Holiday Help from you....

(Jackie Schneider, Shayne, Paul Schneider, Cayden)

This year is the first time in years, we have not done Christmas cards. Most of you know that we send out cards with a newsletter & picture. But since we couldn't coordinate our schedule to get pictures done, we let the cards slide. (However, I may send out a few today).

In lieu of the newsletter & picture, we decided to do a few YouTube holiday greetings from our house to yours! So be looking for that in the next day or so, hopefully today!

So...... I thought it would be fun to ask you all to do 2 things for me to break the monotony of typical holiday stuff. (1) share/post on here your favorite holiday tradition & new years resolution (I'll hold you accountable) AND

(2) the fun thing........ in the next couple of months, mail us a picture of you, your family... whatever that represents you! We're going to start a Schneida's Wall of Fame & Friends in our house! We have a huge family wall, but we want to bring you all in here as well! So here's the scoop: send us a 4x6 or 5x7 picture. Frame it if you can (can get frames at Dollar Tree) & we're starting a wall! You can label it, write on it, whatever you want, just keep it clean! Occaisionally I'll blog about it, and maybe post a picture/video with an update! Whenever you want, you can send in a new picture to add to it! C'MON.... it'll be fun!!!

Our traditions? Well, we don't have any in concrete, but the past 2 years on Cmas Eve night, I've taken Cayden outside under the sky (& last year with Shayne) & told them the story about Jesus' birthday & the trip to Bethlehem. My pastors wife bakes a birthday cake for Jesus, so I might copy that! (thanks Jenn!) Saturday Cayden helped me taste test, I mean ice the cookies! Then that night he & Shayne painted some ornaments for me. Well, Shayne thought that the paint brush looked a lot like a spoon with blue icing so he attempted to taste it numerous times!

For New Years resolutions.... well, as always... I plan on being healthier & better organized! The difference is, this year I hope to stick to it! (can't you relate?!) Oh... I know the big one for me:

This year my family has endured the loss of several friends & relatives, all at a young age! I find myself always telling people when they ask me "... what have you been up to lately?...", my reply consists of "I'm SO BUSY with work & the kids..." Now, while all those are important, the friendships that I have & have lost touch with are also important to who I am. So in 2009 I plan on committing myself to getting up with girlfriends that I haven't seen or spoken to in a while & having a monthly outing of some sort! It may not sound like a lot, but it's a start.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE TOO BUSY TO ENJOY IT & ONE ANOTHER!

So hopefully my resolution will prompt you to do the same. I mean, we all get on here & read blogs, email, FaceBook, MySpace, text people all the time.... but that's not a person-to-person relationship! So I challenge you & myself to make dates in person, with your friends! Send a HAND-WRITTEN card or letter! Don't let distance & "too busy'ness" come between you! The one thing in life that is certain is that we all die..... so don't be left behind regretting you didn't make the time for one another!

The Giving; Final Countdown til Christmas.....

So now all the hustle & bustle (or is it hussle & bussle?!) is either winding down, or for some of the guys... just getting started! After working many years in retail jewelry, most men saw the shopping season as December 24th from 10am-5pm!

Believe me when I say I made many women happy with my choice of what their man should give them for Christmas. Fun, yet sadly, men would come in to see me on the 23rd or 24th, drop off their cash or credit, give me a limit to spend & take off to buy other items! So, I would buy what I would want... or if I knew the woman, what she liked, wrap it & ring it... & he never knew waht exactly he gave her! But I'm sure all that has changed now! (yeah right!)

There is a little time left to get what you need so I thought I would throw my 2 cents out to help you out on the shopping stuff & ideas. Here we go.....

* Jewelry- men, most of the time you cannot go wrong with jewelry! And to add to it, take it to Things Remembered & get it engraved!
* Things Remembered- A great store found in most malls. You can just about always go in there & find something beautiful for anyone of any age & get it engraved! From nice pens, jewelery, boxes, frames, etc.
* Steinmart- Ok, so I am partial to Steinmart (& JC Penney), but yesterday I went in there, coupon in hand & found the nicest gifts that I needed to complete the people on my list. They have nice toiletry satchels for men & women, a lot of monogrammed items, housewares, beautiful wallets & business card holders, etc,etc.
* eToys.com- Great, great prices on toys on shipping, which is usually free.
* craigslist- on a budget? Look on craigslist for that hard to find item (like a Radio Flyer Talking Spring horse- cha-ching!)
* gifts.com- WOW..... this site has helped me a lot for what to get the husband that has it all! And it's great for all holidays and events.
* LL Bean.com- A lot of nice items that are below $40! And some of those can be monogrammed!
* shutterfly.com- You can always be the winner with beautiful pictures!
* Ribbon gift cards- http://www.quixtar.com/products/thumbnail.aspx?pid=2811&ctg=7017 Super cool, super fun! Great for any occasion & any person! Even great for co-workers!

* Music- Wow, I love SO MANY artists, so I'll just through out a few great artists that you should check out OR give as a gift. Check out their sites & YouTube them so you can listen to them as well!:

- Susan Tedeschi: Awesome bluesy, rock-n-roll'ish. Mostly blues. She is awesome & her new album Back To The River is great.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88LNk-_Tfr8&feature=related from an older album)

- Faith Hill, Joy To The World: a beautiful approach to traditional Christmas songs.

- Ana Popovich: jazz, blues, rock & roll! Love her! Go to http://www.anapopovic.com/ & listen to How'd You Learn To Shake it! You will want to do just that!

-Rihanna: Reloaded. Fun & moving. You'll become your own bedroom/bathroom, dancing diva!

- Britney Spears: Circus. Im not ahuge fan of her, but the songs on here are moving & danceable!

- The Lost Trailers: Fun. country group.

- The Zac Brown band: Chicken Fried..... cold beer on a Friday night, jeans that fit just right!

- The Puppini Sisters: A new twist to the old school bee-bop music! You have to listen to them do Spooky, Walk Like An Egyptian & Crazy In Love! http://www.thepuppinisisters.com/

I hope this helps... Post some of your ideas & findings & music likes! Let me know what you think...

Ho,ho, ho ya'll!....

Kristi Claus

How the Angel made it to the Top of the Tree!

A Christmas Story for people having a bad day:

When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drank all the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?'

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

Gratitude to Our Country & Bush... Dems & Repubs to read

David Letterman wrote this; it's the David we don't often see...

' As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark.'

