Happy Birthday Corey!!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to my son Corey who turns 20 years old today. Corey is keeping busy attending Mt. Sac Jr. College and aspiring to take up a career in law enforcement. In his spare time he likes to go to the beach, paint balling, and ride all those crazy rides at Six Flags. He told me he is celebrating his birthday today by doing a presentation in one class and taking two mid-term exams in two other classes. Ah the life of a college student!! He's sure to be pleased with the second photo!!!!

So Happy Birthday Corey!!!

Your taxes at work - and mine too!!!

I just learned today that a mega-embassy is being built in the heart of the green zone in Baghdad, Iraq. Dubbed "Fortress America" by some and "Bush's Baghdad Palace" by others, the embassy is the only construction project in Iraq to finish on time and on budget.

The embassy is described by MSNBC as;

-- the largest embassy in world history
-- a bomb-proof super-bunker with a 15-ft thick perimeter wall
-- 21 buildings on 104 acres, the size of 80 football fields
-- wired for state-of-the-art communications and surveillance
-- "extraordinary" security measures
-- residences for the Ambassador, his deputy, and six posh apartments for senior officials
-- a water-treatment plant and power generator
-- two huge blocks of offices for 8,000 US staff workers
-- the biggest swimming pool in Iraq
-- a well-equipped gym
-- tennis courts
-- movie theater
-- restaurants serving US food chain favorites
-- a "swish" American Club for evening social functions

And what did you and I pay for this building project? MSNBC is reporting that the costs so far are in the neighborhood of $700 million dollars. They believe that another $30 million will be needed to upgrade security so that senior military staff can be housed there. It's believed that it will cost $2 billion a year to run it once it is fully functional.

It leaves me with two thoughts;

1) How can we in good conscience build such a behemoth in the face of the Iraqi people who still don't have electricity for more than a couple of hours a day or clean water?

2) If you had any thoughts about the U.S. pulling out of Iraq anytime soon, I think this embassy and the four military bases we are building should put that to rest.

As you may know, the pope is visiting the United States this week. When I first saw this photo, I hoped he would chew Bush's ass for his wars and the killing of innocent men, women, and children. Then I remembered that the Christians are masters at this type of barbarism, only they gave it a fancy name; the crusades.

From Wikipedia; The Crusades were a series of military conflicts of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal threats. Crusades were fought against Muslims, Pagans, Slavs, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christians, Mongols, Cathars, Hussites, and political enemies of the popes. (my emphasis)

Now as I read more and more about Christian history, I find that there has always been an us vs them mentality amongst Christians. The crusades were a prime example. Today we still have that mentality with the "external and internal threats" being the gays or unsaved, the Jews or the Pagans, or this denomination or that.

"Love God. Love one another" doesn't leave room for such divisiveness. We all fit into the "one another" category. Remember your Sunday school song, "red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in his sight..."


Perhaps John Lennon said it best in the song "Imagine"

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

You may say I'm a dreamer also, but I don't see any hope for world peace until we all come to the conclusion that all men (collectively speaking) are created equal. Hm, that has a familiar ring to it!!

Subject: California

You know what happened this week back in 1850, 158 years ago?

1. California became a state.
2. The state had no electricity.
3. The state had no money.
4. Almost everyone spoke Spanish.
5. There were gunfights in the streets.

You've come a long way baby!!!

Happy Birthday Josh!!

My son Josh turned 22 years old on Monday the 14th of April. We took him to Laughlin, Nv. for his birthday. He is shown her doing two of his favorite things; flying and playing on-line Texas hold 'em. Josh has his private pilot's license and is studying for his instrument ratings. He flies competitively for the Mt. Sac flying team and will be competing in the Nationals in Nashville, Tn. next month. He stays busy working at the local AMC theater, playing video games, and is a big time Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Angels fan. So, Happy Birthday Josh!!

Couple of cartoons from earlier this week

"Good ol' 'merican ingenuity"

Jack is always quick to say - gravity sucks

We're back!!!

We made it back from Laughlin, Nv. in one piece. A little poorer, but quite rested. I'll be leaving again next Tuesday for a week with Jim in Puerto Rico. Stay tuned for more beach and pinchos (octopus!!) photos!!!

Be back Tuesday

Karen and I are off to Laughlin, Nv. with our son Josh to celebrate his 22nd birthday. I am going "cold turkey" and not taking my laptop. We'll be back Tuesday evening.

A day at the beach

I'm coming out of the closet today!!

