Maryland & Gay Marriage

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The DC City Council passed a bill that would allow gay marriage in the District of Columbia.  They did so despite calls from religious leaders and others to put the bill to a referendum of the citizens.  The bill was signed by Mayor Adrian Fenty.  Since DC is still a federal district, any of the laws passed are subject to Congressional oversight.  With the overwhelming Democratic majority in the House and Senate, it does not appear that Congress will step in to change that legislation.

My state, the state of Maryland, has defined marriage as between a man and a woman since 1973.  While marriage is defined in Maryland as between a man and a woman, the law regarding recognizing marriages is a little more vague.  Maryland recognizes marriages performed in other jurisdictions under the "full faith and credit" clause of the US Constitution.  Same sex marriage is not specifically addressed.

As liberal as my state is, I fully expected that the issue of gay marriage would come up sooner rather than later.  With gay marriage looming so close in neighboring Washington, DC., a member of the Maryland house of delegates, Emmett Burns (D-Baltimore County) has introduced House Bill 90 that would ban the state from recognizing gay marriages performed in states or countries where the act is legal.  As I said, I expected the issue to come up sooner or later.  What I didn't expect was that a Democrat would be the one to propose a bill that would ban the recognition of gay marriage.

My current view of gay marriage is not typical of most conservatives.  I do not have a strong feeling either way.  I believe it is an issue to be determined by the individual states.  I believe that if a state legislature or the citizens by referendum decide to allow gay marriage, then so be it. I do have a problem with the matter being decided by activist courts.  I do not believe that churches should be compelled to perform gay marriages in states that allow it.  That being said, I do feel that marriages that are conducted in a legal fashion, including gay marriages, should be recognized by states, even if those states do not allow gay marriage.  Let's face it, with nearly half of heterosexual marriages ending in divorce, it isn't like we are getting it right ourselves.   

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Cell Phone Bans Don't Reduce Accidents

Image by Will Merydith via Flickr

More and more jurisdictions across the country are implementing bans on using cell phones.  On the whole, I am against these bans and have talked about it here and here.  The main reason that I am opposed to banning hand held cell phones is that I believe that existing reckless driving laws cover cell phones. If you cause an accident, you are at fault, whether it was caused by using a cell phone or some other distraction.

A recent report issued by the Highway Loss Data Institute shows that in those states that have banned the use of hand held cell phones, there has been no impact on the number of accidents.  The studies do show that the use of hand held devices has declined in those states.  The study cites that the reason for the lack of decline is that even with hands free devices a driver can become distracted by just the act of carrying on a conversation.

I don't know if the release of this study makes me feel any more justified in my belief that banning of cell phones isn't necessary.  I do know that when I am driving that if I do come upon a driver not keeping up with traffic they usually have a phone up to their ear.  So now there are some that are even calling for the ban of any cell phone, even with hands free devices. 

Where does it end? There are a number of things that can distract a driver whether it is eating or drinking, using a cell phone, trying to read a map, or putting on makeup.  Having your kids in the car can distract drivers, especially if they are arguing.  Are we going to get to the point where we are going to ban every activity that could possibly distract a driver?  Let's take out the radio and CD player.  No more GPS devices.  Do we have to have the government telling us everything we can and can not do?    

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Pork Better Than Viagra

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I don't really had a whole lot to say about Obama and his State of the Union address last night.  He showed that he hasn't gotten the message from the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey and the election of Scott Brown to the Senate in Massachusetts.  He also showed what he really thinks about the American people.  We are obviously not inteligent enough to understand all of the good things he is trying to do for us.

The speech consisted of all of the tried and true Obama tactics.  There was the blaming of Bush for everything that was wrong with the country when he took over.  In spite of the Brown victory and his promise to vote against the current health care bill, he wants everyone to look at the bill again rather than come up with a bipartisan plan.  He still wants to push cap and trade.  There were a few bones tossed the Republicans way, but not a whole lot.

Instead, I want to talk about news from another president from South America.  President Cristina Fernandez of Argentina recently was addressing the pig farming industry.  Fernandez said, "I've just been told something I didn't know; that eating pork improves your sex life.  I'd say it's a lot nicer to eat a bit of grilled pork than take Viagra."  She also added had recently eaten BBQ pork and "things went very well that weekend, so it could well be true."

