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MERRY
CHRISTMAS ALL
... And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
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DATELINE: BEND,
OREGON
From November
13-18, Kelly and Margaret McCarty traveled to Oregon to visit with
Chris, Amanda, Alexa and Cooper. The couple chose November as they
figured it would be safe travel instead of February which is when
they usually travel. They flew into Portland on the 13th, rented a
car to drive through the mountains to central Oregon. On the
morning they departed on their car ride, a blizzard started up.
Although driving was trecherous, they wanted to stop a couple
places along the way, including their first stop at the Vista
House. This is a building on a cliff overlooking the Columbia River.
Driving cautiously through the wind and snow up the mountain, they
reached the top. Upon parking the car, they could see the Vista
House,
with a person standing outside of it. Kelly tried to open his car door, but
it wouldn't open. Margaret just about got her arm tore off opening
hers' as they realized quickly the winds were blowing from 60 to
100mph on top of the mountain. The couple huddled while hunched
over making their way toward the house. Kelly's cap blew off his
head and over the cliff. They both grabbed the railing while
climbing the final steps to the house. When they got to the top,
the man they saw earlier said "It's Closed! We thought
"Boy, that information would have been more useful ABOUT 5
MINUTES AGO!" Anyway, Margaret said she wanted to try to go
around back to see the river over the cliff. Kelly said I'll wait
here. For the next 15 minutes, neither one moved, as the wind was
hurling Kelly against the building, as Margaret gripped the
railing with both arms. Kelly said, "I'm Done... Let's get
back to the car." Both stood in place frozen in fear. Kelly
got the guts to get back to Margaret, where she promptly came up
with the best line of the trip. She said "Maybe if I logroll,
I can make it to the car!". Well... Kelly put his capless
head down and wrestled the wind making it to the car. Margaret did
the same (no logroll thank God). In the car, Margaret said,
"Maybe we can drive around back by the cliff and find your
hat." I said that it must have been a few miles down the
river by now, so we tentatively headed back down the mountain in
the car. Although we did not take video on the mountain, the same
phenomenon happend a few years ago highlighted
on the news.
After
much silence, Margaret suggested we stop at Multnomah
Falls near the Dalles. Having to really go to the
bathroom, Kelly obliged. They wound their way through the
slick side roads and made it to the waterfalls, but the
buildings were closed because of the weather. Thank God, the bathrooms were left unlocked. The
two took some selfies of themselves and the falls for the
authorities to identfy their bodies.
Back on the
main drag, the remaining 3 hour drive turned into 9 hours.
The couple saw many trucks and cars that had crashed, slid
off the road or were stalled, but the rental Toyota Corolla that the Michigan
Mcs were relying on finished the trek to Bend.
Once in
Bend, we had a very lovely visit. Chris and Amanda
were wonderful hosts. In all, Central Oregon received 11 inches
of snow, which made the school cancellation day on Friday
a fun day for Alexa, Cooper and the grandparents, as they
played in the snow and even built a minature mountain on
the grass and slid down that hill on sleds. Kelly and
Margaret would like to thank the Bend Mc's for all their
hospitality. I think for our next visite, we will be
looking at more like July or
August.... Not November.
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DATELINE: NEW
YORK CITY
Three days after
the return from Oregon, Margaret hopped a plane to spend a few
days in New York City with her sister Marianne. A good friend of
theirs had a time share a the plush Hilton Gardens Hotel on 57th
Street, and couldn't use it for that week, and offered it to the
sisters. In NYC, Margaret did a lot of sight seeing. On the first
day, she and her sister met up with 2 friends from New Jersey that
Margaret and Brad met in Australia a several years ago and have
kept in touch since. They had dinner together. The following day,
Margaret went to the Museum of Natural History where they filmed
the movie "Night At The Museum" with Ben Stiller and
Robin Williams. Margaret wishes she could have stayed longer, but
she wanted to make the TMZ bus tour. She got to see all the spots
she has read or heard about in the tabloids. The following day,
the sisters walked on the High Line. The High Line is an elevated
freight rail line transformed into a free, public park on
Manhattan’s West Side. They had a good walk and a good time.
Later that evening, they checked out the holiday lights at Macy's,
Barney's and Sak's. Ohhhh... Ahhhhh. The follow day, they went to
see the Broadway Musical Beautiful by Carole King. It was ... for
lack of better words... beautiful. Some of the cool restaurants
they dined at during trip were Rue 57, Heartland Brewery, and the
Food Hall in the Plaza Hotel. A storm blew on the final
day causing a blizzard on the entire east coast, but luckily, the
airplane carrying the two sisters was only slightly delayed on
their return trip to Michigan.
| DATELINE: OLIVIA
TURNS 1
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NEW YEAR'S 2015 RESOLUTIONS
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LANGUAGE
Eliminate unnecessary words, especially "the month of" before January, February, March, etc. This means you, Mario & Rod!
WORLD PEACE
Eliminate unnecessary wars, especially Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, Washington, D.C., etc.
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ANOTHER METRO YEAR
We've come a long way since the basement steps. Congrats, Editor Kelly and Editor Emeritus Dennis. |
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DATELINE:
PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES
Here are some
of the travel destinations this past month from our
readers...
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Dear Editor.
Where can I find the results of the annual Christmas Name Draw?
Curious in California
ED NOTE: I
believe that would be in our Christmas 1999 issue.
Dear Editor.
It was great and so much fun
to be a guest at Rick's Martini Bar. It was wonderful seeing Kelli
Maroney again, she is such a talent! - Sharon Farrell
ED
NOTE: Thank you Sharon for being such a delightful guest with
Jerry and Kelli on the podcast. Cheers!
Dear
Editor. Thanks for all the family health updates and keep them up.
By the way, how are you feeling? -Donald S. Temrowski
ED
NOTE: According to one of our writers, my wife may be calling you
in the very near future.
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Dear Editor: I
am a reporter and beat writer for the Metro, and I did not get a
Metro Christmas bonus this year. Hey! If any of your readers are
looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd
like Kelly McCarty, my boss, right here tonight. I want him
brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Sussex Avenue
with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here,
with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in
the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good,
rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating,
inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing,
brainless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged,
spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey crap he is! Hallelujah!
Holy crap! Where's the Tylenol? -G.R. Coorespondent
ED NOTE: What
looks good on paper isn't worth it when you see how it affects the
people you depend on. Hey GR... I am going to send you the same
bonus as last year.... and add 30%. Merry Christmas.
We want to hear your questions, comments, rants,
or editorials.
Just submit them anytime during the month to to mccartymetro@gmail.com
for inclusion in the next issue.
| GONE
BUT NOT FORGOTTEN - THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY
SINCE THE LAST ISSUE |
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Tom Magliozzi, 77, automotive expert and radio personality (Car Talk), complications from Alzheimer's disease.
Richard Schaal, 86, actor (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Phyllis, Trapper John, M.D.).
Ernest Kinoy, 89, writer (Roots, Dimension X, The Defenders), pneumonia.
Alvin Dark, 92, baseball player (Boston Braves, New York Giants) and manager (San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians), Alzheimer's disease.
Pat Quinn, 71, ice hockey coach and executive (Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks).
Marion Barry, 78, politician, Mayor of the District of Columbia (1979–1991, 1995–1999), cardiac arrest.
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AND FINALLY... DATELINE
NORTH DAKOTA
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The state of North Dakota has named a new publicly-owned landfill after President Barack Obama.
In an overwhelming 35-10 vote, the state Senate advanced a bill naming a 650-acre site currently under construction after the nation’s 44th president. Governor Jack Dalrymple is expected to sign the measure into law Tuesday.
When completed, the Barack Obama Memorial Landfill will be the largest waste disposal site in North Dakota, and the 17th largest in the United States. It will be especially rich in toxic waste from the local petroleum and medical industries.
“We wanted to do something to honor the president,” says Republican State Senator Doug Perlman, who was the lead sponsor of the bill. “And I think a pile of garbage is a fitting tribute to Obama’s presidency.
“We originally planned on naming it after a nearby mountain. But then someone jokingly suggested we name it after Obama. I never thought and idea like that would actually pass. But I was pleasantly surprised.”
The president is hardly popular in North Dakota. The most recent poll in December 2013 found that Obama has a 35% approval rating in the state, although that figure may have fallen further in the year since. |
Yet even considering the political climate, seasoned observers are surprised that two Democratic lawmakers voted for the bill’s passage.
“I guess people expected me to oppose this landfill thing because I’m a Democrat. But honestly I don’t really care anymore. Maybe this small act of protest will wake him up.”
Ordinary citizens in the state also seem to approve of the government’s choice.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
THE McCARTY METRO WILL BE BACK
ON YOUR CYBERPORCH IN FEBRUARY
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Kelly
& Margaret traveled to Oregon and to Ohio to visit
their kids and grandkids.
