Rambling Thoughts

Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-04T09:32:00.001-06:00

“Christmas gift suggestions:To your enemy, forgiveness.To an opponent, tolerance.To a friend, your heart.To a customer, service.To all, charity.To every child, a good example.To yourself, respect.”- Oren Arnold

Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-02T19:35:00.001-06:00

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.- Calvin Coolidge

Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-01T21:40:00.001-06:00

If you haven't got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.- Bob Hope

Tourette Syndrome

2011-02-12T20:54:00.001-06:00

When they're born, all you want is for them to be healthy and to have ten toes and fingers. As they grow older, you have a few more hopes and dreams. We want our children to succeed where we may have failed, to make great grades, go to college, find a great career, get married, and live happily ever after. I think that is everyone's dream for their children.

Of course, not everyone is destined to go to college and even get married but still I think most parents dream of their children throwing their graduation cap into the air and walking their daughter down the aisle. Parents want their children to fly gloriously from the nest, soar high above the world, and succeed. Although it may be wrong, many parents want to live vicariously through their children, to be young again, to see them take a different path, and to share in their success. Whether wanting to live vicariously or just wanting to see your children do better than prior generations, it pains a parent greatly when things go awry.

When Lauren was just a toddler, we noticed that she blinked her eyes a lot but never really thought there was a problem. Later, in elementary school, she began what we called "huffing." Basically, she would exhale several short quick bursts of air. One of her teachers mentioned it to us thinking that she might have a respiratory issue so, of course, we made an appointment to see her pediatrician. Another doctor later and we had a diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome and her "tic" was explained to us.

It's amazing how you blame yourself and suffer so greatly when your child has a basically incurable condition that could worsen as they age. We tortured ourselves wondering which one of us passed along this condition and how it might effect our perfect little girl's life. After a lot of poring over medical information on the net, I realized that I had tics even more complex than my daughters and that I was probably the one that passed it along. I never realized that my penchant for walking away from a conversation repeating what was just said was a tic. They recommended that we medicate her and so we did for years. She gained a lot of weight and was somewhat lethargic but the symptoms were greatly reduced.

She eventually wanted to quit taking the medicine and, although, we feared that adolescence would accelerate or even cause the development of more complex tics, our fears were unfounded. They never worsened nor abated. Teenage rebellion, criminal male friends, and recreational drugs soon became our main fears. Tourette's paled in comparison.

Losing My Father

2011-02-12T12:11:00.001-06:00

My dad was a simple man. He didn't have much of a traditional classroom education. He never graduated from high school but he was wise. Life taught him everything that he needed to know and his studies began early. His own father passed away at the age of 47 making him the head of the family taking care of his mother and his little brother. He married my mom, had a family, and life was a bit of a struggle.

Except for a few years driving a truck, my dad spent his life toiling in the soil of Madison County. Farming was passed down by his father and it was the only life that my dad truly knew. It was an occupation that he loved except during the fourteen hour days of picking cotton each fall when he threatened to take up sweeping floors for a living. He loved farming but he didn't want to pass it on encouraging us to go to college or learn a trade and we did. It took me 21 years but I finished my Bachelors degree a few years ago. It was the first in our family and dad proudly began greeting me as "The Professor" when I came through the door.

My father was a good man but he wasn't Ward Cleaver. He was the strong and silent John Wayne type. He wasn't very good at expressing himself and never spoke much of his own childhood. He was a rather hard man when we were young. The rod certainly wasn't spared at our house but I'm sure that we needed it. He taught us the value of hard work and respect. I think time and three little grand daughters softened his heart. He still wasn't much of a conversationalist about personal matters but he never failed to tell me he loved me anytime that we talked.

I dropped by my parent's house on my way home from work the day before his heart attack last July. I thought dad was just tired at the time. My mom did too and he certainly wasn't going to admit that he didn't feel well. He hardly ever did. I was espousing on my mechanical skills and my new job during our last conversation. He was proud of me and I of him.

I watched dad struggle to support us for years without truly appreciating the sacrifices that he endured to raise me and my siblings. It took many years and raising a daughter of my own to understand my dad's life, to understand the hard work and the sacrifice that he endured to take care of our family. He gave us opportunities in life that he never had. He taught us well and then he set us free to find our way in the world and I'll always love him for it.

Lunch at Ryans

2011-02-06T13:17:00.001-06:00

My grandfather retired from work years ago but not from going to town, the town in question being Huntsville. For an elderly couple that didn't spend any money, they went shopping a lot, mostly at Big Lots and similar stores and the all mighty Goodwill store where my grandfather satisfies his unique fetish of buying old, mostly useless, consumer grade film cameras. $2 purchases that he justifies by claiming that the batteries themselves cost at least $6 but that story is for another time.

My grandmother suffered from a form of dementia the last few years of her life. I'm not sure that she recognized me nor my mother at all but my grandfather seemed to take it in stride. She had some interesting hallucinations and once had the garbage man call the police but was mostly a very happy confused person. Her condition didn't slow down the trips to town. It may even have inspired more of them as my grandfather tried to keep her mind occupied and perhaps distract himself from the situation.

For years, my grandparents met my uncle at Ryans every Wednesday for lunch. I tried my best to see them any chance I got and lunch at Ryans seemed to be the only time besides holidays. Occasionally, I made it over there to meet them promptly at 11:00 AM, the offical time for lunch in the Kilpatrick family. I heard my grandmother's voice for the last time at Ryans.

She was smiling and happily speaking to everyone around her. I'm sure the regulars there knew of her condition. She was happy to see me and always mentioned how long it had been, sometimes months but often years by her time table. She believed that they traveled between two houses, their little home in Gurley of more than forty years and what we believed was her parent's home which might have seemed normal to others until she wondered aloud how her cats made their way between the houses, concerned about their travels. My uncle told her not to worry. They went cross country and avoided the roads. She laughed and seemed satisfied with that explanation.

My grandfather couldn't wake her from her nap that Friday night. A stroke had robbed her of her voice, and after hanging on for a few weeks, her life. I miss my grandmother. I hurt for my grandfather.

Long Lost Resume Nets Interview?

2011-02-05T13:45:00.000-06:00

The wind was gusting at 25+ mph and the rain was coming down sideways when my cellphone rang the other day. It was a Redstone number so I assumed it was job related. It was... just not my job. On the other end was a gentleman wanting to discuss a job opportunity with me. At the moment, I was just trying to stay dry but I told him to email the details and I'll entertain his offer.

The responding email was a little light on details but the job was a dedicated support position on Redstone, similar to my current position, and I should meet them at a nearby coffee shop on my lunch break. Sure, why not? Who knows? Could be a great opportunity. I shot back an email asking how they had received my resume since I hadn't sent out any since November of 2009 when Knology took over the reins at PCL and I didn't remember sending anything to this company at all but received no reply.

Angel's Coffee Shop is your typical coffee shop. It's located on S. Parkway near Martin Rd., only about five minutes from my current office. I arrived about fifteen minutes early and took a seat in the corner where I could observe four men that I suspected of being with the company in question conducting an apparent interview. A few moments later, another man came in, ordered a coffee, and asked if I was Michael Ray. That's an affirmative and our conversation began and he was soon joined by the senior manager at the other table.

The resume that was produced was older than I imagined! After I graduated in December 2008, I sent out a few resumes and I believe I know the path this one followed. My father-in-law worked for a contractor that provided support on the test ranges and I did talk to a contact there but nothing was available in my field. Three years later, I get a call! Wow. Unfortunately, I'm a bit over qualified for the advertised position. My resume was a bit "dumbed down" and they weren't sure that they could authorize a paycheck in my range but they were interested so we're talking. Interesting, huh?

Physique Pics

2011-01-29T16:33:00.003-06:00

These were shot in April of 2005. I was dieting down for our cruise to the Bahamas. Still way too fat and I think down on muscle mass from the changes to my routine due to shoulder and back issues and the imbalances resulting from them. I was still working around it getting my tail in the company gym several times per week to lift weights and pound the treadmill.

I was reasonably happy with myself when we hit the port in Jackonsville a month later. I was in the low 160's and had a little bit more of a tan after hitting the tanning bed. My Scotch/Irish heritage doesn't allow much in that area either. I was probably 13-14% bodyfat at that point. I wouldn't mind seeing those numbers again but I'm carrying less muscle mass now so the body weight would of course be lower.

The worse was yet to come. I got laid off in April of 2006 and stopped working out.

Physique Pics

2011-01-29T09:48:00.005-06:00

Some claim that bodybuilders have a mental illness similar to anorexia called body dysmorphic disorder. They obsessively try to correct some perceived imperfection in their physique by lifting weights and taking performance enhancing drugs as well. I have been very dedicated at times to maintaining a strict diet and lifting religiously but not what I would consider obsessively yet I do see many imperfections.

