Farrah Final Farewell

As we all know by now Farrah Fawcett passed away from her battle with anal cancer. Today will be the final memorial for the much beloved Farrah.

Today at 4 p.m. at The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles Farrah will be laid to rest in a private ceremony that is only open to invitation only. Her long-time partner and the father of her only son Redmond, Ryan O’Neal is making all of the arrangements. Redmond her son had recently been in trouble with the law and is currently serving a sentence for drugs, will be released from prison to attend and pay respects to his mother. He will only be out briefly.

Along with Farrah’s body of work, some of late that garnered critical acclaim, she did advocacy work. She worked with the Cancer Society, and was a board member of the National Advisory Council for the National Domestic Violence Hot Line.

She had not just beauty, but she had brains too. Originally she had been a microbiology major; later switching her major to art. She was accomplished there as well and went on to create beautiful bronze sculptures. She even had a beautiful dedication in a park to Rodney Dangerfield’s bronze sculpture.  She was multi-talented, very beautiful and she has left a wonderful legacy behind as she chronicled her battle with the killer cancer in her videoblog/movie. She was raw and emotional and it left our hearts hurting for her.

For Farrah Fawcett today will be a final farewell for family and friends.

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Chicago Cop / Woman Beater Gets Probation!

It is an outrage! With complete and utter disgust, I cannot believe that Police Officer Anthony Abbate got only a slap on the wrist for the beating of Karolina Obrycka! What more can you ask but then to actually have the evidence of Mr. Abbate beating her up captured entirely from the beginning to the end on video! This video aired at one time all over the world, and definitely all over the Chicagoland viewing area. And the over served Anthony Abbate was told No,No more drinks for you, by the blonde bartender. Mr. Abbate did not want to be told what to do; after all no one should say no to a Chicago cop; even one off-duty!

The hulking cop then proceeded to go behind the bar, hurled the tiny blonde bartender to the ground; and then he began a birage of punches and kicks! Shamefully he continues on and throws her into a wall as her screams and cries can be heard on the video.

Judge John Flemming did did find him guilty of Aggravated Battery. But yesterday during the sentencing phase of this trial the Judge basically slapped the hand of the drunk off-duty cop!  He received two years probation!! Yes, that is what I said, he was guilty but because Ms Obrycka’s injuries were not permanent in nature, and that Mr. Abbate did not have a record the judge felt that it wasn’t enough to send him into prison!

No I think there were plenty of mitigating circumstances in this case, one is that he is a cop! The fact is the judge wanted this to go away, while the police force has come under fire recently for a scandal involving “special forces unit”  Mayor Daley and his crew do not want another scandal for the Olympic committee to hear about!

 

While Illinois as a state was made embarrassed about its governor, now it is the police that will embarrass us!  People have great fear of the police now more than ever! There  are so many great cops out there that take their responsibilities to heart. They live and breathe the law but for some it is a reason for their almighty power-trip to continue. I mean after all this judge just now set a precedent, You can be drunk and go around beating defenseless women up and in this town of Chicago you can get a slap on the wrist and be free of a jail sentence!

Abbate and his team of lawyers defense was laughable; he had the nerve to go in that room and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help them God! Abbate actually stated that the woman half his size was throwing him around like a rag-doll and Mr. Abbate had to protect himself from her. Earlier that evening he beat another patron that was in the bar, but this person had fear and would not press charges against him! The jury was told of this other beating as well as the judge; but shame on Judge Flemming and his decision!  He lessened the severity of the charge against him by not requiring him to serve time in jail!

Currently the commander Jody Weis has recommended that The Independant Review Board  fire Mr. Abate from the police force. His case will come up before this board by July 7, 2009. Until then, stay out of the way of large, drunk  men in Chicago you’ll never know wheater   he may be an undercover cop ready to pounce especially if you are trying to do your job by not serving him more liquor!

This is finally yet one more case of violence against women, a similar thing happened with Chris Brown and Rihanna where his sentence did not fit the crime!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

I Want To Be Friends With Oprah!

There is goodness in some, and there are is greatness in others!  I truly believe that Oprah is the epitome of greatness! Although she is at the top of the food chain, she could be many things but first and foremost she is real. She is genuine and actually cares for the people around her.

