“We are going to win because they love life and we love death.”

Here is a quote from an LA Times artical, Jonathan Chait: Who Says War Has to Be Proportional?, that talks about the current strategy against Israel from Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, the current leader of Hezbolla.

But the brutal fact is that civilian deaths are Hezbollah’s strongest weapon. As Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, once said: “We have discovered how to hit the Jews where they are the most vulnerable. The Jews love life, so that is what we shall take away from them. We are going to win because they love life and we love death.”

Here are some other choice quotes from the artical, which really needs no personal commentary from me. Except to say that I think Mr. Chait is, unfortunately, right.

First of all, Israel is responding not just to those recent killings but to a long string of attacks since it withdrew from Lebanon in 2000. The kidnapping was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Second, as the Israeli government rightly points out, no country operates on the principle of responding to aggression with no more force than was originally used against it. During World War II, Germany sunk a lot of American ships and declared war on us, and in return we flattened its cities, killed or captured hundreds of thousands of its solders and occupied its land. That was hardly a proportionate response.

…

Thus Hezbollah places its rockets and other potential targets in homes, knowing that Israel cannot hit back without creating collateral damage. This does not relieve Israel of the burden of minimizing civilian casualties as best it can. The point is that if Israel has to operate under a code of ethics that renders civilian deaths unacceptable, then it automatically loses. The ramifications would be dire and ultimately aid the cause of Islamic radicals in such a way as to bring about many more innocent deaths over the long run.

The real question, then, is not whether Israel’s counteroffensive is disproportionate but whether it’s working.

Eventhough it’s a short artical I’m not going to post the whole thing here. Click on the link above to read it.

Too hot to handle!

I want to share with everyone this picture of the sunset I took while looking out my window last night…

The official temperature for yesterday was a sweltering 111 deg (f). Holy smokes! I didn’t get any sleep last night either with it being between 85-90 deg in my house, all night!

Christi and I spent the weekend frying. We helped her parents with their move Friday after work, it was 103 deg. Then we went to Sonoma for her friend’s wedding (Peter & Abi). Which was all out doors. Thankfully only the ceremony was in the sun, the reception was under a canopy of the trees. But it was still 106 deg there!

Then we got back home Sunday morning to tend to our dogs and then went off to help Christi’s parents again with some more moving/packing.

Did I mention it was 111 deg yesterday!?

When will this heat wave end???

I think the sun is going to collide with the earth!

Confusing quote… for the pretentious or self motivated learners?

I have this nifty little content widget on my Google home page that shows me a new quote each day. Most of the time they are pretty lame and I just ignore them but every once in a while I read an interesting one. The one I saw today seemed somewhat clever at first but then I realized it may have two completely unrelated meanings. The author of the quote is Marquis de Vauvenargues, whom I have no idea who he is so I don’t know the context of the quote.

The things we know best are the things we haven’t been taught.

At first I thought it meant that the things we learn on our own accord are the things we end up being experts at. I soon realized a second meaning could be that people often claim to be experts on things they know nothing about, hence the things we haven’t been taught.

What do you think?

IT jobs in 2010

Unfortunately IT jobs aren’t expected to be along the lines of a Space Odyssey in 2010, but they will be different than they currently are today in America. According to an artical in Computer World my field of study, MIS, will be in more demand four years from now in that the new IT jobs that will be growing through then must include business skills, not just tech skills.

On page three of the artical it mentions that Systems Analysts and Systems Designers will be in demand while Programmers won’t. Sorry guys. It looks like more offshoring will continue.

Quotes from Marcus Tullius Cicero

Here are some quotes for you to think about.

I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know.

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.

If you pursue good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains; if you pursue evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains.
In a republic this rule ought to be observed: that the majority should not have the predominant power.

Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly. Nothing is so praiseworthy, nothing so clearly shows a great and noble soul, as clemency and readiness to forgive.

The First Bond of Society is Marriage.

Everyone has the obligation to ponder well his own specific traits of character. He must also regulate them adequately and not wonder whether someone else’s traits might suit him better. The more definitely his own a man’s character is, the better it fits him.
The name of peace is sweet, and the thing itself is beneficial, but there is a great difference between peace and servitude. Peace is freedom in tranquillity, servitude is the worst of all evils, to be resisted not only by war, but even by death.

-Cicero

Roman author, orator, & politician (106 BC – 43 BC)

Check out some of the variety in our world!

This was a site for a photo competition of underwater wonders. There are some awesome things in this world.

George Bush with a crying baby

All political rethoric aside, this picture is simply funny in an all too human way. I grabed this picture from this artical.

In loving memory

The other day my Great Uncle Joaquin Farinha passed away due to a stroke.

Simply put, things will not be the same with out him. He was always a laugh a minute, he knew more jokes than every one I know… combined! One of the things I will miss is watching the superbowl at his house with the family and enjoying his stories; even if they were getting some what repetitive over the last few years!

God bless you Uncle Joaquin, and keep an eye out for me when its time to join you.

Here is his obituary from the Sacramento Bee.

