Yogi Bear Creator Joe Barbera Dies at 95 --- ALSO --- 'Rocky and Bullwinkle' Writer Dies a 81

(LOS ANGELES) (AP) - Joe Barbera, half of the Hanna-Barbera animation team that produced such beloved cartoon characters as Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear and the Flintstones, died Monday, a Warner Bros. spokesman said. He was 95.

Barbera died of natural causes at his home with his wife Sheila at his side, Warner Bros. spokesman Gary Miereanu said.

With his longtime partner, Bill Hanna, Barbera first found success creating the highly successful Tom and Jerry cartoons. The antics of the battling cat and mouse went on to win seven Academy Awards, more than any other series with the same characters.

The partners, who had first teamed up while working at MGM in the 1930s, then went on to a whole new realm of success in the 1950s with a witty series of animated TV comedies, including "The Flintstones,""The Jetsons,""Yogi Bear,""Scooby-Doo" and "Huckleberry Hound and Friends."


Their strengths melded perfectly, critic Leonard Maltin wrote in his book "Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons." Barbera brought the comic gags and skilled drawing, while Hanna brought warmth and a keen sense of timing.

"This writing-directing team may hold a record for producing consistently superior cartoons using the same characters year after year - without a break or change in routine," Maltin wrote.

"From the Stone Age to the Space Age and from primetime to Saturday mornings, syndication and cable, the characters he created with his late partner, William Hanna, are not only animated superstars, but also a very beloved part of American pop culture. While he will be missed by his family and friends, Joe will live on through his work," Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer said Monday.

Hanna, who died in 2001, once said he was never a good artist but his partner could "capture mood and expression in a quick sketch better than anyone I've ever known."

The two first teamed cat and mouse in the short "Puss Gets the Boot." It earned an Academy Award nomination, and MGM let the pair keep experimenting until the full-fledged Tom and Jerry characters eventually were born.

Jerry was borrowed for the mostly live-action musical "Anchors Aweigh," dancing with Gene Kelly in a scene that become a screen classic.

After MGM folded its animation department in the mid-1950s, Hanna and Barbera were forced to go into business for themselves. With television's sharply lower budgets, their new cartoons put more stress on verbal wit rather than the detailed - and expensive - action featured in theatrical cartoon.

'Rocky and Bullwinkle' Writer Dies a 81

(BEVERLY HILLS, California) (AP) - Chris Hayward, an Emmy-winning television writer who helped develop the bumbling animated Canadian Mountie Dudley Do-Right and other offbeat characters for the Rocky and Bullwinkle TV show, has died. He was 81.

Hayward died of cancer Nov. 20 at this Beverly Hills home, his wife, Linda, told the Los Angeles Times in Sunday editions.

Hayward contributed satire, wordplay and puns for "Rocky and His Friends," a witty cartoon that built a large adult following. The show debuted on ABC in 1959 and was renamed "The Bullwinkle Show" when it moved to NBC in 1961.

Besides its titular flying squirrel and moose, the hit show featured segments including Mr. Peabody, a time-traveling dog with a boy companion, and Dudley, a klutzy hero always in pursuit of his nemesis Snidely Whiplash.


The first episode Hayward co-wrote for the two lead characters was "Rue Britannia," according to "The Moose That Roared" (2000), a history of the show. In the episode, Bullwinkle has to stay in the Abominable Manor in England.

"Shucks, I've been livin' in an abominable manner all my life!" the moose says.

Jay Ward, whose studio produced the show, gave very little instruction to Hayward when it came to reinventing the Do-Right character, which had been around since the late 1940s.

"It's about a stupid Mountie. Just have fun!" Hayward recalled.

The character was voiced by Bill Scott, who also was the voice behind Bullwinkle.

With partner Allan Burns, Hayward later helped create "The Munsters," and in 1968 the pair received an Emmy for their work on the CBS sitcom "He & She."

Born in Bayonne, New Jersey, Hayward moved to Los Angeles at age 17. He took a night class in scriptwriting at a local high school and went into television in the 1950s. He worked on "Crusader Rabbit," the first cartoon show created specifically for television, as well as "Get Smart,""My Mother the Car" and "Barney Miller."

In addition to his wife, Hayward is survived by his children, Laurel, Victoria and Tony, from a previous marriage that ended in divorce.

PIN NUMBER REVERSAL (Urban Legend)

Read the entire post!

If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you can notify the police by entering your Pin # in reverse. For example if your pin number is 1234 then you would put in 4321. The ATM recognizes that your pin number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine. The machine will still give you the money you requested, but unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to help you. This information was recently broadcasted on TV and it states that it is seldom used because people don't know it exists.

According to Urban Legend, (www.snopes.com), this is FALSE. Sorry folks. You can check this story out and if you want to check others, visit Snopes.com

SO.... You Think You Know Everything...

Click Above.

TRUE or FALSE?

“The New Colossus,” the poem engraved on the plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty, proclaiming “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses...” was written by Walt Whitman.




The poem was written by a 34-year-old Jewish poet named Emma Lazarus in 1883 for a fund-raiser auction to build a pedestal for the Statue of Liberty. Lazarus’s 14-line sonnet was auctioned off for $21,500, an unheard-of sum for a short piece of poetry. It contrasts the Colossus of Rhodes, which portrayed the sun god Helios, with the guardian of America’s gateway, a nurturing woman called the “Mother of Exiles.”

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Three Good Arguments

There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:
1. He called everyone brother.
2. He liked Gospel.
3. He couldn't get a fair trial.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:
1. He went into His Father's business.
2. He lived at home until he was 33.
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:
1. He talked with His hands.
2. He had wine with His meals.
3. He used olive oil.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:
1. He never cut His hair.
2. He walked around barefoot all the time.
3. He started a new religion.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:
1. He was at peace with nature.
2. He ate a lot of fish.
3. He talked about the Great Spirit.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments the Jesus was Irish:
1. He never got married.
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures.

But the most compelling evidence of all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:
1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food.
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.
3. And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was work to do.

*Thanks, Daryn

I can... can you?

If yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid, too. Cna yuo raed ths? Olny 55 plepoe tuo fo 100 anc. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad tihs psot.

*Thanks, Daryn

Here is your AWWW for the day

*Thnaks, Andy

Thoughts on Christmas and food

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

The Ultimate BLING-THING!

$1,515,615.00 (CAD) CELL PHONE!

Earlier this month Guinness World Records was at the three-day Millionaire’s Fair in Cannes, France to certify the sale of the Most Expensive Cell Phone in the world - ‘Le Million’ Piece Unique which was bought by a Russian businessman for his wife for 1 million Euros ($1.5 million)!

Created by GoldVish SA, a Geneva based luxury communication goods company, the cell phone is made of 18-carat white gold, mounted with 120-carats of VVS-1 graded diamonds and equipped with the latest in mobile technology. It was designed by Emmanuel Gueit and made as an addition to the ‘Illusion collection’. ‘Le Million’ Piece Unique is a limited edition item and is only available on special request.

Michel Morren, CEO of GoldVish said: ‘The introduction of the GoldVish luxury cell phone collection in Europe in Cannes was a great success, I am excited with the worldwide reception and look forward to attending the Millionaire’s Fair in Moscow next October’. The annual Millionaire’s Fair was held from September 1-3 2006 and exhibited a range of high class luxury goods such as private jets, jacuzzis and cars.

Check out the Million-Euro Cell Phone and other products from GoldVish at www.goldvish.com.

The First Hybrid Snowblower

Click above.

*Thanks, Auntie 'M'

The Nativity Story - "A dull retelling of a well-worn tale." **

Starring: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Oscar Isaac, Ciaran Hinds

Synopsis: A drama that focuses on the period in Mary and Joseph's life where they journeyed to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.

Review: This story of the Christ lacks passion

By WILLIAM ARNOLD, Seattle-PI.com
P-I MOVIE CRITIC

As we all know, religion has been very big in the movies since the surprise success of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Some small-budget production from some church group or denomination seemed to come at us at the rate of one-a-week in 2006.

And the year is ending with the first studio entry in the cycle: "The Nativity Story," directed by Catherine Hardwicke ("Thirteen"), written by Mick Rich ("The Rookie") and bankrolled by New Line Cinema (the company that gave us the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy).

Trade paper wags have dubbed it "The Passion of the Christ: The Prequel," but, as it turns out, the film borrows little from that hit, and more closely resembles the kind of docile, big-budget Hollywood Bible epics that followed the success of "The Robe" in the '50s.

The story opens with an action scene: Herod's campaign to wipe out the generation of male babies prophesied to produce a messiah. Then it flashes back a year to tell the story of the early courtship of Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and Joseph (Oscar Isaac).

Jewish law forbids the betrothed pair to engage in sex, so when an angel of the Lord appears to Mary in the Annunciation and she turns up pregnant after a visit to her cousin, it causes some problems, and Joseph has to publicly forgive her to keep from being stoned to death.

After that, the movie tells the story of the arduous journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and the birth of Christ, while cross-cutting between the stories of Herod's dirty-dealing and the parallel journey of the three wise men from the East.

The filmmakers have strived to tell their tale, which is part Scripture and part imagined, with the simplicity and sincerity of a Sunday school lesson, and, as far as I can see, it does not veer from tradition in a way that is likely to offend anyone.

It's a handsome production, nicely shot by Elliot Davis ("Thirteen," "Out of Sight") on Italian and Moroccan locations, with a performance by Castle-Hughes ("Whale Rider") as the Virgin that's so pleasing and minimalist it could have been lifted from a fresco by Giotto.

On the other hand, the filmmakers are playing it so safe that there's no surprise or energy to the production, and it's so eager to avoid any religious hysteria that it just doesn't convey any passion or much conviction.

The movie also makes a big mistake by having everyone in the cast (including the angels) speak English with a tortuous accent -- like it's a second language. It makes the dialogue so hard to understand that I often found myself longing for Gibson's Aramaic and English subtitles.

GRADE: B-

Visit the official site.

**Just because the movie may be dull does not mean the posters are!

* Reviews posted here do not necessarily reflect the views of The Wizard of 'OZ'
* Reviewers do not necessarily endorse MovieGoods.com®

The Love Doctor

Dear Love Doctor,

I need your help right away. This is an emergency. I've got myself in an awful jam.

Last night the company I work for had its annual Christmas Party. I got a little drunk, and at some point in the evening I found myself in the washroom with my boss.

This guy is really nice. He's also very handsome, but very married. At any rate, I said some things I shouldn't have and then kissed him. On the lips. And, he kissed me back.

As far as I know he's straight and the whole thing shocked into sobering up.

What do I do now?

I'm afraid he's going to freak out on me. Should I say anything, like apologize?

After I kissed him I quickly left the bathroom, and left the party.

Signed,

Messy Drunk

Dear Messy,

Christmas Parties are supposed to be fun times, but invariably they are the scenes for some sort of major problem. Either someone gets liquored up and tells off the boss, or someone else gets caught in the coatroom with someone other than their spouse.

I don't know what your working relationship is with your boss, but, one thing is certain it will never be quite the same.

That he kissed you back doesn't really help either. If he was drunk, he may not have meant it. Then again, he may be a closet case. Either way he may be as embarrassed as you are.

For the next few weeks you should just try to lie low and stay out of his way.

If he is interested in you for more than an employee he'll find a way to let you know. If he isn't let's hope the whole thing blows over. But, do not say or do anything to make him feel that you are treating him any differently. If he feels threatened you could be history.

Your situation is a good warning to all of us, and brings to mind an old adage: 'You don't crap where you eat.'



The Love Doctor

--Send your questions about love to "The Love Doctor" directly from 'OZ' - The 'Other' Side of the Rainbow! I have added an email link that goes direct to The Love Doctor - this will enable quicker responses from him. You can do this by clicking on his picture in the sidebar and put your question in the email. This will ensure that The Love Doctor gets your question. The Love Doctor forwards his replies to me for posting consideration. Note: Due to the high volume of letters that The Love Doctor receives, not all letters will be posted on 'OZ' - but the Love Doctor will reply to every email. (so he says)

PECANS IN THE CEMETERY

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.

"One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me," said one boy. Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence. Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed adown to investigate.

Sure enough, he heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me." He just knew what it was. He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along.

"Come here quick," said the boy, "you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls."

The man said, "Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk."

When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetry. Standing by the fence they heard, "One for you, one for me.One for you, one for me..."

The old man whispered, "Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord."

Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.

At last they heard, "One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done."

They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.

*Thnaks, Daryn

Old Hollywood Squares

These great questions and answers are from days when "Hollywood Squares" game show responses were spontaneous and clever, not scripted and (often) dull as they are now. Peter Marshall was the host asking the questions, of course.

Please note: Alot of these people answering the questions are now no longer with us!

Q. Do female frogs croak?
A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.

Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump, at least how high should you be?
A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.

Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5,000 years.
A. George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes.

Q. You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman?
A. Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake.

Q. According to Cosmo, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think that he is attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he's married?
A. Rose Marie: No, wait until morning.

Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older?
A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.

Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say "I Love You"?
A. Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.

Q. What are "Do It," "I Can Help," and "I Can't Get Enough"?
A. George Gobel: I don't know, but it's coming from the next apartment.

Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your hands while talking?
A. Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing old question Peter, and I'll give you a gesture you'll never forget.

Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather?
A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Q. Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year?
A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I'm too busy growing strawberries.

Q. In bowling, what's a perfect score?
A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.

Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other?
A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures.

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a goose do?
A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark?

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?
A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.

Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people?
A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army.

Q. While visiting China, your tour guide starts shouting "Poo! Poo! Poo!" What does this mean?
A. George Gobel: Cattle crossing.

Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head, what was he trying to do?
A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth.

Q. When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for its sex?
A. Charley Weaver: I'll lend him the car, the rest is up to him.

Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they?
A. Charley Weaver: His feet

Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed?
A. Paul Lynde: Point and Laugh.

*Thanks, Andy

Public Displays of Affection

A kiss in the car; holding hands at the park; feeding each other at the dinner table... The love/hate relationship between people and public displays of affection is all a matter of perspective. To onlookers, seeing two people in constant skin-to-skin contact in public is indicative of bad taste. To the P.D.A. participants, the world has a population of two- them and their partner. All else is background.

Images of heterosexual P.D.A. have been implanted in our minds since many of us were old enough to stare aimlessly at the tube. Our families celebrated childhood P.D.A. as a cute boy/girl crush and the straight adults in our lives used it to solidify their relationships. However, seeing two strangers lip-locked is often taken as a gesture in bad taste that some believe should be confined to private areas. Does the same principle apply to same-gender-loving couples? Gay is OK... Just Don't Show It An old acquaintance of mine once told me, "I have no problem with gay people. They can do whatever they want. I just don't want it thrown in my face when I walk down the street." He was referring to gay men holding hands or kissing in public. (True acceptance doesn't come with restrictions, so needless to say we are no longer associated.) Is gay P.D.A. less likely to be accepted?

Before You Pull Out The Mistletoe... Some believe P.D.A. is more than a matter of taste, but safety. Todd X from Metroblogging San Francisco recalls being assaulted with a water bottle for his public display. "I was saying goodbye to a friend- one of those 'you should really come over to my place instead of going home alone' goodbyes. And, while trying to tempt the boy, a car drove by, the occupants yelled 'faggots' and tossed a bottle of Aquafina at us. Outrageous! I deserve to be bashed with Evian at least! Or Metromint."Interestingly enough, it's highly unlikely a heterosexual couple embracing in public would be accosted by a water bottle, regardless of the level of taste (no pun intended). Same-gender-loving people should have the same choice of faux pas without fear of violence, P.D.A. fans or not.

*Ramon Johnson, Your Guide To Gay Life

Adventure With Grandma - A Neat Story

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was
just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to
visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There
is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to
her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I
knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the
truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed
with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns. I knew they were
world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites,
I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa
Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That
rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad,
plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my
second world-famous, cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be
Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a
little bit of just about everything. As we walked through
its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle
in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy
something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the
car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my
mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself.
The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling
to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I
just stood there, confused, clutching that ten dollar bill,
wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.

I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my
neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my
church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly
thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and
messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs.Pollock's
grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew
that because he never went out for recess during the winter.
His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he
had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have
a cough, and he didn't have a coat. I fingered the
ten dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy
Bobby Decker a coat!

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It
looked real warm, and he would like that. "Is this a
Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter
asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes," I
replied shyly. "It's .... for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at
me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag
and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas
paper and ribbons (a little tag fell out of the coat, and
Grandma tucked it in her Bible) and wrote, "To Bobby, From
Santa Claus" on it -- Grandma said that Santa always
insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to BobbyDecker's
house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever
officially one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and
I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.
Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she
whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the
present down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back
to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited
breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open.
Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent
shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That
night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus
were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous.
Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the tag tucked inside: $19.95.

"He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree."
*Thanks, SalTCBug

TRUE or FALSE?

The great “leap to freedom” in the dance world refers to Rudolf Nureyev’s daring escape from the Russian KGB at Le Bourget airport in Paris in 1961.






After defecting to the West, Nureyev quickly became a superstar of ballet, receiving wild acclaim on par with other counterculture heroes of the time, like Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol. He joined London’s Royal Ballet and partnered with Margot Fonteyn, giving new life to such classics as Giselle and Swan Lake. He died of AIDS complications in 1993.

Anorexic?

Sightings the talk of 'sasquatch-ewan'

(CBC News) Sightings of a large hairy creature walking upright in Saskatchewan and Manitoba have sparked renewed interest in the legendary sasquatch.

CBC Saskatchewan radio host Tom Roberts said he's talked with people from the northern community of Deschambault Lake who say a resident saw a sasquatch-like creature on Saturday.

They say a woman from the village was driving to Prince Albert on Saturday afternoon when she saw a creature near the side of the highway at Torch River.

"She slowed down, thinking maybe a bear," Roberts said. "She stopped and watched … and saw it going alongside the hill and knew it was not a bear."

The woman continued driving until she was in cell phone range, then stopped to call home. She described seeing a large, "very hairy" creature that walked upright.

Later, several men from the village drove down to the area and found footprints, which they tracked through the snow. They found a tuft of brown hair and took photographs of the tracks, Roberts said.

Similar sighting
On Wednesday, following reports of the Saskatchewan incident, a man in Flin Flon, Man., reported that he had seen something similar in the summer.

Greg East said he was on a fishing trip with a friend, when they encountered a creature on the Manitoba side of the border.

"I looked over to the fellow driving the truck, a friend of mine, and said: 'What did you just see?' " East recalled. "His response, as he looked at me with a quizzical look on his face, was 'sasquatch?'"

East said he was afraid his friend was going to say that.

"I was sort of hoping he was going to say bear because I knew it didn't look like a bear, but I wanted some verification that I hadn't actually seen what I thought I saw," he said.

East described the creature as dark in colour, with dirty yellow patches over its face, chest and abdomen. It loped out of sight as they got closer.

John Bindernagel, a B.C.-based wildlife biologist who believes the creatures exist and has written extensively on the subject, said the Torch River sighting is intriguing. He said he would like to have a look at photographs of the tracks.

"The trail [of a Sasquatch] is different from a human and very different from a bear," he said.

Skeptics say it's preposterous that a large mammal could have evaded detection in North America throughout history, and note that despite all the alleged sightings, a sasquatch carcass has never been found.

Absolutely Cool! Jerome Murat

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