tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3241343194781693302024-03-12T23:48:39.413-05:00Gar's WorldOpinions of a narcissistic solipsist.Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.comBlogger691125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-43654502327295188172021-01-12T17:19:00.002-06:002021-01-12T17:31:32.351-06:00K.eep I.t S.mall and S.imple<p>I design software systems. A thing I've learned in my years of experience is to keep things simple. I like to tell people, "if it's too difficult, you're doing it wrong".</p><p>In many situations, things that seem confusing don't pass the "logic test". These are things that go on behind the scenes in my brain to determine if something on the news make sense. It saves me a lot of time researching articles to see if they are true or false. With the enormous popularity of both Twitter and Facebook, my "logic test" gets a lot of work! I wish there's a way I could teach people the trick.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Facebook & Twitter - Derby North Middle School" class="rg_i Q4LuWd" data-atf="true" data-deferred="1" data-iml="815" height="163" 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" width="290" /> <br /></p><p>I'm convinced there are quite a number of people who post on Facebook just to piss other people off. It's like a game. There are quite a number of people who post increasingly outrageous stories hoping to get "flagged". It's like a challenge to get a post flagged by Facebook. There are quite a number of people who post increasingly risque pictures in an attempt to get thrown into Facebook jail. There are a large number of people who are staunch Democrats. There are a large number of people who are staunch Republicans. There are, of course, people who are combinations of the above. And, let's not forget the lurkers.</p><p>All of these people are my friends. There are only a few lines I have that you can't cross. One is talking about my family. One is being obviously racist. I say obviously because I've seen people be accidentally racist, but that's not what this is about.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Teletubbies Sun Trump" Sticker by lilpumpkineater | Redbubble" class="rg_i Q4LuWd" data-lt="" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQVNZ12lYfgX4ht2FTB_tsfbgRO5Xygvk7owQ&usqp=CAU" height="176" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQVNZ12lYfgX4ht2FTB_tsfbgRO5Xygvk7owQ&usqp=CAU" width="176" /> </p><p>President Trump did not do a bad job as president. He wasn't my favorite. In fact, after last week, I'd say he is my least favorite. But, he kept us out of wars. The economy was doing gang busters. My taxes went noticeably down (I'm not sure if that means I'm rich or not). He could have easily won the re-election if he could have done one "simple" thing: kept his mouth shut. I got so tired of the news blasting him that I started following him on Twitter. I was startled to discover that following him on Twitter is worse. He comes across as a pathetic, whiny, egotistical, six year old. It made no logical sense. </p><p>When I first started following him, I thought, "he's doing this because he doesn't want to be president". I fully expected him to resign and let Pence take over. It was the only logical explanation. As I saw his angry mob grow and grow, and some of my friends even left Facebook, I questioned my logic. There must be something I don't fully understand. I tried to put myself in their shoes. Only thing I can think of is there are a large number of Americans who truly hate the government. Trump also hates the government. Since he continued to hate the government as President, he is now their hero.</p><p>Andrew Yang (one of the Democrats who somehow lost to Joe) said (and I might be paraphrasing), "We don't need to get rid of Trump, we need to fix what got Trump elected." Hatred of the government got Trump elected. I don't see Joe fixing this. I hope he does. But, I'm afraid it will be similar to hoping Obama fixed healthcare and instead making it worse (I'm not a fan of being forced to buy insurance when the insurance industry it likely largely what's wrong with healthcare). </p><p>Simple solution to fixing millions of Americans hatred of the government? Remove the party system. Make it illegal. Let up to 10 people run for President. Heck, let up to 20 people run for President. Don't put a limit. Each state can vote for their candidate. The 10 candidates with the most votes have a run off. Do ranked voting (look it up). Don't do ranked voting. The states can still vote for their candidate, but not along party lines. Fix donations. Don't allow any more than $10 to be donated by any one tax id number. It's all simple.<br /></p><p>As long as we have two sides there will be division in the government and people will hate the government. If you hate about half of something you still hate it.<br /></p><p> Remember what George Washington said so long ago in his farewell address:</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">"However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they
are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines,
by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to
subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of
government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted
them to unjust dominion." </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><img alt="" class="rISBZc M4dUYb" data-atf="1" height="160" id="wp_thbn_32" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAkGBwgHBgkIBwgKCgkLDRYPDQwMDRsUFRAWIB0iIiAdHx8kKDQsJCYxJx8fLT0tMTU3Ojo6Iys/RD84QzQ5OjcBCgoKDQwNGg8PGjclHyU3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3N//AABEIAKAAhAMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAAbAAACAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAUGB//EADEQAAEEAQMDAgQGAQUAAAAAAAEAAgMRBAUhMRJBUQZhEyIycQcUM4GRsaEVJcHh8P/EABgBAAMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgME/8QAHhEBAQADAQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAECAxEhMRJBIhP/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/APjhQg8pLGtjQhNIBCdpIATKSEGO1HhIhNCAjSCFJJBEEFSSKASLvx/CaVUmANkIQhJlCCoi0KSpCFKkgQCYCkGqQCRoUn07KwBdnQPTmfrspbiMa2NuzpZDTR/2lcuHxwqKVFfVMX8ONPhbWbkzTSd+j5Qsuf8Ah5iC3YuTMwHgOAco/wCuJ/l80UV39Z9N5mmfM5vxYxy5nb7hcQtC0llSqQplqiQmQCEAFNwpARo+EJV7oTSd7popSCVqwAptCQUwpoMBOkAKVKbTdX05os2t57MaB3SzmSQjZov+19v0nRcbTcGPEwoy2NnJPLj5PuvIfh5hswsRrtuuanE+/hfQI3VRDhsuPdsveR1adcuPahJitawkjZcjMc1hLTsOy7WZmQ9PQXgHnleT1fJ6slrBsDwo122+qzxkjFqJY9rgaI43XznX9LbDO6XGa0R18wHAPsvWZ2RM59ONG64XPzMWPJx3Bx6astHlduPjjrw7mqBC1SMokKlzaVykrtI+6lW6TlRK7QnSFSUqTATAUgFKzAU2tQ1u6taAotUQC2abgvzspsTCB5J7BUBi73p6eDEcHGIPmc7kjevAUB6zOifi40AhjmPwmCmwV1WPF7WujiarkY3pvIkyxO6dzqiEwp+44NeFl0vN/MyPDgSG1QPZaNVt8GPTLa5xNDz/AOC58+d47NeNmPXDkx5IcaPMkgzZ53kbxusja7IJ4WiWaWaKLI6XVQ5HC7+OwHBjeSHRubYXC17UWw4b2Rg0NqCJYd13nWPLj63tl5Dv7VckbPguY8E3uaHbwsIzXvx2FxIDd6vlcXUvUBd8mI1za+o3X7Lpxlrhy+lqjscyGPHgog7nilzZGKULn5EgcS4Ab/dXysRfKIwOFKtwWqRqzvG6qUWKUJkboWiUwptUArGKapawKwKtvKsCzprGK9ltcCNiD2VTFewqDr23pGaN4mf1WWkEg88K7VMHEzJWkZ+RA0cxMuj9tl5jQdQbg5ZMn6bx0uXu43/EYHsfFRFg+Vnl966deXceI4uXjRYP5THJLIwfqu/8rxPqPKtxa12zjuvQ6pq0eOCySWPjgFeJzJzlzObGLBPKeGIz2ecZc7Kc6IQxFxobm+As2PjRSstzrIrhbs+BuHpzya6nfKHdyVz8XKjYync8nZdPL+fHHb66AprQ1oAA4pQcoRTsl+kilMrK9/qpVEgWd43Wl/KokFuVQKHDdCk7lC0SgrWKsBWMSprWqxoVQ5VgKg17VY3ZUsKsFqKa9q9b6T0iXXNPzWxZL2zQlojZ1U0juPuvC5WUYqY0fMRz4Xvvwb1KXH/PMmb040jw4P6bLjVUjLC/j9DHLmTy+Vp8rMqSGVrxI11OEgohacfDbCCeK3cTsAvser6RpWrPBl+G6Vvdmx/el8X/ABN/2vV/9LxJKiETZH9J3JJO38AfyjTlM/Bs7Pa89r+ojMyPhwm4o7APk9yuV1GlBxRa7Zjxz2tmDIWvHUdl1gbFhcCFwEjfC7THiiAdljunvWmCRNqp6narcVnFqXF17FJRkvqTWiCH0qbFW07KbSixUXtpSVQtSBUGvadkzMGC/Cw5OSIqaBbj2WXrfM9rBbnOIAaPJVY6++pyydfTtOm1meToPRG0hpeBZ9gPdfStJ02DScSNjh0kFrGgna/JK53p/QvyGnshkfzbppGdz4B7+LRrOsYXp7DL2tD8136MdWT7kngKc7cv8w8fPas9VesZdEkiwdLx4G5bmB8jn2fgg/SCB3qjv7L5fqWbkahlyZOZO+eeQ26R5slRycqbJnlyJ5HSTSuLnvdySVmJK3165hPGeWVqJSQTaFogDZXQ5L4uDY8FU0kiyX6O8diDKZNtwfdTcd1xRYII7LpQy/FjDu/BWGev8+xpjl36cn1dk0nVaEoappVo5VDTurQ5VTi4KMr/AIbC6uFEPtZsqQlwaDsFOOPaLeKXuLnFzjuStei9B1fDMn0CVpNe26xFbNIcW58RaaO/9VS3vxl/X07WcoMwmPZLJGxgd1t6qJP/AAN18uz8p2XkOldxw0eAvQer9Re8iBpaOu7a3sOa/wArytrPVhydVnfUibUSglRK1QaAkgIBlJNJASV+I/pcW9is9qUbulwKVnZwR0CQe6FWDsELHjXqIpMFQKL2VjpvdTSs3VZtTkdeyrVyM8qCtWmua3I6nVsDSyptJabHKZLcyd2RO6RxNcAHsFQhCAEk0kyCEIQAhNJIzpHcItNgt4HugNja6RZP8IRsksmqu0E7JEJG1SVbjukpdJRRVoQ3QpEFKkAkJ0gC+xQCSUiD4KSASE69inR8FAJCZBHYpfsgBSj/AFG/dRo+FOJp627HlFDXaFNjLG6Fk0f/2Q==" width="132" /> <br /></p><p>President Washington, we almost got there this year. Wish us luck that we can fix it.<br /></p>Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-17180709758471762892020-05-22T12:46:00.001-05:002020-05-22T12:46:57.434-05:00COVID, Politics and MeUnlike Donald Trump, I'm not the smartest person ever.<br />
<br />
Myers Briggs says I'm intuitive. It says I'm the most intuitive ever.<br />
<br />
Our two party system is broken. Dangerously broken. Too many people are voting for X because they hate Y and vice versa.<br />
<br />
It causes great amounts of dangerous conflict. People who grudgingly vote for X to defeat Y are doubly upset that X doesn't win. Instead of having someone in office they can tolerate they are stuck with someone that they hate. Then there are the people who actually love Y and are completely not empathetic (or intelligent) in their defense of Y because they love him like they do God and he's beyond reproach. He's perfect.<br />
<br />
COVID has brought this to light in pandemic proportions. Y has completely mishandled the pandemic. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together can see that. Unfortunately, you still have the people who blindly love Y are staunch in their defense of Y. They love Y so much they blame the previous X for today's problems (which makes no sense).<br />
<br />
Okay, I'm going to quit using X and Y. It has run its course.<br />
<br />
The President should be able to control the media. Sometimes with diplomacy. Sometimes with manipulations made behind closed doors. Sometimes by being a respectable human being. I firmly believe that. If you allow the media/press to get under your skin, you should not be the President.<br />
<br />
I believe America overreacted to this pandemic. I believe we could have handled it with some guidelines and safety measures, but without the shutting down. The fact the local governments shutdown businesses over a virus is a huge overreaction. This is America. You educate, you calm, you encourage, but you don't dictate.<br />
<br />
The leadership of our country, the President of the USA, should have seen to this. He should have put guidelines in place before it was too late. He could have calmed the masses. He should have lead by example. He should not have bickered with the press. He should have put his pride aside and focused on the bigger picture.<br />
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No one is to blame except him. <br />
<br />
And, before the lovers get upset, Trump agrees with me. <img alt="Image may contain: 1 person, text" aria-busy="true" class="spotlight" src="https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/99002304_10222107241295092_2932134027919884288_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=drkYVipiXfMAX-l0dyj&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=a4f47918a95f78d331f95a416ccaea6b&oe=5EEE9CA8" style="height: 123px; width: 709px;" /><br />
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<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-90218907915108897632020-03-06T17:41:00.000-06:002020-03-06T17:41:09.786-06:00Instead of Choosing Between Two IdiotsWhat if we had ten choices in the general election instead of the two idiots the party extremes placed before us?<br />
What if we could then rank the choices from best to worst?<br />
Based on a point system the best candidate would then get elected!<br />
And, we could do away with the Democrat and Republican primaries which are a complete waste of time and resources!<br />
<br />
I'm going to do an example. Please bear with me. This is a Presidential example, but it would work for everything.<br />
<br />
In this election cycle there were only 3 Republicans running, but you probably didn't know that.<br />
