Mason Vaughn

Hurricane Earl

Mason — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:45:36 +0000

One thing that is in the news this week is the possibility that hurricane earl will hit the eastern seaboard and devastate the coast. Governors in Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland are preparing for the worst and have ordered a state of emergency. Many actions are being taken to avoid loss of life and property.

Citizens are being advised to stock up on food and medicine. Disaster plans are in the works and advisories are expected. The only question now is whether the hurricane will actually hit the coast or stay out in the ocean. I hope it slides by us!

Football

Mason — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:23:34 +0000

One thing I am really happy about is that it is the return of football season. There is nothing I enjoy more than taking some time off on Sunday to enjoy the games. I love the sport and everything about it. It also gives me something to look forward to and something to talk about.

I only have a few close friends, but we enjoy watching the games together. We are all Washington Redskins fans so that makes it nice. I hope my team will do well this year and get into the playoffs. It sure beats watching soccer!

Pakistani floods

Mason — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:33:16 +0000

The people of Pakistan are struggling to overcome the effects of the massive flooding they have received over the last couple of weeks. Authorities have been hard-pressed to get relief to the outlying districts that need the most help. The floods have been estimated to have taken over 1,100 lives already. The death toll is still rising.

The United States is offering help in the form of money and assistance. The final toll of the disaster is not likely to be known anytime soon. Troops have been deployed to help distribute the food and water that is desperately needed. The threat of disease is now a concern as the rescue effort goes on. I hope these people will be able to recover from this dire disaster.

Lindsay’s Drama

Mason — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:48:25 +0000

The superstar Lindsay Lohan has been through a lot. I think by this time we have all heard about her troubled personal life. The star of “I Know Who Killed Me” has had run-ins with the law on several occasions. This last time, she has finally drawn some time in jail. I think it may be good for her.

The problem is that many young stars tend to get in trouble. They are adored by millions and usually swing out of control at an early age. Being brought to justice may help her get her life on track. I hope she does her time and uses it wisely!

4th of July

Mason — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:46:46 +0000

One thing that I truly know the meaning of is freedom. After losing mine for so long, I think I treasure it more than anything. The path to freedom is not always easy and our forefathers knew this better than anyone. I thank the people who died for this country and the values it represents. They allowed us to grow and mature into the great nation we now possess.

Another thought I have is that we must all try to maintain the values that made this country great. Personal freedom is great, but personal responsibility is even more important. I hope everyone will keep this thought in mind as we celebrate this wonderful day!

Recall

Mason — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:35:16 +0000

The Chrysler Corporation has declared the recall of nearly 700,000 vehicles. The first cars on the list are the 2006-2010 models of their Jeep brand. A brake fluid problem is the cause of that recall. There are other cars on the recall list as well. The Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country models are being recalled due to wiring problems in the sliding doors.

Chrysler says it will notify owners of the vehicles fix them free of charge. I like these “responsible corporations” nowadays who look out for their customers and take responsibility for their products I hope this trend keeps up!

Oil slicks

Mason — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 00:25:13 +0000

The spilling oil from the Deepwater Horizon is still spewing out of the pipe even though it has been capped. While the effort to cap the pipe is finally somewhat successful as some of the oil is being captured, there is still a long way to go. BP crews are working to capture more and more oil as time goes by. The problem is that the environment is being overwhelmed by the oil slicks.

Animals, plants, and humans are feeling the effects of the oil and the outlook is not good. Experts say it could many years for the damage to go away despite the massive cleanup that is planned. BP continues to claim that it will pay for the damages and set things to right. I sure hope they keep their promise!

Memorial Day

Mason — Sun, 30 May 2010 12:10:24 +0000

Every year we all look forward to a great holiday. The Memorial Day weekend is a time for picnics and barbeques. It is easy to get caught up in the celebration and forget about how the holiday started. The holiday is for the remembrance and honoring of our nations fallen soldiers.

The holiday was first started by General John A. Logan who was a civil war general. The holiday was then known as Decoration Day and has run continuously until now. I think every American should take a minute to reflect on those who have given their lives to defend our country.

