Saturday, January 30, 2010

Where Did the Week Go?

I mean seriously.... last week didn't just fly by... it was like a blink!

And everyday, all day, it was on my mind, Gotta write about this and that on my blog. There's soooooo much to say!

Well, let's talk about the rare full moon that we had last night. It was the closest to the earth as it has ever been. It was so bright that it looked like it was daylight and overcast here during the night. That's wild!

What is even more wilder is the affect it has had on some of us. The affect is something I had never heard of before, it's called the "Crisis Lunations". You can read more about it right here http://tinyurl.com/ycy2lko

I tell you, for me this last week felt like Mercury Retrograde magnified 100 times. And it all has to do with "change"... everything is changing and there is absolutely nothing we can do about it.

For me, I had a feeling around August/September last year that I should restructure my business. The thought was that of a radical one. Something totally different, never considered before. I discussed it with other business professionals and, while they agreed with my thoughts and feelings, they leaned toward the old school of thought and tried to persuade me to to keep running things the conventional way. The reason, I am sure, is because doing something totally different... well... you have no idea how it is going to turn out. However, I had this feeling that to continue to operate in the conventional way, wasn't going to work to my benefit. So I tossed my feeling aside (bad move) and began maneuvering my business in the traditional way.

Yesterday, I found myself in a position where I cannot move forward as the professionals had advised. I feel like I am facing a brick wall and no matter which way I turn I cannot take a step forward. While this is aggravating to me, it is not the end of the world, that I am sure. And my only choice is to go back to my original thoughts and feelings and begin to implement them. This will take some time to get me moving forward again... but it is okay. I feel 1000% confident that everything, while will be radically different, will be totally fine and the right thing for me.

Last night I laid in bed and I thought of pursuing the current path and I paid attention to how I felt. I felt sick, dark, tense and just unhappy. Then I thought of my idea, my road that I wanted to explore and I felt a lightness and sense of optimism and happy. And I decided at that moment that Monday I would begin to put my business on a different track! Yipppeeee.

The thing about these "crisis lunations" is that they don't everyone. So if you weren't affected, it doesn't mean it isn't valid. Your time may come when you might experience a crisis to help you get on track.

Ciao

Saturday, January 23, 2010

My Friend Does Remote Healing

I am fortunate enough to have crossed paths with the amazing Harriette Knight. Once you have any sort of communications with Harriette you will realize what a special, real, genuine, individual she is. She is one of the most amazing, loving people I have ever met. There is nothing fake or phony about her which makes it all the more refreshing to know her. Did you get it? She's amazing!!!!!!

She makes "one-of-a-kind" healing jewelry.

She also does remote healing known as Reconnective Healing.

She is super-psychic! I mean she is soooooo accurate that it is amazing.

I had her do a remote healing session on me this past week. Before the healing she'll tell you something about you that she or anyone would not know, so that you know she is connecting with you. Then she'll tell you a time that you are to lay down in a comfortable place for approximately 30-40 minutes. During this time you are to close your eyes and relax, but pay attention to your breathing, what you are feeling in your body and/or in the room. During that time she is healing your mind, body and spirit and receiving messages to pass on to you. At the end you talk to her again and she gives you your messages. She is soooo amazingly accurate. I just can't stress this enough. She is super reasonably priced at $150 US dollars per session.

You really need to take a look at her website which contains a wealth of information. She has horoscope information, an online store, a blog, articles, interviews, healing music, daily wisdom and books! She is the author of "Chakra Power! How to Fire up Your Energy Centers to Live a Fuller Life" and "Easy Art From the Heart". Both of these I have read and both are super good!

I love Wednesday evenings cause I can hear Harriette doing her magic on the Psychic Tee BlogTalkRadio Show. You can call in and get one questioned answered for free. I love hearing how right on they are when they are talking to the callers. It's so much fun!

I sincerely hope that everyone gets to experience a healing from Harriette Knight. Don't you think this is an amazing way to begin 2010?

Ciao

Friday, January 22, 2010

I am Implementing a New Rule in my Business

I am going to announce in my April 1st newsletter (and this is not an April Fool's Day joke), that I will no longer conduct business with someone if they are calling from their cell phone in their car. My only clients who do this are my clients in California.

