Instead of the Normal Pain Pills...

http://www.livestrong.com/blog/10-pain-fighting-foods/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=04112012

This is awesome! Must read. Especially for those former athletes like me who feel the pain every morning they wake up, but still have that need to work out. Trust me pain pills will just hurt your body. If you feed it the natural ingredients that it was meant to have to take the pain away, in 20 years you will thank yourself. I thought I could not operate my day without Alieve or something of that nature, but adding these is cheaper and a healthier habit to form! Different idea on how to cure your aches and pains, instead of falling victim to the crazed pill market.

Red Sox Opening Game meeting minutes

So I was inspired after I read the Bill Simmons book, Now I Can Die in Peace, to write my own minutes for the games that I catch on television. Mandatory occasions mostly will be posted, like games vs the Yanks, Opening day (read further), playoff games, a game update a month, possibly others that I just watch. It is just my thoughts during the game... will potentially become very hilarious and my obsessive crazy side will appear. Just a forewarning.

Could I be more excited...NOPE!! My mind is thinking stellar match up for this opening day, Tigers vs. Red Sox. The best line-ups with the highest expectations of any team this season. Wow, I have some adrenaline pumping in me. I seriously got out of bed to watch baseball. "I will be Mr. Everything" "Beast mode never sleeps." Opening day commercial just gave me the chills!!! First thought about Verlander walking to the mound...HOLY MOLY!  Did he hit the steroids or do those pants just not flatter his legs?Seriously looking like a linebacker.
12:10 First pitch. Ellsbury vs. Verlander. MVP vs. MVP Runner-up. First time for that to ever happen. Best vs. the Best. and Ellsbury last year came back from a broken rib and never missed a game.
12:13 Carl Crawford is gone, out for injury. Well he sucked last year. Not hitting like he did for the Rays before Theo snatched him up.
12:14 Can't wait to watch Lester blow it up. He had a good Spring Training and thanks to ESPN and MLB Network for televising them so I could watch. that was wonderful and got my hype for the season at an all time high.
12:17 dang it. There goes Lester's no-no. ha.
12:19 Checking Twitter. Baby Carlos (Hangover baby) is flat out hilarious. "Oh, you're 14 and quit smoking? How inspiring."
12:22 Ortiz going oppo for a double. How about that shift baby! Yeah.
12:27 Jamie came home! Love chatting with her about Jason problems. Missed a couple of batters but her drama is better than watching Verlander dominate us. She is too funny. I love talking to her. We still can just chat about our lives like we are still belt loop buddies. She finally mentioned the marriage word with Jason! But she said she would say no right now.
12:36 Prince Fielder has a serious stash/facial hair.
12:37 Two double plays turned, Aviles still has to prove himself though. Seems like there is a different guy starting in the shortstop position every year on Opening Day.
12:38 Ryan Rayburn(tigers) is a stud. Going to be great one day.
12:39 Forgot to mention Tito was commenting the game (his new job). We will pay close attention to his comments. Already said Pedroia "is the bright light. Valentine is going to love him." That makes me happy. I love Dustin!!
12:40 "Cubs winning the World Series" video game commercial make me laugh and hurt at the same time. I understand what a drought feels like...wait was that a hit at the Red Sox thinking every year is The Year? if so eff off MLB2K12. I am pissed now. Everyone thinks they can just pick on Sox fans.
