Goodbye President Bush...and Thanks

Thank you for your service to this nation...service that was too little appreciated by too damn many people. But your character showed through for all the 8 years. You did it because it had to be done. I fear even the Bush-haters will come to understand what a decent, honorable man you are and what a fearless defender of America. Comparisons are a good thing.

History will be more than kind, it will be fair. Godspeed.

UPDATE:

I just watched W's Texas homecoming speech in Midland. What a great speech. From the heart, showing his love of family and friends, love of country and an incredible sense of humor. The man has never taken himself too seriously. Only honor, duty and country-character and conscience-are to be very serious.

What not to do in church

Or maybe this post should be titled, "What? Me, A Freak?"

Maybe you go to this kind of church yourself. And maybe your pew-mate is someone like this.

OCALA - A 59-year-old man was sentenced to five years in prison Wednesday for inappropriately touching three women in his church choir last spring.

Circuit Judge Willard Pope also sentenced Robin Forbes to eight years of probation and two years of community control, shortly after a six-member jury found the defendant guilty as charged on three counts of battery on a person over age 65. Each offense carried a maximum five-year prison term.

Forbes was a new member of the First United Methodist Church of Ocala and sang baritone in the choir at the time of the incidents.

On three separate occasions, he reached behind the women and either squeezed their midsection or touched the side of their body in a way that that made them uncomfortable, the women testified in court.

Forbes would also dress in female clothing during Sunday church services, showing up in a "lacy skirt and lacy blouse, white tennis shoes with pink laces, a blonde curly wig and very heavy makeup," said Mary Lou Baker, 70, one of the victims.

Nah, the guys not a freak. Instead, he's...well you gotta love this defense:

Assistant Public Defender Darian Wagner said Forbes was simply not liked at the church for his unconventional preference for dressing as a female.

"What Mr. Forbes is guilty of is being an ugly chick," she said during opening statements, adding there were no witnesses to the reported incidents.

I've looked at his/her/its picture as a man...and I have to agree.

Assistant State Attorney Lori Henry requested a 10- to 15-year sentence for the defendant, who despite of his cross-dressing tendencies, she said, was never discriminated against by the church community.

"He's in a place they're bending over backwards to accept him," she told the judge before sentencing.

I don't know about the bending over backwards of acceptance the church has. Could have been part of the problem.

But what do I know. I don't go to any church.

Sounds kinda fun, though.

Just a little suspicious

An Ocala husband goes away for several days, comes home late at night and finds his wife drowned in the pool.

Daniel Lewis Livingston, 65, returned from a five-day business trip at 11:30 p.m. and entered his home in the 300 block of Southeast 90th Street.

Livingston told deputies that, after placing his luggage by the front door, he went looking for his wife, Stephanie Lee Livingston.

Thinking she may be asleep, Livingston said he did not see her in the bedroom. Searching the residence, he noticed the sliding glass door that leads to the pool deck was open, the report noted.

Entering the pool area, the man said he saw his wife floating face down in the water.

The man said he grabbed his wife by the arm and pulled her to the edge, where he pulled her upper body to the pool deck, leaving her feet in the water.

A statue of a horse head and two pieces of ceramic tile were found in the deep end of the pool, according to the Sheriff's Office report.

So far this seems like a horrible thing to have happened. And of course it was. Then this:

James Estes, who lives across the street from Livingston, told the Star-Banner that the victim's husband came to his home and knocked on the door. Estes said it felt like the man was "tearing the door down." Opening the door, Estes said the man told him that his wife was in the pool.

"He was beside himself," Estes said.

Estes said he then left Livingston at the home with Estes' wife, who called 911, while Estes went next door and saw the woman on the pool deck.

You see, hubby didn't call 911 himself. No, he wakes the neighbors and acts (maybe overacts?) like he's out of control with grief.

I know, I know...I'm probably wrong and I hope to god nothing like this happens to me. But frankly, this wouldn't be the first time strange crap happens in families. Can you say Casey and Caylee Anthony?

And here's an update:

OCALA - A Monday autopsy revealed that the Ocala woman who was found face-down in her pool Saturday night died of drowning, Marion County sheriff's spokeswoman Jenifer Fisher said.

Fisher said that Stephanie Livingston, 56, died an "accidental death" and that no foul play was suspected, though sheriff's detectives are still investigating the incident.

Keep going, Israel!

You have only a few more days before your best friend you've ever had in a president is gone. Then who the hell knows what will happen.

Gaza medical officials say at least 870 Palestinians, about half of them civilians, have been killed in the conflict that began Dec. 27 with Israeli airstrikes on Hamas buildings, as well as suspected rocket launch sites and smuggling tunnels on the Egyptian border. Thirteen Israelis, including 10 soldiers, have died.

German and British envoys pressed efforts to negotiate an end to the war even though Israel and Hamas have ignored a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel had made progress in its objectives in the Gaza offensive but was not finished yet.

"Israel is nearing the goals that it set for itself," Olmert said. "However, further patience, determination and effort are necessary in order to achieve those goals in a way that will change the security reality in the south."

The Travolta's Grief

There was such an outpouring of grief by the Travolta's neighbors. But it was typically low key. Which was and is fitting because John Travolta and Kelly Preston have been low key, but very good, neighbors.

This is a letter of appreciation from the Travolta's to their Ocala/Marion County neighbors.

And we accept it with great sadness.

**********

Most who stopped were locals, just regular people who wanted to do something — anything — for grieving movie stars. When asked, most echoed the same sentiment: John Travolta and Kelly Preston, Jett's parents, are more than just celebrities in a small town; they are valued neighbors who have suffered an imaginable loss.

In interviews and public appearances, Travolta and Preston have for years proclaimed their allegiance to and affection for Marion County. On Monday, the family released a letter to local residents and officials, thanking them for their support and prayers, as well as the cards and flowers dropped off at their "doorstep."

"What we have experienced in Ocala transcends neighborly civility," said the letter signed "Love John, Kelly and Ella." Travolta's Tampa-based attorney Michael McDermott sent the letter to the Star-Banner Monday morning, noting the family requested it run in the newspaper.

For my Gator friends

Good luck tonight, Gators!

You guys will be insufferable if you win.

But you're even worse when you lose.

So go get them Sooners! Chomp, chomp!

Very sad-John Travolta's son dies

John Travolta, a resident and good neighbor in Marion County, has lost his son, Jett.

The Travoltas became part of the fabric of the Marion County community more than five years ago when they moved into their home in the exclusive Jumbolair fly-in community near Anthony.

John Travolta at first maintained a low profile in his adopted community, preferring to venture out to shop and eat late at night when he wouldn't be mobbed by crowds of fans.

In recent years, Travolta adopted a more public role, holding screenings in Ocala for his films "Wild Hogs" and "Bolt" to benefit local causes.

All the time, however, Travolta and Preston shielded Jett and Ella from public view.

I know his fellow neighbors are saddened by their loss.

Israel Haters (local version)

The Religion of Peace is back at it, along with fellow travelers who hate America. This is a local story of nitwits protesting the local Lockheed Martin plant for providing munitions to Israel.

Except that this plant may not do that. But who cares, right? Oh, well.

Roughly two dozen demonstrators gathered Tuesday in front of the Lockheed Martin plant in Silver Springs Shores to protest Israel's continued bombings of Gaza, claiming U.S. missiles and U.S. support are both playing key roles in the attacks.

The protest here became a platform for several groups who oppose Israel's attacks against Hamas, but for different reasons.

About a dozen Muslim women, teens and children chanted "Free Palestine" and "Hey hey, ho ho, the occupation's got to go."

The Veterans for Peace spoke against the war. And others criticized Lockheed Martin for making Hellfire missiles, which, according to some news reports, are being used in attacks on Gaza.

The protesters, who came from as far away as St. Augustine, waved at passing motorists who honked their support and shrugged off drivers who shouted obscenities. They held hand-lettered signs reading "Hellfire = Holocaust" and "Feed the Hungry, Don't Feed the War.

And some people wonder why I periodically run posts entitled "Religion of Peace My Ass."

Not one of the pricks have protested the many months and years of rocket attacks against Israeli civilians by their fellow practitioners of a dark ages religion. Screw them all.

Been off doing the family thing

But I'm back. Won't be doing too much posting for a while longer.

Happy New Year folks.

If you're the praying type, now would be a good time.

Pray for America...and Israel.