If you’re a fan of Star Wars (or at least the first few…), watch this. I never knew how much I hated that movie until it was explained to me here!

Watch This: 70-Minute Video Review of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s hit “reply” to a newsletter, just knowing that my words would fall on deaf ears, but needing to get a gripe off my chest. Generally, whatever brings me to that point also leads me to cancel my subscription to that newsletter.

Case in point: I’ve subscribed to Chaplain Klingenschmitt’s newsletter ever since he was drummed out of the Navy for refusing to use non-sectarian prayers in his services. I applaud the Chaplain’s willingness to put his faith before his career, and enjoyed following his story. (Note: as I’ve stated here and in everywhere I’m asked, I’m an agnostic, but a strong believer in the rights of anyone to practice their beliefs freely, so long as they don’t try to prevent me from living my life as I chose.)

Lately I’ve found the Chaplain’s newsletter to be a bit abrasive. Not so much the content, but more the the formatting, layout, and color choices; together with style often approaching the level of “rant”, not a great pleasure to read. See for yourself, but don’t blame me if you get a headache.

The newsletter last week was the final straw for me. I read it, was curious about the claims made in regards to the subject, and decided to click through to his website to find out more. Sadly, the passages announced to be behind the links were not there to read. Frustrated and realizing the results were not worth the effort, I fired off an email explaining my frustration and decision to drop the newsletter. I added a few thoughts on the topic that led me to start looking through the website – polite but definitely critical – and promptly unsubscribed.

I hadn’t thought twice about it until this evening.

Then I received this response from the Chaplain:

Got it sir, Semper Fi…..
In Jesus, Chaps

Enough to tell me he actually read the message. Completely unexpected and even a brief, polite response to my open criticism. I’m not going to re-subscribe to the newsletter, but that alone is enough for me to think I’ll go back and check up on the Chaps now and again. Chaplain Klingenschmitt, you have my sincere wishes for fair winds and following seas. Best of luck in your endeavors.

Yeah, sorry… the campaign magic has worn off.
Thousands In Daley Plaza Stunned By Olympics Decision

Maybe we should stick to things presidential?

Love this contrast at the old Huff’nPuff…
Hopey Changey:
2016 Olympics Bid: Obama’s Presence Levels The Playing Field In Copenhagen

Not so much:
Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid and the School Children Killings

Congratulations, Rio de Janeiro!

Update: Of course it’s all Bush’ fault!

Something struck me as I was reading about Erwin Erker.  He was a regular guy.  Hell, he sounds like any number of people I know and deal with every day, even a bit like me.  He was into technology, that’s apparent by his choice of careers, enjoyed both watching and playing sports, and kept an active lifestyle.  It’s the realization that so many “regular people” fell victim to the horrible acts of 11 September, 2001 that has punched me in the gut on this day every year since.

Sitting here at my desk on this September 11th, my “reminders” for today are all displayed:  8:46:40, 9:03, 9:37:46, 10:03:11.  I find myself remembering that day and where I was at each of those times; wondering where “E” was, what he was thinking, and how he faced the situation unfolding in front of him.  I’d like to think, were I in his shoes, that my last moments would have been spent doing whatever I could to help those around me.  I hope that was how “E” found himself; but I have no judgement to pass regardless.

I hope that this post, in its small way, can serve to keep alive the memory of Erwin L. Erker and all those who lost their lives on 9-11-01.  Since I can in no way do his memory the same justice his family and friends have already done, I repost their words, as written by someone far more talented with the written word than I.

Erwin L. Erker, I remember you.

Family Tribute:

Erwin was a wonderful person. He was a great friend, husband and father. Erwin did so much for our children and myself.
Andrew and Erwin always enjoyed sporting events, Met games and Islander games. Having a catch in the backyard, practicing baseball and soccer, and having indoor basketball tournaments in Andrews’ room. Andrew especially enjoyed the quiet time he spent with his father at night right before he went to bed when they would share their day with each other.

Lauren and Erwin loved to shop together both food shopping and mall shopping. Lauren always said her dad would buy her anything she wanted. They used to go to Yankee games together because Lauren is a Yankee fan. Erwin loved to attend Lauren’s band concerts and always listened to the CD from her Jazz festival. Erwin was so looking forward to seeing Lauren march in the Memorial Day Parade. I am sure he will be there proudly looking over her.

Erwin was also a great husband always planning little getaways for just the two of us. One day in August he took the day off, dropped the kids at my sisters and we spent the day together in Greenport, L.I. We had a wonderful day together – real quality time. This is just one of many great memories of special times we spent with each other. I miss him so much.

Since 9/11 I have gotten so many letters from people Erwin knew and it has been wonderful hearing so many great things about him. What a great tribute to him. Erwin’s friend Larry traveled 15hrs from Chicago to come to his memorial service. Erwin’s two oldest and closest friends John and Rick both wrote moving eulogies for the memorial mass. So many people have written to me saying how helpful and smart Erwin was. He truly touched so many peoples lives. Erwin will be missed immensely.

“A Visionary” Who Loved to Travel
Neither Erwin Erker of Huntington nor John Coloprisco of Plainedge had size on their side while growing up in Ridgewood, Coloprisco said. “Ever since kindergarten, we were the smallest kids in our class,” he said.

The two lifelong friends were members of their neighborhood stickball team, the Menahan Mets, named after the street in Ridgewood where they played when they were kids. “We were always very competitive,” Coloprisco said. “But we always complemented each other.”

Erker and Coloprisco were delivery boys for the Long Island Press from 1971-72. It would be 11 years until the two friends would work together again.

High school separated the two, with Erker graduating from Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood in 1978 and Coloprisco from Christ the King High School in Middle Village that same year.

Erker, 41, earned his associate”s degree from LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City in 1980. His next step was to enter and excel in the field of computers, his wife Ann said.

Some years later, Erker found himself in Coloprisco”s mother”s living room telling her about his ambitions, and the promise he saw in a career in technology. “Erwin told my mother about computers, and how important they would be,” Coloprisco said. “My mother pushed my brother and me to get into the profession.

“Erwin was a visionary. He knew technology and computers were careers of the future,” he said.

Coloprisco and Erker found themselves working together again in 1983, this time at Marsh & McLennan on the 97th floor of Tower One.

Erker, 41, a vice president in the technology department of Marsh & McLennan, was last heard from on the morning of Sept. 11 when he phoned home to “check in,” his wife, Ann, said.

The couple enjoyed skiing and camping, his wife said. Four years ago, they traveled to Colorado to ski. “The scenery was so beautiful,” she said.

Ann Erker called her husband her “travel agent,” saying that he kept brochures from every place the two had traveled. “Most of the vacations we went on were his ideas,” she said. “He loved to travel.”

Coloprisco, who was the best man at Erker”s wedding, gave a eulogy for Erker at a memorial service that was held Sept. 29 at 11 a.m. at St.James Roman Catholic Church in Seaford. “I knew “E” since we were in kindergarten,” said Coloprisco, who hadn”t yet arrived at work when the towers were hit. “He was competitive, loyal, intelligent and overall just a wonderful person.”

Erker also is survived by his daughter, Lauren, 12, his son, Andrew, 9, his mother, Josefine, and his father, Siegfried, both of Ridgewood, and sisters Susie Beck of Glendale and Anita Erker of Mesa, Ariz.

(c) 2001 Newsday, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
www.newsday.com

(Note: I was unable to find this article on Newsday.com, however I am leaving the attribution as stated in the version I quoted)

http://memorial.mmc.com/pgBio.asp?ID=89
http://grimeden.com/2006/09/12/2996-a-911-tribute-erwin-l-erker/

Also:  Shelley A. Marshall

His name is Carpet because he was born the same color as the carpet remnant his mother was laying on/near. Little beggar is growing like a weed!

Okay, so while I’ve been tempted by the rash of “Netbooks” on the market, I soon realized that there were a number of decent laptops on the market for not that much more.  I’m open to suggestions, but I’m doing my own research and reading to find not only the best bang for my buck, but the best deal on the one I finally decide on.  I love the fact that Dell has a factory outlet store that sells “scratch-n-dent”/refurb/off-lease!  I know HP has a similar store, and I’ll be finding the same from the other major players before I stop looking.  Interesting to note that (most) all the big boys get their laptops from a fewunrecognizable manufacturers…  Makes it a lot less important to decide based on a name.

Anyway, while shopping around today, I came across this – I’m afraid some of the features might be out of my price range, but hey, I can dream!

Score another victory for socialized medicine!

Dean Scriven, 27, from Pantside, said although he was rushed to Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital by ambulance at 3.30am on Saturday, the knife remained in his back for at least 12 hours until it was finally taken out at the University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff, the following afternoon.

The six-inch knife was lodged in Mr Scriven’s back between his shoulder blades and narrowly avoided his spinal chord and vital organs.

via Newbridge man’s 12-hour wait for stab op (From South Wales Argus).

Happy to hear this fellow survived his ordeal.

A very nice update – not much changed from the visitor’s standpoint (basically, nothing!), but the admin bits are very nice.

This little “Quickpress” editor could have a few more features, but it’s quite a handy way to drop in a short note.

Wordpress 2.7 “Coltrane”

Watched Dick Clark, noticed they showed literally NO shots of the new ball dropping or even lit up; toasted the new year; watched Robby Knievel jump the volcano; now it’s time for bed.

Good night / Good bye 2008.

Welcome, 2009.

May all the terrorist assholes in the world lay down and die this year.

So my Obama-depression inspired bout of “nothing I want to write about” fugue has gone on long enough. Let’s see what’s interesting in the world.

There’s fighting in Gaza… and in case you forgot, Israel’s enemies are the same fanatical assholes that are our enemies.

They are liars and deceivers (if you believe people like this bitch, you’re just a moron):

They prey on their own women, children, and elderly:

But remember, they’re the victims here!

I think I may just coin the term “Obamafugue”. I hope it only lasts four years.

But since I know you all so well, and I don’t remember any of you accusing me of being polite…  I present more random thoughts on religion.

(this article was written in my religion wiki, some formatting may not carry through – feel free to read the original, currently at the bottom of the “general” page if this turns out looking like some obscure variation of cuneiform.)

The wave

Painting by numbers: NASA’s peculiar thermometer

Viewing the NASA 250-mile map for March below, what immediately grabs the attention is that NASA has essentially no data (gray areas) in most of Canada, most of Africa, the Greenland ice sheet, and most of Antarctica. This begs the question, how can one calculate an accurate “global temperature” while lacking any data from large contiguous regions of three continents?

With all the bullshit being slung about by the likes of big, fat, ugly Al Gore and his ilk… it’s really sad to discover such glaring discrepancies in the very science that’s supposed to be helping us figure this mess out. Who are we supposed to believe? How can anyone pretend that “the science is settled”, when they’re fucking LYING to us to blatantly?

Drill for the oil. Build the nuclear power plants. Give us our dignity back.

Clean up the environment… of course. Just quit making up new crying Indians to shame the ignorant into doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.

And stop being the ignorant.

I’m guessing John Coleman doesn’t get invited to ride on Al Gore’s private jet…

Weather Channel Founder’s Forecast

Currently, John Coleman is a TV weatherman for KUSI News in San Diego. But Coleman is most famous for being founder of the Weather Channel. He has had a long career in predicting the weather, working for the first time as a TV weatherman during his freshman year in college in 1953. With this extensive background, we might take John Coleman seriously when he states bluntly that global warming “is the greatest scam in history.”

The really sad part is that even President Bush has recently started to support the global-warming fruitcakes.

Well, all of this is predicated on carbon being a dirty word. And the carbon we’re talking about is carbon dioxide. Now, it’s the last remaining cornerstone of global warming.

The hockey-stick chart, that ridiculous scientific fraud, got shot down. The pronouncements by NASA about global temperature averages going up have been corrected, and now we know the warmest U.S. decade was the 1930s not the ’90s.

Let’s not forget, the American north is being nailed with yet more snow right now… and it’s the end of April.

The forecast calls for 22 degrees and snow tonight for International Falls, MN; while not a record, it’s below the average for the month.

(source: The Weather Channel)

About Jonathan:

Native of Clinton, Iowa, grew up as Jonathan Rajcevich (step-father’s name), took biological father’s name at age eighteen. Joined the United States Marine Corps at age 17 on the delayed entry program while in High-School. Stepped onto the yellow footprints at MCRD San Diego on 26 September 1984, served on active duty until 1 October 2004. While on active duty, was stationed at MCRD San Diego CA, Camp Johnson NC, Camp Pendleton CA, Okinawa Japan, Cherry Point NC, Camp H.M. Smith HI, Waterloo IA, and Camp Lejeune, NC. Honorably Discharged in October 2004 and transferred to the retired list. Currently employed by the Department of the Navy and working as a civilian in support of the Marines on Camp Lejeune, NC.
Agnostic, Politically Right of Center, Highly Opinionated.

About JonathanMurray.com:
The theme used on JonathanMurray.com uses the colors of our nation’s flag as its primary colors. For reference, they are “Old Glory Red” (#bf0a30), White (#ffffff), and “Old Glory Blue” (#002868).

The pictures (above and right) are me, Jonathan Murray. The one above was taken at my grandmother’s house, holding a baby picture; I believe I was about 32 years old. The one at the right was taken when I was about 24, although I’m not certain on the dates of either.

Yes, I realize these pictures are old… as soon as I get a newer, decent one made, I’ll post it. I really haven’t changed that much, though – the years have been kind! No, really!

About L’ano Itar

A long time ago, in an RPG far, far away, I roleplayed a character named Roland. Roland was a FateSender, of the focus Lucidity. If you have no idea what I’m talking about (and most will not), feel free to investigate my pages on Underlight and the Order of the Sable Moon.

One of the key elements of Underlight was the individual player’s imagination. Teachers and Game Masters often “assigned tasks” to players which required them to research some element of the game and write a “history” of it. Some players took such writing assignments and expanded on them, in fact creating the history of the game world while playing as a character in that world. In the guise of Roland, a teacher of FateSenders, I wrote such stories.

The story of L’ano Itar was one of a legend that no one had ever known. L’ano Itar is simply the word “Rational” spelled backwards and fancied up a bit; “Rational” being a synonym for “Lucid”, it seemed a fitting way to create a somewhat mysterious and yet perfectly sensible name for a legendary FateSender.

Since that time the character name “L’ano Itar” (or Lano Itar/LanoItar) has appeared in a number of games, including Asheron’s Call and Dark Age of Camelot. It is almost certain that if you’ve ever run across that name, the player behind the character was me.

So for the conspiracy theorists who have been trying to link L’ano Itar to either Itar-Tass or some sort of middle-Eastern offshoot: Sorry, nothing silly like that. Although the Asheron’s Call character by that name as indeed a Gharu’ndim (a race of desert dwellers), that was merely a convenient coincidence that made the name fit well with the character. The name is nothing more than an original creation that has grown into my online persona.

So there you have it.

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