This is it for me, at least for a while. I keep finding myself talking about the same things over and over, and no one wants to be known as redundant.
I'm just a crotchety old stick in the mud who never changed with the times...and I'm ok with that.
You say URL, I say U R crazy. He says calculator, I say pencil and paper. She says diversity and I say singularity. It is - and always will be - that way.
It was fun while it lasted, but I've run out of things to talk about.
Take care everybody.
Peace.
JL4
PS Why this song? Who doesn't like U2 live? Therefore, why not?
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
No more blog
Packages from there
M sent my company a package from Iraq. Yup...that's right. He sent a package to us as a show of gratitude for the six enormous boxes we sent him and his fellow troops. Evidently, they unfurl and fly a different U.S. flag at the Multi-National HQ in Baghdad. M sent two of them back to the states, each with a formal certificate of appreciation, signed by the unit commander and a 3-Star General verifying these flags were indeed flown.
Remember, I work in a company where about 20% of the people chipped in and supported the soldiers, but the other 80% hovered between "could care less" and "I'm not supporting those people." One person in administration sent an overall e-mail expressing her appreciation of the flag and all it stood for. Then - in what surely surprised me - she asked me in the public e-mail to tell everyone what that flag meant to me. After considerable thought, here is what I wrote, for what it's worth anyways. Once again, the 80% were included in the addressees, so they received this as well:
The first encounter I ever had with the flag was in the 1960's. I took a trip with my school to Washington D.C. We went to Arlington National Cemetery and I saw for the first time the enormous and magnificent Iwo Jima memorial. Most people assume the flag was raised after the island was captured, but that is incorrect. 20,000 Japanese soldiers held that island and its critical airport, but we only had 6,000 marines go ashore. Within days, that 6,000 was reduced to 4,000. As the dawn became the light on the third day, the morale and attitude of the marines had sunk to an all-time low. Five marines and one navy corpsman trudged up that unsecured mountain top and raised that flag, under fire the whole time. The idea was to tell the demoralized marines below that the fight was not only not over, it had just begun. Three of the six that raised that flag eventually died in the ensuing battle, won by the Maine Corps.
The next time was in March of 1969. My brother and his best life-long friend joined the marines together - did everything together as a matter of fact - except die together. I remember the Marine Color Guard presenting the flag to my brothers friend's father, and the weeping and sorrow that accompanied it.
Twenty-two years later, my comrades and I pulled up onto the edge of Rumalaya airfield, in southern Iraq around 1 am. Peaceful and quiet as we crept in, what happened the next 11 hours defies comprehension or explanation. Everything was on fire in mere minutes, as Iraqi tanks, fighter planes, and wheeled vehicles - along with a few of their American counterparts - were blown up and searing hot with the gasoline and diesel fires. To put it mildly, that airfield was a terrifying mess. Everyone was scrambling to find a safe haven, covered in soot, debris, and pretty much deaf from the pounding and bombing each side put upon each other. Sometime near the end - as dawn broke - I looked up from where I was and saw a Humvee racing across the airfield with a big American flag flying from the rear. It was at that moment that I realized just how much of an effect seeing that flag could have.
When I look at that flag, I don't see cloth dyed red, white, and blue. I don't see mistakes made, political shenanigans, or some idiot setting it on fire.
I see a guy wading through hip deep water on Omaha or Utah beach wondering how the hell he ended up there. I see a man frozen stiff in Korea in January, 1952. I see the February 1969 funeral for a brave marine, and I see a Humvee, partially blocked out by the haze, the smoke, and the grime in my own eyes, flying the flag in defiance of whoever was on the other side of that airfield in February of 1991.
And now I see one of my young protégé's raising one of those very flags in Baghdad, taking a stand and saying, "Not me. Not today. Not ever. I'm stronger than you are."
Some may understand what I'm saying here...others will not. But that's what I see when I look at that flag that flew over Baghdad...just like it flew in Brussels in 1918, Paris in 1944, and Baghdad in the present time. I see good, decent, men and women...laying it on the line for you, me, and our children. Protecting and defending millions of people they will never know or meet, even going so far as to protect those who do not understand or do not like these soldiers.
Does this answer your question?
Peace.