So, in the interest of fairness and to make my example less complicated, I'm going to go with 3 Democrats and 3 Republicans.<br />
<br />
They shall be the Republicans: Tiny Hands Trump, Wild Bill Weld, and Mean Joe Walsh.<br />
The Democrats: Crazy Bernie, Sleepy Joe and Amiable Yang.<br />
<br />
Your ballot would be electronic and let you move the names around until they were in your preferred order (top to bottom).<br />
<br />
My ballot, for example, would look something like this:<br />
<ol>
<li>Amiable Yang</li>
<li>Wild Bill Weld</li>
<li>Mean Joe Walsh</li>
<li>Tiny Hands Trump</li>
<li>Crazy Bernie</li>
<li>Sleepy Joe</li>
</ol>
<div>
No hating allowed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There's only gonna be 3 people voting this election cycle, lest my example gets completely out of control.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Person 2 is going to be a staunch Trumpster Republican who has the utmost ire for his perception of socialism. His ballot might look something like:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Tiny Hands Trump</li>
<li>Wild Bill Weld</li>
<li>Mean Joe Walsh</li>
<li>Amiable Yang</li>
<li>Sleepy Joe</li>
<li>Crazy Bernie</li>
</ol>
<div>
Person 3 might be a die hard stubborn Libertarian who doesn't recognize a good thing when it hits him in the face.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Wild Bill Weld</li>
<li>Tiny Hands Trump</li>
<li>Mean Joe Walsh</li>
<li>Sleepy Joe</li>
<li>Amiable Yang</li>
<li>Crazy Bernie</li>
</ol>
<div>
I've suddenly decided to add person 4 to make my example more exciting. He's going to be a happy go lucky big government, give me free shit, pay for my college, educated hippy.</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Crazy Bernie</li>
<li>Amiable Yang</li>
<li>Sleepy Joe</li>
<li>Mean Joe Walsh</li>
<li>Wild Bill Weld</li>
<li>Tiny Hands Trump</li>
</ol>
<div>
I'm playing this by ear. How does ranked voting work? Do you eliminate people after they aren't the first choice? Then go to the second choice until someone is a clear winner? Or do you hand out points based on each ranking? Top person gets the number of candidates (6 in this example)? Bottom person gets 1 point? Let's try both ways. Each round at least one person is eliminated. Either the least votes or 0 votes. There could be more than 2 get eliminated!</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If we do it by elimination: Amiable Yang, Tiny Hands Trump, Crazy Bernie and Wild Bill Weld are the only ones to move on to round 2. Round 2 is going to eliminate Crazy Bernie. Round 3 would eliminate everyone else so it doesn't count. Round 4 would make it between Amiable Yang and Tiny Hands Trump. Round 5 would make Amiable Yang the President. I like the result, but I'm not fond of the process. Let's try points.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Round 1: Amiable Yang 6, Tiny Hands Trump 6, Wild Bill Weld 6, Crazy Bernie 6.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the following rounds we add 1 less point so round 2 gets 5, round 3 gets 4, etc.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Round 2: Amiable Yang 11, Tiny Hands Trump 11, Wild Bill Weld 16.</div>
<div>
<b>Wild Bill in the lead!</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Round 3: Sleepy Joe 4, Mean Joe Walsh 12.</div>
<div>
<b>Wild Bill still in the lead!</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Round 4: Mean Joe Walsh 15, Sleepy Joe 7, Amiable Yang 14, Tiny Hands Trump 14</div>
<div>
<b>Still Wild Bill with 16 points!</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Round 5: Wild Bill Weld 18, Amiable Yang 16, Sleepy Joe 9, Crazy Bernie 8</div>
<div>
<b>Wild Bill is looking unstoppable! Now 18 points!</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Round 6: Tiny Hands Trump 15, Crazy Bernie 10, Sleepy Joe 10</div>
<div>
<b>This would make Wild Bill Weld the President.</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
It takes a a bit to wrap your head around, but I'm not upset by it. No one disliked Wild Bill (in my example). It leads to more moderation. Millions of people can go around saying, "Well, he wasn't my first choice, but he is a lot better than the alternative." It would generate a calmer, less stressed out, America.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We may have to put more weight on the first choice. Maybe use a more logarithmic scale. Give the first place points equal to double the candidates, second place equal to the number of candidates * 1.5, third place equal to the number of candidates, etc.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I don't know, but it is doable. We also need to make voting as quick and easy as ordering toilet paper from Amazon as a Prime Member!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-72851492520386853882019-12-16T18:39:00.000-06:002019-12-16T18:39:11.650-06:00Blogging's Politicized DemiseI was once a voracious blogger. I'm not really sure why I quit, but I did.<br />
<br />
Today, I read an article indicating that the idea of blogging may be going the way of all good things.<br />
<br />
It made me think about why I started doing it in the first place.<br />
<br />
It was mainly therapeutic. It helps to write out problems and how you feel about it.<br />
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At one point, I decided I might be able to make some money via advertising. My "account" was up to about $20 when Google decided my blog did not meet their guidelines on "family" standards.<br />
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It may be that point where blogging lost its allure to me.<br />
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But enough about all that. This post is actually about politics.<br />
<br />
I think I've blogged before that I don't like Trump. It's nothing new. I haven't liked him since the first time I saw him on television. He seemed (and still seems) like an egotistical asshole.<br />
<br />
He's actually not doing a bad job as president. If he'd just keep his mouth shut.<br />
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Why would you ridicule a 16 year old girl? Is your ego so fragile that you have to take jabs at 16 year old's? You are the President of the USA for God's sake. If your ego needs any more stroking talk to your wife. Don't ridicule kids.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Y6iY2CQwSY/XfgiiL_CN_I/AAAAAAAAI5Q/BfCcwhhX9pMaJMdmg8KuOcy69ujrkHDqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/gretaTrump.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1100" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Y6iY2CQwSY/XfgiiL_CN_I/AAAAAAAAI5Q/BfCcwhhX9pMaJMdmg8KuOcy69ujrkHDqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/gretaTrump.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And for the love of all that's normal in the human race, quit calling people names. That is childish and not befitting adults, much less Presidents.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Be more like Andrew Yang. He seems like an intelligent man who refuses to get drawn into unnecessary drama. It would be such a welcoming change of scenery if he could win the Presidency next year. I've never wanted anyone so cool, calm and collected to be elected President. I blame you.</div>
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<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-70391955764217756152019-08-16T12:55:00.003-05:002019-08-16T13:17:50.233-05:00Rising to Your StationI became a father when I saw 25. I'm now 50 and my eldest is 25.<br />
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Having children was an honor. I did my best to be a good father.<br />
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Part of that involved some fundamental changes in the way I lived my life.<br />
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I didn't cuss around my kids. I wasn't naive enough to think they'd never cuss, but I didn't want them learning it from their dad.<br />
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I didn't drink around my kids. I knew that alcohol relieved my social anxiety and likely made me a more approachable person, but I didn't want my children seeing me intoxicated.<br />
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I did this for 14+ years. I did this because it was the mature adult thing to do. It was natural. I don't know how anyone could do anything differently.<br />
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Before I get into politics, let me set a few things straight. I don't know any "famous" people personally. They may be completely different in person rather than how they are presented to us on the boob tube (or Facebook as the case may be).<br />
<br />
In all my life, I've never liked Hillary Clinton and I've never liked Donald Trump. The fact that one won the presidency over the other is like a subtle nightmare come true. I'm so extremely moderate, I believe anyone not in favor of moderation and compromise should be castrated.<br />
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The biggest problem I have with Donald Trump is him making a mockery of the Presidency. It's a prestigious station and the station should be honored (much like fatherhood). His twitter account makes him sound like a defensive spoiled brat looking for confirmation on how good looking he is. It's embarrassing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yHShuYqegXg/XVbzPsJL1hI/AAAAAAAAH-4/QwkhtdjLgTAooortUMQLFTY2NqH-gQO4wCLcBGAs/s1600/donald-trump-grow-up_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="920" height="116" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yHShuYqegXg/XVbzPsJL1hI/AAAAAAAAH-4/QwkhtdjLgTAooortUMQLFTY2NqH-gQO4wCLcBGAs/s200/donald-trump-grow-up_orig.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Now, I know that anti-politics-as-usual is what got him elected. But, once you are elected, you rise to your station. Save your secret inhibitions for the privacy of your boudoir.Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-66044291206404545902018-10-24T18:50:00.002-05:002018-10-25T16:20:06.522-05:00Walk a Mile in Their Caravan(s)I've been told people miss my blog. I suspect this is not the case. I quit blogging because of Facebook. The sheer amount of indignant, spiteful vitriol you see on Facebook is alarming. I'm not sure I want to put anything on the Internet that may be construed the wrong way (which I'm sure it will). No one seems to have a shred of empathy. More often than not, intelligence is also a rare resource. Yet, here I am.<br />
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We're a country of too many rules.<br />
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I've always been a "pick your battles" kind of person. Even with my children, I have a very limited set of rules. I've discovered if you have too many rules, they all tend to get broken. Let's limit our rules. Make the rules easier and fewer and they'll be easier to enforce and more people will follow them.<br />
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What the f*ck is the title of this blog? Why in he hell does the right hate the left and the left hate the right? It's a closed minded lack of empathy. No one bothers to look at the proclaimed "enemy" and wonder, "why do they think that way?" Have I experienced their life? Or perhaps they do mull it over and chalk it up to stupidity, hypocrisy, narcissism, socialism, or your random creative insult of the day. It gets old. It's also why I quit blogging regularly.<br />
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I'll give you my latest example. There's apparently a caravan of people from Central America heading to the USA. Several of my "friends" on Facebook have posted this meme: <br />
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Maybe they are really curious. But, here's likely the reality: The people who post stuff like this were born in the comfort of a modern hospital in the good old USA while drooling on a proverbial silver spoon stuck in their future vitriol spewing orifice of ignorance.</div>
