Bush Says Rebates Start Going Out April 28

President Bush said tax rebates will start going out Monday. This is earlier than previously announced. It should help Americans cope with rising gasoline and food prices. And it should also aid the slumping economy. Those first rebates will be directly deposited into people's bank accounts. The Internal revenue Service had been saying direct deposits wouldn't start until Friday. President Bush said paper checks will begin going out on May 9, a week earlier than previously announced.

Bear From Movies Kills Handler

An animal trainer died after being bitten on the neck by a 700 pound, 7 1/2 ft tall grizzly bear. Stephan Miller, age 39,died at the scene. On Wednesday, friends and neighbors tried to make sense of the attack. The attack involved a well-trained and gentle bear and an experienced animal trainer. I don't care how well-trained a bear is, it is still a wild bear. Miller was killed by the 5 year old bear during the making of a promotional video for Randy Miller's Predators in Action center. The bear's fate has not been decided. The bear is named Rocky. He recently appeared in the Will Ferrell sports comedy "Semi-Pro". I remember years ago in California, a woman bear trainer was killed by her bear too.

AT&T to Cut About 4,600 Jobs.

AT&T Inc. said it plans to cut about 4,600 jobs, or 1.5 percent of its work force. This is in order to shift resources to growing parts of its business. The nation's largest telecommunications provider said most of the layoffs will be among managers. Where I used to work it was always among the clerical and secretaries, the ones doing most of the work and phone work. It didn't make sense. I feel sorry for all the people losing their jobs throughout the country.

Pepperoni Pizza and Some Pot, Please

What do you think of this? Police have arrested a pizza parlor manager on charges alleging he sold marijuana out of his drive-through window in Fort. Smith, Arkansas. What will they think of next? Authorities said Monday that state and local investigators acting on a tip went to the restaurant and found six ounces of marijuana and a set of digital scales in the manager's office. Police said they arrested 28 year old manager, Aaron Massey on a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Massey has been released on $3,500 bail.

PDA Medical Dictionary

Doesn't it make you nervous when you are taking a number of prescription drugs, and your doctor tells you that you need another one? You are wondering about drug interactions and allergies. Now the doctor can have all that information right at his fingertips on his PDA or smartphone. And it is so easy, all he needs to do is go to the Internet to this online website PDA medical dictionary and download the medical reference software they have perfected. They can even check into your health plan coverage while they are at it. And of course, check the interactions of drugs that could be potentially dangerous to you. This company offers a number of free medical software which can be viewed on their website. This is a wonderful help for physicians who carry a PDA or other device in their pocket because they have much needed useful information right at their fingertips.

This announcement was paid for by Epocrates.

IndyCar Race - Patrick First Woman to Win

Danica Patrick was always sure a woman could win a race. And now the questions about her will surely stop. She made it to the pace she wanted to be for so long - Victory Lane. She became the first female winner in IndyCar history Sunday, capturing the Indy Japan 300 in her 50th career start. She said she was glad it finally happened but she would be lying if she told us she didn't think it would be her. Her owner was ecstatic, insisting more victories await. Her family could not congratulate her enough. All of which made Patrick a bit teary.

Earth Day

Hey, everyone. It is earth Day today. Are you recycling all your cans and plastic. It is just amazing what they can do with recycled plastic these days. They often tell you on TV, all the things you use that are made of plastic. I can hardly believe it. It's a good time to clean up the yard and get rid of the trash that people dump around. The trees are starting to bud and won't be long and everything will be green again.

Oldest Known Person Turns 115 in Indiana

Maybe it was a lifetime of chores on the family farm that accounts for Edna Parker's long life. Or maybe just good genes explain why the world's oldest known person turned 115 today, defying staggering odds. Scientists who study longevity hope Parker and others who live to 110 or beyond can help solve the mystery of extreme longevity. They are called supercentenarians. What they don't realize is that the Bible says we can live to 120 if we wish.

