Saturday, December 31, 2005

Your Mail in 2006: DOn't Forget to Add Two Cent Stamps

Your Mail in 2006: Don't Forget to Add One Two Cents Stamps


Please remember to add a two cents stamps to your mail. Otherwise the mailman will return your mail.


Happy Holidays!


 

The Red Sox Blues

The Red Sox Blues


Would someone please explain to me why the Red Socks would trade Manny Ramirez and Mat Clement for Miguel Tijada?????


Manny Ramires is the best hitter of the American league and Matt Clement has a huge effect on the Red Socks pitching staff. He made the Red Socks what they are today.


Migule Tijada is too old and he could have a not too hot season this year. He will probably struggle and how could he ever get as good as Manny is?


Pleas explain! I have teens here who love baseball and they are not Monponsett!Or nightmaremom!help!


 


 

What I want to do in 2006

What I Want to do in 20006


( Hey..put what you want to do in the comments!K?!!!)


What I want in 2006 in  this :


1. To be more pro active in writing, walking, encouraging the kids, encouragin their coaches and teachers, encouraging my neighbors more.


2.To stand up for people more, not less.


3. To create more community, not less.


4. To be more farsighted, less nearsighted! (I hope!)


5. To focus more and draft more ideas ( creative ones  I hope!)


6. To create more of a community here with like minded here.


7. To love more, live more, laugh more and cry more.


8 To travel more when there is time left over.


Viola! How about you ?


Happy New Year!

A Story to Honor Our Deceased Troops

A Story to Honor our Deceased Troops


Remembering Scott O'Leary


Holly gazed over the fence and into the cemetery. She saw all of he white crosses, one after the other, in the long rows that reached up the hill.


There was a light mist floating in under the clouds and a light sunlight fusing the sky with a pale white light. She sighed.


Holly walked up the hill and down the row where her brother lay. She met his cross with a sigh. Scott O'Leary ... born ... --- died ... --- ... She sat quietly, placing ehr daffodils on his grave as she folded her legs under her.


She thought of the Memorial in DC to the soldiers - the eternal flame. The feelings seemed to be:"Hope Springs Eternal."


Humm..In what way did hope spring eternal? Eternal for whom?


She brushed her bangs aside as her tears fell on the ground. She felt the huge pain in her chest and she hugged her knees, missing her brother...Her brother, the one who always looked after her when they were growing up. He was always there, looking after her, helping pick her up when she  fell, helping her with her problems.. and now? Who would be there for her/


She still remembered him playing football at college and that time they went to prom together...


Holly sighed. She thought about how Scott was a veteran. He was dead, dead in her arms, but still a veteran...


Was this was like World War II? she frowned and looked out in front of her...Then we  had a common enemy who, like now, would fight us to the death. An enemy, Alkeida, who wanted us to loose all of our freedoms, because they had no use for them..in that way it was like World War II. But the gripping fear that Americans felt, not knowing where Alkeide might strike again, and in Iraq, not knowing which hospital, school, house or tank might receive the blast of a grenade, that was hard..she shuddered...


Scott had not t about his fears in this letters or spoke of them in his phone calls. He was too big of a man for that. But she knew.


Why were these criminals mad at us? Why did they hate our culture so much that they were willing to kill their own kind , including women and children and innocent non military families to make their point?


Just because they didn't like Coca Cola and Taco Bell and they wanted their women to keep wearing veils, why attack us for that?She bit her lip...Why did they kill her brother?


She reflected on her town...Did they appreciate Scott's sacrifice?She nodded..Oh yes.. She remembered the yellow ribbons when Scott's brigade had to go in a difficult territory.. A  lot of the tree around the square had them.. And the parade when he came home on break LAst TIme! He was on a float with o<SPAN class=spell id=sp-28 title="Click here to replace with: the, there, thee, then, them, they, the troops,


waving his flag! They were all so proud! ..


And then when his coffin came home, so many people flooded the church and brought flowers... There were people commiserating with her parents and other families everywhere...She sighed. She put the flowers down and picked up her feet. She would go visit her parents later... 

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Water Wars

Water Wars


Time Magazine


September 5, 2005


Madeleine Nash


Introduction


This article covers a subject which sticks in my crawl space! It is about some state buying and reverting some natural river and tributaries to their own state.


Las Vegas,Nevada wants to move and pump water from remote springs in Utah and in Colorado to Las Vegas!


Nash points out that Great Basin water fro these regions is already in trouble due to sever srying in our environment. Naturally there are some zoologists like Greald Smith of the University of Michigan who point out that if we dry out these regions we will alos loose tiny organisms who have lived there all of this time.


