Legos and Wonka

My four-year-old nephew is over this week at my mother's place. What a kid. We ate dinner last night and played with Legos for close to an hour. I helped him build a house and some farm animals that were in the accompanying Lego book. He had a little trouble with the sheep, but made a mean-looking cow. I was inspired by this moment; maybe I'll really be okay having my own child after this little preview. I enjoyed being a kid again, and relished in the fact that I could still remember the thoughts that passed through my brain when I was 4. I remember what was really important, what hurt, and what was scary.

We can't treat kids as if they were grown-ups with a calloused view at the trifles we are faced with. When you're four, there aren't any trifles. Everything's new, and it's a big deal. Hell, even maintaining a certain level of concentration is a feat. It was pretty hard to keep my nephew interested in the whole Lego thing, but we made it. So we sat there, I in my shorts and sweatshirt, legs spread about the floor, and he in his Spider-Man pajamas, doing what I always loved to do. He was amazed as I was at his age at a grown-up making things that looked just as they did in the pictures. I remember that being hard, and I lost interest, too. I miss being a child; maybe I'll get my chance to live it again vicariously through my son or daughter.

After Legos, I went home and watched "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and wondered why I enjoyed it so much.

On Reading

I've finally come to my senses and updated the in-progress book list (see "What I'm Reading" in the sidebar.) It's disgusting. Should one read that much, or be able to keep up with that many texts?

It's not that I read too much. It's my inability to finish a book. I've been trying for seven months now to finish the Harry Potter books (I'm done with #2.) I read a little every night, but it's becoming overwhelming.

If I could just pick one...

On Writing

I had a college English professor who told us to just start writing if we couldn't think of what to say. "You know what to write if you don't know what to write?," he would ask, "Write 'I don't know what to write about.'" So, here goes:

I honestly don't know what to write about these days. I stay so busy at work, and can't connect to the Internet from home, so I lazily ignore this blog. To my readers, I apologize. I don't have time to talk about politics or leadership, or what I had for breakfast yesterday. I could write about programming and the common problems I have, but my current readers might not be too interested or able to provide insight.

I could talk about how I want a different job, which requires certification and experience that I don't have. I could talk about what I would rather be doing with my life at present, but that would be futile and boring. I hate to bore you.

So I'm writing this, mostly to let you know I'm still here, but might not be posting too often about large issues unless I feel strongly about them.

Full Potential, or Not?

I didn't do well in high school. I failed Algebra II my Junior year. I started working at the local auto parts store just before tenth grade, and I didn't make too much time for school. The teachers weren't interested in me, nor I in them. Sure, there were the few who stuck out. My coin collecting is a result of my fourth-grade teacher, and my painting skill I owe to my high-school art instructor. The light on the rest seems to fade when it comes to their accomplishments in my life.

So I sold auto parts and didn't care too much for school. No one was there to tell me what I could do or should do; I don't think I was expected to go to college or actually be anybody. So I joined the Army to get something started.

Sometime in my second year of service, it hit me. The Army had taught me something: I should have gone to college. I'm actually smarter than I thought I was after high school. I kept telling myself that I'd made the wrong choice, that I should have never signed that contract.

I tried to attend a local for-profit college, but my military agenda conflicted and overruled that of my educational one. When I finally got out, I immediately enrolled in another private college of a bit higher standing.

I finished an Associate of Information Technology (Honors) at Colorado Tech earlier this year, and got a job in Florida. I'm beginning to think I made the wrong choice again, as I thought in the military. I want to think I would be better off having stayed where I was and finishing a Computer Science or Engineering degree. I saw in the latest IEEE magazine that their president is now a professor at the Computer Science department at CU-Boulder. I'm sure I could have gone there. In fact, I think I could attend and succeed at MIT. But could I even think about applying? If accepted, would it be a possibility to attend? I'm 26, not 18. I've got a child on the way. A family to support.

What I'm really trying to get at is why I'm 26 and not finished with college, and why I'm not where I feel that I'm operating at my full potential.
I'm constantly in the process of reading five or more books at any given time. I want to know everything. I like to listen to and play music. I want to be a good father. I love computing, but I don't make enough time for it. I want to be more knowledgeable about politics and law so I can be an informed and involved citizen. I want to contribute to my community, but I don't have the time.

Or is this my full potential? Never. I am better than this. Given the opportunity, I will do so much more. In the words of John Mayer, "I'm bigger than my body gives me credit for."

Home is...Where?

There's a Schlotsky's sub shop up in north Colorado Springs on Hwy. 83. Beth and I visited there a few times to have lunch together. It's near the only McDonald's I know of that has wireless public Internet access.
I wanted to go there today. Things like these still come to me automatically. Just when I thought of lunch, that Schlotsky's across from the Phil Long Suzuki popped into my mind, and I wanted to meet my wife for a sandwich.
I miss so much of what I know. Change is tough.

The Dog's Tub Fart

One would imagine that a dog doesn't spend too much time in the tub. Given this small opportunity, my dog Ashton took advantage of it.
He got a few fleas recently from the woods around our place, so we were letting him soak in a tub of slightly-chlorinated water to try to kill them. Once Ashton got relaxed, he promptly farted in the tub. Just like I would do. My wife was there; we all had a family moment. It wasn't a big explosion, just a steady trail of bubbles from the rear for a solid four or five seconds. He was just like a child, though: oblivious to it.

Have a good day, people.

Bush Did Something Good

Bush Signs Internet Access Tax Ban (washingtonpost.com)

He signed the ban on Internet service taxation. There. I said it. Don't expect me to point out everything he does. This benefits me.

