Iraq War Fuels Terrorism

Despite what the current United States Administration says, the country’s spy organizations have concluded that the war in Iraq is increasing terrorism, resentment and terrorist recruits. This means that the Presidential propaganda is actually completely untrue and we are not safer because of the US presence in Iraq.

This combined with such atrocities as those committed in Abu Ghraib, is tarnishing the image of the USA. The United States is only increasing the resentment of the people living in the Middle East. Since Saddam Hussein is no longer in power and there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction, it is time for the USA to develop an exit plan. Rebuilding the country against the will of the people is not a worthy goal.

I’m tired of being lied to. I’m tired of wars for oil. I’m tired of my tax money being spent overseas. I hate seeing the nightly stories about someone’s family member dying or being maimed. I’m scared of the legacy our leaders have left for the next generations. Greedy leaders are more interested in lining their pockets than they are in what is good for our great country.

I will make changes when I am President. Vote Cutris (Kevin J. Curtis) in 2008. I’m not a greedy rich guy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/23/AR2006092301130.html?nav=rss_email/components

Demonstrative

When I look back at my time in school, being an English Major was very scary. I was always afraid of the de-monster-ative…

Childhood Logic: Wake Up and Smell the Churches Burning

When I was a child, fairness was very important. As an adult, I like things to be fair, but I have come to realize that equality is not always very equitable.

We are told by the media and by the “political correctness police,” that we must be ever tolerant of others. It is racist and hateful to single out any group based on color, sex or religion.

Yet, amidst this, Islam has blatantly refused to play by these same rules. Of course I’m not talking about every single Muslim, but it seems that there is a growing group that is racist, sexist, and critical of other religions and basically wants all non-Muslims dead.

Why is this fair? Why do I need to be concerned with their rights, when they openly call for my death, simply because I am not a Muslim myself? When can we begin to see reality, and stop accepting violence, bigotry and hatred because it comes from Muslims? Why are Muslims allowed the luxury of hating, and they are not held accountable, yet by writing these words, there are those who will call me intolerant?

Asian Market

Yesterday my friend took me to an Asian flea market/farmers market in St. Paul. Everyone there was Asian. My friend is of Hmong ancestry, and she speaks Hmong as well.

It was interesting, though very crowded. I also noticed that I appeared to be the only white person there.

When we were leaving, I noticed a white guy in the parking lot and joked to my friend that he was lost. She laughed. Sure enough when we got near to him, he was on his cell phone asking someone, “Where are you?”

It seems that the only other white guy I saw there was indeed lost!

400 Richest Americans

Once again, Cutris did not make the list of the 400 richest Americans. In fact, Cutris has never made the list and likely will not be on it next year either.

http://www.forbes.com/400richest/

My Dumb Hot Water Story

Normally the hot water in my condo is very hot. Last night, it was warm, and then it got cool. I called the condominium office and I was told I’d get a call back.

The call came and as per the people in charge of such things, “they” would come to my unit and take care of it first thing in the morning. “They” also needed permission to enter my condo.

My response was one of disbelief. Those in charge must surely know that there is a boiler and coming into my unit to turn my water on would accomplish nothing. I explained this to the secretary, who was only following orders – however dumb they might be.

My friend Mike sits on the board of directors and is also the chair of the maintenance committee. I called his cell phone and caught him before a meeting started in which the gentlemen who made the decision to fix the hot water problem from inside my condo were also attending. Mike started laughing when I explained things, and said he’d call me back.

Mike started by sending one of the meeting attendees home to check his own hot water, since he lives in my building. Soon I received a call from Mike that someone would be checking the boiler. BINGO!!! It’s nice to talk to someone who understands how things work.

In the end, the cracked heat exchanger was replaced and myself and the residents of the other 39 units in my building had hot water by morning. My that morning shower sure felt good…

Columbia University/He Who Goes First

Columbia University has now joined the ranks of the prestigious libraries that own a copy (or copies) of my book.

http://www.columbia.edu/

MY PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

As an "unknown" author, I have realized that it isn't good enough to have a good story and get it published. This is also true of running for office. Many of my readers have indicated that they will vote for me in 2008.

We need to get the word out. Send the link to my blog <http://cutris.blogspot.com> to a couple of your friends today. If everyone sends it on to a couple of more friends, I may be able to compete with the millionaires who normally get elected.

This is important, so have at it!!!

CUTRIS FOR PRESIDENT IN 2008!
This message is approved by Kevin J. Curtis.

What Came First, The Pope or the Violence?

Pope Benedict XVI has angered Muslims around the world after a speech he gave last week in which he cited the words of a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of Islam's Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman" and referred to spreading Islam "by the sword."

To prove this wrong, Muslims increased violence in retaliation for these words, by among other things, burning a number of Christian churches in Palestine, and by murdering an Italian nun and her bodyguard in Somalia.