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I foundrather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent ofthe country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?''
A.. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?
B.. Is our unhappiness the result ofhaving air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?
C.. Could it be that 95.4 percent ofthese unhappy folks have a job?
D.. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the lastyear?
E.. Maybe it is the ability to drive ourcars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?
F.. Or possibly the hundreds of cleanand safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?
G.. I guess having thousands ofrestaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.
H. Or could it be that when we wreckour car, emergency workers show up and provideservices to help all and even send a helicopterto take you to the hospital.
I.. Perhaps you are one of the 70percent of Americans who own a home.
J.. You may be upset with knowing thatin the unfortunate case of a fire, a group oftrained firefighters will appear in moments anduse top notch equipment to extinguish the flames,thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.
K.. Or if, while at home watching oneof your many flat screen TVs, a burglar orprowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gunand a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.
L.. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.
M.. How about the complete religious,social and political freedoms we enjoy that arethe envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has everseen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yethas a great disdain for its citizens. They seeus for what we are. The most blessed people inthe world who do nothing but complain about whatwe don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about thepresident who took us into war and has no plan toget us out? The president who has a measly 31percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark daysafter 9/11? The president that cut taxes tobring an economy out of recession? Could thisbe the same guy who has been called every name inthe book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terroristattacks? The commander in chief of anall-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Did you hear how bad the President ison the news or talk show? Did t his news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think aboutit......are you upset at the President because heactually caused you personal pain OR is itbecause the 'Media' told you he was failing tokiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.Make no mistake about it.

The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may havedied for your freedom. There is currently nodraft in this country. They didn't have to go..They are able to refuse to go and end up witheither a ''general'' discharge, an 'other thanhonorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a''dishonorable' ' discharge after a few days inthe brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want but I blame it on themedia. If it bleeds it leads and theyspecialize in bad news. Everybody will watch acar crash with blood and guts How many willwatch kids selling lemonade at the corner? Themedia knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and whencriticized, try to defend their actions by'justifying' them in one way o r a nother Just askwhy they tried to allow a murderer like O.J.Simpson to write a book about how he didn't killhis wife, but if he did he would have done itthis way......Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the NewYork Times for the bottom of your bird cage.Then start being grateful for all we have ascountry. There is exponentially more good thanbad. We are among the most blessed people onEarth and should thank God several times a day,or at least be thankful and appreciative.' 'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mudslides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing upthe country from one end to another, and with thethreat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are wesure this is a good time to take God out of thePledge of Allegiance?'

David Letterman

very interseting.....

Why a Black Man Cannot Vote for Obama.....

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/pol/905078830.html

Urine or you're out....

(thanks Becky)

My friend Becky sent this & I love it! Tell me what you think of this idea:

I can't take credit for this, but I can sure pass it on. (Whoever wrote this one deserves a HUGE pat on the back!)
Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job.I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes mytaxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass arandom urine test with which I have no problem.
What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to peoplewho don't have to pass a urine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because Ihave to pass one to earn it for them?
Please understand, I have no problemwith helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have aproblem with helping someone sitting on their A--, doing drugs, while Iwork. . .. . Can you imagine how much money the state would save if peoplehad to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check?

Newports, Heinikens & Oreos.... breakfast of a thief!

While unloading my car Saturday morning at a holiday vendor show, someone went into my car & stole my wallet & my GPS. Let me set the scene:

I got to the parking lot @ 8:40a.m. I was 6 spots from the door. There were a lot of us constantly going in & out unloading our vehicles. I was doing the same. My purse was in the backseat floorboard underneath all my work stuff, the doors were (probably) unlocked. I was in & out constantly unloading & hadn't finished, therfore I am assuming I had not yet locked it, but I wouldn't have thought twice about needing to considering where I was & what was going on & who all was out there with me.

I returned to my back-passenger door to get a bag of magazines & I noticed they were all over the backseat. I just instantly thought maybe I turned a corner & they fell over. I also noticed things all over the backseat that were in my purse, but I just paked those up as well.

I then open the passenger door & see tampons all over the place (sorry guys, we women do stash them in the car too) & business cards all over the driver seat. As I am leaning over picking them up, I see the suction cup mark on the windshield; the one that is left behind when the GPS has been removed. Then, I knew what had happened & I pieced it all together. My car, purse & bag of books got ramsacked! So now I have had stolen my GPS & my wallet is gone!

Instantly I called the police & my credit card company. And here is where it gets good. Remember, I arrived @ 8:40am. By 9:04am they had made there first purchase about 8 miles away. It was at Wawa & it was for $140! So that meant that whoever went into my car, not only did they have balls, but they did so in about a 8 minute window in order to get where they did.

From 9:04am- 9:40 they hit up 1 Wawa, 1 7-11 & 1 Chevron. Now the Chevron & 7-11 are literally next door to one another! In those stores they also rakced up, total, about $400 worth! They maxed out my checking account then moved to the next card in my wallet. By then I had cancelled the cards.

I get home & start on their trail! I found out a lot of interesting things & I hope to make you a more saavy swiper with your card this holiday season! (and even more of a saavy cashier!). So, out all my money, they blew most of it on cartons Newport cigarettes (about 10 cartons total) & Heinekin beer. They also threw in 4 lighters, 1 calling card & only 1 tank of gas. Oh yeah.... can't forget the bag of Oreo cokies!

In every store, the cashier was supposed to have asked for the card & ID because (a) the purchase was over $25 and because (b) they purchased more than one carton of cigarettes at a time. So that means that everytime, they were forging my signature AND a cashier was not doing their job! And they literally went back & forth to 711 & Chevron 5 times within 13 minutes... and they were always rang up by the same cashier & no one noticed!

My cards all say "see ID" on the back, but really that doesnt matter in the scheme of things either. I called the detective today & he said even with all the video footage, chances are we'll never catch who did it. But I think NOT! And the GPS cannot be tracked because it is a transmitter, not a receiver, so I am on the lookout at all local pawn-shops & windshields!

We have become so accustomed to get in-get out. We flash a card & roll our eyes when we're asked to drag out our ID. So to all you swipers out there like me, for now on, ALWAYS show them your ID anyways! Not only are you protecting yourself, but you are indirectly training that cashier to do their job better. If you are a cashier anywhere, no matter the rules, ALWAYS ask the shopper to see their ID. The shopper will appreciate it TURST ME ON THIS ONE!

For me, the biggest aggrevation was that literally, the night before I had re-arranged the boys pictures in my wallet so that I could see them when I opened my wallet. This incident has left me feeling violated not only in my car, but in my heart & family. I'm hurt & pissed! So please, learn from me the following:

* never leave valuables in your car. Never leave your GPS up-period. Even that suction cup mark they see will draw them to your car.
* never leave your car unlocked even when you think it's safe.
* always know what's in your wallet & leave at home what you don't need..... like your social security card. I had mine in my wallet.
* always show an ID when you use your card
* always ask for ID when accepting checks or credit cards
* and lastly, never mix Newports, Heinekin & Oreos.... makes horrible breath!

