Ball point pen on the morning newsprint Our daughter is graduating from High School next week. The Army, Navy and Marines, armed with a list of graduates, have been calling our house over the past few months asking to speak to her about the great opportunities a life in the armed forces can afford. We're very proud of her as we are of our son, who graduated two years ago. Both worked hard throughout their academic careers and had many opportunities open to them upon graduation. She will be a freshman in September at Rutgers University majoring Journalism and our son will be a Junior at Rowan University majoring in Mathematics. Yesterday 103 men and 7 women said their goodbyes at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, before heading off to Iraq. They are part of the largest number of New Jersey National Guard to serve since WW II. I wish them Good Luck and God Speed. ...
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Ball point pen on the morning newsprint Four dollar a gallon gasoline is going to spark another nimby debate. Many believe a combination of building nuclear power plants and tapping the oil reserves in Alaska and off the coast of Florida will decrease our dependancy on foreign oil and lower the cost of energy. It may be true, but the Not-In-My-Back-Yard debate will make it an uphill fight. ...
Read MoreYesterday, the Communication Arts 2008 Illustration Annual 49 arrived in the mail and the CD cover illustration I did for the Sunday Morning Music Series is featured on page 36. If anyone is interested in a signed and numbered, limited edition, archival Giclee Print, on 100% cotton acid free paper, please contact me for the details. ...
Read MoreYesterday I had two reference photo shoots for book covers I'm working on. That means a train ride to the city. Here's a medley of ball point pen on newsprint doodles I did along the way. In The Heights wins the Tony Award for Best Musical Chris Dodd, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, accepts sweetheart loan from Countrywide. Gore backs Obama. Governor of NY to tap Richie Kessel to run NY Power Authority. CIA Director Hayden likens Iraq to Vietnam. ...
Read MoreBall point pen on the morning newsprint I always route for the underdog. In this years US Open, the choice was obvious... Rocco Mediate only hits the ball about as far as your average Sunday golfer, and at age 45, he would have been the oldest golfer to win his first major. But Tiger Woods showed once again why he's perhaps the greatest professional athlete in a generation. Six weeks after knee surgery and against his doctors advice, Tiger won his 14th major in a dramatic sudden death overtime. ...
Read MoreLast year 2.2 million Americans filed for foreclosure. Predator lenders were making risky loans at a level never before seen. Wall Street was packaging said loans into securities and spreading the risk across the entire economy. The CEO of Counrtywide, the nations largest mortgage lender, sold 138 million dollars of Countrywide stock in an eight month period right before the price of the stock tanked by 80%. Were our leaders looking the other way? Last week the story of how Jim Johnson, as CEO of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae for short) accepted millions of dollars in sweetheart loans from Countrywide Mortgage at below market interest rates. Now Senator Kent Conrad, head of the Senate Budget Committee admits he unknowingly accepted a sweetheart loan from Countrywide and wants to atone by giving 10,500 dollars to charity. Counrtywide is being tight lipped abou ...
Read MoreBall point pen on the morning newsprint If it's Sunday, it's Meet The Press... Never has a slogan been more apt, for my household and for millions of Americans, it was simply a part of our routine. Tim Russert had no equal. His was the only can't-miss-show on television and his absence will be missed by everyone who cared to be informed. He was 58. ...
Read MoreBall point pen on the morning newsprint Senator Obama might decide to sure up the mid-west, the moderates, the women and those inclined to vote for someone with gray hair by picking Kathleen Sebelius as a running mate. A two term Governor of Kansas, she also brings executive experience. ...
Read MoreBall point pen on the morning newsprint It was Jim Johnson's job to vet possible vice presidential candidates for Barack Obama, but no one vetted the vetter and he has now resigned from the campaign. While skyrocketing interest rates on sub-prime loans are causing many Americans to loose their homes, it's been reported that Jim Johnson, as CEO of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae for short) accepted millions of dollars in sweetheart loans from Countrywide Mortgage at below market interest rates. ...
Read MoreBall point pen on the morning newsprint The VP watch is the only game in town. Lets take a look at some of those on the short list. Up first, former Virginia Governor, Mark Warner. Obama would like to sure up the South and those Appalachian voters who aren't getting the Obama vibe. Warner is a moderate Democrat who might help Obama appeal more to centrist voters. ...
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