The Undecided Philosopher

My Blog is moving...

2009-09-02T10:52:00.003-04:00

Though I have only blog randomly over the last year or so, usually associated with some form of travel, I wanted to let everyone know that my future blog entries will be moving to my personal web space. If you would like to follow along with my occasional random thoughts, please join me at http://home.two-michaels.com and click on the link on the left-hand side to "Ben's Blog". Take care...I hope to see you all at my new web home.

A 5-hour tour....a 5-hour tour....

2009-03-05T12:33:00.000-05:00

Each year during this event, Alcatel-Lucent plans a grand dinner party to entertain and impress the North American contingent. My first time in Paris, this dinner was held on the Eiffel Tower, which honestly I never thought could topped because, let's be honest, when looking at things on a grand scale, few are grander than the Eiffel Tower. This year our dinner was a 5-hour Yacht cruise on the river through the heart of the city. I must say this was a magnificent event. The food was excellent; the company was very enjoyable; and the views were beyond outstanding. My pictures certainly do not do the voyage justice, but I tried my best to capture a few of the spectacular moments. The highlight of the evening came as the captain of the ship rushed us back to the Eiffel Tower just in time to see its 11pm light show. I had never witnessed this show in person or from such an amazing perspective. From the river, the tower shined directly above us, its lights glimmering across the water. If nothing else, this view was worth all the effort of traveling to France.

My dinner party, minus Ando, who was behind the camera...

A view from the river...

Eiffel prior to the lights...

Eiffel in all her glory...

This pic is for Mom...see what a good influence you are....

Down to work in Paris...

2009-03-05T12:22:00.000-05:00

OK...I have been in Paris for several days and I have been to a few business dinners and events, but yesterday was the first real focused event for Alcatel-Lucent Forum. John and I attended what can best described as the highly produced and very dramatic opening Keynote for the Forum itself. The Chairman of Alcatel-Lucent spoke as well as Peter Sondergaard, the Senior VP of Research for Gartner. Both focused on the new environment in technological advancement in light of the current global economic crisis. The general focus of the entire presentation was the value of research and development of intellectual property when financial resources are limited by economic concerns. Tom Burns, President of Alcatel's Enterprise division also spoke, and from his and the other presentations, several thoughts were born. I found myself taking several pages of notes as I related open issues at KVAT to the content presented. It was a very valuable session and should bear fruit for the company.

The show floor opened immediately after the Keynote and I lost several hours searching booths and exploring several new Alcatel and partner products. All in all, this has been a good educational experience beyond just the influence of Alcatel-Lucent and its product line.

Just a fun shot from the night before exploring the city...

The Convention Center itself...Palais des Congres

Just the beginning of the presentation...that massive screen soon tripled in size!!

Strangeness arrives from a familiar device...

2009-03-03T10:37:00.001-05:00

I had such a strange experience this morning I decided it was worthy of its own small entry in the blog process for this trip. I do not consider myself an isolationist and I certainly understand that their are significant differences from country to country and culture to culture. Needless to say, I understand that the United States does not represent the only perspective on how to do things. Have a meal; order a coffee; take a cab anywhere outside of the US and you will soon realize there are numerous other ways to do things in this world; some better and some worse. I like to think I found an example today of the wrong way to do things. Selfishly I believe the US has it right.

In the interest of time and money, I decided not to renew my internet connection in the room this morning. It is 25 Euro per 24 hours, and i wanted to allow myself some overlap tonight and tomorrow so I decided to avoid the charge this morning and go up to the public business center to check my email via web browser and surf for a few things. The hotel has a few very nice Sony Vaio PCs running MS Vista, so I assumed it would be an easy task to jump online, check a few things, and take off for the morning. As I sat down and began to type, I quickly realized something was very, very wrong. It took me a few minutes to change the browser to support English, and that was to be expected. What I didn't expect was to find the keyboard a jumbled mess of letters and characters I didn't recognize or understand. I don't know why I didn't know that France, and I am in turn assuming other parts of Europe and the world, have different, non-QWERTY versions of computer keyboards. This particular keyboard had all the normal english letters and numbers I was accustomed to see, but they weren't where they were supposed to be. As I typed normally, M's became N's and the Q was a row down, taking the place of the A. The numbers across the top were not the primary keys. There were 3 characters per key and two different function keys to use them. It honestly took me 5 minutes to figure out how to type an @ symbol. I never did find a DELETE key. Frustration quickly ensued and I suffered through long enough to look at my email, realize there was nothing I had to act on immediately, and then turn and leave as quickly as possible.

I have worked with and around computers for nearly 20 years and never have I felt so inept and lost as I did this morning attempting to type on that computer. I think the only saving grace was that the mouse worked the same way. I suppose despite my self-perceived enlightened attitude, I am still an ignorant American, working under the assumption we are far superior in every way, at least when it comes to typing.

The evil keyboard in question....

A Day Exploring...

2009-03-02T13:13:00.001-05:00

Today John and I experienced the city of Paris the way I have always wanted to experience a great city. We simply picked a direction and started walking. We explored the length of the Champs Ellesse. We shopped through the heart of their retail district, going from Cartier to Louis Vuitton to Hugo Boss to Peugout. We took in the architecture and photographed anything that struck our fancy. We made our way along the river and came back up through the heart of the art district, tracing a portion of the Tour de France route. We stumbling onto a nice little Italian restaurant and had some phenomenal artisan pizza. We watched a French elementary school let its kids out for the day and we explored a little corner grocery store, picking up some of my beloved Red Bull. All in all, we got to see much of Paris from a Parisian perspective. The entire day was very un-tourist and quite pleasant.

I could get quite philospohical about the whole day, but I am going to skip all of that for now and simply share a few photographs and a few captions. Have fun.

Walking toward the Arch down the Champs...

The Arch de Triumph in the near Spring glory of the day...

The Arch and me...

John and the Arch....before the ascent...

The art of a truly monumental structure...

There are a few stairs to the top of the Arch...

The view from above the City....

Sacred Heart in the distance...

Eiffel in all her glory...

John and Eiffel in pose....

The heart of a new Paris in the distance....

The National Gallery...Paris has a lot of art...

More of the National Gallery campus....

Some very impressive portions of the Bridge...

More bridge column illuminated by the hand of God...

Me crossing the river...

I honestly have no idea what this is other than a beautiful woman and a golden sword...

Looking back against the Parisian skyline...

The Obellusk...you know I was going to share this...lol

Looking down the Champs Ellesse....

A beautiful portion of a random park in the heart of the city....

Post Breakfast - Pre Shopping in Paris...

2009-03-02T04:52:00.001-05:00

I thought I would get a quick entry into the blog before I set out for the day to do a little sight seeing and a little shopping. It is post breakfast time here in Paris. John and I grabbed a quick bite downstairs and went across the street to the Conference center and mall. I have learned thanks to the lovely lady at the Currency Exchange window that I am only 76% the consumer here in Paris as I am in the US. Though a little stronger than I expected, the US Dollar is still quite pathetic compared to the mighty Euro.

I am not quite sure what today will bring. All museums are closed in Paris on Monday so the Louvre is out. I am thinking it might be a good day to experience Notre Dame again and perhaps make the hike up the hillside to visit Sacre Heart. Of course there will also be some shopping. I personally want to find my way to the Shakespeare Bookstore and explore a few racks. John has promised his grandson that he will bring back a fire truck, a police car, and an ambulance, so I am sure I will visit a few toys stores along the way. This, of course, is good news for Michael David as well. I also have to consider the needs of the women in my life today. My sister and mother were quite specific in their needs and wants; others were much less specific. I might even look for a snow globe or two.

No pictures this morning in this entry, but the sun is currently out and the skies are blue, so hopefully I will have a few things to share later tonight. Talk to you all very soon.

I see London...I see France...I have seen way too many airports lately...

2009-03-01T18:10:00.003-05:00

OK...this is the danger of letting me travel abroad. Here I am with lots of free time, a camera, and a new journal to tote around. The result you might ask? Ben's random thoughts about everything including this trip. Let's start out with the bad. I honestly thought about heading home from Atlanta before even making the jump across the Atlantic after everything imaginable went wrong with my flight. After nearly 24 hours and 3 international airports, I finally arrived in my hotel in Paris. Now granted, this arrival came after visiting my friends the British for a a couple of hours and a long, heated discussion with the folks at Air France and Delta about my travel plans. Regardless, I am here. A couple of quick points...1st, apparently the British are a short people. I came to this conclusion after noticing every ceiling and sign in the majority of the airport was only about 6'6" off the ground. While I ran from Concourse to Concourse, I felt as if I was in a constant state of "duck". 2nd, I came to a serious conclusion about life as we know it, a few specific things in my own life, and this trip as the general inspiration. Though you often hate the process, never give up on the result. I sat in the airport in Atlanta hating the process, wanting to go home and crawl in my warm and cozy bed and forget the rest of the traveling world. Now I am in Paris, my mind swirling, my stomach full, and my heart ready to give this city another chance. Though I still think the person who coined the thought "Half the fun is getting there" is a blooming idiot, I now know I need to be willing to suffer through the rough parts to get to the great parts in the end. This can certainly apply to a ton of different scenarios in one's life. I know I wrote extensively about it in my journal. I can think of at least one or two situations I deal with each and every week where I need to cherish the end results, whatever they may be, instead of stressing the process and the unknowns that cause so much anguish. Ponder that and see if it works for you too.

I think I mentioned my stomach being full earlier. If I haven't mentioned it before, this is a city full of phenomenal food, so much so that John and I literally walked around for more than an hour debating where to have dinner. We stumbled across some other friends and settled in at a cozy little bistro as a boysterous party of 15. What ensued was 3 + hours of great food and great conversation. I am bursting at the seams from smoked salmon, beef filet, and molten chocolate perfiterals (I am sure I am slaughtering the spelling there, but you get the idea). Add on perfectly aged Champagne and red wine and you have a night to remember.

Now, let me be honest for a few seconds more. As I mentioned before, I have been traveling a long time the last couple of days. At last count I have been going for 36 hours with very little sleep. This entry will therefore be short...and probably a little incoherent. Please forgive. I am attaching a few photos from the room and tonight. Many more to come I hope...

Vegas 2007 Days 2 and 3

2007-05-22T12:15:00.000-04:00

OK, I am a couple of days removed from my first entry about this trip and time has flown by. Sunday was spent at Hoover Dam, The House of Blues, and my bed recovering. Jetlag finally caught up with me Sunday night. The trip to the Dam was awe-inspiring and left me at a loss for words. It is truly a monument to the American spirit of the 1930's. I am inserting several pictures to give you a better feel of my experience.

Monday was a day to register at the conference and explore the Legas Strip in the afternoon. We ended the evening with a quick dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. I must run now to a couple of meetings, but I hope to return soon with more photos and more thoughts.

Welcome to Vas Vegas!

2007-05-20T11:55:00.000-04:00

After yet another long absence from blogging, I am attempting to make my triumphant return to the written word, this time as a mechanism to chronicle my return to Las Vegas and Networld Interop. My story and my trip this year does not begin on the way to the airport or upon landing in Sin City, but instead at a windy soccer field in Bristol, Virginia. The day before I was to fly out of Knoxville to Nevada, I was spending the evening at my son’s soccer game, chatting with his grandmother and other parents, when my phone ran from an unknown number. On the other end of the phone was a woman identifying herself as an agent from my bank’s fraud protection center. Apparently, less than 24 hours before my departure for the bright lights of Las Vegas, someone decided to try to compromise my check card. Fortunately, the thieves were unsuccessful in getting to any money, but the bank was still preparing to suspend my check card as a precaution. This would of course leave me without a way to get cash for my trip, so I bent a few laws to get to an ATM and grabbed the legal limit from the machine to fund my trip. There is nothing like a little stress to get the ball rolling on an adventure to the west coast.

My actual travel day was largely uneventful. I am traveling with my friend and colleague Adam and his wife Sabrina. We drove to Knoxville and took a non-stop flight with Allegiant Air to Las Vegas. The flight was smooth, though a little frustrating, because we skipped dinner on the way out of Knoxville and the airline lacked any real food on the plane. Therefore, as we landed in Vegas around 9:00pm local time, our first priority after finding the hotel was to seek out some food. Of course, this is Vegas, so the world is still open and we grabbed a quick meal before crashing.

