Friday, July 22, 2011

Foreclosure Fraud

A few years ago my wife and I tried to refinance our home after hearing a commercial. I blogged about it HERE and HERE. We gave a company a $995 deposit and then were denied the refinance and a refund as had been promised.  We eventually got our money back thanks to Visa.  As it turns out, the same firm (IGS) and person (Kahram Zamani) who tried to screw us out of $995 did it to hundreds of other people and has since been charged with several felonies by the Orange County DA.

So, just how serious are these types of consumer fraud?  Try 25 years in federal prison!

The FBI released the following story which will surely leave you shaking your head.

  
Foreclosure Fraud
Victims Lose Their Shirts…and Their Homes

He was their last hope—about 250 Southern California homeowners facing foreclosure and eviction believed him when he said he said could save their homes.

Only in Florida - Man files $48.489-billion liens against feds

Tax Defendant Pleads Guilty in Florida to Filing False Liens for $48.489 Billion Against Federal Law Enforcement
Defendant Filed Harassing Documents Against Federal Employees Who Successfully Prosecuted Him in 2010 for Tax Crimes
WASHINGTON - Mark D. Leitner entered a plea of guilty in the Northern District of Florida to filing false liens against federal law enforcement and corruptly endeavoring to impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Justice Department announced today.   Senior District Court Judge Lacey A. Collier presided over the hearing at the U.S. District Court in Pensacola, where Leitner admitted to filing the false liens against the former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, the former clerk of court, and numerous Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Department of Justice trial attorneys and an IRS criminal investigation special agent involved in a 2010 tax fraud prosecution against Leitner.   
           
According to the documents filed in the court proceeding, Leitner was previously a defendant in a criminal trial, U.S. v. Hirmer, et. al., in the Northern District of Florida in March 2010.   A jury in the Northern District of Florida found him guilty of conspiracy to defraud the IRS after a month-long jury trial. During that jury trial and after the jury returned the guilty verdict, Leitner publicly filed false maritime liens against the property of the prosecutors, investigators and court personnel involved in the criminal trial.   The liens falsely claimed that Leitner was owed $48.489 billion from each individual.   On five of the seven false liens, Leitner publicly disclosed individuals’ correct Social Security numbers and other personal identifying information.   Leitner also filed and mailed numerous harassing and frivolous documents to the courts and personnel involved in this case.

Leitner, who is presently serving a five year sentence for his 2010 tax fraud conviction,   now faces up to an additional thirteen years of incarceration and fines of more than $500,000.   Judge Collier scheduled sentencing for Sept. 27, 2011.

The case was investigated by Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Department of Treasury.
         
Additional information about the Justice Department’s Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/tax.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Apartment Shortage?

Fewest vacant O.C. apartments since 2007

Orange County Register, Jeff Collins
The Orange County apartment occupancy rate has held steady for nine months at 95% — highest since fourth quarter of 2007 — a point where there’s little momentum to push up rents, according to apartment tracker RealFacts.

Nonetheless, rents are rising, climbing $50 a month last spring to $1,532 a month, second quarter figures released Thursday show.

“Ninety-five percent occupancy suggests market equilibrium and demand is strong,” said Sarah Bridge of RealFacts.

“When occupancy goes above 95%, it means it’s hard to find an apartment to rent and applicants needing an apartment may be willing to pay even more. If occupancy goes below 95%, rent growth starts to slow down.”

READ MORE...

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Seven Real Estate Professionals Indicted for Mortgage Fraud

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging seven real estate professionals with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on July 14, 2011.

Charged in the case are Moctezuma Tovar, 42; Manuel Herrera, 31; Ruben Rodriguez, 34; and Jaime Mayorga, 32, all licensed real estate agents residing in Sacramento; Sandra Hermosillo, 49, of Woodland, formerly a loan officer; Jun Michael Dirain, 38, of Antelope, formerly a loan processor; and Christian Parada Renteria, 35, of Sacramento, formerly a loan officer. The indictment alleges that Tovar owned and operated Delta Homes and Lending Inc, a real estate and mortgage lending company where he and the other defendants were employed. Between October 2004 and May 2007, the defendants are alleged to have conspired to obtain home loans from mortgage lenders based upon false and fraudulent loan applications and supporting documents that falsely represented the borrowers’ assets and income, liabilities and debts, employment status, and citizenship status. The indictment alleges that, as part of the scheme, the defendants provided money to borrowers in order to fraudulently inflate the borrowers’ assets and bank account balances. Once the defendants had secured approved loans based upon their fraudulent representations to lenders, the borrowers returned the money the defendants had provided for the scheme. The indictment alleges that mortgage lenders and others suffered losses of at least $4 million, and that the aggregate sales prices of the homes involved in the conspiracy exceeded $10 million.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Dominique N. Thomas is prosecuting the case.