Can you imagine a POTUS talking about how satisfying their sexual activities had been?  I mean besides Bill Clinton.  I may have to load up on pork chops, ribs, and BBQ sandwiches to see if this theory holds true.  If it does, maybe we can finally be rid of those annoying erectile dysfunction commercials during every sporting event on television.  And maybe, just maybe, we have a bit more insight into why Mark Sanford had to go to Argentine for his soul mate.  It's all about the BBQ.

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The Real Reason We Work

A quick question for everybody out there; why do you work?  The answer probably depends a lot on where you are in your stage of life.  For example, when I was 15, I wanted to be able to drive when I turned 16.  My folks did not have a lot of money when we were growing up, so I was told I needed to pay for my own car, my own insurance, and my own gasoline.  So, I got a job at a local convenience store fairly close to the house about two months before my 16th birthday.

I was always a pretty decent student, and I wanted to go to college.  It was always my desire to attend the University of Maryland.  I was encouraged by my folks to attend college, but it was going to be something that I would have to pay for myself.  I did get a couple of small scholarships and grants, but it was not enough to pay for my full education.  So, I worked my way through school.  Plus I still needed cash for the car, and like most college students, I needed my beer money.

For most of my life, I have worked for the purpose of providing myself, and now my wife and son, with the things we needed.  Things like homes, clothing, food, transportation, and other essentials of life.  I also worked to provide us with things that we wanted, more the things they want these day.  But I think you get the overall picture.  I think most of you are probably like me and work for many of these same reasons.

Well, apparently I have been wrong all these years.  You see, my Congressman, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) revealed the real reason it is good for people to earn money in his weekly press briefing yesterday.  The real reason we need to work and earn money, at least according to Hoyer, is so that WE CAN PAY TAXES!  CNSNews.com quotes the congressman thus:

“We also had some good news for the first time in approximately two years. The projection of revenues has stabilized, not decreased. That is a very good sign because it is a sign that people are in fact making money and will be in a position, because they’re making money, to pay a portion of that in revenues to the federal government.”

So there you have it.  The real reason we work.  I think that gives you a pretty good idea of the Democrat mindset.  If you are like me, and the reason you work is to provide for your self and your family or you are trying to get ahead, then you have it all wrong.  In fact, you may be a conservative, a Libertarian, or God forbid, a Republican.  However, if you think the purpose of earning money is to pay taxes to the government, then you are more than likely a Democrat or a dumbass or both, just like my Congressman.

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Will He or Won't He

Now that the Minnesota Vikings, and therefore, Brett Favre, have been eliminated from the playoffs, the yearly speculation of whether or not Favre will retire or play another year has officially begun.  According to ESPN, Favre told Ed Werder that it was "highly unlikely" that he would return next season.  He also says in the enclosed clip that he does not want to make a decision based on the loss against the Saints, but that he will make a decision fairly quickly.

So far, he has retired in each of the last two seasons only to come back shortly before the season was to begin.  Speculation around his future swirled in the last few seasons before the so called "retirements" of the last two years.  Regardless of what he says in the next month or two, I will take it with a grain of salt.  If he announces that he plans to play again next year, then great, he has shown he can still play. I only hope that if he does announce yet another retirement that this time he really means it.

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Music Monday-Ray Stevens "We The People"

I have always liked Ray Stevens.  He always approaches even the most serious subjects with a sense of humor.  It is nice to see him getting some air time again with his latest, "We The People."  I don't think anybody else could tackle a subject like Obama Care and make it entertaining and humorous. 

Happy Music Monday.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Tech Giveaway From Tony's

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Tony's Pizza. All opinions are 100% mine.

A couple days ago, I received some coupons from Tony's Pizza to try their new Crispy Crust Pizza.  Tony's Crispy Crust Pizza comes in three varieties, cheese, pepperoni, and supreme.  This pizza comes in a unique shape that Tony's describes as "scround," square with rounded edges.  The supreme is pictured in this post after coming out of my oven.

