We have been lucky to sail several times with John Heald as the Cruise Director. He is a person that found his niche, his calling, and has the talent to pull it off. I will never forget sailing up the Grand Canal into Venice Italy with Pavarotti on the Carnival Freedom’s sound system. The Video could have been filmed on the Freedom with John showing his ability to be the “Straight Man”.
You folks on the bloggers cruise in just 4 weeks will experience the best doing what he does best…………
Judge Roger Vinson, in Pensacola, Fla., ruled that as a result of the unconstitutionality of the “individual mandate” that requires people to buy insurance, the entire law must be declared void.
“I must reluctantly conclude that Congress exceeded the bounds of its authority in passing the act with the individual mandate. That is not to say, of course, that Congress is without power to address the problems and inequities in our health care system. The health care market is more than one-sixth of the national economy, and without doubt Congress has the power to reform and regulate this market. That has not been disputed in this case. The principal dispute has been about how Congress chose to exercise that power here,” Vinson wrote.
And life goes on…………..
and life goes on
Miss Mel has been a friend since 2007 when I stumbled across her blog, Cool, Calm, and Collected. She was a 19 year old young lady who was engaged to a soldier that was killed by and Improvised Explosive Device in Iraq. Over the years we cried together, we laughed together, we became part of a blogger family.
I did many post about Mel, knowing in my heart that this day would come when she would know that it is time for her to live the life that her soldier would have wished for her, today is that great day, and life goes on………
Stop by and wish her well.
This is me and my Empress Bee on our recent cruise on the Carnival Dream, wow, what a wonderful time we had with all the kids and grandbabies.
Holy crap, that is one stern looking old fart, Lala gets photo credit on this one, great shot Lala.
It looks like I am full of determination and “True Grit” (watched John Wayne last night, great movie). The fact is no matter what face I show you I knew I would be coming home to another round of Chemo. Miss Bee tells me it has not been a bad a last time but when it comes to sick you only remember the last time…. Yep, the old Sarge has been deep in the underworld for the past week and a half but am really feeling good this morning. We saw Dr Green this week and will see him again next week, at that time a decision will be made about my next treatment, before or after the Bloggers Cruise. If it goes like this time I would be back at this stage in my recovery on day one of the cruise.
I suppose it only matters if timing of the treatments are important, Dr Green has to make that call.
When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!
Shucks, we are real Americans……..
You could say that the apple did not fall too far from the tree. If you know my blog you will know that this is Chuck and the Old Sarge. You will also know that he is clean and sober for two years now, long enough for him to start to realize that life can be better out of the underworld.
Good things are happening to Chuck, he started to blog a few weeks back, “Ramblings of a mad man”. I suspect that the good things have to do with the fact the he has earned the trust of his friends, he is no longer trying to get high on drugs, he is high on life. On his blog yesterday he announced that one of his friends who owns four “Sober Houses” where drunks and drug addicts live together clean and sober, has asked him to take on the responsibility of management of these houses. Way to go Chuck, you are enrolled in continuing education to become a licensed drug counselor, you have started a least one new meeting of AA, you have a job, you have a car, you have a drivers license, you have insurance on you car, and now you have a second responsibility in which I am confident that you will excel. Damn, life is good and I am proud of you.
Some things make an old man happy……
What's Next For Texas? "Content & Character Are More Important Than Color"
HOUSTON, TX January 6, 2011
The Crispus Attucks Tea Party will hold its inaugural meeting at 5:30 pm on January 18th, 2011 allocated at 2712 Blodgett, in the 3rd Ward. Guest speakers will include recently elected Texas State House Representative James Earl White, House District 12 and Anita Moncrief, National Spokesperson for AmericanMajority.com.
Updated: Tuesday, 18 Jan 2011, 9:57 PM CST
HOUSTON - It's a tea party unlike any Houston, and perhaps the entire country, has ever seen. The first Black Tea Party held its inaugural meeting Tuesday night in the Third Ward. Organizers of the Crispus Attucks Tea Party are quick to point out that anyone is welcome and it's not a political party.
