Paintball is a great stress reliever...

I grew up learning how to handle weapons at a fairly young age, yet as I grew older for me, the sport aspect of shooting someone with paintball markers has been more enjoyable than target practice. For me it's a great stress reliever, and I've owned several different types of paintball guns through the years. My first one was more of a rifle type, my current favorite is the Tippmann X-7 X7 Paintball Scenario Marker Gun:



Technology has made the sport of paintball better than my early days of not having adequate paintball gear, including vests and paintball helmets more enjoyable. Why do I say that? Now even when I get hit with the type of gear available compared to what I had then, there's no mark. So the only marks are to my ego if I lose which thankfully doesn't happen often.

Libertarianism and the Second Amendment...

One of the "hot button" issues for the Libertarian Party is related to the right to keep and bear arms, the Second Amendment of the Constitution. One of the misconceptions about many Libertarians is the belief that to be one you have to have a huge closet full of guns and ammo waiting for a chance to take over the government. Ironically many liberals become libertarians or at least state as I am that they are a left leaning libertarian. One of the better articles out there that I feel explains this was written by Camille Paglia for Salon . I recommend reading the whole article but part of her response to a question about the Second Amendment:

The horrendous problem of illegal guns now rampant among the urban underclass cannot be solved by depriving all American citizens of their Second Amendment rights. Major cities must address their internal problems, which include improving public education and vocational training, creating job-rich public works projects, and instituting on-the-street neighborhood policing. The major media, concentrated in their metropolises, should stop extrapolating their local issues to the nation as a whole.

Furniture shopping online...what to look for

I do the majority of my shopping online when ever possible which includes shopping for furniture, from dining room furniture to looking for the perfect bed. Shopping online gives me a quick and easy way to compare prices and to find exactly what I want.

Some tips, make sure the place where you shop for furniture offers free shipping, that's one of the things I like about www-home-and-bedroom.com is they offer free shipping. If a site does not offer free shipping make sure you take that into consideration when evaluating the overall price. You may think that it's possible to get a better deal shopping at a local store but I've found that when you consider the free shipping and the fact that you are not paying a delivery fee from a store that you can end up saving money by shopping for furniture online. Home and Bedroom also offers some great decorating tips I found this article on Choosing a Style for Your Home Furnishings not only one I enjoyed but that I have shared with others...

A free market is a gentle market

Since one of the topics I touch upon often is related to the free market place, this speech written by Sharon Harris, titled, The Invisible Hand Is a Gentle Hand is a recommended read for those of you trying to learn more about Libertarian ways of looking at things. While I am more identified as a "left leaning Libertarian", I still find some of the issues discussed to be important, such as:

In truth, the marketplace has a civilizing, humanizing effect. If honesty didn't exist, the marketplace would invent it, because it's the most successful way to do business. In the free market we see, not a survival of the fittest, but a survival of the kindest. Survival of the most cooperative. Survival of the friendliest. A gentle Darwinism, if you will.

To libertarians, the role of government is at most to protect us from violence, theft, and fraud. Yet government, directly or indirectly, causes most of the violence, theft, and fraud in our society.

A Better Solution for Customer Relationship Management

A Better Solution for Customer Relationship Management is the motto behind AIMpromote and their reason for creating what many feel is the best in the industry as far as software and tools for customer relationship management. They concentrate on creating a system where you the user determine what you need rather than to have features that offer little real-world application or benefit. It has been identified in several studies that many features in CRM software applications are typically unused in part because some of them are too complicated for the average user to navigate. AIMpromote is so confident that you will find their CRM software to be the perfect match for you that they offer a 14 day free trial so you can see the difference and the functionality for yourself. This is not a limited trial were you only have access to certain features but a full version...and it's only a click away.

Little white lies on oil prices...

I highly recommend reading this CNN Money piece that's titled, The 'little white lies' about oil inventories,it gives you a good understanding of how the system used to work as far as the importance of inventory information in determining the price versus what happens today.

