On my high horse again…

What can I say?  One word says it all. Blagojevich!  Yesterday Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison.  Just one in a long line of corrupt politicians we have been blessed? with in the state of Illinois.  Trying to save his a$$ some time to be spent in prison he apologized repeatedly yesterday in front of the judge.  Smiling here, I say it did him no good.  No more celebrity or reality TV shows for him, at least for the next 12 years or so.  Blagojevich has to report to prison in February.  I hope while he is in prison that he is forced to get a haircut as I am tired of looking at that hair hanging in his eyes.

I don’t think I have to explain who Blagojevich is as he has made Illinois a laughingstock all around the world.  At least Ryan had a poor old sick wife that I felt sorry for.  I can’t think of anything in Blago’s life that would warrant my showing him compassion.  Illinois is so far in debt that my grandchildren’s grandchildren will not live long enough to see our state in the black.  By the way, I don’t have any grandchildren just to set the record straight.

Enough ranting for today.  It is cold outside, 25 degrees and snow is in the forecast for tonight.  I need to force myself off this chair and go clean the bathroom, one of my most hated jobs

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

GUILTY!! GUILTY!! GUILTY!!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/27/blagojevich.trial/index.html?eref=rss_us

Chicago (CNN) -- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted Monday on 17 of the 20 public corruption charges against him.

Finally!  Now perhaps Blago will have to get a haircut.

Made my day!

  Beth

Blagojevich trial…

once again in the hand of the jury.  http://www.pjstar.com/free/x1725643348/Defense-lawyer-says-Blagojevich-made-no-shakedowns

The jury went home today after deliberating for only a few hours.  They will resume deliberation  again next Tuesday.  I am beyond knowing what I wish for that guy.  I really hope he goes to prison for a nice long stretch.  I am beginning to think our present governor is no better.

It was lovely and cool this morning when I got up at 55 degrees.  Right now it is 85 and sunny.

I am still not feeling great and coughing some at night even with the cough syrup although the coughing in the daytime has pretty much stopped.  I didn’t do much today, just piddled around but my body feels like it has gone a few rounds in the boxing ring.

 I hope you all have a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!

  Beth

Another Tuesday, Monday…

I really don’t like a holiday on Monday.  My whole week starts off on the wrong foot.

I have been on the go this morning, out to the bank and paying bills.  It is that time of the month again.  And, I have to confess that I am totally wound up in the Casey Anthony trial.  Lucky for Blagojevich, who is in the middle of his second trial.  I am too busy with this other trial to give much thought to old Blago,     other than hoping he is found guilty on all counts this time.  Plus the Anthony trial is being shown live on cable and the Blago trial is not.

Summer has started with a vengeance, the heat and humidity were oppressive yesterday and it is starting out to be the same today.  The air conditioner is going full force. 

Just checking in today, nothing much new going on here.  I hope you all are having a good week.  Stay safe, and be happy!!

  Beth

Blagojevich, another go round…

Rolling eyes and sighing.    Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich’s new trial begins today.  The same defendant, the same courthouse, the same judge, even the same ridiculous hair.

AP photo at interview at the Chicago home of Blagojevich.

It seems totally appropriate that I should be writing this post today, Wednesday, which we in the blogging family officially declared rant day several years ago.  Of course my local paper, the Peoria Journal Star, is filled with many articles about this today, including an interview with the lone holdout juror in his trial last year.  The charges have been trimmed down from 24 to 20 and one defendant, his brother, is not being charged again.  Some of you may never have heard of Blagojevich, although if you live in the United States of America you would have to be totally out of it not to know who this man is.  In fact, I do believe he is known world wide for his shenanigans.  He along with George Ryan and a couple of other disgraced Illinois governors has brought Illinois to its largest debt in history.  In other words, we are broke.
 
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37136518/ns/us_news-life/

There are two topics I rarely touch on in my blog, and that is politics and religion.  I do take both of these topics very seriously though.  I have a deep abiding faith and I follow politics very closely, but these are personal to me.  However, when the welfare of my state is involved I will speak out.  Our federal government will be paying for the prosecuting attorneys so that means all of us. The state of Illinois will be paying for the defendant’s attorneys which means me and the others citizens of Illinois.

Well, now I have said my piece so I will wait and see what happens with this trial.  It really is a good thing for Blago that the trial is being held in Chicago.  Chicagoans are more forgiving of their politicians than we are downstate.

And that is my Wednesday rant.

You all stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth

Lone juror holdout…

The lone juror holdout in the Blagojevich trial has been identified as JoAnn Chiakulas a retired state employee.  I wondered who she was and what her reason was for voting for acquittal.  It seems that Ms Chiakulas determined early on that the wire tap recordings merely show a rambling Blagojevich, no one organized and ready to take action.  I admire this 67 year old woman for sticking to her conviction.  However, I am far from excited that the taxpayers of Illinois will have to pay for Blago’s defense lawyers in the retrial scheduled for January 2011.  And we all should bemoan the fact that because of this woman’s conviction we will all have to pay for the team of lawyers handling the prosecution’s case.  I was OK with Blagojevich’s brother having the charges against him dropped.  I do believe he got sucked into this mess because of family loyalty.

There, I have had my say on the politics of the day.  Since I started blogging over 5 years ago I have made it a policy never to discuss politics and or religion in my posts and I have pretty much stuck to this. 

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The weather is warming up for today and tomorrow should be in the low 90s.  I am hoping this is summer’s last hurrah and we won’t have excessive heat in September.

I am being lazy today and not doing too much.  I have enjoyed watching the geese in my back yard and noticing how big they are getting. 

I am about to decide on purchasing an e book.  I haven’t decided which one yet.  I have been to the local library and it is huge, not at all like my little library at home so I am not exited about going there.  My brother has a new e book from Barnes and Noble and he loves it.  He is going to bring it with him when he comes to see me next month so he can help me make a decision.

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend.  Stay safe and be happy. 

Beth

There are no winners today…

Here I go getting involved in politics again.  I really don’t want to but today I have no choice.  I am so thoroughly disgusted with the verdict in the Blagojevich trial that I feel like hollering.  Well, maybe I am hollering.  24 counts and the jury could only agree on one count of lying to the FBI and hung on the other 23 counts.  The most important one, trying to sell the senate seat, is the most troubling to me.  Eleven jurors voted guilty and one voted not guilty.  The eleven jurors could not get this lone holdout (woman) to come around to a guilty verdict.  What is wrong with this woman???
There, I said my piece.  After all it is Wednesday and Wednesday is rant day.  That said, now to more important things in my life.  Number one being what I will do with the rest of the day.  I have already done a load of laundry.  In a couple of hours I am going over to the church with my daughter and help her and the nursery leader get things in the nursery ready for fall.  Yesterday I did get the vacuum out and used it, so that is done for a few days.
Still a pretty decent day but the heat is on its way back.  I am thinking jeans and sweatshirts and tennies and a walk in the cemetery when the frost comes and the geese fly further south.  Yesterday they were very close to my back door.
I hope you are all having a good week.  Every day above ground is a good day for me and I am thankful for each day.
Beth

What’s in the newspaper today…

to begin with, I found that I did not win anything in the Lottery on the little lotto, lotto or mega millions.  I just wasted 3 dollars which I could have used to purchase a doughnut which is just as well because I sure don’t need a doughnut.
That said, now to go to today’s news.  The jury is still debating into the second week trying to decide the fate of Blagojevich.  The longer they take the more afraid I become that Blago and his hair are going to get off scott free.  Skeletal remains appear to be that of a missing 2 year old Arizona boy.  This story is heartbreaking as I can’t imagine how anyone could harm a precious child.  There are fugitives loose and the search for them is ongoing in Montana and Canada.  Obama signs jobs bill to halt teacher layoffs.  Not sure about this.  Chinese landslide toll rises to 700.  This story makes me very sad.  Actually, there is very little in the paper today to make me feel good.  I have tears in my eyes when I read the news from Afghanistan.  I think this war has gone on much too long and I am reminded of the Korean and Viet Nam wars and the needless loss of life on both sides.  I pray everyday for peace on earth, that all wars would cease and all nations could co-exist in a peaceful manner.  Never happen in my lifetime, but I always have that hope.
Another hot sticky day here.  We had thunderstorms again last night with big thunderboomies.  The heat is wearing on my last nerve, but will it be any better this winter?  I am waiting to hear the wooly worm forecast for this winter as that is just as accurate as any weather forecaster.  lol
That about sums it up for today except for saying hi to my son in law Mike as I think he reads this every day.  Is it my turn to treat for supper Friday night??
Beth