muddysmind.com

Muddy has close call

Well, God was paying attention in great detail to me today. I was on my way to work in the pouring rain and in my attempts to crack my windows a bit to get some fresh air resulted in very bad results. After making my adjustment (approx 1/2 mile from my exit) I looked up and to my shock and horror a red Cherokee was getting very large, very fast. In my attempts to avoid hitting it I swerved to the right into the grass to get away from traffic and hopefully slow down.
The only thing that slowed me down was the mud and rocks in the ravine I ended up in about 90 yards down stream. To my amazement I ended up on all fours, I did not roll or smash into anything. I'd like to give a shout out to the Holy Spirit for that huge miracle.

There were a few people who stopped and helped me get up and out of the ravine and to them I cannot say thank you enough. The two very, very kind and patient ladies who let me borrow their mobile and an umbrella thank you.

It took two tow trucks to get me out and to the insurance companies garage so they can check out the damage. It was a strange experience sitting in my car, turning the wheel as far as I could and keeping it in one spot while the tow trucks slowing pulled my car up the rocky slope and out of the ravine. visions of the cable snapping off and snapping back and chopping my head off were all I could see at that point. Sad but true.

I'm now cruising around in one of them fancy Ford Escorts, I have to say I miss my car.

:-(

Political Miscellany

First off, I have a website (Thanks Christy!) showing how great of an idea iti s to attack George W. Bush on his economic policies. You can view that here.

The other item I have for you today is my Senator, Senator Zell Miller (D) from Georgia (who happens to be my single favorite guy in the US Government for various reasons) propsoe yesterday, the repealing of the 17th amendment. For those of you who do't know, that is the amendment allowing for the direct election of Senators and one of the single worst things to ever happen tot his country.

The founding fathers intended for the Senate to represent the interests of the Staets, rather than the people. This was to serve as a check on the power of the federal government and it is fort his reason that the senate approves treaties and judges: to prevent a hijacking of states' rights.

A repeal of this amendment would rid the Senate of the mindset that they answer to the people and campaign contributors - they would answer to the state legislatures. This would check the federal government's power and could lead to a return to the founder's wishes of 90% of peacetime government being at the state and local levels. If it had never been in place, history would definitely be read differently.

As it stands now however, this has no chance of passing the House and Senate much less a popular vote unless you call your representative and senator.

Blog-Tracking May Gain Ground Among U.S. Intelligence Officials

People in black trench coats might soon be chasing blogs.

Blogs, short for Web logs, are personal online journals. Individuals post them on Web sites to report or comment on news especially, but also on their personal lives or most any subject.

Some blogs are whimsical and deal with "soft" subjects. Others, though, are cutting edge in delivering information and opinion.

As a result, some analysts say U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials might be starting to track blogs for important bits of information. This interest is a sign of how far Web media such as blogs have come in reshaping the data-collection habits of intelligence professionals and others, even with the knowledge that the accuracy of what's reported in some blogs is questionable.

Full Story @ Yahoo! News

Blog-Tracking May Gain Ground Among U.S. Intelligence Officials

Florida Legislature Attacks Property Rights *Updated*

The Florida State Legislature has decided to attack property rights. They have a house and senate bill that will eliminate eminent domain as we know it.

*Update* Bill passed the Senate on second try (after a meaningless amendment) 22-19. The bill has been withdrawn from the House however by the sponsor/author who has reconsidered her position on the matter.

Currently, if a developer want's land for a comercial purpose, they must give the owner whatever price he or she wants for that land. And why not? It is theirs, they own it.

These bills HB1513 and SB2548 would change that, basically making it so that a developer can give whatever price he wants for the land so long as he gives something for it. And the land owner has no choice in the matter. Technically this is done by government paying for the land and the developer then buying it. The government gets to determine whatever a "fair" price would be and resell to the developer at that price.

This is a blatant attack on property rights: you have no right to what you own essentially.

You can voice your opinion about this to the Florida Senate or the Florida House. Don't count on them caring if you are or are not a Florida resident as one senator's response to a constituent telling him that he will not vote for him again if he supports the bill, was to tell the constituent that he doesn't appreciate threats with votes.

Read the Florida Senate version here.
Read the Florida House version here.

