Indigo Insights |
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Musings of the Chronologically Challenged™ Fourth Generation 
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Sunday, January 30, 2005
PUSSYFOOTIN'™ >^..^< It's another "I'm not worthy" moment. Indigo has been blogrolled by Jennifer Martinez. It is humbling to be on the same page as those other names. >^..^< In case you ever wondered, here's the scoop. And it's precisely accurate! >^..^< HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAM! >^..^< All you "back people" go over and give Da Goddess a sympathy hit!! We've BTDT, right? >^..^< And D.C. Thornton is suffering from flu and pneumonia. Wish him a speedy recovery too. >^..^< Hopefully, Iraq is going to be just fine, according to the Sailor and Steyn. >^..^< Alphecca agrees. >^..^< #2 GOC agrees with Steyn as well. >^..^< "Just amazing.".says Black Five. >^..^< Uncle says "Hats off!" >^..^< Michelle Malkin features an Iraqi woman giving the "voting finger." >^..^< Cox and Forkum have a thing or two to say as well. >^..^< Positives at last! With all that said, I'll just say "Git 'er done, Iraq." Saturday, January 29, 2005
REMEMBER THEM! Today I received a forwarded email from a friend, referring me to the SGT. RAPHAEL PERALTA story -- the same one that blogworld followed in December and Indigo featured here. Of course, it reminded me afresh of this valiant Marine and made me wonder how many other non-bloggers didn't hear about the story at the time. I don't follow MSM very closely, but I never saw anything about Sgt. Peralta in tv news. Anyhow, all that being said, I wanted to post a reminder to anyone else who has moved on and perhaps does not think of Sgt. Peralta often. PLEASE REMEMBER OUR FALLEN HEROES. Friday, January 28, 2005
This one may have been all over the internet in the last few days. I don't know because I've not been paying close attention, what with all the doctors' visits, etc. Some of my keypals are castigating me for referring to my stolen material as "pasties". In my convoluted thinking, whatever is "pasted" becomes a "pastie". Ergo: Here's another pastie, pasted for your perusal. ~~~ Indigo 01-20-2005 Guest Column: No Relief in Sight for the Lincoln By Ed Stanton It has been three weeks since my ship, the USS Abraham Lincoln, arrived off the Sumatran coast to aid the hundreds of thousands of victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami that ravaged their coastline. I'd like to say that this has been a rewarding experience for us, but it has not: Instead, it has been a frustrating and needlessly dangerous exercise made even more difficult by the Indonesian government and a traveling circus of so-called aid workers who have invaded our spaces. What really irritated me was a scene I witnessed in the Lincoln's wardroom a few days ago. I went in for breakfast as I usually do, expecting to see the usual crowd of ship's company officers in khakis and air wing aviators in flight suits, drinking coffee and exchanging rumors about when our ongoing humanitarian mission in Sumatra is going to end. What I saw instead was a mob of civilians sitting around like they owned the place. They wore various colored vests with logos on the back including Save The Children, World Health Organization and the dreaded baby blue vest of the United Nations. Mixed in with this crowd were a bunch of reporters, cameramen and Indonesian military officers in uniform. They all carried cameras, sunglasses and fanny packs like tourists on their way to Disneyland. My warship had been transformed into a floating hotel for a bunch of trifling do-gooders overnight. As I went through the breakfast line, I overheard one of the U.N. strap-hangers, a longhaired guy with a beard, make a sarcastic comment to one of our food servers. He said something along the lines of "Nice china, really makes me feel special," in reference to the fact that we were eating off of paper plates that day. It was all I could do to keep from jerking him off his feet and choking him, because I knew that the reason we were eating off paper plates was to save dishwashing water so that we would have more water to send ashore and save lives. That plus the fact that he had no business being there in the first place. My attitude towards these unwanted no-loads grew steadily worse that day as I learned more from one of our junior officers who was assigned to escort a group of them. It turns out that they had come to Indonesia to "assess the damage" from the Dec. 26 tsunami. Well, they could have turned on any TV in the world and seen that the damage was total devastation. When they got to Sumatra with no plan, no logistics support and no five-star hotels to stay in, they threw themselves on the mercy of the U.S. Navy, which, unfortunately, took them in. I guess our senior brass was hoping for some good PR since this was about the time that the U.N. was calling the United States "stingy" with our relief donations. As a result of having to host these people, our severely over-tasked SH-60 Seahawk helos, which were carrying ton of food and water every day to the most inaccessible places in and around Banda Aceh, are now used in great part to ferry these "relief workers" from place to place every day and bring them back to their guest bedrooms on the Lincoln at night. Despite their avowed dedication to helping the victims, these relief workers will not spend the night in-country, and have made us their guardians by default. When our wardroom treasurer approached the leader of the relief group and asked him who was paying the mess bill for all the meals they ate, the fellow replied, "We aren't paying; you can try to bill the U.N. if you want to." In addition to the relief workers, we routinely get tasked with hauling around reporters and various low-level "VIPs," which further wastes valuable helo lift that could be used to carry supplies. We had to dedicate two helos and a C-2 cargo plane for America-hater Dan Rather and his entourage of door holders and briefcase carriers from CBS News. Another camera crew was from MTV. I doubt if we'll get any good PR from them, since the cable channel is banned in Muslim countries. We also had to dedicate a helo and crew to fly around the vice mayor of Phoenix, Ariz., one day. Everyone wants in on the action. As for the Indonesian officers, while their job is apparently to encourage our leaving as soon as possible, all they seem to do in the meantime is smoke cigarettes. They want our money and our help but they don't want their population to see that Americans are doing far more for them in two weeks than their own government has ever done or will ever do for them. To add a kick in the face to the USA and the Lincoln, the Indonesian government announced it would not allow us to use their airspace for routine training and flight proficiency operations while we are saving the lives of their people, some of whom are wearing Osama bin Ladin T-shirts as they grab at our food and water. The ship has to steam out into international waters to launch and recover jets, which makes our helos have to fly longer distances and burn more fuel. What is even worse than trying to help people who totally reject everything we stand for is that our combat readiness has suffered for it. An aircraft carrier is an instrument of national policy and the big stick she carries is her air wing. An air wing has a set of very demanding skills and they are highly perishable. We train hard every day at sea to conduct actual air strikes, air defense, maritime surveillance, close air support and many other missions, not to mention taking off and landing on a ship at sea. Our safety regulations state that if a pilot does not get a night carrier landing every seven days, he has to be re-qualified to land on the ship. Today we have pilots who have now been over 25 days without a trap due to being unable to use Indonesian airspace to train. Normally it is when we are at sea that our readiness is at its very peak. Thanks to the Indonesian government, we have to waive our own safety rules just to get our pilots off the deck. In other words, the longer we stay here helping these people, the more dangerous it gets for us to operate. We have already lost one helicopter, which crashed in Banda Aceh while taking sailors ashore to unload supplies from the C-130s. There were no relief workers on that one. I'm all for helping the less fortunate, but it is time to give this mission to somebody other than the U.S. Navy. Our ship was supposed to be home on Feb. 3 and now we have no idea how long we will be here. American taxpayers are spending millions per day to keep this ship at sea and getting no training value out of it. As a result, we will come home in a lower state of readiness than when we left due to the lack of flying while supporting the tsunami relief effort. I hope we get some good PR in the Muslim world out of it. After all, this is Americans saving the lives of Muslims. I have my doubts. [Ed Stanton is the pen name of a career U.S. Navy officer currently serving with the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group.] Wednesday, January 26, 2005
No - I'm not well. Not even in remission. And it literally "pains" me to type this. But this morning's terrible news of the crash in Iraq moves me to ask for special prayers for our Marines and their families. Regular prayers for all our military are always encouraged, of course. Acidman and Dash notwithstanding, sometime a "pastie" is all I can muster. This is one of those days -- one of many more, I'm afraid. INCOMING from Greg, Ayden, NC In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives. Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled. And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14. So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast. God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof. God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food." God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds. Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds. God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest. God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery. Then Satan created HMOs. Thought for the day .... There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them. If you don't send this to five old friends right away there will be five fewer people laughing in the world. Thursday, January 20, 2005
MORNING (not "good" - just morning) I'll be taking a little hiatus to try to get over the herpes zoster that has been plaguing me since Christmas. Postherpetic neuralgia is debilitating and sitting exacerbates the intensity. Hence, not gonna post for a while. Talk among yourselves. Wednesday, January 19, 2005
INCOMING from Kristi, Greenville, NC Subject: Happy New Year A carrot, an egg and a cup of coffee. You may never look at a cup of coffee the same way again. A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," the daughter replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity ... boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?" Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're smiling even if everyone around you is crying. You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you; to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life. Happy New Year !!!! Monday, January 17, 2005
In Memoriam
Rev. Martin Luther King January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968 Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech (Dec 1964) I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive goodwill will proclaim the rule of the land.
Most of these people will never make the headlines and their names will not appear in Who's Who. Yet when years have rolled past and when the blazing light of truth is focused on this marvelous age in which we live -- men and women will know and children will be taught that we have a finer land, a better people, a more noble civilization -- because these humble children of God were willing to suffer for righteousness' sake. ---------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SENIOR MOMENTS Priorities Change Senior citizen to his eighty-year old buddy:"So I hear you are getting married?" "Yep!" "This woman, is she good looking?" "Not really." "Is she a good cook?" "Naw, she can't cook too well." "Does she have lots of money?" "No, poor as a church mouse." "Well then, is she good in bed?" "I don't know." "Why in the world do you want to marry her then?" "She can still drive."
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat? An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again." The gentleman replied, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!" PUSSYFOOTIN'™
with Lynx >^..^< Henry Kissinger was booked today, so in an effort to play diplomat/peace-keeper/friend, I submit Thomas Sowell. >^..^< The Return of the Mulatto Advocate! (for a photoshop) Follow the links for a better understanding of the issue. (hint: Washington state politics) >^..^< This blog is addictive! >^..^< Dash, another loquacious Cajun, this one over at The Boiling Point, offers an oldie-goldie story of a Genteel Southern Lady. Thought it would be appropriate to post this again, since his birthday is Wednesday. Not Dash's birthday - General Lee's birthday! >^..^< Just in case: indigoinsights [at] hotmail [dot] com >^..^< Always save the best for last. This is a "feel good" link. Unless you want to feel good, don't go there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. ~~Suzanne Somers When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. ~~Helen Keller I gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which I must stop and look fear in the face.... I say to myself, I've lived through this and can take the next thing that comes along. ~~Eleanor Roosevelt Sunday, January 16, 2005
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Another authentic report from Iraq, via Jennifer Martinez. Aiding and Abetting the Enemy: the Media in Iraq A Battalion Commander reports from Iraq: By LTC Tim Ryan, CO, 2/12 Cav, 1st Cav Div All right, I've had about enough. I just read yet another distorted and grossly exaggerated story from a major news organization about the "failures" in the war in Iraq. "The most trusted name in news" and a long list of others continue to misrepresent the scale of events in Iraq. Print and video journalists are covering only a small fraction of the events in Iraq and more often than not, the events they cover are only the bad ones. Many of the journalists making public assessments about the progress of the war in Iraq are unqualified to do so, given their training and experience. The inaccurate picture they paint has distorted the world view of the daily realities in Iraq. The result is a further erosion of international public support for the United States' efforts there, and a strengthening of the insurgents' resolve and recruiting efforts while weakening our own. Through their incomplete, uninformed and unbalanced reporting, many members of the media covering the war in Iraq are aiding and abetting the enemy. The fact is the Coalition is making steady progress in Iraq, but not without ups and downs. War is a terrible thing and terrible things happen during wars, even when you are winning. In war, as in any contest of wills with capable opponents, things do not always go as planned; the guys with the white hats don't always come out on top in each engagement. That doesn't mean you are losing. Sure, there are some high profile and very spectacular enemy attacks taking place in Iraq these days, but the great majority of what is happening in Iraq is positive. So why is it that no matter what events unfold, good or bad, the media highlight mostly the negative aspects of the event? The journalistic adage, "If it bleeds, it leads," still applies in Iraq, but why only when it's American blood? As a recent example, the operation in Fallujah delivered an absolutely devastating blow to the insurgency. Though much smaller in scope, clearing Fallujah of insurgents arguably could equate to the Allies' breakout from the hedgerows in France during World War II. In both cases, our troops overcame a well-prepared and solidly entrenched enemy and began what could be the latter's last stand. In Fallujah, the enemy death toll has already exceeded 1,500 and still is climbing. Put one in the win column for the good guys, right? Wrong. As soon as there was nothing negative to report about Fallujah, the media shifted its focus to