A Cayman Island surprise

Well it all started at the convention in Erie, Pennslyvania I John Ferguson setting up his him setting up his table with the lastest non-passenger plates from the Caymans. I saw everything but a wheelchair plate, which John explained is one of the rarest types to obtain on the Island. During our discussion he smiled and said he'll keep his eyes out. He then saw my display I brought to the convetion entitled "Route 66 by Wheelchair" and knew it just wasn't a display, it was to make people away of folks with disabilities. John and I became close friends and exchanged e-mails. When the convention in Texas rolled around the next year John convinced my parents if they allowed me to get ther4e on my own, he would keep an eye on me. Well despite a few minor bumps in the road, a diverted plane and a lost and then found cellphone among them, John and I had a blast! After the convention he and I continued to converse via e-mail.
A few weeks ago John just sai d in a passing e-mail to keep an eye on my mailbox and today it came, a Cayman Island wheelchiar plate!! I can say this it was definite worth the wait@!

Alabama: At Least We Aren't Mississippi
Alaska: 11,623 Eskimos Can't Be Wrong!
Arizona: But It's A Dry Heat
Arkansas: Literasy Ain't Everything
California: As Seen On TV
Colorado: If You Don't Ski, Don't Bother
Connecticut: Like Massachusetts, Only With Less Character
Delaware: We Really Do Like The Chemicals In Our Water
Florida: Ask Us About Our Grandkids
Georgia: We Put The "Fun" In Fundamentalist Extremism
Hawaii: Haka Tiki Mou Sha'ami Leeki Toru (Death To Mainland Scum, But Leave Your Money)
Idaho: More Than Just Potatoes ... Okay, Maybe Not, But The Potatoes Sure Are Good
Illinois: Please Don't Pronounce the "S"
Indiana: 2 Billion Years Tidal Wave Free
Iowa: We Do Amazing Things With Corn
Kansas: First Of The Rectangle States
Kentucky: Five Million People; Fifteen Last Names
Louisiana: We're Not ALL Drunk Cajun Wackos, That's Our Tourism Campaign
Maine: We're Really Cold, But We Have Cheap Lobster
Maryland: If You Can Dream It, We Can Tax It
Massachusetts: Our Taxes Are Lower Than Sweden's (For Most Tax Brackets)
Michigan: First Line Of Defense From The Canadians
Minnesota: Ten Thousand Lakes ... And Ten Trillion Mosquitoes
Mississippi: Come And Feel Better About Your Own State
Missouri: Your Federal Flood Relief Tax Dollars At Work
Montana: Land Of The Big Sky, The Unabomber, And Right-Wing Crazies, But At Least Our Cows Are Sane!
Nebraska: You're Not In Kansas Anymore
Nevada: Hookers and Poker!
New Hampshire: Go Away And Leave Us Alone
New Jersey: You Want A ##$%##! Motto? I Got Yer ##$%##! Motto Right Here!
New Mexico: Gila Monsters Make Excellent Pets
New York: You Have The Right To Remain Silent, You Have The Right To An Attorney ...
North Carolina: Tobacco Is A Vegetable
North Dakota: We Really Are One Of The 50 States!
Ohio: Don't Judge Us By Cleveland
Oklahoma: Like Texas Without The Money
Oregon: Spotted Owl ... It's What's For Dinner
Pennsylvania: Cook With Coal
Rhode Island: We're Not REALLY An Island
South Carolina: Remember The Civil War? We Didn't Actually Surrender
South Dakota: Closer Than North Dakota
Tennessee: The Educashun State
Texas: Si, Hablo Ingles (Yes, I Speak English)
Utah: Our Jesus Is Better Than Your Jesus
Vermont: Yearrgh!
Virginia: Who Says Government Stiffs And Hillbillies Don't Mix?
Washington: Help! We're Overrun By Nerds And Environmentalists!
Washington, D.C.: Wanna Be Mayor?
West Virginia: One Big Happy Family ... Really!
Wisconsin: Come Smell Our Dairy Air
Wyoming: Where Men Are Men ... and the sheep are scared !!!

