"Dave Mac" is short for "David McLaurin." He's a high school buddy of mine that asked about the lack of activity on my blog lately in a response to my previous entry "Are we virtual." I began to write him an email explaining what I've been up to, and as I wrote it I realized it was perfectly blog-worthy. Here 'tis verbatim: Hey man I haven't been going to my blog lately, but I just did (for no particular reason, (which is usually the reason)) and saw your comment. I figured I'd j...

A thought has been slowly forming. I've been hesitant to post it because it sounds just a little too much like some of the crap we hippy wannabes from the 70s used to spew after a particularly good bong hit, but it's not leaving my head, and I haven't done drink or drug in quite some time now. I'm in the military, for those that don't know me, and the thought I'm about to relay was spawned almost randomly and began as a joke. I was riding in the back seat of a car with some of my frien...

"What I mean is, the breast of my work has a pendulous quality surmounted by a single point of interest" -- Joe Frank Got any favorite quotes? Lay them on me!

"What I mean is, the breast of my work has a pendulous quality surmounted by a single point of interest" -- Joe Frank Got any favorite quotes? Lay them on me!

This is unprecedented. I don't usually sell music, but I am never afraid to make an exception where I think it is due. It's definitely due. My wife and I went to Borders books and music last week...we do this every so often just because new ideas live in the sounds and the pages, and it's my goal to pour as much into my mind while I have the time as possible. Unfortunately, when it comes to music, I've heard most all of it before. That sounds egotistical as hell, and I don't mean i...

A friend of my Spouse Unit sent this to her. It's worth a read and a chuckle. Enjoy. With elections coming up, this is an issue we should all decide. The first question should be: How can you tell the difference between Democrats, Republicans and Southern Republicans? The answer can be found by contemplating the following situation: Let's say you're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, a dangerous looking man with a huge knif...

A friend of my Spouse Unit sent this to her. It's worth a read and a chuckle. Enjoy. With elections coming up, this is an issue we should all decide. The first question should be: How can you tell the difference between Democrats, Republicans and Southern Republicans? The answer can be found by contemplating the following situation: Let's say you're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, a dangerous looking man with a huge knif...

Every day I sign on to JU, I look over to the column with the "Recent JoeUser Articles" and pretty much every day I am seeing something about Bush being a vet or Kerry being a vet, and who is the vettiest vet of them all. Any of you been in a war lately? No, then lemme 'splain something to you, Lucy. Being a surviving vet is equal to but not greater than being a human being. There is no heroism in having survived a war. That theory is a drama. If you're out on the battlefield, and...

Well, it's pretty cheap to do things this way, but why should I try to say something clever when someone else has said it so well? Some of you may have read For the great honor that is Religion which was a long excerpt from the book "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. I read a ton of things on the entirety of JU that make me sad. People adopting blame and guilt that isn't theirs, or the flip side, attributing guilt and blame where it does not necessarily belong. I have practiced some of ...

I've read a couple threads on this and wanted to blurt out a quick blog on it. Just for the record. I was born a heterosexual. I never chose it...I've always been attracted to the opposite sex in a rather extreme fashion, and to the same sex not at all. It was never a choice, it wasn't even a contest. So, I have a question for you "moralists" (and a term can't get much looser). Which of you had the decision laid out in front of you and CHOSE to be heterosexuals? Tell us about t...

This is just a quote, but the idea of offering it up here came to me while wading through several blogs. I wish I could write so clearly, but that this was even written at all is enough for me. I hope you enjoy it. "You, who have lost the concept of the difference, you who claim that fear and joy are incentives of equal power--and secretly add that fear is the more 'practical'--you do not wish to live, and only fear of death still holds you to the existence you have damned. You dar...

Every now and then, I feel a welling up inside. That's the best way to describe it. I never know what will happen if I open up a mental spigot and allow things to flow. Sometimes it's music, and sometimes it's something like the following. Abe Cubbage once recommended an author named Tom Robbins to me, (something I've been very grateful about ever since) and after reading back the following "beginning" to my wife, I think I figured out why Abe thought I'd like Mr. Robbins' work. I can't ...

It's a bloggy day here in Rhode Island, and while there are any number of things I probably OUGHT to be doing, I find myself surfing, and reading other people's stuff here (something I'm actually guilty of not doing enough of for all my implicit claim of being a part of this community.) And because of the fact that it's impossible to NOT stumble across a thought provoking post in a group such as this, I have found my writing duties unfolding before me. After this I swear I'll pick up my des...

Dharmagrl, there are parts of the following that might seem a bit "heavy handed," or maybe they won't, but I'm gonna play it safe. I apologize in advance and only enter this in the spirit of healthy debate. Since I know samma-kammanta and samma-yayama to be important to you, I am sure you will understand. </disclaimer> I began this post as a commentary on dharmagrl's post entitled Ranting and Raving which I noticed has received a rather large number of comments. I post the ...