i agree with your points on America's foreign policy. "thus always to tyrants" means that tyrants will always get the screw, because you can only oppress so long.

and i am concerned that our man Bush, judging by the international policy changes he has made so far, will only further heighten our "tyrant" status.

but on the other hand, you question the line between defense and retribution. and in my mind, are they really two different things? as they say in duckpin bowling, the best defense is a good offense. this whole mess is such a catch-22, because i really can't see any way that good will come of it, no matter what our country's reaction is. we don't retaliate, we're seen as weak, and more attacks are invited. we do retaliate, and we martry a whole bunch of somebodies, and more attacks are invited. we change our foreign policy and finally quit dicking around in other countries' affairs, we send the message to the world that 'acts of terrorism' can change a superpower's policy, and more attacks are invited. i just don't see how any of our options, even the option of doing nothing, is going to do anything but invite more violence.

you are not comparing apples to oranges, dear friend. i too am struggling with the same question. when slapped in the face, we as people are supposed to turn the other cheek. that, however, is a personal choice. our government is not an individual; it is a body tasked, mainly, with protecting its citizens.

and that's what it boils down to, i think. our government's main purpose is to maintain our freedom, and protect us. surely, airport security is going to change drastically in the future; that is one form of protection. but to allow a crime of any size to be perpetrated against american citizens, anywhere in the world, is tantamount to our country sending out a news release stating "kill americans, get a free watch". and to let tuesday's attacks go unpunished would be unfathomable; it would undermine our government and endanger every aspect of our free society.

now, i am opposed to the death penalty, but i feel people convicted of death-worthy crimes should spend the rest of their lives in jail. but that's not an option in this situation, because the "criminals" here are protected by foreign governments, and protected by a lot of armed supporters as well. i don't know how effective it will be, but i just don't think we have any choice but to strike back at whoever did this, and whatever countries supported them.

spinning: mogwai: ep + 2 (the most haunting mogwai album, i think)

hmm...i know given the circumstances i would be renting a car and driving to either my destination or an airport that is NOT on the east coast. ladies and gentlemen...as much as we would like to think that this whole ordeal is over, it is not. not even close, there are more individuals out to finish their job no matter what. break it down now.

CPR: 56% PPR: 93%

24 hours = no survivors found, pentagon black box & voice data recorder found, somerset black box found, countless bomb threats, crazy hijacker types allowed onto a friggin' plane and then taken at gunpoint with other passengers on the plane, pakistan advising people to "make like a tree and get the hell out of here", and of course, as usual, the taliban gave osama bin laden yet another handjob last night at 7:30pm, right on schedule.

another day another line of code. it seems odd that thru our young lifes in kindergarten and grade school, we all can't wait to grow up. we grow up more and go to high school and at that point we just can't wait to get out of high school and finally get to college. mm, sadly some never want to leave high school...these people make me ill. then college and it's can't wait to get out of college and get a job. now that i look back on it, it seems really odd. social programming is really what a lot of what school is about. be this, don't do this, what is this person capable of later in society. interesting that after 17 or so years of schooling this is what life is supposed to be like for the next thirty. interesting eh?

CPR: 80%
PPR: 90%

spinning: random mp3 cd

CPR: 32%, PPR: 50%

well, you know what i think? i might not be the most exciting person in the world, but i certainly feel the need to post to this @#$! thing too much... i will consult with paul and i may perhaps start my own blog... for my own amusement, if nothing else...

who needs lunch? not i. working dilligently even with a minor distraction....

CPR: 80%
PPR: 95%

spinning: The Sundays

CPR: 14%
PPR: 85%

well, i ceased news intake about an hour ago, and then a bunch of unexpected band things required my attention (and response). but now, batten down the hatches... cause i'm going down, down to chinatown.

this is the time of the day (about forty minutes after i first arrive) that i face that moment--> the moment where i let the news reports go, and get down to work, or the moment when i decide to stay riveted to the news stories until i've read every last word of every new story, sometimes twice.

i'll let you know in a little while what i decide.

Current Productivity Rate (CPR) : 1%
Planned Productivity Rate (PPR): 80%

spinning: nothing but my head.

today feeling productive knowing our country is holding her head up high and moving on. nations of the world are backing retaliation and the support around the world restores my faith in humanity as a whole. for those who are responsible....prepare thyself for the wrath of the world....

CPR: 70%
PPR: 90%
Music spinning: Rancid

today's productivity rate: 0.5%. read about osama bin laden's life (for the first time)... very interesting. the man could've been a hero in america after the soviets withdrew from afghanistan (if the press had picked up on him and his story). instead, his home country, saudi arabi, turns its back on him, ignores his concerns about saddam hussein, and refuses his help when iraq invades kuwait... and at that time he finally focuses on his next calling--> removing America from the Middle East.

learn about o.b.l.

current will to work... 13% and falling fast. really the only thing i want to do is go somewhere and watch the news.

today our country will change and just start to fully realize what has happened in the past 24 hours. for me it is just simply surreal and leaves me with a confused feeling. wanting to hurt those that hurt us, a feeling of uncertainty, one of great sorrow, and a much greater sense of loyalty to this great country of ours.

i understand our policies of this country are not well liked by some people. but an event like this can never have any justification based of foreign policy of our government. all americans should trust in the powers that be to find the individuals that were responsible for this attack.

god bless

well, after 12 straight hours of watching the news, i'm no closer to understanding this mess than anyone else is. i saw some horrific things today, and i saw some images that will stick with me for a long time: President Bush's 3 addresses, chiefly in his third address, from the White House, as he quoted Psalms and my eyes welled up with tears; mayor guliani and the police chief addressing reporters around 10pm, discussing for the first time losses in the upper ranks of the fire & police departments; and of course, the countless footage of both the devestation and the aftermath.

the world has turned and left us here.

i speak for us all when i say that this is unbelievable, simply unbelievable. pray for the people still alive.
two planes, two skyscrapers

i do believe micah's early arrival is much cause for celebration. he was the dawing of the office lights as i merely coded in dark and listend to the mega compliation mp3 cd. one thing a bit odd about large collections of music, that varys scope from punk to emo to adult contemporary, is the surprise. one is used to listening to albums all at once and expect the next song on the cd, except BAM, you get a song totally unexpected. It is, i guess, the spice of life..a varitiable variety pak of music if you will.


Work Productivity Level:90%
Projected Productivity Level:Decreasing rapidly throughout the day, chance of 75%

i like hearing bands that sound like the smiths over the cube walls...

i have arrived at work approximately 10 minutes early for the second day in a row... this could be the sign of a universal catastrophe in the making.

in other blog news, go to the hey mercedes website, click on link #8 (wire), and see how it was meant to be done.

ok listen up bloggers...go to the MackWeb and get today's story. Read today's posts and see if you can continue the story that has been started...if not then you should be fed to llamas.

well all. new blog template has been uploaded. gee. it's nifty like a fifty.

time to ad some content to ye olde site. i [heart] ye olde...

now playing: random mp3s..

well, this is a first lately... i planned to leave around 4:30pm today (after i put in my 8hrs) and here it is 5:30 and i'm just now signing my timesheet... will wonders never cease?

now spinning: mogwai: young team (you can't get enough of a good thing, they say)

okay, enough blog tweaking already! i've got 1.5 hours left to do 2.3 hours worth of work... where does paul mack get these wonderful toys?

i'm actually working today... this is a wildly innovative concept that i hope to expand on the rest of the month.

now spinning: mogwai: young team

skulls

First post while at work. yay. look how exciting this is. everyone will be jealous

now playing: fugazi: Repeater +3 Songs