To be honest, I usually stay away from the inexpensive party pizzas, but I have to say this was pretty tasty.  The sauce had a little bit of spice to it and pretty good flavor.  The crust was exactly how the box described it, crispy.  That pleased Mrs. Dickster who prefers thin and crispy crust pizza.  While the pizza I sampled was free, thanks to the coupons from Tony's, the price of Tony's Crispy Crust Pizza is easy on the wallet.  And that pleased me.  The regular price at my local grocery store was 2/$3.  They will probably go on sale for $1 each when on promotion. 

Tony's Crispy Crust Pizza makes a great snack or quick lunch.  As I said, Tony's sent me some coupons for me to give it a try.  They also were generous enough to give me enough coupons to give a few out to readers of this humble blog.  So, if you would like to try a FREE TONY'S CRISPY CRUST PIZZA, then be one of the first five readers to send an email to me along with your mailing address, and I will send a coupon your way.

Tony's is also sponsoring some great contests on some other blogs.  I would encourage you to visit these blogs and enter these contests from Tony's. 

To find out about the Tech from Tony's Contest visit the following blogs:
http://chris.pirillo.com
http://geekadelphia.com
http://joetech.com
http://dragonblogger.com

To find out about the Let Tony's Entertain You! Contest please visit these blogs:
http://comicbookmovie.com
http://yepyep.gibbs12.com
http://www.areyouscreening.com
http://baconbabble.com

Tina Stull

It has been a long time since I followed drag racing.  It was probably back in the day of "Big Daddy" Don Gartlis, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, and Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen.  However, I now have a favorite drag racer to follow, Tina Stull.

I actually learned about Tina on Twitter.  The reason that she has become my favorite drag racer is because the woman is a true patriot, and a conservative.  She is the founder of Team Troops, a support program to give back to our troops.

You can learn more about Tina Stull Racing at her website and her work with Team Troops.  You can also follow her on Twitter.  We wish her much success during the upcoming race season and her work with the troops.  We always think highly of those who support the troops.

News Briefs 1/22/10

I am going to try something new tonight.  I am going to highlight two or three stories that caught my attention that I want to address briefly.  It may be something I thought was humorous, outrageous, or just really made me mad.  I am going to call these "News Briefs."  I am not sure yet if I will make this a regular feature, but thought I would give it a shot.

First up, is a story about a woman who punished her 12 year old son for getting bad grades.  Now I am not one of those parents who do not believe in instilling discipline in one's child.  I do not necessarily think it a bad thing to smack a child on their bottom when warranted.  This woman, however went well beyond the norm.  She was arrested in Georgia and charged with child and animal cruelty for forcing her child to kill his pet hamster as punishment.  What kind of sick, twisted freak could possibly conceive of doing something like this to their child and an innocent animal?  

Second story for tonight is the story of a man who was arrested and facing prostitution charges.  However, this brilliant piece of work was not arrested in some sex worker sting.  Nope.  He called police himself.  He paid a woman $150 for sex and then she decided not to live up to her end of the bargain.  The police arrested them both and charged them with prostitution charges.  Two things come to mind, if you are going to be engaged in an illegal activity such as soliciting prostitution, do you really think it's a good idea to call the cops if the deal fall through?  Second, if she did not actually have sex with the man for money, should she still be charged with prostitution?

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Human Bed Warmers

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The Holiday Inn hotel chain has announced a trial program in three of their hotels in Great Britain.  For hotel guests that wish to use the service, a hotel staffer will dress in a one piece fleece sleeper suit and slip between the sheets to warm the bed up for the guest. 

A sleep expert from the Edinburgh Sleep Center says that scientific evidence shows that sleep comes when body temperature starts to fall.  He say a warmer bed could help guests to sleep better whereas a cooler bed would tend to inhibit sleep.

Personally, I don't know about a warmer bed helping somebody to sleep.  I actually prefer a colder bed and colder room.  There is nothing I like more than to slide underneath some cool sheets and pulling the covers up around my head.  Besides, the mere thought of a stranger climbing into bed to warm it for me just sounds kind of creepy.

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One Second After

I don't get to read as often as I like to these days.  When I do get a chance to dive into a book, I usually do not gravitate towards fiction that often.  However, a couple days ago I did start reading a book by William Forstchen called "One Second After."  I am probably about one third of the way through the book, and thus far, I am enjoying it. Normally, I would wait until I am finished reading a book before blogging about it, but the subject matter in "One Second After," while fiction, is of great importance to our society, regardless of political affiliation.

The story takes place in a quiet town in North Carolina.  People are going about their daily lives when all of a sudden the power goes out.  But this is not an ordinary power failure.  Not only does the electricity go out, but everything that uses modern circuitry is fried, including telephones (land and cell) and automobiles.  The disaster comes as a result of an attack from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from a nuclear weapon detonated above the atmosphere over the United States.  The book deals with how our society as a hole is ill equipped to deal with such a tragedy, and follows the struggle of the main characters to survive.

The reason the book is important, is that this is a very real threat facing the United States.  Nearly everything that we rely on is dependent on the delicate micro-circuitry of modern technology.  If there were to be an EMP attack on our nation, the entire electrical grid would be vulnerable.  Everything could be fried.  It would not be a case of the local utility truck coming out to fix a few components and everything be back to normal.  In fact, most vehicles these days are loaded with mini computers and would likely not work after the attack.  It is estimated that it could take not just months, but years to fully repair the grid.  Upgrading the grid to protect it from the vulnerability of attack will be costly, but it is a matter of national security.

I remember a few years ago when Hurricane Isabel came up the Atlantic Coast.  We lost our power for about four days.  That was a major inconvenience for my family.  It was terribly difficult to try to explain to my special needs son the reason why he could not do the things he takes for granted everyday.  Then there was dealing with Mrs. Dickster complaining about how ridiculous it was that the power was taking so long to get back on.  We were at least fortunate enough that we had relatives nearby who did have power to allow us to enjoy the simple pleasures of watching television.  Imagine how your life would be impacted without power for an extended period of time.

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Scott Brown:Senator Elect Massachusetts

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It is about 9:15 as I begin writing this. I am watching the election results coming in on FOX and it is looking more and more likely that the Republican, Scott Brown will defeat the Democrat, Martha (Marcia) Coakley. One would think that the Democratic leadership would take this at a sign that the people in general are unhappy with the direction that the Democrat leadership; Pelosi, Reid, and Obama are taking the country.

Instead, in an amazing show of how arrogant and out of touch the leadership is, my Congressman, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) has an unbelievable quote.  According to The Hill, Hoyer is quoted as saying that "I think what the public is angry about is they see, first of all, an opposition for opposition's sake."

Are you fucking kidding me??!!  Massachusetts, a state where Democrats have a 3-1 edge in registered voters and has not had a Republican Senator since 1972 has elected a man who will break the Democrats fillibuster proof margin in the Senate.  This will make it harder for the Democrats to further their far left agenda and Hoyer actually can make a statement like that with a straight face?

So now we have a Republican win a Senate race in a heavily Democrat state like Massachusetts.  This comes after a Republican won the gubernatorial race in New Jersey, another heavily Democrat state, and a landslide Republican gubernatorial win in Virginia.  Somehow the Dems don't seem to get that the people are angry.  It will be interesting to see what types of shenanigans that the Democrat leadership will come up with now to force through an agenda that the people don't want.

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Music Monday-Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes "If You Don't Know Me By Now"

Since I failed to pay tribute to the passing of Teddy Pendergrass when the news first broke, I decided to do so with my pick for Music Monday.  I bought the 45 of this hit by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes back when this song was released in 1972.  Teddy Pendergrass was the lead vocalist.

After five years with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Teddy released his first solo album in 1977.  In 1982, he was in a serious automobile accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down.  In spite of being confined to a wheelchair, Pendergrass continued his musical career. He passed away last week at the age of 59 after a battle with colon cancer.  RIP Teddy.    

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Speed Cameras: Safety or Revenue?

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My blogging buddy Harrison over at Just Politics posted an article today called Klosing the Kalifornia Budget Gap: Katch Speeders! He points out that California included a provision in their latest budget to allow jurisdictions to add speed sensors to red light cameras.  Violations come with a heavy fine of $225-$325.  He also talks about how much revenue the state would expect to generate from the speed cameras.

His post reminded me of news that has occurred locally here in the DC area.  The argument rages on as to whether or not speed cameras and red light cameras are legitimate tools for traffic safety or tools to raise revenue in these tough economic times.  Lawmakers say that the purpose of any of these cameras are to make the roads safer, not to raise revenue.  Like the old saying goes, however, actions speak louder than words.

The state of Maryland recently made it legal for speed cameras to be placed throughout the state.  Previously, only Montgomery County had the cameras in place.  In Montgomery County they are looking at moving away from the fixed speed cameras to mobile speed cameras.  The reason?  Revenues from the cameras have dropped significantly and they have a budget shortfall.  MOCO expected to bring in $29.3 million but only managed to generate $17.8 million because they issued over 280,000 fewer tickets than expected.  One camera generated 12000 tickets the first month, but now only issues 2800 month.

In my home county of Prince George's County, the county government was set to place some fixed speed cameras in school zones.  The county executive, Jack Johnson, decided instead to go with mobile units.  The reason for the change?  Projected revenues from the fixed camera project were too low.

If safety were truly the goal of the cameras, then revenue should not be a factor. Since the cameras are issuing fewer tickets, they have had the desire effect of changing driver behavior.  Unfortunately governments, especially heavily Democrat governments like MOCO and PG, are addicted to taxing their constituents and are counting on that revenue.  So, when their policies accomplish their goals and change behavior, they have to find more ways to replace the funds.

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Possible Trial of Bali Bomber in DC

Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) continues to prove to me that if you change one letter in his name then you get an apt description of what he truly is.  For you liberals out there that need everything handed to you like you expect the government to do for you, I will give you a clue.  Change the "a" in his name to an "o."

Word coming out of DC is that Attorney General Eric Holder and the Obama administration continue to act against the wishes of the majority of American citizens and are considering trying the alleged mastermind of the Bali night club bombings, Riduan Isamuddin AKA Hambali, in Washington DC. Recent Rasmussen polls show that 55% of Americans oppose holding trials of Gitmo terrorism suspects in civilian courts.  You could possibly make the case of trying a suspect in the US if the act of terrorism occurred here, but this attack took place on foreign soil

Congressman Moran says that at least the Obama administration is doing something other than leaving them in a "black hole" like Gitmo.  Now, when I think of a "black hole," I think of the Black Hole of Calcutta, quarters so cramped that over 100 prisoners died from suffocation and/or heat exhaustion.  Gitmo is hardly a black hole. It is a state of the art facility, but it is a prison, and it is not supposed to be pleasant.  I guess Moran also doesn't care about the Gallup poll that showed that Americans by a nearly 2 to 1 margin oppose the closing of Gitmo and bringing detainees to the US.

Personally, I would rather assholes like Hambali be held in a facility closer to the Black Hole of Calcutta. Actually, I have said it before and I will say it again here, I think they should be shot while trying to escape.  The problem with leftist twits like Moran is that they always know better than the majority what is best for us.  They don't care that the majority of people oppose trying terrorists in civilian courts and bringing them to prisons in the US.  This arrogance is going to bite them in the ass very soon.

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Looking For Love...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

I heard about Roxxxy on the Sean Hannity radio program of all places when I was driving home from work last night.  Roxxxy is the latest in sex toys, but she is not your run of the mill blow up doll.  Roxxxy is a robot and is set to retail for $7000-$9000.  She (?) was introduced to the world at the recent Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas last Saturday.

She is a life sized, anatomically correct robot fitted with artificial intelligence who can interact with users in simple conversation.  There are sensors throughout the robot that can sense when it is being touched.  A touch of the hand brings a response of how she enjoys holding hands.

The company that has produced Roxxxy is called True Companion.  She can be customized with one of five "girlfriend" personalities, like Wild Wendy or Frigid Farrah, though why anyone would want to spend 7 grand for a frigid sex robot is beyond me.  While she can talk and be customized, she can't move so she has to be carried everywhere.  Since she weighs 120lb, not an easy task.

About the only practical use that I could think of for Roxxxy, at least for me, is to have her in the passenger seat of my car (fully clothed) so that I can use the HOV2 lane to avoid the bumper to bumper traffic.  Though to be honest, it might be a better choice than the vacuum at a car wash.

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High Blood Pressure

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I am on medication for high blood pressure. I have been on it now for about a year. To be honest, I thought that I would be on it much earlier than that. My mother has been on blood pressure medication since she was in her 30's.

There are a number of risk factors for developing high blood pressure, or hypertension. There are a number of factors that can put you in a high risk class, some you can control, some you can't.

Those factors that you can not control include race (blacks are more prone to high blood pressure), age, and family history. As I said, my mother developed hypertension in her 30's and I am in my late 40's, so I have two out of the three risk factors there.

There are a lot more factors that you can control, but it isn't easy. I won't list all of the factors, but some of the strikes against me are being overweight, not as active as I used to be, stress, too much alcohol, and too much salt. It is not that I put salt in my food, but I do eat a lot of processed foods which contain a lot of sodium.

The bad thing about hypertension is that often there are no symptoms. That is why it is often referred to as a silent killer. Left undiagnosed, and therefore untreated, can have devastating consequences. Among the possible conditions that hypertension can lead to are damage to the arteries, aneurysms, heart failure, heart attack and stroke.

One of the reasons that I decided to post about this particular subject is that we had a recent close call in the extended Dickster family.  Over the holidays, somebody we knew suffered an aortic dissection.  Fortunately, they were able to call 911 and get treatment, but it was close.  This person suffers from hypertension but failed to take their medication, so they did not have the disease under control.  They are currently recovering and improving but still has a ways to go.

So my admonition to everyone is to check your blood pressure on a regular basis.  There are enough automatic blood pressure machines in the grocery stores and drug stores that you can stop and check it now and then.  See your doctor and get checked, especially if you have any of the risk factors.  And for goodness sake, if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and put on medication, PLEASE TAKE YOUR MEDICATION.  Your life depends on it.

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Music Monday-Blake Shelton with Trace Adkins "Hillbilly Bone"

This week my choice for Music Monday features two of my favorite current country stars, Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins. There are a couple of reasons why I like this video. First off, it is just fun.

Second, it reminds me a little bit of a black tie dinner I had to attend for work when I was dating my wife. It was one of those fancy dinners where they have tiny food on big plates and the food looks more like a decoration than a meal. A little more than two minutes into the video, they bring Trace and Blake their food. The look on Trace's face pretty much sums up how we looked when we got our plates. After the dinner, we went through the McDonald's drive through to get some food in our stomachs.

Blake Shelton   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

A Warning for My Fellow Bloggers

Like many of my fellow bloggers, I decided a while ago to try to make a buck or two with my blogging.  I don't expect to get rich or quit my day job with it, but if I can get a little extra cash coming in to help with the bills.  If I could generate enough consistent income to get rid of the pizza delivery job, then that would be great.

So, as I was checking out other blogs either through Entrecard or Adgitize, I would occasionally see the ads on the different blogs to make money blogging.  I signed up with SocialSpark, PayPerPost, SponsoredReviews, and PayingPost.  I was accepted into all of them except for PayingPost.  At the time, they were not accepting blogs that were hosted on blogger.

Since I decided to get my own domain name, I went back to the PayingPost website a few days ago to resubmit my blog under the new URL.  PayingPost had become Blogadvertisingstore.  My blog was accepted, and I installed their required code into my blog template.  I now had another source of potential income for my blog, or so I thought.

Last night, I was out delivering pizzas when I got the following email message from SocialSpark telling me they could not approve one of my sponsored posts through them:

This URL leads to a Virus error (from www.blogadvertisingstore.com, possibly an ad on the blog). Please remove any malicious code from the blog as containing such may cause the blog to be removed. Once this is done, please resubmit. If you have any questions, please contact us. Thank you!

Needless to say, I came home last night and removed the code from my template and resubmitted the post for approval.  Problem solved?  Not quite.

This afternoon, I fired up the laptop to do a post and visit some blogs.  I typed in my URL and my browser redirected me to my Verizon Internet Security Suite site saying the site was blocked as being a fraudulent website.  I spent the last two hours on the phone with tech support who did verify that there was no longer any malicious code on the website.  Since I did send in a report that it was a "false positive" they should have it cleared in a few days.

