Kids have their own take on black history month



The~re treated to arts and crafts, performances and such at MOSH.



By ADAM AASEN

The Times-Union



The Museum of Science and History cele­brated black history on Saturday by sharing it with children durng a daylong event to help them absorb cultural history

“Its imperative to teach kids diversity and ~uiturai understanding especiallY at ~ucn a young age~’ said Jacquelvn Reese, education program coordinator at the downtown lack­sonville museum.

There were African-insoired arts and

crafts, choir performances, and an exhibit on the Tuskegee Airmen to teach black history to the children.

Volunteer Natalia Gallimore read stories based on African fables to young children.

As she read The Leopard~s Drum, a story filled with jungle animals, the kids kept inter­rupting her, asking questions about the story.

Gallimore was glad they were listening. ‘It’s really good for these kids to hear all these different views at this age, before they form their own opinions” she said.

Cindy Persico, leader of Girl Scout Troop 296 from Carver Community Center, said she took her girls to the museum to expand



MUSEUM continues on B-4















Museum:

8-year-old

liked tale of

Rosa Parks

Continued from B-i



on what they’ve been learning all month. She said she covered people such as civil rights leader Rosa Parks; Mae Jemison, who ~as the firer black woman to go into space; and talk show host Oprah Winfrey to give the girls good role models.

“For them to see strong, pow­erful women that look like them,

it’s important,” she said.

Darnetta Johnson, an 8-year-old member of Troop 296, said she liked hearing about Rosa Parks.

“She didn’t think the rules

should be that way, so she didn’t

want to get up,” Johnson said.

Other children said they think it’s important to celebrate Black History Month because they feel they owe a lot to black historical figures.

“I think we need to remember people like Martin Luther King because they died so we could have our freedom today,” said Julia Robinson, 12.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day Newsletter
Date: 27 Feb 2007 05:08:47 -0800






Blonde in a Boat.

There was a blonde driving down the road one day. She glanced to her right and noticed another blonde sitting in a nearby field, rowing a boat with no water in sight.

The blonde angrily pulled her car over and yelled at the rowing blonde, "What do you think you're doing? It's things like this that give us blondes a bad name. If I could swim, I'd come out there and kick your butt!"









Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Biggest, Baddest Birthday Spots in Fort Worth
Unique, no-fuss, super finds sure to impress your friends

By Angie Chang
One of the most rewarding, challenging and, let’s be honest, competitive aspects of parenting a child in Fort Worth is making sure you throw a bigger- (and most definitely better) than-the-last-kid’s birthday party for your precious prodigy. Another requisite? That it be somewhere other than your backyard. Who’s got time to clean up another mess?
We combed Tarrant County in search of unusual locales that strike a rare balance between cooler-than-thou and super easy (cheap not necessarily a factor – well, you gotta give somewhere). This list is by no means comprehensive, but it should jump start your planning engine. If you’ve got a find we should know about, e-mail (editorial@fortworthchild.com) it to us and we’ll add it to this list.
Meanwhile, send us an invite.

Note: Please call ahead for the latest information. Originally published in September 2003.

Hot Spot: The Clubhouse for “Kids” Only, Bedford
Cool Factor: Bragging rights to scaling an indoor mountain on your birthday – what kid wouldn’t want that?
High Jinks: Kids won’t know what to do first when they scramble into this sprawling playroom. The goods: a tree house, craft barn, music, computers, karaoke soundstage, a rocket ship, rock climbing, Grandma’s attic and the list rolls on. Best of all? Kids have unlimited time to explore.
Age Range: 1 to 12 years old
Sustenance: One-topping large pizzas go for $10.95 and ice cream is $1.25 per serving. No outside food or drink allowed.
Cake: And juice, too. A party attendant will cut and serve the provided cake (with complementary paper products). The attendant can also write down gifts to expedite the thank-you card process. No outside cake allowed.
Extras: Invitations can be purchased for 25 cents each and goody bags are $3.95 each. Parents can bring their own decorations for the private party room. The birthday child receives a free Clubhouse T-shirt and two free return passes.
Clean Up: Don’t even worry about it.
Price Ranges: The basic party package for 10 children is $125 (each additional child $8.50). It includes unlimited time in the Clubhouse and 45 minutes in private party room. Theme parties can be arranged at an additional cost.
Book It: Reserve a spot two to four weeks in advance for a better chance of getting your date. A $35 deposit is required and will go toward the final balance. Parties are offered during business hours 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Contact: 2200 Airport Freeway, 817/868-1800, www.clubhouseforkids.com.

Hot Spot: Legends of the Game Museum, Arlington
Cool Factor: Hit this birthday out of the park with an exclusive sneak peek into the Ballpark in Arlington.
High Jinks: Kids can inspect places in the ballpark few fans have seen before, including the press box, batting cages and the Texas Rangers’ dugout. They’ll also receive a private viewing of baseball bloopers and get some time to play interactive computer games in the Learning Center.
Age Range: 4 to 11 years old
Sustenance: It may be the ballpark, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting hotdogs. Bring your own with all the fixings (just leave the grill at home).
Cake: It would be cool to have a cake in the shape of a baseball, but unfortunately you will have to make that happen.
Extras: Invitations and goody bags included. Birthday child receives a birthday gift. A party attendant/tour guide stays with the party to help with cake serving and any other needs.
Clean Up: Parents need to pick up after the kiddos.
Price Ranges: Fifteen kids and 10 adults all get in for $200. Additional guests are $10 per child and $3 per adult. Party rooms are booked for two-hour slots.
Book It: Reserve your spot a month in advance if you can. Party times are 10 a.m. to noon, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., and 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 2 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday. A $50 deposit is required at booking and goes toward your final balance.
Contact: 1000 Ballpark Way, Suite 400, 817/273-5099.

Hot Spot: Sissy & Bubba’s, Colleyville
Cool Factor: Future heartbreakers of America doll up at a “too-cool-for-boys” party.
High Jinks: Girls receive professional updos and dabble in makeup and nail polish. Just gently remind them that more isn’t always better with blush.
Age Range: 5 to 12 years old
Sustenance: Feel free to bring snacks and drinks.
Cake: The $22.50 per child package includes cake, plates and utensils. Bring your own if you opt for the $17.50 per child package.
Extras: The $22.50 package also comes with balloons, decorations and party favor bags.
Clean Up: You and your newly minted princesses won’t have to lift a finger.
Price Ranges: $17.50 gets each child the updo, the makeup and nail polish, as well as the entire store for two hours. Pony up $22.50 per princess and get the basic package plus all the aforementioned goodies. There’s a minimum of 10 girls per party.
Book It: Call as soon as you can to set up a time. Parties are scheduled Monday through Saturday after 5 p.m. Balance is due on the day of the party.
Contact: 5604 Colleyville Blvd., Suite G, 817/577-5200.

Hot Spot: Southlake Scuba, Southlake
Cool Factor: The party’s underwater. ’Nuff said.
High Jinks: A “Bubblemakers” party introduces children to the thrill of breathing underwater. Kids get a 60-minute course in the classroom and swimming pool with full scuba gear. Parties are usually at Southlake Aquatic Center, but they can bring the party to your pool.
Age Range: 8 years and older
Sustenance: The staff will take care of snacks and drinks for an additional charge.
Cake: Bring your own or say the word and they’ll supply the cake, candles and plates. But it’ll cost you.
Extras: Invitations, party balloons, “Bubblemakers” tattoo, “Bubblemakers” log book and “Bubblemakers” water squirt toy are all included for each child.
Clean Up: The staff will clean up. It’s almost like it’s your birthday too.
Price Ranges: Each two-hour party session requires a maximum of six kids at $40 each. This includes use of full scuba equipment, pool rental and an authentic “Bubblemakers” certification card and wall certificate.
Book It: The staff would prefer notice a month in advance. A deposit of half the balance is required when making your reservation. Parents must read and sign permission forms prior to party time.
Contact: 1101 E. Northwest Parkway, Suite 114, 817/481-6066, www.southlakescuba.com.

Hot Spot: Tarantula Train
Cool Factor: Get the party in motion as you chug along in vintage 1920s coaches powered by “Puffy,” the 1896 Steam Engine #2248.
High Jinks: The birthday entourage can hang out in a roped off area in the coach, but they can’t ride incognito: An announcement will let the entire train know there’s someone special on board. The birthday child gets to blow the whistle before the train takes off. Choose from one of two round trips: The nonstop Trinity River Run or Grapevine to Stockyards and back.
Age Range: 3 to 12 years old
Sustenance: A hot dog pack with chips and a drink is provided for each child and refreshments can be purchased on the train.
Cake: No cake is allowed on the train for preservation reasons.
Extras: An attendant is available to help with the party. Parents are welcome to bring their own decorations.
Clean Up: The attendant will pick up after your group.
Price Ranges: Each child climbs aboard for $14.50 with a minimum of six children per party. Adults are $15 for Grapevine trip and $9 for Trinity.
Book It: Call to reserve your spot at least one week in advance. Parties are available every day the train is in operation. The Grapevine to Stockyards route is three hours round trip and departs from Grapevine at 10 a.m.; the returning trip is at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. On Sunday, the train departs Grapevine at 1 p.m. and leaves the Stockyards at 5 p.m. The Trinity River Run clocks in at an hour roundtrip and departs at 1 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. On Sundays, the train leaves at 3:30 p.m. from the Stockyards.
Contact: The Cotton Belt Depot is at 707 S. Main St. in Grapevine and Stockyards Station is at 140 E. Exchange Ave., 817/410-3123, www.gvrr.com.

