I could have sworn our "great" president said not too awful long ago that unemployment rates were at their lowest ??????? Maybe I misunderstood ????

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. said Friday that it plans to cut 10,000 more salaried jobs, offer buyouts to all hourly workers and shut down two more plants as part of a dramatic restructuring plan designed to rein in expenses and restore the struggling automaker to profitability.

The company said in a news release that it would shutter a stamping plant in Maumee, Ohio, in 2008 and an engine plant in Essex, Ontario, in 2007. In addition, an assembly plant in Norfolk, Va., will close in 2007, a year earlier than previously announced.

Ford said it would complete its cuts of 25,000 to 30,000 hourly jobs by the end of the 2008, four years ahead of its previous target.

Ford said the new salaried position cuts are in addition to 4,000 of those positions eliminated in the first quarter of this year. The combined 14,000 jobs cuts represents about a third of Ford's North American white-collar work force.

By 2008, North American factory capacity will be reduced by 26 percent compared to 2005 levels, Ford said.

The company said the plan would cut about $5 billion in operating costs, mainly by offering early retirement and buyout packages to all hourly workers and to white-collar employees. Ford plans to expand buyout and early retirement offers to the company's U.S. hourly work force of more than 75,000 as part of the plan.

Ford lost $1.4 billion during the first half of this year and is under pressure from Wall Street to make further cuts and roll out new cars and trucks more quickly.

In July, the company pledged to accelerate its "Way Forward" restructuring plan, which when introduced in January called for the up to 30,000 job cuts as well as closing 14 facilities by 2012.

Read this question, come up with an answer.

This is not a trick question.

A woman, while at the funeral of her own mother, met a man she didn't
know. She thought this guy was amazing, so much her dream guy, that
she believed him to be just that! She fell in love with him right there, but never asked for his number and couldn't find him.

A few days later she killed her sister.

Question: What is her motive in killing her sister?

(Give this some thought before you answer, and post your answer in the comments section. I will give the answer tomorrow)

Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California.

White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.

Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.

Baby conceived naturally. Scientists stumped.

Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.

Last remaining Fundamentalist Muslim dies in the American Territory of the Middle East (formerly known as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Lebanon).

Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 100 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.

France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica.

Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

85 year $75.8 billion study: Diet and Exercise is the key to weight loss.

Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.

Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed, they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut.

Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.

Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals violates their civil rights.

Average height of NBA players is now nine feet, seven inches.

New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2036.

Congress authorizes direct deposit of formerly illegal political contributions to campaign accounts.

IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines.

Sometimes you read something that just warms your heart:

In 1986, Mkele Mbembe was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from college. On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air.
The elephant seemed distressed so Mbembe approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot, and found a large
thorn deeply embedded in it.
As carefully and as gently as he could, Mbembe worked the thorn out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man and with a rather stern look on its face, stared at him. For several tense moments Mbembe stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted
loudly, turned and walked away.
Mbembe never forgot that elephant or the events of that day. Twenty years later he was walking through a zoo with his teenaged son.
As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Mbembe and his son Tapu were standing.
The large bull elephant stared at Mbembe and lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mbembe couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Mbembe summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.
Suddenly the elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of the man's legs and swung him wildly back and forth along the railing, killing him.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.

Well, we made it back from our trip! I had the BEST time!!!!!! I didn't want to leave!!! We so needed that time together away from the kids and I thought I would really miss them , and don't get me wrong I did miss them and called them many times, but it wasn't a constant worry on my mind. I knew they were being well taken care of so I was able to just let all the stress loose and came to a big conclusion. I have many aches and pains from day to day in my life and this past weekend I didn't have not a one, well other then when we sat and watched a movie that I swore lasted like 3 hours and got stiff from sitting for so long lol. But I have concluded, and though I know this , stress hurts our bodies beyond belief. I am a smoker as well, not healthy, but while we were gone I bet I smoked 1/2 as much as usual. I felt wonderful. Now if I could just figure out how to incorporate the way I felt all weekend into my daily life by just a bit .......

The cabin was awesome, the surroundings were awesome. The peace and quiet was beyond imagination. The insects and tree frogs at night were the only sounds I heard. The sun shining through the skylight in the loft in the morning , although after a night of drinking and little sleep, , was welcomed with a smile. I can not believe I did it, but I forgot my camera. I was in such a rush to go I forgot a lot of things lol So I bought some disposable cameras and I'm hoping I got some good pictures with it. Will get them developed hopefully today and then I can post a few.

Then, Monday had to come. I have been up since 3:30 am , I went to bed at 11:30pm. Not much sleep and I'm never up this early , but Hubby had to get up to go out of town for work. He won't be back until tomorrow night. Now to some this is no big deal, but to me this is horrible. We have ony been apart for all night one other time in almost 20 years. Damn his boss for sending him away from me. He is only going 3 1/2 hours away but to me it might as well be half way across the country. If the kids weren't back in school I would have followed him and got us a motel room and stayed with him , but that's not a choice. The kids can't miss school. So, I'm on my own. Cruel wake up from the fairy tale weekend I spent. He's only been gone barely an hour and I miss him like crazy. I can't go back to sleep and I know I'm going to pay for it later this afternoon. But, maybe tonight I will be so dog tired I will be able to sleep without him from exhaustion. Welcome back stress, can't say I missed you.

One last thing before I venture down the stream to see what everyone has been up to while I was gone.....
Today is 9-11. I watched some very touching documents filmed during the horrific tragedy last night on the news. I sat and cryed for those , although strangers, but others loved ones lost in such a senseless act. Take a moment today to send a prayer up for those that the nightmare has not ended for, for our soldiers gone from home fighting for us. For the firemen and rescue workers who gave so unselfishly of themselves even giving their lives for others. For those who surrvived and must go on day to day with this forever embedded in their memories.
Take time to hug your kids, your husbands, your wives, your neighbor even. Life is too short, we don't know what waits for us hour to hour. What monsters awaits us around each corner.