MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wishing you and yours

a very merry holiday season.

SNOWED IN ....

with no Ace Cub Reporter on the job ....

If you want to get away with anything illegal, illicit

or just plain stupid in Clay,

now's the time.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Whether you're having turkey with all the trimmin's, greasy pizza or a plain ol' bologna sandwich, ENJOY!

DO YOU REMEMBER ...

November 14 ...


1851 - Herman Melville’s book Moby-Dick ("The Whale") was first published in New York City by Harper & Brothers.

1943 - Ernie Nevers of the St. Louis Cardinals became the first professional football player to score six touchdowns in a single game.

1961 - The Elvis Presley film "Blue Hawaii" premiered.

1967 - The Monkees received a gold record for Daydream Believer.

1969 - Apollo 12 blasted off for the moon from Cape Kennedy, FL.

1969 - Number 1 on the music charts - To See My Angel Cry (Conway Twitty)

1972 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above the 1,000 (1,003.16) level for the first time.

1979 - U.S. President Carter froze all Iranian assets in the United States and U.S. banks abroad in response to the taking of 63 American hostages at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran.

1991 - U.S. and British authorities announced indictments against two Libyan intelligence officials in connection with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

1991 - Thomas McIlvane fatally shot four workers at the Royal Oak, MI, Post Office before killing himself. He had been fired from the location.

THE COUNTDOWN'S ON ....

Two days to go!! Hallalujah!!

Have you gotten the endless calls? I've gotten recordings from Darrel McGraw, John McCain, Shelly Moore Capito, Anne Barth ... even invites to meet Hillary & Bill Clinton!

I will miss the pollsters who call constantly. I've lied to every single one of them. I've lied about my age, I've lied about my income level, I've lied about who I'm voting for. Right now, there's an NBC poll that has Obama winning with 52%, McCain trailing at just 48%. I wonder how many of those polled people lied?

SNOW IN THE FORECAST!

OK, so it's not so really for our area, but still ...

Less than 2 weeks to go before all the campaign commercials give way to Christmas ads.

And the world goes 'round & 'round & 'round ...

GIMME THE BEAT

For a brief moment (or 90), gas was $2.25 yesterday in Elkview.

Last week, Clay County was on the news for honoring a fallen soldier. This week, we were back in the news for our new Peppy Le'Pew school. Halloween's right around the corner - maybe enough soap on the windows will help.

Another few weeks & the campaigns commercials will be over. What commercials get bumped so those can take their place?

Peak season for fall colors is upon us - the temperature is supposed to be in the 80s again today. Reckon we'll get snow this year?

Some Gave All

As I type this, another American Hero is on his way home for the last time. There won't be any welcome home parties, there won't be any celebrating, there won't be tears of joy. There will be a lot of sorrow, a lot of pomp and circumstance, a lot of media coverage, a lot of opportunity lost as yet another young life is given for The Cause.

What price, this Cause? Are we, as a country, better off for the loss of this young man? Absolutely. Would his parents agree that the price was worth the cost? Is their pride in him enough to fill the void his loss has left behind? In the darkest hours of tonight, in the coming days and weeks, in the years ahead without him, will that pride sustain them? I sincerely hope it at least brings them comfort.

I sat down here to talk about what a beautiful day it is & how flinging open my windows & letting in the fresh, clean air immediately takes me back to 1970 something & memories of being a carefree kid. It's funny how something as simple as the smell of Fall can do that.

Somehow, though, I got off on a tangent (as I'm apt to do). Sgt. Nicholas isn't the first to die for his country; he won't be the last. The question is, how many is enough? How many men and women have to die before we say, "No more"? World peace isn't attainable; inner peace is. What's it going to take for us to let that be enough?

Deepest condolences to the family of Jamie Nicholas. Thank you for your sacrifice.

HAPPY FALL!!

Throw open the windows &

get out the comfy cushions for the porch chairs!

Fall is here!!

The Next Day ....

Bank of America's buying Merrill Lynch ... Lehman Brothers is filing for bankruptcy ... Baer Sterns is no more ... Banks that survived over 100 years & a coupla world wars are gone, gone, gone.

A commuter train engineer in California killed 25 people & injured over 100 more because he was allegedly text messaging with a teenager ...

Hurricane Ike is nothing but a breeze ... search & rescuers are finding more & more people who refused to evacuate ... Galveston, Texas is barely clinging to the map ...

OPEN FORUM

- Another 2 months & all the campaigns will be over. We'll either have a young black guy & an old dude in the White House or an old dude & a young white woman. Either way, history's in the making. Isn't history always in the making?

- Hurricane season's in full swing. There's a reason I live in a mountainous, land-locked area. Unlike a couple of my brothers ...

- School's back in session with only faculty senate days as holidays until November.

- It's almost time for the Apple Festival! Otherwise known as Old Home Week around here.

- What's going on in *your* world?

WOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!

BACK TO SCHOOL!!

The first day of school is always met with mixed emotions. First it was dropping those babies off for the first time & leaving them in the hands of virtual strangers. Then it was putting them on the bus for the first time. Then it was ... always something. This year, I have a high schooler for the first time. A high schooler & a 7th grader. Good grief. Where has the time gone?

Best of luck to all the kids for a great year! Even better luck to all the teachers -

WE'RE WATCHING YOU.

BAHAHAHAHAHA LOL

Halfway Through August ...

Thirty-one years ago today, Elvis died.

Fifty years ago today, Madonna was born.

Sixty-five years ago today, Maycle Samples gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.

He's still bouncing strong today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE STEVE!!

CLAY COUNTY MAKES THE NEWS ... again

Five face charges in explicit photos of teen

Five people from Kanawha and Clay counties were charged Monday night in connection with taking sexually explicit photos of a 14-year-old girl at a residence in Clendenin. Police say the girl told them she had sex with one of the men, 20-year-old Donald William Taylor, of Bomont, at the residence. Taylor is charged with third-degree sexual assault, according to magistrate court documents.

Magistrate Julie Yeager arraigned the five people, including Amber Janett Stanley, 20, of Clendenin; Joshua D. Barnes, 23, of Clendenin; Thomas Vinson Mitchell, 29, of Clendenin; and Shelly Kay Sizemore, 35, of Bomont. Stanley, Barnes and Mitchell are charged with the use of a minor in filming sexually explicit conduct. Stanley, Sizemore and Mitchell are charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

SATURDAY WONDERINGS ....

If you do the right thing for the wrong reasons, is it still the right thing to do?

If you dream of the same person more than 3 times in a week, does it mean anything?

If frogs had wings, do you think they'd use them?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!

If you see JERRY McNEILAND today

(what are the odds?!), wish him a big, fat

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

HAPPY JULY!

My ol' friend, Chuck Blankenship, was born 50 years ago today. Fifty years. That's mind boggling to me. Both that he'd have been the big 5-0 and that he's not here to boost a Bud and celebrate with us.

I used to think it was silly when people said things like, "If he'd have lived, he'd be 102 today" or whatever. But then I grew up & learned to appreciate the time we have, the people we have to share it with and the harsh reality of having it cut short long before we're ready.

So ... as we welcome in a new month & ride the roller coaster of life, let's all take a minute to boost a Bud (OK, so I'm boosting coffee, since it's 6 a.m.) & toast this life we're still blessed enough to find ourselves actively participating in.

Live a little. Dangle a preposition or two. Go commando!

BEYOND THE BUBBLE

Just 3 more days of Spring, then Summer of '08 officially begins!

Hillary Clinton's finally in the background of the presidential campaign. Al Gore jumped right in to fill the media void she left.

The Midwest is suffering the worst flooding in history. Crops are ruined, lives are ruined, the impact will be far & long-reaching. It'd be Katrina all over again, yet somehow, it's not. Did we learn a lesson with Katrina or do poor black people who refuse to evacuate warrant more outrage than corn croppers?

Tim Russert died Friday. For the next 3 days, little to no news was reported on MSNBC as his friends and co-workers reflected on his life and their loss. He'll be buried today after a televised private memorial service.

Lock your doors - thieves are stealing anything that isn't nailed down, including vases from cemetaries. So few things in this world are sacred; fewer every day.

Star Trek's Zulu (the Asian man) is marrying his long-time boyfriend now that they've legalized same-sex marriage in California.

The times, they are a-changin'.

WHADDAYA THINK? Are you a believer?

Not too long ago, I watched some show that had a psychic guest who claimed he could contact "those who have crossed over" - dead people. He went on to say that anybody could contact their loved ones who have "crossed over" simply by asking for a sign - a certain scent or a song or ... whatever.

May 28th was my mom's birthday. She'd have been 70. Naturally, she was heavily on my mind that day. Heavily on my mind. On my way to work that Wednesday, I tuned in to 92.9 (that station that insists on playing, no matter where I've got the tuner!) & don'cha know "I'll Fly Away" came on. That was one of my mom's favorite songs ... the one I always whistled around the house ... the one she told me was also my granny's favorite ... the last song played at her funeral.

Ya think??

REMEMBER. APPRECIATE. HONOR.

Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action. [Wikipedia]

OPINIONATED OBSERVATIONS

No, Hillary, it's not all about "Jobs, jobs, jobs." How about "EDUCATION, ELDERLY CARE, BRING OUR SOLDIERS HOME & FREE GAS FOR EVERYBODY!"?

If foreign countries don't want our help, fine.

Stop begging them & offer the help to those here at home.

Just because you think your underwear is lovely, that doesn't mean I want to see it.

Pull your *$#@! pants up!

Same sex marriage??

Rainbows make kids visualize gays having sex??

Placing children in foster care because you don't buy into their beliefs??

How about we all just run naked through the streets.

Never mind. I don't need to see that, either.

"IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE..."

"At the end of the day..."
"The bottom line is..."
"Close the deal..."

"Look..."

Just a few lines I hope to never have to hear again ...

IT MUST ALL MEAN SOMETHING ...

My parents had 3 children - 2 sons and a daughter.

They divorced when I was little; both went on to marry other people.

My dad married a lady who had a daughter from a previous marriage.

Together, they had another daughter.

My mom married a man who had a son from a previous marriage.

Together, they had another son.

Of the 5 of us who share(d) the same last name, I'm the middle child.

I'm the middle child of a middle child.

Two older brothers, two younger brothers, two younger sisters.

The only "unpaired" of the siblings.

I'm the firstborn daughter of a firstborn daughter.

The 13th maternal grandchild, the youngest of the granddaughters.

I'm the youngest daughter, the oldest daughter.

An only daughter, one of 3.

My maternal grandma died on June 14.

My youngest son was born on June 14.

I was due on the 17th, born 5 days later on the 22nd.

My oldest son was due on the 17th, born 5 days later on the 22nd.

THERE IS A FIFTH DIMENSION BEYOND THAT WHICH IS KNOWN TO MAN ...

I have one of those car radios that has 6 preprogrammable buttons & if you hit another button, you can program another 6. I have all 12 buttons programmed to different stations, one of which is 92.9 - "positive country/gospel" on the 2nd set of buttons. When I parked the car last night, we were listening to 105.1 - "classic rock" - first set of buttons. This morning when I got back in, 92.9 was blaring. I hit the button for 96.1 - first set of buttons - & there was still 92.9. So I hit another button. Still 92.9. So I just listened to gospel music all the way to work this morning. A little uplifting music never hurt anybody.

This evening on the way home, I stopped at Rite Aid. For the low, low price of $9.99, you can buy this desk phone that has a speaker phone, a calculator, a big huge digital display & will even verbally tell you the number of incoming calls. We thought it was pretty cool when the phone rang & this nice lady sang out Grandpa's number. Ditto when Grandma called. When the phone made this weird 3-tone music thing & "666" showed up, though ... that ain't so cool. Seriously. The number of the last incoming call remains on the display until ... I guess until another call comes in. Our display still says "666."

I'm wondering if this morning has anything to do with this evening ...

APRIL FOOLS!!

It is better to be an April Fool than a year-round one.

then again, fools don't really realize their foolishness,

so what's the point of pointing out to them it's April?

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life's passing seasons

bring the best to you and yours!

A BAD DAY FISHIN' ....

is a great day, indeed!

Two things I really love - fishin' & PBR. Days like today, when ya get both on the same day ... life just doesn't get much better than this.

GOTCHA, SUCKA!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,

DONNY McNEILAND

FEBRUARY 28!

The Countdown's On!

Only 30 more days 'til Spring! Thirty loooooong, cold days ....

Yeah, I know it's just a word & it's been known to snow in May, but in 30 days, I can start the countdown to Summer!!

& then I can complain about how stinkin' hot it is! WOOOO HOOOOOO!!

LITTLE BLURBS

Did you hear about Christi Layne, a 51 year old 5th grade teacher in Portsmouth, OH, who was shot and stabbed inside her classroom yesterday by her estranged husband? He then went home and shot himself dead ...

Do you know that Happy Days comes on at 5:00 am? Scott Baio was such a hottie in 1984 ...

Valentine's Day is only 6 days away!

OPEN FORUM

We gripe about politics, we gripe about the weather, we gripe about the cost of gas, we gripe about our failing education system ... Doesn't anybody care about the things that really matter anymore?

This morning, I woke up alive and able to crawl out of a nice, warm bed. Every day, I come home to a house that's still standing, food in the fridge, lights that still come on and a lot of people I love just a phone call away.

My children know what it's like to sit down at a real table and eat a real meal as a real family because they do it on a regular basis. Someday, they'll appreciate that. For now, I just hope they're always able to take it for granted

Say what you will, vote for whoever you hate least, but don't ever lose sight of the things that really matter.