BEACH ROAD BLOGGER

Working for Peanuts

2009-04-03T19:21:00.003-04:00

Registered yesterday for the Marine Corp Marathon

2009-04-03T17:48:00.003-04:00

Great training site http://www.jeffgalloway.com/

U.S. veteran returns to Xerox

2009-03-27T18:51:00.001-04:00

U.S. veteran returns to Xerox after four-year tour of duty in Iraq

For the past six years, one of our very own Xerox colleagues, Colonel Christian Klinefelter has been serving in the U.S. Army. Last week, he came back to Xerox as a product specialist, and received a warm welcome from his team in the Ohio Valley/Michigan CBU.

“We’re honored to have Christian back on board with us,” said Brian Leedy, vice president for Ohio/ Michigan CBU. “While risking his life to serve and protect our country, he learned many new ways to work with people, and is a real asset to his peers and the company.”

When Colonel Klinefelter was mobilized in January 2003 to train U.S. troops for battle, he didn’t hesitate. Generations of his family fought in active battles – his father was a World War II tank company commander, his grandfather served in World War I, that man’s grandfather served in the Civil War and one of his great grandfathers served in the Revolutionary War. While Colonel Klinefelter was commissioned when he was 21, he was never presented with the opportunity to serve in battle until the Iraq war.

Following his two-year, U.S.-based training mission, Colonel Klinefelter was deployed to Iraq. He spent four years in a variety of influential roles from training 3,000 Iraqi soldiers and deploying them into the Battle of Fallujah, to being a key leader with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Baghdad managing $15 billion of Iraqi reconstruction projects.

“Overall, it is good to be home. I am looking forward to taking the skills I developed in the field and using them in my new role,” said Colonel Klinefelter. “I’ve interacted with people from so many backgrounds and held various training and advisor positions in Iraq. This will help me better understand and work with team members and clients. Having a world view on foreign affairs and the global business climate will also allow me to better counsel customers on how Xerox can position their company for success.”

Colonel Klinefelter has been honored with two Bronze Star Medals, two Meritorious Service Medals, a Bronze deFleury Medal, and a Legion of Merit. For the servicemen and women still serving, Colonel Klinefelter says his thoughts are with them and that he’s proud of their ongoing dedication to serving the country.

He has been married to Katherine for 33 years and has four children that are 18, 20, 24 and 26 years old. His youngest son, Christian, is hoping to carry on the family tradition of serving in the U.S. military by joining the Army ROTC program at University of Toledo this fall.

Abraham Lincoln

2009-03-24T21:10:00.001-04:00

2009-02-27T18:18:00.000-05:00

Great USA Local Newspaper Site

2009-02-09T14:35:00.002-05:00

Click on the Map

One of the most interesting sites. Just put your mouse on a city anywhere in the world and the newspaper headlines pop up... Double click and the page gets larger....

What a Full Moon

2009-02-04T19:23:00.001-05:00

This is a full moon over Jupiter Lighthouse.
If the full moon looks unusually large, it is not your imagination – it was the biggest and brightest full moon to be seen for 15 years.

Our Grandmother on my fathers side Jane (Coyne) Tobin with my father Charles L. Tobin born 25 July 1901 in Manchester N.H.

2009-02-02T14:36:00.000-05:00

Family Tree Picture week #8

Sandhill Cranes

2009-02-02T14:22:00.005-05:00

While golfing last week we were accompanied at one hole by two beautiful Sandhill Cranes.
Adults are gray overall; during breeding, the plumage is usually much worn and stained, particularly in the migratory populations.
They have a red forehead, white cheeks and a long dark pointed bill. They have long dark legs which trail behind in flight and a long neck that is kept straight in flight. Immature birds have reddish brown upperparts and gray underparts.

Photo by Laurel Valchuis

Bottled Water

2009-02-02T13:16:00.002-05:00

Two hours in a meeting or a work out and a lifetime in the Landfill. Fill the bottle from the tap at home.

What a "Dope"

2009-02-01T17:06:00.001-05:00

Required Minimum Distributions Waived

2009-02-01T16:45:00.000-05:00

Great news for retirees: The Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008, which was signed into law in late December, suspended the minimum required distribution rules for traditional IRAs and qualified retirement plans for the 2009 tax year. That means seniors who are 70 ½ or older are not required to withdraw money from their retirement accounts this year.

Not only will seniors avoid having to pay taxes on the withdrawal, but they can also keep their retirement account intact so it's better poised to recover when the market does. Plus, withdrawing money now could be detrimental to a retiree's nest egg over the long term: Tapping your savings in a year when the market underperforms could deplete your savings much sooner than expected.

There’s one caveat to consider regarding the required minimum distribution rules. Seniors who turned 70 ½ in 2008 and who have until April 1, 2009, to make their minimum required distribution still need to do so. Although it may feel like a 2009 withdrawal, it’s technically for 2008 and the MRD rules are still in effect for last year.

High Fives all around

2009-01-31T11:29:00.001-05:00

John P. Tobin Memorial Children's Book Collection

2009-01-30T15:48:00.006-05:00

Recently at the Hanson Public Library

The John P. Tobin Memorial Children's Book Collection was unveiled with a reception for invited guests. Family and friends who contributed to the library fund in Mr. Tobin's memory gathered to see the current collection. We expect to expand the selection as time goes on.

John Tobin enjoyed using the library frequently, and this generous legacy, envisioned by his wife Marjorie, will hopefully encourage youngsters to appreciate what the library has to offer them, and also become life-long library patrons.

Pictured are members of the Tobin family around a display created to showcase some of the volumes in the collection

Help The Post 911 Fundation

2009-01-30T10:25:00.010-05:00

I have been asked by a military friend of this organization to help get out the word. Please provide any support you can to this worthwhile cause. Thanks

Post 9/11 Foundation Mission

The Post 9/11 Foundation is a Non-Profit Organization dedicated to honoring and assisting first responders and veterans who have served our nation in the aftermath of 9/11. We endeavor to create grass roots awareness, community support, and tangible assistance for those who have served in the Military, Government, Police, and Firefighter communities, as well as other great Americans who have answered the call to duty since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Please click on the picture

Walking update as promised two weeks ago today.

2009-01-19T15:46:00.005-05:00

19 January 2009. Made my goal of 5 miles a day today. Actually doing 5.4 per day in under 1.5 hours. It’s a proven fact that people who listen to music while they exercise tend to workout more frequently and are less likely to quit their exercise regimen.

This weeks Airline crash puts the sign in this photo in perspective.

2009-01-17T18:08:00.015-05:00

We tip people for bring us food at restaurants. Tip the doorman etc. Prior to doing some stunts I took this picture at one thousand feet heading east flying with my niece KMac over Martha's Vineyard. The plane was a very old Bi Plane with open cockpit. KMac and I up front and the pilot in back. We all had on old style leather helmets and wearing goggles. I did tip the pilot because he gave us a great tour of the Island with some thrilling spins, and lots of aerobatics. He was a professional and landed us safely back on earth. With this weeks crash in New York I know Professional Commercial Pilots don't expect at tip as we get off the plane, nor would they accept one if offered. The best thing we all can do at the end of our next flight is look him or her directly in the eye and say THANKS FOR A SAFE FLIGHT CAPTAIN. I do it every time I fly. Think of how disciplined and decisive captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger was with all that was going on in those three critical minutes.

Tickets go on sale Saturday 17 Jan. First game Feb 25. Red Sox 12 Mar.

2009-01-16T20:56:00.007-05:00

Click the Picture

I have had enough tennis anyone.

2009-01-16T12:50:00.006-05:00

As our government continues to hit the budget ball back and forth over the blame net. Keep this in mind as of last night every American Tax payer now owes 61,875 to pay off the debt. So keep working and get your kid's a job ASAP.

U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK

The Outstanding Public Debt as of 16 Jan 2009 at 05:53:05 PM GMT is:

The estimated population of the United States is 305,472,096 so each citizen's share of this debt is $34,740.11.

The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $3.37 billion per day since September 28, 2007!
Concerned? Then tell Congress and the White House!

The Mind

2009-01-15T20:47:00.001-05:00

The Mind is like a parachute it only works when it's open.

The new limo

2009-01-14T17:41:00.001-05:00

The Obamamobile: The first official photograph of Obama's new armoured limo, which he will ride in for part of the swearing-in parade, and which can withstand rocket and chemical attacks.

The Joy Movie

2009-01-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

This was sent to me by my brother "Cape Cod Charlie" who has more faith, wisdom, patriotism , compassion and patients than all of us put together.

Click the Pic

Riding with Private Malone

2009-01-09T21:00:00.000-05:00

To all the Private Malone's I flew with in Vietnam.
This song tells a story.

Click the pic

And the winner is

2009-01-09T10:14:00.002-05:00

Click the pic

Marine Corp Marathon

2009-01-08T18:00:00.000-05:00

My niece Eileen is planning to honor her father, my brother John by doing the Marine Corp Marathon in October 2009. Pat and I are beginning to plan for this event and would like to invite any family and friends to join us. Details about the race can be found by CLICKING ON THE ABOVE PICTURE MAP. As the plan begins to take shape I will provide updates on the blog. Please feel free to use the comments section for any questions or suggestions.

Try it this way when you carve your next turkey.

2009-01-08T14:30:00.001-05:00

Next time you are asked to carve a Turkey try carving it in this manner. Remove each breast as one piece then slice them each like a loaf of bread. I tried it this way for the first time this Christmas and everyone liked the appearance and portions. Everyone however loved the taste the most but I had nothing to do with that. The Christmas Turkey this year was prepared by our host Mara and Josh. Photo taken by Mara Lappin

Spider-Man

2009-01-08T14:08:00.003-05:00

WASHINGTON (AP) - Spider-Man has a new sidekick: The president-elect.

Barack Obama collected Spider-Man comics as a child, so Marvel Comics wanted to give him a "shout-out back" by featuring him in a bonus story, said Joe Quesada, Marvel's editor-in-chief.

"How great is that? The commander in chief to be is actually a nerd in chief," Quesada said. "It was really, really cool to see that we had a geek in the White House. We're all thrilled with that."

The comic starts with Spider-Man's alter-ego Peter Parker taking photographs at the inauguration, before spotting two identical Obamas.

Parker decides "the future president's gonna need Spider-Man," and springs into action, using basketball to determine the real Obama and punching out the impostor.

Obama thanks him with a fist-bump.

Marvel comics have featured most presidents, but generally in walk-on roles, Quesada said.

"I think President Nixon might have appeared on the cover, but not in a good way," he said.

Obama has said that as a child, he collected Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comic books. His Senate Web site used to have a photo of him posing in front of a Superman statue.

The Obama story is a bonus in Marvel Comic's Amazing Spider-Man #583, available in comic book shops nationwide on Jan. 14 for $3.99 and is expected to sell out, with half the covers devoted to Obama.

Gator Nation Game Tonight

2009-01-08T10:51:00.009-05:00

The entire State of Florida is into this game tonight. My the best TEAM win.

Click the Pic

Hogfish at the Food Shack last night

2009-01-07T13:55:00.005-05:00

Hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus), also known as Capitaine, are plentiful in the Florida Keys on many coral reefs and are considered to have high quality, soft and tasty flesh. The fish is a large wrasse of the western Atlantic. It has fourteen dorsal spines, eleven dorsal soft rays, eleven anal spines, and ten anal soft rays. The coloring varies but is usually brownish red with a black spot at the bottom of the dorsal fin. Their habitats are often over coral reef areas. The fishs' diet is mainly mollusks, crabs, and sea urchins. The Mexican hogfish is often a pinkish color with a fleshy bump on the males for head. The Hogfish is first a female then a male. The color pattern changes drastically between juvenile and adult.

The head of the male resembles a pig's snout.

Happy Birthday Elvis Presely

2009-01-06T21:04:00.024-05:00

I Remember at 13 years old his records were on 45's. I was not allowed to have a pair of Engineer Boots which were the in thing to have at that time. Thank God :) :)
Click this Pic for Hound Dog.

Click this Pic to Discover Elvis.

They only had an 8th grade education ?

2009-01-06T17:58:00.004-05:00

Remember when our grandparents, great-grandparents, and such stated that they only had an 8th grade education?
Well, check this out. - - -
This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina ,KS.

It was taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina , KS , and reprinted by the Salina Journal.

8th GRADE FINAL EXAM
Grammar (Time, one hour)
1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.
2 . Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no Modifications.
3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.
4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of lie, lay and run.
5. Define Case, Illustrate each Case.
6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of Punctuation.
7. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.

Arithmetic (Time, 1.25 hours)
1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
2. A wagon box is 2 ft deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?
3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts/bushel, deducting 1050lbs. for tare?
4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?
5. Find cost of 6720 lbs. coal at $6.00 per ton.
6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.
7.What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at $20 per meter?
8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.
9.What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance
around which is 640 rods?
10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.

Gives the saying "she/he only had an 8th grade education" a whole new meaning, doesn't it?

DRUMS

2009-01-06T07:52:00.003-05:00

They can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Watch to the end.

Click the red words

Finally Started walking today

2009-01-05T10:35:00.004-05:00

The weather is outstanding today could hit 80+.
Well today's the day I finally put all the excuses aside and went for a 15 minute walk up Island and 15 minute back for the first day of walking in 2009.
Last year I wanted to walk 263 miles as my goal. I did it in approx 60 day's, 263 miles is the distance from Jupiter to Jacksonville Fla. IM setting the same goal this year and hope to do it in the same number of day's or less. I plan to get up to 5 miles a day in the next two weeks.

The Honolulu Heart Study of 8000 men found that walking just two miles a day cut the risk of death almost in half. The walkers' risk of death was especially lower from cancer. Other studies have had similar findings - if you keep walking, you improve your chances of a longer and healthier life.

Florida Shoe Up Date Soles4Souls

2009-01-04T18:13:00.006-05:00

MIAMI: A U.S. charity group has stepped forward to collect thousands of shoes mysteriously dumped on a Miami-area highway and will send them to the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti.

Soles4Souls, a Nashville, Tennessee-based charity, is sending representatives to Miami to collect the shoes. The group will distribute them to people in Haiti, according to a statement.

The Florida Highway Patrol said thousands of work boots, bath slippers, tennis sneakers, beach sandals, even pairs of inline skates, inexplicably materialized Friday morning on the busy roadway. Traffic was disrupted for hours.

A private contractor was hired to pick up the sea of soles and deposit them in an empty field. The investigation into who discarded the shoes continues.

The CCBT

2009-01-04T16:46:00.018-05:00

Photo by Mara Lappin

This is a picture of the first annual Cousin's Christmas Bowling Tournament. No team scores have been released as yet.
However this team called the LapFizMack group is giving the thumbs up sign. This could be a sign they finished at the top of their game.

Click the Pic

The Wall

2009-01-04T14:28:00.005-05:00

Click the Pic

Help fight hunger in America

2009-01-04T13:06:00.005-05:00

Click the pic

2009 Resolutions

2009-01-03T14:01:00.004-05:00

GOOD HEALTH WITH EXERCISE

How is your exercise program going so far this year. My plan to was get back to walking five miles a day. IM not even off the ground yet. I can't get motivated. Perhaps by putting it in my Blog I will get started tomorrow. I will keep you all up dated.

Yellowstone Earthquakes Raise Fears

2009-01-03T13:47:00.004-05:00

William Kronholm, AP

Yellowstone National Park, as seen here in February, remains very active geologically, as evidenced by its famous geysers and hot springs.

Swarms of small earthquakes happen frequently in Yellowstone, but it's very unusual for so many earthquakes to happen over several days, says Robert Smith, a professor of geophysics at the University of Utah.

"They're certainly not normal," Smith said. "We haven't had earthquakes in this energy or extent in many years."

"Could it develop into a bigger fault or something related to hydrothermal activity? We don't know. That's what we're there to do, to monitor it for public safety."

Smith said it's difficult to say what might be causing the tremors. He pointed out that Yellowstone is the caldera of a volcano that last erupted 70,000 years ago.

Yellowstone has had significant earthquakes as well as minor ones in recent decades. In 1959, a magnitude 7.5 quake near Hebgen Lake just west of the park triggered a landslide that killed 28 people.

Up date on Katherine's trip to Guatemala

2009-01-03T12:30:00.004-05:00

Please visit Katherine's Blog about her trip to Guatemala by clicking on the picture.

These shoes were made for walking

2009-01-02T16:32:00.001-05:00

MIAMI (AP) - State troopers are looking for a charity to take thousands of shoes that were dumped on a Miami expressway, tying up rush hour traffic. Lt. Pat Santangelo says the Florida Highway Patrol received a call about the shoes Friday morning.

Santangelo says he's not sure where the shoes came from. There were no signs of a crash and no one stopped to claim them. He says he hopes someone will take them because he doesn't want to send them to the dump.

Workers using a front-end loader and a dump truck were able to quickly clear at least one lane by sweeping all the shoes to shoulder, but delays were expected until they could all be removed.

This year get back to Piggy Banks

2009-01-02T08:54:00.004-05:00

So why do we save our coins in a piggy bank? Because someone made a mistake. During The Middle Ages, in about the fifteenth century, metal was expensive and seldom used for household wares. Instead, dishes and pots were made of an economical clay called pygg. Whenever housewives could save an extra coin, they dropped it into one of their clay jars.They called this their pygg bank or their piggy bank. Over the next two hundred to three hundred years, people forgot that "pygg" referred to the earthenware material. In the nineteenth century when English potters received requests for piggy banks, they produced banks shaped like a pig.

New Year Wish for all

2009-01-01T19:30:00.003-05:00

WISHING YOU - IN YOUR BUSY

LIFESTYLE SOME TIME FOR RELAXATION
AND REFLECTION.

MAY MANY BLESSINGS COME YOUR WAY TODAY:

MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE LOVE TO SHARE

HEALTH TO SPARE AND FRIENDS THAT CARE.

Happy 2009

2008-12-31T09:50:00.001-05:00

GET OUT OF HERE 2008

Start the year off by paying yourself first.

2008-12-30T17:28:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year

Max out your 2009 contribution.

For 2009 put the full amount of your IRA in on Friday the second of January 2009. That way it works for you all year long.

A traditional IRA is a personal savings plan that gives you tax advantages for setting aside money for retirement.

Contributions you make to a traditional IRA may be fully or partially deductible, depending on your circumstances.
Generally, amounts in your traditional IRA (including earnings and gains) are not taxed until distributed.

Hither and Yon

2008-12-29T12:27:00.007-05:00

The McKenna family of Texas are off to Guatemala for Katherine's school service trip to help children in orphanages.

Jesse McKenna is off to Africa for the second time this year. She will continue to do volunteer work with the children of Tanzania.

We are inspired by the dedication they bring to their causes and wish them all a safe journey.

Hubble Telescope Best Picture

2008-12-28T15:36:00.002-05:00

The Sombrero Galaxy - 28 million light years from Earth - was voted best picture taken by the Hubble telescope. The dimensions of the galaxy, officially called M104, are as spectacular as its appearance. It has 800 billion suns and is 50,000 light years across.

Mission Complete

2008-12-27T21:11:00.003-05:00

We departed Selma NC at 7 AM this morning and 12 hours later arrived safely in Jupiter at 7 PM. The distance today was approximatly 710 miles and Pat insisted she drive all the way again today. She is truly a patient and safe driver with lots of consideration for others. We had ground fog from NC to the Georgia/Florida line and several back ups due to highway construction in GA. We are in shirtsleeves and shorts with no socks and the windows are open. GOOD NIGHT

Travel Day Today

2008-12-26T19:40:00.003-05:00

Departed Concord MA at 5:45 AM today made great time 715 miles in 13 hours to Selma NC now at a Hampton Inn with WiFi. For the second year in a row the traffic from Springfield VA to Richmond VA was unbelievable. This traffic just doesn't happen the day after Christmas as a driver next to us explained it is everyday. Now we are going to spend 15 Billion to help the big 3 make more cars how about better interstate highways I don't get it. They take 4 lanes of local I95 traffic and two lanes of HOV traffic and cram them into three lanes just beyond the Potomac Mall. It took us two hour's to get from Springfield to Richmond. We arrived safe with Pat doing all the driving today. I will drive tomorrows leg to Jupiter around 720 miles. Love to all we had a great Christmas with everyone.

Happy New Year

2008-12-25T19:13:00.000-05:00

Last nights pre Christmas family gathering.

2008-12-24T08:18:00.004-05:00

While at a lovely Pre Christmas family gathering last night many family memories were being discussed by all and this topic came up. We were talking about winter cold and the current no power situation in certain areas of the state.

When being cold in the old days our mother would always say as you entered the house to get in front of a hot stove or fire place, be careful you may get chilblains? Well everyone had there own answer as to what Chilblains means. I looked it up on the internet and this is what it is.

Chilblains is usually the result of an abnormal reaction of your body to cold. It tends to develop on skin that's exposed to cold and is then warmed too quickly, such as by warming your hands directly in front of a heater or fire. This cooling and rapid heating can cause small blood vessels under your skin to expand more quickly than nearby larger blood vessels can handle, resulting in a "bottleneck" effect and the blood leaking into nearby tissues. Exactly why this occurs in certain people is unknown.

Weather up date

2008-12-24T08:13:00.001-05:00

We ended up with 18 to 20 inches of snow now it is warming up and rain expected for Christmas eve.

For the want of a nail

2008-12-23T12:47:00.002-05:00

"For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for the want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for the want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail."

Still comming down

2008-12-21T18:11:00.001-05:00

At least a foot

Winter Wonderland in Concord Today

2008-12-21T15:33:00.008-05:00

Over the river and through the woods to grandmothers house we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow.

Sleigh Ride Music
Click on the words in red

Is it a sport? Or an obsession

2008-12-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

The answer probably depends on whom you ask. If you've never wet a line, standing midstream on an early spring morning in ice cold water, you probably wouldn't understand the allure of fly fishing.

" They say you forget your troubles on a trout stream, but that's not quite it. What happens is that you begin to see where your troubles fit into the grand scheme of things. and suddenly they're just not such a big deal anymore. "
- John Gierach

Regifting time is here

2008-12-20T17:30:00.002-05:00

Back in the day when every guy at the party smelled the same.

How to build a snowman

2008-12-20T16:45:00.005-05:00

Before you start, plan where you want the snowman to go, and how big you want it to be.

Find a nice big patch of snow which you can use to make one big and two smaller snowballs with. Snow that is very fluffy will probably not work very well.
Gather a handful of snow and pack it tightly with your two hands, shaping it into a ball. Place the ball on the ground and roll the ball along your snowy patch. As you roll, the ball should pick up more snow and will grow larger and larger as the snow from the ground sticks to it. Try to end up with this first large ball were you want the snowman to be placed once it is completed.
Make this first ball one very large snowball. A height of three feet or more.
Make another snowball a little bit smaller. This will become your middle section.
Make another snowball which is smaller than the second ball. This will be the head.
Stack the snowballs up from largest to smallest, being careful to pack tightly and balance them so they won't fall. Shaping the body outline at this time is a good idea.
Place a carrot in the middle of the head to act as a nose.
Use buttons, small stones or coal and place them above the carrots to represent the eyes.
Use a row of the same to show a smile beneath the carrot nose.
Top off the snowman with an old hat and place an old scarf around its neck.
Voila! You have now built a snowman .
Comments are welcome as to how you may have made a snowman in your day. Coal is not as available as it was when I was growing up.

Fishing

2008-12-20T14:57:00.004-05:00

" Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. " Henry David Thoreau

VATICAN CITY

2008-12-17T11:26:00.005-05:00

Associated Press Release
Pope Benedict has expressed hope that the financial crisis will help people focus on the spiritual meaning of Christmas, when Christians worldwide mark the birth of Jesus.

Benedict says the crisis can help people to rediscover what he calls "the warmth, simplicity, friendship and solidarity" contained in authentic Christmas values.

Click the pic

Guatemala - Bright Futures For Children

2008-12-16T21:55:00.009-05:00

Dear Friends and Family.
As many of you know Katherine McKenna will be going on a Service Trip right after Christmas. A group of Gladney families and teens are traveling to Guatemala to work in several orphanages and share the spirit of Christmas with the children who live there. This is only Gladney’s second Service Trip to Guatemala, but their commitment to improving the quality of life for the orphans there extends back many years. If you click on this Guatemala Children you can see a short video about the orphans in Guatemala and what Gladney is doing to make a difference in the lives of these beautiful children.

You all know how important the work of the Gladney Center is to Katherine and her family. They are excited to have this opportunity to participate first hand in their mission of Creating Bright Futures Around the World. If you would like to join them in supporting this mission you are encourage to forward this video to other friends and family so that more people will know about the orphan situation in Guatemala, and to consider financial support of this work through the Gladney Center. To make a gift please click here Support Guatemala.

Thank you for your consideration and for helping us “Create Bright Futures Around the World.”

We hope to have photographs and an update from Katherine about her trip posted in the weeks to come.

SKY ANGEL COWBOY

2008-12-16T19:52:00.003-05:00

Get out the Kleenex
Click on the words

Today

2008-12-15T21:30:00.001-05:00

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. ~John Burroughs

Who is the Reason for the Season?

2008-12-15T19:36:00.006-05:00

Merry Christmas

Read all Sides of a Headstone

2008-12-14T21:03:00.004-05:00

When conducting on-site cemetery research, be sure to read the entire headstone. Not everything on a headstone is carved on the front. It is not unusual to find inscriptions on both the front and back of a stone and even on the edges. You may find the name and vital date on the face, an epitaph or poem on the back, the names of spouse, parents, children, and other information carved elsewhere. Look for initials, names, and/or the company name of the stonemason on the stone. Often the carver chiseled his initials or mark into a stone as a form of advertisement. His family may have been engaged in the stone cutting industry for generations and may have retained many or all of the family’s work or account files. You may be able to research the carver and therefore locate other records concerning the person who ordered and paid for the headstone, its date of installation, and other data.

Military Christmas Poem

2008-12-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

This poem was written by a Marine. Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt

For the full story behind this poem. Click on the Marine Corps Seal

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY!, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'

Who Said This

2008-12-12T21:20:00.004-05:00

"My choices early in life were either to be a piano
player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference between the two...!"

Full Moon Tonight

2008-12-12T10:35:00.005-05:00

If the full moon tonight looks unusually large, it is not your imagination – it is the biggest and brightest full moon to be seen for 15 years.

Click on the Pic

Can you see the Moon Rabbit ?

C-SPAN White House Week

2008-12-12T10:09:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, December 14 C-SPAN premieres "The White House: Inside America's Most Famous Home," an original feature documentary. Click on the Pic

Davy Crockett

2008-12-11T21:33:00.006-05:00

Remembering Old Time TV.

Click on the Pic

This Is Worth Sharing

2008-12-11T08:25:00.005-05:00

Just leave it to Google to come up with something like this!!!

Here's a number worth putting in your cell phone, or your home phone speed dial 1-800-goog-411. This is an awesome service from Google and it's free great when you are on the road.

Don't waste your money on information calls and don't waste your time manually dialing the number.
Here's an example of how it works.
I am driving along in my car and I need to call the golf course and I don't know the number.
I hit the speed dial for information that I have programmed 1-800-goog-411.

The voice at the other end says, 'City & State.' I say, Jupiter, Florida..' He says, 'Business, Name or Type of Service.' I say, Jupiter Golf Course.'
He says, 'Connecting' and Jupiter, Golf Course answers the phone.
How great is that?

This is nationwide and it is absolutely free! It only does businesses no personal residences.

Click on the FREE sign at the top and watch the short clip for a quick demonstration.

Auto Bail Out No Increase Demand Stupid

2008-12-10T10:59:00.016-05:00

My reference to stupid in the title is lacking common sense.

The real question to me is how do we get the cars off the lots.
Have any of you noticed the Auto Dealer lots in your neck of the woods. Who owns all those cars the dealers the banks or the manufacture ?
While traveling on I95 yesterday in Florida I could not believe the number of cars parked on dealers lots. That tells me currently no one is buying a car or truck in this economy.
IM no expert on automobile manufacturing and marketing but I think people need incentives right now to buy a new car or a truck.
Lower the prices even if the manufactures and dealers have to take a loss, have a no sales tax time frame in states that have a sales tax and increase the number of gasoline refineries in the US to keep gas prices low.
Any government dollars spent to get the cars off the lots would create more demand. With increased demand more cars would have to be produced. This would keep people employed and working at the Auto plants and throughout the assembly and supply system.
By the way with approximately 306 million people in the US a better Bail Out Plan would have been to give every man,woman and child a million dollars and let them spend it on what they need.
Keep in mind what a trillion dollars is. That's 12 zeroes to the left of the decimal point. A trillion is a million million dollars.
Oh and by the way these incentives should only go to Auto's made in the good old USA.

Baxter Black is a veterinarian and cowboy poet.

2008-12-09T08:54:00.006-05:00

Just a Dog
Click on the Picture.

From what I have researched on the subject of Baxter Black, I would say this is a ‘man of few words,’ except on page, stage, or airways, though considered the number one cowboy poet of our time.

Is It A Rabbit Pounding Rice ?

2008-12-08T16:09:00.017-05:00

This was a story told to me by my mother when I was little.
If I looked closely at a full moon I would see the image of a rabbit sitting with it's back to the left hunched over pounding a bowl full of rice.
On your next full moon see if you can see the image of a rabbit pounding rice.

Two Clue's.
The ear's are at the 2 pm position and the bowl is at the 7 pm position.
Good luck.
The Next Full Moon is Friday December 12, 2008.
Hope you have clear skies.

Now for the rest of the story. Click on the picture of the moon.

The photo below captures a disturbing trend that is beginning to affect US wildlife.

2008-12-06T21:26:00.006-05:00

Animals that were formerly self-sufficient are now showing signs of Bailout Fever as they have apparently learned to just sit and wait for the government to step in and provide for their care and sustenance.

Navy Beats Army Seventh Straight Year In a Row.

2008-12-06T17:58:00.006-05:00

CONGRESS BAILOUT ARMY
NAVY 34 ARMY 0

A Great Tradition

2008-12-06T10:21:00.006-05:00

Click on picture for the history of the games.

GO ARMY
BEAT NAVY

I Love God's Sense Of Humor

2008-12-05T20:34:00.002-05:00

A One In A Million Shot Photographer Unknown

Don't Just Sit There

2008-12-05T11:55:00.009-05:00

The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy
United States Senate
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2101
Re: Military Groups Deserving a "Bailout"
Senator Kennedy:

As the government considers a trillion dollars in bailouts for banks, insurance companies and automakers whose own mismanagement helped cause the current financial crisis, please don't forget multiple military groups in grievous circumstances imposed on them by the government through no fault of their own, including:

1. Caregivers for wounded warriors - mothers, fathers, spouses, and other loved ones have had to quit their jobs, sell homes, and cash in retirement funds to provide full-time care to severely wounded servicemembers. The government owes training, respite, and compensation to those who never dreamed that a loved one's wounding could put their own livelihood at such risk.

2. Separated wounded warriors - Thousands of wounded or potential PTSD/TBI victims were separated with low-balled disability determinations, "personality disorder" or disciplinary discharges that limited or denied benefits.

3. Military widows whose sponsors died of service-related causes - thousands of whom must live on an annuity of $13,000 a year because their VA survivor benefits are deducted from their Survivor Benefit Plan annuities. Congress' "first-step" relief provided them only $50 per month.

4. Severely disabled retirees with less than 20 years of service - who forfeit most or all of their military retired pay to fund their own VA disability compensation. Congress passed legislation to assist the combat-disabled, but a glitch in the law stymied that for many. And a 100% non-combat disabled retiree has no relief.

5. Current military families - who've suffered terrible family separations because of past government resistance to manpower increases, despite the long war. Now, some propose cutting back on manpower increases, when the only possibility for relief is to accelerate them.

6. Guard-Reserve members deployed since 9/11 - whom the government has acknowledged deserve a reduced retirement age for active duty callups, but denies credit for those called up (for multiple combat tours in hundreds of thousands of cases) between 2001 and 2008.

7. Employers of Guard/Reserve personnel -- who deserve permanent tax breaks to help ease the burden of hiring temporary replacements for ever-more-frequently deployed staff members.

8. Currently serving uniformed services families (again) - the only large group of employees denied use of Flexible Spending Accounts to deduct out-of-pocket health and dependent costs from income and payroll taxes. Who needs a child care tax break more than a family whose sponsor has been deployed?

Sincerely,
William F. Tobin
LTC USA RET

Thinking of a High School Friend Today

2008-12-04T20:33:00.013-05:00

Today playing on the oldies station Blue Moon from Grease and it brought back the memory of on old friend Lennie Baker of Sha Na Na

Lennie Baker was born on April 18, 1946, in Whitman, Massachusetts. He is a former sax player for the 1950's rock group, Danny and the Juniors.

Lennie went on to become a member of the musical group Sha Na Na, doing vocals and playing sax. He toured with the group, performing at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, and appeared with them on the television series, Sha Na Na, which aired from 1978-1981. He was also in the movie Grease with them, singing lead on the song, Blue Moon. He appeared in several other movies with the group, as well.

Click on the picture.

More than Baseball at Boston Fenway Park

2008-12-04T19:39:00.007-05:00

My wife and I had the opportunity to attend an event Wednesday called Hazelton Frend Raiser at Fenway Park. The guest speaker was William Cope Moyers he spoke about his own life story of addiction and redemption. He was very moving, spoke with passion and helped me better understand the need for increased awareness of this disease. His memoir serves as a voice for recovery. If you click on Broken you can get more information.

Ships moored around Ford Island in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941

2008-12-04T19:00:00.001-05:00

The Old North Bridge

2008-12-03T14:20:00.008-05:00

Thirty years ago this week at this very bridge I proposed to my wife Pat.

Click on the picture for some History by the King's Own.

How to Build a Blue Bird house

2008-12-02T08:56:00.001-05:00

Wreaths Across America

2008-12-01T18:57:00.003-05:00

Click on the wreaths to help in your State

It has been spectacular each night

2008-11-30T14:30:00.005-05:00

Click For Spectacular Night Sky

CLICK ON THE ARROW IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE BALANCE

2008-11-30T13:39:00.009-05:00

Letting go of man's best friend

2008-11-30T11:20:00.003-05:00

Last week a family member had this decision to make. It brought back to me how hard it was for us to let go of our beloved Sir Fred the Basset Hound. Just the thought of what they were going through brought back memories of how my wife and I had to deal with the same thing. We found this story about Rainbow Bridge helped us and thought others would could be helped by it also.

The Author of the following is unknown.

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers.

Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.

The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.

... Author unknown...

What is the world coming too

2008-11-28T10:22:00.004-05:00

BY JOE GOULD

Updated Friday, November 28th 2008, 10:08 AM
A Wal-Mart store was the scene of chaos this morning. Anderson/News

A worker died after being trampled and a woman miscarried when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island Wal-Mart Friday morning, witnesses said.

The unidentified worker, employed as an overnight stock clerk, tried to hold back the unruly crowds just after the Valley Stream store opened at 5 a.m.

Witnesses said the surging throngs of shoppers knocked the man down. He fell and was stepped on. As he gasped for air, shoppers ran over and around him.

"He was bum-rushed by 200 people," said Jimmy Overby, 43, a co-worker. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too...I literally had to fight people off my back."

Nassau County Police are still investigating and would not confirm the witness accounts. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. Police did say there were several injuries but weren't more specific.

Jessica Keyes was among the shoppers. She told the Daily News she saw a woman knocked down just a few feet from the dying worker.

"When the paramedics came, she said 'I'm pregnant,'" Keyes said.

Paramedics treated the woman inside the store and then, according to Keys, told the woman:

"There's nothing we can do. The baby is gone."

Before police shut down the store, eager shoppers streamed past emergency crews as they worked furiously to save the store clerk's life.

"They were working on him, but you could see he was dead, said Halcyon Alexander, 29. "People were still coming through."

Only a few stopped.

"They're savages," said shopper Kimberly Cribbs, 27. "It's sad. It's terrible."

Lots to be Thankful for

2008-11-26T09:48:00.003-05:00

Thankful that we live in a country that has always proven resilient enough to rebound from periods of economic difficulties, and will surely do so again. If you're traveling this holiday, travel safely, take care of your family, and have a happy Thanksgiving.

The Basset Hound

2008-11-25T10:56:00.002-05:00

The Basset Hound is of French lineage and has flourished for centuries in Europe where it was used chiefly for the slow trail of rabbits, hare, and deer. The first mention of the word "Basset" as applied to a breed of dog appears in an early text on hunting written by Fouilloux in 1585. The Friars of the French Abbey of St. Hubert played an instrumental role in the development of the breed, where they established a lower set, slower moving dog that could be followed on foot. By the mid-19th century, the two largest breeders of Bassets in France were producing dogs of slightly different type, especially in head and eye. The first strain were primarily lemon and white and had a tendency to knuckling, while the second strain had glamorous tri-colors with a more narrow head and a domed topskull, a softer eye with prominent jaw and a down-faced look that provided more facial expression.

Exportation of Basset Hounds to England began in 1866, where the first Basset was exhibited at an English dog show in 1875. Some of the dogs established in England were eventually exported to the United States in 1883 and 1884. In 1884, the first Basset Hound was exhibited at the Westminster Kennel Club show. In 1935, a national parent club was created - the Basset Hound Club of America. Through the efforts of the parent club, the breed has proven to be a multi-purpose hound that excels in conformation, obedience, tracking, field trialing and pack hunting.

Food for thought this Thansgiving

2008-11-24T00:20:00.000-05:00

This week as families gather to give thanks for our many blessings, many of us will be recording the moments with video and audio devices. It’s something that we’ve done for years, but as time goes by, it’s important to remember to transfer these preserved memories into a more current medium. There are services available that can help, and you can even do some conversions inexpensively yourself. I recently did a search for “audio cassette to MP3” to research ways I could convert an interview I recorded of my Mother on a cassette. I found several articles on the subject, several of them referring to Audacity, a free audio editor. Whatever format you chose to record your memories, now is the time to create back up copies, preferably in multiple formats and stored in various places, so that if one copy is corrupted, others can survive so that future generations can share those wonderful memories. And don’t forget that you can even use your computer or phone to add audio files directly to your trees on Ancestry. Happy Thanksgiving!

I call it giving back. An email from family member in Africa

2008-11-23T20:28:00.000-05:00

Hi I had an awesome day visiting Sesson. First we (Durango, Anismis, Johnson and your's truly) went to the clinic because Johnson was feeling ill and I was able to see some of my students herding on a beautiful Sat morning. Next stop the shop in West Gate to pick up sugar and cooking oil for Sesson. The drive after that was thru the wildest country I have ever seen no real road, just driving for an hour in the bush. I have no idea how we found his Manyatta. The Samburu follow some sense of direction lookng at the mountains and the sun. We came across the biggest bull elephant they had ever seen and it wasn't that pleased that we were there. It started a charge at us and suddenly stopped and shook his enormous head at us but decided to let us pass. We also saw a herd of giraffes, gerenuk, baboons and for good measure a leopold. I think Sesson had told the whole village we were coming and the children came running to show us the way. I met his wife who gave me a belt she had made for me and we were invited into their house where we sat and talked (I listened not understanding a word) for about an hour. It was very hot and cramped inside. At that point Sesson asked us to join him, his father and some warriors under a tree covered with an acacia roof for meat. Sesson brought out a pot full of goat (legs, ribs and assorted other parts) and I was given a panga to cut pieces of meat off the leg. It was a little gritty and chewy but overall not bad. After lunch we had tea and his father blessed me for my long journey home and a safe journey back to see them again soon. Too good to believe! Fingers are tried so thats all for now. Love Timbo Dad

Boston Cream Pie

2008-11-23T16:38:00.000-05:00

As far as calling it Boston Cream Pie, the story began when a New York newspaper in 1855 published a recipe for a 'Pudding Pie Cake'. This recipe was similar to the Boston Cream Pie recipe of today except that it had a powdered sugar topping. From there we go to Boston where a man named Harvey D. Parker opened a restaurant called the Parker House Restaurant. On the menu was a 'Parker House Chocolate Pie', the recipe to which was similar to the New York newspaper recipe except a chocolate glaze had replaced the powdered sugar topping. We are not sure how it was renamed to 'Boston Cream Pie', but Bo Friberg in his book 'The Professional Pastry Chef' thinks "the name stems from the original title (in the New York paper) combined with the reference to Boston."

My mother called them Crimson Carpets at this time of year

2008-11-23T10:27:00.000-05:00

In October, the plants have red berries and they are ready to pick. The farmer floods the beds one at a time. Wet harvesting is when water reels are driven through the beds. These reels churn up the water and knock the berries off of the vines. The berries float on top of the water. A boom, or a floating tube, round up the berries. You can see a boom in the picture to the right. When they are rounded up, the cranberries are put on a conveyor belt that takes them to barrels.

Festival and Fundraiser

2008-11-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

JUPITER — A communitywide sand sculpture competition, festival and fundraiser will be Dec. 6 at Jupiter Beach.

This event serves to support Karma Krew, a service-based nonprofit headquartered in Jupiter with the mission to create inspirational community outreach programs. Karma Krew has developed the Peace by Peace Initiative to bring mind-body wellness programs to abused and neglected children living in area shelters. The program supports children in local shelters including Children's Home Society, Turtle Nest Village, Place of Hope and Hibiscus Children's Center.

Karma Kastles works just like a walk-a-thon, wherein participants raise money on behalf of their sand sculpture team. Last year's event had over 500 participants and raised $56,000 for the cause.

The event will also feature yoga, drummin, and hula-hoop classes as well as face painting, chalk art, bounce houses and more.

For more information, call Scott Feinberg at (561) 339- 9642 or e-mailing scott@KarmaKrew.org.

Edgartown

2008-11-22T20:47:00.002-05:00

Edgartown Lighthouse

An act of Congress, in 1928, appropriated for the construction of a lighthouse on a wooden pier at the entrance of Edgartown harbor. The Edgartown light was the fourth of the Vineyard’s five lighthouses to be constructed. In 1930, a causeway connecting the lighthouse to shore was built. The fierce 1938 hurricane only worsened the condition of the already dilapidated lighthouse, and the structure was demolished shortly afterwards by the Coast Guard. After removing the old building a year later, the Coast Guard dismantled the Essex Light from Ipswich, Massachusetts and brought it to Edgartown by barge as a replacement. The newer, 45-foot tall, cast iron light tower was erected close to the location of the original structure, and still stands today. In 1994, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum (formerly Martha's Vineyard Historical Society) took on the stewardship of the Edgartown Lighthouse. In 2007, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum received funds from the Community Preservation Act from the town of Edgartown for restoration of the Edgartown light. In addition to much needed repair work, it also enabled installation of a staircase, making the interior of the lighthouse accessible to the public for the first time in it’s history.

Awaiting the Snowbirds

2008-11-22T17:08:00.000-05:00

Ocean Villas

2008-11-21T15:30:00.001-05:00

2008-11-21T13:12:00.001-05:00

Florida Power & Light customers can expect a slight drop in their monthly electric bills next year thanks to lower fuel costs.

FPL raised prices by 8 percent in August and had projected another 7 percent increase in January. But a dramatic drop in oil and natural gas prices enabled the company Monday to reduce by $975 million its $7 billion in projected fuel and purchased power costs next year.

The revision combined with increases in nuclear expansion costs and other fees would decrease monthly residential bills by 1.4 percent, from $111.12 to $109.55 starting Jan. 6 for the first 1,000 kilowatt-hours of power, slightly less than the average residential customer uses. Residential bills would have jumped to $118.99 under FPL’s previous proposal.

The fuel-cost recovery fee included in that monthly bill would drop 9 percent from $60.21 now to $54.92 in January.

“Natural gas and oil prices came down significantly and we’re happy to pass” the savings to customers, said FPL President Armando Olivera, adding that the “remarkable” volatility of fuel prices also means that “we can’t guarantee these prices stay firm for the duration of 2009.”

The Florida Public Service Commission will consider FPL’s new fuel fee proposal on Dec. 2.

The state’s largest power company also told the commission Monday that it plans to formally propose its 2010 base electric rates in March. The current rate took effect in 2006 and expires at the end of 2009. If fuel prices stay low, FPL predicts that its base rates would increase typical monthly residential bills to between $115 and $118.

Base rates cover general costs of doing business, including operating and maintenance costs for equipment. About one-third of an FPL residential customer bill is the base rate, more than half is fuel costs and the rest is other costs, such as purchased power and environmental and conservation programs.

Utilities in Florida aren’t allowed to earn a profit on the fuel fee but can on other fees, such as the conservation and environmental surcharges.

Earlier this month, groups that represent FPL customers grilled the utility about its fuel costs because the price of oil had dropped by about 50 percent since early August when the utility initially projected fuel costs.

“ It’s good that FPL recognized the somewhat obvious falling price of fuel,’’ said Mike Twomey, an attorney for AARP, a national advocacy group for seniors. “This is an important victory for FPL’s customers and it’s good FPL stepped up to the plate and made the change.”

FPL adjusts the fuel fee when it detects a shift in fuel cost projections of more than 10 percent, which hadn’t happened until recently, Olivera said.

“ It’s easy to look back now” and see the declining trend, he said.