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I've met plenty of illegal aliens in my life and never once has one "demanded charity". I've also never been born in a third world country where I had to fight to survive. You seriously think it's easier to overthrow the government than travel a few thousand miles to "The Land of Opportunity"? Are you that proud of where you were born that you have to hate everyone else who was born with less? Really?</div>
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And that's why I quit blogging.</div>
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PS: If politicians have to explain their stance using religion, I <b>do not</b> vote for them. Pence and Cruz both scare me.</div>
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PPS: That's also why I quit blogging.</div>
<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-26494495734116640242018-07-18T19:47:00.000-05:002018-07-18T19:47:09.767-05:00And Just When You Thought it was Safe to Read the BloggerI was looking at my blog page and realized it has been two years since I last blogged.<br />
<br />
I realized that over a month ago.<br />
<br />
I quickly started coming up with new blogging ideas.<br />
<br />
Should I write a political blog? Should I write a funny blog? Should I write a "final" blog? There's this interesting thing going around Facebook currently about your "ten most influential albums". Perhaps that would make a good blog?<br />
<br />
After four weeks of contemplation, I decided to just start writing and see what happened.<br />
<br />
I figure after 2 years of not practicing my grammar and vocabulary skills would be in very weak display.<br />
<br />
Before I lose even the most patient readers that happen to read up to this point, I should point out that my lovely daughter has started a blog of her own. It's wonderful. Read it <a href="http://foolishfranklin.blogspot.com/">HERE</a> and then check back every day! Really!Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-18693759112639189662016-06-01T20:51:00.000-05:002016-06-02T09:02:09.974-05:00Apple Sucks More than the Sum of a Trillion Black HolesI've been tinkering with computers since I was 11. An Apple II+ was the first computer I ever programmed on.<br />
<br />
I don't know why Apple has decided to suck so much since then, but they have.<br />
<br />
I am not a fan of patents. I never have been, I agree with Benjamin Franklin on the subject of patents:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">In order of time, I should have mentioned before that having, in 1742, invented an open stove for the better warming of rooms, and at the same time saving fuel, as the fresh air admitted was warmed in entering, I made a present of the model to Mr. Robert Grace, one of my early friends, who, having an iron furnace, found the casting of the plates for these stoves a profitable thing, as they were growing in demand. To promote that demand, I wrote and published a pamphlet, entitled </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">"An Account of the new-invented</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;"> Pennsyl</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">vania Fireplaces; wherein their Construction and Manner of Operation is particularly explained; their Advantages above every</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;"> other </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">Method of warning Rooms demonstrated; and all Objections that have been raised against the Use of them answered and obviated,"</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">etc. This pamphlet had a good effect. Governor Thomas was so pleased with the construction of this stove, as described in it, that he offered to give me a patent for the sole vending of them for a term of years; but I declined it from a principle which has ever weighed with me on such occasions, viz., </span><b><u><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">That, as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;"> an </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">opportunity to serve others by any invention</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;"> of ours; and this we should do freely </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">and generously.</i></u></b><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; line-height: 18.6667px;">An ironmonger in London, however, assuming a good deal of my pamphlet, and working it up into his own, and making some small changes in the machine, which rather hurt its operation, got a patent for it there, and made, as I was told, a little fortune by it. And this is not the only instance of patents taken out for my inventions by others, tho' not always with the same success, which I never contested, as having no desire of profiting by patents myself, and hating disputes. The use of these fireplaces in very many houses, both of this and the neighboring colonies, has been, and is, a great saving of wood to the inhabitants.</span></blockquote>
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Apple is completely opposed to this principle. And I am completely opposed to Apple. I have never sent any money their way (the above computer was lent to me). And I never intend to.<br />
<br />
Today, I bought a used Apple Product (the money going to someone wanting to get rid of their rotten Apple for cheap). I spent an hour trying to install iTunes on my Windows computer.<br />
<br />
It wouldn't install. It still won't install. Apple blames Windows. Because apparently, everyone and their fucking dog can write software for Windows; except Apple. Apple is incapable of writing software at all. Even the Apple OS is a hack on top of Unix (like putting a posh blonde wig on a sexy brunette).<br />
<br />
To think I was giving Apple the benefit of a doubt. When you install iTunes on Windows 10, it first tells you that it can't do some craziness and then it starts rolling back the installation, but then it continues the install until it's done and tells you that some Apple Support program can't be found and you need to uninstall and reinstall. Which, if you are as patient and forgiving as I am; also doesn't work.<br />
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Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-4812599806688317872015-12-11T14:43:00.002-06:002015-12-11T14:46:57.454-06:00It's Almost 2016, So Where's My Rocket Pack?Blogging when the passion strikes me. Yep.<br />
<br />
Get this out of the way immediately (more fun yet to follow): <i>I am a doomed eternal optimist partially braced for the horrific
nightmare that Donald Trump or Ted Cruz could be the next president</i>..... (<a href="http://durangotexas.blogspot.com/2015/12/arlington-pit-fort-worth-wall-of-shame.html">Durango said that</a>).<br />
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Since I was about 11 years old, I've hated being smart. It was almost not worth the good grades with the amount of vitriol and despise that was hurled in my general direction.<br />
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I think Obama handles it rather well. I personally would not want to be in his shoes, but perhaps he likes it. It's also possible he's not as humble as my rose colored outlook lets on. But, I'm still optimistic.<br />
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When I was in college I swore off watching the news. It was too irritating and depressing. The only news that apparently sold was depressing and horrid. I haven't watched the news since 1989.<br />
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I was mostly happy with the popularity of Facebook. There were several people who weighed in my thoughts occasionally who I thought I'd never see again. Never is a long long time. With the advent of Facebook, I've become reacquainted with several of those people.<br />
<br />
I've discovered recently that I've been somber. I could even say almost depressed. I've finally put a finger on it. People on Facebook are spewing the filth of the news that I gave up over 20 years ago.<br />
I see lots of funny stuff on Facebook. I also see pictures of my granddaughter and my children and my friends and my friend's children and grandchildren. It's a cool place.<br />
<br />
But thrown amid the good stuff is the vitriol. People who I call "friends" are calling my President a pussy. People who I call "friends" are saying he's a traitor and a pathetic president. I've recently decided to take a stand simply against misinformation (regardless of the target of the misinformation).<br />
<br />
My mom always told me if you can't saying something nice about someone don't say anything at all. I pretty much try and live by that. I'll occasionally let slip some negativing towards people, but I usually keep it between me and my wife, myself and I. And my wife pretends to agree with me!<br />
<br />
For people who hate Obama (for some strange reason), I'd like to ask what he's done to you? In my life, I've had only one President who affected me in a negative way. And that's because he cutoff funding for Type 1 Diabetes research (albeit indirectly) and he started the military action to invade a country when I was overseas and having to deal with the fallout. Even then I didn't call anyone names. I didn't vote for him and I'd say I wasn't happy with him invading Iraq, but I never called him names. I just don't understand the hatred. People in Germany would ask me what I thought of Bush and I'd simply say, "Well, I don't agree with what he's doing, but what can you do? I didn't vote for him."<br />
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I didn't vote for Obama in either election, but I've recently decided I'm a Democrat. I don't like Hillary and I doubt seriously I'd actually vote for her, but if Republicans and especially Republicans I consider friends insist on this level of hatred and close mindedness then I am most definitely anti-Republican.<br />
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From this day forward Republicans are like the Dallas Cowboys. I don't necessarily like the other team, but I'll root for any team playing against them. There's no place in the great USA for that amount of hatred and drama.<br />
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My favorite coach on "The Voice" is Shakira. I think they should get rid of Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani. Let them "go get a room" for a season. They should bring in Dee Snider to replace Blake. He'd be a helluva coach! And let Shakira replace Gwen for all that's good and right in the show we adoringly call "The Voice".<br />
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<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-4786811604682104162015-06-24T23:08:00.002-05:002015-06-24T23:11:29.124-05:00Confederate Flag DebacleRecently in the news, there's been an alarming amount of craziness concerning the confederate flag.<br />
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You know that my mantra in life is, "walk a mile in their shoes".<br />
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If I'm over at a friends house and I'm wearing a yellow shirt and my friend says, "I don't like yellow shirts because it reminds me of the time my favorite dog got killed by a yellow car," I don't wear my yellow shirt any more. In fact, next time I visit, I try to make sure sure I don't represent the color yellow in any way! Because I love my friends and it's <b>easy</b> for me to not offend them.<br />
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It's just a flag folks. However, there are some people that it spawns strong emotions for. It's not their fault. It's just the way it is. It's not that big a deal. Take it down and do away with it. It's not that important. Grow some balls and be considerate of your fellow Americans. Love one another.<br />
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Peace and love.<br />
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I'm on a yellow kick.</div>
Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-55546386469236910102015-06-09T18:27:00.002-05:002015-06-09T18:27:50.160-05:00Yellow Polka Dot BikiniThings lately irritate me so much that I can't put my thoughts into rational words. The McKinney Pool Party Debacle is one such event. I mostly blame the media.<div>
