Requiring insurance was supposed to drop rates...

Back in the days before Ohio law required everyone to carry minimum car insurance, one of the reasons the change in law was promoted was to make it cheaper for all of us in Ohio to carry insurance. The belief was that if everyone was covered that the cost would drop. This of course does not appear to have happened, which has continued to create a scenario where some people feel as if they can not afford Car Insurance so Ohioan's still have to have uninsured motorist coverage.

We learned the hard way that even if you have uninsured motorist coverage, if you do not pay for collision damage if your car is destroyed by an uninsured motorist you basically have no coverage. While the state has increased the dollar amount charged for those caught not having insurance have to pay to reinstate their licenses, all this has done is create a scenario where people are driving not only without insurance coverage but on suspended licenses.

The lesson in all of this is, carry insurance and make sure you take advantage of the ability to compare policies online so that you can save as much as you can save. It is much more expensive in the end if you are caught without insurance and a license...

Annoying anonymous blogging already illegal?

There's been some discussion about the move in Kentucky to make anonymous blogging illegal, yet most people don't seem to remember what happened in 2006, US President George W Bush ratified a in January of 2006 that makes it illegal for people in the United States to post anything to a blog that could be deemed “annoying” anonymously.

The law, which was buried in the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act, titled “Preventing Cyberstalking” rewrites existing telephone harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet “without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy.”

Impressions in names...

When I came across the name, Audemars Piguet offshore I thought it was some type of an offshore bank or some type of a financial enterprise. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it was a watch company that made high end designer type watches...It's another piece of information added to my memory bank that you never know when it come become important to share.

Ron Paul drops out of Presidential campaign...

First Huckabee this week and now Ron Paul has dropped out of the presidential campaign. In typical Ron Paul style, he did so using the internet:

Rep. Ron Paul has ended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, breaking the news in a seven-minute video posted on the campaign Web site Thursday. The Texan, who ran on a libertarian platform and saw an outpouring of financial support via the Internet, tried to soothe anxious supporters by letting them know his "campaign for freedom will continue in this new phase." While his campaign will not formally organize events, he encouraged supporters to continue to work on behalf of a broader movement.

"I don't mind playing a key role in this revolution, but it has to be more than a Ron Paul revolution," he said. "Our job now is to plan for the next phase."

Still in memory mode...

In addition to reliving memories of my early car days, I can't help thinking about the many times our family decided to head for the road with our old travel trailer. Just as cars have really changed so have travel trailers with even the old pop up type we had from years ago now becoming almost a luxury travel item that is much easier to open and with a much more ergonomic design as far as the actual space available.

Vintage muscle cars...

I grew up in the days of the 1969 Roadrunner and the Super Bee that had the huge rear spoilers that when you pushed the gas pedal you could not only feel the engine but could watch the gas gauge go down. Now of course life has changed where you think about horsepower but fuel economy is much more of a focus. However, items like spoilers and NOS are still popular with some of the same crowd that had they lived in our time would have been called "muscle heads".

Promotional products are fun...

The other day in the mail I received some imprinted promotional products as a sample that was imprinted with the name of my local blog. It was a really creative way of marketing how their product looks. Promotional products are a great way to help people remember you when they need your service or your website and there are an amazing amount of different products you can select from.

Primary is over let the shopping begin...

Now that life is going to return to somewhat of a normal pattern (or as normal as things can be in my life) I can return to some of my favorite online past times which is searching for the best buy on the net. That for me is my way that I unwind from politics and while most times I'm doing "window shopping" it's a pleasant past time that occasionally nets me a great deal on something we need.

Funny political t-shirts...

I had some fun looking at some of the funny t-shirts in the political category that are online. While a few I don't think I'd wear out in public, one or two might be fun to wear at one of the local political events that I cover. Like the one that says, "Democracy is not a spectator Sport".

:-)

No International Society for Individual Liberty

There won't be any reason to worry about travel health insurance this year when it comes to the International Society for Individual Liberty yearly conference. This year they decided to support and participate in English Liberty Camps in Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, (former Soviet) Georgia, Azerbaijan (and depending upon funding, Ghana and Egypt). More details are promised in the weeks to come.

Save with ShopWiki

One of the best things about shopping using the internet is the ability to comparison shop. You can go from website to website to find just the right deal and to make sure you are getting the best price, or you can take advantage of websites like ShopWiki where they do the work for you when it comes to pointing out low prices.

The website is set up with user friendly categories that make shopping quick and easy and also point out discounts. I always try to look for discounts that include free shipping. I recommend bookmarking ShopWiki for your future online shopping needs.

Armed forces loves Ron Paul...

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – According to opensecrets.org, the top three contributors to Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul’s campaign are from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force respectively.

“No matter how you measure it, Dr. Paul has the support of our nation’s brave servicemen and women,” said Kent Snyder, Ron Paul 2008 campaign chairman. “His message of a strong national defense, and only going to war with a declaration of war – as mandated by the Constitution – resonates with those who risk their lives to defend that Constitution.”

No branch of the military appears among the “top contributors” to GOP frontrunner John McCain’s campaign.

Additionally, Ron Paul’s military contributions are greater than those of all other current candidates – John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama –combined.

Some nights require coffee

Trying to juggle five blogs, three that are political and the assorted challenges that I face as a parent of five makes some nights when there are so many stories that I want to blog but it's almost impossible to have time to cover them all. That's when I would not be able to survive without the wonderful invention of coffee makers. I know too much coffee is not good for you but on a cold wintery night like tonight when there is major Toledo political drama happening and presidential stories I also want to cover? Coffee helps...

Ron Paul turns his focus on Senate

Last night, the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman sent a message to his supporters signaling that he was scaling back his presidential bid.

"I also have another priority. I have constituents in my home district that I must serve. I cannot and will not let them down. And I have another battle I must face here as well. If I were to lose the primary for my congressional seat, all our opponents would react with glee, and pretend it was a rejection of our ideas. I cannot and will not let that happen."

He also ends any speculation that he will run as a third party candidate:

"Of course, I am committed to fighting for our ideas within the Republican Party, so there will be no third-party run," Paul said. "I do not denigrate third parties -- just the opposite, and I have long worked to remove the ballot-access restrictions on them. But I am a Republican, and I will remain a Republican."

When I think of Branson I think of Johnny Cash...

Every time I hear the name Branson, I immediately think of Johnny Cash. I think it's part of my upbringing with my father having been such a huge Cash fan. Most people who head there now aren't just going for the music, Branson private golf courses have actually become such a draw that there are numbers of people who head to Branson to yell "fore" rather than to yell "encore".

Donate rather than scrap...

If you have thought about getting rid of an older vehicle that you no longer drive and have considered car donation instead of trying to sell a used boat or vehicle, CarAngel is a site you may want to consider visiting. They sell vehicles that are donated to them via eBay and then use the proceeds to share an anti-drug message through videos and animated videos with a Christian theme for young children. You can learn more about their videos by visiting their YouTube page.

This is the era of the Paranoid Candidate

Some interesting points are made over at National Review by Jim Geraghty The Whine-Heavy Era of the Paranoid Candidate. While I do think there is some merit to the aspect of the discussion that some candidates, including Ron Paul (& John Edwards) did not get the type of media attention they should have, candidates do seem to be whining a bit more than in the past. Or...the media is focusing it a bit more.

Part of the column that I do especially agree with:

In each one of these defeats and endorsements ungarnered, the finger is pointed outward, often to the shadows. It's not that the other guy was any better, it's that he cheated! Only nefarious skullduggery and sinister chicanery could possibly explain my guy coming in any place but first!

Rarely if ever do we hear, "Well, my guy just wasn't good enough. The electorate just wasn't receptive to his message, and he made a lot of mistakes that hurt his chances."

Ready to move on beyond blogger?

If you are ready to move on beyond blogger it may seem as if it's a daunting experience to find just the right web hosting choice. There are places though where the information is shared in an easy to understand format, like webhostingchoice.com. Their quick start guide is a recommended read for those of you ready to venture into the world of having your own domain. The additional user friendly format to help you find what meets your needs makes their site one I recommend you bookmark.

