I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o'beer,
  The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
  The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
  I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's ``Thank you, Mister Atkins,'' when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's ``Thank you, Mr. Atkins,'' when the band begins to play.

  I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
  They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
  They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
  But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

  Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
  Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
  An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
  Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy how's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

  We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
  But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
  An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints:
  Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

  You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires an' all:
  We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
  Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
  The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country," when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

The paper encrusted wall taunts me with its very nature. If I had a sledgehammer, I would not even notice the wall in my quest for a view. This wall, the one that tempts, and the ones that follow shall not block my thoughts, my dreams, my imagination! This artificial prison cell of mundaneness that envelopes my sight is slowly driving me mad with yearning, with lust, for a scent of green and not of blood or bleach! I find myself languishing for a view in which to launch myself, head first and full of folly, into. What is it that I desire with this imaginary and wistful portal of mine? Is it to walk in the dirt and smell the creosote? Or is it to escape from the ever blaring and ever present intercom that now haunts my dreams like some ethereal reminder of uncompleted duty? I suspect that I desire both, however unequally.

Now, to wake the muse and smash that portal open! To stand on the preface and spread my wings and fly!

So I've been thinking ever since the MacMini was annouced. Why was I drawn to this form factor? It's small, pearl white & a mac. But why? Isn't there something better? So research was done & it has been decided. A MacMini is nice, but it's a closed system with no fun to be had in modifying things. There is another computer out there that has currently caught my eye & the best part - it's a kit. That means I have to put it together myself & laugh manically while doing it ^_^.

Ladies & Gents:

	Part List	Price	Location
	DC-DC 200W Power Converter mini-ITX PW200M	49.00	(logicsupply.com)
	Power Adapter 12V 110W for PW-80 and PW-200	45.00	(logicsupply.com)
	VIA EPIA Nehemiah M10000 1Ghz All In One Motherboard	160.20	(logicsuppy.com)
	1GB PC2100 DDR DIMM	150.00	(newegg.com)
	Panasonic Slimline Slot Loading Combo Drive For Notebook, Model CW-8124-BPN, OEM	75.99	(newegg.com)
	80GB 2.5" 5400RPM Hard Drive	120.00	(newegg.com)
	Nintendo Entertainment System	60.00	(bookmans)

So... opinions?

So I went about organizing my bookshelves today because I found two more boxes of books that I had stored in my closet and I have realized a few things. In no particular order:

• I need to sell my duplicate and triplicate books.
• I need more shelf space
• I like to read
• I'm a packrat.




Any Questions?




--
Andrew

[

mood

|

tired

]

The Cold Equations

My First Impressions of the Story

Tom Godwin

Published 1954

What is the cost of a single human life? When would one expect to forfeit their own life so that others can live? Would you make the sacrifice so that eight could live? What if you had to make this choice because you broke the rules and that your presence endangered the lives of seven other people? There is no other choice, no body to appeal to. Would you do the right thing?

That is essentially the theme, the premise of the story. Eight lives hang in the balance all because one broke the rules and now they must face frontier reality. You only make once mistake in your life out on the frontier. Either because you were lucky and lived to learn the lesson or you died.

If you were to sacrifice yourself, could you do it yourself? Or must you rely on someone else to push the button, pull the trigger, slice your throat? After all, it's not their fault that you're there. It's your fault. Will you take responsibility?