Mobiwatcher Service

Now this is a great monitor device. It uses your own cell phone to monitor your home or anywhere else you might want to check up on. It will give you surveillance alarms so you can see the monitored spots you have chosen. You can be alerted to smoke detection or when doors are opened when they shouldn't be. You will see real time snapshots of the areas being monitored. This monitor home cell phone is available now and has so many great uses. You can even use it as a remote control to turn off lights or appliances. Perhaps you forgot to shut off lights when you left work, you can use your cell phone to shut them off. And their basic service is free so why not check it out. You can download the free software to setup the security device and camera. You can even watch real time video and traffic cams. That would be a great help in heavy traffic trying to get home at night from a hard day at work. It would really give you a great deal of peace of mind, knowing you can monitor your home from your cell phone and see what is going on at any time. If you are going to be away for awhile, you can designate someone else to take over for you and monitor your home while you are gone. This would be a very real plus. Alerts can be sent to that person so they can take care of emergencies. It is easy to register on their website and it is free and you can see a demo while you are there.

Abortion - Pope Benedict Speaks Out

The Pope's unwavering truth of the Roman Catholic message, he said, guarantees respect for the dignity of all including the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mother's womb. The crowd applauded the line. I could not agree with him more. We have to stop partial birth murder. Abortion is murder and those having abortions are finding they are paying the price through depression and mental problems.

Al-Qaida Blamed for Blasts That Kill 60 in Iraq

Bombings blamed on al-Qaida in Iraq tore through market areas in Baghdad and outside the capital. They killed 60 people and shattered weeks of relative calm in Sunni-dominated areas. The bloodshed in four cities as far north as Mosul and as far west as Ramadi, struck directly at U.S. claims that the Sunni insurgency is waning and being replaced by Shiite militia violence as a major threat. Many of the victims were on their way to the court, at the restaurant or in cars passing through the area. It is really sad that they can't settle all this and have peace.

Rare Coin

As a collector of rare coins, you naturally want to be sure you are dealing with a reputable company. This company has been in the business of dealing in rare coins, gold and silver bullion for over 40 years and have a very experience staff that have the expertise and experience you want when you are dealing in rare coins. You can check into their online website rare coin and get all the latest rare coin news. In addition, they have full color pictures of rare coins in their gallery. They are also able to tell you what the top recommendations are for 2008 for buying the best of rare coins. If you are rather new at buying rare coins, they have all kinds of good information for you on what to buy and what not to buy. You can get expert recommendations from them and their rare coin issues and grades are available 24/7 for your convenience.

Senator Arlen Specter's Cancer Has Returned

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter's cancer has returned. They released a statement on Tuesday that he was diagnosed with an early recurrence of Hodgkin's disease. This is a cancer of the lymph system. Specter, age 78, underwent treatment for the same type of cancer in 2005 and was later given a clean bill of health. The cancer was revealed in a medical scan but he had had no symptoms. He was surprised by the findings as he has been feeling so good. He had been symptom free for three years. Cancer is one of the worst diseases that kills so many people. I feel it is right from Satan himself.

Tibetan Monks Continue Protest

Tibetan monks in western China called for the return of their exiled spiritual leader Wednesday, as a top official warned that any disruption of the Olympic torch in Tibet would be severely punished. It was the second time in as many months that Tibetan monks have interrupted media tours led by Chinese authorities. The emotional outburst at the Labrang monastery in Xiahe, a town in Gansu province, began when a few monks started yelling slogans as journalists on a government organized trip entered the nearby main prayer hall. They said they want human rights and they want the Dalai Lama back. They want to preserve their religion and culture.

GE Posts Lower 1st Quarter Profit

Normally reliable General Electric Co. shocked investors with a nearly 6 percent decline in its first quarter profit and slashed its earnings forecast for the full year. That sent its own shares down 10 percent and the broader market sharply lower on renewed worries about the weakening economy. GE blamed disruptions in its financial business late in the quarter for its inability to advise Wall Street ahead of time about the deterioration in its earnings. But analysts unaccustomed to being surprised by the industrial, financial and media conglomerate were rattled by the magnitude and breadth of the decline.

Home Medical

More than a million customers can't be wrong when they buy their medical supplies from this online website home medical. They were founded in 1996 and are one of the largest dispensers of medical supplies. They will ship you orders on a regular basis if that is what you need. Just set up your order with them. They have expanded to cover maternity and baby supplies as well as every first aid, and equipment such as blood pressure machines, diabetes monitors, even such things as shower chairs and carpal tunnel computer gloves. They have a very large variety of almost anything you can think of in the medical field. They even have Polar Heart Monitors. Since they started they have expanded to offer 55,000 products in 50 categories. And they also offer discounts through their e-catalog. Get one for yourself and take advantage of this great website for all your needs. Starting that Spring exercise program to lose that winter weight? Check out their exercise equipment while you are at it. You will find everything you need here.

Pizza Ranch

Tonight was Pizza ranch night and we went out to their large salad bar and large pizza bar and had a great supper. They have wonderful broasted chicken and chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn. Have I made you hungry yet? In addition to that they have cheese sticks with dipping sauce and they made a special apple dessert cactus bread pizza that is just delicious. We love to go there every Tuesday night, wouldn't you?

Funeral Today

We are going to the funeral of our niece, Lori, today. She was only 45 and fought a valiant fight with breast cancer for about 4 years. She leaves a grieving husband and two sons ages 16 and 18. I noticed 2 more young people in the obituaries today that died of cancer also. It is so sad to be cut off in the prime of life. Today is the anniversary of the death of our oldest daughter too. We will never stop missing her and April 15, Tax Day, is a very real reminder. It is a beautiful sunny day, however, it is going to be very very windy today. Our neighbor will come over and let our little dog out for us in case we don't get home too early.

Midwest Auto Recycling

Car problems? Looking for a new transmission or more? This is the place to go to. Just get on the Internet and go to this online website midwest auto recycling for just what you need in used engines and transmissions.They will give you a 12 month warranty on most engines. You can be sure they are tested and driven. If they don't have what you are looking for right now, give them a call or email them. They have a huge selection of engines and transmissions right on their site so you can do a search to find the one that you need. Read the testimonials if you are not quite sure of their company and you will see how satisfied their customers are. For honest, clean, great working used engines and transmissions, they are the ones to see. Chances are they will have just what you need but if they don't, they have a toll-free number listed on their website so that you can get in touch with them immediately and they will get it for you if at all possible.

Golf - LPGA Hall of Fame - Ochoa Wins

Lorena Ochoa wasn't distracted when the fans chanted her name on only the second hole. She stayed focused on her game, even as the crowd grew to thousands by the end of the day. But by her last stroke on the 18th hole Sunday, the emotions were too much. The Mexican star had just won her third straight tournament and qualified for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame, all at home, surrounded by family, friends and fans. She was overcome. Who wouldn't be? There was a sign hanging from a clifftop home that read "Super Lorena" with the insignia of Superman. Neat, huh?

Fannie Mae Working on Mortgage Plan

Fannie Mae will allow more struggling homeowners to sell their homes for less than they owe on their mortgages in a gambit that could hit the mortgage finance company with upfront losses. However, it may stave off a massive hemorrhage from foreclosures. It is really a shame the way the housing market has gone. So many people losing their homes. It is really a very sad situation. I can see where some people may have bought a house they couldn't afford in the first place, but many could afford their homes and then lost their jobs.

Middle Class Downbeat

More and more middle class Americans say they are not better off than they were five years ago. This reflects economic pressures and growing personal debt. Their short term assessment of personal progress, according to a study, is the worst it has been in nearly half a century. Now that is saying quite a bit.This paints a mixed picture for the 53 percent of adults in the country who define themselves as "middle class" with household incomes ranging from below $40,000 to more than $100,000. It was found that a majority of all Americans said they have not progressed in the last five years. One in four, or 25 percent, said their economic situation had not improved, while 31 percent said they had fallen backward. Those numbers together are the highest since the survey question was first asked in l964. Now that is scary, isn't it?

Pepsi Affirms 10 Percent Growth Forecast

Pepsi is my favorite soft drink, with perhaps, Pibb coming in second. PepsiCo Inc., the soft drink and snack maker affirmed its previous forecast that its profit will grow 10 percent this year. That's because I am buying more and more and I love the caffeine free Pepsi.The Purchase, a New York based company, which owns brands such as Mountain Dew, Tropicana, Quaker and Doritos, also said it plans to buy back $4.3 billion worth of shares this year. It said it expects to earn $3.72 per share in 2008, up 10 percent from 23007. Wall Street expects the company to report earnings of $3.73 per share for the year. Well, I've got to have something to go with my Pepsi and what can be better than Doritos.

