How Long to Keep Food Stored in

Pantries, Cupboards, and Freezers

Buying in bulk saves money, but even dry and canned foods won’t keep forever. The following guidelines can be used to determine when foods need to be thrown away, particularly those that have been bought from bulk stores and don’t have packaging with expiration dates.

Baked Goods

Baked goods should be stored at room temperature because they go stale faster in the fridge, with the exception of cheesecakes and other items containing dairy products (especially cream). Anything with fresh dairy must be refrigerated at all times.

Baked goods stored in cupboards and pantries usually go stale within a few days, freezing can extend longevity. Baked goods stored in the freezer should keep for the following times:

Angel, sponge, layer, or cheesecake – 4-6 months

Bagels – 2 months

Baked cookies – 4-6 months

Bread - 3 months

Danishes, doughnuts – 3 months

Fruit pies (baked) – 1 year

Muffins, quick breads, rolls – 2-4 months

Nut pies – 6 months

Pumpkin or chiffon pies – 1 month

Unbaked cookie dough – 6 months

Unbaked pie shells – unopened 12 months, opened 2 months (these should be used within a day if transferred to the fridge)

Storing bread dough in the freezer is not recommended, as it may not rise as well afterward. Freezing custard-based pies is also not advisable.

Dry Foods

Check the expiration dates on dry foods that are stored at room temperature. If there isn’t one, the following guidelines can be used:

Bread Crumbs - 6 months

Bouillon cubes or granules – 2 years

Brown rice – 6 months in a tightly sealed container

Cereals – 6-12 months (but will likely go stale more rapidly once opened unless kept in a tightly sealed bag or container)

Coffee creamer, dry - 6 months

Crackers – 6 months (faster after opening)

Flavored rice (i.e., with herbs) – 6 months in a tightly sealed container

Instant potatoes – 6-12 months

Noodles (containing dried egg solids) – 1-2 months

Pasta (without egg solids) – 1 year

Plain white rice – 2 years or more in a tightly sealed container

Popcorn – 1-2 years in a sealed container

Canned Food & Snacks

Discard cans that are rusted, leaking, bulging, or giving off a bad odor, as these are signs of spoilage. Assuming they’re not old when purchased, canned foods stored in a dry place should keep for the following times:

Canned fruit (including tomatoes) – unopened 12-18 months, opened 2-3 days in the fridge

Canned meals – unopened 2-5 years for low-acid items such as most pastas, stews, soups, and vegetables; 12-18 months for anything containing tomatoes, fruit, sauerkraut, or vinegar

Canned or bottled olives – unopened 1 year, opened 2 weeks in the fridge

Pickles – unopened 1 year, opened 3 months in the fridge

These guidelines assume that the food is not stale or old when purchased and that food products are sealed in their original airtight packaging. Improper storage will shorten the lives of dry goods so that they may go stale before their use-by dates. Storing in a cool, dry place in airtight containers helps to preserve the maximum lifespan of dry goods.

What do packaging dates mean?

“Sell by” means the store should sell the product by the printed date, but the product still can be safely eaten by the consumer.

“Best if used by” means the consumer should use the product by the date listed for best quality and flavor (not for safety reasons).

“Use by” or “expires” means the product should be used by consumers by the date listed; you are likely to see a marked deterioration in product quality and safety after that date.

Originally published January 16 2009

FDA Approves Some New Drugs Illegally

by Susan Thixton, citizen journalist

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(NaturalNews) The Office of Inspector General has just released a sickening report on the FDA’s drug approval process; providing evidence the FDA has approved drugs without following required legal procedures. When is this madness going to stop?

Did FDA approve drugs illegally?

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), as mandated by law, is the government agency responsible for making sure the FDA is abiding by Federal law, properly following procedure and protocol to assure the safety of human and animal foods and human and animal drugs. A new report from the OIG provides clear cut evidence the FDA is NOT doing their job; not following proper protocol required by Federal law.

Are new drugs being properly tested by the FDA?

The OIG investigated the FDA drug approval process; they discovered that in 2007, the FDA approved numerous new drugs without complete information; specifically conflict of financial interest information of clinical trial investigators.

The drug approval process is a lengthy and costly procedure. Millions of dollars are spent getting a new drug to market; many drugs fail the clinical process resulting in millions lost to the drug manufacturer. No refunds are provided to a drug company whose product fails clinical trials. In other words, the success of the clinical trial could mean the difference between a drug company making millions of dollars or losing millions of dollars.

The Federal government recognizes the importance of a new drug clinical trial; the health and safety of future patients are at stake, and the government recognizes that the prospect of millions of dollars in profits can tend to make a company do bad things.

As a result, Federal law requires that all investigators involved in clinical trials disclose any potential financial interests with the drug company. Law requires the FDA to review all clinical investigators financial information before a new drug is approved for sale, and should any conflict of interest be found, to closely re-examine the entire approval process.

Just to clarify the severity of the OIG findings, as example, XYZ Drug Company has applied for FDA approval of it’s new drug XYZ-E. Ten million dollars have been spent in the drug’s development, five million dollars to the FDA for approval; and the clinical trial begins. XYZ Drug Company REALLY needs this drug to be approved, so, the clinical investigators hired to manage the required clinical drug trials are provided stock in XYZ Drug Company as part of the compensation for their ‘work’. Any smart investigator realizes, if the clinical trial does well, so will I. The ’smart investigator’ oversees the clinical trial making sure things go well, the new drug appears to be the next miracle drug, is approved and everyone gets healthy, or wealthy.

You can see why government requires all clinical investigators involved in the process of testing a new drug, be required to provide the FDA any and all financial interest information of those involved in the clinical trial process. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a financial interest in the outcome of the clinical trial of those that run the clinical trial, could sway the results of the testing, putting countless humans and pets (depending on the drug) at great risk.

Is the FDA doing it's job?

The Big problem is for drugs approved in fiscal year 2007, the FDA did NOT review all the conflict of interest financial information, in fact they didn’t even collect this information on many new approved drugs.

The Inspector General’s findings:

• - 23% of 2007’s approved drugs and approved medical devices were missing required attachments.
• - 31% of the 2007 FDA approved drugs and approved medical devices showed the FDA did not document any financial information.
• - 20% of the 2007 FDA approved drugs and approved medical devices showed the FDA did not take action to minimize potential bias of clinical trial investigators.

The FDA’s response to the OIG investigation and report, in typical form, was basically ‘it’s not our fault’. The FDA told the Inspector General, that the responsibility for collecting financial information regarding potential bias of clinical drug trial investigators was the responsibility of the drug companies. The OIG report stated “FDA asserted that this additional effort would not be worthwhile because financial interests are only one form of potential bias.”

The findings of the Inspector General prove the FDA cannot or will not, abide by Federal law, and furthermore, is not a Government Agency that has the best interest of U.S. citizens in mind. With pet food being at the very bottom of the FDA ‘to do’ list, just imagine what’s done and/or not done with regards to pet food safety.

Bailouts are the latest topic of discussion in Washington. Perhaps the law makers in Washington should take a closer look at the FDA’s misgivings, and consider an FDA bailout, of sorts. Not a financial bailout; a different kind, more like a ‘throw out’, a ‘throw out’ the front door every member of FDA administration. So long, good-bye, see ya, you are fired, don’t come back, don’t ask for a referral!

To read the full Inspector General report: http://www.oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-…

Wishing you and your pet the best,

Susan Thixton

Are drugs being tested properly before FDA approval?

The heat is on but not the roof.

Pt high school contruction will continue on come the start of school August 25th.  They have not put a dent in the construction.

“We’re at the mercy of weather,” said Harry Smith according to Penn Trafford News. What weather it has not rained in days . There is no excuse for the roof not being done. The cafeteria is also behind schedule. Smith added he does not see any of the projects creating any major problems for the first day of school!! Who is he kidding?  Before school ended in June the tar smell was uncalled for.

What can the kids expect later this month; more mess, no lockers, a bunch of stink and a lot of hot air!

Just because summer is just about over doesn’t mean it’s time to go indoors. Autumn is a wonderful time to enjoy nature’s crimson, amber, and gold painted tapestry. The wind is gentle, and the evening sky is the blackest. The night sky is speckled with bright diamonds that decorate the vast heavens above.
It’s an amazing sight especially if you’re lying down in a sleeping bag looking up. With gas prices so high why not try back yard camping. It’s safe, fun and easy…

All you have to do is find a perfect spot; it may be under a tree, or by a pond.
Just remember before you pitch up the tent it’s a lot easier to move the tent than the fire ring.
Make a check list of all things you will need. A tent is the most important thing to get first if you don’t already have one. You must make sure its waterproof. There is nothing worse than a soaky tent. Keep in mind autumn can get pretty chilly at night, so a well insulated sleeping bag is a must. Coleman is a great brand.
Every camp ground needs a campfire. If you don’t have a fire ring you can either make one with blocks, or stones or buy fire pit at Target.

Things you will need to buy :
Bug spray
fire starter
Hot Chocó
Sleeping bag
Extra blankets
Pillow
Lantern
Candles
Card Table
Ghost stories
Flash lights
First Aid Box
Wood

Great Snacks
Smores(graham crackers
Hershey chocolate bars
Marshmallow
Trail Mix
White Trash
(Five cups different favorite cereal. chex, peanut butter captain crunch, cheerio).
M&m’s
Mini marshmallows
Broken pretzels
2 bags of white chocolate
Mix
Hot Dogs (roasted on an open fire
Buns
Chips
Most important good company!

Some of you may want to get an extension cord and bring out a television and DVD player and watch a scary movie…. But I think its best not to but my kids always like to watch a movie outside like at a drive inn.

July 31, 2008

I remember always being around puppies, or kittens when I was growing up. I treasure these childhood memories more than anything. And I took my love of animals with me into my adulthood and now my sons have the same love.  

A bond between a pet will last a lifetime . I favored kittens the most in my life ever since I was a small child.  I blame that partly on my father because almost every other week my father would bring a new kitten home to me.  We would lose them either by being  hit by a car or they would find a Tom cat and run off .  Our home was never without one of these small creatures.

 God created pets to give us pleasure- they are a gift -to love and care for… And it’s our responsibility to take care of lost and abandoned kittens and especially if they are found on our property.

 I cared for an abandoned kitten over eight years ago and he is still a big part of my family. 

 Yesterday my mother called me to let me know my brother disrupted two kittens from their nest.  My mother knowing how much I loved kittens and cats knew I would go to their rescue. I stopped what I was doing , which was coloring my hair ; I grabbed my car keys and raced over to my brothers property. When I got there hair color dripped down my face as I rushed over to where the kittens were. The kittens were snuggled up against the other in a red bucket.

 They could not have been more than a week old their eyes not even open yet. My first impulse was to take them home because my gut knew neither my brother or his wife would know how to care for these young kittens.

 Not many people love animals as much as I do, or have the stomach for the endless hours feeding them and caring for them without no reward accept the pleasure of hearing them purr.

  I was ready to take these kittens home and care for them., at  least until they were old enough to be adopted.

 My brother hurriedly said his wife was out buying the kittens formula and bottles to feed them and she was going to take them.  At first I wanted to chuckle she was going to take them someone who has never cared for an animal in her life. I thought to myself it would be a great experience for their three children to care for these kittens.  I know my kids will never forget caring for our abandoned kitten Dusty, now a plump adult cat whose losing his front teeth.

 Thank Goodness my brother and his wife was going to take care of these kittens especially when I heard one of his workers chased the mother away. A fero cat rarely will come back and take care of  their kitten once a human scent is on them.

