Easin' in

Mt. Stewart looming over the Kittitas Valley by Ellensburg, WA.
Pic courteousy of my bro. Taken on his trip out here.




El Feaze Shabazz

Pics of my bro's trip

Here are some pics by brother Scott took while he was out here. Enjoy!

(going clockwise from top left and back)
Pic 1: Columbia River Gorge
Pic 2: High elevations in the Cascades
Pic 3: The Palisades in the Cascades
Pic 4: Some Bighorn Sheep my bro almost hit with my Pontiac
Pic 5: The Leader of the Bighorn Sheep

The Red Dragon

This is one of my favorite paintings. Something about the figure standing over the prone figure of the woman...the magnificent wingspan...the threatening posture...all very awe inspiring. Of course this painting is part of the basis for the novel "The Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris, the first in the Hannibal Lecter series. This was my computer wallpaper for a couple of years before I replaced it with the funky white tiger swimming underwater.


Peace

El Feaze Shabazz

Bigger and Brighter Things?

The nights have been cold here but the days are pleasantly warm. To the west I can see a scant amount of snow in the mountains which looks pretty cool. I guess the winters in Yakima are pretty mild which I am looking forward to. No more 2 hour commutes on a sheet of ice with a SUV up the rear end of my car. The winters growing up in the D were mild to the ones I experienced in Grand Haven. After last winter I proclaimed no more and here I am.

I'm looking forward to the trip to Idaho this weekend. I'm due for some R &R and watersliding. Otherwise not much else going on other than the potential for more lucrative employment.

El Feaze Shabazz

Indoor Water Parks

This weekend the fam and I are heading to lovely Kellogg, Idaho (downtown in the pic) and to the Silver Mountain Ski Resort for some mountain fun in the Rockies at the resort's indoor water park. I got a helluva deal on a room at the resort for Sat night so I booked it for my daughter's bday. The wife and I took her to the Kalihari Water Park in Sandusky, OH last year and she still talks about it, so obviously it made some sort of an impression. Should be fun.

My mom and sister flew out the weekend of Oct 10 for Steph's bday. We had a lot of fun. My mom got a kick out of seeing Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams. We went down to the Tri-Cities for a day for the bday festivities and then on Sunday we spent the day in Spokane and Couer d'Alene, Idaho. I showed them where I went to school at for 3 years, the bars I used to enjoy copious amounts of libations at, especially the Bulldog and the Star Bar, and the park Mel and I used to wander around when we first started dating. Was a short but sweet visit.

My brother Scott comes out next month for Thanksgiving and I'm looking forward to that. Last time he was out here he was not old enough to drink. He's going to have a good time I think.

Peace

El Feaze Shabazz

White Pass

I drove through this yesterday on my way home from Seattle. Like I said before one of the most beautiful drives I have ever taken. That would be Mt. Rainier looming over Packwood, WA.

Scenic Byway

I took my mom and sister to the airport yesterday in Seattle and decided to take the White Pass and US-12 home instead of the more traveled Snoqualmie Pass and I-90. US-12 cuts just south of Mt. Rainier and rolls through some of the most breathtaking scenery I have ever had the privilege to bear witness to. Unfortunately no pics but here is a link to a site with pics. My daughter made me laugh too. She was hungry and really wanted to eat at Burger King. I asked her if she saw any Burger Kings in the mountains we were driving through. And said no, but they should build one.

http://whitepassbyway.com/pointsofinterest.html

Bubb Rubb Rollin' G

Too funny for words. For decoration and breakfast I guess.

Mark of a True Gentleman...

http://view.break.com/563013 - Watch more free videos

Weekend Warrior

Greetings faithful readers. Kind of had a low key weekend. My wife and the fruit of my loins journeyed to the Tri-Cities to spend time with the in-laws and I stayed put behind in Yakima. So I basically had a weekend of peace and quiet.

Friday night I went out with some work buddies and got home at the late hour of 10:30. Sat I went to a BBQ for a retiring supervisor. I did nothing today (Sunday) except go grocery shopping.

I watched part of the debate on Fri and though the Obamination was horrible. "Look at me...look at me...I have a bracelet too...and his name is...ugh...uh...uh...hold on now people...testify...tell it on a mountain..." Putin and Amanijinididjamama will wipe the floor with this Leftist idiot. God help us if he gets elected.

Peace

El Feaze Shabazz

Bail Out

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gNlXgzzdJQA

This is Thaddeus McCotter, my former Congressman when I lived in Livonia. This less than glamorous looking gentleman got up today in the House and gave one rousing speech that belies what true conservatives think of the socialistic bailout being proposed by the Bush Administration and the Pelosi/Reid Politburo. Here is the text:

Before I was elected to Congress we used to hear that when faced with a crisis, members of Congress would invariably soil themselves, throw money at the problem and hope that it went away.

Unfortunately, in these dysfunctional economic times, we find that this process has continued.

As Americans face a potential meltdown of the financial sector, we have seen what I believe to be an inappropriate response starting with this Administration.

From the time we were informed that a potential financial meltdown was going to occur, this separate equal branch of government which is the U.S. Congress was told that we had but one alternative and that if we did not pass it quickly — in the time specified *by* the executive branch — that our economy would be severely damaged.

It has been my opinion that we were elected, by the sovereign people of the United States, to make important decisions on their behalf, to do it with the due diligence and devotion that is due and to come up with a positive solution to their situation.

Last night, I was struck by the fact that again we were told [by the President] that again if we did not give unlimited amounts of money and unlimited powers to the Executive Branch that *we* were failing in our due diligence and responsibilities to the American people.

I heard the President of the United States say that we do not understand the need to act.

That statement is false. We understand the need to act.

We heard from the President of the United States that we did not care about American families.

That statement is false. We care very much about American families.

What we did not hear was a recognition that a three-page document that gives to the Treasury Secretary and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve powers — the likes of which Stalin and Mao killed people for — was not an acceptable response to give to this separate, equal branch of government.

