My New Year's Wishes

I wish all Americans loved and supported America again.
I wish we could keep people out who only treat our country like a dirty door mat.
I wish we would have the guts to err on OUR side again without caring about Political Correctness.
I wish we could get kids admiring and respecting their parents again.
I wish more parents deserved that.
I wish we didn't have to put profit before character and we could stop certain commercials from airing without being called prigs...
I wish that journalists would suddenly see how biased they've been and they'd become fair and balanced again.
I wish we could get back to our Judeo-Christian roots and not be afraid of hurting the feelings of the 6% or so who don't share those beliefs
I wish people would take a good long look at why the above wish will never be again.
I wish we didn't have Obama as president or any of his cabinet.
I wish we'd get term limits very soon.
I wish there was no such thing as a terrorist
I wish the health care bill would be given time to really do something right and that Republicans would be welcome to the table of discussion on all subjects in Congress.
I wish we'd know we'd all be safe this year.
I wish a lot of things but thought you might have a few, too.............

So...what do YOU wish for in 2010?............and what are you doing tonight? Happy New Year, everyone. Thanks so much for supporting GeeeeeZ and for your kindness this year when I lost Mr. Z. Thanks, from the bottom of my heart. God bless each and every one of you.
Z

Declassification

Oh. My. GOD. From the linked (to the left) article:

In a post on the White House blog, William H. Leary, senior director of records and access management at the National Security Council, writes that the effort is aimed at shifting the burden of defending secrecy to the government.

"While the Government must be able to prevent the public disclosure of information that would compromise the national security, a democratic government accountable to the people must be as transparent as possible and must not withhold information for self-serving reasons or simply to avoid embarrassment," he wrote.

The order comes as part of Obama's promise to push government to lean toward disclosure as it tackles the need to keep certain information from the public.

WHAT??? Will we survive this Obama government? CAN WE? Can we DO anything about this?

UPDATE: I don't know why, but I feel the disappearance of genteel, beautiful institutions of days gone by is as sad and even scary as the story above. Big Box stores and McDonald's reign in America today. Are we better for it? Small mama-papa stores are folding, we're losing things I'm not sure we yet recognize the importance of. I feel quite sad about THIS, odd that that is, I guess. Will we really be better off when nobody can afford fine dining anymore, better off when there isn't anyone who can afford to live in the gorgeous 5th Avenue mansions and Beverly Hills estates? I think not. z

Napolitano...what do you really think?

I'm a bit puzzled about this push/pull over Napolitano's comment that "the System worked". Can anybody really think she meant the system of prevention? Or did she mean "once there was a problem, the system worked...he's in custody, etc."

I'm thinking we're carrying on a tad too much about her comment and it just didn't make SENSE for her to have said anything WORKED when a plane load of good people almost lost their lives. On the other hand, now that I'm typing this, how could the system have NOT worked when he was hostage on that plane? It's not like "Hey, we GOT THE GUY! Isn't that astonishing!?" Okay. Now I'm confused....I was trying to be fair, but...........
Talk to me.............
z

Do YOU believe Putin? !!

Look at that jacket Putin's wearing...is he preparing for a return to the COLD War? America doesn't have enough problems, right? Now that Russia sees Bush is gone and now there are cracks in our strength and resolve....was that their goal? Check this out!:

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday U.S. plans for a missile defense system were the main obstacle to reaching a new deal on reducing Cold War arsenals of nuclear weapons.

The two largest nuclear powers say they are close to agreeing on a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), although U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev have yet to clinch a deal.

Asked by a reporter what the biggest problem was in the talks, Putin said: "What is the problem? The problem is that our American partners are building an anti-missile shield and we are not building one."

HERE is the article. Do YOU BELIEVE HIM? :-) Will Obama's gang? We gave in and got rid of Poland and Czech Republic's safety shields. Did we get anything for that but more disgust from Europe? Just how vulnerable will we make ourselves in the ridiculous belief that "if we put ours down, they will, too, because THEY LIKE US NOW for having done so"?
z

Obama's tired

THIS really got to me. Can you imagine if Bush had said how tired he was from being president? How did Bush, an older man at the time, do so well, appear so hale and hearty, so optimistic in spite of the horrid decisions he had to make? He grayed prematurely as they all do, the physical difference in Bush before and after his administration is telling, but we never really heard him complain. Here's a bit from the article I linked above:

Not that the commander in chief really thinks he can escape his duties, even on an island. Amid golf, tennis, gym workouts and dinner, Obama has been called on to monitor the airliner attack in Detroit last Friday and what appeared to be another attack on Sunday — that incident turned out to be a false alarm. On Monday, Obama worked out in the morning and played tennis before making his first public remarks on airline security, then hit the golf course.

I don't begrudge this guy some R&R but I'm comparing this article to anything the media'd have written about Bush if he had complained. Also, remember all the attacks on him for being in Crawford 'so much'? He rarely went without entertaining visiting dignitaries or committees for meetings there, as you (and the media) know, a president's always doing the country's business no matter where he is but the media didn't care and took every opportunity to insult his 'vacations'..........

And, didn't Obama know it would be as tough as the campaign trail?
The grueling travel hasn't gone away, nor have the long days. Now they're further compounded by red-eye flights to Europe and the seemingly endless stream of social events the president is expected to attend, from concerts at the Kennedy Center to holiday parties where he and the first lady spend hours shaking hands.

That's being president. What part didn't he understand before he signed on?
z

Reflections for 2009...by a DOWD?

Maureen Dowd introduces the super list below by her brother Kevin in this way:

As my brother Kevin headed off to Christmas Eve Mass in the Maryland suburbs, I asked him how he thought the first year of Barack Obama had gone.

He didn’t have to pray long over that one. “Fine,” he replied, “if you like unmitigated disasters like the Hindenburg and the Redskins season.” :-)

Here are Kevin Dowd's reflections for 2009 with a few comments by ME!:

To President Obama: Thank you for saving the Republican Party and for teaching all of us that too much of anything is a bad thing. (Z: Hurrah! even Republicans who left the party are coming back. Heck, even more Dem senators are coming to the Republican party)

To Bill Clinton: You did too much work on Northern Ireland for the Nobel committee. Next time, do nothing. (Z: heh!)

To Harry and Nancy: “The Twilight Zone” once had an episode where the town got the exact opposite of what it wanted. Farewell, Harry!

To John McCain: Thank you for your chivalry in banning Palin attack dogs — including my sister* — from the campaign plane. (Z: commenter "Impertinent" remembers that this list was written by Maureen Dowd's CONSERVATIVE brother/journalist...we think he means THAT sister...did you know she had a brilliant brother? heh heh)

To Sarah Palin: Keep up the good work. Anyone who annoys Keith Olbermann that much is a friend to all of us. (Z: one of my personal favorites...I used to get steamed watching that snarly little mouth of his as he indignantly and self-righteously swallows and spits out the Kool Aid...Now I have to admit I watch him for comic relief)

To Glenn Beck: Thanks for being the only journalist interested in stories that used to win Pulitzer Prizes. (Z: Best one on the list..so true, and so very scary..imagine if we had an honest media, they'd be all OVER Beck's findings and Americans would know the truth)

To Al Franken: So, 250 years of Senate tradition trashed. Stuart Smalley would have done better.

To Desirée Rogers: Get back to the gate. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson can’t get in.

To the Salahis: Thank you for showing us that shame has no bottom.

To Valerie Jarrett: So much for the Olympic Village in Chicago. Whoops. (Z: so few people know that truth...the media should be ashamed)

To Chris Dodd: The only thing lower than your polls is your mortgage interest rate.

To Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen: The military should be more interested in the men and women who serve than in celebrating diversity. (Z: Please, God)

To the Democratic senators: Go last next time; the bribes are much bigger.

To Sheldon Whitehouse: You, senator, are an idiot.

To Dick Cheney: You, sir, are a patriot. Thanks for firing back.

To President Bush: Thank you for your dignity. Did you really start the plague in the 14th century? Absence makes the heart grow fonder. (Z: Even I feel that way now)

To Hillary: Who knew how much you would be missed? (Z: Yup..even by me. A little, I must admit)

To Al Gore: A global warming conference in the middle of a Copenhagen blizzard is not a good visual. (Z: naaa...this is wrong, I LOVED the visual!!)

To Max Baucus, Eliot Spitzer and John Edwards: Party on, dudes.

To John Ensign, Mark Sanford and David Vitter: Don’t party on, dudes.

Z: Thanks, Impertinent, my friend. This was a fun list and fun to respond to! Fun to think Dowd has Conservative family! And okay, okay......sorry for the picture above...here's a more flattering one. For fairness' sake!

Peace on Earth

Wouldn't it be nice if things felt as peaceful here in America as they do in this Swiss village?
Think they ever can again?

xxx Z

Sunday Faith Blog

What if we remembered the reason for the season every day of the year?
Maybe it would feel like Christmas all year long......how lovely.

"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful." Psalms 68:3

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas....may the joy stay with you. Z

From Z to you at Christmas time

As we all know, Christmas time is such a special time of faith, family and friends. No matter how much stress and spending and tense moments you might have, things usually end up going well, there's warmth all around you, and your loved ones make it worth it. Be happy and take time to enjoy these days leading into this celebration we hold so near and dear.
Merry Christmas, you dear people...........Go KISS that spouse.......for a LONG TIME, not just a peck, a good one! :-) BE GRATEFUL...have FUN! It's CHRISTMAS, we're ALL so lucky to have this blessed time..........Cherish this time, cherish your spouse. Believe me. Now, go get under the mistletoe!

Love, Z

just too funny not to post.... !

The Grinch just stole our HEALTH CARE

UPDATE FROM OBAMA: He's going late to Hawaii for Christmas! He says
"My attitude is that if they're making these sacrifices to provide health care to all Americans then the least I can do is to be around and provide them any encouragement and last-minute help where necessary," What a guy, huh? :-) More Louisiana Purchases, Nebraska windfalls, obfuscation on abortion? "Cash for Cloture"?.... here's my original post:

Looks like the majority of Americans won't be very happy with their Christmas gift this year from Democrats of a complete health care overhaul.

The linked article includes this: "Republicans are determined to give Democrats no help, eager to deny Obama a political victory and speculating openly that the health care issue will hurt Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections." REALLY? That's why Republicans aren't happy? REALLY?

GeeeeZ, I'm thinking maybe it's less about defeating Democrats or Obama and more about helping this country to not have to swallow the nonsense that this is not a "big spending government bill," as Mr. Obama says....he adds that "this cuts our deficit by $132 billion the first 10 years, and by over a trillion in the second." Is he kidding? But, of course, he also asserts that, though Blue Shield, Blue Cross, and all the other private insurance companies (you know those 'sinful' "FOR PROFIT" companies Obama despises) won't be ABLE to stay in business after government care kicks in (who'll buy good insurance for employees when less than good insurance is available to a small business's employees for far less? Are the Democrats lying or just not thinking things through again?), so, how can we really believe him on any of this?

Republicans weren't asked for input, the media won't print the plans they had for health care, this thing is being rushed through, 'cash for cloture' was disgusting and shameful for all of America, a majority of Americans polls against it, and it won't go into affect until 2013 or so.. ... so why the rush? And why vote at MIDNIGHT? The article says they're voting at "odd hours to overcome unanimous Republican opposition." But, WAIT! Republicans are showing up at those odd hours, so............tell me again why it's at midnight, please??

GeeeeeZ We've just turned into Canada. God help us all. I'm imagining Canadians are pretty sad to lose their way out of THEIR lousy, government-run, procedure-delaying, care-denying system, now, too, huh?

UPDATE: (Some sort of 'good news') HERE. Come ON, PUBLIC....it's all about big gov't and higher taxes and us losing ours so we all must have mediocre healthcare. Let's help the uninsured and LEAVE OURS ALONE. CONTACT YOUR SENATOR AND CONGRESSMAN...The Democrats are counting on you NOT to because it's Christmas and you're busy!... Don't let that hold you back from giving them your opinion.
z

Your favorite Christmas Carol...........

Do you have a favorite Christmas Carol? Got an unusual one you'd like to share? Is there a particular rendition of a Christmas carol you'd like to tell us about, something we should buy?
We've done favorite hymns and favorite praise songs here on my blog; I thought this might be fun. Thanks... Z

Sunday Faith Blog

A Soldier's Request at Christmas.........and always

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said, "It's really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram I'll always remember."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile."
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother...
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son." Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people
stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.


LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq

Please pray for LCDR Giles and his family...and ALL our soldiers who aren't enjoying being around the tree with their families like most of you will be in a few days. God bless every single one of them......they've got to keep their faith in US because it's not they who're letting us down.

Merry Christmas .. Z

Say it ain't SO

UPDATE: Another 'Say it ain't SO'.....Pris sent me the information that Harry Reid is calling for a vote on the Health care bill in the Senate on Monday at 1 AM. Aren't Americans wondering why the leftwingers are calling for votes this important in the middle of the NIGHT? HELLO?

Iran beats prisoners in their jails? Do you think they'll get half the scrutiny that Americans did in at Abu Grab, or the SEALS who punched a killer in the tummy? A third? ANY?

I doubt it. z

I couldn't resist.......

To My Democrat Friends:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country, nor even the only America in the Western Hemisphere . Also, please know that this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference.

To My Republican Friends:
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

(thanks, Imp!) z

A Silent Spin on a BIG SONG! HALLELUJIAH!

This is reported to be "Silent Monks" but it appears it's clever high school students portraying (singing) Silent Monks as they 'sing' the Hallelujiah Chorus! I thought we could all use a smile and it's wonderful music with which to get into the Christmas mood. ENJOY!

Maybe even me. I hope so.
z

Jennifer Jones, you were lovely

Goodbye, Jennifer Jones.......And thanks for some wonderful films.
HERE is her biography. Her first husband was Robert Walker, another of my favorites.......mental health problems plagued him and plagued her through the suicide death of her daughter and her own attempted suicide. May she rest in peace knowing she left a wonderful legacy behind. Died today, in Malibu, California

I feel so profoundly sad for Chris Henry and such an early demise. Just had to mention it.

