Bryan Strawser

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Archives for July 2004

The Protestwarriors

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Over the past several weeks, SMASH has been out protesting the protestors – which has provided for many great reads in recent days.

Last night, I finally had some time to visit the headquarters (well, online anyways) of the Protestwarriors to learn more. Not only did I get quite a kick out of what they’re doing, I signed up for the Boston chapter. More fun and games in my future, I’m sure.

Two of my favorite poster designs from their gallery of protest signs are:


pw_sign_1

pw_sign_2

In addition to great signs, t-shirts, and bumper stickers, there are also a slew of great videos of their actions in places like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.

Gametime

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There are moments in one’s career where you are truly ‘on-stage’ and your long arduous journey begins to take shape for its next shape.

Today at 8:00am this morning is when the gameface goes on and we see how the chips fall. More than eighteen months of work gets rolled out this morning with implementation in about eighteen days.

Fingers crossed.

I wish I could say more, but can’t…. but you’ll be able to see the public presentation in 2005 🙂

The Price of Freedom

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Over at “Gator Six”, Tim has posted from Major General Dempsey’s remarks on the casing of the colors as the 1st Armored Division prepares to leave Iraq after more than fifteen months of duty there:

Today we also celebrate our Independence Day. It seems fitting that we end our mission on this great American holiday that celebrates our freedom.

We have learned a lot about the price of freedom.

We have learned that people experiencing freedom for the first time may not understand how fragile it can be and how much sacrifice may be required to earn it and preserve it.

I am confident that our actions have shown the Iraqi people how much we value our freedom. It is a shining example that cannot be ignored.

And we have learned that even people who have lived in freedom may not fully comprehend the profound care it requires. It was, after all, Thomas Jefferson who said “the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

You will never feel the same about Independence Day again.

Go read the whole speech, it’s well worth the read….

“Take Back our Country”

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The Boston Globe is reporting this portion of the story of Kerry choosing Edwards:

Kerry placed a phone call at 7:30 a.m. to Edwards from the suburban Pittsburgh estate of wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry. His request was simple enough: “John, Teresa and I would like to ask you and Elizabeth to join us on our ticket to take back our country.

I mean, hey, the guy’s entitled to say what he wants…

But I’m trying to figure out who took our country away? Was that not really our flag that was on my house this morning when I left home at 5:00am?

On this Day

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It is surprising to me that I’ve not written anything meaningful about freedom and independence on July 4th.

Over two years now blogging here and not a peep. I shall have to remedy that today.

Coffee Thoughts on the 4th

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Two great posts already this morning about the meaning of the 4th of July..

Muffy writes these thoughts of being an American and actually taking the time to read the Constitution:

Now, I don’t care if you disagree with me, but please do me a small favor, believe what you want, but do your own research. I have lived all over the world, studied our culture and others for my undergraduate degree and have discovered for myself that of all the choices available, being an American has won me over hands down of the things that are available today. We aren’t perfect, but we are the best thing going, by far.

Today we celebrate an idea that people are endowed with certain unalienable rights…that the people who coined that phrase had to think about it, create that, and felt that it was not part of what was in their world at that time. And while his argument needed further research, my friend never questioned it, never gave it a moment’s pause in declaring that he had rights…I think it would be nice if they knew how far their dreams had gotten.

Over on the other side of these United States, SMASH has written his own thoughts, in the vernacular of the times, about Independence Day:

That being said, we must not overlook the importance of this Occasion. In one unanimous vote, the Delegates of the Continental Congress have sent to the World a clear and unambiguous Message – that we are no longer rebellious British Colonists, but American Revolutionaries. It is not possible to turn back now. Every Man must choose his path – loyalty to the Crown, or to these newly united States. There can be no middle Course. As Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Franklin warned the Delegates, “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

This is not the end of our Struggle; the way ahead will not be easy. Still, it is a necessary and important Milestone on our road to Freedom.

[…]

The document concludes with this Oath, followed by the signatures of the various Delegates:

For the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Our Leaders have spoken, and a new democratic Nation on this day has been born. May Providence grant us the wisdom to keep it free.

A great way to spend my morning with some coffee and the deep thoughts of friends.

Spring Golf

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It’s been spring here in New England, at least through June 21st, when we moved into summer according to the calendar. But summer doesn’t really arrive here until late July – early August when the temperatures start hitting the high 90s. And then we move quickly into fall – and before you know it winter is here.

But being a golf fanatic, we were on the links here as quickly as possible when spring slid into town.

In the last two weeks, I’ve played four times.

The first outing was a Friday morning with three co-workers at New England Country Club – a Hale Irwin designed course in Bellingham, Massachusetts (about 30 minutes from here). Great course in world-class condition. We were the first group out at 7:12am and had the course to ourselves. Shot 104, which is my best so far for that course. A great first outing.

Played nine holes following a meeting at the Unicorn Country Club in Stoneham, Massachusetts. Shot 50 on this nine hole course, including my first ever legit par on a par five to end the round.

On Thursday, I played at Olde Scotland Links in nearby Bridgewater, Massachusetts. As the name implies, this is a links course, and a quite difficult one at that. Scotland Links is unique in that it’s a municipal course, but the town of Bridgewater went out and hired a leading designer, Brian Silva to design it. It’s beautiful, fun, and very challenging. Shot a 108 on this one and earned a bit of a sunburn in the process.

Friday afternoon, I played at the course I consider my “home course”, Poquoy Brook Golf Club in Lakeville, Massachusetts. Lakeville is but ten minutes from my home in Taunton. The course sits just down the road from the headquarters of Ocean Spray, so for all of you cranberry and vodka drinkers out there, this is your place. Teed off at 2:29pm and finished just before 7:00pm. Unfortunately, we were caught in a thunderstorm for a bit and had to pause play. Fortunately, there was ample adult liquid available at a reasonable price in the bar.

I may yet find a way to play on Monday before I have to go back to work on Tuesday morning. Then comes the three weeks from hell before things slow down.

I consider myself fortunate to work for – and with – a golf fanatic 😉