other parts of the country. Just yesterday, a major news agency's website lead read: "Suicide Bomber Kills Six in Baghdad" and "Seven Marines Die in Iraq Clashes." True, yes. Comprehensive, no. Did the author of this article bother to mention that Coalition troops killed 50 or so terrorists while incurring those seven losses? Of course not. Nor was there any mention about the substantial progress these offensive operations continue to achieve in defeating the insurgents. Unfortunately, this sort of incomplete reporting has become the norm for the media, whose poor job of presenting a complete picture of what is going on in Iraq borders on being criminal. Battalion Commander LTC Tim Ryan has a lot to say to set the record straight. The excerpted paragraphs above are only the beginning of his letter. Please read it here in its entirety: Aiding and Abetting the Enemy: the Media in Iraq. PUSSYFOOTIN'™ with Lynx >^..^< In talking with a friend about Baldilocks' post regarding the Indonesian government’s request that Americans leave them alone, I wondered what would happen to the millions, if not billions, of aid funds already collected. My friend had an epiphany of an idea and suggested the funds be deposited into Social Security as a charitable donation to help extend the years that seniors could benefit. Of course, that could never happen. Could it? heh >^..^< Acidman calls it like he sees it -- as usual. Friday, January 14, 2005
THE INSOMNIAC'S FRIEND Blogs, that is. Surfing interesting blogs is so much better than fighting the sheets. But last night the blog equivalent of the dreaded ear worm assailed me in my surfing and I was lost in space for about three hours. What would that be anyhow? The ear worm syndrome, but in regard to a piece of information, not a song. It was all Da Goddess' fault. Maybe. The note pad beside my pc comes in handy for jotting down links or pieces of trivia for later perusal Last night I noticed http://varifrank.com/ had been noted (don't know when) along with "from Da Goddess" and a question mark. So, of course, I bopped on over to Varifrank's site to check it out. Sure enough, big as billybedamned, right there on his page was "Da Goddess", identified as one of the "Masters of Their Domain", at the very top of the gutter. The post was Eight Notes for Hugh Hewitt and started out interestingly enough, but I didn't get through the first paragraph before I read "just like Jayne Mansfield discovering a bit too late that her scarf was just a bit too long". Well, folks, that just threw my brain into overdrive because I remember when Jayne Mansfied was tragically killed in a terrible auto crash (actully decapitated) and I KNEW her death had nothing to do with a scarf. It was another celebrity who was the victim of a too-long boa. But her name was safely filed away in an unused synapse. No worries, sez I (to myself). Google will dig that lady's name up for me. NOT! Three hours later, shortly after 2 a.m., I gave up. Very disappointed, and burned out. In my mind's eye, there was the woman, trailing her trademark boa behind her across a stage - but WHAT WAS HER NAME??? I remembered the story of the famous dancer of the 20s who was killed when her scarf became entangled in a rear tire of her auto as it sped down the French Riviera. BUT WHAT WAS HER NAME? Worse than an ear worm!!! With the first sip of morning coffee, I screamed her name, Googled her and voila! Everything you'd ever need to know about ISADORA DUNCAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus a citation about her strangulation death. To Varifrank, thanks for the exercise of my jaded neurons. I'll get back and finish reading your blog, maybe tonight. Thursday, January 13, 2005
AFTER THE FLOOD Stories of Hope Compiled by Holly Lebowitz Rossi BeliefNet has started a daily blog featuring news of survival, generosity, and the strength of the human spirit in the wake of the tsunami disaster. Some excerpts: Tax Relief for Tsunami Relief January 10, 2005 11:00 a.m. Congress, pleased with the high number of people who are contributing to the tsunami relief effort and hoping to encourage others to give, has voted to extend the deadline for deducting charitable donations. Under the bill, which passed January 6 and is expected to be signed by President Bush imminently, people who donate to tsunami relief charities before January 31 will be able to deduct their donation from their 2004 taxes. Otherwise, people would have to wait until they file their 2005 tax returns to get the deduction. January 11, 2005 4:15 p.m. Buddhists in British Columbia have sold their temple in order to donate more money to the tsunami relief effort in Asia. The Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation's temple in Mission, which is near Vancouver, donated $405,000 to the Canadian Red Cross, the entire proceeds from the sale of the building. Wednesday, January 12, 2005
NURSES AND COPS It would appear that nurses and cops would make perfect marriage partners. They seem to have so much in common, I mean. Rivrdog pointed out some cop traits and as I read his post I was reminded of my nurse daughter. But there are other kinds of nurses. They aren't all tough, you know. I know one intimately who chose a field in which she would see no blood. And then there's Mrs. GOC, Winston-Salem who apparently was repulsed by the rearranged brains of the terrorist over at GOC, Atlanta. Which reminds me of another nurse story that happened to an old friend of mine. She was a public health nurse for several years, but dropped out of nursing to raise a family. Few years later, she decided to go back to work and began to send in her resume to a few places. She was called to interview with a large company locating in our area that was setting up a first aid building at their construction site and wanted a RN to supervise. The interview was going well (she told me later) when the interviewer said to her: "I see all your experience has been in public health. You know there's a big difference in public health nursing and nursing at a major construction site. For instance, how do you think you'd feel if an injured man came in and handed you a severed finger?" Without missing a beat, she replied, "I'd feel fine as long as it wasn't my finger." Yep. She got the job. MORE JOKES FROM DICK & JANE *While on the freeway in Los Angeles, I was behind a pack of cars. The last driver was on the phone and drifting all over the road. This did not escape the attention of a California Highway Patrol officer, who snuck up behind her and said over his loudspeaker, "If you can't stay in your lane while on the phone, pull over until the call is completed." Immediately eight cars pulled over. *My husband, John, was upset when our neighbor Bart Gorman passed away. He respected Bart as a fellow lawyer and valued him as a friend. At the wake, the man's son, Bart Gorman, Jr., and grandson, Bart Gorman III, were greeting the mourners. John introduced himself to both men and said, "Please accept my sympathy. There'll never be another Bart Gorman." *My wife and I were having lunch at a fashionable eatery in Annapolis when we noticed what looked like a familiar face at the next table. Screwing up my courage, I asked, "Excuse me. Aren't you Marlin Fitzwater, the former White House press secretary?" "Yes, I am," he acknowledged, and graciously interrupted his lunch to talk to us. As we were leaving the restaurant, I remarked to the hostess, "Do you know you have Marlin Fitzwater on the terrace?" "I'm not sure about that," she replied, "but we have Perrier and Evian at the bar." SENIOR MOMENT A very elderly gentleman, (mid nineties) very well dressed, hair well groomed, great looking suit, flower in his lapel smelling slightly of a good after shave, presenting a well looked after image, walks into an upscale cocktail lounge. Seated at the bar is an elderly looking lady, (mid eighties). The gentleman walks over, sits along side of her, orders a drink, takes a sip, turns to her and says, "So tell me, do I come here often?" Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. ~Langston Hughes Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree. ~Marian Wright Edelman Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't. ~Richard Bach Monday, January 10, 2005
MONDAY PASTIES
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM
A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her boyfriend. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded, "Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty and full of Italians. You're crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?""We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!""Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. "That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late. So, where are you staying in Rome?""We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome's Tiber River called Teste.""Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks its gonna be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump, the worst hotel in the city! The rooms are small, the service is surly and they're overpriced. So, whatcha doing when you get there?""We're going to go to see the Vatican and we hope to see the Pope.""That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. "You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome. "It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot. And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!""Well," muttered the hairdresser, "That's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope.""Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me.""Oh, really! What'd he say?""He said, 'Where'd you get the crappy hairdo?' "
THE FAB FOUR
PUSSYFOOTIN'™
Saturday, January 01, 2005
