No one would believe it!!!

When history is written.......people will look back at our time and scratch there heads.....they will ask how could people be so stupid to vote in a lying weasel son of President George Bush?

I will answer....Jerry Springer

How could they vote in a man that was a college cheerleader? A man that got daddy to get him into the National Guard to dodge the Viet Nam war? A man that is anti-gay, but dressed in drag in college? A reformed alcoholic that found "God"? A businessman that went from bankruptcy to owning the Texas Rangers baseball team?

When history is written.....people will look back and cry.....at how his mismanagement of fiscal policy sunk our nation into trillions of dollars in debt to China and Mexico......the same way he ran his bankrupt companies....and cut social and education programs in favor of his corrupt phony "faith based" organizations.

The former richest nation in the world...is in debt to China and Mexico......the former poorest nations in the world......How the hell could we have let him do that? He should be impeached and castrated!

It started way back in the 1960's and early 70's, the US military was involved in a very unpopular war .....18 year old boys were drafted and sent half way around the world to fight in a jungle war in the hot steamy swamps of Viet Nam.....the news media would broadcast body counts every night....and the world was worried that the Chinese or the Russians would enter the war and it would end up in a Nuclear World War.

In order to avoid being drafted, many kids moved to Canada or South America....some kids got special college deferments....some kids would cut a few toes off....some kids would try to "dodge" the draft with religious reasons....they were called "conscientious objectors".....Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr objected to the war and converted to Muslim and joined the Nation of Islam, changed his name, and spent time in jail.......and George W. Bush had his powerful daddy pull a few strings.

George W. Bush left his comfy college cheerleader deferment and entered the Air National Guard to escape the chances of getting sent to Viet Nam....instead of showing any shame during a time when our nation was at war.....he would pose for pictures ......like he was some type of war hero....what a shallow man.......But it must have been tough living in the shadows of his father, a true WWII war hero that was shot down in the Pacific that eventually became CIA Director, Vice President, and President......It must of been tough for him to visit his father during his (12) years working at the White House.

In order to get out of his father's shadow....."W" has tried to prove that he is.... his own man.....This will be studied in Psych classes for the next (50) years.

Now George W. Bush is the leader of the free world.....he has brought our nation full circle......he has brought us another un-winnable Viet Nam style mess......and this religious man that fights for the sanctity of marriage ......and against the evils of abortion...and against stem cell research....and stresses that adoption is the only choice for unwanted pregnancy....but hates gay adoption because he claims that a child needs a mother and father.....although over 50% of the families in the US do not have both......and now he has a Vice President that has a lesbian daughter....that is pregnant.....and the crowd starts screaming...."Jerry, Jerry, Jerry"....and someone throws a chair....and someone flashes a grin with no teeth

If you wrote this story just (10) years ago.....and tried to get a movie deal....no one would believe it.....they would laugh and claim it is too absurd. As crazy as Carl Hiassen's books are, his publisher would kick him out if he ever wrote this stuff.....

People laugh at the Jerry Springer show...but in realty.... it is a mirror reflection of the real America......and it is not pretty!

It might be time to jump on the Band Wagon?

Go Gators

...pictures from fraternity brothers....Neil Contess and Bob Sullivan

Book Recommendations

It's Holiday time....here are a few book recommendations that I really liked....great gifts for friends and family!

The Four Agreements
Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Good to Great
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
The E-Myth
The Power of Positive Thinking
Richest Man in Babylon
A Pirate Looks at 50
The Greatest Salesman in the World.......and anything by Og Mandino

Phuket Oceanview Villa

Thailand Vacation - 50th Birthday

Phuket - Ocean View

Podcast downloaded and ready on my I-Pod

I am headed back to Miami. Including a (10) hour layover in Los Angles, it will take me over (30) hours from Bangkok to Miami.

This trip I am fully prepared!

I have fully loaded my 30gb I-Pod...with downloaded TV shows (Lost, The Daily Show, South Park, Heroes, Studio 60, Drawn Together, and 30 Rock).

I have downloaded a bunch of new music.

I have downloaded a few Audio Books including, The Art of War, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Breathing, The Four Agreements, and The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time.

I have also downloaded a bunch of "Podcasts"........I am most excited about the Podcasts......Most of corporate America and media companies have been migrating to the latest technology to get specific information to a very narrow targeted market.....As opposed to traditional "Mass" media like broadcast TV, Radio, Internet Sites.....Podcasts can be developed and targeted for specific users that either don't have access to TV (like travelers)....or might not have the time to sit in front of a TV to watch complete shows....instead Podcast programs are shorter and developed for specific target markets.

