Where the Bodies are Buried

This is for you Tommy C

2006-02-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

This is un believably funny

the stresspool: Winnebago Man - VH1 Web Junk 20#links

the stresspool: Winnebago Man - VH1 Web Junk 20#links

"Cousin" Alex

2006-01-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

Great dancer...

Great friend and cousin....

Great thinker....

Great laugher...

Dan "the man" Romeo

2006-01-09T07:33:00.000-08:00

He know's how to get down

He'd kiss your own girlfriend with you watching in anger...

He can be silly...

And make you forget what he just did

Knows how to earn an honest buck....

Zabka

2005-12-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

More than words...

2005-12-28T08:35:00.000-08:00

we like to party...

2005-12-28T08:33:00.000-08:00

Aint that the truth...

2005-12-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

Got a light?

2005-12-28T08:28:00.000-08:00

a little creative graffiti in the castle...

God Bless Long Island...

2005-12-28T08:23:00.000-08:00

So in europe in general, they always give you your drink with the alcohol and soda separate, I guesss to show you how much they're giving you. This is how they give you a long island Iced Tea, with a lemon slice wedged in the glass to separate.

Even in the cold reaches of the soviet empire, you can still order a long island iced tea (sniffle).

And you thought your job was tough...

2005-12-27T14:00:00.000-08:00

While having lunch in Moscow with some colleagues, I noticed across the street that the building had been knocked down completely except for the front wall. According to my colleague, that's the law, it keeps everything looking nice. You knock the front wall down last. Fair enough.

Look a little closer and you'll notice that these guys have no support. No saftey net, no nothing. INSANE. According to my colleague, "yeah, they bring these guys in from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. They'll work insane hours for no money, and there's always more waiting when they drop dead." He apparently felt that they weren't concerned about falling, and neither was he.

Well the conversation really got awkward when i said, "no kidding? In the US, we give all the dangerous physical jobs to russians!"

At that point my KGB handler escorted us out.

I thought bud pawned his hanzo sword?

2005-12-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

I guess that makes bud a liar.

me: "I don't know how they've kept it such good condition... "

Apparently it's Old in name only. Despite the cobblestone streets and old architecture (sp?), this part of town was actually built in the 80's.

According to my colleague from europe, "OLD? No way man! The Russian's leveled the entire city when they invaded. They built all of this in the 80's"

Welcome to "Old Town"

2005-12-27T13:42:00.000-08:00

Looks pretty old doesn't it?

Tame the pony!!!

2005-12-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

This is a two-fer... Back in college we used to drink White Horse whiskey... It was so stiff we used to pour shots and then put a spoon full of sugar in it marry poppins style.

What this label doesnt show is that on each bottle is a tiny plastic pony on a string around the neck of the bottle. As a result, we used to call that process of putting sugar in the whiskey taming the pony...

Well wouldn't you know it, buried in all these labels on the wall on the whiskey tour i went on in scotland, i found it.

"I love that you drop movies like the Saint and Real Genius!"

2005-12-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

- CJ

You want to know what Russia's like? See the movie the Saint.

It's all hookers and shady guys carrying steel briefcases.

Why are ju jelling at me?

2005-12-22T08:34:00.000-08:00

My friend Luis from work is from mexico city, and we always joke about pronunciation, how y's should be j's...

So i took this picture of my co-worker/friend mike who was on the road with me in poland and russia with new york, "is it should be pronounced" - L

Hail to the chief...

2005-12-22T08:32:00.000-08:00

This is the prime minister of Poland's house ("the polish white house" for my slow folk)

It was next door to my hotel, pretty nice

A NICKEL! (slap)...

2005-12-22T08:28:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous open glass and brass elevators, and marble stairs. and for a nickle, you too can own your own in warsaw.

A few a day...

2005-12-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

I'm back, and have 202 pictures to post, but much like the father cow, rather than run down and bang a few cows, I'm gonna walk down and bang em all.

This was my first drink at the Lot (polish air) airport lounge... a bottle of jack, a bottle of baileys, and a warning sign... "Just because you're Irish, doesn't mean you get to punch attendants in the baby maker... Unless they ask for it"

Cool picture from the castle in edinburgh

2005-12-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

Lenin's tomb

2005-12-21T10:45:00.000-08:00

Cars, right lane, Tanks, left lane...

2005-12-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

These huge empty roads might look like the lie at 3am, but it's actually the center of town at around 8pm....

apparently the russian's built HUGE roads so that the tanks could get into the center of town quickly....

pretty much the only thing traveling on these roads now are bikes and guys saying, "i love america, miami wice, numba 1 new show!"

It wouldn't be a blog post...

2005-12-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

Without a picture of me and my friends drinking...

And me making the crab hand for no reason

Suitor number 3, is your kiss like a soft breeze, a firm handshake or a jackhammer?

2005-12-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

Gil Hicks : Definitely a jackhammer, I'm in there with some pressure and when I'm done, you're not the same as before. You're changed.

Brodie : Where do you come up with this shit? That's the cheesiest response to an honest question I have ever heard. I saw you kiss and it wasn't anything like that.

Bob Summers : [Chuckling] Suitor #2, you'll have to wait until you're addressed before you respond.

Brodie: Richard Dawson, why don't you just go back to your podium until it's time to play The Feud. All right?
[Audience laughs]

Gil Hicks : Who the hell did you see me kiss?

Brodie : Some dude backstage. I don't know who he was but he seemed unimpressed.

Gil Hicks : I didn't kiss any guy backstage. I swear. I'm not gay.

Brodie : Hey, Suitorette, this guys a homophobe. You heard how repulsed he sounded. Is this the kind of guy you want to spend a vacation with? This hate-monger?

Gil Hicks : I don't hate gay people.

Brodie : So you love them?

Gil Hicks : Yes. I mean no.

Brodie: Textbook closet case self-loather. Can't be comfortable with his own sexuality

Ok, so i'll be in Russia on business...

2005-11-11T14:49:00.000-08:00

And we all know what that means... No more blogging for a while. I'll be on long island wed before thanksgiving, and we're going out right kids...

I want one

2005-11-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

NOWWWW

Who is that guy????

2005-11-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

OK, so I just got an email from my buddy with a link to his friend's website. It's HIIIIGH comedy.

Now check out this picture of them hanging out in said camper, which apparently hasn't been involved in a fatal accident yet....

Who is that guy????

It's a trailer, everyone's drinking bud light CANS and wearing jeans, and he's dressed in jacket and tie, khakis, black socks and AIR FORCE ONE'S.

But i digress... in the email, it pointed out a funny picture of him driving because he's blatantly staring at the camera, and yet really driving, and driving fast...

Wow, how is that camper going so fast, and how is he not looking at the road?? But I'll get back to that...

Because ou wanna know who it is?

I'll TELL YOU who it is!!...

And left my email off like that.

So i leave them waiting, wanting, concerned over who this guy could be, how i could possibly tie that to the other picture, and make it all worthwhile for holding them in suspense.

Well, you never leave a cheers'd drink un sipped, a drunk girl at a bar, and a joke in suspense....

I'll TELL YOU who it is!!...

It's the FUCKING MILLIONAIRE from gilligan's Island!!!

Cardillo and the guy on the left are gilligan and the skipper, we've got mary anne with her back to us, ginger in the pink in the back, the professor with glasses, and the other three are the people on the ss minno who were eaten by GOD DAMN sharks. It all makes sense, the millionaire loved to slum it (how crappy was the SS Minno, couldn't a millionaire afford his own boat instead of going on a three hour tour?)

But wait!!! How could they all be so young??

Because my friends, that there trailer is a TIME MACHINE!!!

That's how it's moving so fast, that's how they're all so young, that's how he's CLEARLY not watching the road, and THAT'S how i tied this all in.

And that my friends... is how it's done.

Until you realize the legs in the picture are an indian boy's sitting between them and it just lines up.

Is that Mr. 8, 10 and Midnight respectively for a typical BBC college evening?

2005-11-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

Noooo... it's just me tom and frank at my birthday... AWESOME night

BEHOLD!!!!

2005-10-31T07:15:00.000-08:00

First Moses handed down from God the 10 commandments....

Arthur chivalry and the round table...

Martin Luther and his 95 Theses....

and now i have brought down from up high, the friendship list...

BRING on the tears...

The results...

2005-10-21T08:11:00.000-07:00

of the great american gay bait...

you have no one to blame but yourselves....

Indictments

2005-10-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

the following indictments have been handed down based on turned informants....

Jarrett loves PARISH'S POLE

Justin loves Ana Nalick

The man who loves a 45k car also loves pole.

The following people suck:

Robin/Strifer

Definately NOT gay...

2005-10-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

Cousin Alex:
By successfully GayBaiting ME!!! He set up an aol Gay Robot, and I didn't even realize it.

Ladies Love him, Men want to be him....

On the ropes....

2005-10-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

Tom didn't respond and checked out my profile .... Probably Gay

Anthony didn't respond.... Could be gay

Mike Rehor didn't respond and checked out my profile... On the ropes, he's the manliest man i know.

