Just when I was bitching to my brother about the fact that we haven't gotten an issue of SPIN Magazine in a long time...

... the new issue comes in today!

• raises arms in triumph*

Then read on. This is a true story. You've all met me and hung out with me a few times - I think its clear that I'm not crazy in the traditional sense. This is something that nobody can rationally explain. Think what you like, choose not to believe that the spiritual realm exists, but consider this story and weigh it on its own merits.

I have a personal stake at what goes on in Iraq - I have two cousins who serve in the United States military. The older cousin is in the Air Force and is based out of Beale AFB in California (the home of the U2 spy plane, for the nerds out there). The younger cousin is an Army paratrooper who is now being trained in radiology. Both have served more than one tour in Iraq, and my cousin in the Army has seen some particularly gruesome and dangerous activity in the traditional hot spots during the apex of the violence in that country. I don't ask a lot of questions because I know all the answers. Did he have to kill somebody? Did he get shot at? Did he see a friend die before his very eyes? Did he wonder about whether or not he'd come home alive? For my part, I've always let them know that I love and support them, that I'm proud of them and their unwavering willingness to sacrifice on our behalf. My cousins, if I do say so myself, represent the best of what our military has to offer. I'm proud and relieved to say that neither have been injured.

That is a worry, however, that never really subsided from my aunt and uncle while my cousins were serving in Iraq. My aunt and uncle are very religious people - they are the only ones in my family that I have religious discussions with on a semi-regular basis. One particularly desperate night, they sat at home and prayed to God. They had not heard from their son in a long time, were in utter despair and told God that they were scared that perhaps the lack of news meant something negative. They told God that they asked local officials to help them get news but nothing came of it.

Then a voice said to my aunt and uncle, "Why didn't you ask me?" By relaying this story to me, it brought my uncle to tears. An angel spoke to my aunt and uncle, and told them that their son was in harms way but was safe, and even told them that he was occasionally behaving badly. The angel even displayed a slight sense of humor in divulging my cousin's bad behavior, which alleviated their concerns and made them smile during a very low moment. The angel told them not to worry - that they would see him again and he would be unharmed.

My aunt and uncle did not have a mass hallucination, nor are they crazy. They are more in tune with the spiritual world than I am. Its not to say that I don't believe in God, because I do. Its just that in some ways I feel that they are closer to that world than I am because I know they are more devoted. This event happened to them, in their own home. How do we explain occurrances like this?

I think the answer is that we can't - there are some things that are utterly beyond our human understanding. Sometimes things just are what they are, and open ended answers are the only way.

Well done, well done.



A 13-year old corrected a NASA projection on how likely it was that a specific asteroid would hit Earth. NASA said it was 1 in 45,000. The young fella said it was 1 in 450. It turns out the boy was right, and NASA has publicly acknowledged his correction. Not to mention probable job offers when the kid graduates from college, lawl. Cheers guys - here's to enjoying our time until approximately 2036!

In another story - I honestly had no interest but at a glance clicked on a link to an article titled "EPA urges Great Lakes residents not to flush old meds." Of course, the report was filed from Buffalo.



I'm not going to be alarmist about this one. We honestly have no idea to the extent this may be going on, or even if its dangerous at all. Its obviously not good, however, so I see this as a good practice being put in place. I wonder why they are worried about the drugs though - we've been dumping raw sewage into Lake Erie for decades. That is sort of like licking someone's butt every time we go for a drop of water out of the tap. Isn't that a more urgent waste control measure we should be considering for the Great Lakes?

Behold - 1986, Alan Partidge of the BBC on Seve Ballesteros.

We have a beautiful morning yet again! Just had to say that. I'm glad the better weather is coming because really there is only so much Battlefield 2142 (nearly to Brigadier General on online play) or Guitar Hero III I can play (I got my first 5-star on Expert!). Call me crazy but I kind of like digging my surroundings - maybe I'm a bit of a nerd but on nice days I like to get out and walk around the neighborhood checking out the houses. Winter robs me and all my neighbors of that joy, which is a true shame.

Anyway - on to the article.



First of all, I don't know if this is true, although I suppose if it came from a Republican strategist chances are they aren't lying about something like this. Personally I'd rather see Colin Powell do it, but he has no apparent interest in a political career. To be honest, who could blame him these days? Lawl.

Right now I don't really have an opinion on Condi as VP - she has cabinet level experience, which is as executive as you can get outside of the top two seats. Say what you will but she is an astonishingly brilliant lady. This strategist is claiming that Condi is actively courting the VP slot, which is, I have to say, what I find hard to believe about the whole thing. The previous word is that she was eager to go back into the academic world. If I'm John McCain and I'm picking between Condi and say, Mitt Romney, who do I choose?

On the Democrat side - I wonder who Barack Obama will pick. If he were clever he'd find a retired General that sees things his way, or maybe Bill Richardson. Many cynical raisings of an eyebrow occurred after seeing his La Raza-esque goatee he wore the day he endorsed Obama. Forget the potentially cynical use of facial hair angle, which I happen to think is funny but a bit silly. The goatee just looked shady, period! I think Bill Richardson should shave - he can more than stand on his credentials and he is a Democrat I have looooong respected. It would have been a coup for Al Gore to have picked him in 2000 instead of Lieberman.

I'm beyond Hillary getting the nomination - at this point for her to use the flaws in the system to her advantage would cut the party right in half. The numbers in NC right now are embarrassing. I think she likes being Senator if she can't be President... she won't throw away her entire political career. My brain tells me to insist on taking her at her word and that she'll ride it all the way to the convention, but a part of me also thinks when the cat calls finally get loud enough that they penetrate that Clinton cloud, for the sake of both her and her husbands reputation she will bow out before July. DNC rules as they stand are a mockery, and disenfranchisement is bad not just for Democrats but for the American political system as a whole. I would extend it and say that Clintons are bad for the American political system as a whole but you know, thats just me - and (e:james) possibly!

This just flashed in my head - if Hillary got the nomination, what would be the chances that she would pick her husband for VP? Is that even legal? Taft became Chief Justice after serving as POTUS but I don't know what the rules are for VP, since there are executive term limits and I don't know how or if that extends to VP. They are in the same branch of government, which is what makes me wonder about the legal angle. It may be inconsequential. Anybody know?

In other news...

Our landlady replaced our broken doorbell with one of those RF jobbies. Now my bell goes off randomly and nobody is ever at the door. Either they somehow set it up wrong, or something is interfering with the signal. You can imagine how annoying this was at 6:22am this morning. I'd ask how to fix it, but I think I'm just going to turn it off!