A great little town snuggled between other popular tourist attracttions such as Sedona and Jerome, this little Arizona town offers some of the best wines and wine tasting experiences in Arizona.

Pundits, politicians and even President Obama are all saying that getting the economy back on track is going to take a long, long time. This is very depressing and it’s not what the American people want to hear. They want to hear about a quick fix for the current situation – an instant turnaround that will put the economy on a fast track toward recovery today. That’s the kind of news that will get the American people excited about their future.

“If I could marry you, I would ask you right now,” Joe Connolly said from across the table to Terry Pochert. The two men exchanged onion rings at that very moment, a silly gesture that meant much more. Despite how much they loved each other, it was 1995, and the thought of same-sex couples having the freedom to marry was a distant dream. Instead, Terry and Joe made a promise to one another that they would live their lives together in love.

My daughter participates in a sunrise yoga class which normally meets in a gym. This particular day, the instructor suggested they meet outside on the pool deck and watch the sun come up against a backdrop of mountains. Part way through the class, a woman came to the pool to swim laps.

I was watching the Sweet Eight games this weekend and occasionally when a player scored a field goal they would play back the others outstanding plays that player had made in the game. Swish! Swish! Swish! and the thought came to me, “Enjoy it to its fullest because, young man, that may be as good as life ever gets for you.” I have never played basketball, never made field goal but I thought about the rare times in my life when I really knocked the ball out of the park or scored the winning run. These precious moments came to me in my speaking career.

Well, I suppose that you have all now heard by now that Guiding Light the CBS soap opera that’s been in existence for 72 years — since 1937 on the radio and 1952 on the television — will air its final episode post-Summer. The Associated Press cites declining daytime ratings and budget as the reason for the show’s demise. If you think you feel bad about what is happening think about the poor ladies and probably gentlemen too who have been following this show for the past 72 years.

In 1980, Art Fettig was certified as a “Speaking Professional” by the National Speakers Association.  He is now a veteran of nearly 3,000 professional presentations to audiences around the world.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors at their 77th Annual Convention today passed a resolution calling for full marriage equality for same-gender couples.  In addition to its strong language on marriage equality, the resolution passed today also endorses the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, the Uniting American Families Act, and the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Wind power, a favorite source in the green movement, is facing a problem: there is less wind to harness. The cause, ironically, may be global warming – the very problem wind power seeks to address.

Walt Disney’s CEO has apologized for his “painful silence” on a Florida sex education bill critics warn will isolate LGBT youth. “You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry,” Bob Chapek told employees. His comments come amid internal complaints that “gay affection” is routinely cut from some Disney films.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that he intends to ban state universities from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in hopes that they will “wither on the vine” without funding.

Luxury condo in upscale gated community, close to schools, including Hamilton High one mile to the south! Property features a 2 car garage with direct access to the property through a ground floor foyer. The living area features 9 ft ceilings, 3 bdrms (split floor plan), 3 full baths, with Beautiful stained-glass windows overlooking the stairwell. The IMMACULATE kitchen is equipped w/sparkling SS appliances, recessed & monorail pendant lighting, quartz counters, subway tile backsplash, pantry with spice racks, & island w/a breakfast bar. The primary bath with PRIVATE ensuite w/dual sinks, step-in glass shower, & walk-in closet! Extras include Hunter Douglas top down/bottom up window shades, whole house water filter, RO System, fans throughout, epoxy garage floor and more. WELCOME HOME

Because of the recent decision of the United States Supreme Court and similar legal proceedings and legislative actions in a number of countries that have given civil recognition to same‐sex marriage relationships, the Council of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints restates and reaffirms the doctrinal foundation of Church teachings on morality, marriage, and the family.

Joe Connolly and Terry Pochert are a Valley couple whose legal 2008 California marriage formed the cornerstone for one of the two cases that brought marriage equality to Arizona on Oct. 17. Their marriage is now considered valid in the eyes of Arizona’s laws, and the lawsuit for which they were the lead plaintiffs (Connolly vs. Jeanes) was based on secular arguments.

Couple robin (from left) and Renee Reece listen to Joe Connolly and Terry Pochert speak to a crowd of gay-marriage supporters in Phoenix on October 17, 2014, after gay marriage was legalized in Arizona.

Legalizing gay marriage could bring $60 million to Arizona’s economy and support up to 500 jobs around the state, a study by lawyers and economists for UCLA has found.

Plaintiffs George Martinez and Fred McQuire (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) hereby move for a preliminary injunction pursuant to Federal Rule Civil of Procedure 65.

Multitasking = screwing up several things at once.

Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked. and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

President Biden has done the unthinkable. He’s suggested Congress take steps to curb the sales of assault rifles to trigger-happy Americans. He might as well say he’s opposed to the false god millions of Americans idolize and worship. Despite mass murders of school children from Sandy Hook to Uvalde, Texas with assault-type weapons, the odds of anything changing are slim to none.

Veterans with LGBT and related identities face increased health risks and unique challenges in accessing quality healthcare. The VA strives to be a national leader in the provision of health care to Veterans with LGBT and related identities and assure that care is provided in a sensitive, safe environment at VA health facilities nationwide.

Terry Pochert and Joseph Connolly are Among Those Who Changed History – At 10:36 a.m. on Friday, October 17, Michael Jeanes tweeted his followers: “Welcome All to the Clerk’s Office. Your marriage license awaits, and we are ready to serve you!”

Terry Pochert and Joseph Connolly – Across the country the legal landscape for same-sex marriage is changing, and fast.  In the Southwest in recent weeks, courts in New Mexico and Utah have delivered victories to gay marriage proponents.  Now in neighboring Arizona, some gay and lesbian couples are challenging their state’s definition of marriage.

Father’s Day. Another old custom created by the greeting card industry. Just the same, it is nice to be remembered with a phone call or an e-mail and there isn’t a big investment involved. May God bless America and keep out troops from harm. – Art Fettig

Our Traitor-in-Chief [Donald Trump]desperately wants to be a totalitarian emperor, not a president. He is working as hard as he can as fast as he can to destroy our government. He’s out to dismantle the accountability, the laws, the institutions, the checks and balances of co-equal branches of government. He’s obliterating the work of the Founding Fathers.

SPECTACULAR 2019 2nd floor condo in gated community near schools, including Hamilton High one mile to the south! Property features a 2 car garage with direct access to the property through a ground floor foyer.

We just pigged out at our local KFC and they had a special of $5.95 for the buffet. So is that what makes America great? Well, part of it. Just imagine, America is the place where an old guy on social security had a dream and turned it into a special tasting chicken and franchised the idea all over the world. I know a lot of countries that I have visited where you could never do that. May God bless our troops and keep them safe and may God bless America.

Our lawyer, Shawn Aiken, received the Human Rights Campaign Arizona’s Corporate Equality Award on behalf of his firm, Aiken Schenk Attorneys at Law. Shawn and his team fought tirelessly for Marriage Equality here in Arizona.

Over the past two decades, the gay rights movement has made significant legal strides in the U.S., securing the right to marry, the right to private sexual relations, and the right to be able to petition local governments for anti-discrimination protection. There are still gaping holes in legal protections LGBTQ people have in the United States.

One of my favorite illustrations for a speech was asking the audience to make a circle with their thumb and their index finger. Hold it right up there.

The other day I was looking for a couple of audio tapes I made several years ago where I talked about a couple of my inspirational books. In my search  I discovered two big boxes filled with old stuff.  There was a copy of my Award Winning Railroad Crossing Safety film strip with an audio tape..  We made that before video taping was popular.  I also found a rack of slides and tape of the same show. Then I found a couple of Beta video tapes of my safety presentations made by major corporations when I made presentations for them.  There were a number of reel to reel audio tapes, several old VHS tapes and a couple of AV critters I could not identify.

Differences in the cytological interpretation of bronchoalveolarlavage fluid (BALF) after cytospin preparation (CP) or manualsmearing of pelleted cells preparation (MSP) were investigatedin client-owned dogs and cats with inflammatory or infectiouslower respiratory disease.

The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That’s an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that’s the way the first railways were built in England, and the first US railroads were built by English expatriates.

Reported hate crimes in Arizona are on the rise. Garrett Deetz tells his story of breaking free from his past.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has designated the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) as a hate group. Amy Coney Barrett is known to have ties to this group which “supports the recriminalization of sexual acts between consenting LGBTQ adults; has defended state-sanctioned sterilization of trans people abroad; says LGBTQ people are more likely to engage in pedophilia; and claims that a “homosexual agenda” will destroy Christianity and society.

