My old live journal

About 3 years ago I had a live journal account, oh my how things have changed since then. But it is interesting to read through and see what I was thinking about back then.

wisdom on bathroom stall walls...

I guess standing at a toilet urinal gives people time to think so this is what I read there:

Plant slime...

Since I started growing plants this year I wasn't really sure what to do with all the clippings that I would take of the plants. So what I did was take them and put them in a bucket and added water to it. This started to speed up the rate of decay and in fact after about 3-4 weeks half of the bucket had turned to slime. I kept adding clippings and compost which led to even more slime.

Then 4 weeks ago I took the slime and poured it on some of my tomato plants to see if it would have any effect on them. To my surprise it did. The tomato sprouted 2 new tomatoes. This has been very encouraging and will very likely make me continue making plant slime.

Only one slight warning, this does stink...lol.

Live Journal from the past 24 January 2007

It's funny how some times you read something and it makes you laugh and then you kind of groan at the end...so yeah laugh and moan with me:


"We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help
everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more
riots,
keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the
blessings
of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our
great-great-great-grandchildren,
hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense
guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and
other
Liberal bed-wetters.

We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are
confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of
NON-Rights."

ARTICLE I:
You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other
form
of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but No
one
is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II:
You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is Based
on
freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may
leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.;
But
the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III:
You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a
screwdriver
in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool
Manufacturer
to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV:
You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the
most
charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but
we
are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of
professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the Creation
of
another generation of professional couch potatoes. (This one is my pet
peeve...get an education and go to work .. don't expect everyone else
to
take care of you!)

ARTICLE V:
You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but
from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public
health care.

ARTICLE VI:
You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you
kidnap,
rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the
rest
of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VII:
You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob,
cheat,
or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be
surprised
if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you
still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of
leisure.

ARTICLE VIII:
You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a
job,
and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take
advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training
laid
before you to make yourself useful. (AMEN!)

ARTICLE IX:
You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that
you
have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier
if
you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by
those
of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE X:
This is an English speaking country. We don't care where you are from,
English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from!
(lastly....)

ARTICLE XI:
You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage.
This country was founded on the belief in God. And yet, you are given
the
freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with
no
fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage
and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!

thought of the day...

"Praise songs are kind of like the Rosaries of the Catholic church...they really get you into a trance like state".

Gotta love Ikea

I live in a rather smallish apartment for American standards, so we have to be inventive about space, here is how we have solved some of our dilemmas with pans and pots (below our knives):


Gotta love Ikea, which is where we bought these things, no I don't work them.

the leading up to the recession

It is really is amazing sometimes the nuggets of wisdom you can glean from the commentary of an article, here is a great commentary on how the recession happened. I don't necessarily agree with this piece of writing however it is pretty en lighting.

This is what happened to America

What Greenspan, Bernanke, most economists, Bush & Obama Administrations, Fed and Wall Street didn't see coming and still can’t see is American labor and wages have been "debased." The Neoconservatives, Republican Congresses, a few stupid Democrats and Regan & Bush Administrations for years changed existing laws, legislated tax breaks for corporations and the Elitist top 1% of Americans at the expense of the other 99%. Couple this with a catalyst such as the collapse of the mortgage banking industry & housing prices, a liquidity crisis and pending credit card catastrophe. Then add in years of Union busting, GAAT (Uruguay Round - 1986-1993), NAFTA, CAFTA, Vietnamese, Central America and other Trade agreements, hundreds of thousands of H1-B & L-1 work visas, years of outsourcing jobs to 3rd world countries and open borders all which help eliminate the higher paying jobs, pensions and benefits for a majority of Americans. This was the foundation our economy was built on and now it's gone. The huge amount of spendable income/benefits these high paying jobs formerly supplied America and the World Economy has disappeared... gone forever. Resulting in a gigantic transfer of wealth from average Americans to the World’s Elitist top 1% and coffers of Corporate America.

America and many of the World economies are now headed towards a depression. Many European countries will exit the depression years before America do to economies based upon higher paying manufacturing jobs providing pensions, social programs and other benefits for their citizens. Unfortunately the Neoconservatives, Republicans, Elitist top 1% and Wall Street outsourced American Industry to 3rd world countries. Therefore, American will spend years rebuilding its "former" self. Its industrial based economy that for sixty plus years provided most Americans with a high standard of living, benefits and plenty of excess cash to spend “buying 30% of the worlds manufactured products.”

The above listed events, most occurred under Greenspand and his understudy Bernanke, have now placed America on the road to bankruptcy with the largest national debt, and growing, in the history of the free World. America's new Service Industry based economy with its low paying jobs, no pensions or benefits will turn this recession into a depression... lasting years.

The Neoconservative Bush Administration for years cooked the books concerning GDP, employment, inflation and other numbers released monthly by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and now Obama carries forward the same practice. So America’s real inflation has been double digit for several years, unemployment 6.5% higher than it actually is and the GDP has been minus for 3 or 4 years. What do these errors mean to the US Economy… it’s “totally screwed?” Plus the Bush and Obama Administrations gave control of the US Government to Wall Street and investment banking… and then gave them $12.5 trillion of the taxpayer’s money with an opened ended commitment to do and pay anything they want. Both Administrations allowed investment banks and other big corporations to privatize profits and socialize losses… which in the end will destroy the US Economy.

During this period of change American Corporations were allowed to bank roll US Elections via special PAC groups. In a February 2010 decision the Roberts led US Supreme Court allowed Corporate Globalization of the US Election System and foreigners to vote by proxy with unlimited amounts of dollars to influence the outcome of American elections. The US Government now belongs to International Corporations and Congress to K-Street not its pseudo voter’s or population. It’s not a Democracy that rules… its Fascism… a “World Corporatism” as America’s been sold to the highest bidder.

As Hitler did during World War II, the Bush Administration utilized "Authoritarian Rule" and the "big lie theory"... the bigger the lie the more likely people will believe it and the Obama Administration carries foreword the same practice.

The American Economy was "debased" while our political system went from Democracy to Corporatism, that’s “Fascism” folks. Remember, the hedge fund, mortgage and banking liquidity crisis, soon to be a solvency crisis, is just a "catalyst".

Wake up people the Elitist run World Banks, Investment Banking, Federal Reserve and Neocon-Republicans make the mafia look like a bunch of boy scouts.

More plant pictures....

This is the first tomato from my yard. It was pretty tasty.

Marriage rant....

Marriage and the Like,

I am all for people getting married. I think it is wonderful when two people fall in love with one another and decide to spend forever with each other. However I see way to many instances of young people I am talking under 21 getting married and having no idea what they are getting themselves into.

First of our society has changed, it is expensive to live and eke out an existence. I am married and have a son, I have to put a roof over their heads and feed them. It is difficult, I make a decent salary but we almost have to live pay check to pay check. So when you are that young how are you going to do the same?

Second, while I can see wanting to get married what is the motivation when you are that young? Trust me there are more romantic things you can do then asking a girl to engage you. Trust me, but most people don’t think like that. It is like this, hold hands, first kiss, announce date, engage and then wedding (honeymoon). WHAT COMES AFTER THAT? Nothing really, you actually have to live with that person. I love it, however when you are young you may actually start to resent the other person for holding you down.

Divorce is a terrible thing, I believe that what God has put together and let no man rent asunder this that God has put together. However, when the divorce rate among Christians is the same as the rest of society you have to ask yourself,” How serious do Christians take marriage?” So that also means that Christian young people are just as likely to divorce. I have seen too many divorces among young kids to even recommend it.

In the end my recommendation to most young kids that are dating is to focus on the future and get their act together so that you can support your significant other. Also you won’t wonder about your life with out your significant other. While being married is a wonderful thing I would say wait before you jump into things and reevaluate your priorities when considering such a life changing move.

my plants pre having to move everything inside

I have been growing alot of plants on my porch. Here are some of the photos. There will be a number of changes for next year.

Lady Gaga

I just read Camille Paglia's article about lady Gaga and this is what I wanted to say to mrs. Paglia:

I agree to a certain point with this article, however one thing that must be realized is that huge multibillion dollar music corporations push lame non inspired music on the masses. Second we are the product of previous generations, you taught us to think like this, so take some of the responsibility of a lack luster upbringing.

Honestly it isn't entirely my generations fault that we are the way we are. With overprotective parenting (helicopter parents), raised by a healthy dose of tv and lets not forget being forced to focus on getting a career and only a career. This life that we were raised on leads to a lack of imagination and turns us into well trained humans. We consume what ever is given to us with no regard of what the quality is.

While I do hold my generation partially responsible for our lack of imagination I believe that the generations that have passed before us carry just as much responsibility.

September

It really is amazing how fast time flies, only yesterday it was June. I guess that is good though, it means that Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming. My love and I will be making home made gifts this year. We are doing this for a number of reasons but one of the big ones being that the gifts are very well recieved and it is difficult to find gifts for people. I try to stick to the basics of what people would like. I think this year it will be a combo of Knitted stuff and jellies. Not sure though, ohh wait I sure say this cause it is meant to be a surprise lol.

many weeks later

I have been growing tomatoes, peppers and marigolds on my balcony. The problem is that the balcony doesn't get enough sun, there for my peppers and tomatoes are on the small side and have only recently started to bloom. However they are looking nice. I have pruned them and watered them very devoutly. Here are my results so far:

The amazing recession

I am impressed with how long this "recession" keeps on going. It is interesting how people just feel down about everything as though it will never end. I know it will end, one day. By nature I am optimistic and there for hope does spring eternal in me. Although it was interesting what my buddy at work said, roughly 10 percent of the US population is in jail. Could you imagine if these people flooded the market? That 10 percent is out of the market, they would also probably have a heard time finding a job due to their criminal history, the you factor in the 10 percent who are already unemployed, the 15 percent who are either dropping out of the market or are underemployed. Those are staggering numbers!!!