Today, we are told that House Republicans are standing in the way of a $700 billion use of your tax dollars to bail out the very people who caused this problem!

Guilty as charged!

House Republicans believe there is an alternative.

The Administration tells us that their first, last, only resort is to go to the taxpayers and bail out Wall Street. We fundamentally disagree with this!

Wall Street should bail out Wall Street.

House Republicans believe that the toxic assets clogging up our economy should first attempt to be recapitalized by the very people sitting on the sidelines with their money waiting for you the taxpayer to be fleeced and put it in so they are “confident that the market will work”.

We can not re-inflate the bubble.

The people who on Main Street invested and saved and had good credit their entire lives should not be asked to go back in to help cowboy capitalists who shot themselves in the foot.

I have supported the President when he has been correct.

But he is in err now.

House Republicans stood and supported the Patreus surge.

Today House Republicans oppose the Paulson splurge so we can have prosperity in America in the long run.

We will not engage in a rush to judgment that destroys the possibility of the free market and prosperity for decades to come.

We will not walk out of this room after a forced vote waving a piece of paper in our hands claiming “fleeced in our time.”

We will the job we were entrusted with.

Low Key

Really did not do much this weekend. Friday night I went out for a little bit with my buddy George and a defense attorney named "the Adolpho". I enjoyed a few friendly libations and pretty much did nothing the rest of the weekend. Kind of nice actually. I shall be back with a much wordier blog in a day or two. Until then be cool my faithful readers.

El Feaze Shabazz

Shotgun Wedding

http://www.thephatphree.com/features.asp?StoryId=4215&SectionID=%2D1&sort=0&filter=0&threshold=0&Curpage=3#comments

Snoqualmie Falls

Snoqualmie Falls in North Bend, WA

Mt Hood

Mt Hood as seen from my favorite city-Portland, OR

Mt Rainier looming over Tacoma, WA

Pretty damn awe inspiring if you ask me.

Mt. Si

Here's a pic of Mt. Si in North Bend, WA. It's a lot smaller than Mt. Rainier or Mt. Adams but still pretty cool.

cool pic

Mt. Rainier from Gig Harbor, WA

Seattle

Friday night my mother-in-law decided to take the fruit of my loins off of my hands for the weekend and the wife I decided to go to Seattle on Sat.

But first on Fri night Melanie and I went out to a couple of bars with one of my work buddies. I drank many a friendly libation and we had fun. Manny's Pale Ale made by a friendly brewing company based out of Seattle that provided my alcoholic delight for the evening. It was g-g-g-ooood! Of course I was ill prepared for the 2 hour drive to the Emerald City the next day and the early hour my wife tried to get me up at, especially nursing the effects of one too many libations the night before. But nonetheless we got on the road at a decent hour.

It is kind of surreal taking i-82 north into Ellensburg. You crest a hill and you can look down upon this green and fertile valley with a jagged ridge of mountains to the north and the Cascades looming ominously to the West. You're barely in Ellensburg before you drive into the Cascades on I-90. All around you are high mountains with stone faces looming threateningly close to the freeway and the remains of fallen rocks lying on the shoulder. It seems like it goes on forever before you hit the edge of the Seattle metro area at Issaquah. Then it's into Bellevue and over the Floating Bridge on Lake Washington and then into Seattle with all its abundant glory.

Downtown is nice but very, very hilly. I read somewhere that Seattle is built on 7 hills like Rome and I think I drove down every single one of the mofos going down to the waterfront. We found some parking for the day that cost me $20 and began to walk along the waterfront with all of its tourist traps and unique individuals walking around.

We saw a cruise ship docked at the terminal and walked over to Pike's Market, which was filled with people. We saw vendors throwing seafood around and I discovered a comic book store in the basement where I obtained the collected "Watchmen" for $20. We kept on walking and discovered the downtown mall then we walked back down into Pikes Market and then back down to the waterfront where we went to the aquarium. The aquarium is alright, actually the one in Newport, Oregon is better but this one featured a real life octopus doing its thing which kicked butt. And the otters and sea lions were active. My wife's ankle began to aggravate her so we left and stopped at the outlets in North Bend and ate dinner there with Mt. Si as a backdrop. Pretty flippin' cool.

I was stuck in court all day today doing Status Conferences. I plead one guy out where he cussed out the cop and I had to read what he said into the record verbatim. The in-custody defendants were all laughing their butts off as I dropped "f" bomb after "f" bomb. Even I chuckled a little under my breath. Not much else otherwise. I may be getting bumped up to Juvie soon or made District Court supervisor-I do not know which at the moment. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

I guess there is a lot of turmoil on Wall Street today and I place the blame squarely on the Democrats for their attempts to eliminate redlining. There is a reason why it was so hard to get a mortgage in the past and their crying, whining and nefarious efforts led to a free for all when it came to folks getting mortgages and now comes the fall out. Obama bin Biden can eat a big one if they try to tie McCain to this.

Ads

Supposedly I can make some extra $$$$ by allowing ads on the blog. To my faithful readers I say please deal with it while I attempt to bleed the Socialist google of some of its cash.

Strength and Sacrifice

Never Forget...

Never forget.

Socialism and the Auto Industry

Those that know me know that I refuse to drive anything but American made cars. I also have stated to a lot of people that the government is crippling the domestic auto industry. The UAW has done a pretty fair job as well. I really think that the union will the companies like Eastern Airlines before giving up an inch of what they attained. I can understand working in a safer environment for a better wage

I saw this from Rush Limbaugh today and figured I would share. Yeah, yeah, yeah...it's Limbaugh. I agree with some of his stuff and disagree with other parts so deal with it.

RUSH: Now, ladies and gentlemen, off subject but still very important here, Nancy Pelosi says that she is going to urge and support a $50 billion bailout or loan program, quote, unquote, to the big three automakers, enabling them to be able to compete. This comes on the heels of the very people who destroyed the US mortgage industry being placed in total charge of it. By the way, the two most recent head honchos at Fannie Mae, one of them is Franklin Raines, the other one is Jim Johnson, Raines had to leave the place amidst charges of corruption and so forth. He was in Clinton's administration. Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson, they are both economic advisors on the Obama campaign. Both these guys who have ties to Fannie Mae, which botched the mortgage industry in this country, are economic advisors to Barack Obama. By the way, the automakers were all over both conventions.

They're out there trying to get the money, but there's a great column about this in the Wall Street Journal by Holman W. Jenkins, Jr., and it's entitled: "'How to Save Detroit and $50 Billion.' -- For a sum small compared to their revenues but large in relation to their market caps, the Detroit auto makers were all over the two conventions. Their lobbyists had something to sell -- a plea for $50 billion in federal loans. Congress practically owes us this money, Ford, GM and Chrysler argue -- because Congress slammed us with new fuel mileage mandates that will cost us $100 billion to meet. John McCain caved. The White House is in the process of caving. Barack Obama didn't need to cave. But before rushing to pass the legislation, there's an easy way to save $50 billion or whatever part of these loans wouldn't be paid back: Just repeal the fuel economy rules. It must infuriate the auto makers how readily their critics attribute their problems to their own incompetence. Then how to explain that GM is thriving in Europe, selling small cars that get lots of miles per gallon?"

There was a story the other day that Ford has a car that gets 65 miles to the gallon but they can't sell it in North America, they're not allowed, can't sell it in North America because it runs on diesel. It seats five, it gets 65 mile per gallon. "Buick is among the biggest selling brands in China. GM is running away with Latin America. The Big Three's problem, to be blunt, is North America. They should have pulled out long ago." And his idea is rather than give them $50 billion, just get rid of these stupid CAFE standards, get rid of the government running the auto business. Get the environmentalist wackos out of the auto business and let them make the cars that they know the customer wants. These silly restrictions are causing all kinds of retooling, all kinds of investment. They don't face these restrictions in different parts of the world, and they're doing well. The only reason GM and Ford is thinking about going bankrupt is because they're all kicking butt around the world. They're just not kicking but here. Now, why is that? They also got saddled with a monopolistic union, UAW and big, huge contracts and paying people who are no longer working for them. Toyota doesn't have that. Other foreign makers that make their cars here do not have the same restrictions that the big three do, so it's real simple.

You know, you get the government out of the mortgage industry it's going to be fine but no, we're going to put 'em in charge of it. They destroyed it. Get the government out of the car business. Algore and his ilk have been trying to get us to buy electric cars and all these little things that nobody wants and forcing the automakers to make these things, the automakers said, "All right, if you're going to force us to lose a hundred billion dollars making stuff, you better help us pay for it." In a way they've got a point. Just get out of this. Here's Pelosi proposing today she's going to support this $50 billion loan program. Of course she will. Every liberal Democrat down the pike wants this to happen. They want the federal government to have their hands in the auto industry so that they can have even more control over it. But these CAFE standards are not part of something that the automakers would have done unilaterally on themselves, it would have happened anyway, according to market forces, but they're unrealistic. The government doesn't know how to run the car business; they don't know how to build cars; they don't know how to design them and instead what we have are environmental wacko lobbyists who have a lot of pull in Washington, forcing all kinds of regulations. It's classic.

The auto business is overregulated and it's costing a lot of people a lot of money per car. The union contracts are costing I don't know how much per car. The health insurance for the union employees, I don't know how much per car, costs that Toyota doesn't face, for example. So it's real simple. Mr. Jenkins here is exactly right. If you get the government out of these businesses, they'll be fine, because the government cannot tell 'em what CAFE standards to build in Latin America, in China, in Europe, and American cars are kicking butt over there. As to General Motors, folks, as you know, they are an official sponsor here, and we are honored to have them as official sponsors. They are working hard to try to provide cars that people demand and people want. Everybody is talking about the cost of a gallon of gasoline and General Motors are designing terrific cars. We get to drive the new ones periodically here. They've got great crossovers and trucks, SUVs that use alternative fuels, they just came out, the Escalade hybrid now. They're working on all kinds of new technologies that will help use less gasoline, and they're doing this independent of these government regulations.

One of the alternatives to gas is driving flex fuel cars that use biofuels, like ethanol. If you want that, if you want to buy a car that uses ethanol, General Motors has them. They have four million flex fuel vehicles on the road, across globe, and they've committed to build even more. They've got a lot of models that run on E85, the 2009 Buick Lucerne runs on it. What, Dawn? Really, your dad just bought a Malibu after you were test-driving it? Dawn's dad just went out and bought a Malibu. When are we going to get the Lucerne? I thought the Lucerne was supposed to already be here. I think they're waiting for the hurricane to pass. You never know. Yeah, we're going to get the Buick Lucerne, we'll be reporting on it as we drive it around. But I've met with these GM people, folks, and they're working hard. They got a lot of people in their way, they got a lot of obstacles in their way, global warming crowd and all that, but they are trying to provide vehicles that people actually want,

Ouch! That'll Hurt

I wake up this morning to the sounds of my wife limping around complaining that she hurt her ankle. I guess she had a charlie horse or something and rolled her ankle trying to get her foot on the floor. She said she heard a loud crack and felt nauseous. Not good. So she goes to urgent care and lo and behold she did break her tibia at the ankle joint. So now she's hopping around in a fine boot like a hobbled horse for 3 weeks. Gotta love it.

The football season has started but yet I have not been able to watch any games. Screw it-tomorrow I watch the pros and my daughter can play in her room. We only have one TV right now because my $700 plasma screen broke in the move. So right now we enjoy watching the kid shows on my 27 inch RCA that I bought Xmas of 99 when I was still married to Bitch Fu and pray that does not break. Good news though-both U of M and MSU won and both WA Div-1 teams lost. Wazzu got their asses handed to them by Cal. Just royally trounced and U-Dub lost to the battlin' Mormons of BYU on a block extra point. I hope the Lions pound on Atlanta tomorrow.


