Undertakers' New Year's message to drunk drivers: It is your own funeral
In the days leading up to New Year's Eve, people in Rome, Georgia, outside Atlanta, could see an unusual type of campaign to discourage drunk driving.
TV stations and newspapers are announcing that, between 9 A.M. on December 28 and noon on December 31, the local McGuire, Jennings and Miller funeral homes will sign a contract with anyone who plans to drink or use drugs and drive on New Year's Eve. The contract states that, if the person dies in a car accident on the 31st, he or she will get a free funeral.
However, the contract is not the point of the "Operation Stop and Think" campaign, says Barry Miller, co-owner of the funeral homes. Miller, who started the program after losing a family member in a drunk driving accident, says, "This is just a scare tactic."
For the past ten years, the funeral home owners have been sending a press release about the contract to some 100 local media outlets and, as Miller says, the owners' reason for doing it: "So other families don't have to go through what we went through." Each year, they restrict their "offer" to the night of New Year's Eve.
In the ten-year history of "Operation Stop and Think," no one has signed the contract. No one has even expressed interest in signing the contract. But the owners have still received feedback about the program in the form of thank-you letters from people of all ages. Miller says that people have even told the owners that the program inspired them to go to Alcoholics Anonymous. Any complaints about the program have been because people misunderstood the funeral home's true intentions, he adds.
Even though the owners don't anticipate anyone coming in for the contract, they do have one ready just in case. To sign it, the potential drunk driver must be from the Rome area and, of course, he or she must be 21 and have a valid driver's license. Miller points out that the funeral home owners would pass along to the police the driver's license information of people who say they plan to drink and drive on New Year's Eve. In addition, Miller says that the contractee must bring along his or her next of kin as well as write letters to his or her possible survivors explaining the decision.
The funeral homes would cover the cost of the grave, casket, limousine and preparation of the remains for the contractee, but not for anyone else killed in the accident.
Although the contract's fine print is not part of the campaign, Miller hopes that the association between drunk driving and a funeral will get the attention of people that might not have been fazed by the myriad other drunk driving ads that appear before New Year's Eve. "You have to have several [approaches] to reach everyone," he says.
Former Indonesian President Gus Dur Dies
Former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid, 69, more popularly known as Gus Dur, died at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta at about 6.45pm local time Wednesday.
Till now there has been no statement about the cause of his death but lately he had been treated in hospital several times due to health problems.
Gus Dur's private secretary, Sulaeman, was quoted by news agency Antara as saying his health deteriorated today and he was visited by all his close family members and leaders of the Nahdatul Ulama organisation at the hospital.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had also visited Gus Dur at about 6.30pm and was there for half-an-hour. Indonesian cabinet ministers also visited him.
Susilo will issue at statement about Gus Dur's death, who was termed "Bapa Bangsa" Indonesia, said Antara.
At about 10pm, Gus Dur's body was taken from hospital to his residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.
Gus Dur, who was Indonesia's fourth president from 1991 to 2001, was the founder of the 'Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB)', an Islamic party.
He replaced Presiden B.J. Habibie after being picked by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) after the 1999 general election.
Born on Aug 4, 1940, in Jombang, Eact Java, Gus Dur among others got his education at the University of Baghdad, Iraq, from 1966 till 1970, and the Al-Azhar Univerity, Cairo, Egypt, at the Syariah Faculty from 1964 till 1966.
He leaves his widow, Sinta Nuriyah, and four daughters.
General Motors looks to sell remaining Saturn, Pontiac vehicles with steep discounts, says WSJ
General Motors Company is offering deep discounts on its remaining Saturn and Pontiac vehicles as it looks to move the leftover inventory of the soon-to-be-dead brands, according to a published report.
The automaker will pay dealers $7,000 for every new Saturn or Pontiac left on their lot if the vehicle is moved to dealer-operated rental or service fleets, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited a letter mailed to dealers. This allows the dealers to sell the cars and trucks to consumers at a discount, although the vehicles would be labeled as used because the dealer would technically be the first owner.
The offer expires Jan. 4, according to the newspaper. GM spokesman Tom Henderson confirmed the details of the incentive plan Tuesday.
"That was the purpose of the programs — to help dealers reduce those inventories," he said.
The decision to discount Saturns and Pontiacs comes as GM closes down both brands under the Detroit automaker's restructuring plan. The shutdown of Pontiac was announced earlier in the year. GM announced this fall it would discontinue Saturn after a deal collapsed to sell the brand to Penske Automotive Group Inc.
Besides Pontiac and Saturn, GM is selling Hummer to a Chinese heavy equipment maker and is likely shuttering Swedish brand Saab. That will leave the automaker with four core brands: Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac.
Sales of Saturn and Pontiac have declined sharply this year. Saturn sales have plunged 61.5 percent through November, according to Autodata Corp. Pontiac sales have slid 32.3 percent. GM's companywide decline is 31.8 percent.
With a $7,000 discount, the manufacturer's suggested price of Pontiac's cheapest vehicle, the G3 hatchback, falls to $7,335. The incentive brings Saturn's cheapest vehicle, the Astra compact car, to $9,495. Henderson, however, cautioned that the final price of the vehicles might be different.
Percy Sutton was a one man corporation. From a freedom rider to a young lawyer, and from politician to a business icon, Percy Sutton was one of the black Americans who remained active for the rights of African-American people. Percy Sutton gave his hand into the hands of death at 89.
Percy Sutton’s journey includes representing Malcolm X and rescuing Apollo Theatre. In the thorny fields of politics he raise from Democratic clubhouses and in1977, he was considered seriously for the mayor ship candidature of Harlem.
Percy Sutton did not become the mayor of the city but he paved way for other blacks and in 1989 when David N Dinkins became the first Black Mayor, he paid tribute to Percy Sutton by saying that Percy Sutton’s efforts were behind his success and he added that he is standing on the shoulders of Percy Sutton.
Edward I Koch who became mayor in 1977 admitted later that it was only God’s will that he has become mayor other wise he has not seen any man sharp and smart enough as Percy Sutton.
The last of his fourteen brothers and sisters Percy Ellis Sutton was born in November 1920 in Texas. At the age of 13 he was badly beaten for distributing N.A.A.C.P brochures to white neighborhood but as his family was committed to human rights so was Percy Sutton.
A veteran of WWII who served in an all black unit of Air Force as an intelligence officer
Percy earned his lawyer’s degree from Brooklyn Law School.
The man who was addressed by the name of Chairman left a wife, a son and a daughter as his survivors. A devoted and dedicated chapter of fighting for human rights of blacks ended with Percy Sutton. RIP Percy Sutton.
If you thought that with Christmas over, sales being offered at the different retail stores are also over, you were mistaken. The festivities at big retail chains are expected to continue for at least a week.
Best Buy is offering great deals on many items as part of post Christmas sales.
Best Buy is giving from fifty dollar to 100 dollar cards with purchase of LCD televisions and LED televisions on range of TV sets that you always wanted to buy.
Best Buy is offering almost $700 rebate on Samsung ToC 46 1080 LED HDTV. Its regular market price is $2499.99.
But as a post Christmas sale it is offering the TV set for merely $1749. If that was not enough Best Buy is giving a $100 gift card on it reducing its price even further.
Best Buy is also offering almost $150 discount on Samsung 32 Class 720 P LCD HDTV.
Its regular price is $540.99 but as post Christmas sale it is being offered at just $399.99.
Walmart is also offering some great deals on many electronic goods and kitchenware.
Target is offering some great deals and end of the season sales. These include savings of up to 75% on their Last Chance Deals. These also include the added bonus of free shipping.
If you are shopping for furniture at target you can save 15% when they spend $125 or more on furniture.
Oklahoma Road Conditions - Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Oklahoma Department of Transportation reports the latest Oklahoma road conditions as of Friday, Dec 25, 2009 at 09:22:05 AM.
You can also visit the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety for the latest Oklahoma road conditions as the weather is affecting the state.
TROOP A- Major interstates in all counties are still closed due to weather. Troopers are trying to remove wrecked and abandoned vehicles from the roadway to allow DOT to work. Secondary roads are considered slick and hazardous. TRAVEL IS DISCOURAGED Turner Turnpike is now open. 12-25-09/0815 KJM
TROOP B- Snow has stopped falling in all counties, however, blowing snow remains a problem with lower visibility and drifting snow in and along the roadways, making it impossible to see where roadways end and ditches begin. All Highways and Interstates remain closed, with units trying to reach already stranded motorists and trying to get all to safe locations. 12/25/2009 06:52 Hrs MAD
TROOP C- TROOP C- Wagoner, Muskogee, McIntosh, and Sequoyah county roads are extremely slick including I40, US69 and the MuskogeeTurnpike. Cherokee, Adair and Haskell have slick spots. All unnecessary driving is highly discouraged. 12/25/09 0412 JB
TROOP D- At this time there is no precipitation falling in the Troop D area. All roads are slick and hazardous. 12/25/09 07:55 BW
TROOP E- ROADS IN BRYAN,MARSHALL,COAL, PUSHMATAHA AND ATOKA COUNTIES ALL ICE COVERED AND SLICK. CHOCTAW & MCCURTAIN COUNTIES SLICK IN SPOTS AND BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES . 12/25 0614 hrs
TROOP F- There is no precipitation at this time. All roadways including I-35 remain ice/snow covered. Travel is discouraged. 0539 hrs 12/25/09 JJ
TROOP G- All roads in the Troop G area remain very slick and hazardous. I-44, H.E. Bailey Turnpike from MM1 at the Red River to MM107 is still closed. SH7 between Lawton and Duncan is still closed.
TROOP H- Roadways in Troop H are slick and hazardous. Due to high winds snowdrifts have been a problem. All travel is discouraged. 12-25-09, 0750 hours, MA
TROOP I- TROOP I REPORTING NO PRECIPITATION IN CIMARRON, TEXAS, BEAVER, HARPER, ELLIS AND WOODWARD COUNTIES. WOODWARD COUNTY AND ELLIS COUNTY IS STILL SLICK IN SPOTS. SMG 122509 0600
TROOP J- Woods, Alfalfa Grant Major and Garfield County are reporting roads to be slick in spots. As for Blaine and Kingfisher use extreme caution, roads are still slick andhazardous. SH 33 9 E of Kingfisher has been closed due to large snow drifts. 12/25/09 09:39 RCF
TROOP K- Even though the sun is shining, it is still below freezing. All roadways are still slick and hazardous. There are 4-5 ft high drifts in various locations making most roadways impassable. The Cimarron Turnpike is still impassable. If you choose to travel and become stranded, we will more than likely not be able to assist you, so travel is highly discouraged. 0822 12/25/09 Sgt. Kennedy
TROOP L- All major highways in the Troop L area are slick and hazadous. The Will Rogers Turnpike (I-44) will re-open at 1000 hrs. today TAM 0930 hrs
TROOP M- Roads in all counties remain slick and hazardous. Travel is still discouraged in most areas. Visibility is clear. 12/25/09 0800 TKB