Working for Oprah must be a delight. She appears to have a huge staff that surrounds and attends to her every need. But she started at the bottom and rose to the top. She is a true rags to riches story. But what is exclusive to her is that she has not forgotten where she came from. She is thankful to people who have and continue to do things for her. Yes this makes her a good boss.

Sending people/employees on the trips of their life-time is a great business gesture as well as a heartfelt gesture. When you make money in business you need to write of the expenses that it takes to kepp you in business. She could have written off anything, but she chose to make this memorable for the people around her, and thus to Oprah sending your whole entire staff and their immediate families on a cruise is really something! I know that everyone is thankful, rested, and ready to go on working.

Boosting morale of your working staff is something that every boss should do. If not those glamorous trips: just donuts or lunch is great and most likely well withing a budget. But to really achieve what Oprah has that all others do not is the simple truly that of being thankful! Being deeply thankful will show. They way the management conducts its skills will transfer over into the work. If you are loved it will show.

So for all the bosses out there just a simple truly meaning ful thank you will help you to achieve Oprah status in your office; try it if you dare!

Just my thoughts,just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone

Mary Caliendo

Casey Anthony Case Disgusting!

As the details of the autopsy along with all of the other evidence heard thus far in the case of Caylee Anthony’s death are in a word: disgusting!

There are a great many words that one could tag this case, but with the details released comes the thought of utter disgust! How in the world could have anyone have done this? Details of the autopsy report have revealed many things, like the fact that duct tape wrapped over the mouth and the nose, was wrapped around and around! Not once around; Casey wrapped the duct tape angrily around and around! Duct tape had held the mandible intact and even more gross, hair from the head of Caylee was also still attached to the tape. This shows the force in which the child was wrapped! But it also goes to prove the level of decomposition. It proves that the body was in a very early stage of decomp. when tape was placed.

Further gross details such as her spine was dragged away by animals- the spine was intact itself with roots and plant life growing up through it! This shows it was there at least 4 months due to the growth of the plant life. Other bones found at the scene, show that there are animal teeth marks on the bones and that the autopsy further reveals that animals dragged bones away from intial decomposition site.

Sadness abounds and continues, for prior to the release of the autopsy results, George Anthony, father of Casey, approached the judge asking for peace for his family. Asking and pleading with the judge stating that it will cause more undue harm to them and that the grief is crushing them! It was awful to hear and to watch! I felt a great amount of sadness for them. The judge must have had a lump in his throat, as he knows he must release this information, but he is human. I know for this writer, I felt sad and disgust reading it; imagine what her mom and dad are going through! The very thought that someone you could love could do such terrible things, it would be hard not to blame each other. These parents must continue to get therapy if they can. It is not helathy and Cindy and George Anthony are so close to going over the edge. You can hear the genuine grief in George Anthony’s voice. I would not trade places with them in a minute!

Further details released are the fact that the prosecution has requested photos of the tattoo on Casey Anthony’s shoulder. The tattoo says”Bella Vita”. In English the translation means Beautiful Life. This tattoo was applied two weeks after Caylee went missing. The owner of the Cast Iron Tattoo, Danny Knight was told that the baby was at the nanny. Mr. Knight told the media that Casey was a regular at his tattoo establishment and that Caylee had been there a number of times. He thought nothing of Casey’s explanation because she seemed so nice and did not appear to have a worry in the world!

In closing today,Casey Anthony is a cold hearted individual! She is a selfish, narcissistic and psychotic woman who felt restrained by her child in so many ways in her mind it was easier for everyone involved if she just disposed of her!

Soon the trial will take place and it is this writers intent that she be fully punished to the extent of the law! Whatever that should mean!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone

Mary Caliendo

Really PETA ?!!

Whenever I read something or hear of something that makes me immediately take a humongous sigh I have to write about it!

On Tuesday, President Obama was at the White House doing an interview for CNBC when a fly flew through. At first the president swatted toward the fly saying something like get out of here fly. But flies being the insect that they are, returned. It continued to fly around President Obama. The president waited for the fly to land and curtly put his hand up and swatted it dead!   Yeah! Chalk up one for the president.

But PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) came out and said the group would like to ask President Obama to try taking a more humane approach to the “disposal” of a fly next time one comes by! Are they serious?  Yes!  PETA spokesperson Bruce Friedrich commented. He went on to say that of the group PETA “We support compassion even for the most curious,smallest, and least sympathetic animals” quote! They are so serious they have sent to the White House a product called the Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher! This device  will allow the bug or common fly to go in and get trapped inside and then it can be released outside!

Great, that sounds great!  I wish I had some of those too!  For those times when I’m not home swatting my flies!

Seriously folks, we all need to get a life if we are worrying over the very lowly fly!  Our world is in crisis and I really want to save the bees, tend to monarch butterflies, and continue to learn about and fight global warming! We have polar ice caps that are disappearing, and along with that whatever wildlife that is attached to it!  Please!  A fly, really PETA?  Yikes.

At this point in time the White House has had no official comment regarding this matter. But in this writer’s opinion, to call the president to the mat on this- you really have way too much time on your hands….maybe PETA could devise a way to harness the energy from the caught flies to light up the world, then you’d be talking PETA!  But until that time, stick to the bigger picture you might grab a few new followers.

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Steroids For Sosa?!

Just “say it ain’t so”!  Oh no here we go again!  Die-hard Cub fans everywhere are holding their breath!  Those true fans, those fans who bleed their blue every summer, may find only disappointment again! This time it’s not that at this point in the season, the team is only at .500 ball, but it is one of their own getting caught in a possible web. A web of lies spun by the challenge to be better than the next guy. A one-upmanship; none other than steroids! 

For the longest time the duel between the hit makers Sammy Sosa and Mark McGire gave us happiness, we were all high with excitment watching the pair! The on-field show, to the statistics it was great. It was fun and it really ”upped the ante” in baseball. Little kids wanted to be Slammin’ Sammy,or Mark cGwire all the way!

Now a report came out stating that Sammy Sosa was one of one hundred or more MLB players that tested positive for an illegal substance in 2003. Is it a surprise? NO!  Was it just the Flinstone Vitamins; Uh NO!  IN Sammy’s words ” I take the little vitamins, the Flinstones vitamins for the kids”. But then in 2002, Sammy stated that he would be the first in line to take a test if it was given. He goes on to say that he works very hard- and that you don’t have to do something bad for yourself to feel strong.

For the believers, we wanted Sammy to be free and clear of the steroids debate, and fans thought just maybe he was, because he was in front of a house panel investigating steroids when his attorney read the statement- to be clear I have never taken any performance enhancing drugs. I never injected myself, or had anyone inject me with anything.  Well that might be true, but are all performance-enhancing drugs just injected?

Sosa just came out recently and asked to be put into the Hall of Fame; perhaps this spurred the release of his name on that confedential report! As we all know the MLB turned a blind-eye on the users of the steroids back in 2003, and perhaps even encouraged their useage; wink wink! So the speculation will rage on, and those other names on that list should be leaked as well-because if you take down one and deny the hall-one for all and all for one; going to the ship includes going down with the ship too! Let’s hope that we don’t hear Mark McGwire is on that coveted list too! He, who is retired and has not of yet made the hall.

The ball players are people, and people get stuck  in places  that they should not be. If Sammy was just following the status quo, well what are we to do? If he was a leader in this area, well he needed to come clean. Too bad for Sammy baseball was berry,berry good for him-he was berry, berry, good for baseball but we don’t want him if he is a cheater. But cheating by today’s standards are different from the ones used in 2003. Too bad Sammy hadn’t quit baseball sooner. He could be and been sitting alongside Big Mac who just plead the fifth in a hearing in 2005 But,Sammy never could shut-up! Just pleading the fifth might have been better! And now to the NY Times, playing a game of whispers or tip offs  is not great reporting! (they broke the story)Now Sammy has much to worry about, ask Mr. Clemmons who lied before Congress.

The fact is, everyone surrounding this has something on the line; money. Shameful but true and for this fan, a true fan of baseball, I’m hoping that the crap floating on the top of the pond is gone now! Can’t we all just play ball!

