WOW! That's all I can say.

If you thought Minority Report was interesting ... check this out:

Beyond Minority Report

This vision of the future eerily matches Minority Report, and GRI knows it. "Minority Report is one possible outcome," admits Carter. "I don't think that's our company's aim, but I think what we're going to see is an enviroment well beyond what you see in that movie--minus the precogs, of course."

What do you think?
And I thought my every day life was bad enough already. Now, we'll be looking at this shortly.

And then ... the World Was Flat

Not too long ago, a friend invited me to check out a book that's been on the market for a couple of years. It's called The World is Flat. I first heard about this book at work ... some random comments from bosses, managers, and other co-workers had circulated around the office for a while. At the time I didn't read it.

However, when my friend suggested it, I picked it up and started checking it out. So far I've read about 175 pages of the book. He's laid out a very convincing argument about how the world is shrinking, becoming more integrated across countries, and shifting away from American leadership.

To be fair, I haven't read the whole thing, but I also don't plan on it now. Since I started reading it, every time I pick it up I get depressed, worried, stressed, and irritated. It's almost as if the book has a spirit of depression enveloping it. I had been reading it, and then I spoke with Chris about how I was feeling, and I decided enough was enough. No matter how good it is, I'm not going to put myself through this torture just because he is a brilliant author.

I do plan on browsing through it to find out how he suggests coping with the flattening of the world, but I don't intend on spending one single minute longer being sucked into his world of hopelessness and his reckless agreement with, and condoning of, corporate profit mongering. I've had it with many of those sentiments. They suck! Even if you agree with the 'thinning of the herd' mentality, I hope the herd runs you over for your blatant disregard and disrespect for the value of a human.


What do you think of the book?
Most of all ... what am I missing here?

Al

The Battle of the Buck

It has been terribly frustrating over the last year.   Saving money, spending as little as possible, cutting back in so many ways, using very little credit and diligently paying it off every month, and mucking through a bunch of b.s. hoping to get ahead. 

At times, it can feel like you are alone, fighting in a battle that no one else seems to be fighting.  I never understand how some people can keep spending, and doing the same things they've always done, when things seem so tough?

However, I read these articles today, and saw some connections that I thought were interesting.

#1 - How to get ahead in today's economy
The first point, in this article, was that YOU don't deserve a job.  I thought that was an interesting idea, considering how much of the world's economic progress has been based on America's stability.   Truly, Americans have been the backbone of the last 100 years of economic development.  So apparently, the mantle has moved from America to other, more industrious countries now?  In America's economy, today, employers are finding more ways to cut back and keep their costs lower.  And this author, throws out this quick jab pointing out how useless we workers really are:

"Employers these days have little tolerance for staffers who complain about doing more with less. But they reward workers who solve problems and make the company more productive. Once the recovery picks up, they'll be the ones in line for raises and promotions."

 OUCH!  That comment smarted a little bit ... especially when you think about how hard you work, how much you are asked to get done, how much time and energy you invest into your employer, and how little you get in return for it.  They'll reward workers ... ?   Really?   When?  How long will that take?  Do you mean ... after they've traded all the jobs they can to India, or Indonesia, or China?  They'll start rewarding those employees by paying them $.10 more per hour?  Is that really what employers will do?

In fact, here's an article that describes what I think employers are ACTUALLY doing with the massive productivity and stagnant pay they are dishing out right now:

The reality of frugality

To be sure, many shoppers, especially the wealthy, are buying into the recovery.

Some economists put their hopes for the economy in the rich, who are spending more freely than the rest of the population. They hold out hope that this will encourage more hiring and stimulate spending by the less wealthy. More spending could increase companies' revenue, which allow them to boost hiring and pay. And that would lead their employees to spend more.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. returned to a first-quarter profit as more travelers vacationed on its ships and spent more money on board. And makers of luxury goods are benefiting from a release of pent-up demand for jewelry, watches and high-end furnishings.

High-end retailers have reported blowout results. Nordstrom's revenue in stores open at least one year jumped 16.8 percent last month. Saks' surged 12.7 percent.

McClaren Automotive has announced it will debut a $200,000 sports car in the U.S. next year. And business is picking up faster at high-end hotels than at mid-priced and budget hotels.

 However, I don't see any benefit coming to lower and working classes right now.  I see no break from the day to day level of idiocy going on across corporate America.  Sure the wealthy may be spending, but that's because they have it to spend.  I don't know any lower or middle income person right now who has more to spend.  Do you? 

Sure, we may have more savings.  But, that's because we're tired of getting stripped and robbed by people who don't have our best interests at heart.

And ... as if to prove my point ...

Check out this op-ed column from the New York Times, Bob Herbert:
American workers forced out of jobs for what?

I am, and have been, wrong on SO MANY things about average American people.  They always tend to do the things that I would never expect.

But, it does give me some hope ... especially in the light of the thriving growth of the political tea party over the last year ... that even though the wealthy (above) continue unabated in their lifestyles, normal consumers may have the last word.

Why?  Because ...

"consumers fuel about 70 percent of the economy, their tightfisted habits means the rebound could stay unusually sluggish"

I'm not saying that sluggish spending will help consumers.  I am saying that ... if well positioned ... consumer spending could catapult honest, locally-based, ethical businesses, over-and-above the rampant slashing, burning, and destruction most huge, multi-national companies are trying to do right now.

As a consumer ... you have the right to choose the battle for your buck.  Aim your spending choices wisely, and you could actually fuel a recovery that lasts for all the right reasons.  Not just in rewarding some corporate suckety-muck who feels it's his obligation to splurge when and where he wants, in an effort to fuel the 'recovering' economy.

Al

SOCIAL Media

It's odd to me, how social media has become such a HUGE part of life lately.  It's as if everyone wants to be a part of some community and share their identity with others in that group.

What's strange for me, though, is the concept that while people are willing to share their personal / private lives within their social community, no one is making the leap to create social workplaces.  By that I don't mean socially connected workplaces, because you know every profiteer on the planet is trying to get socially connected so they can make money off of it.

What I am referring to ... is why there aren't more socially OWNED businesses.  If we were truly attempting to become socially connected, wouldn't we also try and step into socially owned workplaces?  I don't mean socialist ... as in government owned.  But I mean socially owned.  As in, a group of people would think of partnering together to create a company that they could run together.  They would pool their money to buy supplies, equipment, and the things to make the business work.  And they would all share in the income and profitability of the business.

This is what I have been expecting to see, especially the more I see popularity of social media.  But, so far, I'm not seeing very much of the idea of social ownership of businesses.  I am hoping and praying the concept will start catching on.  But, it seems, that as far as business and income goes, the idea of 'SOCIAL' ownership may be too foreign to a bunch of independent Americans.

That's too bad!  Personally, it would make me extremely excited to bring my skills and strengths to a group of like-minded people so we could help ourselves grow, rather than helping a bunch of 'fat cats' continue getting overweight.   

For an example of what I'm talking about ... check out the documentary by Michael Moore - "Capitalism, a Love Story".  Personally, I'm not a fan of his movies.  But, in this particular show, he interviews several people at a bread company who co-own the business.  That is what I am expecting to start seeing from our up-and-coming, socially connected generation.

Forget the Food

Based on a referral from a good friend, Chris and I watched a video called Food Inc.

It portrays some of the realities of the food industry in America today.  Some of you may have seen it?  Or maybe you never want to see it?  That's fine ... either way.

For me, I already knew a tremendous amount of this stuff about the foods we already eat.  So that part wasn't much of an eye opener.

What was, however, ABSOLUTELY dumbfounding was the legalities behind the scenes of this industry.  I had never heard most of them.  And, to be honest, I was quite blown away.  Actually, a better way to say it ... I was scared.

Here's why ...

Check out this brief comment from Food Inc producer / director Robert Kenner, as posted on Amazon.com:

What was the most surprising thing you learned?
Kenner:  the thing that really became most shocking is when we were talking to a woman, Barbara Kowalcyk, who had lost her son to eating a hamburger with E. coli.  But when I asked her what she eats, she told me she couldn't tell me because she would be sued if she answered.

Or we see Moe, a seed cleaner who’s just being sued for amounts that there’s no way he can pay, even though he’s not guilty of anything.  Then we realized there’s something going on out there that supersedes foods. Our rights are being denied in ways that I had never imagined. And it was scary and shocking.

Yes, if you've never seen this show, you should read through that paragraph again.  These people are being sued for stating their opinions about ...   wait for it ....  FOOD.  What's scary, is that if you or I were sued (like these people) we would be toast.  In the video, there was a story about Oprah, who was able to fight them in court and win.  But, you or I or any other normal person, would be dead in court.

This video, more than almost anything else I've seen recently, really pointed out how politics and big business are in bed together.  You can't trust either of them.

Anyhow ... this is a really good flick.  Eye opening about food.  And even-more-stunning realities of the way the American legal system favors those with money.  This is definitely worth watching.

I came out of this thinking ... where is Robin Hood and all those down-and-dirty good guys who are supposed to save the underdog in our society?  Oh, I was thinking of a movie I saw.  

Al

The Speerclan Crosses a Milestone

First of all ... I want to say thank you to our one reader - we thank you!  For sticking with us for so long.  I know it hasn't been easy or painless for you to deal with our odd little idiosyncrasies.

However, I have to proudly announce that you are no longer alone when you visit our site.  We have officially crossed a threshold that I never thought we would cross with this blog.  And I am so pleased to announce that the Speerclan is now in the top 1,000,000 visited sites on the internet.

I know - I know ...

You're thinking Top One Million sites?  That stinks Al.
Well, you would be partially right.  But the fact is ... this independent monitoring site actually monitors 20 million websites.  There are actually more than 20 million websites on the internet, but after about 20 million sites they no longer keep track of a site's rankings.  So - for us - the top one million mark is pretty cool.

And here's the proof:

 

While that doesn't mean a whole lot, in terms of influence, or income, or anything like that.  It does mean that more than 1 person is hitting our site per day.  And that ... is pretty cool.

So, we just wanted to give a big THANK YOU to you for keeping up with us.  It's great to share the fun, the adventure, and yes ... even the pain with you. 

All the best!

Al

Ideas to Help Boost My Productivity

I stumbled upon this article tonight, and read through a few of the ideas.

The ones that strike me the most ... are the ones about knowing what you want to accomplish, noting all the steps you need to cross to get there, and then being diligent about actually doing what you want to do.

I realized tonight, that one of the hardest parts about living a life of passion, is clearly understanding what you are passionate about. And then realizing HOW you can get to the lifestyle that will let you get there.

Personally, I waffle back and forth between so many things, it's no wonder I've never committed my future to anything. It's giving me plenty to think about though.

clipped from celestinechua.com Boost Your Productivity in 50 Ways Single-task: If you are doing something which requires a high level of brain work, focus on doing it one at a time. Don’t try to multi-task and get nothing done in the process. Time boxing: Set aside a fixed time slot to work on your tasks. You must work on that task and only that task during that time slot, no more, no less. To-do list Not run the risk of forgetting anything you need to do. Master your skills. To get your work done well and fast, you need to first master your skills. It’s said that it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at what you do. Make sure you put in the due diligence in your work. Brain dump. You may find some thoughts distracting you while you are working on something. List down all the things you want to get done, order them in priority a life handbook like a life manual where you store your purpose, long-term goals, short-term goals, strategies, plans, and many other information on how to live your best life.

A Web Update

Howdy y'all!

I know it's been awhile since we've updated things. And ... truth be told, it might still be longer until we update things again. I am not making any more promises about how often we will keep things going here. I hope it keeps going for a long, long time ... but I just don't know.


I have been spending a huge amount of time lately trying to figure out WHY I am in such a rut. And I still haven't really figured out what is going on.


I can tell you one thing ... I feel deep down inside of every fiber of who I am that I have something to say. And I feel compelled to write it. I don't know why, or how, we ever became a society that gave up our life missions to live in mediocrity. Not that working means mediocrity. But, doing things that you hate, that make you miserable, that drain your enthusiasm and vitality are NOT marks of true living.


And, I am doing the same things ... so I know what I am saying.

It's not about just 'work' per se. It's about finding what you were created to do - and doing THAT.

However, I am bound and determined to get to that place where I can live out what I truly believe is my passion. Whether it happens in 7 days, 365 days, 3 years, or 10 years ... I can't just sit idly by while my passions lie stagnant. I can't!

I have seen so many people, with such extra-ordinary talents end up in a place of miserable blah! I am fighting that lifestyle with every ounce of strength I have to fight it with. At present ... I am losing.


Unfortunately, sometimes, you find yourself in a place where you can't do a whole lot more to move forward. All you can do is ... slowly work your way through it. With patience, discipline, belief, and diligence.

I find myself in a similar place right now.


Honestly, I don't know where I, or we, will end up. I wish I did. I wish it were easy. I wish things were already planned out and simplified for me.

But ... they're not.

I just have to keep pressing on ... hoping, and progressing, and planning to reach something amazing out there in our future. So, I hope you'll stick with me, and keep praying for us to come out where we should.

I appreciate all of your prayers, your time, your love, and your care for all of us. We look forward to bigger and better things in the future.



One quick note:

Here's an interesting strategy that has been making me some decent money lately. For the past 60 days - 30% of my sales have come from this tip. So I know it works.

1. Find a topic you love. Or something that you have a WILD opinion about.

2. Register a domain name about that topic

3. Find a product related to your topic at Clickbank.com (make sure the product has some decent historical sales)

4. Forward your cool domain name, via an affiliate link, to the Clickbank product you found.

5. Write 250-500 word articles that are good, motivating, powerful, enlightening, useful etc ...

6. Post your articles on the web (in forums, facebook, myspace, ezinearticles, other article directories, hubpages, squidoo, etc.)

7. At the end of the article put in your domain name (so your reader has somewhere else you suggest they can go for information)

8. Voila ... website profits!

For a PERFECT example ... check out my www.__________radio.com domain. If you don't know what that is, write me and ask. I'll let you know. If you don't know, and you don't care, then no problem - don't lose any sleep over it.


All the best,

Al

Homeschooling

According to the National Home Education Research Institute, more than two million American children are now being educated at home — more than double the number just three years ago.

Two million is just under 1% of the entire U.S. population. Not too bad.

Plus, most homeschoolers don't get any money to help pay for their childrens schooling ... HOWEVER they still have to pay taxes that support the public school system. I'm not sure exactly why I am paying taxes for a system that doesn't seem to be helping me or my family.

Oh well ... at least someone in America is making money off of me. Right? Thankfully our politics haven't been outsourced ... YET!

WOW - I may be a criminal soon

I just got this link from a friend.

Apparently, living in America no longer allows you to have your freedom of opinion, and to speak about it, or display it, openly.

This report talks about some ideas, videos, and concepts that I firmly believe in, and whole-heartedly support.

- Opposing national government
- Opposing abortion
- Opposing the FED
- And several other items listed inside

My friend has one of these bumper stickers, and I've seen one of those movies in the report ... and I agree with a lot of its principles.

And yet, if you'll notice in the top right hand corner of the report, it is being passed out to Missouri State Highway Patrol, and endorsed by the Governor of Missouri.


I can't believe it! Literally, some day soon, I might be a criminal for my beliefs and ideas.


I honestly didn't think we would be getting to this point so soon in America.


I'll have to stew this one over a bit, I'm not sure exactly what this means for me and my family? I actually know police officers. Are my own friends going to come gather me up someday soon - because I oppose someone's political opinion?

In America?


It appears that all those things our fore-fathers lived and died for are now coming back to haunt us. I'm not even talking about the founding of our country ... I'm talking about Hitler, World War II, and ALL of the beliefs America stood for against Nazi-ism. It's all come around again, in the form of 'community', and social acceptance, and politically correct-ness in the United States.


You can read the report at the links above. And you can see more comments about it here.


Al

Dad ... Why didn't I listen earlier?

The older I get ... the smarter my Dad gets.

I don't know why, but for some reason as I was growing up, I never paid attention to the things my Dad did. He could fix anything mechanical. He could build, or re-build, anything. He was a great coach. And I could go on, and on, and on.

In fact, even as I became a teenager, I still didn't learn many things from him that I could have.

The funny thing is ... now that I've been working at this new company for almost a year - he already knows the entire industry better than I ever will. And I NEVER learned any of it from him.

SAD!

I know.

However, one thing I've tried to do ... especially as I've gotten older, is listen to his advice. One of the things he talked about last summer, when gas was at $4 a gallon, was fuel efficient cars. And the one he suggested was a Scion XB. I took his suggestion to heart, and picked one up.

Here's ours:



And so, I was pleasantly surprised when Christy found this article, by By Dan Shapley at thedailygreen.com, the other day. An article that talks about the best 'used' cars on the market by ...

ranking the small cars among Consumer Reports' picks by fuel economy. The years were chosen at random, but the fuel economy shouldn't differ within a model. (Do your own comparisons with fueleconomy.gov.)
Most Fuel-Efficient and Reliable Used Cars

1. 2005 Toyota Echo - 31 mpg
2. 2006 Honda Civic - 30 mpg
3. 2005 Scion xB - 29 mpg
4. 2007 Toyota Corolla - 29 mpg
5. 2006 Toyota Corolla - 29 mpg
6. 2005 Toyota Matrix - 27 mpg
7. 2007 Pontiac Vibe - 27 mpg
8. 2006 Mazda 3 - 26 mpg
9. 2003 Mazda Protege - 24 mpg
10. 2004 Subaru Impreza - 22 mpg

Check out #3 on the list. Yep ... that's the one my Dad suggested.

This is just 1 example of the many times he's offered me advice, and it's turned out to be great. Sometimes I wish I had listened a WHOLE LOT sooner.


Thanks Dad!

Al

More Depression Era Lifestyle Coming into Popularity

I thought this was an interesting article (from the Associated Press), about the state of the American economy.


Here's one of the comments I thought was intriguing ...

Today's consumers might even start to rival their penny-pinching, Depression-era grandparents.

I'm guessing we're not even remotely close to the levels of our frugal Grandparents - yet. I still see a tremendous amount of fairly new, fairly LARGE vehicles on the road. There's still a whole lot of shopping goin' on ... and it definitely isn't just grocery store shopping, either.


The concluding statement:

"I think we're going to have a set of consumers who are moving in that direction (being very conservative in their spending and aggressive in savings -- my revision) because they don't have that much faith in their assets."

While I think that comment carries an intriguing idea with it ... I don't think consumers today have any idea what it really means to be truly conservative in spending, and aggressive in savings. I've hardly ever seen it in my lifetime. I guessing most of us haven't seen what that really looks like. Or there wouldn't be nearly as many credit problems as we are seeing now.


In my honest opinion, the banks (and the consumers who use up all that credit) are HUGELY to blame for the current financial meltdown that's happening. Unfortunately, the banks don't really have to have the physical money in order to dish out the credit (it's just a paper transaction to them) - so it's the consumer who ends up paying all of it in the end.


Al

WHEN this recession hits?

I understand times are tough, and many people are losing their jobs. I mean you can see it all across the TV news and newspaper headlines.

So it must be bad!

However, I am SO SICK of hearing people talk about ... WHEN the recession actually reaches us.

Here's what I mean - if you aren't already feeling the effects of the recession, then don't assume it's going to hit you at some point. Why in the world would you project such negativity onto yourself.

It's like the old saying ... whatever you believe you can do ... YOU'RE RIGHT!

So, why would you want to pre-suppose that at some point the recession is going to hit. While I think it's smart to plan for the worst, and make strategies you can implement to overcome those things, I also don't think a person or a business should assume things are going to get worse for them.


Anyhow, here's the deal:

There are people I know, who are doing very well right now. Their business is tearing it up, and they are so busy they can't sit still. And that's right now, in the current economic CRISIS.

But everytime I talk to them, they always ... ALWAYS ... point out that they don't know how long this is going to last.


Well, if you'd shut your freaking mouth about everything crashing down around you, it might not actually happen to you. At least that's my take on it.

Quit assuming that it's going to strike, like some deadly viper, that's patiently waiting in the bushes to tear your life apart. I am so sick of hearing this comment. Every time they say something about how well things are going ... it's ALWAYS followed by ... 'but we don't know how long this is going to last'.


Yeah! I know! And we don't how long we're going to be on this earth either?

So ...

Just STOP saying it.
Stop assuming it.

And instead, live your life as if you wanted to keep reaching greater success and greater heights. Enjoy the good times while you have the good times. Quite destroying the positive with a false sense of negativity.


Al


P.S. If you know me ... then please don't assume these comments are about you. I purposefully left these comments vague so that I wouldn't offend 'whomever' these comments are for. I just wanted to express a growing disagreement I have with a couple of people I talk to from time to time.

Finding Your Passion - And Work

What is it that keeps you up late at night ... dreaming, hoping, plotting, and scheming? Those are the things we should be pursuing for our life's work and goals. Instead, most of us end up doing crappy 40 hour torture tours of duty.

Why? What is it that compels us to live with mediocrity and second choices?

I have been wondering this for a long, long time. And ... truth be told I still don't know the answer.

However, after several recent lay-offs, deaths, and job losses of loved ones, and friends whom I know - I have slowly been realizing that we absolutely MUST pursue our passions. Even if we can't quit our 40 hour ball and chains, we simply HAVE TO try and go after our dreams, our hopes, and our life goals.


In fact, although I've been selling online products for the last 3 1/2 years, it hasn't been until the last 6 months that I've hit my stride with a product that I am truly passionate about, and love. The difference in the amount of product I can create, and content I can write is truly staggering. In the past 3 1/2 years I have struggled to come up with as many different ways to create products as I can, simply because I don't know my topics that well. However, now that I'm writing about something I love ... the writing, videos, audio, and content simply flow out of me because I can't keep it inside.


If we don't pursue these things we love (and that we dream about), what would we have to look back at, and be passionate about?


Take, for example, our trip last year. While it was very costly, and a bit scary, we will always have those memories.


Or ... pretend you have worked for a company for 20 years. And all of the sudden, they decide they don't need you anymore. So, they let you go. How does that make you feel about yourself? What do you do with your future after that?


But, on the other hand ... what if you had been pursuing your passions all along ... even if they were on the side of your work. You would still have a tremendous amount of positive energy, memories, and experiences to live with. Instead of a dull, listless, after-taste left over from our years there.


Go for it!

Teaching - How it really looks

So, I spent about 4 and half months as a substitute teacher this year. It's a very interesting experience, and one that was a real eye opener for me.

I am SO glad I did it! If not, I would have always wondering ... what if?
What if I would have been a great teacher?
What if that was my life's calling?
What if ... ?

However, now that I've gone through it ... I can always look back on that experience, and know that I gave it a shot.

Although I'm no longer doing it, I think I would have been a pretty good teacher. Even in my short time with some of those kids, I connected with a couple of them. Some were good connections, and others were not so good.


Christy and I recently caught a very real depiction of teaching as a career. It comes from a movie called 'Chalk'. If you've ever wanted to get an inside peak into the life of teaching, this show portrays what I saw pretty accurately.

Especially, watch the apathetic looks on all of the kids. Yep - that's absolutely accurate. The silence of the kids wasn't something I experienced very often though.


But, overall, I think this movie gives a clear vision of what teaching was like for me. Especially notice the feeling of very little redemption in the end of the movie. That pretty much summed it up for me too. I think it would have gotten better with more experience, but is it really worth it? I'm not sure?


For me, I think my passions are better suited with other things. So I opted to go elsewhere.

Alright, that's enough rhetoric from me. You can check it out yourself here.


Talk soon!
Al

States ... SUCK!

You know ... if I had to operate my family on a budget where I had millions of people just handing me over money, I might figure out how to live on it.

In fact, I make money for my family ... and I DO have to learn to live within our means. And I don't make even CLOSE to what the 'states' make.


However, because of this 'economic crisis', many states are running out of money.

So much so ... that in fact they are thinking about selling public lands.


This is such a HUGE freaking slap in the face of every person who pays their taxes. Essentially, they are taking your money, and still giving away everything (and I mean everything) that you should be a part owner of.


Just check it out here.


Reading this article right now, makes me SO MAD! It makes me want to drop kick somebody.

And yet, the stupid police are still on their money sucking raids. In fact, just yesterday we drove down a 4 lane road (marked at 45 mph for some unknown reason?) where there were 4 cars pulled over. And 2 other sheriff's cars waiting to stop more unsuspecting travelers.

YOU PEOPLE SUCK! It's not enough that WE (Me and every other tax-payer) PAY YOUR SALARY! NO! That's not enough ... you continue to steal, and pillage, and destroy everywhere your greedy little hands can reach.


I am getting sick of paying you to protect me, to serve me, to help me ... and THIS is what I get in return. More taxes, more tickets, more bills, more fees!

YOU'RE FIRED! FIIIRRRREEEEDuuuh!

Utah, Here we come!!

WARNING! ... Some pretty biased comments are posted below - please don't read if you are easily offended.



I was shocked to see these idiotic comments coming out, after California voted to add Marriage between a man and woman to their Consitution.

This uber-powerful blogger is stepping up to boycott the Mormons (and Utah) because they stood up for something he didn't agree with.

Aravosis is not calling for a boycott of California, though that state's voters actually approved the ban.

" ... We need to send a message to Utah that they need to stop trying to inflict their way of life on every other state."

UMMM ... Hello ... And what is it that you are trying to inflict on us?

Your unbiased belief in how absolutely right and correct and perfect you are in all of your thoughts, opinions, and ideas?

Oh ... thank goodness you came along to enlighten us, oh great one, otherwise how would we all get along? The 'New' messiah has arrived - just in time.



And how about this comment ...

"They just took marriage away from 20,000 couples and made their children bastards," he said. "You don't do that and get away with it."

Um - Although science CAN make a 'man' have a baby (as we almost witnessed in Oregon this last year - HA!), I don't think 2 'real' men (or women) are going to be naturally having babies anytime soon. Oh, I almost forgot ... that 'man', was actually a WOMAN ... BUT they try NOT to mention that in any of their 'news' stories.

WHY?

Good question?


Anyhow ...


We are NOT Mormon - just to clarify.

I think it's fine if they decide to boycott Utah. It's one of the most gorgeous states in America.

Utah has 5 of America's national parks, making it the reigning champion. The parks include: Zion National Park (my ABSOLUTE FAVE), Bryce Canyon, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Capitol Reef National Park.

Here's a post we did when we came through Utah, with a few pictures of the parks thrown in for good measure. This way ... everyone who decides to boycott will know what they're missing. And here's a bit more info about Utah if you're interested in seeing how amazing it really is.


This way - maybe property values will drop through the floor there - and then anyone who disagrees with the P.C. movement can move there. Oh, but wait ... NO ONE disagrees with the P.C. movement and lives. I forgot ... sorry about that.


You can read more about the idiocy here:
Mormon boycott because they don't agree with you!




Al

Who killed General Motors?

Watched an interesting show last night ... about electric cars. Normally, I don't think I'd be this interested in the concept - except it costs ALL of us hundreds and thousands of dollars to deal with the idiocy of our leaders. PLUS, riding my bike every day sucks, and to be honest can be scary, with all the cars on the road.


Because of this - I've become interested in the future of the car market.


Anyhow ...

Electric Cars have had 'potential' commercial viability since the 90's.

Ultimately, HOWEVER, GM (the leader of the technology at the time) moth-balled the entire concept because of lots and lots and lots financial rhetoric.


The interesting twist on it is this ...

General Motors Corp. is in danger of losing its 76-year title as the world's sales leader, as totals for 2007 released on Wednesday showed the automaker in a virtual tie with Toyota Motor Corp.

Toyota - who was the only large auto manufacturer who has been willing to keep the electric market alive - has slowly taken over for General Motors.



And Finally this ...

Toyota surpassed General Motors in worldwide vehicle sales during the first three months of this year, marking the end of one of the longest runs of dominance in all of global industry and another milestone in America's long decline from unchallenged industrial pre-eminence.

Photo from http://i.treehugger.com
Watch the show, Who Killed the Electric Car, and you'll see that GM deserves to be killed. They devastated, what could have been an excellent concept, for their own greed.

And I'm NOT talking about environmental protection. That doesn't even factor into my discussion AT ALL. I'm talking about cost savings on fuel and vehicle parts maintenance. And JOBS for all those laid of GM employees - because GM was too short-sighted, and greedy, to see what they had.


D.R.I.P. General Motors! (Don't Rest In Peace)

State of Florida is running out of money

Well ...

Apparently the State of Florida is running out of money. Florida Police were out in full force today brandishing their heavy-handed tactics to people who pay their taxes and spend their money upholding the defunct economy.

Instead of actually stopping real criminals who are out robbing, hurting, selling drugs, and murdering people ... they were on the streets giving traffic citations for cheesy crap.

Bringing in LOTS of Monkey Money for the State.

PHEW!

For a second there I thought we were all going to run out of domestic assistance programs.

Things that I can really use ... like ... umm ... welfare (Oh, I don't use that) ... education (Oh, I don't use that either) ... roads (Oh, I DO use those, but they're all falling apart - and the ones that are in the best shape ARE TOLL ROADS and don't have sidewalks) ... unemployment (Oh, I don't use that).

I'm running out of reasons WHY I want to support these guys. I'm sorry. Please fill me in if I'm missing something here.




And, may the officers who give out first-time citations (AND ENJOY IT) for minor offenses get MANY, MANY years of high-action, high-speed, highly dangerous adventures ... cause I'm pretty sure they dig it!


P.S. And yes, we did get a ticket. But not for reckless driving, or driving while intoxicated, or driving through a red light, or a hit and run, or evading police ... ours was for having a fully tinted front window, which was on the car when we bought it. Instead of getting a warning with a 30 day fix - the moron gave us a full on ticket. Yeah, MORON! I think he enjoyed himself ... so I'll enjoy myself calling him that.


But, thank goodness he caught us before we did some REAL damage.

My gosh - it kinda reminds me of the older gentleman who was thrown in jail for letting his lawn get brown. WHOA! Can you believe he did that? Are you kidding me, in this economic climate ... with the problems we're facing ... and they throw the guy in jail for brown grass.

Some people have some mixed up priorities!

BEWARE when you come to the State of Florida ... all they want is your MONEY ... the MONKEYS!

Government Gas Price Basics - Uh ... Yeah ... RIGHT!

I am going to start with this:

Retail gasoline prices are mainly affected by crude oil prices and the level of gasoline supply relative to demand.

This quote - by the way - comes right from a Department of Energy 'official' website at:
http://www.eia.doe.gov


Ummm ... Hello ...
If this were truly the case - the price drop from $170 to $90 for the oil commodity would have 'ACTUALLY' had an impact on the price MONTHS AGO!

Am I right?


Just pointing out that the freaking gov-urn-ment has no idea what they're doing.


PLUS - in addition to this little factoid - I read the gov-urn-ment is now going to be taking over some banks with their 'bailout plan'.

Question ... ?

If the gov-urn-ment controls your bank, then they can control how you get, spend, and receive your money? If you know ANYTHING about history (and the Bible) ... then you MUST KNOW that doesn't bode well!


Al