DanJoe

Comments by HaloScan

Well I found a free comments code from Haloscan. I'm going to try it out. If any of you know of a better one, definitely let me know.

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Comments and template changes

I'm trying to figure out how to let people add comments to my blog. So far I have no clue how and when I go to find out, I get side tracked. I also want to figure out how to make changes on my template. I have already been able to do so, but with the help of my wife. I need to figure this thing out on my own.

Firefox has a bug...what?

Well apparently there is a bug that causes Firefox to crash. I guess it was a matter of time, but then the same bug crashes Microsoft s IE. Now, who do you think will have the quickest permanent fix. I would venture and say...mozilla! Check out the story.

A funny Link for Feb 2

I haven't really been adding much to my blog and that is because of computer issues. I hope to keep it actively updated. I ran across this very comical site Not My Desk and just have to share it. The Bio's had me laughing so hard. Another site that was rather comical was Concerned: A humor comic based on the world of of Hal-Life 2. Check it out when you have a moment.

State of the Union...what?

Ok, so it's been a while since I've posted. For those of you who do read my blog, if there are any of you, I apologize and well, let's get busy.

Tonight I listened to the State of the Union. However, it seemed more like the State of the World address. Why in the world did Bush just say the same thing he has said five times already? I did not want to hear anything about Iraq or any other nation at this time. It's in the news everyday and he has talked about it several times in the past month. Do I want to hear about it...yes, but not tonight. I wanted to hear about the Union...my union, and not some other country.

The thing that saddens me with Bush, Kerry, Clinton, Hastert, Kennedy, and all the others is...they just don't get. The insipid Democratic response was as painstaking as sitting through my dry world history class at eight in the morning my Junior year in college. I knew I had to take that class, but I could not keep my eyes open, the teacher was quite odd, and I could care less about what a Caesar did one thousand years ago. But, if I had to choose, I would take the class over the idiotic response.

Now, things that were not address:

Health - Why in the world is it the responsibility of the government to control my health or insurance? If you look at other nations, Canada, the UK, and other European nations who have centralized medicine, you will quickly see a ship steaming ahead into the dock without a way to stop. One of these days it will hit shore and people will be hurt. Why can politicians not see that? And how is it fair that large corporations can deduct 100% of their health insurance costs, yet individuals or small businesses cannot? What in the world makes that fair? If you want to fix the health crisis, allow people to control their own policies and not government. Why does government regulate that if a woman is 80 years old, her policy must include pregnancy coverage? Why? Why is that that if you are a vegetarian, non-smoker, and non-drinker your policy must contain coverage for drug addiction, tobacco, and alcohol? If you want to fix the health crisis, allow us to purchase an a-la-cart type policy. With Government out of the picture, we will be able to cut down medical expenses and I will be on the same playing field as the fortune 75 companies. Let me choose my own, don't dictate, and allow me to deduct 100%.

Education - Why is it that politicians are afraid to give us the choice. They feel that they must always provide for us. Their politics is what is causing the dumbing down of America. We are behind in education because of three things, Unions, lack of choice, and lack of accountability. Why in the world are we required to pay school taxes, yet we can't take those taxes and choose the school? In Europe, the money follows the student. In America, the student is mandated to attend the district they live in. If the school is awful they have no choice. Because Unions control the school and have deep lobbyist pockets, they make all decisions. And because Unions will never fire or allow you to fire anyone, the incompetent teachers get to stay in the system perpetuating the issue. If politicians, both state and federal would allow us the choice like many other nations who far surpass us in education, then things would turn around. If politicians would allow us to take our money and send our children to the school of choice, then things would turn around. Why if I want to send my child to a private school am I penalized? I pay twice the amount. I pay via taxes and then I have to pay out of my own pocket for the private school. The President and Congress and State officials will never fix this issue till they can address the three areas I mentioned.

Taxes - This section could take me a whole web page just to even attempt to explain. All I have to say is FairTax! Why are we the only country where business' are double taxed? Why is it that small businesses cannot make it because of the tax burden? For example, I own my own business. And for two years now, I have to write a check to the state, city, county and to the Feds monthly, quarterly, and yearly. All for various taxes. I have yet to pay myself. I have basically been paying everyone but myself. Until the IRS is done away with, we will continue to slump down this heavy taxed burden road. Wonder why the gap between the wealthy and poor is increasing? Look at the stupid tax code. This topic has got to be one of the most frustrating for me. I guess I'll end this section before I get an aneurysm More on this down the road sometime.

I won't bother addressing immigration, social security, retirement, the borders, gas prices, and ANWR in this topic. I'll have to put some thought in to them and express them later. As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Dennis Hastert, and all of them failed miserably. The State of the Union speech was a joke because all is not well with the Union. If you think so, ask the thousands being laid of by Ford and Craft. And the Democratic response was nothing but spoiled warm beer to someone who just walked out of spending a week in a desert with no water. Now, I have no idea what spoiled warm beer is like, but the analogy seems to fit my point. If not, well...too bad :)

Bush, Kerry, Gore and Hillary

Well, the Google adsense ads on my site are listing links to "I hate Bush," "Don't blame me, I voted for Kerry," and other anti-bush propaganda. Interesting that they would show up since I do not have any anti-bush propaganda on my blog. So, this now brings me to this topic.