Finally, My Column on Leadership

This will be somewhat half-hearted, because I'm not as driven as I was when I said I'd do this. I should actually wait until I'm fired up about it again, but you guys are begging for my views on leadership.
So..
Leadership and all parts of it are key to an organization's success. I use the word organization because it applies not only to corporations, but government entities, religious groups, sports teams, and even AOL. I served in the military and saw my share of good and bad leaders, I went to school and learned a bit about corporations and how leadership and communication work together. I now work for a state government entity and see worse leadership than I saw in the Army. Surprised? I'm not.
The structure of this column should be as follows: What is Leadership? | Leadership in State Government | Leadership in the Army | Leadership at NFC | Conclusion (maybe)

What is Leadership?
This is a question not easily answered. Leadership is a property, or attribute, of a person. This property gives the person an advantage in making decisions and influencing people. Correctly applied leadership also implies a high ethical standard about that person. That's about as vague as I can get. It's a quality about a person that grants the ability to lead effectively.

Leadership in State Government
My supervisor is a woman who possesses few leadership skills. She is somewhat of a trained leader, but doesn't apply the necessary amount of communication to the office's diet of bullshit. She kicked someone out last week because he "didn't help out." Problem is, he wasn't asked to. He didn't work for us, he just occupied a cubicle here. Our department didn't pay him; this was just where he worked. When he didn't have anything going on, he had said he'd help out if she needed some help. Nothing was requested of him, so he didn't do anything. She claimed he was a distraction to the office and he finally left this week.
Anyway, back to my communication thing. That's important in a leader- the ability to communicate. Among the other skills are reading people, knowing what to say, knowing when you're wrong, and knowing who to ask when you admit that you don't know something.
Oh, yeah, back on State Government... I have never worked in a more inefficient place. I go to meetings in which plans are made and nothing happens. No decisions are made, and not a single person knows what is going on. Therefore, it takes months and months to do very simple changes. That has a lot to do with working in government, but it shouldn't take that long to get something done internally.
A lot of people here (Dept. of Education) are former teachers, and somehow they've forgotten where they came from and who they're here to help. Many decisions are politically based, and they seem to have forgotten that we work to better the children in this state and make it easier to teach and measure performance.
Maybe I should wait a while to comment further about my workplace. I haven't been here for that long, so I'll wait until I've decided whether I can make a difference here.

Leadership in the Army
Noncommissioned officers are supposedly the backbone of the Army. Most of the leadership training they get is provided by the Army itself, and I don't remember being under the influence of many good NCOs. Promotion to the noncommissioned ranks was only a few steps away for me, but it was time to get out. I had better things to do.
Commissioned officers, however, are college-educated (or have at least some college) and are supposed to be self-sufficient and good leaders. I believe I saw more commissioned officers as good leaders than NCOs, but I attribute that to the officer's discipline gained at West Point (or dragging himself to college and ROTC or OCS). That made him actually want to be there. Maybe I'm getting off the subject. No I'm not. Leadership in the Army was only better than the leadership in my current agency for two reasons: Soldiers actually go through leadership training, and those methods of management used in the military are time-proven.
The people here at work didn't go to school for management; they have degrees in education. They learned the educational system and how to teach children (from what I know about the college of education, which could be nothing). Some of them (most of them) just can't lead.

Leadership at NFC
NFC is the computer consulting company I own. No it isn't. But it will be. This is how I envision my organization:
I will lead the company with people I trust personally and professionally (there is a difference.) My primary goal inside the organization is to have people unlike I was in my teenage years working at an auto parts store: I didn’t care about the company because the company didn’t care about me. Their internal and external goals were the same: profits. And it showed.
I will care about my subordinates and not announce the vacation with my family to our house in Aspen while they work. I will try to remember everyone’s name (it won’t be a large corporation) and I will help even the lowest-level position get his or her job done. I will pay for their education if I can. I will be the one to call about anything. The people I work with will be the same person. It will feel good to work with me.
I will always listen to any idea about how to make the workplace better and more comfortable so that my employees can work efficiently without the distraction of something ludicrous as a strict dress code. I wore jeans to work today and felt like I was free to think – and I got work done like no other day I’ve had there yet. I once saw a show about an engineering firm filled with very creative people. Quite a few of them rode bicycles to work but had nowhere to put them. Someone got the idea to string his bike up to the rafters and hoist it high above his desk. I think that was a great idea. Some people followed this method, and no one approached the management about it. The engineers were free to do as they please and be as creative as they were capable of. I encourage this as well.
The education of my employees will be paramount at NFC (which, by the way, stands for “No Fucking Clue”. I didn’t have any idea what to call the company, so that was it.) The importance of education will be another topic later.

If I’m not getting anywhere with this according to you, here’s a list of a few things about the leaders at NFC:

• They teach their subordinates


• They treat subordinates with respect and form bonds with them


• They know the job and more


• They set a good example for others


• They know how to listen and read people so they understand questions and provide accurate answers


• They earn their trust

Okay, people. Let’s act like I actually own NFC and you’re my employees. I need help from you on the company website. Go to the NFC website and use the link to my e-mail to send me your suggestions.

One-Armed Superstar in the Deep South

I had surgery on my left shoulder for the second time Friday. I thought I would take a long weekend and recoup while catching up on my reading, but I didn't count on the Vicodin arresting my conscience. No reading for me (no thinking, either).
So now I'm back at work, feeling like I'm having withdrawals from the narcotics, but I probably just slept too much.
I picked up that silly bitch's book in the store the other day and discovered I wasn't prepared to part with $26 to read it. I'm waiting for a used copy to pop up somewhere for $10. Let me know if you see any.

Speaking of Being Behind...