Arlo Guthrie supports Ron Paul...

According to Joel Connelly "You can get anything you want . . . with Ron Paul". The article points out that Arlo Guthrie is supporting Ron Paul. An interesting part of a comment posted:

It doesn't get more grass roots, mom, and apple pie than Arlo Gutherie and Ron Paul.

It also shows that when it comes to peace, protecting our civil liberties, and restoring the Constitution of this great nation, the "left" and the "right" can work together.

Ron Paul said Monday he is hoping for "a grand showing"

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul said Monday he is hoping for "a grand showing" in this weekend's three day Maine Republican caucuses. Stopping at the State House on a brief visit to the state, Paul was enthusiastically cheered by supporters throughout a rally that drew more than 150 people.

Sounding his themes of less government and more freedom, the Texas congressman said he is optimistic about many things happening in the country, but pessimistic about its leadership.

Paul is viewed as a longshot candidate nationally, but state Republican Party Executive Director Julie O'Brien says his supporters may have been the most active in Maine.

Roger Avary co-writer of Pulp Fiction kills man after driving drunk...

I don't normally write about this type of thing on this particular blog but considering the previous post on the topic of drug rehab, it caught my eye. It appears that Roger Avary was driving early Sunday when his car spun out of control and hit a telephone pole in Ojai. He was arrested and booked on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter and felony drunken driving.

Killed in the crash was Andreas Zini, 34, a resident of Italy who was apparently visiting Avary and his wife, Gretchen, 40, according to the sheriff's department. Gretchen Avary was seriously injured but is expected to survive, said Capt. Jerry Hernandez. The theme of friends should not let friends drive drunk seems to ring true here.

The lack of political progress...

One of the most frustrating things about being a political blogger who tries to look at issues/individuals rather than a key focus just on party can be the frustration at the lack of progress. On the internet I've tried to compartmentalize my thoughts specific to the individual readership but the overwhelming commonality is a general feeling of dissatisfaction by some and a growing apathy by others. It's as if we are on giant treadmills, knowing which direction we want to go in but unable to actually move beyond how far the machine will let us travel. Some of the same issues that were problems over a decade ago are still facing us as problems today...

On becoming more efficient...

Our water heater is supposed to be new but has been acting up recently which has led me to do some research into the concept of a tankless water heater. With four young women living here and the number of showers, washing hair, baths, etc., it's becoming increasingly difficult to still have hot water. Which in reality means it is probably not a problem with our hot water heater but one of supply and demand. It does appear from an efficiency standpoint that it could be more cost effective for a tankless system.

Beyond punishing addicts...

Several groups recently have been focusing on the topic of addiction treatment and what needs to be done beyond just punishing offenders in the legal system. This has been a huge issue locally with several incidents of drunk drivers resulting in deaths and injuries in a short time period. A few of the suggestions that have been made include:

Increasing alcohol taxes;
Requiring insurance coverage for the treatment of drug and alcohol problems on par with other diseases;
Supporting the use of effective addiction medications;
Screening routinely for alcohol and drug problems in every primary care and emergency room visit; and
Requiring effective treatment and supervised aftercare instead of incarceration for nonviolent offenders.

I'm not sure I agree with the first one, unless part of the increase in taxes would be used to fund programs specifically related to addiction issues.

Technomarine sounds cool....

Just the name alone sounds like it would be something really cool, Technomarine watch. When you head over to Watch Zone and look at them? They are amazing watches and I was immediately drawn to the ladies version that comes in a pale pink band that is made from ceramic. Granted I don't dive, but I'd look like I could if I wanted to with a watch like that.

Ron Paul on Twitter...

I use Twitter on my local political blog and I'm still fairly new to it, so I was using the search feature last night to see what politicians had Twitter and which ones were actually updating. It appears that Ron Paul (or someone from his campaign) would score the highest in the Twitter update department. Several other presidential candidates who have Twitter do not update regularly at all. Hillary Clinton appears to come in next as far as updates.

It's kind of an interesting way to follow the schedules of where some of these candidates are if they make use of it.

Why I'll never be "upper crust"

Recently I came face to face with proof that I would never be able to be in the elite of this area, why do I say that? I don't like golf...Either playing it or watching it. The closest I'd ever come to a Nike golf ball would be at a putt-putt place or if I was playing fetch with one of my two small dogs who prefer plastic golf balls.

:-)

Sigh...The White House deleted my email...

I wondered why I never got a response back years ago when I wrote President Bush, now it's clear why, White House Tape Recycling May Have Erased Controversial E-Mails. Yes, that's slightly tongue in cheek because this is a serious issue. In today's email communication world to be able to properly archive history as well as to make sure that proper legal records are being maintained, it's important that email records to and from the government be preserved.

On Home ownership....

Part of the recent discussion concerning the mortgage industry has been related to the underlying dream most Americans have to be able to own their own home. The resulting problems with the real estate market happened in part because those with the dream, ended up in situations where they could not afford the monthly payments. At times this was due to a job loss, but many times it was unrealistic expectations on the part of uneducated buyers and mortgage lenders who had a very good idea that income wise what was stated to be possible as far as payments was not.

The discussion as to where the governments responsibility in all of this lies is an interesting one, how much personal responsibility comes into play is one that will continue to be raised as some of these companies turn to the government for a tax payer assisted bail out.

On buying direct...

I know people who have reported great experiences with directbuy and those that felt in their particular situation there was not a large savings. I think the reality is that it depends on your buying patterns and your planned expenditures. If you are planning on doing some major remodeling and/or major purchases, it's logical that the more expenditures planned the more net savings buying direct would create. Given the potential savings exists, it's worth checking out.

Freedom to display stickers...

Technically since I don't own a car I suppose the debate of my wanting to place a sticker on the side of the car I normally sit on would be a moot point. However, since I do contribute to the payment for said car, I've held firm to my belief that I should have a small say in the selection of auto accessories. Considering I have to tolerate being a vehicle with University of Michigan flags and other car decoration, a small tasteful "Don't tread on me" shouldn't be a problem, should it?

:-)

Media bias shows in headlines...

Clinton won 56% of the vote in Michigan yesterday, yet several headlines I've read demonstrate bias, "44 Percent Vote Against Clinton", "Clinton 1st in meaningless Democratic race", " Blacks, youngest voters choose 'uncommitted' over Clinton", and the various media sources can't even seem to report consistently how many delegates each one has.

Considering the impact the media has on politics, it's becoming clear that they do exhibit bias and that people should start paying more attention to the candidates who do not receive enough media attention (Edwards & Paul as two examples) and the selection of wording that is hard to ignore the bias in the headlines used.

Richard Viguerie Launches New Ron Paul Website

This release in via email:

(Manassas, Virginia) Richard A. Viguerie, the author of Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause (Bonus Books, 2006), has announced the launch of a new website, www.UltimateRonPaul.com

“I remain uncommitted to any of the Republican candidates,” Viguerie said, “but it is clear that Ron Paul is truly a principled conservative in the grand tradition of Robert Taft, Barry Goldwater, and Ronald Reagan.”

Viguerie added, “By standing consistently for individual liberty and constitutionalism, Ron Paul has differentiated himself from all the other candidates, whose allegiance is to Big Government Republicanism.

“Paul’s principled stands have brought him a new and committed following. Many of them like what they’ve seen in the television debates, but they want to learn more about the candidate and what he stands for. UltimateRonPaul.com is designed to meet their needs by giving them everything they need to know about Ron Paul on one website.”

UltimateRonPaul.com aims to do this in a highly interactive way, with features such as:

* Petitions: One seeks to make certain that Ron Paul is included in the January 30 debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Another seeks a full-fledged debate on foreign policy between Ron Paul and John McCain.

* Polls: The first one asks, “Who should be Ron Paul’s Veep?” Viguerie says: “To maximize the impact of their votes, we will release the results to thousands of national, state, and local media outlets, including more than 2,000 bloggers.”

* Blogs and forums, such as the Ron Paul Soapbox, where readers can speak out and communicate with each other.

