I apologize for not posting over spring break. Because I do not have that one hour buffer time from commuting to class I’ve slacked. However I’m not inactive… a lot of stuff has been going on that needs ‘post’n‘

First I want to mention that I’m finally going to build my *good* PC. It won’t be the fastest on the market or the best one money can buy, but it’ll be good.

here’s the specs: (scroll down if you don’t care to the next portion)

CPU: Intel Pentium 4 524 3.06ghz
Mother board: Asus p5n32-e sli
Memory: Rendition 1 gb (2×512) 667 DDR2
Video: eVGA 7300 GT 256m PCI x16
HD: Seagate 160gb 8m 7200 SATA II
PS: generic 400 w ATX
OS1: Windows XP Pro
OS2: Ubuntu linux

that’s it.. if you care further it’s in a nifty Antec Case made of steel (read heavy) with the PS on the bottom, weird. The case comes with 3 big ole 120mm fans and a little 80mm vent for the gpu I guess. it’s all cool when it gets built… I just gotta do it now pics to come..

And…. we’re back: (Que to tune in)

So get this! Yesterday I had to come in to work at 11am. Last time I left the house early (too early) and I got there with over a half hour to spare so… yesterday I thought I had plenty of time. Well I didn’t! You see I take US26 west and yesterday there was a big landslide at around 9am that I didn’t know about. So here I am cruising up I-5 to I-405 to take the US26 and what do I see but a blocked path! Whoa. “USE ALT ROUTE” it said. What alt route? I started flipping radio channels, but it was all talk talk talk. So no luck there I had to figure something out. So I called my Dad who is in Lake O working and he suggesting taking hwy 10 to 217 to 26 so I dropped in got a map, called work to tell ‘em I’d be late and off I went.

Now Hwy 10 is an OLD highway. It used to be the road that went out the farmlands of Beaverton (things have since changed). So as you drive down this old highway you get this sense of “whoa I didn’t know that was there” feeling. Old businesses that relied on Hwy 10 drivers look kinda beat up. The traffic that used to go through there isn’t there anymore and you get this CARS Movie effect like Radiator Springs. Another part of Portland was found! However, since US26 opened back up there’s no need to use Hwy 10 again. Just a old road that if you have nothing to do and have some gas (hah!) you should drive it just to see it.

Otherwise I got in a little late and when I got off it was all cleared so getting home was fine (except for the I-5 parking lot).

I felt relieved that it all happened yesterday and not the day before when I took my girlfriend to the Oregon Zoo. I can’t imagine trying to find a alt route through those twisty hilly back roads… yeesh!

Anywho.. today I got two goals… building my machine and getting new goggles (glasses)! Hope I can do it all!

~J

Yesterday I was hit my a monster of a flu or sickness. I can’t even describe it other then just being “bad.” It wasn’t like my Kamikaze, but it took it all outta me. Now I’m just in recovery mode.

One heck of a spring break beginning ‘eh?

~J

So I finally uploaded some pics from the protest that I’d like to share…

First the herb man

the peaceniks in white standing still were there…

Dad having a flashback to another time…

The march underway…

There’s more pics if you go to my webalbum here

check it out! Like I said it was a pretty good turn out… lots of people ages 8-80! I hope this summer they try and organize another one.

~J out

Right now I’m building a new computer that’ll be all fast and stuff… Components are rolling in … slowly… when it’s all built I’ll post from it… until then. Small posts will be made via my old slow machine.

~J

BTW pics have been processed for both the white flags and the protest I just need to put them up on my webalbum

Pictures to come… I took a total of 147. Some from the mobs, some from the groups, pics of my Dad and I, and of the march.

So how was it? Peaceful. From the time we arrived (1:30pm) to the time we left (3:30) the march progressed peacefully. Men and Women of all Ages and races showed up to support the anti-war movement. My experience and my dad’s (a Vietnam vet) experience was something on the order of “wow.”

I would guess about 20-30,000 showed up to protest against the Iraq war. Everyone seemed to be with the bigger peace movement, but at the same time have their own agenda like: No war in Iran, Vets against the war, Moms against the war, __X__ for peace (“X” is your occupation), and other groups. The spot seemed good for the masses that turned up, the march was great and the weather was great.

During the march, you heard mantras like:

“Peace…Now!…Peace…Now!” “Buck Fush” and others… however…

Getting home and turning on the T.V. just aggravated me. Of course the News was reporting not on the protest, but on a faction group and the massive police response. Argg! Why? Well it’s news I suppose, but from what I’ve said here please understand that this was completely clean, safe, and fun for all ages. The point was peaceful protesting and a couple of ‘rebels’ made a choice to dirty that image and for what cause? Rebellion? idiots.

Here’s the whole point… it’s been 4 years with a lot of people dead. Technically if you look at why we’re in Iraq, it’s because of the alleged “WMDs”…. War atrocities are happening now. The small group of Marines who killed 28 or so Iraqi civilians because they ‘thought’ they were terrorists are being prosecuted, Guantanamo has happened, Falluja happened, there’s been a lot of stuff that has happened and little progress is to be had on the whole matter. It is time to leave and let the people settle the dirt between them. Truth be told, there isn’t many arguments for keeping a military presence there. That’s what the group yesterday came out (in numbers) to say and now you’ve heard it from me.

~J out

Got any plans? Some green beer and Irish music? Well of course there’s the Kells annual bash, but what about Sunday?

Buzz is happening all around campus about this march in March. If you like to come down and participate or even watch it here’s the info.

And with that.. be safe this St. Patty’s Day!

~J out

Man it’s been a long time (a day) since I posted better get busy…

Well it’s bright and sunny for us but for this guy…

The report interviews shoppers and suppliers, but the whole thing is organized via the Internet. Online shoppers register in with a bigger group and dates, times, & locations are posted for consumers to show up and pick what they want. A majority of them are newly minted ‘middle class earners‘ who redecorating their new condos.

The most ironic part of this is that the group leader says that group shopping is in line with the very ideals of Chairman Mao’s communist agenda. Power resides in numbers and just like working and living as a group, group shopping just takes it to the next level.

Now what would Chairman Mao think if he knew that now his communal principals were being used in the capitalistic ways?

~J out

First I’d like to Wish Christina a very happy 22nd Birthday!

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Yesterday I watched an interesting story on poverty and healthcare. The Story revolved around an organization who helps cancer patients in poverish neiborhoods. Often people forget about these people and it’s these people who, never in their lives, would go in for help because it would likely throw themselves into more debt. hmmm death or debt? Don’t jump to conclusion so fast. Most of the poverty in these places (and likely the poor in your neiborhood) were once thriving middle class people.

• Construction workers who got a medical injury and couldn’t work,
• A partner in a couple who got cancer and drained their lifesavings paying the costs,
• or family (three kids & a dog) whose father worked for a big company (HP or Bowing) and was laid off.

All these are very realistic and make up a large percentage of the poor. These ‘working men & women’ never have asked for a handout and plan never to in the future… so where does that leave us? Well a question needs to be ask’d… where would you be if you missed 2 paychecks? would you be poor?

~J

Looking forward to a successful second week on the job, I was shocked to find Lewis and Clark covered in White flags. Little white flags cover the lawn with red ones in between. The Symbolism is to represent the Iraqi’s that have fallen as compared to the Americans. To say the least, it’s impressive.

What does this say on the Global War on Terror? The GWoT? Well I watched an interesting documentary on “our children’s, children’s war” last night on Discovery. A summary of the show can be seen here.

The part I got is this:

The GWoT is really %20 military fighting. A majority of it is seen in Iraq and the surrounding region, but the “terrorists” are more or less influential people who rally disgruntled citizens to let them stay and operate. What I mean is that people around the world follow what sounds right to them or what makes since. People want something solid that if they trust in it, it’ll pay off. People don’t want to get duped.

America (to Americans) is a different America to non-Americans. When we see ‘getmo‘ or Guantanamo Bay be the site of heinous crimes, or when we see (more recently) Walter Reed be publicized for poor treatment of it’s “clients” we shrug and let the politicians battle it out and try and forget the whole thing, or just turn off the t.v./radio. However, all of this junk is getting broadcasted to Iraq and the whole region. People are listening and when they read that America stands for “high moral values” and see this blatant act against that, what are they going to think? If a terrorist says, “see they’re fakes” the people believe the terrorist and let them stay to protect them. Well if one is going to win this GWoT then it sounds like we’re going to have shape up and respect the promises we made or change our message.

Double standards are not the historical American norm, some might differ and say it is. The truth is that we can’t win the hearts and minds until we lead the example of “good morality and democracy” ourselves.

~j out

Today is friday, but I work till 6pm.. whatever. I’m having fun! I’m not totally sure what i’ll be doing this weekend only that part of it has to be some much needed shut-eye.

Most likely i’ll be plugg’n away on my papers, doing research, and listening to music. I’m also working on building a computer so maybe i’ll make some headway on that.

I just hope the weather doesn’t stay drab all weekend~

~J out