Remember, I work in a company where about 20% of the people chipped in and supported the soldiers, but the other 80% hovered between "could care less" and "I'm not supporting those people." One person in administration sent an overall e-mail expressing her appreciation of the flag and all it stood for. Then - in what surely surprised me - she asked me in the public e-mail to tell everyone what that flag meant to me. After considerable thought, here is what I wrote, for what it's worth anyways. Once again, the 80% were included in the addressees, so they received this as well:
The first encounter I ever had with the flag was in the 1960's. I took a trip with my school to Washington D.C. We went to Arlington National Cemetery and I saw for the first time the enormous and magnificent Iwo Jima memorial. Most people assume the flag was raised after the island was captured, but that is incorrect. 20,000 Japanese soldiers held that island and its critical airport, but we only had 6,000 marines go ashore. Within days, that 6,000 was reduced to 4,000. As the dawn became the light on the third day, the morale and attitude of the marines had sunk to an all-time low. Five marines and one navy corpsman trudged up that unsecured mountain top and raised that flag, under fire the whole time. The idea was to tell the demoralized marines below that the fight was not only not over, it had just begun. Three of the six that raised that flag eventually died in the ensuing battle, won by the Maine Corps.
The next time was in March of 1969. My brother and his best life-long friend joined the marines together - did everything together as a matter of fact - except die together. I remember the Marine Color Guard presenting the flag to my brothers friend's father, and the weeping and sorrow that accompanied it.
Twenty-two years later, my comrades and I pulled up onto the edge of Rumalaya airfield, in southern Iraq around 1 am. Peaceful and quiet as we crept in, what happened the next 11 hours defies comprehension or explanation. Everything was on fire in mere minutes, as Iraqi tanks, fighter planes, and wheeled vehicles - along with a few of their American counterparts - were blown up and searing hot with the gasoline and diesel fires. To put it mildly, that airfield was a terrifying mess. Everyone was scrambling to find a safe haven, covered in soot, debris, and pretty much deaf from the pounding and bombing each side put upon each other. Sometime near the end - as dawn broke - I looked up from where I was and saw a Humvee racing across the airfield with a big American flag flying from the rear. It was at that moment that I realized just how much of an effect seeing that flag could have.
When I look at that flag, I don't see cloth dyed red, white, and blue. I don't see mistakes made, political shenanigans, or some idiot setting it on fire.
I see a guy wading through hip deep water on Omaha or Utah beach wondering how the hell he ended up there. I see a man frozen stiff in Korea in January, 1952. I see the February 1969 funeral for a brave marine, and I see a Humvee, partially blocked out by the haze, the smoke, and the grime in my own eyes, flying the flag in defiance of whoever was on the other side of that airfield in February of 1991.
And now I see one of my young protégé's raising one of those very flags in Baghdad, taking a stand and saying, "Not me. Not today. Not ever. I'm stronger than you are."
Some may understand what I'm saying here...others will not. But that's what I see when I look at that flag that flew over Baghdad...just like it flew in Brussels in 1918, Paris in 1944, and Baghdad in the present time. I see good, decent, men and women...laying it on the line for you, me, and our children. Protecting and defending millions of people they will never know or meet, even going so far as to protect those who do not understand or do not like these soldiers.
Does this answer your question?
Peace.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The important sh**
So what is it with you? And me, for that matter. How often do we prioritize, and then act upon those priorities? Not the easy shit...I have to go to the store, drop off some stuff at the dry-cleaners, etc. I'm speaking of the hard stuff. The stuff we give lip service to, then claim we "forgot" or just "got too busy".
Must have been that last trip to Wendy's that screwed us up.
Did you say "happy fathers day" to your dad, or remember him in a kind way if he's already left us? How about the kids? When was the last time you were so mad at them you wanted to throttle their existence, but instead took 10 deep breaths and let it go? I know it's been a while since I have.
Held a door for someone lately? I did so for an elderly person the other day, and he said to me, "Thank you for being so thoughtful." I said he was welcome, of course, then walked away thinking the reason he was so appreciative is because it probably doesn't happen as often as it should - which when you think about it - "should" equates to "every" time.
The other night I shut off the tv, put away the MP3 player, and walked the dog. In silence. The only sound being him sniffing the grass. I sat down on a curb, and was amazed how he came over and sat right down tight with me. The loyalty of a good dog is so far beyond the loyalty of one human to another, it's damn frightening. In any event, I sat there and listened to the silence. And enjoyed the hell out of it. Man oh man, silence is wonderful sometimes.
