GREAT NEWS from the U.S. border front!
The Wall Street Journal reported today that the number of illegal immigrants apprehended along the U.S.-Mexico border is falling steeply, possibly a result of the economic downturn and beefed-up security which could be deterring crossings.
The U.S. Border Patrol reported that apprehensions are down 17% to 347,372 (which is still 347,372 too many) between Oct. 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, from the same period a year before that. Tougher state laws, particularly in Arizona, is also cited as a reason.
Now I find this next point interesting. Francisco Lopez, a 43-year-old illegal immigrant who was interviewed by the WSJ, made about $50,000 a year transporting construction material - he's also the parent of two U.S.-born children - but his work dried up and now he drives taxi. First of all - excuse my French but I can't help it - why the fuck is this guy in my country? When the WSJ interviewed him, why wasn't he then arrested and deported? This guy says, "To live in America these days is to suffer...I'm not recommending to my friends back home to come here. I'm thinking of leaving myself".
Good. Nobody ASKED you to come here, believe me. Quite frankly, I'm glad you're suffering here. I'm suffering, too. So are a lot of other Americans WHO BELONG HERE, you asshole! If things are tough in America (where you shouldn't be), go back to your country. I'll drive you to the border. And if you think the illegals lined up outside your local Home Depot or wherever they line up for work are all friendly, happy-go-lucky compadres from "Me-hi-co", guess again - and watch this video.
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This month's 
I'm a big Wright fan. He's a native Wisconsinite like myself, and I'm researching two plays on 
I'm a huge Elvis fan. 
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Google 
Not sure about the story behind this song. I guess the lyrics can mean whatever you want them to mean.
I shared a table with two girls from Germany and three other guys who live here in LA (but none of them are from LA - Georgia, NY and London). So, after the show Minnie comes out into the audience to greet friends and the guys from NY and London go get their picture taken with her. I had my camera with me - but I opted not to do the picture 
Go to 
I'm depressed. I want more Minnie. Now every time I hear 
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I had no idea what they were until a guy at work who hadn't seen the photo yet but whose wife is interested in paranormal studies asked me, 
The 
Got sidetracked on that commie sub that we didn’t even tour. Interesting information though. Anyway, the Queen Mary and her slightly larger and younger running mate RMS Queen Elizabeth commenced there two-ship service of passengers after their release from World War II troop transport duties and continued it for two decades until Queen Mary’s retirement in 1967. The ship is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is permanently berthed in Long Beach, California serving as a museum ship and hotel. The Queen Mary celebrated the 70th anniversary of her launch in both Clydebank and in Long Beach during 2004, and the 70th anniversary of her maiden voyage in 2006.
The Queen Mary measures 1,019.5 ft. in length. That’s around 3 ½ football fields. The Titanic was 882.9 ft. and the QM out measured the Titanic in every possible way, making her the largest passenger ship for her time.
A map that charts the course of the QM as she sails across the Atlantic.
There are a number of floor-to-ceiling, black-and-white photographs of some of the celebrities who sailed on the ship (I just saw this one), including 
The QM transporting U.S. troops to NYC in 1945.
One of the dining rooms on board.
The teak flooring on the deck of the ship is original.
Two of the three - whatever you call them. Steam thingys. Smoke stacks - that’s it!
Original marking for Promenade Deck. Where’s Gopher and Captain Stuebing??? Ha ha, ha ha, haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. That’s a 
My picture is not cock-eyed. The door was framed to jive with the sheer, sloping, slant -whatever of the ship. What do you call that?
First class room corridor. You can tell better when you’re actually standing there how the hallway dips down and then back up. Again this is to take into account the bowing of the ship. Hmm. I don't see a ghost in this picture. Do you?
Kenneth Shoesmith's painting, the 
Among them were the, so called, “primitive” arts of Africa, Ancient Egypt, and Aztec Mexico, as well as Machine Age or streamline technology such as modern aviation, electric lighting, the radio, the ocean liner and the skyscraper. These design influences were expressed in fractionated, crystalline, faceted forms of decorative Cubism and Futurism, in Fauvism’s palette. Other popular themes in art deco were trapezoidal, zigzagged, geometric, and jumbled shapes, which can be seen in many early pieces. Corresponding to these influences, Art Deco is characterized by use of materials such as aluminium, stainless steel, lacquer, inlaid wood, sharkskin (shagreen), and zebraskin. The bold use of stepped forms and sweeping curves (unlike the sinuous, natural curves of the Art Nouveau), chevron patterns, and the sunburst motif are typical of Art Deco.
Among the decorative arts during this period, architecture and sculpture are easier to recognize than other forms of Art Deco, for they experienced the greatest popularity and with greater longevity than others, such as lacquering, glass work, and industrial design. Other forms of decorative art were very focused on elegance, dynamic design, and bright colours, while expressing practical modernity. Art Deco slowly lost patronage in the West after reaching mass production, when it began to be considered gaudy and presenting a false image of luxury.
The artwork and luxuriousness with which the passengers lived extended to the amenities offered them. Why on any given day you could drop the kids off at the nursery, visit the Turkish baths, then get your hair done at the beauty salon. There was a gym and sports court, men could have custom-tailored suits made so they were dressed to the nines when they arrived in New York or London. Dances and live music, libraries - I mean, it's much like the cruise ships of today. It's just that the QM is better constructed and remember - this is in 1936. Pretty amazing.
The First Class pool above. One the most haunted parts of the ship. I lost my balance while walking, as if someone shoved me hard on my left shoulder. I didn’t trip. No one was around. I wasn't drinking at that time. It was very odd.
Do you see the figure in the middle at the top of the stairs? Click on the photo and see if you can get it to open onto your computer and then zoom in on it. It looks to be a female, dressed in attire that would seem to fit the 1930’s or 1940’s..JPG)
You can see the picture more clearly on my picture program that’s on the computer at home, where you can make out the left hand and the wedding ring on the finger. Which led me to believe it might have been a man - the ring looks like a band. I don’t know. If it's a man, that could be a helmet on his head and outergear - many of the soldiers who rode the ship slept on the deck. There was no one anywhere near my view through the lens when I snapped this. No one entering or exiting the picture as the flash went off. And if someone happened to walk into the picture, I would have either seen them or I would've seen it in the picture and I would've taken another one. Nothing. I've already contacted the resident paranormal expert for the ship - Erica Frost. She's a hot brunette.
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