Asa Jay's weblog

In an article I read this morning, North Korea suggests that it can strike the Unites States first. What North Korea is suggesting, is that it holds just as much pre-emptive authority to strike a nation, as the U.S. does. How did this happen? How is it that another nation now looks to pre-emptive action as a viable political tool? The answer is simple really, when one of the worlds most leading nations indicates acceptable foreign policy through it’s actions, the world will take note. North Korea has been paying attention to how the U.S. has been metering out it’s foreign policy as of late.

I don’t want to sound as though I don’t support our administration, or support our military forces overseas, because I do; however, I do think we may have made a mistake and as the years pass by, we are beginning to see the fallout of our actions in Iraq. Our doctrine of self-defense changed when it was decided the U.S. would pre-emptively strike Iraq. No longer was it a doctrine of striking back, it was a doctrine of striking first. Instead of turning the other cheek, or taking an eye for an eye, we are now the ones to poke the other in the eye first.

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I asked a friend at work today “Guess what I looked at last night” to which she replied using a blank stare. I said “Saturn,” and she perked up with interest and said “How many and which models?” Hehehe, I had to laugh, so I said “The one between Jupiter and. . .” I never finished my sentence as it dawned on her.

Last night was a very nice cloudless night near Spokane. I live out on the West plains. It was cold though and I had reservations about taking my new telescope out on the deck to get a look at the sky. I put on a stocking cap, a field jacket and took to the night air. The telescope went up and the notebook computer sat beside it. I don’t have a connection cable to allow the notebook computer to control the telescope, yet, so I used the provided controller already attached.

The first thing I need to do was align the scope. Since it was cold, and I as mostly dinking around anyway, I selected the “Easy” alignment method. Leveling the scope tube and pointing it North I started the procedure. The scope then automagically turned to point at Sirius. Unfortunately it was a bit off so I had to fine tune it by hand, this was part of the alignment procedure. After I got Sirius centered, I pressed [Enter] to continue and it proceeded to seek to another star. I can’t remember the name and I’m not sure I was even pointing to the right one, but I centered what looked good and continued.

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I have a wonderful wife, who likes to get me nice things.  This year, she knew of many different items I “wanted” but didn’t really need.  One of those at the top of my list was a good telescope.

After Christmas last year, I had a couple of friends who ended up with new telescopes and I have to admit I was a bit jealous.  I’ve had a passion for space since I was a little kid and I just could never really see much using binoculars or small telescopes.  Mind you, I’ve not been interested in much Astronomy, but I would like to be able to get out and enjoy the stars a little more, get a little closer to some of those constellations I can’t see too well, things like that.

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To be exact, March 2 is my birthday, which is tomorrow.  I’m past 40 now, going on 42.  I didn’t get married until I was 34, and didn’t have a child until I was 39.  I’ve owned my 1971 Mach I Mustang for 20 years, that’s more than half it’s life to date.  I have my own home, my wife and I built it ourselves, with a little help, in 2002 moving in at the end of 2003.  I have a good job, it pays well and doesn’t create a lot of stress all the time.  I’m again going to school, aiming for a Bachelors in Organizational Management.  I’m doing okay.

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