Dang!Blog:

Sudafed Ramblings

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 08:32:00 +0000

I'm tired. Too tired to think of a cohesive way to say what is on my mind. I don't usually blog about things anymore. I don't live journal. I guess I usually don't need to talk to someone else about whats going on with Bo, because I know and thats enough. So consider this a rare treat. I miss who I was. And i think that even more so I miss who I wanted to be. I've never had a grand plan for my life that I believed that I had to accomplish. Nor have I even been the type to make specific goals or set "life markers" as I go so that I could look back on my life and agonize over things left undone. It always seems to make me sad when I think about the past... yet another reason not to write about the present as it instantly becomes another piece of my life left behind me. Its 2:37 in the morning and I can't sleep. I'm tired. I'm beyond being tired. I'm shattered. The persistant stress of life finally breaking me into. I sit here on my godawful orange couch mentally pining over what used to be, and being so fed up with the way things are now. I think its the joy that I miss the most. I haven't felt that in a years. Don't missunderstand that statement to read that I'm at my witt's end searching for a razorblade. Its not like that. I have every reason to live... but no motivation to do anything about it. I also miss all that time that I used to have. I used to have all the time in the world to live, laugh, and love. Now I have all the time in the world minus all the time that I've wasted. Wasted worrying about what will happen, wasted wondering what she's thinking, wasted fooling around.

I wonder how Debbie is doing. Its been over a year since I've talked to her.

I wonder how long its been since she thought about me. Not that it matters... she never liked me anyway. Wonder what she'd think of me now.

I miss my friends. All those friends that I had at UNA that I never see anymore, that are still my friends but haven't talked to since they moved or married or messed up. I miss talking to people. I have a ton of friends that I COULD talk to but only one whom I would actually care to listen to.

I miss having a heart... and talking till daybreak about nothing.

I miss not trying so hard not to mess up.

I long for the freedom that comes with youth, but I'm not old. I feel like an old hubcap, scuffed, pitted, rusted... not worth looking at but still useful, if only to store lugnuts in.

I miss my Granny, and I see her every Sunday.

I want a hug. And icecream.

Can I be GOOD at something? Anything?

I don't like that I can't seem to talk to myself anymore without cursing.

I want to go camping, but its cold and I don't have anyone to go with.

Being bald is cruel. Why can't I have hair like Clark Gable?

I want to be pushed, and I want to pull.

I'd like to be good at photography, even if I never use it for anything but to make myself happy.

I hate that I never got to be an eagle scout. Little late now I guess.

I was born in the wrong century. I want to carry a revolver on my hip everywhere I go.

I hate that I never know what to say... can't we just not talk? Or maybe just convey thought and feelings by flashdrive?

I miss watching Indiana Jones and Goonies with my brother and quoting every line. I wish i was a better brother.

I wanna be selfish and do what I want sometimes.

I wish I could just say what I want to say and be mean like everyone else and not care.

I miss worship.

I wish singing was still enough.

I miss Josh and his disgusting dandruff.

Is it sad that all I REALLY want is to be 8 again? Or at least be able to ride a Big Wheel without looking like a loser...

Why am I still up? Its after three and I'm just sitting here, with this stupid laptop that I'm never giving back, typing about stuff that no one else knows about and doesn't matter. I'm going to bed... probably the only smart thing I've done all day.

Abruptly I find the wind.

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 22:35:00 +0000

The orange sun is hot on my arms. I haven’t even clipped in yet and I’m already sweating. It must be ninety-eight degrees and well past 5 o’clock… I’m not looking forward to this. I quickly run through my stretch routine, strap on my helmet, straighten my sunglasses and sling my left leg over the frame. I really don’t want to be out here, I want to take nap. With a sharp click I mount my left cleat into the pedal and push off, straining my head over my shoulder to check traffic. There is none, thankfully. The pedals are heavy and I strain to accelerate to speed. It’s been too long since I’ve ridden, I can’t push myself today or I’ll be sore and cramping all night.

This saddle is so hard, why did I buy a carbon saddle? It’s a few ounces lighter but it’s hard as cast iron. This sucks, why am I doing this again… Oh yeah, for me. I’ve worked too hard to get into the shape I am in and I’m not going to let myself get gross and lethargic again… and she likes my body.

God, it’s hot. There’s no wind at all. I haven’t gone half a mile and sweat is already stinging my eyes, but my legs are feeling strong, no popping or crunching from my knees. I strain on towards the first climb. Pressing inward on the shifter I drop down a gear and force my feet hard towards the pavement below me. I begin to slow so I force myself from the saddle to a stand and climb.

Left right push pull left push pull right push… rhythm is key. Find that pace and stick with it, don’t push too hard, keep that pace. There, we’re over the first climb, now top the apex and enjoy the downhill.

The downhill brings a needed boost of speed. 18, 20, 22 miles per hour, my computer doesn’t lie. Slamming in to top gear I feel the pressure change in my calves. I dig down to find my misplaced determination. It’s there somewhere, lost amid frequent late night snacks and cigar socials, hiding behind the dead end job right next to the overdue rent payment. 24.6, 27.2 miles per hour and I’m not even trying… this is going to be a good ride. That’s the confidence that I need. I can’t second-guess myself or I’ll lose my concentration. Adrenaline is kicking in now, heart rate at full aerobic state, my breath pounds in my ears drowning out every sound aside from the occasional clack of the chain or chink of rock against the aluminum.

