i'm trying

Well, with work and being sick, I haven't gotten very far in my life sciences study. But I am noticing that, wow, i sure as hell didn't retain much. The first chapter is covering the basics of measurement used (metrics). I might have to read this chapter a couple times just to remember these ...or make some cheat sheets to hang above the computer. Did you know the herpes virus is 100 nanometers in diameter, four times the size of the polio virus?

Something for Nov 19th

I'm sitting in the lobby of the Country Inn & Suites, Panama City, Florida, writing up this blog today.

My boss sent three of my co-workers and I over here to install the window/door framing for a new Panera Bread store on 23rd St.

It's actually been a really good trip, other than the 'oh-shit-haps' that seem to be floating around me a lot this week. All of the frames are going in quite easily and fitting good. Today we should be finishing up with all the major components, then coming back next week or soon after to install the glass.

This Country Inn & Suites that we're at is quite nice. So quiet in the halls that I kept worrying we were being too loud. I had gone to the front desk to grab an ethernet cord and mentioned to the guy at the front desk about how loud we may have been, then his comment was (laughing) "they can't hear you." Good ...now, back to Wii Bowling. Really comfortable beds, sash-operating windows, microwave, fridge, ethernet/wireless internet, and a continental breakfast including waffles, sausage, cereals, bagels, omelets ...that was the best part. The breakfast was great ...and FREE! lol.

So yeah, I guess thats about it.
So, if you're in Panama City and looking for a good place to stay ... Country Inn & Suites, on Harrison Dr/St/Ave (?). You'll enjoy it.

That's it ya'll.

This is my lil sister and her daughter, Tia.

You and me and the rest of the world

The past (say, 10) years have been quite a learning experience for me. As I'm writing this, I'm trying to figure out how to start. I know where I want to go, the introduction is not quite coming to my fingers.

Mary had a little lamb ...no, thats not it.

I have involved myself in some open discussion social groups recently (and plan to continue them for a little while) about life, the choices we make and how they progress. I have noticed in these groups that too many people so easily blame others or the system for the sh*t that goes on in their life. Not that i just noticed it, but how rampant it is. Like no one is being taught personal responsibility anymore. Now, in no way am I saying I've got life figured out or am perfect in anyway (my ego has been stepped on a few times). What I am saying is, most of life's 'troubles' are not the fault of others, but of our own choices. I've made some really dumb mistakes in my time, but learning from one's mistakes is the best way to progress thru life.

Cause and effect: Science class in primary and secondary education teaches us that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. What I think is failing in the education of this property is people aren't being taught (or realizing) that it not only applies in the books, but also in life ...everyday. Every step we take, individually and socially, every breath we take, every decision we make, every action we involve has an effect.

Personal responsibility is realizing that effect, working thru the consequences, and learning as you go. When a mistake is made, we should be learning from those mistakes and not repeating those same mistakes. Do we blame others when things are going well? The vast majority of life's problems could be eliminated if responsibility was taken by each of us for the lives we lead.

Man, all this sounded so much more eloquent in my head, lol.

A challenge to the world:
Live life responsibly. Think before acting. Accept the consequences of your choices and actions. Learn from your own mistakes and the mistakes of others. Turn mistakes into lessons. As many mistakes as we all make, we should be good at this stuff by now. No wonder we aren't more advanced as a people than we are. It's too easy to say its someone else's fault.

Sorry, for the rant. Its just that some people's mentalities annoy the crap out of me.

April 21st 2009

Hello again. Its been a while ...again.
Work has kept me extremely busy, but quite a few things have been going on. The most recent is ...

Khali had puppies. Five of them. I'm pretty sure who the father is, but its still up for a little debate. Once we bring them in for their first vet visit we'll probably find out. I think the father is Dudley, a chihuaha/dachshund. Khali is a shorty russel terrier with really beautiful markings. We were all kind of worried how the pups were gonna turn out, thinking they'd be so ugly only a mother could love them. Now that they're here, I gotta say they're quite adorable. Three male pups and two females. I was also kind of worried how she'd be as a mother. She loves to do her own thing and run around, but she has turned out to be an extremely good mother so far, cleaning and feeding them constantly.

I was hoping to be home when she gave birth to them, but unfortunately i was at work in Pascagoula, MS. I asked the rest of the household to video the process, but I guess I don't get my way there, lol.

We'll see how things go with them before we decide if we're going to keep them all or just a couple. They are cute, but 6 small dogs running around might be a little too much to handle around here.

I'll try to get some pics or video posted eventually.

Well, thats it for this post.
Catch me later.

Super Day

First comment; Jennifer Hudson's rendition on Sunday's Super Bowl has got to be the most beautiful one I have ever heard. Thank you, Jennifer, for an outstanding rendition of our National Anthem.

And the game ...I didn't get to watch half of it, but thats a different story. I did get to watch the opening ceremony, coin toss, the Boss take stage, then halfway thru the 3rd til the end. Although, I did not have a favorite or bias in this game, I definitely wanted to watch it for the sport (and, of course, the ads and show-factor). Unfortunately, a friend of mine who was at the bar with us, annoyed the
%$#@ out of me. He obviously does not get or understand the sport, nor does he respect those who do. He almost got a back alley facial reconstruction ...I'll forgive him!
How 'bout that last 52 seconds?!

On a different note, I got to witness honest humanity Saturday afternoon while at the gas station. How easy would it be to just say, 'wow, i got a new phone!' A patron of the gas station had accidentally dropped his cell phone and didn't notice. Another gentleman saw the phone and tried to find the owner. Calling a number on the phone already, he informed the person on the other end of the line of the situation and where he was leaving it. He then gave it to the cashier with the information. Most of the similar experiences I've witnessed, individual's will look around, then pocket the find. I would like to thank that gentleman for his part in humanity.

Well, thats pretty much it for right now.

To all who don't, i hope you do.
To all who do, salut!

No, I wasn't high when I wrote this

So I was reading through a forum discussion at a site I have been visitting quite a bit lately.

A poster wrote the following:
"Smoking Weed has some major risks some of which make cigarettes look friendly. I suspect smoking blue grass is not very good for you either.

Eating it (also illegal) has proved to be beneficial in many ways for some people with few health risks far fewer that that bag of chips. Is there a health reason to support the use or is it just trying to avoid the real world for a few minutes?"

Well, I was compelled to respond. The thread concerned cannabis interfering in a relationship and another poster had asked for help. A few posters got kind of off the topic, including myself, but I felt compelled to educate some instead of allowing misinformation to continue. Think of my stand as you will, but the right information leads to the right decisions is my goal. Following was my response in that forum (sorry for the length, lol, but this is my blog):

----------
About the risks of smoking weed, the ONLY risks are 1)legality, and 2)the biproducts of smoking. I'm going to assume by the first sentence that you're referring to the health risks involved from the biproducts of smoking. First of all, wherever that came from was not complete. The nicotine in tobacco cigarettes excite a great number of specific receptors in your brain [that get very angry when they don't get their fix], and has been proven highly addictive, not just mentally, but physically. Prepackaged cigarettes contain a significant number of chemicals used for preservation and flavor, much of which alone are destructive to cells and membranes throughout the respiratory system. The tar and specific byproducts in tobacco cigarettes is what is lower than that of cannabis, but not because of the difference between the two products; it is because of the curing and preservation process of tobacco refinery. The tobacco is more dried out (unless one is growing and curing the tobacco themselves). The nicotine and tar from tobacco will also soak in to fabrics and coat walls (the same as it does in your lungs).

Cannabis, on the other hand, excites a fewer number of receptors in your brain [that are just fine without their fix], and has been proven not physically addictive (mentally yes, but that is an individual basis regarding that individuals 'willpower' and level of maturity). Prepackaged cannabis does not contain artificial flavorings (unless one adds it themselves), nor does it contain any preservatives. Cannabis smokers are kinda picky in that sense ...the fresher the better. The tar from cannabis smoking, comparing freshly cured cannabis and freshly cured (not preserved) tobacco of comparable grades, is relatively the same. Now, cannabis smoke does contain much more ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides than tobacco, yet no link to cancer can be found; but, the cannabinoid CBD is being further studied for the appearance of positive results in treating breast cancer. Furthermore, cannabinoids love fat cells ...nicotine loves mucal (did i spell that right?) membranes and 'brain matter.'
When a non-smoker of tobacco walks in to the house of indoor tobacco smokers, they will immediately smell the nicotine and tar that is coated on everything. That same non-smoker walks in to the house of indoor cannabis smokers who are not tobacco smokers, they may notice a faint sweet smell.
Also, the smell of tobacco will stay permanent until the nicotine and tar are removed (by hand, not naturally), even without continued smoking thereafter. The smell of cannabis will faintly dissipate in less than a day after the last 'smoke.'

Yes, digesting cannabis is ideal so that one is not inhaling the smoke byproducts (actually, a vaporizer is ideal), but requires a significantly larger quantity for the 'effects' of THC that are desirable, unless it is solely for the herbal taste addition to the foods (which is quite common, and quite good). There is no benefit whatsoever, flavor or health, in digesting tobacco. It is actually horrible tasting and a detriment to health in the same manner as smoking it except it will also aid in ulcers in the mucal membranes of the throat, stomach and intestinal tract, instead of the lungs. The nicotine still makes its way to the brain. Also, cannabis consumption, including smoking it, will lower respiration rates, raise metabolism, lower pressure in the eyeballs (hence glaucoma users), entice appetite, and ease nausea, among other things. Tobacco raises circulatory rates and metabolism, excites nerves (thus the whole stress relief thing is completely due to the mental and physical addiction), lowers appetite, and has been known to induce nausea.

The findings of almost all scientific studies on cannabis show absolutely no reason for cannabis to be regulated in Schedule I (Schedule IV in international treaty). The absolute reason 'marijuana' was outlawed is due to the government's inability to control use and the flow of product coming in to the country, specifically from Mexico/Mexican immigrants (legal and illegal) in the early and mid 1930s. The term 'marijuana' is derived from the Mexican-Spanish term for cannabis – marihuana. The propaganda push from cannabis opponents lobbying government used this term to excite the population relating the immigration problem, namely Mexicans, and 'marijuana.' Those damned Mexicans (please read that statement in a satiric tone)!


There are a GREAT number of medical doctors that recommend cannabis, whether smoking or ingesting, to cancer, glaucoma and HIV patients, among other ailment sufferers, whether legal or not.

To all I hope and encourage unbiased education rather than misinformation and propaganda.

WooHoo!

Ladies and gentlemen ...

I have made some adaptations to the blogspot to hopefully make things a little more appealing, lol.

I've added a poll, which I'll try to keep up with, and a couple other gadgets, including a new template.

Some of you get this post by email because I put you on a list (got ya suckas), but I'd love it if you would go to the blogspot and check out the other blogs and gadgets. Let me know what u think. Comment. Lol, do something. Spread the word; there's a lunatic on the web and he's got his own blogspot.

Here's to hoping tomorrow is always brighter than yesterday, and today we have each other. SALUT!

Nobility and Reverance

19 days since my last post. I've got some important news ...my two neices are celebrating their birthdays.
Happy Birthdays, Tia and Alexis.

Love,
Uncle Fatty and Cochise

The Song is Over ...Next

Man, there are so many times in a week that I wish I worked at home ...lol.
So, I've got this idea. Kinda 'if'y, might not work, dunno. Let me know what you think of it? lol.
I will forewarn any readers that this does involve a bit of 'Big Brother' idealism. Just a warning; intended for mature audiences.

We know that all the bailout money so far IS NOT going to work. It's evident that it is only procrastinating the inevitable. 1) Before any more funds are allocated as a 'bailout' or 'stimulus' or any other such idiotic terminology, the government pushes the stop button.
When a driver has steered off the road, it is the wisdom of, and in best interest of, the driver to correct the steer and return to the road, given traffic is clear to proceed ...or pull over if possible, stop, regain composure, then resume corrective action and get going.
I think we missed a turn back somewhere, and we need to get on the right road from where we are. Also, the traffic on the road is quite heavy, with crashes everywhere all the time ...not to mention the animals and stupid people crossing in front of us. As a nation, as well as a global society, we need to realize that the childhood dreamcar we've been racing around in for the past couple hundred years is falling apart ...maintenance is more than its worth. It's time to buy a new car.

I remember the days when people were looked at funny for owning foreign vehicles; when no foreign auto felt comfortable in the same parking lot as American autos. People dreamt away childhoods fantasizing about American cars. Now, oh man! Now, it costs too damn much to start with, and sure as h3ll isn't worth it, drinks too much gas, could do better on safety and safety related recalls, and aren't near as powerful as the yacht my dad bought the family when we were kids in Hillsboro, ND; it was American. Or, how about those American cars that are suchered (probably not spellt right -- those dissolvable stitches) up pieces from around the globe.

Haha. You're probably waiting for me to get to number 2. I'll get there ...lol.

In a process that would take, in my naive estimate, approximately two years if done right and well, we can set our compasses and embark on a journey, together; bring hope back to EVERY American; change the economic structure to fit for a much more 'fair share' (don't worry, not a sort of redistribution of wealth); again set for the world a goal to reach and a dream that does come true; be on a path to ending poverty and homelessness; be free from fear of a neighbor; live the American dream; show the world what democracy is all about when we can stand in the face of global adversity, and with a sure foot down proclaim, that we are proud to be American.

Here is the catch -- government direction, government involvement, government incentives, and government oversight. We pay the government a lot of money. They better start listening to us. They better start leading.

So, here's my cyllabus (i shoulda paid attention in school). It won't be possible to put the whole plan in one blog. No one would read it. So, here are things pertaining to this plan that I will address in upcoming blogs, and definitely feel free to message or comment me with questions or comments.
The future of the auto industry
Unemployment
Banking and The Market
Real Estate
Health Care
International Relations
The Friggin IRS
Education is the key to EVERYTHING

Please, stay tuned.

We have choices ...

I mentioned in my previous post, the meaning of life is in the pursuit of the meaning of life ...do i need to explain it a little further? Let's see ...

Knowledge -- man, how does one define knowledge <---hint, click here <---
Intelligence -- putting it all together
Wisdom -- applying it

We can put it in a roleplaying format: the more knowledge you gain and use that knowledge, the more intelligent you get; thus, the more you practice everything you learn and how certain things work together or don't work together, the better you get at applying it. And then there's charisma, but not now.

Or the creation view with the tree of life and tree of knowledge of good and evil ...in that case, life being the pursuit of life (meaning of life), and knowledge being the sudden epifany (did i spell that right?) that one has a choice of 'good' and 'evil.'

We have choices ...

Although faith has played a very instrumental role in my pursuit, I don't claim a religion. I understand much about faith and socio-alliance structures, but do not align with any one system. In a sense, I have used religion to 'see the big picture.' I do believe that ALL the 'parts' of the globe/world are integral to all of what was, is, and is to come. I believe its in the correlation of and desire for truth and answers from history that will prepare us for EVERYTHING that is to come, and whats next on the horizon. In school, I remember classes being referred to as lessons ...history lessons: Did we learn anything?

The American society has absolutely no reason to be behind the bar on so many levels. In this wonderfully crafted democratic society we proudly call home, we have the access to vast volumes and libraries and resources of just about everything, yet we piddle potential away with convenience, comfort, and complacency. Saying we're proud as Americans isn't as loud as taking pride in being American. Being the leading example of all human potential is at our feet, but we trample over it for the sake of convenience, comfort, and complacency.

A philosophy of mine is 'Life is a quest with an undefined beginning, and an undefined end. To know where it goes, one must find the origin.' I believe it to be possible through correlative inspection to find the 'origin,' thus finding truth. To borrow a cliche from a mainstream faith, the truth will set us free. Somewhere, globally, mankind got way off course and followed tangents rather than truth. Greed soon reared its ugly head, and now we're in the pickle of a lifetime. I believe we can find the origin, find the truth, see where we are, and make way for where we're going ...but not until we take pride in being Americans ...take pride in being human. Our choices direct our paths; every action has an opposite and equal reaction; every decision comes with consequences.

There is a MIGHTY change coming to this globe; I believe we can all be ready, and we can all play an integral part in how things shape for the future.

According to Wikipedia

According to Wikipedia ...

Schmuck is most often used in English as a pejorative or insult, meaning a stupid or detestable person.
Schmuck entered English as a borrowed word from Yiddish, where it is an obscene term literally meaning a foreskin or head of a penis, and an insult. In his famous cultural lexicon, The Joys of Yiddish, Leo Rosten lists the Yiddish schmuck as related to the Slovene word, šmok, meaning "a fool, an innocent, a gullible dolt".

Ah, so thats what a schmuck is!

What are you afraid of?

Now and then, I'll 'evaluate' myself ...by talking to myself.

Recently (in the car on my way home), I asked myself, "What are you afraid of?" As if, it was being asked by someone one could trust with their innermost.

First and foremost (atleast until it can be defined further), I'm not a big fan of hostile confrontation, especially verbal, between coworkers and friends. All others I'm at ease with. And, this is most definitely to a detriment. For instance, we needed to fabricate an addition to our tempering machine at work to make the flow of progress much more efficient. It was discussed for quite some time, but with everything going on in our shop, there was very little opportunity to progress. When that time did arrive and we discussed what materials to use, there was conflict; wood, which was plentiful and cheap, or aluminum and tin, which was more costly and an ordering process that would have taken up to 2 weeks. The wood won over because of one man's insistance (although we have a welder and machine on premise), and now we wait and see if it catches fire: hopefully not. What we did make out of aluminum (we have a metal bender), there was conflict over. Keeping in mind that I run this operation that the additional fabrication is for, the wood idea was from the 'manager' of another division (of which we are all a part of) ...that might be another post. Anyway, although neither of us has explicit authority over the other (unless my division is not in operation, then he does have authority over me), I allowed him to lead the process of this additional fabrication. Wow, this is getting longer than I thought it would be. Aaaannnd, back to the aluminum part ...after a few minutes of thought and discussion with a coworker, I had to step up. So, roughly 15 minutes after the discussion with the 'leader,' I had to disagree and tell him. I'm going to make these {this way}. He said 'ok.' Hrmmmm ....learn something.

I'm afraid of flying stinging insects, like wasps, hornets and bees. If the means are convenient, I'll atleast try to kill a bee, though. I don't get close enough to hornets and wasps to kill them. And they know it. They taunt me all the time. I hate those things. When I was a little kid, like 5 I think, I was stung on my upper-inner thigh (extremely close to something I would soon be close to) by a bee. That was a terrifying ordeal. Then, two years ago, helping my father-in-law trim a loquat tree in our backyard, I was swarmed and attacked by hornets. Since that day, you will hear a grown man wine about hornets and wasps.

I've had other fears in the past, but a great deal of them have been dealt with and there's nothing I can think of now that I fear ...save hornets, wasps, bees, and verbal hostile conflict between coworkers and friends. Thats all!

My 2nd Blog

So now I'm thinking, as i've navigated through other posts on blogger, "how am i going to bring in some traffic ...without sending out a bunch of annoying spams to people i know?"

I haven't really seen the traffic on blogger/blogspot that would induce a possible accidental stop on my blog. maybe i will go post to some forums and stuff and just introduce myself to others in the community of voices.

I've actually had fun so far. I think this will be great, mainly because i have so much in my head, but i'm somewhat the procrastinator. and i usually forget what i was gonna say or do by the time i get around to saying or doing it.

learn something, do something, go somewhere

the 13th Baktun

About a year or yr 1/2 ago, i saw on Discovery or History a show covering ancient central/southamerican natives. One of the topics was their calendar use. The long-count calendar, as was commonly later referred to as, was also used by the mesopotamians. In my pursuit of some knowledge, i looked up the calendar. wow, the things i discovered.

this entire topic is of great occupation for me and i've spent many hours researching. so, without giving in to any PREsumptions, i'll just throw some information out to be ingested ...

the following is an email i just sent my mother when we were discussing some extremely interesting topics:

"
using what i've gotten, i'm presuming the long count calendar was one of five calendars that are to be combined to give a complete history and future...

-the long count calendar (mesopotamian/mayan) goes through 13 baktuns (which will currently end dec 21 or 23 2012)

-the next would be a calendar adding up baktuns; 1 pictun = 20 baktun = 2,880,000 days =approx. 7885 years (ending Columbus Day, October 12, 4772)
-then ...1 calabtun = 20 pictun = 57,600,000 days = approx. 158,000 years
-then ...1 kinchiltun = 20 calabtun = 1,152,000,000 days = approx. 3 million years
-then ...1 alautun = 20 kinchiltun = 23,040,000,000 days = approx. 63 million years

also, approximately 65 million years ago was the event killing off the dinosaurs (allegedly, lol)
"*end of email*

another note to consider, the current pictun will complete its cycle 2,760 years following the completion of this 13th baktun.

so, where is this all going?

in my research, although limited, i have become convinced that the year 2012 will play a most dramatic role in the shaping of this planet and humankind. Not in any conspiratal manner (unless some faith-based belief system is correct), rather in the definitive 'apocalyptic' manner. please note that apocalypse does not literally mean disaster. please look up the definition for urself.

there are so many bulletins that we can discuss concerning this year, that it would be impossible to cover in one post. so, here and there i'll post something. lol, don't worry, this topic won't consume all the posts, but many things i will post are/will be 'coincidentally' relative to how my life is shaped, including its influence by 2012.

did u know the comet Eros (of which we have a satellite stationed on), and the planet Nibiru are at a galactic intersection with Earth in 2012? the next US Presidential elections are in 2012, as well as MANY others around the globe.

if anyone would like to join this discussion, please contribute.

Learn Something; Do Something

My first blog

So, yeah, this is my first blogging post (other than a short stint on myspace). I'm a pretty eclectic thinker and often have deep thoughts that help me explain to myself what is going on in my own world and the world surrounding. As my motto goes, "Learn something, do something, go somewhere."

We'll see how this goes.

My posts will cover anything from a good stiff drink to cataclysmic events, from my dog to politics, and from religion to recreation. I don't proclaim to know everything, nor be right in what I think/write, but its my blog.

Please, read and comment if you'd like. Please, be respectful as I will be respectful.

Learn Something, Do Something, Go Somewhere