The Ramblings of the Millahtime Man

New blog

2006-02-21T21:56:00.000-05:00

Thanks for visiting. I have a new blog. You can view it at www.mattfarina.com.

Evolution or ID?

2005-12-08T11:25:00.000-05:00

Wow, I am amazed at how many people posted comments on Intelligent Design. Here is something to think about with the science behind evolution and just science in general. I'm not asking anyone to agree with me but to honestly think about it.

A question I have asked myself is, how much of the evolution push is due to the science or the way it is integrated through society?

Kids are taught this young but teachers. How much do middle school and high school teachers really know about these things? Are they highly educated people on this topic? Of course not. High school and middle school teachers are rarely experts in any specific field. They are going off the science books they have.

Kids are also taught at a young age. How many people actually question evolution, look into it, and find what it really says? Most of the people I know go by the little they were taught when they were kids. They don't really know much about it, just that they are supposed to believe it and so they do. This is as bad as Christians who do the same with their religion. They were taught something when they were young but don't know much since then and have little idea what it really says.

So, you end up with a lot of people who were taught something when they were kids that they stand behind with little real knowledge and understand on it. When they were taught was by a teacher who didn't really know much about it except what was in the text book back when they were kids. Evolutionary theory has changed since then (if you have been out of school for a bit).

I also have asked myself the question, how much of "modern science" is true science and how much is scientists philosophizing based on that information?

Back in the day, hundreds of years ago there were scientists and philosophers. I am talking hundreds of years ago and long before our times. Back then there were scientists who did the science work. Most didn't try to put meaning behind it. There were philosophers to put meaning behind it. What ever that meaning would be.

Today things work a little bit different. Scientists today are the combination of scientists from the past and philosophers from the past. They take their work and try to find meaning behind it. They take the info they find and come up with grand schemes of what it could mean rather than just what it is.

I recently read an interesting statistic that said that 50% of all scientific papers these days are not true.

Not too long ago a friend of mine brought up the medias role in this. What is that role?

The media presents science info to the world. Well, when something is found out to be wrong does the media show that. If you do the research the answer is typically not. If a scientist finds something "big" then he touts his mouth off and the media bites and publishes. If he is proven wrong then he keeps his mouth pretty quiet and the media typically doesn't bite. This leaves the general reader the impression it's still true.

In Summary

I have studied creation, intelligent design, and evolution. I have books on them from many points of view. I have studied the science, how it works, what people have said, and so much more. After all of this I don't believe in evolution from a purely scientific point of view. You may not agree with my conclusion but please respect my opinion.

So, how much of your belief is on faith or real knowledge about it?

Intelligent Design - Not just a religious thing.

2005-08-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

After the recent comment by President Bush in regards to intelligent design the debate has begun on whether it should be taught in schools and if intelligent design is just a religious thing. These two topics are directly tied together as public schools do not teach religion.

Is intelligent design just a religious thing? What could cause intelligent design? A higher diety, such as a god, could be the designer. Also, lets look at designers that are not so obvious. A more advanced civilization could be the designer. One that is not on this planet, is not obvious to us on the planet or one that is no longer around. Currently, we are in the early stages of cloning and we already perform gene splicing on plants. We also design intelligent systems with machines and computers. Could there be a point where we as a society have enough knowledege and skill to be intelligent designers of our own. What about in 1,000 or 10,000 years of continued growth of knowledge?

So, is intelligent design just a religious thing? No. There are other sources of intelligent design besides a god.

Next comes the question of whether it should be taught in schools. This is a tough question because there is only so much that can be taught in schools as there is just a limited amount of time. Here are some reasons it should not be taught in school:

1) Intelligent design has many ties to religion which is not taught in schools.

2) There is already so much students are being taught and they should not be taught more.

Both of these are arguments I have herd. I am sure there are others but they have not been presented to me, yet. As a rebuttle to these, just because something has ties to religion doesn't mean it should not be taught and students have time to learn more as US schools at least do not tend to even teach as much as other school systems.

What about reasons it should be taught? Here are a few:

1) Evolution has not been proven and we often take that for granted. Intelligent design is the current alternative with the most clout. Teaching multiple options can cause us to question things and dig into the facts more than just teaching one option which many will just take as fact.

2) Intelligent design does make sense and there is quite a bit of factual data to support it. Whether you agree with it or not, the information supports it as a theory.

3) There are scientists behind it. So often I have herd stats that 99% of scientists are behind evolution. Then in college I met a stats professor who said, "Give me the answer and I'll give you the statistics to support it." I, also, met some scientists in the physiology department at college. They all believed in intelligent design because from their scientific experience it made sense, in their expert opinion.

Intelligent design should be taught in schools without mentioning religion. To not teach this shows a biast to one option without consideration of alternative. To not teach multiple options shows just how closed minded we can be.

Well, that's where I stand today. Anyone care to change my mind, please give it a shot.

Leader not a follower

2004-11-08T18:32:00.000-05:00

I have a buddy of mine who has a simple principle that he goes by. He says "I am a Leader, not a follower." He does not care what everyone around him says. In many ways this is how the US is and should be.

Many out spoken people around the world bash the US for not doing things their way. I can understand if they don't like how we do things but we are a leader not a follower.

There have been many people in the music industry or the movie industry to bash the way the US does things because we aren't making the rest of the world happy. The music industry and movie industry is filled with people who want to be the center of attention and liked by all. This is the mentality of many, especially those out spoken ones about this. They want to be liked by all, but sometimes making the right decision isn't the popular one. This is where their character failing is with leading.

As far as the rest of the world, over 1 billion in Indian and over 1 billion in China. How many of then know or care what the US is doing here and abroad? (they are 1/3 of the world population) How about Africa? How many of them even have a clue as to what the US is doing?

There are many out spoken people around the world who may not like the US way of doing things but they are not a majority. The loud few are herd over the murmer of the croud.

Not saying the US is perfect but neither are the critics. The US is a leader, not a follower.

Most Exercised US Right

2004-11-02T09:11:00.000-05:00

In the US we have many rights. Many we take for granted, but what is the most exercised right.

We have the right to succeed. We have the right to fail and even fall flat on our faces. We have the right to vote. We have the right to screw up that vote. We have so many rights all based on our freedom.

The most exercised right I would say is the right to be stupid. How often to people make stupid decisions. When I was in college that was obviously the most practiced right. Florida elections, show us that people do things in not such a bright way. There are so many ways to exercise that right.

When it comes to fixing something we did wrong because we exercised that right well, that is a privilege. We have the right to be stupid, but fixing the mistakes we made in exercising that right is not a right itself. I have the right to tell someone off, they give me the privilege of hearing my apology. Not everything is a right. But, the most practiced right is being stupid. But, correcting the repercussions of that right most of the time is a privilege.

My problem with the Kerry Campaign

2004-10-27T08:05:00.000-04:00

As I have been reading the articles and seeing the interviews on TV there was something I noticed that bothered me. I noticed this more in the Kerry campaign than the Bush campaign. What I hear out of Kerry is Bush bashing most of the time. Not that this isn't something you are going to hear no matter what but that is all I keep reading and hearing.

So, me being someone who likes to make educated decisions hears Kerry bashing Bush, while at the same time I have gone and done the research as to his record in congress. I here little of what he is going to do. I am not saying he that he isn't going to do much, just I have not herd much about it. What I have herd is BS.

Some will tell me that this is just not true. I have herd Kerry tell me what he believes in but not what he is going to do. Personally, I want an active president and not a passive one. I want a man who will tackle what he has the power to tackle and not sit on his hands.

So, I know that Kerry bashes Bush, in his congressional career he has swaped sides on the issues many times and has done little but complaign. What is he going to do in office? How will he personally make this country a better place? And do it in the areas he has the power to make change. I don't have a clue.

I have herd that he has said he will add many new jobs. The only way he can do that directly is through expanding the executive branch of the government and hiring them himself. That is requires more taxes to pay these people. Other than that he does not have the power.

I have herd him say we have a coutry health care plan. That costs a lot of money and puts my health care in the hands of politicians. I don't have an HMO because I like having the power to make my own decision and not having to get permission from people. Politicians will most likely be as bad or worse than a big HMO which everyone already complaigns about. How will this be an improvement? Where does our constitution give health care as a right? How is health care a right? This will never get anywhere anyway because of the health care lobby.

I have herd him say he will get perscription drugs from Canada to the US. Canada has 2% of the worlds perscription drugs and the US has 50%. They simply don't have the infrastructure to support the US.

I have herd him on the military and war. Kerrys record is for cuts to the military all of the time. He has always been for cutting back the military. Not, making it more cost effective but for cuts. When it came to battle he tried to get out as soon as possible, came home and complaigned. In a world where the US military is not the dominant machine it used to be and many others are catching up quick or are almost there in 4 years we likely might not be the top military force around. And that would mean we are open to attack. Fear of our military to stop people would no longer be a factor.

So, There are issues. In ways many people don't think about. I know I am like everyone else and want the future Pres to give me what I want now. But, his job is to look out for our best interests with the military. He also controls some federal funds and leads his political party. But, will Kerry do anything. I havn't herd a legitimate thing that will fly.

The media is saying what!?!?!?!

2004-10-26T07:55:00.000-04:00

One of the first things I do in the morning is check all the local and national news websites to see what is going on in the world. I hit like a dozen or so and skim the stories. Many are the same but different sites pick up some of the fringe things going on.

I have noticed lately that a number of stories are targeted at bush and many are discussing the hot topics but not in a very good light. The news media is supposed to report the news but are obviously putting their own personal views into it.

I did a count to the number of Kerry stories vs the number of Bush stories on some of the sites. They were 1/3 Kerry and 2/3 Bush. The stories that dealt with Kerry were talking about what he said about bush and where he was campaigning. The Bush stories talked about these same things but there were many more digging into his record and leading the info down a path so people will draw conclusions.

There is an obvious bias going on. What they have as opinions for the candidates is not up for them to put in their front page stories. Editorials, sure, fine. But, in all of the regular articles there should be fairness and equality despiute their views. And, I'll grant that is not easy to do but at the same time it is so obvious that you can tell they aren't trying.

The media is not reporting the news on this, they are reporting their point of view and their political views. I want to draw my own conclusions from the information. Stop giving me your point of view and give me the facts.

Our Biggest Enemy is.....

2004-10-25T13:22:00.000-04:00

Many people call out our enemies. They call out Saddam, North Korea, Russia, Democrats, Republicans, Mass Media, Satan and many more things as being our biggest enemy. By biggest enemy I mean the thing we are fighting against in both military, beliefs and ways of life. Who is that enemy?

In church growing up I was told to watch out for the devil and his minions. But, is that really our biggest enemy? Is that really who our biggest fight is against? I would say No.

Our biggest enemy is ourselves. For me, many times I go after what I want and not what is good for me or what I need. I may want the very thing that is going to kill me. For smokers that is the exact truth. They want to smoke. It is bad for them and a constant struggle if someone wants to stop. But, they are doing it to themselves. They are making the decision to smoke. To blame the cigarette company for putting them out doesn't take into account that smokers are the ones who by and smoke them. Blaming someone else is just not taking responsibility for your actions.

It's the same thing with Satan/Devil. He can lead someone to water but they have to choose to drink. The church calls this our sinful nature.

When it comes to mass media the same thing applies. The kid downloads porn or watches it on tv because he wants to, then when he has a degraded view of women it is based on his own poor decisions.

When it comes to society things such as war, religion, etc all this is happening is that mob mentality is being put our desires. People sign up with groups that feed what they want and go after it. A mob mentality to what I want. What does the group want. Not, what is best for the group but what it wants.

An example would be in the signs of a colapsing society. There are many factors that weighed in on the societies of the past failing. Most of these same factors can be attributed to our wants and not what is good for us. And these things are once again poping up in society. Even though we know they have lead down the path to the downfall of a society many many times we still pursue them becuase we want them.

So, our biggest enemy is ourselves. For many it's a constant struggles, for others they have signed off as a loss and given in. No one ever wins this struggle because it faces us our entire lives. How do we fight this struggle? Many people have their own way, but for me it's the man upstairs (the GOD). Whatever someones way of fighting this struggle is, we still need to fight it for our sakes and for the sakes of those we care about around us.

Helping People

2004-10-22T08:46:00.000-04:00

So, I as the elections are coming up there are a lot of different issues being argued. One of the big ones that comes up actually crosses multiple issues. Helping people. Whether it's with education or with the Bush initiative to give money to religious orginizations to help the needy.

I see one big problem with all of this. No matter how the dice fall we want to have the government do our helping for us. Whether it's with John Kerry who wants bigger government to go out and do these things or with Bush who wants to use the gonvernemts money to have other orginizations go out and do them, we (the average joe) the people are still not part of it.

Helping people is a personal thing. To help someone is to help someone near you and they in tern can help people around them. It's about me and others going down to detroit and helping with habitat for humanity to build homes for people. It's about me helping my little sister with her homework.

Helping people is not about putting it off on the government, religious orginizations or other non-profits. We may use them as a means to orginize our efforts to help people but we can't put it on them. Helping people should be part of us and our everyday lives.

We complain about education, the slums and a million other things. We ask the governemtn to fix these things. They just can't. The only real answer is that we all need to go out and help each other. Some people may only be able to help a little while others can help a lot. The point is for everyone to try. And, if we do, then eventually we will get to where we need to be.

What's going on with the Military Draft

2004-10-19T08:36:00.000-04:00

I have herd many things about the US miliraty draft lately. Several people have asked me to sign petitions about to stop it.

Most of these people have told me it was the Republicans and Bush that were trying to get the draft going. Well, it was actually sponsored by Democrat Charles Rangel (NY).

Another interesting note was that it was shot down recently.

So, it was a democrat that sponsored it and it has already been voted down. Worried, I think not.

John Kerry the hypocrite

2004-10-14T07:16:00.000-04:00

I was watching the final Bush Vs. Kerry debate and on one of his answers, Kerry, was a complete hypocrite. I am not going to debate who was correct on the issue but point out that Kerry was a hypocrite in his own answer.

The question was on the issue of abortion. John Kerry supports abortion (and I am not going to nock this) but he used his faith to support his belief in abortion. He is a Catholic and the Catholic stance is that abortion is wrong and not a right. John Kerry says he believes it is a right and tried to use his faith to justify that.

This shows that Kerry is a man who does not follow his own religion but is trying to use it as leverage for political gain. He is acting as a man of little faith.

Flu Shot Shortage

2004-10-13T08:09:00.000-04:00

I was at foxnews.com and they had a poll on who is to blame for the flu shot shortage. The top answer was private industry (as in the producers of the shot) followed closely by no ones fault. The other one of note with a decent percentage and that was the federal government.

My vote goes for private industry and the reason is simple. From the simple economic theory of supply and demand. If you do the simple supply and demand curves you will see that this year they are not meeting the point they should be. There is not nearly enough supply to meet the demand. Not even close.

As to blame it on the government or say it's no ones fault, well that is just not true. If the producers of the flu shot followed supply and demand then they would have produced more and would have reaped the profits. That is the nature of our economy. In our society something like this isn't regulated by the government it's done by society itself in this mass economic machine we live in.

If you want a cure for flu.... well your out of luck. Rest, lots of fluids and time is the only things that can really help. More info on the flu here.

Ten Commandments and the Court

2004-10-12T16:11:00.000-04:00

I was reading today about how the supreme court is taking up the debate of the ten commandments being displayed on federal buildings.

There is talk that the ten commandments that are in many court houses should be taken down. I have to say that removing them is crap and here is why.

What does the ammendment in question on this actually say....

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

By having the ten commandments hanging on the wall they are not making or dealing with a law establishing a country wide religion. The courts can't even make laws. So, displaying this has no lawful basis as to whether it can be there or not. Taking them down might even be considered getting in the way of their freedom of expression or speech.

So, it's a matter of preference. And well the courts are not to make rulings on preference. They are to make rulings about law. End of story.

So, if you don't like it... Then get over it. There are many more important things in life for you to be concerned with. Cause hey, you are probably an atheist or agnostic and with your beliefs your time on earth is all you got so I would tell you not to be concerned with this stuff and enjoy yourself while you can.

I can't stand [insert candidate name here]

2004-10-12T07:40:00.000-04:00

I keep hearing people say things like "Bush is stupid," or "Kerry is an idiot," or "I hate Bush." We all have our political ideals but for many it seems to have gotten very personal.

I was talking to a friend the other day and we got on the topic of politics. She told me she was going to vote for Kerry. When I asked why her response was that Bush sucks, is an idiot and she hates him. She isn't voting for Kerry because she likes his politics or because she doesn't like the politics or decisions that Bush has made. She is doing it because she has gotten herself to believe that Bush is a bad person and has gotten herself to hate him.

Personally she doesn't know Bush. She has never met him and all she knows is what she has read in the paper or seen on TV (and she has paid little attention to these). So, how can she hate him? She doesn't even know the man. To hate is a very strong deep thing that has a significant amount of emotion behind them.

In reality neither Bush or Kerry are stupid nor are they bad men. If you don't know them how can you hate them? They are both highly educated. They are both nice men according to the people that know them.

So, it comes down to political reasons. I may disagree with the politics of Bush and Kerry on the issues and that is fine. But, I will not say I hate them or that someone is a idiot or tear into them personally. To act that way shows a lack of intelegence and maturity.

So, if you vote for Kerry or Bush or someone else, do it because you agree or don't agree with the politics. Not because you don't think you like the person. We need to vote for the right reasons, not the wrong ones.

