Tuesday, August 31, 2004
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New Website
I ran across a website the other day that i think the convoginators should check, since all of us are poor... well excluding 2 of them. Cheap Stuff Anyhow... I noticed that i havent posted in a while, so here i be. My classes this semester aren't to bad, however, my biology class which i share w/farrzzzee is potentially the worst class ever. Biology is bad as it is, but our teacher is a mixture of the quiet guy on high fidelity, and the boss on office space. Its so boring. Anyways. I saw hero this weekend, it was a major let down. And matthew if you saw it, i know you think it was awesome. What im saying is, the preview made it look like a totally different movie than what it actually was. And you havent seen it matthew then you need to, its a matthew movie. Speaking of matthew, your hair looks good in that picture, you stud, dont cut it. anyways, i got a webcam recently so, now when i finally perfect my brown race cars, ill be sure and post a video of the process.
It's amazing when you think about it. Matthew and I managed to get out of bed at 9:00 this morning, drive to the office, and tow an airplane 30 feet to the yard beside the building. Upon arriving at the side of the building, we discovered that our original plan of placing the aircraft on the lawn was nearly impossible thanks to some heckling onlookers and an African American Gentleman sitting on the steps yelling obscenities at us. Not to let a bunch of liberals get the best of us, we turned the aircraft sideways, picked it up, and carried all 1.2 ounces of it onto the lawn. Then we went inside and sat at our desks surfing the internet and complaining about the heat and hard work.
So after the arduous task of placing an airplane on the lawn, we set out to sit in the shade of the wing all day and tell passers-by about our welcome back Technology BBQ & John Wayne film Festival this wednesday night at 6:00. (For those convoginators or readers who would for some reason be in the Hope area...) I digress, getting this thing in place was literally a "bitch and a half." Getting it back out will be a full "two bitches." It makes for a nice picture though, and I love the look on people's faces when they see it and ask, "Did you crash land that here?" I keep a straight face and say, "It was more of a precise landing, really..."
So as the sun came up, the high grade copy paper heats up and expands, causing it to slightly curl and sag. We tried to prop it up with sticks and mounds of pine needles but to no avail. Unfortunately, a dim witted passerby casually threw their half-smoked cigarette in our direction and not only burnt up our Tech Plane, but also caused 3rd degree burns to Matthews thighs and the arches of my feet...who knew? Anyway...fun for all... Off for a smoke and a pancake!
It appears that for the holiday this weekend I will be heading back "home." It's just my luck that we would have a game on a holiday weekend so as to take away any enjoyment that might have been had by me. Instead of a long weekend of fun and rest, I must wear the dorkiest of hats for a bunch of people who have way more school spirit than I could ever have. What's our mascot? Well, it's not that bad. Marching band is just bad in general, especially since we have a dress rehearsal at 2 which means I'm doing band most of Saturday. I just have to keep telling myself that it's good for me because some day I might have a marching band of my own...Oh how I hope it doesn't come down to that. Since this place is dead on the weekends I thought I might as well go to my place of former dwelling for Sunday and Monday. It's gonna be a long couple of weeks.
Next weekend I must go to the Honors College retreat and be forced to recover the creature and examine life's metaphors while discussing how we can find hope...Someone shoot me now. These people are really digging deep to come up with this nonsense. Actually I am really liking the class, but that probably has something to do with the fact that my prof isn't a crazy athiest out to change all of my opinions, because dang it if I don't change my ways in college. I only want to gain stuff, not change stuff.
Speaking of change, I think our beloved Meatwad has taken a turn for the worse. He looks a might sickly and is extremely lethargic these days. I just don't understand this occurance. He even has some nice aviation posters now to keep him company. Everyone please keep Meatwad in your thoughts through these horrible times. I will take any form of donation to help with the research and the very possible buying of a real plant.
I must now ask, WHERE IS EVERYONE?!?!? This place is lacking a bit without the participation of all the um, participants. Thank goodness we now have the antics of Phynerk. Otherwise we might have had to come to a sudden halt due to too much stupidity and not enough wit.
I must now practice my mouth exercises so that my muscles are saxophone ready, cuz goodness knows that thing is a beast with no heart...I do love it...which is more than I can say for singing right now...and the piano. Carap desrves some real mad props for her mastery of such an untameable object. And eRIc should stop drawing on farsheshe's paper. Yeah, you know.
without icecream,
seashell
P.S. Someone please tell be where I can buy Arizona tea in bulk. Jones soda in any form would be nice as well.
I can't think of anything I know less of than politics, other than maybe cooking. This lack of knowledge, this void of understanding, this imparment...well this downright stupidity make me humble around you guys. Heck, I don't know the difference between a democrate and a repiblican, a senator or a congressman. Now don't get me wrong, I've voted in every major election I could since I was 18, but I'm still a political dummy. So I thought I'd go ahead and tell you who I will be voting for in November. The guy that I believe is lying the least.
By the way I noticed that the day after eRIc posted the old picture of himself when he lifted weights, the "hit counter" for this site went DOWN around 85 counts !
I'm tired. I took a 2 hour nap today. It was good. Then I had to get up and learn about Hexadecimal. Good stuff. I'm tired.
I may come home for Labor Day weekend. I don't know. The only reason I would consider it is because my cousin is going home too and I could bum a ride with him in his car that has a much higher fuel economy than mine. I don't know. Maybe, maybe not.
Monday, August 30, 2004
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Smoke and a pancake?
So after the arduous task of placing an airplane on the library lawn, we set out to sit in the shade of the wing all day and tell passers-by about our welcome back BBQ this wednesday night at 6:00. (For those convoginators or readers who would for some reason be in the Stillwater area...) I digress, getting this thing in place was literally a "bitch and a half." Getting it back out will be a full "two bitches." It makes for a nice picture though, and I love the look on people's faces when they see it and ask, "Did you land that here?" I keep a straight face and say, "It was more of a crash, really..."
So as the sun came up, the fuel heats up and expands, causing it to flow out of the fuel vent located on the bottom of the left wing. We tried to catch as much as possible in various containers so we could dispose of it safely, but the library lawn has had a healthy dose of avgas, and thanks to the ubiquitous Oklahoma wind, so did all of the dorks sitting under the wing. I was just waiting for someone to light up their Lucky Strike and immolate us all. Thankfully I've now had a shower, but I probably have lead poisoning...
In today's lesson I will expose you to the engineering term - "DEADBAND". No, this has nothing to do with the Grateful Dead, Elvis, Janis Joplin, or Santa. It does, however, have everything to do with how accurately a machine or process can achive a desired setpoint. Or to quote Dr. Albert Schramooza "Mit diesem Link hier kannst Du Dir Deinen persoenlichen Gutschein abholen."
For example, if you set your air conditioning thermostat at 75 degrees and the temperature in the room you are in varies between 76 and 74, then the unit is operating at a 2 degree DEADBAND. It has always seemed curious to me that industries will spend tens of zillions of dollars to have super high-tech thingies installed so that their processes will have the lowest possible DEADBANDS, except in the control rooms where us poor engineer-stiffs work and where management should be able to monitor these low DEADBANDS. From my years of experience, on an average, these rooms have air conditioning systems which do well do operate at a 45 to 50 degree DEADBAND which has everything do do with killing me.
It's amazing when you think about it. I managed to get myself out of bed at 4:00 this morning, drive to the airport, and assist in towing an airplane 3 miles to campus down nearly deserted city streets with only the aid of a police escort. Upon arriving at campus, we discovered that our original plan of placing the aircraft on the library lawn was nearly impossible thanks to some shrubs growing quite a bit in the past three years. Not to let a bunch of plants get the best of us, we turned the aircraft sideways, picked it up, and carried all 1,600 pounds of it onto the library lawn (pictures coming soon) Then we went to feast at IHOP, and celebrate our victory over nature. Off to work, more on this insanely-stupid publicity stunt later.
Sunday, August 29, 2004
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The things I get myself into...
I must be a glutton for punishment. There is no other explanation for my repeated trips to "the worst place on earth." Also known as Wal-Mart. I'm thinking that what I hate more about the store than anything is the fact that I continue to go there because I'm poor. Yes, college has a habit of making you poor. Interestingly enough, so does aviation. Combine the two, and you're sitting in a big bucket of poor. Let's up the anty a bit. How about dropping me in a 70 year old house without a room mate to share the joy of bills with. The poorness continues...
Maybe my luck is changing. I'll learn this week whether or not I got a new job(s), and my money woes will hopefully come to a sudden, and rather dramatic end. In fact, my money woes could be extinguished if this dwelling were to explode in a large, fiery ball that could be seen from outer space. Not that I'm really hoping for such a thing, although the insurance money would be nice. (Volcanoe insurance pays off big time.), then I'd have to live in an apartment, or Flat if you will. The bills may be cheaper, but the rent would certainly not be... I guess I'll just be content to dwell in this domicile all by my lonesome.
I should probably go to class tomorrow... but I'm just not feeling it.
Jeff C.
After eating at the Panda Express, walking around the OSU campus, and playing volley ball with the flying aggies, I feel I know just about all there is to know about Stillwater, however, I don't know enough about Tulsa. I got to Stillwater with no problem at all, but on the way back I got lost in Tulsa, which was really quite an experience. It's odd to be lost 5 hours from home. At one point I was turning around and found myself off in some back roads somewhere. The whole time I was thinking, "I'm never gonna get unlost and I'm gonna have to live in Tulsa my entire life because I have no idea where I am and I can't tell anyone how to find me and I'll never graduate from college and I'll be washing dishes in some Oklahoma diner for the rest of my life and get hit on by truckers of both sexes and I'll wind up fat and lonely except for the 79 cats I'll end up owning because of all the strays that hang around the diner and I'm gonna be poor for the rest of my life and become a wanderer going from town to town looking for decent work and I'll finally end up a welfare recipient and die on the front porch of my government house...." Ok, ok...It wasn't that bad...actually it was kind of funny...after the fact...
Marissa said that she knew what happened to my butt, but she was wrong, and it does still hurt if anyone was wondering...And Meatwad really missed me this weekend. He's still looking really pretty, uh...I mean manly...yarrr...
Saturday, August 28, 2004
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So This is Stillwater
Well, I'm in Oklahoma for this the Convoginators celebration of one year, and I must say I find it quite interesting, although I did not appreciate the four tolls that I had to pay on the way. Actually I'm surprised I even got here without getting lost. I should probably really be in Kansas about right now...
I find it only fitting at this juncture to remind all of our viewers/readers/critics/financial advisors that Matthew owes me $100. Shall I reference "contest the first??"
Friday, August 27, 2004
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As I was saying before emotion took over...
So anyway, while mowing the other day I noticed a car pull up to our mail box. Inside operating the vehicle was a man ( or an 'it'). I this say this since the 'man' was sitting on the passenger side while operating the vehicle. I was so awestruck I knew I must meet this challenge apart from emotion so I drew upon pure logic. Here's how it follows:
1) Can a HUMAN operate a vehicle from the passenger side of a car ? -- - NO
2) If not, then this 'person' was NOT human. No human has "legs" that long.
3) Therefore this being was half human and half ?? ( something with long enough appendages to reach all the way from the wrong side of the vehicle to the pedals.)
So....at this point my world caved in. Everything I had ever believed crumbled because I realized that this was Evolution'S MISSING LINK !!
I'm reevaluating everything. I only hope you will, too. How could I have been so blind ?
I must explain my decision on making August 28 the Convoginator's Anniversary.
I needed a date that would stick in everyone's mind. Much like Christmas, the 28th will always stick in there. It is also a good "Back to School" date. At this point everyone has returned to their educational venue and is hating life! I also am the boss, and Iiked this date. So be merry, spread the good word and thank goodness you are a Convoginator.
manteca
p.s. - OH yeah, and I forgot that the 18th was the actual first post... Get Over It!
So i took a idealog test for my government class, and it turns out that i'm a conservative w/a little bit liberatarian on the side. Anyways. I went to workout tonight at the HPER center, and much to my dismay, there are guys that are actually more muscular than me. I felt like and 8 yr old kid in there. There was this one guy who didnt have legs, a head, a stomach or anything else... all he had was HUGE arms, and back-arm muscles. I remember when i was that big, it seems like just the other day... wait what am i talking about. ive always been me... and by me, i mean normal. but ive included a picture, to show the comparison between me and the arm guy... im the one on the left
You may have noticed a 'slight' shift in my personality in my last ( and first official ) post. I appologize, but my outburst was a result of one of the most traumatic events that's come my way in a long time. You see, I witnessed what might be the most grotesque, hideous, ( insert a large impressive synonym for honkin' ugly here ) sight right at our mailbox. A sight that, even now, is stirring up emotions that won't allow me to go any further. Maybe tomorrow when my blood pressure is somewhat lowered.
The sight of the weenie-on-wheels didn't help either !
This morning I awoke with a very literal pain in the butt. Actually I'm not quite sure from where this pain is coming. It could be my back, but wherever it has decided to take up residence, it is certainly not welcome. What bothers me even more than the fact that my butt hurts is the fact that I have no idea why it would hurt. Nobody ever hurts their butt. It's simply not common, especially when one has done nothing to hurt one's butt. Possibly driving five hours to Oklahoma tomorrow will be good for my butt. My butt can only hope so.
On a completely different note, I forgot to inform everyone of my new friend. I recently became the proud owner of a beta fish named Meatwad. And yes I did name him after the Meatwad. He is doing quite well and is very pretty, although one of my suite-mates calls him Squishy. Maybe he needs a middle name. Man, I think the cafeteria food is getting to me...It's ice cream from now on!!!!
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
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Where my pie?!?!
Well folks, more drama at the fright center, heck, make that the entire airport... but things may turn out for the best. It's kind of funny to watch the boss continually kiss my behind because he didn't hire me and probably regrets it now. As long as they keep throwing maintanence flights my way things will be kosher. I skipped class again today (I'm being a terrible influence on our younger college students) heck, I skipped two classes today. The first one I just slept through, and the second I skipped to fly a chase plane to Tulsa and pick up one that had recently been overhauled. After that, I had to sit through three hours worth of meetings for dispatchers, instructors, and students alike. So I got paid for almost six hours today, and I originally wasn't scheduled for any.
As for moving to Ireland... I'm in, so long as Aer Lingus hires me. Well, they'd have to hire me and promise not to stick me in an Airbus. 'Cause, "If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going!" I somehow doubt that is quite necessary, however. College is by its very nature a very liberal place. Don't take a sampling of the population at UCA to be necessarily indicative of the rest of the nation. You know the old saying, "If you're not liberal when you're 20, you're cold hearted. If you're still liberal when you're 30, you're just retarded."
Well, I've still got some house to clean, some bills to pay, and a shower to take. I just got back from playing sand volley ball, and I somehow managed to skin my knee... only someone as inept at sports as yours truly could manage such an accomplishment... but I've never seen the Weinermobile.
You know times are good when the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile shows up in your town. Luckily, I had my small video camera with me. Matthew and I got our pictures taken!
We also got a nice little video of the giant motorized weiner...It is in Windows media format...click here (mac users, CTRL click it and save it to your desktop and then open it with windows media player for mac)
There is a meeting of the College Republicans Thursday, and if I had the time I would go. I'm constanly meeting more and more people who favor the Johns, and I'm starting to get a bit worried. At first I actually thought that Kerry really had no chance at all of winning the election, but now I'm thinking he's got about a 50% chance, which means America, this "great nation" of ours, has a 50% chance of becoming even more liberal and stupid. This would be a good time to move to Ireland, or send all the liberals to Rhode Island, but I'm sure I would like the first much, much more. Now we just need to start raising money for the "SEND SEASHELL TO LIMERICK FUND." I would be willing, for a price of course, to share Ireland with any other convoginators who would like a drastic change. How many of us are there now? No matter, I'm sure there are enough flats for all.
Fools.....all of you !! Little did you know..how could you, with your small little brains what power, what fury you released when "given" this platform of ultimate expression. IDIOTS !! Now you will witness my ultimate goal unveil before your petty eyes. First, I will completely control this meager site. Then use it as a launching place for my ultimate conquest of usurping ownership of the internet from Al Gore. I'm MAD....no, you are...you allowed this to happen. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. How could they have known ....idiots..they're mad , not me...I'm in charge..Fools Fools everyone .....
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
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And I think it's gonna be a long, long time...
For the second time in my life, I have senioritis. Unlike high school, however, I did manage to wait until the last semester to succumb to the time-honored disease. I stopped by my advisor today (which has been changed again.) and was told that I'm in everything I need to be in to get out of here in December. She then handed me a diploma application and told me to fill it out and drop it by sectioning. My own preclivities on the people that work in sectioning and the registrars office are well known and often lamented facts of college lore... ok, so maybe not... but it sounded good. Generally, I hate them. Much hatred. Why the hatred you ask? Well, generally speaking, it is the job of everyone who works in sectioning or the office of the registrar to make my life as complicated and expensive as possible. These are the people that handle scheduling, grades, and residency status. I'm going to enjoy smiling at them when I finally get out of here, and tell them that when called as an alumni by a university desperately in need of money, I will tell them where to go so nicely that they actually enjoy the trip there. Now that's tact.
A change of directions here. I'd like to welcome Phynerk to the fold... is it just me, or are Johnsons taking over this place?
And finally, some politics for those of you weary of not having any... politics.
I ran across this site whilst waiting on my advisor. At least there's a small lab with a contingent of macs outside the college of education advisory offices... Enjoy.
They say that college is a chance for you to rely less on your parents and fend for yourself. Well, whoever "they" is surely must not have been thinking of me. I've always done my homework as soon as I got home without being told. I wake myself up in the morning and hardly ever sleep in. In reality the whole living part of college is not much different for me than life was before. I've always taken care of myself and always will, however, this is the first time in at least five years that I haven't had a job. This is very distressing during the many times I think of something I need for school or when I want to buy lots of plants and a lamp for my living room. I'm not sure how I'm expected to pay my for my gas and insurance.
I'm sure there is a vast amount of avalible jobs, be they good or not, right here in Conway, but where does one find time for a job. Being a music major is like having a full-time job. I've even added jazz band to my list of many classes and ensembles for which I must practice. I guess I fit the part of the poor musician, no matter how good or bad I might be. It seems eRIc now has a cool job...and a bike. Now I'm wondering why I haven't seen eRIc at school any. I mean really, he lives right across the street from me. I'm sure now he thinks he doesn't have to attend biology because he has farsheshe resources...and college becomes just like high school.
I promise soon I will stop ranting about college. Then I will rant about politics. The number of Kerry fans continues to grow by the tree-hugging minute, and people keep trying to get me to sign petitions about legalizing marijuana (not sure yet how I feel about that subject, so don't assume anything). I hate it when they ask you twice in a matter of five minutes because they have no idea who they've already asked, but of course then it's fun to tell them that you've already been asked and act perfectly disgusted with them. Sometimes people just need to feel as incompetent as they really are...That's it...
Monday, August 23, 2004
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16 Weeks...
And I'll be a college graduate. I must say, things have taken a turn for the interesting. I shan't speak too much of events before they take place, but there is still the possibility that I will get to flight instruct some this semester... I also seem to have quite the mess to clean up thanks to my brother's departure for better things in the land of Dallas, TX. Let's see, as long as I'm rambling, what else could I ramble on about... oh yeah, I only had two classes today, but I managed to skip one of them. So it's my last semester, I've skipped 50% of my classes so far, and of the class that I skipped, I've already missed 1/16th of it (it only meets once a week). So I'm certainly off to a good start... err... finish... the start of the finish.
In other, more interesting news, I'm blogging today on my brand, spankin-new (to me) 450 G3 tower. It's slow, translucent-blue, and oh, so mac'ish. I've crammed 384 megs of RAM in it, sixty gigs of hard drives, and this thing is crankin' away like there's no tomorrow. It helped fill a gap in my life left by my windows machine's untimely demise. I still have nothing to play games on, but I guess that's all for the best. At least I've got TWO macs now... A big thanks goes out to my cousin, who made all of this possible... at no cost to me.
Well, that's all the news from the land of cowboys, sooners, and tornadoes. I've got to finish clearing my bed off so I can sleep this evening.
Well... I kept telling myself, and all around me that I was going to get a dirtbike in the near future, but i came to terms that i suck at saving money, and i dont have any place to store a dirt bike, nor do i have anywhere to ride one. so i decided instead of buying dirt bike, i would buy a BMX bike, which I did, and its awesome. So my future posts may be about anyone of the following:
1. My Bike.
2. Where I went on... My Bike.
3. Trying to figure out a name for... My Bike.
4. How i hurt myself on... My Bike
5. Where i hurt myself on... My Bike
6. Why i hurt myself on... My Bike
7. How much blood was lost because of... My Bike.
8. How many testicles im short because of... My Bike.
9. The new haircut i gave... My Bike.
10. Poop.
Anyways. Props, to my Piznops for his first guest post. I liked it alot. Umm... I watched Open Water this weekend, and im gonna ruin it for all of you, just so you wont waste your time, but how ever i will give you a chance to stop reading now............. THEY BOTH DIE! How crappy is that. Oh yeah, I'm working at a movie theatre now, so i may critique alot of movies in my posts too. This weekend I get to see HERO, an Anaconda Movie, and My Bike.
I do believe that Phynerk (fa-nerk) would be a nice addition to the Convoginators. I also know that some of us would need to mature our posts just a bit (you know who you are...).
Let me know convoginators, and I will make it so. You KNOW he has my vote...he is also one of the coolest guys I know!
Sunday, August 22, 2004
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A Guest Post from the coolest guy I know... My pops.
My humble request,
After many hours of total spellbound mesmiration reading your entries, the thought from my very spirit rose within me. . . could it be remotely possible, could it be even conceived, could anyone be so blessed, could I be included in such contributions to the convogination community? Could my humble , lowly thoughts be a part of your ongoing wisdom? ( heart be still, please ) Therefore it is with deepest humility and boldness I offer my contributions ( poor as they may be ) to be offered. To do so I must take the next bold step in asking that I may be considered not as a member but merely a subordinate to your organization. I know it will take me years , if ever, to begin to achieve the strong, stable, matured wisdom that has come to be a part of all the contributing convoginators, but I know that some of my foolish drivel would be interesting to some poor soul somewhere in the binary village.
I await your all-knowing, compassionate, just, decision.
I know that I haven't posted in a bit. It has been a VERY hectic week around here. The tech job combined with the high school construction, the loss of our tech b's and the onset of yet another year of public education has taken it's toll on Matt and I. We are both a little strung out. I actually do feel much like the black night from Monty Python's Holy Grail. I know, I shouldn't whine...but I like the cheese and crackers!
In other news, UACCH has offered me a gig doing their newly created instrumental ensemble. In other words, I get to direct a jazz band after all. I am somewhat excited about this new adventure in music. I believe that I can put together a group of people capable of swinging enough to impress the people of Hope (which isn't very hard). I wish I had a few of my ringers who have gone off to college... Oh well, I must build new ones... I haven't had to build any in sometime. The ones over that past few years came pre-assembled.
So there ya go gang, I posted. Nothing exciting, nothing huge, nothing funny! I will say that I am looking forward to the elections in November. They will help to define not only the country, but what I plan on doing in the future. I will be back soon with more posts and hopefully something funny. Don't hold your breath.
Saturday, August 21, 2004
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So This Is Conway...
Since most of the convoginators seem to be on sabbatical, it is up to just a few of us to keep things rolling. I'm blogging from eRIc's apartment in the bustling metropolis and cultural mecca that is Conway... I've really got nothing... except for Jaws in 30 seconds. Reenacted by bunnies!
Thursday, August 19, 2004
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Boredom blog
I'm bored, and this one is for seashell:
Favorite Meatwad quotes of the day:
"Look's like we're grillin' tonight" (said after Master Shake caught fire)
"My butt itches."
"Don't insult what little intelligence I have."
"I did it! I brought happiness to us all..."
"Rainbows are made of happy things, like gumdrops, and rays of sunshine, and sugar-coated things... like gumdrops."
"How do I know if I'm aroused?"
"Where's my whiskey? I'm gonna get to' up!"
"If you say that again, I'm gonna have to cut you."
Well, that's all I got folks... I'll try to do better next time.
Here I sit in the Show Me State watching a marathon of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force, wishing that someone would actually make "Assisted Living Dracula." I spent the day with my cousin touring Drury University's campus and expensive network. (picture of server room coming soon for my fellow tech dorks.) I also ate at a Boston Market today... highly tasty.
Drury is about as liberal as college's come. I saw more Kerry stickers in town than I've seen in Hope or Stillwater to date. I even screamed "Dolphin-Rider" at some lady driving a new Beetle with more democrapic stickers on the back than she really had room for. I'm surprised that she hadn't been ticketed for obstructing her vision. She gave me the strangest look.
Well, I'm finished with Missouri for now, I'm headed to Conway tomorrow to visit some of my fellow convoginators. I'm actually looking forward to a nice drive with iPod to keep my company... it beats sitting in Stillwater looking at the wall.
Well, I'm already done with all of my classes for the day except marching band, and I must say that it was a good day. In piano the only thing we did was decide that we would start class 25 minutes later than what was on the schedule, and in ear training, all the classes came together to take the freshman theory exam, which was so easy that I'm sure I got every question right. I'm not sure that's a good thing though because it probably means I'll get the hard theory class. Oh well, every thing else is gonna be hard. I might as well just go ahead and shoot myself in the head...Why can't I just want a real job???
I'm constantly finding things about college that make me wonder why I paid (actually it was someone else) so much to this university, like the fact that the cafeteria is only open about 2 hours for each meal. Farsheshe can't even eat lunch on Mondays because she has classes right through the hours it's open. The cafeteria is also not very efficient. Apparently it was just redone this summer. Now all the lines are going different directions and somehow meet in a big glob of flesh in the middle. There's even a line to get ride of trays, which goes right through the pizza line. I've eaten pizza and ice cream for the past 3 meals that I've eaten there.
I must stop ranting about college, but I just so happen to be a dissatisfied customer, and I wonder what they do with all of my money that they don't deserve, because they shouldn't have spent it on the cafeteria, which is where I need to go now, hopefully I can find something other than pizza...I need to convoginate. Jeff C. just had to go a rub it in with that bit about the chocolate banana shake.
I keep meeting Kerry fans around here, and I am tempted to ask their reasons for liking such a moron, but I pretty sure I'm just gonna act the part of the happy-go-lucky freshman that doesn't care. One of the drum majors has a Kerry sticker on his water bottle, and there's a poster just down the hall. I would appreciate some of Matthew's extremely long posts (much like this) to keep me in conservative check.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
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The Show Me State...
Took a small trip to the Show Me State... Also known as misery... err... Missouri. I was also able to get some convogination at the Steak 'N Shake, a combination chocolate, banana shake. Then I bought a brand new Olympus C-740 for down at Best Buy, but not before jooing the salesman down another 20 bucks...
To know entirely too much about a relatively uninteresting subject...
The Mi-24 in the previous post is a helicopter manufactured in the former Soviet Union by the Mil company. Ironically enough, this is not the first time that these helicopters have been in Afghanistan. During the previous conflict with the Soviet Union, we were secretly supplying the Mujahaddean (sp?) with Stinger missles so they could shoot down the helicopters that now belong to our "allies." What did we want in return for our missles? Just any piece of Soviet hardware they could get their hands on. And to stop communism of course (which still is an admirable goal.)
So there you go, they're still probably shooting our missles at our helicopters now. Nothing like biting the hand that used to feed you.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
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MI-24
Someone sent me this in a forward. And I quote, "this very special MI-24 helicopter is presently flying in Afghanistan, where it is no doubt causing quite a stir."
After another full day of marching band, I'm dying to play some jazz...or something not played with 150 other smelly people who apparently have nothing better to do than play music that everybody knows so they'll like it while walking around on a swamp/football field getting eaten by bugs and almost touching the sun. If I weren't a music major I definately wouldn't be in said organization, no matter how many "people you meet, friends you make, or fun you have." I'll pass on the fun, thanks. Every night after rehearsal we've had some kind of fun thing planned like game night or mud volley ball, but after spending 12 hours with these people, frankly I don't want to see them again until the next day, if not later.
I still don't know anything that's going on around here since I haven't been to any meetings, but I went on a tour of the fitness center during dinner, so if I ever have free time, I can lift weights and all kinds of healthy nonsense. I might just be the most fit convoginator before too long, so you guys better hope I don't have any free time.
So the moron who lives next door to me has been working on his TransAm all summer long. What, you may ask could he possibly be doing to such a jalopy that would possibly take all summer? Well, he somehow found a way to make his infernal contraption even louder. It shakes the entire house now. His methods for warming and cooling his precious engine have changed too. Where once he was happy to let it sit idle for four or five minutes, he is now required to gun the engine half-a-dozen times in the same four or five minute idling window. It seems that I may have to hatch some new plans to rid myself of this unfortunate situation. Therefore, I am currently recruiting an army of squirrels that I will train to do my evil bidding... If only Frylock could just come over and blast this car with his laser vision...
Monday, August 16, 2004
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I Got Nothin'...'Cept Band
Someone please tell me how I'm supposed to find my purpose in life when I'm in band practice 12+ hours in a day. I barely even have time to eat. I've missed no less than 5 mandatory meetings, including the one for the Honors College, and I have yet to get a P.O. box, so all of you who are simply dying to send me mail, such as food, decorations, paper, explosives, or the like...don't cuz I can get no post. I am begining to wonder if I'm even going to have time to find all of my classes before they actually start. Thank goodness most of them are in the fine arts building... And another thing, why are all the people who introduce themselves to me the ones I don't want to know? There are way too many stupid people in college, and they all seem to find their way to me, the girl that just wishes someone would give her a practice room and a locker big enough for 2 saxophones, so she could go practice and not look like an idiot in front of all the people who actually know what they are doing. I'll probably spend all of my free time in the practice room...if I ever have any free time.
They tell me I'm in Conway, but I can say that not all of me is here. I wish I could find a cool coffee shop around here. Now I'm just rambling...I need sleep extremely bad. I also need food... Ok, I'll stop...
Sunday, August 15, 2004
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17 Weeks
Here I sit, semi-comfortable in the knowledge that in 17 weeks I will be what employers refer to as a "college graduate", although at this juncture I'm not entirely certain what that means. In my case, it will more than likely involve grad school. Grad school will hopefully involve some composition classes (but probably not) because I seem to have slacked off in the past few years. Maybe clepping out of comp 1 and 2 wasn't such a cool idea... wait! What am I saying? Of course it was. It's one of the reasons I'm out of this place an entire semester earlier than they would like, and certainly one later than I would like. Eitherway, I can't wait to hang a 30+ thousand dollar piece of paper on my wall. I can't imagine how much it would cost without scholarships... you think they throw in the frame for free?
Anywho, I'm here, alone in a town where water sits still. And although my body drove here, my heart went to Conway... I must now find something edible and nourishing. Prepare thyselves for boredom blogging.
Saturday, August 14, 2004
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Saturdays...in the park?
Yes I too spent time at the Watermelon Festival. What was I thinking? Normally I avoid the "festival" like the plague. Matthew and I had hit an impasse with the Exchange 2003 upgrade and I took a little trip down to the park to watch my oldest scale the rock wall. The smell of 50 year old bikers (mainly yuppies and baby boomers having joint middle age crisis), watermelons, smoked meats of various flavors and the inevitable funnel cake made me almost gag as I got out of my vehicle. The weather was beautiful, but even that could not brighten my mood as I walked past Tupac and Julio discussing the best way to bling out their 20's for the b****es. The place was packed. I had to get out my portable donkey just to trek from my parking area to the center of redneck utopia. upon arriving I realized that you could actually purchase a funnel cake every 14 yards....Amazing! I found the rock wall, watch the sprout climb and began to make my way out...but then..."hey, aren't you that guy on TV?" I was trapped. I should have known that only the redneck cesspool known as the Hope Watermelon Festival would contain people that had nothing better to do than memorize the faces of those people ever shown on KTSS. Suddenly and without warning, I was surrounded by slack jawed, no teeth, rebel flag wearing trailer park dwellers. They breathed their slim jim/yoohoo mixture of stank my way and I felt myself begin to become light-headed. I quickly deployed counter measures (I always carry a small amount of fake Lynyrd Skynyrd tickets with me) and began to make my way to the closest safe house...the band concession stand. As I got closer my safe destination, I was annoyed to see that they had completely surrounded my haven with ....VENDORS! Those bastards, shiny rocks on one side and ...oh my god...Brazilians playing pan flutes on the other. At this point you are probably asking yourself...how did he get himself out of this one. Well, as any tech can attest, I have my ways... I quickly pulled out my trusty cellphone and hurled it in the direction of my vehicle (approx. 18 miles away). As many know, my cellphone punched a HUGE hole not in the crowd, but the space time continuum. I quickly slipped through time, not before grabbing a chicken on a stick, and safely reappeared at my vehicle. Okay, I actually fought my way back through the bikers, welfare recipients, old people, screaming children and burrito fornicators and reached my vehicle only to find that I was trapped by the growing stream of cars attempting to find that "perfect" spot. Luckily I spent the next hour in air conditioned listening heaven as I waited to return to my fortress of solitude... manteca
Yesterday I had to get shot...I mean get a shot. It was not fun at all, but I was delighted at the fact that I was in and out of the doctor's office in about five minutes. Usually it's not a bad idea to arrive at least forty minutes after your scheduled appointment time because otherwise you'd be sitting in a waiting area for an amount of time unfathomable to one who is well in an environment with the sick. Because I was done so early, I went shopping for a few things I needed for college but went a little too far when I saw a book store's last copy of Irish Girls About Town. After reading Scottish Girls About Town, I couldn't resist. Now I'll never get that stupid book for Honors College read, and I'll want to be Irish even more. Because I've had my shots I could live in Limerick and not get the galloping consumption from the damp and the River Shannon...I need to find a relative of Frank McCourt living in the States...
Friday, August 13, 2004
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Day, Week, Month, Summer...
JOB!
In one instant, all five were called and thus ended my employment with a certain to-be-unnamed school district. If I come back again, I would have to seriously reevaluate my life and goals. When you get a college degree most people expect you to get a real job for some reason, hopefully mine will involve defying gravity on a daily basis. Not that it hasn't been fun, well, ok, there were times when it wasn't fun, but there were also even more good times than comma splices in this past sentence. For instance, the time that eRIc flung a computer off a table, the time we dropped the $1,000 printer, or when I attacked a pine tree with the side mirror of the Non-Descript White Van. Not to mention pulling various pranks on one Kyle Finley, Matthew, and being the butt of many-a-prank and joke myself. It's gone by in a hurry too, it seems like it was just yesterday that I was throwing a laptop computer off the roof of the high school in the name of science and comedy. Those days are gone, and I move forward looking for something more lucrative and less manual-labor'ish. So be sure to watch for my soon-to-be best selling book: "TECH: suffering users and their whining." I've just finished the chapter on Manteca's violent outbursts, and how they affect cell phone reception.
In other, equally pointless news, I went to the watermelon festival to catch "Manteca and Friends" and generally walk around and look at the future and current welfare recipients. The gang put on a pretty good show, although Josh and The Game had a small bout. Josh ended up emerging as the victor, but not before taking quite a metaphorical beating. I also caught the last show ever of "The American Lexicon." One day, I'll be interviewed for VH1's "I love the 2000's" and I'll get to say that I was there...
A Democrat who lies and is gay? Does this actually shock anyone? IT doesn't shock me. So the Governor of New Jersey is a swashbuttler(butt pirate)...this should not be a surprise to anyone who knows the true stance of the liberals in this country. I know, several people that read this blog will say that gays have their rights in this country. I think we should allow them to have their own state, or maybe their own country. The interesting part is, since they can't reproduce, the population would die off in about 50 years. That is unless they designed a massive campaign to entice people into coming to their country and being a homosexual.
Take a look at the Governor of New Jersey. He had to have 2 women to have 2 children. His last wife, the first lady of New Jersey, looks like she is on some major sedatives at the press conference. The Governor admits that he has always been a little confused....hmmm, I would guess so!
It also shocks me that the New Jersey crime families haven't bumped this fagolla some time ago. Tony Soprano would have beat him to death with his own shoes.
The good news...John Kerry's 3 purple hearts might even have enough magic left in them to save this guys gay ass also!
Gov. McGreevey's wife. Is she on a Valium drip or what?
Thursday, August 12, 2004
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Peter Pan or Jif?
The convoginated shake flavour of the week is chocolate-peanut butter, which, like the chocolate-banana shake, can be found at The Purple Cow, however, I believe most of us will have to settle for the local Sonic and its bad service. Now I cannot decide which shake is the best...Maybe I should try a chocolate-peanut butter-banana shake. It's sad to see my summer of convogination coming to a close, especially since a certain university does not offer convoginating classes. I thought about suggesting intramural convoginating, but decided against it when I realized that I would win every time. I just hope I will be allowed to convoginate during the Honors College retreat. If the vegetarians can have a different meal, surely a convoginator could be offered a different beverage.
As I surf the net today, I realize that it is losing its appeal. I have not, like Jeff C., been to the end and back, but I've seen everything worth seeing and am now getting bored with it, however, now that I can sit on the couch and surf the net I find myself looking for interesting things out there. I suppose I'm getting lazy and might need an intervention, lest I find myself in the league with welfare recipients. I wonder if they surf the net while sitting on the couch...I need to go do something constructive...Any ideas???
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
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Monoxidil?
I am almost officially having a quarter-life crisis. What, you may ask could possibly induce someone of my nature into having one so early in life. Well, I'm going bald. Yes, folks, I have a receeding hairline, and I just noticed it this summer. I grew up with a head of hair so thick that I actually made barbers earn their money. I was once told that I could give half of my hair away and still be covered just fine. I was also told that hair comes from your mom's side of the family, and luckily my grandfather on that side had hair a week after his chemo was over. Life was good, and it seemed like my hair and I would be friends forever. Now, I see it retreating almost as quickly as the French... I'll be on Rogaine by the time that I'm 30.
So I'm losing my hair prematurely, my brother is leaving Stillwater forcing me to shoulder all the bills of a 74 year old house and the loneliness comensurate with living alone, and it appears that a certain university has fallen on hard times and is not going to hire very many flight instructors at all... At least I've got my cushy desk job, and we're getting internet access at the flight center. Now another government entity will pay me to convoginate...
As my departure for college is fast approaching, I am reminded of the homework I have already been assigned that I have yet to finish. I am supposed to read a book called Hunting for Hope for Honors College. It's by a guy named Scott Russell Sanders. I've never read anything else he's written and don't plan to. I've had this book since June and simply cannot seem to finish it. It's that bad. I love to read and will if I have something worth reading, and I've decided this book is not worth my time. It goes from the guy's vacation in the mountains with his son to different reasons he finds for hope. These chapters on hope are full of what The Chote would call fluff. It appears that ol' Scott is just trying to fill a page, and I've had my fill of reading BS and do not wish to be subjected to more for a college class.
The whole freshman honors class will be attending a retreat in September during which we will have the "priviledge" of meeting with Scott Russell Sanders and discussing his book with him. Oh if only I could say "your book sucks," and not be frowned upon by the honors staff and other students. For our meals during the retreat we will have vegetarian alternatives, and I can't help but wonder if this is done out of respect for Mr. Sanders because from what I can tell, he's a liberal, and I'm sure he would be at home with vegetarians. He's also a Quaker, but I'm not quite sure what to make of that.
In conclusion (to this long, stupid nonsense), if you want to read an inspiring, witty, meaningful, enjoyable book, I suggest you pick up a copy of Scottish Girls About Town or Angela's Ashes, however, if you're looking for a boring book that goes nowhere, Hunting for Hope is the one for you.
War Remnants Museum (formerly the "War Crimes Museum") in Saigon
Wall of the War Remnants Museum in Saigon, June 2, 2004. Direction sign outside museum.
Photograph of John Kerry meeting with Comrade Do Muoi, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in Vietnam, July 15-18, 1993. Photo taken in the War Remnants Museum (formerly the "War Crimes Museum") in Saigon in May 2004.
Photograph of Nguyen Thi Dinh,deputy commander of the Viet Cong, and Jane Fonda displayed in the Women's Museum, Saigon, May 28, 2004.
Wall of the War Remnants Museum in Saigon, June 2, 2004. United States anti-war posters.
Wall of the War Remnants Museum in Saigon, June 2, 2004. Detail of left wall on corner in Photo #6 above, diagonally across from the Kerry / Do Muoi photo. Black and white photo at left shows war protestor David Miller publicly burning his draft call-up notice in 1965, an action which inspired other similar protests in the American anti-war movement..
John Kerry's lies about the activities of the Swift boats were part of a larger pattern of deception. As a leader of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), Kerry testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on April 22, 1971, telling the Senators and a national audience that American troops "...had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Ghengis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam..." and accused the U.S. military of committing war crimes "on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command."
We have a guy that is trying to herald his serivce in Vietnam when he hated Vietnam in the 60's and 70's. And he is now trying to make Iraq like Vietnam like he did in the 60's and 70's.
John Kerry Timeline during the Vietnam War
March 8, 1965 -- The first Stockholm Conference on Vietnam is held in Stockholm, Sweden. The conference is the creation of Romesh Chandra, chairman of the KGB-funded World Peace Council. Former Soviet bloc spy chief Ion Mihai Pacepa will later describe it as "a permanent international organization to aid or to conduct operations to help Americans dodge the draft or defect, to demoralize its army with anti-American propaganda, to conduct protests, demonstrations, and boycotts, and to sanction anyone connected with the war." The operation is staffed by undercover intelligence officers and funded to the tune of about $15 million per year by the Communist Party. Between 1966 and 1972 it will generate "thousands of 'documentary' materials printed in all the major Western languages describing the 'abominable crimes' committed by American soldiers against civilians in Vietnam, along with counterfeited pictures."
May 2, 1967 -- Bertrand Russell's International War Crimes Tribunal opens in Stockholm, Sweden, with Jean-Paul Sartre as executive president. The members of the tribunal are all well-known supporters of North Vietnam, and the "evidence" presented is supplied largely by North Vietnam, the Vietcong, and communist investigators. The Tribunal concludes that American forces are engaged in the "massive extermination" of the people of South Vietnam, and are committing "genocide in the strictest sense."
November 20, 1967 -- A second session of the International War Crimes Tribunal is held at Roskilde, Denmark.
Early April, 1969 -- U.S. Naval Lieutenant John Kerry leaves Vietnam and is soon reassigned as a personal aide and flag lieutenant to Rear Admiral Walter F. Schlech, Jr. with the Military Sea Transportation Service based in Brooklyn, New York.
November, 1969 -- In response to a public call from the Bertrand Russell foundation in New York, Jeremy Rifkin and Tod Ensign launch a new organization called Citizens Commissions of Inquiry (CCI) to publicize American war crimes in Indochina.
December, 1969 -- Kerry requests an early discharge from the Navy in order to run for a Massachusetts congressional seat on an antiwar platform.
January 3, 1970 -- Kerry is discharged from active duty.
February 13, 1970 -- Candidate Kerry tells the Harvard Crimson, "I'm an internationalist. I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations," and that he wants "to almost eliminate CIA activity."
February, 1970 -- CCI co-sponsors its first "commissions of inquiry" in Toronto and Annapolis MD, and begins providing accounts of war crimes to the press. During the next few months, the CCI holds events in Springfield Massachusetts, Richmond, New York City, Buffalo, Boston, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Portland Oregon.
March, 1970 -- Kerry drops out of the Fourth District congressional race to make way for antiwar activist Father Robert F. Drinan, dean of Boston College Law School, and later becomes chairman of Drinan's campaign. Drinan defeats pro-war incumbent Philip Philbin in the Democratic primary and goes on to win the general election.
May 7, 1970 -- Kerry appears on The Dick Cavett Show for the first time, speaking in opposition to U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
May 23, 1970 -- Kerry marries Julia Stimson Thorne in New York.
Late May, 1970 -- John and Julia Kerry travel to Paris on a private trip. Kerry meets with Madam Win Thi Binh, the Foreign Minister of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of Vietnam (PRG) -- the political wing of the Vietcong -- and with representatives of Hanoi who were in Paris for the peace talks.
June, 1970 -- Kerry joins Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), a national veterans group that is part of the Peoples Coalition for Peace and Justice. The PCPJ is a broad coalition of local and national organizations, including the Communist Party, USA, "committed to conducting demonstrations aimed at ending the war in Indochina, and poverty, racism and injustice at home." The VVAW, CCI and PCPJ all have headquarters at 156 Fifth Avenue in New York City. VVAW Executive Secretary Al Hubbard, a former Black Panther, is also on the coordinating committee of the PCPJ. Hubbard soon appoints Kerry to the VVAW's Executive Committee, bypassing the normal election process.
August, 1970 -- Al Hubbard asks Tod Ensign and Jeremy Rifkin of the CCI to join with the VVAW, the Reverend Dick Fernandez of Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam (CALCAV), Jane Fonda, Mark Lane and others to organize national hearings on war crimes. Lane suggests calling the hearings "Winter Soldier," a play on the opening lines of Thomas Paine's The American Crisis: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink for the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." By the end of the month the Winter Soldier Investigation has been planned as a simultaneous event featuring "Vietnamese victims" in Windsor, Canada, and Vietnam veterans in Detroit, connected by closed-circuit television.
September 4, 1970 -- Operation RAW (Rapid American Withdrawal). Some 75 VVAW members begin a three-day hike to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Along the way they simulate war atrocities against civilians, and hand out flyers to townspeople stating that they might have been raped, murdered or tortured by the U.S. Infantry had they been Vietnamese, and claiming that "American soldiers do these things every day."
September 7, 1970 -- At the conclusion of Operation RAW, a rally is held in Valley Forge, featuring speeches by John Kerry, Jane Fonda, and Mark Lane. Fonda is quoted as saying that "...My Lai was not an isolated incident but rather a way of life for many of our military."
September 11, 1970 -- A VVAW Executive Committee meeting is attended by president Jan Crumb, executive secretary Al Hubbard, treasurer Jason Gettinger, Northeast representative John Kerry, and three others. The organization leadership decides to picket against the National Guard Association in New York, send Hubbard on a "speaking tour" with Jane Fonda, consider an "appropriate induction center action for purpose of making clear transition from citizen to war criminal," and "sponsor turn in of war crimes testimony to UN" after the Winter Soldier event.
September 17, 1970 -- The VVAW protests the National Guard's national convention, handing out flyers that read:
The National Guard Uses Your Tax Dollar: To support the military-industrial complex To honor war criminals - Westmoreland, Laird, Nixon, etc. To applaud campus murders by National Guard units To encourage armed attacks on minority communities October, 1970 -- Jane Fonda, Al Hubbard and Jan Crumb raise money for the VVAW and create new chapters through a nationwide lecture tour covering more than 50 college campuses. Fonda and Mark Lane also plug the VVAW during appearances on the Dick Cavett Show.
November 22, 1970 -- During a fund-raising tour for GI deserters, Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Black Panthers, Jane Fonda is quoted in the Detroit Free Press as telling a University of Michigan audience, "I would think that if you understood what communism was, you would hope, you would pray on your knees that we would someday become communist," and "The peace proposal of the Viet Cong is the only honorable, just, possible way to achieve peace in Vietnam."
November, 1970 -- After a falling-out between Mark Lane and the CCI leadership, the CCI splits from the VVAW and drops out of the Winter Soldier event. The CCI turns to planning a National Veterans Inquiry in Washington, D.C. in early December. Fonda and Lane continue working with the VVAW on Winter Soldier.
December 27, 1970 -- In Mark Lane: Smearing America's Soldiers in Vietnam, reporter and Vietnam veteran Neil Sheehan savages Mark Lane's Conversations With Americans in the New York Times Book Review as "irresponsible" and details several fabricated claims of American atrocities. Publisher Simon & Schuster quickly cancels future printings of Lane's book.
December 29, 1970 -- Playboy subscribers start receiving the February 1971 issue of the magazine, which contains a full page ad provided for free to the VVAW by publisher Hugh Hefner. The ad brings in thousands of new members during the next several weeks.
January, 1971 -- Jane Fonda raises funds for the Winter Soldier Investigation through a series of benefit concerts. Participants include Fonda, Dick Gregory, Donald Sutherland, Graham Nash, David Crosby and Phil Ochs. Fonda is named Honorary National Coordinator of the event.
Late January, 1971 -- Newly elected Congressman Ronald Dellums permits the CCI to set up a display of "war crime materials" in his Washington office.
Late January, 1971 -- Canadian authorities deny visas to the Vietnamese refugees who had been scheduled to describe American atrocities in Windsor, limiting the Winter Soldier Investigation to the single event in Detroit.
January 31 - February 2, 1971 -- The Winter Soldier Investigation (see invitation). Members of the VVAW meet in a Detroit hotel to document war crimes that they had participated in or witnessed during their combat tours in Vietnam. During the next three days, more than 100 Vietnam veterans and 16 civilians give anguished, emotional testimony describing hundreds of atrocities against innocent civilians in South Vietnam, including rape, arson, torture, murder, and the shelling or napalming of entire villages. The witnesses state that these acts are being committed casually and routinely, under orders, as a matter of policy.
February 2, 1971 -- The VVAW issues a proclamation threatening civil unrest and violence if American forces attempt to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. Here are some excerpts:
"We, as veterans of the war in Vietnam, give notice that if Laos is attacked, we will respond at once. We call for mass civil disobedience to take place all over this country. We call for industry to shut down. We call upon the students to close the schools. We call upon our brothers who are still in uniform to close the military bases throughout America and the world. We call on the anti-war movement to shut down the major cities of America.... If this be a threat, let us make the most of it... We have been trained to fight. If need be we will use the knowledge we have gained against those who are seeking to extend this war." -- VVAW FBI Files: Section 02, page 66.
Early February, 1971 -- VVAW leaders meet with Vietcong representatives in Windsor, Canada after the Winter Soldier Investigation.
February 16, 1971 -- Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland form "FTA" (F*** The Army), an anti-war, anti-American road show that tours near Army bases in order to undermine troop morale. Skits and songs portray American defeats, soldiers refusing to fight, and the murder of officers by their troops. FTA cast members mingle with soldiers after the shows, encouraging them to desert or to sabotage the Army.
February 19, 1971 -- VVAW leaders meet in New York to plan the organization's next action. John Kerry proposes to "march on Washington and take this whole thing to Congress." The protest is designated "Dewey Canyon III," after two military operations into Laos intended to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
March 14 - 18, 1971 -- Jane Fonda, Mark Lane, and VVAW representative Michael Hunter fly to Europe for a five-day tour. In Paris, Fonda meets privately with Madame Binh of the PRG, then the three activists fly to London, where Fonda alleges American atrocities that include "applying electrodes to prisoners' genitals, mass rapes, slicing off of body parts, scalping, skinning alive, and leaving 'heat tablets' around which burned the insides of children who ate them.'"
March 16, 1971 -- The VVAW holds a news conference in the office of Congressman Michael Harrington (D-Mass.) on the third anniversary of the My Lai massacre to announce the forthcoming protest in Washington, DC. Retired Marine commandant General David Shoup and John Kerry demand an immediate end to the war. Kerry, wearing his medals, describes American soldiers as being "given the chance to die for the biggest nothing in history."
Early April, 1971 -- The VVAW is flat broke the week before the Dewey Canyon III event, with no way to transport protestors. In his book "Home to War," Gerald Nicosia will report that "Kerry immediately got on the phone to some of the biggest Democratic Party fund-raisers in New York and set up a meeting. When it broke up, VVAW was $75,000 in the black, and busfare for at least a few hundred out-of-towners was assured." Writing in "Winter Soldiers," Richard Stacewicz will cite an FBI memorandum dated April 13, 1971 as follows, "VVAW had received fifty thousand dollars from United States Senators McGovern and Hatfield, who... obtained the money from an unknown New York source."
April 18, 1971 -- John Kerry and Al Hubbard appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" to allege widespread atrocities by U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. Hubbard is introduced as a former Air Force captain who had spent two years in Vietnam and was wounded in action. Kerry seems to admit to committing war crimes, saying, "There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted harassment and interdiction fire. I used 50 calibre machine guns, which we were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages."
April 18 - 23, 1971 -- Operation Dewey Canyon III. More than a thousand VVAW members stage an "invasion" of Washington D.C., where they hold memorial ceremonies, meet with sympathetic members of Congress, camp on the Mall, perform "guerilla theater" -- re-enactments of atrocities against civilians, complete with fake blood -- on the Capitol steps and in front of the Justice Department, and hold a candlelight march around the White House carrying an upside-down American flag. At the end of the six-day event, a number of the veterans throw military medals and ribbons over a fence in front of the Capitol in a gesture of contempt. Many shout obscenities or threats against the government. The protests receive enthusiastic coverage in the communist Daily World newspaper on April 20th (Part 1, Part 2), 21st (Part 1, Part 2), 23rd (Part 1, Part 2), and 24th (Part 1, Part 2). Later in 1971, Kerry and the VVAW will publish The New Soldier, a book of essays and photographs documenting the event.
April 22, 1971 -- John Kerry testifies on behalf of the VVAW before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. He claims that American soldiers had "personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan..." and that these acts were "not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command." Kerry also accuses the U.S. military of "rampant" racism and of being "more guilty than any other body" of violating the Geneva Conventions, supports "Madame Binh's points" when asked to recommend a peace proposal, and states that any reprisals against the South Vietnamese after an American withdrawal would be "far, far less than the 200,000 a year who are murdered by the United States of America."
