Another Munchkin crosses the Shifting Sands!

The Lullaby League of Oz lost one of its own last month (Sept. 24) with the passing of Olga C. Nardone, the smallest member of the three girls who danced for Dorothy in welcoming her to Munchkin City.

From the files of Wikipedia, we find the following information:

Olga C. Nardone (1919-2010) was an actress and one of the last surviving Munchkins from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. She was known as "Little Olga" and "Princess Olga" and was one of the smallest of the Wizard of Oz Munchkins, standing at just 3 foot 4 inches tall. The fact that she had done ballet solos in vaudeville helped get her the part.

I had always thought of her as one of the young children who were brought in to supplement the cast and do the very delicate job of dancing her ballet routine to welcome Dorothy. I didn't realize that she was, in fact, one of the 124 adult pituitary midgets which were hired as Munchkins.

It turns out that, like a few of the Munchkins, she chose a very private life and never embraced the life of Oz here in the Great Outside.

It's a shame but we respect her choice and wish her well on her journey across the Shifting Sands to Oz... and to reunite with the Royal Historian.


James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma

It's been a week since the Chesterton Wizard of Oz Festival and this has been the first opportunity I've had to post a blog entry about the outstanding time I had in the Land of Oz.

As many of you will no doubt notice, 'ol James cut his hair. Given that it's been nearly a hundred degrees every day all summer here in the Land of the Hoosiers, I reached a point where I couldn't take it anymore.

How you ladies deal with long hair in oppressive heat is beyond me.

Anyway, back to Oz.

The weekend of September 17-19 was highlighted on my calander for months as I was really looking forward to this fine festival which is only a few hours from my home.

Last year was the first year I had attended this festival and was, in fact, the very first Oz festival I had ever attended.

As you can tell, day one was highlighted by rain for about half the day. A bit of a bummer but I met many people that day who were very supportive of my writing and book sales of Shadow Demon of Oz went very well.

Here is one of the most unique and imaginative costumes I have ever seen at an Oz festival.

It's the Bucket of Water that Dorothy used to destroy the Wicked Witch of the West.

She called it the 'Weapon of Witch Destruction' and she seemed to be the only one who wasn't annoyed by the rain.

On Sunday, things were looking much better. The characters here were about to go on a tour of the grounds when the Wicked Witch of the West, who had been motionless for several minutes while children cautiously approached her, let out a cackle like none I have ever heard before. It scared everyone in earshot and the kids were especially frightened by her laugh.

As you can see, all of Oz was having a wonderful time.

Here, we see that the Tin man has grown a bit and found a nice place for a special beverage. I hope he doesn't engage in drinking and chopping.

The winner of the Hat Contest makes an appearance at my stall to show off a wonderful Professor Marvel Wagon Hat. Very inventive and unique.

... and of course, there were aspiring Munchkins around every corner. It's amazing how much Oz makes people so happy.


Scraps, the Patchwork Girl decided to make an appearance this year and spent her time with Dennis Anfuso in his stall, which happened to be right next to mine. And if that isn't enough Oz for you, Jack Pumpkinhead and the Sawhorse showed up as well.

Who knew Jack could drive a Hoveround, although technically, it doesn't hover!

I also had the great pleasure of meeting Rick Ewigleben and Todd Bates just a few stalls down from me. They are wonderful people who made me feel very welcome. I look forward to seeing them at every opportunity in the Land of Oz.


It's amazing how a little nice weather really brings out the crowds. There were loads of people everywhere and many unique visions of Oz to be seen.

Such is the devotion to Oz that many people had tattoos of Oz. Some were very small and hardly visible... and then some were like this one. Now, I'm not a tattoo kinda guy, so don't expect me to get one, but boy, when some people get one, they don't go half-hearted at it, do they???

Of course, there were the wonderful ambassadors of Oz, who we know as the Munchkins of Oz.

Jerry Marin, the Lollipop Guild Munchkin was in wonderful spirits today and had a smile that could not be wiped off if you had used a steel-wool pad.

Karl Slover, the First Trumpeter was also present and happy as always.

... and of course, there was Margarette Pellegrini, the Flower-Pot Munchkin.

Just as in Chittenango, these fine and wonderful representatives from the Land of Oz made the festival more special than normal. Their spirit, enthusiasm and love of Oz made everyone in the room fall in love with them, without even trying.

Princess Ozma has often said that no finer ambassadors could have been chosen for the task of representing Her Majesty and the World of Oz.

It seems Dorothy has grown up a bit. But wait, what's that she's carrying? Why, it's a Longaberger Basket. Apparently, Dorothy has gotten more expensive tastes in baskets.

As the day wound down, we see Glinda the Good Witch and Ruler of the South; Quadling Country paying a visit to fellow author, Julienne La Fleur and checking out her book.

The crowds were fantastic and it was a joy to see Oz is still loved by so many people, young and old alike.

As we bid farewell to another year of Oz in Chesterton, I look forward to next year, when the Royal Magician of Oz Trilogy will be complete with the publication of Family of Oz.

It has been a long two years since Her Majesty commanded me to tell of Her new Royal Magician and his adventures in Oz. Since that day, I have met the most wonderful people and had the best time anyone could possibly have.

Finally, I make my way down the road of yellow brick and back home to the Land of the Hoosiers, where my wonderful wife awaits me with a steaming bowl of Potato Soup and all the love and support any man could ask for.

My report to Her Majesty, Princes Ozma; Royal Sovereign and Ruler of Oz will be very appreciative of all the folks in Chesterton, with a special thank-you to Machelle Blount, Celeste Hertz and every yellow-shirted volunteer that helped make our time in Oz well worth the trip.

Par Ardua Ad Alta!!!

James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma

I'm off to see the Wizard!

In a matter of hours, I'll find my self in the Land of Oz.

http://www.ozfestivalchesterton.com/

Wish me luck as I cross the Shifting Sands and find the Emerald City!!!

Frank Zappa Spinning In His Grave!

An odd analogy, I know... but I did something today that I normally never do.

I censored myself and removed a blog post.

Now, I can't recall the last time I did that, though I have once or twice.

I had done my research, I was confident of my posting and was intrigued when a colleague made a valid point against my actions.

As I have a great deal of respect this colleagues opinion, I listened (read) with an open mind and found this person's argument to be valid and fair.

Hence, I censored myself today.

My idol of free speech and copyright, Frank Zappa would be spinning in his grave right now. '
My apologies Frank, for the misstep.

Frank Zappa on Crossfire
WARNING: This video contains harsh, vulgar language. Young children and sensistive people should not listen to this recording.

Please pardon the frank language, but Frank was being frank that day. (hey, that was a pun!)

Scene 6; Act 3: Guest Author Diane Griffin; Author of Everything You Wanted to Know About the Security Clearance Process, But Are Afraid To Ask

The heat has diminished somewhat, but not by much! Good thing I sits in front of a fan, thumbing through the Virtual Book Tour and wondering who our next guest is. Turns out its:

Diane Griffin; Author of Everything You Wanted to Know About the Security Clearance Process, But Are Afraid To Ask: Professional Guidance for Obtaining and Maintaining a Security Clearance.
Who knew that visitors to the Land of Oz needed a security clearance? Apparently Ms. Griffin did.

She also wins first prize for the longest book title I have hosted to date.

Just kidding, of course, but now on to the business at hand. I present to you our next Virtual Book Tour Author; Diane Griffin.

Bio: Diane Griffin, President and owner of Security First & Associates, says her motivation for writing Everything You Wanted to Know About the Security Clearance Process, But Are Afraid To Ask: Professional Guidance for Obtaining and Maintaining a Security Clearance came from the more than two decades of people she has assisted, both in her role as a private security contractor, and as the head of personnel or security within major governmental contractors, in finding their way through the complicated security clearance chain. Diane, is nationally recognized as an expert in the design and delivery of security throughout the intelligence community and has worked with a variety of clients throughout the US Government and industry. Diane is a past membership chairperson and current secretary of the National Classification Management Society (NCMS) and is active in several professional security organizations.

Diane received her B.S. degree in Human Resource Manager from Colorado Christian Univ. and MBA degree in Management from University of Phoenix. Author of several articles on Security and she volunteers with shelters, collecting used Cell phones for Women of Domestic Violence. In addition, volunteers with the foster care program, creating a program called Bags & Bears for Foster care, collecting pack backs and teddy bears for children in the foster care program. Diane is single again and has one child.

