BERIGAN

Well, I am sure you would admire the fact he was an artist, writer, socialist, vegetarian, anti religion, for gun control....

LAL, glad to hear you are fine! The story just seems to get worse and worse! A lot of people are going to need a lot of help. More than one million people were left homeless in Indonesia alone http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041227/D877MDP80.html

Oh, no doubt, he said some dumb things in the past...but the overall picture of him is quite positive.....From his peers... Memories of No. 92 ESPN.com As towering a presence as Reggie White was on the field, he was that much more impressive off the field. ESPN.com believes those who knew him are the best to truly describe White. Here are just some of the many things they had to say about the "Minister of Defense." Mike Golic Golic "Reggie White was the greatest defensive end of all time, but as great as he was on the field, he was that much greater off the field. I'd like to take a moment to tell you what kind of person Reggie White was. I had the pleasure to play with Reggie from 1987-1992, and those were five wonderful years because he was there. He was a man who led wherever he went whether it was on the football field or off it. When he chose a path, he stuck to it, and that's part of the reason why he was great on and off the field. He was one of my closest friends off the field, and I'm extremely sad that I'm here to have to eulogize such a great man. I will miss Reggie, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Sara, and his two lovely children." Eric Allen Allen "You probably know we were teammates from 1988-1992. What you probably don't know is he was probably the biggest influence on me from the time I stepped foot into Philadelphia until now. More so off the field than on. We continued to stay in touch throughout my 17 years since being a rookie in Philadelphia, and I have a great amount of love for him and his family. So like he would do, please say a prayer for him and his family." Paul Tagliabue Tagliabue "Reggie White was a gentle warrior who will be remembered as one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history. Equally as impressive as his achievements on the field was the positive impact he made off the field and the way he served as a positive influence on so many young people. We are deeply saddened by his loss and extend our deepest sympathy to Reggie's wife Sara and his entire family." Mark Schlereth Schlereth "Reggie White was one of the greatest football players I've ever seen or lined up against. He was amazingly dominant and someone that a team spent a week preparing for. When an offensive line stepped onto the field, it was imperative to locate where White was lined up to have some semblance of a chance at figuring out how he was going to disrupt your offense. I'll never forget one of the first times I ever had to face White on the field. I was playing for the Washington Redskins at the time, and I didn't really expect to have to face him. At the time, the Eagles would switch him all over the line so that he'd occasionally face a guard. I'll never forget how I felt when I came out of the huddle and realized he was lining up to face me. I immediately started wondering what I'd done to deserve this butt whupping. Off the field, there wasn't a hypocritical bone in his body. He affected many people with his personality, beliefs and the stewardship of his life. He was one of the greatest and noblest men I've ever been around. Regardless of where you were in your walk in life, he was going to treat you with kindness, compassion, love and respect. We've lost a great man today." Joe Theismann Theismann "I knew Reggie White for many years during and after his playing career and I was fortunate to know and spend time with such an amazing human being. The last time I spent time with him was last year during a trip to Indianapolis and I only wish I'd spent more time with him because he was one of the dearest souls to ever put on a uniform. He was committed and outspoken in his beliefs, feared nothing and his commitment to God was No. 1 in his life. I'll never forget his last season in Green Bay when I was broadcasting a game for Sunday Night Football. He'd torn his hamstring and I remember in the meeting I actually put my fingers in his leg where the hamstring was supposed to be. I expressed shock that he'd be able to play and he told me he put his faith in God that it'd be alright. He went out and had a great game and it was one of the greatest sights I've ever seen. His play that day convinced me of divine intervention. That was typical of the type of faith that Reggie White had. He knew God would take care of the situation. On the football field, White was a rare combination of size, power and speed. He was one of those guys who stepped up and made special plays when his team needed him to come through. Like all great players he had a great sense of knowing when to seize the moment. That sense of the moment and greatness extended off the field as witnessed by those in his church's congregation. In 1999 White came to the rescue when an arsonist burned down his church. He knew his congregation needed him and he came through leading the fund raising drive to get the church rebuilt. That's his legacy. It's a tragedy to lose someone so valuable to society at such a young age. I won't remember the passing of Reggie White, but I will remember his contributions and I'll celebrate his life because I had a chance to know the man." Michael Irvin Irvin "When a football player passes away everyone talks about how great he was as a player. But if you just talked about how great Reggie White was on the football field you fell well short of who he was as a person. As a player the first thing I thought when I first saw him was that he's one of the greatest of all time. I honestly couldn't wait to get to the Pro Bowl just so I could talk to him about football. I wanted to know what it was like to get to that level of greatness and what it took to stay there. When we met he wouldn't even address those things because he wanted to know how I was spiritually. We sat and talked a good while about those things and I was touched at how great a person he was. We recently talked three months ago and he asked about my family and how I was doing as a person. He was truly a great guy and people realized that when they were in his presence. He was a gift from God and that's all you need to know about Reggie White." Tom Jackson Jackson "On every occasion I had to meet Reggie, it was evident how good a player and person he was. He was as good a defensive player as I've ever seen and I know it sounds clichéd to say it, but he was a much better person. His great work in the ministry, how good he was around children coupled with how great a family man he was shows what a loss we've suffered. He knew what it meant to be a friend and leaves behind a great legacy. He was taken too soon, but his inspiration will survive." Mike Ditka Ditka "As great as Reggie White was as a player, what I remember the most is that he was the best example of what being a pro athlete is all about. He was pure class on and off the field. He was always tolerant of his opponent and never tried to hurt or embarrass anyone. I loved him as a player and I loved him even more as a person." Dwight Freeney "If you're a defensive end, a guy who loves to sack the quarterback, how could you not admire Reggie White and everything he accomplished? I've watched a lot of pass rushers and he was special. He did things his way, invented moves to get him to the quarterback, and was just a great player. Sure I've studied him. But I could never be so bold as to say I could duplicate him. He was just a great player and, from what I understand about him, a great person, too." Duce Staley "I remember when I was rookie with the Eagles filling in for Ricky Watters and I was playing against Reggie. I gave him a cut block and then got in his face and said some things to him out of emotion. He came over to me and said, 'Rookie, that was a good block, but remember what you are saying is to a Child of God.' That floored me and I wasn't the same the rest of the game. He was a remarkable person along with being a remarkable player." Wilbert Montgomery "Reggie White was a man who stood large in stature as a man, and in his beliefs. He was a guy that stood up for what he believed was right. Here is a guy that was so disruptive on the field and changed the game from a defensive end standpoint, but also had the softer side to stand up for what he believed in outside the game." J.D. Gibbs "On behalf of my dad (Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs) and the entire Joe Gibbs Racing family, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to Sara and the White family for their loss. He was much more than a great football player. He excelled as a husband and father and he honored the Lord with his life. It was a true pleasure to collaborate with him on the Joe Gibbs Racing Diversity Program. I know that my father and I, as well as all the employees of JGR, were looking forward to a long relationship with Reggie through this program. All of us at Joe Gibbs Racing will ensure that his vision to cultivate a diversity program within NASCAR will continue. Our thoughts and our prayers are with his family during this difficult time." Jeffrey Lurie "We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of the greatest men ever to play the game of football. On behalf of the entire Eagles family, our condolences go out to his wife, Sara, to his children, and to all those who have been touched by Reggie throughout his life. His legacy on and off the football field will never be forgotten." http://espn.go.com/classic/s/Whitememories.html

