Soy Bomb!

So... Funny story...

I'm headed to a friend's house after work (we were going to catch a movie) and I decided to take the Metro straight to the theatre instead of heading home and driving. After taking the Orange line to Capitol South, I connected with the Green line train to get to China Town (home of the Gallery Place theatre). When I got on the Green line, I sat down and starting fiddling with the iPod as usual. The doors close and nothing happens. The train doesn't move for, like, 5 mins. Of course, the Metro's service level is hit or miss at times, so I didn't think much of it. Not until the doors opened back up and the madness began....

I'm sitting at a window seat, and all of a sudden, I can notice people running out of their subway cars at the lower end of the train.

"Huh?" I thought.

Everyone in my car started to notice the ruckus... and I immediately conjured up dreams of a huge fight taking place in a subway car. But wait... this is DC. People don't just fight here, right? Gun play was soon to follow! Oh crap... I've got to get out of here.

The people in my car were very confused and were blank stared. The station got loud and people started to yell obscenities. Some people decided to get underneath their chairs while others ventured bravely out of the car. Being the imbecile that I am, I joined with a few other neurotic souls and exited the car.... slowly, cautiously. Of course, I wanted to start running to the exit... but what if I read the situation wrong. What an idiot I would have been.

So as I'm leaving the car, we start to see station workers and police officers running through the station. "EVERYBODY LEAVE THE STATION. THE STATION IS CLOSED. EVACUATE NOW!"

And there's my cue. I start speed walking out of the station. While on the escalator, I start hearing others chatter about the incident. I couldn't make out much, but I did hear the word 'Shot' over and over again.
"Jebus! Someone was shot in a train car," I thought. What a welcome to the district. "What if it's a terrorist, or some crazy guy shooting up people in the station. I could have been part of a mass murder. What the hell I'm a doing here?"

I get out of the station and into safe territory... the D.C. city streets. Ahh, good ol' safe D.C.... riiiight. Since I'm still new to the town, I had no clue where I was headed. But then I realized that this was the station near home. Perfect. I can walk home, and drive over to the movie theatre... and still be on time. I'm golden! Hell, there could have been a bomb in the station and I still won't miss my showing of Meet the Fockers.

Well, I guessed right. There was a bomb scare at the station. While driving from my house to the theatre I noticed several dozen police cars and a truck right outside the station. I'm guessing that was the bomb squad right. There was, of course, no bomb... but plenty freaked out people. You do realize that if someone was able to take out L'Enfant plaza... the city would probably shut down. Four of the Five metro lines run through that station. There's pretty good security around, but still... you never know.

So what have I learned from this experience... well:

• Meet the Fockers is a waste of time. It's funny and all, but the acting is horrible and I basically got a headache after watching it. Lot of ridiculous toliet humor. If you're going to see a movie, save your ten bucks... or better yet... go check out The Life Aquatic instead.
• The iPod rules. Seriously. You need it. It needs you. Consume. CONSUME!
• DC is really cold.
• Oh yeah... you can get blown to smitherines at any time. You. Yes... YOU! Better not waste any time without an iPod. Better get it now before the bomberman comes after you!
  

iDream't iGot an iPod

So the holidays have come and gone. I had a good ol time watching dvd movies while trying to stay warm in wonderful, D.C. Oh yes... oh holy night indeed.

But I can't complain that much... at least I'm not one of these guys, or these people, or this dude, our how about these poor souls? It's been a tough week hasn't it.

But on a good news front, I have a new girlfriend. Yep, just kind of ran into her the other day and it's been like heaven. She's really into music, stunningly smooth, and yep, she's white (hey! I'm equal opportunity here!). Hey, you may have heard of her. She goes by iPod. And what a beaute she is.

Seriously folks, I'm not usually one to jump all over the next biggest fad or anything. But this iPod is ridiculous. I stayed up late last night trying to fill it up with my songs and I only got up half way (I got the 20gb model). Big thanks go out to my mum for making this Christmas bearable away from home. She sent me up a little tree with lights and the whole nine yards. And the iPod gift... well lets just say, nonthing says "This is such a good gift, I don't need to buy you anything else for the rest of your life" much like the iPod does. Love ya mom!

Aside from my new found love, all is good. Just trying to make it into 2005, you know. Speaking of that... does anyone have any ideas for ringing in the new year... uhh... cheaply?

Oogey Boogey, Nigger! Oogey Boogey

Yeah Yeah, so I haven't written for a while. I know. Things just haven't been as interesting as they were before the election. To keep you updated, I've been working steady at the new job. We've also moved into the house at capitol square. Great place. Really great place. And really close to everything. So things are pretty good so far.

