Do not go gentle into that good night

---

Do not go gentle into that good night By Dylan Thomas Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

Mind Power

In the past I have written about positive thinking and the effects that it has on our lives. Tonight I ran across a video showing scientific proof of what I have been saying.

But first, let me mention my theory. We determine how we are treated. No, this video isn't about that, but it is about the incredible effect the mind has on how we feel and how what we choose to believe becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Yea, it is some heavy stuff once you realize the ramifications.

To a large extent we see what we want to see. If you believe the world is flat, you will see evidence that makes you believe the world is flat. If you believe there is no God, you will go around noticing proof that there is no God. If you believe you are going to die soon, you will likely die soon. What you want to be will be, in some cases in terms of what you perceive, but in other cases what actually happens.

This goes back to people that always have drama in their lives. Why do they always have drama in their lives? Because that is what they expect. If you know them for years you will hear a long litany of stories about the horrible things other people did to them. You will sympathize and go, man, don't you hate people like that? Why would anyone do all those horrible things?

The reality is that the drama queens produce the behavior themselves. The drama isn't following them. The drama is them. If you want to see bad, you will see bad. If you want to see good, there will be good. You can spend your life seeing what you have or what you don't have. It is purely up to you.

I have seen this repeatedly. Take some events. Take the outcome you want to see. Interpret the events to support your conclusion. The events that do not support your conclusion will either be forgotten or distorted to support your conclusion. This is the world of the drama queen and this is the world in which so many people live.

Now, the video. You may be a bit surprised by the conclusions I am able to draw from that video. See the above paragraph.

Take Care,
Steve

Books I Would Read, If They Existed

Yea, my blogs are getting rare, but the subjects are getting worse. But I still have a strange thought occasionally. So now I bring you something you have likely never seen before, a list of my favorite books that don't exist.

10 - “How to Get Rich off Two Boobs”, by Dolly Parton
9 - “Jay Leno Sucks”, by Conan O'Brien
8 - “How an E Killed My Career”, by Dan Quayle
7 - “Muscles Aren't Funny”, by Joe Piscopo
6 - “Something to Nothing in One Word”, by Michael Richards (Kramer)
5 - “A Dummies Guide to Being President”, by George W. Bush
4 - “The Most Expensive Sex in the World”, by Tiger Woods
3 - “The Men Who Loved Me”, by Bernie Madoff
2 - “Life in a Cave”, by Osama Bin Laden
1 - “How to Get Away with Murder”, by O. J. Simpson

Take Care,
Steve

News Headlines

So, you have been reading my blogs for years and wonder why. You think I have typed some of the stupidest things you have ever read. Well, I beg to differ. Wait until you learn of my way of dealing with the news.

I have an RSS news feed reader that gives me headlines. Being the busy guy that I am, I save a lot of time by only reading the titles and making up the story to go with it just to save time. After doing this for a while, I decided I should share the experience with you. I have included links to the articles in case you want to get the in depth story, but my guesses should be pretty close. So, lets get started.

Actors Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart tie the knot

In a shocking move Calista decided to become Mrs. Ford to avoid that funky last name she has been dealing with all of her life.

French president marks WWII broadcast in UK

In a shocking revelations, the president of France just found out about World War II in a radio broadcast while taking a trip to England. When asked about his reaction to finding out there had been a war that kill tens of millions of people, the French president was heard to say “Wow man”.

Illegal bushmeat 'rife in Europe'

Holy Cow!!! It sounds like there is some weird cannibalism going on in Europe, but I don't want to get into specifics.

Guide dogs attacked by other dogs

Discrimination has been found in the animal kingdom. In a shocking discovery, scientists have noted a disproportionate number of attacks on guide dogs by other dogs. It is speculated that dogs see guide dogs as turning against their own kind by supporting humans.

Hospital to use robot 'workers'

To improve efficiency, a hospital has replaced their entire staff with robots. In an interview the director of the hospital said that this will not stop here. If things work okay, they will take the obvious second step and replace the patients with robots. The director predicts a significant reduction in costs, as well as deaths.

US sailor reaches New York after record-breaking 1,152 day voyage

When asked where the sailor sailed from, the captain of the ship said New Jersey. When asked why it took so long, the captains wife responded that she couldn't get him to stop and ask for directions. Hearing this, the captain responded “nag nag nag nag nag”.

By the way, for those of you who didn't get the bushmeat thing, consider yourself lucky. For those of you that did get the bushmeat thing, I sincerely apologize.

Take Care,

Steve

Bashing BP

There is something happening that frankly bothers me. It is the difference between a politician doing what is best for the people and a politician telling the people what they want to hear.

There have been politicians on television bashing BP. Yes, obviously BP made a huge mistake in the gulf. Whether BP followed standard drilling practices or tried to cut corners is up for debate. I have read some things that suggest part of the reason for the problem was that BP representatives at the oil rig where trying to cut corners to save money. That is certainly possible, but it is absolutely irrelevant to the point I want to make.

The American public wants BP to pay for the damages they have inflicted, which is only right. After all, companies take risks to make money, but they shouldn't put people at risk that don't stand to make money from the venture. I have no problem at all with that concept.

But the problem is that politicians are bashing BP in public. Your first reaction may be to say good, they deserve it. But the problem here is who are you punishing when you do that? The answer is many people. Sure, the decision makers at BP get punished, which is fair. Also, the investors in BP are punished as their stock prices fall. This includes many in the United Kingdom who have their retirement savings tied up in the company. This is fair, although sad. When you make an investment you take the risk. In this case, they chose poorly, as I almost did. Yes, I had considered buying BP a while back.

But you are also punishing the people damaged by the oil spill. What!!! How can that be?

If you want BP to pay for the damage that it caused, you can't destroy the company. If the company has no money, they can't pay for anything. And that is exactly what the politicians are doing. At one point this year BP stock sold for over $60 a share. It is now down less than $30 a share. I have seen that often the decline in the stock price corresponds with a politician running their mouth, and each time this happens, BPs ability to pay for the damage it has done declines.

Yes people, BP should pay. But if you destroy the company, how can they? Politicians, please wise up before more damage is done.

Take Care,

Steve

Christmas In June

---

Listening to Christmas music in June,

What a surprising little twist,

It brings back all the memories of,

And the times that I have missed.

Some would call it a sad thing,

Or some might even think me mad,

But Christmas music played in June,

Reminds me of times I never had.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

The Wacky World Of Politics

---

Hi Folks,

I am doing very well these days. Yea, the insomnia is getting to me a bit, but I have made what I believe to be an important decision, South Carolina is home. I am not sure why, but I just really can't see myself anywhere else. I am reasonably close to my family in North Carolina and not terribly far from my family in Alabama, so this is apparently where I belong.

I have learned to cope with life fairly well. I follow the decisions made in family counseling fairly religiously. More and more I am able to focus my thoughts on what I am doing and not worry about anyone else. It really helps when you don't actually talk to anyone else.

I have also taken steps to kind of expand my world. I am taking more time to keep track of world events, although I am choosy about what I read. I try to go from the perspective that everyone is good, but sometimes bad things happen. You just have to look for the good in them, try to understand the reason for the bad, or just assume you cannot understand the situation because you don't see it from the perspective of the people involved.

Some things are hard to deal with, like a guy in South America that apparently had sex with his daughter and fathered something like 9 children through her. This is one of the more troubling stories, so I didn't read all of it, but I am assuming that the father had some serious mental issues and hope that he finds help an peace.

Then there is the story of the 15 year old kid attempting to sail around the world alone. For a while there it looked like she was lost, but the latest reports say she has been located and is safe. I really don't understand the need for such a dangerous adventure, but in some ways I guess I can see it as a test of maturity. It just isn't something I would recommend.

And then we come to the college football conference expansion thing that is going on. Yes, I am a huge Auburn fan and follow them religiously. I also keep up with happenings in football in general. Well, the strangest thing is going on. The Big10 conference is looking to expand and is apparently adding Nebraska from the Big12, or possibly now the Big12-1. There is also the PAC10 that is going after numerous Big12 schools, and apparently has accepted Colorado, making it the Big12-2.

What I find strange is that apparently all of this is just a fight over money and TV dollars. College sports has long been a big time business. My question is pretty simple. Shouldn't at least be partially focused on improving academics? Are our universities becoming the proverbial gas station and video rental? All of this is done tax free. Yea, you got it. They are making tons of money, paying huge salaries to coaches, and the college athletic departments get along tax free. There definitely seems to need to be a change here where academics is placed on a higher level, or these schools need to start paying some taxes. Us tax payers are basically subsidizing the outrageous salaries because the universities want to make a buck.

And then there is the wacky story that makes me love South Carolina so. If you ever live in South Carolina, you will recognize wacky stuff like the lack of a helmet law for motorcycles or that you can buy much on Sundays before 1:30, because Jesus didn't believe in commerce on Sunday mornings. But then there is the politician that nobody knows that won the a democratic primary.

Yea, that is right. A guy named Alvin Greene, a former member of the military, a guy up on some felony charges if showing some pornographic material to a University of South Carolina student, and a guy that is unemployed won the democratic Primary. One of the theories of why kind of baffles me. Supposedly everyone new he was black because he spells Greene with an “e” on the end. Supposedly it is an artifact of illiterate blacks after the Civil War not knowing how to spell. Well, who could blame them when some idiots made it illegal to educate blacks in the first place, but I digress.

The democratic party is pissed and wants the guy investigated. He apparently paid $10k to run, which seems odd for someone who didn't really campaign. He just paid the fee to the Democratic Party. Yea, that does sound suspicious. But what is incredible is that people voted for someone they knew absolutely nothing about. How is that for the wacky world of politics.