Synopsis: If you have plenty of time to click around through myriad government websites and the patience to cut through red tape and make sense of confusing bureaucratic talk, you may be able to find some of the answers to your questions about the security clearance process,” Griffin says. “Chances are, however, that you will still be left with some of your questions unanswered, because there are some questions that the government just doesn’t address. So, unless you know someone who is well acquainted with the process from a first-hand perspective, good luck.

“What I sought to do was compile all of these answers into one easy-to-read compendium of advice and guidance, giving my readers signposts along the way to assist them in navigating through the clearance process. I believe I’ve come up with a volume that will greatly help its users, and being able to assist folks in working through this process is extremely gratifying to me.”

GROUNDBREAKING SECURITY CLEARANCE EBOOK A ONE-STOP KNOWLEDGEBASE FOR THOSE CONFUSED BY THE SECURITY CLEARANCE PROCESS

Blog:

Today’s economy is one of the most difficult times in recent history to find work, and many people are not even making use of their college degrees as related to employment! The number of people unemployed is staggering, and the overall lasting impact on our nation as a whole is, I believe, still not completely understood. There is hope, however.

President Obama plans on hiring 270,000 people for federal jobs. Many of those positions will require a security clearance. These jobs will become available in varying fields, and encompass all types of skills sets. The war on cyber crime has been declared, but our country is facing a shortage of computer professional holding valid security clearances,

Federal jobs, as I am sure you know, provide an opportunity for a solid career path complete with its own set of benefits and rewards that are becoming less and less common as small business America is forced to spend less and less money on these things for its employees in a tough economy. As I mentioned, most of the federal jobs that will be available for your students will require a security clearance of some type. For those with the skills to obtain a high-paying or advanced position, higher and higher levels of security clearances will be needed. This is nothing new, but with the changes that have taken place since the Patriot Act was enforced, the process is quite complex. Many people are discouraged by this and end up taking jobs elsewhere as a result when they could be quite successful if they could just get past that initial phase of getting the security clearance.

For the past 20 years, I have been walking people through this process and helping them get on the right path to security and success. My company, Security First and Associates, has assisted individuals, government contractors, and entire companies in getting the security clearances they needed in order to get the job, be awarded that contract, or be able to continue working as a vendor to the federal government.

Everything You Need to Know About the Security Clearance Process, But Are Afraid to Ask is now available for $19.95, from my website, amazon & lulu.

Amazon: Everything You Need To Know About The Security Clearance Process But Are Afraid To Ask

Lulu: Everything You Need To Know About The Security Clearance Process But Are Afraid To Ask

Security First Associates

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Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Actionable guidance in 65 pages, June 14, 2010 By L. Evans "collaborative-action" (Pacific NW) - This review is from: Everything You Need To Know About The Security Clearance Process But Are Afraid To Ask (Kindle Edition) When I read an instructional book, I'm looking for help. That means it needs to be easy to understand and formatted in a way to quickly find what I'm looking for. Diane Griffin's book, "Everything you need to know about the security clearance process, but are afraid to ask" does this and more. She even adds a bit of humor that may address some people's real fears about the security clearance process. ... all in a fully-packed 65 pages of actionable instruction. Well done! -Lori Leavitt Evans, Performance & Risk Management Expert Abrige Corp. ([...]) & C-Secure Systems ([...])

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Guide On The Security Clearance Process- Highly Recommended!,June 12, 2010 By CFH "chillnhill" (Blue Ridge Summit, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) This review is from: Everything You Need To Know About The Security Clearance Process But Are Afraid To Ask (Kindle Edition) "Everything You Need To Know About The Security Clearance Process But Are Afraid To Ask" is an excellent resource for individuals and companies that need to understand the often intimidating process of obtaining a security clearance. Back in the early 1990s I went through the Security Clearance process to get access to DoE and FAA facilities in order to work on Data Networks and truly wish that Diane Griffin's comprehensive book was availible to me at that time! The book is easy to read, leaving out unnecessary jargon, and covers all of the questions that an applicant will have and many that I didn't think of on my own. The inclusion of sample forms was very helpful but most importantly, the chapter containing the "odd" questions Diane has been asked will likely put a few minds to rest about what will and won't be a considered an impediment to obtaining a clearance. Highly Recommended! CFH