Almost a new year and the start of a new election year, and I can't wait to see who the loser we put into office. If we look at it historically our batting record isn't all that great when it comes to putting more than a mediocre figure head, most of the time it is because we vote with our emotions. We tend to leave our detatchment at the door.
So it doesn't matter who one chooses because if one is in the majority, chances are that president will either be mediocre. Spend more time pleasing the masses than being a leader, or nothing at all, going through the motions until the last year of the first 4 yr stint and then pouring on the gas until people are fooled into the notion their president is actually working for that paycheck. Let us hope this year will be the year we tell the media what we've already known. They have no clue, we look to them for guidance and they deliver emotion. They entertain us while guiding us toward the candidate that fits the bill of they're masters. Let this be the year we will actually do our own research instead of letting CNN or FOX tell us what to think or who to pick. Let this be the year of a true democratic race picked by the common man for the common man.
Let it be so, but probably won't, so here is to another year. After Bush let's be careful in our choices. As for me I'll be voting for the loser, whether or not it will be the one who loses the election or the loser in office goes to be seen.

Affirmative action may be on ballots

Overall I had no qualms with this article. I didn't feel the writer was leading me down a rosy path that leads to a fall, but I was a little taken aback at the language use by executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri. Being the executive director of a law group, albeit pro bono group of lawyers, I would have thought Brenda Jones would have understood the power of words to make one seem intelligent and authoratative, or reveal one to be the opposite. I guess not when she told the paper the group looking to ban affirmative action were,"co-opting the language of Martin Luther King." I was left scratching my head wondering whether she meant MLK jr, or the german monk that help begin the protestant movement. Was she taking for granted that we all knew to whom she was refering, I'm sure more than a few of us know the german monk primarily and the civil activist as a matter of necesity.

My take on this subject is I'm against affirmative action as it stands. I think a person must be chosen by the skill set they can provide and not by color of their skin. I don't think Martin Luther King, jr. that is, would see today's affirmative action as a leveling tool. I think he would see it as a different form of segregation.

Well I got the present they wanted. I really need to remember about gift registrations for the next time someone makes the mistake of inviting me to a wedding. Now I'm stuck with a vacuum cleaner. Maybe I'll save it for a house warming gift, or sell it on e-bay. Anyone need a vacuum cleaner?

I got home in time to cook up four fruit cakes with the ingredients left over from the last batch. I saved the receipts to work out cost of unit in case I need to sell batches for rent. A couple of the cakes ended up with bottoms that were overcarmalize, but with enough brandy spritz I don't think anyone would care. I think I now understand why good food is made at home and not bought. Really good rum is dark with molasses, and costs upward of 10.00 for a bottle that is less than a quart. A quart of rum is the quantity of rum needed to masticate enough dried fruit for 5 cakes. So to mass produce one would have to forgo tasty rum and go with the for alcoholic, and less tasty, rum.

receipts are seperated by months and somewhat by catagory. Now I need to build a spread sheet to play with the numbers and find where to cut what spending and where.

Getting a little antsy about being jobless. I'm holding fast to waiting for the new year but I know I need cash flow by mid-January at the earliest. I also need to get rid of stuff. If I move to a smaller apt. then the less that I need to fit to easier the move.

Spent the morning organizing 6mo of receipts. I've a long way to go to be sure but there are other things that need doing. My final goal is an end of the year accounting as to where my money went. From this tally I hope to put together a budget for next year, one that I am sure will bite the dust as soon as Feb08.

I came home yesterday from my parents home to get ready for a freinds wedding taking place tomorrow. I still need to get a haircut, and repurchase a wedding gift(someone told me that a vacuum cleaner doesn't make for a good wedding gift.

While I'm in town I should also visit location with my business cards and inventory, or move them around.

What did I do for this Christmas? Absolutely nothing, which would the main goal for Christmas but it something I've been doing for the last 3 mo. I did get to do nothing at my parents house which is much more welcome than by myself. We had a small dinner, since I'm now on a much more limited funding than before unemployment. Mom made some Home and potatoes. We watched I three of the four versions of Miracle 34th Street, Carol Burnette's Bio, and a look at the vaudevillians that made the jump from vaudeville to radio and then television.
Of the three version I saw of 34th street, I think I'm more partial to the Natalie Wood version. It could be that I'm just old and remember it better, but somethings in the '90s version just made it hard to push that I believe button. In the '47 version and on the '73 version there was a drawing together of the lawyer and the critical mom but no wedding bells and that is just fine by me. Plot was there and maybe because of the cultural climes of the day, figured that the lawyer dude was going to marry the woman, okay in the '79 version we didn't really care if he just moved in and played the father while the couple lived in sin. I the '90s version I didn't see alot development as far as the two adults were concerned. Not enough be anything but cinical of an impromtu wedding after midnight mass, of which none of the participants were aware of. Yup I said to myself, this is a marriage that should last as long as any hollywierd dating. I also liked Santa speaking some random foreign tounge while the girl watches from the sideline.

Christian biologist fired for beliefs, suit says

I think the problem here is not which is “true” or not “true”. This scientist was willing to use the company’s methods to conduct his research; he was just unwilling to accept their views. The judge agreed with the company that his lack of faith in Darwinian evolution would make it difficult on the company because their end product was based upon Darwinian Theory.
What I see of this runs a little deeper. It appears that if you are in a field such as biology and retain your

How objective can an observation be if everyone must first believe the same thing before their view is acceptable.

Last time I checked science was not taught as a religion. I you needed was fact. Faith was something for theology courses. So what can we say about science if the hard question are ignored or swept under the table. The science I thought I was being taught in High School welcomed all comers, and disdained the control of knowledge as by the church during the time of Galileo. But there is a new “competitor” on the scene, those who do not believe in Darwinian evolution. These people may or may not be Christian. There are a lot of dissenters that are Christian, but there are also those that just do not believe the theory matches the facts. Darwin’s Black Box by Michael Behe points at places where this theory fails to match up to evidences in biochemistry. Richard Milton, covered several subjects from geology to the fossil record in his book. These voices should be added to the mix of what we know, and what is in question, but they aren’t. Just like the clergy of old, whatever agrees with the model and acceptable, whatever runs counter to the model while either in whole or in part, is disregarded and therefore there is no need for an answer. Whoever was guilty of bringing such a controversial point to light is also dismissed, forever to be deemed by a quack by the rest of the community. At least until a couple of generations later, tectonic movement was considered preposterous by the then “educated” society.

Yes lest I be accused of omitting the fact, I am a Christian, and yes I believe God created the heavens in the earth. What I don’t know I understand the knowledge of man is flawed and all the unimportant stuff will be reveilded when the curtain is pulled away. But, in religion faith isn’t a luxury, in science faith is not only not needed but unwelcome. When the Church took over scientific research what we knew of the earth went back by thousands of years, what was evident was pushed aside for something more comfortable to their world view, and now it is happening again.

Army Desertion Rate Jumps Sharply


I don’t think this is much of a surprise. Now deployments have jumped to 1 year and up, and they can expect only a measly year back in country before redeployment. In short that sucks. It isn’t 1 year back and then start work ups, its one back then deployment, so how much time does one receive treatment for possible PTSD or with family. I would guess about 2 weeks. At first it these people were making a bee line to the door, then with stop loss blocking that exit. Of course stop loss is only a short term solution because given enough time they’ll find they’re own exit. To think these soldiers will not find better treatment on their own in the absence of assistance from their bosses is straight crazy.
Of course there are people out there who would point at this title and immediately point toward Vietnam. Some people would say this is a sign that soldiers don’t agree with the war. But I beg to differ. If these soldiers were indeed at odds with the war, then why did they join? Who didn’t tell them of the likelihood of being sent to war. When I recruited my DEPPers were never short of people to warn them about brainwashing, the likelihood of war, and anything else could be thought of.
No I think this is definitely about a need to better help our soldiers. Instead throwing them into the grinder over and over again, there has to be a time set aside especially for family separation, and to treat PTSD. All soldiers who were in theatre for the first time should have 6mo to a year of treatment maximum of counseling, so that nobody sticks out. The biggest problem with seeking help is firstly not everyone admits to the need for help, and others know the need but fear in onus of looking like a wimp or being crazy. If everyone has to seek counseling then no one seems like a loser. In that year off rotation family member should be devoted to family. No week to month long training missions away from the family.
Some would think that these suggestions would mamby – pamby our soldiers, but I think The goal should be to keep what we have so the experience that they learned on the battlefield can be passed on to those fresh from boot.

Halo 3 and Suicide Bombing
Isn’t it wonderful when the complicated concepts of life are accidentally brought to understanding through a simpler medium. From the game civilization we learn more about what it takes to run a civilization, from Sim City we learn what it takes to run a city, but these games were designed to teach while it entertains. Halo doesn’t anything but the joy of killing, and teamwork as long the goal remains the same. But to gain an understanding the mind set of a suicide bomber, is so cool.

