Reciently, the transfer of power back to the Iraqi government by President Bush has caused a huge stir. This was done two days ahead of schedule. This transfer of power is a huge deal, occuring 15 months after the taking over of the country by the U.S. The idea was to get Sadam out of power and to establish a more democratic government. Let's just hope this works out like we hope. But the focus of this commentary is the earily transfer of power to the Iraqi govn't. The main question is why earily ?? What on the President's agenda would cause him to 'jump the gun', as it were, and give back power so earily ??
To answer this, let's look at the facts as they are: 1) This transfer was scheduled for June 30, 2004. 2) A handover of power like this takes at least a couple days to work through, on paper and behind closed doors. 3) It takes a while to fly back to the U.S. from Iraq. 4) Shaking hands and saying 'good bye' to diplomats require some time and maybe even a dinner. 5)Lastly, and most importantly, SPIDERMAN 2 STARTS ON JUNE 30th !!!
So to put the pieces together, President Bush doesn't want to miss opening night of Spiderman 2. He HAD to transfer power earily so he could get optimal seats at his local theater. I'm sure he didn't want to catch it while in an Iraqi theater, with subtitles and a terrible Iraqi dubbing job. I couldn't imagine the horror of watching Spidey and Doc Ock with a Middle Eastern accent. It's not acceptable. Dub-yah had to get back to the good ol' U S of A to get an air conditioned, stadium seated, popcorn smelling room with fans dressed up like Mary Jane, J.Jonah Jameson, Doc Ock, and ,of course, Spiderman. If I were President of the United States, I would have done the same thing, get business done as quickly as possible and get back to the states to catch opening night.
To those who are out to defame the President, I would suggest thinking again about your motives. We have a guy in office who believes in Freedom, democracy, and not missing opening night of Spiderman 2. What more could you want from a President ??? We may have our different reasons why we support the President of the U.S. but for me, it's because he's a Spiderman fan and knows the importance of opening night.

In related news, the 1967 version of the animated series of Spiderman (the FIRST) is now out in a 6 disk box set. Pick yours up today !!!

It's been almost a week since my surgery and my leg is on the mend...at least that's what the doctor said. 3 more weeks of crutches and 4 weeks of physical therapy and i should be able to walk again. That's the hope anyway.
Today was the first day of my PT. It hurt. I can't hardly lift my leg an inch with out help. I did all kinds of lifting excercises, stretches, and was even hooked up to the electrode machine for 12 minutes. The last time I was hooked up to one of those bad boys was when I was in Oklahoma for a goalkeeping camp. I sprained my ankle really bad, was on crutches for about a day, hated it, so i decided to go right back to training with it sore. But when I was getting my ankle checked out, the doc there hooked me up to the electrode machine too. It sends short burst of electricity into your leg and gets the muscles moving. It's pretty exciting.
So today when I was hooked up to it, it brought back memories of OK goalkeeping camp and how I wished I was back there training. It's still to this day one of the best summer activities that I've had.
So now I'm still on the crutches but I can at least put a little bit of pressure on it, I have a few excercises that will help to loosen my knee, and I have an awesome black knee brace that makes all the ladies go, "ooooo". In a few weeks, I'll be walking again...then running....then I'll be back on the soccer field, readly to defend my goal and my honor.
I kind of feel like Uma Thurman's character in Kill Bill. She was put in a coma and paralized from the waist down. Upon waking, she had to break out of the hospital without being seen, avoid assassins, steal a car, and sit there till she could get herself to move her big toe. When she finally did it, she could start rehab'ing herself back to full strength, retrain, go to Japan and find a master sword maker and then start on her journey of killing Bill and all his hired assassins.
Instead of having anyone to kill, I too must get myself to lift my leg an inch off the ground (which I can't currently do), retrain, find a master soccerball maker, and begin on my journey to obtain soccer glory.
But for now, I'll have to settle for Physical Therapy, school, and surviving on watermelon and cold pizza.

I went to the orthopedic doctor today to check out my knee. Up to this point, everyone I've talked to has said that it's been my LCL that been messed up. So I walk into the BYU health center (which i've been skeptical about anyway), sign in, and sit down.
My name is called and I go back to see the Doc. He bends my knee for a while, scribbles something on a piece of paper which I can't read (theory: all doctors write unlegably because they are conspiring against their patients to get as much money out of them as possible. They and auto mechanics have the same economic sense), and then tells me that it's my ACL that is completely torn.........great.
Then the worst news in the world comes ------- I can't play soccer for about 8 months. THIS PUTS ME OUT OF SUMMER AND FALL PLAY !!!!!!! I knew there was a reason I didn't like doctors.
So now, I have to go back a week later and see him again and then get surgery in about 2 weeks to repair the torn ACL. If this wasn't bad enough, as we were wrapping up the visit, I ask for a knee brace that I can wear that will allow me to walk and support my knee. The nurse leaves for a bit and comes back with the brace I had in mind. She puts it on and then I leave. Well, when I get back to my apartment, as is my natural habit, I pull apart the brace to see how it works. When I pull it off and examine it, I notice that the nurse put the thing on me BACKWARDS !!!!!! That doesn't inspire much confidence. So after re-examining the whole situation and commenting on the quality of medical attention that is employed at BYU, I put my brace on THE RIGHT WAY and go to see if I can drive without killing myself. So I make a short run to MasterCuts to get some Product. I return safely. So now, I'm off again to see if I can drive without killing myself....back to NM for a while.
So that's the UpDate on your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man loving college kid. I'll see you when I get back from the NM.


As a side note: This has got to be one of the greatest things I've seen, EVER !!! Read the story, it's awesome !!!