tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-130228242024-03-23T14:30:46.418-04:00Heigh-hoShaky Constructs of Questionable Import and Dubious Utility.spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.comBlogger502125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-43585156778543108042008-03-28T17:09:00.006-04:002008-03-28T17:44:45.247-04:00Everything Must Go<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBMuuU4ypTXgOLdcLprElx3g6SztpYlH4jWKrL92tqq9GVtBtbPeWluQ3CMAkWzF72m43YodxUo0NTKp1kBKwjWXFIEDCgA4Oc5_SkLApzUE30fANyzy3mlWKTzROrTWTXiPQOA/s1600-h/Moved.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182905853833195058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBMuuU4ypTXgOLdcLprElx3g6SztpYlH4jWKrL92tqq9GVtBtbPeWluQ3CMAkWzF72m43YodxUo0NTKp1kBKwjWXFIEDCgA4Oc5_SkLApzUE30fANyzy3mlWKTzROrTWTXiPQOA/s400/Moved.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIwqaiXM26khe_7z-XfIrQTuPIq3bFjUA2iuPHFfW6gXDn6gO4bmPi1VyMvJ9_HO-NE7DbQ13q1ZWgmxiyO14iZjuFcf43OmW3dbA0hSeLrcchxyo9XEbgeq3e6CNSCvK9hYvEQ/s1600-h/Moved.JPG"></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dYQnO8fWbMOjMh0TQHMHpmMvQy6AnGTHrVWsTRoge5gcyX6nsRys_KISU3pS2B3VdlW1XwEBB8HtLOLbN-uxoudu9_QoqwQNYRaa8fK95GyEtZTTJ-4mtp6rGjedR9W1r0MO2Q/s1600-h/3f05697u%5B1%5D.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:0;"></span></div><em>A man builds a house in England with the expectation of living in it and leaving it to his children; we shed our houses in America as easily as a snail does his shell.<br />-Harriet Beecher Stowe</em> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Obviously, Harriet has never moved my wife.</div><div> </div><div>See you <a href="http://sadspud.wordpress.com/"><strong>here</strong></a>.</div></div>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-81844209556226513392008-03-26T18:25:00.004-04:002008-03-26T19:15:17.041-04:00spd's Big Book of Little Disappointments<em>Disappointment, when it involves neither shame nor loss, is as good as success; for it supplies as many images to the mind, and as many topics to the tongue.<br />Samuel Johnson, Letter to Hester Thrale, Jun. 26, 1775.</em><br /><br /><br />I learned early in life which words I dreaded most to hear my father speak. They were words never spoken harshly or in raised voice, but whose force was such that you felt the air leave the room. “I am very disappointed in you.” If Dad ever followed up on those words with an “I hope you learned your lesson” or an “I expect more from you next time,” I never heard it. What mattered was that his state of being was “disappointed,” and that I knew that no artful dodge, no plaintiff wail or act of contrition could ever undo it. Oh, I knew that Dad’s disappointment in me was only temporary. He still loved me. He only he wished I wasn’t such a complete idiot sometimes. But my memory of the power those words prevents from uttering them aloud…at least to my own kids.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSmMirUIH4WI4ltYMoo74E46qzZA1vlpyBqYoGGxwNEhGqRhyX0uWJKX99yAcH41dJJDGUNgqKuf_stlAPsLFT4t14K2qvx4okRNdTyN4zjUMW_E3gJeOYlNY0k2PClF6pjp-ZA/s1600-h/polite.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182189771115802114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSmMirUIH4WI4ltYMoo74E46qzZA1vlpyBqYoGGxwNEhGqRhyX0uWJKX99yAcH41dJJDGUNgqKuf_stlAPsLFT4t14K2qvx4okRNdTyN4zjUMW_E3gJeOYlNY0k2PClF6pjp-ZA/s400/polite.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Life's disappointments are as varied as the landscape- the juvenile creek of “They promised it would snow last night!” winds through the vain woods of “the Smiths didn’t send us a Christmas card” to join the great river of broken hearts on its way to the sea of ... um... metaphors. Irrespective of its personal magnitude, however, every disappointment exposes two basic human flaws; the first being the reliance on our own expectations (“I screwed up, I trusted you”), and the second being the inability to correctly anticipate the expectations of others (“You screwed up, you trusted me”). Note that in both cases the blame cast is bi-directional. (The corollary to this is the equally human phenomena of being pleased. Both require the surprise that comes from misplaced expectations.)<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQmWJQPMVMUNPGKVLtB_6dg2ik1su_vSAj-DMPK_kFbn9HWNgsNHYb6zzdl2js0qjVp0C0j3wgUPPjlS_jNCC4tsuYgoUr80ckyE9uAjkO8ml4DnBwj-nUza5XwwBO60L1k54Rw/s1600-h/OlympicParade.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182187851265420770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQmWJQPMVMUNPGKVLtB_6dg2ik1su_vSAj-DMPK_kFbn9HWNgsNHYb6zzdl2js0qjVp0C0j3wgUPPjlS_jNCC4tsuYgoUr80ckyE9uAjkO8ml4DnBwj-nUza5XwwBO60L1k54Rw/s400/OlympicParade.jpg" border="0" /></a>It is this human capacity for misjudging expectation that sets disappointment apart from mere annoyance. Flies are annoying. Humans are disappointing. For example: Being served a cup of lousy coffee in a Waffle House is an annoyance, but it’s also not unexpected. The waitress at the Waffle House will probably get you another cup of coffee if you ask (nicely), but it will still taste like crap. No harm, no foul. Order some orange juice. Get that same lousy cup of coffee at the end of a four-figure meal, however, and you’re both annoyed <strong>and</strong> disappointed. You’re annoyed that the coffee tastes like sewage, but you’re disappointed that the restaurant would diminish the excellent meal you just enjoyed by serving you crappy coffee. The waitress will surely brew a new pot for you, and the manager may send over a free dessert, but your disappointment will linger because you expected better from the humans.<br /><br />Why bother with disappointments? Why not? The name of this blog is “<a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heigh-ho">Heigh-ho</a>,” after all. And I’m to blame (at least halfway) for every disappointment I’ve ever experienced. Plus, the only alternative is to lower my expectations. Where's the fun in that?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96Bvv5M8gdCe4NMaU09GPB3TTjxz4pPoDQXkaqBqvLTL5Zo2l-L_H52Oxx3cXQq2RJgeJxqxNKgzKq3bug8JMoDFaoModawHP9FcaD9ecKWyL8BaFLpPvKxx1RwRdKib04i5AQA/s1600-h/0122-RubberSlapper.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182187851265420786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96Bvv5M8gdCe4NMaU09GPB3TTjxz4pPoDQXkaqBqvLTL5Zo2l-L_H52Oxx3cXQq2RJgeJxqxNKgzKq3bug8JMoDFaoModawHP9FcaD9ecKWyL8BaFLpPvKxx1RwRdKib04i5AQA/s400/0122-RubberSlapper.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So, over the next few weeks and/or months, I am going to be collecting your Little Disappointments here at Heigh-ho, and letting you in on a few of my own. Don't be shy about it, friends. Share so that maybe we can all avoid a few unnecessary disappointments in our future. Or at least recognize them for what they are.....your fault.<br /><br /><br />Where to start?<br /><br /><br />How about with the letter “A?”spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-87398350687239673142007-12-31T13:55:00.000-05:002007-12-31T19:17:59.588-05:00Beat It, 2007, You're Blocking the View<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nszcuVSn4ZNG16d9PRP_1upcyEBIZPw1tnG6q6aZDkiCeHYHRDdFGlXlMZmpd8-OJL8xoR5kKf9hGXJ35D3E6x_G8T1iJhA2MIrcp6emV3Zy_FAMZ3LzeKt2eJnkUCPRsc15lQ/s1600-h/2005070819_1235023273.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150250073896896738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nszcuVSn4ZNG16d9PRP_1upcyEBIZPw1tnG6q6aZDkiCeHYHRDdFGlXlMZmpd8-OJL8xoR5kKf9hGXJ35D3E6x_G8T1iJhA2MIrcp6emV3Zy_FAMZ3LzeKt2eJnkUCPRsc15lQ/s400/2005070819_1235023273.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div>Here it is December 31st, 2007, and time once more to pretend that the preceeding 364 days were actually worth the daylight by running down the all the important events conveniently grouped by calendar month. </div><div></div><div> </div><div>What makes you think that I've got a better idea?</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong> </div><div><strong>January:</strong> New Speaker of the House Nancy Peolsi promises an end to double digit approval ratings.</div><div><strong>February:</strong> Dixie Chicks win 5 Grammys, vow never to leave Los Angeles again.</div><div><strong>March: </strong><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256098,00.html">Switzerland "Accidentally" Invades Liechtensein</a>- Israel Blamed.</div><div><strong>April:</strong> New Jersey Governor Corzine discovers the purpose of seat belts. Don Imus discovers the purpose of the seven second delay. We all become Hokies.</div><div><strong>May: </strong><a href="http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2007/s2864.htm">The hurricanes are coming!</a> The hurricanes are coming!</div><div><strong>June: </strong>Scientists<strong> </strong>confirm<strong> </strong>that<strong> </strong>Barry Bonds supplied steriods to<strong> </strong><a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article1951118.ece">pygmy pandas</a> so that they too could become Giants.</div><div><strong>July:</strong> Porsche. <a href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22094133-1702,00.html">There is no substitute.</a></div><div><strong>August:</strong> While everyone else is busy on vacation, <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2238243.ece">Russia, Canada, and Denmark </a>all "accidently" invade Greenland - Israel Blamed.</div><div><strong>September:</strong> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Craig">Larry Craig</a> resigns Senate to take wide-stance position as restroom attendant.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"> </a></div><div><strong>October: </strong><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/10/20/harry.potter.ap/index.html">Dumbledore fiddles</a> while <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/12/AR2007101200384.html">Gore burns.</a></div><div><strong>November:</strong> <a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/09/news/belgium.php">Belgians</a> explore dissolving their country in favor of forming a unified doormat with <a href="http://www.lejdd.fr/sondages/70.html">France</a> and the<a href="http://www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/ln_binnenland/article843379.ece/Groot_deel_Nederlanders_voor_fusie_met_Vlaanderen"> Netherlands.</a></div><div><strong>December:</strong> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junior_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2007">The 2007 Junior Eurovision Song Contest</a> CD goes <a href="http://www.eurovision.tv/content/view/182/188/">on sale</a>, and immediately wins 5 Grammys.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>All in all, I'd say that if you don't happen to be a fan of the WORLD CHAMPION Boston Red Sox, then your year was probably as forgetable as this post. Which, dude, is like, <em>epic.</em></div><div></div><div>That's okay, folks. You see, I've got it on <a href="http://www.californiapsychics.com/articles/Newsletter/1935/2008_Celebrity_Psychic_Predictions.aspx">good authority</a> that 2008 is going to be a WHOLE lot better. Promise.<br /><br />Happy New Year.<br /></div><div><br /><div></div></div><div><br /></div>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-21908222348967072382007-12-24T20:54:00.000-05:002007-12-24T21:38:14.632-05:00Seasoned Greetings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wGRXbh_2EM6ms8VdYLSUQ0J8eakhJdTB4IcdYTeRa2b4gVjV1eqLSlWWPFE34OkOmhklYCoVeBliLe6T65l5EkFcUYxeHoCzGA6kpqLBPF6EI4G5DmBRftnr7SB6HZRGhsX2Zg/s1600-h/christmas_dog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wGRXbh_2EM6ms8VdYLSUQ0J8eakhJdTB4IcdYTeRa2b4gVjV1eqLSlWWPFE34OkOmhklYCoVeBliLe6T65l5EkFcUYxeHoCzGA6kpqLBPF6EI4G5DmBRftnr7SB6HZRGhsX2Zg/s400/christmas_dog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147724242284824754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">From all us at Heigh-ho,</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">To all of you, wherever you are,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We wish you and your family a very, very</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0); font-weight: bold;">M<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">e</span>r<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">r</span>y</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">C<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">h</span>r<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">i</span>s<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">t</span>m<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">a</span>s<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">!</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Don't forget to give your dog a bone!<br />If you don't have a bone handy, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZMEXlHUQ0w"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">use a cat.</span></a></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-73583685226624221922007-11-22T08:14:00.001-05:002007-11-22T08:14:31.618-05:00Thanksgiving<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_bRP2cUh42BE/R0V6ncfR8rI/AAAAAAAAARM/E6NQV3hfm78/s1600-h/2007111304_3307372522.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135645768166798002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_bRP2cUh42BE/R0V6ncfR8rI/AAAAAAAAARM/E6NQV3hfm78/s400/2007111304_3307372522.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">There is a time for some things,<br />and time for all things;<br />a time for great things,<br />and a time for small things.<br /><br />-Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra<br />Don Quixote, Part ii. Chap. xxxv<br /></span><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"></span></span></span><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"></span></span></span>Thank you, Father, for Thy blessings, great and small. And for those with whom I share Your heavenly bounty. Thank you for my time among Your children, and may You keep them in Your sight forever and ever. Amen.<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving, friends.<br />Be well.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"></span>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-86634871297217252442007-11-06T12:18:00.000-05:002007-11-11T17:51:03.501-05:00Lawyers In Love<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW88DYKGK3ZjJeRykShdHNw3HHveXAIhWowf9ODDMShbAYao_kkSZhi3dA3nnm-7VKDKKNWrNSRK807YCzJlS_ujnmHtxsc7G-N7wZia3oTOD0QxoRtYqxuQqb8gXrDxgd2-UEFw/s1600-h/_42671157_police_ap416.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129778582334692130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW88DYKGK3ZjJeRykShdHNw3HHveXAIhWowf9ODDMShbAYao_kkSZhi3dA3nnm-7VKDKKNWrNSRK807YCzJlS_ujnmHtxsc7G-N7wZia3oTOD0QxoRtYqxuQqb8gXrDxgd2-UEFw/s400/_42671157_police_ap416.jpg" border="0" /></a> In <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">recognitition</span> of those Pakistani attorneys who have bravely stood <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">against</span> the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">truncheons</span> of government thugs in defense of that nation's laws and constitution, I offer the the following encouragement from the Roman poet Ovid:<br /><br /><em>The purpose of laws is to prevent the strong from always having their way.</em><br /><br /><em>He who would not be idle, let him fall in love.<br /></em><br /><em>Love is a thing that is full of cares and fears. </em><br /><br /><em>The wit of man has devised cruel statutes,<br />And nature oft permits what is by law forbid. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Passion persuades me one way, reason another. </em><br /><em>I see the better and approve it, but I follow the worse. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>She who resists as though she would not win,</em><br /><em>By her own treason falls an easy prey. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>The bow</em><br /><em>If it never be unbent, </em><br /><em>will lose its power.<br /></em><em><br />Though strength be wanting, </em><br /><em>the will to action</em><br /><em>Merits praise.<br /></em><br /><em>What we call birth</em><br /><em>Is but a beginning to be something else</em><br /><em>Than what we were before; </em><br /><em>and when we cease</em><br /><em>To be that something, </em><br /><em>then we call it death.<br /></em><br /><em></em><em>When worse may yet befall, there’s room for prayer, </em><br /><em>But when our fortune’s at its lowest ebb, </em><br /><em>We trample fear beneath our feet, and live </em><br /><em>Without a fear of evil yet to come.<br /></em><br /><em>Let others seek safety. </em><br /><em>Nothing is safer than misfortune,</em><br /><em>Where there’s no fear of greater ill to come. </em><br /><br /><strong><em>Jove send me more such afternoons as this.</em></strong><br /><br />"Nobility lies in the man, my prince, not in the towel. "<br /><em>-Richard Burton as <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057877/quotes">Thomas a Beckett</a></em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057877/quotes"> </a><br /><br />Good show, counselors.<br /><br />Bloody good show.spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-16646946880776287782007-10-29T00:48:00.000-04:002007-10-29T01:49:53.812-04:00World Champs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTTLYz8dipzUfMNIlIT8OZWRvrVcCumdm4JC2RajScTqWk4yFa9u4S2vCVQHIFfqBJ2Hta3Vpky5dXfNoUIX3hI56i_tk_ornjcIhH19uMSTNj2gsbZ2YNk_rv0SrRbjhQKKP2Q/s1600-h/robert-on-moosilauke11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMTTLYz8dipzUfMNIlIT8OZWRvrVcCumdm4JC2RajScTqWk4yFa9u4S2vCVQHIFfqBJ2Hta3Vpky5dXfNoUIX3hI56i_tk_ornjcIhH19uMSTNj2gsbZ2YNk_rv0SrRbjhQKKP2Q/s400/robert-on-moosilauke11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126620114415993890" border="0" /></a>Congratulations to the World Champion Boston Red Sox.<br /><br /><br /><br />Baseball is never just a game, or a series. Baseball is a season.<br /><br /><br />Thanks for a great season, boys.<br />See you again come spring.spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-9674147717909259302007-10-24T11:43:00.000-04:002007-10-24T17:20:49.316-04:00Puttin' On The Dog<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaH7A9p-xDoT6x5WcMeYQMdg_ct3Lrp0e8ZygJuUiX2g8ALUUF9hKsmr8Eea8cyglvxx8wtAm6HBsl2Q_NRMRUssJev36DiWMA4B0nUZ9S8tq27sjKQzefNms0Wmlzl14H8u0HzA/s1600-h/dogs007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124930758734539362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaH7A9p-xDoT6x5WcMeYQMdg_ct3Lrp0e8ZygJuUiX2g8ALUUF9hKsmr8Eea8cyglvxx8wtAm6HBsl2Q_NRMRUssJev36DiWMA4B0nUZ9S8tq27sjKQzefNms0Wmlzl14H8u0HzA/s400/dogs007.