tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68219085959262826752023-11-16T12:02:36.048-05:00Hold Your Hammer HighGene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-15073952267911469692018-02-23T00:01:00.000-05:002018-02-23T06:37:16.584-05:00My Gun ProposalRecent event have had me thinking of what kind of common sense gun laws were should have at the Federal level. I think I've come up with some that can work, but may not be too popular. Let's see what you think.<br />
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1. <u>Gun Owners Must Have A Firearms License:</u> This is a blanket license that will be like a drivers license, in that it will have different endorsements. Each type of weapon (revolver, semi-automatic pistol, rifle, shotgun, etc) will be it's own endorsement. The license itself will require the completion of a 40 Hour general gun safety course. Each endorsement will require a specific 10 Hour safety course on that type of weapon. The license can be renewed every two years without additional courses. The endorsements, however, will require another 1 Hour refresher course every two years.<br />
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In addition to the safety courses, applicants will be required to pass a mental health screening and an in-home inspection of where the firearms are to be stored. Both or these requirements will be required for each renewal.<br />
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This would be a National License, so that the requirements can be standardized across all States, and all aspects will be supervised by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. That means that this will be a National registry of everyone that is qualified to own a firearm.<br />
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2. <u>Gun Owners Must Carry Specific Firearms Liability Insurance:</u> Just like you're required to have liability for your car, you need to be liable for your weapons. Each owner can have one policy, but each individual weapon must be covered. These would be recorded by serial number and only allowed to be removed with a copy of a bill of sale or certificate of destruction (see below). If your gun is stolen and used in a crime you would still be liable, since you didn't take adequate preventative measures to keep it in your possession.<br />
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3. <u>Each Firearm Owned Must Have A Permit:</u> This would be a locally governed item and must be done for every weapon. The first step would be to have the correct endorsement on your license (see #1). Beyond that it would be up to the local jurisdiction as to what is required. No sale of a weapon will be allowed without a valid permit for said weapon.<br />
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What I would like to see, though, is that the permit process is integral to buying the weapon, since it would be tied to the serial number (like the insurance). That would allow for a built in waiting period, since you'd need to go through the permit process after selecting the firearm you want to purchase.<br />
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This would also allow vendors at gun shows to take orders, but not to hand over weapons, as the permit process would still have to be observed.<br />
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4. <u>Fully Automatic Weapons, And Parts To Convert Weapons Into Such, Will Be Fully Illegal:</u> Yes, I know that this is technically already on the books, but I'd like to see it expanded for items like bump stocks and anything that would make a weapon behave like it's fully automatic.<br />
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5. <u>Those Found With Unpermitted Firearms, Without A Valid Firearms License, Or Without Liability Insurance Will Be Fined $10,000 And Jailed For A Minimum Of Two Years, Per Offense:</u> Yup, this is harsh, but I think it's a tool that law enforcement needs. This way, if someone has a single uninsured, unpermitted firearm and they don't have a license, the can spend 6 years in jail and will owe $30,000. That just might make people think twice about what they want to do.<br />
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6. <u>The Use Of A Firearm In The Commission of Any Crime Will Immediately Double the Minimum Sentence And Remove the Possibility of Parole:</u> Let's say that robbery is punishable by 2 years minimum in prison. If you used a gun for that crime, then you now must spend at least 4 years in prison and can't be paroled. Again, this just might make people think twice.<br />
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7. <u>Ammunition Will Not Be Allowed To Be Sold Online:</u> Right now anyone that wants to buy Sudafed has to produce their drivers license at the pharmacy. This would make it the same for ammunition. You'd have to drive to a physical location and produce your firearms license in order to buy ammunition. This will then be entered into the ATF system so they can see who's buying what and how often. Controlling the weapons helps, but weapons can't fire without ammunition.<br />
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8. <u>Private Owners Will Only Be Allowed To Sell To A Store Or Surrender To The Police:</u> In order to get rid of a weapon, it can either be turned into the police, who will destroy it, or owners can sell it to a valid firearms dealer. This would generate either a certificate of destruction or a bill of sale, either of which can be used to remove a weapon from the insurance policy above. Selling to another private owner will no longer be allowed, which should increase the ability to track weapons.<br />
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I should also point out that no one would be grandfathered in under these rules. There would be a grace period to get the license, permits, and insurance, but EVERYONE would be required to go through the process for themselves and each weapon they own.<br />
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Are these fairly strict? Yes, they are. Will they stop gun violence? No, they won't. I would hope, however, that they would reduce the instances of mass shootings, as well as give law enforcement more tools to make us all safer.<br />
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I would love to hear rational, thought out opinions on this. What changes/additions would you have to this list?Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-29672355750324398352017-02-14T00:01:00.000-05:002017-02-14T06:48:19.451-05:00How to Lose an Argument<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GkY9ugEZG3yR_-Lt19C3SUy9qkBz_-aMxakISu23t1pK2PN_jTZMgkHFbRqQL3cOnvIzuCnjNsQGfbF1qGaID2RhsITh-1q8wsCE_4kiZr7SLQU9RBGjWYgp78A_c9HasTIaM9lsOvg/s1600/argument.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GkY9ugEZG3yR_-Lt19C3SUy9qkBz_-aMxakISu23t1pK2PN_jTZMgkHFbRqQL3cOnvIzuCnjNsQGfbF1qGaID2RhsITh-1q8wsCE_4kiZr7SLQU9RBGjWYgp78A_c9HasTIaM9lsOvg/s1600/argument.jpg" /></a></div>