Breath, Breath, In Out In Out, Push pull Out, Push pull In, Push pull Out, Push pull in… breathing is key. Keep your mouth closed, in through the nose, out through the nose. Keep that rhythm, watch the road, head down, eyes forward, keep that mouth shut!

My legs are strong, pounding up and down, in and out like sinewy pistons turning inside an engine of muscle. I am a steam engine or a diesel… well oiled, fueled, designed for power, for speed. The road is flat, the road is open and I force myself ahead. 28, 29.1, 31 miles per hour, can I keep up this pace? In a whirl of pedals and testosterone my mind becomes the camshaft, precisely tuned and orchestrating the movements of every machined part. My nostrils, my lungs are a manifold, mixing air and fuel with protein and carbs for combustion, giving my legs power to press and pull against resistance and gravity and inertia; I cannot be stopped. A car passes on my left; the driver slows to gauge my speed.

That’s right, tubs, bet you wish you could do this!

The excitement is an octane boost to the brain; I must keep my concentration. Breath and heartbeats pound away, my lungs are on fire, quads are tight, but I will not slow. Five miles out already… five more to go then I can rest. I lick the sweat from my lips, it clings to the short whiskers above my mouth and the salty taste reminds me strangely of the sea, even amniotic fluid. I was born for this; this is life. Topping the next hill the sun glares hard in a desperation attempt to quell my advance, but even the sun is powerless. Bugs sting my face and arms as I streak through a cloud black gnats, sticking to my glasses and crawling inside my helmet. Grunting aloud I swat at the survivors and steady my red metal stead. Concentration broken I notice my wrists and elbows throbbing dully from strain, but I still have the energy, and pain is temporary.

Focus on the road, pay attention, pedal and breath, focus, focus… focus is key. You can’t stop now, slacker, you used to ride like this for fun, you can do it again. Focus on the engine. Time those breaths, push and pull… harder!

Only two miles left, my mouth is parched and my tongue ashen, I could slow to drink but in racing mere seconds separate the yellow jersey from the peloton at his heels. I am determined to wear yellow. Rolling hills stab at my thighs and mocking birds do just that as they taunt with their effortless flight. I hate this. But I love this. My groin is numb, my legs cramping, my back and arms in knots. But, riding is freedom. Riding is the dream. Riding sustains. I glance down to check my distance… 9.86, only one eighth of a mile to go, thank you, God. I cross the awaiting finish line at full speed slamming on the brakes and halting next to a deserted mailbox. Faint from the oxygen and adrenaline I become dizzy, leaning on my handlebars to steady myself. I give in to thirst and breath in the tepidly warm water. Moments pass and I settle my self, lower my head and check the computer reading… 22.7 mph average. Nice, very nice. I AM a machine. I replace the bottle, mount up, and turn to begin the return journey, expecting a brisk and refreshing cruise. Abruptly I find the wind.

Update On Me... An Exposition

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 21:05:00 +0000

Ok, its been a while since I've written ANYTHING in this blog, much less something about myself that doesn't concern politics or society or blah blah blah. So this is just a bit of an update for the three of you out there that actually read this blog at all.

The last few months have been completely dull and unfullfilling. Work sucks, as it always does. I really feel that I'm less of a person having worked at this office. Sure it pays the bills, but I've looked at myself lately and I haven't liked the changes I've seen over the last two years. I feel less funny to start with. I feel boring and uncomfortable... mostly from having to spend so much time not talking to people and not getting to cut up and be myself at work and I think that its carried over very much into my personal life outside of the office. And I don't like it.

I've got an interview at Brown's Ferry on the 7th. Its one of those very likely life changing interviews. I'm excited but very nervous. I'm twenty-six years old. Yes I'm young... I feel young... I wanna BE young, but as I get older I do feel the slight twinge of old age motivation kicking in. I want to find a job that I know will be there for years to come. A job that pays well enough to support my addictions.... no not THAT kind of addictions... but the type of addictions that do not have a social stigma, like family, friends, fun times, travel, etc. etc. Its time to grow up in a way, even if I'm not planning on getting old anytime soon.

This job has the potential of being the job that forever sets my life's course as it would be capable of fufilling all of those worldly needs I've mentioned. And SHOULD be able to help reduce the worrying and stress that comes from having to live paycheck to paycheck and bill to bill... which should make those less-worldy things better as well. Relationships in particular.

So, if you happen to be reading this I would be eternally gratefull if you would say a little prayer for me and my interview... because as we all know its all in His hands anyway.

I've been trying to keep myself busy... which I never used to do. Only recently have I reached the point where I don't enjoy just wasting time. In my former life I could spend the whole afternoon taking a nap and not regret the dicision one iota, but these days it seems that the days are far shorter and the time available to spend with my friends, and myself, have been greatly shortened. I'm sure that my working full time is the culprit, but that fact doesn't ease the feeling to any degree. I feel like I'm wasting my time most days. Like I should be accomplishing more in my life than just going to work and hanging out. Don't get me wrong, I put the value of spending time with friends above most all other things because when eternity is staring you in the face only the relationships that we've built on this earth will carry over into the next... but I do know that I have been given my talents and abilities to do more worthwhile things though I have not, as yet, been able to step out offer them up.

I'm standing at a new threshold in my life's corridor. I've lingered long enough in this particular vestibule and I'm eager to see what lays beyond the next door, yet I'm not entirely running forward with exuberance. This a heavy door indeed... the heaviest I've faced to date; filled with important life decisions, painfull changes, and hauty expectations of life to come. However, I am fully confident that whatever lies beyond that solid oak buffer that I can have the strength and ability to overcome... Hopefully I will not have to face this passage alone.

Why be so "crude" about gas prices?

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 20:51:00 +0000

If I hear one more person whinning and complaining to me about the "outrageous oil prices" I think I'm going to go apesh*t! I've just about had all I can stand of these IDIOTS running up and down the isles screaming thoughtless dribble like: "Big Oil Is PRICE GOUGEING," "The Government should DO SOMETHING about those billion dollar crooks!, and "I'm gonna have to sell my children to fill up my Suburban!" Seriously... SHUT UP!

Ok, in case you didn't already know how economics works since you went to puplic school here's a quick lesson on supply and demand. When the demand for a product is greater than the supply of the product the price of the product goes up. There... was that so hard? Supply and demand is the MAIN factor in the price of gas. The demand for crude oil is much higher than the supply.. therefor the price of a barrel of oil is high... thats why its costing $75 per barrel right now. And the cost that the oil companies incur in purchasing the crude oil DIRECTLY affects the price that they have to CHARGE to cover said cost. High incurred cost = high charged price of gasoline and ALL OTHER PRODUCTS made from the crude. Not to mention the fact that we have a SEVERE shortage of refineries that can convert that crude into the miriade of other products that is made from "black gold." And don't make me mention the stiffling restrictions that the environmentalits and democrats have slapped on refineries ( like sulfer filteration and multiple fuel mixtures using ethanol and other expensive additives ) as well as drilling restrictions on our own soil (ANWR anyone?). That FORCES us to have to rely on very expensive foreign oil rather than on our OWN massive reserves in Alaska and off the coast of Florida.

Now... Let us assume that gas is 3.00 per gallon. By the time you remove the imbedded taxes ( state AND federal ) which comes to around 85 cents per gallon, the COST of the oil and refining and transportation which comes to nearly 2.00 per gallon, AND the price that the gas STORE charges us which is around 10 cents per gallon the oil company itslef makes ONLY 25 cents per gallon of 87 octane gasoline! That, again in case you are from the public school system, comes to LESS than 10% profit margin!

PROFIT MARGIN is the factor that we have to look at in determining how much these oil companies are actually making. Did you know that your local financial institution ( ie. Bank ) makes near 20% profit margin? That means that for every dollar that the bank makes (gross) it had to spend around 80 cents which leaves them with 20 cents profit (net). Grocery stores typically pull down around 13-15% profit margin... they have to pay 87 -85 cents for every dollar they make ( gross ) leaving them with 13-15 cents to pocket (net)... "But, But These Huge Evil Oil Companies are making BILLIONS of dollars!".... True, but they are also SPENDING billions of dollars to do so. Exxon made some 800 BILLION dollars last quarter ( gross ). They SPENT 792 BILLION dollars... thus leaving them with 8 billion left with which to finance exploration, research, and pay they stock holders. Oh, and by the way, its the STOCK HOLDERS that are making the profits... NOT the company. If you want to get in on the action you can BUY STOCK in Exxon or BP or Shell or any of the other companies that make that money.

So don't tell me that Exxon or BP are gouging prices and that we can FORCE them to lower prices by applying additional taxes or by taking "windfall taxes" from them. Can anyone tell me WHY that won't work? .... Anyone?

BECAUSE CORPORATIONS DON'T PAY TAXES! People do! Any cost that the oil companies incur WILL BE passed on to the consumer. Higher cost = higher price. Its that simple. Oh Oh Oh Oh, one last thing: No amount of boycotts will make the prices go down. Why is that? Lets imagine everyone decides to NOT buy gas on May 6th and 7th ( saturday and sunday). Sure no one buys any gas that weekend, but tell me what happens on monday? EVERYONE rushes to the gas stations to buy gas and the largely increased demand on these stations WILL result in a gas shortage which will inevitably cause the price to go EVEN HIGHER!

Does that make sense? Embargoes and boycotts only WORSEN the problem by causing an unnecessary shortage.

So, what can we do to lower the "great burden" or high prices at the pump? How about voting. Thats right. It is up to we Americans to put people in office that will do whats needed to remove the influence of the "Environmental Wackos" in Washington so that we can start drilling for out OWN oil and so that we can build MORE refineries so that the cost of producing oil will be less. THAT is the only way that gas prices will EVER come back down to "acceptable" levels again.

Now... that wasn't so hard, was it?

Nothing Mexican on Cinco De Mayo

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 19:44:00 +0000

“Nothing Gringo on May 1″ ...
I finally reached the end of my rope the other day when I read of yet another protest, a “Day Without Immigrants” boycott scheduled for May 1 that is also being marketed by activists as “Nothing Gringo on May 1.” Judging by the conversations I have had with friends and family, I know that many of you have had enough as well.

While there is not much that we can do on a local level to combat the illegal immigration problem except support like-minded elected officials with our dollars and our votes, I plan to do something that may make me feel just a little better. And I invite you to join me.

“Nothing Mexican on Cinco de Mayo”

This year, “Cinco de Mayo” (”the 5th of May”) falls on a Friday. Normally, I way be in my favorite Mexican restaurant ( Casa de Mexicana ) enjoying a “chimichanga del polo” and a huge glass of tea... This year, that ain’t happening.
For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is a limited, regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated most vigorously in the state of Puebla where the Mexican militia repulsed a French invasion attempt in 1862. The holiday has actually become a bigger deal in the U.S. where commercial interests have promoted the holiday with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverages and festivities ( yet another commercially hyped holiday ala Christmas ).

