Big Easy in Big Trouble

I have been to New Orleans many times. Plenty of times for work, my job used to be in marine transportation. And of course many times for play. I have been to Mardi Gras a few times, even rode with the Krewe of Sparta once. Great times, good food and perhaps a few too many cocktails. I love the city, mostly the Garden District , Jackson Square and the French Quarter. Bourbon Street is kind of a tourist mess but there are some great places and streets in the Quarter. Pelican Club is my favorite place to eat. I also like Red Fish Grill , Court of Two Sisters and Mothers for breakfast. I also always grab a beignets and some chickory coffee, usually at Cafe Du Monde unless it is packed by annoying tourist like me. I have been known to drink way too much at night on ocassion. Pat O's at the piano bar is fun,.. but touristy. The French Quarter smells bad in the morning and looks even worse,.. but I love that town. Tonight, as Katrina gets prepared to roll into town, I am worried that the French Quarter will never be the same. So I guess I will go tip one back and say a prayer and remember all the good times I have had in New Orleans and hope all goes well. The place has been open for 400 years, it will go on.

Enough of Cindy Sheehan already

She lost her son in Iraq. I do feel her pain and recognize her loss. Casey is the HERO, and he gave the ultimate sacrifice. She has met with the President already. Why does she need a second meeting? Why is she being used as a puppet of the left? Where was her anti military stance when her son joined the army 5 years ago? Why is her other son telling her to come home?

I come from a military family. Father in the Navy and three brothers that served in the Army. I am very sensitive to issues of military families. Due to a sports related injury to my shoulder, I was unfit for military service(for all you{if any readers out there} who would question why I didn't serve). What pisses me off is when people VOLUNTEER for the military, take the paycheck, then when called to duty become a pacifist. Why didn't Cindy counsel her son 5 years ago when he joined? Her actions hurt troup morale and ultimately are a detriment to their safety. For God's sake stop grandstanding and being taken advantage of by the lefties out there.

My empathy for Cindy has past, but the standing of her son Casey as a hero will remain forever.

vacation

I have been back to work for 3 weeks and already have a week of vacation. Going to the beach with my family. 11 adults(8 parents 3 grandparents) 12 children. I have a 13 hour car(ok,.. a minivan) ride tomorrow with 2 small children. I am starting my binge drinking now.

Dirty Mexico

Spent some time in Old Mexico with work. Cuidad Juarez. What a fucking dump. Garbage everywhere. Every open lot was full of trash, garbage all over the roadsides it was a mess. The place looked like a war zone. Destroyed buildings, roads falling apart and kind of stinky. Anyway, when I crossed back over to El Paso, it was like entering heaven. Great infastructure, clean, but the people still don't speak english. Over all Detroit rates ahead of Juarez, with a suprising gap between the two. However the women in Juarez were much better looking than the ones in Detroit. Love the Latina women! Well 3 weeks of work and my brain is slowly developing again. Now a week of vacation. 13 hours in the car with the kids. I will either be suicidal or drunk,.. perhaps both.