Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Greg in Sparks (not Reno), NV on November 11, 2008:

Great write-up, Randy! I felt like I was there with you, meeting Jeff, Jared and Vince, walking the halls of the West Wing, and passing out GOOHF cards (one of my favorite pastimes :-). Since you won't tell us what's wrong with the WH maps, maybe you'll tell us what was on Vince's t-shirt.

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Heh! I've already asked him to send it, hope to hear back soon. As you'd expect, it's funny. -rc

Posted by Cathy in Casselberry, FL on November 11, 2008:

You said that you noticed mistakes on every floor plan. I can't help but wonder if the lack of a "ladies room" on the West Wing's ground floor is one of them.

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OK, I'll confirm that one. -rc

Posted by David, Winnipeg, Canada on November 11, 2008:

I am very envious, the only way it could have been better is if you ran into the President himself (and gave him a card in person!)

Regardless of one's views on either man, Obama is the one that probably needs a GOOHF card far more than Bush does at this stage of the game ...

Posted by Sue in Grand Rapids, MI on November 11, 2008:

Kit's childhood friend is James Brady, not John Hinkley Jr, right?

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Nope; Hinkley. She hadn't heard from him for years before "the incident", of course. -rc

Posted by Sue, Claremont, CA on November 11, 2008:

Thanks for including us in your tour. The photos of the White House & grounds are wonderful & I think the ones Kit took of you are the best I've seen of you. Ugly, indeed! lol

Posted by Jenni Colorado on November 11, 2008:

I was delighted to hear Vince is still alive and kicking, but bummed he plans to never revive Humournet. I almost got to meet him in person several years ago, but sadly we just couldn't coordinate our schedules while I was in DC. Glad to know he's doing well!

And thanks for the virtual tour of the White house!

Posted by Ron from Moose Jaw, Sk,, Canada on November 11, 2008:

Thanks for the reminder about HumourNet and for the link to many fine memories. It was good to see a picture of Vince Sabio. It is funny how I expect people I've never seen but admire greatly to be ten feet tall. He could have been over eight feet tall at most. ;-) Thanks for the wonderful travelogue.

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He was standing on a milk crate in order to get his arm on my shoulder. -rc

Posted by John, Philadelphia on November 11, 2008:

Very cool narrative, and the photos help bring it alive. I liked it that you made a reference to the "West Wing" TV show; it made me realize that this fictional show is my own frame of reference for the offices, rooms, and interior spaces in the White House--more so than the public tour I took 30 some years ago.

Posted by Vicki, CO on November 11, 2008:

I also noticed no women's room on the first floor plan, thinking...it figures. Good to know it is a deliberate error.

And there is that degree of separation thing again...James Brady grew up and went to Centralia, IL High School, where I also grew up and went to high school (a few years behind Mr. Brady, so I never actually knew him).

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No idea if the lack of a ladies room on the map is a deliberate error or not. That one is an older floorplan, but from what I could tell not a whole lot has changed. It could be that when it was made, there wasn't a ladies room, and it's been added since. But that would surprise me.... -rc

Posted by Linda, Seattle on November 11, 2008:

It shows how this world really does evolve around who one knows. And to think if you hadn't started ThisIsTrue, you'd probably still be with JPL!

What an insight on being able to tour the West Wing and to meet Jared, who heard that Jeff was there. I've heard that the floor plan was not the actual. Loved the fact that your toe touched the Oval Office rug.

You're looking great. Great camera!

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Heh! Yeah, it's all in the camera. :-) But just so: I had a pretty good little career going at JPL, and it wasn't a bad place to work. I just didn't like living in L.A. anymore.... -rc