Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in armslore14's LiveJournal:

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Wednesday, October 17th, 2007
4:46 pm	Bullshit Yesterday Edith got a call from her landlord asking whether she had any guys staying over at her place.  It was done in a non-accusatory manner, but the implication was clear-this is an all-girls apartment complex.  So I can only "visit" a few days a week.  This depressed me very much because I only have so long with Edith and now this jackass is making my time all that much more limited.  Dick.  Anyway, I did some Facebook research on President Gora's "Smoking Task Force" student members.  I couldn't find a single thing that implied that they have any background or expertise in the areas of smoking, prevention, urban planning, ethics, or any other field that would allow me to put my faith in their ability to participate in any task force.  So I can draw no other conclusion but that, as always, the "task force" is nothing but a huge farce.  She made sure to include representatives from business affairs and marketing and management though. What a crock of shit. A few days ago Costa Rica was voted in as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.  The funny thing is, Costa Rica doesn't have a military. In Somalia, the breakaway republic of Somaliland invaded a town in Puntland, an area allied with the Interim government established with the help of Ethiopia at the beginning of this year.  http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3C4CBB81-223B-4CC8-AABB-421D2DFDA68C.htm The best part of this is that Ethiopia installed the transitional government, but it supports the independence of Somaliland so it can use their port facilities.  (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, October 15th, 2007
1:02 pm	Busy busy busy I'm so very busy lately.  Everyone has noticed by now how often I don't post on here (ever).  I'll try and change that in the coming months.   I remembered the 1st anniversary of my accident on Saturday.  It was homecoming, so I mostly focused on that instead.  Lots of good food- mmm jumbalya.   I've been recovering from my hermit phase with Edith and trying to reconnect with the world.  Even then I'm still forced to read a book a week-or more- for classes, which limits the free time I have for things like this blog.   I've been reinspired by the book Rule of Four  to think about current events for my thesis next year.  Ironically, the thesis in the book nearly drives the charcaters insane, but I think I'll be ok.  I do want this thesis to be something I can be proud of, so I'm going to begin work in the Spring and go through the summer too.  I'm hopeful it will go well. I went to X-Fest (a concert) last weekend and although I wasn't too impressed, I managed to assemble a workable schedule for next semester with only one late night Monday class and none on Friday.   I have things to work on, but I will return with more later. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, July 17th, 2007
11:01 am	Random update It's been a really long couple of days.  It is hard to sleep some nights with Edith gone, but I manage.  She'll be home tonight, thank heaven.  I came down here to work on homework without distractions, but distractions find me nevertheless.  Like right now, for example.  I should be working on a 3 page report, but I'm writing this instead.  Oh well, it will get done. I got a new leather coat before I left that I'm rather proud of.  It was $80, but as soon as I saw it at Wilson's leather in Lighthouse Place, I knew I had to have it.  I even got a military discount!  It's a distressed brown leather old old school styled aviator jacket- like WWI old looking.  I love it.  When I saw Julie at Buffalo Wild Wings on Friday she couldn't tell me enough how she liked it.  Just like EVERY time we go to Lighthouse Place, there was a rather severe storm.  It happens EVERY time we go too! Right now I'm extraordinarily upset with the U.S. Army.  They are fucking me over at every turn.  The medical paperwork that was supposed to give me a definite answer before August will now take "a few months".  When I asked about split training my August AT, I was literally laughed at.  He said he would pass the request on, but that I should expect to go.  That's 3 weeks from the 3rd to the 25th- I'll miss a week of school, seeing the family, and Edith's birthday.  And what will I be doing down there?  "Well, you can walk and talk, so they'll use that."  I'll probably play OPFOR (bad guys) which is pretty cushy- light clothes, just sit and walk around, plenty of water, and my favorite, I get to have my revenge on the army.  Now I'm hearing that there's ANOTHER AT in October for pre-deployment training- another 3 weeks.  Will I have to go and miss more school?  Who knows.  Oh, and two drills in September. And the best part?  The sergeant tried to blackmail me into staying in the army by saying that if I get discharged, which I will, I have to pay back all the money they gave me for college, plus all my bonus money- about $7-8,000 altogether in my case.  I have enough to cover that in my account, but it's a huge blow nevertheless.  I told him to proceed with the discharge anyway.  I called mom afterwards and she told me to think about how I've never been happy in the Army, never made friends.  She's quite right- I don't fit in there.  I need to be an officer, and if I can't, there isn't a reason to stay.  I don't want to deploy, especially not to Iraq; I'm not sure I'd be proud to say I served there.  My mom made another good point- I signed up thinking it would be something it isn't- like my grandpa's Army of WWII.  There was at least some honor then.  I think that this current army is nothing like its proud predecessors.  It is bloated, inefficient, arrogant, and driving good people away.  I suppose I should get back to work, but at least I've gotten all that off my chest. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, July 8th, 2007
