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Sunday, 21 June 2009

  • Hate someone?

    Is there someone whom you don't care much for right now?  Want to have a little fun at their expense without really doing them any harm?  I received this email the other day; it would be interesting if the contact information for that person you don't like got sent in.  The again, they would be set to receive 1,000,000 Pounds Stirling, so you may be doing them a service.  Anyway, just thought I'd pass this along. 

    jbautista@intercable.net

     
    show details Jun 19 (2 days ago)



     We are pleased to inform you that you have been Awarded the sum of 1,000,000.00 GBP in the Tobacco 2009 Program.

     Please fill the contact form given below.

     Contact email: contactluis01@btinternet.com
     Names
     Address
     Country
     Age
     Sex
     Phone/cellphone

Wednesday, 06 May 2009

  • Currently
    Room on Fire
    By The Strokes
    see related

    Keeping up Appearances

    I got a lousy haircut today.  The lady who cuts my hair was sick, (swine flu?), so I had to either reschedule or see someone else.  Since I was looking pretty shaggy, I elected to see someone else.  Big mistake.  I should have remembered that unless you specifically ask for someone, they give you to the "new girl" or the one who, for whatever reason, doesn't have many clients.  Anyway, I'm pretty sure this girl had never cut a guy's hair before in her life.  A couple times she tried to tell me we were all done when there were long spots, uneven areas or random wisps of hair sticking out in places.  I had to then point them out and ask if she could fix it.  In the end, it turned out to be only a semi-bad haircut because she essentially just ended up giving me a buzz-cut; something I could have done at home for the mere cost of the electricity required to operate the clippers but instead paid $33 dollars for.  Thanks, new girl.

      Picture 1

    Besides losing some hair, I've decided to take a few steps towards losing some weight.  I've lost several pounds since living in OH just as a result of not eating junk from the student union or Dickson St. all the time, (damm I miss Flying Burrito), but to get down to the level I'd like to be is going to take a little effort.  Some regular cardiovascular exercise couldn't hurt, so I'll be trying to do some of that, (note the elliptical behind me), but keeping better tabs on what I eat is also in order.  Until now, I've had no idea how many calories I consume in a day.  I've known that it's less than at times in the past, but I had no idea many calories are in various foods, or how many are burnt through exercise.  However I came across a great iPod application called Lose It! that can track all that stuff for you.  You tell it what you eat throughout the day and it tells you how many calories you've consumed.  It has a pretty extensive database of foods, both from the supermarket and from restaurant chains, and items that are not listed can be added very easily.  It's actually a lot of fun, in a strange kind of way.  One thing I learned is that a glass of cranberry juice has as many calories as a good beer.  (Goodbye Ocean Spray, hello Sam Adams).  Also, a hamburger bun has almost as many calories as the hamburger inside of it - at least when you make them at home.  (200 for the bun, 250 for the burger). 

    Anywho, I'll quit before I go Richard Simmons on you, but wanted to share a few observations.  I never thought I'd give a flying flip about the nutrition labels on foods, but I guess I never thought I'd be 30 either.  Or pay someone $30 bucks for a $5 dollar haircut. 

Saturday, 28 March 2009

  • Currently
    Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel
    By Nintendo
    see related

    A Short Argument for Free Trade

    Here's an excellent post, taken from Cafe Hayek.

    Free Trade is Common

    Don Boudreaux

    Persons who, fancying themselves observant realists, insist that "free trade doesn't exist" have their visions and brains distorted by political boundaries.

    It is quite true that national governments almost universally erect barriers that hinder their citizens' freedom to trade with citizens ruled by other national governments.  Some governments erect higher barriers than do other governments.  But, indeed, it's rare to find a national government that doesn't indulge the greed of politically powerful interest groups, as well as the prejudice and economic ignorance of much of its population, with trade barriers.

