Farmer loses hand, but not life after night in cornfield
By Sharyn L. Decker
sdecker@chronline.com
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The Latest
Let me know if links don't work. I'm not sure how long some of these things stay on various websites.
Past ramblings...5/29-9/29/5, 9/30-12/22/5
12/22/5
Things are sort of winding down for the holidays over here, at least as much as they ever do. It really just means that there's the possibility of actually having a "weekend". It's cooling off to the point where I'm tempted to roll up my windows for the drive in to work. Guess that means I'll be stocking up on Coke to wake me up in the morning. Here's a nice sports story and I mean nice in a good way.
12/20/5
Just in case you thought the sick and perverted side of me had gone missing...remember you've been warned.
12/19/5
Things could get interesting in Bolivia soon...
12/18/5
Here's a link.
Take that Anthony! UW just swept Nebraska to win the NCAA volleyball championship. Apparently the Dawgs were the far more attractive team as well...
The end of an era...just read an article in the Daily Chronicle that the Vader gym is closing, or more accurately, being condemned. Vader is a small community in south Lewis county that we used to play in junior high sports when I went to Napavine schools. It holds some significance to me because two of my better sports moments came in competition against the players from the town. the first was in little league baseball. I think I've mentioned before that I'm short and obviously, was even shorter at the age of 10. Somehow I made the all-star team at that age, I'm pretty sure it was because I could draw a walk whenever I wanted to, but it led to this regardless. Our team was a combination of players from Napavine and Onalaska and we were killing them, the final score was 43-1. I got to play and of course walked but because there was a guy on third, the coach to me to take my walk to second base. The throw to get me went into center field and off I was to third...a triple on a walk. Later in the tournament I pissed the coach off when he sent me in to get another walk and I swung at the first pitch over my head. I eventually did walk and it was my turn to be pissed when he pulled me for a pinch runner. I felt so used, but a popsicle soon eased my hurt feelings. Back to the gym at Vader, junior high basketball...game well in hand and a last second shot from the sideline near halfcourt goes in, padding our already substantial lead. Gene Hoyt said he'd never seen me smile like that before. The coach said, "yeah, nice shot Dick", but continued to point out all the mistakes we had made on our way to a 20 point halftime lead. It was off the backboard too...as planned ;)
12/16/5
News from the deep south...
I'm watching the Huskies' basketball team via the web and the video is surprisingly smooth. Audio by itself is fine, but when embedded in the video stream has some problems. Not bad for being in Cyprus though.
I just wondered if I'll screw up the date on this site when the year rolls over like I used to do when I used checks. Let's see, yesterday morning on the way to and from work, I tried to count how many different combinations of curse words I used in attempts to perfectly describe the word "idiot". I ran out of fingers. We're finally getting a little rain, which is cool, except for my personally custom-engineered wiper blades. The bug is a pain to order parts for because the registration says 70, the VIN converts to 71 and juding by looks, parts from the mid to late 60's actually fit. Thanks Anthony...speaking of whom, he's leaving soon. He just got back from Thailand and Korea and said he was gone in a few weeks. In the meantime, he also put up a blog here so please visit and make sure to leave lots of comments about his taste in women's names. Note: if comments don't work, it's not your computer, just wait a bit as typepad is having some sort of problem.
12/14/5
Here's a pretty funny sports page...
Boy, do I feel stupid...that's my great grandfather Harley that I was talking about in yesterday's post...I also have a lot of long lived relatives. Two over or at 100 and two more in their nineties...better check that 401k. Also, the reason I keep burning my fingers when cooking is that the potholders Gayle keeps sending me are really dishrags...
Others on TV are calling the below an attempt to discredit rather than influence. Others deny it happened. It is the NY Times so I should probably used a shaker of salt.
Iran is desperately seeking attention. I'm not sure what sort of reaction they're attempting to provoke with their loony "whatever he's called's" remarks and this latest try at influencing things in Iraq. Maybe they're just stupid or they think they are really, really smart?
12/13/5
I got the coolest Christmas present today. I know, it's not Christmas and I could wait until I was supposed to open it and then lie about it, but I won't. It expresses a lot more thought than I ever have and likely ever will put into a gift. With me, you usually get a phone call or dinner when I'm around. Anyway, thanks dad!!
I should probably scan it and post the photos but it's a photo album of our family's history. It even includes Uncle(?) Harley, I think. When I was young and desperately wanting to be a basketball player, I hoped that some his genes would kick in someday...he's 6' 5"...those of you that know me, well, they never did. It starts with graduation photos of my mom and dad. Mom's beautiful and dad has the same kind of smart-ass, smirky grin that I have. Can that be genetic?. Each page also has a nice quote by someone else and my dad's comments at the bottom. I haven't made it past the photos and dad's comments yet. There's a photo of Grandma Virginia and Grandpa Stevens a couple of years before my dad graduated. Memories that come to mind first are helping Grandma move in AZ and wondering what the hell were in all those boxes, as well as the exercise place she opened in Chehalis. It had all these wooden roller things that actually hurt after I played on them for awhile. I remember Grandpa's trailer in Portland and him always bringing eclairs when he visited us in Napavine. It's nice to see him again!
Next one is of Grandma and Grandpa Cabe, mom's parents. never noticed it before but I see Courtney, Bob's daughter in her photo. Grandpa almost looks as if he's in a daze, but I've heard marriage has that effect. Next comes a photo shortly after Colton was born, five generations...double Grandma, Grandpa, mom, Bob and Colton.
Mom and Dad got married in front of the fireplace at the Cabes, Uncle Tom looking debonair, Aunt Gail looking gorgeous and at a place in the distance, mom looking like a beautiful young bride and Dad looking like he's thinking of the night ahead. A photo of Grandma and Grandpa Cabe and mom and dad in front of the barn. I wonder when suspenders went out of style.
Then we get to the fun stuff...Bob, Diana and me probably singing "Love Potion No. 9", except Bob looks like he's ready for a nap, Diana looks stoned and for some reason I have a blond wig on, shades, a ribbon around my neck and a guitar in my hands. We're probably 4,5 and 6. Where he dug that one up, I'll never know. Next a shot of me lifting weights, about 90 lbs., and yes dad, I can still do it. I do have big blue eyes...and no longer wonder why people thought Bob and I were twins. Looks like it was about time for one of Grandpa's bi-weekly crewcuts though.
Nice photo of the place I call home, water looks a little high, but a nice shot. A shot of dad and I while I was home on leave from tech school. I even look a little rascally in uniform. Cute photo of Colton and Courtney and then one of me with the both of them. I can hold a baby...
One of my favorite photos of Bob with the chain saw, me chopping wood with the axe and Grandpa making sure we don't hurt ourselves. Mom and Grandma testing the new barbecue in the carport they built after they got rid of the maple tree. Uncle Tom in Panama City...Uncle Chuck's as stylish as ever in his white t-shirt, Dan and Gin, Dad and Gayle, or should I say, itchy and scratchy(Simpson's reference), the Dinkmeiers and everyone but Tom. Thanks dad! A lot of nice memories in there...oh yeah the blanket and potholders were welcome too!
12/9/5
Not much new...we've been sort of busy, but mostly waiting to do something. We haven't done it yet. I've been fighting computers as I screwed up somehow and order a cable wireless router instead of a DSL version. I checked and it was my mistake. I've been trying to make it work without any luck, although I've been close enough a couple of times to be tempted to throw something at the wall.
12/7/5
Some things leave me typeless...
12/6/5
Pretty damn good sports weekend...UW beat Gonzaga for the first time in 7 yrs. and the 'Hawks were pretty dominant on MNF. It's looking better and better for two playoff games for my trip home. Denise will be joining me for most of my trip which will give her a chance to shop for a car and to discover what a boring guy I am. Should be fun!
12/2/5
Friends? Sometimes I write better in response... Lili's (12/2 post)graduating...
You will, if the friendships's real. A few years ago I searched for a friend's name on the web and found it. It was a Hawaiian name so there wasn't much mistaking it. It was his obituary. I ended up reconnecting with his family after 20 years or so. During that process I also reconnected with another friend from HS and that friendship is even closer than the one we shared back then. It's kind of strange, I just trust him. It's also reciprocated and I don't know why. Maybe it's because we've seen one another at our best and worst and nothing else matters. Maybe we're stupid, but I don't think so.
Over the years I've made and lost many friends and some just seem to stick. If anyone ever says "Hey bush" to me in a masculine voice and it's not Craig or "feel like the
Sportstar?" and it's not Tim or "Happy Hour?" and it's not Anthony, well, I don't know what I'd do.
thanks for making me think about all the friends I've enjoyed over the years and make sure you continue to enjoy yours.
cheers,
Dick
I'm not sure whether this will explain or confuse more but it's a very interesting debate.
Yes, life can be tough.
A reason to keep Hubble alive?
12/1/5
Clarification: The moral degeneracy link in the 11/27 post isn't about me nor did I drink excessively that day. I can't imagine being drunk enough to participate in that. I would have laughed though.
Wow! Even the French are smarter than most of the democratic party. All of those asking these "deadline" or "timetable" questions should be asked to provide one. Were I the President my reply to them would be, "Thank you, we'll see where we are at that time and if your guess on how things will be is correct, great, we'll begin to withdraw at a pace commensurate with the situation. Fortunately, I choose not to endanger what I see as a budding democracy with politically inspired guesses. It's a fluid situation and while I see progress being made, I can't honestly tell you what the situation will be like within any predictable timeframe, but I do know this...under my watch the task our armed forces have undertaken will not be forsaken. We will remain until the legitimate Iraqi government, not the media nor their pandering political sycophants, want us to leave."
11/30/5
I now know why some of the hills in Washington are bald. Printed out copies of corporate emails that are sent to overseas employees. They rarely contain anything of import and most of the ones I just shredded consisted of a large group of people sending separate emails that say exactly the same thing. Took me about an hour to shred all the junk.
I just bought my tickets to head back to Seattle for the playoffs. I hope I'm not a jinx and that they do get both games at home. Bob and Donna had tickets for the last game and I got a laugh from Jerry when I told him that I was going to call to see if he enjoyed the game, but I doubted his voice had recovered yet.
11/27/5
Finally, a movie about Iraq that will show some respect to those who sacrifice. The unit being portrayed deserves that respect as I'm sure do many others.
More moral degeneracy...I've been drunk before, very drunk, but this takes the cake...I think! You've been warned...pretty disgusting...can't resist taking a peek can you?
11/25/5
Here's a couple of funny sites if you're a moral degenerate...sports and we were all young once.
11/24/5
That woke me up! I was sitting here watching a football game and waiting for a phone call that tells me if I have to work tomorrow when I saw a bright flash of light and heard a loud bang. Shortly after, it became apparent that someone was shooting off fireworks and doing a pretty good job. I went upstairs and watched from the balcony and was actually wincing when some of the lights flashed in preparation for the sound blast. It actually moved my shirt they were that close. Good show...no idea what it was for, but fun to watch.
11/22/5
I know what I think...you? I could very well be wrong, but little surprises me these days...
A new verb...kerry, although it's very similar to kennedy(the Ted variety) or clinton...etc...
Photos from Iraq...courtesy of Michael Yon. It's amazing what reporters find when they venture forth from their hotels and try to find the truth rather than composing their articles from others' reports and struggling to find a way for them to fit the agenda of a group of politicians who have no message to deliver except "we want attention!".