Obama and Arnold....not a good idea, guys

So, Arnold's not polling too well in California, huh? Read THIS! I think the situation is the same with Obama. In America, people are looking at THE ECONOMY, STUPID. And both these guys are off to Copenhagen to take my light bulbs away for good :-)
This doesn't bode well for the Left because it's showing how out of touch and unpopular they and those Republicans who pander to the Left are, but it bodes well for the Republicans....This is a VERY Democrat State and even here, Arnold's approval rating is 27%.

Memo to Republicans: Concentrate on JOBS. "And the winner IS............" I like that.

OH, then there's THIS (sent to me by Heidianne)...News Alert 06:05 AM EDT Thursday, December 17, 2009

U.S. will contribute to a $100B fund to help developing countries cope with climate change

COPENHAGEN -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday that the United States would contribute to a $100 billion fund to help developing countries cope with climate change. Japan and the European Union have already committed to building such a fund by 2020, and it is considered a critical step in forging a global climate change pact in the U.N.-sponsored talks that conclude Friday. Clinton said U.S. contributions to the fund would be contingent on reaching a substantive
political accord that would include "transparency" in tracking emissions cuts by major developing countries.

WHO IS PAYING FOR THIS?

z

Frank, Dino, Sammy and.....JOHNNY sing?

A little early Christmas present from me and our friend, commenter IMPERTINENT....oh, it doesn't get better than this! Enjoy (who knew Johnny Carson could SING?)
xxx Z

A sign of the TIMES.........

BEN BERNANKE is TIME'S PERSON OF THE YEAR........ READ the "whole" story HERE, but make sure you note this quote from the article:
Professor Bernanke of Princeton was a leading scholar of the Great Depression. He knew how the passive Fed of the 1930s helped create the calamity — through its stubborn refusal to expand the money supply and its tragic lack of imagination and experimentation.

Do you all know how many economic experts say the Great Depression's depth and severity could have been diverted had FDR NOT thrown good money after bad? Does TIME read or are they, too, so ideological that nothing sinks in? Pelosi was on the short list, too. No agenda.....no.

Here are articles showing another viewpoint: Here, from Australia (no agenda).......HERE, from a Cato Policy Report (excellent reading)....HERE...

You know, the point really is that TIMES ignores any assertions to the contrary and names this guy to this position as if they're on the White House PR Team...... That's what bugs me.
z

The SURGE........but, not so fast

SURGE: (from the Random House Dictionary)
Any sudden, powerful increase..to rise suddenly or strongly.
But, our Afghanistan 'surge' won't be complete (if all goes well) now until AUGUST. Did you hear that? Here's the information. WHAT? Did they review details before they made the decision to call this a surge and to promise immediate action? Another "Oops...we should have looked into this" moment?
The soldier in the picture is the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullens......Well, I guess the enemy knows when we're coming, how we're coming, and when we're leaving........it can't be too big a surprise to THEM to find we won't be there quite as fast as planned.
z

Check out Bloviating Zeppelin...

He's HERE and you need to know how Obama's getting this nightmare healthcare plan passed. Please, someone, if ANYBODY knows the high points of this bill, let us know. Apparently, Dick Durbin told McCain a day or two ago that even HE didn't know what's in it. Lieberman's folded... This bill is rumored to allow public option very soon, it's all in the wording, no matter what they're telling us, and we need to be aware.....I hope Lieberman is. I'm hoping we're all jumping to conclusions but I'm thinking everybody's folding for some reason we'll never be told. Check out BZ for reasons we DO KNOW. z

The Reagan-Obama Debate

The cartoon below was just emailed to me and perfectly fits the conversation Ducky and I are having in COMMENTS...check it out. Re: the Reagan/Obama debate video...which president do YOU think would most agree with the teacher? Ya, I think so, too.



There isn't much more to add, is there.
I want to thank my friend M for emailing this to me.

z

Seasoned Greetings?

Just got back from the car wash...man, Mr. Z used to get the car washed; Do you know how much it COSTS these days? Well....anyway.........this is what I saw in the long aisle of greeting cards one passes between what seems like renting them your car for ten minutes and paying:

Two cards....One had Mr and Mrs. George Bush on it....It said something like "The Bush Family wishes you a very Merry Christmas" Inside, it said "but who gives a rat's ass?"

Next to that card was a picture of Obama with an elve's hat on and across the top it said "PEACE ON EARTH...when a president's smarter than a fifth grader"

Everyone is biased. We see it. Your kids see it. America sees it. drip, drip, drip, drip.........and the leftwingers STILL will tell you there's no bias toward the left. Go figure.

z

When someone disagrees with this administration.........

