Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in The Jonkey's LiveJournal:

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Saturday, June 6th, 2009
3:06 pm	Thanks and an Update First of all, I want to thank all my friends who have shown their support and love for my family over the last week. I was overwhelmed with the responses I got online from concerned friends of mine. I truly appreciate your prayers and concern. My mother had surgery on her 59th birthday (Thursday). They replaced the "ball" portion of her right shoulder joint and part of one of her upper arm bones with titanium and then re-inserted it into her original "socket" portion (I would love to use real medical terms, but I honestly don't want to bother to look them up). She spent 2 nights int he hospital recovering, and is now back home. I spoke to her on the phone, and she has high spirits and seems to be really happy to be back in her own house. All in all, she seems to be MUCH better. My father has spoken to a specialist, and he has a TB test and a lung biopsy next week. The specialist actually thinks it is an infection that has been exacerbated by asthma, but he ordered the tests to be sure. The medicine that the specialist gave him has been greatly improving his breathing, and he's actually getting real sleep at night again. All told, I couldn't be happier about how this has come out. I did however get news that my grandmother fell and broke her pelvis, and is now in the hospital. So, I'm guessing that my family's time was just up. :) She, too, is doing well and recovering, so all told I'll welcome any further prayers for the time being. Thank you all again. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
10:49 pm	So, my dad has been having some severe problems breathing for the last month or so, and finally decided to head to the doctor last week. They found blood in his lungs, and he was scheduled to see a specialist today. Tonight, I get a call from the sis. Mom fell while vacuuming, broke her right arm and seriously dislocated it (she apparently locked it at full extension and fell with her whole weight on it). They can't operate tonight to do anything, and my mother is allergic to every pain killer imaginable, so she's in horrific pain in the hospital alternating between trying to deal with the pain or taking painkillers and vomiting. So, they'll operate tomorrow, on my mother's 59th birthday. Sounds like they might have to actually rebuild her shoulder. And dad got to go to his appointment, and they think it might not be as bad as we first thought. Might just be a mild infection. Listen guys, I don't ask for this often, but can you pray for my family tonight? I'm 10 hours away and I feel so powerless to do anything to help them, so I'm going to be doing some praying of my own. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, May 8th, 2009
9:41 am	Five Perfect Albums Just yesterday I pulled out Operation: Mindcrime after probably a year of not hearing it, and it sucked me in within the first 2 minutes and blew my socks off for the umpteenth time. It occurred to me that there are a very rare but wonderful set of perfect albums out there. Albums that are so good you listen to every single track on them even after your musical tastes change, even after you've moved on. So I thought about it and went through my collection and realized that I can name five of them. What really struck me is how many albums didn't make the cut. Rust in Peace by Megadeth is an absolute monster of an album, better than anything Metallica ever did, and yet Tornado of Souls is such a letdown of a song I can't include it on this list. Iron Maiden made TWO great albums, in Number of the Beast and Powerslave, but both have songs that make me hit skip (in case you were wondering, Gangland, and Flash of the Blade, respectively). The Cure's 1991 album, Wish, is damn-near perfect, a completely depressing album in every way, except the band recorded Friday I'm in Love and shoehorned it into the middle of this masterpiece where its tone doesn't fit (also, I'd like to state for the record that Friday I'm in Love and Mint Car are tied for worst songs ever made by the Cure). Perhaps even more worrysome is Deja Entendu by Brand New. I love everything about the album, I like all the songs, but it's only been in my possession for about 4 years now, and who knows if it will stand the test of time. But, there are five shining examples of perfection out there. Five albums with no tracks that are letdowns, five albums that are simply.....perfect. The Clash, London Calling (1980) If you ever liked punk music...no, stop. If you ever liked MUSIC, then you need to own London Calling. This album is, quite frankly, a shout-out to the entire world that punk music doesn't have to be shitty 2-finger chords played in rapid succession by some asshole wearing a dress. The Clash turned punk into an art, and this album is simply full of awesome. U2, The Joshua Tree (1987) Remember when U2 weren't a bunch of douchebags? I do. I weep for today's young people, who have had to put up with 20 years of U2 being complete and utter shit. Well, before they became terrible, U2 managed to put out a perfect album. Keep in mind that this album has 2 of the 3 best U2 songs ever (With or Without You is #1, Sunday Bloody Sunday, #2, is on War, the album previous, and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, #3, is right here). Go buy it and harken back to a time when U2 was greatness. Queensryche, Operation: Mindcrime (1988) This just might be the best concept album of all time. Consider, if you will, that Queensryche has spent the entire duration of their career trying to live up to this album and failing miserably. Speak, The Mission, and Eyes of a Stranger ought to be required listening for anyone who ever wanted to be a heavy metal vocalist. Soul Coughing, Ruby Vroom (1994) This album will absolutely blow your mind. Every time I listen to Mike Doughty rip through beat poetic lyrics while his band hammers away in the background, I wonder if I've gone crazy, or if music can just be this good even with all the weirdness. There are no bad songs on this album, and it's Soul Coughing's debut. The next two albums, while thoroughly entertaining, never even came close. Rage Against the Machine, Evil Empire (1996) Ok, I'm just gonna say it. If you don't like Rage Against the Machine, then you don't like rock music. Period. If you played Bulls On Parade in an old folks home, 80-yr old men would jump up out of their chairs and start a mosh pit. Rage Against the Machine is, simply put, the best band of the 1990s. And this album is their shining perfect jewel. The really scary part is that their self-titled first album almost made this list as well, were it not for the grating turdbucket of a song that is Township Rebellion. There you have it folks....perfection, in 5 easy pieces. (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
12:56 pm	LAUNCHcast is now powered by CBS Radio. At this time we are unable to offer customized radio stations. There will no longer be an option to listen to LAUNCHcast ad free. Fuck you, you fucker fuck fucks! Fuck you in your puckered browneye! (Comment on this)
Wednesday, January 7th, 2009
2:33 pm	Today was a good day... So, school doesn't start until Monday. They messed up my student loans, so I have $20 to my name. However, I am back home from the holidays, I'm having a relaxing afternoon getting caught up on research projects, and I sleep until 9:30 in the morning every day. I hear a lot of people bitching about their lives, and I do too much of it myself. If I can't enjoy getting paid a living wage to go to school and sleep late in the morning, then I can't enjoy anything. So here you go world: Life is pretty fucking awesome right now. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008
9:56 am	Thank God it's finally over. Good luck to President Obama, but if I see another political ad anytime in the next year I will track down and skin the people responsible. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
3:06 pm	When, Lord? When's Gonna Be My Time?!? Sorry about the subject, but it made me grin, and I like grinning. Lately, I've been arguing with people about taxation policy, and I'm having trouble understanding why the Democrats aren't pushing a flat tax. Consider, if you will: - A flat tax of 17% with no exemptions, applied to every dollar made over a certain beginning individual income of $30,000, would increase the tax dollars taken in by the US Government over today's system. - Said flat tax would DECREASE the taxes paid by the vast majority of Americans, and in fact would only increase taxes for those who are currently abusing tax loopholes. - Said tax would keep the truly poor in America (those making less than $30,000 per year, individually) from paying ANY TAXES AT ALL. What's more, it would be better for Joe the Plumber and anyone who is currently rich and honest about their taxation. Taxes could be figured each year on a single form, and the governmental red tape would be cut by billions. Why isn't Obama proposing this? I mean, I can see the Republicans being swayed by big business, which likes taxes the way they are, but if you're talking about changing our taxes ANYWAY, what possible reason can there be to want something other than this plan? (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008
10:12 am	I really wish this was required before people could enter voting booths... You Should Be Allowed to Vote You got 15/15 questions correct. Generally speaking, you're very well informed. If you vote this election, you'll know exactly who (and what) you'll be voting for. You're likely to have strong opinions, and you have the facts to back them up. Should You Be Allowed to Vote? (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
