"War... What is it Good For?

Well this topic could not go unreported on Tucker’s world any longer. Seeing as where it has dominated the news for weeks. President Bush (Mr. Bush for you ABC news viewers) wants to squash Iraq like a bug. However, the UN is not as fired up about this idea and neither are a lot of the other countries in the world. Granted some of them close the Iraq might not be too comfortable about speaking publicly about it and could possibly aid us later down the line. But with all the talk and hype what happens the next couple of months will certainly have a long-term impact on this country.


Now I am not in the FBI and I don’t work for the New York Times so I’m not in the circle of trust that the president is in. So I know my opinion is based on just what I can read in the papers (excluding some extreme liberal columnists who seem to know all the facts). However, one of the reasons why I postponed addressing this topic on this site, is because I honestly didn’t know if we should “Attack Iraq”. I was honestly hoping that Bush would have pulled an “ace” card when he met with the UN recently. Saying “YEAH THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!” I thought he would provide concrete evidence that Iraq is a real threat. It was the same old song and dance though. However people that think that Saddam is about as harmful to the US as Ryan’s pug are being naive. It’s a amazing people could still be 100 % on a subject like this post 9/11. . We did for no good reason let our weapon inspectors leave Iraq a few years ago. That basically put us in this position. Although there is not concrete evidence linking Saddam to AL- Quida, he does gas his open people, kill anyone who gets in his way and had his own son murdered. He did reportedly meet with high-ranking Al-Quida members on occasion, and gives money to families of suicide bombers (notice I didn’t say homicide).


The war on terror is not as black and white as people would like it to be. One thing I hear over and over again in the media and on TERMINUS (I’m still hurt that I’m not on the sites I like column.) is that Bush has made the war on terrorism complicated. It has often being compared to the war on drugs…okay I can see the logic there. However it is not as if Bush made this complicated. It is simply a complicated situation. Something that can’t be ignored or just nonchalantly forgotten about. Look at what just happened in Buffalo this week. This war on America is far from over. I have heard reports that Al-Quida are hiding out in Iraq. It’s hard to believe everything you hear though. However, I honestly think that Bin Laden has been dead and gone for several months now. I would not be surprised if the government already knows this. If terror cells are being trained in Iraq, than we must go in there.

If you weed a garden you can either use a weed whacker, and let it grow back. Or you could pull it out by the roots so it doesn’t come back. The 2nd choice is a bigger pain in the ass, but more effective. Iraq will let us in to inspect there weapons (in a few days oddly) but only at certain places. That’s like letting your suspicious girlfriend check your apartment, but not your bedroom.


On the flip side there is a pretty good chance that Saddam is just minding his own business and only has intentions of blowing up and killing people in the middle east. Perhaps he has weapons of mass destruction (not Lima Beanz’s muscles) and will only use them in the even of a US attack. If this is the case all hell is likely to break lose in the next year. Perhaps the US has grown paranoid and too imperialistic and an attack on a country that has not invaded anyone (at least not recently) or attacked us first could turn the whole middle east against us. Bush has come across a tad too aggressive when addressing the issue lately ( not to mention making an fool of himself botching up a famous saying as seen on the Daily Show). An article in the Philly Daily News a few months back pondered if we were in world war III since Sept 11th (some even debate the cold war was world war III making this one IV, but that’s kind of a stretch.). If Iraq and the US start going at it will might be less of a debate. I certainly don't want american troops to die unless this war has to be fought. I know several people who are likely to see action if this war does happen.

So Bush can go in there, crush Saddam and piss a lot of people off. Or maybe we just cool off. Maybe no war happens at all. But maybe one morning when your drinking your morning coffee, to your horror when you turn on the news you realize that perhaps we should have done something. Perhaps you will think how could we be asleep at the wheel again? How many more innocent people must die before we learn our lesson to ante up and prevent another Sept 11th? The blood certainly wouldn’t be on Bush’s hands. But that of all the critics.

I still have no certain what we should do. I would feel a lot more comfortable and be able to get behind the war effort if an “ace” card was provided. Not that I’m a bleeding heart liberal now these days, but I haven’t been sold on the whole plan just yet. But all the trash talking we did it almost seems like we are obligated to take action. That would be a mistake if we don’t have that “ace” card. I’m glad the only decision I have to make is what to get at Starview. However in this case you can’t have Bar B Q sauce and honey mustard.

“Defending Mr X”



My social problems professor is a lawyer by trade and a woman. By law she has to be a liberal I’m pretty sure. She still practices law and recently told us a story. I guess the point was to make use think “outside the box” or perhaps she just wanted to impress us.

Anyway as the story goes like this; there is this guy who has the reputation of being one of the “most dangerous” criminals ever to be locked up in South Jersey. She never revealed his name, so I obviously couldn’t do any further research. However, she did tell us how joined at gang at age 12, and it was pretty much down hill from there.

Mr. X apparently is the top dog in the prison world, because he has connections all over the country (and I believe Mexico.). Some how some way, he would get people to do what he wanted. Mr. X was supposedly one of the biggest drug dealers in the country, and had a long list of crimes including murder. When he was finally arrested for the final time it ended in a blood gun fight between him and federal agents. He killed several of them. He also admitted to committing horrible crimes for almost no reason (my professor was vague on this point its likely he was referring to cold blood murder of those that wronged him he was also supposedly a rapist)

One day out of no where my professors’ law firm got a letter from him, despite the fact he was not supposed to be contacting anyone. The letter written by Mr. X was asking for legal defense against the jail that he was residing in.

Apparently, poor Mr. X was not being treated fairly. Since Mr. X was such a dangerous person (or law following challenged) he was in cell by himself. When the mean old guards would come to give him his meal they had to slide it through a slot. But the guards apparently thought it would be funny to slide it in so hard that it would fall on the floor. Poor Mr. X could not touch his food after this happened so he begin to lose weight and his health declined.

Now if picturing poor Mr. X ( if you really want to he is a big Mexican guy with tattoos all over his body) with a single tear rolling down his face looking at his over turned peanut butter and jelly sandwich makes your blood boil than you might not want to read on. It seems the guards had some insensitive things to say to Mr. X too. What makes it worse is that although the jail requires him to get three showers a week the guards only took Mr. X for a wash down once a week! Now I don’t know what else was claimed in the letter she didn’t say everything, but she did say MOST of what was there turned out to be true.

She got the pleasure of talking to him one on one, and she refereed to him as a bad person. However, she did aid him in successfully winning the lawsuit against the prison for mistreatment of Mr. X. She also told us how he learned to trust her and poured his heart out. He talked about how his kids were falling on the wrong side of the tracks and how it upset him. I can’t imagine who’s fault that is. Seeing as where Mr. X murdered federal agents, robbing someone of a spouse, sibling, or child he should be glad if all that happened to his fried chicken between the kitchen and the jail cell was it hitting the floor.


I guess on paper in the law world the court made the right decision. But logically anyone with his track record doesn’t doesn’t deserve to complain about such conditions. I certainly would even turn a blind eye to the occasional beating by the guards. Seeing as where he is likely to spend the rest of his life in jail. However, I guess that makes me a mean spirited conservative who is out to destroy everyone’s civil rights for no good reason.

“ Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Arter”

Earlier this fall ( or summer for some) Christopher Brandon Arter left the confines of his cozy Somerdale home in South Jersey to seek higher education in the great (and horse manure smelling) state of Pennsylvania. Many wondered how the wide-eyed innocent Arter child would adapt to his surroundings. Many believed that he would certainly knock the socks off the competition (he knocked them off the admissions board I’m told).

So recently I sat down (virtually) with Chris and had a candid interview not only about his experiences so far, but his future, love, Iraq, and his bizarre dreams.


Keith: Hey, Chris...everyone wants to know how you like school so far? You are missed in south jersey, and my readers would like to know how your experience has been

Chris: well, honestly, I don't like school so far. It has been a month, and there is not one thing I particularly like about school

Keith: Do you feel like your learning anything musically?

Chris: no, nothing. There is no musical instruction

Keith: what do you think of the people there?

Chris: I don't like the vast majority of people here

Keith: What do you miss about south jersey the most?

Chris: You Keith

Keith: can I print that ? It sounds pretty gay.

Chris: well honestly keith, I miss the worst parts of south jersey more than I like the best parts of Annville PA. There is nothing on campus here. It is boring Campus is surrounded by farms. so there is no reason to leave campus

Keith: There are rumors that you are depressed. Is there any truth to that?

Chris: Yes. I am extremely depressed. I have been offered anti-depressant drugs, but I have declined. I don't want to be tricked into liking this place.

Keith: Who offered you drugs?

Chris: oh its nothing big my roommate is clinically depressed
Keith: Arent most music people crazy?

Chris: I don't know If by music people you mean musicians
I am a musician and I am going crazy.

Keith: So you basically see this place as an evil empire?

Chris: Evil empire? I don't think this place dominates anything. Except my entire life at this moment

Keith: What two words would you use to describe your college experience thus far?

Chris: Grave and … hmmm
(after long pause)

Keith: Mistake?
Chris… Pathetic…yes a big one (mistake)

Keith: What is the highlight of being out there so far?

Chris I don't know. I have not been myself lately

Keith: I know the feeling.

Chris: no one here knows who I am. Even the people I see everyday
I don't want these people to know who I am. I want them to forget about me and move on

Keith: Do you make any attempt to make friends?

