Gravitas Pietas Dignitas

Sunrise IN The Mediterranean and My Friend Henri!

2011-03-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

Each morning when I am in Monaco, I wake at about 5AM, check my e mail and have my cup of Costadoro Expresso. Before the sun rises, I wander down to the beach and sit at the waters edge and listen to the sounds of day breaking on The Cote d' Azure. I am usually the first person on the beach, followed closely by Henri. Just before the sun rises, we enter the water and swim 1000 meters, rain or shine! It takes us about 40 minutes and by the time we are finished, the sun has risen and the same 6 people have shown up each morning for their swims. We exit the water to the warmth of the rising sun and, again just sit and watch, sometimes talking, at times silently.

The tall building in this photo is Le Roccabella, 24 Ave Princesse Grace ~ my second home. Twenty three stories above the beach. The building has 27 floors.

The view from our balcony

When the sun rises, this piece of equipment also shows up and simultaneously collects garbage left on the beach and washes the sand with a disinfectant! I know, only in Monaco, where ALL the streets and sidewalks are literally washed every early morning, between 3 and 5AM.

It is here that I met a man that has become a very good friend and teacher. Henri swims every morning he is in Monaco, sometimes thru December. His other "space" is his flat in Paris. In his professional life, Henri was an antique art buyer and seller. He jokes now that he still works, kinda... He loves and can't seem to stop collecting it. He just doesn't sell it anymore! The walls in his apartments have a unique system that allow him to change the art regularly. He has far too much to be viewed at the same time. (and he still hasn't stopped collecting what he finds to be incredible pieces)

He claims to be a bit Voyeuristic by nature, enjoys watching the world from as many perspectives as possible. For this reason, some days we travel around France and Italy for our morning expresso at some sidewalk cafe in a town, selected for that day.

We then walk, around and explore until it is time for our lunch, accompanied by just a bit wine. OK, some days it's a few bottles of wine. It is for this reason that we follow One Rule. We both know that, no matter how we feel~ The first time we miss two days in a row of swimming, it's over. In a typical summer, we miss one, maybe two days of our morning ritual, but never in succession! By 8AM, our day is well under way.

Henri just turned 70. He has been swimming every morning for as long as he can remember~

When he is visiting, Jeff swims with us.

This is @ Hippocampe, a new favorite restaurant for me in Menton, France, home to Fellini, another favorite restaurant on the beach in Menton.

And here is what Kelly, my eldest does at 5AM ~

Genetic? Perhaps ~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHu4t96zRco

Psychic Energy

2011-03-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

The term energy has been widely used by writers and practitioners of various esoteric forms of spirituality and alternative medicine^[1]^[2] to refer to a variety of phenomena, sometimes supposed to be directly perceptible to some observers, who have usually undergone some form of training or initiation. This 'energy' is sometimes conceived of as a universal life force running within and between all things, and in other cases it is seen as a more localized phenomenon, such as in vitalism, subtle bodies, or somatic energies such as qi, prana, or kundalini.^[3] Spiritual energy is often closely associated with the metaphor of life as breath - the words 'qi', 'prana', and 'spirit', for instance, are all related in their respective languages to the verb 'to breathe'. It is also often seen as a continuum that unites body and mind.

The experience of spiritual energy is described differently depending on the tradition or practice in question. Sometimes it is described as a physical sensation similar to the movement of breath in the body, sometimes as visible "auras", "rays", or "fields", sometimes as audible or tactile "vibrations".^[4] As a rule, these experiences are held to be available to anyone, but only after proper training or sensitization through practices which vary widely across different belief systems. Spiritual energy is also usually associated with feelings of bliss or contentment, as in the pleasurable sensations of kundalini, the ecstatic states of certain forms of meditation, and the 'oceanic feeling' discussed by western scholars such as Freud and Rolland. There is no scientific evidence of physical energies of this type.^[5]
     If one were to accept the principle that, universally, timelessly  speaking, humans are really nothing more than their thoughts then the following can be believed. Thoughts are electrical impulses,~ energy.
     Since energy cannot be created or destroyed (only transformed) is it plausible to believe that our life force, is nothing more than the transformation of an energy that has always existed. Is it also possible that this "free floating energy" is perceptible when it it's transformation process.

     With this in mind, I offer the following e mail I sent to my Daughter Kelly, regarding an experience of a few months ago ~

About three months ago, I wanted to play the game, after not playing the game for weeks or maybe months. I have probably played this game over 1000 times over the years. Greg's best friend, Bill and I always used to compete for high scores. We prob played 300 games, competing.  The internet link below reports that previous high scores were 8 to 10 million.

http://www.techimo.com/forum/general-gaming-discussion/146083-3d-pinball-windows-high-score.html

On this particular day, I reached my all time high score of over 24,607,750. Later that day Jeff called me and told me that it was Bill's birthday and that they had a party planned for him that evening. Bill died five years ago ~

Astral Travel and Time

2011-03-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon, 24 hours before the 8.9 Japan earthquake, I asked the painters if they just felt the earthquake. It was a very large jolt, impossible to miss. They hadn't felt anything, even though we were in the same room, standing within 6 feet of each other. I just checked and there were no quakes in Reno.

This is not the first time that I felt some "disturbance." This is the first time the feeling was accompanied by a physical sensation.

A few of you know that I had a recurring nightmare that I was on a plane, flying thru the streets of NYC at an altitude that would certainly result in a crash. The sensation of terror was what I remembered most. I had this dream probably 100 or more times. It began when I was in college. It stopped happening after 9/11.

I am not a big believer in psychics, but am a huge believer that everything on the planet has a palpable connection. Ann believed in Psychics and I actually went three times over 5 years to the psychic. She told me things that unfolded, but they were not really extraordinary, given an understanding of self fulfilling prophecy. Each session was recorded. She tested the tape and then gave it to me to take with me. The second tape, I tried to listen to a year later and it was blank. I called the Psychic and was told that I wasn't meant to hear it's contents again. OK?

On each of my visits, she told me that I had the strongest capability for Astral Travel she had ever encountered and that "when I wished, when I was ready" she would send me to someone in San Francisco that could train me to "harness" the ability.

I have experienced coincidences hundreds of times, such as calling one of my family members at the exact time they were calling me. I sometimes sense when something negative has happened to a family member. I dismiss all of this. This "other" thing, with disasters is a bit more difficult to dismiss.

2011-03-10T11:03:00.000-08:00

PERCEPTION

      THE SITUATION

In Washington, DC, at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.

About 4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and,
without stopping, continued to walk.

At 6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him,
then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.
The kid stopped to look at the violinist again,
but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk,
turning his head the whole time.
This action was repeated by several other children,
but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes:

The musician played continuously.
Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.
About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.
The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over.
No one noticed and no one applauded.
There was no recognition at all.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell,
one of the greatest musicians in the world.
He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written,
with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston
where the seats averaged $200 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station,
was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment
about perception, taste and people's priorities.

This experiment raised several questions:

    * In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

    * If so, do we stop to appreciate it?

    * Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .

How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?

It is said that a picture is worth 1000 words. I submit to you 1,000,000 words ~

2010-12-16T18:57:00.000-08:00

Family Photo from The Crystal Serenity

2010-12-16T16:46:00.000-08:00

First time we have ALL been together in 5 years!

Crystal Serenity Cruise (under construction)

2010-12-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

November, 2010 we took a Family cruise. Dad, his brother John with Jenifer (his daughter) Jeff, Greg, Julie and I visited Rome, Naples, Sicily, Tunisia, Malta, Malaga, Almeria, and Barcelona. It had been a very long time since this group had been together!

Our Hotel in Rome The Parco Di Principi

We took three days to eat in some FANTASTIC Restaurants (Thanks Jenifer)

I got up at 5AM as usual and went to my favorite historical place on earth, before....................................................... the throngs of people showed up.

The Ship

Fully Stocked Cigar and Liquor Room!

Showroom with new entertainment each night

NOBU Sushi

Now this is a Mall!

San Janero Cathedral

Sicily

I can always seem to find the Public Markets in any city!

Malta

send me your huddled masses

5AM Breakfast every morning. The same 3 people there

Most mornings, we were sailing into some port and breakfast outside was sometimes stunning

Back to The Ship


Reno on this date ~ NOT missing it

Almeria, Spain

Reno/Tahoe heaven on earth (under construction)

2010-11-27T11:06:00.000-08:00

Much can be learned about a community by the manner it "behaves."

Last night, Nevada, Reno's Football program culminated it's rise to national awareness at the Kraft, Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco. The game against Boston College wasn't pretty, but a giant win for Reno nonetheless. Today, before Auburn plays Oregon in the BCS National Championship game, Nevada Reno is the ONLY 13-1 Division 1 football team in the country! After tonight, there will be two. That's not the story.

Thirty Eight Thousand fans drove to San Francisco to support their team. Since Reno's population is roughly 230,000, that's roughly 17% of the population of Reno! Reno is indeed a community in every sense of the word! What a wonderful place to live...

Reno/Tahoe is a special place to live. I moved here in 1976 and have been continually amazed at the opportunities This area offers me and the opportunities I have had to serve Reno. With the exception of Monaco, no town offers more diverse activities during the summer months, not to mention the sheer number of choices!

