WSUCougar's Holiday Essay Contest (PC game to the winner)

[WSUCougar]

To mark the holiday season, I am offering a PC game of the winner's choice ($40 maximum price, but I will shop sales) to the winner of my essay contest. I will buy the game and ship it to you. The game might be used, but will be in good condition. Rules are listed below:

1. All essays must be posted in this thread. Only one essay may be entered per person.

2. Essays must be a minimum of 200 words. There is no maximum, but the length of the essay is rather irrelevant.

3. Essays may be on any topic, but extra consideration will be given to those that touch in a positive way upon one or more of the following subjects: (a) the true meaning of Christmas (or the holiday season, for those that do not celebrate Christmas) as defined by you - this does not necessarily mean Christian or specifically religious values; (b) the essence of sports; (c) the concepts of honor & integrity; (d) the power of friendship

4. The essays will be judged on writing quality and style as well as the strength of their theme, but spelling, typos, and punctuation will count. This is a writing competition. You may edit your essay up until the deadline, but any edits after the deadline will disqualify your essay.

5. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden, but largely unenforceable. Also, note that essays will be considered in the order they are posted, so similar themes may get worn out if there are several previously posted on the same topic. Please abide by the spirit of the contest.

6. The deadline is midnight, Christmas Eve (12/24/04), Central Time. The winner will be announced on or before 12/31/04.

7. Although I will be the final judge of the essays, commentary is welcomed.

8. A minimum of five essays must be submitted for the contest to proceed.

[Franklinnoble]

This thread could be a comedic gold mine...

[samifan24]

Sounds interesting....

[Passacaglia]

It actually took me longer to see this thread, since it's stickied -- those are the thread I just ignore on the way down to the real part of the forum.

[hukarez]

Are these the games the ones that you've been trying to get rid of in the PC Game Trading thread?

[korme]

sweet

[korme]

nothing special.





---
Christmas is a great time of year. Each year, the reasons that it is in fact great largely stay the same, but in a way they differ for me, as I grow older. As a youngster, and for the most part as a teen, I generally looked to Christmas as a time for one thing – presents. Oh, how I loved Christmas morning, getting up and opening each present to my delight as my Mom and Dad happily looked on. It didn’t matter to them that I hadn’t picked out anything myself, really just having Mom buy Dad’s presents and write my name on it, and vice versa was good enough for them. All that mattered was that my brother and I were having a wonderful Christmas opening all these new toys and clothes.

But as I get older, the wish list becomes smaller and smaller, and I start to look at the holiday as a whole in a different light. Material things become less important as I grow and realize that spending quality time with my family is much more valuable. Being moved out, I don’t get to see them as much as I'd like, and it’s nice just to be home. I am lucky to have such a wonderful family that loves me and cares so much about me, and I am now beginning to realize that I am very blessed to have lived such a good life in my first 18 years.

I guess I’m trying to get the point across that everyone should cherish the holiday season and spend as much time as they can with their friends, family, and those who care. Happy holidays.
--

[sovereignstar]

shorty's grammar sucks.

[GoldenEagle]

I will give this a shot.

[korme]

thanks sov.. glad i did this

[Flasch186]

Tonight exemplified all of the tings that are important about Chanukkah. Tonight, my girlfriend and I (with Cousin Tom) welcomed my parents and Grandfather to our new home to celebrate the festival of lights. What was especially wonderful about tonight was how everyone pulled together and made it happen.

Due to my girlfriend and Cousin Tom being involved in Real Estate school, they wouldnt be home in time to prepare a meal and neither would I as I wouldnt be off work in time. So my mother came through like a champ and brought food to work with her today and kept it in their fridge until she got off work. She then came over to my home and began cooking while I wrapped presents and got the house ready.

My girlfriend and I dont have enough chairs in our new home for everyone so my father brought over some folding chairs over and picked up grandpa to bring him over. We were well on our way.

I dont own a menorah so my grandfather brought one and gave it to us as one of our presents. It hadnt crssed my mind that we would need one as my whole life its just been there.

Finally it was my grandfather who said the prayers but got them wrong this time. He's just getting so old BUT the most important thing is that HE did it, and no one told him he got them wrong. He got to run the show and the Jewish holidays are so important to him that I hope that this isnt his last one but it was truly wonderful to watch his frail, shaking hands light the candles.

I dont know if this essay is 200 words or not but Im glad I let everyone know just what a wonderful Chanukkah this has been so far...and its only day 1.


EDIT: the main topic of converstaion was the steroids in MLB...what a wonderful night.

[cody8200]

My thoughts on Christmas...hope I don't come off sounding too preachy.

For me, Christmas has always been the most memorable of holidays. No other day in the year has as many sights, sounds, and smells that correspond to it as Christmas. Qualities that have been lacking all year come out in people you never knew had them. The music, the décor, the snow (I’m from Indiana) all bring a warm feeling of familiarity like no other day in the year. Christmas in my family has always been focused around the birth of Christ but even for people who are not Christians, Christmas is often a special day.


Families come together and children travel back home to their parents. This tradition, while prevalent in Thanksgiving, is often more welcome during the Christmas season. While commerciality and presents have killed Christmas for some, they are missing the point. Christmas is not a jingle not an advertisement. There are good things that happen during Christmas that don’t occur the rest of the year. It is the one time of year where people seem to come together if with no other belief than people should treat each other with kindness.

One of the best parts of Christmas when I was a child was the cartoons. The Charlie Brown Christmas Special, The Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman were some staples of my childhood. I still watch these shows every year and each year they help to rekindle the excitement for the holiday from my youth. Especially, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, what an amazing story it conveys, a story that is not told in many live action shows. While it is just a child’s cartoon with cheesy rhymes, nothing makes me cherish the holiday more than that child’s program.

Christmas music is fantastic. I’m not talking about the songs about Santa Claus and his reindeer but instead songs about the birth of Christ. Most times the lyrics were written much later than the actual music but it seems like the lyrics were specifically meant for the melody. Songs like “Oh Holy Night”, “The First Noel”, and “Silent Night” (basically any songs with the word “Night” in it) seem like the perfect Christmas music. These songs really epitomize, at least to me, what Christmas music should be.

Finally, and most importantly, Christmas is a time for sharing, not so much a time for present-giving. I think giving gifts to children is wonderful and helps children understand what Christmas should really be about, sharing and caring for others. As I have gotten older, Christmas has been less about what I was going to get and more about how I could make someone happy by giving them something they need. It really does give you a great feeling to help someone out or to give time or money to someone who has little or nothing. I believe this good feeling we get during the Christmas season will help us to continue sharing our resources for those in need in the upcoming year. God gave us the greatest gift of all by sharing his Son with us; the least we can do is share some of what we have with others in remembrance of his act.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

Tonight exemplified all of the tings...

You had me at "tings".

[Vince]

Did anyone else immediately think of Sebastian the crab from The Little Mermaid?



Yeah, I didn't either...

[Token Asian Guy]

I'll give it a crack, but I can't write an essay about the true meaning of christmas without writing about how I want a Red Rider bb gun, so I'll spare you the trouble.

There is an old adage that states that the true makeup of one's character is not what they do in front of others, but instead what they do when alone. Honor and integrity are age old concepts, and over the course of history we've seen it lived to it's very best, and also disgraced and disregarded. The truly notable defenders and offenders of honor and integrity are great monuments of the strength and weakness that resides in all of us, and a true reminder of our great potential or a warning of our destructive abilities.
Mother Theresa and Gahndi were two amazing individuals that truly cared for their fellow men and women, and in the face of adversity, stood up for what they believed in. This is not to say that they were perfect or didn't make mistakes, in fact their humanistic nature allows them to be put on the level of every person, to show them that they are capable of the same amazing compassion and goodwill.
The pride that one can take in knowing that they helped another person or stood up for what is morally right, even in the face of overwhelming opposition is something that is so genuinely personal. No other person can truly understand the honor that someone can feel from having great integrity except for that very person. In fact, the sheer nobility in remaining anonymous makes the achievement all the more spectacular, because the honorable person needs not accolades nor acknowledgement.
Hopefully, we all at FOFC can stay true to ourselves, to uphold honor and integrity in a time of war when our friends and loved ones serve us, needing not praise or reward, just our unconditional love and loyalty. If anything, this essay serves as a reminder of them, and to motivate those of us back home to do good deeds and stay morally upright in our everyday lives.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

thanks sov.. glad i did this

Shorty, I enjoyed reading it.

[gottimd]

That can't be Flasch who wrote that. There are no letters or initials that represent all the nouns and subjects of the story.

[Flasch186]

Originally Posted by gottimd

That can't be Flasch who wrote that. There are no letters or initials that represent all the nouns and subjects of the story.

It was hard but I felt since this was an essay I should actually be a little more formal about it....hence the above. It was a concious effort.

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by hukarez

Are these the games the ones that you've been trying to get rid of in the PC Game Trading thread?

Nope. Any game...winner's choice.

[rkmsuf]

Born unto the hearts of men is the innate desire to succeed, the will to win. In the heat of battle, in the midst of the fight it is this desire that pushes one beyond normal limits. This drive, this spirit is the ultimate modifier to inherent skill and shapes the outward character seen by all. Unleashing this spirit and harnessing this power propels the ordinary soul to the brink of human capacity and demonstrates the potential within each of us.

Embracing this essence and bringing to life the fight is the noblest mission one can undertake. Bravery, cunning and might all on display for the shining moments burned into eternal memory. These memories are not born of chance but rather the warrior’s passion unleashed and on display in all it’s glory.

While others sleep, I hone my skills in preparation to shine like a bright light flashing across the sky. I study, I practice and I perfect my craft in hopes of reigning supreme in my field of battle. While others flee, I persist and find my way to ultimate victory. Through my perseverance and heart I will slay all the demons and emerge victorious. I am Lightning Bolt Man. Hear me roar.

[albionmoonlight]

For Christians, Easter and Christmas represent the two points around which the spiritual year revolves--two powerful, nuanced stories encapsulating Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. Indeed, for many, Easter and Christmas anchor more than just the Christian year; they become the foundations of the Christian life. Why? What makes these particular stories the essential Christian stories? In short, it is what they ask of us. These stories demand that we accept the most difficult, yet essential truth about Christ’s nature--that of God and Man as one flesh.

This Christmas season, gazing upon the Star of Bethlehem or witnessing the Annunciation (itself presented by an Angel taking the form and figure of a man) belies the idea that Jesus was not divine. At the same time, the manger, the impoverished parents, the ox and ass, the frigid December night, the very real, physical birth of a man to a woman force us to accept that this divine being was somehow, inexplicably, a man. A human no different in the essential particulars from you or me. One can easier picture Christ as Lord robed in white standing on the mountaintop with Moses and Elijah, or remember Christ as philosopher sitting on the rocks giving us the Sermon on the Mount. Christmas asks us to pull these Christs together into one almost incomprehensible whole.

Unfortunately, we flawed humans naturally shy away from such hard, complex truths--preferring to go to sleep at night in a world that makes sense to us--even if falsely. Professional academics too often dismiss Christ as God, preferring instead to celebrate the much more comfortable image of Christ as philosopher. They find wisdom in a message of turning the other cheek, loving your neighbor as yourself, giving comfort to those in want or need. They simply cannot, or choose not to, believe anything more than that, and (with typical academic smugness) look down upon those who do as succumbing to the Marxian "opiate of the masses." While this approach may certainly guide one in a life of good deeds, the Christmas story--the Christian story--demands much more. Christ is more that some Ghandi, or John Stewart Mill--a smart man with ideas about how to live life. Refusing to confront that more ignores the spine tingling truth that is nothing short of Christ as Lord.

At the same time, many self-professed "Christians" dutifully celebrate Christ as Lord in church every week. They take comfort in the fact that they are saved because they picked the right God, and that they vote for politicians who claim to worship that God, too. They have neither the time nor the inclination to question and explore their faith and, in the extreme cases, consider such questioning to be in itself sinful. They blindly acquiesce to very same religious and political power structures that Christ spent his life questioning and tearing down, dismissing anyone who challenges those power structures as "Godless." Much like the "Christ as philosopher" crowd, these Christians refuse to accept the true Christmas story--the true Christian story. Christ told us how to live, and it was hard. To turn the other cheek, to treat the least of us as the best of us, to love all humans, no matter how distasteful to us personally, as we love ourselves. To kick the money changers out of the temple when the need arises, to pay attention because you never know when you are going to have to drop your nets and follow this man to God knows where. Give your hollow worship to Cesar; give your life to God.

Simple dichotomies are easy (red and blue states anyone?). I am right, you are wrong. I am good, you are bad. I am Christian, you are not. Our modern political and media structures want to feed us these easy dichotomies--and we are inclined to accept them. Christ, however, refuses to be split, despite our best efforts to do so. He is more than Man and more than God. And wherever you fall on the political and religious maps, make sure that the Christ you worship is the Christ of Christmas, not the Christ of your own convenience.

[MizzouRah]

When I was a little boy, Christmas was a time to get presents for being good, well at least for the month of December. I remember times of waking up at 6am and having to wait until breakfast was eaten, bulky VCR cameras were setup, and finally having to wait until my Dad said, "Ok, you can come downstairs now".

I would have to say, even after all these years, my coolest present as a kid was my Atari. Playing Donkey Kong, Defender, and Asteroids that one Christmas morning was never more fun. I also remember my Rubix Cube, remote controlled car, TRS-80 color computer, and who could forget the Commodore 64? Each year you had that one gift that made all other gifts jealous.

Fast foward to the present, having two kids and a wife brings on a whole new meaning of Christmas for myself. I actually think I have more joy watching my two girls opening gifts than I did opening them as a kid. I can see myself as a kid through their eyes on Christmas morning. Breakfast? who cares? getting the camera ready? heck, I'm up earlier than they are. Nope, we get right down to business on Christmas morning.

What have I learned over the years? Well, the meaning of Christmas has drastically changed as I have grown older over the years and it's amazing how the saying, "It's better to give than to recieve", has really come full circle for me.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

thanks sov.. glad i did this

I enjoyed it too Shorty, don't let Sov bother you, he's gotta a case of constant PMS.

[MizzouRah]

If you're from St. Louis, you get +5 points added in.


Todd

[McSweeny]

while i think it's a nice idea to give away a PC game to the winner, i just had an interesting thought (or couple of thoughts)

seeing as it is the Christmas season, i got it in my head that it would be an even bigger gesture of Coug to take the 40-50 bucks and give it to the charity of the winner's choice. Though that doesn't sound like much, it also occured to me that i would happily match Coug's contribution to said charity. I'm sure a couple other people would as well. And in the end we'd have a nice little FOFC Christmas donation to a charity.

I don't mean to be preachy or whatever, but i think that considering that most of us spend way too much time on our computer's playing games as it is, the last thing any of us really need is ANOTHER game. right? A couple hundred dollar donation to a deserving charity just makes alot more sense to me.

[Karlifornia]

The holiday season is, for most of us, a time of joyous celebration and togetherness. During this time, it is hard to imagine that there are people out there that have problems much larger than trying to pick out the perfect gifts. Emotional pain is amplified during the holidays, and statistics show that this time of year has high suicide numbers. Imagine being the person who feels they have no friends, family, or anyone who loves them at all on Christmas Eve. The hurt is just too great for some to bear. If you know anyone who is going through a hard time, let them know that they are welcome to share the magic of the holiday season with you and yours. Even simply the gesture can make a big difference, and possibly save a life.

I also feel that Christmas/Chanukkah time is the perfect time to let go of grudges. There are times when good friends and even family can let differences keep them from allowing someone of importance in their lives. Even if you never speak to them again, a simple phone call saying "water under the bridge" can make the holiday season that much better for them and yourself.

Happy Holidays.

[illinifan999]

The power of friendship is an amazing thing. This fall when a family friend and her kids were killed in a fire, I knew I could shed tears in front of my friends without wondering what they were thinking. When a senior who was 7 months away from completing his goal of graduating high school died from complications caused by muscular dystrophy, he was able to pass away having all of his friends in the hospital room the month leading up to his death. I’d like to think that made his death easier on him, than if no one had been there.

Friends are there for you no matter what happens. When a friend was diagnosed with cancer, he didn’t have to worry about people avoiding him. We were there in the hospital with him, we were there to help him through his chemo. When a friend got the acceptance to his dream college, we were the first to congratulate him. Friends help friends get through tough situations. When a friend was involved in a major accident, and had a time where getting in a car freaked him out, we were there to help him get over his fear. Whenever a friend is a buck short for lunch, you know you can help him out without worrying about being paid back. A friend had a major knee injury. We were there for his therapy.

Getting your license is a major event in your life. Being able to share it with your friends is even bigger. Knowing that no matter where you go to college, even though more than likely I’ll be headed somewhere with a good friend, we’ll be able to stay in touch is huge. Having friends like this is what makes life worth living. The power of friendship is an amazing thing.

[Easy Mac]

As Harry the hamster waited for the ducks to cross the road, he couldn't believe how oblivious these fowl were to the potential dangers barreling down towards them. Harry had seen it time and time again. Often he would watch as various mammals and acquatic fowl would wait to cross the dangerous thoroughfare, only to end up crossing two seconds too late.

On this day however, something struck Harry as odd. It wasn't just a deer or opossum crossing the road; no, it was a family of ducks crossing the road. They were laughing and carrying on, telling eachother tales of the weeks past. Harry couldn't understand how these ducks could just ignore the world around them and talk to eachother all day. Don't they get tired of one another, he wondered? Surely this is something that they could not handle 24 hours a day.

You see, Harry had 10 brothers and sisters, but he learned early that there wasn't enough room at home for everyone to survive. So at a very young age he set out in search of his future. Harry did not think of home much anymore. Sure, he made the occasional holiday trip, especially in the winter when it became cold. To him, this is how families are to work. There are just too many competing interests and lives to make it work every day. This is why the ducks perplexed him so.

With his mind clouded in thought, Harry made a break for the other side of Highway 16. About 2/3 of the way there, Harry suddenly found himself in quite the pickle. A mad driver was moving on him fast, and a car was quickly coming from the other side. Harry braced himself for the things he had seen so many times. In what he thought would be his last vision of the world, Harry saw something out of the corner of his eye.

The ducks who puzzled him so were not quite across the street. What he saw made of the regrets of the past crawl back into his heart. Two of the ducks went back for their troubled mate, saving the slower duck just in the nick of time. At that instant, Harry's world turned black.













When he awoke, he was on the side of the road, not entirely sure how he came there. As far as he could surmise, he fainted, and was lucky enough to be blown off the road by the air off the car. But Harry did not forget what he saw. He immediately set off through the woods, running to reach the family that he so hastily abandoned.

Upon reaching home, Harry was greeted as though he had been gone for a millenia. At that moment, a huge lump formed in his throat. It was then that Harry knew the mistakes he had made in the past. He knew that he was wrong to place so much emphasis on only the holidays and not enough on every other day of the year. He laughed as he thought about why he left home. No longer did he think of his family as an impediment, but instead they were the things he should cherish the most.

Harry realized that family is something that should be important every day, not just once a year. The gifts he got once a year could not make up for the emptiness he felt the rest of the year. Sure, the holidays were great for bringing his family together, but it should not take a special day to do so. He realized its more important to see his family everyday, and try to make every day special.

[Ben E Lou]

Bump...un-stick for 5.1b. will re-sticky tomorrow...

[WSUCougar]

One week to go...keep 'em coming.

[Munsonian]

Well, I'll take a stab at this. Here's an essay I wrote for my English class on the topic of "How Free Enterprise Effectively Manages the Rising Cost of Energy". I know it's way off topic, but I figured it's worth a shot. Let me put in a disclaimer, however: our English pretty much grades on length and style/fluency alone, so there's a possibility that, although I did my best to remove them, this essay was probably written a little too quickly, and there may be some rather gaping logical flaws. Please don't make fun of me.

---

Free Enterprise: A Solution for the Present, a Vision for the Future

Throughout its history, America has been a social, economic, and scientific leader in the world. As new challenges come about in the upcoming century, our nation’s abilities to create new solutions and learn from its mistakes will allow America to overcome these obstacles and emerge stronger than ever. A significant example of these abilities lies in the free enterprise system. By allowing our nation’s modernizers flexibility to come up with the best solution, the free enterprise system is stunting the rise in today’s energy prices and keeping them at a workable level for everyday Americans. The free enterprise system curbs the rising price of energy by creating an atmosphere of rigorous competition and rewarding American values such as innovation and hard work.

To understand how the free enterprise system manages the price of energy, one must first understand how the system works. According to Bob McTeer, “in a free market system, the government doesn’t organize, direct, and control economic activity.” Another key part of its definition is the creation of a competitive environment in which businesses operate. This intense competition keeps prices down as businesses fight tooth and nail to make money; they must constantly try to beat the competition, and the winners are the American consumers. While at first glance this concept may seem to apply to retail stores and drug companies more than to energy prices, it is actually a critical theory that allows free enterprise to flex its muscles.

But what drives free enterprise? Bob McTeer states that free an ideal free enterprise system “has never existed in such a pure form.” The key concept in this system is supply and demand. In our current energy system, the supply of energy is heavy in Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In America, the demand for energy is so incredibly high that it is impractical to be completely independent of these nations. We need energy every minute of our lives; we need it to drive our cars, to cook our food, and to find our entertainment.

In fact, the demand for energy is becoming an increasingly difficult obstacle to overcome. The United States Department of Energy predicts that the consumption of electricity will increase by over thirty percent in the next twenty years. In that same time span, the use of natural gas to make electricity is predicted to skyrocket by over sixty percent (Brown). This would not be such a problem if the level of energy consumption in the United States was not already unthinkably high. Now, America must find innovative ways to keep the supply on pace with the demand.

However, the high demand for energy is not the only issue that puts pressure on the free enterprise system. For instance, America has an unhealthy habit of heavily depending on oil from unfriendly nations in the Middle East. As Gal Luft writes, “the U.S. finds itself in the position of financially supporting both itself and its enemies in the ‘War on Terror.’ This is a consequence of the U.S.'s growing dependence on oil, particularly as a transportation fuel.” The need for an alternative energy source, or at least a more energy independent society, has never been greater.

Already, the free enterprise system is working towards those solutions. Americans throughout the business and political worlds are vigorously searching for new, less expensive ways to meet America’s absurdly high energy demands. This exact issue was featured in this year’s presidential debates, and will continue to be a part of American politics until a solution is found. The free enterprise system allows America to benefit greatly from this attention by allowing America’s best and brightest minds the freedom to work and create workable solutions without government intervention. In the coming years, our country will reap the benefits of these great innovators.

In the meantime, free enterprise is facilitating the cost of energy to stay at a reasonable level. By allowing the delicate relationship of supply and demand to balance out without costly government intervention gives us the flexibility to maintain our way of life without worrying about the energy crisis. As international relationships become increasingly complex and dangerous, our free enterprise system will give us the much-needed ability to manage the price of energy regardless of other global affairs. While discovering an alternative source of energy is a critical step towards permanently curbing the rise in the cost of energy, it is equally important that we allow the free enterprise system to keep us afloat for the time being.

Unfortunately, those issues are not the only hindrances to free enterprise. Free enterprise is vulnerable to many demons; greed, incompetence, and mismanagement can all victimize this system that relies on integrity and hard work. The most famous violations of the free enterprise system in recent years revolve around corrupt corporate bigwigs. One notorious example of this is the Enron fiasco. However, it is important to note that while some businessmen are crooked, the free enterprise system is adapting to fight this problem by strengthening punishments for white-collar criminals and constantly striving to create an environment of legitimate competition. As with the energy situation, the free enterprise system’s flexibility is allowing it to evolve into a better system every day.

Government intrusion is another key problem. There is no clearer example of this than the California energy crisis that marred the legacies of ex-governors Pete Wilson and Gray Davis. This is also a huge red flag for the free enterprise system to observe as it searches for ways to control energy prices: excessive government intervention can cause major problems in energy management. In the mid-late 1990s, California legislators passed a bill that would deregulate its energy market; however, state regulations created a total disaster that led to rolling blackouts and a shortage of energy supplies.

In fact, it seems that this “deregulation” was actually filled with regulations that were did nothing to alleviate any previous energy shortage. For instance, this “deregulation” actually mandated that California utility companies were in reality not allowed to both generate electricity and sell it to consumers (Sutton). The bill also created the California Independent System Operator, which actually dictated the prices and terms by which power could be moved across the grid by electricity generators (Brown). Also, new regulations hampered future constructions of generation plants and transmission systems with the burden of unnecessary restrictions (Sutton).

The California deregulatory bill was, of course, a complete and abhorrent failure. Many blindly assumed that it was the deregulation that caused the rolling blackouts, but in reality is that it was the government intervention that left Californians without power.
When the market doesn’t have enough freedom to grow, free enterprise suffers. The California energy crisis is a critical warning to the rest of our country; it shows that unnecessary micromanagement and government intervention poses a costly danger to our nation’s energy supply. However, the free enterprise system’s flexibility allows for our nation to learn from its past mistakes.

As Ayn Rand once wrote:
If a detailed, factual study were made of all those instances in the history of American industry which have been used by the statists as an indictment of free enterprise and as an argument in favor of a government-controlled economy, it would be found that the actions blamed on businessmen were caused, necessitated, and made possible only by government intervention in business. The evils, popularly ascribed to big industrialists, were not the result of an unregulated industry, but of government power over industry. The villain in the picture was not the businessman, but the legislator, not free enterprise, but government controls. (Brown)

While Rand’s point is perhaps somewhat weakened by the wave of corporate crime, it is still important to note that she is correct in her observation that our entrepreneurs need their space to work. The number of corrupt businessmen as compared to legitimate, hard-working businessmen is not nearly large enough to merit any widespread government intervention and control over the market.

All of these points come back to the concept of the free enterprise system controlling the rising price of energy. Although an environment of rigorous competition has been constructed that is beneficial to our nation, it is implausible to try to control and accommodate for every potential future problem with regards to the price of energy. However, the elasticity of the free enterprise system ensures that it will be “living”; its ability to change will keep it a modern system to deal with the modern world. The tendency of supply and demand to even out over time will counterbalance both our increasing hunger for energy and other nations’ decreasing willingness to deal with us.

[Raven Hawk]

Here's my submission. Please note that none of the names have been changed, because nobody (except maybe Tim) is innocent enough to protect. I hope that it's long enough.
------------------------------------------------------------

Purgatory

I often spend time pondering the afterlife and what to expect when I get there. I was raised in a cross-Christian household. My father was a Catholic and my mother is a Lutheran. As a child, I was living my own kind of hell. I went to school. I went to Sunday school. I went to C.C.D. Don’t ask me what C.C.D. is. All I know is that it was Sunday school for Catholics, except it was on Saturday. That’s right, I went to school every day of the week. Children often put up with things for longer than they should and I was no different. My sister, two years my elder, was given a choice when she entered seventh grade. She could choose to continue along the path of being a Lutheran, or she could continue along the path of being a Catholic. What she chose is irrelevant to the story. What is relevant though is that my parents let her do this. Now, I knew that my hell was only temporary, so I attempted at every possible moment to expedite my parents’ will to let me do the same. Usually it was in the form of whining on the way to and from C.C.D. or Sunday school. Finally, my parents gave in and let me make a choice that would help shape my belief system for the rest of my life . . . in sixth grade.

Even though I had been begging for this opportunity non-stop for a year, when the question was posed I had no answer. For one whole year, I pressed my parents to give me this opportunity. I never actually thought about the choice that I was asking to make. So when presented with the choice, I froze up for a moment before I eventually made my choice. Catholic! It was as simple as that. Yeah. Catholic. Little did I know that my mother would ask me why I wanted to be a Catholic instead of a Lutheran. Logic? Who needs logic? My answer was just as simple. All my best friends were Catholic; I wanted to be with them. This did not sate my mother’s curiosity. To make a long story short, I was confirmed Lutheran. Although both religions are based on Christianity, one of the major points (there were 95 of them nailed to a church door in Wittenberg many centuries ago) of difference was that Lutherans do not believe in the concept of purgatory. I’m here to tell you that they are wrong. Purgatory exists and it’s located about 60 miles south of Champaign, Illinois off of I-57. Purgatory is Neoga, Illinois and I’ve been there.

It was approximately two months after my ex-fiancée had broken up with me. She was going to college at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. I was not. She was there when she broke up with me. I was not. She called me on a Monday, when I was at my friend Jeff’s house watching the Bears getting beaten by the Packers. Bitch. She couldn’t have waited for a Bears victory to soften the blow?