N. Korea Thanks U.S. for Piracy Aid


The article paints these thanks as a sign of improving relations between the U.S. and N Korea. Since I’m a fan of the ironic, I focus more on N Korea role as a pirate nation and the U.S. role as the cops in international waters. N Korea, among it’s other fund raising events like trafficking people and drugs, counterfeiting, will occasionally sponsors piracy. The United States’ stand against piracy is such that it will assist any nation that is attacked by pirates.

Of course the mere fact N Korea decided to publicly thank the U.S. for it’s assistance does show a lot toward good relations. Of course it would more pleasing if N Korea publicly denounced piracy and actively sought to curtail its practice. I know I go too far to dream that dream. The people are the nation, not the government. It is these people that do not get access at the choice cuts when resources are divvyed up by the Government, and that is what causes the ‘need’ to way lay ships that pass too close to their shores. If the Gov cracked down of these pirates, the pirates would turn to other ways of making money and cause more heartache. These poverty stricken citizens might start robbing other poverty stricken citizens on their way to work. So as long as these pirates are placated money earned by mugging foreigners, The Gov of N Korea has to expend a smidgen effort to keep them in line.

Man builds Jet Simulator in his Bedroom



I think the best part of this story is how he had to give the wife the boot because there just wasn’t enough room for her and the simulator. I think it show a wonderful sense of priority. Of course business would pick up a lot faster if he didn’t try to recoup his losses all at once. $130, for an hour seems a bit much. I’m sure he isn’t using the money to pay for Fuel.

Dozens Arrested in Anti-War Protest


Andrew Yankey, a spokesman for the anti-war Olympia
Port Militarization Resistance
told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the
demonstrators were not protesting the
soldiers, who had recently returned from Iraq, but the
equipment that he said likely will
be shipped to war again.

It seems Andy here has either lost his sense of logic, or maybe,though he isn’t protesting the soldiers, Andy is indifferent to their plight. The goal of these demonstrators was to interrupt the flow of equipment to where it was needed most. Of course if these protestors succeeded in stopping these shipments it wouldn’t have stopped the combat in Iraq or Afganistan. Instead it would just mean the soldiers still in these combat zones would have less to fight with, making their coming home a little less likely. It’s seems this group is under the same misguided understanding congress is in. If we take away the toys then the country won’t fight. Ultimately I’m sure this would prove true, but at what cost. Who would we blame the 1000 extra deaths on. Maybe we could pin it on the president's already excessive bill, or will these groups take some of the responsibility. I’m sure it would be the latter. Our society today does seem to have trouble sticking to their guns, afraid to lose the popular opinion.

Know Thine Enemy


A friend of mine loves listening to some conservative talk show host on the radio; she swears by this guy and would happily pass on any information gleaned from this maven of knowledge without first checking the material. This often put her in the predicament being wrong, and sincere in her incompetence. I used to listen to these talk shows myself once upon a time, but after listening for at least 6mo I realized they do what I do but get paid top dollar for their effort. These supposed authority spew garbage, some of which seem to be thought up on the spot, and being radio their audience are probably stuck in traffic with no means of checking the information. Radio stations could save themselves a pretty penny by just getting me drunk and asking me what I thought about some controversial subject, like what’s up with Black Water, and record me as I spew my drunken tripe.
Last night at small group this freind spoke of this talk show host report on some supposed Wiccan coven that performed baby sacrifices on their holy days of the years. I really tried to think if this could be possible and after I got home I picked up my favorite little Handbook by Steve Russo. I really don’t know where this talk show host got his info but whoever this group is they cannot be Wiccan. Baby sacrifice runs counter to the Wiccan philosophy of doing know harm.
As a Christian I stand against the Wiccan belief to be sure, but I don’t think any enemy of my enemy is my friend. There are people I have seen who stand against abortion, and homosexuality, just as I do but we are hardly freind. Some of these people claim to be Christians. But, from what I can see the Christ they follow is not my Christ. My Christ is a God of love, he hated sins but loved the sinner. He never condone killing. It was never left to us to judge, just to rebuke sin in hopes that the person may repent. We are to leave the time of judgment in Gods hands, He has appointed the day and the hour. He didn’t ask for any help from us to make the meeting of God and Sinner Possible.
I love the people of Wicca but I hate the faith. It saddens me that people have fallen to such a lie as this, giving glory unto them selves by some power of demonic origin. I am sadden that many of these people probably fell to this religion not out of dissatisfaction of God but because of those who had been trusted to be stewards of his name on earth. These Shepherds either spouted the word of God but did not live God’s word. These people neither studied the word nor taught it to their children. These people have caused their sons and daughters to forsake God, and drove them from him.
I think the enemy should be represented properly, neither adding to his power nor taking away from his powers. We must not teach our children to fear the enemy for the wrong reason; this may actual drive them to the enemy. When our children discover our ignorance they will wonder how ignorant are we? They will seek out those who are more versed in the faith than we. These people will of course be those that follow the faith. These sages will fill their heads with positive aspects of what they believe and leave out the negative aspects of their faith.
In a nut shell the Wicca comes from the Anglo-Saxon word wicce, which means to bend or shape nature to ones service. Each person practices this differently because Wicca is a personal religion. There is only rule that is steadfast,” to do no harm.” “To do no harm” is a long way from “love thy enemy” of course, but to a world where love has less to do with treating the homeless as we would want others to treat us if we were homeless, and more to do with sex ‘to do no harm’ actually sounds close to the Golden Rule.
Wicca is all about Self empowerment, they do not pray for what troubles them, they make it happen. No reason to wait on God to make up his mind as to how important it is for him if I have the power within myself. If witches have a friend or a friend of a friend who is sick they cast a spell. Difference between prayer and spell casting is prayer ultimately bowing to Gods will. Prayer is all about faith, not faith that God will give you your hearts desire but if he doesn’t it is for your benefit, and his glory. I once was told by another friend that some rock star idol of his said that if we made a journal of all our prayer as they came true the best we could hope for was 50:50. Two things came to mind, first was God isn’t Satan Claus and if this rock star’s prayer ratio was 50% he sure had a heart for God, which was amazing for someone who despised God.

Minorities Less Likely to Trick or Treat



Me, I’m not much for Halloween. After being around long enough to learn it’s history I find very little about this day to cause to celebrate it. But, one were aethiest, agnostic, pagan, or other such non-thinking specimen than by all means enjoy your Holiday. I’ll be in the house with the lights off to mark my out of play status. That been said something about this article from the guardian strikes as odd. First instance in this commentary was this sentence.


“Lower-income people and minorities are more
likely to worry that it might not be safe to send their
children out on Halloween night.”

I found myself wondering if this author counting practice. Did she count all lower income families and then discount any minorities that may have already been counted from the tally of minorities that may have been in the first category. From the sound of it they seemed to have done their own leg work that is a good thing.


“Similarly, 93 percent of people earning $50,000 or more
said their communities are safe for trick-or-treating,
compared with 76 percent of those making less than
$25,000.

Well life has indeed changed, when I was a kid 25,000 annual income was middle class, give you an idea how old I am. I remember hearing from adults about candy being a nickel and I would wonder what it would be like to have to say that to a younger generation. Be careful of what you wish for.


``I'm a forensic nurse and I know what happens,''
she said. "It's very different from when I was
little.''

So let me see I have this clearly. Is she saying that when she was little she was a forsenic nurse, wow and just when I thought I was slow learner in high school but then comes along someone to make me feel even worse.


``It's demonic,'' said Donna Stitt, 37, a nursing aide
from with four young children. ``People are
celebrating the dead. I'm not into that.''

I’m with Donna let the dead worship the dead. I shall worship the Christ.

Rowling: Potter's Dumbledore Gay
By AP/HILLEL ITALIE Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007


Based her on fan fiction Rowling came to this conclusion, it wasn’t due to what Rowling planned long ago but what some 16 year old girl concluded based on faulty logic. Therefore uses some sort of ‘Darwinian’ method to shape the world that she created, in which she plays the role of nature and chooses which mutation will stick and which will pass into time, whatever it is her book but I wish this puppet master would use a bit of critical thinking.
The basis in which some fans see Dumbledore as gay is he has no close relationships with women, and has a troubled past. Considering a majority of her fans are teenagers, ‘love’ and sex tends to, saturate their world. Their hormonal factories are in start up and still calibrating, some sprout like weeds, some remain stunted until the end of their adolescence. Most teenagers have problems with acne because their oil glands increased activity. Yes, their diet does not help matter. Yet for many this diet remains into the latter parts of puberty when these factories are close to their correct settings, and yet the zits decrease.
Let us walk through there observations. They claim Dumbledore must be gay because he does not have doesn’t have any close relations with women. If Dumbledore were gay he would be like any other person, homosexuality does not take from his libido, only modify the flavor of it’s longing. I always thought of Dumbledore as dedicated to his work. He is the ultimate administrator. His job is to craft young boys and girls into wizards and witches. This is a dangerous task, and I’m sure take a lot of his time. Harry’s earlier years at Hogwarts most of his attention was placed on Harry. The risk of Harry becoming a poisoned dragon, or killed by the followers of Valdemort, and living in a house of muggles that hated wizardry required Dumbledore to keep a close eye on Harry.
If Rowling wants Dumbledore to be gay then fine, I think it would damage the story for me but sure, make him gay. However put some stronger evidence than he has no love life. Hell I have no love life, especially in the way the world would have me paint what love should be, but it doesn’t keep me from watching some cute tail once in awhile, I just don’t see any reason for any sort of relationship. Lacking any evidence as to one way or the other I would thank Rowling to keep her personal views out of my reading thank you. If she didn’t intend him to be one way or the other then allow me, not some 16 year old, to shape the world I’m immersing myself in.

Here is a new cut for the lottery scams. The scammers send out noticifcation that you had just won the UK lottery. This lottery is based on random drawing from email addresses collected from through out the internet. How this is possible is beyond me since the only person to receive my email address, As far as I know, are the people I send it to. Of course at the bottom of the letter is a list of personal information that they need to process my winnings. Knowing this set up I put down all false information, actually mythical place and smart ass remarks were my answers. Weeks pass and I receive the below letter:

BRITISH NATIONAL LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS:28 TAN FIELD ROAD ,CROYDON,LONDON .Ref: UK/9420X2/68Batch: 074/05/ZY369

ATTN: Esteemed Winner,

I want to inform you that your verification details have been received and have been processed. I must say that you should count yourself extremely lucky to have emerged as one of our lucky winners in the UK National Lottery Online Sweepstakes International Program.As you already know, all participants for the online version were selected randomly from the World Wide Web through a computer draw system and extracted from over 1,000,000 unions, associations and corporate bodies that are listed online and each email address was attatched to a ticket number. Your email address attatched to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 was selected which automatically makes you one of our lucky winners.

Your funds have been approved for release and we will begin the process of remittance of your prize money to you immediately. I have contacted the UK National Lottery Advisory Board and The Internal Revenue Board on this matter and we have decided to send your winning parcel which contains your certified bank cheque, original copies of your winning certificate, consolation prizes which include a Dell Inspiron 6400 Laptop, a UK Lottery Branded T-shirt, a UK Lottery Branded Baseball cap and security Documents via a secured and efficient courier service.

We have also contacted our affiliate Courier Company INTERNATIONAL COURIER SYSTEMS and have directed them to pick up your winning parcel from the National Head Quaters.Do note, that sequel to UK Lottery Acts 249(n) of 1972 ammended in July, 1996 to ensure the actual winning prize get to Winners, the Courier charges cannot be deducted from your winning claims because your winning claim is bonded by a hard cover insurance policy that gives only the winner access to the prize money.
Hence you will be responsible for all costs incurred in mailing your winning parcel to you.
Please forward your Name,Correct Delivery Address,Telephone Number,Age,Sex.Occupation,Country to The Client Services Manager, INTERNATIONAL COURIER SYSTEMS and he will get to you as soon as your winning parcel is ready for delivery.
MR HARRISON BLAIR
Client Services Manager.INTERNATIONAL COURIER SYSTEMS

Tel: +44-701-113-5808

EMAIL: infoicsdeliveriesagent@yahoo.co.uk
icscourierservice@mail2world.com
Do not hesitate to contact this office via telephone or email if the need arises.Congratulations once again,
MRS ROWLEY WHITEClaims DepartmentThe UKNL Foundation

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned !!!

When I read that my information was processed my first thought was “how the hell could the information be processed if there is no place called Faerieland.” At the bottom of the letter is a phone number, and I start to think what if. Of course I’m not about to change my mind and send personal info to an unknown entity, so I research. I avoid the phone number, since some scams require a phone in, so they can use your number to reverse charges for other international calls, or charge outlandish toll fees. So I go to my old friend Google and discover another person to hear from this organization. He gets to step two and starts doubting his first judgement, and he sends his personal info. After a brief follow up with this ‘company’ he receives a notice from some courier service requesting his personal info again along with a picture of his driver license.
Wow I don’t know who these people are but that takes balls to try that one.

The U.S. and Turkey: Honesty Is the Best Policy
SAMANTHA POWER

In this article Samantha points out the reasons why we should take Turkey to task for their Genocide 93 years ago. She points out all the things that we have done for them in ensuing years in which, though there may be hurt feelings, the Turks should find reason to suck it up a little and at most and we could carry on. I believe the point of her article is to try to convince those in Congress that were on board with this resolution to find some back bone and do the right thing.
We have done some pretty impressive things for Turkey, according to Samantha, but she also points out the strength of Turkey's ungratefulness. When we asked to stage an assault from a base in Tukey, Turkey was so underwhelmed with what has been given them that they told us to pack sand. I have no doubt in my mind if we deliver this resolution, we will lose our supply train into Iraq. I am all for people 'fessing up for the crimes they commit, but I doubt Pelosi would be putting the screw to this resolution if were not a means to an end.
Pelosi is willing to sacrafice a few tens of thousands of fighting personel, if it means another tens of thousand wouldn't go and relieve them. Again I ask if this is such a hot topic why is it being brought up now after, two funding bills were shot down? Why wasn't this brought up earlier when she took over her new position as lead dawg. She was pretty succinct about bringing our boys and girls home, she could have fit the armenian problem in there also. Do what is right, but do it for the right reasons.

So We voted for these people?

You would think that with Emperor Bush at the helm our congress and senatorial bodies would have their hands full. We have borders that let in the people we want to stop and stop the work force that is required to make our nation function. We have Emperor Bush agreeing with the world court and trying to subject their authority over the sovereignty state courts. We have problems with the deficit. It is expected for a country to have some debt, but ours is reaching 10 bil. according to CNN.
So with all this in the air screaming for attention what does our congress spend time doing. They are writing a resolution condemning Turkey for it genocidal action in the 1st World War, the 1st World War. This is so wrong on so many levels. More presently is our need for continued support from that country. According to Gen. Gates:
“70% of U.S. air cargo destined for Iraq goes through
Turkey, as does about one-third of the fuel used by the U.S.
military in Iraq.”
I guess the congress feels that the best way to support our troops by bringing them home is to cut their legs out from under them by taking away their support, yes that seems like some wise thinking.
CNN did a brief summary which showed why the Bush administration, Military leaders, and even some congressmen were against it. Afterward Wolf Blitzer felt the need to highlight what Pres. Bush said in 2000, before 9/11 and before the quagmire called Iraqi freedom. The then Gov. Bush told the American public that it was terrible what the Turks did to the Armenian people and he wants to officially recognize it when he is president. It was indeed naïve of us to believe him when his lips moved but we were younger then. A full year passed and no movement of any resolution. It is only now when we are dependent of this country for supplies that we decided to put forth this resolution. Think about it 1917 to 2000 no official condemnation from the United States, in 2000 we hear a presidential candidate say he’s going to raise a fuss, and then nothing until 2007. This isn’t something passed because of genuine care for a heinous crime, it is nothing more than machinations to stop an unpopular war.
It all comes down to this how does one withdraw an arrowhead without making the wound bigger? Our legislative body listens to all of us ‘experts’ and tells us it must be pulled out the same way it went in. Their entire strategy is designed to force the administration and the military to do just that. But I’m under the mind set that when Bush messed up he did it big time, there are no little mistakes as president. Like a barb arrow the only way to free us of this conflict is to push on through.

Tank Girl

I watched tank girl today, a video that I had queued in my Block Buster account. I would have to say that the movie was Okay. IMDB gave the movie a 4.5 out of 10, but I don’t think it would given this movie any more credit if the movie had rocked; Tank Girl is a geek movie. The world is post apocalyptic and most of the water is monopolized by big brother, and that says geek.

I cut the fight sequences some slack, it was made in 1995. The same year Jackie Chan went main stream with his rumble in the Bronx, introducing a new kind of flow to the movie fight scene. Jet Li doesn’t even come on the scene for another 3 years.

I had the feeling that more than a handful of film ended on the cutting room floor, because the movie had a jerky feel to it. There are no smooth transitions from one part of the movie to another, just a flash of cut scenes from the comic book and there you are another part of the movie.

After some research on IMDB I noticed that Talalay is credited with mostly with television programs. What I see is either movie producer sees her lacking in talent for a movie has relegated her to the television medium, or when she did Tank Girl she lacked the experience. Either way what it meant for the movie was a mediocre movie. I never read the comic, but I could garner from the slide show of bridging scenes I would have liked it all lot. I don’t think Talalay successfully transitioned the mediums.

Well though it really isn’t official, because I’m still getting paid until the 31st of December, but today was my last day in uniform. Since I’ve had long leave periods before, the longest being 46 days, I won’t actually feel the loss until I get my first pay cut and have to get another job. I was up all last night printing copies of my med record. I thought the clerk wanted two copies, he only wanted me to make a copy, So now I’m stuck with two copies of my Med record, one hard the other digital, and two copies of my Dental Record. Of course I also remembered to remove my film from the dental record, the nice lady and branch dental reminded about that one.