U.S. Attorney Wagner said: “Fraud schemes such as the one alleged in this case, in which real estate professionals submitted false information and phony documents to obtain mortgage loans, are one of the major reasons why this part of California was hit with a foreclosure crisis that negatively impacted home values for many, many homeowners. This office will continue to root out and prosecute fraudsters in the residential real estate industry.”

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Mortgage fraud is a priority area for the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. For more information on the task force, visit www.StopFraud.gov.

New Blog in the Neighborhood

I would like to welcome a new blog to the Fullerton neighborhood of blogs, AnsaInsurancServices.blogspot.com!

Ansa Insurance Services' blog is geared to help keep consumers and their clients up-to-date on insurance issues.

If you are concerned about rising health care costs and want to know what you can do to keep costs low and the quality of services high, follow award winning Ansa Insurance Services on Blogger and on Facebook.



FBI Seeks La Habra Man

La Habra Man Charged with Defrauding Elderly Couple Considered Fugitive, Wanted by the FBI
A La Habra man charged with defrauding an elderly couple is being sought by the FBI after he failed to appear for a court hearing on June 27th, 2011.

John Arthur Walthall, 55, was arrested by the FBI in 2009 for defrauding an elderly Laguna Nigel couple out of nearly $5 million, according to an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Orange County. Walthall faces charges including multiple counts of wire fraud. The indictment states that the victims, both of whom were in their late 80s, gave Walthall more than $4.7 million dollars to invest in technology aimed at finding gold in abandoned mines.

Walthall’s trial is currently scheduled for September 13, 2011. A recent motion was filed by the government seeking to revoke Walthall’s bond due to findings that he had been exaggerating a medical condition in order to avoid trial. On June 23, 2011, Judge Andrew J. Guilford ordered Walthall to appear at a hearing to address the government’s motion on June 27, 2011 at 3:00p.m. Walthall did not appear at the hearing and Judge Guilford issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

Walthall is described as follows:
Race: White
DOB: 9/13/55
Hair: Brown
Height: 5’8”
Eyes: Hazel
Weight: 195

A Department of Motor Vehicles photograph of Walthall, dated March 2010, is being released to the media.
According to the indictment, Walthall convinced the victims to invest in a partnership called “Advanced Recycling General Partners,” for the purported purpose of searching for and extracting gold from old mines. Walthall allegedly told the elderly couple that he had invested more than $3 million of his own money in more than a decade worth of research in the gold extraction process.

The large majority of the couple’s money was not used for its intended purpose, but was used by Walthall for his own gold investments and personal expenses, including making alimony and child support payments for his four children; paying rent and other living expenses. In addition, Walthall allegedly used investor money to purchase multiple vehicles and luxury items: among them a $10,000 payment to a film school and a hyperbaric oxygen chamber worth approximately $60,000.

When Walthall was arrested in 2009, agents found approximately $500,000 in gold coins under his bed during a search of his residence. Agents also seized three vehicles Walthall had purchased with investor money, including two Ford Excursions and a Ford 450 pick-up truck.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Walthall is urged to contact the FBI 24 hours a day at 888 CANT HIDE (888 226-8443).

This continuing investigation is being conducted by the FBI. Walthall will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

PRESS CONTACT:
FBI Media Relations: Laura Eimiller, 310 996-3343
United States Attorney’s Office: Thom Mrozek, 213 894-6947

Fullerton Puts Brakes on Rate Hike

After months of agonizing meetings, technical reports, missed dinners with my families, after researching the issue at great length, after so much hard work, the City Attorney recommended last night that the City Council pull the water rate hike from the agenda after receiving several communications that call into question the legality of the franchise tax and the manner in which the Prop 218 notification was conducted.

So for now there is NO rate increase!

One small but important detail I noticed was that the Agenda did NOT have the Water Rate Ad Hoc Commission's recommendations.  What was on the Agenda was some staff verbiage which lacked substantial information which the Ad Hoc had made very clear needed to be communicated to the Council. 

The Water Rate Ad Hoc made 3 distinct recommendations:
1) That the Council adopt Rate Alternative "B" as it was described in the Ad Hoc briefing of June 30, 2011;
2) That all new revenue from Alternative "B" be exempt from the franchise tax;
3) That the water bill be revised to address the general lack of transparency and add more detail as to where rate payers' funds go.

These were completely missing from the Agenda making ALL of the Water Rate Ad Hoc Commission's work pointless and wasted thousands of tax dollars with staff time. 

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Fullerton City Council to Consider Rate Hike Tonight, 6:30PM at City Hall

Please come out and tell your City Council...
...Their hidden tax on your water must stop NOW. (10% of your water bill covers public safety salaries and benefits.)
...The timing couldn't be worse. (Extremely high unemployment and foreclosure rates in a very poor economy.)
...The "business-as-usual" mentality of infrastructure management must change.  (For decades city management has refused to spend a penny of the General Fund on the infrastructure and has relied on state and federal grants which are quickly drying up.)
...The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association believes, as do many, that the City's Prop 218 Notification did not comply with state law.  This could trigger dozens of law suits from homeowner associations and others who did not receive any notice.
...The City ranks among the worst in Southern California for water conservation efforts.  A recent Sierra Club survey of 122 agencies gave Fullerton 8 out of 20 points for their efforts.  Their were only 16 agencies which scored worse!
...Can the residents and water consumers of Fullerton really trust a City in which customers are assessed hidden taxes to support poor management practices?  NO! 

The General Fund, the core of the City's budget, received $2.4-million in 2010, thanks to the hidden tax.  The FY2011-2012 budget expects 80% of the General Fund to cover public safety salaries and benefits.  That $2.4-million windfall will go up 7.8% if the Council approves this rate hike.  Tell your City Council NO!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Fullerton Water Rate Increase - Tomorrow Night

Tomorrow night's City Council meeting will likely include a water rate hike for Fullerton residents and businesses. 

The City Council meeting begins at 6:30PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall.  I expect it to be a very long meeting.

Please come out and tell you City Council...
...Their hidden tax on your water must stop NOW. (10% of your water bill covers public safety salaries and benefits.)
...The timing couldn't be worse. (Extremely high unemployment and foreclosure rates in a very poor economy.)
...The "business-as-usual" mentality of infrastructure management must change.  (For decades city management has refused to spend a penny of the General Fund on the infrastructure and has relied on state and federal grants which are quickly drying up.)
...The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association believes, as do many, that the City's Prop 218 Notification did not comply with state law.  This could trigger dozens of law suits from homeowner associations and others who did not receive any notice.
...The City ranks among the worst in Southern California for water conservation efforts.  A recent Sierra Club survey of 122 agencies gave Fullerton 8 out of 20 points for their efforts.  Their were only 16 agencies which scored worse!
...Can the residents and water consumers of Fullerton really trust a City in which customers are assessed hidden taxes to support poor management practices?  NO! 

The General Fund, the core of the City's budget, received $2.4-million in 2010, thanks to the hidden tax.  The FY2011-2012 budget expects 80% of the General Fund to cover public safety salaries and benefits.  That $2.4-million windfall will go up 7.8% if the Council approves this rate hike.  Tell your City Council NO!

 Here is a recent blog post stating in more detail why this rate hike is wrong for Fullerton right now.
______________________________________________


Tuesday night's City Council agenda is set and among the many items for consideration by council members is a water rate increase. 

The increase would raise water revenue by 7.8% but it is not clear how that increase would be spread among different rate classes.  Some will feel the increase more than others.  This cloud is just one of the many reasons I oppose this rate increase.

Other reasons include the hidden water tax, economic timing, city management's long-standing philosophy on infrastructure, the likely law suits due to improper notice by the City, shortsighted conservation efforts, and the general feeling of distrust by consumers.

10% of every water bill gets diverted or skimmed from the water fund and transferred into the City's General Fund.  80% of the General Fund goes to cover public safety employee benefits.  Outside of City Hall only a handful of people know about this tax.  In my opinion, it gives the appearance that the unions are embezzling public funds.  The General Fund does not contribute any funds back into the water system.  Removing this hidden tax would allow the water system to retain about $2.5-million for pipe replacement.

Fullerton residents and businesses are struggling to survive.  The elderly and disabled have never had this magnitude of cuts in services and funding now on the table and being debated in Washington.  There are other measures yet to be instituted which could provide a financial buffer for the next year or two.  City management must exhaust all avenues before resorting to a rate hike in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression.

For decades, city management has turned a blind eye to the infrastructure.  Unless the repairs or replacement was in a redevelopment district, the City would put of any work.  Instead, the city sought to spend $6-million on moving a McDonalds 200 feet, $30-million* in bonds for housing (*will amount to more than $50-million when paid off), and more than $12-million to revamp the Lions Field athletic complex.  Meanwhile, our water lines are failing, our roads are crumbling, our streetlights broken, and who knows what else is in disrepair.  The proven ability of city officials, from council members to department heads, to go along with whatever hot new trend presented itself despite the obvious deficiencies in our infrastructure is unforgiveable.  While some were getting bronze plaques with their names on it, the rest of us are left to foot the bill.  Enough already!

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has indicated that the Proposition 218 rate increase notification received by some water customers last month does not comply with the requirements of the law.  Fullerton's notice is insufficient according to Timothy Bittle, Director of Legal affairs for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.  "[T]hey can't tell anyone yet what the new amount of their fee will be. That's not compliance with 218!" says Bittle.

A recent survey of 122 public agencies by the Sierra Club shows Fullerton's water conservation efforts sadly on par with the infamous city of Bell.  The survey gives Fullerton 8 points out of 20.  Out of the 122 agencies surveyed, only 16 scored worse.

Finally, people have lost a great deal of trust in their government at all levels and why wouldn't they lose trust once they realize the City has been charging them with a hidden tax that does not benefit the water system.  Most people who do not deal with City Hall regularly get frustrated at the run around they receive.  One person tells them to do one thing and someone else tells them to do something different.  Many are simply discouraged by driving on Fullerton’s poorly maintained streets.  Others, like me, have watched the same section of water line replaced three or four times in just 24 months. 

For these reasons and more, I strongly oppose this water rate increase.

As a side note, water rates will have to increase; it is just a matter of time.  However, I believe our city can and should do better to serve the public before considering any rate hikes. 

A message from Open Coyote Hills

I received this message from Mr. Bob Hayden from Open Coyote Hills and thought you should be equally informed.  I agree with Open Coyote Hills that the City of Fullerton and the region's residents will all benefit from this relatively small development.  I hope you will NOT sign any petition that would jeopardize nearly 30 years of work to open the area to the public. 

Let's OPEN COYOTE HILLS and enjoy the trails NOW!!!
______________

As you are aware the plan was approved by a 4-1 vote on Tuesday evening by our City Council. This will bring many benefits at no taxpayer expense. These public benefits include: 283 additional acres of restored open space, 5 vista parks, 10 miles of trails and an interpretive center as part of the 72-acre Robert E. Ward Nature Preserve. The Council's action also changed the zoning to allow for low-density housing and open space. The zone change would mean that oil or gas production would no longer be permitted on the property.

Since the vote on Tuesday evening we have become aware that the "Friends of Coyote Hills" -- a 501c3 organization -- has announced through their website their intention to collect signatures for a referendum on the City Council decision. The Open Coyote Hills Steering Committee is reviewing this and will keep you posted on further developments.

For now let me encourage you to not sign any petitions and ask that you encourage your family, friends and neighbors to refrain from signing petitions as well. It is our understanding that an election to vote on a referendum of this type would cost our city $90,000 - $200,000 in a time when the city is already financially strapped.
Our focus continues to be on informing and educating our fellow Fullertonians. Based on the results from our efforts to date we are confident that when our families, friends and neighbors know the real facts about this proposed plan they will support the project. We welcome your thoughts and suggestions on how to inform our broader community.

We appreciate your efforts.

Sincerely,

Bob Hayden

The Open Coyote Hills Steering Committee:
Bob Hayden, Molly McClanahan, Chris Heusser,
Rick Crane, Jack Dean, Debra Pember,
Tom and Kate Dalton

______________________

Message to Mr. Hayden:  You can add my name to this list of supporters!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

BROOKLYN MAN CONVICTED OF CONSPIRACY TO KILL U.S. SOLDIERS

BROOKLYN MAN CONVICTED OF CONSPIRACY TO KILL U.S. SOLDIERS ABROAD AND ATTEMPTING TO PROVIDE MATERIAL SUPPORT TO AL-SHABAAB

BROOKLYN, NY – Following a two-week trial in the Eastern District of New York, a federal jury convicted Betim Kaziu today of conspiring to commit murder overseas, conspiring to provide material support to terrorism, attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to use a machine gun in furtherance of those crimes. The evidence at trial established that the defendant traveled from Brooklyn to Cairo, Egypt, in February 2009 in order to wage violent jihad against United States troops in the Middle East and the Balkans. While in Cairo, the defendant also attempted to acquire automatic weapons and to travel to Somalia to join al-Shabaab, a Somali terrorist organization allied with al-Qaeda. Ultimately, the defendant traveled to Kosovo in an effort to target American troops stationed there, or to travel onward to Pakistan to join al-Qaeda.

While in the Balkans, the defendant recorded a martyrdom video on the Albanian coast of his “last few moments” before he expected to depart for jannah, or paradise reserved for martyrs. Shortly thereafter, on August 27, 2009, the defendant was arrested in Kosovo by the Kosovo Police Service. He was then transferred to the custody of agents and detectives of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force to face terrorism charges filed in the Eastern District of New York. At the time of his arrest, the defendant had already purchased a ticket to travel to Pakistan on September 15, 2009.

Testimony at trial established that the defendant had been radicalized, in part, by Internet speeches by Anwar al-Awlaki and propaganda videos produced by al-Qaeda and al-Shabaab. The government also introduced at trial evidence from the defendant’s social networking website, including quotes by Osama Bin Laden.

The defendant faces a sentence of up to life in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for November 4, 2011.

The convictions were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York.

“Through our judicial system, we have brought to justice a homegrown terrorist who conspired to kill U.S. troops overseas,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “We are committed to using all available tools to combat terrorism wherever it threatens our citizens and our country.” Ms. Lynch thanked the government of Kosovo, the U.S. State Department, the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, and the New York City Police Department for their assistance.

The government’s case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shreve Ariail, Seth D. DuCharme and Ali Kazemi, with assistance provided by Joanna Baltes of the National Security Division.

Source: http://www.justice.gov/usao/nye/pr/2011/2011jul07.html

Greg Sebourn

The Beauty of a Storm

The Beauty of a Storm
Orange County, Ca.

My Grandma - A Eulogy

LET'S TALK ABOUT 1914 FOR A MOMENT.



FOR STARTERS, GRANDMA WAS BORN TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1914 IN HER FAMILY'S ATWOOD RANCH HOUSE.



IT IS WORTH NOTING THOSE ALSO BORN IN 1914:

JACK LALANNE

JOE DIMAGGIO

DANNY THOMAS



AND WHO DIED IN 1914:

JOHN MUIR, THE FAMOUS NATURALIST FOR WHICH NUMEROUS ROADS, PARKS, HOTELS, AND NATURE RESERVES ARE NAMED.



IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT IN 1914 WOODROW WILSON SIGNS MOTHER'S DAY PROCLAMATION AND BABE RUTH MAKES HIS MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT WITH THE RED SOX. MOTHER'S DAY AND BASEBALL- TWO OF MY FAVORITES!! (PERHAPS HER NICKNAME "BABE" CAME FROM BABE RUTH???)



GRANDMA WAS BORN INTO A PERIOD OF TIME FILLED WITH TURMOIL. IN JUNE OF 1914 ARCHDUKE FRANZS FERDINAND WAS ASSASSINATED. WITHIN ONE MONTH WORLD WAR I RAGED ACROSS EUROPE. TWO DAYS AFTER HER BIRTH HOWEVER, GERMAN AND BRITISH TROOPS INTERRUPTED WWI TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. (PERHAPS THEY PAUSE KNOWING THAT A GREAT WOMAN WAS BORNE) WORLD WAR I CONTINUED UNTIL THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES IN 1919.



ALTHOUGH SHE WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD, SHE SAW THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS CREATED AND THE 19TH AMENDMENT WAS APPROVED BY THE U.S. CONGRESS GUARANTEEING THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN TO VOTE.



SHE LIVED THROUGH MANY NOTABLE EVENTS. LIKE THE 1933 LONG BEACH EARTHQUAKE OR WHEN ATWOOD FLOODED ALONG WITH MOST OF ORANGE COUNTY IN 1938 AND THE FLOOD-WATERS CLAIMED MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE, 43 OF WHICH WERE FROM ATWOOD! ALL OF THIS DURING A TIME THAT WE READ ABOUT IN SCHOOL AND KNOWN AS "THE GREAT DEPRESSION". SOMEWHERE IN ALL OF THAT SHE FOUND THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, GRANDPA LEO, GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, GOT MARRIED, AND HAD KIDS!



THEN THERE WAS WORLD WAR II. FROM PEARL HARBOR TO HIROSHIMA, GRANDMA WAS RAISING MY UNCLE BOB AND MOM ARLINE. WITH AIR-RAID SIRENS AND BLACKOUTS SHE WAS A WIFE AND MOTHER. WHAT A TIME TO RAISE CHILDREN! I BET GRANDMA'S PARENTS WERE ABEL TO TELL HER A THING OR TWO ABOUT RAISING KIDS IN WARTIME.



GRANDMA WAS THERE WHEN THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA HELD THEIR 3RD ANNUAL NATIONAL JAMBOREE IN 1953. SHE SAW AIRBASES OPEN IN '42 AND CLOSE IN '99. SHE WATCHED WALTER KNOTT START UP HIS BERRY FARM AND WALT DISNEY TURN ORANGE GROVES AND STRAWBERRY PATCHES INTO DISNEYLAND!



SHE SAW THE HORSE AND CARRIAGE FADE AWAY INTO HISTORY AND SPACE TRAVEL EXPLODE BEFORE HER WITH THE FIRST LUNAR LANDING. JUST IMAGINE HOW MUCH TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS. FROM TUBE RECTIFIERS TO SUPERCONDUCTORS; FROM TRANS-ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLES TO SATELLITE TV.



SHE SAW MORE IN HER 93 YEARS THAN MOST OF US WILL EVER READ ABOUT, LET ALONE LIVE THROUGH!



OF THOSE 93 YEARS IT IS MY HONOR TO HAVE BEEN HER GRANDSON FOR 35 OF THEM. SHE WAS MY MOTHER WHEN MOM HAD TO WORK. SHE WIPED MY NOSE AND PUT FOOD IN MY MOUTH. SHE LET ME PLAY WITH GRANDPA EVEN THOUGH SHE NEEDED HIM TO TAKE HER TO THE STORE. SHE WAS MY GRANDMA AND I WILL MISS HER IMMENSELY.



JUST LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM; SHE DID THIS. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE INTO THIS WORLD AND TOGETHER TODAY. THIS IS HER LEGACY.



A Dedication To My Loving Wife, Stacey. Thank you for all you do for me!

Brad Paisley - I Thought I Loved You Then


I remember trying not to stare the night that I first met you
You had me mesmerized
3 weeks later in the front porch light taking 45 min to kiss you goodnight
I hadn’t told you yet but I thought I loved you then

Chorus
Now you’re my whole life now you’re my whole world
I just can’t believe the way I feel about you girl
Like a river meets the sea
Stronger than it’s ever been
We’ve come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then.

I remember taking you back to right where I first met you
You were so surprised
There were people around
But I didn’t care I got down on one knee right there
And once again I thought I loved you then

Chorus
Now you’re my whole life now you’re my whole world
I just can’t believe the way I feel about you girl
Like a river meets the sea
Stronger than it’s ever been
We’ve come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then.

I can just see you with a baby on the way
I can just see you when your hair is turning gray
What I can’t see is how I’m ever gonna love you more
But I’ve said that before.

Now you’re my whole life now you’re my whole world
I just can’t believe the way I feel about you girl
Well look back some day at this moment that we’re in
And I'll look at you and say I thought I loved you then
And I thought I loved you then...