Why was I going to visit her? She had my most prized possession: my stereo. However, she was graduating at the end of the first semester and moving to St. Louis. She “didn’t have the cash” to ship it to me (it was a top of the line Kenwood tuner with a Sony carousel CD player and some sweet Bose speakers). I’m sure that I could have insisted, but part of me wanted to see her new boyfriend (who she didn’t admit having, but I knew she had). I wanted be an asshole to him, try to provoke him into fighting, and kick his ass. Therefore, I offered to make the six-hour drive to pick up the stereo.

My best friend, Shane tried to talk me out of it. He had recently lost a long-term girlfriend as well. We bonded over beer and ex-girlfriend/fiancée propaganda. He was my voice of reason; he told me to write the stereo off. In our discussion on the subject, however, he soon realized that it wasn’t about the stereo. It was about much more. So, reluctantly, Shane agreed to drive down to Carbondale with me. We made our plans to drive down two weeks before Christmas because that was when my ex was moving to St. Louis. Shane offered to drive, so we took his truck. Enter The Black Blazer.

The Black Blazer had seen better days, but by no means was it a crappy vehicle. It was more reliable than my ’87 Ford Thunderbird that required me to disconnect the battery every time I shut the car off, preventing the battery from dieing. We got decked out in some good-looking clothes – nice sweaters, Dockers, and wool overcoats. When you go to see an ex, it’s imperative that they think they let go of a winning lottery ticket. At that, we set off on our own little Odyssey. We hopped in the truck and headed south.

The day started out good. We made good time on the Chicago expressways, which in it own right is worth a glorious “Praise be to God!” About and hour and a half into the trip, we get a little hungry and pull over to a roadside diner: The Baby Bull. We both ordered skillet breakfasts and a glass of orange juice. When the bill came, our jaws dropped when we saw the total was $7.72. That kind of breakfast easily costs $15-$20 in the Northwest ‘burbs. We paid the bill, left a generous tip and smiled as we left. The sun was shining. Life was good.

That’s when things started going bad. Five miles down the expressway from The Baby Bull the temperature light went red on The Black Blazer. Taking the appropriate caution, we pulled over to the side of the highway and opened the hood. There was some smoke coming off the engine and wafting up into the air. The smell of burning oil was a new sensation for Shane and I. Our suburban upbringings didn’t teach us much about car engines, nor what to do in a situation such as this. However, we were both adept at making molehills out of mountains. A simple formula entered Shane’s mind: Snow + Overheating Engine = Cooler Engine. We both gathered up handfuls of snow and began dumping it on the engine. Eventually the temperature gauge reset. At that point I began to fully understand the terminology “Dummy Light.”

With our problem averted, we hopped back into The Black Blazer and continued our journey to Carbondale. From this point on we were a little more tentative. Champaign was the halfway point between Chicago and Carbondale, so we set our sights on Champaign. We were about an hour north of Champaign still. We both agreed that we’d drive to Champaign, if at that time we both agreed to continue onward we would do so. If one of us objected, we’d pull into Champaign and find the nearest service station, which were relatively abundant there. One hour later The Black Blazer arrived at the first exit for Champaign. Both Shane and I turned to each other. We nodded in unison and agreed that The Black Blazer had what it would take to make it to Carbondale. Neither of us had ever been so wrong in our entire lives (except perhaps in the decision to actually make the trip).

Forty-five minutes later, black smoke started streaming from the hood of The Black Blazer. Shane quickly pulled over to the side of the road. Lifting the hood, we both shouted out expletives as we saw what was in front of us. The Black Blazer’s engine was on fire! We immediately looked around for our first coolant option: snow. Unfortunately for us, we had driven too far south and there wasn’t any snow on the ground. We panicked and began looking for any source of engine coolant that we could find. Our only remaining options were 20 ounces of Coke or urine.

We quickly emptied the contents of the Coke bottle onto the engine to no avail. We both looked at each other and knew what had to be done. This would have been a quick process if we had broken down on a country highway, but we were pulled over on the side of a busy expressway. Both of us were suffering from stage fright. Just as we were about to unzip and unleash some yellow fury on the engine of The Black Blazer, a station wagon pulled over in front of us. The cavalry had arrived.

In this story, the cavalry is represented by two senior citizens with a case of bottled water in the back of their station wagon. Beggars can’t be choosers. They offered up their precious Evian to us and we began pouring bottle after bottle atop the engine block to snuff the fire that now smelled like burning sugar. As overpriced as Evian is, it was worth its weight in gold on this particular Saturday afternoon. The fire finally gave into the Evian’s liquid goodness after five bottles were poured into it. We offered to pay for the Evian (with a handsome markup), but our heroes just smiled and waived their hands. They were happy to help us. We were happy to be helped.

Our next challenge was getting The Black Blazer to a mechanic to get her fixed. This would be a simple task today since most everybody has a cell phone, but back in 1996 they weren’t as common as you’d think. Needless to say, neither Shane nor I had a cell phone. We had one option presented to us: we had to drive The Black Blazer to the nearest town and pray that it didn’t explode on the way. The nearest town: Neoga 7 miles.

We began quoting one of our favorite movies as we made the sign of the cross over The Black Blazer. “Clatto Verata Nicto! Clatto Verata Nicto!” With our incantation cast, we got in the car and slowly made our way toward Neoga, leaving a slipstream of sugary smoke. The drive wasn’t to bad and our spell held up. The Black Blazer arrived safely in Neoga and we pulled into a Mobil station. We went inside and got the onsite mechanic to come out and look at The Black Blazer. After opening the hood, the mechanic quickly devised that he was not the man for the job. He told us that we’d have to see the mighty Tim. Tim would be able to take care of us. After getting directions to Tim’s place, we got in the car and said a quick prayer before Shane turned the key in the ignition. The Black Blazer hadn’t quit on us yet. We quickly drove the requisite two blocks to get to Tim’s Auto Shop.

Tim was on his way out the door when we pulled up in a smoking black SUV. Tim stopped in his tracks immediately. We got out of the truck and began explaining the problem to Tim. He didn’t need to hear much more than “It was on fire,” before he made a b-line for the hood. Shane popped the hood and Tim opened it up. The look on his face was priceless as it was apparent that Tim didn’t like the smell of burning sugar coming off the engine. He reached down into the engine, felt around for a second, then pulled his hand back out. He had effortlessly pulled out two hoses that were burnt at both ends and quipped, “That’s not good.” I wouldn’t have guessed it. Tim let us know that he could fix it, but it wasn’t going to get done on that particular day. And thus, fate embraced us. Shane and I were stuck in the town of Neoga with no way out.

Tim was a pleasant fellow and allowed us to use his phone to make countless long distance calls without charging. The first call was to my ex-fiancée in Carbondale. I let her know that we weren’t going to make it to Carbondale. She offered to help, but what could she do? She didn’t have enough money to ship a stereo system and she didn’t have a car. Our next call was to Jeff back in the Chicago suburbs. We asked him to drive down to Neoga and pick us up. Jeff informed us that he had plans to go to see Disney On Ice with his girlfriend. What? I know that a trip to Neoga wouldn’t be fun, but come on! Disney On Ice?!?!

Our second option was Wally. We called Wally and explained to him what our situation was. After laughing at us for what seemed like an hour but was actually only five minutes, he agreed to pick us up. With that bit of business taken care of all we had left to do is wait for four hours, perhaps five if Wally showed up late like he usually did. Tim was kind enough to direct us to the only restaurant in town. After walking for two blocks we were there: The Italian Villa.

