The Finer Things in Life

206!

2009-10-10T03:02:00.000-07:00

Getting closer to 172. I'm weighing in at 206 this week.

I have some vacation coming up next week. I'm hoping to jot down some thoughts on Lap-Band that I feel that has helped me to steadily work to achieve my goal.

Applying Godwin's Law To Political Discussions

2009-09-18T05:23:00.000-07:00

I think we need to apply Godwin's Law to all discussions in Washington, but we need to expand it. Godwin states "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1." Once the use of Nazis or Hitler in a discussion is used the discussion is over.

We need to expand on it further to say "As a Political discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis, Hitler and RACIST (maybe any other name for that manner) approaches 1." I would say that Nazis should cover the racist, but apparently the liberals see them being two different things.

We need to stop the name calling on both sides and start being American Patriots of the United States.

However getting politicians to adhere rules is most likely a lost cause. If we can't get them to follow the laws that they set themselves, then how can we get the to follow a rule.

True Professionalism

2009-08-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

I love the diplomacy of our "progressive" liberal administration. I understand that Bill is probably not a very good subject with her due to past issues, but still this is in no way showing professionalism for the office. Now we know we can't send her to ease tensions in trying times to prevent something major.....like say a war? I can see how that would go down.

I'm very embarrassed for our country.

Sun Tzu on Death's Ground

2009-08-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Confront them with annihilation, and they will then survive; plunge them into a deadly situation, and they will then live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory. - Sun Tzu -

I think Sun Tzu had this right. When you put someone on death's ground, then they will fight for all they have, because they see no alternative. This was very evident when they chose the locations of the beaches that we stormed on D-Day.

This is something that the progressive liberal left politicians are starting to see. In some ways these policies that are being looked at by the left are like placing us on death's ground. If you take away my quality and choice on health care, then in some ways you are plunging me into a deadly situation. Some of you might be laughing now saying that this an exaggeration, but that is not what the town halls are showing now.

The problem is when things are going our way and we are not being pushed out of our comfort zone we become apathetic, fat and lazy. I can only hope that we keep this zeal and continue to "strive for victory" when the elections roll around next year.

So here is to the liberal left that have awakened the survivor in so many. These MOBS that have been in the middle of the road or asleep on the right still want to continue to live in a free Republic! Come on 2010, and hopefully we don't forget when we are at the ballot box.

Pipes and Leaf Compendium

2009-08-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

I have yet to really post anything about my pleasure of pipes and leaf. That is mainly due to the shear amount of other distractions that have been going on my mind lately. But I will not disappoint the plethora of readers that are so dearly interested and keep flooding my email inbox.

While browsing the internet I've found some good reads related to pipe smoking. I figure I would dedicate a post and spot on my blog to these good reads about the hobby I have grown to enjoy and find a simple pleasure in. I'll be updating this with more links in the future as I see fit, and to my readership. Enjoy!

Pipe Smoking and Health

Put That in Your Pipe

Cash for Clunkers Warning

2009-08-04T05:28:00.000-07:00

Here we have an article by Steven D. Levitt, Freakanomics author of the New York Times, from almost a year ago with the flaws in the Cash for Clunkers program. One of the things noted in this article was that "...any effect on the demand for new cars would be extremely limited. People who drive clunkers are generally not in the market for new cars. Presumably their replacement car will be a used car. The increased demand for used cars will lead to higher prices for used cars, which will push some buyers towards a new car, but the likely impact on new cars would be small."

Yeah...that is how you help out the middle class. The article raises some very good concerns, and it shows why government run programs are not the answer. It seems that government is creating new problems for every problem they fix.

Doggett Gets Dogged!

2009-08-03T04:26:00.000-07:00

This has been sweeping through this morning. I saw it first from Michelle Malkins blog, and then I heard it next on talk radio.

Democrat representative Loyd Doggett gets a warm reception from a crowd of his constituents. I'm hoping this will be the response to all the town hall meeting around the country.