Andy mentioned this blog on his site two days ago and I didn't know about it until this morning. That's what you get when you move to south Georgia - no Internet access. Oh, well.
I'm behind on my reading, also. If you'll take a look at the "What I'm Reading" section, you'll notice I'm working on several books. There's plenty more to read, too.
This is all just filler. Sorry there's nothing important, but I'm trying to stay on top of my blogging. I should have a column on leadership before long. Until then...

Forming a Balanced Opinion

I've been considering the purchase of Ann Coulter's book, "How to Talk to a Liberal (if you must): The World According to Ann Coulter", but I'm not so sure I'd finish it.

Or maybe I'd become so patriotic and gay/French bashing, I'd turn to the extreme Right and forget about anyone but the Christians. Maybe if I read it, I can get her to blow me.

It's all because I want a balanced diet of opinions, a healthy start to forming my own. So far, I like what Al Franken thinks, but his story just might be a spin also (but he makes it sound good). Maybe I'll get it and document my journey through her book. That'll be fun.

On another note, I have found a book worth reading. I sat and read a fifth of it last night: Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. So far, it's great. It doesn't start with a dull, quiet beginning (like the Dean Koontz I've read so far), but with interesting facts and happenings. I encourage you to pick it up in hardcover, but the paperback edition probably says the same thing. Very much worth reading so far (if you haven't already; I'm way behind.)

So Much for Fresh Coffee

I should have gone ahead and gotten the Black & Decker Home Cafe. I think it was worth the money after all. I don't make coffee anymore because I only have time for one cup, but in order to get that one cup, I have to make a half a pot.
Don't believe yourself when you think you'll make the time for something so you can settle for less. Go for what you want and get it; don't let your wife say it's too much. If it is indeed too much, wait it out and get the right one. Apply my wisdom to anything, people. Get what you want.

Just Today

I found an Internet connection today; I usually don't on the weekends.

I shouldn't be so negative about work as I have been lately. When I got the job, I was excited solely because I was sure I would be traveling. However, I've spent the last two weeks away from home and it is getting old. There will be no more traveling until next year, and I'm glad.

So I'll try to take a neutral stance to my work from now on. I'm improving for you, people. Be proud of me.

I haven't gathered my thoughts since the election; I wasn't actually expecting Bush to win (by such a margin, anyway), so I didn't have much to say.

I still don't.

I was never too critical of any president - he was elected by the people, wasn't he? I only became critical of President Bush around election time, as probably did everyone else. I wasn't watching the other three years and six months.

I did watch the war some, though, having been in the Army and all. I helped my old unit onto an airplane as they left for Iraq early one cool summer morning in Colorado. I knew that I wouldn't have wanted to go, but I would have if I were still with them.

Save the "Well, you should have stayed in with your fellow soldiers..." talk. You should have served yourself. I joined the Army to better my life and I did. I then went to school to educate myself and succeeded. Why don't you try being a 24-year-old freshman? If you've never served in the military, try giving the whole of four years of your own life to military service, then being way behind the curve in your secondary education, while tending to a young marriage and supporting a child. Oh, and you have to make it look easy.

Anyway, I would have done as I was told if I was in the Army at the time they deployed. I wouldn't have liked it I'm certain, and I probably would have sent my absentee ballot this year from Iraq in favor of Kerry, simply because I was there for reasons only known to George W. Bush and those around him.

I only knew that the President was not favored by many for several reasons, but then again, so was Bill Clinton. But I also knew that some people supported the President for the things he did get right, and that's what I should have focused on.

I know now that I should take my own perspective of our leaders and not listen to my friends or news sources, no matter their political direction. I should form my own opinion of the President and his cabinet (especially that asshole Rumsfeld). I'll try to be better in the next four years.

Bush won.

You know, I could have afforded to vote for Bush, but I didn't buy quite enough Microsoft in 1981. I was (until last night) beginning to think I could get a different job in the technology sector, but not now. I guess I'm stuck in government for four years (at least) until the US is good enough for tech firms to operate here.

I have continued drinking since the meeting today was over. Let's not make the next four miserable years miserable; let's plan Scott's presidential track and make it happen. Send me a bumper sticker already!

So much for that theory about high voter turnout leaning left. Why did you people complain so much about one man and then vote him in again?

At least I already have a job. I hate it for every college student now.

I hope there is a chance that the president was only a muppet for the first term, and everyone to benefit from it got what they wanted. I hope now that he will be a leader as he says he will, except for the Christian conservative in him. I sincerely hope that we get more jobs in the U.S. and we can feel more secure in the coming years. I hope that the killing and senseless dying will cease around the world, whether Bush has anything to do with it or not.

I wish for the leaders of this country to come together without partisanship and make a difference in our lives, which is what I tried to do with my vote yesterday. I wish the best for this country, as I do with all other nations on Earth, and all walks of life in this time of our existence.

We should all take a million steps away and look at the world as a whole. That way we won't see just the blue and red on the 50 states, we'll see that the whole world is brown, green, and blue. We all live on the same planet, which is getting smaller and smaller every year. We will soon have to deal with global issues daily, not just issues which concern our country or our continent.

Let's hope that George W. Bush can play fair in this small playground. Let him not throw sand in the other kids' eyes or show off on the monkey bars. Osama bin Laden may get expelled, but if the rest of us hold hands and stick together, this small dot in time's line won't be so bad for the human race. Besides, what are we put on Earth to do anyway?

Election Night

So it's the night of the election, and I'm stuck in Orlando by the State of Florida. At least I have Internet access. At the time of writing, MSNBC has Bush with 207 votes and Kerry with 206. However, CBS has Bush at 246 and Kerry at 207. Who knows?