Elections come and go, but Supreme Court decisions can …

Individual 25 is now known as Doug Logan, the CEO of Cyber Ninjas. The recent indictment from Georgia’s grand jury named him as another person aiding former President Donald Trump in trying to overturn the 2020 election.

In the wake of the Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas mass shootings, U.S. President Joe Biden is calling for new gun safety restrictions, including the possibility of expanding background checks and banning the sales of assault weapons.

In 1988 I had the honor of being the Early Morning Speaker at the National Safety Congress at McCormick Place in Chicago. One of the points I tried to make was that the best way to get people working safely is to catch them working safely and compliment them on it. Throughout the twentieth century we did just the opposite. We were busy passing out a book full of safety rules and then spent our time looking for violations.

Failed ex-President Donald Trump and 18 others have been indicted by an Atlanta, Georgia state grand jury on racketeering and other charges in relation to an alleged scheme to illegally reverse the results of the 2020 national presidential election.

A friend shared the following story with me. “I went to a restaurant to pick up a pizza. Both rooms were full of diners, and the phone was ringing nonstop with take-out orders. The employees were running their legs off, and the guy ahead of me was screaming abusively at the woman behind the cash register because his pizza wasn’t ready. She handled it very professionally, but it was obviously challenging, and frankly a little scary.

SPECTACULAR 2019 2nd floor condo in gated community near schools, including Hamilton High one mile to the south! Property features a 2 car garage with direct access to the property through a ground floor foyer.

Did you know that Thomas Edison began his business career selling newspapers, candy and fruit as a newsbutcher on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad? He learned to walk up and down the aisles practicing his selling skills and it was that talent of selling that he had developed that made him so successful.

I had a really nice visit with a friend of mine today who knows more about humor and comedy then anyone in this whole world that I know. We talked a few minutes about timing and in comedy the difference between a great laugh and a smile is just the matter of waiting a mini-second for the humor to sink in. A mini-second seems like a year as you wait patiently for that laugh.

Hallelujah Chorus -Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat 5th Grade – Quinhagak, Alaska

An airflow sensor for a constant temperature anemometer comprises a copper foi l resistor mounted on a polyimide foil which is supported in the airstream to be measured. The support preferably is a flat frame having an aperture over which the foil sensor is mounted so that the airstream can strike the sensor on both sides of the film.

SPECTACULAR 2019 2nd floor condo in gated community near schools, including Hamilton High one mile to the south! Property features a 2 car garage with direct access to the property through a ground floor foyer.

Port Hope, Michigan – Congratulations

The Age of CDs

The fun in life comes from striving for excellence. The frustration comes from seeking perfection. Only God is perfect.

The Instructor’s Manual – Compliment to the Ross Reck’s book, Revved!

Sometimes when I am explaining something to a friend my thinking goes beyond its current state and moves on ahead. In other words, I improve on my own idea just by orally sharing it with someone else. Of course, there is always the possibility that the other party might add something and take you even further down the road to discovery.

I saw the following list of kind acts that we all can easily do to make the world a better place posted on Facebook:

The political response is predictable: Republicans infuriatingly offer “thoughts and prayers,” but nothing else. Prayer can be a holy and beautiful start when it inspires action — but when it’s abused as a lazy, blasphemous excuse NOT to act, then it’s nothing more than taking the Lord’s name in vain.

A friend of mine posted this quote by writer Nikki Banas on Facebook. It’s titled, Impact. I think it presents a very important reason why we all need to be kind.

Prominent Republicans continued their boot-licking, ass-kissing reverence for Donald Trump after it was announced that he has been indicted by a Manhattan, New York grand jury. The indictment remains under seal, but that didn’t bother Republicans from groveling and expressing fake outrage over unknown charges against Trump. Running their mouths without knowing any facts is a hallmark of today’s Republicans.

Accept everything about yourself — I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end — no apologies, no regrets. Clark Moustakas

Indicted and defeated former President Donald Trump and his lawyers are preparing to fight his recent felony indictment in New York with his favorite tactic: Delay, Delay, Delay. The number of ways Trump can try to postpone facing a jury is only limited by the legal imaginations of his lawyers.

A friend of mine told me this morning that she gave in to her sixteen-year-old twins pleading and loaned them her van to drive to the beach. Well, they rear ended a vehicle that stopped for the yellow light and her son was so busy watching the light that POW! He hit the car in front of him whose driver had decided he couldn’t make it.  Thank God, nobody hurt. Her van was totaled. Just the same that makes it just about 100% of the young people I know who drive that have now totaled out a vehicle as a part of their continuing driver training program. I seriously suspect that our young people are not being given the proper driver training in schools.  A big share of these accidents involves rear end collisions. For the most part I actually believe that these young folks were driving an a fairly sensible manner.  Maybe it is the way that most of us drive and teach our young folks by our example. Whatever, I have been hearing about far too many teen deaths from driving and just wish we could find a way to prevent them. 

Herb True PhD from Notre Dame was my mentor.  One time he walked onstage at a huge convention with a pistol and fired blanks  several times in the air and he said, “Nobody sleeps during my session.”  I would guess that Herb did about four thousand live presentations in his life time and nobody ever slept. Today I would not recommend the pistol routine but I certainly hope that you realize that flashing a dull power point slide on he wall won’t do the job for you.

We have no clue what Mitt Romney’s personal beliefs are or how these beliefs could affect the United States relationship with Israel. When visiting with some previous Mormon neighbors, it was shared that it is a common Mormon tenant that Zion (Jerusalem or the new Jerusalem) refers to the entire continent of America and even specific areas such as Salt Lake Valley; Kirtland, Ohio; Jackson County, Missouri or Nauvoo, Illinois. (Doctrine and Covenants 57:1-5 and History of the Church 1:189). If this is true, why would Romney even care about the current State of Israel’s right to exist except to promote political ambitions.

I figure that the only reason I have lived to celebrate my 80th birthday is the fact that in 1954 I quit my three packs a day cigarette smoking habit and then in 1961 I gave up alcohol.  I figure either one of those habits might have done me in. Now my addiction seems to be writing. It was wonderful having all my family together and nice to share with them my new book The Old Man and the CD.  In Battle Creek we had loads of illegal fireworks and a couple of the hot air balloons swooped down low to wave to our party and signal the ending of an awesome day. Bring on another challenging decade, I’m ready.

Mrs. William Etzel – Port Huron – Charlotte C. Etzel, 83, of 1300 Beard St., died Thursday in Marwood Manor. William Etzel, 74, of 3215 Wadhams Road, a retired Great Lakes sailor and resident of Port Huron 61 years, expired Saturday, July 20, 1963, in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Sarnia, after a short illness.

Bernard (1874-1960) & Martha (Schubring) Pochert – 1953

SPECTACULAR 2019 2nd floor condo in gated community near schools, including Hamilton High one mile to the south! Property features a 2 car garage with direct access to the property through a ground floor foyer.

SPECTACULAR 2019 2nd floor condo in gated community near schools, including Hamilton High one mile to the south! Property features a 2 car garage with direct access to the property through a ground floor foyer.

Failed ex-President Donald Trump has been indicted on felony charges for the third time this year. The latest indictment is the most significant with the most serious charges.

The novel “Far from the Madding Crowd” by Thomas Hardy has an interesting story about sheep in Chapter Five.  Some of compared this story to the current Republican Party.

Who actually is reading the documents stored in the bathroom?

Legal fees for defending yourself in one criminal case can be pricey — I can say that firsthand as a former trial lawyer. Now multiply that in former President Donald Trump’s case by two jurisdictions — New York state and federal court in Florida — totaling 74 felony charges against him.

A report released last Friday by the U.S. Conference of Mayors claims that the nation’s major metropolitan areas have been shortchanged in the receipt of federal stimulus funds for transportation infrastructure administered by governors and state highway departments.

Jim Lamon, who launched a failed U.S. Senate bid in Arizona last year, was outed by campaign finance expert Rob Pyers, who shared documents identifying Lamon as the lone backer of a super PAC that has aired multiple anti-Trump ads on conservative media.

A wise woman named Cheryl Richardson said the following in her weekly blog at cherylrichardson.com. See if this sounds familiar. “I stood at the kitchen sink rinsing plates and putting them in the dishwasher when I noticed a familiar train of thought laying tracks in my head. Let’s see, I told myself, I’m done paying bills, balancing the bank accounts, and cleaning up the kitchen, so now I can make a cup of tea and finish reading my book.