I do not hate Bush, but I am gravely disgusted and disappointed with him. Back in 2000 Gore was a cretin, so we had to choose the smarter of the two. In 2004 I told everyone that no matter who we chose, we would be burned. I felt that Kerry was a Forest Fire and Bush was a Brush Fire. Both would burn us and both would hurt, but Kerry would consumer us. I felt we again, had to choose the lesser of two evils, which is terrible when you think about it. Before you bombard me, know this...I vote on principal not political party. We are called to vote on conscience, principals, morals, and ethics and choose a person who most closely fits that. Having said that, I am disgusted and no longer feel that people who run for the most powerful position in the world are ethical. How can they be? Logic would dictate that to accede to the most puissant position in the world does not eventuate by being ethical and nice. That person has to step on a few people and play the political dance which throughout history has proven it's unethical place. This brings us to Hillary Clinton, or the Hildabeast as Neal Boortz calls her.

I do not trust her, and I do not want her in that position. It's not a Democrat vs. Republican thing. It's an, I-don't-trust-her thing. Many of Bill's (as if I know him personnaly and we're on a first name basis) former staff have said this and many who personally know her have also made this statement. Then, anyone with eyes and a brain can see that the whole whitewater ordeal was vanguarded by her. Bill was/is a good guy...though ardent, he's a nice guy. Do I know this personally...No, just like I don't know personally the evils that pervade from Hillary. But many, even those who hate him, indicate how nice a guy he is. Hillary on the other hand is not liked by many and is feared by others. So, when you all vote for her and she wins, I may go out and buy one of those bumper stickers saying, "Don't blame me, I voted for..."

Christian Contemporary Music

Years ago I had a site dedicated to Christian Contemporary Music (CCM), however when Yahoo took over Geocities, they dumped my site. Funny thing is, my wife had a site and her's was not dumped. Weird!

Anyway, this site was dedicated to how CCM is gone the way of the dogs. I tend to lean to the conservative side when it comes to religion, and my music tastes follow that lead. CCM used to be people who sang their praises to God and used their voices for witnessing. But today, it seems to be for the show, the sound and the money. It is more commonly known that many groups cannot start in the mainstream secular music because they just don't have what it takes. So, what do they do? They start their careers singing CCM. Once they get recognized, sell a few albums, they then make the jump to secular where they wanted to be all along. Though I don't take issue with that - side note: I wish many more would do the same because they in no way portray the Bible or Jesus in any good way: end site note - I do take issue with them using God to make a profit.

I for about four or five years did not listen to anything but CCM. During that time I became rather familiar with CCM and it's musicians. I saw Michael English fall; Sandy Patti Fall; Steven Curtis Chapman change his style after touring with Audio Adrenalin; Michael Card drop out of making albums for major labels; Steve Green Make comments about the industry; Michael W. Smith go after the $$; Carmen become the largest concert selling artist; Jackie Velasquez change; Susan Ashton kinda slightly sell out to country; and many many more.

My page made note how out of all the CCM musicians there were two that I highly respected and admired. Well, 5 years later and four years after yahoo dumped my geocities site, Steve Green and Michael Card are still my favorites. They have stood the test of time and show that their hearts are there for the witnessing of Christ and not the money like the rest of the industry. I have my eyes on a few newcomers, but for now, if you do not know Steve Green and Michael Card, do yourself a big favor and become familiar with them. I will definitely be talking about them again. Meanwhile, guard your hearts against the rapid secularization of modern CCM.

Give back and Get back foolishness

Its interesting how the government wants to make oil companies "give back" to the poor. Isn't it interesting how they use the term "give back" as if there is something to give back. Nothing was taken. Kind of reminds me of people who file taxes and "get back." These people have no clue. You get back what you give. But those who get back, are simply given. Those who pay taxes don't get back, and logic would show that they are the very taxes being taken from those who pay only to be given to those who don't. Man, this really aggrevates me.

Another one government can't fix

Yes, I've found another one that government can't fix; and John Stossel, who I've mentioned has become one of my fav reads, sheds light on this. Seems that even small decisions like smoking are a bad idea for govenment to dip their hands in. Since his publication, Geogia has gone smoke free in all indoor establishments. Read John's take on "The busybodies are at it again."

Let the free market be free - keep the government out

I wrote another piece entitled Governments don't fix, they complicate things" on December 26 about how Governments seem to muck things up. Well, another good one by John Stossel entitled "Let the free market be free." This is a definate must-read people. It's interesting how people like to use government to force their agendas, but don't want government meddling otherwise.