At this time it is uncertain how much more violence will be perpetrated in order to prove that Islam is, in reality, a peaceful religion.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/18/pope.islam.ap/index.html

Cutris Sells Space Shuttle

Much has been made recently of NASA’s return to space in the now antiquated space shuttle program. Plans are being made for a new generation of space vehicles. President George W. Bush has stated that he wants the USA to return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and the Sun before the end of his term in office.

So, the question remains what to do with the old space shuttles? It seems when the chips are down, once again, the responsibility falls to Cutris. The space shuttles are now up for sale. Contact Cutris if you are interested in purchasing one of these vintage space vehicles.

Also remember to vote CUTRIS for President in 2008.

Hair

Today was "dress alike" day at the school where I work. Myself, two teachers and an administrator (all normally "smooth heads,") spent the day looking like this.
I'm second from the right in the first picture.

I sent the following message by e-mail to my colleagues (pictured) at the end of the day.

Spending the day with rainbow hair (and a School Jersey) has really changed my life. Normally, people don't comment about my hair, unless it is to tell me that I am bald. This isn't really news, so it was nice to receive compliments about how stunning I looked!
While supervising lunch, I let three seventh grade boys know that I "don't stand for any clowning," which promptly caused them to burst out laughing. In this way, I was able to restore order.

When I was watching the main entrance, many of the visitors took notice of my new look and treated me with the utmost respect. Yes, School's Name was no doubt in good hands was what they must have been thinking. Among the many compliments I received, I had at least one marriage proposal. I told the man that I was already "spoken for."

I had considered dressing this way permanently, but I am after all, "The Bald Eagle." I will revert to my former smooth-headed self after my shift ends at 1:30PM. Thanks to my esteemed colleagues Name, Name and Name for the opportunity to be silly. One must take being silly very seriously!

Intruder Drill

My new coworker was asking what she should do during the "violent intruder drill" that we will have today at the Jr. High where I work. I asked her where she would be at that time, and she said she was scheduled to watch the main entrance.

I told her it was easy then. She should lie on the floor and pretend that she got shot.

9/11: Five Years later

I remember where I was that morning of 9/11/2001. I was in my office at the County Chemical Health center. I received a phone call that let me know that an airplane had hit the World Trade Center in New York City. Then another hit the other tower. Then the towers collapsed.

The staff at the County Chemical Health Division was often hard to distinguish from the clients. There was a group that liked to eat in front of the (hungry) clients, and they also liked to engage in levying allegations and lawsuits of racism. All these allegations that I saw were bogus and most of the racism was perpetrated by these same people. What really impacted me in regard to these coworkers was when the county administration announced that anyone who felt the need, could leave work without losing pay. At that moment, these aforementioned staff, let out a cheer and filed out of the building, laughing and shouting. How sad to feel so disenfranchised from your own country.

I stayed at work. I didn’t know what else to do. Later, at home, I noticed an eerie silence. My house back then, was near Minneapolis/St. Paul International airport. I think it was three days that all air traffic was halted. Normal airplane noise would not wake me up in those days, since I had lived near the airport all of my life. Still, that single F-16 that was patrolling the airspace would keep me awake at night. It was extremely high and made little noticeable sound, but it was enough.

The first anniversary of 9/11, I went to Camp Coldwater in Minneapolis. Near the sacred spring that is continuously endangered by road construction, I smoked the prayer pipe with a group of American Indians and others. Camp Coldwater has been a peace site for thousands of years.

Now, five years later there are still terrorist groups that want to do us harm. How sad to feel that disenfranchised from humanity. There are also leaders who are an embarrassment as they accuse and make war on the wrong people.

I remember. I will never forget. Our world is forever changed.
Peace.

KJC

Weights

When you start getting old, you have to work at staying in shape. I prefer resistance, or weight training. I’m not talking about pumping iron for 6 or 8 hours at a time. Who has time for that? I like to spend about 15 or 20 minutes, going from one exercise to the next without breaks. I do 10 repetitions and between 15 and 20 different exercises.

I found this method when I worked at the County Chemical Health Division. We had a weight room in the basement and I used it almost daily on my morning break. I don’t get regular breaks at the school, and even if I did a class might be in the weight room. So, I started coming in a half hour early and doing my routine.

We have a pretty nice exercise room where I live, but it was busy mornings this summer, and I need to do my routine early, or I don’t seem to get at it. I also don’t like a lot of people around when I workout. That is, unless I am doing a maximum lift, and need a spotter.

At any rate, I didn’t get to the weight room more than a couple of times all summer, and now I found that I have to reduce my weights and/or repetitions as I get back into it. I have to go through the preliminary aches again too.

So why do I do it? I like the way my body feels when I lift consistently. It isn’t about the weight or spending hours upon hours doing it. It is simply the consistency. It firms things up and I don’t strain myself in daily life. So, while I feel like a wuss this week, I’m sure after another week or two I will be back to my former abilities.

Remember, any exercise is good, and walking is probably the best. That said, weight training is the only thing that can “turn back the clock” on aging. I say that because as you age, you lose bone and muscle mass. Resistance training actually increases your muscle and bone mass.