[The following commentary was written in response to Climate Change and Affordable Public Transportation]

They used to make corn foam chips for packaging to poorer nations so that they could be eaten when delivered - I don’t know if they still do.

Hemp is the real answer to all our fuel/pollution (not CO2) problems.

We have had the lungs of the world ripped out to gain the privilege of reading propaganda, downright lies and advertising for more of the same on paper made from trees, yet the people who brought you the first mass circulation “newspapers” fought, successfully, to destroy a plant that produces vastly superior paper far more cheaply and easily than killing trees ever could and at 4x the amount per acre (over 20 years) using zero dioxins and it can be recycled 2.5x more than wood-pulp derivatives. This plant produces more biomass per acre than any other almost anywhere on the planet with zero maintenance and no fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides or fungicides. Just plant it and sit back.

Its wonderfully wholesome seeds have an oil content of 34% (more than any other seed) and, after that oil is extracted, to make fuel (at a mind boggling 95% ratio) or foodstuffs, the remaining cake is only beaten by the perilous soy bean in protein content. It provides the world’s strongest natural fiber that when made into fabric, lasts the longest of all the soft fibers, is warmer than cotton, more absorbent and produces over 3x as much per acre.

It is massively efficient as a rotated crop, with corn and legumes for instance. It has a 3 to 4 month growing season even at altitude or in high latitudes. When dried in the field it returns over 50% of the nutrients it took from the soil during growth and this, coupled with the deep nutrients it draws upon with its root system and then sheds in its leaves, makes it easier on the soil and of more benefit to subsequent crops than any other.

Makes one wonder what else this plant is capable of that strikes so much fear into the black hearts of the chemical company owners et al that they continue to suppress it and any investigation into it.

Oh yeah, for those of you who believe we should limit our production of plant food (CO2), this marvel of nature can sequester over 20 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per crop and if its mass, after extracting all the good stuff, is then made into its own extremely viable version of concrete you have the perfect double whammy - carbon sequestering par excellence and carbon reduction through concrete reduction. But that is the last thing that is going to happen because of point one above.

(cannabis does slightly better at most of the above but let’s not rock more than one boat at a time ‘eh.)

See Also:

• Irish Chemist Creates Four Leaf Clover-Marijuana Hybrid

Now I'm a firm believer in that either I'm right and they are wrong, or I'm wrong and they are right. There is the option in some cases where both are right and or wrong. I also believe for all you skeptics out there that I can be wrong ( Yes, I hate to be wrong who doesn't, but I'm willing to be wrong, and be corrected). It's unfortunate that if one has an opinion and a strong one, and they come across as if the other party is wrong, they are arrogant. When did we go that route. Let's rule out the tone, or patronizing issues that go with this and just stick to a person stating what to them is truth to a person who they understand to be in the false. Is this arrogance? I'm going to come back to this in a few...

How is ones opinion, or belief become validated to be true or false? Does it have anything to do with their age? I think not. (1 Tim. 4:12) If you've seen "Smarter than a fifth greater", you'd agree. Some adults are smarter than youth and some youth are smarter than adults, I think we'd all agree. Is being the smarter person (highly educated) the key to having your opinion/belief validated to be true/wrong? I think not. We've all seen or met those with high intelligence that have no common sense or as some say street smarts. We've all seen where the "intelligent" get it so wrong. ( Luke 7:36-50) Is sincerity what validates our opinion/belief to be truth/wrong? I think not. One could be sincerely wrong. ( See the book of Job and his friends diagnosis of his circumstances). Is experiences and or feelings about something the validity of truth/wrong? Nay, While personal experience should not be totally dismissed, it’s not the end all to be all. Many people base their truths on personal experiences. Their must be some outside source of truth. Other wise someone might hear a "voice" that says its O.K to go kill the neighbor across the street. Or one might just like the feeling from killing the neighbor. This is an extreme example, but its happened just watch the news or google it.

So if age, intelligence, sincerity, emotions, feelings and experiences don't validate someones opinions/ beliefs to be truth, what does?

All the above are examples of ones own sources.  Truth as stated early must come from something outside of ourselves. A standard, an authority. There is one authority that ever existed that never needed something out side Himself to be the authority, standard or truth. He was and is the authority on all matters, His words were and are the authority and truth. When the Apostle Paul wrote he greeted in his letters starting off with by whom he is speaking. Where does his authority come from. See an example below:

"For I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me, is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12).

"The things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 14:37)

These are just 2 examples of one man. His proclaimed his source to be something out side him-self, namely God, who is the Authority of, on, and over all.

