iPad, Therefore, I Kindle

I don't have an iPad yet or a Kindle. My daughter recently bought a Kindle and I haven't talked to her to see how she likes it or if she's even using it. What, with her hectic life? Work, gym, and raising two children. A lot of my friends are still reading books the traditional way, as am I... but I'm always interested in new technology. I was reading up on both of them today and here are some things I found out...

According to writer Suzzanne Choney, "Owners of Apple's iPad tend to "skew younger and more male," while those who have Amazon's Kindle e-reader "tend to be wealthier" and more educated, according to a new study from The Nielsen Co. Hmmm, since I'm neither young nor wealthy, I wonder where that puts me? Ironically enough, I think the Kindle tends to be a little cheaper than the iPad. Surprisingly, I have yet to see an actual Kindle, while some of my younger and female co-workers have iPads. I've seen that in action and it's amazing. So, check this out...

According to what I read, Kindle owners "tend to be wealthier," with 44% of them making "more than $80,000/year, as compared to 39% of iPad owners and 37% of iPhone owners. They also tend to have more education: 27% of Kindle owners have Master’s degrees or Doctorates." Is that right? They are probably wealthier because it's cheaper.

iPad owners are supposedly more receptive to advertising on their touchscreen tablets than say, the owners of the other devices. Thirty-nine percent of iPad owners say ads on their connected devices are (get this) "new and interesting", as compared to 19% of all connected device owners. And, 46% say they "enjoy ads with interactive features compared to 27% of all connected device owners." I could care less. I really just want to be able to blog and Facebook while on the move. This might make me go back to riding the train to work instead of driving.

Anyway, Nielsen noted... "Perhaps most important to advertisers, iPad owners are also the most likely to have made a purchase as a result of seeing an ad on their connected device."I saw both ads on television myself.

The least expensive model of the iPad is $499.00 for a Wi-Fi only version. The latest version of the Kindle, also Wi-Fi only, costs $139.00 I figure if I wait around another five or ten years, the price on both will have dropped and maybe I'll be the first in my neighborhood to own both. Stay tuned...

As The Pendulum Swings

The pendulum is swinging in another direction! That's what the pollsters are saying, but I don't tend to trust polls and nobody I know ever gets polled. When these pollsters are doing these polls, I never get called. I never get asked what I think and people who live around me never get asked or polled. So, just who are these pollsters talking to? When are they talking to them? And, better yet, how are these polls done?

According to pollsters, with the November elections exactly five weeks away, the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that the battle for control of Congress has tightened, as key Democratic-leaning demographic groups are expressing more enthusiasm about the upcoming mid-terms. Well, it's about damn time!

Among so called "likely voters", Republicans now hold a three-point lead in the generic-ballot test for control of Congress, down from their nine-point lead last month. Just who are "likely voters"? Isn't anyone registered a likely voter? (I mean, I'm just asking.)

Despite what these pollsters are saying is just natural tightening, the overall dynamics heading into the election remain the same: Nearly 6 in 10 people think the country is headed in the wrong direction; just a 1/3 believe the economy will improve in the next year; President Barack Obama’s approval rating is stuck in the mid 40s; and political independents are favoring the GOP. Which goes to show that the Fox televison network is more popular than I thought... people aren't just watching "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", and NFL Football. They're tuning into Rush, Sean, and Glenn... and, they're listening to them! Who would have thought that?

This looks bad for the current party in power. "I still think you’re looking at a very difficult year for the Democrats", said GOP pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart. In the poll, registered voters are split, 44% to 44%, over the party they prefer controlling Congress.

But, among likely voters, identified by their past voting history and their high level of interest in the November mid-terms, 46% prefer a Republican-controlled Congress, versus 43% who want a Democratic-led one. That’s a decline (though within the margin of error) from the 49-to-40%lead Republicans held in late August.

The pollsters attribute this tightening to increased enthusiasm for the upcoming mid-terms by African Americans (who saw a 6-point gain in high interest) and Hispanics (who saw an 11-point gain). But, young voters who helped fuel Barack Obama’s presidential victory in 2008, are now sitting on the sidelines. Just 35% percent of those ages 18-34 are enthusiastic about the election in November, versus 65% of seniors who say that they are. That disparity is a chief reason why President Obama traveled on Tuesday to a rally at the University of Wisconsin, while Vice President Joe Biden visited Penn State.

It's really hard to believe this but, (according to these mysterious pollsters) 60% of all respondents believe the country is on the wrong track, a small decrease from last month. In addition, 65% think the U.S. economy will either get worse or stay the same in the next 12 months. And, 73% disapprove of the job that Congress is doing. The president’s job-approval rating stands at 46%, up one point from August.

Of course, this happens at one time or another to every president. You know what I'd really like though... I'd like to see a surprise come election day so all of these "experts " and pollsters can be proven wrong and see the Tea Party movemant soundly defeated. It could happen... but, it's not likely to happen because people tend to believe what the pollsters say, even though polls don't win elections, voters do.

The American people are like sheep... well fed and waiting to be led by anybody. There are a few critical thinkers out there, but are there enough to swing that pendulum in a different direction? One can only hope!

The Side That Ain't So Sweet!

SugarHouse Casino Official Website

Last Thursday, the City of Philadelphia became the largest U.S. City to have a casino. Yes, in both area and population, Philly is larger than both Atlantic City and Las Vegas. I know it doesn't seem like it, but it's true. My wife and I visited the Sugar House just this past Friday Night.

Nobody thinks that the opening of this casino a few days ago will make Philadelphia an east coast version of Las Vegas. It won't even be Atlantic City west, but the first casino ever in the city of Philadelphia may put a dent into AC's business and it will give the city government a much-appreciated revenue boost. At least that's what they've been telling us.

The opening of the Sugar House last Thursday marks the end of more than a decade of legal wrangling, protests, suits, countersuits, and delays as casino owners worked to mollify upset neighbors and keep supportive ones happy. It also means that Philadelphia will finally get at least some of the rivers-of-money state lawmakers envisioned would flow from legalized gambling in the state. In today's depressed economy, however, the promised tax relief that would accompany that money may not be in the cards.

The new Sugar House casino is the smallest of the three casinos now operating in the Philadelphia area (there is one in Chester and I don't know where the third one is), with only 45,000 or so square feet of gaming space, a decision made in response to community opposition to a huge facility. Inside the low-ceilinged, intimate space are 1,600 slot machines, 40 tables offering seven different games, a small enclosed area with blackjack tables for high rollers, two casual eateries, two bars, and one amenity no other casino floor in North America has... windows!

Yupper, a whole wall of them, facing the Delaware River, on whose bank the facility sits. They offer a fabulous view of the river and Camden on the other side of it... and they can be opened. No one will be able to completely lose track of time here. A promenade just beyond the windows will eventually connect to a planned riverside greenway and pedestrian/bicycle path.

Also, with the casino comes jobs... 900 of them, which are 90% filled by Pennsylvanians, 75% of whom are city residents, and 20% residents of neighboring Fishtown. The casino will also pump money into a special services district for Fishtown and other neighborhood improvements, with the stream expected to be $1 million a year by 2012.

Casino critics fear the facility will also bring crime, increased poverty, and a passel of domestic problems stemming from gambling addiction, not to mention traffic. Casino-Free Philadelphia, an organization formed to stop the two casinos the state gaming law allocates to Philadelphia, plans to launch a campaign publicizing the problems associated with gambling addiction in an effort to depress casino revenues.

But the casino also has fans among the neighbors, including a group organized specifically to support it, Fishtown Action. The supporters especially appreciate the jobs and physical improvements that the casino is bringing to the area. Okay, that's the sweet side... here is the side of having a casino or casinos isn't as sweet.

I parked my car this morning and instead of walking the three long city blocks to my building, I caught the shuttle bus that just happened to be there. A woman was excitedly telling the bus driver about her experience at the Sugar House (apparently, she had been there Friday Night when my wife and I were there). She told the bus driver about the two restaraunts, the band that was doing 70's cover songs, and the little bit of money she won on the slot machines. She asked him if he had been or when he was planning to check it out and the bus driver said flatly-"Never!"

It wasn't that I was listening to their conversation, but this flat refusal to go to something brand new in this town peaked my interest. He went on to say that he was a "degenerate gambler" and that, "some years ago, he ran up a debt so big at Resorts in Atlantic City that the hotel-casino actually had the deed to his house!" He said he owed close to $100,000 and it took him ten years to pay it all off. After that, he had learned his lesson. He said, almost with pride, "I haven't been in a casino since 1992."

I shook my head at the loss and the pure waste of being on the hook for that kind of money for ten or fifteen years. He could've put a couple of kids through college and bought a bigger, better home, car, or done some traveling in all of that time. Again, I thought, what a complete waste.

Some human beings don't need their weaknesses and vices brought to light like that... I shudder when I think of the people who have gone bankrupt and lost their homes and marriages behind their gambling addictions. That's the side of legalized gambling that ain't so sweet... regardless of what you call the house!

Random Thoughts

1. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do!

2. Just because you can bake a cake, don't mean you can run the bakery!

3. Immature love says, "I love you because I need you. Mature love says I need you because I love you.

4. If you won't love yourself, sooner or later someone will make you hate yourself and you'll confuse the two.

5. Don't just be a product of your history, be a producer of your future!

6. I'm so glad I have recurring posts such as this... it gives me a topic to put on my blog on a night when I have writers block-LOL!

7. Three years ago, I never heard of a blog... now I got three blogs! Who knew?

8. Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character and ruthlessness to keep you there!

9. Believing a lie doesn't make it the truth... it's still a lie. You're just the fool who believes it.

10. Smile a lot everyday... it'll piss your haters off!

Saturday Seven (7 Things Guys Wish Girls Knew About Them)

1. Guys want more sex. Everyone’s natural response to this is probably, "Oh Really?" But, that response is probably for the wrong reason. We primarily assume that guys want more sex with their wives due to their physical wiring (their "needs"). But, surprisingly, my research (Yes, I did research) showed that the reason guys want more sex is because of their strong need to be desired by their wives. Men simply need to be wanted. Regular, fulfilling sex is critical to a man’s sense of feeling loved and desired. (I can see my female readers heads going from side to side and necks rocking back and forth right now!)

2. Sex means more than sex. (Yeah... Really, it does!) When guys feel their wives desire them sexually, it has a profound effect on the rest of their lives. It gives them an increasing sense of confidence and well-being that carries over into every other area of his life. The flipside of this coin also carries a profoundly negative affect. When a husband or boyfriend feels rejected sexually, he not only feels his wife is rejecting him physically, but that she is somehow rejecting his life as a husband, provider, and man. This is why making sex a priority in marriage is so incredibly important! (Really, I'm not just saying this!)

3. Believe it or not, guys enjoy romance, but doubt their skills to be romantic. True, many cats appear to be unromantic neanderthals sometimes ladies, but it doesn’t mean that they want to be that way! Guys want to be romantic, but they just doubt their ability to pull it off. They are plagued by internal hesitations, perceiving the risk of humiliation and failure as too high. Wives and girlfriends can do a great deal to increase their husbands’ confidence in their romantic skills through encouragement and redefining what romance looks like. For example, a wife may balk when her husband asks her to go along to the hardware store, but it’s likely that he’s asking because he sees it as a time they can get away as a couple and hang out together. What’s not romantic about that? Yeah... I know, I know!

4. Guys struggle with visual temptation. This means the vast majority of guys respond to visual images when it comes to women. And, this doesn’t just mean the guys with wandering eyes. Even the most godly husband or Babyface-like boyfriend (as in the r&b crooner who wrote, "Soon As I Get Home") cannot avoid noticing a woman who dresses in a way that draws attention to her body. Even if it is just a glance, these visual images are stored away in the male brain as a sort of "visual rolodex" that will reappear without any warning. Men can choose whether to dwell on these images and memories or dismiss them, but they can’t control when these images appear.

5. Guys really do care about their wife’s or girlfriend's appearance. This isn’t saying that all men want their wives or girlfriends to look like the latest supermodel. What we really want is to know that their wives and or girlfriends are making an effort to take care of themselves (and not letting themselves go) because it matters to them (the husbands and boyfriends). Husbands and boyfriends appreciate the efforts their wives and girlfriends make to maintain their attractiveness. I know that this goes both ways too!

6. Guys want the woman in thier lives to know how much they love them. This was the number one response of guys. (Believe it or not, I know that some of you all don't.) Men aren’t confident in their ability to express this all the time, but they love the women in their lives dearly. Guys want to show how much they love their women and long for them to understand this fact.

7. I did say we want more sex, didn't I?

Have a great weekend everybody!

Weekend Humor

A beautiful young woman was so depressed that she decided to end her life by throwing herself into the ocean near Penns Landing. Just before she could throw herself from the docks, a handsome young man stopped her and said... "Girl, you got so much to live for, don't go out like this. Look, my name is Donny, I'm a sailor in the Merchant Marines and we're off to Europe tomorrow. I can stow you away on my ship. It will take about four weeks cause we a freighter and make several stops. But I'll take care of you, bring you food every day, and keep you happy. I got you baby... don't sweat it."

With nothing to lose, combined with the fact that she had always wanted to go to Europe--and now, for FREE!--the woman accepted. That night the sailor brought her aboard and hid her in a lifeboat. From then on, every night he would bring her three sandwiches, a tumbler of Kool-Aid, and make love to her until dawn.

Three weeks later she was discovered by the captain during a routine inspection. "What are you doing here?" asked the captain. She replied... "Oh, I have an arrangement with Don, one of the sailors. He brings food and I get a free trip to Europe." "I see," said the captain. "Plus," she added (wanting to be honest and make a full confession)... "He's screwing me, Captain. I have to admit it."

The Captain looked at her for a moment, and then said: "He damn sure is... this is the Spirit of Philadelphia, and we only go to Camden!"

The Daze of Whine & Business

I read the MSN home page news at least once everyday. What I rarely read is the public response to the news stories. Some of the comments are the most racist and vitriolic nonsense you'd ever want to hear. For instance this one: "We all know how the country got in this mess. I'm tired of hearing about who is responsible. How about holding this president responsible for what he's doing right now. Oh when will we stop criticizing our predecessors, even at our own jobs, for the job they did before?"

Amazing... that's like saying, let's give our predecessor a pass for screwing everything up and let's just judge the man on the hotseat now who has to clean everything up! This comment was probably written by that anonymous nut who often comments on my blog and vows never to comment again. (I'm still waiting for the time when this vow will come true!)

What disturbed me yesterday were the juvenile comments that came from CEO's who are trying to scapegoat the president for their greed and their failure to do what they are supposed to do... that is, create jobs and get the economy up and running.

Yesterday, in unusually vitriolic attacks on a sitting president (including references to Communist Russia and Adolph Hitler), some CEOs have complained they can't predict what President Barack Obama "will do next" and how his new regulations and taxes might hit their companies.

So now, the result is a bunker mentality that has CEOs holding back and the economy growing more slowly as a result. What a load of crap! According to Cyprus Semi-conductor CEO T.J. Rodgers... "We don't know what the latest "great" idea from Obama will be. Therefore, we are hunkering down."

He said that because of President Obama, CEOs are focusing on their core businesses and hiring less people to "control costs and risks. CEOs are uncertain, so they don't want to have the liability of adding a lot of employees," he added. I've heard this all before. No one can argue that there is certainly a lot of uneasiness and uncertainty out there as we approach November's mid-term elections.

Next year's tax rules are kinda in limbo and the effects of health care and financial reform have yet to be seen by the average American (my wife will say as much). And then, there's what many perceive as an "anti-CEO message" in President Obama's rhetoric, aimed not only at chiefs of big banks and health insurers, but also at "hunkered-down execs" in general. Ohh poor, poor "hunkered down execs".

T.J. Rodgers continued to whine..."Obama uses political rhetoric to demean me and my motives, but the fact is I am completely happy with my motives and the morality of my decisions. My moral responsibility is to protect and grow the investment of shareholders," he said. And, there is! The rub is right there and he convicts himself with his own words. These "fat cats" don't care about you and I and they never have. They don't care if you can educate your kids, buy a new home or car (not to mention just keeping the home and car you have), get a loan to start a business, or whatever. All they have ever cared about is their shareholders and that's why he can make such a ridiculous statement about the "liabilitiy of having so many employees."

Check this out... the extreme irony of all of this is that by many measures, public companies like his are in fact doing quite well in the Obama economy. According to an article in MONEY magazine, the S&P 500 index is up about 35% since Inauguration Day. Profits are expected to rise 36% in 2010, Bloomberg reports. And, companies are sitting on a near-record $2 trillion in cash, money they could use to invest and create jobs... but of course won't because they are "hunkering down". Those profits and that treasure are to a great degree the result of "hunkering down and cutting costs". Uh, yeah!

Defenders of President Obama say his criticism of big banks and insurance CEOs have been justified, given the financial meltdown and the number of Americans without health coverage. And, of course, no president can afford to be anti-business. "Using Obama's priorities for fixing the economy as an excuse is deplorable," said Brandon Rees, the deputy director of the AFL-CIO Office of Investment. "These CEOs would be better off focusing on their businesses." Yes, my feelings exactly!

In fact, many CEOs, including Brian Roberts of Comcast (CMCSA, news, msgs) and Mike Duke of Wal-Mart (WMT, news, msgs), have supported President Obama's reforms, and Warren Buffett opined recently that the economy is back on track. It's hardly rare for CEOs to speak out against Washington when it's doing something they don't like. What's different now is the vitriol and directness of these corner-office broadsides.

T.J. Rodgers, who has been whining a lot lately, said that he had "started out happy with President Obama because we had broken through the white male barrier" and made "a step forward for equality." But Rodgers added: "I have become deeply disappointed with him. It is amateur hour in Washington. The guy hasn't got a clue about the economy, how jobs are created, how wealth is created. It reminds me of the Jimmy Carter years, only worse."

Verizon CEO, Ivan Seidenberg said that President Obama has created "an increasingly hostile environment for investment and job creation." And, it gets worse... Blackstone Group CEO Steven Schwarzman seemed to compare the Obama Administration to Hitler by saying in a recent private meeting that Washington's push to increase taxes on private-equity firms is war, "like when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939," according to Newsweek.

Observers say such overt attacks are rare. "I don't remember corporate leaders speaking out this vehemently in the past. People in these positions don't get there unless they know how to keep their mouths shut when they needed," said Gary Shilling of A. Gary Shilling & Company, which offers investment advice. He speculated that CEOs need a scapegoat for the poor economy and that the administration "has mishandled things to the point where it has volunteered itself" for the job.

"Much more than any time that I have seen in my career, business is concerned about specific policies and ideas coming out of Washington," said Fred Fraenkel, the Investment Policy Committee Chairman at Beacon Trust and former Director of Global Research at Lehman Brothers.

Daniel Mitchell, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a think tank dedicated to limited government, suggested CEOs are also letting loose because they feel "a little bit liberated" by polls suggesting Republicans may take a majority in the House of Representatives and make significant gains in the Senate in the November elections. Do you want to take a guess that even if the Republicans take the house and the senate in November, things for you and I still won't get any better? In fact, they'll get worse... things will go back to business as usual, which with this crowd means giving the American public the business!

What Did I Say?

It's very rare that I write a sports post two times in one week... and, correct me if I'm wrong, but I've never written about the same sports figure twice in one week. But, thanks to the wonder of my friends on Facebook and Blogger who keep me more up to date on happenings than CNN sometimes, I just got this news flash... Andy Reid has named Mike Vick, the Eagles permanant starting quarterback! I didn't stutter... he just did what I and most sports commentators thought he ought to do, but wouldn't do!

"When someone is playing at the level Michael Vick is playing, you have to give him an opportunity," Andy Reid said. "This isn't about Kevin Kolb's play. You're talking about Michael Vick as one the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now." (Really, Andy? Really?)

Kevin Kolb missed the last six quarters because of a concussion and Mike Vick played well in his absence. Kevin Kolb was cleared to practice and was expected to run the first-team offense on Wednesday. "Kevin is fine. It's not an injury-related issue," Reid said. (Of course, it isn't!) "It's not about judging him. He's going to be a championship-caliber quarterback." (Hope springs eternal!)

Mike Vick threw for 175 yards and one touchdown and ran for 103 yards in a 27-20 season-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers. He had 284 yards passing and two TDs in a 35-32 win at Detroit on Sunday. He sparked an offense that was fizzling out and made what could have been a rout, a competitive game. Excuse me if I've said all of this before.

Kevin Kolb started two games in his first three seasons before he became the team's No. 1 quarterback after Donovan McNabb was traded to Washington. Kevin Kolb struggled in the first half against the Packers in the season opener.

Though the Eagles have been grooming Kevin Kolb to be the starter since drafting him in the second round in 2007, Michael Vick forced Andy Reid to make a difficult decision by playing better than he did when he was a superstar in Atlanta. (I don't think it was that difficult a decision. It was a no brainer to me and everybody else that knows football!)

"Michael did an exceptional job and my job is to evaluate the players," Coach Reid said. ''It's my obligation to make the proper decision." (Hmmm... or was the owner watching Fox Sports, CNN, TNT, and ESPN?)

Michael Vick's start against the Detroit Lions was his first in nearly four years. A three-time Pro Bowl pick during six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Michael Vick missed two seasons while serving an 18-month sentence in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation. He signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles before last season, then played sparingly behind Donavan McNabb and Kevin Kolb.

Michael Vick has completed 63.8% of his passes and has posted consecutive games with a passer rating above 100 for only the second time in his career. ''His accelerated play was brilliant,'' Coach Reid said. ''This is what I think is right. He's back and maybe even a little better.'' (Remember, you read that here first!)

The knock on Mike Vick used to be that he was a run-first quarterback who quickly moved through his reads and took off running. He clearly benefited from watching Donavan McNabb operate the offense last year and has excellent teachers in Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Mike Vick proved against the Detroit Lions that he can be an effective pocket passer when he needs to be. Despite getting sacked 6 times and being under constant pressure, he scrambled enough to buy time and find open receivers. That's the thinking on his feet that I was talking about in Monday's post!

Given the Eagles struggles with this young and inexperienced offensive line, Michael Vick's speed and quickness is vital. Now, don't get me wrong... Kevin Kolb has a quick release and can escape pressure, but Michael Vick is perhaps one of the most elusive quarterbacks in league history, next to a certain number 5 who used to run this team on the field!

I give praise where it is deserved and so, this time I say... "WAY TO GO EAGLES!"

You Coulda Fooled Me!

Guess what? Did you hear that the recession was over? Me neither? Well, the National Bureau of Economic Research said that' it's over. Yup! They said so in a report today. They said that the recession is over. It's funny... I have friends who are still out of work and are just about to run out of unemployment benefits and they don't think it's over.

Nevertheless, the National Bureau of Economic Research said Monday that the recession which began in December 2007 officially ended in June 2009, which marked the beginning of an expansion. The announcement rules out the possibility of a so-called “double-dip” recession, because any new downturn would be seen as a brand new recession. Huh? Are these guys for real?

President Barack Obama said that even though the NBER officially named an end to the recession, the economy has a long way to go and much work to be done to become healthy again. "Something that took ten years to create is going to take a little more time to solve," President Obama said at a town-hall-style meeting shown live on CNBC. At least, someone is rooted in reality. I'm glad it's the president and he's being honest about what we ordinary Americans already know to be true.

According to this National Bureau of Economic Research, (which, by the way, I never heard of before yesterday), it chose the June 2009 date based on examination of data including gross domestic product, employment, and personal income. "The recession lasted 18 months, which makes it the longest of any recession since World War II. Previously, the longest postwar recessions were those of 1973-75 and 1981-82, both of which lasted 16 months," the NBER added in a press release on its website.

Just because the recession ended 15 months ago, it doesn't mean that the economy is healthy, the NBER asserted. (Tell us something we don't know!) "Economic activity is typically below normal in the early stages of an expansion and it sometimes remains so well into the expansion," the NBER said.

An "expansion"? What is an expansion? I'll tell you what I do know. I know what a "euphemism" is... and an expansion" sure sounds like a euphemistic term for recession and depression without exactly saying the words. It sounds nicer!

U.S. officials have been struggling to find a way to speed up a sluggish recovery that has left unemployment at a painfully high 9.6 percent. The U.S. Federal Reserve's policy-setting committee meets today and is widely expected to discuss whether additional measures are warranted to bolster the economy. (You mean there are people who don't think this bares additional measures?)

Well, they can say the "recession", which used to be called a "depression" is now over and that we are in an expansion or whatever else they want to say we are in... but, we are still in deep trouble until people actually start going back to work. There is an old saying that's kinda crude, but fitting and it goes something like this... "You can't throw piss in my face and tell me it's raining." This is what this think tank seems to be trying to do and the American people aren't buying it!

The Michael Vick Show

I'm a big Michael Vick supporter. I wrote on this blog that people should give the guy a break after he served his time for being involved in the dog fighting ring. I gave big props to the Philadelphia Eagles when they took the courageous leap of faith and signed him and he has not shaken my faith in him one bit. Last Sunday and today, he bolstered my argument that he should be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. Andy Reid has said that he is going to stay loyal to Kevin Kolb and so that's the way it's going to be. He's not likely to be swayed by me or the majority of the fans in Philadelphia and everywhere else in the free world.

However, he should be swayed by what happened yesterday on the field. The electrifying Michael Vick was 21 of 34 for 284 yards with two touchdowns, ran for 37 yards, and avoided losses with spin moves and slick steps. He was as slick as canned grease. Michael Vick started at quarterback for the first time since the end of the 2006 season, when he was ironically playing for Atlanta against Philadelphia. He missed two seasons while serving an 18-month sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation and played sparingly last year. Okay, we know all of that... here is what else happened (just in case you didn't see the game)...

LeSean "Shady" McCoy gave the Philadelphia Eagles an 18-point lead with his third score with 6:17 left Sunday. The Detroit Lions rallied to pull within three points and recovered an onside kick with 1:50 left, but turned the ball over on downs without gaining a yard. Everybody in Philadelphia was on the verge of cardiac arrest at this point... but the "Birds", as we call the Eagles here, held on to win it 35-32.

Because our offensive line still young and still inexperienced, it is good to have an elusive quarterback like Vick who can get in the wind when he has to and still make the play while he's on the move. It kinda reminds me of another Quarterback with the number 5, who used to be able to do that. A mobile stand in the pocket quarterback like Kolb is going to get killed with an offensive line like the one we have right now, unless they seriously get themsleves together and soon. Vick keeps the defense of other teams honest and confused. They know if they bring the house and he slips by one man, he's gone! With his incredible speed, he's dangerous in the open field. He thinks well on his feet... no pun intended.

That's the whole argument for why Michael Vick needs to be the man in Philly right now. If you want a punchers chance at winning more games, that's not an argument Andy Reid is listening to. I'm not downing the man... he's the most successful coach we've had in this town since Dick Vermeil. Maybe in a few weeks, I'll write a post about how well Kevin Kolb is progressing in a few weeks because it remains to be seen.

What The Hell?

Maybe it's a slow news day or I'm not in the mood to rant about much. I don't know... but it has been a long time since I wrote one of these recurring posts about one of those bizzarre and ridiculous "life is stranger than fiction" moments.

In Fort Lauderdale, FL, authorities suspected foul play when the body of a North Carolina man surfaced near a South Florida beach. Well, it turns out 48 year old Scott Lasky died from Lou Gehrig's Disease on September 8th. A fisherman spotted the body about four miles offshore in Fort Lauderdale after his burial at sea went awry. (I'll say!)

Sheriff's deputies solved the mystery after finding Lasky's obituary. Authorities said his family placed his body on dry ice, loaded him in a van, and drove from Hickory, NC to Florida to honor his dying wish. (Why can't people wish for something simple and easy like, leaving Uncle Weazer out of the will?)

Relatives boarded a boat and bid Lasky what they thought was their final goodbye until his body resurfaced. I suppose he had some more goodbyes to take care of before he left. Sea burials are legal but certain rules must be followed... like the body should be weighted down properly, for starters! The body has to sink to the bottom rapidly and permanently. This goes without saying.

And yes... this really did happen. I couldn't make this up. Well, actually I could but I didn't this time-LOL!

Weekend Humor

The Senior Pastor, speaking to the younger Associate Pastor said, ''You had a good idea to replace the first four pews with plush bucket theatre seats. It worked like a charm. The front of the church always fills first now.'' The young Associate Pastor nodded and the Senior Pastor continued... ''And, you told me adding a little more beat to the music would bring young people back to church, so I supported you when you brought in that band and a Christian rapper. Now, our services are consistently packed to the balcony.''

"Thank you, Pastor," answered the young Associate Pastor. ''I am pleased that you are open to the new ideas of youth.'' The Senior Pastor replied, ''All of these ideas have been well and good, but I'm afraid you've gone too far with the drive-thru confessional. and those exotic praise dancers."

''But Brother Pastor,'' protested the Associate Pastor... ''My drive through confessions and praise dancers are a big hit and the donations have nearly doubled since I brought them in!'' The Senior Pastor replied, "Yes, they have... and I appreciate that, but we can't have scantily clad women going... Don't stop, get it, get it. Put some more of your money in it, or the flashing neon sign, 'Toot 'n Tell or go to hell'' on the church roof."

The Rebound Girl

Think of this situation like this... You have just gone through a break up after dating someone for eight years (Now, hold on... before you wonder why this is labeled politics instead of relationships, I'll explain. I'm definitely going somewhere with this...) You date someone for eight years and now, he/she tells you it's over. You are heartbroken... desperate! You start seeing someone who is really not your cup of tea and not up to your standards, just because he/she is giving you some attention. You don't want your friends to see you with this person, so you keep them a well-guarded secret. One day, while you're out with your friends, your well-guarted secret that you've been playing with under the cover of darkness makes themselves known! Your secret is out! What, pray tell, are you going to do now?

That little scenario is how the Republican Party has dealt with the Tea Party and the nut wing that is the extreme right... cast out of the White House, The Senate, and The House by a fickle and angry electorate... they played footsie with the extreme right wing and the Tea Party that grew from it. I've always suspected that the majority of Republicans found these extreme right wingers and the Tea Party crowd almost as repulsive as I find them... but yet, they were willing to play ball with them because they were generating the only enthusiastic voting base they could muster up.

Last night, a couple of Tea Bag backed candidates upset some moderate Republican incumbants, including one in my own backyard who bears an uncanny resemblance to Sarah Palin. Surprise GOP Senate primary winner Christine O'Donnell called on fellow Republicans to rally around her Wednesday, but she can count out at least one... respected longtime Rep. Michael Castle, her opponent in the nasty primary fight. The tea party-backed Christine O'Donnell sounded upbeat as she made the rounds of morning talk shows to discuss her stunning upset of Castle, a former two-term governor who is the longest-serving congressman in state history and up until then, had never lost an election.

Mike Castle's spokeswoman Kate Dickens said Wednesday that the congressman will not support O'Donnell in her November race against Democratic county executive Chris Coons for the seat vacated by Joe Biden when he became Vice President. The primary contest was one of the ugliest in Delaware history, with O'Donnell supporters suggesting, among other things, that the 71 year old Castle would die in office if elected and that he was cheating on his wife with a man.

Mike Castle and the state GOP responded with ads criticizing O'Donnell, 41 years old, for lying about her education and record, leaving a trail of unpaid bills that included unsettled campaign debts, tax liens, a default on her mortgage, and using campaign finances for personal expenses. State Republican Party chairman Tom Ross denounced her as a "liar and a fraud who couldn't be elected dog catcher. "My, my, my... he sounds like he's been reading "Keith's Space".

Now see? This is exactly what I mean... The Republican Old Guard is having a problem with the new kids on the block... the grass roots organized Tea Party crowd. Just what is it that we are looking at here? How do you make sense of Christine O’Donnell's stunning defeat of Mike Castle in Delaware? Carl Paladino crushing Rick Lazio in New York’s GOP gubernatorial primary? And, Kelly Ayotte and Ovide Lamontagne still running neck-and-neck in New Hampshire’s Senate GOP contest?

It’s simple: We’re witnessing a purge within the Republican Party. A longtime moderate like Mike Castle? Gone. A well-known fixture in New York politics like Rick Lazio (who agreed to be the party's sacrificial lamb to Hillary Clinton in 2000)? Adios. Ayotte supporting Sonia Sotomayor’s SCOTUS nomination? Problematic. This is no longer George W. Bush’s Republican Party or even Ronald Reagan’s (at least, not the Reagan who raised taxes and agreed to amnesty for illegal immigrants).

It’s a Republican Party that’s being led by wingnuts like Sarah Palin, James DeMint, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh. And, while Sarah Palin is the icing on the cake here, James DeMint is the real player... the unofficial head of the GOP Senate’s Tea Party caucus and the guy who truly bears the most watching.

Understand this though... the American people are fickle. I said that in a post last week. So, knowing that, know this... this purge or split isn’t out of the ordinary. It’s what political parties do after they lose, and what has happened within the GOP after 2006 and 2008 is that those who value ideological purity the most are beating those who value winning the most (incumbants and career politicians). As a matter of fact, the Democrats went through this same thing in the '70s.

So, now the girl... the one you were kicking it with in secret when you were down and out. The rebound girl has now come to your table where you were dining with your friends. They are looking at you and you are speechless. The cat is out of the bag! You either have to lie and say that she's not with you, that you've never seen her before, or you have to claim her and thus, let your freinds know what you're really about and who you really are. At any rate, it makes you look as nervous as a hooker at church choir rehearsal!

Somewhere, Barack Obama has got to be smiling just a little bit!

Stand Up To Cancer

Official Website

I meant to write this a few days ago, but I just couldn't do it. There was a special on several channels this past Friday night called "Stand Up To Cancer". It was one of those huge tributes to raise money for a cause that is becoming the norm now. This is not to criticize the event in anyway... I'm just stating a fact that since the 9/11 "Tribute to Heroes" that ran on all of the networks and a few cable channels, several of these type shows have been aired.

In July, I lost a close friend to cancer. He got diagnosed right before Christmas of last year with Colon Cancer and later found that he had Prostate Cancer too. He fought a valiant battle and in April, massive chemo and radiation treatments looked like they might be working. He talked of coming back to work in June and we joked about having a big party to celebrate his return. But, it was not to be... he took a turn for the worse in early June and sadly, the Doctors said there wasn't anymore they could do and they gave him a week to live. He defied the odds once again and lived for four weeks, finally losing the fight in early July.

It has only been two years since I lost my mother to Colon Cancer too. I lost my beautiful aunt, a vibrant and lively woman, seven years prior to that from Cancer and that was just too many losses for me. It's still a very ugly personal scar so, I couldn't watch the entire thing... it was too painful. They were showing photos of all of the entertainers, from Sammy Davis, Jr. to Patrick Swayze to Farrah Fawcett, who died from Cancer. I ultimately had to turn the channel. This didn't make me feel any better.

The performances were good though... I'll watch Stevie Wonder on anything he happens to be on. Two years after the first Stand Up To Cancer special raised $100 million to fight this disease, Emmy, Oscar, and Grammy winners gathered in Los Angeles for a live event, televised on all major networks, to do it all again.

"Cancer doesn't care how may Oscars you've won or how many tough guys you've played," said Michael Douglas, who is battling stage-4 throat cancer. He was one of several past and current Cancer patients who played a role on the special, which included Michael C. Hall, Christina Applegate, Maura Tierney, Lance Armstrong, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Fran Drescher, Kylie Minogue, and Survivor's Ethan Zohn.

At one point, Stevie Wonder paid tribute to his first wife, singer, Syreeta, who died of breast cancer, before joining Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis, the Edge of U2, Dave Stewart, Martina McBride, and Aaron Neville for a rendition of "Unchained Melody."

After that performance, I turned the television off... not because I wanted to forget about my own personal losses to the deadly disease, but because I wanted to pay tribute to them silently. I still miss them...

(Hopefully) Not Every Given Sunday

The Maverick of All Bloggers did not have a good first Sunday of football. When The Cincinatti Bengals lost to the Patriots, that should have been an omen. Then, the Philadelphia Eagles... My Philadelphia Eagles... lost what started out to be a rout, but turned into an interesting game to the Green Bay Packers on the anniversary of a championship win against them that occurred when I was about two years old and too young to remember or care. I'll try to forget about today's game too, if I can. It was a bonanza for the sports doctors, for sure.

Coach Andy Reid’s postgame news conference following his team’s 27-20 loss to the Packers read like a medical school lecture. The number of starters who went down Sunday with devastating injuries seemed like it would never end.

All-Pro fullback Leonard Weaver suffered what Andy Reid described as a probable ACL tear in his left knee... a gruesome looking injury that left the popular playmaker in tears and in obvious pain as he was helped off the field in the first half.

Making matters worse on offense, Philly center Jamaal Jackson left the game in the second quarter with a right elbow injury. Reid said the Eagles medical staff believes Jackson sustained a torn biceps, ruining the center’s comeback after he tore a left knee ligament at the end of last season.

Starting quarterback Kevin Kolb was shaken up in the second quarter after injuring his jaw and eventually gave way to backup Michael Vick, who completed 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown... a 17-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Jeremy Maclin with 10:23 remaining.

Mike Vick saved the game. Well, he saved our face. He took us from 20-3 to 27-20, but it just wasn't enough. Plus, bad clock management by Coach Reid in the waning five minutes and an incredibly bad call on the last play, pretty much sunk it for the Eagles.

It's just one game... there are fifteen more. Hopefully, every Sunday won't be like this one. That's what I'll tell myself. And besides, the Phillies won!

Never Forget...

September 11, 2001

In remembering and learning the lessons from that terrible day, Let us all practice tolerance for those whose beliefs may be different from our own and let us embrace understanding and forgiveness rather than bitterness.

I think Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said... "We all didn't arrive here the same way, but we are all in the same boat now!"

Weekend Humor

A teenage boy just passed his driving test and asked his father when they could discuss his use of or the purchase of a car.

His father said he'd make a deal: ''You bring your grades up from a C to a B average, study your Bible a little, and get your hair cut. Then, we'll talk about the car.' 'The boy thought about that for a moment, decided he'd settle for the offer, and they agreed on it.

After about six weeks his father said, ''Son, you've brought your grades up and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible, but I'm disappointed that you haven't cut your hair.

The boy said, "You know, Pop... I've been thinking about that, and I've noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair, d there's even stronge evidence that Jesus, himself, had long hair."

His father replied, "Well son, did you also notice that they all walked everywhere they went?"

Dangerous Sudden Fame

It is said that everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame. How unlikely is it that some kook in Gainesville, FL named Pastor Terry Jones is getting his 15 minutes of fame... his moment in the sun... possibly at the expense of many American lives, military and civilian.

Pastor Jones of Dove World Outreach Center said today that his plan to burn copies of the Quran will go forward despite mounting pressure opposing the event. "As you can imagine, we have received very, very much pressure in the direction of canceling the event. As of this time, we have no intention of canceling," Jones said at a short news conference this afternoon.

Among the comments condemning the event was a statement from Gen. David Petraeus, who said the burning of the Quran would endanger the lives of U.S. troops overseas. Jones said he disagreed with that opinion. How would he know? He's probably never been in the military and never been too far from Gainesville, FL. A trip to Tampa was going abroad for him!

Jones said, "We have also received quite a bit of support. (From other nuts!) We understand the General's concerns, and we are still considering it. But, yesterday, we got a phone call from a retired special-forces Green Beret. It was his opinion that the people on the field are 100% behind us." (This is either a lie or he was talking to another fanatic, who should be removed from his uniform and position.)

"Our burning of the Quran is to call attention to something wrong. It is possibly time for us in a new way… to stand up. So, as of right now, we are not convinced that backing down is the right thing. So, on September 11th, we shall continue with our planned event," Jones said.

International attention remains focused on this small church tucked between pastures and sub-divisions in the north part of Gainesville. Jones is still set on burning copies of Islam's holy book this Saturday, to coincide with the nine-year anniversary of the September 11th attacks. With world leaders condemning his actions and more than 100 death threats directed at him and his church, the pastor has decided to carry a .40 caliber pistol for protection. He may need it!

As was expected, there was silence from Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter yesterday. These "Super Patriots" obviously have no qualms about the possible endangerment of American servicemen/women and civilian personnel abroad. By being silent, they are by default condoning it.

This idiot pastor is not going to achieve anything by doing this and nothing positive is going to come from this situation. However, he will have his moment in the sun... his damn 15 minutes of fame or infamy, depending on your politics and degree of common sense.

This is not Christianity... this is hate. Make no mistake about it. What those 19 terrorists did to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 was not Islam either... that was hate too! It just goes to show that their are nuts and lunatics in every religion, just as in other walks of life. What is scary is when they cost other people their lives!

"Likely Voters"

America is a fickle nation... Wasn't it just two years ago that they were throwing everything Republican out of office? Well, a combination of sky-high GOP enthusiasm (if you can imagine that), a deep sense of pessimism about the country’s direction, and dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama's stewardship of the economy, has given Republicans a clear advantage heading into the November mid-term elections, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

As the Labor Day holiday marks the traditional starting point of the campaign season, Republicans have a supposed 9-point edge among those considered "likely voters", plus a near 20-point lead among those expressing the highest amount of interest in the mid-terms. Sometimes when they are doing these polls, I often wonder just who is being interviewed.

Perhaps more ominous for Democrats, is the number of Americans who approve of Obama's handling of the economy, which is the top issue in the country, has declined below 40% for the first time.

"We all know that there is a hurricane coming for the Democrats. We just don’t know if it will be a Category 4 or a Category 5." says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff.

The survey shows that among "likely voters", based on their interest and past voting history, 49% prefer a Republican-controlled Congress while 40% want one run by Democrats. Among those expressing a high interest in voting, that GOP lead increases 18 points, 53% to 35%.

However, among all registered voters, both parties are tied on the generic ballot, 43% to 43%, suggesting that Democrats could potentially blunt GOP gains in November with high turnout at the polls.

How fickle, how fickle, how fickle! I can imagine who these "likely voters" are... I won't say, but I do know that a certain party has been doing nothing but spreading misinformation and lie after lie after lie ever since President Obama has taken office. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times... the majority of people in this country don't check facts and they don't believe anything past a sound bite.

This is why we have people who believe such non-sense like the president is a Muslim. (And, even if that were true, is it crime?) The President was born in Guam and, therefore, he is not an American citizen. (They don't realize that Guam is U.S. owned territory and even if he was born there as the child of an Amrican citizen, he would STILL be an American citizen.) And, the biggest lie of all... that he is spending like a school girl with her first credit card.

These same "likely voters" had no problem with the past Republican administration spending millions and billions of dollars fighting two wars at the same time... which is why our nation is in this economic bind in the first place. (Apparently, we learned nothing from the Russians who did the same thing just ten years before!)

These same "likely voters" had no problem with the past Republican administration allowing businesses to run wild and free, exporting jobs that used to go to Americans to other countries and spending billions of dollors fixing roads and building schools in Iraq, while our roads, railroads, and schools fell apart. They had no problem when the past Republican administration did this and arrogantly said that they didn't care what the majority of the public thought. Now, because they aren't getting miracles in record time, two years of a mess that took close to twenty years to create, they are dissatisfied and so worried about the national debt! Incredible!

The stupidity and ignorance of these so-called "likely voters" goes beyond apalling... it's downright embarrassing. We let radio and television talk show hosts make policy for us. Incredible! I'll see all of you "likely voters" at the polls. I'll be damned if I'm gonna allow Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and the Tea Party nitwits to get in power and destroy my country. If you people think things are bad now, think of how bad things will be under these clowns. Not on my watch! Not while my finger is still capable of casting a vote!

This has been a public service message from the Maverick of All Bloggers!

Labor Day Weekend Update

My wife and I had the grandkids with us for part of the holiday weekend. Saturday was also my wife's birthday, so she decided that we should spend the day with the kids at Smith Playground & Playhouse. Of course, I'm just a "big kid" at heart so, I decided... "What the heck! I'll get on the Giant Slide with them!" It seemed like a great idea, at first; but then, I had to pick myself up off the floor at the bottom of the slide... I think that should be another post for another day-LOL!



The kids stayed over Saturday night and on Sunday, we decided to indulge my grandson's love of trains again. Last year, my wife and I took him for a ride on the El train and he absolutely loved it! He never rode on a regional rail train before, so we headed over to the Overbook station and caught the R5 to Paoli and back again. Needless to say, he was beside himself with excitement and my granddaughter enjoyed the ride too!



After riding the rails, it was time to go back to our house for naps. When the kids got up, we jumped in the car and went over to Wynnewood Lanes for some bowling. My grandson is learning the sport and my wife taught my granddaugther how to cheer when we actually knocked down some pins-LOL! She learned quickly and did it quite well... complete with great big smiles and lots of hand-clapping. After that, we hit McDonald's and took them back home so they could celebrate the rest of the holiday weekend with their mommy and daddy.



On Monday, my wife and I spent most of the day just chillin' around the house; then, we went out for a nice dinner to celebrate her birthday in the early evening. Oh, and BTW... my wife took all the photos for this post with the new digital camera our daughter gave her as a birthday present. She loved it, after she learned how to work it-LOL! Well, that was my holiday weekend... How 'bout yours? I hope that all of you had an enjoyable and relaxing holiday too!

What I've Learned (From Bill Gates)

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: They called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So, before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Bill Gates actually said these points in a speech recently and I say, right on Bill! I learned all of these things by the time I was 26 years old. I can only hope that the generations that came after me learn these things too before it's too late!

Weekend Humor

Mrs. Robinson had just returned to her home from an evening of church services, when she was startled by an intruder. She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled: ''Stop! Acts 2:38! (Repent and be Baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven.)

The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done. As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he said to the burglar... ''I gotta ask ya... Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you.'' The burglar replied... ''Scripture? Hell, I thought she said she had an Ax and Two .38s!"

What I've Learned

1. Sometimes, the thing you think is tying you down is the thing that ultimately liberates you.

2. You are basically born alone... and you die just as alone too. People may be in the room for both events... but in the end, just as the beginning, it's something that only you and you alone are experiencing at the moment!

3. I like listening to everybody, even if I don't agree with them. I love an exchange of ideas... just listening to all of my viewpoints is boring!

4. I've come to see each day as a new adventure... a new chapter... regardless of how uneventful the day may turn out to be.

5. Depression may be a luxury that I can't afford.

6. We cannot live in a constant rebellion against our parents... after a certain age, it looks silly.

7. Liberals don't have to put the word "compassionate" in front of their title the way some conservative candidates do to prove (I guess) that they actually give a damn about people.

8. You are never as great as people say you are... but on the other hand, you're not as bad as they say you are either.

9. I worked in a shoe store once, selling shoes to women, and one thing I learned... practically all women lie about their shoe size!

10. My grandfather told me, "Don't waste your life baby. Whatever it is you want to do, do it. Don't get old and have regrets. I don't know if he was just giving me advice or if he was talking about himself... but I tell you what, I've always heeded his advice. I've tried to do most of what I've wanted to do!

Peace!