Exploits and Travails of a Dirty Gym Rat

by Justin La Grange

There's a certain point when you've been going to the gym long enough that you know you're a dirty gym rat, a dirty gym whore. It's like when you car doesn't feel new anymore or when you finally set into that comfortable zone with a friend/girlfriend that's no longer awkward -- that's not to say it still doesn't piss you off. It's the point when people who weren't made for the gym finally quit and those who were made for it get their Hollywood star and move fervently onward. It separates the men from the boys. It's when you own it, when you finally feel comfortable, when it's finally your place, when you're big enough, when your life begins to revolve around the gym, when you're pissed if you didn't have a premium session, when you're finally no longer a newbie. It's a point at which you become intensely neurotic and obsessive. It's when you can bench or curl next to a dumbass meathead and not feel uncomfortable -- prejudiced and loathing maybe -- but not uncomfortable. This acceptance into the gym elite club is unspoken by but known among its members, almost in a telepathic sense.

And pardon my sexism, but women are not entitled to this status (it's a guy thing), unless it's one of those one in a million muscular chicks or one of those chicks that can kick my ass. Fortunately, those exist on the Discovery Channel and not in my gym.

Anyway, there's a certain demeanor required for this status -- a certain way you get to comport yourself in a privileged fashion. But I've come to experience that this privilege comes with a few roadblocks. It's said that with great privilege comes great responsibility. And great responsibility requires dealing with major issues and said "roadblocks" along the way.

Roadblock 1 -- When your best is never enough.

God knows I've been pleased benching 45 plates on either side of the incline, benching 185 a few times, curling a 75 bar, and doing 45 Christian Bale gyro-situps. But along comes -- as usual -- some juiced hamhead doing double the weight right next to me, leaving me nonplussed. Leaving me with the realization that my performance is really just mediocre. And it's a vicious cycle, as I felt that way when I just started out looking at someone with my current performance, feel that way now, and will feel that way when I turn into a meathead and some Arnold mofo is there deadlifting 700 pounds. Again, it's a vicious ugly cycle that never ends.

Roadblock 2 -- Dealing with showers and locker room nudity.

So while my mom is sunbathing and carousing in Maui for what seems like weeks on end, I'm left tending to the house all alone (apart from my pervasive sexual exploits). Naturally, the water heater aqua-explodes and begins spewing water all over the place, and fearing that a gas explosion was next, I shut everything down manually in dramatic fashion, leaving me with no heat and hot water. One of you might furnish a solution involving taking a quasi-shower with cold water, but I do not live in a first-world country to take showers with cold water.

So, in a plotline that makes the desperation on Desperate Housewives look replete of non-desperation, I'm becoming desperate to take a shower and will go to desperate lengths to do so. Unfortunately, there's only one simple option -- the gym. The showers in the gym are configured in such a way that maximum exposure occurs, with tiny one-foot protruding stallwalls and showerheads lining the main walls on either side.

I'm not a prude -- if dared I'll run on a beach nude or to do something else outrageous. But when trolling around others nude is voluntary, it just seems so déclassé. The way that some guys shamelessly through their junk around is simply in bad taste. It's something the disgusting secular-progressive free-loving déclassé hippies of the 60's would do. If there's something that God spoke about more highly than being "natural", it was being modest.

There's this unwritten rule of gym etiquette that says when you're going to take a shower at the gym, you have to take it full monty from the lockers (which I don't like to use) into the shower area -- as much as I think this is a massive conspiracy devised by NAMBLA members, it must be followed nonetheless.

Why is there any construct -- outside of a bathhouse -- where male nudity is accepted and fostered? To be honest, I wouldn't be so bothered if there was an age and BMI limit, but that reality just doesn't exist. Actually, it's not too bad at 10-11pm when I go as some of the most hardcore guys go to work out at that time -- they just can't handle the amateurism and bullshit of the gymbeciles during the day.

As I've written in my previous gym posts, what's going on with other guys in the locker room doesn't go unnoticed, and it's not gay -- it's just guys trying to stack themselves up to the next guy. These dog-eat-dog comparisons create competition, and competition fosters insecurity. However, competition also fosters improvement. If Joe Meathead's biceps are making mine look doubly crappy, it's double the bicep workout next time. In other words, nudity has its plusses and minuses...but mostly minuses.

I'd talk about my shower, but let's leave the panties dry for now, shall we? Especially you Timone.

Roadblock #3 -- How smooth is too smooth?

Have you ever noticed that some of the best gym rats are smoother than a baby seal? That is no genetic accident. I admit there is some strange allure to this, and I'm not going to lie, but I'm somewhat a fan of manscaping, and openly endorse it for other guys too. As for the haters, all I can say is I've learned it comes with the territory and you need to shutup. You say no-scaping makes you a real man, but it just makes you irritating at the beach and in the showers, and probably with your chick. If you have to look at something -- and make the aforementioned roadblock #2 comparisons -- at least be somewhat ergonomically sound and presentable for others around you.

Yet, there is a perplexing point at which so smooth can go too far; when going too smooth just seems to remove your masculinity. And yet it is still so tempting. The devil inside your head goes, "Boy, my legs would look amazing and defined if there wasn't this hair visually distorting its contours. Everything would be so nice, clean, smooth, and symmetrical." Us OCD folks are big fans of symmetry.

However, if I had to choose between naturally being Mr. Bigglesworth Asian or Mr. Joe Monkey, I'd rather be Mr. Joe Monkey as you have the option of getting rid of what you want. There's nothing a razor or Vietnamese lady at a wax salon will not do. However Mr. Bigglesworth Asian has to relegate himself to a lifetime of hairless mediocrity and masculine estrangement -- there's nothing more creepy than an Asian guy who can't grow any hair on his legs. And then when Asians do happen to grow hair, it just doesn't come out right. It will always perplex me that a people sandwiched between India, the Middle East, and Russia cannot grow any body hair.

The point of my incoherent ramblings is that reaching gym rat status portends certain complexities arising -- physical and mental introspections, if you will. You learn more about yourself and your character through the nature of your gym life than you will anywhere else. You learn that the funny things and the outrageous things are life, and that's just how it goes.

You learn to balance self-worship and self-loathing.

You learn that at the end of the day, don't be a sellout, don't be a gymbecile, don't be a gym snob, don't be a gym queen. Be a gym rat.


Photo Source:
http://www.powershotsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/tc-mom-260108-2463.jpg

The UC Regents Did The Right Thing

by Justin La Grange

The UC Regents made the right decision in approving the 32% fee hike, a necessary move to protect the integrity of the university system amidst massive budget shortfalls and reflective of the real market realities for an education of the UC System's caliber, specifically for UCLA and UC Berkeley. In fact, there are next to zero similar institutions in the world that offer Berkeley's quality of education at the post-fee raise price.

Despite elitist Berkeley and UCLA students snootily declaring themselves more "educated" and "aware" of the world around them than the common folk, the Regents and common folk happen to be grounded in practical and economic reality. Meanwhile, the spoonfed socialists at Berkeley are under the assumption that money to fund their high caliber education is just magically pulled out of thin air.

So what is the economic reality?

With the current fee structure (pre-32% increase), massive government funding, and ample donations, incoming revenue to fund the University's operations is not sufficient to cover costs.

In order to correct that imbalance, you are faced with three options: reduce operating costs, increase government funding, or increase the below market value tuition.

1. Reduce Operating Costs: As it is, the University's compensation for professors is well below market value and below that offered by many comparable institutions. If you continue to decrease that compensation as well as the compensation of other professionals at UC, you run the risk of losing more talent to other universities with better compensation, devaluing the quality of a UC Education. Where the UC System could reduce costs is by slashing their incompetent bureaucracy and overpaid unskilled labor -- but the UC system is a government system, after all. It's gonna be a cold day in hell when the bureaucracy is reduced, and hell on earth with the violent public sector unions if anybody tries. The ugly irony in that all this is the nutheads that complain and protest about their fee increases are likely to be the same ones who complain and protest about the unionized state gardner being compensated poorly at $25/hr with a hefty retirement package at 45 (also see attached article about Berkeley students protesting laid off janitors).
2. Increase Government Funding: In case you haven't noticed, the state of California is faced with the largest budget shortfall in its history, thanks to Democratic-liberalism run amok. The hallmark of liberalism, a massive scope of social programs with unproductive wildly overcompensated incompetent bureaucrats overseeing them, has finally catapulted California into a near state of bankruptcy. As a result, there is no state money left to be further alloted to UC. Try and cut another state program and move that funding to UC, and watch the fight the unions and interests of that cut program will put up. Of course the question becomes, "How about raising taxes?" When companies and high income earners are fleeing California at an alarming rate, you cannot afford to continue driving them away. The whole crux of conservative economic reasoning is that when you drive too many people away with massive taxes and regulation, you no longer have a tax base to draw from and the system collapses -- including the UC System.
3. Increase Below Market Value Tuition: As it stands, the 32% higher tuition is far below the market value of the education provided. Assuming the raise would make a Berkeley (or UC) education unsustainable for at most 1-5% of prospective students, just slot the next 1-5% on the admissions/waiting list in. It's the price the system has to pay to preserve quality and not reach a state of utter financial collapse. To note, there are folks that would pay $100K a year for their kids to go to Berkeley and donate a building on top of that. Yes, that's the exception and not the rule, but $7,500/year versus $10,000/year is not really going to break anybody's back. Will the loans become larger and will you or your parents have to give up a little something more if finances are tight? Sure, but that's life. If you get into a car accident and pay $2500 more per year in insurance, will you go protest outside the insurance company? No, cause that's life. We live in the United States, where nothing is free and nobody is entitled to anything -- and coincidentally, we have the greatest standard of living and quality of life in the entire world among all social classes. Oh, the injustice! And in case you didn't figure it out, option three presented here is indeed the only feasible solution.

Despite overwhelming evidence that this fee raise needed to happen, economic reality is not something UC students are concerned with in their socialist utopia. I would ask them to step out of their bubble and furnish solutions to the massive UC budget crisis that does not involve raising their tuition. Let me tell you, there are few realistic ones that accomodate their leftist worldview. There is one tax I support however, and that is a 95% tax on left-wing activist celebrities to fund the UC System -- somehow, I have a feeling a lot more movies would be made in Louisiana.


Context Article from the AP:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9C3DOT00&show_article=1

Image Source:
http://laist.com/attachments/la_zach/ucprotests.jpg

The Obama Administration to Fox News: How Dare You Deliver Our Transparency For Us!

by Justin La Grange

November 4, 2008 -- the sun shone brighter that day. As the seas parted and the clouds opened, the long awaited delivery of our savior, the anointed one, was finally here. Rejoice! A new era of moderate open government and transparency had begun.

One year later...

We've all found that this saying is really true: "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

In what has been the most grotesque display of arm twisting vile backhandedness, the Obama Administration has mixed its far-left radical character with the forceful machinations of Chicago style politics to violently push through an unwanted agenda of an un-American nature by -- as Alinsky would describe -- any and all means necessary.

And in what is no exaggeration, Fox News is the guardian of your liberty during the Obama era. In what can be described as nothing short of corruption of the most epic proportions, Fox News is the only organization that is willing to take a critical look at the Obama Administration. That is beyond dangerous. How can anyone villify the only news media organization that dare ask questions? It is beyond comprehension, which is why, not coincidentally, Fox News has the audience of MSNBC, CNN, and HLN combined, and has occasionally beaten broadcast Katie Couric's CBS Headline News in the ratings.

One saw this coming -- no pun intended -- when Campbell Brown could barely compose herself during the Democratic primary debates or when photoshopped nude pictures of then Senator Obama were found on Keith Olbermann's bedroom wall.

The White House criticism of Fox News is outrageous. Fox News is a privately owned media organization that the White House has no business attacking, whereas The White House belongs to the people, not the Obama Administration, and therefore the people have a right to scrutinize it all they want. Instead of attacking the investigating organization, it is the responsibility of the people's house, The White House, to openly address those queries, not to have some half-witted cherubic fool making snide sarcastic "it's a war" like remarks in response.

And let's say Fox News is presenting a right-leaning opinion -- mostly on primetime -- on certain issues. So what? Are you interested in robust debate President Obama, or must you play the games of the Chicago style machine when it's more convenient to attack, dismantle, and falsely discredit your so-called opponent? Much like a five year old, it's apparently just easier to say that "you're wrong", instead of bothering to explain why your wrong, and hope enough folks are watching organizations like MSNBC and the Daily Kos to buy into the liberal cornfed stereotype.

In an era where the federal government is all too consumed with power, Fox News is the only organization that understands the role of the media is to be a ferocious watchdog, not a lapdog. Well, one can forgive Anderson Cooper, who really wants to be Obama's lapdog.

At least CNN is willing to admit it is such in what was a heroic triumph on the part of Campbell Brown in confronting the duplicitous and sniveling Valerie Jarrett who refused to call MSNBC a biased news organization while making those same pronouncements about Fox News. How convenient to not complain about fawning coverage and then complain bitterly when facts and sound reasoning are presented to controvert your ugly agenda. For example, the Obama Administration bitterly attacked Edmunds for their unbiased and completely logical report that stated the true taxpayer cost of each cash for clunker was $24,000 per turn in. The administration also attacks anyone of the opinion that the government can't run anything, which it factually can't -- if the government ran as a business, it would near immediately go out of business.

Oddly, the Obama Administration is willing to admit they're corrupt in strange overseas meetings, such as the one Anita Dunn had at a Dominican Republic government conference where she admitted the Obama strategy towards the media was to in essence "control" it as opposed to the press controlling it themselves. The administration/campaign would set the narrative and tone of the news, and the lapdog media would in essence run with how the White House put it out there. In the most clever and elegant ways, the mainstream media has this fabulous knack at building an agenda and skewing in a position in what sounds like hard news to the general public. Primetime at MSNBC is basically a regurgitation of White House press releases and a debutante ball of surrogate debaters for the Obama Administration (that's Keith Olbermann over there in the pink gown).

Meanwhile, let's discuss the administration's so called enemy territory. Glenn Beck has replaced Sean Hannity as enemy #1 and the White House has made no secret of it. As a consequence, Glenn Beck's ratings on his Fox News program have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, and Obama-exposé marketshare is epically increasing. The Obama Administration is worried about certain stunning facts Glenn Beck presents, such as the government's new marketshare of control in the private economy (from the banking industry to the car industry to the student loan industry) or videos of his czars -- who are public stewards and have salaries payed by the taxpayer -- exhibiting radical behavior. As much as folks want to discredit Glenn Beck, he broke major major stories that the mainstream media flatly ignored, such as the radical videos of green jobs czar Van Jones, ultimately resulting in Jones' resignation after huge public outcry. And that outcry was not a result of any bias or any of Beck's opinions, but a result of Beck sitting pertly in his chair, consuming an ice cream sundae as he and the public watched undoctored videos of Jones making radical pronouncements that caused the public to ask why such a extremely far-left and dangerous person is serving in a capacity that represents, again, the people's house, not Barack Obama's house. In the outrage of the century, Jones had the audacity to say he was a victim of slander, which apparently was defined as having been slandered by having the slanderer simply play back videos of the slanderee. But back on point, Beck's breaking of these stories make him a hero in looking out for the mainstream public's interest by critically evaluating policy and policymakers in the Obama administration -- that is the media's job, and non-coincidently he is rewarded for doing that job by averaging an unprecedentedly large amount of viewers.

Yet while Fox News is not afraid to present contradicting opinons (to the White House), that's not to say that Fox is as biased as MSNBC. Fox is very balanced in its daytime programming, and even primetime is more balanced than MSNBC based on the hosts and percentage of commentators that offer contradicting opinions.

Contrary to popular opinion, The O'Reilly Factor is largely a balanced program. O'Reilly's opinions skew center-right, but nearly all the segments include an opposing commentator with whom O'Reilly has virile and robust debates. Mark Lamont Hill, Juan Williams, Rev. Sharpton (who regularly appears on Fox News), Alan Colmes, Phil Donahue, Medea Benjamin, Geraldo Rivera, Jane Fleming, and Robert Reich are just a few examples. He has also interviewed Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, both of whom were surprisingly pleased with their fair treatment on the show. In contrast, Countdown with Keith Olbermann has next to 0 opposing commentators. And yes, I do watch the show, unlike you liberal folks who get your 1 or 2 selective out of context clips from Media Matters that you play over and over again.

But more importantly, The O'Reilly Factor delivers the kind of transparency and truthful analysis that is sorely missing from other media outlets that -- according to Anita Dunn -- the Obama Adminstration controls. O'Reilly broke wide open the story of the Obama Administration's wildly unethical non-transparent deals with General Electric, the parent of NBC Universal and MSNBC, for billion dollar contracts in green energy and technology R&D. Obviously, it would make absolute sense to question whether there's something going on when you have NBC/MSNBC's parent GE getting favorable government contracts and then GE CEO's Jeffrey Immelt is caught telling the NBC division to lay off the unfavorable coverage of President Obama (largely occuring on CNBC at the time with Rick Santelli).

If you are interested in knowing that Obama campaign advisor Robert Reich in essence confirmed a byproduct of universal healthcare was going to be what Sarah Palin surmised were "death panels" or that Obama's communications advisor Anita Dunn turns to Chairman Mao for guidance, you might want to pick up a showing of Hannity or Glenn Beck.

Among other critical stories Fox News broke was the politically earthshaking ACORN scandal in which government funded ACORN employees were caught advising a pair posing as a pimp and prostitute on how to set up their illicit business with trafficked 12 year old Salvadoran girls. You might remember Obama thanking ACORN for all the invaluable work they had done for his campaign, such as registering the dead and the homeless (often many times) to vote. While ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and MSNBC were wallowing in coverage of Michelle Obama's wardrobe choices, Fox News was busy breaking ACORN stories. But what kind of value is coverage of ACORN, you ask? Well, when ACORN registers 13,000 voters in a Minnesota race that elected a Democratic Senator (God help us Al Franken) by less than 300 votes -- not to mention who originally lost by 700 votes -- you have a serious problem.

