AMERICA - The Right Way!! (Day 684) [Remember the Trade Center!!]

Various News Sources and FReepers | December 5, 2002 | All of Us

[Chairman_December_19th_Society]

We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail! [President Bush]

Good morning!! Do not let the victims of the attacks on New York and Washington, nor the brave members of our Nation's military who have given their lives to protect our freedom, die in vain!!

WINTER STORM #2 - UPDATE

...SNOW IS FALLING AT A MODERATE RATE ACROSS VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND

Overnight totals at the cottage are about 3", though this has not been measured yet. The current QPF says there is another 0.5 inches of precipitable water availble from 7 AM this morning through 3 AM tomorrow morning.

The event total estimate is now 8" for the area based on the QPF. That is still a 3-roll event. NWS forecasts call for as much as 10", if it appears that total will be met, then the designation will change to a 4-roller.

In the news:

Iraq has accused the weapons inspectors of being spies for the United States and Israel and has condemmed the inspection of one of the Presidential Palaces.

The United States will compare Iraq's weapons list, if they have one - Iraq is quoted in this morning's news as still saying they have no WMDs - against its own data, and is prepared to cite Iraq for a breach.

The United States is preparing to call up reserves in the event of a war with Iraq.

A US District Judge ruled that Jose Padilla, being held in the brig as an enemy combatant, does fall under the purvue of the Federal court system, insofar as to whether the Government made a correct determination of his status. [EDITORIAL NOTE: This is so bogus - it has got to be overturned!! It throws the whole ability of a Nation to capture the enemy out of whack!!]

And Strom Thurmond has turned 100 today.

For AMERICA - The Right Way, I remain yours in the Cause, the Chairman.

[Brad’s Gramma]

KAYAK ALERT! :-)

Kayak called me a couple of hours ago. She's safe and sound and warm and snug as a bug in a rug....in a hotel, that is.

Here's the skinny....there's NO power in her area, it went out about 10:30 last night. Her house, inside, was about 50 degrees. They had a high of 36 today. 1-1/2 million people are without power, and could be for a couple of weeks yet.

They DO have power in Charlotte, in their office, so they weren't stuck in the hotel for ALL the time. She said about 1/4 of a million are w/o power in Charlotte.

She said it was an ice storm, trees down all over, looks like a hurricane came through.

I THINK that's it! I was taking notes while she was talking and my students had just arrived so it was kinda noisy here...but that looks like it's all. She DID say that Howlin and carolinamom are probably in the same boat she's in!!!!

Please, if this doesn't go to the whole ATRW ping list, someone put it on? THANKS!!!!!

[JRandomFreeper]

I went through all the college-cr*p about language in anthropology courses.

You had a wonderful opportunity. I never attended college or university, except mandatory CCAF stuff. Now, at 41, I'm getting a shot at higher education. I hope.

/john

[JRandomFreeper]

Thank you for the update. I don't have the ping list. Maybe Lorrie can help.

God bless Kay and her family. And all of those that are trapped without adequate preparedness. I pray the Lord gives them warmth. All of these things, I ask in His Name. Amen.

/john

[Utah Girl]

Thanks, BG! How are you doing anyway? kayak, I was worried about you when I saw the pictures of Charlotte this morning. Take care and stay safe. I think I saw carolinamom posting earlier today, haven't seen Howlin at all. Stay safe, y'all.

[Howlin]

I'm here. Got power back around 8. It's damn cold though!

[Utah Girl]

I was just over on the other thread looking at the pictures of your front yard! I'm glad you and your husband and family are safe.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Wow, Howlin!!! You're ONLINE!!!! That sure sounds like a dilly doozy icky storm. And I was all ready to WHINE about my trip to Chicago last week. Think I'll be quiet.

Kayak's got a laptap, I think....but it's not configured to the net, or something like that.

What a MESS!

And it looks like I got the whole ping thing done properly. John, how are you doing??????????

[JRandomFreeper]

John, how are you doing??

Better than either anticipated or deserved.

I do need to get to bed pretty soon, but I will pause at the hearth to offer up prayers for all of the east coast. Serious prayers. Kneeling prayers.

God bless us all. Each and every one.

/john

[Brad’s Gramma]

You're definitely one of the Good Guys. Thanks for all the prayers. They're needed.

[nicollo]

Good for you! Go for it! Do it! Promise me you'll make the best student there ever was.

You'll get out of college far more than I ever did. My complaint about modern education is that it is afraid to challenge students. Motivated, smart kids can find in America the greatest assets in the whole world. Ambitious American kids aren't lining up to go to school in places like New Dehli or Beijing. Nevertheless, the tragedy is the wasted brain cells in those who need a push. I was one of them.

School was always easy for me. A's, B's, and no work. When I couldn't get by on the fly, I learned how to manipulate the system from the inside. I literally had the universal key to my high school. It got so bad that I gave myself bad grades just to screw with them. Meanwhile, I was being taught nothing. And I learned even less.

I took a year off before college. I learned more that year than during my four years of college. Principally, I learned to drink beer, but that, too, had its educational elements. My schooling that year came in bars in Belgium. Into college the following year, it was all too easy, once again. I got off on a blaze, all A's, Deans list, etc.