So yes, I think I will stay in South Carolina. Yea, we may be stupid, but we are funny. Hmmm, maybe I just coined a new state motto.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

I Believe...

---

Yes, I find it useful to document my beliefs, so in Blue Collar Comedy fashion, here they are.

I believe...

1. Video killed the radio star.

2. No good deed ever goes unpunished.

3. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.

4. Without bad news, newscasters would be unemployed.

5. If Mohammad is a saint, he can handle being depicted badly in a cartoon.

6. People are good, taxes are bad, and religion is somewhere in between.

7. Scooby doesn't like census works. He actually growled at one that was interviewing me at the door. Scooby doesn't usually growl at anyone!!!

8. I identify with all races. Yea, the census worker asked me which race I identify with most. Naturally I said black since he was black and I am the sensitive type. Lucky he had a sense of humor. If you don't identify with the black perspective, take the time to learn a little about Harriet Tubman or Fredrick Douglass. Would being black and living near Wye House plantation these days piss you off?

9. Star Trek is more than just a science fiction show. It is an excuse to get hot women in tight outfits.

10. You may be a redneck if you have ever slept with someone to get back at someone else.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

The Uterine

---

Sometimes I feel like I am getting back to normal, and then Gary Coleman dies and my world changes. Hey, I do appreciate the laughs he provided on Different Strokes. It seems that he was never able to adjust to growing older.

The other day I saw where a man had got uterine cancer. Yea, uterine. I know you are asking how can a man gets uterine cancer when he hasn't even got a uterine. Simple, an organ transplant. No, they didn't transplant the uterine. They transplanted the kidney of a woman that had uterine cancer. Yea, pretty bizarre.

Lay off Obama about the oil spill. I really find it kind of silly to blame him. Don't you think the guy is doing everything he can and wants to be the hero? No, I am not an Obama fan and, yes, he seems to have made a lot of mistakes, but the guy is doing the best he can with the spill, so either go do your part to clean the beaches, or lay off Obama.

I continue to make the donuts. Day in and day out I get online and do my work. Yea, I do it pretty much every day. No, I still don't actually go to work, I go to living room. Sound great? Well, it isn't exactly all it is cracked up to be, but I do feel pretty lucky. In this crappy economy, just having a job is a blessing.

Oh, and the stock market is kicking my butt these days. Yea, I am into it pretty big now. Actually, I think I am in it a bit too big. I have around 12 different stockes, about 7 different mutual funds, and one CD. Yea, they call me the plunger. Wait, that doesn't sound to good. Maybe high roller would be better. But the month of May has been terrible for investing, so I am now just riding out the troubles. Hopefully it will all work out.

Mom seems to be doing very well these days. The stress has eased up a bit. The estate crapola is still going on, but I filled out some papers that should help the lawyers handle more of it. Between mom and I, baby brother is doing fine.

I have a new idea I am toying with. I am considering paying to have the down stairs of baby brother's house remodeled so I can live there. The downstairs was pretty poorly designed and has an incredible small full bath and a bedroom that my king sized bed would completely fill. There is also an oddly shaped den and a garage. Remodeling it, I could probably have a large bedroom and bath, along with a laundry room and den. That might be cool. I am not sure if I have the guts for it though.

And I finally got me some new glasses. My eyes have turned to crap and I need to blog about that sometime. I can't have eye surgery or contacts. All I can really do is pay out the butt every year or so for new glasses. Now, doesn't that stink. It is part of the price of growing old.

Yes, I am rambling again, but I am sleepless in Columbia. What do you expect me to do?

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

Things I Have Learned

---

Well, it has been a long time sense I blogged, so by request I figured I would give it a shot. So, here are things I have learned.

1)The rumors of my death are exaggerated. It turned out to be just a minor headache.
2)My Name Is Earl isn't a comedy, but rather an educational program.
3)Psychology is great, but drugs work much quicker.
4)Money is everything when you don't have it, but nothing when you do.
5)Roses, by any other name, will still cost you forty bucks.
6)If your dog follows you around the house, try following him following you. It makes for an interesting trip.
7)The people on Star Trek come in peace, until they blast the crap out of you.
8)Yes, a light bulb has come on, but it was a low wattage bulb, so I am not sure if it counts.
9)On Survivor, Russell may never grasp why he is always doomed to lose.
10) Shrinkage

Well, that is about it for now. That is all that I have learned.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

Famous Last Words

---

With the passing of my father and health problems pretty much rampant in my family these days, something strange came to mind. What would I choose as my last words. No, I am not going to go out like a dying redneck who says “watch this”. I want to find something cool to say, so I decided to come up with my top 10 famous last words. I was tempted to include more, but limiting it to ten is good. It makes you more selective.

