WhiFinCog

Dorthy Hodges

2007-04-07T14:03:00.000-04:00

Dorothy E. Hodges

Dorothy E. Hodgesof Glen AubreyDorothy E. Hodges, 87, of Glen Aubrey, passed away at her home surrounded by her family on Friday, April 6, 2007. She was predeceased by her husband, Bernard Hodges; parents, Lynn (Lenny) Stanton; brother, Howard Stanton; granddaughter, Kim Hodges; and great-granddaughter, Carly Walin. Dororthy is survived by four children, Gerald (Marie Longo) Hodges, Glen Aubrey, Robert Howard (Jody) Hodges, Glen Aubrey, Judith L. (C. Scott) Oakley, Whitney Point, Lawrence M. (Denise) Hodges, Glen Aubrey; 14 grandchildren, Joy, Timothy, Kathleen, Michael, Brian Hodges, Michele Walin, Bobbi Jo Meddleton, Heather Hodges, Angela Travis, Steven Oakley, Stephanie Ballard, Gretchen Glezen, Brock Hodges, Tylia Wade; 18 great-grandchildren, Delaney Hodges, Chevee Hodges, Corey Hodges, Kendall and Megan Walin, Matt and Malori Meddleton, Hayley Hodges, Ava Travis, Sean Ballard, Tori Ballard, Kolby Oakley, Dalton Oakley, Trevor Glezen, Madison Glezen, Evan Wade, Brooklyn Hodges, Zachary Kelsey; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Dorothy was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary Post 974 and felt family and friends were very dear to her.Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 9, 2007, at 4 p.m. from Nichols Funeral Home, 7323 119th Street, Whitney Point, New York, with Wayne Smith officiating. Burial will be in Glen Aubrey Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Nichols Funeral Home on Monday, April 9, 2007, from 2 p.m. until service time at 4 p.m. Expressions of sympathy in her memory may be made to American Heart Association, 59 Court St., Binghamton, N.Y. 13901; or Hospice, 4102 Old Vestal Road, Vestal, N.Y. 13850.Published in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin from 4/7/2007 - 4/8/2007.
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Well, Blogger finally fixed their BUG

2007-01-14T11:27:00.000-05:00

But, we still have offically moved our blog to wordpress. This is the new link

http://whifincog.wordpress.com/

Wordpress will eventually have the tool up & working to import this blog into the new blog.

http://whifincog.wordpress.com/

2006-12-26T16:25:00.000-05:00

We Have Moved our blog due to BLOGGER Technical Diffculties. Our new blogs address is http://whifincog.wordpress.com/
Please update your bookmarks! We will move all of our blog to the new address very soon.

Meet Terry Smacher and her family
Please list all your family members who currently work for IBM or have retired from IBM, and their years of service.
William Penn Kirk Aten, my grandfather (see picture on left), started with the Clock Recording Company which became IBM and retired after 25 years of service. Grandpa worked in Endicott.

Alfred Calvin Aten, my father, retired after 43 years of service. He started work at IBM at age 17, before World War II. He passed away in December 1989 and was a supplemental employee then. Most of his years were spent working in the Banking Systems. He assembled the machine that sorted checks. Dad worked in Endicott then transferred to Charlotte, NC.

Daniel William Enright, my uncle, he retired with 25+ years. He mostly worked in Owego as an expeditor.

Harold Totten, my uncle, worked in Endicott then transferred to Raleigh. He retired with 30+ years.

Ebert Warren, my uncle, worked in Lexington KY after transferring from somewhere in NY. He worked 30+ years. He was a manager in payroll.

Mario Rossi, my uncle, worked in Endicott for 30+ years before he retired. I am not sure what his job was.

Keith Warren, my cousin, worked in Lexington, KY. He retired after 30 years with the company.
William Warren, my cousin, worked in Lexington, KY. He retired after 30 years of service. He was in the typewriter division.

Kirk Totten, my cousin, worked all over the world. When my father passed away he was the Director of Technology of IBM Korea. He retired with more than 25 years of service. Kirk started in Endicott on the loading dock.

Bonnie Utter, my sister, worked in Endicott 23 years then when Endicott was sold she went to the new company EIT.

I am currently working in Endicott as an assistant, in March of 2007 I will have 30 years of service.

How did the first person in your family get his/her job at IBM? What year was this? What were his/her responsibilities?

My grandfather was the first person in the family to work for IBM. I am not sure what his job was. I know he worked for the clock company which then turned into IBM. Grandpa passed away in 1960. I was only 4 years old.

Tell us your favorite IBM memory.

My favorite IBM memory is going to the Christmas Party at the country club when I was a kid and seeing the presents stacked to the ceiling. Also, the day I was hired my dad was so happy. He actually took a day of vacation because he was so excited for me.

Terry's Aunt and Uncle Wilma and Ebert Warren's 50th Wedding Anniversary left to right: Beulah and Mario Rossi, Wilma Warren, Ebert Warren, Louise Aten, Lois and Harold Totten, Al Aten, Jeanette and Vince Petrolawicz. This is a picture of all but one of my grandfather's children and their spouses.

What has IBM meant to your family?

IBM has been my family. My dad especially loved being able to provide for his family so well because of his job. My dad had a lot of the same principals as Thomas Watson -- if you took care of the employees, the employees would take care of the company.

luckily kate & rob have a costco card!