    And yet free trade is ubiquitous.  Freedom to trade generally reigns within political borders.  For example, the 50 U.S. states are united on one very large and very successful free-trade zone.

    Karol, Thomas, and I live in Burke, Virginia.  We are free to trade not only with cabbage growers in Culpeper, Virginia, but with cabbage growers in California.  We trade freely with residents of any state, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the U.S. border with Canada to the U.S. border with Mexico.  That is, whatever taxes and burdens Uncle Sam might impose (however wisely or foolishly) on economic activity within the U.S., those burdens are nation-wide.  No special space-specific burdens are placed on my and my family's ability to trade with other Americans; no extra tariff or restriction applies to our exchanges with an Alaskan or with a Floridian simply because we do not live in those states.

    Practically speaking, therefore, there is free trade throughout the United States.  My family and I routinely buy wine from California and Oregon, oranges and lemons from Florida, computer software from Washington state, maple syrup from Vermont, peaches from South Carolina, television newscasts from New York and Atlanta, lumber from Alabama, spicy sauces from Louisiana, crabs from Maryland.  The list is long.

    And yet no one, not even Lou Dobbs, insists that the Boudreaux family would be richer if only the government in Richmond could fine a successful way around the U.S. Constitution and managed to slap stiff tariffs on California wine, Florida citrus fruits, cajun seasoning from Louisiana, and you name it.

    Surely the burden of persuasion is on those who would insist that each American would be more prosperous if only his or her state were better able to restrict trade with citizens of other states.  If this burden of persuasion cannot be met, then the case for free international trade is pretty solidly established.

    Anyone skeptical of free trade must explain why political borders are economically relevant.  With the exception of pointing to (mostly rather vague and poorly considered) national-defense issues, protectionists have never managed -- and I dare say never will manage -- to impart genuine economic relevance to political borders.

    Because all reasonably prosperous countries today impose no, or only very few, internal restrictions on trade, two facts stand: (1) free trade is in fact quite common, and (2) free trade is beneficial.

    I have a lot of interest in the topic of free trade and the rumors that the Obama administration plans to scale back some provisions of the NAFTA.  We're already seeing some of this, how much further is it going to go? 

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

  • Currently
    The Virtue of Selfishness (Signet)
    By Ayn Rand
    see related

    For Pete's Sake, Where's Your Inside Voice?!?

    No, this is not a post about the girls being loud inside; it's about the doctor at the table across the room talking with his lawyer at the top of his lungs about his latest lawsuit.  I'm at the Coffee Beanery trying to get some work done and this guy is driving me insane.  Since I'm not getting any work done, I figured I'd do this for a few minutes.

    We're back in Little Rock now.  Fayetteville was great, but we didn't get to spend near enough time there.  I didn't catch much fishing, but Todd England caught a massive crappie.  (16", 2+ lbs).  Hopefully we'll sell our house in OH soon so we can move to TX and then make trips to see everyone a lot more often.  I would have liked to have seen the Ayres new house or the farm of Hale / petting zoo.  Another day on the lake would have been great too.  Oh well.  At least I'm getting work done and having a productive time back here in LR.  Oh wait... no.   

    Earlier today I stopped by Lonnie's office.  He took an impression of my upper teeth so he can have a bite guard made for me.  No, it's not for my mixed martial arts activities, (I always knock the other guy out before I get hit); it's because I'm grinding my teeth while I sleep at night and have already worn down my two bottom incisors.  After last year's squeezing-my-hand-during-the-night issue, I'm convinced that my body is trying to tear itself apart while I sleep.  There must be destructive subliminal messages in the music I've been listening to.  I think I'll go ask that lawyer if I could sue someone over this.  Maybe it'll shut the doctor up for a while.

Friday, 20 March 2009

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goatmaster1

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    • Name: Travis
    • Country: United States
    • State: Ohio
    • Metro: Columbus
    • Birthday: 3/5/1978
    • Gender: Male
    • Member Since: 10/3/2005

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