I'll keep you posted on how this all turns out........

Oh..... & if you're out my way or in Norfolk & you find a pink wallet or a Garmin StreetPilot GPS with directions to King & Queen on it...... it's mine!

Kristi

If you only exercise once a year, Nov 4th exercise your RIGHT TO VOTE!

Well folks, the time is here. I hope you have educated yourselves FULLY & you know WHY you are choosing each candidate & HOW you & your family will BENEFIT from what they have to offer.

Remember, it's not just about lengthy experience & color of one's skin! (I "interviewed" people over & over & sadly, those were the main reasons they were choosing their candidate! Oh.... & because Obama could speak well... WHAT?!?! So can I but I'm not about the rule our country! Hmmmm..... on second thought!)

In closing thoughts I would like to elaborate a little on 2 points that continuously struck a nerve: faith & race. So to that I have to say this:

FAITH: For people of faith wether you are a Christian, Jew, Methodist,etc... if you believe in God & the bible, the way I view it is like this:
If you put (or try to put) God first in your day-to-day, put Him first in your marriage/relationships/job; You put faith in God that He will guide & protect you, then it should be no different in politics! Now I'm not saying that one candidate is a better Man of God/Fatih, that is for you to decide/guess. What I'm saying is, take God's word, the Bible, & vote as to who you feel most closely aligns themselves in His word! It's that simple.

Too many people that I have encountered that are "christian" or jewish, have said to me, "... oh no, this isnt about my faith..." or better yet,"... I'm not voting according to morals & values this time..." I say, "WHAT?!?! How can you then be doing, as the Bible says, "God's will"? (no matter who you are voting for?!) Why would you suddenly through your faith, values & beliefs out the window when it comes to electing the next guy to run our country for the next 4 years?! That makes no sense to me. Why would vote for a man that is not in alignment with your beliefs, then "pray like hell" when he takes over?! Can I get an amen?! lolol

ps: Don't get me wrong, I do know & understand that God is in control no matter who the president is.

RACE: Let me start off by clarifying (pre-fixing as Erin & Cami tell me, so as to not hurt anyone).... I love all people of all colors, backgrounds, beliefs, lifestyles, etc, if you know me, you know this is true! I heard a lot, while talking to people (& let me say, I work with a lot of realtors, so I see a lot of people day-to-day) & I frequently heard from blacks (& whites), they wanted a "...black man running the country...". Well, I can never understand what the black mans struggles were, nor will I pretend to. But I can totally understand, especially for the older black generation, why they would love to see a black man as president. I totally don't have a problem with it & yes I think our country is ready for it (I was often asked that). But I hate to see someone chosen simply by the color of his skin, especially when the people I was speaking to had no idea what Obama has done as a senator, nor do they know anything that he plans on bringing to the office. He is half-white, as far as they knew, who could've been a klan member...... but because he is black was all that mattered. Hence, that is why I was/am so for getting to know the candidate both as a president & as a man. Dr. King said,
".... judge a man not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character"

I hope you have enjoyed these inputs & tid-bits of information. Now stand up, stretch, inhale-exhale......

and go exercise your right to vote!

Peace & jelly-beans....
Kristi

The Redneck In you....

We have enjoyed the redneck jokes for years. It's time to take a reflective look at the corebeliefs of a culture that values home, family, country and God. If I had to stand before a dozen terrorists who threaten my life, I'd choose a half dozen or so rednecks to back me up. Tire irons, squirrel guns and grits -- that's not all rednecks are made of. I hope I am one of those. Ya'll know who ya' are.



You might be a redneck if:

It never occurred to you to be offended by the phrase, 'One nation, under God '. You might be a redneck if:

You've never protested about seeing the 10 Commandments posted in public places.

You might be a redneck if:

You still say 'Christmas' instead of 'Winter Festival '.

You might be a redneck if:

You bow your head when someone prays.

You might be a redneck if:

You stand and place your hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem.

You might be a redneck if:

You treat our armed forces veterans with great respect, and always have.

You might be a redneck if:

You've never burned an American flag, nor ever intend to.

You might be a redneck if:

You know what you believe and you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.

You might be a redneck if:
You respect your elders and raised your kids to do the same.

You might be a redneck if:

You'd give your last dollar to a friend.



(thanks Kristy!)

Taxes.... to pay or not to pay......

(title: is just a bad attempt to be funny!)


Ok, so Barack Obama wants to raise your taxes & McCain wants to reduce the taxes on the upper-class.



Here points you should closely examine & consider as an individual, employee, business owner:


First lets take a look at Barack Obama:


* he wants to raise taxes


* when Clinton was campaigning back in the day, he said he would do this, but once he got into the office, he didn't because of the overall deficit... remember?Do we have a deficit now-you think?


* Obama has a lot of massive programs that need he needs funded & he wants to really increase the taxes overall, especially on the upper class. Well the upper class in America only represent about 10%, but I'll give the democrats 20% just to be nice. So where will that remaining 80% come from- we the people.


* history has shown & proven to us time after time, that when you raise the taxes in a bad economy, you crush the economy- you drive more businesses to other countries or out of business! Joe the Plumber will not be able to start his own business because he can't afford the taxes.


* his vision is that it is patriotic to pay taxes to put money into the economy, but this may not be the best way! Are you prepared for this? Your spouses job? The business you own?


* "spread the wealth"- Obama voted in favor of the Democratic Budget Resolution which imposes taxes on individuals making 42k per year. He also wants to increase the capital gains tax.




JUST ASK THESE PEOPLE:


* Fred Smith- CEO of FedEx, Meg WHitman- CEO of eBay, Jim Chambers- CEO of Sisco. Their business taxes here are 35%! But, in Ireland, where they can find good workers & facilities, the tax there is only 11%! No wonder people go abroad!



Now, there's John Sydney McCain:

* he wants to reduce taxes to the upper class, the eBay/FedEx/Sisco type folks



* why- so they will bring their business back home


* which..... results in generating more jobs for American people



* which will result in more new businesses



* his vision: to make it easier for "Joe the Plumber" to (a) start his own business & (b) for the Joe's & eBay owners to hire more people & to keep their businesses in our country!



NOTE: chances are, no matter who takes the seat as president, my prediction is that the economy will appear to get better, then we may see a true crash. Already gas has tremendously dropped, but who know how long it will stay low.