10. Is it the Fourth?
~~ Thomas Jefferson, US President, d. July 4, 1826

9. I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.
~~ Humphrey Bogart, actor, d. January 14, 1957

8. I owe much; I have nothing; the rest I leave to the poor.
~~ François Rabelais, writer, d. 1553

7. I've had eighteen straight whiskies, I think that's the record . . .
~~ Dylan Thomas, poet, d. 1953

6. Get my swan costume ready.
~~ Anna Pavlova, ballerina, d. 1931

5. They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist. . . .
Killed in battle during US Civil War.
General John Sedgwick, Union Commander, d. 1864

4. Go on, get out - last words are for fools who haven't said enough.
To his housekeeper, who urged him to tell her his last words so she could write them down for posterity.
~~ Karl Marx, revolutionary, d. 1883

3. Am I dying or is this my birthday?
When she woke briefly during her last illness and found all her family around her bedside.
~~ Lady Nancy Astor, d. 1964

2. I knew it. I knew it. Born in a hotel room - and God damn it - died in a hotel room.
~~ Eugene O'Neill, writer, d. November 27, 1953

1. Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.
~~ Oscar Wilde, writer, d. November 30, 1900

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

WTF

Solving a major American crisis all by myself.

---

With the economy as it is, the job market very uncertain, and the deficit rising to unprecedented levels, I thought I would take it upon myself to come up with a solution to our most pressing problem, the deficit. I know some of you think there is no solution to the budget deficit, but I am here to say that you are wrong. There is a solution to every problem. You just need to think outside the box. How do I solve this pressing issue? I first asked myself what Americans value most of all? What is the last thing an American would be willing to give up? The answer to that question was surprisingly easy, freedom. So, since freedom is valued above all other things, it should be where the money is. If you want to pay off such an incredible amount of federal debt, you go after what Americans value most. Now, I do not propose to eliminate freedom. The would be counter productive. After all, it is where I think the money is. Why would I ever destroy that? That wouldn't make good sense. So, what would I do? I would create the WTF association. WTF, which stands for We Tax Freedom, would completely eliminate the federal deficit.

How so? What would WTF mean to you? It would mean you have freedom of speech, but at a cost. I would develop a cost structure for speech and tax the perceived value of what you have to say. Want to throw in some profanity? That is fine. I have a special rate for that. What about freedom of religion? Well, the WTF will be there too. You will be free to worship in the way you see fit, but to ensure equality, the pricing structure will be based upon the percentage of the population that shares your religious view point. Want to be a Roman Catholic? No problem, but it will cost you. Want to worship Homer Simpson? That is no problem either, and we have an incredibly low rate. Freedom of assembly will be affected also, but to make things fair, the rate will be based upon the total number of members in your group. Want to go to a college football game? No problem, but the rate of 100,000 fans is pretty steep. Then there is the best tax of all, the tax on happiness. You know, we are guaranteed the right to the pursuit of happiness, but it would be unfair to tax the pursuit because we would really bum out people that failed in their pursuit, so we will make it much simpler. We will just tax smiling. I expect to make big bucks off of this tax. Yes, it is that simple and we can have a balanced budget by the end of this decade if you are just willing to say WTF and smile while we stick it to you.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

I Get Paid For Doing This....

Yes, I have made it back.

---

Scooby Christmas - I was very pleased with Scooby at Christmas. We stayed at my mom's and everyone came over, including my little nieces. One of them, a cute little 23 pound girl walked right up to Scooby and hugged his neck. She told mom that she loves the big doggie!!! Yes, Scooby is a charmer. Oregon - Yes, I went to Oregon again for the first time in about a year an a half. I had no trouble getting there, other than getting lost on the drive from the airport. The week went better than I expected, although I kept waking up at 5:00 in the morning, which is 8:00 eastern time. The return trip proved to be an adventure. I had two layovers and had some troubles, but I resolved them by some tricks I use, namely hiding in the bathroom and sleeping in the airport. Yea, I am a weirdo. I have also been asked if I would like to move to Oregon, which is an intriguing offer. I am very tired of working home alone. Yes, you read that right. Many people dream of being able to work from home. For me, it has become very rough, although I am not sure I could do anything else. The best part is that the guys in Oregon seem very satisfied with my work and seem to think we have work for at least another year, if not longer. That is very good news because we are transitioning to new projects. The project I have been working on will continue, but is already profitable and future work on it will primarily be bug fixes. Future Topic - I haven't discussed much of my reading lately. I am working on a book called Children: The Challenge, which is by Rudolf Dreikers. The approach is similar to what I have read in other psychology books, but I find this one particularly straight forward. Hopefully I can write something up on it soon.

Hello!!! - Sorry that I haven't been around for a while. Things got very rough on returning from Alabama. Christmas went well. Coming back here didn't go as well. Health Issues - Yes, health issues have been getting pretty bad for several months now, but I am trying to come up with something to make things a bit better. We will see how it goes. Executor - Yes, I am still playing Executor for my father's estate. If I had known all that would be involved, I would have suggested he get someone else. There is a hearing at the end of March, but this is liable to go on for a while. Pop turned out to be very well off so things won't be simple. Retirement - With the results from this latest trip to Oregon, I may not be retiring as soon as I had thought. I am living as cheaply as possible and putting all the money I can into saving for retirement in the hope that I can avoid using the funds that Pop left me. Sure, I could retire on that, but it feels like spending the families money rather than my money, so I am hoping to fund my own retirement.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

Goodbye Luanne

---

Goodbye Luanne Brittany Murphy - I see where she passed way at the age of 32. She is an actress, but frankly, I didn't even recognize the name. I became curious. Movies - She was in several movies including Clueless, Girl, Interrupted, 8 Mile, Sin City and Riding in Cars with Boys. The only one of those I recognize is 8 Mile, which I saw and thought was pretty good, better than I anticipated, but I don't even remember her in the movie, which is sad. King of the Hill - I am a big King of the Hill fan. Recently I saw the last episode and was sad to see it go. Why did I like this show and hate to see it go? The story lines weren't as dramatic as those seen on other cartoons. The characters didn't do as outrageous of things. Even the voices weren't as memorably as some. The reason I liked this show is that it was provided social commentary while being entertaining. It made me laugh, while not be overly offensive or glamorizing unethical values. It was one of the few TV series that we had that hadn't stooped of the cheap theatrics that so many shows tend to go to these days. Luanne - She is what I consider an enabling character. Yes, she was extremely naive. She is a stereotypical blond. But she brought an interesting side to the show. Brittany provided a very good voice for Luanne and contributed a lot to one of my favorite shows. I appreciate what she contributed. Christmas Family - One of the things I have learned most over the last four years is the value of family. My family stuck by me through some troubling times and I will be forever grateful. If I had listened to their advice over a decade ago, I wouldn't have gone through these troubling times. Pop - My father, Pop, passed away and left enough money to support not only me, but a decent number of people for the rest of their lives. What a wonderful way to be remembered. He contributed a lot to our family, even in his passing. While we lost Pop, the trials actually made our family stronger in a lot of aspects. Giving - Because of this, this Christmas has become special for me. I have spent a lot to make sure a lot of family members feel special. I am so excited. I do hope to set an example now that younger members of the family will follow when they get older.

General Blogger Wars - I ran across a little more results from blogger wars. It was an apology and I do appreciate someone willing to acknowledge a mistake. We all make them and I don't pretend to be able to always live up to the philosophy I type here. What I do believe is that avoiding the drama in the first place and not attacking anyone is much more health. Judging is okay in terms of who you associate with, but it is too easy to get the wrong impression and start attacking someone pointlessly. It is better to just assume you don't have the perspective as them and move along. There is no reason to judge, condemn, or prove yourself right. Survivor - I was glad to see Natalie when it. I considered Russell a poor example and I don't see how he would want to set such an example. It also provided a good example of how controlling people just cannot conceive of any other way to play the game. In that sense, it was hilarious to see his overconfidence, because while his strategy kept him in the game, it cost him in the end. Examples Title - I was very tempted to name this blog examples, because that seems to be the common theme, but the passing of someone should take precedence and is a bit more specific. Roll Models - Whether we like it or not, we are all roll models. The only question is what kind of roll models we choose to be. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, if you are not the type of person you wish you were, simply act as if you were that person and eventually, that is who you will become. I do believe this. Advice - Some thing I am very wise from the advice that I give. I assure you that this is very untrue. It is very easy to give good advice, but so very hard to take it. For me, giving this advice is part of teaching myself. I hope that I have learned me something:)

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

High Profile Stupicide

---

The Story The Death - For those of you that haven't heard, Chris Henry, a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, died the other day. Getting Married - He was apparently about to get married to his girlfriend, whom he has three kids with. Her myspace profile status says: "Jus put deposIt down 4 weDDing piCs... Paid 4 ouR riNgs... Bout 2 eaT wiT my maN n bay bayz.... Startin 2 geT a headache thinKing bouT dis weddin.. I need A cuP" While her profile says she is young, 25, from reading some of her profile I assume she is very immature or uneducated, which makes this even more sad. The Argument - These two kids apparently got into a fight over their wedding. She jumped into a truck and was going to drive off. He jumped into the back yelling he just wanted to talk. She responded that she didn't want to talk. How many of us have been in a similar situation? The Witness - A neighbor saw what was going on. He heard Chris say that if she drove off he would jump out of the truck and kill himself. Okay!!! That will teach her!!! How many of us have said something stupid like that? The Fall - Either Chris jumped or was thrown from the back of the pickup. He apparently had some serious head injuries and later passed away at the hospital. This was the end of a young man who had a fiancee and three kids to boot. How tragic. What Is My Point? - This is a prime example of how to not handle a conflict. This is also a prime example of how many of you may have handled conflicts. Yes, I include myself in that. The basic problem is not knowing when to shut up. Sometimes the best reaction to a situation is to just step away. People say things they do not mean when they are upset. I was the people involved well, but keep in mind that the only way some good can come from this is if someone learns a lesson from it, which is the reason for this blog.

