Month: September 2004
Pet Peeved
So I order another 2 pairs of slacks off Amazon.com for my trip to LA, just because I could use them.
And then I find out they won’t be arriving until the afternoon of the day I leave for California.
Bastards 🙁
Well lookie here! I post this this morning and what arrives this afternoon but two pairs of Dickie pants that I ordered…. Just in time for the trib next week so I won’t have to rely on blue jeans the entire time.
Surviving Jeanne
It’s Tuesday while I write this and it will be Wednesday afternoon when I finally get around to finishing and I have to tell you — I’m thankful… I’m greatly thankful.
It’s been two days since Hurricane Jeanne went through Florida… Two days or an eternity for those who lost power during the storm and haven’t gotten it back. It feels like an eternity because, in the Florida sun, the warmth gives away to the uncomfortable humidity and makes living feel attrocious. At least for the non-outdoors person like myself.
The storm went through Sunday and I lost power around 11:45 in the morning. Soon after my text messenger stopped working properly and I was cut off from friends who would later tell me they didn’t lose power or cable over the duration of Jeanne’s lashing of the Tampa Bay area..
It didn’t tkae long for food to spoil, or my parents to insit we gobble up ice cream and what not before it went bad. Outside, the wind howeled and I waited patiently for one of the trees in our yard to give-way to the relentless wind torrent and snap or tip over. Fortunately that never happened. Or unfortuantely? The thing si a very ratty Indian Rosewood that we would probably be better off without in our yard with it’s adventurous roots.
Time inched on and all you could do was try to read in poor light conditions or watch the storm. I kept thinking back to the fact we are so dependant on electricity that it isn’t even funny. Television? Computers? Even cell phones that worked, appliances, etc… This dependance is compounded in the Sunshine state because of the need for the ever-present air-conditioning if you are going to get through on hot and humid day.
By six or seven in the evening, the wind and rain had relented enough to venture outside. I honestly NEEDED to be outside at this point. Cabin fever not only was driving me nuts, but being stuck with my parents and older brother — I felt cramped. I felt stuck. Of course, I wasn’t leaving the yard as the wind still gusted to 50 MPH at times, but it was better than being on the inside — starring otu into the overcast and blustery conditions.
We got power back around 11:45 Sunday night (miraculously). The only reason we had it is because our house is on the same power circit, it would seem, as the stop light at the intersection several blocks away. It was a relief to get cold again from the AC… not just cold but drier than it had been with the windows open and the humid air flowing through the house.
Yet there are neighbors still without power. WIthout cable… And it could very well have been me and my family still trying to get by without power… so like I said, I’m thankful…
And I’m rambling without even putitng up something of substance.
Is this an election or a dating service?
ABCNEWS.com : Bush Accuses Kerry of ‘Mixed Signals’
What’s next? “Bush team accuses Kerry of being prick teasers?”
“Kerry: ‘Bush won’t put out in the end!’ ”
OK, maybe I shoudl be blaming ABC’s editing for highlighting this line but…. Jeez, what a mess we are in with this election.
Cut out the middle man, you fear mongers!
I read the following off Skyscraper Page — take it as you will:
Q: Why would Al-Qaeda want Kerry, an unknown quantity, as president, when they already have Bush, who so blissfully plays into their hands at every turn?
A: Because Al Qaeda never said this. The Republicans are the only ones saying it. They always preface such statements with “It’s my opinion that…”, or “I believe that…”. Net result: the general public hears “Al Qaeda wants Kerry to win”, and God forbid we should do anything to appease Al Qaeda! Then the terr-rists win!
I think they should just cut out the middle man and start saying they believe if elected, Kerry himself will fly a plane into the Capitol.
In fact, that could be a great new angle: he’s one of those crazy Vietnam vets. They’re always having nervous breakdowns and flashbacks. Can we really trust him? He’s already delusional and believes that he was a hero who won some medals. Bush never went through that trauma, so he’s fresh and stable!
C’mon, Rove: are you reading this?
Gaming Appeal
So, being bored in my GTA: Vice City fetish, I went ahead and pre-ordered Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas from Amazon.com.
Meanwhile I’ve been watching TV and I’ve got to say I’m thinking seriously about buying Star Wars: Battlefronts. Something about shooting Ewoks with a sniper rifle appeals to me greatly.