We are staying at the Excalibur, which is a first for me. On checking in, we were comp’ed a room upgrade because our reserved rooms with a view of the strip were unavailable. We are therefore staying in the newly remodeled Tower II which includes large plasma TV’s and new furnishings throughout. No complaints from this guest.

Saturday was largely a day of local exploration and grounding. Went spent most of the day wandering around Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay, eating occasionally and shopping a bit. We took a ride on the IMAX pyramid adventure and explored the replicated tome of King Tut. Both were fun and impressive, if not a bit brief for my taste.

After dinner, Adam and I decided to try a little sports gambling, with all of our faith in the favorite on the undercard of the Taylor-Spinks fight in Memphis. We had some dinner and settled in at the sports book with our tickets in hand. Alas it was not a night for the favorites and we quickly came off our gambling high as Miranda went down for good late in the fight to Pavlick. What did we learn from this experience you might ask? Never bet against an Irish guy from Idaho!

Sabrina, feeling great pity for us and noticing our heads held low as we licked our wounds, decided to treat us to a hydro-massage. For all those that have never given this a try, do it. I have never felt so relaxed and re-energized in my young life.

Today is a trip to Hover Dam with our friend Sanjay. It should produce some awe inspiring views and many, many impressive photos. Of course I will try and share those with you all on my return. I am off for now. More updates to come.

Some other photos from the day:

Odds and Ends, Fall Edition...

2006-10-24T21:12:00.000-04:00

First, allow me to apologize to all of you who have stopped by to read my day to day rants. It has been 20 + days since I have logged on and posted any thoughts, and for that I sincerely apologize. The life of the Undecided Philosopher has been unusually hectic, causing my windows to write and think to shrink and dwindle with each passing day. Rest assured that many, many rants have been thought through and outlined in my head as I drive through the Tri-Cities and parts in between; not to mention the inspirations that have been cataloged as I have absorbed much of the political fodder spewing from my TV over the past few weeks. I play on covering as many thought as possible in the coming days, especially leading up to November 7th.

Speaking of November 7th, while listening to/watching/fuming over the Tennessee-Alabama football game this past Saturday, more than one announcer and call-in guest referred to Alabama as the "Red Elephants" coming to Knoxville to wage war with my beloved Volunteers. By the end of Saturday night, Alabama had lost a hotly contested battle in Tennessee. "Red Elephants" losing a hard fought, somewhat dirty and poorly managed contest in Tennessee....hmmmm....premonition? You decide....

Another note of importance involving colors, though in no way related to politics....Last week I found myself driving to work via an alternate route. Instead of my usual sprint up Interstate 81 to Northern Abingdon, I wandered off the Interstate early and drove up Main Street, through the heart of Abingdon proper. I would like to say this journey was out of a sense of nostalgia or a respect for the wonders of a historic town, but, in all honesty, I had forgotten my dry cleaning the afternoon before and I was in dire need of an ironed shirt. That being said, before reaching the dry cleaners, I came to a red light at the bottom of a hill on Main Street just below the Washington County Courthouse, the road angle all but forcing me to stare upward. There before me was a beautiful palette of fall colors, with maples and dogwoods and all other manner of trees displaying their red and orange and yellow leafs. I was basically taken aback and humbled by the beauty and simplicity before me. Right then I was struck by the power of my surroundings and overcome with the sensation that I do not appreciate the area of the country in which I live. Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia is saturated with natural beauty of an almost endless variety. From its mountains and valleys to its forests and rivers, this area is blessed with resources too numerous to mention and we as its inhabitants should be sincerely grateful for all this area provides us. I know at that moment I was. Take a moment this fall season to stop and look around wherever you are. Soak in some of the color and depth that fall in the Appalachians provides. You will be happy you did.

I have much more to say, but no more time to type this evening. Many more thoughts to come, so please keep visiting and reading and commenting as you have time. Until later my friends...

Mr. Fair and Balanced....

2006-10-04T12:29:00.000-04:00

I wish to send out my best wishes for a swift recovery to Bill O'Reilly and the staff at Fox News. Obviously, though nothing has been made public, there must have been some type of horrific accident in their studio facilities a couple of days ago resulting in massive head trauma for the entire staff including Mr. O'Reilly. What else could explain the blatant and repeated mis-labeling of Congressman Foley as a Democrat from the state of Florida. This screen tag was posted no less than four times during the initial live broadcast of the "No Spin Zone" on Tuesday evening. Apparently, the mistake was noticed and corrected by the re-airing of the show at 11:00pm that same night, after much of Fox's targeted audience was safely tucked away in their beds.

I normally choose to make no assumptions about motive or intention when issues like this arise because I recognize the natural flaws of humanity and realize that mistakes are made. That being said, the conspiracy theorist in me wants to look at this mistake on Tuesday and scream from the rooftops the obvious hypocrisy saturating the halls of the self-proclaimed "No Spin Zone". My minds eye can envision our Nation's Vice President on the phone with executives at Fox News making comments like "...mistakes happen...I am not asking you to lie, but imagine how helpful it would be if a little problem happened during primetime to muddy the waters..."

According to reports on MSNBC this morning, there have also been reported incidents of confusion in the headline "crawl" on Fox News in which the word "Dems" has replaced "Republicans" in obvious statements about the Foley scandal. I refuse to cast blame on an entire news organization because of the actions of a few individuals, but I do believe it is possible someone at a keyboard somewhere in the studio has been drinking a little too much of the Kool-Aid.

You Might Be Too Partisan...

2006-09-22T08:37:00.000-04:00

Most mornings during my daily commute, I have Don Imus on the radio in the background. Today was no exception. A conversation with Jeff Greenfield caught my attention and motivated me to turn up the volume and pay a little attention. For those of you that do not know, Jeff Greenfield is the Senior Political Analyst for CNN, an author of several books, and a generally good talking head. Mr. Greenfield was ranting this particular morning about the nature of political partisanship in the US, and more specifically, how Americans have become too partisan in their everyday lives. In many cases, Mr. Greenfield expounded, free thought and analysis has been replaced with partisan alignments. What caught my attention was his use of the phrase "...you might be too partisan" when referring to the blanket support of a White House initiative. With all respect and nods to another great Jeff (Foxworthy), that phrase tickled my funny bone and sent me down the path of creating several new editions to the "You might be..." joke reel. For those of you that might be interested, here goes:

"If you hate going to the circus because of all the elephants....You might be too partisan."

"If you plan the route of your summer vacation to include only the red states....You might be too partisan."

"If you use the death toll from the war on terror as a polling number....You might be too partisan."

"If the Fox News logo is burned into the corner of your TV....You might be too partisan."

"If you cast a write-in vote for Jed Bartlet in 2004....You might be too partisan."

"If you get a twisted sense of joy riding donkeys to the bottom of the Grand Canyon....You might be too partisan."

"If you stopped watching Law and Order because Fred Thompson's character was replaced....You might be too partisan."

"If the site of cowboy boots makes you queasy....You might be too partisan."

Suggestions are welcome. Try the prime rib. Tip your waitresses. I will be here all week.

Start Your Ivy League Education for Free!!

2006-09-21T10:47:00.000-04:00

In an article reported by Reuters and MSNBC, Yale University has announced it will be providing access to video lectures, syllabi, and transcripts to several 2007 classes via the Internet and free of charge. Yale's stated motivation is to make the school more accessible. Personally, I believe this program is outstanding for several reasons, including but limited to its ability to fuel the curiosity of old folks like me who miss the challenges of academic achievement. Oh yeah, it also helps other people like students and such, but lets focus on me and my needs.

Unfortunately, participation in these online classes does not count toward a degree at Yale - darn it. But it is still an excellent opportunity to peer through the academic window of an elite institution and see how you stack up intellectually. Also, it is important to note that at least one of the 7 classes is a classic - "Introduction to Political Philosophy". You cannot go wrong with a good philosophy class that embraces the intricacies of political theory at its most basic. Other classes include "Introduction to the Old Testament" and "Fundamentals of Physics". The latter may be a little difficult. I am not sure how you can pull off the lab work from home.

I will provide links to the classes in the future as they become available.

Buchanan Strikes Again...

2006-09-20T18:24:00.000-04:00

I realize that I am running a little behind the buzz on this particular post, but I felt it deserved attention regardless. Pat Buchanan has again made headlines concerning border security and the President, this time in an online post for WorldNetDaily. Once again, the most striking part of Mr. Buchanan's comments is his non-partisan tone. The following are some excerpts:

"A president like Teddy Roosevelt would have led the Army to the border years ago. And if Fox did not cooperate, T.R. would have gone on to Mexico City. Nor would Ike, who deported all illegal aliens in 1953, have stood still for this being done to the country he had defended in war. What are these Bush Republicans afraid of? Dirty looks from the help at the country club?"

"Not only have Richardson and Napolitano awakened Â they are on the front lines Â so, too, has Hillary Clinton, who has spoken out against illegal immigration with a forthrightness that makes Bush sound like a talking head for La Raza. Why is a Republican Congress permitting this president to persist in the dereliction of his sworn duty?"

"Twice, George Bush has taken an oath to 'preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Article IV, Section 4 of that Constitution reads, "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against invasion.

Well, we are being invaded, and the president of the United States is not doing his duty to protect the states against that invasion. Some courageous Republican, to get the attention of this White House, should drop into the hopper a bill of impeachment, charging George W. Bush with a conscious refusal to uphold his oath and defend the states of the Union against "invasion."

Once again, I must force myself to applaud Mr. Buchanan and his willingness to paddle against the partisan stream to fight for something in which he believes.

So often in the last few weeks, the mainstream press has reported on the mid-term election trends and the Republicaresurgencece in the polls due to a shift in focus from Iraq to the overall "War on Terror". National political consensus states that Americans view Republicans as strong on Defense and terrorism. Yet, I believe nearly everyone is missing the point. The issue of immigration is a matter of defense and a matter of terrorism. Open and porous borders breed crime and injustice. They leave open doorways for criminals and potential terrorists to easily enter our country undetected. By endorsing plans that include amnesty and lack fences and safeguards at the borders, the President and his party, as well as the Democrats that come along, are exposing themselves as weak on defense and negligent in the defense of this country against terrorism. The Pollsters are missing the point.

The Disillusionment of the DNC...

2006-09-13T19:26:00.000-04:00

I have one question to pose to the DNC, the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate, and to all the Democratic candidates running for office this November. "What is your plan?" It is time in this country - it has been time in this country for a long while now - for the Democratic Party to stand up and stop simply screaming that President and his party are wrong. Tell the American people how you would fix the problem. Throw out some ideas. Stick your necks out and actually suggest some changes, or even theories involving changes, beyond the simple idea of "Republican bad - Democrat good".

I am a life long moderate Democrat, and nothing frustrates me more than to see my country and my party dissolved down to the basic principle that change is a solution unto itself. Changing the party in power in this country means nothing. Putting a party in power with strong, clear, potentially new, exciting ideas and executable plans - now that means everything. The VolCon has posted an excellent opinion on the state of affairs in the RNC as they relate to the primary struggle and ultimate victory of Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island. Sadly, I can sympathize with his every word because the DNC created a very similar scenario in Connecticut this summer with its attacks on Senator Lieberman. Both parties are deevolving and we should all be concerned and ashamed.

As I posted with the VolCon, i have tried to write this post three different times and each time, I have gotten too angry to continue. This time is no different. Let me simply say that I encourage everyone to read Rob's post and understand the problems facing American politics on both sides of the aisle. Trust me when I say we are all facing a lose-lose situation.

An Insanely Good College Football Weekend...

2006-09-13T18:43:00.000-04:00

Normally my attention would not be focused on college football this early in the week, well, except for the pending Tennessee game, but, after looking at the schedule, this is a weekend made for the college football faithful. Just take a look at some of the scheduled matchups on Saturday:

3:30pm - #11 Michigan at #2 Notre Dame - NBC
3:30pm - #6 LSU at #3 Auburn - CBS
3:30pm - #17 Miami at #12 Louisville - ABC
3:30pm - #15 Oklahoma at #18 Oregon - ABC

5:30pm - #24 Texas Tech at #20 TCU - CSTV

8:00pm - #19 Nebraska at #4 USC - ABC
8:00pm - #7 Florida at #13 Tennessee - CBS

So much football and so few TV's! I will personally be at the Tennessee/Florida contest with the VolCon, the VolConWife, and Mom. This should be a hard fought game with a close score going into the 4th quarter. I am picking Tennessee, not just with my heart, but under the assumption that Tennessee plays its best football when backed into a corner and the close call against Air Force should add some fuel to an already tense rivalry game.