Chris: no I am different from everyone here. Everyone here has some common ground with everyone else whether its musical taste or playing ability you know?

Keith: have you been having your trademark dreams lately?
Chris: death dreams. yes mostly killing myself and small children

Keith: I hope your kidding

Chris: Yes …: About the children


Keith: man

Chris: I woke up with a long cut on my wrist. I wondered if i was so frustrated my subconscious tried to kill me in my sleep

Keith: this is a dark interview. Do you have anything happy to say?

Chris: I have not been happy in a long time not since before Bob {Hale} almost died because we thought
“ ya he's cool to drive”
Keith: What do you think about TRAP. Rich’s new band.

Chris: I think they suck!!! I'm just kidding… I don't know Ii never heard them I think its a nice idea
Keith: Are you going to have to give Rich a beat down and steal the studio over when you return to south jersey?

Chris no. I'm going to be in so much debt. I might have to hock all my sh*t but its worth it to get the f*ck out of here. .Did you know this school is $27,000 a year?

Keith: HEY HEY I don't think you can say some of those words Tucker's world!

Chris: I am sorry

Keith Its cool ….no one is reading anyway.

Keith: What school would you rather go to?
Chris: University of the Arts or Rowan they're both good. U arts is probably better
for music.
Keith: Rowan’s mascot is an owl or a "prof" as it were

Chris: Well than Rowan it is

Keith: That is how the suckered me

Keith: What bands are out there that you respect?

Chris: bands that I respect I respect the Black Crowes.. I thank drew for that
I really really like them

Keith: They broke up Chris.

Chris: Whatever than nobody

Keith: Did you like that song lickin that they did?

Chris: I thought it was a weak song , but I liked it anyway

Keith: I thought I was easily one of the worst songs ever made.

Chris: It’s a free country

Keith: Any future plans for BF?

Chris: well there is a gig in October on Columbus day
at the Pontiac on south street. I'm looking forward to it

Keith: Have you written any new songs?

Chris: NO, I have no motivation to write songs

Keith: What about shear boredom and missing Somerdale?

Chris: I'm sure I'll have a good one soon
Keith: who do you like better Rich or Rob?

Chris: whoa there

Keith: (laughing)

Chris: I can't answer that I love them both I could tell you which one I've killed more often in my sleep…. Rich I don't know if that means I love him or hate him though. I had a dream last night that I killed both Rob and Rich. I woke up saying to myself. I did it again.

Keith: What do you think about us going into Iraq?

Chris: I don't understand it honestly. So the guy has some mean nasty weapons
I'll bet we have the same ones and ones that are 10,000 X's worse
the difference between us and Iraq is that we might actually use them

Keith: How are you making a long distance relationship work?

Chris: a lot of instant messenger. I bought a web cam. I watch a lot of porno
Phone…. I love dana. you know that. I honestly haven’t wanted to get to know any girl better in the past 4 years I say get to know better like I'm not gay. I see a nice looking girl and I look I and think that's nice
you know just like every other person on the face of the earth but I have absolutely no interest in any one who is not Dana. nor can I generate interest I can't fake interest. I am incapable of flirting

Keith: What was the best thing you have eaten out there?

Chris: I had pizza hut yesterday that was good I don't eat much
I think i may be losing weight but I don't have a scale

Keith: What do you think about Ryan cutting his hair?

Chris: I think he looks like a penis he should not have done it people who aren't me give in to the hair cut urge too easily.

Keith: where do you see yourself in two years Chris Arter?

Chris: drinking in a bar with my head on the bar


Keith: Have you cut your hair yet?

Chris: no, very dirty but I will be very satisfied with my life.

Keith: What do you think should be done about the slumping economy and diminishing job market?

Chris: everyone should go out and buy something buy like more than they usually do but not so much that they are poor just indulge themselves a little its healthy its an unhealthy mind set to always be saving for that rainy day that may never come but there is a looming rainy day until you spend that money I don't know. I'm not an economist

Keith: Is there anything you would like the readers of Tucker's world to know?

Chris: I am coming home and i am staying there I hate everything … everything It's not so much home sick as it is here sick this place makes me sick It makes me want vomit
Keith: wow

Chris: I sob sometimes when I think of the situation I left to be in this one

Keith: like tears coming down your face? crying like a school girl?
Chris: I get restless when I think too much I sit up straight and fidget and twitch and swear to no one but myself because I can't stand it No..its just like a cough. with sadness in it just one at a time I'm not bawling my eyes out of course its only been 1 month I will be here for another and then another and then another.

Keith:
Thank You for your time Chris. I’m’ sure my readers will use the comment feature for feedback. Good luck the rest of the way.