 They would die left outside unprotected without their mother.

 I actually could not sleep well last night because I was worried about these two kittens.

 Early this morning I went out and looked for the kittens because I was told my brothers wife decided she did not want anything to do with them, if I would have known this I would have gone back and taken them home.

 I searched where my brothers said they were- all I saw was the red bucket he put them in, but it was hanging upside down from a wooden pole.

 When I finally spoke with him this morning he said he went back out to find the kittens, and he found one of the kitten mulled and dead and the other was no where to be found.

 I felt sick to my stomach.

If I would have known then what I know now I would have grabbed the red bucket and ran with it.

 I plead with property owners everywhere- if you find a kitten, or a wounded, abandon animal don’t leave it in the elements unprotected.  It’s your responsibility as a property owner  to take the animal to the humane society, at least to a vet, or animal shelter if not yourself.

 A nursing cat would have adopted those two kittens and they may have brought hours of joy to a family somewhere now that will never happen.

 

All they had to do if they did not want to care for the innocent kittens was to have called me I would have gladly taken care of them. It saddens me to think they would jump at the chance to go on a shopping trip to the mall, dinner at a local restaurant, a birthday party, or even a  baseball game and a drive to our local humane society was too much of a hassel.

They would not have blinked an eye, but for two little kittens they just brushed it away like dried leaves on their front steps on an Autumn day -they did not even give them a chance.

 If I were a superstitious person I would worry about what kind of Karma this would bring to their property. It’s a good thing I’m not superstitious. 

 

I applaud anyone who finds an abandoned kitten and saves its life. You are a few of the angels God has made to protect these innocent creatures.

 

Re: It’s bad Luck to Kill a Cat

Posted by masakim on February 07, 2003

In Reply to: Bad luck to kill a cat posted by ESC on February 07, 2003

: There was a recent discussion here about cats having nine lives. Here’s an interesting twist.

: “Aunt Nola always said it was bad luck to kill a cat, and then explained why. It is because cats have nine lives and, if they live those nine lives out naturally, everything is alright, but if people killed a cat, the remainder of its nine lives would be lived out as a witch. The witch then would be throwing all kinds of bad luck to the cat-killer’s way. That, she said, is the reason witches have cats with them. No matter what color a cat is, she said it turns black after it is killed and starts living the rest of its life as a witch.” From “Aunt Nola was Always an Expert When It Came to Witches” by McCreary Roberts, Kentucky Explorer magazine, Volume 17, Number 8, February 2003. The article by Mr. Roberts, a Breathitt County, Kentucky, educator and newspaper columnist, was written in 1984.

W. Baldwyn wrote in 1546:
A Cat hath nine lives, that is to say, a witch may take on her.

 

 

 

I recieved this in a personal email and I thought it was worth posting!

What do you think?

Letter from one Angry Woman’
I don’t know who wrote it but they should have
signed it. Some powerful words. This woman should run for president.

Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds
like it! This is one ticked off lady.
‘Are we fighting a war on terror or aren’t we? Was
it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on
September 11, 2001?

Were people from all over the world, mostly
Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan , across
the Potomac from our nation’s capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ?
Did nearly three thousand men, women and children
die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn’t they?

And I’m supposed to care that a copy of the Koran
was ‘desecrated’ when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it
wet?…Well, I don’t. I don’t care at all.

I’ll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself
in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I’ll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the
Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which
is a crime in Saudi Arabia

I’ll care when these thugs tell the world they are
sorry for chopping off Nick Berg’s head while Berg screamed through his
gurgling slashed throat.

