LAWYERBRUCE

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http://ebooks.ebookmall.com/ebook/497984-ebook.htm

Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan

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Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving to the world

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2010

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

I am a lucky man. I have many things to be thankful for. I sincerely hope everyone has something to be thankful for and I think we all do. As you gather with family and friends today or any time this holiday season, be sure to say a prayer of thanks for what you have, even if it isn’t much. We all have it better than someone else, somewhere. Please do not forget to say a prayer for the men and women in our military, especially the men and women In Harm’s Way.

Today I pray to God and say thank You for:

My life and

My wife

My godfather and

My daughter

My sons and

Cinnamon buns, tons and tons

Our dog Burdette and

Tom and Burt’s Corvette

My one and only sister and

This is becoming a tongue twister

My brothers and

My friends and all Godmothers

The great outdoors and wildlife

My younger days and my wild life

Joanne and Heather and

The wonderful weather

This great country and

I pray no one goes hungry

The food on my table and

The fact I am able

The ability to eat and

Today’s great treat

My Aunts and Uncles and

Gold belt buckles

My health and that of my friends and

A good time that never ends

The lottery for you winners and

Confession for us sinners

The Breeder’s Cup and

A cold Seven Up

Harold and Elaine and

Let’s not forget Mark Twain

Rich land and clean water and

The cute, playful river otter

The pheasant, ring neck and

The halls we will deck

Art and music and

We all know how to use it

A singing Frank Sinatra and

He was great with an orchestra

Funnyman Bob Hope and

Fresh smelling bar soap

The cool Dean Martin and

Fresh eggs by the carton

The Beatles and Stones

Sewing needles and their great tones

Both my nieces and nephew and

Their favorite Sunday morning pew

My sons Lucas and Ross and

Bruce Springsteen, ‘the Boss’

My beautiful daughter Hannah and

Of course, she’s the top banana

My wife Mary K. and

The song My Way

Mike and Alberta and

We hardly knew ya

Patty and Tom Stash and

A delightful and exciting anniversary bash

Andrew and Heather and

It don’t get no better

Mike, a City Manager by job and

In Iowa, they have a lot of corn on the cob

Terry and his girl Mary and

Everybody’s favorite, cranberry

Burt and Lynda and

The Flintstones, Fred and Wilma

Jan K and John P in Florida and

Happy Hanukkah

Lucas and Joanne and

Dodger, he the man

Ross and Heather and

Isn’t it nice being together?

Thanx to my friends, Curt, Kevin, Mark, Goose and Mike and

The rest of you, you know who I like

Thank you Barb and Joe and

A day off with a blanket of snow

Shawna and Jenna and

Your children and the TV antenna

Your husbands, they’re the lucky ones and

The joy you all have given me with all your puns

Dark Chocolate candy and

My favorite nephew Andy

A John Wayne movie and

Simon and Garfunkel’s “Feelin Groovy”

All my friends like Rachel and Glenn and

Throughout my life both now and then

Tom and Ryan and

A mailman and lineman

Aunts, uncles, in-laws and cousins and

Many of us have dozens

Thank you Veterans and the U. S. Military and

The use of which should not be arbitrary

Animals and cars and

Yes, even bars

The sky that is a perfect blue and

To my family and friends, I love you

America and my home and

This Thanksgiving poem

The Salvation Army singers and

Of course, the many bell ringers

The winter snow, followed by the plows and a pause and

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

I know this for sure since I saw him fly out of sight and

I heard him exclaim Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night

Groundhog Day and

Not much more to say

Thank God for your son and

Sorry boys, he’s a better one

Thank God for Christmas and Happy Thanksgiving and

Have a wonderful New Year

I hope it is fitting and

Before I forget, oh yes

I am sure he will but, May God Bless.

Bruce A. Brennan

DeKalb, IL

Have a great Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Let the holidays begin

NOVEMBER 24, 2010

The World does not stop because America is celebrating its bounty. It should but it doesn’t. North Korea has once again decided to play America and the World like a drum. We did not listen to Patton in the 40s or MacArthur in the 50s. We are still allowing a useless country with no significant value to the World to dictate to us. I do not necessarily think America has to play God all the time but somebody better. We have ignored this rebellious little nation for so long, it has developed a strategy to blunt the wishes, goals and desires of this country to such an extent the strategy has gained worldwide acceptance. It has been followed with success by Gaddafi, Hussein, Ortega, Castro and Chavez, to name a few.