It should be apparent by now were I am going. In all discrepancies, and disagreements does your opinion/belief come from a source other than your age, intelligence, sincerity, emotions, feelings and experiences. Though these are helpful, they are faulted and not the end all. God is the way, the truth, and the life...He is the authority, the Source that is pure truth. If you have an opinion or belief. Check it against the Word of God (the Bible), and go from there. If you have a decision to make filter it through the Word of God, leave all the impurities of your intelligence and experiences etc. to be secondary, and God's revealed Word and Will to be your guide in life and words in your conversations.

If you find the opinion/belief you have to not align with God's word...repent, throw it away, and accept God's truth.

If you find the opinion/belief you have to align with God's word...Don't let pride rear its ugly head, God has opened your mind and heart to truth. Don't bash people or hold it over their head like you know something. All has been given to you by God. Don't engage in heated disputes, but pray that you would:

"...be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient,  correcting opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive to do his will." (2 Tim. 2:24b-25)

It's not arrogant to speak with authority, as long as you are not the authority but God. Christ spoke of His own authority and was not arrogant. He gave us truth to tell and live by. Speak it and live by it.

That is where both parties must come to in disputes, they must go to the authority on the matter. God is the authority in our lives, he created us and set time into motion. If he doesn't have the answers to your disputes, questions, marital problems, decisions, etc. then no one does, and we are all in trouble.

One last thing: to help people take there focus off your imperfections such as your age, intelligence, emotions etc. Paul gave Timothy an antidote to help him in his situation. I think we can glean from that for our struggle (age, experiences, intelligence etc.) Listen below:

"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe." (1 Tim 4:12)

So whats your authority ( your age, intelligence, experiences, feelings etc.)?

Which of the above in 1 Tim 4:12 do you need to work on?

For me I need to realize I'm just not as smart as I think I am, I'm much worse actually then I would admit freely. I am a Child of God yes, I am grateful for His choosing of me, I need to be  in my Fathers lap, instead of trying to gain my independence from Him. I need God to help me in all 5 of those areas listed in 1 Tim 4:12. I am far from an example of those who believe.

I confess that I am uber sensitive and that makes me so vulnerable, which I really hate about myself. It's like one way of admitting that I am a weak person because I am easily affected by other's action. Oh crap! I am nearly close to a tv. I can be manipulated by a remote control. One touch of a button, then I can be like the protagonist of a soap opera that I detest watching. 

How would you know if you are over acting to a situation? Particularly to an onionskin like me?

A friend told me that I am OA from a forwarded quote.. that friend who is recently broken-hearted..the same person who calls me late at night, whom I talk to till the wee hours of the morning whining about her 6 years failed relationship.. that person who admits that she can't sleep for days or cries profusely in hours..a friend who spammed my phone inbox with heartsick messages..

I already forgot the exact message of that particular friend but it fueled my already nympholeptic state about my rarely used phone unresponsive buttons earlier, when I tried calling the bank. 

I told her not to forward me again with that kind of ‘melodramatic quote'. S-h-I-t! I really forgot the exact word but with what I understand, the quotes implies; "If your love already have someone else, go ahead and love her/him even more; true love is really like that and this will make you happy.."

What the F-u-c-k is that?! Right?! How can you move on if you cater those kind of crappy limiting beliefs? I abhor those kinds of messages that continuously encircle us.

False: We will only be happy in a love relationship with only one person whom is our destiny or soul mate.

Fact: We can be happy with multiple persons, someone whom we are compatible with. (We are billions for Pete's sake!) Heck! We can still be happy even when we are single!!!

FYI.. I never wish to be a leading character of a melodrama.. never! Even in my daydreams!

And oh.. Martyrs get burned at the stake!

(After I have wrote this, I suddenly realized that my reaction might be really went overboard because the truth is I am sick and tired of the whining.. and subconsciously my  way of getting rid of those bothersome is by over reacting so my friend will get angry and will stop bugging me..

 Well..if that's the case then my evil mind achieved it's  purpose. My friend already removed me from her distribution list..  :|)

Sila ang mga kabataang bikitima, biktima ng pagkakataon, pagkakataong magkaroon ng disenteng tahanan, pagkakataong makapag-aral, at higit sa lahat, pagkakataong magkaroon ng maayos na buhay.

Sabi ng isa nating bayani, ang kabataan daw ang pagasa ng bayan,. Pano magiging pagasa ng ating bayan ang ating mga kabataan kung hindi naman natin sila pangangalagaan lalo pa't ang suportang binibigay ng ating pamahalaan ay kulang.

The article left out one important theory--mine.  As the title of this post indicates, my theory is that the invention of the Internet has made us fat.  All that time in front of computers has made us fat.  We are chained to our desk because IM has made us too lazy to get up and walk the 20 feet to our co-worker's desk.  We no longer have to thumb through the yellow pages or actually dial a phone.  Google does it for us from the convenience of our browser.  Leg work has been replaced by finger work, and we don't even lift our wrists to type.  We rest them on gel-filled, ergonomic wrist rests.  We don't even use dictionaries any more.  Just right click the word with the red squiggles under it and the browser will spell it for you.

So, the next time someone asks you why America is getting fatter, blame Al Gore, and rest assured that the rest of the world will be joining us as they become more and more wired.

Just checking to see if her ethnic lips and Euro noe beauty would attract you to this post. She has had a nose job. She is a freak if you really think about it. How many people look like this even with Photoshop? How many people are walking around Wal-Mart looking like this. On the other hand I only walk around Wal-Mart because there is no one else to do it for me. If I did not have to go to Wal-Mart, I would not. Why mix with the lower class (sarcasm).

I am jealous but I don't think I could handle this kind of beauty. But like being a millionaire I think I would like to experience it just for a day.

Angelina does not have good choices in men. Why would she want Brad Pitt. He is just a walking magazine photo.

A Field Poll of 1,052 registered California voters asked “Do you approve or disapprove of California allowing homosexuals to marry members of their own sex?” and for the first time since 1977 – when California’s law was changed to ban the unions – a majority answered that yes, they do support same-sex marriage.

As my Aunt wrote after she saw our story in the Chicago Tribune, “It’s about time.” The Wall Street Journal described it on their May 24 Opinion page, “Court Allows Gay Marriage: Tyranny or Its End?” And my Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa said “It's time for us to bring every American out of the shadows and into the light, and this decision does that here in California.

Personally, I’m hoping to marry my fiancée of eleven years in a couple of weeks, and my friends, family and church are on the edge of their seats.

Please, Governor, keep supporting the freedom to marry in our great state. Keep fighting against the amendment. And most of all, please do whatever you can to make sure marriages start as soon as possible and continue after November.

Yours,

"Saya pikir dalam pertandingan menghadapi Manchester United di Old Trafford, wasit (Mike Dean) punya peran besar dalam menentukan hasil pertandingan. Saya pikir tak seharusnya John Obi Mikel di kartu merah. Saya pikir Paul Scholes seharusnya dikartu merah Minggu kemarin juga hadiah penalti buat Wigan. Tapi semua sudah selesai, saya mengucapkan selamat buat MU," ungkap Grant di Dialymail.

Ungkapan pelatih chelsea itu memang ucapan selamat kepada United setelah meraih kemenangan dalam persaingan perebutan premier league musim ini...namun pada dasarnya ungapan tidak ikhlas itulah menggambarkan kekesalan tidak wajar yang disampaikan kepada publik. Ataukah ini merupakan perasaan takut yang menyelimuti dirinya menjelang partai final liga champions nanti....

Memang ini akan menambah panas persaingan kedua kubu.....Grant ini pun sangat bersyukur karena wasit di final liga champions nantinya tidak dipimpin oleh wasit inggris...seperti yang diungkapkannya....

"Saya katakan pada Anda kalau saya percaya dengan tradisi pertandingan yang adil di Inggris. Saya tidak menentangnya. Tapi apa yang kemudian terjadi sudah saya perkirakan. Di Inggris ada wasit yang sangat bagus - tapi di antara itu ada sedikit yang bisa Anda pengaruhi, seperti yang Anda lihat."

"Ya, bisa dikatakan seperti itu,saya senang bukan wasit Inggris yang memimpin pertandingan final,"

Hufff................Jangan hanya menyalahkan wasit dong Grant...udahlah terima kekalahanmu kita tunjukkan kembali pada musim berikutnya...dan janganlah gugup menghadapi United dan jangan selalu mencari alasan bila kalah dengan United,,.,Dasar.....Grant.......

It doesn't help that she's one of those people that just grate my nerves...not the most entertaining on the show, some kind of kid prodigy, or worthy of role model status. Certainly not worthy of so much press.

Seguramente ya les conocerán, los emo-kids, unos chicos y chicas, seguidores de bandas del género musical nombrado, y aprovecho para la aclaración: NO AUTO-NOMBRADO, Emotive punk (resumido a tan solo EMOPunk), y que claman vivir cada una de sus emociones, lo cual les hace parecer que más bien... tiene las emociones a flor de piel, y en algunos casos extremos sinceramente parecen tener algún trastorno emocional. Lo que les gusta les fascina, lo que les desagrada les hace sufrir, sumamente empáticos esta gente ha empezado a ser perseguida, y no desde hace poco, por sus opositores, quienes al parecer, tienen la capacidad de razonamiento misma que poseería una vaca luego de ser digerida por un niño que almorzó una hamburguesa con queso en McDonald’s.

