Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 63

January 3, 2014

Could China and Japan tensions explode?

Danah and I continue to be inundated with support regarding our big news.


We actually feel an increasing sense of relief to have so much stress off our shoulders, and we’ve talked with those we owe money and it doesn’t seem we’re going to hit any unexpected bumps in the road. (Best of all, it looks as though some folks want to talk to us about possible job offers, so no need to worry about us. We’re going to be all right.)


Enough of that mess… I’ve learned that in life you just have to get back up, dust yourself off, and smile as sick a grin as you can. Then wipe your sleeve across your mouth, spit as hard as you can, and say, “Is that the best you got. life? Bring it on. We’re just getting warmed up…”


Now, with the update out of the way, let’s talk China.


The Daily Mail had a good article in it I’d love to discuss with you all: Could rising tensions between China and Japan spread? Go read the article. It’s definitely worth the read.


So, what do you think? Should the U.S. be worried about this? Could it lead to a World War III? What do you all think?


Keep the faith,


Stan R. Mitchell


Oak Ridge, Tenn.


P.S. Please, consider following me and joining our small community. And, also, make sure you leave a comment. I love hearing from you guys and I try to answer each and every comment. No need to sign in or use your name.


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Published on January 03, 2014 20:15

January 1, 2014

My big news

So, the big news that I’ve been hinting to the past couple of days is that Danah and I are closing down The Oak Ridge Observer, the paper that we’ve been running.


You can see the link to the formal message here: http://oakridgeobserver.com.


I’m going to avoid getting into all the gritty details and talking about unforeseen circumstances, but it is what it is. The bottom line is this: We couldn’t keep it going any longer, and yet thankfully those circumstances coincided with the serious doubts we’ve had the past year and a half. 


I’m still processing how I feel about all this, but more than anything, I feel relieved. I’ve nearly killed myself for nine years trying to make this work, and in the end, we just fell short. But, better to know now, than nine more years from now. And I wouldn’t trade all that I’ve learned and the relationships I’ve made for anything.


Now, for a quick trip down memory lane. A quick photo essay, of my past nine years with The Oak Ridge Observer…


(Note: Hit pause at the bottom of the player, once it starts. It moves too fast and I couldn’t figure out how to slow it down.)


Click to view slideshow.

Thanks for watching. Danah and I are looking forward to 2014, and whatever new direction our life takes!


Keep the faith,


Stan R. Mitchell


Oak Ridge, Tenn.


P.S. Please, consider following me and joining our small community. And, also, make sure you leave a comment. I love hearing from you guys and I try to answer each and every comment. No need to sign in or use your name.


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Published on January 01, 2014 15:15

December 31, 2013

2013 in review

Here’s the 2013 annual report for this blog.


I really appreciate all of you all, and the community we have here.


I’ll be posting some big news regarding 2014, probably tomorrow.



Here’s an excerpt:


The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 93,000 times in 2013. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 4 days for that many people to see it.


Click here to see the complete report.


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Published on December 31, 2013 06:55

December 29, 2013

Something positive and inspiring to help kick off your week

Every day, we’re inundated with fear and bad news… (Knock out game, Congressional impasse, a huge divide in our country, you name it…)


Here, though, is something positive. Something inspiring. Something that will make you feel better about the world, and remind you that each of us can do a small thing here and there to make this world more bearable for those around us.


It’s a bit long, but worth the watch.



Keep the faith,


Stan R. Mitchell


Oak Ridge, Tenn.


P.S. Please, consider following me and joining our small community. And, also, make sure you leave a comment. I love hearing from you guys and I try to answer each and every comment. No need to sign in or use your name.


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Published on December 29, 2013 17:39

December 28, 2013

USMC postpones rule for women doing pull-ups

Women just took another hit in their effort to serve in infantry units in the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps quietly cancelled its new rule that required women to be able to do three pull ups instead of a flexed … Continue reading →
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Published on December 28, 2013 20:50

December 27, 2013

Netflix purging 89 movies; catch these while you can

BuzzFeed listed 89 movies that will be coming off of Netflix come Jan. 1. The article – Watch These 89 Movies Before Netflix Purges Them On Jan. 1 — listed all 89 and here were the ones I saw that were worth … Continue reading →
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Published on December 27, 2013 20:56

December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas from home, and from abroad

Hey guys, I just wanted to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas! I hope you all get some enjoyable time with your family, and I thought I’d share some pictures from back in the late ’90s when … Continue reading →
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Published on December 24, 2013 10:25

December 20, 2013

Now this is a funny commercial

Now this commercial about an encyclopedia company had me laughing… Keep the faith, Stan R. Mitchell Oak Ridge, Tenn. P.S. Believe me… You really want to follow me.
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Published on December 20, 2013 13:51

December 19, 2013

Should the U.S. close Guantánamo Bay?

The first commander of the U.S. detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, has come out publicly and said it should be closed. Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert, USMC (Ret.) had this to say, in part: In retrospect, the entire detention and … Continue reading →
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Published on December 19, 2013 07:43

December 16, 2013

My Monday sucked. How ’bout yours?

Had a brutal Monday… Like a “get kicked in the face and nearly beat to death Monday.” But that’s okay. I survived and I’m really glad I was already half-way through a Navy Seal book on mental toughness. Tomorrow I’m … Continue reading →
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Published on December 16, 2013 21:52