Army Staff Sgt. Paul S. Pabla, 23, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; assigned to the Army National Guard's 139th Field Artillery, Kempton, Ind.; died on July 3 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire during combat operations.
“Shining Star Recalled”
Hundreds attend funeral for funny, generous soldier
HUNTINGTON – Pausing several times, once to reach for a tissue, Aaron Lamport said he’s felt a lot of emotions, including anger, over the recent death of his friend Staff Sgt. Paul S. Pabla.
He’s questioned why it was his childhood friend had to die. And he’s questioned why it had to happen eight days before Pabla, 23, was to come home on leave.
But he’s learning to cope, he said Saturday during the funeral service for the Fort Wayne resident.
“I can’t blame God, though, because if I were him I’d want Paul all to myself, too,” he said, choking back tears. “That’s how I felt every time I knew I was going to see Paul. He was the guy you always wanted to be with.”
Lamport was one of several who spoke to about 900 people at the Huntington North High School auditorium, recalling the soldier who could make anyone laugh.
Outside the school, seven members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., protesting at the funeral had competition Saturday morning from about 100 other residents who were protesting the group’s presence.
Two people were arrested during the demonstration that lasted about 45 minutes.
A member of the Indiana National Guard and a 2000 Huntington North graduate, Pabla was killed by sniper fire July 3 while on patrol in the northern Iraq city of Mosul. He was a member of the Kempton-based 139th Field Artillery but was deployed in Iraq with the 150th Field Artillery from Bloomington.
First deployed to Iraq in August, Pabla had volunteered for the deployment and helped train police officers, military officials said. Before deployment, Pabla had worked in security at the Indiana Air National Guard’s 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne.
Gov. Mitch Daniels and Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, Army adjutant general of Indiana, presented Pabla’s family with the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
Though not fond of his duty to attend military funerals in the state, Daniels said it’s his most important task.
“These are the days a parent hopes will never come,” he said. “Friends pray for that. Families pray for that. Generals pray for that and governors learn to pray for that as well.”
Describing Pabla as a dedicated soldier who put the safety of others before his own, Army commanders who knew him said he had been marked as a shining star among guardsmen. Pabla was 22 when he was promoted to staff sergeant, a rank some soldiers 10 years his senior still hope to attain, said Lt. Col. Kevin Extine, a commander in the 150th Field Artillery Battalion.
“I remember him, I shook his hand,” Umbarger said. “He had that look that said ‘I’m trained, I’m ready.’?”
But his time serving in the National Guard is only one part of what Pabla’s family members and friends say they’ll remember about him.
Reading a statement from family members, Rev. Roger Vezeau said the man they called “Paul boy,” was an expert at Ace Ventura impressions, had a knack for doing the moonwalk and the robot.
He was as generous as he was funny, the statement said, and gave some of his earnings from the Army to Iraqi police for their training and bought toys for Iraqi children.
These are things that Lamport remembers, too. “If he knew you needed $1, he’d give you $20,” Lamport said. “If the only way to see you was to drive for hours, he’d do it.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
What I'm Watching #23
Good, God! N-n-n-n-no, no, no, no, no--YES! More Vicar of Dibley! This latest DVD contains three episodes and an outtakes compilation. The first episode deals with gay bishops and features a cameo with the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, The Rt. Rev. Rowan Williams. A must see for all Dibley fans!
What do you get when you cross a turkey with an octopus? To discover the answer get the DVD!
What do you get when you cross a turkey with an octopus? To discover the answer get the DVD!
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
War On Terrorism Facts #1
I have been acutely involved in this little "war" for years now. I do not think that it is legitimate in that I do not think that the dots connect between cause...effect....benefit.....profit. Therefore I present this fact to you without any other bias. Blue states, red states, purple states: blood in the presence of oxygen is red and thus depleted becomes purple to blue. Colors are images, not facts. Facts allow you to draw your own conclusions.
