Mark Bowden

I enjoy history and Mark Bowden is my savior. He writes history in point of view 0f fiction. He has written too many books to mention, but his latest is an absolute my read for the history buff. Guests of the Ayattolah, is an unbelievable read. in depth, like he always is. Bowden shows the side you don't know of islamic extremism. He is brilliant. He goes beyond politics and lets the reader interpretate for themselves the root of our problems. Although his 700-page book is a daunting task for most, I enjoy his sense and responsibility toward historical accuracy. Few enjoy history the way it is taught, yet I enjoy history for the way it is discovered and recorded by Mark Bowden.
keep it up
whoiaamerica

Ladybugs

My parents were 10 years apart in age. My mother remarried again with a 9 year difference. My brother married with a 7 year age difference. Does that age difference matter? At what age in life does age become a non-factor in relationships? My mom and pops showed the age difference. My brother and sister-in-law haven't shown it; yet. So, should a 27 year old have any desire in a 37 year old, beyond physically? The question is can it work? I have seen how it doesn't work, but could it? 10 years isn't the so-called generation that we exist in. But is a different part of that generation similar enough? Should I feel inthusiastic about her because she acts my age? Am I being paranoid because, in my situation, it hasn't worked before? I could love someone 10 years apart, because I know people that do. But should I even pursue it, when the uncertainty is on both sides of the issue? I would love to pursue her, but understand that the mental hangup of the age discrepancy could easily void the entire topic.
Go ladybug lady
whoisamerica

Game Shows

Everbody loves the game shows. Price is Right, Who wants to be a Millionaire, the Dating Game, and maybe, just maybe, even Deal or no Deal. Mine as a kid was Double Dare. Who could resist Marc Summers, or the woman who helped in every physical challenge. Can't think of her name right now, but I was in love with her. I think it was maybe Suzanne. My afternoon delight was Double Dare. I raced home from school to see the slime and the physical challenges. I was hooked, so much so that I wrote the local fox affiliate to tell them so. Letter, after letter, no response. I soon began to become an angry 10-year old by the name of Jeff Bosimann. Then, finally I began to receive a couple of satisfying, yet discouraging letters in response. They never wrote back to Jeff Bosimann, but they did write back to me. Now I want to win the lottery. Not the physical challenges or the double dare questions.
Attached pictures of a kid's dreams of 15 seconds and local fame.

Check it out

www.youtube.com/user/pukarix

What makes our country different from the world

I heard the comment recently that we are becoming, or have become a socialist country. How can a sensible person believe that. I know what that is dirived from however. It is the same to say that we are self loathing war mongors. So which party said each statement? Does it even matter, everyone knows. These are extremes that America isn't. Our country is great because of our great diversity in opinions. I don't believe gays should marry, but who is to say that I am right? Every issue in America has the privaledge of being argued amongst ourselves. What other country has the explicit right to freedom of speech? We exploit that right to the fullest right of our democracy. What we sometimes ignore is the right to be open-minded toward issues because of our two party system. I vote Republican, yet I love to listen, and hopefully be convinced of the other side of the issue. Republican vs. Democrat, is the way we have leaned in recent years. Everyone should lean toward the Democratic process that we enjoy. Debate over issues as mundane as property tax exemptions, is what the founding fathers wanted. Express yourself without compromising yourself as an individual thinker. Don't stay the party lines because you think you have to, vote on the freedom of democracy.
whoisamerica.blogspot.com

the sad state of current affairs

politics, politics, and murder. That is the headline material that I see on a daily basis. That becomes and has become the daily norm in our society. Negativity. As an interested American I want to know when the ceremony to welcome our troops home occurs. Show the good they did in their 18 month deployment. but I don't see that angle. politics has become our divisive force. The current voices in our wonderful democracy have become jaded in their political viewpoints. Show a viewpoint that is openminded and willing to see both sides of every situation. Negativity rears it's ugly head in any and every political forum. I want to see the positivity of what America does and what we can do. No more political gain for the right to hang on to the seat that they hold. America wants, and needs, true politicians. Those that care about us, and want to satisfy us and not be concerned about 2 or6 years from now. Politics is emotional, but it shouldn't be. Politics is divisive, but it shouldn't be. What is it that makes us the greatest democracy and country in the world? Our ability to bitch and argue about issues, and to have the ability to decide every 2 years. Vote the way you feel and not by a political agenda.

