8/17/08 Captain Jack's Repossession Repo Cruise to PC thru TPC Part 17

[Esteri]

What we do with a drunken sailor?
What we do with a drunken sailor?
What we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning?

We give 'im Alka SeltzARRRR!


Enjoy your Friday, Cruise, vacation!!!

 

[captaincrash]

Yes, the first time a colleague asked me if he could borrow a 'rubber', I knew I was in trouble.

I don't get it?

I'm sooo INNOCENT, eh?

< black rubber dresses above? >​

 

[captaincrash]

Hi all! Just back home from two weeks with the grandkids. Looks like you have been busy -- over a hundred pages -- no way I'll ever ketchup. Had a great visit with the little ones and an even better week before at Food & Wine with both daughters and my 4 year old DGD. This was her first F & W trip. She really enoyed it. Tried so many different foods I lost track. She even liked the culinary demonstrations (and the samples they served even more). DH saw the Four Tops there on Tuesday and reported that they put on a great show. Well better get back on track and start tackling the piles of work and laundry. DH is off tomorrow so if the weather is nice (60% chance of rain) we'll try for another F & W fix. If not, I'll see you in Chat.

Barbara

I know the feeling sometimes!
Maybe you can try this online speed reading deal ...

<chuckles>

 

[captaincrash]

Just got back from the doctor,had another mammo and I'm so happy to report that ALL IS WELL!!! I'm just shadowy. All of your prayers and pixie dust must have helped, thank you. Now maybe my face will stop breaking out!

What terriffic news!

 

[captaincrash]

Well I do in fact have a ear infection. Doctor believes it is from surgery something about where the tubes were and draining to prevent this kind of thing. Her only concern was that I was on the strongest antibotic since last week because of my other illness and says I really shouldn't have gotten this. I now have another pill to add to my list and some ear drops.

!

Keep an eye on this "bug".

We hope its' not one of drug resistant strains of infection.​

 

[tom31b]

Video
State Dept. Website, video link on main page

orlandosentinel.com/orl-ustourism2307oct23,0,6738516.story

OrlandoSentinel.com
Disney adds a familiar tune to film touting travel to U.S.
Jason Garcia

Sentinel Staff Writer

October 23, 2007

The Walt Disney Co. premiered its latest film Monday: a seven-minute promotional video, set to a familiar Disney score, which will eventually run in airports across the country and U.S. embassies around the world.

The film, dubbed "Welcome: Portraits of America," was produced by Disney for the U.S. departments of State and Homeland Security as part of an effort to project a warmer national image and to boost international travel to the United States.

It will be shown starting this week at Washington Dulles International Airport and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport -- two of the nation's busiest airports for overseas travel. Government officials said they will soon expand the program to include the country's top 20 international airports, including Orlando International, as well as American embassies and consulates overseas.

Both the government and Disney made sure to note that the movie, which the company volunteered to produce at its own expense, does not include any images promoting Disney theme parks or any other commercial entity. It is instead filled with sweeping shots of American landscapes and national monuments -- from rolling farmland and the Grand Canyon to the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge -- mixed with images of everyday people doing everything from riding horses to smiling, waving and saying, "Welcome."

But the film is set to music that will be familiar to many Walt Disney World fans: the orchestral score that accompanies "IllumiNations," the popular nightly fireworks show at Disney's Epcot theme park.

A spokeswoman for Disney, Jennifer Liu, said the company borrowed the song from the Epcot production. But she also said the music, developed by composer Gavin Greenaway, had been rescored somewhat to fit the video's shorter running time.

She also said travelers passing through U.S. customs lines in airports or visiting American embassies were unlikely to recognize the score as Disney music.

"This music will sound new to almost everyone," Liu said. "It's just a great piece of music."

A spokeswoman for Karen Hughes, the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, said she, too, was confident that most overseas travelers were unlikely to be familiar with music from a Disney resort.

"We don't think the music will present a problem," said Rena Pederson, the spokeswoman. "It's certainly not intended in any way to be promotional."

One of Disney's competitors was also unperturbed.