Found these at http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/holybook/jokes/mottos.html

Mike Adams,WA2MWT,SK

Mike Adams,WA2MWT, Ramsey's OEM Coordinator, passed away earlier this week. Besides being a friend, mentor and all around great guy he was a member of the 10-70 Repeater Association. The 10-70 Board decided to publish a few tributes to Mike Adams in their newsletter, but I missed the deadline. So I decided to put it on this blog instead. May Mike rest in peace


My friendship with Mike Adams started the way most of my current friendships have started.......through e-mail. Mike had stumbled upon my website by doing what countless others h av e done, searched for frequencies for towns in Bergen County. Of course he already had the frequencies for his hometown but wanted to listen in to different towns in the area. He e-mailed The original exchanges back and forth gave us a chance to get to know each other better. >At the same time David Kozinn started a mailing list for Northern New Jersey police scanner enthusiasts, I was the second member, Mike joined the group shortly after. I didn't know it then but over the next fifteen years Mike and I would share some good times together
It wasn't long after Mike and I started e-mailing privately, in one of the e-mails I had mentioned my grandfather had built the Howard Johnsons in Ramsey. Mike immediately recalled a few stories where he visited the restaurant and even met my future mom a few times. We immediately began exchanging e-mails on a fairly frequent basis. Like he did with countless other people, Mike encouraged me to become involved in emergency communications. He was the first person who said I had the determination to get my license. After a few weeks of studying, I went down to a VE session and passed my Technician test.
Mike then invited my down to the Ramsey EOC to see their radio setup and meet the other members of the Ramsey OEM. He introduced me to the group and made me feel like one of the group from the first time I walked into the basement of Ramsey Borough Hall. Over the years since I have participated in a lot of events with Ramsey OEM. From Field Days to the famous January VHF Contests, Mike has always been there to lend a helping hand.
Throughout the years Mike and I had some very good conversations. I only recently found out before he became director of Ramsey OEM Mike was a guidance counselor. A job fit for him because he was so easy to talk to about anything on your mind. Even though he was easy-going, Mike as took every conversation he had to heart. He was the one everybody went to when they had a problem. No matter what was on your mind, Mike was always t here to help you figure it out.
I will miss Mike very much< I know I am a better person for have known Mike. His laughter, quick whit and desire to always help other people will never be forgotten. Justin Mattes,KC2GIK

Mike Adams Obiturary

2 One-day road trips Part I

Sometimes travelling realitively close to home is better than travelling far away. Jason DeCaesare, a fellow plate guy, photography buff, computer whiz and all-around great guy, decided to break in his new car with a road trip to Woodcliff Lake to pick me up. Our plan was focused (forgive the pun)on photography. I never actually took a trip into the city, or anywhere specifically for taking pictures compared to Jason who takes these trips on a fairly regular basis. Jason, like myself, is advid fire buff! He has literatelly thousands of images of firetrucks, from the FDNY to Ohio to everywhere in between. So one of the goals of the trip was to shoot some of the local departments. Jason picked me up early Saturday morning and we headed into Rockland County NY where qwent around to the different firehouses, all volunteer. The firefighters at the Nyack fire department where great, not only did they allow us to look around the firehouse, the pulled their trucks out so we could shoot them. We also toured their firehouse and snappened some shots! After that we made o ur way to a few other firehouses around Rockland County!! Jason and I looked at each other jand said we should head into New York City, so we made our wa y down to the West Side hiway. During the entire trip we wound up having unbelievable luck, something Jason seems to have everywhere he goes. Our tour took us past Hook & Ladder Company #8 which we all know was used for the exteriors for Ghostbusters. I always kn ew it was a real firehouse, but never knew the exact location, even though we didn't stop to shoot it, it was very cool to see. As we went through the Lincoln Tuneel, Jason of course had to play the theme sonmg to the Sapranos. We made our way home to Woodcliff Lake and a chinese food dinner!!!!

Rockland County Pictures

Happy Veteran's Day

Taps played with words

Day is done
Gone the Sun
From the hills
From the lake
From the skies
All is well
God is night

God Bless the men and women who fight everyday to make this country safe.