posted @ 09:56...

Record gasoline/oil prices... Record profits for oil companies.... [STORIES HERE & HERE]

Hmmm, see any sort of correlation here?

"ExxonMobil, the world's largest publicly-traded oil company, announced net income of $9.9 billion for the most recent quarter, eclipsing analyst expectations and dwarfing the $5.68 billion reported for the same quarter a year ago. It was the largest quarterly profit ever for a U.S. company."

Here are some things the oil companies are counting on:

• A boycott (even a large-scale one) would be impossible because of our collective dependence on gasoline. And it would probably be ineffective anyway, because any losses they sustain (i.e. Katrina) are still far outweighed by their profits.
• Even if there is legislation to correct their greed, it won't have a major impact on their profits. The more they're taxed, the more they'll raise prices to cover that tax.

"Even Republican lawmakers, who have historically counted on support from the oil industry, have asked for answers."

That's cool. I wonder if it's just lip service for the benefit of their constituents. Or are they really feeling their toes getting cold in that bed they share with the oil companies?

posted @ 09:40...

It's supposed to snow here tonight and/or tomorrow. Up to an inch, they say, but there will be plenty more snow as Winter descends on us. Terms like "lake effect" and "tug hill plateau" are among the reasons my family and I are getting away from here as soon as we can.

I'll be leaving this installation for school around the first of the year. As I've mentioned before, I'm going to be an Army Broadcast Journalist -- assuming my security clearance comes through.

Until last week, though, we didn't know where we would be stationed once my training is complete. Turns out, we'll be moving to the Northwestern United States. Of course, it still gets cold there, but not not quite as bad. Plus, we'll be a lot closer to my family.

posted @ 06:52...

Tom Delay [PIC HERE]. I'm tired of hearing about corruption, politics, kickbacks. Just looking at Delay's list of cronies is enough to make you sick. Yes, he's a conservative, and yes, he's a Texan... but I can't handle another story about how he accepted money from so & so, and then provided a special favor for such & such. I guess that's pretty typical in DC, and maybe I'm naive to think the whole political donation system should be destroyed and rebuilt (or maybe just destroyed). He blames "partisan politics" for his recent troubles. But isn't that just the lifestyle he himself has been mired in?

posted @ 06:41...

Iraq: Billions of Dollars Unaccounted For [STORY HERE]

If the allegations in this article are true, I can't imagine why these people aren't being dealt with. I wish the writer had provided sources. Of course, when you're dealing with information like this, none of your sources are going to want their names in your story.

posted @ 09:39...

FRG's Now Fully Funded [STORY HERE]

Apparently, the Army has seen fit to earmark about $43 billion for Army family programs, "fully funding Family Readiness Groups (FRG's) for the first time."

I wonder how this will affect the fundraisers that continually happen at practically every FRG. I wonder how the federal money will be disbursed. The article states that the Army will be relying on feedback from families "to help ensure the money is properly allocated."

I'm told that finding a good Family Readiness Group is a rare, but wonderful thing. We're especially blessed to have two. The FRG's both from my battalion and from the JAG really came through and gave my wife a ton of support during the time she gave birth to our son. The very first pictures I saw of my son were taken and emailed to me by the FRG leader. They also regularly sent cards and care packages to us in Iraq. When you're deployed, sometimes it's easy to feel like you've been forgotten, and the guys who didn't have wives/girlfriends/parents really appreciated it.

Still, I wonder how many Soldiers and spouses would rather just see an increase in BAH and Family Separation Pay...

posted @ 10:09...

Navy Considers Sailors Trained for Close-quarters Assault (STORY HERE)

From the story: "The plan calls for the creation of an expeditionary combat force. It initially was to number 600 to 800 sailors, but the final number might be much different. The force could be used in missions that call for close contact with hostile coastlines."

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I thought the navy already had an expeditionary combat force. It's called the United States Marine Corps. They have an anchor in their logo and everything.

"...the new force would not compete with the Marines but complement them."

Oh, okay then. Still, what's the difference? This is the reason the Marine Corps was formed out of the Navy in the first place: to be a combat expeditionary force. It's sort of like saying, "The Army is dicussing the creation of a new program in which Soldiers would utilize fixed-wing aircraft in combat operations." (Yeah, in case you didn't get it, that's sorta how the Air Force was formed.)

posted @ 05:59...

Last night's dream:

My wife and I were swimming in a small lake out in a national park somewhere with some baby bears. We kept having to avoid being bitten and mauled by the bears. We realized that since we heard the bears' parents not too far away, we should get away from them, lest we be mistaken for a threat.

Later, my wife had gone to explore another part of the park, and I decided to climb up in a stone observation tower. As I looked out over the area, I noticed some park rangers with assault rifles rushing out of one of the buildings below. I looked again, and they had become a camera crew. They were pointing and motioning excitedly toward my 6-o'clock. When I turned around, I saw the huge tornado they were looking at. I immediately came down from the tower and tried to run in the direction of where I had last seen my wife. The tornado was pulling me back, so I waited it out. When the wind subsided, I was given a priority mail package. It was from my wife; she had sent it from wherever she was. In the package was a two-way radio and a piece of paper with some poetry written on it.

I rarely have dreams with this much detail. In fact, I rarely remember my dreams at all.

posted @ 11:16...

Soldier Clarifies "Staged" Presidential Video Teleconference...

(If me and my unit were going to be chatting with the President, I'd want to be prepared too.)

posted @ 10:31...

While waiting at a stoplight recently...

Me: "Wow, it smells like someone just blew out a scented candle."

My wife: "That's the Burger King."

posted @ 20:36...

My History term paper is here (PDF), in case you wanna read it. Finally finished it, and now I'm hoping for a decent grade. There was so much more about Texas History that I wanted to explore, but I ran out of time.

posted @ 09:17...

I heard a while back about a father who refused to change his child's diaper. To me, this is weird. How can a guy call himself a man when he can't even handle a little poop?

Anyway, this reminded me of my recent experience in the Washington Dulles airport. After searching the concourse for a men's restroom equipped with a baby changing station, I finally found one. Then, as I was finishing up the task, a guy who was leaving the room commented, "Ah, I see Daddy's doing Mommy's job!"

I'm always the guy who thinks of the snappy comeback 20 minutes later. Approximately 20 minutes later, I thought, "No, moron. Daddy's doing Daddy's job!"