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">You gotta stomp, whistle and scream<br />You gotta wake right up in your dreams<br />You gotta jump, wheel and drive<br />Keep that feeling alive<br /><br />You gotta kick, holler and shout<br />I'm gonna tell you what it's all about<br />You gotta tell me that you love me<br />Tell me that you're mine<br /><br />We're putting on the dog tonight<br />We're putting on the dog tonight<br />We'll be p...putting on the dog tonight<br />Putting on, putting on the dog tonight<br />We'll be putting on the dog tonight<br />We'll be putting on the dog tonight<br />Putting on the dog<br />Putting on the dog<br /></span><br /><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">-Tom Waits</span></em><br /><em></em></span><br />Hi folks! It's me, Fenway, the Official Black Dog of the Virginia Chapter of Insane Red Sox Fans. I was born back in April, just about the time the first pitch was thrown out on this glorious season. The first thing my owner did was hang a Red Sox collar around my neck and name me after <a href="http://sunday-night-dinner.blogspot.com/2006/05/ode-to-fenway-frank.html"><strong>a hot dog</strong></a>. I repaid the favor by chewing the visor off of his favorite Boston cap. Yeah, I'm Red Sox inside and out. When you think about it, for almost my entire life the Red Sox have led the league. Am I a lucky dog or what?<br /><br />And unlike <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ioRVOtJvlSbC1CJGJwNaWSRm3VBw"><strong>some other people</strong></a> my owner knows, I've ALWAYS been a Red Sox fan.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZx8ybPEQOrFiozXJMc3-5qPKSk2o7vFboHeosZGCZk8f7U9nW_Jt58hSW7aCb57qZLJt2N0dd5oF1U-q4b1FW52jr2Q2GBngZg7NvcL4_nRyoQLXGZ-D9h4KStM0ZSkceq_6tIQ/s1600-h/untitled.JPG"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZx8ybPEQOrFiozXJMc3-5qPKSk2o7vFboHeosZGCZk8f7U9nW_Jt58hSW7aCb57qZLJt2N0dd5oF1U-q4b1FW52jr2Q2GBngZg7NvcL4_nRyoQLXGZ-D9h4KStM0ZSkceq_6tIQ/s1600-h/untitled.JPG"><p align="left"></a></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78ziK1Y9VATXUEvfpiMaT06jhqFmE-ZRzsYOBkL1YIXq3A-uoYjTBhdh80mZBksoQw539PNZYXNYhPXgg6qLuTlYjH8Nl9eymZFjmgJ6FVjwoat3KBiMvT0B6jPdj96cE47CiVg/s1600-h/untitled.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124948973690841762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78ziK1Y9VATXUEvfpiMaT06jhqFmE-ZRzsYOBkL1YIXq3A-uoYjTBhdh80mZBksoQw539PNZYXNYhPXgg6qLuTlYjH8Nl9eymZFjmgJ6FVjwoat3KBiMvT0B6jPdj96cE47CiVg/s400/untitled.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></em></strong><br /><div align="right"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">LET'S GO RED SOX!!!</span></em></strong> </div><p></p><br /><p align="right"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">LET'S GO RED SOX!!!</span></em></strong></p><div align="right"><br /></div><p align="right"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">LET'S GO RED SOX!!!<br /></p></span></em></strong>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-10179882545600198412007-10-20T10:01:00.000-04:002007-10-20T13:04:53.555-04:00My Momma Mae West Said<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdITSFC9LgrcLVKAfoe7j1vPXKUg3ceALtuKeHeoC0UaS-mbnTZcGY8M2FCiYVNKoBvGBaCL6olXd07GdsKc-NhYnzWy2Wf-j_tgDZrN0PnHi6vmKE6Bu0VK78Y8bjH4Cv9HYgpg/s1600-h/NSAP549_LARGE.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123418943131249234" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdITSFC9LgrcLVKAfoe7j1vPXKUg3ceALtuKeHeoC0UaS-mbnTZcGY8M2FCiYVNKoBvGBaCL6olXd07GdsKc-NhYnzWy2Wf-j_tgDZrN0PnHi6vmKE6Bu0VK78Y8bjH4Cv9HYgpg/s400/NSAP549_LARGE.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><em>Don't<br />let<br />a<br />man<br />put<br />anything<br />over<br />on <br />ya<br />'cept<br />an<br />umbrella.</em><br /><br />Heh. <br />Good advice. That.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">(Posted by Portia)</span>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-88034684090984595692007-10-13T09:12:00.000-04:002007-10-13T09:50:39.720-04:00Don't Tread On Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2MX6D0qkB3Fq8yqR0l3wnuFk55X4LuQDvBQLYYus17Xd1JSV6Q5N8kH4HbJmlINtTqEL_WIt_mdEF9xahyphenhyphen6JCCvrwDLrp4c-TClVyl0wnl00aMGGPr2VUZAtApzJGFuBcShqNQ/s1600-h/julpic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2MX6D0qkB3Fq8yqR0l3wnuFk55X4LuQDvBQLYYus17Xd1JSV6Q5N8kH4HbJmlINtTqEL_WIt_mdEF9xahyphenhyphen6JCCvrwDLrp4c-TClVyl0wnl00aMGGPr2VUZAtApzJGFuBcShqNQ/s400/julpic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5120814633876744514" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="text-align: left; font-family: courier new;">In the Continental Congress, Philadelphia, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h59000/h59553.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-h/e-hopkns.htm&h=765&w=475&sz=187&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=4liY4g09OlpO3M:&tbnh=142&tbnw=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3DUS%2B%2BNavy%2BContinental%26ndsp%3D18%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN">October 13, 1775</a>:<br /></p><span style="font-size:100%;"></span>"<i>Resolved</i>, That a swift sailing vessel, to carry ten carriage guns, and a proportionable number of swivels, with eighty men, be fitted, with all possible despatch, for a cruise of three months, and that the commander be instructed to cruize eastward, for intercepting such transports as may be laden with warlike stores and other supplies for our enemies, and for such other purposes as the Congress shall direct. <p>That a Committee of three be appointed to prepare an estimate of the expence, and lay the same before the Congress, and to contract with proper persons to fit out the vessel.</p> <p><i>Resolved</i>, that another vessel be fitted out for the same purposes, and that the said committee report their opinion of a proper vessel, and also an estimate of the expence."</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPsAakFh3nAaACWy94DJAh6w9XJyVTIvToyHTv7FNl-vAfDYg9qkzM3DbQW6bZvLcq4iLvJ3seIzveSeOLVo9aG2d1ujS3XGfsQ4QOF6of96C3vhJmEmrVnt-NsDTk1JzTWLH3w/s1600-h/060618-N-8492C-212.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPsAakFh3nAaACWy94DJAh6w9XJyVTIvToyHTv7FNl-vAfDYg9qkzM3DbQW6bZvLcq4iLvJ3seIzveSeOLVo9aG2d1ujS3XGfsQ4QOF6of96C3vhJmEmrVnt-NsDTk1JzTWLH3w/s400/060618-N-8492C-212.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5120814900164716882" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;" >Happy 232nd Birthday to the greatest Navy the World has ever known.<br />May God bless and protect all who sail for Her.<br /></span></span></div><spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-58029403169739441582007-10-07T16:09:00.000-04:002007-10-07T16:24:01.947-04:00Miss America<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSZkjEOIwL7zqSEN4hDM-ivNwMI-dKR0WbbFcq3xk02uExBkrl4SkHINS9EOy1TshGN69Aix5jSIo3jwDXp2RLaolAgQQggh3A8kOLXANLxHm7GhvW1cyXM8zHPp_0X_kL63MHw/s1600-h/Soldier+befriended+kids+in+Iraq.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSZkjEOIwL7zqSEN4hDM-ivNwMI-dKR0WbbFcq3xk02uExBkrl4SkHINS9EOy1TshGN69Aix5jSIo3jwDXp2RLaolAgQQggh3A8kOLXANLxHm7GhvW1cyXM8zHPp_0X_kL63MHw/s400/Soldier+befriended+kids+in+Iraq.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118691906420238642" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/07/politics/politico/thecrypt/main3339863.shtml">Soldier boy</a><br />Oh, my little soldier boy<br />I'll be true to you<br /><br />You were my first love<br />And you'll be my last love<br />I will never make you blue<br />I'll be true to you<br />In the whole world<br />You can love but one girl<br />Let me be that one girl<br />For I'll be true to you<br /><br />Wherever you go<br />My heart will follow<br />I love you so<br />I'll be true to you<br />Take my love with you<br />To any port or foreign shore<br />Darling you must feel for sure<br />I'll be true to you<br /><br />Soldier boy<br />Oh, my little soldier boy<br />I'll be true to you.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Shirelles - 1962<br /><br /><br /></span>I'll be true to you.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-59890040899528509792007-09-11T09:38:00.000-04:002007-09-11T10:53:06.188-04:00Rememberance<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF3ZsUY_1AR9h4X53cJj-1mTgulMshfS8Hkx9bJ2UXoHkuQ1kxMLf9bEHIZFsD6QtBiAd59q8UnKYM0sSbGG1BGemZP9h4xjoxHug7YJl2a6HJJKglk2CGR-NWF8k8xzzFmZX8Q/s1600-h/Memlights.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108941033733351698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF3ZsUY_1AR9h4X53cJj-1mTgulMshfS8Hkx9bJ2UXoHkuQ1kxMLf9bEHIZFsD6QtBiAd59q8UnKYM0sSbGG1BGemZP9h4xjoxHug7YJl2a6HJJKglk2CGR-NWF8k8xzzFmZX8Q/s400/Memlights.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Memento etiam, Domine, famulorum famularumque tuarum qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei et dormiunt in somno pacis. Ipsis, Domine, et omnibus in Christo quiescentibus, locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, ut indulgeas, deprecamur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen."<br /></span><br /></p></span>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-35946176826600804182007-08-24T18:05:00.000-04:002007-09-23T08:42:28.896-04:00Hey, Freedom Man<blockquote><em>It was back in the early eighties, at the height of the boat people. And the sailor was hard at work on the carrier Midway, which was patrolling the South China Sea. The sailor, like most American servicemen, was young, smart, and fiercely observant. The crew spied on the horizon a leaky little boat. And crammed inside were refugees from Indochina hoping to get to America. The Midway sent a small launch to bring them to the ship and safety. As the refugees made their way through the choppy seas, one spied the sailor on deck, and stood up, and called out to him. He yelled, 'Hello, American sailor. Hello, freedom man.'