The NEXT George Bush

George Prescott Bush, son of Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

(He's almost as handsome as John F Kennedy, Jr before his untimely death.)

Why Didn't Brookie Get One of These?

More Boardwalk Photos

Could This Be Any Cuter?

Brooke Turns 24 at Walt Disney World Resort

Dwain & Lucy at Tupperware Dog Show

Disney's Boardwalk Inn Here We Come!

Tomorrow or today, depending upon when you read this, is Brooke's 24th birthday! Yes, 24 years ago a most unusual little girl came into this world in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. September 23, 1981 the natal date. "Happy Birthday Mr. Hood, Happy Birthday to you. To make your birthday come out swell, we give this present tooooooo youuuuuu."

So to honor my firstborn's arrival into this world, Brooke and I are spending the weekend at Disney's Boardwalk Inn. It's a deluxe resort, the lap of luxury. It's just outside EPCOT. The best part is that we have a dining plan and we can sample of the best restaurants on property.

The men will be attending a dog show with Lucy at Tupperware. Technically, it's an ASPCA fundraiser. Dwain will be bathing dogs, some grooming. Cory is supposed to be in charge of showing-off Lucy. They've planned her tricks, but whether or not she'll perform with all the other dogs around is left to be seen.

I think Brooke and I have the best end of that stick. Here's some photos of the resort. I'll share my own pics when we return.

Elevation

All this talk about Hurricane Rita and New Orleans and sea levels piqued my curiosity. Here's what I found:

Saint Cloud, FL Elevation: 82 ft
Orlando, FL Elevation: 112 ft
Weleetka, OK Elevation: 719 ft

Cory, Dwain and Brooke

More Surfing

Excellent all-in-one guide to better use of your web-time.
Just The Facts...keep scrolling.

All things New Orleans.
The Times-Picayune

My Favorite Word

Portable Gadgets

Digital Gallery of the New York Public Library

Recipe*zaar

Cowardice, Expediency, Vanity and Conscience

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King:

"On some positions,

Cowardice asks the question, "Is it safe?"

Expediency asks the question, "Is it politic?"

And Vanity comes along and asks the question,"Is it popular?"

But Conscience asks the question "Is it right?"

And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe,

nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because

Conscience tells him it is right."

Will Rogers

LA Times feature article by Martha Groves.
Roping a Legacy

Don't Know Which

I could be a "computer potato" or just a dork, but I sat here last night and looked at Google Earth for HOURS. Being able to see all the places that others have pinpointed is so very handy. It was well after midnight, but before one o'clock before I finally packed it in. (I knew I wasn't going to work, so I'd be sleeping-in. I have to work on Saturday instead.)

As I've told everyone dozens of times, if there had been an Internet in the '70's, I'd have never left home. No college, no marriage, no children, and no job (or at the very least a job I didn't have to leave home for.)

Since I don't travel much, I guess the Internet is my version of traveling. Can't you just go anywhere? The huge repository of information at your virtual fingertips never fails to amaze and amuse me. Sometimes I wonder if the ease with which we can summon these facts, figures, images, etc, makes me less likely to remember any of it? I am smarter or dumber for having spent hours here? Is the Internet really different than the past when I'd have spent hours with a book of my choice?

Several New Years ago, my resolution was to go back to reading, (books, that is.) I was working in a retail environment and the time. It lasted for a couple of months, with maybe a book a week read. Then I gravitated back to my online newspapers, my Internet news portals, my blogs, my images. I think I'm addressing two different topics simultaneously here, but you get my gist.

More Things You Can See From Space

(Courtesy of Google Maps)

Walt Disney World EPCOT

A blog devoted to posting Google Maps images worldwide
Google Globe Trotting

Airborne Digital Imagery

NOAA imagery of Katrina damage in NOLA, Mississippi and Alabama. Taken from airplanes not satellites. Hurricane Katrina Base Map Index Page

Not Really A Game, A Wish

Remember playing the “Dinner Guest” game? We played at work the other day. Pretend you can have six people at your dinner party. You are not counted as one of the six. You may invite three deceased persons and three living persons, for your total of seven, counting yourself. There were a couple of guests that came easily, but I’ve been thinking about the entire gathering today.

I guess sitting at my table, I’d invite Jesus Christ, because I have so many questions to ask him. I’d invite my Aunt Neva, because I’d like to have one last meal with her. I’d ask for George Gershwin, because I’d like him to play “Rhapsody in Blue” for me.

Of the presently living guests, I’d ask for President George W Bush and my parents, Billy and Patty. Frankly, I’d like to do a list of about twenty guests, because six is just not enough to do justice to the exercise.

Mozart, Smozart! I Wanna SLEEP!

In Remembrance of September 11th

Yes, Scotland Again

Town Square, Melrose, Scotland. Borrowed from musicmuse ca on Flickr

Color

This is a link to an interesting page with the funny and correct answers to "The Weakest Link" questions. "An old pre-war popular children's playground chant was 'Hark the Herald Angels sing, Mrs Simpson's pinched our.. ' what? ........ Toast. (King)"

Science?

Ophelia Computer Models???

Cuppycake Revisited

I'd forgotten about this sweet song. Brookie and I think Cuppycake is adorable.

Leadership

I woke up this morning thinking about leadership.

Being a leader isn't getting along or going along.

Being a leader isn't checking the polls to see which way the

wind of opinion is blowing today.

Leadership isn't a popularity contest.

Being a leader doesn't make you popular,

not with your own people in your own time.

"But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour,

save in his own country, and in his own house."

A leader is not a prophet and a president is not our Savior.

But you surely if the majority of the people don't like you

and want to see you come to a bad end,

you must be doing something right.

Being a leader is doing what is right.

Max Mayfield Saw It Coming

Here's an excellent article about Katrina's unpredictable, catastrophic history. Just the facts, ma'am. Marc Caputo

Time To End the Blame Game

You won't be seeing or hearing this commentary on the alphabet networks or CNN. FoxNews might pick it up, but it's too logical to reach emotional listeners. Why Is A Hurricane George Bush's Fault? John Carlson is more articulate than most. No screaming, no drama, just logic. (Don't miss the last three graphs.) I've sent my kudos.

Brookie's VW Jetta

Brooke said to tell Grandpa that it's a 2004 Jetta with 17,000 miles. She got it for $2000 under the asking price. She took me for a ride and it's a solid little car. 24 mpg city/35mpg highway, so they said. Brooke is pleased it has AC, she's been suffering since the AC in the Nissan went out months ago.

Conked-Out/Correction

Brooke has had it with her old Nissan. Yes, it has served her well, as it helped her limp through college. Now, finally, with another repair looming on the horizon (an alternator or such) she's decided it's time to put the old girl out to pasture. A shiny, almost new Jetta (NOT a Passat--example of my sieve-like memory) has caught her eye and she's headed-over to show it to the family. I'll post a picture shortly. I'm so glad she'll have a good reliable car. When she broke-down on the way home from her school last night, I could tell there were changes in the wind. More to come on that subject. For now, I'm making chili and being told to Shhhh because OU is playing. (The men got the college package for Dish Network and seem to be in Sooner heaven.)

Groaner

OK. Do you know the difference between an oral thermometer and a rectal thermometer? (Wait for it...)

The taste.
(You may groan now.)

Lucy Watching Television

Long Before She Roared

I took this photo of one of the feeder-bands in St Cloud of Katrina as it passed over south Florida. This was just as the sun was rising over my neighbor's house. Little did we know what Katrina would come to mean to so many.

Precious

My blog is quickly becoming a photo blog, isn't it? The 24/7 television news coverage of the ravaged gulf states is heartbreaking. Katrina and the resulting floods will be remembered and related for years to come. I came upon this universal picture of new life on a photoblog. (Sorry, I didn't keep track of where I got the photo, I visited too many tonight.) But, to me, it represents what is good in all of us, what God intended.

For Danielle

Cory in his scrubs. Posted by request of Cory for our Danielle.