Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Old man.

I think I've finally became the old guy. Relatively speaking, since I'm not that old.

I'm the guy that likes to sit at home. I'm the guy that doesn't like to "party". I'm the guy that would much rather sit at home and have people over rather than meet up at a bar and spend money.

I'm the guy that either likes you or doesn't really care. The one that listens because he wants to or starts to look around because I just don't want to hear about how horrible your life is. Everyone's life is horrible in some way. Live with it or change it, the choice is yours.

I realize your job sucks, mine does too at times. If your really that upset about your job then get a new one. Just because you went to school for that particular thing doesn't mean you have to do that. One thing I've learned over the years is that my job doesn't represent who I am. Don't let it consume you, it's only 8 - 10 hours of your day. You've got another 14 - 16 hours of who you really are.

Jobs are just a way to secure income so you can live your life. They're not meant to be your life. Of course, some people have no life to begin with and so they make their job their life.

I don't spend much time out and about. Why? Because I like to spend time at home. I pay rent for a place to live, not a place to sleep. Thus, I try to fill it with things that I like and I don't make my home a place for people to come and aww over. It might not be the cleanest or the most picturesque but it's home.

Home is where you hang your hat, not your heart? This makes sense in different ways. My heart is not where I am. Hearts are not to be given to inanimate things. Hearts are for things that are extremely important to you. Which might include a few inanimate things that once belonged to someone that was extremely important to you.

I've never had a reason to "party". I've never had a reason to accept that into my life either. You can ask a person that was very close to me at one time. She still doesn't hear from me because she can't control her alcohol. It's a shame, sisters don't grow on trees.

People have said that they don't want to approach me because I seem to serious or agitated. That's just how my face settles when I'm bored. So I'm probably really bored when you see me.

I'm particular in certain ways that I don't want to get in depth about. It might make me seem like a bigot or a man. Either way, I know what I like and you might think differently.

As for now. I'm just agitated. Why? Because all these things go through my head on a daily basis.

I need to change a few of these. Time will tell. Until then, I keep doing what I do and in time it will all change. No need to bitch and moan until it's over.

Like water off a duck's back, it all slides away.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Mouth of Babes.

In a world of miscommunications the world can sometimes see more clearly with a view that is less obstructed. This view is hard to find unless your from the ages of 0 - 5 years old.

"From the mouth of a child comes the truths that even adults are scared to say." - unknown

It's funny how the world has changed so much in as little as 20 - 30 years. I remember times when a man (or woman) could say what they feel and the only consequence was that they had to burden their own voice. I remember people that were never scared to say what they thought about another person because it's usually the thought of everyone involved. I remember times when people would listen to what you said and that was that. I remember too much.

Today I've found that people tend to look at you completely differently if you say something bad about someone. I've also found that some people that come to you for advice about a person, will go straight to that person and say what they heard. Which doesn't really bother me but why ask for the advice to begin with if your not going to heed it? Why are people stupid?

I'm going to start putting together some more T Shirt designs. They'll more than likely be plain designs with primarily text but they'll catch some eyes. They'll be cynical and disheartening but they'll be true to a point.

Such is life. True. Disheartening. Cynical.

/rant

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Now playing: The Offspring - Want You Bad
via FoxyTunes

Friday, February 15, 2008

Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007

Saying anything bad about this bill or how stupid I think it is could land me in Federal Prison if this passes and becomes law.

I'm not going to go into huge detail about it but I will leave the links for you to look at and research yourself. Basically, this bill says that if you speak your mind about politics or say that the current President is a dipshit you could go to prison. The bill states:

". . . the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives."

Which suggests that if you said, "John McCain is an idiot and should be tossed off a cliff" you could be arrested for planning and threatening an occurance that might or might not happen.

It could also mean that bands that have music that suggest violence or acts against the government will be censored. Bands such as Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, Megadeth and so on.

Feel free to research this farther and make your own desicions. Here are some links that will help you.

Track the bill through it's process here: GovTrak.us

Daily Congressional

Congresspedia

Contact your Representatives and Urge them to shut down this bill.

I'd also like to thank Look What I Did for bringing this to my attention. Check them out on their Myspace Page. If you add them let them know where you heard about them and why.

Contact your Representatives and let them know where you stand. It does make a difference and it can help to shape the world.

Let's help stop our government from becoming too obtrusive and too censor happy. The world doesn't need another China.

Chicago Phone Tax Shut Down??

Dear Nophonetax Supporter:

For more than four months, the www.NoPhoneTax.org campaign has inundated the Cook County Commissioners with more than 500,000 emails and nearly 200,000 people have visited the website to find out how they can help!

We clearly told the County Board to oppose its outrageous attempt to impose a yearly $48 tax on every phone, cell phone and data line. And so far, it appears they listened.

The Cook County Board has until February 29th to pass its budget, and thanks to our incredible efforts, it looks like most of the commissioners have taken the phone tax out of consideration. The County needs to find a different way to balance the budget, and it shouldn't be on the backs of our phone lines!

Because of our outreach, the following commissioners have committed to us in writing that they oppose the phone tax:

  • Peter Silvestri, 9th District
  • Mike Quigley, 10th District
  • Forrest Claypool, 12th District
  • Larry Suffredin, 13th District
  • Gregg Goslin, 14th District
  • Timothy Schneider, 15th District
  • Anthony Peraica, 16th District
  • Elizabeth Gorman, 17th District

We thank these commissioners for their support and continue to encourage President Stroger and the remaining nine commissioners to take the same stand for the residents of Cook County.

We are almost there. But it's never over till it's over. Our battle won't be finished until the final budget is approved. Keep spreading the word – www.NoPhoneTax.org .

Friday, February 08, 2008

Tax Rebate, Oh joy.

So the good ole US of A was heading towards a recession. It happens every so many years. Especially after the greatest idea in history actually happened. You know, back when our government decided it was ok to shut down all the factories and send them off to other countries because it's cheaper.

I don't want to sound ungrateful. I mean, now there's enough bums around asking for change that every penny ever dropped and discarded has probably been found by now. Which is a huge success since just a few years ago they were trying to figure out a way to get rid of the penny. The Penny has returned!!

Part of me is glad the Tax Rebate is actually happening. I could use the extra coin. Although I don't think it's going to help anything. Well, it will help to make the deficit larger. And when you produce more money and give it away it usually makes the dollar worth less. So now it might take 3 US dollars to exchange for 1 Euro.

I remember a time when 1 US dollar went a lot farther everywhere besides here.

I'm glad to see that the changes in the bill were set in stone though. That Senior Citizens will now get a rebate as well. Even though they still had to make at least $3,000 in 2007 to get $300 back. They should. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't be sitting as pretty as we are now. Hats off to all the Seniors that made that possible. They're hard work has allowed us to not work so hard.

The extra coin in everyone's pocket will help with bills. Obviously everyone will use it for what ever they choose and more than likely it will go to vacations, new toys, and nights out on the town. I don't foresee the average blue collar person using that money to put into stocks and bonds and such things that will actually help to create stimulus and job opportunities.

I hate to say it but I think those generations of people are gone.

So many people today are worried about their $200 to $300 a month natural gas bills and the ever raising fuel prices to care about stocks. And let's face it, a $600 rebate isn't enough for people to create long term businesses and job opportunities. All it's become is a bumper. Instead of a recession now we've created a small window of time before it hits again. In my opinion, that window of time gets smaller every time more money is given away.

The approval of the economic plan happened very quickly, in just 2 weeks. Which some would say is a great sign that our delegates have finally found something they all care about. America. But I wonder how many were thinking, "Shit, if I don't approve this I won't get elected for the next term." If a delegate was to vote no for this, like some did, it would be great material to use for a mud slinging campaign. "Don't vote for ______. They opposed the Tax Rebate, denying you your money."

Other changes in the bill that I approve of. (Like my personal approval matters anyways...) They made it so Illegal Aliens and non-residents do not get any type of a rebate. They shouldn't if they're not paying into the system. Which also goes for a couple people I know that don't even do their taxes. Fuck 'em. If you don't want to pay in then don't be upset when you don't get a pay out.

So here's how it pans out.

"The legislation would deliver rebates -- $600 for individuals, $1,200 for couples -- to most taxpayers, plus an additional $300 per child. Individuals making up to $75,000 a year and couples earning up to $150,000 would get the full rebate, with those making more than that or too little to owe taxes getting smaller checks." - Chicago Tribune 2/8/08

So now, what are you going to use your money for? A new bike, a PS3, stocks, retirement funds, a night out, student loans, bills? Or maybe you'll figure out some miraculous way to use your $600 to create a business that will constantly create new job opportunities and thus making the recession disappear.

I have a great idea for the disappearance of the deficit, creation of thousands of jobs, and how to turn around the recession.

Legalize marijuana, sell it in a 10 joint pack and charge $15 per pack. Let it be a government ran organization and all profit, above and beyond business expenses, goes to the deficit.

Imagine all the free time the legal system would have, all the people that would be happy, and the power of the US dollar after the deficit disappears.

But then relations with drug cartels would fall apart and that is entirely a different subject all together.

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Now playing: Helmet - Unsung
via FoxyTunes