I have been operating my business for 16 years and can tell you that, I now know, 100% of the jobs the clients call about; 1) the information changes; and/or 2) the information given to me is wrong.

You can always, I don't care how much your blue tooth cost, tell when someone is calling from their car.

This morning I sent out an email to the clients that do this the most. The email said "Effective Immediately! I will not conduct business with anyone calling from their car on their cell phone. When you get home or to your office feel free to pick up the phone and give me a call. In my 16 years of doing this business I have gathered up enough information and experience to tell you that anytime someone is calling to do business from their car there is a very large margin for error in the information that I am given and it is not a safe and effective way of doing business. Best wishes."

I feel it is better to give them the heads up instead of waiting until they call, then chopping them off at the knees, and them thinking I am just having a bad day..lol..lol...

Don't you love the sign? To bad it can't be a real sign put up along side of the roads, followed by the sign they have in Australia, of the two guys fighting. Which by the way, that sign should have the big red slash rough it. Like the signs that indicate "you can't do that here". The sign with the two guys fighting looks like a "deer crossing" sign. Like okay this is the spot where you can pull it over and duke it out with that dude that just cut you off...lol..lol...vll...

Ciao

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

It's Raining Cats & Dogs in LA

California's getting 4 rain storms in a row. This is much needed rain for the state. There is a lot of flooding occurring for 2 reasons; 1) a large amount of rain is coming down in shorter periods of time; and 2) for the last 9 months people have used the storm drains as garbage cans. It's pretty gnarly in LA right now, especially since Californians don't know how to slow down while driving in the rain. That makes for a lot of accidents. Which pretty much makes it unsafe to go anywhere so a lot of people are staying home, calling in to work sick, cancelling lunch plans... it's pretty funny to me.

Where is the snow? Where is the 1 to 3 feet of snow that the northeast is suppose to get in the winter time? The most snow we have gotten, so far, is about 2 inches. Everything has melted and it looks like a beautiful spring day outside with the sun shining! It's going up into the low 40's (4.4C) today. I love it!

The picture was created with color splash photography. I just learned how to created photographs like that. You turn a colored picture into black and white and only leave whatever color you want to stand out. It's pretty fun to do and really makes your pictures pop!

Ciao

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

In Loving Memory of Ruth

I found out today that my friend, Ruth Drassler, passed away last month. Ruth had just turned 93 years old.

I met Ruth while traveling in Switzerland in September 2005. We hit it off and saw a lot of sights together. Ruth was a librarian for many, many years, so there where lots of books for us to talk about. We exchanged addresses and kept in touch on a regular basis.

Ruth would leave her clothes in the hotel room upon checking out with a note "Please take and give to anyone in need." She would then fill up her suit case with lots of pretty things for her friends and family.

Ruth took weekly violin lessons and I admired that very much. Here is a video I found on youtube of Ruth playing Liberace's famous piano in Las Vegas on her 90th birthday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb_sPFRoyBE

I am eternally grateful for the time that I got to spend with Ruth. She will forever remain in my heart and memory.

Ciao

Monday, January 18, 2010

I Learned More about my Neighbors


Last Saturday night my neighbors, who live in the large purple house, had a neighborhood pot-luck dinner. There were about a dozen people. It was interesting to get to know them as the majority are not from here. Most are retired engineers and surgeons. All moved here for an easier life-style, everything in walking distance, no crime and the University.

This is totally wild, the guy who lives next door to me, well his grandparents were from Sicily and Naples, so were mine. They boarded the boat to leave Italy but it the port was filled in New York so it was diverted to New Orleans, same thing happened to my grandparents. His grandmothers maiden name was "Nuccio". I went to school for many years with a Nuccio. His family lived (until Katrina) in Chalmette, so did mine. After graduating from college as an engineer he went to work for Nasa in Pasadena, CA. When the oil industry bottomed out in New Orleans in the late 80's I moved to California. Two years ago he moved from CA to PA. Last year I moved from CA to PA. As we were talking another neighbor said, "You guys have been living parallel lives." And it was so freakin' true and bizarre at the same time. Like what are the chances? His name is Scott and upon attending his 25th high school reunion he connected with his school friend, Mary, and they have been an item ever since. That's some cool stuff too.

