Dr Copa

This was a great story to read on Yahoo about a little girl born on the date of 8-9-10. The birth occurred at 11:12am. Too funny, right? What an easy birthday to have to remember each year. I was going to post the video about the special birthday girl but apparently there are copyright issues going on right now.

This was sent to me with the title of “Devastation from this morning’s Washington D.C. earthquake” Since I wasn’t aware of any earthquake it caught my attention and I had to open it up. Way too funny not to pass along here with you good folks. Laughter is the best medicine, as the old saying goes.

You can read more at the Washington Examiner

Customer: Yes, I want to cancel my account. I don’t want to do business with you any longer. 

The Bank: Why?

Customer: You’re giving credit to illegal immigrants and I don’t think it’s right. I’m taking my business elsewhere.

The Bank: Well, Mr. Customer, we don’t want to see you do that, but we can’t stop you. I’ll help you close the account. What is your account number?

Customer: (gives account number)

The Bank: For security purposes and for your protection, can you please give me the last four digits of your social security number?

Customer: No?

The Bank: Mr. Customer, I need to verify your information, but in order to help you, I’ll need verification of who you are..

Customer: Why should I give you my social security number? The reason I’m closing my account is that your bank is issuing credit cards to illegal immigrants who don’t have social security numbers. You are targeting that audience and want their business. Let’s say I’m an illegal immigrant and you’ve given me a credit card. I have a question about it and call for assistance. You wouldn’t be asking me for a Social Security number, would you?

The Bank: No sir, I wouldn’t.

Customer: Why not?

The Bank: Because you would have pressed ‘2′ to speak in Spanish. We don’t ask for that information when calling in on the Spanish line.

My sister-in-law told me that just the thought of the Muslim community even thinking about building a brand new Mosque any where near “Ground Zero” in New York City makes her stomach start to scream for the injustice of the whole idea. She’s very upset to think that there is a strong possibility of this plan going through.

I, on the other hand, realize that the Muslim community has no control over the extremists who planned and carried out the terrorist attacks. I wish people would just get over this racist hatred.

Today’s drug treatment and alcohol treatment center options have turned around big time in the past 15 years or so. With the economy is such a mess there is a growing need for drug rehab and alcohol rehab, not just for celebrities but for the common folk that are hurting big time with stress from finance issues. Back in the day, going into a treatment center meant going to a dirty, ugly, run down extension of some abandoned mental institute that doesn’t make for a pleasant stay during a difficult time in life while going through detox or drug or alcohol treatment.

Dr. Drew made a major impact in drug and alcohol rehab with his hit show (I think it was on VH1) that was on a few years ago concerning Celebrity Rehab and Celebrity Sober Living issues. It was an interesting series that I believe opened up a good amount of people’s eye to what is all involved in the detox and rehab process. It isn’t a pleasant sight but a necessary process that helps and needs to help so many more people that are in need in today’s wacky world.

I was just reading a story on the yahoo news page that some football star showed he has a big heart by giving a homeless kid a jersey and a week’s tuition at a summer camp.  The article was talking about what a big heart this football player has.  Big fat whoopie do.  Why not hire the kid’s mother to do something so she can afford a house for the family?  I’m sure she could do SOMETHING.  Or maybe pay for the mother to take some courses to learn how to do something and help her find a job somewhere?  Is a jersey and a week of camp going to keep the kids warm, dry, and fed?  I don’t think so.  Big whoop.

I was browsing the Internet this morning and saw a lot of hoopla about a new creation – a wedding dress that dissolves in water. The photos that are provided with all of the articles look like ballet tutus. What’s up with that? I can’t imagine a bride walking down the aisle in a tutu! Is that really the dress?

The articles talk about how women buy wedding dresses, wear them once and never again. And what a waste it is. In my family, it seems that the women save their wedding dresses in the hopes that one day their daughters will wear them to their weddings! Of course women who only bear sons might have problems with that!

I can remember going to a historical place that held lectures and the lecturer spoke of how wedding dresses used to be black, and that the women wore the same dress to church every Sunday, and that the dress was also used as dress that the woman was buried in. I guess those dresses really earned their keep!

I find myself watching the Comedy Channel more and more. A good laugh can make a big difference and I enjoy laughing. While the news is being blared out at us 24/7 on most of the other networks, I’m watching something that entertains me and won’t keep up at night with worry.

The Orchid Recovery Center for Women has a useful site for information concerning drug and alcohol treatment, detox and recovery, designed specifically for women. I was reading the Orchid Center Charity Blog that they have and it only makes sense to have a center that is gender specific, theirs is nationally recognized for their exclusive treatment center.

The Internet is a useful tool in researching topics such as this, help is available at the Orchid Recovery Center and you can find everything that you need at their site in order to learn all their is to know. Drug and Alcohol addiction is an ever growing problem. The economy has gotten people so freaked out that they are turning to drastic measures in order to escape all that this economy crisis has dished out to us these past couple of years.

Dr. Drew has brought this addiction issue to the light the past couple of years with his Celebrity Rehab series on VH1. Although celebrities are not the only ones struggling with addiction issues. It is every where and doesn’t show any signs of improving, much like the economy.

The Internet has made it easy to find all the information that you need in order to take advantage of the buying first home tax credit that our Federal government has decided to extend once again. It’s the first time that I’ve agreed with something the Feds have done, how scary is that!

Homes sales are picking up more and more, and there are still plenty of great deals on the market. The amount of “For Sale” signs lining the neighborhoods all around town are totally outrageous. We will really know that things have turned around when we don’t see every 3rd of 4th house with a “For Sale” sign in the front yard.

Anyway, this extension is also helping people that have lived in their current home for 5 of the last 8 years. If so you can receive up to $6,500 in a tax credit as well. Something definitely worth looking into folks. I found a good overview of the tax credit extension at Coldwell Banker’s web site. They have a short video embedded there as well to assist as well. I’ve posted it below with the thought in mind that someone might learn something from it as well. Share the wealth…………..

I am so disappointed in the violent reactions of some people in response to the new healthcare bill. Threats, and shooting out windows! I really think that this kind of reaction is over the top! It makes me really sad that people would stoop so low. These politicians really are trying their best to serve their constituents – responding with threats and violence is just plain nuts! We are supposed to be living in a civilized society, not the Wild West! Grow up people!

I’ve been hearing for a long time that the Postal Service is considering dropping Saturday deliveries as a way to trim their budget. I think that it is a very good idea. I don’t need to be receiving bills in the mail six days a week! Often we don’t go out anywhere on Saturday and it is a nuisance to have to make a special trip down to the mailbox to get the mail. On regular weekdays usually someone is driving past the mailbox in the afternoon and can just stop on their way in the driveway to pick up the mail.

I would encourage the Post Offices to stay open on Saturdays, however, to make it easier for people who work during the business week to be able to go to the Post Office on their day off to buy stamps, pick-up packages, etc. But home delivery, I won’t miss it on Saturdays for one minute!

I just saw on the breaking AP news that a killer whale trainer at the Orlando Sea World has died today; apparently at the fins of one of her trained whales!  The article has two conflicting stories – the police are saying that the trainer fell into the tank and died.  The incident happened at the beginning of a show, and was witnessed by an audience.  Audience members claim that the whale jumped out of the water and grabbed the trainer and started thrashing about.

This is a terrible tragedy!  I wonder what triggered this behavior.  The news article continues to talk about how other trained whales have attacked their trainers.  And yet these whales continue to perform.  How smart is that, I wonder, to let a proven hostile animal continue to perform?

One of my all time favorite songs is the Devil went down to Georgia, by Charlie Daniels. I heard today that he has suffered a stroke. My prayers go out to him for a full recovery! Hang in there Charlie!

This video is a longer version of the song than I had ever heard before – it’s terrific! Enjoy!

You can never tell these days if the photos that are being passed around on the Internet are for real or not. I just received this photo in my email today. I got a good laugh out of it and wanted to pass it along here for grins and giggles.