This year, Cinco de Mayo will be a celebration of my hope that America will repulse the current invasion of illegal aliens. I will not patronize my favorite Mexican restaurant nor any other Hispanic-owned or “Mexican-themed” business on May 5 or the week thereafter. Neither will I employ the services of any company that I know to employ illegal aliens.

If you feel as frustrated and as voiceless as I do, please join me in my mini-protest and support America’s sovereignty with your dollars on Friday, May 5.

( Idea suggested by Bob Griggs )

Illegal Immigrants and the Argument for Law Enforcement

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 17:12:00 +0000

Well, its been a while since my last post, but I feel compelled to write another political rant today. So, here we go...

Illegal Immigrants and the Argument for Law Enforcement

Its been all over the news for the last week or so. Latinos all across the U.S. are crying out in moans of discontent over recent legislation being considered and voted upon by the House and Senate. Bill HR4337, the bill causing the most commotion, would make it a felony to be in the United States illegally. To the hundred and fifty MILLION conservative Americans out there like myself this bill makes perfect sense and is something of a "First Step" towards a solution to our Illegal immigrant problem.

Unfortunately for America, even if this bill passes and becomes law things will not change unless the law is actually enforced. There are many many laws on the books right now that, if properly and strictly enforced would help in abating the problem... Unfortunately, thanks to the ramifications of enforcing such laws on the careers of incumbent politicians throughout America, most illegal immigrants are unpunished for their crimes.

Now this wouldn't be such a big deal if it didn't have such a HUGE impact on our everyday lives. "What impact do a bunch of Mexicans in California have on me," you may ask. Great question. Ok, every illegal in the U.S. costs us money. There it is. That's why its so important. Money. Every illegal steals money from tax paying citizens in following ways:

Refusal to pay taxes: local, state, AND federal alike.
Enrollment of their children in public schools.
Refusal to insure vehicles, thus costing us BILLIONS in raised insurance payments alone.
Burdening the resources of State and Federal agencies and employees.
Many are not held accountable for crimes and injustices because they are not citizens and have been given "amnesty" by a government afraid of losing votes!

Plus, many illegals receive Social Security , Medicare, and Welfare payments via forged documentation... wreaking havoc on our already suffering economy!

Of course, there are a lot of people out there that scream till their blue in the face that the illegals help our economy by doing all of those gross or hard jobs that other workers are "unwilling to do." Now, I'll grant you that there ARE a lot of unpleasant jobs that HAVE to be done... NO question about that. However, I'll make the argument here that while there are times that these illegals get paid LESS for doing a job, but these jobs are actually few and far between. They usually get paid very much the going rate for a job... the difference here is that the EMPLOYER has to pay less in terms of insurance and taxes on these illegals than a U.S. citizen. Therefore, these employers, these TRAITORS, would rather pay a law-breaking gate-crasher to work for them than a law-abiding public servant.

There are MILLIONS of LEGAL immigrants in our great nation who have taken the strait and narrow road to becoming a proper citizen. I know, I work with two of them. They jumped through all the hoops, they pay their taxes, they took the oath... they are Legal and Ligit... but its the 12 MILLION illegals in this country who are now thumbing their noses and us DEMANDING that we turn a blind eye to their disregard and mockery of our laws, of our well being, of our FUTURE!

There is also the "Mob Rule" factor. Americans these days adamantly believe that we live in a Democracy, where the majority rules... this is not true. We live in a REPUBLIC, people, A REPUBLIC. We do not live by the rule of man, rather the RULE OF LAW! We have laws that say what we can and can't do. If it were up to the majority opinion to govern our lives then these marching mobs would have the right and ability to control every aspect of out lives!

The thing that I want you to see is this: We will NEVER deport these 12 million illegals. It WILL NEVER HAPPEN. So what we need to do is to enforce the laws we have, cut off the flow of illegals coming INTO our country, and assimilate these pre-existent illegals into out culture, get them paying they're taxes, and punish those that are breaking the law. Until the laws are ENFORCED we will see no change in this illegal problem which we are now facing.

"Stupid In America"... GENIUS!

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 16:12:00 +0000

Hey there everyone. Ok, I'll fess up. This is not so much a personnal rant so much as a redirection of your attention to someone else's rant. This is a response by ABC journalist John Stossel to attacks that he has been taking over an ABC report that he gave called "Stupid In America" in which Stossel concluded that American schools are so poor because they are a government monolpoly that is ran by unions... couldn't have said it better myself. Enjoy...

-------------------------------------------------
January 18, 2006
Myth: Schools Need More Money
By John Stossel

"Stossel is an idiot who should be fired from ABC and sent back to elementary school to learn journalism."
"Stossel is a right-wing extremist ideologue."

The hate mail is coming in to ABC over a TV special I did Friday (1/13). I suggested that public schools had plenty of money but were squandering it, because that's what government monopolies do. Many such comments came in after the National Education Association (NEA) informed its members about the special and claimed that I have a "documented history of blatant antagonism toward public schools." The NEA says public schools need more money. That's the refrain heard in politicians' speeches, ballot initiatives and maybe even in your child's own classroom. At a union demonstration, teachers carried signs that said schools will only improve "when the schools have all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber."

Not enough money for education? It's a myth. The truth is, public schools are rolling in money. If you divide the U.S. Department of Education's figure for total spending on K-12 education by the department's count of K-12 students, it works out to about $10,000 per student.
Think about that! For a class of 25 kids, that's $250,000 per classroom. This doesn't include capital costs. Couldn't you do much better than government schools with $250,000? You could hire several good teachers; I doubt you'd hire many bureaucrats. Government schools, like most monopolies, squander money.

America spends more on schooling than the vast majority of countries that outscore us on the international tests. But the bureaucrats still blame school failure on lack of funds, and demand more money.

In 1985, some of them got their wish. Kansas City, Mo., judge Russell Clark said the city's predominately black schools were not "halfway decent," and he ordered the government to spend billions more. Did the billions improve test scores? Did they hire better teachers, provide better books? Did the students learn anything?

Well, they learned how to waste lots of money.

The bureaucrats renovated school buildings, adding enormous gyms, an Olympic swimming pool, a robotics lab, TV studios, a zoo, a planetarium, and a wildlife sanctuary. They added intense instruction in foreign languages. They spent so much money that when they decided to bring more white kids to the city's schools, they didn't have to resort to busing. Instead, they paid for 120 taxis. Taxis!

What did spending billions more accomplish? The schools got worse. In 2000, five years and $2 billion later, the Kansas City school district failed 11 performance standards and lost its academic accreditation for the first time in the district's history.

A study by two professors at the Hoover Institution a few years ago compared public and Catholic schools in three of New York City's five boroughs. Parochial education outperformed the nation's largest school system "in every instance," they found -- and it did it at less than half the cost per student.

"Everyone has been conned -- you can give public schools all the money in America, and it will not be enough," says Ben Chavis, a former public school principal who now runs the American Indian Charter School in Oakland, Calif. His school spends thousands less per student than Oakland's government-run schools spend.

Chavis saves money by having students help clean the grounds and set up for lunch. "We don't have a full-time janitor," he told me. "We don't have security guards. We don't have computers. We don't have a cafeteria staff." Since Chavis took over four years ago, his school has gone from being among the worst middle schools in Oakland to the one where the kids get the best test scores. "I see my school as a business," he said. "And my students are the shareholders. And the families are the shareholders. I have to provide them with something."

©2006 JFS Productions, Inc. Distributed by Creators Syndicate

Democracy... The American Way?

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 15:48:00 +0000

Ok, here is a short and simple Rant that I've just gotta get out there...

Democracy. How many of you people out there actually KNOW that the United States of America was NOT originally designed to be a democracy? Seriously? The founding fathers like Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson penned HUNDREDS of letters in their day in warning of the dangers of democracy. In case you aren't already aware, the good ole U.S. of A. was designed to be a Representative Republic. Why a repulic as opposed to a democracy? Because they knew that majority of the people aren't capable of making good decisions for themselves and that the representatives would be elected to do this for them.

SO, where does that leave us today? If you go to ANY government school and ask ANY student what kind of government we have they will tell you that we are a Democracy. "Whats the big deal?" you might ask. Well HERE is the big deal. Democracy is defined as the rule of the majority. Whichever is the largest group of people on one side of an issue gets to make the rules. Well, there is a problem with that. This nation was founded and based on a set of rules and laws. The children are taught today that we live in a democracy and that the majority should have absolute rule.... Laws be Damned! Children are taught from the start that we are a Democracy, so they grow up thinking that the majority should always have absolute rule in any area.

Case in point:
This week in San Francisco 58% of its citizens voted to outlaw handgun possession. Now, I don't CARE if you believe in gun control or gun CONTROL, but the point that I'm trying to make is that the fact that the people were even given the opportunity to vote on that issue is an affront to the constitution because, in case you've forgot, the 2nd amendment clearly states: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. " PERIOD. The LAW says that people have the right to own guns... yet the people have been convinced that the rule of the people far outweighs the rule of the law.

The next thing that will happen is the people will give the government the ability to confiscate any profits that the people deem to be "obscene." Been watching the news lately? Oil companies' profits have been called "obscene" by many leftist politicians and they are trying to confiscate a large portion of the oil companies' profits. This, in case you aren't paying attention, is "Wealth Redistribution"... robbing from the "rich" to feed the "poor." AKA: Socialism, NOT "RobinHood - Men in Tights".

Conclusion: The people of America are indoctrinated by the government in government schools to believe that the government should be controlled by the dumb masses, which we all know can be swayed to and fro by things as simple as television shows and internet news. The will of the "people" thus may easily be controlled by politicians who are willing to manipulate the masses into changing the laws to tailor their desired form of government.. The Socialist States of America... coming to a town near you!

The Looming Effect Of Modern Cultural Expression On The Family And Interpersonal Relationships ( Or: Love in the Movies )

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:51:00 +0000

Ok. As I have gotten older there are some things that have become apparent to me:
Granny's home cookin' really isn't that good for you.
I'm not really as strong physically as I always thought I was.
Most 80's cartoons are not NEARLY as good as i always thought they were.
Love and Relationships do NOT happen like they do in the movies.

Growing up as many of us have with the world's popular culture crammed in our face like it is, we have come to expect our lives to play out in a similar fashion to the moveis and t.v. shows that we love so much. We go through our day to day lives, seemingly disappointed because they simply are not as exciting, as rivetting, as well cast, or as well directed as the typical romantic drama or action film that is shown at the good ole Cinema 12.

