27-Year Old High School Student

Illegal Immigrant, 27, Caught Posing As High Schooler
By LISA A. DAVIS and RONNIE BLAIR
The Tampa Tribune

TRINITY - Josue Oswaldo Ramirez-Mejia just wanted a good education.

That's the story the 27-year- old told Pasco County Sheriff's deputies Tuesday when he was arrested for posing as a 17-year-old J.W. Mitchell High School student.

An illegal immigrant from Guatemala, Ramirez-Mejia has been attending the school since shortly after the new academic year began in August, sheriff's officials said.

His real age was discovered Tuesday after he lost his wallet during gym class, which was found with his identification cards with his real birth date: Jan. 3, 1978.

Ramirez-Mejia enrolled in the school Aug. 25 with someone posing as a parent at his side, according to school officials. He used forged documents, including a birth certificate stating he was born Jan. 3, 1987, sheriff's officials said.

He also was enrolled in English as a second language classes, school officials said.

Ramirez-Mejia, of 1820 Hacienda Way, Holiday, is being held at the Land O' Lakes jail on a charge of uttering a forged instrument. Bail is set at $5,000.

FBI and immigration services have been notified, the sheriff officials said.

This story can be found at: http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGBCU8GV5EE.html


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Ok, assuming this guy wasn't enrolling in school to snag a 16-year old girlfriend, the intention is almost noble. But no-one questioned this guy? Take a look at the picture. He looks WAY older than the most mature-looking teenager. Only in Florida.

Book Burro

If you love to shop for books but hate to pay too much, download and install Book Burro. Book Burro works with the Firefox browser. (You DO use Firefox...don't you?)

After installing Book Burro, go to any site that sells books, such as Amazon. When you click on any title to learn more about the book, Book Burro will appear on the upper portion of your screen. Click on the arrow to the left of the book icon, and it will quote prices from other sources such as Abebooks, Books A Million, Barnes and Noble, and Half.com. Also worth investigation is Greasemonkey which is described here on Slate.

Two Tragic Deaths

Before Nanny G. came to us, she was employed by an Ecuadorian lady, Miss N. Miss N. gave me a very good reference for Nanny G. when we spoke briefly on the phone in August.

Last evening Nanny G. came in with some very sad news. Miss N.’s sister and brother-in-law were killed by a speeding driver early Sunday morning while on their way to Miami International Airport.

Miss N.’s mother died when Miss N. was quite young, so Miss N. was raised by her elder sister and this was the sister that was killed. The driver reportedly was going 120 miles an hour when he struck the car carrying Miss N.’s sister, her brother-in-law, and two other relatives. What ever possessed someone to decide to travel that fast on I-75? Doubtless, alcohol. But while the driver survived, the Ecuadorian family is reeling with the shock and making plans to send the bodies back to Ecuador for burial. Nothing could be done on Sunday, since the offices required to issue the appropriate paperwork to transport the bodies were closed.

Miss N.’s nephew and son of the deceased is also a good friend of Nanny G.’s. Obviously, he is beside himself with grief. Nanny G. said every time she calls Miss N. to check up on her, Miss N. says “my sister is dead”. That is all she can focus on. Assorted relatives cannot travel back to Ecuador for the funeral, because they are in the process of obtaining their residency permits for the U.S. and are not allowed to leave the country according to U.S. law. The sister and her husband also carried a considerable sum of cash to give to family back in Ecuador. Interestingly, although their luggage was recovered from the crash site, the money is missing. The only culprit would be someone who responded to the crash scene and went through their possessions to determine their identity. This is just insult added to injury (or, in this case, death). To take money from the deceased is unconscionable.

Miss N.’s sister was married 40 years. Nanny G. said that the sister and husband had discussed dying together because neither one could bear to live without the other.
Just prior to the crash, the group of 4 had stopped to change a flat tire. The sister sat in the back with the other female passenger, and the husband sat in the front with the other male in the group. But after the tire was changed, the husband said he wanted to sit in the back of the car with his wife. Thus, they died together. The man in the front seat is now in a coma and has not awoken.

I hope the driver that killed them rots in hell. An entire family in two countries was destroyed by thoughtlessness, recklessness, and probably, drunkenness. It will take a long time for the grief to heal, if it ever does.

What's For Dinner? Not Food.

This is yet another case of seriously dysfunctional parents. Why are these people allowed to have so many special needs children? Even one is a challenge, and two or more "normal" children can be a handful.

You gotta love this quote from the article describing children with pica:

"Some of these children have eaten batteries, clothes, blankets, mattresses, wood, carpets, chemicals and anything they could obtain, which is why the kitchen cupboards
are locked," said David Sherman, the couple's attorney.

