Bernini, Botticelli, & Bellini !!!!
I'm back!!!

Considering I had some kind of inner ear problem & was dizzy for a good portion of the trip, I had a fantastic time in Italy.

I'll have a detailed trip report this weekend, but there was little "relaxing" and of course I had to jump back into work, while still suffering from my vertigo.

Anyone who has taken and enjoyed at least one art history class has got to go to Italy. Eat a sack lunch everyday. Eat Rammen noodles, day old bread, darn your old clothes, save-Save-SAVE!

Wonder how much longer I can keep my 9 year old car running cost effectively?

Speaking of... I've got to get a smog check today, so I'd better jump in the shower & get going.

Chinquapin
(specials all week: Cappuccinos before noon(none of this non-fat/soy mess), Bellinis & Spritzes in the early evening, and (sp?)Chocolato(Hot Chocolate)
nightcaps.

More Of "The Best Of The Nut House"
Going on vacation, booked months ago. I wonder how my mom, sister & I will answer the question, "How did your government let "that" happen in NOLA?" I have no answers, I have a million questions.

Thursday, 29 July 2004
The Road Is Long...
Mood: lyrical
Now Playing: Herbie Hancock "Driftin' "
Reading Dr.Cat's "Housecalls" got me thinking about community. Her professor's saying "Ah, a small town, people will never let you alone, but they will never let you down." really struck home.

In the past 3 years, I've lived in a megalopolis of over 11 million, a good-sized city of over 1 million, and a small city of just under 20,000 people. No matter where I've lived, the amount of "community" I've enjoyed depended almost entirely on me.

Did I introduce myself to the neighbors? Did I share with my neighbors? Did I look out for my neighbors?

Now, I'm either an outgoing introvert, or a shy extrovert. I always feel I fall short in cultivating community, but I'm working on it.

I'm realizing that's what life is...always striving to do better, or at least doing the best you can each day. I use to think, one day, I'd just be where I wanted to be. Now it looks like "the journey's the thing".

So, Thursday night, The Nut House is having "Brother's Keeper" night. Sisters, cousins, the whole family is welcome. Tom & his brother John Collins are the specials and The Hollies are 1st up on the Jukebox.

Designated drivers, soft & virgin drinks on the house.

Chinquapin
(the password is... Blue highways)

Guess Who's Gonna Get Money Rebuilding NOLA?
You'll never guess...

And check out this article, especially the date.

[In her written invitation to Bush to take a pelican eye view of the fragile, disappearing coastal wetlands, Blanco asks them to "please consider the far greater costs of not addressing the catastrophic coastal land loss occurring in Louisiana, land loss that puts our nation's energy security and economic future at risk." Makes sense. And that's not even mentioning the breeding grounds that support much of the nation's domestic seafood industry.

Coincidentally, the tug match between the White House and Louisiana was occurring during a scientific conference in which new elevation numbers were being rolled out to help emergency planners, builders and scientists accommodate the steadily sinking coast. A May National Geodetic Study showed coastal areas were sinking as much as 20 inches in a decade. The loss may or may not continue at that rate as scientists debate the causes.

Until Bush's intervention, the congressional delegation was sounding relatively confident about the state's chances. It was a fight that served as a unifying point, despite some occasional one-upmanship, between U.S. Sens. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, and David Vitter, a freshman Republican. During a recent editorial board meeting with The Times, U.S. Rep. Jim McCrery had no cautionary notes about the bill as he also mentioned federal assistance for wind turbine technology that affects local manufacturer BeairdCo.]

Chinquapin

Talk about Missing A Sensitivity Chip...
Are we supposed to be comforted by loss of Trent Lott's home and his ability(think the bank will give him a hard time)to rebuild a bigger, better one?

I used to think GWB was selfish, but I honestly now think he's missing the ability to empathize. Isn't that some sort of pathology, like a sociopath?

Hey George, why don't you fly into NOLA with some juicy, roasted & dressed turkey dinners, like you did in Iraq? Oh, I hear that the area isn't safe enough for the POTUS.

We'll see if he makes it to "Ground Zero". Maybe Mississippi will be a safer photo-op. Biloxi is devastated, but the human suffering is no where near the situation further west.

Chinquapin

Here's the Link
Oops, forgot to back up my statements.

Cuts in funding for levee/flood control system.

Chinquapin
____________________________
Oops-oops, I made that statement as a comment on Sass's blog.

Happy September- 2 more months of Hurricane season
The following is my response to Nessa's(Vanessa Lea) post today:

The (local-LA) media isn't helping. If I was a news producer, I would make my reporters refer to the "taking of school buses to drive bus loads of refugees out of the city" as "Commandeering" & not "Stealing".

And have you noticed how GWB always hedges his commitment of Federal dollars with "our fair share"? Is he all of a sudden on a budget? Oh ya, he was on a budget after the Tsunami hit too.

Maybe this horrible disaster will cause the media to break their silence about this administration. The reporters on-site are starting to sound really pissed.

OMG!!!!! Some official said that the Feds just heard about the people stranded in N.O. today...WTF!!!! This is on NBC right now on the west coast(7:10pm PDT, 9/1/05).

OK, got to go watch Perry Mason in B&W to lower my blood pressure.

Chinquapin(time to "commandeer" tobacco farms to grow something beneficial to humanity- but the farmers get the profits of course.)
_____________________________________________________________________________
OK, now the conspiracy freaks(I don't trust the Gov, but this is nuts) are blaming Katrina on "Weather Machines" that the Russians may have. Gee, who was responsible for Andrew? Camille? I guess the Russians took out all those Boy Scouts & Leaders with lightning.

Where Have I Been?
It's been really HOT, and I don't have central air. Maybe I should do like the Europeans(or GWB)and just take off the entire month of August.

OK, now what are we going to do about the Gulf Coast? Don't those people deserve an emergency session of congress? The stories of many of the survivors are heartbreaking.

Where is the "Homeland Security" plan? Is this the best we can do with 2-3 days notice that a devastating event will take out a heavily populated area of the U.S.? Does anyone still think we can "manage" another major terrorist attack?

I wish The Nut House could donate all our non-alcoholic supplies, but cyber-goods won't help. Although we have not been asked, it's time for all to make a sacrifice and go without something in order to help our neighbors, our fellow citizens.

Chinquapin

Just Say No... To Tobacco
And let the farmers grow hemp.

Check out the American Lung Association site.

Chinquapin

R.I.P.
Bill Moss, Peter Jennings, Jeffery Crawley.


Chnquapin

Open Season On Brown People? Let's Hope Not.
Another case of "Shoot first and ask questions later". I'd better tell my mom to stay out of the sun this summer, she's going to Europe in the fall and she's already as brown as a Brazilian.

Chinquapin