Called back to life: Boss' wake-up call stops waiter at death's door By O'Ryan Johnson Saturday, December 25, 2004 Bill DiPasquale lost his waiter's job, locked himself in his Revere apartment and drank himself into a deep sleep the first week of the month. All hope seemed lost a week ago when family members, sitting in grim vigil, pulled the plug on life support. Then a friend delivered a gruff message from DiPasquale's boss, restaurant mogul Charles Sarkis. ``Get your ass back to work.'' Five minutes later, in a whisper that hit a Massachusetts General Hospital room like a thunderbolt, DiPasquale awoke saying, ``I've got to get to work.'' His would-be mourners were stunned. The coma had broken. They were his first words in weeks. DiPasquale worked at Abe & Louie's, the tony Boylston Street steakhouse, ever since they seared their first rib eye six years ago. But alcohol, his perpetual enemy, made him unreliable, Sarkis said, and the restaurant manager made the difficult decision to cut DiPasquale late last month. So the quirky man with the on-spot comic timing, whose hobby is making crossword puzzles, retreated from life outside his home, taking with him booze and Kitty, the cat he'd rescued from a feline shelter. He said he never expected to open the door again. Relatives found him at home about Dec. 2 near death. Doctors told the family it may be too late. On a lark, DiPasquale's longtime customer and friend Pamela Rogal called Sarkis, to pass on the sad news. Sarkis owns 36 restaurants and employs 4,000 workers. But he knew DiPasquale, and still hangs on to one of the waiter's crossword puzzles. ``You tell him to wake up, get out of bed, and get his ass back to work,'' Sarkis recalled saying. But family members told her it was too late. ``They said he was passing away,'' she said. ``I said `You have to tell him what Charlie said.' '' Ralph Nash, another one of the original waiters at Abe & Louie's, was sitting by his bedside. He leaned close to DiPasquale's ear and said, ``Charlie says to get out of bed and get your ass back to work,'' Rogal said. She said what happened next is a Christmas miracle, brought about by Sarkis and DiPasquale's friends and fellow waiters. As for Sarkis, he's passing on the credit. ``I don't make miracles,'' he said. ``Only one guy makes miracles.'' DiPasquale, who dabbled in theater, said God is giving him another chance. ``I think God said it's not my time yet,'' DiPasquale said from his hospital bedroom. ``I feel like I've been given two strikes by God. He's telling me, `Now, if you want to be struck out, have another drink.' It will not happen. . . . The show must go on.'' http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional...articleid=60413

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's one lame green! Look both ways everyone! Just heard on the news here in Atlanta last night, that a grandmother ran over her 3 year old grandaughter! Be safe, and have a great one!

a true WTF?????????????????? Sex Industry Funded Campaign Against New Stadium

Yeah!!! No fair boosting the hubby's post numbers!

And Johnny, those are some amazing signings! If Sexton is healthy, that will be a much different team this year. Beltran seems like a much older player(in a good way) than his 25 years.

Oh Dan, I think you will be quite glad not to have Pedro anymore....he just seems to be getting by more and more on guile...and the money saved can get someone a lot younger on the hill(Who? Gee, that is a good question, Millwood might be a bit of a head case as well, but at 29, he pitched 141 innings, and struck out 125).....of course, if the Yankees get Randy Johnson, and he is healthy, it is Wild card time again....not that that is a bad place for the Sox!

Well, the Braves also lost Ortiz, Wright and Byrd....Smoltz, to keep his elbow in one piece needed to get back in the rotation, but.....how many players after being a relief pitch for several years went back to being a starter, at his age??? How well is Hudson's hip??? Will he be another one year player for the braves???? Glad we didn't have to give up Marcus Giles, that would have been a big mistake...we also traded Eli Marrero(who hit .320 part time) so with J.D. Drew likely to leave, we don't have a left, or right fielder...Bobby Cox might yet pull another division out of his ass (The braves vent in the Online AJC still has people thinking if the Braves only got rid of Cox, we would get back to the WS! ) but teams don't usually do that well that are forever bargain basement hunting for regulars.....but, thank God, the very old Turner field is getting a new 15 Million dollar scoreboard.

Man First John R.T. Davies dies, then David French! From a very selfish angle, not good for fans of early jazz.....Best wishes to his family...no one mentioned this before????

Thought I had seen a thread on bad grammer for ebay auctions, but if there isn't one, this thread will do.... Vehicle Description 69 BUICK LESABRE CONVERTIABLE 350 V8 4BBL,DUAL EX. KENWOOD EXOLON RADIO,MTX SPEAKERS,17" COUSTOM WHEELS + STOCK, COUSTOM STEERING WHEEL + STOCK, BILLET MIRRORS, Vehicle Condition NEW COUSTOM PAINT, INTERIOR HAS BEEN REPLACED LIKE NEW, NEW CARPET, NO RUST AZ CAR. Terms of Sale WILL DELIVERY WITHIN 100 MILES OF GRAND RAPIDS MI. CASH OR CASHIERS CHECK ON DELIVERY OR PICKUP

Japanese men lap up new comfort Three thousand laps have been sold so far Japanese men without a shoulder to cry on this Christmas are being offered a woman's lap - made out of foam - to rest on instead. The "lap pillow", shaped like the bottom half of a kneeling woman, is selling for about 9,429 yen ($90), the French news agency AFP reported. "Single men find this soothing," said Mitsuo Takahashi of the manufacturer Trane KK. He told AFP that the Hizamakura, or lap pillow, fulfilled a primal need. "From the time people were kids, people have laid their heads on their mothers' laps to get their ears cleaned," he said. "This is made to be quite close to the real thing." But they are also reported to be proving popular as joke gifts at office parties. So far the company has sold about 3,000 laps, Mr Takahashi said. The Hizamakura is similar to a product, shaped like a man's torso with one sturdy arm, which has been on sale since last December. That product, the Boyfriend's Arm Pillow, was made by Japanese company Kameo, and is being targeted at Japanese single women. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4092345.stm

Well, I see I must need to change something, it ain't 6:17....

Well, it is now 5:17 EST, does that mean this ain't you playing platters now???

Now that's funny! Don't quite get why they call this the Open House All Star Sessions though...just cuz they are all, all stars??? Why open house??? I mention this once or twice a year for no good reason except the tune Gin for Christmas is one of my all time favorites! If it is on the new set, or on you old French black and whites, turn it up to 11!

When I hear him hit high notes, I just think of air being let out of a balloon slowly....

Well, a quick search of Nirvana shows the what are you listening to now thread had two quick comments, but wanted to see if others had comments.....just checked out Rolling stone review...kinda interesting...I was hoping for both remastered old stuff and lots of outtakes, but seems to be all outtakes and rarites...not a bad thing with a band like this...so...should I take the plunge???

http://www.nationallampoon.com/nl/08_featu...masspecials.asp

I am sure Alexander says Bah humbug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gee, I thought he was right handed....

At Least 5 Dead, 2 Wounded In Nightclub Shooting Witnesses: Alleged Gunman Went Onto Stage, Fired Shots COLUMBUS, Ohio -- At least five people died and two others were wounded after a shooting at a Columbus nightclub on Wednesday night, television station WCMH reported. NBC Image The shooting took place shortly after 10 p.m. at Alrosa Villa, located at 5055 Sinclair Rd. Two members of the heavy metal band Damageplan were reportedly shot and killed, including Dimebag Darrell, formerly with the band Pantera, the station reported. The other band member's name was not released. The alleged gunman also died at the scene, according to police. Shortly after the band began playing its first song, a man apparently ran onto the stage and began shooting, according to a witness who identified himself as Sean. At first, some members of the audience may have thought the man running onto the stage with a gun was part of the band's act, WCMH reported. Witnesses said that several shots were fired at the band. A bouncer at the club tackled the alleged gunman before that person was shot and killed, according to witnesses. It was unclear who shot the alleged gunman. Of the surviving victims, one person was in critical condition while the other was in fair condition, the station reported. Several others were treated at the scene, suffering from various injuries. Alrosa Villa is a popular north Columbus nightspot for young adults, featuring rock and heavy metal bands. According to the band's Web site, Damageplan was touring nationally. It performed in Buffalo, N.Y., on Tuesday night and had a concert scheduled in Chicago on Friday. Damageplan featured former Pantera artists Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. The pair were joined by vocalist Patrick Lachman and bassist Bobzilla, according to their Web site. http://www.nbc4i.com/news/3983795/detail.html

Have a great one, old man! Jack Benny's age I see.... Hope you get some great jazz, eat a nice big dinner, and save some room for

long live NRA! You can kill someone with a car as well....

so it's not this one, eh???