12:42 Verlander is too good. MVP repeat? Too soon?
12:43 Who I think is Aviles has another Youk stance...SCORE!
12:46 Top of the order for Boston and I think ORtiz has the only hit. Great, Verlander is red hot, lobster jalapeno hot.
12:54 Tito finally says something worth catching my attention.
12:55 Man if we have another finish like last year I will have to crawl in a hole. I am not kidding. I just might accidentally not come back from a hiking trip. Salty is HUGEEE! Kinda miss seeing Captain.
12:56 Jim Leland still wears his spikes as a manager. Maybe they should have asked Tito why he never even wore the jersey....
12:57 Lester almost threw the ball away to first on a pick off play. Can't throw the ball to first base is a sad, sad statement for a professional ball player. Maybe I could make it after all??hmmm.
1:02 No Francona, scoring position is not a runner on first. Geez how did this guy get us a championship?!
1:03 Burger King trying to be healthy with fruit smoothies and garden fresh salads. If you want to be healthy tear down your establishments? PS garden fresh? Must be hard keeping a garden in all the pavement.
1:04 Why is a Detroit team called the Tigers? Moreover, the Lions? At least the Pistons got it right.
1:05 Two pop flys for Pedroia. efffffffffffffffffffffffff
1:06 Tito wanted to get popcorn instead of face Nolan Ryan hahaha.
1:15 Prince Fielder struck out by Lester! Whoo Lester has his stuff today. 0-0 4th
1:18 Another montage about thee horrible collapse of 2011. Way to rub it in. We are trying to move on. Let's ask Tito, he probably knows as much as Sarah Palin did on foreign policy. He let his players party in the lockeroom. The man had no control. At least show you care. You coached in a city that cares more about their ball club than their marriages.
1:21 How about we get a hit?!?!? The best thing about Valentine so far, he cares. He is wearing the uniform, 10 steps ahead of Tito, and he is standing, encouraging his players. Wow interaction. See its not that hard.
1:23 Wow even Fielder wasn't ready for verlander's move to first. Ellsbury hat hair is so sexy.
1:24 Verlander looks like Logan!! Now if Logan was him, then I would not blow him off at all. In fact, I would be in Arkansas right now hahah. Shallow much? 
1:26 5 hits between both teams. I will take that Opening day ace match-up
1:33 Lester pitching through traffic. Salty should have thrown down to 2nd to pick that guy off. Can't help but wonder if Tek would have? Plus it would have changed the momentum of the game, he was half way to 3rd!
1:36 Yep keep pitching out of traffic! Almost started sweating. Gosh its only the first game of the season.
1:32 Gotta pee, don't want to get up though!!!
1:38 and again. A pop-up into the glove of Pedroia. Great jump. Just the best player ever! "Not a lot of quiet moments from Pedroia." "Big Papi called him everyday just because he missed him." "When Pedroia walks in the lights get brighter." How can you not fall in love with a team like this one!?
1:46 Tito trying to remember who his short stops were...really? Don't ask the poor man, he forgot to wear his uniform to every game.
1:52 going to play sand volleyball. Now I want this game to hurry!
1:59 "I am a crazy bitch but I am not yours!" Momentary flashback with Jamie to Spring Break SPI freshman year. haha
2:00 okay back to the game, and another double play for Lester. This guy just pitching through some 5 o'clock Austin traffic!
ehhh. going to play sand volleyball there are 161 games left right?