The sales spin

So I was offered a 100,000 dollar a year job. Should I complain, yes I should rant now. What is money in life without the satisfaction of life? Could I pull in that 100k, yes I think I could. Would I feel satisfied in that job? No. I have a great background in sales and consider myself to have learned that from one of the greatest salesperson in America. He could sell shit to a plumber, ice to an eskimo, and air to every American that crosses his path. What makes him great however, is that he only sells those products because he believes in them and will stand behind them. What I encountered in that interview for that job was uncertainty. Unknowning what the product was, and why I should believe in it. "We don't want previous sales experience", he said. Why I wonder. The product remained elusive to me after an extensive search on the internet on what I would be earning 100k for selling. If it is a product worth my 100k a year why haven't I heard of it or can not find out anything about it? The numbers began to fly from his mouth, yet he couldn't calculate them without help from a calculator. I already knew them myself. He was selling me on a job, not a career or a product I could trust. The training program he promised would show me his technique and right me of my previous techniques. At that point many would still hang on to 100k, me a little. But, the refusal to show or explain the products, gave me a wrong feeling about him. I told him I appreciated the time he gave me and told him I would have to think over the opportunity. Am I nuts you ask? No, I want to know what I am getting into. Then I learned through friends of mine of the arrogant and iggorant ways that his sales staff have treated people. I love sales and want to get back into that, but I don't want that reputation when he "retrains" me of my previous sales experience.

At a crossroad of being mentally challenged

I have gotten to the point in my short lifespan that I feel that I am in a bit of mid-life crisis, so to speak. Albeit at the age of 27. I don't want the 2.5 kids, 2.5 cars and the house in the suburbs type of lifestyle. I want the life that challenges and creates intellectual abilities previously unknown to me. I want to be tested as a person. To go into something not knowing the ultimate outcome, and wanting that challenge. 9-5 is fine for most, but not for me. I want that drive that makes a wall street trader get up at 3:00 in the morning to learn the data that no one else knows. I want a life that I am driven to succeeding in. I want the opportunites to create an environment in which I won't have to vent my frustations here. I want a passionate lifestyle, one that can be rewarding personally and professionally. A lifestyle that I could die tommorrow and not regret what would have been. It is a difficult point in my life to feel unsatisfied in my accomplishments, yet feel that I can accomplish so much more, given my abilities. I am not sure where my journey will take me, but hopefully it will end in a satisfaction that I gave whoever my best possible product of myself.
Eric
Whoisamerica.blogspot.com

morality vs. greed

At what point does a company find itself valuing the bottom line over the bottom employee that helped them get there? Enron vs. a Wells Fargo of sorts. At what point does a company consider the employee inferior to their own objective right to profit? Greed exists in business only when the disconnect happens. A point occurs when a company no longer sees any value beyond what they currently provide them. They and I wish I had a better term), find value and inefficiency in the same employees. The finite difference in a valued employee and an inefficient employee is when they become dissatisfied and when the the valued becomes inefficient. They then become dispensable. The valued has no upward movement available to themself and no longer sees a value in themself in trying harder to increase their development. Therein lies the problem associated with business as I know. The business environment should constantly reward the intellectually challenged for wanting to learn more. But it seldom does. Instead of the old business model of being satisfied with the triangle way of doing things, the flattened out business model should take affect, if only to further the broad knowledge that many unknown people seek. View the underlings as valuable assets that can be replaced in their jobs, but not in what they know about the overall structure and what insight they can provide. Corporate greed may sometimes be about money, but it usually tied to the fact that they don't listen to the people that make them that money.

The mentality of Chinese culture

Why does the average american fear that china, and for that matter every other developing nation, pose a threat to our livelihoods? China will be around for a long time, just as they have always been around for a long time. China and others are taking away our jobs, they say. China, everyone is agreeing is not as sophisticated or smart as we are. Why do we feel threatened? I will tell you why. China is developing and we are supposedley developed. If we are developed, why do we sit in the shadows of our current jobs and not aspire to learn more, or to develop even more. China is not the obstacle that our way of life has to deal with, our way of learning is our obstacle. Just because we have been used to the same job description for 20 years, shouldn't mean that we should find that lull to retire to. As a developed ecomony we should be constantly reinventing ourselves. Challenge our current roles. China will take over many roles that as a developed society we should not want. The problem is that us as a society should redevelop our society. Our society is content with developed and doesn't want to further that. We should want every opportunity to advance even further. Does developed mean that we can no longer, or wish, to no longer further our minds. America will always be the leader in my lifetime, but it should be the leader in wanting to learn and explore. If you have read the book "the world is flat" by thomas friedman, then I commend you. I couldn't finish it. It was about the idea that we need to sacrifice our lower end jobs to others. We will as a society, just as every other society, need to have those people. It is ireversible that, that will ever not happen. We will always need the tom, dick , and harry's. We also need tom, dick, and harry to read and become more educated and advance our society. China will never take away all of our meaningless jobs, but we should make sure that the jobs they are capable of performing lead us to better more sophisticed jobs that we want and learn.

