Saturday, September 25, 2004

Click here, first, then read my post.

What's happening to Indianapolis? Two cops have been killed in the line of duty in the last six weeks. One, Officer Timothy Laird was killed by a high-powered rifle shot to the neck early in the morning about five weeks ago. He was responding to a call of a man armed and dangerous. The man had killed his mother and was armed with a very high powered rifle. The man was killed by police.

Yesterday, at Butler University, a private university on the north side of Indianapolis a campus police officer was shot and killed. His killer was killed shortly afterwards.

Indianapolis has seemed to me to be a little bubble against the outside world. They have their typical metropolitan problems: stretched budget, school problems, trying to keep their football team. But its still a pretty safe place. I feel very safe walking around downtown. I haven't had any problems, and even the "bad areas" aren't that bad. Its just a bit shocking to read about two police officers' deaths. Its not something one expects in a city like Indianapolis.

It makes me sick. Absolutely disgusted.

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

More Dan Rather

Is it me or has it been just a gas to watch old Dan Rather squirm the last day or so. He got caught and you know what he HAS millions of witnesses. Yo, Danny! You SO rock! This was in the Indianapolis Star this morning. Gotta love it!

You're Not Going to Like This Post

I've been sitting here the last couple days trying to figure it all out. I mean everything. Everything. Everything. Everything. And I haven't been able to figure out anything, period, but that's not new. Indeed, not. Nope, not new at all.

I heard on the television that Iraqi insurgents beheaded another American today. If they are trying to make fear them their doing a piss-poor job. I'm getting angry and thinking maybe we need MORE military action in Iraq. Here's the thing that really gets me: they say, on the news, that video was released on a "militant webpage." How do these newscasters find out about that? Does some one email them thusly:
Greetings in the name of Allah. We have beheaded another one of your imperialist dogs. For great footage go to www.ofwiththeirheads.com


The next question is this who's the sorry sap that has to click on the link and see it? Anyone want to guess how long it will take before one of these 24-hour newscast will either by accident or on purpose or perhaps accidently-on-purpose show one of these decapatations.

Cowards. Hiding behind their heavy black scarves and head coverings while shouting anti-Ameircan slogans and threatening unarmed workers. It is my sincere hope that when the cowards die they are sent to hell and are forced to have sex with 72 old, used up prostitues with festering sores and herpes.

Here maybe this'll lighten up the mood. I snagged it from Allah hisself. Cheers:

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

World gone mad

Today Laura Bush, our esteemed First Lady, came to Indianapolis for dinner. More importantly she came to Indianapolis for a fund raising dinner. Here's the catch, I could of eaten dinner with Mrs Bush. Really I could of, but well for one itty bitty problem. I don't have an extra 25k just laying around. You read that right 25,000 dollars (actually that was per couple) to eat dinner with the first lady. I'm going on record here to say this: I've never paid fifty bucks for a single meal let alone 25,000. Now, before you all start screaming and saying "See, see! Lookit that!" Let me say this: "John Kerry would of done the same thing. Or maybe he would of just asked Teresa Heinz-Kerry for a loancheck. I don't know and I reall don't care. I found it amazing that anyone would be willing to pay that much for dinner, period.

In other news, this:
. It seems that a father's rights organization member decided he wanted to give his organization some publicity. So he dressed up as Batman, scaled a fence (an iron gate), climbed up a wall, and took residence on the Royal Porch of Buckingham Palace. He seems to think that British courts are unfair with visitation and custody rights for fathers. Hmm, I dunno about you, but seeing that bloke up there makes me think that maybe, just maybe the Brits have something there. Here, read it for yourself. A world gone mad I tell you.

Sometimes I think that R.E.M. got it right when they sang "Its the end of the world as we know it..." and then went on to ask the question "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" Really, I find myself just staring at the world and asking myself "what da fuck...?" Or maybe, even Areosmith had it right when they sang "Something wrong with the world today... I don't know what it is." Yeah, indeed.

Another tid-bit I saw on the news today: some guy was involved in a highspeed chase. He slowed down, opened his door, and set a baby carry down in the middle of the road. Closed his door and then roared off again. He was killed minutes later after he lost control of his car. Meanwhile, police scrambled to get the car seat (which contained a baby) out of the middle of the road before someone hit it. Speaking of cars hitting something:

On Saturday I was a half-hour late to work. On Route 69 north (headed towards Ft. Wayne) someone had lost a mattress they were carrying. It fell off the back of their truck or something to that effect. Needless to say, there was a mattress in the middle of the goddamn road. Cars swerved and missed the mattress. Well they did, except for one: a Lincoln. The guy driving that car didn't see and couldn't do evasive action fast enough to miss the mattress. He ran over the thing and as a result was stopped dead in the road. Meanwhile a pickup truck going approximate 60 miles an hour slammed into the back of the Lincoln that was stuck on top of the mattress. You can put two and two together, I'm sure. Needless to say they closed down 69 north. Which then caused the on ramp from 465 north to 69 north to be closed. That caused a backup on 465 (in which your humble narrator was afflicted). Its no fun being late for work and not going any faster then four miles an hour. It is truly frustrating. That's when I thank my lucky stars for NPR or a good cd. It helps pass the time. I got to work, eventually.


Saturday, September 11, 2004

In rememberance


We'll never forget. America.

I wish for normalcy

September 10th is such a strange for me. I found myself calling today "the anniversary of the last day of normalcy." How true. How friggin true. I'm looking at my little clock in the left hand corner of my computer screen. Its officially September 11th, now. In less then eight hours, three years ago, hell will launch forth. That's how I've felt all day. I know what's going to happen three years ago and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I don't have a Delorian or a wispy haired professor that can explain the space time continuum or relativity so I can't go back and change anything. I know what is going to happen in less then 8 hours from now three years ago.

It seems such a long time ago, though, doesn't it? 2001 was only three years ago, but it seems much much longer then that. Here's my theory why: we hear about it every blessed day. A day doesn't go by that the phrase nineeleven or septembereleventh is uttered. Sometimes multiple times in the same sentence. I've stopped watching the news, I've grown tired of it. I can't handle it. I'm a wimp.

So, in eight hours three years ago my mom will be yelling at me, telling me a plane just slammed into the World Trade Center. I'll roll over, thinking its just a small plane. A few mintues later my mom will yell again. I'll be awake now. Sitting in front of the television. I won't move, except to run to my room to get online and write post on my online diary. Later on three years ago I'll go to work peddling books. No one will be there. I won't want to be there, but I'll be there. When I get home I'll watch three or four more hours of it. I'll see the flood lights illuminate the smoking ruins. I'll sleep and wake up the next morning, September 12th and be convinced that it was just a bad dream or really well done Hollywood movie and Arnold or Bruce actually did walk out of the building with a grin and a girl. I'll be brought back to Earth when I see it in the paper.

I hope someday we can get back to the feeling we had, but didn't know we had, on September 10th. That was such a nice feeling, in retrospect. I miss it. I long for it. I wish for it.

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

I'll let this one speak for itself

(*note: a friend of mine sent this to me recently. I thought it was worthwhile posting here).

Dear Senator Kerry:

Since it has become clear that you will probably be the Democratic nominee for President, I have spent a great deal of time researching your war record and your record as a professional politician. The reason is simple, you aspire to be the Commander in Chief who would lead my sons and their fellow soldiers in time of war. I simply wanted to know if you possess the necessary qualifications to be trusted in that respect.

You see, I belong to a family of proud U.S. veterans. I was a Captain in the Army Reserve, my father was a decorated Lieutenant in World War II; and I have four sons who have either served, or are currently serving in the military. The oldest is an Army Lieutenant still on active duty in Afghanistan after already being honored for his service in Iraq. The youngest is an E-4 with the military police. His National Guard unit just finished their second tour of active duty, including six months in Guantanamo Bay. My two other sons have served in the national guard and the navy.

In looking at your record I found myself comparing it not only to that of my father and my sons, but to the people they served with. My father served with the 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion in Europe. They landed on Utah Beach and fought for 317 straight days including the Cherbourg Peninsula, Aachen, the Hurtgen Forest, and the Battle of the Bulge. You earned a Silver Star in Vietnam for chasing down and finishing off a wounded and retreating enemy soldier. My father won a Bronze Star for single handedly charging and knocking out a German machine gun nest that had his men pinned down. You received three purple hearts for what appears to be three minor scratches. In fact you only missed a combined total of two days of duty for these wounds. The men of my father's unit, the 87th, had to be admonished by their commanding officer because: "It has been brought to our attention that some men are covering up wounds and refusing medical attention for fear of being evacuated and permanently separated from this organization..." It was also a common problem for seriously wounded soldiers to go AWOL from hospitals in order to rejoin their units. You used your three purple hearts to leave Vietnam early.

My oldest boy came home from Iraq with numerous commendations and then proceeded to volunteer to go to Afghanistan and from there back to Iraq again. My sons and father have never had anything but the highest regard and respect for their fellow soldiers. Yet, you came home to publicly charge your fellow fighting men with being war criminals and to urge their defeat by the enemy. You even wrote a book that had a cover which mocked the heroism of the U.S. Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima. Our current crop of soldiers has a philosophy that no one gets left behind; and they have practiced that from Somalia to the battlefields of the Middle East. Yet as chairman of a Senate committee looking into allegations that many of your fellow servicemen had been left behind as prisoners in Vietnam, you chose to defend the brutal Vietnamese regime. You even went so far as to refer to the families of the POWs and MIAs as Professional malcontents, conspiracy mongers, con artists, and dime-store Rambos.

As a Senator you voted against the 1991 Gulf War, and have repeatedly voted against funds to supply our troops with the best equipment, and against money to improve our intelligence capability. I find this particularly ironic since as a Presidential candidate you are highly critical of our pre-war intelligence in Iraq. However, you did vote to authorize the President to go to war, but have since proceeded to do everything you can to undermine the efforts of our government and our troops to win. Is this what our fighting men and women can expect of you if you are their Commander in Chief? Will you gladly send them to war, only to then aid the enemy by undermining the morale of our troops and cutting off the weapons they need to win?

Our country is at war Senator, and as has been the case in every war since the American Revolution, a member of my family is serving their country during the war. Now you want me to trust you to lead my sons in this fight.

Sorry Senator, but when I compare your record to those who have fought and died for this nation, and are currently fighting and dying, the answer is not just no, but Hell No!

Sincerely,

Michael Connelly February 14, 2004 Dallas, Texas



Saturday, September 04, 2004

Late drinking

Robin Williams, the great comic, once said, and I quote: "If alcohol is a crutch then Jack Daniels is the wheel chair." I tend to go for the cheaper drunk. I'm a Jim Beam man. If I can get it, I'll drink J.D., but I became a J.B. man in college. I mean, when you're in college the difference between a fifth of Jim Beam and Jack Daniels is the price of a cheap sixer. Always go for the cheaper shit, right? (As I've matured I have discovered that cheap beer is not necessarily the best way to go... fyi and disclaimer all at the same time). So, to get back to Robin Williams: maybe Jack Daniels is the wheelchair; let's call Jim Beam the wallker, shall we? That sounds like a good idea.

I wrote a poem tonight on my way home from work. This is a big deal for me. I write poetry. It may not be very good poetry, but I write it. The fact that I wrote a poem is important, at least to me. Why? I have had some serious writers block lately. Its been horrible. I haven't been able to write anything. Tonight, though, I wrote something. Here it is:

humidity stacks up
on my shoulders pushing

down

shallow breaths &
a subtle whistle—a hanged
man breaths better

air thick like
thighs & wet like
just finished
sex

sheets tangled
&

knotted

I'm not sure it will win any big awards, but the very fact that it was written is a big step for me. I'm going to buy the book Poetry Markert and I'm going to force myself to submit poetry to lit journals. I'm sure I'll get a drawer full of rejection notices, but damnit, I want to be published. "Self- publishing" on the 'net doesn't count either. I want someone to say "K, your poetry is very good. We want to publish the poems you sent to us." I want that.

Friday, September 03, 2004

This last week I have been making it a point to buy the New York Times. I have quite enjoyed the coverage of the RNC in New York. Some of the articles contained in the special section for the convention have been just fun to read and sometimes they were a bit, dare I say, tongune-in-cheek. For a conservative, like myself, sometimes reading the New York Times can be a tough pill to swallow, but, for the most part, I do enjoy reading it.

I read the whole thing. The front on through the last page. I might not read every article, but I have a pretty good grasp of various articles-- I am an unrefomred headlines and first paragraph reader, though, more often not, I do find myself going further into more articles.

Yesterday I bought the Times and was disgusted by the picture on the front page. It was a rather large picture, slightly off center. There were two suicide bombs set off in Israel on Tuesday that destroyed two buses and killed scores of people. The picture on the front page was of a dead woman hanging out of a window, dead. Her blood smeared on the side of the dark blue bus. I found that to be disgusting in all kinds of ways. The least of which was I really didn't need to see the picture. It was just an unpleasant way to start the day. I instantly felt sorry and disgusted for the family of the dead woman. Who needs to see their dead relative splashed on the front page of a major newspaper. No one. The only words that came to mind were: yellow journalism.

I was saddened to see in the obituaries that Indian Larry was killed in an accident over the weekend at a motorcycle rally. I didn't know Indian Larry, but I'd seen him on television a couple times. He was featured on some Discovery Channel "chopper shows" he was usually hanging out with Jessie James. I remember one time watching a show that he was on and he did a trick. He got his bike moving as fast as he could and then STOOD up on the seat, balanced himself and rode it out. I remember thinking at the time that he was going to kill himself doing that and sadly, that's how he died. He was doing his "trademark" stunt and fell off the bike. It assumed he was blinded by the sun and lost balance because of that, but they aren't really sure. It's just sad. Indian Larry was one of thos American Originals that just seems far and few between lately.

I just finished watching the RNC and I must say. The Republicans did a great job. Okay, I'm the first to admit I'm a Republican. I'm voting Republican in Novemember, matter of fact I can't wait to do so. But I tried to watch the convention with impartial eye. It was hard, but I tried. I thought the RNC was much more forward thinking and optimisic. The DNC just seemed to wallow in dispair and disgust. The Republicans did a great job of defining and boxing in John Kerry. The DNC just seemed never to get their steam going. Okay, Senator Miller from Georgia (D) might have gone a bit too far a couple times, but that's the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans aren't afraid to step up and say what they mean. Democrats always seem to be more worried about not offending any one or what a particular poll says. I really don't think the election is going to be as close as some are saying. I do believe that Geore W. Bush will defet John Kerry in Novemember. It won't be a slam-dunk, but I'm pretty sure we won't have to worry about hanging chads or the Supreme Court.