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April 28, 2006
Freeing Licensure from Terrorists
I am uncertain if the latest Homeland Security Form has hit other states yet, but this one is circulating through Ohio Homeland Security to public entities now... so if you work for the government or are entertaining thoughts of educating yourself in a job with State licensure (paramedics, firemen, first responders, emt-b's, etc see the full list) you may be seeing it soon.
In summary, DECLARATION REGARDING MATERIAL ASSISTANCE/NONASSISTANCE TO A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION is an attempt to delve into an applicant's possible contributions and membership in terrorist groups (of which are listed on a separate form).
In atypical government pattern, it is to an applicants detriment to fail to answer a question or refuse to answer as the following clauses points out:
Any answer of “yes” to any question, or the failure to answer “no” to any question on this declaration shall serve as a disclosure that material assistance to an organization identified on the U.S. Department of State Terrorist Exclusion List has been provided. Failure to disclose the provision of material assistance to such an organization or knowingly making false statements regarding material assistance to such an organization is a felony of the fifth degree.
and later in the document:
I understand that if this declaration is not completed in its entirety, it will not be processed and I will be automatically disqualified.
In other words... you are guilty until you prove yourself innocent if you fail to answer or do not answer "no". And have any qualms about filling out the form and forget about getting your licensure.
The premise of the form is ludicrous. Is it to weed out contributors or terrorists themselves? If it is to merely identify contributors (even though it asks questions about membership), what do they do to those applicants that indicate positively that they have contributed to a group in the past? Deny licensure.
One can almost see it now. If a terrorist spends a year and a half training to be a paramedic... lies on the form and then turns about and commits some suicide attack on the nation, heaven help them if they live through it for fear of being caught for deceiving the government on this form.
Welcome to the return of the age of McCarthyism... where everyone is presumed a terrorist danger, unless they indicate otherwise on a form.
Can we possibly deter any more people from trying to be public servants? We are already in a realm of crisis for volunteers in emergent situations.
Posted by Ravennacht at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2006
Skirting Congressional Oversight
The boundless lack of logic within the Bush Administration continues to spread exponentially with his latest ploy to undermine Congressional oversight to get himself passage of an Indian Nuclear Deal. When in doubt of a favorable outcome, convince your potential roadblock to stand aside and let you willy nilly do as you please. You are the President after all, and you should always get what you want. Why have congressional oversight at all, it just messes with our bottom monetary line, and Georgy doesn't like to be told "no". Do we smell a potential Executive Order or the long-standing "necessary" speech to fight terrorism. Blah Blah Blah already.
It never ceases to amaze me the lack of sense that comes from these decisions... whine at Russia over selling to Iran then turn about and sell to India ourselves. Not that they have any longstanding grudge against Pakistan over smidgeons of land or anything... not that we need yet another country on the block with a U.S. enriched nuclear chip on their shoulder. Not that Pakistan is also an "ally" to us in certain activities or anything. No favortism at all involved in the decision, not one bit. Twits.
Vote these jokers out already.
Posted by Ravennacht at 01:19 AM | Comments (0)
April 25, 2006
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. I finished this novel a few days ago. I must admit that I found it to be quite engrossing, reading it in the space of about three days.
Shamefully I admit that I bought the book more than ten years ago, with the fullest of intention of enriching my classical tome exposure. Alas, the neglected book was entrenched in the midst of my large bookcase, surrounded by what I thought more interesting fare. How wrong I was.
The story of Alas, Babylon addresses one of my favorite historically related questions, "What If?". In this circumstance, what if the soviet union had initiated a nuclear attack upon the United States in the late 1950s, at the height of the Cold War. When I had initially read the summary of the story on the back cover, I was not especially drawn to the possibilities... for it is a most scary subject, having been brought up in the spector of the ever present threat of nuclear fallout.
However, swallowing my dread, and hungering for a new story, I finally bit the bullet and picked up the book. I was wrong in my trepidation. Frank weaved a wonderful collection of characters from a small Florida town into an enthralling story of survival and hope. Perhaps it is more poignant to read that these people find a way to go on and survive after their worst nightmare occurred... something we were always afraid of happening when we were little ourselves.
I also found it quite interesting seeing the characters adapting to the changes in their lives due to this 'war' that has snuck up upon them... what can you eat? what do you do when there is no more gasoline? what do you do without electricity? how do you protect yourselves from the unruly? are you forgotten in the midst of the bigger picture or still a part of the whole?
This story is indeed classic and I highly suggest that others take the time to read it. Many of the political messages hidden within the context of the book remain important even today, with escalating tensions, it is good to see a classical novel pointing out that even if you are amongst the power players on the block, it doesn't take much to knock you off that position if you are unwary.
Check it out if you can.
Posted by Ravennacht at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
April 24, 2006
Weight Loss II
I am now down to 174.5 pounds as of this morning, totaling 32.5 lost so far. The non-sugar diet, coupled with my constant running betwixt buildings on the college campus and the Tech school are the definite culprits. According to the Body Mass Index Calculator, I am now in the 'Normal Range' for body mass with an index of 24.3 in my height/weight/age-group. Not too bad and just in time for all the new clothes for Ian's wedding.
Had to clean out my closet of my larger sizes, I was starting to look like a clown with the drooping jeans. You could fit your fist through the gap!
Definitely have more energy and the sugar cravings pretty much subsided after the first-second month. Now I happily munch down on broccoli and vegetable lasagna, chicken and fish.
Posted by Ravennacht at 04:44 PM | Comments (4)
April 23, 2006
Shall I Rotate Your Tires Too?!?
Heard a motor close to the house, look out the front door and see the rear lights of a running truck sitting not two meters off the front step. Run outside to see that the vehicle is completely empty. Kid across the street jumps out of the neighbor's house and runs in, "Sorry, I left it in neutral". Truck rolled out of the neighbors port, past my car by inches and close to hitting the house. Amazingly amusing.
Posted by Ravennacht at 09:10 PM | Comments (2)
April 19, 2006
Alas, Babylon Quote
Just started reading ALAS, BABYLON by Pat Frank. I hit upon a quote I found most interesting. As I rarely can remember any intriguing quotes word for word when I want them, I always try to write them down:
"Nations are like people. When they grow old and rich and fat they get conservative. They exhaust their energy trying to keep things the way they are -- and that's against nature."
Posted by Ravennacht at 09:56 PM | Comments (0)
April 18, 2006
Adjunct Hired
I was successful in securing the job at the college in the Public Safety Division. I am now part of the adjunct faculty/staff. Woohoo for me. Now on to the juggling of two jobs at once. :))
Posted by Ravennacht at 01:48 PM | Comments (2)
April 12, 2006
Interview Tomorrow
Have an interview for a job at the college tomorrow. It is in the Public Safety/Health Services department. Hopefully I do well. Still keeping my job at the vocational school too, so this should help out with my savings if it works out well.
Posted by Ravennacht at 02:59 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2006
Call to Duty : Desert Storm
He hugged her yet again. Soon, it would be time to go.
The call had come late... they had been activated and would be moving out. There was little time to discuss things again. Their previous discussions would have to be enough. He remembered holding her hands on the porch swing, softly discussing the possibilities of what could happen, what had been taken care of. There was no "where" or "how long". Some things just cannot be answered. Some things just don't always make sense. A soft caress of the hair, a kiss, a whispered "It will be alright", and a drying of many tears.
Even now he still felt trepidation, but did his best not to show it. He had to be brave for her. The heat made him uncomfortable. The echo of boots in cadence echoed around the gathered soldiers and morose family members. The fear was palpable. Weeping and low discussions clouded the mass like a shroud stealing the breath. The trucks were starting, their loud engines punching through the pall.
"Remember what you promised me?" She asked between tears, numbly straightening his collar, staring almost through him, seemingly memorizing his every feature upon the tablet of her mind. He repeated everything back to her, just to make her feel at ease, though he knew that she couldn't. The pain in her eyes hurt him the most, reaching into his soul and threatening to pull him under, but there was nothing he could do. Duty was duty. There was a job to do.
The hated time arrived, final goodbyes were said. Again, her eyes haunted him... the tears burning, etching a path down her face. He swallowed hard and fought the tide of emotions threatening to swallow him as she clutched him fiercely to her. "Remember that I love you, baby," she whispered, quickly wiping the last tear from her face with her camouflaged sleeves. "I love you to, Mommy." he tried to answer, but the burning in his throat made it sound like a croak. Jumping into the truck, she gave a stilted wave and then turned away... the dust of the receding caravan of vehicles hiding any further view of her.
He watched until the last trailing lights of the trucks vanished before turning away into his grandmother's waiting arms, weeping that she was gone. He had been brave for her to see. It would have to be enough. Now he could finally cry.
Posted by Ravennacht at 01:19 AM | Comments (2)
Overprotective or Overpossessive
"Do it!" my brother laughs hysterically, as he hands me the dog and animatedly mimes running away from her and out of sight. "What is she going to do?" I scream after him... hearing only his diminishing, "Just do it!"
The dog has turned into a dervish in my hands, squirming left and right forcibly, attempting to break free of my grasp, a low murmur rustling in her throat. I count to ten, giving Ian the requisite time to find a sanctuary from her seeming wrath and release.
The beast flies across the house, filling each room with a bounding squall certain to bring even a banshee to white-haired fright. Feverishly she passes from room to room, her eyes darting for any sign of her erstwhile lost master. Gophering on her back legs, Sasha cranes to see onto the beds, peers behind doors, scratches at the closets.. all to no avail.
"Where is she!" he whispers from his hidden site (he had somehow suspended himself above the stairs, spidering the walls, in the stairwell where she couldn't see). "In mom's room." I cough out between laughs.
"SASHA" he screams atop his lungs from his hidden position... making it sound as if the hounds of hell have found him and are thrashing him to bits. Her answering trumpet bellows through the house as her tiny form comes bolting back across the living room to his call. Her screams continue to bounce off the walls as she looks once more in places she already has looked... while Ian is laughing so hard he threatens to sick up.
Finally he falls from his perch, unable to stop clutching at his side from laughing so hard. Naturally, the dog hears the resounding cacophany of his fall and descends upon him like a blood frenzied great white shark, immediately latching onto his pant legs with her teeth and furiously growling between each rattling shake of her head. He impishly grins at me as he stiff leggedly drags her still biting body across the floor like a snarling mop. "See, I told you it was funny!"
Posted by Ravennacht at 12:48 AM | Comments (0)