The picture is of a bar of soap and the reason is because this morning I woke up to an email from a friend who lives in Auckland, New Zealand. We met in December 2008 when I vacationed there. She is super fun and she makes these amazing soaps. Here is the direct quote from her email, "I heard of a massive soap called a bath soap which is a huge bar of soap (so you wont lose it in the bath) selling really well in America." Like Wow, I didn't realize that we are the only country with "a massive soap called a bath soap". But come to think of it, we are. It's these things that just blow me away and I guess that is why I love traveling to different countries. I don't know, I don't think I can ever look at my massive bar of soap and not think of Kesten in New Zealand.

Ciao

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Road Signs You SHOULD See in California










I was surprised to see these road signs (except the big one) here in Pennsylvania, especially since we don't have nearly as many people driving on the roads as they do in Los Angeles, California.

These signs should be posted every couple of feet in California. Every year you hear about people who get shot at while driving. Yep, they probably inadvertently cut someone off and then someone pulls a gun and shoots them.

It makes me wonder "What happened here in Pennsylvania for the road authorities to think that it was necessary to put a sign up like this?"

Other unusual street signs that I noticed were in Philadelphia. On the freeway there are signs that say "Main Street exit 8/10th of a mile" or "Forelone Avenue 9/10th of a mile". In Los Angeles it would say "Main Street exit 1/4 of a mile" or "Forelone Avenue 1/2 of a mile." What's with all these weird fractions of a mile?...lol...lol...lol...

Check out the "High D.U.I. Crash Area" sign. Must have been a lot of drunk drivers crashing where that sign is posted.

There should be a sign"High D.U.I. Route" posted on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. It seems like every celebrity that has been stopped for driving under the influenced was driving on PCH in Malibu.


The super big picture of the road rage sign is one that is posted in Australia because of the problem with aggressive drivers and episodes of road rage. I really think that this sign is necessary in Los Angeles. Road rage is such a big thing in Los Angeles that they have lawyers who specialize in it. Click here to read more about road rage and cyclist road rage (yep, people riding bikes and getting pissed off and fighting).

Ciao

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Yipppeee Yesterday Was the Last Day of Mercury in Retrograde!

Hopefully you have gotten through these last few weeks without incurring too much head-banging...lol...lol..

Mercury in Retrograde affects types of communications. Which is why it is not the best of times to begin anything new (i.e. business, travel plans, relationships). It has taken me a while to get comfortable with old Mercury in Retrograde. I am use to coming up with an idea and instantly executing it. At this time, I can come up with the ideas and write them down to see how I feel about them once that Mercury is done doin' it's thang.

This time around my telephone was affected, my mail and client's called and said that they wanted something and then called back to change it. I am pretty use to the client thing so when Mercury is in Retrograde and a client calls to place an order, I let it sit for 24 hours before doing the job. I can't tell you how many times I have been so thankful that I did that. Having a client call and change his mind about a corporate name once papers have been submitted to the state, the tax payer number obtained and a corporate kit ordered... well, you can see how it is all a real pain when that happens.

Monday is a holiday here, Martin Luther King Day, so there is no mail delivery, the states are closed and the banks are closed. I am going to use this day to it's fullest to "hit the ground running" by creating and starting all the new projects that I have had swimming around in my head. Yippppeeee.

Mercury goes Retrograde 3 times a year and the next period is April 18th through May 11th.

Ciao

Thursday, January 14, 2010

I am not a Fan of the Red Cross

So what do the Red Cross and the big banks have in common? Greed!

The American Red Cross is a not-for-profit 501C(3) corporation. Which means that when some gives them money they get to write it off as a tax deduction. There are also a lot of perks for a non-profit corporation (i.e. exempt status on taxes, free public service announcements, and much more).

Within the last 24-hours the Red Cross has accumulated approximately $800,000 dollars from people texting and getting charged $10 on their phone bill because of the earthquake in Haiti.

Well, do the people giving the money know that $500,000 of that $800,000 will go to pay the CEO's salary this year? Yep, Gail J. McGovern takes from the Red Cross a salary of $500,000 a year! Now get this... in June 2008 she actually got paid a signing bonus of $65,000!

Every single penny of that money is money that people gave to help those in need. I know that 99% of the people who give the money have no idea. I have been approached by people who wanted me to do business with them and when I have gone to their website and I see that they endorse and promote the American Red Cross, I decline. I ask them, "Did you know that $500,000, of DONATED MONEY, goes to the CEO's salary? And they act as if I told them "frogs can fly"...lol..lol...

I also have another reason for disliking the Red Cross. 99% of my family suffered devastation in Katrina and I can tell you first hand.... Red Cross did not step up to the plate. Yes, they had a presence there and yes they threw out a couple of peanuts....

I personally think that the salaries should be capped for salaries of non-profit employees of all non-profit corporations. After all they are "non-profit".

Ciao

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

What is it about January and Earthquakes?

Going through all the information I have experienced and gathered in this lifetime, I have to wonder why the big earthquakes happen in January.

January 17, 1993, I lived through the Northridge earthquake, which was a 6.7 magnitude. I can tell you if you have ever lived through a devastating earthquake it is like "seeing God"... something you will never ever forget and you will view life quite differently.

January 17, 1994, the one year anniversary of the Northridge earthquake, there was a major 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Kobe, Japan known as the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Hummm... both the Northridge earthquake and the Kobe earthquake lasted 20 seconds!

So last Saturday, January 9th, 2010, there was a 6.5 earthquake off the coast of Northern California. It caused $22 million dollars of damage to the beautiful town of Eureka. Eureka is know for having beautiful Victorian homes. 240 buildings were damaged and/or destroyed.

And now the earthquake in Haiti. The Haiti earthquake is reported to be a 7.o magnitude.

So it really makes me wonder..... what's with January and earthquakes?

Ciao

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

It's Going to Warm Up!

This picture was taken by my friend, Luci, in Galveston, Texas. Yep, cold enough for icicles to form on Luci's home. That's wild for Galveston!

I talked to a client who is in Miami, Florida, yesterday and she said, "We just aren't use to this cold." She said, "You are use to it." I was like "What?" I am definitely not "use to it". I lived in the south for 28 years and California for 23 years. I am not use to it. It just is.. what it is...

The weather is warming up everywhere, except California..lol... their weather is doing to drop about 10 degrees. Next week they will get about 6 rainy days, which they desperately need.

One thing I am really surprised about is that "special guy" told me that the sun didn't show itself, here in Northeast PA, for several months during the winter. Well, I am delighted to report that this year has been different. The sun has come out 99.9% of the time, so far. I say "so far" because I checked the 15-day weather report and on June 23rd our sunny days will disappear for about a week.

I realize I talk a lot about the weather in this blog and it is because one of the main reasons that people live in California is because of the weather, sunny dry days. And one of the reasons that people live here is for the distinctive four seasons of weather. I like the changes in the weather, it feels exciting to me.

BTW, I think Luci Girl should seriously look into photography classes. This isn't the first great picture that she has taken.

Ciao

Sunday, January 10, 2010

9am and 10 degrees (-12.2C) Here

The sun is shining and it is beautiful outside! Yes it is a bit chilly, especially if you aren't dressed for it.

Last night I went to dinner with some friends and we went to a fancy restaurant. All day long I wondered 'what to wear'. I don't have any wool pants. I lived in California!

On Friday I went out in the snow falling weather to; 1) keep mobile; and 2) see if I could find a pair of wool pants. No wool pants to be found but a ton of spring clothing! Go figure.

I decided to wear this long gypsy colorful skirt, with black thick stockings, brown sweater and black floor length coat. I walked out of my door and across the street and it was 10 degrees. It felt a bit cool but nothing to ruin what turned out to be a delightful evening. I believe it went down to 4 degrees ( -15.5C) last night.

As I look out of my bedroom window I see people walking their dogs and possibly just running errands. I will soon be one of them. I am going to jump in the shower get dressed and walk to the post office and grocery store.

I sincerely apologize to my friends in Texas if I have offended you with my posting on my blog. This is my interpretation of how I see the world through my eyes. And personally, I don't think that complaining about the weather or a heating bill that hasn't arrived yet, is cool. You can continue to do it and I will still love you. It only makes sense to me in a way that "misery loves company". You don't have to heat a whole house. Get a $10 space heater, like I did, and layer your ass off with clothes, like I do. Be happy! I am going to give my compassionate thoughts to those who are really and truly suffering. Thankfully I don't know anyone who is. But I am going to put it out there in the Universe that those who are without... will find a way ;-)

This is a picture I took of the Godafoss waterfall in Iceland. It's one of the famous waterfalls in Iceland because in the year 1000 the powers-that-be decided to make Iceland a Christian county. If you weren't Christian they threw you from this waterfall.