I saw this* and thought it exactly right for Obama. By the way, I wonder if he should get himself a PROTOCOL CZAR? It might be the only one I'd approve of; when is he going to get some input on how to behave as president??? The Norwegians are very angry at his dissing of their King. Remember Michelle touching the Queen and how that went over?, or the bowing to the Saudi King and the Japanese Emperor and Japan's papers not printing that photo because it was humiliating for them? He's never been to Berlin, though Angela Merkel's invited him and the capitol of a city is normally the first place a new foreign dignitary visits and that's been discussed negatively in the German media, he turned down a luncheon with Sarkozy and that set the French off. The media in Europe is largely leftist and is almost as in love with Obama as ours is, but the people are getting a little perturbed. Seriously, there are protocol people for things like this and I'm wondering if the Obamas decided to skip having one? Then there's the following bit from the linked article:

The Nobel peace committee has been criticised for awarding Obama the prize before he has any major accomplishments in international relations. A White House official said that it was not necessarily an award that Obama would have given himself.

REALLY? I doubt that. (oops! I hope there's not some czar who comes to your house and straightens you out! Naaaa................not yet.)

BY THE WAY: I may be the only person on the planet who does think a person can win a Nobel PEACE Prize when a war is being escalated. Wars are fought for peace; this war is being fought to keep extremists to a minimum and protect Western Civilization.... I'd give a prize for that if I thought the person had done anything else to deserve it.
*if you have trouble reading the caption, click on the cartoon.
z

Sunday Faith Blog

"The festival of lights commemorates the Jewish people’s perseverance over oppression and their indefatigable pursuit of the sacred right to worship freely.

As the Jewish people remember their ancestors, join them in honoring this proud legacy of religious freedom.

Hanukkah offers all of us a chance to give thanks for the blessings of liberty and to honor America’s Jewish community, whose contributions to our culture and society have made us a stronger nation.

May the burning candles inspire us to be a more compassionate society and serve as a symbol of hope to all those around the world without the freedom to worship freely and openly.
Happy Hannukah to our Jewish community!........may the candle always burn brightly.
There's a Christmas Nativity Scene which (believe it or not) Santa Monica still accomodates for on Ocean Park Avenue. The city has 14 wooden stalls and that many churches take one aspect of Christ's birth and illustrate it (shepherds, magi, King Herod, etc..) in their stall. Atheists have been fighting it for years but it's still there! A very well known and successful Jewish insurance entrepreneur saved this Christian display a few years back by pumping tons of money into its upkeep. It's good that we all honor and maintain the two most contributing faiths to this country. Amen.
(The words about Hannukah were sent to me by commenter Impertinent, who had them sent to him...thanks, Imp)
z

Americans are interrogating......"Americans"...?

The line up: Tommy Smith, Doug Winters, Johnny Gordon, Wayne Caruthers and Bill Kidd... oh, wait, those aren't their names, ARE THEY!! :-)
Here are the AMERICANS that have been called terrorists............Odd the media doesn't say "Pakistani Americans or Iraqi Americans". And, YES, I KNOW, I'm the one who's always bemoaning that we've become too HYPHENATED an America............but for THIS situation, when they use hyphens so much, why not now?

"The five men, students in their 20s from northern Virginia, were detained this week in the city of Sargodha in Punjab province, 190 km (120 miles) southeast of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad." At least the article does add "American MUSLIMS"..that's something. "MUSLIMS? Are you KIDDING ME? They'd be TERRORISTS? Oh, tie me DOWN. :-)"

Ya, they look like they're from Northern Virginia, don't they? :-)

JUST SAW THIS INFORMATION: A Muslim American father with Pakistani nationality turned the five in because his son was one of them and he didn't want them fighting American troops in Afghanistan. Nice. We need more like him.
z

Alec Baldwin...you asked for it! :-)

GeeeZ friend, Commenter tiob, reminded me on my WES PARKER/SMOKEY ROBINSON COINCIDENCE BLOG POST that I'd also met Alec Baldwin. Yes, I did. "Lucky me". Get a load of this:

Mr and Mrs Z were flying from LA to Orlando maybe 1o years ago. We always flew in First or Business Class because Mr. Z had done a LOT of air travel and had tons of miles. That was nice :-) Except, this day.

This was the type of plane with four across the middle section and two seats each on the sides with the windows, you know the type. Mr. Z could tell us the exact type of plane (and always did....just want I wanted to know, the engineering aspects of every plane we ever flew in......how dull! But, of course, I'd give up everything to have him boring me with plane talk again)..but I digress. We were on the two right seats on the inside seat section and I was on the aisle. Alec Baldwin was on the right side aisle seat. In other words, all we had was the aisle between us. I picked up the paper to do my Crossword Puzzle and thought what a coincidence it was that I was doing this puzzle on Delta Airlines and it happened to be an answer to "Their hub is Cleveland" ...DELTA. Fancy that!

Then the wildest thing happened. "Steven Baldwin's Brother".....four letters. I look at the clue, I look to my right and see Steven Baldwin's brother sitting there and think "This can't be....what are THESE chances?" Well, I wrote in ALEC and thought I ought to mention it to this guy, even he'd think this is very weird. But, I decided to let it go...he was in deep conversation impressing the poor guy sitting between him and the window with where he was going and why.