Stay happy

El Feaze Shabazz

Labor Day

Well this weekend I drank a little too much...okay way too much. Sat night I drank good beer at my wife's uncle's crib and then proceeded to fart the night away while I was trying to sleep. Nothing like shaking the room with supersonic flatulence and your wife committing minor acts of domestic violence in return.

Sun night it was even worse. We went to a BBQ at some old friend of Mel's house and I proceeded to get imbibe one too many with her husband. And Mon I paid for it by barely being able to move. I still feel the lingering effects today. Even worse is that my lovely daughter decided she would not sleep last night so neither my wife and I got any sleep. It was a fun weekend but damn I am paying for it. Work was hell today. Luckily it's my office day. Tomorrow is the trial day. Even more fun.





El Feaze Shabazz

Joseph Duncan III

This guy can rot in hell . This case is very big news out here in the Pacific Northwest. I've actually taken pictures of Lake Couer D'Alene right by where this monster murdered the family and took the 2 surviving kids. He then subjected the 2 children to unspeakable sexual abuse and other miscellaneous torture, eventually killing the little boy in front of his sister.

I was a child abuse prosecutor for some 3 years and I have seen all kinds of abuse of children, Sexual, physical, mental, etc. My heart goes out to the surviving family and I hope this jackass is executed quickly and efficiently with little or interference from Obama supporters.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ih9PC1RGTMj8e36k8W6i70uxXGeQD92QRVV80

War In the Caucasus

Here's some pics from the frontlines in Georgia. The Russians did quite the number on these folks. Obama wants to talk about it. Obama can go eat a dick for all I care. Talk gets you nowhere in a world full of crooks and wanna-be tyrants.

WARNING: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

http://noviny.narod.ru/A0002016.html

Crater Lake

Back in September of 03 my wife and I took a road trip to N. California. On this trip we stopped at Crater Lake, which is located in the Cascade Range south of Bend, OR and north of Klamath Falls, OR. It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It's a collapsed volcano caldera that has filled with water. Here's some pics of the lake and the surrounding area.

Oregon

The State of Oregon is absolutely beautiful. I've been all over that mutha fucka like a dung beetle in a yak stable. It's like the UP with bigger mountains. Unlike WA its High Desert area is much more less populated. Here's some pics to sate the appetites of my interested MI readers. Going clockwise:

Pic 1: Astoria, Oregon
Pic 2: Bridge in Newport, Oregon
Pic 3: Seaside, Oregon
Pic 4: Lewis & Clark Statue in Seaside Oregon

The Columbia River

Next to Lake Superior my favorite body of water. It goes from the dryness of the desert to the moistness of the Pacific Coast and the scenery is breathtaking as you can see in the photos.

(Moving left to right)

Pic 1 is of the Columbia in E. WA.

Pic 2 is of the Colubmia as it forms the WA/OR border.

Pic 3 is of the Columbia taken from the OR side outside of Portland.

Mt. Adams

This is a picture of Mt. Adams. It's a little shorter than Mt. Rainier, but not by much. It is closer to where I am living and therefore looks much, much bigger. I can see it clearly on I-82 when I drive into work and can be seen from town. This is not an exaggeration but the thing is fucking huge.

River Canyon

I figure the folks at home want to see some pics of where I am living so here's another one. This is a pic of the Yakima River Canyon, which my in-laws drove me and my sister through. Absolutely breathtaking scenery. The road starts in Selah and then terminates just outside of Ellensburg, WA. Take this detour if ever given the chance.

Yakima

Here's what Yakima looks like from the West. The very large mountains are west of the city so they are behind you in this view. The city is surrounded by very large hills, which would be considered mountains east of the Mississippi.

They Don't Have This In MI

This is a pic of Mt. Rainier. I can see the tip of this humongous mountain every day when I drive to work and can walk outside of the courthouse and barely see its summit peaking over the other mountains. Pretty fucking cool.

The Things People Do For Money

So last night I'm bored and watching TV. My in-laws do not have any movie channels so I've been watching a lot of Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network and the Discovery Channel. I've become a Deadliest Catch junkie, which my wife noticed when I was calling my fellow District Court DPA's "greenhorns". Fishermen seem like a different lot to me. Cool to watch the crab get on the boat and watch the pots spin around on the lines. Reminds me of watching engine heads sway on the hoists when I worked at Galaxy Precision in my younger and dumber days.

Anyway, I was watching "Man vs. (versus in case Al Rapoport is reading this) Wild" last night and the host is tramping around Kenya looking for the Circle of Life or the Circle of Poo or something similar to that. He's waxing about how one can deydrate in the savannah. Then he picks up a freshly laid elephant log, holds it over his face and starts squeezing the water out of the elephant chip like it's Yoo-hoo or something. You can hear him gagging as the liquid hits his throat. I about died laughing. So let me get this straight now...you're lost in Kenya dodging lions and hyenas and need a drink but there are no drinking fountains around. Well shit might as well pick up an elephant loaf and treat that like a bottle of Dasani. Who knows what kind of funky parasites you're picking up or what elephant cholera will do to you but you'll live another hour. All good in the hood.

Another episode had the host tramping around a glacier, jumping into rivers and then stripping down naked and doing jumping jacks to keep the blood flowing. That was pretty fucked up there. The dude is insane. And it's cool to hear him talk. Glacier becomes "Glassierre". Reminds me of a Drew and Mike skit I heard on the WRIF in the late 90's around Detroit where they had a British guy say the word "boner" over and over again because it did not sound crude coming out of the mouth of a English dude. They're laughing their asses off and the British guy is oblivious and asking the DJ's if he was saying something "randy". Damn straight he was.

For some reason "Family Guy" is always on, especially the Cartoon Network, and I cannot figure out why some people swear by this show. It's moderately funny but an obvious Simpsons/South Park rip-off. I can watch a new episode of South Park and guaranteed within a few months Family Guy will rip off that episode of SP with their not quite as funny take on the same subject matter. But Family Guy is better than watching HouseHunters or the other assorted crap on the HGN network or TLC. I have really gotten hooked on Robot Chicken and Metalocalypse. And thank you jesus there is a new season of Venture Brothers going on right now. That keeps me sane. Dr. Girlfriend rocks.