Street Vibrations.

This event is so big, it rocks at several locations throughout the region. Major event venues are planned at Harley-Davidson Dealerships in Carson City and Reno and in historic Virginia City. Rides to what Mark Twain called “the fairest picture the whole earth affords,” Lake Tahoe -- provide unparalleled entertainment. Flirt with Lady Luck during poker walks and runs and during slot tournaments. It’s HOG heaven!

IMAGINE...3500 Harleys in Your town!

Uptown Downtown Art Town!

Uptown, Downtown, Art town! It started 15 years ago with a dream and the word “Art.” Now, Reno is

Artown. Showcasing music, theater, dance, visual arts and more Artown has grown to showcase one of the most comprehensive arts festivals in the nation each July.

Reno River Festival

The 8th annual Reno River Festival – America’s premier whitewater event that takes place in the heart of downtown Reno at the Truckee River Whitewater Park at Wingfield

National Championship Air Races

Great Reno Balloon Races

I get to watch "Dawn Patrol" from my bedroom window now days. I will NEVER FORGET the year I had Nicole on my shoulders and Kelly standing with me when~ The Reno Philharmonic Orchestra started playing "Up Up and Away in My Beautiful Balloon as the Sun rose and 104 colorful balloons floated up! Clearly one of the fondest moments of my life! Showing your children "what's real and valuable" is very cool!

Sparks Hometowne Farmer's Market every Thursday in the summer

Nevada Museum of Art

Reno RODEO, The Richest Rodeo in the world!

Best in The West National Rib Cook Off!

and on and on...some 42 rib cookers from all over the WORLD!

The Great Reno Italian Food festival

Grape Stomping Contest!

HOT AUGUST NIGHTS!!!
founded in 1986 by a friend of mine, Randy Burke, Hot August Nights now brings over 5000 pre 1969 cars to Reno, along with Drive in's, Bands from the Era, Concerts, Drag Races etc. For 1 week, RENO IS THE 60's!

Pyramid Lake, Paiute Indians and the largest Cutthroat Trout in The World!

As you drive thru the desert, you climb a barren hill and as you drive over the top ~ WOW fishing in the winter and camping, jet skiing and water skiing in the summer. I LOVE this place and always have!

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival

The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival performs in an open-air venue on the east shore of Lake Tahoe, between sand dunes and a rocky mountainside. One of its special charms is the laid-back ambiance as people gather, set up beach chairs, picnic on the sand and settle down to get ready for the show.

LegallyBlonde

A Chorus

Line Cats

The Nutcracker

Fiddler on

the Roof

Reno Philharmonic

Nevada Opera

Riverdance

BROADWAY Plays in Reno We ain't just a bunch a' Cowboys!

Nevada Chamber Music Festival

Riverwalk Merchants Association Monthly Wine Walk, a monthly stroll down the River walk sampling fine wines.
Nevada Humane Society Duck Race (an event I helped start). Great Reno Balloon Race, , Rollin' on the River, a series of evening concerts on the Truckee river throughout the summer, Hot August Nights (started by my friend Randy Burke in 1986, Rock the River, a series of rock concerts on the river, The Great Italian Festival, The Reno Tahoe Open Golf Tournament.

Who Am I ? Who am I looking for?

2010-11-21T08:23:00.000-08:00

I Love Life and I Love Travel and I Love my Friends... Cabo San Lucas is my favorite 4 day get away, but not alone...Everything is just a lot better when you are with someone you care about. Eventually I will find someone very special. Friends first, then who knows. You will find me to be intelligent, honest, open, kind, funny and romantic. I am a diverse and capable cook, but you have to help with the dishes. Asst chef's appreciated. Someday I will find a compassionate, intelligent, attractive, open minded lady that understands, "It's a journey, not a destination." Until that cosmic connection occurs, I expect to meet some very nice people,laugh a little, learn a little... make some new friends, maybe find a lover...
Given that most people are just about as happy as they choose to be, I can't be the only one out there that believes the time between "LOVE's" can be rich, rewarding, fun and fulfilling. My half of the equasion. You should really like great food and wine, people and conversation, laughter and new experiences.

Do you not have all the answers but you are not afraid of the questions? Is the rest of your life just going to happen to you, or do you understand is it going to be the result of the choices you make and chances you take?

2010-11-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

OK EVERYBODY gets trophies in Little league and other children's sports. NO ONE keeps score anymore, there are no losers... There is no black and white, no failure and loss, ONLY TRYING and celebration of whatever effort you choose to put out on any given day ~

Now a school district wants to abolish "F's" or failing grades ~ allowing students to get an "I" (incomplete or second and third chances to take tests and do homework. I guess that's fair, failing teachers have been getting passes for years now!

OK, If I ever get a DUI, I want continual "Do-Overs" till I pass the test and get to go home.

This country, our heritage, culture and future are going to hell in a hand basket with all this PC, mamby pamby, socially correct BS and equality by rule crap! If you believe there are no winners, no victors or champions ~ get in line BEHIND the aforementioned and shut up.

As I stood in the center of the Roman Forum, and watched the sunrise upon what was for centuries the center of Roman public life: the site of elections, venue for public speeches and nucleus of commercial affairs, the centerpiece of the greatest civilization ever~ It occurred to me, this represents greatest culture and civilization ever. I wonder what DC will look like, and more importantly ....when? We have just about lost every part of what made us great. How long until we are nothing more than a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archeological excavations attracting sightseers?

Or maybe, I just got up on the wrong side of the bed today?

2010-09-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

"A non-doer is very often a critic—that is, someone who sits

back and watches doers, and then waxes philosophically

about how the doers are doing. It's easy to be a critic,

but being a doer requires effort, risk, and change."

Dr. Wayne Dyer

Change scares the hell out of non proactive people,....people that allow life and circumstances to dictate their fate. Circumstances don't define Character..... Circumstances reveal one's character.

Formula 1's Jenson Button

2010-09-05T07:08:00.000-07:00

This morning I went swimming extra early, since the Iron Man Competition of Monaco began at 7:AM. I decided to hang around and watch the Swimming portion of the Triathlon. One of the athletes approached me.

He said, "excuse me, would you please help me with this? It's difficult to get on." I snapped and zipped up his wet suit and we started talking. He commented, you are here pretty early this morning! I told him I swim every morning and looking at all the cameras on him, asked, "Are you the favorite here today?" He replied, Heck no, I drive Formula 1 Race Cars for a living. He shook my hand and said I'm Jenson Button. I replied, Rip Lonergan, pleasure to meet you. He pointed up and said I live right there pointing just beyond Roccabella, our building. Told him, "I LOVE watching you work! Good Luck today!"

In the water, waiting to capture the start.

Didn't really know the swimmers spread out this quickly!

HERE IS ANOTHER PICTURE OF MY NEW Aquaintance. AT WORK !!!

2010-08-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They may seem like a godsend and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die.

Sometimes they walk away.

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,

because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it, it is real.

But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must

build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
===================================

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

2010-08-15T01:03:00.000-07:00

It's a picturesque village with narrow streets, stepped-streets, stone steps, one-person-wide walkways and deep vaulted passages. There are lovely little squares and fountains here and there, wrought-iron balconies and other charming discoveries. Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is both a tourist town and a residential town. The newer village houses are neatly and discretely integrated.

The main square of the village tucked in between the chateau and a high protective rock, has a great view; in the evening you can watch the sun setting over Monaco, far below. This is where the statue of La France Triomphante stands.
The 18th-century Ste-Marguerite church (photo 5) is restored with lovely Provencal ocres and ambers, with the patterned tile steps and wrought-iron railings in front. Check the statue over the marble doorway carefully: its shadow is a painted trompe-l'oeil, giving a feeling of light to this perpetually shady little corner.

Follow one of the paved paths down the hill east of the village center and you pass one of the oldest known olive trees in the region, the over 1000-year-old millenaire tree.

Michael Jackson, The Sporting, Karl Lagerfeld and Stein Mart......

2010-08-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

Timeline.....1:26AM Monaco. three 26, Reno. Status.....

Pumped from the MJ, Man in the Mirror Concert @ The Sporting. Since my second visit here, I have observed The Sporting from above, 23 stories above to be precise. I have watched the Prince (both of them) come and go with all the pomp and circumstance which accompanies them. I more than admire and respect who they are and what they have created, known as The House of Grimaldi. I borrow the following...

In 1299, the Grimaldis and their allies launched a few galleys to attack the port of Genoa before taking refuge on the Western Riviera. During the following years, the Grimaldis were going to enter into different alliances that would allow them to come back in force. This time, it was the turn of their rivals, the Spinola family, to be banned from the City. During all that period, both Guelfs and Ghibellines took and abandoned the castle of Monaco, which was ideally located to launch political and military operations against Genoa. Therefore, the story of Francis Grimaldi and his faction—who conquered the castle of Monaco under the disguise of friars in 1297—is largely anecdotal.

In the early 14th century, the Catalans from Spain raided the shores of Provence and Liguria, challenging Genoa and King Robert of Provence. In 1353, the combined fleet of eighty Venetian and Catalonian galleys gathered in Sardinia to meet the fleet of sixty galleys under the command of Anthony Grimaldi. Only nineteen Genoese vessels survived the battle. Fearing an invasion, Genoa rushed to request the protection of the lord of Milan.