Their mission statement reads in part:
"To build a strong base of conservative Black entrepreneurs, elected officials and constituents that provide Black conservatives a viable way to express and implement their conservative values politically."
Co-founder Anita Moncrief says the party is also looking to overcome stereotypes.
"We're trying to break the stereotype that the tea party is racist," said Moncrief.
In interest of full disclosure, I am a tea party member, you know that bunch of rednecks and old farts, yep, that’s me. We have been called raciest, bigots, homophobes, and assorted other adjectives. Maybe this will help to squelch this argument.
Philadelphia, PA – More details are emerging about Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell, whose license was suspended Monday after authorities investigating an abortion death discovered dozens of fetal remains and “deplorable and unsanitary” conditions at his seedy abortion clinic…………
………..Marie Smith is lucky to be alive after having had a botched abortion by Gosnell in 1999. She developed a high fever and slipped into unconsciousness a week after her abortion. She was rushed to the hospital where the source of her condition was confirmed.
“They showed me X-rays and said he [Gosnell] left an arm and a leg inside me,” Smith told a reporter. “I almost died. I thought he knew what he was doing, but I guess I was wrong.”
The "house of horrors"... The Women's Medical Society in Philadelphia, where Dr Kermit Gosnell allegedly made millions from abortions. Photo: AP
A Philadelphia physician, Dr. Kermit Gosnell was charged with the murder of seven unborn babies who he allegedly killed with scissors, and an adult female who died of an overdose of anesthesia.
What the old Sarge thinks: Holy moley I have been told things were bad in these abortion mills, but find this unbelievable. He worked overnight using untrained workers to administer anesthesia and other drugs. This guy had no regard for the health of his patients, no regard for his oath, and high regard for the dollars he took in this low income neighborhood. Is this where we should call for the reinstatement of public executions?
I apologize to my readers, I try to stay away from this subject but some stories need to be told.
During a visit to my doctor, I asked him, "How do you determine whether or not an older person should be put in an old age home?"
"Well," he said, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the person to empty the bathtub."
"Oh, I understand," I said. "A normal person would use the bucket because it is bigger than the spoon or the teacup."
"No" he said. "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?"
A short neurological test
1- Find the C below.. Please do not use any cursor help.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
2- If you already found the C, now find the 6 below.
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
69999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
3 - Now find the N below. It's a little more difficult.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
This is NOT a joke. If you were able to pass these 3 tests, you can cancel your annual visit to your neurologist. Your brain is great and you're far from having a close relationship with Alzheimer.
Congratulations!
Well, congratulations, you're not color blind either!
SENIOR CITIZENS
ARE THE NATION'S LEADING CARRIERS OF AIDS!
HEARING AIDS
BAND AIDS
ROLL AIDS
WALKING AIDS
MEDICAL AIDS
GOVERNMENT AIDS
MOST OF ALL,
MONETARY AIDS TO THEIR KIDS!
Not forgetting HIV (Hair is Vanishing)
First, he put his butt on the line to protect his troops, he fired his pistol near the head of an enemy soldier, acquired information form that soldier that saved American lives turned himself in for his action, retired, won a seat in Palm Beach County, now he intends to protect the people. Has to do with character, Matt Man would not understand that.
In addition to communicating with the local Air Traffic Control facility, all aircraft in the Persian Gulf AOR are required to give the Iranian Air Defense Radar (military) a ten minute 'heads up' if they will be transiting Iranian airspace.
The following conversation was heard on the VHF Guard (emergency) frequency 121.5 MHz.
Iranian Air Defense Radar: 'Unknown aircraft you are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.'
Aircraft: 'This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.'
Iranian Air Defense Radar: 'You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!'
Aircraft: 'This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send 'em up, I'll wait.'
Iranian Air Defense Radar: (total silence)
WARMS MY HEART..........SEMPER FI
Las Vegas Churches accept gambling chips
THIS MAY COME AS A SURPRISE TO THOSE OF YOU NOT LIVING IN LAS VEGAS , BUT THERE ARE MORE CATHOLIC CHURCHES THAN CASINOS.
NOT SURPRISINGLY, SOME WORSHIPERS AT SUNDAY SERVICES WILL GIVE CASINO CHIPS RATHER THAN CASH WHEN THE BASKET IS PASSED.
SINCE THEY GET CHIPS FROM MANY DIFFERENT CASINOS, THE CHURCHES HAVE DEVISED A METHOD TO COLLECT THE OFFERINGS..
THE CHURCHES SEND ALL THEIR COLLECTED CHIPS TO A NEARBY FRANCISCAN MONASTERY FOR SORTING AND THEN THE CHIPS ARE TAKEN TO THE CASINOS OF ORIGIN AND CASHED IN.
THIS IS DONE BY THE CHIP MONKS.
GOTCHA!
Just hours after an assailant shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six bystanders, Democrat Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik linked the Tucson shooting rampage to harsh conservative rhetoric, he drew cheers from some left wing MSNBC types.
“When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And unfortunately, Arizona I think has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”
(ABC News) — Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, today sent out a fundraising email to supporters in which he includes his analysis of the Arizona shootings that ties the tragedy to “right-wing reactionaries.”
“This horrendous act of violence is not some kind of strange aberration for this area where, it appears, threats and acts of violence are part of the political climate,” Sanders said in his letter. “Nobody can honestly express surprise that such a tragedy finally occurred.”
Sarah Palin took a lot of heat for using the term “blood libel” in her response to unfounded blame of the “Tea Party” talk radio ect………
After this shocking tragedy, I listened at first puzzled, then with concern, and now with sadness, to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event. President Reagan said, "We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions." Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of a state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectfully exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies … journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.
The quote of Ronald Reagan in her speech sums it up very well…….
President Reagan said, “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of a state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectfully exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies, not with those who proudly voted in the last election.
A MEDIA GUIDE FOR THE JOURNALISTICALLY CHALLENGED
My good friend and personal hero, Roberta, left a comment that included parts of President Obama’s speech in Tucson, I had not listened to or read the speech and would like to take this opportunity to praise the President for his handling of this matter.
This was a wonderful cruise, if you have the opportunity to sail the Dream, do it….
What a beautiful ship
Well, he is the Empress Bee and the old Sarge having a blast at dinner with our party of 14 folks, how lucky can a person be to have such a great family.
The flat boys wanted to learn to pole dance so I took them along for a few lessons, they are fast learners…………..
They loved the piano bar also
After all that activity, Skeez was just exhausted, he ordered one of those fancy drinks in his pink cup…..
Jeter was being very nice, he declined a drink from the bar because he will be driving the ship later today…….
We woke up this morning looking at the deep blue waters off the Florida Keys, every day on a cruise ship is a good day….
Well, at least he waited until Elizabeth was buried
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio holds up the gavel during the first session of the 112th Congress
She was so bad that 19 democrats would not vote for her as minority leader
Time will tell where we go from here, I hope the 112th is not a disappointment, and honestly, even a disappointment will be nothing like as bad as the 111th, we are swamped with debt, facing the need to raise the debt ceiling or default.
I can hear the moaning and groining now when they are forced to vote on increasing the debt ceiling. Well I would like you to remember what was said by a first term senator from Illinois when it was increased while GW Bush was president.
“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”
President Obama, eat those words…….
I am hopeful today, a new feeling, hard times are ahead, remembering the words of JFK, “We choose to go to the moon… in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard”
I urge the 112th to do the right thing, “not because they are easy, but because they are hard”
Today is a beautiful day.
Oh what a relief it is…………
Audios to the evil witch of the west, oh what a relief it is……..
January 3, 2011
Speaker-elect John Boehner
Office of the Speaker of the House
H-232, U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker-elect Boehner,
As you know, several key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became effective on January 1, 2011. We write out of concern for one particular measure that addresses a loophole in the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
Ever since it was first enacted in 2003, the Medicare Part D program has come with a catch. Once an initial coverage limit is reached, beneficiaries have to absorb 100 percent of their drug costs until catastrophic coverage kicks in. This gap in coverage, known as the Medicare "donut hole," totaled $3,610 in 2010. That means that approximately 3.4 million U.S. seniors with the heaviest reliance on prescription drugs faced the prospect of paying up to $4,000 out of pocket before they qualified for further assistance from Medicare.
This gap in coverage has been a defect in the Medicare Part D program since its creation. It poses a hardship for all seniors, and for some, it has even bankrupted them.
Thankfully, the federal health care law signed in 2010 fully closes the so-called "donut hole" by 2020. The new law provides that seniors will receive a 50-percent discount on the brand name drugs that they purchase while stuck in the "donut hole" and thus will save them thousands of dollars starting in 2011. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, seniors who have high prescription drug spending will save as much as $12,300 over the next 10 years and seniors with low drug costs will save an average of $2,400 over 10 years.
This is no minor reform. But almost as soon as it has taken effect, it is already in jeopardy.
The incoming House Republican majority that you lead has made the repeal of the federal health care law one of its chief goals. We urge you to consider the unintended consequences that the law's repeal would have on a number of popular consumer protections that help middle class Americans. The "donut hole" fix is just one measure that would be threatened by a repeal effort. Taking this benefit away from seniors would be irresponsible and reckless at a time when it is becoming harder and harder for seniors to afford a healthy retirement.
If House Republicans move forward with a repeal of the health care law that threatens consumer benefits like the "donut hole" fix, we will block it in the Senate. This proposal deserves a chance to work. It is too important to be treated as collateral damage in a partisan mission to repeal health care.
Sincerely,
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin
Senate Democratic Vice Chairman Charles E. Schumer
Senate Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray
Senate Democratic Policy Committee Vice-Chair Debbie Stabenow
Senators Reid, Durbin, Schumer, Murray and Stabenow:
Thank you for reminding us — and the American people — of the backroom deal that you struck behind closed doors with ‘Big Pharma,’ resulting in bigger profits for the drug companies, and higher prescription drug costs for 33 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D, at a cost to the taxpayers of $42.6 billion.
The House is going to pass legislation to repeal that now. You’re welcome.
— Speaker-Designate John Boehner’s Press Office
finding a way to get around the will of the people………
crockettlives (http://crockettlives.wordpress.com/) has left a new comment on your post
Obama's coup d'etat...I posted on this today myself. FCC, EPA, HHS, DHS...all the rest of these alphabet agencies that Obama has stuffed to the gills with his Marxist cohorts are conducting a coordinated assault on our liberties. Write to your reps in Congress & urge them to veto the unconstitutional actions of the unaccountable czars via the 1996 Congressional Review Act.
Bob Mack
Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't
mean they don't love you with all they have..
Ralph and Edna were both patients in a mental hospital.
One day while they were walking, hand in hand, past the hospital swimming pool, Ralph suddenly jumped into the deep end. He sank to the bottom of the pool and stayed there.
Edna promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom and pulled him out. When the Head Nurse Director became aware of Edna's heroic act she immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital, as she now considered her to be mentally stable.
When she went to tell Edna the news she said, 'Edna, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you're being discharged, since you were able to rationally respond to a crisis by jumping in and saving the life of the person you love...
I have concluded that your act displays sound mindedness.
The bad news is, Ralph hanged himself in the bathroom with his bathrobe
belt right after you saved him. I am so sorry, but he's dead.'
Edna replied, 'He didn't hang himself, I put him there to dry... How soon can I go home?'
hat tip: OCD
on this day, Jan 2, 1968 miss bee and I became one, it was a good day