Enough is enough. We have the military in South Korea. North Korea is not a threat to America just an expense. If they nave nuclear capabilities, not many think they do yet, China and Japan will prevent their use. Some men are born great, some become great and others have greatness thrust upon them. The leaders of North Korea fall into none of these categories. North Korea is a small, near island nation with few natural resources. This wet spot in the world is dictated over by penguin-looking people with little regard for their citizens or the World. We shouldn’t care either.

A quick, surgical strike at the power bases, the dikes and the ports will relegate North Korea to a footnote in history within three years with little additional expense over what we now spend in that part of the World to be a patsy. More than 55 years after the Korean War ended without a peace treaty and we are still placating these savages. Who is the fool in this story?

Now, on to what late November is all about in The United States of America.

I am thankful for many things. I love many people, places and things. Here are a few of those people, places and things I love and am thankful for.

Tomorrow is the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year. It is a time to be thankful, generous, friendly, gluttonous, happy and proud. Football, College and the Pros, kicks into high gear. College Basketball really gets going with all the Holiday Tournaments, High School Basketball Tournaments are being played and the High School Football playoff finals will be played this weekend. Hunting seasons are running or soon will be. The weather is falling from autumn to winter. The leaves of bright colors and hues are fertilizing the ground leaving the trees naked in the cold.

Christmas music should start now, not weeks ago like it has, slowly creeping into our daily sounds. Christmas sales and Black Friday are upon us. Christmas parties bring friends and co-workers together, creating next year’s rumors and dalliances and good-natured jokes, as well as faded memories. Family gatherings bringing into your presence relatives and friends you don’t see enough and those you see too often.

The hassle of Christmas shopping we all complain about but love to do. The realization some prices do come down, if only for a few days for the annual Christmas sales. Political correctness has lost out and left, allowing us to have a Merry Christmas and Christmas sales rather than happy holidays and winter sales.

Big Hollywood movie blockbusters, White Christmas, the song and movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, Lemon Drop Kid, A Christmas Carol and Christmas song albums by Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond, Harry Connick, Jr., Perry Como, Sammy Davis, Jr., The Country Choir and Bing Crosby.

Food, exchanging gifts, food, cookies, fudge, beautifully shaped cookies, divinity, Christmas trees and the fun in decorating them. Christmas Turkey, Christmas Ham, Christmas Goose mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pies, cranberries, shrimp, homemade rye bread, any homemade bread, anything homemade except fruitcake.

Getting together with your mom and sister to make Christmas treats, and abiding by the rule you will only eat the burnt and broken ones. Intentionally burning or breaking a few baked goodies so you don’t break your agreement to only eat the burnt or broken ones.

Snow when you have nothing to do or anywhere to go. Sledding, skiing and snowboarding. Bundling up the kids, the first thirty times any way. Going to the closet, once you figure out which closet is the right one and picking out the right scarf and gloves to wear. Seeing if last year’s winter coat still fits, half hoping it doesn’t so you have to buy a new one.

Making out a Christmas list for the relatives, hoping they would just give you cash. Lying to your friends and relatives by telling them “Same size as last year”, figuring you’ll lose a few pounds to make it fit. Smiling broadly when a favorite relative shows up. Saying the prayer before the meal and not having to say how much you miss someone. Thanking God for every one’s good health.

Sneaking a piece of turkey before it is served while the designated carver carves. The delicious smells filling the house. Kickoff. Halftime. Game two. A turkey sandwich on plain white bread with Miracle Whip and lettuce; not cut in two. Pie. Cake. More cookies. The ability to take a nap whenever you want to, just because you can. It is nice to have the Friday after Thanksgiving off from work with no real plans. More football. Not being at the airport to deal with people that do not want to search you any more than you want to be searched.

It is great and a gift to be an American at one of the most American times of the year.

Have a wonderful Christmas season. Wait until you read tomorrow’s muse.

Don’t forget to buy my book. They are going fast. The book makes a great Christmas gift. It is now available at;

http://www.smashwords.com/

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

DEKALB, IL 60115

Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com

www.brucebrennanlaws.com

www.bruceabrennananddekalbilandtheworld.blogspot.com

www.lawofficeofbruceabrennan.yolasite.com

www.lawyerbruceabrennan.com

http://lawofficeofbruceabrennan.law.officelive.com

http://ebooks.ebookmall.com/ebook/497984-ebook.html

Go to any of the web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ search for the book by Title or my name)

http://www.smashwords.com/ search for the book by Title or author

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Stuffing and Sarah

NOVEMBER 23, 2010

Below is the recipe I mentioned a day or two ago. Try it, you’ll like it.

SAGE STUFFING

(sausage optional)

1 stick (1 ½ cup) unsalted butter

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 loaf (1 ½ lbs.) thickly cut stale white sandwich bread, cubed

1 ½ teaspoons each: minced fresh sage, poultry seasoning

1 can (14 ½ ounces) chicken broth, warmed, may use turkey broth

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Optional 1 lb. pork sausage, cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter in small skillet over medium heat; add celery and onion. Cook until vegetables are tender; about 10 minutes.
Put bread cubes in large mixing bowl; add sage and poultry seasoning. Add vegetable mixture. Mix carefully to keep bread cubes from breaking. Add chicken (turkey) broth, ¼ cup at a time, until stuffing is moist but not wet. Optional, add sausage to mixture, stirring lightly but evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Put stuffing in 13-by-9 inch greased baking pan; cook until golden brown, about 22 minutes, times vary by oven.

Enjoy with all the other traditional Thanksgiving favorites.

One of my brothers, who is a recognized Lincoln Scholar, contacted me about the portion of yesterday’s blog talking about Lincoln/Kennedy coincidences. He claims Lincoln never had a secretary named Kennedy. He also disputes the part about Booth being captured in a warehouse. He says Booth was captured and killed in a tobacco barn. He is correct about that except in April, the barn would be used to store older crops, therefore, it is a barn and a warehouse. He provided the following information about a source for the facts surrounding Booth’s capture;

A good read of the search for Booth is: Swanson, James; MANHUNT, THE 12-DAY CHASE FOR LINCOLN’S KILLER; It is history that reads like fiction.

He also pointed out that Marilyn Monroe died over a year before Kennedy was assassinated. The final item I mentioned was in jest but not necessarily false, the dates have been changed to protect the innocent.

I see where Sarah, plain and short has another book coming out today. I wonder who her ghost is? She seems too busy to write the books she is allegedly writing.

Notable births on this date:

1804 Franklin Pierce 14th President (1853-1857)
1837 Javan der Waals Holland, physicist (Cont of Liquid & Gaseous States)
1859 Billy the Kid [William H Bonney], criminal

1887 Boris Karloff [William H Pratt], Dulwich England, actor (Frankenstein)
1888 Harpo Marx [Adolph] NYC, actor/comedian (Marx brothers)

1915 John Dehner Staten Is NY, actor (Big Hawaii, Bare Essence) He appeared in many Maverick episodes

1945 Steve Landesberg Bronx NY, comedian/actor (Barney Miller)
1951 Bernd Landvoigt German DR, coxless pairs (Olympics-gold-1976)
1951 David Rappaport London England, 3'11" actor (Wizard, Time Bandits)

Notable deaths on this date:

1914 Elbrige Gerry VP (of Gerrymander fame), dies at 70
1962 Gloria Gordon actress (My Friend Irma), dies at 81
1972 Marie Wilson actress (My Friend Irma), dies at 56

1990 Bo Diaz catcher, crushed to death by a satellite dish, at 37

1991 Freddie Mercury lead singer of Queen, dies of aids at 46

Notable events on this date:

1765 People of Frederick County MD refuse to pay England's Stamp tax

1852 Just past midnight, a sharp jolt causes Lake Merced to drop 30' (9m)
1863 Battle of Chattanooga begins
1863 Patent granted for a process of making color photographs
1868 Louis Ducos du Hauron patents trichrome color photo process

1936 1st issue of Life, picture magazine created by Henry R Luce

1963 Horatio Alger Society founded
1963 JFK's body, lay in repose in East Room of White House
1964 Beatles release "I Feel Fine" & "She's a Woman"

1975 Bob Thomas of Chicago Bears kicks 55-yard field goal

1991 Evander Hollyfield retains HW boxing title, KOs Bert Cooper in 7

Today is; NATIONAL CASHEW DAY, some days you feel like a nut, some days you don’t.

Don’t forget to buy my book. They are going fast. More on that will be coming soon.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

DEKALB, IL 60115

Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com

www.brucebrennanlaws.com

www.bruceabrennananddekalbilandtheworld.blogspot.com

www.lawofficeofbruceabrennan.yolasite.com

www.lawyerbruceabrennan.com

http://lawofficeofbruceabrennan.law.officelive.com

http://ebooks.ebookmall.com/ebook/497984-ebook.htm

Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ (do a quick search, Title, my name)

Monday, November 22, 2010

Kennedy/Lincoln assassinations

NOVEMBER 22, 2010

Good morning and happy Thanksgiving week. I will be sharing a recipe for stuffing tomorrow. It is rather easy to make, can be manipulated to taste and is simply wonderful. I have been making it for over ten years. It is a family favorite in the Brennan clan.

Brett Favre, the retirement home called; they would like their football back, your presence is an option.

The war in Afghanistan, one of the wars Obama promised he would end within one year of becoming President, has now been extended until at least 2014. That will never happen. I do not see the benefit in a military strategy that tells the enemy when we are leaving, although I doubt they believe our government any more than we do. Now the Taliban says they will enter into peace talks but only after all foreign troops leave the country. The Taliban has no upside in ending this war. Once we are gone, the Taliban will be a punch line of a cocktail party joke within a year. The Taliban will be the subject of a “Where are they now” TV program in two years.

Congratulations to the Northern Illinois University Huskies’ football team. They crushed Ball State on Saturday, clinching the MAC West in the process. Now, let’s win the Title game and go bowling.

47 years ago today John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas. The morning JFK arrived in Dallas, Richard M. Nixon flew out of Dallas after a business trip.

Abraham Lincoln and John Kennedy have some very coincidental oddities about them. One would even say bizarre, or dare the Grassy Knoll Institute say Conspiracy? Pretty bizarre facts especially the last one.Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.

Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Lincoln was elected President in 1860.

Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

Both Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost children while living in the White House.

Both were shot on a Friday.

Both were shot in the head.

Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy.

Kennedy’s secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.

Both were succeeded by Southerners.

Both successors were named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.

Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.

Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both were known by their three names.

Both names are comprised of 15 letters.

Booth ran from a theater and was caught in a warehouse.

Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.

Both were shot to death before their trials.

AND…..

A week before Lincoln was shot he was in Monroe, Maryland.

A week before Kennedy was shot he was in Marilyn Monroe.

FROM THE GRASSY KNOLL INSTITUTE

How about them Pilgrims? They helped start this whole train running down the tracks. They broke corn with the local inhabitants and the rest is history.

The first Thanksgiving can be traced to the autumn of 1621. It commemorates a harvest feast prepared and attended by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians, indigenous to the New England area, specifically Pilgrim Plantation in Massachusetts. Some scholars believe a similar celebration occurred in Canada in 1578 and the Spanish explorers celebrated a Thanksgiving like holiday in Florida in 1565. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in Oct. A similar holiday is also celebrated in the Netherlands and in Grenada.

Don’t forget to buy my book. They are going fast. More on that will be coming soon.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

DEKALB, IL 60115

Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com

www.brucebrennanlaws.com

www.bruceabrennananddekalbilandtheworld.blogspot.com

www.lawofficeofbruceabrennan.yolasite.com

www.lawyerbruceabrennan.com

http://lawofficeofbruceabrennan.law.officelive.com

http://ebooks.ebookmall.com/ebook/497984-ebook.htm

Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ (do a quick search, Title, my name)

Sunday, November 21, 2010

College football, murder and the condom

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

The game at Wrigley started out as a blowout and a high-scoring game. It was not a blowout at the end but the game was high scoring. Congratulations to the Fighting Illini.

Notre Dame played Army for the fiftieth time Saturday night. They played at Yankee Stadium; a baseball park built with the knowledge football would be played there. The final score was Notre Dame 27 Army 3. The game was never really close. It never appeared the Fighting Irish were going to lose. Notre Dame is now Bowl eligible, meaning they have enough wins to be invited to a post-season Bowl game. It is unlikely it would be a bowl game of much import, probably before the New Year, but a bowl game none the less. Being Notre Dame, they have a huge National following, which makes them an attractive invite to most bowls. They will help the attendance and TV ratings. Since Notre Dame is an independent, they do not have to share their bowl earnings with a league or any other teams. Notre Dame could decline a bowl bid, they have in the past, but that was when Notre Dame had much more luster on their golden helmets. Now, with college sports being what it is, money is money. My bet is they will go to a bowl game between Christmas and New Years.

A Park Ranger in Moab, Utah was shot three times yesterday after pulling a car over doing his job. Utah State Park’s Ranger Brody Young was shot in Dead Horse State Park on Poison Spider Mesa Trail, a popular spot in the park for hikers and sightseers. Ranger Young is in critical but stable condition in a nearby hospital, nearby by Utah standards. Authorities have not been able to interview Young. They are not sure what started the gunfire that resulted in Ranger Young being shot in the arm, leg and stomach. Investigators have found several items belonging to the suspected shooter, including his car, rifle and backpack. With winter setting in, the suspect will not be able to camp in the wilderness for any length of time unless this was a planned event and the shooter had a fully stocked camp already built in a rugged area.

Pope Benedict XVI has said the use of condoms is acceptable in certain circumstances and can be used by Catholics, such as a prostitute attempting to avoid HIV infection. Many Religious experts view this change in Catholic doctrine as monumental that will eventually lead to acceptance of other birth control methods, i.e. ‘the pill’.

Tallahassee, Florida has a triple murder to investigate and solve. Saturday, a young single, stay-at-home mother, her twin 6 year old girls and three year old son were found murdered in a North Florida home, a few miles from Florida State University. The police had not had been called to the home prior to the call around 10:15 a.m. Saturday. The investigation continues as does the search for suspects.

Notable births on this date:

1495 John Bale England, bishop/anti-catholic playwright (Kynge Johan)
1694 Voltaire [Francois-Marie Arouet], France, thinker
1785 William Beaumont surgeon (studied digestion)
1787 Sir Samuel Cunard founder (1st regular Atlantic steamship line)
1817 Richard B Garnett Brig Gen, killed during Pickett's charge
1854 Benedict XV 258th Roman Catholic pope (1914-22)

1916 Sid Luckman NFL QB (Chicago Bears)

1920 Stan Musial outfielder (St Louis Cardinal, 7 times NL bat champ) Stan the Man

1945 Goldie Hawn Takoma Park MD, actress (Laugh-in, Private Benjamin)

Notable deaths on this date:

1817 Richard B Garnett killed during Pickett's Charge, Brig Gen. Born and died on November 21.
1899 Garret Augustus Hobart 24th VP, died

1958 Mel Ott NY Giant baseball star (1926-1947), dies at 49
1959 Max Baer US, heavyweight boxing champ (1934), dies at 49
1973 Allan Sherman singer, dies at 48 (Goodbye Muddah, Goodbye Faddah)-Camp Granada

Notable events on this date:

235 St Anterus begins his reign as Catholic Pope
496 St Gelasius I ends his reign as Catholic Pope
1654 Richard Johnson, a free black, granted 550 acres in Virginia
1783 Pilstre de Rozier & Marquis d'Arlandes make 1st free balloon flight
1787 Andrew Jackson admitted to the bar. He must have been a drinker.
1789 North Carolina ratifies constitution, becomes 12th US state.

1895 Start of Sherlock Holmes "Adventure of Bruce Partington Plans" (BG)

1959 Jack Benny (violin) & Richard Nixon (piano) play their famed duet

1968 Supremes & Temptations release "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me”

1968 Yoko Ono suffers a miscarriage
1980 Dallas' "Who Shot JR?" episode (Kristen) gets a 53.3 rating
1980 Fire at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas kills 84 1968 Yoko Ono suffers a miscarriage

1980 Gene Michaels replaces Dick Howser as Yankee's 25th manager
1980 John & Yoko pose nude for photographer Allan Tannenbaum
1981 Olivia Newton-John's "Physical," single goes #1 & stays for 10 weeks
1990 Michael Milken is sentenced to 10 years for security law violations
1990 Signing of Declaration of "End of Cold war" in Paris

Don’t forget to buy my book. They are going fast. More on that will be coming soon.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN

DEKALB, IL 60115

Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com

www.brucebrennanlaws.com