Speaking of Halls; we could be talking about former Cub player Mel Hall who was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 12 year girl that he coached playing elite basketball! He could be facing life in prison! Wow, now that’s a real loser!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Responsible Blogging ?!

Today I’m taking time to write a post on responsible blogging! I was personally turned off by the story that broke about a local Illinois blogger. I’m speaking about Beccah Beushausen, the hoax blogger!  In the article that was reported on by the Chicago Tribune, /Friday, June 12, 2009- it states that along side the picture of Beccah was a caption that says “I know what I did was wrong-I’m sorry because people were so emotionally involved”

In this story, this girl ran a blog for many months saying that she was pregnant and the baby that she was carrying was going to be born terminally ill! She kept this up and word spread! People gave her donations, made t-shirts, and held vigils; along with  large organizations that supported the right to life began praying and continued to pass along the information. People felt sad and wanted so much to help this mother in distress known only as April’s Mom. Then she claimed she had given birth only to have her baby die only hours later!

This was all made-up! There was not one ounce of truth to anything Ms. Beushausen said!

Enter wordpress community-enter any blogger for that matter.  Writers, your outcry should show. As a writer I will bend over backward to make sure what I am posting for all of the world to read is true!  Sadly, there are a lot of you out there, whose blog is built on the backs of others writing. Who actually take snippets of others writing and post them as their own!  Frauds beware!  I’ll be looking for you.

I want my writing to inspire people, make them come back and read more, I’d like my writing to act like a conversation; it’s light and never dry. I want my writing to make people think, feel ,and maybe even sway their view of something.  But mostly when someone comes to my site to read my commentary, I want them to feel like I have given some small insight into something that is in the news. I want them to feel that they just read something of value, current, and insightful.

I hope that I will never run into the likes of the cheaters, stealers, and liars. To play with peoples’ emotions is just a crime! As Ms. Beushausen recants and tells how her writing got out of hand when the hits kept coming, she apparently got so stressed out that she had to be hospitalized! Too bad for her. Shame is really what she should feel. She plans to make a final blog posting in which she will apologize to everyone she has hurt in any way!

What a shame for such a talented writer to have done the unthinkable, lie! Writing is about creativity. And being creative she was, so much so that she even received money for all that great writing-too bad it wasn’t written down in the pages of a fictional story entitled:

Aprils’ Mom is a figment of Beccah Beushausen’s mind!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Treatment of Casey Anthony Cruel???

Hey wait a minute!  Guards thought the treatment of Casey Anthony cruel and unusual??? Say What? The taping of a prisoner is not cruel and unusual. And when a person becomes incarcerated, thatterminates your rights to everything except civil liberty. When you are imprisoned in our country, you have the right to have three square meals, you have a right to sleep, to go to the bathroom, to clean yourself, and finally to be imprisoned away from the extreme elements such as a hard winter or extreme heat……in other words a roof over your head. The prison then gives you privileges such as a trip to the day room to watch TV., or perhaps a phone call for twenty minutes maybe, to read, and be rewarded for your good behavior.   Let’s ask Laura Ling and Euna Lee if at this point do they have those privileges as of yet?? And neither killed a child or dumped a child or even just lied about the whereabouts of their children!

If I was anywhere near Casey Anthony in the employ as a guard I would tape everything just for my own safety inside so that she cannot do the very thing she is currently doing, asking her law staff to create and manufacture a reason for sympathy!  Good Luck Baez and Death Row Angel; she gave herself away and it was on tape- too bad! Get over it! she made a nest for you to defend-just let her sleep in it!

Let us all not forget that Caylee Anthony is gone and never to breathe again thanks to the lady who was her mom and couldn’t have given a care if she was cruel to her. Seriously folks, I really wish that the trial were today, because the repetition of the same ‘ol is just that the same ‘ol! It is really cruel that we have to sit around and blog about the ice princess that is crying like a “baby in the brig”!  Let’s get on with it already. My thoughts are with Laura Ling and Euna Lee and there’s a crime that really needs to be written about!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Laura Ling/Euna Lee Future Grim?

As you may have heard by now, Laura Ling and Euna Lee,  journalists have been given a sentence on this past Monday in North Korea.