Apparently, I am not the only blogger who has had issues with code from PayingPost/Blogadvertisingstore.  Here are a couple posts from other bloggers: Walking Newspaper, Mariuca's Perfume, Nischa's World, and i-TONG.  So fellow bloggers, if you want to make a little extra money through sponsored blog posts, I would stay away from blogadvertisingstore.  I hope that I have gotten the code off quickly enough that I won't be blocked by too many folks.

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BAM Racing VIP Fan Experience

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of BAM Racing. All opinions are 100% mine.

Two of my favorite things in my relaxation time are music and sports. You may have noticed in a lot of my Music Monday posts, that I am partial to Country Music. Over the last four years or so, I have really gotten into NASCAR racing. So much so, that at least for television viewing, it has become a close second to football for my favorite sports. I have yet to see a live NASCAR race, but I hope to soon.

BAM Racing has come up with a way to combine NASCAR racing with Country music, a winning combination in my opinion. They are teaming up with Warner Nashville Music to create a unique VIP Fan Experience.  As a VIP, your name and photo will appear on the #49 BAM Racing Sprint Cup Car along with one of the WNM stars participating in the program.  Among the stars already signed up are Larry the Cable Guy, Blake Shelton (one of my favorites), James Otto (one of my son's favorites), and Jessica Harp.

(In my best infomercial announcer voice) "But Wait! There's More!"  VIP's also have the opportunity to get backstage access at concerts, music video shoots, and maybe the ultimate opporunity for a NASCAR fan, an all access NASCAR weekend including sitting on top of the pit box with the owner at a Sprint Cup Race.  How cool would that be?  There are a bunch of other perks for VIP that you can check out at VIP Fan Experience. 

BAM racing also announced this week that they have formed an alliance with Robby Gordon Motorsports.  This will give them more resources to field a competitive car each week.  Beginning February 6th, Speed Week kicks off the 2010 Sprint Cup Season with the Daytona Shootout.  Speed Week ends with the biggest race of the season, the Daytona 500.  I can hardly wait. 

Nothing Says Loving...

Nothing says loving like 120,000 pounds of crap??

Dick Kleis is a farmer in eastern Iowa.  In honor of his wife's 67th birthday, he decided to spell out in large letters his birthday wishes.  So he took three hours and 60 tons of manure to spell out "HAP B DAY LUV
U."  He ran out of manure before he was able to add a heart to the message.  Who says romance is dead?

I was telling my wife the story.  When I told her Kleis made a large sign to wish his wife a happy birthday, her response was, "That's sweet."  Then when I told her what the sign was made of, she was, well, in a word, repulsed.

Fortunately, the 60 tons of shit wasn't her only present.  The lovely couple also went out to dinner and a movie.  I hope he washed his hands first.

Coke Olympic Medallions

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of iCoke.ca. All opinions are 100% mine.

The Winter Olympics are headed to Vancouver, Canada next month. To celebrate, the Coca-Cola company is running a special promotion exclusively at Mac's convenience stores.  All you have to do is purchase any two 591ml Coca-Cola product at any Mac's convenience store and you can receive a FREE Coca-Cola Collectible Medallion.  There are three special medallions available, and not surprisingly, they come in gold, silver, and bronze.

All things being equal, whenever I am looking for a soda to quench my thirst, I usually go with a Coke product.  My personal favorite is Coke Zero when available, or Diet Coke.  If the wife and I are out together and stop to fill the car with gasoline at a place like Mac's we like to go in and get a soda for the road.  She usually opts for a Sprite, so this promotion would be perfect for us.
 
I love sports collectibles and Olympic collectibles are always popular.  Personally, I would want to try to get all three medallions.  So, if you live in Canada or are planning a trip there soon, stop in at Mac's and pick up a couple Coke products and get your free medallion.  The promotion has already started and is scheduled to run through the end of February.  However, the giveaway is subject to availability so don't wait too long to take advantage of this special offer. 

Underwear Bomb, OK. Play-doh, Not So Much

I don't usually find myself in agreement on too much with Len over at First Door on the Left. I find myself, at least in part, in agreement with his post called They Win in which he discusses the attempted bombing on Christmas Day by the Underwear Bomber.

To quote from that post:

First, they want to disrupt our way of life. Their goal is not, as the Republicans would have you believe, to kill us or to wipe us off the face of the planet. Their goal is to destroy our freedoms and our way of life, both of which they are extremely jealous and envious. Since we so eagerly become more paranoid and so willingly give up more of our freedoms each time one of them pulls one of these stunts, in this they are definitely succeeding.

For the most part, I agree with this assessment, though I believe they want to take as many of us out as they possibly can.  He is absolutely correct that they want to disrupt our way of life and have us give up the freedoms we enjoy in this country in the name of security.  A prime case in point is an incident that occurred in New Orleans.

A TSA officer at the New Orleans airport confiscated Play-doh from a 3 year old boy.  It was a Christmas present from the child's grandmother, and it was one of his favorite gifts he had received.  Needless to say, he was quite upset.  When we get to the point where we take toys away from a 3-year old child in the name of security, we have lost and the bad guys have won.

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Enhanced Screening, the ACLU, and CAIR

Image via Wikipedia

In response to the Underwear Bomber's, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, failed attempt to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight headed for Detroit on Christmas day, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration has issued more stringent screening guidelines. The guidelines, or enhanced screening, apply to passengers traveling from countries that have been identified as "state sponsors of terrorism."

The TSA states that, "Every individual flying into the U.S. from anywhere in the world traveling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest will be required to go through enhanced screening."  The majority of these countries could best be described as "Muslim" countries.

It should come as no surprise that civil liberties groups have come out to condemn the new guidelines. The ACLU (the Anti-American Civil Liberties Union) has said that the new guidelines are,"essentially a pretext for racial profiling, which is ineffective, unconstitutional and violates American values. We shouldn't complacently surrender our rights for a false sense of security." 


Not to be left out, CAIR (the Council on American-Islamic Relations) had to put in their two cents, "Under these new guidelines, almost every American Muslim who travels to see family or friends or goes on pilgrimage to Mecca will automatically be singled out for special security checks -- that's profiling," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad in a statement. "While singling out travelers based on religion and national origin may make some people feel safer, it only serves to alienate and stigmatize Muslims and does nothing to improve airline security," Awad said.

My response?  I could give a flying fuck what the ACLU or CAIR has to say on the subject.  Conservatively, I would say that I probably disagree with the ACLU at least 90% of the time, and I would say most patriotic Americans feel the same.  And let's not even get me started about CAIR.  CAIR leaders have been quoted as saying that they want "Islam to be the dominant religion of the United States," and they want "the US to be under sharia law."  

Let's face it, if you are going fishing for tuna are you going to go to the desert or are you going out to the ocean? While not all Muslims are terrorists, the vast majority of terrorists have been Muslims.  If you are going to try to find terrorists and prevent them from coming to this country, don't you need to identify them where they are?  I am sorry (not really) if that viewpoint offends the sensibilities of groups like the ACLU and CAIR, but CAIR has been silent for too long and too slow in condemning terrorist activities.  Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab never should have been on that flight on Christmas day.  If so called "profiling" can prevent another Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab then it is worth it in my humble opinion.    

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Music Monday-Jason Aldean "The Truth"

It is a classic country theme.  Girl leaves guy.  Guy still loves girl.  Guy falls apart.  My first pick for Music Monday in 2010 is Jason Aldean and "The Truth." from his Wide Open CD.

Jason Aldean   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

New Year, New Home

When I first started this blog, I wasn't sure how far I wanted to go with it.  At first, I thought it would just be an outlet for me to express some thoughts and share some things I found interesting.  As time has gone on, it has taken on a life of its own.

This blog has become my chief hobby in the evenings and weekends, and is something that I have decided I want to make a long term project.  Consequently, I have decided to drop the blogspot URL and get my own domain name.  Now, instead of dickstersrandomthought.blogspot.com, I can be found at www.dickstersrandomthoughts.com.

I still have my original goals that I had when I first started this blog.  However, as the blog has grown, so have the goals.  There are some new things that I want to accomplish, and feel that they would best be served by having my own domain. 

According to blogger, people will automatically be forwarded to the new domain if they enter the old address.  Unfortunately, some of my traffic building will have to start from scratch.  If you happen to be a fellow blogger and have linked to my original address, I would appreciate if you could update your links to the new address, www.dickstersrandomthoughts.com.