Just got back Monday from 5 days in Cabo. What fun. My sorority big sister was getting married at Las Ventanas. We had a great time and enjoyed taking a catamaran sail and driving up to Todos Santos.

We were impressed that one can get a new ocean-view home for $270K. Do any of you have a home or property there? Is it a good investment? Do you recommend any locations or realtors?

Anaceci: I've been watching the election results page and the numbers haven't changed at all in a couple of days. I guess they're not announcing anything.

This story has been all over the Canadian news for at least a week. I'm guessing it's a big story all over the world.

Geor, en teoria, este conteo rapido era un ejemplo de quien podia ser el ganador. Sin embargo, es tan poca la diferencia, que manana van a volver a contar voto por voto y no se sabra oficialmente, quiza hasta el domingo. La situacion es que, quien pierda, lo acepte.

Por cierto, sabian que Felipe Calderon tiene 43 anios?

happy fourth of july!
 
 
Click here: "Liberty" - animated Flash ecard by Jacquie Lawson or copy and paste http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=TA24079391

AnaCeci: Segun el website que pusiste ya gano el PAN o va ganando?

Happy 4th of July.

Hi all, well, we voted yesterday. Great outcome, peacefully, but no new official president yet. If anybody is interested, this is a link to the PREP which are the first "casilla" counts.

http://elecciones2006.wradiofm.com/reportes/

Hello, Here is my latest aricle on Somos Primos online magazine, I believe this link takes you to "Texas", you will see my article there:

http://www.somosprimos.com/sp2006/spjul06/spjul06.htm#TEXAS

Enjoy! (How could anybody not enjoy history?)

Maroney: Mala onda del tri, but it was a great match to be there. The atmosphere was electric to say the least, frankly, Germans are happy to see Mexico go home as there are over 100k Mexican's all over Germany doing pretty much what we want. Germans are ver rules oriented and Mexico's fans are just going crazy. Too much fun even with the loss. Yesterday I was in Berlin for the Germany victory over Argentina and I probabaly have never been to a louder stadium. It was kindda freaky as Berlin Stadium is the place where you see those old videos of Jesse Owens and Hitler, etc etc.
I am off today to see Brazil and then back home Monday. Sold my 2 semi-finals and 2 final tickets to an idiot from England for 4350.00 Euros. Pretty much paid for the whole month if you include the 1500+ Euros I made on extra Mexico tickets afterRaza Zaidi decidd to go home early.
Germany was really fun but I don't want to eat a damn susage, pretzel or drink warm beer for a while.

Hey Dwight, thanks for the link, I watched the first two, I need to watch the rest of the videos... what do I think? Well, I noticed the ominous tone of the narrator, the dark music or musical notes, the foreboding bells in the back ground... all these things make me wary about the content because the documentaries are obviously designed to convey a message at the subconscious level, and that message is that Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney are powerful,on the dark side and evil... this documentary, it is evident to me, is obviously a psychological operations propaganda tool, watch it again and and listen to the tone of the narrator and the foreboding music, observe the angles of the pictures (black and white pictures, it is well known, communicate a more distressing,apocalyptic message, it is no coincidence that in this documentary they use so many black and white pictures in combinaton with the other factors) etc., and it will become evident to you that PBS is not just honestly telling you the truth, they are manipulating your sub-conscious mind and your conscience... for this reason, I do not trust the content, or the spin of the content, although I have yet to see the rest, which I will.

On the other hand, notice how for four years we have been told over and over and over that Bush lied about the WMD's,and now that they are beginning to find them, after searching only 1% of what is there or so, the media is very much very quiet about it, and yet they, the New York Times, will make sure that they will make public essential national security secrets, why don't they infiltrate AlQaida and make thier secrets public?... it makes me sick! Not a word of the fact that they discovered that Saddam Hussein had a plan to put deadly chemicals in perfume bottles and ship them to the United States, like I said, I do not believe or trust the liberal media at all, and all I know is that the only reason the Islamic fascists have not attacked us in the U.S. again is because of Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld, and the soldiers in their authority.

By the way, "Deception Point" is awesome, isnt it?!

Edited by author 08-03-2006 05:38 PM
Sue: Oh, I wish I was in the market for one! Sadly, I still don't have my license. Have to wait until my daughter is in college or at least supporting herself before I go down that path.

Yes, my sister is still in the Miami area (actually up in Plantation or Sunrise)...at least that's the last I've heard.

Yeah, maybe Tom does have it. That would be funny.

Hey John,
Actually, Betsy was the one I was discussing it with! If you don't have the tape, maybe Tom F. has it (at least for his sake I hope he's the one that has it --after all, he was the guy dressed as tarzan - ha!) Nice to hear from you. Is your sister Jessica still living in Miami? I literally ran in to her once (several years ago) passing through what used to be Burdines Dept. Store at Dadeland Mall. Hope she is doing well.

Yes, my married name was hanson. I divorced about seven years ago and have since remarried. I'm no longer working in the aviation industry but my husband works for a New Piper Aircraft distributor. If you're in the market for a 4 to 6 seat owner flown aircraft, let me know!

Howdy Sue! Last I thought, you had the movie. I recently converted all of my 8mm movies to DVD and manually went through 52 reels. Though I had some rough footage of scenes that made the editing room floor <chuckle> I did not have the actual finished product. There was a cassette that went along with it that contained the sound/dialouge that should be with it. Last I thought you had it, but maybe Betsy ended up with it?

Also, not to dive into too much of a personal issue, I thought your married name was Hanson. Also, are you still working for that aeronatics firm?

Hey John Bauer...I saw your name come up and it reminded me of a conversation I was having recently regarding movie making class that we took as Juniors. Whatever happened to that Tarzan tape?

Dwight: Neat special on Frontline. Wow, I do love PBS.

Dominic. Sorry about el equipo tricolor. Que mala onda. Barrett seems to think that England stands a chance. Barrett and I are chilling out in Philadelphia while Nina does research for a fellowship.
Alex Loya. Are you going to Iraq?

Alex Loya, please watch this Frontline special and let me know what you think.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darkside/view/

Sue: That's good news about the small town your Mom is from.

An update about the Hewitts in Kincardine - Ron and Janice are so excited about our finding each other that they're spending their spare time in the local graveyard to collect names and dates. We're gradually piecing together who's who.

By coincidence, they're having a Hewitt reunion on July 2 (I sure wish I could go). I've asked them to pass around a pad of paper and ask the relatives to write down everything they know about themselves and their own families. Hopefully this will be a gold mine.

Alison - thanks for the excellent suggestion. There is a small town where most of my relatives (at least on my mom's side) were raised. In fact, I think they even have a small cemetary in that town that is named for them so I will get busy and see what I can find!

Alison, I think it was a Mother Jones article :)

Well Alex, I just assumed that I was being blamed for anything liberal on this chat :)

Ok, I'll stop with the political crap.

Anacecilia, you're very welcome! Alison sent me some more photos today and I hope to have them up on the site by the end of the week.

So, what's everyone doing for the 4th? Saturday I'm heading down to the Smokey Mountains to camp, worship God, mountain bike, drink, and celebrate our Independence. We'll be in Tsali, NC along Lake Fontana which is a recreational area in the Nantahala National Forest overlooking the Smokies.

WOW, gone two weeks and bamm!

Dwight, MIL GRACIAS great page!

The flag burning amendment seems to me like another effort by Republicans to tug at at the heartstrings of Americans to gain support in the upcoming elections. And unfortunately the senate floor diatribes manage to work wonders on the American voters. Propose a flag burning amendment, change the terrorist threat to code red and scare Americans into believing that Osama will traipse through their living room at any minute wearing a dynamite life preserver. That's the Republican way.

Edited by author 06-27-2006 12:57 AM
Ha ha ha! Dwight, who said you said Bush planted the WMD's? I was talking to Ramon, mi amigo, ha ha ha... talk about your guilty conscience!... I suppose that if I was giving credence to the commie pinko Havana Times I would feel guilty too! :)

Here is the rest of the story... by giving tax cuts to the rich, Bush and the super hero Republicans enable the rich to keep prices of merchanidise low, increase the wages of the people that work for them who in turn will have more money to spend and thus achieve the strongest, most prosperous economy in the history of the world, with less than 5% unemployment rate, where even the "poor" have two color t.v.'s, a dvd player and a microwave... meanwhile, by passing a Constiutional Amendment banning the burning of the American Flag, the Republicans are able to encourage a sense of respect among young Americans for their own country, as well as national love and patriotism which results in greater productivity and security for all Americans while at the same time encouraging those Americans who lack that love and respect for their own country to pack their bags and move to the Gaza strip where they will feel at home with those who rejoiced on 9/11 and who love to burn American Flags... unfortunately for them, over in those places where they love to burn American Flags they also love to burn Americans and hang them from a bridge.

Edited by author 06-26-2006 10:08 PM
Dwight: Who wrote that article, the Havana Times? :)

More good news from the war in Iraq...

WASHINGTON - The annual cost of replacing, repairing and upgrading Army equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to more than triple next year to more than $17 billion, according to Army documents obtained by the Associated Press.

Meanwhile at home Conservatives plan to give back more taxes to the wealthy, keep the minimum wage down, and get down to America's important business like a Constitutional Amendment banning flag burning.

And that Alex McGrath is proof that it's a small world!

Good article on the returning troops viewpoints:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060625/ap_on_...conflicted_soldiers

Alex McGrath: What a great story. I'll bet your Irish aunt had a lot of information to give you. It's amazing how recently most of our ancestors came to the New World, isn't it?
We'll have to do a genealogy trek to Ireland, Scotland and England one of these days, but I find those places so confusing. When I hear that so and so ancestor moved from Ballahadreen to Ballyclaven, I just glaze over. There are no states/provinces and place names just seem to be a free-for-all. I guess it all makes sense once you go there.

Gee, where did I say the WMD's were planted by Bush. Alex, please go back and read a bit on the issue. The US SOLD Saddam the chemical and biological agents back in the, ah, er 80's. And who was in charge back then?

Speaking of small towns, Alison, once I travelled to my grandmother's hometown in Ireland, Ballahadreen. After asking around, it turned out she wasn't born there, but only registered there, so I was sent to the "Townhead" where she was born. After a pleasant two-hour walk, I found the place, five stone houses and a few cows. Coming out of one was a nice Irish woman, I asked her if she knew someone related to Mary Molloy. She stared at me and said, "Well you've certainly got the Molloy eyes! Who are you?" She turned out to be my aunt. Pretty exciting for both of us.

Edited by author 06-26-2006 02:05 PM
Housekeeping note FYI: Bill and I have changed our email address to alibilly@telus.net.

Wow! That's great info. Thanks Alison. The Canadian clan didn't seem like they'd approve of having their names in a phonebook much less an internet phonebook. I'm going to have to contact some cousins up in Michigan for some help researching this further.

Ramon, you did a great job in putting together our 25th reunion, and I really appreciate your hard work. The hotel in Acapulco was great, especially that you arranged for the stay to be all-inclusive. The best part was seeing all of you guys, and it wouldn’t have mattered to me where we stayed, within reason of course. It is a thankless job putting together an event like that, but here’s one: Thank you.

Alex, you make a good point about expensive digs, especially if we’re going to have frequent mini-reunions. There seem to be quite a few of us who still have small kids to raise – a very expensive proposition. I’m sure we can find some reasonably-priced hotels/motels in future. It’s important that those who couldn’t make it to this year’s reunion be able to come to the next one. Alex, no te preocupes mi amigo.

Mike-
I don’t know a great deal about Canada, not having grown up here. But I have heard that there are Amish people in Ontario, with the carriages, etc. How interesting that your relatives have retained an Irish brogue.

I looked up Downeyville on the net and found it west of the city of Peterborough, a couple of hours north of Toronto. I found a map on the Ontario government site at http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/map/. Downeyville is on Map 5, east of Lake Simcoe. Try looking up your relatives’ last name at www.canada411.com and you might find their phone numbers and addresses.

It looks like your relatives are within a 50-100 mile range of where many of my ancestors lived. Maybe we are related…

Alison - Part of the Irish side of my family settled somewhere in Ontario. They are still farming up there. I met a few of these guys at my grandfathers funeral awhile back and they still spoke with an Irish brogue. This group of Canadian relatives reminds me a bit of the Amish community in Pennsylvania where they have kept to themselves and done little to assimilate into the greater community. I think the town is called Downeyville. Have you heard of this town. Anyways, I think it would be cool to visit and make a connection with these folks. Who knows maybe even get to work on the farm.

Cocoa Beach sounds good and I am going to show up because I still have hair.

Edited by author 06-25-2006 11:58 PM
Mi buen y estimado Ramon, it is true that, as you say, people do not show up for reunions, because they feel ugly, bald, poor, rich or they forget they have a mother, but some people, I assure you, do not show up because they may could not afford a ritzi, expensive place. All I am saying is that you consider those among our classmates who may not be as wealthy as you when you pick a place... whatever place you pick, though, I will make my best effort to be there, as I did make my best effort to be there in this last reunion and although I forgot I had a mama, I did get to reunite with you for two days in a row, and I did try to catch up with you all in Acapulco, but I missed the last bus from Queretaro! By twenty minutes! Besides, if you remember, I was the class of 81 reunion pioneer way back years ago when I sent a letter to a bunch of you before there was email and I attempted to organize a reunion in New Orleans...

I suppose I offended you my friend, I am sorry, I did not intend to do so, you put in a lot of hard work organizing this reunion and did the very best you could, and I do appreciate what you did for all of us, all I am saying is that when you all organize something consider that there maybe some among us who can not afford the same as you, I can think of at least a couple right off the bat whom I will not name but whom I know are prevented from attending just because they do not fare as well as others, and I would like to see them all, that's all, so don't take offense my friend, I appreciate you and your hard work, truly.

As for planting evidence regarding the WMD's, I think all the Kurdish men, women and children that Saddam Hussein killed using poison gas would disagree that the evidence was planted by Bush, and, contrary to what the liberal media tells you, the Iraqui people are very grateful to George Bush for having set them free, and they do not want us to leave until they can be secure by themselves, for which we are training them. To them, George Bush is not the greatest terrorist, but the greatest terrorist fighter. DON'T BELIEVE THE LIBERAL MEDIA!

Sue-
Regarding Genealogy: Last week I mentioned that I had found someone named Hewitt in the town of Kincardine, Ontario where my Grandpa Hewitt's family came from.
Well, I sent this Ron Hewitt an email, and I found out that we are second cousins! His wife Janice has been fumbling around with genealogy for years and we are exchanging info like crazy.
So, if you know of a small town where one of your ancestors came from, give it a try. You might find yourself a new relative.

Ok, maybe everything except the last thing :)

And for those of us who show up to reunions we just really want to see our buddies and pals from the past don't give a rats ass how we look, what we do for a living, or how much we make. We just want to get together, relive some old memories, get drunk, and get laid! :)

For those of you who are posting messages here anonymously - really, don't you think we're a bit too old for those games?

If you have something compelling to say, just come out and say it and identify yourself. Be proud of your convictions. If you are ashamed of signing your name to a message, then your argument carries no weight, and is not worthy of a response.

This is a site where friends meet. :)

Ramon, Getting back to your suggestion about Cocoa Beach...I will look into some nice places over there beachside and get back to everyone with some options. I think you'll find Cocoa Beach very nice and family friendly with other attractions like the Kennedy Space Center, Orlando, etc. only a short distance away. Stay tuned...

Alex:
People do no show up for reunions, because they feel ugly, bald, poor, rich or they forget they have a mother. Maybe you should organize the next reunion so more people show up.
As per your BS news story, have you ever heard of planting evidence, keep loving the biggest terrorist on earth George Bush.

Ahhh...so many great Florida choices.

I think Miami would be a cool place to party down, but Clearwater Beach is awesome along the Gulf.

Wow, those are some stats! I've found the ancestry.com website quite helpful, along with the site suggested by Alison (familysearch.org). I've already managed to get back to around 1750 with one portion of my family tree. Funny some of the things you find out - like my great grandfather's name was "Nimrod" (I always wondered where that term came from - ha!). Mom says everyone called him "Nim" - well, I would certainly hope so!

Genealogical site digitizes millions of census records

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) -- An Internet company is adding U.S. Census records to boost its archive of searchable names to 5 billion, which it says is the most comprehensive genealogical database ever compiled.
Ancestry.com planned to announce Thursday that it has copied complete census records from 1790 to 1930, making it the only searchable, online repository of the documents.
The U.S. government waits 72 years before releasing original census documents. Copying the material took a team of experts and workers a combined 6.6 million hours of labor, Ancenstry.com said.
Workers deciphered the handwriting on millions of census forms, then indexed and cataloged every name, and scanned images of the census documents.
The material, which will be shown on the Web site starting Thursday, includes 13 million original census images scanned and transcribed from 15,000 rolls of microfilm.
The project added 540 million names, increasing the company's genealogical database to 600 terabytes of data. A terabyte equals a thousand billion bytes.
"We are just beginning to scratch the surface in terms of the amount of content we can offer and the millions of people all over the globe we can connect," chief executive Tim Sullivan said.
The information details people's moves across the country, their race, marital status, assets, residence, schooling and other personal information.
Ruth Carr, department chief of local history and genealogy at the New York Public Library, said researchers have had to work with "thousands of reels of microfilm."
"With the digitization of the census, it is now possible for someone to type a name in the search box, and within seconds view the image of the actual census page," she said.
The records revealed some quirks. For instance, Abraham Lincoln's wife, Mary, reported growing only seven years older between the 1850 and the 1860 census.
Ancestry.com, which claims more than 725,000 paid subscribers, is part of a network of Web sites owned by MyFamily.com Inc.

Edited by author 06-23-2006 12:20 AM
...Maybe if you held the reunion at Motel 6 and McDonald's more people than the two guys that showed up for our 25th reunion would show... AND you and your kids can even get a toy with a happy meal! (Can el Emporio top that?)

Hey Dwight, that book is great! (did I just blow my cover?)

By the way...

 
------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------
OPERATION: IRAQI FREEDOM
Saddam's WMD
have been found
New evidence unveils chemical, biological, nuclear, ballistic arms

----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Posted: April 26, 2004
1:36 p.m. Eastern

Editor's note: WorldNetDaily is pleased to have a content-sharing agreement with Insight magazine, the bold Washington publication not afraid to ruffle establishment feathers. Subscribe to Insight at WorldNetDaily's online store and save 71 percent off the cover price.
By Kenneth R. Timmerman
Đ 2004 Insight/News World Communications Inc.

New evidence out of Iraq suggests the U.S. effort to track down Saddam Hussein's missing weapons of mass destruction is having better success than is being reported.

Key assertions by the intelligence community widely judged in the media and by critics of President Bush as having been false are turning out to have been true after all.

But this stunning news has received little attention from the major media, and the president's critics continue to insist that "no weapons" have been found.


Alright, you liberals can start apologizing to that great statesman called George Bush... while you eat the Aunt Gemima omellettes on yo' face! (just add a cup of juice and you'll have a complete breakfast!)

Alison,
I think Cocoa Beach would be a great choice. Easy drive from Orlando Int'l and lots of stuff to do. As an added plus, I have friends (one of whom is an AHS alum) who live up there so we can get local input as far as best places to go, nightlife activities, etc. I'm also happy to look into places to stay around there (I'll have to look into that Fawlty Towers...) and can easily do a firsthand inspection as Cocoa is only about an hour and a half drive north on I-95 from where I live.

Cindy, Yes, hurricane season runs officially from June 1 through November 30, although most of the storm activity that we have experienced here on the East Coast in recent years - Hurricanes Frances, Jean and Wilma - has occurred in September and October. I believe we were initially contemplating late October (to try to take advantage of "off season" rates while being mindful of hurricane season) but could make the date later - like December or January - for those who are not inclined to want to travel to Florida during the hurricane season. For what it's worth, I can attest to the fact that most Florida residents and businesses have a new found appreciation for hurricane preparation and have learned a lot about vulnerabilities and ways to overcome them. Publix (major grocery store chain here in Florida) for example has invested billions of dollars in purchasing generators for their stores so that they will be able to re-open as soon as weather conditions allow and not have to worry about food spoilage and most gas stations are investing in generators so that the gas pumps will operate even without electricity to pump them.

The reunion sounds great in Florida, please remember that the best place to fly from Mexico is Miami and second best is Orlando. I would vote for Cocoa Beach, for those of US that would like to spend some additional days in Orlando.
But please do not hold the reunion at the Motel 6 and McDonalds take out as some people suggested.

Edited by author 06-21-2006 11:21 PM
St. Augustine is an awesome place! It is the oldest recorded town in the U.S.(except for Penitas, Texas), it has a fort that dates to the 1600's, a beautiful historic town where you can walk down the colonial street,a supposedly real haunted house, the oldest school house in the US, they have a turibus that takes you around to see the sights, and they even have Ponce de Leon's legendary fountain of youth! The actual one he looked for! On our way back from Disney we stopped for a day,and my wife and I vowed to go back, it really is a beautifu place, I vote for it!

We might want to keep in mind that Hurricane season starts June 1 and goes through Nov 30. I think everything sounds great--espcially coming from land locked Colorado!

There's a motel called Fawlty Towers in Cocoa Beach!

Good work Sue!

For those who haven't been on this forum for the past couple of weeks, we are talking about having another reunion in October 2007 in Florida, and we're trying to decide where to go.

Personally, I would short list it to Cocoa Beach, St. Augustine and St. Petersburg/Clearwater. I'm a bit concerned that people might feel somewhat trapped on an island if we want to go out and do things.

Clearwater is a nice place, away from the city, but with little or no surf, as I remember. Might be a bit dull for Dwight and Dominic. :)

St. Augustine sounds awesomely historical, with a beach and pirates and castles!!! and an old town.

Cocoa Beach sounds like a quiet little place (makes it easier to visit with each other), but with lots of action nearby - the Kennedy Space Center (it's really cool) and Orlando, for those who have kids. I think that for our purpose Cocoa Beach would be a good choice.

Edited by author 06-21-2006 02:54 PM
OK Everyone... Here's a "quick and dirty" list of ten potential Florida destinations for a mini-reunion. I've divided it up between Florida East Coast and West Coast. It's not in any particular rank order...pretty much just north to south. I've included nearest major international airports to each spot as a reference as well as web sites. Any other suggestions? Bring 'em on!

East Coast
1. St. Augustine - "Nation's Oldest City" Has ghost tours and other evening events, castles, etc. as well as beaches. Nearest airports would be Jacksonville (to the north) and Daytona (south). Add'l info available via: www.oldcity.com or www.visitoldcity.com.

2. Daytona Beach - "World's Most Famous Beach". Home to annual Bike Week (Feb)and Nascar events, among many other things to do and see. Nearest airports: Daytona. Orlando Int'l is about an hour's drive west. Add'l info available via: www.visitdaytona.com or daytonabeach.com.

3. Cocoa Beach / Merritt Island - Space Coast. Home to Kennedy Space Center and world famous Ron Jon's Surf Shop. Nearest airports: Orlando (directly west) and Melbourne (south). Add'l info available via: www.cityofcocoabeach.com or cocoabeach.com.

4. Jensen Beach / Stuart - "Pineapple Capital" / "Sailfish Capital" Nearest airports: Palm Beach International (45 minutes south), Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando. Add'l info available via: jensenbeachfl.com, goodnature.org, or jensenbeachchamber.org.

5. Key Largo - "Dive Capital of the World". Campgrounds available, scuba/snokeling, etc. Nearest airport: Miami Internat'l. Additional info via: keylargo.org or fla-keys.com/keylargo.

6. Islamorada - "Sportsfish Capital of the World". Nearest airport: Miami. Add'l info via: fla-keys.com/islamorada or islamoradachamber.com.


West Coast

7. St. Petersburg / Clearwater. Nearest airport: St. Petersburg or Tampa. Add'l info via: www.stpete.org.

8. Sanibel / Captiva Islands. Nearest Airport: Southwest Florida International Airport. Other airports nearby: Tampa, Ft. Myers, Naples. Add'l info via: sanibel-captiva.org.

9. Marco Island - "Largest of Florida's 10,000 Islands". Great place to collect shells (huge sand dollars, etc.). Nearest airport: Naples. Add'l info via: www.marco-island-florida.com.

10. Naples / Cape Coral. Nearest airport: Naples. Add'l info via: www.naples-florida.com.

This is just a start but hopefully we can narrow down the choices from here. Thoughts?

Edited by author 06-21-2006 03:27 AM
Here is a direct link to my Loya kinsman regiment where you can see its flag and its role at Yorktown, remember it was the "Regiment de Soissonais" (so that you don't have to follow all those links in the post below)
http://www.xenophongroup.com/mcjoynt/regmts.htm

By the way, the unit was under Rochambeau and the second in command was Lafayette's brother in law.

Edited by author 06-21-2006 02:39 AM
Hey my friends... I hate to keep harping on the genealogy thing, but I just found something I wanted to share with you, not only did the Loya from Texas fight in the Spanish Militia during the American Revolution, and a couple of Loya kinsmen from Massacussetts, but I just found just now a Loya kinsman, one Nicolas Loya who fought in the Regiment de Soissonais under Lafayette with the French Army and who, get this, actually participated in the Yorktown Campaign! Awesome!

Here you can see his name and information, the combat unit he was a part of and how one of his fellow soldiers died as a result of Yorktown (just scroll down to Loya, its in alphabetical order)

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...en%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN


Here you can read about my cousin's unit who fought in the American Revolution under Lafayetter, the "Regiment de Soissonais"
and you can see their flag:

Well, the address won't copy for some reason,to see Nicolas Loya's unit just in the above link click on "Lafayette" on the links at the top of the page. Then click on "committed French forces" next to Lafayette's picture. There scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says "sources" and click on "Flags of the Regiments". On that page you will see the "Regiment de Soissonais" in which my kinsman fought under Lafayette, or, actually, under Rochambeau. Fascinating!

I am American... I am an American fighting man.

Hey, somebody organize a yearly reunion here in the US! Now,it does not have to be a fancy place, for crying out loud! We don't have to make everyone pay hundreds of dollars a night to be able to see old buddies, we don't need to prove anything to anybody by getting everything expensive and then see who can pay and who can not, no! The point is to hang with each other, that's it! At the Motel 6 they have clean sheets and they leave the lights on for ya!

Anyway, I'm just saying, there is no need to wait to see each other every five or twenty years, and there is no need to maintain an image of affluence when we do get together by going for fancy expensive places, the point is to see and be with each other, and to be kind and just and fair to all, we need to shoot for the lowest denominator,within reason, modesty and cleanliness, so that if one among us has not fared so well and is living under the bridge he or she can feel welcome as well... we should be past appearances.

Hey Dwigt! I am reading that same book, Deception Point! It grabs you from the beginning, don't it? When the guy is out there in the snow with his dogs and the dudes in the helicopter pick him up and thrown him and his dogs out of the helicopter... excelent story!

There was a lady that made the best sweet potato fries on Pine Island. It was one of those Mom and Pop restaurants that you can still find on the Gulf coast. Does anyone else have food memories when they travel? Maybe it's just me. I always make connections between the places I've been and the food I've eaten there. I was up in Well's Beach, Maine a few weeks ago for a family reunion and there was a place called Captain Billys that had great seafood chowder and I think I will always think of seafood chowder when I think of Well's Beach.

Edited by author 06-19-2006 02:02 PM
Alex L. I also didn't find Angels and Demons disrespectful of the Church, as many people have and painted Dan Brown and the Da Vinci Code that he also wrote. They're both great reads. I'm glad you liked it. I'm currently reading Deception Point.

Alison I'm with Mike as I'm sure the American School students have still figured out a way to skip, even with all the extra fencing and security.

Mike I'm familiar with the Port Charlotte area. My father owned a 30' Sport Craft fishing boat and had it docked in Punta Gorda. He and I used to fish off of Cayo Costa in Boca Grande pass for Tarpon. What a beautiful area. Cabbage Key is nearby and is a neat little island where you can dock and grab a burger for lunch.

Luzma: No me llego pero es porque te falto ponerle un 63 a mi email. Es: gmarquez63@gmail.com.

Hey Mike. Nice to hear from you.

Edited by author 06-18-2006 11:22 PM
Hey Mike L., good to hear from you again! You live in Raleigh? North Carolina? I am stationed in Fort Bragg, just a coupleof hours away from you! We ought to have a reunion in this area some time! Hey, whenever you are around Fort Bragg give me a call and maybe we can have luch or something, my phone at home is (910)717-1889, my cell phone is (910)303-1889, keep them and whenver you ar around here let me know (although my cell may change in the next couple of months because it is government issued for 3rd Battalion, when I move to 1st Battalion they will give me a new cell phone).

You and Alex McG are kind saying I am fit and a muscleman again... I think I'm just plumpy!

Luigi Enaudi said "He who does not look back to his ancestors does not look forward to his descendants" a family name is a precious inheritance that ought to be passed down to our children... like Allison said, try to squeeze all the information you can from your mama because once they are gone it becomes more difficult,they may know things you may not be able to find out without them, like the names of the people in the pictures you mention. Start from the known, and work your way back to the unknown, I love your story about how your ancestor ended up in Ireland, excellent! Just the other night when we talked about this here, I went looking for a French immigrant to Acadia called Pierre Loya who I found months ago, I couldn't find him, instead, I found another place called by my surname, also in France like the Baie de Loya I mentioned before, but in Burgundy, I found a Mont de la Loya, or Mount of Loya, a Ravine de la Loya or Ravine of Loya, and a village, a "wonderful village" called Loya in a map of Burgundy whic dates to 1580. Now I am trying to find the connection between the Baie de Loya in Labourd, and these Loya places in Burgundy and, fascinating, what I found as a link was the same thing I had figured before, or concurs with had I had found before about the Loya being Waldensians, Burgundy and Gascony, which is where Labourd was a part of, were both areas of refuge for Waldensians who crossed over from Italy way back in the 12th century! Anyway, here is a link to the Natural History Museum of Geneva in which I found the Loya Mount and Ravine (it is a translated from French page), if you want to read the names of the Ravine and mount just scroll down around the middle you will see the Ravine of Loya and scroll down a little more and you will see the Mount of Loya, right under the MOunt of Chesnay and as in Kenny Chesney:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...en%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

Here is the text where the wonderful village of Loya in Burgundy is mentioned, just scroll down to paragraph 52:10 and there you will see it:
http://www.orteliusmaps.com/book/ort_text52.html

Here is the map:
http://www.orteliusmaps.com/book/ort52.html

Fascinating stuff! Hey, if your mama is from the South you may have a Confederate soldier ancestor and then you can jointhe Sons of the Confederacy!

Alright, I don't mean to bore you all!

Mike -
Nice to meet you, sort of. I left ASF after 7th grade.
You haven't even started doing your genealogy and you already have some extremely interesting stories to tell. I mentioned here the other day that you must grill your parents while they're still here. Both of my parents are gone and I sure wish I could ask them some questions.
It seems to me that when we're kids we are so obsessed with ourselves that we aren't interested in our past. I only became interested a couple of years ago, but now I'm hooked.
I love your story about the survivor from the Armada.

On another note, this is so cool that some of you are tracing your ancestry. My mom has a couple of suitcases full of photos and I was thinking of sitting her down and getting her to write down who in the heck these people are! She's one of the last one's that can do it. Then I was going to scan the photos and put them out on the web for the rest of the family to look at and help id the faces and places. It's amazing what you dig up when you start researching this stuff. I mean check out the picture of Sue's great uncle! How cool is that? My Mom is from the south and her cousin did some pretty extensive research and found that a relative on my mom's side drove the horse drawn ciasson for Lincoln's funeral. My Dad's side is a little sketchy but they were Irish immigrants so what do you expect. But someone figured out that my dad's side can be traced all the way back to Spain. Apparently, the British blew one of the ships in the spanish armada fleet out of the water off the coast of ireleand, one of the surviving crew mebers named lucas swam to shore, co-mingled with the locals and that's there the Lucas name comes from. Sounds far fetched I know but what a great story! In the last few years I've had to attend too many funerals and I think this has gotten me interested in genealogy.

Mike, thanks for the input! Caya Costo sounds like fun for a Swiss Family Robinson style vacation. I'll have to look that up sometime (don't think I could get my kids interested but my husband would enjoy it). Islamorada is a good option and so is Key Largo (Islander Resort there is really nice). Anyways, keep the suggestions coming.... My list might end up a few pages long...

Sue - It's been awhile since I spent any length of time in Florida. My last trip to FL was to a small island called Cayo Costa off the Gulf side. You had to hire a boat to drop you off and schedule a time for it to pick you up. It was close enough to Sanibel to see the shoreline from the south end of the island. It's a state park and I spent a week (off season) in one of the cabins on the beach. No electric but there were outdoor showers and a spigot for fresh water. It was just me, my wife and a man and his son who came to fish and a resident wild boar that would periodically dart out of the woods and scare the crap out of us. The fisherman and his son were pretty good at catching fish and they shared their catch with us until they headed home, leaving us alone with the crazy wild boar. That's probably not a good choice for a reunion but for the Crusoe-types it's a super get away and it'lll make you wonder what FL was like long ago. My second vote would be the Keys. Key West may be too far for most folks but maybe Islamadora or Marathon or Key Largo. Good beaches, close to Pennekamp where you can catch a boat out to the reef to snorkel and lot's of places to drink tequilla and dance and have fun after the sun goes down. I'll ask my sister Karen who lives in Miami. She'll have some good ideas to toss into the mix. I think this reunion is a good idea and I wish I had committed to the 20th and 25th. Dwight's pictures made me realize how little from that period in my life I have committed to memory. When I look at the pics I noticed Anna Cecilia right away because she looks the same and I remember her because she wore a brace and helped me find my sister's dog, Hongito, when it ran away. Alex looks fit as ever and Dominc just reminds me of being drunk! So, it'll be great to tell stories and hear stories or at least find out if the stories I think I know as true are actually true! (Ok, that sounded a bit too much like Rumsfeld there).

Mike: I'll have to look up Dune Dog Dave! I'm living in Port St. Lucie which is holding title these days as one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. I'm sure it's grown a lot since you were last here. I feel some days like I'm living in the land of the Port-a-Johns....there seems to be a least one of those in front of a new home under construction on every street in the city. I guess it's one of the downsides to living in a State where the weather is warm almost year round with no danger of snow storms and beach access is a short drive from just about anywhere in Florida. Scripps Institute (based in La Jolla, CA) is opening a Florida facility in Jupiter which will ultimately employ about 500+ people. Now that Scripps is committed, various local governments from Boca Raton north to Vero Beach are racing to attract biotech firms to their communities. Since you are familiar with some parts of the Florida east coast, maybe you'd like to toss in some suggestions as to where we might hold a mini-reunion. My "top 10" list is underway - It's going to be tough to narrow down the list of potential sites, tho - there are so many here! I think it will come down to what activities the majority of participants wish to participate in! Places like Sebastian (just north of Vero Beach) for example are great for beach goers, (surfing, boating, fishing, kayaking)but don't have much in the way of night activity other than places like Captain Hiram's - a great restaurant/bar right on the beach unless you drive 30-45 minutes to Melbourne. Cocoa Beach (north of Melbourne) might be a better option (great beaches, home of Ron Jon's, more bars/night activity and close to Cape Canaveral / Kennedy Space Center for those who want to check out NASA. Cocoa Beach is also only about an hour drive from Orlando which would make it convenient for people flying in (fly to Orlando, rent a car and drive to Cocoa Beach. At any rate - I've put on my travel agent cap and will try to get the list finished over the next few days.

The new fence in Dwight's pictures looks dangerous but I'm sure we would have figured out a way to get over it. Sue - I don't play b-ball much anymore. The other guys on the AHS team were so much more talented. I think they let me play on the team because I was taller than most. I played tennis in college and got to travel all over New England. I still play once or twice a week with a group here in Raleigh. I took up rollerblading awhile back which I love to do and my wife and I get down to the NC shore every other weekend or so to kayak. Some of the best kayaking we've done is down in your neck of the woods along the Treasure Coast. That was a few years ago when that area was still somewhat untouched by all the development. I'm sure it has creeped northward from WPB/Jupiter by now. You are lucky! That is a beatiful area. There was a guy that sold grouper sandwiches called Dune Dog Dave around Port St. Lucie. Best grouper sandwiches I have ever eaten!

It's no wonder they installed razor wire around the top of the school fence! And here I thought it was to keep out the bad guys.

Edited by author 06-17-2006 10:07 PM
I was a good kid, I never did skip school... except one time at the end of our junior year when I jumped the fence down by what used to be our kinder garden... but I had a greater cause in mind!

Yeah, John B., bummer you couldn't make it!

Hey Dwight, I just finished reading the book you gave me,Angels and Demons, all 710 pages! Great book man! I couldn't hardly put it down! A page turner! I liked it so much I'm fixin to read another two books by Dan Brown... I didn't find him disrespectful of the Lord or of the Catholic Church, lost as a goose, but not disrespectful. Thanks, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I think we must have all skipped out of school on the same day... or at least we had the same game plan - jump the wall by the swimming pool - not too tough getting up but a long drop down and once you hoisted yourself over the wall there was no changing your mind. The first and last time I jumped the wall, I sprained my ankle so bad I thought I broke it. Didn't stop me from hopping the metro and going downdown to the zona rosa for the day, tho. I paid for it later - my ankle swelled up to the size of a large grapefruit! After that, I got wiser and wrote myself a note to go to the orthodontist - much easier to just walk out the front gate - ha!
Hey Mike L., are you still playing basketball? I have a son who is playing - he's 17 years old, 6'5" and still growing. He gets a big kick out of some of my stories about playing Basketball for AHS, our annual trek via train to Monterey for the big basketball tournament, etc. The story he likes best, however, is how my mother used to embarrass me by getting out on the court during our home games at half time - in her skirt and high heels - and shooting hook shots. She's the only woman I've ever seen actually perform that shot (and successfully, no less). Coach, of course, immediately wanted to know how come I couldn't do that!

My favorite skipping spot was the wall behind the swimming pool. I regularly hoisted myself over the wall there. My sister Karen still talks about watching me from her classroom window that looked over that spot. I remember going to Chapultepec Park. I'd wander through the Archaeology Museum or the Modern Art Museum. I still remember a Joan Miro exhibit I saw there.

I wonder what happened to the librarian? I think her name was Miss Wright. I still rememeber her because she would actually pull me out of class to ask for her books back. I always had overdue or lost books. Florida is a great idea. Count me in.

Cindy, John and I also took the subway that day we skipped. As I remember it wasn't that far to walk from the American School to one of the stops. You had to go through some homes that had open sewage, but it was probably less than half a mile from my recollection.

The thing that was so cool in our time is we could get off the bus, walk out the gate, and jot down to la Tiendita in the morning before school started :)

I remember the time I got busted by the librarian for making out with Marcie Miracle behind the library on the stone bench in that small garden area :)

It's official. Dial up sucks. I'm trying to play the slideshow with dialup at home and it's way too slow. Oh well, I can set a longer delay for the 'play' command, but to view all 388 photos it's probably better to have a high speed connection. I could compress the JPEGs further, but I don't want to sacrifice the quality. If anyone has dialup and would like me to make a compressed version of the reunion let me know. Or, I can mail you a CD with the original 2 megapixel photos. I know, I'm back in the stone age with that camera :) Back to my beer.....

I remember skipping out of school with Elena. We rode the subway, went to her house, painted our nails blue, and then we bought Pizzas (for the bake sale the next day) and rode the subway back to school. We would have never been able to do that in the US!

Elena, por nada. Have fun in Cabo!

Sue yes Las Brisas is still there as far as I know. I also had the opportunity to stay there with my family in 1980.

The AHS student body of today is a much different beast than when we were in school. I just wonder how different the experience must be considering all the freedoms we had (smoking, skipping, partying, drinking, sex, drugs, rock and roll boom boxes, etc. you know all the cool stuff we were able to get away with back then :)

I remember hopping the wall with John Hendrix and skipping school one day. We went downtown to the zoo and watched a rare opportunity of the male and female pandas frolicking and playing in the early morning. After that we caught the Star Wars movie Return of the Jedi to top the day off. Ahhh, those sweet memories!

Dwight,
Too bad the tiendita closed down. The lady that operated the store was really nice. The AHS students don't know what they're missing ;-). Thanks again for taking the time to share all those awesome photos. I've only been to Acapulco once (my family stayed at Las Brisas and rode around in a pink jeep - is that place still around? We thought it was cool as each room/suite had its own private pool). I agree, we should plan a reunion in Florida somewhere, sometime soon. I'm working on a destinations list - then we can put it up for a vote. The problem will not be in finding a good spot, it will be in deciding on one location!

Sue - your assistance on good FL spots is really appreciated.

Alison - appreciate your input as well

I'm off to Richmond for a week of meetings, followed by a half-week back home, then out to Cabo for a wedding. Back on the 4th for fireworks!

Dwight - great photos. It really was a swell way to wander down memory lane.

HA! :)

I've received several requests from alumni who like to drink while surfing the 25th reunion website. It seems that clicking the mouse while trying to drink with the other hand was presenting some problems for the anebriated. My bad. I've now added 'play' and 'stop' buttons to the website.

Enjoy!

You think all those tickets Dominic had in his hand were for him? Come on, he's making a fortune reselling them to our poor paisanos who decided to go to the World Cup without tickets.

My man in VA, e-mail me at Negratti@aol.com.

Finally had a moment of soberness. Today Mexico-Angola at 9pm local time.
Vamos Mexico!
There are at least 100,000 Mexicans all over Germany most of them without tickets. You actually might think you are in Mexico City at times.

Saludos

Mike! Great to hear from you!!! :) Thanks, yes it was really fun to get back to Mexico after all these years. Send me an email when you get a chance at dwerren@cdc.gov

Remember the time we got that keg of Victoria beer, got totally ripped at your house, and played the drinking game Passout? Also, the New Year's Eve party where we did depth charges (shots of tequila dropped in glasses of beer) at someone's house on Reforma. I got sick as a dog and you guys followed me as I stumbled home and climbed over my wall :)

Nice job on the pics Dwight. Looks like you had a good time. I'll have to keep in touch and make the next one.

John Shhhhhh..... :) So far you and Raza are the first to find it.

OPERATION MOUNTAIN THRUST

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13309540/

What a great name for an offensive operation. Jay Leno, John Stewart, and everyone else is going to have a field day with this one :)

Diwght: Great pics!!! Say, why didn't you post the TABARES.JPG on there as well and caption that for all of us?!?!?!?!?!

Sounds like fun was had by all. Sorry Alex L. couldn't make it down to Aca. You all looked great!

Dwight: Thanks for the pictures. They brought back a flood of memories.Hopefully I will plan my schedule better before the next reunion!

Alex, thanks. I'll update the caption.

Ann, you're most welcome and I'll see you at the next one ;)

Dwight: Great pics! Made me homesick. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Dwight, awesome pics! Great collection. Francisco's girlfriend is Sylvia. I spoke with him last night and he says he's still recovering from Aca. I asked him about the reunion and all he said was "Things happened." So yes, what happened in Acapulco stayed in Acapulco. Elli and I will be seeing Jodi during the weekend so we'll see how that Unauthorized Class Reunion goes.

Edited by author 06-15-2006 10:49 AM
Thanks Georgina. I downsized the images a bit to make viewing them a little more web friendly. If there are any images anyone wants at full res, I can email you them separately. Luego.

Hola Georgina:
A principios de Febrero te puse un mail a gmarquez@gmail.com te llego?
Sino dame tu nuevo para reenviartelo.

Luz Ma! Que gusto saber de ti. Hace poco estaba viendo una foto de cuando fuimos a Acapulco cuando estabamos en 2ndo. Un beso.

Hola Alison, Alex:
I live in Basel, Switzerland. This year it was cold November thru MAY!!!!!
Leonardo vive en Denver.

Hola Luz Maria, espero te encuentres muy bien. En donde vives? Por donde anda tu hermano?

Dwight: Wow. You're the best! That's an amazing photo collection. Thanks for all that hard work!

Sue, my parents used to live in a few different spots in Florida, including Siesta Key, Punta Gorda, Palm Coast, and St. Augustine. Lisa Valero, class of 1980 lives in Miami I believe. Also, Gaby (Bino) Hebin lives in Seminole. I was at her place a couple years ago for a mini-pachanga. We should get a state wide American School reunion going in the near future somewhere in Florida. I understand there are quite a few alumni that live in Texas and California and they often get together.

Sue I believe from what Dominic, Tennyson, and others have told me the Tiendita is no longer around. I didn't actually walk down and take a look while we were visiting, but several years ago before it did close Dominic had an opportunity to visit la Tiendita and the lady who owned it recongnized him and she was practically in tears because she was so happy to see him. I guess we meant a lot to her and I think a bunch of students actually gave her money one time for something important like surgery for her son or something like that.

Great pics, Dwight! I'm sorry I missed out on the fun in Acapulco but it's nice to "catch up" through your photographs. I haven't been back to Mexico since we graduated - things have definitely changed! Glad to see some of the old staples still around, tho - the infamous smoking lounge steps and the tiendita, to name a few...

Alison, I'll get busy working on a "Top 10" Florida destinations list and will be sure to include GOOD snorkling/scuba sites.

Jodi during the reunion we partied with Alex McGrath at Karismas in Mexico City. He looks great and is doing well.

Ok, here's our kickass 25th reunion site :)

From now on all you need to do is just remember mexico.dwighit.com with no www's as I made a subdomain just for us. dwighit.com, that's Dwight with an i between the h and t and pronounced dwiggit :)

Hey, what was Francisco Rios' girlfriend's name? I couldn't remember. I need to edit one of the captions. Also Alison, if you want to email me some of your photos you took I can add them to the site or you can send them to Dale Reed and he'll post them.

Edited by author 06-14-2006 03:07 PM
Sue: Wow, how handy to have a researcher right on site. I agree that tourist traps are a drag; it's hard to relax in those places. Acapulco was nice because it was the low season and there was hardly anyone around.

I have never been to those ones you suggested, but they all sound heavenly. It would be great if you could put together a top ten list.

Anacecilia was telling us about some snorkeling she did once on a trip, but all she saw were "diaper fish" and "plastic bag fish". LOL. Maybe you could find us a snorkeling spot that doesn't have this foul type of marine life.

Alison,
Actually, there are quite a few "laid back" Florida destinations that I can think of. On the West coast, Naples, Marco Island, Sanibel are all nice in the late fall and have beautiful beaches. On the East coast there is Amelia Island (near Jacksonville), Daytona Beach and where I reside which is about 45 minutes north of West Palm Beach right up the Interstate - the area is commonly referred to as "The Treasure Coast" (many treasure ships sunk along the shoreline here back in the day of Ponce de Leon and Chris Columbus. All have pretty beaches. If you like, I'd be happy to put together a list of, say, top ten Florida destinations (not the typical tourist traps like Orlando and Miami Beach but more "laid back" spots)and then we can narrow down choices from there. I've been living in South Florida since 1987 so the "research" should be pretty easy. Anyone want to snorkel / scuba dive? If so, I can figure that into the equation also. And I totally agree - August/Sept. is definitely NOT the time to vacation in Florida (August is our hottest, most humid month and September seems to be when we're most prone to tropical storm/hurricane conditions). My vote is late October. Temperatures are milder but still beach-worthy.

Luzmaria: How wonderful to hear from you! I remember you so well! Where do you live that winter lasts up to 7 months? What have you been doing all these years?

Jodi: Alex McGrath posted here the other day. Also, you might be very surprised to find out who you are related to, even distantly.

Elena: I like the idea of reunioning in Florida. I agree that Miami is too intense, and in my opinion Orlando is a bit of a zoo.

Key West is neat, but there are almost no beaches there. On the other hand it is laid back and might be a good setting for a get-together.

Bill and I really enjoyed a visit to Tampa once; even though it's a big city, it seems laid back. We stayed at a beach hotel across the causeway from Tampa, somewhere around Madeira Beach.

Another idea might be St. Augustine. I've never been there, but the history of it sounds so appealing...

All we really need is comfortable lodgings and good food. The entertainment will be taken care of by the good company of our classmates.

If we're going to do this in the fall, we need to consider hurricane season. Google tells me it ends November 30th, but I would guess that October or November should be safer than August/September (famous last words!) Moreover, my sister who lives in Florida says that "the season" (when the rich dubutantes arrive) starts around Christmas, so prices will be lower in Oct/Nov.

Dominic: I hope you're having a blast in Germany!

Hola Elena:
Dont know if you remember me. But for those of us living where winter can last up to 7 months
a break in sunny Florida sounds fantastic!

Well it appears that now everyone is looking up their family history at this moment I don't think that I am related to anyone famous.

Elena actually I am now 32 and holding. No more birthdays.

So I am of the consesus that another reunion be in Dallas. I am bias though since I have family there.

Has anyone heard from Alex Mcgrath?

I can imagine Dominic in Germany. There are 60,000 Mexican spectators there. My niece who is here (Cuernavaca)visiting with me could not believe the rest of my families reaction to the win of the Mexican team on Sun. I told her "that's nothing just wait until you see people dancing on tables, people dancing in the periferico, es toda una experiencia."

Alison - I can only speak for myself, but I live for travel/vacations. As a result, I have all my travel for 2006 booked. So I was thinking fall 2007 in either FL or Tx.

Where in FL would you recommend? Kelly Sherck and I thought Disney area was a natural, but at the same time, would you ever get everyone together or would everyone wander off to enjoy the parks? Miami is a bit too intense I think. Tampa interesting enough? Ft Lauderdale? Key West?

Dallas is easy, but then again I live here. So we need your expert FL input

Mike Buhler - care to put a wager on the MBA Final? Go Dallas Mavericks!!!

Dominic in Germany with LOTS of World Cup tickets :)

Elena: What fall are you thinking of - 2006 or 2007?

Hey everyone, Jodi's birthday was Saturday. She reports that she just turned 27.

Alison - I'd love your help. I agree we don't want to plan in FL during hurricanes, and I can assure you that you don't want to be anywhere near Texas in the summer.

So maybe fall in FL? Thoughts anyone? Is it easier to get away if kids are in school, or does it have to be when kids are out of school?

Elena: Bill and I would certainly be interested in attending another reunion, either in Texas or Florida. I would also be happy to help in putting it together.

Anyone who is thinking about starting their genealogy: a really great program that I use, I downloaded for free from the Mormon website. It also calculates your relationship to distant relatives. The Mormons also have a database with millions of names and are one of the best sources of genealogy information. That, and the free software program are located at www.familysearch.org.

For those of you whose parents and/or grandparents are still alive; grill them about every detail they know. Both of my parents are gone and I am just wishing I could have a few hours to ask them some questions.

I find it fun to expand the family tree laterally to find out who is there; I wouldn't even be surprised if some of our classmates here are related to each other.

Sue: So far much of my information was found just by searching the internet. Of course, I had to have some base information to begin with. There seems to be a ton of info out there on Chief John Ross alone.

I also got onto forums like genealogy.com and put out several messages (eg. Jane Smith, b. 1790, m. John Jones) and to my surprise I have gotten responses, many of whom have turned out to be relatives! I have found several distant cousins in Florida, Texas, Ontario, etc, all online. These relatives are also working on their genealogies so they send me their info and I send them mine. This can expand your tree a lot.

One other thing I'm going to try is - my great-grandparents (named Hewitt) left their hometown of Kincardine, Ontario after they got married. I looked on the online white pages and found a bunch of Hewitts in Kincardine. So I'm going to contact them and find out how we are related, and what details they know.

Census info is a good source too. In Canada they have recently released the 1901, 1906 and 1911 censuses and it has given me a lot of info. I'm not sure if the US has released any of its censuses after the 1880 one.

I'm a firm believer in not reinventing the wheel. If someone out there has gone to the trouble of assembling the info, I'll gladly take it. I think you'll be surprised to find how many of your distant relatives are working on genealogy, and would be just as happy to receive what info you have on your end of the family. Hope this helps!

Alison, I remember you metioning in Mexico City about being related to Henry Fonda. I think it's great learning about family ancestry. Alex L. has certainly discovered a vast amount of history with his family, and it's amazing what one can learn. I think everyone should try and trace their genealogical information at some point in their life. Hopefully I'll find out some day that my German ancestors are ancient brewmasters and have willed me a brewery :)

Wow Sue, that is interesting that you've got Cherokee blood in you. My wife's grandmother was part Cherokee.

!... Alright, I am ready to hear you my liberal buddies sing the praises of George Bush now... and your humble accolades to the American military... come on..go ahead... don't be shy...

Not enough drugs in the world for that Alex :)

Alison, What have you found to be the most reliable source of genealogical information online? Looks like you've been quite successful having dug all the way back to the 1600's. I have been trying to trace my ancestry with mixed success for some time. My most famous (so far) ancestor is shown below. Although only 1/8th Cherokee, John Ross became the first Principal Chief of the Cherokees and went to Washington DC several times over his lifetime trying to negotiate with the U.S. government on their behalf. When Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Bill, Chief Ross led the Cherokees who had been forced off their land in Georgia on the "Trail of Tears" to Oklahoma. The history is all very fancinating to me. Word of caution to anyone tracing their roots -- be careful that your kids don't get your ancestors confused! -- My son wrote a report in 4th grade about a "George" Ross (who is one of the signatures on the Declaration of Independence) and my daughter at one time thought she was related to Betsy Ross, maker of the U.S. flag!

Edited by author 06-12-2006 10:02 AM

My Great Great (unsure how many "great") Uncle-Cherokee Indian Chief John Ross - Led the Cherokees on the "Trail of Tears"

Hey, Elena...just came across your message about a stateside reunion. I was having that same conversation with Dale Reed a few weeks ago. There are several AHS alumni in South Florida and I would think a stateside reunion either in Florida or Texas would be well received. Weather here in Florida is great - particularly during the winter months. If you're thinking summer time reunion, it may be better to plan somthing in Texas. Having been hit directly by three hurricanes in the last 18+ months, I'm a bit leary of making plans during "The Season". And will be quite satisfied to never see Jim Cantore's face gracing my television sceen ever again. That guy is a magnet for disaster! Any where he travels, the storm is sure to follow...

At any rate...Let me know if you guys are interested in putting something together....I'd be happy to help.

Cousin Martin : )

Alex Loya: How interesting to be able to learn such detail about your ancestors, and find buildings named after them. I have been working on my genealogy for about a year and, while it is not quite as romantic and Zorroesque-sounding as yours, I have found two very interesting items:

1) The 8th President of the United States, Martin Van Buren, is my 4th cousin, 6 times removed. Our common great-grandparents were born about 1600, in upstate New York.

2) Henry Fonda (the actor) is my 7th cousin, 3 times removed. Our common great-grandparents were born about 1620. Apparently the Fonda family was originally Italian and for some reason involving persecution, they moved to Holland, and from there to upstate New York, where my ancestors resided at that time. There is a bit of distance in time though, so I suspect that we wouldn't make a very good match on a DNA test. However, I can now refer to him as "Cousin Henry"!

Genealogy is so much fun because you never know what you’ll find around the next corner.

I also found this school in San Elizario, Texas named after a relative

Allison, that's ok, you know, plenty of chicks dig me! :)

Speaking of genealogy, guess what I found out just last night?
Turns out my direct family owned the land where the town of Fabens, Texas is located! Isn't that something?! Actually, it appears that there was a small farm where the center of the town is owned by some other colonial, and the site of the town, of 8000 people was run through in half around the farm in the middle with one side owned by another colonial family, Grijalva I think, and the other half (of the site where the town was built) was owned by my family. Diego Loya, who was my grandfather Tirso Loya's uncle, sold the land to one something Newman way back in 1887.