* A contest to select the best Inaugural Address and the State of the Union Address for Ron Paul. Viguerie promises that “if Paul is nominated and then elected President, we will submit these entries to the President-elect and to the members of his transition team.”

* And an opportunity to give advice to Ron Paul, which will be forwarded to the candidate.

UltimateRonPaul.com also presents the latest and most important news about Ron Paul and his opponents, launches a Ron Paul Fan Club, and provides detailed information about the candidate and his policy positions.

Get your 15 minutes of fame..

I've been on local television a few times due to my local blog and once the blog was shown on Good Morning America, but I've never had the national type of 15 minutes of fame that anyone can get through YawpBox. The name sounds funny but the concept is an interesting one, in addition to being a social networking site, there is a television element through two hosts, Lex & Terry called, "YawpBox Tv". Every week there is a special challenge, like "show us your worst hair day" and people submit videos to whatever that challenge is.

The best, or in some cases the worst videos make it to the television segment part of the show hosted by Lex & Terry, giving these videographers there 15 minutes of national fame not only on television sets but the website as well. I'm just learning to use my digital camera to record press conferences, which may sound dull to some of you who are not political junkies, but for me, how many times can you be in a situation where a local elected official says the word "Peckerhead" on a video you recorded...That is memorable...

Lots of us love user generated content, it's why videos online have become so popular and in this situation, some one might come up with an extremely great idea for a show of their own. That's how most reality tv shows were created...the idea of one person...so head on over to YawpBox and have some fun watching and join in the challenges...

When you can't beat em...smear em

It's hard to believe that Ron Paul would have written what is being reported on CNN that Ron Paul '90s newsletters rant against blacks, gays. Ron Paul denies that he wrote any of the articles:

Paul said the editor of publications "is responsible for daily activities." But he also cited "transition" and "changes" and said that some people were hired to write stories "but I didn't know their names."

The presidential hopeful described the newsletter revelations as a "rehash" of old material dug up by his opponents because he is gaining ground with black voters due to his stance against the war in Iraq and the war on drugs.

"I am the anti-racist because I am the only candidate -- Republican or Democrat -- who would protect the minority against these vicious drug laws," he said.

"Libertarians are incapable of being a racist, because racism is a collectivist idea."

Freedom to breathe...

This time of year, depending on what type of heat your home has you can start to experience dry skin, difficulty breathing while sleeping and even static pokes among some of the symptoms. This could be related to one specific cause, a dry home environment. An easy way to test this is to put down a small bowl of water in a room, notice how quickly the water evaporates. If it's clear the water is being absorbed into the air, then considering purchasing a aprilaire humidifier could be the solution to your problems.

There are also other reasons you would want to have a aprilaire humidifier in your home, during upper respiratory illnesses the cool mist that can be emitted can make breathing easier. This is especially important with young children since there are very few safe over the counter medications they can take to help relieve symptoms. One advantage of the aprilaire humidifier is that it has a built in thermostat (humidstat) system and is designed to cover 4200 square feet.

Ron Paul does better than Rudy Giuliani

If you really believe Iowa matters, which the only ones who seem to are those who are a fan of who won or those who believe the media hype and have never done any research into the reason for our primary process and the huge problems with both Iowa and New Hampshire...but if you did believe that Iowa matters than you would wonder why no one has really made mention of the fact that Ron Paul did better than Rudy Giuliani in Iowa. Paul got 2% and Giuliani received 1%...

It's disturbing to watch candidates drop out after Iowa, it makes one wonder why they even bothered to try to run a presidential campaign if they allowed one state that does not even follow a pretense of a democratic process to be "the decider".

Get great deals on HDTVs and related products

While they may have the name of Second Act you might want to make them your first stop when you are looking for HDTV's or accessories. From a price comparison standpoint, Second Act seems very competitive and their Deals of the Day offers some great bargains. I like personally like the RSS feed reader ability to be able to track what the "Deal of the Day" is, I think that's a nice touch and it makes bargain shopping even easier.

Another advantage of their Deal of the Day feature is you can also sign up via email for notification for those of you who are not addicted to RSS readers like I am. Most of the HDTV's and related products are factory refurbished, factory closeouts, overstocks, or open box which gives Second Act (a US based company since 2003) the ability to pass those savings on to you. I checked some of the feedback they've received online at places like Shopping.com, and it appears their customer service got high marks from those who have purchased from them. Good customer service and good prices makes Second Act a recommended place to check out.

When democracy turns violent...

While we here in the US at times get passionate about our politics, if we stop and reflect about our system of democracy compared to what is happening in other places in the world right now like Pakistan and Kenya we are very lucky. Granted we don't want to become so secure in our democracy that we are unwilling to fight for it, but while we worry about hacking of electronic voting devices people are not being murdered to keep them from voting or because of who they voted for.

Unity ticket still possible...

A meeting is going to take place on January 7th to work on a plan for "government of national unity". I'd say it sounds promising, except for this particular movement appears to be led by New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and:

Conveners of the meeting include such prominent Democrats as former senators Sam Nunn (Ga.), Charles S. Robb (Va.) and David L. Boren (Okla.), and former presidential candidate Gary Hart. Republican organizers include Sen. Chuck Hagel (Neb.), former party chairman Bill Brock, former senator John Danforth (Mo.) and former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman.

It could however create an interesting spoiler factor given the way our current electoral system is created, which would potentially create a situation where the extreme end of a party ended up being a larger factor in the election win than moderates who might be lured into the idea of a unity ticket.

Lights beyond Christmas...

I've always been a fan of decorative lighting, and there are many ways to use Christmas lights year round as an easy way to provide accent lighting. Take a large silk tree and decorate it with a white or colored LED light string and you make a corner not only draw attention but provide an ambient lighting source. Or as my daughters have done, use a light rope to decorate the frame area of a platform bed or along the ceiling line where it meets the wall. One of my more daring daughters used blue lights which gave off a Sixties type blacklight affect that she found appealing during that particular decorating phase. Considering the average yearly cost for 2000 LED lights is around $50.00, it's an inexpensive way to creatively use those Christmas lights 365 days a year...

Election mischief?

I had to wonder at the choice of the term "election mischief" when reading this New York Times piece, since it really appears it would be more appropriate to call it "election fraud":

According to Kenya’s election commission, which is considered somewhat independent from the government, at least three areas from Mr. Kibaki’s stronghold of central Kenya reported suspiciously high numbers. In one area, Mr. Kibaki received 105,000 votes, even though there were only 70,000 registered voters. In another, the vote tally was changed, at the last minute, to give the president an extra 60,000 votes. In a third area, the turnout was reported at 98 percent.

When you go further into the article it's even more clear this is not "mischief":

The head of the European Union’s election observer mission said that several election officials in the pro-Kibaki areas of central Kenya had failed to publicly post their voting results, which is against Kenyan law.

“This is something we witnessed ourselves,” said Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, chief of the European delegation. “It’s clearly disturbing.”

The European Union is also investigating the high turnouts in the Kikuyu highlands north of Nairobi, where few have broken ranks with Mr. Kibaki’s party and some areas have voted nearly 100 percent in favor of the president.

Ivy League classes online...

I thought this was an informative article, since many people may not be aware of the increasing online access to Ivy League presentations and class material. One example is from MIT:

An MIT initiative called "OpenCourseWare" makes virtually all the school's courses available online for free - lecture notes, readings, tests and often video lectures. Strang's Math 18.06 course is among the most popular, with visitors downloading his lectures more than 1.3 million times since June alone.

Other colleges are providing this type of material and it is a great way to learn more, I've used several to try to stay up to date when it comes to algebra.

Save money on inkjet cartridges...

Thanks to the internet it's possible to not only find replacement cartridges for that old printer you have that used to be impossible to find one for that you really didn't want to have to replace as well as that newer model that you know there has to be a less expensive option for when it comes to replacement inkjet printer cartridges. I know I'm not alone in having been one of those that ended up getting rid of an old printer that worked fine but was impossible to find replacement cartridges for. I've also grown frustrated at the price for my newer printer and was happy to discover that thanks to places like www.inkjetdeals.info, it's easy to not only save money but find exactly what I need. They provide information on some of the top places to buy which makes your search a quick and easy one.

Empowerd parents...

Recommended article at CNN on parents who grew frustrated with a lack of resources and treatment options for their children and took action. You can view this as frustrating that the pharmaceutical companies are not doing enough research or you can look at this as a way parents are taking matters into their own hands and forcing the issue by bringing attention to the illnesses their children are suffering from and raising funds needed to push the issue even farther.

I think it's a combination of both but given there are limits to what research pharmaceutical companies can do with their bottom line being one that also includes marketability of a drug, what these parents are doing is admirable and very well could save the lives of not only their child but others...

Crime strikes next door...

We've experienced several episodes of cars being broken into in our neighborhood during the past year, but we just had a visit from our next door neighbor asking us if we heard anything last night. Evidently someone broke into their home and stole several items, including a plasma television set. It seems odd because our security system (two dogs that bark at everything) did not go off last night at all, and they also have a dog who barks at anyone who walks by. I did not get a chance to ask them if for some reason they took the dog with them, but at first glance the situation seems strange.

It does however drive home the message that even when you feel you are safe and secure, you may not be...

It's about more than the right diet meal, it's about a healthy lifestyle...

The bottom line reality when it comes to Americans is many of us weigh more than we have in the past and weigh more than what we should. This means the solution is a much larger one that just finding the right diet meal that you can tolerate to drop some of those additional pounds, it's about developing a healthy lifestyle where after the diet you don't just put the weight back on. One of the key reasons why many do weigh more is because we lead a much more sedentary life than we used to. I know this first hand, the hours I spend at my computer are not exactly helping me to achieve permanent weight loss.

I started walking two years ago, at first it was hard to motivate myself to do it on a regular basis, something always came up and I'd put it off then discover I had not walked. Part of this was my not wanting to accept how bad of shape I was in physically, when I was winded after a one mile walk it was hard to not feel like a failure. Now I try to walk at least one mile a five days a week aiming most times for two miles instead and I feel better when I come back in. I'm also doing some other basic exercises in addition to following some common sense diet tips. Websites like www.weight-loss-diet-help.com can be a huge help, not only providing information on the popular diet plans out there but also giving you tips and other advice to help you not only get to the ideal weight you'd like to be at but to be a healthier you as well.

Ron Paul on seeking Texas earmarks...

Can you be against earmarks and still realize that since they are a huge part of the way congress runs try to make sure those you represent do get something from their tax dollars? That's the basic underlying premise of what Ron Paul is doing, yet he faced some recent questions surrounding this a few days ago.

I understand where he is coming from, I'm against earmarks as well, but I believe if the system is going to exist it's in the best interest of the community to try to get as much as they can under the present system. If you state you are against earmarks and do not participate in the process it doesn't create a scenario where that money is not used. All it does do is create a scenario where some other area of the country gets the money. Until enough members of congress actually do something about earmarks it's great in theory to say you don't support them but hard to explain to those you represent why the next congressional district got x dollars and yours got none.

Court reporting is harder than it looks...

Years ago I did a brief stint doing transcriptions for depositions, and I considered at that time becoming a court reporter. It's a very lucrative profession but in this particular area it's hard to get into. That is when I first heard about Huseby, a national association of court reporters.

The reasons why you would want certified court reporters may not seem obvious at first but many times especially when it comes to appeals the information that a California court reporter could have an important role to play in future decisions, so what is written needs to be exactly as what was stated.

This means there has to be a consistency in the reliability of information, whether a transcript is being done by New York court reporters or if a transcript is being done by a Florida court reporting agency. When you use certified court reporters through Huseby, you not only get ease of scheduling for court reporting, video depositions, or video conferencing services, but you get reliable services that is critical when it comes to both civil and criminal litigation.

The birth of YouTube politics

Interestingly enough the Newsweek article gives very little attention to Ron Paul, which is a bit strange since the Ron Paul campaign has made better use of the internet than any of the other candidates out there and his campaign has also taken advantage of The YouTube Presidency factor. The only mention of Ron Paul at all is in this one paragraph:

The political videos of one user, Georgetown student James Kotecki, became so popular that Ron Paul and Huckabee showed up in his dorm room for Webcam interviews.

Can Food Magnetism help you lose weight?

Can Food Magnetism help you shed weight? It's one of the weight loss programs that are out there that many people have turned to in their quest to be thinner and healthier. The goal is to eat foods that create "invigorating magnetism" and avoid foods that are "contaminating magnetism". One advantage of this diet is it states it works for those of you have tried the lo-carb diets and found those unable to stick with. If you have not had the desired results in the past, this might be something of interest to you.

US helping Turkey attack Kurds

It's hard to see a positive outcome in the US intermingling itself even deeper into the mire that is Iraq with the recent news that U.S. Helps Turkey Hit Rebel Kurds In Iraq, the subtitle of the article reads, "Intelligence Role Could Complicate Diplomacy". I think that's a bit of an understatement given the reaction so far:

Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish regional government, which administers three northern Iraqi provinces, called the attack "a violation of Iraq's sovereignty." He blamed the U.S. military, which controls Iraqi airspace, for allowing Turkish warplanes to cross the border. The Iraqi parliament also condemned the attacks yesterday.

Unless of course this is meant as some type of a reverse psychology ploy where we anger Iraq so much that they order us out of their country...

Take liberties with your lighting...

I have a fondness or some would even say a weakness for unique light fixtures, nothing is more boring to me than a standard every day blah type lighting fixture. While we do live in a rental property, when the occasion has come up where fixtures need to be replaced, such as recently whenbathroom light fixtures needed to be changed, I selected something not overly expensive but with a bit of decorative flair.

We've also recently changed the kitchen light fixtures and while it might have to wait until we have our own home, I'd really love to have a chandelier in our dining room. Right how the older ceiling fan is still there and while it still works, it's not exactly aesthetically pleasing...One of the things I enjoy in visiting the Farreys website is the huge selection, as well as the decorating inspiration.

Ron Paul's latest fundraising success...

As the headline suggests, Paul 'pleasantly surprised' at $6 million fundraising haul. The campaign is reporting that it took in more than $6 million just on Sunday and they are also reporting it has raised more than $18 million this quarter.

His ability to raise funding has been a discussion point on many internet forums and blogs.

The Case for Ron Paul...

I read this from a posting on my other blog and thought I'd share it with the readers here who might have not had the chance to read it, it's called, The Case for Ron Paul. The website was developed for people who are interested in learning more about Ron Paul to be able to find out very specific details about his candidacy for president.

I found it very informative, so perhaps you will as well.

How to find the best webhosting choice for you...

I have blogs on blogspot and on their own domains, which means of course for those blogs I have to pay for hosting. It can be really time consuming to go try to search through the various hosting companies, or at least it was before http://www.webhostingchoice.com came along. Now all you have to do is enter the maximum amount you want to pay per month and the amount of disc space/bandwith you are looking for as well as what is the maximum you will pay for set up fees and you will be given a list of those hosting companies that meet your specifications with information/links to them. The web interface is easy to use and there is additional information for those of you who are new users to help you understand some of the terminology used.

Web politicting can't replace real thing?

Interesting article at Politico that even as a blogger I can't really disagree with. I think the huge advantage the internet offers is the ability to share information, yet I realize that so much hinges on the credibility of those offering the information and what agenda they have in sharing it. It's still incumbent upon voters to not believe everything they read on the internet and to care enough about their votes to pay attention...

One part of the piece written by Devin Talbott:

Just as clicks and eyeballs were no substitute for profits, Facebook “friends” do not necessarily equal votes.

And virtual connections cannot take the place of actual contact with candidates.

The Internet has changed how politics is played.

But it cannot — and should not — change what political outreach should be about. That is education on the issues and vigorous assessment of candidates proposing to advocate for voters.

Technology should supplement the modern campaign, not take its place. If technological advances help produce more voters with more access to information, then our democracy will have made progress.

But, as old-fashioned as it may be, casting your vote on Election Day will remain the most important form of political participation.

