Trick-or-Treating for your local food bank!

The fab Celtic Diva of Diva's Blue Oasis has come up with a wonderful idea for incorporating Halloween fun and the spirit of giving. While your kiddo's are going door to door for those Trick-or-Treat goodies, help nurture their compassion and humanity by giving them the experience of aiding in their community. Here's Linda's idea:

I was looking for a unique way to celebrate our first holiday season in our home. I started to think about those around the State who aren't feeling particularly festive.

We know that the folks in Rural Alaska are facing a very difficult winter...perhaps more difficult than last year when the Food Bank had to make multiple airlifts. We also know that the Homeless population in Anchorage is growing and combined with the economic downturn, use of the Food Bank went up 30% by Jan 2009. There is no reason to think that will not increase this year.

So, why wait until Thanksgiving to start donating food?

I wasn't able to organize a big food drive. So, I came up with an idea where I could make a little bit of a difference with the help of my neighbors. I figure that folks could also easily do the same in their own neighborhoods without a lot of planning or effort.

1) Several days ahead, paper the neighborhood with flyers letting folks know to bring a can/box of food to your house in exchange for candy (and possibly a piece of cake and cider, if you are so inclined!) Include a list of items from the Food Bank's website on the flyer. Make sure for your own peace-of-mind that they are all canned, boxed or bagged items (non-perishable) since you can't deliver them until Monday.

2) Make a sign to put up in your yard letting folks know that you are collecting items for the Food Bank.

3) Make sure you have a clean garbage can, box or other container to hold the items.

4) Be creative and have fun! (I'm dressing like a witch with a cauldron, bonfire, the works.)

5) Drop off the food at the Food Bank of Alaska on Monday!

Let me know how you guys do if you decide to participate!

(For those of you who really, really want to see me in a witch costume, I'll post pictures the day after :-))

GOING ROUGE...Palin pockets 1.25 million, to start.

“I want to just take this money and quit being governor.” ~Sarah Palin

Click for full story:
Sarah Palin reported in financial disclosures out this morning that she received $1.25 million from publisher HarperCollins as "retainer for book."

The report doesn't give a date for when Palin received the money. But the disclosures cover money that Palin received during her final seven months as governor, from Jan. 1 to July 26.

No other details are offered on the book deal, but a retainer would just be an upfront piece of her money.

Out of the mouth of babes....

From a young boy to President Obama:

"Why do people hate you? They supposed to love you and God is love."

As usual, Obama answers with insight, whit, and class.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

Why I LOVE this guy!!!

Thank you, President Obama, for your clarity in this matter, your dignity, and vision. In this surreal world of fakery and falsity, you are a model of class and groundedness. One of the few who are REAL.

Transcript: President Obama Nobel Prize Acceptance Remarks

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Well, this is not how I expected to wake up this morning. After I received the news, Malia walked in and said, "Daddy, you won the Nobel Peace Prize, and it is Bo's birthday!" And then Sasha added, "Plus, we have a three-day weekend coming up." So it's good to have kids to keep things in perspective.

I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.


To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.

These challenges can't be met by any one leader or any one nation. And that's why my administration has worked to establish a new era of engagement in which all nations must take responsibility for the world we seek. We cannot tolerate a world in which nuclear weapons spread to more nations and in which the terror of a nuclear holocaust endangers more people. And that's why we've begun to take concrete steps to pursue a world without nuclear weapons, because all nations have the right to pursue peaceful nuclear power, but all nations have the responsibility to demonstrate their peaceful intentions.


We cannot accept the growing threat posed by climate change, which could forever damage the world that we pass on to our children -- sowing conflict and famine; destroying coastlines and emptying cities. And that's why all nations must now accept their share of responsibility for transforming the way that we use energy.

We can't allow the differences between peoples to define the way that we see one another, and that's why we must pursue a new beginning among people of different faiths and races and religions; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect.

