Watch this film and ask yourself how this could ever end? Warning: there are images of men, women, and children who have been shot or hit with shrapnel in this video. Don’t look away though, look right at it and see it for what it really is.
UPDATE: The video is gone, but just remember that there is more than one side to every story.
Here’s an interesting link. It’s work safe unless you work at the Creation “Science” Museum or maybe a Mosque.
http://thefutureofourworld.ytmnd.com/ (link goes to page with sound)
It’s a little depressing, but watch until the end. I think it puts things nicely into perspective. Just remember that you only get this one life, so don’t be afraid to do the things you want to do. You won’t get another chance.
So you want to win every argument? Good. But I’m not talking about those emotional knock-down, drag-outs you might have with your significant other. I’m talking about making and proving your point. This little “tutorial” will give you the tools to put together a good argument and will help you determine if someone else’s arguments are sound.
Step 1 - Be right. If you are trying to convince someone of something, it always helps if you are actually correct.
Step 2 - Be specific. Don’t get bogged down in broad generalizations or abstract concepts.
Step 3 - Be thorough. Do your research and make sure you’ve covered every angle.
Step 4 - Check your assumptions. Sometimes you make an assumption and don’t even know it.
Step 5 - Avoid logical fallacies. Make sure you are using your powers of reason and logic.
That last step is very important. You should not only avoid logical fallacies, but look for them in your opponent’s arguments. A logical fallacy instantly invalidates an argument and can really make someone look bad.
Here’s an update on what is going on with my life for those of you who might be taking notes. I now work for Ozburn-Hessey Logistics. Currently I am working on their Starbucks account doing inventory control. So far it seems to be a good job and something I want to do for a while.
I also finally found a place to live in Antioch, TN. It’s a small one bedroom apartment. So far it seems like it is a nice place to live, but I’ve only been here about a week. I still don’t have anything put away, so I’m just living out of boxes right now. I’ll get it pulled together eventually.
I went and voted today. In fact I went out of my way to vote (about 250 miles round trip). I’m currently living in a hotel in Nashville that I moved into a few weeks ago. However, I am still registered to vote in Huntingdon, TN. Thus a long and exhausting trip. If your state has a primary today I urge you to go out and get your vote on.
When I returned to my hotel room I decided to check the news and came upon this story:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/february2008/020408_election_cancelled.htm
Normally I dismiss anything that has to do with Alex Jones since he’s a complete nut job, but I got to thinking about the scenario mentioned in the article. What if the President did suspend the elections and tried to remain in office? It all comes down to where do we draw the line. I ask myself that a lot and I think this situation is where it happens. I could not allow that sort of thing to happen without fighting back. Such blatant disregard for everything this country stands for could not be ignored.
So what is your breaking point?
Well, I’m no longer a truck driver. I decided that it was not what I was looking for at this time in my life. Driving consumes your entire life and there is little or no room for social interaction. You are merely driving the truck 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
So now I am sitting in a hotel room in Nashville. I am looking for work and hope to get a job nailed down in the next week or two. When that happens I’ll find a place to live here and go on from there.
For now I am just enjoying not being in the truck.
As many of you know, I haven’t eaten at McDonald’s in over a year. So when I got a craving for something besides Arby’s yesterday, I decided to go for a Quarter Pounder with cheese.
Here’s the letter I wrote to McDonald’s after my visit.
I have not eaten at McDonalds in over a year. So when I ate at your store yesterday, you should have been trying harder to impress me. The store in question was #25273. I was not greeted when I came in. The cashier just stared at me until I ordered. In fact, he said nothing except to give me my total. Next, the store was filthy, both behind the counter and in the eating area. The ketchup was empty. All the tables were dirty. The floor was dirty. I was afraid to go into the restroom. While I was there several employees were on break and several more went on break. None of them tried to clean anything before or after going on break. They seemed to be unaware of the state of the filth they were working in. I saw no manager on duty, but I wasnt looking too hard. Also, I asked for dine in service, but my food was given to me in a bag as if it were carry out. You just wasted one bag.
Part of being a trucker is occasionally eating a full meal at a truck stop. Some are good and most are not. Tonight I had a decent meal at the Brintle Truck Stop in Mount Airy, NC. And now I’m sitting here watching football and drinking a glass of tea. I sure wish their WiFi made it all the way out to my truck in the parking lot.
Well, for everyone who has been wondering what I have been planning for a career, here it is. I decided that I want to be a truck driver. I’ve done a lot of investigating over the past few months into the trucking business and decided that it would be something I’d like to do. I still have to pass my physical and go to school and pass that and get hired, but I’ve already started working on all of that and I hope to be on the road by mid October. Anyway, wish me luck and I’ll update this page as things progress.
In case you’ve been living under a rock or perhaps you’re just finding this blog, you no doubt know of my “boycott” of retail giant Wal-Mart. Well, it’s all over. I’ve decided that boycotting Wal-Mart is like boycotting ExxonMobil or Royal Dutch Shell… pointless. Me not shopping at Wal-Mart isn’t going to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US nor is it going to bring back local mom and pop stores. I’ve decided that it’s time to recognize that the US economy is changing and I need to stop living in the past.
To break my boycott I went to Wal-Mart and made my first purchase there in over 2 years. I bought a softball bat (clearance priced at $15), some wrist weights to wear when I walk, an apple pie, and some fried chicken from the deli. The bat and weights are great, but the pie was undercooked and had nasty hard bits in it and the fried chicken made me sick to my stomach. People have since told me to stay away from the food at Wal-Mart and just buy the name brand stuff. A little late for me (and my stomach), but good advice nonetheless.
Speaking of brand named foods, one thing I’ve noticed a lot lately is that many foods are now offered in 100 calorie packets. This is something I’ve been wanting for a while now. It makes it much easier to watch what I eat. My only problem is not eating too may of the food packets at once. I would be happy to see more foods offered in these smaller portions.