Hot Spot: Texas CowGirl Ranch, Westlake
Cool Factor: Kids will feel like the Real McCoy on this seven-acre ranch that serves up a heap of Western flair.
High Jinks: Barb “Wire” provides a crash course in the history and clothing of cowboys to set the mood for ranch-style fun. Kids can saddle up for rides on a pony or miniature horse and capture the moment with a memory photo. Explore the other parts of the ranch with games and ranch duties like hay-bale calf roping, a carrot roundup and even a horse-reining lesson. The party room is in a Texas-style hay barn that’s thumping with toe-tapping country western music.
Age Range: 3 to 8 years old
Sustenance: Wrangle in your own snacks and sodas.
Cake: You’ll need to flip for the cake, but lemonade, paper products and utensils are provided.
Extras: Invitations are available and you can pick from two different designs. Party-goers get a cowboy or cowgirl hat and a bandanna as party favors. Attendants make sure the party runs without a hitch. All of this is included in the package price.
Clean Up: Ranch hands are highly adept at these chores.
Price Ranges: A two-hour party at the ranch costs $450 for 10 kids and siblings of the birthday child get in for free. Each additional child is $40.
Book It: Party slots fill up faster than you can rope a calf, so make your reservation as soon as you pick a date. The time can be arranged to fit your schedule. A deposit of $100 is required at reservation and parents need to sign a release form on the back of the invitation.
Contact: 1559 Dove Road, 817/488-1300, www.texascowgirlranch.com.

Hot Spot: Buckaroo’s Soda Shoppe, Fort Worth
Cool Factor: Hi, ho Silver! Young cowgirls and cowboys lasso in horseback riding, clowns and cowboys at this bustling parlor smack dab in the middle of the Stockyards National Historic District.
High Jinks: Parents and cowpokes can pick from several packages to match birthday wishes: Game room where kids compete for prizes; entertainment by clowns, characters or magicians; unlimited runs through the Cowtown Cattle Pen Maze; horseback rides in Stockyards Station; and roping tricks by a cowboy pro.
Age Range: 1 to 12 years old
Sustenance: Each child receives a “Billy The Kidd” meal with choice of burger, hotdog, corny dog or grilled cheese, as well as fries, drink and a special prize. No outside food allowed.
Cake: Buckaroo’s provides a decorated vanilla cake for all parties. However, parents are allowed to bring their own cake.
Extras: Invitations are available for parents who want them. At the party, each child receives a free ice-cream cone, a ticket for the Cowtown Coliseum Rodeo and balloons. Every package includes one hour of reserved space in the Soda Shoppe, photo opportunities in the “jail” and use of the Cowboy Bucking Barrel. A gift table is included in the birthday area.
Clean Up: They’re on it.
Price Ranges: $175 to $225 based on a package for 10 kids. Each additional child is $10.25. Parents can mix and match packages for an additional cost.
Book It: Reserve your spot four weeks in advance (call for last-minute slots no later than two weeks prior). A $50 nonrefundable deposit is required at reservation and balance is due on the day of the party. Parties can be scheduled during business hours. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Contact: 140 E. Exchange Ave., 817/624-6631, www.risckys.com.

Hot Spot: Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth
Cool Factor: Hang out with the real and original party animals.
High Jinks: View a Wild Wonders live animal presentation and receive an all-day admission pass for the entire gaggle of animal lovers. Package includes two-hour use of the Education Center room where kids can play wildlife games.
Age Range: 4 to 12 years old
Sustenance: Keeping your little ones fed will be your duty.
Cake: You gotta bring that too.
Extras: A zoo souvenir pencil topped by a zoo animal stamp for every child and a Fort Worth Zoo carryall bag for the birthday child. Parents are welcome to bring their own decorations, balloons and party favors. Balloons are not allowed outside the room.
Clean Up: Yep, your responsibility as well.
Price Ranges: $180 members and $200 nonmembers. Tell your guests to bring $5 for parking. Party maximum is 30 people (children and adults).
Book It: Call three weeks before the party date. Expect to book six weeks in advance during the busy spring season. Party times are year round at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. on select Sundays.
Contact: 1989 Colonial Parkway, 817/759-7200, www.fortworthzoo.org.

Hot Spot: Fort Worth Texas Ice, Fort Worth
Cool Factor: For an exclusive, invitation-only vibe, you can rent out the entire rink for an hour-long party that’s literally too cool.
High Jinks: Skating — don’t forget your socks!
Age Range: 5 years and older
Sustenance: The most expensive package includes two large cheese pizzas and pitchers of soft drinks for 10 (additional pizzas $12, extra pitchers $3). No outside food or drink allowed.
Cake: Bring your own and don’t forget the candles. Utensils and plates are provided. An attendant is available to help cut and serve.
Extras: A fully decorated party room complete with confetti, balloons and invitations. A table is set up to hold cake and gifts.
Clean Up: Do these attendants do everything? It sure seems like it.
Price Ranges: $140-$165 for up to 10 children and $14-$16.50 for each additional child. Package includes rink admission, skate rental and use of the party room for an hour. Rent out the entire rink and invite as many people as you want for $275 an hour.
Book It: Reserve a spot anywhere within three days to a week. Half of the balance is due as a deposit with reservation. Call ahead for available times.
Contact: 3600 Hwy 377 South, 817/560-9700, www.txice.com.

Hot Spot: Mountasia, North Richland Hills
Cool Factor: Good old-fashioned batting cages, video games, golf and go-karts never go out of style or adrenaline.
High Jinks: Can you say FORE? Get ready for 18 holes of miniature golf, video games, laser tag, and bumper boats and cars.
Age Range: 5 years and older
Sustenance: Give the staff 24 hours notice and they can prepare pizza and hotdogs at an additional cost from the snack bar. Ice cream and soda are included in the party package. No outside food or drinks allowed.
Cake: You’re on your own here.
Extras: A host to assist at the party, party hats, goody bags, balloons, invitations and a gift for the birthday kid all included.
Clean Up: Done for you by the staff.
Price Ranges: A party of eight ranges from $74.95 ($8.95 each additional child) for the golf and game birthday adventure to $92 ($9.95 each additional child) for laser tag. Additional activities are available at discounted rates. The private party room is yours for one hour.
Book It: Make reservations at least a week in advance. Parties are offered during regular business hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. A $30 plus tax deposit is required on all parties at least five days before the event date.
Contact: 8851 Grapevine Highway, 817/788-0990, www.americafunplex.com.

Hot Spot: Kid Connection, Fort Worth
Cool Factor: An indoor Air Trak (inflatable mat) lets kids bounce to their hearts’ content.
High Jinks: Kids can go crazy shooting down a zip line from a tree house or hanging out in the playrooms. Choose from four themes to accent the celebration: princess, cheerleader, sports or Western.
Age Range: 18 months to 9 years old
Sustenance: No food here. Bring your own snacks and soda.
Cake: The staff can provide a homemade cake made to your specs if you don’t want to bring your own. A 1/4 sheet is $20 and a 1/2 sheet is $35.
Extras: Package includes 20 invitations, balloons for each child, candles, paper goods, juice and a keepsake picture of the birthday child. Party attendants can help with serving.
Clean Up: Staff takes care of it.
Price Ranges: Currently enrolled Kid Connection members pay $135, or $145 for nonmembers. Parties include up to 15 guests (each additional child $5). Favors can be added for $5 each.
Book It: Make your reservation a month in advance. Parties are generally offered on the weekends: 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday. Other times can be scheduled. A $50 nonrefundable deposit is required with reservation and goes toward your final balance.
Contact: 6491 Southwest Blvd., 817/732-5432.

Go to cancer.org to find out how you can raise money for the American Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life in Fort Worth at Farrington Field in April.

It snowed today, Valentine's Day. It did the same thing three years ago on me and Ruben's first Valentine's together. Now I can't help but think of him as I see the snowflakes.

WORDS OF SUCCESS
To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming,
is the only end in life.

--Baruch Spinoza

The first sentence is pretty powerful.
>
>God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide
>who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let
>go.
>
>I need this back.
>
>If you'll do this for me, I'll do it for you....
>Father, God bless all my friends in whatever it is that You know
>they may be needing this day! And may their life be full of your
>peace, prosperity and power as they seek to have a closer
>relationship with you. Amen.
>
>Now send it on to five other people, including the one who sent it
>to you. Within hours you caused a multitude of people to pray for
>other people. Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your
>life. P S. Five is good, but more is better, who else do you know
>that needs prayer.
>
>Glenda

Keep Visitors Coming Back to Your Web Site by Animal

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/129236/keep_visitors_coming_back_to_your_web.html

The following note was also included:
Keeping visitors coming back to your website

Associated Content is the People's Media Company, a massive library of text, video and audio content published by the public for the public. Explore the library AC at www.associatedcontent.com.

