Tax Cuts

I Just posted this on Facebook:

$248.6 billion of individual income taxes were collected in 2007. Our population is roughly 300 million people - this includes the elderly, working people, children and infants. That means the 'cost' per person in income taxes is just un...der $900 a year, per person. That would mean that a couple with 3 kids would cost $4500 a year. Fact is, most Americans don't paid their 'fair share' of taxes because the rich do for you.

If you're not paying your 'fair share' every year, you you have no right to complain when those who are paying your share get a tax cut.

A Recent Self-Relevation

"Comfort is the Father of Procrastination."

A Few Recent Thoughts

First thing's first. I think Netflix should offer another premium option to be able to stream anything that's not already streamed. Maybe limit to two a day or something - it's the only way they'll ever be able to compete with cable and satellite providers (with the exception being those folks who watch live sports). I love to watch streaming Netflix on my PS3 - everything I've seen is of acceptable quality. Unfortunately, some things I've seen look better on a PC than on the PS3. This, I'm sure, will improve with time. As another premium add-on package, Netflix could offer streaming shows a day or two after they air. Likely? Probably not for years - most networks already host their own ad-driven streaming shows on their respective websites (and these use technologies not compatible with my PS3, and also, there are commercials). I can't get cable where I live and satellite isn't a good choice, either. I'm just trying to maximize the potential of my 10mbit connection!

I just feel like writing

So I haven't really written anything longer than 160 characters for a long time. I don't know why that is - I'd like to think that I just haven't had time, or, busy doing other things. I haven't been in the mood? Maybe the reason is that have been letting my mind drift. Probably the biggest reason is that I haven't read any books or even any complete stories in the paper. I used to like writing about vampires, but now it's way to mainstream and impossible to be original. Don't get me wrong - I love me some True Blood, but the teenie-bopper hype for Twilight is quite nauseating, there is some pretty bad acting in it, and it's written for teenage girls - it's not bad, but it's not for me.

I've developed a type of 'rain dance' to encourage the weather to bring us some snow so I can get out and run some dogs. Been running on the gravel roads around here, so I'm stuck with two options: running lots of short, 14-15 mile runs, or running fewer, longer 20-26 mile runs. As soon as we get some snow the trail will be easier on their feet, and as soon as we got a lot of snow we can just run out of the house and not have to truck anymore.

Mainstream media has been driving me nuts. I can't even watch it anymore, because the stuff the news that they create is usually ridiculous. There's no point. I haven't had TV for a while, and these days I don't hardly read news online or listen to the radio like I used to. It seems that the media is becoming more liberal and further from reality, likely because the general public voted the most radical President in the history of the United States. In the 60's we called people like the President what they were - communists. What happened? Since when did we stop loving our country and start hold out our empty hands expecting everything for free? If you choose to live a crazy life and smoke, and drink, and take other huge risks in life, then why the hell shouldn't you have to pay more for healthcare? It's not "the government's fault for letting" you. You're less healthy than the rest of us and boatloads of you think you should be taken care of for free. Get a clue. Take care of yourself.

This is why I probably don't write much anymore - all I do is rant about the same stuff over and over. It's boring for anyone to read and in the end, it really doesn't make me feel any better. I should probably start to focus on the smaller scale, and try to effect the things that I can touch.

I love the irony that 30 Rock has to offer. It's actually pretty funny. Alec Baldwin's character is gotta be on of my favorite on tv.

That's all for now.

My Brain Is Hungry

Lately I've been going through a bit of a nervous breakdown. The things I usually enjoy I'm not, and I haven't been able to relax at all. I've been easily frustrated and highly irritable, which are both unusual since I usually have so much patience. I've been thinking a lot about it and I'm starting to think that my brain is hungry. There are things my brain needs that my daily schedule will not allow.

I just figured out that lately I've been on this never-ending quest to become completely self-sufficient. I tend to dive head-first into new things. Example: this summer the transmission in my car died. Instead of paying the shop $2800 to replace it, I found a wrecked car and replaced my automatic trans with a manual - in my driveway. And before that I'd only done oil changes and brakes. But now if I ever have trouble with the car, I know that I can replace an axle, transmission, or an entire engine while on the side of the road.

Normally things that I'm good at I can't concentrate on. I've misspelled every 8th word so far, and usually I'd notice it on my own a little better. Yeah, maybe my brain is going through an OS update. There are tons of things that I want to do.

Introducing SpaceDuds

I'd just like to take a quick moment to tell everyone about my new website, SpaceDuds. You can see it at http://spaceduds.blogspot.com/

I look forward to seeing your comments on the new site! I'm also looking for folks to help contribute content. If there's something you'd like to see, let me know!

Iditarod Restart 2009 - Willow, Alaska

This is a video I made. Hope you like it!