Gunner Palace...

I'm doing what I can on applications without a printer (the library is closed today and tomorrow for Labor Day:):)...

And while I'm at it...Melissa and I are watching Gunner Palace, a really fascinating 2003/04 documentary of daily life of American soldiers in Iraq...

Highly recommend it...really interesting look into the lives of American soldiers in Iraq...and into Iraq post-invasion...

Musical interests are fascinating...a lot of rap...some rock...other soldiers I've seen are often into punk and metal...SPC Stuart Wilf plays a soft, sweet tune on an acoustic guitar...

The Iraqis regard the Americans as very friendly...the Americans do much to try to bring security to Iraq...and support some normalcy in daily Iraqi life...the interactions between soldiers and Iraqi children are particularly touching:):)...

American soldiers train Iraqi soldiers...and it is so interesting to see how much more independent and confident American soldiers are than Iraqi soldiers...a facet of a more democratic military force that Americans so often take for granted, I think...

Soldiers parody the weakly armored vehicles they ride in...they parody the mission...and they have a mix of varying opinions about their cause of rebuilding Iraq...

But all of them seem to be and say that they're proud to be American soldiers...

Definitely recommend this movie:):):)...you won't be disappointed:):):)...

Love,
Ben

Feeling Better:):):)...

I'm feeling much less angry than I was yesterday...though I'm still feeling hurt:):)...it'll take time:):)...I'll work through it:):)...I've talked at length with the involved parties:):)...one seems to have backed off of past bullshit...one has conceded outright and apologized...and one I'm still waiting to hear from...

I'm working on teaching and substitute teaching applications today:)...work has exhausted me in a way that has made this impossible up until now:)...though I was able to finish my resume once again:):)...but I have an extra day this weekend and I am using it:):)...yesterday's drama sapped me of a valuable day to do this work...but it had to be dealt with because it was really important and my friends just couldn't seem to get off the need to be dicks with me enough to let me just focus on this stuff:):)...I love them:):)...all of them:):)...but goddamn it if they can't be some recalcitrant dicks with me too much of the time:):)...

Got totally eyed by this little blonde hottie at the Community Mercantile (our naturual foods store) today:):)...it was really flattering:):)...she was pretty smokin':):):)...and this really amazing looking brunette I have this huge crush on from second shift was eyeing me last Friday:):):)...

It's just eye candy and for fun:):):)...but a lot of fun it is while I'm looking for my true love:):):)...I never got these kinds of looks when I was in school:):):)...well...a little:):)...at the end:):)...but not as much as when I left school and become some kind of flirt magnet that I have no idea whatsoever where it all came from:):):)...it must be my lustful "fuck me" eyes:):):)LOL:):):):)...

Melissa and I made up yesterday (she was a less serious part of this whole mess), ate pizza, and watched the second season of Six Feet Under all night last night:):):)...I had seen it:):)...but it's quality television:):)...so I didn't mind at all watching again:):)...especially the Christmas episode where everyone reminisces about their dad, husband, and boss who died a year previous to begin the series:):)...

Did I mention that I love my life?:):):)...even with all the bullshit:):):)...though smoking is a sucky way to cope with painful shit in life:):):)...I smoked three cigarettes yesterday after not smoking for months...ugh...maybe if we weren't so shitty to one another...we wouldn't feel a need to turn to destructive substances to deal with the pain...just a thought:):):)...

I suppose I'm going to mosey on down to the library so I can use a printer down there:):):)...and finish up these applications:):):)...

Hope everyone is having a great Labor Day weekend:):):)...

Have a great day, everyone:):):)...

Love,
Ben

Sad news...

Chief Justice William Rehnquist Dies...

The Chief Justice and I definitely had lots of disagreements...

His efforts to speed up executions were callous and arrogant, I think...

His vote against overturning sodomy laws may have upheld states rights...but they stomped all over the individual rights of gays and lesbians...

While his vote against affirmative action policies in college admissions violated the autonomy of colleges, even as I largely agree with his intent of promoting a merit-based university educational environment...

And his vote against both the original Roe v. Wade decision and against Sandra Day O'Connor's majority decision to affirm it while an affirmation of life that I appreciate was also a serious abrogation of a freedom that has probably done more and will do more to reduce abortions, long term over time, than original laws against abortion...

And the Bush v. Gore decision was a thinly-veiled partisan vote on the part of conservatives and Republicans on the court to appoint a fellow Republican President...

And...

William Rehnquist was a really terrific man, I think:):)...

He was full of humor and good spirit:):)...his effort to break from tradition to wear four gold Gilbert-and-Sullivan-inspired stripes on the sleeves of his black robe was really kind of sweet, I thought:):):)...a man with a reputation for tradition looking to break free of small traditions:):):)...

William Rehnquist was a good man...a man of God...a humble man, generally...a decent man...passing up the life of wealth and riches that often tempted and still tempts other lawyers for a life of tradition and more high-minded philosophy and of serving purposes higher than himself:):):)...

A widower who loved the court and did much to care for its image and prestige...

William Rehnquist led traditional Christmas carols even as it was becoming more politically incorrect...along with a more traditional Christmas party...

He waxed brilliantly about the case for states' rights in his dissent in Raich v. Ashcroft, the John Paul Stevens majority decision to overturn California's law legalizing medical marijuana...

And his majority decision in Van Orden v. Perry and his dissent in McCreary County v. ACLU affirmed the right of state and federal governmental institutions to display the Ten Commandments -- one of several law codes serving as precedent for our contemporary criminal and civil law, and a symbol of an important part of American and Western religious and cultural heritage:):)...

And his most important legacy -- to help nurture a majority to affirm the rights of states and limit the power of the federal government -- is his proudest and most deserving of praise...an important check on the overreach of the federal government in limiting the freedoms of individuals and states, alike:):)...

William Rehnquist was a good man...and a good justice...anyone of any judgment who has ever witnessed the courtroom of a bad justice -- of which I have watched too many -- must acknowledge the decency and respect for the court, the law, the debate, and the people about which the debate centered that Chief Justice William Rehnquist demonstrated:):):)...

Thank you Mr. Rehnquist:):)...for your intelligence, humility, and good humor:):):)...thank you for your service to the high court and to America:):)...

And thank you for your all too brief stay here on Planet Earth with all of us:):)...

All rise...

Court is adjourned:):)...

Love,
Ben