough time. On a typical game we had a hard time getting five kids together. We would play three on three. The five kids and myself. My husband would play sometimes but not all the time.

A couple days ago my husband invited a group of kids from CAL's grade up to play kickball. I honestly never thought they would show up.

We live in a school that is VERY CLICKY. The parents of these children decided long ago who their children would be friends with. They get together for weekly "playdates" and they stay within their circle quite well. CAL has never been included in these groups no matter how much I tried. Now everything is changing. The kids are venturing out on their own and deciding who they want to be their friends.

Anyway on Friday a group of kids decided to stop to play kickball with us. We didn't have our "normal" kids here these were six new kids. We had a great time and CAL was on cloud nine.

Saturday came and some of those kids went riding by on their bikes but didn't stop. CAL was upset and I must admit I was a little miffed myself. A little while later however the kids started coming back one by one. By the start of the game we had thirteen kids playing. As the game went on more arrived. Everyone had a good time except one little snot. He kept trying to get "his" friends to leave. He didn't want to play at CAL's house he wanted to play elsewhere. I was happy that for the most part the kids just ignored him.

I don't know if they will be back but for CAL's sake I hope they do. He needs this little confidence booster. I think we all do.

Freak Accident

Only in Jersey. I HATE NJ. My husband was born and raised there and he thinks it is heaven on earth. I think it is the armpit of the United States. That being said.

There has been a freak accident in Jefferson Township. A piece of artillery crashed through the roof of a home and critically injured a cat that was sleeping in a young girls bed. Had that girl been home (and in her bed) at 2:40 pm she would have been hit by the 6X4 inch 2 pound object.

Thankfully no people were injured. The object appears to have been misfired from Picatinny Arsenal two and a half miles away.

It makes you rethink purchasing a home within a five mile radius of any military complex.

Elaine Sonnen you are a hero to us all

Elaine Sonnen son Richard was planning a Columbine style shooting. The thing that makes Elaine a hero was the fact that she saw all the warning signs and acted on them. She saved the lives of many, including her son.

If parents would take responsibility for their children like Mrs. Soonen did, this world could be a better place. Too many times parents are so consumed with their own lives that they have no idea what their child is involved in.

With the recent video beatings, teacher beatings, killings, and horrible acts that our teenagers are involved in this day and age, it is refreshing to hear some parents remembering what their most important job is - being a parent.

Marketing is a never ending job.

Marketing is probably any company’s biggest "job". My company’s biggest mistake was not marketing when business was good. We are now paying that price. Customers come and go and if you don’t prepare yourself by constantly looking for new business it will eventually be your downfall.

When business is good it is hard to think about marketing. You want to spend your money and effort on other things. You also get spoiled when order just seem to fall into your lap to start to take it for granted.

I am now in the process of trying my best to market my company. I have talked about signing up for directories, advertising, and any other possible avenue of marketing I can think of.

Today I had a friend tell me about a new site called MyCityFaces.com. It is for everyday people who need to advertise in the sales and service industry. If you are self-employed (or work on a commission basis) this site is an incredibly valuable tool. MyCityFaces offers a free membership to promote your business in a professional manner.

Take a look at my profile.

News worthy Knuckleheads!

This guy might get a Darwin Award. He climbed up to rescue a friends pet bird. Hello do you see all those power lines.

I remember going on a road trip with my friends back in college. We pulled over to the side and decided to climb to the top of this huge rock to have our picture taken. When we got to the top I noticed this HUGE power line running along the top. I stumbled and almost reached out to grab them to catch myself. I know that God was watching over me during my college years because I did so many stupid things and never paid any "real price".

Running a successful business

Our business is very slow right now and sometimes I don't blog much about it because I feel like a failure.

It is silly for me to feel this way. We have been in business 18 years. During that time we have had customers that range from one man operations to huge companies like Fed Ex. We have had a "very" comfortable life and have never been late on a bill in our lives until now. I think that both my husband and I would qualify as running a successful business.

My husband is the marketing goo rue. We have always been very successful in our advertising campaigns. Now we are in a total different market and we are struggling to change our business with the times. If your business does not change dramatically every few years you will not stay in business long. Right now we are in the middle of a drastic change and are struggling to stay a float.

One of the areas that is very new to us is Internet advertising. We have had a web site for years but only recently are we trying to make ordering available on line. In the past we have had an informational web site. Frankly there are not many companies in our business that have had the guts to take their business in this direction. I hope that it will eventually pay off.

One of the best business decisions that we have ever made was to get out of New York State. I don't think we would have been this successful in NY. They are not small business friendly. They require more paperwork in one year then NH has required in the 10 years that we have been here.

I feel that God wants us in the type of business and I feel that he wants us to stay in NH. I hope that I am right because right now it is scary.