Boston lost the game in 10 innings to the Tigers 3-2. They have since only won one game (1-4). Maybe Valentine isn't the right guy.

Roscoe Filburn, wheat, and regulations.

It is a possibility that you don't sit around the dining room table and discuss the 1942 US Supreme Court decision, Wickard v. Filburn... but maybe it is a conversation worth taking a hack at. Here is why...

After World War I, the agricultural South suffered major blows. The tariffs increased for overseas exporting, Germany was stuck dealing with the reparations from the war, Russian communism defected any outside products and competition, and Italy closed its markets. President FDR saw the strife in the agricultural regions of America and sought to change things. Executive and legislative branches of the US government passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. The act included an acreage allotment of farming land and the amount of crop harvested on those acres. The legislation was further amended in '38, instituting if you went over the quota you were subject to an increased penalty. This new piece of legislation, seeking to put constraints on the production of agriculture, let the door fly open for a governmental invasion to private businesses. Basically this act said the government can regulate all agricultural production on YOUR PRIVATE land. 

So a farmer from Ohio, Filburn, filed suit against the penalty fines he was being forced to pay through the amended act. His case reached the Supreme Court where the question of whether the government's interference was within the Commerce Clause. Filburn also attacked the act on its constitutionality because it penalized him for using the excess wheat to feed his farm animals. The usage of wheat as feed for a stock complicated the matter. So mainly the crop, wheat, that Filburn harvested above his acreage allotment was not intentionalized for interstate commerce, so should the government still have the right to penalize him for growing enough wheat to feed his stock, thus controlling THE TOTAL supply of wheat? Filburn argued that, "the  government's approach to the Commerce Clause would not only effectually approach a centralized government but could eventually lead to absolutism by successive nullifications of all Constitutional limitations." 

So here is what the USSC decided .... that the legislation was meant to control the price of wheat by sustaining or increasing  the demand by limiting the supply...hmm... Filburn's contribution to the demand for wheat is not enough to "remove him from the scope of federal regulation where, as here, his contribution, taken together what that of many others, is similarly situated." To sum it all up, the USSC used its gavel to hammer down the message that the power of Congress to regulate commodities, their prices, etc could no longer be questioned. Thus the Filburn principle was born.

So now in a modern world, we are faced with the strengthening of governmental regulations and red tape that force companies and small town Americans to spend countless dollars to not be penalized. Is this fair? The Warren and Burger Courts installed further action for protecting the Commerce Clause. It seems as if Congress wants anything passed they can just fall on the backs of the trusty commerce clause.

Give this wonderful research a quick read ! Jiim Chen, The Story of Wickard v. Filburn: Agriculture, Aggregation, and Commerce.

If we don't, China will.

Gas prices have been eating away at everyone's pockets in the past month. And with prices looking like they are going no where but up, why isn't the Obama Administration stepping up to the plate to grab a stake in the second Saudi Arabia that is the Canada tar sands?

I have been sorting through a bunch of articles that say approving the application from TransCanada can or won't effect the situation at the pump. More talk about how divulging the tar sands will permanently damage the environment. Even more talk about how partisanship is increasing because of issues such as this one that divide the conservatives from the liberals.

My take on the whole debacle is that if we don't utilize the heaps of oil just north of the border, someone else will. That someone else will be China who is about to hit another lapse in their economic system, and looking for a nice way to save themselves from collapse. This would also put China in control of an amount of oil comparable to the Middle East. ONE country in control of this much oil. More specifically CHINA in control of that  much oil.

How is the failing economic system of the United States going to stand up to a hegemonic rival?  Even more so when we are borrowing 40 cents of every dollar we spend, how can we afford not to take advantage of the closeness and the fact that we were their first choice?

Why the 40yd dash?

So February, or as my brother and I refer to as the worst month due to the lack of interesting sporting events, has brought the nation to the point of airing nationally the NFL scouting of potential draft picks for next season. The different skill challenges provides some great entertainment and potentially a good time waging bets over what the 40 yard dash time will be for the players. But honestly, why is there a speed test of 40 yards? Most plays during the game are 10-20 yards at most, unless you are a wide receiver or a safety. So why then are those linebackers, defensive ends, and quarterbacks judged on their ability to have 40 yard speed?
The 40 yard dash started as a test for football players because the average distance of a punt is 40 yards and hangs in the air for 4.5 seconds. Coaches and scouts wanted to make sure the guys could make 40 yards in that time so they could make sure who they sent out there could make it down field to position themselves to execute the tackle.
While this is a great test for those players who are placed on special teams/wide receivers/safeties/running backs, are they the best measure for those defensive ends or quarterbacks? Shouldn't players of different positions be evaluated differently based on the most efficient means of the odds of situations they will find themselves in? How important is it for RG3 to really run a 4.3?... or what ever he ran in Indy.

Should we be able to take classes in public schools that teach students about the Bible?