<br /><br />A small moment with a big meaning, a moment the sailor, who wrote it in a letter, couldn't get out of his mind. And, when I saw it, neither could I. </em>(<span style="font-size:78%;">President Ronald Reagan's <a href="http://reagan2020.us/speeches/Farewell.asp">farewell</a> speech from the Oval Office on January 11, 1989.)</span></blockquote><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_Ir-XZwyXQ0OtvGzViXTzhYsZr1EdeSQsLMK0_326hv20DT3CEPi-CqbKcQuupI5OynVgCBvNJyw5nSSmdVE2z0gU2sM7Hli-IrOHAFnBRCuf5Wms7kKnC5B8BiuAzXAHtUmjw/s1600-h/translate600.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102436761030092882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_Ir-XZwyXQ0OtvGzViXTzhYsZr1EdeSQsLMK0_326hv20DT3CEPi-CqbKcQuupI5OynVgCBvNJyw5nSSmdVE2z0gU2sM7Hli-IrOHAFnBRCuf5Wms7kKnC5B8BiuAzXAHtUmjw/s400/translate600.jpg" border="0" /></a><s>A few weeks ago</s> The other day, I mentioned to spd that I had found a "feel good" story I wanted to post here at HH about the widow of an American journalist who, after a two-year crusade, was "reunited" with the Iraqi translator who was at her husband's side when he was murdered.<br /><br />It took but only a few Google searches to realize that my "feel good" video byte, courtesy of late night cable, had a dark underside that didn't paint a pretty picture for Iraqis working with the U.S. government.<br /><br /><s>For a number of reasons</s> Because of work demands, I chose to bail on posting the post but like the sailor in Reagan's anecdotal retelling, I couldn't get out of my mind the "small moment with a big meaning" of a young Iraqi woman exiting through JFK's automated doors in Jamaica, New York, and the determined American woman who made it happen. So here goes. Stains, and all.<br /><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#666666;"><blockquote><span style="color:#000000;"><em>I am the widow of Steven Vincent, the freelance journalist who was kidnapped and murdered in Basra, Iraq on August 2, 2005. Two days prior to his death, Steven had an op-ed piece published in the New York Times in which he broke the story of how the Iraqi police force was being systematically infiltrated by Iranian-backed fundamentalists and Shiite militiamen loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr rather than to the central government. He also wrote of the "death squads" that roamed Basra in police cars and trucks filled with uniformed men who snatched their victims off the streets and murdered them with utter impunity. When one of those vehicles came for him in broad daylight, his translator, fixer and friend Nour al-Khal bravely stood by him as five men in police uniforms descended on them and wrestled Steven into the truck to take him to his death. From what I was later told by the FBI, the thugs who targeted my husband had no interest whatsoever in Nour; they repeatedly pushed her away, telling her to leave. But she would not abandon Steven; she kept inserting herself into the struggle until they took her as well. She had no idea what her kidnappers planned to do, where they would be taken, what, ultimately, the end would be. For all she knew she was going to her death, yet she did not hesitate for a moment, this tiny, 5-foot-tall woman, to try and protect the man who had hired her to be his guide.<br /><br />She and Vincent were gagged, beaten, thrown in the back of a truck, driven to the outskirts of town, set free, told to run - and shot from behind. Steven was hit at close range and in a final act of God's mercy died instantly; Nour, who had been let go first, was farther from the truck, so even though she was shot in the back three times, she survived.</em></span></blockquote></span></em><br />But Nour's nightmare was not over. Hardly. Rescued by the "good police" she was handed over to the Green Zone for medical treatment, then held incommunicado for three months while she was "<em>interrogated, mentally and emotionally bullied, threatened, [and] told she would never be given a visa to come to this country." </em>Finally released into the Red Zone without papers, and unable to return safely to her home in Basra or to the family who no longer wanted anything to do with her, she spent the next 18 months on the lam fearing for her life while Vincent's widow doggedly sought to gain her asylum.<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><em><span style="color:#000000;">[i]n some small attempt to repay her for her dedication, bravery and selflessness, I have spent the last year trying to get Nour into America. I have dealt with officials at the Baghdad embassy and the State Department. I have filled out forms. I have made countless calls, sent innumerable emails. I have pledged to stand financial security for her. I have gotten a promise from the UN Bureau Chief of Al-Arabiya that he will hire her when - if - she gets here. And each path I have gone down has proven fruitless. <b>I have been told she does not qualify for refugee or asylum status because Iraq is now a democracy, hence there should be no reason she would need to flee.</b> I spent months working with embassy people who assured me they were extremely touched by her plight, would move heaven and earth to see she got "special treatment" and who then, in the end, told me she needed to go to Amman and apply for a visa like every other Iraqi. I was told the U.S. government was no longer accepting Iraq's S-passports because supposedly there are so many forgeries it's impossible to know who is really holding them, so we won't take any of them. The embassy in Amman is no longer accepting applications from Iraqis; the Jordanian government is beginning to crack down, stopping Iraqis on the streets who then run the risk of being deported; Egypt is now demanding that before Iraqis come they get a letter of invitation from a certain government official. The noose is tightening, and soon there will be no place in the region where Nour will be able to feel safe. She sits and waits, still hopeful, but the reality is her hope is dwindling, as is mine." </span></em></blockquote><br />It wasn't until Vincent's widow was afforded the opportunity to provide the chilling details of Nour's plight in her <a href="http://judiciary.senate.gov/testimony.cfm?id=2470&wit_id=5992">testimony</a> before a Senate hearing in January--and with the cameras running-- that the wheels of "make it happen" justice began to turn in her favor. Six months later, Nour, who had risked her life to save Steven Vincent's, stepped off the plane at Kennedy Airport, and into the arms of the woman who had saved hers.<br /><br />Since the war in Iraq began 4 years ago, approximately 600 Iraqis have been granted amnesty in the US. In the first six months of 2007, the US admitted 63 Iraqi refugees, including Nour.<br /><br />I am not naive enough to think that the US could--or should-- throw open its doors to large numbers of people who have been uprooted since the war began. I recognize that it is enormously more complicated and dangerous than relocating 130,000 South Vietnamese as we did in the first year after the Vietnam War ended. I am cognizant of the fine line the Administration walks between wanting to provide aid, and not wanting to encourage more flight. Nevertheless, I do think that we owe special consideration to the brave Iraqi citizens who are risking their lives because of their association with the United States military, its contractors or the <s>MSM</s> <a href="http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F5081EFD345A0C778DDDAE0894DF404482">news organizations</a>.<br /><br />Moreover, beyond the obvious morale or humanitarian responsibilities that we face, there are far reaching geopolitical reasons to extend a lifeline to our Iraqi <em>friends</em>:<br /><br /><blockquote>"If we screw this group of people, we're never going to make another friend in the Middle East as long as I'm alive," said Kirk W. Johnson, who served as regional reconstruction coordinator in Fallujah in 2005 for the U.S. Agency for International Development, who is advocating the resettlement of Iraqis who have worked for coalition forces. "The people in the Middle East are watching what happens to this group."<br /></blockquote><p>Last month, a bipartisan group of senators, including Gordon Smith and <s>Ted Kennedy</s> another Senator introduced the “Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act” <a href="http://www.theirc.org/news/senate-bill-iraqi-refugee-crisis-0621.html">legislation</a> that will create 5,000 special visas for Iraqis who work directly with the United States and are in imminent danger of death, and allow persecuted Iraqis with close work or family ties to the United States to apply directly for resettlement in the United States. In late July, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/21/AR2007072101359.html?hpid=topnews">called</a> for issuing visas to all Iraqis who are employed by the U.S. government.<br /><br />My "feel good" story is starting to feel...<br /><br />* * * *<br />Beyond the 100,000 Iraqis who may be targeted as "collaborators" because of their work with the U.S -led coalition, there are an estimated <b>4 million</b> Iraqis who have been uprooted by the Iraq conflict. Nearly 2 million (plus) Iraqis have fled to safety (?) in countries such as Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen; another 2 million are displaced within their country's borders. Approximately 40,000-60,000 Iraqis are fleeing their homes every month. The daunting effect of this migration (which is worthy of its own future post) <s>should not</s> can not not be minimized. The relocation of the Palestinians in 1948, alone, which is dwarfed by the size of the current migration, portends a similiar tipping point. You can read about more about this looming "crisis of historic proportions" <a href="http://www.theirc.org/what/iraqi-refugees.html">here</a>. You should. You. Really. Should.