SAR Saturday

The NAPG Monthly Photo Contest for Feburary is: 24 - A 3 shot collage of a day in your life. So, I picked a SAR (search & rescue) practice Saturday. Here is my entry.

Here's the link to the original shot.

Idiotic Media Comment of the Day

And trust me, there are lots of them some days. Strangely enough, this one comes from Fox News. They are not generally known for stupidity on camera. Generally.

Yesterday, a Fox reporter is giving details about the recent capture of the number 2 Taliban dude, Mullah Abdul Baradar, apprehended over a week ago in Pakistan. Baradar is a supposed close associate of everyone's favorite terrorist, Usama Bin Laden, and is reported to be the 2nd in command behind the "founder" of the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Omar. So, obviously, Baradar has friends in high places.

The reporter gives all this background and then makes the statement that "some in the intelligence community worry that the capture of Baradar could possibly drive Bin Laden and Omar underground." Let that sit for a second.

Okay, now, if I'm not mistaken, everyone in the WORLD has been looking for Bin Laden and Omar for what, years now? If they aren't underground already, does someone REALLY think that the capture of this guy is going to drive them there?? If they aren't already "underground," then where the Hell are they? Give me a break guys. If you only have something stupid to say, just STFU. M'kay?

The Present

I heard this quote on the way to work this morning:

"The Present is the living sum-total of the whole Past."
Thomas Carlyle—Essays. Characteristics.
(1795-1881, Scottish philosopher, author)

It really struck a chord with me on this cold, dreary day, with sleet hitting the windshield as I headed down I-565 @ 70 mph on my way to work. If one thing, just one, had been different in my past, I would not be who I am, what I am, today. If my momma hadn't died when I was 11 years old, who would I be today? If I hadn't met the love of my life 18 years ago on my first day at my new job as a nuclear plant trainee, where would I be today? If my daddy hadn't been struck down with cancer in 1993, what would I be doing today? If I hadn't decided to go back to school and finish my Mathematics degree, where would I be working today?

It does no good to dwell on the past. I know that. And I rarely do. The Present is important. Yesterday is not. And while I don't spend too much time wondering "what if," I do occasionally, when speeding down the highway, listening to the radio, spending time alone.

I do know this: I am what I am (to quote another great philospher, Popeye). That's all that I am. And, I'm damn happy with that.