I'm going to continue getting drunk so I can go to bed and find out who's president tomorrow.

Or in Five weeks.

Or on January 20.

But we got our sheriff, and our sales tax went up, and I can only marry a woman in Georgia. Talk to you (who?) tomorrow.

What the hell does Cuba have to do with it?

On the way to work this morning, NPR was talking about the last minute stuff and playing clips of highlights in the candidates' speeches this weekend. Out of Bush's mouth comes something like "...and we're going to bring that freedom to Cuba...."

What the hell?

Okay, here goes - we get attacked on 11SEP2001 and we cry and yell and watch the news and worry about people and wonder what is going to happen - are they going to find Osama?

And then Iraq comes on television from left field for no reason. I can't remember anything that happened there; it was just on TV one day.

So we go to Iraq, and people die and America is upset and it isn't justified for a lot of people. On top of that, the Bush administration and his followers tell America and the world that it's to help, or liberate, Iraq. So our attention is diverted from something horrible to something else horrible. Where's Osama?

And Bush turns his attention to Cuba? Christ, I thought we weren't going to fight this war on our land. I could probably swim there from south Florida. Why would we want to "help" Cuba when we're still sore from the sixties and we don't even trade with them?

I bet if this doesn't work, he'll just fuck an intern.

factcheck.com

They had something interesting to say. If you go to that site, click where it says "The facts about factcheck.com" and a story will appear about Mr. Cheney's mistake during the 5 October VP debate. If you don't feel like it, here it is:

"During the 5 October 2004, debate between United States candidates for the office of vice president, the incumbent Vice President Cheney responded to an issue by referring viewers to "factcheck.com". Mr. Cheney apparently intended to refer viewers to factcheck.org instead of factcheck.com.
The website 'factcheck.com' is operated by Name Administration Inc., a privately held company based in the Cayman Islands. Traditionally, internet addresses ending in '.com' have been intended for commercial purposes, while '.org' has been intended for use by non-profit organizations, such as the 'factcheck.org' website operated by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

Name Administration Inc. is a leading domain name administrator, website developer and internet traffic syndicator. Name Administration Inc. utilizes a portfolio of generic domain names, such as antarctica.com, lipbalm.com, and others as stand alone websites which collectively form an integrated advertising network offering users relevant paid search advertisements and information. 'Factcheck.com' was registered by Name Administration long before the U.S. vice presidential debate for use in providing a directory of commercial providers of information resources relevant to the generic term 'fact check'.

When Mr. Cheney mis-spoke, viewers heeded his advice and visited factcheck.com in staggeringly large numbers. Name Administration re-directed this traffic for several reasons - to protect our servers from the potential for damage caused by Mr. Cheney's error, and as a service to our advertisers. Our advertisers intend to pay for potential customers to their websites instead of observers of political current events.

Name Administration re-directed those visitors to a website relevant to U.S. politics. Name Administration chose the website of investor, philanthropist, and political activist Mr. George Soros, because his website is well-funded, does not seek to raise funds from visitors, and had greater capacity to absorb the load of visitors, reaching over 100 visitors per second during peak times after the debate. An administrator for the Annenberg Public Policy Center has since informed us that their web server system would have been severely crippled by the load, had we directed the traffic to them. Contrary to some imaginative rumors spun by some, our action was undertaken on a voluntary and emergency basis, with no prior communication or consultation with the Soros organization. As confirmed by our legal counsel in response to media inquiries, Name Administration Inc. has not been offered, and has not sought, any inducement, compensation, or other consideration from any individual or organization for re-directed the resulting web traffic.

Traffic to factcheck.com has begun to return to normal levels, and Name Administration Inc. has restored the website to its original and intended use. Name Administration Inc. wishes the citizens of the United States well in the selection of their leaders, whose actions can sometimes have unintended consequences beyond the borders of the United States.

I thought Cheney actually said "fatcheck.com," but I must have heard only what I expected to hear.
But I think that last part says it all. Now get out and vote.

The Abs Diet

There was an ad for this in Men's Health (November 2004) and I noticed that it's another diet book, but it's not by Dr. Phil or some other shmuck, it's by the editor-in-chief of Men's Health, and published by Rodale, Inc. They publish some cool fitness magazines (Bicycling, Runner's World, Mountain Bike, etc.)

I saw the price of the book, and wasn't turned off by it. $27 isn't a bad deal for a new book these days. You can find it here. I was wondering whether I should call Beth and ask if I could have it, when I thought, "It's a book. It's probably on amazon.com". It was. Turns out $27 is too much. I might still ask for it anyway. Since when has a diet book hurt anyone?

Beef Make Smart

Right On, Red - Men's Health

"You already knew beef builds muscle. But did you know that it makes you smarter?"

Flu shots! Get your flu shots! (Oh, not you)

No Flu Vaccine Shortage At Capitol (washingtonpost.com)

Now who exactly did Bush say shouldn't get a flu shot?

"But people of all ages who are credentialed to work in the Capitol can get a shot by saying they meet the guidelines, with no further questions asked, said the spokesman, who cited office policy in demanding anonymity."

Fresh Coffee

I got this one.

I thought I'd get one more personal, but the one Scott got was too expensive at the time. This one's great for entertaining, and it's easy to measure a cup or two for the morning. It also seems pretty easy to clean.

I am convinced now that the US is handling most of the work in Iraq. According to the BBC, the Brits have about 7,500 troops in Iraq, mostly near Basra. There are 130,000 US military personnel there. Read this. Tony Blair has admitted that they were wrong about WMD in Iraq but is not sorry for going, but now is reluctant to send more support. Hmmm... Were we wrong, too, Mr. President?