Advice for Parents of Adopted Children: How My Parents Helped Me Understand My Special Place in the Family by M. M. Lyons

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/130339/advice_for_parents_of_adopted_children.html

The following note was also included:
Adoption story

Associated Content is the People's Media Company, a massive library of text, video and audio content published by the public for the public. Explore the library AC at www.associatedcontent.com.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day Newsletter
Date: 2 Feb 2007 05:08:57 -0800






The Four Ghosts of the White House

One night, George W. Bush is tossing restlessly in his White House bed. He awakens to see George Washington standing by him Bush asks him, "George, what''s the best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Set an honest and honorable example, just as I did," Washington advises, and then fades away...

The next night, Bush is astir again, and sees the ghost of Thomas Jefferson moving through the darkened bedroom. Bush calls out, "Tom, please! What is the best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Respect the Constitution, as I did," Jefferson advises, and dims from sight...

The third night sleep still does not come for Bush. He awakens to see the ghost of FDR hovering over his bed. Bush whispers, "Franklin, What is the best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Help the less fortunate, just as I did," FDR replies and fades into the mist...

Bush isn''t sleeping well the fourth night when he sees another figure moving in the shadows. It is the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. Bush pleads, "Abe, what is the best thing I can do right now to help the country?"

Lincoln replies, "Go see a play."









Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day Newsletter
Date: 1 Feb 2007 05:08:45 -0800






Yo Mama

Yo mama's so polite, she once held the door for a week!









Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Subject: Content of the Day: January 31, 2007
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:10:25 -0800



January 31, 2007
Have you heard? Associated Content announced the winners of the 2006 People's Media Awards today. Read them here.


A total of 17 honors were bestowed. One of the top honors went to Content Producer Barry Freiman for his article Getting HIV Isn't a Death Sentence.


Barry publicly accepts the 2006 Editorial Choice Award here:





http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/137770/editors_pick_for_top_content_of_2006.html



See all of AC's Content of the Day at http://acdailycontent.blogspot.com



ASSOCIATED CONTENT | 88 STEELE STREET |SUITE 250 |DENVER, CO 80206

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."
~ Aristotle

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day Newsletter
Date: 27 Jan 2007 05:08:45 -0800






Lawyer and the Skunk

What's the difference between a dead skunk lying in the road and a dead lawyer lying in the road?

There are skid marks in front of the skunk.









Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Looking for female exercise buddy. I have asthma so I need someone who can be understanding as to my limitations. Fort Worth, TX.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day Newsletter
Date: 24 Jan 2007 05:08:37 -0800






Coffee, No Cream

A man walks into a coffee shop and places his order."I'd like a cup of coffee, please, with no cream."The girl behind the counter says "I'm sorry, sir, but we're out of cream. How about with no milk?"









Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Four Steps to Getting Richer

From the show This Is the Year to Get Richer!

Printer-Friendly Version


Financial expert Jean Chatzky wants you to stop making excuses and get richer! She has four simple steps anyone can follow to the path of financial success.

Maximize Your Income

Set an income goal.
Ask for a raise.
Work an extra hour a week.
Learn more about making more.

Spend Less Than You Make

Pause before you purchase.
Pay bills on time.
Use a debit card.
Shop around.
Find extra money for your savings.

Invest Money You Don't Spend

Save automatically.
Earn more interest.
Build your money confidence with Jean's investment basics.

Protect Your Money

Get insurance.
Get a will.
Get an account in your name.
Learn how to better secure your future.
Inside the Show
This Week
Be on the Show
Books Seen on the Show
Audience Reservations
Oprah Show Archive
Local Listings





E-mail to a friend









Oprah, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Harpo, Make The Connection, Oprah's Book Club, Use Your Life and Live Your Best Life are registered trademarks of Harpo, Inc. Oprah's Favorite Things and Oprah & Friends are trademarks of Harpo, Inc. Oprah's Angel Network and Angel Network are registered trademarks of Oprah's Angel Network. O Girls is a trademark of Oprah's Angel Network. Oprah Winfrey Scholars and O Design are trademarks of The Oprah Winfrey Foundation. Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls South Africa and O Design are trademarks of The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.




TM & © 2007 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day Newsletter
Date: 18 Jan 2007 05:08:55 -0800






Yo Mama

Yo mama's so sorry she missed your birthday last week, she bought you a cake so big you gotta eat it twice to have it once!









Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day Newsletter
Date: 17 Jan 2007 05:08:44 -0800






Girl and Dog

A little girl and her dog are walking through the forest when they suddenly fall into a pit. They scramble and scramble but can''t make their way out. The little girl yells, the dog barks, but no one is around to hear their calls for help. Slowly, the night sky turns black and they find themselves engulfed in utter darkness.

Off in the distance, the wolves begin howling. Each howl is louder and closer than the last.

The little girl holds the dog close to her chest and says sadly to the dog, "This is the worst mess in which ever have found ourselves, my darling Sparky."

"Yeah," the dog says, "we''re really screwed."

"Sparky," the girl says, astonished, "I didn''t know you could talk."

"Well," the dog says, "I was kinda waiting for the right time to tell you."









Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

Have been taking care of 11 stray outdoor cats for over a year trying to find homes for them. Need a large outdoor cat house for them to survive cold weather outdoors or need to have one built, preferably wood/waterproof for reasonable fee. Can't afford much. Live in Fort Worth, TX in TCU area.

wordtrix@Hotmail.com

Happy Birthday, hunny. You would've been 53 today. Hard to believe.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day NewsletterDate: 28 Dec 2006 05:08:38 -0800
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Panda Bear A panda bear walks into a restaurant and orders a sandwich. When he receives the sandwich he eats it and then shoots the waiter and leaves the restaurant. A policeman sees the panda and tells him he just broke the law. The panda bear tells the policeman that he's innocent and, if he didn't believe him, to look in the dictionary. The policeman gets a dictionary and looks up "panda bear." It says, ''Panda Bear: eats shoots and leaves.''




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019

Happy 3 years, hunny. Wish you were here.

Date: 28 Dec 2006 05:08:38 -0800
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Panda Bear A panda bear walks into a restaurant and orders a sandwich. When he receives the sandwich he eats it and then shoots the waiter and leaves the restaurant. A policeman sees the panda and tells him he just broke the law. The panda bear tells the policeman that he's innocent and, if he didn't believe him, to look in the dictionary. The policeman gets a dictionary and looks up "panda bear." It says, ''Panda Bear: eats shoots and leaves.''




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Foster kidsLost And Foundhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/14/60minutes/main2269159.shtmlCBS News Online

• > "If for an instant God were to forget that I am rag> doll and gifted me> with a piece of life I would> value things, not for> their worth but for what they mean. I would dreammore.> > I would walk when others hold back. If God were togive me a piece of life, I would dress simply,> throw myself face first into the sun, baring not> only my body but also my soul. My God, if I had aheart, I would write my hate on ice, and> wait for the sun to show. Over the stars I would> paint with a Van Gogh dream a Benedetti poem, and aSerrat song would be the serenade I'd> offer to the moon. > My God, if I had a piece of life...I wouldn't let a> single day pass> without telling the people I love that I love them.> I would show men how very wrong they> are to think that> they cease to be in love when they grow old, not> knowing that they grow> old when they cease to love! To a child I shall give> wings, but I shall> let him learn to fly on this own. I would teach the> old that death does> not come with old age, but with forgetting. So much> have I learned from> you, oh men...> > I have learned that everyone wants to live on the> peak of the mountain,> without knowing that real happiness is in how it is> scaled. I have> learned that when a newborn child squeezes for the> first time with his> tiny fist his father's finger, he has him trapped> forever. I have> learned that a man has the right to look down on> another only when he> has to help the other get to his feet. From you I> have learned so many> things, but in truth they won't be of much use, for> when I keep them> within this suitcase, unhappily shall I be dying."> > ~ ~ ~

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day NewsletterDate: 14 Dec 2006 05:08:42 -0800
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Shirts Off A woman sat on a plane heading for New York, when the pilot annouces that because of difficulties with the plane's engines, he must make an emergency landing. The woman, fearing that this may be the end of her life looks over to a man sitting next to her and rips her shirt and bra off, and throws herself on him. "Make me feel like a woman again!" she screamed. So the man rips his shirt off and hands it to her. "Here you go, you crazy bitch, iron this."




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

December 9, 2006

Dear McKenna,

Time for your annual Christmas letter.

I’m sitting here half-watching Jim Carrey’s version of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” which I’ve seen before. It came out the Christmas you were only four months old.

I get pictures of you and hear all about your school activities and after-school fun – cheerleading and, until recently, ballet and karate.

I read an article recently about adoption, about a couple who added a final addition to their family after having two kids of their own. They feel very blessed as do your adoptive parents.

Every time I see a full moon or a “whole moon” as you call them, I think of you even more. I’ve been seeing a lot of them the past week.

I can’t believe you’re now 6 years old.

There are so many things I can’t wait to see you experience – your 16th birthday, high school graduation, your wedding. Sometimes I imagine what you will look like then, be like; etc.

Now I have flipped over to “The Polar Express,” some of which I’ve seen. There are so many cool kid movies that have come out during your childhood.

I hope you did get to see “Happy Feet” yesterday, which you were so excited about seeing at the IMAX Theatre.