I’ll care when the cowardly so-called ‘insurgents’
in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own
religion by hiding in mosques.
I’ll care when the mindless zealots who blow
themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within
range of their suicide .
I’ll care when the American media stops pretending
that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international
law instead of the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave
marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I
don’t care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi
prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing
incident, rest assured: I don’t care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head
when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take
it to the bank: I don’t care…

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran
and a prayer mat, and fed ’special’ food that is paid for by my tax dollars,
is complaining that his holy book is being ‘mishandled,’ you can absolutely
believe in your heart of hearts: I don’t care.
And oh, by the way, I’ve noticed that sometimes it’s
spelled ‘Koran’ and other times ‘Quran.’ Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and-you
guessed it-I don’t care !!

‘Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if
they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don’t have that

‘If we ever forget that we’re One Nation Under God,
then we will be a nation gone under.’ Also by.. Ronald Reagan

One last thought for the day:

In case we find our selves starting to believe all
the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England ’s
Prime Minister Tony Blair’s words during a recent interview. When asked by
one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America , he said:
‘A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in..
And how many want out.’

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die
for you:

1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

New Woman’s Magazine Coming Soon.

There is nothing more gratifying than having your words in print.

I will have the honor of having one of my favorite articles titled, “A Phone Call From Heaven” published  in the October issue of a new magazine called SHE making its deput in September. Here is a little about SHE from its founder Sheena Maria Acerado.

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My favorite Fox Television show was The X-Files. Me and my boys loved.  My son’s wanted me to go see the Dark Knight today; they saw it earlier, but I was set on seeing The X-Files , now I wished I would have listened to them.  I Want to Believe made me think, “I can’t believe I waited six years for this!”

This movie had nothing to do with where the show ended. The plot made no sense. I Want To Believe was a slap in the face to any X-File fan who followed the TV show or the 1998 movie.

Mulder and Scully were a great team embarking on finding the truth, what did a psychic pedophile priest have to do with finding the truth,  or a sick kid who had nothing to do with the story line. Where did they come up with the Dr. Frankstein angle! It reminded me of an episode of Criminal Minds not the X-Files.

I was so disappointed in this movie. The idea of the X–Files movie was great, but the writers really had to be on crack or something because this latest endeavor was a flop.

As bad as the movie was I enjoyed seeing Mulder(Duchovny) and Scully(Anderson) back on the screen together, but I would have liked to have seen what happened to William the couples baby and cigarette man and maybe what happened to the truth!

What were they thinking!  This movie had nothing to do with the last episode.

Any one who loved the X-File’s, do yourself a favor and sit this one out! Go see the Dark Knight this weekend!! All I can say is the sequel better be good so the writers can pay back the X-Files fans who wasted their money, and gas to see this movie. 

Another load of soiled clothes to clean was waiting for me in the laundry room last night. The laundry full of an assortment of young men’s sweaty, damp mismatched clothes laid scattered on the tattered, taupe carpet. The carpet stained from the many times water would leak from the pipes leading to the back yard water line, after being broken on more than one occasion from the past sub-zero winters.

I somehow managed to find a path through the mounds of clothes. I stumbled on a torn, old box that was flipped over on one side. Right away I noticed the deflated red valentine balloon with the ribbon still attached. To my surprise an image of my past hit me. I picked up a worn, stationary envelope and took the fragile letter it contained out and blew the dust from it; memorabilia of my past in an old cardboard box. I brushed a strand of the hair that had found its way from my pony tail from my eyes and sat down in the middle of the dirty clothes.

I got a rush of different emotions as I read the fade letters sent to me from a long, lost love; the paper no longer the crisp white that it was 23 years ago, but now an ivory, wrinkled bit of time, so long ago.

The envelope was address to Genieveve and was from Marcus a brave knight from a kingdom in some far away distant land. A land where dragons lived and damsels were rescued from wicked wizards and cruel warriors. It was a time where honor and love meant more than life itself.

The letter was one of many that the young couple shared. Their love was like no other and each moment they spent together was cherished and every moment apart was unbearable torture.

I folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope that it came from. My eye stung from a tear or was it from the Clorox from the washer.

I was that fair maiden and Marcus was my love, my children’s father. We were so young then. I wonder if the young lovers had any clue of how they would someday hurt each other so. I wonder if they would have written the chapters of their story different and defiantly in hopes that fate did not rule their destiny.

We would write these letters back and worth, it was our fairy tale. I wonder what would happen if Genieveve would send Marcus a letter now. Would he remember her?

What would happen, these scattered cards and a cardboard box of forgotten dreams, and promises? Ribbons and love poems that I had forgotten I had written as a young woman.

A glimpse back in time that had so much promise, it was a whimsical moment that I decided to share with my boys that evening . They listened to me read the letters their father wrote to me those 23 years ago.

“The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama’s right wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree,” Obama’s campaign spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement.

The New Yorker’s artist is only painting a picture that many Americans are thinking, but are afraid to speak freely about. It makes Americans again think about his faith, and question his intentions.

If your a true Obama fan the picture will not change your mind about him. It’s makes for a great round table discussion.

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July 4th is this Friday and I’m already going crazy to find that sought after recipe. It seems every year the same old same old. I liked to spice it up a bit and try something new. So if anyone has a great easy recipe let me know!

One I tried last year seemed to go over well. It’s quick and easy and most of all sweet.

You take saltine crackers turn them upside down on a foil covered cookie sheet.
Put them aside while you cook 1 cup of sugar and a cup of butter. Boil to it reaches (toffee consist.) Pour the mixture over the crackers and bake at 250 degrees for 10 minutes then layer the crackers with milk chocolate chips. Spread the mixture with a knife. Cool in fridge.

They remind me of Heath Bars.

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He’s said Michael Jackson is a freak and the Mafia should be running the goverment!

I’ve finally found someone who thinks like me.
Case De Ice is fine dining with an opinionated edge.
If your driving down RT 30 in North Versailles, PA you may find yourself gearing off the road because you read one of Bill Balsamico’s famous quotes.
Casa De Ice got its name on it, and in case you did not know the owner of this western PA bar has been bringing a smile to commuter’s faces for years. Jay Leno will be asking him as guest soon ; if he has not been on his show already!

Bill Balsamico’s signs have been getting great reviews and he has been putting up his opinions since 911.

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By the time my makeup was done I was ready to go home. My nerves were starting to get the best of me. I tried to pry my lips apart but my teeth seemed to get in the way. I needed water; my mouth felt like the sahara desert. Me and Jon were seated in two blue chairs; a picture of Pittsburgh stood behind us, the studio was poorly lit and the scene badly mimicked the city, the too posed backdrop looked fake and unnatural.

I occasionally joked with the camera man to pass the time asking unserious questions such as, if he had a skinny camera like the one Oprah has. Then the camera man placed an ear piece in my ear. The sound crew’s voice back in New York was hardly audible in my ear. Then the camera man placed a small black microphone on my blouse. We practiced counting to five, Jon first than me. My ear piece was not working properly so I was given another one. I did a sound test again. My sound piece failed. Jon’s passed and unfortunately I was given a third one to try. They say threes a charm but not in this case. I still could not hear the sound man back in New York.

We were given the ok from New York- two minutes to broadcast. Then I heard the camera man say “What Louie, the satellite is down.” To some that is no big deal but for me and Jon it was a big deal. You see- my brother Louie died four years ago and he has sent signs from beyond the grave before. This was surely another sign! And to make this a little more eerie he has a star in his name in space! My first thought was let’s get the hell out of here! But I froze and just sat there dumbfounded for about five minutes and then without warning the camera man said,”Were live!”

To made matters worse I still could not hear Geraldo and I sat with a stupid confused look on my face. I had no idea what I said until I saw the footage of myself when I got home.

Geraldo never asked how he heard of our story; he made my son look like he was in trouble. The psychologist and the judge who were also on the show took my words right out of my mouth, and said exactly what was in my blog and what I told his producers.

As soon as I walked out into the lobby my son Mark and his girlfriend were laughing and said I looked like I was pissed off. I was pissed off and I was disappointed. The whole drive home all I could think of was what just happened. I never noticed that the driver was weaving in and out of lanes!

The purpose of us going on Geraldo’s show was to inform parents the dangers a camera cell phone can bring. That was my understanding as to why we were asked on the show. I left disappointed ; I felt used by Geraldo and his producers. I felt that he took advantage of my son. The whole segment looked liked Jon was in trouble when in fact he was just telling what was sent to him on his cell , as Geraldo would say– by some little tramps! The good thing that came out of this was someone read my blog and it got someones attention! When Jon goes back to school and the teacher asks, “Did anyone do any thing interesting this summer,” Jon has something to talk about!

It was a learning experience good and bad for me and Jon; hopefully not our only five minutes of fame but the beginning.

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Part 3

On Saturday night I asked Jon if he was prepared for the interview with Geraldo. It’s a good thing. When he told me what he was going to say I almost choked from laughing. He said in a serious tone, “Well Jeraldo,” JON the “G” is silent. We both had a laughing gag for about a half hour. That moment would come back to haunt me during the interview!

Wow, getting ready to be on national television is stressful, now I know how Katie Couric feels. Geraldo’s producer Joey Wannat called to let me the car was going to be at my home at about 8:45 and of course he was early. And it was not an SUV for all of my people! Oh no who was going to be pick to come and who was going to be left behind even though it was a Lincoln Town Car it was small inside.

My long time friend Gina Ferri and her daughter was the most likely to stay behind. I could not very well leave my son Mark and his girlfriend Sam behind when my son’s life has become what my blog is basically about.

But Geraldo’s producer came through and had a car pick Gina and Alexia up. The ride down town Pittsburgh was crazy. The driver must have stopped and helped himself to a few too many before he picked us up because my cat could have driven better.

We finally got to the studio on 11 and Stanwix Street. We got the royal treatment escorted in the studio by the driver; my guests were seated in the green room, and I and Jon were taken to makeup. The lights were so bright showing every shadow and wrinkle!

The make-up artist must have thought I was an extra in a re-make of “Night of the Living Dead”. I thought I had way too much make-up on. Then she made my hair look like an old lady! She teased it! I longer was but the mama on “Hair Spray”. Jon looked like Dracula not much better than me.

Tomorrow: Down went the Satellite

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Part 2
We were supposed to be on Geraldo on Saturday night, but due to the sudden death of Tim Russert we were pushed back until Sunday. As fate would have it Geraldo by chance was in Pittsburgh Saturday evening, but we were not; his plane to New York was diverted to Pittsburgh International because of bad weather. It would have been so cool to actually meet Geraldo in person.

I remember watching his talk show years ago and really admiring his bold interviewing tactics. I would have liked to asked him about what really happened to Al Capone’s vault and all the money! One of my favorite interviews he did was when he really gave it to Charles Manson!

So Sunday it was- at least it gave me an extra day to de-bloat. I wish I would have known a year ago that I was going to be on national television; I would have fasted all year!!! The camera packs on an extra 10 pounds so in my case it was 20 ok 30!

I made sure I asked the producers what Geraldo was going to ask me so I would be prepared, unfortunately the one question I thought he was going to ask was not even mentioned; all my rehearsing down the drain- along with my hair I pulled out after the show.

It was exciting. My blog was going to get me recognition as a writer, and people were reading what I had to say.

Sunday evening Geraldo’s producers were going to send an SUV to take me , my son and my entourage to Pittsburgh to a Fox’s studio.

Tommorrow: Pittsburgh Videotech

MISSING CHILD - RYAN DUKE
CALL 911 IF SEEN

BROWN HAIR, BROWN EYES
BRACES
5′11”, 150 LBS, AGE 14
LAST SEEN 6-16-08 at the Murrysville Swim Club
Lives in the DELMONT / EXPORT / MURRYSVILLE, PA area.
Special ALERT

Has any one seen this boy!!

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