America is no doubt the greatest country in the world, but after being coddled with all we have, we have become complacent and globally unaware. We lull ourselves into thinking that because everything runs fairly smoothly -- now -- government is not brutally corrupt. But the truth of the matter is that government is slipping by the day -- everyday government seeps into the banking industry, the auto industry, the loan industry -- and you have to ask what is next (when Obama cuts deals with media parents). While the Obama Administration verbally attacks Fox News today, how do we know this "war" is not going to end up like Cristina Kirchner's attempt to regulate the Argentine media, specifically trying to force marketshare and influence away from the private Grupo Clarin, who have rightfully been critical of her corruption and economic, political, and social damage to Argentina. It's a slippery slope ladies and gentlemen. One day it's verbal attacks on Fox News, the next day it's regulating marketshare away (ever heard of the "Fairness Doctrine"), and the final day it's getting government run mobsters to shut down private media ala the crisis in Hugo Chavez's Venezuela.

In light of that, thank your every last breath that we the powerless have an organization like Fox News who is willing and able to scrutinize every last nook, cranny, and action of those in power.


Photo Credit
http://www.fireandreamitchell.com/wp-content/gallery/random/robert_gibbs5.jpg

2010 Senate Polling and Other Updates

by Justin La Grange

2010 SENATE

Right now the Republicans possess 40 seats in the Senate. Therefore according to the chart I will present, seats 40 and below are representing seats that Republicans must defend and seats 41 and above are representing seats that Republicans can potentially pick up. All the data is taken from the most recent available polls, mostly from Real Clear Politics and Rasmussen. Seats that have competitive primaries may be listed more than once if data is available for both candidates versus their challenger(s) in the other party.

SEAT #/.......................%REPUBLICAN....%DEM
CHALLENGERS

#37 BLUNT (R)...............46%.................46%
CARNAHAN (D)

#38 VITTER (R)..............46%.................36%
MELANCON (D)

#39 AYOTTE (R).............40%.................33%
HODES (D)

#40 PORTMAN (R)...........41%.................40%
FISHER (D)

#40 PORTMAN (R)...........40%.................38%
BRUNNER (D)

#41 LOWDEN (R).............49%.................39%
REID (D)

#41 TARKANIAN (R).........48%.................43%
REID (D)

#42 TOOMEY (R).............43%.................42%
SPECTER (D)

#43 SIMMONS (R)...........49%.................39%
DODD (D)

#44 NORTON (R)............45%.................36%
BENNET (D)

#45 GIULIANI (R)............46%................38%
GILLIBRAND (D)

#45 PATAKI (R)..............41%................44%
GILLIBRAND (D)

#46 CASTLE (R)..............47%................42%
BIDEN (D)

#47 BAKER (R)...............47%................39%
LINCOLN (D)

#48 KIRK (R).................41%................38%
GIANNOULIAS (D)

#49 FIORINA (R)............39%................49%
BOXER (D)

#50 INOUYE (D)/#51 DORGAN (D)
As I mentioned in my previous note, potential seats #50 and #51 are occupied by Hawaii Democrat Daniel Inouye and North Dakota Democrat Byron Dorgan. Those races are not competitive right now and consequently no one has produced any data on them. However if current Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and North Dakota Governor John Hoeven decide to furnish a challenge to these Democrats, those seats become competitive.

We'll see how the political climate goes further into 2010, but the stars must be very much aligned in order for the Republicans to revolve into the majority in the Senate. Boxer will have to sink further, and Lingle and Hoeven must realize how important this life calling is.

2010 HOUSE

As you know, House to House races are far too difficult to reliably compile, especially because they're not terribly high profile at this time. However, prominent analysts are expecting Republicans to pick up at least 20 seats. Generic Congressional Polling also has Republicans higher than they've been for years, generally on par with the Democrats. Rasmussen has Republican up by 4% (43R-39D), and Gallup has Democrats up by 2% (46D-44R)

2009 GOVERNORS

The Virginia Governorship is in severe jeapordy for the Democrats, as Republican Bob McDonnell consistently continues to poll 7-12% above Democrat Creigh Deeds.

The New Jersey Governor's Race is tightening up significantly, partly because Independent Candidate Chris Daggett is a decent moderate candidate and partly because scumbag incumbent Jon Corzine is running ads attacking Republican challenger Christopher Christie about his weight. The most reliable polling still has Christie up by a marginal amount.

SOURCES:

VITTER/MELANCON: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/louisiana/election_2010_louisiana_senate
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_Louisiana_721.pdf
AYOTTE/HODES:
http://www.wmur.com/download/2009/1005/21207993.pdf
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/nh/new_hampshire_senate_ayotte_vs_hodes-1093.html
PORTMAN/DEMS:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/ohio/toplines/toplines_2010_ohio_senate_race_september_25_2009/
REPUBLICANS/REID:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/two-could-beat-reid-poll-finds-63955312.html
BLUNT/CARNAHAN:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/missouri/toplines/toplines_2010_missouri_senate_september_21_2009
TOOMEY/SPECTER:
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1327.xml?ReleaseID=1379
GIULIANI/GILLIBRAND:
http://www.siena.edu/uploadedfiles/home/Parents_and_Community/Community_Page/SRI/SNY_Poll/09%20September%20SNY%20Poll%20Release.pdf
PATAKI/GILLIBRAND:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/new_york/election_2010_new_york_senate_race
SIMMONDS/DODD:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/connecticut/election_2010_connecticut_senate_race
NORTON/BENNET:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/colorado/election_2010_colorado_senate_race
CASTLE/BIDEN:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/delaware/election_2010_delaware_senate
BAKER/LINCOLN:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/ar/arkansas_senate_baker_vs_lincoln-1102.html
KIRK/GIANNOULIAS:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/illinois/election_2010_illinois_senate_election
FIORINA/BOXER:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/ca/california_senate_boxer_vs_fiorina-1094.html
GENERIC BALLOTS RASMUSSEN/GALLUP:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/generic_congressional_ballot
http://www.gallup.com/poll/123497/Parties-Nearly-Tied-Congress-2010.aspx
PHOTO SOURCE:
http://thestar.blogs.com/.a/6a00d8341bf8f353ef01156f66ab66970c-800wi

From Slamming Democrats to New Republican Prospects, I Give You New Blog Posts!

Hey good friends who read this blog,

I haven't moved my blogposts onto my Blogspot here yet. However, for your enjoyment, I'll link my new stuff via MySpaceBlog/Facebook. Some of it is personal, some of it is political, all of it is powerful. It's all really good, I swear.

First up, take a look at what I consider the most powerful imagery of the times we're in:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2394723&id=1219649&l=aca81c6625

The Democrats' Gloriously Large Mess & How It's Affecting The 2010/2012 Races --
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=12378960&blogId=511501144

Congress, Move Forward With the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement --
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=12378960&blogId=511500515

"NoH8" Is An Idiotic Campaign, Shoots Itself In The Foot --
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=12378960&blogId=511499667

The New Generation of Cool Republican Power Players --
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=12378960&blogId=496037115

My Life Is Average: Gym Stories, Issues, and Lessons in Gym Etiquette --
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=12378960&blogId=496020346

Sarah Palin and Feminist Barbarity

by Justin La Grange



Feminists and elements of the hard-left had their full barbarity and hypocrisy on display with the trashing of Sarah Palin in Election 2008. Irregardless of one's political stance, Sarah Palin should have been the most celebrated figure to ever emerge from American politics. Instead, the so-called "nonexistent left-wing smear machine" utilized the media and elements from left-wing popular culture to drag her through the mud, marginalizing an individual that should have been -- and actually is -- a true American inspiration.

Here's a tribute to her inspirational qualities and political mastery:

1. An Ordinary Hero
It was literally overnight that Sarah Palin was thrust into the national spotlight. Much like Susan Boyle, this immediate transition served to preserve a small-town real-person authenticity that is extremely rare on the national scale of American politics.

That does two things:

First, it illustrates that government is really by the people for the people -- people feel like they can truly see a government that cares about their interests and truly see a government that knows what it's like to be an ordinary citizen if the President or Vice-President is nearly an ordinary citizen themselves. More than anything else in a nation shadowed by big brother and an almost vomitous God-like adoration of government figures, we as a people desperately need to feel some kind of spark of connectivity to our government (the kind of transparency and down to earth behavior we have yet to witness from President Obama).

Second, it gives people the audacity to dream. Sarah Palin shows every ordinary person in America that you don't have to grow up a John Kerry elite snob to do something special in the world. If you're smart, have good innovative ideas, are hardworking, and are extremely passionate, that's all you need to catapult to the top.

It started with Sarah Palin's dissatisfaction of how government was being a poor steward of her trust and money, and from there a desire to change and serve the lives of those around her -- and the rest is history. In 2008, that PTA mom of the early 1990's catapulted to be the first female vice-presidental nominee of the Republican Party. And it's not even near over yet.

2. Political Authenticity
To add to the wild hypocrisy that surrounds most politicans, largely between what they say and what they do, they don't have a compelling character story that informs their political beliefs. In a total revolutionary 180, Sarah Palin does. Every political idea or action she's taken in her career has largely been informed by some real aspect of her life in a coherent belief system. Most notably, she refused to abort her child Trig when she found out he had down syndrome, a true testament to her fundamental belief that abortion is one of the greatest crimes against humanity (which holds true for lots of people on either side of the aisle). Also, the New York Times' Christopher Drew stated that Sarah Palin ran for the Wasilla City Council "because she was concerned that revenue from a new sales tax would not be spent wisely". Following that, her entire political tenure from Wasilla Mayor to Governor of Alaska has centered around cutting taxes and making government an appropriate size -- a government responsive and responsible to the people. In conjunction with her NRA membership she is a real live huntswoman -- despite urban snobs lampooning hunting and the wilderness lifestyle, Sarah Palin lives out an authentic existence in conjunction with the environment that few of us understand but is really quite real and beautiful.

In the America than I and most of my friends live in, we can't even begin to understand the true heart of America than exists in towns like Wasilla -- towns built on social relationships, integrity, and character. It's this character and social conditioning that Washington sorely lacks.

To build upon that, Sarah Palin's policies are informed by the best parts of the American character. She religiously believes that freedom and the free market spurned the innovation that build America into the largest economy and highest standard of living of any major country in the world. She also rightfully believes that religion and a Protestant character has framed America into the most generous, noble, hardworking, and righteous country in the world. In an era of creeping socialism and atheism, we deeply need someone who believes in purpose, freedom, and the historically triumphant American character.

Other Notes
Sarah Palin was shamelessly dragged through the mud for some interviews she conducted a week or so after she was grabbed from Alaskan obscurity, and this material was used by the Obama backed press to lampoon and marginalize her despite her excellent and competent performance in the VP Debate and her record of public service. You might remember that Conan O'Brien was plucked out of obscurity -- literally -- as a Simpson's writer who had never made an appearance on television to follow the Tonight Show. No one doubted Conan was funny, however he was a basketcase when he appeared on Leno and began his program. But as he was allowed to display his vast competence in the humor department, he developed an enormous following that has been a beacon of comedic enjoyment.

Sarah Palin is somewhat the same case, however the Obama backed mainstream media developed a cult-of-personality around Sarah Palin as an incompetent bimbo, most notably portrayed by Obama-backed Tina Fey. Her biggest crime was being attractive, something most feminist barbarians highly resent. In ignoring her incredible record and life story, and choosing to lampoon her endlessly about her daughter, her accent, and a couple interviews, the media has committed crimes of the highest order and betrayed the journalistic responsibility they held to the American people.

The Feminist Crime
I continue to contend that feminism, a legitimate movement, has been hijacked and uglified by the far-left. Instead of celebrating the triumph of women's achievements, modern day feminism only celebrates the triumphs of women who hardline far-left ideologies. Rising female stars like Meg Whitman, Sarah Palin, and Carly Fiorina are largely ignored and uncelebrated by feminists because they have ideals that do not pass a far-left social and economic litmus test. Sarah Palin, nominee to be elevated to one of the most powerful positions in the world, deserved to be uplifted by the feminist community for her incredible advancement for women -- in a most unfortunate and vile backstabbing by feminists, they were instrumental in her failure, one of the ugliest hypocrises ever foisted upon humankind. In a robbery of academic feminism, feminists have closed Sarah Palin's advancement for discussion and stupidly written her off in a history that they feel must desperately be rewritten.

Feminists would counter me by saying that a left wing agenda is only suitable to advance the interests of women. Fortunately, this view can be countered. Abortion serves to prop up women who make irresponsible decisions and need a scapegoat. Affirmative action, a procedure now becoming extinct for women since they are moving into the workplace and collegiate positions as or more aggressively than men, excuses mediocrity by telling women and minorities that -- yes, you are inferior and incompetent, but since you have a differently shaped sex organ or a different color skin tone, step in front of those who are really better than you. The free market gives women an opportunity to unleash their creativity and intelligence, and show that they are truly equal to and can compete with men on any field. And more controversially, neoconservative military ideologies over the last decade have freed tens of millions of women from radically oppressive regimes like those conducted by Saddam Hussein and the Taliban. Iraq is evolving very quickly in terms of feminist advances in a country previously so backward -- from gyms to voting to jobs, women are moving out of the shadows they once hid in for fear of being taken away by Saddam's henchmen to get raped at the pleasure of Uday Hussein. Sarah Palin has vetoed a bill as Governor that denied health benefits to same-sex partners.

It's Not Over
One way or another, what comes around goes around. Feminists will see their day of reckoning for their unspeakable betrayal of Sarah Palin. Either feminists will be forced to recognize Sarah Palin or they will be forced into an intellectual death row by Americans who are tired of feminist ugliness betraying their values and rewriting American history. Things that are extraordinary do not go away. This is not the end.

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NYT Reference: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30palin.html?_r=1&pagewanted=3&hp

Notes About Torture Memos & I Won A Facebook Battle With This One Girl's Stupid Friend From Idaho

by Justin La Grange


I have this one friend -- who shall remain nameless -- who decided to post a link to an issue she knows absolutely nothing about, which in this case was regarding President Obama's so called "ban on torture of detainees". Had she actually read the literature on the so called "torture", she would have realized that five year olds in Hispanic households get "interrogated" and "punished" at least twice as fiercely as actual murderous terrorists -- who get treated to lawyers and five course meals in Guantanamo Bay. To add to outrage, only three of these terrorists were waterboarded, which coincidentally prevented a large terrorist attack in Los Angeles, a place this one girl does not care about. Apart from waterboarding, other "harsh interrogation techniques" included such atrocities as the "attention grab" -- a method by which you abruptly grab the terrorist's collar -- and the abdomen slap. An unspeakable form of "psychological duress" outlined in the Washington Independent's report included placing a caterpillar in one of the terrorist's cells -- or as it would be known among European lodging, a five star hotel -- and "deprivation of sleep", otherwise known as "college".

As usual, the United States is far behind other countries -- much to my dismay -- such as Saddam's Iraq, whose "harsh interrogation techniques" included such innovative things as "human into gigantic paper shredder", "stretch arms and legs until they detach at the bone", and "rape and kill".

Meanwhile, I immediately lambasted her for this post and demanded an explanation -- thinking in my head that so many exclamation marks are just sooooo freshman year! Instead of arguing, as this Girl knows she cannot win an argument with me, she deleted my comment -- which somewhat paralleled my remark above. However one of her friends, who shall remain nameless -- it's important to note he seems to be from Idaho and goes to Idaho State -- decided to lash out at me with a string of profanities fit for a pre-pubescent 14 year old. I responded back with some light humor that this guy unfortunately did not appreciate.

Here's what took place:

This One Girl
FINALLY!!!!!!!
AFP: Obama stands by ban on 'torture' of detainees
WASHINGTON (AFP) — President Barack Obama has staunchly defended his decision to ban harsh interrogation tactics of terror suspects, rejecting criticism that he had put the country at risk.

Myself
Paraphrase Paragraph 1, including critique for not responding.

Guy From Idaho
then maybe you shouldn't be an ass!

This One Girl
thanks! :)

Myself
Why do I get so much lip from your friends in Boise?

To Guy From Idaho's point, I'm not an ass. I'm simply calling out This One Girl for:
A. Her ridiculous commentary on her postings -- a lot of which knowing her personally is largely hypocritical.
B. Posting on issues in which she generally has no knowledge, headline knowledge ("torture") without analysis, or are filled with intonations so far to the left it makes her look bad.

I think This One Girl is better than that. If I didn't care, I would provide no critique and write it off.

Thank God Guy From Idaho didn't catch me in one of my anti-Idaho tirades.

Guy From Idaho
Maybe you just need to learn when to shut the fuck up? People are never perfect.

Myself
I think you need to learn to do what you folks do best...and that is cultivating potatoes. You can send me two bushels please.

People are not perfect Guy From Idaho, but with a little constructive criticism, they can come that much closer.

Other Girl That Chimes In
I hate to say this but you two are hilarious.

Guy From Idaho
It feels like im talking to a 5 year old. So, next week do you learn all the state capitals?

Myself
Seeing as how I went to Berkeley, I think we know who knows his capitals.

At this point, Guy From Idaho realized that I had just swept the floor with him and decided against humiliating himself further. If he wanted to humiliate himself John Edwards style, he would have challenged me to a state and global capitals contest.

Is Democratic-Liberalism Compatible With Catholicism?

by Justin La Grange

To start, I'm not here to condemn, criticize, or pass judgment on any of my fellow Catholics who may be, uh, liberally or Democratically inclined. God judges a person by their heart to serve and intention to be good, not by whether they may have voted for a candidate that supported an abortion bill. I simply want to voice my opinion on how I think that as Catholics, the Democratic Party (and liberalism) may be incompatible with our lifestyle and religious ideologies.

`

Let's start with the obvious.

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It's no secret that the Democratic Party and the liberal interest groups that have provided its lifeline over the last few years (moveon.org, etc) support very liberal pro-choice ideologies. Since we as citizens have the power to place and remove officials in and from elected office, we are complicit in the ideologies they support if we supported them -- if they have supported policies and forwarded interests that further erode restrictions to the termination of an unborn child, we are complicit. Whether or not I agree with this isn't the point -- the point is that if you firmly support the Catholic teachings and the word of the Bible, you should think about how you are complicit if the person you vote for goes in stark contrast to such an extremely serious ideology of the Church.
`

Now moving to a kind of a devil's advocate position (no pun intended), I'll be honest here -- I don't think embryonic stem cells and supporting gay marriage are really abberations in the eyes of God. However I think it's unacceptable to pass judgment on those who disagree with that opinion.
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With regard to embroynic stem cells, take note that a lot of these "embroys" are little lab cell things that would often be destroyed anyway. Whether using these cells is really playing God is not something I can really answer to, but I can probably say that God would not have a problem with regrowing an arm for a soldier wounded in Iraq using embroynic stem cell tissue.
`

Gay marriage and homosexuality are difficult issues. Here you get into this gray area where some of these teachings in Leviticus (etc.) are just too antiquated and no one follows them anymore. While I invite you to look back at my previous notes for more discussions about this, I refuse to believe that if God created a gay person, God would condemn what he produces. Combinatorially, marriage is now an institution of the government, not the church, and therefore it is not the place of government to not provide a service all taxpayers pay for. This is going to be one of those things like interracial marriage that is going to be old news in 20 years, so we might just suck it up now and get with the program.
`

That being said, I think there is a serious modern day problem in the gay community of being severely wrapped up in far-left ideologies that defame Christian and traditional culture, support anything anti-Catholic out of spite, and support these out-of-control feminists (their fag-hags) who love to get tickled by their doctor's abortion utensils. And some of the far-left elements in the gay community need to understand that these exact elements of a "perceived" gay counterculture can turn people way off and make them not want to have such abberance associated with a traditional marriage ceremony. When folks see news footage of these counterculture far-left America and Christian haters at the forefront of the pro-gay marriage side, they enrage good people who don't necessarily hate gays but simply dislike the grotesque San Francisco SP counterculture they've become associated with. When it comes to helping themselves on gay marriage, I think gays just continue to shoot themselves in the foot with imagery of bondage queens at their high-profile rallies.
`

Moving onto economics, too many elements abuse and usurp charitable Catholics teachings to support leftist redistributional economic paradigms. This is a gigantic abberation. Catholics are supposed to condemn those who covet thy neighbors house (and things) -- and liberal economic paradigms are the pinnacle of covetness. Despite the poor in America having a grotesquely high standard of living (by global measures), ala nearly all have a dwelling unit and a color TV (and the majority owning an automobile), apparently liberals think they need more and life is supposed to be a cakewalk. Jesus and Catholic teachings would say the following about this:
`

First, you don't rob Peter to pay Paul -- heavy redistributionist paradigms to support both the slothful, covetous, and a large useless bureaucracy amounts to theft and robbery (one of the major commandments). Second, slothfulness -- statistically shown by Bill Clinton via the Welfare Reform Act to be largely produced by welfare -- is a major sin. Third, God and Catholic teachings want us to be charitable people by the good nature of our hearts. They never call for large bureaucracies and corrupt politicians mandating redistribution as they see fit. That is an abberation of church teachings that is abused by liberals trying to woo unsuspecting Catholics and runaway political bully pulpit priests like the Archbishop of Los Angeles. In fact, despite being disheartened by the gross taxation they must endure at the hands of leftist ideologues past and present, conservatives give a larger percentage of their income to charity by a large margin. So much for liberals really being the ones with the bleeding hearts. It's all talk the talk but no walk the walk.
`

You might notice I have yet to really discuss the Catholic Church -- as in the large bureaucratic organization riddled with Italian bureaucracy and corruption, and non-ironically headquarted in The Vatican/Rome. Let's just say that I refuse to give the Catholic Church a free pass because it's the "supposed" voice of all things Catholic. I'm in a state of fury with the organization at large -- it's a getting to be a huge bureaucratic corrupt entity, often spending hundreds of millions of dollars settling sexual abuse lawsuits instead of helping out the needy in its communities. The Catholic Church lives large, often sparing no expense while some of its most devout and loyal parishoners have not stopped tithing 10% of their incomes while their homes get foreclosed on. To add insult to injury, some priests are developing grand political bully pulpits to espouse liberal worldviews on illegal immigration and economics, despite not having quite covered those topics in Seminary. The church has lurched to the left and I think it's something we should be worried about. In order to be the best Catholics we can be, it's prudent to not follow some runaway politicos at the Vatican and simply do our best to follow God's teachings and live our life in service to others -- it's that easy.
`

In conclusion, I'd urge my fellow Catholics to do some deep introspection of whether your voting patterns coincide with real Catholic beliefs and teachings. My own introspection of the matter leads me to believe that Catholic ideologies aren't compatible with the ideologies on the Democratic-left -- not to mention the fact that lots of people on the left are hostile to religion period. We will be judged by what we do on Earth, and voting is an action that makes us a part of setting an ideology in motion. As Catholics, can we in good conscience set liberal ideology in motion? Hey, I'm not the judge.
`

Here's a complimentary article by Michael Gerson discussing Obama's "Declaring War On Catholics":http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/04/declaring_war_on_catholics.html

`
And here's a Time article that discussing why Catholic support for Obama may be fraying:http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1890595,00.html

24 Hour Bi-Curious Fitness

by Justin La Grange

Back in high school, my Bible Teacher offered that homosexuality was neither genetic or biological - it was pure "vanity". Vanity, or a love for oneself so extreme that it required one could only envision a carbon copy of his amazing self being worthy for sex or a relationship. One would see themselves or the magesty of their own sex and say, "shit, I'm pretty bad ass. I'd fuck me," and somehow that would translate into either a learned affinity for those traits in other people or result in a lowering of the threshold of sexual permissiveness.

Anyway, I've met enough gays and lesbians to know that this probably isn't the case - but I will offer that this very theory of her's translates to "bi-curious" behavior. Keep in mind that my expertise on bi-curiousness, at least on an academic level, stems from a South Park episode in which Butters was led to believe that he was bi-curious after a mistaken sexualized incident devised by Eric Cartman.

By now I'm sure you want to know why I'm writing this. Well, I just came back from the gym like an hour ago and was particularly astounded by two things.

First, everybody is looking at themselves incessantly in the mirror. I know people do that, but damn tonight was bad. Let's just get some water and stare in the mirror the entire time! Let's just stare in the mirror the entire time you're busting out a set and moan loudly! Damnit, if you're going to go to the gym, I don't want to hear your retarded ass grunting, groaning, and making sexualized noises the entire time. You're not a damn baboon, practice some etiquette for God sakes, and don't make it obvious your two homes are 24 Hour Fitness and a trailer. Anyway, just the way some of these guys are ogling themselves more heavily than a black man ogles the booty of Lil' Rounds from American Idol indicates preference. It indicates acceptance. It indicates the perception of beauty. Beauty and acceptance foster desire and permissiveness. And once you've reached this point, one begins to notice others crafted in their own image. And it spirals forth from there...theoretically...no pun intended.

Second, everybody is checking everybody else out. I scoff at this. When it happens to me I cuss to myself and then strangely appreciate it thirty seconds later. And as I'm improving and progressing at the gym, I'm finding myself doing it more and more! "Damn that guy is buff...that guy's chest is pretty defined, I bet he could bench 250...damn, that's exactly how I want mine to look, I'll give it four months", or even, "shit, I could probably bench more than that guy...look at that idiot doing a lot on the leg press but my legs look so much better."

`

I'm staring at myself in the mirror more and I'm comparing more, and I'm not the least bit worried. The sexual part doesn't really concern me, but I don't want to be an asshole. I deride these idiots that stare into the mirror and yet do not fear turning into one of them. I'm unafraid of the magesty of adoring myself. And it's getting worse and worse by the day.

In conclusion, bi-curiousness based on my theories and teacher's theories stems from an evolution into pansexuality which stems from adoring of the self. All this was running through my mind in the car so I figured I'd get it on paper...or Facebook. And surprisingly, I'm unabashed about it. I think most guys would rather put a bullet through their head than admit this stuff out loud. Oh well, my diarrhea of the mouth.

Oh P.S. -- While we're on the gym topic and bi-curiousness, I've never figured out why these idiots have to tote this huge bag into the gym, come dressed in informal clothes, and then change in the friggin gym locker room?! If you're coming in at 10pm wouldn't you just have departed from somewhere informal that you could just change there? Or even in the car, like I do? Why must you go in and do the whole locker room dance? And a shower? Take it at home. Everytime I tote myself into the bathroom to pee (which is a lot since I drink a 44oz Big Gulp before working out), I don't want to sail through a sea of nudity just to pee...especially if you're over thirty.That will be all.

Why The Current Economic Crisis Shows Conservatism Works, And Why We Must Combat President Obama's Policies

by Justin La Grange

We are in a massive economic crisis -- and Barack Obama's strategy is seeking to turn the United States into California. And California is the epitomy of what doesn't work and why we are in this crisis in the first place -- it is the microcosm of real Democratic liberalism.

`

California is about to go bankrupt, and let's examine why:

1. Massive government spending and wasteful expenditures, often perpetuated by a notoriously hard-left legislature.
2. As an extension of 1, you have a huge proportion of the workforce in government jobs to support these massive wasteful spending programs. This workforce is overpaid, have far above market rate benefits packages, and cannot be fired -- as a result this workforce has extremely low productivity because why be productive when you can't be fired. The positions distort the market for jobs in California and drastically harm the alternate private sector economy. You're also spending enormous amounts of money for what is comparatively a relatively miniscule output.
3. Broad welfare programs that encourage many not to work, or if they do, they again distort market realities when it comes to wages. Why work hard at a $25,000/year job when you can work in a $10,000 a year job with welfare subsidies.
4. Points 1-3 require very heavy taxation all around to support these outrageous policies. However California is finding out that companies don't want to pay huge corporate tax rates so they set up shop elsewhere, resulting in California loosing ALL of that revenue.
5. California is in the top 15% of states in terms of state and local tax burden, especially on upper income earners -- ironically, the people in the economy who have the capacity to innovate and create businesses and jobs. People either cannot innovate and create businesses because of disincentive from the tax and regulatory burden, or they're creating jobs elsewhere where there is less of a tax and regulatory burden. And by regulatory I mean massive regulations that are needless bureaucratic landmines that just sit on the books so they give some bureaucratic idiots something to do -- or not do.
6. California has one of the most rabid and powerful union environments in the United States, disincentivizing businesses from setting up shop where they cannot operate their own businesses in the most productive ways they see fit. Ask 10% of the unemployed in California whether they would want powerful unions in California or would rather have an anti-union low-tax haven where companies would like to set up shop and offer them jobs.

Moving away from this liberal landmine called California, let's look at the Republican South and the Conservative Mountain States. These "red" pro-growth states are on the up in this downturn, the bright spots amidst the liberal carcasses that surround them. They are low-tax, anti-union, small government havens, and people there are just happy to have jobs (relative to California, at least). Their economies are sustaining the best during this downturn. Let's also look at America in the global macrocosm -- it has been the most economically and socially free major country in the US, and coincidentally, has grown to have the highest standard of living amongst all its classes in the world, compared to major European social-welfare states who enjoy a standard of living about one-third that of the US.

`

So here we are, finally realizing that liberal tax and spend anti-growth heavy-welfare large-government paradigms aren't sustainable in a downturn economy and cause a downturn economy. And I thought "sustainability" was a liberal keyword.
`

Meanwhile, Barack Obama is seeking to ramrod more policies and programs almost identicial to those from 1-6 down our throat during an economic crisis. Much like industry and entrepreneurs

are fleeing California because their businesses cannot survive in such a greedy government environment (or they don't even want to try), industry and entrepreneurs will flee the United States for more sustainable places to do business. Ask Switzerland how its employment rate is doing after business is flocking there due to its low corporate tax rates? And what kind of business would want to set up shop in the US, with the second highest corporate tax rate in the world, and employ you? Do you want big inefficient government with heavy taxes, or do you want a job? We've already gotten far past a point where people in the private sector can no longer subsidize a massive uninnovative unproductive overpaid federal/state government. And

Barack Obama wants to grow government? It cannot happen. We are already running up debt and deficits out the wazoo, and federal expansion is something we cannot afford -- we will endure massive inflation, go bankrupt, and our currency will become worthless. It will be an economic decline much worse than Japan and even rivaling the joke that is "please cry for my union" Argentina (look up their economic histories after massive federalization).
`

Liberals love to throw out these idiotic stereotypes of greedy fatcats and profits out the wazoo, but the truth is that most American businesses, from the very smallest to the very largest, have extremely small profit margins. Even the oil companies during the crude spike only posted a limited profit margin of about 8%. And a lot of American businesses are in the red. And more than half of Americans are invested in the stock market, so the success of major corporations is tied into the wealth of the common middle class American.
`

In regards to charges that part of this crisis was do to lack of "regulatory" measures, yes, that is partly true. However, conservatives do encourage regulatory measures that ensure that companies hold up their end of the bargain with consumers in the marketplace since the free market works best when both sides of the company-consumer equation are equally well informed and free to make the best decision for themselves. And liberals are equally responsible for this banking crisis. Clinton and his cronies insisted to the Fed that everyone should be able to own a home, and therefore eased the flow of money into risky loans (to risky people). And Greenspan idiotically refused to reel back low rates and easy money when economically upward conditions did not warrant this easy credit.
`

In closing, the banking crisis and economic downswing is not the economic emergency -- Barack Obama's massive budget, increasing the national debt more than all of our former Presidents combined and increasing federal government and regulation to a massively unsustainable scale -- is the real emergency. I'd say go to Tea Parties, but it isn't enough. Barack Obama and his unprofessional cronies are ridiculing you while they enjoy your White House. You need to militantly mobilize for 2010 and 2012. America is at stake.

A High Schooler Was Asked, "If There Was A Plague in LA, Where Would You Go?"

My dear cousin was enlisted in writing a daily blog for her high school English Class. Unfortunately, it was an English Honors class, further showing the degredation of our nation's Public School System. I'd hate to know how mediocre the regular class is.

Here is the prompt: If You Heard There Was a Plague in LA, Where Would You Go?

THE RESPONSE:

"Ummm, since I am totally terrified of death, I would have to think of a really good place to go, really far from LA and from the epidemic plague thing and the undocumented immigrants who probably brought the disease through one of the Los Angeles area ports and spread it through the sewer system and the burritos. It couldn't be Victorville either because there's a bunch of freakin' hillbillies there.

So, ummm, I would gather all of my things, especially my brand new Gucci shoes, my phone, my dog Leonardo Christopher Shannanay Nicoli Jimenez Ricardo, and my boyfriend, cause he's a keeper - well, after he looses a couple pounds and learns how to not ejaculate prematurely.

But anyways, I would take my prized possessions, and buy my own island, if I didn't already have one at the time, because that is something I have always wanted to purchase. Haha. Like the ones off the coast of Dubai that are shaped like the world, yeah that is where I would go if a plague came to LA.

I think it would be pretty cool. Just me, my man bitch, and my most important baby Leo. If for some reason food became scarce, my dog Leo and I would eat him first, because he is a disposable commodity after I become pregnant and repopulate the island. It would be called [my cousin's name] island because I am a princess, and since the island would be off the coast of Dubai, when my boyfriend pisses me off I would send his ass away to get more shoes or makeup or whatever other necessities I need to be replenished.

Although come to think of it, I would like to go to a wet mountainous region. I would want it to be sort of like the jungle, kind of like the jungle book except Mowgli or that tarzan guy would be over eighteen and look fine fine fine and not like that one prepubescent twerp in the animated movie. It would have lush surroundings with very green vegetation. It would be a fertile land and have plenty of water in the form of streams, waterfalls, pond thingies and the water would be filtered so I could drink it and bathe in it. Although if Evian Corp. wanted to send me a gazillion cubic foot tank that might also work too, as long as the water is not bottled anywhere near Los Angeles or Latin America, cause this one time in Venezuela I got really really sick from whatever bacteria they have in the water and the locals are unfortunately accustomed to.

However, in that mountainous region, like my island, there would be a beach nearby just in case I wanna tan, and so I could have fresh sushi but close enough where it didn't bother me. So my fantasy place would be like the island of The Incredibles. I would want it to be very very simple...but technologically advanced and top of the line. Something like a device to cool the sand so I could walk on it in a hot day would be nice, while the island still looked lush and primitive like the beaches on the Mexican West Coast or Nicaragua.

The most important thing would be little treehouse cabana type things, covered with white linens, and equipped with champagne and cabana boys who feed me frozen grapes. It would be just me and my lover on the island with our male servants so I don't have to worry about him cheating. If he cheats on me with one of the cabana boys, or at worst, my dog, he will totally be executed.

And I would have perfect boobs and all the relaxed linen Tommy Bahama clothes, shoes, and accessories I could ever want!

Man, that would be the life. I would do this regardless of the plague."

Delta's Broad Network Changes During Its First Summer Married to Northwest

I believe this to be a comprehensive list of Delta's new routes and capacity/aircraft changes for this summer. Some major network notes include:

• This is Delta's first summer in the LAX intercontinental market in over 7 years featuring 3 different international aircraft types and 3 different BusinessElite products flying out of LAX. 1 777LR with lie-flat BusinessElite suites to Sydney, 1 763ER with a standard BusinessElite cabin to Sao Paulo, and 1 B744 from Northwest operating WorldBusinessClass to Tokyo-Narita.
• The 777 returns to Europe with introduction on New York-Madrid (July 2), and returns on New York -Tokyo starting June 4th. New York-Barcelona will also get a B764 upgrade, as does New York-Tel Aviv on a 777 until July 1st.
• A 767-400ER Version D will be operating all London-Heathrow routes to Detroit, Atlanta, and New York (JFK 2x daily), as well as New York-Moscow and New York-Sao Paulo. This version has a new kind of BusinessElite suite called "Thompson Vantage Suites" that are perfectly suited to give Business passengers immediate aisle access on B767 aircraft. Minneapolis-London/LHR will continue to be operated with standard WorldBusinessClass A332.
• Delta will be moving NWA's 744 on signature Delta routes like Atlanta-Tokyo (May 1) and Atlanta-Honolulu (April 2), as well as NWA's A333 on Atlanta-Amsterdam and New York-Rome. In turn, Delta's B763 will be operating on NWA's routes from Portland to Amsterdam and Tokyo, as well as Minneapolis to Paris-CDG. Delta's B757 (EX-TWA) will be operating Seattle-Kahului/Maui.
• This summer will see major beyond Tokyo capacity reductions with placement of more 757's on intra-Asia routes like Tokyo-Bangkok, Tokyo-Seoul, Tokyo-Ho Chi Minh City, and Tokyo-Taipei. However, Tokyo does get its first ever service to Salt Lake City on Delta (A332) as well as resumption of service to New York (B777).
• Delta is scheduled to operate 7 routes to Paris in cooperation with its Air France joint-venture, most notably to Pittsburgh (757), Raleigh/Durham (Jun 2010/757), Philadelphia (Oct 05/757), Salt Lake City (763), and Minneapolis (763). This compliments existing service to Atlanta and Cincinnati (both 763).
• Atlanta-Johannesburg will join Delta's Atlanta-Mumbai as one of the world's longest nonstop routes by mileage, both over 8400 miles, respectively. It will be flown with Delta's flagship 777LR (long range).
• In Africa, new Atlanta-Cape Town and Atlanta-Nairobi service with a stop in Dakar, Senegal. Also, Dakar (DKR) becomes a logistical connecting point for Delta service to the African cities of Malabo, Luanda, Abuja, and Monrovia. The plane that connects in Dakar to these cities will originate in New York and maintain connection possibilities both ways to the Atlanta flight. Not to be left out, Delta will be resuming the planned New York to Lagos, Nigeria service and upgrading New York-Accra, Ghana to a 764.
• The Northeast Brazil operations will hopefully be finalized this summer. As per what we see now, Brasilia, Fortaleza, and Manaus will be seeing either 3x-4x weekly to Atlanta on B757 aircraft.

Without further adieu, Delta's new summer routes and capacity/aircraft changes:

7x B77L LAX-SYD

7x B744 LAX-NRT

3x B763 LAX-GRU

7x A333 SEA-NRT

7x B763 PDX-NRT

7x A332 HNL-NRT

7x A744 HNL-NRT

7x B744 HNL-KIX

7x B744 HNL-ATL

7x A333 SEA-AMS

7x B763 PDX-AMS

7x B763 EWR-AMS

7x B777 JFK-NRT

7x B777 JFK-MAD

7x B777 JFK-TLV

7x B764 JFK-LHR (#1 early evening/VERSION D LF BE)

7x B764 JFK-LHR (#3 late evening/VERSION D LF BE)

7x B764 JFK-SVO (VERSION D LF BE)

7x B764 JFK-GRU (VERSION D LF BE)

7x B764 JFK-BCN

6x B764 JFK-ACC

7x B767 JFK-ATH

7x B767 JFK-VCE

4x B767 JFK-FCO

7x A333 JFK-FCO

5x B763 JFK-LOS

3x B763 JFK-PRG

4x B763 JFK-OTP

4x B757 JFK-VLC

4x B757 ATL-BSB

3x B757 ATL-FOR

3x B757 ATL-MAO

7x B757 JFK-ZRH

5x B757 PIT-CDG

7x A333 ATL-LGW

7x A333 ATL-AMS

7x A333 ATL-FCO

3x B763 ATL-CPT (via Dakar)

4x B763 ATL-NBO (via Dakar)

7x B763 AMS-BOM

7x B757 AMS-BDL

7x B764 ATL-LHR (LF BE)

7x B764 DTW-LHR

4x B744 DTW-PVG

4x B77L ATL-PVG

7x B77L ATL-JNB

7x B763 MSP-CDG

7x A333 NRT-HKG

7x A332 NRT-PVG

7x B763 NRT-GUM

7x B757 NRT-BKK

7x B757 NRT-SGN

7x B757 NRT-ICN

7x B757 NRT-TPE

7x B757 NRT-KIX

5x A332 NRT-SLC

7x B767 CVG-LGW

7x B757 CVG-AMS

7x B757 JFK-DKR (connecting to Malabo, Luanda, Abuja, and Monrovia)

35 Very Random Things About Me: Cause I Already Did It On Facebook

If Keith Olbermann knew me, he would no doubt label me the "worst person in the world". Unfortunately for Keith, he actually is the worst person in the world.

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Mickey Dee's Please

1. One of the most important things in my life is food and drink. I'm extremely anal about going out to eat once a day and having at least two free refills. I refuse to frequent restaurants without free refills...except Gypsy's - for your delicious calzones I'll make an exception.

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Aunt Pay Is Famous

2. My Aunt Pay is famous via being written about in Shirley MacLaine's "The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit", which takes place in Spain. In the book she touches upon my Aunt Pay's lifelong affair with a wealthy Spanish banker named Carlos who ridicules her for her large makeup cases, diva-ish behavior, and taking buses during what was supposed to be a spiritual camino.

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Delta is My Drug of Choice

3. For the first 23 years of my life I traveled free on PanAm/Delta. It was a boatload of fun, and so far, I've been to all six inhabited continents and 30 countries (if I shamelessly include Vatican City). I've been to several countries twice - and Spain, France, Argentina, and Japan three times or more. My first trip was to New York to visit Aunt Pay when I was two and internationally to Nice when I was five or so. My last new country was actually the global crown jewel I'd for some odd reason waited years for - London. Up next on my to do list are: Peru, South Africa, Thailand, India, and maybe some Northern Australia (with a stop in Melbourne of course to visit Berkeley's favorite Australian).
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All Alone in Salt Lake City

4. When I was younger, I got in a fight with my dad in Minneapolis and he promised he'd leave me behind if I got bumped on our 1 stop flight to Los Angeles via Salt Lake City (he went as a paid passenger). So during the stop some gentlemen showed up with a boarding card for my seat. I had a huge panic attack and the flight attendant escorted me in tears to the gate agent to figure out what was going on. It turns out they had upgraded me to First Class. Nevertheless, I didn't go on a plane for a year and a half after that.
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Flirting at McDonald's

5. I'm not above groveling for a very large cone at McDonalds. I will flirt, lean on the counter, and bat my eyes to get a very large cone or a very full sundae. I don't care who I have to do it with either - girls or boys, fat or skinny. But my day will be ruined if I don't get an adequate cone or sundae.
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The Hour Shower

6. I take obscenely long showers, so long that both my parents request that I take them at the other's house to avoid a doubling of their water bill. My Scottish-Jew father (who is not really either of those elements) even made vicious attempts to install a water-saving showerhead filled with little pebbles to prohibit adequate water flow.

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Ewww, Gross

7. I wear my emotions on my face through wild expressions. When something tastes shitty I can't hide it. When I find something morbidly distasteful I can't hide it. When I'm pissed I can't hide it. When I'm sad I can't hide it. When I'm happy to see someone I can't hide it (and no, get your mind out of the gutter). By the way, thanks for the lovely picture Anna.

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May I Have a Diet Coke with...

8. My drink of choice is 85% diet coke mixed with 15% regular coke, with the cup about 70% filled with ice. A little rum if I'm feeling frisky. If any of this is not followed my day will be ruined.

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Ice Habits

9. I consume extreme amounts of ice per day and per session. Some people regard this as nothing short of a miracle, as it would send a normal person to the hospital with a severe case of brain freeze. It's apparently a genetic thing on my dad's side, as my dad, granddad, sister, aunts, and cousins all chew ice. People have accused me of chewing ice because I'm sexually frustrated - so firstly, I'm not sexually frustrated, and secondly, I must have been a pretty sexually frustrated four year old.

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Prude by Day, Bitch by Night

10. I have different attitudes and feelings at different times of the day. Early in the day I feel more realistic, down-to-earth, and linearly productive; and later in the day I feel more saucy, naughty, provocative, innovative, and just all around better.

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"Excuse Me? Seriously. What's happening?"

11. My life is made steady by predictable things. Just small things that I love so much. Like calling Rachael on the phone and hearing a loud "merf"! Or John complaining about being hungry. Or Carlos going "excuse me" or "seriously" or "what's happening". Or Chola's loud screams. There are a million more that I've learned not to share so they're kept special for myself, but these are some obvious ones.

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Mary Rose Is a Smart Ass

12. My sister Mary Rose, who unfortunately has turned 14, is getting fresh and being a teenagerish/smart ass. I don't like it at all.
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That's An Outrage

13. I'm sanitized to everything, so I get a kick out of inflammatory things that anger certain groups. Especially groups filled with self-righteous white people who need to stop worrying about other people's business. When NOW or the NAACP or anything else with an acronym is outraged, it's pretty sweet.

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"I'm a Jokester"

14. Please see the photo above.

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Give Me a Big Mac and I'm Good

15. Some people think I'm a spoiled snob, but the truth of the matter is that I can live very simply and easily. I don't need things and I don't find much pleasure in buying just for the sake of buying. Although take me to Brookstone or Staples and I can do some damage there.

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Center-Right to Hard-Right

16. I grew up with my mom on the hard right and my dad on the libertarian free market hard-right. I've chosen to adopt my dad's "economic libertarian free market" principles and acquired my own ideas on social centrism. My dad also went to Berkeley and like me resisted the vulgar dominating hard-left elements of the 1960's.

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Win A Date With Johnnie Cochran

17. My mom has met so many celebrities over the years it would make TMZ jealous. I've pretty much only seen celebrities on the plane and stuff, but one of my greatest celebrity accomplishments was meeting Johnnie Cochran on a flight from New York to LA on Delta (way back in the day), and amusing him with my pitch to sue the Coca-Cola corporation for making kids fat.
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"My Parents Are Larger Than Life"

18. My dad worked on the Apollo project, has a patent, was an amateur race car driver, and has been nearly killed about seven times. My mom has been to over one hundred countries and has met countless celebrities, diplomats, presidents, and her personal favorite, Jackie Kennedy.

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Yeah, Sure

19. I'm super happy-go-lucky. I find joy in a lot of stuff.

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"Matt Drudge"

20. I'm obsessed with the Drudge Report. I think I bought my i-Phone just so I could check Drudge every fifteen minutes.

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Jay From Korea

21. At Carden (my elementary school) we had a Korean foreign exchange student named Jay to whom we taught a grand series of profanities, most notably "boobs", which he pronounced "boofs".

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Militant Facebook User

22. The very first facebook groups I joined were "Americans Embarrassed by Americans Embarrassed by America", "Berkeley College Republicans", and "Racist, Sexist, and Generally Insensitive".

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"But It's The Scientific Name!"

23. My Aunt Pay insists on calling black people "negroes" (because she never left the 60's) and my mom insists on calling black waitresses "Barack Obama" (because she finds it funny). My Dad insists on using scientific terms, no matter how politically outdated they are, because he is a scientist. In trying to figure out why I have a big rebel streak, I look to the fact that in high school my mom decided to start the "El Club Comunista Sovietica" and lock nuns out of the classroom and jump out of the window.

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Mrs. Krueger's Singular Tastes For Classical Music

24. One of my favorite memories from high school was when my Chemistry teacher Mrs. Krueger sent a girl named Avideh out of the room in order to concoct a plan involving taping her without her knowing at cheer practice along to the track "Tiny Dancer" (and Mrs. Krueger's own rendition of Tiny Dancer with hand as fake microphone followed). While we're on the subject, going back to #11, Mrs. Krueger use to always play this one classical track during labs. It got very repetitive, but I loved it. I will never forget the track nor Mrs. Krueger's Chemistry labs as long as I live.

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Why This Note is Here

25. In Senior English, my English teacher Mrs. Hein encouraged us to develop our writing in different and creative ways. If not for that I don't know if I would have enjoyed playing around with the craft as much, or at all. And I passed the AP Exam to boot, so double whammy! Thanks Mrs. Hein.

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I'm Goin' To Hell

26. I have a few things I need to go to confession for. Life ain't easy.

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Sexy On the Outside, Nerd on the Inside

27. Okay, maybe "sexy" took it a little to far. Okay, a lot too far. But the point is that I'm a huge nerd on the inside, without looking like a dweeb on the outside. And I think that's the perfect way to be, because if I remember anything Mrs. Krueger ever said, it's that "nerds always make the best husbands". And I'm feeling a lot more confident than I did a few years ago, which is good going into this tough stage of my life when everything isn't as laid out and simple as I'd like it to be. I'm still tripping over myself on occasion, and the "double foot clap" incident does not count, thank you very much.

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Baby Blue Eyes

28. Apparently my blue eyes were a severe anomaly, as it would require that someone on my mom's side of the family have blue eyes, which is not the case as far as I know. My grandfather and perhaps great grandparents reportedly had "green eyes", but apparently green does not equal blue.

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Those People Are Old!

29. My mom had me when she was 44 years old. And my dad has frankly stated that if her amniocentesis showed I had any birth defects or syndromes (common for that age), they were going to abort me. Anyway, on the old topic, my oldest aunt is 73 and my youngest aunt (half aunt via my grandfather) is 27. My oldest cousin is 48 and my youngest is 21 (plus a bunch of half-cousin toddlers running around).

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Dimmer Switches Please!

30. I've extremely oversensitive to light. Intense or even semi-intense light to normal light just beats at my brain and I can't stand it. My last year roommates, who were my first ever, can probably attest to my anal preference for turning lights off and using my dimly watted desk light, mostly in an ensconced fashion. People are always weirded out finding me in the dark.
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New Friends I Have This Year

31. I was very lucky I decided to do the dorms last year because I met some really great people who I'm still pretty close to now, and we all know I don't make friends too easily. Anyway, as a result of those friends I've made a few other new friends, most specifically Babs and Alex, who I've both grown to appreciate immensely. The interesting part is that without these connector friends we would have never become friends in the first place because we all kind of roll in different things. Babs and I have this strange chemistry and we get along really well, and Alex is funny, quirky, inflammatory, and really chill - we're pretty different but I like him a lot. There are a couple friends I wish I had been more in touch with this year, but hopefully time and circumstance will change that.

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Favorite Clothes

32. I love to wear "Staff Shirt" (a simple deep blue Cal Polo that I feel at home in), "Metrosexoulis" (my edgy metrosexual t-shirt), "Santiago Chile Jeans" (these great jeans that I bought in Santiago that are significant because they are a size 31 equivalent in US men's jeans, which satisfies my anorexic tendencies), "Ennis" (a kind of wool/denim rancher jacket much akin to the one worn by Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain), "Australia Sweater" (this great zip up sweater that I bought in Sydney and fell in love with), "Bulge Shorts" (no comment, but thanks Josh), and "Cal Beanie" (my warm beanie that covers my ears and makes me feel cozy and protected, even on a warm day). In fact, as I write here on this cold rainy day, I'm predictably wearing Staff Shirt, Ennis, Cal Beanie, and Santiago Chile Jeans. In general however, I generally like dark blue colors, not cause I like the hippies at Cal or the Democratic Party or anything. It's just kinda deep yet low key, like me.



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Metrosexuality

33. If I pieced together different elements of my five most masculine guy friends, I would no doubt be able to craft an extremely metrosexual guy. The point being that I don't feel bad about being metrosexual in some ways, whether it be tight edgy clothes or specific grooming habits/manscaping, and I don't feel like less of a guy because of it. Let's not pretend that chicks don't like a little maintenance. And my metrosexuality often occurs on a non-constant basis, where some days I'll wear a non-tight sweater and sweatpants with no metrosexual grooming - or grooming whatsoever, period. I'd say some of my most masculine friends privately admit to some specific grooming habits or vain metrosexual obsessions - it's just not to be said out loud. But everyone knows it goes on.

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Eyebrows

34. Contrary to popular opinion, I do not alter my eyebrows in any shape, fashion, or form. I know I sound even more guilty after that metrosexual spiel, but I swear my eyebrows are naturally exquisite. Seriously.
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Tragedy

35. In early 1985, my 76 year old grandfather and his 4 year old daughter Suyapa were boarding a bus bound for the airport to deliver Suyapa to my parents in the United States, free from her abusive and drug-addicted 22 year old mother and full of a sense of opportunity. Likely as a result of his concern that my mom would not accept Suyapa, he keeled over, had a heart attack, and died square in front of 4 year old Suyapa as they were boarding the bus. Needless to say, she has not made it to America. She is one of my grandfather's nine children, ranging from 73 to 27 amongst five different wives.
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A Lasting Effect

I don't think that a lot of people - whether they be relatives, good friends, or hour long acquaintances - realize the incredible impact they have upon my life in very large and positive ways. Isn't that really the focal point of our lives as social beings? When somebody is down, I wish I could tell them that they've made one life better and outline all the ways they've made mine brighter without realizing it.

God bless.