December 24 - My Christmas Wish

In the past I was accused of being “tacky’ based upon my Christmas Display.

It would include a concrete Alien, a larger than life Pig, blow-up figures of Shrek and Brutus Buckeye, some reindeer, several flamingos, and a sleigh with Santa Claus.

As it turns out, there are EVEN LARGER Buckeye Blow-ups. See below.

All I want for Christmas, is an EXTREMELY LARGE Lawn Ornament.

Merry Christmas.

2007 PET PEEVE SUMMARY

As we come to the end of another year, it's time for the Year End Compilation.

Most Mondays, I describe a normal daily occurrence or a current environmental situation that just bugs me. I detail it, why it bothers me and why it should bother you. Some times, I even have a solution for it.

Many people comment that they enjoy and commiserate with my
PET PEEVE MONDAYS.

In 2007 I documented 36 Pet Peeves. In 2006 I posted 30 Pet Peeves. I guess I’m one year closer to become that old man that lived next door that used to always yell to me, “GET OUT MY YARD!!!”

Here is a list of my 2007 PET PEEVES :

December 10 - Kwanzaa
December 3 – Politically Correct Christmas

November 19 – Christmas Season Starts Too Early
November 5 – Illegal Immigrants Driver’s Licenses

October 29 – Children Fund Raisers
October 22 – Prepackaged Halloween Costumes
October 15 – Accelerated Primary Schedule
October 8 – Stupid High School Sports
October 1 – Frivolous Lawsuits

September 24 – Halo 3 Losers
September 17 - Sub Prime Loans
September 10 – Presidential Debates in Spanish
September 3 – Cable TV Ala Carte Options

August 27- Fantasy Sports Participants
August 13 – Missing Persons Media Coverage

July 23 – People That DO NOT Follow Pottery Barn Rules
July 16 – Going Green
July 9 - Do Nothing Congress

June 25 - Overscheduled Children
June 18 – Morning Shower Interruptions
June 4 - Mexico City Morons

May 21- Laws Against Discriminating Against Short/Fat People
May 14 –Restaurant Cell Phone Users
May 7 – Bad Effigies

April 16 - Media Coverage of VA Tech Tragedy
April 9 – Baseball Scheduler

March 19 – Coaches’ Wives Ready For Their Close-Up
March 12 - Day Light Non-Savings
March 5 – Walter Reed Hospital

February 26 - Car Magnets
February 12 – Anna Nicole Smith’s Death is NOT a Tragedy

January 29 – Barbaro, the Other White Meat
January 22 – Presidential Exploratory Committees
January 15 – Troop Surge Critics
January 8 – Toy R Us and Political Correctness
January 1 – Poor Customer Service

Here is a summary of my 2006 PET PEEVES.

December 14 - Friday Funny - Hillary Clinton Joke

THE SITUATION: You are in Florida, Miami to be specific. There is chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe flooding.This is a flood of biblical proportions. You are a photojournalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster.The situation is nearly hopeless. You're trying to shoot career-making photos. There are houses and people swirling around you, some disappearing under the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury.

THE TEST: Suddenly you see a woman in the water. She is fighting for her life, trying not to be taken down with the debris. You move closer. Somehow the woman looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is. It's Hillary Clinton! At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take her under forever. You have two options: You can save the life of Hillary Clinton or you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo,documenting the death of one of the world's most powerful women (in her mind, at least).

THE QUESTION: (and please give an honest answer) Would you select high contrast color film, or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

December 10 - Pet Peeve Monday - Kwanzaa

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY concerns the fact that our school’s feel the need to cover ALL possible Christmas, I’m sorry, “HOLIDAY” celebrations as part of a “diversity curriculum." It has really got out of hand as my pre-schooler was exposed to the Celebration of Kwanzaa. I received the below note on her daily activity log.I sort of took that as a giant WHATEVER, until I was cornered by some first graders this past week. They were asking me questions like:

“Are you Jewish?”
“Do you believe in Jesus?”

Why are we burdening our children’s young minds with such divisive thoughts? Can’t we just let our kids be happy, receive presents, watch football, and have a nice meal on December 25th? I treat it like Thanksgiving with benefits.

I thought I would do some research about Kwanzaa, so I could answer any probing questions my children might pose. What I found out shocked me. I found some great information on the Phil Valentine web site.

Kwanzaa is not some ancient African celebration. Not even close. Kwanzaa was the brainchild of Ron Karnenga in 1966. And who was this Ron Karenga?

Dr. Karenga (real name Ron Everett) was head of the violent hate-the-white-man group called United Slaves Organization. This was a rival organization of the Black Panthers. Karenga was accused of killing two Black Panther members in 1969.

Just a few years later, in the 1970s, Ron kidnapped two of his own female followers, stripped them naked and whipped them with electrical cords, and beat them with a karate baton. He then placed a hot soldering iron in one of his victim's mouth, scarring her face then put her toes in a vise and poured detergent in both their mouths. He was convicted of this heinous crime and spent four years in prison. T hat, my friends, is the father of Kwanzaa.

He admitted to the Washington Post in 1978 that he dreamed the whole Kwanzaa celebration up and put it around Christmas because “I knew that's when a lot of bloods would be partying.” There's a laudable reason to celebrate.

Now, let's review. Kwanzaa was started by a black separatist who hated white people, tortured women and was accused of killing two of his black brothers.

Flash forward 40 years and my children are being taught about this “cultural” celebration, exposed to the songs, and made to pay homage to this aberrant event.

Phil Valentine had an interesting point. “If David Duke came up with a celebration of white culture, that taught white people to appreciate their white roots and he called it Klanzaa, do you think we'd be singing Klanzaa songs in our schools? No, I don't either.”

The politically correct have so dominated the culture over the last few years that ordinarily outspoken Americans can't speak out or they will be called "racists. "

I’m for eliminating racism, but it goes both ways. Let's start with equal intolerance for black racists like Dr. Karenga, along with the Reverends Jackson and Sharpton.

The truth shall set you free.

Merry Christmas, no I mean Happy Holidays. Oh never mind.

December 8 - Foot Surgery Update

Many people have asked for an update on my foot following my surgery last week to repair two torn ligaments and a broken toe.

Well, here is what it looks like this week. The red line is the incision. I have a three inch pin sticking down through my second toe. The green ball on the end is not a Christmas decoration. It is what they will pull on to remove the pin in early January.

Just be happy it is a picture of a foot injury and not a vasectomy.

Happy Holidays.

December 7 - Friday Funny - Thriller

This week's Friday Funny has 1,500 plus CPDRC inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Cebu, Philippines performing the dance routine from Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Ironically, Michael Jackson is not in the video, although he should be.

December 3 - Pet Peeve Monday - Politically Correct Christmas

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY concerns the over the top, politically correct nature concerning Christmas and Santa Claus.

The U.S. Surgeon General came out this year and stated Santa Claus should slim down.

“It is really important that the people who kids look up to as role models are in good shape, eating well and getting exercise. It is absolutely critical,” acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Adm. Steven K. Galson said in an interview after a presentation on obesity at the Boston Children’s Museum.

I would be surprised that anyone would have Santa Claus as a role model however he does only work one day a year.

I can’t wait till the BMI score comes out on the Easter Bunny. Made of Chocolate, really? What is the Easter Bunny’s score on the blood sugar meter?

Santa’s waistline is the most recent casualty in a war which has already taken away his pipe and his ability to scoop children up and sit them on his knee.

Some Santas are taught not to greet people with “Merry Christmas” in case it offends people of different faiths, according to Tim Connaghan, founder of the International University of Santa Claus. Which makes you wonder what you do with a degree from this school the other 11 months of the year. Not much call for old fat men unless Wilfred Brimley dies.

Santas in Australia's largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas's traditional "ho ho ho" greeting because it may be offensive to women.

Sydney's Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say "ha ha ha" instead, the Daily Telegraph reported.

One disgruntled Santa told the newspaper a recruitment firm warned him not to use "ho ho ho" because it could frighten children and was too close to "ho", a US slang term for prostitute. It makes you wonder what the Santa at Don Imus’ house says. Whatever he says, I’m sure Al Sharpton will request an apology.

Why can’t we leave the images about Santa Claus and Christmas alone. They should be immune from the PC forces that have already marginalized Columbus Day and Thanksgiving and created such farcical days as Earth Day and Cold Turkey Day.

I’ll never cave to people that now call their Christmas Trees, Holiday Trees.

This year we decided to forgo the traditional Christmas Tree.

Instead of cutting down a defenseless tree, fluffing the branches, stringing up the lights, putting on the ornaments, moving it a little to the left, a little to the right, etc. …., we decided to just stack and decorate the boxes from this year’s purchases (cookware, computers, printers, etc.)

We named it THE CHRISTMAS BOX, not the HOLIDAY BOX.

“O’ Christmas Box, O’ Christmas Box…”

Each family member decorated his or her own box. Every box has its own character which reflects on their personality and their respective art skills (or lack there of.).

By not buying a tree, we save the environment. Now if I can only explain to my children on Christmas morning why they received “Carbon Offsets” instead of a Playstation. That will truly be the Christmas Miracle.

Below is a close-up up the Christmas Box and my youngest artist.

November 30 - Friday Funny - Loser

I remember back to last November when Michigan running back Mike Hart decided to stay in school for his senior year so that he could beat Ohio State and win the National Championship.

"How did that work out for you Mike?"

Hopefully you can move on to a rewarding professional football career like another Michigan RB Chris Perry. "Who, you say? "

Exactly.