Simplemente por que no les gusta su manera de vestir, o por que desde su punto de vista ajeno al movimiento se creen en la posición de señalar que ellos no hacen más que seguir una moda completamente visual y carente de significado se dan a la tarea, que incluso algunos llegan a llamar “una obligación” de señalar, molestar, sencillamente incomodarles en cada situación que se les presente en el día a día o hasta dañarlos físicamente, de maneras que ya se han reportado han levado a la muerte. Y tras de todo esto se creen mejores, mejores… señores, permítanme hacerles una sencilla pregunta: ¿COMO? ¿Como se es mejor que otra persona siendo a la vez tanto el verdugo como el jurado? ¿Cómo se puede llegar a ser mejor que alguien quien intenta (por no irnos a ningún extremo) buscar un nivel tan alto de empatía con la sociedad siendo no más que una escoria de persona sin ánimos de eliminar su gran nivel de intolerancia?

En este mundo habremos… ¿cuantas? ¿Unos 150mil millones de personas? ¡No sé! Tal vez más… y de esas personas, en cada ser entre los ciento cincuenta millones, espero que haya una muy distinta y respetable opinión en cada uno: Católicos, cristianos, judíos, cienciólogos, hindúes, sintoístas, jedis, budistas, agnósticos, ateos absolutos; rockeros, seguidores del pop, del JRock, de la música folklórica, del R&B, del Hip Hop, inclusive de eso que llaman reggaetón (si, no me gusta, sinceramente me causa un asco que alcanza lo niveles físicos, pero lo respeto, si te gusta, disfrútalo); Social demócratas, de la extrema derecha tanto de la izquierda extrema, comunistas, cooperativistas, quienes buscan la solución en las comunas casi utópicas; médicos occidentales, curanderos, practicantes de la acupuntura, seguidores del new-age, pasando también, y… ¿por que no?, en quienes utilizan la mariguana con fines médicos; de todos ellos hay uno y miles en cada grupo, y en esos grupos, sin importar si son tan extremos como el “opus dei” cada persona tiene una idea distinta o un poco inclinada, por mas ligera que se esta inclinación, de lo que hacen, sin embargo, y a muy pesar de todo, nadie se mete con ellos, por que… les diré mi opinión del porque.

Los judíos emergieron de una religión politeísta y fueron señalados como herejes e incluso como traidores del imperio, al que algunos pocos impusieron como si ellos mismos hubiesen elegido pertenecer, el magno imperio romano, y la mayoría… la mayoría del pueblo, la mayoría del pueblo se tomo el trabajo, arduo para una conciencia que se valga de serlo, de levantar una mano y señalarlos, creyendo o no el cargo que les imputaban con ellos, sabiendo o no lo que hacían al convertir a esta gente en unos nuevos y futuros mártires… y sí lo hicieron y estos sufrieron, tuvieron que hacer el camino de su propio exilio… ¿pero a que viene todo esto? Para darles mi porque… POR QUE CADA UNO DE LOS HABITANTES DE ROMA Y PUEBLOS INSCRITOS EN SU GRAN ORBITA TEMÏAN SER SEÑALADOS… y eso, usted que lee, es a lo que yo llamo “mi por que”. Es ese mi gran por que del martirio a los emos… ¡ES EL TEMOR A SER SEÑALADOS!

Erase una vez de un pequeño niño, con su frágil apariencia, con temor de agredir a nadie, y enfrascado en su pequeña y propia, ajena al resto, búsqueda por una empatía compartida, que fue amonestado por algún… llamémoslo Bully, gandaya, ese gordito de crecimiento prematuro que se encarga de ser el temor de sus compañeros… y sus compañeros se rieron, no por el, sino con el que fraguaba temor a su alrededor. ¿Lo entienden ahora? ¡¡¡¡TEMOR!!!! Espero haberlo puesto en claro el párrafo pasado pero es necesario de recalcar.

Esta gente acosada, los emos, ¡no, claro que no! ¡Por supuesto! ¡En lo absoluto!, ellos no se van a defender… ¿saben por que?, ¡simple! ¡Ellos no le causan daño a nadie! Es parte de su credo… y luego llegan estos cobardes, cobardes que n le temen a las alturas, ni a tirarse de un paracaídas, cobardes que patinan y cobardes que no saben lo que es huirle a una situación en la que alguna manera se entre en algún tipo de azar físico, son estos cobardes quienes le agreden, por que saben, que ellos no ganaran nada defendiéndose, por undécima vez: ¿y que ganan ellos? ¡ABSOLUTAMENTE NADA! ¡Pero tampoco pierden! ¡Y AHÍ ESTA EL DETALLE!