Saturday was a beautiful day and so I went to a nude beach with a good friend. (Many of you will know who this good friend is) We went to the San Onofre State Beach, below tail #6. It's not my first visit to this beach, and certainly won't be the last. It's the closest nude beach to us, located at the north end of San Diego County, a 65 mile drive one way from my house. Los Angeles and Orange Counties won't allow nude beaches. My friend and I go together as neither of our wives care to indulge in the nude community, although both have been once to try it out.

It was a clear day, with a warm breeze coming off the mountains. It was 85 degrees when we arrived at about 10:15 am. After a short walk, we arrived at the "clothes optional" area which is no more that 100 yards long. There were already probably 50-60 people there.

We chose a spot about mid-way down the 100 yd stretch, and set up our chairs, beach umbrellas and ice chests. Directly in front of us was a couple who I would guess was in their mid 70's. Off to our right was a couple who each weighed 300 lbs, and off to our left was a group of three couples. Everyone was naked and enjoying the beach. We quickly stripped down and joined in.

Now I don't consider myself a voyeur or exhibitionist. I just enjoy the feeling of freedom I find without my clothes on. I'm certainly not there to "strut my stuff." Other than not having clothes on, the beach would resemble any other beach you may have visited. I read a book and usually bring a crossword puzzle, while my friend enjoys music on his mp3 player. Many couples are out walking along the beach, and many have brought their dogs to enjoy the surf. We've been entertained often by schools of dolphins and helicopters from the local Marine base.

As the day went on, the crowd swelled to over 150 people. At about 1:00 pm, there seemed to be a shift change. Many people chose to call it a day, only to be replaced by a surge in the crowd for the rest of the afternoon. We left at about 2:30.

Anyone who may want more information about the beach can go to http://www.friendsofsanonofre.org/ . If you are interested in going one time and would like someone to introduce you to this life style, my friend and I would love to bring you along for the day. Remember it's a "clothes optional" area, so if you chose to stay in your suit, or just take off your top, its up to you. We all went through that period of nervousness the first time we took our clothes off. It will pass quickly. There are people there of all shapes, sizes, and ages. No one is having sex or gawking at each other. Its just a nice day at the beach. Really!!!

"God wants me now, he set me free"

I didn't know Anthony Maya, but I happened across his obituary in the Sunday Daily Bulletin newspaper. I doesn't say if he wrote this or not, but it spoke volumns to me.

Anthony Maya 8/19/1972 to 4/6/2008

I AM FREE

Dont grieve for me
for now I'm free.
I'm following the path
God laid for me.

I took His hand when I heard Him call
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
to laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks undone must stay that way
I've found that peace at the close of the day.
If parting has left a void,
then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah, yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish for you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life has been full, I savored much
Good friends, good times, A loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,
Dont lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your hearts and share with me,
God wants me now, He set me free.

As you all probably know General David Petraeus, commander of the U.S. forces in the Iraq occupation, was making the rounds in Washington D.C. last week giving his current assessment of the situation in Iraq. I heard his testimony to the Senate on Wednesday on C-span and heard him again in a question/answer session with Brian Williams on one of the cable news channels.

The good general told us that he shares the public's frustration with the situation in Iraq but assured us that things there were improving. He made an interesting statement when he said that the U.S. military was initially received in Iraq as liberators. The Iraqis' then began to think of the U.S. military as occupiers, and has now began to embrace us as liberators again, only this time from Al-queada.

General Petraeus described the security in Iraq as "fragile and reversable." He went on to say that the number of troops in Iraq was drawing down to the pre-surge levels by July of '08 and then there would be a 45 day pause to evaluate the results of those troop reductions before deciding on any further troop reductions.

I find it interesting that while the good general was here in the U.S. nineteen more U.S. military personnel were killed. Nineteen in one week!!

When are we going to wake up and see that there is no military answer to Iraq? Our military is stretched to its breaking point now. You want to support the troops? Work on bringing them home!!

Going back to PR!!!

Yes sir re, I'm headed back to Puerto Rico for a week of mopping floors, power washing, painting, and helping my friend Jim fix things. Jim is going for two weeks, and I'm joining him for the second week and flying back with him. It's always a great opportunity to go to the deaf school and help out for a time. I believe I'm blessed so much more than the school is. We may even hit the beach a time or two while there. LOL

If women ruled the world

I got these in an email from my wife the other day. She seems to find some humor in them so I thought I would pass them along!!! LOL