This is dedicated to the thousdands of people who are standing up for what they believe in.  - Miley Cyrus

An Atheist Christmas Song

My good friend Bob M. brought this song to my attention.  It has a nice message.  The artist is Tim Minchin who is a British-Australian comedian, actor, and musician.  Thanks Bob.

The American Family Association (AFA) released its 2011 "Naughty or Nice Christmas List" indicating which stores' advertisements and employees say "Merry Christmas" and which ones say "Happy Holidays."

The AFA is asking its members to wear the button shown below that says, "It's okay to say Merry Christmas.

The "Companies Against Christmas" are:

Banana Republic
Barnes & Noble
Foot Locker
Gap Stores
L.L. Bean
Limited Brands
Office Depot
Old Navy
Radio Shack
Staples
Supervalu
Victoria's Secret

I'll let you go to the AFA web site at http://action.afa.net/item.aspx?id=2147486887 if you are interested in the lists of "Companies For Christmas" and Companies Marginal on Christmas." 

I'm off to Victoria Secret!!!

You reap what you sow

Farm workers have abandoned Georgia and Alabama in droves this fall, forcing farmers to abandon their crops for lack of enough hands in the fields. Economists in the two states estimate their economies lost at least $115 million as a result. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111127/NEWS0201/311150089/New-immigration-laws-could-hit-farmers-drive-up-food-prices

In an article by Naomi Wolf of the Guardian entitled "The Shocking Truth About the Crackdown on Occupy," she attempts to connect the dots between the organized crackdown on the Occupy movements in several major cities.  Ms. Wolf seems to believe that the mayors of several cities conspired with the Department of Homeland Security to bring the movements to an end.  The mayor of Oakland admitted to being on a conference call with several other mayors before the Oakland movement was shut down. 

The article goes on to define the top three demands of the Occupy movement:
#1.  Get the money out of politics.
#2.  Reform the banking system to prevent fraud and manipulation.
#3.  Draft legislation against congress passing laws that effect corporations they are invested in.

This one paragraph from Ms. Wolf's article seems to sum things up;

"So, when you connect the dots, properly understood, what happened this week is the first battle in a civil war; a civil war in which, for now, only one side is choosing violence. It is a battle in which members of Congress, with the collusion of the American president, sent violent, organised suppression against the people they are supposed to represent. Occupy has touched the third rail: personal congressional profits streams. Even though they are, as yet, unaware of what the implications of their movement are, those threatened by the stirrings of their dreams of reform are not."

You can read the entire article here: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6609316700120148653#editor/target=post;postID=2603162515170856448

The "Battle for Christmas" will be joined in full force before long.  This cartoon was taken from Facebook this morning.  What a joke!!

On Black Friday, in a closed press conference at the end of the day, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced that Occupy LA will be closed down effective midnight Sunday night.  The mayor said, Occupy LA has brought needed attention to the growing disparities in our country and I look forward to its ongoing efforts to build an economy that works for everyone."  Blah blah blah!!!

The occupiers responded with the following statement;  We reject outright the City's attempts to lure us out of City Hall and into negotiations by offering us nebulous, non-transparent and unconfirmed offers which fail to even begin to address our local grievances.  We will continue to occupy this space, in solidarity with our global movement, until forces of the few are forced to capitulate the power of the people. 

Battle lines being drawn,
nobodys right if everybodys wrong.
Some people speaking their minds,
getting so much resistance from behind.

Better stop now,
what's that sound.
Everybody look whats going down.

Crosby, Stills & Nash.

My buddy Bob M. brought it to my attention that "For What it's Worth" was written by Stephan Stills while still a member of Buffalo Springfield.  Thanks Bob.

This is what ending war looks like.  Make sure you have a Kleenex nearby. Let bring 'em all home!!

Instead of shopping on Black Friday, I went for a bike ride. I rode from Yorba park to 10 mile park and back. Just under 28 miles in all. It was a little chilly, but a real pretty day.

Pretty blue sky in the first photo, and some fall colors in the trees in the second.

Unbelievable!!!

That's gonna leave a mark!!!

The image of the UC Davis police officer pepper spraying the Occupy UC Davis demonstration  last week has shown up everywhere.

Black Friday

Already read a story this morning about a woman who pepper sprayed about 20 people in a Southern California Walmart to keep other people away from sale items she wanted.  What has Christmas become??

Once again this year, Karen put on a tremendous meal for Thanksgiving.  We were lucky enough to have both Josh and Corey home, as neither had to work today.  It was a very nice day. 

Happy Birthday to Kathleen Heigl who turns 33 years old today.

Attended a three-day course on Adobe Photoshop for fingerprints at the LASD STARR Center in Whittier this week. It was a good class and I learned a lot.

There are two classes going on here at the Sheriff's Academy.  The newest class is #386.  I attended the Sheriff's Academy a few years ago and was in class #188!!!  LOL

Paid my respects at the wall of honor. Sadly I knew several of those whose names are on the wall.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to actress Jamie Lee Curtis who turned 53 years old on Wednesday.  Ms. Curtis, the daughter of Actor Tony Curtis and Actress Janet Leigh, was born in Santa Monica, Ca.  Ms. Curtis is married the actor Christopher Guest.  She has no children. 

Yeah!!!  It's raining!!!