New Year’s Day 2014 begins with a sense of happiness…

For the first time in several years, a New Year's Day dawns with an overwhelming sense of peace and happiness.  The energy feels good and there is a delightful vibe of excitement as though some really good things are in store...and I'm grateful for that!

One of the things I did was a Google search for my name and this blog came up. I was a bit surprised to realize I'd not updated it in more than four years yet it was still hanging strong on my rankings.  Perhaps it's time for some TLC to it!

The year has already begun by me making more use of Outlook and the types of activities I had jotted down on my planner in the past, are now daily objectives so that I am reminded to spend some time on them.  They are actually quite simple -- fitness, financial, and writing. 

Fitness:  Before the heat of summer begins, I have a goal weight that I have established to aim for.  With a diet of water, juicing, and raw / vegetarian, I have faith that I will achieve my goal by my date of 31 May 2014.

Financial:  Set goals with where I am now and how much to achieve my goal listed.  I am focused on achieving these goals by the 31 December 2014.

Writing:  Every single day I will post a minimum of two articles.  I wish to heighten my presence again and condition myself.  Writing, much like physical exercise, must be maintained to keep the skills sharp and efficient. 

Other 2014 goals include:

• Launch my Embrace Life web channel
• Writing a book
• Improve my French linguistic skills back to conversational level
• Spend a week in Paris, France
• Buy a beautiful, perfectly running Mercedes-Benz SLK

And there they are....so I'm ready to embrace 2014 and have a wonderful year!

Perceptions

Last night I attended a Dallas Producers Association meeting and it was an interesting study in perceptions. The theme was "Member Showcase" and, to me, that signifies that if you are going to show off a sample of your work it should be top-notch stellar as you are trying to impress your peers.

One presenter gave everyone a tip on how to bring something into focus when shooting. Oddly though, it was a tip that even a non-shooter like myself already knew.

Another presenter showed an approximate 4 minute long piece that just went on and on about some sort of new phone technology. Curiously enough, he kept apologizing for the piece. It made me wonder why someone would show a sample of their work if they were going to continually apologize for it.

There was one presenter, who is a DP, that had some really funny clips. Unfortunately, I tried to find my 2 favs from his reel but they aren't on YouTube.

Another presenter showed us a clip that was shot at The Lodge. Now let me preface that Dallas and Honolulu are the two US cities known for having the best strip clubs. The Lodge is at the top of the food chain. So we were forewarned that the clip would be racy and edgy. We watched it. The lights came on. Everyone was wondering what the cautions were about since we see things FAR more edgier on a basic Tuesday night episode of Sons of Anarchy.

Seriously. A comedian on stage at The Lodge peforming before an audience. Everyone is clothed. Nothing racy is being said. Compare that to Sons of Anarchy where you can see shots of bottomless porn stars sexually riding a biker boy. Granted there aren't any money shots, but it does make wonder about the people and their various perceptions as to what is racy to one person is yawnsville to a group of others.

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Today is a spectacular day in Dallas. It's in the mid-70's, skies are blue and it makes me reliaze why I like autumn so much better than spring. Spring, as great is it can be, always makes me thing that the heat of summer is just right around the corner. Autumn, however, is like a great big sigh of relief because the heat of summer is over!

Cinnamon and Honey

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call "crystallizing".

When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was.

Never boil honey or put it in a microwave.

To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.

Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around.

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon:

It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases.
Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases.

Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.

Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead ofjelly and jam, and e at it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat.

In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins..

ARTHRITIS:

Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University , it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon20cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS:
According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient'

which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from the flu.

LONGEVITY:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of boiling water to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES:
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste.
Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning
with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS:
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:
Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder in one cup of boiled water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also,drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully.. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE:
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing teeth and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH:
People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS:
Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

Fashion Police & Fried Foods...

Ahhh Dallas. The buildings are covered in mirrored glass so we can gaze in wide wonder at our own beauty. We pay homage to the temple that is Neiman-Marcus. We always dress properly even if we are dashing down to the 7-11.

At this time of the year, we start to get a mischievous glint in our eyes as we think about the people watching that will begin in 21 days at the great State Fair of Texas. The Fair is sublime for people watching because we see souls that we never see at any other time of the year. We wonder where they stay hidden the rest of the year. It's the type of forum in which the saying, "Spandex is a privilege, not a right," really comes into play.

So it was with much disdain that I read the list of foods up for consideration as this year's best "fried food" at the Fair. As I read the first item on the list, I honestly felt queasy:

• Deep Fried Butter could push the grease-o-meter to a new high. “100 percent pure butter is whipped ’til light and fluffy, then specially sweetened with a choice of several flavors.” It is then surrounded by a “special dough” and quick-fried.

I know thousands of people attend the Fair for the sole reason of indulging in bad food. My one indulgence was a Fletcher's Corny Dog. Last year, after being on a kick of eating healthy, The Illustrious One and I looked on in glee as we got our obligatory corny dog. (We like to attend on the first day because it's not terribly crowded, the park is clean, and the grease if fresh.) We both bit into our respective wienies but there was no wide eyed "Mmmmm" this year. We mirrored one another's face with a look of, "This isn't so good."

If I recall correctly, neither one of us finished our single corny dog. It was rather sad as we stood there in Big Tex's shadow and watched people younger than us, that visually appeared healthy and could use a good walk, dash about on Rascals.

Of course this now leads us into our final rant which is on fashion. Tonite, I am scheduled to go to an advanced screening of The September Issue. I felt it was only appropos to whet my visual appetite by reviewing the site People of Walmart. This site has provided me with fresh reasons for my boycott WalMart list!

Today has been lively. I've been working on 48 Hour Film Project details and trying to figure out a well rounded group of judges. I believe that both of the judges I contacted today will confirm. I'm toying between 2 possibilities for the 3rd slot and will probably make that decision tomorrow. Upon approval by the powers that be at 48HFP, I will then be able to issue a press release announcing their names.

I'm very grateful to so many for helping me to promote and distribute info about the Dallas edition of 48HFP. This city had 22 teams the past couple years but when you learn that cities like Des Moines are pulling in 45, it just really lights a fire under you to get the Dallas numbers up this year. Boston had 90 teams; Washington DC had 110 so we have some serious ground to make up.

Tonite was the monthly mixer for the Dallas group of InterNations.org. We held it at Bengal Coast and everyone had a fantastic time. BC has a fantastic cocktail, Lychee Basil Mojito and it was wildly popular with all who had it. About half the group stayed for the prix fixe Chef's tasting but unfortunately I had another commitment at 9p so I couldn't stay.

A handful of people I know from the "Gayborhood" and the film community showed up and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Then it was off to a DEEP meeting at Chi. Much discussion with the Police as it was the Crime Watch meeting - the Dallas Police Department are really fantastic to us in Deep Ellum.

It's been a while since I posted on this blog. I handle the Dallas reviews for www.Wcities.com and I am also the Dallas editor for www.IsMyHome.com. I also contribute to luxury and travel blogs -- yes, I actually get paid to do this. It doesn't cover my living expenses but it does cover some basics like the motorcycle insurance, cell phone, etc.

However, with those blogs I do censor myself and keep things light and fluffy. This blog however, is where I can come to tell you what I really think. So, without further ado, here goes:

What the everlasting F*** is the U.S. Government thinking? We are spending $2.6 MILLION to study why Chinese whores drink while working? The study is referring to the whores as FSW which stands for "Female Sex Workers". Also, the polite term of "Gatekeeper" is being used in the study instead of Pimp or Madame.

When we've got people in southern Mississippi still living in tents due to Katrina and hearing that Medicare is running out of money, what is that liberal congealed mess in Congress thinking?!

Further, who are the esteemed "scientitsts" that are going to be hanging out in these whorehouses "observing" why prostititues engage in "dangerous sex" when they are drunk?

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My other vent is networking events.

When a person is organizing a networking event, they are dashing about making sure the handouts are ready to go, the beverages have had ample time to start icing down, the food is set up, the laptop & big screen monitor are set up, the furniture arranged, etc. And then, if the Gods are smiling, the organizer will have everything ready to go 60 minutes out but no later than 45 minutes out.

So yesterday, I was hosting an event and 45 minutes out everything was finalized and ready to go. It was my chance to spend a few blissful minutes to just chill as The Illustrious One took a power nap on the other end of the sofa. 5 minutes later, the door opens to the sounds of "Is this the place for....." Yes, 40 minutes early the first person arrived. No one else arrived for another 30 minutes.

Another quandary is when people arrive at 8:25p for an event that's ending at 8:30 and ask, "Are we late?" Seriously? You're seriously asking that?

Then, as we approach the 9p hour and people are still raiding the cookie tray and chit chatting, some of us are kind of hoping you all might be courteous enough to take your conversations over to one of the Deep Ellum restaurants or clubs. You see, we, the organizer(s), have been going non-stop for about 14 hours at this point and still have another 45-60 minutes to put the furniture back, find where all the used cups, napkins, and plates might have been stashed so they can be thrown away, clean up the area where the food & drinks were, get everything sealed up and in the fridge, run the dust mop over the floor and then around 10p, we are finally getting a chance to go home to just relax.

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And so that the world knows I am not all doom & gloom, today I received a really fantastic gift! My mom is amazingly creative and she has segued off ceramics and is into scrapbooking. This morning FedEx delivered a scrapbook for Harley Amadeus von Doberman and it is just over the top cool -- everyone that has seen it just loves it and says my mother ought to do this for $$. The Illustrious One and I will be pulling together photos for it and I'll post shots of the completed book.

There's a site that I've become rather fond of -- www.Hulu.com.

I was first turned on to Hulu when I found out that Sons of Anarchy was being shown there. The biggest perk for me is the Films section because they have things like old black and white classics to relatively modern-day releases.

Yes, there are a handful of commercials but each film only has about 5 commercial breaks and each break only has 1 commercial for 15-30 seconds. You can't get that on TV and it's cheaper than going to the video store so a win-win situation as far as I'm concerned.

It's also nice because you browse through the 10 pages listing the current films and check off those to add to your viewing queue. Some films have expiration dates of a few weeks or a few months and others have no expiration date.

Typically, I like to watch one film per night on the nights I'm not doing something and some of the films I've watched recently are:

• The Night of the Hunter
• Waking Ned Devine (GREAT!)
  
• In The Name of the Father
• Swimming Pool
• The Professional
• Requiem for a Dream
• Wimbeldon
• Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels
• The Fabulous Baker Boys
• Somewhere in Time
• Killing Zoe
• Nobody's Fool (GREAT!)

...anyway, you get the idea. Definitely check out www.Hulu.com.

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I've been asked in the past if I had any interest in going skiing and my reply is "Not really - I'd just sit, watch people catapult themselves down a mountain and drink hot cocoa".

So upon seeing these photos it reaffirmed the fact that I'd be better off drinking cocoa....

Seems this poor guy trotted out on New Year's Day fancying himself a ski. So he flings himself and his kid onto a chair lift, somehow his ski got caught, the boot didn't release and the ensuing hilarity found him ass over teakettle with his pants yanked down to his ankles but his ankles were pointing towards the sky and his head was pointed towards the terra firma.

Alas, there were no frontal shots in this series so this posting cannot be added to my collection of "I love a good cock shot" posts...

Call me strange, but I like the Texas winters because of the sheer diversity. Yesterday was Saturday with beautiful blue skies and 80; tomorrow morning it will be 30 with ice. I like the diversity because come August we will have two variations on the same theme: "God, it's hot" and "Fuck it's hot". I think anything below 100 falls into the first category.

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In other amazing developments in my world, I've decided to see if I can go without reading any bad news this year. I already forgo a lot of it by not owning a television. I have admittedly enjoyed the movies on www.Hulu.com because they are free and they offer good diversity. Yet, a lot of what I read is derived from sites like CNN, FoxNews, the local news affiliates, the British papers online, etc.

For the past 4 days I have avoided any stories with negative headlines and it's shocking how few articles that leaves to be read.

I'm a big believer in the philosophical debate on "does art imitate life or does life imitate art". In this day and age, art almost translates to media of all types. So when people are inundated with negative news stories on TV, exposes, bad news on the websites, etc., it's having an impact on their mental being with directly affects the emotional and physical well being. Some people might think I'm sticking my head in the sand, but I'm not buying into that because I am making a conscious choice to have positive elements into my life.

Of all 3 of the major network news sites here in Dallas, there were only 2 stories today that were positive - one had to do with the recovery of a stolen puppy from a pet store and the other was on a woman who won $1 million at the Winstar casino New Year's Eve after she had been laid off after 35 years at Bell Helicopter.

Think about that.....Dallas is the 6th largest media market in the country with a population 4x the population of the entire state of Wyoming and there were only 2 positive stories.

I'm just one person, but I've had enough.

The FDA has approved Stevia to be used in the US as a sweetener....does this mean that Hell has frozen over?

Not really - it just means that Big Business is looking for an out.

You see, for the better part of the last 20 years, the FDA has classified Stevia as a "food additive" and vehemently prohibited it being labeled as a sweetener of any type. They have threatened legal action towards companies that printed recipes using stevia, commandeered supplies of stevia coming into the country, threatened to put companies selling stevia out of business, etc.

Why, pray tell, has the FDA been so afraid of a little green herb that is 30x sweeter than sugar and is safe for diabetics because it regulates their blood sugar? Quite simply, because the sugar lobbyists were too powerful and the Big Businesses like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, etc., began embracing Asapartame as the sweetner of choice.

Problem with Aspartame, is that it is linked to a whole host of health ailments and the FDA's own doctors provided feedback that it should not be approved when the FDA's head honchos decided to approve it and that fake sweetner is now used in 8,000+ products.

But now, thanks to the amazing grassroots efforts of the health oriented community, the truth about Aspartame has gotten out to mainstream America and people are beginning to realize that their health is vital and that can't keep feeding their body crap and expecting it to run 100%.

So while it is wonderful that the FDA has approved Stevia for use as a sweetener, they still deserve to be bitch-slapped because they didn't approve it for the health of the public but to appease the whims of the likes of Coca-Cola and Pepsi that are reacting to consumer complaints / concerns.

Hopefully, this will be a straw in the wind and more consumers will begin to make the direct correlation between the foods they eat and their health. The human body was not designed to run on fake foods and a host of pharmaceuticals and I personally feel that has become abundantly clear after seeing the rampant increase of "disease" over the past 100 years since the advent of processed foods and the heavier use of meat consumption. The closer to nature one can eat, the better off.

Taking the Bible too literally & Taxing junk food & Greed....

So as most have probably heard, there's a family in Arkansas named the Duggars who have pro-created to the tune of 18 children. 1 male. 1 female. Copulating to send forth 18 offspring -- and they are looking forward to more.

The father, Jim Bob, needs to realize that his wife has a vagina and not a clown car between her thighs.

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New York Governor Paterson recently implemented a whole array of things to tax including soft drinks. People are all riled up over it.

Personally, I don't see the problem.

Obesity is a serious problem affecting this country and with most people being without insurance, it falls onto the tax payers to pick up the costs from the county hospitals. One way or another, we are paying for it.

It's only logical that the very products that are contributing to the poor health should be justly taxed just as cigarettes have been.

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All this yelping about Bernie Madoff and his amazing $50 billion Ponzi scheme is a bit mind numbing. Donald Trump summed it up well when he said most of the people investing with Bernie were greedy.

How else explain why people put 10's, if not 100's, of millions of dollars with this one guy? Trump gave examples of wealthy people mortgaging the family home that had been paid for decades ago just so that they could get their hands on more money to invest. And, as Trump put it, those people are now going to be looking to work at the local drug store.

I also agree with Trump that one solitary little old man couldn't have pulled this off by himself.

I've been reading the New York Post, New York Times and Palm Beach Post about some of these stories and can't even imagine what some of those people are about to go through. Life may throw you lemons at times, but usually you know how to catch them and add some water and sugar. Whereas most of those inherited monied toffs won't have clue 1 as to how to pull their life together.

In the immortal words of Gordon Gekko, "Greed IS good" but let's add the afterthought "within reason".....because let's be honest, very few people in this world can afford to lose $50 million.

George Carlin Was Right About Politics...

Carlin, bless his soul, described the word politics as "poli" meaning "many" and "tics" meaning "blood suckers".

Certain sections of this country looked down their noses because approximately 25% of Texans felt Nobama was a Muslim on some level. We were called ignorant, back woods, etc. I have never stated that he's Muslim but I do have my idle wonderings based upon his schooling and his exposure to certain belief systems growing up. At least Texans had enough sense not to vote for Nobama regardless of their opinions on his choice of religious beliefs.

Sarah Palin was slammed by the liberal media and Democrats as being short on experience because she's only the governor of the largest U.S. state and a former mayor. But yet those same yahoos embraced Nobama who might have enough executive experience to arrange a pub crawl to be our next President.

Nobama also pontificated that it would be a fresh wave of "change" when his happy ass got to D.C. To date, there's a plethora of lackeys from Slick Willy's administration and from the Chicago politics scene -- you know, that same political scene that is legendary for low down dirty dealing? Yep...so much for that fresh wave of change.

Nobama is pontificating that he has an in-house investigation going on regarding this whole "selling his seat" fiasco with the Illinois governor yet he has stated to the press that he is "absolutely certain" that no one from his side chatted sweetheart deals with the governor. At least some of the press were astute enough to ask him how he could be certain if there was still an in-house investigation? Nobama hasn't replied to those questions.

And now we have little Caroline Kennedy deciding she fancies herself a chair in Senate. She'll just slide in and take over Hillary's seat -- hell, how hard could it be? Caroline has herself a law degree from Harvard....never practiced law though. She's even been involved in the organizing committes of some galas. She lives on the Upper East Side, doesn't have a steady job and her husband is a stay-at-home painter. Oh yeah...she's REALLY in touch with America and the challenges the average Joe is going through.

Even the feedback left from readers of the New York Post has been blistering in that Caroline is NOT qualified.

What a cluster fuck.

Texas should secede. We'd be something like the 6th wealthiest nation in the world as our own country again so no time like the present.

In a post on another site, Parkerbraden made the following selling points on Texas secession:

From The People of Texas

We Texans love y'all, but we'll have to take action if Obama wins
president over McCain. We'll miss you too.

Texas has given all those complainers plenty of time to get used to the results. After seeing the whiners along the campaign route, the folks from Texas are considering taking matters into our hands.

Here is our solution:

#1: Elect Barak Obama President of the United States. (All 49 states.)

#2: George W. Bush becomes the President of the Republic Of Texas.

So what does Texas have to do to survive as a Republic?

1. NASA is just south of Houston, Texas. (We will control the space industry.)

2. We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States.

3. Defense Industry. (We have over 65% of it) The term "Don’t mess with Texas," will take on a whole new meaning.

4. Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will need for the next 300 years. Yankee states? Sorry about that.

5. Natural Gas - Again we have all we need and it's too bad about those northern states. John Kerry will figure a way to keep them warm....

6. Computer Industry - we currently lead the nation in producing computer chips and communications: Small places like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD, Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Semiconductor, Dallas Semiconductor, Delphi, Nortel, Alcatel, Etc, Etc. The list goes on and on.

7. Health Centers - We have the largest research centers for Cancer research, the best burn centers and the top trauma units in the world and other large health planning centers.

8. We have enough colleges to keep us going: UT Texas, A&M, Texas Tech, Rice, SMU, University of Houston, Baylor, UNT, Texas Women's University, Ivy grows better in the south anyway

9. We have a ready supply of workers. (Just open the border when we need some)

10. We have control of the paper industry, plastics, insurance, etc.

11. In case of a foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. We don't have an army but since everybody down here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an army in 24 hours if we need it. If the situation really gets bad, we can always call Department of Public Safety and ask them to send over a couple Texas Rangers.

12. We are totally self sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs and several types of grain, fruit and vegetables and lets not forget seafood from the gulf. And everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good. Don't need any food.

This just names a few of the items that will keep the Republic Of Texas in good shape. There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have.

Now to the rest of the United States under President Obama: Since you won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, only Mr. Kerry will be able to drive around in his 9 mile per gallon SUV. The rest of the United States will have to walk or ride bikes.

You won't have any TV as the space center in Houston will cut off your communications. You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes but since Mr. Kerry has predicted global warming, you will not need the gas.

Signed, The People in Texas

Have a nice day!

This is a great commentary that I wanted to share:

Happy Cyber Monday! A couple of weeks ago, I was discussing geopolitics and economics with someone on Twitter and they argued that we needed yet another bailout in order to prevent a recession. At which point I cursed the poor state of our school systems and replied that not even the US Treasury would be able to prevent a recession, in fact all of this money printing and deficit building would likely only prolong the suffering. Recessions are as legitimate as expansions or booms and bad businesses with fiscally irresponsible and archaic business models need to go out of business to make way for those who have modern business models and financially sound business practices. It is a part of the business cycle.

Reading the news from the Thanksgiving weekend only confirms my belief that we need recessions.

We need a recession because we have lost our ever loving minds.

We need a recession because we have reached a point where people will trample a pregnant woman and stomp another human being to death trying to be first in line to get a flat screen TV that we could have ordered online at walmart.com.

We need a recession because people are having shootouts and brawls at Toys R Us.

We need a recession because people who are two paychecks away from being homeless are running around buying Christmas presents for fully grown people with full time jobs instead of building an emergency fund and acting as if they deserve a gold star for cutting back this year.

We need a recession because fools in Atlanta are throwing $18,000 birthday parties for 12 year -olds catered by Chic-Fil-A and treating charitable foundations like the latest fashion accessory.

We need a recession because the credit glut of the last 20 years has lead to a bunch of materialistic, ravenous, unaccountable consumers who covet things instead of people and the only way to stop that is the power of the business cycle.

90% of GDP is consumer spending. We’re not making anything. We’re just fueling our economy spending money we don’t have..

A recession will soon teach everybody that credit is not wealth. Home debtorship is not home ownership. Your child won’t die if they don’t have a Xbox PSP, Wii, or WXYZ. Yes, you CAN survive living on less than what you earn. In the end all of this junk will end up in a heaping trash pile in somebody’s landfill.

We need a recession to teach us some common sense. That thrift and saving are virtues and Black Friday ain’t really a holiday. Black Friday is a creation of retailers and the news media.

There is a certain wisdom that many of our grandparents have/had. We saw them growing up. Making wine out of water. The original recyclers. They we’re recycling food, clothes, and furniture because they cared about the planet, they did it because they had to. They knew what it was like to walk around in shoes with holes on the bottom. They didn’t place their faith in the daily temper tantrums of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. They kept a little food aside for a very stormy day and for all of our jokes about hiding money in mattresses, they were probably right the way banks are failing these days.

Our political class is run by a bunch of feckless leaders who seem to believe that you can cure a credit glut by offering more credit. Billions of dollars for the bankers who created this mess in the first place? Its like trying to cure a bout of salmonella by eating more contaminated eggs. The sad thing is that our children and grandchildren will be paying for those rotten eggs

My Christmas list has three names on it. I’ll spend less than $200 this year as I do every year because in my family we pull names and I don’t have the problem with telling people NO!

We need a recession to smack us out of the MTV Cribs- Flip That House- coma that has beset us all. It is all an illusion. None of it is real.

I am throughly disgusted by those Wal-mart shoppers who had the audacity to be upset when police closed the store because it became a CRIME SCENE after a human being was trampled to death behind some consumer electronics.

“When told to leave,” some Valley Stream Wal-Mart shoppers “complained they had been in line for up to 24 hours.” A police spokesman said: “This crowd was out of control….” and “described the scene as [one of] ‘utter chaos. SF Gate

We need a recession so next Friday after Thanksgiving these fools will be sitting around the breakfast table enjoying family and friends instead of stomping someone else’s loved one to death or getting miffed that the crime scene tape is standing in the way of their $350 notebook computer.

In fact, I propose that each of you approach your city council with a “Black Friday Ordinance” make every retailer that advertises a “Black Friday” sale have adequate off-duty police officers on site to control the expected crowd and then send the fire marshal around to every store to shut the whole thing down if necessary.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Jdimypai Damour. I am so very sorry for what happened to him.

The Illustrious One has "friends"....my God does that man have friends. How can you know someone as long as I have and yet they still have "friends" coming out of the woodwork? He and I have debated this issue because I have a pecking order....there are "people I know" and then "acquaintances" and then "friends". Think of it like a tiered cake with smaller layers as you get to the top. I have lots of people I know but few people I call "friends".

It's just one of those things that makes us unique. I find it refreshing because Illustrious genuinely likes people. He can be amazingly sociable. I have tried to learn from his example and I don't think I'm as reserved as I used to be - but I could be wrong which may explain why I still have so many "acquaintances" and so few "friends"...

Speaking of acquaintances, a few years ago, I was asked to watch a film called Office Space. I remember that Jennifer Aniston was in it as some Bennigan's-like waitress with buttons o' crap all over her shirt and I believe they referred to it as "flair". On Facebook, they have this Flair application which are virtual buttons that you can pin on your bulletin board. Here are some of the choice pieces of Flair I'm selected for my bulletin board:

• What would Keith Richards do?
• Dear Santa, can I have the numbers of the boys on the naughty list?
• Still plays with motorcycles
• 1 day of coal, 364 days of fun - I think I'll take my chances
• I don't do drugs. I am drugs. - Salvador Dali
• I'm having another "It seemed like a good idea at the time" moment
• Come to the dark side....we have cookies!
• Whoever said anything was possible obviously never tried slamming a revolving door!
• God will make a way when there seems to be no way.
• As a math atheist, I should be excused from this (WOW - do I wish I had thought of this when I was in school!)
• Life isn't about how to survive the storms but how to dance in the rain.
• It's ok to say Merry Christmas!

...and in homage to that slogan that's all over our neighbor city to the south that proclaims, "Keep Austin weird", I throughly support the slogan: "Keep Dallas Pretentious!"

The Thanksgiving holiday is coming to a close.

On Turkey Day, I joined some neighbors for a bit of a pot luck. It was good company, very laid back and the Cowboys kicked impressive ass in just the first few moments of the game. Someone from the building - whom none of us knew - decided to go outside to wash his bicycle. And I must say, that never in my life have I ever seen anyone wash a bike in quite the fashion he did -- detail brushes, special soaps, etc.

One of the girls tried to get his attention to invite him in for a plate but he was either ignoring her or didn't hear her knocking on the window.

I abstained from participating in the mass hysteria known as Black Friday. Typically I love things black and Fridays but not when it involves masses of people and needlessly spending money.

I was very saddened to learn of that man in New Jersey who was trampled to death at the opening of a Wal-Mart. When I read on the New York Post's website that the employees could not get the shoppers to leave even when they announced one of the staff had been killed, that just sent up massive signs of something is tragically wrong in this society. To keep shopping when a person has been killed like that is just horrific and callous beyond reason....and all to save a few $$.

Today, I ventured out for a bit and was approached by a couple guys with camera gear. One of the guys was working on his photography portfolio for college. They were quite nice and I hope some of his shots turned out the way he wanted. I was all bundled up because it was very blustery today. Superstition looked good -- but then she always does. One of the guys asked me how long I'd had her and I realized that today was our 8th anniversary! She and I have had some fun times together and I look forward to having many more fun years with her.

For a black Harley, she's been in so many media shots -- when I was editor for Thunder Roads Texas, on a video shoot for Colin Raye, shooting for my dream project, etc.

Speaking of projects, there is a wonderful one pending and I look forward to working on it. I hope it will be able to allow me to pick up working on my personal pet project. My project has been at an absolute standstill for months and there's not a bloody thing I can do about it since I don't know how to edit.

I was recently involved with another person's pet project - he wrangled something like 150 people to assist on both cast and crew. All people helping him achieve his goal.

I have to have faith that when the time is right, I can pick up my project and start running with it again with the right people supporting the long term goals for it.....I'm anxiously looking forward to that day.

.

All I can say is Thank God for the British Press!

IF Barack Obama wins the election next week, America and the world will be taking a huge step into the unknown.

There will be great things about an Obama victory. Above all, America-haters around the world will be forced to see that the United States is an extraordinarily open society. A black leader in any European state is unimaginable.

But there are troubling aspects to Obama’s effortless cruise to Presidency.

First is that it is accompanied by an almost messianic belief in the man, at home and abroad.

After so much unrealistic hope must come a great fall. Disappointment, if not disillusion, is inevitable, particularly in today’s economic meltdown.

Second, most of the great American papers and major TV networks have abandoned objectivity in this election.

To put it unkindly, they have been in the bag for Obama for months.

The media are vicious about the Republican candidate John McCain and even more so about his running mate Sarah Palin. But Obama is above criticism. They have spent far less time than they should on examining his record. Obama is polished and attractive. But he also displays a remarkable arrogance.

In fact, he is the most untested and most inexperienced politician ever to get so close to the US presidency.

But the Press have skated over his thin CV in the Democratic Party political machine and also over the disagreeable nature of many of his friends, particularly the America-hating pastor of 20 years, Jeremiah Wright.

Wrong

Abroad, his positions have often been been plain wrong and dangerous.

Between 2004-2007, his constant demand for US troop withdrawal from Iraq would have led to catastrophic genocide. He opposed Bush’s 2007 surge of troops in Iraq and has only recently, grudgingly, admitted that the surge has been a great success.

Thanks to American blood and treasure, Iraq now has the nearest thing to democracy in the Arab world. It is imperfect and fragile and needs continued American support. Little in Obama’s statements suggests he understands this.

Equally dangerous is his promise to sit down without preconditions with Iran’s President Ahmadinejad, who declares Israel a “stinking corpse” and seeks to destroy it.

French officials, who tried to talk with Iran for years under President Chirac, snort derisively at such naive folly.

Despite all the evidence that America is essential to global stability let alone progress, the rhetoric from Obama and his supporters suggests that he wishes to pull America back from the world stage. This would lead to catastrophe.

Quite apart from existing threats, there is now the risk of economic chaos.

After the economic crash of the early 1930s, America was isolationist and no other country was able to stop the march of the European dictators with, as we know, terrible consequences.

Today there are similar dangers of economic meltdown and a rise in the number of failed states. That danger will increase if America withdraws.

It was a Democrat Secretary Of State, Madeleine Albright, who said that America is “the indispensable country”.

One can only hope that if he wins on November 4, President-elect Obama will quickly come to understand that.

When Leaders Get Messiah Complexes

Thursday, October 23, 2008

By Col. Oliver North

Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday this week, I was an unwilling eyewitness to a dramatic political event and it made me wonder where we are headed as a nation. More on that in a moment. First, a little background.

There is no doubt that leadership matters. The study of human history provides evidence that empires — even entire civilizations — rise and fall on the ideas, virtues and skills of great leaders. From Mesopotamia to the European continent, those who chronicled the triumphs and failures of great leaders in the Western world measured success based on military prowess and territory conquered. Herodotus detailed how the Persian Empire, built by Darius, eventually succumbed to Alexander the Great in the 5th Century B.C. That vision of leadership began to change in what is now Israel.

Old Testament prophets described a Messiah — in Aramaic, měshīhā — a leader — a savior who would deliver the Jewish people from their travails. For more than two millennia, Christians have believed that the Messiah is Jesus of Nazareth and that at the appointed time he will come again in triumph. Unfortunately, in the modern era there have many other leaders who perceived that they had messianic qualities that only they could provide.

Napoleon, in the aftermath of the bloody French Revolution, described himself as "essential" to the future of France – and was appointed dictator. The aftermath was a disaster for his countrymen and much of Europe.

Adolf Hitler was elected by the German people and then given absolute power because he claimed that only he could "preserve the Aryan race." The result was a global conflagration that resulted in the death of more than 25 million.

More recently — from Idi Amin in Uganda, to Pol Pot in Cambodia, Kim Jung Il in Korea and Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe — all have "led" their people to perdition after describing themselves as the only men capable of leading their populations through difficult times. Yet, all their people were ultimately worse off.

It is notable that until the 20th century, the American people managed to avoid selecting leaders who held messianic self-esteem. Neither George Washington nor Abraham Lincoln — arguably two of this nation's greatest leaders through the toughest crises in our history — described themselves in such terms. In fact, the record of what they said and wrote is replete with humility.

Not until Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided in 1940 that our country needed his "seasoned leadership," did any U.S. president even contemplate a third successive term in office. While FDR rose to become a great wartime leader, there is also little doubt that he amassed far more power in the office of chief executive than any of his predecessors. Roosevelt's authority was so great that his successor, Harry Truman, the modest man from Missouri, saw fit to endorse a constitutional amendment limiting presidents to two terms.

Given America's history of limiting executive power in government — if by no other means than term limits — it is interesting to note how much hope some people now vest in such office. And it's not just the presidency.

New York City, where FOX News Channel is headquartered, has a public law limiting the mayor to a tenure of two terms. Despite this ordinance, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, citing the current "economic crisis," insists that he should have a third stint in office. Though he was once a believer in term limits he now claims that, "Given the enormous challenges we face, I don't want to walk away from a city I feel I can help lead through these tough times."

That's messianic thinking. But apparently the Big Apple isn't the only place it's happening.

During Wednesday afternoon's rush hour, I was making my way home on the "Dulles Greenway" when a phalanx of police motorcycles and cruisers stopped all traffic and ordered us to pull our vehicles off the highway onto the shoulders. Over a loudspeaker we were told to stay put until the Obama campaign convoy passed, on the way to a rally in Leesburg, Virginia.

Instantly, hundreds of people were out of their cars. Directly in front of me a group of supporters — evident by their bumper-stickers — jumped out with cameras, cell-phones and banners. They began chanting: "The Messiah! He's coming! Obama is coming!" The shouting only intensified as the candidate and his entourage — motorcycles, police cars, black Secret Service Suburbans and busses — roared past us.

What I found so disturbing was seeing so many of my countrymen who apparently think — or believe — or hope — that the next president of the United States will save us from ourselves. Senator Obama has said we can not, "Wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for." He would do well to remember that unfulfilled expectations are the greatest cause of anger on the planet. That's true whether it is between a husband and wife, students and teacher, employers and employees, or leaders and the led. He might also recall that humility is a virtue that has distinguished our greatest leaders.

What all this means to the future of this republic, I don't know. I'm a military historian, not a prophet. But I do know the first name of the Messiah. It's not Mike. And it isn't Barack, either.

Joe Biden doesn't like anything but pro-Democrat fluff questions. Try to ask him a direct question on an issue that has concerned Americans and he laughs it off, blames the anchorwoman, whoever wrote the questions, etc.

Then the Dems respond by severing ties with the station because they were so rough on Biden.

Are these yahoos for real? They can't handle the simple questions from a TV station - so do they expect the big boys throughout the rest of the world to treat them with kid gloves also? No wonder certain other world leaders are so hot to get these wankers into office -- they know they can steamroll right over them.

A couple weeks ago I received a call from the Dallas County Republican Party asking if I would be a judge at my local precinct. My first thoughts were, "Me? Are you serious?" Seems the lady was quite serious because I was the only Republican they could find in my precinct and they legally have to have someone representing each party at the polls on election day. I asked, "I'm the ONLY Republican in Deep Ellum? There's tattoo parlors and biker bars within blocks of me; I know there are other Republicans around here!" Yes...but they aren't in the volunteer database for them to easily call upon. I said that I suppose I could be a judge and thought to myself that it might be something to add to the list of activities I've experienced in life.

So yesterday I received the paperwork from the county with the details on what I was to do, training class to take, how much I would get paid, etc.

I was at a shoot today and shared the info that I had been asked to be a judge in my local precinct for the upcoming election and those around me said, "You? Are you serious? Have they met you? Oh dear God!" I wasn't quite sure how to take those responses but it essentially boils down to the fact that I can be stubborn and opinionated and I like Uzi's so I'm going to support the party that isn't interested in jacking with the Second Amendment.

To be working in the entertainment industry, I'm quite surprised by the number of people that have already voted and voted for McCain/Palin - these people include straight, gay, men, women, white and black. Actually, one of the most outspoken critics I've ever heard go off on Obama is a black man that is disturbingly good with spouting off facts and statistics (he's also a biker).

This election might be quite interesting indeed.

*****************************

On another note that is anti-Obama, FoxNews has an amusing breakdown of gaffes that the liberal media has chosen to overlook:

As Mrs. Gump used to say, “stupid is as stupid does”. So let’s level the playing field and list some of the stupidest things said by Barack Obama that are underreported in the media.

Obama said he campaigned in 57 states. America only has 50 states.

Obama said Kentucky is closer to Arkansas than his home state of Illinois. Kentucky borders Illinois, but not Arkansas.

Obama asked the UN Security Council to condemn Russia. Russia has veto power over the UN Security Council.

Obama said we have too few interpreters in Afghanistan, because they are all in Iraq. In Iraq and Afghanistan the citizens speak different languages.

Obama said Kennedy talked to Khrushchev to get missiles out of Cuba. They talked in 1961. The missiles went there in 1962.

Obama said his uncle in the American military liberated Auschwitz. The Russians liberated Auschwitz.

Obama blamed Bush for the rise of Hugo Chavez. Chavez was elected 2 years before Bush.

Obama said the treatment for child asthma is: Give them a Breathalyzer.

Obama claimed 10,000 people died in a Kansas hurricane. The real number was 12.

Obama said our nation honors “fallen heroes, and I see many of them standing here today.” Fallen heroes are dead so he must have seen ghosts.

Obama referred to the town of “Sunrise” as “Sunshine” and Sioux Falls as “Sioux City.”

Get the picture?

This is an interesting and thought provoking posting an acquaintance of mine left on his blog.

last will and testament of Bean're

There has been alot of deaths lately in my life. It seems that every time I turn around I am going to another funeral. The latest was a friend of mine that I grew up with and knew for 35 years. I was at is house with his parents and 2 other brothers more then I was at mine. He developed cancer about a year ago and after aggressive treatment and surgery he was given months to live. I was able to get up and see him. We talked about old times and hung out with some other old friends. We also made some plans that we both knew would never happen because time was running out. Well just the other day, that end came. Because we had the time together and the fact the he was in alot of pain and his quality of life had deteriorated so much, I was almost relieved for him.

When I got to the funeral it was like a reunion for friends that I hadn't seen in 20 or more years. It was good to reminisce over the good times and even some of the bad times. for 2 days this went on then came the service and the burial. Well the service was very religious. My friend was a good person and a good provider for his family and friends but he was never much for organized religion. The Music they played was hideous funeral music that was so generic, the funeral home probably plays the same tape at every funeral. The preacher did a sermon in which he said that death is a payment for our sins. We all sin so we all die. I think we all die because we are all born. That's how life works.

I don't want that kind of going away so I thought I should list my last will and testament just in case life for me ends and I travel down a new highway that many of our friends and family are on now.

First of all I don't want an organized religious funeral. I want a priest and a Rabbi and a Hara Krishna sitting in the front row with a Monk, a Buddhist and a shaman. There will be no sermon but I want everyone to tell stories about my life. I want everyone to share the good and the bad. I think we could have a few laughs. I also want music playing during my viewing. Good music. Audioslave and Zeppelin. Jackyl and Grateful Dead. I want everyone to bring a CD with the song that reminds them of my life and give it to the DJ just like a stripper before her set. Yea I want a DJ too.

I want lots of pictures of me with friends. I have always been a photo whore so lets all bring pictures. This should help inspire some stories to tell also.

I want my bike there and everyone to take parts from it so everyone has a part to run on their bike and keep my memory in the wind. If you aren't at the funeral, you don't get a part. This should make for a good turnout since everyone will be there and fighting over my Baker 6 speed. I got some other cool parts too so enjoy.

I don't want people to dress up in black suits and dresses. I always wear my Hot pink tie at funerals now. That's not as disrespect for the passed but as disrespect for death itself. F*ck death! I am sure when I go I won't like death anymore. Everyone knows purple is my favorite color. Lets go with purple and pink as the color of the day. The funkier the better.

I want people to have a good time. I want to inspire people to go out and live. I have truly lived my life and This is a good day to make the commitment to "live" not just exist. Go out and do something you have always wanted to do in my honor. That would make me happy.

I am not through living yet but we never know what tomorrow brings so just in case something may happen to end my journey know that I will be waiting on the other side with our other friends and family.