North Korea Accuses US of Preparing Invasion

Sadly North Korea (which is basically closed off to outside news sources thus allowing their people to know only what they want them to know) has once again accused the US of preparing an invasion. This time they say we're at a final stage of the preparations. Their reasoning? We're reliquishing control of an outpost to the South Koreans and letting them guard their own country. Go figure.

Read the story at Yahoo!

This sounds like North Korea is again trying to beg the US for money, because God knows, we don't need to invade them, they're killing themselves! They have no money, no food. Their army is the best fed group in the entire country and they're surviving off insect infested rice and water! This country is worse off than the USSR was in its waning days, making me wonder how they have survived this long!

I'd say that North Korea was really the ones preparing for invasion and they were setting it up to look like the US invaded them if they lost, however, they have to now full well that in their present condition they haven't the resources to fight a battle with the South Korean military which is only half the size of North Korea's! (North Korea has the 5th largest standing army in the world by the way.)

If it wasn't so tragic it would be halarious. North Korea would be better off to just surrender their country to the south and save themselves the trouble of annihilation should a war actually come. But really, we don't need to invade them. We've already destroyed them economically. That's the beautiful thing about communism, it so easy to destroy a communist country through economics because theya re sucha closed society where invidiualism is discouraged, it is hard for someone to fulfill voids in the economy. In capitalism, voids are like a vacuum and someone is always fighting to fill it. If a capitalism society needed to, it could survive with little to no outside production.

Steelers grab Big Ben in 1st

My Pittsburgh Steelers took Big Ben Roethlisberger with the 11th pick today. Poised to have a great season sitting on the sideline carrying Tommy's clipboard learning the system. All expectations are that he will be the starter in 2005 and will take the Steelers to the big game.
I hope we find a great right tackle because Philly just picked up Andrews. Pitt's big fat hole at right tackle is going to kill us this season if we don't get a quality guy there.

Former NFL Player Pat Tillman KIA

In 2002 Pat Tillman came to his team the Arizona CArdinals and told them he was walking away from his 3.6 million dollar contract to join the US Army Rangers, to make around $1000 a month after taxes.

In the offseason he was known to run marathons and triathlons tokeep himself busy. Upon reported for practice at Arizona State University he informed his coach that he would not redshirt, he would graduate in 4 years as he had things to do in life: he graduated in 3 and 1/2 years with a 3.84 GPA in Marketing.

This is a story I had no previously heard about, but it has renewed my faith in the American people. We are stilla people who realize that somethings are worth fighting for, regardless of whatever sacrifices we must make.

Tillman enlisted on the buddy program with his brother Kevin Tillman, a minor league baseball player. Both were engaged in a firefight in Afghanistan when Pat Tillman was killed.

This comes on the day the the Pentagon fires a photographer for releasing what I thought were very classy pictures showing the honor bestowed our war dead as they go home: Soldiers standing guard over the caskets.

College Science Classes a Bore

In another "Well DUH!" study, researchers have "discovered" that college science classes are boring. Well GEE! Who knew?!

Read the story at Yahoo!

World oil crisis looms

The oil industry has been gripped by scandal since Royal Dutch/Shell twice this year downgraded its proven oil reserves by 20 per cent, or nearly 4bn barrels. Shell may not be alone.

Other companies and even governments have hyped up the estimates of how much oil they have, which is a vital factor in measuring their economic health. If exaggeration proves to be widespread, it would have an immense impact on the Middle East, whose economic weight is almost totally dependent on oil and natural gas.

Geologists and analysts have been saying for some time that estimates of global oil reserves may be dangerously exaggerated. If you take oil prices currently at around US$37 a barrel, the highest for nearly 15 years, US petrol prices at record levels and you add terrorist attacks and diminishing supplies, you have a recipe for inflation and economic slowdown. The question of reserves becomes a much more important factor.

Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that internal documents and other data indicated that Shell had over estimated its proven oil reserves in Oman by as much as 40 per cent. But that seems to have been done because everyone hoped that the latest drilling techniques would reach more deposits than in the past and merit upgrading the estimates of reserves.

Full Story @ Janes Information Group

*Muddy's Update* If you want to run your car on water instead of gas check out this link

Euro partnership mocks 60th D-Day anniversary, says invasion veteran

The commander of the first complete unit to set foot on French soil on D-Day said yesterday that the 60th anniversary of the event should not be commemorated because the French and Germans are "in each other's pockets now".