The Lessons Responsibility - Nobody is to blame here, other than one person, Chris Henry. Yes, I was sorry to hear of such a young life wasted, but he apparently had not learned the lessons that would allow him to cope with life. Additionally, he had a responsibility to his fiancee and his kids. He chose to put himself at risk, which put his entire family at risk. Sympathy - Kids think themselves immortal. More than likely, he didn't intend to kill himself. While he threatened it, I imagine he figured when his girlfriend saw what happened, she would come running to help him, as she had apparently done in the past. I think he was looking for sympathy, which is manipulation, which is the wrong way to go. Listening - The most striking thing about situations like this is that everyone is talking, but nobody is listening. In situations like this, listening is the only option, but it is probably the most difficult to do. Consequences - A wife lost a husband. Three kids lost their father. Parents lost a son. That sounds like a lot, but the consequences just radiate out from there. Look at the example Chris chose to set. This isn't something that will be forgotten in a year or ten years. I use to think people would just move on and something like this would be forgotten. That is far from the truth. The older you get, the more what ifs come up. The more you wonder the consequences of the actions when you see the kids have difficulty. It is something that will affect many people for the rest of their lives, and it was based upon a stupid spur of the moment decision.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

Politibabble

I am getting decidedly more political in my blogs. No, I don't believe in politics, and hopefully the reason comes out in here. In general, the arguments presented to the American people are lies or at best distortions of the truth.

---

Tony Blair On WMDs - I find it funny when people talk as if there weren't WMDs. Hussein used them against his own people. They uncovered the graves to prove it. The no WMDs thing was just a political thing and the people on both sides new the truth. It was just a political game played on the public. Argue whether going in was the right thing or not is one thing, but basing your argument on something you know isn't the truth is hilarious. A lot of Americans were treated like fools. Against Reform - You will see politicians playing the political game these days. You will see people described as for or against reform of Wall Street. You will see people describing Wall Street as evil. These are the people that are manipulating you. People are quick to say change is good since we just went through a major economic crisis. Ironically, some of the people pushing for reform are also the same ones that encouraged banks to issue the high risk loans because every American deserved to be able to own a home. Hmmm, sounds different than blaming it on the evil big banks, doesn't it. Change Is Good? - Politicians are always advocating for change. Heck, some even say "vote for change" as a campaign slogan. Why? Because it is very likely every American has something they want changed. The truth is that things aren't good or bad. Things can get better or worse. Advocating change for change's sake is foolish. Unless you take the time to find out what changes they are advocating and what the ramifications of the changes will be, do not support change. The way congress was set up in the first place was to resist change for change's sake. Knee-jerk reactions are almost always harmful.

Iran Pissing Contest - It does appear we are going to up the anti very soon in the conflict with Iran. The article discusses seizing money because of the 1983 terrorist attack against the Marine barracks in Lebanon, but it also mentions increased sanctions against Iran. Some day I would like to see more diplomatic means used to solve problems. Could we simply supply Iran with enriched uranium which is not weapons grade? They have every right to have nuclear power. Armed Middle School? - I ran across a story where a 6th grader found bullets in the hallway of her middle school. Simply bizarre. Obama's Brother - Did you know that Obama has a brother that lives in China, not that there is anything wrong with that? Al Qaeda Offers 'Condolences' - Well, isn't that a blip. We must be doing something right because they are trying to sway public opinion. Acknowledge Good Ideas For some reason if a member of one party comes up with a good idea, there is no way in the world the other party will acknowledge it. The Presidents contest for cost reduction is a good example. I don't care if you are a Democrat or Republican. It is a great idea.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

