Ann Tucker Blog

Thanksgiving Day Family Movies List

2008-11-19T08:25:00.003-06:00

I saw somewhere that people were looking for a list of the best movies to have for family viewing on Thanksgiving Day. I went on a search and here is what I came up with, so choose a few and head to the movie rental store.

Turkey Day family movies:

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (DVD) (1973)- TV
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration
Winnie the Pooh - Seasons of Giving (DVD) (1999)
Mouse on the Mayflower (VHS)
Garfield: Holiday Celebrations (DVD) (2004)
Miracle on 34th Street
Hannah and Her Sisters
Home For The Holidays
The House of Yes
Planes, Trains, Automobiles
Pieces of April
The Ice Storm (1997)
The Daytrippers (1996)
Dutch (1991)
Rugrats Thanksgiving
What's Cooking?
The Son-In-Law
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
“Giant” (1956)
“Alice’s Restaurant” (1969)
Squanto: A Warrior's Tale
The Mayflower Pilgrims
The Haunted Mansion
Flubber
101 Dalmatians
Thanksgiving Family Reunion (2003) (TV)
The Royal Tenenbaums
Cheaper by the Dozen

Merry Christmas to our Troops

2008-11-18T08:16:00.007-06:00

A friend sent this to me and I thought it was an excellent idea. If you do, please pass it on to all your friends.

I know a lot of my friends don't "do" Christmas cards but if you don't, maybe you can make just one little exception.... I think this is a wonderful idea! You get these freebie Christmas cards all the time so it's just a 42cent stamp and maybe 3 minutes of your time........M.

When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to one of these addresses. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001

or

A Recovering American Airman
US Air Force Hospital Wilford
2200 Bergquist Dr #1
Lackland AFB, TX 78236

If you approve, please pass it on.

TV Ad Followup

2008-11-16T10:13:00.004-06:00

This is a sort of followup on my last blog on the tv add. I can't believe it but a day after I posted that blog I got a Carol Wright Gifts catalog in the mail and found that almost all those items that are in ads on tv are in her catalog. She is a legitimate company and has all kinds of odd items for sale. The statement on tv that "you can only get these items on tv" is a lie. I also saw a whole bunch of those same tv items at Walgreens yesterday! Plus the cost of the same items in the catalog from Carol Wright are about half the price. You can get your Carol Wright catalog by going to http://www.carolwrightgifts.com or write to Carol Wright Gifts, 100 Nixon Lane, P O Box 7823, Edison, NJ 08818-7823. Plus Carol states FREE shipping on any order from the catalog!!! Please alert your friends about those misleading tv ads so others won't be taken in!

P.S. I could have gotten those glasses from Carols catalog for 9.99!

Don't be taken in by ads!!!

2008-11-13T08:53:00.006-06:00

Well I guess everyone is entitled to be stupid once in awhile.

I saw the ad on tv about the wrap around colored glasses and thought that would be a good thing to have since they fit over your regular glasses. This was just what I need since I wear glasses all the time. I ordered two pair (on their website on the internet), one for me and one for my daughter. They came and the glasses were pretty good although they slip a little over your glasses. Then I saw the invoice!! They had said I ordered three pair when I thought I was buying 2 pair, with the night vision pair (free), each of the colored glasses for 19.99 plus 5.98 shipping (they are really charging you 12.98 (s/h) for each pair, with the night vision, they are very light weight, and here is how they charged me:

sub total: 59.97
S/H 38.94
Sales tax 0
total 98.91

I almost dropped over! I called their customer service and told them I wanted to return both glasses because I felt I had been ripped off. I had to talk to two people. The first argued that I had probably mistakenly ordered 3 pair and even tho I didn't get it they didn't get it back either. The second person finally gave me credit for the third pair (supposedly) and will give me credit for the 2 when I return them. It still cost me the original 38.94 for the shipping plus shipping to send them back. I DO NOT recommend ordering any item from this company. All products have their own website but if you order, the invoice will list idea village as the place to call for customer service. Beware of being over charged on shipping and handling charges and check invoice for added items you didn't order. Thats the way they make extra money - on shipping and handling charges and by adding items you did not order. (after this happened I looked on the internet for complaints on this company - I should have done it before. There was complaints that these companies on tv who send extras and claim you ordered more than you did.) Also be sure if you want to return something you will only have 30 days from the date you ordered the item. Beware and only order things from legitimate, well known companies like QVC, Amazon or others.

