Happy Wednesday, everyone! It's a nice day outside, so I spent most of it outside in it. My lady friend is busy waiting to deliver puppies, and going slowly bored out of her mind waiting for that event. Good luck to dog and deliverer! She's stuck out in the wilds of CT, but I think it's really nice of her to help out.
It's been pretty quiet apart from that- I've been getting outside as much as possible, and am fairly certain I've lost about 5 pounds, which the MEPS doctor recommended. Not that I need it, but to put me in line with height and weight regulations. So I guess bulking up in the gym is not a good idea? At any rate, today I finally got a military email address. There's a way to communicate/chat/IM the other members of my company before training begins, but I have yet to discover how to do it. Then again, my level of chat expertise reached its high point when I met my lady friend- we chatted on-line for a bit before setting up a first meeting- going over such vital topics as cartoons, dogs and pajama pants. From such humble beginnings, however, great things come.
I came across the director's cut of Brazil, a really good if more than a little controversial movie. Picture the Bush administration in a nightmare version of Manhattan and you've got pretty much the idea. The strange thing was, that this movie, along with 1984, were mirrored so well in the Bush administration. All three have a seemingly (deliberately?) unwinnable war (actually, the country is not at war- the declaration of war comes from a vote by Congress, not the President) against a shadow enemy, kind of a boogeyman who could be anywhere at any time, and all use this shadow enemy to justify running roughshod over civil rights and throwing common sense to the wind. (Hey, just because I take orders from the government doesn't mean I have to agree with them) But the one thing that I can't figure out in any of these, and perhaps never will, is this- what is the rationale? It can't be profit, as profit without sustainability results in the system eating itself alive. Is it religion, or some kind of superiority, that we have some obligation to subdue the heathen peoples of the world with our vastly superior culture? Well, that would make some degree of sense, although not much. Or is it simply paranoia and fear? That a position of power, a position of having it all, can disappear in the blink of an eye? Not that that will happen to the vast majority of people, who continue, it seems, to live their lives despite the recession. I can say with certainty, I have no freakin' idea. Oh well, I would like to think I've found my spot in this world, and am glad of it. At this point my plan is simply do the best job I can, give all that I can to my family and loved ones, and hope in the end it would have been enough.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Bum Wine Review
Mainly because I don't really have anything else to do, I figured I would offer my critique of the genre of alcoholic beverages known colloquially as bum wine. Though in many cases these are not wines per se, they fall under the category due to low price and questionable production. Some are not bad, some foul beyond measure. If you are interested in bum wine, check out also www.bumwine.com for all your bum wine-related questions. These are merely the select few I have had the pleasure to come across- no doubt there are others. Here are my opinions, in no particular order-
Cisco- The label of this peculiar concoction warns that it is not a wine cooler. What it is, well, no one is sure. It comes in neon-bright colors not found anywhere in nature, or for that matter in other drinks. Cisco has commonly been identified as a source of "Cisco psychosis"- some bizarre chemical reaction can increase your energy level, aggressiveness, and basically make you hyperactive while smelling like low tide. The alcohol content of Cisco is approximately 18%, and the rest is probably something akin to Kool-Aid. Very sweet, very dangerous if you are around anyone prone to argument. If you should feel compelled to try this, split the bottle with a friend (that way you'll both get in trouble) and I recommend the strawberry.
MD 20-20- This name is something of a misnomer, as it's highly unlikely you'll be seeing 20-20 after a does of this. Commonly known as Mad Dog, it lacks the psychosis-inducing effects of Cisco, and scores several points lower on the taste scale. Its alcohol content is about the same, 18%, and it also comes in various garish colors. Green Mad Dog is available, though to this date I know of no one fearless enough to try it. One of the less expensive of the bum wine genre, Mad Dog has a somewhat bitter chemical aftertaste, rather like an industrial disinfectant. Apart from that, it is guaranteed to keep you up all night. It is a little closer to true wine than some of its cousins, and the process of creating red wine means that it contains sulfides- the chemicals responsible for an occasional bout of insomnia after drinking. Combine this with the feeling of having swallowed a hot cannonball, and you're in for a rough night.
Wild Irish Rose- A true classic, this is also high on the alcohol content scale, also coming in at about 18%. It is described as "citrus wine", although what fruit went into it is frankly unknown. It is a good deal sweeter than anything out there with the possible exception of Cisco, and a bit thicker. Many fans recommend mixing it with a seltzer and serving it on the rocks. This is actually not bad, as it cuts the sweetness down quite well. It is available in red and white versions, although the red is much more commonly found. Consuming an entire bottle of Wild Irish Rose has been known to make people become sentimental and/or fall asleep. Recommended as a dessert wine for people of extremely limited budget. Follow the instructions, in this case, and serve cold.