Dígame usted, si le golpean a un vecinito que ni le agrada ni deja de hacerlo, ¿lo defendería? ¡Por supuesto que si! ¡Es usted, tanto como yo, una persona absolutamente calificada para cometer un acto de lo que alguno llamarían heroísmo con tal de evitar la perpetración de tal acto de crueldad contra una criatura indefensa del señor que tan solo conoce la luz del sol desde hace unos cuatros a siete años! Muy bien, ha pasado la prueba… Ahora… dígame usted, si... ¿Defendería, al mismo niño, si primero lo golpean, luego, lo arrastra frente a su inmaculada acera de concreto chorreado, luego lo amenazan, e inclusive llegan a apuñalearlo? ¡DÍGAME USTED QUE LEE! ¿Lo haría? ¿¡Lo defendería!? ¿¡SI!? ¿¡NO!? ¡YO NO! ¡Por supuesto que no lo haría! ¡Imagínese usted no más! ¡Poner en la ruleta rusa mis oportunidades de poder ver la luz mañana! ¿¡Y por un vecinito que ni me vienen ni me va, que no me importa, que no es mi pesar?! ¡JA! ¡Yo no! ¿¡O si!? ¡Y es que este es el problema! ¿¡Por que no dimos ese paso adelante!? ¿Por que no salimos cuando aun teníamos las agallas para enfrentar a esos vándalos? Ah!? ¿Sabe usted? ¡Yo si! ¡Por que nos gusta disfrutar la desdicha ajena! ¡Pero que va! ¡Cuidado toca a mi puerta la inseguridad ciudadana y todos estos males! ¡Ahí si que se muere hasta el ultimo esbirro de Satán en su casita de barro!

¿Por que no dimos ese paso antes de que mataran al primer emo en Colombia, en Chile, en Argentina?… ¿por que no enfrentamos a esos bueno para nada? ¡Entonces eran menos! Pero igual, el miedo era SOLO nuestro…. ¡Y sin embargo, aun no estamos tarde!

Usted que lee, avance1 póngase de pie, no deje que esto siga sucediendo… y si, por mas vacio que a usted le parezca mi mensaje, yo se lo escribo muy enserio. Unos chicos apuñalaron a un fanático del género conocido como emotive punk en Colombia, ¿y que pasó? ¡NADA! ¡EN ABSOLUTO! ¡Estas “personas” andan por ahí celebrando la ineptitud de las autoridades en cuanto al caso se refiere! Se los repito, no sigamos de brazos cruzados. Cierto que esto no es un nuevo régimen nazi que se forma mas cerca de nuestros muros que del horizonte… ¿o si lo es? ¿Un grupo pequeño de gente que va sembrando el terror a su alrededor si que nadie los detenga tan solo por su intolerancia a otro grupo social? ¡No lo sé para ustedes, pero según yo esto se parece mucho! ¿¡Van a dejar a que sigan caminando en su puente de cristal, que se sostiene bajo las débiles bases que ellos mismos forjaron por ideas que no existen!? ¡Claro que no! ¡O al menos no se los voy yo a permitir!

¡HAGAMOS QUE ESTOS BUENOS PARA NADA SE ENFRENTEN A UNO DE SU TAMAÑO! Ya verán como son menos de lo que se creen, Bullys sin videojuego, eso y nada más, si quieren ganarse una fama propinada con los puños ¿por que no se enfrentan a alguien que al menos se defienda? No apoyemos los blogs y foto-blogs que apoyen los movimientos anti-emo, No sigamos alcahueteando a aquellos que lo apoyan, incluso, sin agresión directa. ¡Es decir! A mi no me gusta ese música siquiera… ¿¡Y!? ¿¡Que tiene eso que ver!? ¡Son personas y merecen ser tratadas como tal! ¡“A ellos les gusta lastimarse” darían algunos! ¡Detalles… son ELLOS y eso puede tener tantos motivos como resultados, pero es SU CUERPO! Y se lo pongo así, si quiere golpear a alguien, siga su ejemplo: ¡Que sea usted mismo, si usted alguna vez pensó en hacerlo, pues no creo que la dicha, la gracia, y una buena voluntad sean características suyas! ¡Así que poco valdrá la pena cuidarla! ¿¡No le parece!?

Intolerancia es uno de los problemas de toda la sociedad y si no puedo ayudar a que la gente deje de utilizar su sistema de aire acondicionado, me encargara de esto, mi problema mas inmediato para con mis conocidos y así moveré el mundo a una más pacifica orbita que ya se ha olvidado. Y no, no estoy diciendo que seamos violentos (por más que la violencia engendre violencia y esta escoria se lo merezca) simplemente luchemos por la justicia, protejamos al débil y hagamos valer nuestra democracia que para eso esta: por una sociedad más segura y apta para cada uno.

JBantha has spoken

The menthol felt to Stuart as refreshing as a coca cola did, though he’d never admit that his fingers shook with the giddiness of smoking again after quitting for 12 years.
There was so much that had happened in those years, mostly all negative. Like some kind of karmic acid, it ate away his mind like the smoke that was intruding on his lungs.

It all started by marrying Julia.
Julia.
It was quite possible that he now hated his wife.
‘Stupid’ he’d thought many times, so many men would take Julia in a moment.
For one thing, her shape hadn’t changed since High School. She simply glowed with youthful beauty. She was a tigress in bed, and for the better part of their 12 years together; Stuart had found himself mentally deflecting other men’s glances at her. Yet he couldn’t remember any one happy time they’d had together.

There was a deeper more sinister Julia that failed to rise to the top in front of other people however, and after all this time of matrimony, he’d grown tired of her histrionics, and of her controlling behavior. Julia made him feel as if he’d been emotionally castrated. She was the man, the woman, and the boss.
Tony drove them expertly through the city traffic towards home. He’d been driving Stuart for years. He was a burly but soft-spoken man.
As the car slowed down towards the interstate on ramp, he turned down the stereo, and tilted his head towards Stewart.
“So, what’d they say?” He probed.
“ It ain’t good.” Stuart told him.
“ Not good how?”
“Like potentially life changing.”
“C’mon!” Tony wouldn’t let the subject go.
“They need more tests” Stuart shrugged, “You know how doctors are. We blow smoke around the whole business just to get the patient’s money”
If Tony wasn’t fooled, Stuart couldn’t tell. The driver relaxed a little as he sped up on the interstate. He changed the subject.
“So why the smokes now?”
“What’re you, my mother??” Stuart lightly punched him in the shoulder.
“ No…I just meant… you like cigars too? I got some Cubans.”
“Where’d you get Cubans? Stuart half laughed half scoffed.
As far as he knew Tony never traveled anywhere. He’d grown up in the city all of his life, in the ghetto holes beyond the industrial tracts. People who were raised there seldom got beyond middle class.
“I got people.” Tony said indignantly, yet with playfulness in his voice, “You come over one day, we’ll smoke’s em up, eh?”
Stuart got it now. Tony had seen through him. The offer of Cubans was a sympathy offering.
“You got it.”

They passed Julia’s Audi in the driveway, which was candy apple red with tinted windows, five thousand dollar chrome rims and meticulously pampered by their mechanic. The car was supposed to be an anniversary gift, only now, it was a symbol of Julia’s excess, used for her many excessive shopping trips
Tony stopped there and let him out. Stuart passed him a 20-dollar bill and straightened his tie.
“Do I smell like smoke?” He asked nervously.
Tony shook his head no and put the bill inside his jacket pocket.
“Same time tomorrow bud?”
“Yep.” Stuart said.
“Good enough.”
The car was gone in a moment; it’s taillights faint while navigating the long driveway to the thoroughfare.
Stuart stepped into the huge foyer with its stone flooring and wooden cross beams, and hung his over coat on its usual hook, third from the left.
No one greeted him, but he knew Julia was there. He could count on her to be in the same room every afternoon watching her soap operas on television. The only thing of equal importance in Julia’s life other than Stuart Rainey’s money, was watching her soap operas.
He looked at his watch. The last one would be on now, he guessed. Julia would expect him to take her out to eat soon. He glanced into the den as she sat perched there gazing in the T.V. , her two Maltese pups curled like so much yarn in the curve of her legs. The dogs looked up simultaneously, long enough to see a familiar face and settled down happily again.
“Hello Julia,” Rainey offered. “How was your day?”
The truth was, she didn’t even have to answer him. He knew how her day was. He’d long ago memorized her meaningless routine.
She’d have her tea in the breakfast nook, and she’d take a little dry toast with strawberry preserves. She’d run to make her work out with a personal trainer for an hour. Mid morning she’d hit the spa, stopping on the way home to have her hair done. She’d meet one of her simpleton friends, for lunch and shopping, and then dash home for her soaps at two p.m. bringing in the two dogs to leave their white hair all over his couch. How she never got tired of her little routine, was beyond him.
“Hmmmm.” She said absentmindedly, never taking her eyes off the television. She wore a flimsy looking, flowing garment that made her look innocent and beautiful, while showing off her perfect breasts. A matching scarf captured her long hair into some style reminiscent of the early seventies. A pair of tidy pink slippers rested askew on the floor.
“I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.” She informed him flatly.
“Okay then” He answered and went upstairs to their bedroom, a huge master suite decorated in rich satins and billowy fabrics. The carpet alone was three inches thick.
Stuart sunk into the mattress with its silky duvet cover surrounded by many needless pillows.
His cell phone was vibrating already. He plucked it out of his waistband and looked at the caller I.D. The hospital.
“Doctor Rainey.” He answered.
“Hello Doctor” The voice matched Reese Thomas, his lab assistant. “I have the results you wanted.”
“Uh, okay.” He cleared his throat, steeling himself for the news.
“I think you’ll have to come in tomorrow, sir.” She told him, “It’s a match.”
“They’re sure?”
“For you, we ran the test four times. I’m sorry.”
“Okay Ms. Thomas. Thank you.”
His head pounded. He looked around the bedroom at several statues that decorated every level of dresser, desk and night table there.
A gaudy abstract painting hung over the bed that they seldom shared on Stuart’s whims alone, but the bed that Julia ruled. The painting was some crazy purchase she told him reminded her of her childhood. It reminded Stuart of something he threw up once: ‘1200 dollars for mashed potatoes and peas’ he scoffed inwardly.
His brain hurt. He hadn’t the energy to sit up, let alone go to dinner with her.
Stuart forced himself up off the bed however. He went into the bathroom adjacent to the room and wet his face with cold water, shaving the five o’clock shadow, and following up with a few careful spritzes of after-shave and cologne. His body was still fairly well built for middle age, no man boobs yet; the scattering of hair on his chest hadn’t turned gray.

