Air1's Christmas greeting...

Saw this on the Air1 website this morning. Thought I'd share this with you....

This says it all!!!

A comic I recently found. I love the last frame posted here!

Favorite Christmas Tree

This has been one of my favorite Christmas trees in the city of Midland for quite a few years now. You can find it at a house on the corner of Rodd and Indian Streets. No fancy lawn displays, no tens of thousands of lights, no computer controlled choreography to Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards in Winter". Just your basic Christmas tree that happens to stand 3-stories tall.

In Memory - Majel Roddenberry

Wow! Rather than coming up with something on my own let me reprint the article in this morning's Detroit Free Press that tells about this...

"Majel Roddenberry, 'First Lady of Star Trek,' dies
ASSOCIATED PRESS • December 19, 2008

NEW YORK -- Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the widow of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, has died. She was 76. Roddenberry, an actress who appeared in numerous “Star Trek” TV shows and movies, died Thursday of leukemia at her home in Bel-Air, Calif., her representative said.

At Roddenberry’s side were family friends and her only son, Eugene Roddenberry Jr. Gene Roddenberry died in 1991.

Her romance with Roddenberry earned her the title “The First Lady of Star Trek.” A fixture in the “Star Trek” franchise, her roles included Nurse Christine Chapel in the original “Star Trek,” Lwaxana Troi in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and the voice of the USS Enterprise computer in almost every spin-off of the 1966 cult series. She recently reprised the voice role in the upcoming “Star Trek” film directed by J.J. Abrams."

She will be missed!

Youtube must see

For gameshow fans, this is a must see clip on youtube. It is from a Tom Kennedy hosted episode of "Password Plus" along with panelists Dick Martin and Betty White.

Let's just say that Dick Martin gives an illegal clue and the episode goes downhill from there. It lasts for just over 8 minutes.

View it here...

Annoying Christmas Music...

Maybe it's just me, but I think I found the Christmas song that's annoying me the most this season: The "12 Days of Christmas" as done by the group "Relient K".

Several times in the song after going through a few "days", the group admits that they really don't know what a partridge is or what a pear tree is. Look in the dictionary and try to figure out what they really are.

The only part the group actually gets right is that they really don't make good gifts.

I'm sorry, could you repeat that for me again please?

This was not today's gas price.

I've seen this price sign for many months in Auburn. This was the gas price on the last day of business at one of two Auburn (MI) Marathon gas stations now closed.

When I noticed this earlier this year, the $2.99 seemed like a bargain. Now, it seems like a bit of a rip-off. Amazing what a few months does.

Adult Christmas Party - Floyd Church (12.14.08)

Last night, for me, signified the start of the Christmas fun season (unless you consider gift buying fun). We had our annual Christmas party at church. It's an adult only party (not because it's dirty in anyway) which for the first time in my memory we had on Sunday night. My mother, sister, and I all attended from our family. Here's what typically happens...

Christmas candy preparation - The first event of the party is the annual Christmas candy preparation. This is typically a bunch of different candies and/or sweets that are bagged (or boxed) up for presentation to church attendees the Sunday before Christmas. A couple of people decided to get a head start and start the bagging early. By the time I arrived around 6pm, everyone was well underway in prepping the bags (photo 1).

Food - Anytime you get church members together with food, it's always a treat. And what Christmas party is complete without food. Photo 2 doesn't do the amount of food available justice. Despite the fact that we had nearly 60 people attend (a record?), there was plenty for me to have 2 helpings of food. My favorite was an apple dumpling bean soup prepared by Don (photo 3).

Chinese gift auction - Here's the rules: Everyone brings a gift to exchange (around $5 - though some were clearly more than that) (see photo 4). Everyone is given a number that determines the order you go up to get a gift. Some people had creative uses for those numbered sheets (photo 3). When it's time to go up, you either get a gift from the group in the center (photo 4) or grab one from someone else. The "victim" then has to go up to the center to grab a new gift or grab something from another person. They can not go and grab the gift they just lost.

This year's group (photo 5 panoramic) was large and got almost downright vicious at times. Spouses were working together to get back gifts recently lost (because if one person gets any gift twice, it was theirs).