I have downloaded a few health and fitness podcasts......a few financial podcasts (including Jim Cramer's radio show)...a few comedy podcasts (including the Penn radio show)....and a few spcific podcasts including lessons on Spanish, Thai, Adobe Photo-Shop, and even a podcast on making Podcasts.

Scared to jump? Don't have an I-Pod yet? Go to the web page and take a look at the future....

www.apple.com/itunes

Third World - Miami?

Why is everyone so upset.....he's right! Miami is like a third world country.

The minute you arriive at MIA...you feel it.

The second you sit in a beat-up old taxi...you feel it!

Ever been to the ER at Jackson Memorial?......you'll feel it!

What about the fine public school system? Where does it rate in the world?

Whenever you read about the government corruption....you feel it!

How about the Metro-Rail Public "Mass" Transportation System?

How about the great system of roads and exressways, not to mention the great "third-world" drivers.....

But most of the immigrants, legal or not....are good, hard working people....just trying to make it here....and the beaches are awesome....and the weather is hot.....no snow on the roads........and the restaurants are great......and it's home!

I love Miami.....and yes, we have a lot of problems....but we dont need out-of-town jerks coming here and creating more problems...just for political gain.....What an ASSHOLE!


....................here's the article from the Miami Herald


Congressman calls Miami a `Third World country'
BY LESLEY CLARK
JACK DEMPSEY/AP

OUTSPOKEN: Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., is no fan of Miami's ethnic makeup.

WASHINGTON - Rep. Tom Tancredo, the leader of the anti-illegal immigration faction in the U.S. House, spent a recent weekend at The Breakers in Palm Beach.

Ninety miles to the south, he found a symbol to bolster his belief that unfettered immigration is endangering the United States: Miami, he told a conservative online news site, ``has become a Third World country.''

In South Florida to attend Restoration Weekend, a gathering of conservative activists, the Colorado Republican, whose district includes suburbs of Denver, pointed to Miami as an example of how ''the nature of America can be changed by uncontrolled immigration,'' the story says.

''Look at what has happened to Miami,'' the WorldNetDaily quotes Tancredo as saying in an interview. ``It has become a Third World country. You just pick it up and take it and move it someplace. You would never know you're in the United States of America. You would certainly say you're in a Third World country.''

The remarks drew an instant rebuke from Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who called Tancredo ''flat out wrong'' and extended an invitation for him to come and judge the city for himself.

''I invite my friend, Tom, to visit beautiful Miami, my hometown, and experience firsthand our hospitality,'' Ros-Lehtinen said. ``Come on down, Tom, the water's fine!''
Miami, Ros-Lehtinen said, is a ``world class city where diversity is celebrated. Here people have the opportunity to meet folks from across the globe and honor different cultures. Miami-Dade County is home to many outstanding universities, is headquarters to international businesses and has a vibrant economy.''

Tancredo, who chairs the bipartisan House Immigration Reform Caucus and championed a fence along the border with Mexico, said Monday in an e-mail sent by his office that his comparison was based on crime statistics he believes ``are deeply rooted in the immigration debate.
''While a recent documentary comparison of Miami-Dade County to Baghdad was a bit of an overstatement,'' he wrote, referring to an Australian documentary that compares Miami to Baghdad, ``no one can argue that it is not one of America's most dangerous areas.''

He noted in the e-mail that the number of homicides in the county recently reached 200 for the year. The number is actually a decrease from the 1980s. ''Moreover, the sheer size and number of ethnic enclaves devoid of any English and dominated by foreign cultures is widespread,'' Tancredo said in the statement. ``Frankly, many of these areas could have been located in another country. And until America gets serious about demanding assimilation, this problem will continue to spread.''

Tancredo didn't visit Miami on the Nov. 18-19 trip, but has visited before, a spokesman said. And, if Ros-Lehtinen's invitation includes ''a stay at a five-star beachfront resort, he may be willing to look beyond the inherent dangers that he had cited and visit Miami again,'' his spokesman said.

Tancredo, who has been mentioned as a potential presidential contender, criticized President Bush in the interview for Bush's push for comprehensive immigration reform.
''He is going to do what he can to create a place where the idea of America is just that -- it's an idea,'' Tancredo said. ``It's not an actual place defined by borders. I mean this is where this guy is really going.''