And don't forget.... Today is Pomegranate Day!!! Pomegranates can be found in the produce section of your grocery store. Here's the video to see what to do with your pom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKyHx4k1pPc

Ciao

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Weather Languages

Right now it is the same temperature here, in Bloomsburg, PA, that it is in Jaspter, TX.... which is 21 degrees (-6.1C).

The snow stopped here yesterday evening. Right now the sun is peaking out from between the clouds.

I woke up to the sound of, what sounded like a zillion birds, flying by, yapping away. Really I thought that all the birds had migrated down south. Go figure...

Last night I heard the weather man say, "This cold snap will only last a couple more days and then it will warm up." A "cold snap" is unseasonably cold weather. Are they saying that down south? Surely they are getting unseasonably cold weather. I wonder what lingo they are using down there.

I also realized that I will not hear the hear the weather man say the words "coastal eddy". This is said a lot in the spring and summer in California, when the clouds roll in and sit along the coast. It is a big contributor to the "June gloom" in California.

June gloom is just what it sounds like.... overcast gloomy days. No sun shine! Bet you never thought that could happen in California? I lived in the San Fernando Valley which is surrounded by mountains so the June gloom did not make it to my side of the hill. If you lived in a beach community, such as Santa Monica, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey, even inland to Beverly Hills, you inevitably experienced those days.

Stay warm everyone ;-)

Ciao

Friday, January 8, 2010

Yea, Yea, Yea, It's Cold!

Well in the last 24 hours I have heard from 3 different people in Texas how cold it is. And for those of you reading this blog that aren't in Texas. It is about 32 degrees (0C) right now and it will be going down to 16 degrees (-8.8C) in Jasper, 29 degrees in Galveston (-1.6C) and 20 degrees (-6.6C) in Houston.

Here in Bloomsburg, PA it is currently 28 degrees (-2.2C) and will go down to 16 degrees (-8.8c) tonight. Tomorrow the high will be 23 degrees (-5C) and the low will be 5 degrees (-15C) tomorrow night.

My friends and loved ones in Texas, I realize that this is not normal weather for the south. And you should realize that it isn't like it is going to stay this way for more than a couple of days. I have heard so much pissing and whining about the cold in Texas, actually more pissing and whining than I heard from my relatives who lost everything in Katrina. Maybe the Katrina victims were too in shock to whine. Only one of my friends in Texas will have her job affected by the weather because she has garage sales and people won't come out when it is too cold. I can understand her whining a little. And trust me, I know.... Ya'll hate the cold! It is a different cold down south cause you have the humidity and the cold feels like it goes to your bones. And that is why I am thankful that none of you in Texas are postal workers or construction workers ;-)

I am soooo thankful that I do not let things that I can't control, like the weather affect my happiness. And I would much rather be in the cold because all you gotta do is put every piece of clothes you own on or get under every blanket in sight and you will be okay. Now if you have every experienced heat, like I have in Los Angeles, 119 degrees (48.3C) there is nothing you can do to get cool. Air conditioners are maxed out and won't even blow cold air. Try cooling off the interior of a car that is 130 degrees (54.4C). Ouch!

I love you guys in Texas and know that you aren't suffering... just whining...lol..lol... Be thankful for the down time. Down we all wish we didn't have soooo much to do? Grab that book you have been wanting to read, watch that movie you have been wanting to watch, surf the Internet with a clear conscious that there isn't anything else you should be doing. And know that this too shall pass... nothing ever stays the same..... and this time next week your weather should be back to normal ;-)

This picture is one that I took when I went to Iceland.

Ciao

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Mercury in Retrograde Got Me!

Remember Mercury in Retrograde affects communications. Night before last my iPhone died. I was saddened because it was the first iPhone that I ever purchased. There have been lots of newer greater models available. But I still had the original 8G one. Mainly because I love the story of how I got it.

My friend, Max, told me that he was getting one and that I should consider it. I instantly thought, "No way, too much to learn." Max showed me a video about the iPhone and I was blown away. I mean a one-eyed monkey could figure out the iPhone!