Then I went up to the front of the airplane and came back to sit down and, by that time, Alec had stopped with the "Then I'm doing this...and then they told me I was wonderful..." and was now sitting with earplugs on and reading. I thought "He will be blown away by this coincidence, I really ought to show him! So, before sitting down, I picked up my newspaper and folded it so he could easily see, and pointed to the clue and the answer...with an "IMAGINE?" look in my eyes, smiling.

He looked at the information, looked at my smile, and shrugged his shoulders like "So.......???"

ya. Alec Baldwin. CHUMP.

z

Christmas at the White House

The White House Christmas Card isn't a Christmas card, it's a Season's Greetings card....that pesky Christmas 84% of us celebrate just ought not to be mentioned, you know? What if it really hurts someone's feelings to get a card not reflecting his holiday...what could that DO to their self esteem? (oh, brother)

Maybe we ought to have a White House card that's like the Department of Motor Vehicles, where you can find ANY language or religion you need read ..Happy Kwansa, Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, Happy whatever-the-hell-that-tree is, Merry Lesbian madness... You name it, the White House will mention it. What do you think?

I wouldn't mind so much except THIS ARTICLE shows how the White House, YET AGAIN, sneaks around the truth.........with this:

"The president is not breaking new ground. In 2008, President George W. Bush's card made no reference to Christmas. However, the president did include a passage from the New Testament, Matthew 5:16.

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Aha, so the Bushes didn't mention CHRISTMAS, and that apparently makes it okay now for the Obama's to have this in their card and not mention CHRISTMAS..."Season's Greetings." Inside, it reads: "May your family have a joyous holiday season and a new year blessed with hope and happiness." because the Bushes didn't? WAIT....did the White House not READ the quote from Matthew?

Sometimes, you just have to laugh, don't you?

MERRY CHRISTMAS. z

Elton John redeems himself

Sir Elton John has done what most of us had hoped he'd do, and I have to give him credit since I was a bit hard on him about adopting that little Ukrainian boy, Lev.
I said in my original post (linked in the preceding sentence) that adopting shouldn't be the most important thing for Lev but helping him should be. Today, the news is that Elton John has decided he'll be paying for the best care and schooling for that little boy in spite of the law which precluded his adopting because of his age (62) and marital status (civil union with another man).

Sir Elton, I salute you. You're doing the right thing........and it's only fair I mentioned it. Z

Help the NAVY SEALS, PLEASE

PLEASE sign the petition to free our Navy SEALS...........what's happening to them is a travesty.
Thanks so much. (and thanks to Hoosier Army Mom for alerting me to this petition, these awful accusations and the fact that OUR guys could be in trouble for THIS has weighed heavy on my heart and probably plenty of yours, too)

THE CENSUS...YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS

WARNING: 2010 Census - Cautions from the Better Business Bureau

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers -- by Susan Johnson With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data. The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BB offers the following advice: ** If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions.. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home. ** Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do NOT give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. (Z: HERE IS THE VERY, VERY MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU NEED TO KNOW REGARDING THIS CENSUS): REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau. AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION. No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau. Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau. (end of Susan Johnson article) Z: My friend received another Census request fairly recently....here is her answer when I asked her to remind me for this blog post what the questions were she resented....Are you ready for THIS? Here is her response: How much is my house payment, utility bills, how much money do I make, what interest money did I receive, how much was my electricity bill, can i get dressed without help, walk up upstairs, how many times have i been married, what is the date of my last marriage, what was my college degree major, what is the name on the deed to my house, how much are my property taxes, who lives with me, how many bedrooms do i have, how much is my house worth if i wanted to sell it today, how many people in the household had a child born if they were under age 18, who is my health insurance with, how long have I lived at my current address, what year was my house built, it goes on and on and on. they want my birth date and my age (why??) I think there are 301 questions, and it is 28 pgs long. Z: How do you like THEM apples? And this is REQUIRED! These answers apparently MUST be answered. Apparently, one out of every 480 people will get this form. Are all those questions anything you want your government knowing? I emailed my friend again and asked for more info...here's her answer... Google American Community Survey and you will find their web site. Look for the 2009 Form. It is also called the ACS survey. also, the questions are more intrusive with the new pres. Be sure to read the most recent form. Although the older ones are also intrusive. you will also find lots of people who are upset with the form when you go on-line but go to the real web site and find the Official Form. And yes, of course it is mandatory to answer all questions. they just upped the fine to $5,000.00. It was less before. I am not sure about the jail time. They told me they had not heard of anyone going to jail, but... I will also get the 2010 census form. btw--they send out the ACS every year. MAN, oh MAN, oh man. Do YOU want to answer these questions, GeeeZ readers? Z

Who's 'ideological'?

"Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said abortion opponents were driven by ideology, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., called the proposed changes "a very far-reaching intrusion into the lives of women."

