The 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States officially began on March 20, 2003.
Estimated cost of the Iraq war to date - $320 billion (washingtonpost.com)
That's $320,000,000,000. Right?
Now divide that by 24,001,816 - That's the estimated population of Iraq in 2002, just before the war. (Historycentral.com)
I came up with 13,332.32 - That's $13,332.32 per Iraqi!
13,332.32 US Dollars = 18,120,766 Iraqi Dinar
The Estimated Average Income in Iraq in 2001 was only between $770 and $1,020 (according to BBCi) Or between 2,405,719 Iraqi Dinar and 3,186,796 Iraqi Dinar. UN and World Bank estimated it would drop as low as $450-610 by the end of 2003. That's between 1,470,150 and 1,992,870 Iraqi Dinar.
So, lacking an estimate for 2002 lets take the average. The average for each individual year is $895 for 2001, and $530 for 2003. Average them both together and that's $712.50 or 2,327,738 Iraqi Dinar. A year!
So let me get this straight, we're paying thirteen thousand three hundred thirty two dollars and thirty-two cents apiece to kill people that only make seven hundred twelve dollars and fifty cents a year? That's like 18 times their annual income! Why didn't we just buy them off? And before you laugh off the idea remember the calming affect money has had on you in the past. For example, when this administration wanted to pacify us Congress passed, and President Bush signed, "The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001," giving all taxpayers a refund of $300 to $600. $600 is nothing compared to $13,000. That and Americans make a lot more too. We sold out cheap.
1. What bill do you hate paying the most? Visa. I think the Muslims are onto something about the whole intrest is evil thing.
2. Where's the best place to eat a romantic dinner? I know a really great Scotish restaurant here in town. It's called McDonalds.
3. Last time you puked from drinking? Lord knows.
4. When is the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar? Never. I don't dance. A couple of weeks back I got kinda trashed and took a nap in the supply room of a bar. I kicked over a can of paint in my sleep and left a trail of incriminating footprints when I left in the morning. My bad.
5. Name of your first grade teacher? Mrs. Rhoda Waller. She followed my whole class to the second grade too. So we had her two years in a row. Nice old lady.
6. What do you really want to be doing right now? two words: comic books.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Harrison Ford.
9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now? Three reasons: A) it was on top of my laundry pile 2) Bruce springsteen rules (he's on the shirt) 3) I look damn fine in it - Lock up your daughters!
10. GAS PRICES! First thought? That's life.
11. If you could move anywhere, where would it be? I like my already city. Maybe Portland again someday. Or Glasgow.
12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? "who dares disturb my slumber?!"
13. Last thought before going to sleep last night? John Constantine is cool.
14. Favorite style of underwear? Boxer briefs - Snuggles the junk yet doesn't look dumb.
15. Favorite style of underwear for the opposite sex? Spider-man underoos.
16. What errand/chore do you despise? Laundry - cleaning in general.
17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer at an art gallery? Hold on. Day shift at the Artbar - I think I might be doing that already.
18. Get up early or sleep in? Yup. It's definately one or the other.
19. What is your favorite cartoon character? Popeye. Sailors are cool.
20. Favorite NON-sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy? Karaoke.
21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing? I was a bed wetter.
22. How many joints pop when you get out of bed in the morning? None. I'm young and Viril.
23. What is the biggest amount of $$ you have made from a yard sale? Don't know. But I once won a street sign in a card game.
24. Your favorite lunchmeat? Roast beast.
25. What do you get every time you go into a 7-11? Smokes.
26. Beach or lake? Niether. That's nature and nature is dirty.
27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented? Kinda. But I can respect it. I believe in monogamy.
28. Who do you stalk on MySpace? I just post and get out.
29. Favorite guilty pleasure? Tango & Cash.
30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out you have? Tango & Cash.
31. What's your drink? I am the highest ranking officer in the PBaRmy.
32. Cowboys or Indians? Cowboys. I don't like ethnic food.
33. Cops or Robbers? I fight the law and also fight the crime, just not as much.
34. Do you cheer for the bad guy? If he's well mannered.
35. What Hollywood star do you think resembles you best? One word: Hasselhoff.
36. If you had to pick one, which cast member of "Lost" would you be? n/a
37. What do you want when you are sick? To get better. Duh?
38. Who from high school would you like to run into? Mike "Spud"
39. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now? NPR - but it's broken.
42. Norm or Cliff? I liked Coach.
43. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? Simpsons.
44. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back? Leaving pulp in the juice glass.
45. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work? Do they tip well?
46. If you could get away with it, whom would you kill? Shhh. The Feds are listening.
47. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? The Boss.
48. What famous person would you like to sleep with? None. There are no famous sheep.
49. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? Not yet, but I remain ever vigilant.
50. Last book you read for real? The Black Dahlia.
51. Do you have a teddy bear? Yes. From childhood - in a box in my closet.
52. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth? Teethbrushing is just a scam perpetrated on the American people by the American Dental Association and the Colgate corporation.
53. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? A pitch meeting in San Diego.
54. Number of texts in a day? On a good day, none.
55. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or relationship? Either would be nice.
56. Do you go to church? No. I also don't go to the mall to sit on Santa's lap before Chritmas. You people and your fairy tales.
57. Pencil or pen? Pens. Unless I'm dropping dice.
58. Bueller??? Bueller??? Bueller??? This is dumb.
59. How many jobs have you had? Man, since I was four years old I've had a fulltime job.
60. What do you want to achieve in life? Immortality would be nice. That and super strength.
So, here's how it works: 1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc) 2. Put it on shuffle 3. Press play 4. For every question, type the song that's playing 5. When you go to a new question, press the next button 6. No repeat songs 7. No cheating and doctoring your list to make yourself look cooler than the person you took this from, you selfish bastard.
*Opening Credits: "Sugarhigh" -- Coyote Shivers (A decent opening)
*First Day At School: "Super Disco Breakin" -- Beastie Boys (Uhm... Okay)
*Falling In Love: "White City" -- The Pogues (I might fall for a girl who actually knows this song, but not really fitting)
*Breakin Up: "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" -- Bruce Springsteen (This works)
*Prom: "Working On The Highway" -- Bruce Springsteen (What..?)
*Sex scene: "The Doodle Song" -- The Proclaimers (Huh?)
*Life's Ok: "Prison Bound" -- Social Distortion (I think it's broken)
*Driving: "Mexico" -- The Refreshments (I do drive to this!)
*Flashback: "Drunken Lullabies"-- Flogging Molly (This could work)
*Getting Back Together: "I Don't Wanna Live Today" -- Ape Hangers (Kinda appropriate, but why does my soundtrackhave so much in common with Empire Records?)
*Birth of Child: "Rumble In Brighton" -- Stray Cats (Dude, you lost me again)
*Wedding Scene: "Shake It Up" -- The Cars (This could work at the reception)
*Final Battle: "Body Of An American" -- The Pogues (I don't know.)
Here's the deal, Portland is a great town. But I've decided it's just not my town. Not yet anyways. So, rather than feeling like a square peg in a round hole, I'm loading up my car full of junk and heading back to where the love is. Admit it, you've missed me.
Anyway, I'll be on the road later today. Snowy mountain passes and tire chains permitting, I should hit Reno sometime tonight. Then Vegas tommorrow.
Then it's a rest, probably a drink or two with my peoples, and back to work. First I just gotta get through my Solo-Roadtrip-of-Snowy-Doom!
Materiality. Material Force. Material temptation; sometimes obsession
The Devil is often a great card for business success; hard work and ambition.
Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the major arcana, the Devil is not really "Satan" at all, but Pan the half-goat nature god and/or Dionysius. These are gods of pleasure and abandon, of wild behavior and unbridled desires. This is a card about ambitions; it is also synonymous with temptation and addiction. On the flip side, however, the card can be a warning to someone who is too restrained, someone who never allows themselves to get passionate or messy or wild - or ambitious. This, too, is a form of enslavement. As a person, the Devil can stand for a man of money or erotic power, aggressive, controlling, or just persuasive. This is not to say a bad man, but certainly a powerful man who is hard to resist. The important thing is to remember that any chain is freely worn. In most cases, you are enslaved only because you allow it.
1.What does your Myspace Name MEAN? It was the name of Elvis' stillborn twin brother. Elvis Aaron Presley & Jesse Garon Presley.
2. where was you default pic taken? Stolen off the internets.
3. what is your middle name? John.
4. What is your current relationship status? DOA.
5. Honestly, does your crush like you back? Everybody likes me. The real question is who is she?
6. What is your current mood? Tired. Is that even a mood? I don't know anymore.
7. What do you love most? Reading comics while drinking coffee & smoking cigs.
8. What makes you happy? Bartending. Can't wait to get back to it.
9. Are you musically inclined? I wish.
10. If you could go back in time, and change something, what would it be? It's kind of unfair asking me that while I'm here in Portland. No comment.
11. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day- what would you be? House cats seem to have it pretty good.
12. Have you ever had a near death experience? Not yet.
13. Name something you do a lot? Sleep.
14. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now? Growin' Up by the Boss. The flag of piracy flew from my mast, my sails were set wing to wing I had a jukebox graduate for first mate, she couldn't sail but she sure could sing I pushed B-52 and bombed them with the blues with my gear set stubborn on standing I broke all the rules, strafed my old high school, never once gave thought to landing.
15. Who did you copy and paste this from? The Littlest Bean.
16. Name someone with the same b-day as you. Karl Marx (5/5/1818) German social philosopher, the chief theorist of modern socialism & communism.
18. Have you ever sang in front of a large audience? Of course. This is The Little Man In Black you're talking to.
20. What's the first thing you notice about the OPPOSITE sex? All their OPPOSITE qualities.
21. What do you usually order from Starbucks? Coffee.
23. Ever had a drunken night? I've had drunken months.
25. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows? I wish I could go see HAPPY FEET with TL & Corbin. I would really like that.
26. Do you have braces? I did once. They didn't take.
28. Name something funny that happened to you? I'm the funny thing that happens to other people.
29. Do you speak any other languages? I can't even speak L33t.
Frank & I have been down the pub in celebration of my first work week in Portland being completed. Sad, I know, that the once proud, "best bartender in Vegas" is now but a humble Starbucks barista in Stumptown.
But things are looking up. I'm waiting for a call from Bumper's Grill & Bar in regards to a 'tending job. I've already had an initial interview and a "working interview". Felt great to be back on the sober side of the taps.
And the "Heart of Rock -N- Roll" & I are working on the pitch for DEADLINES, a soon-to-be green lit (knock on wood) six issue miniseries.
I can cope with soul-sucking, apron wearing, customer's-always-right sorta work , if I know that I'm on track as far as the ultimate goal is concerned. Let's face it, I didn't set up residence a two day drive away from all those Vegas peoples I love so well just to fade into literary obscurity.
That, and check out the awesome writing skills of Tamara Bucas in upcoming issues of teenaged-girls-obsessed-with-Japanese-pop-culture magazine, Shojo Beat.