P.S. Here is information from a site called Rip-Off Report: Idea Village Clever-Claps order for one item was placed over phone. Was asked if I was interested in becoming a member and I declined. Four items were sent in separate packages, therefore shipping charges were outrageous and over priced! Also charged for membership that was refused! Ripoff Pacioma California

Know the Symptoms.....PLEASE READ!

2008-11-11T16:21:00.005-06:00

Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder. Somehow I feel better, even though I have it!!
Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder. This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing. As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car. I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.
So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Pepsi I'd been drinking. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Pepsi aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. The Pepsi is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye-- they need water. I put the Pepsi on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers. I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day: the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm can of Pepsi sitting on the counter, the flowers don't have enough water, there is still only 1 check in my check book, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses,
and I don't remember what I did with the car keys. Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired. I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it,
but first I'll check my e-mail....

Do me a favor. Forward this message to everyone you know, because I don't remember who I've sent it to. Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!!

clipart is copyrighted.

The History of Veterans Day

2008-11-07T11:35:00.003-06:00

I found this neat article on the History of Veterans Day on military.com and wanted to share it with you.

Did you know that most Americans confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day? Both holidays celebrate our veterans' service, but with one significant difference. Learn the history of Veterans Day.

What Do You Know About Veterans Day?

Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of all U.S. veterans. However, most Americans confuse this holiday with Memorial Day, reports the Department of Veterans Affairs. What's more, some Americans don't know why we commemorate our Veterans on Nov.11. It's imperative that all Americans know the history of Veterans Day so that we can honor our former servicemembers properly.

A Brief History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans. In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971. Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

Celebrating the Veterans Day Holiday

If the Nov. 11 holiday falls on a non-workday — Saturday or Sunday — the holiday is observed by the federal government on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday). Federal government closings are established by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management — a complete schedule can be found here. State and local government closings are determined locally, and non- government businesses can close or remain open as they see fit, regardless of federal, state or local government operation determinations.
United States Senate Resolution 143, which was passed on Aug. 4, 2001, designated the week of Nov.11 through Nov. 17, 2001, as "National Veterans Awareness Week." The resolution calls for educational efforts directed at elementary and secondary school students concerning the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.

The difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day

Memorial Day honors servicemembers who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime.

Grandmas Thursday Thoughts

2008-11-06T11:38:00.001-06:00

Wow, times have sure changed from when my kids were little, and how things are now for my little grandkids. When my kids were young they kind of ran all over the neighborhood and I didn't worry about them. They did do a few things that had I known, I probably would have grounded them till adulthood, but lucky for them I am just now finding out. Now I sit outside and watch my grandson ride his bike to the corner, never letting him go out alone for fear someone will grab him. Yesterday he disappeared into a neighbors backyard to jump on a trampoline and I went into a spasm, not knowing where he went. I have a bad back and can't walk far so here I am yelling his name and of course he can't hear me. Finally a neighbor told him his granny was calling. I feel really bad that I have to track him every minute, and I know he doesn't understand why. As the grandkids were growing I had to learn to live with all those car seats (taking physics to figure them out), fancy strollers, that had to be lugged into and out of the car, and before that there were the carriers that weighed more than the baby. Gads when my kids were little, a seat with a couple of hooks hung over the front seat and when out of the car, a strong hip and arm was all I needed. That's probably why I sometimes feel like I walk lopsided. There sure seemed less to worry about when my kids were little. No helmets, no seat belts, no toys that came in 5000 pieces. Today, all the little kids have electronic games, and of course know more about them than I will ever know. I had to get my teen granddaughter to explain how some of my cell phone options work. I don't remember my mom going through similar frustrations with my brother and I. One of the greatest inventions that has come out of having grandkids today is wet wipes. I have wet wipes everywhere, in the car, the bathroom, the living room, the front porch and purse. They not only clean up everything, get rid of hand germs after shopping but they take off stains if you wipe it right away. Plus there are no parts or things that hook on a wet wipe.

What Do You Know About Thanksgiving?

2008-11-05T10:11:00.007-06:00

Believe me it's Fall. I almost drowned in leaves this morning. I noticed my neighbor raked all his leaves into a hill. Now what is he going to do? Wait for them to blow over into my yard I guess. I love this time of year and the trees are so pretty in all the fall colors. Fall of course means Thanksgiving is not far away. (Although you wonder, when you see all the Christmas decorations in the stores, if they skipped Thanksgiving). What do you really know about Thanksgiving? Here is a quiz you might try.

1. What year did the Pilgrims have their first Thanksgiving Feast?
A. 1620
B. 1621
C. 1623
D. 1777
E. 1804

2. What type of meat was probably NOT on the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving menu?
A. beef
B. fish
C. lobster
D. chicken
E. venison

3. The Horn of Plenty, which symbolizes abundance, is also called what?
A. Shell plate
B. Harvest Basket
C. Fruit basket
D. Cornucopia
E. Bushel basket

4. In 1676, a day of thanksgiving was proclaimed to take place during what month?
A. April
B. June
C. October
D. November
E. December

5. What president didn't like the idea of having a national Thanksgiving Day?
A. Lincoln
B. Adams
C. Jefferson
D. Roosevelt
E. Taylor

6. Who is credited with leading the crusade to establish Thanksgiving Day?
A. Ann Lincoln
B. Sarah Josepha Hale
C. Sarah Lee
D. Sarah Todd
E. Sarah Marshall

7. Which vegetable or fruit was NOT on the menu at the first thanksgiving feast in 1621?
A. beans
B. berries
C. pumpkin
D. corn
E. potatoes

8. Which president moved the date of Thanksgiving twice?
A. F. D. Roosevelt
B. Adams
C. Teddy Roosevelt
D. Lincoln
E. Jefferson

9. The reason Thanksgiving was moved up a week was...
A. because the Plymouth people wanted it moved
B. to lengthen the Christmas shopping season
C. waiting for Fall vegetables
D. to put it in line with the original Thanksgiving ceremony
E. so it would be during warmer weather

10. When Congress made Thanksgiving an official holiday, they set the date as...
A. the third Thursday in November
B. the fourth Thursday in November
C. the last Thursday in November
D. November 24
E. the second Monday in October

answers (1.B, 2.A, 3.D, 4.B, 5.C. 6.B, 7.E, 8.A, 9.B, 10.B)

Does voting need a fix?

2008-11-04T13:28:00.001-06:00

You know we can put a man on the moon, but we can't seem to solve our voting problems. We have people committing voter fraud and organizations like ACORN should not be allowed to function in the voting process. We can't manage to send out and receive our military absentee ballots on time, we can't manage to get voting machines that work all the time. We need a way to verify those who are voting to make sure they are only voting once. We need to provide enough time for everyone to vote without allowing early voting. Why can't we have more fair and balanced reporting during the campaign. There needs to be some way to limit each candidate to the same amount of campaign money. People running for President and Vice President, should have a background check and must be able to pass the same as someone wanting to work for the FBI or other government position. If they fail to pass the criteria, they shouldn't be allowed to run. Maybe they should restrict the campaign process to a limited time period, not 2 years before the election. Each candidate should provide thorough information on their qualifications for the office. There should not be voter intimidation allowed at polling places. If you feel our voting system needs some fixing, let your representative know how you feel.

The Recipes of Thanksgiving

2008-11-03T13:01:00.005-06:00

With Thanksgiving just around the corner I'd like to pass on one of the best Thanksgiving recipe sites on line, Zoinkies.com. There are places to find Turkey Leftover Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Cookie Recipes, Kids Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes, Christmas Recipes, Mexican Food Recipes, Diet Recipes. On these recipe sites you can find a little Asian food recipes, Kitchen Myths, Encyclopedia of Spices, Food Timelines, Country recipes, and probably whatever you can think of. On the Thanksgiving page you can find one of the most searched for items during the holiday season, lots of Recipes for cooking Thanksgiving vegetables.