The launch of the iPhone was a big deal. Max and I decided to line up at the mail in the early morning 12 hours before the phone was released. The phone was released at 6pm. We arrived at 7am. We were about the 20th in line. I brought coffee, sandwiches and my laptop. Max brought his laptop, a power cord and his work papers. The time went by sooooo fast. Restaurant vendors, from the mall, came out with goodies for us. The Apple employees came out with bottles of water for us. There were camera and radio crews talking to us. Max was a bit grumpy because he had friends in town and had only gotten 2 hours of sleep.

We were escorted into the store in groups of 20. Everyone purchased their phone and left. At that time the only way to activate the iPhone was through iTunes. I knew everyone who worked in the Apple store. I have a Mac Book and had taken a ton of classes there. I purchased my iPhone and looked at my friend the Apple employee and said, "I want mine to work now. I have my laptop." He looked at his boss and they all said, "Let's do it." I opened up my laptop and all the employees surrounded me and Brian, the Apple employee, who was assisting me. There were reporters around and cameras flashing everywhere. And I kept thinking, "OMG they are taking my picture and I look like shit. I have been sitting outside for 11 hours!" I was super excited when my iPhone was on and some guy yelled, "Hold it up!" I held up my iPhone and smiled a big smile and pictures were taken. My iPhone was the first one activated! Like Wow, who knew...lol..lol...

About a week later I went into the Apple store for a class and there right on the wall, super big was a picture of me holding up my iPhone and smiling with the words "The Face of Transformation" underneath. I looked like shit I tell you...lol...lol...

I called my lawyer and asked if they could put my picture up like that without my approval and he said yes. It was taken in there store and it was their property.

A year later the newer iPhone came out and I went in for a class and there up on the wall, again, was my picture. It was funny .... pretty funny.

For some reason I have saved the box and bag from that purchase. Yesterday after purchasing my new iPhone 3GS, with shiny copper casing (just like the picture) I came home and put my old iPhone in it's original box. If I live long enough it may actually be worth something some day...

This is a perfect example of how Mercury in Retrograde affects us. It takes us from one place to another. I would have stayed with my original phone forever it I could have. The new iPhone has lots of things that will make my life better.. like making and editing video right on my phone. How cool is that?..lol..lol...lol..

Ciao

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Heads Up - January 10th - Pomegranate Day = Money

Yipppeeee I got a new tea kettle. Bought the old one back to the store and no problem. I did not get the same kind, instead got something better!

Okay guys and girls it's time to make that trip to the supermarket and get a pomegranate for January 10th.

Approximately 20 years I was a personal assistant for a very wealthy woman. Muhammad Ali lived across the street from her and Lou Rawls was her next door neighbor. She lived in an affluent part of Los Angeles called Hancock Park.

Every January 10th she would take a pomegranate and cut it open. She would eat 10 seeds and put 10 seeds in a piece of plastic wrap and then in her wallet. She said that doing this would insure that you would always have money in your wallet.

I have always, as long as I can remember, had money in my wallet, so I can't say it is from specifically doing this on January 10th. However, I am not going to take any chances and I have gotten my pomegranate all the same.

Here is a youtube video that I made about the pomegranate + January 10th = money http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKyHx4k1pPc

Ciao

Monday, January 4, 2010

Tea Kettles & Snow Flurries

Isn't this a beautiful whistling tea kettle? I purchased it less than a month ago and it is falling apart. I pulled out the paper work and it has a 5 year warranty. I only paid $20 for it. I called today and was told to mail it to Canada and they would fix or replace it. It will cost me $20 to mail it to Canada! I am going to try to return it to the store that I purchased it from, I have the receipt.. but not the box.

It's cold here, 21 degrees (-6.1C) and the high expected today is 25 degrees (-3.8C). We might get a couple of snow flurries. Yesterday I saw a few snow flurries flying by the window, nothing stuck to the ground.

I was talking to a friend, who lives in Texas, and the cold is vastly different down there. Their is a humidity that makes the cold go straight to your bones. Yipppeee the cold here hasn't affect my bones.

I was told that the sun didn't come out here most of the winter. Well... so far it has come out 95% of the winter days. In facts, I see it peaking out right now.

