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NickolasJames8

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Blog Entries posted by NickolasJames8

  1. NickolasJames8
    Simple. Not to have a New Years Resolution. I think too many people put too much thought into what they want to accomplish over a span of twelve months when there are too many events on the horizon that they don't even know are about to happen. Someone might decide that this is the year they're going to lose weight, only to develop a glandular problem in mid-March that sends their weight soaring. Not likely, I know, but still... So I've decided to be the anti-resolute, so to speak. My only goal for 2010 is to take things as they come and to be the best husband, father and person that I can be. Other than that, I have no plans. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Chicago's older stuff. Basically, anything of theirs up to 1978, when Terry Kath passed away. My favorites from them are Wishing You Were Here, (I've Been) Searching So Long, Call On Me and Colour My World. So I went on You Tube and found some old footage of a concert they did in the Netherlands in 1977. It's amazing, and Walt Parazaider's shades are f**king epic.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJIiWpgZ3nE
  2. NickolasJames8
    To my readers: I apologize for missing last week's update of Staying together. Life has grabbed me by the hair and its been running me around at its own leisure. So far I've been able to juggle school, work, spending time at home with my family and writing, but the last two weeks have been out of control. On the days that I don't have to go to school, I have more work than I know what to do with. I'm on a serious paper chase right now, trying to keep what I have in savings in tact and still be able to afford to buy things that we want. My fiance and I are looking at buying a house in the near future, but I want to have a good enough down payment so that our payments aren't through the roof.
     
    That said, I've been doing some extra work for my dad on the side. On September 11th, he talked me into driving to the DC area, Sterling, Va, to be exact, to tender a package for him at Dulles International. Driving to Northern Virginia is bad enough, but having to do it on the anniversary of 9/11 was outrageous. By the time we got out of the airport, it was 5pm and traffic on the beltway sucked. When I got home, I said only two words to my father; Never Again.
     
    But, I did get a chapter off to Talonrider last night, and I have plans to take some time to write the next one soon. Sometimes, though, it's hard to focus on my writing when I have so many other things swirling through my mind.
  3. NickolasJames8

    What The Buck?

    By NickolasJames8,

    For the last year or so, I've been subscribed to the Buck Hollywood channel on You Tube. It's probably my favorite channel along with SXE Phil and the Shaytards. I don't really feel like talking about politics this time because the whole health care fight makes me sad. To think that the level of the debate has sunk down to the point of republicans taking about death panels and comparing Obama to Hitler, while Nancy Pelosi compares the town hall protesters to Timothy McVeigh, the terrorist who murdered Americans, is despicable.
     
    The republicans would love to take credit for killing the public option, and the democrats would love to blame them. But the fact is that they've both had a hand in destroying the substance of the debate, which is tragic for the nation because whether or not we want a government solution, this would have been a healthy debate for the United States to have.
     


  4. NickolasJames8

    80's tribute

    By NickolasJames8,

    I subscribe to a channel on You Tube called Rhett and Link (I think I spelled it right). Anyway, they pretty much do all original stuff, and I thought this tribute to the 1980's was hilarious. BTW, I sent chapter two of my new story off to Steph, and as soon as she can, she's gonna get it posted. She's not feeling well so there's been a slight posting delay...no big deal. BTW, I don't have any beta readers for this story (except for Talonrider, my editor, who reads the chapters as he works on them(, so if anyone is interested, there's an open slot. OK, here's the video........


  5. NickolasJames8
    I was debating a Republican friend of mine last night on what the party needs to do to get back on track. I told him that I feel like as long as they continue to talk about gay marriage, Obama's birth certificate and the "real America" (ie; small town America) that they should just make themselves comfortable as the minority party in Washington. Apparently, he's a birther, one of those people who refuses to accept that President Obama is a natural born citizen of the United States. I asked him kindly if he'd ever heard of factcheck.org, and he took a funny right turn in the middle of our conversation.
     
    You see, according to him, I'm not following the "Principles of the 912 project." I almost started laughing but was able to contain myself long enough to ask him what the hell that had to do with anything. Well, supposedly, the "912 project" is something that Glen Beck invented. I'm sure you all know who glen beck is. He's the pussy on Fox that cries over the dumbest ass things, and got called out on the view for lying (and for crying).
     
    So my best guess is that they'll never get their shit together and continue to wander out into the political wilderness. They'll look and sound just as crazy as the democrats did for eight years when they refused to let the 2000 election drop and move on. They'll continue to talk about the real America and call people who don't agree with their political viewpoints Un-American because that's such an effective way to draw people under their political tent. They'll pin all of their election hopes on the back of Rush Limbaugh, Shawn Hannity and Glen Beck because of their ratings share on the radio and television, but what they won't take into consideration is that those guys only need a 5 or 6 point ratings share to be considered popular. They need at least a 51 point share of the populous to win elections.
     
    They'll keep talking about Ronald Reagan like he was the second coming of Jesus because these days, that's all they have to hold onto. There is literally NOBODY in the Republican party that can take them to victory. They'll talk about the great Sarah Palin and how great she'd do against Obama in an election, but they'll only be fooling themselves. I'm going to venture a guess and say that Palin has never read a book about the Middle East, World Wars one or two, Vietnam, Korea, Communism, Eisenhower or even an Atlas of the world. If she had, she would have known that Africa was a continent and not its own country.
     
    But when I tried to convey these points to my poor republican friend, all I got was a lecture about liberal bias in the media and lies about Sarah Palin. I asked him to cite one lie the media told about her, and he couldn't. I really hate the democrats, and call them out every chance I can. I think it's a bad idea for one party to be in control of all of the legislative bodies in Washington. We saw what happened when the republicans held both houses of congress and the White House. We're watching history repeat itself at this very moment. Unfortunately, thanks to a group of mind numb ditto heads and birthers, it's probably going to be a long trip back for the republican party.
  6. NickolasJames8
    I had a nice, long blog entry written and ready to roll. Then I hit the post button, and instantly, I was disconnected from the internet and my entry was gone.... oh well.
     
    Anyway, here's a quick summary.
     
    Sent the first chapter of my new story off to Steph. Wrote a new short story. Not allowed to get a bike anymore because two people were killed this weekend in the area on bikes and it was on the news. My fiance said that I could get one, but that I could also move into the guest room or onto the couch if I did. We settled on an Audi 5 but I want to get a 2010 model, so we're holding off for a minute. We still might get an Infinity instead, or, if I get my way, an Audi for her and an Infinity for me Probably not though
     
    So yeah, that's the condensed version of everything I had before my connection to the internet went away
  7. NickolasJames8

    I lied

    By NickolasJames8,

    Ok, so I promised the last chapter of If By Chance in my last blog entry, but I stretched it out for at least one more chapter...sorry.
     
    Also, I just wanted to say something in general to everyone salivating over Barack Obama's promise to do away with Don't Ask Don't Tell because it'll prove those of us who say he'll disappoint the gay community wrong; That doesn't change anything. He opposes gay marriage. That's enough for me. I'll always oppose him as long as he opposes equal rights for every American. So to make a long story short, he already HAS disappointed the gay community. His base passed prop 8 out in California and prop 2 in Florida. What more proof do you need?
     
    Oh yeah, and here's a random 80's video for no particular reason.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO5qwNG4U18
  8. NickolasJames8
    Once again, Ron Paul rises above the fray to provide a reasoned and well thought out argument against US involvement in the middle east.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z6vMAoFwf4
     
     
    BTW, for anyone who's wondering, the last chapter of If By Chance should be finished sometime this weekend. I know I've been neglectful and I'm sorry, but life has been kicking me in the balls over and over again and it's been hard to catch my breath.
  9. NickolasJames8
    It looks like Obama's overseas trip did absolutely nothing for his poll numbers here at home, a fact that irritates many democrats desperate to see the incompetent candidate elected. Perhaps he should have tried to draw a crowd of 200,000 Americans rather than go to Berlin seeking approval. He and his campaign aids must have forgotten that large crowds are only helpful if they can actually cast a vote in an American election.
     
     

     
    Gallup Daily: Obama 45%, McCain 44%Race returns to statistical tie
     
    PRINCETON, NJ -- The race for the presidency has moved back into a statistical tie in the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update of national registered voters, with Barack Obama now ahead of John McCain by just one percentage point, 45% to 44%.....
     
     
    and then there was this........
     
    Gallup/USA Today Poll: McCain +4
     
    Republican presidential candidate John McCain moved from being behind by 6 points among "likely" voters a month ago to a 4-point lead over Democrat Barack Obama among that group in the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. McCain still trails slightly among the broader universe of "registered" voters. By both measures, the race is tight.....
     
    Other polling data shows that although Obama had a rough week, the republicans are still weaker in the polls than the democrats overall. The most disturbing number in this poll is the congressional approval rating. It speaks volumes about the pathetic state of the republican party that they can't capitalize on a 17.3% approval rating and win the house and senate back this year.
     
    General Election: McCain vs. Obama
    RCP Average
    Obama
    46.8
    McCain
    43.9
    Obama +2.9
     
    Generic Congressional Vote
    RCP Average
    Democrats
    49.7
    Republicans
    37.7
    Democrats +12.0
     
    President Bush Job Approval
    RCP Average
    Approve
    29.5
    Disapprove
    65.0
    Spread -35.5
     
    Congressional Job Approval
    RCP Average
    Approve
    17.3
    Disapprove
    75.0
    Spread -57.7
     
     
    Source: Real Clear Politics
  11. NickolasJames8
    Father Pfleger: We must be honest enough to address the one who says, 'don't hold me responsible for what my ancestors did.' But you have enjoyed the benefits of what your ancestors did! And unless you are ready to give up the benefits
  12. NickolasJames8
    Steve's reference to Bone Thugs and Harmony made me bust out with some of their stuff...here's one of my favorite songs by BT~n~H
     
     

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=-L5Gkv03HaY
     
     
    Oh yeah, and here's my answers to Kevin's living will question, too.
     
    Living Will: I don't see why anyone wouldn't have one. I guess I can't have one yet, but in 6 months, it seems like it only makes sense.
     
    Life Support: Not for me, thank you
     
    Do not Resuscitate: I can see this if I'm already terminally sick and I'm dying anyway, but I think that if I haven't been breathing for a few minutes and there's a major possibility of brain damage, no way.
     
    Euthanasia: I support this for myself and for anyone else who wants it, but it should never be forced on someone or be a decision made without the person being Euthanasize'd consenting
  13. NickolasJames8
    Ok, so as most people know, I'm not much of an environmentalist. I believe that global warming is a hoax and that we need to industrialize Africa so that the people of that continent can enjoy the fruits of a thriving economy. I also believe that relaxing environmental standards on industry will benefit the entire world in the long run.
    But I'm not completely void of environmental stewardship. I stopped eating red meat, pork and chicken almost a month ago and I'm working on my pesky addiction to seafood as we speak. I also drive a gas stingy Japanese car (a Honda Civic) and have taken a vow never to own an SUV or an American made (GM, Ford, Chrysler) car. But I think that's not enough. So here's my new pledge.
     
    I vow never to buy a subscription to a major newspaper or magazine.
     
    In 2006, it was estimated that it took nearly 4 billion trees a year to publish newspapers around the world alone. That's not including magazines. In the United States alone, we consume 187 billion pounds of paper each year. Add to that the fact that most newspapers are delivered by cars, and most likely, not very nice cars. Or even worse, if it's a big paper route, a truck or SUV, and that's some horrible pollution all the way around.
    So I'm asking anyone who reads this to reconsider your subscription to the newspaper. You can read the news online just as easily, and with minimal damage to the environment. Also, cancel your magazine subscriptions and read them online too. Or better yet, don't get online subscriptions to the newspapers and magazines because of the selfish way that they've destroyed our environment. Look for publications that are published exclusively online and give them your business instead.
     
    Ok, I'm done now.
  15. NickolasJames8
    By Tommy Christopher
    Jun 11th 2008 11:38AM
     
    Filed Under:eHillary Clinton, Democrats, 2008 President, Media, Bill Clinton
     
    Bill and Hillary Clinton, and their supporters, are compiling and maintaining an "enemies list," according to a report by the NY Times' MARK LEIBOVICH:
     
    Doug Band, chief gatekeeper to former President Bill Clinton...keeps close track of the past allies and beneficiaries of the Clintons who supported Mr. Obama's campaign, three Clinton associates and campaign officials said.
     
    ... As the Obama bandwagon has swelled, so have the lists of people Clinton loyalists regard as some variation of "ingrate," "traitor" or "enemy,"
     

     
    Campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe admits to the existence of the list, but swears it's not for revenge.
     
    Of particular interest was this passage:
     
    The news media have already focused on some list entries, ... Matt Drudge , ...Todd S. Purdum of Vanity Fair (the author of a recent profile of Mr. Clinton) and the cable network MSNBC (whose hosts Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann are charter list members, Clinton associates said).
     
    Keeping an "enemies list" might seem like an exercise in futility when you consider that everyone on it is also on the President's "friends list." Let's set that aside and take a look at who might be on the list, and whether or not they deserve it.
     
    The term "Enemies List" is very clear political shorthand for a revenge list, referencing a Nixon-era list that then-White House counsel John Dean explained was for the purpose of "us(ing) the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies."
     
    Here's hoping that the Clintons' list (actually a loose consortium of lists) is a good bit less sinister in its execution.
     
     
    Name: Bill Richardson
     
    Designation: Traitor/Ingrate
     
    Deserving: Totally. Bill Richardson was Hillary's trump card with Hispanic voters, and has benefited greatly from his relationship with the Clintons. I would argue in Richardson's favor if he had made the endorsement in enough time to actually help Obama, but by waiting until after Obama had lost California made the whole thing smack of opportunism.
     
     
    Name: Senator Claire McCaskill
     
    Designation: Traitor
     
    Deserving: No. Although, as a female politician, she owes Hillary a debt of gratitude for being a trailblazer for women, her support for Obama has been coupled with a respect for Hillary Clinton.
     
    Name: Matt Drudge
     
    Designation: Enemy
     
    Deserving: Yes and no. Drudge made his bones on the Clintons' misery, but then Hillary's campaign tried to court a relationship with him, only to have it backfire. They should have never taken him off that list.
     
    Name: Iowa
     
    Designation: Ingrate
     
    Deserving: Yes. They get to vote first no matter what, wielding disproportionate influence over our elections. That's enough for me.
     
    Name: MSNBC
     
    Designation: Enemy
     
    Deserving: No. While Chris Matthews, and others individually, may have deserved some Clinton ire, on balance the coverage on MSNBC was fair.
     
    Name: Todd Purdum
     
    Designation: Enemy
     
    Deserving: Yes. His recent Vanity Fair article, "The Comeback Id," may have contained some useful information, but it was swimming in a sauce of smears and innuendo.
     
    Name: Black People
     
    Designation: Ingrates
     
    Deserving: No. Even if you accept the premise that Bill Clinton did more for black people than any other president in US history, that's a pretty thin ledger.
     
    Name: Ted Kennedy
     
    Designation: Traitor
     
    Deserving: Yes. It wasn't so much his endorsement of Barack Obama, but rather his mean-spirited lobbying against the Dream Ticket, that did it for me.
     
    Unless she is elected to the Vice Presidency, Hillary's political clout might render this list more of an amusing parlor game than a reason to quake and tremble. But as Hillary is quick to remind us, don't ever count her out.
     
    Others said to be on the list:
     
    Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina
     
    Members of the DNC rules committee
     
    Anthony Lake, former national security adviser
     
    Susan Rice, former White House and State Department official
     
    Joe Andrew, SuperDelegate and former chairman of the DNC
     
    Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
     
    Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona and
     
    Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas
     
    Caucus States
     
    Arithmetic
     
    Youtube
     
    Sinbad
     
  18. NickolasJames8
    Clinton's couldas, shouldas, wouldas
     
    Reading the obituary for the most anticipated candidacy in a generation
     

     
    By Chuck Todd
    Political Director
    NBC News
    updated 4:29 p.m. ET, Fri., June. 6, 2008
     
     
    WASHINGTON - A close friend of Sen. Hillary Clinton argues that
  19. NickolasJames8
    From the look of things, Hillary Clinton is at the end of the road, so to speak. We can only hope that in this case, the end of the road also means the end of her political career, as it seems she won't be the president of the United States. She doesn't need New York anymore, and while she may run for re-election, I can't see her being re-elected. Her ugly side was on full display for all to see this year, and boy was it ugly.
     
    My guess is that Obama and McCain are going to have a close election, but that Obama will pull it out. McCain is just too old to win the presidency. People in this country have to understand that a near centurion has old, out of date views that have no relevence in today's society. I'm not wishing the man harm or anything, but I wouldn't mind seeing his health take a bad turn right before the repuke convention so that they can put someone a little more tolerable than McCain up against Obama, someone like Ron Paul...ok, just kidding. I know he'd never have a chance to be nominated, much less win the Whitehouse, but the reason for that is sad, really. You've got a guy who respects the constitution and the rights of everyone in the nation, and because of that, he's cast as crazy. I guess what I'd like to know is how he's considered crazy while our current president took us to war against the wishes of the nation, and in spite of the warnings from people all around him who knew what was coming. Now we know that everything they said would happen was right, and McCain wants to continue on with this war. And somehow Ron Paul is crazy?
    Wow.
    What's amazing to me is how so many people are willing to vote for McCain. I imagine that most of them live in a singlewide trailer full of rent to own furniture, but that's another rant altogether. But it furthers my argument that not everyone should be allowed to vote.
     
    Ok, so that ends today's political rant. I've decided for personal reasons not to post in the political forums for the time being. If you'd like to debate anything I've said, or add to it, feel free to do so right here, because I won't be replying to posts in the political forums until further notice.
  20. NickolasJames8
    So Barack Obama is having more pastor issues, or I guess in this case, it's priest issues. Either way, I don't think that this guy said anything bad at all, and I find his rant on Hillary especially hilarious. I don't think I can ever get enough of him acting out his version of what happened in Iowa when Hillary broke down and cried
     
     

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=EBvYICKJ3TI
  22. NickolasJames8
    Disclaimer:
     
    This blog entry is not directed at any member, forum moderator or administrator on this site, or any other site. The views expressed by me do not represent the views of this site, or any other site. The views expressed by me are 100% correct 100% of the time.
     
