The Last Ephor

Sean Thomas Lugano Today's the day. Ten years gone and the rest of our lives to go. This blog honors Sean Thomas Lugano I knew Sean casually. We went to college together and were on the rugby team together. He was much better than I was. He was very fast and much stronger than he looked. Sean was one of those guys who was reserved but very funny. He wasn't one of those guys who garnered attention by being outrageous or demonstrative. He was just there, always with a smile and quick with a laugh or a joke. He took a lot of flack in college because of his modeling career. He used to model to make money for college and the idea of a rugby player being a model seemed absurd. The only commercial I ever saw him in was for The Gap and ironically, he was playing rugby in the commercial. That seemed to redeem him somewhat in the eyes of his teammates and we didn't rib him much after that. I didn't know Sean well enough to keep in touch with him after college. Occasion...

Today's the day. Nine years gone and the rest of our lives to go. This blog honors Sean Thomas Lugano I knew Sean casually. We went to college together and were on the rugby team together. He was much better than I was. He was very fast and much stronger than he looked. Sean was one of those guys who was reserved but very funny. He wasn't one of those guys who garnered attention by being outrageous or demonstrative. He was just there, always with a smile and quick with a laugh or a joke. He took a lot of flack in college because of his modeling career. He used to model to make money for college and the idea of a rugby player being a model seemed absurd. The only commercial I ever saw him in was for The Gap and ironically, he was playing rugby in the commercial. That seemed to redeem him somewhat in the eyes of his teammates and we didn't rib him much after that. I didn't know Sean well enough to keep in touch with him after college. Occasionally, I'd see ...

Today's the day. Seven years gone and the rest of our lives to go. This blog honors Sean Thomas Lugano I knew Sean casually. We went to college together and were on the rugby team together. He was much better than I was. He was very fast and much stronger than he looked. Sean was one of those guys who was reserved but very funny. He wasn't one of those guys who garnered attention by being outrageous or demonstrative. He was just there, always with a smile and quick with a laugh or a joke. He took a lot of flack in college because of his modeling career. He used to model to make money for college and the idea of a rugby player being a model seemed absurd. The only commercial I ever saw him in was for The Gap and ironically, he was playing rugby in the commercial. That seemed to redeem him somewhat in the eyes of his teammates and we didn't rib him much after that. I didn't know Sean well enough to keep in touch with him after college. Occasionally, I'd see him in the...

Just decloaking for a minute to say that I'm still breathing. Thing have been, well, not dull. Too much to report at the moment. Some of it good, some of it not. If you've read this far and have checked in after all this time thanks for sticking with me. Updates to resume shortly.

An old priest who for years had faithfully served the people of the nation's capital, lay dying in the hospital. He motioned for his nurse to come near. "Yes, Father?" said the nurse. "I would really like to see Barack Obama and Joe Biden before I die," he whispered. "I'll see what I can do, Father," replied the nurse, and she respectfully forwarded the request to the DNC and waited for a response. Surprisingly, soon the word arrived. Obama and Biden would be delighted to visit the priest. As they made their way to the hospital, Obama commented to Biden, "I don't know why the old priest wants to see us, but the media coverage will certainly help our images." Biden couldn't help but agree. When they arrived at the priest's room, the priest took Biden's hand in his right hand and Obama's hand in his left. There was silence and a look of serenity on the ancient cleric's face. Fina...

Finally. Undeniable proof that exists and He does indeed love us.

FOXNews.com - Texas High School Student Told Rosary Is "Gang Symbol" : "Ruiz and her mother, Taire Ferguson, said they had no idea that rosary beads were a gang symbol. Police, however, are well aware." Ruiz apparently doesn't know that you don't wear Rosary beads. Rosary != jewelry. ejits. UPDATE: The idiot here is me. I was always taught not to wear a Rosary as jewelry. Apparently it's OK as long as it's primary function is devotion and not bling. Thanks to Paul for setting me straight

Today's the day. Seven years gone and the rest of our lives to go. This blog honors Sean Thomas Lugano I knew Sean casually. We went to college together and were on the rugby team together. He was much better than I was. He was very fast and much stronger than he looked. Sean was one of those guys who was reserved but very funny. He wasn't one of those guys who garnered attention by being outrageous or demonstrative. He was just there, always with a smile and quick with a laugh or a joke. He took a lot of flack in college because of his modeling career. He used to model to make money for college and the idea of a rugby player being a model seemed absurd. The only commercial I ever saw him in was for The Gap and ironically, he was playing rugby in the commercial. That seemed to redeem him somewhat in the eyes of his teammates and we didn't rib him much after that. I didn't know Sean well enough to keep in touch with him after college. Occasionally, I'd see him in the...