Recently I've been thinking about the discourse, or lack there of, regarding many things. Whether it's politics, religion, geek fandom, or whatever you discuss with someone, there are two ways to do it. You can either be civil and respectful, calmly discussing differences of opinions, or you can act like a child. Unfortunately, it seems like most people today want to act like children, either throwing a tantrum when they don't get their way, or rubbing their victory in the faces of their opponents. So, I'm hear to tell you, in no uncertain terms, how you can immediately make yourself lose an argument.<br />
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It's really a lot simpler than you might think. When you boil it all down, it turns out that the one true and certain way to lose is start name calling. Once you get to that point, you obviously have no further valid points to make, so you have to start attacking your opponent, and not their viewpoint.<br />
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Let's break it down, just in case that wasn't obvious enough. Once you accuse the person you're disagreeing with/about of being one of the following, you can just walk away, because you've lost.<br />
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1. Hitler/Nazi - This is an oldy but a goody. It seems like every time someone in power does something people don't like, they're suddenly Hitler and those that agree with them are Nazis. Let's get this right out there, there was one Hitler and he was, and this is what I have told my daughter, the single most evil person in history. So let's not be so free in comparing people to him, alright? Now, as for "Nazi", unless someone specifically says that they are a Nazi, or were a member of the National Socialist Party in Germany in the 1930's & 1940's, then they aren't a Nazi. You calling them that does not make it so, and just shows how low YOU are willing to go.<br />
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2. Communist - Just like in #1, unless someone tells you that they are a communist, they aren't. You remember Senator McCarthy, right? Don't be like him.<br />
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3. Racist - I'm not going to tell you that there isn't racism in the world. Heck, I'm not even going to tell you that you might be valid in calling someone a racist, under certain circumstances. However, if someone disagrees with your point, and you happen to have different ethnicities, they probably aren't racist for disagreeing with you. Just like anyone who was white that disagreed with President Obama wasn't being racist, those in that are not white who disagree with President Trump aren't being racist. Let's stop throwing that word around without justification, OK?<br />
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4. Sexist - Yup, just like racist. Disagreeing with/about someone of the opposite gender from you doesn't make you sexist. Do you want to know what does make you sexist? Making gender the primary reasoning for anything where gender doesn't matter. Here's an example: "She's the best person for the job because she has these qualifications" is not a sexist statement, but "She's the best person for the job because we need more women in that position" is sexist.<br />
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5. Uneducated - This one really gets me. Calling someone uneducated, stupid, what-have-you, because they don't agree with you is the ultimate in pomposity. "If you were smarter, you'd agree with me" is probably the single most annoying thing that I hear. So, what's the minimum level of education where you're allowed to have an opinion? In my mind, everyone is entitled to their opinion. If you think they need more education about a topic, then EDUCATE THEM, don't insult them. Layout your facts and let them draw their own conclusions. Of course, they might just educate you right back, which isn't a problem, in my opinion.<br />
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There are many more examples, but these seem to be the top five that I hear constantly. Here's a simple rule, if your opponent can do the old "Sticks and Stones..." bit from grade school to what you just said, you've lost.<br />
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I hope this helps everyone out there to start being a bit more civil in their discourse.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-933387946465937712016-06-28T00:01:00.000-04:002016-06-28T00:01:00.612-04:00Voting Decisions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other day we were having a family discussion on voting, which I've written about <a href="http://holdyourhammerhigh.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-i-vote.html">before</a>, and my 7 year old daughter asked me if there was ever a time it that I wouldn't vote. I explained to her that no, I would always vote. Not only is it my right, but it's my obligation as a citizen. Sitting home and letting any voting day go by without going to my polling place just doesn't make sense to me.<br />
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Then she asked what if I didn't have anyone I wanted to vote for? You see, I've already explained to her that I need to find the candidate that's most closely aligned with my world view. I don't care what the letter is after their name, if they align with me then that's who I'm voting for. That being said, I've already told her that I'm not voting for either of the two presumptive nominees for the Big Two, since I don't think either of them will do a good job.*<br />
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So, to answer the question, if I don't find anyone who I feel that I can vote for in a given position, then I'll write in my own name. At least then I know that I've cast a vote for someone that I can agree with. The conversation then got into the mechanics of the voting booth, so I won't bore you with that, but I'm very happy that a girl of 7 is asking about this stuff.<br />
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* And don't give me any of that "throwing your vote away" crap. People blindly voting for a party rather than a person is what's got us into this mess. At least I'll be able to sleep at night.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-85062312388486886482016-03-01T00:01:00.000-05:002016-03-01T06:30:18.221-05:00The Unified Theory of Santa Claus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdKDt9h3ZLKdoWgvX5DfHHaU2ZIQ0acB10-KtKWPrgIRTbqGxCSrgol9qPesXN6Oy00uulqfbMi80rsIsPhLU9s6fRPXVOKM66_oI_FZ6LjhsXh-2TzmOOWK6-SDM8f6B6kleat3P7dQ/s1600/Santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdKDt9h3ZLKdoWgvX5DfHHaU2ZIQ0acB10-KtKWPrgIRTbqGxCSrgol9qPesXN6Oy00uulqfbMi80rsIsPhLU9s6fRPXVOKM66_oI_FZ6LjhsXh-2TzmOOWK6-SDM8f6B6kleat3P7dQ/s400/Santa.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
I figured that I'd write up something that I told my daughter this past holiday season. You never know, this might just be useful to some of you parents out there. It concerns Santa and how he operates. I freely admit that some of this is <strike>stolen</strike> borrowed for the great comic series <a href="http://fables.wikia.com/wiki/Santa_Claus">Fables</a>, mainly how Santa makes it to each house.<br />
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Here's how it goes:<br />
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Santa is magical and doesn't need to stop at each individual house one after the other. He actually creates duplicates of himself and they are what travels to each house. Each house has it's own Santa, and that one is customized for the household.<br />
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So, if you have a house in the United States, Santa is dressed in the familiar red with white trim (thank you <a href="http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coke-lore-santa-claus/">Coca Cola</a>). If the house in in the United Kingdom, then Santa looks like Father Christmas. Along these same lines, if the house has a white family, then the Santa is white. If it's a black family, then Santa is black, and so on.<br />
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No, the guys in the malls, town halls, museums, or where-ever you go to meet Santa aren't really him, but they are, in fact, his helpers. These men (and women, where Mrs. Claus is around) have a direct line to Santa and they tell him what each child said to them. So, while the child is not really talking to Santa, Santa will know what was said.<br />
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Even though he doesn't require a chimney to enter a house (remember, he's magic), Santa does need permission. This permission can come in several forms. The one our family uses is something called a "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Century-Novelty-146-1837-Santa-Claus/dp/B006CV56DM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1456421652&sr=8-3&keywords=santa+key">Santa Key</a>" that we leave outside on the door knob. Santa uses this to enter the house and he then hangs it on the tree.<br />
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So, there you have it. My unified theory of Santa Claus that, I think, helps explain some of the "unexplainable" things about him. Feel free to adopt or adapt this for your own use, and please let me know how it works for you.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-64494934446016646282015-09-22T00:01:00.000-04:002015-09-22T00:01:00.310-04:00Comfort Zone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://biblicalpatterns.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/you-are-now-leaving-the-comfort-zone1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://biblicalpatterns.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/you-are-now-leaving-the-comfort-zone1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yeah, I know I haven't posted anything in awhile, and that's primarily because I haven't had anything to say, of substance, on politics or religion recently. Today, however, I want to talk about something that came up recently. You see, because I'm not a Christian, people tend to think that I get uncomfortable when something Christian comes up. This couldn't be further from the truth.<br />
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You see, I was raised as a Roman Catholic, going to CCD, etc, so I know a lot about Christianity. When I was in High School, everything that I had learned about the religion and my world view had a disconnect, so I left that faith. I eventually found my own path, but that was due to a large amount of research on my part. Consequently, I probably know more about the bible than most Christians do, although I can't quote it chapter and verse.<br />
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Due to this journey that I went on, I'm perfectly happy talking to people about religion, Christianity or some other, as long as it's a reasoned discourse and not, "You're going to Hell!" (My typical response to this is "Yes, but it only has one "L", which tends to get me odd looks.) So, if you want to discuss religion, please feel free to. I might just jump in and tell you something you didn't know, so be warned.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-74352917586285564192014-12-21T11:04:00.001-05:002014-12-21T11:08:14.615-05:00Yuletide Greetings<p dir=ltr>I would like to wish everyone that reads this blog a Glad Yule. I know it's been rather quite around here this year. I can't guarantee that will change in 2015, but I know I'm going to try and post more over here, specifically continuing the "My Worldview" stuff.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDjjva-XFB-M6jmeJdTw0rLu0QvSbG9G_8y2LmLg9g-vOzGXKY3M7M9VIe94yj3kgQzHIMV7Cph116mV1OpUrml4-12-BTShii40hZQWupPk5tpWOVbfPedrdTV-ouhCNAhY0612_lnk/s1600/GhostOfChristmasPresent.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDjjva-XFB-M6jmeJdTw0rLu0QvSbG9G_8y2LmLg9g-vOzGXKY3M7M9VIe94yj3kgQzHIMV7Cph116mV1OpUrml4-12-BTShii40hZQWupPk5tpWOVbfPedrdTV-ouhCNAhY0612_lnk/s640/GhostOfChristmasPresent.jpeg"> </a> </div>Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-40425723414879792312014-07-22T00:01:00.000-04:002014-07-22T00:01:00.555-04:00A Worthy Cause<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<a href="https://www.kintera.com/accounttempfiles/account9362/images/walklogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Event Logo" border="0" src="https://www.kintera.com/accounttempfiles/account9362/images/walklogo.png" /></a>My buddy, Paul Spataro, is raising money for Pancreatic Cancer Research. If you have a few bucks to drop in the jar, please consider donating <a href="http://2014longislandwalk.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1104069&lis=0&kntae1104069=A1A4D7DAAD2345C7B6BBDACC690F4F43&supId=46266899">h</a><a href="http://2014longislandwalk.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1104069&lis=0&kntae1104069=A1A4D7DAAD2345C7B6BBDACC690F4F43&supId=46266899">ere</a>. Thanks.</div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-58693171811374227852014-05-27T06:52:00.000-04:002014-05-27T06:52:15.899-04:00Solar RoadwaysAlright everyone, I've been seeing a lot of people posting the video (see below) for <a href="http://igg.me/p/solar-roadways/x/7706799">Solar Roadways </a>and I have a few things to say on the subject.<br />
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First of all, I fully support this idea and the technology behind it. To the point that I have donated, even if it's only $5, to see it completed. I would love to investigate this for my own driveway when I need to get it redone.<br />
