Open Forum

Looking for death notices around april 1909 for a John B. Morris death. He was married to Ollie Johnson Morris and they had several children. When one is doing genealogy having the real documents is pure gold. I want to know more about my family and I know that there are Morris families still in or around the area. By the way, does anyone remember an OLD church by the name of Jackson Chapel? This is where John B. Morris is supposed to be buried. Surely there is an old graveyard similiar to this name are old documents to show his death. What about a funeral home in the area in that time frame. Family, friends?

Contact me at klusmeier1@att.net or 573-264-2624.

Life is too short and I want to pass on our linerage.

Obama's Jekyll and Hyde Nobel Speech

Just prior to President Obama's arrival in Oslo to accept the Nobel Prize, millions of Norwegians were captivated by an unexplained spiraling halo in the sky. While the president's most fanatical supporters will herald the light as a messianic celestial event comparable to the star of Bethlehem, his detractors will be equally sure that it is the beginning of the apocalyptic black hole the next three years of Obama's presidency are sure to bring.

Some scientists are beginning to assure us that the light was generated by a wayward Russian missile -- as if wayward Russian missiles are reassuring.

President Obama did not have time for sky-watching. As a wartime President receiving a Peace Prize, The president had, as Ricky used to say to Lucy, "some 'splainin' to do."

He began his speech by admitting his award was not for any achievement toward peace, but his "aspiration" to obtain peace. Upon hearing that, my 12-year-old asked me if he could receive an A on his math test not because he passed it, but because he aspired to pass it.

Having better sense than a Nobel committee member, I told him no.

The Peace Prize winner then launched into a commercial for war, albeit a "just war." He wavered between a peaceful Dr. Jekyll and a rapacious Mr. Hyde: He called for "international standards" for the use of force but in the same sentence cancelled that out with a "unilateral right" for a country to defend herself.

It has been noted by some that over the last decade the Peace Prize is lately been given to people for "not being George Bush" (see Carter, Gore and El-Baradei). Yet on the issue of war, the Nobel Committee was hoping for "Bush minus" not "Bush squared."

Obama has proved to be "Bush on steroids" when it comes to war. Since winning the Peace Prize he has not created any peace but he's tripled the amount of troops in Afghanistan that Bush left him with. In his speech today Obama noted that those soldiers will both "kill and be killed." One has to wonder if Gandhi, mentioned by Obama in his speech (who never won the Peace Prize himself) would disagree about killing being in any way "peaceful."

Obama then went all in as Mr. Hyde, and adopted "The Bush Doctrine" in his speech. He noted that sometimes "the purpose of military action extends beyond self defense." The president sees it as moral to protect people from their own governments, even if America is not at risk (as in the Balkans). That thinking creates a moral groundwork to rescue the Iraqis from Saddam Hussein, weapons of mass destruction or no.

It appeared Obama was just about to praise military men like or Patton or MacArthur, but then he slipped back into Dr. Jekyll mode and honored Dr. King.

That this award can even be given to a man who thus far has created no peace but governs two wars confirms that the Nobel Peace Prize is now nothing more than the "Norwegian People's Choice Award" and carries the same gravitas as having a Hollywood Star in front of Mann's Chinese Theater.

Patriot of the USA

New holiday book now available.

(A quote from the book is on the Mother Mouse Thanksgiving page on my website.)

Press Release:

Children's Book: Full Color

Mother Mouse Tells Mice Kids

A Thanksgiving Story

By: Darcie Mae

8 ½ x 11in.

55 pages

$11.99

ISBN# 978-1-936046-30-0

Mirror Publishing: Milwaukee, Wisconsin http://pagesofwonder.com

Author's Website: http://sammyandrobert.tripod.com

This is the third book in the Mother Mouse series. The story is written in the same fun, rhyming way as her other books. This story is longer and the illustrations fuller. In this story Mother Mouse tells mice kids a Thanksgiving story about a Thanksgiving day from her own childhood that forever stands out in her mind as a very special holiday. She tells a heartwarming story that families will enjoy sharing together year after year at Thanksgiving time. In this story two very valuable lessons are taught:

Be thankful for what you

have, a little or lots,

and share with other folks

any extras you've got.