An admission on my part: The gift I had gotten wasn't even touched by the time I got up there (#46). So I decided to target my gift making believe it wasn't mine (it was that little blue package left and down from center in photo 4). I decided to gamble that if I had that gift out in the open, then someone could make a play for it. The remaining people didn't even think of going for it, so guess what I ended up with. I was needing a new travel alarm clock anyway.

Let's see what happens next year. I may have to get more devious.

In the automotive scene...

While the "Big 3" are teetering with government handouts and possible bankruptcy, imports are actually doing something.

Nissan's Small Commercial Concepts

Nissan's latest concepts take aim at a niche long monopolized by GM, Ford, and Chrysler - the small commercial vehicle. The larger 2500 Concept (according to media reports) can be fitted as a mobile office with a foldable conference table. The smaller NV200 Concept (pictured below) has a cargo bay that extends out from the main vehicle customized to whatever use you need. These aren't probably the final production vehicles but you can almost guarantee if some of these design quirks make it then Nissan has hits on it's hands.

Mazda saves face...

I have never engaged in the practice, but people have been giving their cars names for many years. It also seems that some cars have been developing their own personalities. Now the newest trend is that cars are starting to look like people. I think it started with the original Dodge / Plymouth Neon ('99 Dodge RT pictured below - top). Remember the original advertising slogan - "hi!". Several cars have started to develop faces through the years but I think the 2010 Mazda 3 (pictured below-bottom) takes the cake. It almost looks too happy with that big mouth. I think that this looks like it's going to be a hit anyway - mouth or no mouth.

No aluminum Christmas Trees allowed!

I just watched "Charlie Brown Christmas" for the umpteenth time in my almost 39 years on this earth and each time it's always such an inspiration to watch.

Here's Charlie Brown:

• He's lamenting the commercialization of Christmas (as of when this originally aired) and the fact that his dog's house is probably more decorated than his own home.
• His friend Lucy suggests he does something to take his mind off his troubles - like directing the group's Christmas play.
• When he tries to direct the play, all the kids have their own agenda and do their own thing.
• They send him to get a Christmas tree (a pink aluminum tree) and he comes back with the tiny little Christmas tree from hell.

This is what I like: when Charlie complains that he can't get anything right he asks if anyone knows the real meaning of Christmas. Linus is brave enough to stand up and share a summary of the Christmas story from the Gospels (Matthew/Mark/Luke/John).

The final scenes show Charlie Brown and company taking the tree back to his home and decorating the tree from hell with Snoopy's decorations. Lo and behold a new tree comes forth.

I think there's a good spiritual analogy here - look at John 3:16 recognizing that because God sent his son into the world, He can remake our own personal Christmas trees from hell into something quite beautiful.

I took the camera phone with me to church this morning!

And this is my view of the action. I'm one of two people that work in the balcony during the early service. I work the projection system which displays all the words for the songs we sing and other things. This morning, we sung our songs from the hymnal so I didn't have to do as much. :) Okay, I'm still feeling my way around this camera phone testing it's limits. It did have problems with this photo.

Views of the Christmas decorated Church

Now that we're in the Christian advent season, many churches will be decorated in one way or another for the upcoming holiday season. Here were a few photos I took this morning.

Some musings!!!

High School Football Playoff action

I've been working on this corner for 10 years now (11 football seasons) and my boss was a former Midland High football player. Never have we seen a sight as this. The recent Ovid-Elsie / Standish Sterling playoff game was held at Midland Community Stadium (adjacent to Midland High). The line going into the stadium was long enough it extended to the corner (by our store). Not even the annual cross-town matchup between Midland High and Herbie High produces lines this long even after the game has started. In other words, I think the two schools can learn something here (such as finding a way to make their games true community events).

Annual Santa Parade Litterbugs

The annual Midland Santa Parade has become an annual tradition for some years now. It starts at Midland High working it's way to Saginaw Road (in front of our store) eventually ending near Downtown. I've noticed it's a parade tradition to throw candy and treats toward those along the sidelines (esp. the kids). In past years when I was outside doing a lot check, I'd end up finding old pieces of candy along the grassy area in front of the store sometimes months after the parade. This year, because of the sparce grass along the street, I was able to find the old candy left over from last week's parade rather easily. I ended up counting 46 pieces in a rather short distance. It looks like the kids weren't doing their job picking up all that candy.

BTW - I didn't want to eat any of it. It had been sitting on the ground for sometime.

Shopping after Christmas (aka Black Friday).

First off, let me express my condolances to the family of the New York Walmart worker who was killed on Friday when customers to his store trampled over him trying to get in the store. It was an act of extreme selfishness and greed that fed upon itself when customers refused to leave the store because it was now a crime scene. I hope store video is able to identify all people in the front of the line and prosecutes them.

Second, the only shopping I ended up doing Friday was after work (milk, cat food, etc.). I visited WalMart whose business had slowed down after the rush of the morning. This pic was taken in the electronics section.

The New GM?

As my luck holds, I caught the end of an interesting interview this morning on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street". The part of the interview I caught revealed the guest's view on the future of General Motors.

Here is the summary of what was said...

1. General Motors may have to declare bankruptcy soon.
2. A massive restructuring may have to occur as part of a bankruptcy plan.
3. That massive restructuring may have to include the elimination of all brands EXCEPT Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Saturn.
4. Rename the smaller restructured company Chevrolet Motor Company (or something similar as every other major car company has the name of the highest selling brand in it).

This could work, so let me have a little fun with it even though this guy mentioned Saturn as a survivor instead of Pontiac. In my hypothetical world...

• Buick - eliminate all models. Face it, there's really nothing special anymore about a Buick. I know, I've had 2.
• Cadillac - keep all models for now.
• Chevrolet - Keep most models. Given a choice between Impala and Malibu, keep the Malibu as it's a far superior vehicle to the Impala.
• GMC & Hummer - eliminate all models. In GMC's case, it's GM's most useless and redundant division anyway. There are no original models in that division's lineup.
• Pontiac - In my youth, the division's slogan was "We Build Excitement". That doesn't seem to be the case anymore in a division that builds lame cars with too many "G's" in them. Eliminate all models except the Vibe which could survive well as a Chevy or Saturn.
• Saturn - keep all models for now.

Again, these are just my ideas. I can't say that enough. The brass at GM have a much tougher job in the next year as they actually are the ones to make the decisions about each model's survival as well as the company's.

Winter Snow

The first of the season that actually accumulates. Here are a few photos that I took last night. These pics I took between my home and the Floyd Church which is (under normal circumstances) a 5 minute walk. Enjoy!

Church sign...

As promised, here's a church sign presented by the creative genius at Midland's Midland Free Methodist Church. Since the Detroit Lions are 0-11 (and maybe 0-12 after the Thanksgiving game), I feel this sign still applies even though the sign itself has been taken down.

A few tidbits from the papers!

Doomsday Scenario
I've been racking my brain over the last few weeks trying to stake a position in the domestic automaker crisis. As this front page headline in Wednesday's "Saginaw News" suggests, many are worried though that the failure of one or more of the companies will trickle down to auto plants and suppliers.

A chart in the same paper supplied in the same newspaper by the Michigan Economic Development Corp shows how many of the previously mentioned companies are in the following cities.

In the Saginaw Valley / Central Michigan > Saginaw-11, Alma-4, Deckerville-4, Caro-4, Ubly-3, Vassar-3, Mount Pleasant-2, Chesaning-1, Clare-1, Pinconning-1, Bad Axe-1, Millington-1, Bay City-1, Bay Port-1, Beaverton-1, Cass City-1, Gladwin-1, Ithaca-1.

In Michigan > Grand Rapids-46(no wonder CNBC was broadcasting here tonite), Southfield-46, Troy-43, Farmington Hills-33, Sterling Heights-32, Warren-31, Livonia-30, Detroit-29, Plymouth-28, Auburn Hills-25, Rochester Hills-23, Grand Haven-16, Novi-16, Madison Heights-15, Fraser-14, Kentwood-14, Dearborn-13, and Flint-11.

Kinda demonstrates how Michigan really needs to divirsify and fast.

Now on TiVo
From the company that perfected the 30-minute delivery (almost too well) and that allows you to track those same deliveries on the computer, Domino's Pizza brings you it's next best thing. You can now order pizza on your television through TiVo.

Now I haven't totally figured it out yet but I assume it's a better deal than my own employer's (Papa John's) option of texting an order on your cell phone, WHY??? As I understand it, here's how TiVo ordering would work. A Domino's commercial plays on Tv and the customer clicks on some button that says "I want it". In 30 minutes (or free?) your order will magically appear at your door.

I just can't fathom what will be next and from whom...

Here's an idea (sports)
On the front Sports page of today's USA TODAY, an article talks about the four NFL teams on the west coast (San Diego, Seattle, Oakland, and San Francisco) who are having a tough time this year. How? It seems that those four teams are 0-11 when they are playing teams in the Eastern Time Zone on the opposing teams turf.

I got a wild idea that just may work. Let's send these teams to Ford Field in Detroit to tackle the Lions (probably history's worst NFL team ever). The Lions (0-10) for the season would scrap 4 of their 6 remaining games (preferrably against the toughest opponents) and bring in each of the previously mentioned 4 teams to Ford Field. The Lions would be guaranteed 4 wins in the deal. Even if they lose the other 2 games, the '08 Lions would be 4-12 for the year.

Can it get wilder than that? Let's find out.

I got a photo that I'm going to post in the next couple of days, speaking of the Lions. I'm not a fan of the cutesy quotes and sayings on most church signs. But someone at Midland's Midland Free Methodist Church is very crafty and put out my favorite sign of the year, so far. You'll like this I'm sure.

Validation - of what I believe... (part 1)

It's nice to hear people out there who actually do share some of your viewpoints - especially when it comes from the media.

I was listening to the Huge Show (a sports show that airs on Michigan radio stations) a little while ago. Huge was talking about this "60 Minutes" interview with Pres.-Elect Obama in which he was looking for a way to hate the new president. He was pleasantly suprised by the down-to-earth approach of the new president.

Then he said something which I thought was profound from someone who's a radio guy (who usually are either left or right in their views). He said that he prefers to think for himself and not let others on the right or left tell him what he has to believe about someone or something.

Good for you, Huge...

I've tried the left, and I've also tried the right. Where I get into trouble is this: that I in no way can follow all of a particular party platform and believe everything they believe. I start to feel like I'm compromising myself in the process. I feel freedom in being an indepent person in my beliefs. I may have voted for McCain in the recent election, for example, but I'm rooting for success for the new president. My voting ticket included both Republicans and Democrats.

Take that, Mr./Mrs. Voting-Party-Line-Person.

Finally, the wait is over...

The first real snow of the season is here. Now we are 100% certain the following will not occur around here for the next few months: pretty young ladies suntanning in their bikini's, the planting of flowers along the highway as is done here in this town, and joggers wearing nothing but a pair of shorts (unless it was in the 60's outside).

Here's a photo I took mere minutes ago... my driveway looking toward the road. I had just gotten back to the house mere minutes before I took this picture.

A sorry time in the world of music!

Yesterday at work, I just happened to be walking through the room when I heard "the song" on the radio. My boss had turned on the local Top 40 (aka Hip-Hop) station and was listening to it while she was working on prep. Much to my utter dismay, I heard a remake of one of the lesser known Michael Jackson tunes. I wish I knew the name of the song in question but I know it's one of Jackson's because I've heard it on radio station retro weekends.

So it's come down to this - a whole generation of musicians comes up and all they can do is rip off old medleys and/or lyrics. Unless you're Weird Al whose style is the parady, I find this situation unacceptable.

Whether you're in any form of entertainment, business, government, or whatever; if you'd like for me to take a look at your ideas and maybe even LIKE IT please come up with an original idea.

We may all be better off with them!

There's more of them coming!!!

Just stepped outside on the porch. There were a few snowflakes on the porch. No doubt there's much more of where that came from in the next few months.

Sorry, too dark for a photo.

Some thoughts... "For Better or For Worse" comic strip

The thing about Lynn Johnston's taking us on a trip down memory lane for the Patterson family is that this allows us to see and experience things we didn't notice (for many reasons) the first time.





Take this week's series of strips. The family has just adopted a little puppy they're calling Farley. The strip posted below is from today (Saturday).

Many of us that started reading the strips later on recall that Farley had a long and happy life with the Pattersons. Then came the emotional and controversial week of strips that led to Farley's passing while saving April (who wasn't born when the above strip originally ran) from a flood swollen river.

Thank you Ms. Johnston for reintroducing us to a classic...

Visit the "Remembering Farley" page on the comic's official website here.

Meridian Road Connector and Bridge opens in Sanford

This morning after church, I had a chance to travel the new "Meridian Road Connector" just outside of Sanford. This was a project that was decades in the making but finally got off the ground this last year. To accomplish this, the following was done...

• The curve from NB Meridian Road to WB West Wackerly Rd. was eliminated. In it's place is a standard intersection. This is the southern point of the project.
• All of Meridian Road from M-20 to the project's northern point was repaved and widened slightly to meet modern traffic standards.
• The Pere Marquette Rail Trail was slightly rerouted so it would fit under the new bridge.
• A portion of Wackerly Rd. that ran along the Rail Trail no longer connects to the main highway. It is now a court.

Here are some of the pictures I took today...

This is northbound Meridian Road between M-20 and Olson Rds. The road is recently repaved to accomodate the new project.

Northbound Meridian at the intersection of Wackerly (westbound only). This comes complete with a center turning lane.

From Meridian Road to W. Wackerly - this is where the old curve used to be.

The new bridge. This is a view from the south, looking north. Lamps greet visitors to the new bridge along with a small banner attached to the lamps that welcomes visitors to the new "Meridian Road Connector" from the county Road Commission.

A copy of the map borrowed from Goog le Maps. The new highway is highlighted in orange as is the slightly rerouted W. Wackerly where the curve used to be. You can see where the Sanford Wackerly Rd. has been whited out.

All we need now is for the state of Michigan to get off it's collective hind end and re-instate the M-30 designation last used in 1962 from US-10 to at least M-20 or all the way to M-46 at the Saginaw / Gratiot county line...

Road kill, yum?!?

As discussed on Air1 this morning, a St. Louis station reported that a Buffalo New York Chinese restaurant was closed by the local equivalent of the health inspector because of a dead deer that was being butchered in the kitchen. It was unknown as to whether or not the deer was roadkill. The dead deer hadn't been served to any customers.

Read the article here...

Obviously, the New York health department has never heard of the Travel Channel's Andrew Zimmern who would have a field day here (pun not intended).

Gasoline...

Like many of you, I have to drive. Like many, my work involves driving. Therefore I have to purchase gas often.

I've been working as a pizza delivery driver for over 10 years now. In that 10 years, I've purchased gas from approximately $.90 per gallon up to $4.25 per gallon (earlier this year). I've seen it go up and I've seen it go down. Never have I seen it go down as quickly as I've seen it drop in the last couple of months.

Anticipating $5.00 earlier this year, I've been keeping track of just how much I've been paying.

• 8-8-08 > $3.859
• 8-11-08 > $3.899
• 8-14-08 > $3.949
• 8-19-08 > $3.839
• 8-22-08 > $3.899
• 8-26-08 > $3.859
• 8-31-08 > $3.749
• 9-05-08 > $3.749
• 9-10-08 > $3.949
• 9-13-08 > $4.199
• 9-18-08 > $4.089
• 9-22-08 > $3.889
• 9-27-08 > $3.749
• 10-3-08 > $3.689
• 10-8-08 > $3.369
• 10-13-08 > $2.969
• 10-17-08 > $2.889
• 10-22-08 > $2.689
• 10-27-08 > $2.489

The only real benefit of these economic tough times. As CNBC's Larry Kudlow refers to this: an instant tax rebate from our government.

As one who keeps track of all these prices as shown on TV daily, I also believe there's room for prices to fall further. The prediction I'm using now is $2.00 by or before Thanksgiving.

Lion's Coaching Crisis...

It feels like everything in life is a crisis right now. One more wouldn't hurt would it?

I'm not a major football person, but I do notice right now that the Detroit Lions are still winless in this no longer young season. Rob Parker of the Detroit News notices this also. In today's detnews, Parker suggests that current head coach Marinelli's firing is now way overdue. He uses the phrase "ABR" which means "Anybody but Rod".

Let me one up Parker. How about "ABAWLNSWM"? Which means, anybody but anybody whose last name starts with "M". Matt Millen's head coach hires for the team had names who started with "M" (Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci, and Rod Marinelli) who had a combined win loss record of 30-79 for the team. This list does not include Dick Jaroun who filled in on an interim basis in 2005 and Gary Moeller who filled in during the 2000 season. Moeller starts with an "M" but can't be counted because he was not a Millen hire.

