Kelly Smith Weblog Aficionado: Just a guy vs. Life

Path of Neo.... I beat the game man. Well worth the worn out thumbs and the $49.99.

Gee thanks, Pal..... I responded to a web log post from Grouchy Old Cripple In Atlanta in which he lampooned the urge to be so politically correct about saying, Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas. I thought it was pretty funny myself, and I think all of the flap about what is "proper" to say is much ado about nothing. However, someone left this message in response to his post. Hey Democrats, have a shitty Christmas...oops X-Mas...and a horrid 2006. You're all a bunch of traitors.Posted by Paul at December 22, 2005 03:58 PM I responded with this post: Paul, In response to: Hey Democrats, have a shitty Christmas...oops X-Mas...and a horrid 2006. You're all a bunch of traitors. Merry Christmas to you, too. And thanks for not making sweeping generalizations about Democrats. Just a question, were those Service Members that died in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001 who were registered Democrats traitors also? To everybody, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hop...

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas everyone. This morning didn't start as early as I thought that it would. The kids slept until about 8:30 which was a huge surprise. At this point we are trying to get it together to hit the road and go to Lexington. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday Season, and I hope the coming year is a blessing for everyone. "Pope Benedict XVI said in his Christmas Day message that signs of hope in Iraq, the Holy Land and Lebanon need to be reinforced by actions on the ground. Benedict also urged protection for those suffering "tragic humanitarian crises" in Darfur, Sudan, and other parts of Africa, and called for the settlement of "dangerous disputes" in Asia. It was Benedict's first Christmas "Urbi et Orbi" message -- Latin for "to the city and to the world." I sincerely hope that in this, the holiest of the Christian Holidays that there will be as much peace and happiness as possible for our S...

December 22nd, 2003... Two years ago my Mother-in-law passed away after a brief battle with cancer. She passed not too long after her birthday, and not long before Christmas which made it all the more tough. If anything, my mother-in-law and I had the atypical son-in-law, mother-in-law relationship. I really loved her, she was one of the most kind, endearing, and selfless people I had ever met. I thought about the date of her passing on the 22nd, and I sort of felt bad for not making mention of it to my wife. On one hand I was glad that she was in good spirits and went about her days without mentioning it. I suppose that perhaps this means she is ready to remember her mother's life more so than she is the moment or time of her death. My mother-in-law got to see and spend time with our youngest daughter Alex, but she never go to see my nephew, Xavier. I have always had a wistful feeling about that. All of the children loved Annette, and despite her claims to the contrary she loved t...

Despite what some Americans think about other Americans and their viewpoints about this war, I hope that we can all remember that though they seem broad, the differences between us are very small. America....love it or leave it.

Phone Tap? Perhaps I am naively ushering in the new Imperial Forces, but I am really not worried about the government secretly recording any of my email or voice transmissions overseas. This article is talking about what Bush is doing presently. Its not that I think that the government should intimidate people, but I just have to think that , "If you aren't doing shit wrong, then what do you have to worry about?" So long as they are only looking at things that are wrong under the civil code you shouldn't worry about it....besides, only a dumbass would use a chatroom, cell phone, or letter when planning illegal activity. We ought to lock them up for their own protections.

34..... Not such a huge number, but one that looks strange to me. I didn't approach this birthday with any trepidation whatsoever. I never have been like that. I don't dread birthdays..hell, having a birthday beats the alternative. I was a lot more excited about last years birthday, but this one just seemed to be like any other day. Last year I swore that I would let everyone know what I accomplished during my 33rd year on this earth. I thought I did a pretty good job, but for the most part it seems like I am lacking in one way or another. Oh well, I am happy to have my health. Things could be much worse, I suppose.

Currently I am: playing.... The Path of Neo Reading... and... and... Great stuff so far. I'll give you all a review of "The Path of Neo" after I beat the game.

Veteran's Day/Armistice Day Lloyd Brown was a teenager serving aboard the USS New Hampshire when the World War I ended. He distinctly remembers Armistice Day, and the happiness that Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines had when the war was over. At the time, who knew that there would be another Great War at the time? The day is no longer called Armistice Day, it is called Veteran's Day as a tribute to those who have donned a military uniform, and given up some of their individual freedom's so that we can perpetuate this idea called liberty. Veterans Day, always celebrated on November 11th, is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty. I hope...

Gubernatorial and Mayoral races around the country..... I would say that the elections around the country are probably going to be heavily influenced by the President's popularity.....or lack thereof. VA is in, and Tim Kain (D) looks like he is going to be the winner. I am not going to be able to stay up and watch what is going on, work is too early in the morning for me. As a military man, staying up late is not a good thing. We only do more before 9:00 a.m. because we get up so freakin' early. Check out the progress at this link: Race coverage Virginia is a veritable bastion of Republican Strength, and an upset loss during the mid term could be a harbinger of many more disappointing things to come for the Grand Old Party. I will post more about this later on. Good night all, I have a full day tomorrow.

Corruption...... Corruption, greed, opportunism, all things that have no place in American Governmnent, but when politics get nasty they inevitably happen. I am trying to recall if things were this bad under the previous Administration. Read more here....... From the playbook

Rosa Parks is dead at the age of 92... She was probably one of the most well-known from the civil rights era. This definitely gave me a moment of reflection. I hope that we all can endeavor to make "positive" strides to continue the dream of all of those who have gone before us. Not to simply seek benefit from it.

I took the political test...you ought to try it... You are a Social Moderate (50% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (30% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid Free Online Dating

Mayor halts return to New Orleans Nagin cites concern over Tropical Storm Rita Full Story So somebody at the State and Local level can be proactive......too bad they weren't that way before the Hurricane hit.

Damn it's late.... I need to go to bed. Good night everybody.

I don't know about that, Cindy.... I was watching an episode of "Big Idea Town Hall" hosted by Donnie Deutsch. On this episode they featured the families of fallen service members talking about their loss. They also had notable family members such as Cindy Sheehan, and Tammy Pruitt, as well as some other fathers. The common meme was that we all support the troops, however, there were some differing positions on whether or not we should be in the war. She said that the war was based on a bunch of lies, she further stated that besides the WMD, and AL Quaeda Link issues, she said that her recruiter lied to him about a litany of things when he entered the service. "The recruiter said that he was going to get a $20,000 bonus but he only received $4,000. When you are offered a bonus, you usually receive a portion, sometimes half, up front, and the remainder further into your enlistment. If he was actually offered $20,000 and the only money he receive was $4,000, then it mu...

The Pledge is now unconstitutional..... I used to say, "What the hell is next?" any time I heard something shocking, but I am afraid to do that now. Read the full story here. Full Story

Hurricane Katrina and the "NO" vote.... Many people are lashing out at the federal government about its response, or lack thereof regarding Hurricane Katrina. The blame game has been tossed back and forth between the local, state, and federal government. Some people have brought up issues of race being a factor in the slow response, and some have cited a lack of preparedness on the local government. One thing that is certain, however, is the fact that this event will be talked about for a long time to come. I did notice, with particular interest that 11 members of Congress voted against a 51 Billion dollar Katrina relief spending bill. All were Republican. I wouldn't go so far as to claim that this shows a "lack of compassion" on the part of the Party on the whole, but seeing as this is one of the worst natural disasters to occur in the United States, you have to ask about the reason behind the "No" vote. Some of the Republicans who voted against...

