Has anyone noticed the price of gasoline has been coming down lately? Does anyone know why? I can't say for sure, but I have a fairly good idea how it's come about.
For months, whenever I go to the gas station, I only get a few gallons at a time. Sure, I can buy a tankful and drive a lot longer before I fill up again, but the logic is simple. I can't buy less gas than I need, so I just buy it in smaller quantities more often. This means instead of buying 20 gallons, when I stop, I just get 3. If more people did this, which I'm sure they do, the gas stations will ultimately sell less gas and the delivery trucks will come less often. This, in turn, will cause an over-supply for the distributers. And the refineries keep refining gas, non-stop. Before long, they have too much gasoline on their hands, and have to get rid of their supply in order to take in more from the refineries. It's basic supply and demand. They have an overabundance of fuel right now so they have to lower the price to sell it.
I like to make a game of it. I fly into the gas station to get my gas. Usually, the other pumps have SUV's and other cars already pumping gas into their massive tanks. I get out and squeeze a in few drops and tear out of there like I just did a pit stop at the Indy 500, leaving the idiots, who insist on topping off their tanks, still at the pumps. Always, always, always I'm the last one in and the first one out and I'm on the road well before any of them. Ya just don't NEED that much gas. If your car gets 20 mpg you can go 60 miles before you need to look for fuel. Besides, if you fill up your tank with gas that costs $2.69 you won't be able to take advantage of gas at another that might have a much lower cost.
Ok, so ya got yourself a gas guzzling SUV. Are you so lazy you have to shell out $90 on a fill up in one shot just so you don't have to get your fat ass out of your car more than once a week? Why not spread it around? Get a few gallons at this station and a few at the next one. The results are the same but you've done something about the high gas prices by buying what you need instead of what your car can hold. And the refineries keep pumping out the gas.
I say keep thier feet to the fire and don't be fooled by the lower prices. They just want you to fill your tanks again so they can reduce their gasoline glut so they can raise the prices, and they WILL raise the prices.
If we get in the habit of only buying what we need and keep doing this, you'll see the prices drop well below $1.00 a gallon. Isn't that what we all want?
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Muslims Against The World Act 3 scene II
Muslims Against The World Act 3 scene II. Pope Benedict makes his first public comments on his collosal blunder of saying out loud, what everyone else since the first Chrusade have known, that Muslims should cool it and stop being so violent. The very nerve of this pompas popastry! How dare he say such a thing! To make thier point, Muslims killed a nun in Samolia, burned a few Catholic churches, and threatened to escalate the war on Chritianity with even more violence because of the awful things the leader of the Christian world said.
What's wrong with this picture? Isn't this like telling a 2 year old to stop hitting his sister, only to see him beating her with a baseball bat because of what you said?
Let's look at this in a slightly different way. Suppose we just entered a parallel universe where the pope gave a speach saying Muslims were all a bunch of peace-loving pussies and rallied Christiondom to go out and kick some Muslim ass. Mosques burned and imams slaughtered because the peace-loving head of the Muslim world dared to say Christians were too violent.
What do you do if your 2 year old is out of control? How bout a time out and a few lessons on how to act in society?
What's wrong with this picture? Isn't this like telling a 2 year old to stop hitting his sister, only to see him beating her with a baseball bat because of what you said?
Let's look at this in a slightly different way. Suppose we just entered a parallel universe where the pope gave a speach saying Muslims were all a bunch of peace-loving pussies and rallied Christiondom to go out and kick some Muslim ass. Mosques burned and imams slaughtered because the peace-loving head of the Muslim world dared to say Christians were too violent.
What do you do if your 2 year old is out of control? How bout a time out and a few lessons on how to act in society?
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
funky crap
I was just listening to classic rock on the radio (WHLM FM 103.5) when the DJ mentioned they play all the good stuff without any crap in between. Crap? This is the very same radio station that edited "shit" from Steve Miller's "Big Ol' Jet Airliner" so it sounded like "funky "kicks" goin' down in the city."
I suppose he was correct... no crap in between. No shit, dung, excrement, turds, scat, BM, fecal waste, defecation, or a hundred other words used to describe the bodily waste we all expel each morning on our evacuation thrones of choice since man produced biological waste. Granted, the radio station didn't actually "edit" shit. They merely chose to play the edited version available at all Walmarts for the overly sensitive ears of one half of one percent of the listening public who still refer to taking a piss as going for a tinkle.
I personally think replacing shit with kicks in Miller's tune changes the whole phrase to something completely different that Miller never wanted, otherwise, he'd make it that way. Shit was the word he wanted and needed but these no talent geeks see fit to change the expression because it might offend some prude in Bumfuck, Egypt. The least they can do is use a word similar to shit. "Funky "excrement" goin' down in the city." "Funky "dung" goin' down in the city." "Funky "BM" goin' down in the city." I don't know about you, but I sure get my kicks when I take a good shit. How 'bout you?
I suppose he was correct... no crap in between. No shit, dung, excrement, turds, scat, BM, fecal waste, defecation, or a hundred other words used to describe the bodily waste we all expel each morning on our evacuation thrones of choice since man produced biological waste. Granted, the radio station didn't actually "edit" shit. They merely chose to play the edited version available at all Walmarts for the overly sensitive ears of one half of one percent of the listening public who still refer to taking a piss as going for a tinkle.
I personally think replacing shit with kicks in Miller's tune changes the whole phrase to something completely different that Miller never wanted, otherwise, he'd make it that way. Shit was the word he wanted and needed but these no talent geeks see fit to change the expression because it might offend some prude in Bumfuck, Egypt. The least they can do is use a word similar to shit. "Funky "excrement" goin' down in the city." "Funky "dung" goin' down in the city." "Funky "BM" goin' down in the city." I don't know about you, but I sure get my kicks when I take a good shit. How 'bout you?
marriage
Dear President Bush:
The Presidential Prayer Team is currently urging us to: "Pray for the President as he seeks wisdom on how to legally codify the definition of marriage. Pray that it will be according to Biblical principles. With any forces insisting on variant definitions of marriage, pray that God's Word and His standards will be honored by our government."
Any religious person believes prayer should be balanced by action. So here, in support of the Prayer Team's admirable goals, is a proposed Constitutional Amendment to codify marriage on biblical principles:
A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)
B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines, in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)
C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)
D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh10:30)
E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)
F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe. (Gen.38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)
The Presidential Prayer Team is currently urging us to: "Pray for the President as he seeks wisdom on how to legally codify the definition of marriage. Pray that it will be according to Biblical principles. With any forces insisting on variant definitions of marriage, pray that God's Word and His standards will be honored by our government."
Any religious person believes prayer should be balanced by action. So here, in support of the Prayer Team's admirable goals, is a proposed Constitutional Amendment to codify marriage on biblical principles:
A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)
B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines, in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)
C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)
D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh10:30)
E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)
F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe. (Gen.38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)
Friday, August 25, 2006
just clowning around
Police arrest several people in clown robbery cases.
Three women and one man were arrested Wednesday in connection with a recent string of robberies committed by a duo dubbed the "clown robbers," officials announced Thursday.
I don't know about you but the fact that crooks are getting creative again fills me with hope and restores my faith a bit. Ok, so they steal but these clowns are robbing the businesses that rob from the very poor in the form of cashing checks for 50% interest. It makes me wonder if Robin Hood was a good guy or just another forest dwelling perloiner in tights.
Three women and one man were arrested Wednesday in connection with a recent string of robberies committed by a duo dubbed the "clown robbers," officials announced Thursday.
I don't know about you but the fact that crooks are getting creative again fills me with hope and restores my faith a bit. Ok, so they steal but these clowns are robbing the businesses that rob from the very poor in the form of cashing checks for 50% interest. It makes me wonder if Robin Hood was a good guy or just another forest dwelling perloiner in tights.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
be positive
How to start your day with a positive attitude:
1. Create a "new folder" on your computer.
2. Name it "George W. Bush".
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your computer will ask you: "Do you really want to delete "George W. Bush"?