Several of the oldest feudal branches of the House of Grimaldi appeared during those unrests, such as the branches of Antibes, Beuil, Nice, Puget, and Sicily. In 1395, the Grimaldis took advantage of the discords in Genoa to take possession of Monaco, which they then ruled as a condominium. It is the origin of today's principality.

As it was customary in Genoa, the Grimaldis organized their family ties within a corporation called Albergo. In the political reform of 1528, this ancient family became one of the 28 alberghi of the Republic of Genoa, to which other families were formally invited to join. Other Alberghi included the Doria and Pallavicini families. The House of Grimaldi provided many illustrious personalities such as doges, cardinals, cabinet ministers, and countless officers.

Until 2002, a treaty between Monaco and France stated that if the Grimaldi family ever failed to produce a male heir then the sovereignty over the territory would revert to France. The 2002 agreement modified this to make provisions for a regency and continued Monegasque sovereignty if such an event were to occur.

The coat of arms of the House of Grimaldi are simply described as fusily argent and gules, i.e., a pattern of red diamonds on a white background.

With that, I am getting historically centuries behind and way ahead of my story. Since my first visit to Bud and Ann's dream home I have read about the events that happen, effectively in their garden. Twenty three floors above what ever is happening below. Elton John, Steely Dan, The Annual WORLD MUSIC AWARDS (which I actually had an opportunity to attend in May of this year) An annual event which featured Lady Gaga, U2, Black Eyed Peas etc. . You CAN NOT buy tickets to this..period, but I have a friend next door, George that offered me a seat at his table, the day of the event. While I was originally tempted (VERY) tables went for 30,000 Euro! When I mentioned this was WAY above my pay grade....He suggested I could pay whatever I was comfortable with..... I explained that I considered this an abuse of our friendship and would not demean our friendship in this manner. LEGIT from my point of view and moral compas. He responded... Rip, pay what you can and be my guest.... An honor I thanked him for but declined... If my bank balance was "in the neighbor hood" and I felt I had earned the seat, I would have gone,

When one says, "to make a long story short"...... it's generally too late to do so, With that in mind, I get to tonight. After years of being on the outside, looking in, I bought a ticket to the MJ Musical.. .Party of one. Apprehension, Ya.

I took the walk to The Sporting, maybe 300 yards. I have watched the parade of Rolls, Ferari's, McClaren Mercedes, Bugatti's etc that drive up to the red carpet reception many times Thru the binoculars I have observed the gowns, the suits, the red carpet reception.....

Here is where the reality check arrived like a bolt of lightening! I am comfortable in Monaco, very. I am able to dress appropriately during the days. I entered the lobby in my aesthetically appropriate and somewhat stylish choice of colors.....only to be followed by Karl Lagerfeld and his entourage. I cannot express how aware I became of the fact that my Haggar slacks were on sale at Stein Mart, my sport coat a treat when I lost weight on mega sale for....yes, $56.00. in Indian Wells. Memorable moment...

I will finish this post later, as I WILL go swimming at 6AM and I did make two good friends at the musical, a French teacher and the CFO of Anchois (sp) Monaco. I will see them again on Sept, 24th @ Fellini in Menton, where they reside.

To this point, I have not even made it to the point of my story, but sunrise is in 4 hours and I WILL be in the Sea to greet it! If you have read this far, return since I will continue to wander, and eventually make my point!

My first Grand Prix of Monaco, 1978

2010-08-10T02:34:00.000-07:00

In June of 1978, Gary and Evelyn Corbitt, Joe and Terri Gage and Suzanne and I came to Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix. We had a very long connection in London's Heathrow (Officially my LEAST favorite airport on the planet) and arrived very tired. Uncle John (owner of INTRANSIT Travel, SF) had made all the arrangements and reservations.

     Upon arrival, Joe, Terri, Gary and Evelyn were given room keys and off they went. I was informed that no reservation had been made in my name! Would I please have a seat and wait while they attempted to find ANY ROOM for me since they were totally full for the GP>    Great, I am somewhere between still drunk and the place I call "leftover," which is the stage before a hangover officially occurs....I am in a French speaking town, late at night without a place to sleep and EVERY ROOM is booked for miles and miles since the Grand Prix begins in 2 days... WOW Thanks Uncle John!

     The desk clerk came over to apologize for the delay and informed me that the ONLY ROOM available was under repair and would take some time to get ready for me. Time for another drink...or four! Fortunately The Loews Hotel has several bars that remain open until 6AM.

   After resigning myself to the fact that I will reside in a leaky room in the basement and having a cocktail or two,( for medicinal purposes only) the clerk appeared and told us he would show us to our room. Feeling a bit better now we followed him to a hotel door. When he opened the door, I was in AWE. The lights were on, the drapes pulled back to show our balcony, which was 3rd floor, right above the letters "es" on the Firestone banner pictured below! SCORE A BIG ONE for UNCLE JOHN. I have no idea how he accomplished this, since the entire third floor was reserved for Race Vendors, Michellan, Gitanes etc. We had THE PREMIER Room for viewing the race....

The next morning, as we walked down the street, a BMW startled us as it screeched to a halt right beside us! The driver jumped out and shouted "RIP" It was Mario Padilla, a friend from college that lives in Mexico City! PARTY ON............

The races started the next day. At what felt like 6AM, with my balcony door wide open, after a late night in the clubs, the Formula 1's began practice! Loud, oh yea! Mario showed up with Champagne and proceeded to pop the cork...onto the track! Yes we were that close. He also brought a bottle of Zabrowka Polish Vodka. This is the Vodka with the Buffalo grass in it. I drink this brand to this day. I don't know if it's the Zabrowka or the fact that it was 8AM, but he insisted that we each have 1 shot. WOW The effect of that shot proved to be like an "E Ticket" ride at Disneyland. The races were incredible and the nightlife beyond description...

After the Grand Prix was over (5 days) we all went to a ledgendary restaurant on the Gran Corniche called Le Ferm or the farm. The first time we went there, the waiters asked to take our jackets and when they returned to begin service, THEY WERE WEARING THEM! Just the kinda place it was.

On the way home, with Gary driving, as we approached Monaco and the race course, I suggested that we "race it." When we passed a motorcycle cop on the side of the road, Gary became concerned but I assured him that these police didn't have radios or a way to catch us. ( To this day Gary swears that I flipped off the cop) Off we sped and it's valid to note here that Gary has always driven VERY FAST! As we passed the casino where we had slowed due to traffic, a policeman was waving cars to move on.....until he saw us and simply motioned us to pull over... Hmmmm? About 5 MINUTES LATER THE MOTORCYCLE COP "We Passed" earlier WALKED UP TO GARY'S WINDOW (with a large Motorola Radio on his hip) and said simply, "Monsieur, ze gran prix, she is fini" At this point, Suzanne, Joe, Terri, Evelyn and I bailed out of the car since we were close to home. This of course pleased Gary to no end! He talked his way out of the ticket somehow and I have still not heard the last of this incident.

Fire and Ice (under construction)

2010-08-02T23:54:00.000-07:00


Description PERT stands for Program Evaluation and Review Technique. The numbered circles represent tasks or milestones in a project. The arrows show the sequence of these tasks. The time to do a task is shown near the arrow. The critical path in the chart shown above is drawn with red arrows. PERT charts display task dependencies, showing which tasks need to be done before others can be started. CPM stands for Critical Path Method.		The Pert CPM chart is 100% Scientific. Maslow's Heirarchy of needs is purely psychological. I will attempt to blend these concepts, hence.....Fire and Ice.

Designed in the style of a pyramid, this hierarchy has five basic layers. These include physiological needs, safety needs, belonging needs, esteem needs and self-actualization.
Out of these, the first four layers are known as the deficiency needs. The individual does not feel their value when these values are met, but becomes anxious when he is deprived of even one of these. Physiological needs include air, water, food, sex, constant body temperature, drinking, eating, sleeping, shelter, warmth and almost everything that is required to maintain the physiological balance of an individual.
Second layer is the safety and security needs that come after the physiological needs are satisfied. Here, an individual will be more concerned towards finding safe circumstances and places that are required to alleviate one’s fears and anxieties.
Third layer is the love and belonging needs. Once an individual becomes secure, he then begins to worry about relationship and their needs. These include the desire to marry, have a family, become a member of a church, doing social service, and building affectionate relationships in the community, a feeling also described as social anxiety.
Fourth in the pyramid is the esteem needs. Self-esteem of an individual comes into picture when all the other needs at the bottom are satisfied. There are two types of self-esteem, a lower and a higher. Lower self esteem includes a feeling of respecting others, requirement of status, glory, fame, recognition, attention, reputation, appreciation, dignity and dominance. Higher self-esteem includes being respected by others and feelings like confidence, competence, achievement and independence.
The last layer in the pyramid is the self-actualization. Self-conceptualization needs arise when all the above needs are fulfilled. Self-actualization can be described as the acts that provide a positive sense of motivation in an individual. These are the needs that must be fulfilled to make a person’s birth fulfilled. These are the values that make an individual a human. Some of these include acceptance of self, spontaneity, problem-centered behavior, autonomy, oneness with humanity, wholeness, sense of unity, perfection, justice to everybody, simplicity, self-sufficiency, goodness, uniqueness, truthfulness and a clear perception of reality.

2010-08-02T04:56:00.000-07:00

View Detailed 9 Day Weather Forecasts for Monaco, webcams, weather maps & more at Weather-Forecast.com

On the first day, God created

2010-05-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

On the first day, God created the dog and said:
'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.'
The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?'
So God agreed.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said:
'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span.'
The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?'
And God agreed.
On the third day, God created the cow and said:
'You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.'

The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years.. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?'

And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created humans and said:
'Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years.'
But the human said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?'
'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.'
So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family.. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren.. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
Life has now been explained to you. There is no need to thank me for this valuable information.. I'm doing it as a public service.

WALMART VS THE MORONS!!!!!!!!!!

2010-05-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

WALMART VS THE MORONS!!!!!!!!!!

1. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart every hour of every day.
2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!
3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.
4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target + Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.
5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people and is the largest private Employer, and most speak English.
6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the World.
7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only 15 years.
8. During this same period, 31 supermarket chains sought bankruptcy.
9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.
10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had 5       years ago.
11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur At a Wal-Mart store. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)
12. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart.
You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to Fix The Economy!
To all 535 voting members of the Congress, it is now official: you are ALL morons:

a.. The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
b.. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
c.. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
d.. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the
     poor" and they only want more.
e.. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.
f.. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.
g..The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of
    $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.

You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars

AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM??

Kelly's Engaged!

2010-04-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

WOW !!!

Kelly met Chad during her Georgetown days. They were friends and didn't begin dating until later...after they lived 3000 miles apart.!!! Kelly in Seattle and Chad in DC! Their Bi Costal relationship has had them meeting all over the country, indeed the planet for long weekends, New Orleans, Ixtapa, Mexico, NYC, St Louis, Ontario for the Olympics, etc....

Their friends call them Biscuits and Gravy, hence the T shirts. (nice touch Chad!)

Chad is a wonderful man and will be a welcome addition to the family.

They tell me Chad designed this engagement ring himself.

While they will always be my little girls, both my lovely daughters have found wonderful men to bring into the family!

Balcony Gardening etc

2010-04-27T03:49:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, when I started coming to Monaco more regularly I noticed that the plants and flowers on the balcony were very unhappy! Dad was on an extended cruise on The Crystal Serenity at the time . I took Ann to Italy and we began to buy plants. We also had a fountain that long ago ceased to be a fountain and became a statue. Well, no secret I get a bit carried away when it comes to plants and my "personal environment."

I repaired the fountain and began planting. Since then, I have found a nursery I LOVE on the road to Carros (where the fameous French strawberries come from) and Dinge, France.

Well, given my proclivity to maybe get a bit carried away, we now have vegetables and greenery on our balconies with a working fountain. (I wanted to either fill the fountain with wine, (after making it a closed system) or wine colored water. Another of my great (ya right) IDEAS SHOT DOWN!

The Fountain....

For over three years, I have been trying everything to create the sound of a brook with the fountain. I have been able to duplicate the sound of; filling a kitchen sink, water overflowing from a commode onto a tile floor, a broken fire hydrant, etc....never quite what I was looking for. I have finally created the correct audio... The means, how ever are not the aesthetics I was hoping for...

Tupperware and broken clay pots! THE MEANS JUSTIFY THE END? Perhaps.... in this case. Stay tuned, I have an idea that may "save" the aura of CORNICOPIA!

When I bought this plant in Ventimiglia, it fir in the back seat!

NOW WE SIT ON THE BALCONY AND WATCH SIGHTS LIKE THIS....

TO BE CONTINUED....

Dear Mr. President

2010-04-24T23:11:00.001-07:00

Dear Mr President

Monday, April 19, 2010 at 6:40am | Edit Note | Delete

Dear President Obama

I am a Tea Party believer. I find it exceedingly disconcerting that your interpretation of and reaction to my concerns is "amusement." You have stated that I should be "thanking you" for the tax cut you have given me. Mr President, the tax cut you believe justifies my thanks is roughly $12.78 per week. That doesn't even buy 5 gallons of gasoline so I can continue to look for work. Thanks isn't the first thing that comes to mind, but if it makes you feel better.....thanks.

I did not vote for you, but I secretly had high hopes that if elected, you would actually come through on your promises to cease "politics as usual." I wanted to believe that your claims of transparency and bipartisanship. If you had stayed on message with your actions, the tea party would not have reason to exist!

On February 23, 2009 you told us that you would cut the deficit in half by 2012. Instead, you have more than tripled it. At that time debt was roughly 4 trillion dollars. One year in office and it is nearing 13 trillion dollars. Today our annual interest payment eats up every dollar of income tax paid by everyone living west of the Mississippi River! To quote that sweet little old lady from the Wendy's commercial, "Where's the BEEF?"

(As of 1 April 2010, the Treasury Department spent so far this year $202 Billion of our money on interest payments to the holders of the National Debt. Compare that to NASA at $19 Billion, Education at $53 Billion, and Department of Transportation at $73 Billion)

Unless substantial reforms are made soon, when my generation begins to retire and collect old age federal entitlements, the debt will explode. The majority our taxes will go to nothing but interest. Moreover, at today's taxation levels, every dollar that is collected will be gobbled up by entitlements and interest alone. Massive tax increases will be required just to pay for national security and non-entitlement programs Our children and grandchildren will be left with the bill for our excesses. This is why Tea Partiers are not amused as you are!

I could understand if you were now saying, "This is harder than I expected. This is more complex than I anticipated. I am doing the best I can with the realities as they unfold, or I am open to new ideas." You are not telling me this. You are telling me that "I AMUSE YOU?"

It seems to me that you have become the most divisive leader the country has ever had. It seems to me that you have tunnel vision seeing only your social agenda, without even the slightest concern of the real costs. It seems to me that your campaign promises were knowingly and completely disingenuous.

It saddens me that you have no respect for your promises, the office you hold or the responsibility it has to us, the citizens of the United States.

High School Graduation Party

2010-04-19T22:57:00.000-07:00

Someone recently asked me to expand upon the story of the party I had for HS Graduation. He was a year ahead of me in school and missed the event.

A paddle wheeler that cruised The St Joseph River and where I had a graduation party for all my classmates....that got me kicked out of school and not allowed to attend the graduation ceremony! Apparently getting the entire senior class drunk was an error in judgement? I don't think so... Great rewards require risk!

*********************************************************************************

I attended a Great Catholic High School in Mishawalka, Indiana

This "sinful" event took place about 10 days prior to graduation. I remember we had already been issued our cap and gowns (which I had to return!) For my graduation gift I decided upon renting The River Queen and a live band for a party. I invited the entire senior class as well as many of the cute Junior and Sophomore girls. When my high school became aware of this party, they contacted Dad and Ann to "clarify" the activities and of course provide a list of prohibited activities.

Not quite comfortable with the assurances of Dad and Ann, Monsignor (name removed to protect the anal retentive) demanded that 3 chaperones from the school were there .I selected two football coaches and I can't remember the third.

Our living room windows were some 20' tall and faced the river and our dock, where the River Queen awaited. Dad had cocktails and hors d oeuvres for the chaperones in this room while we loaded the band and food on the boat. Fortunately, no one noticed that the instrument cases made repeated trips back and forth to the boat and then neatly stacked behind the band stage. They were, of course loaded with cherry vodka, a favorite back then, peppermint schnapps etc.

When the chaperones toured the boat prior to us leaving the dock, all they saw was food and soft drinks. As we left the dock, within minutes a flotilla of speed boats (all my Elkhart friends) tied up at the stern and began passing cases of cold beer on board, and I don't mean a few! Then they joined the party as well.

Well, the rock and roll blared, the booze flowed and a great time was had by all! When we returned to the dock hours later, I think the average BAC was close to the drinkers GPA. I remember the class genius MK, the kid that scored 1600 on his SAT's remained at my house for two days, recovering. He had been, drunk, in the wheelhouse with the captain letting him pilot the boat! The party lasted till dawn for most and into the next afternoon for a few.

For some reason, when Msgr X was made aware of some of the prohibited activities I think he summoned the devil to punish me or maybe became convinced that I WAS THE DEVIL! He went BALLISTIC! If a student at this school, even if you were seen smoking off campus it was a major no-no and grounds for expulsion! Well, smoking was nothing compared to Rip's celebration of Sodom and Gomorrah by The Monsignor's reckoning....My parents were informed that my diploma would be mailed to me IF Msgr X NEVER saw my sweet face again and I NEVER returned to the campus!

Being the nice,well behaved compliant young man I was.............I walked into the graduation ceremony after it had begun when Msgr X was on the stage and powerless to wring my neck! As I recall my appearance was "noticed" by my classmates and, shall we say..... a few may have applauded.

If Monsignor X (who was a very good man and priest) has any pull "upstairs" I will certainly spend eternity in a "warm Climate."

My Daughters..