When you have leftover Turkey, I'd like to tempt you with Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger. A lot of people have said that this turkey burger at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach, is the best they ever had. The Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger will be permanently available at the Trump Bar and Grille in Trump Tower in New York City, open to the public for lunch and dinner. It will also be served during lunch in Chicago at Sixteen, the Trump International Hotel restaurant.

Ingredients:
Serves 6

* 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
* 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
* 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
* 1/8 cup canola oil
* 4 pounds ground turkey breast
* 2 Tbsp. salt
* 2 Tbsp. black pepper
* 2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
* 1 lemon, juiced and grated zest
* 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney, pureed

Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with a side of Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney and your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.

Wishing for the old fashioned Halloween

2008-11-01T19:19:00.003-05:00

This is my grandson on Halloween. There is a family resemblance. You know I had candy and turned the outside light on and had all of three kids, one was my grandson, one the kid across the street and one little girl who gave me a sack of candy rather than take candy. She was from a local Baptist church that was handing out sacks of candy and invitations to their church. I heard that one of the wealthier sections of town had so many kids that a lot of people ran out of candy. That is really sad that parents thought only the richer people were giving out safe candy or the only other safe place was to the mall. There was a Scare on the Square downtown that gave out some candy and had some other Halloween things. There are no longer kids going from house to house in their own neighborhoods anymore. It is awful that people who gave out candy with needles in it or other bad things, have made people afraid to let their kids Trick or Treat. When I was a kid we ran all around our neighborhood and other places to get candy with never a fear of getting something dangerous. We did a few ornery things like moving something around in someones yard or moving it down the street but we never did anything that hurt anyone and we never got any bad candy. We did have an old man in his long johns yell at us that "I see you whereever you are", and we knew if he could have found us he would have chased us down the street. (We moved an old statue from his yard to the bushes.) Back then we didn't even have to have our parents go along with us. I really feel sorry for my grandkids who will never know a Halloween like I had as a kid.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN AMERICA

2008-10-31T08:28:00.000-05:00

he, he, see what I did to your car!!

25 Signs That You Have Grown Up

2008-10-28T16:49:00.004-05:00

You are grown and responsible gentleman/woman when :

1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can’t smoke any of them.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.

3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
6. You watch the Weather Channel.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of “hook up” and “break up”.
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as “dressed up”.
10. You’re the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won’t turn down the stereo.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
12. You don’t know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald’s leftovers.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
16. You take naps.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.
20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer “pretty good shit”.
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
22. “I just can’t drink the way I used to” replaces “I’m never going to drink that much again”.
23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking, “Oh shit, what the hell happened?”

What do you think? Is that you ?

clipart from FreeClipArtPics

Howl-a-ween shoppers

2008-10-27T17:54:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday was the city wide garage sale. While there were many people out there, I came across three furry shoppers all dressed up in their Halloween best. Wonder if they found a dog toy for a dime?

Drum Roll Please!!!

2008-10-26T13:30:00.001-05:00

No words are necessary!

P.S. 6 Nov 08 gas is down to $1.87.

The Witch Has Hit The Pole!!!

2008-10-23T13:26:00.002-05:00

This is my favorite time of the year. I love the cloudy skies, cooler weather, the fall flowers and even tho I hate to rake leaves, that comes with the season. When my friend across the street puts her witch on the telephone pole, I know Halloween is not far away. The kids who pass by on their way to school get so excited when the witch goes up. My friend has been doing it for several years and now it is a tradition of sorts. The town is also having a scare crow contest this year and you can see several no matter where you go. There are lots of really creative people. This coming weekend is the Fall town wide garage sale and I can hardly wait. I always remember Halloweens in the past when my kids were in junior high. Every year my son and his best friend would take over his friends garage and build a haunted house for the neighborhood kids. My son calls that "The Great Cardboard Box Adventure". They were so dedicated and the kids loved it. Fall brings memories of the time I went to upstate New York, the Catskills, with my friend around Halloween. What a beautiful place. The trees were at the height of their fall colors and the weather was just perfect. My friend didn't fly, so we went by bus. Don't ever go from Oklahoma to New York and back again on a bus! My seat was so sore from sitting so long I thought I could never sit again. If anyone likes to rake leaves, drop by and I will give you a rake.

Do you Remember 1987?

2008-10-22T07:38:00.002-05:00

A friend sent this to me and I didn't know all of this. I hope you find this important enough to send it to others or tell them about it.

Thought you might be interested in this forgotten bit of information........ It was 1987! At a lecture the other day they were playing an old news video of Lt.Col. Oliver North testifying at the Iran-Contra hearings during the Reagan Administration. There was Ollie in front of God and country getting the third degree, but what he said was stunning! He was being drilled by a
senator; 'Did you not recently spend close to $60,000 for a home security system?' Ollie replied, 'Yes, I did, Sir.' The senator continued, trying to get a laugh out of the audience, 'Isn't that just a little excessive?' 'No, sir,' continued Ollie. 'No? And why not?' the senator asked 'Because the lives of my family and I were threatened, sir' 'Threatened? By whom?' the senator questioned. 'By a terrorist, sir' Ollie answered. 'Terrorist? What terrorist could possibly scare you that much?' 'His name is Osama bin Laden, sir' Ollie replied. At this point the senator tried to repeat the name, but couldn't pronounce it, which most people back then probably couldn't. A couple of people laughed at the attempt. Then the senator continued. Why are you so afraid of this man?' the senator asked. 'Because, sir, he is the most evil person alive that I know of', Ollie answered.
'And what do you recommend we do about him?' asked the senator. 'Well, sir, if it was up to me, I would recommend that an assassin team be formed to eliminate him and his men from the face of the earth.' The senator disagreed with this approach, and that was all that was shown of the clip. By the way, that senator was Al Gore! Also: Terrorist pilot Mohammad Atta blew up a bus in Israel in 1986. The Israelis captured, tried and imprisoned him. As part of the Oslo agreement with the Palestinians in 1993, Israel had to agree to release so-called 'political prisoners.' However, the Israelis would not release any with blood on their hands, The American President at the time, Bill Clinton, and his Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, 'insisted' that all prisoners be released. Thus Mohammad Atta was freed and eventually thanked us by flying an airplane into Tower One of the World Trade Center . This was reported by many of the American TV networks at the time that the terrorists were first identified.

It was censored in the US from all later reports.

This is my opinion!!!

2008-10-20T19:52:00.005-05:00

This is my opinion and I am mad as "Heck"! As each day goes by I find it hard to understand how so many people can be so unkind and biased. I have not read it, but have heard about the article in the NY Times blasting Cindy McCain. I refuse to read it but why write an attack article about a lady who has done so much good work for so many? Also, like so many other people who get blasted, why are none of the Democrats getting their fair share? I never see or hear about the NY Times doing some similar article about Obama's wife. I also cannot understand how four of the ladies (I use the term loosely) on The View can be so tacky in the things they say about Bush, McCain and Palin. I really feel sorry for Elisabeth Hasselbeck, as daily, she has to defend her political views all alone. Joy Behar, especially, is really a foul mouth. I don't understand why they have her on that show other than the fact that she is also a Democrat. I can't wait for Wednesday when they have Bill O'Reilly as a guest on their show. He is one person that doesn't take any mouth from anyone. That should really be something to see. P.S. Tues Morn: I DO NOT think the rich should have to pay for this bail out - that is not fair to change the rules when they strike Pelosi and Frank!!! We would all like to be rich and I don't think we should penalize anyone who has worked hard and become what we consider "rich". I am sure if the public had known congress was going to want the rich to pay for the bailout, it never would have been passed. Also here are those people we bailed out, going on trips to spas and country estates, using the money we gave them, to pay for it. It just keeps happening and no one seems to want them to pay it back or stop it. Just because "they had it planned before they went under", is no reason to go ahead with it. The American public has to look closely at all the proposals that each candidate is making before you go vote. Always remember the saying "be careful what you wish for!"

More Thoughts On "Another Trip"

2008-10-18T21:16:00.001-05:00

Well we're off on another trip. Yesterday we went after my granddaughter for Fall break. After picking her up and eating, my daughter, two granddaughters, one grandson and her friend plus her son, wanted to do some shopping. I am not a shopper, besides not being able to walk for a long time so I took my book and decided to sit in the car. I got tired of reading and decided to do some "people watching". Have you ever people watched? It can be very entertaining. I decided to make some notes while I was out front of a huge new Target store. The first thing that caught my eye was a lady in a denim jumper but with gold lame' shoes. It was amusing how many people came out and stood there while they realized they had no idea where they had parked. I counted four of those people. Then there was the man and woman on the huge Harley. They cruised past my car and went up and down several isles. I guess they didn't find the parking space they wanted so they just parked right on the sidewalk by the front door of the store. I sure didn't see anyone attempt to make them move it. There was a lady taking a huge box in a basket back "into" the store. I assumed the product in the box had a problem. One couple stopped to completely check their receipt before going to their car. I've discovered myself this can be a good idea. I found it interesting that senior couples came out holding hands or arm in arm, while about half of the younger couples didn't even walk next to each other while the other half did but weren't touching each other. I thought it was very sweet that some people still like to hold hands and even helped each other while walking to the car. Old fashioned manners are still alive. One teen age boy insisted on riding his skateboard up and down the sidewalk, seemingly ignoring the people who had to dodge him while coming and going from the store. There were three young men who almost fell. Each one had one foot that slipped off the curb but they caught themselves. Three..that was definitely unusual. I can't forget to mention that while I watched, for about 20 minutes, six people were on the phone as they came out of the store. Well here comes the rest of the group and perhaps we can go home now. There are so many packages, there is almost no room left for people. How do they find so many things to buy?

I might be "Honking" at you

2008-10-15T08:11:00.001-05:00

Are you, as a parent, doing your kids a favor giving them a cell phone? I watch my teenage granddaughter and it seems her cell phone is attached to her hand. She has become addicted to texting as have her friends. When I pick her up at school, the minute she closes the door, she starts texting. She texts at the dinner table, until her mother makes her put the phone up. She has been known to text in school but the teachers have put a screeching halt to that as it was a problem among a lot of the students. One of my granddaughters friends said they even text in the movie. I don't know why they go if they aren't going to watch the film. I heard on tv the other day, some teens who admitted they text while they are driving. Talking on the cell phone is dangerous enough but texting is just plain suicide to the teen and anyone else they hit with their car. Everywhere they go they have a cell phone in their hand. Even adults are addicted to the cell phone. I don't understand what is so important that a person has to talk on the phone while walking in the parking lot to the store, while shopping for groceries, while driving. I get so mad when I am behind someone who makes us miss the green light because they are on the cell phone and not paying attention. I am afraid I am a "honker" and I never hesitate to honk when they don't move when the light changes!! So if you get honked at while talking on your cell phone, you might as well know it's me.

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Granny's Quick and Easy Homemade Stew

2008-10-14T12:24:00.002-05:00

Granny's Quick and Easy Homemade Stew

Preparation and cooking time approximately 35 minutes

1 package stew meat
4 or 5 medium size white skinned potatoes
2 cans diced tomatoes w/ garlic and onions
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can sliced carrots
1 can french cut green beans
(You can add more or other vegetables if preferred.)
1/2 cup Barley
Italian or favorite Seasoning
Salt and Pepper

Sprinkle stew meat w/meat tenderizer
Place meat in pressure cooker w/enough water to cover meat
Cook for about 17 - 20 minutes. Leave water in with meat.
Wash potatoes and dice, leaving skin on
Cook potatoes until soft
Drain off half of the water from potatoes
Add potatoes and water into pressure cooker with meat
Add tomatoes,
Drain off liquid from vegetables, then add to with Barley to meat and potatoes.
Sprinkle in some Italian seasoning.
Cook on medium heat with lid off for about 15 minutes
Add salt and pepper to taste

I usually eat on this for several days. The barley and potatoes will often absorb the liquid. so when I reheat a bowl full I add a little water and perhaps a half teaspoon of butter. This makes a huge amount of soup and you can freeze some.