I have to agree with Garrett Lewis (our local talk radio celebrity) this is probably the reason that our on representative Chet Edwards is hosting tele town hall meetings or nothing at all. Also if I for some reason Garrett does find his way to the post. I already had the title written down before you had said Dogged Doggett.

Common Sense

2009-08-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

I had originally started another blog that was geared more towards politics, but I later realized that I really did not want to juggle the two accounts. I originally posted this on July 4, 2009.

I finally received Glenn Beck's Common Sense book yesterday in the mail. It is a very short read and I finished it yesterday evening. It is amazing with what we have let our government become. Really only ones we have to blame is ourselves. Anyone that considers them self to be a patriot to this great nation should spend the $10 dollars and read this book. It won't take you long to read it. Heck if I can read it in a day then most of you can read even quicker. I'm very slow reader.

Beck mentions that most of us wouldn't allow some of our government elites in our homes much less watch our kids. Yet we let them run our government.

The one thing that I walked away with after reading this book is to throw down the party lines, and start voting for those that will do as we ask. The second thing we need to get done is term limits. We have some senators that have served for 50 years, Fidel Castro has not even been a dictator for that amount of time. Our Washington Elite need to be more mindful of what it is like to live this the laws they pass. They all to often do not have to worry about the consequences of these laws as they are exempt.

Take nation health care that is being brought up very seriously this time. They have their own private health care that will still be exclusive to them. While the rest of us will have the contend with a government health care system that will be broke and offer us even worse care than what we have.

Europeans have had this kind of health care for some time. They have been screaming and telling us to don't go down that road. Elderly or the disabled that have been labeled not an asset to society are on a 3 to 5 year waiting list to get needed treatment. While the heroin junkies are able to get there fixes in a clinic same day.

It has already started with us. The stimulus bills that have been past have moneys set aside to go towards gang tattoos removal program. That is money that could have go towards teachers, police, firefighters, or hell even pay down the nation debt? WTF are they freaking doing to us?

Most at work will not say anything to me about what is going on, because I get "angry" about it. The sad thing is it is not anger they hear in my voice but more so a passionate call for truth that should never be silenced. A truth that calls out to our leaders to listen to the very people they work for and serve.

I only hope that we are not too late in the matter. We are slowly loosing our very liberties that were given to us by the first revolution are slowly being taken away from us, from domestic and world crisis that come up. Our government has told us that it is needed to protect the "nation". Being great patriots that we are we say "yes" take my liberty and my freedom to make me more safe and secure.

Benjamin Franklin had warned us about giving up our liberties so haphazardly saying "Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security". Once it is given to the government it is very hard to take it back. Government will always seek to grow. It is up to us the guardians of our own freedoms to keep it in check.

Freedom is not free! We have to work to keep it. While reading the book Glenn Beck talked about a lady asking Benjamin Franklin on the street after the revolution, asking "what have you given us?" Franklin replied " A Republic if you can keep it!"

Now is the time to get the phones and call your Senator and tell them to vote NO. Tell your family, friends, and neighbors to call or email and vote NO! There my be those that will tell you it doesn't matter they will do as they please. I simply refuse to go down quietly. Our apathy will be our fall as a nation.

Abraham Lincoln said "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." Well that is what is happening very slowly to us. We are letting our government pass laws because the "experts" say it is in our best interest.

Well here is another interesting thing I picked up from the book. California had labels placed on a product that stated "Warning: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer." "Warning: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm."

To paraphrase further what Beck had said. Who in there right mind would want to use this product? The product is mercury. It is definitely known to be toxic. Yet this Cap and Trade bill will require all homes by 2012 to have compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). These CFLs contain on average four milligrams of mercury in each. The tuna that the State of California warned about .12 milligrams. Does it sound as though our government knows best here? Or are they catering to special interest.

All throughout the book I was say "You know he is right." There is no law requiring you to save someone if they are drowning in a pool. Even if you know how the swim are able to save that person. You by law are not required to jump in and save them. Yet they are creating laws so I have to use a light bulb that could cause potential health hazards to me? Oh yeah I forgot to mention if that light bulb breaks in your home, which we all know is going to happen. How may of us haven't broken a light bulb in our own home? It happens at some point. The EPA has created guidelines for clean up of these CFL bulbs. WTF?

In short if you don't want to have to pay 90% higher electric bills next year, then you need to call your Senators to vote now. Also you can call your Congressman and tell them to change their vote. It is not too late. They can change their votes.

The Finer Things in Life

2009-08-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog, which I have named after my theme song for my life. Theme song you say? You mean you don't have a theme song? Well I'll share mine till you find your own. The song is The Finer Things in Life by Kevin Prosch. It is by far my most favorite song and it is the one I want played at my funeral. Which I don't plan on attending anytime soon.

This new blog will be my flag ship for me to play my thoughts about my many interest and concerns. Some of you are already familiar with me from my previous blog The Boozsha Chronicles in which I blogged for little over two years about my online gaming experiences. I still plan on blogging about the games I play, but not as much.

So what will I be blogging about? Well pretty much anything I feel I want to put up here. I'm not going to keep myself in a box. I understand that not everyone is going to be interested in my various endeavors, and I've given that some thought. I have a little system in which I think will break down everything I'm planning to talk about into six categories. Instead of having this massive label cloud that normally in the past would get very congested. I'm hoping that by limiting myself to these six, that those that want to see my thoughts on what MMO game I'm playing can avoid my ramblings on politics (it could be expanded later, but I'm going to try and limit my self to the six). Let me list these categories and maybe offer up a little explanation of each.

The Boozsha Chronicles
This catagory is named after my first gaming blog. Here you will find out my thoughts on the different games I am playing from Desktop Defender to City of Heroes. I'll probably talk about the newest techno gadgets that I'm interested in or have.

13th Patriot
I tried start a blog under this name, but really there are already plenty of really good blogs out there that specialize in giving the political view. More of what you will see in this section is how I feel about some of the craziness that we are seeing in our government. You might be wondering what the deal is with the 13th Patriot. Well the number 13 is my favorite number, because the 13th letter in the alphabet is the letter M. Which happens to be the first letter of my last name. Also I have 13 letters in my full name, and I shamelessly stole it from the movie the 13th Warrior. I thought it was cool.

Pipes and Leaf
"I believe that pipe smoking contributes to a somewhat calm and objective judgement in all human affairs." - Albert Einstien 1950
I took up pipe smoking about two years ago. I have always been drawn to the pipe and the different blends of the leaf. My earliest memories was going to the drug store with my dad and walking in and seeing all the old men smoking their pipes. The aroma of pipe tobacco, fresh brewed coffee and the aftershaves has cemented in my memory and comes to my when I smell the different aromas of the tobbaccos. Einstien diffinitely got it right when he said there is a calm and objective judgement when smoking a pipe. I seem to think better while smoking a bowl and afterwards. Also there is something primal about holding the briar furnace in your hands and breathing in that magical smoke. In this section I'll talk about my favorite pipes and different blends of tobacco I'm smoking.

Texas Garden Gnome
Gardening is another interest of mine. This year was my second attempt in my life at a vegetable garden. I had some great success and had tomatoes coming out of my ears. I learned a lot this go round, and have big plans for the fall garden that I'm starting.

Banded
March 29, 2009 I had the Lap Band surgery. For about the past ten years I had been slowly gaining weight. The last two years I was over the 300 hundred mark. After researching different weight loss surgeries, I felt that the lap band was right for me. December 2008 I weighed 340 pounds today (August 2009) I weigh 227 pounds, and I'm still loosing the weight. This is where I will post my thoughts on my journey to get back to the person I want to be.

Voices in My Head
All my other thoughts that don't fit in the above catagories will go here. After all that is what thoughts are. Aren't they?