The age long debate over how much our Church and state can be divided has caused many to scream and pull out their hair. Well hold your tongue and keep your hands down because while our Constitution allows for no excessive entanglement of religion and schools for fear that it will create an established Church like the one we fled from in England back in the day, it also allows for the free exercise of religion. Many would say well free exercise is merely an exception to the rule because you cannot disallow people from practicing their faith. And while yes I do agree with both the clauses, I think we should look at these elective courses about the Bible as more of a historical account of humans, rather than a faith-based belief. 

Much of what is recorded down in the Bible has been proven by archaeologists to be in fact plausible! So it really is history. Check out this find! The accounts of Jesus as the Messiah are the ones not accepted by all faiths, which is fine. But all religions base their fundamentals on similar accounts found in the Bible. 

Plus for those who say it is all what you believe: No one really knows how the Universe and the Earth was created. So for those who think it is evolution,  the Big Bang Theory or Intelligent design, it is really all the same. It is a belief. At least the Bible has been proven to have actual accounts recorded as part of history. 

So why don't we educate the teachers on how to construct a class that introduces children to the findings of the Bible. Already 6 states have these classes in place, I know that Texas is one of them. It is now time to start changing the way our religions are being persecuted and look to them as historical fact!

Debates = zzzzzzz....

So I have been watching these debates, which even a former White House Press Secretary agrees that there have been too many, in fact "There have been 18 Courtney! 18!" is what he expressed to me today when I ran into him, and let's face the facts that Americans are tuning out of these televised way too heavily covered debates. 

They have produced the same talking points from every major network out, some more than one time, and consequently the same answers. If the American public tuning into these debates or watching and reading the commentary about them has not grasped the message that Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, or Ron Paul yet then there is something wrong with our citizens. 

Focusing on the bore that was last night's debate, covered by NBC, moderated by Brian Williams, and tuned out by most viewers after about 10 minutes, I was concerned with the moderators policy questions. He did not mention the name of President Barack Obama until the last question. This I found very interesting as this could have been the perfect time for the candidates to hit on what they would mention if they had a State of The Union address today. You know, maybe challenging their real qualities to be a leader of the free world. Williams chose to focus more on the social issues, which the Republicans have not shown their strongest suit in. The audience was not allowed to participate by applauding, which resulted in zero energy for the candidates to feed off of. Overall a dull debate that brought the new term "self-deportation" into the mix as Romney stumbled over an immigration question. Ron Paul again had hardly any questions or answers given, go figure. Santorum showed that he should be the new face of the Republican party with a well formulated answer at the end of the debate steamrolling Gingrich and Romney's answers of the evening. 

I was left to wonder after the debate if there was going to be a rumble between Romney and Gingrich or if NBC chose to not even mention the State of the Union so the Republican candidates could not compete with the headline that is supposed to belong to Obama today? hmmm.... 

NYPD Trying to invade your privacy

I don't know if you heard but in New York City the police department is testing these terahertz imaging detection devices to scan people that they speculate to be carrying weapons illegally with them on the streets of New York City. Now they say that the detectors will only be used to in targeted areas that involve high weapons usage. 

As a citizen of this country, we have a right to be left alone, guaranteed by our right to privacy. This new technology would make it possible for the NYPD to search whom ever they pleased, whenever they pleased and in any matter they wished. Not to mention that this is basically a virtual pat down which already violates a personal right to privacy. 

The double edge sword of maintaining public safety and securing our freedoms is such a fine line. And while I do appreciate and enjoy the services that a police force and other means of protection that our governments provide, I fear greater a socialist movement of too much protection and regulation by the government leading to the destruction of our highly valued freedoms and rights.The scanning could go too far. And then are we going to have to put up security over those using the system? And then what about those people watching them?

This is a link to an article: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/01/17/nypd-testing-gun-scanning-technology/

Einstein's brain...

"Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves."

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

"A human being is a part of a whole, called by us _universe_, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts."

"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education."

"Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal."

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding."

"The release of atom power has changed everything except our way of thinking...the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind. If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker."

"He who joyfully marches to music rank and file, has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action. It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind."

New thought on old practice.

If there is one thing that I am passionate about it is following the current events of the world and politics. Yes, politics. Now why in the world does anyone find that fascinating? It is just a bunch of men who belong to the elite class catering to our needs with speeches and entitlements in laws to keep getting our votes, right?
Yes and no.
Politicians are just leaders among the public that have a vision and want to put their vision into practice because :
1. They have a deep love for the country.
2. They want to see the country they love performing at the highest capacity and efficiency.
3. They have the qualities needed to get their nation inspired and motivated.
4. They recognize a good thing when they see one.
5. The need to serve their country is great.
As a citizen who has a strong sense to serve those who need to be led, have realized that this is the only way too see beyond the corrupt reputation that they have received. Yes people will always vie for the win in any way possible, but that is a competitive human nature that I believe is an inherent quality.
What if citizens and the media actually believed in the politicians and gave them a better rep by exposing not the bad things, but the great character traits they hold?
I understand the argument that then it is undermined by the human nature to feed one's ego and that if they were not out doing things other than maintaining the respect for the Constitution and the nation they swore themselves to when they were slaying each other for our votes, then we could have faith in them. But think about when people did not know the bad things about each other because there was no camera to reveal them.... hmmm what a nice picture. We put so much pressure on these individuals to be perfect and be the epitome of what we ourselves want to be, but in the outlook we could be to blame for asking so much from these people.
I just do not want people thinking that since mommy, daddy, sister, auntie, grandpa, anchorman, officer all think that politicians are corrupt, they have to see them as that way.
President and politician Ronald Reagan once magnificently said, "Freedom is the right to question, and change the established way of doing things."
Now I think that seems like a guy that wants exactly what everyone wants, not a immoral, corrupt pundit.
Just thinking about things from a different perspective allows new windows to be opened and who knows you may come to love politics as much as those up in Washington one day.

Bam! New Philosophy?

(from the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place)

"So many people live with unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

Turn away from your regularly scheduled program called your life and take a chance, change the status quo, get out of your regular routine and redefine living for yourself!

Out with Resolutions

(New Year's Eve with my Sissy)

So the major questions now that we have entered into 2012, what are your New Year's resolutions? I have decided to change the game (with hopes that it will catch on) and make a New Year's Bucket List. This bucket list is not the major one that people check off for life accomplishments like traveling to exotic places or meeting influential people, but more off smaller plans that you can check off through out the year.These plans can include going places, volunteering weekly, taking someone special somewhere, treating yourself to something special, etc. Just make sure they are specific because the intent is to get away from a broad resolution that you forget and never achieve.

This is of course the first time I am trying it, but I do have some expectations for the new plan:
1. A more accomplished feeling because you can check off the activity when completed.
2. Actually achieving the goals because they are smaller and more specific.
3. Gives you a final report at the end of the year to see where you are in your life.
4. May help you cross off those items off your real bucket list.
5. If hung in a common place, you will be reminded of your goals!

So I want to share my 2012 Bucket List...
- Grand Canyon Three day adventure outline! http://www.sunset.com/travel/southwest/grand-canyon-south-rim-activities-00400000050096/
- At least one 5K and a competitive bike ride.  
- Take my sister to get a massage
- Manchester Orchestra Concert (anywhere)
- Let’s Rodeo San Antonio with Aunt Jeannie!
- Volunteer at least one day a month.
- Get a hiking friend!
- Cut out the unwanted, unnecessary stress that causes heartburn.
- Attend at least one Red Sox game !
- Start a blog. And keep up with it.
- Stop eating anything to-go.
- Start reading the Bible more, at least two times a week plus church.


So turn away from the regularly scheduled programming known as New Year's resolutions, and use your freedom to make a New Year Bucket List !