Did you know it's almost time to Vote? Duh......

2008-10-13T15:29:00.001-05:00

It's raining, gasoline is $2.44 a gallon, Halloween is just around the corner and all the Fall flowers are in full bloom. I have been glued to Fox News to see what is going on in the candidate fight for President and Vice President. Fox is the only news station that is showing fair and balanced news on the candidates. All the other major news networks are so biased towards Obama that I can hardly believe it. Even shows like The View need to change their name to The Democratic View and Oprah should be the Democratic Oprah Show. I am so disappointed in the news programs that won't be fair and unbiased. The way some reporters have treated Gov. Palin is disgraceful. It is laughable how she has scared the Democrats to death. I guess they thought McCain would pick someone who they could ignore, who wouldn't make a ripple let alone a wave.

I fear that the US will be sorry if they elect a Democratic President with a Democratic Congress. People need to take a good hard look at what the Democratic Congress has done for the last two years that they have had the majority --- NOTHING. I also can't believe how so much is taken out of context and spouted as the latest thing the candidate said. I guess they think the public is stupid. They are taking advantage of the fact that there are a lot of the public that don't use a computer so they can't check out what is true and what is not.

I definitely don't think my son, who works himself to death should have to pay more taxes than someone who doesn't work as hard. I think what some are suggesting, "the fair tax" is a good idea. The FairTax Act (HR 25, S 1025) is nonpartisan legislation. It abolishes all federal personal and corporate income taxes, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, and self-employment taxes and replaces them with one simple, visible, federal retail sales tax administered primarily by existing state sales tax authorities.

The FairTax taxes us only on what we choose to spend on new goods or services, not on what we earn. The FairTax is a fair, efficient, transparent, and intelligent solution to the frustration and inequity of our current tax system.

I really think those in office today just don't have a clue how to straighten out all our problems. Just be sure and go out on 4 November and vote.

How many zeros in a billion?????

2008-10-12T19:39:00.005-05:00

Borrowed from Living on the Other Side of the Hill:

With the word billion being used at least 100 times a day, I thought this was very thought provoking:

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of it's releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain... let's take a look at New Orleans . It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number.. what does it mean?

A. Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528.

B. Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or... if you are a family of four... your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington, D. C .... Are all your calculators broken??

Fact Checkers

2008-10-08T09:09:00.004-05:00

Looking for the truth in all this political talk?

Fact Check, Annenberg Political Fact Check
Holding Politicians Accountable

The Fact Checker at WashingtonPost.com

PolitiFact.com from the St Petersburg Times
Sorting out the truth in politics.

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Grandparents Website

2008-10-07T07:55:00.004-05:00

I heard about this website and checked it out. If you ever want things to do with your grandchildren this is the site. They have wonderful things that you can do and they have activities for all ages of grandchildren. This is definitely a site to add to your favorites.

Grandparents.com, it is great to be grand. 101 Things to do with your grandkids.
Following are the different categories and activities covered:

Activities: city guides, coloring and activity pages, everyday activities, movie reviews, sing alongs, with infants.

Travel: cruises & resorts, outdoor adventures, road trips, theme park vacations, tours and explorations, travel tips, travel/deals, grandest adventures.

Toys & gifts: activity sets, books & educational, clothes & shoes, deals, gear & gadgets, music & Movies, sports equipment, toys and games.

Food: kids cooking, heirloom kitchen, Professional kitchen, recipes.

Expert Advice: ask the therapist, education, family matters, healthy lifestyles, legal, long distance grandparenting, new grandparents, you & your grandchildren.

Columns, featured articles, todays problems and blogs and discussion groups. You can get a free weekly newsletter. Choose the age of your grandchild for articles that relate to you and that child.

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