Monday, August 01, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Scuzzbucket of the Week
Billy Joe Madden of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
This useless waste of oxygen drunk son of a b got so drunk while driving from Hattiesburg to Dallas that he passed out and somehow his 8 year old child was driving the pickup truck.
from msnbc.com:
State police said they received a call shortly after 6:30 a.m. Saturday about a green Chevrolet pickup truck driving erratically on the interstate in Livingston Parish. The caller told police that a child appeared to be the driver of the pickup.
Troopers stopped the vehicle, and they said a boy was driving the truck while his father, Billy Joe Madden, 28, of Hattiesburg, Miss., slept in the passenger seat.
Police said that Madden's 4-year-old daughter was riding in the backseat.
After interviewing Madden, troopers said they determined that he was intoxicated and fell asleep while his son drove from Hattiesburg en route toward Dallas.
Both children were turned over to Child Protective Services and are awaiting the arrival of a family member. There were no injuries to the children. Madden was arrested and booked into the Livingston Parish Jail on two counts of Child Desertion, Parent Allowing a Minor to Drive, Open Container, two counts of No Child Restraint and No Seatbelt. Madden’s bond is set at $1,474.00.
Where the hell is the other parent of these children?
Ch-ch-ch-Changes
I woke up today feeling very vulnerable and sad. I really can't pin down the reason for being blue. I guess it has a lot to do with what's going on in my life right now. All the thoughts and repressed emotions have bubbled up and today was the day that they reached the surface of my consciousness.
Don't take this wrong, I'm not writing a "woe is me" post, just airing out these things to try to put them in perspective.
One of the oldest issues I've been carrying around is my impending loss of employment. It's not the losing the job that bothers me as much as losing touch with people I've literally grown up with:
We will soon scatter to different parts of the country, perhaps never to meet again. Social media will help some of us keep connected, which makes it a little easier.
Actually I'm excited about my future. I have absolutley no idea what I'll end up doing and that doesn't really bother me. I've done the corporate things for more than half my life and I am over it!
My beautiful, sweet 23 year old daughter left for her last semester of school today. That makes me melancholy . While I truly enjoy my alone time, I cherish the time that she and I get to spend together. She has grown up smart and strong and I am extremely proud of her.
She will be graduating in December at a Chef/Nutritionist. She and I spend so much time talking about food, exploring grocery stores, creating recipes and eating. I miss her presence.
My husband's 86 year old mother passed away last week and the services were on July 30th. I believe the catalyst for my sadness was the memorial services. While she led a fruitful and long life, I was saddened to see her family suffering emotionally, especially her 90+ year old sisters.
Life is full of changes and we get through them any way we can. We become stronger by surviving the not so good changes. Experience is a fantastic teacher. The good changes in life also mold our character as we go through life. We experienced a good change a few weeks ago when we adopted a puppy. A huge, excitable puppy.
His name is Deuce and he is five months old. 55 pounds. He's part Lab, part Chesepeake Bay Retriever. He drove me to frustrated tears today. See, Deuce had a little sore on his leg so he had to have a the E-cone put over his head. The cone is falling apart because Deuce is such a goofball so he runs into things. I was trying to tape the cone together this morning and it was impossible to do by myself and I lost it. I am not a dog person. While Deuce is extremely smart, he's still just a puppy and I don't know where to start in calming him down. He's fine right now while I'm sitting on the sofa typing. But the minute I get up he starts wagging his tail and wants to jump. Someone tell me WHAT is a way to get a puppy's attention? It's driving me mad! He will sit on command (for a second), but his puppyness makes him have a very, very short attention span.
So yeah, life is full of changes and I'm happy to embrace them. I guess we just have to take some days off and process all the changes and regroup our emotions so we can get through life. That's what I'm doing today and that's why I posted this, it helped! Thanks.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Scuzzbucket of the Week
Jessica Lewis of New Orleans was arrested for abusing her one year old child at the happiest place on earth.
According to this story Mz Lewis Lewis, of New Orleans, La., struck the child "in the abdomen/stomach area with a closed fist, causing the child to bend over, clutch his stomach, and cry from the strike," an arresting deputy wrote.
"In addition," an arrest report states, "the child victim was also kicked by (Lewis) when the child did not walk properly to (Lewis') demands."
The report states that Lewis struck the child "in public and in the presence of several witnesses."
Lewis was arrested on a charge of child abuse.
Lewis was jailed in Orange County with bail set at $2,000, and has since been released.
She could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
Read more: http://www.wdsu.com/news/28646552/detail.html#ixzz1T44IR05x
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Scuzzbuckets of Bossier City
The Gardens of Southgate filed the suit this month against Timothy and Jodi Burr, who have lived in the subdivision since 2006. The Burrs placed a large multicolored banner with a picture of their 20-year-old son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Corey Burr, and the phrase "Our son defends our freedom" in January after Corey Burr was deployed to Afghanistan.
Jodi Burr says her family will fight the suit and do not intend to remove the sign.
An attorney representing the association, declined to comment.
The Burrs contend signs supporting a school or team are visible throughout the neighborhood.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
A beautiful artistic rebirth
Unless you enjoy traveling to Gulport/Biloxi and beyond away from I-10, you've never had the pleasure of crossing St. Louis Bay. It's a peaceful ride and quite scenic. An added bonus is that the bridge now has a pedestrian walkway on the eastbound side, complete with artwork done by local artists cast in bronze.
We walked the four mile trek to discover the outdoor art gallery that is located upon the bridge and it was a very enjoyable walk overlooking the Bay. I found it exhilirating to witness the artwork first-hand on a sunny day.
A local sculptor was chosen to create three-dimension plaques using the selected artwork and
using bronze recovered from the destroyed Bay bridge. In addition to the physical link restored by
the bridge, the artwork reflects a symbolic link connecting the past to the present.
Speaking of links, I have provided a link to the best site I could find to give the viewer more insight into each individual artist.
Here are the plaques:
(click on pictures for larger versions)
Artist: Marty Wilson, from Gulfport
Artist: Donna Lynne Riviere
Artist: Robert Waldrop
Artist: Henry Stiller Jr.
Artist: Laura Pecoul
Artist: Patricia Rigney
Artist: Shea Marie Nicosia
Artist: Elizabeth Schafer
Artist: Anita Gallagher
Artist: Vicki Niolet
Artist: Jorge Lovato
Artist: Henry Stiller Jr.
Artist: Julie Mello
Artist: Yuki Northington
Artist: Terry Blake Edwards
Artist: Yuki Northington
Artist: Henry Stiller Jr.
Artist: Terry Blake Edwards
Artist: Lea de Vaux Saucier
Artist: Tazewell Morton
Artist: Henry Stiller Jr.
Artist: Henry Stiller Jr.
Artist: Joan Coleman
Artist: Robert Waldrop
This photo of the bridge reminds one of the resiliance of the people of the Gulf Coast and her beauty
Monday, July 11, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Farewell, Space Shuttle
After 30 years the Space Shuttle Program has ended. I have been lucky enough to be part of this program since 1982, working at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans East. The huge External Fuel Tank (ET) was manufactured here. The ET was the only component of the Shuttle Transportation System that was not reusable.
Last July the employees at Michoud attended the rollout of the last Tank. This is the same tank that was used for the final Shuttle Launch on July 8, 2011. (It is a strange coincedence that the rollout ceremony was July 8, 2010.) In true New Orleans fashion, a second line was held to escort the Tank onto the barge that would transport it to KSC (Kennedy Space Center). Here's a video of the event.
As I write this and watch the video I feel a lump in my throat. The experience of working at Michoud has been very, very special. I don't know about other companies, but working at MAF we employees feel like family. I've known some people for the "almost 30 years" I've worked there. We have grown old together, celebrated each others life milestones: marriage, children, divorce, death, grandchildren, retirement, Katrina (more than 50% of the MAF workforce lost everything from the storm),the Saints as Superbowl Champs and the BP Oilspill (the blowout preventer is still at MAF, under investigation). The number of employees at MAF has decreased to a few hundred from an all time high of about 2,500 in the heyday of the Shuttle Program. Several employees have set up webpages with archived photos of our work and play while at MAF. There is a facebook page for former employees to keep in touch. The end of the Shuttle program means so much more than jobs lost.
At MAF we employees would gather around the closed circuit televisions across the facility and watch each launch that took place during work hours. We knew each milestone in the ascent, marvelling every time the capcom would report on the speed of the bird. We knew that our Tank must work flawlessly for eight minutes before it was jettisoned off the orbiter. And the Tank worked every time! Each employee, no matter what their job was, took pride in our work.