Also, I can tell you that I have spoken to friends & colleagues (I work with realtors) & out of the ten or so that I spoke to..... I asked them when they applied each candidates tax plan, which one better helped them out, all but 1 said that McCain's plan was the best for their business. Folks, this included democratic people as well. And the 1 hadn't really looked into the plans in depth.



I encourage you to evaluate each man's tax plan & actually apply it to your situation!



Keep in mind, that Obama is for spreading the wealth. He said on a public radio station about the Supreme Courts role in furthering civil rights ".... The Supreme Courts never ventured into the issues of redistribution of the wealth."



Again, who suits your needs better.......

AbOrtION follow up!

So a lot of you have emailed me or commented on the abortion topic. Great! I love it!
Here is what I think, in addition to my first abortion posting.

Let me start by saying I am pro-life & I beleive in preserving that baby in the mother's womb until he/she is born! However.....

I am not naive to think abortion will never go away. But, I feel that, if the laws stay the way they are, & held by federal court (or not) we should make the following mandatory:

(A) women considering abortion should be required to see abortion videos of all abortion styles & get counsel from women who have been through abortions, dr's, nurses,etc.
(B) we need to clarify why an abortion? Is it in the form of birth control? Rape/incest? Health related?
(C) they should be shown videos of families wanting to adopt & their issues & success stories.
(D) be counseled by women who decided to go through with & those that chose not to go through with the abortion & have either kept their child &/or adopted out. Then they should have to wait 3-5 days before proceeding!
(E) we need to offer "maternity" facilities for women to go to when they have nowhere to turn or need a refuge
(F) we need to make private, mandatory post-abortion counseling to the woman @ no cost to her
(G) and, all the above should be done with the father of the baby present as well!
Obvioulsy above all, the point is to get her to NOT go through with the abortion.

My intent was to wake us up to this "holocaust" event. Not to piss anyone off. Get in the know, get involved. FIND OUT where your candidate stands on this matter! I hope I wont lose friends over this. We just can't keep turning a blind eye to this problem & issue, but yet we have no problem blaming presidents for losing lives in wars.

And just so you know in my previous abortion blog.... I have friend's & acquaintances that volunteered information about their personal abortion experiences! ALL told me that they were never shown videos, never given details about the adoption process & never had any counseling. All these women also shared with me that, although it is hindsight, they regret their decision. They wished they had better counseling & assitance.

Never have I knocked womens equality. I'm all for it! But that, for me, extends to the equality of those babies that never had a chance. I'm knocking the women either; there just has to be a better way, with better options.

Kristi

McCain/Obama health plan....

The choice is yours. However, I wish that for McCain he would have explained it better. The other info to know about McCains is this: NOTE: if you are a small business owner, please look into both plans & see what fits your business better! Obama has a tax calculator on his site AND McCain (on the 2nd link below) has a tax diagram- it really helps to "see" it!

For McCain, for employers, if they are furnishing the health insurance, they will not be taxed. If they choose to let their employees find their own health care, then they will be taxed. It's not as bad as how it is portrayed. So yes, it will tax health benefits for the first time, but NOT everyone. And some of those people that will be taxed, will still be coming out ahead vs. supplying health benefits! You have too look into it to fully understand it!

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/NewsReleases/e0c93a0a-7fc4-4efd-af7e-5ff9dd14f416.htm
and
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/19ba2f1c-c03f-4ac2-8cd5-5cf2edb527cf.htm (Fact vs Fiction- good stuff)
"John McCain is not going to raise taxes on middle class families. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the only ones in this race that plan to raise taxes. "

OBAMA FICTION: John McCain Will Tax Health Care Benefits For The First Time And Will Be the Largest Middle Class Tax Increase In History.
THE FACTS: This Obama charge is a blatant mischaracterization of the McCain Health Plan. It only focuses on the fact that the value of the employer provided insurance will now show up as additional income for the employees – what he fails to mention – is that John McCain’s generous refundable tax credit ($5,000 for families and $2,500 for individuals) will not only shield millions of families from a tax increase but will actually give them MORE dollars to invest in their health care needs.
The McCain Plan DOES NOT tax:
Premiums paid by families and individuals
Employers for providing health care coverage
Medical expenses like the cost of a procedure or medication
Insurance claims

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/ (you have to download his report- cant copy/paste)



Both have good cases to plead. Just as a saavy voter, you also have to look at how it ties into other parts of the economy!

Obama/McCain- Abortion-the quiet holocaust

ON ABORTION: (DO NOT skip the "additional info" below!)

First, let me say as a mom that endured a miscarriage (& close friends of mine as well), this topic carries a huge load to me. And at 9 weeks of pregnancy, it was evident there was a baby there & not a blob! Also, my husband & I debated Obama's stance on this recently, so it really fired me up to find out more about Obama & McCain on abortion. McCain believes in trying to over-turn Roe v Wade & leaving this matter to the states & (possibly) persecuting those that disobey this law he wants. BUT.... McCain is CLEAR that life begins at the moment of conception! CLEAR!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNzmly28Bmg&NR=1 (19 seconds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUl99id2SvM (23 minutes)
Here is Obamas full speech to Planned Parenthood on abortion. It very educational no matter who you vote for. Although, I must say, if you're pro-life, be prepared to hear words that will hurt and anger you & fire you up.

If you don't watch it in full, fast sorward to the 12:15 mark & listen for 3 minutes. Obama says, and I quote, "...we need to teach science & basic contraception...... we need to show young people to show reverance towards sexuality & intimacy to young girls & boys. But, even as we are teaching those lessons, we must never be willing to consign a young teenage girl to a lifetime of struggle because of a lack of access to birth control. Or a lifetime of illness because she doesn't understand how to protect herself. That's just common sense."

WHAT?! Lifetime of struggle? Let me tell you Mr. Barack Hussein Obama.... not only was my first pregnancy a miscarriage, it caused me to fear never having kids of our own & consider adoption. Fortunately, I was able to have kids & now my husband & I have 2 gorgeous boys. Why don't you ask my friends that have miscarried & my friends that are wanting & waiting to adopt how they would feel about that "...lifetime of struggle...". I'm sorry, no matter how much you instill in your child, abstinence, or easy access to sexual protection.... if she goes on to get pregnant abortion should NOT be her method of birth control just because she is young & is still in high school; or still in college; or mid 20's and single; or 35 & married to another man. The struggle is the people that are willing to give great, loving homes to these babies but cannot. The struggle is the life of that baby in the womb as it's life is cut-off.

To you Mr. Obama we need, NEED to make adoption provisions easier, NOT abortion (& McCain is for this). We need to be ok with assisting the children financially if need be, rather than it being ok to allow that teen, that young adult, that grown adult the ease of ending the life of her unborn child! I know she will endure her own battle internally should she go through with an abortion. I know it's a hard decision. But rather than live with that.... why not bare the 9 months of pregnancy & live happily ever after knowing you provided your child with life & a loving home and a loving family with a beautiful baby. http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/95b18512-d5b6-456e-90a2-12028d71df58.htm

Here is Obama's "punished with a baby" clip:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNzmly28Bmg&feature=related (10 sec)

In Rick Warrens (Purpose Driven Life) interview, he stated that since Roe vs. Wade, 40 MILLION abortions have happened in America (that is the low-end estimate). 40 million! Since 1973! Let's do the math:40 million since 1973. That's 1,142,857 per year, 95,238 per month, 3,175 per DAY! Out of those nearly 3,200 women everyday that make the decision to end the life of their fetus/child/baby, etc.... I would bet money that most of them are due to a birth-control related issue. Plus, that is a lot of people that could have been living in this country & developing our nation & economy & contributing to our society!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRswgN-Wf6g&feature=related (Abortion, Obama with Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life author 3 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PbzNGKNLE0&feature=related (Abortion, McCain with Rick Warren, 40 sec)

I think Barack is a decent man. The one thing I struggle with him about his faith is this: In the full interview above, within the first 15 miuntes, he explains that he is a christian & why. But right after that, when asked "at what point does human life begin...." , he says he does not know when human life begins; it is "above his paygrade". Ask me, I miscarried & I'm below you in your pay-grade. I know when life begins! Now, he is not pro-abortion, but pro-choice/ pro-death. Then he was asked if he had ever voted to reduce abortions & infanticide, & he did not give the simple yes/no answer.

POOF THE MAGIC BABY: WHAT?! How can you be a MAN of Christian faith, leader of your household (as God calls you to be) & NOT know when life begins?! Now you want to be leader of our country?! So I guess both times Michelle was pregnant with YOUR children, you didn't rub her belly, talk to the girls through Michelle's belly.... because afterall, you don't know when life begins! All those flutters & kicks Michelle experienced from about the 5th month on....... couldn't have been a "life" in there with a "soul", because as you stated, you don't know when life begins. I guess there was a blob in there that was growing & when the baby came out, "POOF", just like magic it turned into life! C'MON..... this hurts my heart! (if you felt different Mr. Obama, it is ok to be pro-choice & state that life begins at the moment of conception)

I know Barack is not pro-abortion, & there is a difference, but to proclaim his faith nationally & to use the words he did about teen pregnancy... gimmee a break. He is PRO-DEATH- contributor to the quiet holocaust.

When he, Obama, had to vote on it in his Jr. Senate term, late-term abortions & no assistants to live-born abortions (aka infanticide), he voted "present" rather than for or against. Now the last debate, he said it was because of wording due to a pre-existing law. However, he didn't vote against it because as he states on the video clip, it would have "....caused too much of a stir...." So how are we supposed to take that? http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obama_and_infanticide.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPZCXcTwZPY 5min-newsclip about his vote on BornALive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9duXeLahkV4 (nurse Jill Stanek on Bill O'Reilly explaining Born Alive incidents- 4 min- Bill was speechless! No harmful images.)

Now yes, there is Planned Parenthood which Obama supports. HOWEVER, they are the nation's leader in surgical abortions & they don't promote adoption on their homepage- THEY SHOULD! In fact, go to their site, read about abortions, then copy/paste the styles into google & see what goes on. What part of "planned parenthood" is an unplanned pregnancy ending with an abortion rather than an adoption. Such an oxy-moron!

And as for McCain, he supports abortion when the pregnancy is physically life-threatening to the mother, that does NOT include depression, as it would under Obama . Also note: Under McCain that does NOT mean that if a baby is in uteren is showing signs of a disability like down syndrome, spinabifida, etc... that she will abort! Do I think his plan of preaching abstinence is the best? Well, I wish it were but that isn't reality. There needs to a better way & sytem. But legally allowing people to take the life of a baby is NOT it!

I'm done for now on this very moving subject. Although the economy & healthcare are important; if we take away human lives intentionally, then there is nothing remaining to worry about. The root of our society, our being is LIFE. Without it there is no healthcare, taxes,etc.

Supporting life; yours, mine & those that are unable to, Kristi (something better has to be done)

Additional Info:

*** http://www.klanparenthood.com/ (WARNING- images available to view. If you are AFRICAN AMERICAN or have friends/family that are.. they MUST MUST MUST see this site & read statistics! MUST!

Partial Birth Abortion explanation. A form supported by Obama:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUr0jCbcPNc&feature=related 4min- this form, I feel, should be banned unless the mother's life is at risk.

The 12th week:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyFrGbAvfHc&feature=related 5min

http://www.operationrescue.org/ (love their Truck!)

http://www.obamawantsyou.com/

American Holocaust: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEsTfd7oHkM&watch_response 4min (please at least watch for cartoon at the 40sec time)

A must see cartoon illustration, #9- http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/properties/varvel/art_images/tn_gv1080122cd_lr.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/bysubject/anniversary/index.php&h=109&w=144&sz=15&hl=en&start=25&um=1&usg=__JL1lRe_QHtkIdySoYO1FXhz7Rw4=&tbnid=O1fVtZllAIl2DM:&tbnh=71&tbnw=94&prev=/images%3Fq%3Droe%2Bv%2Bwade%2Bcartoon%26start%3D20%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

www.RockForLife.org

Wise Words from a blogger: "Let’s review how well their abortion plan has worked thus far in America: Over 55 million babies have died since Roe v Wade. This is what they call “rare abortion.” Fifty five million babies who won’t grow up into people who won’t create jobs, or find cures, or make new inventions or contribute in any way to mankind, and this country! Fifty-five million human beings who started out as a fertilized human egg (I dare you to look at the truth!) not a corn plant, or an animal, and certainly not “a blob of tissue”, and 55 million human beings who will not be a blessing to millions of other people. The economic impact alone is devastating not too mention the negative spiritual impact that mass murder has on a nation!
By the way, Roe, of Roe v Wade aka Norma McCorvey, the one who wasn’t really pregnant when she was conned into filing the Roe v Wade case repented of her abortion beliefs, and is now a rabid pro-lifer! There is a God, and He does cause miracles to happen. "

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Obama/McCain on..... Sex Education

SEX EDUCATION: I'm not knocking him here, just giving you his facts. Also, he reviews this on his site; you be the judge.... afterall it could be your kindergartener getting "age appropriate" sex-ed!