Look not only for her Mother Mouse children's books, but her Sammy & Robert books as well.

Mother Mouse (Book 1) ISBN# 978-0-9817521-8-1

3 stories that teach manners, measurements, & shapes.

Mother Mouse: Book 2 ISBN# 978-0-9822560-7-7

2 stories that teach opposites & ways of transportation.

Sammy & Robert (Book 1) ISBN# 1-60474-811-7

1 story that teaches you can be different, how this should not matter, and

though different you still can be best friends.

Sammy & Robert's Animal Adventures (Book 2) ISBN# 1-60703-987-7

2 stories. One teaches about farm animals, & the other about a zoo with mammals and about herbivores, carnivores, & omnivores.

All books are available on the web at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, wholesalers, and on many other websites. You can also have your favorite book store order the books for you.

Email author at sammyandrobertbooks@yahoo.com

Another positive review of my children's book titled, Mother Mouse: Book 2 -

Here is a link to and a copy of the article that appeared in Missouri about one of my children's books:

Darcie Mae Fortin

Pen name: Darcie Mae

Maine

thepeablys@tds.net

http://sammyandrobert.tripod.com

Article of interest:

http://www.joplinindependent.com/display...

Editors, Joplin Independent

Missouri

Here's a trio of books to read to youngsters staff Updated: 2009-07-02 18:16:09 Research is showing that children who have been read to at an early age are better prepared to succeed in school. Reading aloud to children helps stimulate brain development as well as to provide an opportunity to strengthen family ties. We introduce you to three books that may be read to very young children or that may be texts for developing young readers.

Author: Darcie Mae

Mirror Publishing (Milwaukee, Feb. 2009)

40 pages, $8.95 at amazon.com

Darcie Mae Fortin, whose pen name is "Darcie Mae" is a children's book author from Solon, Maine who often may be seen in a first or second grade classroom sharing her stories. Her second book in verse stars Mother Mouse who teaches mice children about opposites and then about modes of transportation, the latter done in a jaunty repetitive style. That Mother Mouse expects the full attention of her audience is seen in the author's description of her: "Mother Mouse teaches things with the stories she tells. She always speaks softly. She never has to yell."

What also may get the attention of Darcie Mae's young listeners are the illustrations she provides. The pictures and the words that accompany them are very colorful. Children may identify with them as if they had come from crayons in their own hands.

All the mice children return home after being rewarded with cookies. The children who have heard Mother Mouse's story are rewarded by having had their creativity stimulated.

Yes, I may be the first guest on This Old Mouth.

all this hoop-a-la about gasahol is a joke, today the farmers can make a $ the corn equipmt. mfrs. make$,as usual the poor folk,pay the price when all the dust settles.Why not solar-wind-water power,or h.h.o or create financing for solar panels or wind generators for homes thanks..thanks JLM.

Hi Jean Paul,

I have responded to your e-mail on the "Democrat blog", to your private address.

Barbara McKeel

Thanks Brad. I am looking forward to communicating with Barbara. Hopefully I can communicate directly with her via e-mail. Are you allowed to give out her e-mail address? I sent her an e-mail with an address given to me by the Democrat that was not certain to be a viable address. If it did go thru she is not there to receive it. Thanks for letting me know that she is out of the country.

Jean P. Hawkins

"Hawkins Family Ties to Rector" I am Jean Hawkins, the youngest son of Herbert and Zilpah"s four children.Your article was brought to my attention by Terry&Don Berry of Kennett, MO. This article is being sent on to my older brother Jim and sister Julia.They will assemble an accurate time table for you. Maybe more info than you really want. The other brother is Joe who lives in Longview,TX. Feel free to contact me: sloh_@hotmail.com-- PO Box 23, Danville, AR 72833---479-495-2360.

Barbara are you of the McKeel basketball and coaching dynasty?

Jean Paul Hawkins