TOP 20 HOMETOWNS OF SOLDIER KILLED IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM
Houston, TX ~ 27
Los Angeles, CA - 26
San Antonio, TX ~ 23
Brooklyn, NY ~ 14
Phoenix, AZ - 13
Baltimore, MD ~ 12
Las Vagas, NV ~ 12
Fort Worth, TX ~ 12
San Diego, CA ~ 11
Tampa, FL ~ 11
Philadelphia, PA ~ 10
Tucson, AZ ~ 9
Miami, FL ~ 9
Columbus, OH ~ 9
Jacksonville, FL ~ 8
New York City, NY ~ 8
Fayetteville, NC ~ 8
Portland, OR ~ 8
Austin, TX ~ 8
El Paso, TX ~ 8
TOP 20 HOMETOWNS OF SOLDIER KILLED IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM
Houston, TX ~ 27
Los Angeles, CA - 26
San Antonio, TX ~ 23
Brooklyn, NY ~ 14
Phoenix, AZ - 13
Baltimore, MD ~ 12
Las Vagas, NV ~ 12
Fort Worth, TX ~ 12
San Diego, CA ~ 11
Tampa, FL ~ 11
Philadelphia, PA ~ 10
Tucson, AZ ~ 9
Miami, FL ~ 9
Columbus, OH ~ 9
Jacksonville, FL ~ 8
New York City, NY ~ 8
Fayetteville, NC ~ 8
Portland, OR ~ 8
Austin, TX ~ 8
El Paso, TX ~ 8
Friday, July 14, 2006
Election Alert!
I know, usually when you see a photo of a young man or woman in uniform, I'm sharing their heroism as martyrs to our freedom. But happily, NOT this time.
This is Patrick Murphy. He is, among so many other things, a veteran of the Iraq conflict. And he is running as a democrate to unseat the Republican Representative to the US House from the 8th district of Pennsylvania. A relative once described that state's political views to me as "Pittsburgh and Philadelpia with Alabama in between." Well, Patrick pushes north and west away from Philly into "Bamavania" and he's in the lead.
Go to his website. Watch his video. Send him a buck or two.
http://www.murphy06.com/
More Red to Blue predictions to come.
This is Patrick Murphy. He is, among so many other things, a veteran of the Iraq conflict. And he is running as a democrate to unseat the Republican Representative to the US House from the 8th district of Pennsylvania. A relative once described that state's political views to me as "Pittsburgh and Philadelpia with Alabama in between." Well, Patrick pushes north and west away from Philly into "Bamavania" and he's in the lead.
Go to his website. Watch his video. Send him a buck or two.
http://www.murphy06.com/
More Red to Blue predictions to come.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
I Am Disturbed By This
Tonight, after returning from a quick trip to Philadelphia, I happened to entertain a volunteer from the Human Rights Campaign Fund. She knocked on my door. She was a slight and perky young woman. She had been directed to my door by her coordinator after an incident at a home a couple of blocks over. No doubt the rainbow flag and HRCF stickers on my car and truck, suggested that I would be a sympathetic stranger -- a safe haven.
Seems that after she knocked on the door of a home nearby; presented her introduction, she was dismissed by some elderly woman with SPIT lobbed upon her face! She then proceeded to sit upon the curb and cry....
I know people hate. I know people fear. I know people justify their actions based upon their theology. It might be a leap, but such a leap is aligned with the lionshare of my experience when it comes to such acts of discrimination.
My theology is centered around sacrifice, grace, forgiveness, and love. Like any theology, it's pie in sky thinking. That's the nature of faith -- it's not about what is, but what could be. For most believers in this world (Muslim, Jew, Christian) that means how to force others into their molds or out of their spheres; but for me, it means, how to open doors so that others are free to belong: i. e. diversity and community.
And so my heart is thinking about these questions tonight: How do we create a society without losers or winners? How do we live in a world where everyone has an EQUAL shot at self-actualization?
Seems that after she knocked on the door of a home nearby; presented her introduction, she was dismissed by some elderly woman with SPIT lobbed upon her face! She then proceeded to sit upon the curb and cry....
I know people hate. I know people fear. I know people justify their actions based upon their theology. It might be a leap, but such a leap is aligned with the lionshare of my experience when it comes to such acts of discrimination.
My theology is centered around sacrifice, grace, forgiveness, and love. Like any theology, it's pie in sky thinking. That's the nature of faith -- it's not about what is, but what could be. For most believers in this world (Muslim, Jew, Christian) that means how to force others into their molds or out of their spheres; but for me, it means, how to open doors so that others are free to belong: i. e. diversity and community.
And so my heart is thinking about these questions tonight: How do we create a society without losers or winners? How do we live in a world where everyone has an EQUAL shot at self-actualization?
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
A Walk In The Park, #3
I regret that these were posted in reverse order.... blogging is not like webbing.
This is one of the many moments that make Sligo Creek so magical -- the reflection of the sky in the water through the foliage with bolders.
This is one of the many moments that make Sligo Creek so magical -- the reflection of the sky in the water through the foliage with bolders.
A Walk In The Park, #2
Here an ancient, double-trunked, white oak took the spill in the storm and it's root ripped up the guard rail and a portion of the edge of the road.
A Walk In The Park, #1
Over a week after the storm, many stretches of the Sligo Creek Parkway remain closed. I wondered why, when the ones that I walk seem relatively okay. And then I met this scene on Sunday morning. With no readily availble cause, seven days after the storm, the top of an old beech tree came down upon the roadway. Ouch.
What I'm Watching #22
"Cachorro" is really a delightful film. It's takes its share of predictable and unusual turns. Three points stand out.
1) The Bearish sex is blatant -- there are no sublties about it.
2) The lead character is a man. He struggles with what life has dealt him, but he does not play dead easily, and he never gives up.
3) The kid is wonderfully understated by an large, but he has a spirit that will affirm your hope in the future!
One caveat, the dialogue is so fast, that reading sub-titles was distracting.....
1) The Bearish sex is blatant -- there are no sublties about it.
2) The lead character is a man. He struggles with what life has dealt him, but he does not play dead easily, and he never gives up.
3) The kid is wonderfully understated by an large, but he has a spirit that will affirm your hope in the future!
One caveat, the dialogue is so fast, that reading sub-titles was distracting.....
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Felicitações Portugal!
Okay, I know, Germany won... But hey Portugal has way cuter players! Case in point, Nuno Gomes, the young man on the left in the photo and in the inset who scored the only goal for team Portugal in the match. On his right is perenniel team portugal favorite Luis Figo, who I think I heard is retiring after this match. Shame, wish he could have moved into the next phase of life on a win.
Humble Little Bumble
Came home from work on Thursday and found this little bumble bee just resting on the downward facing petal of one of my asiatic lilies. I watched him for awhile and could not tell if he was drowsy on a warm and muggy summer's afternoon, or just stupor drunk on pollin. What would a bee imagine in a moment like this, if a bee could imagine?
THE BEE is not afraid of me,
I know the butterfly;
The pretty people in the woods
Receive me cordially.
The brooks laugh louder when I come,
The breezes madder play.
Wherefore, mine eyes, thy silver mists?
Wherefore, O summer’s day?
~ Emily Dickinson, 1830-1886
THE BEE is not afraid of me,
I know the butterfly;
The pretty people in the woods
Receive me cordially.
The brooks laugh louder when I come,
The breezes madder play.
Wherefore, mine eyes, thy silver mists?
Wherefore, O summer’s day?
~ Emily Dickinson, 1830-1886
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Our Latest American Hero #27
Army Sgt. Jason J. Buzzard, 31, of Ukiah, Calif.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died June 21 of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HEMTT cargo truck during combat operations in Baghdad.
“Army Sgt. Jason J. Buzzard, 31, Ukiah; Killed in Truck Explosion in Baghdad”
As always, Michele Buzzard ended her last conversation with her husband, Army Sgt. Jason J. Buzzard, by telling him to remain safe, to come home alive and, of course, that she loved him.
"He would never say, 'Good-bye'; he would say, 'Later,' " she said, recalling the talk, conducted via instant Internet messaging on Father's Day.
Buzzard, a 31-year-old father of two young children, was killed three days later, on June 21, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his cargo truck in Baghdad.
He was born in the Northern California town of Willits and grew up in Ukiah. The Ukiah Daily Journal reported that he was the first soldier from Mendocino County to die in the Iraq war. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.
"He was commanding a convoy of four vehicles," his wife said in a telephone interview. "He took most of the force."
Michele and Jason Buzzard were high school sweethearts, she from the coastal town of Fort Bragg and he from the county seat of Ukiah. He graduated from Ukiah High School in 1993, where he played tuba in the band. He enlisted in the Army in 1998. "He wanted to defend his country," his wife said. "He liked getting away from Mendocino County. We were in Colorado for five years. He went to Korea for a year. We were stationed at Ft. Hood."
Buzzard left for Iraq two days after Thanksgiving last year, and came home on leave in May. "He explained he had a lot of close calls," his wife said. "He promised he would do everything [he could] to come home alive."
During his visit home in May, Buzzard watched his son, Tristin, 9, play catcher in three baseball games, and his daughter, Michala, 12, play outfield in a softball game. "He really enjoyed watching the kids," his wife said. "He was a proud dad."
Buzzard had a competitive streak of his own, enjoying bowling and other games with his family and friends. He loved to fish with his father, Jerry, go pheasant hunting and dive for abalone off the Northern California coast. He also was proud of his prowess at the barbecue.
"He was a fun-loving, great husband and dad," his wife said. "He was everything to me."
He also helped train Iraqis. He was convinced that the U.S. mission was proper, his wife said, saying the country needed "to finish what they started. He thought they were doing a lot more good over there than what people see."
“Army Sgt. Jason J. Buzzard, 31, Ukiah; Killed in Truck Explosion in Baghdad”
As always, Michele Buzzard ended her last conversation with her husband, Army Sgt. Jason J. Buzzard, by telling him to remain safe, to come home alive and, of course, that she loved him.
"He would never say, 'Good-bye'; he would say, 'Later,' " she said, recalling the talk, conducted via instant Internet messaging on Father's Day.
Buzzard, a 31-year-old father of two young children, was killed three days later, on June 21, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his cargo truck in Baghdad.
He was born in the Northern California town of Willits and grew up in Ukiah. The Ukiah Daily Journal reported that he was the first soldier from Mendocino County to die in the Iraq war. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.
"He was commanding a convoy of four vehicles," his wife said in a telephone interview. "He took most of the force."
Michele and Jason Buzzard were high school sweethearts, she from the coastal town of Fort Bragg and he from the county seat of Ukiah. He graduated from Ukiah High School in 1993, where he played tuba in the band. He enlisted in the Army in 1998. "He wanted to defend his country," his wife said. "He liked getting away from Mendocino County. We were in Colorado for five years. He went to Korea for a year. We were stationed at Ft. Hood."
Buzzard left for Iraq two days after Thanksgiving last year, and came home on leave in May. "He explained he had a lot of close calls," his wife said. "He promised he would do everything [he could] to come home alive."
During his visit home in May, Buzzard watched his son, Tristin, 9, play catcher in three baseball games, and his daughter, Michala, 12, play outfield in a softball game. "He really enjoyed watching the kids," his wife said. "He was a proud dad."
Buzzard had a competitive streak of his own, enjoying bowling and other games with his family and friends. He loved to fish with his father, Jerry, go pheasant hunting and dive for abalone off the Northern California coast. He also was proud of his prowess at the barbecue.
"He was a fun-loving, great husband and dad," his wife said. "He was everything to me."
He also helped train Iraqis. He was convinced that the U.S. mission was proper, his wife said, saying the country needed "to finish what they started. He thought they were doing a lot more good over there than what people see."
The Kiss Of Death
Clearly that's me! 'Cause every team I get excited about, looses it's next match! Sorry, Mexico, Ghana, Portugal..... either your bad or I'm a bad luck charm....
So it comes down to France v Italy? Well, here goes nothing, I'm backing Italy. Given my record, this will make my ex- happy, as he is a Francophile from crown to toe. Sorry, or should I say: "Chiedo scusa ai miei amici italiani."
So it comes down to France v Italy? Well, here goes nothing, I'm backing Italy. Given my record, this will make my ex- happy, as he is a Francophile from crown to toe. Sorry, or should I say: "Chiedo scusa ai miei amici italiani."
Something Wicked This Way Came!
Well, I didn't get out to any fireworks on the 4th. Instead the action came to me!
Around 5 PM a horrendous storm BLEW through. I had torrential rains, hail, and straight-line wind clocked at 50 mph sustained for over a minute at a burst. The results were flooded basement, lots of plant debris, and several large trees toppled into things like automobiles and power lines.
The electricity came back on about 2 AM, and at about 11:45 PM, unable to sleep without the ambient noise of my electrified abode, I took a drive around the area. It was amazing how widespread the power outages were. It actually made me feel a little better about my own dark state.
I have experienced 5 of the most powerful electrical storms in recent memory this year since mid-May. After living here for 12 years, the creek below my home has now flooded twice in that time frame, and the only other time that it has done this was last August. In order to accomplish this, it must increase its normal capacity by a magnitude of x 70! as it sits in a gully well below the streets that cross it or the trails that meander beside it.
Strange and amazing at the same time....we do live in interesting times.
Around 5 PM a horrendous storm BLEW through. I had torrential rains, hail, and straight-line wind clocked at 50 mph sustained for over a minute at a burst. The results were flooded basement, lots of plant debris, and several large trees toppled into things like automobiles and power lines.
The electricity came back on about 2 AM, and at about 11:45 PM, unable to sleep without the ambient noise of my electrified abode, I took a drive around the area. It was amazing how widespread the power outages were. It actually made me feel a little better about my own dark state.
I have experienced 5 of the most powerful electrical storms in recent memory this year since mid-May. After living here for 12 years, the creek below my home has now flooded twice in that time frame, and the only other time that it has done this was last August. In order to accomplish this, it must increase its normal capacity by a magnitude of x 70! as it sits in a gully well below the streets that cross it or the trails that meander beside it.
Strange and amazing at the same time....we do live in interesting times.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Nueur Galleirie Scores
Big time. And the price was only 137.5 million.....
Congrats and looking forward to my next visit.
Congrats and looking forward to my next visit.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Our Latest American Hero #26
Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca 23, of San Marcos, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died on or about June 16 from injuries sustained in the vicinity of Baghdad. He was previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown. His unit came under enemy small-arms fire while manning a checkpoint during combat operations and was taken by enemy forces. This incident is under investigation. Also killed were Spc. David J. Babineau and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker.
“Hundreds Turn Out for Arrival of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca”
BROWNSVILLE -- The body of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, arrived at the Brownsville airport Monday, June 27th in a solemn ceremony broken only by the sobs of his young widow.
Eighteen-year-old Christina Menchaca of Big Spring, Texas, received her husband’s body shortly after noon, surrounded by family, her little boy, and the Rev. Carlos Villarreal.
They watched as 11 members of the 101st Screaming Eagles Military Funeral Detachment team provided full honors as they carried the varnished brown coffin from a chartered Falcon jet to a waiting hearse.