We felt much pain in the losses of Challenger and Columbia. I still cannot look at photographs or videos of those two events. Our technical and production crews worked around the clock after those incidents to make things right. And they did. Space exploration has never been and will never be a flawless endeavour. It is an inherently dangerous science.
We will not cry because it is over, we will rejoice because it happened and we had a part in it!
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Space Shuttle History
This website is a "must bookmark" for any Shuttle enthusiast.
Sheriff Joe is still at it
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SHERIFF JOE IS AT IT AGAIN!
You all remember Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona , who painted the jail cells pink and made the inmates wear pink prison garb. Well............
SHERIFF JOE IS AT IT AGAIN!
Oh, there's MUCH more to know about Sheriff Joe!
Maricopa County was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on
stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the County Supervisors said okay.
The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is
taken out and walked twice daily. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give great classes for anyone who'd like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows.
The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million. Teresa and I adopted a Weimaraner from a Maricopa County
shelter two years ago. He was neutered, and current on all shots, in great health, and even had a microchip inserted the day we got him. Cost us $78.
The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day. Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals..
I have long wondered when the rest of the country would take a look at the way he runs the jail system, and copy some of his ideas. He has a huge farm, donated to the county years ago, where inmates can work, and they grow most of their own fresh vegetables and food, doing all the work and harvesting by hand.
He has a pretty good sized hog farm, which provides meat, and
fertilizer. It fertilizes the Christmas tree nursery, where prisoners work, and you can buy a living Christmas tree for $6 - $8 for the Holidays, and plant it later... We have six trees in our yard from the Prison.
Yup, he was reelected last year with 83% of the vote.
Now he's in trouble with the ACLU again. He painted all his buses and vehicles with a mural, that has a special hotline phone number painted on it, where you can call and report suspected illegal aliens. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement wasn't doing enough in his eyes, so he had 40 deputies trained specifically for enforcing
immigration laws, started up his hotline, and bought 4 new buses just for hauling folks back to the border. He's kind of a 'Git-R Dun' kind of
Sheriff.
TO THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO
HE IS THE MARICOPA ARIZONA COUNTY SHERIFF
AND HE KEEPS GETTING ELECTED OVER AND OVER
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY:
Sheriff Joe Arpaio (In Arizona ) who created the ' Tent City Jail':
He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.
He stopped smoking and porno magazines in the jails. Took away their weights Cut off all but 'G' movies.
He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work on county and city projects.
Then He Started Chain Gangs For Women So He Wouldn't Get Sued For Discrimination.
He took away cable TV Until he found out there was A Federal Court Order that Required Cable TV For Jails So He Hooked Up The Cable TV Again Only Let In The Disney Channel And The Weather Channel.
When asked why the weather channel He Replied, So They Will Know How Hot It's Gonna Be While They Are Working ON My Chain Gangs.
He Cut Off Coffee Since It Has Zero Nutritional Value.
When the inmates complained, he told them, 'This Isn't The Ritz/Carlton......If You Don't Like It, Don't Come Back.'
More On The Arizona Sheriff:
With Temperatures Being Even Hotter Than Usual In Phoenix (116
Degrees Just Set A New Record), the Associated Press Reports:
About 2,000 Inmates Living In A Barbed-Wire-Surrounded Tent Encampment At The Maricopa County Jail Have Been Given Permission To Strip Down To Their Government-Issued Pink Boxer Shorts.
On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing boxers were either curled up on their bunk beds or chatted in the tents, which reached
138 Degrees Inside The Week Before.
Many Were Also Swathed In Wet, Pink Towels As Sweat Collected On Their Chests And Dripped Down To Their PINK SOCKS.
'It Feels Like We Are In A Furnace,' Said James Zanzot, An Inmate
Who Has Lived In The TENTS for 1 year. 'It's Inhumane.'
Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic. He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates:
'It's 120 Degrees In Iraq And Our Soldiers Are Living In Tents Too, And They Have To Wear Full Battle Gear, But They Didn't
Commit Any Crimes, So Shut Your Mouths!'
Way To Go, Sheriff!
Maybe if all prisons were like this one there would be a lot
less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to
go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for
themselves.
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