El Feaze Shabazz

Homeward HO!

So on Friday, July 4, I finally arrived in Pasco, WA at approximately 4 pm. I was exhausted after driving that damn truck for 4 days with no AC and through some pretty perilous mountain passes. I had to navigate truck stops where I was the outsider desperately trying to fill up the Behemoth so I could get the hell out of there. And there was Iowa where I was pushed to the limits of my endurance in an opportunity to cross into South Dakota. The day always ended at some shit motel with much needed libations to be had afterwards. My sister was a trooper the whole trip. No bitching and she kept up the pace and her driving kept the gas cost on the Grand Prix to a minimum. Her trip odometer said that we had come some 2300 miles. Not bad.

My in-laws welcomed us with cold Kokanee and some much needed chow and I was in bed by 10 o'clock. I had only 3 days before I started the new job, but it felt like an eternity. Early Sat morning we unloaded the truck and much to my chagrin I noticed that some berrylicious body wash had tripped all over my suit coats. You know those things I have to wear in court to play attorney and what not. And of course I discovered this on a Sat of a holiday weekend in a place where not everything is open on a holiday weekend like dry cleaners! Luckily one of the suit coats was machine-washable. That was my Mon suit and the other 3 had to be dry cleaned. I was not a happy man but it was typical of my luck.

The truck was unloaded and dropped off. I was thankful to be rid of that burden. The truck cost me almost $1900 and sucked gas like a dung beetle. It sucked to drive and I lost 10lbs in water weight. But it served its purpose.

Sat afternoon we went to a pool party where I enjoyed many a West Coast libation, tanned my gut and played "Washoes", which is like horseshoes but with big washers. My wife's family is a hoot.

Sun we toured up to Yakima where I get acquainted with I-82 and its fine contours. Awe inspiring was bearing witness to the sight of Mt. Adams looming on the horizon and then spying the top of Mt. Rainier peaking over some smaller mountains.

I saw where I was going to be living in Union Gap and spied a fine libation serving establishment walking distance from the crib called the "James Gang Tavern". I wonder if this is a place is an acceptable establishment for fine young prosecutors that dress very casually when they are not playing lawyer? I guess I'll find out.

Downtown Yakima looks nice with some grunginess thrown in. Readers of a previous blog entry know that there are fine eating establishments nearby not named "Sally's" or Subway. I've also been introduced to some fine libation serving establishment where the local bar likes to hang out such as Bob's Cork and Tap, which serves fine exotic wines and appetizing libations.

After a visit to downtown Yakima, we took a tour of the Yakima River Canyon, which has a "National Scenic Highway" designation with good reason. Beautiful drive with my sister telling me after I remarked for the 10th time "Yeah, and you get to live here." Very true.

Then we toured up to Ellensburg, where we drove around the campus of Central WA University and then it was on to Vantage where you can catch a view of a canyon cut out by the Columbia River. Then we followed the Columbia River back to the Tri-Cities.

The next day I would start the job. And that is a blog in of itself where I have to post a picture to go along with it.

El Feaze Shabazz

Flip Flops

You know what I hate about summer. I hate the sound of fucking flip flops. It drives me nuts. It's like the sound of techno music. Why the hell would anyone wear something where they have to scrunch up their toes just to keep the damn things on? What's the point? Letting your toes breathe? Buy a pair of fucking sandals then? What does someone say when they buy a pair of flip flops...I don't know these aren't as loud as a freight train, can I try another pair? Sandals yes and flip flops no.

Dark Knight

Saw the Dark Knight yesterday and am going to see it again. Best movie I've seen in a while. Heath Ledger is good as the Joker but the guy playing Two-Face is just as good. Glad they killed off the Katie Holmes/Maggie Didjamamallynhal character. Batman needs to be waxing the trim of the Catwoman not a prosecutor. I give it 4 stars. Good enough to see again for sure.

Looks like my crib is finally ready to move into. It's nicer than my apartment and has a nice yard for the fruit of my loins. She can run around and raise hell behind a nice large privacy fence. The yard is not big enough for a dog though. Cats might dig it if I let them back there.

Bigger posts to follow. Hope all had a groovy weekend.

El Feaze Shabazz

Journey of Epic Proportions Part Quatro

Day 4 of the Sojourn to the West...

So Moo and I left Missoula about 9ish, right after enjoying another fine breakfast buffet that was included in the price of the room. My Kokanee-fest from the night before did not linger and I was glad as I climbed into the spartan passenger cab of the Behemoth once more. Spokane lay some 200 miles to the East and anticipation was building. But first I would have to traverse two more mountain passes while taking in some of the most breathtaking scenery the Continental US has to offer. We got gas and stopped at rest stop and took in the incredible scenery and then it was time for Lookout Pass. This mountain pass is aptly named because looking to the right it is nothing but a sheer fucking drop off a cliff-side. The Behemoth chugged up the side of the mountain and then slid down with me actually growing religious and praying going down as I could feel the truck wanting to crazy on me. The pass is on the Montana/Idaho state line and now I was state closer to my final destination.

Mountain passes are fun in cars and murder in trucks. Once again the scenery was absolutely spectacular. Like the UP with bigger mountains or White Cloud on the weekend (I kid about the last one. I like working for Newaygo Co but White Cloud is the most useless county seat I've ever had the privilege of being in. Subject matter for another blog though.)

We traveled on for a few miles and then it was time for the 4th of July Pass, which was kind of cool cause it was afterall Fourth of Mo Fo July! Another moment of near martyrdom for me as going down the pass caused my heart to appear where my Adam's apple normally is. And then a beautiful vision lay before me to the left. Lo and behold-it was Couer d'Alene, Idaho with its mountains that sloped down into the lake. A very gorgeous body of water and now I was back in my old law school stomping grounds for Coeur d'Alene is only some 30/35 miles from Spokane. I have great memories of that large lake in Idaho, mostly chugging too many Kokanees and trying to work my mojo with witless 2L's and 1L's and getting shot down.