April 22, 1971 -- The NBC Nightly News reveals that Al Hubbard had not been an Air Force Captain, as he claimed, but a staff sergeant E-5. A later investigation of Hubbard's military records shows that he was never assigned to Vietnam.
April 24, 1971 -- Hundreds of thousands of protestors march in Washington, D.C., led by members of the VVAW. Kerry addresses the crowd, accepting applause on behalf of "the 1,200 active-duty GIs who took part in the [Dewey Canyon III] demonstration." The Daily World is on the job, with glowing coverage of the day's events (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4).
April 25 - 28, 1971 -- Congressman Dellums sponsors ad hoc war crimes hearings organized by the CCI and attended at least in part by twenty members of Congress.
May 3, 1971 -- VVAW members throw bags of cow manure on the steps of the Mall Entrance to the Pentagon, then offer to clean up the mess in return for an audience with an assistant Secretary of Defense. This offer is rejected, and 28 people are arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
May 25, 1971 -- Kerry appears on 60 Minutes with Morley Safer. Asked whether he wants to be President of the United States, Kerry replies in the negative, and calls it a "crazy question."
May 30-31, 1971 -- Several hundred VVAW members march from Concord to Boston, reversing the path of Paul Revere's 1775 midnight ride. After defying a ban on overnight use of Battle Green in Lexington, site of the first battle of the American Revolution, 458 people are arrested and held overnight, including John Kerry. The following day the group marches from Bunker Hill to Boston Common.
June 20, 1971 -- Kerry appears on The Dick Cavett Show to debate Navy veteran John O'Neill, who is representing the group Vietnam Veterans for a Just Peace.
July 17, 1971 -- Following a month-long speaking tour of the Soviet Union and other countries, six VVAW and CCI members meet with PRG representatives in Paris to show support for the communist peace plan.
July 20, 1971 -- Leaders of the VVAW hold a staff meeting. They agree to use the designations favored by North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and the Vietcong (Provisional Revolutionary Government) for future press releases, decide to remove all American flags from VVAW offices, and discuss how best to handle Al Hubbard's planned trip to Hanoi.
July 24, 1971 -- The Daily World features a photograph of John Kerry speaking in support of the Provisional Revolutionary Government (Vietcong) Seven Point Plan.
August, 1971 -- The FBI opens a full investigation of the VVAW to "determine the extent of control over VVAW by subversive groups and/or violence-prone elements in the antiwar movement," noting that "sources had provided information that VVAW was stockpiling weapons, VVAW had been in contact with North Vietnam officials in Paris, France, VVAW was receiving funds from former CPUSA members and VVAW was aiding and financing U.S. military deserters. Additionally, information had been received that some individual chapters throughout the country had been infiltrated by the youth groups of the CPUSA and the SWP [Socialist Workers Party]." Source: FBI Memorandum to Senate Select Committee, 12/2/75, pp. 2-3; Hearings, Vol. 6, Exhibit 72.
August, 1971 -- VVAW Executive Committee member Joe Urgo travels with other antiwar leaders to North Vietnam, where he meets with Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and others. According to FBI records, (see PDF file) Urgo makes the following proposals to the communist leaders: 1) that the VVAW make tapes to be broadcast over Radio Hanoi to get U.S. troops to stop fighting, and 2) to send a VVAW delegation to Hanoi in the near future.
Late August, 1971 -- Kerry and Hubbard meet with leftist millionaires in East Hampton to promote the VVAW and show film clips of atrocity claims from the Winter Soldier Investigation. According to the New York Times, a request for funds had the attendees "scrambling for pens and checkbooks."
Early November, 1971 -- According to FBI records, (see PDF file) Al Hubbard meets with the North Vietnamese and Vietcong delegations in Paris. Hubbard's trip comes in response to an invitation to "VVAW, Communist Party (CP) USA, and left wing group in Paris, name unrecalled," and is financed by the Communist Party USA.
November 12 - 15, 1971 -- the VVAW leadership meets in Kansas City. Fearing surveillance by authorities, the group relocates the meeting to another building. They debate, then vote down a plan to assassinate several pro-war U.S. Senators. Despite John Kerry's claim to have left the VVAW before this event, several witnesses, meeting minutes and FBI records eventually place Kerry at the Kansas City meeting.
November 15, 1971 -- After trying unsuccessfully to have Al Hubbard removed from the group's leadership, John Kerry resigns from the Executive Committee of the VVAW for personal reasons. Kerry will continue to represent the organization in interviews and public appearances for several months.
December 26, 1971 -- Fifteen VVAW protesters take over the Statue of Liberty for some 40 hours and drape an upside-down American flag across the statue's face. Per the New York Post, the VVAW later receives a "congratulatory message" from Vietcong negotiator Le Mai in Paris.
December 27, 1971 -- Twenty-five VVAW protesters take over the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia.
December 28, 1971 -- 150 VVAW protesters splash bags of blood in front of the White House, then take over the Lincoln Memorial. 87 are arrested. John Kerry tells the New York Times that he is helping raise bail money for some of the demonstrators.
January 11, 1972 -- John Kerry represents the VVAW at Dartmouth College.
January 25, 1972 -- John Kerry represents the VVAW at the "People's State of the Union" in Washington, D.C.
February, 1972 -- A VVAW delegation attends a World Assembly for Peace and Independence of the People of Indochina in Versailles, France.
April 22, 1972 -- John Kerry represents the VVAW at the "Emergency March for Peace" in Bryant Park in New York City.
July 8 - 22, 1972 -- Jane Fonda visits Hanoi, where she makes numerous radio broadcasts to American and South Vietnamese military personnel encouraging mutiny and desertion, while repeatedly claiming that the United States is committing war crimes in Vietnam. Fonda also visits American prisoners, reporting on the air that they are being "well cared for" and that they wished to convey their "sense of disgust of the war and their shame for what they have been asked to do." Upon leaving North Vietnam, Fonda accepts from her hosts a ring made from the wreckage of a downed American plane.
July 29 - August 12, 1972 -- Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark travels to Hanoi on behalf of the communist Stockholm International Commission for Inquiry. Clark denounces the U.S. bombing of North Vietnam and visits American POWs, reporting that they are in good health and their conditions "could not be better."
September 18, 1972 -- John Kerry's brother Cameron and Vietnam veteran Thomas Vallely are arrested in Lowell, Massachusetts in the basement of a building that houses both Kerry's campaign headquarters and those of opposing candidate Tony DiFruscia. Cameron Kerry and Vallely are charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny. Kerry will win the Democratic nomination for a Massachusetts congressional seat the next day, but lose in the general election to Republican Paul Cronin. Thomas Vallely will later become director of the Vietnam Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Late 1972 -- The U.S Congress votes to eliminate funding for military operations in Indochina.
January, 1973 -- The Nixon Administration signs the Treaty of Paris.
February and March, 1973 -- American prisoners of war are released by North Vietnam. They report having been starved, beaten and tortured by their captors, in an effort to make them sign documents in which they admitted to committing war crimes.
April, 1973 -- Jane Fonda calls the freed American prisoners "hypocrites and pawns," insisting that, "Tortured men do not march smartly off planes, salute the flag, and kiss their wives. They are liars. I also want to say that these men are not heroes."
Fall, 1974 -- North Vietnam initiates minor probing attacks into South Vietnam, in violation of the Paris treaty. There is no military response by the United States.
Early 1975 -- North Vietnam launches a massive invasion of South Vietnam.
April 30, 1975 -- Saigon falls.
1975 - 1979 -- Communist regimes in southeast Asia murder an estimated two million Cambodians, as well as tens of thousands of South Vietnamese. One million South Vietnamese are imprisoned in "re-education camps," and hundreds of thousands die there. An additional two million flee the country, with many drowning in the attempt.
1978 -- The original VVAW splits when a minority breaks away to form Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist (VVAWAI), with the larger faction retaining the original name. Both the VVAW and the rabidly anti-American VVAWAI remain in operation today.
1978 -- Former VVAW leader Robert Muller founds the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). The VVA also describes John Kerry as a "co-founder" of the organization. In the late 1980s, Mueller and the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) will split from the VVA.
1981 -- Mueller leads a VVAF delegation to Hanoi, where he praises the communist leadership of Vietnam and lays a wreath on the grave of Ho Chi Minh.
Sunday, August 08, 2004
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The Book Of My Life...
Let me sit by the fire, and remember my days, and it may be a trick of the firelight, but the flickering pages that trouble my sight is a book I'm afraid to write. It's the book of my days, it's the book of my life, and it's for some reason cut like a fruit on the blade of a knife. And for whatever reason I'm afraid to write and reminesce, that I was once unaware, has become as clear as the waters of Bois D' Arc lake... ok, it's obvious that I don't need to make my living re-writing other's songs, but I thought the reference to a lake with a rather obvious turbidity problem was a rather fascinating twist. It's like saying, "as clear as mud." but not really, because I was talking about a lake that only local people would know about in hopes of adding some local flavor... because I was once told that it was good to do that, because... oh, nevermind... by now I would have asked Josh if he was still talking.