Who should the next Detroit Lions head coaching job go to. I'm not quite sure, but how does someone sound whose last name starts with "A to L" or "N to Z".

Phil's Daily Message... 10.16.08

As Heard on "Air1"

Yesterday, a report was discussed about people who "secret shop" churches. The corresponding story (here) focuses on the services of one Thomas Harrison. Harrison's critique of a church can include such things as the presence of "dust bunnies" and whether the parking lot lines are faded. One can wonder if this is going overboard. Now, I understand the need of a little marketing but what is the real purpose here? Are we trying to present a building and a service that flows neatly and smoothly and cleanly? Or are we trying to win souls despite all our flaws (buildings / people/ and even services)? Where are our priorities?

Think about this: a former pastor of mine once shared a story that took place at a church he once served. Seems a kid or two had their bicycle sitting inside the church and some people were compaining about those bikes. The pastor went over to one of the bikes, picked it up and scuffed it up against the wall creating a big mark. Then he walked away. Lesson - you decide.

Delta College - Midland campus

I had a delivery here yesterday. I've taken classes here off and on through the years, so let me tell you a little about the campus. When it was constructed in the early 60's, it started life as the "Regina School" an all girl's school. Obviously it hasn't been Regina for some time but many people still remember the school.

I personally don't remember when the girls were using the building. But there is one big sign that tells visitors this used to be a girls' school. This is not the sign in the front of the building that tells you about the history of the building. You can find this sign when you walk into the men's restroom. Here - there is not a single urinal in sight.

Today, I guess this makes everybody "equal opportunity pee-ers".

This new blog is a continuation of my old one (philsnewblog.blogspot.com). I decided on starting this new one after my month's long hiatus on the old one. A factor in the decision here too was that I no longer have the tm.net address I had the old account under.

Now starts some new adventures...

In the world of geocaching, I started a new series of caches yesterday. I managed to get two of the four in. It's called "The Coven" and takes cachers to four sites in the Midland area telling the story of some rather bizarre happenings in the early 20th century. Here's the story condensed from the 4 cache entries on Team Kobudo's pages...

"Local legend tells of a Coven of Vampires which once roamed the Midland area in the first part of the 20th century. Headed by a man named Theophile Laflame. The coven terrorized the area until finally stopped by Father Klos, An immigrant priest who had dealt with a similar situation in his homeland of eastern Europe.

Laflame’s family setteled in the area when he was a young boy. His childhood home was near here and these are the woods he played in as a boy. It is here where he was attacked by a local legendary creature called the witchywolf. Laflame survived the attack but was never the same person. After his death in 1913 strange things began happening around the Midland area and Laflame was blamed as a Vampire. The people say that these woods are where he killed his first victims and stored their bodies until they rose from the dead to join his Coven or became their food.

In this cemetery Laflame was buried the first time and after his defeat at the hands of Father Klos he was reburied in the same spot. You can still see both of their graves on these hallowed grounds. Father Klos is buried under the crucifix in the center of the cemetery and Laflame’s grave is in the back. His marker is easily recognizable and was purposely made in the form of a cross in the hopes of keeping him in it this time. No mention was made of the happenings in the hopes that in time all would be forgotten.

In the time of the Coven this area was said to be their home where they would spend their days. Inside out of the suns light, they would rest to wait for night fall where they would spring forth and wreak death on the townspeople bringing them back here for ritual sacrifice and the “feast”.

During their reign of terror Laflame and the coven collected a bounty of treasure and hid it. Recent findings show that it was somewhere in the area of Midland City Forest. Go forth if you dare, and search but beware, the coven would not have left such a vast fortune unguarded."

I thought the whole thing was fiction. Then I found their graves in the second cache of the series. I guess somewhere in legend is truth. I look forward to completing the second half of this series sometime soon (hopefully before snow starts falling).

I guess it's also an amazing coincidence too that on my way out to the first cache that I nearly injure myself. I nearly tripped over a tree root that was sticking above the ground but covered by fallen leaves. I nearly twisted my foot in the process that's all right but still a little sore this morning as I type this.

More to come I'm sure...