HAPPY NEW YEAR ! PUSSYFOOTIN'™ with Lynx >^..^< There's something very special about Sam, and I've felt this since first knowing her. She may be one of BlogWorld's youngest bloggers, yet her writings attract a readership old enough to complain (gently) about her fonts' compatibility with "old eyes". And the sweet thang that she is, she tries to please us all. Thanks for your efforts for us seniors, Sam. >^..^< Baldilocks says "Here's the Amazon Button for Asian Disaster Relief. Amazon donors have contributed nearly $7 Million as of today." UPDATE: Yippee-Ki-Yay! has the total as 10 million and rising. [Jan Egeland's email addy would be good about now. --Indigo] >^..^< Check out the new site cats. iz. perverse. >^..^< The feud (or farce) is apparently over. Acidman received an apology from the apostasy-ridden prelate just in time to avoid an aneurysm. (Guess who the patient would be?) >^..^< La Shawn Barber is asking for reader input on her project "The Year of the Blog" - read all about it here. And BTW, Da Goddess is working on a photo project and also wants your opinion. >^..^< This was Possum Man's Xmas present. But it didn't get here in time. Sorry, Uncle Possum. >^..^< Don't miss The Home Front >^..^< eMail Our Military (eMOM) is a free service providing a safe way for people to continue the tradition of "Any Service Member" mail with a much more personal touch - email! This is your opportunity to let America's military know how much you appreciate what they do on our behalf 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. >^..^< Black Five is sharing another military mom(s) story. Read it here and get the latest tip on what to put in the care packages!!! Adapt, Improvise and Overcome in action! >^..^< Virtual POW/MIA Bracelets >^..^< A man is not dead until he is forgotten. >^..^< Major thanks to Terry Reynolds for his help with the Norton problem. (to be continued - -) >^..^< indigoinsights[at]hotmail[dot]com INCOMING from Jimmy, Ayden, NC Subject: What rednecks are REALLY made of......... We have enjoyed the redneck jokes for years. It's time to take a reflective look at the core beliefs of a culture that values home, family, country and God. If I had to stand before a dozen terrorists who threaten my life, I'd choose a half dozen or so rednecks to back me up. Tire irons, squirrel guns and grit -- that's what rednecks are made of. I hope I am one of those. If you feel the same, pass this on to your redneck friends. Ya`ll know who ya are... YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK IF . . . . It never occurred to you to be offended by the phrase, "One nation, under God. . " You've never protested about seeing the 10 Commandments posted in public places. You still say "Christmas" instead of "Winter Festival." You bow your head when someone prays. You stand and place your hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem. You treat Viet Nam vets with great respect, and always have. You've never burned an American flag. You know what you believe and you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening. You respect your elders and expect your kids to do the same. You'd give your last dollar to a friend. MORE JOKES FROM DICK & JANE After booking my 90-year-old mother on a flight from Florida to Nevada, I called the airline to go over her needs. The woman representative listened patiently as I requested a wheelchair and an attendant for my mother because of her arthritis and impaired vision. I also asked for a special meal and assistance in changing planes. My apprehension lightened a bit when the woman assured me everything would be taken care of. I thanked her profusely. "Why, you're welcome," she replied. I was about to hang up when she cheerfully asked, "And will your mother be needing a rental car?" 4 Animals You've got to love this little girl. What a woman she'll make! A teacher asked her class, "What do you want out of life?" A little girl in the back row raised her hand and said, "All I want out of life is four little animals". The teacher asked, "Really and what four little animals would that be, sugar?" The little girl said, "A mink on my back, a jaguar in the garage, a tiger in the bed and a jackass to pay for it all." The teacher fainted. When I go to a local discount store to get oil and filters for my car, I buy my wife a bouquet of flowers on display near the checkout counter. During one trip, some women in line behind me were oohing and aahing about a husband getting flowers for his wife. "How often do you do that?" one asked. Before I could answer, the checkout girl, more than familiar with my routine, said, "Every three months or 3,000 miles-whichever comes first." PONDERABLE QUOTES It's never the end of the world. It's already tomorrow in Australia. ~~Charles M. Schultz It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. ~~Ralph Waldo Emerson The human race has one effective weapon — and that is laughter. ~~Mark Twain |