But nobody challenged me. Nobody held me to account. Once again, I learned how to manipulate the system. P.E. requirement? I checked it off for myself in one easy conversation with a registrar secretary. Science requirement? I bet my advisor that he couldn't get the "Physics for poets" course changed from 8am (which was my bedtime) to an afternoon class. The Physics teacher wasn't as naive as my advisor. He refused, I won the bet, and I never learned any physics. (The family Science Gene has been upheld by my brother, a world class physicist; Utah Girl, he teaches at Univ. of Utah. Dr. Ben Bromley -- the best guy in town).

So I can brag on my resume of a B+ average and various writing prizes at a good college. And it means nothing -- zero, less than zero. It was a waste. If only once they had kicked my ass.

Wait -- one teacher did kick my ass. My senior year I signed up for a "Speech" class. I had promised my father I'd take a "rhetoric" class, as it was known in his day at the college, and I'd blown it off. (When Dad graduated from the college the Dean offered him a teaching position in the rhetoric dept. He was that good. Dad chose the law instead, Harvard law in particular. He's the best lawyer in the word. Those were the days a dean cared more for talent than degrees. My dad would have been much happier as a teacher than a lawyer. The Dean was right.) My Senior year Autumn, I signed up. It was a breeze. The prof. was a classic, and I had fun. I showed up to class occasionally, gave an awesome presentation and walked away all smug.

He gave me an D-. I went to see him, all pissed off and ready to walk circles around him as I had every other stupid teacher I ever had.

"Bromley," he said, "I'd fail you, but I don't want to see your ugly face around here another year." He said my grade reflected my effort. Sure, I'd given the best speeches, done the requirements and all that, but lined up against myself, I sucked wind. We made an agreement. He'd keep it a D- if I'd take a solitary class with him the next semester. Otherwise he'd change it to an F.

We set up the independent study. He pushed me. He was thrilled. I could feel it. He was so happy to finally have an opportunity to teach. I didn't meet his expectations, but it was my Senior year Spring, and much else was going on. Besides, in my 21 years I'd never had to try before. I did give him some effort. I got a B-. It was the first grade I'd ever deserved.

God bless Professor Wright. I visited him every year thereafter. Sadly, he died five years ago. He died before I could show him that I learned from him. All I could show him was that I had made it in business. I had a ten mill business, and I was the balls. He'd have known that didnt' matter. Just when he died I'd lost my business because I was bored, lost in lust for an amazing girl I'd met, in the process of screwing up my first marriage and heading into an insane second one.

If he were only alive today, I'd walk 500 miles to show him my limousine book. "Look!" I'd say to him. "I tried. I tried real hard, and this is the best goddam book ever written about limousines" (not to mention the only one). I'd give a leg to do that. I'd give the second in order to walk my next book to him, on two arms if need be, to show him an even stronger effort. I had to relearn history, learn all the history I never learned in school. I did it. I worked like a coolie, pounding rails, sweating the harsh light of microfilm machines and old newspapers and working for nothing but the satisfaction of getting it done, and done right.

That's my hope, anyway.

My hope for you is that you make the fullest, biggest and the best you can of your second chance.

Do it! Good for you, JRandomFreeper! Do it!


[Mr. M: you know what it is to inspire students, and I'm certain you know the pain of watching the uninspired, underachiever. There is nothing worse than an underachiever. I know, I'm one.]

[Lorena]

Everyone, please see post #221 for word about kayak.

BG, thank you so much for letting us know. Poor Kay! I hope she's back with us soon! At least the office still has power, thank the Lord. Thank goodness you, Carolinamom, Howlin and your families are all safe.

kayak, if you're able to get into the allergist tomorrow as planned, our prayers will be with you for some much needed relief and healing.

Prayers as well for your situation and for all in the areas facing severe storms.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Not to be a minimizer, but she and I talked about football last night on this very board. She is still present and accounted for(and still a darling as ever) unless there's something I don't know about. 8^)

[Lorena]

Well, according to post #221, there's been a bad ice storm in her area, it looks like a hurricane went through, and she had to move into a hotel because her home's been without power since 10:30 or so last night. Those in her area may be without power for a couple of weeks yet, apparently. :(
Unless she's able to check in from the hotel or from the office, we may not hear from her for awhile ...

[Lorena]

UG, thanks for the pic of Barney and Spot on the gingerbread house. Adorable!

Neets, I'm sorry you haven't been feeling well and hope that you're feeling much better today.

[Lorena]

(((DJ))), thinking of you as you give the eulogy for your dad at the service today. Prayers that you have all the strength and the help from above that you need to carry on and give a beautiful heartfelt tribute to your beloved father. I know you'll do a wonderful job.

[Lorena]

AMERICA - The Right Way!! (Day 683) [Remember the Trade Center!!]

Yesterday's Thread
(12/4/02)

[Lorena]

[Lorena]

[Pippin]

Thanks for the headsup, I'll keep all of them in my prayers that they stay safe and power gets restored to thier area.

[Miss Marple]

Good morning! Prayers for safety and patience for all of those who are without power.

We only went a day and a half without power after the tornado, and that was way more than I liked. I can't imagine going 2 weeks...and in cold weather, too! Yikes!

Checking the threads this morning...haven't seen anything urgent yet. I will try to link things after the new thread is up.