Colorado Councilwoman Resigns After Refusing to Remove Offensive Joke

Do we really have a right to not be offended? That's the basic issue at the bottom of a situation where a Colorado Councilwoman refused to remove a joke that was posted on a community message forum and resigned in protest. While it's clear that she did not have to resign and the web forum owner removed the joke that some found offensive, it's a common joke that has been out there for quite some time. How funny you find it is of course an individual taste thing.

In doing some more searching on the topic, Sandy Tucker is reported as saying:

"I'm sick and tired of all of this political correctness," Tucker told The Denver Post. "I'm not going to apologize if you don't have a sense of humor."

Posting on a community forum as an elected official was probably not the smartest move yet what's interesting is how quickly this story became national news.

New Jersey could be first state to eliminate death penalty

There is an interesting series of articles on the topic of the death penalty on NPR with the most recent one concerning the New Jersey's legislators possible decision to outlaw the death penalty in that state. This would make New Jersey the first state to make the death penalty illegal since the Supreme Court ruled on it 31 years ago. While not all states use the death penalty and New Jersey has not used it since the 1960's many advocates against the death penalty and advocates for the death penalty are watching this scenario very carefully.

Human Touch unveils new zero gravity massage chair

As someone who spends quite a bit of time in my chair at my desk typing, and doesn't sit properly in my chair, I know it's related to the lack of comfort from the chair. Reading about one of the new Massage Chairs from Human Touch, the HT 7450 Zero Gravity Massage Chair caught my attention. It looks like a very interesting concept, the chair is designed in a way to create a zero gravity sensation so that a massage works better in relieving muscle strain and pain. It's a testament to how we have taken science technology and placed it into products for the home with the memory foam and the other features this and the other massage chairs by Human Touch offers. Human Touch also has more than chairs, they carry items from foot massager's to many other accessories designed to create comfort and joy this holiday season.

Sudan protesters: Execute teacher

When we at times may believe that we do not have the rights we would like to have honored here as a nation, when we reflect on recent current events such as the one where Gillian Gibbons was sentenced to 15 days in jail for naming a Teddy Bear, "Mohammed" seems like an outrage. Yet, in Sudan there are those calling for her to be executed. Right now attempts are being made to arrange for Gibbons to be released and to be taken from Sudan. It's clear her safety is at risk given the protests today.

Get that Gun a Holster for Xmas...

Of course one of the things that comes to mind when you say "Libertarian" is guns and the right to keep arms, while of course not all Libertarian's own guns, I couldn't resist using that as a title for this post on the different holsters that Optics Planet has for sale. For those of you with a gun enthusiast in your household that might not be sure as to what type of a holster you need, one of the things I love about Optics Planet is that they provide you with a great many details and resources, such as their how to buy a holster guide.

If you are not sure what type of gift to get, you can take advantage of their Gift Guide as well as get some good gift hints from their list of Best sellers. Rather than to go through the many reasons Why buy from OpticsPlanet, they share the many reasons why they are the best on their website and on their Blog.

Beacon crosses the line to being Big Brother

What your expectations of privacy can be when using a site like Facebook is at the heart of the discussion of their new launch of an ad program called "Beacon", where recent complaints by Move On Org have brought this discussion to the forefront. It's an important consideration with today's social networking as to what your expectations are and how much control you have when it comes to sharing your personal information.

As this post on Truthout points out:

The complaints may seem paradoxical, given that the so-called Facebook generation is known for its willingness to divulge personal details on the Internet. But even some high school and college-age users of the site, who freely write about their love lives and drunken escapades, are protesting.

"We know we don't have a right to privacy, but there still should be a certain morality here, a certain level of what is private in our lives," said Tricia Bushnell, a 25-year-old in Los Angeles, who has used Facebook since her college days at Bucknell. "Just because I belong to Facebook, do I now have to be careful about everything else I do on the Internet?"

Two privacy groups said this week that they were preparing to file privacy complaints about the system with the Federal Trade Commission. Among online merchants, Overstock.com has decided to stop running Facebook's Beacon program on its site until it becomes an opt-in program. And as the MoveOn.org campaign has grown over the past week, some ad executives have poked fun at Facebook users.

While Cyber Monday is over you can still save...

More and more people are shopping online as can be seen by the recent media attention to "Cyber Monday", yet not only can online shopping be more convenient it can also save you money when you take advantage of online shopping coupons. Coupon Chief is one of the leading locations when it comes to providing a huge variety of online merchants, with many well known companies such as WalMart, where you can find some fantastic online deals and discounts. Not feeling the joy of WalMart? Then perhaps some of the deals from Target would appeal to your online shopping needs. From Apparel for Men to Travel & Luggage, Coupon Chief has the categories of stores for just about everyone on your gift list.

Every US Citizen should know these...

It's the title of the YouTube video and I agree with it. The results were very disappointing and gives evidence our educational system is pretty horrid. I recommend that you watch the video and as you watch along see how many of the questions you can answer.



I had my 13 year old watch it and her best friend watch it, thankfully due to my supplemental teachings I've done with her she was able to answer most of the questions. Her friend did not fare so well...

Mark Silva joins the misinformation train...

Late to the table and wrong comes Mark Silva with the piece on Ron Paul and the whole Moonlite Bunny Ranch story:

Hof has reported being so impressed with Paul at a campaign stop in Reno that he has decided to raise money for him. Hof and two of his prostitutes, including a woman who goes by the name of Air Force Amy, also attended a Paul news conference. The women reported liking what they saw, but suggested they still want to shop around the rest of the field.

Thankfully readers are trying to set the story straight...

Use the interface, find your cartridge...

It's never been easier to find the right cartridge for your printer than to use, Cartridge Finder. The easy to use interface is designed to not only find the right one for your particular printer or fax machine but will also use PriceGrabber's search engines to make sure that once you have the right one? You get it for the cheapest price possible, so save time and money in one quick easy step.

Tucker Carlson tries to set up Ron Paul?

Not thrilling news considering that whole little issue of the media isn't supposed to show bias...

A recent Associated Press story about Ron Paul carries a headline that was carefully crafted to turn off many American voters. The headline proclaimed: "Paul Endorsed by Nevada Brothel Owner."

The AP story began: "Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, an underdog Texas congressman with a libertarian streak, has picked up an endorsement from a Nevada brothel owner," Dennis Hof.

"Picked up," however, is the wrong phrase, since it implies, incorrectly, that Ron Paul had solicited Hof’s endorsement. In actuality, it was a member of the media, MSNBC’s Tucker Carlson, who had done the soliciting. Carlson not only contacted Hof to ask him to check out Ron Paul while Paul was in Nevada, but he even arrived at Ron Paul’s Reno news conference in the company of Hof and two of Hof’s prostitutes. Hof’s presence, which surprised the Ron Paul campaign, then gave Hof the opportunity to be interviewed by the media.

Tucker Carlson's involvement is acknowledged by AP, though not until the end of the story. The AP story notes that "Hof was accompanied to the Paul news conference by television news personality Tucker Carlson." It then finally quotes Carlson as admitting that "Dennis Hof is a good friend of mine, so when we got to Nevada, I decided to call him up and see if he wanted to come check this guy [Ron Paul] out." The AP article, though, fails to point out that the Ron Paul campaign was surprised when Carlson emerged from a limousine with Hof and two of Hof’s celebrity prostitutes to attend the news conference. (That part of the story was covered by the Reno Gazette-Journal.)

Sad to say I used to like Tucker...

Paul says he won’t support GOP nominee

It didn't surprise me to learn that Ron Paul had stated this during one of the earlier debates, this whole try to destroy each other when campaigning then have the hand holding moment where you decide that the "other party" is really the real bad guy (or girl) and you have to now do what is best for the party never seemed to be something that Ron Paul was going to buy into.

Yet, it's made the news and quite of the blogs recently that:

Last month, during a Republican debate, Ron Paul was asked whether he promised to support the GOP nominee next year, no matter who emerges from the primary process. “Not right now I don’t,” Paul said, “not unless they’re willing to end the war and bring our troops home.”

Apparently, in the ensuing weeks, “not right now” has become “no.”

Paul called his Republican presidential rivals, including frontrunner Rudy Giuliani, “neo-conservatives” whom he couldn’t support in the general election should his own bid fail.

“They think we’re supposed to spread our goodness through force,” Paul said. For example, none will pledge not to wage war on Iran, he said. “How could I support something like that?”

Apparently, he can’t. But it means that of the top seven candidates in the Republican field, Paul is the only one who isn’t prepared to support the party’s eventual nominee. It’s not the kind of thing that will go over well within the party, but then again, Paul’s interest in the Republican Party appears nominal — it’s a venue for him to advance his ideas and agenda, not necessarily an opportunity for him to lead the party.

Many uses of LED lights...

An interesting suggestion I heard for LED light strings was to use them for wedding lights to either decorate where the wedding was being held or for the wedding reception. The ease in use of the lighting was one of the main reasons this was suggested since you can potentially connect 125 strings of lights to one plug. That would certainly cut down on trying to run extension cords everywhere. With the different styles and colors these lights come in you'd be able to find the right set to match your theme as well as being able to use them again and again for other holidays or events. You could even use them for accent or mood lighting in your home, with the lights being a reminder of your special day, considering the lights last at least 100,000 hours that's a lot of time for memories...

More on the Ron Paul coins...

The story of the coins created with the picture of Ron Paul on them are still in the news as this Washington Post article points out:

But the coins have been another rallying point for Paul's supporters, who have asked Paul to pose for photographs with the coins on the campaign trail. Jim Forsythe, a Paul organizer in New Hampshire who ordered 150 of the copper Ron Paul dollars, said yesterday that the seizure of the coins would likely fuel more support for Paul, who scores close to double-digits in some New Hampshire polls. "People are pretty upset about this," he said. "The dollar is going down the tubes and this is something that can protect the value of their money and the Federal Reserve is threatened by that. It'll definitely fire people up."

Basics of Title Insurance...

The basic premise of title insurance exactly as it sounds, it is insurance that protects you from problems that could be related to the title to your property. Before you purchased your home or the land that it sits on there were most likely previous owners and if there was a problem related to one of the previous title transfers it could create a situation where your title could be called into question. This is why the business of title insurance companies came into existence, with title insurance designed for the lender that protects the amount of the mortgage and then there is also owner’s title insurance that covers the full value of the home.

If you are planning on buying your home through a mortgage, title companies and the lender will require that you have title insurance, if you have put down a substantial down payment or are doing a purchase that does not require a mortgage, it is still advised that you purchase an owner's title insurance policy to make sure you are properly protected. Like almost every type of insurance, if you have it, it seems you'll never need it but if you didn't take the option to purchase it and run into a problem? In hindsight you could wish you would have done it differently...

Coins with Ron Paul on them seized

This is being reported by several media sources, with similar details as shared in this New York Sun piece that suggest that this could cause problems for the campaign of the very internet popular candidate Rep. Ron Paul.

Federal agents, in a move that could have an impact on the presidential race, raided the Indiana office of the issuer of a private currency known as the Liberty Dollar — and seized tens of thousands of coins bearing the likeness of a presidential candidate, Rep. Ron Paul.

As the article points out, Libertarians are reacting:

Blay Tarnoff, a former chairman of the Libertarian Party of New York, a statewide organization, said he could not think of any good rationale for the raid as long as the company issuing Liberty Dollars was not misrepresenting their coins as government currency. "People can trade anything they want of value," he said. "It wouldn't surprise me if the government would want to seize Liberty Dollars if they believed that people were actually beginning to use them."

Car visor customized for you...

When I first saw this website where you can customize your visor for your vehicle, I immediately thought of all the cute sayings I could use in buying these for various family members. You can select the color that you want, pick a background palette, add text and even add accessories as well as being able to email your design to friends and family to show them what your favorite "stuck up" is.

For one of my daughters, the saying "BUCKLE UP" would be a nice reminder right there on her visor since she has a bad habit of not remembering to buckle her seatbelt. Then there is the one who could use, "PROPER ASSURED DISTANCE" as a reminder and my other lovely daughter, "DO YOU HAVE YOUR PURSE" would be helpful since she's lost her wallet and her purse more than once by leaving it somewhere. As you can tell, the possibilities are pretty endless as to the type of messages and fun you could have with these custom visors.

Chinese spying threat to US businesses...

When I attended a recent Town Hall on US Manufacturing Job losses, the topic of the Chinese copying/stealing our technology was discussed as being a major problem for US manufacturers. This CNN report is timely considering it addresses a similar point of discussion, Report: China spies threaten U.S. technology:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chinese spying in America represents the greatest threat to U.S. technology, according to a congressional advisory panel report Thursday that recommended lawmakers consider financing counterintelligence efforts meant to stop China from stealing U.S. manufacturing expertise.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission also said in its annual report to Congress that small- and medium-sized U.S. manufacturers, which represent more than half the manufacturing jobs in America, "face the full brunt of China's unfair trade practices, including currency manipulation and illegal subsidies for Chinese exports."

China's economic policies create a trade relationship that is "severely out of balance" in China's favor, said the commission, which Congress set up in 2000 to investigate and report on U.S.-China issues.

Why make threats you can't follow through on?

No matter who the presidential candidate is or any candidate for that matter creates a feeling of distaste with me when they make statements/promises that can never come about. This recent situation with John Edwards is a prime example:

John Edwards' new ad says that when he's in the Oval Office, he'll tell Congress to act within six months to make sure all Americans have health insurance or "I'm going to use my power as president to take your health care away from you."

What's the problem? He can't do it...

Presidents can't just negate federal laws at will, and it's under law that members of Congress, cabinet members, and other government employees get health insurance.

The saddest part of all is there will be voters who will believe this and it's very disappointing that John Edwards would use this type of inaccurate information as a part of his campaign for President.

Energy Efficient Christmas Lights...

A great many of us, especially those of us who live the upper half of the country, want a traditional white Christmas with lots of snow and that beauty of snowflakes falling on Christmas day, but the additional lighting no matter where you live can increase your electric bill. If you are concerned about the environment and energy costs you might want to consider using LED Christmas lights instead of traditional Christmas light strings. Not only do the LED bulbs last longer but they also do not burn with as high of a temperature and they cost much less to operate than the traditional lights. LED lights are also made tougher so you don't have to worry about the easy breakage that can happen with regular lights. There is a very interesting article that gives you Nine Things you can do to make your holiday greener that I highly recommend reading. It gives some fantastic tips on how you can celebrate the holidays but do so with a bit more of a focus on being environmentally friendly at the same time.

HolidayLEDs has more than a huge variety of LED Holiday lights for sale, they also have many articles that contain not information and helpful tips. For this they get the Lisa Renee recommend...

Ron Paul rasies over 8 million and....

Our media shows it's bias towards or against candidates by the way it reports on stories. Take the recent news about Presidential candidate Ron Paul raising $8.1 million since November 1. It states:

Claims by Paul's campaign that it has raised $8.1 million in November, cannot be verified by CNN until fourth quarter reports are filed with the Federal Election Commission on December 31.

Dr. Paul's campaign raised a few eyebrows in Washington last week when it announced that it had raised $4.2 million in just 24 hours, on November 5. Since that announcement, the campaign has received another $1 million in donations online, his campaign announced Tuesday.

Why would his campaign lie about that? The information will be accessible to the public so it would be rather stupid to make claims that could not be proven and the media would be all over that as a story if it were not true...

Score for Math Tutoring...

There are other companies out there that offer Math Tutors and some promise the same level of results, yet the majority of teachers I have asked when discussing tutoring have recommended Score. As I've stated in the past, my son had problems with math that we did not catch soon enough and he struggled until the problem was identified. Had we acted sooner in getting him the additional tutoring he needed, most of the problems he experienced would have been avoided. As a parent, math was my weak area and I did not realize until years later that I did not stress math skills enough with my children when they were younger. All of us have our strong and weak subjects, which is an additional reason Score can be of great assistance in making sure your child excels even in areas you don't.

Betting on Ron Paul?

I found this one to be a bit unusual, Ireland's largest online bookmaker, PaddyPower.com listed Ron Paul with 8/1 odds of being named the GOP Candidate a few weeks ago and now on November 10, he came in with 5/1 odds.

Only Mitt Romney (with 9/4 odds) and Rudy Giuliani (11/10 odds) are listed higher. Romney would pay $9 for every $4 bet while Giuliani would pay out $11 for every $10 bet.

"Ron Paul has officially surpassed John McCain among Republicans where oddsmakers are concerned, even around the world," announced Payton O'Brien, Senior Editor of Gambling911.com See Payton O'Brien quoted in Chief Executive Magazine Here "He's now favored over Fred Thompson as well, who is listed with 6/1 odds at PaddyPower."

US residents are prohibited from placing bets at Paddy Power.

Richardson not giving up...

Email received from his campaign yesterday:

Dear Lisa Renee,

I just spent the last two and a half hours in our Friday strategy session and I wanted to let you know where things stand before I head out to meet up with the Governor at his 10th campaign event today.

It's come down to this. We have 54 days until the Iowa caucus and every one of us has a clear job to do. You do, too. I'm going to tell you about that in a minute.

First off, let me say this. The Democratic presidential primary is still very much in play. And Bill Richardson is still very much in it.

I was just looking at some poll numbers for Iowa and New Hampshire that show Bill gaining ground and that prove we will be competitive on Election Day.

All bets are off until those early states vote. That's really the first time voters get a chance to decide if they think a candidate can go all the way. And it's when front-runners stumble.

That's how Paul Tsongas lost his front-runner status in 1992. It got down to brass tacks and voters realized he couldn't beat George Bush. And suddenly Bill Clinton was catapulted to the front of the line and ultimately into the White House.

But here's what you need to know. Even though Senator Clinton and Senator Obama have bigger war chests, it won't make a difference when voters finally get to decide. There is only so much media to be bought in Iowa and New Hampshire. Which is why we're concentrating our energy there. And that's why I need your help now.

We have put $1.2 million in the plan for media in those two states for the month of November. But today, we only have $950,000.

If we can raise that additional $250,000 between now and Thanksgiving, we can match Clinton and Obama ad-for-ad.

When shopping online for furniture...

If you are like me you prefer to shop from the comfort of your computer as opposed to driving from location to location. The selection of Home Furniture offered by Furniture From Home is impressive. Selections range from items such as an office desk, my personal favorite is the Tobacco Finish Hardwood Computer Desk and Storage Unit, along with Dining Room Furniture, Bedroom Furniture, Living Room Furniture and accessories. The website is easy to navigate and the prices are not overly expensive when you consider the quality of the furniture offered. This is not some bargain basement shopping site where the furniture is of less than stellar quality. They do offer free shipping and go above and beyond what is considered the standard even for companies that offer free shipping, that is a huge positive that earns them my recommendation as a site to visit/shop at.

Ron Paul said he is "not interested" in a third party run for president

DURHAM, N.H. -- Texas Congressman Ron Paul said he is "not interested" in a third party run for president if he is unable to win the Republican presidential nomination next year.

"I have no intention of doing that," Paul told local reporters. "This country is not very democratic and only allows for two parties."

In 1988, Paul ran for president as the nominee for the Libertarian Party. He said that experience showed him a third party run would be futile.

On Friday afternoon Paul spoke to 350 students at the University of New Hampshire, one of the largest audiences a presidential candidates has received on this campus.

Rebecca Romanoski, a UNH student who grew up in Newton, N.H., said she came to see Paul because she heard he was a bit of a "radical". But she was turned off after hearing Paul say he would do very little to address global warming.

In the question and answer period Paul encouraged students to be "contrarians" about global warming and said the federal government really didn't have a role to address the problem anyway.

Quality faucets matter...

When it comes to faucets you might think you can get away with a cheap set for your kitchen or your bathroom. Yet in the end you will most likely spend more money than if you went with a Price Pfister faucet set in the first place. Just one example of dripping water may not seem as if it would be an issue but over time that adds to the cost of your water bill as well as the waste to the environment. Longevity of the faucet is another thing to consider, paying a bit higher of a price for quality as opposed to having to replace parts or pieces or even a whole faucet several times does not make long term financial sense. Design is an additional factor, since when it comes to that you also get what you pay for. Price Pfister is the name I've cone to trust when it comes to a good price for the quality you receive in turn...

Freedom of Speech and the Harm Principle

A highly recommended site that deals with the topic of the Harm Principle and Freedom of Speech. It is a well written piece that takes a thought provoking look at this issue.

One more voter!

My fourth oldest was able to vote for the first time yesterday, and unlike almost 70% of the registered voters of my area, voted. While she was a bit embarrassed by the applause she received from the senior citizen volunteers at the polling station yesterday, I understood exactly why they are applauding. They spend hours volunteering at the polls and in our particular district only 16.6% of the voters came out to vote so seeing a young person care enough about their right to vote to actually do it, was worthy of applause.

Quibblo adds special pages...

Now not only can you have fun taking the many quizzes that Quibblo offers, like anime quizzes, but they have added special pages of information and a way for you to discuss your favorite quizzes. The topics include a list of the quizzes related to the subject matter, like for those of us who are political junkies, the 2008 Election category is one you don't want to miss and if you don't see one that interests you? You can always create your own...

Teen Wins Fight for Antiabortion Club at School

While I can't say I agree with all of her message, I support the right for her to be ale to state it and given there are quite a few other high school clubs that are not related to education, I'm glad that the school district involved permitted the creation of an antiabortion club.

Pakistan constitution said "ripped to shreds"

The arrests of lawyers and the upheaval in Pakistan should be causing a great deal of concern here in the US, it's obvious when reading this Washington Post article, Ousted Pakistani Chief Justice Urges Lawyers to Continue Protests that there is freedom at stake here. While some lawyers are protesting, others have gone into hiding:

Under house arrest since his firing along with six other Supreme Court judges, Chaudhry reached a gathering of lawyers in the capital via cell phone and told them to "go to every corner of Pakistan and give the message that this is the time to sacrifice," the Associated Press reported. "Don't be afraid. God will help us, and the day will come when you'll see the constitution supreme and no dictatorship for a long time."

While some political opponents and rights activists also participated in the protests -- the most significant since Musharraf declared emergency rule Saturday -- it was the lawyers who dominated. In recent months, they have clashed repeatedly with a government they accuse of interfering with the judiciary, and on Monday, they voiced outrage over the president's decision to suspend the constitution and fire a group of dissident Supreme Court justices.

Equally disturbing is the reports of arrests of human relief workers and the fact that non-government owned media has been kept off the air for the third day in a row. This makes getting information about what is happening even more difficult.

Online shopping better for the environment...

Sure the title is a little bit of a stretch, but in a way it is true since by staying home and shopping from home you actually do save driving from place to place looking for just the right gift. You could even say that by using online shopping coupons you save trees since you don't have to print them out on paper...

Another advantage of online shopping is being able to get deals that you can't get at the store, like the ones offered by Tracfone, some of which include a free phone. If you go to the store, you aren't going to get a free phone...Or you can find items from Brian Tracy that would not only be a great gift but could help you improve your own life by taking advantage of his experience when it comes to personal and business success.

My personal preference is to always shop online first and to use online shopping coupons whenever possible, the money I save enables me to buy even more for the ones I love and at times myself too.

Time change increases death risk?

This was an interesting article that made some points that I had not realized when it comes to the change in daylight savings time:

It also means that pedestrians walking around dusk are nearly three times more likely to be struck and killed by cars than before the time change, the researchers calculate.

Ending daylight saving time translates into about 37 more U.S. pedestrian deaths around 6 p.m. in November compared to October, the professors report.

Considering I'm not a fan of the whole messing with mother nature as far as creating an artificial time in the first place, perhaps this is just one additional reason why our government should just leave it alone...

I've thought about freelancing...

As the writer of a popular weekly newspaper column on blogging and a self-published author of a book on Ohio History, I have often thought about becoming a freelancer. I've also thought about freelancing when it comes to advising political campaigns since many of them just need someone to do a quick fix for a public relations problem or issue as opposed to needing someone long term. For me the biggest obstacle is a time factor, not so much as doing the work but doing the promotional aspect to do the work.

Ron Paul winning the internet ad campaign...

So far it would appear that when it comes to making commercials and putting commercials on the internet that Ron Paul is leaps and bounds a head of his other presidential opponents. I've seen more of his advertising recently than I have all of the Republicans and Democrats added up together. What this will mean for the feisty independent who is also making the late night tv rounds is still way to early to tell but I'm also noticing more bloggers coming out and stating they are supporting Ron Paul as well...

Love means having to say your sorry...

Even the best of marriages run into troubled times at one point or another, yet there is this stigma that exists in some circles of society about marriage counseling that can create huge problems for a couple. You'd get a second opinion when it came to a myriad of issues in your life, so there is nothing wrong with getting some advice/assistance when it comes to your marriage. It can be extremely beneficial to have someone who is a third party give you insight into areas in which you can improve your relationship. In the end it'd be a much better option than an unhappy marriage or a divorce...

Does the Military have the right to take their land?

At times I wonder what happened to the concept of liberty, and freedom of choice. I have no problem with the military making an offer for land that they want to purchase, and as an example in this case the ranchers to sell their land but there should be no force and the price should not be what the military decides it wants to pay. Some of those ranchers families owned the land way before the military ever came on the scene and even those who came later? Where exactly are they supposed to go?

That's not even touching on the topic of the history of that area that could be destroyed...

I totally disagree with this statement:

State Sen. John P. Morse, a Colorado Springs Democrat, (said) that "patriotism is about accepting your cost, even when it is disproportionate."

That's total bunk, especially since it really is questionable why we need to train more of our troops to fight in a place where we shouldn't even be in the first place. If Congress and the President would put a stop to sending our troops to the middle east none of these millions of acres of land would be needed for desert training. Yet to attempt to question the patriotism of the ranchers because they don't want to give up their life, their livelihood and their history? I sincerely hope when Morse is up for re-election the residents of Colorado remember his lack of concern for their well being.

History of Filibusters...

As I've said before, I love history. It's an opportunity to see what has happened and many times what is happening right now has been done before. Most times we as humans don't seem to learn lessons from the past so we are doomed to repeat them.

Let's flash back to 1841 for a moment.....

In 1841, when the Democratic minority hoped to block a bank bill promoted by Henry Clay, Clay threatened to change Senate rules to allow the majority to close debate. Thomas Hart Benton angrily rebuked his colleague, accusing Clay of trying to stifle the Senate's right to unlimited debate.

The term "filibuster," comes from the Spanish filibustero, or freebooter, meaning "pirate." Which is what basically happens, one or more persons "pirates" the floor. There are even rules that outline what can be done during a Filibuster, for instance you can drink water or milk but not eat.

Both republicans and democrats have used the filibuster and when in the majority tried to change the rules for filibusters. The party in power seems to always want to stifle the dissent of the minority. Republicans are now in power, and they seem to have forgotten some of their history. Claims have been made that a filibuster has never been used to stop the appointment of a Judge, not true. Sept. 26, 1968, Washington Post; it said, "A full-dress Republican-led filibuster broke out in the Senate yesterday against a motion to call up the nomination of Justice Abe Fortas for Chief Justice." A New York Times story that day said Fortas's opponents "began a historic filibuster today." As the debate dragged on for four days, news accounts consistently described it as a full-blown filibuster intended to prevent Fortas's confirmation from reaching the floor, where a simple-majority vote would have decided the question. The required number of votes to halt a filibuster then was 67; filibusters can be halted now by 60 of the Senate's 100 members.

If you want to read more, some good articles/sites:

Washington Post article

Slate article

Senate Filibuster History

Liberal, Libertarian...how do you define it?

Like most "labels" it depends on the source:

According to Funk and Wagnall's Dictionary:

lib-er-tar-i-an, n. 1. a person who advocates liberty, esp. with regard to thought or conduct.... advocating liberty or conforming to principles of liberty.

According to American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

NOUN: 1. One who advocates maximizing individual rights and minimizing the role of the state.

The Challenge of Democracy (6th edition), by Kenneth Janda, Jeffrey Berry, and Jerry Goldman:

Liberals favor government action to promote equality, whereas conservatives favor government action to promote order. Libertarians favor freedom and oppose government action to promote either equality or order.

According to Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000 © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation:

Libertarianism, political philosophy emphasizing the rights of the individual. The doctrine of libertarianism stresses the right to self-ownership and, by extension, the right to private ownership of material resources and property. Advocates oppose any form of taxation and favor a laissez-faire economic system.

According to Libertarian.org:

While libertarians are a diverse group of people with many philosophical starting points, they share a defining belief: that everyone should be free to do as they choose, so long as they don't infringe upon the equal freedom of others.

According to David Boaz, Libertarianism: A Primer, Free Press, 1997:

Libertarianism is the view that each person has the right to live his life in any way he chooses so long as he respects the equal rights of others. Libertarians defend each person's right to life, liberty, and property-rights that people have naturally, before governments are created. In the libertarian view, all human relationships should be voluntary; the only actions that should be forbidden by law are those that involve the initiation of force against those who have not themselves used force-actions like murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, and fraud.

According to Charles Murray, What It Means to Be a Libertarian, Broadway Books, 1997:

The American Founders created a society based on the belief that human happiness is intimately connected with personal freedom and responsibility. The twin pillars of the system they created were limits on the power of the central government and protection of individual rights. . . .

A few people, of whom I am one, think that the Founders' insights are as true today as they were two centuries ago. We believe that human happiness requires freedom and that freedom requires limited government.

The correct word for my view of the world is liberal. "Liberal" is the simplest anglicization of the Latin liber, and freedom is what classical liberalism is all about. The writers of the nineteenth century who expounded on this view were called liberals. In Continental Europe they still are. . . . But words mean what people think they mean, and in the United States the unmodified term liberal now refers to the politics of an expansive government and the welfare state. The contemporary alternative is libertarian. . . .

Libertarianism is a vision of how people should be able to live their lives-as individuals, striving to realize the best they have within them; together, cooperating for the common good without compulsion. It is a vision of how people may endow their lives with meaning-living according to their deepest beliefs and taking responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

Daily show on Turkey...

This one was a funny one that was on October 18th...

More on Ron Paul...

Ron Paul's position on Church and State taken from his December 2003 article entitled, "Christmas in Secular America", makes some points I agree with:

The notion of a rigid separation between church and state has no basis in either the text of the Constitution or the writings of our Founding Fathers. On the contrary, our Founders’ political views were strongly informed by their religious beliefs. Certainly the drafters of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, both replete with references to God, would be aghast at the federal government’s hostility to religion. The establishment clause of the First Amendment was simply intended to forbid the creation of an official state church like the Church of England, not to drive religion out of public life. The Founding Fathers envisioned a robustly Christian yet religiously tolerant America, with churches serving as vital institutions that would eclipse the state in importance. Throughout our nation’s history, churches have done what no government can ever do, namely teach morality and civility. Moral and civil individuals are largely governed by their own sense of right and wrong, and hence have little need for external government.

History of Ron Paul...

Since there is still quite a bit of discussion out there before the whole primary process begins about Ron Paul and what his presidential chances are I though it would be interesting to take a look back at some of the political history of Ron Paul...

In 1982, Ron Paul was the prime mover in the creation of the U.S. Gold Commission, and in many public speeches Paul has voiced concern over the dominance of the debt-based monetary system and called for the return to a commodity-backed currency through a gradual re-introduction of hard currency including both gold and silver. A commodity standard binds currency issue to the value of that commodity rather than fiat, making the value of the currency as stable as the commodity. Ron Paul supports the gold standard to prevent inflation. The Minority Report of the U.S. Gold Commission states that the federal and state governments are strictly limited in their monetary role by Article One, Section Eight, Clauses 2, 5, and 6, and Section Ten, Clause 1, "The Constitution forbids the states to make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debt, nor does it permit the federal government to make anything a legal tender." The Commission also recommended that the federal government "... restore a definition for the term 'dollar.' We suggest defining a 'dollar' as a weight of gold of a certain fineness, .999 fine."