Below are the 13 most recent journal entries recorded in rma_ccmom's LiveJournal:

Tuesday, November 1st, 2005
9:41 am	Obituary Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense. Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and That life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge). His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. - Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student; but, could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge financial settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and Ima Whiner. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on; if not, join the majority and do nothing. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2005
4:17 pm	Inanimate Things Have a Gender!! 1) Ziploc Bags are Male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them. 2) Copiers are Female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them up again. It's an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can wreak havoc if the wrong buttons are pushed. 3) A Tire is Male, because it goes bald and it's often over-inflated. 4) A Hot Air Balloon is Male, because, to get it to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under it, and of course, there's the hot air part. 5) Sponges are Female, because they're soft, squeezable and retain water. 6) A Web Page is Female, because it's always getting hit on. 7) A Subway is Male, because it uses the same old lines to pick people up. 8) An Hourglass is Female, because over time, the weight shifts to the bottom. 9) A Hammer is Male, because it hasn't changed much over the last 5,000 years, but it's handy to have around. 10) A Remote Control is Female. Ha! You thought it'd be male, didn't you? But consider this - it gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know the right buttons to push, he keeps trying! Current Mood: amused (Comment on this)
8:37 am	Support our Troops 1. The garden of Eden was in Iraq. 2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization! 3. Noah built the ark in Iraq. 4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq. 5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq! 6. Isaac' s wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq. 7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq. 8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq. 9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel. 10. Amos cried out in Iraq! 11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem. 12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq! 13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the fiery furnace!) 14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq. 15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq. 16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq. 17 The wise men were from Iraq. 18. Peter preached in Iraq. 19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon, which was a city in Iraq! And you have probably s seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers . The name Iraq, me ans country with deep roots. Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq. And also... This is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages... The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible) Koran (9:11) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace. (Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?! God Bless you all Amen ! Current Mood: hopeful (Comment on this)
Thursday, May 19th, 2005
5:45 pm	13th Circuit Shock read your email Current Mood: surprised (Comment on this)
Saturday, May 7th, 2005
7:58 am	20 Great Truths 1. Faith is the ability to not panic. 2. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry! 3. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home every day. 4. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. 5. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot. 6. Do the math. Count your blessings. 7. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts. 8. Dear God: I have a problem. It's me. 9. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted. 10. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging. 11.The most important things in your home are the people. 12.Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional. 13.There is no key to happiness. The door is always open. 14.A grudge is a heavy thing to carry. 15.He who dies with the most toys is still dead. 16. We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy your precious moments. 17. Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it's just hearsay. 18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done. 19. Surviving and living your life successfully require courage. The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle -- it only makes progress when it sticks out its neck. 20. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are. Current Mood: thoughtful (Comment on this)
Friday, May 6th, 2005
12:23 pm	Ethel L. McNeill, July 10, 1910 - May 05, 2005 Ethel Louise Dee McNeill passed away on 05-05-05. She was 94. Ethel was born to William A. Dee and Ethel L. Mackintosh Dee in Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 10, 1910. The Dee family moved to The Bronx, New York circa 1915, where her mother died a short time later. Her father, unable to manage two small children, took Ethel and her brother Bill, to an orphanage on Staten Island, where they spent the next six months. Her Aunt Margarent and Uncle Joe McNally took the children back to Truro, Nova Scotia where they spent the next four years. In 1920, Ethel and her brother Bill were returned to their father who had remarried. They lived in New York City, and went to school at PS 27 on 42nd Street. She comleted the 8th grade and went to work at various department stores in New York City. In 1937, at age 24, she met and married her husband, George McNeill. In 1941, she had her first and only child, George William McNeill. George, Ethel and young George moved to Hanover, New Jersey in 1949, where her husband, George, landed a job with Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (now Novartis). George retired in 1978 and they moved to Naples, FL where they spent the next 19 years. In 1997, unable to care for themselves any longer, George and Ethel moved to Tampa, FL with their son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. George passed away in 1999, and Ethel lived another 6 years, 3 months and 12 days longer. I remember her telling me that she prayed to St. Anthony everyday to give her 3 more years to live after her husband died. She then upped her request to five more years. I think St. Anthony was more than generous. She had her family around her, and she had her independence, too. RIP. Ethel's remains will be buried beside her husband of 65 years, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, N. Ft. Myers, FL. Current Mood: relieved (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, April 17th, 2005
