The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Well I must say that I believe. The 9 hour wait at the mall to simply be allowed to wait for 3 more hours to see the movie was well worth it. It was EPIC. There isn't much else I can say other than that the movie was absolutely fantastic and a must see. You can bet I'll be seeing it again soon.

"nailed it!"

Early Morning Torture

When Tuesdays and Thursdays roll around, I dread having to leave my nice comfortable bed. Those are the days that I work out with my personal trainer for the summer. Not to mention sleep has been a bit difficult recently because of the heat. So it's in bed by 12, asleep by 1, up by 7, and working out by 9:30 or 10.

The poor guy puts up with a lot, because I'm a complainer. At least I occasionally provide some entertainment, as I confessed the other day that in order to complete difficult sets, I whisper the names of past U.S. presidents who really peeve me. Probably my most used president is Martin Van Buren. He was an ass.

Tuesday and Thursday mornings remind me of my mother's stories of the 600 yard dash. In high school she would feel sick for a week, anticipating the day she would have to run the 600 yard dash, only to stay in bed and have to make it up by herself when she returned. I'm already feeling nervous, with only about 10 minutes to go until I have to leave for the gym. I guzzle a last little bit of water in a desperate attempt to reverse the dehydration that has built up over the past two days.

Wish me luck!

Time for Some Campaignin

Here's the new JibJab video... it's pretty funny!

Obama

Barack Obama on National Security and the war in Iraq

"This must be the moment when we answer the call of history. For eight years, we have paid the price for a foreign policy that lectures without listening; that divides us from one another - and from the world - instead of calling us to a common purpose; that focuses on our tactics in fighting a war without end in Iraq instead of forging a new strategy to face down the true threats that we face. We cannot afford four more years of a strategy that is out of balance and out of step with this defining moment.

None of this will be easy, but we have faced great odds before. When General Marshall first spoke about the plan that would bear his name, the rubble of Berlin had not yet been built into a wall. But Marshall knew that even the fiercest of adversaries could forge bonds of friendship founded in freedom. He had the confidence to know that the purpose and pragmatism of the American people could outlast any foe. Today, the dangers and divisions that came with the dawn of the Cold War have receded. Now, the defeat of the threats of the past has been replaced by the transnational threats of today. We know what is needed. We know what can best be done. We know what must done. Now it falls to us to act with the same sense of purpose and pragmatism as an earlier generation, to join with friends and partners to lead the world anew."

I hope that he will indeed bring change. I have to admit I have not been very happy with him for the past few days because of his decision to support H.R. 6304, but this makes me optimistic that American foreign policy will one day promote progress on an international scale.

Quorn

For those of you who don't know, I am a vegetarian. But that's not what I want to write about for the moment... that's a long, strange and complicated story.

What I do want to mention is that thanks to some amazing relatives/really good friends of mine, I have discovered Quorn, the most amazing meat substitute that I have ever tasted. Now even though I am a vegetarian, my favorite food would have to be chicken, which is very unfortunate seeing that as a vegetarian, I can no longer eat it.

Quorn, however, has the exact same texture, not to mention the exact same flavor as chicken. It is absolutely amazing. I just enjoyed a breaded Quorn "chicken" sandwich for dinner. It was like a taste of heaven. And so now I am pleased to say that I can enjoy the taste of chicken without sacrificing the life of one.

U.S. History

I've been thinking a lot about U.S. History lately (there's a big surprise), and the more I do, the more I seem to be discouraged by the current state of the union. It seems like nothing ever changes. I think what has affected my most is a book I recently read by Howard Zinn (who is now one of my heroes). It was a graphic adaptation of A People's History of the United States, entitled A People's History of American Empire. It opened my eyes to the horrible reality of American conquest, like a black mark on our country's past, and the dark clouds over America's future. It's enough to make me want to turn Canadian. I am astonished by how many times the will of the people has been ignored, and lives have been thrown away to further the economic interests of this country. It seems as though we only intervene on an international level for our own economic gain, however the people of America aren't the ones getting rich off of the destruction of the lives of others (not that we should anyhow), but it is the large business owners that continuously fill their pockets. Why else would we refuse to help stop the genocide in Darfur? We do business with the Sudanese government! Our government aided Hitler at one point, and would probably do it again, knowing what it knows now, if it would gain something from it. Who do you think it was who trained Osama bin Laden and many other extremists? The U.S. government. It was the strategy of National Security Adviser to President Carter, Zbigniew Brzezinski, called the Arc of Islam which used green berets and navy seals to train Muslim extremists in an effort to fight against the Soviet Union. These extremists later formed Al Qaeda and the Taliban. We also staged a coup that kicked Mohammad Mossadegh out of power in Iran in 1953... and I'd rather not get into the mess that caused. Anyway, I highly recommend that you read A People's History of American Empire. All of the information that I just mentioned came from that book. However, I must accept that it is only one part of the story, and I'm sure there are many other factors. There are always multiple sides of the story in history, but the fact remains that so much of what the United States government has done is unforgivable, regardless of situation. There is no excuse for the massacre that occurred at Wounded Knee, the Trail of Tears, the Moro Massacre, NO EXCUSE. And what about all the ways in which American liberties have been trampled on? We have all heard of the horrors of slavery from our history books, but it wasn't until the 60's and 70's that African Americans were truly considered equal under the law. And discrimination continues! There was also The Espionage Act during WWI violated the First Amendment, allowing for the arrests of individuals who spoke too freely of their distaste for the war and the draft. The internment of Japanese Americans during WWII is considered to be by some the greatest violation of civil rights in American history. And now the Patriot Act... what will protect our liberties? H.R. 6304 has now granted immunity to those who continue to wiretap as a means of promoting national security. I ask you, when will it end?

Please understand that I still speak with a limited knowledge of these events, but my frustration with history is real.

Peace,
AGW

Folie à Deux

Welcome to my new blog, Folie à Deux. Before I begin I'd like to explain the meaning of the title. It was taken from an episode of the X-Files and is French for "a madness shared by two." Through this blog I hope to discover that there are people out there who "share my madness," whether that be a love of history, a fascination with politics, or simply an obsession with the X-Files. So as I rant on, please enjoy.