Lighthouse

The Biloxi lighthouse, which stands in the center median of Beach Boulevard, is the first cast iron lighthouse to be erected in the South. The light was civilian-operated from 1848 to 1939, and is notable for its several female lightkeepers, including Maria Younghans, who tended the light for 53 years. In 1939, the U.S. Coast Guard assumed responsibility for the light's operation. After being declared surplus property in 1968, the Biloxi Lighthouse was deeded to the city. Construction workers from the Biloxi will begin a six-month restoration of the Biloxi Lighthouse, the city’s signature landmark that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.The $400,000 project -- primarily funded by FEMA -- will involve returning the lighthouse to its original grandeur. Initial phases of the work include removing the wrought iron fence at the base of the structure. While the fence is being restored, workers will move inside, restoring the bricks that line the inside of the 64-foot tall cast-iron structure. Midway through the process, the lighthouse will be enveloped by scaffolding and shrouded by a tarp while workers prepare its exterior for re-painting.The project is significant because the storm-ravaged Biloxi Lighthouse -- erected in 1848 -- has come to symbolize the city’s resilience, standing tall amid the debris in the days after Katrina. In 2007, two years after the storm, the likeness of the lighthouse was chosen for an award-winning Mississippi license tag. Today, the flag-draped lighthouse remains one of the most-photographed icons in the city.In fact, the restoration work will be the backdrop for the July 23 first-day issue of a new Postal Service stamp series titled "Lighthouses of the Gulf Coast. The importance of restoration project is not lost on those involved.This restoration has required careful documentation and detailed research of the materials that were originally used, from the original door at the base, and analyzing the cast iron, the bricks and mortar that line the inside of the lighthouse. It’s such an historic icon that the Coast workers take this responsibility very seriously. The goal is to restore it to its original charm and spendor. Katrina’s storm surge toppled many bricks that lined the interior of the cast iron tower. The storm’s winds broke many of the windows in the light cupola and destroyed the structure's electrical system, but the city, realizing the significance of the Lighthouse, was able to restore temporary power to illuminate the structure’s light within days after the storm. An American flag has hung from the cupola railing since the storm, but will be removed once the restoration is complete.

Shaved Pussies

57

It was 57 degrees this morning. Have I mentioned that I hate Fall? I don't like the cool air or the leaves or the weather. The beach looks deserted and empty, my ferns look like old ladies with thinning hair, and the summer flowers are starting to look faded and out of place. My feet are cold and the sun seems extra bright. I have to start thinking of a way to bring in the plants that are on the patio and not junk up the place. I am sure this is just a short cool snap but I still don't like it. I think I even like the humid, muggy days better than this.

Visitors

AN E MAIL

Got this site in an e mail from a friend of mine. More of the Muslims in the USA. If your sound is on there is music to disgust you even more. Be sure to check out the very last statement at the bottom of the pages. And also the sponsors of this stuff.
islamoncapitolhill.com

Senior Hooters Girl

Old Subject, New Twist

Over five thousand years ago, Moses said to the children of Israel " pick up your shovel, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the promised land". Nearly 75 years ago, Roosevelt said, " Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses, and light up a camel, this is the promised land". Now Obama has stolen your shovel , taxed your asses, raised the price of camels, and mortgaged the promised land.

Gulf Giant Squid

My daughter who is a Marine Biologist sent me with this article and pictures. Government scientists off Louisiana's coast reached down more than 1,500 feet and pulled up a giant squid - the first ever caught alive in the Gulf of Mexico. The last time scientists got a giant squid from the gulf to study was in 1954. The animal was floating, dead on the water. The squid was caught about 130 miles south of New Orleans.This one - an immature animal about 19 1/2 feet long and 103 pounds - was alive when it was netted July 30 during a practice trawl for a study planned in January of the endangered sperm whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico and their food supply.

