Get Involved!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beyond being a Soldier and voting, I have never really thought much about being involved in the political process until now. I think what it is, is that now that I am no longer a Soldier I feel I need to find another way to be involved in democracy.
So I think that the fact that HB 187 came along at the end of my military experience is quite the coincidence, because I it is something I have become involved in.

HB 187 - Recreational Use of Public Waters, would effectively shut down all access or severely limit recreational use of Utah's beautiful rivers and streams, which includes fishing and boating.
In the past two weeks or so, I have written letters to several of Utah's newspaper's, so far two have been published, written all of my area's senators and many others and have even attended the committee meeting that bill is part of.

As I see it, if this bill is passed in the current form it could have a tremendous impact on Utah's economy. I feel that if HB 187 is passed it could have a severe impact on Utah's fishing shops, boating industry as well as tourism, which brings in millions of dollars into Utah's economy.

Here's my letter that was published in the Salt Lake Tribune on 15 February 2009:

More than a year ago I began fly fishing in northern Utah, and I have fallen in love with fishing in the streams and rivers along the Wasatch Front. I picked up the sport because I thought it could be a lifelong pursuit. With House Bill 187, my fishing experience could be short-lived ("Access to streams, riverbeds threatened." Tribune , Feb. 12).

As I read it, HB187 prohibits fishing from most public rivers and streams. This bill is a hasty reaction to the Utah Supreme Court decision, Conatser v. Johnson in 2008, which allows the public the right to touch the privately owned streambeds below the public waters.

This bill could have serious implications for the businesses that support angling. Fly-fishing shops, for example, would suffer if public use of Utah's streams is prohibited. Additionally, this bill would decrease the number of fishing licenses purchased in the state, which in 2008 brought in some $10 million.

I beseech our legislators to vote against HB187. It prohibits people from enjoying the austere wilderness that draws people to the region

Tomorrow, 24 February 2009m HB 187 will go before the Utah State senate to be voted on.


So I urge you to find a way to get involved in the political process and democracy beyond voting, it's your right but it's also a privilege that few other countries have. So get out there and be heard!

This Old Uniform...

I have worn this particular uniform for about two years now, and have worn the uniform of the United States military for more than 20 years now, but I don't have to wear it anymore, because I am no longer a Soldier. In many ways deciding to leave the military was an easy one, but considering how things are on the economic front it wasn't so easy, but it the right choice for me. I have always loved wearing this uniform of the United States military, I always felt really good about myself when I put it on, because there is so much meaning to it. From the rank, to the unit patch, to the flag and the combat patch, for those who have been to combat and a few other things as well that I never was awarded.
It was also great not having to actually have to think about what I'd have to wear, which was the case for the last seven year anyway. I also never had to buy a uniform either!
The first uniform I wore, was the "camo one", the "Battle Dress Uniform" or BDU. When I first went to basic training, the Air Force was transitioning to the BDU and I continued wearing the BDU for the next 15 years or so later, the Army transitioned to the ACU or the "Army Combat Uniform". In between all of this though there was the "DCU" or "Desert Combat Uniform", that was first worn in Desert Storm and was worn again when troops first went over to Iraq in back in 2003. I never got the opportunity to wear that uniform.
I am not quite sure what I'll do with my uniforms now, I have this one and another ACU, as well as the class B and class A uniforms, the more office looking, dressy uniform with all of the fancy and color ribbons and badges on it. I also have a few BDU's too, I never quite knew what to do with them when I first got my ACU's.




As a way to celebrate Mirinda bought me a pen, I like pens, I guess you could say I REALLY like pens, the trouble is that some of the pens I like aren't exactly cheap.
This one is the coolest pen I have even seen.
Another cool thing is that it was made by a 13 year old kid. Check out his other pens as his site, Pens By Daniel.
Thanks again for the pen Mirinda! And thanks for being a part of the last eight years!
She also sent me a a "fruit bouquet" from Fruit Flowers, to work. The one she got me was appropriately named, "Berry Patriotic". As you can imagine it has lots of strawberries, some of which were chocolate covered. (YUMMY!!) The container it came in was red, white an blue and had star shaped pineapple pieces and and grapes and marshmellows too.
LOVE YOU!!