A Little Bit of Everything

I have spent a great deal of the day reading one of my favorite blogs. Since I am new to the world of blogs I am simply going as far back as I can and then reading towards the present. I have read all of Sgt.Lizzy that way, and now I am reading TCOverride. I would very much recommend both blogs as there is an amazing amount of great information in them. They have also been going at it for months and I share many of their opinions, I just haven't gotten them out yet. If you are completely unfamiliar with these blogs, both of the bloggers have been injured in explosions in Iraq, and the blogging has continued after the injuries in both cases.

On to other news...I watched "Hotel Rwanda" last night. I would hoighly recommend this movie. It is not the most well made movie ever (poor special effects), but it tells a story that we just don't hear. "Tears of the Sun" is another movie that deals with these issues (much better special effects), but the two movies go at it from different angles. The most notable difference (aside from Americans kicking ass) is the lack of white folk in "Hotel Rwanda." This is an important fact, because instead of rooting for the classic Caucasian American hero (i.e. Bruce Willis), you find yourself rooting for the black African. In this time of increased diversity and political correctness, it would seem natural to root for a black victory. Instead I found that this seemed initially foreign. I think that the hero being African, and not African-American made a substantial difference, as I kept picturing the starving refugee commercials from daytime TV. The genocide in Rwanda, Somalia and the Sudan have been treated with the same channel-surfing attitude that the "Feed the Children" commercials receive. I could see it argued that all modern-day genocides have received this treatment, as many have, but this falls apart when we take a look at the Balkans. The sight of genocide against white Europeans in Kosovo was too much for Americans to bear. We stepped (or really just flew...remember the massive bombing campaign) into the middle of this confrontation while we were unwilling to do the same for the genocides committed in African nations...In other words; I recommend watching this movie, and doing some soul searching after.

Another subtle change of subject... The sky is beginning to grey. It appears that our blue skies will be gone soon. Back to sucking smoke all day. It's a good thing that I have only six days left here. I will be looking forward to getting back to the clean Mat-Su air. This has been a revealing experience, but I will be glad to move on. I have an interview tomorrow, I have to constantly remind myself of this out of fear of forgetting. At 2:30 tomorrow afternoon I will be doing a phone interview with my home unit in Palmer for a position that they have open in the dispatch office I have been working in. I don't know that I have explained that I am a temporary employee with the State. I am what is known as an EFF (Emergency Fire Fighter). I was called in at the beginning of summer, and have been busy through the whole summer; luckily (it has been a busy season for wild land fire). I am, however, in no way guaranteed any work as I am not a regular State employee. If I get this job, I will be part of the permanent seasonal staff. I will be guaranteed employment next summer. I will keep you posted.