2:53 pm	Progress in Retrospect First installment of a letter written to my mother 46 years ago by her Arab friend, Abdul Haddad. Remember the story of Zavallua Sha'ban? The Gremlins are still with us...only by now we are getting used to them -- so that if they did leave, we would miss them. You must have heard about the fellow who was having it bad, then someone said to him: "Cheer up! Things could be worse." So he cheered up -- and sure enough, things got worse. Follow the adventures of Zavallus Sha'ban of this day and age: Our first association here was with a bum and a hoodlum who was broke, and who wanted a partner in a business he knew little or nothing about. So we entered in business with him, because we knew the business and because of his so-called connections (which later proved fictitious). We soon found ourselves broke and voluntarily partnerless...and after struggling with an overhead from September to January -- we finally cried: Enough! Now the landlord has the foolish idea that because we signed a lease -- we should continue to pay rent for a place we no longer occupy. These people have been out in the sun too long. Not only that, but the officials of the esteemed city we live in, believe that because we are in business we should purchase a license; irrespective of the fact that we are deriving no income from the business. Here, they are crazy no less. An official notice they leave for us in the mailbox, with an "or else." For your digestion, a copy of our reply is hereunder transcribed: Gentlemen and Illustrious Officials: I received your note, and so as you may not feel that I am trying to avoid an issue -- please be advised that this venture was only a dream in the night. So far, I have spent all my money -- and owing two months rent, plus electric and phone...and with no business at hand -- my wife has to work so that we may eat. Therefore, dear sirs, (regulations notwithstanding) how can you profit from a beggar? How long I can endure -- I cannot know. I am more than willing to conform to your systems, and I shall be honored to accept you as one of my creditors, only blood in a stone there isn't. This place in which I am to post a license for nobody to see, has wound up to be something like a store-room, while I am running frantic over a territory that probably requires twenty licenses (none of which I am able to obtain) trying to build up a clientle -- the majority of whom I find already have pictures, or a camera to take them with. Meanwhile, my wife has to work (she needs no license, and she's earning). Meanwhile it could be a year or more before I could say: Yes, I am making expenses...Meanwhile, I cannot know how long I shall be able to remain at the place; (that will be up to the landlord). Therefore, dear Sirs, all I can say is: Have patience...things will eventually work out for the both of us. In this wise, I am speaking to you as a partner -- which to some extent you are -- and should be. Consequently, you are more fortunate than I am -- because, even if you have not the patience -- you have the endurance (which I lack). But let me not overburden you with my griefs...only please sit with patience, while I cry my "alms"... With Best wishes to you and your families, I remain, respectfully yours, Abdul. Evidently, they are sitting with patience because I have not heard from them. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 8th, 2005
8:25 am	Military Truisms A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit. (Army's magazine of preventive maintenance) Aim towards the enemy. (Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher) When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend. (U.S. Marine Corps) Cluster bombing from B-52s is very very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground. (USAF Ammo Troop) If the enemy is in range, so are you. (Infantry Journal) It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed (U.S. Air Force Manual) Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons. (General MacArthur) Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo. (Infantry Journal) You, you, and you...Panic. The rest of you come with me. (U.S. Marine Corp Gunnery Sgt.) Tracers work both ways. (U.S. Army Ordnance) Five second fuses only last three seconds. (Infantry Journal) Don't ever be the first; don't ever be the last; and, don't ever volunteer to do anything. (U.S. Navy Swabbie) Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid. (David Hackworth) If your attack is going too well, your walking into an ambush. (Infantry Journal No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection. (Joe Gay) Any ship can be a minesweeper...once. (Anon.) Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do. (Unknown Marine Recruit) Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you. (Your buddies) If you see a bomb technician running, follow him. (USAF Ammo Troop) At the entrance to the old SR-71 operating base, Kadena Japan: Though I fly through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil. For I am at 80,000 feet and climbing. You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3. (Paul F. Crickmore - test pilot) The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire. Blue Water Navy Truism: There are more planes in the ocean than submarines in the sky. (from an old carrier sailor) If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter -- and therefore, unsafe. When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash. Without ammunition, the USAF would be just another expensive flying club. What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; if ATC screws up...the pilot dies. Never trade luck for skill The three most common expressions (or famous last words) in aviation are: "Why is it doing that?" "Where are we?" and "Oh, Shit!" Weather forecasts are horoscopes with numbers. Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight. A smooth landing is mostly luck; two in a row is all luck; three in a row is prevarication. Advice given to RAF pilots during WWII: When a prang (crash) seems inevitable, endeavor to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity as slow and gently as possible. There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime. (Sign over squadron ops desk at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ) Basic Flying Rules: Try to stay in the middle of the air. Do not go near the edges of it. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and insterstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly there. Current Mood: amused Current Music: Run to Cadence - all branches (Comment on this)
Monday, February 7th, 2005
6:26 pm	Executing the fish After some discussion today, it was decided that "do not tresspass, seized by U.S. Marshalls..." signs needed to be posted on the Clearwater Beach House. Two people had to put the signs up, because one had to witness the other posting the signs in case it ever came up in court. Noel and I decided it would be "we" and since I had a delivery to make in Clearwater anyway, we decided to make it a fun afternoon. We hopped into her 2005 Range Rover, and off we went. We found our way over to the first office right off McMullen Booth in Palm Harbor to drop off some documents, and then she said, "are you hungry? I know this dive that has really good food." It was 1:30 and I was starving. We drove back toward SR 60, and there, right next to a hotel on McMullen Booth service road was this diner, Lennys. The food was the best this side of New York City. We finished lunch and headed over to Clearwater Beach. We pulled into the driveway, and noted the time of arrival. We had to log in and log out in case it ever came up in court. When we unlocked the door, we heard a beeping sound. We figured it was the alarm system, but no sirens sounded, so we set about taping the signs up on the sliding glass doors, kitchen window, front door and garage door. We went into the one bedroom, and found the source of the beeping. It was a battery pack, surge protector. We then noticed that aerator in the fish tank was not working. Noel flipped the light switch and nothing happened. She looked at me, and I looked at her, and we both said "they turned the power off." The fish tank has about 10 fish in it, two goldfish, another fin-ey type black and white fish, and a few small striped fish that look like convict fish. We decided that we would feed them, and hope for the best. It then occurred to Noel that with the power off, everything left in the refrigerator would spoil in the next 24-48 hours, so we decided to empty the refrigerator. We went outside and got the big garbage can that was sitting on the front porch and dragged it into the kitchen. We then began emptying the refrigerator and the freezer. Once that was done, we dragged the can out to the curb in front of the house. We were there all of twenty minutes. On the drive back to Tampa, we discussed how long the fish would live without the aerator on. We decided that the smaller fish would probably last a day or two, and then the goldfish would eat them. That would give the goldfish enough to eat for another day or two. We will probably try to get back over there on Wednesday and rescue what's left of the fish. Since we can't take the tank they are in, because it's part of the seizure, we will have to get some baggies and a net to capture them. I don't know what we will do with them afterward. But, I'm sure I'll figure out something. Ethel has always wanted a pet to have in her room. Maybe I'll get a fishbowl and give her the 2 goldfish. She could name them Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis. I wonder how this will be explained in court in case it ever comes up. 95 year old woman adopts pets seized in a $20 million dollar judgment. Maybe they are rare goldfish worth $20 million. Current Mood: curious Current Music: itty Bitty Poo (Comment on this)
Saturday, February 5th, 2005
11:02 am	The day of execution It was a rainy and cold Friday morning. I agreed to be at Starbucks on Kennedy and Westshore at 7:15 to meet Carter and Noel. This was going to be an exciting morning. I arrived at Starbucks at exactly 7:15, and Carter had a latte ready for me. We decided to take two cars, over to Clearwater Beach. The plan was for this special group to meet at the Hess station at approximately 8:00 AM and we would all go in tandem to our destination. The group consisted of two more attorneys from my office, 8 US Marshalls, 5 Clearwater Policmen, a private investigator and a locksmith. We were going to serve a writ of execution/post judgment which was entered in federal court in Nevada against the defendants for $20 million. The defendants, German citizens with expired visas, had embezzled $20 million from investors over the past several years. The husband had been deported in October, and the wife was fighting extradition. At 8:10, we piled into our cars and followed the private investigator to the defendant's house. We parked our cars, one right behind the other, on both sides of the street in front of the house, blocking the car parked in the driveway. Four US Marshalls, and two Clearwater Policemen got out of their cars and walked up to the door. They knocked on the door and a woman answered the door, carrying a small white Shiz Tzu dog in her arms. I couldn't hear what was said, but as soon as the US Marshalls entered the house with the policemen, the rest of the group started getting out of their cars and walking up to the door. I got out of my car and went with the group. Three neighbors came out of their houses and repeatedly yelling, "what's going on?" We ignored them. The woman did not appear very distressed that all these people were in her house, or that they were now controlling her every move. One of the attorneys was going through her purse, and a woman US Marshall was shadowing her every move. While the US Marshalls were explaining to her that everything which included the house, furnishings, her jewelry, and anything in the house that was not her personal clothing was covered in the judgment, one of the attorneys noticed a Rolex box laying on the counter. He asked her to take her watch off. Sure enough, it was the Rolex. The receipt, which was inside the box, was dated January 28, 2005, and the price was $6,995.00. The woman proceeded to her bedroom to pack her clothes. I followed the US Marshall into the bedroom to watch her pack. In the master bedroom, there was a white Wurlitzer Baby Grand Piano. I thought that was interesting that they would put the piano in the bedroom. During the time she was packing her clothes, the US Marshalls, and the private investigator were gathering up all the phones, cell phones, personal phone books, and other papers that were left out in plain view. The US Marshall and I followed her back into the dining room area where, in a tall basket there were about 5 or 6 tennis racquets. She had been told that she could only take her clothes and that once they were packed she would have to leave the premises. I was stunned when she asked if she could take her tennis racquet. If I were told I would have to pack my personal belongings, and would not be allowed to return for anything else, I think I would be asking for my family pictures, not a tennis racquet. She was allowed to call her attorney. Once she spoke to him, she finished up her packing and we helped her set it out on the front lawn. As she was getting ready to leave, she asked if she could have her passport. The attorney in charge told her no. He looked at me, and I asked her if she would tell me where it was, and I would make sure that it was placed in safekeeping. She went directly to her clothes closet and pulled out the bottom drawer of a 3-drawer plastic cabinet. The other two drawers had clothes in them. I don't know why she didn't think to just get the passport while she was in the closet getting her clothes packed. The closet was small, and no one could see what she was packing when she was in there. The neighbors, who were still out on the street, came over and helped pick up her suitcases and bags of clothes and off they went. They were still yelling at whoever came out the door, "what's going on?" About that same time, a St. Pete Times photographer arrived and took pictures of whoever he could from across the street. We began our search and boxed up the computers, disks, corporate papers, and other documents we found. We found keys to two safety deposit boxes and a mailbox key. We also found quite a few sex toys (handcuffs, a whip, long leather straps, and lots of condoms) in the master bedroom. I guess they go with the baby grand piano. The moving van finally got there, and the things that we all decided were of value was packed and moved onto the van. The locksmith changed all the locks on all the doors. The decor of this small, modest 4 bedroom, 2 bath cinderblock house, one block from the beach, was of early Walmart, Target and Rooms-to-Go vintage. Lots of plastic and laminated pressed board. Two kitchen cabinet doors had broken hinges. Where's the $20 million??? The defendant's had a mortgage on the house for just under $700,000. What? You say. $700,000 for this "nothing" house? I saw the mortgage documents. While we were doing the search at the house, a group of US Marshalls, Clearwater Beach Policemen, and two attorneys made a "raid" on the defendant's CPA's office, the storage unit, and an apartment that they had been using. The location of these sites was provided by the private investigator. We packed our cars with boxes of documents and headed back to our office. Now the fun begins. Going through the documents to find where the money is. It certainly was not in the house. Current Mood: accomplished Current Music: Rimsky-Korsakov: Mlada: Procession of the Nobes (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, January 25th, 2004
12:40 pm	Agreement with St. Anthony For the past week, I have thought frequently about Grandpa McNeill's passing five years ago, here in this house. I was sort of expecting St. Anthony to honor Ethel's agreement with him when she prayed nightly to him to "take" grandpa, but please give her five more years. While I don't pray to St. Anthony, I fully expected him to grant Ethel's prayers, because there at the end of Grandpa's life, she was praying to him three times a day. Well, her five years are up, and St. Anthony decided instead to take the battery in the electric shaver we gave Grandpa for his 87th birthday. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, January 5th, 2004
9:02 pm	Atypical Monday - new month-new day-new year Traffic was not as bad as I figured it would be. I left the house at about 7:20 and arrived at work at 7:45. It was Edward's first day back from his two week vacation and he seemed happy to be back even though there was a foot-high stack of filing that had accumulated while he was gone. As usual, he had bought me a blueberry muffin and made sure my coffee cup was still hot from his rinsing it out with the hot water on the coffee maker. The only interesting thing that happened today was when Sandy called me to tell me that Chandler had these red itchy spots all over her chest. She didn't know what it was, and I told her that I thought Chandler may be having an allergic reaction to something. She asked Chandler what she had had for lunch at school, and the kid told her "tacos." I told her that she could be allergic to tomatoes and to give her some bendryl, which I expect she did, since she didn't call back. I haven't heard from Dan and Kelly as to whether they got their packages yet. I hope soon. (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, January 4th, 2004
7:56 pm	Sunday Looked for a queensize headboard and a full size matress and box springs for the back bedroom. Went to the Antique Show at the Fairgrounds and found a english riding crop for Julie. (5 Comments |Comment on this)