War, what is it good for

Gas prices are now sliding to relatively low prices. However, 2.49 a gallon still seems high. So what has this war against babylon and the modern day enemy accomplished for the general US of A public. Nothing of a tangible reference for us. Except that we as a people have the opportunity to criticize every move and option that our government decides and chooses. Are we less of united country because of our infighting about Iraq. I feel that we as a country have grown stronger. Yes, we may be more divided than ever since the civil war. But America has more history than war. Divisiveness is what we are about, and how we prevail as a society, not a government. The most dominant term about Iraq in the administration's viewpoint is democracy. Our strength and courage as a country, no, as a civilization, has to do with our ability and expressed right to argue our thoughts. While are heroes can sometimes be as trivial as baseball players and hollywood stars, we should focus on the broader picture. We, as Americans, (a term that some in the Western hemisphere dispice) should feel proud of what we have accomplished. Every American citizen should step back and realize that the reason we interfere with other countries, is too give the opportunities that we completely take for granted. We as a country realize that our freedom of expression is so great that maybe we should extend that to other people. Al queda may call us a greedy self loving people , but I believe we may be the furthest thing from that. Disagree with the war in Iraq or me in general. That's the right I hope that you have; and want.
eric
whoisamerica

bicycle helmets and safety belts

At what point did safety of children become our priority as a society? Bicycle helmet were for the kids with obsessed moms. Now they are called MILF's. Safety belts in vehicles are now the airbags. And I thought that was science fiction from the Challenger. I realized that parenting became important when Johnny Gosch was kidknapped. History lesson? Johnny Gosch was kidnapped in West Des Moines and the world in which I enjoyed was shook up. No more going to the park on my own. Safety became, and still is, an obsession. No longer can a kid skin his knee and not know how. We as country have become a sensitized nation. Too easy to jump to conclusions and not think that maybe kids will be kids. A kid cannot be a kid without the stipulation that a pedophile lerks next door. I want to see that same type of free spirit and easygoing nature that I think that I once had. The world is complicated, but I hope that it shouldn't be that way for someone young and oblivious to what is to come their way.
Eric,
Who is America

F.R. Anderson, Papa Hans

Nobody names their kids in initials anymore, but maybe they would become greater people if they did. F.R. was papa hans to me. A truly remarkable person that I wish I would have known today. A self made guy who overcame the odds to become who he was. If ever a definition of the pauper becomes the prince, he defines it. Although, technically it's the pauper and the prince, but papa hans describes both. My grandfather had amazing stories and altruistic american tales. Born poor, he rose to the occasion through many adversities, many unknown to everyone. I hate the term "The greatest generation" as it was coined by a baby boomer, Tom Brokaw. Is that a fair statement, or did that era just exemplify what we all are deep down. That generation, and my grandfather, managed a better way to show their incredible sacrifices, and they seem extraordinary to us. Although we all should look up to our own Papa Hans, we also need to understand that our own generations and sacrifices should not be forgotton. History is trivia, but in no way should our history be any less trivial than one generation or another. Just because I have never had a victory garden, or gone through a Vietnam protest, shouldn't mean that 9/11 and the war in Iraq and Afghanistan should mean anything less to history. History is written currently, but understood and appreciated much later. F.R. Anderson was a great part of my history and what he did as a person, but who is to say there are not many more F.R.'s like him right now or between.
F.R. Anderson, I wish you were still here but you still serve a part of my history
Eric

The rap sheet

Love is free of all obstacles, right? I guess not. True.com is not true to its advertisements. True offers the chance at love, but respects the right to deny anyone based on their past record. Who would have thought that I am considered a bad guy by anyone, let alone a cheesy love, true, website. Evidently I don't pass the test for them. Very eHarmony like. Very selective. I had nearly forgotton about my criminal record until today. My criminal record 5 years ago was a clear indication that I am not compatible with anyone out there. Evidently no one who is worth a shit ever got arrested while attending college and getting a degree. I guess I'm a loser for that. After all I do have a b.s. degree. All along I thought thought that eHarmony was too selective in criteria, and now I find out about True.com's criteria. Do they know the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony, I doubt it. Do they ask the difference, or the charge, no. Is that True? no. It's interesting that they advertise love on the internet, yet love should have nothing to do with college hijinks. Pretty restrictive morals. I guess I won't know my True love after all. Oh well, I'm proud of who I am and where I have come from, even if I have had my fingers printed in a criminal database.
Eric,
PS Its not the end of the world, everyone should feel that sensation of being cuffed, because you won't want it again, just like I felt it. Once and only.

My own home?

I am embarking on a new adventure now, my own home ownership. Yes, I bought a house now. I'm afraid now of this house. It is totally mine and no one else to bail me out, yet no one to tell me how things should be. I'm excited but nervous. I love the freedom of me, but afraid of the undermined. It's my place, whow, how exciting. Can I say whow again. I'm not sure I can say that without misspelling it. That is the American dream. And hopefully I represent America,
Eric,
the excited mispeller, if that is a word

War

When I was growing up I always wanted to be in the military. The glorification of war to me was my calling. When I got to 18, I found that my calling was college, and the marines or army were a four year delay to my plans. War is glorified to me in movies, and I still feel the glory at this age of mine. I see movies, and want to be that person at times, the hero. Yet the heroes that I know hate their wars, and wish it didn't happen their way. I still have that itch of the 18 year old with posters on the wall. It might have been different at the time, had I known of the forthcoming events. Although I regret the military heroism, and that I was never a part of it, I don't regret the sacrifices that they are forced to make. If they would accept me right now, I would still probably jump at the chance, to understand what me and many other people have idolized for years. The opportunity to be a part of history. Not just local history, but to be a part of national history. I don't want to guess what they go through anymore, I want to have a deep understanding of it. Take that as you will.
Eric

Social Security

So the social security statement came in the mail today. To me this is very ironic. The most important part of the statement shows what I will be eligible for in benefits in 40 years. I seem to feel halfway thrilled at the idea that they are actually paying attention to what I am spending on my taxes, and trying to prove that they haven't forgotten me. And that is the high point. I know that I won't expect the government to dole out a dime when I reach 67 ( wow how old), but for them to flat out tell me that in the comments section is gratifying. For once a government agency doesn't tell a lie. They pretty much reaffirm all that everyone thinks about social security. It is a non-beneficial tax to my generation. They admit it's underfunded, mainly because of baby boomers and my statement should be treated like a credit card solicitation, and promptly filed in the garbage. I feel I'm somewhat smart, and started a retirement plan a few years ago. As of now I don't think that the government can take that savings away. But give it a few years and they may rewrite the tax laws. My point is, if I have one, that the government should send out the names of local stock brokers and retirement account agents, along with the fictious government retirement statement. At least this would give gen X, Y, Z or whatever nickname that the "greatest generation" or the "baby boomers" call us now, a hope for the future.
That's America though
Eric
from gen x or y, I'm not sure of the cutoff age

The marriage thing

Why is it that everyone my age is expected to be married and have a love of their life. What's wrong with a single guy at this age enjoying life and doesn't even want the committment of a dog right now. Would I enjoy a steady woman right now, yes. But do I demand that, no. to be perfectly honest I could be a bachelor all my life. It is liberating and you don't have to make decisions based on someone else's thoughts. So I feel that however people pressure me into that I'll find the right woman eventually that will settle me down. But for now, I live my life as I see it on the daily basis. But maybe that isn't the American dream for most. But it is America for me.
Eric

Old for being young

As a kid I always wanted to be older. 10 to be in the double digits. 13 to be a teenager. 14 for the learners permit. 16 for the freedom. 18 to be an adult. And 21 of course, to be a true adult. As I got older, I looked forward to other dates. 25 or 26, I'm not sure, being the age insurance drops. But now I wish I was 8 riding my big wheel again. At age 26, all of my good friends are married and that leaves me the left behind. After all, how do you convince your married friends to go out and look for women at a bar or club. It doesn't happen. At age 26, I have had 4 surgeries to fix injuries. At age 8, I got stitches and skinned my knees. I would still play ball the next day. I love the movie Big. It perfect for the person that thinks that their life should progress quicker than it is. When I was in my final college days, all I could think about was getting out and into a job. 6 months later, all I could think about was how easy it used to be. They ought to make a movie the opposite of Big. Called Little. Innocence is forgotten the older you get when reality of the world sets in.
Eric

The true American

I may want to be the america that everything thinks that they are, but today someone else deserves my respect as an American and hero. I will now commit plagiarism, as I will write word for word the story of a true American as said by the "Des Moines Register". and for those wondering about him think about the cover of "Time" magazine when the Iraq war started. Here goes, it will be long. Bear with the spelling errors I will be typing it along the way

" One of Gerald Kasal's final wishes was to live long enough to see his son receive th Navy Cross, one of the nation's highest awards.
He almost made it.
Kasal, 69, a retired Afton area farmer, died Sunday morning after a battle with liver cancer.
His condition had gradually deteriorated, making him too ill to travel to Camp Pendelton ,Calif., where his son, Brad will be decorated today for combat heroism in Iraq and promoted to sergeant major in the Marin Corps.
Volunteers had worked hard in recent days to set up a live hookup at Southwestern Community College in Creston, where the elder Kasal (pronounced castle) had hoped to gather with family and friends to watch the ceremony. Despite his death, the event is expected to go on as planned with participants paying their respects to Gerald Kasal while honoring his son.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Powers Funeral Home of Creston.
Ethe elder Kasal had sold his farm recently becaus of his failing health and had move to Creston. Graveside services are planned for 11:30 am Thursday at National Cemetary in Vining, IA.
Brad Kasal,39, joined the the Marines after graduating from East Union High School in 1984.
He was shot seven times on Nov. 13, 2004 while leading a mission to rescue three wonded Marines in an insurgent held hous in Fallujah, Iraq.
qMoments later, he suffered more than 40 shrapnel wonds after he bear-hugged a fellow Marine to protect him f4roma grenade explosion.
He Killed an insurgent inside the house in an exchange of gunfire at point blank range.
Reports had been circulating for the past year that the Iowan might be a candidate for thMedal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. Instead Kasal will be awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest ranking medal for Marines. he is one of only 10 Marines awarded the Navy Cross for heroism in Iraq or Afghanistan, military officials said.
"It is a great honor. I am very humbled by it," Kasal said in an interview last week. "Just the fact that I would be considered for it is humbling"
In a sense, he said, it was a relief not to win thMedal of Honor because such an award would have brought even mor attention to him.
His heroics in Iraq gained Kasal near legendary status agter a phot of him, bloodied and holding a 9 mm hand gun as he was helped by two gellow Marines, was circulated on dozens of Internet sites..
He was honored inFebruary by the Iowa House andSenate, which gave him standing ovations, after unanimously passing resolutions in each chamber citing him for patriotic and courageous service.
Both his ailing father-who was in a wheelchair- and his mother, Myrna Kasal, were at his side during the salutes.
The live video links today between Iowa and Camp Pendleton are being coordinated by Dick Bartlett, a Dyersvill native who now lives in Oceanside, Calif.
Bartlett is a volunteer for the Freedom Calls Foundation which was assisted in arranging the video hookups by community college officials, tthe Iowa Communications Network, Cox Business Services, and Marines.
Today's ceremony will be attended in Calif. by hundred of Kasal's fellow Marines. Maj. Gen Michael Lehner, commander of Marine Corps installations on the West Coast, will present the award.
Kasal suffered such serious injuries to his right leg in Iraq that doctors recommended months agterward that he unergo amputation. But the Marine stubbornly rejected that advice and has worked hard rehabilitation.
Kasal has received orders to be transferred later this month to Des Moines, wher he will be a key figure in Marine recruiting in a five state are. Eventually, he said, he hopes to return to combat status with a Marine unit."

