what up?

Been a while, posts to come soon

U.S.S. Independence - Axis of Evil Beware!

Navy launches U.S.S. Independence, first of new class of weapons-bristling speedster trimarans

We’ve been hearing rumblings about the U.S. Navy’s triple-hulled ships, but here’s one that was launched last month, the U.S.S Independence. Built by General Dynamics, it’s called a “littoral combat ship” (LCS), and the trimaran can move huge weapons around faster than any ship in the Navy. Ironic that with all that high tech built in, the ship reminds us of the Merrimac ironclad from Civil War days.

Littoral means close to shore, and that’s where these fleet-hulled babies will operate, tailor-made for launching helicopters and armored vehicles, sweeping mines and firing all manner of torpedoes, missiles and machine guns.

These ships were designed to be relatively inexpensive — this one’s a bargain at $208 million — and the navy plans to build 55 of them. This trimaran is the first of the new fire-breathing breed, ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots. It's like a speedy and heavily-armed aircraft carrier for helicopters.

Two Down 4 To go

So I took my first two finals today in International Business and my on line access course. I think both went really well and hopefully I'll know what my grades are and soon. Of course the true test will be next week when final grades are posted.

=Ben=

Buenos Dias

I am growing a beard/mustache now...I am note sure how it will turn out, but so far the results are promising, if it weren't for the fact that it has only been a few weeks and some people look like this after a few days. However I am not letting this discourage me.
Anyway, I'll posts updates and we'll see how my beard is doing.

Hey

You ever feel like one day you wouldn't wake up? Like one day your life as you know it would be over? I am not saying suicide, in fact anything, but...more like just death, or dying in your sleep sort of thing. I mean is it normal to think about that sort of thing? I mean I assume it is. I suppose everyone thinks about their mortalitity, but I have to ask, how much is too much? Should people be thinking about these sort of things daily, I mean not all the time, but at least at one point or another. It's complicated. What the hell. Huh, I guess I am just over thinking things. I mean we all die, its natural, its normal, but what is about death that fascinates people? Well perhaps not fascinate, but at least interests people or makes them think about it to some degree. Is it that fact that we're self aware and understand the concept of mortality. I mean do you suppose, if you think about it, most animals have no concept of mortality, do they? Although some would argue that perhaps elephants do. I mean take for instance I have a cat, do you think for one moment, he ever thinks about death, that one day he'll breath his last breath and that's that? I am going to guess no, but I really don't know. For all I know he thinks about it regularly, but obviously I can't understand him, and I don't know what he is thinking. So perhaps it is a moot point to even ask such a question. It feels better talking about this. I've been reading alot about religion, another reason I kind of bring this up. I find that people have strange ideas about the afterlife as it were, I mean some people think it is open to everyone, and others think there are exact numbers and no one else gets in at all no questions asked, I supposed I should clarify I am referring to heaven, or the concept there of. I mean the fact is pretty much all of them believe everyone is going to go somewhere, probably more likely hell or some type of pergatory, rather than heaven. Of couse, it is all a little strange, you would think that with six + billion people, more people would think similarly. I mean I understand that 1 Billion + people share one or more common religion, however, I just find it strange that there are so many divides and sects, and other things that make people lose sight of the big picture and bog themselves down on minute details. This, however, is another discussion altogether. Well, that's all for today. I think I am pretty much done for now.

Normalcy

A sense of normalcy is back now, in that there are fewer people here today from what I have seen so far. For those of you who don't know UT Tyler's drop date was last Friday. If you're failing at this point, take the F, because that's all you'll get unless your professor is kind and will let you get an I to retake it for a grade. I digress. Beyond that UTTPD, blocked off half the parking lot in front of the Ratliff building today, not that I mind, I don't drive, but they blocked off almost all of the handicapped spots as well. Why on earth would you want to prevent the handicapped from parking? That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Again, normalcy though because if there is one thing UT Tyler never ceases to do it is make wonder who people can be so dumb.
I'll be honest too, IMHO, for some reason as people get more advanced degrees they tend to get a little stupider, not necessarily all of them, but definitely a majority percentage. Especially certain professors in the College of Business, although the Department of Computer Science definitely has a few interesting faculty members as well.

Campus Computing

Because I frequent the Campus Computing Center at such irregular intervals, or never, I found out yesterday that they had pc envy and had to rip the specs of Computer Science's new rigs because they had to have equal machines to our own.

A word however, their image is faulty, leaving personally identifiable information about the creator of the image, but I won't say anything more. Regardless a sloppy job none the less.