Another rest stop break and within minutes Mooniqua and I had crossed into Washington. The Evergreen State welcomed me into its bosom and I gladly accepted the embrace. I had made it to my state of destination. I was briefly crestfallen because the trip was almost over and I would have to start working again after a week off, but relieved that I had made it so far without wrecking the truck.

I took a quick detour to take my sister by Gonzaga's campus in Spokane and we lingered for a few minutes in front of the law school. I showed her the apartment building I lived in when I graduated and she was just as impressed with it as my wife had been when I had met her. I lovingly called the place the "Crack House" because in Detroit there would have been assorted homies dealing rocks out of each apartment. In Spokane it was student housing and damn good student housing where your building caught on fire and the Red Cross kept you up in a hotel at Spring Break, homeless people wandered across your yard at odd hours of the morning, stray cats got caught in the crawl space and died and stunk up the whole crib during the heat of summer and where strange homies knocked on your door at 130am and asked to be let in because supposedly their friend was there and you had to threaten them with the fact that you were from the D and had a baseball bat to deal with people who wanted to perform a little Home Invasion 1st Degree on your premises. Growing up outside of Detroit gives you some modicum of street smarts.

Of course I also showed my sister where the Bulldog Tavern was at where I enjoyed many a fine libation in an effort to make it through law school. And the Star Bar which was our post funk and Jack and Dan's (owned by John Stockton's dad) where we went on special occasions or when we had cash because they did not accept credit cards.

Soon we were back on the road and within two hours time we landed in Pasco after a quick detour through Ritzville in search of diesel for the behemoth. My in-laws were more than happy to see me and I was happy to have come so far and make it without incident. The Motor City Madman had landed in Eastern Washington much to the consternation of good churchgoing folk everywhere. The hops fields of the Northwest would never be the same.

El Feaze Shabazz

Journey of Epic Proportions Part Trois-Montana is f-ing huge but not as lame as Iowa!

Sorry for the slow updates. My new job has kept me busy. A shout out to all my peeps in the Imperial Land of Peninsulas-Eastside and Westside!

Thursday, July 3, early in the morning a charley horse made an appearance in my right calf and said hello. It hurt like a mo fo and my screams of pain woke my sister. That was exciting. Even more exciting was the scrumptious breakfast bar at the Trails End Motel which filled my belly and did not put me into gastrointestinal distress. The Trails End was kind of funky because it looked like a dump but the rooms featured pillow top mattresses. I guess they were under new ownership.

Mooniqua and I left Sheridan, WY with memories of horrid service at Pizza Hut and my Charlie Horse and pointed the Behemoth and the Grand Prix north towards Billings, Montana where I was to see one of my law school buds for the first time in 5 years. I was going to see Brandon "Hoss" Hartford again.

We made it to Billings about lunch time and were met my Hoss's wife Tina. We parked the vehicles, dropped the 2 fuzz balls off at the Hartford residence so their feline brains would not fry in the 100 degree heat and made a beeline for Hartford Law Offices, where my former law school associate, with whom I raised a fair amount of hell with, is raking in the dough as a private practice attorney. I saw Hoss for about an hour then Moo and I went out to lunch with his wife and Hoss's fertilized seed, who are adorable little tykes by the way. My sister was blessed to hear tales of what her brother did in law school and what his nickname was. It was good to see Hoss again. He was one of those friends that I have not seen in years but could immediately start bullshitting with with zero awkwardness. If Montana had reciprocity I could see myself teaming up with the esteemed barrister.

After lunch at Fuddruckers (incredible burgers!) Moo and I got back on I-90 and headed towards Missoula. In a car we would have made excellent time but the Behemoth plodded along, especially through the mountain passes. There were 2 of those and the first one outside of Bozeman was not too bad but the one outside of Butte was a monster. The Behemoth barely made it up and I could hear strange sounds coming from the transmission and strange smells filling my nose. Then going down I think I stripped the brake pads down to the metal with some sparks thrown in. I could hear my earthly possession bouncing around the back.

Montana has spectacular scenery and it was the first time Moo had the privilege to bear witness to it. I could see her head scanning the sides of the road like a rooster looking for food. Was kind of funny. Not funny was the fact that it was 100 degrees out and 20 degrees warmer in the cab of the behemoth. I felt like the toddler of a welfare mom locked in the backseat of a Kia in sweltering weather while momma went to get her nails done.

Eventually we made it to Missoula, which is a pretty kick ass town. We got a room, I took a shower to wash away the truck. I felt like I was back working for Galaxy Precision again. Ate an incredible dinner at Montana House and Moo was initiated into the ways of Montana with a pint of Moose Drool. She went to bed and I spied out of the corner of my eye a friendly tavern whose beer taps were in dire need of rescuing. So I bravely crossed Reserve St and entered the establishment, where half the staff was staggering drunk in response to a going away party. I quickly scanned the fine selection of libations and hark what did my orbs see? Why yes the familiar shape of a Kokanee tap. I had to enjoy 6 or 7 of those fine libations and I did while playing NTN trivia against one of the bar maids. Tomorrow was the day I broke the border into Washington. It would be a fine day indeed.

El Feaze Shabazz

The Journey of Epic Proportions Part Deux

The new job is starting to make sense. Some things it seems like they do ass backwards and other things would have worked well in Michigan. WA is much more touchy feely with their criminal defendants than the Imperial Homeland. Had a docket today in Grandview that was interesting, especially with a former judge arguing some bs Indian law motion. It was the most elegant motion argument I ever heard even though the argument itself was such utter bs I elbowed the DPA arguing counter to the motion and told him to mention that the Defendant had a WA drivers license and that she consented to the BAC when she obtained said drivers license. Ex-judge did not have a counter argument for that.

I got my check today which means I should be in new crib by next weekend.

So to continue chronicling the Curtessey. Well the Mooniqua Unit and I arose bright and early in N. Sioux City, SD ready to tackle the Badlands and any other obstacles in the way. First I had to intervene when some black gentleman decided to walk behind my sister and emulate sexual acts while he kept pace behind her. She was oblivious but I put a stop to it just by talking to her. Mr. Congeniality changed course and walked briskly over to his friends. Then we got on the road. The Badlands and Black Hills are a nice pre-funk to the West. To a naive Michigander they look huge but to a seasoned traveler they are nothing compared to the Rockies and Cascades. We pushed through admiring the mountains from the road then it was on into Wyoming where I was shocked to find that Gillette, Wyoming had actually grown into a miniature metropolis. Finally we made it to Sheridan and some real mountains (The Bighorns). Moo and I were tired as we sought refuge at the Trails End Motel and attempted to fill our bellies at a nearby Pizza Hut. We were almost foiled in our attempts at sustenance by a rather rude waitress who received a pittance for a tip from me, which is a big deal because I usually tip 20% regardless. That was $5 less she had to spend on recreational chemicals that evening.

I enjoyed a nightcap at the motel bar and it was off to slumberland where a rather nasty charley horse decided to wake me up about 3 am. I woke up feeling it coming on but the bed was so high that I could not get my foot on the floor fast enough to stop it. I woke Mooniqua up in a panic. Hilarious stuff.

We left again early in the morning but with our bellies full of the Trails End's kick ass breakfast buffet. BACON!!!! And lots of it. Enough to make Dr. Postema break a smile. Good chow for the journey 20 miles to the north and waiting challenge of Montana where my driving endurance would be put to the test. 4 mountain passes lay before me and the diesel truck along with 100 degree heat. One through Bozeman, 1 through Butte, and 2 past Missoula. Would I be found wanting? Find out next time...

El Feaze Shabazz

Chronicles of the Curtessey-Part 1

Sorry that it has been a few days since I posted. I started the new job on Monday and of course it is chaos when one starts a new job some 2300 miles away from home. WA's system is a little different than Michigan's. In some ways it gives defendants more breaks. Scott Walburn's head would explode if he saw some of the procedures I have seen such as "bail forefeiture" and "Stipulation of Continuance". They also offer deferrals on DUI's which would never I mean never have flown in Newaygo Co. DUI's are also pled down to reckless drivings. There is no "Impaired" and 5 DUI's is a felony. There are 5 District Ct Prosecutors in the unit I have been assigned to and my coworkers have all been very nice and helpful. There has been much turnover in the office and I have the most experience out of anyone there generally speaking. State of WA speaking I have a lot to catch up on but should be okay.

Anyway for the interested reader I present a chronicle of the Curtessey (read your Homer for the allusion)...the Journey of Epic Proportions. I bravely left the comfort of the Hartland Compound last Tuesday, July 1, to take a treacherous cross-country journey in a 26 foot diesel Penske truck (hereinafter "The Behemoth") with my sister, Lady Moo or Mooniqua Unit, and the two felines trailing behind in the Grand Prix. We got on the road about 6:15 am and it was only a matter of hours before we had to stop for gas just over the Indiana border. Of course no one told me about satellite pumps at diesel islands at truck stops. I did not learn that until Iowa. Diesel fuel looks like Mountain Dew and smells like ass.

Indiana is not that bad except for Gary, which smells like the bathroom of a proctologist's office. Traffic in Chicago was not that bad, but I also took I-80 to avoid the brunt of it. The rest of Illinois was like a blur. Then came Iowa. I hate driving through Iowa. Despise driving through the fricking place and despise the traffic in Des Moines. The fricking place went on forever. I had one goal and one goal in mind-to get the hell out of Iowa. Towards the end we valiantly strove on just to pass the border of this despicable place and finally were rewarded with the dingleberry part of South Dakota that sticks down into gaping maw of Iowa and Nebraska. There Moo and I retired for the night exhausted from rough days journey. We had driven more than 800 miles with little or no rest. Tomorrow would be much the same.

(to be continued...)

El Feaze Shabazz

Project: Curtessey A Success

I rolled into Pasco, WA yesterday at approximately 4pm Pacific time. The Journey of Epic Proportions, comparable to the Odyssey of Homeric times is a success. Now I have to unload the crap. I'll post a more detailed blog detailing the specifics of the trip in a day or 2. All I can say is that Iowa is hell to drive through.

Thus the Real Journey Begins

The truck is packed, the CDs are burned, the journey is planned, the beer hath been drank, the goodbyes hath been said and the appropriate sacrifices to the Travel Gods hath been made. In 6 hours time I truly begin the Journey of Epic Proportions. My goal is Sioux Falls, SD. Here is hoping the Traffic Gods smile upon thee. I drive the Imperial Land Barge through the Scylla and Carybdis of Chicago and then through the flooded Plain of Des Moines. Then to the Emerald City of Sioux City where a libation shall be drank to the completion of 1/3 of the Journey. I probably will not update until Friday when the Journey of Epic Proportions hath been complete. Wish me luck.

El Feaze Shabazz

Day 1 of the Journey of Epic Proportions-TRUCK PACKED and WATER BROKEN

The truck is packed and Kimberly Robinson's water broke right when we were about to shut out the lights at the soon to be old crib. She and her husband showed up to help and she was stowed in the house playing with the light stuff. Her husband helped me and Mel packing the truck. It got done but man am I beat. My hips hurt worse than anything. I feel like I've been doing the Danse Macabre for a a couple of days.

The truck looks like a semi and I'm pretty sure drives like a semi (I've never driven a semi until yesterday but I think this is what it's like.) The load feels balanced and my daughter got a kick driving with me from Spring Lake to Hartland. The damn thing is massive though and my wallet is screaming like Jane Fonda and 4 ignorant Supreme Court Justices at an NRA convention at the thought of the amount of money I am going to have to pay out in diesel.

My parents are having a BBQ today and tomorrow I have to pick up my car at the old crib and Tues I am off to the magical Evergreen state. I feel bad for leaving my family behind but they understand and WA is not that far by plane.