In Colorado Nash says the Colorado river's tributaries are going down dramatically.


Nash points out soundly that until scientists can report the effect that these projects will have on the environemnt that they should not be undertaken.


What do you think?


 

More DDT is Requested to Fight Malaria in Africa

More DDT is Desired in Remote Spots of Africa


The Editors


Scientific American


December 2005


Remember in 1972 when due to Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring" DDT was banned in America due to the fact that we feared that DDT would damage the genes in some animals and kill off some strains of insects?


Enter South Africa with its' dire situation of so much malaria and not enough weapons to fight it. In the Sahara of Africa, Africans would like America and Europe and other developing nations to donate DDT and to allow the spraying of it in responsible ways.


What do you make of this?

HIdden Money Awaits Veterans and Wives of Veterans of Wars

Hidden Money Awaits Veterans and Wives of Veterans from Wars


Friday, December 23, 2005


Knight Ridder Newspapers


The Deparment of Veteran Affairs has aproblem. They have + or - 22 billion dollars a year in pensions from the U.S. government that should go to imporverished veterans and veterans' widow. there's only one problem; the Department of Veteran Affairs cannotlocate most of these veterans and widows. Only one in seven of the survivors of our veterans who should get these checks do get them. the DVA says that poor veterans don't know that this program exists.


A VA report in 2004 reccomended that the agency get the word out better.


In 2005, the total number of pensions carried by people fell to 541,00 nationwide.


The VA Commission said that since WWII and the Korean Wars many veterans of wars are dying and falling off the rolls. It is now difficult for the VA to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program. Last year Knight Ridder said that about 572,000 people might be mising a supplement whihc could amount to somewhere between $112 to $2,393 a month to theri income.


Veterans and widows who want to apply must have a veteran in the family who:1. served in a war, 2. is at least 65 years old or disabled.


The phone number is:(800) (827-1000).


The Internet address isthe VA Headquarters:


www.vba.va.gov/bin/21/Milsvc/Doc/Pensoneg.doc


If the person is a widow of a veteran, she goes to thie address to apply:


www.vba.gov/bin/21/mifsvc/Docs/Opening.doc


 


If you know anyone who might aplly for this, please give them this information. Apparently this fund needs to get more use in order to keep getting funded by teh federal government.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year To Jland, Troops, Heroes and Families!To singles too!


Happy New Year to all of my dear friends in Jland, to all of our troops abroad, to all of our heroes, firemen, teachers, administrators, professors, policemen, artists, musicians, and family people. You Rock! Applause!


( I stand up and look at you).

Sunday, December 25, 2005

Happy Holidays to Our Troops Abroad

Happy Holidays to Our Troops in Iraq and Other Places


If you are  in the Army, Navy, Marines or US Military Intelligence, we wish you a good and decent holiday!


We hold you with honor in our thoughts and we wish you a safe and good tour of duty with a safe trip home!


Happy Holidays and Best Wishes!


 

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Happy Winter Soltice and Happy Kwanza


Have a great holiday and I hope you receive love, joy and Happiness !


natalie

Ten Things that Make me Happy

Ten things That Make Me Happy


1. My kids doing well at lots of things and having fun.


2. My friends getting together with me and my family.


3.Writing a story or a poem.


4. Eating at an exotic restaurant wiht family or good friends


5. Helping a friend solve a problem.


6.Reading a great novel.


7.Discovering something new.


8. Travelling somewhere new.


9. Meeting new people.


10. Biking, skating, hiking volleyball, or watching basketball or soccer or baseball.


OK If you read this and you would like to do it, please be my guest!

Holiday Haiku

Haiku Bicycle


Happiness is short


Living a hard life shorter


I can sing this song


 


I fell in love


While in Katmandu I met


A wonderous guy


We dined on figs


While he played his great sitar


And watched lotus flowers bloom

Friday, December 23, 2005

Dad It's cold....when can we go home?

Dad it's cold; When can we go home?


Yasir clutched the border of his jacket. He lived in Pakistan near the border with India. All of his homeland was in the high elevations and for a long time he and his family had been fine. Then the earthquake came and all was lost... all of their wonderful homes, their school, the monster of a storm even took out their hospital.


Yasir shivered.. they slept in a clear tent like the other Pakistanis , wrapped tight in blankets and shivering...


Yasir sighed... Soon it would be Ramadan, the HIgh Holy Days. Their people were a good people and he wondered when would the world come and help them?


His father said that it would all take time..becasue they lived high up and it was considerably hard to reach them..


"Hummmm.." Yasir thought...


It better be soon...


Yasir's grandparents had persihed in the earthquake.


It took awhile for his dad and his uncle to find them in the rubble..But now he worried about his mother , who had recently taken ill..


He climbed up on a tree to look out and see if his friend Bathar was about... Yup! He spotted him. He ran over to see what Bathar was up to... maybe they could build a fort out of the stones from the temple and they could be pirates today! He rushed over to


Bathar to find out...


 

Lara and Babushka

Lara and Babushka


Lara was visiting Grandma with her doll Babushka in Kiev.


Grandma would be taking her to the Chernobyl cancer center after tea. Lara didn't remember much about Chernobyl; grandma had tried to explain about Chernobyl; how it was like a big white storm with bad white stuff floating over everyone and everything. She had explained that Russia was not prepared for it when it came and so Kiev had rallied the little funds and docotrs it had to create this clinic. Lara cradled her doll and rocked her to and fro...She loved this doll and she lvoed her Grandma so much.


Grandma came in with some sweet apple cider;warmed by the stove. She smiled down at Lara and sat next to her. Lara smiled back;warmed by her Grandma's love. "Grandma? Can Babuschka have some cider too please?"


"Oh sure Lara! " She went back into the kitcken, poured some cider inot a small cup and brought it back. "Here!".Grandma smiled big.


"Thanks Grandma!"


Lara cradled her doll and gave her the semblance of a drink.


Lara reflected on her upcoming Christmas.On Christmas Eve, her family would go to the Russian Orthodox mass in teh big cathedral. That church had huge paintings all over the ceiling..lots of people,etc. and there would be candles and incense.


On Christmas day they would sit together in their living room with her mother's friends and open presents. There was always some small gift that her mom had managed to get for her..at great difficulty because their gas and food bills were so high. As little as Lara was she really appreciated her parents' travails and efforts. Then, her mom would cook a big potato meal (yumm!) including sweet potatoes and dumplings. Meat was expensive so they might not get that but even so...then after the meal they might have a fruit or a pudding. Lara loved to take a stroll after dishes with her dad. She smiled to herself.Not everyone had such dear parents who loved their kid so much..Ah.. but she did!She smiles and wrapped babushka up warmly in a baby blanket and held her close...

Thursday, December 22, 2005

The Bodhishivatti Doll

The Bodhishivatti Doll


The girl Kali was about ten or eleven when I knew her.


She lived in a small village in India. She had fashioned a doll for herself out of extra cloths that her mother had left over in the kitchen. She called this her Bodhishivatti doll.


The family had not a huge amountof money to live on;


yet they were agood solid family. They had a shrine or alter to Buddha in the back of the house with a stool to kneel on. She wanted to be good and compassionant like Buddha. The story went that if she could attain a high level of doing good for others in this lifetime she might become a Bohishivatti one. This being lives for the good of others. She lives on such a high plain that it is hard for people to understand. Kali aspired to become this and her doll was there to remind ehr and to encourage her good way of thingking and doing for others. Kali smiled at the doll. They sat down tot eht able together. All is well.

Robert's Christmas Present

Robert's Christmas Present


He was tired and dirty as he walked in the door but it didn't matter; he was totally focused on making a Christmas gift for her.


She wouldn't be home yet for alittle while: time enough for him to go out in his shop and finish his woodcarving.


Last year he had made a couple of boxes for her and she had enjoyed them. The look in her eyes when she held them up and pulled them out of the giftwrap had brought tears into his own.He had made them and she had seen his work in it.


He looked out of the window at the trees swaying in the breeze... He was thinking of her and how he loved to hold her against his frame when they were stretched out next to the fireplace...mmmmm.


He picked up the little bird he was carving. It reminded him of the birds that came to their porch in the spring...


He chuckled and he began to whistle a tune...


Christmas came but once a year! Why not make the most of it?

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Treasure ship Found in the English Channel; treasure recovered!

Treasure Found in the English Channel


The Week December 23,2005-January 6, 2006


The Dutch government found tens of thousands of dollars worth of silver bullion that was retrieved from a shipwreck in 1739, from the Rooswijk, a company owned by the Dutch East India Company. The ship had just left Holland for avoyage to teh East Indieswhere the silver was to be made into coins when it sank.There were no survivors among 250 crew and passengers.

New York in Peril: Bloomberg to Seek Restraining Order

New York In Peril: Bloomberg to Seek A Restraining Order


CNN,December 21


The mayor of New York, Mr. Bloomberg, is requesting a restraining order for the city's subway and bus system. This si the second day of the strike which has cost the city a loss of upwards of 343million dollars.


New Yorkers must walk over the bridge to work or put otgether a group of people to carpool to work.


(see Scalzi's article yesterday).


Bloomberg talks about the need for transportation;people do have to go to work to pay their bills and some people are now at risk because they cannot acces their health care provider.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Why do we Celebrate Hannukah?

Why do we Celebrate Hannukah?


You have seen the candle holders with the seven candles. Why do we do it?( What are we remembering and celebrating?)


Did you have a particularly wonderful Hannukah week that you would like to tell us about here? Please post a comment with your link and write astory about it in your blog so that we can all enjoy it!

Who were the Wise Men?

Who Were the Wise Men?


Who were the wise men? Why did they seek The Christ Child?


How did they find him?


Do we celebrate a holiday after them and if so when is it?


 

John Scalzi's Request for Christmas Stories

Scalzi's Request for Christmas Stories


Hi! One of my favorite Chrismas stories is my next entry. If you like, you can post a link to your favorite story in your blog on John Scalzi's blog. Just look for Christmas stories.


You can also leave some here.

Favorite Christmas


I'm not sure what my most favorite Christmas would be. Christmas is a joyful time, full of family sharing and being together.


One Christmas, my mother decided that she would invite some people to join us; a recent widow, a grandfather from another town, and two couples who's kids were not inviting them!


My mother always made everyone feel as if God had reserved a special place for them at the table! The furniture was newly polished, the tablecloth was on, and the Christmas tree was lovely.She played wonderful Christmas music and she wore a fun long dress; very Christmas like!


After a leisurely meal the kids were trying out their presents.I remember being twice grateful; once for the spirit of the event and the blessings of family and two for my wonderful mother and my family.


 

Friday, December 16, 2005

Who is this man?

Who is this man?


In line with the holidays I post this request: please leave me a comment on who this man is.I will leave the answer next week.


Hints:


1.He and his assistants arrive on the roof.


2. His assistants are Moors from Africa.


However, he himself is not from Africa.


3.He leaves you good things if youare good :), and bad things if youare not!:(


4. He collects nice toys and things and he delivers them to the poor kids in town.


Okay! please let me know!


_______________________


Nicole guessed correctly...


His name was Saint Nicolas.


He worked the poor neighborhoods in a small town in Spain. He became famous in Europe , where his birthday is still celebrated on December th 5th.He was famous because he loved all people and all children and he tried to see to it that the poor children receive toys too.


On December 5th, children will go visit this man with the bishop's hat and mitre in Europe and in parts of Amercia. The bishop will mention what the child has done very well and also not so well that year. The child will receive asmall token of the Saint's admiration, as long as he or she was good. The child knows that if he or she was too bad, the Moors ( assistants to Saint Nick) will throw them ina bag and take them off to Spain!


This character was the model for Santa Claus. His hat and suit were modified but his spirit of generosity remained the same!

Caroling Through JLand

Caroling through JLand


Jlanders!we have a new homework job to do! Tell everyone your favorite holiday song, and then leave a blog for others to do the same!


My favorite is Handels' "Messiah".


My second favorite is the children's classic:"The Little Drummer Boy".


Please write down your favorites and leave your link so that others may visit your blog. Cheers and Holly Jolly!


 

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

What are you Favorite Holiday Stories?

What are your favorite Holiday Stories?


Please write them down in your comments and leave a link to your journals!


My favorite is: "The Gift of the Magi". It is about a couple who learn about the wonder that happens from giving  this time of year.


There is also a fairy tale about a statue of a prince. He decides to let these sparrows steal gold from himself in order to feed the poor.


There is a fairy tale about some elfs who help a poor cobbler by bringin him leather every night.


 


 

He Made Me Glow

He Made Me Glow


 I was watching a film last night and something about the kindness I saw in the leading character reminded me of him; he made me glow...I remember first seeing him out by the fire where the entertainers were playing music and we were all dancing... the fire lit a glow across the students. My girlfriend introduced me to him.. it turned out she had known him in the school play he had been in. It was a Greek play about loyalty and self sacrifice.He smiled at me and took my hand to ask me to dance.The breeze surrounded us and made us giddy as we danced...


It turned out we were to be great friends, and more..

Friday, December 9, 2005

What I want for Christmas

What I want for Christmas


I would like an international group of buildings, a food budget and a staff budget that would enable me to host a number of orphanages for needy children.I would really put some work into helping these children:a. find suitabel homes with parents who care, b. helping them to develop their interests and to love themselves.


Extra credit:


If some one gave this to me I would go nuts with happiness and catch the first plane to the first site.