6. Calmly answer, "Yes", and press the mouse button firmly...
1. Create a "new folder" on your computer.
2. Name it "George W. Bush".
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your computer will ask you: "Do you really want to delete "George W. Bush"?
6. Calmly answer, "Yes", and press the mouse button firmly...
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
more orgone stuff
The orgone enriched garden plants are doing pretty good, considering Mr. Groundhog and Mr. Deer mistook them as part of an outdoor salad bar. The kohlrabi's didn't stand a chance, but the beans are doing pretty damn good, compared to the non-orgonized plants. It got me thinking... Why not build an orgone blanket? It'll be portable, light weight, and won't take up too much space. I found a 5 lb roll of steel wool and a wool blanket and Mary and I proceeded to stitch together a small orgone blanket. We tried a few things with it but figured our opinions might be biased so I took it to work and let one of the girls use it. She has had back problems for quite some time and hasn't had a day free of pain for like, ever, so I figured she could be a good candidate. I told her to simply to fold it three times and keep it on her lap while she was working and to let me know what she felt. I refused to tell her what to look for. I didn't want my observations to taint the results. Later that morning she told me she felt very comfortable and warm. Not hot but more like a comfortable warmth. She also told me she was very surprised to be able to pick things up from the floor without any discomfort. This was coming from someone with years of chronic back problems who was considering a spinal block because the drugs weren't working well enough. I told her to take it home with her and try it out and get back to me. That was last thursday. We'll see what happens.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
something to think about
It started out innocently enough.
I began to think at parties now and then, just to loosen up. Inevitably, though, one thought led to another, and soon I was more than just a social thinker. I began to think alone -- to relax, I told myself -- but I knew it wasn't true.
Thinking became more and more important to me, and finally I was thinking all the time. I even began to think on the job. I knew that thinking and working don't mix, but I couldn't stop myself.
I began to avoid friends at lunchtime so I could read Thoreau and Kafka. I would return to the office dizzied and confused, asking, "What is it we are doing here?"
Things weren't going so great at home either. One evening, I turned off the TV and asked my wife about the meaning of life. She spent that night at her mother's.
Soon, I had a reputation as a heavy thinker.
One day the boss called me in. He said, "Skippy, I like you, and it hurts me to say this, but your thinking has become a real problem. If you don't stop thinking on the job, you'll have to find another place to work." This gave me a lot to think about.
I came home early after my conversation with the boss. "Honey," I confessed, "I've been thinking ..."
"I know you've been thinking," she snapped, "and I want a divorce!"
"But Honey,” I said, “surely it's not that serious."
"Yes it is," she replied, her lower lip aquiver. "You think as much as college professors, and college professors don't make any money. So if you keep on thinking we won't have any money!"
"That's a faulty syllogism," I said impatiently, but that just made her cry.
I'd had enough.
"I'm going to the library," I snarled, as I stomped out the door. I drove off, in the mood for some Nietzsche, and cranked up National Public Radio on the car stereo. I roared into the parking lot and ran up to the big glass doors ... but they didn't open. The library was closed.
To this day, I believe that a Higher Power was looking out for me that night.
As I sank to the ground, clawing at the unfeeling glass and whimpering for Zarathustra, a poster caught my eye: "Friend, is heavy thinking ruining your life?"
Most of you no doubt recognize that line. It comes from the standard Thinker's Anonymous poster.
And that’s how I became what I am today: a recovering thinker. I never miss a TA meeting. At each meeting we watch a non-educational video. Last week, it was "Porky's." Then we share experiences about how we avoided thinking since the last meeting.
I still have my job, and things are a lot better at home. Life just seemed ... easier, somehow, as soon as I stopped thinking.
I began to think at parties now and then, just to loosen up. Inevitably, though, one thought led to another, and soon I was more than just a social thinker. I began to think alone -- to relax, I told myself -- but I knew it wasn't true.
Thinking became more and more important to me, and finally I was thinking all the time. I even began to think on the job. I knew that thinking and working don't mix, but I couldn't stop myself.
I began to avoid friends at lunchtime so I could read Thoreau and Kafka. I would return to the office dizzied and confused, asking, "What is it we are doing here?"
Things weren't going so great at home either. One evening, I turned off the TV and asked my wife about the meaning of life. She spent that night at her mother's.
Soon, I had a reputation as a heavy thinker.
One day the boss called me in. He said, "Skippy, I like you, and it hurts me to say this, but your thinking has become a real problem. If you don't stop thinking on the job, you'll have to find another place to work." This gave me a lot to think about.
I came home early after my conversation with the boss. "Honey," I confessed, "I've been thinking ..."
"I know you've been thinking," she snapped, "and I want a divorce!"
"But Honey,” I said, “surely it's not that serious."
"Yes it is," she replied, her lower lip aquiver. "You think as much as college professors, and college professors don't make any money. So if you keep on thinking we won't have any money!"
"That's a faulty syllogism," I said impatiently, but that just made her cry.
I'd had enough.
"I'm going to the library," I snarled, as I stomped out the door. I drove off, in the mood for some Nietzsche, and cranked up National Public Radio on the car stereo. I roared into the parking lot and ran up to the big glass doors ... but they didn't open. The library was closed.
To this day, I believe that a Higher Power was looking out for me that night.
As I sank to the ground, clawing at the unfeeling glass and whimpering for Zarathustra, a poster caught my eye: "Friend, is heavy thinking ruining your life?"
Most of you no doubt recognize that line. It comes from the standard Thinker's Anonymous poster.
And that’s how I became what I am today: a recovering thinker. I never miss a TA meeting. At each meeting we watch a non-educational video. Last week, it was "Porky's." Then we share experiences about how we avoided thinking since the last meeting.
I still have my job, and things are a lot better at home. Life just seemed ... easier, somehow, as soon as I stopped thinking.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
spring... aint it cool?
It's been awhile since I posted anything on here and the last few entries were lame at best. I apologize for my insincerity and lack of thought. What was I thinking to put such twatle on this thing? Anyway, it's a beautiful spring day and I just got back from checking out the garden. As I do every year, I tilled the asparagas patch but I'm not seeing anything crop up yet. I'm afraid I may have dug too deep and messed up the root structure. I'll know for sure in a few days. Right now the grass is something like 6" tall and very thick and lush. I find it interesting that the things you cultivate, care for, prune and feed are dwarfted by the plants that you ignore, like grass and weeds. What does that tell you about life? Should I feed the weeds and ignore the radishes? Well, we all know THAT'S a bad idea. Maybe I'll have a garden party and request everyone bring a shovel. Hopefully, someone will bring da ho.
I'll keep ya posted.
I also discovered coffee grounds are neutral pH, hovering around 6.8. That means the garbage taken to the gas station every time I fill up has been reduced to almost zero. The bottles and cans were always a problem. Not for me but for everyone who comes here. Ya see, I fired my garbage man a couple years ago and managed to handle my garbage in a thoughtful way. It's so simple... burnables get burned, aluminum cans get crushed and isolated, cans go to the gas station in small, easy to handle bags, food scraps feed the woodland creatures, and bottles go to the woods. I'm satisfied that in the not so distant future some prospector will stumble on my bottle dump and become wealthy overnight. Todays garbage is tomorrows treasure and I'm proud to be part of that economic chain. If I could only teach my guests to understand BEER CANS ONLY, written in large, friendly letters across the top of my trash can, means beer cans, not cigarette butts and chicken bones.
The last time Mary was here she divided some seeds in two different groups. One group was placed in the orgone accumulator, the other is the control group. We'll plant both groups in seperate rows in the garden. The idea is to see what effect orgone energy has on seeds before planting. I should have an identical group that we can totally ignore to study the effects isolation on biological systems, but I think that study has been done to death.
Here's something I thought might interest someone out there. I hate to admit it but I can't help feeling this guy could've gotten away with it if he didn't wander from his specialty.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0419062doc1.html
I'll keep ya posted.
I also discovered coffee grounds are neutral pH, hovering around 6.8. That means the garbage taken to the gas station every time I fill up has been reduced to almost zero. The bottles and cans were always a problem. Not for me but for everyone who comes here. Ya see, I fired my garbage man a couple years ago and managed to handle my garbage in a thoughtful way. It's so simple... burnables get burned, aluminum cans get crushed and isolated, cans go to the gas station in small, easy to handle bags, food scraps feed the woodland creatures, and bottles go to the woods. I'm satisfied that in the not so distant future some prospector will stumble on my bottle dump and become wealthy overnight. Todays garbage is tomorrows treasure and I'm proud to be part of that economic chain. If I could only teach my guests to understand BEER CANS ONLY, written in large, friendly letters across the top of my trash can, means beer cans, not cigarette butts and chicken bones.
The last time Mary was here she divided some seeds in two different groups. One group was placed in the orgone accumulator, the other is the control group. We'll plant both groups in seperate rows in the garden. The idea is to see what effect orgone energy has on seeds before planting. I should have an identical group that we can totally ignore to study the effects isolation on biological systems, but I think that study has been done to death.
Here's something I thought might interest someone out there. I hate to admit it but I can't help feeling this guy could've gotten away with it if he didn't wander from his specialty.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0419062doc1.html
Monday, February 20, 2006
Thursday, January 12, 2006
A new hole
Work has started on the hobbit house. The weather was perfect for digging so dig I did. I decided all that digging wasn't such a good idea for a hobbit so I got a few local 18 year old hobbit girls to help. A few dozen shovelfuls and they were complaining about sore backs, broken nails and getting all muddy. This is either going to be a very small underground hobbit house or a decent size semi-underground hobbit house. We opted for semi. Ya know, this is hard work for someone committed to less work and more play so we all went to the gas station to play pinball and think about this over some wine and cheese. Then one of the girls said her dad has a backhoe and he can dig the hole in no time. The other girls dad is a stone mason and he can do the foundation. It sounds like a good idea. The question is, will they work for free? I'll keep ya posted.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
New year, new life, new view.
A thought came to me today about new years resolutions. I don't believe in them because you're usually just setting yourself up for a fall. You know the deal. You come up with a list of resolutions like stop smoking, stop drinking, stop swearing, stop womanizing, stop doing drugs, workout 12 times a day, eat the right foods, get your nipples pierced... You pick your favorite resolution and after the ball drops you announce in fluent drunkenese your plans to become a better person by reducing the joys in your life and fly a steady course to Jack LaLanne fitness. After 2 days of cold turkey the only thing you can think of is smoking a pack of cigarettes with your favorite bottle of rum with crack whores at McDonald's.
Well, I set my sights on a different horizon this year. I decided my new years resolution is to become a hobbit. I'll go to bed late, wake up late, eat many meals throughout the day and take lots of breaks. I'll live in an underground hobbit house with round doors and a fireplace for heat and make my own cheese, wine, and bread. I'll make music, create art and play in the garden. All my hobbit friends will come around and we'll party in my hobbit hot tub with some hobbit hotties and hot toddies. When my eleventy-first birthday comes around we'll all sing and dance and shoot off fireworks while everyone drinks alcoholic beverages out of ceramic mugs.
Or would you rather work out at the gym six nights a week?
Well, I set my sights on a different horizon this year. I decided my new years resolution is to become a hobbit. I'll go to bed late, wake up late, eat many meals throughout the day and take lots of breaks. I'll live in an underground hobbit house with round doors and a fireplace for heat and make my own cheese, wine, and bread. I'll make music, create art and play in the garden. All my hobbit friends will come around and we'll party in my hobbit hot tub with some hobbit hotties and hot toddies. When my eleventy-first birthday comes around we'll all sing and dance and shoot off fireworks while everyone drinks alcoholic beverages out of ceramic mugs.
Or would you rather work out at the gym six nights a week?
Friday, December 23, 2005
absolution
Since this is the season to be holy it seems fitting to find a way to purge for the upcoming new year. What bliss to enter a new year with a cleansed soul and a new outlook on life... Check out Absolution. BTW if ya happen to find yourself in NEPA, stop in for some debouchery and eggnog and bring something for the tree, ok?
Sunday, November 27, 2005
almost a winner
This is the reward I get for not checking my mail. Oh well.
EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD DEPT
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
P O BOX 1010
LIVERPOOL,L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
REF:EL3/9318/04
BATCH:8/163/EL.
Attn:Dear Luck Winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the online Sweepstakes Lottery Winners International programs held on the Wednesday 23rd November 2005.Your e-mail address attached to with
ticket number :EL-23133
serial number: EL-123542,
batch number: EL-35,
lottery ref number: EL-9318
Draw 1035
CONGRATULATION!!!
Due to mix up of some numbers and names,we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money Remitted to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 40,000 company and 20,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.
This promotional program takes place every year.This lottery was promoted and sponsored by group of successful electronic dealers.we hope with part of your winning,you will take part in our next year US$20 million international lottery.
To file for your claim, please contact our Fiduciary agent/paying officer:
Mr Frank Johnson
Tel: +44-703-192-3823
+44-703-184-0275
fax: +44-871-247-2737
Email:claim-officer@emailaccount.com
Remember,all winning must be claimed not later than 22rd Of November 2005.After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Please be Warned!!!: Fraudulent emails are circulating that appear to be using National Lottery addresses, but are not from The National Lottery.
Furthermore,should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Note:Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.
Yours faithfully,
Richard K. Lloyd.
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.
EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD DEPT
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
P O BOX 1010
LIVERPOOL,L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
REF:EL3/9318/04
BATCH:8/163/EL.
Attn:Dear Luck Winner,
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the online Sweepstakes Lottery Winners International programs held on the Wednesday 23rd November 2005.Your e-mail address attached to with
ticket number :EL-23133
serial number: EL-123542,
batch number: EL-35,
lottery ref number: EL-9318
Draw 1035
CONGRATULATION!!!
Due to mix up of some numbers and names,we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money Remitted to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 40,000 company and 20,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.
This promotional program takes place every year.This lottery was promoted and sponsored by group of successful electronic dealers.we hope with part of your winning,you will take part in our next year US$20 million international lottery.
To file for your claim, please contact our Fiduciary agent/paying officer:
Mr Frank Johnson
Tel: +44-703-192-3823
+44-703-184-0275
fax: +44-871-247-2737
Email:claim-officer@emailaccount.com
Remember,all winning must be claimed not later than 22rd Of November 2005.After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Please be Warned!!!: Fraudulent emails are circulating that appear to be using National Lottery addresses, but are not from The National Lottery.
Furthermore,should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Note:Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.
Yours faithfully,
Richard K. Lloyd.
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
how long are we going to stand for this?
Exxon Mobil profit, sales soar to records, Royal Dutch Shell not far behind
Eds: AMs. Also on financial services
By STEVE QUINN
Associated Press Writer
DALLAS (AP) ‹ Exxon Mobil Corp. rewrote the corporate record books Thursday
as the oil company¹s third-quarter earnings soared to almost $10 billion and
it became the first public company ever with quarterly sales topping $100
billion. Anglo-Dutch competitor Royal Dutch Shell PLC wasn¹t far behind,
posting a profit of $9 billion for the quarter.
Those results led Democrats in Congress to demand a new windfall profits
tax. ³Big oil behemoths are making out like bandits, while the average
American family is getting killed by high gas prices, and soon-to-be record
heating oil prices,² Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement.
But Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said President Bush opposes such a move
and is instead considering a wide range of proposals to help cushion
consumers, including the creation of an emergency reserve of gasoline and
other refined products.
Thursday¹s outsized earnings are a result of surging oil and natural gas
prices that pushed pump prices to record territory after Hurricane Katrina.
They come on the heels of similar eye-popping gains reported this week by BP
PLC, ConocoPhillips Inc. and Marathon Oil Corp. Chevron Corp. reports its
earnings on Friday.
Some Republican members of Congress called on the industry to invest in ways
that will increase production so that consumers get a break at the pumps or
when they pay their heating bills. But analysts said telling the industry
how to spend its money was unfair, if not futile.
³Exxon is a good corporate citizen but it does not work for the welfare of
the country,² said oil analyst Fadel Gheit at Oppenheimer & Co. in New York.