General Pace Says Gay Sex Immoral
I know this guy is going to take a lot of gripe about this one, but I don’t think they should look at the man who said the words but those who put him where he is at. Pace on the other hand should be praised for speaking out on how he sees it. If the world at large doesn’t like the answer then maybe the world at large should stop asking the question. There are already laws and standard put into place by offices higher than the one held by the general, so whatever he feels about the subject and irrelevant to what action he takes. He is in the same boat as the rest us in the military. I was dead set against the invasion of Iraq. I agreed with the need to remove Sadam but I understood that our forces were too thin for two conflicts. Since the cold war the military was cutting back on manpower. During the ‘90s the army seemed to be downsizing with a sling blade. I also knew that after taking out the government and it’s infrastructure of Iraq we would be stuck there until a new one was put into place to replace the one we just destroyed. I knew we would be stuck in Iraq for at least ten years rebuilding. We’re the United States and it is our M.O.. But when the order came I went, because I had given my word and 15yr in the Navy taught me that my word was a word not easily broken. This general is under that same sword, and for a lot longer than me I am sure.
Sure I agree with what he said homosexuality. It is sinful and therefore immoral, if you asked me I would tell you what I though. If you don’t like my answer don’t ask the question. While the majority of the young kids commit the same fornications but with the opposing gender, why would I want to single out one group of people. Sure I’m opposed to marriage amongst homosexual; I think there are more than enough heterosexuals already making a mockery of this institution. However if the subject should ever come to a vote I think I’ll have take a pass. I will just skip over that ballot item to something I feel is more worthy of my time. Who knows maybe this gay marriage thing will pass by default because more people than just me will see the hypocrisy of the whole thing.
The people I am more concerned with are the people sitting behind the general. After he said that he was judging the sin and not the person these people called him a bigot. But if he already said that there were many a fine person that chooses to live this life style how would that make him a bigot. Is he a bigot because he doesn’t agree with their point of view, does that even make sense? I myself am omnivorous that mean I will eat the flesh of some dead animal as readily as some vegetable matter, but if some Vegan told me that my practices were wrong would I see them as a bigot certainly not. I would continue in my unhealthful ways, unless one is training to be an athlete eating animal proteins aren’t all that necessary, but I would refrain from eating animal proteins in their presence because it would make them uncomfortable. So who is the bigot, the people behind him filled with their hate and rage are the bigots. They judged him not from his actions but by his ideological stance.


Ran
I watched a movie called Ran. It watches like a shakespearian drama. I lord abdicates to his to his sons hoping that they would rule together. His third son he banishes in a fit of rage, and other two sons turn around and humiliate him and drive out of their castles. The two son drive the old lord into some outskirt castle then attack him, killing off his retinue. They kill off men and women , the young and old, the only reason they didn’t kill him was because he went mad. There is a lot of court intrigue in this movie, people backstabbing each other, concubines running their kings, it was great. Yes it was all in japanese but I'm hard core anime so I'm use to sub titles.
The only thing I could say negative about this movie is it runs a little long. As an American a movie needs to last no longer than 90 minutes, thanks to television I have a short attention span. Very few movies have ever had such a hold on my testies that I would watch the whole movie and later realize it was 2 hrs or more in duration, Lord of the ring is one of them.

23Sept07
Nice Weather
I’m guessing its going to be a cold winter this winter, thank you God. It was crazy hot, on Labor Day. Not three weeks later it feels like 71 degrees during the day, with rain clouds looming. I’m hoping we’re going to get the type of rainy season that we had in 03.

End of a historic day
I guess I can’t just have a normal everyday type duty day for my last day in the Navy. It look like it would be at first, but eventually the time came to be relieved and there was no relief in sight. The guy that was suppose to relieve me didn’t know whether or not he was qualified, turned out he wasn’t, and the guy that was suppose to be playing back up could not be reached. Eventually, around 0900, I got Coulter involved and he made some phone calls. Of course the non-qual’ was already on his way in, and after blessings from Coulter I left him in charge of the shop.
I stopped off on my way out to check on my leave chit for Monday. I’m really not surprised that it isn’t up there, it came back for a rewrite last week, so I’m sure that it will be on the quarterdeck by 1000- which is about 2 hours after my leave is suppose to start.
When I got home I tried to stay up, I didn’t want to throw off my sleep schedule. I vacuumed the house and did a general clean up, but I didn’t make it past 1400. As soon as Car Talk was over I took a 30 min nap that lasted until 1900.

Whats my job again
I heard a report that Michael Aguirre is advising a stage 2 water alert. Two things I found strange about this news. First, what does water have to do with Legal advisory. As City Attorney his job is Advise the city in Legalities. Unless he is trying to head off what could be a nasty law suit he should remember what his job is. Secondly when channel ten went out to find people to talk in the negative the only person I heard from was some guy worried about whether or not he would be able to water his grass. Are you effin kidding me, of all the people they spoke to the only “viable” argument as a rebuttal to a stage 2 alert was some guy worried about his lawn. Gee, I wonder how many “non-viable” reason they had to throw out. That is why I like to watch channel 10 news, the unvarnished journalism.

Thanks for the visit
Some new church going by The Church of God showed up today, with the wonderful news of the Passover. Most of the stuff we went over I knew and understood already, Jesus is the lamb that was slain for our transgressions. I already told him I attend the Rock, and yet he kept up the sales. If I’m already being fed why would I leave one congregation for an unknown one. In the end I said if he brings his card I’ll stop by one Sunday and check out his doctrine. He wanted my phone number and such but I had to pass on that, his church is an unknown. Though I know his stances his Easter and Christmas, both are adopted from pagan holidays. I can understand if he chooses not to honor these holidays, I myself do not place as much effort into the holiday that honors Satan Claus (patron saint of greed). I don’t think it really think it a big deal if any congregation chooses to celebrate these holiday, as long as the Eostre bunny and Satan Claus are left out of the mix. There are a lot of things that I don’t know about his doctrine, is there a hell. They believe in Satan, that’s good, but who is Satan. They believe that Jesus is the lamb that was slain, but who is Jesus in relation to YaWeH. They believe Old testament is a shadow that preceded the New, but all this can be found in other cults. All these thing I know, but I also understand that as knowledgable as I am there are still chinks in my armor any cult with a little more knowledge could exploit. So no I wasn’t about to let them into the house, nor was I about to give them my phone number so they could set up some time to tell me how I’m not getting the proper nourishment.

22Sept07
Last duty day in the United States Navy, Yeehaa, I spent the day vacuuming the floor in the Boatswains office with my Dyson, the navy one sucks eggs, after which I broke down the machine and cleaned out all the crud with water and set the parts out to air dry. Whatever water that was left after I set the parts out to dry on a counter I’m sure was dried when I let the machine cycle for ten minutes after reassembly.
I also cleaned the coffee maker. I used Oxy-Clean to break up the crusted on coffee, then ran some oxy clean solution through the machine then chased it with water until the water ran clear. I had two visitors, Morris and Garcia, both if which live on board the base.
Other than my vacuum cleaner and other cleaning gear, I brought loads of stuff to keep me busy. I brought the usual PS2 and a bunch of games. When I wasn’t watching movies I played True Crime. It is an old game that I’ve taken out, played for awhile and then put it away. Eventually I’m sure I’ll actually complete the game. It is a story game in which the plot of the game can change with the decision one makes, kind of GTA but with cops.
I brought DVDs to watch, mostly rentals. I watched FLCL, No Mans Land, Lethal Weapon four, and Spriggan. I think the only movie I brought that wasn’t a rental Fearless. As for FLCL I’m going to have to dedicate some time in the future to watching the series from beginning to end because I can’t understand what the hell is going on if there is a week or two separation between parts. The whole story is confusing; it is as if the writer was on some sort of psychotropic drug when he created it. No Mans Land was a good movie though I think the only thing that was missing was a circus theme soundtrack in the middle of the movie as the United Nation tries to decide whether or not they’re going to try and save the soldiers in no mans land, their biggest concern was whether or not they were civilians. Lethal Weapon was the first time I, and as far as I know the rest of America, had seen Jet Li in film. Now in the present is move and flow seems common place, but back when did this film his moves were awe inspiring, the only other actor that had that type of movement was Jackie Chan.

After this month I will still be getting a paycheck but I will be effectively out of the Navy. I don’t know how I’m feeling, a little sad that a big part of my life is over. No more UNREPs, no more flight quarters, no more underways, after this month I will be on the outside looking in. Sure I will miss the paycheck and the allowances, but most of all it will be the end of the familiar. I will no longer be the man with the plan. It will be like being a booter again; no one will care less about what the hell I know.

I think my biggest concern is to get a job. Not because I need to the money, though that is important also, but because after 20 years in the military means I need to do something. Otherwise I’ll just waste my days drinking, playing video games, and watching the tube. I’ll just get fatter and lazier, and all the while getting more depressed because I’m getting fat and lazy.

Stay away from Quechup
I received an email from a friend that bid me to sign up for a social network called quechup, and I figure what the hell and Why not. I mean if this buddy found another social network he is more comfortable I sure I can find time in my busy schedules of Yoohoos and video games to check in to this network to see how things are going with him every once in awhile at least.
Shortly after that day I received “RE:” messages people in my address book. They received invites from me supposedly, to do something somewhere. I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what that message they were replying to said because search as I might in my sent files I could find the message. It wasn’t until a day or so later that I came upon a blog that explained to me that Quechup is a spam site. When you sign up it will send invites to everyone in your address book.