Things that make you go...."Awwww" I read this while I was perusing milblogs. I had to leave a comment. It came from a weblog called, "A Storm in Afghanistan". My wife passed along this little tidbit.Seems my daughter, Marissa, showed up with her pooh bear backpack, and declared it was time to go.Go where, she was asked."I go to Anananatan to go get my Daddy!!"(approx.) 35 days to go. posted by SC Eagle at 4:33 AM on Aug 27 2005

Justice Rehnquist is dead... If you thought that things were contentious before, we haven't seen anything yet........ Full Story

Pregnant woman's remains found near Philadelphia Police arrest former boyfriend Not surprising, the suspect is a former boyfriend who was caught with a pistol and was wearing a bullet proof vest. Not to jump on the bandwagon with other folks who quickly turn to the race card, I wonder why this lady's missing disappearance didn't garner the media coverage and the man power that the Laci Peterson and Natalee Holloway case have? Any thoughts from anyone? I personally believe that while it may not be an out and out conspiracy to basically ignore the plight of missing women who are not white and attractive, I believe that it is an unconscious lack of concern. Perhaps this is fostered by the notion that crime is pervasive throughout the black and latino community. Other people share my point of view, and in a related article a representative of MSNBC takes exception to this view. Mark Effron, vice president of MSNBC News Daytime Programming, disagrees. Effron said the stories of ...

August 14th, 1990 I can't believe it has been 15 years. But on this day I arrived at the Reception Station at Ft. Sill, OK. Time flies when you are having fun. 15 down....twenty to go! ;-)

Black Republicans Recently Harry Belafonte blasted blacks in George Bush's higher administration as being "tyrants". He earlier raised eyebrows by stating that Colin Powell was a House Negro. Other well known people such as Al Sharpton have labeled any people who align themselves with the Republican Party, or with conservative ideals as being black in physical characteristic only. As if, there is some litmus test of socio-political thought that allows you to be a card-carrying member of the black race. I myself am a Democrat, and I am more of a centrist on issues. But, overall when it comes to social issues I consider myself to be liberal. I have no problem calling myself liberal, and it irks me when people rename themselves as "progressives" to avoid the "scourge of being declared a liberal". I recognize the ebb and flow of political and cultural tides here in the United States, and I remember when the Republicans were the minority party, the idea of ...

I joined the milblogs webring today. Cool.

South Beach Miami and 4th Anniversary I am blogging from my hotel room in beautiful Miami. Yesterday was our 4th Anniversary, I got up early and went for a run on the beach, after I got back to the room, I took a shower, and waited for Renee to get ready. We went to the mall, had brunch at the Cheesecake Factory, and shopped for a little while. We came back in the afternoon and changed clothes before we went to Chima Brazilian Steakhouse You talk about good! I was so full I felt like I couldn't move. I have never had such good meat before...anything you can imagine! We then had a few drinks at another outdoor cafe and went back to our hotel room. More to come later, but it is about 8:30 a.m. as I am typing this, and I think that I am going to go for a run on the beach. More to come later! P.S. Somebody is NOT joining me for a run on the beach, but I am not going to mention any names.

Don't wait to exhale....just finish letting the air out. Terry McMillan is getting divorced That really isn't a statement that would have seemed possible in the mid to late nineties. As a woman who wrote books that gave black women inspiration, she would have to be the authority on relationships it would seem. But, nevertheless, she is getting divorced and it is getting very nasty. It would seem that she is accusing her former beau of using her to get U.S. citizenship, and for her money.......Wow. Who would have thought that a man who is marrying a female multi-millionaire nearly twenty years his senior would have alterior motives? Of course I am being sarcastic, and if you want to know, I am not trying to make light of, or have a laugh at the expense of another human being who is in pain. But, given the fact that this is the woman who literally wrote the book on man-hating, it comes as quite a shock. I would never have thought that this would have happened to her. The most in-...

Another Fallen Guardsmen.... Unfortunately one of my duties as a staffer for Joint Forces Headquarters is to handle some of the processes that are in place when our soldiers die. Today I went to my first funeral for a KIA (killed in action) Soldier. The Soldier's name was SGT Ryan Montgomery. Montgomery was from Greensburg, a small town in Central Kentucky. Montgomery was in a Field Artillery oufit that was tasked with force protection and convoy security missions around Baghdad. On July 3rd Montgomery fell to a roadside bomb. Very sad, but not as sad as the disruption that almost occurred at his funeral. Last night I went to a bar to unwind after work, a guy at the bar wearing a suit and a tie struck up a conversation with me, and we inevitably started talking about "work", he was intrigued when I told him that I was a Second Lieutenant. He immediately started asking whether or not I had heard about, or knew the latest soldier from the Kentucky Guard that had been killed...

Happy 229th Birthday, America! This was the scene in front of my house just a little bit before 10:30 p.m. on the 4th of July.

CNN.com - Tourist bitten by shark off Florida coast - Jul 1, 2005 Hey, I have a novel idea for all of the people on vacation in Florida..... cupping my hands on either side of my mouth...... STAY OUT OF THE DAMN WATER!!!!

The reason I have not supported gay marriage(reposted by request from February 2004).... I don't support gay marriage for one reason, and one reason alone. I discovered that I had a prejudice bias against the homosexual lifestyle. Don't worry....you haven't run across a racist, homophobic, sexist individual's weblog, I am simply stating the reason why I don't support it. I never made a conscious effort to like or dislike homosexuals, I suppose that there was always a level of unconscious indifference regarding them. I was always quick to say, "Hell, I'm not homophobic, what someone does in the privacy of their own bedroom doesn't bother me." But for some reason the gay marriage issue has, and I had to do some soul searching in order to find out why. I suppose that the urge to chastise homosexuals starts at an early age. I knew to call the boys who could not run fast, catch a ball, or take a punch without crying, "sissies" when I wa...

Should Karl Rove Apologize? Should Durbin? Everyone wants an apology when they get their feathers ruffled, but really, what good does it do? The Republicans want Durbin to apologize, the Democrats want Rove to apologize, but where does it end? The fact of the matter is that all of this bickering in the press accomplishes nothing. I think Democrats hurt themselves by reinforcing the notion that they are touchy-feely when they complain about such things, or when they liken conservatives to Nazis. Conservatives reinforce notions that they are arrogant, short-sighted, and indifferent when they call liberals or people who do not have their viewpoints "Anti-American." The bottom line is that we need the polar struggle in American politics to keep some semblance of stability. I don't think that Rove or Durbin should apologize, but they should make pointed comments, not blanket comments. In the case of Durbin, he needs to realize that there are Conservatives in Iraq right n...

Happy Father's Day! Happy Father's day to all those it applies to. Unfortunately I am away from my Father today. I am also away from my kids.....the military seems to have a funny sense of humor in regard to that. I have missed my last three Anniversaries, my wife's last two birthdays, the last two father's days, and my daughter's second birthday because of duty. Maybe next year I will be home more.

I think Lashawn Barber got it wrong this time.... Everyone has been talking about the latest report from Amnesty International, the prison scandal, and the Koran desecration scandal in Cuba, and everyone seems to have a different opinion. Lashawn Barber is a conservative blogger who is tired of all of the press surrounding the scandal. In that regard I agree with her, I am not only tired of, but fearful of the attention that this brings. Lashawn seems to feel that kowtowing to the outcries from the different Muslim groups, or spending time investigating our military is a waste of time and shows some inherent weakness. She also says it speaks to the fact that liberalism is a mental disorder. I'm now convinced that liberalism is a mental disorder. Another one of the quotes that she uses is, Despite what they may say, Muslims are and have always been on a mission to conquer and kill infidels. They've been doing it for centuries and will continue until we're all dead, or t...

The Contender WHOA!! Generally I am anti-reality television, but I thoroughly enjoyed "The Contender". I was happy about the final, but I would have rather seen Alphonso fighting Sergio in the final. Peter was a straight-up guy, and Sergio was a straight-up guy. Great fight, great series, no cattiness. I would love to see a Contender II, and damn...was that soundtrack the shit or what?!

Derby 131 Derby 131 was pretty good this year. Of course I finished about 100+ dollars in the hole. But, oh well I had a good time. I had a hunch about the #4 hourse called "Noble Causeway". Noble Causeway is a horse that was getting increasingly better as this year progressed. He had run the Derby length before, and had finished worse than second only once in his last 6 races. He was known to cruise the first turn, and come on stronger as the races progressed. Noble Causeway was foaled in 2002 and bred in Kentucky by the Baums. He is a Nick Zito horse which seemed to bode well for me. Nick Zito is a famous trainer who has bred not one, but two derby winners. Noble Causeway is a chestnut colored colt who had beautiful muscle tone. So, I put an undisclosed amount of money across the board on this horse, and for all I know...he is still running. My wife, really likes the colors of pink and green, and she picked Giacomo because the rider's silks were colored pink a...

Sorry for the long drought.... I am going to post again on a regular basis soon. Unfortunately I have been so busy that I have neglected my writing in my journal as well as my online blog. I haven't updated my website in over a year, so I would say I am suffering from a devestating case of lethargy in regard to writing. More to come soon....I promise.

local6.com - News - Teens Leaping For Thrills In 'Garage Jumping' Trend The city is being sued....the garage owner is being sued. Who is going to sue the parents for raising a bunch of damn jackasses?

New Position... I have been away from my blog for quite some time, but I have really been busy. I got a new position with the J-1. Pretty cool, my new boss is a Lieutenant Colonel. I don't know how long I will be a staff puke, but I really don't mind. I am getting a lot of exposure here, and it is opening doors already. I really need to get to a line unit so I can pick up some more command time. WIsh me luck.

New Position... Sorry for the inactivity in my blog. I started a new job in the J-1. My direct supervisor is a Lieutenant Colonel, and life is pretty good. I'm not sure how long I will be a staff puke, but it is opening up a lot of doors for me. Of course, I need to get to a line unit for some command time. More to come later.

CSPI Slams NASCAR Hard-Liquor Deal ~ Newsroom ~ News from CSPI Wow....I'm discouraged to hear that NASCAR is allowing hard liquor sponsorships for its cars and races. I'm surprised to hear that, when I think of NASCAR fans I think of a whole group of genteel non-drinkers who just love powerful cars. I'm kidding of course. I really don't see what the big issue is. Though beer is less potent by volume than hard liquor, I would say that an exorbitant amount of beer and hard liquor is consumed prior to, during, and after most NASCAR events. I seriously doubt a non drinking NASCAR fan would be so struck by a Jack Daniel's advertisement that he would go out and down a fifth to pay homage to his favorite driver. "If’n yur gonna drank, yur gonna do it regardless of whut Mark Martin has on the hood of his daggone car." .....avid NASCAR fan.

Do I wanna join a suicide party?..Hell no! Sheriff: Online suicide pact had sexual overtones Alleged plot also involved people in Canada, Britain Sheriff: Online suicide pact had sexual overtones Alleged plot also involved people in Canada, Britain Saturday, February 12, 2005 Posted: 10:54 PM EST (0354 GMT) FULL STORY HERE Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking about. For some reason this guy decides to have an internet "suicide party" in which people were going to hang themselves on webcam. One woman planned to kill herself as well as her two young children. Luckily one of these rocket scientists got cold feet and alerted authorities. Apparently this was supposed to happen on Valentine's Day and its sphere of influence was supposed to have included some people in Britain. He was contacting people through a chat messenger and his screen name was SUICIDEPARTY2005. I believe I would immediately block someone out if they contacted me with that name. Thank God they...

Condoleeza Rice sworn in as first black female Secretary of State: Sworn in with the most "no" votes since 1825.... Condoleeza Rice was sworn in today, and as most people realize, there was no chance that she WOULDN'T get the nomination. But, the Democrats, and rightfully so, took a moment to let their thoughts be known, and reiterated their differences with the present administration. Senator Barbara Boxer asked pointed questions, and other Democrats grilled her. I am not a Republican, but I do admire Condoleeza Rice fore all of her qualifications and experiences. Unlike a lot of my fellow Democrats I realize that her former position over the NSA required her to do the "bidding" of the President in order to stay in agreement with his policies. I just hope that she is able to let her opinions be known as Secretary of State. The State Department is vastly different than the NSA, and as the "Chief Diplomat", she not only speaks for the Preside...