Thanks, in part, to movies like Dirty Dancing, The Princess Bride, Say Anything, Pretty in Pink, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and countless others the American perspective on life and love has been unreversably skewed. We, specifically the younger generations, have come to compare our lives to that of the characters projected on the silver screen... and, in that light, our lives do fall miserably short in the excitement and romance departments. It is as if we have come to expect that our love lives must be very exciting, ultimately compelling, and visually astounding in order to be considered acceptable and real. So, as a result, people jump from love scene to love scene, searching ultimately for the co-star with whom the scene feels the most sensuous... thus whenever that feeling of ellation wears off they are left doubting the actuality of their relationship which ultimately leads to casting call after casting call of "actors" who are looking to fill the part of the enthralling young lover.

God's origionaly design for love was much different than this adrenaline based "love" that has become the accepted norm. Lets have a short Bible lesson, shall we?

...God Is Love (1 John 4:8). In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10) Now, God's love for us is not based on feelings or emotions, or the realization of the "scene." His love for us is a perfect choice, and it is on that choice that we are to base our love for others, romantic or otherwise. Our flesh is a weak, yet demanding, master. Fueled by chemical reactions and pheromones, it is easily swayed by things as simple as food, physical feeling, and desire. The problem is that it can many times be difficult or impossible to sift through the feelings that are fed to our minds by our bodies and discover which is love and which is emotion. Thus, the litmas test on which we must draw our conclusions is Jesus Christ. Love centered around self or the partner is doomed from the start. Only a true, Christ centered love can withstand the years of hard times, harsh words, difficult decisions, and tedious scrutiny that is marriage.

Since God is love we automatically know that without God there is no love. A relationship built on any foundation other than that of the True Corner Stone is not True love. Knowing this fact we must carefully and purposefully construct our relationships on Christ, with the understanding that is to be the center focus of any relationship... especially the relationship between man and wife.
-Bo

--------------------------------
"A masterful triumph of vision, storytelling, and execution. A lesson that will thrill you, chill, you and spill you out onto the pavement! The Love Story has never never been so well told!" - The Grassy Times
--------------------------------

How I got free rent for a year

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 19:48:00 +0000

Ok, those of you that know me Probably know where I live in Florence. I live in a medium sized duplex in "historic" downtown. I moved into the house back at the first of February this year. The house in owned by the father of a friend of mine who lives down in Pelham, AL. Joe Paul purchased the house several years ago when his son was attending UNA. He bought the house because it was already converted to a duplex so his one could live on one side of the house and he could rent out the other side of the house to help pay for it. Now, when I moved in the small side of the house was occupied, but the larger side of the house was a DUMP! The floor in the kitchen as well as the bathroom were rotted out, the carpet was nasty green industrial burber carpet, and there was a good bit of mildew on the kitchen walls thanks to the moisture from the water-logged floor. It needed some work, to say the least.

Well, the deal was that if I moved in and got people to fix that side of the house up that I would get free rent for a few months. Well, being the "hady man" that I am ( with a little help from my dad and paw-paw ) I proceeded to do all the necessary work myself, thus saving Joe Paul a few thousand dollars in contractorial fees and lobor expenses. Joe Paul paid for most of the materials needed, as well as new carpet and linoleum flooring. We renegotiated our agreement to allow me to stay in the house until August or so... about 6 months of free rent.

Since that point I have personnally put about 600-700 dollars of my own money into misc. materials such as light fixtures, paint, and cabinet hardware, thus completing a full renovation of the interior of the house, as well as doing some minor exterior refurbishing ( ie: painting ). Joe Paul, in addition to being willing to repay me for my expenses, has offered me another deal that would result in my having stayed at this house for one full year rent free: doing a quick renovation of the smaller side of the house in exchange for another 6 months worth of rent! All I have to do on the smaller side is have new carpet installed as well as contracting new linoleum flooring for the kitchen and bathroom and having a small leak in the bathroom ceiling repaired.

By the time that I am finished I will have a very nice and comfortable place to live complete with new paint and flooring, stylish recessed and track lighting, new ceiling fans, plenty of room for me to live alone in peace and quiet without a roomate, and ( soon to be ) renovated exterior... for free!

Of course, I've out in a lot of time and effort into this house. All that painting, and pressure washing, and cleaning, and floor repair, and cabinet refinishing, and wiring took up a lot of evenings that I would rather have spent with friends or doing other things, but I wanted to do a thorough job redoing this house and making the deal worth-while for the owner.

Rent at 325 per month x 12 months = $3900.

Floor repair estimates for my labor = $2000.
Painting estimates for my labor = $1200.
Electrical work for my labor = $500.
Misc contractual estimates for labor and time = $2000.
Total = $5700.
$5700 - $3900 = $1800.

Joe Paul is up approximately 1800 from my expenses PLUS his house ( which he was previously unable to sell ) will be worth several thousand dollars more once renovations are complete. I've done every job as well as I personally am able with my somewhat limited contractual experience because I know that if I was in Joe Paul's position that I would want my tenant to do the same for me.

My conclusion to this Blog: It is very possible for someone who is willing to work and come through in their obligations to be blessed by God. I needed a place to stay for as cheap as possible while I am in my low-paying lawfirm job, and He's provided for me. Aint God Great!?!?

Flippin' GENIUS! Why didn't I think of that!?!