World's Smartest Bouncers

---

World's Smartest Bouncers - Today I ran across a weird coincidence. Some may think it strange that I would even think twice about it, but I noticed that two of the people supposedly with some of the hightest IQs in the world worked as bouncers. No, I didn't go through numerous people. These are just the first two I ran across, Rick Rosner and Christopher Langan. You can find videos out there of these guys. I am not going to bother to link them here. I did find them fascinating, though. Christopher Langan may be the world's smartest man with an IQ somewhere between 195 and 210. Einstein's IQ was between 180 and 190. He is apparently living his life on a horse farm and has developed a model of the universe, but I would have expected someone such as him to have numerous accomplishments. Rick Rosner is a real odd ball. He is famous for repeated high school numerous times by forging documentation. He was trying to supposedly get it right. He also is noted for failing at "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" because of a question he believes to be flawed. He appears quite obsessive about life. In a Domino's commercial his IQ is listed as 200, although they spelled his name as Rossner instead of Rosner in the commercial. This guy gets no respect. Autodidact - While Christopher Langan is listed as an autodidact, Rick Rosner is not. I do believe both show this quality. Rosner obsessive qualities and apparent focus on reading make me believe this is a fair description. An autodidact is basically someone who is self taught, with little or no formal education. Why Bouncer? - After reading for a bit I came to the conclusion that these guys chose to be bouncers because it basically requires little mental effort. They were free with their thoughts until some trouble arouse. This is supported by some comments by both, although in terms of Rosner he mentioned how working as a model and maintaining a pose helped him to think. Why Should You Care? - If you have managed to stay with me through this, you are probably wondering why I have gotten into this. Looks at the Autodidact link. Notice all the people that were able to basically teach themselves. In general, they didn't have access to the internet and the tons of information available. Can you improve yourself with so much information available?

Tiger Woods - I am glad to see him stepping back and re-evaluating his priorities. Taking a break from golf to concentrate on what is important makes a lot of good sense. Marilyn vos Savant - She is a good example of a very intelligent woman and provides some surprising examples of statistics. The "Monty Hall" problem was covered in a statistics class I had in college. The answer isn't what you might think, unless you are a genius. A better example which is basically a simplified case is presented in the "Two Boys" problem. The tables that included with it enable you to see why the solution is correct and infer the reason that both are correct. The problems will amaze you. I can describe how the "Monty Hall" problem makes sense in my own line of reasoning if anyone wants to know. Quotes - These are by Marilyn vos Savant that I find very inspirational. "Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." "To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe." "The essence of our America is finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom 'to' and freedom 'from.' " "A fool is someone whose pencil wears out before its eraser does." "…what women want is what men want. They want respect."

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

Blogger Wars

---

Blogger Wars - Sounds like a good name for a movie. Use the blog, Luke, use the blog. Yes, there are groups of people out their that like to get involved in this stuff. They love the drama and have their followers of kids that think they are accomplishing something. I find it hilarious. Blogger War Kids - They aren't kids? Bull hockey. When I say someone is a kid I am talking about their level of maturity. If you do childish things, you're a kid. Sure, you might be 30 or 40 years old. Heck, you might be 80. Being older doesn't make you any less a kid, while it does make you rather pathetic because you had so many years to mature and did not. Dealing With Blogger Wars - Would you argue with a kid? Would you cuss and call them names? Would you think them evil? Think about it and make up your own mind. Purpose - What is the purpose of the blog wars? Attention. Kids want attention and will go to extreme lengths to get it. My Solution - Don;t give them the attention. Wow, that is pretty simple. It didn't require any long division, calculus, or anything. Why do so many find it so hard to do? I will give you some examples of positive things you can do to the right, although they basically all involve not feeding the kid's need for attention. They are like babies crying to get someone to pick them up. Many make the mistake of doing just that and are being trained by their babies. Protecting Your Friends - So, you are a good hearted person that wants to protect and defend their friends. I propose that the best way to defend your friends is by using my simple solution.

Advice - Name something that is easy to give, but very hard to take. Publicity - Don't give them any kind of publicity. I could name some of the kids on here that do this and provide links to their blogs. Why would I? No, I am not scared of them. I just don't care to waste my time with them. Also, why in the world would I want my valued friends visiting such people? Block User - If you haven't blocked someone today, you just aren't trying hard enough. There are plenty of examples of people I don't care to associate with. I do not hesitate to send them off into the digital oblivion. Private - Sometimes my profile is private and sometimes it isn't. If I feel like I am getting too many wackos, I just make it private. Myspace gives us the tools to co-exist. Use them. Do Not Respond - If these kids somehow contact you, don't respond. If they talk bad about your pet turtle, don't respond. If they say you comb your hair to the wrong side, don't respond. They are weak minded people. Ignore them and they will go away.

---

Blogging at mySpace and blogspot.

Take Care,
 Steve

I'll Sue

---

I'll Sue - I have often mentioned the evils of blaming, but I ran across an example that I actually kind of enjoy today. Why would I enjoy it? After all, it is a sad tail involving someone's mother dying. How could anyone enjoy that. While I regret the mother's passing, I enjoy the perfect example of irrational blaming it provides. Lets suppose that your mom was murdered. Suppose they new who did it and have the murder weapon, a baseball bat. Who should you sue? The murderer? No. You should sue the manufacturer of the baseball bat for not providing a warning to the murderer that if you strike someone in the head with this bat, it could kill them. But that was an intentional homicide. Perhaps a different example is warranted. Suppose your mom is taking a bath. While she is doing so, the cat sneaks in and knocks the hairdryer into the bathtub electrocuting your mom. Well, obviously you can't sue the cat because the cat has no money. How about suing the maker of the hairdryer for not warning people that if your cat knocks the dryer into the tub while you are taking a bath, it could kill you? Nah, that sounds a bit too far fetched. How about just suing because the hairdryer manufacturer didn't provide a warning that taking a bath with this hairdryer could be fatal? Ah, that sounds good. Well, this is basically the sad case we have with this lady. I am feel sorry that her mother died, but I also feel sorry for the wireless company that has to deal with this idiotic law suit. Yea, who is to blame? Well, apparently the driver of the vehicle that was talking on the cell phone. But how about blaming the manufacturer of the automobile she was riding in? Couldn't the vehicle been designed safer? Did it have air bags? What about blaming the mother? Yes, that is right, blame the mother. From what I have heard nobody has ever died in an automobile accident that didn't get in an automobile. By getting in the automobile, she knowingly put herself at risk. Is that a ridiculous argument? Yes, but just like this lawsuit.

Goofy Pilots - A couple of airline pilots who overflew their destination by about 100 miles are blaming the air traffic controllers. I don't know about you, but it would seem comforting to me, if I were riding in a plane, to know that the pilots actually knew where the heck we were, but maybe that is just me. Soapy Smith - I was reading on wikipedia about a guy named Soapy Smith, a con artist and gangster of the old west. I was tickled to learn his dying words were "My God, don't shoot"! Yeah, I suppose I have a sick sense of humor. Twitter Twits - I am noticing a strange thing on twitter. I am getting followers, which might seem flattering, but I don't twit in general. Sure, someone might want to see my myspace I am off to bed thing, but that is about it. I also notice that these people appear to be following a lot of  people, some thousands. I choose to refer to these as Twitter Twits. I do believe they are following me so I will be kind enough to follow them back, or something bizarre like that. Sorry folks, but no go. Investing - The more I learn, the more I like investing. There really isn't a better feeling than looking at your account balance each day and saying, wow, I made money today for doing absolutely nothing. You can't afford to invest? You really can't afford not to. Think about it. Depending upon the investments you choose and how old you are, investing one dollar today could easily provide you multiple dollars when you retire. Isn't that worth it? If I had started this immediately out of college, I could have retired already

---

Take Care,
 Steve

Separation of Stupidity & State

Sure, you have heard of separation of church and state, but what about separation of stupidity and state?

---

South Carolina Yes, we are the palmetto state. Yes, palmetto, not pimento. Man, I was embarrassed when I figured that one out. Yes, we are a southern state, but we are a bit unique. South Carolina likes to buck the trends. Blue Laws No, the county I live in doesn't have a Sunday blue law, but the county right next door does. It is walking distance from one county to the next in the middle of the city. So, I guess one county just wants to miss out on the liquor sails. I can understand that. General Merchandise Laws Now, our blue law country has a more creative law. You are not allowed to sell general merchandise on Sunday before 1:30 pm. Sure, you can buy groceries or medicine, but try to buy a cooking pan. No, sorry. That would be illegal. Yes, you read that right. Lexington county takes a stance against general merchandise sold early in the day on Sundays. I suppose it is because Jesus didn't buy cookware before church or something. Welcome to Lexington County of South Carolina, where you are safe from Sunday morning cookware. Look For The Good I just added a section to the right about improvements Obama is making to the federal government. No, it doesn't mean I endorse him. It means when someone comes up with a good idea, it should be acknowledged. This got me thinking about many of the blogs on here. How many blogs have you read on here about one of the Presidents that was positive? People are quick to say this sucks or that sucks, not offer solutions, and demonize the President. Is it really that hard to look for the good? (Stuff)MyDadSays Yes, my favorite twitterer is at it again, and he was clean on this one. No editing required. "We're out of Grape Nuts... No, what's left is for me. Sorry, I should have said "You're out of Grape Nuts."

You Thought You Were Lost? If it took them since 525 B.C. to find you, yeah, you were really lost. And I thought my sense of direction was bad. No, you shouldn't have took that left turn at Albuquerque. You Got A Driver's License? If you failed your driver's test 949 times, could it be that driving just isn't for you? Notorious Yea, I watched this movie. It came on Cinemax. It was okay although there was a lot of trashy language and the Notorious B.I.G was an incredibly bad example of a roll model. Dying over a stupid competition between the east and west coast just kind of tops the cake. What a terrible reason to die. Nostradamus I find shows about this guy hilarious. There is one on now about the lost book of Nostradamus. Think about it. If you write predictions about things that can only be correlated to what you were predicting after they happen, what good are they? Obama Improvements I am for Obama just like I am for any U.S. President. This doesn't mean that I agree with him. I do agree with something he has done. He had a contest called the SAVE Award, which gives government employees the opportunity to make suggestions on how to streamline the government. The winner gets to meet with the President. Not a bad idea. They are apparently implementing a lot of the more than 38,000 ideas received. Yes, it sounds like common sense, but that is exactly what has been missing in Washington.

---

Take Care,
 Steve