On the Eve of Fall 2007

Greetings Readers

Once again we are at the time of the year. We are on the eve of fall and the season has come to Colorado in the past two weeks. Pretty soon I will have to put the towel at the front door so I do not track in the rain and snow onto the carpet when I bring my bikes in.

I am not sure what to write. I having something to share. Okay, The days have gotten shorter, which means I am almost to the favorite part of the days. I like the early morning and sunset rides. The sky is dark, but the only light is coming from the orange "glow" on the horizon. Sure it is a bit dark, but this is time of tranquility for me. As I have written before - This is my time.

In addition, after the sun peaks over the horizon or just about to set I like seeing my long shadow on the ground. For me to my shadow on the ground stretched longer than me is pretty cool. I actually get to see what I look like on a bike. More importantly I like looking at my bike(s) in the shadow.

I guess I do have something else to say. Can you say "Finally" Jeeze-fucking-Louise I am not sure how long the Columbine Memorial took, but sure has been many, many years. And I do not mean to disrespect anyone, but how many people showed up at the opening on Friday? I think someone estimated about a thousand another journalist said a couple hundred. Thinking about this I would think there would be more, but then again I think the whole thing was a crock. One delay after another and then "they" got their act in gear when the "Soldier statue" was put up faster than the Columbine Memorial. I will go see the Memorial, but only when I am in the area, which I have not been for quite a few years. I do not care the way the Memorial looks. I think it is nestled in some hills, or perhaps in the ground. "Rings" are the designs and I do not think that there are any crosses. Readers - I trying to find some "clear" picture of the Memorial, but alas I am having trouble. There are videos and video, but I fucking could care less. I posted a partial view of the Memorial on today's post,

Well, another short entry, but I guess I need to get going so I can take advantage of the nice weather in Colorado. Tomorrow the cold and rain in suppose to move in.

Update: The Columbine Memorial was 8 years in the works. That is a fucking a lot of time for an event that was the worst school shooting in history. In my personal opinion, the Memorial is not something that makes me want to go and see it right now. Matter of fact I can not see any clear pictures of the Memorial.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

100th Blog Post - A Milestone

Greetings readers.

Let me start off with an article that I have found from the www.rockymountainnews.com website regarding the "Soldier Statute" that I had mentioned in my blog the day before. I guess this news was a bit old since I see that the print date was 04/07/07.

Let the hero tribute stand
Critics of statue miss the point
STORY TOOLS

April 7, 2007
By any definition, Petty Officer Danny Dietz of Littleton is a hero. The Navy SEAL, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005, was awarded the Navy Cross - which ranks second only to the Medal of Honor.

He has certainly earned a prominent and lasting memorial to acknowledge his service, a memorial the Littleton City Council authorized last year.

The council will place a life-size bronze statue of Dietz at the edge of Berry Park, which will be dedicated on July 4, exactly two years after his body was recovered. And since the private fund- raising drive for the memorial has exceeded expectations, surpassing its $30,000 goal by more than $12,000, there may be enough money to also place a flagpole and a separate plaque on the site.

Even so, a smattering of parents have objected to the statue's location, which is within a few blocks of three schools and two playgrounds. Their complaint?

The statue is based on a photo of Danny Dietz that shows him in full field gear, rifle in hand. The protesting parents say that a sculpture depicting firearms should not be publicly displayed in areas where kids play.

Some have said a "peace memorial" should be erected instead. Others composed a letter that they've sent to community organizations and residents, urging them to ask the city to reconsider the location of the memorial. "In light of our community's experience with the Columbine tragedy," the letter reads, "and the clear message of non-violence that we teach in Littleton schools, what is our city thinking?"

It's thinking a lot more clearly than the protesters, that's for sure.

For one thing, trying to conflate the horror of Columbine with the courage of Danny Dietz is insulting. The Columbine killers cowardly mowed down unarmed and innocent classmates and a teacher.

By contrast, Dietz was wounded behind enemy lines during a special operations mission that was intended to apprehend a Taliban leader. When he and his three fellow SEALs were trapped by Taliban forces, Dietz and another wounded comrade stayed behind and provided enough cover fire to let another team member - the mission's sole survivor - elude capture.

Reasonable people might disagree about the artistic standard of the statue. But that's not at issue. And Dietz's family affirmed Friday that they remain very happy with the design.
Nor did the council approve this proposal in secret. It was authorized during the normal public process, and a model was displayed at a council meeting.

Danny's widow Patsy Dietz framed the dispute just right when she urged parents "to teach their children the difference between two thugs who murder their classmates and a soldier who died fighting for their freedom."

The distinction is so obvious it's hard to believe a debate is taking place. Littleton is right to stand by its decision.

As you can read, the organizers did everything that was required. And can you believe that they raised over $ 12,000 more than they needed for the statue. I think that shows some people care about this. Granted, I do not know how much the Columbine Memorial is costing, but if these people can raise the funds like this - for one person. Then the Columbine Memorial committee should be able to raise the funds for the people that died at Columbine. I know that the Columbine People do not want to people to "never forgot" but sheesz. If they can not raise the funds then something is not right.

Perhaps, I can weight on this. I am tired of Columbine. Sure it was unique thing to happen at the time, but I was not emotional about it. I could care less about the endless vigils, the endless "I saved myself from being killed", the endless "I knew them", the endless "Tonight the killers speak beyond the grave", the endless commentaries, etc. These people also have gotten Colorado Motor Vehicles Division to issue a special license plate with "Remember Columbine" plate or something to that effect.