There has been a big push in our community to get people to purchase and install good quality mail boxes. The city is having the street numbers painted on the curbs in front of people’s residences, but they are also asking that the Residential Mailboxes and Commercial Mailboxes have the street numbers printed on them so that our emergency personnel can locate the proper address in a timely fashion.

At a time when every second counts, in the event of an emergency it is best to have everything in place to make the most out of what our taxes are being used for. There has been several times lately that our emergency personnel have not been able to get to where they need to be due to Mailboxes not having the name and proper address on them.

A mailbox can make a difference and I’d like to get the word out here in hopes that more people will take note and possibly save a few lives in the mean time. I’m very glad that our city council has stepped up to the plate and is taking action in this area.

It looks like we are in for one heck of a snow storm this week end. Our local weather forecaster is calling for up to 10 inches that is supposed to start some time tomorrow evening. Guess we need to stock up on the necessary items at the grocery store and hunker down for a long cold weekend. This is going to make the last minute Christmas shopping a real nightmare for a lot of people. Glad that we have most of our holiday shopping done and just have to worry about having enough milk and toilet paper!

Well, apparently more people DO judge a book by its cover than they should! Case in point; the audience and judge’s reaction to contestant Susan Boyle! Everyone pre-judged her by her humble appearance. I have to admit that I found it difficult to understand her when she talked, and when she said she wanted to be a professional singer I wondered how that could possibly happen! But it wasn’t long before I realized that her singing voice was wonderful, and when she sang her accent seemed to disappear. I have to wonder how a person can sing without an accent if they can’t talk without it! I’ll be very interested to hear how her new career works out for her. I’m sure that she will have a big recording contract even if she doesn’t win the Britain’s Got Talent show!

A couple of days ago I picked up a copy of a local newspaper because the headline caught my eye – “Winner’s Death Mars Point-to-Point Races.” Well, to be honest I do not know what a “Point-to-Point” race is, but I was interested in the story. Apparently a “Point-to-Point” race involves people dressing up in their “Fox Hunt” racing clothes and racing horses through a course.  I don’t know if there was any jumping involved, but if this is supposed to simulate a fox hunt, I would imagine so.

Anyway, the winner of the race (the winning horse) apparently suffered a massive heart attack the very next stride after passing the finish line!  One second the horse and rider are winning the race, the next second the horse is dead!  Incredible, and incredibly sad.

I was reading on the Reutors website that New York City’s taxi cab fleet be changing. The Mayor of the city, Michael Bloomberg has announced that there is no an agreement in place with car manufacturers that they will supply the city with 300 new hybrid cars each month. Each hybrid taxi car is expected to save its drivers about $6500 each year in fuel costs. There currently are over 1300 hybrid cars serving as taxies in New York.

I think that is good news on several different levels. First of all, it is good news for the drivers, who are usually struggling for income in the first place. Second, it is good news for the environment; using less fossil fuel is always good for the environment! So, congrats to New York City taxis for going green!

Well, I heard that President Obama commented that he can’t bowl very well. Something to the effect that when he bowls, he looks like he’s participating in the Special Olympics. And I’ve heard that there’s been a lot of hoopla about how that was a disparaging comment “insult” to the people who do actually participate in the Special Olympics. Well, I don’t think that President Obama meant to insult anyone. Everyone knows that the people who participate in the Special Olympics are handicapped. And that handicapped people are “differently abled” and sometimes have to expend extra effort to achieve what many of us take for granted. It’s too bad that there is always so much attention paid to people’s errors; I think that it was not ill-intended and I wish people would find better things to complain about!

I cannot believe that the people at the AIG company are so vital that they would quit their jobs if they didn’t get their bonuses and that the company would not be able to survive without them.  There is one thing I have learned in the business world, no one is irreplaceable.  I think that AIG should not give out those bonuses, and if they lose “valuable employees” then I think that they should just let them walk.  To be giving out bonuses now, when the company had to borrow so much money from us is unthinkable!  I suspect that if AIG ever comes to the government, hat in hand, asking for bailout money that they will be turned away.  They have shown their true colors!

