Overread in Green Part 1

Funny, I mentioned that I was in the army in the last post. The funny part is that I almost always feel I have to explain that, and I still have mixed feelings about the whole thing. So, poof - a fitting post (or 2) for this weekend!

I'm not the kind of person who I think seems like an army guy. I really don't like guns. I'm generally against military adventures abroad. I'm not religious (a huge part of the modern US Army). I really don't care for the regimented military-style brainwashing either.

So, what was I doing in the army? Well, there was the fact that I hadn't finished school. The GI Bill ended up getting me a whole lot of cash so I could go back (thanks taxpayers!). There was also the fact that my attempt to make a living as an actor was fallen apart (another post for another day). I didn't have a whole lot of options.

Now, that's all well and good, and plenty of people join the service for those reasons. The army is brimming with people who felt at the end of their rope. That's one of the problems with our army as well as one of its advantages.

But, well, the other reason I joined up... It's pretty funny because I always feel a bit silly bringing it up. I really wanted to serve. I truly feel that people should do what they can to help their nation.

There's a bit of me that wishes we had a mandatory program of service in the US. Everyone would serve in the military, peace corps, the state department, or some other office for a couple of years. I really think that it would help to allow regular folks an idea of how things work there, and there's no doubt the nation would be better off for the service.

The volunteer army is a really impressive thing, but perhaps if a more broad cross-section of people were in BDUs, we wouldn't be so cavalier about sending them places where they shouldn't go.

A Herculean Post

Could we please, as speakers of English, stop overusing the word "hero?" Please?

The crossing guard at your school is not a hero. The librarian who stops your child from watching internet porn is not a hero. Politicians are not heroes. Pilots are generally not heroes. Not all soldiers are heroes. Some, perhaps, but not all. Trust me, I was in the army. I know.

Even if you do something good or important, that does not make you a hero. It has to be heroic. See what I did there? It's English. It's a pretty wonderful language.

Also, any talking head who cannot make sense of the title "Celebrated Leaping Frog of Calaveras County" should be immediately fired. Seriously, I think she said something like "Calaras country." Yeesh. I'm going to make a great curmudgeon - "Don't they teach Twain in the schools anymore?"

Why do I keep watching CNN?

Finally, President Carter rocks. Could we re-elect him?

Link Dump From Beyond!

Completely random, but they've been lurking in my browser tabs, so I'm putting them here so that I can delete the tabs. Fun eh?

1. Comparative Maps Of Subway Systems - Alas, would that my current city had a London-size tube. My. That sounded very rude, didn't it? Fun for fans of public transit!
   
2. Boomshine Game - I'm pretty sure that I linked this before, but I'm lazy and I don't want to look. Very fun soothing flash game. try to get all the dots to blow up in pretty lights and colors. Fun for those who enjoy pretty lights and colors!
   
3. Who Said It Quiz - try and guess who said the quote. Was it Osama bin Laden or either Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson. Fun for the whole extremist family!
4. Alice and Jabberwocky Over Tea - What would happen if you put two relatively advanced Turing chatting programs in a room together? Funny, and intriguing too!
5. Color Photos From World War I - I've seen a few sites like this one, but this one seems to have more photos and many I haven't seen before at all. It's eerie to look at the people who lived during that time. Fun for... well, not fun really, kind of sobering and fascinating for history-geeks.
6. Archive of Dime Novel Covers - very freaky but a hoot to browse through. Fun for strapping young men of adventure and their winsome women who stay in their place.

Whew. Well, I'm spent.

Maybe, but I Don't Have His Metaclorians, or Thetans, or Whatevertheycallems

Your results:
You are Obi-Wan Kenobi

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You are civilized, calm, and have a good sense of humor, even when those around you don't. You can hold your own in a fight, but prefer it when things don't get too exciting.

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