2010-12-19

reminiscing on the days

it has been forever since i have even thought about this blog but i will do my best to update yall tomorrow and get back into it

2010-02-07

twisted mass of metal with bodies inside

“severe traffic accident” came over the radio, Officer Hollomon and I sped to the scene. We were the first to respond to the call. A small car, occupied 5X was T-boned by a SUV, occupied 2X. jaws of life. broken glass. contorted vehicles. 1 confirmed death, 6 others severely injured, 1 possible paralyzed, 2 unconscious, and one open bottle of liquor. All could have ended with less peril if 2 things were done. Don’t drive drunk and wear your seatbelt. This man killed his wife and injured 6 others. Now he's in jail because he got behind the wheel drunk. Manslaughter and its all on his chest. Please, think twice and never forget to wear a seatbelt. be safe, please. The site of those people trapped in that mass of smashed metal and the firemen pulling those unconscious women from the twisted vehicle will never leave me. I never want to see any of my friends be the ones being pulled out of a wreck so please, be safe.

2010-01-21

only in tx

cows out between 67 and mansfield. a few of em got hit, a few crashed cars, its causing a traffic jam. just heard it on the radio. hahaha welcome to tx

2010-01-19

Ill never forget

Ill never forget dropping out of highschool to be a Marine.
Ill never forget busting my ass with the Army National Guard to get my GED to be a Marine.
Ill never forget the day I raised my right hand, promising to give America 4 years and a lifetime of everything I got.
Ill never forget that nerve racking bus ride to South Carolina with a bus full of America’s finest.
Ill never forget those first few days of sleep deprivation, thinking, “what the fuck did I volunteer for”.
Ill never forget those weeks and weeks of intense mind fuck and body strain.
Ill never forget that I never cried because of the pain of my injury, but found a tear when I was told Id be leaving my platoon.
Ill never forget when I refused surgery and accepted makeshift repair so that I would be eligible for reenlistment.
Ill never forget the day I was transferred from MRP to RSP.
Ill never forget sweeping the same sidewalk and mopping the same kill strip every single day wondering what I was gonna do when uncle Sam finally sent me back to the real world.
Ill never forget the tear that came down my face as that bus drove us back across the causeway, sending us on our way… Uncle Sam’s rejects.
Ill never forget struggling for a year trying to make a future back in the civilian life.
I will never forget my brothers of Golf Co. Plt. 2018
I will never forget because, though I may have never made it, it changed me.
I will never be the same and I will never forget.
For that I am thankful to the Corps.
I would just do anything to go back to the day I got on Parris Island and start all over again.

2009-09-26

NEW TRUCK



bought a 89 ford ranger with a brand new alternator, transmission, ac, and metallic blue paint. when i turn this thing on it returns the favor

2009-09-12

cigarettes will not ignite gas. heres the science behind why

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekt3qj2VvBw
in order for gasoline to be ignited there must be an open flame or spark with an extremely high temperature. the smoldering tobacco in a cigarette is not sufficent to ignite gasoline as shown in the video above.
the temperature of the burning section of a lit cigarette is as follows
Side of the lit portion: 752 deg F
Middle of the lit portion:1112 deg F)
These temperatures are theoretically high enough to ignite concentrated petrol vapors however in the case of an open lawnmower outside, there is an insufficient vapor to air ratio.
You also have to consider the fact that outdoors there is a breeze and the lawnmower is in motion so the potential flammable vapors have no chance to gather and build up to any concentration even remotely close to the air to fuel mixture necessary for ignition.
Gas is designed for use in an engine which is driven by a spark. The fuel should be premixed with air within its flammable limits and heated above its flash point, then ignited by the spark plug. The fuel should not pre-ignite in the hot engine. Therefore, gasoline is required to have a low flash point and a high auto-ignition temperature.
For gasoline fuel, the stoichiometric air/fuel mixture is approximately 14.7 times the mass of air to fuel. 7% gas, 93% air. This may seem like an easily attainable amount of vapors but in fact it is unrealistic and requires an enclosed environment to achieve this kind of ratio.
In theory a stoichiometric mixture has just enough air to completely burn the available fuel.
In the case of operating a lawn mower outdoors the air ratio greatly outweighs the possibility of residual gasoline vapors.
Thus a cigarette will not light gasoline.
If you throw a lit match in a can of gasoline, the gasoline will put the match out.
If you throw a lit cigarette in a can of gasoline, the gasoline will put the cigarette out.
SO, IN CONCLUSION, SMOKING A CIGARETTE WHILE MOWING THE LAWN HAS MINIMAL RISK OF IGNITION. IN FACT THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE REACHING A TEMPERATURE HIGH ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE POSSIBLE RESIDUAL VAPORS IS MORE LIKELY THAN THE VAPORS BEING IGNITED BY THE OPERATOR'S CIGARETTE.
So you may wonder, if a cigarette cant ignite gasoline then why is it illegal to smoke at the pumps?
The answer to this is quite simple.
The environment at a gas station is specifically designed to vent gas vapors so that they don’t build up to the required fuel to air ratio. Therefore merely smoking a cigarette at a gas station is NOT dangerous.
Then why is it illegal. The answer is because though the burning cigarette may not ignite the vapors, if someone were to light the cigarette at the pump there would be an open flame from the lighter and this is enough to ignite vapors. Not only the flame but the initial spark from the lighter is actually molten metal, in most cases, flint. This spark has a higher temperature than a burning cigarette so that adds to the probability of igniting fumes. While we’re at it, lets look at a circumstance. The gasoline coming out of a pump is under pressure. Pressure creates more fumes when the pressure is released as it exits the spout of the pump. Let’s say it’s a windy day, you bend over behind your car to light your cigarette out of the wind. Now, youre applying the heat right where there is a higher concentration of fumes. The government cannot account for every circumstance so to play it safe they just made it illegal. Don’t smoke at the pump is the easy solution, regardless of the act itself really is dangerous.
So theoretically, if you want to smoke an already lit cigarette at the pump, go for it, but do not light the cigarette while you are at the pump.

and to the smartass who commented about my brief notation from wikipedia. this was written in anger as a response to the ignorance of another person. This is not used for any purpose other than me venting, so yes if i copy and paste one section that describes the technical portion in a way that I dont feel like taking the time to try and word, then yes, its my poetic license to do so.

2009-06-20

Mein Kampf

Mein Kampf, many people see this as racist affiliation with Adolf Hitler. However for me it is the meaning of life. Mein Kampf literally translates to "My Struggle". My life has often been a struggle and right now our nation is facing an utmost struggle. Unemployment is at 9%, not far from the 25% unemployment of the "Great Depression". Everyone in this town is doing something on the side, something under the table, something illegal just to get by. The youth of primarily the minorities of the country are turning to drug usage and dealing, gang affiliation, and criminal activity. Crime is on the rise and our once great country is falling. The citizens of our country elected a president who preached of change. Change? What an interesting concept. What changes have we seen? Our country has fallen to the level of the government owning over half of the stock of large companies thus the government is taking control of companies. Our country is crumbling into socialism in all its entirety. Unemployment, employing fascism, and a rise in crime. Yes, the country is "changing" but this is not the change we were looking for. Immediately after the horrific events of 9/11 the country pulled together and flew our glorious flag. Now, there is nothing but talk of how the government is fucking us over. There is no respect for the authorities and our country is crumbling. We need to stop this before we lose everything that our country stands for. Furthermore I believe that this Messiah of a president may truly be the long awaited Antichrist. I have attached the biblical characteristics of the Antichrist below. Its just food for thought but I urge you to read them with an open mind and think of how many similarities there are.

1. He comes from among ten kings in the restored Roman Empire; his authority will have similarities to the ancient Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks [Daniel 7:24; Rev 13:2 / Daniel 7:7]

Study these cultures and decide for yourself

2. He will subdue three kings [Daniel 7:8, 24]

Won the elections

3. He is different from the other kings [Daniel 7:24]

Racially different from the other presidential candidates

4. He will rise from obscurity… a “little horn” [Daniel 7:8]

He is said to be a beacon for minorities, rising to be a president despite his race

5. He will speak boastfully [Daniel 7:8; Rev 13:5]

He has done this already

6. He will blaspheme God, [Daniel 7:25; 11:36; Rev 13:5] slandering His Name, dwelling place, and departed Christians and Old Testament saints [Rev 13:6]

Yet to come

7. He will oppress the saints and be successful for 3 ½ years [Daniel 7:25; Rev 13:7]

Yet to come

8. He will try to change the calendar, perhaps to define a new era, related to himself [Daniel 7:25]

Yet to come

9. He will try to change the laws, perhaps to gain an advantage for his new kingdom and era [Dan 7:25]

This has been shown countless times under his rein

10. He will not be succeeded by another earthly ruler, but by Christ [Daniel 7:26-27]

Yet to come

11. He will confirm a covenant with “many”, i.e. the Jewish people [Daniel 9:27] This covenant will likely involve the establishment of a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem [see Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15]

Think deep about this one

12. He will put an end to Jewish sacrifice and offerings after 3 ½ years and will set up an abomination to God in the Temple [Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15]

We'll see in 2 and a half years

13. He will not answer to a higher earthly authority; “He will do as he pleases”[Daniel 11:36]

Has happened countless times

14. He will show no regard for the religion of his ancestors [Daniel 11:37]

He does not show any ties to his ancestor's Muslim faith

15. He will not believe in any god at all [except for himself] [Daniel 11:37]

Decide for yourself

16. He will have “no regard for the desire of women”: He will either be asexual or homosexual [Dan 11:37]

Hahaha

17. He will claim to be greater than any god [Daniel 11:37; 2 Thess 2:4]

Come on now, the man is full of himself

18. He will claim to be God [2 Thessalonians 2:4]

Again, he claims to be the source of so much impossible change

19. He will only honor a “god” of the military. His whole focus and attention will be on his military. He will conquer lands and distribute them [Daniel 11:39-44]

His military policies suck but we'll see how it all plays out

20. His arrival on the world scene will be accompanied by miracles, signs and wonders [2 Thess 2:9]

Depending on how you interpret the recent events, think about this one

21. Either he, or his companion [The False Prophet], will claim to be Christ [Matt 24:21-28]

Yet to come

22. He will claim that Jesus did not come in the flesh, or that Jesus did not rise bodily from the grave [2 John 7]. He will deny that Jesus is the Messiah [I John 2:22]

Yet to come

23. He will be worshipped by many people [Rev. 13:8]

COME ON NOW, THIS IS HIM TO A TEE

24. He will hate a nation that initially will have some control over his kingdom, but he will destroy this nation [Rev 17:16-18]

This one requires thought

25. He will appear to survive a fatal injury [Rev. 13:3; 17:8]

I have no doubt that there will be assassination attempts

26. His name will be related to the number six hundred and sixty six—but not necessarily in an obvious fashion [Rev 13:17-18].

Im working on figuring out the affiliation with this one, stand by for what I come up with

27. He will be empowered by the devil himself [Rev. 13:2]

I belive this is true

So in conclusion, I believe Mein Kampf is a very fitting title for this blog entry because our country is in a horrific struggle. I just pray that some day we can bring back patriotism, pride, and make America good again.

2009-06-08

I SAW MY LIFE FLASH BEFORE MY EYES

two nights ago i moved out. i turned 18 on June 3 and decided to move in with a good friend that lives in Rochester, new york. my father is getting out of the MARINE CORPS and moving to Texas, so i decided it was time to move out on my own.
she drove down to Virginia to pick me up and she had me drive back. on the way back an 18 wheeler merged into my lane and hit his brakes. i hit mine so i wouldn't go under him and, because the roads were wet, the car slid. the brakes locked and i lost control of the vehicle. according to my copy of the police report, it occurred 2 miles north of EXIT35 on SR11/15(i assume that us state route 11/15 (i don't remember because i was shaken after the crash)) In that split second i noticed the emergency turnaround and i considered poppin the ebrake so i could lock the rear tires to slow the vehicle or drift into the fast approaching emergency vehicle turnaround. I realized that if i drifted the turn too wide, the approaching guard rail would have crushed the woman in the passenger seat. in stead i attempted to turn the car so that it would impact on my driver side door. i figured a side impact would cause less damage to the vehicle and i wanted to shield her as best i could. but it all went so fast and the guard rail was coming closer. next thing i remember, the impact crushed the car, the guard rail folded over top of the hood, and the vehicle came to a rest an inch from the guard rail coming through the windshield and crushing my face. i backed the car out as best i could and rolled out of traffic into the turnaround in the median.
I engaged the ebrake to keep the car from rolling, checked the passenger for injuries, then  tried to make sure i hadn't sustained any serious injuries.
I got out of the car and immediately called AAA then proceeded to attempt to inspect the vehicle to make sure there was no imminent risk of it igniting and hurting the passenger. There didn't seem to be any further immediate danger so i laid on the side of the car, holding my neck, scared because i knew i would be responsible for fixing the vehicle.
my first night on my own, and i wrecked a vehicle and almost took the life of a good friend, and almost lost my own.
the 18wheeler kept going and cars flew by one after another, not even bothering to show up.
I didn't contact EMS or 911 because i was able to diagnose that myself and the passenger were OK but before AAA showed up, squad cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and state police swarmed the scene of the crash.
EMS paperwork was completed to deny medical attention because i couldn't have received it even if i wanted to. I no longer have military medical and i am no longer a military dependant so i had no insurance. I couldn't afford medical and no one could have helped me so i refused attention.
the state troopers noticed my MARPAT digital cammo pack in the back seat and my dog tags hanging from the rear view mirror. they proceeded to engage me in conversation about my past in the military. they were all prior service and understood how i was scared to tell my father, a colonel in the MARINES. because i was 18 they said we wouldn't have to contact him.
the hood was jammed shut but i looked through the side and I checked the engine. the radiator seemed OK, and the engine was able to start so we started it up and attempted to drive the rest of the 200 miles with no headlights, in the dark, with the crushed windshield covering my line of sight. by some miracle, we got home the next day.
this morning i met one of my new neighbors and he offered to let me borrow his tools to diagnose and fix the vehicle. i took a grinder to the hood, cut out a hole around the hatch. popped the sonofabitch open with a grinder and a crowbar and realized just how lucky i was. the bracket/bar that goes across the front of the vehicle behind the grate was completely pushed in. the radiator was mounted on this bracket and the whole radiator was pushed into the engine. its amazing that none of the fluid leaked and that the radiator fan still worked despite being crushed. the whole front of under the hood is totaled.
i am now facing the fact that it is my responsibility to fix or replace the vehicle. i take full responsibility. but it is a bad situation because i am deep in debt and neither of our parents know she drove down to VA to get me. my father doesn't know i crashed, her parents don't know she came to get me and obviously don't know we crashed. i am in deep shit
i considered getting a loan, replacing the vehicle, and chopping the totaled vehicle and selling it as parts. but, i was just informed that up north, they don't pay good for parts.
tomorrow i am gonna chain the bar to a tree, block the tires, and see if i cant crank that bracket back forward so i can get to the engine and see what else is wrong. I'm worried because i believe the transmission is fucked from the impact because it barely works and really acts up when you try to drive in reverse.
I'm just scared and i don't know what to do. i admit it, I'm scared.
she is asleep in the room and i am sitting here cause i cant sleep.
if you believe in god, please put in a good word next time y'all talk, and while you re at it, thank the big guy that I'm still alive.
God Bless and Semper Fi

2009-04-18

crazy night out but i still cant get my platoon off my mind

last night, i hung out with this amazing girl. we had a good time, and what a better way to end the night than have her father walk in on us. haha
needless to say, i crashed at my buddies house.
i met back up with that girl tonight and after a bottle of cuervo, we decided to go out clubbin.
we hit up just about every bar here in the area and enjoyed my paycheck from the Marine Corps.
as the night progressed me, my date, and my bro became progressively more... um... loose.
as much as i tried to enjoy myself, i also had to be conscious of the situation at hand.
i partied it up but half way through the night, i resorted to water and red bull, my old trick, to sober up fast.
i double checked to make sure my knife was secure inside of my pants, hidden behind my belt buckle where i always keep it, without anyone needing to know
i did what i could to control the situation to ensure that everyone had a good night.
short of details, it was overall an amazing night
as everyone got drunker, i grew more aware, and took control.
women came up to me asking about my time in boot camp
word spread fast in the bar. its funny how my date told one female about my involvement in the Corps and suddenly everyone was interested
but i tried to hide my dog tags under my shirt
and every woman that came up to me asking about whether i had prior service or not
i just responded with "ma'am I'm just a college boy tryin to get my life on track, enjoy life, and take care of my friends tonight here at this bar"
i am not ashamed of the fact that i joined.
but i miss it and feel like i don't even deserve to mention that i went
i shattered my hand down there and got med discharged
i did not earn the title.
i covered the tab, due to financial situations of the people in our group.
and i did my best to make sure everyone was safe and happy
got a taxi for my boy and i so now were chillin back at the bachelor pad.
but the female counterpart refused to go home.
i offered to pay a taxi, offered to get her a ride, but she insisted on staying with her old friends from college that we found at the bar.
i don't mean to sound like a stiff ass, because don't get me wrong, i partied it up.
but as my buddy lays passed out on the bed next to me, and most of my friends are in taxis right now headed home, i am sitting here debriefing the night.
goal was: be safe and have fun
id say it was a success
but i really had a wake up call to the reality of what friendship and life was like back in the civilian world
the brotherhood i had with my friends in the corps will never compare
we have each others back
like i did for my friends tonight
covering the tabs
paying for and calling taxis
providing the clubs of the area
but i cant help but wonder if they would ever do the same for me
my friends are good people but i miss my brothers.
i admit, i used to be an alcoholic, but after all that Ive done, i was able to put down the shot glasses and pick up the water glass so that i could ensure the safety and well being of those around me.
so... in conclusion, i had a great night but again, i miss my brothers.
i belong back with my platoon

ps. i apologize for any typos. it was a long crazy night

2009-04-11

HAPPY EASTER

In approximately 2 hours it will be Easter and it is already Easter over in the middle-east so to our brothers and sisters fighting for our freedom, at home and abroad,
HAPPY EASTER