The paragraph above is from THIS ARTICLE in which there's a lot of rich information like the White House is pleased senators are 'working together'...'together'? Without Republicans? That's a leftwinger's version of 'together'?!!

But the line from Feinstein struck me as very typical of what our media does, too.............Abortion opponents are driven by 'ideology" but the ones who don't mind abortion aren't idealogical? HOW's that? Is it so bad to be 'ideological'? Or is it only bad when it doesn't agree with the Left?

z

Is that.....No! It couldn't be!

If you've had a coincidence this wild, please share it.........

Tuesday, I was at the eye doctor...a doc I've been seeing for probably 12 years. This particular eye doctor collects famous signatures. I don't know what great stuff he's got at home, but he's got pretty great stuff all over his office. The waiting room alone has Albert Einstein, Eddie Van Halen (WITH a guitar in the plexi case where his signature is), John Wooden, Bush, etc., etc. Lots of very famous signatures all over his office.

I'd read all these framed names before over the years, but today I somehow fixated on WES PARKER, an L.A. Dodger baseball player from 1964-1972. I only remember his name because my girlfriend had SUCH a crush on the very cute Wes Parker when we were kids. I've got to admit I found him pretty cute at the time, too.

So, I see that check to my doctor for $1,000,000.00 signed by Parker and framed with his 1963 picture there (a cute way for Parker to have given him his signature, I'm quite sure he didn't give him that much money!) and memories oame back of the Dodgers in those days, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale... VIN SCULLY (who's calling the Dodger games for his SIXTY-FIRST YEAR this year!)...and my dear Dad who loved the Dodgers.

Suddenly, I'm aggravated at having to wait so long to see the doctor, sitting there, and the door opens. Some tall thin guy walks by me to the desk and signs his name on the sheet and asks the girl for the Men's Room key. He turns around and walks back toward the entry door and I think to myself......"is it?" I walk up to the sheet and there it is..."Parker, W." I thought "NO WAY...this just CAN'T BE...this is TOOOO WEIRD." I say to the girl "Is that WES Parker?" She not only says "Yes" but she points to his framed signature on the wall.

He came back a few minutes later, sat down, and read the LA Times. I was called into the Exam Room shortly after. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES? (yes, he's still very good looking all these years later. Wikipedia says he was born in '39 but I have a hard time believing that from how he looked today) Another story that comes to mind:

I saw The Temptations and The Four Tops about 20 years ago in a small theater in Beverly Hills. Just after the theater lights went down, a fellow was brought down the aisle past me and seated third row, dead center. I'm thinking "That's Smokey Robinson's profile" Sure enough, he went up at the end of the show and sang with the two groups, one of THE best concerts I've been to.
The NEXT DAY, I come out of the chiropractor's exam room into the waiting room to leave...nobody's IN the waiting room but, you guessed it.........SMOKEY. With his girlfriend, "Ivory" dontchaknow. I went right over to him and said "Would you believe I was at the concert last night?" He couldn't BELEIVE it because the place holds about 1000 people, MAX! I told him what a HUGE fan I was of his and he couldn't have been nicer.

I guess the moral of this story, is make sure you go to your doctor........!! Naa...it's keep your eyes peeled, this stuff is FUN! Got any stories like mine?

Z

Marriage and Well Being.................

A new study says Never Married People are more well-adjusted than previously thought.

I hope that's true, for the sake of those Never Marrieds, of course. I do have to add that the article sends so many mixed messages I found it interesting enough to talk about it here. Then the article ends with "But, he pointed out, the sample size of never-married participants in the study, a little over 100, is low. So, it's possible that a larger study with never-married people might produce different results. "

Do you find that important or complete enough a study to even publish it on Yahoo? Or do you agree with the premise...? Or strongly disagree? Is there an agenda? Is it another very subtle attempt at an anti-traditional values piece? I'd like to know what you think.

I was never happier than when I was married until exactly two months ago when Mr. Z passed away so suddenly.........so, perhaps, this is why this article interested me so much.

Any thoughts on yourself and this loosely-studied hypothesis that Never Marrieds "....actually have better emotional well-being than married people,"?

z

Bloviating Zeppelin's got a great video

Please check out BZ's VIDEO HERE on Pelosi. Tell BZ if YOU think she'd never actually send you to JAIL for not having health insurance!!!!! Man, these people are BAD. And BZ's GOOD in nailing them! His blog's always good.........Bookmark it!! xxx Z (Ya, part of my support is "how bad can anybody be with Z in their blog name!!:-) )
He mentioned Pearl Harbor today, December 7th. I should have, too. Remember their sacrifice.