We stepped inside the Italian Villa and took note of the gaudy yellow and orange decorations. The place wasn’t much more than a hotdog stand, but our options were somewhat limited, so we decided to stay and grab a bite to eat. We looked over the menu and figured that it is almost impossible to screw up pizza, so we ordered a large pepperoni pizza. They screwed it up. Both of us ate only half a slice of the pizza and got up and left. That took up a good half hour, now we only had three and a half hours to go.

Shane realized that he had brought “victory cigars” for when we successfully repossessed the stereo system. I commended Shane on his foresight, even though the cigars would be smoked in a situation that was far from a victory. We lit up the cigars and walked around town. Even though it was December, it wasn’t that bad of a day. Two blocks later, we came to the end of town. We turned around and walked the other way. Two blocks later we hit the other end of town. Looking down at our cigars, we realized that we hadn’t even smoked them down a quarter of their original lengths. Along the walk, we noticed that all the stores were closed. After all it was three o’clock in the afternoon on a Saturday. I remembered a there was a gas station by the expressway that we could visit. This gas station didn’t have a service station, so we had missed it on the way in. I had stopped there on a past trip (under better conditions) to Carbondale. More importantly, I remembered that they had at least one video game at the gas station. If nothing else, it would keep us busy for a while.

The walk to the gas station was about a mile. On our way we amused ourselves by reading the empty beer cans that littered the roadside. Stag, Schlitz and Schaeffer’s all seemed to be in plentiful supply. We eventually made it to the gas station. Tossing our cigars aside, we entered the gas station holding low expectations for the video game and we weren’t let down. The game was some pre-Golden Tee golf game with absolutely horrible graphics. Lucky for it, there weren’t any other girls at the dance, so we made do with what we had. We fed it the requisite two dollars in quarters that we had gotten from the cashier. We began playing the game and left after completing one hole, leaving the remainder of our game to be played by somebody else. I like to think of it as charity. In reality the game was just that bad. We bought a couple of candy bars to sate our rumbling stomachs and headed back for town.

When we got back to the center of town we realized that we didn’t have many options left. We could visit the Laundromat, or we could head back to The Italian Villa. We chose neither. Instead, we decided to spend the remaining two hours sitting in the middle of the town square and wondering when Wally would get there. The town square provided a good view of cars coming into town off of I-57, so we sat and squinted our eyes at the incoming traffic. It’s amazing how many cars look like a beige Buick Park Avenue when you are desperate to see one. The gray sky of winter didn’t help as it dulled the colors down and fooled our eyes. Two hours.

When Wally finally did arrive, we jumped into the car as if he were our driver in a bank heist. With Shane and I screaming for him to hit the accelerator, Wally did a u-turn in the middle of Main Street and squealed the tires on the Park Avenue and our exodus was a speedy one. We ended up spending the night in Champaign and going out to the bars, only to be foiled again. The University of Illinois’ finals had ended already and the bars were dead. The following day we made our way back home.

Sunday night Shane, Wally and I sat back and talked. We realized what the true meaning of friendship was. A real friend will travel to purgatory with you. A real friend will travel to purgatory for you. As we’ve all grown older our friendships have changed. All three of us are married. We don’t see each much anymore except around holidays. What still remains, though, is the shared experience. We’ll always have the story of Neoga to tell our wives and our children. I can’t tell the story without them and that makes them part of me and part of my history. Every time I tell the story, it reminds me to give them a call to see how they are doing.

Perhaps it was divine intervention that guided Shane and I into Neoga. I was harboring a heavy grudge that was directed toward a person that I used to love. I think, perhaps, God decided to put me in “time-out” for a while, by sending me to Neoga – by sending me to purgatory. Having been there, I can tell you this: Purgatory is filled mostly with nice people and bad pizza; when the cavalry shows up it will look somewhat different than you might expect; and Hell is reserved for those who have to sit through three hours of Disney On Ice.

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

Looking over a seemingly endless rack of Christmas greeting cards, I began to wonder if a card could communicate the season’s shock and awe. That phrase shouldn’t be reserved for impressive military deeds.

Remember when “shock and awe” was going to win the war? We were shocked, and the Iraqis might have been awed, but life and war go on. A year later, war has lost its shock, at least for those watching from a distance.

Studying the Christmas cards, I realized Jesus’ birth has lost its ability to shock and awe us. We are accustomed to golden nativity scenes, adorable angels and jolly Santas. We have domesticated Christmas, reducing God’s Son’s shocking message to inoffensive good will.

As we look for comfort in holiday traditions, are we missing the revolutionary implications? As we yearn for the tame stories of a gentle virgin, are we overlooking a Mary who called for economic justice? As we stare at an adorable baby born in a clean stable, are we bypassing an important message about a rejected Jesus?

As I squinted at the long rows of Christmas cards, I began to dream of ways the cards could convey something of the jolt of Jesus’ birth.

What if the golden nativity scenes were manure-scented? What if the angels were disturbing? What if Mary looked like a woman who would sing a revolutionary song?

I imagined a card with angels holding a sign:

Peace comes not through political power. Neither Caesar nor the United States is the world’s Savior. Jesus is.

This card might offend people, but perhaps that first Christmas was more offensive than we want to imagine.

Shepherds were told that a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born. That word choice was scandalous. The world already had a “savior.” Caesar was savior and lord. Caesar brought peace — through the shock and awe of military strength. How shocking to think that military strategies and warlords were not the creators of peace.

Christmas calls us to shift our thinking about who holds power. Are we ready to expect peace and security from places other than military might?

Back to the card rack. What if that glowing, gentle Mary were saying:

The rich are sent away empty, and the hungry are filled. May this holiday season find you yearning for God’s rule of justice.

Mary, not the usual greeting-card Mary, but the peasant girl, must have had longings for liberation. The real shocker for Mary might be in a phrase we usually glide over. Gabriel greeted her with “Blessed are you among women.” Elizabeth greeted Mary in the same way.

This sounds like a nice, admirable phrase. According to J. Massyngbaerde Ford in My Enemy is My Guest, it is found in only one other place in Scripture, concerning one other “blessed” woman: Jael. The shock is on us when we read:

Blessed among women
be Jael, . . .
[Sisera, the leader of
the enemy] asked
for water, she gave him milk; . . .
she offered curds.
With her left hand she reached for the peg,
with her right, for the workman’s mallet.
She hammered Sisera, crushed his head.
— Judges 5:24-26

Did Mary connect her own blessed among women with Jael? Did she connect the coming birth with violent liberation?

We can’t know, but the possibility shocks us out of our meek and mild image of blessed among women. We become open to seeing Mary as a member of an oppressed minority with deep longings for freedom from Roman oppression, deep longings to see God’s justice prevail.

Alongside Mary we find a startled Joseph. Imagine a card in the especially-for-men section saying:

Joseph gave up his male privilege and his legal rights. ’Tis the season to turn privilege into servanthood.

Joseph seems like a sensible man. He found out about Mary’s child, and “being a righteous man and unwilling to expose Mary to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly” (Matt. 1:19).

Joseph had every legal right to dismiss Mary. It was the manly thing to do. But just when he thought he had the baby problem under control, a dream interrupted his plans. A message from God changed his world. He proceeded with his marriage to Mary, a scandalous move because a male deserved a pure wife. He risked his standing in the community.

The Christmas narrative shocks us into seeing how tightly we clutch our positions of privilege. Are we ready to risk status to be part of God acting in history?

Here is a card with shepherds:

The smelly shepherds were comfortable with the manure in the stable. This season, look for insight from your garbage collector.

On the edge of acceptability were shepherds. They were doing their service jobs — watching for wild predators, making sure all the sheep were close at hand — when angels arrived. They left their fields to investigate this new Savior.

We are shocked when we realize they were social outcasts. They were the garbage collectors who made it to the birthday party.

The shepherds, unlike us middle-class manure-phobic people, felt at home in the dirty stable. How at home do we feel in less-than-perfect buildings? How at home do we feel with those on the margins of society? Can we even begin to under-stand the deep longing for liberation and peace?

There is hope even for us, with our glittery Christmas. A Savior has arrived in spite of all the ordinary cards. Peace has entered our world in a new way.

We are awed by a Savior who invites us to a new kingdom where security and salvation do not depend on military strategies. Caesar and worldly politicians have lost their grandeur.

We are awed by a Mary who was offensive, who longed for revolution. And, like Mary, we are surprised by a revolution that doesn’t depend on crushing pegs and violent mallets, but on love.

We are awed by a Joseph who risks social standing and reputation. We, too, can let go of our status and be transformed into vulnerable servants.

We are awed by a Savior who comes to those on the margins. Let’s not forget the smell of manure and poverty and oppression. With the shepherds and the garbage collectors, God finds an open door.

Jesus’ birth is anything but tame. It wildly stirs our wills and renews our hope. We stand shocked by God’s mysterious and overwhelming compassion. We look in awe at a world transformed by a message, a greeting card, sent by God.

May the shock and awe of Jesus’ birth jar you out of dullness and transform you into a bright and poignant Jesus-message every day of the year.

[AnalBumCover]

I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way. ~ Pulp Fiction

There are instances in your lifetime when you know that you had made a difference in a human's life. And not just for that one person, but also in the life of one he treasures most.

One particular winter night I wanted to buy some groceries. As I was walking into a store in my neighborhood, my eyes caught a homeless man begging passers-by for money. Over four years I've worked in downtown Los Angeles, so I see many homeless people out and about. Usually I don't acknowledge them and casually walk by without making eye contact. I've become desensitized to their appeals for loose change.

But on this night, something caught my attention. No, it wasn't the beggar holding out the empty McDonald's cup in his right hand. It was the companion that was by his side. His dog. Half German Shepherd, half wolf, half I-dunno-what. It was huge. On its hind legs, it probably could tower over me by a good two feet. I bet it could breathe fire if it wanted to. A mighty creature.

Yet mighty humble.



Underneath that heavy fur, I could tell it was skinny as a rail. Probably hadn't eaten a full meal in days. While its master continued pestering others for a quarter, a dime, even a penny, for God's sake, the dog looked right at me. Ears pulled back in despondency. When our eyes made contact, I nearly broke.

It took me a half an hour to finish my grocery shopping. I rushed through the aisles, hoping that the beggar and his dog would still be there when I exited. Paid the cashier and quickly pushed my cart outside, not even making sure she gave me the correct change. But I didn't care. Something else was on my mind.

Outside, it was just the two of them now. Beggar and his dog. Nearly closing time, there were no more shoppers entering the store.

"Excuse me sir," I said as I approached Homeless Man. He stood, as did his pet.
"Good evening," he replied.
"This is for you." I gave him whatever change the cashier gave to me.
"Thank you, sir. And God bless you."
I reached into my cart and gave him a plastic grocery bag. "And this is for your dog."

Surprised, the homeless man took the bag and browsed its contents. Two cans of dog food. A can opener. A bag of doggy biscuits. And a new bright red collar.

Homeless Man looked at me, his swelling eyes said everything I needed to know. Yet he still spoke: "Oh my God. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!" The dog seemed to understand too. It gave me the same grateful look as its master, supplemented by the wide-swinging wag of its tail.

Not knowing how to end the encounter, I simply said the first thing that came to mind: "My name's Rob."

"His name is Jake," replied Homeless Man, nodding towards his dog. We shared one last smile, and parted ways, wondering if we'd ever see each other again.

[WSUCougar]

Good stuff...I think the bar has been raised.

Deadline is midnight tomorrow.

[Poli]

Honor, Courage, Commitment, and Integrity

As a U.S. Navy sailor, I have the Navy Core Values in my heart. Our Core Values are Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Integrity, while not listed as a Core Value, is at the focus of each of our Core Values. It is important for our behavior to be consistent with our personal values and morals and for the Navy to have such values, because sailors come from different backgrounds. Likewise, a sailor's personal values must align with the Navy's values in order to avoid ethical dilemmas, minimize stress, and maximize our potential. I believe we can all learn, sailor or not, from the Navy Core Values.

It is an honor to serve in the United States Navy and honor plays a key role in our Navy Core Values. Sailors must conduct themselves with the highest ethical standards. It is important we show honor to each other by being honest and truthful in dealing with each other. We have to make honest recommendations, encourage new ideas, and deliver bad news. Honor means we fulfill, even exceed, our responsibilities. By demonstrating honor, we show we will not tolerate illegal or improper behavior. If we all demonstrated honor in such a way, sailor or not, the world would be a much better place.

Courage is extremely important as well. During our enlistment oaths, sailors state: "I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America...". As a sailor, I have to make decisions in the best interest of the Navy and the nation, despite possible personal consequences. Missions can be hazardous and difficult. If sailors didn't show courage, we would likely fail in many of our missions. We are counted on to meet the challenges while living up to a higher standard of conduct.

I'm reminded of the sailors that boarded the U-505, a German submarine, in 1944. I met a few of them in April of this year. These sailors showed incredible courage. Very little planning went into the boarding of the German submarine, but these sailors were up to the challenge. It had never been done before, but our sailors boarded the submarine without fear.

At one point, the commentator said, "At the time, you really don't have time to be afraid, do you?"

The sailor responded, "That's right. We got twelve nuts."

While that is funny, it's also true. He and the others showed extraordinary courage and remarkable bravery. Imagine if we all made decisions without fear. Imagine if we all showed courage like the young sailors, the eldest being 25, who boarded the U-505. Imagine if we all used courage in our daily lives. Certainly courage is a value we need in our daily lives.

Commitment is a term most of use when we talk of relationships. You can be committed to your family and friends. You can be committed to your wife or your girlfriend (but hopefully not both!). You can be committed to your church or any number of other things. There is nothing wrong with this type of commitment.

As a sailor, I'm also committed to the fair treatment of all. As a second class petty officer, I have to display commitment to my junior sailors. I have to show I care for their safety and well-being. I have to show them respect regardless of race, religion, or gender. I have to treat them with dignity. I have to show them I have their best interests at heart. I could not ask my sailors to be committed to me otherwise.

Likewise, I also need to show commitment to those in my chain of command. My chain of command is committed to me just like I am to my junior sailors. When ordered to do something, I must show the commitment to get the task done. I must demonstrate my commitment to the chain of command and to the Navy if I expect my sailors to do the same for me. My sailors, after all, are watching and using me as an example.

Clearly, commitment is important in our lives. It is a pledge to someone or something. Commitment ties in closely with success, which is why it is a Navy Core Value. It is also why it should be a value we all have as well.

One of my collateral duties at my base is to coordinate Disciplinary Review Boards (DRB) for our young sailors. Almost every sailor that comes to DRB has already admitted guilt in one fashion or another. This means the sailor has violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) in some way. Master Chief Jacobsen, the senior enlisted sailor of our schoolhouse, asks each sailor what their Navy Core Values are. She also asks them what integrity is. She defines integrity as doing the right thing even when no one else is watching. I like that definition.

Integrity may also be defined as the alignment of internal beliefs and outward behavior. Personal integrity will generate trust and go beyond honesty. When being honest, you tell the truth. When demonstrating integrity, you are keeping your promises and fulfilling expectations. People will trust and respect those who are open and honest. Integrity is the heart of our Navy Core Values, and should be a value you have as well.

It is easy to say I have honor, courage, commitment, and integrity. It is quite different to actually display these values. I hope I have challenged you to live your lives according to these values.

[WSUCougar]

Once final bump (t'is the night before Christmas...)

Thanks to all the participants, and happy holidays everyone!

[k0ruptr]

A Christmas Eve Story.

It's been a year, a whole year since I've given up eggnog. Myself and I'm sure everyone else has been through an unbelievable amount of stress and pain this past year, but nothing can amount to my special eggnog nite. It all started with a plain ol glass of eggnog with a few friends. Then the vodka came out. eggnogg and vodka. It was all over. The projectile vomit exploded all over the kitchen, then the living room, then the bathroom. I remember christmas morning. well it was more like 2 in the afternoon by the time I gained enough energy to crawl to the bathroom again, while vomiting "Vodnog" all over the place. Yummy.

THE END

probably not 200 words. but lol who cares

[Poli]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

6. The deadline is midnight, Christmas Eve (12/24/04), Central Time. The winner will be announced on or before 12/31/04.

Bump. Not that I really expect to win, but I would like to know who the winner is.

[WSUCougar]

First let me state my appreciation to all of the writers for their efforts. In truth I wasn’t sure how this contest would be received, but the results were rewarding and in some cases downright stunning. Thanks for making this such a worthwhile experience.

Secondly, I have to say that I agonized over the selection of one winner. I slowly narrowed my choices down until I had five finalists, and even then I was leaving some solid essays behind. I enlisted my wife for another opinion, and she commented that a collection of these essays would make a neat little holiday booklet. I agree.

Finally, I want to comment on the finalists and then recognize the winner of the contest. Any of you who read this, please feel free to comment on your own favorites.

In no particular order, here are the four finalists, followed by the winner.

Finalist: albionmoonlight
This was a powerful, Christmas-oriented essay that really grabbed me. It is tightly written and ends with a memorable message. What held it back for me – and then only slightly – was its somewhat analytical tone. Still, a very good, competitive essay.

Finalist: Easy Mac
My initial glance at the first paragraph concerned me, as I feared it might be meant as a mockery, but dismissing this essay as a joke would really be missing the boat. In fact, it wins the pure creativity prize and captures the essence of the contest very well. Good stuff, Easy Mac.

Finalist: TheOhioStateUniversity
This one is just very impressive, to the point where I think it could be considered for publication somewhere after a little tightening. What a kicker of a message! But for me the discussion of Mary’s role was a little too disjointed. With a bit more polish this might well have won.

Finalist: AnalBumCover
Winner of the “Old Yeller” Award, without a doubt. I was reading this one to my wife and had to pause a couple times during the description of what was in the grocery bag. It captures the true essence of giving – as my wife said, such a little thing can be so powerful. A very good essay, which came very close to winning. However…

Winner: Raven Hawk
Brother, can this guy write! I’ve really enjoyed Raven Hawk’s efforts in The Cranstonian Expedition RPG (dynasty) thread, and so I knew when I saw his name on this post that it would be a whopper…and I wasn’t disappointed. This was an essay that captured all of what I was looking for. Great story, excellent structure and use of themes, a tone that criss-crosses from basic narrative to amusing sidelights to meaningful message, well-written across the board, wow! Something that I could really relate to, and I imagine a lot of other guys can, too. My hat is off to you, sir!

Raven Hawk, please drop me a PM with your address and choice of game.

Once again, thanks to all the participants. Happy new year!

[MizzouRah]

Great job Raven Hawk!


Todd

[AnalBumCover]

Congrats Raven Hawk! And thanks for the contest Coug. It was fun.

[AnalBumCover]

dola.

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Any of you who read this, please feel free to comment on your own favorites.

I have to shamelessly admit that I thought that my essay was going to win the contest. To the point that I had already decided on my game of preference.

However, I realized that I overlooked one long essay - Raven Hawk's. And by God, it had me completely engrossed in the adventure from beginning to end. Once I reached the second-to-last paragraph, I said to myself, "We have a winner. Game over."

Brilliant writing, Raven Hawk.

[albionmoonlight]

Congrats!

[Poli]

Way to be, Raven Hawk!

[Easy Mac]

Congrats to Raven Hawk... Great essay.

And thank you for the kind words for my story Coug. I just wanted to do something different and in no way meant any mockery. It definitely wasn't great writing (1:13 am and just typing it as it came along generally means that), but I just wanted to do something fun and try to score some creative points.

[Raven Hawk]

I don't know what to say, but "Thank You." I don't often find the free time to write, so being given an opportunity and the motivation to write was great. Thank you, Coug. I'd also like to note that I thoroughly enjoyed most of the essays as well. I think that Coug did a good job in selecting the finalists and I feel honored to be selected as the winner amongst such other great entries.

In the holiday spirit, however, I'd ask that you not buy me a game. Instead, I'd be grateful if you would donate the $40 to the American Heart Association. Almost two years ago, my brother-in-law had a stroke at the age of 41. He is still recovering from that stroke slowly, but surely. It is through God's grace and the work of the American Heart Association that my brother-in-law survived brain surgery and returned home to start recovering alongside his wife and two young daughters.

Thanks, again for setting this contest up, Coug. I hope that everybody has had a happy and safe holiday season.

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by Raven Hawk

In the holiday spirit, however, I'd ask that you not buy me a game. Instead, I'd be grateful if you would donate the $40 to the American Heart Association. Almost two years ago, my brother-in-law had a stroke at the age of 41. He is still recovering from that stroke slowly, but surely. It is through God's grace and the work of the American Heart Association that my brother-in-law survived brain surgery and returned home to start recovering alongside his wife and two young daughters.

Consider it done, my friend.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Raven Hawk

I don't know what to say, but "Thank You." I don't often find the free time to write, so being given an opportunity and the motivation to write was great. Thank you, Coug. I'd also like to note that I thoroughly enjoyed most of the essays as well. I think that Coug did a good job in selecting the finalists and I feel honored to be selected as the winner amongst such other great entries.

In the holiday spirit, however, I'd ask that you not buy me a game. Instead, I'd be grateful if you would donate the $40 to the American Heart Association. Almost two years ago, my brother-in-law had a stroke at the age of 41. He is still recovering from that stroke slowly, but surely. It is through God's grace and the work of the American Heart Association that my brother-in-law survived brain surgery and returned home to start recovering alongside his wife and two young daughters.

Thanks, again for setting this contest up, Coug. I hope that everybody has had a happy and safe holiday season.

A very thoughtful jesture and I hope your brother-in-law is doing better.


Todd

[digamma]

Bump. Any interest in doing something like this this year? I know we're a bit late in the season, but maybe we could extend the deadline through New Year's and come up with a slight variant on the theme?