China

Well, I'm off to China.

I'm not taking my blackberry, cell phone and have told everyone not to anticipate emails from me. (Pesky Chinese hackers.)

I have the Economist, The National Journal, two People magazines, an Amy tan novel, Geostrategy homework (Topic 19 - China [serious! hope I don't get arrested]) my ipod, and if all else fails, Ambien.

Still, 22 hours of travel is a new high bar for me.

Pictures to come!

A Four Star walks into a voting booth...

I actually talked to my Army Colonel friend about this. I thought it was curious that he wouldn't vote, but he said in order to vote, he has to pay attention, and read, and be informed, and he doesn't want to have any opinion about the Commander-in-Chief.

As much as I advocate for folks to vote, I actually agree on this one. Although, there seems to be a difference of opinion between the Army guys and the Navy guys.

Curious.

CNN - The Situation Room
October 17, 2008

Top General Not Voting

BLITZER: It?s a common refrain: every vote counts. But are some of the nation?s top generals choosing not to vote in presidential elections? Let?s go to our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. It?s an intriguing thought, Barbara. What?s behind this story?

BARBARA STARR: Well, you know, Wolf, we all understand that the U.S. military is not supposed to get involved in politics in this country. Some top commanders now taking it right all the way to the limit in obeying that rule.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ) [Presidential Candidate]: (From tape.) Thanks to this great general, David Petraeus and the troops who serve under him, they have succeeded.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL) [Presidential Candidate]: (From tape.) And Gen. Petraeus has done a brilliant job.

STARR: So who is Petraeus going to vote for? Neither of them. David Petraeus long ago stopped voting in presidential elections.

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS [Commander, CENTCOM]: (From tape.) I haven?t voted in elections in some time actually and it?s because I feel that senior officers in particular should try to be apolitical. As I said, it?s inevitable that I?m just carrying out the policy of the administration that is in office at that time.

STARR: In a “60 Minutes” interview, the general who replaced Petraeus in Iraq agreed.

GEN. RAY ODIERNO [Commander, Multi-National Force-Iraq]: (From tape.) I made a decision when I got promoted to colonel that I would no longer vote in national elections because I feel it?s my job to serve the commander-in-chief. So I have not voted, probably a bad American for not voting, but I made that decision because of the position that I?m in.

STARR: But with two wars, even acknowledging whether they voted at all has become sensitive at the top ranks.

ADM. MIKE MULLEN [Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff]: (From tape.) Hi, I?m Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, urging you to let your voice be heard this election year by exercising your right to vote.

STARR: Mullen would not tell CNN if he will even cast a vote, saying it?s too personal to publicly discuss. Gen. David McKiernan, the top commander in Afghanistan, told CNN the same thing. Some say voting doesn?t mean you can?t serve the commander-in-chief even if you didn?t vote for him.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.) [CNN Military Analyst]: (From tape.) It is your duty to be apolitical, especially on your advice. But I think, you know, voting is a right. Voting, I believe, is also a responsibility.

STARR: Now, Wolf, there?s not a lot of agreement on this issue. I spoke to a top U.S. Navy admiral who is in a current position to advise the president of the United States, and he said he votes, he?s always voted, and he plans to vote this year. Wolf?

BLITZER: All right. Thanks very much, Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon, an intriguing story indeed, a very personal story.

Now presenting...Debate Hangover political ads...

I agree that we should rebuild savings, grow investments and create energy independence. I also love puppies.



OR

eh?

You know who Sarah Palin reminds me of...

Tracy Flick... just a little, when she gives the speech in front of the entire school and tells them that they are about to make a very important decision... right...

Xie xie (shay shay = thank you??)

So...I'm going to China for work.

The US Government needs me to go over there and see why they are shooting down their own satellites ...and to get some of our money back...just kidding. Hardy har har.

I am going for work, but I think they will probably just make me sit through a billion meetings with foreign ministers, and hopefully see a port or two, and the Great Wall, and perhaps Tianamen Square (apparently it is much smaller than you think it will be). And after all a billion meetings with foreign ministers is still a billion meetings with foreign ministers in China. I just hope when they serve me fish, they cut off the heads first.

I would offer to send you all post cards, but apparently they never make it out of China.

Baltimore update

mmm.... about an 11 minute mile again. Oh well, so much for running faster. I guess I need to do wind sprints or something.

This 6.8 miles was particularly hard.

I think it was something about the route. It was up and back and with the exception of the round about around Fort McHenry I was running on one side of the street as the really fast runners were coming BACK on the other side. You have no idea the toll this takes on your psyche. You are essentially running, trying to keep going, as all these runners have finished what you have yet to do. There is no barrier to just crossing the double yellow line in the middle of the road and running with them and just skipping a mile or two. Trust me, I thought about it.

But I didn't.

I ran all 6.8 miles and although they were hard, I feel fine today and think I'll go for a run tomorrow or Tuesday.

Balmer Marathon

I'm running 7 miles of the Baltimore Marathon tomorrow. (Pronounced "Bal-mer" if you are a local, I am not from Balmer, but am from Warsh-ing-ten.)

I'm running leg 2 which goes past Fort McHenry. For those of you who were asleep in 3rd grade, Fort McHenry at the ajoining harbor was where the Star-Spangled Banner was written.

As of late, I have been tangentially involved with the Star-Spangled Banner (creating a US Mint coin to honor it). But, unfortunately, have never actually been to the Fort.

It will be nice to see it. I just hope I don't end up passed out under a cannon.

A Little Home Town Football

Wildcats Crack the Div.-I FCS Top 25

OGDEN, Utah -- For the first time since the 2000 season, Weber State's football team has broken into The Sports Network's NCAA Division l FCS top 25. The Wildcats come in this week at number 22 in the poll of the nation's FCS sports writers and sports information director. Weber State was one of four Big Sky teams in the top 25. Montana, which was ranked number three last week but fell to Weber State 45-28 in Ogden on Saturday, fell to 12th. Northern Arizona, with a 4-1 record and a 2-0 mark in Big Sky play, is 18th and Eastern Washington, which lost 36-47 at Portland State, fell from 11th to 23rd.

In 2000, the Wildcats got up to 19th before losing at home 28-30 to #1 ranked Montana and fell to 23rd, but ended up 18th in the final poll of the season. The last time WSU was ranked in the top 10 came in 1998, Jerry Graybeal's first season as head coach, when the Wildcats jumped out to a 5-0 record and were ranked 9th but lost at home to Montana State, 10-7.

Rolling Stone hits a sour note...

Make-Believe Maverick
A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty.
Tim Dickinson // Rolling Stone

Race Results - Army 10 Miler

So, I didn't die.
I ran at an 11 minute mile pace and finished in 1 hour 50 minutes.
I thought that was pretty ok, until I talked to some of my buddies who finished in an hour 25 - but they are nutty (and men). So I guess I'll take comfort in that.

I am running in the Baltimore Marathon this weekend. I'm running the second leg of the relay with some office folks. Hokie Girl is running the half marathon - go Hokie Girl!

I'm going to run the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race (registration opens in December) in the spring to improve my 10 mile time. In the interim, I think I'll run the Veterans Day 10K and the Jingle All the Way 10K... any takers???

HA!

Tunes???

Ok.

I'm going to run on Sunday. Ug.
But I only have 6 miles worth of good quality, AC/DC, You Shook Me All Night Long, Back in Black, Eye of the Tiger, I Need a Hero, music.

I need some help here.

Anyone have some good songs to get me through miles 6-10???

THANKS.