Thankfully, I'm over the flu. I was pretty much down in bed from Thursday morning until Sunday evening. It was mostly stomach flu, so I don't think it was the swine flu that is sweeping the country.

It's good to be back.

A little under the weather today.

Happy Birthday to Jack Nicholson who turns 72 years old today.

Happy Birthday Corey

My son Corey turned 21 years old yesterday!!!

Starbucks Closing!!!

In an article in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin this morning, I learned that ten Starbucks coffee houses are going to be closing in San Bernardino County. One is our favorite at the corner of Archibald Ave. and Riverside Dr. and another up the street at Haven Ave. and Philadelphia. Some will close by the end of the month and the others by September.

The sky is falling!!! The sky is falling!!!

Wanted: One parishioner who can proof read the message board. Life experience a must.

Monday I went for a 25 mile bike ride and found a couple new things on my path. First I found a couple of new additions to the local population. Two new colts at one of the diaries I pass.

I also discovered what appeared to be a collision with a vehicle and a cement drain on a raised road that divides several fields. In the photos you can see the raised cement drain and an oil trail and piece of undercarriage. My guess is that the driver didn't see the drain (probably in the dark) until he hit it and I'd bet the impact was a bone crusher.

Happy Birthday Josh!!!

My son Josh turns 23 years old today!!!

Barack Obama Chia Pets!!! Pulled from the shelves on April 9, 2009.

Top 10 reasons why Beer is better than Religion

10. No one will kill you for not drinking Beer.
9. Beer doesn't tell you how to have sex.
8. Beer has never caused a major war.
7. They don't force Beer on minors who can't think for themselves.
6. When you have a Beer, you don't knock on people's doors trying to give it away.
5. Nobody's ever been burned at the stake, hanged, or tortured over his brand of Beer.
4. You don't have to wait 2000+ years for a second Beer.
3. There are laws saying Beer labels can't lie to you.
2. You can prove you have a Beer.
1. If you've devoted your life to Beer, there are groups to help you stop.

Priest Curses Statue

Girardville, Penn.

The statue of a scantily clad female pirate, pictured to the right, stands in front of an antique store in Girardville, Pn. to attract customers. The blouse worn by the statue is tied just below her bosoms and exposes her midriff and of course her ample bosom.

The local Catholic Priest, Father Edward Commolly, doesn't seem to appreciate the artistic value of the statue and recently cursed the statue. According to the shop owner, Peggy Kanigoski, Father Commolly showed up in front of her store demanding the statue be removed. He was heard to say, "I curse you. I curse this place. I want to see this destroyed. I want her destroyed."

Father Commolly later told the local newspaper that he felt the statue was indecent and categorized it as soft porn. He denied putting a curse on the statue and business, and said that he blessed them.

In case you wondered, Father Commolly's mythical sky god has not brought destruction down upon the statue as yet.

Huffington Post
April 6, 2009 7:02 PM

At a press conference in Turkey, President Obama casually rebuked the old chestnut that the United States is a Judeo-Christian nation.

"One of the great strengths of the United States," the President said, "is ... we have a very large Christian population -- we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."

Ah, music to my ears!!!

Friday night Karen and I went to see the band "Copper Canyon Band" perform at the VFW in West Covina. The band contains my friends Jim and Betty Bean and Jim Witt. The band plays "classic country music" and they were very easy to listen to. If you have a chance, I recommend you go see them.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to my son Brian who turns 33 years old today. Brian was born in the army hospital in Ft. Hood, Texas. He now lives in Huntsville, Al.

Brian and Selana are getting married next month.

Again???

AP Associated Press

3/30/09 7:19 PM

OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill to allow the Ten Commandments to be placed on the Capitol grounds has won approval in a Senate committee over arguments it is unconstitutional. The Senate General Government Committee approved the bill Tuesday on a 5-3 vote. It now advances to the Senate floor for consideration. It will likely wind up in a joint House-Senate conference committee.

Freshman Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, introduced the bill, proposing installation of a 3-by-6-foot monument on the Capitol grounds similar to a granite monument of the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol in Austin. Ritze said his family would pay for the estimated $10,000 cost of the project.

Sen. Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah, argued it was a religious display prohibited on state property by the state Constitution. "We're going to spend a lot of money (defending a lawsuit challenging the measure) and we're going to lose," he said.

He said Oklahoma could not defend the monument and reject other monuments with a religious theme that might be sought by Muslims or members of other religions.

Major League Baseball starts for real this week!!!

Huffington Post

Much is being made of Michelle Obama and Queen Elizabeth's embrace. As the First Lady and Queen chatted at the G-20 reception on Wednesday night, the Queen touched her hand to Michelle Obama's back, and the gesture was then returned. Royal etiquette dictates that the Queen not be touched unless she reaches out first. Patting the Queen's back, however, is almost unprecedented behavior in Buckingham Palace.

The "Daily Mail" said, "No-one - including the ladies-in-waiting standing nearby - could believe their eyes. In 57 years, the Queen has never been seen to make that kind of gesture and it is certainly against all protocol to touch her.

'But she didn't seem to mind a bit and was smiling and joking throughout,' the eyewitness said.

After 57 years maybe she needed a good hug. And what are the "ladies in waiting" waiting for??