Since we've just come back from a trip to see Jami's brother graduate, today's 10 random things I think I know right now is centered around the trip. 

1. First and foremost-- I think (know), I'm glad to be back in Colorado!  The weather here is so much more to my liking.  I missed my mountains.

2.  I think car makers today have put such an emphasis on comfort (and they have succeeded), that it's very easy to get carried away in speeding.  While driving back from Dallas, there was a long stretch of road and I noticed that I was already 10 miles over the speed limit.  Of course, I had to push it, and pretty soon was doing over 100.  I swear the car didn't feel like it was going over 70.

3. I think the X-Men 3 movie was pretty good.  I'm sad I didn't get to see some of my more favorite characters, but to be fair, the hollywood version just couldn't possibly have dedicated the time to all the characters in the X-Men comics.  There's just simply way too many of them, and their back story could be movies in and of themselves.

4. I think it was good to be technologically cut off for a week.  No internet, no news (for the most part), no surfing the web, no checking email (though I'm hating the nearly 200 plus emails I have at work).  Ah well, at least it was fun to go back to the days when there was no such thing as the 'internet'.  Weird to think that my generation will be the transition from no cyberspace, to the internet explosion.  One word: Spooky.

5. I think getting the news from the Princess' brother (who graduated training in the Air Force while we were there) about Al-Zarqawi's demise was fitting.  The military takes a lot of flak for things they do wrong (some justified, but mostly, an over-reaction by the media expounded by leftists extremists), but these victories should be met (I think) with as much enthusiasm as what the Iraqi press corps celebrated upon the announcement.  Here in the states, I could almost sense a bit of disappointment from our own news agency that this war they've been touting as a failure, actually is produced a favorable result.  I almost get a sense that the no war activists would rather terrorism wins, just so they can be proven right-- and THAT is just wrong.

6. I think (know) there was some outstanding mexican food places we ate at while traveling.  If anything, I think the food (more than the weather) will be what brings me back to Texas.

7. I think (know) it was very gracious of blogger friends to welcome us into their home while we were in Dallas.  The Princess and I had a great time just seeing the sites and being tourists.

8. I think MP3's are great.  The Princess and I nearly made it to San Angelo, to Dallas, and back again on one cd full of MP3's. 

9. I think rush hour sucks.  It doesn't matter what city/state you're at, traffic jams just stink.

10. I think I'm ready for another vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

A great picture that the Princess took today as she volunteered to put up flags on the tombstone of our brave vet's.

 

 

 

Have a great memorial day everyone, and remember to thank those who have served our great country.

 

 

 

 

 

10 Things I Think I Know Right Now (Mostly Sports Edition)

1. I think the addition of Javon Walker to the receiving corps of the Broncos could work out pretty well.  Even with disgruntled Ashley Lelie in the mix, there's still David Terell coming up and like the Browns linemen surprise of last year, another could be this trio.  Immediately, I'm thinking a good solid trio would give the Raiders fits (since Woodson is no longer in the backfield).  Again, if Denver only wins 2 games in the season, and they are both against Oakland, its been a great season!

2. Hmmm...Jay Cutler as the #11th pick today.  First impression is-- he's got a great arm and mobility, but does he have passion?  I think being in camp w/Bradley Van Pelt should be a very good thing for the rookie.  Van Pelt may not have the arm, but the guy is a competitor.  But still, I'm interested in what the kid can do and look forward to seeing him in camp and pre-season.

3. I think there's going to be more drama in the game between Dallas and my Av's.  Which is- after all, what the game is about.  Still, I'm pulling for the Oilers to beat them Red Wings!

4. I think that those of you who are planning on flying out in the coming months should secure your tickets quickly.  With the price of gas the way it is, you can bet the airlines will have to pass the extra cost to us.

5. I think (know) that I'm blessed to have to be at work only 7 out of 14 days.

6. I think broadband costs too much and it doesn't look like there's any relief in the price going down anytime soon.  Grrrr!

7. I think going to see United 93 tomorrow will be emotional, but there are moments we'd rather not remember, yet explains much of our surroundings today (or, as Merlin says in the movie Excalibur "it is the doom of men that they forget").  It gives clarity to the question of 'why' we are in this fight against terrorism, and gives context to the job our soldiers have taken upon (the majority by choice) in other countries. 

8. I think Denver is keeping a great secret in that its a hidden gem of a sports town.  Yes, there are rabid fans in the coastal states, but in terms of competitiveness, our teams (for whatever reason) seem to be under the radar (example- hockey team is always in the running; football team is always competitive; Arena football team won the championship last year; LaCrosse team is playing for the championship this year; Soccer league made it to the playoffs 4 consecutive years, etc).  Yup, as a sports nut, I definitely love this place.

9. I think Senator Clinton and (formal) V.P. Gore running against one another is intriguing.  Personally, I don't think either will win, but I'd like to just sit back and see what strategies the two would use on each other.

10. I think the movie I'm most looking forward to seeing in the upcoming months is Stardust.  I know, I rail a little bit about Neil Gaiman's books (that the endings are somewhat weak), but this one actually was very good from beginning to end.  It's been close to 10 years now since I've read it, but seeing the cast (Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer; Claire Danes is also in it, but I'm still not a big fan), I've got a lot of hope that it may be a pretty good movie.  Go figure, out of all the things I've read from Gaiman, the 'adult fairy tale' (as Gaiman describes it) is one of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bad Guests

I'm sure everyone has seen the immigration marches (for the record, they are not 'undocumented workers' as the overly pc media would present, they are illegal immigrants).  Marches are good, and typically, if they are well thought of and, when done effictively, can sway a lot of opinions.  But the protests/marches I saw was nothing constructive, nor did I think it progressed the immigrants agenda.

Those that engaged in the debate (though not all) who marched carrying, not the American flag, but the Mexican flag, represent their plight not by wanting to embrace what America is about, but to voice displeasure at America by parading the flag of the country they were desperate to leave.  At best, this struck me as a conflicted message. 

By declaring their allegiance to the country they've just left, I can only guess their motivation for being in America is purely economic.  If so, that's the most distressing part of this whole debate. What I don't sense, is any gratefulness of any of these illegals for our country, in that it already provides them free health care and education (among many other services). Yet still they want more. The current debate is trying to figure out how to pave a way for them to become citizens, yet they wave another country's flag indicating they would rather be nationals of their old home.  So the message didn't come off as-- 'we want to be Americans', as much as it come out as, 'we want to be working Mexicans'.  If the later is the case, then great!  Just take the message to your own country.

None of the proposed plans from either party, nor the President's plan has really swayed me on this issue and I think there's still an opportunity to show compassion, but yet be forceful in securing our borders.  But seeing all those Mexican flags didn't help their cause in trying to make me sympthetic to their plight to become citizens.  My hope is that they get their act together and present their cause in a better manner because as guests (and that's saying it kindly) of this country, they have not behaved very well (if invited at all).

---

Not In My Backyard

Oh the irony (from NewsMax)....

The infamous environmental group Greenpeace is targeting Sen. Ted Kennedy for opposing a wind farm in the Nantucket Sound because it would interfere with the view from his Hyannis Port mansion.

Greenpeace is launching a nationwide TV ad campaign against Kennedy, with spots that portray the Massachusetts Democrat as Godzilla.

The Cape Cod Times reports:

"In the 30-second spot, a cartoon Kennedy looms over the water like a Japanese movie monster, pounding wind turbines as they sprout from the water, and barks, 'I might see them from my mansion on the Cape.'"

Kennedy's nephew, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is a leading environmentalist who urges Americans to cut back on energy consumption and who blamed Bush environmental policies for Hurricane Katrina.
But he, too, opposes the wind farm in Nantucket Sound - going so far as to argue that it would cause pollution.

By running the ads, Greenpeace hopes to torpedo an amendment to a Coast Guard bill that would make a proposed Nantucket wind farm vulnerable to state veto.

"'We've targeted the Senate because we need leaders to stop this amendment before it can even be voted," Greenpeace spokesgal Kate Smolski told the Times.

I'm usually pretty critical of the 'chicken little' enviromentalists, but gotta give props to Greenpeace for at least attempting to expose the Kennedy's hypocrisy.  Takes a lot of guts to bite the hand that feeds.

---

Alright...so my Av's were the lucky ones last night.  But what another nail biter!

---