Guard Dog

I might live to be a 100 but I will never... ever understand this way of thinking. First of all, you do realize governments don't actually build anything right? They contract PRIVATE COMPANIES to the building for them. And those companies do make a profit off the job. Now since that is government money that pays that contract and governments do not "earn" money (they confiscate it), whose money do you think is really paying for the profit earned by the contractor? You are. Everyone who pays taxes is. I have never understood why some people think business is bad and government is good. The largest, most powerful company in the world can not take a thing from you that you do not freely give it. They can not take your home, they can not confiscate your money, they can not throw you in prison, they can not sieze your property, and if you do business with them and they deal with you wrongly or in bad faith or breach a contract you can take them to court. The smallest governments right here in the US can seize your home, seize all of your assets and property, and can easily throw you in prison and even if all this is done wrongfully you can not seek redress in the court. You can try but you chances of success are very small, and even if you do succed how many years of your life were lost fighting them? Governments are immune from punitive action and damages in court here in the US, the very best you can hope for is to get back what you had...years and tens of thousands of dollars later. Business cares about profit because their cash reserves are finite. If the business is not run well and runs out of money it will cease to exist. If a government is not run well, and it runs out of money it will simply raise taxes and continue running. If it continues to be willfully wasteful (why you think this is a good thing I have no idea) it will and can simply continue raising taxes until it is either overthrown, voted out, ot the taxpayers simply go elsewhere. For a real world example of this check out The First Failed State thread right here on this very forum. So... after looking at these comparisons between government and business, who should you really be afraid of? And check out my sig while you're at it.

A little lesson for the mulititudes of people who seem to want their government to take over everything.

I don't make em up, I just repeat em. Besides, that dosen't work either, is wife if from Norway IIRC. I just assumed somewhere in Scandinavia they still had seal hunting. Otherwise the joke doesnt work at all. Heres another one... Whats the difference between a Cadillac and a golf ball? Tiger can drive a golf ball further than 400m.

And the Giants keep somone else from a perfect record....

I've spent the last few days buried in work. Both at my job and on my book. The job work is done now, all the applications for new tower builds are in for the year and design on each has been approved. I'm going to Nashville tomorrow to meet with the FCC and out companys lawyers on a license dispute. Should be as much fun as eating a live scorpion. The book is really coming together. I may even finish it. Getting it published is another matter. I might self publish if it's not too expensive. By the way, did you guys hear Tiger Woods has been dropped from the American Team in the Ryder Cup? It seems he has a history of being beaten by Europeans! Oh yeah... what do Tiger Woods and baby seals have in common? Both get clubbed by Scandinavians I head a bunch of them today...

Last Weeks Results Volo: 15-1 GD: 13-3 Harl: 12-4 Kelverin: 11-5 Season Standings Volo: 120-55 GD: 118-57 Kelverin: 116-59 Big win for Volo, and he regains the lead!

Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation by John Carlin: If you are a fan of sports/rugby/history/world politics/ etc you must read this book. Five stars!

Ah yes. It is such a desolate wasteland full of evil republicans and even more evil christians, and most evil businesses. One can only wonder why it is the second fastest growing state economy and third fastest growing state population and was the only state whose economy has contuinued to grow every year (if not every quarter) for the last fifteen years even as the national economy fell off into recession, twice. And imagine, all this from a state with the 8th lowest tax burden out of 50. Yep those awful Texas republicans are doing a terrible job down there. I can't imagine why anyone would want to live there instead of somewhere like... California for example with the 2nd highest tax burden and about to go bankrupt. http://www.forbes.com/2008/12/22/fastest-g...realestate.html

Jeez I hope he's alright. Just how much did you spend on that laptop!? Seriously though, hope he ok.

Yea, a big box from Amazon was wating for me in my over sized mailbox. First up looks like a real winner. I'm over 100 pages in and I can't put it down. It's Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation by John Carlin. It's about the 1995 South Africa World Cup Rugby team. I believe this book is the basis for the new movie Invictus. If so I will defineitely see it.

Ok... whose alt is this? Funny, this one pops up on the same day Gabrielle makes one of her now infrequent visits. Just sayin...

Hmm. If I may, let me impart a little of my experience to you here. I don't know how old you are, or where you live. But if you are in Europe, Austrailia, New Zealand, South America, or USA/Canada/Mexico and you are your girlfriend are over 18 and have been dating for three years, there is about a 95% chance she is going to have a conversation with you real soon. It's the "Where is the Relationship Going" conversation (translated into guy speak it's the "Why Haven't You Asked Me to Marry You Yet?" conversation). Now this conversation is usually unpleasant for the guy. This is of course by design, the girl is trying to jolt you into action and this is seldom accomplished without a little pain. It can be postponed if you are both in college, or if not it can be postponed for a short time by frequent and increasingly expensive gifts. But you are just treading water with that. Sooner or later you will have to either buy the ring and just do it, break up with her, or postpone and eventually endure the dreaded "Where is the Relationship Going". One additional thought, any proposal after the "Where is the Relationship Going" gains you far less credit than one made before the "Where is the Relationship Going". So as you are considering what to get her, if you are going to marry her anyway, suprise her with a diamond ring. After all there is nothing wrong with a long engagement. Just my $.02

Here is a great article contrasting Texas (a state that is growing) to California (a state that is, as all of you know now, failing) Once again the blame is placed on the backward thinking and criminally foolish government policiy coming from Sacramento. Except: Explaining four reasons why Texas is succeeding where California is failing

Happy Thanksgiving all. Mine went pretty well this year, compared to some in the past at least. I'll put it this way, there was no "family" trouble this year and my dinner guests held the absolute perfect conversation level.... The only downer of today is that all three NFL games were snoozers.

I don't think about him at all. He has an axe to grind and uses his movies to do it. That is his God given, Constitutionally guranteed right. If someone goes to see them than they are entertained thats fine with me. I will not watch them though. The difference between me and some others around here is I don't think he should be deprived of his forum simply because I don't like what he has to say. (Not insinuating anything Calax and Deadly, don't take that wrong). Actually Alan I have the same opinion on lots of "sacred" issues the conservatives hold dear. Even though it would be more accurate to describe me as a conservative than a liberal. For example gay marriage. If you don't like it, don't marry a gay person. But you have no right to tell someone else how to live their life. The biggest problem with the US today and this goes to the core of what I despise about both the right and the left, but especially the left, is that everyone seems to think they know better how you should be living you life than you do.

So does MSNBC and CNN ( nicknamed the Clinton News Network back in the 90's) only they distort to promote a leftist agenda. But you are confusing news for news commentary. The news part of Fox News is not really any different than any other all news network. If you want unbiased news sans commentary I think the BBC is all that left. It's just you guys are being a little disengenous railing against Fox for being biased because they have Beck and Hannity without acknowledging that the other networks are just as biased the other way. More so really because Fox has Alan Combs, Greta Vas Sustren, and Juan Williams. They're are all very left leaning and they all have their own show. Can you name me any conservatives on MSNBC or CNN? (hint don't expend too much time on this...there are not any)

The UN decision to create Isreal was unjust but whats done is done. The people who made the decision are all dead now. There is no recompense from them forthcoming. In the last twenty years Israel has made far more peace ovetures than the Palestinians ever have, and abided by far more brokered peace deals that the Palestinaneans ever have. Israel offers peace, is open to a seperate state, and a terrorist blows up a coffee shop. Or rockets are fired at peoples houses from Gaza. Of couse when Israeli citizens are killed no one gives a damn, but if they try to respond, even if it's just stop the attacks everyone goes nuts. After over sixty years and two all out wars, Israel is not going away. The Palestinians should accept that, take what they can have or leave. Otherwise they will be locked in this same stalemate and cycle of hate until every last one of them is dead or hopelssly impovrished. I always found it ironic how the leadership of Syria, Jordan, Lebannon, et al screech about the poor palestineans but never allow them to enter their borders. Isn't that a little strange?

How would you like to be the guy in charge of that Secret Service detail right now.. Thank God they were just two rgular people not a couple of nut jobs or terroists.

This guy has been on the air for 10+ years, has written four books and had a two year stage show/lecture tour. It is a little quick to judge that based on 12 minuites of Youtube footage taken without the context of his whole show. In short he is a news commentator/radio talk show host. He is very much like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, etc. He is not a news journalist and does not pretend to be one. He is not disingenous like Chris Matthews, Olberman, or other vermin of their ilk because he makes no secret about the fact that his show is all about his opinions of whats going on in the world. You have to take it for what it is. Or just don't watch it. It is still a free country. Now based on Calax and Deadly's posts, and not meaning to put words in their mouth, but they don't seem to understand that or dislike him simply because his politics are not their politics. Nothing wrong with that at all but at least they should be willing to admit that.

Actually I lived down there from 1995 to 2006. In Ft. Lauderdale (Margate to be exact) and West Palm Beach. I left a failed career, a ruined business, and an ex-wife down there. To say nothing of a lot of really bad memories. Hell will freeze solid before I ever venture south of Yeehaw Junction (yes that IS a real place everyone.. go ahead and laugh, it is funny) again. What do YOU think of SFL KOTOR? What part are you in?

This one is worth a chuckle: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/speci...t_bp_sta_1.html

All my Thanksgiving plans are shot. The familys all getting together in Ft Lauderdale and I can think of at least ten reasons not to go there. So, I called up a friend (the girl who liked my taste in art) and, well, lets just say that was not a good idea. So it's just me and the dogs this weekend. I'm going to grill up some chicken breasts for them, lobster tails and grilled veggies for me, plus I've got enough beer and liquor in the house to float a boat. All the projects around the house are done.. looks like a football watching weekend. Life is good!

I hope you're joking. Now that would not happen to be because his politics are opposite of yours would it? Or you Calax? I mean if somone is politically conservative does that preclude them from being brilliant? Now, brilliant is not the word I'd use to describe Glenn Beck, but I have read all four of his books and I will say that while he is a deeply flawed human being, he is certainly no dummy. And I can't think of too many instances where he has been factually inaccurate. In fact just one comes to mind.

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