HOT 97, Miss Jones, Miss Info, and the Tsunami Song.... I appreciate humor, even in its most irreverent form, but anything that parodies the deaths of thousands and thousands of innocent people is not humor in my book. Unfortunately HOT 97 in New York felt that it was okay to make a "Tsunami Song" about the disaster in South Asia. The song is sung to the tune of "We are the world". Here are some of the choice lyrics. ..All at once you could hear the screaming ch*nks and no one was safe from the wave there were africans drowning, little chinamen swept away you could hear god laughing, "swim you b*tches swim" So now you're screwed, it's the Tsunami you better run or kiss your ass away, go find your mommy I just saw her float by, a tree went through her head and now the children will be sold to child slavery... Wow....that was real funny.... I just don't understand how the Radio Station execs would have let this song air. Wh...

Howard Dean is back....."YEAHGH"!! This weekend I was watching ABC's this week with George Stephanopoulos interviewing Howard Dean. I have to say that I was impressed. Howard Dean fell off of the radar during the Democratic Primary race. Even before he gave his famous, "I have a scream speech", he found himself being derided not only by the GOP, but by some of his own party members. He made, what appeared to be at that time, many gaffes that made him out to be the type of person who speaks without thinking. Many people, myself included, began to get frustrated with Dean, and consequently he lost the lead to John Kerry. I personally thought that Dean was trying too hard to come off as a populist, this thought was confirmed when he made the statement, "This party should not be the party of urban liberals, but of they guys with Confederate flags on their pickup trucks." I couldn't see it then, but I do now.....Dean made a great point. To me, part ...

Dkelsmith, 1.....Corrupt Cops, ZERO!... Man I love Law and Order. Oh, okay. I'll admit that is an exaggeration, the Cop wasn't corrupt, (Really to call him a Cop was doing a lot. He is a Kentucky State University police officer. I still don't know why they issue tickets on roads that are close to campus, but not on campus....sheesh!) and this wasn't a landmark case but I had a bench trial yesterday for a speeding ticket that I received and I WON!!!!!! The Prosecutor offered me traffic school and a reduction in the ticket so that I would be going five miles over the speed limit. But I refused and said I wanted the judge to hear it. I guess watching Law and Order for so many years emboldened me. But, when I got up to present my case to the judge I was a nervous wreck. I mean, it wasn't like I was Scott Peterson, but standing in front of a gruff looking judge to argue a speeding ticket is not easy. Especially when he had just sent the last fellow to jail ...

Brad Pitt takes his lumps... I know...I know...."Why in the world is Kelly commenting on something as trivial as celebrity breakups?" I do know that they are quite common in Hollywood, and other places, but this one was sort of interesting. Not in the fact that it happened, but in the way people purport to know the reason behind it. Apparently Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have asked people to respect their feelings and their rights in regard to this. Nice try, but you know the media is going to have a field day with this. If they covered Bennnifer in its entirety, you know they will exhaust all efforts on Brad and Jen. Unlike J-Lo and Ben Affleck, these two are actually likeable and have some acting talent. I admit that rumors in Hollywood are about as predictable as weather in Kentucky, but some of the more juicy rumors that flew around were those that hinted at marital infidelity on the part of Brad with Angelina Jolie. The most popular rumor, and the on...

In retrospect..... I last committed time to my weblog over a month ago, therefore this is my first weblog post of the New Year. The only thing I resolve to do this year is to not compound my life with the hypocrisy and failure to committ to a set of resolutions. I am just going to live like the best that I can. I'm not sure where the tradition of making resolutions came from, but I am sure that the first guy that came up with this probably failed in keeping with what he resolved to do. I am, however, taking a moment to look back at my life, look at myself now, and think about where I should be in the future. I never was ambitious enough to have a real long term plan in place....though I should have. But, I am looking at my life now in a different perspective than I ever have before. I am now 33 years old, which is still a considerably young age in many regards, but it is still sobering. I don't have the same qualms and anxiety that many people have about growing o...