Exxon Chairman and Chief Executive made no mention of the record results in
the company¹s earnings release. Instead, he noted that the world¹s largest
publicly traded oil company ³acted responsibly in pricing at our company
operated service stations, and we also encouraged our independent retailers
and distributors to do the same.²
Likewise, Henry Hubble, Exxon¹s vice president of investor relations, did
not specifically call attention on a conference call to the company¹s record
profit, which rose 75 percent in the quarter to $9.92 billion from $5.68
billion a year ago. Hubble said the company ³achieved a number of important
milestones.²
The previous oil-industry earnings record was Exxon¹s 2004 fourth-quarter
profit of $8.42 billion. Third-quarter revenue jumped to $100.72 billion
from $76.38 billion in the prior-year period.
To put its performance into perspective, Exxon¹s revenue for the three-month
period was greater than the annual gross domestic product of some of the
largest oil producing nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait
‹ even though it lost considerable production because of a string of
hurricanes that battered the U.S. Gulf coast.
Robert Kaufmann, a professor at Boston University¹s Center for Energy and
Environmental Studies, says production will return to pre-hurricane levels
and hurricane-related losses will disappear in future earnings reports, but
profits will remain high.
³A lot of the capacity was being built when oil was trading at $20 to $30 a
barrel range, so by definition those fields are much more profitable,² he
said. ³Nobody should be surprised by this.²
Despite the profit surge, Exxon¹s performance fell short of analysts¹
expectations and its shares fell 60 cents to $55.60 in trading Thursday on
the New York Stock Exchange, while U.S.-traded Class A shares of Shell rose
$1.15, or 1.9 percent, to $60.65 on the NYSE.
With oil futures above $60 a barrel for much of the third quarter, Exxon¹s
profits from petroleum exploration and production increased by $1.8 billion
to $5.7 billion. Soaring prices for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel lifted
refining and marketing profits by $727 million to $2.13 billion.
However, income at the company¹s chemicals unit declined by $537 million to
$472 million, a reflection of the higher prices for raw materials.
Exxon said hurricanes slashed U.S. production volumes by 5 percent from a
year ago, while global daily production slipped to 2.45 million barrels of
oil equivalent from 2.51 million barrels. By the end of the year, it will
cost the company about $100 million after taxes, the company estimated.
At Shell, third-quarter net income grew 68 percent to $9.03 billion from
$5.37 billion a year earlier. Revenue at the London-based company, which has
extensive operations in the United States, rose 8 percent to $76.44 billion.
³We are capturing the benefits of high oil and gas prices and refining
margins,² Shell Chief Financial Officer Peter Voser said, referring to the
profit margin on each barrel of crude that is refined into gasoline, diesel
and jet fuel.
Shells profits from exploration and production increased by $2.6 billion to
$5 billion in spite of an 11 percent decline in oil and natural-gas output.
Its refining and marketing profit climbed by $201 million to $1.7 billion.
Its chemicals business saw profits decline by $251 million to $321 million.
Shell said hurricane damage would cost it about $350 million, although much
of the expense would be covered by insurance.
Also on Thursday, Marathon said third-quarter profit more than tripled to
$770 million, up from $222 million a year earlier. Most of the profit came
from its oil and natural-gas production unit. However, the results fell
short of Wall Street¹s aggressive estimates and Marathon¹s stock slumped
$3.80, or 6.2 percent, to $57.28 on the NYSE.
Eds: AMs. Also on financial services
By STEVE QUINN
Associated Press Writer
DALLAS (AP) ‹ Exxon Mobil Corp. rewrote the corporate record books Thursday
as the oil company¹s third-quarter earnings soared to almost $10 billion and
it became the first public company ever with quarterly sales topping $100
billion. Anglo-Dutch competitor Royal Dutch Shell PLC wasn¹t far behind,
posting a profit of $9 billion for the quarter.
Those results led Democrats in Congress to demand a new windfall profits
tax. ³Big oil behemoths are making out like bandits, while the average
American family is getting killed by high gas prices, and soon-to-be record
heating oil prices,² Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement.
But Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said President Bush opposes such a move
and is instead considering a wide range of proposals to help cushion
consumers, including the creation of an emergency reserve of gasoline and
other refined products.
Thursday¹s outsized earnings are a result of surging oil and natural gas
prices that pushed pump prices to record territory after Hurricane Katrina.
They come on the heels of similar eye-popping gains reported this week by BP
PLC, ConocoPhillips Inc. and Marathon Oil Corp. Chevron Corp. reports its
earnings on Friday.
Some Republican members of Congress called on the industry to invest in ways
that will increase production so that consumers get a break at the pumps or
when they pay their heating bills. But analysts said telling the industry
how to spend its money was unfair, if not futile.
³Exxon is a good corporate citizen but it does not work for the welfare of
the country,² said oil analyst Fadel Gheit at Oppenheimer & Co. in New York.
Exxon Chairman and Chief Executive made no mention of the record results in
the company¹s earnings release. Instead, he noted that the world¹s largest
publicly traded oil company ³acted responsibly in pricing at our company
operated service stations, and we also encouraged our independent retailers
and distributors to do the same.²
Likewise, Henry Hubble, Exxon¹s vice president of investor relations, did
not specifically call attention on a conference call to the company¹s record
profit, which rose 75 percent in the quarter to $9.92 billion from $5.68
billion a year ago. Hubble said the company ³achieved a number of important
milestones.²
The previous oil-industry earnings record was Exxon¹s 2004 fourth-quarter
profit of $8.42 billion. Third-quarter revenue jumped to $100.72 billion
from $76.38 billion in the prior-year period.
To put its performance into perspective, Exxon¹s revenue for the three-month
period was greater than the annual gross domestic product of some of the
largest oil producing nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait
‹ even though it lost considerable production because of a string of
hurricanes that battered the U.S. Gulf coast.
Robert Kaufmann, a professor at Boston University¹s Center for Energy and
Environmental Studies, says production will return to pre-hurricane levels
and hurricane-related losses will disappear in future earnings reports, but
profits will remain high.
³A lot of the capacity was being built when oil was trading at $20 to $30 a
barrel range, so by definition those fields are much more profitable,² he
said. ³Nobody should be surprised by this.²
Despite the profit surge, Exxon¹s performance fell short of analysts¹
expectations and its shares fell 60 cents to $55.60 in trading Thursday on
the New York Stock Exchange, while U.S.-traded Class A shares of Shell rose
$1.15, or 1.9 percent, to $60.65 on the NYSE.
With oil futures above $60 a barrel for much of the third quarter, Exxon¹s
profits from petroleum exploration and production increased by $1.8 billion
to $5.7 billion. Soaring prices for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel lifted
refining and marketing profits by $727 million to $2.13 billion.
However, income at the company¹s chemicals unit declined by $537 million to
$472 million, a reflection of the higher prices for raw materials.
Exxon said hurricanes slashed U.S. production volumes by 5 percent from a
year ago, while global daily production slipped to 2.45 million barrels of
oil equivalent from 2.51 million barrels. By the end of the year, it will
cost the company about $100 million after taxes, the company estimated.
At Shell, third-quarter net income grew 68 percent to $9.03 billion from
$5.37 billion a year earlier. Revenue at the London-based company, which has
extensive operations in the United States, rose 8 percent to $76.44 billion.
³We are capturing the benefits of high oil and gas prices and refining
margins,² Shell Chief Financial Officer Peter Voser said, referring to the
profit margin on each barrel of crude that is refined into gasoline, diesel
and jet fuel.
Shells profits from exploration and production increased by $2.6 billion to
$5 billion in spite of an 11 percent decline in oil and natural-gas output.
Its refining and marketing profit climbed by $201 million to $1.7 billion.
Its chemicals business saw profits decline by $251 million to $321 million.
Shell said hurricane damage would cost it about $350 million, although much
of the expense would be covered by insurance.
Also on Thursday, Marathon said third-quarter profit more than tripled to
$770 million, up from $222 million a year earlier. Most of the profit came
from its oil and natural-gas production unit. However, the results fell
short of Wall Street¹s aggressive estimates and Marathon¹s stock slumped
$3.80, or 6.2 percent, to $57.28 on the NYSE.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
halloween
It's getting to be the time of the year when the dead rise and walk the Earth. T, Jack, and Bob look like they're having a good time. So should you.
Around this time of year we all get together for your typical pagan debouch fest in honor of the H day.
If you happen to find yourself in NEPA around the 28th you should stop in for some hobnobin with some otherworldly creatures.
Monday, October 17, 2005
I'm glad he lost the powder blue
Tom Wolfe is Weis Fellow in Contemporary Letters
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Internationally acclaimed author Tom Wolfe has been named this year's Janet Weis Fellow in Contemporary Letters at Bucknell University.
The annual award was established to honor and recognize an individual who represents the very highest level of achievement in fiction writing.
Wolfe will receive the award and give the talk, "An Evening with Tom Wolfe," Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell. The talk is open to the public without charge.
Wolfe is the author of 12 books including the best seller The Right Stuff, winner of the American Book Award for general non-fiction in 1979.
His recent novel, A Man in Full, was nominated for the National Book Award four weeks prior to publication and had an unprecedented first-run printing of 1.2 million copies.
His newest book, I Am Charlotte Simmons, takes on the hallowed halls of America's modern university in a scathing assessment of higher education..
Raised in Richmond, Va., Wolfe holds his degrees from Washington and Lee University and Yale University. He worked as a reporter for The Springfield Union, The Washington Post and The New York Herald Tribune before beginning his career as a novelist with his first book, The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby, published in 1965.
Other national best sellers include The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers and The Bonfire of the Vanities.
The Weis fellowship was established through a grant from the Degenstein Foundation in honor of Janet Weis, author, civic leader and philanthropist.
Weis is trustee emerita of Bucknell University. Her late husband, Sigfried Weis, was chair of the Bucknell Board of Trustees from 1982-88.
Bucknell President Brian C. Mitchell stated, "We are pleased to welcome Tom Wolfe to our campus, and to have him join the list of world-renowned and respected writers who have received this award, an award which is a fitting honor to the life and work of Janet Weis."
Previous recipients of the fellowship award were Toni Morrison, John Updike and Salman Rushdie.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
it's not gas. just hot air.
I've been doing some math pertaining to the cost of fossil fuel products and came to the conclusion we're doomed. I hear a lot of "economists" talking about supply and demand and the reason the gas prices are so high is because crude oil is in short supply and the only way we can get the price of petroleum down is to reduce the amount we use. I suppose if an economist says it, it MUST be the truth. I mean, wasn't it economists who said there wasn't enough to go around back in the 19th century? Wasn't it economists that said the trickle down theory was the greatest thing since sliced bread? Wasn't it economists that said there was a shortage of water on a planet that's only 4 fifths water? Wasn't it economists that said there was a shortage of air?
An economist is a tenured PhD who never had to live and work in the real world, let alone practice economy.
If the demand for something remains constant and the supply is stable, then economic logic dictates the price will remain the same with minor adjustments for cost of living. If both supply and demand increase, or decrease, the price should logically remain the same. If supply goes up and demand goes down we can expect a decrease in prices. If supply goes down and demand increases we can expect higher prices. Ok, you get the picture. This is basic stuff. A no-brainer.
But what if some economists get the idea that there isn't enough to go around? No facts to back up this statement. Just a dumb-ass theory from some guys with way too much time on their hands. Proving this theory is simply a matter of finding some loudmouths in the public eye who can say, "Yes, this guy is right! There isn't enough to go around and if that's the case, who should have enough but the elite 2% of our society? The rest can tighten their belts, live a spartan life and work very hard to give all their money to us."
In order to carry out this scheme there has to be a shortage. We have that in oil right now. Or do we? I tend to think this oil shortage is a load of greedy capitalist crap designed to produce big profits for ExxonMobil and if these bastards discovered an oil deposit large enough to float a planet they'd still push the "not enough to go around" bit until they owned everything, and we'd STILL be paying arms and legs to drive to the bread lines.
ExxonMobil made profits exceeding 52% last year. The number 1 rule in business is to constantly make profits more than the year before, year after year til the end of time. If everyone traded in their SUV's for mopeds, gas would have to exceed $20 a gallon in order to match the profits of last year.
On the other hand, if everyone went out and bought the biggest gas guzzlers they could find and trippled the fuel consumption of last year, we might see a drop in gas prices, only because ExxonMobil will reach their profit goals ahead of schedule... That is, if their greed is as limited as they say their oil supply is.
An economist is a tenured PhD who never had to live and work in the real world, let alone practice economy.
If the demand for something remains constant and the supply is stable, then economic logic dictates the price will remain the same with minor adjustments for cost of living. If both supply and demand increase, or decrease, the price should logically remain the same. If supply goes up and demand goes down we can expect a decrease in prices. If supply goes down and demand increases we can expect higher prices. Ok, you get the picture. This is basic stuff. A no-brainer.
But what if some economists get the idea that there isn't enough to go around? No facts to back up this statement. Just a dumb-ass theory from some guys with way too much time on their hands. Proving this theory is simply a matter of finding some loudmouths in the public eye who can say, "Yes, this guy is right! There isn't enough to go around and if that's the case, who should have enough but the elite 2% of our society? The rest can tighten their belts, live a spartan life and work very hard to give all their money to us."
In order to carry out this scheme there has to be a shortage. We have that in oil right now. Or do we? I tend to think this oil shortage is a load of greedy capitalist crap designed to produce big profits for ExxonMobil and if these bastards discovered an oil deposit large enough to float a planet they'd still push the "not enough to go around" bit until they owned everything, and we'd STILL be paying arms and legs to drive to the bread lines.
ExxonMobil made profits exceeding 52% last year. The number 1 rule in business is to constantly make profits more than the year before, year after year til the end of time. If everyone traded in their SUV's for mopeds, gas would have to exceed $20 a gallon in order to match the profits of last year.
On the other hand, if everyone went out and bought the biggest gas guzzlers they could find and trippled the fuel consumption of last year, we might see a drop in gas prices, only because ExxonMobil will reach their profit goals ahead of schedule... That is, if their greed is as limited as they say their oil supply is.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Poor pigless England ...
This was found on Tim Blair's blog.
COLORS LOWERED
Poor pigless England ...
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (Tory-controlled) has now announced
that, following a complaint by a Muslim employee, all work pictures and
knick-knacks of novelty pigs and ³pig-related items² will be banned.
... is soon to be flagless, if certain intolerant folk get their way:
British prison officers who wore a St. George¹s Cross tie-pin have been
ticked off by the jails watchdog over concerns about the symbol¹s racist
connotations.
The pins showing the English flag ‹which has often raised hackles due to its
connection with the Crusades of the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries ‹could be
³misconstrued,² Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers said ...
Chris Doyle, director of the Council for the Advancement of Arab-British
Understanding, said Tuesday the red cross was an insensitive reminder of the
Crusades.
"A lot of Muslims and Arabs view the Crusades as a bloody episode in our
history² he told CNN. ³They see those campaigns as Christendom launching a
brutal holy war against Islam.²
Doyle added that it was now time for England to find a new flag and a patron
saint who is ³not associated with our bloody past and one we can all
identify with."
A new flag, eh ... I guess a St George¹s Cross made from bacon strips is out
of the question?
UPDATE. Perry de Havilland: ³I wonder how this organisation would react to
calls for Muslims to abandon the crescent moon, the green flag and all other
overly Muslim symbols as being offensive to some English people who may
associate them with slavery?² (via Tom Pechinski)
Posted by Tim B. on 10/05/2005 at 02:57 AM
After reading this I got really pissed off that these moron brits are cowtowing to every whim these little sheet-head, goat fuckin, camel whores demand because of their cowardly PC sensitivities. These social irritants aren't making things any better. They're turning pacifistic people, such as myself, into very pissed off people ready to kick some cowardly moslem ass and then go to the Dudley Borough Council and piss in their faces.