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That being said, I do have some concerns about how the design will hold up to heavy/highway punishment. Ask another in the Oakland part of Pittsburgh how the bus lane on 5th Avenue looks and you will understand by the current design might need to be beefed up. I do think that the current design looks like it would work for the average small road, though. Just not anything that sees a lot of truck/bus traffic, or heavy commuter traffic.<br />
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Then there is the existing infrastructure to think about. I love how they have trenches on either side of the road to connect all the piping, electrical conduit, etc, but any of these services that are already there are under the current roadway. Moving them will be a HUGE expanse for the various municipal departments and utilities, not to mention the inconvenience to the standard homeowner. Remember, your water, gas and sanitary sewer would have to be SHUT OFF in order to move these things out from under the roadway and off to the side.<br />
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Lastly, if you think that any politician would even think of implementing untried technology on the public's dime, forget it. All the vast majority of politicians care about is keeping their job, and that means not rocking the boat. If you want to see this technology get out there and grow, private citizens and small business owners have to get it going. Yes, it will be expensive at first, but so is any new technology. The more demand there is, the more the investors will see that they can make money and mass production will start.<br />
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Is this the wave of the future? I believe it is. Can we wait for our public figures to do this for us? No, we can't. Private citizens, as with most innovations, have to push this kind of thing through and then the public sector will catch up.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SNMFKKyFU60" width="560"></iframe>Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-65324457894861045042014-01-28T00:01:00.000-05:002014-01-28T00:01:00.766-05:00My World View – Concentric Circles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bYeiyil1-mS1u-mjy19UPomvsSqUt_30nsTWFCeWBehOFGypfxIGLv8cYxD1omzp3z1lcpymK-K9CR3M6_RNq-NQIEHKt8P3zoI4lOYzEFfYillr3BTilsi7A3Bksbx6eqHg-We-uLE/s1600/ripples+in+a+pond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bYeiyil1-mS1u-mjy19UPomvsSqUt_30nsTWFCeWBehOFGypfxIGLv8cYxD1omzp3z1lcpymK-K9CR3M6_RNq-NQIEHKt8P3zoI4lOYzEFfYillr3BTilsi7A3Bksbx6eqHg-We-uLE/s1600/ripples+in+a+pond.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For the new
year I thought that I’d share my religious world view with all of you. I’m going to start with the importance I
place on people/needs/etc. The basic
idea behind this is that those that are closer to me are more important that
those I don’t know, or don’t know very well.
Think of this as a series of concentric circles (hence the title)
radiating outward. The further from the
center, the less importance I place on it.
Here’s my breakdown:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Kith & Kin – These are my family (Kin),
regardless of what number/removed they are from me.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Be they blood relations or married relations,
these are my family and the most important people in my life.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Also on this level are my Kith, those friends
of mine that are as close as if they were my family.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">2.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Tribe/Kindred – People here are tied to me
through Oaths and share a common connection to the Gods and wights.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Currently I am not part of any group like
this, but I was and I hope to be again in the future.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">3.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Friends – People who I know and trust, but are
not as close as Kith.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Most people here I
have known for years, but some can get here pretty quick.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">4.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Community – People that work and live in my
town.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Neighbors are very important to
me, since we have to live near one another, so I make it a point to help out
when I can.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now we’re
getting into bigger geographical subsets, and I’m going to be specific to New
Jersey, since that’s where I live and it’s what I know. I’m sure there are breakdowns like this where
you live.</div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">5.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">County – The needs of the people in my county
are definitely more important to me that those of another county, and that’s
because it affects my family and community more.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">6.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">State – The great state of New Jersey, for all
its flaws, is where I choose to live and it’s more important to me than the
other states in the Union.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">7.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Region – The North East isn’t just a collection
of states, it’s also intertwined via roads, power grids, economy, etc, and I’m
a part of that.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">8.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Country – As it says on the sub-title to this
page, I believe that the United States is the greatest country in the world,
and it definitely has my loyalty over any other.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">9.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Continent – North America is my home, and the
fate of Canada, Mexico and all the rest will eventually trickle down to the US.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">10.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Planet – Do I really need to say more?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Since we
don’t have any proof of anything beyond out little ball of blue and green, I’m
going to stop here. Needless to say,
Earth trumps Mars when we finally get to colonization.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you look
at this list, it probably makes sense to you, but then it might not. I know that my wife has a bit of a hard time
with it, since she keeps trying to tell me which celebrity is getting divorces
or having a baby or whatever. Sorry, but
that’s down at #8 (if it makes the list at all), which means I have much more
important things to worry about. This is
also why I shoveled a parking spot for my neighbors after the most recent snow
storm. They weren’t home and were going
to need a place to park when they did get home.
I didn’t do it for any reward or even a thank you, it’s that they’re
part of my community (and elderly) and I was out there anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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Next time
I’ll go into my views on the interactions between mortals and the rest of the
universe.<o:p></o:p></div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-20844971499158704092014-01-07T00:01:00.000-05:002014-01-07T00:01:00.686-05:00I'm Doing It WrongNot something you hear too often is it? Someone telling you that they are knowingly doing something incorrectly. Still, I am practicing being a Heathen the wrong way. At least, wrong in how I believe it should be practiced. You see, I am a solitary Heathen. True my wife and daughter are there for the rites, but my wife is a Protestant and my daughter is too young to know what she wants to be, so I am, technically, the only Heathen in my household. While that's not unusual, I do think that it is the wrong way to do it.<br />
<br />
The Heathen religion, in my opinion, is meant to be practiced as part of a group. The main reason that I feel this way is the way I was brought into the religion, which is through a Theod, or Tribe, where the Gods are approached as a group, while the Wights and Ancestors are approached on a family basis. That just makes sense to me. The Gods are a bit on the busy side, what with trying to forestall Ragnarok and all, and they really don't have time to deal with individuals.<br />
<br />
"So why don't you just join a group?" you ask. Well, that's complex. You see, the group I was a part of dissolved and the main person that got me into it is in another group. However, that group is located a bit far out of my comfort zone as far as travel goes. I my view, any group that I am a part of would be convenient for my family, and not require special preparations for average get togethers. As far as a new group goes, I haven't been out to discover is there are any Theods in my area, and if there are then there's the whole joining process that I would have to go through again. Nothing bad, mind you, but I'm getting close to 40 and I don't know if I want to do that at this point in my life.<br />
<br />
So, until something happens to make it change, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing, even if it's wrong, because it's better than not doing anything.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-37141013230270822082013-12-24T00:01:00.000-05:002013-12-24T00:01:00.938-05:00You Better Watch Out...I would like to wish all of you a very joyous Yuletide this year. I would also like to thank everyone who believes in Santa Claus for keeping Odin in your hearts.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06EFYBhFYZC_PeHXaAYscXdF07nMaE8PC9JdLcSY4X3trLf5nPT7nBY3AemUU_RQi2t4DmNYx_ahByx_t6G8UTJpTfX8qwfUGkWFJXtRI4ONjOjn2-6njIfdO-_oR58ZUJu1bIUACmOc/s1600/Odin-to-Santa_footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06EFYBhFYZC_PeHXaAYscXdF07nMaE8PC9JdLcSY4X3trLf5nPT7nBY3AemUU_RQi2t4DmNYx_ahByx_t6G8UTJpTfX8qwfUGkWFJXtRI4ONjOjn2-6njIfdO-_oR58ZUJu1bIUACmOc/s1600/Odin-to-Santa_footer.png" height="300" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://buildersofzion.org/traditions-of-men/a-christmas-critique/odin-to-santa_footer/">I'm interested in seeing if they track any clicks on this back to a pagan blog. :)</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-35859901472003794102013-11-05T00:01:00.000-05:002013-11-05T00:01:00.332-05:00A Message for Political GroupsDoing my <a href="http://holdyourhammerhigh.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-i-vote.html">research</a> for today's election I came across the website for the <a href="http://www.burlcodems.com/">Burlington County Democratic Committee</a>, which is helpful since that's where I live. They have some nice write ups on the candidates that they are backing but nothing, really, on the positions that they are taking. So, wishing to get more information, I clicked on the <a href="http://www.burlcodems.com/#!chairmans-message/c144w">Chairman's Message</a>. That's where it all fell apart for me. Does this message speak to taxes, marriage equality, jobs, or other items important to the people of Burlington County? Nope.<br />
<br />
In fact, it seems like their overwhelming issue, which is the only on<span style="font-family: inherit;">e I<span style="font-family: inherit;"> can find on this entire website, is "We need to make sure that Chris Christie does not even think about running for President in 2016." Really? There is nothing else that you could possibly think to run on? There are no issues affecting New Jersey or Burlington County that could possibly make any difference? Apparently not. Apparently they think that an election that is 3 years away is the only possible thing that any voter could care about in this election.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the kind of thing that really makes me want more than two (or sometimes less on this ballot) choices for any position. The "we're good and they're bad" mindset really ticks me off. I, for one, am more concerned about what can be done about the </span>outrageous<span style="font-family: inherit;"> property taxes in the state, the passing of useless (or at least, wrong headed) laws and wasteful spending than I am about who may or may not be running for President in 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We (NJ residents) have a choice of 8 candidates for </span>Governor<span style="font-family: inherit;">, which is great! But that's it. Every other office has only 2, and my school board election has only 2 people listed to fill 3 positions. It's at times like this that I admire people like <a href="http://holdyourhammerhigh.blogspot.com/2013/08/kevin-bott-for-mayor.html">Kevin Bott</a>, who are willing and able to run as an alternate party candidate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, what's my message to these groups? Try stating what you are for and what positive items you want to accomplish rather than what you are against or what political power moves you plan on making. Not only does it turn voters off from what possible good you might do, it makes you the poster children for the worst in American politics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now stop reading this blog and go out and vote!</span></span>Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-56348812674482127112013-10-22T00:01:00.000-04:002013-10-22T00:01:01.139-04:00How I VoteNo, this is not a "I always vote for this party" post, this is a step by step procedure of how I cast my vote in elections. Considering the amount of posts I see on a daily basis which consist of nothing but a re-post of a political image or slogan, with no added commentary or just a "Yeah", I am forced to conclude that many people don't do much research on their own. Hence a little guide for those of you that might just go into the booth and cast your ballot for people with the appropriate (to you) letter after their name.<br />
<br />
1. Register to Vote - You would be surprised how many people forget this, especially if they are moving. The simple fact of the matter is that if you aren't registered, you can't vote.<br />
<br />
2. Obtain Sample Ballot - In the vast majority of cases, this comes in the mail a few weeks prior to the election. If you don't get one, you can call your municipality or local board of elections and see if they can get one to you. This is a crucial step, since everything from here on is dependent on having this piece of paper.<br />
<br />
3. Determine Incumbents - Also know as "Determine who has one strike against them." All things being equal, I vote for new comers over incumbents. I just have an innate problem with career politicians. Public Office is not supposed to be a career, it's supposed to be service to the community. For example, the mayor of my home town is a paid, elected position. The person that holds the office, though, has a day job because the pay is worth it for their time, but not enough to make a living off of. That just keeps them honest, IMHO.<br />
<br />
4. Research Candidates - Here's the hard part, especially as one gets more local. Take the ballot and look up all the candidates. See where they stack up on issues that are important to you. My general rule of thumb is that if someone agrees with my position on more than half of the things that are important to me, they are worth voting for. I know that no one will be with me on everything, but 51% is good enough to make me consider them. And I don't just mean those in the R or D columns, I mean research everyone. You might just be surprised on how much you might like an alternative viewpoint.<br />
<br />
5. Research Ballot Questions - If there are any questions to be voted on, take a look at them. Don't just go by the ballot says, look into what impact that would have on you and your family. There is usually enough information out there on these questions that you can form a decent enough opinion on it ahead of time.<br />
<br />
6. Mark Sample Ballot - Now that you have all of your information collected, weight it all for each office/question. Look at each choice you have and make a decision on what is best for you. Once you've come to a decision, mark that on the ballot. I refer to this as my cheat sheet, since I bring it into the booth with me and cast my vote based on those choices.<br />
<br />
7. Vote at Designated Polling Place - I am always surprised by how many people just don't bother to vote, or vote for the wrong reasons. There was actually someone that posted on Facebook something along the lines of "I wasn't going to vote, because I really don't like Candidate A, but now that Public Figure B has endorsed Candidate C, I'll go out and vote for A." Not because this person felt that A most represented what they thought would be good for the office, but because they didn't like B, that meant they had to vote for A. I try to ignore endorsements as much as possible, and simply vote on the issues that matter to me, for just this reason.<br />
<br />
See, it's just that easy. Yes there is some work involved on your part, but considering that we elect people who will be crafting laws that will affect all of the residents of this great country, is a little homework really all that bad? I hope I have helped some of you out there with this process. It works for me, so I thought it would be useful for others. Just do me one favor, vote intelligently. Don't go by party, but by what issues are important to you as an individual.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-83271090287198182212013-10-01T00:01:00.000-04:002013-10-01T00:01:00.126-04:00A Marriage OpinionI'm going to say this once, and I think that should be enough. If your marriage or faith are so tenuous that you feel people of the same sex getting married, with all the same rights and privileges as any other married couple, would completely shatter either, then you are fighting the wrong battle. If you would devote the same amount of energy that you waste on what other people do with their lives and focus on your own, everyone would be in a better place. That is all.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-63114964678866452762013-08-20T12:41:00.000-04:002013-08-20T12:41:29.180-04:00Kevin Bott for MayorI recently became aware of a campaign by Kevin Bott to become mayor of Syracuse, NY. I have visited his <a href="http://www.kevinbott.org/">website</a> and watched his video (see below), and I have to say I'm impressed. Here is someone willing to take a shot at being Mayor of a major American city who realizes what it's like to be a normal person in this world. The fact that he's going about it outside of the two party system that has gotten way out of control is wonderful.<br />
<br />
Do I agree with him, or the <a href="http://www.gp.org/">Green Party</a>, on everything? Nope. Some of the issue are pretty much the opposite of what I would want. However, I want to give him a shot. What we need more of in our government is outsiders. People that do not look at politics as a career, but as a civic duty. I believe that Kevin is one of these people and I would like to encourage everyone in Syracuse to vote for him and for as many of the readers here as possible to <a href="https://kevinbott-syracusegreens.nationbuilder.com/donate">donate</a> to his campaign (I have pledged $10 myself).<br />
<br />
It's my opinion that the two party system is one of the major reasons for this country being in the mess it is currently in. Whether I agree with the candidate/party or not, I want to encourage as many alternate party candidates as possible to run for as many offices as possible. Once real people get control, rather than career politicians, I think we'll have a better chance to turn this around.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="296" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/72648602?autoplay=1" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="526"></iframe>Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-10123106672734936792013-08-09T19:10:00.000-04:002013-08-09T19:10:29.197-04:00Social MediaJust so you know, dear readers, I have created pages for this blog on both <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hold-Your-Hammer-High/260254787376777">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/109840572114105906288">Google+</a>. Please feel free to add them for all the latest updates.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-82556508544281509462013-08-06T00:01:00.001-04:002021-09-28T07:36:19.356-04:00Required Viewing on Economics<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
These videos
should be required viewing for all, but <b>especially</b> politicians.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Basics of Capitalism (aka It's OK to go into business)<br />
<iframe title="vimeo-player" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/27001423?h=fcb5736d20" width="640" height="459" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
Running a
Buisiness (aka Profits are NOT necessarily evil!)</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2auI6Uz3D8I" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Investing
(aka The rich are NOT necessarily evil!)</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Kh0ibjXCnxY" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-52517869185092172322013-03-19T00:00:00.000-04:002013-03-19T00:00:04.093-04:00Unpopular Bullying Opinion<p>I'm sorry, but all the stuff I'm hearing recently on bullying in schools, etc just makes me sick.  Bullies are not, by nature, reasonable people.  Treating them like misunderstood, rational beings is as illogical as thier own actions.  You know what stops bullying?  Standing up and letting them know you won't take it any more.  If they can't keep picking on you without resistance, they'll move on to easier targets. Once all easy targets are gone, they aren't able to be a bully anymore.<br></p>
<p>Personally, I think <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt7zvLSmrh8&feature=youtube_gdata_player">this video</a> should be mandatory viewing for all students (and administrators).<br></p>
<p>Before you ask, no, I was not a victim of bullying.  I was lucky to be both one of the biggest kids in the class and blessed with the "I don't care what other people think" attitude.</p>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-86393481107964600772013-01-15T08:29:00.001-05:002013-01-15T08:29:51.299-05:00I’m Just Fed Up<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">OK, this has been building for quite a bit, and I have touched on this </span><a href="http://holdyourhammerhigh.blogspot.com/2012/10/get-grip.html"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">before</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, but I’m a really fed up with government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The over-reaction to the deplorable Sandy Hook Shooting, the gridlock in Washington, etc., it’s just too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, not being one to curse the rain without opening an umbrella, here are my thoughts.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Military</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Step One, GET OUT OF AFGANISTAN!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry, was that not forceful enough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have no business there, we are not doing anyone any good and it’s Freaking Expensive in both money, and more important, LIVES!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just be done with it.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This goes down to point 5, but I’ll say it here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the military doesn’t want something new, don’t push it through anyway!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tend to trust the people that have done the job for years and years, and if they don’t want a shiny new <fill in military tech here>, then that should be the end of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But people in my district/state/whatever need work.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure that these companies can find something else to build.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry if that’s harsh, but we’re a little beyond sunshine and rainbows in the country. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Domestic Issues</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Very simply put, see the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">10<sup>th</sup> Amendment</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Federal Government really needs to stop worrying about regulating the states and deal with the Big Stuff that is their responsibility.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gun Control is not either banning all guns or using a second hand to hold your gun, it is a responsible way for States (see 2a) to control who can legally own a firearm and what kinds of firearms are legally available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I don’t see the reason for anyone to own a fully automatic weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are better ways to make deer pâté.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is not to say that semi-automatic weapons should be banned, just the full auto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On that note, I would like to point out that any responsible citizen, who wishes to, should be able to buy any legally available firearm they can afford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heck, let’s require everyone who wants to own a particular firearm to pass a 6-week course on how to use it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe or not, criminals don’t obey the law, so no matter how strict your gun restrictions, criminals will still have guns so people will still have to protect themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">c.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Please, PLEASE give the President a Line Item Veto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just look at the recent </span><a href="http://swampland.time.com/2013/01/15/fear-of-earmarks-sparks-split-in-sandy-aid-bill/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Sandy Aid Bill</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and listen to the oinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All these amendments to bills that have NOTHING to do with them is part of the problem in Washington.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Foreign Issues</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Can we PLEASE stop being the world’s police force?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t there a group of countries, who all send representatives to a meeting yearly, which could take over this function?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know, some kind of United Nations?</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Again referring down to point 5, let’s cut all foreign aid, yes I said all, by half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know we can’t responsibly get rid of it all, but we kind of have a cash flow problem here, so let’s trim what’s leaving this country.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">c.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Speaking of foreign aid, let’s enact a law/regulation/what-have-you that states “If a country receiving US foreign aid is found to be harboring a wanted enemy of the US, all foreign aid immediate stops and cannot be restarted for 10 years.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Osama Bin Laden anyone?</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Elected Officials</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I would like to see a Constitutional Amendment implemented that states “No individual may hold elected office on any level (local, state, federal) more than a cumulative total of 20 years.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Career politicians just annoy me on how out of touch they are and limiting how many terms of a particular office they can hold just isn’t going to deter them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would not apply to appointed offices, such as cabinet positions, just elected.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The House of Representatives has been so f’d up for the past decade or so (yes, both Republicans and Democrats are to blame) that we should really think about implementing the Greek method of choosing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take all the names of all constitutionally qualified candidates in a congressional district and pick one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s your Congressman/woman for the next two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can anyone really argue that we’d be in worse shape? </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Budget</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">a.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First thing to do, get rid of all automatic increases in spending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t get a raise every year just because time passed, and neither should government agencies/employees.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">b.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You want to raise taxes on the “rich” to increase revenue, be my guest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this won’t solve the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is </span><a href="http://gopagan.blogspot.com/2012/12/just-how-much-do-we-have-to-soak-rich.html"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">no way</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> that was can tax our way out of this mess we’re in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Severe and across the board spending cuts are needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not going to be pretty or fun, but it needs to be done.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">c.</span><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Speaking of taxes, let’s close any and all loopholes in the tax code and implement a flat sales tax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No deductions, no tax shelters, nothing like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You owe X% of your purchases to the government and that’s it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basic necessities, such as produce, dairy, clothing, diapers, etc, would be exempt, but you want a 72” 1080p TV, you’ve got to pay the tax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I think this is fairer than taxing income, since it doesn’t punish success, just luxury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there could be a Scrooge out there who makes a lot of money but lives like he’s poor, but I think that’s far more the exception than the rule.</span></div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-1369900295603461832012-11-21T00:00:00.000-05:002012-11-21T00:00:03.202-05:00The True Meaning of Brotherhood<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As most of you know, I’m a native and current resident of the great state of New Jersey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, I was among those affected by Hurricane Sandy, to the point where our residence was rendered unlivable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re all fine and now have a new place to live (thanks to my wife annoying the heck out of the real estate agent who was assigned to work with us), so there’s no reason to go into that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What I would like to talk about, however, is the 3 weeks that we were without a home of our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My wife, 4 year-old daughter and I (the dog was being <a href="http://www.dogsonthefarm.com/">boarded</a>) descended upon the Philadelphia apartment of my good friend and </span><a href="http://www.triangle.org/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Fraternity Brother</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, Kurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For three weeks he not only put up with us invading his single life, but cooked us dinner and helped with the clean-up/recovery at our old place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There aren’t many people in this world that are anywhere near as generous or patient as Kurt, who treated us like family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many people accuse those that join fraternities as trying to buy friends, or the like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when you have someone that offers you a place of stability in an extremely chaotic situation, you see just what kind of people you have joined up with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kurt and I took an oath (at different times, mind you) to treat all members of Triangle as brothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a Heathen, I take oaths very seriously and I have to say, Kurt has upheld his in spades.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank him and salute him for being a pillar of brotherhood and a man of unimpeachable character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wassail, Kurt!</span></div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-77104755182845431982012-10-23T00:00:00.000-04:002012-10-23T00:00:11.371-04:00Power Up<div>
You know, I wish I could say it this well, but I can't.<br />
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<a href="http://thedevilspanties.com/archives/7720">The Devil's Panties - 10/22/2012</a><br />