My back hurts every day. The Army gives me a 10% disability because of years of pounding on my spinal chord and back muscles has left me in perpetual pain. My left heel hurts so badly each morning I can't walk for 2 minutes. I have some sort of pain shooting from my armpit down my arm to my elbow now and then, making it hard to raise my limb above my head. But you know what? It's ok. If I didn't have the pain, I would be dead, so the alternative is acceptable. And I'm not hungry.
Or poor.
When was the last time you did something unannounced for a friend or loved one, just to cheer them up? Think it's not that big a deal? Think again. I used to be a "Big Picture" guy, and I was wrong.
Life is details.
Millions and millions of details spread over the better part of a century if you're one of the lucky ones. Miss a detail, and someone is disappointed in you.
Do you worry about that? Someone being disappointed in you? 95% of you will say "yes", but I know some of you are lying. Some of you don't care, and are kidding yourself into thinking you're not in that 5% that at least is honest about it.
I guess what I'm saying is, isn't it high time for a gesture that needs no return? Be kind today. Lower your head and privately thank a soldier, a cop, a firefighter, or a nurse for what they do. Say "hi" as you pass someone in the mall, and make eye-contact while you do it. Throw some loose change in the homeless guy's basket, and stop fretting about what he spends it on. If I was homeless, I'd be getting as bombed on Boone's Farm as I could every day too. Somebody cuts you off on the road, let it go. You see someone with 13 eyebrow piercings and a green mohawk, don't be judgemental. You hear someone saying something stupid on TV, shut the damn thing off.
And enjoy the silence.
Peace.
Must have been that last trip to Wendy's that screwed us up.
Did you say "happy fathers day" to your dad, or remember him in a kind way if he's already left us? How about the kids? When was the last time you were so mad at them you wanted to throttle their existence, but instead took 10 deep breaths and let it go? I know it's been a while since I have.
Held a door for someone lately? I did so for an elderly person the other day, and he said to me, "Thank you for being so thoughtful." I said he was welcome, of course, then walked away thinking the reason he was so appreciative is because it probably doesn't happen as often as it should - which when you think about it - "should" equates to "every" time.
The other night I shut off the tv, put away the MP3 player, and walked the dog. In silence. The only sound being him sniffing the grass. I sat down on a curb, and was amazed how he came over and sat right down tight with me. The loyalty of a good dog is so far beyond the loyalty of one human to another, it's damn frightening. In any event, I sat there and listened to the silence. And enjoyed the hell out of it. Man oh man, silence is wonderful sometimes.
My back hurts every day. The Army gives me a 10% disability because of years of pounding on my spinal chord and back muscles has left me in perpetual pain. My left heel hurts so badly each morning I can't walk for 2 minutes. I have some sort of pain shooting from my armpit down my arm to my elbow now and then, making it hard to raise my limb above my head. But you know what? It's ok. If I didn't have the pain, I would be dead, so the alternative is acceptable. And I'm not hungry.
Or poor.
When was the last time you did something unannounced for a friend or loved one, just to cheer them up? Think it's not that big a deal? Think again. I used to be a "Big Picture" guy, and I was wrong.
Life is details.
Millions and millions of details spread over the better part of a century if you're one of the lucky ones. Miss a detail, and someone is disappointed in you.
Do you worry about that? Someone being disappointed in you? 95% of you will say "yes", but I know some of you are lying. Some of you don't care, and are kidding yourself into thinking you're not in that 5% that at least is honest about it.
I guess what I'm saying is, isn't it high time for a gesture that needs no return? Be kind today. Lower your head and privately thank a soldier, a cop, a firefighter, or a nurse for what they do. Say "hi" as you pass someone in the mall, and make eye-contact while you do it. Throw some loose change in the homeless guy's basket, and stop fretting about what he spends it on. If I was homeless, I'd be getting as bombed on Boone's Farm as I could every day too. Somebody cuts you off on the road, let it go. You see someone with 13 eyebrow piercings and a green mohawk, don't be judgemental. You hear someone saying something stupid on TV, shut the damn thing off.
And enjoy the silence.
Peace.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
A Sunday in June
I was always there for you, from day one. Changing diapers, mending broken toys, gently wiping away tears, placing band-aid's on imaginary boo-boo's.
I drove you to - and picked you up from - school, every day for years and years. Drove you to the ballpark and cheered even if you played poorly. Bought way too many Christmas presents, then revelled in the look in your eyes in the morning. Helped you do your homework, even going so far as doing it for you when a little break was in order. Acted cool even though totally choked up when you played the mouse in the pre-K play.