The coffin was draped with an American flag.
"He was a young man who had dreams and hopes and they just vanished," U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz said after watching the arrival of Menchaca’s body with local officials who showed their respect at the Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport.
"He deserves a hero’s burial," Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, said.
While in Brownsville in the mid- to late 1990s, Menchaca attended Porter High School and Vela Middle School, which is no more than a mile north of the Brownsville Event Center – where his visitation will be held today.
For the last week, the flags — of the United States, Texas, and Mexico — that line Ruben M. Torres Boulevard have all flown at half-staff. They’ve been accompanied by banners and tickers reading "in honor of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca."
On Monday, when Menchaca’s body was returned to Brownsville, hundreds more flags appeared on the boulevard.
In addition to the police procession that accompanied Menchaca’s hearse, hundreds of Brownsville residents, some noticeably weeping, drove slowly to the city’s events center. From city officials to "Los Escondidos," a biker group, every member of the procession carried his own American flag.
"By coming here I am showing my respect," said Frank Garza, a former soldier. Even though he doesn’t know Menchaca’s family, Garza’s nephew, who is currently assigned to Border Patrol duty, will be driving in from Arizona for the funeral.
Like Garza, Adelaida Rey showed her support by waving a small flag from the side of the road. She brought her grandchildren along to share the experience.
"El estaba peleando por nuestro freedom, y por eso estamos aqui," she said. "He was fighting for our freedom and because of that we are here."
Although Rey speaks only Spanish, she carefully pronounces the word "freedom" in English. For the woman waving both Texas and American flags, it’s a word too important to be translated.
While the procession drove by, Rey’s grandchildren were as solemn as she was. "Es importante que lo vean," she said. "It’s important that they see this."
Under a blue sky with foreboding rain clouds on the horizon, stood Henry Valdez, sweating from the 90-plus degree humidity.
He stood far from the small crowds of people that dotted Paredes Line Road up to the event center, the motorcade’s final destination.
"I came to pay my respects," the former U.S. Marine said.
"So young, man. So young," he said with a sigh.
"So young."
Menchaca will be buried in uniform and with several medals: America’s Meritorious Service Medal, a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and a Prisoner of War medal.
"He earned them, he goes down with them," Ortiz said.
“Hundreds Turn Out for Arrival of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca”
BROWNSVILLE -- The body of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, arrived at the Brownsville airport Monday, June 27th in a solemn ceremony broken only by the sobs of his young widow.
Eighteen-year-old Christina Menchaca of Big Spring, Texas, received her husband’s body shortly after noon, surrounded by family, her little boy, and the Rev. Carlos Villarreal.
They watched as 11 members of the 101st Screaming Eagles Military Funeral Detachment team provided full honors as they carried the varnished brown coffin from a chartered Falcon jet to a waiting hearse.
The coffin was draped with an American flag.
"He was a young man who had dreams and hopes and they just vanished," U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz said after watching the arrival of Menchaca’s body with local officials who showed their respect at the Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport.
"He deserves a hero’s burial," Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, said.
While in Brownsville in the mid- to late 1990s, Menchaca attended Porter High School and Vela Middle School, which is no more than a mile north of the Brownsville Event Center – where his visitation will be held today.
For the last week, the flags — of the United States, Texas, and Mexico — that line Ruben M. Torres Boulevard have all flown at half-staff. They’ve been accompanied by banners and tickers reading "in honor of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca."
On Monday, when Menchaca’s body was returned to Brownsville, hundreds more flags appeared on the boulevard.
In addition to the police procession that accompanied Menchaca’s hearse, hundreds of Brownsville residents, some noticeably weeping, drove slowly to the city’s events center. From city officials to "Los Escondidos," a biker group, every member of the procession carried his own American flag.
"By coming here I am showing my respect," said Frank Garza, a former soldier. Even though he doesn’t know Menchaca’s family, Garza’s nephew, who is currently assigned to Border Patrol duty, will be driving in from Arizona for the funeral.