11/21/5
When asked if I knew I had a lot of company in that socially liberal, fiscally conservative and hawkish nuthouse(ref, end of yesterday's post), I replied thusly...
I suspect it, but without a choice that reflects that view, I doubt I'll ever "know". I'd love a centrist party along those lines but do you think that's possible? Part of the trouble for me is my cynicism...I'll hear all the right words from a candidate...and you can likely guess the rest. Any prospects on the horizon? I could die a happy man if the extremists from both parties were relegated to their respective dustbins. Then I could view the rantings and ravings with amusement rather than concern.
cheers,
Dick
11/20/5
Interesting drive home today...really nasty weather at work, so we got off early, which was fine with me. I got to the corner just after the Keo brewery and the street was flooded. There were a bunch of guys poking the curb trying to find the clogged drain without much success and the water was probably about 6-12 inches deep depending on your lane. Made it through and when I first used the brakes, realized that they were wet so I proceeded to try to dry them quickly by using them. Only problem was that I tried a little too hard because the right brake was drier than the left and nearly pulled me into the solid object that forms the traffic circle at the old port intersection. They were ok by the time I got home.
Stumbled across this today and it's something I aspire to. The anti-idiotarian way of life...
It's nice to be reminded of why I once considered myself a Democrat, even if I was too young to vote at the time. I think a lot of my admiration for him came from Hunter S. Thompson's rantings about him in various books. It's tough being socially liberal, fiscally conservative and a hawk. No wonder I'm a nutcase.
11/19/5
I kind of like this idea...
11/18/5
Hmmm...I don't have a roof, but it leaks. Got up to take a leak and noticed some water at the base of one of my speakers. I stuck a towel there and tried to see the leak, but it appears to be coming from near the light fixture, which makes it a little hard to see. Eventually I saw a few drops and went upstairs to see where it could be coming from. There's an upstairs patio sort of thing with a drain and it was raining pretty hard earlier, so that's a possibility. The worst part is that it's near my stereo. So far only the speakers, but if the drops migrate a foot or so, it could mean trouble. Hello Yiannis...I don't have a roof but my ceiling's leaking...should be fun...not.
LOL! So deserved for a member of the chameleon family. If only her political mobility were more closely scrutinized.
Latest from Michael Yon...thanks Deuce/Four!
11/17/5
The Huskies and Cougars are having at it in this week's Apple Cup. No topic is sacred.
11/15/5
Bookmark this and set aside some time for an update on Steven den Beste's strategic over of the war on Islamic zealots. The original was excellent and apparently he enjoys the updates by Tigerhawk.
This is pretty cool...or hot.
What an unwelcome welcome back to work last night/this morning was...we haven't had much to do at all for the past few weeks and this more than made up for it. Everything was going smoothly, for the most part, everything installed, looked good and both Jeff and I were anticipating being home at a decent hour. Then I asked him to check something we've had intermittent problems with for the past several months and sure enough, it was back. We checked all the connections to no avail, desperately swapped a box that wasn't likely to be the problem and eventually removed this ungodly concoction of a cable we use to connect several things together. The cable looked good before we removed it but in the shop we did find a broken wire so we repaired it and without a lot of confidence went back and tried it again. This time the equipment wouldn't even come on. Naturally, at least to our minds, we had damaged a different wire in the bundle while we were working with it. It could have been the same box we had swapped earlier, but we decided to take the cable back out and give it another going over. Nothing...Jerry made it in..Jeff and I were both approaching 12 hours, Jeff a little more and we decided to swap the box and try it again. The system would come on, but the original problem was still there...ugh. Now it's nut-cutting time and it's decided to take the original system out and put a different type on, not always an efficient process, but this time it went relatively smoothly. Did I mention I love my job?
11/13/5
Another hollywood propaganda piece to avoid.
It's about time...none deserve it more, well, except perhaps former President Carter.
He's got a point...
Headline fatigue...for me it's been mainstream media fatigue for quite awhile now.
I tend to agree with Wretchard. I preferred Sen. McCain over Bush a few years ago, but that was before he wished and washed his way out of my favor. I just can't figure out who he's pandering to.
Democrats, meet your fearless leader...granted, it's the Drudge Report, but I still find it amusing that some lionize this man.
Another Go Seahawks!
Just read it...it's a long one, multiple pages, clickable at the bottom.
You should probably sit down before reading this...the Huskies just won over Arizona 38-14. I set my alarm for 1 am, but didn't totally wake up until 230, near halftime. the play I woke up to was a huge end of the half touchdown pass to tie the score at 14. Not a bad way to wake up. As you can tell from the differential between the halftime score and the final, the dawgs were were pretty dominant in the second half, getting turnovers and capitalizing on them. I think the biggest thing is that the QB wasn't asked to win the game for them as his supporting cast, James Sims for 200 rushing yards and the OL that blocked for him, let him do what was necessary rather than force things. Kudos to the D as well for all the turnovers, one of which was returned for a TD but called back for roughing the passer. Penalties like that suck, but it was kind of nice to have one called for being overly aggressive rather being stupid.
Go Seahawks tomorrow!!
11/12/5
The lighter side of rugby, from the Austin Huns. I used to have a blast at their tournaments and, if you read the linked article, you'll likely understand why. Possibly R-rated.
And the other side of veteran's day?
11/11/5
Shame on me for nearly forgetting. For the story behind the poem below, click here, otherwise most vets prefer a simple thank you. Thank you.
In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Not much new personally...the french freaks are still rioting, but since both the french and international media seem to have decided that it doesn't fit their agenda, it's unlikely you'll hear about it unless you look.
11/9/5
Steven den Beste is writing again here. In the past his thoughts have been very insightful and prescient. Check it out and judge for yourself.