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 16:46:00 +0000

Ok. Before I say anything about this site I want you to go ahead and click HERE and take a look. I'm not going to tell you what it is yet, just go take a look... I can wait.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-
Well, whaddya think? Its a website about a guy thats threatening to eat his bunny rabbit unless he receives $50,000. Now, there are some people out there who have been outraged by this website and the guy has really taken a lot of flack for it... but I think the man's a genius! This guy has made several thousand dollars simply by threatening to do something that is completly legal and has no real questionnable moral conflicts. People have seriously sent him a lot of money to stop him from eating Toby. Now, there are lots of people that eat rabbit. Maybe not as many people today, simply because we have so many other sources of nourishment readily available, but I've always heard that rabbit is very, very good and I, like Elmer Fudd, have always wanted to try rabbit fricasee.

The real genius to this plot is that the owner ( whose name is Bion, by the way ) is exploiting the most deserving factions of humanistic society: The Extreme Left Bleeding Heart Animal Lovers.

Now before you get all upset, let me explain my position. I'm an animal lover myself. I love most all kinds of animals so long as they aren't particularly annoying or suck my blood. I HATE to see animals mistreated or mishandled... BUT I see nothing wrong with eating them. And before you say that all animals aren't to be eaten, go take a look at on eof my favorite single verses in the Bible- Acts 11:7! You can say what you want about this verse, but I love it.

The people that would have the largest problem with the butchering slaughter ( which in most cases is by no means a cruel or painful death ) of animals for food tend to be people that put the well-being of animals far above the well-being of their fellow man. Organizations like P.E.T.A. and GreenPeace have for decades shown that they value the lives of their "Animal Friends" much more than their human brothers and sisters. Funny thing is that P.E.T.A., despite their shrill exclaimations of the value of animal life, is one of the largest slaughterers of non-livestock animals in the country! Besides, nothing is more annoying to me that bleeding heart liberals that go out of their way to demonstrate their crass "disenfranchisement" with western society... or whatever else they're yelling about this week. Nevermind the fact that if they REALLY wanted to do some good they could raise that very same 50,000 smacker as donate it to other charitable organizations that would put that money to much greater use

So, why did I bother to write this little blog? Well, I just wanted to take a minute to show off a very well thought out idea to make free money AND harp about the hypocrisy of the fringe left in this country. I'm not some barbarian that goes around clubbing seals and kicking puppies, but I do understand that people need to pick they're battles. Is it really worth ranting and raving about the plight of some spotted owl in Alaska when there are other causes that are so much more valuable and noble? Maybe we should ask ourselves that question more often.

The FairTax - A Revolution

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 22:05:00 +0000

Ok, so you may or may not have heard about the FairTax at this point. If you have then you are an astutely well informed individual. If not, then don't beat yourself up over it... its not exactly all over the news or anything... yet. The FairTax is a consumption tax, meaning, that it is a tax on ALL new items and services that is designed to completely replace the income tax system that we use today. It also rids us of the need for the I.R.S, Medicare Tax, Social Security Tax, as well as several others because it does away with the taxes witheld from your paycheck every week. Thats right, under the FairTax you would receive 100% of your paycheck every single time. You would no longer have to report or taxes to the I.R.S. on April15th of every year, as you would now be paying all of your taxes at the check out counter of whatever discount store you decide to shop at. And you'll know exactly how much you've paid on every transaction... because it will be printed right there on the receipt.

"How much taxes will I be paying," you're probably asking yourself. Well, the stated percentage tax that will be added will be 23 percent. Now, before you flip out let me explain to you WHY this is so much better than what we are paying now...

The 23 percent that you will pay at the retail level in the FairTax you are already paying... in the form of "hidden" taxes. Everything you buy has included in it all of the taxes that every group or institution that had a part in creating that item... That great looking pair of Levi's you just bought may have cost you 50 bucks, but right about 23% of that $50 was in taxes. Now, once the manufactureres and retailers of our goods are able to stop paying their income taxes, they will be able to lower their price by that very same 23%. If they don't drop their price and try to swindle the buying public, you can bet that they will either go out of business or be forced to lower their prices by the great and powerful "competitive advantage."

The other great thing about the FairTax is the fact that, just like in the current tax system, people under the poverty level do not pay the tax. How does that work if you pay the tax on the retail level?... Simple. Everyone... and I mean EVERYONE, receives a monthly refund check from the government for the amount of taxes paid on items up to the poverty level according to their taxable bracket. That same tax bracket is in use right now and is used to determine the amount of money that individuals must send on Necessities of Life. That amount depends on your tax bracket. For instance, if you were a single 25 year old male, you would receive less money in refunds than a single female with two kids, since she would have to spend more money on food and shelter. Its that simple.

The more you buy the more you pay in taxes. You can't get around them by under reporting your taxes to the I.R.S. Every drug dealer or tax evader or gun runner have to pay their taxes... no matter what, if they intend to eat, or drive their expensive cars, or own their huge houses.

Oh, did I mention that this tax does not include USED items? Thats right, since the taxes have already been payed on them there's no need to pay them again. Sounds good doesn't it. This tax system would cause a veritable market explosion since American businesses would no longer be taxed, thus taking back the tax advantage that foreign manufacturers have. The U.S. becomes a safe haven for business... and our lives are all the better for it.

And S.S. and Medicare are all paid in full... did if mention that?

See FairTax.org for more info or ask me sometime.

Taxes. ( Stick with me here, its important )

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 15:13:00 +0000

Ok, well, today is the first official installment of my new Blog, and many of you might find it to be on a boring subject... Taxes. Yep, I said taxes. Now, you're probably asking yourself why I'd bother to waste your time talking about such a Stimulating subject... but I'd just ask that you give me your full attention for two seconds so that I can make a few simple points.. Because Taxation is actually a very important issue, even to us in our twenties.

