Smelly Butts Save the Planet!

According to Sheryl Crow we should only use 1 square of toilet paper when we use the bathroom. So while we may save a few trees we all now get to put up with noxious butt residue. Nice job Sheryl! How about we all stop showering as well? Oh wait; that and not wiping would make us.... FRENCH! T/P companies are under siege by environmental groups on this issue. They attack manufactures on two front; first they don't like the cutting of trees and second they don't like the use of bleaching agents. I've found out that even though most T/P is made from virgin paper (not from recycled) it is made from a renewable resource. According to science.notes.com, almost all manufactures have their own forests they managed to provide the woods required. Some companies do use recycled paper as well but it's a small percentage of the total paper production. As far as the bleaching, it's a part of the paper making process. Non-bleached paper is fine with me but remember what your wiping, at least with white you can tell when you get it all. Manufacturers are listening though, they are working several methods to reduce they're bleaching agent impact. Extremists are extremist though, they're not happy until they get their way without compromise. So if you abide by Sheryl's request T/P manufactures will see a decline in sales, not need to replenish their forests, which would result in a decline in tress reforestation. Wait; aren't trees supposed to be helpful for the environment? So please do your part to help environment (and people around me) and keep your butt clean.

Thank god for the moderate!

What makes one group think they’re right, or think your wrong? No matter what you believe or what you do someone in the world thinks just the opposite. So who’s right and who’s wrong? We are living in a world being molded by extremists, is this bad? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, it is reality though. If you go back and look at history extremists have made profound changes on the world that still affect us today. Martin Luther King, Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, even Jesus could all be extremists in there own right. Is extremism bad, no not always but it sure isn’t accepted well. Martin Luther King’s civil rights movement in the 60s took hold and today even mentioning his name bring reverence from both white and black people around the world. Genghis Khan brought the “Silk Road” to the west feeding the European culture for centuries. Alexander the Great laid the framework for the Roman Empire resulting in all they’re technological advancements. And lastly the life and teachings of Jesus still affects the lives of billions of people to this day. During they’re time they where all considered extremists, in these cases though these were extremists we’re all reaping the benefits of now. Are we living today with an extremist like this? Who is our next Alexander or King? Today people label anyone who opposes their point of view as an extremist. There are Radical Republican’s, Liberal Leftist, Creationists, Evolutionists, Muslim Extremists, and Christian Coalition. There are pacifists, war mongers, eco-warriors, and realists. No matter you believe people have created a label for it. If you where to ask any of these groups who’s right they’ll vehemently say they are (and in some cases kill you for questioning them). For the rest of us 98% of the population we fall somewhere in between all of these groups. I’m a Republican but I agree with the right to choose group, I’m a warrior but I really don’t like war, and I’m a Christian but I respect your right to practice whatever religion you want. You can look at yourself and probably same something similar. So I’m guessing that since 98% of the world in somewhere in the middle we must all be moderates to some degree (there I go again with a label). We live in a world of moderates reaping the benefits of, and having to fix the problems created by, extremists. Thank god for the moderate!

O Captain! My Captain!

I ran across this poem while my daughter was researching a project for school. It's pretty cool that someone thought highly enough of Lincoln this close to the time of his death to commemorate him like this. The reverence portrayed reminds me of how people are now starting to remember Ronald Regan's presidency. Read and enjoy!! __________________________________________________________________ (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) "O Captain! My Captain!" is a poem by Walt Whitman. It was written in homage to Abraham Lincoln after his assassination in 1865, and was first published the same year in an appendix attached to the latest version of Whitman's continually expanding anthology, Leaves of Grass. The poem consists of three stanzas, its layout appearing like a ship approaching its destination, and begins with the famous O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won; Full poem I. O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring. But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red! Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. II. O captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up! For you the flag is flung, for you the bugle trills: For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths, for you the shores a-crowding: For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning. Here Captain! dear father! This arm beneath your head; It is some dream that on the deck, You've fallen cold and dead. III. My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still; My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will; The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won! Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells! But I with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

"Imus-ized"