2006-12-26T15:08:00.000-05:00

Returns: Prepare to be challenged
g
from ConsumerReports.org

You might chuckle now over the ugly holiday sweater your Aunt Edna sends you each year, but you could be in for a rude surprise when you try to take it back to the store, even if you've been shopping there for years.

"Each year at holiday time, retailers examine their return policies and make changes based on their experiences with their customers," says Joseph LaRocca, vice president of loss prevention at the National Retail Federation, a trade group. Many stores are getting stricter, primarily by employing computerized authorization systems to track and limit returns. The goal is to curb fraudulent returns, although innocent consumers can easily get snagged by those systems.

You can also get tripped up by store return rules that vary from retailer to retailer and within the same store. The rules at a store can change depending on the time of year, the type of item, and the method of payment.

BIG BROTHER AT THE REGISTER

Many big retailers, including Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, and Wal-Mart, now use proprietary software systems to monitor return behavior. Those retailers are usually quiet about how they use the data, but Wal-Mart announced in 2004 that it began using its return-tracking system to alert cashiers to customers who bring back more than three items without receipts within 45 days. Those customers must get a manager to approve their returns.
More than a dozen other retailers, including Express, K-B Toys, Sports Authority, and Staples, use the Return Exchange, which maintains return-tracking databases for stores. According to Beth Passarella, spokeswoman at Return Exchange, "It's likely that there is at least one store in every mall in America that uses the Return Exchange's technology."

The company's system automatically instructs cashiers to reject returns when customers bring back items too often or for too much money. The Return Exchange would not tell us exactly how many returns cause your name to get red-flagged for excessive returns, saying it varies by retailer. The retailers we interviewed wouldn't give us a number, either. But the Return Exchange assured us that if your return behavior gets you red-flagged, the company will send you a copy of your file if you ask for it. You can then check for mistakes and request corrections. Ultimately, though, it's up to the retailer to clear your good name.

So avoid frequent returns, especially at stores that use a tracking system. To find out whether a store uses the Return Exchange, you can look for signs near the register announcing the service or ask a salesperson. Stores that use the system scan your driver's license or other photo ID when you return an item. If you don't comply, your return might be rejected.

Of the 10 major retailers that we called, the ones that don't use the Return Exchange and have liberal return policies include Costco and Nordstrom. Both retailers allow you to return any item at any time, although Costco recently opted to require customers to return computers within six months.

Other companies with virtually unlimited return policies include L.L. Bean and Lands' End, although you may have to pay about $6 to ship an item back. Most of the retailers require customers to return most items within 30 to 90 days.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Will persuading friends and family members to give you gift cards help to pre-empt returns? Not necessarily. If you get a Talbot's gift card and Old Navy is more your style, you're out of luck. Most stores will not refund a gift card. You might be able to squeeze some cash out of a card, but most likely you'll have to spend most or all of the money in the store. So instead of talking up gift cards to avoid return troubles this holiday season, try these tactics:

Act fast. After the wrapping paper is off, it's a race against the clock to beat store-return deadlines. So check store policies as soon as possible. They're often spelled out on receipts, on a sign in the store near the register, or on the merchant's Web site. If the item was purchased online, check the retailer's site and pay special attention to the cost of shipping the gift back. You'll probably have to cover postage yourself, and you won't get a refund for shipping fees paid to send the gift out to you. Restrictions also may vary depending on the type of item you receive. For example, you'll have 60 days to return fine jewelry. Keep in mind that during the holidays, the store-return clock might start ticking after Santa's visit instead of on the date of purchase. Best Buy, for example, treats all purchases made from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 as if they were bought on Dec. 24.

Open at your own risk. If you think you might return an item, resist the temptation to snip off the tags or tear apart any plastic packaging. Electronics retailers such as Best Buy, Circuit City, and Apple charge a 10 to 15 percent "restocking fee" on certain products if the box is opened before the item is returned, unless it is defective.

Amazon.com will take off a whopping 50 percent of the returned item's price if a CD, DVD, or software package is opened or a book has obvious signs of use. Barnes & Noble will flat-out reject for return CDs and DVDs without the wrappers, but they can be exchanged. Retailers that don't charge a fee if items have been opened include JCPenney and Costco.

Talk turkey. If possible, give the Aunt Ednas in your life hints about what you want this year. That way you can avoid returning items to their favorite stores so often that you end up getting blacklisted--and getting stuck with that purple turtleneck with the sequin-encrusted reindeer applique.

Keep your receipts. If you don't get a gift receipt with your present, ask for the original receipt--if you have the nerve. Many stores allow returns without receipts, but you might have to settle for an exchange or store credit, generally based on the lowest price for which the item sold, which might be a lot lower during post-holiday sales.

Speak up. If you have trouble returning an item, don't waste time arguing with the cashier, who might not have the power to negotiate. Instead, ask to speak with a manager or talk to a representative at the store's customer-service desk.

For your own giving, consider cash. Nobody ever has to take it back. But if crisp bills don't cut it, shop for gifts that are easily returnable and avoid those that aren't, such as most final-sale and monogrammed items, underwear, and evening wear. Before you make your gift purchases, ask about a store's return policy at the register or find it at the retailer's Web site, keeping in mind that it might be more lenient around the holidays. And consider buying from stores with the most-liberal return policies, such as Costco. Finally, be sure to slip a gift receipt into the box so your friend, relative, or co-worker won't have trouble returning your holiday present.

Abby you are lucky this didn't happen to your bus driver!

2006-12-26T13:22:00.000-05:00

Boy sentenced for driving stolen bus

FERN PARK, Fla. - A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to four years in a juvenile treatment program after deputies stopped him driving a stolen bus along a public transit route, picking up passengers and collecting fares.

A judge also sentenced Ritchie Calvin Davis last week to an additional four months in a treatment program for trespassing and theft linked to an unrelated break-in at a United Way office, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Davis also lost his driving privileges for a year, though he doesn't have a license. The sentence means he won't be able to drive for a year after getting a permit or license.

He was already on probation for taking a tour bus and driving passengers around in January, authorities said.

Davis took the city bus on Oct. 28 from the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, where it was parked awaiting sale at an auction, according to a Seminole County sheriff's report. The bus belongs to the Central Florida Transportation Agency, which runs LYNX public transit services in the Orlando area.

Passengers and deputies noted Davis drove the bus at normal speeds and made all the appropriate stops on the route. One passenger, suspicious of the driver's youthful looks, called 911.

'Godfather of Soul' James Brown dies

2006-12-25T10:44:00.000-05:00

By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press Writer

James Brown, the dynamic, pompadoured "Godfather of Soul," whose rasping vocals and revolutionary rhythms made him a founder of rap, funk and disco as well, died early Monday, his agent said. He was 73.

Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia at Emory Crawford Long Hospital on Sunday and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday, said his agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music. Longtime friend Charles Bobbit was by his side, he said.

Copsidas said the cause of death was uncertain. "We really don't know at this point what he died of," he said.

Along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and a handful of others, Brown was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. At least one generation idolized him, and sometimes openly copied him. His rapid-footed dancing inspired Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson among others. Songs such as David Bowie's "Fame," Prince's "Kiss," George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song" were clearly based on Brown's rhythms and vocal style.

If Brown's claim to the invention of soul can be challenged by fans of Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, then his rights to the genres of rap, disco and funk are beyond question. He was to rhythm and dance music what Dylan was to lyrics: the unchallenged popular innovator.

"James presented obviously the best grooves," rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy once told The Associated Press. "To this day, there has been no one near as funky. No one's coming even close."

His hit singles include such classics as "Out of Sight," "(Get Up I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine," "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "Say It Loud — I'm Black and I'm Proud," a landmark 1968 statement of racial pride.

"I clearly remember we were calling ourselves colored, and after the song, we were calling ourselves black," Brown said in a 2003 Associated Press interview. "The song showed even people to that day that lyrics and music and a song can change society."

He won a Grammy award for lifetime achievement in 1992, as well as Grammys in 1965 for "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (best R&B recording) and for "Living In America" in 1987 (best R&B vocal performance, male.) He was one of the initial artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, along with Presley, Chuck Berry and other founding fathers.

He triumphed despite an often unhappy personal life. Brown, who lived in Beech Island near the Georgia line, spent more than two years in a South Carolina prison for aggravated assault and failing to stop for a police officer. After his release on in 1991, Brown said he wanted to "try to straighten out" rock music.

From the 1950s, when Brown had his first R&B hit, "Please, Please, Please" in 1956, through the mid-1970s, Brown went on a frenzy of cross-country tours, concerts and new songs. He earned the nickname "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" and often tried to prove it to his fans, said Jay Ross, his lawyer of 15 years.

Brown would routinely lose two or three pounds each time he performed and kept his furious concert schedule in his later years even as he fought prostate cancer, Ross said.

"He'd always give it his all to give his fans the type of show they expected," he said.

With his tight pants, shimmering feet, eye makeup and outrageous hair, Brown set the stage for younger stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince.

In 1986, he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And rap stars of recent years overwhelmingly have borrowed his lyrics with a digital technique called sampling.

Brown's work has been replayed by the Fat Boys, Ice-T, Public Enemy and a host of other rappers. "The music out there is only as good as my last record," Brown joked in a 1989 interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

"Disco is James Brown, hip-hop is James Brown, rap is James Brown; you know what I'm saying? You hear all the rappers, 90 percent of their music is me," he told the AP in 2003.

Born in poverty in Barnwell, S.C., in 1933, he was abandoned as a 4-year-old to the care of relatives and friends and grew up on the streets of Augusta, Ga., in an "ill-repute area," as he once called it. There he learned to wheel and deal.

"I wanted to be somebody," Brown said.

By the eighth grade in 1949, Brown had served 3 1/2 years in Alto Reform School near Toccoa, Ga., for breaking into cars.

While there, he met Bobby Byrd, whose family took Brown into their home. Byrd also took Brown into his group, the Gospel Starlighters. Soon they changed their name to the Famous Flames and their style to hard R&B.

In January 1956, King Records of Cincinnati signed the group, and four months later "Please, Please, Please" was in the R&B Top Ten.

Pete Allman, a radio personality in Las Vegas who had been friends with Brown for 15 years, credited Brown with jump-starting his career and motivating him personally and professionally.

"He was a very positive person. There was no question he was the hardest working man in show business," Allman said. "I remember Mr. Brown as someone who always motivated me, got me reading the Bible."

While most of Brown's life was glitz and glitter — he was the singing preacher in 1980's "The Blues Brothers" — he was plagued with charges of abusing drugs and alcohol and of hitting his third wife, Adrienne.

In September 1988, Brown, high on PCP and carrying a shotgun, entered an insurance seminar next to his Augusta office. Police said he asked seminar participants if they were using his private restroom.

Police chased Brown for a half-hour from Augusta into South Carolina and back to Georgia. The chase ended when police shot out the tires of his truck.

Brown received a six-year prison sentence. He spent 15 months in a South Carolina prison and 10 months in a work release program before being paroled in February 1991. In 2003, the South Carolina parole board granted him a pardon for his crimes in that state.

Soon after his release, Brown was on stage again with an audience that included millions of cable television viewers nationwide who watched the three-hour, pay-per-view concert at Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles.

Adrienne Brown died in 1996 in Los Angeles at age 47. She took PCP and several prescription drugs while she had a bad heart and was weak from cosmetic surgery two days earlier, the coroner said.

More recently, he married his fourth wife, Tomi Raye Hynie, one of his backup singers. The couple had a son, James Jr.

Two years later, Brown spent a week in a private Columbia hospital, recovering from what his agent said was dependency on painkillers. Brown's attorney, Albert "Buddy" Dallas, said the singer was exhausted from six years of road shows.

Brown was performing to the end, and giving back to his community.

Three days before his death, he joined volunteers at his annual toy giveaway in Augusta, and he planned to perform on New Year's Eve at B.B. King Blues Club in New York.

"He was dramatic to the end — dying on Christmas Day," said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a friend of Brown's since 1955. "Almost a dramatic, poetic moment. He'll be all over the news all over the world today. He would have it no other way."

Joseph Barbera dies at 95

2006-12-20T13:41:00.000-05:00

There are icons of our childhood we never totally leave behind.
Yogi Bear. Huckleberry Hound. Fred Flintstone. George Jetson. Scooby Doo. Space Ghost. Hours spent in front of the TV on after-school afternoons, Saturday mornings, prime-time evenings and, lately, late nights. Years spent repeating catchphrases — from "yabba dabba doo" to "ruh-roh" — that are as familiar to us as poetry was to an earlier age.

All those decades, and decades to come, watching the animated work of Joseph Barbera, who died yesterday of natural causes at the age of 95. If the name doesn't immediately ring a bell, link it with that of his late work partner William Hanna, who died in 2001.

Hanna-Barbera — just saying it conjures up memories of television time that should have been spent doing homework or chores.

Hanna and Barbera got their start, and did their best work, in movies, winning Academy Awards and creating their first cartoon team, Tom and Jerry. But TV is what made them — and they, in turn, helped create the TV cartoon as we came to know it.

The output is staggering. Starting with Ruff and Reddy in the late '50s, near-countless shows came and went, including Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Pixie and Dixie, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, Shazzan, Dastardly and Muttley and The Smurfs. They created many of the cartoons you loved — and most of the ones you hated.

Many of their shows were thinly veiled variations on live-action sitcoms. The Flintstones were cave-people Honeymooners; Top Cat was a feline Sgt. Bilko. And many more of them were simply variations on each other —The Jetsons being The Flintstones moved out of the past into the future.

And even as children, we knew that many of them, well, weren't very good. Hanna-Barbera pioneered a simplified, inexpensive form of animation for TV, and it showed. Their cartoons lacked the beauty of Disney and the wit of Warner Bros.

Eventually, of course, their problems became part of their appeal. Laughing at the ever-repeating backgrounds of a Hanna-Barbera cartoon — the way poor Huckleberry Hound seemed to run in place as the same tree whizzed past behind him — was one of the later joys of the experience. It's why Cartoon Network can get so much mileage out of mocking them on Adult Swim.

Yet in the end, in spite of, or perhaps because of, their limitations, the cartoons were hopelessly endearing. Snagglepuss with his "heavens to murgatroid" and his "exit, stage left." Muttley with that stupid snicker. Yogi and Boo-Boo with their simple desire for a "pic-a-nic basket." Or more deeply, Jonny Quest with his desperate need to please his father.

It's the stuff of which childhood is made — and Barbera made it. That's a legacy few in TV can match.

THE HANNA-BARBERA LEGACY

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera's Tom and Jerry won seven Academy Awards; Hanna-Barbera later won eight Emmys and a Governors Awards from the Television Academy. Among the duo's famous animated productions:

- Tom and Jerry (1941)
- Ruff and Reddy (1957)
- Huckleberry Hound (1958)
- Quick Draw McGraw (1959)
- The Flintstones (1960)
- Yogi Bear (1961)
- Top Cat (1961)
- The Jetsons (1962)
- Magilla Gorilla (1964)
- Jonny Quest (1964)
- Secret Squirrel and Atom Ant (1965)
- Space Ghost (1966)
- Birdman and the Galaxy Trio (1967)
- The Banana Splits (live action/animated, 1968)
- Scooby-Doo (1969)
- Josie and the Pussycats (1970)
- Super Friends (1973)
- The Smurfs (1981)

Source: IMDB.com; emmy.org

2006-12-16T19:38:00.000-05:00

Whittaker Christmas Past

2006-12-16T01:11:00.000-05:00

Not sure of the year of this. Maybe 1985 or 86. I do know the location is Aunt's Karen's in Syracuse.

Joshua Jeffrey Grice

2006-12-15T13:15:00.001-05:00

Joshua Jeffrey Grice
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Joshua Jeffrey Grice

2006-12-15T13:15:00.000-05:00

Joshua Jeffrey Grice
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Mo's baby boy

Grandma's Dressing Table

2006-12-09T15:41:00.000-05:00

Grandma's Dressing Table
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

New PC Deck & Picture

2006-12-09T15:40:00.001-05:00

New PC Deck & Picture
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Robert & Abby Christmas Tree

2006-12-09T15:40:00.000-05:00

Robert & Abby Christmas Tree
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

New Curtain in Kitchen

2006-12-09T15:36:00.000-05:00

New Curtain
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Eric Sanders

2006-12-08T17:04:00.000-05:00

Thursday, December 7, 2006 — Stephen Eric Sanders, 30, of 11242 Curlee Road, Norwood, died at 5:44 p.m. Tuesday Dec. 5, 2006, in Stanly Regional Medical Center.

His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Hartsell Funeral Home’s Lefler Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Sid Martin will officiate and burial will be in Smith’s Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Oakboro.

Born Oct. 12, 1976, in Stanly County, he was a son of Lisa Curlee Boles of Peachland and Stephen D. Sanders of Albemarle. Eric had a deep love for his family, especially his younger brother Danny and sister Krystal, always seeing himself as their “protector.” He was sincerely devoted to his maternal grandparents, Willie Jay and Syble Curlee, being mainly responsible for raising him in his early years. To his nephews he was affectionately known as “Ric-Ric.”

Eric lived his life on his terms, never intentionally hurting anyone. He had a great love for music and had played in local bands; music was a large part of his life. To any that wonder, Eric had a spiritual side, and often discussed this with his mother. He is at peace now with Jesus.

The family also wishes to thank Stanly County Deputy Francisco Porras, and to his many friends for their exceptional kindness.

Eric’s mother requests that for his viewing and his funeral service, no formal clothing. Please come in your jeans and T-shirts., This is how Eric would have wanted it. Anyone wishing to speak at the funeral service may do so. This is a tribute to his life. Please help us celebrate it.

He is survived by his mother, Lisa Curlee Boles and husband Kenneth of Peachland; his father, Stephen D. Sanders of Albemarle; his maternal grandparents, Willie Jay and Syble Curlee of Aquadale; a brother, Stephen Daniel Burleson Jr. of Albemarle; a sister, Krystal Alisha Burleson of Aquadale; three nephews, Sean Kristopher Lowder of Albemarle and Dominick and Demitri Hammond of Aquadale, all of whom he loved dearly; his stepfather, Stephen Daniel Burleson of Charlotte; his uncle and aunt, Jay and Betty Curlee of Aquadale; his cousin, Daniel Jay Curlee of Marion; his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Carol Sanders of Albemarle, whom he affectionately called “Granny;” his best friend, Jeremy Sweet of Aquadale; a lifelong friend, Johnny Owens of Albemarle; two special girlfriends, Heather Auton of Bryceville, Fla., and Michelle Harris of New London; and special friends, Dustin Mabry, Eric Hill and Quentin Smith.

The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Hartsell Funeral Home in Albemarle. At other times they will meet at the home of his grandparents, Willie Jay and Syble, 11242 Culee Road, Norwood.

Flickr

2006-11-26T21:33:00.000-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

ASHLEE'S DEER

2006-11-21T17:36:00.000-05:00

Finally, Robert & Abby's New Furniture

2006-11-16T19:45:00.000-05:00

Holland America Veendam

2006-11-13T10:33:00.000-05:00

If this does not satisfy your cruise curiosity go to this link to see the rest of the million photos we took

Kake, Shee_rah77, & A-Dogg on Holland America Veendam

2006-11-10T14:16:00.000-05:00

Kake, Shee_rah77, & A-Dogg on Holland America Veendam
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

JackPot For Abby on the Holland America Veendam

2006-11-10T14:12:00.000-05:00

JackPot
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

this reminds me of aviators, but naked

2006-11-04T12:18:00.000-05:00

Nude couple's feud ends at Waffle House
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - No shirt, no service? What about no clothes at all? A couple that began squabbling in a motel room Friday morning carried their dispute over to an adjacent Waffle House restaurant in the nude, police said.

The woman, who was not identified, told officers she was staying in a room with Larry Boyd when he took a hit of cocaine, started trashing their room and choked her.

She ran in the buff to the nearby restaurant and locked herself in the bathroom. Boyd, also naked, followed her into the restaurant and then fled in a car.

He was arrested - still naked - after a short chase by police and was charged with driving under the influence and felony evading arrest, among other charges. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

Why is all the news today about naked people...

Naked man arrested for concealed weapon

2006-11-04T11:53:00.000-05:00

Associated Press
EL CERRITO, Calif. - A man was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon after police found him outdoors - naked - and he told them he had a tool in his rectum, authorities said.

The man was lying on a tree stump, masturbating beside a nature path, near a Bay Area Rapid Transit station Thursday, police said.

John Sheehan, 33, of Pittsburg, was initially arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure. But when asked whether he was carrying anything police should know about, Sheehan mentioned the tool, said El Cerrito Detective Cpl. Don Horgan.

"You can't get much more concealed than that," Horgan said.

Officers drew their weapons and firefighters were called to the scene. Sheehan removed a 6-inch metal awl wrapped in black electrical tape without incident.

Sheehan, who was paroled from state prison last week, was then booked into jail on suspicion of parole violations, indecent exposure and one felony count of possessing a concealed weapon.

"When you're talking about an awl or an ice pick and you're dealing with somebody who's fresh out of prison, it's a weapon. That's a stabbing instrument," Horgan said.

It was not immediately clear what Sheehan was on parole for. A person answering the phone at the jail Friday night did not know whether Sheehan had a lawyer.

Halp

2006-11-03T09:09:00.000-05:00

2006-11-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

Kerry Belittles U.S. Troops

Drugs, gold tooth cover discovered in Stanfield

2006-10-28T15:16:00.000-04:00

Thursday, October 26, 2006 — An investigation is underway after K-9 units discovered a book bag filled with drugs in a wooded area off Rock Hole Road near Stanfield.