"I think we should have stopped after 50 years," said Lt Col Terence Otway, who commanded the 9th Parachute Btn as it attacked a crucial German battery at Merville, near Caen, shortly after midnight on June 6, 1944.

"In 1994, we were celebrating the liberation of the French from the Germans. Now France and Germany are in each other's pockets. They are the closest partnership in Europe.

"It wasn't like that 10 years ago. This year, I believe [President Jacques] Chirac even invited German troops to take part in the march past.

"It seems all wrong to be marking the liberation in that way."

Lt Col Otway, who celebrates his 90th birthday nine days after the anniversary, was decorated with the DSO and was later appointed Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur by the French government for his command of the battalion on the eastern flank of the Normandy invasion.

He said he would not be attending memorial events in Normandy this June where the Queen, President George W Bush and Chancellor Gerhard Schroder of Germany will be joining President Chirac.


Full Story @ telegraph.co.uk

Spin Sisters

Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness — and Liberalism — to the Women of America

Every month, 50 million women read women's magazines that serve up a steady diet of left-wing politics sandwiched between ads for products that promise to make their beleaguered audience hipper, happier, and hassle-free. As editor-in-chief of Ladies' Home Journal for over 20 years, Myrna Blyth was a sibling in good standing of the smug spin sisters whose glossy pages relentlessly peddle dissatisfaction and Democratic drivel to American women. In this terrific tell-all book, Blyth has left the clique of the powerful popular girls to tell the rest of us that they are as manipulative, incestuous, and condescending as we might have expected.

While male editors, writers, and readers might be tempted to dismiss the impact of a women's-media empire seemingly more concerned about weight control than weighty issues, the women's magazines — a $7 billion business — have enviable clout. Of the ten largest and most profitable magazines in America, five are edited specifically for women (the other five have large female audiences).

In addition to strollers, spas, and the latest shoes, these magazines promote an idea: modern feminism in all its fragile self-centeredness. With the conviction that "stress sells," the spin sisters wildly exaggerate the pressures of daily life owing to the unreasonable demands of work and family — and they hysterically warn of the dangers lurking in everything from manicures and mattresses to mold and mercury. Stress sells self-indulgence, which keeps the advertisers happy; and what the $470 million aromatherapy market can't fix is up to the government to handle.

Full Story @ National Review Online

Good News & Bad News from France

In early March, while meeting with French officials in Libya, I suggested that if President Chirac wanted to repair the damage done to U.S.-French relations by French behavior last year, he might start by "putting a new face on French diplomacy."

Just three weeks later, Chirac announced that he was replacing foreign minister Dominique de Villepin with the relatively unknown, but pro-American, Michel Barnier.

Known for his arrogance and love for grandstanding, Villepin was reviled in America for having sandbagged U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell at the United Nations last year, a disgraceful episode I have detailed in my new book, The French Betrayal of America.

Prancing around the world like an over-wound ballet dancer to line up votes against America at the United Nations, Villepin never lost an opportunity to blast America's "hegemony" in world affairs.

His replacement at the Quai d'Orsay, Michel Barnier, hosted a nongovernmental conference on transatlantic relations last November in Paris that was attended by U.S. Ambassador Dan Freed, the National Security Council director for European affairs.

Two participants at that conference — one French, one American — tell me that Barnier displayed a "pragmatic approach" toward U.S.-French relations in marked contrast to his predecessor.

"Michel Barnier is much less arrogant than Villepin, and will have a very different approach" when differences between the United States and France come up, a French participant said.

Full Story @ National Review Online

SCO Says VC Wants Out

The SCO Group's war chest may have just gotten a lot lighter. The company, which is suing IBM and several Linux end-user companies, has filed an 8-K report with the Securities and Exchange Commission stating that BayStar Capital wants SCO to redeem all of the venture-capital firm's 20,000 shares of SCO's Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Stock.

Read the entire article here

A look at Seator Kerry’s bleak record

So far most of the analysis of the presidential race has focused on the record of President George W. Bush, but what of this other fellow, John Kerry? Even if one is inclined to dislike our President, one must measure him against the alternatives. Looking at Kerry as a person reveals him to be an almost laughably shallow man whose single-minded ambition for high political office has overridden every other consideration in his life.