Ode to Indian Larry
I’m going to keep this one brief but it’s another one of those deaths that just didn’t get much publicity (Like Jonathan Brandis, or Robert Pastrorelli, or Joe Viterelli) and of course – it probably shouldn’t have because this guy wasn’t a house hold name, and hadn’t been all over your TV or the Big Screen or anything.
But I had been watching the Discovery Channel a lot lately – be it Monster House, American Chopper, or The Great Biker Build off series.
It’s from that last group that this sad news came to me just now. I received my fall TV preview form Entertainment Weekly late last week (because of Hurricane Frances) and only did a once over with the magazine… I was just re-reading it and saw the sad news that Indian Larry who was outstanding when building custom motorcycles, was killed August 30th… He was 55.
I wish I had gotten to know his work better and gotten to view and appreciate his talents more… But what I have seen and heard about Indian Larry – the world lost a good man and a absolute legend. He will be missed.
Travelin' man
I’m still a gimp, as I like to say. But I’m going away on my own for most of a week in a couple of weeks. Maybe that can be taken as a birthday present for myself or just a desperate need to get away. That being said – I’m going away… Way away. Californi-a.
The big thing is that this is on my own. It’s rather sad that I’m going to be a quarter century old and this will be the first time I’ve been on a trip by myself or been at a distance from my family without having some caretaker looking over me (that usually being a nurse… hello nurse! ).
It’s part of that innocent quality to my life I guess. Never having to fend for myself. But at this point, I have GOT to get away. Away from my family and away from this house. Even if I spend the entire trip in a hotel in Hollywood, too afraid to do anything, it’s a hell of a lot better than being stuck in the suburbs.
I’m supposed to have a tuneup for the ABI (hearing device) and speak to my doctor out there as well with regards to my health. But that’s supposed to take half a day and I’m going out to Hollywood for five… Craptastic!
Never forget.
I’ve said my piece and I’m sticking to it…
9-11-01… Never forget. And never forget how you’re fears have been manipulated.
We miss you Dennis “trane” Gomes
Sweet Jesus!
Why do I have a feeling this would not be far from the truth?
Actually it would be very far from the truth – because I am certain that Karl Rove and Bush’s re-election team would make a scandal about Mary Magdalene and also start slanderous rumors about Lazrus and the apostles…
Desperate Times calll for Desperate Measures – even if you don't know the consequences?
File this under WTF —
JACKSONVILLE — A South Florida businessman says he’s going to try to reduce the strength of Hurricane Ivan by flying a Boeing 747 into the edge of the hurricane and dumping thousands of pounds of an absorbent material into the storm
You know, it’s nice that corporate America is going to try to save Florida from another Natural Disaster but if there is one thing I have learned over the years it’s that you don’t mess with Mother Nature because you can fuck things up REAL bad when trying to control her.
The NFL Season is upon us
Well, the NFL Season launched last night and suffice it to say I am still ask skeptical as ever with Los Buccaneeros de Tampa Bay.
TSN.CA issued some power rankings for the NFL and the Bucs were ranked so high that i had to email a complaint about the rankings. When a team with a jumble on offense, a shattered defense and non-existent special teams makes the top 10 of a preseason review – you gotta bitch a little bit about it.
This is the first season I have been this skeptical of in a while. I have had minor skepticisms in the past (especially 1996 when I thought Tony Dungy was just an also-ran brought in to manage the Bucs) but this is the first major one that i have had in a long time. Maybe my actual first one for the Bucs. I was skeptical in the past when they were the Yuccaneers but you always hoped that team would surprise a few people. Now? It’s such an utter mess with such a set of corrupted individuals in charge (Gruden and his sycophant, Bruce Allen) that it reminds me of the days of Sam Wyche or Ray Perkins…
Alas, I’ve already talked about my skepticism. Now it’s the time for the Bucs to prove me wrong or right.