But there's good news: Sinclair won't air the entire film about Kerry's service 32 years ago. The public caused enough grief to encourage Sinclair not to air something like that (the process is called Democracy). It's great to live in a country where the people have enough power to change the minds of the powerful.

So Kerry was right.

Deficiencies in U.S. Screening of Cargo Are Acknowledged (washingtonpost.com)

I can't call Tom Ridge an idiot, but he doesn't seem to be doing much. One would figure depleted uranium getting across our borders would make a lot of noise. Even depleted uranium is harmful - we were told that in the Army when we worked with and around the M1A1 Abrhams tanks. But that's not the point. With all our "attention" to security, this seems to be a huge hole in it.

The 9/11 report talks about what the U.S. didn't see before the attacks (what they missed), what they did see before the attacks (what they ignored), and what they tried to do but were too late. Our noses should be a bit more sensitive now; if Bush's administration is sworn to protect us, they better get to it before they miss something else.

Or I'll just wait on Kerry to take over and lay everything out. I'm counting on him to actually read the reports and do stuff.

Anyway, I'm having trouble deciding on a coffee pot. That's the most urgent issue right now. Should I get the one that makes a cup in an instant, or one that makes enough coffee to fill a thermos? I'd like some comments on that. That's what blogs are for:

From Matisse's Glossary of Internet Terms:

Blog -- (weB LOG)
A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog.

Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in chronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominently.

Come on, people, get with it.

The Debate (#3) 2004

A poll at CNN declared Kerry the winner.

The Chicago Tribune and ABC News say it was a tie.

And I guess I do, too. They both showed a sense of humor toward the end, and one time in the middle of it, Kerry compared George W. Bush to Tony Soprano:

"Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order in this country."

That part was funny, not because I think it's true, but that Tony Soprano came up in a presidential debate. Bush was funny, too, but it was about himself and in reference to his wife. Kerry drew laughter when he talked about his spouse as well.

I shouldn't put this in; no one will read it, but it's a good filler. The last question of the last debate, and the softest one. Bob Schieffer did well in choosing this question to close the last of three tough debates. Here is that part of the transcript, taken from MSNBC.com (whose poll also showed Kerry the winner):

SCHIEFFER: We‘ve come, gentlemen, to our last question. And it occurred to me as I came to this debate tonight that the three of us share something. All three of us are surrounded by very strong women. We‘re all married to strong women. Each of us have two daughters that make us very proud.

I‘d like to ask each of you, what is the most important thing you‘ve learned from these strong women?

BUSH: To listen to them.

(LAUGHTER)

To stand up straight and not scowl.

(LAUGHTER)

I love the strong women around me. I can‘t tell you how much I love my wife and our daughters.

I am—you know it‘s really interesting. I tell the people on the campaign trail, when I asked Laura to marry me, she said, “Fine, just so long as I never have to give a speech.” I said, “OK, you‘ve got a deal.” Fortunately, she didn‘t hold me to that deal. And she‘s out campaigning along with our girls. And she speaks English a lot better than I do. I think people understand what she‘s saying.

But they see a compassionate, strong, great first lady in Laura Bush. I can‘t tell you how lucky I am. When I met her in the backyard at Joe and Jan O‘Neill‘s in Midland, Texas, it was the classic backyard barbecue. O‘Neill said, “Come on over. I think you‘ll find somebody who might interest you.” So I said all right. I walked over there. There was only four of us there. And not only did she interest me, I guess you would say it was love at first sight.

SCHIEFFER: Senator Kerry?

KERRY: Well, I guess the president and you and I are three examples of lucky people who married up.

(LAUGHTER)

And some would say maybe me moreso than others.

(LAUGHTER)

But I can take it.

(LAUGHTER)

Can I say, if I could just say a word about a woman that you didn‘t ask about, but my mom passed away a couple years ago, just before I was deciding to run. And she was in the hospital, and I went in to talk to her and tell her what I was thinking of doing.

And she looked at me from her hospital bed and she just looked at me and she said, “Remember: integrity, integrity, integrity.” Those are the three words that she left me with.

And my daughters and my wife are people who just are filled with that sense of what‘s right, what‘s wrong.

They also kick me around. They keep me honest. They don‘t let me get away with anything. I can sometimes take myself too seriously. They surely don‘t let me do that.

And I‘m blessed, as I think the president is blessed, as I said last time. I‘ve watched him with the first lady, who I admire a great deal, and his daughters. He‘s a great father. And I think we‘re both very lucky.

I'd also like to point out to my conservative friend, John M., that Bush isn't publicly disgusted with homosexuality. He admits that he doesn't know what makes a person gay, but that we shouldn't try to leave homosexuals out of anything. Both candidates believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. Kerry says we leave the issue of gay marriage up to the states, since that's where the decisions have been made for the last 200-plus years. Bush still wants to amend the constitution, and take that power away from the states. I'm sure he has his reasons, but I personally agree with Kerry on that one.

On abortion, Kerry gave another good answer as to his position of "choice," and Bush didn't speak absolutely against abortion, he skirted it with mentionings of his ban on partial-birth abortion and what we need to do to reduce the number of abortions. They were both good answers. Neither of them mentioned getting religion in the way of that decision.

So I say it was a tie.

Holy Crap.

CompuWiz Computers Repairs & Robotics

I was looking in Sprint's phone book for the Tallahassee area for a local computer shop. I found this. Among the features in the phone book ad were:

• Customer service is #1


• Quality Computers


• Web Page Design


• Repairs and Upgrades


• Virus Doctors


• Network Setup and Security


• Robotics and Automation


• Internet Provider


• LAP TOPS


• Leasing and Renting


• Emergency Repairs


• Data Transferring


• Insurance Claims

From such an ad in the telephone book, one would expect to find a plethora of products and information at the website. Nothing such. On the front page, this guy Angelo actually tells people not to do business with him if they don't like his beliefs, and then murders a spanish phrase.

Also, the telephone book ad says "View our inventory on the internet and receive extra discounts." The online inventory consists of three overpriced, outdated, used notebook computers and three used desktop systems, and again, way above market value.

This guy must have a day job. I really can't understand how they're still open. The "About CompuWiz" page doesn't even exist, so the public cannot even get an address. Oh, and the address isn't in the phone book, either. I called, and they're still open. Miraculous.

I was thinking...

I was actually looking at the Bush website, and I decided that they appeal to a less-educated part of society. They tend to have a lot of media that one does not have to trouble themselves with "reading;" it is all in audio/video format. The entire front page is full of videos and cartoons and such. Again, not very presidential.

Kerry's website isn't hard-core reading either, but they seem more civil at JohnKerry.com than they do at the 'Dubya' website. On the front page is a very recent picture of the candidate as he travels the country, and a statement about what he and John Edwards plan to do. It's a simple site, one link to videos, and a few recent publishings related to the campaign and debates.

Bush's website, though, doesn't have even a hint of a "mission statement." Nothing. Take a look for yourself. Dubya's website looks more like MSN than a plea for your vote. It's all propaganda and flash. Rubbish. Where's the sensible logic I wish for in a leader? There's even a link at the top to "'W' Stuff." The President of the United States. As in: a follower (supposedly) in the footsteps of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Reagan? I can't summon the respect for George W. Bush that these men commanded. I can't see "President" in G.W., the Texas Tiger.

But maybe he did all he could. Maybe he did tell the truth as he knew it. Maybe he did mean well, but just listened to the wrong people. If so, I'm sorry about what I just said. But it's my blog, and my freedom.

Okay, this is unfair.

Family's TV Clout in Bush's Corner (washingtonpost.com)

I heard about this in the BBC news yesterday, and read this one today. If I don't agree with this, then I can't agree with the airing of "Fahrenheit 911" on national television before the election, either. But Michael Moore's case is a bit different: he doesn't own a blanket of television networks. But, I have to agree with whoever said the media should stay out of political decisions.

I will have surgery on my shoulder in November, the Friday before Thanksgiving week. That should give me just enough time to recover before the baby comes. The appointment yesterday was uneventful, though I did read Entertainment Weekly from August and read just enough of it to remember that I don't care about celebrities' lives, and to find out that the August edition has an adverstisement for a show that aired on August 1. Geniuses.

So don't make any decisions based on what you see on television. Go to JohnKerry.com and GeorgeWBush.com so you can read what they actually have to say for themselves, and about each other. Their plans are laid out on the websites for you to read and base your decisions on.

Desertion

American Deserters Find a Mixed Reception in Canada (washingtonpost.com)

I was wondering about this. I've thought long and hard about what I would do, and this guy did it. Of course, he was already in the army, and I probably wouldn't have left while I was on active status, but I would have trouble going now. Read all of it, and see what you think.

Today would have been a good day to go to the planetarium or something. Today is Columbus day (seemingly everywhere in the US except Florida). I have to work today, but everyone else at home gets to have it off. It, a Monday morning, would have been a great opportunity to sleep.

Looking forward to my orthopedist appointment later today. I'm sure I'll have a good story for you tomorrow.

Oh, the debate Friday night:

Bush did quite well in comparison to the last scrap with Kerry. He broke the rules, though, and that took a bit of credibility away. I just don't think Bush is very presidential in his demeanor. They both got some points across, but I still feel that Kerry has the more logical approach to all the issues, and I support that. I don't know why, but I feel that Kerry's administration will listen to the public and help, not scare you into building a bomb shelter while he spends all your money.

Make sure you vote this year.

Another Article

White House Briefing

Dan Froomkin gives us something to look for tonight, and many other things to think about, like Bush's audience typically never asking tough questions.  I assume this is based on fact, so I guess that everything here would be categorized as liberal.
 
Please watch tonight's debate, America.  I'll sit right there with you.

The Iraq Report

Blair Under Fire Over Iraq Report
Iraq War Debate Fuelled by Report

I read two articles today on the report from the Iraq Survey Group, released yesterday. The report points out that no weapons of mass destruction (WMD) were found in Iraq, and "There were no chemical precursors, there were no biological agents, there were no plants to make them, there were no delivery vehicles to fire them. There was no programme, no capability, no weapons," said Robin Cook, former foreign secretary of the UK. "We could have found all that out if we had let Hans Blix finish the job which he wanted to do without fighting a war in which 10,000 people were killed."

I agree with these statements, especially if the report is accurate. We had no reason to go to war except the reasons the Bush administration gave. But even Rumsfeld fell on his ass a couple of days ago when he came out of the closet with his "no hard evidence" thing.

Weren't we worried about North Korea's nuclear program before someone conjured up the radical idea of storming Iraq again? Did we not know of Lybia's capabilities?

One of the articles quoted Hans Blix as saying the "sanctions had successfully 'contained' Saddam. "They did destroy all the biological and chemical weapons and the nuclear weapons sector was also cleared up," he went on, "Had we had a few months more we would have been able to tell the CIA and others that there were no weapons of mass destruction."

