Who Am I?

My Political Choice

2008-09-01T11:35:02Z

A little bit of a story as to my reasoning why I'm voting the way I am.

The United States government, at its inception, was divided into three areas - the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. The three are supposed to keep each others' power in check so as to nohave one branch be too in control.

George Washington, our first President, was the only President with no political party affiliation. When he left, he warned the people of the dangers of political parties. And ... nobody listened to this wise man.

In 2000, we made a terrible mistake in electing (and no, we're not rehashing the did he get elected thing) George W. Bush. At the time, the Republicans controlled Congress. Adding Bush and his cronies to the Presidency gave the Republicans both the executive and legislative branches. They proceeded to go on a power trip, get most everything they wanted and made the country out of whack.

In 2006, the Democrats took control of Congress. Now, they stand to do the same thing the Republicans did - take control of both branches and pass every single blasted thing they want and mess up the country.

Due to political parties, the checks and balances built into the system no longer work. Giving control to one party is a terrible idea. I don't trust the Democrats to police themselves any better than the Republicans did.

Which means I'm forced to vote for John McCain. Pelosi-interest Congress with Obama to sign off on everything scares me much more than McCain and Pelosi fighting a lot.

Gads this Presidential election depresses me.

SCATTERBRAINED!

2008-04-29T02:09:19Z

SCATTERGORIES. It's harder than it looks! Copy and paste into a new bulletin. Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following... they have to be real places, names, things...nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial.

You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question:

What is your name....................... Robert

4 Letter Word........................... Rink

Vehicle............................. Rolls-Royce

City..................................... Richmond, VA

Boy Name.............................. Randall

Girl Name............................... Renee

Alcoholic Drink............... Rum

Something you Wear........... Ring

Celebrity............... Roger Moore

Something found in a bathroom.......... Rug

Reason for Being Late.......... Rain

Character (cartoon)................ Richie Rich

Something You Shout................... Ricola!

Animal................................. Robin

Body part........................... Retina

Word to describe you............ Rousing

Feliz Cumpleanos

2008-04-19T17:43:54Z

Happy birthday, sis.

ESPN Commentators Suck

2007-12-31T22:42:13Z

At least twice during bowl games I've heard ESPN commentators lament how Georgia wasn't picked for the Rose Bowl game. Had these idiots done just a little basic homework, they'd know that there was next to no way Georgia was going to the Rose Bowl this year. I'll break it down for you here:

(1) Of the 6 major conferences, some of the champions are automatically contracted to certain bowl games unless they're #1 or 2, in which case they go to the BCS title game. This list is as follows: Rose Bowl (Pac-10 and Big 10), Sugar (SEC), Orange (ACC) and Fiesta (Big 12). The Big East team is not contractually obligated to any bowl, but their champion does get a BCS game bid. After that, other teams are picked by a set of rules including victories and an order of picking, as well as rules for so-called "mid-majors" breaking into the BCS.

(2) No conference can have more than two teams in BCS games.

(3) If a BCS bowl game loses its contractual champion, they get the first replacement pick starting with the bowl with the #1 team in the nation and then the bowl with the #2 team. Since Ohio State is ranked #1 (Big 10) the Rose Bowl got the first pick. The Sugar Bowl lost LSU to the BCS game, so they got the second pick. However, there is a rule in the BCS that prevents the bowl game that lost the #1 team to the title game from picking a team from the same conference as the bowl that lost the #2 team unless that bowl consents to the loss.

What this means for the match-ups is this:

The BCS title game got #1 Ohio State (Big 10) and #2 LSU (SEC).
The Rose Bowl got USC (Pac-10) and the first replacement pick.
The Sugar Bowl got the second replacement pick and the last replacement pick.
The Orange Bowl got Virginia Tech (ACC) and the third replacement pick.
The Fiesta Bowl got Oklahoma (Big 12) and the fourth replacement pick.

Since Georgia is an SEC team like LSU, there was no way the Rose Bowl could pick them unless the Sugar Bowl consented, which wasn't going to happen, because then the Sugar Bowl would have a game with no meaning rooted in any tradition, plus Georgia brings in huge cash. Hence, the Rose Bowl could have selected Hawaii or West Virginia, who were both guaranteed BCS games, or a qualifying at-large team like Boston College. Illinois (Big 10) qualified for the BCS under the at-large rules, and the Rose Bowl people love tradition, so they picked the Illini. The Sugar Bowl then got its traditional host in Georgia (SEC) as an at-large for its first pick. The Orange Bowl picked Kansas (Big 12) as the last at-large. The Fiesta Bowl then had to pick between West Virginia and Hawaii, and they selected the Mountaineers. That left the Sugar Bowl with Hawaii.

How is it people whose job it is to be up on these things won't do the basic homework? They sound like idiots.

Dang I'm Good

2007-10-14T16:32:45Z

2m 14s

Click here to try the quiz.

And had I not made so many typos, I would have been even faster.

I'll Tape That For You

2007-09-14T02:43:42Z

Okay, first things first - every team in sports is doing something sneaky or underhanded. It's not even a question, stealing signs in baseball and football have been around as long as the games have been played. So anyone who thinks only the Patriots are stealing signs is completely naive. What the Patriots did wrong (and they were wrong) was having a guy videotaping who wasn't supposed to be. And they were pretty stupid about it, using a guy who Green Bay had tagged last season. So they've been caught and the penalty... honestly wasn't much of one. Bill got the max fine of $500,000 (not like he doesn't have millions in bonus cash) and the Patroits organization pays $250,000 (chump change).

What really makes the penalty seem weak is that no one was suspended, and the draft pick loss is completely contingent on if the Patriots make the playoffs. If the Patriots make it, they lose their first round pick. If they miss the playoffs, they lose a second and third (all in 2008). Well, the Patriots have San Francisco's first round pick, so if they make it they STILL have a first round pick and their second and third. If they don't, they have TWO first round picks but no second or third. And losing their first round pick if they make the playoffs is no huge deal, since it'd be a low pick anyway.

So either the Commish didn't think this through, or this really wasn't the huge deal people made it out to be. At any rate, it's over, and the Patriots can now move on to the next game against the Chargers.

You Lost - Get Over It

2007-03-17T13:10:19Z

Why in the heck anyone would be proud to be of Confederate ancestory boggles the mind. But it appears in Florida we're having a rash of controversy over the old Confederate Navy Jack flag or the Southern Cross. (The Confederacy had a slew of flags and the one most seen today is the Navy Jack, not The Stars and Bars.) First they want a commerative state license plate with it on it - hardly surprising, since Florida has about 5,000 alternative specialty plates. Now, the Sons of Confederate Veterans are protesting an art display called "The Proper Way To Hang a Confederate Flag" at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art downtown.

The piece displays a Confederate flag lynched from a 13-foot wooden gallows. Frankly, I think it's brilliant on many levels, not only depicting a reminder of what the Confederacy did to runaway slaves and just blacks in general, but also for the sheer simplicity that it says - "The Confederacy is dead."

There is no Confederate States of America. The Civil War is long over and your ancestors died fighting for the right to enslave black people. "Oh, but it was about states' rights!" you say? Fine, they died for the states' rights to enslave black people. You can boil all the historical lists of why the war happened to the one major facet - the Confederacy wanted to keep slavery legal. A more enlightened person would feel sorry their ancestor died but ashamed of what they died fighting for. It's like these people take pride that their ancestors were heroes of a nation that wanted to keep slavery around.

The leader of the local Tallahassee chapter, Robert Hurst, stated that the display, "...teaches contempt for not only the Confederate flag but for everything associated with it," Hurst said. "We still cherish our Southern heritage and history and culture."

Good, we should teach contempt for that sort of nonsense.

I Am So Smart ... S-M-R-T

2007-03-07T02:45:40Z

My Christmas Stocking

2006-12-16T03:02:59Z

Christmas Stocking

leave a gift for squirrelcsi

get your stocking

Surrounded By Retards

2006-09-06T00:54:26Z

I hate the voters of Leon County District One. You morons continued the tradition of voting in a corrupt, simple-minded asshole to the County Commission. Congratulations. Thanks for making us the laughing stock of Leon County again. I hope to run into every single one of you dipshits who voted for Bill Proctor, so I can tell you to piss off personally.

I Have Defective Socks

2006-01-11T15:56:34Z

Because one got lost in the wash and an extra coat hanger didn't end up in my closet.

Stupid socks.

So Long, Johnny

2005-12-21T08:42:33Z

Well, it would appear Johnny Damon will leave the friendly confines of Boston to play for the Evil Empire.

However, there is good news for Boston fans. It's proven that Damon's awesomeness is directly linked to his ability to look like Jesus. And King George forces his players to stay clean-shaven and have short hair. Hence, once Johnny loses the beard and long hair, it'll be like shaving off Sampson's hair. He'll be powerless. Damon will bat .235 or so, all because King George will cut off his hair. HA!

Anyway, the BoSox will probably get Jeremy Reed from Seattle, and they'll probably only have to give up Bronson Arroyo for him.

Le Sigh

2005-12-14T12:40:08Z

Anyone ever click through the schools diectory and try and see if anyone you went to school with has a livejournal listed that you didn't know about?

I've done that a few times, and the results always depress me. Most of the time, you click on some teenager who makes a much better-looking journal than yourself... despite grammatical and spelling errors.

But I've yet to find anyone I knew from either Middle or York.

Maybe I'm not supposed to find them.

Stolen From Chris

2005-10-02T22:39:13Z

These are supposedly 26 questions that no one would ever think to ask. Answer them, then repost the bulletin.

1. When you look at yourself in the mirror, what's the first thing you look at?

Usually my teeth.

2. How much money do you have on you? Twenty five dollars.

$22.50

3. What's a word the rhymes with "test"?

Divest.

4. Favorite Plant?

Plastic. No need to water them.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed phone calls list on your cell phone?

I do not own a cell phones, thank goodness.

6. What is your main ring tone on your phone?

Probably something standard.

7. What shirt are you wearing?

A black polo shirt.

8. Do you "label" yourself?

No way. The pain of pulling my hair out when I take the label off of my body would be painful.

9. Name the brand of your shoes you're currently wearing.

Skechers.

10. Bright or dark room?

Too bright.

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?

Chris? He's a guy, I think. I wish I could say more.

12. Ever "spilled the beans"?

Once, but it was only about my older sister's upcoming baby shower.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?

Still at work, waiting for the next shift to finally show up.

14. what did your last text message you received on your cell phone say?

Again, I don't own a cell phone.

15. Do you ever click on "pop ups" or Banners?

No frickin' way. I hope the person who invented pop up ads rots in hell for eternity.

16. What's a saying that you say a lot?

Where am I?

17. Who told you they loved you last?

My wife this morning.

18. Last furry thing you touched?

Nutty D. Squirrel.

19. How many drugs have you done in the past three days?

Do NyQuil and Unisom count?

20. how many rolls of film do you need to get developed?

None. My wife, however, probably has a couple.

21. Favorite age you have been so far?

28 years old.

22. Your worst enemy?

Probably myself.

23. What is your current desktop picture?

None. It's just blue.

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?

Can I help you?

25. If you had to chose between a million bucks or to be able to change a major regret, which would you choose?

The money. I regret nothing!

26. Do you love/like someone?

Of course. I love my wife. Duh.

That's Just The Way It Is...

2005-10-01T05:57:27Z

I'm finding it rather humorous right now that my old group of friends from college can still have a fun, old-fashioned e-mail fight over things. I mean, it reminds me of college... all I need is a big plate of Rice-a-Roni and Mike Patterson doing some strange dance and it'd be like old times.

Of course, there was the wonderful thing months ago with Kate that got me banned from her journal. (What, you think I wouldn't find out? I'm pretty quick to forgive and forget, so when I tried to comment on Terrell Owens on your journal and it wouldn't let me... c'est la vie, or whatever.) *Shrug*

Of course, the ironic thing is I'm actually posting e-mail that sort of backs Kate up. See Melanie sent some file (that I've yet to view) that she said was office safe. Kate sent e-mail after viewing said file saying she didn't think it was as advertised. She wasn't rude or anything, nor at least I didn't get the impression she was. However, it did solicit some not-so-nice responses from a couple in Virginia who know nothing about this blog. Long story short, I either gave Kate an out or sort of backed her up or something. I probably came off as a smartass while doing it, but hey, I tend to be a smartass.

At any rate, it makes me remember the good times... when we could fight over Alyssa and all of her stalkers and Melanie killing off my AD&D characters under the guise of healing and the bad food at Scurvo.

My favorite memory, though? That summer in 1999 during my internship. Working with Matt at the computer lab and then reading Knights of the Dinner Table at his place. We even went to Melanie's and I scared the crap out of her mom and stepdad by saying they should watch "The Shawshank Redemption."

So now I just need to construct a plan at dragging the college people all down here for my own amusement. Not all of them, though. That would make for sensory overload.

Phear My Leet Halloween Haul!

2005-10-01T05:17:45Z

My LiveJournal Trick-or-Treat Haul
squirrelcsi goes trick-or-treating, dressed up as The Frito Bandito.
don3172 gives you 5 red-orange peach-flavoured wafers.
gryphonkessira tricks you! You lose 3 pieces of candy!
mattbib tricks you! You lose 1 pieces of candy!
petrya gives you 8 milky white peach-flavoured wafers.
prancinghorse tricks you! You lose 2 pieces of candy!
quaxo9 tricks you! You lose 1 pieces of candy!
syntaxandwhisky gives you 12 green raspberry-flavoured gumdrops.
themachinehead gives you 2 light yellow blueberry-flavoured jawbreakers.
tyger_raven tricks you! You get a used tissue.
undead_rtwa gives you 6 tan passionfruit-flavoured pieces of bubblegum.
squirrelcsi ends up with 26 pieces of candy, and a used tissue.
Go trick-or-treating! Username:
Another fun meme brought to you by rfreebern.

Remember, Boobs Are Good!

2005-08-18T03:25:20Z

So, about a month or so ago, a friend on my wife's Livejournal laughingirl was asking around for slogans for Breast Cancer Awareness. One of the comments, made by me, was "Squish a boob, save a life." I posted that because my wife was going in for a mammogram that month (the post was on July 20th in her journal). Apparently, she liked it enough (along with some of the others) to put it on a variety of merchandise. You can see it here:

http://www.cafepress.com/lisaspoavonwalk

My wife would probably say it's more like, "Flatten a boob, save a life."

And the money goes to a good cause - SAVING BOOBS!

I'm going to have to splurge and buy my wife one of those shirts... or maybe the bear.

New York College Community

2005-08-15T18:06:48Z

So I started ycp_buddies in the hopes of getting my college friends to sign up and post about how things are going, hoping maybe it would be easier than everyone trying to figure out whose e-mail is whose. Anyhow, Melanie's already joined, and I know Matt and Hadria have journals. Kate has a journal as well, but I think she's still steamed at me. But she's welcome to join, anyway, since I'm not steamed at her. I don't know who else has livejournals after them... maybe some will sign up. Who knows?

Why?

Because I'm trying to avoid Matt Robinson's prophetic words in "Box Office Poison" -

"Most friendships, if they end at all, end not by earthquake, but by erosion. Your time together, which you used to take for granted, becomes something you need to schedule. Slowly you're aware that the easy intimacy you shared go lost somewhere. You talk more and more about the past."

Well, I'm all for talking about the past, but I wish I knew what my old friends were up to.

Well Now I'm Obligated

2005-08-11T19:36:17Z

1) Reply with your name and I'll respond with something random about you.
2) I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3) I'll pick a flavor/color of jello to wrestle with you in.
4) I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5) I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6) I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7) I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8) If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal.

Lemmingness

2005-07-23T00:54:26Z

Take lyrics to a popular song, put them in Babelfish translation (http://babelfish.altavista.com/) then translate from English to German to French back to English. Paste... let people guess!

I would like somebody love that I hear, you somebody requires to like OH- me somebody likes would like that I hear that you seek somebody to love around because you must be of return in the arms of a good friend and I should not be in the arms of a friend me knew, anybody and then I saw not coming you next my manner OH of return - what didn't I know that nobody saw you and then me, my manner requires to you being of return in the arms of a good friend? Does OH- ' cause honey believes that I would not invite me those loves sure you my friend to need you to be return in the arms of a good friend? OH -, because honey believes me me which calls the sure love would become you my friend because you received a going baby of the good thing, to above require to it only somebody to like OH- which received to love you a good thing going to seek you only somebody, for, because you must receive return in the arms of a good friend and I will never urge you to release any me will never adjust you freely

Yanked from Other People

2005-03-02T14:20:27Z

*TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey*
Name:	Jedi Master Robert Bemis
Birthday:	February 4
Birthplace:	Shore Memorial Hospital
Current Location:	A chair in front of my computer
Eye Color:	Deep blue
Hair Color:	Sandy blonde
Height:	About 5 foot 9
Right Handed or Left Handed:	Righty
Your Heritage:	French Canadian, Scots, Irish, English, Some others
The Shoes You Wore Today:	Docksiders
Your Weakness:	Like I'd tell you and let you exploit it
Your Fears:	That I'll never get to where I thought I should be
Your Perfect Pizza:	Mushrooms, black olives, extra cheese
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:	Get a job that actually pays me a decent salary
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:	None, really
Thoughts First Waking Up:	Is it my day off yet?
Your Best Physical Feature:	My eyes
Your Bedtime:	Whenever I fall asleep
Your Most Missed Memory:	If I miss my memory, how would I know it's missing?
Pepsi or Coke:	Shasta
MacDonalds or Burger King:	Taco Bell
Single or Group Dates:	There are some things I prefer not to do as a group
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	I don't like iced tea
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Mint
Cappuccino or Coffee:	That frozen stuff with the sugar
Do you Smoke:	Nope
Do you Swear:	More than my wife cares me to
Do you Sing:	More than people in general care me to
Do you Shower Daily:	Yes. Me likes to be clean
Have you Been in Love:	I am currently
Do you want to go to College:	Been there... so far, it was a waste
Do you want to get Married:	But I'm not Mormon!
Do you belive in yourself:	Never have
Do you get Motion Sickness:	Only on boats
Do you think you are Attractive:	No
Are you a Health Freak:	Not as much of one as my wife thinks I should be
Do you get along with your Parents:	Yes
Do you like Thunderstorms:	Yes
Do you play an Instrument:	Not since high school
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	I think I had a glass of wine to settle my stomach
In the past month have you Smoked:	Nope
In the past month have you been on Drugs:	Only legal, over-the-counter stuff
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	Only with my wife
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	I think so
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	Nope. Thin Mints, on the other hand...
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	Yep
In the past month have you been on Stage:	All the world is a stage
In the past month have you been Dumped:	No, thankfully
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	No, but I sleep in the buff
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	Do kisses count?
Ever been Drunk:	Yep
Ever been called a Tease:	Nope
Ever been Beaten up:	Nope
Ever Shoplifted:	Nope
How do you want to Die:	Crashing into a planet on a basilisk war droid
What do you want to be when you Grow Up:	Head of the Jedi Council
What country would you most like to Visit:	Dantooine
*In a Boy/Girl..*
Favourite Eye Color:	Green
Favourite Hair Color:	Red
Short or Long Hair:	Depends on how the style looks
Height:	Gloria's about 5 foot 4, I think
Weight:	I don't care what she weighs
Best Clothing Style:	Optional
Number of Drugs I have taken:	Prescription? Who knows
Number of CDs I own:	Too many
Number of Piercings:	None
Number of Tattoos:	Never
Number of things in my Past I Regret:	Can't say I know
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!