Excuse Me, Mr.!!

2000

"Since the war in Iraq began, an average of fifteen U.S. troops have been killed each week. That's more than two every single day. How many people realize that?" -From the post 2000 by The Cunning Realist.

Yesterday, we reached the 2000 United States' soldiers dead mark in the War in Iraq. This doesn't count the number of dead from other's countries' militaries, the number of U.S. soldiers injured or maimed, nor does it count the number of Iraqi civilians killed. Here is a quote from someone in the McGlaughlin Group recently:

""Okay, the human toll: U.S. military dead in Iraq, including suicides, 1,983; U.S. military amputeed, wounded, injured, mentally ill, all now out of Iraq, 47,400; Iraqi civilian dead, 117,100."

Now, conservative U.S. estimates put the Iraqi civilian dead closer to 30,000. However, estimates from groups outside the U.S. put it closer to the number in the quote. (The true number may never be fully known as so many were lost in the chaos.) Whatever the number, be it somewhere between 30,000 and 117,100, our actions and presence in Iraq has killed as many Iraqis as Saddam Hussien. We have lost any moral high ground we may have had.

Then again, there wasn't any to begin with as this war was started by lies of the Bush Administration. There were no weapons of mass destruction, Saddam had NO ties to Al Queda (the people who did attack us on Sept. 11), AND Iraq was at least a decade away from reconstituting any near a functional nuclear program. (Do a Google on "Iraq war lies" and you will see plenty of documented evidence that this war was a sham and has not made America safer.)

This war is despicable. The loss of our soldiers' lives, one of our countries greatest resources, is inexcusable. The fact that everything points that this adminstration had nothing close to a working plan for the war and after effects, as evidenced by the many CIA reports, and has yet to give an exit strategy is abominable. Yet, yesterday, President Bush said the following: "And the best way to honor the sacrifice of our fallen troops is to complete the mission and lay the foundation of peace by spreading freedom."

I'm sorry, but that is the biggest piece of bullshit logic I have ever heard in my life. "To honor the dead we shall send more of our solidiers to die in our ill-conceived, ill-planned and illegal war and not give them an exit strategy so there will be no forseeable end to the death in the future," is basically what Bush, and his cronies, are saying. (Sect. of State Condeleeza Rice said recently that she could not rule out that our soldiers may be fighting and dying in Iraq a decade from now. Tell me again how this isn't Vietnam repeated? Oh, sand instead of jungle.)

That is the exact logic that Nixon and Johnson used with regards to Vietnam and not "cutting and running." How many U.S. soldiers did we end up having killed? 58,226. I don't know off hand how many were wounded and came back "broken." Was that war worth the cost?

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. This war costs the U.S. 6 billlion dollars a month and an average of 2 soldiers lives a day. And for what? So we can have an Islamic controlled government installed? (If you read the Iraqi constitution, they are establishing that Islam be the foundation of the laws. Oh, what happened to the secular democracy like ours that we were helping to create.) So we can have a civil war between Sunnis and Shiites? So we can continue to fight an indigenious insurgency of people who didn't want us to be there in the first place? They didn't want the British there when they occupied and created Iraq in the 20's. Bush obviously didn't read his history about that. Nor did he read that invaders have always fought and lost in Iraq.

""Beyond the Euphrates began for us the land of mirage and danger, the sands where one helplessly sank, and the roads which ended in nothing. The slightest reversal would have resulted in a jolt to our prestige giving rise to all kinds of catastrophe; the problem was not only to conquer but to conquer again and again, perpetually; our forces would be drained off in the attempt." - Emperor Hadrian AD 117-138


Honor the sacrifice by sending more to die in a war that is wrong from all angles (wrong in reason, wrong in planning, and wrong in excution)? I'm sorry, but my country's soldiers are not to be used that way. They are too valuable! 2000 and climbing is too high a sacrifice for a president's lie. (Especially when that president jokes about not finding weapons of mass destruction. How dare you, Mr. Bush!!!)


P.S. Dad, I was incomplete in what I had said. President Bush is my "Nixon" AND my "Carter" times a thousand!

The Search for Quality Employees, Part 2

Yesterday, I had a very busy day at work as we interviewed 12 people for entry level positions in my department. Today, I am sifting through all the paper work. Joy! Last week, I had the pleasure of going through all the resumes and calling these people to come in for the interview. Like my last post about the hiring process (“The Search for Quality Employees”), these were the “best” that the recruiter had received.

I am aghast at was passes for quality these days. Again, like my last post, perhaps I am hyper-critical from my time as an admissions counselor. Then again, if you are going to send in a resume, PROOFREAD IT!!!!

Let’s look at some things written by these quality employees, shall we?


“My goal is to obtain my Masters Degree in Education. By doing so, I would like to become a counselor or teacher in the school system or the private septum”

-Private septum?!!! You mean, “A thin partition or membrane that divides two cavities or soft masses of tissue in an organism: the nasal septum; the atrial septum of the heart.”? Yeah, well I know for a fact that you won’t be working in MY private septum no matter what kind of degree you get!


“To utilize my skills within a company/organization that will utilize my acquired knowledge and skills to help heighten the growth of company assets.”

-If you utilize the word “utilize” once more I will smack you!! Also, “heighten the growth of company assets”? What kind of talk is that!!! That isn’t even proper business-speak. Furthermore, we’re a NON-PROFIT organization, we don’t have company assets that we seek to heighten. Growth of company assets implies that we are seeking a profit.


Objective: An interesting position with a growing company

-How about “The Dragon” position with Vivid Video? (That’s a interesting sexual position and one of the largest porn movie companies to those who don’t know.)


“To secure a job in a company where I can contribute my hard working charisma as well as assisting in the continuing success of the company.”

-“Hard working charisma”, eh? Doesn’t that sound like a necessary qualification for the porn industry? Also, if you really have charisma, does it really have to “work hard?” Isn’t that the point of charisma, it’s something that just flows out of someone?


Objective: “Leaving an indelible mark on the sand of time. Giving my beat, achieving where others have failed, seeking to excel, and climbing the ladder of success where others are weary and tired.”

-Ok, I’ll give this guy the typo of “beat” for “best.” This is actually quite poetic, though it should be “when” and not “where others are weary and tired.” But isn’t this over the top though for a entry level position? Also, the guy has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in geography. Why are you applying to work with autistic people?

I know, "EWWWW!"

Ok, so this is a gross. I have only taken one shower since Sunday afternoon. My house hasn't had hot water since Monday. And I was planning on taking a shower Monday evening, but I figured that it could wait until Tuesday morning. I wake up and find we have no hot water. So I do a cold wash down in my sink.

We get a delivery of oil on Tuesday, but the boiler isn't work. So Wednesday I get up early to shower at the gym. I find out from my roommate late last night that our landlord is a cheap bastard and didn't want to pay for a technician. So that is why I didn't take a shower this morning (Thursday). Supposedly the technician will come today so I can have a hot shower Friday morning.

I hope haven't stunk too bad. I have been using deoderant and cologne. I just haven't shaved in about a week so I am looking scruffy.

There better be hot water tomorrow!!


(Special thanks to Matt K. for the phrase, "EWWWW!")

From the Files of "I Wouldn't Believe It If I Hadn't Read It Myself"

Hello Netizens!

Today's post will be short because I have to share a website for you all.

www.walken2008.com

Yes, my friends, Christopher Walken is seriously considering running for President in 2008! My first reaction was, "No way!" Then my second reaction was, "How cool would that be!"

Walken's vocal delivery is classic. The State of the Union addresses would be so entertaining to watch. And I mean entertaining in a different way than watching Dubya skewer the English language.

So I read his biography and find two interesting facts. One, he is from Astoria, Queens. I lived in Astoria for 2.5 years and I still work here. It's a good town. And two, more importantly, he and I share the same birthday, March 31st! He's got my vote!

In all serious folks, so far he does have a good and reasonable platform. (You can read it here: http://www.walken2008.com/platform.pdf ) Though, anything after the Bush Regime, *cough*, I mean, Adminstration would seem reasonable.


BUT. . . .this turns out all to be a cool and elborate internet hoax. Just Google "Walken for president" and you will see the above site followed by a number of articles showing that is not for real. Just a joke that a couple of people came up with. Damn, I so would have voted for him!!

So yeah, Christopher Walken would have been a better president than George W. Bush. (Not that this is a herculean task. You and I could be better presidents that Dubya) He would have danced in the Oval Office to Fatboy Slim. That would have been cool!

I Shared My Darkest Secret

The above picture comes from PostSecret, a blog where people anonymously share a secret on a postcard and mail it in to be shared on internet. Every Sunday, there are a new set of secrets posted. A few weeks ago, they had the above picture. I downloaded it, along with others, because it really touched me.

Why?

Do you remember me asking this question, " If I let a friend into the darkest room of my heart, would they, could they, love me still even if I can't love myself because of it?" back in July. (If you don't, you can go check out the blog post titled "Reflections from Time Off.")

Well, on Tuesday I finally sent off an envelope containing a letter in which I told that friend my deepest darkest secret. It took close to three months to write because I am very longwinded in my writing (like that comes to any surprise to you regular readers) and I have been insanely busy. The package contained over 100 pages of printed word, with 3/4 of it being stuff I wrote. (My friend doesn't have a computer so I print out my blogs and sent them to her.) The letter detailing my darkest secret came out to 28 pages. Another friend said that at 28 pages it doesn't count as a letter anymore, but rather a manuscript.

I experienced two emotions as I sent off the letter. One was relief that I finally finished the letter and told someone what I had been carrying inside for years. The other was fear; the fear expressed in the italicized question above. I knew that it would only be a couple of days until she got the package and read the letter.

Early Friday evening she calls me saying she had read it all that afternoon. Both of us were out running errands, so we planned a phone date for later in the night. We ended up talking for hours, as we often do. Not going to go all into detail about what we talked about. I will say that my fear was unnecessary. I think the part that meant the most to me was when she said, "I'm proud of you. (for sharing it all) And I love you now, even more than before!"

With tears in my voice, I replied, "Thank you."

My friend then went on and said, "And I think that you're a shithead to think even for one moment that I wasn't going still love you after you told me!" Go ahead, laugh at that comment. I did. Yeah, I was shithead for doubting her and our friendship. I guess fear can be awful powerful at times. Just got to keep remembering that there is something always stronger than fear.

"And now Faith, Hope, and Love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is Love."

The Sun

YEAH, THE SUN IS FINALLY OUT AFTER 8.5 DAYS OF RAIN!!!!!!!

Ok, I know that seems trivial, but it feels so good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY!!!!

Today is my sister Kelly's birthday. She regularly visits this blog, so if you'd like to wish her a Happy Birthday, then leave a comment. She'll see them.

I have written before about my sister (Uncommon Soldier) and her tour of duty over in Iraq. I can't tell you the last time I was with her for her birthday. And this year with having in her in Iraq feels tougher than when she was in Bosnia. At least then and there she was directly in the battle zones.

Well, Kelly, I hope you have a good birthday. The best that you can over there. I wish I could send you a Carvel Ice Cream Cake, but it would melt before it got there. (Damn, desert.)

I love you!

Love your brother,
Jim


Happy Birthday, Kelly!

Rain, Rain, Go Away. . .

Today marks the 7th consective day of rain here in New York City and the Northeast. Yesterday, Central Park recorded over 4 inches of rain in one day!! This is nuts. I like a rainy day, but a whole week of them!! The rain isn't supposed to stop until Saturday morning. We going to get a day of reprieve and then rain again on Sunday.

What is Mother Nature thinking?!! Does she think I live in Seattle?

I have more to write about, which will come tomorrow. Just wanted to vent about the rain.

In My Pants, Part 2.

I’m going to change the format here for In My Pants, Part 2 from what I did with In My Pants, Part 1. I am going to reprint the Instant Message conversation I had with a coworker months ago regarding this topic. My screen name is Wbslngr76. I had saved the conversation because I was going to use the songs we had come up with in a full post, but reading it again I find the conversation funny in itself. I think you’ll have a good laugh. Enjoy!

Wbslngr76: So I am listening to Eric Clapton's Unplugged Album. Some good song titles.
LilVone: hit me
Wbslngr76: "Lonely Stranger in My Pants"
LilVone: lol nice!
Wbslngr76: Rollin' & Tumblin" in My Pants
Wbslngr76: Malted Milk in My Pants. (Oops!)
Wbslngr76: Alberta in My Pants. (How did she get in there?)
LilVone: LMAO at the last one
LilVone: and the milk one
LilVone: Do you also have Layla in your pants?
Wbslngr76: You could have that one too!
LilVone: lol
Wbslngr76: Or. . .. Nobody Know You When You're Down and Out in My Pants. (We'll keep it on the down low.)
Wbslngr76: And then from his album "Reptile":
Wbslngr76: Come Back Baby in My Pants
LilVone: lol doesn’t every guy say that!
Wbslngr76: Yes, and they say this one: I Want a Little Girl in My Pants.
LilVone: lol then they go to jail!
Wbslngr76: or how about, Superman Inside (in) My Pants
Wbslngr76: or, Find Myself in My Pants.
LilVone: are you copying these?
Wbslngr76: Yes.
Wbslngr76: Wait, how about this one? Got You On My Mind in My Pants. lol
LilVone: I hear that all the time!
Wbslngr76: I also made a Santana mix. There are some doozies in that one as well.
Wbslngr76: Searchin' in My Pants. (Really? It shouldn't take you that long to find it!)
LilVone: lol
LilVone: sadly for some men, it does
Wbslngr76: Full Moon in My Pants. (Um...yup.)
Wbslngr76: Who's That Lady in My Pants. (You mean, you don't know?)
LilVone: lol
LilVone: didnt even get her name!
Wbslngr76: Over and Over in My Pants (Now that is my kind of night!!)
Wbslngr76: I Love You Much Too Much in My Pants (Oh, the things you do for me!)
LilVone: lmao awesome
Wbslngr76: Oye Como Va in My Pants. (Translation: Listen to What I am Saying in My Pants. )
Wbslngr76: From the album Supernatural, Wishing It Was in My Pants.
LilVone: lol
Wbslngr76: or Maria, Maria in My Pants. (Two for the price of one? Or so nice I had to have her twice?)
LilVone: lmao
Wbslngr76: And then there is the easy one, Black Magic Woman in My Pants. (Get that spell casting witch out of there!!)

Wbslngr76: I'm listening to Midnight Oil right now.
LilVone: awesome
Wbslngr76: "Shakers and Movers. . . .in My Pants."
LilVone: there ya go! LOL
Wbslngr76: Here's one for that time of the month, "River Runs Red. . .in My Pants"
LilVone: ewwww lol gross
Wbslngr76: How about "Antartica in My Pants"? That is what I felt like walking to work this winter with out long johns underneath
Wbslngr76: So I am listening to Butch Walker right now (going to see him on Sunday). And he has a song called "Best Thing You Never Had in My Pants". . .

"In My Pants, Part 3" will come some time in the near future.

No Witty Title Here

So I find myself with lots of experiences to write about, but no gumption to write. What a conundrum for a blogger to have! I think that maybe it is because I have an opus of a letter that I have been writing to a friend that I haven’t finished yet. I am already at page 26 and I figure that I have at least 4 more pages to write. It has taken me weeks to write this letter and I think I now have that feeling of “I’ve got to get this done before I move onto anything else!”

I promised myself today that I will finish that letter tomorrow night. I am going to go home after work, do nothing but practice my guitar and finish that letter. It will be in the mail by Friday morning.

Then I will be able to get onto more fun writing, like blogging, and a variety of subjects, like the most recent show, my sister's leave, and more self deconstruction.