The other article stated some facts about the Iraq Survey Group:

• Set up in May 2003


• First leader, David Kay, quit in Jan 2004 stating WMD would not be found in Iraq


• New head, Charles Duelfer appointed by CIA


• 1,200 experts from the US, Britain, and Australia


• HQ in Washington, offices in Baghdad and Qatar

It also pointed out "Key findings in the report." (this could be biased, but it's all I had):

• "The ISG has not found evidence that Saddam possessed WMD stocks in 2003, but [there is] the possibility that some weapons existed in Iraq, although not of a militarily significant capability."


• "There is an extensive, yet fragmentary and circumstantial body of evidence suggesting that Saddam pursued a strategy to maintain a capability to return to WMD after sanctions were lifted..."


• "The problem of discerning WMD in Iraq is highlighted by the pre-war misapprehensions of weapons which were not there. Distant technical analysts mistakenly identified evidence and drew incorrect conclusions."

How's that?

I also want to talk about this other conservative business about suddenly changing the definition of "weapons of mass destruction." They (the conservative side in general) say now that Saddam Hussein himself was a weapon of mass destruction. Come on, people! I guess if you can't admit that you're wrong, you just make up something that makes you halfway correct, but only to those on your side. Sure, Saddam killed a bunch of people, but I never heard a Boeing 767 be referred to as a WMD. Nor have I heard the term in the same sentence with "fly swatter," either (and believe me, it does a lot of killing in south Georgia).

I guess we can talk now on what a weapon is. Take into account that the weapon in "Lethal Weapon" and succeeding films was "Riggs," a man. But remember, my conservative friends, that was a movie. I've never heard of a person being a weapon. A weapon in my dictionary is usually a nonliving object that can cause damage when used in a manner intended to do so. I will include in my list an exception to the nonliving clause in the category of biological weapons. Dead bodies were used in history as a force against a people who locked themselves in a compound. I consider that use of the living organisms on the bodies to be harmful to living humans, so that is settled. I know this is potentially boring, but you're the one reading it, and you are free to stop. You are also free to post comments on this peice. Anyway, I was once told that the heel of my boot was a "deadly weapon," as the pseudo-expert said. I guess it could be a weapon of mass destruction, because it is certainly capable of causing it. Then again, so could a broken bottle in skillful hands.

Why doesn't the Bush administration just admit they were wrong? George could sneak in a quiet "I'm sorry," or lengthy explanation, or "I quit" while he's pausing to let his brain catch up tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I'll rest now and sleep until then.

USA PATRIOT Act (H.R. 3162)

USA PATRIOT Act (H.R. 3162)

I have found it, in case any of you would like to read it. I will be posting my comments after I read it. There is also a .pdf version.

UPDATE: If it's not there, it's at my site.

A copy of NCLB is there, too.

Vice Presidential Debate

I have no problem in saying that Cheney won. He was clearly full of facts.

But that doesn't mean he held back a few things. I heard plenty of partial stories and things left out of Cheney's remarks, so what he said leaned toward the Bush administration being justified. I can't speak from facts; I'm new at all of this, but I can say here what I want, and I still support Kerry/Edwards.

I realize that John Kerry might not be a great economist, but I do believe that he will run the country with logic from his brain, not thoughts from his heart. I don't think Kerry will jump to conclusions either, or take pride in his ignorance.

Shoulder to Shoulder

So I was riding in the car Sunday night with the dog. Beth was driving. Ashton was aggravating and wouldn't stay in the back seat. One of the times (the last time) I pushed him toward the back seat, my shoulder became dislocated. The pain grabbed me and made me stop everything I was doing to concentrate on what had just happened.

I decided to go to the emergency room in Camilla, which turned out to be a bad decision. I waited twenty minutes as one of two patients in the ER to be called back. My vitals were taken. Five minutes. The "doctor" came in, asked a few questions, said they'd have to X-ray. Five more minutes. Dirty X-ray room; funny smell. Stephen King story coming, I swear.

Back to the exam room. Twenty minutes passed as we listened to the doctor talk to the receptionist about his irrigation system. I stepped outside so as to be seen. The "doctor" saw me and ended his conversation. He came into the room and basically said the X-rays told nothing (nor did they three years ago), and I'd have to go see an orthopedist. But here's some Vicodin and a sling.

Monday: off to Thomasville to find a real doctor. Call around to the orthopedist and find one willing to see me. At 2:30. Beth and I went shopping and looking for baby stuff and books. We had a good time. Beth also had an appointment that morning; the baby is fine.

The orthopedist's assistant actually saw me, but it was better than Mitchell County Hospital. He performed a more thorough exam on my shoulder, said up front that the X-rays were only needed to make sure I didn't chip a bone, and ordered an MRI. I was done.

The MRI took place this morning and I slept through most of it. Monday we find out what I really did to my shoulder (the suspense is killing you, isn't it?)

Oh, yeah, watch the debate tonight; it just may be the most interesting one of the four this year. More tomorrow.

The Debate (#1) 2004

Bush didn't fail miserably, but when I heard clips on the radio and there was a clear difference in the perception of each candidate's confidence, Bush still failed.

Seven times Bush said, "It's hard work!"

It still can't be denied that we haven't completed what we said we'd do before we went. We should not be in Iraq as we are now. We should have found Bin Laden by now; someone should have cut off his money supply at least. Christ, where the hell is Osama? Doesn't he have a wireless phone company we can split up?

Anyway, Beth counted the filled pauses. Kerry was in the twenties while Bush went into the eighties for the number of times he said "uh..."

I don't agree with Bush on the war. He didn't do what he said the country would do, and we ended up destroying a country for different reasons than the president gave for going. True, the world is better off without Saddam Hussein, but that doesn't justify the president's lies, misleading information, and bad grammar. And with the current information, it certainly wasn't worth 1,052 lives of soldiers (so far) and the many other lives of civilians and reporters, and those poor bastards who blow themselves up because we're there.

