Mr. Volboy Goes to Washington

2007-03-08T12:11:00.001-05:00

AN OPEN LETTER TO AL QAEDA , SUNNI INSURGENTS, AND SHIA EXTREMISTS IN IRAQ

Dear Enemy,

Our leadership in Congress has decided to set a timetable for withdrawal. Please take note that the Fall of 2008 is when you most likely be able to conduct your operations without impediment from our forces in the region. We'd like to remind you that until the Fall of 2008 we will still be able to conduct operations as normal, therefore it would be in your best interest to place a hold on your suicide bombings, IEDs, and the like until said date. This would allow you ample time to build up your infrastructure and logistics to a reasonable level in order to complete your goal of establishing a corridor of operations for terrorists, extremists, and the like, in the Middle East. We wish you the best of luck in your endeavours. Sorry we couldn't stay longer. You know, Democrats and stuff.

Sincerely,

The United States

2007-02-26T13:30:00.000-05:00

Director James Cameron has several claims to fame including enveloping pushing special effects for The Abyss, winning best director for Titanic, and raising awareness about the increasing deterioration of said ship at the bottom of the deep sea. Now he can claim one more; finding Christ. Cameron, in a Discovery Channel documentary, claims to have discovered ossuaries (little caskets used to store bones) in Jerusalem that would contradict some of the most sacred tenants of Christianity, that Christ had been resurrected after three days and that he was never married nor produced a child with Mary Magdalene.

The ossuaries:

Six had names etched into them, which were translated as Jesus son of Joseph, Judah son of Jesus, Maria, Mariamne (thought to be Mary Magdalene's real name), Joseph and Matthew.

The Associated Press reports:

One of the caskets even bears the title, "Judah, son of Jesus," hinting that Jesus may have had a son. And the very fact that Jesus had an ossuary would contradict the Christian belief that he was resurrected and ascended to heaven.

Were this true, that Christ did not ascend into heaven, that he was not crucified and resurrected then he would undoubtedly be the worlds' most famous fraud. If the claims are that he was a father, a husband, and thus a falliable human then his own admission to be the Son of God should be seen as nothing more than the ravings of a mentally disturbed individual.

Pure poppycock.

2007-02-22T13:25:00.001-05:00

The top ten reasons I'm an official Washingtonian:

10. Have worn down my mp3 player from using it so much
9. Watched the Federal Government shut down because of 2 inches of snow
8. Completely ignored the walk/don’t walk street signs
7. Have 6 Giant supermarkets within a 5 mile radius of where I live
6. Honked at someone while driving
5. Been honked at while driving
4. Paid too much for rent (over $1000/month for a one bedroom)
3. Left work at 5 p.m. Got home at 6:30 p.m. Traveled 10 miles. Priceless
2. Had a conversation with a homeless guy about the Baltimore Ravens offensive line (he wasn’t a fan)
1. Was asked for metro directions while riding the metro (as if I looked like I knew where I was going)

2007-01-21T16:41:00.000-05:00

This past week I spent some time in Shepherdstown, WV for Orientation training for the Presidential Management Fellows program. While the programming had its normal fill of excruciatingly bad ice breakers such as running around with a bandanna tied about your head while making sheep noises (yes I really did that) it did have some particularly bright outcomes. First, I met some great people and was very impressed by the caliber of PMFs, particularly from the State Department. Everyone was open and talkative and had a genuine interest in what others had to say. Second, we conducted a simulation over the period of a day where we had to work together in a fictitious position within an agency in order to respond to a world crisis. The simulation was conducted by the National Strategic Gaming Center from the National Defense University who administer these simulations for all levels of federal and state government. The crisis simulated the introduction of a human-to-human strain of the bird flu virus in the Pacific region and its eventual spread to the United States. We spent a day in our assigned respective agency positions (i.e. State, DHS, DOD, CDC) evaluating ways we could respond and conduct inter agency cooperative measures to combat the spread of the flu in the US. I took comfort in knowing that even at the lowest levels (entry level) we were practicing and learning ways in which different agencies could work together and respond to a national security crisis.

I also spent the weekend in Roanoke, VA with Volldoll. It was a wonderful time especially since we hadn't seen each other for over two weeks. Long distance relationships can be tough but being her, although brief, made it bearable. We spent Saturday afternoon driving along the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway taking in the spectacular view. Enjoy some photos from our trip.

2007-01-16T19:52:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a milestone as it marked my first week of work completed in DC. Overall it was a great experience though for those of you who don't know I already missed my first day of work. On Monday I was sick from something Brent was happy to share with me! But no matter, I got over it and started work at the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday. I couldn't have asked for a better team to work with. Everyone was very inviting and thrilled to see me. No really, there were thrilled. EVERYONE is retiring in our office and there is a significant age gap between senior leadership and everyone else. Predictably there is going to be a good bit of upward mobility in the near future, which is good for me! There have been some drawbacks though. It's taking 4-E-VER to get my id card made so I have to show the security guards my TN license every time I go into the building. Security is tight because the VP has some staff that works in our same building, which is a block from the OEOB. I do miss seeing those TN mountains but I can console myself with a captivating view of the Capitol Building during my commute. Commuting is another thing. Riding the Metro has been a breeze so far. While riding I have made this observation:

There are three types of Metro riders in the morning:
1. Sleeping riders (they take little power naps and wake up right before their stop)
2. Reading riders (reading the paper or a book)
3. Zombie riders (its way too early for my peeps so I will stare off into the abyss, this is me)

I have had a great time with Brent, Laura and Savannah . Savannah loves to watch Brent and I play video games! I do miss TN and of course all my family and especially Voldoll. But things are growing on me here and once I have a place to live and a good routine it won't be bad at all.

List of things I have seen or had done to me:

Number of times I have walked by the White House: 6
Number of times I have seen Marine One fly over me (including leaving the White House):
3
Hours spent on my daily commute (to and from): around 2
Famous people I've seen: 0 -- still waiting on that one
Number of times I've been honked at:
4
Number of times I've been given the bird:
1
Number of times I've changed Savannah's diaper:
0 -- not waiting on that one

Update** I got my ID card today. I'm bona fide!

How I voted 2006 style

2006-10-31T14:02:00.000-05:00

Bob Corker v. Harold Ford Jr. - U.S. Senate

I voted for Mr. Corker in this one. My reason is simple, I believe the totality of Mr. Corker's experience in the Mayor's office, in private business, and in state government give him the ingenuity and innovation necessary to be a successful Senator. Congressmen Ford turned me off a while back when he called for a withdrawal of troops in Iraq but his most recent behavior is perplexing to say the least. Also his plan for Iraq, to divide the nation into three regions, would unfairly ignore two constitutional referendums and a national election-the entire democratic progress made over three years would be ignored. The plan doesn't take into account how an autonomous Kurdish region would affect the Kurdish population in Turkey and how a Shia region would interact with Iran. Ford is more conservative than most liberals, he is a supporter of the 2nd amendment and also believes marriage is between a man and woman and I liked the fact that he pledged to term limit himself.

John J. Duncan Jr. v. John Greene - U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd District

I voted for Democratic candidate John Greene as a protest vote. Congressmen Duncan has not been supportive of the Iraq war since the beginning and has in fact voted against it and supplemental spending bills several times. Plus he's been in office since I was eight years old, that's plenty of time.

Jim Bryson v. Phil Bredesen - Governor of Tennessee

Easy, Phil Bredesen. He is strong supporter of education. He handled the TennCare crisis well and the man is a genuine hunter and conservationist. He works well with both sides of the aisle and seeks consensus and not partisanship. I like him and I wish Democrats would pay more attention to him. He's a dark horse candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in 2008 and if not then a qualified candidate on anyone's cabinet.

Constitutional Amendment 1 - Tennessee state Constitution

Text reads:

Shall Article XI of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee be amended by adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated section:

SECTION 3. The historical institution and legal contract solemnizing the relationship of one man and one woman shall be the only legally recognized marital contract in this state. Any policy or law or judicial interpretation, purporting to define marriage as anything other than the historical institution and legal contract between one man and one woman, is contrary to the public policy of this state and shall be void and unenforceable in Tennessee. If another state or foreign jurisdiction issues a license for persons to marry and if such marriage is prohibited in this state by the provisions of this section, then the marriage shall be void and unenforceable in this state.

I voted no and do not support this amendment. I believe constitutions exist to limit the powers of government and protect the rights of individuals. A definition of what marriage is has no place in a constitution but rather as a state law. On the flip side would you define what divorce is? Cheating? If we let the Constitution define the marriage aspect of a relationship why not the end of a relationship. A slippery slope is what I worry about. I support marriage between a man and a woman but if gays and lesbians want to get married go ahead, just call is something else.

The tally adds up to two votes for Democrats and one for the Republicans and a no vote supporting the Marriage amendment.

Random notes: Yesterday we got four phone calls at my parents house asking us to go and vote, one of which was from President Bill Clinton. How sweet of him. I thought I would have a little fun with it and play a joke on my mom and call the house pretending I was him ask for her to go vote. It went something like this,

Phone rings

Mom: Hello?

Me: Hi there sugar this is President Bill Clinton and I just wanted to call and tell you how important it is for you to go and vote. I myself will be supporting Harold Ford Jr. for Senate and would hope you do the same. He's been to a Playboy bunny party after the Super Bowl and boy would I have loved to have gone to that one. Shoot yeah! Ohhah gotta go, Hillary's here. Go vote honey!

Mom: audible laughter. Barrett is that you! You need to let your father hear this!

Finally, I miss those old fashioned lever-action voting machines where you could hear the gears of democracy in action! Electronic voting machines take away the old fashioned goodness out of the voting process. Sigh.

2006-08-10T20:57:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone for wishing me a happy birthday. We had a wonderful time with friends and family. I'm off to the beach so I won't be able to blog much but I promise to post when I return.

Some girls are tougher than others

2006-07-23T19:15:00.000-04:00

But my girlfriend is the toughest. Voldoll and I decided, rather hastily Saturday afternoon, that we would go to the mountains and hike. The weather outside was dreary but our spirits were up so we set out to the Great Smoky Mountains. We chose to hike to Andrew's Bald, a nice exposed area that enjoys a beautiful view at 6,600 feet. If you've never hiked to it you must know that the path is incredibly rocky and sometimes painful, but its short at only 1.8 miles. We reached the Sugarlands Visitor Center and bought a day-hike map and set out toward the starting point of the trail.

While I was driving Voldoll told me she couldn't remember if she had put her hiking boots in the car before we left. I told her she probably did but couldn't see them in the back seat. So I pulled over and we both searched desperately for her hiking boots. Nothing. Voldoll had on a pair of Crocs, and knock off Wal Mart versions at that. Crocs are comfortable and heelless, but when it comes to hiking you might as well be wearing flip flops. We got back in the car and I offered to turn around ( I wasn't to keen on her hiking in Crocs) but she was adamant, we go and we hike no matter what. To her credit she was unrelenting in her desire to finish the trail even when the slimy mud was ankle deep and rocks jutted out all around the trail. My girlfriend hiked four miles in Crocs across some nasty terrain but not once did she complain although she came close to breaking an ankle. It turned out to be a wonderful time together. I'm so very proud of her and I was very impressed by her tenacity.

Campaign with Bob Corker

2006-07-18T11:44:00.000-04:00

**Warning-silly hippie nudity in this post**

Currently I am on sabbatical, i.e. I'm unemployed. More on that later. While I'm not at work I thought it best to participate in something I have a good deal of interest in, politics. I've always enjoy following national and local politics so I wondered to myself if I could volunteer with a political campaign since we are in the midst of a Republican primary here in the great state of Tennessee. Enter Bob Corker. I am a conservative in many areas however I like to call myself a South Park Conservative. Mr. Corker's stances are closest to my beliefs and values and I knew very little about Ed Bryant and I can't stand Van Hilleary. So the choice was clear. Last Thursday night the three candidates had a debate at West High School and it was there that I had my first campaign experience.

I arrived at West High School in the evening, the debate was scheduled to begin in an hour. The heat and humidity were depressing but the three individuals dressed up as chickens made the hour pass by fast. Three men ( I think they were guys) were dressed up in chicken suits standing in front of the school holding signs that read "we flew down here because Bob Corker was too chicken to debate the candidates". That sign was referencing some non televised debates that Mr. Corker decided not to attend and campaign elsewhere. No matter, the chickens lasted all of fifteen minutes in the sun before they had to move underneath an entrance under the shade in order to cool off. When I arrived I happily grabbed a 'Bob Corker for Senate' sign and held it up high, meanwhile I probably sweat off about three pounds of water weight. About thirty minutes before the debate I was still holding that sign up and someone spoke up "here he comes" and as I lowered the sign Mr. Corker was walking straight towards me and he shook my hand (nice firm handshake by the way) and thanked my for helping out. He made a point to shake everyone's hand (about 45 of us) and say thank you. I thought that was a very nice gesture. I got to know some of the campaign workers and they were very cordial and relaxed. I couldn't say the same for the war protestors though.

Around the same time we set up some hippies came out in front of us and planted their little 'No Illegal Wars/No war for Oil" signs. From a personal st andpoint, I am so sick and tired of arguing about Iraq so I did my best to ignore them. That lasted about five minutes. A little hippie granny kept telling the folks walking by to "Vote Democrat. No more illegal wars". That's sweet. As I walked by I knew they were going to say something to me, I was white, I had a short hair cut, and I was with the Corker campaign. No one said much, one guy asked me if I supported an illegal war which I responded, "darn straight I do and I served there so don't preach to me about the legalities of war". I expected a smart response but he said something unintelligible like "whatever I don't care, lets not argue, make love not war". I didn't pay much attention, it was time for the debate to begin.

The debate included all three candidates and was hosted by a local tv and radio station. Some people complained that the candidates did nothing to differentiate between themselves which is hardly surprising since all three are conservatives but if you pay close attention you will notice some differences. For instance, Van Hilleary likes to make up words when he speaks. Words like "gobblygook" and "yukatty yukk". Van Hilleray came across to me as confused, unintelligent, and scattered. Ed Bryant was very impressive. He was stoic and firm but lacked the kind of panache that it will take to defeat Harold Ford, Jr. , the Democratic candidate for the Senate. Mr. Corker had a witty demeanor and came across very well rehearsed which some might not like but, for me it's a sign that his campaign and he himself are very well organized and practiced.

It was a great time and I hope to volunteer some more this week. Additionally early voting has started and voting will begin on August 5th. I'll post more when I volunteer again.

Trackbacks added. Now use them!

2006-07-11T11:30:00.000-04:00

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to VOLBOY.

Every dog has his day

2006-07-10T18:55:00.000-04:00

Winston is your typical puppy; He likes to go to the bathroom everywhere and loves to bark at people, cars, and inanimate garbage bins. However he saves his best for when he attacks the dreaded water sprinkler!!! Watch below.

Horse Blogging

2006-07-09T20:48:00.000-04:00

I spent a wonderful weekend with Voldoll riding horses. She's feeling a good bit better now. I'm trying my best to learn how to horse-back ride properly, but it takes a good deal of patience and strong thigh muscles...oh and good posture.

To the left is Susie and on the right is Oscar. Both are Arabian horses and both hate being separated from each other.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

2006-07-08T10:56:00.000-04:00

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest is an adventure-filled flim with some great moments but if your looking for substantial plot, keep digging and you might get lucky.

Dead Man’s Chest, directed by Gore Verbinski is the second movie in a trilogy of movies based on the Disney theme park ride, Pirates of the Caribbean. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer was wise enough to deliver more of what worked best from the first movie, Captain Jack Sparrow, played handsomely by Johnny Depp. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley return as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, respectively. Captain Sparrow finds himself in a bind as he must pay a debt to the notorious pirate of the sea (literally) Davy Jones. True to form Sparrow tries to squeeze his way out of the debt by searching for a chest that contains something intimately connected to Davy Jones. But before the action can begin, and it really doesn’t until Davy Jones shows up, Will and Elizabeth have their wedding crashed ceremoniously by an agent of the East India Trading company demanding an artifact that, of course, only Captain Sparrow has in his possession.

At some points in the movie the plot becomes convoluted and busy. Seeing the first movie before watching the second would help since so many characters and story points are brought back. Most enjoyable is watching Davy Jones, played by Bill Nighy, in what must be a seamless combination of makeup, costume, and special effects. I just loved watching him and his crew in action. Fans of Orlando Bloom will be disappointed as his character never really evolves in this movie, in fact he might de-evolve, as he becomes increasingly gullible throughout the film. Knightley can’t even serve as simple eye candy since she’s dressed as a boy for most of the movie. Only until the very end of the film does she contribute to the story by committing an act of sheer treason. Most awkward is the love triangle that forms between the three with no promised resolution till the third movie. In fact there is no ending to this film at all, the last moments are spent in solemn remembrance of a friend lost and then, bam!, it’s time to go and rescue him…..in the third movie.

Overall an enjoyable movie and worth the price of admission to a matinee, but only go if you want to see more Jack Sparrow and Johnny Depp at his best.

Much ado about North Korea

2006-07-07T09:25:00.000-04:00

It's been several days since the North Korean’s launched missiles toward Japan and apparently even Hawaii. So naturally since I've been in the military, people ask my reaction. Well, I don't have a strong reaction here. Having nukes brings a sense of legitimacy to your regime in the world order and they are the great equalizer in world politics (see India and Pakistan) or should I say great neuter-izer. Few options are available here with the exceptions of sanctions. Sanctions will accomplish little because there is little left to sanction. The DPRK's economy is so bad that they have resorted to some drastic measures. Stealing trains now, how can you sanction something like that?

A friend of mine asked me, "since we can bomb the shit out of them why do they even do this?". Good question. An incentive package was offered to Iran recently with the expectation that they end their nuclear armament program. North Korea is trying, desperately, to have something similar handed to them . Kim Jong ll's actions make little sense to many but his intention is clear. He wants to become a major military power in the Asian community. He wants legitimacy in the world order and has seen India, Pakistan and others accomplish that by going nuclear.

So what can we do? We can continue to work with our partners in the region (Russia, China, Japan, South Korea) and report North Korea to the Security Council and send Mr. Kim Jong ll a very nasty letter from the United Nations. Maybe Hanz Bwix could deliver it person.

Austin Bay has more about North Korea's negotiation strategy.

Sickness is not fun for anyone

2006-07-07T09:06:00.000-04:00

Last night I talked with Voldoll and she told me she felt sick and was running a fever. This morning I might try to stop by and see her and make her feel as best as I can.

Superman Returns

2006-07-06T13:15:00.000-04:00

I saw Superman Returns on opening day. I will never grow too old or get used to seeing a movie on opening day. I love it. This day was even more special for me because I grew up with Christopher Reeve as Superman and I had the toys, underwear, blankets, and appropriately themed Superman parties.

The title, Superman Returns serves as both movie title and story. Superman, played by Brandon Routh, has been away from Earth for over five years searching the remnants of Krypton for any survivors. Upon his return he discovers a world and some close friends that have moved on. Clark Kent returns to the Daily Planet to find Lois Lane, played by Kate Bosworth, has had a child and is engaged to the editor’s nephew. Arch enemy Lex Luthor, played devilishly by Kevin Spacey, has in his unique diabolical fashion wretched away a fortune from a dying woman. What ensues over the course of two plus hours is a movie that transported me back to my childhood and but never completely satisfied my inner comic book geekyness.

The opening credits began flying at me like the originals and I was immediately transported back to my youth. I was psyched to see Superman fly above the stars and wait to be called into action. Unfortunately this does not happen for the first thirty minutes of the movie which at times seemed painstakingly slow. Just like King Kong, this movie could've been shortened by twenty minutes and still worked well, perhaps even better. Superman's return in the movie happens in an effects laden scene involving a shuttle launch that has gone terribly wrong. Indeed, the effects are so good (and they should be with a $250 million price tag) that you will believe a man can fly. The movie was filmed in sequential order to you can watch Routh grow into the part and watch his confidence soar, literally, by the third act. Routh and Bosworth have chemistry which I cannot say for Bosworth and James Marsden who played Richard White, her fiancé. Still by the end of the movie you grow fond of Richard White (I found myself rooting for himl) as he is unflinching in risking his life to save his family. Marsden's makes us believe that any human can be a hero without super powers.

The biggest disappointment I had with the movie dealt with Luthor’s not so ingenious plan. Luthor has discovered the Fortress of Solitude and its secrets. Kevin Spacey delivers in the role as should be expected from a fine actor but Lex's plot seemed far fetched and silly. Create a new land mass that people will want to live on. The only problem with this is the land mass is ugly and unhabitable, no one will be able to by it because its creation will destroy 1/3 of the world's population, and said destruction will cripple the world's economy thus rendering real estate a market nobody can invest in. This is what we call in the Marines, good initiative, bad judgement.

Kate Bosworth is entirely too young to play the role of Lois. I found it hard to believe she could manage a fiancé, a son, and a career as a journalist. How did she manage to win a Pulitzer with all that and she's only in her mid twenties? Seems implausible.

Highlights of the movie were the exceptional piece of acting from Tristan Lake Lebeau who played Jason White, Lois's son, and a scene in which he protects his mother by demonstrating some other worldly strength. A final touching scene in which the father becomes the son and the son becomes the father, where Superman finds what he was looking for, gives the movie a loving touch that Director Bryan Singer should be credited with delivering.

Superman Returns is a fine movie in the end but with some flaws and a lengthy run time.

Honor Them

2006-07-06T11:40:00.000-04:00

The Red Pill has a post that discusses his experience of watching an Air Force commissioning ceremony here. What is most telling, and you might miss it, was that he was once a student in the same ROTC class but was unable to graduate with them. He witnessed men and women that he trained with take an oath to defend the Constitution, a simple piece of paper, that has helped reshape the world. It's ironic that an individual should take an oath to protect anything other than the written word. Taking an oath to protect the King and Queen or to serve a vain Imperator would make more sense to me, but to protect all enemies from the Constitution, the document that records our deepest held beliefs is truly revolutionary even in today's world.

Best Wishes to Matt and Erica

2006-06-01T10:03:00.000-04:00

Matt and Erica are heading overseas for two months. They plan to travel around Western and Eastern Europe. Make sure to check their blog for the latest pictures and on site bird flu reporting!

Newest Blog

2006-04-19T14:46:00.000-04:00

Thirty Caliber Empire is a blog worth checking.

Been a while hasn't it?

2006-04-19T14:33:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I last posted something. I have had a difficult time getting motivated to blog about stuff even though I'm really opinionated about current events. Also I'm struggling to really determine what purpose the blog will serve. I'll try better to get some material published.

2006-01-03T14:29:00.000-05:00

Jon decided to use his smoker over the break. Yummy. I need one but I got to use my new George Forman grill instead. Also Justin is changing over to Wordpress 2.0 and had an adventure trying to get unlocked by way of WD-40.

IE v. Firefox

2005-12-20T14:32:00.000-05:00

For reasons beyond me viewing this blog works better in Firefox than Internet Explorer. So I would encourage you all to download Firefox if you haven't already. There is a Firefox button on the side for your clicking convenience.

NEW LOOK FOR VOLBOY

2005-12-20T09:59:00.000-05:00

I hope you all missed me. Whew what a crazy semester! In the mean time I've managed to redo the look for VOLBOY and create a great looking banner on top. This picture comes from our time in ASP Flea near Al Asad, Iraq and is the inspiration for the banner. We are hoisting up our colors and paying tribute to our homestate. More posts will come but make sure to check out some of the Volunteer links. Feedback on the new look would be greatly appreciated.

2005-09-02T10:45:00.000-04:00

flood aid

2005-06-23T10:33:00.000-04:00

Good speech from the "dark lord" Karl Rove. Warning: Liberals will not enjoy this.

2005-06-23T09:38:00.000-04:00

Remember to take the MIT Weblog Survey fellow bloggers.

2005-06-21T12:18:00.000-04:00

Saddam has gone from feared dictator to token celebrity status. It's like he's a famous reality tv star now. Man! What I wouldn't have given to have a family size bag of doritos (his favorite snack) while I was on a convoy.

2005-06-21T09:39:00.000-04:00

I loved Batman Begins! The first 45 minutes are edited a little choppy but thats Nolan's way of doing things I guess. Once you're caught up on the back story and we get into the creation of the Batman it gets so freakin awesome! I loved how everything he used had a purpose and a believable history. Like the batmoblie was a bridging vehicle designed for use by the military but never contracted out. Or that his bat ears hide sensitive microphones to pick up conversations. The hallucination scenes are trippy and actually somewhat scary . I loved the scene where the scarecrow was trippin and thought the batman was like this dark demon straight from the pits of hell with pools of drool coming from his fangs. And somehow Gary Oldman made a cheap pair of glasses and a really fake mustache turn into a Gordon character we can care about. The whole good cop amongst the corrupt worked really well. And finally I loved Gordon's point about escalation at the end. How he questions whether a crime fighter in a bat suit will not really solve Gotham's problems, but only add to them by creating even more sinister bad guys. And then the foreshadowing of the joker....can't wait till the next one! I really like Nolan's vision of Gotham city and the Batman. Hopefully he won't screw up, like putting nipples on the batsuit, but things seem well off in his hands

2005-06-17T09:18:00.000-04:00

You spill ketchup on your bosses slacks. He then e-mails you and explains the dry cleaning fee was 4 pounds.....and your reply e-mail gets forwarded all over the country and makes it to cnn.com.

2005-06-16T11:59:00.000-04:00

Great article about the relationship between Lucas and Spielberg. Money quote:

And so Lucas has been drawn back to Star Wars with an air of glum fatalism, while Spielberg puts on ever more ambidextrous displays of reach and range. Lucas may well win the box-office battle this summer, but Spielberg looks like he's won the war.

I guess they can both live in harmony together knowing that each have their little pet projects that aren't all that good. Lucas has his Star Wars prequals and Spielberg has his Jurassic Park triology.

2005-06-16T11:04:00.000-04:00

God bless you Billy Graham.

2005-06-16T09:36:00.000-04:00

Duke University has released the results of their ipod giveaway program. At the beginning of the Academic year they gave an ipod to every freshmen with the intention of professors using them in their courses of instruction. In the end Duke will not hand out ipods to every freshman next year but only those in courses that require ipods. The report can be found here at the University's website and seen in PDF format here.

2005-06-16T09:32:00.000-04:00

Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, has taken to the Senate floor recently and chastied the treatment of prisoners in Gitmo. In doing so he compared American service men and women to Nazis. Way to go dick.

2005-06-08T12:06:00.000-04:00

DNC chairman Howard Dean rips into the Republican Party by calling it largely made up of "white Christians". Hard to believe since Dean is a white christian and the chairman of the RNC is Jewish.

2005-06-08T10:54:00.000-04:00

Here is an insightful article about a rare breed of politician. These are elected representatives that serve in the United States Military Reserve. Sadly no one in the Senate is currently serving in the Reserves and there is only one active reservist in the House. All that do serve come from state legislatures.

2005-06-08T09:47:00.000-04:00

URGENT: If I advised you on 6.7.2005 I need your schedule. Please e-mail it to me after you are done registering. I cannot file your permanent folder until you do so. Thanks guys.

Links and tips for incomming students

2005-06-07T10:55:00.000-04:00

Academic Advising Suggestions and Links.

Here are some Helpful Links :

Student Success Center
Circle Park Online
Student Involvement
University Homepage
Arts and Sciences Homepage
College of Business Homepage
College of Education Homepage
College of Nursing Homepage
College of Engineering Homepage
Career Services
Center for Leadership Development (See Ignite program)

Helpful Tips and reminders:
-Remeber your schedule is a working schedule and can be changed around all summer via CPO.
-Design your fall schedule to help you succeed. You need a 2.75 GPA to keep your Hope Scholarship!
-Don't forget the Drop a class policy we went over!
-Follow the rules, Fill in the blanks!
-Hold on to your Curriculum Guide and Handbook for the duration of your college career.
-Classes begin August 24th!
-If you have any questions or comments you can e-mail me or you can post a comment or question by following the "comment" link below.

Good Luck.

2005-06-07T10:51:00.000-04:00

There's no end in sight of the quagmire we've gotten ourselves into. Only it's not in Iraq, it's in Europe, sixty years afterD-Day and our attempt at nation building has gone horribly wrong.

2005-06-07T10:34:00.000-04:00

Going after Tom Delay might end up biting some Congressmen in the ass. Especially a certain Congressman from my home state, Harold Ford, Jr. Money quote:

From 1998 to 2003, he took 61 privately funded trips. During that period, he failed to file a single travel-disclosure form with the House clerk, as required by the chamber's ethics rules.

Of course having your uncle arrested for taking bribes doesn't help too much either. VOLuntarilyConserative has a good roundup.

2005-06-06T09:52:00.000-04:00

In an earlier post I talked about Amnesty International's decree about our detention facilities as the leading cause of others commiting torture, but the real money quote was when Amnesty called Gitmo the 'gulag of our time'. Now the President of AI is saying he's not sure if it's a gulag or not. Brilliant.

More coverage here and here.

2005-06-06T09:49:00.000-04:00

This sounds familiar. A women who apparently fled from her family has been found seven years later. It was originally thought she was kidnapped. Instead she was fleeing from her mother after having an argument with her over her grades at Texas A & M. Hmmmmm. Should she be treated the same as the runaway bride?

2005-06-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

Update

Here is another article going into detail about the Tennessee Waltz undercover sting that I blogged about earlier. What was most damning is the fact that Senator Ford took $50,000 and was caught on tape.

Ford is accused of taking a series of payoffs totaling $55,000 between August and April. The FBI made video or audio recordings of all but one of those exchanges of cash, Jackson said. On another recording they catch him saying "send me a little money."

Ouch.

2005-06-02T08:33:00.000-04:00

Check out the Wired Campus Blog about the evolution of education technology. Pay particular interest to the' space creators' entry about the first ever computer video game invented. IThe computer to run it only cost about $120,000 and you could shoot at asteroids or rather really, really big pixels. Fun for the whole family.

2005-06-01T08:54:00.000-04:00

Opposing viewpoints on the situation with the EU constitution crisis. This article by associated press reporter Ann Gearan suggest the crisis if it worsens will have a negative impact on the Bush Administration becuase of their conserted efforts to mend fences after the Iraq War. Not having a unified Europe will make it much more difficult to squeeze those cooperative juices together.

The European Union seems to be in disarray just at the time the administration is willing to work with the EU.

However John O'Sullivan writes that a Europe in dissary wouldn't be such a bad thing at all, but rather an opportunity for the US to come in and mediate a deal. Amusingly called Plan B.

In reality there is always a Plan B, even if the politicians avoid considering it until Plan A has collapsed. Under this particular Plan B, the United States would rescue Turkey and the EU from their joint crises while also advancing U.S. interests in transatlantic integration.

Read both.

2005-06-01T08:27:00.000-04:00

Job Description
Wanted: Someone with good people skills that enjoys swanky dinners, NBA basketball games, gambling in Mississippi, and spending weekends in Miami. All expenses paid, no out of pocket money.

Sound too good to be true? Well it's not. It's exactly what undercover FBI agents did to nab Rep. Ford who works for my homestate. Those criminals don't make Volboy very happy buts its nice to see some FBI agents doing their job.... aptly named the Tennessee Waltz. White Collar Crime Prof Blog has more.

2005-05-31T12:42:00.000-04:00

'Deep Throat' is revealed!!

2005-05-27T10:12:00.000-04:00

Our favorite folks across the Atlantic are wondering why their violent crime rate is increasing dramaticly. Britain has some of the most restrictive gun control and self defense laws in the world. Now that the gun control lobby has gotten their way with no effect on violent crime the next logical solution would be what? Knives! Yes and not your typical 'that's not a knife, this is a knife!" Crocodile Dundee bowie! Nooooo. Kitchen knives are the culprit now. Neal Boortz is all over this one.

Mustang Marine cleared of wrongdoing

2005-05-26T10:59:00.000-04:00

A Mustang Marine is one who was enlisted first and then becomes an officer, hence the mix breed Mustang. Lt. Pantano who seeked a commission in the Marines in response to the 9/11 attacks has been cleared of any wrong doing in his Article 32 (grand jury) hearing. Why was someone who was defending his men charged in the first place? This sadly is why,

“Down at the unit level, there was never a question about Ilario’s conduct and whether or not he did the right thing,” Charles Gittins, Pantano’s civilian lawyer, said. “It was up in the higher echelons. The people removed from combat situations needed to put more trust in their officers rather than assuming they’re guilty.”

I'm not surprised. Though the Marines do one of the best jobs of training their men and women to handle a great deal of responsibility it is difficult to work with the higher ups when they can't see the battlefield from your point of view. That's why they give you the benefit of the doubt but here they chose not to and had a public relations fiasco.

2005-05-26T10:50:00.000-04:00

I can laud the President for sticking to his guns in the debate over stem cell research. I can not deny how beneficial it would for my family memebers to have access to the medical benefits stem cells would have. Senator Arlen Spector spoke out today on the need for more government funding in stem cell research and the House and Senate both debate stem cell research bills. This is one issue I'm going to have to disagree with President. I would hate to see him veto any such bill.

2005-05-25T11:40:00.000-04:00

Once again Amensty International decries our abuses of enemy prisoners of war in a loud statement but this time they take it one step further and blame the US for the rest of the worlds abuse of prisoners and torture tactics. The President of Amensty had this to say,

When the most powerful country in the world thumbs its nose at the rule of law and human rights, it grants a licence to others to commit abuse with impunity.

I don't buy it. Meanwhile there are some good outcomes to the war on terror like this here.

2005-05-24T22:11:00.000-04:00

test

2005-05-24T15:20:00.000-04:00

Let's hope this is true.

Update: He might have fled the country after suffering a gun shot wound to the lung.

Update II: Now the Iraqi government acknowledges that Zarq is injured. I hope it was from a 5.56 mm shot from a Lance Corporals M-16 A2. And I hope he's in a lot of pain. He's earned it.

2005-05-24T11:23:00.000-04:00

Good riddance. See 'Jacko's Future".

2005-05-24T09:46:00.000-04:00

I don't know whether I should laugh or feel pity about this. Please don't try and make your own lightsabers and then fight each other. It will just lead to an emergency room visit.

Update: Okay this I can laugh at.

2005-05-23T16:56:00.000-04:00

I saw Star Wars this weekend and my review in ten words or less is this: Stiff acting, great effects, Darth Vader rules! Unfortunatly, I didn't see any of these people. But the female Boba Fett would've been nice.

Update: Here are some more photos of people living the Star Wars dream. A good rendition of Princess Leia can be found if you look closely.

Recruiting

2005-05-23T12:03:00.000-04:00

The Army's recruting problems don' t stop with not having enough potential pooles. A one day moratorium was issed by the Army Recruiting Commander in response to some reported recruiting abuses. The following story is an inside look at the Army's recruiting woes in my hometown. This statement must have some impact in recruting.

The Tennessee Army National Guard, which has deployed every major unit in the state since Sept. 11, 2001, also has been affected.

I'm hoping thigs turn for the better but as the economy grows the recruiters have a more difficult time selling their occupation as a unique career. But then again one could always join up here.

2005-05-23T11:55:00.000-04:00

The Army's recruting problems don' t stop with not having enough troops. A one day moratorium was issed by the Army Recruiting Commander in response to some reported recruiting abuses. The following story is an inside look at the Army's recruiting woes in my hometown. This statement must have some impact in recruting.

The Tennessee Army National Guard, which has deployed every major unit in the state since Sept. 11, 2001, also has been affected.

I'm hoping thigs turn for the better but as the economy grows the recruiters have a more difficult time selling their occupation as a unique career. But then again one could always join up here.

2005-05-23T11:03:00.000-04:00

After reading this column by Fouad Ajami I'm tempted to say that our perspective here in the states is so unabashadly skewed towards failure that this is a much needed breath of fresh air.

The doors have been thrown wide open, and the truth of that world laid bare. Grant Mr. Bush his due: The revolutionary message he brought forth was the simple belief that there was no Arab and Muslim "exceptionalism" to the appeal of liberty. For a people mired in historical pessimism, the message of this outsider was a powerful antidote to the culture of tyranny.

Read the whole thing.

Tales of a nasty reservist

2005-05-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

Fall Semester 1998

I was nineteen and entering a new chapter in my life. College, with all of its wild idealism was actually having an affect on me. I hated it. So far I knew very few people. My friends had gone off to college elsewhere or were still in high school and the only person I knew well enough to call an acquaintance was my dorm mate Scott. We lived in a dorm room comparative in size to a horse stall though ours was kind enough to have laminate flooring instead of dirt. It reminded me of a hospital wing with its abundant fluorescent lighting and freshly cleaned floors reeking of too much bleach.
Scott was a second year student who came from a small family and an even smaller town. He was tall with a lanky frame and had a buzzed hair cut very reminiscent of a Rockwell painting. Scott was not your typical student though. On top of his schoolwork and undergrad commitments he was also a Marine, and a fresh from boot camp. The following summer he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and returned to school after he graduated from boot camp. He was very new to the Corps but he was also very dedicated. I thought very little of this since I had zero interest in the military. Don’t get me wrong I didn’t dislike the military. This is the kid that grew up playing with G.I. Joe and watching Desert Storm play out on television like it was some kind of kick ass video game. I happened to think very highly of the military and especially of the Marines. So much so that I knew it wasn’t for me. For one thing I was incredibly out of shape. After finishing football in high school I didn’t have to worry about being in peak physical condition so I ate till my heart’s content. Voila! I’m fat. I was even more certain that the Marines were so tough and so crazy in the head that their was no way I could ever survive training and, God help me, fight in battle. I assured myself that this was not the path I wanted to go down.

Revenge of the Frist

2005-05-19T18:34:00.000-04:00

MoveOn has posted their latest ad. It portrays Senator Frist as an up and coming Emperor hell- bent on putting 'right wing judges' in the judiciary. Hmmmm...

See the insanity (and poor sepcial effects) by clicking here.

Not a very good likeness of him really. He needs more...more...well this might work.

Update: Jim Geraghty has a good question, poor special effects put aside, is this what MoveOn embers wants to spend their money on?

It has been a good while since I've blogged. I'm starting now.

2005-05-19T13:55:00.000-04:00

USA Today's DeWayne Wickham is his editorial column yesterday entitled "A 15 month enlisment? Better check the fine print" is a wonderful example of the ignorance of journalist's knowledge about the military. He states,

Everyone who enters the all-volunteer military incurs a total service obligation of eight years, a portion of which is spent on active duty. For the remainder of this time, the enlistee can be called back into uniform at the government's discretion under a program called "stop-loss."

This is untrue. Upon completion of an individual's first active or reserve duty enlistment contract (any where from 15 months-6 years) enlistee is then transferred to the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) to complete the eight years. They are only required to update their home address and contact information with their corresponding command. It requires no active duty service. The military does have the authority to place the enlistee back onto active duty from the IRR if deemed necessary. The 'stop loss' directive does not bring someone back into the active duty ranks like the IRR, but rather keeps them from leaving the active or reserve component. It keeps personnel in valuable specialties such as linguistics and intelligence from leaving before suitable replacements can be recruited and trained.

The difference might be insignificant to most but to us in the military it means a good deal. This would make Mr. Wickham's opinion piece much more compelling were he to include this distinction between 'stop loss' and the IRR.

2005-02-03T10:18:00.000-05:00

..and this was on a colder day.

2005-02-03T10:05:00.000-05:00

yummy turkey!

Welcome

2004-11-09T16:00:00.000-05:00

I'm working slowly on getting this blog up and running. Stay tuned for more info.