The Lesser of Two Evils…

...I don’t much care for that line of reasoning. I am personally rather disgusted that the choice ALWAYS seems to be the Lesser of Two Evils when it comes to choosing the leader of the free world.

I don’t want to have to choose evil in any form. I want to choose the Right Leader. The Leader who has the ability to make the correct decision more often than not. I am not looking for “perfection”. That doesn’t exist. I am looking for a Leader who has taken on the responsibility not because he covets power, but because he loves his family and wants to do his part to ensure the safety and security of his family along with my family for as long as possible. To me, this means that the far reaching decisions he makes while in office are based on the right thing to do for the Long Run, not just for the immediate gains that may be attained. If the right thing to do happens to anger the people who helped fund the way into office, then too bad for them.

I want to put a Leader in the White House whose honesty and integrity are beyond question. Not because he says they are, but because his entire adult life was spent PROVING it. Show me THAT man, and you will have my support and loyalty. Show me THAT man, and I will do MY part to see to it that other people are aware of him!

Once again, the mainstream presidential choices are not to my liking. One is a man who has had a shot at leading and, by many means of measuring success, has failed. And there is another who has, as many would say, questionable ethics in regard to his desire to attain the office. As far as I can tell, he is just as capable of causing a great many problems for this country and this world as the incumbent is.

So where does that lead us? With a choice that is, in my opinion, no choice at all. EVIL or evil. Either way you spell it, it’s got the same definition.

Blech.

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Just to let you all know, the above statement is my own, original writing. But I just recently found a link to a site that offers a similar bent on the "Lesser of Two Evils" concept. I have NOT done extensive research on this site and I am not declaring myself in agreement with everything it has to say, but in the case of THIS subject, I have to say that I certainly am mightily impressed with how similar our views are. Please take a few minutes and read the article, and then I would really appreciate it if you posted any thoughts or feedback you have in the comments section.

Nobody Blogs it Better

Well, that may be going a bit overboard. But not by much. When I first started looking into Blogging, I did some web searches, and read a little bit of a lot of peoples blogs. When I found a blog that I really enjoyed, I would bookmark it and check back every so often to see what's new there. It's kind of strange reading strangers blogs. You get to a point of familiarity with the writers. Not like they are your friends per se, just that there is a history that you know about because you read it when they wrote it. And if they are anything like me, they wrote it when they were emotionally compelled to do so. Sharing a bit of their own souls in the process. The good, the bad, the funny, the horrifying experiences of their lives are shown to you as part of the cathartic and healing power of Blogging.

(You may not think that is true. I am not trying to convince you that it is. But if you are at all interested in learning about it, try it out yourself, and I am convinced that you will agree with me.)

Well, back to the point. There are a small number of other blogs out there that I really like. And to help people find out about them, I have added links to a few of them on my site. So, when you, my loyal readers get the email that brings you back here...please take a little time to read some of them...and then leave me some feedback on this site.

Thanks!!

Longer Hours, Less Pay

I have to admit that I hate working overtime. Really. I like to work my scheduled shift and go home at my scheduled time. Now, with that being said, if I do happen to work more than my alloted hours, I appreciate the extra money that comes along with my personal sacrifice. I think it is fair and just that employers pay that time and a half to thier employees. They are, after all, the people responsible for the success of the business. Whatever that business may be. Now, there are changes to the Overtime Wages rules that may well affect a huge number of people in this country. And from what I have heard, the changes are not good for the employee.

I am certainly not pretending to be an expert on these wage issues, but it seems to me to that this latest turn of events is yet another reason why we all need to work towards being in business for ourselves! As "Employees" we are at the mercy of everyone else making decisions which don't have the best interest of ourselves and our families at heart.

The people in charge have made a change that seems to be a slap in the face of the middle class worker. These are people who, for the most part, are just doing what was asked of them since childhood.

They went to school. Some, went to college, others didn't, but they have all been acclimated to the system which advocates a life of perpetual service to the notion that working for a little stippend is the only choice we have in this life.

Get a job, and work to pay taxes. Buy a house, and work to pay the mortgage and other bills. Have a family, and work to support them so that the cycle perpetuates with the children.

This article goes into greater detail about the changes in the Overtime labor laws. Do yourself a favor and read it. Then, when you are ready to take a stand against these changes, Take Your Stand!

Longer Hours, Less Pay

Are we ever truly alone?

We carry our enemies with us wherever we go, their blades flashing at us and blinding us at every opportunity that we allow them to.

It is only with the greatest of efforts that we are able to still the movement of that blade. And all of that effort is internal. That is what makes it so difficult.

But when we finally do succeed in stopping the blades of our enemies from striking at us, we learn that we have become stronger from the effort. And THAT is the reason that our enemy was their in the first place.

For it is truly spoken: That which does not Kill us, Makes Us Stronger.

Words...and the words that make them.

Ever since I heard my first George Carlin album, I have learned a fascination with the english language. Words are particularly interesting when we use them to make more words. And then we make words out of the words that we used other words to make! (Anyone in the least bit familiar with the computer industry knows what I mean by that!)

Well...Here is a place that lets you find the words that are behind the words.
Acronym Finder: Find out what over 359,000 acronyms & abbreviations stand for

Explore the site a bit and you will find a way to make your own as well!

Enjoy!

The MOST Original Computer Case Mod I Have Ever Seen!!

Honestly I am not really that big into computer case modifications. I mean, I can see the attraction to it for people with the technical skill to do them. And I like the idea of building a computer to meet your own requirements...the fastest processor, best graphics and sound cards you can afford, and of course all the RAM your system can take! But I am not one of those people who make my own modifications. Cutting holes in a computer case to install neon lights is not something I have a need to do. But, there are times when you see something that just makes you stop and say "Wow! That is too cool!" THIS is one of those things...Even if you are not "into" Anime, you should be able to appreciate the craftsmanship needed to create a mod like this.

It turns out that the man who made this one, makes other custom rigs in all kinds of shapes. Check out his site for more of his work! He is Japanese, but he has some pages in english as well!

Hey...let me know what you think about this stuff! I am interested to know your opinions!

Email from an Old Friend

This war touches us all.

Whether you agree with the reasons we are there or not. Whether you think you are affected or not there is no way to avoid the truth. If you live in this country, you are being affected by the war.

Like so many other civilians here at home, I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the war other then when I hear about it on the news. And even then, it’s become something that is so “familiar” that I have a hard time remembering the details of what is being said at the time I am hearing them.

But now, I have received an email from a friend and I find that I am more affected by it than I have been by anything else that I have seen or heard to date on the news or in the papers, or on the Internet.

You may have seen emails in your in box, or postings on web pages that talk about things like this before. I know I have. But there is always a feeling of disconnection when I see them. Like they aren’t written by real people. That they were somehow culled from some anonymous source and spontaneously came to be there. I hear so much about how websites are automated to be updated with the latest news feeds that it seems like there is less and less human interaction with the stories. That makes it easier to be casual when reading about some atrocity or another that is taking place many miles from where I am.

This is NOT one of those stories. I can attest to the legitimacy of the author of the email. He was my Drum Instructor while he lived here in Phoenix. He’s in Chicago now teaching kids about the glory and thrill of Rudimental Drumming. He is a Marine. He signed his email “Former Marine” but I have known enough Marines to know that there is no such thing as “Former” when talking about the Corps. The boy he is writing about is a Marine as well. Here it is…

-----Original Message-----
From: Fagiano U.S.A.

Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 9:44 PM

Subject: L/Cpl. Jonathan Collins U.S.M.C. 19 yrs. old.

Dear Friends,

I am writing this email about a young Marine I really never new. But I do know His Mother Angelic and His Father John. And more so His little 13 yr. old Sister Devon, who is one of my drum students at a store I teach at in Crystal Lake Illinois. I know His mom marched in the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps. in 1976. And His sister loved him very much and was so proud of Him. And always wore a Marine jacket he had given Her. As I watched the news tonight in Chicago, I was devastated to hear He was killed in Iraq Sunday. He had four weeks to his duty was done over there protecting people who really don't care about us or America.

As I got on my web page and went to the picture section of the 2004 drum contest. I looked at the page two at the bottom right corner, with Devon wearing the jacket that her brother gave her. And then it really hit home. I guess I am writing this to try and ease the anger of hearing about another young U.S.Marine (U.S. Soldier) dying for who knows what. If anything, please don't forget about our Soldiers and say a prayer for them daily, and there families and love ones. If He was anything like His Family, He was one hell of a Young Man. And being a U.S. Marine, (US Soldier) He was one of the best.

God Bless You Lance Corporal Collins.

Semper Fidelis (Always faithful)

Sincerely,

A Former Marine

Crime Doesn't Pay in a Washington DC Subway!

But...what was the crime here? I am still trying to figure that out. Seems to me that this was a pretty large waste of Law Enforcement Resources. Not to mention the pure rediculousness of "Outlawing" consumption of a candy bar. I mean, have an ordinance against littering and I will support it! But how can you ARREST someone for eating a candybar? Yeesh!!

CNN.com - Subway rider arrested for eating candy - Jul 29, 2004