Date:	2003-11-07 10:33
Subject:	who'd a thought
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused

Guys really do drool over girls.....This article in the Chicago Sun-Times highlights a U of Chicago study into the subject.

Date:	2003-11-07 10:09
Subject:	In the "You've got to be kidding me" department....
Security:	Public
Mood:	aggravated

ESPN's Ric Bucher writes about the Eagle County Sheriff's office ordering T-shirts proclaiming the guilt of Kobe Bryant. I'm not going to weigh in on the case itself, that is for the courts to decide. But it is abhorent for a government body to order these shirts, then make the statement that 2 will be kept in the records room for historical value. The column can be found here. This really gets under my skin.

I totally understand the need to cover ones ass at work. However, you also need to be held accountable for your actions. The key to covering your ass effectively is to not lie about things in order to do so. This is not how administrators in Houston Public Schools have been doing it. The NY Times is carrying this article about school violence data being skewed by school officials. Really, its quite disturbing. Unfortunatley you do need a login to see the article, but its free.

I know I don't know the whole story, but this article, also at CNN is about a guy charged with Cowardice after asking a superior officer for help in dealing with seeing the corpse of an Iraqi soldier which was cut in half by machine gun fire. I don't know about you, but I think I might need help dealing with that too. So a big thumbs down to Army for charging someone with an offense that carries the death penalty for not having the stomach to deal with some of the horrors of war.

CNN is running this article about the Jobless rate dropping and payroll growing. If it was just a report on the Jobless rate it would be anything special because that could mean as little as people have merely stopped collecting unemployment. However, the growth of payroll is another big economic indicator (though not one of the 5 Key ones, I know).

Reds outfielder Dernell Stenson was killed the other night rather brutally, one man arrested, another being sought, I hope they catch them and justice is served...Here one of many articles about this...

Date:	2003-11-07 08:24
Subject:	I'm in the Chicago Sun-Times
Security:	Public
Mood:	accomplished
Music:	With My Own Two Hands

Ok, so on Tuesday I got stopped outside my office for a Man on The Street interview with the Chicago Sun-Times regarding a new form of male contraception. So today I get in the office and a guy from work has it sitting on my desk, with my picture and everything! A link to it is Here However, the online version does not contain my picture or the qoute from me. But its still pretty cool and I didn't say anything to embarrass my mother by talking about it either. My qoute was: "No matter what type of birth control is used, it affects both of us. I think this is a way to make that equal. I would consider using it because it would be the right thing to do. I isn't fair to lay it all on her." To give you context I did preface that by saying if your in a committed relationship where both people have been tested for STD's would this be the way to go.

Lets hope all of this backfires on the dumbass.

MSNBC has this article about a remote bomb being set off under and American convoy in the Gaza Strip. The US Embassy has ordered all American's to leave the Gaza Strip. This sets a dangerous precedent, as this was the first bombing to specifically target a US Envoy in this part of the world. No groups have claimed resposibility and PLO leader Yassar Arafat has ordered an investigation while condemning the act. Hopefully this is just an action by a small group and was not sanctioned by a larger political body, as the last thing America needs is to get itself tangled even deeper in the Isreali/Palestinian rift.

CNN is carrying this article about Bush having raised nearly $50 million in the 3rd Quarter of the fiscal year, which is more than any of his Democrat hopefuls combined. Personally, this does not surprise me. Your talking about someone that gave a huge tax cut to the rich, why wouldn't they donate money? Not to mention corporations and oil magnates. What high dollar backers do the Democrats really have right now? Besides, as Ross Perot could undoubtedly tell you, money does not win you the presidency.

Date:	2003-10-14 16:33
Subject:	Clark's "Civilian Reserve"
Security:	Public
Mood:	nervous

Democrat Presidential candidate General Wesley Clark (ret.) made a speach today in New York. A transcript can be found HERE.

I really like some of the ideas that he's getting out there. Rather inspiring are his personal accounts about what called him to serve in our Nations military, but also went on to discuss that there are many ways and form to be Patriotic without becomeing a soldier. The Civil Reserve idea he lays out I tend to agree with. Its an interesting way to try to get American's involved with American's through volunteerism. I might be a little partial, as I think voluntarily helping others whenever you have the oppurtunity is one of the greatest goods one can accomplish on a regular basis without it really being a sacrifice. After all, according to the Beetles, "Time is On Our Side, yes it is." So why not take time out to lend a hand. Having a network where when someone needs help they can call upon it and it will work to match the right person up to help out is a good thing I think, and I'd support it with my tax dollars. Just because I may not know someone personally doesn't mean I shouldn't be helping them, and they may be able to help me out down the road, or someone else will.

I think he might be on to something, wonder if it will pick up any steam though, or go the road of great ideas that get shelved because people don't react as strongly as first as you'd like.

Oh yeah, and GO CUBS! Tonight they take on the Marlins in Game 6 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field. Mark Prior is taking the mound and Cub fans (myself included) have to like the chances. Even if the phenom falters Kerry Wood is up tommorro. I don't care what team you are, its a tough road to go down to beat that tandem 2 games in a row.

Date:	2003-10-14 13:20
Subject:	Addendum to the earlier rant about Hannity and colmes
Security:	Public
Mood:	complacent

I failed to mention that they were discussing the apparent "form letters" which a number of papers have recieved from G.I.s in Iraq. The New York Times has published an article regarding this HERE. Hannity and North were discussing that trying to say these letters are fake is detrimental to our mission in Iraq.

Date:	2003-10-14 11:42
Subject:	Why submit your kid to this....
Security:	Public
Mood:	infuriated

The Chicago Tribune is carrying this article about a man that was killed by his roomate in a suburb of Chicago. Though sad and alarming, altogether not that remarkable. What I find particularly alarming is that the neighbor sent her 11 year old son over to the place to verify a strangers claim that there was a man either dead or badly injured next door. First off, what was the mother thinking, this guy could have been a killer (though he wasn't) Second, how traumatized is that kid going to be after seeing his neighbor, apparently hours after his death from being beaten to death? Thats not a good way to protect your child.

Date:	2003-10-14 11:38
Subject:	Last nights Hannity and colmes
Security:	Public
Mood:	aggravated

Ok, so last night as I'm flipping through stations I ran across Hannity and colmes on Fox News. Before I started reading the new Al Franken book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right I probably never would have given it a second thought and moved on. However, given Franken's complete lack or respect for the Lefty/Righty tandem, I decided to go in and watch as an objective viewer. So I start watching and Oliver North is on the program. The topic of discussion is the medias current trend of looking at the Iraq situation. Even mainstream media is beggining to have doubts about Iraq, as well as people on both sides of the line in Washington, about our effectiveness in Iraq given all the recent attacks against our troops and interests there.

I have no problem with them critizing the media and various government officials, its good for the democratic process. Their method in doing so, however I find rather appalling. These people stand up there on national television and say that we need to unite behind our president and saying things to critique him are the equivalent to "Political Terrorism." I'm not a political scientist, and I'm probably not qualified to make these kinds of inferences, but isn't part of our freedom which we value so much, that we can make negative comments about how we think the current administration is working? Oliver North sat there and lambasted any senator and media source that is claiming Bush isn't doing a good job, claiming that it is going to kill the morale of our troops and then they aren't going to fight as well. Where were these people when the U.S. was in Serbia, putting Milosevic behind bars? They were criticizing Clinton, saying that he was fighting an unnecessary war. What is the difference between then and now?

How much more of a double standard can you set? Its ok to criticize this guy running the country if it suits our political purposes, but if it is against our side, then its terrorism. Get a clue.