And I'd like to say something about the Crusades. It wasn't a bunch of Christians going to the middle east to raise hell and pilliage. It was a last ditch attempt to save Christianity from a total Moslem takeover. The middle east was primarily populated by pacifist Christians until the Moslems got a bug up their asses and decided to take over the world. The holy see saw the end of Christanity in sight and if not for the efforts of people like Richard the Lionhearted, Italy would have been invaded, Rome would've been sacked, the Vatican torched and the pope and every nun and cardinal in sight would've been murdered and raped, in that order, by the same overly-sensitive bastards that want to do it again in the 21st century. Read a history book and wonder why Turkey, Armenia, Spain and a whole lot of other countries are still under Moslem control and wonder what kind of world we'd have if European Christians didn't try and stop the Moslem war machine in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. We'd have a backwards, medeival world full of ignorant camel fuckers who treat their women with less respect than a dog. Why more people can't see this is beyond me.
The Crusades weren't intended to convert the middle east to Christanity. It was to prevent Moslems from killing everyone in Europe and the middle east who wasn't Moslem. Reasoning didn't work then. The only thing that stopped the Moslems from taking over the world was a force stronger than they were. And let's face it. In a fair fight the best Arab will get his ass beat every time by someone half his size. That's why they fight like cowards..... by sneaking around killing women and children. And you want to compromise with low lifes like this? Wake the fuck up and smell the hashish.
COLORS LOWERED
Poor pigless England ...
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (Tory-controlled) has now announced
that, following a complaint by a Muslim employee, all work pictures and
knick-knacks of novelty pigs and ³pig-related items² will be banned.
... is soon to be flagless, if certain intolerant folk get their way:
British prison officers who wore a St. George¹s Cross tie-pin have been
ticked off by the jails watchdog over concerns about the symbol¹s racist
connotations.
The pins showing the English flag ‹which has often raised hackles due to its
connection with the Crusades of the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries ‹could be
³misconstrued,² Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers said ...
Chris Doyle, director of the Council for the Advancement of Arab-British
Understanding, said Tuesday the red cross was an insensitive reminder of the
Crusades.
"A lot of Muslims and Arabs view the Crusades as a bloody episode in our
history² he told CNN. ³They see those campaigns as Christendom launching a
brutal holy war against Islam.²
Doyle added that it was now time for England to find a new flag and a patron
saint who is ³not associated with our bloody past and one we can all
identify with."
A new flag, eh ... I guess a St George¹s Cross made from bacon strips is out
of the question?
UPDATE. Perry de Havilland: ³I wonder how this organisation would react to
calls for Muslims to abandon the crescent moon, the green flag and all other
overly Muslim symbols as being offensive to some English people who may
associate them with slavery?² (via Tom Pechinski)
Posted by Tim B. on 10/05/2005 at 02:57 AM
After reading this I got really pissed off that these moron brits are cowtowing to every whim these little sheet-head, goat fuckin, camel whores demand because of their cowardly PC sensitivities. These social irritants aren't making things any better. They're turning pacifistic people, such as myself, into very pissed off people ready to kick some cowardly moslem ass and then go to the Dudley Borough Council and piss in their faces.
And I'd like to say something about the Crusades. It wasn't a bunch of Christians going to the middle east to raise hell and pilliage. It was a last ditch attempt to save Christianity from a total Moslem takeover. The middle east was primarily populated by pacifist Christians until the Moslems got a bug up their asses and decided to take over the world. The holy see saw the end of Christanity in sight and if not for the efforts of people like Richard the Lionhearted, Italy would have been invaded, Rome would've been sacked, the Vatican torched and the pope and every nun and cardinal in sight would've been murdered and raped, in that order, by the same overly-sensitive bastards that want to do it again in the 21st century. Read a history book and wonder why Turkey, Armenia, Spain and a whole lot of other countries are still under Moslem control and wonder what kind of world we'd have if European Christians didn't try and stop the Moslem war machine in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. We'd have a backwards, medeival world full of ignorant camel fuckers who treat their women with less respect than a dog. Why more people can't see this is beyond me.
The Crusades weren't intended to convert the middle east to Christanity. It was to prevent Moslems from killing everyone in Europe and the middle east who wasn't Moslem. Reasoning didn't work then. The only thing that stopped the Moslems from taking over the world was a force stronger than they were. And let's face it. In a fair fight the best Arab will get his ass beat every time by someone half his size. That's why they fight like cowards..... by sneaking around killing women and children. And you want to compromise with low lifes like this? Wake the fuck up and smell the hashish.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Is this a case of too much or not enough?
For release in weekend editions, Oct. 1-2, and thereafter
Good intentions, money not necessarily enough; evacuee family departs Calif.
mountain home
Eds: Retransmitting to ADDA photo numbers
AP Photos of Sept. 29: NY440-449
EDITOR¹S NOTE ‹ This story follows up on a report about an evacuated New
Orleans family who, helped along by strangers and friends, reached
California and a warm welcome.
By KIM CURTIS
Associated Press Writer
PINON HILLS, Calif. (AP) ‹ Tears streamed down his face as Greyhound bus
1874 closed its doors and rolled off toward Dallas.
At 17, Jamie Ferrande dresses tough in slouching jeans, red sneakers and a
baseball cap cocked to one side. But he jammed his hands into his pockets
and refused to look up as his aunt and five cousins pressed their faces
against the glass and waved goodbye.
Jamie saved his family from Hurricane Katrina¹s floodwaters, but couldn¹t
help them adjust to the well-intentioned efforts of a California family
trying to do the right thing. It was through the kindness of these and other
strangers that Jamie, his aunt and her five children traveled 2,000 miles
from a New Orleans rooftop to a 50-acre ranch near a ski resort in Southern
California.
But what may seem like a Shangri-La became too much to bear for a displaced
family who had lost everything.
Jamie¹s younger cousins were coping ‹ as children do. But his aunt, Troy
Marcelin, quickly shifted from wary to downright miserable in California.
She had grown up and raised her children in New Orleans, a city pulsing with
activity, crowded with neighbors, packed with all things reassuringly
familiar. There, she knew how to make her way. She spoke her mind.
In California, she was beholden to a family she¹d only just met, relying on
their kindness, their generosity. She felt her true self slipping away.
An almost inconceivable series of events had brought them to safety here.
Jamie and his cousin Kenneth had ripped the door off an abandoned
refrigerator and used it as a life raft, ferrying the younger children to
the safety of the Best Western motel where Marcelin worked. A helicopter
finally rescued them, and they landed at a shelter in San Antonio, Texas.
The odyssey continued when Mark Miller, a Californian who once ran a
bed-and-breakfast in New Orleans and hired Jamie for odd jobs, got a
desperate call from the teenager; Miller went to the Web for help and found
an offer that Gene and Susan Knight, a wealthy couple, had posted on
Craigslist.org.
They offered refuge to a family fleeing the storm. They had space in the
house they had just sold in Arcadia, an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, and
they would take the guests with them when they moved to their ranch in Pinon
Hills, near San Bernardino. Other strangers, linked by the Internet, pitched
in to get the family onto a plane for the West Coast.
The Knights were building an addition to their house, providing a total of
seven bedrooms and five bathrooms. It would be plenty of space to blend
their two families, thought Susan, who planned to pay Jamie¹s aunt to help
take care of the kids and house.
The Marcelins ‹ who had never left Louisiana before ‹ were coping with the
shock of losing everything they owned. Thanks to the Knights, they were
sheltered, fed and safe at last. But stresses soon began to show.
Nothing worked out quite as planned.
‹‹‹
At 44, Troy is thin and attractive with delicate features and wide-set eyes.
But time and stress have taken their toll. She¹s missing several teeth and
her face is lined and weary. Wearing cast-offs from shelters and generous
strangers, she cried often during their first days in California, but was
beginning to relax.
Then the moving van arrived at the house in the Los Angeles suburbs. Another
journey to make, and this one was overwhelming for her.
The new house, in a canyon near a tiny rural mountain town, sat in a harshly
beautiful landscape of sagebrush, Joshua trees and scrub covering dry, rocky
soil ‹ opposite in every way from New Orleans.
It was miles to the nearest neighbor (Gene said he owns all the land visible
from the house), and the silence scared Troy, as did snakes and coyotes,
even the family dogs. She has never had a driver¹s license. Her worldly
possessions included $488 in food stamps, $1,500 from the Red Cross and
$1,000 from a Knight family friend.
She felt completely dependent on the Knights.
³It¹s beautiful here. My children love it. But I never pictured mountains
for my living,² she said last week, her eyes filling up with tears. ³And I¹m
just used to doing for myself. I don¹t want a handout.²
In New Orleans, the single mother earned $160 a week as a hotel housekeeper.
Her 21-year-old son worked as a hairdresser and contributed to the family¹s
income. They got by, but barely.
Here, it seemed she was left most days to care for the adopted infants, but
said she was not yet being paid. She said she felt stranded.
The Knights are wealthy by anyone¹s standards. Gene, who works as a software
engineer and inherited the ranch from his father, estimated their worth at
$2 million.
The couple showered their new family members with gifts, including a new
suit, shirt, tie and shoes so Jamie, who had been expelled in New Orleans,
could go to the homecoming dance at his new school. Also: a fully furnished
two-bedroom mobile home for him and Kenneth to live in, iPods for them and
clothes and toys for the younger kids.
Still, the stress in the ranch house became palpable. And it was about more
than the money.
‹‹‹
³Susan is the best mom. ... She has a marvelous sense for the way things
should be,² said Gene Knight, who decided to marry Susan a week after he met
her.
Susan is 51, short and stocky, a fireplug of energy. She knew at 8 years old
that she wanted six children, and divorced three husbands who didn¹t share
her desire for a big family. She¹s kind-hearted, but quick-tempered and
demanding. Crossing her seems unwise.
It¹s clear she meant well, hoping to give the Marcelin kids a chance at a
good education, a different way of life.
But Troy, for one, liked the life she had before Katrina. And perhaps
without realizing it, Susan trampled on her authority.
Troy worried that her youngest, an angel-faced girl nicknamed ³Butterfly²
who wears pink ribbons in her hair, was picking up bad habits.
³When she doesn¹t get what she wants, she goes to Auntie Sue,² Troy
complained two weeks after the families came together.
She was troubled by how the Knights disciplined their two teenage girls,
especially 14-year-old Katie, whose highlighted hair, makeup and tight jeans
make her appear older than a high school freshman. As Katie challenged her
mother, talking back and throwing tantrums, Troy winced and rolled her eyes.
Other contrasts between the families became apparent.
At one point, as the Marcelin boys slurped down Top Ramen, a cheap noodle
concoction Troy bought with her food stamps, Katie whined at the kitchen
counter wanting to rent a $1,500 stretch SUV for homecoming.
Another time, Susan Knight admonished the boys to wash their hands after
eating fried chicken as her girls trotted off, hands unwashed. The Marcelins
sat at the table, the Knights at the counter. The Marcelins cleared and
rinsed the dishes as Katie chatted on the phone.
Her resentment growing, Troy took refuge in the shower, where her children
were less likely to hear her weep. She was afraid to speak her mind, she
said, for fear of getting kicked out.
³It¹s like walking on glass,² she said.
Kenneth said he didn¹t recognize his mom.
³The first few days we really felt like family. Now reality has set in. ...
One day it just changed,² he said. He began to cry and shooed his
10-year-old brother, Tevin, out of his room in the mobile home.
Kenneth revealed that his mom wanted to go back east, to Texas, where her
brother and sister, nieces and nephews all landed after the storm.
Jamie remained silent. Once a talkative boy with a toothy grin that takes up
half his face, he also was crying more easily now.
Had he made a mistake leading his family here?
He couldn¹t answer, simply shaking his head, tears falling. He had been
having trouble sleeping and his transition back to high school hadn¹t been
easy. His teachers feared he was years behind.
³It¹s weird because I¹ve been on my own so long,² he said. ³I don¹t know how
to relax.²
‹‹‹
Just three days after moving to the ranch, Troy made her decision.
She announced to the Knights that she and her children were leaving. Jamie
would stay behind and continue school.
³I can¹t make you understand,² she told Gene, wiping her eyes. ³I want you
to understand.²
She was grateful for all they¹d done, but needed to be in Dallas with her
family. Her younger sister, Shwanda, had found an apartment there and could
help Troy do the same. ³I¹m just looking forward to holding her, crying and
yakking.²
The Knights were stunned.
Gene¹s smile was stuck. He and Susan tried to change her mind ‹ they
reminded her of the better schools and financial support. Things would
improve once they¹ve all settled in, they said.
³This is chaos. This is a mess. But I can fix this,² Susan Knight said.
It was no use. Troy repeated her gratitude but also her determination that
she and her family needed their own place.
The house was a stew of emotions: anger, frustration, disappointment,
confusion.
In the morning, the Knight girls headed off to school. The Marcelin kids and
Jamie stayed behind.
When they¹d arrived from New Orleans, they¹d had the clothes on their backs
and a few garbage bags filled with donations. Now, they easily filled eight
suitcases and backpacks Susan bought for them.
Susan said she realized California was ³completely foreign² to Troy, and
that she¹s ³going back to the only thing she knows, the only thing she has.
³I can¹t fault her for that,² Susan said.
Gene spent another $750 for the bus tickets. He looked bewildered.
³She¹ll be back. She and her kids want to be here,² he said optimistically.
The group was running late. Troy waited in the Knights¹ minivan while Susan
hugged and kissed each child, just as she did when they first arrived at the
airport two weeks earlier.
Gene drove them to the station for the 1:15 p.m. bus. He helped with the
luggage, and bought vending-machine snacks for the kids.
Troy wore blue pants and a white shirt, just like her boys. ³I hope those
shirts stay clean for a few hours,² she said.
Jamie said little. He stood by himself until the bus pulled away.
‹‹
Five days passed before Mark Miller got phone calls from both Susan and
Jamie. It wasn¹t working out, they said.
They asked him to intervene again, to find someplace else for Jamie.
Driving up to Pinon Hills, he picked up the teen whose frantic call began
this complicated chapter, which was now running full circle. He bought a
ticket to Dallas for Jamie to rejoin Troy¹s family, staying at a motel with
money running low.
³I never dreamed,² Miller said, ³it would come to this.²
Good intentions, money not necessarily enough; evacuee family departs Calif.
mountain home
Eds: Retransmitting to ADDA photo numbers
AP Photos of Sept. 29: NY440-449
EDITOR¹S NOTE ‹ This story follows up on a report about an evacuated New
Orleans family who, helped along by strangers and friends, reached
California and a warm welcome.
By KIM CURTIS
Associated Press Writer
PINON HILLS, Calif. (AP) ‹ Tears streamed down his face as Greyhound bus
1874 closed its doors and rolled off toward Dallas.
At 17, Jamie Ferrande dresses tough in slouching jeans, red sneakers and a
baseball cap cocked to one side. But he jammed his hands into his pockets
and refused to look up as his aunt and five cousins pressed their faces
against the glass and waved goodbye.
Jamie saved his family from Hurricane Katrina¹s floodwaters, but couldn¹t
help them adjust to the well-intentioned efforts of a California family
trying to do the right thing. It was through the kindness of these and other
strangers that Jamie, his aunt and her five children traveled 2,000 miles
from a New Orleans rooftop to a 50-acre ranch near a ski resort in Southern
California.
But what may seem like a Shangri-La became too much to bear for a displaced
family who had lost everything.
Jamie¹s younger cousins were coping ‹ as children do. But his aunt, Troy
Marcelin, quickly shifted from wary to downright miserable in California.
She had grown up and raised her children in New Orleans, a city pulsing with
activity, crowded with neighbors, packed with all things reassuringly
familiar. There, she knew how to make her way. She spoke her mind.
In California, she was beholden to a family she¹d only just met, relying on
their kindness, their generosity. She felt her true self slipping away.
An almost inconceivable series of events had brought them to safety here.
Jamie and his cousin Kenneth had ripped the door off an abandoned
refrigerator and used it as a life raft, ferrying the younger children to
the safety of the Best Western motel where Marcelin worked. A helicopter
finally rescued them, and they landed at a shelter in San Antonio, Texas.
The odyssey continued when Mark Miller, a Californian who once ran a
bed-and-breakfast in New Orleans and hired Jamie for odd jobs, got a
desperate call from the teenager; Miller went to the Web for help and found
an offer that Gene and Susan Knight, a wealthy couple, had posted on
Craigslist.org.
They offered refuge to a family fleeing the storm. They had space in the
house they had just sold in Arcadia, an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, and
they would take the guests with them when they moved to their ranch in Pinon
Hills, near San Bernardino. Other strangers, linked by the Internet, pitched
in to get the family onto a plane for the West Coast.
The Knights were building an addition to their house, providing a total of
seven bedrooms and five bathrooms. It would be plenty of space to blend
their two families, thought Susan, who planned to pay Jamie¹s aunt to help
take care of the kids and house.
The Marcelins ‹ who had never left Louisiana before ‹ were coping with the
shock of losing everything they owned. Thanks to the Knights, they were
sheltered, fed and safe at last. But stresses soon began to show.
Nothing worked out quite as planned.
‹‹‹
At 44, Troy is thin and attractive with delicate features and wide-set eyes.
But time and stress have taken their toll. She¹s missing several teeth and
her face is lined and weary. Wearing cast-offs from shelters and generous
strangers, she cried often during their first days in California, but was
beginning to relax.
Then the moving van arrived at the house in the Los Angeles suburbs. Another
journey to make, and this one was overwhelming for her.
The new house, in a canyon near a tiny rural mountain town, sat in a harshly
beautiful landscape of sagebrush, Joshua trees and scrub covering dry, rocky
soil ‹ opposite in every way from New Orleans.
It was miles to the nearest neighbor (Gene said he owns all the land visible
from the house), and the silence scared Troy, as did snakes and coyotes,
even the family dogs. She has never had a driver¹s license. Her worldly
possessions included $488 in food stamps, $1,500 from the Red Cross and
$1,000 from a Knight family friend.
She felt completely dependent on the Knights.
³It¹s beautiful here. My children love it. But I never pictured mountains
for my living,² she said last week, her eyes filling up with tears. ³And I¹m
just used to doing for myself. I don¹t want a handout.²
In New Orleans, the single mother earned $160 a week as a hotel housekeeper.
Her 21-year-old son worked as a hairdresser and contributed to the family¹s
income. They got by, but barely.
Here, it seemed she was left most days to care for the adopted infants, but
said she was not yet being paid. She said she felt stranded.
The Knights are wealthy by anyone¹s standards. Gene, who works as a software
engineer and inherited the ranch from his father, estimated their worth at
$2 million.
The couple showered their new family members with gifts, including a new
suit, shirt, tie and shoes so Jamie, who had been expelled in New Orleans,
could go to the homecoming dance at his new school. Also: a fully furnished
two-bedroom mobile home for him and Kenneth to live in, iPods for them and
clothes and toys for the younger kids.
Still, the stress in the ranch house became palpable. And it was about more
than the money.
‹‹‹
³Susan is the best mom. ... She has a marvelous sense for the way things
should be,² said Gene Knight, who decided to marry Susan a week after he met
her.
Susan is 51, short and stocky, a fireplug of energy. She knew at 8 years old
that she wanted six children, and divorced three husbands who didn¹t share
her desire for a big family. She¹s kind-hearted, but quick-tempered and
demanding. Crossing her seems unwise.
It¹s clear she meant well, hoping to give the Marcelin kids a chance at a
good education, a different way of life.
But Troy, for one, liked the life she had before Katrina. And perhaps
without realizing it, Susan trampled on her authority.
Troy worried that her youngest, an angel-faced girl nicknamed ³Butterfly²
who wears pink ribbons in her hair, was picking up bad habits.
³When she doesn¹t get what she wants, she goes to Auntie Sue,² Troy
complained two weeks after the families came together.
She was troubled by how the Knights disciplined their two teenage girls,
especially 14-year-old Katie, whose highlighted hair, makeup and tight jeans
make her appear older than a high school freshman. As Katie challenged her
mother, talking back and throwing tantrums, Troy winced and rolled her eyes.
Other contrasts between the families became apparent.
At one point, as the Marcelin boys slurped down Top Ramen, a cheap noodle
concoction Troy bought with her food stamps, Katie whined at the kitchen
counter wanting to rent a $1,500 stretch SUV for homecoming.
Another time, Susan Knight admonished the boys to wash their hands after
eating fried chicken as her girls trotted off, hands unwashed. The Marcelins
sat at the table, the Knights at the counter. The Marcelins cleared and
rinsed the dishes as Katie chatted on the phone.
Her resentment growing, Troy took refuge in the shower, where her children
were less likely to hear her weep. She was afraid to speak her mind, she
said, for fear of getting kicked out.
³It¹s like walking on glass,² she said.
Kenneth said he didn¹t recognize his mom.
³The first few days we really felt like family. Now reality has set in. ...
One day it just changed,² he said. He began to cry and shooed his
10-year-old brother, Tevin, out of his room in the mobile home.
Kenneth revealed that his mom wanted to go back east, to Texas, where her
brother and sister, nieces and nephews all landed after the storm.
Jamie remained silent. Once a talkative boy with a toothy grin that takes up
half his face, he also was crying more easily now.
Had he made a mistake leading his family here?
He couldn¹t answer, simply shaking his head, tears falling. He had been
having trouble sleeping and his transition back to high school hadn¹t been
easy. His teachers feared he was years behind.
³It¹s weird because I¹ve been on my own so long,² he said. ³I don¹t know how
to relax.²
‹‹‹
Just three days after moving to the ranch, Troy made her decision.
She announced to the Knights that she and her children were leaving. Jamie
would stay behind and continue school.
³I can¹t make you understand,² she told Gene, wiping her eyes. ³I want you
to understand.²
She was grateful for all they¹d done, but needed to be in Dallas with her
family. Her younger sister, Shwanda, had found an apartment there and could
help Troy do the same. ³I¹m just looking forward to holding her, crying and
yakking.²
The Knights were stunned.
Gene¹s smile was stuck. He and Susan tried to change her mind ‹ they
reminded her of the better schools and financial support. Things would
improve once they¹ve all settled in, they said.
³This is chaos. This is a mess. But I can fix this,² Susan Knight said.
It was no use. Troy repeated her gratitude but also her determination that
she and her family needed their own place.
The house was a stew of emotions: anger, frustration, disappointment,
confusion.
In the morning, the Knight girls headed off to school. The Marcelin kids and
Jamie stayed behind.
When they¹d arrived from New Orleans, they¹d had the clothes on their backs
and a few garbage bags filled with donations. Now, they easily filled eight
suitcases and backpacks Susan bought for them.
Susan said she realized California was ³completely foreign² to Troy, and
that she¹s ³going back to the only thing she knows, the only thing she has.
³I can¹t fault her for that,² Susan said.
Gene spent another $750 for the bus tickets. He looked bewildered.
³She¹ll be back. She and her kids want to be here,² he said optimistically.
The group was running late. Troy waited in the Knights¹ minivan while Susan
hugged and kissed each child, just as she did when they first arrived at the
airport two weeks earlier.
Gene drove them to the station for the 1:15 p.m. bus. He helped with the
luggage, and bought vending-machine snacks for the kids.
Troy wore blue pants and a white shirt, just like her boys. ³I hope those
shirts stay clean for a few hours,² she said.
Jamie said little. He stood by himself until the bus pulled away.
‹‹
Five days passed before Mark Miller got phone calls from both Susan and
Jamie. It wasn¹t working out, they said.
They asked him to intervene again, to find someplace else for Jamie.
Driving up to Pinon Hills, he picked up the teen whose frantic call began
this complicated chapter, which was now running full circle. He bought a
ticket to Dallas for Jamie to rejoin Troy¹s family, staying at a motel with
money running low.
³I never dreamed,² Miller said, ³it would come to this.²
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