Justin responded, but only that it didn't brighten his day, although he did accuse me of being gay, and he was probably thumbing through a william and sonoma magazine... Probably gay

Mike Carlson... responded "happy birthday ya pussy!"... definately not gay because it wasn't my birthday, and i think he was drunk.

_________ - name witheld for co-operation on an investigation.

Jarrett... probably gay

Mikey Gabriele... probably gay

Stephan.... probably gay

Gay bait!

2005-10-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

So my friends and I have this game called gay bait...

Basically, you make a gay pass at another guy friend,
"hey, wanna come over and watch a movie in my room?"

and then he has to either raise the anti,
"only if we take our shirts off"

or if the stakes are to high, he can call you out,
"that's a gay bait!"

the only unacceptable answer is to not respond or change the subject. This means that you're gay. (what other explanation could there be).

Well i went on friendster and sent all my guy friends smileys... and just got my first response...

Dan sent an email to my entire Westchester crew "JR just sent me a smile via Friendster.....I feel really weird right now".

I will accept that as a gay bait call. Awaiting further responses....

Which one's which?

2005-10-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

One of these guys is the new starting left tackle for the Cowboys, who will make or break my fantasy season...

the other's my buddy tom! i pretend to forget his name and call him tim all the time, but he's aces in my book.

I heard the news today old boy....

2005-10-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

Vikings hire retired FBI agent as security director....

and in other news,

"Longtime criminal considers one last job..."

"Girl home alone investigates noise and decides to take shower...."

"Second worst decides big/small balls deserves some slack...."

Nice pajama's Curley...

2005-10-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

They're OR scrubs...

Oh are they?

Which one's guisus, and which one's from Rushmore?

Sorry gui, you did come to the party, but hey, that's great. I wrote a hit play and directed it, so I'm not sweating it either.

Which one's which...

2005-09-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

One plays for audiences around the world, and the other one for beer... Apparently not pong though!

She who's tardy... Pays for the party

Hat Tip: The Man

Boy meets world....

2005-09-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

Girl meets what happens when you miss the line in the sand party.

Which one's Topanga, and which one's borgeous?

I say they're both borgeous!

Hat tip: Dutch

I thought I was here for an interview...

2005-09-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

This was your interview.

What's up GATTICA??

Look, I'm the first to criticize NBA players for being lazy, selfish, greedy, whatever.

But Eddy Curry, after having an irregular heartbeat towards the end of last season is being told he wont get a new deal (he's a restricted free agent this year) unless he takes a DNA test to see if he might have a propensity towards a certain type of heart disease.

They're not saying he has it, they know he doesn't, both his and team doctors agree. So basically, he'll have to sit out a year. The bulls won't sign him without the test, and they won't trade him to another team (the knicks offered them a good deal - tim thomas and michael sweetney, a good young forward and a huge expiring contract).

This seems like a slippery slope to me. What do you guys think???

Line in the Sand Party...

2005-09-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Time for me to post, so i'll start with an
AWESOME picture

No one put's baby in the corner...

2005-09-28T08:40:00.001-07:00

or.. catches me in an action pose

The real all valley champions....

2005-09-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

Johnny and Dutch... fanTASTIC picture

Mighty wing man...

2005-09-28T08:39:00.001-07:00

here's me grabbing a 45 year old woman while justin blocks her boyfriend

My name's Kansas

2005-09-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

and this is my little man toto

It's not my bag baby....

2005-09-28T08:38:00.001-07:00

driving home the next morning justin discovered my NSync birthday card from Hollywood Mike Rehor

My new bed...

2005-09-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

like all parties, it ends with me passing out on the couch

One of these things is not like the other....

2005-09-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

SESAME STREET TIME! can you guess which one??

2005-09-20T06:39:00.000-07:00

my two favorite things... the giants winning and a good shun! thank you paper of record!

Time to burn some bridges...

2005-09-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

As a new feature for my blog, I'm going to post friends of mine and the celebrities they resemble. Ohhh yeah, this has got tears written all over it...

yup... i went there

Like you didn't know this one was coming...

2005-09-19T06:58:00.000-07:00

One's the heir to an organized crime family, the other plays one on TV.

Which one's which?

2005-09-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

One's a fall down drunk/pervert who poses like he knows anything, the other is my old college roomate.

Maybe you've noticed....

2005-09-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

That I'm one of the last active bloggers in the community.

Clearly in the post shore house era, I'm the only one who feels the need to post random crap unfit for a bathroom wall. (and porn solicitation)

And yet today we reached a new low....

www.escapeisathand.blogspot.com

once the official resource for emo whining and thinly veiled heterosexual abandonment, is now run by some random dude!!!