Read the entire article here

We need to sleep 8 hours a day, maybe.

More Than 8 Hours Sleep Too Much of a Good Thing, No it isn't, yes it is, no it isn't, yes it is...

(Read on for the exciting conclusion to this storied tale)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although the dangers of too little sleep are widely known, new research suggests that people who sleep too much may also suffer the consequences.

Specifically, investigators at the University of California in San Diego found that people who clock up 9 or 10 hours each weeknight appear to have more trouble falling and staying asleep, as well as a host of other sleep problems, than people who sleep 8 hours a night.

People who slept only 7 hours each night also said they had more trouble falling asleep and feeling refreshed after a night's sleep than 8-hour sleepers.

These findings, reported in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, demonstrate that people who want to get a good night's rest may not need to set aside more than 8 hours a night, study author Dr. Daniel Kripke told Reuters Health.

He added that "it might be a good idea" for people who sleep more than 8 or 8 1/2 hours each night to consider reducing the amount of time they spend in bed, but cautioned that more research is needed to confirm this.

Full Story @ Reuters.com

Air America Pulled From 2 Stations

I'll go ahead and just make my comments:

You got pulled because you weren't making the stations money! I mean how bad must these guys be that they couldn't get a slot in America's liberal heartland "San Fransissie?! They have a show called "The Majority Report." I'm sure many American's love the implication that they do in fact speak for most of them.

I love their resposne to getting pulled by 2 statiosn in 2 weeks: law suit. Get over it, you weren't entertaining enough to make these stations money, so you got yanked. It happens to shows everyday.

Full Story @ Yahoo! News

How to be a good Liberal.

1. You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of federal funding.
2. You have to believe that the same teacher who can't teach 4th graders how to read is somehow qualified to teach those same kids about sex.
3. You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-abiding Americans are more of a threat than the US nuclear weapons technology in the hands of Chinese & North Korean communists.
4. You have to believe that there was not art before Federal funding.

5. You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected by cyclical, documented changes in the earth's climate and more affected by soccer moms driving SUV's.
6. You have to believe that gender roles are artificial but being homosexual is natural.
7. You have to be against capital punishment but support abortion on demand.
8. You have to believe that business creates oppression and governments create prosperity.
9. You have to believe that hunters don't care about nature, but activists who have never been outside of San Francisco do.
10.You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually doing something to earn it.
11.You have to believe that the military, not corrupt politicians start wars.
12.You have to believe the NRA is bad because it supports certain parts of the Constitution while the ACLU is good because it supports certain parts of the Constitution.
13.You have to believe that taxes are too low, but ATM fees are too high.
14.You have to believe that Margaret Sanger and Gloria Steinem are more important to American History than Thomas Jefferson, Gen Robert E. Lee and Thomas Edison.
15.You have to believe that standardized tests are racist, but racial quotas and set-asides are not.
16.You have to believe that Hillary Clinton is normal and really a very nice person.
17. You have to believe that the only reason socialism hasn't worked anywhere it's been tried is because the right people haven't been in charge.
18. You have to believe conservatives telling the truth belong in jail, but a liar and sex offender belonged in the White House.
19. You have to believe that homosexual parades displaying drag queens, transvestites and bestiality should be constitutionally protected and manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal.
20.You have to believe that illegal Democratic Party funding by the Chinese government is somehow in the best interest of the United States.
21. You have to believe that this is part of a right-wing conspiracy.

*Muddy's Notes* To be fair the Republicans also have many problems however nobody has sent me their humorous yet true "list" yet. :-P

Democratic club's ad suggests shooting Rumsfeld

MIAMI, Florida -- An ad placed in a Florida community newspaper by a city Democratic club attacks President Bush and U.S. policy in Iraq, and threatens Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The ad says of Rumsfeld, "We should put this S.O.B. up against a wall and say, 'This is one of our bad days,' and pull the trigger."

The ad was placed by the St. Petersburg Democratic Club in last week's issue of The Gabber, a weekly community newspaper based in Gulfport, next to St. Petersburg on Florida's Gulf Coast.

No one from the club could be reached for comment, but the ad was condemned by other Democrats, including the presidential campaign of Sen. John Kerry.

"We are calling the Pinellas County Democratic Party chair about this ad and demand that it be retracted," Kerry campaign spokesman Stephanie Cutter told CNN. "John Kerry does not condone this type of advertising and believes that it is wrong."