In getting back to this book of my life, I was merely looking for a creative way to bring up the fact that the one horse that occupies this town has died. It is my belief that I have exhausted all legal ways to entertain myself, and won't admit to dabbling in some less-than-reputable means involving ice cubes, a pitching wedge, and stray cats. (yes, I am joking... in the same sense that eRIc was joking about my dad accidentally shooting carap) I need another vacation, because I've only got a week left here, and then it's back to college for only one more semester. Then I have to grow up... so they tell me.
I wish I didn't have to pay taxes to the pulic P-ool. There's no way that water is clean. I'll stop rambling now,
Jeff C. (simpson's guy voice: "Worst Post Ever!")
It wasn't long ago that my little sister was begging me to take her to the public pool. I was aghast! Obviously she knew not about the horrors that lurk in the seemingly clean waters of the public pool, thus I attempted to inform her of the future welfare recipients and criminals that acquire entertainment there. She did not understand my disdain for those she would be swimming with. I suppose she is simply too young to see the faults of so many of our fellow Americans who are living because of tax payers like ourselves, as they sit on the porches of their government homes watching the rest of us drive to work so we can continue supporting their meaningless lives and pay for the pool that we should also feel comfortable going to but never will. One would think that providing them with a home, clothes, and apparently too much food would be enough, but then they want a pool at which to influence the other children who have actually been taught respect and the like in their own homes. If that were not enough, they bring their influence to the schools when the public pool is no longer an option and attemp (without knowing it of course, for they are not that intelligent) to bring the youth of the nation to their side. Many times it seems to work, which might cause some to worry about the future of our country. If only I were a resident of Great Britian...I'd have a great accent, could have tea every day, live in a flat, could drive a cool car like the one in Four Weddings and a Funeral, and I could spend my vacations at the Happiness Hotel. If I were Irish I could have a pint, eat fish and chips, and I'd have a mum. As much as I'm "proud to be an American," half the time I wish I lived some where else. George Bernard Shaw said, "Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." What if we were all born somewhere else? Then some other country would be the "greatest nation in the world."
Saturday, August 07, 2004
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Vietnam Vets Organization Blasts Kerry in New TV Ad
Friday, August 06, 2004
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Hot Rod Lincoln...
Commander Cody never sang about my Toyota Corolla, but he should have. Well, I guess I should back up just a little bit here. I went in to take that test Thursday morning, and I walked in, the test and I greeted each other. Then I slapped it, it slapped me, I called attention to the test's face, and then it seriously beat me to a pulp. I was pissed at having to miss the DCI show to be in a town where I had nothing to do, and spent a six hour drive just to take a thirty minute test... That's how it goes sometimes. Anyways, back to the crux of my post, eRIc and Carap called and suggested that I just drive to Dallas and meet the band there... now why didn't I think of that? Possibly because my imagination is busted, but regardless, I departed from KSWO-KDAL... possibly KDFW, I'm not sure whereabouts the theatre was, anywho, I made it from Stillwater to Dallas in FOUR HOURS! Mighty impressive for someone who didn't even know the way. I digress, the show was awesome, and the company fantastic. Props to Seashell, eRIc, and carap for keeping me awake and thus us alive on the way back to KTXK.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
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And so it goes...
So I wasn't able to attend the DCI event due to a scheduled school board meeting. WELL, the meeting has been postponed until the 10th. Naturally, I don't find this out until today...and the band has already left. I think today has been one of the worst I have had in awhile.
Yesterday was my last day of hell,uh I mean work. I even took the liberty of leaving five minutes early without telling anyone. I said goodbye to the experiment station and the horrors that breed there. No more rednecks, massive amounts of water, stupid country music, smelly dirt, nematodes, roots to clean...until next summer. I'll probably end up working there every summer until I'm out of college. I'll just have to keep reminding myself that I could be flipping patties with the future criminals and welfare recipients of America, or I could have a boss who takes my red stapler.
DCI today will be a nice getaway, and I too am saddened at Jeff C.'s loss of drum corps. After the trip I might have to borrow a couch from the band camp. I'm not sure I am capable of staying awake for the drive home at three a.m. Maybe I can bum some more free meals...That was always the best part of band camp, although they are lacking without eRIc's mom.
That guy's eating a hamburger. I gotta be somewhere.
Needing a chocolate banana shake somethin' fierce,
seashell
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
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Boredom Blogging...
Well folks, I'm in Stillwater all by my lonesome, and we all know what that means: incessant, boring, blogging. Yes, I have absolutely nothing else to do at this point, and it's about to drive me up the wall. I'm here to take a stupid test to validate my qualifications to be employed at the University as a flight instructor. I learned that I could have had the test emailed to me, a fact that was not made known when I was told that I "needed to be here." I haven't been to a DCI show (even a well-taped one) in over two years, and this just kind of rubbed me the wrong way. (counter-clockwise)
So now I have plans to get up in the morning, take a stupid test, hang around for a couple of hours and probably drive home. Six hour drive coming up, I'm excited as can be...
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
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Working Hard For The Money...
So everyone else leaves for the morning to do simple, easy stuff. I, on the other hand, am left to "hold down the fort" and generally do easy work for other people. I hope you guys are happy...
So Sunday night, me, my family, and cara were all at my house, when my dad spotted this dog outside by our workshop, and it was Lassie, well it wasnt actually Lassie, but it looked just like Lassie but prettier, Anyhow. I was going to go outside and see if it was ok, but i made a stop in the garage first for some protection, just in case it was a rabid version of Lassie. So the first thing i saw was my dad's old motorcycle helmet, and a pair of workgloves, so i suited up. Upon arriving to the lassie-look-a-like i realized that headgear was not going to be necassary, b/c the dog was not in good condition. The first thing i noticed was it was only three-fourths Lassie, because it was the tripod version of Lassie. Well What I'm trying to say is she had 3 legs. The other was broken. But it would still hobble around like the best of them. Cara was with me this whole time, and she just happened to mention how much of a trooper, Lassie #2 was. And thats how he became to be known as Trooper. So we fed and watered him, then went inside for night. The next morning trooper somehow had slept in our garage, and didnt appear to be leaving our property. So, I, being the little kid that I am wanted to keep it. So I called my roommate to see if he would chip in to the "Save The Trooper Fund" and he complied. So i called Byerview to see just how much it would be to fix his leg. (Trooper had alot of hair, and to this day I still dont know whether or not he was a girl or a boy, so im just gonna say for trooper's sake that he was infact a boy) So i told byerview the situation and told them that i was a lowly college student with not alot of money, which didnt seem to matter much when they told me it was to cost $250, so i told them to suck it, and that i would figure it out myself. (not really) (really) (this is a long story) So I asked everybody i knew what i should do w/trooper, and since we live outside city limits, our options came down to two. We either let Trooper live the rest of his life in pain, and humilation (the other dogs were making fun of him) or get the sniper in our neighborhood to put him down. So we decided to call the sniper, and by sniper, i mean Jeff C's dad. Anyhow, i told my dad that i would have no part in the burial, or shooting of trooper, but then i realized that Trooper was fairly large dog, and my dad would die trying to dig that hole his self. We finally finished the hole, and i was walking inside to put on some loud music on so that i wouldnt hear the shot, and as i walking up to the house.... BOOOOOOM..... TROOPER NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Mr. Claybrook, got alittle trigger happy, and didnt let me make it inside. Anyways the worst part of the story is, that the bullet reflected off of something inside trooper, and hit cara in the head as she was driving up to my house. No thats not true, but i figured you were either crying or really mad at me by now, so i had to lighten the mood.
So if anyone has a new dog, and dont know what to name it, name it Trooper in memorandum or Trooper the tripoded Lassie.
Sunday, August 01, 2004
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The Sweetest Ride!!
As some of you know, we have been looking for a new travel bus for the 2004 Convoginator's National Tour. Jr. Convoginator and head web geek Josh and I were on a mission to deliver vital supplies to the band camp when we stumbled across this jewel. Unfortunately, the gentleman couldn't break a $20 and I wasn't about to let him get the best of me. As soon as I can get the $14.50 back to him, his little beauty can be ours!!!
For those of you looking for an exciting form of convogination, I would like to recommend a chocolate bannana milkshake. I've been purchasing mine from the local Dairy Queen, however, I'm sure this wonderful concoction can be found elsewhere. In fact, I suggest The Purple Cow. They serve all forms of your normal "American" cuisine. I've never actually eaten there, but the shakes are probably the best I've ever had, especially the chocolate peanut butter one...mmmm...I sure hope there's a Purple Cow in or near Conway, especially since they don't offer convoginating classes at UCA. Too bad we don't have a Purple Cow around here. That would be an enjoyable outing for the Convoginators, and we could discover previously unknown forms of convogination...but alas, the one horse prevents fun again.
seashell
P.S. This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated.
I know that I haven't posted in a bit. It has been a VERY hectic week around here. The tech job combined with the high school construction, the loss of our tech b's and the onset of yet another year of public education has taken it's toll on Matt and I. We are both a little strung out. I actually do feel much like the black night from Monty Python's Holy Grail. I know, I shouldn't whine...but I like the cheese and crackers!
