17 Days and Counting
Finally getting down there again to almost time to leave Iraq… again! This time hasn’t been bad from a work standpoint. We don’t have a lot to do and I’ve been able to get some studying in. I took and passed my CCIE written test in preparation for being able to retake the lab. The lab has changed by adding open ended (not multiple choice, but essay) questions, which I think will be helpful for my chances of passing. The down side is that if you do not answer the questions correctly, it doesn’t matter if you get the lab completely right, you would still fail.
I volunteered to help the Clark County Amateur Radio Club (CCARB) when I get home for the Veterans Day Parade in Vancouver on Nov. 7th. I had been wanting a new Handi-Talkie (HT) radio since seeing all my friends get the Yaesu VX-8R that covers 4 bands, is submersible, has a GPS and even bluetooth capabilities and I found a deal on eBay from a fellow expat contractor down in Qatar, which after exchanging several emails and him lowering the price I couldn’t resist and bought. From what I’ve heard, learning to operate it is the hardest part, as it has minimal controls which are context dependent as to their function.
Other than studying, the only thing I fill my time with is playing guitar. I don’t have a decent way to record anything or I’d post something. I’ve added a few more songs to my repertoire but mostly tried to polish what I already knew.
Oil Into Oil
It amazes me that we don’t hear stuff like this in the news and that the government isn’t behind this kind of technology. This article is dated 2006 and seemed not shows the concept was proven, but could easily solve several problems we face. I know the answer, greed and corruption. It’s an interesting read how this guy figured out how to drastically speed up processes Mother Nature uses to turn things into oil. Read about it here.
Rangeling the Wayward Means Committee
No wonder America is broke and no one trusts the government. Here’s how the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee fails to report more income than most of us will see in many, many years if not a lifetime.
history political: 2nd amendment constitution government out of control guns
by steve
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I Guess GW Was Right…
The constitution is, “just a goddam piece of paper.” I’ve never seen this video before but it certainly has my attention.
current events political: cancer pot wasted tax dollars
by steve
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Your Tax Dollars At Work
Our government hard at work on real priorities. http://www.katu.com/news/53939922.html I guess the current legislators missed the history lesson on prohibition, and the recent medical studies showing marijuana reduces risks of certain types of cancer.
Close of the Day
Death is always right around the corner and just when you forget about it, it rears it’s ugly head from an unsuspecting corner. I learned earlier today that someone I worked briefly with but learned a lot from passed away. She was younger than me and definitely too young to be taken from her friends and husband. A few weeks ago a friend I work with out here lost his 18 year old son to a swimming accident, but not before saving his two siblings from a similar fate.
Naturally events like these make you reflect. I penned a poem that came to mind while thinking about this.
Close of the Day
Life is precarious, it hangs by a thread
One day you’re born, next day you’re dead
All that you work for, all you dismay,
Amounts to naught at the close of the day
Ambitions you chase and duties fulfilled,
Harried time spent pursuing your thrills
Be sure to keep close the ones you hold dear,
Lest you awake to find the end here
current events history political: conspiracy revolution us debt
by steve
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Swine Flu
It’s pretty crazy the lengths they are going to for what has proven to be less of a threat than the seasonal flu. This article talks about the preparation of the military in order to force swine flu vaccinations. Could it be a red-herring for some other more devious purpose? If it’s true that the second American Revolution has begun, could it be too unreasonable to assume that perhaps the same people who are printing money like it’s going out of style want to contain the American people when the wheels fall off our economy? Perhaps the KBR interment camps will come in handy in the near future.
It’s possible it’s all coincidence and I’m just a conspiracy theory nut, but it sure seems like we’ve been seeing our freedom aggressively eroded. Here’s a couple of other facts to consider:
Approximate U.S. debt:
11 trillion and obviously growing fast
Interest on that debt:
26 billion. PER MONTH. That money goes to our creditors. Mostly overseas(China).
Sobering, isn’t it?
Honey Bees Still Disappearing
I hadn’t heard of this for a while and like the author of this article, assumed it was no longer a problem. If honey bees become extinct we’ll have a hell of a lot more problems than we have now.
Fiction
That last entry was purely fictional. It was a fantasy that will probably never come true if I don’t believe it.
Gray Guss
The ink is barely dry on the contract, but I’ve signed on as the lead guitarist with Gray Guss, a new Pink Floyd tribute band based in San Diego. I have friends there who are apparently well connected and they liked the demo’s we produced for them. Since I’ve gotten serious with the guitar, I’ve not wanted anything as much as doing this very thing. I always thought I’d like to have been David Gilmour, but this route seems a bit easier.
Moving from the NW will be tough but I know it will be worth it. So stoke up the bong and turn on the black lights, it’s time to get Comfortably Numb!