If you don't mind politically incorrect humor, check out these t-shirt ideas from Protein Wisdom. My favorite...from the comments...Please tell your tits to stop staring at me.
11/6/5
I can't even make fun of the French, the situation there is so bad. Since the mainstream media is trying their best to avoid reporting on the riots you'll have to find the news yourself. I could provide links, but I think I've done enough of that in the past for you to figure out where to look. I fear for their nation, not to mention the rest of the European continent. It's happening in Denmark too, but they appear to have some testicular fortitude. Remember that when you vote. One direction takes us down the path toward the type of government that allows this crap to happen and the other tries to avoid giving people something for nothing.
Hard to talk about the Huskies game today it was that pathetic...so I won't. It's a sad state of affairs and next week's opponent beat UCLA 52-14 today.
11/4/5
I guess there is a positive aspect to the lame protests yesterday...the protesters help the homeless with their self-esteem. Shamelessly stolen from a commenter on LGF.
11/1/5
I found my glasses. I guess they didn't help the cat's vision because apparently it ran into the dumpster and bent them up pretty good. Actually, they looked like they got ran over when they came to empty the dumpster today. A couple of scratches on the lenses and after a bit of time figuring out where they were bent and bending them back, they're usable. It sure beats having to wear shades on a cloudy day like today was.
Yes, it's cooling off, finally. Rained a little today and I discovered that I still have work to do on my modified windshield wipers. The heater in the bug works too, although I don't quite need it yet.
A pretty cool story about a guy from my neck of the woods...sort of.
10/31/5
A Muslim feminist? I hope she/they can pull it off.
Although there have certainly been some pitfalls, it's interesting to read about the birth of a democracy.
Just one of those days...one thing I needed to do at work was print and sign a file I filled out over the weekend and stored on my memory stick. I remember standing next to the counter with it in my hands, deciding which pocket to put it in and as I discovered later at work, I decided neither.
For about the fourth day in a row, granted, one of those was a Cypriot holiday I forgot about, my landlord's office was closed in the afternoon. I've got the money...let me pay it.
A cat stole my glasses. Later at work I went out to put a box in the trash. The Seahawks sent me a nice computer case. I reached over the edge and apparently scared the shit out of a cat that was in there. It came flying out and scared the same out of me. Scratched my arm a little bit too. I started walking away and realized that I didn't have my glasses on anymore. I had just been in my car opening the box and cleaning some other trash and my glasses do sometime fall off when I'm looking down so I went back and looked around. Then I though maybe they flew off when I quickly turned my head away from the flying cat. No dice. I'm nearsighted, so I got Jeff to come help me look just in case, but no luck, although he did find what looked to be the working insides of a toilet, which he needed and took. The scratches started looking like mosquito bites while I was looking and since I'd never been scratched by a Cypriot cat, I went to the clinic where they pronounced me overly concerned. They swelled up a little more but as I type they look pretty normal. So, now I have to drive home with no glasses and it's probably going to be dark by the time I get there. I made it, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, except now I'll be wearing sunglasses until my new glasses get here. Like I said, one of those days.
Yeah, it sucks getting old. Woke up one day last week on the couch, not all that uncommon an occurrence since I like a little noise when I sleep, and could hardly get up off of it. Not long after I got the cast off my ankle, I started working out again and hurt my back doing military presses. It would fade in and out, never totally feeling good for probably a year. It's been gone for a few months and I thought it was gone for good, but no, it's been a few days now and not any better. I'm fine in my recliner, but otherwise...ouch. I'll have to talk with Steve about that physical therapist/chiropractor he uses.
Damn, Huskies lost again...down 24-20 early in the 4th, I think and driving the ball pretty well, they ended up with a 4th and 1 on about their own 43. Sims had rushed for close to his final total of 140 yds. on the day and I was silently screaming go for it. It's not like they really had much to lose. They chose to punt. This wasn't really a bad decision either, as Douglas, the punter, has been one of the few bright spots on the team this season, but 4th and 1 conversions are great for confidence and momentum. Anyway, he muffed the punt, I think got 21 yds. net and ASU proceeded to pull away.
10/29/5
I always wondered why vacations to Thailand were so popular. Great makeup artists. Have a safe trip guys. Sorry, can't stop laughing.
The Huskies are playing ASU this afternoon...evening to me, with, to me, a definite chance to win. Go Dawgs. Time to search the web for ramen!
Let's see...Iran and Syria are slowly digging their own graves...I'm wondering why there was an investigation at all if one of the charges wasn't treason, or whatever it's technically known as when an individual outs a covert agent...and I'm disappointed in Britain. Not for the Prime Minister's welcome words, but because their "pot 'o noodles", at least the flavor I tried, was pretty lame. It's similar to a cup of noodles and I think I was probably expecting too much. I guess I was spoiled by the ramen in Korea. My girlfriend once bought a case of the stuff and I think I lived on it for however long it lasted. It was the kind you boil in a pot, not the plastic cup variety and she always added an egg to it. The best part was the seasoning packet. There were actually two but one was some sort of cracker that I always crumbled up. I should have asked Tony what brand to buy before he left.
10/28/5
What Michelle Malkin says at the end of this perfectly describes why I get a little disgusted at times.
10/27/5
Again, I have to admit, this likely wouldn't have happened at my high school, but it's still pretty damn cool.
10/25/5
I have to admit I agree with Greyhawk's opinion.
10/24/5
One of the nicest guys I've ever met is leaving here soon. Yeah, he's a pain in the butt because he's always talking me into going out and doing things I don't particularly feel like doing, but that's what's cool about him, his energy and zest for life. It's kind of contagious. What other kind of guy could make Monopoly fun, introduce brisket into your life, show you that tortillas are meant to be fried, not get mad when you help him leave empty beer cans all over his house, not point out your own thinning hair when you comment on his, actually admit that it's his system that is broken, not puke on my floor, do cartwheels while playing paintball, although I didn't actually see that and most importantly, probably smile if he ever reads this? That and he has a hot girlfriend.
cheers Tony, we'll meet again...