Peace

El Feaze Shabazz

The Trip of Epic Proportions Begins

Thus the gauntlet is thrown down. Today I begin the 12 Labors of the Feasor loading various household crap into the cavernous maw of a Penske truck. Tuesday I leave. Peace to all and good will to the brotha man.

El Feaze

With Great Melancholy...

Well today was my last day at the Newaygo Co. Prosecuting Atty's office. Worth and Chrystal were out so it was just me and the office staff. I said goodbye to Judge Drake in the morning and the afternoon I had people stopping in and saying goodbye. I think I saw some tears in the eyes of some of my secretaries when I said goodbye right before 5 o'clock. They put up with a lot of crap from me and always laughed when I would flip them off or make some kind of stupid joke. Collectively I could not have asked for a better group to work with. I'll miss working there.

Today towards the end of the day was really tough but every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end to quote the Supersonic song. I grew as an attorney and now it's time to test my mettle somewhere else. Life is a challenge and I am not one to sit on my ass and grow complacent. I wish everyone well at my old office. My door is alway open to whoever wants to visit.

Gas went up again today. I see our potential socialist Democrat overlords and RINO's are enjoying the higher gas prices and the havoc they create. They can't stand the fact that the middle class is not dependent on the government for sustenance and are doing everything in their power to make it so. Michigan is just the beginning. This nation needs leaders-real leaders not some idiot with barely any experience waxing the collective knob of the People with words like "Change". It's more like meet the new boss same as the old boss. The only difference between W and his administration versus the criminal Clintons is that W does not get caught screwing around on his wife and supposedly is more pious and religious. Otherwise it's the same spend and globalist garbage we've had since W's daddy.

Where is a Reagan when we need one? America first and screw the rest of the world. How come we're pumping up the standard of living in China when folks can't get good paying jobs here and all of the former good paying manual labor jobs are filled by illegals. What about this nation's citizens? This election we have a tanned Jimmy Carter and a RINO running. Disgusting.

Tomorrow we pack the truck. My wife has been busting her ass. God bless her. Tomorrow I try to not throw my back out. Woo hoo.

Keep it fresh...

El Feaze Shabazz

(pic is of the Croton Dam in Newaygo Co.)

Leaving is Tough

Did my last mental hearing today at New Focus. Saw the usual crew up there and Rick Prysock had some nice words for me when we were leaving. The defense attorneys I deal with for the most part are good guys. They have always been patient and willing to teach us green prosecutors the proper ways of handling ourselves in court. I was pretty wet behind the ears when I arrived in Newaygo Co and I am a much, much better attorney now. My boss believes in cutting her assistants loose like a bunch of Mongols on the steppe and the county defense attorneys are good sports as well. I had a great job but the county imposes limitations upon its attorneys such as no raises after a certain number of years. But leaving has been very tough. The avalanche of well wishes, cards, pot lucks, etc. Makes me realize that I have made some sort of impact. I have had state police detectives, court clerks and judges extend kind words and it makes it tough to leave. My boss sent me off on Wednesday and I saw Worth for the last time in a while today. Tomorrow at 5pm I am going to be one downtrodden ex-Newaygo Co prosecutor.

Packing continues as does my travel planning. My wife is working like a dog god bless her heart. She gets going and I get out of the way. I started the packing and it seems like she is finishing. There are so many boxes and garbage bags filled with clothes that it is very difficult to navigate.

I am looking to leave very early on Tuesday like 6 am. I really want to make Sioux Falls but might settle on Sioux City. I have a place to crash in Billings, MT on the second day but am unsure if I can make it. I'll be driving a big truck with Melissa tailgating behind in the Fusion. I hope traffic in Chicago is flowing. After that it's farmland in Illinois and Iowa. Des Moines has some traffic but it is nothing like Chicago.

I may post a few more times before the move but my computer access may be more limited. I'll be at my parents starting Sat night and my kid sister tends to hog the computer there.

To everyone stay fresh

El Feaze Shabazz

Last Wednesday Docket

Well today I represented DHS for the last time in court. I've been doing it for 3 years and it has had its highs and lows. Been quite the experience. I've learned a lot by representing the social workers as they go about their business of trying to repair families. Met some good people and some people I could care less if I ever see again. The most hilarious thing I've seen working for Newaygo Co. is the presence of anti-DHS protesters in the parking lot on Wednesdays. The main protesters are angry at DHS for a matter that is public record but will not be discussed here and another protester has all of her kids in foster care (deservedly so in my opinion but I won't go into details here) and for some reason feels oppressed. They march around with their signs and all I can do is shake my head.

The office had its going away pot luck for me today. There goes my diet. My triglyceride level is probably Cass Elliot-level right now but not quite Biggie Smalls. Lots of good food. My boss gave me a good recipe for blueberry pie that I may attempt when I first get to Yakima. It'll be semi-bachelorhood until Mel and Steph get there in the middle of August. I plan exploring the area some. Mt. Ranier is close as is the Pacific Coast. Some hiking in the wilderness may do the body good. It was tough realizing that I have 2 days left. I could not wait to leave J. Black & Assoc. This job I leave with much more reluctance. I work with some good people and the office laughs at all of my stupid jokes.

Packing is moving along. Mel bought some boxes today and it looks like the spare room is pretty much packed. Moving is such a pain in the ass. The truck gets loaded on Sat, Sun is libationfest in Hartland and Mon is the chill day before Tues arrives. I'm leaving at the butt crack of dawn. No messing around on the "Journey of Epic Proportions". Drive hard miles during the day, find a cheap motel that will allow the fuzzy dynamic duo, with a libation station nearby to chill. I should get to Pasco on 7-4-08.

Oh yeah, I should label the pics that I post on this blog. The first one is a pic of the Yakima River flowing through a canyon. The 2nd one is of the Grand Haven Lighthouse on Lake Michigan. The third is of Mt. Adams looking from the westside of the Cascades. And this one speaks for itself.

El Feaze Shabazz