I mean it's bad enough seeing a blog with the last post dated 3 months ago, but it's quite another when you come back to visit and find an Ultimart. I mean I'd rather see someone else post for him, but I guess office max made the best offer.

I guess it's down to CJ and I.

The man nails it...

2005-09-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

BUSINESS WORLD By HOLMAN W. JENKINS, JR.

Gambling with Your Money, Their Lives
September 7, 2005; Page A17

Food, water -- and laying blame. The human necessities have been on exhibit in the New Orleans flood catastrophe.

In the interests of having the argument heard, let's phrase a key question in a bipartisan manner: Will the federal government contemplate some adjustment to policies that amount to a powerful inducement for people to build in areas that are fundamentally vulnerable? Professions of shock about the extent of the New Orleans disaster may be understandable from the broader public, but not from Louisianians themselves. Their disaster was the most predicted disaster in recent memory. The city's vulnerability was well documented and this is one case where you can't blame the press for taking its eye off the ball.

The policy implications were not lost on congressmen and federal officials either. A screaming match three years ago concerned a House bill to charge market-based flood insurance premiums to homeowners who filed frequent claims. Louisiana Rep. Billy Tauzin (since retired) denounced the bill as "an assault on the culture of South Louisiana." He was right.

The bill's author, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, put the issue in less hysterical perspective: "The notion that the federal government is just going to shovel money to people in harm's way is misguided, and I personally think it's cruel." He was right too.

President Bush, during one of his landfalls in the disaster zone, promised to build Trent Lott a "fantastic new house" in Pascagoula. This would have been music to the ears of locals, a prelude to tendering an unlimited bill to federal taxpayers to rebuild. However, what New Orleans residents may finally get out of last week's disaster is that the jig is up, the crazy contradictions of their city have reached an end point.

To rebuild in a way safe from a recurrence of the Katrina flood would be to darken the city's neighborhoods behind vivisecting walls and ever higher levees -- or to spend unfathomable sums to lift the town five or 10 feet above the surrounding waters. As Louisianians themselves are likely to conclude, a better approach -- perhaps the only sane approach -- is to relinquish the city's lowest elevations back to the waters. Originally known as the Crescent City because settlement was restricted to high land along the Mississippi, New Orleans could become the Crescent City again, focused on its historic districts and the tourism traffic they generate.

Indeed, all this must come to pass now that the city's wish-fed gamble against the odds has come a cropper, a bet that no sensible government would be willing to make again with even higher stakes.

Back in 1968, Washington was already in despair at what it had wrought and got into the flood insurance business as a way to make property owners finally bear the cost of their own recurrent bailouts. It didn't help. The money flowing to flood victims through all channels has grown geometrically, subsidizing ever more risk-taking. Legion are the tales of homeowners who, over a few years, collected payments several times the worth of their houses. Homes not only are replaced but are built bigger and more ornate each time. Cities and localities have no reason to deprive themselves of the tax base by zoning against development on their floodplains if Washington will pay them to rebuild each time.

Bob Sheets, then-head of the National Hurricane Center, described the aftermath of 1979's Hurricane Frederic. "It was like an urban renewal program out there. And that kind of thing takes place almost any place you've had a big hurricane strike."

Modern New Orleans was the ultimate expression of this high-rolling dynamic. In 2000, an unnamed city official succinctly explained the city's hurricane strategy to the trade publication Risk & Insurance: "We are below sea level and we do get floods sometimes, but it's not a real serious problem. You can still purchase flood insurance."

OK, we all use insurance as a substitute for hazards we are unable or unwilling to protect against. We buy fire insurance instead of fire-proofing our homes to a fare-thee-well.

But a corollary to the city's acceptance that sooner or later it would be destroyed by a hurricane (and rebuilt using insurance money) was a reliance on evacuation to spare human life in the event of a Category 4 or worse storm, of which there had been four since 1899. That would have meant evicting residents every time a hurricane threatened, a policy that likely would have collapsed after the first false alarm, had a decrepit municipal government cared enough to try it. Instead the city defaulted to an evacuation strategy that was tantamount to every man for himself until it's time to reassemble and collect the checks that will be rolling in.

It would have taken a heroic political effort to change this dynamic, equivalent to a decision to invade Afghanistan before 9/11. Nor is President Bush Superman, cape flapping in the wind as he personally braces up the levees. Of one thing you can also be sure: Tomorrow's inquisitors will overlook his real contribution to last week's mess -- his capitulation three years ago to the media and Congressional clamor to create a new homeland security department.