I have been a listener of Don Imus off and on now for several years. He’s entertaining but I’ve never felt he was a political commentator like Rush or Hannity. I started listening to “Imus in the Morning" in Tucson because the station I listened to had Rush on in the afternoons; I guess I became a listener due to my own laziness (those radio buttons are so hard to push). Several times while listening to his show I was surprised by the comments he would make about a person or people. Some comments where in poor taste, some where degrading, and some where just plain ole mean; but all in all you had to take what he was saying with a grain of salt. I mean after all Imus was a hit because of his grittiness and provoking nature so this was expected. Many times he’d say something that was shocked to hear over the radio and I thought he’d be in some kind of trouble but nope, the 1st amendment protected him, after all he was nothing like Howard Stern. Well today things changed a bit for Mr. Imus. No he didn’t get in trouble with the FCC, no it wasn’t anything he said about some political figure; Mr. Imus got in trouble for saying something about a group of women. Granted what he said was crass and degrading; it had a racial undertone, and yes he should be in a little trouble over it; but the FCC didn’t do anything. You see the FCC is a bureaucracy whose wheels are slow to turn. They would hear a complaint, do an investigation, and issue fines if they saw a reason too. Nope Mr. Imus was fired today not two days after the incident; the FCC didn’t have to do a thing. It makes you wonder a bit who’s right here. Was Sumner Redstone right in directing the termination? Was MSNBC correct in canceling his show? Or should this all have been chocked up to entertainment, and let it be handled between the two parties involved. The “offended” women received and accepted an apology from Mr. Imus today. They accepted it but never demanded his firing. Why, did these women who had been so maligned by his comment not want to have his head on a platter? Could it be that they weren’t necessarily offended by the comment? Maybe they had been desensitized to this type of characterization because they had heard this many many times from other sources of entertainment? In today’s entertainment rich environment there are many artists out there that use this type of language in songs and they’re own image. I don’t know if these women listen to this type of music but being that they are young and in college it would be surprising to me if they didn’t. I would even venture a guess that many of them are frequent listeners to this type of music. Why is this comment from an aging over the hill “shock jock” so much more offending the lyrics of “Ludicris” or “P-Diddy” (if that’s what he calls himself today). It’s called hypocrisy. During one of the “acts of contrition” appearances Mr. Imus did to try to defuse the situation was on Rev Al Sharpton’s radio show. During the interview Mr. Imus was going on and on about how people should just let it go but one thing he said was that he was just an “Old Cracker”. To which Rev Sharpton quickly rebuked him say that “while he was on his show he was to show respect for all races even his own”. Does Rev. Sharpton say this to the rap stars that say these types of things in they’re songs? Nope! He feels that the 1st Amendment protects those artists. Why doesn’t the 1st Amendment protect Mr. Imus? Actually it does, remember the FCC? They can’t touch him; but the private citizen and sponsors of his show are a different matter. Mr. Imus has been demonized by his own speech. I really think he deserves what he’s getting just as Howard Stern did. But what I would like to see is for this to come around full circle and for those that are getting away with this type of behavior to get what they deserve too. Hate speech is hate speech; punish them all, or punish none! But stop making this a race issue!

Defendor of the Idiot

I watched a video yesterday that was extremely disturbing. It was titled "The Most Hated Family in the Country" and was about the church group that’s going around the country protesting at military funerals. I have to say based on the reactions of the people driving by they’re definitely in the minority but that’s not what this entry is about. Yes I can sit here and tell you how bad it makes me feel, or how angry I get when I see that type of thing, but that's expected. No, what I would like to talk about is my pride in these idiots being able to do what they where doing. You see, this exceedingly misguided group is allowed to do these despicable things because of the very people they're protesting. It’s kind of ironic if you think about it; if these folks where actually to succeed in what they’re preaching they couldn’t protest. It’s like people protesting farmers because they kill the plants during the harvest, but without the farmer the protesters would starve. We that are in the military are dedicated professionals here defending the freedom that allows people to protest the very thing we do. Please understand that I, in no way, condone the tripe these idiots are spewing; they are probably the most misguided cult I have ever seen. With our luck they’ll go the way of the Jim Jones “kool-ade” cult or those idiots that thought the comet was coming to take them away. No, these people are terrible, but what I am saying is that I will continue defending they’re right to be the ignorant stooges they are.

My Geek Code

Here is my geek code: Here is my geek code GG/IT/O/U d->+ s+,s+ a+ c++ U-- P L-- E- W++ N+ o? K? w+$ O--- M-- V? PS--- PE++ Y+ PGP- t+ 5++ X-- R tv++ b+ DI++ D++ G++++ e+ h-- r+++ y++++ For those of you that have no idea what a geek code is, check out this website for a translation Interesting and geekish all rolled into one... If you'd like to decode the geek code of my son here it is: G/CM/CS/ED/FA/IT/MU/P/S/SS/O d>- s:+>: a-- C++++$ UL*++++$ P+(-) L+++>++++$ E--- W++ N>+ o? K? w++$ O? M-()$ V? PS++ PE-- Y+ PGP++>++++ t+ 5? X? R- tv@ b- DI++>+++ D+++ G(-) e>++ h!>--- r-->+++ y>+++ Fun and revealing:

Global Warming Crap

It snowed this weekend; something that happens when it gets cold. Those of you that know me, you know that I listen to Rush Limbaugh a lot (almost daily). I’m sure tomorrow’s broadcast will have some smart remark as to how this latest cold snap is somehow proof that global warming is some kind of Democrat plot. But if I was an Air America/Al Franken listener I’d hear how this was due to global warming. Curious how both sides seem to be so sure about they’re correctness, while ignoring the most obvious, hmm…. Here’s my thought’s, global warming is a communist plot to undermine us as a democracy. This would sure explain the extreme positions each side is taking. Think about it; who’s the most interested in driving a wedge between the two sides of our politics? Who want’s to ostracize us from the rest of the world? Whose countries have the most polluting economies? And lastly, who signed the Kyoto treaty knowing full well they would never have to adhere to it? It was the communists (look it up). They have the most to gain by our capitulation to those treaties. They have the most to gain by our inner conflicts. All the evidence points to this but nobody want to see it. Are we tired of fighting communism on every front? Has our recent focus on terrorism blinded us to this insidious enemy? Only the commie’s know…

Uberfag and today's telivision

What’s with today’s obsession with the “Uber-fag”? What’s an “Uber-fag” you ask? An “Uber-fag” is a character that over-emphasis’ traditional, popular homosexual traits (i.e. limp wrists, lisps, high squeaky voices, over-emphasized feminist traits). I watched a television show today with my wife called “Top Designer”. It’s a very good reality show about interior designers. I don’t have a problem with the show itself but each and every male on the show was so effeminate it was distracting. As I watched it came to me that all of these types of shows show males in the same light. Shows like “Top Chef”, “Project Runway”, and the “Janis Dickson Agency” all have male contestants that may as well be female the way they are portrayed. It seems that if these shows want to be popular they have to have these overly feminist male characters to be successful. Look at very successful shows like “Amazing Race” and “Survivor”, both of these have participants that are so obviously gay it’s got even the most tolerant “GayDAR” pinging relentlessly. Is the “Uberfag” so popular that a show can’t get by with out it? What is this saying about us as a society? I’ve never had a problem with homosexuality; I really feel that it’s a fact of life. Some feel it’s a choice, some feel it’s predestined. I don’t agree with either of those points of view, I think it’s more a phase of life. Throughout time homosexuality has floated from one end of the spectrum to the other; either accepted, rejected, or somewhere in-between. I really don’t care one way or the other. What I do have a problem with is the cartoonish portrayal by “Hollywood” that there’s only one way to portray people, gay that is feminine, lesbians that are butch, and straights that are homophobic. Why make the people appear so stereotypical? I don’t understand why this happens or why the gay community allows it to happen. Whether you’re gay, lesbian or straight; “Hollywood” will only portray you in one light, whatever they feel is correct. Is this the definition you want? So here’s a challenge for everyone. If you’re gay be a man, if your lesbian be woman, if your straight well be whatever your sex should be. In other word I really don’t care what you are, I just don’t want it advertised. Please, keep it to yourself, thank you!

Good times with the girls

Yesterday I had an opportunity to take my daughters to Six Flags Arlington. We had a wonderful time! With us we took Patrick (Isabella's boyfriend), John (Krystina's boyfriend) as well as Tyler and Andy (friends of both girls). I call this an opportunity because it's not too often a parent gets a chance to do something like this. We as parents are mentors, disciplinarians, and teachers, and on rare occasions dream fillers but rarely are we looked at as friends. Amusement parks are nothing new to our family; we have gone to Disneyland, Fiesta Texas, Sea World, and several others, even parks in Europe. This trip was different though, different because this time it was only me and my daughters (and a few friends). At first I thought I would have to give them their "space" since all their friends where there, so I told them to go on by themselves to ride the rides with the boys. After about an hour of wandering the park we happened to run into one another. They asked me how many rides I had gone on and when I said none, both of them decided to fix this (I like rides especially roller coasters). I spent the rest of the day with the group and had a wonderful time connecting with my kids. I thought I was going to be a detriment to their fun so I gave them the opportunity to have their freedom, I never realized fun for them was to be with me. When they get older, both of my girls are going to find themselves in a positions like this with they're own children; I pray their children make them as happy as mine make me. Many parents find themselves shunned by their children when they get to adulthood, mine (I hope) will be as much a part of my life then as they are now. They need to go off and develop a life of their own, create their own family, and be their own person; But no matter what, they will always be my daughters, and will always be welcome in my home (just as they welcomed me into their world). It was "good times" this weekend; "Good times" in the park, and "good times" with the girls. Thank god I have them.

Isabella's Birthday

Today is Isabella's 18th birthday. She is entering a tansition phase of her life from total dependance on Rosa and I to an independant woman. This fall she is planning on going away to college, yet another milestone in her life, and sometime in the near future she'll be marrying and having kids. All of these things will be challenging milestones in her life. I have all the confidence in the world that she will attack these challenges, as well as anything else life throws at her, with the determiniation and tenacity she's known for.