Night Train- By far the most vile and offensive stuff on the market, with the exception of the elusive Thunderbird, the Night Train usually makes a stop for the Porcelain Express. With a flavor a bit like Crystal Light and gasoline, and an astronomically high alcohol content, Night Train exists for one reason and one only- to get you messed up in a hurry. And this it does quite well, although the resulting hangovers are generally worse than anything previously experienced, unless, of course, you have actually tried Crystal Light and gasoline. Night Train is somewhat rare, at least in New England, but if it can be found, I recommend trying it at least once, then give the bottle to someone else so they can see how nasty it is.
Boone's Farm- Perhaps unfairly included in the bum wine family, Boone's Farm is a light, sweet, low- alcohol wine that comes in a variety of strange fruit flavors. Other types are Blue Hawaiian, Sangria and Peach, all actually very good served on the rocks. Boone's is inexpensive and fairly sweet, and for a bum wine exceeds the low standards set for such a drink. I think it's frequently included as a bum wine not for any flaw in its production, but rather due to its inexpensiveness. Its culinary uses are admittedly limited, but all in all, it is perhaps somewhat more sophisticated than other wines.
Ripple- Not much to add on this one, as it's kind of like Wild Irish Rose, except less sweet and thick. Overall, not too bad. It also comes in a strange variety of fruit flavors, although it's debatable whether any fruit was present during its manufacture. Much like Wild Irish Rose, best served cold and/or on the rocks. Adding seltzer here too is not a bad idea.
Thunderbird- The holy grail of bum wines- there is no cheaper nor fouler alcoholic beverage known to man. Not widely available, this offering tastes much like Night Train, except without the Crystal Light. It also inexplicably turns one's lips black. It has something to do with the charcoal used in its fermentation, although the exact chemical reactions remain a mystery. Best avoided, as it too re-routes all travelers to the Porcelain Express. Available in several flavors, but each is so vile, it really doesn't make a difference .
Well, hopefully this will give you some idea what to avoid and what's worth a look. Some of these may have cooking applications- experimentation, after all, has produced surprising results. Of course, do not drink to excess, or in some cases, at all. Bum wine can be appreciated much as its more pedigreed cousins can, although it remains a world unto itself.
Cisco- The label of this peculiar concoction warns that it is not a wine cooler. What it is, well, no one is sure. It comes in neon-bright colors not found anywhere in nature, or for that matter in other drinks. Cisco has commonly been identified as a source of "Cisco psychosis"- some bizarre chemical reaction can increase your energy level, aggressiveness, and basically make you hyperactive while smelling like low tide. The alcohol content of Cisco is approximately 18%, and the rest is probably something akin to Kool-Aid. Very sweet, very dangerous if you are around anyone prone to argument. If you should feel compelled to try this, split the bottle with a friend (that way you'll both get in trouble) and I recommend the strawberry.
MD 20-20- This name is something of a misnomer, as it's highly unlikely you'll be seeing 20-20 after a does of this. Commonly known as Mad Dog, it lacks the psychosis-inducing effects of Cisco, and scores several points lower on the taste scale. Its alcohol content is about the same, 18%, and it also comes in various garish colors. Green Mad Dog is available, though to this date I know of no one fearless enough to try it. One of the less expensive of the bum wine genre, Mad Dog has a somewhat bitter chemical aftertaste, rather like an industrial disinfectant. Apart from that, it is guaranteed to keep you up all night. It is a little closer to true wine than some of its cousins, and the process of creating red wine means that it contains sulfides- the chemicals responsible for an occasional bout of insomnia after drinking. Combine this with the feeling of having swallowed a hot cannonball, and you're in for a rough night.
Wild Irish Rose- A true classic, this is also high on the alcohol content scale, also coming in at about 18%. It is described as "citrus wine", although what fruit went into it is frankly unknown. It is a good deal sweeter than anything out there with the possible exception of Cisco, and a bit thicker. Many fans recommend mixing it with a seltzer and serving it on the rocks. This is actually not bad, as it cuts the sweetness down quite well. It is available in red and white versions, although the red is much more commonly found. Consuming an entire bottle of Wild Irish Rose has been known to make people become sentimental and/or fall asleep. Recommended as a dessert wine for people of extremely limited budget. Follow the instructions, in this case, and serve cold.
Night Train- By far the most vile and offensive stuff on the market, with the exception of the elusive Thunderbird, the Night Train usually makes a stop for the Porcelain Express. With a flavor a bit like Crystal Light and gasoline, and an astronomically high alcohol content, Night Train exists for one reason and one only- to get you messed up in a hurry. And this it does quite well, although the resulting hangovers are generally worse than anything previously experienced, unless, of course, you have actually tried Crystal Light and gasoline. Night Train is somewhat rare, at least in New England, but if it can be found, I recommend trying it at least once, then give the bottle to someone else so they can see how nasty it is.
Boone's Farm- Perhaps unfairly included in the bum wine family, Boone's Farm is a light, sweet, low- alcohol wine that comes in a variety of strange fruit flavors. Other types are Blue Hawaiian, Sangria and Peach, all actually very good served on the rocks. Boone's is inexpensive and fairly sweet, and for a bum wine exceeds the low standards set for such a drink. I think it's frequently included as a bum wine not for any flaw in its production, but rather due to its inexpensiveness. Its culinary uses are admittedly limited, but all in all, it is perhaps somewhat more sophisticated than other wines.
Ripple- Not much to add on this one, as it's kind of like Wild Irish Rose, except less sweet and thick. Overall, not too bad. It also comes in a strange variety of fruit flavors, although it's debatable whether any fruit was present during its manufacture. Much like Wild Irish Rose, best served cold and/or on the rocks. Adding seltzer here too is not a bad idea.
Thunderbird- The holy grail of bum wines- there is no cheaper nor fouler alcoholic beverage known to man. Not widely available, this offering tastes much like Night Train, except without the Crystal Light. It also inexplicably turns one's lips black. It has something to do with the charcoal used in its fermentation, although the exact chemical reactions remain a mystery. Best avoided, as it too re-routes all travelers to the Porcelain Express. Available in several flavors, but each is so vile, it really doesn't make a difference .
Well, hopefully this will give you some idea what to avoid and what's worth a look. Some of these may have cooking applications- experimentation, after all, has produced surprising results. Of course, do not drink to excess, or in some cases, at all. Bum wine can be appreciated much as its more pedigreed cousins can, although it remains a world unto itself.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Random Picture For Today
...mainly because I don't have much else to do today. Things are about the same as always- same troubles, new day. Wake up, go job hunting, write some stuff in red (this is fun!) and then go for a run or something. And the evenings involve (usually) hanging out with T. and as of late, playing Silent Hill 4 obsessively. Actually, I liked the movie, too. The good news is, I can be a lot less picky in my choice of employers at this point, as I only need the job for a couple months before I ship out. On the 9th of May I'm slated to go to a big military function- lots of fun stuff, drills, explanation of military traditions, all that. It actually should be pretty interesting. There are about 12 of us in the Enfield platoon, most of us shipping out at the same time. The thing we're going to is statewide, though, which is cool, because I'll probably run into a couple people from the MEPS station that I was tested with, and see who's going where and when for training. I think I'm the only one from my platoon going into motor transport- there was a gal going in as an MP, another younger guy going into infantry, another for artillery, and a few others whose MOS's escape me at the moment. Well, now I know who to get chummy with- a friend in the MP could come in handy... Just kidding! Actually, she's a pretty decent person, and will probably make a great soldier. I was surprised to find people from all areas of CT- from Greenwich to Enfield, pretty much across the whole width of the state. But then again, I suppose I shouldn't be- the government takes care of its own, and lots of people are looking to join up and wait out the crappy economy.
In other news, tomorrow is Kung Fu night! Which is unfortunate, as there is a banquet scheduled for the same night that T. invited me to, however it looks like I'm stuck on that one, as I have to watch the kids that night. But we're going to watch kung fu movies and make stir fry. Sounds like a fun night to me! My kids love kung fu movies. A funny thing- Max is watching a lot of the same anime that I used to way back when- Dragonball Z was one of my favorites, although I haven't actually sat down and watched it in years- is it even still on the air? At any rate, hopefully writing this in red didn't give anyone a screaming headache. Off to glory!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Doing PT
Yes, it's that time again! To do much physical training (PT) to get myself in fighting shape for basic! Actually, it's pretty cool, albeit strenuous. Strenuous is good, though. Every morning and evening means 20 pushups, and every morning means calisthenics as outlined in the handy little PT manual. Plus running for 15 or so minutes each day. I tend to judge it in mileage rather than time, although there is a maximum allowable time limit for a mile run. 8:30 for us of the male persuasion- I can do it in considerably less. But my weight is still a little off- actually 5 lbs over, but losing that should be easy. I'll admit, I don't watch my diet as closely as I should. That's what comes from hanging out with good cooks, I guess.
Apart from that, it was a pretty exciting day. Max went running with me, which was nice. It's always nice to have company. I took him around the block, maybe 3/4 of a mile or so, and allowed him to set pace, so I wasn't wearing him out. And he took off like a rocket! That is one fast five-year old! He earned the nickname The Flash, and it was a good day. Tomorrow, I'll see if I can sneak out and get a little longer run in, but even if I don't, I get the feeling Max will have no trouble keeping pace. Tonight, nothing major on the radar, just hopefully getting away to unwind with T. Always nice to see her, and she's on her own tonight, the folks being away camping. The fact that I too am beginning to refer to them as Ma and Big Daddy without conscious thought is not lost on me. Funny, but it makes them sound kind of like Bonnie and Clyde, like they should be toting tommy guns and smirks. (It's a strange thing, but it would surprise me not at all if Ma does in fact have a semiautomatic weapon stowed somewhere.) But they are good people, and Big Daddy is one hell of a cook, too. There are always jokes about me being like a stray dog- feed it, and it never goes away. Well, when you feed an old mongrel like me that well, you bet!
Apart from that, it was a pretty exciting day. Max went running with me, which was nice. It's always nice to have company. I took him around the block, maybe 3/4 of a mile or so, and allowed him to set pace, so I wasn't wearing him out. And he took off like a rocket! That is one fast five-year old! He earned the nickname The Flash, and it was a good day. Tomorrow, I'll see if I can sneak out and get a little longer run in, but even if I don't, I get the feeling Max will have no trouble keeping pace. Tonight, nothing major on the radar, just hopefully getting away to unwind with T. Always nice to see her, and she's on her own tonight, the folks being away camping. The fact that I too am beginning to refer to them as Ma and Big Daddy without conscious thought is not lost on me. Funny, but it makes them sound kind of like Bonnie and Clyde, like they should be toting tommy guns and smirks. (It's a strange thing, but it would surprise me not at all if Ma does in fact have a semiautomatic weapon stowed somewhere.) But they are good people, and Big Daddy is one hell of a cook, too. There are always jokes about me being like a stray dog- feed it, and it never goes away. Well, when you feed an old mongrel like me that well, you bet!
Friday, April 17, 2009
But the Food's Good...
I just rolled in from Westover a few hours ago, after finishing final processing and swearing in. The oath, interestingly enough, is the same for all branches of the Armed Forces. It was pretty exciting, in a way. The oath, (or Oath, not sure if it's capitalized) is administered in the presence of an officer acting as a witness. But long story short, I'm now officially in the Army, going in as a PFC and hopefully finishing up AIT as a Spec-4, a driver for 88M Motor Transport Company. Here's the breakdown so far-
- July 29, I ship out for Fort Benning in Georgia, for basic training (9 weeks)
- then October 13, I move over to Fort Linwood, Missouri for AIT, (7 weeks)
- after that, I'll be assigned to a duty station, and get a hefty bonus, housing allowance if not living on post, all that good stuff.
I'm going to have to avoid calling it Fort Lost-In-The-Woods, as I heard that name from my recruiting sergeant, and it kind of stuck. Sounds like a nice place, though. The food in basic is supposed to be no great shakes, and I haven't heard one way or the other about Linwood, but Westover has got it going on as far as mess is concerned! Last night was prime rib night- lucky us! The food was good, but that's an Air Force base, not Army. If the Army food is this good, I'm going to have a hard time keeping to weight regulations! At any rate, I'll keep everyone posted when I get an address, and in the meantime, I'll need to start following the pre-training training plan the Army recommends. I'm actually a touch past the weight I should be at, so time to start knuckling down and getting some running in. With all the chasing after paperwork I've had to do, I don't have time to eat on occasion- that's not a good plan to make weight, though. At any rate, I'm kind of looking forward to going into basic, not to mention the hefty E-4 pay scale!
- July 29, I ship out for Fort Benning in Georgia, for basic training (9 weeks)
- then October 13, I move over to Fort Linwood, Missouri for AIT, (7 weeks)
- after that, I'll be assigned to a duty station, and get a hefty bonus, housing allowance if not living on post, all that good stuff.
I'm going to have to avoid calling it Fort Lost-In-The-Woods, as I heard that name from my recruiting sergeant, and it kind of stuck. Sounds like a nice place, though. The food in basic is supposed to be no great shakes, and I haven't heard one way or the other about Linwood, but Westover has got it going on as far as mess is concerned! Last night was prime rib night- lucky us! The food was good, but that's an Air Force base, not Army. If the Army food is this good, I'm going to have a hard time keeping to weight regulations! At any rate, I'll keep everyone posted when I get an address, and in the meantime, I'll need to start following the pre-training training plan the Army recommends. I'm actually a touch past the weight I should be at, so time to start knuckling down and getting some running in. With all the chasing after paperwork I've had to do, I don't have time to eat on occasion- that's not a good plan to make weight, though. At any rate, I'm kind of looking forward to going into basic, not to mention the hefty E-4 pay scale!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Band Geeks
I was kind of a band geek in high school- I played the bass in the jazz band. Which meant us rhythm section (in a large jazz band that consists of drums, bass, guitar, piano and any other percussion) were kind of the hoodlums. We weren't regular band members, except for those of us that played another instrument or doubled in the band. I wasn't one of them, but it was pretty cool anyway. I went to a couple competitions, including one at Berkeley (in Mass.) At any rate, none of this really has any bearing on anything, except that when I stopped in to the recuriter's office today to drop off the latest truckload of paperwork, someone was there signing up for the fife and drum corps. At least, I believe that's what it was, I could have misheard. Something to do with the Army marching band, anyway. I didn't know the Army had a marching band! I wonder if basic training is any different, and what AIT would involve. Is it like (dare I say it) band camp? I'm sure they work just as hard as the rest of us- don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to make fun of them. I think it's cool that there is an opportunity like that. I hear there are jazz bands and classical groups also- wonder if I would have room to pack my bass for AIT? I'm still having trouble with the wiring in the darn thing. Hopefully I can scrape together an extra couple hundred or so (yeah right) for a used Ibanez or something. That would be nice. Assuming all goes to plan, I'm going to have to donate the old clunker and start fresh when I get out of AIT and find myself in need of wheels. But really, that's what this is all about- it's a chance to start over, to begin a new life, and hopefully this time, get it right. In the meanwhile, it's stay out of trouble and keep from keeling over dead. After that, I'm the Army's problem.
Soundtracks
Once again, the woman im my life demonstrates that listening to your significant other is a good idea. She always tells me I worry too much, and she's right. It's a catch-22, in a way. I know perfectly well there's nothing I can do other than what I can do, (if that makes sense) so why worry? Nonetheless, worry I do. At any rate, things are coming to a conclusion as of late- I'm waiting to hear back from my friendly neighborhood recruiter to get a time and place to enlist. (I knew that astronomically high score on the ASVAB would come in handy sooner or later...) So today I'm waiting to hear what the good word is.
I got to thinking about a trick someone told me once- put your iPod on random, then answer a series of questions, along the lines of which song defines which aspect of your life. I actually don't have an iPod, but that's okay. It got me thinking, what songs best define people? I think music is, whether we realize it or not, a big part of our lives. Very few people I know don't drive without the radio on, and the songs that are always playing in the background can say a good deal about us. If we had theme songs, what would they be? I can think of a couple off hand-
- My personal theme- Dirty Drowning Man by Primus
-Theme for the kids/family- Dragula, by Rob Zombie- (my son loves this song)
- Love theme- Mothra Leo theme, by Akira Ifukube (for a really good rendering of this, check out Godzilla and Mothra: Battle for Earth)
- Conflict theme (every good drama has a little conflict, where the hero meets his nemesis, not that I have a nemesis)- "O Fortuna", from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff
-Just Had to Include It Themes-Everybody Get Some by Dino Lee and The White Trash Revue, I'm Your Boogie Man by KC and the Sunshine Band
Okay, enough silliness for one day- great things await, if we can but extend our reach! After all, should a man's expectations not always exceed his reach?
Monday, April 13, 2009
Le Pendu
A lot of people say, doesn't life get you down sometimes? Well, to be completely honest, yes, it does. Being stuck here, having to fight for a chance to work my ass off, yes, it does wear a little thin at times. But then again, I begin to think, it's all about what you have to fight for. That's why I put this funky little picture up here- it's a Tarot card, taken from the Fenestra deck (not that that matters, I just liked the art-deco feel of this particular version.) At any rate, as the card shows, the common theme is a man hanging from a tree by one foot. What the hell, you're probably thinking- can he get down, who put him there, and to what end? Well, this card is commonly said to represent Odin, the Norse god of wisdom. The tree on which he hangs is called Yggasdril, translated as the Tree of Life. No one really made him hang there- rather his rationale is to gain wisdom by sacrifice. He says at one point in an epic poem:
I know that I hung on a windy tree
nine long nights,
wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows
from where its roots run
wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows
from where its roots run
Long story short, he is enduring all this for the sake of wisdom. Hence the meaning of this particular card, (remember, Tarot cards are used for divinatory purposes, among other things) which is that sometimes to reap a reward or realize a gain, first we must sacrifice. In some cases, the sacrifice is a part of ourselves. Perhaps not a really necessary or good one, but rather one that by losing, we become the stronger for. That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger, as they say. Odin gained a great deal of wisdom from his ordeal, and although there may not be much call to hang on a giant ash tree for nine days, the principle is still largely the same. We can take what life gives us and do the best we can with it, or not. The choice is up to us, whether or not to be beaten down by the world. Clearly, we don't get much say in the burdens we have to bear, but how we bear them depends on us. This doesn't make it any more comforting, but in my own case, just leaves me with more resolve. I won't let whatever forces are arrayed against me win. If it kills me, well, I will have died fighting, and not given up. There's another meaning to this card, too- that sometimes the sacrifice is too great- true, we can gain from it, but sometimes we need a reality check. Don't throw away your life for a lost cause- rather, rethinking strategy sometimes becomes the order of the day. At any rate, whatever happens from here, the fight goes on, and you're never beaten until you don't get back up again.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Anthem
I actually just finished Anthem by Ayn Rand- it took me about an hour and a half to read the whole thing, but it really wasn't that long. The ideas are interesting, although I still say she was overly influenced by Communism, and seems to divide people somewhat arbitrarily into competent individuals and leeches. Granted, there are situatons where people do kind of slack off, but the individualist spirit she puts on such a pedestal is not always able to conquer, as it does in the book. It could be that you die trying, but I suppose that would put you on a par with Socrates- never concede, if the truth costs your life, you must serve the higher good.
In other news, it seems I need to file an appeal with the enlistment board, on the grounds that a misdemeanor charge is grounds to keep you out of the Army. Whatever happened to the days of the draft, when anyone who could walk in a straight line was allowed in? Actually, there is sufficient legal precedence for a waiver to be granted for me- a single misdemeanor can often be excluded. Also, the case was disposed of with a nolle prosequi- that is, no further prosecution. This is neither an acquittal nor a conviction- it is used for speedy trial or speedy disposition of a case when going to trial or further prosecution would basically waste the state's time. This was the case with me- I fulfilled the obligations imposed by the court, and that was that. However, I was under the mistaken assumption that for all intents and purposes the case was dismissed, and as far as the court is concerned, it was. No further prosecution can occur without opening a separate case, and no further restrictions are placed on me. So why does the Army say no go? Because technically a nolle means 13 months of "unsupervised probation" (read- this amounts to nothing at all, as no one is supervising you.) The only possible way that this could matter is if you get arrested again within the 13 month period. Of course, in the Army the rule is always CYA- Cover Your Ass, so this is what they're doing until I can file for a waiver on the grounds of no prior or subsequent criminal convictions, and that the supervision under the Army will be greater than that imposed by the court. Actually, there is no supervision imposed by the court, so you can see my point. Whatever may come, I'm not going to go quietly into the night, not on this one or probably never again. If it's worth doing, it's worth fighting for. And besides, I've got the kids and T. to worry about. This would put us quite comfortably in the neighborhood of Easy Street, if not actually on the street itself. Having researched the issue in the law library with the help of my younger sister (where all the brains in the family went), and looking into the military regulations surrounding this, I constructed a case for enlistment, which, seeing as it's the Easter weekend, will have to file on Monday. Hopefully also the very act of fighting for it will give me some credibility with the review board.
In other news, not much. It's raining a little today, and has been for a couple days now. Good day to head back to the library, and find something else to read in the interim until this whole thing with the enlistment board comes to fruition one way or the other.
In other news, it seems I need to file an appeal with the enlistment board, on the grounds that a misdemeanor charge is grounds to keep you out of the Army. Whatever happened to the days of the draft, when anyone who could walk in a straight line was allowed in? Actually, there is sufficient legal precedence for a waiver to be granted for me- a single misdemeanor can often be excluded. Also, the case was disposed of with a nolle prosequi- that is, no further prosecution. This is neither an acquittal nor a conviction- it is used for speedy trial or speedy disposition of a case when going to trial or further prosecution would basically waste the state's time. This was the case with me- I fulfilled the obligations imposed by the court, and that was that. However, I was under the mistaken assumption that for all intents and purposes the case was dismissed, and as far as the court is concerned, it was. No further prosecution can occur without opening a separate case, and no further restrictions are placed on me. So why does the Army say no go? Because technically a nolle means 13 months of "unsupervised probation" (read- this amounts to nothing at all, as no one is supervising you.) The only possible way that this could matter is if you get arrested again within the 13 month period. Of course, in the Army the rule is always CYA- Cover Your Ass, so this is what they're doing until I can file for a waiver on the grounds of no prior or subsequent criminal convictions, and that the supervision under the Army will be greater than that imposed by the court. Actually, there is no supervision imposed by the court, so you can see my point. Whatever may come, I'm not going to go quietly into the night, not on this one or probably never again. If it's worth doing, it's worth fighting for. And besides, I've got the kids and T. to worry about. This would put us quite comfortably in the neighborhood of Easy Street, if not actually on the street itself. Having researched the issue in the law library with the help of my younger sister (where all the brains in the family went), and looking into the military regulations surrounding this, I constructed a case for enlistment, which, seeing as it's the Easter weekend, will have to file on Monday. Hopefully also the very act of fighting for it will give me some credibility with the review board.
In other news, not much. It's raining a little today, and has been for a couple days now. Good day to head back to the library, and find something else to read in the interim until this whole thing with the enlistment board comes to fruition one way or the other.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Poincare and the Mandelbrot Man
This is a Mandelbrot Set. Okay, actually it's a fractal produced using the Mandelbrot set of equations, but you know what I mean. I've heard it also called the Mandelbrot Man, (not to be confused with the Marlboro Man, who on occasion can be used to demonstrate chaos theory) so named because it looks a little like a roly-poly man. At any rate, this is created by a computer- a number is run through the equation and the result plotted on a graph, each point being assigned a different color due to its tendency within the equations. The Mandelbrot set is a non-linear equation- that is, it doesn't neatly solve itself into a line. Rather, we can zoom in on any point of the graph above (simply change the numbers we are using in the equation sets) and find a different pattern, yet this same figure repeats over and over. We can look at a miles-wide graph of the equation, or a single speck on the graph, and find first, that the same equation holds, and the pattern is the same across all scales.
So what? Well, the discovery of non-linear mathematics was a pretty important step, as it allowed for accurate models of real-world applications. Prior to this, mathematicians couldn't account for anomalies in a set of data. For any statistical or predictive purposes, they would use what was called a best-fit line- that is, they would come up with a line that best encompassed all the points on a graph, and call it good. It would, more or less, predict the action of any given point in time. However, exceptions and the occasional wild number would occur, and the best-fit line would not be able to predict it. This was at first termed chaos- the effects of chaos could not really be predicted, hence chaos.
However, as time went on, non-linear equations proved able to reveal a pattern within the seeming chaos. This was kind of noted in Poincare's Conjecture before the onset of non-linear mathematics. Poincare said that basically, the Earth could be flat, round or donut-shaped, and we would not know from walking on its surface. We would need to step back and view the surface from a higher level- in other words, in three dimensions rather than two, or four dimensions rather than three. The result would be that we are able to see the shape in its entirety, and better understand it. The same is true of mathematics- what may first appear as simple old chaos is due to a much more complex pattern, albeit one that is not readily available to our eyes. If we were to take five numbers and run them through the Mandelbrot set, we would see a bunch of dots spread out more or less at random. Take 300, and we would begin to see a pattern. Take one million, and then we can begin to see that the placement is not random at all- it fits perfectly into the pattern. Much like real life- we can't often see the pattern of the world, because of our point of view. Should we somehow be able to pull a Poincare, step back and examine the world carefully, we may well find that there is an underlying order in the chaos of modern life.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Ten Years After
A long night, and a longer yesterday- Friday afternoon found me headed to Westover Air Force Base, where I was scheduled to take the ASVAB. This I did, and passed with flying colors. Actually, a 93, more than qualifying me for a couple really good assignments. I have the brain power, the drive, and the physical endurance to get through training, and after that, it'll be (I hope) a stellar career. I'm leaning towards mechanic, one of the positions I qualified for right off the bat. On Monday afternoon I'm going back in to finalize the decision, and choose a career. Now, I'm still free to back out, and pursue another career. After I agree to the terms of the Army contract, then it's no turning back.
Tonight is time to meet (again) more of the lady friend's family. I am perhaps a smidge nervous, but nonetheless, find that as I have confirmed that I am in fact one sharp cookie, I find some small measure of confidence. I place some faith in the Federales' assesment- I am no slouch. Nonetheless, life goes on, does it not? And perhaps sometimes leaves us in its peculiar wake.
I talked to my best friend today, who tells me, you need confidence and assertiveness. I tend to agree. The greatest enemy to one's own success is not limitations, but rather self-doubt. At any rate, on to charm the lady friend's relatives- of course, complete sincerity is a given- flattery is a tool of the inferior mind, recognizing the superior in all people a sign of a more sophisticated and advanced intellect. Stay well, and best wishes to everyone!
Tonight is time to meet (again) more of the lady friend's family. I am perhaps a smidge nervous, but nonetheless, find that as I have confirmed that I am in fact one sharp cookie, I find some small measure of confidence. I place some faith in the Federales' assesment- I am no slouch. Nonetheless, life goes on, does it not? And perhaps sometimes leaves us in its peculiar wake.
I talked to my best friend today, who tells me, you need confidence and assertiveness. I tend to agree. The greatest enemy to one's own success is not limitations, but rather self-doubt. At any rate, on to charm the lady friend's relatives- of course, complete sincerity is a given- flattery is a tool of the inferior mind, recognizing the superior in all people a sign of a more sophisticated and advanced intellect. Stay well, and best wishes to everyone!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Surrealism and the Antique Man
I'm beginning to think I've been reading too much lately- it seems like after a while, it begins to mess with your head. Lately the reading list has been pretty trippy- first up was Haruki Murakami's After Dark, which is a strange story about a night in Tokyo, but very good- highly impressionistic, if you're into that kind of book. (and I am, so bully for me). Next up was The Hot Jazz Trio, by another perennial favorite, William Kotzwinkle. It's actually three stories, and I became thoroughly engrossed in the first one, Django Reinhardt Played The Blues. It actually does center more or less around the famous guitarist, who, along with a singer, magician's assistant, an opium fiend poet and the magician himself, have a nasty tendency to exit this plane of existence and pop up on another one. They are attempting to rescue the magician's assistant, who has been abducted by the magician's large wooden cabinet, which he uses to make his assistant disappear. Of course, she's supposed to reappear, which in this case does not happen. The cabinet, it turns out, has, after countless nights of having the assistant hide in the box, fallen in love with her. So he (the box is more or less male) whisks her away to an alternate world and manages to soften her heart a little bit, although perhaps it could never work out. I haven't finished the story yet, so we'll have to see.
In other news, I took the preliminary or practice ASVAB test for the Army- results were pretty good, though I think I could have done better with a little preparation. Which is good, because I have a week to study for the real test. Actually, it's more along the lines of an aptitude test, trying to determine what a recruit would be best suited for. My lady friend often likes to point out that I'm smart. I appreciate this, although wonder if she realizes she is probably my intellectual equal. There is a good deal more to intelligence than being smart, and I find she has insight and understanding she perhaps doesn't give herself enough credit for. But nonetheless, I know I'm smart, but have no interest in bragging about it. Rather, I would much prefer to put it to practical use, which so far I have managed to do on occasion. Intelligence without direction seems to be the plague on my house, as it were.
But that's my intent as of late- to find what I'm good at, and do that. I can drive a truck, which is hopefully to be my MOS- Military Occupational Specialty- when I finish basic training, assuming I do enlist. (The Army does love their acronyms). After basic training is AIT- Advanced Individual Training, meaning they train you for your MOS. (See what I mean about the acronyms?) At any rate, I'm looking forward to the test- my recruiting sergeant seems less like a recruiter and more like a vocational counselor. I know there is really nothing guaranteed, as any job offer is conditional upon the needs of service, or what the Army needs you to do, but I am nonetheless optimistic- the test is designed to tell me where my aptitudes lie, and to hopefully make a good fit between recruit and position. I've been behind the wheel before, in trucking school, and found that I love driving these monsters, even the clunky old seven-speed with the shot clutch. I was a good student, missing my license last time on a technicality. The test went well, I completed the maneuvers quite well, and took the truck out on the road. The truck we were using on the test was not the regular one used for testing- rather, that truck had to go into the shop for repairs. It had a broken tachometer, which no one really uses anyway, but the state exam says it needs to be working. At any rate, the new truck, it turns out, had a burned-out clutch from overuse. So, as we all know, a burned-out clutch renders a vehicle driveable, but with a tendency to grind the gears. True, there is a way to shift without the clutch, but keep in mind, this truck is older than dirt, and secondly, I hadn't handled it in a good month- the other truck I could probably have pulled it off with, as the shifting had by this point become second nature to me. So, I failed the test on the driving portion of it- for grinding gears. Define irony- if the tachometer that I don't use anyway hadn't let go on the other truck, I would have passed, because the clutch on that truck was fine. But we must keep our heads up- every mistake is an opportunity to learn.
In other news, I took the preliminary or practice ASVAB test for the Army- results were pretty good, though I think I could have done better with a little preparation. Which is good, because I have a week to study for the real test. Actually, it's more along the lines of an aptitude test, trying to determine what a recruit would be best suited for. My lady friend often likes to point out that I'm smart. I appreciate this, although wonder if she realizes she is probably my intellectual equal. There is a good deal more to intelligence than being smart, and I find she has insight and understanding she perhaps doesn't give herself enough credit for. But nonetheless, I know I'm smart, but have no interest in bragging about it. Rather, I would much prefer to put it to practical use, which so far I have managed to do on occasion. Intelligence without direction seems to be the plague on my house, as it were.
But that's my intent as of late- to find what I'm good at, and do that. I can drive a truck, which is hopefully to be my MOS- Military Occupational Specialty- when I finish basic training, assuming I do enlist. (The Army does love their acronyms). After basic training is AIT- Advanced Individual Training, meaning they train you for your MOS. (See what I mean about the acronyms?) At any rate, I'm looking forward to the test- my recruiting sergeant seems less like a recruiter and more like a vocational counselor. I know there is really nothing guaranteed, as any job offer is conditional upon the needs of service, or what the Army needs you to do, but I am nonetheless optimistic- the test is designed to tell me where my aptitudes lie, and to hopefully make a good fit between recruit and position. I've been behind the wheel before, in trucking school, and found that I love driving these monsters, even the clunky old seven-speed with the shot clutch. I was a good student, missing my license last time on a technicality. The test went well, I completed the maneuvers quite well, and took the truck out on the road. The truck we were using on the test was not the regular one used for testing- rather, that truck had to go into the shop for repairs. It had a broken tachometer, which no one really uses anyway, but the state exam says it needs to be working. At any rate, the new truck, it turns out, had a burned-out clutch from overuse. So, as we all know, a burned-out clutch renders a vehicle driveable, but with a tendency to grind the gears. True, there is a way to shift without the clutch, but keep in mind, this truck is older than dirt, and secondly, I hadn't handled it in a good month- the other truck I could probably have pulled it off with, as the shifting had by this point become second nature to me. So, I failed the test on the driving portion of it- for grinding gears. Define irony- if the tachometer that I don't use anyway hadn't let go on the other truck, I would have passed, because the clutch on that truck was fine. But we must keep our heads up- every mistake is an opportunity to learn.
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