The Ultimate Redding Fire Photo!

I have family in Redding, and this fire scared the crap out of me! I've been in touch with my nephew Benny, who is an OSHA investigator. When the fire first broke out, Benny and Amber took in two families that they knew, after they were forced to leave their homes due to the holocaust.

A member of one of those families took this shot from his car as they were fleeing for their lives.
This shot is one of the most intense forest fire shots I have ever seen... Check it out:

This is how it looks when the shit hits the fan. Just take a minute to relect on how these people felt driving away from everything they owned just to save their lives.

Now say a prayer that this never happens to you.

God bless and keep you all...

Bill

OK, I'm back...

I'm pretty sure there's no one out here... after all, it's been eight years since I've posted... and a lot of things have changed... I've quit smokin', I've cut way back on my drinkin', and I was baptized into the Pentacostal faith (which is a really weird story... don't worry, I''ll tell it sometime...).

Somethings, however, have not changed: I still hate Communists, I still go shooting (ever see what a 12 guage shotgun can do to a roll af Obama toilet paper?), I still play music, but now I have two bands: a rock band (Time Weights 4, although, sadly, our bass player just died..) and my church band, which suprisingly kicks ass and it's Christian music!

So I'm gonna start this again. The times haven't gotten any less interesting (just the opposite...), and I'm sitll pissed off..

So let the games begin!

Bill

Adios, Flagler... You will be greatly missed

My best friend, and the best damn drummer I ever played with, Ray Gilligan, passed away today at 1:47. He's in a better place now (probably jamming with Hendrix), but I'm really gonna miss him here. He was many things: The Flagler, Grey Meat (SB2), my Civilization Buddy... Life is gonna be a lot duller without him. I'm gonna get some whiskey and drink to his honor. I'm very proud to say he was a friend of mine.

A Sad Day

Okay, I'm drinking heavily, so this might not make sense, but today I heard that my best buddy Ray is gonna check out. This is truly fucked! I'd always hoped that Ray's strength and humor would get him past his current ordeal with cancer, but it's not to be. Ray had taken to wearing a shirt the past few weeks that said "FUCK CANCER." I loudly echo that sentiment now.

Life ain't gonna be the same without my little buddy.

Read this and pass it on to any cop you might know!

Sorry that it's been a while since I've posted, but work has a strange way of draining the life out of one; plus Ray's health is deteriorating again, and that just plain sucks, but Mike Vanderboegh (one of the few heroes I have left) has posted an epic piece at his site, sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com. Please read it and, if you know someone in law enforcement, pass it on to them as well. They really need to understand the dynamics of today's perilous situation.

And while you're at it, pray for Ray. He really could use a miracle right about now...

Here's the site:

http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2010/02/choose-this-day-whom-you-will-serve.html

Now I need to drink heavily... okay, nothing new there...

One more for my mob!

That's right, brethren... tonight we welcome a new member to the fold. Say "Howdy" to Mike Suczinski, or as we call him around here, Mr. S. Admit it, it's easier to say, let alone spell...

Mike is one of our Poker regulars and one hell of a wood worker. He's the guy who built the beer trap featured on our "Trapped Like A Trap In A Trap" CD and for that major accomplishment, he earned the title of Yeoman. Okay, so it's a medieval title, but if you've ever seen Mike's shop, you'd know that medieval titles kinda fit him... very well. Mike is also the genius behind our monthly Gnome Shoots, some of which are available on YouTube. He is also responsible for the only two gnomes to survive more than an hour at my house: my Raider gnome (what a loser... sob...) and my Crazy Bill gnome, he of the upraised middle finger, manic glare and combat shotgun. Think of it as kind of a "Statue of Dorian Donohue," only without that cessation of aging thing, dammit!

Welcome to the asylum, Mike!

Bill

HUZZAH!!!

There's good news tonight! Ray came through the operation in great shape! The doc said he was able to get all the cancer out without affecting any major nerves or body functions. The surgical team did move some of Ray's pectoral muscle to his neck, but at last report, we won't be calling Ray "Nipple Neck" any time soon...

Thanks to all of you who prayed for Ray and helped make this operation a success!

And now I believe it's time for a celebratory drink! Uh... like it isn't time for that most any time around here...

HUZZAH!!!

Bill