Although I'm no bodybuilder, for years, I followed a traditional bodybuilder routine of bulking during the winter and leaning out for the summer. Of course, that plan has mostly been promoted by drug using professionals. I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't work for me. Whether I just don' t have the genetics or have failed in the execution, I get too fat during the bulk and lose too much muscle trying to drop the fat.

I've taken some pics along the way but have never been thrilled with the results so never very many. I've never posted them for public consumption whether for fear of trolls or just my disappointment over the perceived imperfections. Maybe it's time? Maybe they will inspire me to discipline myself for more improvements. These two were shot in July of 2004. The flash wiped out what little definition that I had and body fat was pretty high.

Some Progress on the Fitness Front

2011-01-23T18:43:00.000-06:00

I confess. I'm a yoyo fitness enthusiast. I've got the same excuses as everyone else: too busy at home, schedule at work, too damn lazy, etc. For four years, I did nothing but sat on my tail in front of a computer with only my fingers moving for the better part of my day. Athens was good for my state of mind but not for my physique.

Since returning to the Arsenal last July, I joined the MWR giving me access to the fitness centers on the base. I've worked out at all of them over the years but have been sticking to the Sparkman Center this time. My workouts are different now. I now start my sessions with thirty minutes on the elliptical. I've always been a cardio advocate but I just don't like it.

Cardio was a part of my workout between 1998 and 2006 but it was shoved to the end and just wasn't prioritized the way that it is now. If I didn't feel like it then oh well. My fathers early passing prompted a change in priorities. I'm sure that not smoking three packs a day gives me a decided advantage over my dad but the cardio sure couldn't hurt and, after four years of a very sedentary lifestyle, I feel a lot better!

The ego is being checked at the door and my shoulder and back thank me for it daily. I've given up the big three ego builders otherwise known as the bench press, squat, and deadlift. Let them rest in peace. It's Nautilus machines with some dumbbell work tossed in for smaller bodyparts. While I really like the chest and back machines, the arm machines just don't quite feel right. I have split my routine into back/biceps and chest/triceps with calf raises being done at each work. Leg presses were killing my back so the elliptical is the only real leg work that I'm getting. I inherited a set of chicken legs from my dad and I'm gonna have to live with it.

My goal of the three times per week lunch hour work out has only been fully realized a few times but progress has been made. I've dropped about five pounds on the scale. Approximately fifteen more would put me back solidly into high school range which might be a little light but we'll see ... that is... if I can actually get there.

Words of Our First President

2011-01-22T19:46:00.004-06:00

"Let your heart feel for the afflictions and distress of everyone, and let your hand give in proportion to your purse."

George Washington

Remembering the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

2011-01-17T18:43:00.002-06:00

"I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man." -- From a speech delivered in Memphis on April 3, 1968. King was assassinated the next day.

Certification Fun

2011-01-16T16:17:00.000-06:00

Professional certifications have been on my dream list since graduating in 2008 but cash has not been plentiful. Unfortunately, the lack of certs was a deterrent to gainful employment. Luckily, I found someone that saw my potential and hired me anyway with the stipulation that I had six months to pass the required exams. I passed the CompTIA Network+ last month which gives me a lifetime cert in that area and now I'm studying furiously for the Microsoft 70-620 exam.

I thought I would have another month to study for an exam of my choice but my employer decided otherwise so everyone is taking this Vista test this week! Myself and four of my co-workers got the honors of going first so Tuesday morning at 8:30 it is. I've been studying online and failed my first practice exam by four points after going through half the material. Gotta keep studying! One more day. Definitely not the best way to spend a three day holiday weekend.

New job!

2010-12-26T19:34:00.000-06:00

Actually, I've been back on the military base since July but I've been a bit hesitant to even mention it fearing some ill would befall me if I did. In the words of Bruce Springsteen, I feel "like a dog that's been beat too much until you spend half your life just covering up." Life has certainly been challenging and very different since I was laid off in April 2006 so it's not like I feel this way without reason.

Back in 1987, I began my college career at UAH in the EE department but realized that I had neither the discipline nor the intelligence for the math. I took classes in various areas over the next five years never earning a degree but gaining enough knowledge to earn a decent living in computer support. After the lay-off, I was determined to complete my undergraduate degree hoping that furthering my education would provide some job security.

After looking at the curriculum at local colleges, I chose the CIS program at Athens State University. UAH's MIS program was considered but was more business while ASU's program provided more programming and networking so I headed down the interstate to Athens. At the recommendation of one of my professors, I took a support job at a local cable company that I greatly enjoyed but at half of my prior pay. Convenient to furthering my education but damaging to our finances draining my dwindling resources and forcing me to take out student loans. Sigh.

Two years later, I finished my degree but it didn't seem to help much in pursuit of more gainful employment in the sagging economy. My clearance was inactive and I wasn't certified which knocked me out of contention with many companies and the lack of a clearance kept me out of many local job fairs. In the soft economy, many companies simply didn't want to spend the money for clearances or certs when there was a surplus of over qualified applicants with them already in hand.

Four years post lay-off and thanks to a friend from the racing world, I'm back on the base doing desktop support (but still making less moolah than before) and looking at various options for upward mobility. I just completed my Network+ certification and will be taking a computing environment cert very soon. I'm hoping that these industry certifications will bolster my resume even more and propel my career forward once more. For the first time in many years, I feel somewhat confident that my luck may turn around.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

2010-12-26T08:50:00.001-06:00

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

- Robert Frost

The Wisdom of Stewart Udall

2010-09-15T20:14:00.000-05:00

Americans must finally cast aside our notion that we can continue the wasteful consumption patterns of our past. We must promote a consciousness attuned to a frugal, highly efficient mode of living. In closing, I leave you with these thoughts, and hope you will hold to these ideals throughout your lives:

Foster a consciousness that puts a premium on the common good and the protection of the environment. Give your unstinting support to all lasting, fruitful technological innovations. Be steadfast enemies of waste. The lifetime crusade of your days must be to develop a new energy ethic to sustain life on earth.

In the 1960s, when the carbon problem and the exhaustion of the world's petroleum were still beyond our gaze, I advocated a new ethic to guide our nation's stewardship of its resources. I realize now this approach was too narrow, too nationalistic. To sustain life on our small planet, we will need a wider, all-encompassing planetary resource ethic based on values implemented by mutual cooperation. This ethic must be rooted in the most intrinsic values of all: Caring, sharing, and mutual efforts that reach beyond all obstacles and boundaries.

Go well, do well, my children. Cherish sunsets, wild creatures and wild places. Have a love affair with the wonder and beauty of the earth.

Quoted from "A Message to Our Grandchildren" by Stewart Udall

More of that Fitness Stuff

2010-09-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

I didn't make it to the gym today but I feel OK about it. I managed another 30 minutes on the elliptical yesterday and two more sets of Nautilus Incline Presses and, an addition to my routine, a set of Nautilus Overhead Presses. Tomorrow, I've got legs on my mind. Yeah, I'm talking about my wife's legs but I'm still gonna knock out a leg workout of my own tomorrow.

I just can't see myself getting a good workout doing only Nautilus Leg Presses. There is a free weight hack squat machine in this gym. I've used one many times in the past so I'll give it a try for 2-3 sets before finishing with leg presses. We'll see how that goes. It could be my imagination but I think I'm feeling better!

Weedeaters are Fun

2010-08-31T19:42:00.000-05:00

I never participated in the great McMansion, biggest lawn tractor, biggest gas grill competition of the last few decades so I buy cheap weedeaters. I just don't see any need for Joe Blow to spend a small fortune on an industrial weedeater and lawn mower to cut his 7/8th's acre of suburbia once a week. The John Deere "lawn tractor" seems to be the status symbol of choice these days. Interesting that there's almost nothing John Deere on any of them except the name and the green paint. Most lawn tractors bought at box stores are made by only a handful of manufacturers. Same with weedeaters.

The cheap little Weedeater brand weed whackers that I've been using for the past few decades are manufactured by Poulan and have many brand names slapped on them. They're definitely not made for industrial usage but for less than $90, you can't beat 'em. To get the best performance from your own unit, you will need a Poulan carb adjustment tool to tune the fuel mixture and just a little bit of common sense and technical ability to keep it running well.

My newest Weedeater is a FL25 that I bought in the spring and it ran absolutely great until a few weeks ago. A little troubleshooting led me to the fuel filter which looked like the aluminum was disintegrating and actually left a stain in the plastic fuel tank. Weird. Of course, the guy at the small engine shop blamed it on ethanol blends. It sounds feasible but I've been running ethanol blends in everything for more than two decades and have never seen this happen before. Ethanol blends are not supposed to be stored for more than 90 days so I'm wondering if the age of the fuel may have contributed to the problem along with the extreme heat this summer.

$2.50 for a new filter and an hour spent disassembling, cleaning, and tweaking the Walbro carburetor got her back in primo condition. Stay tuned for a future entry detailing exactly how to tweak that carb!

Back In The Gym: Week Three

2010-08-30T19:59:00.000-05:00

I missed my workout last Friday and I was afraid that today was going to be a bust as well. I didn't sleep well last night and was dead tired all morning. A quick midday nap and a Diet Mountain Dew provided the needed motivation enabling me to ramp up the cardio to 30 minutes on the Precor elliptical burning up right under 300 calories and 2.5 miles.

Although muscle soreness isn't supposed to be an indicator of progress, I've alway seemed to suffer greatly in that area and the feedback is useful. My last circuit workout, although challenging, didn't leave me sore so I decided to change it up a bit. Today, I knocked out three sets of rows and three sets of lat pulldowns with reps in the 6-10 range. I then moved on to the incline press but only managed two sets before complete failure.

My capacity for work is rather low as I'm sure the cardio is burning up some energy and I haven't even really cut the calories yet. I'm going to attempt to hit the gym five days this week on a two day split on the stength training with cardio every day. At least that's the plan at the moment. We'll see how it feels.

Say What?

2010-08-25T20:36:00.000-05:00

"It's like a milk cow with 310 million tits."
-- Deficit Commission co-chair Alan Simpson on Social Security

I guess he forgot that the vast majority of those people worked their whole lives and paid into the system. It particularly disgusts me considering that my father worked and paid into the system until he passed away at 60 and thus will never see a dime of that money. My mother, who was a stay-at-home mom and never paid into the system, will receive about half of my father's projected payments in survivor's benefits. The very thought that the bourgeois of Washington D.C. would endanger that well deserved check has me considering the benefits of the guillotine and I don't even support capital punishment.

Back In The Gym: One Week In

2010-08-25T19:41:00.000-05:00

One week down. Many more to come! I completed my second workout of the week and haven't collapsed into a quivering heap quite yet. It's been the Precor elliptical machine for 20 minutes of cardio this week. I made the mistake of venturing into the gym at noon on Monday and found all of the treadmills taken. No big deal. I actually enjoyed the elliptical more than I remembered. I can see my pulse rate dropping already. Lower blood pressure here we come!

So what am I doing in the strength training area? At the moment, just a simple fullbody circuit training program consisting of two sets at the following Nautilus Nitro Plus stations: Mid Row, Lat Pulldown, Seated Calf, Incline Press, and Leg Press in that order. I don't think I can call it a traditional circuit since I complete the two sets at each station with about a minute between sets before moving on to the next exercise. It's just easier than coming back and finding someone else using the station.

As you may have noticed, there is no direct arm work. Not much need for it at the moment. The core exercises are working just fine. I think I'll punish myself for six weeks with this routine before mixing it up somewhat. I'm not quite sure which way that I want to go but I think I will be sticking with the machines this time. My shoulders actually feel good these days and I would like to keep it that way. Same goes for my back. I doubt that free weight squats and deads will be in the routine ever again. I'm looking forward to your emails. 8)

Back in the Gym

2010-08-23T20:18:00.000-05:00

I found this cool article on NPR this morning - No More Gym? Don't Worry, Your Muscles Remember. It confirms the previously anecdotal theory of muscle memory and I'm hoping that it still applies to the guy that has now crested 40. I guess we'll see.

Except for my bulging disc shortened experience with P90X last August, I haven't worked out since I was laid off from Diebold in April of 2006. Friends of mine during my 30's would be astonished that I can actually eat like a normal human being and not exercise at least three times per week but it's true. I've been living the life of the average sedentary office geek for the last four years.

OK, maybe not quite average. My diet is still relatively clean compared to the norm and I'm only about ten pounds heavier but I've lost muscle mass as well so it's perhaps a bit more overall but less than twenty pounds overweight in our obese society can't hardly be considered average. Unfortunately, my blood pressure is in the pre-hypertensive range and the little woman is pushing for a full cardio evaluation since my father's untimely passing.

Since once again finding employment on the Arsenal, I joined the MWR and have now hit the gym three times with 20 minutes of cardio and circuit training on some cool Nautilus equipment. I used one of their lat pulldown stations at UAH years ago and it's great! I've been pleasantly surprised with my performance. Definitely not world shattering but decent for a four year lay-off. I think the new job has revitalized my body, mind, and spirit. I still need to get some more discipline in my diet but I'm happy to be exercising regularly once again. Now I've got to work on that yoga routine for my off days.

Compulsive Email Checker?

2010-08-22T11:13:00.004-05:00

Do you find yourself hitting the Send/Receive button? Sure, your email client checks the mail at least every 30 minutes but do you just have to hit that little button only to watch some spam roll into your junk folder? I confess. My name is Michael Ray and I am a compulsive email checker which would probably be acceptable if I actually recieved something but junk on a regular basis.

At the height of my motorsports journalism days, I received upwards of 300 messages per day and spent a few hours downloading my new messages upon returning from a race. Dial-up is definitely a problem when you have 1200 messages waiting to be read. After I gave up the "fame and glory", it took a while to acclimate to absolutely nothing being in my inbox and I don't think I've ever completely given up the addiction.

Working on the military base without access to my email client may provide the needed discipline to kick the email habit. I have absolutely no reason to log into webmail two dozen times per day when the only messages I receive are notices that I paid a bill, Russian girls wanting to send me their pictures, or the latest ad for Viagra. I'm kicking the email habit! I'm done!

Long Time. No Blog.

2010-08-22T11:00:00.002-05:00

Sporadic blogging seems to be one of my character traits yet one that I don't believe is unique to my personality. Anyhow, I'm back! Actually, there were a multitude of reasons for my lack of blogworthiness but the major factor was the day job. Working for Knology had become so self consuming that I had neither the time nor inclination to write about it, not even as self-therapy which is mostly what I call it when you're writing and no one is reading it. Everyone is probably playing Farmville or something.

Facebook seems to have become the preferred method of keeping up with friends and family and our modern busy lives seem to tolerate the short, mostly non-thought provoking comments much better although I could do without knowing everyone's location. The dentist appointment and subsequent trip to Dunkin Donuts is best kept to yourself. I can also live without Farmville, Mafia Wars, etc. but if it makes your day brighter then go for it.

Really, I'm not bashing Facebook. It has allowed me to contact many friends that I haven't seen in two decades, close friends that gave me a lot of support when my father passed away last month. I can't thank them enough and I'm glad that they're back in my life.

More ramblings coming in the near future.

New Years Wisdom from Ben Franklin

2010-01-01T07:00:00.002-06:00

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.

Benjamin Franklin

Christmas History

2009-12-25T15:57:00.003-06:00

Men dressed as Krampus, the companion of St. Nicholas and one of Austria's unique Advent traditions, are seen during a traditional Krampus procession in the city of Munich, southern Germany, on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008.

Debate on Christmas was taking place hundreds of years before the so called "war on Christmas" in which modern secular society is supposedly stripping Christ from the holiday. Early Puritans in New England went the opposite direction completely banning the holiday for awhile and especially wanted to rid the celebration of all of the pagan traditions that have been assimilated as various peoples were conquered and sometime forcibly converted to Christianity.

Our modern version of Santa Claus is an amalgamation of various traditional givers of gifts across Europe. In the Alps, some customs that would seem very shocking to modern Americans survive to this day. In those regions, Saint Nicholas is accompanied by an incubus demon called the Krampus who gives warnings and punishments to the bad children or even takes them to hell in a bag or basket. That will give your kids nightmares!

The word Krampus originates from the Old High German for claw (Krampen). Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December, particularly in the evening of December 5, and roam the streets frightening children and women with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas the tradition also includes birching (spanking with a birch rod typically on the bare buttocks) by the Krampus, especially of young females.

Here's a good article on the Krampus from Utica, NY's WKTV entitled Naughty or Nice - Santa's Helper, Krampus, deals with the naughty children.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T08:00:00.010-06:00

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons.
It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

Dr. Suess

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-24T09:00:00.003-06:00

John Lennon's Happy Xmas/War is Over is the second song on our list from a former Beatle. Lennon, Yoko Ono, and the Plastic Ono Band recorded the now Christmas classic at Record Plant Studios in New York City in October 1971. The children singing are the Harlem Community Choir.

The song is based on a 1969 billboard campaign by Lennon and Ono who rented billboards and posters in eleven cities around the world that read "WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko". Of course, we were fighting the very unpopular Vietnam war at the time and the government was following Lennon everywhere.

Enjoy your Christmas Eve! Our former employer gave us the day off so Knology made an exception for our small group. Marrazzo was kind enough to take call this morning at 8AM so I hope to rest and recuperate and wait for Santa.

Things only hoped for

2009-12-23T15:33:00.000-06:00

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for.”
--Epicurus

Happy Festivus!

2009-12-23T10:44:00.003-06:00

Seinfeld was a true cultural phenomenon and Festivus has oddly become part of the American lexicon thanks to the series. Put up your aluminum pole, air your grievances, and participate in feats of strength! Surely, you can pin your old man by now. Watch the story of Festivus!

Cool Commerical!

2009-12-23T10:21:00.000-06:00

Verizon has the better coverage. AT&T has the most popular phone. Go figure. Great commercial for the season!

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-23T08:00:00.001-06:00

In 2006, the Goo Goo Dolls released Better Days making it the newest release on our countdown. The songs hopeful lyrics made it a Top 10 hit and an instant Christmas classic. John Rzeznik and crew have always been activists supporting efforts to relieve hunger both abroad and domestically and especially in their own hometown of Buffalo, NY.

A Better World

2009-12-22T13:44:00.000-06:00

Courtesy of Slate.

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-22T09:00:00.019-06:00

In 1996, a Danish Beatles cover band called Rubber Band put out a Christmas CD entitled Xmas! The Beatmas. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree is based on the lyrics/instrumentation of I Saw Her Standing There. The band really sounds like the Beatles! Great stuff.

Christmas is not a time nor a season...

2009-12-21T13:07:00.001-06:00

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."

Calvin Coolidge
30th President of the United States

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-21T09:00:00.001-06:00

Jingle Bell Rock has been covered numerous times but this version from 1983 by Hall & Oates is particularly endearing to a 40-year old guy.

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-20T09:00:00.001-06:00

Everyone of my generation will really enjoy watching this video! In 1984, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure brought together leading Irish and British musicians to form a super band called Band Aid. They produced Do They Know It's Christmas? to raise money to fight starvation in Ethiopia and it went straight to the top of the charts. Check out Sting and Bono! Enjoy.

The Wisdom and Humor of Benny Hill

2009-12-20T08:44:00.000-06:00

Roses are reddish
Violets are bluish
If it weren't for Christmas
We'd all be Jewish.
~Benny Hill

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-19T09:00:00.002-06:00

Annie Lennox was born on Christmas day so it's quite fitting that the Eurythmics Winter Wonderland is such a great song. According to the the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Winter Wonderland (written by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith in 1934) was the most-performed Christmas holiday song (based on radio airplay) and the Eurythmics version was “the most popular artist version played today” over the past 5 years. This year ASCAP have announced that the Eurythmics Winter Wonderland is the most performed holiday song of the decade!

Reality Has Arrived

2009-12-18T15:13:00.002-06:00

Oddly enough, the reality of my employment situation hit me like a brick at 4AM this morning. As I lay awake in bed listening to the soothing tones of gentle rain, my chances of going back to sleep were heading toward nil as I realized that the proposed timetable for alleviating our work burden was completely unrealistic. Since the buyout, I've been assigned the new chore of being on-call every other week. No big deal huh? Without additional incentive and with only one other very overworked person to split the duty, it's a big deal.

Knology has a fully staffed 24-hour call center in Augusta, GA that handles the vast majority of their service calls. I understand that some calls are answered in Huntsville but I believe that most technical calls, especially after hours, are routed to Georgia. So why aren't they taking the calls? Unfortunately, our system will have to be standardized with Huntsville to allow Augusta to take over. Until then, after 5PM on weekdays and all weekend, I wait somewhat patiently for an email to arrive (just got a new BlackBerry from them today) and then take care of business as needed. Although it was obviously scoffed at by management, we historically haven't returned calls after 9PM.

The call load is light after 9PM and, even if there is an outage, we don't normally receive enough calls to identify it as such until the majority of people start rising in the morning. Usually the calls start pouring in around 6AM when the cable is out. Besides the occasional problem at an individual home or a gamer nerd having issues at 3AM, call volume just isn't high enough to justify the loss of my beauty sleep. Knology has insisted that our current call center (which only collects information) actually call us if an outage is identified or if a customer is irate, no matter the hour. Thanks.

Since it's winter, I don't go out much anyhow. I usually pack on ten pounds while sitting in front of the television or the computer but spring will soon arrive and my thoughts will turn to other things ... like having a life of some sort. I might want to attend a drag race and they don't schedule those around being on-call. We suspected and it's being confirmed that there's no way that this transition can be completed by spring as hoped and there's no way that I can be on-call for six months to another year. Even with some additional compensation that hasn't been offered, I don't think that I can commit half my month to technical support for an extended period of time. I am thankful that I still have a job but I'm at a point in my life where I definitely work to live, not live to work. I'll just keep looking for another job. Sigh. I need some eggnog.

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-18T09:00:00.002-06:00

Paul McCartney's Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime is the first song on our list from a former Beatle. The year was 1979 and it does look like Paul, Linda, and crew were having a great time.

Robert Downey Jr on Letterman

2009-12-17T13:31:00.003-06:00

Robert Downey Jr. converses with Letterman about his recent detention in Japan while promoting Iron Man II. Downey is great per usual. I caught him on Bravo's Inside the Actors Studio last weekend and the man is just freaking entertaining. Sherlock Holmes hits theaters on Christmas day and, of course, Iron Man II is due out next May! Robert Downey Jr. IS Tony Stark! He's just absolutely perfect for the role. Rhodey will be making his first appearance as War Machine and Mickey Rourke will make an interesting Whiplash! Here's the trailer. Bitchin!

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-17T09:00:00.007-06:00

Here's another Christmas classic from a very alternative band. The Barenaked Ladies' God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings is sure to get you in the spirit!

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-16T09:00:00.001-06:00

John Cougar Mellencamp's I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus is the fifth Rockin' Christmas Song on our holiday season countdown. Mellencamp's son has created a Facebook page in an attempt to get his father to stop smoking. John has agreed to quit the lifelong vice if a million people join. If Jack & Diane and Hurts So Good were part of your adolescent experience then please join at 1,000,000 to join, my dad john mellencamp will quit smoking I hope you're enjoying the Holiday Season as much as I am.

My Sentiments Exactly

2009-12-15T10:40:00.001-06:00

Courtesy of MSNBC.com.

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-15T09:00:00.000-06:00

I grew up listening to Elvis Presley. While my father was almost strictly a country fan, my mother still listened to rock 'n roll. Elvis Presley was a 45-rpm staple in our home and the man loved Christmas. Elvis made two Christmas albums and I have both. Thanks for introducing me to the King of Rock 'n Roll Mom!

Elvis' Christmas Album, the fourth album by Elvis Presley on RCA Victor Records, was released in October 1957 shortly before he was drafted into military service. The LP consisted of eight Christmas tunes and four gospel songs. One of my favorites is Santa Bring My Baby Back (to Me). Enjoy.

Christmas Wisdom

2009-12-14T21:00:00.004-06:00

Santa is very jolly because he knows where all the bad girls live.

~Dennis Miller

Way!

2009-12-14T12:47:00.000-06:00

The tattoo on this soldier's back spells kafir, the Arabic word for infidel. He is a member of the 10th Mountain Division, serving in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

Courtesy of Time.

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-14T10:00:00.001-06:00

Weezer apparently cut six Christmas songs for a video game... Kinda weird... but I like Weezer and their version of We Wish You a Merry Christmas is way cool! Unfortunately, there is no live video that I could find but I did find this version with lyrics and slide show for your Christmas enjoyment.

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-13T10:15:00.000-06:00

One of our Christmas favorites is Billy Squier's Christmas is The Time To Say I Love You and, thanks to YouTube, the actual MTV performance is available for the world to see! Enjoy.

Rockin' Christmas Songs

2009-12-12T17:47:00.005-06:00

My collection of Christmas music has greatly expanded in the last few years thanks to the digital revolution and, thanks to YouTube, you can now check out Bruce Springsteen performing Santa Claus is Coming To Town live in 2007. Watch for more as the day approaches!

Incredible VISTA of the cosmos

2009-12-12T10:22:00.001-06:00

Astronomers with the European Southern Observatory have just revealed the first images from their new telescope called VISTA: the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy. This image is of the Flame Nebula, a star forming gas cloud in Orion. The image itself covers about half a square degree on the sky (twice the area of the full Moon) and shows details of the nebula, including the core made up of stars invisible to optical telescopes. The bright star in the image is the monster blue supergiant Alnitak, which is the easternmost (left, to northern observers) star in Orion’s belt. Get a good look at it, because in a million years or so that star is going to blow!

Incredible VISTA of the cosmos

Old Friends

2009-12-12T09:00:00.002-06:00

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Men of a Certain Age

2009-12-11T12:44:00.003-06:00

Being a man approaching a certain age and a fan of Scott Bakula of Quantum Leap fame, I was especially looking forward to seeing the pilot for TNT's Men of a Certain Age. I really enjoyed it. Ray Romano of Everybody Loves Raymond fame makes his return to television as Executive Producer and co-star of the series featuring three high school friends dealing with life's problems at middle age.

Romano plays the role of a recently divorced father of two with an apparent gambling addiction and dreams of being a professional golfer. Bakula is an easy going actor now relegated to bit roles and infomercials but still gets all the women while Andre Braugher is a stressed out husband and father selling cars at his father's dealership.

Although some of my good friends from high school live less than an hour away, I rarely communicate with them even by email. They have young kids and busy lives. That's life. Watching these three friends interact really makes me miss those guys. Look for the series Monday nights on TNT at 9pm CST.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Intro

2009-12-09T10:16:00.000-06:00

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is arguably Chevy Chase's best movie and a holiday classic. The cartoon intro initiates the mirth and joy that only the Griswold family can inspire! Enjoy.

Cool Commercial!

2009-12-08T20:46:00.002-06:00

I DVR most television and skip the commercials but I was actually watching live programming tonight ... I, Robot in fact ... and I saw this Jameson Whiskey commercial! Really cool stuff! Enjoy.

Top 10 Movies Set at Christmas!

2009-12-08T13:59:00.000-06:00

I watched A Christmas Carol last weekend and It's A Wonderful Life doesn't come on until next Monday so it's time to fire up the DVD player for some movies set at Christmas but aren't about Christmas! Note that the top three features are all written by Shane Black and most are action adventures. Happy viewing and Happy Holidays!

John Lennon

2009-12-07T21:15:00.001-06:00

We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it's going to get on by itself. You've got to keep watering it. You've got to really look after it and nurture it.

John Lennon

About 10:50 pm on December 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman shot Lennon in the back four times in the entrance of the Dakota apartment building. Earlier that evening, Lennon had autographed a copy of Double Fantasy for Chapman who had been stalking Lennon since October.

Pearl Harbor Survivor Back For First Time Since War

2009-12-07T14:11:00.002-06:00

Retired firefighter Ed Johann was a teenage apprentice seaman on Dec. 7, 1941, when he spotted Japanese planes coming in over Pearl Harbor.

He thought they were U.S. aircraft conducting drills until explosions and flames erupted from stricken ships in the harbor.

Then came screams of sailors; the stench of burning oil and flesh.

The 86-year-old Oregonian is due to return Monday to Pearl Harbor for the first time since World War II to attend a ceremony marking the 68th anniversary of the attack.

"I really don't know how I'm going to handle it," said Johann, from his home in Oregon. "When I think about it, all I have is unpleasantness. I'm sure it's not like that now."

Read the article.

America Without a Middle Class

2009-12-05T12:18:00.001-06:00

Can you imagine an America without a strong middle class? If you can, would it still be America as we know it?

Today, one in five Americans is unemployed, underemployed or just plain out of work. One in nine families can't make the minimum payment on their credit cards. One in eight mortgages is in default or foreclosure. One in eight Americans is on food stamps. More than 120,000 families are filing for bankruptcy every month. The economic crisis has wiped more than $5 trillion from pensions and savings, has left family balance sheets upside down, and threatens to put ten million homeowners out on the street.

Read full article here.

First Snow of the Season

2009-12-05T09:16:00.002-06:00

The last weather forecast that I saw gave a chance of flurries with no accumulation so I was surprised to wake to an inch of melting snow this morning. After a cup of joe, I grabbed the wife's Fuji point and shoot and fired off a few quick shots of the old barn to document the first snow of the winter. I never expect much of the white stuff so it's usually a nice surprise.

Thomas Paine

2009-12-04T16:22:00.004-06:00

I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.

Thomas Paine

Another Crazy Politician from the Southeast

2009-12-04T12:27:00.002-06:00

It's bad enough that the rest of the country thinks of the populace of the southeast as a bunch of redneck hicks without shoes or any semblance of education but why do our politicians have to reinforce the stereotype so well?

In the opinion of Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman, President Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday night on the war in Afghanistan was deliberately timed to block the Christian message of the "Peanuts" television Christmas special.

"Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose. Ask the man if he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he will give you a 10 minute disertation (sic) about it....w...hen the answer should simply be 'yes'...."

At another point he said, "you know, our forefathers had it written in the original Constitution that ONLY property owners could vote, if that has stayed in there, things would be different........"

Read it all here.

Spotted in Taft, TN

2009-12-03T10:53:00.000-06:00

Oh, the joys of living in rural Tennessee! I spotted this fine example of 4-wheel drive Chevrolet Vega station wagon at a little garage in Taft, TN. I've also seen a similarly equipped 4th Gen Camaro at the same locale. Photos of Christmas at Cash Point coming soon!

Winter's Beauty

2009-12-02T09:05:00.001-06:00

I've always been impressed by bloggers that post a photo each day but have never been able to pull it off. I actually shot this one yesterday morning but just didn't get it posted. Too busy yesterday. Cassie planted two roses this summer and this one has thrived. There hasn't been much frost so far but I thought it was amazing that it's still blooming. I couldn't resist shooting it covered with frost with the old shop in the background. I hope you like it.

Quote of the Day

2009-12-01T12:14:00.000-06:00

All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.

Thomas Paine
The Age of Reason

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2009-11-26T22:19:00.000-06:00

The sun is setting. The wind has been a bit cool today but it was beautiful nonetheless. I slept through part of it after a late night but celebrated the holiday with an early dinner at my inlaws. Cassie's nephew Alan, his wife Deena, and their son Tripp were visiting from Ada, Ohio. Alan is a Methodist minister and Deena is a social worker.

Cassie split the dinner chores with her mother staying up late last night and working most of the morning to make desserts while simultaneously having Christmas fun with Tripp. They built a gingerbread house and I think he liked his presents. A good time was had by all at dinner and Cassie's pecan pie and Alan's Sweet Potato Pie were excellent! No room for the chocolate bunt cake. That will have to wait until tomorrow.

It Must Be That Time of the Year

2009-11-24T22:10:00.004-06:00

The Christmas tree is up (albeit the smaller one) and the presents are spread underneath. Elvis is crooning "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and the wife just brought me an eggnog with some of Mr. Daniels' best. The Christmas season usually starts early at the Ray household but we're still a week ahead of schedule. The tree and decorations traditionally come out the day after Thanksgiving but her nephew is in town with his young son and they won't be back for Christmas so we're celebrating early with the only child in the family.

I've been working late since the purchase by Knology so we missed the family gathering at one of the local greasy spoons. My in-laws love the local cuisine but we usually pass on it anyhow. My wife's cousin from Texas is also here for a brief time. I'm not sure if his significant other is with him this time but they seem like a fun pair. Hopefully, we'll have enough energy to socialize before everyone heads home.

Back to being a Webmaster

2009-11-22T19:04:00.002-06:00

Well, I guess I'm back in the internet business. Please don't tell the IRS. I'm not sure if I've lost my mind or not but economics dictate that I bring in some additional income so I've hung out my shingle once again.

My problem with website construction has always been maintenance. I prefer to build 'em and forget 'em. My inspiration to return to the profession was a site built on Wordpress that really looked nothing like a blog and provided an intuitive interface for the customer to update their own site! Really cool stuff. A little research and some talk with my friend Mark Walter and the idea to build cheap websites based on the software evolved.

A quick post on YB generated some interest and Jeff Chandler volunteered to be my first customer in this arena. I took a commonly available theme and modified it to suit Jeff's needs and CRC2.net was born. It only took Jeff a few days to be updating like a pro!

I also attracted quite a few customers wanting updates on their current sites. I'm winding down updates on Uratchko Racing Engines and will soon begin updating several others. Some customers are simply wanting custom banners for their bulletin boards. No problem there.

On Call Until Thanksgiving

2009-11-22T16:41:00.000-06:00

Knology's purchase of PCL Cable in Athens, AL was officially completed around noon last Monday and the office has been full of new faces ever since. The changes being instituted will be improvements in many ways but some of our customers are afraid of the "big boys" from out of town. They have experienced the competition in the area so their fears aren't completely unfounded. We've attempted to convince them that Knology is a different breed and most walk away satisfied.

Unfortunately, until our system is assimilated and their call center in Augusta, GA can take over, Marrazzo and I will be splitting on-call status. I'm carrying the burden until Thanksgiving and it has been a busy day. The Lead Tech's job is now open but our field techs will be very busy until the job is filled. I think we're going to need some assistance from the Huntsville office to fill the void.

Meanwhile, the anxiousness about the future of our jobs continues. I'm still not convinced that there will be a need for very many of our current staff when the Athens office becomes a hubsite. I'm still on the search for a new job. I've had a few interviews with one looking somewhat hopeful but no call back yet, a handful of rejections, and one letter thanking me for contributing my resume to their contract bid. Ain't that dandy!?!

Words of Wisdom for November 22

2009-11-22T15:08:00.001-06:00

A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. Ideas have endurance without death.

- John F. Kennedy
Remarks Recorded for the Opening of a USIA Transmitter at Greenville, North Carolina.
February 8, 1963

Cartoon of the Day Deux

2009-11-22T12:21:00.001-06:00

I'm being bipartisan today. Courtesy of Slate.

Cartoon of the Day

2009-11-22T12:19:00.000-06:00

Courtesy of Slate.

It's official. Knology purchases PCL Cable.

2009-11-15T12:28:00.001-06:00

The staff at the Decatur Daily can use Google! Wow. They reported earlier this week that Knology has indeed purchased PCL Cable for whom I worked until 5:00 pm Friday afternoon. I am now a Systems Analyst for Knology contingent upon passing a background check, drug test, etc. We're still really in the dark about the forthcoming changes. All the current employees were offered positions with the company but the lead Field Tech opted out to explore other avenues and I believe the part-time bookkeeper is entertaining other options as well. Both the general manager and his son, who are two of the partners in the company, will be returning for short stints as consultants to ease the transition.

Of course, everyone is nervous about their future. When the cable plant is assimilated into the Knology network, I really don't see any need for the current employees in Athens or Decatur. Knology's helpdesk is based in Augusta, GA, technical personnel in West Point, GA, and everything else in Huntsville, AL. I can only picture the Athens headend as a hub site and perhaps some of the employees being offered positions in other locations. Currently, the franchises for both Athens and Decatur require an office but how many employees would be needed? Certainly, not the current staff despite the small number. The transition will be interesting. From a technical standpoint, I'm very curious to see Knology's network and how it's managed.

Here Comes the Sun

2009-11-08T08:47:00.001-06:00

The morning sun is streaming through an eastern facing window, one of only two that catch any sun in the winter. It makes for a chilly home during the cooler months but it's a little hard to turn the house now. It's amazing how much sunlight will bounce off an opposing wall to obscure my view of the laptop and give me a perfect reflection of my visage complete with second chin that I desperately need to lose.

The Beatles "Here Comes the Sun" is streaming across the network and the world is a beautiful place. The weather prognosticator put the high for today at 77 degrees. Rather nice for November 8th. The wife and I quietly celebrated our 21st anniversary on Thursday with take-out Chinese and a cake from ~~Costco~~ Publix. Unfortunately, there was no Guy Fawkes Day antics. "Remember, remember the fifth of November" will forever be etched in my brain since watching "V for Vendetta" and is a cool reminder of my anniversary. I really need one of those masks!

Apparently, the reporter from the Athens New Courier isn't familiar with Google judging from this article. I wish the world could use Google. I'm sure that it would lessen tech questions aimed my way. Anyhow, an older lady carrying a pen and notepad strolled across the parking lot from the Courier late Friday afternoon. Marrazzo and I were standing on the front stoop contemplating life and the implications of the buyout which was announced by Knology on Friday morning and was quickly being posted on every financial website in cyberspace. The reporter drilled pretty hard even commenting that she would be fired if she returned without a story. I asked her if she had checked Knology's website but, apparently, that was no help for her. If you're wondering, I'm the unidentified source that knew nothing in the article.

Enough rambling. More to follow. It looks like a rambling day.

Cartoon of the Day

2009-11-04T13:11:00.002-06:00

Courtesy of Slate

What Constitutes Success

2009-11-04T12:52:00.001-06:00

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction.

- Bessie Stanley, 1905

The Pumpkin War - 2009 Edition

2009-10-31T20:11:00.000-05:00

Once again, my wife and I have taken up our carving knives and sacrificed some fine produce to drive away the evil spirits that have crossed over to our world on this All Hallows Eve. I went with the "Siamese Twin" Jack 'O Lantern theme as demonstrated by the piece of art on the left. The little woman graced her pumpkin with an almost Homer Simpson style "doh" expression in my opinion. Once again, a great time was had by all!

Cool Quotes

2009-10-16T07:53:00.002-05:00

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

- Walt Disney

Ten Greatest Movies of All Time

2009-10-13T11:44:00.001-05:00

I think I've been working on this post for three years now and just can't make up my mind on the proper order and I just couldn't cut it down to ten movies either so we'll just dispense with those requirements and present twenty of my favorite movies in chronological order. I think anyone viewing this list will can guess my age and apparently 1994 and 1999 were particularly good years. Please leave comments! I would be very interested to hear your opinion.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Independence Day (1996)
Good Will Hunting (1997)
American History X (1998)
The Green Mile (1999)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
High Fidelity (2000)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Incredibles (2004)
The Prestige (2006)
No Country For Old Men (2007)

NMCA Finals at Memphis This Weekend!

2009-10-12T16:04:00.003-05:00

Ted Pelech sent news by courier pigeon that the Camaro once again had rubber on the ground and extended a enthusiastic invitation to attend the NMCA Finals this coming weekend at Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, TN. Again, that urge hit me! Unfortunately, I've got work to do and won't be able to attend the festivities.

The family business comes first. I would really like to see Ted and Tim again. It's been a long time and I really enjoy working with these guys. They're still working the bugs out of their new combination but testing has proven encouraging. Per usual with Tim's obsessive compulsive tendencies, the car is an absolute work of art that must be seen in person to be fully appreciated. As soon as Ted releases the info, I'll post a full update on the Pelech Bros Racing website.

Rock Your Paws

2009-10-10T21:18:00.001-05:00

Either the weight of the world is perched upon the top of my head, an atmospheric front is causing an outrageous amount of sinus pressure, or I've simply got a cold or maybe a combination? I feel like the current weather forecast. Very cloudy, chance of showers and 57 degrees. Rain or shine, the Greater Huntsville Humane Society's Rock Your Paws fundraiser was scheduled to be held at Big Springs Park today so we loaded up the car and our chosen canine representative, Pepe Escobar Ray, and headed to Huntsville.

I'm sure that the weather discouraged many from attending but it was still a good show, albeit a bit muddy in the park. We checked out all the vendors and, of course, Cassie had to find something to purchase for the chihuahuas and then we did the dog walk. Huntsville's finest had blocked off the street behind the park for the show and led the group around the mile long stroll through downtown Huntsville. It was actually very interesting with homes dating back to the early 1800's along the route. Pepe had a good walk with at least 100 new furry friends. We had originally planned to stay for the costume contest but headed home after the walk. Pepe will have to save his Victoria's Secret angel wings for Halloween.

Great New Fall Themed Wallpaper

2009-10-10T17:46:00.001-05:00

See them all at LifeHacker.

Brainerd Optimist Dragway Hydro Racing?

2009-10-08T15:11:00.000-05:00

Brainerd Optimist Dragway in Ringgold, GA was apparently under water after the great southeastern rainy season of 2009. This track was one of my favorites when Outlaw 10.5 was the talk of the town. Steve Longley and his family and Karen Eason are great people and I enjoyed my time there. I wonder if Steve still has the green Chevelle? I don't think this is the first time that the track has been submerged and I remember at least one car that went into the river at the end of the track. The place has a lot of history.

United Outlaw Who?

2009-10-08T14:04:00.001-05:00

The United Outlaw Racing Series made what I believe was the association's first appearance at Huntsville Dragway a few weeks ago. I didn't hear about it until the day before while needlessly torturing myself visiting the Yellow Bullet bulletin board. Why do I visit said forum if it's torture? More on that later. I had a sudden urge to go to this race but it quickly passed. Probably at Top Fuel speed but at least Pro Stock. I haven't actually been to an event at Huntsville Dragway since 2006 when I saw the ADRL, pre-packed stands, free ticket madness. It was well over 95 degrees that July day and I was soaking wet with sweat almost instantly. Sweat and alcohol doesn't mix very well in the eyes. That's alcohol from blown Pro Mods if you're confused, not Jack Daniels, but that probably wouldn't mix well in the eyes either. I had written the ADRL and procurred press credentials but only shot the action for about an hour and headed home. That was probably the beginning of the end... again.

I just can't seem to get excited about drag racing anymore even though it was such a large part of my life for a long time. Pro Mod was becoming a tour de force when I became enthralled with straight line acceleration and I migrated towards fastest street car action when the Outlaw Pro Mod circuit basically imploded over the blower versus nitrous controversy. The same happened locally in Outlaw 10.5 action but the racing went national and grew for many years. Unfortunately, everyone jumped into the arena and the market became ridiculously oversaturated with every track starting its own program and more and more sanctioning bodies clawing for a piece of the action. Too few cars, way too many options, and far too many conflicting rules started the decline and the sinking economy dug the grave for a lot of competitors and racing programs. Few spectators, less cars, and a lack of sponsors does not a successful racing series make.

I still love to hear people tell me how my site HeadsUpReview was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I do still have somewhat of an ego and I'm really astounded when someone tells me that it was my photography that inspired them to pick up a camera and aim it at a quickly accelerating vehicle headed straight for them. It's a strange feeling. I do miss being known by the staff at every track within 200 miles and given carte blanche access to the facility. I could and probably should write a book (at least an article) about why I think the NSCA didn't make it. I was villianized greatly during that era and I'll even take credit for some of the more outrageous conspiracies just to keep my infamous status. When I shuttered HeadsUpReview, I suffered greatly from email withdrawl. After receiving 300+ messages per day, it was a little disheartening to only find a few in the inbox. Do I miss it? Not much these days. I enjoyed the racing, the technology, and (for the most part) the people. I made some great friends, ones that I'll have for the rest of my life. Those people I miss greatly.

So why is Yellow Bullet so torturous? I can still appreciate the technology and the more visceral aspects of the sport but I fell out of touch years ago with the direction of the sport and the new players. I visit for that very small dose of drag racing that I crave but just can't obtain without an overwhelming dose of ignorance and venom that I would just rather avoid. My life is different now. I avoid stress and can't bring myself to rant editorially about something so meaningless in the greater scheme of life as drag racing like I once did. Although my life is still in utter chaos for various reasons, I have positioned myself in the eye of the storm. The breeze is soft and it's quiet. I prefer it this way.

Cartoon of the Day

2009-10-07T12:14:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Slate.

It's Just a Ride

2009-10-06T10:11:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting here listening to Jem's "It's Just a Ride" after catching up with the morning paperwork shuffle but I'm positive that the lull will be short lived. Multitasking is the name of the game when you have work orders being shoved at you from three different directions while attempting to provision accounts and listening to some distraught elderly lady complain because her closest fifty friends didn't receive the junk mail she sent. You know... that same email that has been forwarded around the net for at least the last decade.

I've talked to more old work colleagues in the last few days than in the last three years. My former employer, Telos/TFE/Diebold-ISS, laid off half the staff again which puts the head count over there at less than ten by my estimation. It's really a shame. That was once a very lucrative contract and a great place to work for the most part. One poor fellow not only lost his job but also his wife in the same month. I already suspected the worst a few weeks ago when his wife ordered cable, phone, and internet at another address. I hear all of the local gossip made possible by employment with a small local cable company in a small town. You can easily get your fill hanging around the CSR's who know everyone in the town and all the latest news. The Sys Admin and myself are happy that we're not indigenous to this particular area otherwise we may be told something that we don't even know about ourselves... yet.

Although it's not common knowledge, the company that I work for is being sold. It's no secret since I've heard it around town and even from the friend getting divorced but no one is talking about it. Like I mentioned before, it's a small town. Unfortunately, I'm also looking at the ranks of the unemployed since I can't envision anything but an equipment room in the future for this locale. The interested party's largest market is in Huntsville but they really don't have any technical people there, just installers. Their technical department is based in Georgia and I'm just not interested in moving to Georgia even if an offer is extended. Such is life. So the job hunt is on!

I spent last Saturday working on my resume. Oddly enough, I've never really had a resume. I've pretty much stumbled into every job that I've had by networking. My networking (ironic) instructor from ASU referred me to this job. I brought a resume to my interview but it wasn't much. I've really only held three jobs in the 22 years since I left the farm. I hope that my new resume manages to impress someone in HR somewhere. We'll see.

Ah. The Beatles "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is next on the play list. I'm hoping that "With a Little Help from My Friends" becomes appropriate soon!

Cartoon of the Day

2009-10-02T11:43:00.001-05:00

Visit Slate for more great cartoons.

Sen. Graham Calls Beck 'A Cynic' And Birthers 'Crazy'

2009-10-01T15:50:00.002-05:00

I can't count the number of times that I've been deeply embarassed by southern politicians. Anyone from the deep south is already stereotyped as a barefoot redneck hick and some of our fine representatives in government just reinforce that supposition so I was very pleased that Senator Lindsey Graham spoke out today. Graham is a Republican from South Carolina and I hope that he hasn't endangered his position in the GOP with these words of reason.

"Only in America can you make that much money crying," Graham said of Beck. "Glenn Beck is not aligned with any party. He is aligned with cynicism and there has always been a market for cynics. But we became a great nation not because we are a nation of cynics. We became a great nation because we are a nation of believers."

He even called the birthers "crazy" and dispelled the myth that President Obama is a closet Muslim! Watch the video! If more of the GOP would denounce the lunacy that is tearing our nation apart then we might actually accomplish something great in this country.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/sen-graham-calls-beck-a-c_n_306434.html?igoogle=1

Jon Stewart Schools Sean Hannity About History

2009-09-30T12:52:00.002-05:00

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Generals: Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney are scaremongering

2009-09-29T22:21:00.001-05:00

Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney scaremongering? Perish the thought! Yes, I'm being sarcastic. The two wingnuts are exaggerating the dangers of bringing the prisoners from Gitmo to federal facilities here in the state. It's amazing that some of these protesters actually consider "terrorists" any more dangerous than the people already incarcerated in maximum security federal penitentiaries. They may want to check out the records of some of the current inmates. It's good to see these retired Generals speaking out.

“Some of the fear issues that are being raised in this are really unfortunate. It gets people excited about things they shouldn’t be excited about and impedes doing what is critical to this country. Get that damn symbol off the table,” said retired Gen. David Maddox, a former Army commander-in-chief for Europe. “We take a setback every time somebody, whether it’s the vice president or his daughter comes out and says the things that they say….We have to get out there again and just keep pounding.”

Islam on Capitol Hill

2009-09-29T12:03:00.006-05:00

I would have never even known about the Muslim call to prayer on Capitol Hill if it weren't for an email sent by an acquaintance of mine. Mike Harris is what most would call a conservative Christian. I admire his devotion but agree to disagree with him the vast majority of the time. His site Mike's Christian Corner not only calls the atheists to task but also the Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims and other Christian denominations.

His latest email warned of the "Islamic Invasion" that Obama has brought upon us. Apparently, President Obama is rebuilding America into an Islamic Nation. Maybe it's a clause in the health bill? Islam on Capitol Hill apparently went off without much excitement but much lower attendance than hoped. CNN reported in their coverage that Muslims traveled from all over the country, Britain, and Canada to peacefully pray.

"America is not perfect," Abdul Malik, an organizer of the event called Islam on Capitol Hill, told the crowd.

"But I will say something it took me my whole adult life to come to: America is not perfect, but I want to tell the truth: It is one of the best places in the world to live."

The requisite protesters were on hand but security carefully watched the proceedings. No surprise there. I wonder how many called themselves Christians. Of course, Mike Harris wasn't the only Christian railing against last Friday's proceedings.

And one Christian leader warned of a strategy to "Islamize" American society.

"It is important for Christians to understand that Friday's Muslim prayer initiative is part of a well-defined strategy to Islamize American society and replace the Bible with the Koran, the cross with the Islamic crescent and the church bells with the Athan [the Muslim call to prayer]," the Rev. Canon Julian Dobbs, leader of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America's Church and Islam Project, said in a written statement.

"The time has come for the American public to call Islam to account," he said.

A quick search of the internet produced quite a few articles from religious conservatives including this one from Right Side News.

Like Mike Harris, the author places the blame on Obama and took offense at the President's comments concerning the leaders of the Christian right.

"Somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and started being used to drive us apart. It got hijacked. Part of it's because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who've been all too eager to exploit what divides us."

That quote sounds very much like John McCain from the 2000 election, pre-Palin, when he actually has some respect for himself.

"Neither party," the senator later shouted to the Virginia crowd, "should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left, or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right."

The agents of intolerance? That's a great term and there are plenty. Some religious. Some not. It's just more hating the "other" that keeps us from uniting to help our fellow man.

The Taliban's Oral History of Afghanistan

2009-09-29T09:11:00.002-05:00

Check out Newsweek for a very interesting article about the struggle in Afghanistan as seen through the eyes of the Taliban. It will give you a different perspective and, unfortunately, confirms some of the worst reports about the war. Here are some interesting quotes from the article.

YOUNAS: In our camp there were about 150 Arabs, along with some Afghans, Chechens, and local tribal militants. The Arab instructors taught us how to fire Kalashnikovs, especially in close-range fighting; how to gather intelligence on the enemy; and how to fire mortars and rockets accurately. It was a friendly place; we all felt a commitment to help and sacrifice for each other. At the start of 2003, the weather became bitterly cold, and the camp closed. But the commander called me back that March. He told me he was working with Nek Mohammad to arrange for one of the first cross-border attacks against American forces in Afghanistan. Even with Nek Mohammad's help, we only had usable weapons for 50 of the roughly 200 mujahedin who had been trained. But 50 of us—a couple dozen Arabs, three or four Afghans like myself, and some Waziri and Mehsud tribals—were armed and ready to go.

HAQQANI: Arab and Iraqi mujahedin began visiting us, transferring the latest IED technology and suicide-bomber tactics they had learned in the Iraqi resistance during combat with U.S. forces. The American invasion of Iraq was very positive for us. It distracted the United States from Afghanistan.

KHAN:By the middle of 2004, we were hearing rumors that the Taliban were operating once again in Ghazni. Friends and relatives in other rural districts were saying that armed men were beginning to show up in villages at night on motorbikes. Within a few months, signs of them began appearing everywhere. At first we saw shabnama ["night letters"] that the Taliban were leaving in shops, mosques, and other public places warning people not to cooperate with [Afghan President Hamid] Karzai and the Americans. By the beginning of 2005 the Taliban began targeted killings of police officers, government officials, spies, and elders who were working with the Americans. One night around midnight someone knocked on the door of our house. We were terrified, fearing that the police had come back to arrest me or my brother once again. But when we opened the door, it was one of my father's former students. He had a Kalashnikov on his shoulder and was a Taliban subcommander already. The two other Taliban he was with also carried AKs and had several hand grenades attached to their belts. This was my first encounter with the Taliban since the defeat. We invited them to spend the night. Early the next morning I accompanied them to the mosque. My father's former student read out the names of those he accused of having betrayed Islam by following Karzai and the infidels. He warned them to cease all contact and to quit any job they may have had with the government or the Americans. He ended by saying he would return in one week.

MOHAMMAD:Those first groups crossing the border were almost totally sponsored, organized, and led by Arab mujahedin. The Afghan Taliban were weak and disorganized. But slowly the situation began to change. American operations that harassed villagers, bombings that killed civilians, and Karzai's corrupt police and officials were alienating villagers and turning them in our favor. Soon we didn't have to hide so much on our raids. We came openly. When they saw us, villagers started preparing green tea and food for us. The tables were turning. Karzai's police and officials mostly hid in their district compounds like prisoners.

Read the full article here.

McChrystal: Violence "Worse" Than Expected

2009-09-26T13:11:00.003-05:00

Asked if things are better or worse than he expected since his arrival a few months ago, the general replies, "They're probably a little worse. I think that in some areas that the breadth of the violence, the geographic spread of violence, is a little more than I would have gathered."

The increased violence has resulted in 265 civilians killed in U.S. or coalition action in the past 12 months the general says, a situation that must stop if victory is to be attained.

"This civilian casualty issue is much more important than I even realized. It is literally how we lose the war, or in many ways how we win it," McChrystal explained.

The general has halted many operations aimed too close to civilians, even if the target area was the source of enemy fire. He believes it's more important to protect civilians than kill Taliban or Qaeda fighters, because not having the support of the Afghan people is a risk he cannot afford.

"If people view us as occupiers and the enemy, we can't be successful and our casualties will go up dramatically," he tells Martin.

Relying on overwhelming U.S. firepower is not the way to proceed in Afghanistan says McChrystal.

"You know, the favorite saying…'To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.' We can't walk with only a hammer in our hands," says McChrystal.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s interview with CBS News National Security correspondent David Martin will be broadcast Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. ET. From this portion of the interview, it appears that the Obama administration may have put a very wise man in charge of the operation in Afghanistan. Considering that the Russians couldn't defeat the Afghan people in a decade with over 100,000 heavily armed troops, it stands to reason that the 60,000 strong international force currently there won't be able to do the job without the support of the Afghan people. Compounding the issue is the underlying complications in the region with the apparently corrupt "democratic" Karzai government and the obviously corrupt but "enemy of my enemy is my friend" leadership of Pakistan. We may never leave the area.

Excerpt from cbsnews.com. Read full article here

A True Christian IMHO

2009-09-26T07:33:00.006-05:00

Lisa Gibson -- who lost her brother in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing -- sat down the other day with the man many blame for the notorious attack: Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

"I welcomed him to America," she told CNN.

The 39-year-old Colorado Springs lawyer said she and another relative of a Lockerbie victim went to see the controversial figure in New York on Wednesday, the same day he delivered a rambling speech to the U.N. General Assembly.

Calling herself an "ambassador of reconciliation," she views the encounter as the latest step in a journey to build bridges between Libyans and Americans -- a mission energized by her strong Christian faith.

"I wanted him to know there were some people out there who've lost loved ones who have a different vision and different heart," she said. "He warmly received us."

Gibson said she is motivated by her Christian faith and one of its overriding tenets -- forgiveness. However, she added that she isn't exonerating anybody.

"As a Christian, I need to forgive you. Only God knows if you are responsible," she said.

Gibson said she has tried to understand the terrorism emanating from the Muslim world over the years and dedicated her life to build a "bridge of reconciliation" with Libya.

She wrote a letter of forgiveness to Megrahi a few years ago and she said he wrote back to say he was sorry for her loss.

"At the heart of terrorism is hate and the only way to effectively battle that is with love," she said.

Gibson formed a group called the Peace and Prosperity Alliance, a non-governmental organization involved with business and educational projects in Libya.

She regards her group as a "conduit of change." Gibson said Libyans have been touched by her effort to forgive.

Gibson said her actions don't "undermine the losses or say it was OK." But she believes her slain brother would support her. She believes he'd think "I don't want my death to be in vain."

She wanted to continue her journey of building bridges by meeting with Gadhafi.

"He said he very much appreciated us coming and welcomed us," Gibson said.

Gadhafi's sanity is still questionable judging from that speech at the UN and we will probably never know for sure whether Libya's government was sponsoring terrorism but Gibson seems to have completely forgiven and that's an amazing thing, religious or not. Excerpts from CNN.com. Read the full article here.

Colbert Unveils New Strategy For Racists Who Want To Bash Obama

2009-09-25T11:45:00.003-05:00

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This Protest Sign sez it all

2009-09-24T10:17:00.003-05:00

Quiet our Voices

2009-09-23T13:09:00.001-05:00

Richard Milhous Nixon's presidency ended in shame but his first inaugural address was full of hope, wisdom, and inspirational advise still very much applicable today as both sides of the political spectrum battle over health care reform. The following is an excerpt from his speech delivered January 20, 1969 and broadcast live around the world by satellite.

No people has ever been so close to the achievement of a just and abundant society, or so possessed of the will to achieve it. Because our strengths are so great, we can afford to appraise our weaknesses with candor and to approach them with hope.

Standing in this same place a third of a century ago, Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed a Nation ravaged by depression and gripped in fear. He could say in surveying the Nation's troubles: "They concern, thank God, only material things."

Our crisis today is the reverse.

We have found ourselves rich in goods, but ragged in spirit; reaching with magnificent precision for the moon, but falling into raucous discord on earth.

We are caught in war, wanting peace. We are torn by division, wanting unity. We see around us empty lives, wanting fulfillment. We see tasks that need doing, waiting for hands to do them.

To a crisis of the spirit, we need an answer of the spirit.

To find that answer, we need only look within ourselves.

When we listen to "the better angels of our nature," we find that they celebrate the simple things, the basic things—such as goodness, decency, love, kindness.

Greatness comes in simple trappings.

The simple things are the ones most needed today if we are to surmount what divides us, and cement what unites us.

To lower our voices would be a simple thing.

In these difficult years, America has suffered from a fever of words; from inflated rhetoric that promises more than it can deliver; from angry rhetoric that fans discontents into hatreds; from bombastic rhetoric that postures instead of persuading.

We cannot learn from one another until we stop shouting at one another—until we speak quietly enough so that our words can be heard as well as our voices.

Protect Insurance Companies PSA: Will Ferrell & others Speak Out Against The Public Option

2009-09-22T09:36:00.008-05:00

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Really great stuff from moveon.org .

More inspiration for all generations

2009-09-21T13:36:00.002-05:00

On April 4, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was scheduled to appear at a campaign rally in Indianapolis, IN in his bid for the Democratic nomination for President. Minutes after stepping off his plane, he was told that the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated in Memphis, TN. He was warned by police to cancel the rally since the area was known to be a dangerous part of town but Kennedy insisted that they go and found the crowd to be very excited when he arrived, not yet aware of the terrible news. He quieted the crowd and said the following.

Ladies and Gentlemen - I'm only going to talk to you just for a minute or so this evening. Because...

I have some very sad news for all of you, and I think sad news for all of our fellow citizens, and people who love peace all over the world, and that is that Martin Luther King was shot and was killed tonight in Memphis, Tennessee.

Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings. He died in the cause of that effort. In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it's perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in.

For those of you who are black - considering the evidence evidently is that there were white people who were responsible - you can be filled with bitterness, and with hatred, and a desire for revenge.

We can move in that direction as a country, in greater polarization - black people amongst blacks, and white amongst whites, filled with hatred toward one another. Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand, compassion and love.

For those of you who are black and are tempted to be filled with hatred and mistrust of the injustice of such an act, against all white people, I would only say that I can also feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed, but he was killed by a white man.

But we have to make an effort in the United States, we have to make an effort to understand, to get beyond these rather difficult times.

My favorite poet was Aeschylus. He once wrote: "Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God."

What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black.

So I ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King, yeah that's true, but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love - a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke. We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times. We've had difficult times in the past. And we will have difficult times in the future. It is not the end of violence; it is not the end of lawlessness; and it's not the end of disorder.

But the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life, and want justice for all human beings that abide in our land.

Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.

Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people. Thank you very much.