Reflection on this Morning

The News:

Ashcroft, Evans exit Cabinet
WASHINGTON – The Election Day resignation of Attorney General John Ashcroft was made public Tuesday, ending his four years as the most contentious and criticized member of the Bush Cabinet. The departure of the attorney general became official when the White House on Tuesday released copies of Ashcroft’s letter, dated Nov. 2, along with a resignation letter written Tuesday by Commerce Secretary Don Evans. In a handwritten five-page letter, Ashcroft wrote that he was stepping down because he believes the Justice Department “would be well served by new leadership and fresh inspiration.” And he left with a parting bold boast, writing, “The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.”

Now if the prick would return some of the rights he stole from us, I might be happy. Liberty given is most often hard to regain.

Arafat’s condition worsening
PARIS – Senior Palestinian officials, after consulting with doctors treating Yasser Arafat and visiting his hospital, said Tuesday his condition had deteriorated dramatically, and acknowledged for the first time that preparations were under way for his funeral and burial.

He is still believed to be suffering from a spider bite on his left ankle, anyone else notice a theme here? Don’t think the Massad and the Black Bag folks down at “Foggy Bottom” don’t share neat ideas.

Friends don’t let friends fire drunk
Taking to heart the credo that friends should never let friends drive drunk, a man in Bloomington shot out two tires on his friend’s car to keep him from driving under the influence.
Alas, the move backfired when the incensed driver got out of his car, pulled a knife and attacked his friend, according to a report by Bloomington police.
Police arrested the driver, David Woodward, 39, of Indianapolis, on a preliminary charge of battery after the fight early Sunday. Woodward could not be reached for comment Monday.
Authorities said they expected to file charges within a few days against the other man, after officers found two handguns and an assault-style rifle in his home.

I loved this one, makes you wonder what their major is at IU doesnt it? Oh my god, I think I was partying with them last weekend.

Fighting takes a toll U.S. troops at Fallujah’s center; 10 killed
NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq – U.S. troops powered their way into the center of the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on Tuesday, overwhelming small bands of guerrillas with massive force, searching homes along the city’s deserted, narrow passageways and using loudspeakers to try to goad militants onto the streets.

Only ten, glad to see math skills in the military are of the same high caliber has when I was in. Man, those hard luck fuckers who got the job of clearing that city out. However in reading accounts this morning I am heartened to see the Marines are still using the same tactics used in regaining the city of Hue during the Tet Offensive. …and on a side note, the German Army held 75% of the city of Stalingrad, and we saw what that got them. My prayers go out to everyone in boots.

Health risks sway DeKalb insure costs
AUBURN – When a new DeKalb County health care plan begins in January, an obese county employee who smokes will pay $1,000 more for a health insurance deductible than a thinner, non-smoking colleague.

What the fuck? I got this government job just because I am a lazy, chain smoking, hard drinking, fat fucker. Don’t you like this? They (the local Taliban-Government of DeKalb Co.) will only cover people whose life-style they agree with. What’s next, the fucking thought police?

White House seeks block on Oregon assisted-suicide law
WASHINGTON – The Bush administration asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to block the nation’s only law allowing doctors to help terminally ill patients die more quickly.
Don’t I remember the Republican’s running on smaller government and states rights (Regan & Sr. were fond of throwing around those Jeffersonian ideas). I see it only works if you happen to agree with the Washington Insiders, and the Moral Majority. I get it, lets fuck the will of the people of Oregon.

What the Fuck, over? …you let people have their own opinion about what is acceptable to them both locally and state wide and they will allow all kinds of sins, like gambling, same sex unions, legal pot, and race mixing. Man, I like saying "What the fuck" today.

Trying to rob paperboy yields 6 years in prison
A 42-year-old Fort Wayne woman who testified last month that she was willing to do anything to get more drugs on Nov. 23, 2003, when she tried to rob a newspaper delivery boy at knifepoint was sentenced Monday in Allen Superior Court to six years in prison and three years’ probation.

Man, that’s fucking tight, robbing a paperboy.

Neglect of dependent nets home detention
A 22-year-old Fort Wayne woman who admitted to leaving her two young children home alone in July was sentenced Monday in Allen Superior Court to six months’ home detention and one year of probation. A probable cause affidavit alleged Spencer left her two children – ages 2 years and 10 months – about 9 p.m. July 26 in her apartment. A neighbor heard her yelling at the children to go to bed about 8:30 p.m., noticed that she left the apartment without the children, then called police, the affidavit said. Police officers were let into the apartment by an employee so they could p.m. and told check the safety of the children. Spencer returned at about 10:15 the officer she had been gone for only 15 minutes and did not want to disturb the kids while they were sleeping, but the officer had been at her house for 45 minutes before she returned, the affidavit said. The affidavit did not specify where Spencer went when she left the home.

Hey can’t find a sitter for the kids, just leave them. I like the sentence, she has to stay home for six months. However I kind of wonder what kind of parent she is the rest of the time.


On Early Hours:
Once again I am the first person at work, the third time this week. There is something comforting about being able to get shit done while your colleagues are still home asleep. That dear friend is how you stay one step ahead of them.

Its really not that big a deal, I wake up at 4:00 am everyday, yes... even on weekends, and even if I was up till 3:00 am. Sad but true, guess you could say I am a morning person, however don’t confuse me with that cheerful morning person, who always loudly says “Good Morning, isn’t it a wonderful day”. You know the kind of person who if you were married to, you would smother them with a pillow.

On Late Hours:
I should address the inverse, I have a very noticeable drop in productivity around 2:00 pm and at close of business I often fall into one of three categories.

1 Count the minutes until the bar across the street opens (4:00 pm).

2 Work until 6 or 7, if I don’t go to the bar (it does happen, more often than you think)

3 Hurry home, most often to cook something for someone other than myself.

On having a Discussion with a Spouse:
I don’t know about others, well, ok I do, but… for me alcohol is most often a factor in any “discussion” (fight) I have with my spouse, it is something that a few beers and a few shots do well is loosen my natural reticence to “rock the boat” but sadly I am reminded of the old WW II saying “lose lips sink ships” (yes, I am stuck on a bit of a nautical theme).

How does a fight sound if you were so lucky as to be present? Well it starts with a great deal of yelling, however it is very important, to deny that you are in fact yelling, this is often best accomplished by presenting your case at the top of you lungs. However this is short lived, and most often results in one of two direct actions.

First, different sleeping arrangements, i.e.: the floor of the up-stairs bath, the sofa, the futon, or one of the spare rooms (hey, it’s a big house, there are many options).

Or second, the “discussion” becomes very level, (no yelling) very matter of fact, and very measured. It is the later, the warrants direct action, for in the course of the conversation you know something is being said and it behooves you to pay close attention.

These conversations often focus more on options than events, more along the lines of “…if then… and then...” or a personal favorite of mine, the heavy use of the word perhaps. And they always have a very sobering effect, much like the time your parents really were waiting up for you after you enjoyed the company of your high school friends at the kegger party, or the time you were in a car that got pulled over.

On Ethnicity and Discussions with a Spouse
Now you may ask; does ethnicity play a roll in these events, I would have to answer that with a resounding yes. I am a big fan of Carl Jung, and a bit of a believer in the concept of collective memories, I also believe that our parents are our biggest teachers, from them we learn many things, one of which is how to fight, however we are not locked into any one standard, and we are all very capable of behavior modification. But, I digress: the ethnic back grounds involved in my example today are Irish, (and yes, there may be a Gypsy hiding in the wood pile) Scots and Dutch (hey, she’s a big girl, 6’1).

Now the Irish, are known to blow up, fight and then buy you a drink, The Scots keep a grudge and have even been known to will it to their decedents, and the Dutch, well, it’s a small country, they don’t like problems, however trying to get someone of Dutch decent to see your point is in my experience much like teaching a pig to dance, you accomplish nothing more than looking like a fool covered in pig-shit and frustrating the pig. Yes, I said it the Dutch are a stubborn breed. All these must be taken into account when involved in a discussion, as my high school speech teacher said: “Know your audience and quite saying Umm”.

On Resolution:
Well, this part is still in the on-going stage, much like that Robert Frost poem we all had to learn in school “Whose woods are these…” However it has been my experience that when things move from the race to be the biggest victim, progress is going on and the focus moves to plans being made and courses of action implemented.

On Reminiscing:
Odd, but today I find myself missing and/or re-experiencing my quiet morning times on the beach, that time of day when the tide was coming in, early before all the tourists were up, when you could drink your coffee and have miles of beach to yourself, it was always best this time of year. Kind of cold, more like sweater weather; the air was so fresh and the sound of the waves, very peaceful and good way to start your day, no matter what was going on, you knew you won. Funny, but I find myself thinking about the movie Fight Club, and the “go to your happy spot” scene.

Jokes for the Day:

How many evangelicals does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Hell, ask any of them their hands are up in the air anyway.

Why do you always need to invite two Southern Baptists with you if you go fishing?

Well, if you only invite one, he will drink all the god-damn beer.

Poem for the Day:

HOWL by Allen Ginsberg

Some beat poetics by request: I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night, who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyed and high sat up smoking in the supernatural darkness of cold-water flats floating across the tops of cities contemplating jazz....."

Quote of the Day:
In anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away. -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Bright eyed and Bushy Tailed I remain,

JQP