Rode my mountain bike from the park to the beach today and met Karen who walked along the boardwalk. It was a nice day with temps in the mid 60's when I left the park.

It appears that the hobos decorated their hang out across from the Honda Center for the holidays.

It was beautiful at Huntington Beach with a slight breeze and temps in the high 60's.  The crowds along the boardwalk were lighter than a weekend, even with school out for winter break.  I didn't ride all the way to the pier, so it may have been busier there.

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Best Christmas present of all.  This is a U.S. Army soldier returning home from Iraq to Ft. Hood, Texas, in time to share the holidays with his wife and kids.  The patch on his shoulder indicates that he is in the 1st Cavalry Division, my old division, out of Ft. Hood. 

This video is pretty funny.  You really have to pay attention because it goes really fast.  We received a Christmas card from my son Brian in this Jib Jab format that was real cute. Enjoy.

Here are some last-minute tips on how to properly wrap a Christmas present from Chips Tips. This is pretty funny.

Winter Solstice sunset over Stonehedge

Yesterday, December 22nd was the winter solstice, which marks the beginning of winter and the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.  Southern Californa only basked in sunlight for about 10 hours. 

I think it's really cool that "secret Santa's" have been going to their local  K-mart stores and paying off layaway costs for those less fortunate. 

According to an article on www.nbcphiladephia.com anonymous donors are picking up the tab on layaways for families they have never met. 

The layaway tabs very from $30 to $1,000 and several donors have paid multiple tabs. 

I wish I had the money to do this for a family or two. 

Occupy Lego Land!!!

I was grandfathered into this org.

Robert Reich, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkley, and former Secretary of Labor under President Clinton, does a good job in this short video in laying out what the Occupy Demonstrators are all about.

This would be tragic for someone with my math skills!!!

The Mallard Filmore cartoon by Bruce Tinsley is displayed everyday in my local newspaper.  The cartoon often shows a definite republican/conservative slant, especially where President Obama is concerned.  Today's cartoon shows the 1%ers slant on who the 99% demonstrators are.  I don't see "older retired police officer" in their description. 

It's apparent that the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators and all their affiliates have had an effect on the national conversation and the 1% are mounting an all out media attack on the them.  The occupy demonstrators aren't going away anytime soon, especially with the next presidential election less than one year away. 

Incidentally, there is a facebook page for Occupy Ontario California and a web site for Occupy Redlands for information on whats going on locally.  I believe Redlands is doing a march of some kind this weekend. 

Iraq invasion officially over!!!

 And that was it. No pronouncements of victory, no cheers or jubilation — only a profound sense that the war’s real reckoning is yet to come even as America’s part in it draws to a close.

America’s war in Iraq came to an unspectacular and deeply uncertain end Thursday at a ceremony held amid fortified concrete blast walls at Baghdad’s international airport, not far from a highway where U.S. troops first fought their way into the capital more than eight years ago.

There were speeches paying tribute to the fallen, promising that America would not abandon Iraq and warning of challenges ahead. A brass band played, and the flag that had flown over the headquarters of the U.S. mission here was lowered for the last time.

Iraqi businessman Qais al-Lami, 39 summed up the countries thanks for our efforts to bring freedom to their country by saying, “So I’m happy they’re leaving because they are occupiers.

In total, over 1 million American troops served in Iraq since 2003, including about 4,487 who were killed and 30,000 who were wounded  http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/iraq-war-draws-to-quiet-close/2011/12/14/gIQAPEjLvO_story.html?hpid=z1

This is cute.  Thanks Jack.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to my good friend Bob M.