‘Not many women would pass on this’ he thought, letting out a sarcastic twitter as he pulled on a gray cotton dress shirt that he knew Julia would probably order him to change.
Nothing he did even remotely satisfied her; nothing that was, except his money. He had tried for the life of him to please her, thinking back to the early days with Julia. Was there anything resembling love then?
A huge black hole of emotions encircled Stuart. He came close to hating that he’d ever been so successful in life, but that would’ve meant hating the father and grandfather who’d fairly risked their family fortunes trying to make Stuart comfortable in life.
His father became a corporate executive and his father before him also, so naturally everyone in his family expected the same grand results from him.
Stuart opted to become a doctor instead.
While not exactly disappointed, his father Aaron Rainey became a petulant watchdog over Stuart’s life. The ten years his son went through medical school, were laced with warnings. Family blood, though thicker than water, held little options for Stuart.
He would succeed, or else.
As Aaron often told his son, “You only have one chance with my money, don’t you dare fuck it up!”
Stuart Rainey spread a fair amount of cocaine out on his shaving mirror. He cut the drug, twice as much as he normally snorted, into tiny lines. Life saving lines, he reasoned.
Dinner would be twice as hard to get through. He’d tell her tonight, he figured.
He sniffed it up fairly quickly risking a nosebleed. Julia would be coming upstairs to change his outfit soon. He didn’t want her to know he was using again. He was fairly sure she’d go into a rage at him, as she’d done in the past when she found out: scratching his face, throwing things at him, maybe even punching and kicking him in the groin.
Now days he couldn’t even say that he wasn’t above hitting her back, but he knew something deep in his brain told him that Julia’s family, a powerful and fiercely loyal family, were also not above retaliation of a very final kind.
He’d tell her tonight, yes, he’d mention it over cocktails.
He had terminal liver cancer, and he had six months to live.

The other day I was surfing title insurance web sites, when I happened on a consumer-focused site. Sophisticated web design, great copy writing, nice logo, a BBB logo, and even a chat widget. Now, I believe that this particular site is legitimate, but when you spend some time on the site, you begin to wonder.  Here's what I noticed:

As I was looking around, I noticed a claim that it was "a brick-and-mortar" operation. I thought great, let's see where they are. I went looking – not a single address to be found – anywhere on the site. I even went to the sitemap – nothing. If you were proud (or even had) a brick and mortar operation, wouldn't you let everyone know where you were located?

I thought there might be some location clues by finding out who owned the operation. The "who we are" page had some nice copy, but not a shred of evidence about who worked at the company or who or what owned the company. I noticed a link to a blog - at least I could find who's posting. No such luck. The authors don't use their real names. Why all the anonymity?

What about the other important things – like who's their underwriter? Where are they licensed? Nothing on those items either, unless you count a reference to "top underwriters." Top what, 20?

My point isn't to pick on the site in question (though it disturbed me), but to point out that consumers shopping for title insurance have no idea if they are dealing with a quality or even a legitimate operation. If the only items required to lure consumers are a slick web design and a couple of widgets, those of questionable ethics will recognize the opportunity and will set up shop in a heartbeat (if they haven't already).

The industry finds itself on the cusp of another black eye. For years title insurance agents have had weak and fragmented representation by their professional organizations. This has resulted in an identity crisis. We have lost the ability to define what an agent is and what one does, let alone the standard for a good agent. Unfortunately, as we are currently discovering, a fragmented environment without standards is an incubator for those with "flexible" ethics and standards to flourish.

As rotten as the current referral based system is for title agents, it protected the majority of consumers from out and out fraud. When it goes, who will guide and protect consumers? I don't think that policing is the answer, though it feels good to talk about law, order, and enforcement. Who would be the police? Our underwriters have so far proven ineffective at protecting themselves from fraud - how could they protect consumers? The regulators, while they may have the interest, don't have the resources required to police a wide-open, competitive environment, especially if it's happening on the Internet.