Very very bad. Explanation forthcoming. Bear with me on this one.

I’ve been thinking of late about Shelley’s poem (sonnet really) Ozymandias. I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said -- "two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert ... near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lips, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings, Look on my Works ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away." I’ve always liked the imagery. The narrator doesn’t see the scene he describes. Rather it was related to him but his description is enough for the reader to feel the sand shift beneath his feet. All things pass away. No matter how powerful and omnipresent they are at their zenith...

A Catholic Case Against Barack . Pat Buchanan writes a column citing reasons for Catholics not to support Obama. (Brief version: He support abortion. A lot.) My question: What Democrat or Obama supporter is going to read, let alone be swayed by, Pat Buchanan?

In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation. We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is in the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Governm...

It's Friday at 3:30 and I get a call on my cell phone from my recruiter and account manager. For those of you who are consultants, you know this is not good news. I can practically hear the sympathetic head tilt in their voices as they start talking. I stop them in mid sentence. "They're cutting the contract aren't they?" "Yes. But it's not performance related." "Small consolation. How long?" "Two weeks which is generous." She's right. Most contracts end the day they cut the funding for the project. In any case I finished the job and on my last day home from work I stopped to get gas. When I got back in my car it wouldn't start. Had the car towed to the dealer who got me back on the road a mere $900 later. Cause that's what I needed now that I'm unemployed. Oh, and yesterday the A/C stopped working. I can only imagine what that's going to cost me. The long and the short of it is: I'm unemploy...

I'm on something of a haitus for reasons to be explained later. Bear with me.

"Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean." -Maya Angelou

Remember this post well, The Anchoress gets to the heart of the matter in a single sentence: “ Black” America is forced to live a psychic duality, but in a way, “white” America is, too. We are supposed to - apparently - somehow split our brains, into never even noticing that there are racial differences between us, unless we’re working in praise of those differences. So, there are no differences between us…but we celebrate the differences…but their are none, and if you think there are, you’re a racist. Now celebrate ! Read the whole thing. The opening story is absolutely heartbreaking.

A few things here. I certainly understand his preaching about the plight of poor blacks in America. But...(you knew that was coming didn't you?) I have never and would never attend a church that was so political. The closest thing I've ever experienced was when our priest told people to read and vote on a particular bill. He did not tell them how to vote just to please read the bill and vote on it. The rest, he assumed, would be obvious. Just as I'd flee any church flogging Barack Obama I would similarly leave in disgust at any church pushing any Republican or Libertarian candidate no matter how much I supported them. I've never been comfortable with the shouting, sweating preacher. Whenever I see the videos of the shouting, sweating Imams it gives me a shudder. I see a wild eyed zealot. I imagine if someone in Iraq were watching Rev. Wrong Wright shouting and sweating in a language he didn't understand it might give him pause as well. I understand that...

Beliefnet asked readers to post their favorite picture of Jesus. Herewith is my snarktacular review of same: Curious positioning of the cross while running for political office Jesus Confused about which religion I'm really the head of Jesus Very dramatic crucified in a storm animated gif Jesus Bleeding and in agony Jesus Mystical 70's poster Jesus 14th Century soap advertisement Jesus Dr. Doolittle Jesus Oversized child's art project Jesus I'm staring intently at the Earth and I got a satellite in my eye Jesus I can catch a Bing cherry in my mouth Jesus American Gladiator Jesus Woodcut of Sawyer from Lost if he was smiling Jesus What's he standing on anyway and why is he making the atmosphere red Jesus

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath to hear my latest whine about being tired. Wah. I know. So here's the latest; Friday came and went very very slowly. I was working on very tedious administrative duties at work (cleaning up user ID's on the security module. Just shoot me). I have to remember to put this off until I find myself unable to sleep again. It has to be an instant cure. I did, however, get the Unexpected Urgent Support Call from a user. In England. I'm getting ahead of myself. First; some background. I was working from home on Friday as is normal and my wife had to go to a parent/teacher conference for #3 to discuss whether or not he's ready for Kindergarten (long story short, he is). The meeting was about 15 minutes and it was a 10 minute drive each way to the school. For those of you who are native to Delaware that'd be 10 + 10 + 15 = 35 minutes. For those 35 minutes I'd have to watch both kids. It's easy to watc...