Air Race is coming to town
There will be an air race in San Diego harbor this weekend. The course is a figure eight course with the bottom loop toward the Coronado bridge. I think this is a cool idea, notice the term is cool not good, since I have duty if there any major mistakes I could get a little entertainment. Doesn’t pay attention, maybe looks down at a dial or blinking light, and has to fly under the bridge. Maybe if the plane hits the bridge, not slam into of course that would tie up traffic, but maybe clips a wing. Air racing is a dangerous sport by the way.

Led small group today
We had two new people, Cheryl, and Monique, visit us today. Steve was at a welcome meeting. Ann was at the small group, I’m sure it was because after her trip to MO home was the only place she wanted to be. We continued on our study of image. We are all made in the image of God, but because of the fall and of our own sinful nature that image has become dulled and marred. This week we focused on how that dull and marred image is represented in our lives. I highlighted some things that I put in my brain locker, well one of a few things.
In the service Miles related to an image of Tombstone and Big Nose Kate. Kate would give Doc Holiday a cigarette when he was cough up blood, and get him a shot when he was falling down drunk. Doc called, in endearing terms I’m sure, the AntiChrist. In fact Kate did all the thing I would expect of Satan. When I am mad, he would work in my heart to increase that anger, when I am drunk he says “why not one more drink.”
All this temptation and a flaw image leads to four things. First we try to sit in his chair, make ourselves the great “I am”. When we make our selves the “I am” then we judge other, with our morality instead of Gods. We diminish the level of authority given us, and destroy the relationship that we are to have with the creator, which leads to a separation with the spirit.
In church on Sunday Miles related the names of Satan. God called him the Destroyer, Murderer, Prince of Lies, the great deceiver. Then he told us, but was referring more to the women, imagine being in a club and they met a fella who introduced himself as Playa, used all them those corny terms. Told them not to hate but celebrate, to feast their eyes. Then the girls wouldn’t be deemed crazy to give the guy the Heisman so why are we so hesitant to give Satan the door.
Well back to the small group, I didn’t get very far. I would start with a question and we would get off subject for a good ten minutes sometimes, depended on who took us on a rabbit trail. Then I would bring us back on track. One person would get answer the question and off we would go down some rabbit trail. One thing was put out there, one thing I am not afraid to share, they will find out eventually, that I am flawed. Every ugly stain, or habit that we are to reflect on I know I have done them.

Rummage sale at the rock
I had to get to the rock at 0800 to help with the rummage sale. It was me and Dave at the beginning while Tony helped some poor girl move her gear to storage. I think the story is, she is downgrading to a motel room with her daughter, this is one for the prayer list that and needs to be remembered. I stay after Dave went home; he was setting up until 2100 last night. I helped Tony until 1400. What wasn’t sold was donated to the Rescue mission
We were expecting a lot more people, and I was expecting to get rid a lot of stuff. Instead I ended up trading out stuff. Of my two boxes of CDs I brought back half a box, most of them anime which doesn’t have a lot of fan base with the general populous. Of the DVDs, the bike rack, mattress toppers, and Robo-Sapien, I actually exchanged it with a bike, some kitchen ware, and collection of Midkemia Books, and a book on Goya. BOOKS, like I have room for more books. As for the bike the more I thought about it the more I felt I got the lesser of the deal. First the bike is a Huffy, they are to the biking world as K-Mart is to fashion. The seat needs to be changed out, it is a beach ctuiser, I have to spend 75.00 to get it tuned, and I’ll probably have to change out the wheels for ones with quick disconnects so I can fit in my car. Of yeah before I forget, I just sold my bike rack. I don’t know who this ditzy fckr is in my brain but he seems to make all the worst decisions.
I saw Becca and Gerbais today. They stopped by after taking Buster to dog beach. Becca is in her third trimester, due Oct 15, and I guess they passed on the ultrasound because neither know the baby’s sex. Gerbais is hoping for a boy and Becca is hoping for a girl, go figure right? So Becca thought church rummage sale would be a good place to find baby clothes. The homeless ministry had a lot of baby stuff but she was only interested in the clothes. She has just about everything else. I asked how their Labor day went they related that they had just returned from Gerbais home country of Trinidad, so they were taking it easy from all those hard days of taking it easy. I guess Gerbais has eyes out for a higher paying IT job, probably so he and Becca can get a bigger house when the baby is old enough.
Some of the DVDs I had brought, at hind sight, may have not been the right choice to bring to a Church rummage sale. Like, say, Benny Hill, or maybe Family Guy, though my goof wasn’t one of the bigger lapses in judgment. One person brought a box of goods that, when I pick them out of box for display, included a set of different pot head shot glasses. I found two while sorting through the box, and found two more on display(oops).

Babel
I finished watching Babel. It is a good movie with it’s twist and turns. A whole cast of character, all unrelated, but all affect each other. The Goat herders that shoot an American tourist by accident while handling a fire arm in a highly dangerous and irresponsible manner. A rifle that was purchased by their father from a neighbor, who received the weapon as a gift from a Japanese business man, who has a child that is suffering from alienation and stress from a mom that killed herself, and I can’t forget the Mexican nanny taking care of the American children while they went on vacation. Of all these stories I find her plight the hardest. All these thing are played out seemingly unrelated and come together in the end. I love those movies type of movies, thinking movies that aren’t afraid work my mind instead of insulting my intelligence.
I think of the things that stand out in my mind is why did the director think it was necessary for me to watch a kid masturbate. He could have done a close up of the kids face, and I would tell by his expression that yes this guy is pounding his monkey. But nooo, instead I have to watch as this child grabs his pecker and pommels his clown. I have to watch his foot go up and down in rhythm to the strokes. I have to watch everything but the actual pecker, thank you God. This is very telling. I have to ask, why would the director leave that in there? Is he some sort of sick bastard that I would have to think twice before letting my kids play at his place? I don’t remember the media picking up on strange it was that that scene had not been edited.

Thank You VA
I received my appointment for my VA PreSep exam, and would you know it they schedule the darn thing on the 12th of Oct. I was supposed to be in AZ on the 12th, but now I have to leave for Tucson at 1430 so I can arrive at 2130. Of course if there are any jam ups my avg mph could dip below 70mph. So any of you crazy people out there that feel the need to swerve through multiple lanes in some blind need to get there before everyone else, pick a lane, or stay home on the twelfth.

11Sept07
I did a lot of work today. Hometown Buffet was serving free breakfast for military in uniform, I had to get some of that. Yep I and the rest of the shop, we all went there in our BDUs. I waited until we got to Hometown before I pointed out that BDU can only be worn to from a location, with stops at banks grocery stores and other such places. So wearing them to go eat in town was little out of the reservation. I didn’t really care, I retiring what do I care if some master chief jumps in my ass I’ve got bigger things to worry about.
After breakfast I stopped into admin to pick up my TAD order, and medical for my HIV screening. I know the results already but it is require before I can give the Navy the big goodbye. If it comes out positive I’ll know that rosey has been cheating on me, and since we’re attached at the wrist I strongly doubt that.
Then I took a nap from 0945 to 1100, I guess I ate too much at breakfast. Then I got up ate lunch, yapped at master chief. He told me that some place called Guadalajara in Old Town serves all you can o’dourves with drink purchases for happy hour. That is an important piece of info for someone who is about to be poor.
I finally ducked out at about 1300, it would have been earlier but I still feel guilty about dipping while everyone else is working. They don’t even need me anymore and I still feel guilty, how stupid is that.
I’m going to try to sneak a spot in the Around the World this week. How about that, my last Hell Week before I leave, I love night Ops the bay is so peaceful after the sun goes down.

I went home early today. I had to go to the VA to drop off a copy of my medical record, and since I sure nobody needed my expertise I wasn’t about to spend precious gas to go back to work. Since home was closer that is where I went.
I missed PT today so I went to 24hr fitness to get a workout in. I work until I was on the verge of bonking, approximately two hours, 30 minutes on the elliptical, worked my abs my back and legs with the exercise ball. I even did some push ups, but I didn’t really want to get too crazy since it is tomorrow that I planned to bust the strength exercises. I just didn’t want to go back to aerobic, sometime spent stretching but not losing that heart rate.
I was so tired after the workout that I had to get out of the house or fall asleep before 1900, so I went to Barnes and Noble. The plan was to do some research and maybe a little writing in on my laptop. Unfortunately I found that Starbucks does not possess a plug in, so next time I guess I’ll go to Cosmo. While at the mall I looked around for some scrubs for Leona. I wanted to get Leona some Dora scrubs for work, and there is a scrub store at the mall. Unfortunately there were no Dora scrubs just ones with cats, well their selection was a lot larger than that but that was one thing I knew she would like.

Spent most of the day he apartment. I had to leave around 2030 to fight off cabin fever. I didn’t even go to church. I had a little too much wine on Saturday, and it took the motivation out of me. I went out with Raquel, and Shelton to watch Sideways at the schwaesdall winery, and had a little too much wine. Raquel wanted to drive, but seeing how she was: 1) also drinking wind, 2) without glasses, and 3) tired from being up since 0300, I figured our chances of getting down the mountain alive was better if I drove.
I heard of Sideways but stayed away from because I was afraid it would be some pompous wine tasting money, like The Skuls was a pompous rowing movie, though Bruce would disagree. It was a great movie. A wannabe writer, playing best man to his has been actor friend, trying to bring wine knowledge to his happily ignorant friend who just wants to get his carrot bent before he gives up the keys to his life to his soon to be wife.
As great ass the night had been today I woke up a little woozy from the nights drink. The feeling wasn’t as bad as wooziness I had during the weekend of my high school reunion but it took the winds from my sails. So I told myself I would go to a later service, knowing full well that would just blow off the later services as well, and made another attempt at French toast. I read a recipie for a stuffed French toast and I’ve been trying to get it down pat.
Anyone that knows me knows that I’m one of those people that don’t really follow recipe well, or any other instructions for that matter. I don’t go step by step as one would a maintenance card. Instead, I gain understanding what each part does and do my own damn thing. Sometimes it actually works, other times it take several attempts go get what I want, either way when I done I make the recipe mine. I’ve made my own jelly of sort, used cream and cheese and the jelly between royale soaked bread, fried it up in a skillet until golden brown then cook the toast in an oven at 200 to set the custard on the inside.
After eating I played my new card game called Munchkin. It isn’t a solitare game, it requires 3 to 6 people to play, but I have to learn the rules so I play all players. It kind of hard to be 3 – 4 people and keep the game interesting, kind of hard to be grimey when its my throat that’s going to be cut. Still it’s fun I just wish I had someone to play with.
I made another attempt at Mac and Cheese for dinner. The last I went by the letter, more or less, and wasn’t impressed with the flavor. I blamed it on the bread crumbs, they were suppose to penko but I went with what was on hand, old Italian bread crumbs that I think was in the cupboard when I moved from mission valley. This time I made my own crumbs, but the off flavor was there still. Turns out it is the onions, so next time I’ll play with the aromatics until I find something I like. Other mods on this product was parmasean cheese, on top instead of cheddar, and I played with the fats. Instead of all butter to make the roux, I used bacon fat for a third of the fat. the onion were overbearing, so as I said earlier I’ll have to play with other aromatics.
I tried to watch Coach Carter, scan document while I was ate. I say tried to watch Coach Carter because Blockbuster video needs to invest in a disk doctor. This is the second disk I received from them that was all scratch up. The last one was 25th hour, another good movie, neither movie played in my DVD player. Coach Carter didn’t play all the way through on my PC.

Mater Dei

Of the many things in this world that annoy the one thing that take precedence is how the Catholic church is referred to as “Christians” when the world at large tries to point at some sort of point of contention on what is believed of Christians.
Unfortunately many of these beliefs are not Christian doctrines but Catholic teachings, not even biblical. It was just an idea some respected individual thought of 3 centuries after the church was already established, that the over read, over fed, and over bred, decided to ratify. Case in point is the term Mater Dei. Modern parishioners would say the name refers to the Virgin Mary. But let’s look at the background of this term.
It all started back in 431 AD. The church that time was wrestling with an idea that was, and still is to babes in Christ, hard to wrap ones minds around. Was Jesus all man, or was he all God. The popular view was that Mary was the mother of God Theotoko, while the dissenting view point, led by Nestorius, Mary was only the Bearer of the Christ (Christotoko), God had always been manifest. Whether those of the popular belief truly believed the argument or rather believed because their leader believed is irrelevant. The dissenting view was outlawed.
These people were not arguing semantics; they were arguing point of views. So in the end what does is the meaning of Mater Dei? It means the mother of God, the creator of the creator, not the Christ which was but a part that was play, but the entity.

03 September
It was as hot as hell today got up around 94 degrees Farenheit. It was a beautiful day for helping someone move. Some poor girl was being evicted from her apartment and the Help ministry was going to help her. It was no surprise that it was going to be fucking hot, but as always my lack of foresight I didn’t hydrate before going out. Nope instead I drank coffee. Not only that I brought some coffee with me. By the time we finished packing up the apartment I was about spent. By the time we reached the storage place I was completely wiped, Dave and Tony pick me up some water on their way to the storage place, of course I had to go out of their way.
I made Mac and Cheese from scratch, not really a good idea. The oven heats up the apartment, and it was already 90 degree already. My filtered water was room temperature so it wasn’t any help. Around 2000 I remembered that an ice pack on one of my main blood vessels beats having the AC turned all the way up, which only brings the temp down by a couple of degrees.

Dybis came back this week, and he is as happy as man that just got kicked in the nuts. Tried to keep him there but I think eventually someone stood up and said nothing else could be done. We tried to get him transfered to Louisiana, where he was TAD because we were under the impression that he was getting out in a couple of months. At least I was under that impression. I turns out he isn't due to leave the Navy until Nov next year, he doesn't want to but he's reached high year tenure before he is eligible for advancement to second class. At the BBQ this Friday he said he was going to try to work the system as to get an extension, but I don't think that will happen. The Navy does waive high year tenure, hell we just had a chief retire after serving for over 30 yrs. There is a Senior Chief that remembers him as an instructor the when the senionr chief was just a tadpole, but the navy makes allowances for hard to fill billets. since there are more Boatswainsmate than one could shake a stick at I don't we're mission critical.

United Solar Installs Alcoa Power System
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070831/energy_conversion_devices_alcoa.html?.v=1



This could be good or this could suck. First the good, Aluminum is an expensive material to make. Aluminum is the most abundant material on earth, after silicon but it take a whole lot of electricity to separate it from its ore material. This is why Alcoa can be seen in the news bringing electricity to some 3rd world country, basically most of the electricity will go to the smelter and what is left will be used by the people of the town. Most power plant burn coal or petroleum, both are becoming expensive, so if these solar cells work out it will mean they will have to buy less energy, and thus slowing the increase in cost of product. The bad would be that these laminates show no dent in energy costs or not enough to notice, but hey it is only one plant if doesn’t work I’m sure they won’t install them on other plants
Of course if they work they’ll only be useful in certain locations. Solar cells seem to top out at 14%, that’s the new Amorphous Silicon Vapor type. Also, Solar Cells work best in non-cloudy environment, which means close to the equator. Sure there are solar cells that do work in cloudy environment, but at 14% I wouldn’t use it to power a plant.

Today was the first day of the Rock Church in it's new home. I went in early because supposedly the small groups were going to help out with the greater expected traffic. I did see Debbie, at least that is what I think her name is, from my small group, but see was a little busy setting up the front so I was unable to ask her anything. So instead I sat in what will soon become a food court and caught up on reading. More specifically, Psalm 26 and Proverb 26. I saw Marci while in the midst of reading, she volunteered to help out with the Rock Pile. I took walk though the store to check out what they have in inventory, and headed back out the atrium. As pastor Miles has told us the entire church is riddled with Biblical symbolism. The church itself is the same dimension as Noahs Ark. in the atrium there is a mosaic on ground at the entrance that resembles the altar of the tabernacle. If one would like to bring something to the lord they do a prayer walk over the mosaic. I the ceiling is a cross, in the cross are a bunch of nails that represent the sins of the world nailed to the cross, at the top of the cross is the crown of thorns. From the back of the stage to a gold outline in which the newly saved stand at altar call is the same dimansions as the Holy of Holies. When the newly saved stand before the stage they would be standing, and are by their very actions, in the presence of God. It the santuary is divided into the books of the Bible, each row of each section is a chapter, and each chair is a verse in that chapter.
If a person should sit in say Psalm 23:1 it would indeed be an inspiration if they should go look up the Bible verse. However I don't know what they might think if they looked up
Ezekiel 6:6, which is where I was sitting.
So as I was admiring the new atrium I saw Ann Yerkes, coleader of my small group. She had her neighbor with her. I would loved to say that her neighbor was part of our small group, but for now the only reason she is meeting with us is to fill in the vacuum left by her recently departed husband. It is my hope the God uses this time to bring her closer to himself.
I would like to say that I sat with them but I lost track of them while I took a brief head break. I sat in the back of the sanctuary instead. I think this is a little utilized area, most people want to be nearer to the stage, so they don't miss any of the action I guess. I on the other hand think the faithful should sit farther away from the stage, that way those that are more in need of the word are forced to sit closer to the stage. Also, by sitting in the back of the sanctuary with the backbenchers it keeps them from fearing from raising their hands in the sactuary is the feeling should come upon them.
The sermon started the series Image is Everything. The lead in was a video that feature Adam and Eve pictured by Michaelangelo about to take of the apple, then the beginning beats of Goldbricker and clothes start appearing on the two as well as the scenery around them. As the song starts Adam is dressed in denim pants, he is shirtless with gold chains about his neck. Eve is wearing a summer dress. What used to be the Garden of Eden is now a mansion, and an H2 rolls up to the two.
After the service I figured that it would be crowded trying to get out of parking, so I decided that it might be better to just wait at panera. Unfortunately so did alot of other people, and for a bit I thought I would just be prolonging the pain by having breakfast at Panera rather going home. Turns it just meant long lines at Panera.
After gettting a haircut and buying another fan I finally got home around 1130, and decided to try out the increased air circulation in my room by taking a nap.

My ankles are starting to act up after all the running of late, so I figured a short run to the gym and use the bike or eliptecle. this would minimize further injury and yet I can still raise my heart rate. I got as far as CTT before I had to stop running and limp the rest of the way to the gym. I did about 15 min on the bike and 15 min on the stepper. The stepper wasn't actually a good idea it seemed to agravate the ankle but not so much that I had to stop running


Ate sushi with Raquel for dinner. She texted me as just as I was about to head out and do my laundry. Since we don't get around to seeing each other because of our schedule I figure I could postpone laundry until another day. While eating sushi I asked about the phone call that she didn't make at 1505 yesterday. She said that she was at work so didn't call but when she checked her phone her call log confirmed that she did. I told her that her phone was probably trying to get with my phone on the low.

After sushi she came over to print out her E ticket for next Wednesday, she showed me what her lap top looked like, then we watched Pathfinder and she went home. We tried to watch the flick on PS2 but somewhere in the middle it start to hang up so i had to plug the DVD player that I was fixing to get rid of, of course now that isn't going to happen.

It is amazing what we talk about on the smoke deck. A conversation about how quickly one forgets a good thing, another story, we launch into a discussion about how things are handled between situation on a small boy, a ship with 200 and less personel, and a big ship, more specifically a carrier. The story went like this. Once upon a time, much more believable than "you won't believe this shit," The Ronald reagan raise up quite a wake as she left port one day. On the particular day that the story teller was on duty. The wake that was raised was enough to part one their breasting lines. When the line parted they mustered up just about everybody on the pier, and called the capt. On a small boy if we lost a line we would muster up duty deck divsion, about 4 to 5 people, and depending on the direction of the tidal current duty department. The senior man on the scene would be the Command Duty Officer, and he would tell the Capt. when he came in in the morning.

The conversation we were having when we got into this illustration, we were discussing what most civilians call early and what military personnel call early. A lot of people not in the military term early anytime they have to awake before 0800. Early for me, I know I am hardly an objective sampling, is when I have to wake up at 0300. Not when I have to pretend to want to get up at 0300 but actually have to get out of bed at 0300. this comparison lapse into way back when I tranfered from the Aylwin to the Simon Lake. On the Aylwin duty switch back and forth between 3 days and 4 days. When I got to the Lake duty days were 8 days, and I was in heaven. At least I was in heaven for the first 4 months after awhile I forgot how good I had it, I didn't even remember what it was like to have duty every 3 to 4 days. tell you what though I would know what it would be like to go from duty once a month to duty once every 3 to 4 days. the good news course is I'll won't, anymore, nope I will be working everyday 8 to 12 hours just to keep my head above water.

I watched Apocolypto today. I loved it. Yes, yes, it had alot of action, and emotion, but I saw something deeper than that. I saw portrayed the fate of most civilizations. Civilation starts by people grouping together for production and protection. Small villages, townships, cities become city-states. Eventually these group grow big enough where one leader becomes a beuracracy of leaders, not just kings and princes but priests, Lawyers, academics (advisors/scribes). somewhere along the line the purpose of these people become scewed. Instead the purpose of the king and his military to serve the people by protecting their life and livelihood, the people grow to serve the king and his people. The military starts by remaining well fed no matter thick of thin, because you can't protect the people if one is feeling sickly, to being overfed. In the end this top heavy society falls to pieces. whether the people revolt, and foreign nation that is stronger comes in and defeats the overfed and over bred, or any other combonation of that comes from a lack of cohesion. this is the scene I garnered from this movie.

I had to redo my leave chit today. when I submitted terminal leave chit I didn't account for the twenty free days the Navy wants to give me in order to help me find a job, and maybe a new dwelling. I also miscounted the days, so after recounting and adding the missing days I realized I actually leave the Navy Oct 5, vice 15 Nov. Much better.

Now I've come to the end of my rode I tend to think back on the people I worked with. Whether I saw them as good or bad, I learned a little from most of them. I really don't know what should I feel at this moment of turning. Fear? Excitment? A little longing for the past? I feel all these things, these feelings come and go, and as the wheel turns, they come back again. The biggest time I feel anxiety is when people ask me what do I plan on doing after the Navy. this is a question I myself have asked countless of retirees as the departed the Navy, unknowing that maybe a few of them it doesn't help matters, it just exsacerbates the depression. I know the big stroke of what I want to do. I want to open a coffee shop. Running a coffee shop will require training, what drinks to make, what supplies to have on hand etc. etc. That will mean working some minimum wage job or two. One to learn the biz, and one just to survive.

Well the powers that be have banned us from driving Zodiacs. This stems from the incident while training last week. The skin on Bryant's arm was shredded when he fell from the Zodiac during surf training. It usually happens like that, when ever something happens those in authority, whether it be the department head or the XO, over react just as executives tend to do. Basically the XO heard of the incident and asked why were we driving over the surf zone when SEALS are specially trained to do such. Then this idea went from lucid to stupid. Now we have to drop the Zodiac at the closest ramp and turn it over the one of SEAL instructor if the Op is in the bay. The reason for the incident was because the operator were trying to manuver the inside the breaker zone. Zodiacs cannot tarry in this zone, launch the boat and get out past this zone or get in and beach the boat. When the boat turned sideways to the surf a wave hit it on the side and the caused it to roll. The bay doesn't have these waves, there are no reason to worry that this will happen. But exec's brains don't operate like that and our chiefs mess doesn't isn't here to do any work I guess. All they do is deliver the word from above, there is no fight in them.

I was off today. I spent the day playing PSP, watching the Eureka episodes I missed while on Op last night, watching FCLC, and making an attempt at cleaning the apartment.
The Op was a combo of a K-Duck, and Cast/Recovery. K-Duck is when the Operators(Seal, EOD, Air Force PJ, Whatever) toss a rubber raft out the door of an aircraft(this time a H-60, but can be anything up to a heavy cargo plane), then the Operators jump in after the boat, rig it's engine and drive off. In Cast/Recovery the operator jump out of the helo, then the helo comes back around and the Operators climb up a wire ladder into the helo. the brief was simple, four passes for cast and recovery, then 45 minute stand by while the students prep the helo for a K-Duck, one pass per helo for the K-Duck then after an hour wait there will be two more passes for cast/recovery. Unfortunately when it comes to aircraft there is no such thing as a simple plan.

Being in the MidWest during the spring/Summer period.

One of the biggest things I learned while being in the St Louis area is to bring wet wipes. The air is hot and muggy and doesn't take long for sweat to dry that sticky coating that seems to add pounds to one's shoulders. Wet wipes will help clean it away and the alcohol will have a cooling affect, refreshing.

Riding a train

Some things I would remember if I should ever take a train trip. One bring money. There isn't a cruise ship, and unless one is in a sleeper you must pay for your food. The good stuff is served in the dining car and that cost money. There is also the little thing called the club car. It’s nothing more than a snack car but it comes in handy, and it calls for cash also. Dinners are about $20, it could go up or down as one is frugal but on avg its 20 dollars. Botttle water is $2, and wine is five. There is potable water available at a dispenser and its for free but I like my water in a handy dandy bottle and so I’ll spend the two bucks for the bottle and spend the rest of the time just filling up the bottle.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the train is moving. As it moves forward a varying speed it’ll move side to side. Most of the time one can get by with the popeye walk but when the train picks up speed or turns a corner the rythum is cast askelter and what ever balance you had will be thrown off with it. Because of this, just when underway on a small boy(smaller than a cruise ship), it helps to hold on to stuff or at least keep your hands out for ready support.
When eating at the dining car it is community dining so if you are going stag and aren’t here to meet people, you’re going to meet people anyway. You could stare out the window while the others hold conversation, if you want, but the whole fun of it is the fellowship. As a RV is like a land yacht so a train is a land cruise ship, if you didn’t want to meet people you might be better off flying or driving. There are people that ride the train regularly, and, like me ,they are vacationing, they get out to see America.
Just like a model train trains travel through neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are poor and the scenery is that of graffiti, but some are middle to upper class neighborhoods. Even lower income neighborhoods have something to behold though so don’t discount them. Yes there are loads of industrial areas, and grafitti but there are skate park and community centers. There is also a tendency of people to watch as the train goes by, just watching wondering where are you going and what it would be like to be in your seat.
Another thing is there is no shower on a train, at least if not in a sleeper, so bring some wet wipes. If you use a sleep remember to hold onto the rail provided always, just like on a ship. There are stories about those that do not, and they aren't pretty.
Bring enough toys to keep yourself busy. With my Laptop for games, movies, and journaling; my PSP; and books I always had something to do.
So yes being on a train for 37 hrs is my limit, but I like it better than flying, scenery looks bettter from ground level. It is relaxed on a train, people are in such a hurry on planes that by the time you get where you want to be your all stressed out and that isn't anyway to start your vacation.

Maria and the kids left today for CT. Already I miss them, sure there are time I would rather hide at the bottom of the ocean. But, it hurts to be a little kid. You can't walk as far as adults can. They always seem to be talking about things you don't understand, whether one concept are not yet that developed or because one was not yet alive when certain references were given certain meaning. Of course if one is use to being the center of attention then how much more of a pain it is to be ignored as the adults reaquaint themselves.

Airplane crashes on the I78

I read a story today about a pilot that crashed his plane while testing an engine. The better part of the story is the comments after the story. I haven't so much anger and bitterness, since there were rumors that our deployment was extended. I'm sure after that pilot and the powers that be put there heads together they might come up with a lessons learned, like maybe stay within a certain area of the airfield.
Some of the people like myview betrays the fact (he/she) doesn't know anything about San Diego Freeways because (he/she)claimed that if the pilot had his wife with him he would of have landed his plane in the HOV lane. News report people there isn't an HOV lane on the 78.
Mr. Accountability figures that the pilot is stupid to want to fly again. This is the pilot's first crash in 40 yrs of flying, I've crashed my car once in the 22 yrs I've been driving but it never entered my mind that maybe I should stop driving. That would be a defeatist idea, and anyone making a comment like that I hope is working the drive thru at Burger King. Otherwise I may have to work for (him/her).
Mr. Jason Believes how irresponsible of the man to want to test fly an engine. I don't really think want has anything to do with it. The plane wasn't even his that means his job is to pilot it, he was just the main pilot.
The gist of this is to do ones homework before jotting down the first thing that comes to ones mind. This is a democratic society yes, and freedom of speech grease that keeps is going, but just because one has something to say doesn't mean it needs to be heard. If you don't have the nuts to make your self known, if you are only comfortable hiding behind an assumed name than why are you talking.
Many would find it rediculous that a person who calls himself squidb8 would say such a thing but my profile is available for all to peruse at their leisure.

I tried Sam Adams' Triple Bock. It comes in a 20oz bottle. I knew when I bought it I figured that something that comes in a bottle that small I probably might want to put it in a glass smaller than a half pint. The guy at BevMo assured me I was overestimating. Well let me tell you a tulip glass would be better.
The brew is thick, like barley wine. The fragrance is chocolate, so much so I had a suspicion cocao was added to the fermenter, but the flavor is coffee, with prune in the back.
As I said earlier I would use a tulip glass to drink this beer. Just to be clear I mean a champaign glass, and don't put alot in the glass. This beer has a lot of flavor so I wouldn't reccomend quaffing this brew. I'm sure the brewer had this in mind when they made this brew. Which answers why there is a cork on top rather than a bottle cap. While the drinker enjoys the complex flavors the rest of the bottle can be put into the fridge to keep it cold.
One doesn't have to worry about the beer going flat, it already and. Carbonation would just get in the way of the thick mouth feel.

I appears that the host of the DIY show extreme makeover was busted for drunk driving. Yes DUI is bad, it kill thousands a year, and from the look of his mug I don't think it wasn't the first time he has driven in a state of intoxication. However I must take time to say, "WHO CARES". When I do watch the show it isn't so I can get driving tips, nor do I think it's a big hit with the prepubescent to teenage crowd. So if we take all this into consideration I think we can come to the conclusion he is an unlikely candidate to blame if you decide to drive after tying one on. If your in the age group that watches this program my guess would that if you get busted drinking and driving your old enough to know better and have probably been committing this act of irresponsibility alot longer than, say, last week.
I think this is a new report that we could have put to the wayside, buried deep.

Today was pretty cool. I went to church though I didn't feel the motivation, which was the reason I decided I needed to go to church.

Amplified was closed because someone reprobates tried to break into the storage unit, and messed up the lock, so we were rerouted to the main sanctuary. I parked in the run off parking. I knew that spaces are scarce and battling for those "choice" spot would definately not place me into a worshipful mood.

While I was on the shuttle I broke open my Bible, the first time in a week. If in doubt what to read start with proverbs. 30 chapters 30 days in a month go figure. Chapter 6 verse 9 is a verse that I could have used Saturday.

Proverb 6:9
How long will you lie there you sluggard. When will you get up from your sleep. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will on you like a bandit, and scarcity like an armed man.

Saturday I was suppose to do my laundry and change the oil in my car. But I allowed myself to lulled into a state of self gratification. I mean hell I worked hard all week right? I deserve little time to play video games and drink beer. None the last two sentences were true of course, I have worked harder. Now that I am at the end of my days, in the Nav at least, people let me slack alot more than usual.

Miles was one a mission trip so left the farm to one of the new pastors. The sermon he gave was pretty cool. It was about the need for Christians to live the resurrection daily as if we were the brides of Christ awaiting our groom to return with the wedding party, fascinating that the bible is full of this picture. Unfortunately since our groom has tarried we've fallen into a lull. We many of us kick it doing our business until the day comes to rember the dowery that was paid for us. Then we clean up real quick and actual wait on the Lord. But that season passes and we go back to doing what we were doing before, which had nothing to do with the preparation of the coming wedding, until next year. We do this every year, and someday when we are not looking he will come. On that day when we should be in our wedding clothes, his righteousness, we'll be found in our sweat suits. Instead of our hearts prepared for that day our hearts will be cluttered things of this world.

One of the passages used in the sermon was John 14.
"...In my fathers house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go there to prepare a place for you..."
At first is sounds like we're going live in a dorm. Many of us paint our own pictures of heaven. Being American I for one didn't relish an existence surround by my sibs for eternity. I love them dearly, but absence does make the heart grow fonder. But though the Bible was written for Jew and Gentile, any who wishes to call the Lord abba. The scriptures were written to mainly a jewish audience, and in a jewish culture it is another image of a loving husband. That culture was about family, the family had a central eating place and as children grew and were married the men would make additions to the home to house his knew family.
So our groom has paid our dowered price with his blood and is now building a room for us where we will spend our eternity with us. In the meantime we are to prepare for his return. If we should 'die' before that day we should remember that the God that we worship is The Aleph and the Tau. The moment we close our eyes the veil will be peeled back and we will see a heaven outside the prison of time. The images in Revealations are pictures that whether we enter heaven Yesterday, Today, or are here to see our Lord return we will all enter our Lords house together. So prepare your heart for none know the hour of our lords return, it could be tonight, tomorrow, 6 years from now, or at the instance of being on the wrong side of a bus.

Today was a Haze Grey day, but at least I wasn't underway. I sold my shares in BJ wholesale, and used the profit to buy into Loop.net. I heard of the latter from Motley Fools Hidden Gems. I did a little research and confirmed that the business was indeed earning 35% year over year, and it's Enterprise value was 65% of its market cap. To me it means they have alot of loose cash. I hope my calculations are correct, it will be another golden egg in my portfolio. I only have two thus far, not counting Funds. PaXaR, and CTRiP, both of these came from Motley Fool. I remember when denmer told me about the News letter. I was at first a little cautious, all the smiley faces and frowny faces made me think it was day trader while I'm more in valuation. I was as pleased as punch to find Hidden Gems. Their philosophy echoed my own, and better yet they were better at the game than my Newb ass. Over the years I've learned alot from them. The pearl is cash is king, it is better to bet on a company that has a little money socked away. Cash gives the company some lee way if the solid waste product should meet the circular oscillator.
I dumped BJ, because of the highlights on the fool site. Basically the company was saying, don't look at these other warehouse stores. They may seem like major competition, because their wholesaler like us, but the real compitition is the supermarket chain. I never saw a text book strawman until this weekend. So after their CEO finished with his smoke and mirrors the CFO tried to wow the audience with 15% growth. I figured it was time to get off this band wagon before the wheel fell off and my share value went from 175 in the green back to 50 red.
As for work I walked into the office while they were in discussion as to when the 1st class reslults were going to be out. They people participating in the conversation were counting those up for first class. it was then I walked in, in fact was right about when HVD was mentioned. I, playing the deaf guy, I twisted what was being said to hent that HVD made 1st. In reponse the new chief turn around to give me his best, what are you nuts, look. The new BMC has only been on board less than a month and already knows HVD is a clusterfuck waiting to happen. HVD is good peeps but I have to admit he's a rock. Just today he had to walked through a tag out, a 2nd class standing by to be a 1st and he didn't know how tag out a system. When he makes 1st he'll probably be at sea as an LPO. people have lost paygrade for fucking up tag outs. Of course it doesn't help that the only ship he has been on was a carrier. there is a lot of people to pick up the slack, if peole deem you as stupid there are plenty of places they can put you to keep you out of trouble. Of course they may be saving their asses, or may even think they are helping out the poor guy but it doesn't matter because in the end the dudes getting screwed. I have been there, I really didn't get to experience the full extent of being a boatswains mate until the princeton. sure, on all three prior ships I was on the maintenance team, though I think I was doing tag outs only on the Simon Lake. HVD just come off slow and has only been on one ship, and that was big enough to hide him just enough to keep him from learning valuable lessons in tagging out, driving boats, foc's'l operations, or fueling at sea. All these operations are dangerous and each of these evolution are made that much more dangerous because nobody trusted the supposed subject matter expert while said subject matter expert was younger.