Now, as I mentioned in the previous blog. It is about - "Oh we need more money to finish the Memorial". "Oh we are still healing" "Oh we want all the documents to be released regarding the Columbine incident" In my opinion, they should have left the white crosses that were erected somewhere over there and left them in the ground until the official "Memorial" is built. I do not know, but again that is my opinion. Also, I am making my opinion on little facts I know about this Memorial. Sorry readers, I am not interested in going into this item, since I could care less.

Sure this was a tragic event, but all in all the Columbine event was an isolated local event. This event has no bearing on the world outside the community of Columbine. All the students should have been local and there were no out of state travellers, or basically people beyond the doors of Columbine. As such as the 9-11 event, The VA tech incident, Oklahoma Bombing, Katrina, all these events involved people who were beyond the doors of where the event happened.

I might be reaching, but a person from Seattle would not come to Colorado to see the Columbine Memorial. I am sure that he/she saw the news on tv and read about it, but that's it. Yes, it happened to kids, but the it was kids that did the event. Not a terrorist, not mother nature, not a radical, just kids who not with the "in crowd". If that Seattle person were perhaps near the Columbine area when visiting our state then he/she might go and see for him/herself. All in all, in my opinion, the Columbine event really is not an event that is a must see in person thing.

I have run out of time readers, so I am going to have to close this blog out. As you can see I am starting to get involved about this item, now of interest.

until the next readers.

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Number 99

Greetings readers

I am not sure if you care or not about "99". I do not think that I care, but it is sort of an amazing thing. 99 is the number of blogs have been posted to this blog. I guess this is the last of the double digit blogs for me on this particular blog. I hope that I have kept you readers entertained and informed perhaps on some level.

Of course, you may be thinking this guy had 99 fucked up things to say and there is no end in sight. Which I have to agree - I do not see an ending, so far. I am not hear for you to pass judgement on me, I am here on blogging since I have come to be comfortable about blogging. As you can see in the beginning I did not know how to start, but then in the last five months I started to get into a rhythm. A good thing.

Which brings me to my next topic, I think, LaMont and M & M's.

La Mont had something yesterday and really provoked me thinking about what was talked about last night between. I am not sure what to call this or even how to start. But I think this "issue" is something I am going to write about. The working title that I have been throwing around since yesterday evening is "What is up with his Damn M & M's". It is not an isolated case, but something that is probably unique. However, on a lower level than me LaMont is still guilty of the same thing with me and my M & M's.

Anyway, this is a topic that I am going to write about - and soon. It is funny, but also not. You could bring up so many things about me, or you readers. I have not stop thinking about this so I am going to write about this as soon as I organize some thoughts.

Oh news from yesterday, Rosie announced she is leaving the View, Adam Baldwin rant is still in the news, Brittney and Lindsay both out of rehab, Richard Gere in trouble with India, and in closing I have no news to report on the VA Shootings. Can you believe that?! I have been able to avoid the news regarding that. I do care, but in this current year somehow news reporting and gotten to an high time about who can report first, more and the breaking news to us viewers. At least this event, in my opinion, will overshadow the Columbine incident. Woo Hoo. At least we, meaning Colorado, will not have the "braggers" about we are known for the worse tragedy in education history.

Let me tell you readers out of state from Colorado. People come out of the woodwork. Saying this, saying that, remember-never forget, give us money, he/she was a hero, etc. I will be looking forward to next year when the focus will really be off Columbine and onto VA Tech. Of course, we are going to hear something to the effect - It was a real tragedy about VA, but don't forget Columbine. P.S. give us more money for the memorial that has not been built yet.

I will tell you readers right now. No one really cares anymore, except the community. If someone really did care, then the Columbine Memorial would have been completed already. I think I saw a picture, an overhead picture of the sight, and it is a picture of dirt here and there. Basically, all that has been done is Landscaping. Get the fuck out of here! Hah hah. If they are really complaining about that - start a volunteer program to get the landscaping done. This could be irrelevant since I really do not know nor care. Save the Memorial money for the actual Memorial.

Although, the community near Columbine did get in a uproar last week or was it two weeks ago about a statue of a fallen soldier from Iraq. It was a statue of a Soldier holding a machine gun with his Gulf war uniform on. Long story short, from what I remember from the news, is the community, some or few (who knows) do not want a "machine gun statue" so near the Columbine site. In my opinion, they are upset that there is a statue/Memorial and the Columbine Memorial has not even been started. Who knows readers. Perhaps I might do some research on this so I can get the facts on this case. I think I have something that is now starting to get interesting to me.

From The Blogs: Group Protests Statue for Soldier Killed in Action
Hero's Statue: Should It be Built?

by DavidM
A group of parents in Littleton has expressed concern about a statue that is going to be built in honor of Danny Dietz.
He was a Navy SEAL who died in Afghanistan while saving the lives of his other team members, the U.S. military said. He received the Navy Cross for his actions.
The parents group says the statue depicts Dietz clutching an automatic rifle. It will be built in Berry Park, which is within a few blocks of three schools and two playgrounds. The group says the statue glorifies violence.
Dietz' family members say they are upset about the uproar. So are the people who raised $42,000 for the statue.What do you think? Should it be built? Should its design and/or location be changed?

You see readers, sometimes I do not want to write about something, but as the words start flowing I start to see a path or two that I want to run down and see where they end up.

time for me to bring this blog to a close

until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete