Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Miracles . . . they DO happen!

I’m not a religious person in the sense of the word religious (religious about being on-time, religious about my work, etc.), but I consider myself to be more of a spiritual person. I don’t necessarily need to go to a church building to have communication with my God and Savior. I pray, speak, converse directly to Him, no intermediary, no priest, minister or cleric as a middleman.

So it is everyday, or more often, that I have verbal communion, if you will, with my Creator. I will pray for forgiveness for my transgressions (there have been many), ask for strength to cope with the day’s challenges, remember all those who need prayer or have asked to be remembered in prayer. I will bring up specific needs, intentions or individuals as appropriate for special mention.

So it is that I have been remembering and praying for a miracle for my Sister-In-Law, Andrea, who last spring was diagnosed with Stage IV (terminal) Cancer when she was living in Florida (That’s another story). They have since relocated to Colorado.

I prayed specifically that she would be healed from this cancer of a disease, in a fashion that would be so obvious to the medical profession that there would be no doubt that a miracle had taken place. Yes, she has been under the care of a medico from John Hopkins University Hospital, and has been receiving treatment for this scourge on life. The chemo treatments have been debilitating, but Andrea and her husband, Howard, have been moving forward to enjoy life as much as they can. Colorado is a beautiful state.

Last week we received a call from Andrea . . . . with amazing news. The cancer is in remission! The bones where the cancer had been deteriorating their structure . . . are regenerating!

IT IS – A MIRACLE!

THEY HAPPEN ALL THE TIME!

You just have to have faith.

I thank God, the wonderful, life-giving, healing, Divine Physician that He is for this MIRACLE that He has granted for Andrea and our family.

There have been many prayers said for Andi (as we call her), but I wanted proof for the skeptics that miracles happen, something the doctors could not deny.

The physicians caring for her are astounded at the healing which has been performed.

I’m not!

This is one of the many miracles that happen all around us, just one example of God’s healing and loving powers.

All you have to do . . . . is ask.

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

Worn for a purpose

Back in 2005 I started wearing a green rubber-plastic wrist band as a personal method of showing my support for our troops, no matter where they are stationed.

In 2008 I was given a black band with blue letters to commemorate Officer Robert Kozminski of the Grand Rapids Police Department who was killed in the line of duty in the summer of 2007. It gives his name and badge number 089 on one side and the statement "In Valor There Is Hope." His mother, Maria, who works at our local Family Fare grocery, gave it to me

In the fall of 2008 I participated in the Susan G. Komen "Race For The Cure" in honor of my Sister-In-Law, Andrea Fischer. On that date I began wearing a pink band that simply says . . . "H O P E."

I'm not one to sport an abundance of jewelry. I wear a watch, my Wedding Ring and my Class of 1985 ring from Grand Valley State University. That's it, nothing more. Simply stated!

Of course, there is my necklace of Catholic religious medals around my neck. But that's for discussion another time.

But ask me about any of these items . . . and I'll have a comment for you.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Not an End . . . but a new Beginning!

Pictured above is a bracelet I purchased in the middle of July of 2008 to mark the end of the Bush administration . . . 1/20/09. I'd been wearing it since I picked it up in a little gift shop in Interlochen, Michigan near Traverse City. I bought it as I was counting down to the day he would be leaving office. I vowed I wouldn't take it off until then.

Yesterday, when our new President was sworn in at 12 noon, I ripped it off my wrist. At that moment I came to realize that the date embossed on the wristband was not the end of a troubled time, but the START of a NEW ERA, a historic time in the U.S.A.

Rather than toss it away in disgust, I decided to keep it as a reminder of our ability to transfer power and control of the most powerful country in the world, in an orderly and peaceful fashion.

I'm placing it alongside our two P.O.W. bracelets from the 1970's we have on display in the house.

I am truly awed by the significance of the event which transpired in our nation's capitol on 1/20/09.

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

TODAY is THE Day!




I believe that today, the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, is the most anticipated day for the U.S in a century!

There is much expectation that Mr. Obama and Congress can work together to begin to work on the ills that are affecting this great country of ours.

I pray this is the case.

There is a lot of comparisons being made to former Presidents.

This IS History in the making.

I pray that God will guide him.

I pray that God will keep him safe.

I pray for the United States of America and the Citizens they all serve.

God Bless America!

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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Newspapers - Is there a future?


On the front page of today's Sunday paper there is a small note from the editor apologizing for the recent drastic reduction in news content. Apparently there was an uproar of complaints from readers/subscribers as to the size (number of pages) of the daily issue. He said that they should have mentioned the upcoming change before implementing it.

DUH!

People READING newspapers ARE NOT STUPID. Did they think no one would notice?

In this era of instant gratification, iPods and the Internet, the younger generation isn't reading the newspaper anymore. They go to the web for information. Note I said information, not news.

Newspapers and other print media are losing money, cutting back, and even ceasing (print) publication. Some are just going electronic - direct to the web. PC Magazine is one I subscribe to and just got notice that it is now web-based.

Back to the 'condensed' Grand Rapids Press. On those days of the 'brief' edition of the Press, the same newspaper stand rate (75 cents) would have gotten me more news (and paper) with the purchase of an issue of USA Today!

Once again the bean counters (Aaaarrgghh!) have determined that the bottom line will be improved if staff is cut. Consequently buyout offers have been extended to many long-time reporters, editors and other support staff, with the unstated rationale that if you DO NOT take the buyout offer, you could lose your present position and be reassigned to the mailroom or to a paper in another city

Say goodbye to many of the more well-known, long-time bylines you are familiar with. It's truly going to be a brain drain. And they are not going to be replaced. So I ask:

1) Who is going to be reporting the LOCAL news?
2) How much more work can you place on the remaining staff?
3) What will not be covered or reported on due to staff limits?
4) How did you not see this coming?
5) Will the lack of reporters or newspapers in general allow more hanky-panky to take place in government and business?

Mull that one over?

YIKES!

Oh, by the way. The Muskegon Chronicle invested in a multi-million dollar printing press just like the Grand Rapids Press did. But now the Muskegon paper is printed in Grand Rapids as is the GR Press. Keep in mind that both of these papers are owned by the Booth Newspaper chain, which in turned is owned by the Newhouse family which in turn is owned by Advance Publications; publishers of Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, GQ, Glamour, New Yorker, Vanity Fair and others.

It's a sad time for the newspaper industry. And in some channels it is not going unoticed. Check out this site on a forum for the broadcasting biz:

http://mibuzzboard.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=27948

DISCLAIMER: I must state that I no longer read the daily newspaper, as I check out the world happenings on the web, which includes Mlive - the GR Press/Booth Newpaper's website.

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Digital TV Transition - Mass Confusion

February 17th will be very interesting as we see television shift from broadcasting in analog to digital. We have been inundated by all the ads warning us of the upcoming change. If one is receiving TV channels through the use of an antenna and not through cable or satellite, there may be some surprises coming. It would be interesting to be at the local TV stations telephone switchboard on February 17 & 18 as it lights up with calls from 'former' viewers wondering what happened.

Trust me when I say no matter what you do to alert them, there will be people who won't understand what is about to occur.

Then I wonder if it is happening for any good reason at all. Allegedly it is to provide more bandwidth for communications for emergency responders. Check out the site below for one viewpoint on the impending 'improvement.'

http://www.lockergnome.com/theoracle/2009/01/17/dtv-transition-shows-confusion-between-competing-views/

With newspapers being what appears to be a dying industry, who is going to be the watchdog for some of these tactics? But that is a subject for another post.

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If you work for Clear Channel - Update Your Resume

Tuesday is expected to be a bloodbath for employees of Clear Channel Radio.

The bean counters (curse them!) have decided that it is time to clean house. Check out the site below for details.

http://mibuzzboard.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=28040

Being a former radio guy, it is truly a shame to see an industry where I got my start and had so much fun, being reduced to an automated sweatshop. My best friend was ushered out the door of Clear Channel a few years back. He had been a loyal employee for decades, through numerous ownership changes and was close to being eligible for retirement, when he came in one day and was told he wasn't needed anymore. He has gotten past it, I haven't.

What has happened to Empathy and Compassion? Has 'Big Business' gotten too big and too distant from the workers?

Well, enjoy the festivities of the Inauguration on Tuesday, but keep your eye peeled for the Clear Channel Massacre, Part Two on the same day. Did the bean counters think nobody will notice?

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What's up at Walgreens?

Three weeks in a row there hasn't been an advertising flier in the Sunday newspaper.

The Pharmacy is now open for less than 10 hours daily.

The store is not open 24 hours a day any longer.

Is it the economy? Is it retail traffic? Is it competition?

OR . . . . .

Is it because whatever they advertise is never available in the store. Why go shopping there only to get a raincheck for an item that might never make an appearance. Hmmmm?

I love the staff, but they are caught in the bind from a "corporate decision" that they weren't even told about until customers started asking questions.

SHEESH! I wish I could set the time machine to return to the 1950's!

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Bye-Bye - Circuit City

As much as it is sad to see a business fail and employees lose their jobs, it give me great glee to see Circuit City go under.

I used to be a loyal customer. I had a great salesperson I depended upon. Then when the bean counters told the powers that be they will save money if they dump their higher paid sales staff, I vowed NEVER to step foot in one of their stores again - and encouraged everyone I knew to avoid Circuit City as well.

I kept my promise, and apparently others felt the way I did. Now Circuit City is closing.

GOOD!

You can't treat employees this way. Having retail experience in my resume I can relate to how hard they work to make sales and a living - it can be tough.

My salesperson landed a job at Classic Stereo and Video. I went to him to purchase a High Def TV. Two months later, that store locked it's doors (see previous post in July '08). I don't know where he is now.

GOOD RIDDANCE TO CIRCUIT CITY. Serve them right!

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Friday, January 16, 2009

Weather Update - Now It's REALLY Cold!

Goodbye, George!

