Little China Girl

Pedophiles should be executed. I do not in general support the death penalty. I am after all a bleeding heart liberal. I make an exception for child rapists. Here is the brief from the local paper about my neighbor and his pre-teen stepdaughter.:

A state Department of Public Safety officer stopped an aggravated rape late Wednesday night at BREC’s Independence Park, according to a State Police news release.

Samuel Tristan Munoz, 24, 640 Arlington Ave., was found in the passenger cabin of his truck with a pre-teen girl just before midnight, said Lt. M. Doug Cain II, a State Police spokesman.

The DPS officer noticed Munoz’s Chevrolet truck while patrolling the grounds of the State Police headquarters across the street.

After seeing two people in the cab of the truck, the officer ordered the driver to exit the vehicle, which Munoz initially ignored, Cain said.

After Munoz complied, the officer noticed the second person appeared to be a minor and confirmed she was a pre-teen, Cain said. Her age was not released.

After further investigation, authorities learned Munoz and the victim had been having sexual relations for more than a year, Cain said.

Munoz was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on five counts of aggravated rape with bond set at $2.25 million

Maggie O.

Well, I hate that there are two memorials in a row. But it has to happen. Maggie died on Tuesday at 36. She is remembered as a sweet girl - with a kind soul. I knew her as a broken, troubled woman. She had trouble managing life... could not seem to find her place in it. As a grown-up person, she simply did not work. I think she would have made a great cat. I would have loved her antics, admired her beauty, given her the attention she craved, ignored her tantrums as becoming of a cat, and missed her greatly when she passed. Maybe she will come back as a kitten and live that cycle happily.

Maggie had a lot of child-like qualities and would say and do some fairly random things. I am including a message she sent me last April to encourage me in my exercises:

I SO admire your tenacity w/ the Rec Center. That's HARD to keep going back DAY after DAY. Well, for ME it is. When I was little, going to swim practice and track was like that. The Rec Center I just got obsessive about, 'cause school was going so shittily and I couldn't do very well. But even when I TRIED to be obsessive about the Rec Center, I couldn't maintain it! I failed as a what-do-you call it? Which one, oh, anorexic? But I ate too much for it to count anyway. It was good that I moved away from there. Very glad! (I was living near there...Laville)...moved to Embassy. I was just bored and ended up going there all the time. Actually, when I was at Embassy, I still worked there, as a lifeguard, but I guess I had THAT to do instead, instead of focusing on whatever. Weird, that. I get miserable when I'm bored.

SO glad to be working again!
YOU have a GREAT, great day!

Sorry for rambling! xo
Hope Friday goes fast and easily! And no annoying people! Fast forward them! Hope I don't have any really shitty diapers! Eww! They smell REALLY bad! Gross!

With that thought! BYE!

At the time she was working at a child care center, taking care of babies. That was what she seemed good at - giving both the elderly and children her attention. Unfortunately, employment requires working with adults and adjusting to the real world. She rambled... her brain would just take her places and she lacked a filter to distinguish what made sense to include in conversations and what did not. Maggie spent last Christmas with us... she was very sad, remembering her brother (who had committed suicide several years prior), and feeling the need to figure herself out but lacking the ability to do so effectively. Maggie required a lot of attention. I sincerely hope she finds peace and happiness in the next life. I don't think she had it in this one.

Maggie's brain betrayed her... by not functioning right and then finally killing her with a massive seizure. My next high maintenance cat will be named in honor - out of sincere love and in her memory.

Rest in Peace

In Memory of Capt. Sean Sims

Captain Sean Patrick Sims born August 27, 1972, died November 13, 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq. Captain Sims was commanding A Company, 2-2 BN, 1st Infantry Division, when he was killed in action. He was leading his company in action against a band of insurgents occupying buildings in Fallujah.


Captain Sims graduated from Texas A&M University. He was a member of the Corps of Cadets, the Ross Volunteers, Ranger Challenge and commander of Company L-2. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and received a distinguished military graduate commission into the United States Army as an Infantry officer. He was the top graduate in his platoon at the Infantry Officers Basic Course, and then attended the Airborne School, Pathfinder Course, and Ranger School. He then was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division as a platoon leader and Company Executive Officer. He later attended the Armor Officers Course and followed that with an assignment to Germany where he was assigned to the Seventh Army Training Center at Grafenwoehr. After one year he was transferred to the 1st Infantry Division in Vilseck where he spent the rest of the time as Brigade and Battalion Staff Officer, including eight months with the 1st Infantry Division deployed to Kosovo. He then joined Company A, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division for deployment to Iraq in February of 2004.


He was married to the former Heidi Duty 96 of Eddy, Texas. He is survived by Heidi and a young son, Colin Patrick, who had a mere five weeks with his father before he deployed to Iraq.


Captain Sims is the son of Colonel Thomas L. and Laura (nee Ivey) Sims of McKinney, Texas and El Paso. He is the grandson of a major leader in the history of El Paso, Ben L. Ivey, deceased, and Leone O. (nee Drugan) Ivey of the Lower Valley. His paternal grandfather, Walter K. Sims, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army and was a long time resident of El Paso where he spent many years working for the Texas Employment Commission.


