I clicked onto Michelle Malkin’s site and saw a link to this picture. My God. Soldiers, you’re truly in my prayers.

Also, my buddy Moonie forwarded this article to me yesterday. He said he’d got a ton of IM’s about it – “dude, check out this lola!” Libbey Holden, a Filipino Northern California grandmother, called the cops on her own son when he and his new wife went to Vegas to celebrate the New Year and left their two boys, including one who is autistic, at home alone. However, they did remember to get a sitter for their puppies.

The video interview with her, linked in a green box labeled “Watch,” is the highlight – she literally did a verbal smackdown on her son.

As I watched the video, the hair began to rise up on the back of my neck – Holden sounds eerily like my mom. Even Moonie said so – and he would know, since my mom was his florist for his wedding. The accent and emotional emphasis was dead on. Maybe they’re from the same province? You never know.

This statement is kind of an across-the-board feeling for every angle I can find about the controversy over the new NBC show “Book of Daniel.” I did miss the show, by the way.

Initially, I got irritated Thursday night reading about how people were complaining and condemning the show. I don’t think anyone is in any position to condemn or judge. And I often rail about how people, secular and non-secular, need better things to do with their time than make outrageous and silly statements to the press.

I can see why people wanted to watch it – a quick Technorati search showed me a lot of people watched because they heard about it because of the controversy or simply to piss off the religious right.

On the other hand, I can see how Christians who feel strongly about their faith can be offended by the portrayals of a family one might describe as highly dysfunctional – a father who abuses Vicodin, a mother who abuses alcohol, a daughter arrested for selling marijuana, a Republican gay son and an adopted son obsessed with having sex with his girlfriend. Most families I know have one, maybe two of those things going on, but I guess that’s where the comparison to Desperate Housewives comes in.

My feeling? After reading a couple of reviews from like–minded folks, here’s my advice – vote with your remote. It’s a free country, after all.

This story on the wires caught my eye last week – Glendale City Hall’s Christmas tree was set on fire. It caught my eye, naturally, since I used to cover the city’s police and fire departments, schools, businesses and politics, but had other things going so I don’t think I produced this story for work. But the press release I got in my personal email today was priceless – apparently, the main suspect is a guy who was pissed over a parking ticket:

On December 30, 2005 the City of Glendale Christmas tree was set ablaze by an unknown individual. The Glendale Police Department Communication Center which handles all 911 calls and the dispatching of Police calls for service overlooks the City Hall Plaza to the east. Upon noticing flames they immediately dispatched Police Officers and notified the Fire Department. Upon arrival the tree was fully engulfed. Officers located a witness while the Fire Department put out what was remaining.

Officers obtained information that there was an elder male with white or gray hair that was seen in the area just prior to the fire. The witness observed this male to flee in a blue pick up.

As in all crimes, this information was broadcast to all units in the city to be on the lookout for such a person driving the described vehicle. Parking Enforcement Officer Hancock recognized the vehicle description as one she had had just given a citation to for parking in a red zone on Franklin Court.

This information was forwarded to Police Detective Miguel Porras. Detective Porras and Fire Investigator Mike Richardson of the combined Police and Fire Arson Unit began an exhaustive search for the vehicle. They were able to locate the citation issued by the Parking Checker and obtained the license plate of the vehicle. They were able to identify the registered owner of the vehicle and the address. A picture was obtained of the registered owner and it matched the description that had been received on the night of the incident. Detectives re-contacted the witness. The witness was able to identify the vehicle that was seen fleeing on the night of the Christmas Tree fire.

With this information in hand the Arson Unit, headed by Sgt. Ernie Garcia, conducted a surveillance of the vehicle and the residence where it was parked. It was located in the 700 block of N. Adams in the city of Glendale.

The Detectives eventually were able to contact the suspect, Bruce Morrison, 52 years. Mr. Morrison was cooperative in the investigation. A result of the investigation was the recovery of evidence utilized to set the tree on fire and statements acknowledging the act of Arson. Mr. Morrison was apparently upset over the fact he received a parking ticket. Bail is tentatively set at $50,000.00.

Update: Check out a picture of the tree pre-burning here, and stories by the Glendale News-Press and the LA Daily News. I especially like Alex’s lede – “burned up about a parking ticket.” Snicker.

Wish you a happy New Year! I pilfered this picture from Yahoo! News. Enjoy!

A Jordanian girl holds a sign decorated with 2006 as she celebrates the new year in Amman January 1, 2006. REUTERS/Ali Jarekji