 It is wonderful to find out my family owned that land as a land grant from the King of Spain who, it seems,gave out those land grants way back in the latter end of the 1600's and beginning of the 1700's. After Mexico got its independence from Spain, the new Mexican government sent circuit judges starting in 1826 to determine who's land was who's based on the Spanish land grants, and the area of El Paso County was thus divided among the Spanish colonial land grants, thus my family's grant from the Spanish Crown, and every other colonial's of El Paso area, was recognized by the Mexican government in 1828, it was called the San Elizario Grant. My family kept their land when the area became part of the Republic of Texas in 1835, and after it all became part of the US in 1848. Like I said, it was not until 1887 that my grandfather's uncle, my great grand father's brother,Diego Loya, sold the land to Newman. It seems that it is an ugly little town today, and the colonials are all gone scattered all around the US and, sadly, like much of Texas and the South West, the town and the whole area has literally been invaded and taken over by illegals, who have run the town down. Anyway, you can read a little about it at the following link from the Texas State Historical Association:

http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/FF/hgf1.html

Alex and Alison: What a funny story! I wish I would've been there to see the look on Alex's face when he found out Alison didn't have a secret crush on him and then finding out what she remembered and he forgot. What a crack up! Those are the moments that make our reunions soooooo worthwhile!

Well, we finally got home a couple of days ago. No, we didn’t walk home. We stopped in Winnipeg for a few days to visit friends/family and do a bit of genealogy research on the side.

Anaceci: Feliz belated cumpleanos (Estas son las mananitas…)

Anaceci and Ramon: Thanks for all your hard work in putting together the reunion. It was really special.

Alex Loya: I’m sorry that I didn’t have a crush on you. Maybe I did and was repressing it or something. Either way, I think you’re terrific now.

As for the story about the punch in the nose, gentleman that you are, you didn’t tell the whole story. I may as well confess to everyone and complete the story. After you punched me in the nose, I was so outraged that a boy would hit me (major double standard), that I went straight to Profesor Loya and informed him that his son was a bully, and you were punished and I was not. You know how some things stay with you for years and years; well this has always remained in my head and I feel lucky to have been able to make things right after all this time.

Georgina: Great photos!

Dale: I have some great pictures to post here, but my photos are about 2 MB each and this site takes just over 1 MB each. How do we reduce the photos’ bytes?

Aqui esta el link para que vean unas fotos de Acapulco. Thanks Dale!!!

http://logos.cs.uic.edu/ahs81/Photos/25thReunionPhotos.html

Dominic: Gracias! Que te divertas en el mundial!

Alex: No dejes de avisarme cuando vengan en Agosto!

AnaCeci: Se me paso tu cumple??????

WE GOT HIM!!! Hooah!... Alright, I am ready to hear you my liberal buddies sing the praises of George Bush now... and your humble accolades to the American military... come on..go ahead... don't be shy...

Tocayo McG., good thing you specified about the 20 inches wider!... TELL'EM WHO I AM BABY! TELL'EM WHO I AM! TWO HUNDRED AND TEN POUNDS OF TWISTED STEEL AND SEX APPEAL! WHOO!!!

Jodi, muy agradecido... erase que se era... it all started on Wednesday afternoon at the Mexico City Airport, 2:00 o'clock. I was at the Red Baron restaurant waiting to see a friend I had not seen in 26 years, his name? Dwight alias "ditto head" Werren. All of a sudden, there he was! All the appearance of an American liberal who secretely admires Rush Limbaugh and has a picture of Sean Hannity in his wallet! I was very happy to see him, but, being good all American men, we refrained from public displays of affection and simply shook hands. Later that afternoon we stopped at a store by the hotel and, joy of joys, we saw that they had Gansitos Marinela! Remembering how delicious those pastries used to taste, we immediately proceeded to purchase one! At that point, the lady that was there mentioned they had frozen ones in the freezer! I had completely forgotten how good they tasted frozen, so, after paying a fair amount for the delicacies, we went away enjoying double the pleasure with double frozen Gansitos Marinela... mmm yum yum eat'em up! We found ourselves walking through a place better known as "La Zona Rosa", all of a sudden, we almost bumped into some... what'd Dwight call that being? it? Some, dude looks like a lady!... dude looks like a lady!...

We finally got a hold of Alison Anderson who was staying in the same hotel as us, Pominic was good enough to let Dwight and I stay at his hotel room for free. Pominic was out working late, so we began to head on to the Karisma restaurant. From the lobby, we called Alison. Now, Alison Dwight had never met, and I had not seen her in, oh, about 32 years or so, when she came down the first thing she told me was "You've changed! You look different!" (better I hope) Although I had not seen her in 32 or so years, I recognized her eyes right away, they are soft and kind, and I was very happy to meet a conservative from Canada! Dwight and I rose to our feet to greet her, and we stood there for a long time talking with her... I mean, a LONG time standing... when there were some comfortable seats just feet away from us! I don't know why we stood there, my feet were killing me (I guess my feet killing me is better than the time some chick from Bible College took her sandals off and her hairy feet were killing all of us!), but there we stood when we could've been sitting!

At Karisma I was very happy to see Alex McG again! He is looking good, with a perfectly round bald head so perfect I wanted to shoe shine it! Francisco Rios, my old pre kinder friend, was there with his girlfriend, Ruben Keoseyan's cousin, George Ortez, Dominic showed up, and we were all so happy to see each other we forgot our manhood and we huggged each other... oh, well. Anaceci and her husband John were there, and it was as if John and I had known each other for a long time, although we have actually met only twice, so I gave him a hug too... what the hey!

I was sitting next Alison, you know,the one I had not seen in 32 years or so, when all of a sudden she tells me "Alex, I gotta tell you something I have been wanting to tell you for many years now but I never had the chance." My eyes got big as baseballs, and I kind of looked sideways and thought "Oh oh! She's gonna tell me she had a crush on me when we were little kids and that she's been in love with me all this time!... and her husband is sitting right here!"

Instead she told me that one day when we were in the elementary library in third grade we were calling each other names or something and that she got up and hit me really hard over the head with a book. I said "what?" while my wounded ego quickly deflated, you mean it's not that you were in love with me all this time? Man, she hit me over the head with a book, but now she wounded my handsomeness! Which is wurse? And then she tld me that ever since then we had been enemies in school! "huh?" Well, so much for her being in love with me... but then again, they say hate and love are just a hair away from each other... "Will you forgive me?" she said. "Yeah, sure". I thought that was the end of it, but that was not the end of the story, "I went back to my chair" she continued "and I sat down, all of a sudden I saw stars!" "what?!" I said. "Yeah" she said, "you stood up and punched me right in the nose!"... well, I don't hit girls, and I don't remember a thing... but maybe that's because she hit me so hard over the head with a book that it probably caused me amnesia... besides, she was bigger than me! Anyway, we forgave each other, although I don't remember the incident at all, and I never considered anyone my enemy, I luv all'a'ya'll, but her husband told me he has been hearing this story for the last five years...

To be continued at another time, same bat space, same bat channel (gotta run to my lil'Alex's baseball trophy award ceremony! You go my boy!)

Edited by author 06-08-2006 10:40 AM
It was good to see you guys at the DF events, several after 25 years. Dwight it was good seeing you, same to Alison, with all her Elementary school memories. She gave names and more names, and a bunch of forgotten stories.

Martin Diaz has a cool page worth checking out, http://www.tertuliamusical.com/. Rodolfo with 20 years of stories in the Mexican Navy, Pepe Botellas, Fede Gorbea, Loya 20 inches wider, muscle-man again, and the usual DF suspects. Too bad I missed Juarez and Georgina.

There was also a lot of surgery bragging, which seems to be the thing these days for many. As someone put it, "Our warranty ended at forty."

Jodi, we drank continuously, had lots of crazy acrobatic group sex, and talked the whole time about everyone and everything that ever happened at AHS :)

APAbu Musab al-Zarqawi killed in air raid

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida leader in Iraq who waged a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and beheadings of hostages, has been killed in a precision airstrike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday. It was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq.

Ana Ceci, Feliz Cumple! Disculpas andaba en Denver y acabo de regresar.

Gracias Jodi, yo voy a San Panchito pero regreso el 30. Te hablo. Sammy, Yolanda and Javi, a ver si nos vemos. Les mando un email.

Father Homero, Prometeo beber solamente tres six packs durante el holy reunion con Dominic o mis otros cuates.

Dominic, take Germany by storm and have a kickass time at the World Cup. Go MEXICO! Go US!! If you can jump on cyberspace over there I should have the pictures from the reunion up on my website shortly.

Fernando and Dale - you guys look great. I'll tell you what, with the temperature forecast to be in the high 90s all week, I'll be ready to escape to Chicago soon.

HOMERO: La verdad creo que eres Profeta! Ya empieza tu religion para inscribirme.

Edited by author 06-06-2006 09:52 PM
oops and Alex L. Sorry about that. So how was it who went? what did you do? Who did you talk about? Give us the scoop!

Edited by author 06-06-2006 09:22 PM
Dominic, that explains it all!!!

Jodi, how about I agree with Dominic and Elena... AND ALEX L.?!! :)

Hola Cuates,

It sounds like you all had a terrific time at the reunion. I just hate that I wasn't able to make it. I agree with Dominic and Elena please let's not wait another 5 years until the next one. Elena if you are up to planning something in Dallas I am game or even San Antonio. Post pics everyone.

For those of you in Mexico I am in Cuernavaca until the middle of July. My cel # is 777215 6819 or I can be reached at 777326-4278

Ana Ceci feliz cumpleanos. Oye hay que hacer una reunion.

Dominic, felicitame a Maggie "por el aguante!" and it's almost 6 o'clock!

Thanks Dwight, look forward to seeing those pictures.

6-6-6...
three six packs of beer


-----Mensaje original-----
De: QT - DOMINIC [1] Enviado el: Martes, 06 de Junio de 2006 12:59 p.m.
Para: QT topic subscribers
Asunto: AHS Class of '81


< replied-to message removed by QT >

Dwight: Funny you mention these numbers. Seems people freak on numbers.
Today is my 10th wedding anniversary and I was born on Friday the 13th.
Don't worry and party like a Rock Star!

Hey Dale! Good to see you and Fernando! Both of you are looking good!

Anaceci, yeah, it was good to see my mama! I luv my mama!

Elena, I was about to propose the same thing, we ought to have a reunion once a year, nothing fancy, no need for an expensive hotel or anything, we had a good ol' time just eating dinner a couple of times, we ought to just to get together once a year I would suggest in Dallas or some place easy to access for all. Anyway, yes, I am for a US reunion.

Anyway, here is a link to my latest article at Somos Primos, it is a fascinating story! I mean, truly fascinating! Just click on the link, go to Texas on the Table of Contents, click there and you will see my name there and my article. Fascinating! Here is the link:

http://www.somosprimos.com/sp2006/spjun06/spjun06.htm

Back in Phoenix tonight! I am still trying to recover from parties in Acapulco and Mexico City. What a blast we had in Acapulco.

Hey, Hey Hey, what happened in Acapulco stays in Acapulco.

Allison, It was great to see you again after so many years. You and Bill make a great couple! It was great meeting him. He just jumped in on the fun immediately. See you in AZ soon!

Dwight, Wow, what can I say. That night at Tabares was just a trip from the past. You just dazzled us with the disco moves. It was great to see you again.

Ana Ceci, Thanks for everything. I hope you, John and Julia have a great time in SF. Tell Julia that Alex says hi. Aslo tell John that Nancy and I are still laughing.

Rios y Rodolfo, what a great time we had in Acapulco. Just like old times. Friday night at Mangos and Tabares will be with me forever. Saturday I may not be able to remember everything.

Georgina, What a great time our kids had huh? We will have to get together soon. Congratualtions with John. He is a great guy.

Dominic, What can I say, you still rock! Que aguante tienes. Have fun in Germany.

To all that missed it: It was your loss!

Though I didn't get to enjoy the Acapulco reunion, Fernando Fuentes was traveling through town. Sounds like y'all had fun in Acapulco!

Fernando and I in Chicago

Kelly Sherck and I have been wondering if there would be any interest in having a reunion in the US. Maybe a beach? Some of you attended the all-class reunion I did here in Dallas in 1998. It worked out well since it is ideal midpoint between both US coasts and Mexico. It is also the main hub for American Airlines, which seems to help with airfare. However, no beach. There is lots of great hotels, shopping and dining.

Input?

Anacecilia, I'll try and have the pictures posted this week.

So, now what happened in Acapulco? :)

Alison: Now that you mention Mum's, in Napa Valley there is an exellent sparking wine (can't be called champagne) made by Mum's. If anyone comes across any of their fine wine's, I highly recomend them.

Dominic: Mum's the word. :-)

Dominic, de acuerdo en todo!

Allison, I hope you got home ok, it was a lot of fun! Thank Bill for the message and I hope he gets well from his cold soon.

Ramon, de acuerdo con Geor, el organizar eventos se te da!

Ingrid Urich Sass, happy birthday!

Allison: What ever happened in ACA, has to stay in ACA, otherwise some people might not be able to attend the next reunion. I also know a few things about Alex J that Nancy would love tho know, so don't worry about Alex.

Georgina: I thought you looked great and extremely happy. I hope to see you and John at the next one.

So, where are we going and when, any ideas? 5 years is too long and we are getting to damn old to wait.

Saludos a todos

Alison: Havea safe trip home! Check in when you get there ok?

Ramon: Te voy a contratar para que me organizes mis fiestas!

Dominic: Las palabras que le ensenaste a John have gone a long way!!!!!!

Hi everyone-
We are sitting in the Mexico City airport waiting for our flight to Toronto. I can't tell you how fantastic it was to see you all again, after so many years. We have some great photos to share once we get home.

We had a wonderful day yesterday with Anacecilia and John at their apartment and then spent the evening at Hector Hernandez' (he left AHS after 6th grade) house with Anaceci, John and were pleasantly surprised to see Alex and Nancy Juarez there too.

Thanks for a great time, all of you! We really do need to all get together more often than every five years.

Dominic and Dwight: you two guys are very cheeky. What happened in Acapulco may or may not stay in Acapulco, depending on whether or not Alex J. is bribable.

Message from Bill: I would like to say how pleased I was at how well everyone bonded and how quickly you took the four spouses into the fold. What a truly top-notch group you are. Now I know why Alison has been talking fondly about you for so many years.

Dwight, nice to see you made it home ok. Could you send me some pictures? apvdlf@cablevision.net.mx thanks!
Alex L. que bueno que pudiste ver a tu ma. And like Dominic said, if anybody wants to make a reunion in 5 years, that's fine, but our "25th gang", well, we figure at least every 2 years!

Ramon, cudos amigo as it was a killer pachanga :)

Dominic, cheladas de Victoria ROCK!!!

Congrats to your cat Elena, that's awesome!

Sure sounds like everyone had a great time. I had my mother visiting from FL all week. She attended the AHS as well so she was sad that I'd not been able to make this reunion. I am looking forward to seeing some photos!

On a totally unrelated vein, our little Birman kitten was in her first CFA cat show this weekend. She won 6 ribbons and is now a Premier Champion. Considering we've never done this before, we were quite surprised and pleased - especially since we groomed her ourselves and had no idea what we were doing.

Ramon: Thanks for putting together the reunion. I had a great time and it was fun to see all who showed up. Hard to beat a 6 day party, 3 days in DF and then 3 more in Acapulco. As far as I am concerned, Cabo Wabo Tequila with nieve de limon rules!

John good joke :)

The view from our balconies. Thank you Chris Payne!

I was literally walking with Anaceci and Dwight to get in her vehicle to go to Rockapulco when I decided I couldn't be a couple of hours away from where my mom n dem live and not see her... she is 75 years old and her health is not the best and I won't get to see them in at least a year, and if she up and something happened and I didn't get to see her being so close, I would regret it the rest of my life... I tried to catch a bus from Queretaro to Rockapulco Saturday after spending a day with my mama n dem, and hugging my little baby neice Gia Larissa, but I missed the last bus, which leaves at 1100 and I didn't know that, by a half hour, or less. So, my friends, I did try to get back on the reunion band wagon, but I didn't realize the buses from Querator to Rockapulco are so limited. Dwight told me Craig didn't show, so I am glad I did two days of the reunion, including the AHS tour, with all of ya'll who went to the reunion, except for you Georgina, a hug to you!

It was great to go to the AHS! It has been so long since I was little bitty kid there that the place I was formed in seems like a dream that never existed in reality... walking through the gym and the highschool and elementary buildings, seeing our old lockers, drinking water from the same water fountains, looking down at the outdoor stage infront of the gym from the elementary building, going to the playground where our kinder garden was, it all brought a settling feeling inside of me that, after all, the place that formed me is real, it was like the little anguish caused by a beautiful dream of something loved that disappears when you wake up was gently calmed by the fact that that beautiful place was real... I was walking inside that dream and touching with my hands and seeing with my eyes that, after all, the dream was real...

I was bummed out a little to see how someone is changing the character of our school, when we were there American football was THE sport, THE focus of our athletic department followed by baseball and basket ball, now, however soccer pictures covered the walls, our beloved American football relegated to a little corner out of the way... and our high school is no longer called a "high school", and middle school is no longer "middle school", they are now "upper school" and "lower school" or some other such ridiculous name evidently the focus changed from an American school to a global community without borders type of joint, blessed by a big statue of the Virgen de Guadalupe in the back of the football field... and, well, you all know me by now, these changes would be something that would grieve me, but, you know, maybe that is just me...

But it was great though! It was great to see your faces once again! To hang out with you, and laugh with you, or just to sit back quietly and enjoy you all yappin with each other! I have to say like Georgina, whom I am sorry I missed, I love you man! All'ov ya'll!... and I still don't see why we have to meet only once every five years...

All I can say, is WOW! I haven't had such a good time, and laughed so hard in a long,long time. I enjoyed every minute of it. Lo que dice Geor is so true. And we do have 4 honorary new members of the class of '81 because they were just such good sports. (Geor, se te olvido mencionar a tu Dustin Hoffman en guapo.) I can't say much because I am still digesting and savoring every detail and emotion. The three days before ACA, were also great! but it was definetly one trip to remember for the next 25 years!

Okay, so I read all the time and rarely post. But John, that gave me the biggest laugh. Hilarious!

Wish we could've been in Aca with you crazies. Maybe in 5 years.

Edited by author 05-30-2006 06:14 PM
Looking for Chris (Christian) Arvesen... I am hoping that one of you might be able to help. Christian is my (much younger) cousin (so is his brother Janik and sister Nina). Their mother and mine are sisters. My family and I live near Toronto, Canada and hope that one of you may have an e-mail address for him. Alternatively, perhaps you might give him mine: m-andersen2@rogers.com.

Thanks!

Oldie, but goodie: (Disclaimer: Intended as humor only)

Teacher Arrested

At New York's Kennedy airport today an individual--later discovered to be a school teacher--was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, protractor, setsquare, slide rule, and a calculator. At a morning press conference U.S. Attorney General Alberto Alberto Gonzales said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-Gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

"Al-Gebra is a fearsome cult," Gonzales stated. "They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns.' We have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval, with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'there are three sides to every triangle'."

Asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush replied, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes."

Dwight, et.al.: Welcome back. Great to hear how much fun everyone had at the 'peda'.

What a wonderful time we had together! We partied, we sat under a palapa on the beach and visited, drank, and ate, we had breakfast together, etc. Alex's kids and mine got to be great friends and played hard all weekend long. We hope to see them in August. Nancy Juarez, John (Ana's husband), and Bill (Alison's husband) are absolutely delightful! Our friendship bond was strenghthened forever. It was a trip of a life-time which I will cherish forever. To all those who attended Acapulco:
Dominic
Ramon
AnaCeci
Alison
Francsico
Roberto
Dwight
Alex

I LOVE YOU MAN!

Aye, que peda en Acapulco

Wish I could have been there! I hope you all had fun. Echoing several other posts - do please tell us about it - who was there, what you did, etc. so we can vicariously enjoy it.

If there are any group shots that are large, you can email them to me at
   reed @ uic.edu
to post on the web site
   http://logos.cs.uic.edu/Ahs81/Reunion.html

It turns out that Fernando Fuentes is coming through town tomorrow here in Chicago, so I will get the chance to see him for a few hours. Saludos a todos!

Ramon, tengo tus pases, si quieres ir llamame y te los doy ahi. 04455 3220 3419.

Hi, everyone! It's so great you'll be celebrating your 25th!

Just a short message from the ASF Alumni office

We are constantly updating our alumni database in order to have more reliable information for the benefit of the Alumni Community as a whole.


 
We invite you to visit our website and submit and/or update your information online.
                                              
 If you’re visiting our online registration page for the first time, please click here

Once you finish submitting your data, it will prompt you to submit a password. Please make sure to choose a password you can remember easily, so you can come back and update your data whenever necessary.
 
 If you’ve already submitted your data, and would like to add or modify something, please click here Please note this is only if you have already filled out the online form (If you sent your data via email, you don't have an online account yet)

The page will prompt you to enter your email address and password (the one you have already used)

Also, if you have any friends, cousins, siblings, etc. who are ASF Alumni, could you send us (ASF Alumni Affairs Office ) their info and / or
 
Xenia Castro ‘96
Bárbara Estrada ‘76
Alumni Affairs Office
The American School Foundation, AC
alumni@asf.edu.mx
 +52 55 5227-4922

Celticīs Update:
We kicked off our Reunion activities with a great night at Celticīs, the band Bota Negra, were great and the place was packed. Alex Mc Grath was the first to arrive, later came: Rodolfo Rodriguez, Ricardo Ganem & Phillip Archer (ī83), Jose Garcia(Botellas), Martin Diaz ī80 & Salvador Serrano, Dominic & last but not least Francisco Rios who let me know is going to Acapulco. Tonight at Karisma (7:30p.m.), the bar is very busy so if anybody can arrive early, it would be appreciated.

Alex, La tablita o Loma Linda es el que esta subiendo por Reforma de lado derecho, despues de la gasolineria. Una calle antes de Monte Libano, (donde vivia yo con mis papaps). De todos modos en la noche te explico bien.

El Karisma queda justo enfrente del "chapulin". El que esta en Polanco junto al Nikko, donde esta la glorieta. Nosotros llegamos como a las 7:30. si te pierdes o algo marcame a mi cel. 044 55 12 12 69 54.

Dwight: I left your name at the hotel reception, just ask for your key room 618
I will see you maņana.

Edited by author 05-23-2006 07:27 PM
En que quedamos el jueves en la tarde? La Loma Linda? En donde esta el Karisma?
Nos vemos!

Mike, I simply asked the question what's wrong with being liberal and you take that as my saying that you and Alison are wrong? Please help me understand where you're getting that from. Or, if you'd rather take the time to respond in a more mature way or bring up a topic like Alison did on the Kyoto Protocol, I'd be happy to respond.


Alison, the problem I see now is that we need to move beyond Kyoto, which was really just was a step in addressing the issue of climate change and emissions. An incentive that I do like in the Kyoto Protocol is the carbon market that recently has been providing incentives for the market to come up with innovative ways to cut emissions. We'll chat more about this topic when we get back from Mexico :)

Dominic y todos los que viajan hoy y manana, Buen viaje!

Dwight: Canada under the Liberals signed the Kyoto Accord. The US refused to sign it. Surprise, surprise the US has cut far more emissions without benefit of this vital accord than Canada did with it. Canada's Liberals spent all of their time studying the matter and giving us platitudes about mother earth, while doing nothing about it.

The new Conservative government here is announcing today a plan to have all automobile fuel supplemented with 5% ethanol by 2010. Don't know the details because they haven't announced it yet. They are acting rather than philosophising. This is good.

By the way, just this week Al Gore slammed the Canadian government for not bowing down to the Kyoto Accord god.

Must go. I'm at the Toronto airport waiting for my flight. Have a good trip.

I will be in DF maņana, see you all at 8pm at Celtic's

Alison where all wrong. Ditto head (Dwight) spoke for his master John Bauer

Ahora resulta que Dwight es la Martha Stewart de los pobres! Just kidding, thanks for the info. It turns out that sometimes, when you go out to dinner at night in Acapulco, the air conditioner is so high that you freeze to death! Pero ya le pregunte a Ramon y no va a ser el caso en el salon de la fiesta, asi que se pueden ahorrar el saco. Dominic, no se si te acuerdas pero Echeverria andaba de guayabera por todos lados. Lo criticaron mucho por eso, pero ahora todos los politicos la usan cuando van a lugares muy calientes. Yo creo que guayabera estaria bien. Y si quieres un "Peje look" para esta muy a la moda, puedes usar un collar de hawaiano.

Allison, have a fun, safe trip and see you Wednesday night at the Karisma.

Geor, nos vemos el viernes, diviertanse mucho y no olvides el sun block para todos tus gringitos.

Todavia estan en tiempo los "undecided".

More info...

Semi-Formal Attire
Every so often, you’ll find yourself being asked to wear semi formal attire to such events as weddings and award ceremonies, and every person should have at least one item in their closet that fits the description of Semi-Formal.
This form of attire gets the most attention, but often because of its universal use. Many associate other forms of dress such as cocktail attire, with semi-formal. However, Semi-formal attire is much more formal than cocktail attire.

Suitable Articles of Clothing:
Women:
Dresses (one inch above the knee to two inches above the ankle)
Pants Suits (ankle length)
Dress Suits (hem knee length to floor length

Men:
Full Suit: Jacket, Tie, Button-Down Shirt and Matching slacks. (Vest Optional)

Appropriate Fabric and Material
Women: Taffeta, Chiffon, Silk, Satin, Sateen, Gossamer, Brocade, Rayon, Velour, Velvet, Velveteen, etc.
Men: Wool, Polyester, Gabardine, Cotton, etc.

Semi-formal is the trickiest of all dress codes. Usually it means that tuxes are not required, nor are long dresses. An evening wedding (after 6 PM) would still dictate dark suits for him, and a cocktail dress for her. Daytime semi-formal events mean a suit for him and an appropriate short dress or dressy suit for her.

Considering the above definition, I guess what I just posted is out then. I'll see what I can come up with :)

To the semi-formal dinner I plan on wearing some nice black dress shorts, a collared shirt, and sandals. That's about as dressed up as I get.

I went to a wedding in Acapulco and everyone wore Guayaberas, se puede?

Alison, just curious to your comment that you made about, at least we're not having Al Gore pushing and environmental agenda. What's really so wrong about that? Don't conservatives and liberals feel protecting and preserving the environment is a smart thing, and makes good sense considering the alternative? I don't know about how others feel on this chat, but I'm quite proud of the accomplishments we've made in the United States in the 20th century when it comes to making our workplaces and environment healthier for Americans. And, it isn't the reason to blame the cost of goods, or corporations for moving their jobs overseas. The major reason for that is labor cost. I personally don't care to see this administration strip environmental and health regulations that have come about based on valid science and research efforts from Americans, just so a few choice industries or individuals can profit. To me, that really goes against what I believe in as a Christian.

You know semi-formal, a formal party that you have in the back of a semi trailer The Delta Kappa Epsilon house at Miami University actually rented a trailer, parked it in their front yard, and had a big ole kegger party and called it a semi-formal :)

Georgina:
Semi Formal es preferentemente NO jeans, ni T-shirts, pero es Acapulquito, Saco seria demasiado por la humedad y Calor, pero depende del clima el sabado lo que sea comodo pero no fachoso.

I like Dwight's rules for conversation. I am so bummed that I will not get to do all the fun things you guys have planned.

Well gang, we're leaving for Mexico early tomorrow morning. We'll spend the night in Toronto and arrive on Tuesday mid-day.

May all of you have safe and enjoyable flights. See you there!

Alison:
       Good for you. Listen to Rick's advice.

Thanks Rick. I appreciate your comments.

And the United States biggest partner will really put off John Bauer but you have supporters here Alison.

Another refreshing voice in Alison. You should not take Bauer seriously Mexicans that come to this country and do not becoms citizens always say bad things about the United States and anyone who is for this state. You also touched a nerve in him when you put down liberals. He is as liberal as it gets her. See how he gets to insult you and still not have to be monitered.

Ramon: semi-formal, o sea saco sin corbata? Por fa avisame cuanto antes porque ya nos vamos el miercoles super temprano. Cuando llegas a Acapulco?

My cell phone (which I will have with me and should work in Aca) is 714-924-7675.

Alex J.,I'm inclined to agree with you about the suit and tie. One could argue that in such a small group formality is less of an imperative than in a large one.

Ramon, how offended would the maitre d'y be if we didn't wear evening gowns and suits? More importantly how would you, our host, feel?

We should defer to your advice, because you've been to the restaurant and put together this reunion. (But please tell us we don't have to dress up too much!)

I don't know about you guys but suit and tie in Acapulco?
I think I am just doing a business casual that day. Acapulco is too hot and humid for a semi formal.

Alison: See you Thursday at 9:00 am at school.

Alex: Let’s use some of that conservative logic on the uniform question.
1) Bad guys don’t like military types.
2) Bad drug guys probably feel threatened by US military types.
3) You are going to Mexico on vacation, not on a military maneuver.
4) Kidnapping and assassination are really annoying.
5) Collateral damage to your old school mates is equally annoying.
6) You probably have a civilian suit and tie at home.

What do you think?

Dwight, that's exactly what I'm saying buddy! :)

So, Ramon, then it will be coat and tie, correct? Is the Sunset Lounge in the Hotel or do we have to go outside the hotel to get there?

Now, I really do need some guidance here, is it safe to wear a U.S. Army uniform to the semi formal dinner? The reason I am asking seriously is because, like I said, I had to take a class on anti-terrorism as a requirement to go on leave outside the U.S., and much of this basic terrorism awareness course focused on not revealing our status as American soldiers or Marines or any American Military because terrorists see us as a prime target for symbolic reasons. And then I saw that report on the News Hour and then today on USA Today there was an article on the bloody drug wars going on in Mexico, the drug cartel people would possibly see me as a political target wearing an American uniform. So... is it safe to wear my uniform to the semi formal? (I hardly know what it is like to wear a civilian coat and tie anymore, as I always wear my uniform to weddings or dinners or etc etc) I would appreciate input from those of you who are familiar with the area, seriously. I mayjust bring it with me and feel out the situation...

Hey, I trust the Lord but I also take my medicine when I am sick!

Alison: the Dinner will be at the Sunset Lounge(Asian Restaurant) I recomend semi Formal.

Alison: I won't be able to make it on Thursday but I will be hanging with you guys at night.

So far we have seven of us planning to visit the school on Thursday morning (Anacecilia, Alex J., Nancy J., Alex L., Dwight, Bill and I).

Katia at ASF sent us this email today:
I might as well join your messages and write one answer for both of you.
I will be looking forward to seeing all of you next Thursday! I am planning to have you guys go in a separate group so you feel more comfortable and I will try to have a nice easy going Student Ambassador take care of your group.
I have also informed Xenia Castro (Alumni Coordinator) about your visit and we are trying to organize a little (informal) gathering after the tour so the Alumni Affairs office can have a chance to know you and greet you too.
So you see, the more the merrier! Just let me know who is coming so we may take the appropriate precautions (snacks, sodas…).
It will be a pleasure to see all of you again!

Katia Herrera
Associate Director of Admission

Dominic, Georgina, Ramon, Ricardo, Nacho, Salvador and any other reunion attendees: Do you want to go to the school on Thursday?

Alison, don't worry about claymores as Alex packs an ultra high explosive material that makes claymores look like firecrackers. It's called the Bible.

(Sorry Alex, I had to use that one again as I saw an opportunity :)

Reunion Rules:

No talking about politics, religion, or him/her.

Topics allowed:

sex, drugs, rock 'n roll, and high school memories

ok. Entonces quedamos para los que quieran ir (incluyendo chilangos) who probably haven't done it. For Thursday, we take the ASF tour at 9:20. We meet in school grounds. Then after that we go to the Auditorium and take the turibus http://web.turibus.com.mx/turibus/. My cel phone is 044 55 12 12 69 54 in case anybody want's to join later on. The turibus is a circuit so you can start anywhere and get off anywhere they have stops at.
Alex J. nos olvidamos de las piramides esta vez y a ver si despues de Aca vamos al six flags con los chavos.
Elena, y todos los que no han confirmado, todavia hay tiempo!

Ruben! So good to hear from you. I have many memories of hanging at the tiendita during senior year when I was dating Alex Serrano. It was always a mix of football, both Americano and soccer players.

Ana: El tour del colegio esta bien. No se si vayamos a las piramides.

Wow! I glad you guys are comming down to Mexico, you're in for a doze of fun that should remind you "Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see"
There will plenty of shots taken, but it will be Tequila Shots and Muppets!
See you all next week

Alex: My friend, you're not being very reassuring about Mexico. Maybe we should pack a few claymores for the trip, just in case.

Maybe you should give us a short course in hand to hand combat before we leave for Acapulco.

Poor Bill was concerned enough about being robbed; now you've got him worried about being shot! He says at this rate the only thing he'll need formal clothes for is to be buried in.

Seriously, Ramon, how formal will this dinner be? It sounded earlier like it was going to be on the beach or something.

Edited by author 05-18-2006 09:24 PM
Oh! I forgot to tell you guys something! Just today I was watching the News Hour with John Lehrer and they had a news report on the war down south or something. They showed scenes of bodies laying in the street bullet riddled and they showed footage of what seemed like battle scenes with sounds of automatic gunfire, heavy gunfire, and all of a sudden they said something like "you would expect to find a scene like this in Iraq or Afghanistan, but this is a scene from a battle that raged in the streets of... Acapulco, Mexico!"

The drug wars in Mexico are becoming more and more violent, my wife told me, when we saw this "You better not wear your uniform down there" (since I was planning to wear my uniform to the semi formal dinner, I assume there is one, yes?) especially when they said that kidnappings are rampant and these criminals have taken to killing those they kidnap by stuffing them in barrels while they are alive and setting the barrels on fire. Anyway, I will set my trust in the Lord... for all of us. (Now it doesn't sound so bad being deployed to Afghanistan!)

... and I think maybe next reuinion should be in Chicken Leg, Idaho!

Allison, you go girl! You go girl! There is hope for Canada yet! All those pinko liberals from Canada had me thinking Canada was next!

All, ASF and Turibus sounds like a plan to me for Thursday, somebody tell Katia were a'comin'!

John, alright man, I will be merciful and not gloat in my victory... but if you are about facts maybe you should consider becoming a conservative cause liberals are the ones who are all emotion and no logic, ain't that right Dwight?

Hey Dwight, I think you are secretely a Ditto head!

Anacecilia -
I'll send another email to Katia and let her know that the Thursday visit to ASF is on and that there will be a group of us on the school tour, exact number unknown as yet.

Allison, the school visit sounds great, (and at a decent hour 'cause they usually have them at 8:00) We can do the turibus later and we can do it leasurly (however it is spelled) and visit several sights.

Anybody else?

Ramon, tu como vas?

John Bauer: You might want to take Canada seriously. We are the United States' biggest trading partner.

Alison: I wouldn't be so up in arms. Nobody here in the US takes Canada seriously anyway. We do enjoy the comedians that do get through...

Reunion Gang:
I just got this email response from Katia Herrera at ASF:

Hello Alison,

It is nice that you want to come back to visit your alma mater. You are right! It has changed somewhat since then.

Thursday would be better for me. As a matter of fact, I have a wonderful group of Student Ambassadors giving the tour that day starting at 9:20 a.m. it would be great if you can take the tour at that time because you will also be able to talk with students and get some ideas of the activities that are taking place now a days .

I would also be happy to meet with you and Bill before the tour starts.

Hoping to see you next week,
Katia Herrera
Associate Director of Admission

This would fit in nicely with all of those planning to visit the school. Is anybody interested in going there as a group, given what Katia said about the Student Ambassadors?

The Turibus sounds good too. It sounds like a good plan because there is so much to see in the DF and everyone has only two days. Bill and I can get our other stuff done on Wednesday.

For all of you liberals out there: here in Canada we have until this year endured 13 years of Liberals dominating politics in this country.

During that time they imposed a gun registry on long guns, they committed Canada to the Kyoto Accord, they reduced the military to where it could hardly function anymore, they snubbed the U.S. repeatedly in order to score political brownie points, they made up a bunch of other bleeding heart pinko legislation, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

In January we finally were able to throw out the bastards. A most refreshing change, and now the Conservatives are finally in charge. I worked in Ottawa all those years when the Conservatives were in opposition and the Liberals just about drove me mad with frustration.

Even though George Bush is a bit of a dork, at least you don't have President Gore pushing his environmental agenda. It's great to have here a government that uses logic instead of one that uses the Communist Manifesto as a guide to make policy.

Ruben, no se si te acuerdes de mi. Comi con tu mami hace dos semanas y se ve super bien, lo cual me dio mucho gusto.

Dwight and Allison, I am sending you an email.

Alex J. que onda? que te parece si el jueves vamos al colegio y luego a las piramides y dejamos el six flags para despues de ACA. Para acomodar a los que no traen ninios.

Todos, another thing to do on wednesday-thursday is go to school and then take the turibus. It is a topless, double decker bus that you take in the Auditorio (Reforma) and takes you around the city. They give you earphones and they explain the whole tour. You also get a bracelet and there are spots where you can leave the bus, visit and then take the next one. It is really the best option for a city tour and it is only about $10 bucks.