Unfortunately, I'll be staying in DC for the holidays. Work has me staying through thursday, and flights into Orlando (considering the holiday time I have) are just too expensive this time around. It sucks, but hey... you do what you have to do.

But with updates aside, here comes the meat of this post. I was trolling around the internet this morning and caught wind of this tidbit story in today's plastic. It's one of those little stories that come up, brings a smile or a frown to your face, then you move on with the rest of your day like it never happened... You know, completely worthless. It tells the story of a high school senior who is suing her school because they would not allow her to attend the prom in... get this... a confederate flag dress. Yes, here we go again... Heritage vs. Hate. This argument gets more boring by the day. I'm really getting tired of it. I mean look, I fully understand the need for heritage in our godless and corrupt society. But really, if you don't think breaking out the ol' stars and bars while you're in the middle of your SCHOOL PROM isn't going to piss off some folks, then you're as oblivious as our old friend, Clayton Biggsby.

But aside from all that, I was doing some searching on the website of the law firm who is representing the girl and ran into this quote from a member of the group's advisory board during a Confederate Flag / Strom Thurmond Rally:

"Senator (Strom) Thurmond was a great man and a great Southerner. There are a lot of people who had some very bad things to say about Senator Thurmond after he died. I'm just here to show my respects and show that most of us were honored by him."

What's interesting about this quote is that it comes from, yep, a black man. H.K. Edgerton to be exact: Chairman of the Southern Legal Resource Center's Board of Advisors. How does a former chairman of Alabama's state NAACP move to advise the SLRC, an organization tasked with waging a "counter-offensive to preserve southern heritage." And by Southern heritage, they mean the confederate flag, of course.



I know, this looks a bit Dave Chappelle-ish, but this brings up an interesting question: Does the fact that one Black man says it's alright, make it alright?

Guys, you know that I, being a Black Republican, have no room to talk on this issue, right? I'm subsidizing the oppression of the black man in favor of tax cuts for the rich!!! Ugh... give me a break.

Race is an interesting animal, and will always continue to be one. I for one, refuse to let my race determine my future. It is however, essential to my past and will always be. It's amazing how some people on either side of the fence can get it so wrong. Race should not matter. Hey! Let me say this again...

Race should not matter.

It saddens me to think that this guy is so tunnel-visioned to understand how much that flag can really freak out those of who are slave decendents. Damn it, I know it's southern heritage, but you just can't get away from it... it's slavery too. Oh I know what you're going to say... The civil war was not about slavery... blah blah. But can you honestly say the civil war would not have happened if slavery wasn't around to help agitate the already tenuous relationship of the north and south? I think not.

It also saddens me that in twilight of 2004, a guy like me still has to get the questioning stares of his neighbors when he comes home to his swanky DC house. Or a media darling can get away with trashing black fans with an all too familiar epithet by countering with the famous, "some of my best friends are black." Or that a friendly soccer match can turn ugly with the racist chants of hooligan fans.

Ugh, it just gets tiring at times. I think I'm going to go watch Blazin' Saddles.

you are the future

For all you techno-savvy folks...
Give this a shot.

Guess who's back...

yeah, it's been a while.... but I'm back. Happy (late) Thanksgiving to everyone. I'm back in D.C. after heading home for thanksgiving then driving back up to D.C. in a 26' U-Haul. Trying driving a big-rig sized truck overnight without any sleep. fun stuff.

I've also started up my new job. Thanks to a post-general election filing deadline, my tech support department have been pulling heavy overtime. But now that the week's up, I'm finally going to get settled in here for good.

But the real reason I'm writing is because of something pretty interesting. While at work, I stumbled across ESPN.com and I noticed a familiar photo in the middle of the page. There, as clear as day, was my old yuk-year roommate at West Point, Al Moore. Espn.com did a huge write-up of Al's adventures in Iraq and dedication as a solider.

Now, we talk about good-dudes and great people, but Al is beyond all those descriptions. He's a great American.... and I mean that... Great American. That's someone who I'd follow into battle any day of the week. As roommates, he was probably the best person I'd roomed with while at the Academy. He understood my struggles and made commonsense. I haven't talked to the guy in years, but I've always wondered what happened him. Apparently, he's kicking ass out there in Iraq at the moment. God, I'm going to be praying for him these days, but I'm sure he'll be alright. He has that halo over his head. You just know that everything will work out for this guy in the end.

Here's a great quote from the must-read article:

He had kept a newspaper article with the promises that he made outside the locker room after the Navy game, holding himself accountable to those words, holding himself accountable to his soldiers.

"I kept it in my pocket to keep reminding myself that I had to keep fighting out there," he said. "I had to keep reminding myself that I needed to be the baddest motherf----- out there.

Here's to you Alex... one bad motherf-----