Full Story @ CNN.com

Skywalker's Creative Side: What Happens When You Piss Off Skywalker

Most of you are not aware that in the past year or so, my grandfather has developed Alzheimer's. He already suffered from clinical paranoia (and possibly Post-Traumatic Ssress as he had to do some funky things during WW2.)

So we have moved him into an assisted living home about a mile from our home and we're in the process of cleaning out his house to be rented out (that's been my job since I returned home from being on Active Duty.) We have rented a dumpster that sits outside the house for us to throw the unbelievable amount of trash he had away (most of everything in the house.) I could get into the crazy things I've thrown away (I've told muddy about some of them) but, I'll save that for another time.

Well someone has been dumping their personal trash in our dumpster, mostly houshold trash but also a toilet, and other weird things. They've twice forced us to have it emptied earlier than we would have otherwise. Which is a pain int he neck as I drive 45 minutes to the house just to find I can't do anything in the house and have to call the waste company to have it hauled which usually takes a day or two. Which wastes my time, gas, and money. At $150 a haul, that's alot of money.

We had just had it hauled when I went in last week to find that these people had put a couch into the dumpster. Which boiled my blood like you wouldn't believe!

So I asked the neighbors and 1 neighbor said they thought they saw them coming from a certain house. So Another neighbor had decided to look to see who was doing it. So when I went intoday some more household trash was in it including some mail. I'd previously pulled a magazine with a name and adress on it, but he address was from elsewhere. Today I found bills with the same name and an address of the house the neighbor thought they had come from. The other neighbor sai he had watched them every morning go out and dump their trash in it.

Skywalker == pissed off.

I got creative. My brother was with me so we took all their trash from the dumpster and some bags of pine straw which they had just thrown in the yard and threw them in front of their front door. We took the couch and plopped it in front of the garage door (since I am told they park their car in the garage.)

I then left a nice little note telling them about how much time and money they'd wasted and that they owed me $300 compensation or I would be calling the police and I'd take cash, cashier's check or money order made out to and signed it , Lance Corporal, USMC. I also told them that I'll be just as happy to call the polica but I thought I'd offer them the cheap and easy way out.

Personally, I think I was to nice to them. Man, if I'd only had a camera.

Fired Christian Wins Discrimination Suit Against AT&T

DENVER – A federal judge has awarded nearly $150,000 to a man fired by AT&T Broadband for refusing to sign a diversity policy requiring him to "value" the beliefs of others, including gays.
Albert Buonanno, 47, said he is a Christian and loves all people regardless of their lifestyle.

"But I cannot value homosexuality and any different religious beliefs," Buonanno said Monday, after the ruling was made public. "I think AT&T should be able to expect certain behavior from people, but not force their beliefs on people."

cwilli note: I am glad to see that the law protects those who are descriminated against, even if they are Christian....

Andy Rooney Says Out soldiers not Heroes/Unable to Get Civilian Jobs

I wish I could link the full article but I can't find it online, but here is a quote:

"Our soldiers in Iraq are people, young men and women, and they behave like people – sometimes good and sometimes bad, sometimes brave, sometimes fearful. It's disingenuous of the rest of us to encourage them to fight this war by idolizing them. We pin medals on their chests to keep them going. We speak of them as if they volunteered to risk their lives to save ours, but there isn't much voluntary about what most of them have done. A relatively small number are professional soldiers. During the last few years, when millions of jobs disappeared, many young people, desperate for some income, enlisted in the Army."

I hate to tell Mr. Rooney, but I know of more than one Marine and Soldier who when their unit was going home, asked to stay longer.

I didn't join the Marine Corps cause I couldn't find a job. I'm a Computer-Engineering major at Georgia Tech, believe me, neither now, nor when I graduate will I be completely unable to find a job forcing me to join. I joined because I feel that my country gave me my freedom, it doesn't owe me anything, but I owe it something.

My best frined that I have in the Marines, who is in Iraq, is a multi millionaire. He lived in Orange County, CA before he joined. He had a very large house. He had 3 cars which he paid cash for.