Ok, these people keep the kitchen cabinets LOCKED and then wonder why the child eats non-food items....Help me out here - am I the only one to see the irony in this? Or, is it that the batteries, clothes, and blankets are locked in the cabinets, while the food remains available because the parents know the kids won't eat it?

Stuffonmycat.com

This hilarious site outdoes catsinsinks.com. For YOUR convenience, it's even broken down into sections such as "Food On My Cat" and "Clothes On My Cat". At left is a selection from "Housewares On My Cat". Put something on your cat and submit your photo today!

Thanks to Muse at Xanadu

Memo to Housepet

I took a page from Zubegirl and decided to address an issue with my pet in the form of a letter:

Dear Big K:

I couldn’t help but notice you begging at the dinner table tonight, alternating between Nanny G. and myself. Although you have a wide and cultured palate (due to my overindulgence), please be reminded that I’m sure you would not like spaghetti. Have you ever seen spaghetti cat food at the supermarket? No, and there’s a reason for that. The reason is that cats do not eat spaghetti. And I’m pretty sure they don’t eat salad either.

Next time, only show your fuzzy countenance at the dinner table when something you will actually eat is served. This includes ham, pork, salmon, tuna, and chicken. Otherwise, please leave us in peace. We don’t hang around when you eat your 9-Lives each morning.

Love, Ma

Class Picture

Hapkido class picture. The guy all in black is Master Frank Ehnle. This blogger is the second from left with black pants and white jacket. Others from L-R are: Ken, Angel, Matt, Paul, Mike, Mark, Nick, Tim, Linda, Chris, Dennis, and a new student who's name I don't know.

Click to enlarge the picture and check out the extra ear between Chris and Dennis. This guy is real strange, he refused to give his address for registration and in several pictures, he artfully hid behind other students. Maybe he's in the Witness Protection Program. Either that, or a spy from a rival school..

Photo by Annette Ehnle. Originally appears on the website of Royal Dragon Martial Arts.

No more toothless grins!

The Blossom got two teeth as of yesterday! I was feeding her at snack time and I thought I heard the plastic spoon click against something. I mentioned it to Nanny G. later when we took the babies on the swing. We checked, and sure enough, there were two teeth in the front of her lower gum. Today we took a special trip to Walgreen's to buy a toothbrush for her. Hopefully the Branch will get teeth soon.

Also, called Nanny A. in Peru this evening. It was great to talk to her. I updated her on the kids and my hospital stay. She will return to FL at the beginning of next year. I can't wait for her to see the twins and how big they will be by then.

Aerial photo

This photo was taken by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) after Hurricane Katrina. Note the "help" signs that are clearly visible.

Ihateclowns.com

New Nanny G. and I were discussing our childhood hatred of clowns. Both of us suffered clown pictures in our bedrooms as children because our parents said the pictures HAD to stay since they were by friends or relatives. I had a pair of paintings my aunt did and Nanny G. had a drawing a good friend of her family did. I was then reminded of Ihateclowns.com. So if you hate clowns as much as we do, check it out.

Nanny G. is Colombian, so it just goes to show you, people all over the world are the same. They hate clowns.

Free Cash for Hurricane Survivors

I don't have a problem with victims receiving $2,000.00 debit cards except for one thing: I wonder how many people will waste the money on alcohol and cigarettes. A better idea would be to give at least some of the money in the form of EBT cards for spending in grocery stores. Then place the rest of the money on Home Depot or Wal-Mart gift cards, with the Wal-Mart funds not applicable for alcohol or tobacco purchases. I just read an article on our local website about some hurricane victims. One of the victims was an eldery man in a wheelchair who bemoaned his lack of medication for his heart condition. But - at the end of the article, the writer described this man lighting up a cigarette! Sorry, but no sympathy here. Guess you don't REALLY need that heart medication if you're still smoking.

Quote of the week

The quote of the week has been updated. At this rate, it may turn out to be the quote of every OTHER week!

Pro Athletes (and fans) Doing Good

Professional athletes as a group get alot of flak about egos, ridiculous salaries and bad behavior. Here's a roster of good (mostly financial) deeds. Let's hope more follow their lead.

Did We Miss Mississippi?

New Orleans is getting much of the attention. But here is an account of things in Mississippi.

For the past two days, when I woke up, the first thought to enter my mind was how thankful I was for my clean, dry, comfortable bed; the meal I last ate, and the safety of my family.

Will the Real Blossom Please Stand Up?

Today the Blossom learned to stand by holding onto the outside of her Exersaucer!