If the referral system is going to dissolve into consumerism, how will a consumer make the intelligent choice without becoming a Title Insurance detective? We need a tool to communicate quality to a consumer. The "Good Housekeeping" seal was the baby boomer's guide to quality, and it worked for years. Title Insurance Agents needs to develop a "seal of approval" that identifies licensed, legitimate, and reputable title agents before consumers start getting hurt. The time to start is now.

The first question: what is "good" agent? Or better yet, what sort of behavior should not be associated with a reputable agent?

So lets forget about that.  Also I thought I was being profound and I do not really think my topics were that interesting.

Also, big apologies to Kate for not getting around to it until now. I was tagged at a bad time, but I never fail to fulfill my pointless blogging commitments (I'm just late sometimes).

I am charged with the task of divulging five random, obscure facts about myself. Here we go:

Pictured above: Not me, but I've done that

1. As a kid, one of my favorite hobbies was archery. I took it up at a very young age and joined a local archery club and everything. Of course, at that age I was involved in EVERY activity on and off, with some lasting longer than others (Cub Scouts, basketball, soccer, martial arts, you name it) but I actually stuck to archery for years and owned a couple different bows. I eventually quit when I got older and realized the only people I was sharing a range with in my shitty little rural town were hillbillies who insisted that the only possible enjoyment you could get out of archery was bow-hunting. I'm talking really scuzzy Ted Nugent types here. The charm and artistry died for me, but I would love to get back to it again some day, after I've made fast tracks away from goddamn Pennsylvania.

2. I only have one irrational phobia, and that's of having my skin pierced. Not just decorative piercings, but needles and knives in general make me squeamish. I'm not afraid of heights or enclosed spaces or spiders or snakes or swimming or anything illogical at all... it's just that the idea of being cut makes me ill. If I get an inoculation of any kind, I have to turn away because I can't stand the sight of a hypodermic needle entering my skin. Any true-life TV show that involves someone injecting drugs into their skin repels me and the thought of watching surgery on television is like torture to me... it's just mortifying.

3. One thing I certainly DON'T have a fear of is flying. I love to fly. My entire life, I've fantasized about flight and even to this day, I take any excuse to hop in a plane that I can. I love it and I even love things that resemble flight, such as particularly lethal roller coasters, which I enjoy with the same zeal as any given 10 year old. I will use this opportunity to recommend Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Go if you can.

4. I have the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off memorized by heart. I fucking love comedies featuring clever, smartass characters as leads. Clerks, Fletch, and nearly any movie starring Bill Murray feature highly into my list of greatest comedies of all time.

5. My introduction to Zen philosophy, eastern and world religion, and any ontological system other than conservative, American, white, anglo-saxon protestantism came in the form of THIS comic book, read at the age of 9:

You can read a description HERE. The part that got me was the encounter with the glowing yin-yang and the conversation that ensued. Sounds pretty pedestrian, but it blew my mind when I was that age.

OK, that's it for now. As for the people that I'M tagging, I'm choosing to leave it up in the air... whoever wants to pick this up can have it. Enjoy!

I have to say congrats to my Pal Amin, he recently made it into a medical program. he aspires to be a trauma surgeon, and now he is that much closer! good job pal.

so i have to tell you, Last friday we had a threat written on the bathroom wall, that someone was going to hurt people at the school as of december 20 (thats thursday). So now our school is all in panic mode, and we have cops crawling all over the place! iits rediculas!, but neccesary i guess. lol. so, i hpe thursday rolls around.

my personal take on this whole situatin is , there is some stupid faggot emo kid who wants to get a rose outa people, someone just needs some attention! well whoever it is is seriously fucked up in the head! like holy shit, way to fucking be. stupid prick, has gotta go and ruin our whole week, and right before christamas holidays too.

Well, honestly, i hope im wrong, and i hope its not just a joke, and i hope that that stupid freak comes and kills me and a whole shit load of people, because people around here need to be taught a fucking lesson, they need to see what really can go on. WE NEED THIS! i know i sound like im a fuckin lunatic, and perhaps i am, but honeslty... we need this, we really really do

 god help us...

Speaking Thursday to the Utah chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network, Blake Heiner, vice president and regional counsel for First American Title Insurance Co., said fraud is a key component of the current mortgage meltdown.

"Right now, the focus (of many fraud schemes) is on real estate, because that market has been going up, home values have been going up," he said. "It's been easy money."

That clears it up. I had thought is was the greed of those running the Real Estate and Mortgage industries.  It looks like offering ill-advised products, profiting off of conflicts of interest, the willful disregard of good business practices, and sloppy oversight of operations that helped perpetuate abuses like fraud weren't really causes at all.

Blaming the subprime victim for the industry's excesses isn't working.  Blaming the victim never does.  So it appears the Real Estate industry will try to play the victims.  It might be hard for them to generate sympathy, seeing how they created the optimal set up for the fraud to occur in the first place.