This is an American. I am actually disappointed in this story because I believe if an American is deserving of the Medal of Honor, he is the one. For anyone not familiar with this man, Google Brad Kasal on the Images page and you will know a true American hero and be proud of what he is now struggling through, with the death of his father.
PS.
On May 1st of 2006 I know who America Is

owning a slice of the pie

This whole home ownership thing is starting to overwhelm me. I never thought buying your first house and making it into a home would be such a difficult task. First and foremost is the responsibility of being in financial control of the property; as in the furnace quits you have to pay. Mostly though I am having a hard time deciding what kind of house I like and can afford all in one. I've looked at couple of houses so far, but nothing has wowed me. There was the shit hole that needed a lot work that I could get probably cheap, and then the decent not overwhelming house in good shape in a good neighborhood that I could be just alright with. Maybe this is like settling on the right woman. Yes, it may be a short term thing, but there is a lot financially a stake. I need to take care of it, be willing to improve the situation, and most importantly feel comfortable in my environment that I have chosen, and not feel that I want to back out at the inopertune time. I guess, just like my pitiful love life, I may be being a bit picking on settling in, or down in the woman department. Oh well, I am who I am, and am no hurry to rush into anything to soon. But afterall, If a woman wears a red dress one night and I don't like it, I can wait for tomorrow. But if the house comes in red, I might have to settle with it for a while.
Eric

The Shit Hole

I found a shit hole house. It's nice on the inside but butt ugly on the outside. I'm unsure on how to proceed. It needs probably 15k in mechanical and remodeling. It could be my first home. The previous owner, the eccentric, wanted to grow vines on the house. The basement. Put it this way outlets every 4 feet and flourescent lights every two feet. Get the picture. Yes, professor smoke alot. And professor no care about the maintenance. The house needs a ton of work. Picture this... grass on the lawn no, all plants, he was, is an eccentric. Upstairs is great if I was a pimp. He created the ultimate whore house. Built in carpet SHAG rooms, literally. Built in low materess rooms in the story and half. Player wantebe. Although if I could pull it off, I would. This guy has something in common with me though. Ivy. Except we have different opinions on the subject. I love ivy, at wrigley. He loves Ivy on the house. He has actually grown ivy on the house by pulling a rope toward the house with the ivy. What's that called, .....eccentric professer. Anyway it's a probable project at best, at the right price. You never know it might be my shag palace someday?
Eric,
I am America

Veisha, what?

Veisha weekend in my imperfect world of singledom. Is that even a word? Not veisha, the other. In the world of singledom, which I plan on copyrighting, Veisha is all about talking to old ladies who work in the dorms and talk about her kids who are sooooo succesful. Bullshit. How does a janitor lady produce more succesful offspring than me? Her daughter is a succesful tuba player in the alum band, I'm more succesful bitch. Other daughter, better looking and doable (I'll copyright that too), works for target. Spot on. But I'm not British and shouldn't say that. So no good daughter prospects, I ignore her and she leaves, big surprise. I am a guy who went to a parade by myself (pathetic). Why do I settle for the janitor's kids that I could care less about, unless they are engineering majors. Wow I am a prick right now. Oh well. Daddy needs a new car
Eric,
with a BS degree and I hope your degree provides for me
PS,
I will probably be single for a while

Weddings and Graduations

I feel very unworthy today

wow how do you gain interest from an uninteresting day. What to say. I went back to the Indian mart. Found myself very attracted to the Indian wife of the entrepenuer. Yet she couldn't speak English so it was only a miniscule fantasy, not remembered a half hour later. Pretty much a boring day. Other than my UPS delivery. My OCC cubs chopper arrived and I put that prominently on my desk at home. Other than that very boring. sorry.
Eric,
PS America is pretty much a boring history with moments that make things interesting, just like my life.

The Game

Baseball, my passion. Today I got my early season fix on my baseball obsession. Baseball is America. Dated back to 1845. No sport is more American than baseball. You eat peanuts and drink beer. All the while discussing the mistakes of the pros that you watch. It is filled with moments of excitement and action, along with moments of boredom and useless trivia. Baseball is all about meaningless trivial facts that make the game interesting. Why else would they have the speed of the pitch displayed on the video board. It is so fans like me can analyze the pitcher's decision making, and at the first mistake claim that we wouldn't have done that. It is so when a runner on first gets caught stealing, we can claim that he didn't get a good enough jump, or that the pitcher fooled him on previous pick off attempts. Baseball is so much America and minor league baseball is so much baseball, that a day game a half week into the season, with sunny skies, Was my way of proving myself as an American.
Whoisamerica
Eric,
PS
This the year (Go Cubs)

Travel abroad without leaving town

Today was like any other day. Work, read the paper, etc. Same old, same old. Then, an epithany. I stopped off at a convenience store to get cigarettes. I know it's run by an Indian family, but today I saw a different side of the family. The non-English speaking side. Non-English communicative side. Now you would have thought I asked them for the current value of the dow jones industrial. Nope, I asked for a carton of Marlboro Lights and 5 in Powerball (It's over $100 million right now). With the Indian movie in the background, they struggled to complete my request. I almost tried to complete the transaction myself. But somehow I felt bad for them. I live in a town where many foreigners come for differing opportunities. The Indians, to sell gas, beer, cigs, and smut. The Chinese to learn engineering and science to help create the next "Superpower". The Mexicans to hang drywall, and send every extra penny back home so more can come. And the Bosnians, to lay flooring and give hope to other eastern Europeans that democracy can succeed without rampent extortion. Don't get me wrong, I get very frustated at not being able to understand these people, and at some of them being here illegally. But after today I realize that they must adore our lifestyles and culture to want to be here. Besides, how many countries would allow to blog about you everyday ordinary life, and complain about how bad you have it.
Who is America

P.S. The Indians still didn't understand me and got my request wrong.

lightning

Prologue: This was intended to be posted last night but I posted another instead. Bear with me.
Sorry to all of my fans out there (0) for not posting last night. I had a good story to tell but the midwest in spring had other plans. No power resulting from a thunderstorm . I've lived in Iowa my whole life and never experienced this. I always thought that "Severe Thunderstorm Warnings" were harmless, just a show to watch from the front door or window. Then I realized tonight that it is serious. More serious than a tornado. With a tornado you don't screw around, you go downstairs. You expect the worst. With lightning its like an alpha male thing. Tempting nature as the front moves closer. I've never won the lottery, but I also don't think I have a chance at being struck by lightning. I spent two and a half weeks without water in 1993, but it doesn't seem as bad as tonight. I knew that we would have a levee break and lose water hours before it happened. With a tornado you know it's coming. But tonight, all I saw coming was the thunder of the sky, and on "cops" the next forthcoming arrest. Then blackness settled in, no more writing, or anything tonight. Twenty-first century BOREDOM.
Eric
P.S.
I got my power back about 3/4 into this and "cops" was already over. Oh well, I'll catch that episode next week.

We are the world

So, after starting this blog ( that no one is yet to read), I decided to try and buy my american slice of the pie. A website I thought was obscure. Evidentley not. Whoisamerica.com is definitely not what I thought was america, but then again maybe it is. So I offered $275, as the minimum offer was $200. I was thinking I was good as gold. Securing my slice of the pie I went to bed. I woke up expecting to find a community of adoring fans of my amateurish "First Blog". Instead I foud 0 comments, then I looked at my email. eHarmony. I signed up months ago and had decided that no science could match me with anyone. Then in the junk mail of the selective hotmail, was my offer of $275 of my slice of the pie. Rejected (the offer, not eHarmony). Counter-offer, it read in the next subject line. I felt enthused. Then I opened my chance at an annonomys (sp) slice at the pie. I thought $300. Nope $100,000. It turns out Whoisamerica.com is in Hong Kong, and wants USD for the site that doesn't translate in Chinese. Oh well, at least I have Dr. Love at eHarmony still wanting me and I didn't waste any money on a site I wouldn't know how to develop on my own. Let alone have an audience who saw it.
Whoisamerica,
Me

P.S.
And the entrepeneur from Hong Kong

Hump day

So another day has gone by, nice spring in iowa. A week and half ago we had 8 inches of snow, 61 degrees. Anyway, started the dreaded decision to prepare the tax return for the company and the parents, remember the relationship (employer, landlord, and yes bookkeeper.) I held off for a few months, but today it went pretty smoothly. I got off work and did the all-american thing and went to the local watering hole for a beer or two, or 4. I left because of a noisy birthday party. So I began the next all-american hobby. TV. Watched cops, unusual because I actually hadn't seen the episodes. Then American Idol. Satisfied with the result, I sat down here. Wow I am boring. I'm debating whether or not to respond to Amy from Des Moines from eHarmony. Its only my second MATCH but I'm intrigued by the thought that science works, sometimes. So now I'll get suckered into a membership fee, only to regret it at the end of the month (credit card statement). Talk tommorrow in my little world.
Eric
PS Guess what I'll do now

MY FIRST BLOG

So here I am, 3 weeks ago i underwent surgery on my shoulder and now I'm typing away. Reading books like "I hope they serve beer in hell" and "Marley and Me" have given me confidence in my typing and writing abilities. So here I am trying to be an interesting blogger. the first I heard of blogs was my war by colby bluzell. I was hooked at the concept of amateur writers. can I do the same, I wonder? re you.