The Downward Spiral

Billmon does a great job of finding pertinent quotes. I have not yet read the whole post, but I will later today:

"By mid-June, the Iraqi forces had been given 306 million rounds of ammunition, roughly 12 bullets for each of Iraq's 25 million people. But when one senior American officer involved was asked whether the Americans might end up arming the Iraqis for a civil war, he paused for a moment, then nodded. "Maybe," he said."

New York Times
If It's Civil War, Do We Know It?
July 24, 2005


I understand the political/economic reasons (not justifications) of arming other nations, but in the long run you will lose with a nation littered with corpses. All hail my country, the #1 arms exporter!

I think I'll listen to the Clash now.

Kettle Moraine, Housewarmings, and the Champaign of Beers

One perk of my job is that I can take short notice vacation. On Thursday, I had a lot on my mind and was burned out from preparing for the presentation I had to give that night. I knew I would be no good at work on Friday, so I decided to take the day off and go biking.

My roommate and I went to Kettle Moraine and made the long loop around. As you can see, my South Park creation
is pretty accurate:






Now I don't have a beer in my hand and I'm covered in mud instead of blood, but the rest looks the same. It felt good to get a lot of energy out.

Yesterday was uneventful, but I did help drink a case of the Champaign of Beer on my friends' doorstep. We witnessed teenagers going into the woods to get stoned, talked to his "Lady of the Evening" neighbor and her 8 year old son, and shook our collective heads at LOTE's coke head, junkie not-exactly boyfriend who drove up in a Doge Omni looking car completely naked. The only thing missing was a car on blocks in the front yard.

Anyway, it's time to go to Steve's housewarming party in Milwaukee. Couldn't have piced a better day! Ninety-five degrees and rising!

Ok Bink, What Does the Runner Up Get?

So there's this girl that my roommate works with. Somehow, she took a noticeable interest in me. It must be noticeable if I can detect it. So I've called her a couple of times and have generally been patient. Then last night, she shows up at this party with some guy who looks like his name should be Chip. Later in the night, she tells me something about how she's going to date him and would date me if he wasn't around or something and how we can still hang out. Right. It's kind of like the old 70's and 80's game shows where the winner gets a 6 night/7 day trip to the Mediterranean and the runner up gets a week's supply of shitty coffee and the board game so he can relive the failure with friends and family.

I'll pass.

Happiness

Today, I've had a thing for chocolate, which I've fulfilled, and thunderstorms are passing through for the first time in weeks. Life suddenly got much better.

Clarification

I'd like to post a quick clarification for all the extroverts out there. I don't think you're empty-headed, stupid, obnoxious, boring, etc. I also don't think introverts are more intelligent, gifted, superior, and the like. The author of the article below does kind of have a bug up his ass. What I identify with is the misunderstanding I get. I often look bored, distant, uninterested, so on and so forth. I'm really not anti social, I'm just thinking. So talk away, but if you see me staring into space, don't assume I don't like you. I'm hearing everything you say and I'm thinking of ways to use it against you. Heh heh heh heh.

Mutton Chops and All

Macalester Students and Alumni Rejoice!!! Find your favorite professors as they were back in 1973!

Another One

I'm enjoying being an introvert today. I found this article.