Packers Win

The Packers just won the game. Now there are two days before the election. I feel better. Will this be the year of Massachusetts? First the Packers win the Super Bowl. Then the Red Sox won the World Series. Will Kerry be our next president?

UPDATE 10:21 PM EST

Aparently the call that changed the game was bogus. Just like how many people argue that Bush won on a technicality last time, maybe this time Kerry will get lucky like that. Lets hope so.

Fixed the comments section

OK everyone,

I fixed the comments section. Now anyone can post, even if you are not a registered user. The defaults were set rather strangely in other areas too.

Happy Halloween

I am officially rooting for the Green Bay Packers in the Packers at Redskins game. It is sad that I am using superstition to put my canadate over the top. What is hilarious is hearing my dad cheer against the Redskins. Something I never thought I would hear. Well, at least it is his boyhood team he's cheering for and not the Dallas Cowboys or something like that. Also, despite the 85° heat in DC today, I am not washing my truck. Whenever I wash my truck, Kerry goes down in the polls. Whenever my truck gets really dirty, Kerry goes up in the polls. Needless to say, I want to go off roading today or tomorrow. Besides, I get more attention when my truck is full of mud.

Yesterday at Kings Dominion was just OK. The lines were hideously long, because they were running all the rides at half capacity (except ones like Drop Zone which are all or nothing). Couple that with wonderful weather, the park was extremely crowded and the lines were horribly long. At least I got to ride a few things that were not open at the park back in 2000, such as Hypersonic XLC, Drop Zone and Ricochet. My favorite, the Anaconda was broken for most of the day. I think Sidy and I set an endurance record on that ride during the summer of 1999, with riding it 25+ times in a row without getting off. I got a 2005 Gold Season Pass, so I plan on going back at least twice next year. I want to go in the middle of the week when things are a lot less crowded.

It looks like that Deputy US Marshal is going to get deep fried by the Montgomery County States Attorneys Office. I have been planning on writing about this since details have come out. First of all, I hope that jurisdictional pissing contests or the thin blue line don't dictate what happens. I hope that the Montgomery County Police can and will take all the facts in a neutral manner and determine the right outcome. Honestly, it does not look good for the deputy. He would not produce a department issued photo ID to go with his badge and gun when asked by the Navy seaman. However, he did fire into the front of the vehicle, which could indicate that he was about to be run over. However, witnesses put the car and the deputy about 50' apart, which lends itself to getting out of the way. Some civilians are decrying the fact that nine shots were fired. Most people forget that law enforcement officers are trained under the premise of shoot to kill, empty the clip and reload. It is instinctive, not with thought. Plus, semi-automatic weapons become easier to fire after the first shot. Once shot one is fired, generally a well trained officer will fire out between eight and sixteen shots, depending on many factors. I find no fault in this detail. Where I do find fault is the Deputy had his family and wife with him. He could have let this situation blow over. Now his children are traumatized, he may be going to jail for the rest of his life. He could have been the bigger man and just let it go, and as a law enforcement officer, that is what I would expect of him. Angry gestures, yelling and fist fights should not be part of everyday driving, but sadly they are. I just hope there is a break in the thin blue line if he should be charged, and I hope that jurisdictional rivalry does not dictate charges if he would have been justified. Lets just hope for the truth.

I guess this whole topic leads into another concern of mine. The Washington DC Metro area has too many cars on the road at any given moment, in relation to the road capacity. New roads are needed, highways need widening, traffic signals need better timing, and interchanges need to be reengineered. Slow growth or no growth will not fix these capacity issues now. Metro is already overcrowded and over capacity during rush hour, just like the roads. Metro is not the answer anymore, unless expansion is brought forth. I personally would not mind paying another 10-15¢ per gallon of gas, if it goes towards highway improvements and metro expansion. This money would be well spent, because if my truck does not have to stop and go so much, I get better gas mileage, which offsets the extra gas tax. Add in the fact that it may force some people to change their driving habits or vehicle choices, and this appears to be a winner from many vantage points. We cannot take a "Not in my Backyard" approach anymore. We have done this for thirty years, and look at where we are today? Quality of life has suffered. Enough is enough, we need to build new roads NOW.

12:13 AM Saturday

I in fact did make it though yesterday without any drama. I was disapointed that Target still does not have any of the Jones Bubble Gum Soda. I have a rain check for it.

