Happy birthday, Rachel! Woo hoo! May you be 29 forever!
Here's something to mark the occasion, hopefully. I'm taking artistic license by changing one very key word... I hope Mr. Keats won't mind:
To My Brothers (Ed: Sister)
Small, busy flames play through the fresh laid coals,
And their faint cracklings o’er our silence creep
Like whispers of the household gods that keep
A gentle empire o’er fraternal souls.
And while, for rhymes, I search around the poles,
Your eyes are fix’d, as in poetic sleep,
Upon the lore so voluble and deep,
That aye at fall of night our care condoles.
This is your birth-day Rachel, and I rejoice
That thus it passes smoothly, quietly.
Many such eves of gently whisp’ring noise
May we together pass, and calmly try
What are this world’s true joys,—ere the great voice,
From its fair face, shall bid our spirits fly.
-- John Keats (Ed. TS)
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Virginia Tech and the 2nd Amendment
In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, we are reminded of an age-old axiom:
Nutjobs and guns don't mix.
...and soon some in the political arena and the media will let everyone know it (in case anyone doesn't know it already), in order to set the stage for their anti-2nd Amendment notions.
I can already hear CNN, the New York Times and Congressional Democrats (mainly lefties, though there will be a smattering of centrists and righties on this side as well) licking their chops to take advantage of this anti-gun opportunity.
Look, I'm not one of those guys in Montana who thinks that his acre of land is his own separate country. I don't go mudding on an ATV. I don't hunt. I don't even own a gun.
But I figured I'd outline some fairly decent reasons why someone would want to own a firearm. Therein we might find a fair amount of justification for defending the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution -- even in the wake of the VA Tech tragedy.
--------
1) Except in the very rare case of an officer being near your location at the start of an assault/murder attempt, police cannot get there fast enough to protect you from a would-be assailant. If you are armed, you at least have a chance to protect yourself and/or your family.
2) Widespread civilian gun ownership would make it difficult for anyone to subject the US to tyranny, or for any foreign power to take over the US. Assuming a foreign foe ever got past the US military, they'd then have 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 or so firearm owners to deal with, state and local police, FBI, etc. Good luck with that, buddy.
Look at the trouble we've had stopping the anti-democracy insurgency in Iraq. They are an armed populace -- at least, it seems that the bad guys have guns.
It's much easier to subjugate someone if he has no means of fighting back.
3) Hunting: Whether for fun or for sustenance, hunting is reputedly an enjoyable activity.
4) Sport-shooting and target-shooting (clay pigeons, targets, etc. -- fun!)
5) Art: Guns could be seen as stylish, neat objects to have around for their aesthetic value.
6) Collecting: Some guns are highly valued and, as such, there is a large collectible-gun market. In this way, guns can be seen as investments.
So while, in a perfect world, we could keep people like Monday's nutjob from purchasing a firearm and using it to murder 32 people, there is virtually no way to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Think about it: if the 2nd Amendment is repealed and Big Brother orders us to turn in our firearms, the law-abiding citizens will do it... and the criminals won't.
Please, government/media, let's not go overboard on this issue. Guns help us protect ourselves in certain situations, they allow us the capacity to forever fend off tyranny, they are instruments for fun and possibly even sustenance, they can be appreciated as art, and some are collectible objects and (thus) investment tools.
Not that I'm going to buy one. hehe
Well, okay, maybe one day I'll pick up a Sig P226... if that model is still around.
Nutjobs and guns don't mix.
...and soon some in the political arena and the media will let everyone know it (in case anyone doesn't know it already), in order to set the stage for their anti-2nd Amendment notions.
I can already hear CNN, the New York Times and Congressional Democrats (mainly lefties, though there will be a smattering of centrists and righties on this side as well) licking their chops to take advantage of this anti-gun opportunity.
Look, I'm not one of those guys in Montana who thinks that his acre of land is his own separate country. I don't go mudding on an ATV. I don't hunt. I don't even own a gun.
But I figured I'd outline some fairly decent reasons why someone would want to own a firearm. Therein we might find a fair amount of justification for defending the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution -- even in the wake of the VA Tech tragedy.
--------
1) Except in the very rare case of an officer being near your location at the start of an assault/murder attempt, police cannot get there fast enough to protect you from a would-be assailant. If you are armed, you at least have a chance to protect yourself and/or your family.
2) Widespread civilian gun ownership would make it difficult for anyone to subject the US to tyranny, or for any foreign power to take over the US. Assuming a foreign foe ever got past the US military, they'd then have 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 or so firearm owners to deal with, state and local police, FBI, etc. Good luck with that, buddy.
Look at the trouble we've had stopping the anti-democracy insurgency in Iraq. They are an armed populace -- at least, it seems that the bad guys have guns.
It's much easier to subjugate someone if he has no means of fighting back.
3) Hunting: Whether for fun or for sustenance, hunting is reputedly an enjoyable activity.
4) Sport-shooting and target-shooting (clay pigeons, targets, etc. -- fun!)
5) Art: Guns could be seen as stylish, neat objects to have around for their aesthetic value.
6) Collecting: Some guns are highly valued and, as such, there is a large collectible-gun market. In this way, guns can be seen as investments.
So while, in a perfect world, we could keep people like Monday's nutjob from purchasing a firearm and using it to murder 32 people, there is virtually no way to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Think about it: if the 2nd Amendment is repealed and Big Brother orders us to turn in our firearms, the law-abiding citizens will do it... and the criminals won't.
Please, government/media, let's not go overboard on this issue. Guns help us protect ourselves in certain situations, they allow us the capacity to forever fend off tyranny, they are instruments for fun and possibly even sustenance, they can be appreciated as art, and some are collectible objects and (thus) investment tools.
Not that I'm going to buy one. hehe
Well, okay, maybe one day I'll pick up a Sig P226... if that model is still around.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
April Showers
After taking a much-needed hiatus from this online journal, I have returned to bestow a few idle thoughts upon my small -- but growing (Rose) -- audience.
1. It is about 40 degrees (F) here in Nashville this morning. Two days ago, it was about 70 at this time. Cripes. And the thing that sucks most is that it isn't raining, so we might have nothing to show for it next month -- you know, "April showers bring May flowers." Well what if Nashville is a barren wasteland because we had little (or no) rain in April? We did have a bit yesterday or the day before (honestly can't remember), but will that smidge(o)n be enough to guarantee calm seas and sunny skies in May? My April-May anxiety levels are at an all-time high, and it's just the 5th of April. Where, oh where, did I put my stress ball?!?!
2. It is 21 (wind chill of 15) in Yakutsk right now -- must be about 6:30pm or so over there, so they're just barely starting to cool down from the warmest part of the day. They're still not above freezing, but to them it must seem like a heat wave. Meanwhile, it's 29 at Base Bernardo O'Higgins. I have no idea what time it is there, but this remains impressive: Yakutsk is (once again) colder than Antarctica.
3. Ohio State lost to Florida in the national championship (or national final... whatever they call it) game of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Ohio State lost primarily because they could not hit three-point shots (shooting all of about 10% up until the last minute), while Florida could seemingly not miss from long distance (the Gators shot something like 65% from three). If both teams shoot their averages from three, Ohio State wins the game by double digits. It just wasn't meant to be.
Buckeye center Greg Oden was dominant in defeat.
4.
120x = 840
x = 7
The square root of 9 = 3, -3
The absolute value of -7 = 7
The differential of X-to-the-third + 3x-squared + 4x = 3x-squared + 6x + 4
Mathematics was not meant to be typed on a computer... unless, I suppose, you've got some neat "Math Typing Made Easy" suite, or some such thing. Give me my blue book, thank you. Well the algebraic equation wasn't so bad. But I couldn't find means for correctly showing a square root, absolute value, or exponential variables as they are normally represented in a proper mathematical (quiz/test/homework etc.) context.
5. Don't order the lobster -- save your date's pocketbook. Or say this when you order: "I'll have the lobster, please, with a side of foie gras."
Look at your date -- check especially for signs of perspiration and hyperventilation. Then modify your order by saying, "Oh... April Fool's. I'll go with the cheeseburger instead."
Your date will be grateful.
1. It is about 40 degrees (F) here in Nashville this morning. Two days ago, it was about 70 at this time. Cripes. And the thing that sucks most is that it isn't raining, so we might have nothing to show for it next month -- you know, "April showers bring May flowers." Well what if Nashville is a barren wasteland because we had little (or no) rain in April? We did have a bit yesterday or the day before (honestly can't remember), but will that smidge(o)n be enough to guarantee calm seas and sunny skies in May? My April-May anxiety levels are at an all-time high, and it's just the 5th of April. Where, oh where, did I put my stress ball?!?!
2. It is 21 (wind chill of 15) in Yakutsk right now -- must be about 6:30pm or so over there, so they're just barely starting to cool down from the warmest part of the day. They're still not above freezing, but to them it must seem like a heat wave. Meanwhile, it's 29 at Base Bernardo O'Higgins. I have no idea what time it is there, but this remains impressive: Yakutsk is (once again) colder than Antarctica.
3. Ohio State lost to Florida in the national championship (or national final... whatever they call it) game of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Ohio State lost primarily because they could not hit three-point shots (shooting all of about 10% up until the last minute), while Florida could seemingly not miss from long distance (the Gators shot something like 65% from three). If both teams shoot their averages from three, Ohio State wins the game by double digits. It just wasn't meant to be.
Buckeye center Greg Oden was dominant in defeat.
4.
120x = 840
x = 7
The square root of 9 = 3, -3
The absolute value of -7 = 7
The differential of X-to-the-third + 3x-squared + 4x = 3x-squared + 6x + 4
Mathematics was not meant to be typed on a computer... unless, I suppose, you've got some neat "Math Typing Made Easy" suite, or some such thing. Give me my blue book, thank you. Well the algebraic equation wasn't so bad. But I couldn't find means for correctly showing a square root, absolute value, or exponential variables as they are normally represented in a proper mathematical (quiz/test/homework etc.) context.
5. Don't order the lobster -- save your date's pocketbook. Or say this when you order: "I'll have the lobster, please, with a side of foie gras."
Look at your date -- check especially for signs of perspiration and hyperventilation. Then modify your order by saying, "Oh... April Fool's. I'll go with the cheeseburger instead."
Your date will be grateful.
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