WhiteBelts

DIORAMA GETAWAY

2009-05-08T09:19:00.003-04:00

started a new blog that features some of my recent dioramas. Will be expanding to others as time goes by. Check it out at: www.dioramagetaway.blogspot.com

TIMELY

2009-03-20T19:09:00.003-04:00

H/T to several blogs

LEE IACOCCA

2009-02-03T23:15:00.004-05:00

'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening?
Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder.
We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff,
we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after
a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad,
everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say,
'Stay the course'

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding.
This is America , not the damned 'Titanic'.
I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!'

You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have.
But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in
handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and
nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead
of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the ' America ' my
parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough.
How about you?

I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not
outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is
Crisis! Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis.
It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory.
Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield
yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in
our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes.

A Hell of a Mess. So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war
with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest
deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge
to Asia , while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health
care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent
energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves.

The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry
out for leadership. But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have
all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators?
Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common
sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us
take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent
billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to
do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina.
Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the
hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in
the crucial hours after the storm.

Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again.
Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan.
Figure out what you're going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can
restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that
there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies?
How did this happen, and more important,
what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the
debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem.
The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our
country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your
asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked
and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so
afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name?
Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?

Had Enough?

Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to
light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope, I believe in America .
In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's
greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: the 'Great
Depression', 'World War II', the 'Korean War', the 'Kennedy Assassination',
the 'Vietnam War', the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years
culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get
anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take
action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for
our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising
in this book. It's a call to 'Action' for people who, like me, believe in
America . It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake
off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'

Excerpted from 'Where Have All the Leaders Gone?'.
Copyright (c) 2007 by Lee Iacocca. All rights reserved

Tilt Shift Photography

2009-01-14T00:45:00.002-05:00

I'm obsessed at the moment.
Imagine, anything I want, I can turn into a diorama.
Even home at holiday time...
Sweet.

check it out at:

http://tiltshiftmaker.com/

If Marriage Were Like In The Bible

2008-12-10T19:10:00.003-05:00

Since our Proposition 8 proponents are using The Bible as an excuse to try to be discriminatory against a significant part of the human race, we should explore applying those same standards. If we are to let the Bible define what "traditional marriage" should look like, then our marriage laws should be amended as such:

A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women.
(Gen 29:17-28; 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 Sam 5:13; 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.
(Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30)

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 and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law.
(Gen 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female.
(Gen 19:31-36)

props to daily kos for this gem

A BREASH OF FRETH AIR

2008-10-15T22:14:00.004-04:00

a breash of freth air

GOOD BYE FUNNY MAN

2008-06-23T11:33:00.003-04:00

R.I.P. George Carlin.
You formed my entire sarcastic analytical outlook on life.
Your albums got worn smooth from repeated plays over and over.
I met you in an elevator in the 4 Seasons Toronto 18 yrs ago and was dumbfounded as you were standing there with a little white dog that you'd think you'd do a routine about.
i didn't know what to say to you, it was just me, you and the dog.
I said "that's a pretty mellow dog"
you said, "He's a very well adjusted dog"
then I waited til just before the elevator doors opened and just said,
"Mr Carlin, thank you for all the work you've done, iv'e been a huge fan of yours almost my entire life."

he said "well thank you very much"

I'm punching out now....

GD

IT'S A MAN-BABY!

2008-05-15T14:11:00.000-04:00

Inspired from the site:
http://www.manbabies.com/

THE PATS CHEATED??? AGAINST THE JETS????

2007-09-12T10:11:00.000-04:00

Sorry gang, I usually don't do the sports related posts, but after reading this morning's news about the Patriots being caught videotaping the Jets defensive signals - something they have been caught doing before, I just couln't resist. So behold the new New England Patriots Helmet/logo design.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED...

2007-07-06T08:42:00.000-04:00

We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

1. I bite my nails - not too much to cause bleeding, but enough to look unkempt.

2. I enjoy bulding and detailing intricate and elaborate WW2 military dioramas. I ususally like to feature the German design aspect of the war machines, but since my politically correct self wants not to insult anyone, I usually have the Germans in a state of retreat or defeat in some form or another.

3. I played trumpet throughout Grammar/Jr/High School and have since relegated it to a lost love and randomly attempt to bring back the magic with virtually no success.

4. I have a thing for early 20th century Hawaiian Steel guitar music, not dissimilar to my love of Django Reihardt.

5. After boycotting Starbucks since forever, I finally succumbed and found to my surprise, it is indeed like crack/meth. why didn't someone tell me about this miracle before?

6. I just moved from the cozy womb of the New York City region to the breezy oceany berth of Portland Maine. I am quite pleased about the move and continue to find more and more reasons why this was a good move.

7. I really like Buffalo Chicken Wings even though they really don't like me.

8. When I was a boy of 12 years old, I was playing army and was shot by the enemy. As anyone knows, once you're shot, you stay down. Unfortunately that resulted in, despite half hearted warnings from friends, a boulder rolling down the hill from above me. It clocked me square on the back of the noggin, and I still didn't get up. Once conscious, I rode my bike back home 15 minutes away to a pair of calm, nonplussed parents, despite the fact I had brain fluid leaking from my head wound.
I haven't been the same since.

Heavy Air (Chris K)
Greedo (Dave H)
What Sucks (Chris)
Rev Timmy
Mike J
Jeff G

MY SEVEN MINUTES....

2007-04-18T15:34:00.000-04:00

Last Summer I had the opportunity to review the film "Beerfest" on Fox 5's Dinner for Two Movie Review with Toni Senecal. This was a GREAT time as we got to have some good food and bevvys after the film - which surely inspired some bulk consumption later on in the day. Anyway, it sort of speaks for itself, so enjoy my enthusiastic and hearty reviiew of "Beerfest"

CHECK OUT MY MOMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

HAVE A NICE CHE'

2007-01-16T12:57:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Ape Lad for the laugh

THE BLACK METAL DIALOGUES

2007-01-04T17:06:00.000-05:00

Another oldie but a goodie, since we're doing discussions of metal lately. Hat tip to my friend Scott for directing me to this brilliant exchange between a norwegian death matal guy Saiihtam and some wiseass named Lance. Apparently Scott knows someone who knows Lance - and he is indeed a wiseass.

CLICK HERE TO READ

THE KIDS ROCK CHRISTMAS @ THE SHEA'S

2007-01-03T10:51:00.000-05:00

Hat Tip To T&T @ Shea's Lounge for shooting and posting this vid of the kids on Christmas Eve at their fine abode.

CLICK HERE FOR HOLIDAY MEMORIES

STAR WARS AS A SILENT FILM

2007-01-03T10:34:00.000-05:00

Man how great is YouTube? Since it's popularity boomed, there has been an outburst of incredible creativity within the world of video 'mashups' and the like. In a previous post i linked to DARTH VADER BEING A SMARTASS Well now we have another great re-take on Star Wars, this time, Silent Film style.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM IRON MAIDEN

2006-12-21T10:05:00.000-05:00

An oldie but a goodie, our young friend here submits a letter to his principal protesting the grade he got on his history exam.
His examples of how Iron Maiden's music teaches him so much are, to say the least, quite eloquent.
I won't explain any more, my pathetic attempts to paraphrase his work will only serve injustice to his perpetually passionate prose.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE THE ESSAY

1970's BRAZIL

2006-12-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

Check out this amazing footage taken of and from a small helicopter cruising, at times perilously, through the streets (and tunnels) of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The footage is set to an amazing soundtrack of 2 songs by Roberto Carlos.

BRAZIL FOOTAGE

Now THATS a wedding DJ!!!

2006-12-07T15:26:00.000-05:00

check this awesome wedding reception party - of course, in Germany. I can hardly imagine what old Uncle Len would have thought had our DJ spun this little number at our nuptials.Would have loved seeing the old timers just 'going with it'

DEATH METAL WEDDING VID

2006-11-14T10:31:00.000-05:00

LIL' POLE DANCER

2006-10-30T10:05:00.000-05:00

This is almost too unbelievable to be real but, it is.
A toy stripper pole for kids/youths.
Above you'll see the unfortunate and traumatized family that stumbled upon this little item.
This is straight from the company's (Tesco) website.
"Unleash the sex kitten inside...simply extend the Peekaboo pole inside the tube,
slip on the sexy tunes and away you go!

"Soon you'll be flaunting it to the world and earning a fortune in Peekaboo Dance Dollars".

Wonder if they'll make one for the lil' chippendale too...

WHILE MY UKELELE GENTLY WEEPS

2006-09-22T15:37:00.000-04:00

This guy, Jake Shimabukuru, whips out the sweetest most sublime version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Never heard a Ukelele play like this.

UKELELE MASTERY on YouTube

MEXICO TOURISM

2006-09-07T11:23:00.000-04:00

This is a pretty funny sendup of the immigration debate.
Derive what you will.

Mexico Immigration

DARTH VADER BEING A SMARTASS

2006-08-08T10:19:00.000-04:00

This is an excellent example of brilliant editing skills. Taking a simple yet memorable scene from Star Wars and making it into something completely childish and hysterical. Please do yourself a favor and click the link below...

WATCH THE VIDEO!

PRISON VS WORK

2006-06-06T16:06:00.000-04:00

IN PRISON......you spend the majority of your time in a 10X10 cell.
AT WORK........you spend the majority of your time in an8X8 cubicle.
IN PRISON.......you get three meals a day.
AT WORK........you get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it.
IN PRISON..........you get time off for good behavior.
AT WORK............you get more work for good behavior.
IN PRISON..........the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
AT WORK...........you're often required to carry a security card and open all the doors yourself.
IN PRISON.........you can watch TV and play games.
AT WORK...........you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
IN PRISON........you get your own toilet.
AT WORK..........you share the toilet with some people who pee on the seat.
IN PRISON..........they allow your family and friends to visit.
AT WORK............you're not supposed to even speak to your family.
IN PRISON........all expenses are paid by the taxpayers.
AT WORK..........you pay all your expenses to get to work, and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners
IN PRISON .........you must deal with sadistic wardens.
AT WORK...........they're called managers.
IN PRISON.....you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out.
AT WORK .......you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.

Hat Tip to Tracy for the larf...

IMMIGRATION PROTESTS

2006-05-02T11:22:00.000-04:00

A picture says it all....