Witty image provided by Salena.

Originally posted on my blog at http://www.candyforidiots.com.

Let me just set the record straight on my views of Global Warming. I believe that there is such a thing as climate change. We see it four times a year with our seasons. Throughout the history of earth, we see evidence in Ice Ages, etc. We see natural cycles and patterns that are irrefutable. I believe that it’s absolutely possible that our earth is going through a climate change right now, and that our planet might indeed be warming. However, I refuse to believe that mankind is responsible.

I have a fundamental problem with the “science” of Global Warming. Any scientific reasoning or experiment begins with something called a hypothesis. A hypothesis is defined as “a proposition, or set of propositions, set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena, either asserted merely as a provisional conjecture to guide investigation (working hypothesis) or accepted as highly probable in the light of established facts.” A proposition is defined as, “the act of offering or suggesting something to be considered, accepted, adopted, or done.” The idea of man-made global warming is currently a hypothesis. It has been proposed as a reason, or excuse as to why the temperatures on our planet are rising. However, what’s being spoon-fed to us every day is that man-made global warming is scientifically proven and that if we don’t act now, our planet will be iriversably impacted. It is not proven. It’s not even close to being proven. For something on this scale, you will need generations and generations of data to even advance your hypothesis, let alone make a scientifically declared statement about the supposed fact.

Science can’t get it right. In the wake of hurricane Katrina, scientists were spewing the fact that global warming was causing these ”mega hurricane’s”.

[9/23/2005] Some people are pointing to global warming, saying that our use of fossil fuels has helped to heat up the planet and its seas, producing much stronger hurricanes.

Three new reports authored by prominent scientists—published in the journals “Nature” and “Science”—bolster that theory’s credibility.

“There’s good evidence to show that Category 4 and 5 storms indeed are becoming more common and a bigger part of the overall pictures of the hurricanes in the world,” said Kevin Trenberth, a scientist at the government-funded National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Trenberth is the author of one of the papers, which links stronger hurricanes to warmer seas and global warming caused by humans. Global warming, he says, has caused increases in sea levels and in the temperature of the oceans, which increases water vapor in the atmosphere and provides fuel for massive storms.

That story was from almost three years ago. In three years, we haven’t had a hurricane hit the United States. And in three years time, science is doing a 180° on the issue.

Global warming isn’t to blame for the recent jump in the number of hurricanes in the Atlantic, concludes a study by a prominent federal scientist whose position has shifted on the subject.

Not only that, warmer temperatures will actually reduce the number of hurricanes in the Atlantic and those making landfall, research meteorologist Tom Knutson reported in a study released Sunday.

Ever since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, hurricanes have often been seen as a symbol of global warming’s wrath. Many climate change experts have tied the rise of hurricanes in recent years to global warming and hotter waters that fuel them.

...They attribute the recent increase to a natural multi-decade cycle.

Science can’t even figure out what in the hell causes hurricanes. Whether it’s warm water, cold water, luke-warm water, they don’t know! In three years time, our logic behind what type of weather causes hurricanes has completely flip-flopped! How in the hell are we supposed to listen to these scientists, who are working on only a couple of decades of data to formulate a reason as to why our temperatures are rising? Why are we allowing our government to discuss legislation aimed at reducing our carbon footprint in the hopes of cooling the planet? But wait people, I’m simply not done yet…

Average global temperatures in 2008 are forecast to be lower than in previous years, thanks to the cooling effect of the ocean current in the Pacific, U.N. meteorologists say.

The World Meteorological Organisation’s secretary-general, Michel Jarraud, said it was likely that La Nina, an abnormal cooling of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, would continue into the summer.

I thought our pollution is causing the temperature in the oceans to rise, thus causing the ice caps to melt? Or are the oceans dictating what our temperatures are? Who is lying to us? Which data should we take seriously? Who has the proof?

My point here people is that before you go out an buy a hybrid car in the guise of global warming, take a step back. You know the old saying “you can’t believe everything you hear”? Well, don’t believe everything you hear when it comes to global warming. Because if you listen closely, you’ll hear a lot of different reasons, which contradict each other, for the same thing. Science doesn’t know why our temperatures are warming, or cooling, or staying the same. They don’t know what causes it. They have ideas and they have predictions, but the best that they can come up with is a hypothesis. A proposition. Global policy set by the United Nations and governments all around the world (including ours) is being shaped by something I believe is naturally occurring, something totally unproven, and that should perk up your ears and should cause you to raise your voice.

Originally posted on my blog at http://www.candyforidiots.com.

I found a post over at RachelLucas.com and thought I’d play along. The point is, if you were elected temporary supreme dictator of America, what laws would you pass, appeal, etc, and they would say in place after you left office. Let’s start, shall we?

1) Since the primary purpose of the Federal Government is to protect the citizens of this great land, I would double the size of the current military (yes, double) and double their salary’s. I would place about a quarter of all armed services on the borders (north & south) to eliminate illegal immigration.

2) I would build the double-layered fence along the border of Mexico, which is already law, and I’d also spring one up on our northern border, too.

3) I’d eliminate the Federal income tax, and go back to tariff’s and taxing imports and exports as our primary source of federal revenue.

4) Since #3 is going to bankrupt the country, I would eliminate 99.999% of all federal programs and allow the states to make their own decisions as to how they want to run their state, not the country. Because a large centralized government always leads to fascism/communism eventually.

5) I would IMMEDIATELY allow the expansion of drilling for natural resources (oil) in the United States, regardless of the geographical location, and I would also end the suspension of building refineries. Also in my energy policy, I would allow for the creation of at lease 500 Nuclear Power Plans all across the United States.

6) The Constitution will be reviewed by me, and I will elaborate on what our founding fathers actually meant in their writings and my further explanation will be law. Specifically the second amendment. And when an amendment is passed to negate a previous amendment, they’re simply going to cross each other out. How silly is it to have an amendment on the books, and then another one saying that the first one is null and void. Just get rid of the stupid thing. Geez!

7) Our educational system will be completely overhauled. Teachers will be paid based on their results. If the results don’t meet certain expectations, they will be fired. Parents will be responsible for their children’s results, too. If a child fails to graduate, his parents will be fined and incarcerated for up to 2 years. The child who failed will then be required to pay back the government for all of the money it cost to have them educated as he enters the work force.

8) There will be an abolishion of the minimum wage. People should be paid according to their abilities, and that’s it. Also, there will no longer be bankruptcies. You will be forced to pay back the money you owe people, or your wages will be heavily docked until that is completed.

9) Our foreign policy will focus on peace and order throughout the world, specifically pertaining to the protection of our allies. We will no longer be involved with the United Nations and most of our international aid will be ceased until the country we are providing that aid to conforms to a decent country, such as ours. You might say, “What about the children???” Yeah, what about them? If a country is starved because we’ve stopped giving them aid, then they will rise up and take their country back and establish a country with morals and standards and goals, and produce a better quality of life. Then we will help them with aid, technology, etc. We will stop supplying and financing regimes.

10) And finally, all hippies will be deported. I just don’t like hippies. They stink and drive stupid scooters.

Well, that was fun! What do you think of my supposed rule?

Listen, I know that everyone has their own beliefs. Some people believe in God, some people don’t. Some people believe in ghosts, some people don’t. Some people believe in aliens, some people don’t. And so on, and so forth. I don’t care what anyone believes in. Their beliefs and feelings are theirs, not mine and there’s nothing I can do to change them, even though I might feel like the world would be a beautiful place if everyone was like me. But seriously, believe what you want!

Whereas I feel that way about most things, the one issue I can’t look past is global warming. People believe this faux religion and are being guided by the self satisfaction they get because they think the little things they do are saving the world. Well, I hate to break it to you, global warming crowd, but that light bulb you use now, and that casket on wheels you drive, and that house hold cleaner that you use that got a new “all green bottle” isn’t going to do one single thing to save this world.

But don’t tell that to the 85-year-old American who just gave up his search for the Loch Ness Monster.

LEGENDARY Nessie hunter Robert Rines is giving up his search for the monster after 37 years.

After almost four decades of fruitless expeditions, he admitted: “Unfortunately, I’m running out of age.”

World War II veteran Robert has devoted almost half his life to scouring Loch Ness.

He started in 1971. The following year, he watched a 25ft-long hump with the texture of elephant skin gliding through the water.

Despite having hundreds of sonar contacts over the years, the trail has since gone cold and Rines believes that Nessie may be dead, a victim of global warming.

I believe in God, I am a Christian. I know there are wack jobs that call themselves Christians and I have no excuse for them and it doesn’t change the way I believe or how I feel and my convictions. But dude, you morons (no offense) who believe in global warming have this guy on your side. Someone who thinks that the Loch Ness Monster—THE LOCH NESS MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!—was killed by global warming. It’s time to abandon ship. 

That’s going to give me nightmares…

From what I understand, his ears are so big that things naturally gravitate towards them. Unfortunately, his finger got a little too close…

Even though I’m a young adult (the ripe age of 25), I still enjoy the fun things in life. I love toys and even purchased a remote controlled helicopter just before Christmas which broke the second time I flew it. Regardless, it was fun and I got a bit of joy for the 13 minutes I played with it. But more than kids toys, I love techy toys. Every day, it seems, some computer or electronics company is coming out with some awesomely cool gadget which either makes life easier or makes life more fun. But when a toy comes out which completely infuses technology and entertainment, it becomes my favorite toy ever!

That toy for me is the AppleTV. I’ve had an AppleTV for several months and I liked it from the get-go. I was able to sync my music and TV shows to my TV and watch them in near Hi-Def. Then Apple pushed an update a few weeks later that enabled you to search and watch YouTube videos on your TV. It was so awesome, I didn’t think it could get much better.

I was wrong. Last week, Apple pushed an update out for the AppleTV which enables you to buy music, buy TV shows and rent movies directly from the comfort of your couch, without ever touching a computer. Everyone knows that the iTunes Store has an impressive collection of music. They even carry most TV stations and most shows. But their movie collection is incredibly impressive as well, and even have a good number of rentable movies that can be viewed in standard definition or high definition, enabling you to make the most out of your HDTV without having to spend $500 on a BlueRay or HDDVD player!

So when I see a new movie out which I just can’t wait to see, I don’t have to run to BlockBuster anymore. I flip over to the AppleTV, search for the newest flick, and download that baby in HD, making this toy my favorite toy ever! If you have a nice TV, the AppleTV is the best accessory you could possibly buy for it. So go buy one. Now!

Thankfully, I haven’t been cursed in the way this man has, but if I was his friend or a family member (hehe, I said “member"), I’d tell him to chalk this one up for a loss, and to keep his personal “situation” to himself.

A flasher is expecting to go to jail after failing to persuade a court his penis is too small to be exposed.

Michael Carney, 41, showed the jury photographs of his genitals in an unsuccessful bid to prove his point.

The six men and six women at Teesside Crown Court were not moved by the evidence and convicted him on seven counts of outraging public decency.

During the three-day trial, the married father-of-two said of his penis: “It causes embarrassment to myself, even to the point where it is with my wife.”

“I wouldn’t want myself to be seen in public like that,’ he said. “My genitalia are underdeveloped and it is so much smaller than average.”

I would take the sentence in order to never be known as the “flasher with the severely under developed genitalia”.

IMAO has a long list of Daily Fred Thompson Facts but this one takes the cake!

Fred Thompson was initially confused by conservatives’ opposition to “the Fairness Doctrine” since that’s the name of one of his guns.

Classic!

When will our government learn that they can’t force citizenry into living a certain way? A war is being waged on people who smoke in the cloak of raising taxes for education, oh and to force help smokers quit! The cloak in which the Tennessee state government is wearing is absolutely contrary to itself. If the state wants to encourage people to quit smoking by taxing the hell out of them, and they succeed, how do they expect to raise money for children? What will they go after next to raise those dollars for kids? Why is it the smokers obligation, instead of the general public, to raise additional dollars for kids? Free and equal? Seriously? Not in Tennessee.

But children’s welfare isn’t the only thing that will be hurt by smoking bans and higher taxes. Small businesses will also be hurt, and like New York, you will see small businesses go out of business due to lack of clientele. There was an editorial in The City Paper, a free Nashville newspaper, which personifies the plight small businesses have with smoking bans and absolutely exemplifies how I feel about the issue.

Raising a stink:

It would be great if you could do a list of the restaurants and/or bards in Nashville that allow smoking indoors. Forget the patios, because it’s getting too cold.

I’d thought about giving up smoking, but since it’s no longer my choice, I’ll just keep on smoking and not bother giving the restaurants my business. I’d rather (as I have done) give up the restaurant and bar scene if I can’t enjoy a smoke with my drinks/meal.

By the way, anyway we can outlaw perfume? I’m allergic to it!

Karen Kirkpatrick

Where will we draw the line? One person spends a certain amount on personal entertainment each year, including going out to eat and going out for drinks. Probably in the thousands of dollars a year range. How is this going to impact an already diving economy?

If you personally have an issue with being in an environment that allows people to smoke, write the restaurant a letter, call the manager and tell them that they will no longer receive your patronage until they take the steps to ban smoking, as a private establishment. It’s called capitalism, people, and it works! The problem with the government taking control of the issue is that it takes the right away from the business owner, and you, and the economic ramifications will be untold, until the government steps in again to help out those who were affected, by taxing some sort of other “vice”. It’s a never ending cycle and a never ending problem, until we get people in our government who will allow us to live our lives the way we want to live it.

Neely and I were at Starbucks this morning and I noticed a car parked that had some weird contraptions bolted onto it. It was parked right next to the “Red Thompson” (Neely’s affectionate nickname for my red Ford Ranger), so I couldn’t help but notice it. After taking a closer look, it had a sign on the door that said “Google Maps” and the contraption bolted on the hood of the car was a 360º camera! Looks like Google Maps Street View is coming to Nashville! To date, there are only 9 cities which have been visited by these roaming camera mobiles, all of which are vastly larger than Nashville, so it looks like Google is blitzing across the country to make this particular service more prevalent. I doubt the cameras were on when the car was parked, but I waved just in case it was still rolling. That would be awesome to be forever brazened on the Google Maps website.

In other Nashville news, Fox’s reality show Nashville had a horrible viewership for its opening week. According to the Nielsen Ratings, Nashville drew 2.7 million households nationally. Fewer people watched Nashville than turned in to see the Fox reality show Anchorwoman, which was cancelled after one episode in August. I watched Nashville and found it to be an exact copy of Laguna Beach, only the people in the show were twice as old and they were playing music, not surfing and going shopping on Rodeo Drive. If you’re into that type of show, Nashville does provide its own twist, but I don’t really care for it. The only thing cool about the show is the fact that I’ve been to most of the places where they film, so it’s definitely neat to see places you recognize. The people seem fake to me, and the one ass hole guy needs to have his ass kicked. I think it’s worth watching a couple of times just to support the local aspect of it, but I don’t foresee it as being a great success.

When you go on break to smoke, and you’re walking along the sidewalk after you finish, and pass somebody, and when they’re about ten feet away from you and they can still smell the strong smoke odor permeating off of your body, you should stop smoking.

Seriously, do people that smoke just sit there and think that nobody is going to smell them while they’re doing it?

This lady at work always reeks of smoke.  You get on the elevator that she gets on, and you can smell it, even when she’s no longer on it.  I guess that she’s sitting in her car and chain smoking for her entire 15 minute break, but I swear she’s breaking the laws of physics to be able to smoke so many that she smells that bad even after walking a block or two back to work.

For those who smoke, do everyone a favor and be conscientious of how you smell after you’ve been smoking.

Most of my friends that smoke don’t smell so bad that I would rather throw up than be around them.

(how’s that brett?  you wanted a post, you got a post)

Check out the following picture, then the caption associated with the picture, from the AFP.

An elderly Iraqi woman shows two bullets which she says hit her house following an early coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City. At least 175 people were slaughtered on Tuesday and more than 200 wounded when four suicide truck bombs targeted people from an ancient religious sect in northern Iraq, officials said.(AFP/Wissam al-Okaili)

So can anyone tell me what’s wrong with this entire thing? Lies. Lies. Lies. That’s all we get from the media about Iraq. They actually think the public is THAT stupid. 

One thing I will never understand is why people hang Dreamcatcher’s from their rear-view mirrors in their cars. Is it so when they take their long naps while driving, the nightmares don’t come and get them? I would be more worried about crossing the center line and a semi-truck coming to get me. But that’s just me.

The cleaning guy here at work was telling me a while back that he was having to move.

And by “move” I mean move EVERYTHING.  Mobile home and all.

Some guy comes out, splits the mobile home in two, slaps it on the trailer rig, and takes it to the new spot.

I guess it makes sense that you can do this to mobile homes that have been sitting in the same spot and being used for years, but it still blows my mind.

Heck, they move non-mobile homes nowadays, which is just as amazing.

So anyway, he’s in here getting the garbage tonite and is talking with a maintenance guy that comes up here sometimes.

He’s talking about how he has no power on the front half of the house.  Apparently when they put it all back together some of the wiring wasn’t hooked up right.

That’d just be annoying to deal with.

Having a piece of plastic in your eye, even when it’s supposed to be there, can be a little discomforting at first.

I really hope I get used to it though.

I’m talking about contacts by the way.