10/23/5
I was just going through my HS annuals and was slightly saddened to read in the comments that the main reason Mike was sad to see me leave was that he couldn't copy my papers anymore and Tom didn't want me to get taller. Most just wished me good luck with my new girlfriend, which I had for a few months. Tom got his wish. I'm still in touch with Teresa, although I have been somewhat of a stranger and Eric, for two of the smarter kids in our class, we sure had some bad handwriting. One reason I'm glad for the computer age.
One of the more entertaining descriptions of global warming I've read.
A punctuation mark on the end of an era? A lot of my family's heritage comes from those who moved to the NW to cut down trees and I'm sure it's a larger part of others' lives. Sad to see it end, but maybe it's time. It will be a tough transition and hopefully Weyerhauser will give them some time and/or training to bridge the gap. It's likely just an effort by upper management to maintain their grossly excessive salaries and I don't think that they'll be so generous, but I can dream.
Does this really surprise you? Some people need charity and welfare payments, some are accustomed to it and others steal it...perhaps I didn't read it closely enough, but did it mention anywhere in the article that a job search was underway? Entirely prejudicial supposition on my part and not of the racial variety, but it doesn't surprise me.
Michael Yon's published this time...good for him.
Huskies' game against SC was another strange one. The outcome was expected, but they got off to another schizophrenic start. They return the opening kickoff 92 yards, a major surprise, settled for a field goal and lost the guy who made the return to a broken leg. Considering their secondary was shredded partially due to using a former fullback recruit at cornerback and the result was 51-24...it's hard to take solace in that, but I do. Kind of makes me wonder about the guy who recently quit because they needed him more at cornerback than running back.
Nothing like a few babes to get me to post a link to an article...there are more in the links contained within the article, which, seriously, are the important part.
10/21/5
Pretty interesting article on QB's and their evolution.
10/20/5
I wish I had written this.
10/19/5
Some things make you smile...after the tears.
Dammit, I need to quit buying clothes with any red coloring...pink underwear again and I can't for the life of me figure out which is the offending article. Should just switch to boxers...
Sail on, sail on sailor...referencing the article below that mentions my Uncle, Tom, and what has to be a bummer in his life. He's always been a pleasant enigma in my life, living in a school bus and mining turquoise near Why, Arizona...there's a reason it's called Why, living for a summer in said bus in our driveway in Napavine, learning how to sail a boat in the Ozarks, I think, and finally settling on life as a self-described vagabond sailor in the Gulf of Mexico. Rock on dude, you're never far from my thoughts.
Empty Nest
By Valerie Lovett
News Herald Writer 747-5078 / vlovett@pcnh.com
PANAMA CITY
They are having a hard time letting go, these crusty old sailors and tough-talking barmaids. The Hawk's Nest Grille & Spirits Restaurant's doors closed more than a month ago, yet night after night they are there, by the handful and sometimes the dozen, still sitting on the back deck, drinking, smoking and enjoying the view as many of them have for years. For a few weeks, a sign out front said the restaurant would reopen, and it comes as a disappointment, but not a surprise, that it is not going to happen.
"There's no other place in Panama City that has this view," said Rick Shumaker, a longtime patron of the bar. "All the restaurants on the water are getting closed one by one."
The Hawk's Nest will be demolished, arising anew as Hawk's Tower, a 12-story condominium.
The town is changing, said Tom Stevens, who worked on and off in various capacities at the establishment for more than a dozen years.
"I'm disappointed, but it's inevitable. I'm just a vagabond sailor. Years ago, I went to Destin. When it got built up, I came over here. I guess I'll just have to find another place," Stevens said.
When that may become necessary is not clear, but it could be soon.
Developer and restaurant owner Steve Sobrado said he and his partners intend to submit materials seeking a development order for the condominium some time this week.
He said he had hoped to keep the restaurant open longer, but it had never been "able to handle its own mortgage" and was losing money.
"One of the biggest heartaches in my career was having no choice but to close," Sobrado said. "The Hawk will rise again, by way of the towers."
But the restaurant will not because of height and density limitations on the property, Sobrado said.
"We'd wanted to go to 15 stories so we could build a new Hawk's Nest restaurant down below," he said. "But the city has made it abundantly clear to developers that they don't care what we want."
Beyond the new condo, however, Sobrado said he's working toward "assembling contiguous properties" in an effort to create "a city within a city" replete with various residential and retail development.
He said he has put together $300 million of investors' money toward that end.
"I'm proposing to bring a community of people that do spend money into that and the surrounding area, clean up the area and make it pedestrian friendly," Sobrado said.
He said he hopes to partner with adjacent property owner John Darrah, a former chairman of the Panama City Downtown Improvement Board, in determining the direction of the development. Darrah said he's looking at development options for his property, comprised of four parcels bordering the restaurant. "I'm very interested in continuing to have some part in helping the downtown area grow," Darrah said. He said he would like to build a combination of small office spaces with residential above, for a likely total of about eight condominium or townhouse units. Sobrado said he plans to keep the 12 boat slips outside the Hawk's Nest public. Stevens and his friends do not take much solace in that knowledge. "I worked here for eight years," said Gloria Meal, who said she now tends bar at another downtown establishment. "I love this place." Stevens swept his arm out, gesturing along Beach Drive and eliciting nods from the others as he recited rumors that condo plans are in the works for all along the road. "This is ridiculous," Meal said. "Look at the beach, it's just a big ol' wall of condos."
Kind of an interesting contrast
in how people view their early years. Then again, I could just enjoy
writing something sensible for a change.
10/18/5
Interesting football weekend, some great college games and decent pro games. I got an email from my cousin Chuck...I really had to fight not to call him Chuckie, that he enjoyed the tickets and the Seahawks' victory over the Texans. Neither of us could remember the last time we saw one another and I hope to remedy that the next time I'm home. I've heard he's taller, but I'll bet I'm rounder and hopefully won't be by the time I see him again.The news from the team, and the true story is still in a state of flux, isn't good. Safety Ken Hamlin is in the hospital after being beaten to the point of having a fractured skull, a nasty blood clot near his brain and a fractured hand, which lends some credence to the stories that he's not completely a victim. Who knows?
Fantasy football was one of the more interesting things of the weekend, which tells you something about how boring my life is sometimes. After Sunday's games, a team called TEXASS, a name I'll leave to your own interpretation, and I, were tied at 105, a respectable score even after a full weekend. I had a running back playing on Monday night and he had a receiver, a defense and a defensive. back Thank you Edgerrin James for a brilliant performance. He got 25 pts and I won by one pt.
Denise is having fun in Alaska. Her house is pretty cool looking, but the elk in WA are bad enough. Moose? She claims those are moose tracks, but even though she's a beautifully petite woman...those feet...I just don't know. She was just too good of a rock climber.
10/16/5
Finally...rain! Even though it ruined a load of laundry that was drying before I caught it, I'm glad the cooler weather is finally here.
I'm not sure if it's a parallel or not but an interesting description of life in Antarctica and while I won't admit anything, I've heard stories about similar things when living in tents and the heat of the UAE. It's his Oct. 15th post so scroll down as needed.
Well, the Huskies sure stunk it up against the Ducks, almost painful to watch via the dawgman.com chatroom, but that was mainly because, screw it not worth mentioning...but this is. Now that the elections have taken place with relatively little violence, let me know when you hear something positive from a major media source, aside from crowing if the Iraqis rejected the constitution, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's a new democracy...
10/15/5
And I thought I had a nice sound system...I can hardly wait for the loud bass parts...you know the vibration-causers...
Several worse options for our next President come to mind...I do need to know more about her domestic policy, but as a Secretary of State, she's kicking ass.
Knowing the way the military works, I'm certain there was a lot of preparation before the President spoke with the troops the other day. Click on both of the links on this page and tell me which type of preparation you prefer.
Good luck to Iraqis today, whatever they decide...scroll down until you see one of the more beautiful things in the world...a purple finger.
10/13/5
As if you didn't already know, the more I read, the more I like this guy.
For what it's worth, you'll either get it or continue down your merry path.
10/12/5
Went to taco night last night. I'd say good food, because I know it was, but I didn't eat any. It was one of those affairs where your invited and at first it's cool, then you realize that everybody and their brother's showing up. Fun, but way more people than I enjoy being around. I did see some cool photos that Scott's parents had of their trip to Alaska, driving up the highway. His dad said that he found some machine that could convert slides into digital images..look into that dad. I want to see if that tour guide from Butchart gardens was really as hot as I thought she was at the age of 5 or 6.
10/10/5
Whoa ho ho, it's my dick, you know, never believe it's not so. Ever heard that song...neither have I but it was playing when I got home. Except I think they meant magic.
I was sucking at pool this evening, and I mean even to the point where Anthony and Tony could beat me...well maybe, they're pretty bad, when I heard one of the funnier lines I've ever heard. I told them I was done sucking at pool and was done for the evening but one of my opponents quite loudly stated that he enjoyed sucking and of course I took this in the wrong way. Meaning I laughed out loud!
And, last but not least, I must thank the inventor of the internet.
Great balls of fire! You have to read the article...kind of funny and I hope it works. Hat tip to Rantburg, where's sure to be a lot of witty comments shortly.
Aside from the fact that I don't think New Orleans should be re-engineered, here's another example, among many not linked to, of why I'm very concerned about strict oversight of any federal funding headed that way. Lately a lot of blogs have been conducting what's turned out, so far, to be a fruitless campaign to get pork from the budget converted to hurricane relief funds. Pork, if you're not familiar, is delicious and guaranteed to offend members of the religion of peace, but is also a term used to reflect the funding that goes back to local congressional districts to assist in the re-election of congressman. If I donate a large enough sum, I get some pork back over the electee's term. I've yet to see an example of pork being converted and in fact haven't even seen a reply to a letter that isn't a feeble political attempt to ignore the letter. It's pretty sad. And yet, some things are even more despicable.
If you ever get the impression that I'm rabidly conservative, check this place out. Sometimes he's right, sometimes funny, and sometimes hilariously over the top, but little escapes his attention. It's also R+-rated.
The headline grabs your attention, an all too often repeated one, but to me the lack of integration into the societies into which they immigrate is the larger problem. Granted, there is discrimination that does make it difficult, but an effort needs to be made on both parties' parts.
Are the lights coming on in China?
Seahawks won, finally, against the Rams and lead the division. Huskies had a bye week, but won, according to some fans, because the Coogs lost, and would have had a larger margin of victory had the Ducks lived up to their putrid looking uniforms. My fantasy team is still in limbo, but fortunately I was playing the idiot who drafted practically the entire Packer team. Normally, fortunately is the correct word, but this week, the Pack beat New Orleans 52-3 or something like that. Just my luck, especially since my team was suffering from injuries and both of my better QB's having bye weeks.
I was watching a show about "pole shift" the other day and no, it's not about sliding your package from one leg to the other, but rather the north and south pole reversing. They were showing measurements of the magnetic field with orange being north and blue south, or vice versa. What's apparently happening, and apparently we're overdue, is that instead of two hemispheres of equal color, there are holes, or spots, of both colors infiltrating the other side, and growing larger. I don't know enough to say that this is or isn't a normal phenomenon, but it brought a thought to mind with all the recent seismic activity.. Has anyone tried to correlate the two? Pole shift has been a theory for quite awhile, with some trying to use it to explain why Alaska has oil and other predicting that instead of the pole(magnetic) shifting, that it's actually the axis of rotation that shifts. The latter scares me, the former makes me curious. Who knows?
10/8/5
Not sure if my dad has seen this webpage, but check it out if you haven't. More history about families in Lewis County, than I've ever read, most of it straight from family members. I've only read part one so far.
Anthony made brisket last night, pretty close to Tony's recipe, and although I teased him about making this page if it was a disaster, it was pretty damn good. I also met Scott's parents, who seem like they've enjoyed themselves so far, his mom especially the pelicans. At first I thought Scott said pellet guns...oh well. Tony and Anna were over as well and Tony tried some card tricks. He did alright once he switched to a plain deck from the one with photos of naked women. Something to do with the texture...I'm still stuck with residual funk in my fridge and under the sink. Baking soda is slowly improving the fridge, but I'll likely have to wince a few more days with the sink.
10/7/5
Tony, Anna and Anthony came over last night, well, night before last in truth, ostensibly to show Anna the basics of scuba diving in the pool at my place, but in reality to drink the case of beer I lost to Tony over the Redskin/Seahawks football game. I cleaned up the remnants when I got home from work today. The did practice scuba and since Anna looks great in a bikini, even in a mask and scuba tank, I didn't hesitate from watching. Even though my pinball machine has a weak flipper, she and Tony spent quite a bit of time playing it. It could be that Anthony and I are boring. I think the worst part about the night was this morning when attempting to return the sunglasses Anna left. They're pretty girly looking and quite a few times I had to explain that they were hers, although I didn't object too strenuously when it was suggested that they were Tony's. Even my boss had to tell him he didn't have the figure to pull it off.
The smell's mostly gone from the rotten potatoes, but I had to buy a new garbage can because I couldn't get the stench out of the old one. I know they told me who they were before, but it's still kind of cool getting thank you cards from people I don't recognize immediately for the Seahawks' tickets.
I guess I am boring.
10/5/5
I hope my neighbors don't mind...trust me on that one. I've finally got my turntable adjusted, I think, properly and have begun recording my LPs to my hard drive. It's kind of a pain, maybe for my neighbors, because I really have to crank the volume to get the required output level to my computer. I don't mind. It's fun to watch those speakers bounce, and, as I've said many times before, few things can approach this system as far as aural quality. I just sat here amazed at "My Old School" by Steely Dan...fantastic stuff. I should shut up now.
More photos...the river crossing. It's kind of hard to imagine how much this little section of the river has and hasn't changed over the past 40 years or so. Another one of my favorite sections...near where Sepp Creek enters the Chehalis. There use to be more of a rocky shore along most of the river, great place to find some nice agates, but I'm guessing that the past few years of mild weather and lack of flooding have let the grass and brush maintain a foothold. It's fun to note the changes. A freshly harvested cornfield and a typical Washington fall sky. That's about it for photos, a couple of Seattle that look boring, and I didn't take my camera to the football games. I should have taken some shots of the schools of salmon I could see from the window of my room at the Edgewater. That was pretty cool. I saw several more schools from the various piers I wandered around. There's nothing better than NW seafood. I could die a happy, and extremely rotund, man eating buckets of clams and dungeness crab for the rest of my life. I did enjoy both the Seahawk victories. It's also interesting to watch the kid who has the seat next to me grow up...also the cute young blonde girl a couple of rows down. It sometimes makes a difference when they win. Oh well, time to go hang the laundry.
10/4/5
What I did on my summer vacation...celebrated my brother's spirit to start with. Warning, large photos if you click on a link. Well, I got there and once I recovered from the worst case of jet lag I've ever suffered was pleasantly surprised to find my brother home and being pleasantly pampered(how gay does that sound?) by his girlfriend. Since I could tell he was going to be ok in the short term, I decided to try to pursue what was my plan for this trip back home, getting my teeth fixed. No dice, the place I had been corresponding with couldn't fit me in so I tried a place in Portland. Turned out they weren't equipped to do the surgery required. Did some shopping and left the power supply for my laptop at the hotel I stayed at. I didn't realize this until far after the fact and in an effort to regain internet connectivity, took an innocuous statement by my grandmother about maybe she should try this internet stuff to give myself an excuse to by a laptop computer for her. It was completely selfish because I couldn't find a power supply for mine and needed one for the weekend, but grandma's online...email her at erosaliecabe@yahoo.com and tell her she's the sweetest woman on earth...a far cry from her arrogant grandson. She took to the solitaire game fairly quickly, but still complains about needing help to check her email. I think she could do it just fine if she'd try. So, on my way back from Portland I checked out the Mt. St. Helens monument...a beautiful place. Here's a shot of from one of the many stops on the way up to the mountain. Another view..and another of the Toutle valley. I love nature and enjoy the processes that occur due to environmental evolution and this is a great place to see it take place. Then, I finally figured out how to stop my camera from taking bracketing shots and took more pictures. Bracketing means that the camera automatically takes 3 photos at slightly different settings so I can pick which is best. It ended up not making a difference because the photo editing software can fix any mistakes.
Here's a photo of the place I saw salmon last year. Didn't see any this time, but it's still a lovely stream. There are a lot of trees about to fall across the river.
Coyote dung...I thought it was bear because it looked like berries, but my brother said coyotes eat them too. They're also a lot more prevalent. A shot back down the river, including my trusty(not) rental car. It's not the car's fault. On the way back from Seattle I stopped to have lunch and when I finished eating, discovered that I had a flat tire. I searched for the jack to no avail, although I did find the spare tire and since there was no owner's manual in the vehicle I soon found myself at wit's end. I called the 800 number on the rental agreement and fortunately got a very patient young lady who told me where she thought the owner's manual would be. Unfortunately, I was a ways away at the nearest pay phone and couldn't verify it quickly. She didn't have any experience with Trailblazers and couldn't tell me much other than that she thought everything should be under the back seat. I told her I'd check, but also asked her to send someone out in case they weren't there. I didn't want to go through the whole process of explaining things again because it did take awhile. Things were where she thought they'd be and by the time the towing company showed up I had figured out how to lower the spare tire. No way in hell would I have ever figured out how to do it without the manual. It was tough enough with it. Put this end of the jack handle through this hole at approximately this angle and find the little square piece that will, when turned counterclockwise, lower the spare. The spare wasn't balanced, but it was a rental, so I drove on.
As much as I like beaver, they're still sometimes a pain in the butt. The previous photo is the beginning of a dam. I think I have one later that shows it a little more complete. A view from the back...I thought I saw them working a few time, but it was hard to judge when basing it on large bubble that came to the surface of the water when they breathed.
My first view of the soon to be famous "huntin' shack". Based on my brother and nephew's previous efforts at building forts I expected something far more ramshackle, but I was impressed with this place. Nice racks too! More racks, not the type I'm usually impressed with, but impressive nonetheless. They built the place with chainsaws but used green wood so the planks that make the walls shrunk as they dried and they're in the process of covering the holes. If they ever fix the generator they have power. Wood stove, place to sit and and BS about the ones that got away...and one of the lofts, useful, provided either Brian or my brother can get up there with one arm or hand...they built it, I'm sure they'll find a way. The obligatory dartboard...and the other loft. Taking a break, I'll finish the photos later.
No shit! I have no sympathy at all for these bastards. Get rid of them. Let them pollute their own places of residence with their foul ideas and quit sucking money from productive societies.
Damn, I may have to find a new favorite city...although the non-armpit shaving liberal freaks have never been one of my attractions to the place.
Hmmm...almost sounds like the conservatives are more upset than the Bush-haters over his recent nominee for the Supreme Court. Could be fun to watch.
craigslist(best of) has been updated again. Again the caveat...it's a little racy and you'll have to look hard to find one that won't offend someone so be forewarned.
Is anyone else sick of the Hollywood fantasy alternative president scenarios? There's a reason the movie industry is suffering lately and one of them is me. When will the dumbasses that make movies rerealise that their minds are not what I enjoy watching? At the very least they could present something credible as an alternative, and I don't mean bending over and taking one for fantasy global warming. It's kind of like Mt. St. Helens, you know? Nature happens, and she's often a bitch.
Ever seen a Pork Tornado? They're funny, if you have a sarcastic bent at all. This particular one reminds me of my recent travels, but the archives are even better.
10/3/5
At the risk of sounding like a broken record...
Sorry, my perverted part is coming out...the funniest sig line I've seen in awhile...the first six inches were consensual...I can dream, although if I'd answer all these stupid emails I get I could probably have three times that, and still rarely get laid. That's what I get for hanging around college football message boards...or, that's what you get.
Hard to believe what they call adsl internet service over here. The hotels I stayed at in the US and UK had real connections. Even though it's quicker than dialup, it's still damn slow.
Never let a bag of potatoes sit for a long time under your sink. I've scrubbed it three times already and the stench is still there. They really weren't there all that long, a couple of weeks before I left, so maybe a month. Nasty! Fortunately all the meat was vacuum packed so it could have been worse.
I'll get around to posting some pics eventually...it's usually the best way to recall the trip anyway.
Well, I'm back in Cyprus for better or worse. I got home Saturday afternoon and my worst fears were realized when I flipped the light switch on. I had my electric bill with me for my trip to the states and they shut my power off. I moved across the street to the 4 seasons for the weekend. Nice place! Went into work today and got my ID card renewed and cashed a check so I could pay my rent...and electric bill. The worst thing about it was today after I got my power turned back on...cleaning the rotten meat out of the fridge and freezer. Quite a bit of money gone...several packs of Italian sausage and bratwurst, tri-tips, tenderloin, rib-eyes, a few racks of baby backs...oh well, the place is superficially clean now.
Good and bad football weekend...Huskies played well but lost to UCLA. I like the direction the team is moving in though...lost a case of beer to Tony because the Redskins beat the Seahawks in OT. Yuck, my hands smell like rotten food...better finish cleaning and shower.
9/30/5
An interview with my brother...sorry, not really, about any copyright violations.
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Friday, September 30, 2005 Farmer loses hand, but not life after night in cornfield By Sharyn L. Decker sdecker@chronline.com
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I didn't know Tony and Bryan put an album out...things must have gone to hell since I left Cyprus.
We have a new Chief Justice. I use the word "we" loosely. I hope my fellow Washingtonians will take note of their senator's votes. Sen. Murray surprised me, but perhaps she's more politically astute than I give her credit for...Cantwell's been a moonbat from the start...look at her company!
Well, it's almost 9/30 over here. Mariners are playing early...(why do I still watch them?) so I think I'll stay up late and completely screw up my biological clock. No photos of the football games, but I'll post some others when I get back to Cyprus. I think I've discovered the quality I admire so much in some British women. Plain beauty, you know, the kind that you know that when you wake up the next morning, should you be so lucky, you'll still be smiling. There is a lot of pretense over here, but some women, while not raving beauties, just look great in a natural sort of way. There's also the opposite...people that look like they haven't bathed in days...they don't smell, just look that way...not caring. Oh well, I'll enjoy the young women and ignore the greasy kid stuff whether it's acquired or applied.