Joaquin Farinha

11/8/1927 – 7/2/2006

A man who was loved for his laughter, positive outlook on life and unending kindness. His three children, Katrina, Joaquin II (wife Marcia), Melissa and grandchildren, Alex and Madison, who gave him immeasurable joy, survive him. Joaquin also leaves behind his cherished siblings, Frank Farinha, Mary Carvalho, Rosie Faria, John Farinha, Connie Musson; and many wonderful nieces and nephews. Dad peacefully left this world surrounded by his family as he went to join his mother Mary and father Frank. He always had a smile, a joke to tell, and pearls of wisdom to share, If you can’t laugh at your problems, then you’ve got a problem. Joaquin contributed his time and efforts to many organizations throughout his life including the Lincoln Lions Club, Director of Placer County Water Agency, nine-time President of the Portuguese Holy Ghost Celebration, two-time Charter Member of the Knights of Columbus, Director of Lincoln Riders Club, President of the California Dairymen All Jersey Program and the only Portagee member of the Swiss Club. Dad’s mirth and positiveness influenced and affected hundreds of people throughout his life, making him a most loved and respected individual. He would not pass judgment and could easily forgive, as his heart was so big. Dad embraced life and spent the mornings on the deck of his house with a cup of coffee, watching his hummingbirds, and would always say, I’ve had a good life. To us he was a lion among men. A Rosary will be held at 6:00pm on Friday July 7, 2006 with Mass on Saturday July 8, 2006 at 10:00am at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 4450 Granite Drive, Rocklin, CA 95677.

Published in the Sacramento Bee from 7/6/2006 – 7/7/2006.

South Park and Scientology… The Missing Episode.

I’m not generally one to watch South Park on a regular basis, but I have heard about the recent controversy with South Park and Scientology. There is a particular episode that was pulled from being rebroadcasted, supposedly at Tom Cruise’s request.

Anyway, here is a link to the episode if you want to watch it. The funniest part is the summary of what Scientologists believe with the subtitle This is what Scientology actually believes.

Introducing my fiancee, Christi!

Christi and I had our 3rd anniversary on June 22nd 2006 and we decided to go to Disneyland to celebrate the occasion. Little did she know that I had a surprise for her!

We have been talking about marriage on and off about it for a while now but I always kept it open ended since I wanted it to be a surprise for when I would ask her. I’ve known for quite a while now that I would ask her but since I like to do some things with a little flare I decided to wait for an opportune moment. I figured that our 3rd anniversary combined with a vacation to her favorite place AND staying in a Disneyland hotel, Paradise Pier, was the perfect place and time to make my move.

I purchased the ring at the Shane Co and thought out my plan for the perfect moment to ‘pop the question.’ When I purchased the ring I wanted to pick a nice one and figured I could buy a diamond later (since they cost so frickin’ much), so I had them put in an purple sapphire with an oval shape, to match the two mini oval side diamonds. I picked up the ring and went out to my parents house in Wheatland on Father’s Day and broke the news to my parents, they were obviously happy… Now I was only hoping that my plan would go with out a hitch…

Christi and I then packed up for our trip and drove down to Anaheim Wednesday the 21st. This trip didn’t feel as long as our last drive down, probably because Christi drove most of the way there Once we arrived we unpacked and strolled around Downtown Disney for a while before calling it a night.

Then THE DAY came.

Before we left the hotel room Christi surprised me with an anniversary card! I was so caught up in my mission I had forgotten to get her anything beside the you-know-what! Thankfully I was able to get out of that situation with out Christi suspecting anything.

According to the lady at the front desk the quickest way into the park from the Paradise Pier hotel was to go on the monorail, so that’s where we went. However, after waiting and waiting the monorail didn’t show up and they announced that it would be delayed! Great! There goes part of my plan. So we walk through Downtown Disney and through the front gates of the park. Once we got in, the nervousness got to me, and the coffee too. We headed off to the bathroom.

Once we were finished there Christi was insistent that we go on space mountain before the line is five miles long, so we went on space mountain. Let me tell you, I think they could have done a lot more to that ride during the 5 year period they had it closed down, it was virtually the same as I remember it. The only thing that seemed new to me was that there were more stars as you rode around on the roller coaster.

I told Christi that I wanted to check out the castle, as we were walking from space mountain towards the castle Christi spotted the new Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters ride and wanted to go on it since the line was short. I obliged since I didn’t want to make anything seem out of the ordinary. This ride was actually pretty fun, you ride around in a Buzz Lightyear spaceship that you can control with a joystick and go around shooting at things as if in a video game. Eventually we ended up going on this ride twice… Christi kicked my ass both times… I have no idea how she did it either! she didn’t even look in the same direction as she would shoot her gun! Oh well, time for the big moment.

So we get to the castle, I’m sure you figured out by now what my plan was, I was hoping to get there early so there would be no one in the background as I proposed to my beautiful, wonderful, girl friend. I told the camera man my plan, we talked it over to make sure we were on the same page of what was going on and I gave him my camera, he congratulated me.

Showtime!

I walked over to Christi, who had no clue what was about to happen, pulled out a little gray fuzzy box, dropped to one knee, opened the box, and asked “Christi, will you marry me?”

Her blue eyes lit up as she said “Really? … Yeah!”

I’m one lucky guy!