I am so thankful for you and for Vicki and Larry, your adoptive parents. They have given you an extraordinary life.

I could have wished on every twinkling star in the sky and I couldn’t have wished for more special parents for you.

Your expression and animations remind me a lot of my niece Jessica when she was little. She’s now 31 and has two kids of her own.

Every day I count my blessings and the miracle that is you. Among my many blessings are you and your adoptive parents.

You also have the advantage of having a big brother. Yeah, he teases you sometimes but he loves you.
You know what I think is really great? The fact that your adoptive mom Vicki teaches you and Bryant the spirit of volunteerism regarding other kids.

That is such a precious gift. So many people don’t have that.

Your spirit is shining through in all your pictures, emails I get from Vicki, and our visits. It carries me through the day and there is not a day that I wake up that I don’t think of you, wondering what you’re doing, what type of happiness you are experiencing today, and about the joy you bring to so many people.

You started bringing such love to people the minute you were born.

I hope you have a great Santa holiday.

I love you,


Terri

Story: Eat for Life: Stew of spice-of-life variety
Stew
Eat for Life: Stew of spice-of-life variety
09:46 AM CST on Tuesday, December 5, 2006By JILL WENDHOLT SILVA McClatchy Newspapers
Just the thing for a chilly December night, this pork stew includes roasted vegetables and nutrient-packed spices. " height=119 alt="TAMMY LJUNGBLAD/Kansas City Star" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/v3/12-05-2006.nh_05eat.GO021I0DR.1.jpg" width=175>
TAMMY LJUNGBLAD/Kansas City Star Just the thing for a chilly December night, this pork stew includes roasted vegetables and nutrient-packed spices.
Blank is the spice of life.
Fill in the blank with cloves, oregano, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, basil, mustard seed, curry powder, paprika, chili powder, parsley or black pepper.
When it comes to health-promoting antioxidants in foods, culinary herbs and spices rank at or near the top of the list.
A study published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found the 12 spices listed above outranked the more widely touted antioxidant benefits of blueberries, dark chocolate and red wine.
This Curried Pork and Roasted Vegetable Stew is a seasonal dish that takes its cues from several of these heavy hitters.
Curry powder is a potent blend of up to 20 herbs, spices and seeds such as cloves, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and black pepper.
Curries get their traditional yellow color from turmeric. The spice also contains curcumin, an antioxidant that may fend off heart disease and cancer.
P! aprika i s made by grinding sweet red pepper pods into a powder. Chili peppers are rich sources of vitamins A, C and E, folic acid and potassium.
The Romans used cumin as a culinary flavoring and a medicine. Modern scientists are studying it for its possible antioxidant and anti-cancer benefits.
Each of these spices plays well with sweet potatoes and squash, two nutrient-dense vegetables that are, coincidentally, also loaded with powerful antioxidants, especially beta carotene, a plant pigment that may help prevent certain cancers and ward off macular degeneration, an age-related deterioration of the eye.
Serving tips: This thick stew would be great served in a bowl, or it could be served over hot, steamed brown rice or in a crusty bread bowl.
You can also make these roasted vegetables and serve as a side dish any night of the week.
CURRIED PORK AND ROASTED VEGETABLE STEW
2
teaspoons olive oil, divided
1
large sweet onion, chopped
3
cloves garlic, minced
3/4
pound lean boneless pork loin, cut into ¾ -inch cubes
2
carrots, sliced
1
teaspoon ground cumin
1
teaspoon curry powder
½
teaspoon ground turmeric
½
teaspoon pepper, divided
¼
teaspoon salt
1
(14.5-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1
large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2
cups peeled acorn squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
½
teaspoon paprika
< class="dwsmodule">
1
tablespoon cornstarch
2
tablespoons cold water
Preheat oven to 425 F. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil and swirl to coat pan. Add onion, garlic and pork. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and pork is browned. Stir in carrots, cumin, curry powder, turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds or until spices are aromatic. Stir in broth. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.
Place sweet potato and squash cubes in zip-top plastic food bag. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and shake to coat evenly. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and paprika. Shake to coat evenly. Spread on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden, stirring halfway through cooking time. Stir roasted vegetables into stew. Cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Increase heat to medium. Stir cornstarch into cold water, blending until completely dissolved. Stir cornstarch mixture into stew. Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbly. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
PER SERVING: Calories 261 (19% fat)
Fat 6 g (1 g sat) Cholesterol 55 mg Sodium 412 mg Fiber 6 g
Carbohydrates 29 g Protein 25 g
SOURCE: Kansas City Star

Snow DaysA heavy snowstorm closed the schools in one town. When the children returned to school a few days later, one grade school teacher asked her students whether they had used the time away from school constructively. "I sure did, teacher," one little girl replied. "I just prayed for more snow."

Story: Home-baked gifts in minutes
Home-baked gifts
Home-baked gifts in minutes
01:39 PM CST on Monday, December 4, 2006Alicia Ross with Beverly Mills
Teacher gifts, quick hostess gifts to go, neighborhood hello. This time of year we find ourselves needing a small gift to give almost daily. There's nothing better than a gift of food to say "Thank you," "I'm thinking of you" or "You're special."
While we'd love to spend hours baking elaborate treats for all of the special people in our lives, reality just doesn't allow that kind of time. But with today's recipe, we can still give home-baked goodies without toiling for hours in the kitchen.

Wrap these delectable little treats in decorative cellophane bags and tie them with a sparkly ribbon. Think of these cookies as a "quick-and-easy baklava" and add a cute bear-shaped bottle of honey to the package. Look for the piecrusts on sale for an extra budget bonus.
ALSO ONLINE
More food gifts to make
In less than 20 minutes, your kitchen will be filled ! with the aroma of Sugary Pastry Crisps, and you'll be turning out gifts aplenty. Be sure to bake an extra batch to keep at home.
Write to Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016 or e-mail bev-alicia@desperation dinners.com.
SUGARY PASTRY CRISPS
2
(9-inch) unbaked refrigerated piecrusts (see Note)
3
tablespoons light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1
teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼
cup pecans or walnuts (pieces are fine)
¼
cup honey, for serving
Preheat the oven to 450 F.
Follow the microwave directions on the piecrust box to bring the crusts to room temperature and roll out each crust flat.
Place one piecrust on an ungreased cookie sheet or pizza pan. Repair any cracks or tears with wet fingers, pinching the dough back together. Crumble the brown sugar evenly over the entire crust. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the sugar. Finely chop the nuts, and sprinkle them evenly over the crust.
Place the second piecrust over the first, and press down firmly with a flat hand. Press the edges of the two crusts together with your fingertips.
Bake the cookie until it is light brown, about 11 minutes. Slice the cookie into 12 trian! gle-shap ed wedges with a pizza cutter or knife. Serve warm, or allow to cool before packaging.
To serve: Place the slices on a serving plate, and drizzle the honey evenly over the top.
To package: Cool completely and place in decorative cellophane or zipper-top bags. Tie with ribbon, if desired.
Makes 12 cookies.
Note: For testing purposes, we used Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts.
Per cookie: Calories 212 (47% from fat)
Fat 11 g (4 g saturated) Cholesterol 7 mg
Sodium 135 mg Fiber trace
Carbohydrates 27 g Protein 2 g

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day NewsletterDate: 1 Dec 2006 05:08:33 -0800
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Country Politics A busload of politicians were driving down a country road, when suddenly the bus ran off the road and crashed into an old farmer's barn.
The old farmer got off his tractor and went to investigate. Soon he dug a hole and buried the politicians. A few days later, the local sheriff came out, saw the crashed bus and asked the old farmer where all the politicians had gone.
The old farmer told him he had buried them.
The sheriff asked the old farmer, "Lordy, were they ALL dead?"
The old farmer said, "Well, some of them said they weren't, but you know how them crooked politicians lie."




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day NewsletterDate: 22 Nov 2006 05:08:31 -0800
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Harvard Graduate How do you get a Harvard graduate off your porch?
Pay him for the pizza.




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Some vets turning to alternative treatments for ailing pets
07:31 AM CST on Monday, November 20, 2006Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO - When Ann Day's dog had a stroke in July, one side of his face became paralyzed so severely he couldn't blink. She knew she needed to do something before the 13-year-old pug, Jimmy, lost his eye to infection.
"I was open to anything that would help," Dey said.
At Pets Unlimited, a nonprofit animal hospital that was opening the city's first all-holistic veterinary medical clinic on Monday, Jimmy received acupuncture for a month. Now, his face is fine.
As alternative approaches like acupuncture and herbal remedies have moved further into the mainstream for humans, veterinarians have made those same techniques increasingly available for pets.
Animal care officials say pet owners have been convinced by their own positive experiences that their pets should also enjoy the benefits of alternative techniques.
"Seeing is believing," said Sally Wortman, Pets Unlimited's hospital administrator, standing near a row of scented candles on the new clinic's reception desk.
A Japanese fountain, soft lights and walls painted in soothing tones of sage, ochre and salmon augment the calming atmosphere of the clinic, which is one floor down from the city's only 24-hour-a-day emergency room for pets.
The renovations have a therapeutic effect on pets, Wortman said, but added that it was just as important to create a setting where owners also feel relaxed.
"The practitioner can only help the animal through the person," she said.
Still, the push for the new treatments -- also known as holistic or complementary medicine -- has not come so much from vets, whose medical training is still steeped in the rigors of the Western scientific tradition.
"It's been more consumer-driven," said Joe O'Hehir, executive director of Pets Unlimited.
Marilyn Chartrand of Alameda is one of those consumers.
"I do holist! ic thing s for my body. So I thought, how exciting that they're doing this for animals," said Chartrand, who adopted a cat from Pets Unlimited.
Chartrand said she treats her cat with aromatherapy when she gets sick, offering her different scents to inhale. "She knows which ones her system needs," Chartrand said.
That holistic medicine for animals would catch on in San Francisco, which also ushered in the no-kill movement in animal shelters in the 1990s, comes as little surprise. But the field is catching on among veterinarians across the country.
The Maryland-based American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association claims more than 800 members from Florida to Alaska. Chartrand learned about an alternative treatment called therapeutic touch from her sister, a veterinarian who uses the technique on horses in Kansas.
Still, despite broadening acceptance, alternative medicine for animals faces continued skepticism. The American Veterinary Medical Association said in recent guidelines on alternative medical techniques for animals that the organization is "open to their consideration."
But it stressed that the quality of research into different methods varies, saying some practices "may differ from current scientific knowledge."
Beth Schneider, an animal acupuncturist for Pets Unlimited, said one positive experience with alternative techniques can be enough to convince doubters.
"They see how beneficial it is to the animal," she said. "And they want to start going to acupuncturists themselves."

The art beat . . .Robin Williams has a connection to the 100-plus towering cast-iron figures that have taken up residency in Grant Park.
• • He's a sponsor: The comedy legend and his wife, Marsha, are big fans of Polish sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz, and they ponied up more than $25,000 to help bring her Agora sculpture to Chicago.

Subject: Comedy Central's Joke of the Day NewsletterDate: 10 Nov 2006 05:08:33 -0800
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A cannibal was walking through the jungle A cannibal was walking through the jungle and came upon a restaurant opened by a fellow cannibal. Feeling somewhat hungry, he sat down and looked over the menu...
Broiled Missionary: $ 10.00Fried Explorer: $ 15.00Baked Politician: $ 100.00
The cannibal called the waiter over and asked, "Why such a price difference for the politician?"
The waiter replied, "Have you ever tried to clean one?"
Payin' The BillsFOR YOUR CONSIDERATION (it?s a movie)From the director of Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty WindIn some theaters November 17th ? check the interweb




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Dog-friendly restaurants======================================================================Officials: Dallas restaurants should be more dog-friendly06:54 PM CST on Thursday, November 2, 2006By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News Officials: Dallas restaurants should be more dog-friendly06:54 PM CST on Thursday, November 2, 2006By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News You and your dog may be unwitting outlaws: Sipping coffee at an outdoor cafe with Spot or Sparky is against state health regulations. But some Dallas restaurants ignore the rules at their own peril -- if only to satisfy what they say is overwhelming customer demand to dine with their pooches. Others want desperately to welcome pets on their patios but turn them away, afraid of attracting fines. Noting the dilemma, Dallas city officials are quietly crafting a system to skirt state law and allow pet-friendly food establishments to open their decks to both two- and four-legged customers. "The pets are like children. They don't do any harm," said Tammy Greenberg, a Knox-Henderson neighborhood resident who runs a pet-sitting service. "Taking them to a restaurant and sitting outside brings happiness to everyone." Cafe Toulouse, a cozy Knox Street bistro that would fit equally well on a Parisian boulevard, has long welcomed dogs onto its porch. They rarely, if ever, cause problems, interim manager Josh Holcombe said. "We get so many customers from the Katy Trail who are walking their dogs and want to visit us," Mr. Holcombe said. "Dogs are part of the family." Especially north of downtown. Dallas' Uptowners, notably urban and urbane, are apt to adopt a European-style esprit de corps while dwelling in closely quartered condominium high-rises and posh apartment complexes. That includes dogs. Dogs everywhere. Some condominium managers estimate nearly half of their residents own at least one. Stroll through Cole Park or up an Uptown sidewalk and run a gantlet of wagging tails. Looking at variances Though state health regulations explicitly outlaw nonservice animals on restaurant patios, they also empower local jurisdictions, such as Dallas city government, to grant variances, said Doug McBride, spokesman for the Texas Department of State Health Services. City Attorney Tom Perkins said his office is researching the issue and plans to brief the council on it next month or early next year. In order for Dallas to begin granting state regulation variances, the council must first vote to amend city ordinances, Mr. Perkins explained, adding that the variances could only apply to outdoor areas, not indoor dining rooms. Tell Us Pooches on the patio? Where are the dog-friendly restaurants in Dallas? For council member Angela Hunt, whose District 14 includes much of Uptown, the change is a "simple quality-of-life issue, another way to appeal to residents in the area that this is a fun, vibrant community." Ms. Hunt said she regularly receives e-mails and phone calls from constituents questioning why Dallas, which has long sought to position itself as a "world-class city," hasn't instituted more pro-pet policies that are mere political afterthoughts in many Eurasian and even East Coast population centers. Progress of this sort takes time. Dallas is a city that only last decade began developing off-leash dog parks, which today are wildly popular with pet owners. The city continues to struggle with other animal-related issues, namely coping with the thousands of stray dogs and feral cats, especially in Dallas' southern sector. Seeing a demand But Mark Maguire, who owns Maguire's Uptown Restaurant and Bar on Cedar Springs Road, said Dallas would be wise to end the pets-on-patios prohibition, if only because it makes business sense. "We'd have an immediate demand. There's no doubt in my mind that business would increase," said Mr. Maguire, whose restaurant features a large outdoor deck. He said he's tempted simply to ignore state regulations but hasn't done so. "In the restaurant industry, people vote with their wallets," Mr. Maguire said. "A lot of pet owners would vote for pet-friendly restaurants." One of them is Uptown resident Toi Villarreal, who said she can't understand why her collie, Leila, and border collie mix, Trixie, can't join her and her husband for a quiet Uptown dinner out -- without fear of breaking state rules. Health concerns about dogs are overblown, she said, and pigeons, mice and an inordinate amount of unsavory critters already find their way onto restaurant patios. As it is, Ms. Villarreal said she frequents restaurants that cater to pets. "We want to stay and maybe have a bottle of wine, instead of having to rush home and walk the dogs," she said. "People have limited time. If you want to create an urban environment, you need to be forward-thinking on simple issues like this." That Dallas is even exploring granting pet-on-patios variances is a positive sign, said April Prohafka, who owns The Pooch Patio, an Oak Lawn dog-services center that also features a beer and wine bar for dog owners. Ms. Prohafka says she hopes to franchise her concept, and new locations could include food service if Dallas changes its laws. "Dallas has always been very conservative, but we're now expanding ourselves," she said. "We're starting to look at what our demographics are in the Oak Lawn/Uptown area, and we're listening to them." E-mail dlevinthal@dallasnews.com

Fun Things to Do at a Drive-Thru 1. Drive through the drive-thru in reverse and let your passenger order. 2. Ask the price of almost everything on the menu and then order something that you didn't ask the price for. 3. Tell the employee that your window is broken. Order and then pay with your door open. When the food comes, roll down the window and snatch your order from their hands. 4. Go to McDonald's and demand a big breakfast at 11:30 at night. Put up a fight. 5. Pay for a large order in pennies and nickels. 6. Order in another language. Be careful what neighborhood you're in. 7. When asked if they can take your order, tell them you are just window-shopping and drive on. 8. Laugh sadistically when asked if you would like ketchup. 9. Ask the cashier how they fit into that little box. 10. If they make you wait, make them wait when they come back on. 11. Demand to speak to the manager. When they come on, complain that you did not like the way the employee said, "May I take your order?" 12. When asked if they can take your order say, "Why, can I take yours?" 13. If they ask you to wait, order anyway and keep doing it till they yell at you. 14. Pretend your car has broken down. Ask for assistance moving it. When they come out, drive away. 15. Tell them you have to use the bathroom. 16. Order a cup of water and two napkins. That's it. 17. Don't order when they come on. Just sit there. If a line forms behind you, get out of the car and cause a scene. 18. When they hand you your food, hand them a bag with all the trash from your car in it. 19. Just stare at them when you pay and get your food. Don't break your stare. 20. Honk your horn the whole way through the line.




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

For itch, use lots of fish oil
12:00 AM CST on Monday, October 30, 2006
Shawn Messonnier
Dear Dr. Shawn: I've heard that fish oil can help with allergies. My Labrador, Brutus, who has been diagnosed with allergies, itches all the time. I've been giving him one fish-oil capsule twice daily, but he still itches. Should I give him more?
Answer: Allergies are very common in Labrador retrievers. Those more severely affected itch a lot, similar to Brutus.
I applaud your desire to try using natural therapies to help him. A combination of natural therapies and low-dose medication (given only on really itchy days) works great for most of my allergic patients. Fish oils, specifically, the EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids, are potent anti-inflammatory and anti-itching ingredients. However, they must be given at high doses (much higher than the label dosage) in order to be effective.
The label dose is usually good to maintain a healthy coat and skin, but is way too low to help treat medical problems.
I generally recommend 1,500-2,000 mg per day of EPA+DHA. You'll need to find a potent product so you don't have to give Brutus too many capsules. (Most fish-oil products have less than 500 mg of the omega-3s per pill.)
I would also recommend frequent bathing with a good aloe-vera-and-oatmeal product. Various herbs (Silerex, Total-Inflam, Sino-Allergy, DTX Allergy) and homeopathics (Heel Allergy, Sulfur) may also be needed. Treating allergies involves an individualized approach, and each pet will respond to a different protocol. Good luck!
Send questions to Dr. Shawn Messonnier at Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, 2145 W. Park, Plano, TX 75075 or naturalvet@ juno.com. Visit him at www.pet carenaturally.com.

Speed Trap A state trooper spied a car puttering along at 22 MPH. So he turned on his lights and pulled the driver over. Approaching the car, he noticed that five old guys were inside, and they looked wide-eyed and terribly pale.
The driver pleaded with him, "Officer, I don't understand, I was doing exactly the speed limit! What seems to be the problem?"
"Sir," the officer replies, "You weren't speeding, but driving slower than the speed limit can also be dangerous."
"I beg to differ, Officer, I was doing the speed limit exactly: twenty-two miles an hour!" the old man said.
The trooper, chuckling, explained to him that "22" was the route number, not the speed limit. A bit embarrassed, the man grinned and thanked the officer for pointing out his error.
"But before I let you go, Sir, I have to ask... Is everyone in this car ok? These guys seem awfully shaken."
"Oh, they'll be all right in a minute," the old man said. "We just got off Route 119."




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019

Itchy dogs======================================================================What can I do about dog's persistent itch?12:00 AM CDT on Monday, October 16, 2006 Shawn Messonnier What can I do about dog's persistent itch?12:00 AM CDT on Monday, October 16, 2006 Shawn Messonnier Dear Dr. Shawn: My dog is scratching a lot on her belly and chest. She also has some raw areas from scratching and chewing. What can I put on the spots or to alleviate the itching? Will bathing help? What should I use?Answer: It sounds like she has some sort of allergic dermatitis. I approach these cases by treating the pet topically and locally, as well as systemically (treating her orally to help her heal so she stops itching.) Bathing is important; the more the better. A shampoo containing ingredients such as aloe vera and colloidal oatmeal is very helpful to control itching and inflammation. Try to bathe her every one to two days to control itching. Aloe vera ointment or lotion is also helpful on the raw areas. Systemically, she will need a good natural diet plus supplements to decrease her itchiness. Supplements can include a health-maintenance formula, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, herbs and homeopathics. If really needed, medications such as prednisone or an antihistamine can be used for a few days without harming her. Most of the pets I see with allergies respond very well to this natural approach, though success doesn't come overnight. Send questions to Dr. Shawn Messonnier at Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, 2145 W. Park, Plano, TX 75075 or naturalvet@ juno.com. Visit him at www.pet carenaturally.com.

ARTICLE - ************************************************************
EMERGENCY RESOURCES FOR WRITERS
By C. Hope Clark
A week doesn't sprint by me without someone crying out for help."How can I make some quick money writing? I can't pay my (fill in the blank)." My heart goes out to them. I have totell each one that writing isn't swift, nor is it lucrative.Quick money is almost an oxymoron.
Emergency carries different levels of interpretation. An emergency to one person is not meeting the rent. To another it'snot being able to drive to a job. And yet someone else cannotwork due to illness or physical impairment. None of those arequick fixes.
But some emergency resources come available on occasion. A fewof them are grants. All of them are competitive because thenumber of people needing assistance always outnumbers the funds available.
Funds for published writers
To receive aid as a writer, you have to have a history as a writer. This concept is painful to half the people I speak to.They know they can write, but they have not published. Therefore,they do not qualify for "writer" assistance. But if you havebeen around the track a few times as an author, consider theseresources:
CHANGE EMERGENCY FUNDSChange, Inc., P.O. Box 54, Captiva, FL 33924 Phone: (212) 473-3742 Awards of up to $1,000 for medical, living, or other emergencies. Open to artists of all disciplines, with no U.S. geographical restrictions; students are not eligible.
=====
PEN AMERICAN CENTER WRITERS' FUNDhttp://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/251 The PEN Writers' Fund is an emergency fund for professionally published or produced writers with serious financial difficulties. The fund gives grants or loans of up to $1,000.
=====
AUTHORS LEAGUE FUND - EMERGENCY FUNDS31 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016 Main Phone: (212)268-1208 / Main Fax: (212)564-5363 Helps career authors and dramatists in the United States and in financial distress due to an urgent situation. The Fund makes interest-free loans to professional writers in need.
=====
CLAYTON MEMORIAL MEDICAL FUNDc/o OSFCI, P.O. Box 5703, Portland, Oregon 97228 http://www.osfci.org/clayton/index.html The fund helps professional science fiction and fantasy writers living in the Northwest states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska deal with the financial burden of illness.
=====
AMERICAN POETS FUND - EMERGENCY FUNDSThe Academy of American Poets584 Broadway, Suite 1208, New York, NY 10012Assists poets of demonstrated ability who are in a state of urgent financial need. Grants cannot be used to promote or otherwise enhance literary talent or reputation.
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WRITERS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUND 1501 Broadway, Ste. 302, New York, NY 10036 Tel: (212) 997-0947 / FAX: (212) 768-7414 http://www.asja.org/weaf.php Financial relief assistance to established, professional freelance writers of nonfiction books and magazine articles. Must be 60 years of age or older, disabled, or who face crisis.
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WRITERS' TRUST WOODCOCK FUND - EMERGENCY FUNDS90 Richmond Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1P1416-504-8222 / F- 416-504-9090http://www.writerstrust.com/ Provides emergency funding for established writers in mid-project who are facing financial crisis. Since its inception, the Woodcock Fund has supported 103 Canadian writers in financial difficulty.
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JOHN ANSON KITTREDGE EDUCATIONAL FUND. c/o Key Trust Company of Maine, P.O. Box 1054, Augusta, ME 04332 Travel Application Address, P.O. Box 2883, Cambridge, MA 02138 Grants awarded to artists in very special circumstances. $1,000 - $10,000. Initial contact by letter.
Advice for novice writers
Grants don't happen unless you can acquire financial assistancethrough churches, charitable organizations or The United Way.You are not able to use your writer status to acquire writingfunds if you are not published. It's like asking for funds tobuild a career as an accountant when you used to be a plumber.Experience dictates your qualifications.
If the wolf isn't at your door, and the rain isn't pouringon your head, sit down at the keyboard and start typing yourstories. Read Writer's Market and every other resource thatstrikes your fancy. Join online list groups and read the forums.Subscribe to Writer's Digest or at least read it in the library.Become a sponge. Make writing what you do when you aren'teating, sleeping, working the 9-to-5 or tending to the family.
Then submit like there's no tomorrow. Submit online and to printpublications. Expect 90% rejection and learn why it happened.Submit even more than you did before. Expect 80% rejection andlearn why again.
Believe it or not, while you are fanatically submitting, your writing is improving. That 80% now becomes 75%, then 60%. Soonyou've learned how to write better and target your work to themarkets that suit your voice and style. It's almost anunconscious occurrence. You get smarter, plain and simple.Checks surprise you in the mail. Contracts happen more often.Emails arrive in your box from editors that know you asking you to craft another column. You become a writer.
Emergencies happen. Everyone has a crisis at some time in hislife or he hasn't lived. Sometimes grants are available, but moreoften they aren't. But you are a writer which means you know howto research and deal in deadlines. No one can take away yourmeans and ability to write.
Instead of wringing your hands about your plight, considerputting them to better use on the computer. Pound out yourworries and shoot the results to editors. A few of them justmight respond in a matter of days. You'll never know unless you submit like a fanatic, giving editors the option of paying you.

Saffron======================================================================Eat for life: Quiche goes on a diet 10:33 AM CDT on Tuesday, October 10, 2006By JILL WENDHOLT SILVA Eat for life: Quiche goes on a diet 10:33 AM CDT on Tuesday, October 10, 2006By JILL WENDHOLT SILVA Phyllo dough replaces the traditional pie crust to reduce the fat in this quiche recipe. " width="175" alt="TAMMY LJUNGBLAD/Kansas City Star" onclick="return clickedImage(this);" onmouseover=" this.style.cursor='hand'" height="135"> TAMMY LJUNGBLAD/Kansas City Star Phyllo dough replaces the traditional pie crust to reduce the fat in this quiche recipe. Like skirt lengths, quiche has had its ups and downs. The classic French tart was riding high in the '60s when Julia Child cheered it onto American menus, but by the health-conscious '80s, quiche had been declared a dieter's nightmare. Quiche Lorraine -- a sublime blend of cream, eggs, bacon and cheese -- contains 40 grams of fat per slice, nearly half of that saturated fat. If you eat an average 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, you've just eaten your recommended saturated fat intake for the day. The typical pie crust made with vegetable shortening has 949 calories and 62 grams of fat, according to The Nutrition Bible by Jean Anderson. This recipe for Vegetable Quiche uses phyllo dough, a traditional Greek pastry, to produce a lighter, flakier crust. Another pitfall is a filling made from cream and whole eggs. Instead, use nonfat milk and pasteurized egg substitute made with egg whites only, which, unlike the yolks, contains no fat or cholesterol. Skip the bacon and pump up the vegetables. Then try a combination of reduced-fat cheddar cheese and parmesan, a cheese naturally low in fat. Even if you're not a big fan of reduced-fat cheeses, they work well in casseroles and egg dishes, where they are used as a sidekick, not a star. Shopping tip: Look for phyllo (also fillo or filo) in your grocer's freezer case. Pasteurized egg substitute is available in the dairy case or freezer case. Storage tip: Thaw phyllo in the refrigerator. (For this recipe, remove one 8-ounce package; freeze the other for future use.) An unopened package can be refrigerated up to a month; once opened, use within two to three days. Cartons of egg substitute can be refrigerated up to 12 weeks from the date stamped on the container.VEGETABLE QUICHE 1 teaspoon olive oil ½ cup chopped onion 1 cup sliced mushrooms 2 tablespoons water 2 cups chopped broccoli 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves ½ teaspoon dry mustard ¼ teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste 1 cup nonfat milk 1 (4-ounce) carton egg substitute 1 egg white ½ cup shredded, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese 4 sheets phyllo dough 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 medium, firm, ripe tomato, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375 F. Heat oil in small saucepan. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add water and heat to boiling. Add broccoli, cover and allow to steam 3 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Drain well and set aside. Stir together flour, basil, mustard, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in milk, egg substitute and egg white. Stir in vegetable mixture and shredded cheddar; set aside. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough in pan, fitting to cover bottom of plate smoothly and folding corners down evenly with top edge of pan. Brush entire sheet very lightly with melted butter. Place a second sheet of phyllo in pan, crisscrossing over the first sheet and folding corners down evenly with edge of pan. Brush entire sheet very lightly with butter. Repeat with remaining 2 sheets of phyllo, adjusting the position of the sheets so they completely cover the pan, folding corners down evenly with pan and brushing lightly with butter. Spoon filling into phyllo crust. Overlap tomato slices in a decorative circle on top of filling. Very lightly brush the tomatoes and edges of the quiche with any remaining butter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until almost set and lightly golden. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake 5 to 8 minutes longer, or until set. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes six servings. PER SERVING: Calories 228 (39% fat)Fat 10 g (4 g sat) Cholesterol 15 mg Sodium 436 mg Fiber 2 g Carbohydrates 25 g Protein 10 g SOURCE: Kansas City Star Phyllo dough replaces the traditional pie crust to reduce the fat in this quiche recipe. ">TAMMY LJUNGBLAD/Kansas City StarPhyllo dough replaces the traditional pie crust to reduce the fat in this quiche recipe. // Image1 end -->

Diagnose before you poke
12:00 AM CDT on Monday, October 9, 2006
Shawn Messonnier
Dear Dr. Shawn: My dog Jake is 5 years old and in the last six months has been favoring his back legs. It's difficult for him to get up from lying down and it takes him awhile to get going. He has had X-rays, and arthritis and hip dysplasia have been ruled out. His doctor said it could be a nerve disorder. I've heard that acupuncture could work. What do you think?
Answer: It is possible that Jake does have arthritis or at least joint pain, even though his X-rays did not reveal these problems. Why does your doctor suspect a nerve problem? Just because X-rays don't show joint problems doesn't mean that a nerve injury is present. Does Jake have any nerve deficits? For example, does he have any spots of pain on his body? Does he drag his legs? Does he walk normally once he gets going? These are some of the things to consider before suspecting nerve damage.
Acupuncture can help. However, you need a diagnosis before someone simply starts sticking needles into his body. (You also need to know where to stick the needles, and from your description, this would be hard to determine.) You might request a visit to a specialist for more testing such as an MRI. Once a diagnosis is reached, many alternative therapies, including acupuncture, can be helpful. I use acupuncture occasionally, but always with other therapies, such as herbs and homeopathics. These treatments can be tried first, and then acupuncture can be added as needed.
Join me for a free talk on using natural therapies to prevent and treat disease, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at Waggin' Tails, 1151 W. Parker Road, Suite 207, Plano. Call 972-867-8800 to reserve your seats.
Send questions to Dr. Shawn Messonnier at Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, 2145 W. Park, Plano, TX 75075 or naturalvet@ juno.com. Visit him at www.pet carenaturally.com.

WORDS OF SUCCESS
"I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars."
-- Og Mandino

Famous George W. Quotes "I believe Men and Fish can coexist together peacfully."
"I support Latino owned buisnesses, women owned buisnesses, and every other kind of person owned buisnesses."




Comedy Central Daily Joke, 1775 Broadway, NY, NY 10019Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Comedy Central. All rights reserved.

Rest in Peace Gene R.
RIP Gene Reynolds Gene Reynolds of Benbrook, TX., a friend to many, passed away from pancreatic cancer yesterday at the age of 55. A railroad employee for 30 plus years, he was a dad, grandad, an inspiration, and a funny, generous guy. He will be missed by many people including me who had known him about nine years. Rest in peace, Gene.

Prison Bound
Some say the probation system in Texas sets people up to fail.
By PETER GORMAN
Smoking Pot repeatedly put Ryan Peucker in trouble with probation authorities.
Ryan Peucker is nobody’s idea of an angel. He started smoking pot as a young teenager living in Joshua and Cleburne, dipped into cocaine and methamphetamine for a while, and in 1997, at age 18, agreed to help his friends pawn jewelry and other items stolen from one of the friend’s relatives.
But until he’d spent five years in and out of jail and forced rehab while on probation, he had never been violent; until then, the burglary charge that he drew for being present when the items were stolen from the friend’s grandfather’s house was the only charge ever filed on him.
A major problem for Peucker in trying since 1998 to get out of the justice system has been his inability to stay away from pot: Time and again, when he showed up at the Johnson County probation office, evidence of drugs was found in his required urine test.
But the other problem, according to some criminal justice system officers, lawyers, and civil libertarians, was his decision back in February 1998 to accept a plea agreement in the first place. It seemed a no-brainer at the time: Do 10 years probation rather than face the possibility of doing up to 20 years in prison, in a county where prosecutors are notorious for going for the max in almost every case. But the agreement put him in the same kind of almost-no-win situation that lands thousand of people in Texas prisons every year —people who, according to some experts, probably shouldn’t be there.
“I’d guess, from what I see, maybe 70 to 80 percent of the people who get probation wind up having their probation revoked,” said Lisa Williams, a parole officer in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Nicole Porter, director of the Texas Civil Liberties Union’s prison and jail accountability project, said that doing probation in Texas is tough. “Few people can do 10 years,” she said. “Even five years is almost impossible. People simply cannot comply with the stringent requirements. I’d go as far as to say the system is set up with the intent that people will fail. People are expected to have their probation revoked.”
Peucker had even less chance than many because of where he committed his burglary. In Johnson County, said one probation officer there who asked not to be named, District Attorney Dale Hanna is “the kind of DA who insists we report even the most minor probation infraction. Kid’s late for an appointment, he’s liable to push for revocation and send that kid to jail.”
Joshua attorney Bill Mason, who represented Peucker for a time, said small towns make the problem worse because officers who see the same people over and over “finally take it personally. ... The days of the officer calling your parents and telling them you’re down at the station, well, those days are gone. Once you’re on the local cops’ radar, you are going to have a difficult time getting under it again.”
Peucker made it pretty easy for the justice system to gobble him up. The first condition of his probation agreement was to complete a 75- to 90-day “boot camp” — a military-style camp usually reserved for young offenders. If he could do the camp and the 10 years probation, the felony would disappear from his record.
But a bad back from a childhood injury prevented him from being able to stick through the boot camp. As an alternative, Peucker, who had been incarcerated for nearly four months by that time, was sentenced to 120 days on a work-release program. He was freed on weekdays from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. to do community service; nights and weekends he spent in the Johnson County jail.
Two months into the work-release program, Peucker came up positive for pot on a urine test. That netted him six months in the county jail. He got out, soon came up dirty again, and was sentenced to nine months in the Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF) in Huntsville. When he completed the program in October 1999, he was again remanded to work-release, this time to a Volunteers of America after-care program in Mansfield. He failed another urinalysis three months later, spent four more months in the Johnson County jail, and then went back for another six months in the SAFPF program.
Remanded to another work-release program, Peucker was sent on errands one day; when his probation officer couldn’t reach him there, he moved to have Peucker’s probation revoked. That meant the burglary conviction went on his permanent record, and he was sentenced to five years in prison, on top of the nearly four years in work-release, jail, and prison rehab that he had already done. He served 14 months, was credited with the eight months he’d spent waiting in Johnson County Jail for his case to come up, and was released on parole in late 1993.
He stayed clean for more than a year. But in May 2005, he failed another urine test, and the police picked him up. According to police reports, Peucker, handcuffed and with 135 pounds on a six-foot frame, tried to head-butt two officers as he was being escorted into the Johnson County jail. It was the first suggestion of violence in Peucker’s history with the criminal justice system.
He was charged with retaliation, a felony, and sat in the Johnson County jail from May 2005 until August 2006, when he accepted a plea agreement for two years in prison. He should be out sometime in 2007, with no more parole to do.
When he gets out this time, though, it will be a different Ryan Peucker than the 18-year-old who went inside in 1998. He now sports a lot of anger and full-sleeve tattoos that will mark him as a former inmate for the rest of his life. He also has two felonies on his record, making it vital that he walk a line he’s never been able to walk before.
“In the past,” said Bill Miller, owner of Miller’s Books in Cleburne and a former writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “we had a program here in Johnson County called HOPE that I volunteered with — Helping Open Peoples’ Eyes. The intent when it was started was to work with the inmates at the county jail here, to give them support so that they’d have a safety net when they were released.
“They’d have people to talk with when they got down. ... And everyone gets down. They have no money, they can’t get jobs. And the program worked fine. But funding got cut a few years ago, and the county had no interest in it. Now it’s a horrible situation. In the old HOPE, there were computers and even a GED program — something for these kids to reach for,” he said.
“The problem is that there is simply no funding to do anything with these kids,” said Robert Kersey, a Granbury defense lawyer who handles some cases in Johnson County. “I think you have to be creative — and the law allows it — with these young people with dirty UAs [urinalyses]. There is no reason to revoke a probation for a kid smoking pot. You can send the kid out to pick up garbage on the highway or make them do some other community service the first few times they fail.” If they keep failing, he said, they can then be sent to the state prison drug rehab unit. “The way it is just isn’t working.”
In the last year, Tarrant County has begun to think creatively. According to Tom Plumbly, director of Tarrant County Adult Probation, “The revocation rate for people out on probation is so high that it’s just a funnel for prison. And what we’ve done about it in the last year is implement a new system of progressive sanctions. When people violate probation, we’re trying to do things other than send them to jail. On a first violation, we might give them three days in jail, not three months. That sort of thing.
“But we’re also trying to see that people get the help they need for wrong decision-making. People involved in criminal actions have to change their behaviors, and our job is to help with those changes through rehabilitation. For drug offenders in Tarrant, for instance, we’ve instituted intensive day treatment, an outpatient therapy. And we’ve begun group programs where people can learn how to make better decisions. And the result is that our felony probation revocations are down 20 percent this year over last year. We’ll see if that will last over the long haul, but I contend that if you don’t make the changes in the individual — and you can’t if you don’t offer them therapy and a way to change — then they will wind up having their probation revoked and be sent to prison. And that generally doesn’t do anybody any good.”
Richard De Los Santos, a defense attorney who works in Johnson and Tarrant counties, said Peucker’s original 10-year probated sentence seemed excessive to him — but not surprising in Johnson County. “Ten years probation for pawning some stolen stuff another kid robbed from his grandfather? And more than half of that in jail and prison for smoking pot a couple of times a year?” he said. “Nobody can do 10 years, even if they change their lifestyle.”

