Monday, June 30, 2008

What Has...

24,223 visits
637 posts
2 years of operation?

If you guessed my blog, you'd be correct.

It all started here.

I had planned a rather lengthy post detailing the last two years. But where does one start? I have so many fond memories of the people here that I consider them family. I reckon if you want to read about all that you'll have to cruise through my archives.

Today starts a new chapter at Dazd Central. Won't you join me on my journey?

Friday, June 27, 2008

STFU Already

"OPEC President Chakib Khelil was quoted as telling a French television station that oil could rise to $150 to $170 per barrel this summer, before pulling back later in the year."


FFS

"Meanwhile, Sadad al-Husseini and Nansen Saleri, two former top executives at Saudi Aramco, are taking opposite sides of the industrywide debate over how much oil there is in the world, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Husseini says the world is in supply crisis, which is causing oil prices to skyrocket; Saleri believes more oil can be found with resourcefulness and money.

"The fact is, we have to work harder and harder to get the oil we need," Husseini told the newspaper. Those who believe there is enough supply "claim to have some magic potion, like voodoo, that doesn't exist."

On the other end of the spectrum, Saleri says no magic is needed. "We have consumed only 1 trillion of the 14 or 15 trillion barrels of oil that are out there," Saleri said to the newspaper. "For the next 40, 50 or 60 years, I see no problem at all." "


If we consumers survive that long!

Meanwhile, the head of Libya’s national oil company said the country may cut crude production because the oil market is well supplied, according to news reports.


What's he smoking..I want some!

Analysts have also attributed oil’s rapid climb to speculative buying, with traders jumping into the market purely on the expectation that futures will continue to rise.


I speculate I'm gonna kick someone's ass!!! Oh lets not forget the tropical depression forming in the Pacific! Oil prices to hit $200 a barrel in 5...4...3..2...

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Monday, June 23, 2008

Monday Ramblings

I finally had my check-up that I'd been procrastinating. Good news is they found a heart beat AND minimal brain activity. So clinically I'm still considered a living human being. I hate the doctors...I really do. I feel like cattle herded through the barn yard. Very rarely do I walk away feeling like I received the best diagnosis for my buck.

Heart looked good on the EKG, blood tests came back normal, acid reflux is under control and I'm in overall good health. Pessimistic? You betcha! Last time they told me that I had a heart attack two weeks later. FFS

Bad news...I need to lose weight. Yes...my weight has increased, significantly. So I have set a goal of dropping 25 lbs by January 1st with the first 10 lbs within 2 weeks. A goal that is achievable and hopefully enough to get the doctors off my back.

Lets see...we lost some damn fine entertainers the last couple of days. George Carlin, Cyd Charisse and Dody Goodman.

I'll keep my faithful readers updated on my weight progress...boring stuff I tell ya.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

I Want...

Lets call the 1990's to present the reign of Marcus Aurelius. We have outgrown our financial means to maintain a main player in world economy. Right now our dollar is weak and unfortunately, the world oil market is driven by the dollar and not gold. So less value means our vendors must raise the prices. So its not really the big Oil Brothers complete fault they are making billions of dollars at our expense. Example: 1 Euro is worth $.644 dollars. And since the oil market is driven by the dollar, it costs more per dollar than prior to 2001.
I want a President that will secure our future by enlisting the assistance of OUR economy and free our country from dependence.

It is the duty of a patriot to prefer and promote the exclusive interest and glory of his native country; but a philosopher may be permitted to enlarge his views, and to consider America as one great republic, whose various inhabitants have attained almost the same level of politeness and cultivation. The balance of power will continue to fluctuate, and the prosperity of our own or the neighboring countries may be alternately exalted or depressed but these events cannot continue to injure our general state of happiness, the system of arts, laws and manners. The Third world nations of the globe are the common enemies of civilized society. Whether America is still threatened with a repetition of those calamities which formerly oppressed the arms and institutions of Rome perhaps the same reflections will illustrate the fall of that mighty empire, and explain the probable causes of our actual security.
I want a President that will secure the future of America. I want to live in the American security that existed post World War II prior to the Cold War. I want to know that America will not be raped and pillaged. We are ignorant of the extent of our danger, and the number of our enemies.

I want a President who can recite and LIVE the Preamble:
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Anything less would be settling for second best.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Monday Funnies

I got nothing...so to break the cycle of LOLCats, I present LOLDogs.




Wednesday, June 11, 2008

WTF Wednesday

Some simple economics:

Gas Tank: 15 gallons dry
Gas: 3.99/gallon
Cost: $60 (rounded for easy math lol)

All Interstate Mileage: 340 miles
Around town/highway/interstate: 300 miles


Activities for 2002, Gas average $1.38

Search and Rescue: Training twice a week
Relaxing at our Lake Trailer: Every Weekend
Driving to Nashville, TN/Columbus Oh to visit family a friends: quarterly

Activities for 2003, Gas average $1.60
Search and Rescue: Training twice a week
Relaxing at our Lake Trailer: Every other Weekend
Driving to Nashville, TN/Columbus Oh to visit family a friends: Semi-annually

Activities for 2004, Gas average $1.89
Search and Rescue: Training twice a week
Relaxing at our Lake Trailer: Every other Weekend
Driving to Nashville, TN/Columbus Oh to visit family a friends: yearly

Activities for 2005, Gas average $2.31
Search and Rescue: Training twice a week
Relaxing at our Lake Trailer: Every third Weekend
Driving to Nashville, TN/Columbus Oh to visit family a friends: Who?

Activities for 2006, Gas average $2.62
Search and Rescue: Training twice a week
Relaxing at our Lake Trailer: Once every 6 weeks
Driving to Nashville, TN/Columbus Oh to visit family a friends: They are still part of the Union?

Activities for 2007, Gas average $2.84
Search and Rescue: Cannot afford gas
Relaxing at our Lake Trailer: We still own it?
Driving to Nashville, TN/Columbus Oh to visit family a friends: They moved or died...dunno which

Not too mention just making ends meet for 2008, after a 6K increase in pay, I've had to disconnect the land phone after 20 years of the same number, Life insurance policy has lapsed and our lake get-away may end up being sold. Why? The price of gas is effecting the prices of everything. Just to travel back/forth to work plus odd errands around the area equals almost 1-1/2 tanks a week now. If we venture to the lake get-away, that equals 2-1/4 tank total.

Stickler for details...I always buy the same thing at the grocery store every 3rd week. You know, cereal, canned goods, chips, mostly non-perishables, etc... Last weekends venture cost me a cool $60 that only 3 months prior cost me $45 and at the beginning of 2008 cost me $30.00.

Only debt we have currently is the mortgage payment and 1 car payment. No credit cards, no outstanding medical bills, etc... basically living debt free. Every time I read an article like this my blood boils. So before the naysayers and trolls spout off about living within your means, I am well within my means for the basics of survival, asshole.

First and foremost my son's needs come first. He never does without and we have become frugal in our shopping. I'm reminded of my teenage years where I didn't own a pair of actual Levi's until I was 18. I can fully appreciate how my parents made sure we boys never went without, although it might not have been "in style". And i hope my son grows up to one day realize the sacrifices we've made.

Friday, June 06, 2008

Friday Funnies!




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An Alabama Preacher said to his congregation, "Someone in this congregation has spread a rumor that I belong to the Ku Klux Klan. This is a horrible lie and one which a Christian community can't tolerate. I am embarrassed and do
not intend to accept this. Now, I want the party who did this to stand and ask forgiveness from God and this Christian Family."

No one moved. The preacher continued, "Do you have the nerve to face me and admit this is a falsehood? Remember, you will be forgiven and in your heart you will feel glory. Now stand and confess your transgression." Again all was quiet.

Then slowly, a drop-dead gorgeous blonde with a body that would stop traffic rose from the third pew. Her head was bowed and her voice quivered as she spoke, "Reverend there has been a terrible misunderstanding. I never said you were a member of the Ku Klux Klan. I simply told a couple of my friends that you were a wizard under the sheets."

The preacher fell to his knees, his wife fainted, and the congregation roared.

Joke provided by reader Michelle

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

And Yet Again

Main Entry: hy•poc•ri•sy
Pronunciation: hi-'pä-kr&-sE also hI-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -sies
Etymology: Middle English ypocrisie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Greek hypokrisis act of playing a part on the stage, hypocrisy, from hypokrinesthai to answer, act on the stage, from hypo- + krinein to decide
1 : a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion
2 : an act or instance of hypocrisy

This word alone has generated numerous varieties of the definition. “There’s the pot calling the kettle black, What is good for the goose is good for the gander, He/she walks on water and my all-time favorite from childhood; Do as I say not as I do”.

And yet still today I find myself being a hypocrite on many subjects. I am trying to change but many obstacles and reprogramming of my thought processes must occur. It’s going to take time and I’m willing to invest the effort and in return expect those around me to succumb to my theories and beliefs. So I decided after my ordeal in September 2006 that the hypocrisy of those physically around me should be maintained at a level within the boundaries of my stress levels. In layman’s terms, rid myself of those that are hypocritical. And so the purging has commenced on a grand scale yet matched by anyone I know.

While I’ve not actually “exterminated” anyone, I’m purging in a manner that cannot be judged or scientifically given measurable statistics. Actually, those being purged because of their hypocritical stances probably won’t even notice. It’s more of an internal purging. Yes, it’s achievable if one attempts. And yes it’s downsized my stress levels immensely. And it’s also lifted a huge burden off my shoulders. I always “stressed” over why someone doesn’t do this or why someone didn’t do that. Now it’s just a mere thought that is generated and then deleted. It wastes my time to ponder such thoughts which really have no bearing on becoming justified.

So it shall be written, so it shall be done!

Many have desecrated and dishonored the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And so it shall be written and declared on this day, June 4th of the year 2008 that those who wish to be treated like royalty, friends and family shall reciprocate lest ye be banished from my kingdom.

And others have desecrated the Ten Commandments. I am lenient on many subjects and levels of these commandments. But there is one in particular that remains steadfast within my morals and practices. And so it shall be written and declared on this day, June 4th of the year 2008 that those who wish to be treated like family and friends shall adhere to these commandments lest ye be banished from my kingdom.

Henceforth and forevermore, those privileged to be within my circle of trust shall remain as given by these rules declared on this day, June 4th of the year 2008.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Since I Cannot Write Intelligently Today

I stole this meme from Freddie who stole it from Goldbloom. Yes, I added a twist, some of the pictures are hints to the answer. Can you answer those correctly?

The rules are simple: Answer the questions with pictures.


1. What is your current relationship status?


2. What is your current mood?



3. [One of] your favorite band[s] / singer[s]?



4. [One of] your favorite movie[s]?



5. What kind of pets do you have?



6. Where do you live?



7. Where do you work?



8. Who do you look like?



9. What do you drive?



10. What did you do on Saturday?



11. What did you do on Sunday?



12. [One of] your favorite network TV Show[s]?



13. Describe Yourself.



14. What is your favorite candy?