Another thing, the weather in D.F. esta lloviendo ! ;( y frio en la maņana y luego muy caliente al medio día. It is ridiculous to hear the weather forecast, “minimo 5, maximo 29”.

Alex L: Whatever man. You really don't understand logic <sigh>.

Ruben: Que milagro mi estimado! Espero estes bien y te mando un super abrazo. Me saludas al buen Escorsa si lo vez por ahi. Si puedes este proximo martes vamos a estar tomandonos una cervezas en el Celtic's que esta en la calle de Tamaulipas en la colonia Roma.

"you need to keep listening to Rush Limbaugh the Doctor of truth, and to Sean Hannity until you are fully Hannitized and brought back to your wits!"

cough...choke....sput...hack...ooohhH PUHLeeeeeZE gimme break!

Hannitized? Yea, I'm gonna do my best to de-Hannitize you amigo while we're in Mexico together next week, pero no prometeo nada mis 'cuates :P

federal warning label now required on all gasoline pumps

Ruben: Que buena onda saber de ti. El famoso compositor de la cancion en los lockers de " Y que vaya a c....... su ....... el Tancor! Por donde andas? Yo vivo en Phoenix. Aqui viven George y Ramiro Pena, Rob Morris.
Bueno pues saludos.

Suena bien ir a checar la escuela el jueves.

Ruben Keoseyan! Gusto oir de ti! Me acuerdo bien de ti de toda la vida amigo de mi hermano Eduardo, gusto oir de ti!

Allison, I have heard crime is extremely bad in Mexico City from friends who have never left Mexico City, you just have to be very careful, be aware of your surroundings and like Dominic said, stay away from bad areas. I do think from what I have heard that crime is way wurse than in New York or Los Angeles, if anything just because Mexico City is bigger.

Dominic, thanks, I will take you up on the offer!

Dwight, one hour at ASF?! That is hardly any time at all, don't you think? I would like to stay there a little longer, maybe even eat lunch there, especially if they still sell bolillos con frijoles... mmm I haven't tasted those since! We'll see... you need to keep listening to Rush Limbaugh the Doctor of truth, and to Sean Hannity until you are fully Hannitized and brought back to your wits!

John B. Alright! You just cried uncle! I won! I won! Victory is mine! Augh augh augh (similar to seal's bark) You are big man for conceding defeat, I appreciate it! Of course, I am a bigger man for winning! Augh Augh Augh! :)

Ruben Keoseyan class of 79 for those that do not know me by this nickname. I don't normally write on these forums but I have been monitoring this site and I must confess that I have been tempted many times to comment, but this time I cannot resist.

It has to do with the issue of La Tiendita. I spend many hours there and probably had the best conversations with common folk during my adolescence, conversations that I will never forget. Qué lástima. I wonder what became of Juanito, his wife and his son. Who can forget the cold Victoria's.

Dominic eres grande maestro por acordarte de esto. Te mando un fraternal abrazo a ti y a todos los que se acuerden de este humilde servidor.

I am sorry to report La Tiendita is no longer there. When I think about the AHS, La Tiendita always pops to mind.

John B, speaking of Rash Windbag, did you hear he had to turn himself over to authorities a couple weeks ago? But, he still maintains a plea of innocent and says he was merely "doctor shopping" when he made all those fraudulent prescription pickups for his addiction to painkillers.

Anacecilia, thanks for the heads up sending an email if we plan on visiting Colegio Americano. Alex L. we might want to send an email sometime this week even if we don't end up visiting the school. I'm up for spending an hour or so there if we have the time.

A todos los que quieran visitar la escuela, you need to send Katia Herrera an email (she is class of ’80). Security is high in school grounds and if you don’t let her know you are coming, they won’t let you in. herrerak@asf.edu.mx

John B. de veras te la vas a perder?

Dwight: One last note...I heard that there is a new study out on global warming. Apparently, all this hot air has been scientifically now attributed to Rush Limbaugh's and Fox News' rants!

John M.: My condolences. I know it is tough for everyone in the family.

Dwight: It is hard to try to make someone understand what they are talking about when they really don't understand the concepts. It would be similar to me making the statement that the US is going down-hill and then posting references to every roadway's vertical decent angle as proof. On another note, it is interesting how the fed raises interest rates to theoretically slow down the rate of inflation, then gas prices go up, cost of goods go up due to increased transportation costs, and consumer prices go up which results in inflation.

Alex L.: I'm calling it good for now. I can't continue countering your arguments with logic only to have you ignore the logic and fact and post items completely out of context. Just like you say you don't cut-'n-paste, you copy, I stand correct, your original post from <snicker> FreeRepulic was not full of lies, just un-truths. Similar to Fox News.

To The Reunion Folks: An envious saludos to all of you. Take care and enjoy the company. As Dominic stated, use common sense when you're out there partying, driving, and snogging <g>.

Alison: Don't worry be happy. DF is no more dangerous than LA or NY. A little common sense will keep you safe.

Alex: Is the crime really that bad now in the DF? Will it be safe to bring a digital camera (SLR)? It would really suck to have that stolen.
That and our wedding rings are the only things of value that we normally travel with, and I really don't want to leave our wedding rings at home. But ...

Ramon: We’re arriving in Mexico City on Tuesday, 12:45 PM (Air Canada #993 from Toronto). We’ll be staying at the Bristol Hotel (thanks for the idea Dwight and Alex), booked under Alison and Bill Gilmour. If anyone needs to reach us we’re reserved there for Tue, Wed and Thu nights.
We are booked to leave Mexico on Sat, June 3 and are tentatively planning to spend a few days in Acapulco after the weekend.
What is the latest on people coming to the reunion? Are there any additional people coming since the last list you put out?

Anacecilia: Thanks a lot for the bus information.

Alex: That’s great that some of your most important pictures were saved from Katrina. I found my 5th and 6th grade Eagles, so will bring them too. Also, it will be reassuring to have a marine staying in our hotel.

What have we arrived at for Wed/Thur plans? I have another idea to throw in: Xochimilco. Is it still the neat place it was 30 years ago, or has the green water solidified?

Hola Georgina:
Una Gran tradicion en Acapulco es el Frogs y tiene muy buena vista no falla, pero hay un nuevo Bar estilo Lounge que esta increible te lo investigo. Para una Cena Romantica el Kookaburra, el Olvido, Madeiras o Mezzanotte.
Reunion:
American Airlines published today some great rates to Mexico City:
http://www.aa.com/apps/netSAAver/ViewNetSA...alContentRepository

http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objec.../article_1704_1.asp

Oh, Elena what happens in Acapulco, STAYS in Acapulco!

Naaaa...we'll post some funkee shots :)

Ok, will shorten the posts.

Acute warming trend predicted for next week in Acapulco brought upon by massive energy and beverage consumption.

Ok, I'll keep it short. Yes, I believe we are in a warming trend brought on partially by anthropogenic sources (fossil fuel burning, urbanization, and forest/vegetative destruction) and by the end of the century we can expect at this rate the arctic polar ice will have melted substantially. That will be good and bad as the polar bears and intuit native peoples will forever be harmed, but it allowing for expanding shipping and oil exploration so we can burn the fuse even faster. I'm not necessarily saying it's bad, but I think man needs to get ready for warmer temps before the next ice age in less than 10,000 years.

Todos que van a Acapulco, por favor tomen muchas fotos y haganlas "post" en el web para que podamos verlas, si?

For those who are into the whole global warming thing, I suggest reading the novel "State of Fear" While the story is fiction, it contains a wealth of information about scientific studies on this topic.

Loya: I guess nothing wrong with long postings, just my attention span is about two sentences long.
As far as Mexico City is concerned, I am relieved to know we will be partying with an anti-terrorism expert. Now I can drink 15 Tequila shots and 12 Beers instead of the 14 shots and 11 1/2 beers I would have drunk as a precautionary measure due to my concern with crime and terrorism in Mexico City. In all seroiusness, the one thing I am concerned about is the possibility of bad Tequila or Beer, any chance you can bless our drinks? just kidding!!
Anyway, everyone can crash in my room as long as they don't snore and pray in silence, wouldn't want to bother the horny nuns next door, if you know what I mean?

Dwight, what I showed regarding the economy are just the facts sir, just the facts, all the doom and gloom you mention has not hurt my wallet, and I am sure it has not hurt yours, which only comes to show which view of the economic reality of the United States is fantasy and which one is reality, and the reality is that you and I both are doing alright, and so is Dominic and John B.

Having said that, whatever ya'll want to do the day and a half we are in Mexico City is ok with me (by the way, I haven't asked Pominic if I can crash at the hotel wit' ya'll), whatever we do, however, needs to be for free because the American economy is so bad we won't have any cash to partay! :)

Seriously, though, I hesitate to go around Mexico City, last time I visited five years ago my friends from Mexico City were telling me they all have been assaulted and robbed, crime is just incredible there! Robbers get on public buses and pull out their guns and rob everyone on board, taxi drivers rob,even cops blatantly rob people. And just today I was reading an advisory on Mexico I am required to read as a military man going on leave to Mexico, and the situation is precarious with all the crime. Whatever we do, we need to be aware of our surroundings and be very careful, which means you guys shouldn't get drunk (NOT). I also have to take a 4 hour course on anti-terrorism to go on leave to Mexico, believe it or not! I did the first hour today, and will continue tomorrow. Anyway... whatever you all want to do is fine with me.

Allison, thanks! But, guess what ya'll! The other day after all these months I finally got 3 bins and 2 boxes one of my neighbors had rescued from my house when they evacuated for the hurricane and guees what? Most of the stuff I was grieving over was there, including my Eagle! Of course, the Eagle is the 6th grade yearbook, I never had the 5th grade one, I would love to see it. But I got a bunch of pictures I thought were lost,pictures of my youth and my babies. I am grateful that the Lord (yep, I did say the Lord John B), spared the things I valued most,and recovered everything else we lost.

Anyway, Dwight, we need to coordinate here pretty soon, I look forward to seeing all of ya'll!

Hey Dominic,what's wrong with long postings?! :)

Ana: Nosotros nos regresamos en avion el lunes como a la 1pm.

Ramon: Cuales son los buenos bares para salir en la noche en Acapulco? Llevamos a dos ninas de 17 y 18 y seguro van a querer ir a bailar. Que me sugieres para llevar a mi torta y que quede muy contento? El solo conoce la frontera de Mexico asi es de que quiero impresionarlo en Acapulco.

Dwight: I am afraid you beginning to be like Loya with very long postings. What's the bottom line, are we heating up or not?

Study Reconciles Data in Measuring Climate Change

By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 3, 2006; Page A03

A government study released yesterday undermines one of the key arguments of climate change skeptics, concluding there is no statistically significant conflict between measures of global warming on the earth's surface and in the atmosphere.

For years some global warming critics had pointed to the fact that satellite measurements had recorded very little warming in the lower atmosphere, while surface temperature readings indicated that the earth is heating up. Now the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, an interagency body, has concluded the two data sets match.
 
"The bottom line is there are no significant discrepancies in the rates of warming," said Thomas R. Karl, director of the National Climatic Data Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in a telephone call with reporters. Karl said reconciling the two sets of temperature readings is "really a major step forward" in understanding climate change.

The report also concluded that humans are driving the warming trend through greenhouse gas emissions, noting in the official news release, "the observed patterns of change over the past 50 years cannot be explained by natural processes alone, nor by the effects of short-lived atmospheric constituents such as aerosols and tropospheric ozone alone."

Rafe Pomerance, chairman of the Climate Policy Center, a group that advocates mandatory curbs on emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases linked to global warming, said the new report settles the scientific debate over humans' role.

"This puts the nail in the coffin of [the skeptics'] argument as much as anything I've seen," Pomerance said. "It may not be the first time it's been said, but it's the clearest I've seen it stated coming out of a government agency. Game over."

Twenty-one scientists worked on the federal report, Karl said, and concluded that more recent satellite data -- coupled with some corrections to earlier analyses -- had reconciled surface temperature observations with satellite records.

Still, the new findings did not sway several scientists and politicians who question whether the climate is changing dramatically.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), who maintains there is no evidence that human activity is warming Earth, noted that observed land temperatures have risen about the same amount over the past 30 years as in the period from 1918 to 1945, when industrial sources were emitting fewer greenhouse gases.

"What is clear is that our increased confidence in land-based temperature data in no way implies or supports a conclusion that recent observed warming is due to man instead of natural variability," said Inhofe's spokesman, Matthew Dempsey.

Inhofe's analysis does not account for the acceleration in global surface temperatures since the mid-1970s on top of earlier warming at the turn of the century, Pomerance said, and Earth has now entered the warmest period on record.

John Christy, who directs the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama at Huntsville, thinks humans are contributing to global warming but had long pointed to the discrepancies between surface and atmospheric readings in challenging predictions of future rapid climate change. A co-author of yesterday's federal study, he said he has "a minimalist interpretation" of the report because Earth is not heating up rapidly at this point.

"That doesn't change my whole view of the thing, because the whole rate of change is fairly modest," Christy said in an interview.

He added that in the tropics, climate models predict higher temperatures in the atmosphere than at the surface, something scientists are still investigating.

In a separate study published Monday in the journal Climate, NOAA scientists determined that human activity has helped warm the area of the tropical Atlantic where many hurricanes originate. The paper, by scientists at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J., concluded that human-induced warming "in various tropical ocean basins" could affect the intensity of hurricanes stemming from the region.

Thanks Anacecilia for the bus schedule. Depending on available room in cars, and when people are returning that may be an option for Alex L. and myself.

FYI, Alex L. and I are catching our flights out of DF on Monday morning, so we'll be heading back from Acapulco to DF on Sunday the 28th.

Dominic, when were you planning on returning to DF after the reunion?

Ok. so it's really Thursday the only available date for everyone. Let's see if anybody else is up to doing something that day.

Allison and those going on to Acapulco by bus. Here's the info.

El mejor servicio que tienen (first class) es el Diamante de Estrella de Oro. Cuesta $450.00 M.N., sale desde la Central de Sur todos los dias a las 8:00, 10:30, 12:30, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 y 01:00 hrs. hacia la terminal que esta cerca del centro de Acapulco. Hacia la terminal Diamante que esta en Acapulco Diamante sale a las: 9:15 y 17:15 con el mismo costo pero no creo que esta este cerca del Emporio.
Si te sirve, la direccion de la pagina donde puedes tener mas informacion y comprar los boleto on line es: www.estrelladeoro.com.mx

Alex L, what did you want to do on Wednesday and Thursday besides the dinner plans already discussed?

Right Anacecelia, I'm coming by myself and Alex Loya will probably be hanging with me also as we arrive the same time on Wednesday afternoon. We'll be staying at the Bristol Hotel a couple of blocks behind the US Embassy along with Dominic. Alex and I would probably be up for doing something Thursday during the day, the pyramids are fine with me, but if you hit them Wednesday, we can hit the Zocalo or Zona Rosa, or wherever you'd care to hang before we do dinner that evening at Loma Linda.

Cuanto tiempo van a estar en Aca y cuanto tiempo mas en el DF despues? We drive on friday and come back monday.

Allison, yes I had thought about doing something during the week but it seems there are different schedules. I know everybody in DF works during the day time therefor, only dinners have been planned. However, we could do something on wednesday and/or thursday. I had thought about doing something with the kids on thursday. My daughter really likes Alex's kids and she's not going to Aca. I don't think going to six flags appeals to those that didn't bring their kids (Am I right Dwight?) so we could do the pyramids on wednesday or the tuesday after.
Quien mas se apunta? Que opinan?

Allison, send me an email so I can send you the taxi's info. apvdlf@cablevision.net.mx

Ramon, you are so right! (esta buenisimo) Do you guys know that one shot of tequila a day keeps the doctor away! (de veras, my grandmother was "prescribed" one when her gall bladder was removed when she was in her sixties, she's now 96 in perfect health physically and mentaly and has one tequilita every day).

Alison: We will fly from the OC to Acapulco on Wednesday so we will be there already by Friday. We will be staying at the Emporio. There's 7 of us (John and I and my two children, his two - Phil 12 and Sarah 17, and Sarah's friend too). Feel free to look us up. The reservation is under my name.

Ramon: Yo soy testigo que despues de 5 dosis de Tequila se le olvidan a una las inhibiciones. Yo le quita la camisa a mi querido George.

Loma Linda
Cocina: Carnes
zona: Teca/Lomas
Dirección: Paseo de la Reforma 1105
Lomas de Chapultepec
Tels: 55401209
UbicaTips: Esquina con Prado Sur
Nos Vemos tambien a las 7:30 p.m.
Alison: I am shure you can get Long Island Teas at the hotel until 11:00p.m. and the Margaritas are actually very good too. Your husband should try the Tamarindo and Strawberry Margaritas in Mexico City. As for Hotels what are you looking for and price range?

Does anybody know the whereabouts of George '8? or Mirhta Fernandez '75? They are probably in Miami.
Reunion Tips & best new Medicine:
Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer
from shyness?
Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?
 
If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask
your doctor or pharmacist about TequilaŪ.
 
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more confident about yourself and your actions.
 
TequilaŪ can help ease you out of your shyness and let
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just about anything. You will notice the benefits of
TequilaŪ almost immediately, and with a regimen of
regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that
prevent you from living the life you want to live.
 
Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past,
and you will discover many talents you never knew you
had.
 
Stop hiding and start living, with TequilaŪ.
 
TequilaŪ is easily administered in doses of 1 oz or
more. Like many common medications, TequilaŪ should
be taken with food such as salt, lime and the
specially prepared protein source included in every
container of TequilaŪ.
 
TequilaŪ may not be right for everyone. Women who are
pregnant or nursing should not use TequilaŪ. However,
women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant
are encouraged to try it.
 
Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting,
incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor
control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of
virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing,
headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing
Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker,
Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.
 
TequilaŪ. Leave Shyness Behind

John Maroney: I am so sorry for your loss.

Ramon: Regarding your firewater question: When we travel I like Long Island ice tea and Bill drinks margaritas. However, it appears that Long Islands contain vodka, gin, triple sec, light rum and tequila. So if that is too ridiculous, gin or tequila will do just fine. Especially while sitting on a beautiful beach with the waves crashing.

My Spanish is a little rusty, primarily because we were kids in Mexico and there are a lot of adult words that I don’t know. However, me parece que ustedes estan planeando por el miercoles una noche de fun en un restaurante que se llama Loma Linda. Is that correct? Anyway, we would love to join you!

Anacecilia: You were asking Dwight and me for our schedules for planning activities in the DF during the week. We’ll be arriving in Mexico City on Tuesday. I would like to spend a day or so getting reacquainted with the city and showing my old house and the school to Bill. Also, my Dad used to work at a research station at El Batan, just outside Texcoco, so we’ll visit there too. After that we would love to join the gang.

You mentioned a car and driver that you know who could be hired for the day. Could you please pass on his name and phone number?

Secondly, what is a good hotel to stay at in the DF?

Thirdly, we were going to fly to Acapulco, but have decided that you can see a lot more of the countryside from a bus. What is a good tour bus company that we can use to get to Acapulco? Is everybody going to Acapulco on Friday?

Alex Loya: I’m bringing my fifth grade yearbook to the reunion. I know you lost yours in the hurricane and if we can photocopy some pages for you that might help.

Saludos a Hector Hernandez!

And your statement about liberals hating Bush has nothing to do with the economy. That's not why liberals can't stand him.

For some good information on the state of our economy and country I like reading Michael Hodges:

http://mwhodges.home.att.net/hodges.htm#economy

You know, Loma Linda was my favorite restaurant while living in Mexico City. From the queso fundido to the steaks on a charcoal mini grill on your table, the place is just wonderful.

Alex, yes Loma Linda is just up Reforma about 4 or 5 blocks west of the Periferico (from my recollection) and I did remember a gas station right before it. I lived just a few miles further west on Reforma on Palacio de Versailles.

Alex L, you really think the US economy is better than ever? Rising interest rates, inflation, record bankrupcies, increasing consumer price index, the continued declining value of the dollar, foreign investors shirking our markets, record oil and gas prices, record defecit and debt, major automotive, airline, and manufacturing losses, and add in the huge drain this war and administration is adding on our tax dollars I think those are reason enough to cast considerable doubt on your statement.

Jueves en Loma Linda suena bien. El que esta sobre Reforma junto a una gaslinera correcto?

Loma Linda alias La Tablita sounds really good, a que horas?

A Todos: Como ven el Jueves una cena tranquila en Loma Linda para recordar viejos tiempos y poder aguantar la manejada el viernes.

Pominic:
Celtic`s Pub:
Tamaulipas #36, 5211 9081
Nos vemos como a las 7:30 p.m. se llena mucho.
El Miercoles en Karisma a la misma hora o vete a comer alli para que apartes Mesa.

Pominic:
ŧ Karisma
Cocina: Mexicana
subcocina: Antojitos
zona: Polanco
Dirección: Campos Elíseos 219
Polanco
Tels: 52801872

Maroney: I am sorry to hear about your loss. Cuida mucho al Barrett y ya comprale un caballo nuevo a tu esposa. Wish you could be with us in ACA, we will miss you.

FREUD: Good to hear from you man! We will have a few on you and John.

Ramon: La direccion del Miercoles en la noche?

Juarez: El Jueves que les parece la Destileria de Polanco?

Edited by author 05-13-2006 12:50 AM
Dwight, the question is not what am I on, but, rather, the question is where is your reasoning ability my friend?

From BBC News:
 
"US consumer spending increasing
US consumer spending rose more than expected in March, the latest indication that American economic growth is continuing to gather pace.
Consumer spending rose by 0.6% in March, the US Commerce Department reported, up from the 0.2% growth seen in February.

The rise in spending was aided by an increase in incomes, up 0.8% in March, compared to the 0.3% jump in February.

The core price inflation index, which excludes energy and fuel, was up 0.3%.

Closely watched by the US Federal Reserve, the rise in the core price index was an increase on February's 0.1% advance.

'Reasonably good'

Last week preliminary figures showed that the US economy was growing at a torrid 4.8% annual rate.

The strong consumer spending increase will add to pressures on the Federal Reserve to increase interest rates by another quarter of a percentage point at its next meeting on 10 May to 5%.

This would be the 16th rise since June 2004, as the Fed aims to calm any inflationary pressures that accompany the US's ongoing economic growth.

However, Fed boss Bernard Bernanke told Congress last week that he planned to pause before making further rate increases, in the belief that the US economy would slow later in the year.

Economist Robert Brusca said the latest consumer spending figures looked "reasonably good".

"We are [now] looking at what will happen in the second and third quarter and beyond with oil getting heavy again," he said.

"At least, we had pretty good spending in March."


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/business/4962566.stm

Published: 2006/05/01 14:00:34 GMT

Đ BBC MMVI"

Here is the link to many BBC articles to enlighten your liberaly obscured mind, just note the articles on the US Economy. I could give you many other sources, but these will suffice to make the point (although, like I said, it seems that facts mean absolutely nothing to liberals, they just hate Bush's guts) Here is the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4962566.stm

(Plus you are obviously doing well enough to travel to Mexico to a high school reunion, just look at your situation, you are doing just fine!)

John M., I'm sorry about your family's loss... the saddest thing in the world is to see a little kid mourning the death of a loved one, I pray your family will find comfort in your faith in the Lord.

Muchas gracias a todos.
It was especially difficult on our seven year old son. It still is. To make matters worse I had to put down my wife's favorite horse the very afternoon her sister died. No manches!!
Freud . Te escribo esta noche.

Freud: Saludos, I hope all is well with you.

John M. Sorry to hear the news. Please extend my condolences.

Rios: Que onda Rivers! Espero verte en Acapulco. No te vayas a rajar.

Dominic y Ramon: A donde el jueves. Llego el miercoles en la tarde y no se si alcance a llegar en la noche. Manden la direccion de los lugares donde van a estar.

John M. Que duro, Nuestro pesame y nuestras oraciones para ambas familias.

El Karisma Wednesday night sounds great to me!

Alex man, I need to get some of the stuff you're on when you make a bonehead statement like this:

"But it does not matter that the economy is stronger than ever"

John Maroney, I'm very sorry to hear about your loss. That's terrible. If there is a heaven, I certainly hope she's there in peace.

John M - I just saw your message and am truly sorry about the news. Please give Mike my best regards and my most heartfelt condolences to you and your family. Mandame tus datos - I don't know how to reach you any more beyond through this page - pdfreud1@aol.com. Te mando a ti y a Mike un fuerte abrazo.

To all other '81'ers - me encantaria acompaniarlos en la reunion and hope you guys have a grand time. Abrazos a todos.

Dominic. Have one on me in Acapulco.
My wife's sister JJ who is married to my brother Mike died of cancer last week. This was her third bout with cancer. Life is capricious.

Ramon> It's official, nos vemos en el Karisma el miercoles como a que horas mi Ramon

Felicidades a todas las mamas en su dia, ojala la hayan pasado super con sus hijos y seres queridos.

Pancho Rios> Te espero en Acapulco mi estimado, no vayas a fallar!

Edited by author 05-10-2006 10:27 PM
Rick: Oh ho ho! Sorry about the Apropos thing!

Alright, John, here is the source and the link:

"Free Republic
Home · Browse · Search News/Activism
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President Bush's Accomplishments
CalPoly ^ | Dan K. O'Leary


Posted on 03/12/2004 4:23:27 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife


Spotted at Rightnation.us and GOPUSA.com reprinted here for your pleasure. I encourage people who support Bush to learn how effective our President has been, and liberals ought to browse this too. Just remember, the liberal media can't cover up the truth of his accomplishments. The Bush Administration 2001-2004"

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1096125/posts


Here is the Honorable President Bush's accomplishments fro 2005:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051222-2.html


The "death tax" is a nickname for the tax you refer to, that's all.

I didn't cut and paste, I copied.

But it does not matter that the economy is stronger than ever, that 800 billion dollars of taxes were returned to the American people so they could keep it in their pockets or spend it in the market which boosted the economy, it doesn't matter that Saddam is in prison and that Osama is imprisoned in a cave, it does not matter that Afghani girls can go to school or that even in Iraq the economy is booming and the process is chugging along, it does not matter what President Bush's accomplishments are because in your mind it is all "LIES! LIES! NOTHING BUT LIES!"... and yet you have not been the victim of a terror attack in the US since, and you have plenty of cash to live a comfortable life... the fact is, the facts don't matter to you, you just hate Bush's guts, period, impeach him for spying on the enemies of America within the United States!

Anyway, the American soldiers and President Bush are still guarding your freedom to believe as you please... yeah, whatever happened to Peggy Watts!

Francisco Rios, que gusto oir de ti! I am you and you are me! Espero verte en la reunion!

Margaret Watts where are you!!!!

Pominic: Acabo de recordar un lugar que ya era un Landmark cuando nos graduamos y esta cumpliendo 30 aņos de existir es el "Karisma" enfrente al Presidente Intercontinental me parece muy buena opcion para el Miercoles, tiene mesas afuera si el clima esta bien seria bueno llegar temprano porque se llena. como ven?

Gracias George. Felicita a tu mami de mi parte. Un beso.

Happy Mother's Day. Para todas las mamas de nuestra generacion.

Dwight: I did catch Colbert's speech -- borrowed my last line from him <g>. Yes, the mainstream media (dare I call it the right-winged media?) did get slammed. I watched at work the other day and couldn't help laughing out loud.

Also read the "Stones" article a while back as well. I do agree that in the end, Shrub will go down as the 'worst' President in history.

John B. did you catch Steven Colbert's speech at the White House press corps dinner last week? Man, he made Bush and his underlings look like the fools they are. And the mainstream media got slammed also! I love this quote:

"But, listen, let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions; he's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know -- fiction."

Here's the link on Google video:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-869183917758574879

Also, a very good article in last week's Rolling Stone about Bush's presidency and the historical presidencies of leaders like Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Hoover who also struggled with disastrous domestic policies, foreign-policy blunders, military setbacks, executive misconduct, and crises of credibility and public trust.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/profile/s...resident_in_history

Just a quick reply before calling it a night for you Fox News folks that still insist on not totally checking your facts out. A simple look at a thesaurus (you know, one of those books that provides a list of synonyms -- words that mean the same as -- for words) would give you the following results:

Main Entry: apropos
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: suitable
Synonyms: applicable, apposite, appropriate, apt, befitting, belonging, correct, fit, fitting, germane, kosher*, legit*, material, opportune, pertinent, proper, related, relevant, ...

Alex L: Just saw your edit on the list you cut-'n-pasted. Though that is a list of accomplishments in Bush's term, they do not necessarily support your position. As a matter of FACT there are many lies in the list. I could begin listing them all, but I'll only cite a couple of examples.

Paragraph 1, item 7, is not an accomplishment. It is an idea, and a bad one at that. He also supports wiping his own ass (which luckily, is a good idea), but that somehow didn't get on the list of accomplishments. 8, 9, and 10 are completely out of context (please, when copying information, make sure it fits the context).

Another is that there is no DEATH TAX legitimately on any book. That is the spin given to the inheritance tax that only the upper 10% of households pay and on income received by beneficiaries.

I noticed you did not cite your source as it would only go to prove my point that these are not necessarily accomplishments that are based on fact but an interpretation and spin to make folks like FOX News report on it. Both sides -- Bush...and Cheney's.

Oh ho ho! John B.!... I so sorry about the "Apropos" thing!

in case you do not understand apropos, it means appropriate. That is not a FACT, pardon me not sure how to do the bold thing. Apropos means refering to or in regard and apropriate is suitable and fitting. Leftist dont like fox since it tells both sides of the story.

Edited by author 05-05-2006 11:05 PM
It's all in the tone of your comment, Johnny Boy!


President Bush's Accomplishments
(and these are just on his first term)

Abortion & Traditional Values

1. Banned Partial Birth Abortion — by far the most significant roll-back of abortion on demand since Roe v. Wade. 2. Reversed Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy. 3. By Executive Order (EO), reversed Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical Privacy Act. 4. By EO, prohibited federal funds for international family planning groups that provide abortions and related services. 5. Upheld the ban on abortions at military hospitals. 6. Made $33 million available for abstinence education programs in 2004. 7. Supports the Defense of Marriage Act — and a Constitutional amendment saying marriage is between one man and one woman. 8. Requires states to conduct criminal background checks on prospective foster and adoptive parents. 9. Requires districts to let students transfer out of dangerous schools. 10. Requires schools to have a zero-tolerance policy for classroom disruption (reintroducing discipline into classrooms). 11. Signed the Teacher Protection Act, which protects teachers from lawsuits related to student discipline. 12. Expanded the role of faith-based and community organizations in after-school programs.

Budget, Taxes & Economy

1. Signed two income tax cuts, one of which was the largest dollar-value tax cut in world history. 2. Supports permanent elimination of the death tax. 3. Turned around an inherited economy that was in recession, and deeply shocked as a result of the 9/11 attacks. 4. Is seeking legislation to amend the Constitution to give the president line-item veto authority. 5. In process of permanently eliminating IRS marriage penalty. 6. Increased small business incentives to expand and to hire new people. 7. Initiated discussion on privatizing Social Security and individual investment accounts. 8. Killed Clinton's "ergonomic" rules that OSHA was about to implement; rules would have shut down every home business in America. 9. Passed tough new laws to hold corporate criminals to account as a result of corporate scandals. 10. Reduced taxes on dividends and capital gains. 11. Signed trade promotion authority. 12. Reduced and is working to ultimately eliminate the estate tax for family farms and ranches. 13. Fight Europe's ban on importing biotech crops from the United States. 14. Exempt food from unilateral trade sanctions and embargoes. 15. Provided $20 million to states to help people with disabilities work from home. 16. Created a fund to encourage technologies that help the disabled. 17. Increased the annual contribution limit on Education IRA's from $500 to $2,000 per child. 18. Make permanent the $5,000 adoption tax credit and provide $1 billion over five years to increase the credit to $10,000. 19. Grant a complete tax exemption for prepaid or college tuition savings plans. 20. Reduced H1B visas from a high of 195,000 per year to 66,000 per year.

Character & Conduct as President

1. Changed the tone in the White House, restoring HONOR and DIGNITY to the presidency. 2. Has reintroduced the mention of God and faith into public discourse. 3. Handled himself with enormous courage, dignity, grace, determination, and leadership in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 hijackings and anthrax attacks. He almost single-handedly held this country together during those searing days:

Just three days after the attacks, in his address at the National Cathedral, the President reassured the nation when he said: "War has been waged against us by stealth and deceit and murder. This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to anger. This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others. It will end in a way, and at an hour, of our choosing."

On Friday, September 14, 2001, President Bush visited Ground Zero. Standing on a crushed and burned fire engine atop the smoldering pile at Ground Zero, he put his arm around a retired firefighter who had volunteered to help, and began speaking to the crowd. Rescue workers shouted that they could not hear him. Someone handed him a small American flag and bullhorn. The President spontaneously shouted: "I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon." The crowd roared with cheers and chants of "USA! USA! USA!" Then he raised that American flag and rallied a nation.

Education & Employment Training

1. Signed the No Child Left Behind Act, delivering the most dramatic education reforms in a generation (challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations). The very liberal California Teachers union is currently running radio ads against the accountability provisions of this Act. 2. Announced "Jobs for the 21st Century," a comprehensive plan to better prepare workers for jobs in the new millennium by strengthening post-secondary education and job training, and by improving high school education. 3. Is working to provide vouchers to low-income students in persistently failing schools to help with costs of attending private schools. (Blocked in the Senate.) 4. Requires annual reading and math tests in grades three through eight. 5. Requires states to participate in the National Assessment of Education Progress, or an equivalent program, to establish a national benchmark for academic performance. 6. Requires school-by-school accountability report cards. 7. Established a $2.4 billion fund to help states implement teacher accountability systems. 8. Increased funding for the Troops-to-Teachers program, which recruits former military personnel to become teachers.

Environment & Energy

1. Killed the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty. 2. Submitted a comprehensive Energy Plan (awaits Congressional action). The plan works to develop cleaner technology, produce more natural gas here at home, make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy, improve national grid, etc. 3. Established a $10 million grant program to promote private conservation initiatives. 4. Significantly eased field-testing controls of genetically engineered crops. 5. Changed parts of the Forestry Management Act to allow necessary cleanup of the national forests in order to reduce fire danger. 6. Part of national forests cleanup: Restricted judicial challenges (based on the Endangered Species Act and other challenges), and removed the need for an Environmental Impact Statement before removing fuels/logging to reduce fire danger. 7. Killed Clinton's CO2 rules that were choking off all of the electricity surplus to California. 8. Provided matching grants for state programs that help private landowners protect rare species.

Defense & Foreign Policy

1. Successfully executed two wars in the aftermath of 9/11/01: Afghanistan and Iraq. 50 million people who had lived under tyrannical regimes now live in freedom. 2. Saddam Hussein is now in prison. His two murderous sons are dead. All but a handful of the regime's senior members were killed or captured. 3. Leader by leader and member by member, al Maida is being hunted down in dozens of countries around the world. Of the senior al Qaeda leaders, operational managers, and key facilitators the U.S. Government has been tracking, nearly two-thirds have been taken into custody or killed. The detentions or deaths of senior al Qaeda leaders, including Khalid Shaykh Muhammad, the mastermind of 9/11, and Muhammad Atef, Osama bin Laden's second-in-command until his death in late 2001, have been important in the War on Terror. 4. Disarmed Libya of its chemical, nuclear and biological WMD's without bribes or bloodshed. 5. Continues to execute the War On Terror, getting worldwide cooperation to track funds/terrorists. Has cut off much of the terrorists' funding, and captured or killed many key leaders of the al Qaeda network. 6. Initiated a comprehensive review of our military, which was completed just prior to 9/11/01, and which accurately reported that ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE capabilities were critical in the 21st Century. 7. Killed the old US/Soviet Union ABM Treaty that was preventing the U.S. from deploying our ABM defenses. 8. Has been one of the strongest, if not THE strongest friend Israel has ever hand in the U.S. presidency. 9. Part of the coalition for an Israeli/Palestinian "Roadmap to Peace," along with Great Britain, Russia and the EU. 10. Pushed through THREE raises for our military. Increased military pay by more than $1 billion a year. 11. Signed the LARGEST nuclear arms reduction in world history with Russia. 12. Started withdrawing our troops from Bosnia, and has announced withdrawal of our troops from Germany and the Korean DMZ. 13. Prohibited putting U.S. troops under U.N. command. 14. Paid back UN dues only in return for reforms and reduction of U.S. share of the costs. 15. Earmarked at least 20 percent of the Defense procurement budget for next-generation weaponry. 16. Increased defense research and development spending by at least $20 billion from fiscal 2002 to 2006. 17. Ordered a comprehensive review of military weapons and strategy. 18. Ordered a review of overseas deployments. 19. Ordered renovation of military housing. The military has already upgraded about 10 percent of its inventory and expects to modernize 76,000 additional homes this year. 20. Is working to tighten restrictions on military-technology exports. 21. Brought back our EP-3 intel plane and crew from China without any bribes or bloodshed.