    Lately there's been a lot of discussion about reproductive rights, and whether they exist or not. Some people suggest that there are no such rights for individuals. For the record, I'd like to say that while I vehemently disagree with what they say, I will defend to the death their right to say it. I just thought it would be fun to run down a list of some very famous people who say that people have no reproductive rights. Shall we??
     
    Randall Terry
    Pat Robertson
    Fred Phelps
    Shirley Phelps-Roper
    Jerry Falwell
    John Hagee
    Sam Brownback
    James Dobson
    Sally Kern
    John McCain
    Mike Huckabee
    Newt Gingrich
    Dick Armey
    Dr. Laura
     
    I guess I could be wrong. I mean, with so many moderate voices who have never expressed extremist views on any topic, and who aren't hateful toward women and gays in the least, how could I have possibly questioned the stance that there's no such thing as individual reproductive rights?
     
    And just to prove my point, watch this....
     

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=gvxWdnu9iDE
  24. NickolasJames8

    An unusual request

    By NickolasJames8,

    Ok, so I'm at a crossroad. I've been working on a short story, and I'm about 2900 words into it, but I'm stuck. It's been a month since I started writing the joker, and I hate to let it go to waste. On the other hand, I think I made a mistake with it, but I can't know for sure.
    What I'd like is for another author, efiction, promising, shared hosted or hosted, it doesn't matter to me, to take what I've written and continue the story. Do whatever you want with it, change the names of the characters, whatever you think will work. If you're interested, please reply here or PM me. I'd even be willing to work with you, and I'm open to the possibilty of three or four more authors working on it together. Once you take it off my hands, it's your world.
  25. NickolasJames8
    So there's a tornado warning until 11 this morning, which, combined with the lukewarm temperature and dark sky, is making me a little nervous. Knowing my luck, the bastard will touch down in the driveway and mash my car up...lol.
    I turn 17 on Thursday....I know, big f***ing deal, right? That's how I feel in a way, but I also feel kinda weird about it. It's my last year as a minor, and I feel like I can't wait to get the hell out of my dad's house. Not that we aren't getting along better, because we are. Actually, we're doing ALOT better, and I'm going with him to Florence, SC today to pick something up. We're leaving in a little bit.
    It's just that I feel like he doesn't need me around to make his life a living hell, even though I'm trying hard not to. He just up and quit his job a couple weeks ago and went into business for himself, and my stepmom and cousin are doing a lot to help him out. The thing is, he wants me to quit my job and work for him, but I don't want to. I haven't given him an answer, but I plan to tell him today on our road trip. I hope it won't make him mad at me or change things between us, but I think I'd be really dissapointed in myself if I left the golf course.
    I'm thinking that I might stay at the golf course and help my dad out when I can. He said he'd pay me more to work for him than I'm making now, but I don't think I could take his money. I'd only be willing to help him out if it were for free, just because he's my dad and anything he does to make money benefits me anyway. I know he pays my cousin, but James is 21 and has his own place and things. I can understand that, but as long as I live at home, I don't think I can take his money.
    At the same time, I don't want to quit my job. Not just because of the money, but because, in a stupid sort of way, I feel like it's the most important thing I've ever done in my life. I make really good money, and I feel like I'm in charge of myself (which I basically am, even though I have a supervisor). I like working on things, and I'm learning a lot about wiring and hydraulics. I think I'm going to try to take some electrician courses when I get into college, and some Process Controller courses too. Since it's doubtful that I'll be getting into William and Mary, I have to start thinking about ODU for now. Maybe at some point, if I get good enough grades at ODU, I can look at going to W&M, but for now, I don't see it happening with my grades as bad as they are this year.
    So anyway, yeah, that's what's been going on in a nutshell. My lovelife has been moving in two speeds...slow and stop. Me and Taylor have been taking things one day at a time, but I can't be bothered with his dumbness. I haven't smoked any pot in three weeks, and my goal is to never smoke it again. It seems like he's just picking up the slack for me, and he's missing a crapload of school. I still love him and we hang out all the time, but as far as being boyfriends, I think we're over. But I'm okay with that, and he's getting over it too. I'll always be here for him, and as soon as he decides to get himself together, I'll help him anyway he needs me too. But I have to think about myself, too. I hope that doesn't make me selfish, but even if it does, I have to be that way.
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