Ronnie James Dio

Mason — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:34:20 +0000

Last Sunday, the world of rock lost one of its greatest voices. At age 67, Ronnie James Dio passed away from stomach cancer. Best known for taking over the front man spot from Ozzy Osborne as the lead singer for Black Sabbath, Ronnie rocked the world. He also went out on his own for awhile and produced the hit song “Holy Diver”.

His loss has affected us all and many around the world will miss him.

Parole Board Lawsuit

Mason — Sat, 15 May 2010 15:12:08 +0000

While I still love the great state of Virginia, I am not surprised to hear the latest news about the parole board. It seems that 11 inmates have gotten together and are suing over the fact that the parole board is ignoring state law. The law requires that the board thoroughly investigates if inmates are rehabilitated and should be released. The law affects inmates who were locked up before 1995.

Inmates complain that their rights have been violated and will have their day in the U.S. District Court in Richmond. The state denies the claims and wants the case dismissed. As a former member of this group of inmates, I feel that the state of Virginia has not followed this law and are in violation of it. I just hope the court feels the same way as I do!

Gangs in Prison

Mason — Sun, 02 May 2010 23:24:50 +0000

One article I read recently was all about how some gangs are running criminal enterprises from behind bars. Many gang leaders are locked up but are still able to give directions to their fellow gang members who are still on the outside. This was somewhat normal but now the anti has been raised as alliances with Mexican Drug Cartels have been discovered.

There have been examples of inmates using the language of Nahuatl (The ancient Aztec Language) to communicate with others in order to fool the censors. Many inmates already had ties to fellow Mexicans and so the relationship seems a natural step forward. Authorities fear that the problem will only worsen as time goes by due to budget concerns. I think it’s a shame that something more can’t be done!

Big Steer

Mason — Sat, 01 May 2010 00:06:35 +0000

Cletus is a 10 year old Hereford steer who has had an easy life. Castrated as a youngster, he eats and sleeps his life away occasionally doing some light duties as a lead steer keeping the herd calm. He weighs in at 2,950 pounds. Unfortunately for him, he was sold at auction to a buyer from Minnesota and is headed to the slaughterhouse.

His former owner Bill McIntosh stood by as the bidding went on at the Montana Livestock Auction on Tuesday. The herd will have to follow a new lead steer now and Bill is looking for a replacement. I guess we’ll all have to say goodbye to Cletus.

Earth Day

Mason — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:02:49 +0000

The earth is our home and we must all do our part to take care of it. That’s one of the reasons that earth day was started 40 years ago. It was meant to bring attention to the facts about our environment and our impact on it. I believe that the importance of this day will become ever clearer to the millions of people around the world.

Many of the world’s leaders spoke about the issue today and reflected on what the day means to them. Nearly all agreed that we must do a better job of protecting and preserving our environment. I join with thousands of others who believe this issue affects us all and is worthy of profound thought.

April Fools’ Day Jokes

Mason — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:13:55 +0000

With so many people around that are already inclined to be just a little bit anti-social, it’s easy to imagine how many tricks are played between the inmates. It’s especially funny when a joke can be played on one of the many C.O. s that rule our daily lives. In my many years of incarceration, I have seen hundreds of jokes play out. It’s always a relief to have some fun whenever possible. It will always lighten the load for a little while!

A Nuclear Deal

Mason — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:42:16 +0000

For over a half of a century the world has lived with the threat of extinction from the massive shooting off of nuclear weapons. The United States and Russia have the two biggest nuclear arsenals and are the caretakers of the world in this field. That’s why it’s good that these two countries are working together to reduce stockpiles of these weapons.

Negotiators for the two countries have nearly completed a deal that would further these efforts. We are also discussing other nuclear related subjects such as non-proliferation and discouraging North Korea and Iran from nuclear ambitions. I am glad that many are beginning to see that the world no longer needs these planet destroyers and are working on ways to rid ourselves of them!