Ron G.

Nope, I don't pay any dues and can do whatever I like on/with my private property. I paid for it and I can use it as I see fit which is how it should be. It's not quite midnight yet...I think I'll go in the front yard and fire a few practice rounds with my new 9mm pistol.

Last week a friend talked me into listing my old toy trucks on ebay just to see what might happen. After all, I really don't play with them much any more. I've bought some stuff from ebay...mostly photo stuff...I even have a gold star by my name...but this is my first time selling. Lo and behold! They up to nearly $300 right now! http://cgi.ebay.com/Tonka-toy-pick-up-truc...alenotsupported I'm really happy with my first ebay experience. I put some Danbury mint stuff up, also, but that's not doing so well. I guess next week I'll dig out my old toy trains. Has anyone else had any experience with this?

Congrats to two of my very most favoritest folks! Here to several more decades!!

Just what I was thinking!!!!! I'm so terribly glad that nothing from TWI was ever referred to as a "Maris" of (God forbid) a "Stengel". That would be THE unforgivable sin.

I watched John Edwards on the Sci Fi channel until they replaced him with pro wrestling. I think that, in and of itself, says it all. Maybe Edwards or some other psychic can tell us what wrestling has to do with Science fiction...I know I'm baffled by it.

WaterBuffalo... You recent posts have truly been an inspiration to me. I think I'll celebrate the new year by dropping a fruitcake on the head of a scientologist. I have the fruitcake, now to find an unsuspecting scientologist by midnight. Care to join me?

Just because...

Mark, That was truly inspired..better than Dr. Seuss. I stand in awe! Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

TBS is showing "Christmas Story" back to back all day long from now until tomorrow night...the one with the adventures of Ralphie and his BB gun. Unfortunately, one can only watch a movie so many times until you HAVE to change the channel. Wishing you a Merry Christmas!!!

U.S. and Afghan soldiers in Zabul Province give high marks to the Lithuanian Special Forces, who like to ride these captured Taliban motorbikes to sneak up on, and chase Taliban fighters. The “LithSof” are on their way to becoming living legends: Both Afghans and Americans report that the Taliban are afraid of the Lithuanians. Stories about them are filled with dangerous escapades and humor. Americans say that the Lithuanians are sort of a weaponized version of Borat, who think nothing of sauntering around a base in nothing but flip-flops and underwear. “They look like mountain men. They never shave, sometimes don’t bathe, and often roll out the gate wearing nothing but body armor and weapons. Not even a t-shirt,” an American soldier told me. The Lithuanians may be a little bit nuts, but the Americans love to have them around because Lithuanians love to fight, and when you need backup, you can count on them. That contrasts starkly with many of the NATO “partners.” Maybe when your country spends almost a half-century with the Soviet boot on its neck, its first generation of free soldiers know what freedom is worth — and that you sometimes have to fight for it. I just thought it was interesting.

Happy Birthday, Rocky! WOW, your birthday is the same time as mine...give or take a few years :) I hope it's great. I'll pass along this Irish blessing, if I can remember it. I goes something like this... May the road rise up to meet you,May the sun shine gently on your face, May the rain fall gently on your fields, And the wind at your back always be your own I don't think that's exactly how it goes, but that's close. Happy birthday from one who really appreciates you and your posts.

Thanks for the wonderful birthday wishes! It was good, and Garth, I ain't THAT old...yet. It's really appreciated!

Happy Birthday, Paw! Are you still on the liquid diet? Not to be nosey or anything, but where do you put the candles? Just curious.

It was 5 days before my 16th birhday. Our high school band was to play some catchy tunes ("March Ponderoso", "Hey, Look Me Over" and "Dixie") at the Blackstone Hotel in Ft. Worth that morning for the president's enjoyment, but it was cancelled for whatever reason and Eastern Hills High School did the honors, as I recall. So some buddies and I ditched school to go to Dallas and see the president in his motorcade. I was about a block off Dealy Plaza. I remember that day in great detail and I never ditched school again after that. EDITED to say it WASN'T "March Ponderoso", but "March Grandioso"...maybe I don't remember it in such detail. Another high school played "Hail to the Chief"...Polytechnic HS, I believe. They cancelled us because they decided three HS bands would run too long. I remember, now.

Looks like I'm not going to make it as planned due to a big ol' Dance thing and Fall Festival at Lyon College in Batesville. Hope y'all have a great time!!!

Big 'un, too. I went on the porch to see what was going and and we scared the .... out of each other...literally, in his case. And right on my beloved oregano, no less. Bear season runs parallel to deer season, so if he come back...

Andrew (the eternal instigator) has about 20 kids from his local school dressing in Guy Fawkes costumes. Evidently, that movie, "V for Vendetta" captured his imagination. They aren't going to get candy but have boom boxes playing the "1812" overture, and I guess just walk around. It should be interesting.

Good point, but it illustrates an orderly progession of goverment. The US presidency didn't occur in a vaccum. It's just a historical fact.

Off topic, I know, but I thought I'd point out that Mr. Samuel Huntington served as President of the Continental Congress from 1779 to 1781, which was well beyond the one-year term limitation now mandated by the ratified Articles of Confederation. Despite this Huntington was recognized as President of the United States in Congress Assembled during the ratification celebration of March 1781 and presided over the new Government until the election of President Thomas McKean. There were nine more US Presidents who served under the Articles before George Washington’s inauguration in 1789 making him the eleventh (see http://www.uspresidency.com). Back to our regularly scheduled topic. What's that got to do with TWI?

What is "manga"?

((((((((((ex10))))))))))) and all the rest of the affected Tejanos! I'm just thankful I evacuated from Texas back in '88 and was reminded this past weekend of why. We, here in the Ozarks, got the remnant of Ike Saturday night. I was happily chatting with Doojable in the GS chatroom when I lost power at straight up midnight. She probably thinks I hung up on her cuz she was speaking EVIL of Dallas, TX, but it was a power failure. I just now got power and internet service back up and running about an hour ago. Dooj is probably okay since the brunt of the storm headed off to the east and, as everyone knows, Fort Worth is where the west begins. I think Tom Strange lives in FW, also, or in that vicinity. I pray all is well with them, also. I was pretty amazed at the intensity of the storm that blew thru our hills, knowing we only got a tiny leftover corner of a remnant (most of it was in Oklahoma) and was struck by how violent it must have been when it made landfall in Galveston and Houston. I've been thinking and praying for ex10, ex70shouston and all the others who weathered that horrific storm. Watching newscasters on tv blowing around in the wind and rain just doesn't do justice to the reality of these dreadful things. I haven't had any news or anything since Sat night, but last I heard, the storm was headed off to Chicago where there was already flooding from an already existing storm system. I think ol' p-mosh lives in the Houston area, but was evacuated to Dallas or something. I hope and pray all is well with him and his family. A lot of local folks are packing their chainsaws and heading south to volunteer assistance and I may join them. Many think they can be of real help to folks down there and be recompensed with free firewood for the winter. Groucho... I'm amazed and appalled that you'd feel the effects all the way up into Ohio. These storms seem to have a life of their own. Glad all is well with you and yours.