Why so much religion on the BLOG?

It inspires and gives hope to some people....it angers some people....and to some people it is very funny.

I am one of those people that thinks it is funny! Not "funny-funny", but "crazy funny".

I cannot tolerate the level of ignorance from the religious right in America.....It is almost like a magician using misdirection....to steer the audience away from what is really happening.

Catholics can't use Birth Control?......the planet is over-populated.....why aren't religious leaders focused on over-population?

Abortion is murder?........Why can't people make decisions for themselves.....Why do religious people think they have the right to push their beliefs on other people?

Stem Cell Research is killing a fetus? ...........what non-sense!

Religious people.....men of faith......Hating and Killing?

I got really disgusted .......when I saw the previews from a new movie about Islamic Fundamentalist called "Obsession"......it is scary stuff!

I got really disgusted..... about the arguments about gay rights and marriage.... half of the marriages in the US end in divorce....and President Bush sits there and talks about the "sanctity of marriage"? Adultery is an American past-time.....Give me a break, Mr. Moral Leader....the day I take my moral life lessons from a draft dodger....Wasn't Bush a cheerleader in college?.....You know what the rumors about male cheerleaders are??? What about other moral fakers like Tom Folley and Reverend Haggard ...that preach one thing but have the power to vote and persuade people. All the religious FAKERS make me crazy......Jimmy Swagart, Pedophile Priests, Jim and Tammy Baker, Ernest Angley, Benny Hinn, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwel, Jim Dobson are just the tip of the iceberg!!!

How many more of these insane people don't get exposed? How many more are stealing from the poor "believers" ? How many more are in the closet?

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16118976.htm

I got really disgusted .......about the war in the Mideast......about the phony religious leaders that preach about GOD..... but don't do anything about the war. Where are the Muslim leaders? The Catholic leadership? Why aren't they guiding the political leaders to peace? Where is there faith in there GOD?

I really hate faith healers that take advantage of the stupid and poor people......... I love James Randi...who exposes this stuff......I also like Penn and Teller because they also expose fakers in there TV show called Bullshit. .........here are a few cool links.

http://www.pennandteller.com/

http://richarddawkins.net/foundation,ourMission

http://www.theskepticsguide.org/

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Randi

http://www.randi.org/

So why all the religious stuff on the BLOG?......it is my BLOG and I post whatever I want to! It isn't here to post things that anyone likes or accepts......I post things that I like....things that I am interested in .....and things that move me......I post things that inform and enlighten....I post things to provoke thought......I post things about me......my friends...my family.....If I offend anyone....tough shit....Don't read it!

Finally......my rant ends with this lovely thought.......It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt....or mutilated! Talk about a crazy religious tradition.....let's cut some skin off a baby? If God created us...and we are perfect...why cut something off?

http://www.nocirc.org/

Benny Hinn Meets Benny Hill

Evangelicals - Laughing stock of the world!

Fakers - Exposed

Why would GOD make people fall backwards when the get "healed"

Televangelism Fakery Skeptics

Exposé on Benny Hinn (two of two)

Exposé on Benny Hinn

Fakers - How can people belive this stuff?

Benny Hinn

Fakers...Fakers....Fakers

How can so many people believe in this shit? We are the joke of the entire world...Why does it shock anyone that Islamic Fundalmentalists can have had an impact on people...after you see how these fakers can impact Americans.

Obsession - Exposing the fakers!

James Randi Exposes Peter Popoff....check out the James Randi Institute at www.randi.org

Faith Healing?

Say Amen!

Calling people "sissy's" becasue of there hair....in the name of the lord

Nothing like a good smoke!

Rush has the greatest job....he can sit on his ass, smoking great cigars, stirring up shit!

Obsession

Radical Islam's War Against The West

UM New Coach?

Spurrier denies reports he is leaving South Carolina for UM
BY BARRY JACKSON

bjackson@MiamiHerald.com

Responding to two Internet reports, Steve Spurrier said Sunday he intends to remain coach at South Carolina and has had no discussions with Miami about replacing Larry Coker.

''I have no interest in any other job except the one I've got,'' Spurrier said on his weekly conference call. ``This is the school I wanted to coach at. I'm not leaving unless I get run off. This is where I plan to be hopefully for the next five, seven, eight years or whatever. I think everybody knows my goal here is to stay at South Carolina. I have not expressed any interest and [Miami] has not expressed any interest.''

