Where are the great decorations?

It's that time of year again -- time to deck the halls, the houses, the lawns, every square inch.
The Reporter wants to help you find the great places to view holiday lights -- and we need your help!
Let us know if you're creating a great display or know of one in the area.
Just email the details -- exact location, brief description -- to citydesk@thereporteronline; put LIGHTS DISPLAY in the subject line.
We'll post a map at our website, thereporteronline.com, and feature photos of some of the displays.
Hope to hear from you!

Decking the tree...

Tuesday night the grand tree at Rockefeller Center, NYC, will have its official lighting ceremony.
But this cool video shows how the tree was set up -- don't you wish we all could do it this quickly?
Check it out and get into the holiday spirit!

Beatles come to iTunes at last

Yes, it's official. The Beatles are finally coming to the Internet.

According to an Associated Press story, Apple Inc. will sell music from the Fab Four through iTunes.
Apple Corps Ltd., which manages the band's affairs, had resisted, according to the AP.
The situation was exacerbated by a long-running trademark dispute between Apple Inc. and Apple Corps, AP said, but was resolved in 2007 when the companies agreed on joint use of the apple logo and name.

Most longtime Beatles fans probably already have plenty of their music on iPods, loading CDs into their iTunes library ... or through other, ahem, means.
But it's still great news.
Finally, everything has "come together."

Thank you, veterans

PHOTO BY GEOFF PATTON/ FROM LANSDALE'S 2009 VETERANS DAY CEREMONY

Today is Veterans Day, and we should all show our appreciation to those who have served, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and those who are serving today.
There are various local events today to honor our veterans.
Here is a sampling:
-- Warren Royer Post 234 of the American Legion in Souderton and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5308 in Telford will hold a flag retirement ceremony as part Veterans Day observance today. The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the Legion post home, 353 N. Main St., Souderton.

-- The Lansdale American Legion William E. Hare Post 206 holds the annual Veterans Day ceremony in Memorial Park, Main Street, Lansdale, at 6 p.m. today. Cub Pack 9 will present a wreath at the ceremony. The Rev. Sue Bertolette, of St. John’s United Church of Christ in Lansdale, will lead opening prayer and the benediction. Light snacks at the Legion post will follow the ceremony.

-- Hatfield American Legion Post 933 holds a Veterans Day ceremony at 7 p.m. today at the legion flagpole on Koffel Road. Civil War re-enactors from First Pennsylvania Reserves Company E Re-enactment Unit will appear to aid in the flag ceremony. Re-enactors and Boy Scout Troop 51 will help lower the colors and raise them at half-staff. Afterward, the public is invited to an open house at the Legion post home.

-- Applebee’s at Ralph’s Corner in Hatfield Township offers free meals to veterans from 10 a.m. to midnight today. To coincide with the promotion, local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will give thank-you notes to veterans and talk with them about their experiences. There will be live bands outside playing patriotic music as well.

thank you, SAVE!

This photo shows a "beautiful" air conditioner, not unlike the few that I had hanging around my house until this past Saturday.
They weren't working, but I kept putting off calling our trash service to have them taken away, since they charge $60 apiece for that service.
Then, a bright ray of sunshine -- SAVE (Students Against Violating the Earth) at Souderton Area High School was holding a recycling day ... and taking air conditioners!
I loaded up all three ... and an old dehumidifier ... and was oh so happy to be able to get rid of them without that big price tag!
I was more than happy to give SAVE a donation that day ... after all, the group had saved me a lot of money!

Cat abuse unfathomable

If you need yet another dose of how horrible some people can be to animals, just read this Associated Press story.
I don't understand how this can happen.
And it's more than scary that teens can be this callous and violent. AND THEY TAPED THIS! Just think what they might do to another human being some day...

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Animal welfare officials in Philadelphia are alleging that two teenagers put a stray cat inside a microwave and tossed the appliance out of a third-story window.

Officials from the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals say the cat survived but was taken for evaluation by veterinarians. They say the teens recorded the entire episode on a cell phone on Wednesday afternoon in the Juniata section of the city.

George Bengal, director of law enforcement for the Pennsylvania SPCA, told reporters that the teens had found the cat on the street four days earlier. He says the recording shows the events from start to finish, including the microwave hitting the ground. Bengal says officials hope the animal will survive. A dog was also taken from the home.
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Luckily my "rescued" cats have nothing like this to fear.
This photo of Pokey basically sums up their "stressful" lives...

attack of the jacks!

ALL PHOTOS.... COURTESY OF DANIELLE BREAUX

If you missed heading to Gwynedd-Mercy College on Saturday, you missed a terrific Halloween display!
Here are just a few of the 300 craftily carved pumpkins that lit up the night.
It made for a great prelude to Halloween and benefited a good cause.
Absolutely worth the trip!