9:44 pm	Back again! I'm back home again for a short while.  I'll return to Muncie in a day or so to work on my homework.  Before she left for Texas again I was talking to Edith about how we're both entering new periods in our lives. This Fall semester is going to be different from anything else I've done.  I'll be taking 5 classes and TAing for a 6th.  I'll be living in a rented house with Reed from Australia.  I'll be buying my own food, paying my own bills.  I'll have a car.  I'll have a girlfriend.  I'll need to find another job to pay for food, gas, and utlities.  I will more than likely not be in the Army much longer.  I have friends that do normal college things, like drink and party, but also just hang out and play games.  I doubt I'll be getting drunk anytime soon, but I'll get to see the normal college experience.  The important thing will be balancing all of this so that I still have time for fun amidst the work and homework.  I went shopping with Justin this weekend and I found a safari looking jacket that came with an olive t-shirt that read "Strength and Honor".  It rang up as $4.95 (marked down from $42).  I got two.  Probably the most awesome clothing purchase I've ever made. Last week, before Edith left, we went to a Japanese restaurant.  Edith got chicken and calamari and we shared the food.  While the chef cooked an onion on one of those open stoves, I joked about how it looked "highly stratified", then he poured something flammable in it and it became an "active volcano", and finally "extinct" and then "eroded" once it was knocked down.  She made me try the calamari and I held out for a few minutes insisting that I didn't "want to eat cephalopod".  The chef asked her if she was Asian, and then we helped outvote a middle aged woman so she had to have the birthday humiliation- I mean- celebration.  It was a good time. (Comment on this)
Saturday, June 2nd, 2007
12:30 am	Update I've been in Muncie with Edith since last Wednesday, so the updates have been...infrequent.  Sorry.  We're doing pretty well I think.  Another rocky incident on Wednesday morning but we cleared that up before she left for Texas.  More on that when I get a chance though.  Fox News is reporting that "The U.S. military executed a strike against a suspected Al Qaeda target from a Naval warship off the coast of Somalia Friday, a U.S. official confirmed to FOX News. It is not know whether the intended target(s) were hit." CNN is reporting, "(CNN) -- A U.S. Navy destroyer off the coast of northern Somalia Friday fired on a suspected al Qaeda operative believed to have been involved in the 1998 attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, sources confirmed to CNN. There was no immediate word on the results of the attack, which was carried out using one of the destroyer's 5-inch guns."  http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/06/01/somalia.strike/index.html Keep watching this...   Also, this articles describes the growing number of North Africans getting involved with terrorist organizations: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18928071/ (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, May 20th, 2007
9:52 pm	Feeling better Well, Edith and I talked today and while she still isn't ready to confront mom yet, she likes me enough to reverse her previous suggestion of breaking up.  So the limbo isn't as serious as before, but mom is not especially excited that Edith still won't talk to her.  Now I feel like mom is going to try and make me chose between her and Edith.  I really hope this gets resolved for good soon, because I can't deal with mom constantly bitching about Edith being immature, but pressuring Edith now means losing her for good. I'm reeeeally getting tired of this bullshit... (2 Comments |Comment on this)
2:18 pm	My rollercoaster only does down This is probably going to be a long post as I get philosophical and emo for a while, but I really don't have any other outlet. The last two weeks or so have been some of the best I've had.  I was really and truely happy for a while.  On Friday, I stood up to mom when she told me to come home, she got pissed, blamed Edith, Edith found out, and now I'm single again. So here I sit, alone in crappy little Rolling Prairie.  So very alone once again. I'm trying to figure out whether it's good that I found out that Edith would choose to futily try and shelter herself from "drama" and stress rather than try to keep any meaningful relationship, or bad because now I feel worse than before. For once I thought I had found someone who met my standards and who I could possibly be with forever, and it lasts less than two weeks.  I opened myself up and I've been hurt.  Thanks for trying to warn me, Katrina, but I evidently did not heed it very well. These last few years have been almost nothing but bad for me.  I lost Poppy in 2002, dad in 2004, by breaking my neck in 2006 I lost almost every hope of following my chosen career as well as some physical abilities, and now I've had my heart broken.  She can't stand drama?  That's all the last 5 years have been for me.  Good luck avoiding the unavoidable. I tend to believe that I'm a strong person, but I honestly can't take much more.  I'm a soldier trapped in a broken body, a passionate person stuck in a cold exterior, and I'm rendered freedomless by my injuries.  I'm reminded of Job of Biblical fame.  To prove his faith, God took everything from him- first everything that he physically had, like his sons and daughters, then his health.  Sound familiar? "I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes." -Job 3:26 I just read most of the Book of Job just now from my brother's pocket Bible.  I don't normally do such things, but I think it may have helped a bit in this instance.  I wonder if it is merely a coincidence that today is Sunday. I am still left wondering what exactly I am being tested for.  Whatever it may be, I fear that I will fail the test before long.  I can only muster up so much strength before I simply exhaust my reserves.  What will happen then, I do not know.  I won't off myself because that's just stupid.  I refuse to drink away my problems because that is merely a temporary fix.  The next step is to figure out where to go from here.  As of this moment, I have absolutely no idea what to do.  I'm still a little numb and trying to put things together.  I don't know how or if this will change my personality, but if it does it will certainly be for the worst.  What little confidence I had is gone, my self-esteem is beaten and bruised, and my heart has grown three sizes smaller. I'm left wondering whether I'm even allowed to be happy.  Girls that I would be compatible with are exceptionally rare and the few I've discovered have been found by some else first or have just not worked out.  I'm afraid, neigh, terrified that I'll have to be alone forever, never finding love but always looking.  Current Mood: depressed (Comment on this)
Monday, May 14th, 2007
12:06 pm	Friggen Titans They ruined my weekend by losing to the worst team in the NRL, the Roosters, 24-18.  Feh. (Comment on this)
Sunday, May 13th, 2007
4:58 pm	been awhile ok, so I haven't posted anything in a while, but I have good reasons, I swear.  I'll explain later, but now I have to bitch. Things are really starting to get better for me now.  Classes are technically over, summer is starting, and I've found a wonderful girl.  BUT, I still have 3 classes that need to be done before the end of the summer, with my Roman one almost done, but I'm being held up by 2 long and boring books I have to read or skim to do two more papers, then probably fail the final; I have absolutely NO freedom because of this fucking neck brace, which keeps me from driving, and the three classes are looming constantly in the background, and my girl lives in friggen Muncie.  So anytime we want to see each other, she has to come get me- that's 6 hours of driving.  I feel horrible because I most certainly can drive, but my fucking collar "restricts my vision" or some bullshit, so I'm not streetworthy until it comes off, which won't be until God knows when.  When it does come off they'll probably want me to do therapy again.  For Christ's sake, I'm TIRED of appointments and restrictions and due dates and being so far away from the girl of my dreams.  This shit must end or I WILL go crazy. (Comment on this)
Saturday, May 5th, 2007
9:55 pm	Major upsets 2 to report so far... The Scottish National Party won a majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament.  They advocate "returning Scotland to its pre-1707 status as an independent and sovereign state." They bloody well deserve it.  Also, the Wests Tigers defeated the Melbourne Storm 30-12.  Now there are no undefeated teams in the NRL.  This could be interesting. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, May 4th, 2007
10:07 pm	Republican debate I just finished reading a transcript of Thursday's Republic Debate.  I was not impressed.  I skipped most of the front-runner (Guliani and McCain) answers because they mostly blathered on about their past records and fawned over Reagan.  Shut up and give me a straight answer.  Embellish if you want, but make it relevant.  I noticed that Ron Paul was in the debate.  I discovered him a few months back for being a hard-core Libertarian.  He did not disappoint this time.  The following statement won my respect: Moderator: Dr. Paul. Paul: I am absolutely opposed to a national ID card. This is a total contradiction of what a free society is all about. Paul: The purpose of government is to protect the secrecy and the privacy of all individuals, not the secrecy of government. We don't need a national ID card. All the frontrunners supported the idea, but only for "immigrants".  Still bullshit.  Ron Paul or Bill Richardson has my vote right now.  Unfortunately, both are far from party leaders right now.  I'll write in one or the other if things keep going the way they are, I swear. (Comment on this)
4:42 pm	Done...for now. I've been inundated with homework for the last week.  I wrote 3 3-page reports in 3 days (Sunday-Tuesday), and read the last 2 books for my 189 class and then wrote a 5 page final today.  Luckily my NREM teacher offered me an incomplete so I can finish in the summer or something- I still had a bit o work to do in that class, so the reprieve was a relief.  On Wednesday I went to Cara's to look at her pictures and help her put together a slide show.  She did a lot of cool stuff in New Zealand and went to the Great Barrier Reef, but I got to "know" Sydney, so it was a trade-off.  I'm a city person myself, and I loved Sydney, so I don't feel like I missed out too badly.  That extra time in the hospital actually really improved the cultural experience I think- I got to know a ton of Aussies and got to see the culture via TV up close. I got an email telling me which class I'm TAing for...turns out it isn't the basic Hist. 150 I figured it would be. They tell everyone that they'll probably end up with it because there's so many, and I even listed it as my #1 choice. But nope. I got the ONLY section of Hist 198- Non-Western World History next semester. Of all the possible classes (21 sections of 150!!!), it is- to me at least- one of the most senior ones because it is more specialized than the others and it isn't required for anyone- I think it was the only elective class available for TAs! Three articles I've been sitting on: http://washingtontimes.com/world/20070430-124131-8532r.htm - "Part of the rationale behind the development of this command is clearly the growing emergence of the strategic importance of Africa from a global ... security and economic standpoint," Rear Adm. Robert Moeller, head of the Africa Command Transition Team, said earlier this month. "This allows us to work more closely with our African partners to ... enhance the stability across the continent."   - Very true. "U.S. military officials say there is evidence that a quarter of suicide bombers in Iraq are from North Africa. Other jihadists are said to have traveled as far as Afghanistan to receive training before returning home to Africa to sow trouble. "  -VERY interesting. "Some Western critics worry that a military-based policy on the continent could breed radicalism where it scarcely exists by sustaining despotic regimes that usurp funding and military hardware to tighten their grip on power.     A 2005 report by the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank, said the Saharan region is "not a terrorist hotbed," and warned that some governments try to elicit U.S. aid while using the "war on terror" to justify human rights abuses."  - No and yes.  The region most definitely IS a terrorist hotbed, or soon will be.  Bad governments will also take advantage of this to get money from the US, no doubt. http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,133513,00.html - AFRICOM, which President Bush announced Feb. 6, will stand up as a sub-unified command this fall and will reach full operational capacity by about September 2008, Henry said. The ultimate goal is to base AFRICOM headquarters somewhere in Africa, but no decisions have been made about its location yet, he said. However, he said, the commander of AFRICOM, who has yet to be named, will be based in Africa, probably even before the command becomes fully operational. -This is interesting.  That is a superfast turnaround time considering they JUST established the command.  And getting a commander in-country before the place is even up and running?  They're VERY eager to get this plan running. He also stressed that AFRICOM is not being stood up in response to Chinese presence on the continent or to secure natural resources, but solely to enhance counterterrorism efforts. "While some of these may be part of the formula, the reason AFRICOM is being stood up is [that] Africa is emerging on the world scene as a strategic player, and we need to deal with it as a continent," he said. -Not about China or resources?  cough BULLSHIT cough http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_5778827?nclick_check=1 Basically, Rep. Jane Harman restates what I've been saying.  [North African bombings] means that Al-Qaida is getting stronger. It has proven, in Iraq and now in North Africa, that the brand is "portable." And its tactics, such as using smaller operations that require only a few young men willing to lose their lives, are getting harder to stop. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, April 30th, 2007
2:43 pm	Good news everyone! I got selected for a History Fellowship (read: TA)!  That means $500 and an extra 6 hours of work a week for me.  I'm glad I haven't added another class to my schedule next year (that would mean 17 hours plus these 6).  I'm pretty sure that I'll be attached to a History 150 (intro to history basically), which is what I asked for anyway.  I think I may be able to help the most when working with "normal" (ie not History geeks that want to correct any minor mistake I might make and students that actually appreciate some help). This certainly makes my day much better! (Comment on this)
9:09 am	OH SHIT! So I just discovered that, in addition to 3 3 page papers, a powerpoint/creative thing, and 2 books to at least skim, I have to write a decent final paper discussing the overarching theme for the books I read- all 4 or 5 of them.  He says that "4-5 page papers can get an A". Everyone thinks I'm strong, but I'm not.  I'm lazy and easily distracted.  I'm a procrastinator.  I have all of 4 1/2 days to finish these and I don't think I can.  Extensions are out of the picture- these are on campus classes.  I don't even have time to write this journal but I am because I'm so very depressed at this latest development.  I really don't think I can do it.  (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, April 29th, 2007
4:08 pm	Yeehah! Gold Coast slaughtered Parramatta 38-12 and North Queensland finally unseated previously undefeated Manly 30-26.  My weekend was further made awesome yesterday when it was sunny and perfect outside.  I listened to upbeat 90s music and worked on a report.  Then mom and Becky came home with 4 loaves of Irish Soda Bread that by all accounts shouldn't have been there (they only bake it around St. Patrick's Day).  Then Cara Schuler came by and we drove to Buffalo Wild Wings in Michigan City and talked about Australia.  I even wore my bright teal polo and Gold Coast hat because it was such a happy day.  After eating our fill we rented Idiocracy and watched it at my house.  It was, by my recollection, one of the most outstanding days I've had this year. I went down to Muncie on Tuesday but didn't get there until midnight- Ray and Dee were having a lover's spat.  We stayed up and they drank until 7 am.  Ray made me watch Scent of a Woman, and I totally act like Frank Slade in asshole mode.  Ray was really happy to see me, but it was partially alcohol talking.  We had a pretty quiet ANZAC Day as we were too tired to do anything illegal.  Jeff, Reed and Jess came over and we watched some rugby, ate some ANZAC biscuits Reed made, then went to Texas Roadhouse where I stole another steak knife.  We had another drinkathon that night and I had to babysit drunk Edith (a 29 year old 1st generation Mexican/American geology grad student) all night.  It wasn't that bad because other than being loud, she was much more interesting to talk to than watching Chapelle Show in the other room.  I'm intrigued by the hard sciences and I understand a bit about geology, so it was very informative to hear her drunken ramblings.  Dee tells me that Edith thinks I should've been a geology major because I ask incisive questions or come up with plausible hypotheses about geological phenomenon.  Not to brag or anything :) On Thursday I gave my presentation about Australia's Army to the ROTC seniors and Col. Baker.  They asked some tough questions, but I had answers.  I was rather pleased with my performance.  It wasn't too formal which helped too.  Afterwards I waited downstairs for Boles while she finished her final.  When she came out she had the biggest look of surprise ever on her face.  It was great.  It was wonderful to catch up with her again because of all the cadets I know, I have the most respect for her.  And not just because she's attractive  :p  She has the right attitude, isn't arrogant or cocky, has one of the highest PT scores in the department, and has completed airborne school and wants to do air assault school just for the badge.  Those are NOT easy schools.  I thought about trying them but I never worked up the guts or physical level needed to get there.  She'll go far if she wants to.  I'd gladly follow her into combat, and that's the highest praise I can give a soldier. Friday I was forced to come home due to homework.  This shit will never get done :( (Comment on this)
Thursday, April 26th, 2007
4:30 pm	AFRICOM Update http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,133513,00.html I'll write more later. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, April 22nd, 2007
11:30 pm	Titans lose :( Looks like the final is 20-6 Manly Sea Eagles.  As I watched the stats live via computer, they were evenly matched.  Given that Manly is one of the two undefeated teams in the league, that is pretty good.  I was just pleased to see it wasn't a blowout and that the Titans held their own the entire game.  No quitting for the Gold Coast.  Good game. Mom filled the bird feeder with seed this year and now there's always birds out there.  I've seen cardinals and a blue jay, which just about covers every bird of any color in Indiana.  Birds here are dull compared to Australia.  And whenever I try to leave the porch to get a good picture, the bastards fly off.  I stood out there stone still for 20 minutes, gave up, went inside for a second, looked back out and there they all were again.  I wouldn't mind except none of our digital cameras have telephoto lenses, so my pictures of the cardinals look like bigfoot pictures.  I have to be within 6 feet of the birds to get anything good, and these birds are too wild for that just yet. I finally finished The Battle for God by Karen Armstrong.  It was a dense read about the history of religious fundamentalism, and it was quite interesting.  It just sucked that I HAD to read it for class, and in a period of two days almost non-stop.  It was torturously slow going and now I'm down to 2 books to read and 2 reports to do for Honors 189, one book and 2 quizzes/2 2 page papers for Roman History (due the 13th), at least half a textbook and 2 papers to do for Honors Science, and a powerpoint on the Australian Army due on Thursday.  I'm in a living hell right now.  I have 2 weeks at the very most to get all this shit done.  I really just want to rest.  I hate myself for letting things get so bad.  I have so much to do right now and no time to do it.  (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, April 19th, 2007
12:35 am	Nigeria A short update- an Islamist group calling itself the Taleban attacked police stations in Kano, Nigeria just after state governor elections and just before the presidential elections this weekend.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6564629.stm Today the Nigerian army attacked the Taleban, killing 25 and capturing 8.  "But the fact is whoever these militants are, this incident just adds to the feeling of insecurity in a country already wracked by political turmoil over disputed elections, our reporter says."  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6566841.stm (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 18th, 2007
10:58 pm	"Gun Culture" "Investigators said Cho procured one of the guns he used in the rampage, a Walther .22-caliber pistol, Feb. 9 from a pawnshop on Main Street in Blacksburg near the Virginia Tech campus. On March 16, he bought the second gun, a 9mm Glock 19, from Roanoke Firearms, a gun shop on Cove Road in Roanoke. He used his driver's license as identification and had no problem buying the guns because he was complying with Virginia law, which permits the purchase of one gun a month, investigators said."  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18145692/page/2/ It also said he used 15 round mags for the Glock and 10 rounders for the .22, as I suspected.  I read somewhere that some victims were shot 3 times.  He meant business. Getting back to the article, as I suspected, this has become a gun-control issue, but not from where I thought- http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3050071&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 To the rest of the world: STFU.  I don't normally get rabidly patriotic, but this calls for it.  You other nations sit there all smug on your pedestals, being sanctimonious asshats, but what gives you ANY right to comment on our society?  "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."  So you have lower gun violence, France, but you also have an entire ethnic group rioting and burning things in the streets.  Australians have always been isolated and small enough to avoid the kind of attention we get; they've never had a civil war either.  They've always lived with relative freedom.  England, you've had your share of bloody civil wars and internal conflicts.  You may have reduced your gun crime, but you've also begun limiting your freedoms.  Italy, Germany:  How many dictators has the US had in power? I'm not going to even try and claim we're perfect.  Far from it.  But there is a very good reason we have so many guns.  One, it's in our Constitution and has been since 1789 as the Second Amendment, meant to prevent or overturn a tyranical goverment should it ever appear.  They were empowering the citizens in a physical way, so as to be a check on the government's ability to do whatever it wants.  Under my strict interpretation of the Constitution, people should be able to buy and own the same weapons as our military.  And they can.  Two, you come take the guns from Midwestern farmers or inner city gangs.  I dare you. Three, guns, and handguns/automatic weapons especially, are already fairly well regulated.  Fourth, and most importantly, the violence is the cost of freedom and liberty.  The second the government starts becoming a nanny and making choices for you, you are on a very slippery slope towards totalitarianism.  It is like God in a way.  He asks very little of you (belief, your thoughts, repentance for sins, etc.= taxes, civil service and duties like voting occassionally, following some legal rules) but He lets you do as you see fit.  Free will.   The government is not your  keeper.  Personal responsibility should rule the day.  Statistically, some people will take advantage of that  to the detriment of others.  Some will be taken advantage of.  It's a sad truth.  But every form of  government has its drawbacks, and I believe that the price we have to pay now is preferable to the other possibilities. We can and should try to teach respect and restraint when dealing with firearms and placing sensible restrictions on them, but that is the most we can do.  It is up to gun owners how to procede from there. I read one of Cho's plays here:  http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0417071vtech1.html For a senior English major, or even a 7th grader, it's a piece of shit.  Unrealistic speech, horrible cohesion, no explainations or backstory, terrible grammar, and a really weak plot.  I hope it's ok that I laughed at some lines, like: "Eat this, you giant tree trunk piece of ass!"  "I wonder why its so sunny out! Today is one fruity day!" And, overshadowed by all of this, the development that Sudan has been using military aircraft painted in UN markings in its Darfur campaign:  http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21578962-1702,00.html My Gold Coast hat came today.  I'm really excited! (Comment on this)
Tuesday, April 17th, 2007
12:59 pm	Tired I feel drained.  Exhausted.  I haven't even done anything though.  Which is part of the problem.  I'm far behind my own schedule to catch up on homework, I'm stressed over next year, this stupid school shooting seems to be affecting me for reasons unknown.  I just don't feel up to much today, but I can't afford not to.  Yoda: Rest I need. Yes, rest. (1 Comment |Comment on this)