“Republicans sure seem to hate democracy. In a …

The Compact DiscList [now owned by Connert Media, LLC] was originally published during the early 1980s when music CDs became very popular. It was one of the first companies to index new releases and provide catalogues to various music stores and distributors. Once the Internet became the source of this data, the company ceased publication of the Compact DiscList.

A friend of mine made the following post on Facebook recently about her drive from the east coast to San Diego. It’s an excellent example of a great attitude. “I just finished driving across this beautiful country of ours—what a thrill!! The majority of drivers were courteous and yet too many were driving dangerously aggressive.

Michigan Elections Director Jonathan Brater Thursday sent an official letter informing Stanley Grot, a longtime Republican politician, that he is being relieved of duties related to elections administration while the criminal case against him plays out.

Find that aisle or window seat. A great website that notifies you when folks on your schedule flight change seats or cancel their trips leaving their previously selected seat open.

Tripadvisor has an incredible website which shows you where the best seats are on specific flights.

Recognizing Arizona heroes who have moved equality …

Not long ago, I found myself feeling a bit down. There was no particular reason for it, I was just in a funk. One of the things I have learned over the years is that the quickest way out of a funk is to do something that puts a smile on someone’s face.

A little gem when driving the historic Route 66 through Arizona. This little unassuming historic building maintains a great staff serving down home just good food that you would expect in a small town diner.

Hundreds of folks always ask about an alternative to the TREE command in Windows using the CMD function. Clunky and visually out-of-date.

In adults, healthy levels are important for general health, disease risk, body composition, sexual function and just about everything else.

You may remember that a young woman was recently abducted from a Target parking lot in Overland Park, a suburb of Kansas City Her body was discovered many miles away in Missouri. They were able to locate her by the sequence of cell phone towers that picked up her cell phone location.

Follow the money.” This is a phrase which most investigative reporters must follow to find the truth.

White Christian nationalism is a political ideology that says we should be a Christian nation where Christians receive special legal rights. Its adherents believe they are on a holy mission and will stop at nothing to seize power, which is why Christian nationalism played such a strong role in the January 6 insurrection.

A friend made this post recently on Facebook: “I’m feeling down. I just learned that a friend I knew when I lived in Illinois passed away. The last time we spoke, which was a month ago, she seemed so up, but evidently, she wasn’t. She took her own life. Her sister said she felt lonely because many friends and family members had recently died. Her other “friends” were too busy with their own lives to spend any time with her.

Sometimes we can fall into a rut where we’re doing the same things at the same time every day and watching the same television programs every evening. When this occurs, life can become a little stale or even boring. One inexpensive and enjoyable way to pull yourself out of such a rut is to take a walk with someone.

The Bishop of Tyler, Texas, is a Christian-nationalist election denier who spoke to at least one “Stop the Steal” rally before the January 6 insurrection. The fact that he is still in a powerful leadership position should concern us all: for the ways he has harmed people in Jesus’s name, and for the damage he’s done not just to Catholicism but to the broader Body of Christ.

At its core, the filibuster is anti-democratic because it allows a minority of senators to block legislation that a majority of the American people support.

Always check with your health professional before taking any supplements, especially if you are taking other prescription medications. The following are some of the popular supplements used by bodybuilders.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema formed a congressional caucus to raise “awareness of the benefits of personalized medicine” in February. Soon after that, employees of pharmaceutical companies donated $35,000 to her campaign committee

Yup, somebody in Scottsdale, Arizona, doesn’t like Trump

On June 30, 2023, the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class.

Despite what her speech filled with lies says, …

Gov. Katie Hobbs signs executive orders restricting conversion therapy and making Arizona a safe haven for people seeking reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare.

Buttigieg is a graduate of Harvard College and Oxford University, attending the latter on a Rhodes Scholarship. From 2009 to 2017, he was an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve, attaining the rank of lieutenant. He was mobilized and deployed to the War in Afghanistan for seven months in 2014.

Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) must stop cherry-picking the Bible otherwise he also needs to admit that he is wearing mixed clothing, telling lies, bearing false witness against his neighbor and about 10 other Leviticus laws he has violated.

Our family vacationed in Southwestern Michigan where my wife and I grew up for years. I would buy gas, bottled water and sodas at a Shell station which also had a convenience store. One of the ladies who worked behind the counter was especially friendly and we struck up a casual friendship.