These two women are American television journalists employed by a San Francisco based Current TV. The women were making a report on the borders of China and North Korea. They were reporting on the subject of  human-trafficking. The two were picked up in March and have been fighting ever since.

Laura Ling is the sister of Lisa Ling another journalist and television documentarist. She has appealed to the American public, and is communicating with President Barack Obama. The women have been sentenced to twelve years of hard labor. The prison system is known to be one of the harshest of all. It has a lack of adequate food,and medical supplies and one could imagine what else it has a lack of.

They were arrested under the guise of committing “grave crimes”against the North Korean country and its government would not release where the two are being held. And according to some the two women will have no recourse because there is no system of appeal there. At this point it is the opinion of some, there is now enough attention drawn to the two that the prison system will take much care in making sure that the safety and well being of these two may be insured.

Recently, North Korea and American political relations have been strained due to the recent launching of long range type missiles. While Barack Obama passes through the channels of political correctness, the state department will not give up hope to do this with utmost care and civility. The appeals have been brought forth for this country to release the ladies. The families of the imprisoned ladies have apologized to the high court in statements saying that if the two women passed over the borders they are sorry and did not mean this.

When we see how other countries operate it makes me wonder if perhaps the story just isn’t worth it, perhaps our journalists need not go to the lengths that they do. Risking your own life to get a story seems a high price to pay. There are many other journalists from around the globe that are currently being held in prisions across the world, it seems that sometimes they may be walking on thin ice and perhaps they know this going in there. After all,  how many times have we seen reports from in the front line of a combat zone?

It hardly seems worth it, does it?

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Casey Anthony New Defense

As we all know, from perhaps the beginning of this case, that Jose Baez would not be qualified to try to a capital murder case. He will continue to stay on as a co-counsel. This will help him in the long-run for his future law expertise. He knows this. No matter what, it looks bleak for this defense team. The prosecution has much physical  evidence to use, as well as friends and ex-lovers to help aid in the picture of what Casey Anthony was doing before, during, and after the crime against her daughter Caylee Anthony, was being perpetrated against her.

Jose Baez went on the “Today Show” and talked about his client Casey Anthony beig brave and strong. Jose Baez is still saying that he and his team believe that Casey is innocent. Baez also went on to say that the release of the “secretly tapped” Casey, when she found out the bones found were that of Caylee’s, is cruel and unusual. He claims he will get the guards to relinquish their stance and say yes it was not nice that they had her on tape!

Jose Baez also introduced his new defense team dream. Chicago’s super-lawyer, Andrea D. Lyon. The current college professor, and nationally recognized expert on death penalty defense has signed on to help in this case. Only once has she lost!  Her hard-lined stance and unrelenting style has put  the Jose Baez Team  as Andrea  D. Lyon as their last line of defense. Ms Lyon does not believe in the death penalty at all, and she can be perhaps the only one who will be able to “save” Casey’s life!

Ms. Lyons and her co-counsel Paul Dengel (criminal attorney) will be present next to Baez as the trial begins.

Casey’s last appearance in the court-room showed her somewhat heavier,hair much longer, and make-up looking heavy. She appears to have aged a bit since she has been there. He demeanor was somewhat stoic, and mustering a smile only once or twice. She appeared to be interested in what was being spoken about.

I guess that I would listen -up if I thought that my lawyer had to bring the “angel of death row” as a last ditch effort for my case. Fully aware that, that would mean that my case will not be won and the only thing left is to stop them from the “needle”! At the same time I would be relieved because her track record is great!  As far as the tape that was made, perhaps it was somewhat cruel but for those guards, and because of the high-profile of this case,there needs to be all the documented information as possible. Now whether that would be a video,written, or taped it all becomes evidence so that Casey herself could not turn around and say that someone had mistreated her in any way. The tape is simple proof on an event that happened!

If it comes into court, it is just another piece of evidence in this case to show the demeanor of this individual.

If I could personally say anything to Casey at this point, I would tell her to thank her lucky stars that this woman of greatness in Andrea D. Lyon, is here to rescue Casey. And of the “cruel and unusual” tape made, I’d also say that Casey did not think it was cruel and unusual when she killed, then bagged, then buried her little baby Caylee!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and only in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo