Thursday, July 03, 2003

I rented a couple movies the other day (I had a coupon and a gift card). Last night I watched The Recruit.

That is a great, fun movie. I loved just about every bit of it. It was tamer than I expected as far as language. I assumed it was rated R, but when I looked at the cover after viewing it I discovered it’s actually PG-13. (Which means that Mom and Dad, you will really love this movie too. No cringing! Well, there’s cringing, but not for profanity or nudity.)

That one gets high marks from me. It’s on my list of “I Want to Own the DVD” movies.

Wednesday, July 02, 2003

When the announcement came that the 2010 Winter Olympic Games will be in Vancouver, BC, Canada, I was thrilled. Why, you ask?

I lived in the Pacific Northwest (Oak Harbor, WA, to be exact) for a number of years, twice. I hope you’ll click on the link, it’s to a map of the region.

I have many fond memories from my early, early childhood: my sister was born there, I watched the men land on the moon on TV there, I remember my first July 4th fireworks from there, I remember riding the bus to kindergarten, I remember our dachshund puppy (Pretzel).  We moved away, but returned a few years later where I spent 6th-9th grade. Let me say, that while most kids hate junior high school - I loved junior high school. The move away in the middle of 9th grade was the most traumatic of them all for me.

But I digress…

I have visited Vancouver a few times in my life and I think it’s a lovely city. And a great choice for the Olympic games. Much like Calgary back in 1988, the world will be charmed by the beauty of the city and the surrounding towns where events will be held. For all of the mocking we do about our neighbors to the north, I’ve found my visits to Canada to be among my favorites. (Of course, I haven’t been to French-Canada. )

Now, if you’re interested in a little trivia about Jen’s adventures in the Pacific NW…

The panel on Brit Hume’s show is discussing the lawsuits against fast food. Mort Kondracke is suggesting that the government tax fatty foods and use the revenue for medical research.

What?!

That is a terrible idea for a number of reasons:

1.  Who determines what is fatty food? FDA? The food industry?

2.  Obviously the main target is fast food, but will that include all restaurants?

3.  What about groceries items like cheese, milk, yogurt - things that are healthy and recommended, especially for kids?

4.  What about the healthy forms of fat? Olive oil?

5.  Who regulates the policy?

I could go on. The main reason why it’s a bad idea? I don’t need the government stealing any more of my money or telling me what I can and cannot eat.

If I choose to eat fast food, then I run the risk of gaining weight. As a matter of fact, I’m a little overweight. Why? Because I love food - all kinds of food - especially junk food. The government taxing me more for my chips and dip is not going to stop me from eating those chips and dip any more than my lack of willpower will stop me from eating chips and dip. Or Freedom Fries. Or Chick-Fil-A. Or McDonald’s. Or whatever else may be taxed.

Our headquarters is located on the south side of the Potomac River. That means it’s in Virginia, with a Virginia street address. Apparently, what’s so confusing for people is that HQ has a 202 area code. 202 is the area code for Washington, DC.

I don’t know how much research people have to do to get our number, but I cannot even begin to tell you how many phone calls I get from people who are actually trying to reach HQ. Because we have the 703 area code, they assume that we must be the main USMS office. After all, we are in Virginia too, although not at the address that’s listed for HQ. We’re actually in a different town.

I can understand the confusion. Really.

But let me tell you something (a few things):

1. I usually know what I’m talking about with regard to people and phone numbers. I’m the receptionist - it’s what I do. I have a rather large list of phone numbers posted right next to my phone. They include other court offices, personnel in the office, jails, etc. I even have a handy USMS directory for all USMS office and personnel.

2. When I tell you that the person you’re looking for is not in this office and that he’s probably at HQ, I’m not just trying to get rid of you. I’m actually trying to help.

3. When I give you the phone number, with that 202 area code, don’t ask me if I’m sure if that’s the right number. Who is the USMS employee here?

4. Please do not argue with me when I explain to you that yes, our HQ is in Virginia, but we’re not it, and yes, they have a 202 number.

This rant is the result of the 7th person today that has questioned my information. And it’s only 1:40pm - there are just about four more hours in my day to deal with these idiots.

And I won’t even mention the multitudes of people who’ve invaded our office today that I have to buzz into the door because they don’t have building passes - guards from the jails, USMS deputies from other offices, technicians, etc.  Not an hour has passed that I haven’t been interrupted at least 8 or 9 times in 30 minutes by people at the door.

Have I mentioned that I’m PMSing? TMI?

Breaking News:

FAIRFAX, Va. — A judge ordered a change of venue Wednesday for the trial of sniper suspect Lee Boyd Malvo (search), moving the case from Fairfax County to Chesapeake, 200 miles to the south.

Circuit Court Judge Jane Marum Roush said she feared Malvo wouldn’t be able to get a fair trial in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, where the sniper attacks terrorized residents over a three-week period last fall.

And just because that area is outside of the Washington DC region, doesn’t mean that folks down there weren’t affected by the shootings to the north. Sure it takes him out of the immediate area of the shootings, but he’s still going to be tried in the Commonwealth. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Holocaust, Hitler, and the circumstances of World War II. Mostly because it seemed unbelievable that people would allow such evil to continue as long as it did without at least attempting to stop it. My childish mind couldn’t conceive of such events, but as I grew older I learned that we humans are deeply flawed and selfish. To the point that we’ll not act when we know we should because it’s often not going to be pleasant.

My grandfathers both served in WWII--I never got the chance to learn from my paternal grandfather about his experiences with the Navy during the war. He died when I was 10 or 11. But my maternal grandfather was career Army and he’s still alive today at the ripe old age of 85.

He served with Patton in Africa. He narrowly missed D-Day because of a hernia. He helped liberate a concentration camp (I don’t know which one, he won’t talk about it). He was a communications officer, so I’m sure he’s got a ton of stories. And he’s faithful to go to each and every reunion of his fellow warriors (that are still alive).

Anyway, I say all this to say that we must never forget what men like my grandfather fought against and for. And others feel the same way. BigWig has an excellent essay about the holocaust along with some well hidden photographic evidence (along with some well researched history behind the photo) that it did, in fact, occur. They are gruesome, but a much needed reminder of that which we can never allow to happen again.

[via craig]

You may noticed that I closed (removed) the “nag” post. After sleeping on it, I decided it needed to be closed because I’m over my offendedness (I know, I made up that word). Thanks for listening and for the enjoyable comments groveling. I’m moving on.

I’ve risked being Googled to death with that post title, but I can’t think of a better one.

This is about Jerry Springer, potential Democrat Senatorial candidate for Ohio. He was on Sean Hannity’s radio show yesterday and I caught a little bit of their debate yelling match. (At one point, they were literally yelling over each other. The transcriptionist will have a hard time deciphering about 2-3 minutes of garbled stuff.)

They were discussing taxes. Not surprisingly, Springer is against Bush’s tax cuts ("they only benefit the rich, yadda yadda yadda"). He thinks that those who make $250K+ should have to pay 50% of their income in taxes in order to help the middle and lower classes not have to pay so much. Well, that got Sean going and he exclaimed that Jerry is a socialist, to which Jerry got very offended (this is where they started yelling).

So I thought I’d fact check on Sean’s definition of “socialism” and this is what I found:

socialism

So"cial*ism, n. [Cf. F. socialisme.] A theory or system of social reform which contemplates a complete reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor.  (Source: Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.)

[via dictionary.com]

Maybe I’ll post sometime about my frustration with the left’s idea that capitalism is wrong.

Tuesday, July 01, 2003

I’m single and haven’t dated much. But for some reason I find that I’m giving a lot of dating advice to KR at work. I gave her a ton today at lunch and I wanted to make sure that what I was telling her was good, from the male perspective.

Assume that she is young (not that young - she’s 24) and attractive and relatively smart (although I could tell you a story from yesterday’s lunch that might call that into question, but we’ll pass that off as a blonde moment - and yes, she’s blonde). She has a good paying, steady job and is putting herself through college at night. She’s outgoing.

So here’s the scoop:

Tooling around the blogosphere I happened upon this little tidbit from Right Wing News.

...the American flag there and in other locations, as well as American pins have been removed from the museum. Oh they still have the British flags and the Canadian flags, but apparently they feel that the 9,386 American soldiers who died at Normandy & the 1,557 who went missing or weren’t identified, don’t merit representation.

UPDATE: For anyone questioning the veracity of the photo.

Oooh, my mother will not be happy to hear this:

Researchers haven’t found enough evidence to prove conclusively that vitamins can prevent conditions like cancer or heart disease, a U.S. government panel of experts says.

In fact, the Preventive Services Task Force says certain supplements can actually make matters worse…

[...]

“Vitamin supplements may be necessary for individuals whose diets don’t provide the recommended amounts of specific vitamins,” said the panel’s vice chair, Janet Allen, dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “However, the benefits of vitamin supplements for the general population remain uncertain.”

** By healthy eater, I mean she eats healthy stuff.

This post is for my parents, in case they take a minute to go online while they’re vacationing in upstate New York.

You know how I mentioned that I was thinking about taking Thursday off? It’s going to be Monday instead.

I realized that if I took Thursday off there would be no one up front for the one visitor we may have on that day. So I’ll be here.

Mrs. Cootiehog has been eliminated from the competition because I just emailed her the movie title.

A quick reminder on what the contest is:

I had a post title yesterday

Server Down, We’ve Got a Server Down!

Carlos had a good guess with Black Hawk Down, but it’s from a comedy not a drama.

And that’s the first clue I’ll give you.

There is a prize for whoever can figure it out and be the first to answer correctly in the comments.

WE HAVE A WINNER!! Timothy guessed So I Married an Axe Murderer, which is the movie from which I parodied my post title. Although as Jaynee pointed out in a comment, I was slightly off in my wording. But it was close enough, I think, for not having seen SIMAAM in years.

The exact quote (to be quoted in your best Scottish brogue):

We’ve got a piper down, I repeat, the piper is DOWN!

Congratulations, Timothy. Email me with your mailing address and I will get your prize in the mail to you.

Monday, June 30, 2003

Oh my…

Yes, I’m drooling…

The LOTR: Return of the King movie poster has been released.

Isn’t he purty?

[via chewie]

Is it really after 4pm already?

Sheesh.

LATER (4:53pm): Payroll is complete and we will all get paid.

In an interesting wrinkle, MD (my supervisor friend) handed me a weird note when I walked into her office to get a timesheet signed. She was on the phone so couldn’t explain what it was. So later she came to explain that it was for a job that’s just come open with Justice that she thought I’d be good for. Looking at it, I’m excited at the possibility even if it means commuting to the main Justice building in DC. And it would involve some travel. So I’m going to think and pray about putting in my resume for it. It would mean a lot more money and a promotion too if I got it.