Thank goodness the Inauguration is only days away, but "King George" still had to have the last word. And during his 'farewell' he just couldn't help smirking.

I won't miss:
- His smirking.
- His confused communication.
- His drawl.
- His total screwups.
- And much, much more.

I just can't stand that damn smirking!

The loser president will soon return to Crawford, Texas where he can chop brush (bushes?) to his heart's content.

Laura . . . . She can stay in D.C. It's too bad she wasn't the president.

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Brrrrrrrrrr - Baby, It's Cold Outside


It's Michigan . . . It's Winter . . . It's Cold!


It seems that snow clouds are sort of hovering over Grand Rapids and West Michigan a great deal this winter. We're nearing last year's total accumulation now and the season is only at the half-way point!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again . . . . Bring It On! We're retired, we don't have to cope with an early morning commute anymore. "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Awaiting a New Opportunity

We are days away from a change in the Federal Executive Administration. I await this change with an air of excitement I haven't had since the Kennedy/Camelot days.

I have to state that I am an Independent - neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I was raised in a Republican family and was (and still am) an admirer of Dwight Eisenhower. (Too bad we didn't listen to his warning about the "Military-Industrial Complex.") I think I adjusted my political views during the brief days of Camelot.

I'm not saying that I agreed totally with either political party, but that I began to vote for the individual and the principle for which She/He represented.

I have been greatly dismayed, discouraged, disgusted, disconcerted and embarrassed by the past eight years which our great country has endured.

Now we have a New Opportunity before us . . . an opportunity to right the wrongs which have occurred with the Bush Administration; an opportunity to fix our country's failures and failings; an opportunity to heal the wounds the world has received; an opportunity to rebuild and reinforce the rights our Forefathers established with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights for United States CITIZENS!

This is a historic occasion which lies before us. This chapter in our history that is about to be written truly brings tears to my eyes as I stand proudly as a Citizen of the United States of America and watch as the sun rises on a New America under the wise and steady leadership of our new President . . . Barack Obama.

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

GOD DIRECT OUR NEW PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS!

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Accessorizing . . . . the Human Body?

My body, although it is greatly imperfect, is fine the way it is other than I have expanded my horizon far beyond what it should be.

But I have reached the point where I have to ponder why one would want to add anything more to it. I am specifically targeting tattoos and body piercings.

Yes, I know earrings for women are considered normal, but earrings on men? What about many earrings on men and women? Nose rings? Tongue piercings? Navel piercings and other locations I'm not about to mention.

The same for tattoos. Some say it is art. But I always considered art to be something you would find in a gallery, museum or a book. Some tattoos are very elaborate and placed in many locations on a body, if not everywhere.

Sure, there is that 'freedom of expression.' But I freely express myself with out either of these methods. Additionally, I have a very low threshold for pain (slivers almost put me into a coma).

I ponder the reason one would subject themselves voluntarily to pain. Similarly I ponder why people would want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane in flight.

Obviously none of the above activities are on my agenda at any time - EVER!

What prompted my thoughts is the fact that a local radio station personality had a tattoo applied while on the air!

I'm sorry (no, I'm not) this is not my idea of entertainment.

Nor is the latest onslaught of reality television . . . "Mama's Boys" AAARRRGGHH! But that is another rant for another time.

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Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Michigan Pothole Dodge Arrives Early

Chasms of concrete and asphalt (fault?) have started to appear early this year, as tires pop and rims dent in the annual Michigan Pothole Dodge.

With road budgets stretched to the limit, many of these canyons of cement continue to take their toll on autos for days if not weeks. I know of one (East Paris Avenue and Cascade Road) which has existed for more than six months!

I don't offer a solution except to hope that the incoming federal administration will pump $$$$ into rebuilding our rapidly deteriorating infrastructure. Should that happen, maybe we'll see next year's episode of Pothole Dodge cancelled.

In the meantime, practice your driving skills on Michigan's ever-growing obstacle course.

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Monday, January 5, 2009

Gas Prices Going Up . . . Again.

What's up with that?

Could the price increase be due to the current events with Israel and Hamas?

Probably not. The oil companies look for any little excuse to raise the price of gas, i.e. from the wind blowing in from the north-south, to the fact that Hersey candy bars didn't sell well last week.

I'm glad that Congress grilled those arrogant auto execs over their stupid mistakes which led them into such disarray which plagues us today.

I'll make sure to buy more Hersey Bars. Yum!

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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Bare-faced Liar - NOT!

Every few decades I get this urge to start afresh . . . . follicle-wise I mean. So on January 1, 2009 I decided to clean the slate, if you will.

I shaved off my beard.

Temporarily.

I'm already growing it back. I look better with a beard.

My bride has never seen me clean shaven except in pictures. She wants the beard back too.

So do I. It's winter and my face is feeling the cold more than usual.

It will probably be 15 to 20 years before I take this drastic action again . . . much to the relief of everyone.

Therefore, my New Year's Resolution is to grow it back. This will be easy!

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About Me

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A retired former public relations practitioner, radio broadcaster, professional photographer, electronics geek and a Vietnam Vet.