First, let me ask you a question... "How much did you pay in income taxes last year?" Many people our age would say, " None! In fact, I got a check BACK from the government!" Well, if that is the case then congratulations!... You're an Idiot.

If you are like the VAST majority of people in this country ( myself included, unfortunately ) you probably don't know how much you actually paid in income taxes last year. And thats Exactly how the government likes it. If you don't really know how much you pay in taxes, you're a heck of a lot less likely to question how and where it is spent... its a great way to give ungodly amounts of power to the government because it makes it extremely easy for the government to hide and mask its spending without anyone being wise to it. Did you realize that the current tax code is hundreds of THOUSANDS of pages long? HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS! Not to mention the power given to the IRS to investigate and spy on the very citizens they are supposed to be working for.

Now, if you have a job, and most of us do, then you're income taxes are witheld by the government from your paycheck ( usually about 25 percent or so ). Of course, your employer also pays for your income tax... they match dollar for dollar towards your Social Security and Medicare Taxes... Well, not exactly. They may "match" your payments, but they really just take that out of the wages that they would otherwise be paying you were they NOT having to match your tax payment. Remember, that a business does NOT pay taxes, PEOPLE pay taxes.

Anyway, my point is that you probably don't know how much you pay in taxes and we get SO happy when April comes around and we get our "Refund" check in the mail when we should be outraged that the government is confiscating the money that we have all worked so hard to earn rather than letting us pay our own taxes. Now, I'm not saying that we shouldn't pay taxes, but I'm saying that we need to have a better way to pay those taxes.

In the past, prior to the income tax, people had to sit down every year and write the government a check to pay their taxes... and when you write a check its pretty hard to forget how much you had to make that check out for. When the people of this country really feel the bite of taxes it is my opinion that they will be much more outraged by the ridiculous amount of governmental and porkbarrel spending... and they will also be much more actively involved in the voting process because it is through the election of our leaders that we are best able to control things like taxation, law enforcement and criminal justice, economic issues and etc. etc.

So what type of tax system should we use to replace the current income tax that is so easily used to screw us hard working Ambericans out of our money? Well, I'm not sure. There are a lot of different views on this matter. Flat Tax, Sales Tax, Tarrifs... ALL of which have their good and bad points. However, it is my opinion that they proposed FairTax ( House Bill HR25 and Senate Bill S25 ) is probably the bet way to go.

Next time: The FairTax, whats the big deal?

Dang!Blog: Political, Social, and Personal Commentary From Someone You KNOW!

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 15:32:00 +0000

Ok, so I've decided that I want to occasionally write about actual important issues in my Blog, so, from now on, you can tell what type of message that I've written by looking at the font color.

Red: Political Issues
Blue: Social Issues
Gray: Personal Issues

Of course, there may also be a mixture of issues in one Blog, so there may also be several different shades of text to go with it.

"WHY AM I DOING THIS," you might be asking. Simple. I spend a lot of time reading articles, researching news, and thinking on polital and social topics. The thing is that most people my age ( most of my friends that would be reading this, anyway ) do not necessarily spend any amount of time with these issues because, after all, we're young. We have LIVES... politics are BORING. Well, yeah, sometimes they are... BUT I believe that it is important for the youth of America to pay attention to the happenings and goings on around us, because, believe it or not, they DO affect us. Taxes affect us, Terrorism affects us, Feminism affects us, Political Correctness affects us.... etc etc. So, I've decided that I would occasionally write about my views on events and happenings that you may or may not know about otherwise, in a way that you can understand it... just as if you were asking for my opinion on the topic.

So, if you think that this is BORING, or STUPID, thats fine. If you want to actually try to learn something and maybe be inspired to do your OWN research on "HotTopics," then I hope you'll stick around and check these things out so that we, as the up-and-coming leadership of America, may be able to learn something.

Thanks for reading this today and I'll probably start out doing this as of next week. Hope you have a great weekend. Oh, and by the way, if you want me do talk about a specific issue or try to find out information for you on a topic, please let me know by either emailing me, sending me a comment, or responding to my messages about this so that I'll know.

Ok, see ya later, tater...

The MySpace Influence. OR: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Blog

bob@dangproductions.net (Bo Woody) — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 17:59:00 +0000

Its official. I'm on MySpace.com. Not so much by my own will but by the will of my peers ( aka myspace whores ). Now that does not mean that I won't use myspace, or won't enjoy myspace, it means that I'm on myspace despite the fact that I had decided not to bother with it. I'm usually the type of guy that does not give in to the current trends or fads that most people subscribe to. I've never owned a razor scooter, never bungee jumped, never put ketchup on my scrambled eggs. However, I do recognize that myspace can be pretty fun and is a quick way to chat with friends and post blurbs about this and that so that everyone can see how cool and whitty you are. However, there is one fear that i have about quick and easy technologies... the breakdown of the written and conversed word. The main culprit in this "breakdown" is, in my opinion, text messaging, but any convenient little tool that comes available to us and allows us to talk to each other in broken dialects out of sheer convenience simply cannot be good for society as a whole. I'm preaching to myself here as well, because I would, many times, rather use text messaging to actual conversation simply because I do not like to talk that much.

Its become blaringly obvious that people are becoming dumber and dumber, that the publik school system is going too easy on the youth and children of today, and that we as a nation have unconsiously allowed the simple and enjoyable art of letter writing and genuinely heart felt written word to go the way of the dodo.

Am I the only one who thinks this way?