I cried in a bathroom where no one could see me when you won your first sports trophy. Then cried again by myself when you won your tenth...eleventh....and twelfth. My delight at your grade point average in school was even greater, and I hated the unwritten "Parental non-bragging rule." I've wanted to scream out how smart you are for so long, but proper decorum dictated otherwise.
I chewed your ass for the most minor of mistakes, then spent hours wondering if I had pushed too hard. I've mapped out your future so many times I've forgotten which version I was on. I've come to realize your future is yours alone, and it's not my right to dictate which direction you should go. I've learned to answer questions when I'm asked, and I'm still learning to shut up when not.
I hated it when all I wanted was some peace and quiet so I could have my coffee and read the Sunday paper and you decided to play one thousand questions with me. I'll hate it worse when you're gone and all I'll have is a phone call now and then.
I already miss the days when you sat on my lap and kissed me on the cheek. I miss the days when you volunteered that you loved me, unlike now, when I have to read your eyes to gain confirmation. I miss the days when you asked me big-kid questions, even though you were so small and pure.
I have 4 days that will forever be known as the greatest days of my life. December 2nd, November 24th, January 18th, and June 15th...followed closely by the day the oldest of you wore that beautiful white gown.
Just in case...just in case I forget...I think I'll take this time to tell you that I love you, and always have.
And no. I'm not your mom.
I drove you to - and picked you up from - school, every day for years and years. Drove you to the ballpark and cheered even if you played poorly. Bought way too many Christmas presents, then revelled in the look in your eyes in the morning. Helped you do your homework, even going so far as doing it for you when a little break was in order. Acted cool even though totally choked up when you played the mouse in the pre-K play.
I cried in a bathroom where no one could see me when you won your first sports trophy. Then cried again by myself when you won your tenth...eleventh....and twelfth. My delight at your grade point average in school was even greater, and I hated the unwritten "Parental non-bragging rule." I've wanted to scream out how smart you are for so long, but proper decorum dictated otherwise.
I chewed your ass for the most minor of mistakes, then spent hours wondering if I had pushed too hard. I've mapped out your future so many times I've forgotten which version I was on. I've come to realize your future is yours alone, and it's not my right to dictate which direction you should go. I've learned to answer questions when I'm asked, and I'm still learning to shut up when not.
I hated it when all I wanted was some peace and quiet so I could have my coffee and read the Sunday paper and you decided to play one thousand questions with me. I'll hate it worse when you're gone and all I'll have is a phone call now and then.
I already miss the days when you sat on my lap and kissed me on the cheek. I miss the days when you volunteered that you loved me, unlike now, when I have to read your eyes to gain confirmation. I miss the days when you asked me big-kid questions, even though you were so small and pure.
I have 4 days that will forever be known as the greatest days of my life. December 2nd, November 24th, January 18th, and June 15th...followed closely by the day the oldest of you wore that beautiful white gown.
Just in case...just in case I forget...I think I'll take this time to tell you that I love you, and always have.
And no. I'm not your mom.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
25 years....redux
In listing the 25 top stories of the last 25 years http://jl4.blogspot.com/2007/06/25-years.html, I feel it is my obligation to list the top 25 stories you NEVER HEARD OR READ. These are listed chronologically, and therefore are not categorized by importance.
Without further ado...
1982. Nancy Reagan is told "We're just saying no" when she attempts to have The White House painted "a nice shade of seashell green."
1983. Space Shuttle astronauts perform the first space walk. Michael Jackson performs the first moon walk, and the entire group Metallica walks into rehab and stays there for nearly 15 years.
1984. Clara Beller, famous for Wendy's annoying "Where's the beef?" T.V. commercials, dies after a wild night of drinking, sitting, forgetting, losing their teeth, and finally - cow tipping in the pasture located next to the "Olden Times" rest home in Palo Alto California. One of the bovines fell on her, allowing her - once and for all - to know where the beef actually was.
1985. A joint American-French expedition locates the remains of HMS Titanic. Geraldo Rivera opens up the captain's personal foot locker and finds a coupon for $5 off a massage at Rosie's of Brooklyn.
1986. A record 328 millimeters of rain falls on Sydney Australia in a 12 hour period, causing citizens and scientists alike to exclaim in frustration, "Does anyone know what the hell 328 millimeters is?"