Last Day Of Summer

Today is the last day of summer. I hate that. I don't like colorful leaves, dry brown grass, or fall decorations that everyone gets carried away with. I don't like fall despite the holidays that come with it. Halloween and Thanksgiving are OK, but I like July 4 better. I think part of my dislike for fall is that school started in the fall, vacation travel ended, and the long cold dreary days of winter were getting closer. At least in the south we sometimes wear shorts at Christmas. And I wear flip flops all year. I hate to see the Summer season end.

David

David Is To Be Returned To Italy

A bit of cultural news for a welcome change.

After a two year loan to the United States ,

Michelangelo's David is being returned to Italy

.

His Proud Sponsors were:

Carnivore

Guard Dog

Slow News Day

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - Animal control officials are at St. Martin North
Elementary School this afternoon, trying to round up an escaped exotic
animal. School officials tell us a Crocodile Monitor Lizard escaped from a
nearby pet store, and has climbed up a tree on the kindergarten
playground. The lizard , similar to the one in the picture above, can grow
up to 15 feet in length and weigh close to 400 pounds. All the students
are being kept inside while the round-up is underway. WLOX News has a crew
on the scene, and will have more on the story later today.

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - School officials at St. Martin North Elementary
school say a Crocodile Monitor Lizard that escaped and climbed up a tree on
the kindergarten playground has been captured. The lizard , similar to the
one in the picture above, can grow up to 15 feet in length and weigh close
to 400 pounds. This one was about 6 feet long. The owner of a nearby pet
store helped animal control officials round up the lizard. It was finally
captured after it was tranquilized and a fire hose was used to spray the
lizard off the branch of the tree. Men holding a tarp caught the lizard
when it fell. All the students were kept inside while the round-up was
underway. Life ain't never boring here on the Coast. And I thought my little yard lizard was a big one.

Crazy Men Can Type!.

Tweet. . . Ok u need 2 listen 2 this.

Message 1:
Hey Olga, it’s Dimitri.

Sorry I had to leave such a rushed message with you when we met the other day. I just wanted to quickly give you my phone number, and I had to get the heck out of the area. In any event, I figured I had better leave you a more detailed message and explain why I approached you. I am single. I have no trouble meeting women; I mean, women approach me six or seven times a day. But I’m very particular about what I like. You’re an extremely elegant woman. I couldn’t take my eyes off you, and your friends were very jealous — even if they say they weren’t, they were envious of the fact that I approached you, and I was very taken by you. Elegant women are very rare. I’m Greek and I’m very particular about what I like. So I’m giving you an opportunity here. I don’t know if you picked up the message on the weekend but I’m working on a movie script so I’m pretty much around all weekend doing that, I left you my number…

This looks like a land line, and if it is you may not get the message till Monday. But when you do, call me and we’ll get together for coffee and chat and let the romance begin. You looked very taken aback by my approach, and I hope that it isn’t timidness, I hope it was just a little bit of shock at being approached so directly. Because I don’t really date timid women, because I’m a very direct, very passionate, very assertive man, and I want a woman who is very independent and strong. So…anyway we’ll talk about that, but I just wanted to formally introduce myself, now I have. I believe the ball in your court. You call me as soon as you have the courage to. Okay, Olga? Talk to you soon, bye.

Message 2:

Hi there, Olga it’s Dimitri calling again, the guy from the street.
I left you a message several days ago you said you were interested. Now, here’s the way I work. I don’t like leaving second messages but I like you, you’re a very elegant woman, you’re very attractive, but, you know, I don’t play that game. I know your friends tell you not to return calls; you’re playing games like you see in stupid TV shows. So here’s how it’s gonna work. It is now 4:30 on Wednesday. Now I’ll assume, I’ll assume that you’ve already left work, because, you know, some people leave work early, and I’ll grant you that. But if I do not receive a phone call back from you by 3 o’clock Thursday afternoon I’m no longer interested and you can erase your number. I don’t play games like that. I’m completely single, I’m very intelligent, I’m great in bed, I make great money. Believe it or not, I’m a complete catch. I’ve only been single four months; I had a long distance relationship you know went a year, it’s very tough to maintain it like that and it didn’t work out; there’s nothing wrong with me. As a matter of fact I’m one of the few men in the city that has nothing wrong with him. So I’m giving you the three o’clock deadline. If I don’t hear from you, you lose my number — I’m erasing yours right now, so you won’t be hearing back from me.

So that’s it: three o’clock tomorrow, or you can just completely forget it.

Now I understand if you’ve got other issues, like maybe you’re not playing games, maybe you’ve had I don’t know… maybe you were abused in childhood?…Maybe your mother has cancer, you’re going to chemo…maybe you’re just a person who’s extremely frightened or has an anxiety disorder, maybe you’re on some medication for that…I don’t know, there could be another issue that I’m not aware of. But nobody says “Call me,” hands a person a business card and then doesn’t return calls. It’s extremely passive aggressive. You should actually look that up, passive-aggressive personality disorder. And you let me know, if you’ve got issues, psychological issues, if you’re on any sort of medication for anxiety or depression; I’m not interested, okay. But if you’re psychologically normal, and you haven’t called me because there’s been some horrible thing that’s happened in your life which prevented you, that’s fine. But otherwise? Don’t call me. Okay, bye.

9/12 DC Rally

I enjoyed watching the video of the march in Washington DC by average Americans protesting the health care reform. I especially enjoyed the signs that were carried. Here are a few of my favorite saying from those posters.

I need my health care policy. Obama makes me sick!

I'm not your ATM, Obama!

Pelosi has to go!

You lie! Grandma dies!

Obama is a sleeper cell!
And my favorite,

Having Obama manage your health care is
like having Micheal Vick watch your dog!

9/11

Today is 9/11. There are a lot of memories of that day eight years ago. They are memories that will stay with those who watched the events much like the bombing of Pearl Harbor stayed with my parents and their generation. It is amazing to me that people can still see the scar on the land in NYC and want troops moved out of the Middle East. It is amazing they they seem to have forgotten the outrage after the attacks of 9/11. It should be remembered. The press coverage on Fox was excellent. Then came the reports of shots fired at a boat from a Coast Guard boat on the Potomac. Within a few minutes there was conformation that it was a training exercise. I fully support the military and the need for practice and maintaining high alertness. At first I thought where is the common sense? Wouldn't common sense say do a low profile drill on 9/11? It makes about as much sense as flying Air Force One very low over NYC a couple of months ago. It scares the hell out of people and for some brings back a lot of bad memories. Is common sense a thing of the past in the USA? Then I thought that maybe the USA has to be scared regularly to remember that we are hated by much of the world and that Obama's ass kissing is not going to change that. There seems to be a lack of common sense on several levels. There is a definite short, short memory in this country. Perhaps we should see pictures of 9/11 daily to remind us of what a large part of the world wants to do to the USA.

Sonic Boom

Shuttle Discovery could create sonic booms along Coast


If space shuttle Discovery is unable to land at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its first attempt this evening, residents along the Coast should hear a double sonic boom about 7:25 p.m. as the vehicle makes its second landing approach to the site.The shuttle is scheduled to conclude its STS-128 mission to the International Space Station with a 6:05 p.m. landing at Kennedy. However, if that attempt is waved off, the shuttle will make a second attempt at 7:42 p.m. at Kennedy. On the second attempt, residents would be able to hear the shuttle’s signature double sonic boom as the vehicle flies over Mississippi about 7:25 p.m.

I remember as a kid hearing the occasional jet breaking the sound barrier. It often broke windows and always shook the ground and rattled the dishes in the kitchen. It came with no warning since there was no sound from the plane until after the sonic boom. When the sound barrier was broken and you got over the shock of the boom the sound of the plane was heard. The civil defence department on the Coast sent out warning about this shuttle landing. I'm gonna be listening for it. Should be interesting.

Outlaws

The infamous Wilson gang! Sure Shot Rikki, Wild Man Joey, Dead Eye Arie, Quick Draw Mark, Sheriff Popeye, Mrs. Popeye, Chase the Ace, Six Gun Cindy and Jumping J.R.

Jumping J.R.

Time for a Hover Craft

It seems that everything I own has decided to stop working all at once. For instance, this damn old computer(which insisted that part of this post be underlined) and my latest car, the Pontiac Sunfire. That got me to thinking about all the cars I have owned. It all started when we were teens and my dad let us use an old ford. It was about a 1954 or so and had been a cop car before he got it. My sister and I painted it baby blue and we thought we were very cool.
When I finished college and had a job I went to James Wentworth Dodge in Meadville to look for a car. He showed me a lot of neutral nice little cars, but I spotted a radical lime green car parked behind the dealership. It was love at first sight. The color was new and wild for the time and the sleek, built into the body door handles were very new. I bought it for $2,700. I still remember when I headed to the coast in it. It was a 1970 Dodge Challenger. I noticed lately that Dodge is using the color again.

1970 Dodge Challenger

When the Challenger wore out after about ten years. I bought a Nissan. It was a great little car and I drove it for a long time which prompted one of my nieces to comment that I'd be the last person still driving a car when the rest of the world was riding in hover crafts.

One Of Two Nissan's When I got divorced and returned to the Coast for a second time I bought a Pontiac Fiero. It was a two seater with flip up headlights, a trunk that would maybe hold a purse and the motor was in the back. It was fun to drive, but had a tendency to run hot.

Pontiac Fiero

After the Fiero I bought a Chevy Hatchback. My frist and last Chevy. What a piece of shit it was.That one lasted about a year. It was a lemon from the beginning and I traded it for another Nissan.

Chevy Hatchback I drove that Nissan for over ten years. The floor on the passenger side rusted through and I had to put a piece of ply board down to keep water from coming in on rainy drives. When the trunk refused to shut I finally traded it in on a Dodge Neon. I loved my little white Neon. It was dependable for another ten years of driving. I finally sold it and inherited my daughters Pontiac Sunfire when she bought a new car.

1990 Dodge Neon

Last month the Sunfire died. So for the first time since I was a teen I do not own a car. It's a little strange. I don't miss the payments on a car, or the insurance or the tags or the upkeep. But I'm about for ready some wheels.
Hey Rikki, are they selling Hover Crafts yet?

1990 Pontiac Sunfire

Stretch is 6!

Today is my little coon-ass dachshund dogs sixth birthday. He was born in Vidalia, La. and was a Christmas present for Halley. He likes to sun himself, bark, and knows where the squeaker is in all 50 of his toys.

Happy Birthday Stretch!

Obama Official Bites the Dust

• WASHINGTON –"President Barack Obama's environmental adviser Van Jones, who became embroiled in a controversy over past inflammatory statements, has resigned his White House job after what he calls a "vicious smear campaign against me. Jones, an administration official specializing in environmentally friendly "green jobs" with the White House Council on Environmental Quality was linked to efforts suggesting a government role in the 2001 terror attacks and to derogatory comments about Republicans. Jones' name appearing on a petition connected to the events surrounding the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. That 2004 petition had asked for congressional hearings and other investigations into whether high-level government officials had allowed the attacks to occur. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana said in a statement, "His extremist views and coarse rhetoric have no place in this administration or the public debate." Missouri Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond said Congress should investigate Jones's fitness for the job. Fox News Channel host Glenn Beck repeatedly denounced Jones after a group the adviser co-founded, ColorofChange.org, led an advertising boycott against Beck's show to protest his claim that Obama is a racist." Yahoo News
  

I glad that Jones is gone. Seems to me that it's a bit of payback for the Beck mess. I do not understand why it is wrong for someone to say Obama or anyone else is a racist. Blacks seem to think it's OK to scream that some white guy is racist, but don't call any black person a racist, despite his actions and attitudes. I not only think Obama is a racist but he's scary as hell. Obama and his officials think that if they deny their actions everyone will just accept their word. Not all Americans are government addicted idiots. I understand that he is going to speak to the children of the nation. Some parents are all excited but some that take responsibility for teaching their kids think it is "brain washing". I wouldn't want him influencing my kids if I had young children. But there are a lot of folks around who think the governments job is to send them a check, provide food stamps, WIC, and keep the health departments at their beck and call. They think they are entitled to have it all for free and are willing to allow the government to think for them. They give up their freedom for some freebies. Some have become so government dependent that they have lost any sense of self preservation not to mention any pride or independence. I call it just plain lazy. In my opinion that is why a lot of people died in Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. I think they waited for the government to take care of them. I am glad Jones bit the dust. I fully support Glen Beck. He has the balls to say what a lot of people think. If anyone is still thinking it's not a black and white 'thing' then check out the changeofcolor website above.

___

Ducks

Three women went to heaven, St. Peter says,

'We only have one rule here in heaven:

Don't step on the ducks!'
So they enter heaven, and sure enough,

There are ducks all over the place.

It is almost impossible not to step on a duck,

And although they try their best to avoid them,

The first woman accidentally steps on one.
Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest man she ever saw.

St. Peter chains them together and says,

'Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to

Spend eternity chained to this ugly man!'

The next day,

The second woman steps accidentally on a duck

And along comes St. Peter,

Who doesn't miss a thing.

With him is another extremely ugly man.

He chains them together

With the same admonishment as for the first woman.
The third woman has observed all this and,

Not wanting to be chained

For all eternity to an ugly man, is very,

VERY careful where she steps.
She manages to go months

Without stepping on any ducks,

But

One day St.Peter comes up to her

With the most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on.

Very tall, long eyelashes, muscular.

St. Peter chains them together without saying a word.
The happy woman says,

'I wonder what I did to deserve being

Chained to you for all of eternity?'
The guy says,

'I don't know about you,

But I stepped on a

Duck.

JR and Great Aunt (& Sonny)

Chica & "Come on Fat Ass!"

Old Coast

I think as you get older you begin to think that your youth and all the things involved in it are better than the present. I'm not sure it it is true or just one of the delusions of age. When I was a kid we always came to the Gulf Coast every summer. Even if we were taking the "big" vacation somewhere else we made a trip to the Gulf every summer. I love it. I looked forward to it each year. When we came down the only area we knew was the strip along Highway 90. It was filled with strip joints, souvenir shops, attractions such as go-carts, Marine Life, and Deer Ranch. Tourism is down according to the local media. They are all in a tizzy about it. When I look at what's available as I ride the beach I can see why. Camille and Katrina are partly to blame, but there are other reasons. Perhaps the deterioration of family values and the need to take the kids on a family vacation. The major entertainment here is Casinos. If the kids go there they are tucked into an arcade until their parents are finished gambling. There are a couple of souvenirs shops and that is about it. It you are not a gamer there is not a lot for you on the Coast today. The Sixgun Junction pictured here was on Debuys Road right across the street from Brittany Apartments where I lived for years. It featured an old western town, the shootouts, and one part was a deer farm. Kids could walk into the heard of little deer and feed them. It appealed to all ages. The tourism board is so proud of the new development on the Gulf side of Highway 90. They seem to forget that the area was developed back in the 60's too. There were many small, family owned motels on the beach with a view of the Gulf. On vacations these were the staging area from which we explored the Coast. We swam early in the morning and as long as the pools were open. One day was spent on the trip out to Ship Island. While there we explored the old fort and swam and sunned. Today there is just not as much to do on the coast. Oh, there are the Casinos which are huge, fancy and sometime have stars who attract crowds. But to me the Coast has not grown back to the resort it was back then. It may be a sign of old age and the memories of childhood but it's not the same and I miss the old Coast. The recovery since Katrina has been slow and the the economy hasn't helped, but until there is more to do than gamble the Coast is not going to appeal to as many people as it use to. I miss Marine Life, the go-cart track, goofy golf, and the port tours. I miss the Alamo Motel, The Fairchild motel, the Emerald Beach Motel (pictured above) the Broadwater Marina and the Buena Vista. I miss the old seafood restaurants on the beach. I miss the old Coast. All of those places were the reason I moved here for 20 years. It doesn't have that appeal now.