This holiday season, let’s be sure and give thanks to Bush and all of his republican pals for making this Christmas the crappiest and most hateful it can be.

Wall Street tumbles on fears about economy

Investors uneasy about the outlook for the holiday shopping season

NEW YORK - Confirmation that the nation is in a recession and signs pointing to a prolonged downturn sent Wall Street plunging once again Monday, hurtling the Dow Jones industrials down more than 460 points and erasing a huge chunk of last week’s big gains. All the major indexes fell more than 5 percent.

The market began the day sliding on initial reports that the holiday shopping season, while better than some retailers and analysts feared, was mixed, a sign that Americans are very reluctant to spend. That has Wall Street concerned about the impact of a continuing drop in consumer spending on the sagging economy.

We all have our family problems, and I know many people who dread family dinners…..but this is a good one. Happy Holidays y’all!

A Tampa woman is behind bars for chasing after a Thanksgiving dinner guest with a machete.

Annette Jenkins, 46, is facing aggravated assault charges. She’s being held on $2,000 bond.

Police were called to her home Thursday night when her brother arrived for dinner with a woman. The hostess reportedly waved the machete at the woman while yelling, “If you don’t get out, I’ll kill you.”

No one was injured.

People are crazy. I thought maybe there wouldn’t be any Walmart fighting this year, but maybe it’s worse because people are even more desperate to get those “deals.” At any rate, Walmart should be sued….. it’s up to them to keep things orderly and have enough security and employees to see that this kind of tragedy doesn’t occur. Crazy people place more value on getting a good deal than on a human life. Makes ya sick…….. Merry Fucking Christmas.

A worker died after being trampled by a throng of unruly shoppers when a suburban Wal-Mart opened for the holiday sales rush Friday, authorities said.

At least three other people were injured.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., in Bentonville, Ark., would not confirm the reports of a stampede but said a “medical emergency” had caused the company to close the store, which is in Valley Stream on Long Island.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! In these difficult times, we still have much to be thankful for at our house. We have a roof over our heads, a car in the driveway, food on the table, we are healthy (kinda), G still has his job, it’s an absolutely beautiful day, the kids are healthy and happy, one more Thanksgiving with my Mom, the grass is green, the sky is blue, there’s limes on my key lime tree, the ocean is full of fish for us to catch, and we are rich with love. Life is good.

Tony Bennett sings “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” with the Count Basie Orchestra on the Today Show. I LOVE Tony Bennett.

This is a great program. I know people in the Florida keys who participate in this program. Another great program is Wounded Warriors in Action program.

Vacations For Veterans is a nonprofit organization created to provide recently wounded veterans of the United States Armed Forces with a week of free lodgings donated by a vacation homeowner.

Each wounded veteran faces new challenges: readjusting, rebuilding their lives, and reconnecting with their families. For many of our wounded veterans, time away to rejuvenate is a luxury that is often unattainable and unaffordable.

When you make a donation of time at your vacation home, or a donation of money to sponsor a veteran, you give our wounded veterans a brief respite when they need it most. You make entire families feel better through your generosity.

Providing wounded veterans with a week of relaxation is a wonderful opportunity for both veterans and donors alike. It is a chance for many of us to show our appreciation for our veteran’s honorable service to our country.

To help us help veterans, please donate time at your vacation home or donate money today. For more information, please Contact Us. Vacations For Veterans™ is a civilian organization, with 501(c)(3) non-profit status. We are not a government agency and rely solely on the generous donations of individuals, corporations, and foundations who support our wounded veterans and honor their service to our country.

All contributions to Vacations For Veterans are tax deductible. Federal Tax Id#20-8653432

President-elect Obama has promised to help veterans. Michelle Obama has vowed to continue to work with military families. I hope they right some wrongs.

As it turns out, The Moving Wall, a traveling replica of Washington,D.C.’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be at Bayfront Park in Miami through Veterans Day. I have never understood why every single veteran in this country is not off with pay on Veteran’s day. It makes no sense to me. We honor them, yet those that work have to attend jobs instead of attending parades or ceremonies that honor them.

The eleventh day of the eleventh month has always seemed to me to be special. Even if the reason for it fell apart as the years went on, it was a symbol of something close to the high part of the heart. Perhaps a life that stretches through two or three wars takes its first war rather seriously, but I still think we should have kept the name “Armistice Day.” Its implications were a little more profound, a little more hopeful.

- Walt Kelly

In earlier years, I’ve featured Kelly’s words and one of his 11/11 Pogo strips. I’ve also previously highlighted some of Wilfred Owen’s poetry. World War I remains one of the most horrific of any wars, and is the reason 11/11 (Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Veterans’ Day) is observed. I continue to wish it was studied more. Owen, who fought in WWI, is still probably my favorite war poet, but his friend, fellow soldier and war poet Siegfried Sassoon possessed a dark, biting wit. Their friendship has been depicted in several fictionalized accounts, including the award-winning novel Regeneration. Here’s a selection of Sassoon’s work.
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Happy Halloween everyone!!

I think I’ve posted pictures of the Miami Columbus Day Regatta in prior years. It’s a wild party on the water. Last year there were probably as many police boats out there as there were people there to party. Alot of drinking, eating and nakedness……. that’s the only way I can describe it. It’s October 11-12th this year. We will not be attending…… I’m going to go to a training session with the Obama campaign Saturday. Priorities….gotta save the country…….don’t have time for any nakedness on the water this year! ha! Here’s the website for those Floridians checking in for information. (people have been googling it and looking for information and I’m always here to help) Have a great time out there and stay safe!

Under Bush unemployment has risen to 5.7%. Companies have received tax breaks for shipping jobs to sweatshops overseas. People who are still employed are working harder than ever for the money. Millions work and work and work and still can’t afford healthcare. They are losing their homes. Food prices, gas prices and the cost of living has surged as wages have not, making it harder for the average American to make it from week to week. Bush’s labor department offered employers tips on how to avoid overtime pay. With time running out on the Bush White House, it is fast-tracking a secretly written rule—long sought by the business community—that could increase workers’ exposure to dangerous chemicals and toxic substances on the job and tie the hands of future administrations trying to improve workplace safety. His labor department has sabotaged labor unions. This Labor day, any of you working class republicans who are going to vote for McCain better think twice. The Bush administration has brought us to where we are today, and a McCain administration would most assuredly be MORE OF THE SAME. Like Barack Obama said……ENOUGH!!!

The history of Labor Day:

As the Industrial Revolution took hold of the nation, the average American in the late 1800s worked 12-hour days, seven days a week in order to make a basic living. Children were also working, as they provided cheap labor to employers and laws against child labor were not strongly enforced.

With the long hours and terrible working conditions, American unions became more prominent and voiced their demands for a better way of life. On Tuesday September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers marched from city hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first-ever Labor Day parade. Participants took an upaid day-off to honor the workers of America, as well as vocalize issues they had with employers. As years passed, more states began to hold these parades, but Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later.

On May 11, 1894, workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago struck to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. They sought support from their union led by Eugene V. Debs and on June 26 the American Railroad Union called a boycott of all Pullman railway cars. Within days, 50,000 rail workers complied and railroad traffic out of Chicago came to a halt. On July 4, President Grover Cleveland dispatched troops to Chicago. Much rioting and bloodshed ensued, but the government’s actions broke the strike and the boycott soon collapsed. Debs and three other union officials were jailed for disobeying the injunction. The strike brought worker’s rights to the public eye and Congress declared, in 1894, that the first Monday in September would be the holiday for workers, known as Labor Day.

The founder of Labor Day remains unclear, but some credit either Peter McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, or Matthew Maguire, a secretary of the Central Labor Union, for proposing the holiday.

Although Labor Day is meant as a celebration of the labor movement and its achievements, it has come to be celebrated as the last, long summer weekend before Autumn.

Happy birthday my brother! I miss you and wish you were here……well, I wish I were THERE..out of storm’s way. I hope it’s a great birthday for you and wish you many many many more! I love you!

After working on the boat, we went and spent the night at our favorite little motel in the Keys last night. 7 rooms, a shot and beer bar that’s open from 7am to 2am, and an outdoor restaurant on the bay with conch fritters to die for. Gary Dunn, a retired Pittsburg Steeler owns the place. Very nice man. Works for us….. I hope all you Dad’s are having a most enjoyable Father’s Day.

RIP WDT…… miss you always!!

Watching for the ducks that invade our yard. Not on their watch…..