Also the awesome website: http://www.oftwominds.com (01sept2010)pointed out that one of biggest problems right now that is facing young people entering the market is that many of the baby boomers are not retiring. This is largely due to their 401k's taking a massive hit in the last 2 years and their houses aren't worth as much as they were and afcourse they have gigantic mortgages. This means that many of the BB's will work for another 5-10 years so when they would have retired at 65 as the market should dictate they are now getting out at 70 - 75, meaning that the class of 2010 wont have those jobs available to them.

I would like to say there is more positive news, right now there is not.

some insight

So recently I have started to read the website survival blog, it is a very fascinating website that made me realize that if there is a break down in society I would be left in a lurch. I don't know how to do too much, hence me working on various skills. Which I will talk about more, however before I do that I did come to one big realization and that is that while this website discusses the end of the world as we know it where every thing collapses I doubt that will happen. However I have discovered that this notion is kind of like a feel good drug which drives one to be prepared for this scenario, it's like a big secret shhhh....don't tell anyone I am getting ready for teotwawki. However in all seriousness I did realize that I don't know how to alot of things that I think I should such as first aid, auto maintenance, tactical gun fighting, how to maintain guns and this list could go on and on.

It's been a while...

It's funny how weeks just fly by, my wife and I just went out for a week long camping trip and there were a lot of things that really came to the fore front. It was very strange not having cell phone reception, I figured that I would be fine but after about 2 days I had this urge to go and drive about 5 miles to get reception. Yes, it was almost like the urge to go smoke. Once I drove out to the location with reception I felt better.

There were more things that hit me, it was very quiet out there and there when the lights went out, it was dark. I mean pitch black. This made sleeping so much better and I feel like I can now go and stand another couple of months of the glaring light of the monitor.

Days went by rather quickly as we settled into a routine even though we were going to bed at 10 and getting up around 830. I haven't slept that well in a long time.

But it was amazing though the amount of planning and fore sight my wife had in putting the trip together. I am not that talented in the organization business. But as I was saying, the trip worked out great, however it is now taking a couple of days to get back into being in the urbanized area of the country.

Which reminds me, the people out there (Waynesboro) were really nice. Every one greeted you and said hi, that is very weird around here, people don't do that.

Nourashing traditions and such

Recently my wife and I have started to read the book nourishing traditions and taking recipes out of it. So far this is the start of Ginger beer. It takes 1 1/2 cups of water, 2 tbs of ground ginger and 2 tbs of white sugar. Here is the start, in about a month we will find out how it all goes.

The last couple of weeks

The last couple of weeks my wife and I have been growing peppers and tomatoes. More pepper then tomatoes, cause most of the tomatoes decided to do die. I am also growing Parsley and Basil, although the Basil is more for myself. The plants are growing well even though there is not alot of sunlight on my porch.

Baking and my shots at it

It's funny I have rarely if ever baked and in the last week I have done it twice. I cook a pan of brownies which turned out awesomely, sure it was out of a packet but hey there plenty of people who could and would botch this. Check out the photo of my awesome Duncan Hines brownies!
The second baking I did was a chicken, which I salted, peppered and stuffed with 2 lemons which I didn't cut. I rubbed salt and pepper on the inside and it was delicious! My wife was seriously impressed and that takes a lot to do.

Doom and Gloom post

Recently I have started reading OF TWO MINDS, the man who blogs on it is an economist who writes about the state of the economy and where things are headed. He pointed out a very scary statistic today and some thing that we should honestly be appauled at, over the course of an average american''s public school career there will be roughly 70,000 - 150,000 dollars spent on them. So assuming that the kid starts school at age 6 and they go till they they are 18, that is 12 years, so lets say the average is about 100,000 dollars that is a little under 9,000 dollars per year. That is alot of money, however does this get the kids ready to go to college...well many kids take remedial math and english when they get there. Also are they ready to take on the rest of the industrial world, no. In fact it is so bad, that many of these kids are doing jobs that immigrants of third world country do.

I don't know if there is a solution but seriously, this has to stop. We are competing with third world countries here and all the low skill, good wage factory jobs are gone so there are no jobs like that. This is a very scary scenario, we are the United States of America, we put people on the moon, we invented the nuclear bomb and the list goes on and on. Can there be a brighter future? Possibly but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Strawberry picking

My wife and I went out to pick 40 lbs of strawberries. It was awesome. The Farm is called Miller Farm in Locust Grove, VA. Right now they strawberries, in July there will be Black berries pick you own.

Here are the photos.

From start to finish.

New Domino's Pizza

I ate the new Domino's pizza with the new crust and garlic sauce. It was awesome. I highly recommend it. Domino's has a special deal on it right now.

and Oh the difference to me...

My wife's grandmother past away last Saturday. Completely unexpected, she was spring cleaning. Her work ethic was that of an ox, she would pick up sticks around the house, mow the 2 acres, clean the house, power wash the outside, clean gutters, rake/blow leaves and the list goes on and on. On top of that she would come back into the house and cook dinner for her husband. This was an extraordinary woman. Whose devotion to family was second to none. If she had the money she would give it to who needed it. I think about a 1/4 of my sons clothes and toys were given to him by her. I don't know where this work ethic came from but I imagine it was cultivated through out the years.

I only knew her for about 4 and a half years but she began to mean so much to me. It will take many years to work through this. This is the poem I would like to leave you with.

She dwelt among the untrodden ways
Beside the springs of Dove,
A Maid whom there were none to praise
And very few to love.

A Violet by a mossy stone
Half-hidden from the Eye!
---Fair, as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky!

She lived unknown, and few could know
When Lucy ceased to be;
But she is in her Grave, and, Oh!
The difference to me.


Published, Lyrical Ballads, 1800

The Constitution

READ IT!

not another one

One of the many things that can frustrate me is the absolute lack of knowledge in the average person I deal with when it comes to politics. I guess it is not what people are interested in but it is absolutely amazing that most people live for the right now. Not just that lack of knowledge but the average tv news program just doesn't do any in depth research into what they are saying.

Take what is going on in Arizona right now, the misstatement I keep hearing is that any one can be questioned by the police if they think that the person is not in the state legally. How I take that statement is that any one can be stopped in the street and asked to see their papers. That is essentially a misnomer. You see, what the bill really allows is when you get pulled over the police officer can ask for your papers, LICENSE AND REGISTRATION? How many times has that happened to you? As you are fumbling for your papers the cop looks into your car checking for any suspicious activity. This goes on every day, so for people to get bent out of shape about this seems odd.

Now say that you don't have a drivers license on you, the police officer can look you up by social security number. If you don't have one they can look you up by name. If you are not in the system they can arrest you and have you checked out to make sure you are not in this country with out authorization. If you are not authorized to be here then you get sent home, that is how it works.

If you are not breaking the law most cops wont bother you, there for obey the law. The cops have to have probable cause to arrest you. While most of us believe that cops are above the law they are human beings and they do have to defend their actions.

Adam Lambert and ilk (the destruction of music and the corporate rock)

So there I sit and am flipping through the channels when American Idol comes on, right? I figure hey I will give it a shot, right? and well Adam Lambert is on, I wonder what has he done? What musical accomplishment has he ever performed, right?

This is what bugs me about so many of these singing song writers they are propped up by a failing model...owait never mind everyone likes pop. Pop meaning popular music. Which by now is not even a stigma any more. I could rail about this all day long.

I will stop there, but these companies wonder why their music is pirated, cause the music has no intrinsic value, it's mass produced and Mr. Lambert is just another product of that and has no value.

Fortunately there are bands and companies out there that get around this stuff and realize the wave of the future. I wont go into who, cause it is a subject for another day.

another rockin 90's video

This is The Refreshments - Banditos another awesome 90's song.

Online College

Like many young professionals I don't really have time to go to college. I have a wife, a son and lots of things to do. College is generally not at the top my list, however I attend American Military University and I really like it. There are a lot of reasons I like it.

It is very convenient, I can do it at 2 in the morning or 5 in the afternoon. I can log in on my Black Berry and also at work. Most of the assignment are essentially write a paper, post it and then in a forum type setting you write back and forth on your paper and comment on other peoples papers.

Most classes are only 8 weeks, that means you do have to stay focused and knock the assignments out. Sometimes I forget to do the assignments until the day off, that can happen to anyone, however as long as you make it a priority there shouldn't be any issues.

The down sides are that the classes are not easy and by that I mean that you have to be involved and know what is going in the world. There are many classes that tie directly into world politics and contemporary issues. Some of the teachers are tougher then other ones when it comes to grading, I have had some teachers that have ripped my papers apart even when I thought that it was a good paper and other other teachers who have given me an automatic 100% just for turning the paper in.

Oyeah, there is one other down side, you are not in a traditional brick and mortar school building, this can work for you or against you.

I recommend it to anyone who is looking to be able to save some time in getting their degree and also for some one who wants to attend college with older individuals who have lots of experience.