ESPN.com and CSTV.com reported Sunday that Miami has interest in Spurrier and indicated he was likely going to take the job. Though some people at the university would be intrigued by the possibility of Spurrier coming to Miami, this marked the first time anyone reported Spurrier would take the job if offered.

''This is a bad rumor that some of you guys are running with,'' he said. ``Can somebody just put something on the Internet and all you guys think it's true?''

After the espn.com reporter, Joe Schad, told Spurrier that somebody told him Miami had targeted him as their top choice, Spurrier responded, ``Who at Miami -- the president, the AD, or some guy sleeping under the bridge down there?''

UM athletic director Paul Dee strongly denied a report on cbssportline.com that Miami had begun contacting candidates. ''We haven't contacted anybody,'' he said. ``I told you all we were going to wait until the end of the season. Could some wacko out there be doing anything? Who knows?''

Spurrier said if Coker is replaced, he believes Miami probably will try to hire Rutgers coach Greg Schiano.

''My daughter Amy called me this morning and said there was something on the Internet about Miami going after you or whatever,'' said Spurrier, who's in his second year at South Carolina. ``I guess in a way it's flattering that they would throw my name with one of the top football programs in the last 25 years or so down there.

``I came to South Carolina to win an SEC championship. The experts, Lee Corso and all those guys, a lot said `You can't win, you can't win a championship. We haven't proved we could yet.'
``But we're in the process of a really outstanding recruiting class this year. With a few more players, a little help here and there, we believe it's a do-able goal. We're going to make that our goal starting next year and hopefully every year I'm here -- to win an SEC championship. That's the exciting and challenging part of coaching here at South Carolina.

'Some people said, `Coach, could you have waited a year or two and maybe gotten to a school that maybe had more players at the time, schools that maybe had a richer tradition of football?' I said that wasn't what I was looking for. I knew we would take our lumps a little bit the first couple of years or so trying to build our team up. But this is a wonderful place, wonderful fans.''
South Carolina is 6-5 this season and finishes its season Saturday against Clemson.

''We know it's not going to be easy [to win an SEC championship],'' Spurrier said. ``But it wouldn't be any fun if it was easy. . . . If [the Hurricanes] do make a change, there's a lot of guys on that list I'm sure they prefer to go after -- Schiano has to be the top candidate if they can get him.''

Spurrier said he would leave South Carolina only ``if the president and AD decide they have somebody better to hire . . . I hope I'm not going anywhere.''
Spurrier said when he was at Florida, 'every now and then a pro team would call and I would sort of say, `Are you offering me the job?' and they would say, 'No, we want to talk about it.' And I said, `Nah, I've got a job here. I don't need to talk about any jobs.
``I'm not looking for any jobs. . . . Miami is not going to call me. . . . I don't anticipate any school calling me because everybody knows I'm here at South Carolina to win an SEC championship. That's my mission.''

Spurrier also told espn.com he's ''not a candidate'' for the Miami job: ``That is a tough job. This is the challenge for me.''

Leaving Bangkok

Hui and I are flying to Phuket on Monday 11/20.....8am Thai Airway......need to be airport by 7am.....need to leave Hotel by 6am....need to wake up and pack at 5am.

We are staying at the Kata Thani Hotel.....in Kata, Phuket

I was planning on visiting a vegetarian health spa in Chiang Mai to try fasting and detoxifying......but chickened out (pun intended).....Instead I am headed for Phuket. The goal for this leg of the journey is to look for a real estate investment....perhaps a nice seaside villa, for friends and family to enjoy.....Wish me Luck!

Mysterious Ways???

The power of faith.......

If there is/was a god, I don't think this is what he/she/it intended the world to become !

Pick your ignorance....abortion, stem cell research, murder, fundamentalist, intelligent design, gay adoption, adultery, terrorism, sodomy, wars in the name of GOD, hated of other religious beliefs, gay marriage, slavery, government corruption, divorce lawyers, hair transplants, and the poster boys of hypocrisy and ignorance Ted Haggard and Tom Foley .........Disease, famine, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and killer hurricanes.....not to mention George Bush, Jerry Falwell, Oral Roberts, Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, Reverend James Kennedy, Reverend James Dobson, Robert Schuller, and Faith Healers....... or the dickheads running North Korea, Iran, Venezuala, and most of the countries in Africa.

The world is in trouble....over-population, wars, famine, water shortages, diseases, and maybe even global warming? We are over fishing the world's oceans, we are draining the natural resources, we are slaughtering so many cows, chickens, and pigs that the waste products alone are destroying the environment....and our political and religious leaders are worried about gay marriage, or birth control, or teaching abstinence, or stopping scientific research.

Why aren't the world's religious leaders meeting.....together? Wouldn't GOD want them to work together to work towards solving the world's problems?

God loves us all............

Stephen Colbert interviews Richard Dawkins

Going to Hell?

Richard Dawkins in Virginia

Is religion a fairy tale responsible for war and hate? Is personal "faith" really ignorance?

The Kingdom of Cambodia

It was a simple plan, I just wanted to avoid the lines at the Thai Immigration office ...so instead of getting my passport stamped with a new visa every (7) days, I could get a (30) day visa...if I leave Thailand........exit the country and re-enter.....

I wanted to fly to Hong Kong for a weekend.....but the closest border is Cambodia.....It was an expereince, I will never forget!

A three hour drive through the Thai countryside in the backseat of a tiny Toyota ......with Hui's friends Lang and Sommai.....to reach the border area of Poipet, Cambodia.

Hui is a Buddhist!

Did you know that when he went to the dentist, he refused Novocain during a root canal?

His goal: transcend dental medication.

Pete's sense of humor......

Pete sent ten different puns to friends with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh.

No pun in ten did!

Pete really is amazing! His metabolism keeps the fat off ...because his system burns the calories faster than he can eat....hard to believe, but true!

Before I left for Thailand, I asked him to take me for a workout at his gym.....

Truth is stranger than Friction!

Ted Haggard Interview

Phil's Grouper Impression

on the bus from Pattaya to Bangkok

Bangkok - Extended Trip

Etcetera...Etcetera....Etcetera

How much government? In the U.S. we face our government creeping into our lives...with smoking bans, seatbelt laws, wire taps, phone call surveillance.....sometimes it seems that the government is getting out of control.

Did you know that the movie, The King and I, has been banned in Thailand for almost 50 years?

No one here really cares about the ban. The Thai people love and admire their King. They feel that the movie does not show the King in a proper manner....so it was banned and out of respect, no one cares about it.

Sometimes governments make/change laws that people do care about. The new post-coup government is also trying to bring more controls to the country. First, in an attempt to reduce teenage alcohol consumption, they are trying to ban all alcohol advertising. This planned ban is very far reaching....including televised sporting events like soccer, were the TV station must digitally mask all beer signs in the stadium. They are also trying to increase the legal drinking age from 20 to 25 years old....What a terrible/horrible impact that would have on bars and restaurants.....and probably start a new underground black market...what a mess!

Since I have decided to extend my trip, I had to visit Thai Immigration to extend my original travel visa (30 days) on Monday...Since the coup, the government has changed the requirements and fee structure for tourists....making it difficult and expensive ($15/day) to stay more than 30 days....

My options...... visit the Thai immigration office once a week to re-register (think bureaucratic nightmare of long lines)...or I can travel outside the country and return, which automatically starts the travel visa back to 30 days....so I might go to Hong Kong for a weekend trip to Macau, the Las Vegas of Asia.....or maybe The Kingdom of Cambodia to walk across the border.....get my passport stamped and walk back...sounds pretty simple doesn't it?

Go GATORS!!!

Miami Dolphins - Boring

"Last week the Dolphins had a bye week, and the bye was favored by 6"........Jim Pasquarello

Was Dean Wormer wrong?

The party is over.......a very special thanks to my (28) friends and family that spent the last week celebrating my BIG 50th birthday Party in Thailand.....your friendship and fun exceeded my expectations!

I am staying in Thailand for another month....I am back at the Grand Hyatt trying to lose weight (again).....I peaked at 338 pounds before I left Miami...I am down to 328.....My goal is to return to Miami when I am under 300. Hopefully before Christmas (this year)!

I found a spa in Chiang Mai that is a vegetarian retreat.....I am planning on spending (10) days there later this month.

I hope all the massages help me lose weight?

Do not read this BLOG!

Why do I write a Blog?

Is it my ego? Is it to boast about my business success, travel, and exploits into the dark side? .......NO!

I started writing this blog to express myself, to give my friends and family updates on my life, my travel, and my experiences. I occasionally add some current events when I think they have interest or irony, or write about problems in the world to express MY POINT OF VIEW.

I am not "boasting" or "bragging"....if anyone thinks I am, they are missing the point. I am just having fun sharing my personal journal....besides having fun, maybe by posting my thoughts, comments, jokes, and travel adventures....I might even inspire...or motivate someone to travel...or enjoy life....or maybe start there own business? Who know where or what can happen?

The great thing about the blog is that it is voluntary. Instead of clogging e-mail with silly cartoons spam or goofy e-mails....I publish the stuff I enjoy, the things that I want to share....and my friends and family can read it at their leisure....instead of clogging mail boxes.

If someone doesn't like my Blog, or my comments, or my politics, or my off color humor....They can do (4) things....

First, they can comment on the Blog and discuss their point of view.

Second, they don't have to read it. No one forces anyone to read it. If it offends anyone, or if they think I am just puffing my chest....Please do not read it!

Thirdly, they can continue to read it and ridicule it..... instead of enjoying it for what it is....my personal journal.

Fourth and final... they can start their very own BLOG about their life, their travel, their job, their kids, their politics and express themself.

It has been a lot of fun and even if no one reads it, I really enjoy logging my dreams and thoughts, my travels and experiences in this format.....I also started (2) other Blogs for my friends and family to share pictures with each other.......one is for my summer family & friends cruise to Alaska.....and another for my 50th Birthday Party in Bangkok, Thailand.

http://bangkokinoctober.blogspot.com/

http://summercruise.blogspot.com/

I hope you enjoy them.!

Bob

Daunte Culpepper - Rehab Failure?

Maybe he is ready? Maybe his rehab worked? Maybe Mularkey is a terrible offensive coordinator? Maybe the offensive line sucks?

Whatever the problem is....the Dolphins have become the worse team in pro-football....and the most boring to watch!

As bad as they are playing, if the Chicago Bears are undefeated when we play them, I would bet the house on the Dolphins upsetting them for the pride of the '72 Undefeated Dolphin Team!

Miami Dolphins - Stronger Faster 2006

Hardy-Har-Har

Miam Dolphins - STINK

Can't touch them??? Dedicated to fair weather fan....Phil Bomeisl

Tim Tebow takes on the LSU Tigers

Why didn't they use Tebow more against Auburn???

Air America - Seeks Bankruptcy

It just wasn't entertaining....it was rants and raves about the war and republicans ...... always negative.

Who could listen to it for more than (5) minutes? Never a positive comment or an original thought, just "Bush-Bashing"....it got old!

If they could present the "Liberal" point of view....or the Liberal Plan....without bashing the Republicans...maybe people would listen?

Al Franken....a/k/a Stuart Smalley from Saturday Night Live was just a jerk....like the High School jerk that all of a sudden was put on the radio....BORING! Frankens only claim to fame was publishing a book titled, "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot".....it got some media attention because of the title....so he followed it up with a second book about Bill O'Reilly......He should be proud, he got some media attention, sold some books...by bashing two popular, conservative talk show hosts......yelling "fire" in the movie theatre gets attention also......but why?

Air America and Stuart Smalley will be asterisks in the history books...because they didn't contribute anything to society....they had no ideas to move the political discussion forward....they just cried and whined.

These Eyes are Crying

The Guess Who - "These Eyes"

How many times were you driving in your car...when this song came on the radio...and you started singing along?

Grand Funk Railroad

Grand Funk Railroad - We're an American Band

31 years ago, I was in Chicago when this new Grand Funk album came out and dominated the summer radio waves...this video is from a special concert re-union they played for Bosnia Relief

Chicago - Only the Begining

Recorded in 1968...almost 40 years ago....and it is still an awesome tune! Why isn't Chicago in the R&R Hall of Fame?

Hard To Say I'm Sorry - Chicago

Hard to believe that this was a "come-back" song in the 80's for Chicago.....24 years ago!!!

Colbert Report 07/20/06 - Robert Wexler

This is another Florida Representative...another jerk!!!

The Colbert Report - Mark Foley

Foley is a disgrace. He represents the state of Florida..gets caught and blames alcohol and getting molested when he was young...What a phony bastard....I hope he gets his day in court and the judge makes an example of him!

Bangkok - Bob's 50th

In 1993, I met Suradech "Hui" Wangboonchai.

I had recently started Security One and was dead broke, still recovering from my divorce, and was really down in the dumps. Hui was an inspiration. An immigrant that could barely speak English, yet he was alive! He was excited to be in America. He was working as a waiter at a Sushi restaurant...and loved to play cards.....Sushi and Cards...two of my favorite things! We became instant friends!

Hui was from Bangkok, Thailand and promised to someday take me to Thailand. Finally, in 1998 I had saved enough money to take my first extended vacation. Hui escorted me and Mom & Dad through Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand for a (3) week vacation. It was awesome!

Since then, I have traveled to Thailand (3) times. Each trip has been a wonderful experience. Bangkok is a thriving big city filled with adventure. We have also traveled to the mountains of Chiang Mai and enjoyed the culture and food from the Northern region. I have traveled to the Southern resort island of Phuket (before the Tsunami).

Christmas (2004), I was on the island of Koh Samui, about 100 miles away when the Tsunami destroyed much of the west coast resort areas. I have also traveled to the resort towns of Hua Hin and Pattaya.

I have had the great pleasure of traveling with my Mom & Dad to Bangkok twice. Mom loves the foot massage and Dad loves the herbal seaweed wraps. I have also been to Bangkok and Pattaya with my buddies Pete and Carl. Luckily, they both survived the trip without anything falling off , but Merck stock hit a 52 week when they got back!

The worst part of each trip is the brutal flights. Depending on the season and the airline, it has taken up to 32 hours from Miami to Bangkok. Each trip usually knocks the hell out of me, taking a few days to recover (especially my sore ass).

Is the long trip worth it? Absolutely! Besides the natural beauty of the country, the incredible temples, the awesome (and spicy) food, Muay Thai Kick Boxing, the relaxation of Thai massage, Chinatown with mind boggling shopping, the people are the best in the world. Thanks to Hui, I have met many new friends in Thailand.

Since my first trip, I have always dreamed to share this wonderful experience with my closest friends and brothers Ron & Jack.This year, October 26, 2006 little Bobbie Newman turns 50....I can't think of a better birthday present than taking a group of friends to Bangkok to share the wonderful experiences I have enjoyed.

I will be in Thailand (maybe Hong Kong and maybe Australia) for the next (6) weeks. I will update the blog and provide trip highlights ....and hopefully not end up on CNN being airlifted out on a C-130 cargo plane because of the Military Coup.......

Sugar is linked with Mental Problems

Reuters News

Sugar linked with mental problems in Norway study

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Oslo teens who drank the most sugary soft drinks also had more mental health problems such as hyperactivity and distress, Norwegian researchers reported on Thursday.

Their study of more than 5,000 Norwegian 15- and 16-year-olds showed a clear and direct association between soft drink intake and hyperactivity, and a more complex link with other mental and behavioral disorders.

They surveyed the students, asking them how many fizzy soft drinks with sugar they had a day, and then questions from a standard questionnaire used to assess mental health.

The teens who reported skipping breakfast and lunch were among the heaviest soft drink consumers, Dr. Lars Lien and colleagues at the University of Oslo found. "There was a strong association between soft drink consumption and mental health problems among Oslo 10th graders," they wrote in their report, published in the American Journal of Public Health.

"This association remained significant after adjustment for social, behavioral and food-related disorders." Most of the students said they drank anywhere between one and six servings of soft drinks per week. Those who drank no soft drinks at all were more likely than moderate drinkers to have mental health symptoms, the researchers said. But those who drank the most -- more than six servings a week - had the highest scores.

For hyperactivity, there was a direct linear relationship -- the more sodas a teen drank, the most symptoms of hyperactivity he or she had. The worst problems were seen in boys and girls who drank four or more soft drinks a day. Ten percent of the boys and 2 percent of the girls drank this much.

The researchers said it was possible that other substances in the soft drinks, such as caffeine, were to blame for the symptoms, and they did not check other possible sources of refined sugar in the children's diets. But they said many of the teens were clearly drinking too many sugary drinks.

Norway's recommended intake is 10 percent of the day's total calories from sugar and the researchers said at least a quarter of the boys were getting this much from soft drinks alone.

"One simple and effective measure to reduce soft drink consumption in this age group would be to remove soft drink machines from schools and other public places where adolescents gather," they wrote.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyid=2006-09-28T204517Z_01_N28374556_RTRUKOC_0_US-SUGAR.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

Pull the band-aid off slowly?