2010-04-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

Kelly is an attorney with Foster Pepper, The Best Law Firm in Washington State! Her days begin at 4:30AM when she goes to the gym till about 7:30, then she comes home and WALKS to work!

http://www.foster.com/profile.aspx?id=283

Kelly Ann Lonergan

=========================================================================

Nicole Marie Lonergan is a CMA (Certified Medical Asst) and Phlebotimist at a Oncology office, going to school to get her RNNursing License AND GETTING MARRIED on The Summer Solstice, 2011! She recently WON a photoshoot by a San Francisco Photog with her essay....

And the Winner is….

02.05.2010

in Giveaway

The response I received from my giveaway was totally amazing. I had emails that made me smile all the way down to my toes & lots of emails that literally made tears stream down my face when I heard of things that are happening in people’s lives. I am grateful that I can do something soooooooo small for people who really deserve it. Seriously, you guys rule.

Let’s get to the winner pronto, shall we? Serious warning, though. This post is long.

Here’s the story of our winner. It should be pretty darn obvious why I’m choosing her not only to be the winner, but why I want to BE HER. She is strong, incredible & supportive.

Luke and I met right after my junior year at Reno High had ended. From the moment I flirted with him, I fell in love. He was seriously the sweetest person I’ve ever met in my entire life. We dated all summer,and half way through my senior year we were blind sided with a medical emergency. Luke had a seizure while at work, and we found out he had an arteriovenous malformation–simply put, a bad connection between veins and arteries in the brain..the emergency doctor informed us that AVMs are rarely found in live patients because most rupture, cause internal bleeding and result in death. He emphasized how lucky Luke was and told us he would have to undergo emergency brain surgery in San Francisco. He also informed us that there was a very high chance of death, paralysis, mental retardation etc., but that if Luke made it through the surgery, we shouldn’t have any more problems in the future. For the week before his surgery, I was paralyzed with fear. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I might not spend the rest of my life with him. Yet, while I was being so selfish worrying about myself, Luke was the strongest person I’ve ever met in my entire life. I took a few weeks off from school and flew down to UCSF to stay with him through it all..needless to say, he made it out, strong as ever! We had to stay in the ICU & recovery unit for two weeks after his surgery. I remember, they didn’t have any rooms big enough for a rollaway bed, so I slept on the tile floor next to him for fourteen days–which is a HUGE accomplishment for this high maintenance girl : / It didn’t matter though, because even though we had only been together for ten months, I knew this was the man I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with, and I was SO grateful that God had still granted me that opportunity.
Luke and I wanted to get married as soon as I graduated from high school, but because of massive medical bills, we couldn’t afford it. So, we’ve lived each day together, working as a team to pay the bills while we waited….and finally!!–Luke proposed on December 31st, 2009 at midnight. We are newly engaged, and this June we will be celebrating our seven year anniversary, and the one year mark before our wedding! This gives me the greatest joy I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I cannot tell you how lucky I feel to be able to have a second chance to spend my life with my Prince Charming. So, even if we aren’t granted with the opportunity to have you capture this time in our lives, I still consider us victorious. :]

Seriously. Nicole. I LOVE you. I LOVE your story. I LOVE that you slept on a nasty hospital floor for 2 whole weeks to be there with Luke. Your story is such a true love story & I am beyond excited to be able to document you guys in all your fabulousness together!

To View her engagement photos.....

http://www.mariellehayes.com/2010/03/photographer/engagements/nicole-luke-engagements/

Live Web Cam From Apartment in Monaco

2010-04-12T23:39:00.000-07:00

This cam is LIVE and is mounted on the fourth floor of Le Meridian Hotel next door to our Apartment. We are just 19 floors higher.

Have a live look!

/http://www.lemeridienbeachplazaview.com/

http://www.lemeridienbeachplazaview.com/

The Vintage, Indian Wells, Ca

2010-03-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

2010-03-05T12:06:00.000-08:00

To paraphrase W.C. Fields, "I don't drink water, because fish screw in it."

To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine... and those who don't…

As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop…

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid,
than to drink water and be full of shit.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service!

The Greatest Men I have witnessed

2010-02-18T17:19:00.000-08:00

     When I was about 13, we moved to Hemet California. I was attending the Catholic grade school in San Jacinto, on the other side of this soup bowl of a valley. I will never understand why, but the time changed between Hemet and San Jacinto. I could get on my bike at 8AM and ride to school (probably 5 miles) and arrive at 7:45. This was certainly my first living example of "nothing is absolute, even time," a huge revelation to a youngster. It taught me it's acceptable to question everything that was deemed "just the way it is." I met someone that year that not only challenged, but changed the status quo in our world forever...

     Cassius Marcellus Clay was training at Reds Meadows Training Camp, in Hemet at the time. Boppa (my grandfather) and I would often go sit in the old wood bleachers with 6 to 10 others and watch him spar. After his workout he would dance a little and with arms raised tell us, "I AM The Greatest!" Boppa told me to watch him because he could just become the greatest. We were there often enough that one afternoon he took us inside, talked and toyed with us and then let me hit the heavy bag. When he hit it, it flew so easily, I assumed it was full of cotton and....damn near broke my fist. It's full of sand!

     Well, Ali provided Boppa and me many a fun night. Whenever he fought, I would pick Boppa up @ La Costa and drive into San Diego to The Sports Arena and watch the fight on big screen. If I was in college in Menlo Park I would fly home to watch Ali with Boppa, it was "our thing." I don't think we missed a fight. We would have a few (ya right) beers and watch Ali. I am so very thankful for those times. Believe it or not, Boppa was a chick magnet for me and we were Ali's biggest fans! We would always leave the fight either hoarse or voiceless from our "instructions" to our friend during the fight. All of his fights were an incredible emotional roller coaster for both of us!

I have owned and displayed this poster of Ali, standing over Sonny Liston with the caption. "IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING" for over 30 years. This man changed me and changed the world. Boppa WAS RIGHT, HE DID TURN OUT TO BE THE GREATEST!

Thank you Muhammad Ali. You gave Boppa and me so much.

The Ledgendary Adventure Company

2010-01-30T12:18:00.000-08:00

Dad always said that someday we would go on Safari!

We had NO IDEA what a multifaceted adventure this would be or that the biggest danger we faced wasn't from wild animals, but was from Osama Bin Laden.

Kenya, Bombing of United States Embassy

At approximately 10:30 on the morning of August 7, 1998, a yellow van approached the United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. When the vehicle stopped, one of the passengers exited and threw a grenade-like device at the gate-guard. The guard fled while the van went through the gate and proceeded to the underground parking garage. Moments later, an explosion ripped through the embassy, also demolishing the nearby Ufundi Coop House and the 17-story Cooperative Bank. A secretarial college was also severely damaged. Two hundred and fourteen persons were killed in the bombing, including twelve American citizens, and more than four thousand were injured. A near-simultaneous bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, killed eleven more people.

We were in The Cultrual Center at the base of this building, the only thing that separated us from The Embassy building.

Most of the group, departing from European destinations arrived in Africa before, Jeff, Greg, Julie and me. We had found a two for one, first class airfare on Luftansa that required a stop in Frankfurt (where we stayed to sight see for 2 days) and then we flew into Nairobi Intl airport. We arrived in the evening and were to leave for The Serengheti in two days. The van they transported us to the hotel in had tinted windows and curtains. I had visited the State Dept's website prior to departing and Nairobi was on the "dangerous to travel to" list, so it was obvious to me that EXTRAORDINARY CARE must be taken. Upon our arrival at the hotel, we had a meal and retired for the evening.

The next morning, after breakfast and a discussion with the others, I approached the concierge and asked if there was anywhere safe we could go, since we had more than a full day there. At first he said No. With a bit of pushing he said he had a man that could take us to the Cultural Center, a few miles away. He made certain I understood that we had to do EXACTLY as directed by our driver. Period! I agreed. We were off. We traveled the short distance and couldn't help but notice the THOUSANDS of people on the streets. Nairobi had eight million people, very high unemployment and they all seemed to be on the streets.

We arrived at The Cultural Center at about 9:30. It was a building that looked much like a Very Old Mosque that was built 100 years ago. It was filled with many shops and while the bottom was wide open, full of small shops, it had a walkway around the second floor that also had shops around the perimeter. Most of the Artists were severely handicapped in one way or another. A man "adopted us to show us around. He had no legs, nothing below his waist and got around on a dirty piece of plywood that was on casters. Our driver made certain that we remained together as we walked thru this place. At about 10:15 we walked upstairs to see those shops. The openings had no glass in them, but many windows for ventilation I think.

As we approached a corner shop, something pushed me and what seemed like 100 years worth of dust flew from the walls and ceiling. Time began to go in slow motion... A second later, the force of a blast gave us all a headache and ringing in our ears. Our driver grabbed us and said, "follow me, quickly." When we exited the building, the sky had disappeared! In it's place was dust, debris and horror. We were one building away from the embassy. We ran to our car and as the driver tried to get it started, a crying man in an orange jumpsuit with a machine gun began pounding on my window. The car started and we tried to get away. The streets were full of people running away from the point of the blast. The man orange comandered a car and began to follow us. I asked the driver what he was yelling at me and he responded, "he was saying this was your fault." Our driver was not going to stop and was actually hitting people that got in the way in their haste to run. I don't think he killed anyone, but we bumped, maybe 100 out of the way and even reverted to the sidewalk at one point. We lost the car that had the man with the gun in it by driving the wrong way on the main thoroughfare and driving through the the park that was between us and our hotel.

===================================================================

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Three weeks on the Serengheti and the Ngorongo Crater

http://www.ngorongoro-crater-africa.org/

Our tents were set up in each new area we visited.

The Ngorongoro Lodge

We actually got as close as was safe and stayed with this old guy until his behavior told us it was time to leave him alone.

Although our camps were literally carved out of the wilderness, this is what our dinner table looked like each evening.

We were hunting birds only on this trip, the balance of the wildlife was for our viewing and amazement.

Lonergan Coat of Arms

2010-01-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

The Lonergan coat of arms came into existence centuries ago. The process of creating coats of arms (also often called family crests) began in the eight and ninth centuries.

Albion , Michigan

2010-01-29T09:11:00.000-08:00

I was born in Albion, Michigan in 1950. I don't remember a bunch about this time since we moved to Elkhart when I was 6 years old. Dad and his brother John, had purchased a small building in Elkhart and the small mobile Home Mfg. Company that occupied it. I remember that our Doctor was a lady, Dr. Alice Campbell, which was rare in the 1950's. Albion was ahead of the times.

Simon Joseph Lonergan Sr. aka Nibs or Si
His name Nibs referred to his being a smart dresser and careful with his appearance as a little child, and his father exclaimed as he came down the stairs, Why here comes His Nibs! And it stuck

Boppa to us!

He is the boy on the far right in this photo taken with his Mom, Dad and family!

I do remember My Grandfathers business building. Albion HAS winter and Boppa's (what we kids all called our Grandfather, Simon Joseph Lonergan Sr) building had LARGE roll up doors at the rear. He routed the railroad spur THROUGH the building so workers didn't have to brave the cold when receiving raw materials or shipping air conditioners, heaters and the other products he made.

We lived in a very large (large to a six year old) farmhouse with an even larger barn (in which I got into as much trouble as a 6 year old could) There were cornfields surrounding it full of pheasant. Even then my family were outdoors people, fishermen and hunters. I also remember Dad had a large hole dug in the back yard and somehow, using old roofing shingles, created a swimming hole. We had many barbeques by that "swimming hole." My younger brother Jeff was a bit of a Pyro and several times set the surrounding lands on fire, only trees and dried cornfields but I CLEARLY remember the firemen coming to the house to "discuss this with us."

I found the following articles @ http://www.albionmich.com/===================================================================

Lonergan Manufacturing Co.

804 Clark St

Albion, Michigan

     The legendary investment advice of a few decades ago to "invest in plastic certainly reflected the "high hopes" of the post-World War II era. Here in Albion we even named one of our busy streets "Plastic Road" in recognition of this new wave of the future. Clark Street was renamed Plastic Road towards the end of World War II. The name did not catch on though, and people still referred to it as Clark Street.

     What was "Plastic Road" like in 1946, the year after the War ended? Of course the big industry there was the Lonergan Manufacturing Company at 804 Clark Streeet, which at the time produced oil and water heaters.

     The McGraw-Edison Air Comfort Division, the successor of Lonergan Manufacturing, was one of Albion’s prominent factories from the late 1950s into the 1980s. It produced air conditioning and heating equipment. How many people remember owning a humidifier in their home for use in the winter that was manufactured at McGraw? We had one at our house and remember pouring gallons of Albion’s then iron -infested water in it throughout the wintertime, and watching the foam wheel that turned “crust up” with white calcium/lime as the weeks turned into months. Sort of what cholesterol does to the blood vessels.

     During World War II, the Lonergan Manufacturing Company on N. Clark St. (the predecessor of McGraw-Edison) made bomb inner-casing front and back ends for the Defense Department, pressed from sheet metal. These were the tips and backs that formed part of an inner casing that held the working parts of bombs which were dropped from airplanes.

Our story (http://www.albionmich.com/) two weeks ago about the flower urn made out of bomb parts manufactured during World War II at the Lonergan Manufacturing Company on N. Clark St. was a reminder of one of several vibrant industries that were once located on the Lonergan site beginning with the 1890s.

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ALBION HIGH SCHOOL 1939 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

We are all proud of our Albion High School varsity basketball team as it recently attained the very respectable honor of runner-up in Class B. It was good to see the community have every right to be proud of their accomplishment. This year’s squad has proved once again that Albion can be a major contender in the quest for the Class B title.
During the 1930s, Albion’s basketball team built up a strong reputation, culminating in the Class B State Championship on March 18, 1939. In those days the scores were lower than they were today, as the strategy was not to have the centers zip back and forth making baskets one after another
Albion entered the 1939 Class B tournament that year on Thursday, March 16 by beating Davision 27 to 26 (I told you the scores were low) in a game held at Lansing Eastern High School. The next day Albion traveled to Flint Longfellow Junior High School for the semi-finals where they were matched with Highland Park St. Benedict and easily won 35 to 22.
The big Class B championship game was held on Saturday, March 18 at the I.M.A. Auditorium in Flint (recently demolished) at 8:30 p.m. in the evening. Albion was pitted against the 1938 state champions--Grand Rapids Christian. It was a close game all the way, so close that with just 30 seconds left at the end, Victor Buinowski made two foul shots which gave Albion a 1 point victory over Grand Rapids: 33 to 32. With that Albion accomplished a 16-1 record that year, including our only state championship in basketball.
From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of the happy 1939 Class B state champions, taken after the game. Front row: left to right: Victor Buinowski, Mike Dubina, Victor Nesterenko, Louis Moon, and Russell Elushik. Back row: Joseph Veremay, Alex Egnatuk (who had taken the place of Lawrence Kabel who was ill the evening of the big game), Elton Amsden, Bud Lonergan, Glenn Arnold, and Coach Floyd Dorland.

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I could have probably gotten a loan here!
Dad and his Best Friend, Alfonce Magnotta started a bank.

THE BANK OF ALBION

Ya wanna buy a bank? There’s one for sale. Well, at least the building is. The original Bank of Albion building next to the Post Office is for sale in downtown Albion. The Bank of Albion opened on January 27, 1956 after local citizens saw the need to have a second bank in town compete with City Bank & Trust Company. The Bank of Albion was a "state charter" bank, and was the first such bank in town since the Albion State Bank had failed just before Christmas in 1931.
The Bank of Albion was that, and lived up to its name. It was locally owned and managed. The first president of the new financial institution was Alfonce Magnotta, prominent school board member and attorney, later Circuit Court judge. Magnotta was the driving force behind the bank becoming a reality. The Journal of Albion editor Rae Corliss wrote on January 25, 1958: "Especially is considerable credit due to its president, Attorney Alphonse Magnotta, who single-handed, dreamed and created the new institution. Through long months of difficult effort and application, he sold both the idea and the stock subscription necessary to bring the bank into existence. It was not an easy undertaking! Many men would have given up! For every kind of opposition was thrown against him by some who hoped to prevent establishment of a second bank here."
Other early officials included: Ralph Brooks, vice-president and director. A. R. Dart, vice-president; Max Mulvaney, Cashier; S. J. Lonergan, Jr. Secretary of the board and director; and additional directors Carl S. Greer, Jr., Richard R. Jenkins, and Rush W. McCutcheon.
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Menlo School of Business Administration

2010-01-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

Horace Greely is credited with the saying, "Go West Young Man." I followed his advice, 119 years later!

My room in the US Surplus quonset hut that was converted to a dorm called Keeler Hall. I had a water bed, tapestries and an Election sign I "borrowed" from somewhere down the street.

one of our forms of entertainment, water fights on hot days

It was 1969, Menlo Park, CA...A long way from Elkhart, Indiana. To determine the best fit for a college Ann and Dad sent me to Chicago to a testing facility. You fill out a questioneer with questions regarding education, recreation, morals, climate etc and they select a list of Colleges for you. World Campus afloat and Menlo were on the top of my list.

At The Menlo SBA, there were 27 young men in my class, including Prince Facil and Prines Saleh from Saudi Arabia, Dan Block (H&R Block) Bruce Stuart (one of a few heirs to Carnation Milk) and the heirs to Northrup Aircraft, Sun Oil Co., etc. A diverse and wealthy group from all over the world. I was most certainly the little fish in this pond! The cream always rises to the top, the rest of us went to Menlo.

Dad and I had decided that $200.00 per month would be sufficient for gas, clothes etc. My first week there, 6 of us drove the 20 miles to San Francisco and went to the Playboy Club. I decided to buy the second round of drinks. The next day, I called home and said, "Dad we have a problem." The round of drinks for the six of us was $86.00 and it was only the 3rd of the month! When in Rome.... There is nothing to equal the learning and growth experience of peer pressure and friendships from all over the world. We spent weekends in the Private Dance Clubs of San Francisco, where Bruce Stuart had an apartment at the top of the hill, right above The Buena Vista, location of our Sunday recovery Brunchs. We went to Larry's familys place, The Mailliard Redwoods, thousands of acres of giant redwoods to Hunt deer and boar. We made road trips to Santa Barbra, where Prince Saleh rented an entire hotel on the beach and we each had a bungalow. We frequented Haight Ashbury, the home of Flower Power and Make Love Not War. If it sounded like fun, we did it! One of the guys had a large ranch in Goleta, on top of the mountains above Santa Barbara and that was a favorite. We were quite a caravan with a Lamborgihni, Two Shelby GT 500's, my Buick GS 455, Joe's yellow Firebird 500 and a VW Microbus to name a few.