Source: Obituary Notice


Citation to Accompany the Award of the Silver Star:


FOR VALOROUS ACTIONS AS THE COMMANDER OF COMPANY A, TASK FORCE 2-2 INFANTRY, WHILE ATTACKING TO DEFEAT AN ENTRENCHED FORCE OF SEVERAL HUNDRED ANTI-IRAQI AND FOREIGN FIGHTERS IN THE CITY OF FALLUJAH. ACTING AS THE MAIN EFFORT COMPANY COMMANDER FOR THE ATTACK INTO FALLUJAH ON 9 NOVEMBER 2004 DURING OPERATION PHANTOM FURY, A/2-2 INFANTRY UNDER CAPTAIN SIMS COMMAND EXECUTED A DYNAMIC BREACH AND CONDUCTED OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS FOR 45 STRAIGHT HOURS TO DESTROY THE AIF DEFENSES AND TO OPEN THE CITY FOR FOLLOW-ON FORCES. CAPTAIN SIMSS PERSONAL BRAVERY, COURAGE UNDER FIRE AND FEARLESS LEADERSHIP WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFEAT OF THE HEART OF THE ANTI-IRAQI FORCES AND THE RAPID COLLAPSE OF THEIR DEFENSIVE POSITIONS. CAPTAIN SIMSS DEDICATION TO HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS ON THE BATTLEFIELD UPHOLDS THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF MILITARY SERVICE AND REFLECTS GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF, TASK FORCE DANGER AND THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

First hand account of Fallujah link here

Identity Politics of a Sort

I am not a runner but I try to run. For those of you following along at home, I finally made it to the mile marker in October. I have been running a mile pretty faithfully ever since - usually in the mornings. But I am not a runner. A runner can run 3 miles in under half an hour. I jog at best through my mile. I run because I have to - cardio is the only way to get these blasted pounds off. Sure, I get a little blip of a high as I turn the corner on the last bit of my mile. It lasts until I hit the shower. So not a runner's high.

I have been exercising twice a day now for almost a month. I try to vary my exercises though running is the fastest/easiest way to get it over with. As the days get winter shorter, I have had to do more traditional exercises. I dislike the gym for the most part. Driving and finding parking just smacks of effort. I am one lazy exerciser. I have been doing the Exercise TV classes available for free on Cox On Demand's Free Zone. Last night I worked out with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and this morning I did Jillian Michael's Shred. I am by no means physically fit, but that is one identity I hope to achieve.

Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day. As an Army brat, I have strong ties to our military, but none stronger than the memory of those lost. In two days it will be the 5th anniversary of Sean Sims's death in Fallujah. My greatest memory of Sean is of him trying very patiently to teach me to two-step. We were on the Yongsan Army base and I had gone out with a friend who was dating Sean's friend. The two of us were not together but were both the buddy along for the ride. We'd grown up together - both spending our high school years in the tight knot community that was Yongsan. Sean was gracious enough to partner me multiple times. I was a really bad dancer. Really bad. He made me smile and not feel awkward. I will always be thankful for that. I still cannot two-step, but I think about him whenever I hear country music. We both grew up and went on with our lives. His was tragically cut short, and I think the world is a bit sadder for it. His infectious smile and good attitude made the world a better place. He is missed.
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=25573

Won't Someone Please Think of the Trees?!

I must apologize to my readers in advance for an unforgivable lack of subtlety. Every fall millions of little life forms... baby trees already germinated and ready to grow into oxygen producing, shady oak trees are crushed before they have a chance to generate a tap root. It is bad enough that they are often victims of vicious predators like squirrels and birds, but what is most horrifying are the millions heartlessly squashed by passing vehicles and crunched under the murderous feet of pedestrians.This holocaust must end. Pray for the lives of these innocent acorns.

An Immodest Proposal

As our institution of higher learning faces unprecedented 60% cuts to funding, I propose a solution which will not only revolutionize the college learning experience, but will save tons of money too. Oh, and will put me and my spouse on the unemployment lines. So you know it must be a really great idea. Sure, I got it from those clever student reporters... but I drove it erratically to its next logical conclusion. We should let go all of the staff on the college campus. Faculty can stay since they have tenure and do important PhD-required research. Everyone else is out the door - including the chancellor. SG president can handle the chancellor's gig. It is all about the student experience after all. Students can simply handle all of the university's day to day work as part of a semester long class assignment. Faculty payroll can be handled by our accounting students; computer programs by our computing students, philosophy and general studies majors can do the general clerical and janitorial work since they really should practice for life after college anyway. Engineering students can take care of our facilities and infrastructure. Ag and Landscaping kids can handle the plants across campus. Art and theater students can work the cafeterias. Music and social work students can handle the student life experience. Marketing and business majors can take care of the recruiting; mass comm and English students can work on all the public affairs stuff. Education majors can teach the actual intro level courses, and kinesiology students can coach our major sports. The state can then take the savings to open more chicken farms and processing plants... creating useful jobs for the now unemployed knowledge workers. But hey, we preserved the academic core, and provided our students with hands-on, real world experiences that will make our degree that much more valuable.