<br /><br /><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQvOth5a1ZET8LyJY3C2hlU6sAkhmnU_tRzWWCQgBD5V4Zusgg0Yz11brMGcZP4lDjm2HZY4612P2Zjq-Z19Hg1K3cUjzF2Em0nvv2Jo081dVUIJ-5YzC9EQhmbERt8gYPc7l4w/s1600-h/iraq1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102435893446699074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQvOth5a1ZET8LyJY3C2hlU6sAkhmnU_tRzWWCQgBD5V4Zusgg0Yz11brMGcZP4lDjm2HZY4612P2Zjq-Z19Hg1K3cUjzF2Em0nvv2Jo081dVUIJ-5YzC9EQhmbERt8gYPc7l4w/s320/iraq1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Update</strong></span>: Here's the <a href="http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=a6fd8bb9-1d2e-4522-a715-41e2d81a1198&f=00&fg=copy">video clip</a> of Nour's July '07 arrival at JFK. </p><p><span style="font-size:78%;">(Posted by Portia)</span></p>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-61447318577315944742007-08-22T18:29:00.000-04:002007-08-22T18:34:37.645-04:00Ethics Question<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNMRlK6MREG2mk-00v4fQEylqwecoRKp9YEWqHMzEaakMJ8atoydQ_Iy8CJKj8EN6hQCIL40q_tuVbc4ST6xos5JLTDB4-nl1ICNiWjwuZf41L4luB3lVsdUvrp2dHBJcBpTzNw/s1600-h/2007062443_5792732872.jpeg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5101656713364760626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNMRlK6MREG2mk-00v4fQEylqwecoRKp9YEWqHMzEaakMJ8atoydQ_Iy8CJKj8EN6hQCIL40q_tuVbc4ST6xos5JLTDB4-nl1ICNiWjwuZf41L4luB3lVsdUvrp2dHBJcBpTzNw/s400/2007062443_5792732872.jpeg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIur_EuKKK-hom32SQr4BApLlasmHDpToE3NqGKgmX1DP_40N2XXfnlLNBS757YX1lH-k5ucznZbLRo5wUpZE_9U1FM7siqsWZVE3Zgm5D03z296vCmi_HaRN8q7sNp4jp2BjIw/s1600-h/2006120156_1348042038.jpeg"></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUumg0HU75UGllRzSFeVL0HR7tVb6bX2Aj_KanmhSylmTwhCtOBKkaSASlLqsDS0dRo_IJ2VHrRqKGVAqCSYhsUAOyeQSdJisALeC7_YBZypJRCDh3VQjAyoCJ5OM8CM3Yn3wYQ/s1600-h/2006022843_1063605291.jpeg"></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-82048728668085443382007-08-20T17:27:00.000-04:002007-08-20T22:47:49.978-04:00Habeas Porpoise<a href="http://www.pinballers.com/Pictures/Flipper%20%281960%29/flipper.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://www.pinballers.com/Pictures/Flipper%20%281960%29/flipper.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I'm back from the beach. Tanned, rested, and, after one day back at work, ready to swallow a pistol.<br /><br />But rather than simply soil ms. rdr's drapes, I thought instead that I'd give you a quiz.<br /><br />What do Rosie O'Donnell, the Kremlin, David Duke, CNN, Waffle House, and the 2005 Philadelphia Eagles all have in common?<br /><br />If your first answer is along the lines of them all being/having assholes, you're only partially right. In fact, all of the above are named as defendants in federal civil suits filed by one Jonathan Lee Riches©, a person aggrieved currently enjoying a <a href="http://dreadnaught.wordpress.com/tag/jonathan-lee-riches/">federally-funded vacation</a>.<br /><br />Finding it necessary to defend his constitutionally-protected rights against the wanton abuses so prevalent in these dark days of the Bush administration, Mr. Riches© has brought suit against a host of people, places and things, (purportedly) to include the following:<br /><br />George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condi Rice, John Snow, Bill Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Google, Pope Benedict XVI, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Osama Bin Laden, Alan Greenspan, Jerry West, Accuweather.com, Bill Gates, John Deere, Saddam Hussein, Adolph Hitler, Def Jams, Jay-Z, the Queen of England, Stephen Spielberg, Tony Danza, Don King, Paris Hilton, the University of Miami, Marion Blakey, Matt Drudge, the State of Israel, the Salvation Army, CNN, tsunami victims, Sirius Satellite Radio, Jessica Alba, the Houston Chronicle, the ACLU, Donald Trump, Outback Steakhouse, the Vatican, Chris Berman, Vince McMahon, P-Diddy, John Grisham, Columbine High School, Richard Daley, UPS, BET, Jewish employees of NBC Universal, Brad Pitt and the son he adopted with Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Smart, Charlie Sheen, George Pataki, Oliver North, Vladimir Putin, George Orwell, AskJeeves.com, the Kremlin, Kelly Clarkson, David Letterman, George Tenet, Plato, the Lincoln Memorial, Warren Buffett, Scooter Libby, Christina Applegate, Mein Kampf, John Walsh of America's Most Wanted, Venus Williams, Anna Nicole Smith, the U.S. Marines, Denny's, Larry King, Grace Jones, Rolling Stone magazine, Planet Hollywood, NASCAR, Eminem, the Screen Actors Guild, The Da Vinci Code, Mike Tyson, the Sears Tower, Holocaust survivors, Mt. Rushmore, Dennis Hopper, Barbara Walters, Lambeau Field, Pizza Hut, Ray Nagin, Barry Bonds, the Ming Dynasty, Jenna Bush, Tom Ridge, eBay, General Motors, Booker T. Washington, the NHL, Diane Sawyer, Comcast, Fidel Castro, Malcolm X, Phil Donahue, the Geneva Convention, the 2005 Philadelphia Eagles, Bill O'Reilly, Burt Reynolds, Paula Abdul, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, David Stern, Whoopi Golderg, the Olsen twins, the Roman Empire, Wolf Blitzer, Demi Moore, Michael J. Fox, Verizon, the Rose Bowl, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Vanna White, Ross Perot, Sugar Ray Leonard, Sammy Sosa, Rosie O'Donnell, Joey Buttafuoco, Marco Polo, the Eiffel Tower, USA Today, John Wayne Bobbitt, Yao Ming, WKRP In Cincinnati, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Kevin Bacon, the Humane Society, Fabio, Bono, The Home Depot, Geraldo, Russell Crowe, Ben Roethlisberger, Paul Revere, Michelangelo, the Boy Scouts of America, Viagra, Suge Knight, Randy Johnson, Anheuser-Busch, the widow of Peter Jennings, Jeb Bush, Julia Roberts, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Yahoo!, the Hoover Dam, Bob Villa, Tonya Harding, Harrison Ford, Jennifer Lopez, Pete Rose, Joe Lieberman, Sly Stallone, Patty Hearst, Ken Starr, Rush Limbaugh, Chandra Levy, Louis Farrakhan, The Waffle House, Gray Davis, Lucy Liu, the Black Panther Party, Elian Gonzalez, Bob Barker, Danny Glover, Chris Matthews, Wendy's, Drew Barrymore, Rudy Giuliani, Louis XV, Elton John, the planet Pluto, Lil Kim, Trent Lott, the Virgin Mary, the Golden Gate Bridge, Monica Lewinsky, Dennis Rodman, John Ashcroft, Noelle Bush, Jackie Chan, Colin Powell, John McCain, Michael Moore, the Boston Globe, the World Wide Web, the Academy Awards, Oprah, David Duke, Napoleon, Guantanamo Bay, Katie Couric, Sandra Bullock, Bob Saget, NCAA basketball, Sandra Day O'Connor, Boston Market, the Backstreet Boys website, Teri Hatcher, the Great Wall of China, George Clooney, Mariah Carey, Kiefer Sutherland, Burger King, Tina Turner, the Minnesota Vikings, Gene Hackman, Southwest Airlines, the Pentagon, the King of Prussia Mall, Tony Blair, the LAPD, Michael Irvin, Chubby Checker, the PGA, Super 8 Motels, Justin Timberlake, Madison Square Garden, Emeka Okafor, the World Anti-Doping Agency, Betty Crocker, Weird Al Yankovic, the Warsaw Pact, Barack Obama, the Doobie Brothers, Emilio Estevez, Cal Tech, Pat Roberts, YMCA, Ken Jennings, Mel Gibson, Jacques Chirac, Al Pacino, Martha Stewart, Skittles and Arnold Schwarzenegger.<br /><br />Far be it for me to judge whether Mr. Riches© 's claims are justiciable, but Word on the street is that the charges brought by Mr. Riches© against the Ming Dynasty are headed for Celestial Mediation.<br /><br />Events of the day, however, have put Mr. Riches© 's claim for "63,000,000,000.00 Billion dollars backed by gold and silver" against Michael Vick into the Heigh-ho legal spotlight. As you are undoubtedly aware, Mr. Vick today plead guilty to being <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/sports/football/21vick.html?hp">the stupidest human being on the planet.</a> He also plead no contest to allegations that, t-shirt sales notwithstanding, he never really played up to his over-hyped potential as a NFL quarterback, anyway.<br /><br />As a result of Mr. Vick's guilty pleas, his days as a professional football player are <span style="font-style: italic;">sooooo</span> over- or at least until <s>the Los Angeles</s> <s>Oakland</s> <s>Los Angeles</s> Al Davis Raiders sign him up straight out of prison to throw shivs down the heart of the secondary. Even then, however, Mr. Vick's legal troubles are only just beginning.<br /><br />Thanks to your faithful scribe's slight of hand and secret handshake, my assistant was able to procure a copy of Mr. Riches© 's latest legal assault on those who would trample his constitutional freedoms. I post Mr. Riches© 's Complaint here as a public service, and also as a warning to those who might dare to physically hurt Mr. Riches© 's feelings or attempt to dash his hopes.<br /><br />Click for bigger. And consider yourselves warned.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhvYl6MkrQbrUTZe3DocghbXkFiWpZoVt2X64x_qWzvALNMKQ9ArqDxRblZtdxsedHqt2t5S2YS9JtO3XszJihkrRdRXkRtNV1VLLrk-1ekH-NWguISLxV1dhQs3-MwOWgVfomg/s1600-h/Riches+complaint.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100915200146008034" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhvYl6MkrQbrUTZe3DocghbXkFiWpZoVt2X64x_qWzvALNMKQ9ArqDxRblZtdxsedHqt2t5S2YS9JtO3XszJihkrRdRXkRtNV1VLLrk-1ekH-NWguISLxV1dhQs3-MwOWgVfomg/s400/Riches+complaint.