Today is the first work day of the new year so... off to work I go ;-)

Ciao

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Pennsylvania 2010 Laws

There isn't a list of new Pennsylvania laws like there is for California. At least, I haven't found any and I have spent hours looking.

I found a couple about driving; you must clear the snow off of your vehicle before you drive so that chunks don't blow onto another driver's windshield; and you must turn your headlights on when you are driving with your windshield wipers on... duh...

I found a couple of tax laws, no biggie there.

I think the point is that there just aren't soooo many people here that you need all those laws.

Okay, maybe all the people isn't the problem. I still, for the love of god, do not understand the California Snake Food law. Everyone knows that snake owners go into the pet store and purchase a couple of live mice and throw them in the tanks for the snakes to swallow whole. So now the mice have to be killed, prior to consumption, in a humane way. What humane way is there to kill a mouse that is going to be eaten? Forget lethal injection, your snake would be consuming the poison. And who is the guy who fought to get this law passed? Is he a big time mice owner? Is he a PETA person gone wild! Let's fight for the mice... now that's the underdog..lol..lol..

A lot of time and money goes into getting laws passed. The people who want to get gay marriage passed should find out who the guy is behind the snake food law, take him breakfast, lunch and dinner and find out what the trick is to getting a law passed. I mean, after all, clearly it doesn't have to have the best interest of people or the economy.

Now if you live in California you are thinking, "Yea, we are head of the world! We know our stuff, snake food is killed in a humane way." And if you are removed from California you look at it and think... "This is not normal." The state is still littered with drunk drivers and domestic violence and but wait... they are way ahead of society in how they treat snake food. Yay!!! California!!!

Ciao

Saturday, January 2, 2010

2010 New Laws in Effect in California

Every January 1st a large variety of laws go into affect in California. Here's a list of the laws that went into affect.

Air safety: Allows airports to kill birds that pose a danger to aircraft without violating state fish and game laws.

Blueberries: Creates a California Blueberry Commission, to be funded by an industry fee of up to $0.025 per pound of berries sold.

Burial fees: Allows state-owned cemeteries to waive the fees for interment of the spouses and children of honorably discharged veterans if they determine the families cannot pay the costs.

Charter schools: Allows such schools access to about $900 million in voter-approved bond money for construction. A separate law gives districts more incentive to approve them by cutting red tape.

College violence: Allows universities to obtain restraining orders on behalf of students against a person who has threatened them with violence.

Cow tails: Bans the dairy-industry practice of shortening cows' tails unless necessary to protect the health of the animals. Some argue that tail-docking is inhumane.

Delta restoration: Creates a new Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy to oversee restoration of the failing delta ecosystem. Sets goals of "providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the delta ecosystem." Part of the larger water package.

Dog fights: Raises the maximum penalties against those convicted of being spectators at dogfights, subjecting them to as much as a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Drunk driving: Creates a test program in four counties, including Los Angeles County, in which judges can require that first-time drunk-driving offenders install a breath-testing device on every vehicle they own and pass a test on it before the vehicle will start.

Education: Allows school and student performance data to be used to judge the quality of instruction. The change will allow California to compete for federal Race to the Top education grants.

Fat in food: Requires restaurants to use oils, margarine and shortening with less than half a gram of trans fat per serving of regular foods. The standard will apply to deep-fried bakery goods next year. Trans fat has been linked to heart disease.

Football stadium: Exempts a professional football stadium proposed in the City of Industry from state environmental laws, so it can proceed despite a lawsuit filed by opponents.

Fire prevention: Requires government officials to improve guidelines for protecting property from wildfires, including larger brush-clearance zones and better access roads in regions vulnerable to such fires.

Fire safety: In response to evacuation problems during a 2008 wildfire that destroyed dozens of mobile homes in the San Fernando Valley, a new law requires owners of mobile home parks to adopt and post notice of an emergency preparedness plan.

Gangs: Allows tougher penalties, including a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail, for gang members who return to school campuses within 72 hours of being asked to leave.

Gasoline: Increases the underground storage fee paid by gas retailers to help fund grants and loans to those who need to meet tank cleanup rules and install devices that capture more vapor from gas nozzles.

Gay marriage: Recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other states before California voters banned gay marriage in 2008 by approving Proposition 8.

Hanging nooses: Makes it a misdemeanor to hang a noose, "knowing it to be a symbol representing a threat to life," in order to terrorize a person who lives, works or attends school at the property where the noose is hung. The law is in response to a series of incidents at California colleges.

Harvey Milk: Proclaims gay-rights activist Harvey Milk's May 22 birthday as a day of recognition and encourages schools to consider commemorating his life.

High-speed rail: Requires the state's High-Speed Rail Authority to prepare, publish and adopt a business plan by Jan. 1, 2012, and every two years thereafter, so the public knows how its money is being spent.

Hospital fee: Imposes a new fee on hospitals to make them eligible for $2 billion in federal funds. The funds are subsidies for Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance program for the poor.

Human trafficking: Quadruples the fine, to $20,000, for those convicted of human-trafficking crimes and allows law enforcement officers to seize traffickers' assets.

Inhalants: Makes it a misdemeanor for a person to sell or furnish products containing nitrous oxide to a minor.

Jail guards: Allows jail guards and custodial assistants to have the blood of people taken into custody tested for specified communicable diseases when exposed to the suspect's bodily fluids.

Liquor ads: Waives rules prohibiting indoor alcohol advertisements in one club that sells the featured products: Club Nokia, a downtown Los Angeles venue owned by billionaire Philip Anschutz.

Mammogram safety: Requires facilities that operate mammogram machines to post any notices of "serious violations" they may receive in an area visible to patients. Serious violations are those posing a significant threat to public health.

Mortgage crimes: Creates a new offense, "mortgage fraud," punishable by up to a year in prison. Such crimes are defined as those in which someone makes "any misstatement, misrepresentation or omission during the mortgage lending process with the intention that it be relied on by a mortgage lender, borrower, or any other party to the mortgage lending process."

Office bets: Changes the penalty for participation in a non-commercial or office "sports betting pool" from a misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $1,000, to an infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed $250.

Paparazzi penalties: Allows celebrities and others to sue for up to $50,000 when someone takes and sells their pictures without permission while they are engaging in "personal or familial activity," such as taking their children to school.

Plastic surgery: Enacts the Donda West law, named after the deceased mother of rapper Kanye West, that prohibits elective cosmetic surgery unless the patient is first cleared by a physical examination.

Political spouses: Prohibits political candidates from paying their spouses or domestic partners to work on their campaigns to enrich their own households.

Prostitution arrests: Allows local government agencies to impound vehicles used in the commission of prostitution-related crimes.

Rental cars: Allows car-rental companies to recover from customers an increase made last year in the vehicle license fee from 0.65% to 1.15%.

School books: Expands the use of digital textbooks in public schools by allowing districts to use textbook money to buy electronic viewing devices.

School buses: Extends to school buses the $300 penalty already applicable to commercial vehicles that idle too long. Existing clean-air regulations prohibit school buses from idling for more than five minutes within 100 feet of a school, but the fine has been $100.

School safety: Makes it a misdemeanor to possess a razor blade or box cutter on school grounds.

Talent agents: Prohibits talent representatives from charging advance fees.

Teen voting: Permits a California resident who is 17 to pre-register to vote.

Snake food: Requires pet stores to use specific, "humane" methods for killing rodents before they are used as food for another animal.

Toll roads: Allows toll road operators to use license-plate-reading technology to bill motorists who use their roads.

Used car sales: Bars car dealers from selling a used vehicle until action is taken to cover any previous loan or lease obligations held by a previous owner. Also boosts by $25 fees for dealers' state business licenses.

Vietnam veterans: Establishes an annual Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day on March 30.

Water management: To better manage California's water supplies, creates a statewide monitoring program to track groundwater levels.

Water softeners: Allows local governments to ban residential water softeners if regulators find that salts discharged into municipal sewer lines pose a pollution problem.

Okay, cow tails, hang nooses, office bets and snake food... give me a break. The bottom line is that all these laws are needed when you have too many people from too many counties in one place. They are also needed to keep the 70 percent of all lawyers in the US that are employed in the state of California with jobs..lol..lol..

Ciao

Friday, January 1, 2010

New Year Inspiration

I am the new year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time. I am your next chance at the art of living.

I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.

All that you sought and didn't find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it out with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn't achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn't dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have - these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am the new year. Your chance to begin again.

~ Author Unknown ~