'I Love Lucy' Voted the Best TV Show of All Time

Nominees were determined by an all-star panel of TV writers, producers, actors & directors. 

More than 60 years after it premiered, the iconic television sitcom "I Love Lucy" nabbed top honors with TV fans in a survey conducted by ABC News and People Magazine for "Best in TV," a special edition of "20/20" that aired Tuesday night.

"Lucy" was voted the best show of all time, beating out finalists "Seinfeld," "M*A*S*H," "All in the Family" and "Cheers." All five finalists were comedies.

"We were not surprised Americans chose comedies as their favorites of all time," said ABC News' Barbara Walters, who hosted the special. "We all like to laugh and these shows still make us laugh today."

During a rare interview in 1977, "I Love Lucy" star Lucille Ball told Barbara Walters that she didn't think she was funny.

In a recent interview with Barbara Walters, Ball's now-adult children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. explained that their mother had a dry sense of humor.

She was witty, with "a Will Rogers kind of sense of humor...great humor, but not like Lucy (on the show)," Desi Arnaz Jr. said.

"My mother was a clown, and she could turn funny, brilliantly funny written things into magic...But she didn't think funny," Lucie Arnaz said.

"Best in TV" featured a countdown of winners in a number of other categories, from Favorite TV Reality Show to Favorite TV Drama to Favorite TV Mom. In addition to the categories featured on the TV Special, ABC News and People also polled Americans in several other categories like Favorite TV Soap Opera, Favorite TV Game Show, and Most Memorable TV Moment of All Time. See the finalists in these categories online at www.bestintelevision.com.

Nominees in all categories were determined by an all-star panel of television writers, producers, actors and directors. And from the list of nominees, Americans registered more than one million online votes earlier this summer at www.bestintelevision.com. Click through to see the winners and finalists in each category featured on the "Best in TV" special.

To read more about the shows nominated go to the link below:

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Best_In_TV/love-lucy-voted-best-tv-show-time/story?id=17263942#.UFppkLJlQWl

Remembering the Victims & Heroes of September 11th!

N.Y. marked 11th anniversary of 9/11 attacks with a simple ceremony.

Family members read the names of the dead, accompanied by music, on the 9/11 memorial plaza between the waterfalls now marking footprints of the two towers.

While there was no master of ceremonies and no speeches or readings were planned, many family members made tearful statements—in English, Spanish and Italian—as they named their own loved ones.

"We miss you Sunday mornings, when you would wake us for breakfast," said Allison Adams, speaking to her late husband, Patrick. "We miss that."

"Cheers, Dad," said Peter McGinley.

"Your crazy Irish spirit lives on, Ma," said Larry McGovern.

Last year's 10th anniversary was a major milestone that coincided with the opening of the 9/11 Memorial. President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush attended the nationally televised ceremony.

The 9/11 Museum was supposed to have opened in time for this year's anniversary. But construction on the project has been held up by a dispute between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the governors of New York and New Jersey.

Monday evening, city and state officials announced that they had reached a deal to resolve the nearly year-long impasse. The Port Authority, which is controlled by the two governors, will resume construction on the museum as soon as the end of this month.

Read more:   http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444554704577644053333702124.html?mod=WSJ_NY_MIDDLETopStories 

Statistics From September 2002, Source: CNN & Reuters 

The Pentagon & Flight 93 Washington & Shanksville		The World Trade Center New York City
Total Deaths All 9/11 Attacks	3,030	*Total Deaths WTC 9/11 Attack	2,801
Total Injured All 9/11 Attacks	2,337	Total Injured WTC 9/11 Attack	2,261
Total Deaths 9/11 AttackThe Pentagon (Ground)	124	Firefighter Deaths WTC 9/11 Attack	343
Total Injured 9/11 AttackThe Pentagon	76	Police Deaths WTC 9/11 Attack	75
American Airlines Flight 77 The Pentagon	64	American Airlines Flight 11 WTC North Tower	92
United Airlines Flight 93 Shanksville, PA	40	United Airlines Flight 175 WTC South Tower	65
*In December 2002 the Total Deaths from the WTC Attack was revised to 2,792.

*9/11/2001 Statement by President Bush in His Address to the Nation.

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes, or in their offices; secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers; moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America -- with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.

Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it's prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, D.C. to help with local rescue efforts.

Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured, and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.

The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight, and will be open for business tomorrow. Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business, as well.

The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I've directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.

I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.

America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism. Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night, and God bless America.
President George W. Bush
September 11, 2001

September Is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!

Approximately 12,400 U.S. children will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year.

According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 12,400 U.S. children will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year. About one in 300 boys and one in 333 girls will develop cancer before the age of 20. The statistics become even greater because there are so many health problems that come with the cancer diagnosis that are life long. Although cure rates are steadily improving, pediatric cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15, claiming approximately 3,000 young victims each year.