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWRElEwKzJxBNlCv1gW9iANPifiUq4lvDmrKffVx_o652GnQJ4cKv1dHezcBikdy3PSe6Pky5gwaaGi1Amz4GwDi4EVB3sg6NIMC6w4pjh8404JioR17ZEGvH8-Cwc6Sr-K_zrQ/s1600-h/page+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100915298930255858" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWRElEwKzJxBNlCv1gW9iANPifiUq4lvDmrKffVx_o652GnQJ4cKv1dHezcBikdy3PSe6Pky5gwaaGi1Amz4GwDi4EVB3sg6NIMC6w4pjh8404JioR17ZEGvH8-Cwc6Sr-K_zrQ/s400/page+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAT7voCsUmKtX2qLmPMF8MoX1Jbcy6gsauOccYSOFXm2UCRJzoL8d1UbmV5JeL9Ex_X7MJ0F-7vr6YnidQJPjTDDFhQnmIUrwHPT1L24N1vCWf78YFYLliOrkKygKbyFF2UZ3k1w/s1600-h/page+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100915389124569090" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAT7voCsUmKtX2qLmPMF8MoX1Jbcy6gsauOccYSOFXm2UCRJzoL8d1UbmV5JeL9Ex_X7MJ0F-7vr6YnidQJPjTDDFhQnmIUrwHPT1L24N1vCWf78YFYLliOrkKygKbyFF2UZ3k1w/s400/page+3.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br />Good to be back, folks.spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-90188529976017084122007-08-10T19:37:00.000-04:002007-08-10T19:52:08.241-04:00Interlude<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPb5z3xjsnUtLVvsRSFFEavvy3pLWyvyeLzW67nJSefsnJcomXzBsfjoeN_JJ7hGTGgSx9jKeTXdOZCxRxmP1_9ugUncUhh7vR_Bc37MkjUDaHpLYxWspJU7hPQdfoJiidOxSBw/s1600-h/beach.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPb5z3xjsnUtLVvsRSFFEavvy3pLWyvyeLzW67nJSefsnJcomXzBsfjoeN_JJ7hGTGgSx9jKeTXdOZCxRxmP1_9ugUncUhh7vR_Bc37MkjUDaHpLYxWspJU7hPQdfoJiidOxSBw/s400/beach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097223587630380482" border="0" /></a><br />Have a nice week.<br />I promise that I will too.<br /></div>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-43204308680626152792007-08-05T22:27:00.000-04:002007-08-05T22:51:37.084-04:00Dog days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjvl8XYr4tEwse-I141u5YaRB3njVDU1wRD7MiqB2oCLUFp_FheR-n9rd8vKe533MQw6bwVQgJzUdK_75TVDzkRodZrg_sJ4B4ZKCJ31z3MI1Mq0yjunwhkqdknUzw3BB51g-2Q/s1600-h/100_1106.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjvl8XYr4tEwse-I141u5YaRB3njVDU1wRD7MiqB2oCLUFp_FheR-n9rd8vKe533MQw6bwVQgJzUdK_75TVDzkRodZrg_sJ4B4ZKCJ31z3MI1Mq0yjunwhkqdknUzw3BB51g-2Q/s400/100_1106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095409131451545010" border="0" /></a><br />Meet Fenway, number three black dog.<br /><br />How could anybody look at that face and still root for the Yankees is beyond me.<br /><br />Still....spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-86921361378118884992007-07-28T10:57:00.001-04:002007-07-29T12:38:58.215-04:00Yo, Brooklyn<a href="http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/rocky-arms-l-poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/rocky-arms-l-poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />So I was invited to a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game tonight. It's not the Yankees (which may be a good thing...), it's not even the Mets--it's their farm team--but it's baseball, and it's baseball in <em>Brooklyn</em> (eat your heart out Dodgers' fans). Up close, and within spitting distance of always entertaining Coney Island. So why the heck not? Well, this is why the heck <a href="http://www.brooklyncyclones.com/news/?id=5747">not</a>....<br /><em><blockquote>Fans are invited to dress up as their favorite Stallone character, with the winning costume receiving a prize pack.<br /><br />Anyone named "Sylvester" will be admitted to the ballpark at no charge.<br /><br />In commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the 1987 movie Over The Top (in which Stallone plays a struggling trucker competing in a Las Vegas Arm Wrestling Championship, and sporting a New York City Arm Wrestling T-shirt), the New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) will host over 100 men and women competing that day for the 25th Annual White Castle ‘Kingsboro’ Golden Arm Wrestling titles, featuring a championship match taking place on the dugout during that night's game!</blockquote></em>Good grief. A whole night dedicated to <em>Sylvester Stallone</em>? Quick. Somebody. <em>Anybody</em>. <strong>Please </strong>remind me again why I love going to baseball games.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mopsquad.com/movies/images/rocky.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://www.mopsquad.com/movies/images/rocky.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Don't get me wrong. I loved the original Rocky movie: The timeless story of the two-bit loser who gets the chance of a lifetime, "goes the distance" and gets the girl, to boot. What's not to like? Stallone was brilliant, the fight scenes a cinematic feat, and the writing gritty (<em><s>Women weaken legs</s> </em><em>You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder </em>) The fact that a penniless, out of work actor <em>wrote</em> the screenplay, starred in it, and won Academy Awards for both is the classic case of life imitating art.<br /><br />I've watched the movie at least a half dozen times, and it still makes me cheer and <s>bawl</s> wipe a tear at the end. Hearing a few notes of its theme song can give me goosebumps. Truth be told, some friends and I even bounded up the steps of the Museum of Art <s>a few times</s> once when I lived in Philly singing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cavFoyYJwPQ">Gonna Fly Now</a> at the top of our lungs while we danced and hooted atop the Benjamin Franklim Parkway. [Yes, there was alcohol involved after the first time.] I don't doubt that I've seen snippets of the Rocky sequels but if my life depended on it, I couldn't tell you whether he wins, dies, or keeps the girl.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.afireinside.org/archive/typecast_rambo.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.afireinside.org/archive/typecast_rambo.jpg" border="0" /></a>Stallone has made 56 <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000230/">films</a> and I can say <s>proudly</s> truthfully that I've seen only two of them from beginning to end. One by choice as admitted above, and the other <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Top-Sylvester-Stallone/dp/B0007TKNKG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-2372557-8457768?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&amp;qid=1185644694&sr=8-1">Over the Top</a> by dint of familial guilt, and because my <s>gangly</s> budding nephews managed to rig the VCR so that it played on a continuous loop for an entire weekend. Of course, the fact that I even remember the name of that flick has nothing to do with um...Stallone's arm muscles, and everything to do with quality time I spent with my nephews. <em>Right.</em><br /><br />I've never, ever seen any of the Rambo movies save the trailers I was <em>forced </em>to watch in movie theaters or the night that PortiaMan hid the remote control, and I was exposed to 20 minutes or so of First Blood Part <s>XX</s> III before I decided it was a good time to balance our checkbook, instead. Both times scared the bejesus out of me, and made me want to buy the poor guy <s>a shirt</s> diction lessons. <br /><br />As far as I'm concerned, Stallone's talent ended when the credits for Rocky I started rolling. Until this morning, that is, when I watched this very um...<em>entertaining</em> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfFvKyLrGYc&mode=related&search="><strong>clip</strong></a>, and realized that I may have acted precipitously by dismissing Mr. Stallone's <s>thighs</s>, <s>shoulders</s> er...talents. Damn. Double damn. <br /><blockquote><em> Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now</em></blockquote>Anybody got a bandana I can borrow for tonight's game?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">(posted by Portia)</span><em></em>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-20812353808951116122007-07-25T09:07:00.000-04:002007-07-25T09:22:53.621-04:00They Say It's Your Birthday!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-v1Q4PaRlUk4uecJFivKLuE73MpbJVFLtx9qL6CSz3sRl-GMDLJ4NaQmRxpd05kvjmocyMTavJRH_Dzd8D7cVurjHACYuZYPc2ckTPpEobnVHT6r8f3IBKNtSGszVQ9qxUJUf1w/s1600-h/BeachJ450GREEN.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091122011060794770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-v1Q4PaRlUk4uecJFivKLuE73MpbJVFLtx9qL6CSz3sRl-GMDLJ4NaQmRxpd05kvjmocyMTavJRH_Dzd8D7cVurjHACYuZYPc2ckTPpEobnVHT6r8f3IBKNtSGszVQ9qxUJUf1w/s400/BeachJ450GREEN.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><p align="center">Go ahead, miss a few meetings.</p><p align="center">Many happy returns, Portia, my old friend.</p>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-44902380114171356322007-07-19T17:08:00.000-04:002007-07-19T19:07:35.659-04:00Buh-by!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlIgmqRWu7tQCVx8Z2lMTvcS9HZG8Y93koL0ea7vS4zgDvfxbpBULPmd-jRJG7bnY0ZqVzWm3fRQl41MZr_z2c6iBInCSYfREK7Ra6oTIZdrIwJBZp3r2iYXfORLqHDpUAgtbDQ/s1600-h/free.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089019446691256194" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlIgmqRWu7tQCVx8Z2lMTvcS9HZG8Y93koL0ea7vS4zgDvfxbpBULPmd-jRJG7bnY0ZqVzWm3fRQl41MZr_z2c6iBInCSYfREK7Ra6oTIZdrIwJBZp3r2iYXfORLqHDpUAgtbDQ/s400/free.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/19/cia.leak/">Set free the Flying Monkeys.</a><br /><br />Justice is served...kind of.<br /><br />*Spit.*<br /><br />Have a nice life, Liar.spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-47371123578442085942007-07-15T17:07:00.000-04:002007-07-16T07:02:47.829-04:00This I Believe<a href="http://brazertime.mlblogs.com/photos/uncategorized/jrobinson2.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://brazertime.mlblogs.com/photos/uncategorized/jrobinson2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote><em>At the beginning of the World Series of 1947, I experienced a completely new emotion, when the National Anthem was played. This time, I thought, it is being played for me, as much as for anyone else. This is organized major league baseball, and I am standing here with all the others; and everything that takes place includes me.<br /><br />About a year later, I went to Atlanta, Georgia, to play in an exhibition game. On the field, for the first time in Atlanta, there were Negroes and whites. Other Negroes, besides me. And I thought: What I have always believed has come to be.<br /><br />And what is it that I have always believed? First, that imperfections are human. But that wherever human beings were given room to breathe and time to think, those imperfections would disappear, no matter how slowly. I do not believe that we have found or even approached perfection. That is not necessarily in the scheme of human events. Handicaps, stumbling blocks, prejudices — all of these are imperfect. Yet, they have to be reckoned with because they are in the scheme of human events.<br /><br />Whatever obstacles I found made me fight all the harder. But it would have been impossible for me to fight at all, except that I was sustained by the personal and deep-rooted belief that my fight had a chance. It had a chance because it took place in a free society. <br /><br />I look at my children now, and know that I must still prepare them to meet obstacles and prejudices. But I can tell them, too, that they will never face some of these prejudices because other people have gone before them. And to myself I can say that, because progress is unalterable, many of today's dogmas will have vanished by the time they grow into adults. I can say to my children: There is a chance for you. No guarantee, but a chance.<br /><br />* * * *<br /><br />I believe in the human race. I believe in the warm heart. I believe in man's integrity. I believe in the goodness of a free society. And I believe that the society can remain good only as long as we are willing to fight for it — and to fight against whatever imperfections may exist. My fight was against the barriers that kept Negroes out of baseball. This was the area where I found imperfection, and where I was best able to fight. And I fought because I knew it was not doomed to be a losing fight. It couldn't be a losing fight-not when it took place in a free society.*</em></blockquote><br />Dreams rode on your shoulders, man. You forever changed the face of the game, and the minds of a nation. We owe you a world of thanks for your gifts.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/teeball/2007/july15teeball.html">White House</a> is paying tribute to Jackie Robinson's legacy today by hosting a tee ball game on the South Lawn featuring teams from Brooklyn’s Inner City Little League, and the Wrigley Little League of Los Angeles (the two cities that the Dodgers have called home, and where Robinson spent his entire Major League career.) Each of the Little Leaguers will wear the No. 42, Robinson's jersey number, which was retired** a decade ago to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier.<br /><br />Go Brooklyn!<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC6ViZHJ6nqoC0imPOpGnDr-50QmsIjz50JkOeWR05jIFI6nKtIe9raFPp4sAgWmVpXhNEbOuNrBPZPTIihP-LWuffKUnm32xNJx7ZJEotaSj9TE8VRpZQ_MX-ATRxM60zjvaKg/s1600-h/16robinson-600.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087521735760566130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC6ViZHJ6nqoC0imPOpGnDr-50QmsIjz50JkOeWR05jIFI6nKtIe9raFPp4sAgWmVpXhNEbOuNrBPZPTIihP-LWuffKUnm32xNJx7ZJEotaSj9TE8VRpZQ_MX-ATRxM60zjvaKg/s400/16robinson-600.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />_______________________________<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">* Robinson's "This I Believe" essay was delivered in 1952. You can listen to a tape of it </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4536142"><span style="font-size:78%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br />**No. 42 was the first and only number to be retired by all the teams in the MLB. Mariano Rivera (who plays for the MFY) is the only active MLB player who still wears the number. Upon Rivera's retirement, No. 42 will rest in perpetuity with Jackie Robinson, the man who did it proud.<br /></span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;">Posted by Portia</span></p>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-62816122694503274032007-07-13T11:52:00.001-04:002007-07-13T16:38:52.107-04:00Snakes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEM9acX8_krXmqqOYJbfodCKE8JgQ532KgW0JkXoF395gf3ZXX3I6kX0gFa7XT0hduhUYuLVCeCgAr9SZ98tlPG0FFb2kwuzu-Gv9mv223wWa57cO3Oe5kztboeCo2YjBAYMXxXQ/s1600-h/Epersica_f.jpeg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086782919781275474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEM9acX8_krXmqqOYJbfodCKE8JgQ532KgW0JkXoF395gf3ZXX3I6kX0gFa7XT0hduhUYuLVCeCgAr9SZ98tlPG0FFb2kwuzu-Gv9mv223wWa57cO3Oe5kztboeCo2YjBAYMXxXQ/s400/Epersica_f.jpeg" border="0" /></a> <div>Almost exactly one year ago I posted <a href="http://sadspud.blogspot.com/2006/07/gullivers-travails.html">a longwinded piece</a> on the Iranian oil bourse and how <s>those skeeving bastards</s> that government might manipulate the dollar by only accepting Euros, rather than the world-wide standard, "petrodollars." Pay no attention to the pink bikini.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Today it was announced that <s>those skeeving bastards</s> Iran is demanding that Japan pay for <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&refer=worldwide&sid=aLaColVYu5LA">all of its Iranian oil</a> in yen. </div><div> </div><div>Japan should think, <em>hard</em>, before complying with the orders of a terrorist nation.</div><div> </div><div>I know that I will be thinking about it. You should be, too.</div><br /><div></div>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-85039378938207079602007-07-11T11:13:00.000-04:002007-07-11T22:45:59.915-04:00You Bet Your Life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23mpRNKF_3B1m3JSc-as2ZU4gjg-9Qe2VqjK80I_0ejPLrrlQyFeiobTFwVttbZ20OhkOL3vCBMmV2c1v-eLpCcThfOZLI_nq72bThsRn_B4idBkJA-d6wwMhvPt_TXuDkuWOWw/s1600-h/Iran.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085967552431310578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23mpRNKF_3B1m3JSc-as2ZU4gjg-9Qe2VqjK80I_0ejPLrrlQyFeiobTFwVttbZ20OhkOL3vCBMmV2c1v-eLpCcThfOZLI_nq72bThsRn_B4idBkJA-d6wwMhvPt_TXuDkuWOWw/s400/Iran.jpg" border="0" /></a> Unless you're <a href="http://select.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/opinion/31friedman.html?hp">Thomas Friedman</a>, you probably figured out a <em>loooooong</em> time ago that Iran is the real reason that we are in Iraq. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 <a href="http://islamthreat.blogspot.com/2006/08/carters-history-how-he-established_17.html"><strong>(thanks Jimmy!)</strong></a> Iran has shown itself to be a far more potent force for destabilization than any other nation is the region.<br /><br />Iraq? You might recall the two neighbors had <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Iraq_War">a little dust-up </a>going for most of the 1980's. Saddam was trying to keep the Islamic Revolution from taking hold in Iraq. As for the myth of its weapons of mass destruction, the ones that the WORLD believed Iraq possessed, Saddam created that, not only to rattle the West, but to keep Iraq from invading following the ass-kicking we gave Saddam in the First Persian Gulf War.<br /><br />We can debate whether Saddam was actively sponsoring terroism against the United States, but we know for certain that he was slaughtering his own citizens. Iran, on the other hand, has been the worldwide leader in terrorism for decades. Here's what <a href="http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/2000/2441.htm">your government</a> had to say about Iran and Iraq in April of 2001:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Cuba, North Korea, and Sudan continue to be the seven governments that the US Secretary of State has designated as state sponsors of international terrorism. <strong>Iran remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism in 2000. It provided increasing support to numerous terrorist groups, including the Lebanese Hizballah, HAMAS, and the Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which seek to undermine the Middle East peace negotiations through the use of terrorism.</strong> Iraq continued to provide safehaven and support to a variety of Palestinian rejectionist groups, as well as bases, weapons, and protection to the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), an Iranian terrorist group that opposes the current Iranian regime.</blockquote>I guess we should have added al-Qaeda to the list of Iranian clients, <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,664967,00.html"><strong>yes</strong></a>?<br /><br />Now, it should be fairly obvious that, because Iran is an <em>Islamic </em>State, the United States would run the risk of inflaming the <em>entire</em> Islamic world if we attacked it just for sponsoring international terrorism. That's not even a misdemeanor in that part of the world. Not only would such an outright attackwe face an oil embargo, Israel would have been put to the torch from six directions. Iraq, on the other hand, was weaker, a proven bad-actor, and <em>secular!</em> Bingo. We're in Iraq. Why the President just didn't explain it this way is anybody's guess.<br /><br />But Iran is still the real enemy of the world, so how much longer are we going to wait until we take her out? Let's see how <a href="https://www.intrade.com/aav2/trading/tradingHTML.jsp?evID=37985&eventSelect=37985&updateList=true&showExpired=false">today's market</a> is shaping up:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.intrade.com/aav2/trading/tradingHTML.jsp?selConID=392137"><img title="Price for US/Israeli Overt Air Strike against Iran at intrade.com" height="225" alt="Price for US/Israeli Overt Air Strike against Iran at intrade.com" src="https://data.intrade.com/graphing/closingChart.png?contractId=392137&chartSize=S&tradeURL=https://www.intrade.com" width="460" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.intrade.com/aav2/trading/tradingHTML.jsp?selConID=392138"><img title="Price for US/Israeli Overt Air Strike against Iran at intrade.com" height="225" alt="Price for US/Israeli Overt Air Strike against Iran at intrade.com" src="https://data.intrade.com/graphing/closingChart.png?contractId=392138&chartSize=S&tradeURL=https://www.intrade.com" width="460" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.intrade.com/aav2/trading/tradingHTML.jsp?selConID=498786"><img title="Price for US/Israeli Overt Air Strike against Iran at intrade.com" height="225" alt="Price for US/Israeli Overt Air Strike against Iran at intrade.com" src="https://data.intrade.com/graphing/closingChart.png?contractId=498786&chartSize=S&tradeURL=https://www.intrade.com" width="460" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hmmmmm. This might be the time to do a little speculating. At least <a href="http://www.barking-moonbat.com/">some people</a> are.<br /><br />Sooner? Or later?spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-42563566267731128062007-07-06T15:32:00.000-04:002007-07-06T16:03:29.618-04:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY NUMBER ONE SON!Once again, those who love you are celebrating your birthday without you.<br />No matter, because you and your shipmates are where you need to be for those of us here.<br />And we love you for that. All of you.<br /><br />And you need not worry about blowing out the candles on your 25th birthday,<br />because I burned the cake in your honor.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dleI7VDxgwMTDKp6BFToF3axjbbjAfUmCnNvP_qK0kc1xfpvXTKTKuS0q7pXNt_o9e4DO7rJLkvZWbLOK9qQdDp5UEYDlXy3kCrrv6ULcOpe_WWKl7U24r_zAvU90Xw218a0Ow/s1600-h/2007070320_5069575408.jpeg"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084170022718588594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dleI7VDxgwMTDKp6BFToF3axjbbjAfUmCnNvP_qK0kc1xfpvXTKTKuS0q7pXNt_o9e4DO7rJLkvZWbLOK9qQdDp5UEYDlXy3kCrrv6ULcOpe_WWKl7U24r_zAvU90Xw218a0Ow/s400/2007070320_5069575408.jpeg" border="0" /></strong></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Thank you, Son. I am so proud of you.<br />I am so proud of your shipmates.<br />You are the best the nation has to offer.<br /><br />And for all you girls out there:<br />Kiss a sailor and GO NAVY.<br />You'll never be the same again.<br />Guaranteed.spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13022824.post-86497404919379468272007-07-05T11:05:00.000-04:002007-07-05T14:39:19.971-04:00Eight Things That You Didn't Need To Know About Me.So Portia and I got tapped by Cassandra to participate in another "crappy meme. " I'm supposed to tell eight things about myself. Why eight? Who knows? That's just the way crappy memes work.<br /><br /><div>Portia admirably <a href="http://sadspud.blogspot.com/2007/07/its-spill-beans.html">stepped right up to the plate</a> and spilled her beans. Now its my turn to fulfill my crappy meme obligation. So here goes....</div><br /><div></div><div>First, the rules (which, according to crappy meme rules have to be posted first or you won't be allowed to play):</div><br /><div>* Post these rules before we give you the facts.<br />* Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.<br />* People who are tagged need to write their own post about their eight<br />things and post these rules. At the end of their post, they choose eight people<br />to tag and list their names.<br />* Don't forget to leave a comment telling them they've been tagged,<br />and to read your blog. </div><br /><br /><p>And now, Eight Random Facts/Habits About Me That You Didn't Need To Know Except For this Crappy Meme.</p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qNb1QuiV4NsAy9qKAhyVluMZWA6mpW1Npf8dp2jH2LOTKAqJgYMGNCRjW2yLPaO4XAxq6sHmiVnQ2eRXUhrwXaVpO5bcwi1w7PyQP_KiZk6ioYt2QMkkUertcbV2FA5QC2Usvg/s1600-h/heart.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083779477047395986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qNb1QuiV4NsAy9qKAhyVluMZWA6mpW1Npf8dp2jH2LOTKAqJgYMGNCRjW2yLPaO4XAxq6sHmiVnQ2eRXUhrwXaVpO5bcwi1w7PyQP_KiZk6ioYt2QMkkUertcbV2FA5QC2Usvg/s400/heart.jpg" border="0" /></a>1. I noticed my first female butt in 1955 at the age of 11 months. I haven't stopped noticing them yet.<br /><p>2. I flunked typing in high school. Who knew that I'd ever need to know how to type? It was the only course that I ever flunked, although I came close in gym the second half of my senior year, and was almost prevented from graduating. Fortunately, I was given the option of writing a six page paper entitled "The Benefits of Physical Activity in Lifetime Sports." It read like a script for a porno movie.</p><br /><p>3. There a picture of me wearing a New York Yankees hat. I got it for my seventh birthday, along with a flash light. I've only recently determined that my father was a cheapskate when it came to spending money on his kids. He more than made up for it, though, by spending his time with us. Lavishly so.</p><br /><p>4. I'll eat anything. The only food that I truly dislike is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitterlings">chitterlings</a>. I once ate calf brains made especially for me in the authentic country French style by a dark-eyed French woman whose name is lost to me now. She was a very good cook. I've even eaten "mucktuck," frozen whale blubber that tastes like a cross between chicken and greasy ice cream. This was provided to me by my then sweetie, Miss Nome. Chitlins? Tried 'em. Don't like 'em. Never gonna try 'em again unless they're served to me by Hale Berry wearing nothing but a smile.</p><br /><p>5. I got my first scars at nine months when I reached up and pulled a pot of boiling water off of the stove. The results are still quite visable from wrist to bicep on my right arm. Since then, I've collected many more scars, so many that I'm afraid God won't recognize me. Maybe I should get a tatoo?</p><br /><p>6. I was a hippie for a while back in the 70's. I had really long hair, frye boots, and ate no meat. I even hitchhiked my was across the USA. I'm living proof that with the timely application of a right-sized Navy boot in the ass, almost anybody can grow up to be a lawyer. </p><br /><p>7. On a hammock in her dad's backyard.<br /></p><p>8. I broke my best friend's nose - twice - but the second time was an accident. He is still my best friend after 40 years. I don't have a single Asian friend, though, which is wierd. If you are Asian and would like to be my friend, there's an opening. I promise that I won't break your nose.<br /><br /></p><p>There. Now you know eight completely useless things about me. The next step in crappy memes is selecting eight other people to play. Of course I don't know of eight other people who haven't already been <s>assualted</s> tagged, so what I will do instead is randomly select random people who I don't know and who don't know me. This way I'll be sure not to make any new friends.<br /></p><p>1. <a href="http://ohlindsaay.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html"><strong>This person</strong> </a>writes a whole blog about Lindsey Lohan, in Spanish, so I figure that he or she has plenty of time on his or her hands.</p><br /><p>2. <a href="http://tartelette.blogspot.com/"><strong>This person</strong></a> writes about cupcakes and such. Cool name for a blog.</p><br /><br /><p>3. <a href="http://zbp090906.blogspot.com/"><strong>This person</strong></a> writes about the everyday life of a 10 month old. I wonder what eight things he can tell us about himself? He probably still hasn't noticed his first butt.</p><br /><p>4. <a href="http://eromio.blogspot.com/"><strong>This person</strong></a> writes about the worst thing ever. She should be ashamed of herself.</p><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">5-8. <strong><a href="http://www.kboa830.com/cowboymusic/default.htm">These guys.</a></strong></span><a href="http://www.kboa830.com/cowboymusic/default.htm"><strong><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></strong></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR4m7xvQrlI3q1yWk0-VIF64Wx4XcaZhJGRUocMWyBFryy-19U5k9AdBQM79aMwZy64rhEsxJ0GGnx1ygpV7DbzFIqkXbxHpv_ZUbQNdL3hziiJmAeyxld8DHoO75ky_HsasgQA/s1600-h/SOTWB_publicity_funny_ds.jpeg"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083776844232443522" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR4m7xvQrlI3q1yWk0-VIF64Wx4XcaZhJGRUocMWyBFryy-19U5k9AdBQM79aMwZy64rhEsxJ0GGnx1ygpV7DbzFIqkXbxHpv_ZUbQNdL3hziiJmAeyxld8DHoO75ky_HsasgQA/s400/SOTWB_publicity_funny_ds.jpeg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><div></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">My work is done.<br /></div></span><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /></div></span></div>spd rdrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05543431460609915876noreply@blogger.com8