How many more American kids have to die? How many more Iraq kids have to die? I hate the thought of "cutting and running"....it brings back the bad memories of the Nixon/Kissenger spin of "Peace with Honor".

Viet Nam was a ruthless battle with entrenched soldiers...they withstood continuous bombing of Napalm and refused to give up.

We have entered another battle with a ruthless enemy. These "animals" are willing to kill there own Muslim people. Our Iraq strategy has been like pulling a band-aid off slowly....ripping the skin and pulling the hair out. The alternative is also painful, but quicker....Rip the band-aid off quickly.

It is time to make a very tough decision.....Pull the band-off quickly......Win the war by killing thousands of more innocent people...with napalm and tactical nuclear weapons...Find a terrorist and not torture or kill him, put kill his family, his children, his mother....Fight these people like we are at war! A brutal strategy to end it quickly with as few UN and American casualties as possible.....or continue to rip the band-aid off slowly?

Obviously, President Bush has not read the book, "The Art of War". We are breaking every strategy that Sun Tsu established and perfected over 2000 years ago.

The answer is not simple...neither strategy produces a good outcome....it is simple for the anti-war / Democrats to argue to take our toys and come home.....build our border security, tighten up immigration, research hydrogen vehicles to help us reduce our oil dependency, rebuild the CIA intelligence system, kill our enemies with covert operations and drone bombers....and rebuild our world image as a leader. Unfortunately, that is too simplistic in a very ugly situation.

If we "Cut and Run"...who is left in charge of the oil? If the "terrorist" are left in Iraq with oil.....they will not rebuild Iraq...they will not feed the poor...they will not open schools and hospitals....they will use the oil profits to build and fund terror networks around the world! If we "cut and run", yes we will save American Soilders, and save money from our national budget, but we will help build a stronger enemy in the long run...we cannot afford to leave!

There are too many problems facing our nation....gloabal economies, global warming, budget defecits, health insurance crisis, social security, illegal immigration....we need to focus on our own problems and let the middle east animals kill each other.....but before we leave, we should make sure our enemy is defeated....at any and all costs, otherwise our world will be a more dangerous place!

I love the smell of Napalm in the morning!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napalm

You read it here first.....

France looks into Bin Laden Death Report

PARIS (AP) - The French defense ministry on Saturday called for an internal investigation of the leak of an intelligence document that raises the possibility that Osama bin Laden may have died of typhoid in Pakistan a month ago but said the report of the death remained unverified.

"The information defused this morning by the l'Est Republicain newspaper concerning the possible death of Osama bin Laden cannot be confirmed," a Defense Ministry statement said.

The daily newspaper for the Lorraine region in eastern France printed what it described as a confidential document from the French foreign intelligence service DGSE citing an uncorroborated report from Saudi secret services that the leader of the al-Qaida terror network had died.

The contents of the document, dated Sept. 21, or Thursday, were not confirmed by French or other intelligence sources. However, the DGSE transmitted the note to President Jacques Chirac and other officials, the newspaper said.
Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie "has demanded an investigation be carried out of this leak," a ministry statement said, adding that transmission of the confidential document could risk punishment.

Defense Ministry spokesman Jean-Francois Bureau, clarifying the statement, said that the DGSE document exists but that its contents - that bin Laden is allegedly dead - cannot be confirmed.

The DGSE, or Direction Generale des Services Exterieurs, indicated that its information came from a single source. "According to a reliable source, Saudi security services are now convinced that Osama bin Laden is dead," said the intelligence report.

There have been periodic reports of bin Laden's illness or death in recent years but none has been proven accurate.

According to this document, Saudi security services were pursuing further details, notably the place of his burial. "The chief of al-Qaida was a victim of a severe typhoid crisis while in Pakistan on August 23, 2006," the document says. His geographic isolation meant that medical assistance was impossible, the French report said, adding that his lower limbs were allegedly paralyzed. On Sept. 4, Saudi security services had their first information on bin Laden's alleged death, the unconfirmed document reported.

In Pakistan, a senior official of that country's top spy agency, the ISI or Directorate of Inter-Service Intelligence, said he had no information to confirm bin Laden's whereabouts or that he might be dead. The official said he believed the report could be fabricated. The official was not authorized to speak publicly on the topic and spoke on condition of anonymity.

U.S. Embassy officials in Pakistan and Afghanistan also said they could not confirm the French report.

If he's not dead...I think we are closing in on him and hopefully he will be very dead..very soon!

Bill Clinton Freaks Out