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Being a Heathen as well as have a Masters Degree in engineering, I'm all for as many alternatives for powering my life as possible. Clean, efficient, reliable power is what we all (I think anyway) want in our lives. Saving the planet is a great goal, but we can do that and research nuclear, natural gas, coal, wind, hydro, geo and solar power possibilities.</div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-8274953542369896152012-10-16T13:05:00.003-04:002012-10-16T13:05:41.635-04:00Hybrid Cars – An Unscientific Study<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was able to get to try a hybrid car recently (it was the rental I got when my car was being repaired) and I wanted to share my thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is, like the title says, and unscientific study, as I only had one car to compare with my normal car, but I think the results are rather telling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, some facts so that we can do a decent comparison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My normal car is a 2012 Honda Civic, purchased new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As of this writing, it has just over 16,000 miles on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rental was a 2012 Kia Optima and had just under 3,000 miles on it when returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This comparison was done while commuting, which involves 156 miles per day on some combination of the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike, US 195 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, along with a small amount of local roads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s safe to say that this is what you would call “highway” as far as gas mileage is concerned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Typically I have to fill up the car every 2 days of commuting, and this is just over 10 gallons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to just use 10 to make the math easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That produces approximately 31.2 mpg for the Civic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the Optima, I was able to go 3 days of commuting before filling up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s great!” you might say, “A 50% increase.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It turns out that the Optima’s gas tank took just over 15 gallons when filled up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That produces, you guessed it, 31.2 mpg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the EXACT same number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, I rounded, so it’s not exact, but it’s close enough that I feel the hybrid gave me no appreciable gain, at least not enough of one to justify the added purchase price.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How much more would a hybrid cost, you may wonder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, here are the numbers for identically equipped vehicles, purchased new (all prices MSRP from their respective websites):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>Standard<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hybrid<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Premium for Hybrid</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2012 Honda Civic<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>$15,955<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>$24,200<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>$8,245</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2012 Kia Optima<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>$23,950<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>$26,450<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>$2,500</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even taking the Kia premium cost of $2,500, it’s too much for no additional performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this to say that someone with a more “local” commute won’t save anything in gas?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I can say, and why this is on the political blog as opposed to the other one, is DO NOT buy a hybrid if you plan on using it mostly for Highway driving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just will not pay you back.</span></div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-38535575812436656242012-10-02T00:00:00.000-04:002012-10-02T00:00:00.898-04:00Get a G.R.I.P.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is now officially 5 weeks until the election this year and I, quite frankly, am fed up with politics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gone are the times when office holders considered themselves public servants and now all of them, even the ones that seem to be working for us, are just out for their careers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I don’t have any proof for what I say, it is just the feeling I get watching the three ring circus we call government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, thanks to </span><a href="http://nj1015.com/show/jim-gearhart/posts/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">Jim Gearhart</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (the morning host on NJ 101.5), I am fully endorsing <a href="http://gripgov.com/">G.R.I.P.</a> for this election.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does it stand for, you ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">G</b>et <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">R</b>id of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I</b>ncumbent <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">P</b>oliticians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does it work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You take your sample ballot, mark down who currently holds the office, and vote for someone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But I can never vote for someone with <insert letter> after their name!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, you sir or madam, are part of the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your blind faith to a group, or worse, blind hatred of the other group, is why we’re on the road to <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106697/">Demolition Man</a> becoming a reality.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So remember when you walk into that voting booth this November, G.R.I.P!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sure as heck can’t be any worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to try and get out of this hand-basket before we get to where we’re going.</span></div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-60556653969474659292012-09-26T12:30:00.000-04:002012-09-26T12:30:03.004-04:00Kinda, Sorta Back to Blogging<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After five months at my new job, I think I’m settling in to the new routine, so I’m going to reactivate both </span><a href="http://mjolnir-thehammerstrikes.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Hammer Strikes</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and </span><a href="http://holdyourhammerhigh.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hold Your Hammer High</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I will not be trying to keep to any kind of schedule like I was last time around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be posting things as they come to me, but I’ll still try to update </span><a href="http://mjolnir-thehammerstrikes.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">THS</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> on Thor’s Day and </span><a href="http://holdyourhammerhigh.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">HYHH</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> on Tyr’s Day (Thursday and Tuesday in modern parlance) when there’s is an article in the cue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Posts like this one, affecting both, will be posted on Wednesday (Woden’s Day in the old way of thinking).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m working on something for each blog at the moment, so watch this space.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I would also like to thank those of you that kept checking in, even if it was just to use the links to other blogs for your reading list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your loyalty is much appreciated.</span></div>
Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6821908595926282675.post-55183467883962252692012-04-23T19:12:00.002-04:002012-04-23T19:12:16.438-04:00Now it can be toldNow that things are settling down (in a relative sense, of course) I can let you, dear readers, in on what has been going on in my life. As on this past Friday (April 20th) I no longer work at my old company. Don't get too upset, the reason for this is I got another job that fits me better. However, due to the new schedule and the distance of this job from home, my on-line time will be severely curtailed. We are planning on moving closer to the new job, but not for several months yet. Therefore, until I determine how everything will be affected, I'll be leaving both blogs on hiatus until further notice.Gene Hendrickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09935379186790612601noreply@blogger.com0