HAPPY NEW YEAR

Good Morning Speakies:

It’s New Year’s Eve and the end of the year 2009. Last week I did a post on famous people who were born or died on Christmas Day. I thought today I would see what happened on New Year’s Eve in history. See I’m getting you ready for those questions that the kiddies will hit you with when Christmas vacation is over. Here we go:

1775 – Battle of Quebec – Americans unable to take British stronghold.
1781 – Bank of North America, 1st US bank opens – Offers 2% interest on credit cards.
1862 – Union ironclad ship “Monitor” sinks off North Carolina coast.
1897 – Brooklyn’s last day as a city, it incorporates into NYC – Dodgers think about moving to Los Angeles.
1907 – For the 1st time a ball drops at Times Square to signal the new year, Dick Clark does 1st radio broadcast.
1910 – US tobacco industry produced 9 billion cigarettes in 1910. Everybody smoked in those days I guess.
1930 – US tobacco industry produced 123 billion cigarettes, even grannies are lighting up.
1940 – 37 German U-Boats are sunk.
1958 – Cuban dictator Batista flees Havana, Cuba. Michael and Fredo Corleone high tail it too.
1963 – The Chicago Bears win the NFL Championship.
1970 – Congress authorizes the Eisenhower dollar coin.
1989 – The “Fog Bowl” is played in Chicago; Bears defeat the Iggles 20-12. I saw that game on TV.
That’s about it for today.

NOW I WANT TO WISH ALL MY GUYS AND DOLLS AND THEIR FAMILIES A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU ALL FOR STOPPING BY AND READING MY BLOG. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND I’LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK THE GOOD LORD WILLING.

WHERE DOES TIME GO

Hello Speakies:

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, where does time go? Last week I was wishing you all a Merry Christmas and tomorrow I’ll be wishing you a Happy New Year. If you are planning a party, I hope you have your food and liquor purchased and all the rest of your preparations completed. I hope you and your guests have a ball.

Here’s a good news story for New Year’s Eve from Oldsmar, Florida. A Pinellas County man was arrested after authorities said he called 911 to ask for a ride to a bar. Honest to God truth on this one. Police said he called 911 three times. One call was made when he was leaving the bar telling the operator he had a broken nose, bleeding ears and people shooting at him. He was not behaving well when the police arrived and was subject to a taser gun. He is now being held in jail on bond. I don't think we are in Mayberry anymore Otis.

Well I may be back, or I may not. Have a great rest of the day and evening. Be careful out there.

NEWS AND OPINIONS

Good Afternoon Guys and Dolls:

Here are two interesting news articles I read today. Let’s start off with I’m getting sick of you Tiger. A new study found that shareholders of Nike, Gatorade and other Tiger sponsors lost $5 billion to $12 billion in the wake of his extramarital affairs. Yes! golf fans and sponsors you put the man on a pedestal and he failed, in fact he failed quite a few times. Don’t cry over your losses now but let it be a lesson learned. They are sports figures not gods, treat them as an ordinary man or woman and if they don’t like it, JoeyZ says tuff &*%#@.

Now my other story comes out of that great city of Palm Bay, Florida. A Palm Bay man has been charged with punching a 69-year-old WalMart greeter who asked to see the man’s receipt. Mr. Friendly customer showed his receipt quickly and kept walking, the greeter followed him outside. Much to the surprise of the greeter, Mr. Friendly grabbed his clipboard and than proceeded to punch him in the head. Of course Mr. Customer was arrested and charged with battery. Our greeter said the following great words, “I told the boss, I’m getting to old for this stuff.” My suggestion have all your greeters carry stun guns for fun and protection or maybe just a simple can of wasp spray.

JOEYZ IS BACK

Good Morning Speakies:

It's nice to be back after a long weekend and a very nice Christmas Holiday. I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday with your loved ones and Santa brought you everything you wanted. I always tell my sons don't worry about buying gifts for Mom and me, but I received two nice surprise gifts from my boys this year; a cue stick and my own personal Philadelphia Eagle cap. I'm ready to shoot pool and watch the playoffs.

Well the rest of the week I guess everyone will be getting ready for New Year's Eve. If you are having a party or going out to celebrate have a great time, but be careful driving, most of all please watch the drinking. If any of my speakies received some surprise presents make a post and tell us what Santa brought you. Have a nice day and we are also celebrating Tick Tock Day and No Interruptions Day, so raise your glasses high this evening and make a toast.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Good Morning Guys and Dolls:

Christmas Eve 2009 is here and all the hustle and bustle should be finished. I’m going to take a long weekend to enjoy the holiday with my family, but I wanted to wish all My Guys and Dolls a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I thank you all for stopping by and reading my sometime strange posts and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do writing them. We have a new Speakie this morning from Hungary welcome.

I also wanted to wish a special Merry Christmas to my blog buddies, Mack, Tom Glover and Noel. I have to wish my buddy Joey G and his lovely wife Kim Happy Holidays, Joe was the inspiration for my book. To the love of my life Roe and my sons thank you for making my life complete. To my little ones, I hope Santa brings you everything you wanted; Pop-Pop loves you very much.

AND NOW TO ALL MY GUYS AND DOLLS, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.

ALMOST CHRISTMAS EVE

Good Morning Guys and Dolls:

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and to my Speakies in the Midwest, have a very Merry White Christmas. Roe is going to make her Fish Stew today and I can not wait to have a bowl tomorrow night. It’s really what the Italians call Baccala. She uses Flounder, Shrimp and Scallops along with her own spices and other secret recipe ingredients, it is soooooo good. I’m sure all of you will be having your own family traditional dishes as well so enjoy your Christmas Eve meal with the ones you love.

Tomorrow is also the start of TV Christmas marathon movies. A Christmas Story (You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out Kid) starts at 8:00 p.m. on TBS and White Christmas with Bing Crosby runs all day long on AMC so if you like those movies park yourself down and enjoy. Also don’t forget the NORAD website to follow Santa’s track for the kiddies’ tomorrow night.

Tomorrow will be my last post until after Christmas; I’m taking a long weekend to enjoy the holiday with Roe and my boys. Have a great day, a relaxing evening and most of all be careful out there.

BREAKING NEWS SPEAKIES:

BREAKING NEWS OUT OF GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA. Transportation officials have reassured drivers there has been no sighting of Zombies in the area. Seems hackers posted “ZOMBIE ATTACK! EVACUATE,” on an electronic sign during the morning commute. The message was a hoax by someone who hacked the sign by telephone or on site. Its always about Vampires now, I’m glad my Zombies got a little news credit today.

REST IN PEACE ARNOLD

Good Afternoon Speakies:

Reporting on the death of yet another funny man, Arnold Stang. Many of you may not know him but he was famous for playing nerdy rolls and starred with Uncle Milty Berle in the 1950’s. He was in the cast of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” Some of you may remember him as the lead voice in the 1960s cartoon “Top Cat.” Arnold was 91, rest in peace Mr. Stang you did your share to make people laugh.

COUNT DOWN IS THREE

Good Morning Guys and Dolls:

Well 3 more days till Christmas, this year has really flown by and when you start getting older it seems to fly by faster. I hope all your preparations are falling in place and soon you will be able to sit down and enjoy the holidays as they are meant to be.

When we say the holiday season we have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, New Years Day and all the days in between. Most people have a special favorite, mine is Christmas Eve. I’ve enjoyed Christmas Eve ever since I was a kid. Was it the anticipation of Santa’s arrival or looking forward to my Grandmother’s Christmas Eve Polish meal? When our boys were little it was the joy of seeing the excitement in their eyes and with my grandchildren the fun of telling them about Santa’s arrival or watching Roe wrap their gifts. Most of all when all the festivities of evening are done, it’s the peace of the last few hours I enjoy, reflecting on what I have to be grateful for and some times how bad I feel for things I may have done or said to the ones I love. What ever day is your favorite enjoy it and be grateful that you have the ones you love to share it with.

Have a nice day Speakies whatever you are doing, working, shopping or going crazy. Talk to you later.

4 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS

Good Afternoon Speakies:

Just stopping by to say hello and wishing you all a nice evening. My northern Speakies will be having a White Christmas for sure this year. I hope you guys did not work to hard digging out. I miss the good variety of food from up north but not that white stuff and cold weather. It will be highs in the 70’s here on Christmas Day with a chance of rain.

There are some interesting observances today, so when you get home and pour a glass of your favorite holiday cheer and you can celebrate the following:

Humbug Day – Always one of my favorites.
Winter Solstice – It officially started around 12:45 p.m. today.
Flashlight Day – Everybody grab your flashlight tonight and run around outside.
World Peace Day – Borrowed that one from Miss Congeniality.
And finally “Don’t Be a Scrooge Day”.

Going to run Guys and Dolls, Drive Home Safely and Enjoy the Evening and remember it's only 4 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS.