That aside, what worries me about 2012 is that it may become a self fulfilling prophecy. While I watch these shows and understand that they are talking about things that could possibly happen, I know that doesn’t meant that they WILL in fact happen. But, there are those who take this very seriously. 2012 WILL be the end. As media continues to cover this more and more frequently leading up to the date, more and more people will start to freak out. Potentially people with the ability to say “The world’s ending away, let me release this virus”. “Let me wipe Israel off the Earth”. There are too many unstable people out there that are just looking for a reason to kill a ton of people. If the world is coming to an end, what true consequences are there to their actions?

This is an area in which the media really needs to watch what they say, what they portray. Movies like 2012, coming out next Summer are meant as fun movies, but the truth is, this will scare a lot of people. I would expect that there will be a lot of problems leading up to the date with long lines for groceries, gas, etc as people stock up to try to baracade themselves from the end. If people are afraid that there will not be food or shelter to protect their families, all hell will break out. Shoot…. see it is too easy to ramble on about this.

I know that people, well persons most likely, reading this would say “the proof is out there”. Look at youtube, look at all the pictures online. The problem is that absolutely none of this is actual physical proof. The fact is, if it exists, yo and I haven’t seen it. Right now I am reading a book entitled “In the Courts of the Sun”, by Brian D’Amato. I enjoy the book, but something stuck with me…. maybe we haven’t found any other life because other life does not exist. Not to say that it never existed, but maybe by the time a lifeform reaches the same level or close to the same level of technology, they eventually destroy themselves. Once the technology becomes available and cheap enough and finds its way into the right hands, someone will eventually make an attempt on Earth. Now, that’s diluting the discussion a little bit, but mathematically speaking, it makes sense. A person with the right education and a $5000 home biology kit could wipe out the Planet potentially.

There are obviously things working against this from happening. Governments, scientists, you and I…. we don’t want to see this happen. Even the worst diseases on this planet have had people not effected by the strain. But how long until someone invents the perfect disease and spreads it in a handful of major cities?

I honestly think that there are civilizations out there, but the theory itself is very interesting. Rather than looking to space for the answers to all out ails, we should be looking on our own Planet. Maybe what we find is a civilization that hasn’t progressed any further than we have.

As for my University of Washington Huskies, I have been impressed with their turnaround so far. Well since they won 0 games last season, winning 1 is a step in the right direction, but we’ll see how they fair against USC. I think USC has this in teh bag, but don’t be surprised if the dawgs keep it close for the 1st half.

If you have never heard of the book “I Hope they Serve Beer in Hell”, you should read it. A family member of mine gave it to me to read while I was dealing with my Dad’s passing. I read it nonstop on a plane ride and couldn’t stop laughing out loud. I was absolutely devestated by my Father’s death, but the book still made me laugh. That’s how funny it is. Now, I have to say, if you are not into sex, booze, blood and potty jokes, DO NOT READ THE BOOK. If you are, it is a must read. They are actually making the book into a movie opening 9/25. I am posting the trailer for your viwing pleasure.

I think there are very few truly great men and women on the Earth. A lot of that is determined by your definition of “greatness”. A lot of people, though misguided, would argue that Bill Clinton is a great man. Even if I thought he was a great President, which I disagree with, does a great man defile the Oral, I mean Oval Office in the way he did? Is a great man someone that cheats repeatedly on his wife?

On the other side of the spectrum, is a man great because he is a loving spouse and father? Is that man great if he goes into work and treats everyone around him like trash? For me, greatness in one area does not mean that one is a great person. People think Obama is great. He is an excellent orator, I will not take that away from him, but I would hardly even consider him a good President at this point.

We use the term “so and so was a great man/woman” far too often. Nowadays, any time someone of any note dies, the press loves to tell us how great they were. Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy and many others have been called “great”, but is that reality? Kennedy got away with murder. Jackson possibly child molestation if you believe reports and lawsuits. Jacksn was a great artist and Kennedy, some argue, a great Senator. Do their transgressions take their greatness away?

Now, I know that people reading this may say “My right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment and it was not illegal for those people to carry weapons”. What I would say to those people is simple, I agree. The problem is, there is absolutely no good reason to be carrying a semi-automatic weapon strapped to your back at a protest over health reform. None. The Second Amendment and health reform have nothing to do with each other, other than one has lead to several people needing healthcare. The problem, as I see it is simple. It can only lead to violence. People will argue against this, but they arguments have no warrants. “Nobody has been shot. Nobody has pulled a gun on someone. Nobody is breaking any laws. The guns are a show of freedom. They are protection”. Protection from whom, the Secret Service guarding the President? Socialist invasions? If you are threatened, what are your plans, taking that gun and shooting people?

Let’s be honest, these weapons are meant to as a scare tactic, plain and simple. There is nobody to protect yourself from at these meetings. People aren’t being robbed, murdered, raped or otherwise assaulted. If someone is murdered, it is going to be you guys with the guns strapped to your backs and thighs that are the cause.

On a better note, I am excited at the return of one of the greatest to pick up the mic.

Last season, City had millions of dollars in transfer fees available to spend, but they could not draw any players. This transfer season has been much different, with City landing high quality players Carlos Tevez and Gareth Barry. This is the beginning of a new era that should see City competing to sign the biggest names in Football. I hope. We’ve seen what has happened with all the money Portsmouth has. At this point, winning is the most imortant thing. The only players that will join horrible teams are players that want to get paid and don’t care about winning. The players being brought in are not losers, so I think there are big things ahead.

The Government has proven that it cannot run anything efficiently. We no longer control our own money. We gave that right over to the Federal Reserve. We cannot control the banks who took bilions of our taxes for bailouts, their employees are still flying health; obama; socialism; republican; democrat; education; post office; insurance; msn; bailout; taxprivate jets and getting paid millions in bonuses. Our educational system is a disaster. Our highways and bridges are in ruins. Why should anyone believe that the Government can effectively run out health care? The answer is that you shouldn’t. President Obama has stated that this health plan would not add to the national debt, but that is really not possible, UNLESS he just has the Fed print out more money to cover the bill. When you print out hundreds of billions of dollars, you cause inflation to occur. When inflation happens, the cost of goods rises as our dollars become worthless. This leads us right back into a recession. Nationalized Health Care or a continued recession/depression. OR, he could increase taxes to cover this plan. Wait though, I already pay for my own health care. Now I have to pay into a second plan that I do not want?

I think Obama should leave Nationalized Health Care to Canada. There is a reason that the top Doctors are in the U.S. and not in Canada. It is the money they make. Instead of wasting billions of dollars trying to completely overhaul the system, why not look at other ways we can keep the prices down. How about putting a cap on the amount Doctors and hospitals can be sued for? That would decrease the cost of insurance and the cost to insurers. This would reduce the cost to us. How about spending that money on education. Make us the top educated country in the world. Our citizens will get jobs that provide health care. Plus we will have the added benefit of better educated citizens who become better physicians, scientists, engineers, bankers.

In the article referenced above, the final line sums it up for me. Obama compares his healthcare plan to the government run Post office… “They do it all the time,” he said. “UPS and FedEx are doing just fine. … It’s the Post Office that’s always having problems.” If they cannot solve problems with the Post Office, why should we think that they can solve healthcare.

I often find myself watching late into the night and wondering why I cannot turn the channel. While most people I know do anything they can to avoid their biggest fears, I don’t. I enjoy learning about these creatures. Great Whites that go airborn to catch their prey. Bull sharks that attack people miles down a river. They are beautiful and brutal at the same time. I would love to go cage diving with sharks. To say I jumped into the water with my biggest fear and looked it right in the face. Maybe someday I will get the chance to do that. I think it would be amazing to reach out and touch a shark that could potentially bite your arm off. There is something so primeval about a shark. They are killing machines that do so with unreal efficiecy. Other than humans, there isn’t an animal that can compare. They are the top of the food chain.

Sadly, sharks need our help to survive. If you log on to www.sharkweek.com, you can sign a petition to help ban sharks from being killed for their fins. This is a horrible practice in which the a shark is captured, it has its fins cut off and then it is tossed back into the ocean where it will die. All of this to make a soup. Please sign up

What is unforgiveable to me is the fact that Roy has not been signed up for a max deal for 5 years, with Aldridge in tow. That should have been the easiest contract deal of the offseason. Roy is EVERYTHING to this franchise. When everyone gave up on teh Blazers and its players, Roy came in and started turning everything around. He has done everything asked of him. It’s time to pay him what he is worth. he is one of the top 10 players in this league and means even more to this team. Get it done already before you risk insulting him. If Roy leaves, the Blazers may never get their fans back again.

As for Aldridge, I believe he will become and All Star in the next year or 2. He is improving from seaon to season and looks like he should approach 20 ppg and 10 rpg each season. He is developing into one of the best power forwards in the game. Once Roy is signed, Aldridge deserves a nice contract. He does not deserve a max contract, from what I read he does not expect one, but we really need to make sure that Aldridge is also not insulted. From what has been published, Aldridge does not easily trust people. If the Blazers break that trust somehow, he may be gone. We do not have a viable backup option for him either. Losing Aldridge would be a step in the wrong direction.

As for our “big” signing of the off season, Andre Miller… I like Andre Miller, I like him 7 years younger though. Miller is a very solid point guard. He is smart and makes the right passes. However, this team needs someone who can defend and Miller cannot. He also cannot hit the 3 point shot which is vital. Brandon Roy often drives and kicks the ball out. If Miller cannot hit the open 3, Roy’s penetration and pass will not be as effective.

I am hoping that come the trade deadline,teams that are out of contention will be selling players to cut salary. Due to the amount of money Paul Allen has, he may be willing to be a buyer. Maybe we get a player that can fill a long term need.

So I have been wondering a lot lately about the “afterlife”. What is in store for us? Generally speaking, I believe we die, go to Heaven (hopefully) or Hell (please not). That said though, I tend to believe there are ghosts and I do believe I save seen some. I will save those stories for another time. So that leads me to believe there is a between state. Where you haven’t ascended to Heaven nor have you been banished to Hell. I have also heard stories and watched movies about people believe they have lived and can recall their past lives. I don’t really believe that. While I believe that we may be given an opportunity to come back to Earth to live another life, if we wind up in Heaven, I find the nonsense about past life recall…. well nonsense. If you believe in God, than you believe God is powerful enough to make that memory one that cannot be recovered.

While I would like to think death is like a skinemax movie (I can roam the Earth, drinking beer, hanging out with my friends and watching girls undress) I am guessing it is not like that at all. I have a hard time imagining what it will be like. Part of me believes that I will become this mass of light and energy, then the Catholic in me kicks in and I believe I will ascend to Heaven in my bodily form to live in bliss for eternity. I like that idea a lot. I don’t know if I would want to return to Earth. The endless possibilities of returning to a worse life are enough to think I will stay right where I am. I have lived a good life so far. I have a loving family, I never really wanted for much in my childhood. I wasn’t rich by any means, but my parents always worked hard to provide for us. I have a lot of complaints, but in terms of the life I was given and the family and friends I have, I have been truly blessed.

Now, if I cannot go to Heaven, I will take option 2, hanging out with my friends, drinking beer and watching naked ladies. Hopefully I have a nice pair of kicks.