- there's a 1.1 % increase in the self-reported prevalence of obesity between 2007 and 2009 (reportedly this equates to 2.4 million people) - reliable information, no doubt
- the number of states with an obesity rate over 30 percent has tripled to nine states - guess we're not using the 'clinical' definition
The Anti-Nannier
. . . helping to keep us protected from each other, but not from ourselves!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
heavy traffic
Monday, July 26, 2010
Obama's Message to Voters - Don't Change a Thing
...isn't that always the case regardless of the situation?!
unless of course he was alluding to the fact that he still has 29 more months to run us into a fubar situation.
"There are a thousand excuses for failure but never a good reason." - Mark Twain
Monday, June 16, 2008
California Screamin'
Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor and currently a professor at the University of California at Berkeley (read: elitist) is “delighted” with the high price of gas because he believes it will force people to start using public transportation. Of course, when asked why he still commutes by car he admits, “I’ve never been able to organize myself around their schedules.” Interpretation: Public transportation is good for the ‘little people’ – I’m far too important to associate with the huddled masses. Besides, it’ll help free up the traffic on the highways and make my commute a whole lot easier – after all, I’ve got young minds to warp, you know.”
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
A Little Venom
A young couple out of Philadelphia were arrested back in December - accused of financing a jet-setting lifestyle through an elaborate identity theft scheme. The boyfriend, an Ivy Leaguer, has already pleaded guilty to conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access-device fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. The story is newsworthy again because the girlfriend, 22-year-old Jocelyn Kirsch, has apparently been arrested for shoplifting and stealing a co-worker’s credit card while out on bail. Obvious to me, she’s failed to exhibit any compunction for her actions and is completely brazen. She needs to be in jail, not under house arrest wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet . . . wondering if her fake Bonnie & Clydes or hair extensions had anything to do with the judge’s leniency?!!
Identity theft just rankles me - not only do you end up spending over forty hours of your own time trying to repair the damage to your finances, but you’ve got the added irritation of having to restore your credit – all as a result of some immoral and corrupt felons who thought they were deserving of getting something (from you) for nothing (for them).
We all pay for this type of crime – not directly – but through higher prices, lower returns, and excessive premiums to cover this type of loss. Her most recent act of depravity also begs the question – “How is this woman even working?” Who the hell did the background check on this girl?
I have a higher opinion of bank robbers than I do for these dregs of society – and I think very little of bank robbers!
A big thanks to the egoistic, navel-gazing, full of herself young woman who felt it necessary to engage us all in the events of your life by carrying on several phone conversations in the middle of the workout room. We now all understand why your husband travels during the week!
While there may be those who were fascinated by the exciting details of your “most awesome” weekend, I don’t count myself amongst them. I’m sure I just don’t appreciate the fact that it’s probably a matter of national security for you to have your phone with you at all times – “Hello Karen (fake name)? This is Dr. Smith from CERN. We’ve got some new ideas about the origins of the universe that we’d like to run by you . . . “ – but can’t you shuffle your pompass out to the reception area to make those all so necessary phone calls? “Hey it’s me, just callin’ to see whatcher doin’, . . . yeah, . . . uh-huh, . . . yeah” – riveting!
That’s the last time I forget to bring my iPod to the gym . . . looking for a cheap cell phone signal jamming device now!
Having had the experience of working in Washington D.C., I found it very unsettling to read that the police there are sealing off entire neighborhoods, setting up checkpoints and kicking out strangers under a new ‘program’ that officials hope will help them “rescue the city from its out-of-control violence”. People who live, work or have “legitimate reason” to be in these “Neighborhood Safety Zones” will be required to show identification. All others will be sent away or arrested.
All the problems this city faces, and they are innumerable, are directly attributable to the failed social engineering experiment that is D.C. – regressing to a Gestapo police state will not fix them.
Funny quote from a troubling story: Last week, a man in Britain was prevented for getting on a plane for wearing a t-shirt with a picture of a robot holding a gun! He was told, “You cannot get on the plane because there is a gun on your T-shirt.” When asked about the incident later he said,
Thursday, May 22, 2008
It's Really Not There
One particularly troubling theme that’s being venerated by the presidential candidates and the lamestream media is this fantasy, however desirous, of health care is a ‘right’. I’ve read the Bill of Rights numerous times . . . peaceably to assemble . . . keep and bear Arms . . . unreasonable searches and seizures . . . speedy and public trial . . . seriously, there’s no mention of health care.
I could imagine, after several glasses of Scotch, that an extremely charitable interpretation of the phrase ‘promote the general Welfare’ could warrant a conversation about the role of government in medicine, but nationalized health care is a frightenly bad idea for a myriad of reasons. If you happen to think universal medicine is a laudable idea, let’s take a moment to envisage a health care system managed entirely by the Nanny-State. You want competence? Familiar with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Postal Service? You want sympathy and kindness? Ever had any dealings with the Internal Revenue Service, your local Department of Public Safety, or the Department of Homeland Security? You want fiscal prudence? Like to talk about the policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, audit any contracts awarded to the Department of Defense, or review the earmarks placed into any legislation approved by your representative in the last few months? By its very nature, government is ineffective, careless, and wasteful.
Now despite being wrought with fraud, excess and inefficiency, we still have the greatest health care system in the world – although it is in need of reform. The real challenge here is that any meaningful change is going to require a conscientious deliberation of difficult choices and real leadership. Unfortunately, no one in Congress, or campaigning for President, seems to have either a conscience or leadership ability. So we’ll continue to plod along until ultimately, much like the fatigued knee joints of a corpulent couch potato on his third trip to the dessert bar at the all-you-can-eat buffet, our healthcare system will collapse of its own weight.
In the meanwhile, to keep my ill-considered opinions from having an effect on the semblance of a right mind, I’m reminded of the wisdom of Ellis in No Country For Old Men:
Can’t stop what’s comin’ . . . it all ain’t waiting on you.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Vintage by Rocky Patel 1992 Torpedo
Friday, May 2, 2008
Gurkha G3 Review
As this was a ‘new’ smoke for me, and because it came with a full-bodied caveat, I made it a point to be particularly attentive to the appearance and flavors of the cigar and offer my first official review of the experience.
The cigar was very well constructed with what I’ll describe as a beautiful, ebony-colored wrapper that was free of any noticeable blemishes. It lit easily, burned evenly, drew nicely, and the white-colored ash held on near perfectly. The cigar started out as I expected – woody and spicy – but one-third of the way into it the spiciness dropped off and I started noticing hints of cocoa. This was followed by a smooth, balanced finish to the end. In summary – it was a fine smoke with an interesting, although agreeable, taste.
Despite its claim as a power smoke, I thought it was amazingly smooth - never boring, bitter, or harsh. And I certainly wasn’t buzzed, so I’d say it would be more adequately described as a lively medium-bodied cigar that can be straightforwardly smoked while sitting or standing.
When I had finished smoking I went to check out a few of my favorite cigar blogs to see if any of them had rated this cigar. It was somewhat gratifying to read that there were several reviews with descriptions similar to mine about the flavors and characteristics of this smoke [Cigar Aficionado rated it an 88].
Turns out it’s the combination of an aged Nicaraguan sungrown wrapper, African Cameroon binder, and Nicaraguan Piloto Cubano and Ligero filler that gives the cigar its unique taste. I also learned that these Gurkha cigars are short run products, and when they’re gone, there won’t be any more G-3’s produced. Think I need to find a few more of these sticks for my humidor, so until next time . . . long ashes.