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People on both sides of the pool are holding up their race cards. On this matter, I've got one cliche to apply to all: "Have you walked a mile in their shoes?" Take race out of it. It's dislike of people for the way they were born. It happens all the time and it'll never stop; until we all have enough empathy to sympathize what other people might be going through.</div>
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Since we can't trust the media to tell us the whole truth, we have to take what's given to us. I believe people are fabricating on both sides, but I don't know the truth and I never will. When I watched the video, there were a few things that immediately caught my attention.</div>
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<ol>
<li>I've always been told not to pull out my gun unless I intend to use it. In this case he used it to get two teenagers to back off so he could tackle a girl who was crying for her mom. I wasn't impressed.</li>
<li>If I were in law enforcement (but I'm not because I'm a chicken shit), my reaction to this chaotic scene would have been to find the smallest threat wearing the tiniest bikini and sit on her (with my knees) to try and get things under control. Because that makes all the sense in the world.</li>
<li>Two other policemen walk up and seem to try and calm this cop down. We should be saying thanks.</li>
<li>People are mostly good. Don't let the media fool you.</li>
<li>This cop should <b>not</b> be fired for pulling his gun.</li>
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I figure everyone will go off on number 5. I think he learned his lesson without killing anyone which is a miracle. We don't want to discourage good people from being policemen. This guy might have been having a very bad day (have to walk in his shoes). He was in a stressful situation and temporarily lost control. Here again, all hypothetical because I don't know him at all. He may be a complete ass. He certainly appeared that way in the video.</div>
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If he gets fired he should get fired for ignoring the athletic boys in their surf shorts who were too big, too fast, and too scary. He instead went after the little girl who may have weighed a buck ten in her little bikini. I'm sure he was scared for his life and trying to defuse a hostile polka dot.</div>
Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-9382777560996561702015-04-20T18:21:00.001-05:002015-04-20T18:21:33.256-05:00I Think I Work Too HardIn an effort to increase my blogging and, by accident, my writing skills, I've decided not to think so hard about what I want to blog about.<br />
<br />
It's actually kind of funny. I've never quite grasped the usage of the word ironic so I just don't use it. Is it ironic that the reason it's hard for me to come up with blogging ideas is because too many people read my blog? There are some people I don't want reading certain things about my life so I have to carefully pick and choose what I can write about and what I mustn't. So, I just don't write.<br />
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At what age is it too late to have a midlife crisis? I'm considering having my second one at the age of 48. Is it okay to have two midlife crisis's? How do you spell crisis's? It's actually crises. That's the word that went thru my head as I was writing, but it looked wrong. I had go look it up. All my life people have been telling me that your initial instincts are usually correct. The Internet has made my ability to double-check myself a debilitating curse. Add that to my list of crises. Check.<br />
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The other day I cruised the Durango blogs and realized he's removed the link to my humble page. This is good information. I realize now that 6+ months is too long to go without invoking the Nix of Durango. I'm a little sad. Ghost (<a href="http://hardhitting-nobs.blogspot.com/">Musings From the Lion City</a>) still has me linked though. He's apparently more patient.<br />
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The problem with not having ideas is not knowing when to end.<br />
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<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-43980212121494535152015-04-14T21:17:00.000-05:002015-04-14T21:17:33.213-05:00Poignant Ponderings (Ode to Allen)I haven't written in this thing for so long no one reads it anymore. I still look at it as writing practice.<br />
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It's also a bit like a diary. A place to write down my thoughts and help me to get over some of my strange mental imaginative mitosis.<br />
<br />
About 5 years ago, I told someone, "Man, if you had a vagina, I'd marry you!" It's a bit crude, but crude things happen when you hit the big four oh. I don't have a lot of friends. I have a rather large number of acquaintances through one means or another, but not many friends.<br />
<br />
About 4.5 years ago, I met someone who made me feel as comfortable as the above referenced friend and she had a vagina! Really! We talk about everything. We're best friends. We have the same tastes in how to spend quiet evenings. We even listen to the same kind of music (mostly). We love the same vacation spots!<br />
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About 1.5 years ago, I married her. Which is probably why my blogging has become scarce. I don't need to write down my thoughts anymore. I finally have someone I can share them with on a daily basis.<br />
<br />
Since I met Lisa, we've been talking about opening a bar: "GarLisa's" (I've already purchased the domain name so don't even bother). We always have excuses. A plethora of them: We have to wait for the kids to graduate high school, We have to wait for the kids to graduate college, We have to wait for the next solar eclipse, etc.<br />
<br />
It's always something.<br />
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Durango first talked me into blogging. He writes a couple of the blogs referenced on the right of this page. Durango kind of "saved" me after my first divorce back in the early 2000 era. It's strange being a socially awkward geek and how certain people come into your life and do some freakishly psycho mumbo jumbo on your tender psyche (like convincing you to get your lovely locks trimmed back from their 80's magnificence). I believe it was from Durango's blog that I found a link to <a href="http://thewhitedsepulchre.blogspot.com/">The Whited Sepulchre</a>. I'm not 100% sure of that last fact, but it makes for a slightly more entertaining story (I can't lie -- even in prose).<br />
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It was also around this time that I joined the Libertarian Party. I literally paid monthly dues to have my voice in politics. I even ran in an election for a Texas Representative position from Northeast Tarrant County (I got 995 votes which was 5 away from my goal). I'm not cut out to be a politician. My ability to lie is non-existent and I don't even come close to agreeing with the majority of voters. Although I believe I'd do a swell job if given the chance.<br />
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It was at my first Libertarian meetup (at Rahr & Sons Brewery) that I met Allen Patterson. He was just one of those "approachable" people. That doesn't sound like much, but when you're as socially awkward and shy as yours truly, people like this are very few and far between. I can count the number I've met on one hand. They are a rare breed. Allen is a rare breed.<br />
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According to medical professionals this rare individual has about 18 months to live. If I believed in prayer, I'd pray it's not true. He wrote his "last blog" the other day and it was entitled, "<a href="http://thewhitedsepulchre.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-last-blog-post-dont-be-safe.html">Don't Be Safe</a>". Maybe it's time to try "GarLisa's" on for size. Fuck being safe.Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-3343602689264141512014-07-11T20:01:00.000-05:002014-07-11T20:01:08.754-05:00Legalize and SterilizeWhen you make something illegal, you make it where people do it in secret because they don't want to get caught. I believe, oddly enough, that to handle a substance or item you believe should be illegal, you must legalize it.<br />
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Once it's legal, it can be controlled. A person addicted to meth is much more likely to buy from a local drug store where their product is guaranteed, than to get their addictions calmed by someone who overcharges, is shady, dangerous and can likely barely speak English.<br />
<br />
It all started with the Tennessee mom for being the <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/woman-charged-tennessee-drug-law">first charged with prenatal drug use</a>.<br />
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I abhor parents who don't take care of themselves and therefore don't take care of their kids. But, there are a slew of things I don't like about this law.<br />
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Any law that is harder on one sex than the other is wrong in my book. I suppose they could have written it without mentioning gender, but we all know men can't get pregnant. It still takes two to tango. They should at least punish the sperm donor who managed to impregnate the addict.<br />
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Then I thought about abortion. Abortion has been debated for decades and we will never agree on it. It would be nice if everyone just agreed that we will never agree on it, but it'll never happen.<br />
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So you take a meth addict. She gets pregnant. She can't afford an abortion because it's so expensive and "frowned upon". She is addicted to meth. She didn't mean to get pregnant. She spends the next nine months waiting to give birth so she can be convicted.<br />
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You could argue more in favor of convicting the mom if you say she wanted to have the kid and did meth anyway. Kind of makes you nauseous, but there you go. I've certainly seen worse people in the world.<br />
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Anyway, in my keep it simple, political view of the world, I came up with an exciting new law. The Legalize and Sterilize law.<br />
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We legalize drugs, but regulate them with side effects. Drugs like meth will be available for purchase at your local drug store, but they have the side effect of sterilization. Problem solved. No more meth babies because we legalized and sterilized.<br />
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_______________________________________________<br />
<i>I used to blog regularly. Most of my writings are not entertaining to anyone but myself, but I look at it as practice. Unfortunately, after a few years of blogging I quickly ran out of quirky ideas to write about. Now, I'm out of practice because I blog irregularly. I wrote this one just because I thought the "Legalize and Sterilize" was a wonderful campaign slogan!</i><br />
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<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-38888590080477479132014-03-28T14:06:00.001-05:002014-03-28T14:10:57.458-05:00Top 5 Things I've Learned in the Last Three MonthsIn no particular order.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pins are Cheaper Than Pens</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Unless you are a bank giving out credit cards in America.</span></div>
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I travel to Europe quite often. When I'm there, they have the same "automatic" amenities as we do here in the states except I can't use them because they require a credit card with a pin.</div>
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We live in a modern world with old technology credit cards. At least in the good old capitalistic land of the free.</div>