I was just watching the local news on television and saw that earlier today a small plane crashed in an area not too far from here.  The only one aboard, apparently, was the pilot, and he survived.  He survived because the plane had an emergency parachute option on it that deployed and allowed the plane to land softly.  I didn’t know that was an option on any planes!  The story said that the pilot because disoriented in some fog/clouds and was afraid he was going to crash, so he deployed the parachute.  The plane is totaled, but no one on the ground was hurt, and the pilot is alive.  That’s pretty awesome!

I read this morning on one of the Internet websites (I think it was Yahoo) a story about a chimpanzee in a zoo that stores up rocks and then throws them when he is angry at the zoo visitors. The article was making a big deal about it because the scientists were saying that this shows that chimpanzees can plan ahead.

Then the article mentions the incident with the pet chimpanzee that attacked his owner’s friend. It goes on to say that the owner speculated that the chimp had attacked her friend because she had a new hairdo, was driving a different car, and was holding a toy stuffed animal in front of her face, trying to lure the chimp to come inside the house. That’s the first I’d heard of all that! Well no wonder he attacked her! He was feeling threatened by a stranger on his turf! How sad is that!

I was glad to hear that the Dulles Metro rail has finally been approved and is going to actually start construction!  I heard that on the news this evening.  That is going to make life a lot easier for a LOT of people, including our family because we use the Dulles Airport a lot.  I’ve been wishing that there was a Metro rail station there ever since we moved into the area.

Now if we could only get the Metro rail station to extend out to Gainesville!  That would be really great!

I was just reading on the msnbc news website that someone has been using counterfeit $20 bills to buy Girl Scout cookies in Bremerton Washington. The troop has accumulated 5 counterfeit bills so far! The article goes on to say that other counterfeit $20 bills have cropped up in the area, so it is not simply confined to the Girl Scouts. They found out about the fraud when they took the money to the bank and the teller told them that some of the money was counterfeit!

There is a special pen that can be used to detect counterfeit money, if you use it on a real dollar bill it turns yellow; when used on a counterfeit bill it turns black. So the Girls Scouts have bought a lot of those pens and are giving it to the girls, who will be using it on any $20 bill they receive as payment for their cookies.

I wonder if someone is doing this deliberately to the Girl Scouts, or if there are simply a lot of these counterfeit bills out in circulation and it is a coincidence that the Girl Scouts are getting so many of them! If someone is targeting the Girl Scouts, that is pretty low!

I’ve been seeing television stories on the news over the past few months about how social media marketing is the new marketing strategy.  The strategy takes advantage of the old adage that the best advertising is by word of mouth.  Rather than taking out paid ads in newspapers, magazines, radio, television, or bulletin board advertising, social media marketing focuses on getting people to recommend products and services to their friends and neighbors.  Since your friends and neighbors theoretically trust your judgement, they are likely to give your recommendation a try.  In the “information technology age” one way this can be accomplished is through blogging.

My son showed me this video from UTube that is so funny! He thought I’d like it because we are always teasing each other around the house about not hearing each other! He found it on the failblog.org website. That website is awesome – it shows lots of funny things that they call “Fail.” I thought it was worth sharing with you.

I was surprised to read in the Time.com website that underneath this red clay, in the Piedmont section of Virginia (which is where I live) sits a huge deposit of uranium. And, there is talk about mining it, to fuel nuclear reactors to generate electricity. I have a lot of concerns about that. From what I understand nuclear energy still is problematic because there is no good solution for where to put the nuclear waste. And mining uranium can put the environment, and our health at risk. Yeah, I have some concerns about that.

My wife came home from work this afternoon, all aggravated because she had to work with someone who is very verbally opinionated when it comes to politics.   It is against the work rules to discuss politics because it can get really intense, but this woman ignores the rules and spouts off anyway.  Today she was spouting off that Obama promised a quick fix to the economy, but she hasn’t seen any changes yet! 

My wife told her that Obama did NOT promise a quick fix, and that in fact he has always said that it would take a long time and a lot of work.  It took a long time to get into the mess we are in, there is not going to be a magic wand that will fix it overnight.  This guy has only been in office for ONE month, and this woman is already running around complaining that the economy isn’t fixed yet!  Give him a chance, and give me a break!  Geez…..