1987. The "Assemblies of God" defrocks televangelist Jim Bakker for having too many consecutive "caa" sounding consonants in his name.
1988. Mikhail Gorbachev invents Mapquest, initiating the project by drawing a graphic representation of Albania on his forehead.
1989. The first Global Positioning Satellites are placed in orbit. As of this writing, no American man owns a personal GPS, nor will they stop - ever - to ask directions. The future mirrors the past. Technology be damned.
1990. The first McDonalds opens in Moscow. Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a Bolshevik bun.
1991. The Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia declares independence. Riots break out in the streets of Atlanta before city and federal agencies convince the citizens it was the former Soviet Union Georgia, not the one in the U.S.
1992. The Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia begins to break up. Slovakia, Croatia, Inertia, Dementia, Minutia, and Militia declare their independence.
1993. Martin Luther King day is celebrated in all 50 states for the first time ever. As an act of retribution, federal law declares that at least 3 streets in cities with a population exceeding 700 residents must be named after Dr. King.
1994. Monika Lewinski is named special counsel to the President on internal affairs.
1995. During the OJ Simpson trial, Johnny Cochran is filmed furiously writing down limerick's on a cocktail napkin. Caught between, "If it's the Juice...ya gotta let him loose" and "If da glove don't fit, you have to aquit." Cochran settles on the latter.
1996. Suspected Uni-bomber, Theodore Kacznynski, is arrested at his Montana cabin. Johnny Cochran takes over Kacznynski's defense, proclaiming, "If his name you cannot spell, you may not condemn him to hell."
Without further ado...
1982. Nancy Reagan is told "We're just saying no" when she attempts to have The White House painted "a nice shade of seashell green."
1983. Space Shuttle astronauts perform the first space walk. Michael Jackson performs the first moon walk, and the entire group Metallica walks into rehab and stays there for nearly 15 years.
1984. Clara Beller, famous for Wendy's annoying "Where's the beef?" T.V. commercials, dies after a wild night of drinking, sitting, forgetting, losing their teeth, and finally - cow tipping in the pasture located next to the "Olden Times" rest home in Palo Alto California. One of the bovines fell on her, allowing her - once and for all - to know where the beef actually was.
1985. A joint American-French expedition locates the remains of HMS Titanic. Geraldo Rivera opens up the captain's personal foot locker and finds a coupon for $5 off a massage at Rosie's of Brooklyn.
1986. A record 328 millimeters of rain falls on Sydney Australia in a 12 hour period, causing citizens and scientists alike to exclaim in frustration, "Does anyone know what the hell 328 millimeters is?"
1987. The "Assemblies of God" defrocks televangelist Jim Bakker for having too many consecutive "caa" sounding consonants in his name.
1988. Mikhail Gorbachev invents Mapquest, initiating the project by drawing a graphic representation of Albania on his forehead.
1989. The first Global Positioning Satellites are placed in orbit. As of this writing, no American man owns a personal GPS, nor will they stop - ever - to ask directions. The future mirrors the past. Technology be damned.
1990. The first McDonalds opens in Moscow. Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a Bolshevik bun.
1991. The Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia declares independence. Riots break out in the streets of Atlanta before city and federal agencies convince the citizens it was the former Soviet Union Georgia, not the one in the U.S.
1992. The Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia begins to break up. Slovakia, Croatia, Inertia, Dementia, Minutia, and Militia declare their independence.
1993. Martin Luther King day is celebrated in all 50 states for the first time ever. As an act of retribution, federal law declares that at least 3 streets in cities with a population exceeding 700 residents must be named after Dr. King.
1994. Monika Lewinski is named special counsel to the President on internal affairs.
1995. During the OJ Simpson trial, Johnny Cochran is filmed furiously writing down limerick's on a cocktail napkin. Caught between, "If it's the Juice...ya gotta let him loose" and "If da glove don't fit, you have to aquit." Cochran settles on the latter.
1996. Suspected Uni-bomber, Theodore Kacznynski, is arrested at his Montana cabin. Johnny Cochran takes over Kacznynski's defense, proclaiming, "If his name you cannot spell, you may not condemn him to hell."
1997. The world's money markets take a plunge, as thousands of stockbrokers and traders throughout the United States and the Far East receive the news that a Colombian Cartel has been broken up, and the cocaine shipments they were all counting upon would be delayed at least 36 hours.
1998. Apple computers unveil the iMac computer, soon to be followed by the iPOD, iPEE, iBlackberry, iWannacookie, iYayYay, and the iDunnowherethisisgoing.
1999. The groundbreaking British Television show Queer as folk airs in London. Not to be outdone, the United States begins filming for the shows, What not to wear, Design on a dime, House Hunters, Queer guys with chunky thighs, and the establishment of the House and Garden and Bravo TV networks.
2000. Y2K strikes America. Millions begin suffering from malaise, apathetic rejection of commonly held behavioral patterns, frivolous lawsuits, and an addiction to something called "E-Bay." The Y2K bandit (as he is called by the media) is still at large.
2001. George W. Bush is sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States, even though he "Doesn't speak Mexican."
2002. NASA's Mars Oddysey space probe begins mapping out the surface of Mars using something called, "Thermal Emission Imaging System". In Payute Oklahoma, Merle and Ethel Frankenbauer plan a trip to their cousin Bert's 5th [or was it his 6th?] wedding by maping out their trip on line, using the "directions" function of this there new-fangled Mapquest thaaang.
2003. The United States Department of Homeland Security is established, principally to target octogenarians carrying finger nail clippers and wearing large belt buckles at the airport.
2004. 225,000 New Yorkers file IRS paperwork claiming lost wages for unused tickets purchased for the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. (Ha! Got another one in!!)
2005. Famed lawyer Johnny Cochran dies of an inoperable brain tumor. At his funeral, witnesses say a loud, booming voice came from the sky and declared, "If you tell a lie, you'll surely die."
2006. U.S. Vice President Dick Chaney accidentally shoots his friend and lawyer (you thought I was going to say Johnny Cochran again, didn't you?) in the face. The attorney suffers brain damage, which is not a disqualifying trait in the law profession.
2007. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent movements merge and immediately change their name to the International Red Crystal Movements, to take away any religious affiliation with their group. In a related story, the Easter Bunny is now called The-Late-March-to-Early-April-dependent-upon-the-Moon-Bunny, and Christmas is lobbying to be called NFL-wildcard-weekend-where-we-put-up-lights-and-stuff-holiday.
Again...Goodnight Gracie. Seriously.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
25 years
The USA Today is celebrating their 25th year in the newspaper business, and as such, they are comprising lots of lists. Lists are lists, and as such, they are open to interpretation and debate. Here is my own version of a list, and in keeping with the USA Today, I'll stay within the parameters of 25 years...for the mathematically impaired, that is 1982 and beyond.
18. March 1989. The oil tanker Exxon Valdez went aground in the remote Prince Edward Sound of Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into the sound. Between 250,000 - 500,000 seabirds, 5000 Otters, 300 Seals, 250 Bald Eagles, 22 Orca Whales, and billions of herring and salmon eggs died immediately or over the following months. As of this writting, Exxon still owes the United States and Alaska $2.5 billion of the original $5 billion in punitive damages.
21. February 2001, Dale Ernhardt dies on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Again, I was never a NASCAR fan....it just wasn't in my DNA make-up. But the outpouring of sadness and mourning over this man's death was stunning, to say the least.
23. March 2003, President Bush appears on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf and makes his ill-fated "end of hostilities' speech.
24. March, 1989. Pan Am flight 103 explodes in mid-air over Lockerbie Scotland. 276 are killed.
25. October 2004. The world ends. Gas prices drop to 10 cents a gallon. Dogs make nice with cats. Millions roll over and smile in their graves. The skies open up, and a great light appears. Yes...the long-suffering Boston Red Sox and their millions of faithful - albeit suprememly stupid fans - finally find the emerald city.
Say goodnight, Gracie.
"Goodnight, Gracie"
This list is off the top of my head, so if I say "June" and it actually happend in "July", feel free to sue me.
And finally, I welcome any thoughts, arguments, and general mayhem from the peanut gallery.
The 25 biggest stories of the last 25 years (according to me):
1. September 11th, 2001
2. 1995, the OJ Simpson trial
3. April 19th, 1995 Murrah Federal Building truck-bombed
4. 1984, Macintosh introduces something called a "PC"
5. 1987, President Ronald Reagan asks Premier Gorbachev to "Tear down this wall"
6. 1989, Tienamin Square uprising in China
7. 1991-1994, Al Gore "invents" the internet
8. 1983 war in Lebanon reaches out to America. 248 Marines killed in a barracks.
9. August 2005, Hurricane Katrina dies in South Florida, then reenergizes and polarizes the U.S. politically and socially.
10. October, 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake rattles Oakland and San Francisco during game 3 of the World Series. Viewers of the game saw the earthquake live on television.
11. February 1986, Space Shuttle Columbia explodes shortly after lift-off.
12. June 1986, Chernobyl nuclear plant in Russia tries a cooling experiment without permission. The experiment fails.
13. November 2000, President Bush wins the electorate, but not the popular vote. Internet inventor Al Gore goes on a hunger-less strike, vowing to eat non-stop until he's elected again.
14. April 1993, Branch Dividian compound in Waco Texas is consumed by fire, killing everyone inside.
15. May 1988, the Soviet Union begins a hasty withdrawl from 8 years of war in Afghanistan. Part III of the aforementioned #5 and #12, which brings about the end of the USSR as we knew it.
16. Desert Shield, August 1990; Desert Storm, January 1991. Gulf War I.
17. February 1993. A van parked in the garage beneath the WTC explodes with 1700 lbs of explosives in it, in an attempt to bring down the north tower and collapse it onto its neighbor. The plan was master-minded and carried out by a man named Ramzy Yousef, nephew of Kalid Sheik Muhammed, chief strategist and financier of a group known as Al Quaeda.
18. March 1989. The oil tanker Exxon Valdez went aground in the remote Prince Edward Sound of Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into the sound. Between 250,000 - 500,000 seabirds, 5000 Otters, 300 Seals, 250 Bald Eagles, 22 Orca Whales, and billions of herring and salmon eggs died immediately or over the following months. As of this writting, Exxon still owes the United States and Alaska $2.5 billion of the original $5 billion in punitive damages.
19. March 1982, Great Brittan invades the Faukland Islands in South America which results in a four-month war against Argentina for controll of the islands.
20. August 1997, Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, dies in Paris at age 36 in a high speed automobile accident. Personally, I never cared one way or another, but apparently, it was big news.
21. February 2001, Dale Ernhardt dies on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Again, I was never a NASCAR fan....it just wasn't in my DNA make-up. But the outpouring of sadness and mourning over this man's death was stunning, to say the least.
22. 1993, the Hubble Space Telescope is repaired in orbit, giving the world visions of the universe never before seen.
23. March 2003, President Bush appears on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf and makes his ill-fated "end of hostilities' speech.
24. March, 1989. Pan Am flight 103 explodes in mid-air over Lockerbie Scotland. 276 are killed.
25. October 2004. The world ends. Gas prices drop to 10 cents a gallon. Dogs make nice with cats. Millions roll over and smile in their graves. The skies open up, and a great light appears. Yes...the long-suffering Boston Red Sox and their millions of faithful - albeit suprememly stupid fans - finally find the emerald city.
Say goodnight, Gracie.
"Goodnight, Gracie"
Monday, June 11, 2007
Our theatrical world
I'm fairly certain it all kicked into high gear with this woman. The so-called reluctant Princess who never saw a photgrapher she didn't like.
In the early to late 90's, we somehow missed out on "celebretizing" this man. Instead, he made his own celebrety later on.
These two couldn't hate each other more than they possibly do now, making their bullshit in 2004 a remarkable thing to see.
This shmuck made a cameo appearance in 2005, but fizzled eventually. Bringing a nation to bankrupcy, citizens starving by the millions, while launching faux missiles into the Sea of China will do that.
Whoda yalla yalla yalla...!!! I will blow your country and all of its non-muhammed fearing infidels into the netherlands...whooooo yalla yallla...you can't hack it...I love my members only jaaaacket, yalla yallla for allah!!!
Which brings us to this...
...and this
Oh hell, perhaps this isn't such a bad thing after all.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Faces in my waffles
Soooooo...I'm at Denny's eating breakfast, and I'm about to dive into my pancakes, sausage, and hash browns when I notice something peculiar.
What did you notice, JL4?
Thanks for asking.
I noticed the image in the pancake was that of Jesus giving the sermon on the mount. But the truly amazing thing about it was who is there. If you look very closely (noooo...closer), you can see Jim Morrison, Frank Sinatra, and Bob Barker (three dead guys) in attendance.
Ok...gotta go now. I need to establish an E-Bay account.
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