WMD Stockpiles

2004-10-08T13:37:00.000-04:00

I keep hearing in the news that in Iraq they haven't found Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) stockpiles. Well, is WMD stockpiles what they are looking for and are WMDs actually stored in stockpiles? I have yet to hear about this in the news or read it anywhere.

A couple years ago on TLC or Discovery or one of those other information channels I saw a program that talked about just this. It was before we ever went over to Iraq to take Saddam out. This program stuck with me and got me to do a little research of my own.

WMDs are not stored in stockpiles anymore. They haven't been for many years (as in more than 10). What is still in the stockpiles that the US might have would be because they don't have a nice way to dispose of it. The technology is now in the ability to produce WMDs. Take chemical or bio weapons. A lab the size of a semi could produce enough chemical or bio weapons to take out a cite the size of New York in 2 days of production. No military power is producing WMD and stockpiling it anymore. Technologically we have moved beyond that point.

So, will there be stockpiles of WMDs in Iraq? No. Will they find WMDs in Iraq? Yes, and they have. What have they found? They have found the lab equipment and other technology needed to produce the WMDs just as you would find if the same inspections were done in the US, Russia or other military power (which Iraq was). They have also found sarin gas bombs in Iraq which means that equipment has been used and some agents have been produced. This is just one example.

Now, the shortcoming here has been with the media. The media has not conveyed what the current state of WMDs in the world is. So, people make their assumptions on what they know which is that of cold war technology that is 20 years old.

So, did Iraq have WMDs in the way of chemical and bio weapons based on the modern technology in the world? Yes.

Describing Women

2004-09-30T09:59:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I am on the phone last night and one of the friends who is a girl really got on my nerves. She said that she has a friend she wants to introduce me to. So, I ask her to describe her. She tells me she is a nice girl. The way she is describing her sounds like she is avoiding things... like this girl is homely and boring. So, I ask to describe her looks, cause well we men are physically attracted way more than women (which is a genetic thing and science can actually show why) and she starts telling me about how soft her skin is. So, the image I have in my mind is a nice, homely, large woman. I am now totally turned off.

So, I dig deep on specifics... turns out the girl is very active in doing things, intelegant, has goals, a great job and is medium height redhead with a skinny waist and huge rack. But she never told me that. If I hadn't dug deeper with specific questions I would have had totally the wrong picture.

Women, when you describe someone to your male friends cut to the chase and talk specifics. Talking emotions to describe someone just doesn't cut the mustard for men. Learn to speak a little man. I know I have had to learn to speak a little woman to convey my point.

US Job Market

2004-09-29T07:37:00.000-04:00

With the the election coming up there is a lot of talk about the job market. So, what is the deal with the job market. I keep reading that it isn't doing very well and that all kinds of jobs are being sent over seas. Well, here is what I have learned and know....

Every 10 years we have a depression or recession. Some bad decissions were made during the 90's that led to this recession taking a hit. Decissions like Enron and Worldcom. Then there was the World Trade Center that hurt the economy. All these things just left us with a longer running recession.

The unemployment rate is 5.4% and slowly falling and September 2004 added 155,000 jobs. Personally I don't know anyone over the age of 18, who is not in school, who is not retired or a stay at homer in a family who does not have a job. The jobs they have may not be high paying but that is due to their own doing.

The company I work for is hiring like I have never seen before. All of the people I went through college with in my major have jobs. All of my friends from college have jobs and make a good living.

So, I am stuck here looking for where this problem is???? Is it just media over blown???

Note: Job markets fluxuate. Certain jobs have increases while others have decreases. That is the nature of the beast. I am talking overall job market.

The Pres and Gas Prices

2004-09-28T13:02:00.000-04:00

I know it has been some time since I have written. Been busy but I'm back now and I am going straight to my view on the current Presidential Campaign. I have noticed many people misinformed when it comes to voting and what the Pres can and can't do.

A few days ago I was talking to another person who is going to vote for the Pres based on gas prices. And I go to thinking about why the prices are what they are, how do they compare to inflation and what does the Pres have to do with it.

Well, when gas prices are compared to inflation it isn't all that bad. The all time high in today's dollars is about $3 per gallon. Where I am at in Michigan the rates are under $2 per gallon. Not too bad there. The prices were just kept low for so long that eventually there was going to be a bit of an increase to catch up to inflation.

Then there is the issue of why gas prices are on the rise. Inflation isn't the only reason. There is the supply and demand for oil issue. Turns out that the oil producing countries are producing more oil than they ever have before. But the demand is on the increase. Well, China has about 1 billion people who are now having a better lifestyle and more cars. They are demanding more gas. So, as far as supply and demand go... there is more demand then there used to be even though more gas is being supplied.

How does the President fall into this? Iraq maybe...... but No. Going into Iraq made little to no change in oil production and has done nothing for the US. And if you think we went over there for oil then your nuts. So, what can the Pres do for oil???? Pretty much nothing. So, electing the pres based on the price of gas won't make a difference... even if a candidate says so.

For anyone who doesn't know... oil is a key ingredient in gas. That is how the two tie together.

So, how do we solve this problem. We could find more sources of oil, take out the competition for the oil or get onto technologies that don't rely on oil. For this to work consumers would have to be really interested in the alternatives and that is one of the big holdups. Consumers may say they want lower gas prices and more nature friendly alternatives but when push comes to shove they don't want to give up their gas.

So, in conclusion to my ramblings... the Pres can't really affect your gas prices so if your basing your vote on that it might be time to reconsider why your voting for your candidate.

Democrats, WMD and Following Up What You Say

2004-07-27T07:35:00.000-04:00

I found this interesting. A forward I got the other day. The reson is that so many Democrats want Bush to apologize for going to Iraq and going after Waepons of Mass Destruction. What about all those in congress who told him to go there? What about those that before we went told him to go there? Should they also get up and do the same as they expect from GW Bush? Heck, yeah.

Just because Bush was the one with the authority and power to make it happen doesn't mean he is the only one that would have gone in there for the same reasons given the same choice he was given. Should those who backed and pushed him to go get up there and say the same things they expect Bush to say? Heck, yeah.

For someone to first support and push Bush to go in there and then condem him for his actions is just wrong. You can admit you were wrong and that we shouldn't have done that but to put all the blame on the person that had the power and followed through with the deed you wanted and then tearing them a new one for it later is in bad character and taste.

"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." --Abraham Lincoln

"[WE] urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." - Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI), Tom Daschle (D-SD), John Kerry( D - MA), and others Oct. 9,1998

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." - Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force-- if necessary-- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9,2002

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members.. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." - Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime .... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction .... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real" - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003

Her Picture

2004-07-22T23:23:00.000-04:00

For those of you who requested Elizabeths picture and for those of you who wanted her on hotornot.com here it is.....

Oh yeehaw click me

Music and Money on the Bounce Back, What?!?!?!?!

2004-07-14T08:26:00.000-04:00

So, are music sales bouncing back? Well, at least some areas are. Check it out.

So, where should I complain that it's country that rising and not pop. Toby Keith or Britney Spears. Go Toby. At least you have something to say. Although Britney is so much better to look at.

I also realized that this is a sign that the economy is really getting back on track. People have more disposable income to buy more.

So, I decided to track down some numbers on the economy. Here they are:

"At least 2.4 million jobs have been created since the president took office, 2 million of those in 2003. The gains more than offset the losses."

"The 5.6 percent unemployment rate is the lowest in two years and below the average of the 1980s (7.3 percent) and '90s (5.8 percent)..."

And there is a lot more. Guess we are not that bad off economically. Hey, I got a raise this year. Wooohooo.

Some articles with info:

This one has conservative undertones but has lots of straight up facts

For some numbers, not just for the U.S. and it looks good

More people have jobs and where I work is constantly hiring for now. So, we're not so bad off and things are getting better.

If Kerry becomes the Pres many jobs will be lost

2004-07-08T07:15:00.000-04:00

If John Kerry becomes the US President there will be many jobs lost. Some people might say this is madness and I am crazy for such a thing. Well, here is what I know.

The economy isn't tied to a paticular president or political party. We give too much credit of the economic state to president. Some does need to go to him but most doesn't. Every 10 years (approximately) there is a recession or depression. The last one was during Bush Srs time about 10 years before his son, before that it was Carter who had one and it was about 10 years before that. On this track you can go back every 10 years and the Great Depression even falls in this trend. This means that Kerry in office does not mean more new jobs than Bush being in office.

Next there comes the military contractor sector. There are many new military programs going on right now. Currently the military is greater than 2/3 logistics. This is a large footprint to maintain. These new military programs are aimed at brining technology up, decreasing the size of the force needed and shrinking the logistics footprint by a large amount. These programs will save a lot of long term money for the US Military.

But, Kerry is a democrat. And put simply that in almost all cases means a shrink in short term military spending. That means that many of these programs will be canceled and tens of thousands of people laid off.

So, Kerry in office does not mean more jobs. It probubaly means I would get laid off.

Some things we take for granted

2004-06-29T07:58:00.000-04:00

I recieved a forward yesterday. It was a little older and many people may have seen it before but it really talked about some things we Americans along with many others take for granted. It's really something to read and think about....

An open letter to America from one European
Americans kept Europeans free to disagree

From: James Black, Wychwood Park, Cheshire, England

Dear America,

You quirky mix of 280 million misfits that have somehow blended into the strongest nation in the world, I write to offer you four apologies and two vows.

1) I, James Black, a European passport holder whose parents are Scottish,whose wife is English, and whose four children are free to be whatever they may want to be (directly because of the sacrifice of your nation), am ashamed for pointing out to a colleague while visiting your country a few days ago that Winston Churchill was wrong when he said the biggest difference between Britain and the United States was the fact we both spoke the same language -- and instead, telling him that the real difference between our peoples was actually about 100 pounds per person.

2) I, who work as a journalist with the Daily Mail, one of Britain's national newspapers, and (directly because of the sacrifice of your nation) is able to say exactly what he wants whenever he wants without fear of death or imprisonment, would also like to apologise for saying to the same colleague that many of the Americans I met were far less sophisticated and worldly than Europeans.

3) I, James Black, a man born free of social or physical shackles and chains, who is able to travel around the world and visit other countries and who (directly because of the sacrifice of your nation) is able to converse, discuss, even argue with people from other nations, would like to apologise for mocking your president and your political system.

Your president may not be the sharpest knife in the cutlery set, but I now understand he and the good people of the United States operate not just from a high intellectual stance, but also from the heart -- a heart that knows the difference between good and evil. And importantly, your president was smart enough to have picked the best to sit with him at the world table.

4) I, whose friends, family and colleagues are allowed to set up home, take a job, even run for politician, in any part of the European Union (directly because of the sacrifice of your nation) without being rounded up because of their religion or shot on the spot for their place of birth would finally like to apologise for the biggest mistake the people of my continent have ever made -- their total lack of respect for the greatest friend they will ever have -- the United States of America.

My anger at some of my fellow Europeans is more than palpable. I hear the self-centered, cowardly, and just plain annoying words thrown out by old-minded -- old world -- so-called leaders of the Free World.

I may have made fun of America and Americans, but deep down I know this is only friendly banter between the greatest of friends -- and friends who should give their all to each other when called upon to do so. So I, whose grandfather fought in both World Wars and had the good humour to suggest the Americans were late for both events, but the sense to point out they ensured victory when they finally did show up, make my first vow:

1) I will never forget or dishonour the amazing and courageous sacrifice of the people of the United States in coming to the aid of the world over the past ten decades. The men and women who left peace and prosperity in a land of plenty to face bullet and shrapnel on the beaches of Normandy and around the World.

2) I will honour the debt my small island nation owes for your unswerving devotion to aiding our continued freedom. Your help when we stood small and alone against the plague of Nazi aggression. Your assistance in making us strong when the battle was finished and the peace began, and your protection from a colder enemy in the decades that followed. I have stood, and I will stand again, with my own family, in places such as the cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer, an eternal resting place for over 10,000 teen and twenty-something Americans who gave over ALL their future so that I and my children could have a future today, and I will again pledge my eternal gratitude.

3) I, James Black, a man who simply wants his children to live in a future where all good and constructive things are possible, a future where we can discover, invent, enjoy, without fear of fanatics or madmen or the weapons and pain they may wreak, pledge my assistance to the United States in its fight against evil. This pledge is not some brainwashed verse, but based on the honourable history and proven friendship the United States has with Europe. Further, it is based on the fact that the people and leaders of the United States have the foresight to see the world, even life itself, is futile
without someone to love, things to build and create, and things to look forward to -- and none of these things are possible in a world awash with nuclear, chemical and biological arms controlled by those who despise the life we lead.

I am one person, but there are millions like me who thank the USA and wish your nation and your people all the best over the next few months -- and will be there by your side when the times get tough.

Yours with all my gratitude,

James Black, Wychwood Park, Cheshire, England

P.S.: It is said that today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. You should be proud as a nation that you have something to do with the fact it didn't turn out so badly after all -- nor should it again.

Rules about Men

2004-06-21T07:23:00.000-04:00

While I was traveling last week I was talking to a buddy of mine and his girlfriend asked one of those questions one should never ask. They shouldn't ask because they won't like the answer one bit. So, we came up with a few rules that women should know, never ask about and just accept.

1) Men will masturbate even when they are getting laid (possibly more often)

2) They will imagine themselves with her friends while doing #1

3) Men will look at other women. It has nothing to do is his girl or if the other woman is better looking. It will just happen.

None of these mean a man will cheat or is even more inclined. Every straight man does this. Even if they don't admit it.

I'm sure there will be more to come. Most likely after a long night at the bar.

On a side note... Congrats to the Pistons for tearing LA a new one. I never thought Phil Jackson deserved to be the winingest pro coach of all time. And the Pistons Rock!!!!!

Understand how Prognostics Works

2004-06-10T09:11:00.000-04:00

Prognostics is actually a pretty simple concept in principal. It's the implementation that becomes the hard part.

When a failure happens to something like a transmission there are signs first. If, say, a gear were going to break then before the break there would be a change in, say, vibration. This could start happening hours or even days before the break. The vibration would be a sympton of a tiny crack in the gear that would slowly expand until the break. The idea is to detect these "small" or "incipient" faults, in this case the crack, and know what this means to the gear. Here is a little chart to show when this happens...

Prognostics Diagnostics

"small" or
"incipient" fault Failure

|____________________|_________

Time

If you know that the vibration means a break is going to occur then you have detected the transmission failure before it fails. The next part is knowing how long until it fails. Knowing enough about the transmission and how the vibration is that is being caused my the crack the time can be plotted until the break.

The hard part is putting all of this together on something. Knowing where to mount the sensors and what the different signals mean to a level of detail to predict when the failure will happen consistantly and accurately. But, it has been done, some universities teach about it, the DoD has invested in it and it is being done all over the world.

Prognostics - Predicting Failures Before They Happen

2004-06-08T06:38:00.000-04:00

Imagine you are driving down the road, your transmission breaks and you are stuck dead in the road. You're frustrated, plans are all messed up and have to get a tow truck to take it to a repair shop. Not fun and a definite pain.

Now, Imagine that a few hours before your transmission broke you got a warning saying that it was going to break in a few hours. You would then drive it to a repair shop and make other arrangements for your day. You wouldn't have to get a tow truck or be stuck dead by the road.

The idea is not to diagnose the problem after it happens but to predict the failure before it happens. Technology like this is being developed and it's called Prognostics. A simple useful definition would be:

Prognostics - Actual material condition assessment which includes predicting and determining the useful life and performance life remaining of components by modeling fault progression (courtesy of the Joint Strike Fighter Program)

Now that diagnostics has become so advanced and processing power is up so that large math equations take no time to solve on embedded applications; prognostics technology is taking off.

The idea is to monitor the physical condition of a system. Then when changes occur you know how those changes affect the remaining life of a component. For this you can (not easily but possibly very accurately) predict how much life there is left in the component.

A simple example of this is on some newer cars. On some cars there is an indicator to tell how much useful life there is in your oil. This is many times displayed as a percentage. The idea is that instead of changing it every 3000 miles you do it based on the condition of the oil. What if your oil was still good after 3000 miles? Then changing it would be a waste of time, oil and money for the user. Someone who speeds a lot vs someone who is a conservative driver will have different oil conditions for the same amout of miles. If your oil is still good after 3000 miles why change? Why not wait until the oil is no longer in good condition.

Prognostics is a new technology frontier where many different technologies work together. More to come....lots more.

Another Dating Crash and Burn

2004-06-07T10:02:00.000-04:00

On Friday night I introduced my buddy to this girl. They hit it off really well. We stayed at the bar for over 4 hours and they even made date plans for the following Monday. At the end of the night he walked her to the car and even got a good night kiss. The next day it went all wrong.....

In the middle of the day on Saturday she called him to say she had a great time. While he was talking to her he got another call. He quickly talked to the other person and came back. But, he told this new girl that the woman he had just talked to was an ex-booty call that was just sex and now they are friends but nothing else. (Way to much info the day after you meet a girl)

My girl put the move this way. It turned him looking like a steak dinner with the works on a nice plate to looking like a steak that had been thrown on a trash can lid. Looks good if your still hungry.

Then, she had plans with one of her girl friends for the day on Saturday. He tried talking her into canceling on her girlfriend and moving up seeing her to that day. Asking a girl she just met to cancel on one of her girls is a no-no.

And finially, He called her like 4 times the day after he met her. That is over doing it. He got overzelous and scared her off.

3 Strikes and Your Out.

In a matter of a few hours he managed to go from being golden with her to her not wanting to talk to him again. I even tried to tell him what not to do. Everything I told him not to do he did. Ah well, another one bites the dust

Cure A Hangover

2004-06-04T08:10:00.000-04:00

I am sitting here with a bit of a hangover this morning wonding how can I nip this thing so I can have the energy for another night of madness. It's been awhile since I had one but, that's how it can go when your at the bar and all the friends are egging each other on. So, here are some good links I found about how to get rid of the hangover....

So You Wanna Cure A Hangover? - All around information
Hangover.net - Need I say more
From The UK

Also, those pills as seen on TV don't really work. If you read the label they say to drink a glass of water after every 2 beers or so. If you drink the water you are stopping the dehydration effect.

Fight Against US Patent Office

2004-06-03T07:44:00.000-04:00

After reading yesterday about how Microsoft just recieved a patent for double clicking your mouse I got a little pissed. How can something that has been out for so long with all the prior art get a patent approved?

I also know that the US Patent Office has been approving patents with prior art for some time especially in the area of software. It seems that there needs to be some big reform there. They either have out dated policies, are under staffed, are inappropriately staffed or some combination of all of these.

These patents on software with prior art seem to mostly (at least from what I have seen) been by big corperations who have the money and power to use it to squash the little guy.

Microsoft even has gone so far as to say they will use this patent portfolio to make money. So, they patent things with prior art then go after other companies (easily the small ones) and make money on it. That is CRAP!!!!!

I even just went back to the article I read about Microsoft and the double click patent and the story has been removed for some reason. A day after I read it.

I believe we need to contact our congress people (have to stay PC) and senators and let them know we need the reform. Public outcry can get reactions.

There is a petition online that deals with software patents. I don't know if I agree with the course of the petition. It may be asking too much but it's a place to start. It's the Petition Against Software Patents. I encourage everyone to sign it. We need reform.

Patents weren't designed to be tied up in the legal system. They were designed to protect those who created. Not for lawyers to make a lot of money getting in place and fighting. Or to have the big guy squash the little guy.

Jenn on Dating

2004-06-02T07:21:00.000-04:00

Jenn who is the first comment to my blog from yesterday said..

I feel that anyone who needs to meet girls or court girls according to a list of rules has no game to start with and shouldn't even be dating for the sheer fact that they must have social issues.

She and I also exchanged many other emails yesterday about this. She doesn't think someone should follow a list of rules. But....

If a guy calls too much she wouldn't give him the time (reason for 2 day rule)

If a guy isn't confident with her he doesn't stand a chance

If a guy has bad hygiene then she wouldn't give him the time of day

She is in to fashion a bit and if a guy notices something like cute shoes it's big points

She says that if guys follow these rules it's bad. But she expects guys to do all these things anyway. So, if you just do them or if you follow the rules but don't say then it's the same result. What she likes.

I think the biggest plus for the rules is well....they worked on Jenn.

You do those things and follow any "rules" to force yourself to not call to often and notice the little psychological things that give that little extra edge when you first start dating.

If they didn't work they wouldn't have lasted as long as they have and have such a following. I have followed them and they work.

As far as the anonymous comment from yesterday. Well, the idea isn't to let her trample you but to get in her head.

Jenn is now blogging. Check her out at jenniferparadise.blogspot.com

Oh, and that is her real God given name. Lucky girl.

How even Nerds can get Women

2004-06-01T07:09:00.000-04:00

Over the last 7 years I have worked either for an internet service provider or now as an engineer. One thing I have noticed is how many of the guys (self proclaimed nerds) I have worked with can't seem to get many women.

I come from a slightly different background than most engineers/IT guys. I was in a fraternity (don't hold that against me), sports, wild social scene and have never had to many problems with women.

There are many reasons that guys have trouble with women but with a few changes it is pretty easy to get on the right road. And no, the changes have nothing to do with personality.

1) The first thing when you meet a woman is how you look. Most women notice clothes. There are many different styles of fashion, so for clothes, as long as they go together should pretty much be fine (For years I always consulted either my sister or a neighbor girl on my outfits. I have no fashion sense of my own.) Also, make sure you dress well. Those faded, now stone washed, jeans that are ten years old with a t-shirt or polo shirt you would wear to work won't usually cut the mustard.

2) Hygiene. Make sure you brush your teeth, shower, smell good (not like you have been gaming for 2 days and havn't moved from your seat). This will make for a much better first impression. Women notice how men smell. If you smell good women will associate you with a good smell and they will remember that.

3) Confidence. This is one of the hardest things. Women always seem like they may want the bad guy. This isn't true. The bad guy has confidence and that is what they really like. It is something that should never be forgotten. Confidence.

4) When your talking with a woman keep much of the topic on her. That will make her feel important and when you repeat things back you show that you were paying attention. Being good at conversation is a very important thing. It's one of those topics every woman either brags about to her friends or complains about to her friends.

Now, for a few date tips:

1) Do for her. By this I mean to open the door for her (including the car door), help her with her coat and be sure that when you sit down that she sits first. Also, when walking on stairs you are on the bottom side and when walking down the street you are on the street side.

2) If your at dinner then you take the seat facing the wall. This will curb you from looking around and keep your attention on the lady of the evening.

3) If you give her compliments then keep them to a few and tell her things like you like her outfit or point out something nice about her shoes.

4) Talk to her. Good conversation is what will keep her around. Ever wonder why there is the term 'Personality Guy' and not 'Personality Girl'. It's because looks aren't as important to women and they key in on personality.

A couple notes:

1) The 2 Day Rule. There used to be the 3 day rule when calling a woman but now it's 2 days. After a date, wait 2 days to call. After you get a number wait 2 days to call. Then you call every 2 days unless it gets serious or there is some other special reason. Plan every 2 days to call though.

2) If you meet her at a bar don't stay by her side all night. Talk to her for a little bit then go back to her friends. This way you don't overwhelm her and leave her wanting more. Just remember to say goodbye before you leave.

3) Confidence. Once again be confident. It is so important I am saying again. Even if your not normally confident be confident with her. Fake it if you have to.

I have a friend who is 25, overweight and heavily balding. He always knows how to dress (and it's not GQ) and what to say. He can walk into a bar and within 10 minutes have women bringing their friends over to talk to him. There is nothing special about him. He just puts in that little extra effort.

Beyond these basic steps there are a million other things you can do that fit each person different and things to look for with women. I would suggest picking up a mens magazine (and playboy or penthouse don't count). My recommendation is Mens Health. It seems to give the best all around advice.

What really does your average joe earn in the US?

2004-05-26T08:26:00.000-04:00

I keep hearing politicians talking about taxes and tax cuts to the different income brackets. The one thing I never hear is what defines someone as upper, middle and lower income brackets. As a matter of opinion I was curious because this could sway my vote for the next president. I wanted to know who was looking out for me and my money.

So, I did some research on the numbers.....

The published number by the US Census Bureau for the median household income for 2002 (the most recent published year) was $42,409. The mean (average) income for 2002 was $57,852.

We have to look at both of these numbers to see what this really means. Let's start with a couple definitions from the Census Bureau.

Mean (Average) income.
Mean (average) income is the amount obtained by dividing the total aggregate income of a group by the number of units in that group. The means for households, families, and unrelated individuals are based on all households, families, and unrelated individuals, respectively. The means (averages) for people are based on people 15 years old and over with income.

Median income.
Median income is the amount which divides the income distribution into two equal groups, half having incomes above the median, half having incomes below the median. The medians for households, families, and unrelated individuals are based on all households, families, and unrelated individuals, respectively. The medians for people are based on people 15 years old and over with income.

The mean (average) income can be misleading. We take all the income for everyone in the US and divide it by the total number of people. This includes the incomes of people like Bill Gate, Donald Trump and others that skew the mean income.

The number to really look at is the median income. That is what the guy smack dab in the middle would make. So, your average joe 6 pack would make about $42,000 US dollars per year.

If you are interested in looking at the numbers yourself you can check them out yourself at the US Census Bureau here.

Lets look at the tax brackets. There are several brackets depending on what you earn. I could not find them for 2002 but the 2003 brackets (coutrsey of Fairmark Press) are....

$0 to $7,000 is 10%
$7,000 to 28,400 is 15%
$28,400 to 68,800 is 25%
$68,800 to 143,500 is 28%
$143,500 to 311,950 is 33%
$311,950 and up is 35%

Now this is where opinion comes into play on the upper, middle and lower income brackets. They say lower but what bracket do they mean? There are more than 3 of them. The mean and median incomes both fall in the 25% tax bracket. So, I would assume this to be "middle class" and at least the middle tax bracket. So, would that make the 10% and 15% brackets to be the lower income bracket. That is $28,400 per year and under. So, when they talk about the lower tax bracket I would assume this is what they mean. I would also take from this that the "upper middle class" is the 28% bracket and the 33% and 35% bracket are the "upper class" or upper bracket.

Now I know where I fit and how these tax incentives, cuts, and hikes apply to me. Hope you do too.

What to do when your home sick?

2004-05-25T11:57:00.000-04:00

I am stuck home sick today. I don't feel so hot. Now, I am bored and wondering what to do. The few things running though my head are watch tv or read a book. Anyone out there have any better ideas?

Detroit as a Sports Town

2004-05-25T11:03:00.000-04:00

I would have to say that Detroit is one of the best sports towns out there. We have all the major US sports. The Red Wings (hockey), Lions (football), Pistons (NBA basketball), Tigers (baseball), Shock (WNBA) basketball, Michigan State University and University of Micigan.

Between these teams the only one to not be constantly sold out is the Tigers. To get tickets to just about any other game is difficult and can cost you and arm and a leg.

Lets talk sucess in the past 10 years.
- The Red Wings have 3 Stanley Cups and 2 Presidents Trophies.
- Pistons have set several NBA records this season and one again have made it to the conference finals.
- Shock are the WNBA Champions. They have the coach of the year to boot.
- MSU mens basketball was and NCAA Champion and has won many conference chamionships.
- U of M was a football NCAA Champion and is amazing at many of it's sports.

Detroit is known for being overweight these days being the reigning nations champion there. It is cold half the year and I mean cold. So, we spend hours and hours watching sports and checking espn.com for the up to date scores and stats. If only the boss new.

As far as the fans go the Lions fans are the perfect example of that. They have been below .500 every year for the past several years. Yet, every game is sold out. And the fans are out there with faces painted rooting the team on to the bitter end. Every year after the draft and trades there is hope for the Lions in the eyes of the city. But, this year it isn't just hope; it's reality ;-)

Detroit is really a sports town. One of the best sports towns. We have all the drama of a soap (just looka the cujo and hasek goalie delima that drove us nuts for the year), the glory of a championship (the wings for example), and the hope behind a rebuilding (Lions and Tigers). We have all the parts for all the kinds of fans.

Go Pistons!!!!!!!!!!! Crush those Pacers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going to Church Without Ever Leaving Your Computer

2004-05-23T21:57:00.000-04:00

I grew up going to church. It was soooo boring. The way church was for me growing up was my parents style. The music was lame, the limited use of technology, the message coming across.

Times are changing though. Many in the church are waking up and seeing that times have changed. In part because there has been such a big drop off in attendance from those in the 20's and under. Churches are staring to make major changes in the way they do things.

One of the new things to the net is church on the net. It is a virtual church. They have preachers, references, you can interact with other church goers and more. This church is over in England where there is a lot happening in post modern ministry.

The site is run by Ship of Fools. You can link to it right from their homepage.

There have been problems with the online church. It seems that there have been a lot of americans that have been causing trouble in there. Some of the features had to be restricted because of it. It's a really cool place to go and 6pm EST Sunday night there are online services.

Now, if I want to go to church it's just a mouse click away.