Inside were marijuana, crack cocaine, electronic scales and a set of gold tooth covers, also known as a “grill” or “fronts.”

The cocaine’s estimated value is $1,200 and the marijuana’s estimated value is $850.

Although the value of the gold tooth covers is unknown, deputies may attempt DNA identification.

Frick said finding the gold teeth was a first for him.

“We’re so tough on crime we’ll even take a man’s gold teeth,” he said.

dishes and appliances/for marion

2006-10-24T18:49:00.000-04:00

dishes and appliances/for marion
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Marion,
here is a peek at the apartment and some of the items you asked about. we do have a vacuum, and i think there is a blender?

guess the appliances/for marion

2006-10-24T18:48:00.001-04:00

guess the appliances/for marion
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

iron & board for marion

2006-10-24T18:48:00.000-04:00

iron & board for marion
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

kate on pretty couch

2006-10-24T18:47:00.001-04:00

kate on pretty couch
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

sharkey for marion

2006-10-24T18:47:00.000-04:00

sharkey for marion
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

silverware drawer for marion

2006-10-24T18:46:00.000-04:00

silverware drawer for marion
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

lots of silverware

Ashford Westmoreland

2006-10-18T16:57:00.000-04:00

Ashford
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Labradoodle Puppies @ 10 Weeks Old

2006-10-17T10:28:00.000-04:00

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

toby keith

2006-10-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

joe nichols

2006-10-16T10:38:00.000-04:00

darla puppy & fancy

2006-10-15T13:44:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Harriette Myrtle Clough Powell

2006-10-08T10:22:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Harriette Myrtle Clough Powell, 71, of Charlotte, N.C., passed away Friday, October 6, 2006, at Presbyterian Hospital - Matthews. Mrs. Powell was born March 20, 1935 in Triangle, N.Y., daughter of the late Harry and Hazel Yarnes Clough. She retired after forty years as a schoolteacher at Whitney Point Elementary School, and later as a substitute teacher in the Binghamton School System. She will be remembered for her love of children and her family. Mrs. Powell enjoyed cooking and she was a professional storyteller. Mrs. Powell is survived by her husband, Charles L. "Chuck" Powell; children, Barry Crooks (Ann), Terri Crooks (Billy), Mark Crooks (Judy), and Brian Crooks; stepchildren, Diane King, Dawn Rizzo, Debra Powell, Chris Wrighter, and John Powell; 17 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; and a special family friend, Jill Slocum.
Private arrangements are in the care of McEwen - Mint Hill Chapel, Charlotte, N.C.

Pressconnects.com

A Marines Letter Home

2006-10-08T10:18:00.000-04:00

Written last month, this straightforward account of life in Iraq by a Marine officer was initially sent just to a small group of family and friends. His honest but wry narration and unusually frank dissection of the mission contrasts sharply with the story presented by both sides of the Iraq war debate, the Pentagon spin masters and fierce critics. Perhaps inevitably, the “Letter from Iraq” moved quickly beyond the small group of acquantainaces and hit the inboxes of retired generals, officers in the Pentagon, and staffers on Capitol Hill. TIME’s Sally B. Donnelly first received a copy three weeks ago but only this week was able to track down the author and verify the document’s authenticity. The author wishes to remain anonymous but has allowed us to publish it here — with a few judicious omissions.

All: I haven’t written very much from Iraq. There’s really not much to write about. More exactly, there’s not much I can write about because practically everything I do, read or hear is classified military information or is depressing to the point that I’d rather just forget about it, never mind write about it. The gaps in between all of that are filled with the pure tedium of daily life in an armed camp. So it’s a bit of a struggle to think of anything to put into a letter that’s worth reading. Worse, this place just consumes you. I work 18-20-hour days, every day. The quest to draw a clear picture of what the insurgents are up to never ends. Problems and frictions crop up faster than solutions. Every challenge demands a response. It’s like this every day. Before I know it, I can’t see straight, because it’s 0400 and I’ve been at work for 20 hours straight, somehow missing dinner again in the process. And once again I haven’t written to anyone. It starts all over again four hours later. It’s not really like Ground Hog Day, it’s more like a level from Dante’s Inferno.

Rather than attempting to sum up the last seven months, I figured I’d just hit the record-setting highlights of 2006 in Iraq. These are among the events and experiences I’ll remember best.

Worst Case of Déjà Vu — I thought I was familiar with the feeling of déjà vu until I arrived back here in Fallujah in February. The moment I stepped off of the helicopter, just as dawn broke, and saw the camp just as I had left it ten months before — that was déjà vu. Kind of unnerving. It was as if I had never left. Same work area, same busted desk, same chair, same computer, same room, same creaky rack, same… everything. Same everything for the next year. It was like entering a parallel universe. Home wasn’t 10,000 miles away, it was a different lifetime.

Most Surreal Moment — Watching Marines arrive at my detention facility and unload a truck load of flex-cuffed midgets. 26 to be exact. We had put the word out earlier in the day to the Marines in Fallujah that we were looking for Bad Guy X, who was described as a midget. Little did I know that Fallujah was home to a small community of midgets, who banded together for support since they were considered as social outcasts. The Marines were anxious to get back to the midget colony to bring in the rest of the midget suspects, but I called off the search, figuring Bad Guy X was long gone on his short legs after seeing his companions rounded up by the giant infidels.

Most Profound Man in Iraq — an unidentified farmer in a fairly remote area who, after being asked by Reconnaissance Marines if he had seen any foreign fighters in the area replied “Yes, you.”

Worst City in al-Anbar Province — Ramadi, hands down. The provincial capital of 400,000 people. Lots and lots of insurgents killed in there since we arrived in February. Every day is a nasty gun battle. They blast us with giant bombs in the road, snipers, mortars and small arms. We blast them with tanks, attack helicopters, artillery, our snipers (much better than theirs), and every weapon that an infantryman can carry. Every day. Incredibly, I rarely see Ramadi in the news. We have as many attacks out here in the west as Baghdad. Yet, Baghdad has 7 million people, we have just 1.2 million. Per capita, al-Anbar province is the most violent place in Iraq by several orders of magnitude. I suppose it was no accident that the Marines were assigned this area in 2003.

Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province — Any Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD Tech). How’d you like a job that required you to defuse bombs in a hole in the middle of the road that very likely are booby-trapped or connected by wire to a bad guy who’s just waiting for you to get close to the bomb before he clicks the detonator? Every day. Sanitation workers in New York City get paid more than these guys. Talk about courage and commitment.

Second Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province — It’s a 20,000-way tie among all these Marines and Soldiers who venture out on the highways and through the towns of al-Anbar every day, not knowing if it will be their last — and for a couple of them, it will be.

Worst E-Mail Message — “The Walking Blood Bank is Activated. We need blood type A+ stat.” I always head down to the surgical unit as soon as I get these messages, but I never give blood — there’s always about 80 Marines in line, night or day.

Greatest Vindication — Stocking up on outrageous quantities of Diet Coke from the chow hall in spite of the derision from my men on such hoarding, then having a 122mm rocket blast apart the giant shipping container that held all of the soda for the chow hall. Yep, you can’t buy experience.

Biggest Mystery — How some people can gain weight out here. I’m down to 165 lbs. Who has time to eat?

Second Biggest Mystery — if there’s no atheists in foxholes, then why aren’t there more people at Mass every Sunday?

Favorite Iraqi TV Show — Oprah. I have no idea. They all have satellite TV.

Coolest Insurgent Act — Stealing almost $7 million from the main bank in Ramadi in broad daylight, then, upon exiting, waving to the Marines in the combat outpost right next to the bank, who had no clue of what was going on. The Marines waved back. Too cool.

Most Memorable Scene — In the middle of the night, on a dusty airfield, watching the better part of a battalion of Marines packed up and ready to go home after over six months in al-Anbar, the relief etched in their young faces even in the moonlight. Then watching these same Marines exchange glances with a similar number of grunts loaded down with gear file past — their replacements. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said.

Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate — Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here — all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a band of brothers who will die for one another. They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school. Man for man, they now have more combat experience than any Marines in the history of our Corps.

I didn’t copy the whole letter but go to the link if you’d like.

Taliban with Fancy's puppies

2006-09-30T13:34:00.000-04:00

Connor Comley

2006-09-29T18:58:00.003-04:00

Connor Comley
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Charity & Connor

2006-09-29T18:58:00.002-04:00

Charity & Connor
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Charity

2006-09-29T18:58:00.001-04:00

Charity
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Connor Comley

2006-09-29T18:58:00.000-04:00

Connor Comley
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Connor & Nicole

2006-09-29T18:57:00.001-04:00

Connor & Nicole
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Lacey & New Lights @ Kitchen Bar

2006-09-29T18:57:00.000-04:00

Lacey & New Lights @ Kitchen Bar
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Kate & New Lights @ the Kitchen Bar

2006-09-29T18:56:00.000-04:00

Kate & New Lights @ the Kitchen Bar
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

TV on the Back Porch

2006-09-09T22:44:00.000-04:00

TV_Porch
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Barstools

2006-09-09T22:43:00.000-04:00

Kitchen_1
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Faux Finish in The Office

2006-09-09T22:42:00.000-04:00

Office_2
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

New Table

2006-09-09T22:41:00.000-04:00

New Table
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Entry Way

2006-09-09T22:40:00.000-04:00

Entry_Way
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

This is what you see when you enter through the garage. We did have some trouble putting this together but it is all good now!

"what, me worry?"

2006-09-08T13:43:00.001-04:00

"what, me worry?"
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

NC Labradoodles Site Up & Running

2006-09-07T23:40:00.000-04:00

www.nclabradoodles.com

Master Sgt. Brad A. Clemmons

2006-08-28T13:28:00.000-04:00

A good friend of mine & a very close friend of Tim & Anna Sterner (my friend's who are stationed in Germany) was killed in Iraq last week.

Brad was a great soldier, father, husband, & friend. Please keep his family & friends in your thoughts. He will be very missed....

No. 801-06
August 23, 2006

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Master Sgt. Brad A. Clemmons, 37, of Chillicothe, Ohio, died Aug. 21 when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle. The vehicle was part of a transportation convoy enroute to Taji, Iraq. Clemmons was assigned to the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

Media with questions related to this release should contact the Eielson Air Force Base public affairs office at (907) 377-2116.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the Guest Book for Master Sgt. Brad A. Clemmons.

New Flooring

2006-08-25T01:11:00.000-04:00

Just the 10 of Us!

2006-08-20T12:27:00.000-04:00

Labradoodle Puppies 2 Weeks Old Eyes Open!

Celebrity Scoring Ticker

2006-08-18T23:41:00.000-04:00

New Cooper River Bridge-Charleston, SC

2006-08-17T13:43:00.000-04:00

Charleston Graveyard

2006-08-17T13:41:00.000-04:00

Fleet Landing, Charleston, SC

2006-08-17T13:39:00.000-04:00

2006-08-12T19:38:00.000-04:00

Doggies in their New Yard

2006-08-12T19:36:00.000-04:00

Vegas Going Through Doggy Door

2006-08-12T19:05:00.000-04:00

Bristol Going Through The Doggy Door

For the 1st Time!

Old School-Tisha

2006-08-11T11:44:00.000-04:00

Tisha
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Old School-Danielle

2006-08-11T11:43:00.000-04:00

Danielle
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

if you lived in harmony (passions)

2006-08-07T19:03:00.000-04:00

If you lived in Harmony...
You would be married to Julian and have 2 kid(s). You would live in The Bennett GARAGE and use Theresa's limousine to travel around town. You would earn a living as a Lawyer, but no one actually works in Harmony. You would encounter a small problem with a(n) Back-From-The-Dead Spouse, but ultimately triumph.

yeah! i got julian!!! try for yourself! post your results if you dare!

passions mash

There has been a Miscount!

2006-08-06T12:30:00.000-04:00

I know this sounds crazy but now as of this morning we have 12 PUPPIES not 10. So, the only thing we can figure is she had 2 more last night...
We can call this litter-Cheaper By the Dozen or The Dirty Dozen!
The two that have appeared are lighter colored then the rest or we think so far they are...
Here is a pic of what we expect them to look like when they are bigger!!! The two slow poke pups!

Happy B-Day to Fancy & Vegas's 10 Puppies

2006-08-05T19:00:00.000-04:00

Fancy & Her Puppies-Aug 5th 2006
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Close-up of the puppies

2006-08-05T18:59:00.000-04:00

Fancy & Her Puppies-Aug 5th 2006
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Fancy & Her 10 Puppies

2006-08-05T18:58:00.001-04:00

Fancy & Her Puppies-Aug 5th 2006
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Fancy licking her Puppy

2006-08-05T18:58:00.000-04:00

Fancy & Her Puppies-Aug 5th 2006
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Fancy & Her Puppies born Aug 5th

2006-08-05T18:57:00.000-04:00

Fancy & Her Puppies-Aug 5th 2006
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Fancy had 10 puppies. 3 black, one chocolate, 5 buff/brownish, 1 sorta white. We are not totally sure of the lite colored ones!

jess underwater

2006-08-05T11:18:00.000-04:00

jess underwater
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

taken with lacey's waterproof camera!

taylor/sax

2006-08-03T00:03:00.000-04:00

taylor/sax
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

waiting for taylor

2006-08-03T00:01:00.000-04:00

abby/lindz
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

showtime

2006-08-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

showtime
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

brissy

2006-08-02T23:58:00.000-04:00

brissy
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

shooter

2006-07-30T19:42:00.000-04:00

IMGP0155
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

abby parked behind shooter

2006-07-30T19:39:00.000-04:00

IMGP0069
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

2007 Harley Heritage Softail Classic

2006-07-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

The Harley Rob is getting. I think I like the Suede Blue Pearl & Vivid Black Color Paint.

Bristol on the pillow he never used till he moved to NC

2006-07-26T23:25:00.000-04:00

Bristol on the pillow he never used till he moved to NC
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Vegas Taking a load off

2006-07-26T23:23:00.000-04:00

Vegas Taking a load off
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Vegas & Bristol

2006-07-26T23:22:00.000-04:00

Vegas & Bristol
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

My best attempt of the puppies together

Mr Bristol Buluga

2006-07-26T23:21:00.000-04:00

Mr Bristol Buluga
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Vegas sitting next to doggie door

2006-07-26T23:20:00.001-04:00

Vegas sitting next to doggie door
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Lacey & Brissy

2006-07-26T23:20:00.000-04:00

P7264752
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Chillin

Vegas

2006-07-26T23:19:00.000-04:00

Vegas
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Looking Spiffy After His Bath

Abby, Brissy, & Vegas

2006-07-26T23:18:00.000-04:00

Abby, Brissy, & Vegas
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

On the Porch Swing

New Grill

2006-07-26T23:17:00.000-04:00

New Grill
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Brissy on his pillow in the newly painted dining room

2006-07-26T23:16:00.000-04:00

Brissy on his pillow in the newly painted dining room
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Cognetti's New Living Room With HDTV

2006-07-24T18:53:00.001-04:00

Living Room With HDTV
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Dad Sleeping at the Pool

2006-07-24T18:53:00.000-04:00

Dad Sleeping at Pool
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

With His Mouth Open

Paint Job

2006-07-24T18:51:00.001-04:00

Paint Job
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Dining Room

Paint Job

2006-07-24T18:51:00.000-04:00

Paint Job
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

In the New Dining Room

Abby's New Fridge

2006-07-24T18:50:00.000-04:00

New Fridge
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.

Well, and Robert's too

Picture with Rob's New Digital Camera

2006-07-08T17:55:00.000-04:00

July 7th 2006

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Bus Races @ Lowes Motor Speedway

2006-07-06T23:01:00.000-04:00

4th of July 2006

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Jason & Peggy "One Hot Night" Charlotte Motor Speedway 1992

2006-07-05T18:37:00.000-04:00

jason & peg one hot night
Originally uploaded by shee_rah77.