And we must all do our part to resolve those conflicts that have caused so much pain and hardship over so many years, and that effort must include an unwavering commitment that finally realizes that the rights of all Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security in nations of their own.

We can't accept a world in which more people are denied opportunity and dignity that all people yearn for -- the ability to get an education and make a decent living; the security that you won't have to live in fear of disease or violence without hope for the future.


And even as we strive to seek a world in which conflicts are resolved peacefully and prosperity is widely shared, we have to confront the world as we know it today. I am the Commander-in-Chief of a country that's responsible for ending a war and working in another theater to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people and our allies. I'm also aware that we are dealing with the impact of a global economic crisis that has left millions of Americans looking for work. These are concerns that I confront every day on behalf of the American people.

Some of the work confronting us will not be completed during my presidency. Some, like the elimination of nuclear weapons, may not be completed in my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone. This award is not simply about the efforts of my administration -- it's about the courageous efforts of people around the world.

And that's why this award must be shared with everyone who strives for justice and dignity -- for the young woman who marches silently in the streets on behalf of her right to be heard even in the face of beatings and bullets; for the leader imprisoned in her own home because she refuses to abandon her commitment to democracy; for the soldier who sacrificed through tour after tour of duty on behalf of someone half a world away; and for all those men and women across the world who sacrifice their safety and their freedom and sometime their lives for the cause of peace.

That has always been the cause of America. That's why the world has always looked to America. And that's why I believe America will continue to lead.

Thank you very much.

Yes he DID!

President Barak Obama wins the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.

As much as I wish I could shout out with joy, I'm confuzzled. Maybe I'm just crabby about our President piling too much on his plate from our Felliniesque buffet instead of focusing on 2 or 3 choice selections. I hate to say,"Poo poo, to the Whos", but isn't this award premature? He was nominated in February, only one month in office. On a global level, Obama has become a magnanimous presence well on the way to healing the international wounds inflicted by the Bush years as well as affecting a more harmonious world climate-of which I am infinitely grateful. And I still stand by what I said HERE, but we have yet to see any solid outcomes of his agenda! Not to down play his ongoing commitment to international and domestic peace and multilateralism, but I was under the impression the the The Nobel Peace prize was awarded for efforts realized, not for pledges and hope. Correct me if I'm wrong...

What about Afghanistan?!! Iraq?

And is the Nobel Peace Committee trying to maneuver something here? An assurance that our President will follow through with his original policies? I hope our President carries out his agenda on his own volition and standards.

Just as I have admonished all those lemmings out there who were/are so BEDAZZLED by the enchantment of the sparkly Sarah Palin, let's not get too pie-eyed. As inspiring, heartening, and diligent as he is, I strongly feel that our Obama has more to accomplish before this award can be considered truly earned .

I still believe in "Give Obama a Chance".

Levi's Johnson... Won't his boy be so proud one day?!

Any hope I had for this guy's potential character-or for his baby/ies-just went out the window. Our own Wasillabilly-and BOY is he earning that name-is gonna expose his Wonderful Pistachios in PLAYBOY.

Just remember, Dude, chicks aren't the only one's having their way with themselves with the aid of a Playgirl....

(got this from Wonkette)

So Palin's goin' ROGUE, huh?

Palin's book of hastily shat out drivel memoir, originally slated for release next spring, will be out in bookstores November 17th. Why the sudden haste? Perhaps The Immoral Minority , Bree Palin and Palin's Deceptions can shed some light. Although I am not convinced by the April 8th pregnant/not pregnant photo of Palin-that particular picture is quite poor and the aspect ratio looks "thinned"-they have some compelling ideas on the situation.

As far as the title of Palin's book...awhile back Celtic Diva listed some definitions of ROGUE to emphasize the insult after the term was used by the Palin camp to describe Walt Monnegan.

Do a simple GOOGLE search on "rogue definition" . I'll wait....

Going Rogue: An American Life

by Lynn Vincent Sarah Palin

Is the woman a prodigious fuckwit or what?!?!?!