Dengue Epidemic Strikes Rio de Janeiro

Did you know that a dengue epidemic has claimed at least 54 lives in Rio De Janeiro state since January. That is what their health officials are saying. Their hospitals have reported a total of 114 deaths from the mosquito-borne disease. However, they are still investigating 60 of those cases. Brazilian Health Care Secretary, Jose Noronha, said that 1200 soldiers from the army, air force and navy would be deployed next week to set up three field hospitals, while an additional 500 would spray insecticide and place poison in standing puddles of water where the mosquitoes breed. This is a very serious epidemic.

Japan Aims for Origami Space Craft

I think this is quite amazing. Japanese scientists and origami masters hope to launch a paper airplane from space and learn from its trip back to Earth. No, this isn't a joke. A prototype passed a durability test in a wind tunnel last month. I would think with zero gravity, it wouldn't move anywhere being so light weight. Japan's space agency adopted it for feasibility studies, and a well known astronaut is interested in participating. A successful flight from space by an origami plane could have far reaching implications for the design of re-entry vehicles or space probes for upper atmospheric exploration. Interesting, huh?

Receiver TV Problem

Had a little problem with our receiver on new TV. Called the company after our grandson suggested it was the receiver and he was right. Got a recording, of course, but the recording told me just what to do. I followed directions and the receiver is working right again. There was a 7 second delay between the time you switched to a new channel and the time the picture came on. Now it is fine. Sure glad of that. I really should have remembered that from our old receivers.

Great Grandaughter

We got some new pictures of our little great granddaughter over the internet yesterday. Although we don't get to see her in person that often, we are able to keep up with her growth by email. It is really neat to have technology today such as this. We get to see her growing into laughing and playing with her hand and feet. And like her Mom says, she always has her toys with her when she can chew on her toes. It is so cute. The Internet is very good in many ways.

VoIP Phone System

When setting up your business, the phone system is one of your largest expenses. That is why you should check into this online website VoIP Phone Systems to save yourself some money. By way of broadband, you can have full control of your phone system. One thing that is very important is unlimited calling in the United States and free dialing to the same systems anywhere in the world. Have you ever heard of a phone system that was hurricane proof? Well, this one is. It's been tested in Florida by many businesses. You don't have to worry about a phone outage with this virtual phone system. Contact them and they can have it up and running in 7 days anywhere within the 48 states. Check out their systems. You won't have to worry about service calls because there won't be any. Everything will run just right and all the time. What a great phone system.

Father Puts Baby in Microwave

News out of Galveston,Texas, said that a young father was convicted Tuesday of badly injuring his infant daughter by putting her in a microwave. I guess he tried to claim insanity but the jurors rejected his claim that he was insane at the time. The jury deliberated for about four hours before finding Joshua Mauldin, age 20, guilty of felony injury to a child. Then once the verdict was reached, the jurors heard testimony in the punishment phase of the trial. They went 2 1/2 hours without a decision and resumed deliberating today. He faces anything from probation to life in prison. I think probation would definitely be too little. It seems to me it was more like attempted murder of the child. People are going nuts these days. Anymore you hear of someone being murdered every day and whole families at times.

Kathie Lee Gifford to Join "Today" Show

Hey gang. Kathie Lee Gifford is coming back to TV's early shift. She is going to be teamed with Hoda Kotb, a current anchor on the program's seven month old fourth hour, which airs live at 9 a.m. CDT.I always enjoyed Kathie Lee when she was on with Regis Philbin and now at age 54, 8 years older, 10 pounds heavier and a half-inch shorter, she says, she is just in time for HD television. She's got a great sense of humor and says she is really tired of staying home and watching Frank's old highlight films, haha. It will be fun to see her back again.

Where Have All The Tulips Gone?

Where are all the Tulips? They always come up through the snow and are so hardy. But this year, my husband thought he saw one green leaf and we haven't seen any since. I hope that the snow melting and turning to ice, hasn't frozen them out. That happened one year where the rain fell on the snow and made such a crust, it froze out all the flowers. It will sure be good to see them pop up if they are going to do so. We have beautiful yellow peony tulips that are full and have 2 and 3 on a stem. They are special. Sure hope they survived.