That agency was destined to become an instant monument to the law of diminishing returns, even if it served as a useful offering of waste and futility to allow Mr. Bush to pursue an aggressive foreign policy. It distorted the nation's domestic priorities, as if the country were besieged by terrorists (it's not), and predictably devolved into an exercise in pork barrel, unrelated to risk.

To protect everything is to protect nothing. Lost in the shuffle was apparently the capability to respond quickly to national disasters that are far more certain to occur, such as killer hurricanes.

At least Katrina has put the terrorism threat back into perspective.

It wouldn't be a weekday without...

2005-09-07T10:16:00.000-07:00

more myspace requests for porn!

I got a friendly note a month ago to the day saying, "i like your profile" followed by a request to be a friend. I wrote back politely that I only add people i've met in "real life", but thanks for the note. Today, i get the EXACT SAME email. Well, clearly she's selling porn, or dogs, or a combonation of the two. But I'm not buying anything until i get me some samples!

This about sums it up...

2005-09-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

September 6, 2005
COMMENTARY

Blame Amid the Tragedy
By BOB WILLIAMS
September 6, 2005; Page A28

As the devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to shock and sadden the nation, the question on many lips is, Who is to blame for the inadequate response?

As a former state legislator who represented the legislative district most impacted by the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, I can fully understand and empathize with the people and public officials over the loss of life and property.

Many in the media are turning their eyes toward the federal government, rather than considering the culpability of city and state officials. I am fully aware of the challenges of having a quick and responsive emergency response to a major disaster. And there is definitely a time for accountability; but what isn't fair is to dump on the federal officials and avoid those most responsible -- local and state officials who failed to do their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were needlessly lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana's governor, Kathleen Blanco, and the city's mayor, Ray Nagin.

The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state emergency personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his/her emergency operations center.

The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000 people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina. If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have been saved.

In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which widespread flooding supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise simulated the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems identified in the simulation apparently were not solved.

A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate. As a result many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate. Fortunately, the hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better evacuation plan. Again, they did not take corrective actions. In 1998, during a threat by Hurricane George, 14,000 people were sent to the Superdome and theft and vandalism were rampant due to inadequate security. Again, these problems were not corrected.

The New Orleans contingency plan is still, as of this writing, on the city's Web site, and states: "The safe evacuation of threatened populations is one of the principle [sic] reasons for developing a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan." But the plan was apparently ignored.

Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation and supervising the actual evacuation: His office of Emergency Preparedness (not the federal government) must coordinate with the state on elements of evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of evacuees to staging areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally, belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to order the mandatory evacuation.

The city's evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas." But even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate 12,000 citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the problem, the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The plan also states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as needed." This was not done.

The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of the mayor's failure.

Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no provisions for food, water and sanitary conditions. As a result people died, and there was even rape committed, in these facilities. Mayor Nagin failed in his responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the orderly evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans. Now he wants to blame Gov. Blanco and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In an emergency the first requirement is for the city's emergency center to be linked to the state emergency operations center. This was not done.

The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific aid.

In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact with Mayor Nagin and FEMA. It is likely that thousands of people died because of the failure of Gov. Blanco to implement the state plan, which mentions the possible need to evacuate up to one million people. The plan clearly gives the governor the authority for declaring an emergency, sending in state resources to the disaster area and requesting necessary federal assistance.

State legislators and governors nationwide need to update their contingency plans and the operation procedures for state emergency centers. Hurricane Katrina had been forecast for days, but that will not always be the case with a disaster (think of terrorist attacks). It must be made clear that the governor and locally elected officials are in charge of the "first response."

I am not attempting to excuse some of the delays in FEMA's response. Congress and the president need to take corrective action there, also. However, if citizens expect FEMA to be a first responder to terrorist attacks or other local emergencies (earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes), they will be disappointed. The federal government's role is to offer aid upon request.

The Louisiana Legislature should conduct an immediate investigation into the failures of state and local officials to implement the written emergency plans. The tragedy is not over, and real leadership in the state and local government are essential in the months to come. More importantly, the hurricane season is still upon us, and local and state officials must stay focused on the jobs for which they were elected -- and not on the deadly game of passing the emergency buck.

Mr. Williams is president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a free market public policy research organization in Olympia, Wash.

evening ladies....

2005-08-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

Care for some dinner and a nice stroll in the woods... check out my myspace page

2005-08-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

revised!

What if Christ spoke at a Republican Party fund-raiser?

2005-08-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

TRANSCRIPT OF JESUS CHRIST'S REMARKS AT A REPUBLICAN PARTY FUND-RAISER, CRAWFORD, TEXAS, AUGUST 2005

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm going to have a hard time living up to an introduction like that. (LAUGHTER)

First, let Me express My gratitude for your support over the last few years. It's nice to be thought of as a winner for a change. If I had known we'd get the House, the Senate, and two consecutive terms in the White House (APPLAUSE)—if I'd known all that, I would have had an easier time that Friday on the Cross, let me tell you. (LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE)

But seriously, folks (LAUGHTER)—no, seriously, that day did pass, and then two more. Then I rose from the dead. (CHEERS, APPLAUSE) Thank you. I rose from the dead and I flew up to Heaven. But first, you'll remember, I made a little side trip to Hell (SCATTERED BOOS) just to get a look at how they do things. And I'm here to tell you, Hell is just like Heaven (AUDIBLE GASPS)—but with taxes. (LAUGHTER, CHEERS, APPLAUSE)

I'd especially like to thank President Bush, who gave me a free Pioneer membership. (AUDIBLE GASPS, MUTTERING) Was I not supposed to say that? Sorry. My point is, the president's a good man. The only real difference between Me and him is his daddy found a way to forgive Bill Clinton. (WILD APPLAUSE)

This president married well, too. He married a woman. (CHEERS, APPLAUSE) That's the right way. That's the way my Dad intended. Respect the sanctity of marriage. Now a few loud people keep saying the government should forget about sanctity, forget about religion. They want separation of church and state. See these hands? See the holes in them? That's separation of church and state. (APPLAUSE) I know George W. Bush, and I know he won't ever let that happen to me again. (CHEERS, APPLAUSE)

Ken Mehlman asked me to come down here today to meet with you good people and clear up a few things you've been wondering about. I told him I'd be glad to eat a little crow for a good cause. You'll forgive me if I read a brief prepared statement, but Ken and my Dad want me to get this just right. (LAUGHTER)

Here goes.
"In My youth, I made certain ill-advised statements that I now regret. If I offended anyone, I apologize. I want to clarify that it is easy for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. (CHEERS, WILD APPLAUSE)

"I'd like to apologize specifically to the money-changers. It is My sincere hope that you will come back into the Temple free of charge as My guests." (WILD APPLAUSE, CHANT OF "U.S.A! U.S.A!")

Finally—and this is Me speaking for Myself now—I want to say to the meek: Once we finally get rid of the death tax, you're not inheriting anything. Not while you're meek, so buck up. (CHEERS) And that goes double for you peacemakers. (LAUGHTER) Good night and Dad bless America. (CHEERS, WILD APPLAUSE)

Original Aricle

Justin's graduation present...

2005-08-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

TICKETS TO BURNING MAN!!!!

http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/

funny email i got today, italics in brakets mine

2005-08-23T12:07:00.000-07:00

This message is not flagged. [ Flag Message - Mark as Unread ]
Date:
Tue, 23 Aug 2005 15:59:16 +0300
From:
"Dorris Maphosa" Add to Address Book
Subject:
From;Dorris Maphosa.

Dear Respectful One (i must confess, i am very succeptible to flattery),

Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you. I got your contact from the International web site directory. (no more smiley's for me!)I prayed over it and selected your name among other names due to it's esteeming nature (super myal?) and the recommendations given to me as a reputable and trust worthy person (haha, i've got miles on my shovel and an empty bag of lime that says otherwise) I can do business with and by their recommenddations I must not hesitate to confide in you for this simple and sincere business.

I am Dorris Maphosa, the only Daughter of late Mr and Mrs Stephen Maphosa. My father was a very wealthy cocoa Farmer and cocoa merchant in (Zanu PF) Budiriro,the economic city of Zimbabwe before he was killed to death by his pollitical associates on one of their outing to makepollitical dialoug.

When my mother died on the 21st October 1989, my father took me and my younger brother Henry special because we are motherless. Before the death of my father on 2nd Feb 2002 in a private hospital here in Budiriro. He secretly called meon his bedside and told me that he has a sum of $10.5m (Ten Million, five hundred thousand dollars) left in a suspense account in a Bank in Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire,that he used my name as his first Daughter for the next of kin in deposit of the fund.

He also explained to me that I should seek for a God fearing foreign partner (check) in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose, (such as real estate management) (i was thinking more along the lines of beanie babies, just ask justin!).

Dearest, we are honourably seeking your assistance in the following ways.

1) To provide a Bank account where this money would be transferred to.
2) To serve as the guardian of this since I am a smail girl

Moreover dearest, we are willing to offer you 20% of the sum as compensation for effort input after the successful transfer of this fund to your designate account overseas. Anticipating to hear from you soon.

Thanks and God Bless.

Best regards.

Miss Dorris Maphosa.

2005-08-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

Kurt Warner and I can tell you from experience, this is always a good deal. He might not save your soul, but he'll save your season.

2005-08-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

many more pics to come, but i had to poke this one. On the surface, an awesome pic at the bar. Look closer, and you'll see the guy who's clearly not happy with our fun

2005-08-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

funny thing is, this is how i dress to work

2005-08-01T16:28:00.002-07:00

this is how it's done kids

2005-08-01T16:28:00.001-07:00

here's me and some of my westchester crew at suzy's party wed night

2005-08-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

here's a not so nice pic of brian, me and brian's friend dancing on a table

2005-08-01T16:27:00.001-07:00

here's a nice pic of regina and i

2005-08-01T16:27:00.000-07:00

here's me after winning in beer pong wed night (not), informing any who challenge, not to bring it. (notice the subtle leg kick?)

2005-08-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

men of gondor, riders of rohan, my brothers...i see in your eyes... ps, notice armpit lady is still there. the three of us look DAMN happy in this pic thoguh

2005-08-01T16:25:00.001-07:00

home is where you make it, except when they throw your home out in favor of an "upgrade"

2005-08-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

here's me at the party, as proof that i am in fact retarded

2005-08-01T16:24:00.001-07:00

here's cj at my party int he background as proof that he was in fact there

2005-08-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

oh the causualties of war... two down, 6 to go

2005-07-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

Some friendly offers of friendster porn i recieved today

2005-07-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

My response

For the fourth of july we went to the lake--->

2005-07-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

the lake

---->House

2005-07-13T09:14:00.001-07:00

house

"Look at em!!!...

2005-07-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

....he LOVES it"

ryan jeannine and i laugh as dan struggles with the vodka watermelon

"Summer time...

2005-07-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

...and the livin's easy"

beers bbq and sun on the big boat, doesn't get any better

I don't care what Jackie and Angry Dee say..

2005-07-13T09:09:00.001-07:00

H-JR!!! how could you not like him???

It's a fact!

2005-07-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

My best friend Anthony and I on the Big boat.... #1 on the list, #1 in your hearts

The captain gets all the girls

2005-07-13T09:08:00.001-07:00

tom and the ladies, relaxing on the dock

Why did the woman cross the road?

2005-07-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

Who cares? What's she doing outside the kitchen??

TD, colleen and suzette in the kitchen... where all women should be... ha!

This one's nice

2005-07-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

Cute picture of the girls

look at those glazed eyes...

2005-07-13T09:06:00.001-07:00

dave, suzette and i, BOMMMBED. Suzette (who took all these pictures) looks adorable, unlike dave and I who look like homer after he licked the hallucinagenic toad

As the ancient chinese proverb says...

2005-07-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

Pretty face, poor fate. I have NO idea what this face is all about

He's so happy!

2005-07-13T09:05:00.001-07:00

Dave enjoying the speed boat

"They say that the captain stays fast with the ship..

2005-07-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

...But this aint the dakota"

Look at that captain, looking dapper after a long night of boozing

My #1 Friend... and it shows

2005-07-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

my #1 friends... it's on the rankings... it's a fact

What a great crew...

2005-07-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

And a horrible photoshop job...Man dan looks excited... probably from my horrible photoshop job covering the broken arrow... pat, how could you wanna fight that man?

Welcome 'friends'??

2005-07-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

I visited my old roomates in Larchmont friday night and was "welcomed" by this picture and message. The question is, do I trust the message or the picture?

Comment Contest!

2005-07-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

This thing NEEEEDS to be commented on... somebody please tell me what she's thinking/seeing???

2005-07-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

Heed the man's words!

WHO is the Master????

2005-07-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

In light of today's events i thought it keep the blog...err light. After seeing this add on the sports guys page i've been DYING laughing. HIIIIGHlarious

My newest purchase....

2005-07-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

I just bought News Radio seasons one and two on DVD. Hiiiighlarious.

Here are some Bill McNeal Quotes that i got from this site

Bill:"Dave, everyone in that office thinks you're a great boss, every bit as good as Lisa. In fact, there was no real way to choose between you two."
Dave:"Well then why did every single person vote against me?"
Bill:"Joe voted using a computerized random number generater, Beth voted against you because Lisa gets fewer phone calls and doesn't like coffee, and Matthew is a lifelong Republican so he had no choice."
Dave:"And why didn't you vote for me?"
Bill:"I still think I did. This is one of those things we'll never know the full truth of."