And a little conversation
Keith: It snowed in Edmonton last night
Keith: Grande Prairie got over a foot of snow…
John F.: winter is coming
John F.: yay :woot
Keith: Hockey season is coming! 😀
John F.: NOW CHASE THE HURRICANE AWAY
John F.: PLEAAAAAAAAASE 🙁
Can't catch a break — Ivan the Terrible
It would seem that Mother Nature is trying to assure us that Florida will not cost John Kerry the election this year… That or she’s pissed at the mess Jeb Bush has made of the state…
At any rate, Hurricane Ivan “The Terrible” is a Category Five hurricane with maximum winds of 160 MPH … And he’s got a plan for a Florida Vacation.…..
IWe’re still cleaning up from Frances which was a nuisance more than a catastrphy… A fourth hurricane to strike the state of Florida in a matter of weeks (Bonnie, Charley and Frances are the prior three) would be devestating…. ANd the damage Ivan could do on his projected path would be nothing less than total and utter.
The International Vote, take two
Yahoo! News – Global survey shows 30 of 35 countries want Kerry in White House
“Only one in five want to see Bush reelected,” said Steven Kull, the university’s program on international policy attitudes. “Though he is not as well known, Kerry would win handily if the people of the world were to elect the US president.”
But remember, George, you’ve got Tonga in yoru pocket. That’s more important than anything! :rolleyes :biggrin
The flattery and the frustration
Not only was I quoted in USA Today yesterday, but my quote was placed between Tony LaRussa and Crash Davis’ immortal monologue in Bull Durham… Unbelievable…
Unfortunately, the article isn’t online. That being said, unless you have Tuesday’s USA Today sports section (page 3C), you’re not going to see what was said…
Don't worry, George, you have Tonga in your pocket
I came across a site that posses the question, “What if the world could cast their vote for US President”…
The only countries in the world that are clearly in George W. Bush’s favor are Afghanistan (52 percent to 48), the Faroe Islands (where?) with a 40 point lead on Kerry, and Tonga (4 votes to two :tongue)…
“Renewing the DH Debate” – USA Today
Click on the title for the article. It happens to have a quote from me jammed between remarks from manager Tony LaRussa and “Crash” Davis’ famous monologue from Bull Durham
From inside the storm
I don’t know how much time I have so I am going to make this entry quick — power fluctuations and momentary blackouts are routinely happening at my home in North Pinellas County…. I’ve lost an Indian Rosewood tree that I planted almost ten years ago — it snapped in two under the wind. Some fencing has been knocked down, but we’ve pretty much been fortunate… THough I can’t see much more than my property rght now.
Frances spins on… and I keep on muddling.
Frances weakens a tad
But don’t be fooled by that title folks, this thing is packing a whalop and expected to make landfall as the most powerful storm ever to hit the United States.
Most schools are closed tomorrow throughout West Central and Southern Florida….
Hurricane Frances (ongoing topic)
Hurricane Frances is predicted to be at Category Five strength when it makes landfall somewhere along the Florida Peninsula on Friday night or Saturday morning. This is a rare Meteorlogical event for storms to not only reach Category Five strength in the Atlantic but also make landfall.
Palm Beach County in South Florida has started issuing evacuation notices which go into effect in the morning.
It was reported on SkyscrapersPage ongoing Tropical Weather thread that orlando has already canceled school for Friday.
The projected path has touched a bit north since I posted the graphic this morning but still — this is a dangerous storm and highly dangerous situation for South, East, West Central and North Florida…
Frances and Florida FUBAR
Florida is in trouble…
Hurricane Watches are supposed to go into effect for Florida sometime today. Home Depot’s around Florida are already shell-shocked because of shipping their goods to CHarley-raveged Southwest and Central Florida…
Legally Better
I was getting tired of Reese Witherspoon as a blond. Legally Blond, Sweet Home Alabama, etc, etc
I would provide an image if I had one but she is on the Tonight Show right now as a brunette. Much better, dear Reese. Much better indeed.
Comments
A lot of people might be noticing and wondering why most of the comment sections aren’t open on some of my posts on here lately. The reason isn’t because I don’t want to hear from people — though I have to be honest, you kids bragging about High School Football is something I can live without. It’s because of SPAM. Lots of spam. Spam spam spam spam spam eggs and spam… Without the comments, there is less of an opportunity for spammers to spam.
Yes, those who are on MT will tell me to use the MT blacklist… I already have it in place. Still, I’d like another anti-spam buffer I guess. Either I stick with this or perchance I convert to WordPress and fight spam through that. Oh well.