Further more in this article, he said we should ask soldiers if they were offered a trip home or a medal, which they would take. Trip home everytime. I know of no soldier who cares how many medals or ribbons they wear. This comes from Mr. Rooney's flawed assumption that we measure each other by the fruit salad on our chests. But I guess he'd not know since I don't think he's ever served has he?

Parents of 'Weird Al' Found Dead

FALLBROOK, Calif. — The elderly parents of Grammy-winning recording artist "Weird Al" Yankovic were found dead in their home, apparently victims of carbon monoxide poisoning, officials said.

Nick and Mary Yankovic were found dead Friday in their suburban San Diego home by relatives who were worried because they had not seen the couple in a while, said sheriff's Sgt. Conrad Grayson.

Paramedics found Nick Yankovic, 86, in a chair in the front living room. His 81-year-old wife was on the bathroom floor.

A wood fire had been set recently in the fireplace, Grayson said.

"The house was full of smoke when they opened the door," Grayson said, adding that the family members found the fluke closed.

Full Story @ FOXNews.com

Finally doing something about spam

After noticing the spam attacks have been stepping up lately I decided to take action. I don't want to say all the things I'm doing but rest assured it's exciting stuff to me. One major thing is I ditched the pop up windows for comments, now it takes you to the article which I like better anyways.

If you find any problems let me know.

muddysmind at excite dot com

Study Shows College Textbooks are $900 a Year - *Link Fixed*

PORTLAND, Ore. - College freshman Amy Connolly knows not to judge a book by its cover. Instead, she judges the newest Calculus 101 text by what's inside: a CD-ROM, flashy color photographs and a bubble-wrapped study manual. All those extras bring the price tag to $126, she says.

Read the full story at Yahoo!

SquarePusher Tour

Last night my bro Jason took me down to campus to catch the Squarepusher Tour. Having never heard of squarepusher but being a fan of Trance, D&B and other like forms of Techno I was happy to go. Squarepusher (aka. Tom Jenkinson) is touring the U.S. with Cassetteboy, DJ Jonny J, and human beatbox Kenny Muhammad The Human Orchestra.

To open the show DJ Jonny J had a standard issue dual turntable setup. He played a varitey of tech from House to Breakbeats and his transitions were quite good. He also provided the music in between the other acts.

Cassetteboy on the other hand was funny and entertaining for about 30 seconds of their fifteen to twenty minute show. To describe their show would require a XXX rating. It was crude, obnoxious, highly sexual and generally in poor taste. The ONLY good thing about their act was it ended.

Kenny Muhammad The Human Orchestra came on stage next and immediately stole the show. His ability to duplicate Drum & Bass Techno with just his voice was insane. He takes beatbox to not only the next level but multiple levels up. He put on a fantastic show and by himself was worth the price of admission. I could have done without the "it's a cultural revolution, know what I'm saying?" in between his songs but it's all part of the culture. I thought if someone could put him and Michael Winslow (aka. Larvell Jones from Police Academy) together they could produce some mad tunes. Kenny's speed and accuracy was amazing, the amount of control he has over his diaphragm and lungs was quite impressive

The last act of the night was squarepusher himself. Since all I knew about squarepusher was that it was drum & bass I was pleasantly surprised to find he expanded with some experimental breakbeats as well. I noticed early on he had a bass guitar on state next to his multiple laptops and mixing equipment.
One thing that was missing that I fully expected was any form of a keyboard.
That slight shock not withstanding his show was excellent, he started off with some spacial trance that evolved into breakbeats. His minimal light show was used effectively as the timing of the strobes, smoke and blinding flood lights worked well with the music.
About thirty minutes into the show he picked up the bass and this is where it all came together. He plugged the bass into one of the laptops and used it to alter how it sounded. He produced some amazing sounds off the bass and blended it very smoothly with the beats. The light show was blinding, literally. By the time we left I had a nice headache going from the floodlights that beat my pupils into submission. I had noticed through squinting eyes that some around me had come prepared, sunglasses.
This mad Englishman gave a fantastic show, it was good to see innovation in music when so much of the "popular" garbage being pushed today is about as innovative as the current Bush/Kerry mud throwing.

Bottom line, Don't miss this show. (however if you show up late and miss Cassetteboy your better off)

When Pakistan starts to help, Insult them!

US Afghan envoy angers Pakistan.

