Saturday, July 31, 2004

The moon is full and beautiful.

Yes. Yes it is. Well here I am. Today has nothing of merit to report. My roommate Matt did not renew his contract for fall/winter. Kyle (sr.) has bought it. Kyle's a good guy and I look forward to him living here. However, I was hoping some new guy would move in... breath some new life into this apartment. Ah well.

And tomorrow is August. My how time flies. Matt and I need to get our hometeaching done as well. It should be easy... we have one girl to get, and the two men are also our hometeachers, so we'll just do it together. It just has to get done.

I need to get on a better sleep schedule. One o'clock would be an excellent time to go to sleep. Generally I get caught up in something stupid like playing Halo with the roommates or something of that nature.

Well folks, have a good night, I know I will.

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Kerryopoly - Can You Afford to Live Like John Kerry?

Kerryopoly - Can You Afford to Live Like John Kerry?

I was referred to this site by a friend. He's the same friend who got me politically active and actually voting. Anyway, Kerry must be very very glad to have Heinz-Kerry as his wife. I had no idea what kind of salary a senator would have. But apparently it's six figures. So that $9.18 million vacation home among other things must have been from Heinz-Kerry's dowry. Now I do think marriage is very important and I'm sure the Kerry couple love each other very much. But this is the first time that I've seen how he lives and how well, he cannot afford even a quarter of it by himself. I wonder how he will balance our nation's checkbook.

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Everyday

So, I've been working on writing my own murder mystery.  I think I started this thing about two years ago but just put it away till now.  I've gotten pretty far with it too.  I have all the characters' backgrounds and motives finished.  Now I have to figure out the sequence of events, the clues, and the acquaintances.  I look forward to getting it finished and trying it out.  I don't know, I enjoy making new creative things from stuff I see.  I did it as a kid and I continue to do it now.  I think my biggest problem is sticking with it.  I'll get far in a project and then get bored and put it away for a long time.  But eventually they get done.

So the weather here has been very interesting.  We've had overcast days, rainy days and cooler temperatures.  My mom told me that we haven't had a day over 100 yet.  All this is good for my garden though.  The plants are really taking off.  Jill needs to get a lead testing kit to make sure that we can eat the onions.  The garden is right next to the house so we're afraid of the lead paint.  But the peppers are still good.  (and the best part of the garden anyway.) 

Monday, July 26, 2004

Democrat Unity

Senator Clinton claims that the desire to remove Bush from office has "has united Democrats from all ends of the political spectrum."  Democrats from all across the nation are gathering for the Democrat National Convention.  There has been an effort to make the overall theme of the convention more positive in order to sway undecided voters to the Dems.  I find this hilarious!  I know that a lot is possible through the magic of acting and computer graphics (look at The Day After Tomorrow as an example).  But how can you make a campaign that is based on one great negative, 'I am NOT Bush' into something positive?  I don't think Hollywood (and don't think that they wouldn't do it) with all it's power could even achieve that. 

I'm as well finding out that Kerry is a good representative for the Democratic Party.  It seems the speakers at the convention are split on how critical they should appear of the current administration.  This is certainly a chicken and the egg question:  Does Kerry's indecision reflect that of the Democratic Party or vice versa?  It seems at least someone moderate won out as the Democrat National Convention's theme this year is:  "Stronger at Home, Respected in the World."   I would have expected something like:  "Stronger than Bush, Slave to the World."  It will be interesting to see if the desire to draw more voters to the Democratic vote through moderacy will prevail over the unifying hatred of Bush.  I'll place my bet on hatred.

Trenchant Political Thought

So I've been challenged by my friend Aaron to write some "trenchant political thought" on my blog. Coincidentally Aaron started his own blog on this site just days before I did. I was recently looking at some political cartoons on Yahoo. They suggested that Bush wants to go to war with Iran. Talking to Aaron I found out that Bush has promised that if he is re-elected Iran will be next on the list. He gave me an article from the Times about that.

The United States would not use military force, as in Iraq, but “if Bush is re-elected there will be much more intervention in the internal affairs of Iran”, declared the official, who is determined that there should be no let-up in the Administration’s War on Terror.
 
Now if this statement remains true and we don't use military force, I can handle that.  But I fear that if the first intervention does not prove fruitful that our President will use military force to achieve his goals.  And truth is, I (and many other voters I'm sure) are tired of war.   And I'm quite sure that if there were a vote as to whether we started a new war, America would vote NO. 

Bush is looking less and less appealing.  Don't get me wrong, there is no way I will vote for Kerry... 

The article talks about striking at Iran's nuclear facility before they receive fuel rods from Russia so that we can avert an environmental disaster.  It also speaks about France, Germany, and Britain wanting to defuse the situation through diplomacy.  That sounds typically European.  I don't think that diplomacy will succeed.  But if they are going that route, you can be sure that they will be most upset when the US rushes in and uses "aggressive negotiations" to solve the problems.  Kerry would allow the French president to move into the White House.  Bush on the other hand ignores the world community and does what Bush wants to do.  I'd like to see a more moderate approach.  I'd like to have the support of the EU, I'd like to be a little more friendly.  Right now we're the inconsiderate neighbors who play the loud music at odd times in the night and whose dog craps in your lawn.  I think that needs to change.

Well, I don't know if that is trenchant by any standard (forceful, effective, and vigorous).  But it's a start. 

Saturday, July 24, 2004

My first blog

Okay, so this is my first blog entry.  This came about because of a game of Halo about half an hour ago.  I did the best I have ever done.  It was team slayer and I was with Joe.  Anyway, my score was 30 of 50 kills.  Dan was with Kyle and Dan only had 6 kills!  I was dang happy.  I said something that if I kept a journal of Halo, this would definitely go in it.  Anyway, here I am starting my first blog. 

Now what else.  Finished cleaning checks today.  I did the bathroom.  And well, it was really easy.  Last month Matt had the bathroom and was all complaining.  I personally don't think it was that hard at all.  Probably easier than the fridge (which is what I normally do.)  I ended up going to bed at 5 am.  Kristen called me at 10.  So only five hours of sleep...  It'll hit me tomorrow.  Kristen likes this guy and has been hanging out with him a lot.  She wanted some advice.  It's hard though to judge a guy when you've never met him or aren't around him though.  But it was very good talking to Kristen.  She said that she's needed me.  And well, that felt really good. 

Well today is the 24th:  Pioneer Day.  Chris and Franzis were over yesterday to celebrate that and their two year anniversary of meeting.  They met in the parking lot to the west of our house.  That was a lot of fun.  Now they and Chris' family are on the way to Zion and the Grand Canyon.  I'd like to plan a trip to Vegas and the Valley of Fire.  Now that would be fun.  Hot.  But a lot of fun.  I really don't mind the heat though.  Just as long as I am prepared.  Which in general I am.  Well, I don't have to tell everything in my first blog, so I'll log off. 

Thanks for reading.