"Any measure which helps communicate the hospitality of our country and enhance the sense of arrival for visitors is a positive addition and a welcoming touch -- especially for our international travelers, who have likely experienced long flights and processes to enter our country," SeaWorld Orlando spokeswoman Becca Bides said in an e-mail.

Liu would not reveal how much Disney spent producing the film and the hundreds of accompanying still photographs that will be used in posters and banners.

The video is a part of a January 2006 initiative -- launched by federal officials at the urging of the nation's tourism industry -- aimed at countering perceptions that the United States has become hostile to foreign visitors since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.

Overseas travel to the U.S. slumped badly after the attacks and the tough new border-security measures that quickly followed. A recent study by the business-backed group Florida TaxWatch estimated that Florida alone lost as many as 16.1 million visitors -- and $14 billion in related spending -- during the six years after 9-11.

In addition to the video, other measures have included beefing up staff and improving signs at airports, and streamlining some of the visa-application processes for those planning trips to the U.S.

Disney got involved with the video project through Jay Rasulo, the chairman of the company's Parks and Resorts division. Rasulo is also national chairman of the Travel Industry Association, a tourism trade group that has been aggressively lobbying the Bush administration and Congress for changes that would boost travel to the U.S.

"We are proud to partner with the U.S. government to extend a world-class welcome to America's guests," Rasulo said Monday in a prepared statement.


Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.

 

[yargrnhoj]

​

I don't get it? ​

​

I'm sooo INNOCENT, eh? ​

​

< black rubber dresses above? >​

 

[captaincrash]

A Rubber Pink Sumo Wrestler?​

Batman & Robin trapped by Pink Rubber tubes?

Pink Rubber Flight Attendant?

Pink Rubber Ducks?

 

[Disney Sweetie]

Pam, the airfares you are looking for better be for the the EBPC!!!! Just book them and there is no turning back.

Keep your fingers crossed Cheryl!!

Pam

 

[allshookup]

Ooooo....Andy's bringing something for ALL of us?? How sweet.....

Oh goody! I'd like to put in a request for a Kate Spade pink polka dotted pocket book (say that 3 times fast) from the Straw Market. Okay? Thanks!

I don't get it?

I'm sooo INNOCENT, eh?

< black rubber dresses above? >​

Uh huh! And I've got a bridge I can sell ya!

 

[allshookup]

Happy Birthday Julia!!!

I hope you have a very special weekend! ​

 

[DisneyMom13]

Wow haven't been on here in such a long time - I am so sorry. Life has been quite hectic around here.

The end of August we were in Cancun for a week. Stayed at a DVC resort (actually it is the oldest of the Royal Resorts in Cancun - VCI). It was an older hotel, but the 2 bedroom we had was big and overlooked the pool, we were on the 1st floor which was nice. The beach was terrible there though, lots of seaweed washing up, so we only used the pool, which was a bummer for me. DH spent a lot of time diving and finally got to dive Cenotes (which are caves) and he really enjoyed that.

We got back on Sept 1st and I did a show out in LI at Hofstra University (the Scrapbook Expo) the next weekend. Did pretty well, and will probably do it again next year.

Then on Sept 13th, we had to put our beloved dog, Chivas, to sleep, and I have really not been right since then. We had her for almost 12 years, and she was truly a part of our family. She was never sick a day in her life, but when we got back from Cancun, I noticed she was acting a little strange, a little distant. She was a German Shepard mix, and over the last year, her hips had started to go on her. We were giving her Glucosomine, which was helping her, but in the end she stopped eating, and wouldn't even drink the milk we gave her with the Glucosomine. That Wednesday when I was leaving for work, I went to rub her belly, and it was hard and distended, so I knew something was wrong, especially since she was not eating. I called the vet the next day and took her in, and her abdomen was filled with fluid. They couldn't see her organs, so they called an ultrasound specialist in, who finally came at 5:00 that afternoon, and to make a long story short, she had cirrhosis of the liver, her eyes were jaundice (when you looked at the whites). So we all came together as a family, at the vet's office, and made the very hard decision to put her down - God, I am crying as I write this (and it's 6 weeks already). It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and we still miss her so much.

We want to get another dog, but are not sure when the time is right, and have been really missing her, and feeling such emptiness in the house. This week I finally decided the time may be right, but again don't want to dishonor her memory - but I feel like she is telling me it is ok through dreams I have had and other signs. So after work today, the girls and I are taking a ride out to North Shore Animal League on Long Island to take a look at what they have. I am not getting my hopes up, but if something strikes us, maybe we will bring another little love home...What do you guys think?

Now we have my niece and her fiance moving into our apartment (which is a total disaster area - has been used for storage for 7 years), so we are in the process of cleaning that out, and getting it ready for them.

So just trying to get back into the swing of things after Chivas, and I know it is time to get active on this board, with this trip less than 10 months away....I cn't believe it. I have been looking at arfare, but I think it is still a little high...there are plenty of seats on the flights I am looking at, so I may want to wait. We are probably coming out to CA on Thursday, but will have to head back home the day we return, Monday, unfortunately not being able to do WDW, as well. So I do have to book GC now before that is too late.

I will get a chance to get on and read some of the back posts after this weekend, hopefully the apartment will be cleaned up by then...lol.

Have a good w/e all! It's good to be back....

Debi

 

[allshookup]

Debi so sorry to hear about your Chivas! If you think you're ready for a new pet, I think you should go for it. Maybe showering your affection on a new love will ease the pain somewhat.

Check in when you are able! We still have loads of time to get to know each other. Drop into chat if you can!

 

[goofyforlife]

Then on Sept 13th, we had to put our beloved dog, Chivas, to sleep, and I have really not been right since then. Debi

So sorry Debi i have fur-babies of my own and i truly worry about the day i have to make that hard decision as well.

ok here's a really good story that will make of all cry and see why we love our fur-persons so much.

YOU HAVE CHOSEN TEARS


The little orange boy stopped.
Behind him, kitties were playing, chasing each other and
wrestling in the warm sunshine.
It looked like so much fun, but in front of him, through
the clear stillness of the pond's water, he could see his mommy.
And she was crying.
He pawed at the water, trying to get at her, and when
that didn't work, he jumped into the shallow water. All that got him was wet and Mommy's image danced away in the ripples.
"Mommy!" he cried. "Is something wrong?" The little orange boy turned
around.

A lady was standing at the edge of the pond, her eyes
sad but filled with love.
The little orange boy sighed and walked out of the water.
"There's been a mistake," he said. "I'm not supposed to be here."
He looked back at the water.
It was starting to still again and his mommy's image was coming back.
"I'm just a baby. Mommy said it had to be a mistake. She said I wasn't
supposed to come here yet." The kind lady sighed and sat down on the grass.
The little orange boy climbed into her lap.
It wasn't Mommy's lap, but it was almost as good.
When she started to pet him and scratch under his chin like he liked, he
started to purr. He hadn't wanted to, but he couldn't help it.
"I'm afraid there is no mistake. You are supposed to be
here and your mommy knows it deep down in her heart," the lady said.
The little orange boy sighed and laid his head on the lady's leg.
"But she's so sad. It hurts me to see her cry. And daddy too."
"But they knew right from the beginning this would happen."
"That I was sick?"

That surprised the little orange boy.
No one had ever said anything and he had listened when
they thought he was sleeping.
All he had heard them talk about was how cute he was, or
how fast he was or how big he was getting.
"No, not that you were sick," the lady said.
"But you see, they chose tears."
"No, they didn't," the little orange boy argued. Who would choose to cry?
The lady gently brushed the top of his head with a kiss.
It made him feel safe and loved and warm - but he still worried about his mommy.

"Let me tell you a story," the lady said.
The little orange boy looked up and saw other animals gathering around.
Cats - Big Boy and Snowball and Shamus and Abby and little Cleo and Robin.
Merlin and Toby and Iggy and Zachary. Sweetie and Kamatte and OBie.
Dogs too- Sally and Baby and Morgan and Rocky and Belle.
Even a lizard named Clyde and some rats named Saffron and
Becky and a hamster named Odo.
They all lay down near the kind lady and looked up at her, waiting.
She smiled at them and began:

A long long time ago, the Loving Ones went to the Angel
in Charge. They were lonesome and asked the Angel to help them.
The Angel took them to a wall of windows and let them
look out the first window at all sorts of things - dolls and stuffed
animals and cars and toys and sporting events. "Here are things
you can love," the Angel said. "They will keep you from being lonesome."
"Oh, thank you," the Loving Ones said. "These are just what we need."
"You have chosen Pleasure," the Angel told them.

But after a time the Loving Ones came back to the Angel in Charge.
"Things are okay to love," they said. "But they don't care that we love them."
The Angel in Charge led them over to the second window. It looked out at all sorts of wild animals. "Here are animals to love," he said. "They will know you love them."
So the Loving Ones hurried out to care for the wild
animals. "You have chosen Satisfaction," the Angel said.

Some of the Loving Ones worked at zoos and wild animal
preserves, some just had bird feeders in their yards, but after a time they
all came back to the Angel in Charge.
"They know we love them," they told the Angel. "But they don't love us back. We want to be loved in return."
So the Angel took them to the third window and showed
them lots of people walking around, hurrying places.
"Here are people for you to love," the Angel told them.
So the Loving Ones hurried off to find other people to love.
"You have chosen Commitment," the Angel said.

But after a time a lot of Loving Ones came back to the
Angel in Charge.
"People were okay to love," they said. "But sometimes
they stopped loving us and left. They broke our hearts."
The Angel just shook his head. "I cannot help you," he said.
"You will have to be satisfied with the choices I gave you."

As the Loving Ones were leaving, someone saw a window
off to one side and hurried to look out.
Through it, they could see puppies and kittens and dogs
and cats and lizards and hamsters and ferrets.
The other Loving Ones hurried over. "What about these?" they asked.
But the Angel just tried to shoo them away.
"Those are Personal Empathy Trainers," he said.
"But there's a problem with their system operations."
"Would they know that we love them?" someone asked.
"Yes," the Angel said.
"Would they love us back?" another asked.
"Yes," the Angel said.
"Will they stop loving us?" someone else asked.
"No," the Angel admitted. "They will love you forever."
"Then these are what we want," the Loving Ones said.
But the Angel was very upset.

"You don't understand," he told them. "You will have to
feed these animals."
"That's all right," the Loving Ones said.
"You will have to clean up after them and take care of them forever."
"We don't care."
The Loving Ones did not listen. They went down to where
the Pets were and picked them up, seeing the love in their own hearts
reflected in the animals' eyes.

"They were not programmed right," the Angel said. "We can't offer a
warranty. We don't know how durable they are. Some of their systems
malfunction very quickly, others last a long time."
But the Loving Ones did not care.
They were holding the warm little bodies and finding
their hearts so filled
with love that they thought they would burst.
"We will take our chances," they said.
"You do not understand." The Angel tried one more time.
"They are so dependent on you that even the most well-made of them is
not designed to out live you. You are destined to suffer their loss."
The Loving Ones looked at the sweetness in their arms
and nodded.
"That is how it should be. It is a fair trade for the
love they offer."

The Angel just watched them all go, shaking his head.
"You have chosen Tears," he whispered.

"So it is," the kind lady told the kitties.
"And so each mommy and daddy knows. When they take a baby into their heart, they know that one day it will leave them and they will cry."
The little orange boy sat up. "So why do they take us in?" he asked.
"Because even a moment of your love is worth years of pain later."
"Oh."

The little orange boy got off the lady's lap and went back to the edge of the pond. His mommy was still there, and still crying.
"Will she ever stop crying?" he asked the kind lady.
She nodded. "You see, the Angel felt sorry for the
Loving Ones, knowing how much they would suffer. He couldn't take the tears away but he made them special."

She dipped her hand into the pond and let the water
trickle off her fingers.
"He made them healing tears, formed from the special water here.
Each tear holds bits of all the happy times of purring
and petting and shared love.
And the promise of love once again.

As your mommy cries, she is healing. It may take a long
while, but the tears will help her feel better. In time she will be less sad
and she will smile when she thinks of you.
And then she will open her heart again to another little baby."
"But then she will cry again one day," the little orange
boy said.

The lady just smiled at him as she got to her feet.
"No, she will love again. That is all she will think
about."
She picked up Big Boy and Snowball and gave them hugs,
then scratched
Morgan's ear just how she liked.

"Look," she said. "The butterflies have come. Shall we
go over to play?"
The other animals all ran ahead, but the little orange
boy wasn't ready to leave his mommy.
"Will I ever get to be with her again?"
The kind lady nodded.
"You'll be in the eyes of every kitty she looks at.
You'll be in the purr of
every cat she pets. And late at night, when she's fast
asleep, your spirit will snuggle up close to her and you both will feel at
peace.

One day soon, you can even send her a rainbow to tell her you're safe
and waiting here for when it's her turn to come."
"I would like that," the little orange boy said and took
one long look at his mommy.
He saw her smile slightly through her tears and he knew
she had remembered the time he almost fell into the bathtub.
"I love you, Mommy," he whispered. "It's okay if you
cry."

He glanced over at the other pets, running and playing
and laughing with the butterflies.
"Uh, Mommy? I gotta go play now, okay? But I'll be
around, I promise."
Then he turned and raced after the others.

Author Unknown

 

[captaincrash]

Wow haven't been on here in such a long time - I am so sorry. Life has been quite hectic around here.

The end of August we were ... [edited]... now before that is too late.

I will get a chance to get on and read some of the back posts after this weekend, hopefully the apartment will be cleaned up by then...lol.

Have a good w/e all! It's good to be back....

Debi

Debi...

When we got back from a trip my Ftaher met us at the airport and informed us our elderly dog (under his care) had passed away. My spouse cried intensely right there for some time. He had been "her dog" as I had given him to her as a 2nd date anniversery gift. I'll forgo any other details except to say my father recounted how he did everything he could for our old pal - but it was abrupt and to no avail.

So we do indeed know well what you're feeling on probably an identical level. In time you'll refocus on the endless happy times you've shared with Chivas as we think back to all the happy moments with our critter. I still look back on our old pictures of him as a puppy being held by my Mom, and the time he broke out of his flight kennel on the plane, to the time he stole a whole subway sandwich 12" in front of me as I admonished him to stop... Stop!....STOP!!.... (then snap and gulp!)... with Alicia smiling and laughing the whole time! Our memories with our loyal 4 pawed companions are filled with endless pleasant moments (and potentially a few we'd rather not recall - like the time our critter had the "runs" and couldn't quite make it to the doggy door...<yuck>....). It's a common notion that pet owners live loonger than non-pet owners. Why is that? Well, I think they give us something that is sometimes difficlut to quantify ... thier steady love, attention and devotion. And the difficult to measure thing is all that love and loyalty seems to translate into a better attitude in us and ... a longer life! As to if this is really true... who knows? However I can easily say our critters have slways made the vast majority of our days happier!

In our home we've lavished our pets with our love and care...

... in return they've given us the priceless gift of thier love and a longer and happpier life...

... of this I'm certain.

http://www.pedigree.com/dogsAndPupp...+know+your+dog+could+help+you+live+longer.asp

http://www.holisticonline.com/stress/stress_pet-therapy.htm​

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Happy Birthday Julia!!!

I hope you have a very special weekend! ​

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I've driven in London before. It was easy and - yes - I drove in London right when they instituted the fee to drive in the city center. I paid my fee as our hotel was just INSIDE the area requiring the fee... RATS! However, we had a nice Hilton to stay at. We burned like 60 million Hilton Honors points for our stay - and they missed providing a Concierge level room or the benefits of such. We were supposed to get it due ot our Hilton Honors affinity level. <sigh> At least it was a nice room and hotel.

And I must say I derrive immense enjoyument from taking the subways (tube) all over. As we have nothing similar (yet). LA is building a mass subway transit system but it is still in its' infantcy.

I love our trains we have a comprehensive network, I have only found Barcelona's transport to be on a par with ours so far. DS Stephen love to have a day on the trains going up/down lines.

 

[bellelinus]

Wow haven't been on here in such a long time - I am so sorry. Life has been quite hectic around here.

The end of August we were in Cancun for a week. Stayed at a DVC resort (actually it is the oldest of the Royal Resorts in Cancun - VCI). It was an older hotel, but the 2 bedroom we had was big and overlooked the pool, we were on the 1st floor which was nice. The beach was terrible there though, lots of seaweed washing up, so we only used the pool, which was a bummer for me. DH spent a lot of time diving and finally got to dive Cenotes (which are caves) and he really enjoyed that.

We got back on Sept 1st and I did a show out in LI at Hofstra University (the Scrapbook Expo) the next weekend. Did pretty well, and will probably do it again next year.

Then on Sept 13th, we had to put our beloved dog, Chivas, to sleep, and I have really not been right since then. We had her for almost 12 years, and she was truly a part of our family. She was never sick a day in her life, but when we got back from Cancun, I noticed she was acting a little strange, a little distant. She was a German Shepard mix, and over the last year, her hips had started to go on her. We were giving her Glucosomine, which was helping her, but in the end she stopped eating, and wouldn't even drink the milk we gave her with the Glucosomine. That Wednesday when I was leaving for work, I went to rub her belly, and it was hard and distended, so I knew something was wrong, especially since she was not eating. I called the vet the next day and took her in, and her abdomen was filled with fluid. They couldn't see her organs, so they called an ultrasound specialist in, who finally came at 5:00 that afternoon, and to make a long story short, she had cirrhosis of the liver, her eyes were jaundice (when you looked at the whites). So we all came together as a family, at the vet's office, and made the very hard decision to put her down - God, I am crying as I write this (and it's 6 weeks already). It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and we still miss her so much.

We want to get another dog, but are not sure when the time is right, and have been really missing her, and feeling such emptiness in the house. This week I finally decided the time may be right, but again don't want to dishonor her memory - but I feel like she is telling me it is ok through dreams I have had and other signs. So after work today, the girls and I are taking a ride out to North Shore Animal League on Long Island to take a look at what they have. I am not getting my hopes up, but if something strikes us, maybe we will bring another little love home...What do you guys think?

Now we have my niece and her fiance moving into our apartment (which is a total disaster area - has been used for storage for 7 years), so we are in the process of cleaning that out, and getting it ready for them.

So just trying to get back into the swing of things after Chivas, and I know it is time to get active on this board, with this trip less than 10 months away....I cn't believe it. I have been looking at arfare, but I think it is still a little high...there are plenty of seats on the flights I am looking at, so I may want to wait. We are probably coming out to CA on Thursday, but will have to head back home the day we return, Monday, unfortunately not being able to do WDW, as well. So I do have to book GC now before that is too late.

I will get a chance to get on and read some of the back posts after this weekend, hopefully the apartment will be cleaned up by then...lol.

Have a good w/e all! It's good to be back....

Debi

I am very, very sorry to hear this, Debi -- good luck at North Shore Animal League, though. My big black dog Linus was adopted from there and he is really the best dog I have ever had. They are a wonderful organization.

Only you can decide when it is too soon to adopt. Close friends of mine had to put down their elderly cat last week, and on Tuesday of this week I got a call from ASPCA asking for a reference for them because they were there looking at kittens. Their new kitten Dudley came home that same night and is adorable. On the other hand, when my beagle died when I was expecting my third daughter about 10 years ago, it was 5 years before I felt ready to get another dog.

 

[bellelinus]

I love our trains we have a comprehensive network, I have only found Barcelona's transport to be on a par with ours so far. DS Stephen love to have a day on the trains going up/down lines.

The New York subway system is a marvel and I use it whenever possible. I think Stephen could have quite some fun on our trains!

 

[dahuffy]

We want to get another dog, but are not sure when the time is right, and have been really missing her, and feeling such emptiness in the house. This week I finally decided the time may be right, but again don't want to dishonor her memory - but I feel like she is telling me it is ok through dreams I have had and other signs. So after work today, the girls and I are taking a ride out to North Shore Animal League on Long Island to take a look at what they have. I am not getting my hopes up, but if something strikes us, maybe we will bring another little love home...What do you guys think?


Debi

My heart goes out you and your family. It's never an easy thing when we lose a member of our family, I know, I've had to do it 3 times. And we always go back and do it again. I still tear up when I think about our Shepherd dog that we put down over 10 yrs ago, can't help it. He was 13 and I also lost a Siamese Cat after 17 yrs.
I have a real good feeling about you finding another "Furr Ball" to love. Please let us know how you're doing.

Another Debi.