So the president kept repeating that "it's hard work" being president (or something), and sending his military to war and putting sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers in harm's way was the hardest decision he has ever had to make. I call bullshit! I say we're lucky if he ties his shoes in the morning. It was harder for him to be patient about the inspections in Iraq than it was to invade the country. That's why we're screwed now with no post-war plan for Iraq. That's why we're still there.

But that's only my opinion. I am only an uneducated engineer.

Software and Beyond

Software and Beyond - great software at great price

This is actually a great place (so far) to get what you need, if they have it. I recently placed an order (Thursday, September 16) with this company for eight OEM instances of Norton Internet Security 2004. Through PriceGrabber, these guys were the best price and could handle selling me eight of them.

They are not paying me to say this.

I got the product yesterday (Monday, September 20) in rural south Georgia. Not only am I pleased with my purchase, I am surprised at the validity of the company. Take a look at the website if you wonder what I'm talking about. There are spelling and grammar mistakes all over it, and they're not limited to computer software and hardware. They also sell "similar" items such as watches and pepper spray.

I'm not condemning the place at all - I had an excellent experience and they earned my trust. I will buy some more stuff from them again, but the website hurts their credibility. Third-grade-level errors and an obviously non-professionally designed site makes them appear less reputable. I mentioned the errors and how they might be perceived in an inquiry to the company, but the customer service rep answered my question without mentioning the elementary errors. I guess literacy doesn't matter in good business.

I did feel secure in my purchase because all the billing is handled by Yahoo! shopping. Anyway, I hope someone reads this and is enlightened.

If so, you're welcome.

Why Georgia?

I really do believe now that I picked the wrong time to move to the southeast region of the United States. Besides the political conservatism, tropical storm Bonnie and hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan have caused me to rethink my new venture to the South.

Nothing about the election today; I'm not in the mood to discuss anything, much less argue with the closed-minded conservative "patriots" who just swear they know what's right for everyone else.

I felt guilty this morning because I'm blogging instead of working. Now I don't feel so bad, because everyone else was late, and now they're just telling hurricane stories. They haven't done any work either. I'm the new guy. Maybe I'm not supposed to work in the first hour of the day.

You, on the other hand, are not new at your job and do know what to do. Your job actually matters to people all year long.

So get to work and stop reading this.

Mayer for President

So I'd like to write more to this blog, but when inspired, I am never near a computer. When I am able to post to this blog, I am at work and can never write creatively.

I was going to talk about John Mayer and something I read about him at a bulletin board somewhere last week. Someone who has never touched a guitar said that Mr. Mayer is not talented. I can sing. I can play the guitar. But I can't do those two things at the same time. John can sing, play, dance, and attract women all at the same time and make it look like he's done it all his life. The man is full of talent. He can also write songs that I wish I had written, and craft the neatest tunes to sing them to. Don't believe anyone who says John is not talented. John Mayer is my favorite artist; I just wish his website didn't suck ass.

I would talk about the Presidential race, but I'm not as heated now as I was yesterday about it. All this crap with their military records. If I run for president in twelve years, I'll be investigated just the same, and they'll find out that I really didn't attend the hand-to-hand combat course in the Army's basic training. I'll let the truth out now: I was on K.P. Everything else is legitimate. No purple hearts, no silver medals. I do, however, have the college money, and now a college degree. Thanks, Uncle Sam.

To all of you:

I have been out for several weeks as I was moving and learning a new job. Thank you for your patience (I know that no one reads this, so I can thank anyone for anything) with my postings. I know you all waited anxiously for my next blog.

I have a website now: benrehberg.com, the easy-to-navigate, user-friendly site that has only one page and no real pliable information. Is "pliable" a word, and did I just use it correctly?

Anyway, I should be posting fun stuff soon.

Job?

So I was talking to a lady at school today who said she knew of a job possibility where she works. "I'm moving soon," I thought. Then she mentioned that it was an entry-level position that pays around $38K. My thinking changed to "Colorado's not so bad, what with the weeks of wind and years of drought, the lack of technical jobs and soaring competition for the biggest house." I will apply, if not only for the experience and security clearance it offers (not to mention the $38K).

So Spain and Honduras are pulling out of the desert. When's it gonna be our turn?

P.S. John still hates the French. They're "aginn" us.

What's in the South?

So we're moving to Georgia in a few months and I wonder what's to be expected of the South. Should I get my slurred southern drawl back, or keep my percieved intelligence and articulate normally? Should I get a Ford or Chevy pickup to increase business? I know I'll be expected at church, but I haven't decided yet whether to attend.
I will try to ease the technological pain these remote people are suffering. I just don't know how I'll get along well without the Internet blasting to my home constantly. I won't even have cable. Not close enough for DSL. I am an engineer. I will find a way.

UK vs Microsoft

So who owns the rights to Windows? Last I heard, Microsoft did. How can the EU, or any government, tell Microsoft what it can or can't do with its own product? I can choose who my customers are, who to serve and who not to serve, and what services I offer. Can the government tell me that I offer too much, or cater to myself; do I do things so well that my competition is left behind? No. If Real Networks and the others want source code, they can create their own operating systems. The consumer can choose to use any media player supported by Windows, as I do. I have iTunes, RealOne player, and Windows Media player currently. I use all three nearly every day. When the government tells businesses what to do, it all goes downhill from there. I bet they're gonna make me serve everyone. I won't be able to turn down a contract or call, because they made Microsoft change their own product to aid their competition. All the competition has to do is make a better product. That's what a free market is all about.