Justin's Life (and sometimes just his rants)
Archive  
 
 


 
AUGUST 2004
  

 


Entry 6: August 11, 2004

I am ashamed that it has been 4 weeks since my last entry. So what has happened in my life in the last month? To be honest, not, much. Let me break this by category.

1- Work-the most significant thing that has happened at work is that I have been assigned my first defense case. Talk about getting thrown in the fire. The case is a drug (ecstasy), conspiracy, and false official statement case. I inherited it because everyone else in the office is conflicted. This is a case that will very likely go the distance and be a contested special court martial (full blown trial). This is very unusual for a "first case." Most JAG's first case is a guilty plea, where the arguments made are over sentencing. My client says she didn't do it and wants to go all the way with it. There is no scientific evidence against her so we have a shot. Trial is scheduled for the 4th of Oct, so needless to say I am going to be very busy. More to follow at a later date on the trial. I also found out that I will be moving out of legal assistance and into the Physical Evaluation Board at Bethesda sometime in late September or early October. I am really enjoying legal assistance right now, but look forward to a new challenge.

2- Home-nothing really that exciting to report-just the slow months of summer. We are just enjoying the last month of Kamryn not being in school. Wow, that will change our lives. Kamryn is growing up so fast. I continue to be amazed daily by what a quality person she is. She teaches me lessons on how to be as a person. This little girl is a sweet as they come. Brooklyn is growing up to. She is such a character. Just down right fun to be around. Yesterday, I was observing her play a computer game. She is so inquisitive-very deep in her perceptions. Lisa has got the life. She gets up when she wants to and does what she wants to do with here day. That is ok with me, her time helps her to be an outstanding mother.

3- Spiritual-I have had two presentations in church in the last month: 1)- a fireside on "One Nation Under God"; and 2)- a talk on Adam and Eve. These were two great learning experiences for me. In addition, I got a new calling-13 Sunday school teacher. Works for me. On a personal spiritual note, I am reading the Book of Mormon. It has been a while since the last time I read the BOM and I can honestly say I feel the difference in my life. I short; I feel closure to my heavenly father. That is what is going on with me. Justin Out.

  

Entry 7: August 25, 2004

In the beggining I said that my entries at times may be political rants. Chris Matthews made me so mad that I could resist. Here is the email that I sent his show:

“Hardball” as a descriptive epitaph of Chris Mathew’s show is more a paper tiger than a realistic format description. I have never seen political “bean bag” played with more finesse than during Mathew’s interview with former Senator Max Cleland. So many missed opportunities. For instance (and this was the easy question), how can Matthews ask Cleland if President Bush should denounce the Swift Vet ads and completely ignore the elephant (no pun intended) in the room by not asking Kerry to denounce the lies being spewed by democratic 527s about George Bush’s national guard record. Chris had to have known that even though Kerry denounced MoveOn’s latest attack on
Bush’s National Guard record last week, Kerry then sent his segregates (Tad Divine and his ilk) out to do his “dirty work” as recently as this last Sunday’s talk shows. Kerry’s denouncement—a true red herring. And what about letting Cleland get away with saying something to the effect as: “George Bush is tearing this country apart with Vietnam.” Huh? (jaw drop) Huh? I just have one question (a question the “hardball” commentator should have asked. “Would Vietnam even be an issue if John Kerry wasn’t the Democratic candidate?” Wow, Cleland’s statement not only went unchallenged, but Matthews even praised Cleland as being a better spokesman for the party than Kerry. Finally, and probably the most damaging to Matthew’s credibility was his attempt to convey the Bush campaign’s letter defending the Vets’ rights to challenge Kerry’s actions when he RETURNED, as some escalation in the Bush campaigns involvement in the ads, while at the same time blissfully oblivious to the free speech implication. Under Chris’s logic, if anyone from the Bush campaign ever challenges Kerry’s actions upon his return Vietnam, there will be indicia of links to rising to the level of a conspiracy trumping their right of political speech."

Wow, I feel so much better now. Justin Out.