Box #1.  There will be a tenth anniversary commemoration of the September 11th terrorist attacks to be held at Ground Zero.  Everyone is invited to attend...

Box#2.  Except for the first responders who risked their lives entering the burning World Trade Center to rescue people, then subsequently spent months digging through the rubble.

Box#3.  There's just not enough room for them. 

In a statement put out by New York Governor Michael Bloomberg's office, Andrew Brent said the commemoration ceremony is for the victim's families.  "While we are again focused on accommodating victim's family members, given the space constraints, we're working to find ways to recognize and honor first responders, and other groups, at different places and times." 

WTF!!!

Another one on the way???

Those of you in the WCPD family will remember Anne Gray, who was the department court officer for many years. We all watched her daughter Jodie grow up right before our eyes as an explorer.

I sent Anne an email Sunday asking if she was OK after hurricane Irene.  I knew she was living on the East Coast, but couldn't remember where.  Well Anne is fine and living in Charleston, SC.  The hurricane apparently took a turn to the east and left them with only some wind and rain, nothing unusual for the area she assured me. 

Anne has a facebook page and I have her email address if you want to send me an email for it. She follows this blog as well if you want to send her a message thru it.  Good to hear you're safe and sound Anne.

I had a Republican come up to me Saturday evening and tell me, among other things, that the Republicans had to fight the raise of the debt ceiling because they didn't want to hand President Obama a blank check for future spending. Interestingly, I found this chart showing the spending of President Obama vs. President Bush.   Hmmm???

So when I suggested two unfunded wars, among things Bush did, the Republican justified the wars by saying, "we haven't been attacked since 9/11 have we?"  So I said, "you mean to say that you are comfortable with the death of a million innocent Iraqi civilians so that we weren't attacked by terrorists?"  The Republican said, "yup." 

Unbelievable!!!

Not to be outdone by any Rabbi, Republican presidential candidate and Christian Right (aka tea party) darling Michelle Bachmann, told Floridans Sunday that hurricane Irene and the earthquake felt along much of the East Coast last week were messages from god to warn politicians to start heeding divine guidance, which she suggested is being channeled through small government conservatives. 

Bachmann told a crowd in Sarasota that the St. Petersburg Times estimated contained around 1,000 people, "I don't  know how much god has to do to get the attention of the politicians.  We've had an earthquake, we've had a hurricane.  He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?'"  You can read the entire article here.  http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/hundreds-turn-out-for-bachmann-rally-in-sarasota-but-some-prefer-perry/1188559

I think Michelle Bachmann is in deep trouble now that Rick Perry has entered the race.  Religious folks aren't ready for a woman, who are seen as second class citizens or even property in the bible, as president.  Rick Perry is out to prove that he is more godly than the rest of the pool of Republican candidates and is every bit as crazy, if not more so, that Bachmann.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Shania Twain who turns 46 years old today.

I don't remember learning palms like this!!!

I went to the retirement party for Rudy Lopez Saturday evening. I sat at a table with Mary O'Guin, Bob Milleson, Jan Poirier, Pete Mena and his girlfriend, and Irene Meza and her husband. There were displays of photos of Rudy all over the VFW, decorated by his wife.

Early entertainment was provided by DJ Ralph Batres, aka El Monte Senior Investigator Ralph Batres. Dinner of tacos and salads was provided, along with FREE BEER!!!

After dinner entertainment and dancing was provided by a live band who's name I didn't get.

It seems like a good time was had by all.

Irene still going strong!! Wish I was there to experience it. 

Irene still on the move up the East Coast.

Angelina!!!

Saw this cloud formation in the Arizona desert on the way home from Omaha last week.  Does anyone else see a dragon besides me??

Friday I rode my mountain bike from Anaheim Stadium to the Huntington Beach Pier and back. It was cool and breezy at the beach, but pretty clear. When I got back to the stadium it was in the high 90's.

On the ride I found what appears to be some pagan graffiti. No sign of any sacrifices though.

The drive home from the stadium took one hour and 45 minutes because of the Friday afternoon traffic. The temperature reached 103 by the time I got home.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Sean Connery who turns 81 years old today. He is one of my wife's faves.

Packing 115 mph winds, Hurricane Irene is headed for the east coast of the United States.

Richard Dawkins, author and evolutionary biologist, on the presidential election process;

Any other organization -- a big corporation, say, or a university, or a learned society -- when seeking a new leader, will go to immense trouble over the choice. The CV's of candidates and their portfolios of relevant experience are meticulously scrutinized, their publications are read by a learned committee, references are taken up and scrupulously discussed, the candidates are subjected to rigorous interviews and vetting procedures. Mistakes are still made, but not through lack of serious effort.

The population of the United States is more than 300 million and it includes some of the best and brightest that the human species has to offer, probably more so than any other country in the world. There is surely something wrong with a system for choosing a leader when, given a pool of such talent and a process that occupies more than a year and consumes billions of dollars, what rises to the top of the heap is George W. Bush. Or when the likes of Rick Perry or Michelle Bachmann or Sarah Palin can be mentioned as even remote possibilities. 

You can read the entire article at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/post/attention-governor-perry-evolution-is-a-fact/2011/08/23/gIQAuIFUYJ_blog.html

It does make you stop and think.  Many of our "best and brightest" want nothing to do with politics. 

As you know atheists have been putting up billboards lately. Recently in Ohio, the Freedom From Religion Foundation put up several billboards as part of their "Out of the Closet" campaign.

Apparently the McElroy Road Church of Christ decided to put up the above billboard in response. I don't think it conveys the message they had hoped for and in fact seems to put forward the atheist's message. In bold letters across the top is says, "THERE IS NO GOD."  The atheist message.  Then on the second line, it says, "don't believe everything you hear."  A skeptics mantra. 

Thank you McElroy Road Church of Christ for promoting the atheist ideals.

In case you wondered, the 5.8 earthquake yesterday in Washington D.C. was caused by homosexuals.

In a video posted to YouTube, Rabbi Levin asserted that "one of the reasons God brings earthquakes to the world is because of the transgressions of homosexuality."

That according to Yehuda Levin, who is a Rabbi and founder of the Congregation Mevakshei Hashem (Those Who Seek the Lord) Synagogue in Brooklyn, New York. Levin is described as a vocal religious conservative who opposes gay rights and abortion.

Hmm!!! Who Knew???

Happy Birthday wishes to Barbara Jean Morehead, aka Barbara Eden, aka Jeannie, of the long running comedy series, "I Dream of Jeannie." Barbara turns 77 years young today.

I became re-acquainted with my mountain bike Sunday. I rode 20 miles in and around my neighborhood. The weather was clear and cool.

I wish I had taken my bike to Omaha as there were several cool places to ride including a park near the college and a bike path that ran along the Missouri River.