http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/My childhood experiences of setting up our family Christmas tree.hourly12000-01-01T12:00+00:00http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/636963As we near the end of November - only another three days in this part of the world - it will soon be time to set up the annual Christmas tree. Some of you may already have this symbol of peace and goodwill, standing in the living room covered in decorations and fake snow. Some families like to...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/636610The oceans of the world are rising, carbon dioxide levels are increasing and there's a hole in the ozone layer - somewhere above Australia. The experts call this climate change and if it continues you and I and millions of others, are going to be rowing boats instead of driving cars in the not...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/636152She tried to make it into the White House as the Vice President nominee with Senator McCain, but that failed. So she decided to quit her job as Governor of Alaska and commenced a career traveling around the country giving lectures and making speeches. Who is Sarah Palin; where the hell did she...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/635637As the small two car train wound its way up the single line track, the passengers packed in like cattle, gazed in awe at the autumn colors of brown, yellow; gold and red. "Kirei, kirei!" (beautiful) many of the travelers exclaimed as the colorful leaves, hanging from drooping tree branches,...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/635212The United Nations, as an international body, seems to lack any sort of real power. Various countries ignore the warnings from the Security Council as well as the General Assemble. Nuclear proliferation is one of the issues that the UN has an up-hill battle to contain. North Korea ignored UN...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/634890It was 20 years ago that Berlin Wall finally fell, taking the cold war with it. I was always of the opinion that the Wall was, not only a symbol of the Cold war, but also a symbol of repression and while it stood peace could never be attained. It was indeed built during a time of mistrust and...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/634461I was still standing on the table lapping up the applause from the crowd, when Ben Colbert pushed his way into the saloon. He moved to the bar and called out to Tate, "What's with Jess, Tate?" he yelled over the din. "Jimmy told him this pardon came through, drinks are on the house!" Colbert...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/634008Two months after Colbert had put Harrison in a grave, Bell and I had settled in. Colbert had had a small house built for us on the outside of town and a lot of the towns-folk had donated furniture. Millie's sister, Polly, became close friends with Bell. I still felt responsible for Millie's...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/633635I moved out onto the veranda and scanned the street for Harrison. Smithy Cummings came up behind me, "I heard the ruckus Jess. Did you see where he went?" I pointed, "Yep, there he is." Smithy followed my pointed finger. Across the street Colbert and Harrison faced-off. Harrison was backing away...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/Hackthorne195374/633248Bell leaned back in her seat and eyed Henricks. "Suppose you tell me how long to lived in Blackwood and why ya left," she asked. Henricks sucked on the cigar between his teeth, "OK, Bell. I was only in Blackwood only a couple of weeks. Weren't any real players there, so I left, went back East for...