News break

My cousin, VD and his family live in downtown Seattle. This shooting news from yesterday scared me. Fortunately, the gunman is taken to custody and VD is fine. Six victims: one dead, five wounded, all women.

According to Amy Wasser-Simpson, the vice president for planning and community services for the Jewish Federation, the man had told staff members, "I'm a Muslim American; I'm angry at Israel," then began shooting.

Obviously, the suspect is upset about what was going on in Israel, but gosh damn it, why hurt people!?! I'm glad that VD is ok.

More pleasant news: PG County 5th District Court Judge R. Palumbo has left the bench. Yahwoo! He mistreated women who came before him seeking protective orders in domestic-abuse cases, and using his status (salary: $118,502) as a judge to sway police. Yvette Cade, 30-something, was a victim of abuse came before Palumbo to seek help. Instead of help, the douchebag judge dismissed the protective order standing between Cade and her abusive husband. In October, "the husband" doused her with gasoline and lit her on fire. Cade suffered 60% burns on her body. Palumbo has been limited to administrative duties since. Thank goodness he has resigned.

Speaking of leaving, I'm composing a resignation letter from my current job. It's time to move on. As Connie Chung gracefully (haha) puts it, "thanx for the memories". I will work for one more week (haha) at the EPA building, then start my new one on August 7th. SG, DY and I went to a local (shady) bar last night to celebrate my news and SG's resignation from her wine super store. Omigosh. Identical "quitting our jobs" twins! Bottles up.

There's an article in the July/August 2006 issue of Maryland Life magazine about my kayaking trip last summer. I forget what page.