I keep a gratitude journal and update it almost daily. It wouldn’t be hard for me to list out the things I am thankful for. But let’s give it a try, anyways.

I’m thankful for the family I was born into. The closest relatives I have in Houston is my mom’s first cousin, Tita Edith’s, family. Tita Edith’s kids, Anthony, Joanne, and Gino, are the cousins I grew up with and the cousins I will be connected to in the future. They’re pretty awesome human beings. Seeing them this past Thanksgiving was amazing and I’m thankful for them. We don’t see each other a lot, but I’m trying to change that and become more involved.

I’m thankful for the family I chose. I was able to see my great friend Chloe. Her mom and step dad were Mr. and Mrs. Clause for the Uptown Park Lighting Festival. Her husband, Chris, couldn’t go, because he recently had surgery on his collar bone and  going through crowds wouldn’t have been smart. Chloe’s great Uncle George couldn’t go either, because of the crowds, as well. He has a walker and it would have been hard to navigate through the crowd. So Chloe invited me. I hadn’t seen her in awhile, since school has been taking up my life. And it was awesome to see her. She is one of the nursing school friends I am working hard to keep.

At the VIP section in front of Maggianos having appetizers. yum!

The fireworks after the Christmas trees were lit. Absolutely beautiful!!

Afterwards, I spent the night at Jackie’s. Her family was having a late Thanksgiving dinner. Jackie has a sister, Eva, who I love dearly. She is the type of person who has such an open heart. She knows that I am important to Jackie and has welcomed me in their family whole heartedly. Jackie’s mom and dad have made me feel welcome as well. I’m glad I was able to spend time with them, too.

I had a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I had more than enough shares of turkey! And got to spend time with loved ones. The only time I spent alone was when I was driving.

I got my replacement phone today. It didn’t come with a SIM card, which defeated the purpose of getting my phone, but I just bought one at the TMobile store. I was able to get ahold of my loved ones through Google Voice. I had this phone number for my side business as a photographer. But it came in handy because I was able to text and make calls through the internet. If anyone needed to get ahold of me, they could text my Google Voice number and all the texts would go straight to my email. Pretty cool!

My great friend Lizzie’s wedding is tomorrow and I cannot wait to celebrate her and Nelson’s union. I asked many people to keep Lizzie and her baby in their prayers. And with the grace of God, she and her baby girl are doing well and are healthy! If that isn’t something to be thankful for, I don’t know what is.

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I saw was this angel’s face.
And having her in my life is absolutely a great blessing that I thank God for everyday. She has changed me in ways I could not fathom. I hope the start of the holiday season has treated you well.

We all know the story of the Pilgrims and the mythical 1621 First Thanksgiving, but another important Thanksgiving observance occurred in December 1777, while the Continental Congress was meeting in York, Pennsylvania. 

During the 1700s, the individual colonies often observed days of thanksgiving throughout the year. Instead of the lavish feast associated with today’s celebration, however, the colonial Thanksgiving Day was a day set aside for fasting and prayer. Later in the 18th century, states sometimes designated a day of thanksgiving to celebrate the adoption of a state constitution, an exceptionally bountiful crop, or a military victory, such as the surrender of British General Burgoyne at Saratoga.

Colonial Court House, now on W. Market Street, York.

A nationwide day of prayer and thanksgiving on December 18, 1777, commemorated this patriot victory. It was the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the new government.

 Since the delegates had by then signed the Articles of Confederation declaring the colonies as the United States of America, it’s the reason that York, Pennsylvania, often claims to be the site of America’s first Thanksgiving Day.

President George Washington signed the first official Thanksgiving Day proclamation in 1789. The decree set aside Thursday, November 26, as “A Day of Publick Thanksgiving and Prayer,” which was “to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many. . .favors of Almighty God.”  What a coincidence that 220 years later, in 2009, Thanksgiving Day also fell onThursday,  November 26!

President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation in 1863, declaring the fourth Tuesday of November as a national holiday. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday to the third Thursday of November (to extend the Christmas shopping season and boost the economy). In 1941, he changed it again to the fourth Thursday in November, where it stands today.

Law enforcement officers and biologists with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will begin conducting field inspections of active drilling sites for Marcellus Shale gas wells beginning next month, the agency announced today.

“Until now our agency has only reacted to those drilling sites where a problem resulted in material entering a waterway or wetlands,” said Dr. Douglas Austen, PFBC executive director. “We are now taking a proactive approach to identify possible problems at a drilling site and to work with the company to ensure necessary measures are in place to minimize the possibility of damaging nearby waterways.”

via Fish & Boat Commission to Inspect Marcellus Shale Drilling Sites – North Eastern Fly Fishing Forums.

If you drink water from a well located within a mile of this Farragut gas well or any other, having your water tested BEFORE the gas well is drilled is a must. If you are ever to file a claim for well water contamination, you must have proof that your drinking water was once pure.

Locally, Seewald Labs (570-326-4001) is able to do the testing. Be sure you also have the lab draw the sample, for if you collect and deliver the water sample yourself, there will be no validated chain of custody; and you’ll be out of luck in court.

via Hydrofracking Farragut | Freshlife.

Por fin. Pilar González, como Secretaria General del Partido Andalucista (PA), y José Antonio Pino, como Portavoz Nacional del Partido Socialista de Andalucía (PSA), han anunciado hoy oficialmente un acuerdo entre ambas formaciones para trabajar a partir de ahora en común y presentarse bajo una misma candidatura en las próximas elecciones.

Para que esta labor en común sea efectiva, se crearán ‘Comités de Enlace’ a nivel nacional, provincial, comarcal y local. En la práctica, esta coalición funcionará como un único partido que se pasará a llamar provisionalmente ‘PA+PSA‘. Después de las municipales se realizará el congreso de unificación.

Lo mejor de todo y es, además, algo que debería quedar claro es que este acuerdo sólo es la primera fase de algo más grande. El fin al que se aspira es la configuración de un gran espacio andaluz en el que tenga cabida la unidad total del andalucismo, el ecologismo político y la izquierda ‘no autoritaria’. De hecho, el documento firmado está pensado para facilitar que esto se produzca.

En el caso del PSA, este acuerdo fue presentado y aprobado por unanimidad (100%) el pasado fin de semana en una Convención Nacional que se celebró en Carmona. Algo lógico, pues el documento sigue la ruta marcada por el III Congreso Nacional del PSA que se celebró hace un año en Chiclana, por la Convención Nacional en Torrox y, en general, es coherente con la línea de trabajo e ideológica que el partido sigue desde hace años.

En mi opinión, es un buen acuerdo. Supongo (seguro que sí) que es mejorable, pero se trata de un buen punto de partida para crear la confluencia del andalucismo, el ecologismo y la izquierda.

Dunkard Creek photos from September 24, 2009 combined with other photos of Marcellus Shale gas drilling activities including Residual Waste tankers and gas well flaring.

In light of recent Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) findings across the state, which have revealed harmful contamination of drinking and bathing water by oil and gas companies, Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7-PA) is renewing his push for Congress to immediately pass the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals (FRAC) Act, which he co-sponsored in the House of Representatives (HR 2766).

via Pike County Courier – Senate candidate pushes federal gas drilling bill – Straus Newspapers.

Compressor stations are causing a lot of problems in Pennsylvania. This video was taken after a release of an oily substance from Steckman Ridge Compressor in Clearville, PA, on August 23, 2009. The owners of this farm are fearful that their land is hopelessly contaminated, and they don’t know what is in the oily substance they found sprinkled all over everything: their farm equipment, the hay wagon, their crops and plants, their pasture land, their blueberry bushes, their springfed pond. They found soot on their roof. The pond has an oily scum on it. Their plants wilted after this incident. They are asking: Is our farm safe or not?Clearville farmers have watched their animals die- two cows, a horse, many cats, and all of their hens. There are three compressor stations, all within 10 miles. According to the DEP, air tests are not done around compressor stations, despite many requests from residents who live near them. Is the air safe in Clearville? The residents are worried.

Aprobada la instalación de una Antena Local

El Pleno del Ayuntamiento de Puente Genil ha aprobado un convenio de colaboración con la Cámara de Comercio y el Consejo Superior de Cámaras Oficiales para implantar una Antena Local y desarrollar el programa Servicios de Proximidad para la Pequeña y Mediana Empresa. El coste de funcionamiento de este servicio, según informó el alcalde, Manuel Baena, asciende a 5.073 euros, de los que el Fondo Social Europeo aportará el 80 por ciento, la Cámara de Comercio el 10 por ciento y el Ayuntamiento el resto.

Este programa facilita el acceso igualitario a la red de servicios empresariales que prestan las cámaras de comercio y apoyo a los emprendedores en la creación de nuevas actividades empresariales a través de la ventanilla única empresarial. Baena destacó la importancia de la puesta en marcha de políticas de apoyo a las empresas.

DIARIO CÓRDOBA

Here is the final product, screen printed images on paper installed in a tunnel under a bridge in Bethlehem pa.

Dead fish float in a once-pristine stream. Algae thrives. Lovers of the outdoors are heartsick, and everyone wants to know what happened.

The scenario is playing itself out this autumn on the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border, and a Harrisburg-based agency wants to be ready in case the same scenario unfolds in its jurisdiction.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission wants to put 30 real-time, water-quality monitoring stations on streams and creeks across the part of the Susquehanna Basin where natural gas companies are drilling into the Marcellus Shale formation.

via Agency wants to keep watch over waterways | Penn State News | Local – Centre Daily Times.

While traditional hospitals seem to slow down around the holiday season, this year they are moving full steam ahead.  There are new jobs opening and interviews taking place while we’re eating our turkey.  If you’re on vacation for the holiday, don’t forget to have your phone with you so that you don’t miss any new travel nurse positions that might be just right for what you’re looking for.  Also, as we talked about last week, you don’t want to miss that phone call from the nurse manager!

This Week’s New Positions Include:

ICU in Fort Worth, TX

Peds in Miami, FL

ER in Wynnewood, PA

ICU in Gainesville, FL

L&D in Orangeburg, SC

PICU in Mesa, AZ

MS/Tele in Conroe, TX

L&D in Modesto, CA

ER in Chinle, AZ

ICU in Sebring, FL

MS in Billings, MT

NP in Columbia, SC

ER in Tampa, FL

ICU in Grants, NM

OR in Ketchikan, AK

Wright Township officials last week put off a vote on a request by Baker Hughes oil field services for a conditional use and zoning waiver that would allow the company to receive, store and ship radioactive material at a site in the Crestwood Industrial Park. Though the matter was on their agenda, supervisors said they wanted more information before voting on the zoning waiver. The issue could come up for a vote in December.

At a zoning hearing on Nov. 2, representatives of Baker Hughes said the company wants to receive and store tritium, cesium and americium for use in mining operations on the Marcellus Shale. They assured supervisors the radioactive material will be safely handled and poses no environmental risks. The materials will be tracked closely during delivery to and from the Crestwood site, and sealed on-site in bunkers nine feet underground with no chance of environmental impact, they said.

via Community News – Citizens Voice.

Politiets rapport viser en voldsom økning i antall ran i Oslo første halvdel av 2009

Oslo politidistrikt har lagt fram rapporten over ran i 2008 og rapporten over kriminalitet i Oslo første halvdel av 2009. Tallene viser at en ransbølge skyller over hovedstaden.

Antall registrerte anmeldelser av ran og utpressing i Oslo første halvdel av 2009 økte med 30,5 prosent i forhold til samme tid i fjor.

Les hele rapporten over kriminalitet i Oslo første halvdel av 2009 her

Kraftig økning grove ran

I alt er det registrert 594 anmeldelser av ran og utpressing i Oslo politidistrikt så langt i år. Økningen av grove ran av person var på hele 67,5 prosent.

For at et ran skal betegnes som grovt, blir det foretatt en helhetsvurdering av hendelsesforløpet. Eksempler på grove ran kan være ran hvor skytevåpen eller kniv blir brukt, om ranet var nøye planlagt, om det var foretatt overfor en forsvarsløs person eller om det er frastjålet gjenstander av en betydelig verdi.

Politiet øker innsatsen

– Vi ser at en del unge menn begår en lang rekke med ran, og spesielt her i Grønlands krets. Vi ser at det er mange med annen landbakgrunn. 55 prosent av gjerningspersonene er fra utenfor Vest-Europa. De kommer fra Asia, Midtøsten og Afrika, sier politimester Anstein Gjengedal ved Oslo politidistrikt til TV 2 Nyhetene.

Gjengedal understreker at Grønland politistasjon har satt i gang en innsatsgruppe mot utviklingen i området.

– De har pågrepet i alt 55 personer den siste tiden, og mange av disse står bak flere ran. I mai hadde vi en nedgang, men vi ser at vi har hatt en økning i juni igjen, så dette er et område vi kommer til å følge opp til høsten, sier Gjengedal.

(Video ikke tilgjengelig på mobil)

Tar lærdom etter ransbølgen i 2004

Gjennomsnittsalderen på ransmennene er 22 år. Gjengedal sier å rane privatpersoner på åpen gate er en måte for disse å enkelt skaffe seg midler på.

– Det er vanligvis ikke store verdier det er snakk om. Ofte er det snakk om mobiltelefoner, minibankkort og lignende. Men for personen som blir utsatt for ran er det en integritetskrenkelse som er alvorlig, sier han.

Politimesteren tror ikke økningen har noe å gjøre med at det har vært mindre politi i gatene.

– Jeg tror ikke det har så mye å si. De fleste ranene blir begått på nattestid, og uansett klarer ikke vi å dekke opp hele byen. Det er spesielt på nedre del av Karl Johan og bortover Grünerløkka ranene skjer. Der har vi hatt økt aktivitet med patruljering rundt narkotikamiljøene. Og det kommer vi til å følge opp utover høsten, sier Gjengedal.

Gjengedal håper ransstatistikken skal gå ned utover høsten. I 2004 opplevde Oslo også en ransbølge med over tusen ran i løpet av et år. Nå ønsker politiet å ta lærdom av grepene som ble gjort den gangen.

– Den gang satt vi inn en egen gruppe og klarte å få statistikken ned med over 25 prosent. Det vi ser nytter er å pågripe gjerningspersonen, sier han.

Forutså utviklingen

Allerede i september i fjor forutså TV 2s krimekspert Johnny Brenna at det ville bli en kraftig utvikling i forhold til ran av enkeltpersoner i det offentlige rom.

I blogginnlegget «Hvorfor tenke personlig sikkerhet» skrev han: «Morgendagens kriminalitet ligner derfor mer og mer på det man kan finne på det amerikanske kontinent. Mye rus og psykiatri og kriminalitet som rammer enkeltmennesket ute i det offentlige rom. Vi ser også et svakere og svakere politi i Norge hvor hverdagskriminaliteten får stort spillerom.»

Brenna mener noe av problemet er at det proaktive og patruljerende politiets oppgaver i større grad har blitt erstattet av private sikkerhetsaktører.

At kiosker og bensinstasjoner blir stadig bedre sikret, er også en grunn til utviklingen. En beruset ung mann på vei hjem fra en fuktig natt på byen er et mye lettere offer enn en godt sikret bensinstasjon.

Videre skriver Brenna: «Enkeltmennesket blir derfor mer utsatt og føler mer utrygghet. Enkeltmenneske vil bli mer utsatt for personran, grove tyverier fra offentlig plass og umotivert vold.»

LES HELE BLOGGINNLEGGET FRA 23.09.2008 HER

Høy konsentrasjon i sentrum

Politiets årsrapport om ran fra 2008 viser at de aller fleste ranene i Oslo skjer på offentlig sted i sentrum av byen. Den viser også at antall ran økte i forhold til året før.

Tallene fra første halvdel av 2009 som er nevnt ovenfor antyder at også i år vil tallene øke kraftig.

I hele 2008 ble det registrert 966 anmeldelser av ran og utpressing, noe som er en økning på 17,1 prosent i forhold til 2007.

Til tross for at det forekommer ran over hele byen, er det enkelte områder som peker seg ut. Den største konsentrasjonen er i sentrum, samt bydelene Gamle Oslo, Grünerløkka, Sagene, St. Hanshaugen og Frogner. I disse bydelene har ranene hovedsakelig forekommet i deler som grenser inn mot sentrum.

Les politiets ransrapport for hele 2008 her

Over halvparten i Grønland stasjonskrets

Det er i bydelene som dekkes av Grønland stasjonskrets hvor det forekommer klart flest ran. Hele 56,3 prosent de anmeldte ranene i 2008 forekom her. Deretter fulgte Sentrum stasjonskrets med 19,6 prosent.

Grønland stasjonskrets dekker store deler av Oslo. Områder som Aker Brygge, Jernbanetorget, Grønland, Grünerløkka, Tøyen og Gamle Oslo faller inn under denne stasjonskretsen.

Ransanmeldelsene viser at hele 60,5 prosent av ranene skjedde på offentlig sted. Men også steder tilknyttet offentlige transportmidler er sterkt utsatt. 12,5 prosent av ranene skjedde enten på selve transportmiddelet, eller på stasjoner og holdeplasser.

Rapporten viser også at menn er størst utsatt for ran. Hele 85 prosent av personofrene for ran i 2008 var menn.

Publisert av: AIS Privat Etterforskning Norge

Can the use of “fracking” to extract natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania pollute private wells?

A Texas-based law firm thinks it can and it’s actively searching for affected property owners to represent in law suits against drilling companies.

via EnviroPolitics Blog: Law firm trolling for Marcellus water cases.

Shared pain was the dubious promise of the 101-day-late state budget. However, one industry came away pain-free — the gas drillers in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale deposit.

The industry is shelling out millions of dollars in campaign contributions and lobbying efforts to continue the ruse that the embryonic industry is struggling establishing a beachhead in Pennsylvania while facing investment-strangling low gas prices and the specter of unfair taxes.

The Tiny Tim act won’t work.

Pennsylvania is the only state among the top 15 gas-producing states not to have a severance tax. The drillers of more than 70 percent of the Marcellus Shale wells in Pennsylvania are limited liability companies not subject to the state’s corporate net income tax. Only about 30 percent of corporations pay the income tax.

via Gas drillers aren’t paying their fair share | Our Views & Yours -.