As for the other games, I think LSU/Auburn should be interesting early, though I expect Auburn to be much more aggressive and pull away late. Notre Dame/Michigan is another story. Michigan has looked interesting this year and could prove a tough challenge for Notre Dame at home. I am picking Michigan in the big upset of the day. Miami/Louisville has lost some of its luster with the loss of Louisville's running attack and Miami's loss to FSU. I predict Miami wins by 10. Oklahoma at Oregon is another interesting game, but not for the matchup or ranking. I think the Ducks have been sorely overlooked and expect them to make a huge statement in this game. Watch for Oregon to pull away early if they can keep Peterson under wraps.

I just cannot get excited about the 5:30pm game between TCU and Texas Tech. As I type I am flipping a coin. Looks like my nod goes to TCU.

Finally, Nebraska and USC should make for entertaining football early. I think the Huskers will fight hard through the middle of the third before USC takes control and wins by 17.

Granted, I am probably wrong in 60% of these calls, but it doesn't matter. It is a great weekend for college football, so turn on your TV's, watch me be proven wrong, and enjoy.

Saturday Night Recap...

2006-09-10T20:29:00.000-04:00

When I called Rob, the VolCon, to ask him where we would meet as we left the stadium, he simply answered his cell phone and said, "Well, at least you got to see an exciting game." Exciting indeed. Michael, David, and I were certainly treated to an exciting, if not nerve racking game, as the Tennessee Vols squeaked out a 31-30 victory over the US Air Force Academy. Confused by the variety and trickery of Air Force's triple option attack, Tennessee was unable to stop the Academy's offensive onslaught. Fortunately, Air Force's defense was as porous as its offense was effective, allowing the Volunteers to keep pace and carry a small lead into the fourth quarter. Late in the final minutes of the fourth, after recovering an onside kick, Air Force drove the ball 50 yards and scored the potential tying towndown. Opting to go for the win on the road with a two point conversion versus the tie with the extra point, Air Force attempted an option sweep that the Tennessee defense was finally able to stuff on the three yard line. Tennessee's victory was secure and we made our way out of the stadium relieved and a little embarrassed by the Vols defensive performance.

Now that you know how we ended the evening, let me tell you a little about how we got the day started. After arriving in Knoxville, David, Michael, Ryan, Rob, Angela, and I enjoyed some very good BBQ and a few early football games on TV. Afterward, we headed to the stadium to initiate David and Michael in the pre-game traditions of the Vol Nation. We found excellent positions to watch the VolWalk, a processional of all the Vol players and coaches as they head into the stadium. We then shifted over to the grassy hillside north of the stadium to watch the band march into view, playing "Rocky Top" for all to hear and cheer.

Finally we headed into the stadium and to our seats. On the way up the ramp to Section MM, I stopped by a Tennessee Traditions kiosk to grant Michael's only request of the night. He had to have a giant orange Tennessee #1 foam finger. That purchase turned out to make both of our nights as Michael cheered his beloved Vols on with his giant finger and I proudly sat along side and smiled. All and all, if you set aside the defensive struggle by the Vols, it was a wonderful night of football with friends and family. Next week, I will be heading back down to Knoxville for a traditional clash of titans as the Vols face off against the Florida Gators. Let us hope that next week's game is less close, but just as victorious for the Vols.

Game Day - Tennessee vs. Air Force

2006-09-09T10:51:00.000-04:00

I wanted to drop in a quick post before the Undecided Philosopher and son and former father-in-law head down to Knoxville for an evening of friends, food, and Tennessee football. The CRV is bathed in Orange for gameday travel and I am breaking in my new jersey. My son is sporting his hybrid Tennessee/Spongebob hat and a sharp new orange polo. The cooler is backed and orange shakers are at the ready. Today is a particularly special day as David, Michael's Grandfather, is joining us for what will be his first Tennessee football game. Adding to the fun of the day, David is also a graduate of the US Air Force Academy, so he will be enjoying his alma mater as well as his grandson.

Well it is time to head to Food City to pick up the traditional gaint UT cookie and start the trip to Knoxville. Go Vols!

Who Needs Enemies...

2006-09-07T21:44:00.000-04:00

As a professional geek, I am always trying to keep my finger on the pulse of technology and technology-related business. Imagine my surprise when I came across the following article in one of my favorite trade mags, ComputerWorld:

Intel, Communist Party Team on Open-source
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Intel Corp. has agreed to help Vietnam's Communist Party move its computers to open-source software. Under a memorandum of understanding, Intel will help the party's Central Committee for Science and Education set up a laboratory called OpenLab for developing and testing open-source technology. Over the next three years, the lab will oversee the installation of open-source software on about 27,000 PC's equipped with Intel processors, the chip maker said....

Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service

Now, I do not consider myself an authority on all things open-source, but it has always been my rough understanding that open-source code is based on the ideals of freedom of thought and free and inclusive work by the community. Now, the community aspect fits the Communist model extremely well, but the idea of free thought has never crossed the mind of a Vietnamese Communist leader, except in those situations where he is looking for a reason to dust off the firing squad. This move by Intel is but one in several recent examples in which American companies are bowing to the human rights' crushing standards of socialist Asia in an attempt to tap another rich marketplace. This particular example set me off a little more than usual because of the dripping irony surrounding the ideals of open-source technology. Let me know what you think...

Securing the borders in a different fashion...

2006-09-07T17:25:00.000-04:00

Former Iranian President Ayatollah Khatami has been granted a visa by the United States State Department to enter the United States and give a lecture on tollerance at Harvard University. He will be speaking on September 10th and remaining in the country through September 11th as a guest of the university. I mention this not out of my own sense of outrage, which is great, but instead to honor the decision of a man whom I rarely support and with whom I rarely agree. Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts has informed the US State Department and stated publicly that he will not grant any resources from the state to secure or protect the former Iranian President. He will not receive security protection. He will not receive police escorts or traffic assistance in any form. He will not receive a state welcome at the airport. If he is to be escorted or protected, Governor Romney is leaving those duties for the US State Department and Harvard University to figure out. The following is a statement by Governor Romney on his decision and the decision to allow Ayatollah Khatami to enter the US to speak:

"I think it's an outrage that in this season of memory of those that lost their lives, that we would be inviting someone who is a terrorist to this country, and that in particular, this person would be invited to Harvard to come speak on the topic of tolerance. It's outrageous, and for that reason, I have instructed our state agencies, and particularly our executive office of public safety not to provide any support whatsoever for his visit. And that means not to provide the escort and security personnel which would normally be associated with a person of interest of this nature. And it may well lead to them reassessing whether they want to come to Harvard. I certainly hope so."

I honestly find the decision of Governor Romney patriotic, moral, and politically sound. Those are hard words for me to type, think, or even utter, simply because I tend to greatly disagree with the majority of the governor's stances; political, social, moral, or otherwise. I have never hesitated to state these disagreements in the past, nor will I hesitate in the future, but on this occasion I feel compelled to honor a firm stance against an obvious injustice. It is also important to note that Governor Romney is an alumnus of Harvard, making this stance even more impressive. I realize as a pragmatist that much of his motivation is political, possibly weaving neatly into his many trips to Iowa and New Hampshire, but regardless of his ultimate intentions, the decision itself is just and necessary. We as an organized society, local, state, and federal, should respect the sacrifices of those who lost their lives fighting for our freedom, or simply fell during an attack by our enemies. Respect is shown in many ways, and one such way is to cast aside associations with those who have actively sought to harm Americans through fighting against the principles of freedom and democracy and basic human rights. Ayatollah Khatami is one such person who has taken up arms, both figuratively and literally, against Americans and their allies throughout the world. By pulling back resources in his state, Governor Romney honors all those who stand for freedom and those who fell in its name.

And you thought Baby Suri was cute....

2006-09-07T13:44:00.000-04:00

Behold the latest pics of little Austin posing for the camera. Don't ask how I got these. The Undecided Philosopher has his ways...

A Quick Catch-up Post...

2006-09-05T21:21:00.000-04:00

Several things have been occupying my time over the past few days, preventing me from taking the time to post. Let me take a few moments and share a few thoughts about my Labor Day weekend:

- The Undecided Philosopher is moving. The process of selling my house, encompassing all the work, both paper and physical, has taken its toll on me physically and mentally. I spent the better part of the weekend cleaning, organizing, packing, and rearranging every nook and cranny of my home. When I wasn't filling trash bags with four years of collected junk, I was filtering through paperwork looking for mortgage information and utility costs (the latter of which was solved through a filtering of my Quicken records - where would we be without computerized accounting). After much labor and stress, pictures were taken, papers were signed, and a large sign was placed in my front yard, signifying several weeks of living in the fish bowl of a house for sale. If anyone wants a wonderfully charming Arts and Crafts style home in beautiful East Tennessee, drop me a note.

- The only significant break I took from the chore of preparing my home came at 5:30 pm on Saturday when the University of Tennessee took the field for the first time this year against the University of California. To my great surprise, my beloved Vols were easily victorious, destroying the spirit of the Cal Bears by the middle of the 3rd Quarter. I will not go into any further details, as my friend the VolCon has an excellent review of every aspect of the game. Needless to say, I am thoroughly excited about the prospect of the next two weekends of Tennessee football. I will be taking my spot in the stands to cheer on Tennessee as a proud member of the VolNation.

I have several other ideas and thoughts I want to share over the next few days as time permits. I want to discuss the anger and aggressiveness that surrounds the mid-term elections of 2006 and the constant debate of who will control the House and the Senate. I also want to touch on the paradox that is the White House's new position on the "War on Terror" and how that war in some way is supposed to justify, if not mask the failings that continue to plague our strategy in Iraq. The setbacks hindering US forces in Iraq, combined with the territorial losses of NATO in Afghanistan, set forth a foreboding precedent for our global strategy against radical Muslim fundamentalism. I hope to address each of these issues as time permits and I encourage feedback from anyone reading. Until then my friends...

Not Quite the End of an Era...

2006-09-01T08:59:00.000-04:00

For the record, i have been a tennis player for 22 of my 30 years on this Earth. And for most of those years, I have considered myself a tennis purist. I don't believe in the idea of "rock 'n' roll" tennis, I don't like to see players on the court in jean shorts and shirtless, and I believe all white at Wimbledon is still a great idea that will never fall behind the times (now equal pay is a different story, but not for this entry). So needless to say, I was not a big fan of Andre Agassi when he hit the tennis scene some 20 years ago. The idea of long hair and spandex on the tennis court, combined with the unrivaled egoism of "Image is Everything" was enough to keep this tennis fan from supporting the "Andre" movement in the 1980's. I found it completely fitting, yet totally ironic that Agassi was not able to win his first Grand Slam title until 1992, when stripped of his image and clad totally in white, he beat Goran Ivanisevic in an epic struggle at Wimbledon. Yet as a fan of tennis, and more specifically American tennis, I feel almost forced to applaude the rebirth of Andre Agassi over the last 8 years, and applaude the effort last night as yet another great moment in the twilight hours of a great career.

For those outside the tennis world, Andre Agassi announced at Wimbledon this year that the US Open would be his last tournament as a professional. He has since then spent much of the summer working to become healthy enough to even complete, suffering through a 20 minute needle treatment on his back just three days ago. After his mediocre performance in the first round of the Open, most thought last night's match with 8th seeded Marcos Baghdatis under the lights would be his last. What happened instead was a display of superior tennis from Agassi, overcoming a younger and more powerful Baghdatis in five sets. Agassi knew that the US Open would be his last great chance to do well in a tournament. He knew the crowds and the media would support him and the USTA would give him all the opportunities to shine under the lights each and every match. And so far his plan has worked out. Agassi faces a newcomer from Germany in the third round, Benjamin Becker (no relation to Boris). Becker is 139th in the world, and a prime target to be overwhelmed by the power of night tennis in Flushing Meadows.

If Andre survives his third round match, he sets up a possible primetime fourth round showdown with Andy Roddick, who is trying to regain his own form under the watchful eye of tennis legend Jimmy Connnors. To me, the outcome of that match does not matter. Last night was all the tennis from Andre Agassi I needed to see to know that this US Open has been special and Andre can consider it a successful farewell. After all the support and cheers he has received from the fans at the US Open and around the country, Andre Agassi decided to give something back. He gave all of us a wonderful night of tennis from an aging American tennis icon, and for that I am grateful.

Quick Updates from All Around...

2006-08-31T09:12:00.000-04:00

Please forgive the haste of this entry, but with all the fun surrounding our newest member of the family combined with my self-imposed stress from a potential house swap, things are a bit hectic in the land of the Undecided Philosopher. First, I draw your attention to the handsome picture of my son staring down at Austin Blake. Michael truly adores his new cousin and has become very protective and supportive of all of Austin's needs. In fact, he insisted that he read to Austin several books and short stories his first night at the hospital.

Aunt Wilma was more than willing to hold the baby while Michael read and turned the pages. This picture also brings to mind the mixing of the generations and the quickness in which life seems to grow and change before your eyes. Here is Michael, once the baby of the family, reading to the newest little one in the fold, and Aunt Wilma holding little Austin, just as she held both Michael and Yours Truly when I came into this world. I love my Aunt and she has always been great to me and to Michael, but now she is truly a "Great Aunt" twice over.

Not to be left out, Uncle Charlie was right there ready to enjoy all the fun and excitement that comes along with a new baby boy. He has always been a loving and nurturing Uncle to both me and Michael, and I am sure he is gearing up to extend his nurturing ways to encompass Austin Blake as well.

One more quick note before I head off for my next round of meetings - Congratulations to Rob, the VolCon, and his lovely wife Angela on their 4th wedding anniversary. I was there that swelteringly hot summer day, and I can bear witness to their unwavering love and devotion. Here's to many, many more wonderful years.

The Undecided Philosopher on the Road - Baby Watch 2006 Continued...

2006-08-29T14:51:00.000-04:00

We have a baby! I repeat - we have a baby! At exactly 10:28pm on August 28th, 2006, Sarah gave birth to Austin Blake. My new nephew is happy and healthy, with all his toes and fingers and such. Austin weighed in at a Lawson-appropriate 8lbs. 14oz. and was 20" long. He is not quite as big as his uncle was at his age, but he is definitely cuter. To follow are a few photos from yesterday including the new family superstar. Happy Birthday Austin from Uncle Ben.

A nice head shot from Papaw who, in his scrubs, managed to sneak in with a camera for Uncle Ben:

Another shot of the big man:

The Undecided Philosopher on the Road – Baby Watch 2006…

2006-08-28T15:01:00.000-04:00

Entry #1:

This blog entry comes to you live (well, typed live, posted once I can find some Internet access to borrow) from the Birthing Center at the Bristol Regional Medical Center. I am here monitoring and awaiting the arrival of my first nephew, Austin Blake. My sister, Sarah, has been here at the hospital since 8:00 pm last night, going through the motions for an attempted inducement of labor. If all else fails, she will be receiving a C-section some time later this afternoon.

The time is 9:50 am on Monday, August 28, 2006. Sarah received her epidural at approximately 8:00 am, at which point the doctors informed her that labor may not occur until the early to mid-afternoon hours. All seems well to this point, with a steady stream of family and friends coming by to visit and keep my sister properly distracted and in good spirits. Though appropriately nervous and anxious, Mom appears to be holding up well. She is a little sleep deprived and somewhat on edge, but she is handling everything to this point with an eloquence and grace that only my mother can pull off.

Other than a passing interest in the new gadgetry associated with the birthing process (my sister is surrounded by more monitors, CPU’s, printers, and appliances than I could ever imagine in my lab at the office), I have nothing more specific to report. Basically, we are playing a waiting game, praying and joking and chatting to keep our minds active and our spirits high until the moment of truth arrives. I will return to type more as events unfold. Until then…

Entry #2:

Well, we have reached 2:30 pm, the bewitching hour when the doctor predicted everything would be in full swing and my first nephew would be mere minutes away. Alas, Sarah is still as completely pregnant as when the day started with no obvious end in sight. According to the doctors, she is quickly reaching the limitations of the medicine used to induce the pregnancy, leaving few options aside from a C-Section later in the day. Sarah is sleeping for the moment, so hopefully she will be completely rested and ready for what the early evening may bring.

On a complete aside, I must admit after a small breakfast and a hearty lunch, I can fully endorse the cafeteria food here at the Bristol Regional Medical Center. The food is, in most cases, tasty and cost effective, with an excellent array of options, from salad and sandwiches to hot entrees and desserts. Now, I realize that the state of food affairs in the hospital is not terribly relevant to the present situation, but I have to have something to write about to quash my present anxious mood.

Back on the pregnancy front, I hope to have an update for everyone reading within the next few hours.

The Undecided Philosopher and the VolCon Hit the High Banks of Bristol...

2006-08-27T13:11:00.000-04:00

An afternoon filled with great food, good friends, fun games, and fast cars, this is the recap of my trip to the night race at Bristol with the VolCon. Rob and I arrived at the speedway around 3:30pm yesterday afternoon on a mission. We had three basic goals. Goal #1: Eat as much good food as possible, while still being able to physically make it to our seats at the track. Goal #2: Win as many free Sharpies (got to keep the Huddleston Law Firm stocked with as many cool colors as possible) and other prizes in the games area outside of the track. Goal #3: Watch a fantastic race on the high banks of Bristol and make it home safely to blog about it.

Goal #1 - Accomplished - We managed to finish off several plates each of barbecue, ribs, meatballs, salad, and other assorted good foods. This task was actually divided into two separate waves of attack - first, our initial meal and, then a secondary dessert phase to recover from our goal #2 attempts.

Goal #2 - Accomplished (sort of) - Let us just say that it is a good thing for the VolCon most of the game venues gave out prizes for simply trying. I am not saying I was keeping score or anything, but the Undecided Philosopher did walk away with a slightly heavier backpack than the VolCon.

Goal #3 - Accomplished - The race was excellent from start to finish. We were blessed with excellent seats, perfect weather, and a good race with very few cautions. For those who did not watch, Matt Kenneth held off Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for his second win in a row at the Bristol night race. Jr. was his own story in the race, starting from 40th position and working his way up to a strong 3rd place finish.

Yes, Saturday was a good day at the race track. My thanks to my best friend Rob, the VolCon, for coming along. Watch your calendars - the next race blog should come along in March for the Food City 500. Until then, enjoy these pics from last night's event.

Fantasy Football: Phase 2...

2006-08-27T12:57:00.000-04:00

Time for a little update from Saturday's Confederate Football League Fantasy Draft, the one and only opportunity for the world to experience head-to-head competition on the gridiron between the Undecided Philosopher and the VolCon. All in all, I must say that the draft went particularly well for me and my powerhouse "Blind Ignorance" team. Fulled by leftover Mountain Dew and Oatmeal Creme pies from the night before, I was focused and determined in my drafting choices. I was fortunate to draft from the #3 spot in this 10 team league, leaving me in an excellent position to pick up a strong set of running backs and my quarterback of choice. My initial starting lineup is as follows:

Matt Hasselbeck, QB - Sea.
Derrick Mason, WR - Bal.
Ronnie Brown, WR - Phi.
Matt Jones, WR - Jac.
Shaun Alexander, RB - Sea.
Cadillac Williams, RB - TB.
Randy McMichael, TE - Mia.
Jay Feely, K - NYG.
Chicago, DEF - Chi.

This is a rebuilding year for "Blind Ignorance" in the Confederate Football League, after missing the playoffs in 2005. I dug deep in the draft, searching for "good fit" talent and excellent bye week distribution. Good luck to all. Weekly updates will follow.

Father - Son Day Outing...

2006-08-27T12:41:00.000-04:00

Friday was an excellent day out for Michael and I. He was out of school for the day due to a little event going on in the greater Tri-Cities area, and I was able to leave work early so he and I could spend the afternoon together. We started the afternoon with an early dinner at a fantastic little picnic spot by a creek. Our food choices were plentiful including hot dogs, barbecue, smoked ribs, meatballs, cole slaw, potato salad, chips, pie, and ice cream. Michael attacked what can only be described as one of the largest hot dogs I have ever seen while I focused on a plate full of meatballs and ribs. We finished off our meal with ice cream sandwiches and frozen fruit bars, then headed out for our next adventure.

Our next stop was a street market and carnival-like event with a decidedly NASCAR theme. We walked from booth to booth looking at the products and wares on display, squeezing in a game or two as we went. We raced through mazes, played Whack-a-Mole, and even battled ping pong balls with leaf blowers. Michael got to get his "craft" groove on at a Lowe's-sponsored tent where he built a wooden race car from scratch, with a little help from Dad of course.

All and all it was a wonderful day for father and son. We played, we ate, and we even just relaxed and did some people watching. It was an excellent afternoon and evening. Oh yeah, and we did get a chance to watch some cars turn left and drive really fast.

You know your old when you outlive a planet...

2006-08-24T10:18:00.000-04:00

I am not entirely sure why this news article disturbs me so much, but, as covered by CNN, the planet Pluto has been demoted. I have lived my entire life surrounded by the lie of nine planets. I have already started making plans to head home and destroy all the mobiles and posters of the solar system I can find. I will have rip all those "Pluto" pages out of the encyclopedia. And I haven't even begun to calculate the years of therapy this change will cost me. All kidding aside, today is one of those cool milestones in life that we can look back on when we are ninety sitting on the porch. I will be able to look over at the other old folks in matching rocking chairs and reminisce "You remember back when Pluto was a planet?"

I other local news, tonight is Food City Family Race Night in downtown Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia. If you even remotely like NASCAR racing, or you are simply a big fan of people watching, then I highly recommend joining the festivities. There will be food and games and lots of fun entertainment, not to mention dozens of race car drivers with inflated egos and metallic Sharpies. Bristol during the races - like a really nice zoo without all the fences.

Fantasy Football: Phase 1...

2006-08-22T22:10:00.000-04:00

Tonight was the 3rd Annual KFFL Draft, held at the prestigious Mid-Mountain IS Small Conference Room. We are able to move to the "small" conference room after ESPN and OLN cancelled their onsite coverage at the last minute. The Annual KFFL (KVAT Fantasy Football League) Draft is not only the beginning of what will be several months of trash talk and wasted internet hours for the KVAT IS staff. It is also considered by many the highlight of the fantasy football experience. Tonight's event was a rousing success, though the proceedings were nearly derailed by a needless mistake by the network manager, who will remain nameless. For some reason, an online draft requires that all its participants have functioning Internet access. Who knew?? But as they say, never send a network manager to do a network administrator's job...well that is what the net admins at KVAT say all the time anyway.

After a couple of failed attempts at the online effort, the commissioner made the selfless and valiant decision to proceed offline, allowing for the proceedings to move forward as scheduled. After eight pizzas, five two-liters, and two and a half hours, the KFFL league is set for play. I feel fairly good about my team at the this juncture, though many things can change over the next few months. My initial starting line-up is as follows:

Carson Palmer, QB - Cin.
Nate Burleson, WR - Sea.
Laveranues Coles, WR - NYJ.
Reggie Bush, RB - NO.
Dominic Rhodes, RB - Ind.
Jason Whitten, TE - Dal.
John Kasay, K - Car.
Chicago, DEF - Chi.

Here is to all the fantasy football players in all the leagues around the country. Best of luck, and check your Internet connections well in advance. Phase 2 of my fantasy football experience comes this Saturday. Until then...

The Truth from Unwanted Lips...

2006-08-21T21:47:00.000-04:00

Throughout my life, I can never say that I have been an open fan of Patrick J. Buchanan. Buchanan, a key member and political asset of three different Republican presidencies, often errs on the far side of the political right, but as of late, his passion for reforming not only his party, but his country, has drawn my attention. In his latest book, State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America, Buchanan hit the proverbial nail on the head in regards to the pending doom that is our Nation's policy on border security. The following is the book's description from Amazon.com:

Pat Buchanan is sounding the alarm. Since 9/11, more than four million illegal immigrants have crossed our borders, and there are more coming every day. Our leaders in Washington lack the political will to uphold the rule of law. The Melting Pot is broken beyond repair, and the future of our nation is at stake.

In this important book, Pat Buchanan reveals that, slowly but surely, the great American Southwest is being reconquered by Mexico. These lands---which many Mexicans believe are their birthright---are being detached ethnically, linguistically, and culturally from the United States by a deliberate policy of the Mexican regime. This is the "Aztlan Plot" for "La Reconquista," the recapture of the lands lost by Mexico in the Texas War of Independence and Mexican-American War.

Comparing the immigrant invasion of America from across the Mexican border---and of Europe from across the Mediterranean---to the barbarian invasions that ended the Roman Empire, the author writes with passion and conviction that we have begun the final chapter of the Death of the West. Unless the invasion is halted now, Buchanan argues, by midcentury America will be a country unrecognizable to our parents, the Third World dystopia that Theodore Roosevelt warned against when he said we must never let America become a "polyglot boardinghouse" for the world.

President Bush's failure to halt the invasion and secure America's border, Buchanan writes, is a dereliction of constitutional duty that, in other times, would have called forth articles of impeachment. In the final chapter, "Last Chance," he lays out a sweeping immigration reform and border security plan, which, he contends, if not pursued, means George W. Bush's legacy will be to have lost for America a Southwest that was the legacy of Sam Houston, Andrew Jackson, and James K. Polk. With an estimated ten to fifteen million "illegals" already here and tens of millions more poised to pour across our borders, few books could be as timely---or important---as State of Emergency. It is essential reading for all Americans.

What I find most compelling about Buchanan's approach is his clear and concise analysis of both parties and their failures in this arena. He details the racial and ethnic motiviations of the Democratic leadership and their desire to exploit an ever-growing voting populous. And he also gives equal time to Republican ties to big business and the Right's desire to protect its campaign benefactors. For the first time in a long while, Buchanan's motivations appear true and just, and his message is clear. We are not long from a period in this country when we will look to our southwestern borders and realize they have moved slowly and surely north of Texas and New Mexico and Arizona. The lands that Sam Houston and Davy Crockett and Sam Bowie fought so hard to protect and secure will have been given away under the guises of cheap produce and humanitarian equality.

Tiger and a game for life...

2006-08-20T16:59:00.000-04:00

I have been playing, or should I say attempting to play, the game of golf for around 15 years. I remember watching golf in passing as a child, vaguely remembering Jack and Arnold, Seve and the Walrus. I became a fan of the game watching Payne Stewart in his nickers win the US Open and seeing a brash left-handed amateur named Phil Mickelson win in the desert. But no one has influenced my love of the game like Tiger Woods. I know it has become cliche to say we as fans are watching the greatest player ever to play the game in his prime. I respect the history and I still love to watch Tiger sweep up majors like they were Saturday afternoon Pro-Ams. But to me, Tiger Woods means significantly more to the game of golf. He is a tie between my generation and the next.

My son knows who Tiger Woods is. To Michael he is a mythical figure - the guy in the video game and the character that can do anything with a golf club. Seeing Tiger on the golf course and watching his character in the XBox led Michael to ask to go to the driving range. Now, once on the range, golf did its job and Michael loves to hit balls because of the game. But I have to think that Tiger has brought the same curiosity to thousands of kids around the world and I have to believe that he will be the player that Michael's generation watches break records while my generation sits back and tells stories about seeing Tiger join the tour and master Augusta in 1997.

Yesterday, Michael and I went to the driving range to hit some balls in the early afternoon sun. Michael pounded through his bucket, then came over to watch me finish up, picking targets and telling me which flags to swing for. Then, he did one of those things that tugs at every dad's heart strings. He looked up and asked if he could have a golf glove like mine because he wanted to be able to hit golf balls like his dad. Every father wants his son to want to be just like him, at least like the good characteristics. I smiled and gave him a little hug and said "Sure you can."

So here I sit in my recliner watching Tiger once again rewrite history at the 2006 PGA Championship, making impossible birdies from the rough and giving me the desire to get up and go hit some balls so I can be a little more like Tiger. And when Michael gets home from his friend's house this afternoon, I will be waiting at the door of his room with a junior golf glove I picked up this afternoon, a present I happily purchased so Michael can be a little more like his dad.

The New Top 10 List...

2006-08-20T10:58:00.000-04:00

In an attempt to personalize and consolidate, I have decided to collaspe much of my web presence to this blog in the form of a small portal. The first step in this process is the new Top 10 Links section in the right-hand column. These links make up a collection of personal pages I have developed, pages of friends, and places on the Internet that I find valuable. These links will change and re-sort and move from time to time, and their order and very existence are up for debate. If you have a site that you feel deserves to be on the list, let me know. If you see a site you hate and want removed, let me know. I am not saying I will act on your opinions, but it makes for a fun debate.

I also want to take suggestions from my readers on blog topics and ideas. Post comments if you have something you want me to tackle or something you just find interesting. I want this to become a good interactive experience.

I hope to post some more information and a few rants this evening if time permits. However, my recliner is calling and the PGA Championship awakes my undivided attention.

Every Now and Then Spam is True...

2006-08-18T20:11:00.000-04:00

As a computer guy and general Internet user, I get my fair share of spam and chain letters via email. Today was no exception. However, I did get an email from my dear friend Olivia that I did take the time to read. It was an obivous, forwarded chain letter, but Olivia prefaced the body by saying that the message was, this time, worth reading. I am posting the core message of the email here for review, with an explanation to follow:

"This Pastor has guts!! Thought you might enjoy this interesting Prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems Prayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your word says, 'Woe to Those who call evil
good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and Pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea.

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired."

Before I comment, let me first state that I have investigated this message under the assumption it was an "urban myth" and verified that much of the information is accurate. Minister Joe Wright did deliver a prayer very similar to the one quoted here before a session of the Kansas House of Representatives in 1996. The Kansas City Star did report at least one member of the House did walk out, and Paul Harvey did repeat this speech on his national broadcast.

True or not, the core of this message is very powerful. We should all take to heart the potential direction our emotivistic and selfish society is dragging its members. And we should also note that occasionally, though they be rare, there is value in the spam we receive in our Inboxes each day.

Back to School and Dad's Confused??

2006-08-17T11:28:00.000-04:00

Remember the good ol' days when summer would start to wind down, the days would begin to shorten slightly, and discussions of Labor Day cookouts would filter throughout the neighborhood. Labor Day has always traditionally been viewed as the symbolic end of summer, and, for students, the beginning of the academic season. So it was for this author. I remember that first day of school each year hovering around the end of August or the beginning of September, depending on the aggressiveness of the county or that phantom fear of necessary snow days. My how times have changed.

As the father of a loving 7 year old son, I have the opportunity to relive those early school days through his bright and precocious eyes. Imagine our mutual surprise as we reviewed the newly minted school calendar, only to realize that the first day of school for 2006 falls bright and early on August 8th. Yes, the 8th - that is not a misprint. Allow me to provide this precursor - school is very important. Education in general is very important. My son's education is very important. All that being said - Michael got robbed!! The school system managed to steal away an entire month of summer for their own greedy purposes. Instead of playing in the creek and sleeping until 10am, Michael will be suffering through math problems and looking for his library books.

OK,OK...it is just a school day, right? In by 8am and out by 3pm, so that leaves the whole of the evening to enjoy the summer weather and catch bugs and ride bikes and do all those other relaxing kid-type things...or so you would think. How quickly we forget about homework. Or in my case, how quickly I do not remember homework to begin with. My son is a second-grader. I remember second grade. What I do not remember is homework in second grade, or in elementary school for that matter. Yet, Michael comes home every night with at least an hour of work to filter through, books to read, and study guides for us to review together. There goes some more quality outdoor summer playtime.

Now for the truth...I don't really mind school starting a little early. This schedule simply frees up time at the end of the school year. Nor do I mind homework and the opportunity to work with my son each evening. Homework time is great father-son time and a great opportunity to stay involved. But Dad is still confused. It doesn't seem that long ago since I was in elementary school. It doesn't seem that long ago since I was sweating over spelling tests and multiplication tables. It just doesn't seem that long ago since I was a kid.....did I mention how old I feel right now.

The Enemy of my Enemy is...?

2006-08-16T13:36:00.000-04:00

"Walmart is evil." "Walmart is possibly aligned with the Anti-Christ." "Walmart=BAD." These are all things many of you have heard me utter, either under my breath or loudly to the public depending on my mood. As most of you know, I work for a competitor of the evil empire and, therefore, feel justified to attack without a moment's hesitation. Even before my employment with the "rebellion", I wrote extensively about the corruption of small town America and the demise of the individual through the systematic endeavors of the corporate power that is Bentonville, Arkansas. All this being said, I found an article on CNN.com this afternoon very intriguing.

According to our friends at the liberal-leaning Atlanta-based news conglomerate, Walmart is firing a preemptive shot across the bow of the 2008 Democratic platform. Seems that Walmart doesn't like being attacked for its less than stellar track record as the nation's largest retail employer. I will let all of you read the article and come to your own conclusions, but I leave you, Republican and Democrat alike, to decide with whom to align.

A Witness to the Dell Disaster...

2006-08-15T21:07:00.000-04:00

As a professional computer scientist, I am always looking for good stories to pass along to colleagues about users who just don't understand the technology surrounding them. I realize this process is cruel and mean and all those other detrimental terms you as a reader are thinking, but geeks will be geeks. I am even known to embellish the language of the user a bit to massage a better punchline out of the story. In light of today's announcement by Dell to recall 4.2 million laptop batteries, I thought I might share one such recent story:

A female cousin-in-law, who will remain nameless, called me at work one afternoon, just a few weeks ago. After polite hello's and how are you's, she quickly came to the computer question to which I have grown all too accustomed from family members when they call unexpectedly in the middle of the day. She quietly asked, "Benjamin (she calls me Benjamin for some unknown reason) I plugged up my laptop just a second ago and smoke started pouring out of it - is that bad?" This is where my fellow geeks start laughing and cussing and begin to tell similar stories about unsuspecting users and their problems - yes, evil I know, but great fun for us in the otherwise mundane and tedious world of cables and servers. However, in light of Dell's painful disclosure today, I thought this story a bit more appropriate and interesting.

After talking to her husband, my cousin, I realized that she was standing up as she plugged in the cable to begin recharging her Dell Inspiron Laptop. He was present and actually saw the sparks flying from the charging port and the battery, and he saw the smoke begin to billow from the vents. If she had still been seated with the laptop resting on her legs, a fire easily could have occurred and this story would have resulted in a much less humorous conclusion. Needless to say, I am grateful that everyone is safe and no property has been destroyed. Dell quickly replaced her entire laptop free of charge and everyone went about their business as normal. Yet, today's announcement is anything but normal.

Dell is the leading manufacturer of corporately assigned laptops in the world. Easily, two of three vendors who enter my office are carrying a Dell laptop. And every one of those vendors has sat next to someone on a plane and typed away for hours on a report or some emails or an innocuous spreadsheet, all the while without fear of bursting into flames. Yet, today's announcement that these batteries, manufactured by Sony, can do just that - burst into flames - is a sobering reminder of the technological unknowns that surround us.

Now, I am not trying to preach some type of apocalyptic doom and gloom about the evils of technology in the world - far from it. Technology pays for my house and car. I don't leave home without a backpack full of gadgets and batteries and cables. What I am preaching is common sense. Batteries are volatile. They get hot and they become unstable. Pay attention. If you have a Dell laptop, check your serial number and have the battery replaced. If you don't have a Dell, still pay attention to your battery and use common sense. Don't leave a laptop running for long periods of time around flammable materials. If your laptop gets too hot to rest on your lap, chances are it will not react well to sitting on the pillow next to you. I want everyone to come away from using their computers and smartphones and PDA's without any bodily harm. Otherwise, how are you going to pay me to answer your questions.

Oh yeah, if you do do something stupid and even mildly funny with your gadgets, make sure to let me know. I always need some new ammo for those talks around the water cooler.

Paris Final Day

2006-02-23T15:37:00.000-05:00

February 23rd, 2006
3:01pm EST

Well, my adventure has basically come to an end. I am sitting in the Delta terminal in Cincinnati waiting for my connecting flight to the Tri-cities. I have cleared customs, been stamped, searched, de-shoe'ed, and cleared for take-off. After all the fun was over once I got here, I headed for the food court and induldged in one of those truly American experiences, Panda Express Chinese food. I know that must sound a little strange, but take my word for it. There is nothing as uniquely American as Food Court fast-food style Chinese. I guessed that stopping in at Panda Express was as good as any stop for shocking my system back into American food mode. I doubt the sushi and Frau Gra will be finding its way to my plate anytime in the near future.

Well it seems that my arrival back in the states has been very much the opposite of my departure. We I left on Saturday, it was cold and snowing, our turn-over in Cincinnati wa very quick, and the flight to Paris was long and quite painful. Paris was rainy and warm when we hit the ground. Today has been much different. Paris was cold and snowy when we arrived at Charles De Gaulle. Check in was shift and the flight was very comfortable and pleasant. The plane was only about half full, so I was able to spread out over a couple of seats and actually relax. The movies were good, the food decent, and people very quiet. I arrived in Cincinnati and the weather is beautiful. It appears relatively warm without a cloud in the sky. My turn-over this time is a bit long with a 2 1/2 hour layover. All in all though, I have no complaints. This is the type of travel day that everyone dreams of. If my luggage makes it to TRI, I will be good to go.

I suppose that I should devote some time to last night's meal at the Eiffel Tower. In all honesty, though it was a very nice night, it was a bit anti-climatic. The view was nice, but we were relatively low on the tower, so it pailed compared to our visit on Monday. The mingling and champaigne was pleasant and the dinner was decent. It fell victim to comparison to the night before, which has set the standard for all meals past and present. It is my new baseline. The set up for dinner was assigned seating with everyone from North America mixed around the room to encourage the meeting of new people and general networking. My table was fun and I survived the evening without offending the potentially boring or annoying. I did manage to take a few great night shots of the tower as we entered and exited and I did meet a few new people and made a few contacts.

It appears that my night is going to continue this evening a bit longer than I expected. Michael has a school program tonight at 7:00pm EST, or as I prefer to see it 1:00am Paris time. I know that Michael is looking forward to it, so I will just have to suck it up and sleep tomorrow. It will be nice to land in my own bed tonight and wake up knowing that I will understand completely all the channels on the TV. No more Al Jazerra, no more BBC, and no more Olympics in French and German. I might even watch a few hours of SportsCenter just to see what actually happened in case the French have been lying to me all week.

Well enough of all this. I am home; I am repatriated; I am very tired. I am going to try and leave you with a pic from last night's dinner, assuming I can overcome the T-Mobile Hotspot wireless access here at the airport. Until next time...

Paris Day Three Continued...

2006-02-22T10:02:00.000-05:00

February 22nd, 2006
9:51am EST (3:49pm Paris)

This will a short entry for the afternoon. Just finished up the business portion of the Forum and came back to the room to rest up and change

for tonight's formal dinner. I has been a very good day. Business partners and vendors were met. Deals were discussed. Ideas were hatched.

All things you would expect from this type of conference.

I want to leave you for the evening with a few photos:

Sarah, this one is for you. This entire building is the Champs Elysees headquarters for you know who...

A busy night on the Champs Elysees...

See, we did actually go to the Forum floor, I promise...

Talk to you all soon...

Paris Day Three

2006-02-22T04:52:00.000-05:00

February 21st, 2006
11:23am EST (5:23pm Paris)

Allow me to begin by explaining that the majority of today has been spent in the actual Alcatel Forum (you know..,the official reason I came to Paris). Therefore, much of what I have to discuss is somewhat technical, which translates to boring for most of the world. The forum has been very good to this point. Alcatel has spared no expense in both the content available and the presentation of said content. The production value of the keynote address was beyond expectations, rivalling the studio quality of most live television programs. We heard from the Chairman and CEO of Alcatel as well as the Editor-in-chief of the Harvard Business Review. The keynote was presented in a talk show format with interviews, video clips, and field reporters from around the world. It was informative, interesting, and, frankly much better than expected. Afterwards, Guido, John, Ando, myself, and Tom Hicks went across the street to a nice little bistro for a 3 course lunch (more on food to come). Then it was back to the Forum for some booth and vendor browsing.

Guido and I pretty much steared clear of the conference sessions, with the exception of a presentation on the use of VOIP over WLAN as case study, and we instead focused on the partner and vendor booths and new technology. Probably of most interest was the new uses of SIP technology in PDAs and cell phones, allowing you to go from cellular to free wireless and back seamlessly. We also explored some of the XML development tools available for the new Alcatel IP phones with color digital displays (Bluetooth handsets as well - very cool technology). Ok, I realize alot of the readers out there have no idea what I am talking about, but take my word for it. This is a very impressive trade show, especially considering it is sponsored by a single company.

Now, back to the discussion of food. Eveyone reading this knows that I like to eat and that I am afraid of little when it comes to trying new things. Everyone also presumably knows that Europe has some of the best, and in many cases, exotic foods in the world. It has been my great pleasure to try a little of everything throughout the week without any concern for quantity or cost. My wonderful guests from Alcatel have gone out of their way to provide for nearly every meal, at significant expense. I don't believe at any point we ate for less than 200 Euro, which shows the generosity of this wonderful company. Today for lunch I experienced a first for me in the form of my appetizer. It was a gratin potato tower with a center of seared Fra Grau (sp). This was my first fra grau and I must say that despite its strange beginnings (fattened duck liver), it has a fasntastic flavor. My main course consisted of veal medallions with spinach. Obviously, the entree was much less exotic, but equally tasty.

Now I am not going to detail every meal, but I did want to highlight a few more things. I have enjoyed a pan seared salmon with creme sauce, extremely rich pasta carbonara, and fork tender filet in bournaise sauce and peppercorns. At this point, I am not sure where we will end up for dinner tonight, but I am leaning toward searching out a nice rack of lamb. I will keep everyone informed. I doubt I will log anything more until tomorrow night, since all I have left is forum events tomorrow until dinner. Tomorrow night, I will be dining at the Jules Vern Restaurant atop the Eiffel Tower. That experience will certainly warrant a log entry. I know all this must sound so boring, but i asure you all I am trying hard to have a good time. Talk to you all very soon...Mom, please kiss Michael for me...

February 22nd, 2006
2:06am EST (8:06am Paris)

OK, I realize that I said I probably would not log back on until later tonight to chronicle my trip to the Eiffel Tower for dinner. That may have been true if we would not have had the adventure we had last night for dinner. Last night was our regional dinner involving all the customers, sales techs and regional managers from US Atlantic division. Our group was 12 strong, but our table consisted of 6 people including Guido, Julie, myself, Tom Hicks, Don (a customer and panel member from one of the PA school systems), and Dave Dwyer, General Manager of voice systems for North America. Don and Dave were both great guys and good additions to our party for the evening.

Now normally, though the meals have always been very good, they rarely warrant logging all by themselves. Lastnight was definitely different. First of all, we went to a new and very trendy restaurant called Bound. Bound is the epitemy of European cool, with dramatic lighting, cool projection art and a smoked glass and iron bar. Bound is known for its wine and its sushi/seshemi and never one to break with traditions, I jumped right in. This is where the culinary part of my adventure begins. Dave ordered a large sample platter of all kinds of rolls, sushi, and seshemi for the table to enjoy. After testing out the chop sticks and mixing up some wasabi and soy, I jumped right in and tried some snapper, salmon, tuna, and shrimp. I also tackled the california type roll. Though a complete novice in the world of sushi/seshemi, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The textures and flavors were phenomenal, with a firm and fresh feel from all the types of fish, despite their rare nature. In fact, the shrimp and california rolls were the only cooked/vegetarian samples on the plate. Needless to say, everything was fantastic and we worked hard as a table to ensure nothing was left unsampled, cleaning as a group the entire platter.

As I stated earlier, Bound is also known for its wonderful wine collection, and last night we dove in and enjoyed a very fruity and sweet red as well as a very crisp white. I stayed with the red, Mercurie from the Julliot winery (2000). When we first arrived, the evening started with some very stiff business talk and the feeling out of all the new people from both directions, but after some good chat, a few Guiness and whiskey soars, and four bottles of wine, everyone became very friendly and talkative, ending the evening as allies and friends.

The entrees were equally spendid - mine an Asian shrimp dish involving mushrooms and noodles. After some more chat, we ordered dessert. By this time, the other table decided to leave, having not been slowed by a sushi course, they were already done with dessert and drinks and ready to head back out into the city. Dessert was specifically Parisian with everyone opting for the Creme brule sampler, consisting of Vanilla, chocolate, and caramel cups. Dessert was almost beyond description, which crisp distinct flavors and a perfectly smooth and cremey consistency - truly magnificient.

If what I just described was not interesting enough, then the timeline might push you over the edge. From arrival to the final coffees and teas, were dined for nearly 6 hours, not heading out into the streets to search for taxis until after 1am. A second amazing factor was cost. As I have stated before, Alcatel has been a terrific host, providing for our every need. Last night's meal was yet another perfect example. Our party of 12 ate for just under 1100 Euros or approximately $1300 US. To help put that into perspective, our other table was drinking coke, 17 cokes to be exact over the course of the evening. Those 17 cokes were 102 Euro for the evening. Basically, last night's dinner was the most interesting and extravegant of my young life.

That is until tonights....to be continued.

Paris Day Two

2006-02-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

February 20th, 2006
1:34pm EST (7:34pm Paris)

After a long day of running all over the city of Paris, working hard to exude all the normal characteristics of a tourist, I have many thoughts to share, but very little energy to do so. The day started with breakfast here at the hotel, hosted by our friends at Alcatel. Well the day actually began with an expedition through the Congres de Paris after some shadey information given to Guido by the Conceire. Once we finally settled down to the meal, the food was excellent, a mix of European and American fair, all very good. I did notice, after Julie pointed it out, that there was a large quantity of Ketchup next to the scrambled eggs.

At breakfast, we hooked up with Ando Shin, our sales engineer from Virginia. Ando joined the party and we all headed out for the lourve via the Paris underground. Now I am not the most experienced user of public transportation, but from my experiences, Paris has a pretty decent wsubway system. The Lourve has a stopped just a few miles up the line from us, and it opens dirctly in the lobby of the museum. The Lourve is basically an enormous and very impressive facility. It's shear size and volume is awe-striking. I was overwhlemed by the history of the collection, the diverisity of the collection, and, basically, the social significance of the entire museum. Everywhere you turn in the Lourve, something catches you eye - apiece of art you studied in school, something you saw on TV, or something you read about last week. A personal thrill for me was exploring the grand gallery and standing inches from the great works of DaVinci. I will say that the ego of the French shines through as you around. The French collection contains numberous works of ego and testosterone in the form of Naploleon's great victories and his imagined benevolence to the people. Let's just say that history has a unique perspective from this side of the pond.

After enjoying the first blue skies of our trip outside the pyramid entrance, we headed down the tube and toward the Cathedral de Notre Dame. Obviously I am not a practicing Catholic, but regardless of one's beliefs, the cathedral is an amazingly reverant and beautiful place. To think that the City of Paris was so close to tearing the building down in the 19th century before a little book involving a hunchback arrived on the scene. The world is a better place knowing that such great icons of architecture and history survive the perhals of time.

We next wandered the streets looking for a good lunch spot until we stumbled upon a great little italian place off one of the numerous alleys. Ando, as he had done throughout day, picked up the tab for the meal. I have to give Ando and Alcatel serious credit for their hospitality and their willingness to take such good care of their customers, going the extra mile everywhere we turn. We finished the day by touring the Eiffel Tower and taking the painfully long elevator trip to the top. What you would expect happened - awesome views, strong winds, cools maps...blah blah blah. Not that I am ungrateful for the expereince, but it was your typical impressive tourist experience.

As we descended from the tower, the rain began again, this time with a seriously cold wind. I honestly do not know how it could be so cold and not snow. We made our way back to the train and headed for the final line that runs back to the hotel. It was at this point that I went my own separate way. While everyone headed for the warmth and comfort of the hotel, Ando and I got back on a train heading the opposite direction. I had not had enough time to hit the gift shop at the Lourve and I had a promise to keep. A certain person out there hopefully reading this asked for something artistic and possibly green from the Lourve. Well true to my word, I headed back and picked something up. If you are reading this, and you know who you are, I got it. Talk to you all soon...

Paris Day One

2006-02-19T17:13:00.000-05:00

Trip to Paris - February 19th, 2006
12:20am EST

This is the first of what I hope to be several entries in my blog detailing my trip to Paris. For those of you who are not aware, I have had the good fortune of being invited by my friends at Alcatel to attend their yearly Forum and users conference in France along with Guido Ontaneda, my boss, his lovely wife Julie, John Meyer, one of our consultants, and his lovely wife Debbie. Our invitation, like so many other things in life, is part vendor bribe, part reward for being such a good and lucrative customer, and part apology for all the issues, trials, and tribulations of the last couple of years. KVAT has been a flagship retail customer for Alcatel, and as such, we have tried, tested, broken, repaired, and beta'ed parts of what seems to be everyone of their product lines.That being said, they are a good company, despite their flaws, and I am looking forward to the conference and the bribery that comes along with it.

This first entry comes to you from the plane as we soar at a relaxing cruising altitude of 37000 feet somewhere above Limerick, Ireland and the Celtic Sea. More specifically , we are currently at Latitude 51:00N Longitude 15:48W. How can I be so precise might you ask? Have I stormed the cockpit and decided to fly this leg of the journey myself? Do we have an overeager and chatty captain who has gone intercom happy? Well, fortunately, it is none of these answers. Instead, I am being bombarded by my friends at Delta with up to the second trip statistics, travel maps, flight tragectories, and land to air speeds, I suppose all in an effort to keep me well informed in the event I jump from the plane, or get to take my turn at the wheel. Now, I do not want to seem ungrateful for the benefit of up-to-date information. I actually found the info kind of cool and reassuring when we first got on the plane 6 HOURS AGO. But now, and for the last six hours, every LCD display overhead in the cabin has been glaring this information to me and the other passengers. I feel as if I am in an extended pause between scenes in a very boring version of the next Indiana Jones movie (reference back if you will, to the visual of the plane flying between dots on the world map - Delta, I am pretty sure, completely ripped that idea off - the Paris dot keeps getting slowly closer).

Well I should be retiring my laptop soon to prepare for my complimentary fruit and juice course, which is of course designed to trick my body into thinking that it is breakfast time and time to start a fresh on the day. Unfortunately my body is way too smart for that and it is fighting hard to hold on to the thought that it is 2:00 am in the morning and i should be running for the nearest bed once my knees are freed from the chair in front of me. Once we land and I have a few moments of clear-headed thought, I will let you all know who wins that war. If I were a betting man, I would put my money on the bed. More to come.

February 19th, 2006
8:00am EST (2:00PM Paris)

Well after a couple of hours of well deserved rest in my strange, but quaint hotel bed, I am back at the keyboard chronicling my trip. Needless to say, we arrived safely at the airport, passed quickly through customs, and gathered our bags. After a quick 20 minute drive, we arrived here at the Hotel Le Meridien Etoile, just a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees (ok...my French spelling is no better than my English). I was fortunate enough to have a very quick check in by a lovely and somewhat exotic woman at the desk (beauty and the French accent are a very dangerous combination), and then I headed to my room to quickly unpack and get some sleep.

My first impressions of Paris are mixed. As predicted, it is a rainy and dreary day, with little street traffic and very little activity in general. Being Sunday morning here, I can but assume that the French enjoy their weekends and hide from the rain with the fervor as their American counterparts. Basically my drive to the hotel gave me little upon which to form an opinion - lots of small, generic cars, typical industrial buildings on the outskirts of town, and a hint of the beauty of Paris as the Arch came into view in the last minutes of our drive up to the hotel bellman. I will be heading out shortly to explore a bit, and see what I can discover on the streets and in the surrounding shops before I finalize my opinions.

The hotel room is not quite what I expected, which is a failing on my part because I should have thought through this a experience a bit more before my arrival. The room can best be described as, well, of European influence. It is relatively small, but we appointed, with a small bathroom and closet. It is certainly comfortable and I have every suspiction it will be more than adequate during my stay, but it has its oddities. The TV will hold its own level of challenges. I have no American programming whatsoever, short of the world edition of CNN. Most of the programming is French with a smattering of the BBC and German broadcasts. I have several channels of Olympics coverage, but none in English, and all with a leaning away from American athletes. Possibly the most surprising find while exploring the TV dial was the presence of Al Jazeera. I fully intend to explore this opportunity and see what this new perspective brings to my interpretation of world news outlets. Unfortunately, since I speak nor read zero Arabic, I am pretty sure I will be just making stuff up while I watch the facial expressions of the people on the screen.

Well I am off to explore a bit more and see if I can dig up an ATM that will give me some Euros. Until next time America...

February 19th, 2006
4:33pm EST (10:33pm Paris)

This entry in the log brings me to the close of day 1 on my jaunt to Paris. Since last we spoke, so to speak, I have ventured out into the city proper, both alone, and with friends, and I am beginning to feel a bit more comfortable in the country. While most of my travel companions slept attempting to fight off the power of jet lag, I changed clothes and headed out into the streets surrounding the hotel in search of anything new in general, and an ATM specifically. Though I brought enough American currency to cover my needs within the confines of the airport, I needed to procure some Euros to cover the incidentals here in the city. I first wandered across the street to the Congress De Paris convention center and mall, asumming an ATM would be readily available. Though an impressive structure with world class shopping (translated from the Latin meaning "expensive"), ATM's were few and far between, at least in my initial inspection. I did however feel comfortable enough in my surrounding to head back out into the street and up the first block of the Champs Elysees. Those first few hundred feet verified my suspiction that this part of Paris was specifically geared to support businessmen and tourists. I encountered countless cafes, newspaper stands and generic boutiques. All in all, the area was clean and unexpectedly cheerful considering the rain and cool weather. Unfortunately I did not find an ATM, once again failing to explore quite enough to discover the obvious. I turned back and headed back to the hotel to meet the others in the lobby.

Guido, John and I met up to visit the Alcatel Suites in the hotel for a quick glass of wine and some chocolate goodies, while picking up our agenda for the week. Afterward, Guido, Julie, and I headed out on foot to the Arc de Triomphe for some photo ops while John and Debbie caught up on some more sleep. The Arc is the first major highlight of the trip. Based on my knowledge of French history, and my distain for Napoleon in general, I expected to be considerably underwhelmed by his little self tribute to victories won. I could not have been more wrong. The arc is both a modern marvel of architecture and artistic expression. We climbed the 280 + steps to the top and enjoyed some of the most magnificent views of a beautiful cityscape imaginable.
It is as if the entire city converges on that point just so you can enjoy its beauty and grace and soak in its history and its significance. I will post a few pictures to give you a glimpse into my experience.

We finished the evening, after gathering our remaining two companions, by wandering the streets until we came to a quaint little Bistro for dinner. After filet and dessert, I have made my way back to the room for some much needed rest and reflection. Tomorrow morning I will be exploring the Lourve and winding through the streets of the Latin Quarters in search of new inspirations for my camera and my logs. I also hope to make my way to a few cathedrals and discover some great street art if time permits. I realize that all of this sounds very generic and touristy, but so are the first few hours and indeed days of this kind of trip. As juicy bits of knowledge come to me, i will do my best to pass them along. Good night and good luck (did I mention I saw some great movies on the flight, but that is another entry)...

A new dedication...

2005-10-18T08:36:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a series of events brings together a thought that can refocus a man and the things that he believes are important in his life. For me, those events evolved around my friends from the past. I often question my own delinquency in communicating with my friends from high school and college. I wonder if my personal procrastination makes me worse than most in keeping up the ties to my past. Regardless of where I fall on that heirarchy of slackers, yesterday was a reminder of the importance of friendship and value that can come from a little extra effort to touch base every once in a while.

My first wake up call came in the form of an email from my illustrious friend and judge from Knoxville. Though we speak often, I quickly realized that going a few weeks between emails can cause a decent gap in relevant information between friends. My second jolt came as I walked into Subway to meet another friend for a quick lunch. Across the room was an associate from Emory, whose brother was a former housemate and travel partner. We spent a few minutes catching up and I realized how much I had missed in their lives over the past few years. His brother had relocated to Knoxville, just a brief trip from my doorstep, and I had no idea. A brief exchange of business cards and I left hopeful that I might catch up with a good friend in the near future.

My third wake up call came with my lunch meeting. I met a close friend from High School that lives no more than 30 minutes from my office, yet we hadn't gotten together since my first year in college. She is doing well, excelling in her business and teaching a course in college prep work at a local Christian school. She had been ill in the past year, and dealt with many of the obstacles that life throws before us all. As we sat talking, asking about each others family and who we had spoken to from school and such, I was overwhelmed with the sensation that I had been depriving myself of these moments. It was a selfish moment; a moment in which I realized I enjoyed being with my friends, helping with their problems and rejoicing in their successes, and frankly complaining to them about my own life. I need to get back to that mode. I need to reengage.

On a much less philosophical note, my son dove head first into the world of martial arts yesterday with great gusto. He will be going at least once a week to practice and learn and become more disiplined, etc. My only question is this....Is it good to train your child now so that he can then kick your butt later on in life when you need every advantage you can get??

Reaching out in our time of need...

2005-09-04T12:21:00.000-04:00

Help Now - http://www.redcross.org

After reading several articles concerning the relief efforts in the Gulf Coast region, I felt the need to contact my several federal representatives concerning our nation's response. I urge everyone reading this message to reach out and support those in need and to contact your representatives and let them know how you feel about our nation's response and the needs of the Gulf Coast region. The following is a letter I have submitted to Rep. William Jenkins, Congressman for the 1st District of the State of Tennessee, Sen. Bill Frist, Majority Leader and Senoir Senator for the State of Tennessee, and Sen. Lamar Alexander, Senator for the State of Tennessee:

September 4, 2005

Dear Sir:

My name is M. Ben Lawson and I am a resident of Sullivan County and the great state of Tennessee. I am writing you today, as one of my several representatives to our federal government, to urge all the officials in power in the Untied States, especially the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of FEMA, the Secretary of State, and the President of the United States to move with much more diligence and haste to aid those suffering after the tragedy in our nation’s Gulf Coast areas. I, like many other Americans and others from around the world, have been brought to tears watching and reading the reports as they have filtered in slowly from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. And I, like many other Americans, do not feel that our nation’s leadership has moved quickly enough to stem the suffering of our citizens. Unlike the President, I do not believe our nation is responding in a timely manner.

I fully realize that the task at hand is extremely daunting and that the response infrastructure is greatly hampered by the shear devastation caused by the storm and the resulting tidal surge, but as the most powerful and resourceful nation in the world, the United States can and should stand to meet this challenge with all its many resources, and those of its neighbors around the world. In the aftermath of the tsunami in December, the United States was the leader of the world’s response to that tragedy, rallying governments around the world to that cause and leading in contributions to the affected areas. U.S. Forces were on the ground within one or two days and two former Presidents were tapped to lead the efforts in raising money and awareness of needs around the world. Yet, I read today in several media reports that nations from around the world have responded to our needs and our current tragedy with offers of man power, equipment, medical aid, search and rescue support, support vessels, money, and even oil reserves to help speed our recovery, but the United States to date has accepted no offers and Secretary of State Rice has publicly stated that the government has yet to determine our needs in relation to our current level of supplies through the Department of Homeland Security. Even our closest neighbors, Canada and Mexico, are left standing by as we proudly attempt to handle our problems from within our borders.

Sir, I am a proud man who does not like to admit when I need the help of those around me. I also consider myself giving to those in need and I am willing to help anyone who can benefit from my assistance. I believe in flying to the relief of a brother or sister in need, be it a neighbor, a Tennessean, an American, or a citizen of the world. I fear the United States is suffering from the same pride I have exhibited in my own life from time to time. The nations of the world are standing by to help us, yet we are proudly responding “No, Thank you” to each request. We as Americans are accustomed to hearing our nation and its President referred to as “the Leader of the Free World”. We often hear speeches about bringing countries together, about building coalitions, and about the peaceful unity of the world’s people. Yet, in this desperate time of need in the United States, we are refusing the aid of the very countries we have repeatedly supported and aided in the past. Many of the nations offering their assistance are the very same world states that the U.S. aided and supported during the tsunami of December 2004. It is time we swallow our pride and allow our allies to come together and help us as we have helped them in the past. What better example can we set for the world than our willingness to welcome them in our time of suffering and loss.

I ask you as an official and representative of the government of the United States to employee all of your powers and influence to speed the relief efforts in the Gulf Coast. Rally all of the resources of our great nation to bring aid to those in need. Reach out to our country’s allies to speed this cause. The security and stability of the Unites States and its people is in the best interest of all the nations in the world. Please allow them to help us. May God bless the United States and bring peace to its people.

Sincerely,

M. Ben Lawson

Please help those in need in any way that you can.
Help Now - http://www.redcross.org

A Few Odds and Ends for Tuesday

2005-08-16T09:37:00.000-04:00

First, allow me to apologize for my prolonged absense, which I personally find inexcusable. I have been somewhat busy and failed to make time to keep my blogging experience moving forward. I promise to do much better in the future.

Second, allow me to take a moment and congratulate my dear friend Rob Huddleston on three very important events. First, he should be congratulated on his excellent coverage of the events in Nashville over the weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed his updates and encourage all to read through his blog at your next opportunity (http://voluntarilyconservative.blogspot.com/). I am going to take full responsibility for his success due to my crack troubleshooting abilities when it came time to set up his web connection at the Holiday Inn. You all can thank me later. Second, I want to congratuate Mr. Huddleston (Your Honor) on his new employment. Many jokes and quips to follow in the near future. Thirdly, and most importantly, Happy Birthday Rob. You are now as old as me, and entitled to all the mysteries and evils of being 29. I'll send you the briefing a little later.

Finally, my family unit has reached yet another milestone this past week as Michael David, my son and newest doubles partner, took three important steps on his journey through life. First, he began his 1st grade year at Holston View Elementary. Second, later that day, Michael lost his first tooth and gained the smile of a true 1st grader. Third, and in his father's eyes possibly most important, he and I walked onto a tennis court and began the fundamental teachings of doubles tennis. Michael has truly taken to the sport and loves the feeling of a well hit forehand. His daddy is so proud.

There will be more to come in the near future I promise, including a really cool Knoxville prostitution story......

The True Joy of Father's Day...

2005-06-20T16:58:00.000-04:00

Over the last few years, I believe that I have matured significantly. Gone are the days when I looked to the next major or minor holiday, longing for the materialistic riches that came with such a day. Generally, I am pretty laid back about such things in my old age. Yet, as a father, I now qualify for that traditional day in June when tie sales go through the roof and the Craftsman section of Sears becomes crowded with giddy children and confused mothers. And my son, along with his grandmother, made a pilgrimage to that world of all things tools in search of a present for dad.

For anyone who knows me, one of my greatest weaknesses is my love of tools; more specifically, my love of Craftsman tools. I don't know if it is the bold red and black colors that just exude manliness, or if I simply cannot stand the thought of not having the right tool at the right time. Either way, I never turn down an opportunity to bag a toy from the Craftsman section of my local Sears. My mother and my son know this all too well, so when I finally settled down to open my present from my son, I discovered a very cool flashlight and an even cooler shop clock emblazoned with that logo that I know and love so dearly. Yet, during that moment of pure tool bliss, I realized that I wasn't really happy because of the new toys in my lap. My true joy came from watching my son.

I discovered that the true joy of Father's day is a joy only a father can appreciate. It is the joy and happiness that pours from a son when he gives a gift to his father. It is the brightness in his eyes as he shows you all the parts of the card he made for you. It is the anticipation in his face as he watches you open the gift he so carefully picked out. Father's day is not about getting gifts or special dinners or watching golf uninterrupted from a cozy recliner. Father's day is a time to step back and enjoy your children, to bask in their love, and realize all the joy they represent in your life. As I sit here in my office and look up at the clock I opened on Father's day, I don't see that logo I once cherished so much. I see the face of my son as he watched me open it and the hug he gave me as he said, "Happy Father's Day...I love you."

My return from the mini-vacation...

2005-06-16T09:12:00.000-04:00

First of all, allow me to apologize for my absence over the past several days, but I have been enjoying a long overdue and much needed four day weekend. Over the weekend, which included Monday and Tuesday, I celebrated my 29th birthday and enjoyed a ton of great quality time with my son. We spent time with the rest of our family, went to see "Madagascar" (review to follow soon), had a fantastic birthday dinner with Nana and Sissy and Jeremy, went book hunting at Mr. Kay's, and, on Tuesday, snuck off to the links for a relaxing round of golf. The events of Tuesday are my focus this morning.

One of my greatest joys over the past six years is watching my son grow and develop and mark those timeless milestones in his life. From his first tee-ball game to his first day of school, this last year has been filled with many tremendously memorable events. Tuesday morning ranks very high on that list for this proud father. At 10:30 am, on Tuesday, June 14th, 2005 at Warriors Path Golf Course, Michael David walked into his first clubhouse and signed in for his first round of golf.

This being his first adventure around the golf course Michael decided he preferred to watch versus trying to play, so with his camera in hand, he and I picked up our golf cart, loaded my clubs (with a reserve putter in case Michael changed his mind), and headed to the first tee. Michael was bursting with excitement as he took picture after picture of his new green surroundings.

He even managed to seek a pic of his dad teeing off on hole #1. We rode from hole to hole, Michael asking questions and watching and listening and even holding the flag from green to green. We both were beginning to tire as we made the turn at number 9, so I parked the cart and we headed into the 19th Green for some hot dogs and chips before starting the back nine. Refueled and refreshed by our Gatorade, we quickly finished our round. By the end of the day, Michael was giving his own golf advice, suggesting that I should try to hit the ball closer to the flag, and even cheering on the rare occasion I did.

As we packed up the car and headed back to the house, I asked my son what he liked best about golf. He proclaimed that he loved everything about the day, but especially riding in the cart with his dad. Never has a prouder and happier father smiled back at his son.

What it takes to be President...

2005-06-10T16:03:00.000-04:00

While driving between appointments today, I was listening to "Imus in the Morning", humored by Don Imus and his mind numbing simplicity while waiting for my morning dose of actual news and current events coverage. At some point during the show, Don welcomed former Boston Globe columnist Mike Barnicle, a man known for his liberal tendencies and his devotion to, if not support by, the common working American. Barnicle and Imus eventually stumbled onto the topic of John Kerry's transcript and his 76 grade average from Yale. Barnicle mused that if Kerry had only revealed his transcript during the election, his C average would have bought him enough votes to take the White House. It was at this point that my blood pressure took over and forced me to change the station.

I know that everyone likes to boil down the election of 2004 as the Elite versus the Common Man or Smart versus Stupid. That kind of logic is both simplistic and naive. This was an election about war and fear and leadership, and Americans elected the man they felt was most qualified to keep this country safe and defeat the evils that are encroaching on our doorstep. Yet, I am still drawn back to the idea of mediocrity being the key to votes in our country.

I, like every other parent in the world, have faced the question "why do I have to go to school?", and like every other parent I have answered with "because school is important....you need to study and do well to make it in this world...., etc." What sometimes follows this statement is something along the lines of "....work hard, get good grades, and maybe you can be President someday." Now, that being said, what does it tell today's youth if we make that statement and then follow it by voting for the man or woman who is most mediocre, most common place, most average, like most of us.

I am not naive. I know that leadership is much more than simply good grades, or the use of big words, or the best image. But is it too much to want our leader, in fact, the most powerful person the world, to be a little more than average. Do we not want that person to be the most of a strong student....zthe person who paid attention in history and civics....the person who (forgive the brashness) made more A's than D's?

The story of Kerry's grades and the fact that the President did slightly better at Yale than his opponent leads us to several disturbing points. One, we entered into an election that gave us two candidates, neither of which earned their way into an Ivy League school and neither of which reaped its benefits. Granted, they networked and made friends and were hockey player and cheerleaders, but they missed the world class professors, the wealth of knowledge shoved before them, and the hard work that comes with the honing of said knowledge.

Second, we were misled by a candidate and his machine, which convinced the world that he was brilliant and his competitor wasn't. The Kerry campaign was an image juggernaut, churning out the idea that John Kerry was an intellectual on par with the brightest of his generation. So much for the desire for substance.

Third, we were given the President, a man who embraced and leveraged his image as the college goof ball. He slid through the educational process and he was proud. He was average, one of te people, the epitome of the common man. President Bush, at a commencement speech in 2001, addressed a group of Ivy Leaguers and stated (I am paraphrasing, but basically accurate) "....to the honor graduates with your gold tassels, I applaud your efforts. To the C graduates, I stand before you as the promise, some day you too can become president." Yes, his statement was greeted with chuckles and funloving laughter, but it was also honored with genuine applause. The latter reaction is what truly disturbs me.

I know that the presidency is a team, that the president is a leader of men and women pulled together to give him the best possible advice. I know that no one person can be a master at every discipline nor can that same one person be expected to fully grasp and navigate every difficult situation alone. But is it too much to ask for our leaders to be more rounded, to have achieved in school before they achieved in the political arena. I personally want a leader who cannot only build a team of intellectuals to guide him or her, I want that leader to be able to jump in and join them. I want a leader who can do the math in his or her head. I want a leader who knows his or her way around a library as well as a keg party. I don't think that is too much to ask.

In reality, no one honestly believes that President Bush or Senator Kerry went to Yale on their own merits, nor were they there to hone their trivia skills. They entered that school as a product of money and family history, with the intention of adding to a resume that would lead to greatness later on in life. Our system failed us, but only if you believe the cream should rise to the top. The political machine has a way of determining what it wants to show up on top most of the time. The election of 2004 produced a winner, but I don't believe either side really won.

The calm before the 30th year...

2005-06-09T16:37:00.000-04:00

I believe it fair to say that each of us recognizes certain birthdays as milestones in the journey that is our life. These milestones vary a little bit from person to person, and from male to female. As a male, I must bow to that particular perspective.

Growing up, I remember my 13th birthday, the day when I woke up and faced the world no longer as a child, but instead as a teenager. Realistically, this was a pretty silly moment, akin to those ego-driven periods with your parents when you demanded to be introduced by your half age ".....I'm 5 1/2 Dad, not 5...sheesh."

Next came my 16th year which was marked more by the angst of my mother than by any actual change in my persona. I am of course referring to my first vehicle, my cherished 1976 Datsun pick-up truck, affectionately known as the "Little Hustler". Freedom was the name of the game and I had just declared myself Grand Master. Little did I know that my mom had the ability to rewrite the rules of said game through the siphoning of gas money.

The next couple of milestones are the most obvious. My 18th birthday brought about my declaration of adulthood, and my 21st birthday brought about my declaration of debauchery. Granted, I did not drink to any great extent and I certainly didn't devolve into a mindless drunken slob, but, darn it, I was legally afforded that opportunity and I was proud.

Then of course there is my 25th birthday. This was a particularly anti-climatic event in which great anticipation was squashed by the reality that nothing really happens. As most guys know who pay their own car insurance, one's 25th birthday is supposed to be that magical moment in which the chains of oppression are lifted and the auto insurance industry finally recognizes that you can safety drive a car. In all reality, I believe the annual reduction of $5.18 I received was just enough for me to buy those socks I needed to keep my presumed lead foot warm in those cold Tennessee nights.

After year 25, milestones begin to appear in 10 year increments. 30, then 40, then 50, and so on. This brings me to the point of today's idle rant. On Monday, I will celebrate my 29th birthday. How should one react while dwelling in the abyss that is the deadzone between milestones? Should I celebrate the fact that I am not quite 30? Sure I cower under my bed fearing for the 365th day to come? Should I simply ignore it like I did numbers 26, 27, and 28? I am undecided at this point.

So far my instincts tell me to enjoy the fact that I am still in my 20's....enjoy the fact that I have made it this far without major catastrophe....enjoy the fact that I and my family are healthy....and above all, enjoy the fact that dinner will be comped. All in all, it has been a good 29 years. I don't seem to dread year 29 plus day one. Then again, I haven't had dinner yet.

The first of many rants...

2005-06-09T04:04:00.000-04:00

First of all, for anyone reading this blog, your anger toward its content or your praise of its witty genius should be focused on Rob H., my friend of many years, a blogger of some renown, and the reason for my registration. Rob, I am indebted.

Secondly, let me begin by stating that I fully intend to cover volumes of information in this blog, none of which will I guarantee anyone will find relevant or interesting. It will, however, be from my perspective and influenced by my life and thoughts and whatever creative muse that overwhelms me at any moment.

I am writing tonight simply because I am awake. At 1 AM, I am awake simply because I am employed. My company has a problem at one of its many sites, people need answers, and those same people have my phone number. Strange how that always seems to work out don't you think. There is a uniquely fulfilling joy to being able to assist in these moments, yet I am unsure why it exists. I am convinced that much of the human psyche is driven by this subtle desire to be needed and, therefore, to a degree, irreplaceable. Then again, I may just simply be sleep deprived.

I hope all who stumble upon these writings enjoy.