Yogi, that sucks.

It's bad for him (obviously) and it's bad for you because you're a friend and there isn't much you can do for him.

Have you considered going over to his house just to visit for a few hours? (I know it's a hard thing to do, but it just MIGHT make him feel a little better).

I'm sorry to hear that Yogi. Just be there for your friend. Give him your shoulder to lean on. I'm sure he will appreciate it.

That is sad news, Yogi. I agree with SC. If you can do anything to lighten his burden, I'm sure you will. I can't imagine having to watch one of my kids endure this disease.

I guess when it rains, it pours. A first grade girl in my daughter's school was hit by a car over the weekend. She will survive, but she will apparently be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. My daughter is four years older and doesn't really know the girl, but she has been depressed over this.

That's sad news Yogi Bear. Not a lot you can do there except be there for your friend.

Sorry to hear that, Yogi and Kly... I wish them and their families the best!

I'm sorry to hear about your news, Yogi and KL. I wish their families the best as well.

My goodness. These are really heartbreaking stories.

Yogi, you are not useless! The best thing that you can do for this person is offer your support and tell him that you are there for him and his family be it in spiritual support, physical support, or just to lend and ear and provide a shoulder to lean on.

Klyd, that is so sad. A little girl like that being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. That is very depressing news. It's only normal that your daughter is feeling the way that she is right now about that poor little girl and what has happened to her. Let's face it, even as adults we seem to want to instill this false sense of security, in our minds, that these things are not supposed to happen to children. All I can say is that although I don't really know you I can still tell, just from our conversations here on this board, that you are a good father who will know what to say to your daughter to get her through this depression she is feeling about that little girl in her school.

I will pray for both families.

Ah man, thats pretty terrible news, both of you, sorry to hear it.

I was bored and figured I'd stop by here and see how everyone was doing......

Kind words everyone. Thank you all. I would expect nothing else from you though. We are a great bunch in here are we not?

Thanks again on behalf of my pal. His daughter goes on for an op today and then will have to face up to chemo. The docs have told them her chances are 50/50 so we will pray and keep everything crossed for them.

Best of luck!

Ah, Yogi, it's so sad when this terrible disease hits the young. It's the one disease where your youth actually works against you.

However, it is no longer a death sentence by any means. Go back and look through that cancer thread that we had on here. I'm sure that Just Lou's story would be so very inspirational to your friend and his daughter. And I know that having a good guy like you as a friend would cheer anyone up!

Klyd, give your daughter an extra hug tonight. It will help.

NEW YORK (AP) - Fox News Channel said popular cable TV host Bill O'Reilly will step down as the host of his syndicated talk radio show early next year.
"The Radio Factor"—which began in 2002 and runs on more than 400 radio stations, as well as satellite operator Sirius XM Radio Inc.—will end in the first quarter of 2009, Fox said late Thursday.

In a statement, O'Reilly said the workload has become too much, adding, "I can no longer give both TV and radio the time they deserve."

O'Reilly will continue hosting "The O'Reilly Factor" on the Fox News Channel and writing his weekly newspaper column.

___

UNC libraries to forgo Christmas trees
Chapel Hill library chief says staffers complained about the display.
By Eric Ferreri
eric.ferreri@newsobserver.com
Posted: Friday, Dec. 05, 2008
Poll
Should public libraries present Christmas displays?

Yes, it is part of our culture.
No, government buildings should be religion neutral.

Your vote has been counted, thank you for voting.
CHAPEL HILL For as long as anyone can remember, Christmas trees adorned with lights and ornaments have greeted holiday season visitors to UNC Chapel Hill's two main libraries.

Not this year.

The trees, which have stood in the lobby areas of Wilson and Davis libraries each December, were kept in storage this year at the behest of Sarah Michalak, the associate provost for university libraries.

Michalak's decision followed several years of queries and complaints from library employees and patrons bothered by the Christian display, Michalak said this week.

Michalak said that banishing the Christmas displays was not an easy decision but that she asked around to library colleagues at Duke, N.C. State and elsewhere and found no other one where Christmas trees were displayed.

That's just ridiculous, and comes up every year.

I can see not displaying religious items like mangers and things related to "the reason for the season" in public places, but decorated trees that have nothing to do with the religious holiday? Ridiculous! Christmas has become a secular holiday in that regard, and I see no reason how people can get so uptight about it.

Personally, I have no problems w/ religious displays in public. Why the hell not?? Have a winter display combining Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa together! At least this time of year. Why all the separation when we should all be uniting/tolerant/embracing of each other!

(Here comes the argument for "well, why not satanic displays?" Well, just because. )

I still wonder how it came about that the world decided to make the 25th of December the day of Jesus' birth when thats not the case.

I agree, Geoffy. It's just silly, liberal propoganda at it's very worst.

Was Jesus born on December 25? There is no evidence for this date. So then, who decided that Jesus' birth would be celebrated on that date? The early Christian church did not celebrate Jesus' birth. It wasn't until A.D. 440 that the church officially proclaimed December 25 as the birth of Christ. This was not based on any religious evidence but on a pagan feast. Saturnalia was a tradition inherited by the Roman pagans from an earlier Babylonian priesthood. December 25 was used as a celebration of the birthday of the sun god. It was observed near the winter solstice.

Yeah, I've read that somewhere.

So basically, they wanted it to coincide with a Roman holiday.

Oh, But at least he was definitely white with blue eyes.

PB, where have you been?

I was down in Florida for the holiday. Even though I've had the condo for 11 years now, it's the first time I ever spent Thanksgiving down there.

It was fucking weird.

I found an old letter I got when I turned 18 from the Italian government, telling me it was compulsory for me to join the Italian army. I forgot how I got out of that. Must have denounced my citizenship.

Is it compulsory in America once you turn 18?

It's compulsory to register.

Did you have ANY family accompany you down there to celebrate Thanksgiving with?

No shit? I had no Idea you guys were still doing that.

Of course.

Who do you think I am, Lee Harvey Oswald or something?

I only asked because you said that it felt weird. So I figured that maybe it felt weird because you did not have your family with you. I've spent many Thanksgivings down in Florida and it actually didn't feel that weird to me. However had my wife and my children not been with me on one of those Thanksgivings down in florida, then it would have felt very weird. That's the only reason that I asked.


Now if you are talking about celebrating Christmas down in Florida, well that's a whole different story altogether. THAT to me, no matter who would be with me, would feel really really wierd!

But at least it wouldn't feel really really cold!

No one loves the "snowbird" thing more than I do, and I'm spending more time each year in Florida, but Christmas in Florida?

That's an infamita.

True. But the cold, to me, is part of celebrating Christmas. Many of us northerners probably feel that way because we are used to growing up relating the Chritmas season with the cold of winter.

Although I wouldn't have any problem getting used to seeing those Florida girls in their bikinis!

Did you say mistletoe or cameltoe?