"You get that churning, that inconsistency, because it's in the context of a larger sideways market," said Tim Evans, a futures analyst at Citigroup. "It's almost like it's planned chaos."

Plus, Evans said, the inventory reports themselves have become more mixed, perhaps showing rising stocks of crude oil but falling gasoline inventories.

Another analyst said much of the buying or selling centered around the inventory report actually occurs before the numbers come out.

"We do operate a bit on a 'buy the rumor, sell the news'" mentality, said John Kilduff, an energy analyst at Man Financial in New York. "Sometimes it's not as bullish as some people had hoped."

It's an eye opening piece...

Close to free items is great promotional idea...

One of the great things about a free market society is the creative way businesses get us to visit them and to use their services. Like creating a way to bid on items with the lowest unique bidder walking away with some rather large prizes like cars or a plasma television for pennies. Yes, it's possible to win some of those prizes for pennies...That's the creative concept behind bid4prizes.

I'd love to be able to create a bid for 5 cents and be able to be the lowest bidder in winning a plasma television, and while they do have a paid membership that enables you to unlimited bids, they do have a free membership that allows you to bid on items. I read their how to play section and it seems like a very creative way to not only have some fun but to possibly win some great prizes. The majority of people bid by using their cell phone but even if you don't have a cell phone there is a way for you to bid and win.

Over half of Americans dependent on Government...

An interesting and troubling article that is featured in the latest edition of the Liberator Online, that provides some statistical evidence as to how large government influence from a financial standpoint has grown to affect a majority of Americans.

I recommend reading the article in full which is entitled, Over Half of Americans Now Dependent Upon Government Money. Gary Shilling, an economist provides the analysis:

Over half of Americans -- 52.6 percent -- depend on government money "in a major way," according to an analysis by economist Gary Shilling.

That's an increase from 49.4 percent in 2000, when a strong economy and welfare state reforms cut government programs.

And it is WAY above 1950, when only 28.3 percent of Americans received significant government money.

Shilling predicts that fully 60 percent of Americans could be significantly dependent on government by 2040, as baby-boomers retire and receive Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Vonage Forum...

I believe in the importance of forums when it comes to learning about a product as well as troubleshooting, and this particular Vonage Forum has been in existence for four years, which says quite a bit about it. The information that is found in the Forum is categorized in a very user friendly manner so if you have a question or a problem related to a specific topic, it is a simple process in knowing where to go. Whether you are thinking about VoIP or already have VoIP this is a site I recommend book marking as a resource.

Unity 08 gets Chris Cillizza's attention...

I've written here before aboub my interest in Unity O8 and how I think this group could have an important impact on our elections. Chris Cillizza wrote an interesting post in the Washingtin Post that I recommend reading that focuses on some of what the group is trying to accomplish, and about Sam Waterston who is the public spokesperson for the group. There is also a video, so if you are interested in learning more about Unity 08...Here's the perfect chance.

Towards a more informed public...

I'm always on the look out for a good way to get information from various news sources in a quick and easy manner. So when I heard about a new News Blog, Congoo, I headed over to take a look. Using their Circle builder it is very easy to decide what news topics you want to read about. Signing up was easy and it is free. Congoo states they process approximately 150,000 news articles daily, and unlike other news services they include a certain access to some paid sites, including the Wall Street Journal. For the widget lovers out there you can utilize theirs to add to your blog or webpage...

In Washginton...being open and transparent is just a scam

Ah...Washington, where the games are played by both sides and the concept of blaming the other side is almost a fine art. When I came across a comment such as one made by Sen. Jim DeMint in this I knew I had to share what the Washington Times piece from January stated:

Mr. DeMint criticized the unamended ethics bill for revealing a mere 5 percent of earmarks lawmakers bury in complex legislation.

"If we take this bill as it is now," he said, "the public is going to know from Day One that this idea of being open and transparent is just a scam."

A great deal of us already felt that way and a more recent article by Robert Novak in April confirms nothing has really changed...Pork is still the white meat of choice in Congress...

Making FOREX a part of your future...

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Global Futures has been in business since 1998 and they focus on getting you the best ROI with many different options as well as tools. In addition to their 24 hour support that is included with every account, the Daily Divot Points newsletter is a huge asset from an informational standpoint of giving you the information you need to succeed financially.

The Liberty Tree

The image listed on this blog is a drawing of the Liberty Tree in Boston, which stood for over 100 years and was the historic site of:

On August 14 1765, this particular tree was selected for hanging the effigies of those men who favored passage of the detested Stamp Act. On September 11th, a 3.5' by 2.5' copper plate, with large golden letters, was placed on its trunk bearing the inscription The Tree of Liberty. There after, nearly all the great political meetings of the Sons of Liberty, were held in this square.

The British made the Liberty Tree an object of ridicule. British soldiers tarred and feathered a man named Ditson, and forced him to march in front of the tree. During the siege of Boston, about the last day of August 1775, a party of Loyalists led by Job Williams, defiantly cut it down.

Like real liberty, even if you cut it down? The feeling remains...

Ouch...

I took this quiz out of curiousity even though I do believe in God. I'd have to say the results did hold some truths about me.

Handholder

You go out of your way to build bridges with people of different views and beliefs and have quite a few religious friends. You believe in the essential goodness of people , which means you’re always looking for common ground even if that entails compromises. You would defend Salman Rushdie’s right to criticise Islam but you’re sorry he attacked it so viciously, just as you feel uncomfortable with some of the more outspoken and unkind views of religion in the pages of this magazine.


You prefer the inclusive approach of writers like Zadie Smith or the radical Christian values of Edward Said. Don’t fall into the same trap as super–naïve Lib Dem MP Jenny Tonge who declared it was okay for clerics like Yusuf al–Qaradawi to justify their monstrous prejudices as a legitimate interpretation of the Koran: a perfect example of how the will to understand can mean the sacrifice of fundamental principles. Sometimes, you just have to hold out for what you know is right even if it hurts someone’s feelings.

What kind of humanist are you? Click here to find out.

Mouse

I love this commercial...

Power of the mind...

As most of you know I have five children, the youngest, is twelve. I have a great many different books for varying reasons. I have a small Wiccan spell book that I kept mainly due to dealing with some past teenage Witchcraft type belief issues. Aubrey found the book several weeks ago and I told her it wasn't something that was appropriate for her to read. I thought that ended it as it typically does with her. Lately I have been allowing her to stay here when I have had to do short errands rather than force her to come with me. Today I received a phone call from her on my cell phone after having been gone for perhaps ten minutes.

"Mom, you know that spell book that you told me not to touch?" "Yes." "Well I saw this spell for healing the earth and I did it and the grass outside looks greener." I then told her that she had been told to leave the book alone and that we would discuss it when I got home.

After I got home we had a very involved discussion about why people think spells work and why she should not mess with them. It also ended up being about belief. How the power of the mind is such a powerful thing. That people if they believe can think a mere sugar pill has cured their cancer and at times? The cancer diminishes. That we use such a small portion of our brain that it might be possible we could do more. That pastors of some religions claim they can heal the sick and at times the sick are healed. I also drove home to her the rule of three that is a basic rule of Wiccan beliefs, not because I am afraid my youngest will become a "witch" but because I do believe in positive and negative energy. To me the whole purpose behind group prayer is the gathering of people with the same goal of a positive energy result. I believe a constant focus on negative energy infuses the person with negative thoughts.

I was honest with her and told her a story from my past where a friend and I dabbling in the same type of spells she was cast a spell. We were both 14 and her mother was involved with a man that was abusive, yet she would not leave him. We cast a spell on him to make him leave her alone. Two days later he fell down a flight of stairs, after drinking and became paralyzed from the neck down until he died several years later. Yes, reality is it was just a mere coincidence that our dabbling in witchcraft had nothing to do with it. At the time we felt horrible because we felt responsible.

I've been the same way with Ouija boards, they have been quite the rage with the teenage set but for mine they are forbidden. Not necessarily because I believe that they will work, but because I know the power of the human mind to believe....