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In Europe their credit cards have a chip on them. This chip contains all your pertinent information. Your account balance, your name, what you look like, the birthday of your firstborn child and your pin (I may have made some of that up). This is because, in some countries, the Internet/communications system isn't as vast as in the USA so when they can't validate the sale via the Internet they can just read the information off of the chip. But, the chip can't be accessed without the appropriate PIN (personal identification number).</div>
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When you go get gas at a 24/7 pay at the pump station in Europe, they don't ask for your zip code when you slide your card (in fact a lot of them don't have a magnetic strip reader). They ask for your PIN. In Europe there are a large majority of gas station attendants who don't speak English. So when I'm out of gas in Italy, I have to park my car, go into the station, find an attendant who can speak a bit of English, try to explain to them that I don't have a chip on my card and that I'll be requiring a pen because I have no pin.</div>
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When you go to a restaurant in Germany, they bring a little chip reading device to your table. You put your card in and then guess what? It asks for a PIN. This comes as some embarrassment to we technologically advanced Americans. You have to ask them pathetically if they have the dumb down credit card machines. Then, if they do and are able to run your card, they ask for your PIN. Then, we pathetic Americans have to ask for a PEN. </div>
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That's not entirely true, their credit card machine almost always have a magnetic strip reader, but they don't carry pens with them. And I can't write anyway.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Texting and Driving is Not Just Dangerous</b></span></div>
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It's also annoying as hell. I am starting to enjoy the people who say, "I only text when I'm at a stop light."</div>
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They are the ones who make me miss the green light because they are too busy playing with their phones to notice that the light changed.</div>
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Then there are the ones who "can safely text and drive". They are the ones you come up on driving 15 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone so that they can safely weave between the white lines without crossing them.<br />
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I saw a guy the other day texting at a four way stop -- because it wasn't his turn. Of course, when it was his turn, he had no clue. People get stupid at four way stop signs <a href="http://heygar.blogspot.com/2012/08/stupid-weekly-update-stupid-top-10-or-4.html">anyway</a>. Texting at a four way stop is like stirring up the kettle of stupidity.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I've Only Got Two</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I feel kind of guilty for leading you on.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>You Can Plant Plants</b></span> </span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It's a good thing you don't pee peas. That would hurt!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Obamacare is Not That Bad</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">But only if you are intelligent. I wish Obama would have done away with health insurance all together. Sick people are not happy and we all should have a right to the pursuit of happiness. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">However, all the horror stories you've been hearing are just not true. If you have a brain, read <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/20/obamacare-ad-julie-boonstra_n_4823167.html">this</a>.</span></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b>You have a couple of more days to <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/">sign up</a>. If I had had access to Obamacare when I graduated college, life would have been much different for me.</span></div>
Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-73589277857741618242014-01-15T17:55:00.000-06:002014-01-15T17:55:27.827-06:00Target's Botched Breach Apology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I shop at Target. Not because I'm a diehard Target fan, but because it is the most convenient store to go to on my way home from work.<br />
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Therefore, when Target's servers were hacked into near the end of 2013, I was one of the ones notified. Luckily, I was using my wife's credit card. Yay me!<br />
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They hacked like 40 million accounts or something of that nature, so I figure I have a better chance of winning the lottery than someone actually stealing my identity, but better safe than sorry and all of that kind of thing.<br />
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Anyway, they sent me an email today telling me I can get free ID Protection from Experian. In this "unsolicited" email sent to an address that is no longer used, they provided a link to get started...<br />
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I don't know if you can understand the subtlety of this, but let me see if I can come up with an analogy. It would be like Kellog's sending out samples of their peanut butter crackers after doing the salmonella recall because of possible peanut contamination.<br />
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Anyway, I looked at the link and it looked valid so I opened up a browser and typed in the link by hand. It was <a href="http://creditmonitoring.target.com/">creditmonitoring.target.com</a> for those of you following along. Being that it ended in target.com, I probably could have just clicked on the link.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xh5ZbriKyz0/UtccqEMqIjI/AAAAAAAADkU/jGiKfOyh9OU/s1600/TargetWarning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xh5ZbriKyz0/UtccqEMqIjI/AAAAAAAADkU/jGiKfOyh9OU/s1600/TargetWarning.jpg" height="97" width="200" /></a></div>
The funny thing about this website (you can go there if you want) is on the right side it warns us to "be wary of calls or email scams that may appear to offer protection..."<br />
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Kind of like saying, "you're here so we know you didn't follow rule number one, but we'll point it out just in case". But, alas, being the adventurous soul that I am, I went ahead with the registration process which involves entering your name and email address to get instructions from Target (within 72 hours). It is super fast technology after all. It may take 72 hours for their super computers to look you up in their system and send you an email. Maybe they should have let their hackers take care of it?<br />
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I got the email within 30 minutes with further instructions. These instructions take you to an Experian page where you enter more personal information. After diligently entering all the information, Experian presents me with this:<br />
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Basically telling me I've wasted my time. It all seemed legit though. There was no bad grammar or English subtitles. I'd like to thank Target for trying and I am hoping they and their apparent Experian partners didn't join on the Obama bashing bandwagon about the Healthcare Website.<br />
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<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-69724877586810814052013-12-24T10:34:00.000-06:002013-12-24T10:34:11.485-06:00Explaining the EmailYesterday I received an email from someone I know who read through my blog and had a few comments. It was an interesting read for several reasons. It was eye opening in that I can kind of see how someone who reads my blog perceives me to be.<br />
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Keep in mind when I write to my blog, 75% of the time it's when things are boiling to the surface so you're getting to see my steamy side. My actual life is not nearly entertaining enough to write about. I spend a large portion of my life sitting in front of a computer playing with the latest Netbeans IDE or writing Java code to keep my programming skills up. I spend an even larger portion of my life sitting in my recliner with a laptop in my lap playing computer games. I was one of those geeky people who were addicted to <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/everquest-or-evercrack/">Evercrack</a> and then graduated to <a href="http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gamesgear/diary-of-a-world-of-warcrack-addict-part-one-49285482/">World of Warcrack</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway</span>, I was just gong to answer the email and I thought to myself, "Where's the fun in that? If he's raising these issues and asking these questions how many more are?" I'm going to copy and paste the email here and then respond inline. I'll have to omit sections to protect the innocent and their intellectual property, but, for the most part, it's intact.<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><blockquote style="font-family: 'Segoe UI WPC', 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans Serif', Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i>Thanks for sharing your blog...that took a bit more courage than I have. As is most often the case, you and I agree on a lot of things and disagree on others.</i><i><br /></i><i>I've read back almost to the beginning of your blog and I have some questions that you're free to entertain or ignore:</i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's in my nature that I can't ignore anything</span><span style="font-family: Segoe UI WPC, Segoe UI, Tahoma, Microsoft Sans Serif, Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Sometimes I wish I could. This might be one of those times. I don't feel courageous, but then again I don't get why everyone is so uptight about their privacy. I think I blogged about that somewhere. </span><br />
<blockquote style="font-family: 'Segoe UI WPC', 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans Serif', Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i>Is a tall slide a good analogy for life? </i></blockquote>
It's only tall if you've got goals.<br />
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<i>Children climb the ladder of growing and schooling and, when they start their careers and adult life, it's like sliding down twists and drops and slow stretches. Doesn't drug addiction act like a gap in the slide, where the person falls through and lands with a thud in the gutter? </i></blockquote>
I like your analogy. Now, if the government would give me the legal means to truly teach my kids about the gaps. I can teach my kids about alcohol, no problem. But, the illegal drugs? All I know is what I've read and they can both read. I can tell them, "I've never done it, so you shouldn't. You might get addicted, hit a gap and fall in the gutter." But, that doesn't really do any good. Everyone knows when you tell someone they can't do something, they're going to try it the first time it's presented in a semi safe environment.<br />
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<i>Don't you think that legalizing addictive drugs is like allowing the drug pushers to get near the top rung so they can push the child down the slide before it's fully built? </i><i>Isn't it better if we don't let the pushers anywhere near the ladder?</i></blockquote>
</span><span style="color: black;">If you legalize drugs there will be no "drug pushers" so they won't be anywhere near the ladder. You seem to be looking at it all from an illegal point of view. Of course, I may have too much trust in humanity as well. But I believe the biggest problem with drugs today is the "War on Drugs". War is never good for anyone.<br />
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<i> How is legalizing drugs victimless?</i></blockquote>
Legalizing drugs is not hurting anyone.<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: 'Segoe UI WPC', 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans Serif', Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i>Does correlation prove causation? Could Clinton have gotten the benefit of history rather than deserving credit for all (or even any) of the budget surplus? Could the implosion of the USSR and the explosion of computers have had more effect? Or the .com bubble? Isn't Obama a victim of China and other countries kicking our butts in manufacturing/import laws? Won't whoever is president if/when China implodes be a giant in your eyes, no matter what he does? I grant that the president gets the credit/blame for their piece of history but is that any reason to believe that Clinton would do miracles if he were president now?</i></blockquote>
Good points. I've often said we give the President too much blame/praise. He's just not <b>that </b>powerful.<br />
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<i>As an extreme example: If your (future) son-in-law gets some gambling/drug debts, do you want him to have the option of pimping your daughter? Couldn't he talk her into saving his rear-end merely by going to the nearest bar and giving hummers to each of the guys on the bar stools? And, while they're at it, why not make three times as much while she's leaning over anyway? How is legalizing prostitution victimless? I don't remember now why I thought you wanted to legalize prostitution, though.</i></blockquote>
Legalizing prostitution is victimless. Forcing someone to do something they don't want to do is wrong (and I think mostly illegal). When the government makes things illegal it drives them underground where there is no protection. As long as prostitution is illegal, the above scenario could happen to anyone because criminals control the environment. They are already committing felonies so what's one more gonna matter? <br />
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<i>Should you applaud Clinton getting a hummer when there are so many victims? What about his wife? What about Lewinsky's parents? What about the worries of the other parents of DC interns? What about Lewinsky herself?</i></blockquote>
I think you may be overreacting. Taking all other factors out of the equation, getting a hummer in the oval office is awesome! Yeah, it would have been better coming from Hilary. I just left that sentence out. Omission is my right as an author. And maybe Hilary gave him more than that in the oval office. We just don't know about it. I did mention that if I were Bill, I'd be embarrassed to talk about it. It was a mistake (getting it from an intern), but it was her choice. If Bill somehow forced her to do something she didn't want to do then he should have been arrested.<br />
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I certainly don't see any victims (unless I missed something in the news).<br />
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<i>Could parents in the past have forced their children to act right-handed because, otherwise, they would be left-handed and turn into arrogant ego-maniacs? Just kidding there, everyone should be proud of themselves (as long as they're not hurting anyone).</i></blockquote>
Not a fan of forcing kids to do anything. Unless you use forcing, educating and teaching synonymously. There's nothing wrong with left-handed ego-maniacs. Since 1974, there have been only two right-handed Presidents.<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: 'Segoe UI WPC', 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans Serif', Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i>Do you think you don't have a drinking problem?</i></blockquote>
I know I don't. My liquor cabinet is completely full.<br />
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<i> Do you think you'd be better off if you copied your driver's license onto a note where you signed a statement giving your friend permission to tell the tender not to serve you once you've drunk to the point where you're, again, not going to remember what you did the next morning? </i></blockquote>
That would be an interesting idea. Alas, I don't have any friends.<br />
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<i> Would that help your hangover problem? </i></blockquote>
I actually don't get hangovers.<br />
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<i> Might that save you some money and maybe a drunk-driving ticket? Of course, you never wrote that you drive drunk so you're apparently smart enough not to. I'm worried about everybody but, right now, you especially.</i></blockquote>
I'm gonna have to ramble here for a second or two.<br />
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Up top, I said, only the steamy stuff tends to come out in my blog. Once or twice a year, I go nuts. Here's why:<br />
About a month before my 12th birthday, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It's funny how things like that affect you. I remember losing a lot of weight my first semester of junior high. I think I was down around 70 pounds when the PE teacher finally convinced my mom that something was wrong. Up until then I had been quietly dropping pounds and peeing every 5 minutes.<br />
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I remember going into the doctor and peeing in a cup. When he came into the room he told my mom he thought I had diabetes. I didn't hear diabetes (didn't know what it was anyway). I heard the first syllable, "die...". For a brief moment, I thought he was about to tell my mom how long I had to live. It scared the hell out of me.<br />
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He gave my mom a bunch of pamphlets to read. I asked if I could have them. She gave them to me. I know more about diabetes than most doctors. I have to take medicine to eat. I've never really talked about this to anyone so it's hard to write down. I don't want anyone to worry about me or feel sorry for me. I've got the best rose colored glasses three months at a psychologist can buy.<br />
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To give you a really bad analogy, when you've got diabetes, it's like driving a sloppy four cylinder stick shift where the clutch doesn't engage the same all the time and one of your pistons is bent to hell. From the time I was 12 until the time I was 18, I was trying to keep from stalling and scared to do anything out of the ordinary. I counted my carbohydrates. I took my injections. I didn't play any sports, I didn't go to any parties. I went to school and I learned how to drive my sputtering manual transmission body.<br />
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Something changed when I graduated high school. Maybe it was just the act of graduating. I don't know. I don't have a drinking problem. I maybe drink 12 ounces of beer per day. But once or twice a year I want to forget about driving a stick shift and just pretend to be normal. I figure I"ll eventually grow out of it.<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: 'Segoe UI WPC', 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans Serif', Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i>I'm a post-compatibilist atheist with agnostic sprinkles (don't bother researching the "post-" part, it's my own term) but I appreciate that religion is often greatly beneficial to adherents and sometimes beneficial to others; do you see no benefit to brainwashing children?</i></blockquote>
I see no benefit in brainwashing anyone. I was going to blog about the 19 year old who was involved with the tragic Boston Marathon bombings (I decided it was too controversial). 19 year old kids don't do that. He was brainwashed. You want to find the person responsible, you're going to have to find his brainwasher.<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: 'Segoe UI WPC', 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans Serif', Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i>Wouldn't your president just hang low until the 'one year tryout' had passed and then go ballistic for the rest of his 6 year term? </i></blockquote>
Anything can happen. The point is that during the election they make promises. If a President makes promises and he doesn't get any traction in what he promised for the first year, then he's either a liar or not qualified. Anyone can go ballistic. Now, they can go ballistic for 4 years. I think there is something fundamentally flawed about the way we elect people. I don't know the answer. I just think something needs to change (kind of like healthcare).<br />
<blockquote style="font-family: 'Segoe UI WPC', 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, 'Microsoft Sans Serif', Verdana, sans-serif;">
<i>Of course, they're not going to eliminate the electoral college (and shouldn't). Doesn't a 3rd party candidate just split the votes from the one he's most like and thereby shoot himself in the foot? Won't online voting get more opinions from uninformed, lazy people?</i></blockquote>
Currently, that is what a 3rd party candidate does. It would be much better to eliminate the party system. However, if there were multiple parties and they were all given equal footing then suddenly there is no such thing as a "third party". Similar to your drug position at the top, you are making your argument based on our currently flawed system.<br />
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Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-43434444130949501262013-12-22T20:03:00.000-06:002013-12-22T20:03:01.383-06:00Mental AgeThe previous blog was supposed to be my last one of the year, but this mental age test has been invading my thoughts after it invaded my Facebook.<br />
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My wife took the test and had me take the test. She scored a 22.<br />
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Several of my friends on Facebook have taken it and I've seen scores from 22 to 43.<br />
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My youngest daughter took it and she scored a 22 (she's 16).<br />
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The test is only six questions. There are no right answers. There were several questions (like the first one) where I wanted to answer, "All of the above", but that wasn't a choice.<br />
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I diligently go through each question over and over and just pick the "best" answer even though none of them are necessarily the "right" answer.<br />
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Every time I do it, I score a 10. According to this test, I've got the mental age of a 10 year old! What the hell does that mean? My wife says I act like a 12 year old so the damn thing must be off by at least 2 years!<br />
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Click the link and hit the green "START" button:<br />
<a href="http://yourmentalage.com/">Mental Age Test</a><br />
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<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-72923469803868631522013-12-20T14:44:00.002-06:002013-12-20T14:47:01.684-06:00Shades of GayI couldn't help but be roped into the Phil debacle.<br />
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But instead of rehashing what has already been said, I thought I'd take a different approach.<br />
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From the time I was 0 until the time I was 18, I was coerced into going to church and studying the bible 3 times a week. There were a couple of times in the last 2 or 3 of those 18 years that I met some pretty little woman who made me go to church with her. It was these times that I truly tried to act like I believed in the bible. A pretty face goes a long way! I have enough knowledge to debate with the best of them.<br />
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If there is one thing I learned in those 18 years, it's that you can not debate or have a discussion with anyone who bases their argument on faith. If they have faith, then you should just slowly back away. Faith is like saying, "I'm not as stubborn as a mule, I'm as stubborn as a whole caravan of mules equipped with 20 pound spiked shoes on each hoof." Back away slowly and find someone capable of having a meaningful discussion. You'll be glad you did.<br />
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I believe everyone is a shade of gay. The people who are scared to admit it or fall back on the bible argument as a crutch are usually a darker shade of gay on the inside. They work so hard at hiding it, that they appear what the media calls, for some strange reason, anti-gay.<br />
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A surprisingly large number of my friends, both past and present, are gay. Some of them I didn't know were gay until the advent of Facebook. Facebook has been a great eye opener in searching through all my old high school/college buddies and going, "Hmm. Now that I see it, I kind of wonder why I didn't notice that before."<br />
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I've been picked on, bullied, teased, and ridiculed, almost all of my life. Probably since the time I was 18, I've avoided country bars. There's something odd about country bars and the propensity of the clientele to ridicule everyone not wearing creased starched Wranglers, a cowboy hat and boots. You have to fit the mold or suffer the consequences. I don't fit the mold. I can pretend to be country, but cowboy hats give me a headache, boots make my feet hurt and the whole redneck attitude makes me feel a little stupid.<br />
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I've been to a plethora of gay bars. I've never been picked on at a gay bar. No one has ever called me a name or tried to demean me. I've been hit on a couple of times, but that didn't bother me. I can just politely explain my sexual orientation and they usually talk to me a while and then go away. The most obnoxious one told me to "Ditch the bitch and make the switch," which I just thought was funny. I've never felt uncomfortable at a gay bar, but I'm not gay.<br />
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The other day I was having a discussion with a friend of mine about homosexuality being a choice. He was kind of coming from a religious point of view so I was a bit wary, but it got me to thinking. How fortunate would you be to actually have a choice?<br />
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I'd wager that the majority of humans don't have a choice. They are either homosexual or heterosexual. But, what if, you were wired to have a choice? How open minded is that? You go out to a bar and everyone is attractive to you instead of just the men or just the women. You've increased your odds of having a meaningful relationship by what? 100%?<br />
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I, personally, would have an easier time choosing to be a serial killer than I'd be able to choose to be homosexual. The thought of being intimate with another man makes me feel a bit nauseous.<br />
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It even bothers me to watch two men kiss. I'd never tell them in person because I know it could be hurtful. I spend way too much time analyzing what I say to avoid hurting someone else. Some people call me shy. I say I'm just careful. Some folks need to be more careful in how they say things on national television.<br />
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In today's world, people seem to get bent out of shape too easily. Phil voicing his opinions should not have made anyone upset. Maybe he lacks the political correctness we've come to expect in our self-inflicted over-sensitive society, but so what? He really didn't hurt anyone.<br />
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He's probably a darker shade of gay than I am and he's using his faith as a shield (or his fear of some eternity in molten lava or something). Don't badmouth anyone until you've walked a mile in their shoes. We'll all be happier.Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-71175451220464401512013-11-26T15:39:00.001-06:002013-11-26T16:16:20.637-06:00No Sex For You (unless you plan to get pregnant)<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rgOkg4TlTpA/UpUUb5Ro9UI/AAAAAAAADi8/SKm1u5MEPRA/s1600/preg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rgOkg4TlTpA/UpUUb5Ro9UI/AAAAAAAADi8/SKm1u5MEPRA/s200/preg.jpg" width="200" /></a>It's the 21st century. At least I think it is.<br />
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Caveats galore! <i>I didn't vote for Obama. The new affordable healthcare act fell well short of what I thought it should be. Doing away with health insurance would have been a good start. Instead we've forced everyone to <b>buy </b>health insurance.</i><br />
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That being said...<br />
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For companies to say, "Because of our religious beliefs we refuse to cover contraception" is like me saying, "Because I think my pinky toe is pretty, I refuse to wear shoes".<br />
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Yes, that's right, I'm saying it's stupid.<br />
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If you're going to waste taxpayer money in our court systems, find something worth litigating about.<br />
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As Americans, the Declaration of Independence says we have the right to the pursuit of happiness. If sex makes you happy, but childbirth does not, you better not be Catholic or work for some other archaic company that requires you to follow their religious beliefs (no matter how backasswards).<br />
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These types of religious views only affect women. So men are free to pursue happiness all they want, but women who work for one of these companies or belong to one of these religions are not?<br />
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Well, I guess, technically, they could, but it'll cost them more. Both in money (paying for their own birth control) and for time (spending more of it in the confessional booth).<br />
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It's time to join the 21st century folks. Women have just as much of a right as men to happiness. We shouldn't have laws or religions that discriminate based on sex.<br />
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Freedom is more important than religious freedom. If I happen to have a job working for a wealthy Catholic family, I shouldn't be required to be Catholic. That, my friends, is most definitely not freedom of religion.<br />
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In a country founded upon freedom of religion we can't have people (no matter how wealthy they happen to be) rewriting our laws because of their religion. It'll go nowhere but down.Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-17188584638799473002013-10-30T11:42:00.000-05:002013-10-30T15:28:51.901-05:00Adam Levine Ruins "The Voice" (for me)I have to admit something kind of sad. I have been watching "The Voice" religiously for the last two seasons. I love the blind auditions where the judges have their backs turned as the singers perform. If the judges like what they hear (also impacted by audience enjoyment), they turn their chairs indicating that they'd like to have the performer on their team.<br />
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It's a cool concept: judging someone almost purely on their vocals rather than their looks or stage presence.<br />
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Once each judge has their team picked, they go into the "Battle Rounds". The goal of the game (show) is for the judge (now evolved into a coach) to coach one member of their team to become "The Voice" as voted on by the viewing public. So coaches pick their battles pitting two singers from their own team against each other to sing a duet. The coach then picks the singer he thinks did the best job.<br />
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Unfortunately, during the battle rounds, there is a little more appearance involved, but, ultimately, the coach is supposed to pick the person who performed better on stage with the cameras rolling. If they don't then why even televise it? Normally, they are awesome and you have a hard time figuring out which one is best. Sometimes the singer the coach names as the victor is a surprise, but the explanation makes sense. Other times it's obvious as one of the contestants was out of tune or just couldn't keep up. It's usually during the battle rounds that anyone over the age of 30 is unfortunately kicked out.<br />
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Once the battle rounds are over they go to the "Knockout Rounds". They are the same as the battle rounds except the singers sing solo, but still compete against another singer from their team. The coaches still setup the pairings. Once they are done singing their songs, the coach determines which one is knocked out based on their performance. Once again, if it's not based on their performance, then why televise it? It's a waste of time if the coach is just going to pick someone based on who the networks tell him to pick or if the coach was given a kickback leading up to the performance. A lot of times it's impossible to tell which one the coach is going to pick. There are some really good singers! Other times, it's obvious.<br />
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Last night may have been my last night of watching "The Voice". I don't know if James was giving Adam "reach-arounds" during rehearsal or what, but based on his performance last night he should have been knocked out no questions asked. He sang a difficult song and he strained and he missed notes. He was so out of pitch I couldn't listen to half of it because it made my ears hurt. He sang "More Than a Feeling" by Boston as if he were an out of tune whining Steve Perry. It sucked. It was in the top 5 of worst performances I've ever heard on The Voice.<br />
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For some reason, Adam picked him and knocked out the girl (Juhi). I was flabbergasted. Therefore, I've decided the whole program is rigged and it's lost all attraction to me as a viable show. It would be kind of like if you found out the Superbowl was rigged and the winner was actually picked by an NFL executive the week before. It would be no fun watching it.<br />
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I found a video. You may or may not agree. But, it doesn't matter because this is "Gar's World".<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Pv-YoQ5ZGPw" width="560"></iframe>Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-54982304380970270572013-10-17T16:00:00.001-05:002013-10-17T16:00:05.347-05:00Weeks With No WordAs you can see, I've updated my blog layout. I think it brings out the blue in my eyes.<br />
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It's been a while since I've written anything on this here medium, but I figured now is that time since I'll be traveling to London next week.<br />
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I have a reason for my silence. It's kind of along the same lines as the last election. The amount of stupidity and hatred in America is alarming. I think if I cancelled my Facebook account, I might write more. As that would make me mostly ignorant of the rampant stupidity.<br />
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People putting links to bogus websites talking about our president being this religion or that religion and how he's a dictator and needs to be impeached and on and on and on. It's alarming. I'm no Obama fan, but then again, I don't know the guy. Until you've walked a mile in their shoes or shared a pint of ale with them... And even if he is Muslim, who gives a flying sh*t? Really.<br />
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There are a plethora of websites whose sole intent is to provoke stupid ignorant people into posting stupid ignorant things and apparently they have quite the following. I thought, briefly, about pointing out all of these websites, but then when you start looking at the names of the websites and do a bit or research, it's just intuitively obvious and not worth my time and energy.<br />
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Huffington Post did an interesting piece on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/terry-krepel/the-return-of-the-western_b_181270.html">Western Journalism</a>. If you're going to research important things like US Government on the Internet, at least pick halfway decent websites or use a wide smattering of websites and do some cross checking. Really. If you're just going to rely on one website for all of your cantankerous sharing on Facebook, share something helpful like the health risks of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/15/thong-health_n_4026307.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular">thong underwear</a>.<br />
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Anyway, the government shutdown and all the finger pointing that went with it made me so irritated that I couldn't blog because that's all I could think to blog about. It's sad. I did write my representative a letter. It didn't help.<br />
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I told him to quit acting like a 5 year old who doesn't get his way at the playground. "Yeah, I know most of you voted to play football, but I want to play soccer and since I own the sporting equipment, I'm just taking my stuff and going home!" Senator Cruz's Childish Motards. I think they're going to start a band or something.Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-79363142947729325652013-09-23T13:42:00.001-05:002013-09-23T13:42:50.153-05:00Immune Systems Gone WildThe following has very little basis on scientific fact. It's just some things I've theorized after having type 1 diabetes for 33 years and the various other "side effects" that come along with it.<br />
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For a guy with type 1 diabetes, I'm actually quite healthy. When I was first diagnosed 33 years ago they didn't know exactly what caused type 1 diabetes. They still don't. The best educated guess going is that the immune system attacks the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. It's, yet another, autoimmune disease.<br />
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They say that even if they could cure the pancreas, the immune system would just attack it again. I've read reports on how they are trying to figure out how to "reboot" the immune system. I kind of believe that the reason they don't know what causes type 1 diabetes is because it can have several different causes.<br />
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About 5 years ago I was diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) on my left arm. When I was diagnosed the doctor said, "They don't know what exactly causes it. It tends to set in after you reach the age of 40. About 2% of the population gets it. 10% of people with type 1 diabetes get it."<br />
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In my neurotic head, I'm thinking, "great, so what other gifts will type 1 diabetes bestow upon me as I age?"<br />
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A few years ago, I was diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture. Here again, they don't know what causes it, but people with type 1 diabetes tend to get it more often than people without type 1 diabetes. Why is this?<br />
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Last year I had hip surgery on my right hip. I remember my first physical therapist telling me that my hip was behaving a lot like frozen shoulder. The doctors were not sure what was wrong with my hip. They did x-rays, MRI's etc. I had so many tests done, I probably glowed in the dark. They finally fixed it with some arthroscopic surgery, but I've read that frozen hip is very commonly misdiagnosed.<br />
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Last June my right shoulder started hurting. I went to the doctor today and once again have been diagnosed with frozen shoulder. It just switched arms so that no one felt left out.<br />
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Interestingly, the doctor today said if they took a sample from the damaged tissue in my shoulder (from adhesive capsulitis) and a sample from the damaged tissue in my hands (from the Dupuytren's) and sent them to a pathologist, the pathologist would say both samples were the same.<br />
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Today, on the car ride back from the doctor's office, I'm thinking, they don't need to cure type 1 diabetes. They need to cure the faulty immune system. Sometimes the immune system does more harm than good. And maybe all the diseases that are seen more often in people with type 1 diabetes are not really caused by diabetes at all, but are all caused by an over active immune system.<br />
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How many diseases are caused by the immune system? Some are caused by the immune system not properly killing off foreign cells.Others are caused by the immune system damaging healthy cells. I suppose it's probably quite difficult to fix a faulty immune system.Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-46066619420711964642013-09-19T16:27:00.001-05:002013-09-19T17:19:11.682-05:00Submissive Women are IntimidatingIt's all about expectations. <br />
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Today in my daily trudge through the quagmire of Facebook drivel, I ran upon a headline that made me go, "What?"<br />
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It makes me feel dirty posting a link to it because I know that people may actually click on the link and give this lunatic some kind of boner that he's getting extra attention, but I can't really give this post much justice unless I give you a link to the insanity. Here it is (*shudder*): "<a href="http://downtrend.com/brian-carey/here-are-reasons-why-submissive-wives-are-the-happiest-people-on-the-planet/">Here Are 7 Reasons Why Submissive Wives Are The Happiest People On The Planet</a>".<br />
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Normally, I'd look at this stuff and think, "That's kind of funny." But, the more I read, the more I thought, "This guy is serious". Slowly my reading of the article made me nauseous. Even more nauseous that someone I assumed was intelligent propagated the BS on Facebook. Of course, I guess a lot of times, depending on your friend's list, Facebook is, at it's best, a great propagator of BS. I mean that's probably where you read the first part of this.<br />
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First things first: even if they are happy, what evidence is there that they are the happiest? I was not interviewed. It's possible a submissive Gar is the happiest person on earth. But, I'm not very submissive. Then, "7 Reasons Why Gar Is The Happiest Person On The Planet"? No one would read that, would they? Only I would read that and even then I'd just be reaffirming what I already know: that I use too many commas.<br />
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Probably the best thing about this particular "top 7 list" is that it was written by some dude (at least I assume Brian's a dude), with quotes from other men, who seem to have come to the conclusion that their submissive wives are the happiest people on the planet. You almost get whiplash from the egotistical fallout. I mean, my wife is the happiest person on the planet (besides me), but only when I tell her she can be.<br />
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If you are really a glutton for punishment (as I appear to be), you'll read all the way to the comments. Apparently, a bunch of backwoods, redneck jerks frequent the downtrend.com website. They aren't all bad, but the ones who are bad are really bad. Like little brainless lemmings in search of the truth behind Bumbling Brian. My favorite lemming quote, "I fully agree with this. Me and my girl get along great." The term "my girl" makes my skin crawl. Reminds me of that stupid ass song (which I also <strike>hate</strike> strongly dislike). Not to mention the blatant trouncing of the English language, "Me and my girl found the lord in that there church over there."<br />
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She's my girl. Cuz she's a non-bitter, pro-life Christian who does what I tell her to. Yeah. She better be happy or else.<br />
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Punks. Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324134319478169330.post-43916118989629709422013-09-13T13:33:00.000-05:002013-09-13T13:33:10.984-05:00Michael Irvin No Longer Follows the Cowboys :(American Football has started again and it's time for more Cowboys bashing!<br />
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The first game of the season I sat with a couple of diehard Cowboys fans who hated Tony Romo!<br />
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I sat with them completely by accident. Really.<br />
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Today, I read an article about how you can get people to read your barely readable articles by coming up with a good title. I'm working on it.<br />
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Last night started the 2nd official week of the NFL with the Patriots beating the Jets 13 to 10.<br />
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But, <a href="http://bostonherald.com/sports/patriots_nfl/the_blitz/2013/09/michael_irvin_says_he_was_sick_and_tired_of_seeing_tom_bradys">this article</a>, led me to blog.<br />
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It's a story about how Michael Irvin got upset with Tom Brady (QB for the Patriots) for being frustrated with his receivers.<br />
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It convinced me that either Michael doesn't watch the Cowboys anymore or maybe he watches them too much and then takes his anger against Romo out on quarterbacks (who have actually won playoff games) like Tom Brady.<br />
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Tony Romo is a big whiny baby. Every time he throws an interception it's someone else's fault. And "I get sick and tired of seeing him (being visibly frustrated) when someone runs the wrong route and, for reasons unknown, he throws it to the opposing team."<br />
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I'm convinced that when a Cowboys receiver runs the "wrong route" Tony purposefully throws it to the defense. Then, when the defense catches it, Tony walks off the field pissed off at all his receivers.<br />
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Tony is stupid. Tony has no business playing in the NFL.<br />
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Some folks will also blame it on the offensive line. I ask those people if they've every played a sporting event with someone who made them play better? I, for example, have bowled on several different bowling teams. There are certain people who make me play better. They are leaders. They lift people up with their positive attitude and knowledge of the sport.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MAwMQ2cZVsM/UjNZyaksDjI/AAAAAAAADeM/DaKQ4WSP_zY/s1600/tony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MAwMQ2cZVsM/UjNZyaksDjI/AAAAAAAADeM/DaKQ4WSP_zY/s200/tony.jpg" width="143" /></a><br />
If Tony was one of these people, his offensive line would be better. Hell, his receivers would probably run the routes he expects them to run. Tony is not one of these people. There is a very good reason that no GM, in their right minds, drafted him originally. GM's want to win playoff games. Jerry is not a good GM. He's a good businessman. He realized that those cute little dimples would get millions of women to watch the Cowboys every week regardless of their chances of winning a playoff game. Millions of viewers equals millions of dollars.<br />
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This year Romo is making about 18 million dollars. Jerry is hoping Tony will be healthy enough to watch the playoffs.<br />
<br />Garhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10696068747089622357noreply@blogger.com0