10:09 am	News from fascistland... Health Insurance is not a right. I'm gonna say that again, because it's important: Health Insurance is not a right. You want health insurance? Get a job that has it. There are literally millions of them out there. If you're working at McDonald's, and you aren't in High School, then you are in the wrong job and need to move forward with your life. If you are too dumb, too lazy, or too impaired (mentally or physically) to get a job that has health insurance, then you don't DESERVE health insurance. While we're on this, since I've moved to Michigan all I hear are ads about how Washington has shipped our jobs overseas. NEWS FLASH: If you work a job that requires only a HS diploma to acquire, you DESERVE to lose your job to some dude in Mexico. Either increase your education, find a better job, or lower your salary expectations. ---------------------------------- Here's the way the world works, folks. You live in America, which is a first world country. That means we are expected to be more highly educated and trained than other countries. The global economy means that jobs for lesser educated people end up wherever those jobs can be completed most cheaply. As a citizen of this country, you are EXPECTED to gain training above and beyond that offered in these other countries so that you can market yourself for a higher-level job. If you choose not to do so, then expect to be treated as a second-class citizen. That's how it works. Now, I know this is harsh, but I'm tired of seeing fucking line employees from GM on the news bitching that their $15/hr job that required literally NO training might go to Mexico where someone will gladly perform it for $2/hr. You never see welders on these commercials. Do you know why? Because welding requires special training, and those who took the opportunity to get that training are easily employable here in America. If you just lost your job to a 3rd world country, then you are underemployed and need to get to a Vo Tech. If your job doesn't come with health insurance, then you are underemployed and need to find a job that does. This is not difficult, people. (22 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008
2:58 pm	A note for everyone... If you consider joining a PhD program, remember that you will be spending the better part of 80 hours a week either reading or writing. Note that the things you will be reading or writing will not be things you CHOOSE to read or write, but instead something someone else finds interesting. Stock up on caffeine. Seriously. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, May 16th, 2008
10:08 am	Contractually obligated Leave a comment and I will a) tell you why I friended you, b) associate you with something - fandom, a song, a color, a photo, etc., c) tell you something I like about you, d) tell you a memory I have of you, e) ask something I've always wanted to know about you, f) tell you my favorite user pic of yours, g) in return, you must post this in your LJ. (12 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, April 25th, 2008
2:53 pm	Decision Made I will be beginning my PhD at the Eli Broad School of Management at Michigan State University in August. hmm...yup...that's about it. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, April 4th, 2008
3:23 pm	Out of the frying pan and into the fire... So, I went to visit the University of Nebraska this week, and they were very cool to deal with. My last meeting of the day, they offered me a PhD position in their department. I told them to give me 2 weeks to think about it and ponder my options. This was my first and only offer thus far, and it was really good to get it, but I wanted to take some time and think about it and compare to Michigan State, if they are still interested. This morning, Michigan State called and made on offer. I'm absolutely floored. I have two programs who are excited to have me, and now I have to decide between them somehow. It's going to be a weird couple of weeks. (12 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, February 25th, 2008
1:28 am	1 - 1 out of 5 So, University of Michigan said "No thankee". University of Oklahoma interviewed me on the phone, and I'm going down there to meet with them next week. I'm counting it as a minor victory for the time being. That makes it 1 for and 1 against for the week. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, January 7th, 2008
4:45 pm	Political survey If this survey is true (and it didn't cover huge swaths of territory about governmental powers), why is it that I like Huckabee so much and think Guiliani is a slimeball? 74% Rudy Giuliani 69% John McCain 67% Mitt Romney 66% Mike Huckabee 58% Ron Paul 57% Tom Tancredo 57% Fred Thompson 54% Chris Dodd 53% Bill Richardson 51% Hillary Clinton 48% Barack Obama 44% John Edwards 38% Joe Biden 38% Dennis Kucinich 38% Mike Gravel 2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 12th, 2007
8:44 pm	So, to recap... Sleeping at the store tonight....check. Going to get a B in Finance because of the storm and lack of power....check. Power at the house is likely out for 7-10 more days (on top of the 2 days already)....check. Fell down the stairs to my apartment thanks to the ice and the bedding I was lugging to the store....check. Would gladly and with free will murder any human who fucked with me in the next 4 hours....check. Damn. If it weren't for that last one, I'd go get drunk. Instead, I get to re-write my final so that at least some of the students in my class don't get to live my fate from my Finance exam. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, November 8th, 2007
11:15 am	Question #4 if for one year, you had to live in a different country as a member of their lowest socioeconomic group...where would you choose to live and why? Note: the stipulation was made to make the answer interesting, because "Canada" would be a boring answer. I like this question, because it allows me a chance to soapbox for a second, but I'll get to that later. I'd have to say that I have two answers. From a comfort standpoint, I'd have to pick Sweden or Norway, where the "lowest socioeconomic group" is treated arguably better than they are here in the US. Their socialization programs and welfare that is way above the norm would make it possible to live in comfort there with no employment whatsoever (namely because they don't require any). My second answer would be chosen for interest and contrast. I'd have to say someplace like the United Arab Emirates. In this case, the lowest socioeconomic group is the huge numbers of expatriate workers from Pakistan, India, etc. that do all of the labor there. They live in absolute squalor, but they make far more in that country than they would in their home countries. Their families back home, therefore, live in more comfort because they are willing to put themselves in near-slavery conditions. I chose these countries to construct a point about welfare in America (wait a sec while I get out my soapbox...). The truth is that America is probably one of the top 5% of countries in the world to live in if you are poor and unemployed. We have numerous programs that specialize in keeping you on your feet. However, most of those efforts require an attept at employment. There's a reason for this, and that reason is Sweden. I can say with confidence that if I lived in Sweden, I'd never work a day in my life. When I worked as a contractor there and talked to the technicians, they painted a picture for me. They made good money, the equivalent of US$60,000 per year. And they paid 50% taxes, meaning their take home was US$30,000. If they had no job, got drunk every day, and never searched for work, they'd be given by the government the equivalent of US$20,000 per year, tax free. And there was absolutely no requirement to ever search for work. What's more, their health care is completely socialized, so they never had to pay a dime for it. Now, let's consider what it's like in UAE. You get injured on the job, they put you on a plane home and if you're lucky you get a small severance check. You are barely a human being, because your existence is to be paid money to do the jobs nobody else wants. There is no safety net for you or your family. Your only recourse is to work very hard and scrape together whatever money you can in order to improve your lot. America needs a welfare program that exists somewhere between these extremes, yet everyone involved in the debate is so partisan that they refuse to stop until we have Sweden or UAE. Yet, somehow, between these two positions, we manage a system that has numerous success stories. When people complain about our welfare system, they invaribly are arguing for one side or another, when in trouth our current system is superior to both. (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, November 5th, 2007
5:03 pm	Any more? Well, I only got three questions from the last time, so I waited a week and posted responses. Should you feel a need to ask another question, or should you want to ask your first, please do so in this thread. I am screening comments as before. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
4:55 pm	Question #3 Women in ministry: why or why not? This is actually one area where the church I attend and I disagree. I personally have no problem with women in the ministry. I think there are many occasions in which having a woman pastor would help people become closer to God, and there seems very little reason for us to keep those people away from God by limiting our ministry. I haven't discussed this particular point with my pastor in many years, so a lot of it is fuzzy. The LCMS allows women to be Deaconesses, but not pastors, and they base it on some of Paul's writings, I think. I know that they had some scriptural reasons for why women should not lead the congregation, and they were related to the reasons why men should lead the household, which I'm pretty sure comes from Paul's letters. Personally, I figure they can disallow what they like, but since I can't find a sect that believes what I believe perfectly, I'm sticking with the one that matches the best that I can find. I do think, as I get older, that there are many subtle but important differences between men and women that get overlooked in the name of political correctness. This annoys me because the differences are the types of things (reasoning vs feeling, emotional response vs problem-solving response, comforting vs challenging) that any good church should have BOTH of in abundance. You need to cater to the needs of your congregation in the ways that best help them come to God, so long as you don't condone the very behaviors that lead them astray. The LCMS would say that women miniters do exactly that, but I disagree. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
4:52 pm	Question #2 This may be a bit personal, but how do you like your porridge prepared? I apologize in advance if I struck a nerve with that inquiry, but some lurkers may want your advice on this topic. You bastard. How dare you pry into my personal life. Just because my genitals come in contact with porridge on accident at least 5-6 times a week doesn't make me a pervo!! Also, you can never go wrong with cinnamon and raisins. (1 Comment |Comment on this)