Honor Veterans of Pearl Harbor

Honor Veterans of Pearl Harbor


December 7, 1941


Our naval officers and sailors were minding their own business and working away when the Japanese airforce made them an early grave. This one act swept our nation into World War II with a fierce passion!


People who had never thought about going to war signed up to protect our nation and freedom and liberty around the world. Women and invalids signed up to help out the war effort by building bombs and putting together bandages and other Red Cross supplies for our forces in Europe and later in Africa, in the Pacific, in Indonesia and in other countries.


Man were we fired up!:):) And I feel the same dedication and total loyalty and pride every time I complement one of these loyal veterans! Thank you so much for saving he world from tyranny!

Thursday, December 8, 2005

Hope for a better tomorrow

Hope for a Better Tomorrow


As the nurse bent over to chage his mother's I.V. Jerome rubbed his middle fingers of his left hand against the last two fingers and he reflected on what the doctor had said...he sighed; and as he did he felt that little catch in his throat, followed by a dull pain in his heart...


he looked over at his mother..


What should he do?... Should he tell his father the real truth about what the doctor had said? He thought about it as he looked up at the ceiling...He imagined his father's face before him; his eyes saddened by his mother's weakened condition; yet sometimes bright and strong due to some perceived improvement or good day that his mother had had.He hesitated to give his father any news other than news of a full recovery because that was what his father craved ; and after all his father was all that he had left. If he were to tell him that the doctor was not sure of her recovery, then he imagined that his father's health might soon fail too...


His parents had always taken good care of each other


He focused on the top of the window pane. His father's words last night had cheered him up..he had said "Don't let the saddness seep in son! Always be viligant in bringing in the light."His father's words made sense to him.


He would tell his father what the doctor had said in passing; but with a new twist: he would emphaisze the the fact that his mother had agood chance to make it. He smiled.


 

Monday, December 5, 2005

Scientists have created the first molecule that can move in a straight line by itself

Scientists have created the first molecule that can move in a straight line by itself


Scientific American


CharlesQ. Choi


December, 2005


The molecule (dithioanthracene) is composed of coal and tar derivatives. These elements are linked to sulfurous organic compounds. The compounds that are linked in the molecule moved when heated by alternating ,; so that only one was lifted from the surface at a time. The "foot" helped the molecule from falling off course; even when the scientist pushed it along.


the DTA took 10,000 tests without rails or grooves helping it mark its' course and without loosing its' balance. Scientists at UCLA Riverside think that this project could potentially lead to molecular computers; with these DTA or other similar molecules operating in " nano-abacuses".

Pat Morita of Karate Kids has died

Pat Morita of "Karate Kids" has died


People Magazine, December 12, 2005


Pat Morita, a man of rare ocurage in his personal life, and termedous talent in his professional life, was born in 1932. At two years old, he was diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis  when his legs went paralyzed. For a few years, he wore a cast from his shouilders to his knees. In 1942, he underwent experimental surgery and this helped him to learn to walk again in the sanatorium where he got better. Unfortuantely, after this ordeal he and his family were sent to an internment camp (prison camp) for Japanese families during World War II in Arizona. 


Later in life he became a funny stand up comedian and then he worked in the series "Happy Days" and later in the movie "Karate Kid".He was wonderful in that movie and he managed to inspire many young people to stand up for themselves and to try to acheive  high goals.


His second wife said that he spent his adult life trying to make other people happy.

Thursday, December 1, 2005

Hero policeman in Philadelphia saves his grandmother and five more

Hero Cop in Philadelphia saves his grandmother and five more people


Mr. Rudy Muller , a local policeman went into acomplex, strapped his grandmother on his back, took ehr out of a burning building, turned arouind and pulled five more people out of the blaze! What an awesome guy!


Apparently he alos saved a woman and her dog froma fire five years ago.

taking your face off as in Travolta's movie now possible

Taking your face off and receiving another as in Travolta's "Face Off" movie now a reality


November 30, 2005


According to Anderson of CNN 360degrees report burn victims now have the option og getting a new face as in the movie "Face Off".


The new face will be attached to the border of the patent's face. Anderson cautions that this is only for burn victims and that the victim will not look like the person whose face he or she is getting.

In the public arena Single sex charter schools

Single sex charter schools for high school kids ;what do you think?


November 31 CBS


According to Legislators in Milwalkee, Wisconsin where  pioneers  have set up a new single sex charter high school for girls, the girls are noting as a group that their overall grade and comprehension scores have skyrocketed due to the absense of dating and dressing up pressure that they felt before.Note that not all girls or boys have an issue with this, but ti seems to work for those who do. What do you think?