Globalization & Internationalism

1. Challenged the United Nations to live up to their responsibilities and not become another League of Nations (in other words, showed the UN to be completely irrelevant). 2. Killed U.S. involvement in the International Criminal Court. 3. Told the United Nations we weren't interested in their plans for gun control (i.e., the International Ban on Small Arms Trafficking Treaty).* 4. The only President since the founding of the UN to essentially tell that organization it is irrelevant. He said: "The conduct of the Iraqi regime is a threat to the authority of the United Nations, and a threat to peace. Iraq has answered a decade of UN demands with a decade of defiance. All the world now faces a test, and the United Nations a difficult and defining moment. Are Security Council resolutions to be honored and enforced, or cast aside without consequence? Will the United Nations serve the purpose of its founding, or will it be irrelevant?" We all know the outcome and the answer. 5. Told the Congress and the world, "America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country."

Government Reform

1. Improved government efficiency by putting hundreds of thousands of jobs put up for bid. This weakens public-sector unions and cuts undeserved pay raises. 2. Initiated review of all federal agencies with the goal of eliminating federal jobs (completed September 2003) in an effort to reduce the size of the federal government while increasing private sector jobs. 3. Led the most extensive reorganization the Federal bureaucracy in over 50 years: After 9/11, condensed 20+ overlapping agencies and their intelligence sectors into one agency, the Department of Homeland Security.* 4. Ordered each agency to draft a five-year plan to restructure itself, with fewer managers. 5. Converted federal service contracts to performance-based contracts wherever possible so that the contractor has measurable performance goals.

Health

1. Strengthen the National Health Service Corps to put more physicians in the neediest areas, and make its scholarship funds tax-free. 2. Double the research budget of the National Institutes of Health. 3. Signed Medicare Reform, which includes:

A 10-year privatization option.

Prescription drug benefits: Prior to this reform, Medicare paid for extended hospital stays for ulcer surgery, for example, at a cost of about $28,000 per patient. Yet Medicare would not pay for the drugs that eliminate the cause of most ulcers, drugs that cost about $500 a year. Now, drug coverage under Medicare will allow seniors to replace more expensive surgeries and hospitalizations with less expensive prescription medicine.

More health care choices: As President Bush stated, "…when seniors have the ability to make choices, health care plans within Medicare will have to compete for their business by offering higher quality service [at lower cost]. For the seniors of America, more choices and more control will mean better health care. These are the kinds of health care options we give to the members of Congress and federal employees. What's good for members of Congress is also good for seniors.

New Health Savings Accounts: Effective January 1, 2004, Americans can set aside up to $4,500 every year, tax free, to save for medical expenses. Depending on your tax bracket, that means you'll save between 10 to 35 percent on any costs covered by money in your account. Every year, the money not spent would stay in the account and gain interest tax-free, just like an IRA. These accounts will be good for small business owners, and employees. More businesses can focus on covering workers for major medical problems, such as hospitalization for an injury or illness. At the same time, employees and their families will use these accounts to cover doctors visits, or lab tests, or other smaller costs. Some employers will contribute to employee health accounts. This will help more American families get the health care they need at the price they can afford.

Homeland Security, Border Enforcement & Immigration

1. *See Government Reform above. Under President Bush's leadership, America has made an unprecedented commitment to homeland security. 2. Has CONSTRUCTION in process on the first 10 ABM silos in Alaska so that America will have a defense against North Korean nukes. Has ordered national and theater ballistic missile defenses to be deployed by 2004. 3. Announced a 9.7% increase in government-wide homeland security funding in his FY 2005 budget, nearly tripling the FY 2001 levels (excluding the Department of Defense and Project BioShield). 4. Before DHS was created, there were inspectors from three different agencies of the Federal Government and Border Patrol officers protecting our borders. Through DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) now consolidates all border activities into a single agency to create "one face at the border." This not only better secures the borders of the United States, but it also eliminates many of the inefficiencies that occurred under the old system. With over 18,000 CBP inspectors and 11,000 Border Patrol agents, CBP has 29,000 uniformed officers on our borders. 5. The Border Patrol is continuing installation of monitoring devices along the borders to detect illegal activity. 6. Launched Operation Tarmac to investigate businesses and workers in the secure areas of domestic airports and ensure immigration law compliance. Since 9/11, DHS has audited 3,640 businesses, examined 259,037 employee records, arrested 1,030 unauthorized workers, and participated in the criminal indictment of 774 individuals. 7. Since September 11, 2001, the Coast Guard has conducted more than 124,000 port security patrols, 13,000 air patrols, boarded more than 92,000 vessels, interdicted over 14,000 individuals attempting to enter the United States illegally, and created and maintained more than 90 Maritime Security Zones. 8. Announced the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an internet-based system that is improving America's ability to track and monitor foreign students and exchange visitors. Over 870,000 students are registered in SEVIS. Of 285 completed field investigations, 71 aliens were arrested. 9. This week, the US-VISIT program began to digitally collect biometric identifiers to record the entry and exit of aliens who travel into the U.S on a visa. Together with the standard information, this new program will confirm compliance with visa and immigration policies. 10. Eliminated INS bureaucratic redundancies and lack of accountability. 11. Split the Immigration and Naturalization Service into two agencies: one to protect the border and interior, the other to deal with naturalization. 12. Signed the workplace verification bill to prevent hiring of illegal aliens. 13. Established a six-month deadline for processing immigration applications. 14. Information regarding nearly 100% of all containerized cargo is carefully screened by DHS before it arrives in the United States. Higher risk shipments are physically inspected for terrorist weapons and contraband prior to being released from the port of entry. Advanced technologies are being deployed to identify warning signs of chemical, biological, or radiological attacks. Since September 11, 2001, hundreds of thousands of first responders across America have been trained to recognize and respond to the effects of a WMD attack.

Judiciary & Tort Reform

1. Is urging federal liability reform to eliminate frivolous lawsuits. 2. Killed the liberal ABA's unconstitutional role in vetting federal judges. The Senate is supposed to advise and consent, not the ABA. 3. Is nominating strong, conservative judges to the judiciary. 4. Supports class action reform bill which limits lawyer fees so that more settlement money goes to victims.

Politics

1. His leadership resulted in Republican gains in the House and Senate, solidifying Republican control of both houses of Congress and the presidency. 2. Signed an EO enforcing the Supreme Court's Beck decision regarding union dues being used for political campaigns against individual's wishes.

Second Amendment

1. Ordered Attorney General Ashcroft to formally notify the Supreme Court that the OFFICIAL U.S. government position on the 2nd Amendment is that it supports INDIVIDUAL rights to own firearms, and is NOT a Leftist-imagined "collective" right. 2. Signed TWO bills into law that arm our pilots with handguns in the cockpit. 3. Currently pushing for full immunity from lawsuits for our national gun manufacturers. 4. *See Globalization & Internationalism.

Traditional Values, Compassion & Volunteerism

1. Endorses and promotes "The Responsibility Era." President Bush often speaks of the necessity of personal responsibility and civic volunteerism. He said, "In a compassionate society, people respect one another and take responsibility for the decisions they make in life. My hope is to change the culture from one that has said, if it feels good, do it; if you've got a problem, blame somebody else — to one in which every single American understands that he or she is responsible for the decisions that you make; you're responsible for loving your children with all your heart and all your soul; you're responsible for being involved with the quality of the education of your children; you're responsible for making sure the community in which you live is safe; you're responsible for loving your neighbor, just like you would like to be loved yourself." 2. Started the USA Freedom Corps, the most comprehensive clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities ever offered. For the first time in history, Americans can enter geographic information about where they want to get involved, such as state or zip code, as well as areas of interest ranging from education to the environment, and they can access volunteer opportunities offered by more than 50,000 organizations across the country and around the world. 3. Established the The White House Office and the Centers for the Faith-Based and Community Initiative — located in seven Federal agencies. The faith-based initiative supports the essential work of these important organizations. The goal is to make sure that grassroots leaders can compete on an equal footing for federal dollars, receive greater private support, and face fewer bureaucratic barriers. Work focuses on at-risk youth, ex-offenders, the homeless and hungry, substance abusers, those with HIV/AIDS, and welfare-to-work families. 4. The White House released a guidebook fully describing the Administration's belief that faith-based groups have a Constitutionally-protected right to maintain their religious identity through hiring — even when Federal funds are involved. 5. Issued an EO implementing the Supreme Court's Olmstead ruling, which requires moving disabled people from institutions to community-based facilities when possible. 6. Increased funding for low-interest loan programs to help people with disabilities purchase devices to assist them. 7. Revised the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 8 rent subsidies to disabled people, permitting them to use up to a year's worth of vouchers to finance down payments on homes. HUD has started pilot programs in 11 states. 8. Committed US funds to purchase medicine for millions of men, women and children now suffering with AIDS in Africa. 9. Heeding the words of our own Declaration of Independence, the president laid out the non-negotiable demands of human dignity for all people everywhere. On January 29, 2002, he said, "No nation owns these aspirations, and no nation is exempt from them. We have no intention of imposing our culture. But America will always stand firm for the non-negotiable demands of human dignity." As stated by the President, they are a virtual manifesto of conservative principles:

Equal Justice

Freedom of Speech

Limited Government Power

Private Property Rights

Religious Tolerance

Respect for Women

Rule of Law

Dominic: Five minutes into it, you'd be throwing things at us and asking us to shut-up <chuckle>. Man, what a way to spend the reunion <G>.

John B: Boy, I wish you were going to the reunion so I could watch you and Loya debate after a few beers. Just for the record, I also think everyone should just be legalized but only after the US government sets a definite policy on future imigrants. It happened recently in Spain and the results so far have been positive.

Edited by author 05-05-2006 04:45 PM
Some days I feel like I have a PBS mind in a Fox News world. <sigh>

Alex L: Just a couple of quick note to answer some of your questions:

"Of course, Johnny Boy here thinks that soldiers are just wards of the state who are supported by the government, and he thinks that being a soldier is for those who can't make it in the "real world", ain't that right John?"

I do not think soldiers are wards of the state. What I pointed out was FACT that you draw your salary (also read - get paid) from and by the government. I NEVER or EVER have made any statement saying that soldiers are people who can't make it in the "real world." That may be your opinion about yourself, but please, don't attribute it to someone else.

Regarding my use of "Pontificate," I kind of like that word and I think it apropos (in case you do not understand apropos, it means 'appropriate'). An example of you pontificating is clearly found at the end of your message where you "pontificate" how wonderful Mr. Shrub is (I'm purposely avoiding dellusional, but I would also consider that apropos).

Regarding my "rooting" for "illegals" allowed to work here is not a problem for me because THEY ARE ALREADY HERE!!! I believe, if here, instead of being a burden on society, they should become an asset by being a hard working individual. Also, I don't consider them illegal. But I've already made my point there in another diatribe and don't wish to revisit.

I never said that I do not believe that a man should not be paid for the work he does. Once again, if that is your opinion of the work you do, then claim it as such, but don't put words in my mouth. I, once again, stated a FACT (hard for those who watch and admire FOX News to understand what a FACT is) that some priests, pastors, rabbi's, etc., get their salary from the members of their congregation giving donations to their church, temple, holy mound, etc. I never said that there was anything wrong with that, nor did I make any mention that they sit around all day and just pass the hat. I stated (<sigh> I hate repeating myself) it is not the immigrant worker's reality on how they get paid.

Lastly, on your comments about Mr. Shrub and the unemployment rate, yes, the rate did drop to a low of 4.0 at the begining of 2000 when Shrub took office. Oh, btw, it was declining steadily from a high of 7.5 when Clinton took office. Here are the numbers: 1992-7.5, 1993-6.9, 1994-6.1, 1995-5.6, 1996-5.4, 1997-4.9, 1998-4.5, 1999-4.2, 2000-4.0, 2001-4.7, 2002-5.8, 2003-6.0, 2004-5.5, 2005-5.1 (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Data - www.bls.gov).

So, you can say, that though Shrub inherited an strong workforce, he and the Republican controlled government (let's not forget that they controll all three branches of government) have been able to sqaunder away that healthy workforce. As to him being "ethical and assertive, extremely smart," please. Let's not rehash all his cronyism (e.g. FEMA, Supreme Court), lack of assertiveness (e.g. What PDB????), and extremely smart (e.g. "I don't know where he is and frankly I don't spend a lot of time on it," when questioned about Osama Bin-Laden after the 9/11 attacks and his decision to go after Iraq), and that's just the tip of the iceberg of examples that contradicts your perception (and that of only 33% of the US who approve of Mr. Shrub) or reality.

Ramon, Anacecilia, etc:
Seria bueno decidir de una vez un lugar de reunion en el DF para las noches del Miercoles y Jueves. Hay varios del AHS que viven en el DF que leen este chat pero probablemente no van a ir a Acapulco. Esto nos daria una oportunidad de ver a viejos compaņeros. No tiene que ser un bar, puede ser un restaurant o lo que ustedes indiquen, pero si estaria bien ya quedar en algo. Ustedes que todavia viven ahi, que se les ocurre?
Por cierto, el Martes ya esta decidido que es de CELTIC'S que esta en la colonia Roma calle Tamaulipas,9pm see u there!

Edited by author 05-05-2006 01:21 AM
Dominic, I read about that unjust situation in the Army Times, they were trying to correct it. It is true that sometimes the Army will overpay you because some accountant made a mistake, and then they want their money back, soldiers sometimes go through hard times because the government wants some overpayment back. The hardship can be avoided, however, if the soldiers will contact DFAS and ask for a way to pay the debt back little by little, the problem is that many times they won't call anybody and then the government tries to take all the money in one lump sum. Really, the loan sharks outside the post are the ones who cause a lot of the financial hardship that soldiers go through, especially the young ones, they prey on their youth and inexperience and their steady salary. But charging the soldiers for damaged equipment damaged out in the sandbox is reprehensible, and, as far as I know, they were correcting that situation.

Soldiers do get paid enough to earn a living. Of course, the lower the rank the less the pay, as they get older and get more responsibilites, they get more rank and with rank more pay. They can make it just fine if they will learn to live within their means, like in all of the rest of society, many live beyond their means, just last week I was advicing a young sergeant who is going through a terrible time at home and whose stress is caused in great part by his lack of wisdom handling money, I adviced him something basic, reduce your expenses, you don't need a brand new car, sell that car and get a little used car that will take you just as well to where you need to go, you don't need a brand new big house, sell that house and move on post, then you won't have to pay elctricity or water or gas or anything like that, consolidate all the loans you have into one debt that you can handle easily (better to not have taken out all those loans to begin with and to have handled what he had). He makes plenty of money to support his wife and kid, he just needs wisdom with handling money. When I was a young marine, I didn't get paid a lot, but I got paid enough, plus I lived in the barracks and had plenty of money to do what I wanted. Our goal as soldiers is not to accumulate wealth, it is to serve and defend our country, we get paid plenty enough, we just need to learn to live within our means.

Of course, Johnny Boy here thinks that soldiers are just wards of the state who are supported by the government, and he thinks that being a soldier is for those who can't make it in the "real world", ain't that right John? I got that when I was a young marine, and I concluded that those who make such statements make them not because they have any clue of reality but, really, to hide their own cowardice, they feel inadequate, they feel ashamed of themselves inside because they do not have the courage to bear arms for their country and so they make themseves feel better by knocking soldiers down with such foolish statements.

To that effect, (by the way, John B., this is the second time you say I "pontificate", why do you like that word so much? "Pontificate", you know, people don't use that kind of word in normal speaking "pontificate", that is a fancy, schmancy word, mind you! I think you are pontificating by using the word pontificate!) Anyway, to that effect I don't know, John, why you keep rooting for the illegals being allowed to work here if you do not believe that a man should be paid for the work that he does, I mean, you do not believe a school teacher should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a college professor should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a psychologist should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a social worker should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a personal counselor should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a marriage counselor should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a financial advisor and referal service should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a business administrator should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a motivational speaker should be paid (and they make millions) because that is what pastors do, you do not believe a janitor should be paid because that is what pastors of small churches do, you do not believe a gardner should be paid because that is what pastors of small churches do, you do not believe a plummer should be paid because that is what pastors of small churches do, you do not believe a painter sould be paid because that is what pastors of small churches do, you do not believe a carpenter should be paid because that is what pastors of small churches do, you do not believe that an aid worker who provides food and clothing for the poor should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not belive that a crisis and emergency intervention worker should be paid because that is what pastors do, you do not believe people who work sixty hours a week and are on call 24 hours a day should be paid because that is what pastors do, you just don't believe all these workers I mentioned should be paid because that is what a pastor is and more, and military chaplains are all this and on top of this they are soldiers, oh, but,that's right, you do not believe soldiers should be paid either, they are, what did you say? Oh, right! Supported by the government. And I do prefer to think you just don't believe that all these types of workers should be paid because eventhough you and I do not see eye to eye on anything, I do think you are an intelligent man, and a man of your intelligence surely knows that pastors are and do all these things and more and you just think they should not be paid. Because of your intelligence level, and I sincerely mean you are a smart guy, I don't think you actually believe that all these workers do deserve to be paid but a pastor should not be paid because he just sits around all day, as you say, passing the hat for charity, am I right? I hope so! Because if you actually think pastors are not all these things and they just sit around, well, I will be greatly disappointed seeing that you are ready for Jay Leno's Jay Walking!

By the way, I think Bush has been one of the best presidents we've ever had, ethical and assertive, extremely smart... although I believe he has dropped the ball regarding the issue of illegal immigration. I am too tired right now to go on and on about his accomplishments, like the lowest unemployment rate in the last twenty years or so, the biggest tax brake for the middle class, getting our country out of the Clinton recession, liberating 50 million people in Iraq and Afghanistan and so on and so forth, I may come back with his accomplishments later, I am too tired now, tomorrow I gotta go conduct a three day "Building Strong and Ready Families" seminar for which, if I was a civilian, I could make, oh, about 3 to 5 thousand dollars this weekend, considering the number of families attending, but, of course, Johnny Boy here thinks I shouldn't be paid for that at all. (don't worry, John, nobody is going to pass any hat!)Alright good night,sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite (I am exhausted!)

Ana: Suena bien Six Flags para los ninos.
Hector: Te mando mi quiniela manana.

ĄĄĄHola a todos!!!

He andado algo desconectado de aquí por cuetiones de trabajo, pero todo bien. Desgraciadamente no voy a poder ir a Acapulquito, y tengo unas ganas enormes pero es justo cuando está por iniciar el Mundial y es cuando mas trabjo tendré. Ni hablar. Se echan unas chelas por mi!!!

Mas lo lamento por no poder ver a mi reina, Geoergina, es una pena que no pares en el DF :(

Y hablando del Mundial, espero que entren a mi Quiniela del mismo, que organizo cada 4 aņos y que el de Corea-Japón lo ganó Alejandra Alvarado (Ver para crrer).

Espero contar con sus pronosticos. Cualqier duda manden un email a mi dicreeción: hector.hernandez@realidadamericanista.com

Un abrazo a todos!!!!

Ramon, igual que Dwight, I'll chip in more if need be. Mi tequila favorito es Porfidio.