We would drive to Tijuana for the ten cent beer and 25 cent shots of Tequila

It was tough competing for dates with guys that had their own jets, diplomatic immunity and offers of weekends in NYC or London, Paris.... But I survived and occasionally prospered.

I am hoping the statute of limitations has expired on this next story. My second year at Menlo, they decided to allow girls to attend the formerly a male school. The Director of admissions called me to his office one day. He showed me a large stack of files on a table. He said these represented all girls applications that qualified to attend Menlo. He suggested I go thru the pile and select any that I felt would enhance my Menlo experience. The files all had PHOTOS. Patty Hearst was one of my selections and later became quite famous after being kidnapped by the SLA and thru Stockholm Syndrome robbed banks with a machine gun! She was rescued and turned out fine, The members of The SLA had a gun battle with the FBI and all died when the house they were in burned to the ground.

Perhaps to the shock of some I graduated in 1973 with a BS in Business Admin, minor in Accounting.

My Mom

2010-01-26T12:55:00.000-08:00

My Blog wouldn't be complete without some photos of my biological Mother and Mom for about 16 years, when she passed. I NEVER remember even the year when people I love aren't here anymore, jusy my way. Mom Modeled, Sang, had her own Radio Program before women HAD Radio Programs.

I was with her just before she passed. Two quick stories...When she was in Intensive Care, just having had 2/3 of a lung removed for cancer, the patient across the room from her somehow disconnected his heart monitor and the alarm went off. Mom motioned me down to her and whispered, "tell that guy to lay down, he's dead." I was in Houston by myself at the time and frightened as you would expect of a teen and that comment from Mom made me laugh and relax a bit.

Double click the photo above to read the article. All photos are available full screen by doing this.

Just prior to her leaving us, she told me....."Don't let your Brothers or Sister feel sorry for me, tell em I packed more life into 40 years than most people could do in 80 years."

AND OF COURSE, SHE AND MY FATHER LIKED TO.....

GUESS...

I believe we were extremely fortunate to have come from a gene pool of overachievers and a Mom and Dad that liked the outdoors!

To borrow from Forest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

Fishing Alaska

2010-01-26T12:04:00.000-08:00

For years a group of us, family and friends fished Prince of Wales Island. Jeff and John caught the biggest King Salmon early on. Dad caught a Halibut bigger than he was! I think Gary helped on this one.

When this thing Ling Cod came up with it's mouth open, I thought I had gone prehistoric!

A typical day's catch...

State of The Union

2010-01-26T09:54:00.001-08:00

In tomorrow's State of the union address, Obama is reverting back to the two things that he is very good at, campaigning (talking) and sfumatti, smoke and mirrors. He is intelligent enough to understand that his out of control spending was a BIG issue in Brown's election. Robert Gibbs has said that the dissatisfaction of voters that got Brown elected IS EXACTLY WHAT GOT OBAMA ELECTED. (so this was a win for the democrat party? ) Talk about smoke and mirrors! Using sfumatti, he will call for a three year freeze on discretionary spending.

He will not tell you that he already increased discretionary spending 24% ABOVE what it was under George Bush. He will not tell you that discretionary spending was slightly over $400 billion last year. He already has $534 billion built in for 2010. AND he has over $500 billion unspent from the first stimulus, $250 billion coming back as payments from banks and another $200 billion from other sources. Quite a slush fund eh? But he is counting on the fact that naive voters will only hear SPENDING FREEZE! Also, congress must approve this every year. It's a no brainer that IF they approve it this year, that's the last you will ever hear about it!

So our leader can call for and maybe even get a 1 year spending freeze (no increase above the 24% he already has!) and do this with almost $1 TRILLION in reserve(hidden)

400 BILLION TO 1 TRILLION 534 BILLION AND CALL IT A FREEZE!

HOW STUPID DO THEY THINK WE ARE?

PS Discretionary spending only accounts for 1/3 of the monies government spends and does not include monies spent on medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Defense, two wars, housing and urban development (like ACORN), the EPA etc. It also does not cover expenses of the executive office, so he can have all the Czars he wants!

He is depending on you, the voter not to understand what he is really saying and his ability to "speak and promise." He is the ultimate diplomat and remember the definition of a diplomat is someone that can tell you to go to hell and.....you look forward to the trip! I believe he could sell ice cubes to Eskimos!

GRAVITAS~PIETAS~DIGNITAS

After 9/11

2010-01-24T20:29:00.000-08:00

Dad's 80th birthday was 10/12/2001, a month after 9/11. We had planned a suprise party for him at The Grill Room, on of Alain Ducasse's restaurants. In 1987, Ducasse was offered the Chef position at the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo, with management including the hotel's Le Louis XV. At this time, Ducasse was the only chef in the world with SO MANY *** THREE STAR RESTAURANTS. We figured that the best Dad in the world deserved the best chef in the world!

Since we lived in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New Mexico and Reno he certainly didn't expect to see us.

THIS PICTURE WAS SNAPPED AS DAD CAME OUT FOR BREAKFAST AND SAW US ALL STANDING THERE!

Flying a month after 9/11 was an experience we will never forget. The LA Intl terminal, where I departed from had 10X more military with machine guns than passengers.

Fight Stereotypes

2010-01-24T19:09:00.000-08:00

Teach your Sons to cook and your Daughters to fish!

Kelly's FIRST FISH!

When they were young Nicole always caught the biggest!

They will "grow" into it!

Teach them to Love Music and Fine Wines!

Ventimigila, Italy

2010-01-24T15:42:00.000-08:00

This is where we get our fresh veggies and the home of Septembre XX, one of our favorite restaurants

Formaggi !!!

Pesce!

My best friend in Italy, Anna.

Dolche Aqua, Italy

Fungi & Cep

Pets

2010-01-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

"Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will percieve the divine mystery in things. Once you percieve it, you will begin to comprehend it better everyday. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love."

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

There is no shortage of living things in our house, counting plants there are 73 things that require water food and love... Three aquariums, two dogs, five cats, barking tree frogs and plants! When Nicole and Luke get their place, I will be down to a more manageable three aquariums, two cats and plants!

OK Wine doesn't need food and water, but it breathes and all those Cuban Cigars were plants!

Max

Miles

Miles wrestling with Lexi

This tank is for Dempsys. The last resident lived 15 years!

Every fish in this tank (110 Gallons) was born in there. These are "Silver Dollars.

All fish from Lake Victoria, Tanzanita

More OIL under the US than all The MiddLe East

2010-01-24T07:44:00.001-08:00

Here's an interesting read: and some important and verifiable information :
About 6 months ago, the writer was watching a news program on oil and one of the Forbes brothers was the guest. The host said to Forbes, "I am going to ask you a direct question and I would like a direct answer; how much oil does the U.S. Have in the ground?" Forbes did not miss a beat, he said, "More than all the Middle East put together."
Please read below:
The U. S. Geological Service issued a report in April 2008 that only scientists and oil men knew was coming, but man was it big! It was a revised report (which had not been updated since 1995) on how much oil was in this area of the western 2/3 of North Dakota , western South Dakota , and extreme eastern Montana .....
Check THIS out:
The Bakken is the largest domestic oil discovery since Alaska 's Prudhoe Bay , and has the potential to eliminate all American dependence on foreign oil. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates it at 503 billion barrels. Even if just 10% of the oil is recoverable. At $107 a barrel, we're looking at a resource base worth more than $5.3 trillion.
"When I first briefed legislators on this, you could practically see their jaws hit the floor. They had no idea." says Terry Johnson, the Montana Legislature' s financial analyst.
"This sizable find is now the highest-producing onshore oil field found in the past 56 years," reports The Pittsburgh Post Gazette. It's a formation known as the Williston Basin , but is more commonly referred to as the 'Bakken.' It stretches from Northern Montana, through North Dakota and into Canada . For years, U. S. oil exploration has been considered a dead end. Even the 'Big Oil' companies gave up searching for major oil wells decades ago. However, a recent technological breakthrough has opened up the Bakken's massive reserves. We now have access of up to 500 billion barrels. And because this is light, sweet oil, those billions of barrels will cost Americans just $16 PER BARREL!
That's enough crude to fully fuel the American economy for 2041 years straight. And if THAT didn't throw you on the floor, then this next one should - because the information is from 2006!
U. S. Oil Discovery- Largest Reserve in the World
Stansberry Report Online - 4/20/2006
Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world. It is more than 2 TRILLION barrels. On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction.. In three and a half years of high oil prices none has been extracted. With this 'mother lode' of oil why are we still fighting over off-shore drilling?
They reported this stunning news: We have more oil inside our borders, than all the other proven reserves on earth. Here are the official estimates:
- 8-times as much oil as Saudi Arabia
- 18-times as much oil as Iraq
- 21-times as much oil as Kuwait
- 22-times as much oil as Iran
- 500-times as much oil as Yemen
- and it's all right here in the Western United States .
HOW can this BE? HOW can we NOT BE extracting this? Because the environmentalists and others have blocked all efforts to help America become independent of foreign oil! Again, we are letting a small group of people dictate our lives and our economy.
WHY?
James Bartis, lead researcher with the study says we've got more oil in this very compact area than the entire Middle East -more than 2 TRILLION barrels untapped. That's more than all the proven oil reserves of crude oil in the world today, reports The Denver Post.
Don't think 'OPEC' will drop its price - even with this find? Think again! It's all about the competitive marketplace, - it has to.
Do ya' think OPEC just might be funding the environmentalists?
Got your attention yet? Now, while you're thinking about it, do this:
Pass this along. If you don't take a little time to do this, then you should stifle yourself the next time you complain about gas prices -
By doing NOTHING, you forfeit your right to complain.
--------
Now I just wonder what would happen in this country if every one of you sent this to every one in your address book.
By the way...this is all true. Check it out at the link below!!!
GOOGLE it, or follow this link. It will blow your mind.
<http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911>

