A harmless T-shirt

Mystache: A memorium

My Mustache. Stachey to those who knew him. He will be missed.

Feb 21, 2006 - Feb 22, 2006

my point

Matthew Rockel said...

its also about 300 less than the number of US citizens who died on September 11. Maybe we should declare a war on cars, AIDS, and suicide.

finneganswhistle said...

So are you saying that war is not as big an issue as these other causes of death? Or perhaps that we shouldn't be upset about the war based solely on the american body count, since few americans are up in arms over suicides and chronic liver disease? I believe death is the ultimate price. I think we have to ask, "what are we buying with these deaths?" Also take into consideration who is ultimately responsible for these deaths(on our side). It is the government, who sends the troops there. In most of these other cases, there is no entity responsible above the individual. Discuss further?"

The impetus for the graph was my reading of an essay by C.S. Lewis entitled "Why I am not a pacifist". In it he is speaking about about why a man might participate in war even if drafted. In it he points out the obvious: war is terrible, no good man likes war. Though i don't have it here to quote from, he speaks about how he doesn't believe that death and pain are the worst evils. That the suppression of a higher religion by a lower one or the suprresion of a higher secular order by a lower one are worse evils. That all men die, and most miserably. That two men can die while being most selfless in serving their country or helping a compatriot is an honorable death, even if (at least) one of them has been decieved as to the good for which they are fighting. The thought that a long life is better than a short one is unfounded.
Add to this that he is speaking about men who were consribed to serve in war time. We have an military that is all volantary. So these men put themselves in a position of service to their country when their country decides to go to war. I know that some people think of the military as a way to earn money for college- which it is, but to think that you would never have to see active duty is ridiculous.

It is impossible to acess whether the world- or even just the US, is better or worse for having gone to Iraq the second time. It is not, in my opinion, too much of a stretch to make comparrisons between Saddam and Hitler. One difference is that Saddam was unsucessful in his attempts to invade and take over his neighbors because of the swift actions of the US and other colalition forces in the first gulf war. Saddam has well established himself as a power crazy dictator. He defied deadlines because he did not care about the lives of his people. He was willing to test the will of US threats not becasue he thought he could take us, but because he didn't think we could act. Men like him only respond to force.
Had their been no second action, it seems likely that a saddam remaining in power would eventually follow along the lines of a Hitler.
Thats what I was thinking.

comments to come...

But this couldn't wait.

Guess

These stats are from 1996 aparently. If we imagine that it was an average year for deaths (admitting that we don't have any reason to do so) can you guess what the mystery column is?

Monster Truck Rally : Epilogue

Hey there Monster Truck Fans. Well, To be honest, The monster truck rally was kinda disappointing. Part of the disappointment had to do with getting inside 30 minutes late because the guy with the tickets got lost and had no cell phone. Most of the disappointment had to do with the monster truck rally being cleary intended for an 8 year old. I mean no disrespect, but Im not joking when I say that the guy in the row in front of me was cross-eyed and missing teeth-- now, this guy had kids, so clearly he's doing something right that I am not and that is why im not judging. I went ahead and made a gallery of the monster truck experience. Some of the crappy looking pictures are images that represent video that I took... i will be putting that together shortly and it is promising.... Can you spot Reptar and Galactron?

Monster Truck Rally

Thats where I will be tonight. Thats right. You heard me right. And before you judge, just weigh the facts with me here:
Fact 1) I have never been to a monster truck rally
Fact 2) I have never desired to go to one
Fact 3) All of the leg work was taken care of by a friend
Fact 4) I am 25 years old and single.
Fact 5) I have a sweet beard that last night I converted into the most awesome mustache/sideburns combonation. (pictures will come)
All of these facts together suggest that this is the perfect time for me to go to something like this. I won't promise not to be sucked in (because that is the surest way to get sucked in -- example: pro wrestling) .
Right now I am cleaning my room. It was über messy. I am sad because I still can't find my grey hat. Pictures of tonight to come...

ever heard of Quell?

They are only about the sweetest sounding metal band I've heard in a while. Thanks pandora.

Be mine...

To: The ladies of the World Wide Web

If you have no valentine this year, then you should probably know that I like dark Chocolate, body massages, and sunflowers are my favorite.

From: Charles W. Arnold.

Watching the game...

Monster dunk by hansboro, just before the half.

Its funny to me how interetsed I have become in watching college baskeball. Not to the point where I know all the names of every player, but where I actually have an interest in the progress of our team. Right now we are up 1 on Miami. Go heels and all that.

I have thought alot about identity recently. Or at least, it has come up. Just thinking about what people find their identity in. Their sexuality, their favorite sports team, their major, their music, their disorders, their religion... As a christian, I am supposed to find my identity in Christ.
Col. 3:3 ,4 "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
I suppose that if my identity is really in Christ- if I am "hidden in Him", then others would suppose my identity to be in Christ also. I fear that this is not always the case. I find my identity in my ability to make people laugh, in physics, in "being smart". Not that these things are bad- just that I make them more primary sometimes. It is evident in the extent I will go to to make a joke that I shouldn't make, or my hesitance admit my beliefs because someone might think I was dumber for them.
May I remember Paul's words-
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?... (I Cor 1)"

The word "Islam" mean "Peace"

It all depends on what your definition of "peace" is.

credit to http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com for the image.

The tar holes vs. the duke bags.

This is to what my illustrious friend jesse refers. There will be a match, a game, as the kids now call it, of basketball on february 7th. The esteemed Tar Heels of The University of North Carolina, will be facing off against the rag-tag group whose luck just won't seem to run out. I happend to catch the end of the Boston College - Duke game, where BC got robbed, but where it wouldn't have hurt to get a few more important rebounds. I have to be honest; I would not bet my life savings (as little as it may be) on UNC winning this upcoming game against Duke. Dukes has a veteran squad going up against a 50% freshman starting team. I hope for an exciting game. I will be at the game having secured a seat way up near the tippy top of the Dean Dome. Wish us luck, and "go to hell duke" (as we say).

explain that...

I couldn't help but feeling kinda smug as I walked through Duke's campus defiently wearing my carolina blue tar heel hat. I would smile if i thought that someone noticed it. What is that? When you know that you are doing something that might make other people mad at you, or you know that you are potentially getting under someone's skin? Why does that give one a sense of guilty pleasure? I know that I am not doing anything inheirantly wrong. I suppose that is a part of it. I know that there are people who take the rivalry way too seriously. To mock them quietly is perhaps pleasent. who knows?