This month, families, medical and charitable organizations across the nation will shine a spotlight on the various types of childhood cancer and raise funds for research aimed at treating and finding a cure for this heartbreaking disease.

In May, the President's Cancer Panel released a comprehensive, strongly worded 240-page report that examined environmental causes of cancers. The Panel warned, "the true burden of environmentally induced cancers has been grossly underestimated" and advised the President to "use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our nation's productivity, and devastate American lives."

The science is in and we don't need to wait for the President to do something about this.

Prevention is the best cure: Prevention should always be the focus of any health-care and parenting protocol. Minimizing the exposures that cause disease is much more effective, and less painful than treating the disease after the fact.

Here are a few tips you can incorporate into your family's daily life.

1. Switch out traditional cleaning products for non-toxic ones. Visit www.ImusRanchFoods.com for our line of Greening the Cleaning (r) household products, and healthy organic snacks.

2. Make healthy food choices: Eat whole foods as the bulk of your diet. Whole foods are unprocessed, unrefined and don't contain added ingredients.

3. Consider integrative medicinewhen appropriate, which blends conventional medicine with complementary alternatives such as acupuncture, homeopathy, massage and reiki.

4. Educate your child: especially tweens and teens, on choosing healthy personal care products. Teens For Safe Cosmetics and my latest book, The Essential Green You! provide resources to help.

5. Get fresh air and exercise every day: which will lower chances of obesity, wards off stress, and naturally boosts Vitamin D levels.

6. Yearly Child Environmental Exposure Check Up: I recommend your children get a yearly check up that includes a brief discussion of your child's potential exposures to environmental toxins in their environment at home, school, playground, sports, anywhere they spend a lot of time. This should also include a focus on your child's diet/food. These tests are usually a combination of urine and full blood work up that check levels of pesticide exposure; toxins such as cadmium, antimony, lead, mercury, aluminum, phthalates, BPA's; PCB's and also includes checking nutritional levels such as vitamin B, vitamin D3, iron, and zinc to make sure your child is optimized for detox/excretion. You can head off potential health problems if you know where your child's levels are at. For example, if your child has a low or deficient Vitamin D3 level then your pediatrician can recommend proper supplementation.

Presidential Proclamation --

National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, 2012

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/31/presidential-proclamation-national-childhood-cancer-awareness-month-2012

Posting source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/09/10/september-national-childhood-cancer-awareness-month/

Agent Orange has caused serious medical issues for our Vietnam Veterans.

Vietnam Veterans are still suffering the effects of exposure to Agent Orange!

A substance known as Agent Orange (AO) is still killing Vietnam veterans after all these years.  If you know and love a Vietnam War veteran, this post has important information that should be forwarded to everyone who “had boots on the ground” in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Benefits may be available for the over-65 wartime veteran and/or spouse of a veteran who is burdened with long term care costs due to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or other age-related long term disabilities.  This benefit helps pay for home care, assisted living facility care, and nursing home care.


Agent Orange was an herbicide which was liberally sprayed all over Vietnam to defoliate the tropical forest.  It was believed that defoliation was necessary so that enemy troops infiltrating from North Vietnam would be more visible from the air.  Unfortunately for our servicemen, servicewomen, and the civilian Vietnamese population, our government chose to buy the “cheap stuff” which was filled with dioxins.

Agent Orange is very similar to some commonly used agricultural herbicides and  brush killers known as 2,4,D and 2,4,5,T.  In its proper form it is harmless to humans.  These chemicals have been used extensively within the United States on roadsides, pastures, and parks.  

Within the United States the dioxins have been removed from the final product. 

Unfortunately, when some government purchasing agent asked for the lowest price bid for this substance to be delivered as a weapon of war, they did not specify that it needed to be dioxin-free.”

Due to the presence of dioxins and the passage of almost 40 years, there are now many diseases that have now been conclusively linked to AO exposure.  When contracted by a Vietnam War veteran, they are now presumed to have been caused by AO.  A Vietnam vet must prove that he or she “had boots on the ground” in Vietnam to receive these medical and monetary benefits.  The benefits can be of assistance to both the veteran and the surviving spouse.  The list of diseases is scattered throughout the official government documents and the VA regulations.  Here is a consolidated a list of diseases which are presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange exposure.  Click here to find this information: vietnam-vet-conditions-list

If you need help with filing a claim or have any questions regarding Agent Orange exposure click on this link, Veterans Service Organizations are available to assist you.

Many of our Marines and Special Forces units did have “boots on the ground” in Vietnam, but their service record shows they were stationed outside of Vietnam on ships or in other countries.  The veteran can prove his or her presence in Vietnam by supplying an affidavit from a fellow service person.  This is called a “Buddy Statement.”

Source:  http://ricksblog.lawelderlaw.com/the-vietnam-vet-assassin/