Bill: "If Jimmy tells us to tighten our belts, well I just say, 'How tight?'"
Dave: "Do you now?"
Bill: "Yes, I do. I say, 'Cinch it up nice and snug, sir. I can take it.'"
Dave: "Really?"
Bill: "You're damn right. Why back in the early days of radio, all they had were jungle drums beating the rhythmic message of traffic and weather from village to village. But did they complain?"
Dave: "Hell no."
Bill: "Do you hear me complaining?"
Dave: "Hell no! 'Cause you got a massive, secret raise that caused all these problems in the first place."
Bill: "Exactly."

BILL: "I say we just tough it out."
DAVE: "Bill, correct me if I'm wrong but the the last time Mr. James tried to cut the fat around here, you said, and I quote, "I will drink water from the toilet like a dog before I pay for my own sodas."
BILL: "My essential position is the same."
DAVE: "No, in fact it's the complete opposite."
BILL: "Yes, and opposites attract, don't they?"

"Have you ever heard the expression, 'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade and then toss it in the face of the person who gave you the lemons until they give you the oranges you asked for in the first place'?"

BILL: "I'm... well, I'm hurt... deep down... where I'm soft... like a woman."
DAVE: "I understand. And I'm sorry that I hurt you......Deep down inside..."
BILL: "Where?"
DAVE: (Clenching teeth) "Where you're soft... like a woman."
BILL: "Don't mock me Dave. Don't be a hurter."

Bill: "You're not in Wisconsin, Dave. The big story isn't about a cow wandering into the town square."
Dave: "You know, I worked in Milwaukee, it's a city with a population of a million people."
Bill: "So, there must have been a lot of hub-bub when that cow got loose."

and for the finally, something you could all picture me saying....

MATTHEW: "Oh, I'm sorry... would it please the good sir Lord Bill of McNeal to join us?"
BILL: "Let's me think... Friday night... see a movie or sit around Spaz's kitchen sipping tea with a bunch of shut-ins?... Tough choice..."
MATTHEW: "They're not shut-ins, okay Bill... they're just the kind of people that like to stay inside... all the time."
BILL: "Well, it's hard to get out when you're taking care of 16 stray cats... each named after a child you never had..."
MATTHEW: "Fine... don't go... I don't... just don't go..."
BILL: "Oh c'mon pal, I'm only kidding... I'll be there..."
MATTHEW: "Really?...
BILL: "Yeah, I mean, depending on the weather, of course..."
DAVE: "Okay Bill, Stop it."
MATTHEW: "Well, it's supposed to be crisp and clear on Friday... so... "
BILL: "Oh, I'd been told hell was going to freeze over... I must've been misinformed... count me out... unless of course, the forecast changes... "
MATTHEW: (upset - fighting back tears)
STAFF: "Way to go Bill.... / What's wrong with you Bill...? "
BILL: "Ohhhh, people please... there was blood in the water... you all smelled it... I just did something about it... he'll be fine..."
DAVE: "Well Bill, thanks for that little preview of your Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech."

Interesting....

2005-07-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

This is a really cool interactive map on all of the casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan by city... here's the zoom that most of us would use, but here's the link for the full version....

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

2005-06-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

Par usual, Neal Boortz is right on the money with this one... I'm downright giddy...

Last week's Kelo vs. New London, Connecticut decision in which the Supreme Court decided it was just fine and dandy for the government to steal your property was supported by Justice David Souter. Four days later the CEO of a pro-liberty organization decided he wanted to build a hotel.

The hotel he wants to build will be at 34 Cilley Hill Road in Weare, New Hampshire. He faxed the paperwork to the town to get the ball rolling. Who lives at that address? Yup...you guessed it...United States Supreme Court Associate Justice David Hackett Souter. So is this all a joke?

Nope...the group who wants to take Souter's house intends to get the investors together to build the hotel. Since the hotel will surely generate many more taxpayer dollars than Souter is paying, it therefore meets the requirements of the Supreme Court majority, including Souter, in deciding that "public use" is the same thing as being in the economic interest of the public.

So, will Souter fight the attempt to take his house under the eminent domain provision? Surely if he practices what he preaches, he will gladly hand over his property to the local government in exchange for whatever price they decide. All for the public good, you know.

Oh..and the name they've decided on for the hotel? It's going to be called "The Lost Liberty Hotel" and will feature the "Just Desserts Cafe." Good one!

For the full page - page about half way down

Losses by ethnicity

2005-06-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

not that this matters, but it's interesting.

Here's the full article

Threat Level

2005-06-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

After watching CJ resolve a dispute this weekend, and over the years of being friends, I think I can finally figure out the gravity of a situation based on CJ's reaction, and turn them into a warning system....

2005-06-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

updated list