Friday, April 30, 2010

Bottom of the News… Friday, April 30, 2010

Good morning my fellow Rotarians. This morning’s news is the guys in the room, purely for entertainment value only, NOT to inspire you… (thanks brother Carpenter)

The Top 13 Reasons Why Some Men Have Dogs and Not Wives:
1. The later you are, the more excited your dog is to see you.
2. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name.
3. Dogs like it if you leave a lot of things on the floor.
4. Dogs agree that you have to raise your voice to get your point across.
5. You never have to wait for a dog; they are ready to go 24 hours a day.
6. Dogs find you amusing when you're drunk.
7. Dogs like to go hunting and fishing.
8. If a dog has babies, you can put an ad in the paper and give them away.
9. If a dog smells another dog on you, they don't get mad. They just think it's interesting.
10. Dogs like to ride in the back of a pickup truck.
11. A dog's parents never visit.
12. A dog will not wake you up at night to ask, "If I died, would you get another dog?"
13. If a dog leaves, they won't take half of your stuff.

And there you have it, why some men prefer dogs over wives. Hmmm, isn’t that interesting! That is our Bottom of News for this Friday, April 30, 2010.

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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Bottom of the News… Friday, April 23, 2010

Good morning my fellow Rotarians. This morning I’d like to share with you events from this week in history as the bottom of our news…

On April 22, 1915… During WW I, for the first time, German forces shocked allied soldiers by using lethal chlorine gas as a weapon and it initially devastated the Allied line. Within a year the allies developed their own chemicals and more importantly, the French invented the first gas masks.

This week in 1918… The young 10-year old General Motors (GM) became the world's largest auto firm by acquiring Chevrolet Motor Company. GM founder Billy Durant, a carriage maker, grew GM rapidly through acquisitions of Buick Motor Company, Oldsmobile, Cadillac and Oakland Motor. By 1921 with GM struggling financially, GM was bought out by the DuPont family.

In 1945… Adolf Hitler finally admits the war is lost and that suicide would be his only recourse. A week later Italian dictator Bnito Mussolini was shot by his own fellow Italians as he attempted to flee the country to Switzerland.

In 1954… Senator Joseph McCarthy began hearings investigating the US Army for being ‘soft’ on communism. For the first time, senate hearings were televised and McCarthy spent most of that year attacking many groups accusing them for harboring communists. By December the Senate censored McCarthy and very quickly he became a hopeless alcoholic; three years later he died.

April 1968… In typical ‘60’s fashion a social controversial musical premiered on Broadway. The New York Times call it a “cultural upheaval” and a "tribal love-rock musical.” It was HAIR and they took the country by storm with their musical and the ‘60’s era-defining song "The Age of Aquarius."

This week 1972… J. Edgar Hoover dies after serving nearly 50 years as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Hoover was credited as the driving force in building and shaping the FBI to become one of the most powerful government agencies on the planet.

April 22, 1986… Boston Red Sox pitcher, Roger Clemens, becomes the first pitcher in Major League Baseball to strike out 20 batters in a nine-inning game. The game was against Seattle at Fenway Park. Ten years later, Clemens repeats the feat, the only player in baseball history to do that twice.

This week 2004… Pat Tillman, former NFL player, was killed by friendly fire while serving in Afghanistan. Tillman had decided in May of 2002 to give up his pro football career to enlist in the U.S. Army. He decided to fight for his country after the terrorist attacks of September 11. Tillman was 27. Yes, the good sometimes do die young, but I thank God every day for thousands of men and women like Pat Tillman who volunteer to defend and protect our country.

And there you have it, events this week in history, our News for this Friday, April 23, 2010. ###

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Bottom of the News… Friday, April 2, 2010

Good morning my fellow Rotarians. Today our news features some of the strange, but yet true news that do not make the headlines…

London Times: Britain's biggest marijuana-importing operation was exposed in March following the conviction of its three managers. The operation earned over $300 million just in this past year, up nearly 40% over their previous year. The three partners apparently were unable to spend all of their earnings. Despite buying real estate, jewelry and expensive cars, a Scotland Yard inspector said they found "moldy" cash "rotting” away, hidden under floorboards when they searched their marijuana headquarters. Experts say increase in business might be an early sign of an improving economy.

Falmouth, MA: Police hired John Yarrington as an informant/drug dealer setting him up with $100 in marked bills to make a cocaine buy from another dealer. Yarrington did his job for police, completing the deal and then left the scene. However about 15 minutes later, before police had even left the scene of the first deal, Yarrington returned and attempted to buy more cocaine on his own. Police promptly arrested him along with the first dealer he set up as an informant.

Canada: Two-time convicted bank robber Mark Turner filed a lawsuit against the Canadian Parole Board in 2001 claiming they released him too early from prison in 1987. He claimed that the board should have kept him inside until that sentence ran out seven years later. Not long after getting out in ’87 Turner robbed another bank and claimed it was the board's fault, not his. He said if they would have kept him in prison, that by 1994, he would have been more mature and would not have robbed another bank. And for the parole board's error, he sued for payment of $1 million. Hmmm, where is the real robbery? Canada just finally settled this case for an undisclosed amount earlier this year.

London Daily Telegraph: The day before British army chef Liam Francis, 26, arrived at his base in Afghanistan, the Taliban shot down the helicopter bringing in food rations and Francis realized he had to make do with supplies on hand. All he had in his pantry were seasonings and hundreds of tins of Spam. For six weeks Francis prepared "sweet and sour Spam," "Spam fritters," "Spam carbonara," "Spam stroganoff" and "stir-fried Spam." He told the Daily Telegraph that he was proud of his work but admitted that "morale improved" with his unit when fresh food arrived. This puts a different slant on ‘war being hell…’

And there you have it, real but strange news as our Bottom of the News on this Friday, April 2, 2010. ###