Although he would like abstinence to be the way, he doesn't turn his back on reality; reality that young children & teens are having sex & adults are having sex out of wed-lock (I agree on that). Therefore he feels we should begin introducing & teaching age-appropriate sex ed, maybe as ealry as kindergarten. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pO1dIKgfPw&feature=related (quick clip- 1 min- @ Planned Parenthood- who supports prochoice AND they are nation's leader in surgical abortions; quite the oxy-moron for a place called Planned Parenthood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_parenthood They support Obama & he them, as he states in the full clip.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUl99id2SvM (full 23min Planned Parenthood mtng)

Obama is often quoted as saying that when it comes to sex education in public schools, “it’s the right thing to do ... to provide age-appropriate sex education, science-based sex education in schools,” placing an emphasis on the word "appropriate." But Obama has also said he does not support, "explicit sex education to children in kindergarten." Key word: "explicit", but does support age-appropriate educational materials. Also, for him, although he never defines "science-based sex ed", it is a reference he uses when referring to abortion & Planned Parenthood. See FactCheck.org as well as BarackObama.com

In conclusion, Obama defends his early childhood sex education by stating, ".... it is to protect the young from sexual predators..." While that is all well & good, we need to take a look where he stands on that issue as well. (I'll make a new posting on Tuesday night about that. It too, is interesting!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNqyt2vac4E (5 min. Has a lot of info, is commical with music)

McCain: Pushes abstinence. Although I wish it were that easy.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QN60D-_-vg (2 min)

There isn't much out there on his side of this.

Goodnight...

Protecting Israel is Imperative!

Dear friends, if you received an email from me to read this & your eyes are going over these words, I sent this to you because I deeply care about you & your family- so please, please read this! To some of you newer to politics, your faith & even those not involved in politics, faith & religion, this is for everyone! This may seem very deep & non-tangible. Truth is, this is very near & dear to God's word & to the hearts of His followers & non-followers- Christians & Jews alike, but it affects everyone on the earth. (note: this is not a political or religious post; this is just an alert, if you will)

This is stuff we have not heard too much about (& probably a lot of churches & the media), & we need to. Those of you that know me well, know my passion for the "End Times" & Revelations. Below is a letter from a dear friend of mine, who is passionate, too, about what is going on in our world that we DON'T hear about! She wrote this, I investigated it & added to it.
Please do set aside time to review what is here. It is a lot, but yours & our children's lives will see what is going on & be affected!

As a church, (not a religion) we cannot "fall asleep" (read Mark 13. We are already falling asleep to what is going on....) in the world; there is more to our faith & actions than being good & there is more out there than what is going on in our country- it's not all about health care & tax cuts! (ps: and politically, my friend here is more democrat. Although this is not a full-on political email, you also need to understand all the depth to the candidates & to their "ties" with Israel, our allies & the enemies. She wrote this with deep passion; I support it with deep passion. Sorry for the length here- but this is important stuff!)
Let me also note that I have already gone through this myself. Some of you might say, "well the media plays it up..." blah, blah.... "...you're against Obama....." blah, blah....... "...you Christians/Jews...." blah blah... Reguardless, this CANNOT be ignored! No matter who comes along in the White House, you can't ignore the world right now. If you choose to not take heed to this information, just remember months & years from now that I sent this your way- so please save it. Here you go....


PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY:
You owe it to yourself & your family!

OUR US NAVY HAS SENT AN ARMADA OF SHIPS OF EVERY KIND TO THE PERSIAN GULF IN PREPARATION FOR WAR WITH IRAN.IT WILL GIVE YOU CHILLS WATCHING THE FIRST ONE FOR SURE AND THE SECOND VIDEO IS ABSOLUTELY AN EYE OPENER.

WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEE ALL THE BELOW VIDEO'S. THEN PRAY ABOUT IT! WE MUST ELECT A PRESIDENT WITH A TON OF MILITARY EXPERIENCE & one that will protect Israel!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PASS THIS ON!
IT IS NOT AN OPINION..IT IS REAL THE ENTIRE US NAVY ARMADA IS THERE NOW. (Google It: US Navy Armada)

ON TOP OF THAT RUSSIA HAS PLACED A MAJOR HUGE BASE IN SYRIA WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS, POSSIBLY CHEMICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AS WELL. LAST MONTH A HUGE IRAINIAN WARSHIP WAS HEADED INTO THE WATERS OF SOMALIA TO ISRAEL....THE PIRATES OF THE SOMALI SHIPS...(SMALL BUT LOADED WITH WEAPONS TO BLOW HOLES IN THE HUGE SHIPS PASSING THROUGH AND GAIN RANSOM MONEY FOR MORE WEAPONS!!) ...STOPPED THEM FOR RANSOM MONEY AND WHEN THEY DID THE IRAINIANS SAID THEY COULD NOT OPEN THE CONTAINERS ON BOARD BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE KEYS OR SECRET NUMBERS TO DO SO......THE SOMALI PIRATES GOT THEM OPENED AND THEY ALL DIED OF LARGE BURNED BOILS ON THEIR BODIES......CHEMICAL WARFARE AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE!!!!

(google "Somalia Pirate Ships"- article on Oct 23, 08- http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hEPVevgJ-rAmL9onqu8KHIwmXJTAD940627O5 )


http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com/2008/10/did-somali-pirate-ship-hijack-giant.html


IRAN WAS HEADED WITH THIS HUGE SHIP INTO ISRAEL!!! THANK GOD IT WAS STOPPED. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD NOW FOR INTERNATIONAL FURTHER INVESTIGATION.PLEASE YOU OWE IT TO YOUR SELF TO SEE THESE VIDEO'S.

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ON WORLD EVENTS AND HOW THEY ARE AFFECTING US NOW GO TO :www.lastdaysmystery.info/

http://www.jihadwatch.org/(**** READ THIS SITE DAILY!!! GET READY TO BE WOKEN UP!!!***)You should know that it is Jihad's mission to rule the world. If you don't know about Jihad, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihad - kristi

click on these video's to see our u.s. navy in the gulf already and the types of ships that have been sent there. !!!!! serious stuff.it will raise the hair on your neck!!WAKE UP AMERICA WE NEED A POWERFUL LEADER IN THE WHITEHOUSE ......BECAUSE HEALTHCARE AND THE ECONOMY WHILE VERY IMPORTANT , WILL NOT BE THE CENTRAL ISSUE TO RECKON WITH IN JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS!!!!!!

IN CASE SOME OF YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS , RUSSIA'S POPULATION IS SLIGHTLY OVER 40% MUSLIM NOW!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Russia RUSSIA IS BEST FRIENDS WITH THE 10 ISLAMIC NATIONS WHO WANT GREATLY TO DESTROY ISRAEL!!
WE BETTER HAVE A PRESIDENT THAT LOVES ISREAL AND ONE WHO LOVES AMERICA AND PLEDGES HIS ALLEGIANCE TO HER!!!GOD HELP US ALL....AND MAY GOD BE WITH YOU ALL AND YOUR FAMILIES.


Biblically, God calls us to protect Israel. Obama has not given an affirmative answer- he has gone back & forth. McCain states he will remain allies & protect Israel. (Look in the old testament & new- Number 32 & Romans 9 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=4&chapter=32&version=31&context=chapter )

THERE WILL NOT BE TIME FOR TRAINING IN THIS ADMINISTRATION...WE MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE IMMEDIATELY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-busurm9Hrw

THE US NAVY ARMADA!! IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED! THEY ARE THERE NOW!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSprHfBGh0c

WHAT IS AHMADINEJAD PLANNING? AN ATTACK ON ISRAEL?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2NAjBPXH0k

RED ALERT ,CHINESE MADE SUBS SOLD TO IRAN,PERSIAN GULF MAP AND REVELATIONS, IRANS BUILD UP OF MILITARY WEAPONS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNasnT-FW6Ehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMpcE16rK3Q


9-11 ATTACKS ON WORLD TRADE CENTER AND PENTAGON., THEOLOGIANS BELIEVE 1ST SEAL IN REVELATIONS WAS OPENED.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVXcrQv8wKc

SECOND SEAL IN REVELATIONS OPENED SOON.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIhGRhImpgU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5FBv7CCCIw
NO ONE WILL ATTACK IRAN 1ST.. ,SO NAVAL WILL BLOCKADE THEN THEY RETALIATE

PS: Not only is your future here on earth important to me, Kristi, but also your soul's eternity is to me as well. All day long I go out "preach" the good news about my incredible home warranty product, I "preach" about how all babies must have a swaddle blanket, I "preach" about how great a movie or restaurant was..... well I feel the same way about my faith & God; the relationship, not the religion. Get to know Him in your own way- what do you have to lose? Eternity? Die knowing you gave God a shot, rather than you gave your shot to the devil. It won't cost you a dime. Now that's the best economical relief packet out there!

Did you know.... Christianity in its entirety, OT & NT, is the only religion with proven facts of what did happen & with proven prophecies. I learned that in a history course in college- ask a professor for yourself.

Kristi'Z Korner- Loves, Laughs & Life Lessons!

Ok, here we go with a few more tips from Kristi'Z Korner! To those of you who have never received this email, here is the scoop. I am frequently learning about neat tips for your personal life, business life, cool music groups, web-sites, etc & I love sharing them with my friends. So I thought, why not share them with everyone! So that is what lead me to Kristi'Z Korner. It has been a while since I've done one & I have a ton of stuff to share, so check back on here several times a month to get all the latest!





Now, I'm kinda new to this blog thing, so feel free to comment & pass it on. I also encourage you to share your thoughts & feedback on things I have posted on here. If it is something I learned from one of you, I'll put your initials at the end of it, or give you"props" somewhere in that section. (yes, I said "props"!) In this first blog edition, I'll put new things on here, as well as re-cap a few old ones I put on here that some of you aksed me about or commented on. Here we go.....





SOMETHING TO SNEEZE AT: Have you ever had the urge to sneeze at the most inoppurtune time? When you get the urge, think of clouds in the sky! This will instantly turn off the urge to sneeze! (it works for me)

OR..... do you have that urge to sneeze & want to get it out? Look up at the light. Looking at the light encourages your eyes to water which then gets that sneeze out.



Heartburn: Eat a banana! It soothes throat tissues.



Batter up- got mood swings? And men too: Try chasteberry. Found in herbs. It balances hormones.



Sweaty palms? Hot flashes? Try flaxseed. It contains compunds that help you cooldown.



Brainiac: Try the herb Bacopa Monnieri. Ancient Indians trusted this herb to improve alertness & functioning. Studies show it speeds up learning & even lowers depression.



O-O Oregano: Oregano is one of the most nutrtious substances on earth! It has 42 times more antioxidants than apples, 30 more than potatoes! And it is loaded with anitmicrobial compounds that fight cold-causing bacteria. Just sprinkle some in your hands, rub together (to break it up & really activate it) & put it on your food!



R U Travelin'?: Go to http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ for a list of attractions form state to state.



Got gas? Want to know the best prices on gas in your area? Go to http://www.gasbuddy.com/ It is also a good way to reach out & stay in touch with business affiliates, like, are you a realtor? Share this wit your clientel. Are you targeting someone, send them this site.



GO GREEN, you know you wanna! I belong to a women's networking group & we recently had a lady come in that owns a "green" store. She went over recycling tips, things you can do, products that are out there and WOW.... I was moved & amazed. So here are a few things you can do to impact your family, home & earth.

Empty Water Bottles: Go bowling- save 10, fill them with water or sand & bowl.

Used paper/toilet rolls: Store pantyhose in them, decroate them & make planters, donate them to schoold dy care for arts/crafts.

Yogurt Containers: Some "green" stores take them & give them to nurseries & they use them to re-plant plants!

Do yourself & fmily a favor.... visit your local recycling facility! Find out what is & isn't recyclable! Boxes that have been used in the fridge or freezer-NOT recyclable. http://www.recyclingcenters.org/ http://www.therecyclingcenter.info/ http://www.earth911.com/ http://worldofgood.ebay.com/home http://wrapnmat.com/

Drink lids & caps.... not recyclable (in most facilities). Those credit card ads that you get with your info on them, SHRED them trash! Or, for fun, you know the pre-paid envelope they furnish? Rather than waste that postage, take another mailing you got (or write a love letter, anonimously) & stuff it in there & mail it! I'm sure it breaks the monotony of the mailroom guy opening the mail.

Empty coffee, formula or nice sized containers.... again, donate them to daycares! My sons school loves that stuff. They store things in there or use them with crafts.



Now onto music. The last few people I introduced you to was. http://www.jossstone.com/ & http://www.anapopovic.com/ (LOVE her!)

My latest interest is http://www.puppinisisters.com/ Look to the left above the word Wireless & click through the songs. You'll know them although the genre is different. And I have to remind you about http://www.pandora.com/ the great music site & resource!



isee what you need: Need a good picture for a marketing piece? Try http://www.istockphoto.com/ It's great for business related ideas as well.



Christmas is almost here: Wanna warm your heart this holiday season? Call a local church or housing shelter (now) & ask if there is a family you can help out throughout this season. I know that our church gets calls from a lot families in the area that need food & gifts for their kids. Nothing is as fulfilling as knowing you fed a family for Thanksgiving or put gifts under a tree for little ones.



Til next time......

An emergency procedure....

John Sidney McCain III vs. Barack Hussein Obama II



Let's just say ....

your loved one ( a spouse, child,etc) needs some sort of urgent surgery. You go to the hospital & the front desk says, "Mr./Mrs. Jones, today there are 2 doctors on duty on you can choose one of them for your loved ones procedure today."


Instantly, you might ask, "well, what are there qualifications & have they done a surgery like this one before?"


She provides you with a sheet, or form of qualifications. And it goes something like this:


Dr. ABC's Record/Qualifications:

* has been a doctor in this field for 50 years

* he has been a practicing doctor in this specific "procedure" since 1981

* In the 80s, 90s & in 04, he won "accolades" as a doctor in this field

* he has recently chaired a committee here before

* his education includes serving in the military & college, attending over 20 schools throughout his lifetime!


Dr. XYZ's Record/Qualifications:

* has been a junior doctor in this field from 1997-2004

* prior to that he worked in the community an organizer & as an attorney

* he taught law from 2002-2004

* he did not win his "doctor title" in 2000, but he did in 2004, which is when his "doctor" experience began
* he did attend law school & was the president of the paper

* from 1992-2002 he served on several community outreach programs

* only has experience in this specific field since 1997; 97-2004 was junior experience, 2004- present in the most recent experience, again as a junior doctor






So now I ask you fellow voters, who do you put your countrys' future, your children's & grandchildrens future in the hands of? I'm not steering you towards a specific candidate because what may be important to you in the experience field may not be what is to me. And by the way, I got this information straight from each candidate's sights & personal web-pages.





kjss

Politicians= politics+influence (but to who?)

Wanna have a jolly good time & get educated? Go to your local parties headquarters, carry in a list of questions & pretend (or not) that you are undecided on who to vote for. Ask away! I have done so to the McCain office & this week I'm headed to the Obama's supporters location here in Va Beach.

Here is where I need your input. You got question's? I'll get the answers. Email or post to me questions that you would like answered from Obama's side & from McCain's side. I will make a trip to the rally office, ask your questions & post them on here. Meanwhile, keep educating yourselves!

Here is some interesting stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vZi6QqFSH4&feature=related (on Cindy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_5 (McCains affiliation on Keating 5)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now (ACORN... aren't they on trees?! Well, not all of them)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NmaZIdz6Vo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6siSSmPPn04&feature=related (voter fraud, comedy)

Later gators.....

Rock Your Mind, THEN Rock The Vote......

John Sidney McCain III vs. Barack Hussein Obama II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_obama


Ok, so before I proceed, let me first tell you that I am a Republicrateral. That's right, Republi-crat-eral. I see values and points that support me as an American voter, from all 3 sides. But to make my decision on who the next president should be, I look at the "things/factors/topics" that are most important to me, who supports them & how it will it not only affect the next 4 years, but also the lives of my children & their future. However, what works for me may not work for you & I respect that. So please go through my blog open-minded & end up with a desire to know each candidate more in your own way, which is what has happened to me. This is not intended to begin a debate with me or one another; rather to educate you or to fire you up enough to want to get to know the candidate's better on your own & in your own way. After all, we are going to the polls soon!

Educate yourself on what each candidate is offering. Go through their web-site, click on their issues & READ! I have learned some in that way, but felt that although that was the horses mouth, it was still somewhat vague on some issues. Also, when someone sends you a clip from any source, like youtube or a real backed web-site, look at it and decide for yourself the credibility, even the ones I will be sharing with you. These emails that are letters from someones friend of a son who was in war, or in Wall Street...... be very leary UNLESS you know that person yourself. I got an email about a letter a soldier sent saying,"..... Obama didn't shake his hand when he came to visit them in Iraq...." , stuff like that, be aware of!

Google.com & Wikipedia.org are great places to research topics, words (like earmark, pork barrel) google people.... get your own political "degree" from GU (Google University)! YouTube topics, people, news shows, political parties, Obama, McCain, etc, etc... you can tell which sites have validity & what doesn't. Obviously, you can tell that different video clips are in place to promote one candidate over the other.

As all elections are very important.... this one is no different. But to me, now older, a parent, a full time employee. I have a father & brother that work for Northrup Grumann (military, government & union related) a self-employed mother, self-employed/small business owning father, husband that is a civilian employee, good friends that are small business owners, good friends that cannot afford homes or health insurance, etc, etc...... this election is extremely important to me! My friends & family will be equally affected no matter who is elected. So I am here to jump start you on your own political voyage! You'll be glad & proud you did- I am.

Below I have provided a variety of links to a variety of political "ads". If you're new to YouTube, you will see related videos along side of what is playing. Click away! Educate yourself. The internet is powerful, so discern carefully.

* What is this Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac thing? I don't understand? Ok, so this is what got me started. I thought the Republicans were to blame for the bad (housing) economy, then I looked into it & realized it all began in the Nixon times (which was somewhat do-able) but then rewritten in the Clinton era with the Community Reinvestment Act (google/wikipedia it). Saying that everyone should own a home, even if they couldn't afford the home; the democrats & liberals then, did not take heed in the years to come when the Rebublicans were making warnings & asking for regualtions on "handing out houses & mortgages like hot-cakes..." See this video link, then educate yourself more then decide...... Also, find out where Obama & McCain stood on this issue & who they are tied to behind the scenes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap1DPBg4jzY (10 minutes long- DO watch)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Reinvestment_Act

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RZVw3no2A4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs&feature=related (8 minutes- DO WATCH) (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac/Franklin Raines... will make you roll your eyes! The payouts ppl got! Again, ask yourself each candidates tie in- either way it's not good)




ps: For those of you that are saying, "....how does Kristi have time to do all this...." Truth is, I don't! But I've been putting together emails,letters, notes, sites, etc for WEEKS & now it's a matter of copy/paste. Plus, now that I have educated myself, I am very passionate about this election. And I'll be honest with you, I had no idea where I was going with my vote, until now and my investigating.
Stay tuned, as I have a lot to share & will be posting throughout the day, days & weeks to come.