NEW YEAR

So happy new year kids.

I had one hell of a blow out for 05... It was a long lasting celebration, that I actually remember.

Now I just got to learn my lesson's from last year, and try apply it all for 06. Last year was a hell of year, and I seemed to fall on my face repeatedly. Mistakes happen, but repeating them is just pathetic. So that's my first resolution, no more repeating mistakes leggy! 05 was also a year of some small steps in personal growth. I have learned to live on my own, no roommates, no girlfriends, no help. It's a huge change for me, and it has helped me become a better person. I still have a long way to go. So number two... Keep on truckin Lego, you'll only get better at managing your money(I hope) and learing who you really are, (find the real you). Lastly 2006 was a year of heartbreak. I have spent all of it single, and I spent it hanging on to fools hope... The girl of my dreams struggled with letting me go, but ultimately, she made a good choice and left. It forced me to see, and still see a lot of things that need to change. Still in a tailspin, I am learning that I need to give, with out expectation of getting something back. By give, I mean anything; love, money, time, and other favors. So this year, I need to learn to take risks again, break the wall I built, learn to be happy in loneliness and to stop trying to control outcomes.

2005 had more setbacks for me than positives. But I plan to remain optimistic and hopefully 2006 will be my best year yet. So here's to the new year, I hope all is well with you, and that in this time of renewal you make the best of it...

My hollywood trip

February 19th thru the 23rd I was in L.A.

I was mainly there to see the sites, get a feel for the town I plan to move to, and also to meet some online friends. My trip went well, and I learned a lot… It rained the whole time I was there, but I didn't mind. The weather was way better then my home state of Wisconsin.

Now this is my first trip ever by myself. So when I landed in Orange County, and took my shuttle to West Hollywood, I called my pals. You may know of them as, COCLES and PIXIE. I had never met them before, so we agreed to meet out side this Quizno's by my hotel. I walked there, sat down, and waited…

"Was he a killer, no… what if he is weird, he has to be a little…. But what if he is really, really weird… what if they don't like you… what if…" and then finally I saw a couple walk towards Quizno's from the parking lot. It wasn't what I expected. A very large Black guy with a short white girl came down the sidewalk… I looked and made eye contact with these people and they just gave me a weird look… It wasn't them. So I waited some more, and after one couple of gay males, and two couples of Hispanics, finally I saw them…

They strolled up and immediately recognized me. Cocles beaming with arrogance, and pixie glowing with a huge smile. I knew it was them… We talked for a bit, over some jamba juice, it wasn't awkward at all… Cocles wouldn't stop talking and I could not stop listening… They took me out to dinner, and it was great… I had never experienced valet parking, or riding in a nice Mercedes. Afterwards I went and saw the apartment they had… we stayed up late, talking and playing some Mario kart…

As the days went on I really got a feel for what the real cocles and pixie are like. And I am glad to say, I like them and consider them a friend. Cocles talked with me a lot about the Hollywood business. And I can't wait to go out and see if I have what it takes. Just waiting on some finances, and I'll be there.
I would like to thank you Uncle Cocles, and Aunt Pixie. You made my trip a blast! I hope to see you soon… Now for the rest of you who want to know what they are really like… well cocles is a girl and pixie is actually a man. Just kidding… Cocles actually is a huge gentlemen to his wife. And she is a very solid lady who keeps him in line…

My TICKET!!!

So on Sunday, I was finishing up a long weekend of a family reunion on my step-dad's side. It was in Wisconsin Dells, about an hour north of here… After breakfast that morning, I began my trip home to Madison, driving solo on the interstate… I was cruising along changing my speed with the flow of traffic… Sometimes speeding up to pass slow groups, and then setting myself back at about 7mph over the 65 limit…

About 15 miles from my house I was pulled over… I got in a line of cars that flew up on my left… I joined in behind them… up ahead was two semi's passing each other in the right two lanes… Too keep up with the left lane I was driving 84… That’s when it happened… The cop sitting up ahead in the median pulled out and turned on his lights, I never saw him coming, in stead I hit my breaks like the cars in front of me and wondered why they were all braking.

When I was pulled over he asked a question to what I'm sure my answer wouldn't have mattered. "Why were you going 84 in a 65?" He was a typical state patrol officer, except he was acting a little extra macho in front of some civilian clothed ride along. I replied with the truth. "Just flowing the flow of cars in front of me, getting around these trucks."
It's then he comes to tell me that the cars in front were going much slower. They had the guy in front of me at 82… then he said he saw me… So I was the big fish because I didn't see the little blue car when I cam over the hill. My ticket cost, 230 dollars. 4 points will be deducted from my license… my insurance, priceless! At least it is now.

Since it is my first EVER offense, I plan to go to my court date and see if I can't get it lowered. But after my ordeal it got me thinking about government regulation. I understand speeding laws… Cars at high speeds are unsafe. But what is high? And what if all cars are going fast and the meet one really slow one? Who is MORE dangerous? I think it would be that slow car… Now I am putting this in the context of Interstate Highway's and other roads that require a person to use and exit and entrance ramp anytime they want to change directions. If I was in a residential area, or some backwoods-winding road, I can see the dangers I would present. But on an inter-state where traffic is already moving at fatality rates, and other cars are driving even faster, I tend to think of it as less of a crime.

This is building up to a post I am still working on. It's all about government regulation. This was just a way to set up my perspective. So in the mean time, think about this… Imagine if we had the safety regulations on travel and shipping today like we did when the west was still being developed… Kids in covered wagons, would have to be strapped down like luggage. If anyone were hauling certain cargo they would need permits, and delegated driving hours. Most people would need insurance incase their wagon breaks and hurts other travelers. And if you traveled in California, they would have to regulate what type of feed you gave your horse…(emission standards.)

I doubt the west would be what it is now… Just my thought

How government should work.

This is something I typed up during the election... i never posted it, but i figure i might as well do it now.

How your government should work.

Now this again is just my humble little opinion from a wiseass 22-year-old kid. Here is the deal… I look at my government through many different views… I would like to explain one of them right now… I see government as a business. We are all the customers who buy services provided by the government. We buy defense, we buy education, and we pay for paved streets, clean air, water, parks, garbage, and justice… We pay for all this and more through a little something called the tax system.

Recently one of my senators, Russ Fiengold was defending his seat in the house. In his campaign he spoke about many things he is for, and what he was against… Well one of them has sparked me to write this post. He mentioned a bill he was/is? trying to pass that strengthens the "buy American act". (That basically means the U.S. government needs to buy American made products/services only.) Now I try to usually buy American products myself… I figure I am helping our local economy, and that makes up for the higher price. But having my government buy American stuff only is, well, kind of stupid… Now those who disagree just calm down and let me explain…

First off remember that view of government being a business… If the government was a smarter business it could get its ass out of debt… But sense the government is designed to break even we have out little problem of our debt… We have butt loads of it, and the way to get out of it is by the government breaking the rules for a little while by making a prophet. They can do this many ways, cut spending, and reduce overhead cost. You may want to add raising taxes, but i dissagree... the only time they need to be raised is when inflation weakens the dollar. If you are looking for a third option... it would be to reduce almost all services and let the private sector take over...

Now I know debt can be a problem, even though national debt doesn't really effect your everyday life, it still could harm our future... Sorry I am getting sidetracked… Lets get back to that "Buy American Act". I don't like it, it's stupid… As the government as a business, buying American products only increases overhead cost… Now that means it increases the cost required for them to provide the service, which results in a loss in prophet if they were going for one, and a definite increase in the price they charge. (As in your taxes go up, because they pass some of the higher cost they have on to you…)

I personally would like to see the government get more bang for my tax buck… example… lets say all federal courts need new gables. The government can either buy 300 American gables at 50 dollars a piece, or 300 non-American gables at 5 dollars a piece at the same quality…. Hmmmmmmm.... If I was running a business that was lossing money every day, i'd have to suck it up and buy some forgien gabble... perhaps if I eventually save my business, I could possibly afford to through some of the money i have back into the u.s market, in stead of the worlds market.

Now you can argue the government buying American products helps boost our economy, but I argue taxing everyone LESS helps us more than buying some specific American companies products… which most likely that company hires some out of country manufacturer to create the product and then charge a hire price to customers.

I encourage you, if you have the extra dollar to buy American products, but our government needs to be a bit more efficient, and that means giving them more options. They need to deal with companies that globally compete to offer our government the best value. After all, we try to practice a free market here in the U.S. Shouldn't our government get to participate too?

where's LEGO?

I AM ALIVE AND SEXY AS EVER. GRRRRR BABEY GRRRR. (J/K)

It has been a while and I appreciate all of your concern... Simple fact is i know longer have the net at my desk at work or at my house... So I am temporarly gone... I will return and when I do you will know... I have been silent for a while and I have plenty of things to say...

I have just been working trying to get myself out of some debt... take care everyone!

Not your Hollywood ending...

I am sure you have heard the latest reports… It is finalized, there is, and there was, no weapons of mass destruction. I am not going to spin this. I am only going to give my unique opinion on what I get from the latest findings.

To set up my perspective we need to go back a few years… Back to when Billy was president shortly after the first WTC attacks… Now not many American or global citizens remember those first attacks… I must admit that they left my memory fairly quickly. It wasn't until the 9/11 attacks that I realized how important any attack is. And so it wasn't until after the 9/11 attacks that we learned that William Jefferson had Osama in his sights… let me say that again… It was not too long after our first attack that the United States military had Osama located, and the chance to kill him. They neglected to do so, and years later, the buildings fell.

Now I do not wish to compare Sadam with Osama, they are two very different men… And although Sadam has never attacked American soil, he was still a prick. I see the world safer and better for not having him in power.

The latest report not only confirms the lack of Weapons of Mass Destruction, but also confirms Sadams attempts to have sanctions lifted so that he could again build up an army, with WMDS included. He feared IRAN, he thought the only way he could be safe was to have as much power… Sadam had the raw materials and was abusing the food for oil programs as a way to gain power with other nations. In order for Sadam to have ever created WMD, would be to have people leave him alone.

Now, the threat of Sadam having Weapons was not him using them on us… It was him selling them to terrorists. And I believe that if he would have been left alone, four years later we would have been watching more buildings fall. The bottom line is that Bush did what bill did not do… He took out a future threat. Iran is next…

Now I am not totally happy no WMD was found… It would have made for a nice Hollywood ending, breaking in at the last second, right when the threat is at its highest. Bust up a Sadam meeting with some soon to be famous terrorist group AL-POOPA that was about to buy some big as weapons that can kill millions. It would have been just like some action flick you would watch on T.V. The press praise would have been high, and afterwards we would be lifted like heroes.

In sharp contrast we have played it safe… No Hollywood ending, no fame or glory. We took the bad guy out before he could have grown as a major threat. We sit here now, trying to rebuild a country that someday will be a huge help in changing the Middle East to a land of peace, and cooperation.
I understand that Hindsight is 20/20, that many things could have been different… But I prefer to look towards the future, to see a threat and cease the moment…Offense is the best defense.

DON'T VOTE.

First off I am sooo ready for the campaigning to be over… I live in a battle ground state and as much as I get into politics, this is too much… But the worst part is seeing everything get more and more tense… It's just… a headache…

Lately I see many people, some famous some not so famous, but no matter who they are, they all have one common message… VOTE… vote for change, vote for Kerry, vote for the common man… vote for freedom, vote for Bush… And I am coming out with my own message, my own request.

There are people out here in this world who are stupid… Now I know it may seem wrong to say, but damn it is true. There are some really stupid people. These "people" lack independent thought. They cannot think for themselves. You can ask them, what do you want to do tonight? And they will reply with… "I don't know, what do you want to do?" These people hear something from someone that they grow to respect, and they treat it as gospel… The person of their interest could tell them that the world is actually flat and that the government created the round myth… The stupid people would probably believe this…

So today we have everyone trying to get the stupid vote… I see it more on the left side, but I know both do it… You can see it too… Any time someone from Hollywood comes out and says vote for so and so and here are some B.S. reasons why… you can listen to the lyrics of some of the hit pop songs… or watch a movie about how bad the opposite side is… MTV will have their play on telling people to vote… just vote, but just so you know you will be "cool" if you vote for John Kerry…

(Can you tell I have a problem with celebs ordering people to go vote at the polls, they knowingly use their influence to affect minds of the stupid.)

Personally I would rather have smart people go to the polls… people who are educated and took time to weigh some options… then I could say that I won the educated vote… Unlike the opposite… Which would be, "I had millions vote for me because they did what Ben Aflec told them to do… They couldn't think for themselves, so they we told them what to think… I am great!"

This why I am coming out with my message… DON'T VOTE YOU IDIOT.
I feel this is the way to go… the people who would listen to this shouldn't vote anyways… they don't think for themselves… It is one of my biggest pet peeves! People who buy into everything that is thrown at them.
Let me know what you think… I would like to see people pass a test to see who they should vote for… instead of two candidates, people vote on each issue, with a few paragraphs describing each sides point of view… then you rate how important that issue is to you… at the end everything is weighed and your vote goes to a candidate that best represents YOUR interest…