Dear Mr. President

2010-01-22T09:39:00.000-08:00

Dear President Obama

What you experienced and understood (hopefully) from this weeks coup de tat is usually referred to as "The Two by Four" approach. It is generally used when all else has failed and desperation reigns. It appears to me that all but Nancy Pelosi got the "message." As you now fully understand, Nancy marches to her own drummer, regardless of the entire band and even the musical director! I wouldn't call the far left's agenda your Achilles tendon. It is much more like two torn ACL's combined with a severe groin injury....sustained at the same time as your concussion. (excuse the sports reference, but it's super bowl season)

Given that we are all in this together it is certainly time to take pause, at least long enough to fully understand the situation. One could say that your canoe was heading for the waterfall. It is a fact that "the river" you were on was of your choosing. I ask you this... It it wise to immediately change canoes and continue down the same river? Changing from health care reform to your other liberal agenda items is not going to fool anyone. It may put socialistic ideas back 50 years though.

I don't think 3 days is sufficient to analyze your predicament, and since the message came from (70% Democrat) Massachusetts, there is absolutely no point in a Town Meeting in Ohio. Just my thoughts.

I am not certain your advisors have told you yet, but the campaign is over. The honeymoon is over. You may be presiding over the most amazing election in our history, a mandate from the people, as well as the fastest request for a mulligan in history.

You have gone from a 70% approval rating to 50% in record time. Your approval rating had dropped much, much faster than George Bush's, your personal scapegoat.

My primary question is this... What do you want your legacy to be? How will history view you, your decisions, your policies and your effectiveness? In my opinion, right now history will view you as someone who turned your 15 minutes of fame into a TOTAL DISASTER in record time. I certainly don't want to hear MLK's "I HAVE A DREAM" turned into "The Dream became a Nightmare."

As an academic, study the situation. Understand how to recover the economy. Infrastructure has an useful life of roughly 50 years. The average age of our bridges, roads etc is 46 years. The new job tax credit you said you were for was a good idea. There has NEVER BEEN a better time for PAYGO. And paygo doesn't mean offsets from phantom savings, such as medicare fraud. Allowing health insurance to be purchased over state lines works for auto insurance? Tort reform doesn't "COST" anything. You have a plethora of great options in front of you.

As an academic, study Ronald Regan. He took the disaster of President Carter and turned things around. President Regan LEFT OFFICE with an approval rating that rivals your initial ratings.

At this point, you should have a pretty good handle on what isn't going to work. You have an incredible opportunity ahead of you. For all our sakes, I hope you listen, learn and seize the opportunity.

Rip Lonergan

Thank You!

Thank you for contacting the White House.
President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. That begins with taking comments and questions from you, the public, through our website.
Our office receives tens of thousands of messages from Americans each day. We do our best to reply to as many as we can, but please be aware that you may find more information and answers to your questions online.
We encourage you to visit WhiteHouse.gov regularly to follow news and updates, and to learn more about President Obama's agenda for change.
For an easy-to-navigate source of information on Federal government services, please visit: www.USA.gov
Thank you again for your message.
The Office of Presidential Correspondence

Florida and Alpha Male

2010-01-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

I told the girls that I wanted to travel with them "while I was still the alpha male" in their lives...Florida was one of the trips... This trip was Orlando, Tampa, Daytona Beach and points between.

]

It was breeding season at Daytona Beach so all the hotels and resorts turned all their beach lights off at night. The girls called these times "Turtle Porn" time!

A day at The Market and Lunch in Nice, France

2010-01-21T11:41:00.000-08:00

Nice is a 30 minute drive from Monte Carlo and in Old Town there are daily "markets." Some days are antiques, some days art and our favorite days......FOOD! There is also our favorite Olive Oil Store.

after getting our supplies here, it's off to Market...

I think Dad and Ann know the owners of all the restaurants for 100 miles in each direction!

Cabo San Lucas

2010-01-20T17:01:00.000-08:00

A favorite haunt was Cabo.... Many trips and always fun!

This sign indicates that @ The Giggling Marlin, The fisherman gets hung up! If you are good (as I was) you do a shot of Tequila while upside down! I was @ The Marlin the day they poured the sidewalk, the owner approached me and said, since you are always here, I want you to write your name at the front door in the cement. As you enter today, look down and you will see "RIP" and Frank Ghiorso drew a picture of a knife and the words OJ was here!

and your friends cheer!

Who is this Fisherman?

If you look in the water, you see many Dolphins. It was common to be "visited" by schools of HUNDREDS!

We twice saw Albino Dolphins!

We ALWAYS began each morning (5AM) with a Crevesa Pacifico for luck. Jeff and I caught and released SEVEN Marlin one day, after Six big Tuna! Mucho Machismo...

Fishing at it's Warm Weather Best!

Venice Island, Ca (The Duck Club)

2010-01-20T16:35:00.000-08:00

I don't remember when Dad became a member of this place, but I am grateful for all the incredible memories. I actually spent my honeymoon on the island. The members called the room we used "The Honeymoon Suite" for years... Although remodeled, the honeymoon suite remains.

The photo below is The Clubhouse in the 1970's

The "Back" Lake.

The Clubhouse today

Dad and John with one of the many puppies we had at the island.

Oh Yea, it was called The Venice Island Duck Club for a reason!

For years, we summered here, fishing, shooting, water skiing, cooking, frog gigging and generally doing whatever we wanted, since for two weeks, IT WAS OUR ISLAND. Every year we would pick wild blackberries and Ann would make a giant Blackberry Cobler.

The Front Lake. was plumb FULL of BIG bass and so many catfish, that when using worms, it was impossible to wait more than a few minutes for a bite.

At sunset we would use top water lures and the bass would EXPLODE out of the water to get at them!

The picture on the right is the dock on the San Joaquin River. When the tide was flowing the striped bass (up to 30/40lbs) were plentiful and provided hours of light tackle excitement. We also kept our crawdad trap here and it provided many a' great meal.

A SMALL STRIPER, JUST LEGAL SIZE.

Roberto Ponce has been on the island from the time he was a small boy, he was there when Conrad Hilton and Clark Gable decided to make it hunting club and is there today. Roberto knows every inch of this 3200 acre paradise! He is perhaps the single kindest Man I ever met! I visit Roberto for a little reminiscing and fishing occasionally.

Robert was there in 1961, when Gable, just finished shooting the film The Misfits, with Marilyn Monroe in Nevada. After the last day of filming, he drove to Venice Island for what Roberto says Gable knew was his last look. He had Roberto drive him all over the island. He wanted to visit every duck blind and fishing spot, even the asparagus packing sheds. Two months later, Clark Gable died of a heart attack. He was laid to rest beside Carole Lombard at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Clark had a favorite Scotch and his last opened but unfinished bottle has remained on the bar, under a glass dome since 1961.

My favorite Gable quote is "Hell, if I'd jumped on all the dames I'm supposed to have jumped on, I'd have had no time to go hunting or fishing."

Note Clark Gable's last bottle of scotch behind Kelly under the glass dome.

The evenings and sun setting behind Mt Diablo were breathtaking

THIS IS TRULY A MAGICAL PLACE

Monte Carlo, Monaco

2010-01-20T14:22:00.000-08:00

Miami Plage is on the beach, about a 5 minute walk from the apartment. They have GREAT food and The Note Blue Restaurant next door always has music to enjoy!

Dinner @ Miami Plage Restaurrant

and...Dancing home after dinner!

My FAVORITE View of MC is from the Water!

My Monaco "Bliss!"


The Hemingway Wine bar, where the writer spent many an evening

"Transformation: The Defatting of One Michael S. Schechter"—

2010-01-20T12:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/how-he-lost-138-pounds/Content?oid=3257235

1956 till 1969 (it doesn't seem that long ago)

2010-01-20T11:22:00.000-08:00

The Brothers return

17 Susquehanna Court

Elkhart, Indiana

#3 Holley Lane, our next home.... Still on the river (thanks Dad!)

The River Queen

A paddle wheeler that cruised The St Joseph River and where I had a graduation party for all my classmates....that got me kicked out of school and not allowed to attend the graduation ceremony! Apparently getting the entire senior class drunk was an error in my judgement? I don't think so... Great rewards require risk!