What is up with the people that drive with their bright headlights on constantly? I mean, I am blinded by these idots that leave their lights on. I guess some of these people think that by blinding me with their brights, that I will think they have those xenon headlamps. Trust me, I know the difference.

Later today I go to Kings Dominion in Doswel VA. That should be fun, I have not been since 2000, and I have never been for their Halloween park opening.

Melted stoves

Well, the verdict is in today. I did about $350 in damage to the stove. We also had planned on buying new knobs for the controls. That would set us back $100 or so. Then my mom reminded my dad and I that the oven seems to not cook evenly (sometimes it burns stuff, other things end up raw). A new thermostat is going to run about $50. So already, there are $500 worth of problems with a 22 year old stove.

My dad and I went out looking at new stoves. We need one that is all electric, with a downdraft venting system. We are pretty much limited to another Jenn Air or an Amana. Both are made by Mantag. The thing that sucks is most of the new ones have so much plastic on them. Plastic on an oven does not seem like a good thing. Both will cost about $1500 or so.

I commented to my brother that karma is a bitch. My dad got obnoxious with me, and a few minutes later, the stove melted. I did not do anything to cause the grill part of the stove to melt, other than cook steaks for them. It randomly happened.

Also, Osama Bin Laden has aparently come out with a new video tape of himself bitching and moaning about the United States. I don't know if this tape will help Kerry or Bush more. The fact that Bush needs to mention getting Osama Bin Laden, something that he has had three years to do should help Kerry. The fact that Hawaii seems to be in play for Bush has me nervous. But then again, New Jersey was in play in August and Maryland was in play for September. However, both those states are safely in the category for Kerry. I just hope that we can have Kerry win Virginia, and have that put Kerry safely over the top.

In addition, I would like to personally thank all my friends that e-mailed me or called me yesterday and today to ask if I was alright after yesterday. I am fine. I just had a bad day. I am hoping that the rest of today goes better.

Another introduction to Gungy

OK,

I had a bad day. This seems to be more typical than not, but I still wake up every day and go about life.

Today I woke up so stiff from the past two days of work, I could not go over and finish one of my local projects. I ended up going to the local Giant Food store. I accidently helped someone shoplift steaks from the store. Let me explain. I was going in the "in" door. A man, is trying to walk out the "in" door. He has one of the green handbaskets you carry around goods. It is filled up to the top with steaks. He then proceds to get into his late 1990s black Chevy Camaro which is illegally parked in the front of the store. It is too bad it took me 30 seconds to figure out what I had just saw. If I had realized it quicker, I could have yelled "Shoplifter" and chased him or something to that effect. I hate the fact I have to pay extra for groceries because people think it is appropriate to blatently steal stuff.

Later, as I am coming down my stairs, I trip and fall. Over a waste paper basket that is left on the stairs. I fall, and get hurt. I run into the TV room, yelling, and I threw the basket down on the ground like I am spiking a football. I am in serious pain mind you. My mom won't even get off the phone to ask if I am all right, despite falling down the stairs. I got into the kitchen and asked my dad if he left it on there. He said "Why did you not take it up?" and I spiked it again. My dad said "If you break it, I will fucking kill you." Wait, is this something a father should say to his 24 year old son? He then chases me into the family room and gets in my face, within a inch. I nearly pushed him away, but I knew at that point he would have called the police and had me thrown in jail.

Anyhow, prior to the first blow up, I had placed steaks on the indoor Jenn Air grill. The steaks are still on the grill. I take my dad's steak off, and take it to him. My mom and I like our steaks more well done. As I return to the kitchen, the grill is on fire. I try to blow out the fire. No can do. I take the steaks off, and I am ready to use the fire extinguisher on it. My dad told me not to. So I covered up the grill with a pan. Well, it burned for five minutes. Despite the pan covering the fire. After it burnt out, the grill grates were melted. They need to be replaced.

I am sore as hell, I helped someone shop lift, I fell down the stairs, nearly got into a physical fight with my dad and melted the stove. What a day. I need a beer.

Introduction

God where do I start? Well, I am 24 years old, living in Suburban Maryland. A white guy with a dream. A dream to have a place in the world, a purpose that can make me happy.