Story: As migration time nears, be kind to our feathered friends
Being kind to migrating birds
As migration time nears, be kind to our feathered friends
07:04 AM CDT on Friday, September 15, 2006
The seasonal migration of songbirds and hummingbirds is nigh, and North Texas gardens are directly in the flight path. By being generous and thoughtful hosts, we can help more survive the perilous journey.
As migratory season begins, birds face risks from pesticide- tainted bugs or other food sources. Ground feeders such as doves face special danger from outdoor cats, too. " height=126 alt="NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/v3/09-15-2006.NHG_15doves.G301VL5KI.1.jpg" width=175>
NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN As migratory season begins, birds face risks from pesticide- tainted bugs or other food sources. Ground feeders such as doves face special danger from outdoor cats, too.
Birds become disoriented by artificial light, says the National Audubon Society, so turn off exterior and interior lights during peak migration hours of midnight to dawn.
Place bird feeders within three feet or beyond 30 feet of windows to prevent glass collisions. Many birds strike windows after being startled off a feeder, seeing escape routes mirrored in reflective glass. Birds can't get up enough speed to cause injury by slamming into glass only three feet away.
Keep feeders clean and stocked with safflower, sunflower and other high-energy seeds rather than low-quality discount-brand mixes. Fresh, clean waterers also are cri! tical. < /p>
Eliminate pesticides. Millions of birds are killed annually when birds ingest toxic insects, seeds and other food sources.
Bell the cat. Even better, keep it indoors. Ground-feeding birds such as cardinals and doves are most vulnerable.
For more information about helping sustain bird populations, see www.audubonathome.org.
Mariana Greene

By MAURA J. CASEY

Former Gov. Ann Richards of Texas will be remembered for her wit, her one-liners and especially for the keynote speech at the 1988 Democratic Convention, which was, in retrospect, the high point in the party’s dismal campaign for the presidency that year. To intrigued television viewers nationwide, Ms. Richards, with her big hair and big attitude, epitomized the kind of formidable woman that is a hallmark of the Lone Star State. People liked her down-home phrases. When she said, “We’re gonna tell how the cow ate the cabbage,” they believed her. She leavened a plain-spoken manner with wisecracks. Both helped elect her governor two years later.
But her political career eclipsed what Ms. Richards called “one of the great, great stories” of her life: her recovery from alcoholism and her nearly 26 years of sobriety. That triumph deserves to be more than a line in her obituary.
In so many ways, her decision to stop drinking and enter a rehabilitation program in 1980, after a painful intervention by family and friends, was necessary for her continued rise in public life. What made Ms. Richards different was her decision to be forthright about the fact that she was a recovering alcoholic. She didn’t hide it. “I like to tell people that alcoholism is one of my strengths,” she said. She was right. Alcoholics know that seeds of healthy recovery grow from the need to mend their own flaws to stay sober, one day at a time. Ms. Richards faced her imperfections fearlessly, and that enabled others to be fearless, too, if only for a little while.
She never stopped helping people. One well-known author said the first mail she received after enrolling in a rehabilitation program was an encouraging letter from Ms. Richards. A politician who left rehab and wondered how on earth he was going to avoid drinking when he got home well after midnight found Ms. Richards waiting for him when he arrived. As governor, she started treatment programs in Texas prisons. When she visited, she would tell the inmates the simple truth: “My name’s Ann, and I’m an alcoholic.” Her imperfection had become a source of inspiration for others.

Ann Richards was funny, wise and compassionate. At 73, she died too soon. But she died sober.

Banking online? Guard your money and data
02:42 PM CDT on Monday, September 4, 2006
From Staff and Wire Reports
Despite this being the age of identity theft and online scams, more brick-and-mortar banks are offering their customers products and services for banking on the Web.
Plus, Internet banks, which have no physical branches, are gaining popularity, since they often pass along their lower overhead costs to consumers in the form of high interest rates on deposits.
The number of Americans banking online grew to 40 million in the fourth quarter of 2005, a 27 percent increase over the previous year, according to comScore Networks, a research organization that studies consumer Internet behavior.
Banking online can save you money and often is convenient. Consumers have good reason to bank online - online transactions can often save you money, and their convenience can't be beat. But it's wise to be extra cautious when handling your money over the Web. Follow these tips to ensure online safety:
•When handling money online, make sure you only deal with secure Web sites. You'll know A site is secure if you can see the padlock symbol in the bottom right corner of your Web browser window. Click the padlock for security details.
•Ensure that your computer is secure — Always use the “password protect” feature to make sure only you can access the information stored there.
•Many banks and shopping sites offer to “remember your password” — ignore those offers to prevent other computer users from accessing your information.
•Avoid accessing your account from a public computer., but If you must, when you're done banking clear the computer's “history” and delete its “temporary Internet files.,” (usually available under “Internet options” in Internet Explorer), to prevent the next computer user from possibly seeing your sensitive data.
•Change your passwords regularly.
•Never send credit card or account details by e-mail. Be aware of “phishing” scams, as well: If you receive an e-mail asking you to follow a link to a Web site where you must input your information, it's probably a scam. Banks will not ask you via e-mail to update your account information.
•Always print your transaction receipts and file them with your bank records until you receive confirmation in your bank statement.
Be aware that not all virtual banks are insured by the FDIC — some may be chartered overseas. To check whether your Internet bank is insured, visit the FDIC's Bank Find Web site at http://www2.fdic.gov/idasp/main_bankfind.asp.

"It is the Law that any difficulties that can come to you at any time, no matter what they are, must be exactly what you need most at the moment, to enable you to take the next step forward by overcoming them.The only real misfortune, the only real tragedy, comes when we suffer without learning the lesson."~ Emmet Fox

PLEASE FORWARD TO EVERYONE THAT YOU KNOW IN THE AREA!

ALERT sponsored by:

LOST DOG ALERT
Lost Sep 14, 2006 in Plano, Texas
Growly
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Last seen in:
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Phone: 469-396-6505

I See You! A few days before his proctological exam, a one eyed man accidentally swallowed his glass eye. He was worried for a while, but there were noill effects, so he forgot about it.
Once he was in the doctor's office, the man followed instructions, undressed, and bent over. The first thing the proctologist saw when he looked up the man's arse was that eye staring right back at him. "You know, " said the doctor, "you really have to learn to trust me."




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