Khalilzad says if Pakistan doesn't wipe out 'terrorist' havens, the US 'will have to do it.'
The US envoy to Afghanistan has angered Pakistan by warning the country that it must eliminate "terrorist sanctuaries" near their common border or US forces will have to step in. In a speech Monday at a private Washington think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Zalmay Khalilzad said that if Islamabad doesn't solve the problem then "we [the US] will have to do it ourselves."

Pakistan says more than 60 suspects were killed and more than 160 captured in the large offensive it launched last month against suspected Islamic militants, and tribesmen aiding them, in the border region. Mr. Khalilzad says although the offensive was "positive and hopeful," the Taliban continues to be able "to base, train and operate from Pakistan."


Full Story @ csmonitor.com

A look into One of Skywalker's Occupations

I thought I would post some pictures of my military adventures. Have fun!

Ilkin to share story of faith

There was something about the lives of several teammates that intrigued Pittsburgh Steeler Tunch Ilkin more than 20 years ago.

"They were different. There was something about them that I had never seen in men before," he said. "They had a sense of humility, a sense of joy, and they had a love for each other. They lived a life that demanded an explanation."

When he got to know Jon Kolb, John Stallworth, Donnie Shell, Ted Peterson and Craig Wolfley, he discovered what it was.

"It was not the Super Bowl or Pro Bowls or money," Ilkin said. "The most important thing in their lives was that they had a relationship with Jesus Christ."

Full Story @ PittsburghLIVE.com

R. Lee Ermy visited HMLA-773

My unit today was graced with the presence of GySGT R. Lee Ermy, who most of you will know from movies such as Full Metal Jacket, Saving Silverman or The Boys from Company C. He is also the host of Mail Call on the History Channel. I managed to get him to sign the inside of my cover, and snap a photo with him (along with several photos of him promoting 7 new Lance Criminals (or, more correctly, Lance Corporals) and 1 new Sergeant, with our acting CO, LTCOL Parker.

And if you were wondering what I'm wearing, those are coveralls. My job in the Marine Corps is that of a helicopter mechanic, and since I did something that could almost be called work today, I had to wear them.

Ga Tech in NCAA Finals!

I don't know how many of you are basketball fans, but my school (as in the place where I am currently being educated) just beat Oklahoma State University to make it to the NCAA Finals for the first time in school history (which goes back to 1885!)

I have a friend I grew up with on the team, and I know that our whole school is excited! Just thought I'd share!

Satellite to test Einstein theory

A satellite that will put Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity to the test is ready to be launched.

Nasa hopes Gravity Probe B will lift off from California on 17 April.

Since it was first proposed in 1959, the project has been aborted and delayed because of technical hiccups many times.

Now it is ready to test two of Einstein's theories about the nature of space and time, and how the Earth distorts them.

The unmanned satellite will orbit 640km (400 miles) above Earth, measuring any slight changes in gravity.

Full Story @ BBC NEWS

Mental Midget of the Day

Scott Copley, wins our mental midget of the day award.
(insert cheers here)
Today Scott proved his gene pool needs to be drained and filled with cement.
Scott went to court after killing his eighteen year old girlfriend. During the course of the trial this brilliant mind told the jury "I would rather have died than her. I feel I saved my own life by doing what I did".

Huh??

Ok, I'm still confused by that. However this future Nobel prize winner also wrote a loving and tender ... uh.. rap song. That the astute sheriff's deputies picked up while looking for clues. It was full of heart warming lines such as, "never even cried" and "every shot that I took, took my hate even higher."
Of course as sharp and keenly aware as Scott is, time was not his friend, or rather timing. He told police he wrote the song to get over the pain of being shot by the woman he loved.

Think about it.

- Muddy

Full Story @ MSNBC

Cops: Audrey's Kidnap Story a Hoax

MADISON, Wis. — Police said Friday they are no longer seeking a suspect in the case of the 20-year-old college student who originally claimed she was abducted from her apartment building at knifepoint, after they discovered several inconsistencies in her story.

Audrey Seiler told police the man who abducted her used duct tape, rope, cold medicine and other items against her -- some of which were found in the marsh area where Seiler was discovered, Assistant Police Chief Noble Wray said at a press conference.

But police obtained store surveillance videotape showing Seiler purchasing the items during the time she was reported missing, Wray said.

"We do not believe there is a suspect at large, period," Wray said.


Full Story @ FOXNews.com