Like Garza, Adelaida Rey showed her support by waving a small flag from the side of the road. She brought her grandchildren along to share the experience.
"El estaba peleando por nuestro freedom, y por eso estamos aqui," she said. "He was fighting for our freedom and because of that we are here."
Although Rey speaks only Spanish, she carefully pronounces the word "freedom" in English. For the woman waving both Texas and American flags, it’s a word too important to be translated.
While the procession drove by, Rey’s grandchildren were as solemn as she was. "Es importante que lo vean," she said. "It’s important that they see this."
Under a blue sky with foreboding rain clouds on the horizon, stood Henry Valdez, sweating from the 90-plus degree humidity.
He stood far from the small crowds of people that dotted Paredes Line Road up to the event center, the motorcade’s final destination.
"I came to pay my respects," the former U.S. Marine said.
"So young, man. So young," he said with a sigh.
"So young."
Menchaca will be buried in uniform and with several medals: America’s Meritorious Service Medal, a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and a Prisoner of War medal.
"He earned them, he goes down with them," Ortiz said.
Vrroooom!
I saw this latest creation of Pixar's amazing animators on Sunday with my ex- and "our" grandmother, Miss M. Is it my imagination, or have we been watching trailers for it since early 2003!.... And with all that anticipation, I was even late to the show when it finally showed up.
But never mind that, in a world now saturated with Pixaresque digimation, it's no longer easy to create masterworks. Yet Pixar continues to find a way. It's just mind boggling. Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Toy Story....and others, they create masterworks of animation, characterization and story-telling.
Some advice though: Please! NO MORE false teeth gags (every trailer at the theater for some future digimation film included at least one....) And if you count Fred's bumper detaching whenever he got excited, so did Cars!
Also, are insects really THAT much fun to animate?
But overall, BRAVISSIMO!
But never mind that, in a world now saturated with Pixaresque digimation, it's no longer easy to create masterworks. Yet Pixar continues to find a way. It's just mind boggling. Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Toy Story....and others, they create masterworks of animation, characterization and story-telling.
Some advice though: Please! NO MORE false teeth gags (every trailer at the theater for some future digimation film included at least one....) And if you count Fred's bumper detaching whenever he got excited, so did Cars!
Also, are insects really THAT much fun to animate?
But overall, BRAVISSIMO!
Sunday, July 02, 2006
The World Cup Semi-Finals
Are set! It will be Germany facing off against Italy; and Portugal vs France. Powerhouses Brazil and Argentina were both packing the last round.
It's not the final four that I would have liked to have seen rise from the 16 finalists from the opening rounds, but it's not a surprise slate either. I have a habit in these sorts of things to root for the under-dog. It's why I was thrilled with Mexico and Ghana's early successes. So I'll through logic to the wind and my support behind Portugal.
Sorte boa a todos!
It's not the final four that I would have liked to have seen rise from the 16 finalists from the opening rounds, but it's not a surprise slate either. I have a habit in these sorts of things to root for the under-dog. It's why I was thrilled with Mexico and Ghana's early successes. So I'll through logic to the wind and my support behind Portugal.
Sorte boa a todos!
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Midnight Snack?
While researching an answer for a crossword puzzle, I happened upon this interesting little lost recipe.
"In 1968, Ladies Home Journal offered fearless eaters a recipe for a Siamese Sandwich, which combined peanut butter with mayonnaise, shrimp, raisins, apple, celery, onion, powdered ginger and lime or lemon rind."
Yum Yum! And I'm not even pregnant!
"In 1968, Ladies Home Journal offered fearless eaters a recipe for a Siamese Sandwich, which combined peanut butter with mayonnaise, shrimp, raisins, apple, celery, onion, powdered ginger and lime or lemon rind."
Yum Yum! And I'm not even pregnant!
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