POOR AMERICA

Can we EVER recover from THIS TYPE of ridiculous rhetoric? Harry Reid puts it all on a brand new level. How disgusting. Did YOU know Republicans support SLAVERY?
How the heck far will these horrid people GO? DAYUM. z

Please pray for my friend Klaus. You'll remember he wrote THIS AMAZING TRUE ACCOUNT of the BERLIN AIR DROPS...so many of you had commented that you enjoyed reading that. For those who didn't get a chance, please give it a read, you'll feel a renewed love of our great country for her generosity. Klaus very suddenly and unexpectedly has lost his wife and I ask for prayers for calm and peace for him and his family...and me.....he's a wonderful man and to think he's going through what I've been going through is extremely upsetting. God bless, and thanks.... Z

Philly Cheese Steaks

Well, I FINALLY had my first Philly Cheese Steak. I picked the right place in Los Angeles; they fly the buns in FROM Philadelphia and I'm pretty sure I've rarely had a bun fit the sandwich innards that well. I ordered mine with grilled peppers and onions...I'm not sure what cheese they put on there and I know there's quite some discussion about what cheese is best among afficianados, but I've got to tell you, that is ONE DELICIOUS SANDWICH. I was NOT disappointed!

REEEEALLY thin beef, piping hot with those grilled vegetables, the hot cheese melted down into it, and on that INCREDIBLE bun. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm YOU EVER HAD ONE?

z

Sunday Faith Blog

UPDATE:
I'm watching QVC on TV...Rachael Ray is on with hostess Jane Rudolph Tracy (for those of you who know who I'm talking about). They have talked about HANNUKAH and THE HOLIDAY the whole hour. "I used GREEN and RED pot holders in a taping of me cooking with my kids and the green and red were so cute for the HOLIDAY....you can also buy BLUE for HANNUKAH!" "You can buy this for the Holidays OR for Hannukah.."
I'm sitting here wondering if there's some memo that FORBIDS people from mentioning CHRISTMAS? I mean, it's almost getting goofy and FUNNY, isn't it!? Ah, well...back to my main post...I hope you enjoy it:



A dear friend sent me this video and I thought it was wonderful and a good reminder. My own stepson has asked for no Christmas gifts, just that we give a donation in his father's memory to the Amyloidosis Support Groups. This is the kind of thing most of us should do, don't you think? Give something that will HELP. Give your TIME. Help your church so our American churches can afford to get back to what they did so beautifully in the past...building hospitals, helping the poor, feeding the hungry, helping in the community, etc.

My Bible study has been studying LUKE and we discussed Christ's birth almost 2 months ago. We sang "O Little Town of Bethlehem" in September! I commented to someone how beautiful it was to feel Christmas in the Fall. She said "Maybe it's because we have the beauty of the birth and no Christmas shopping, cooking, etc., etc." That was a great reminder to me because I had finally FELT what Christmas is like without the 'stress'.

I wish that for you, too. In this economy, I hate to recommend not buying gifts..! GIFTS ARE GOOD, it's FUN to give...!! But, remember this video, too. Give donations, give your kids a book of promises! "I promise to have a good chat" and, when they present that promise to you, have a chat! "I promise to take you to the movies!" GO TO THE MOVIE!

The best gifts are FREE. Give your spouse a special promise; only you two know what that could be. Do it for me and Mr. Z, okay? Wrap it up as beautifully as if it were a cashmere coat. Have a wonderful Sunday. That's free, too.

xxx Z

An Airman's Letter to His Mother

This was on TCM Friday night and it touched me so much I had to share it. I'm so glad I found it on YouTube. Obviously, this is a BRITISH airman's letter but I think there are a lot of American soldiers who have this same gallant courage and love of country and family: ENJOY.

I couldn't resist

from my friend, Mal....
And, my very favorite is the one above from Chattering Teeth Blog!

z

Tell the ACLU "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" and how to send a card to our troops!

I got this from a friend and thought I'd pass it on (though it's so hard to have this awful logo on my site)...so...here goes:

Pass this on to your church, co-workers, family, and friends. What do you have to lose but 44 cents, what do you have to gain ----------- more than you will ever know.

Want to have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU a CHRISTMAS CARD this year.

They are working so very hard to get rid of the CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice,
CHRISTIAN card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world..

Make sure it says "Merry Christmas" on it. Here's the address, just don't be rude or crude. (It's not the Christian way, you know.)

ACLU
125 Broad Street
18th Floor
New York , NY 10004

Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations because they wouldn't know if any were regular mail containing contributions. So spend 44 cents and tell the ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is no such thing as a " Holiday Tree". . . It's always been called a CHRISTMAS TREE!

And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to communicate with the ACLU! They really DESERVE us!!

For those of you who aren't aware of them, the ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything Christian away from us. They represent the atheists and others in this war. Help America continue to honor Christmas and all the beauty and good cheer of this season.

I JUST got this email LINK HERE and thought you ought to know about it.....SEND A CHRISTMAS CARD TO OUR TROOPS! Thanks, and GOD BLESS!

(and thanks to my wonderful friend Martha for the Troops information!) xxx Z