Sunday, September 30, 2007
Open Ocean Triathlon
Well ... I participated in my first "open ocean" triathlon. Unlike pool swims, or even lake swims, the open ocean is much more challenging and much more fun! The weather was perfect, the water beautiful and my time SLOW! I need to get back in shape ... as you can see by the photo on the left part of the page where I am gasping for air after climbing a hill. Remember, training the mind means also training the body!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Iranian President -Amadnejad
WOW - an amazing 78% of those who voted on this page said that The Iranian President speaking at Columbia University was "free speech" and supported it! Of course, 22% of those who responded said that it was an inappropriate forum. It seems that even when people are saying things with which we disagree, Americans still favor the right of that person to say it! An overwhelming majority seems to still believe in the basic constitutional rights of our representative democracy!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Andrew Meyer, Florida Student, "tased" - necessary or excessive force? By Michael E. Chionopoulos
The main video, and some alternative videos of Andrew Meyer being tased at the University of Florida can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJbh2MlNHug&mode=related&search There was an in depth discussion of the issues involved here on this page. Moreover, you were asked to vote. 87% of those that voted stated that the University Police used "necessary", as opposed to excessive, force! While it is true that immediately following the incident some media sensationalists made ludicrious statements comparing the University Police actions to the human rights violation of Sadaam Hussain's reighn of terror, once people had the "facts" (and not media, objective-driven, spin) 87% determined for themselves that the force used was reasonable and necessary.
Friday, September 14, 2007
WELCOME HOME 1-180th INFANTRY
The 1-180 Infantry Battalion, Oklahoma Army National Guard, is returning from Afghanistan. These men and women are indeed some of the most special people in the entire world - I know this because I had the honor of serving in that Battalion as a young Captain. Currently lead by Lieutenant Colonel Bobby Yandell, the Battalion is returning from a "combat tour." For most of the soldiers it is their 2nd or 3rd tour in the Middle East within the last few years.
Starting in June 2002, the Battalion trained for a "Peace Keeping" mission in Egypt. From January 2003-July 2004, lead by now Colonel Kevin McNeely, the Battalion flexed American military muscle between the border of Egypt and Israel - maintaining a delicate peace agreement between the two nations governing rules within the Sinai desert. Some soldiers of the Battalion went with other units to Iraq; the entire Battalion went to Afghanistan with the 45th Separate Infantry Brigade; and then was tasked to go right back as a Battalion.
The sacrifices made by these men and women and their family members is so under appreciated - not for want of thankfulness, but for want of understanding with regard to the training, family hardships, professional (civilian career) hardships and employer hardships necessary to make these deployments successful.
TRUE PATRIOTS - these men and women deserve our most deep respect. Unlike an "active duty" soldier, there is no retirement rainbow at 40 or so years old. Rather, many of these men and women will serve more than 25 years and still not collect a penny of retirement if and until they live to 60 years of age. They get no health care benefits once released from their deployment; no re-employment assistance (accept the ability to hire a lawyer on their own dime if an employer violates USERRA); no mental health screening before discharge; and about 1/2 of the retirement at 60 that an active duty soldier gets 20 years earlier. These men and women do not do what they do for money - they do it for love of nation and love of freedom and they do not complain. Rather, they embrace the opportunity to serve. So the next time you see one of them ... or any soldier, sailor, airmen or marine ... say "THANK YOU!"
As we continue to go to the mall and the movies and on vacation, it is difficult to remember that the sons and daughters of America remain quietly in harm's way. Please try to remember to thank them for their sacrifices - even if you do not agree with the war. What is the saying? "Hate the game, not the player!"
Starting in June 2002, the Battalion trained for a "Peace Keeping" mission in Egypt. From January 2003-July 2004, lead by now Colonel Kevin McNeely, the Battalion flexed American military muscle between the border of Egypt and Israel - maintaining a delicate peace agreement between the two nations governing rules within the Sinai desert. Some soldiers of the Battalion went with other units to Iraq; the entire Battalion went to Afghanistan with the 45th Separate Infantry Brigade; and then was tasked to go right back as a Battalion.
The sacrifices made by these men and women and their family members is so under appreciated - not for want of thankfulness, but for want of understanding with regard to the training, family hardships, professional (civilian career) hardships and employer hardships necessary to make these deployments successful.
TRUE PATRIOTS - these men and women deserve our most deep respect. Unlike an "active duty" soldier, there is no retirement rainbow at 40 or so years old. Rather, many of these men and women will serve more than 25 years and still not collect a penny of retirement if and until they live to 60 years of age. They get no health care benefits once released from their deployment; no re-employment assistance (accept the ability to hire a lawyer on their own dime if an employer violates USERRA); no mental health screening before discharge; and about 1/2 of the retirement at 60 that an active duty soldier gets 20 years earlier. These men and women do not do what they do for money - they do it for love of nation and love of freedom and they do not complain. Rather, they embrace the opportunity to serve. So the next time you see one of them ... or any soldier, sailor, airmen or marine ... say "THANK YOU!"
As we continue to go to the mall and the movies and on vacation, it is difficult to remember that the sons and daughters of America remain quietly in harm's way. Please try to remember to thank them for their sacrifices - even if you do not agree with the war. What is the saying? "Hate the game, not the player!"
Monday, September 10, 2007
Domestic Violence Survey - Michael E. Chionopoulos
I am moving sites ... from http://www.okiejudge.blogspot.com/ to this new site. Of course, you can still visit the old site with the link provided here. At least for now, I will leave the domestic violence survey on the old site.
I also intend to start a new survey on this site, with some refinement due to my learning experience in phrasing questions from the first research. This will be an ongoing project, from which I hope to obtain data that will allow me to write work(s) that will draw attention to the growing problem of domestic violence and, hopefully, will cause new resources and inovative interventions to be created for victims.
I also intend to start a new survey on this site, with some refinement due to my learning experience in phrasing questions from the first research. This will be an ongoing project, from which I hope to obtain data that will allow me to write work(s) that will draw attention to the growing problem of domestic violence and, hopefully, will cause new resources and inovative interventions to be created for victims.
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