Shodan in Aikido

This is just a diary entry to record that on Saturday, July 1st, my teacher Mike Lewis, several of his other students (Paul, Sara, Toren, Larry, Jeff) and I visited Nick Lowry's Windsong Dojo in Oklahoma City. Nick told us before class that I would be able to demonstrate for my shodan (1st degree black belt) rank. We participated in class and then Mike Lewis was uke for my demonstration. Lowry Sensei pronounced himself satisfied with the demonstration, so now I can be considered a serious student of Karl Geis aikido.

Condemned

This via dustbury:

Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	Medium
Wrath:	Medium
Sloth:	High
Envy:	Very Low
Lust:	Medium
Pride:	Medium

The Seven Deadly Sins Quiz on 4degreez.com

We are Winning

Chart3-30

Totals from the past 9 weeks indicate a decrease in the fatality rate among Coalition forces in Iraq. The average number of fatalities caused by hostile action during that period was about 9. The average had been about 13 per week. The new level is the lowest since before operations during April 2004 to clear several key Iraqi cities.

You will probably hear much more about the spate of fatalities in early April and how they represent an increase over March than you will about this encouraging trend for 2006.

Iraq Casualties Update (through 29 December)

I have updated my fatalities chart through the week ending 12/29/05. My short interpretation is that the hostile fatality rate for Coalition forces has not changed from its recent average of about 13 per week.

Questions Raised

I feel like the Associated Press will pursue any angle to cast the war effort in a bad light or promote discouragement here at home. This story is a fine example. Three men in 10th Special Forces Group commit suicide in fairly rapid succession. The story seems to emphasize that this was an SF unit. But one of the three suicides was an accountant, another was an electronics repairer. They don't mention Mr. Howell's specialty. Lots of organizations in Iraq and Afghanistan have accountants and electronics repairers. I'm not sure people doing those duties for 10th SF are necessarily under extra stress. They also mention that an anti-malarial drug may have been involved in these cases. The story sets the Army and manufacturer against Howell's widow, but they may both be right. A drug might be generally safe, but have bad side effects for you or me. The story on this drug is actually kind of interesting to me, but this story doesn't bother to pursue it. Speculation about how brutal the war is and how screwed up some units are as a result apparently better serves the AP worldview.

Things I Have Learned

...about Mizzou football from Tim McCarver:

1. They play in Tiger Stadium
2. in Jefferson City

Iraq Casualties Update (through 22 September)

The fatalities trend provides some encouragement. Deaths due to hostile fire may be slightly down over the past few weeks, despite many offensives by Coalition forces. The change, if any, is small, and may require several more weeks to be confirmed by data, but here's hoping.

Can't Go Home Again

Via Matt Barr, an idea for a list:
Top 100 from 1980 (I graduated from high school.) Songs I liked are bold, my favorite of these (No. 100) is underlined (and in bold, because I liked it), and ones I didn't like are struck through. Others, which I either cannot remember or didn't care about, are none of these.

No Elvis Costello? He was not mainstream, I guess. I just remember the music being better than this. There are many of these that I don't think I have heard.

1. Call Me, Blondie
2. Another Brick In The Wall, Pink Floyd
3. Magic, Olivia Newton-John
4. Rock With You, Michael Jackson
5. Do That To Me One More Time, Captain and Tennille
6. Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Queen
7. Coming Up, Paul McCartney
8. Funkytown, Lipps, Inc.
9. It's Still Rock And Roll To Me, Billy Joel
10. The Rose, Bette Midler
11. Escape (The Pina Colada Song), Rupert Holmes
12. Cars, Gary Numan
13. Cruisin', Smokey Robinson
14. Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl, Spinners
15. Lost In Love, Air Supply
16. Little Jeannie, Elton John
17. Ride Like The Wind, Cristopher Cross
18. Upside Down, Diana Ross
19. Please Don't Go, K.C. and The Sunshine Band
20. Babe, Styx
21. With You I'm Born Again, Billy Preston and Syreeta
22. Shining Star, Manhattans
23. Still, Commodores
24. Yes, I'm Ready, Teri De Sario With K.C.
25. Sexy Eyes, Dr. Hook
26. Steal Away, Robbie Dupree
27. Biggest Part Of Me, Ambrosia
28. This Is It, Kenny Loggins
29. Cupid-I've Loved You For A Long Time, Spinners
30. Let's Get Serious, Jermaine Jackson
31. Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer, Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes
32. Sailing, Christopher Cross
33. Longer, Dan Fogelberg
34. Coward Of The County, Kenny Rogers
35. Ladies Night, Kool and The Gang
36. Take Your Time, S.O.S. Band
37. No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer
38. Too Hot, Kool and The Gang
39. More Love, Kim Carnes
40. Pop Muzik, M
41. Brass In Pocket, Pretenders
42. Special Lady, Ray, Goodman and Brown
43. Send One Your Love, Stevie Wonder
44. The Second Time Around, Shalamar
45. We Don't Talk Anymore, Cliff Richard
47. Heartache Tonight , Eagles
48. Stomp, Brothers Johnson
49. Tired Of Toein' The Line, Rocky Burnette
50. Better Love Next Time, Dr. Hook
51. Him, Rupert Holmes
52. Against The Wind, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
53. On The Radio, Donna Summer
54. Emotional Rescue, Rolling Stones
55. Rise, Herb Alpert

56. All Out Of Love, Air Supply

57. Cool Change, Little River Band
58. You're Only Lonely, J.D. Souther
59. Desire, Andy Gibb
60. Let My Love Open The Door, Pete Townshend
61. Daydream Believer, Anne Murray
62. I Can't Tell You Why, Eagles
63. Don't Let Go, Isaac Hayes
64. Don't Do Me Like That, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
65. She's Out Of My Life, Michael Jackson
66. Fame, Irene Cara
67. Fire Lake, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
68. How Do I Make You, Linda Ronstadt
69. Into The Night, Benny Mardones
70. Let Me Love You Tonight, Pure Prairie League
71. Misunderstanding, Genesis
72. An American Dream, Dirt Band
73. One Fine Day, Carole King
74. Dim All The Lights, Donna Summer
75. You May Be Right, Billy Joel
76. Hurt So Bad, Linda Ronstadt
77. Should've Never Let You Go, Neil Sedaka and Dara Sedaka
78. Pilot Of The Airwaves, Charlie Dore
79. Off The Wall, Michael Jackson
80. I Pledge My Love, Peaches and Herb
81. The Long Run, Eagles
82. Stand By Me, Mickey Gilley
83. Heartbreaker, Pat Benatar
84. Deja Vu, Dionne Warwick
85. Drivin' My Life Away, Eddie Rabbitt
86. Take The Long Way Home, Supertramp
87. Sara, Fleetwood Mac
88. Wait For Me, Daryl Hall and John Oates
89. Jo Jo, Boz Scaggs
90. September Morn, Neil Diamond
91. Give Me The Night, George Benson
92. Broken Hearted Me, Anne Murray
93. You Decorated My Life, Kenny Rogers
94. Tusk, Fleetwood Mac
95. I Wanna Be Your Lover, Prince
96. In America, Charlie Daniels Band
97. Breakdown Dead Ahead, Boz Scaggs
98. Ships, Barry Manilow
99. All Night Long, Joe Walsh
100. Refugee, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers