Another Year has passed....

The End.

Yes, it is yet another end to a year. 2005 is almost over.

Stating the obvious. Yes, I know.

You know, it is traditional to drum up a few resolutions to get yourself on track for the new year. I think incremental resolutions (aka, goals) all year long are much more effective. The whole setup of major resolutions creates a negative situation from the git go - and often, the usual lack of motivation sets in shortly afterward. Then you have the opportunity to further beat yourself up about it when you fail. So, no resolutions per se for me.

But - I do think a new year is a good time to assess and look back over the last year and take stock of what was accomplished. If the ongoing list of goals weren't being followed through on, then perhaps this is a good time to refocus or get reinspired.

I spent the day Friday at work cleaning up old files and email. I figured starting the new year off with a relatively clean slate will help me avoid the dread of being back to work for a long stretch without any extra days off. Fortunately February 21st is a holiday and I should be able to take a vacation day in January. Gotta keep the batteries charged you know.

Okay - at this point I am just rambling - really tired - I suppose I should go see if Dick Clark melted yet - and how his heir apparent Ryan Seachrest is doing at the whole ball drop schtick.

One thing is certain - everything changes with time.

Ratings for Basic Cable Channels - TELEVISION - Comcast.net

If we need further evidence for the degradation of the American mind, here we go: (Comment applies to #3 & #4)

Ratings for Basic Cable Channels - TELEVISION - Comcast.net: "Ratings for Basic Cable Channels
By The Associated Press

Thu Dec 22, 10:40 AM

Rankings for the top 15 programs on basic cable channels as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of Dec. 12-18. Day and start time (EDT) are in parentheses.

1. NFL Football: Atlanta vs. Chicago (Sunday, 8:28 p.m.), ESPN, 7.68 million homes, 10.45 million viewers.

2. NFL Football: Denver vs. Buffalo (Saturday, 8:28 p.m.), ESPN, 4.34 million homes, 6 million viewers.

3. 'WWE Raw' (Monday, 10 p.m.), USA, 3.7 million homes, 5.14 million viewers.

4. 'WWE Raw' (Monday, 9 p.m.), USA, 3.67 million homes, 5.09 million viewers.

5. 'Law & Order: SVU' (Sunday, 9 p.m.), USA, 3.59 million homes, 4.68 million viewers."

Headlines IV

U.S., OPEC: Get used to higher oil costs
Projections show higer crude prices into 2014

So.... this is news? And how do these supposed experts know what is going to occur between now and eight years? This L.A. Times story goes into the current situation, and one part states that perhaps we would see $3.00 per gallon (in the U.S.) sometime in the next 18 months. The best we can hope for is an "erratic uptrend rather than a spiky uptrend." says Stephen Leeb, author of Oil Factor.

Let's see - next year, we could have another hurricane disrupt supplies. We could see OPEC producers over produce, even though they plan on cutting production next year. (They wouldn't want us having cheap oil now that we are "getting used to" paying $2.25 per gallon.)

We all know that it is impossible to predict these things with any degree of certainty. It does seem plausible that higher prices are here to stay if we believe the whole extra demand from Asia reasoning - and certainly more demand worldwide would seem to mean higher prices.

So, we are paying slightly less than what we should be paying for oil when we compare it to other goods prices over time. So really, it isn't a big deal. We just got away with paying unusually cheap gas prices for many years.

The good thing about this whole thing is that perhaps demand for the gas guzzlers and those idiotic Hummer's will diminish, and other forms of energy will actually start to be explored seriously so we can end having our gonads tightly in the hands of the middle east. Anybody see $4.00 per gallon? I predict $4.00 per gallon by 2014. How's that? Then again, maybe it will be $1.50 by 2014.

I was just hoping that it might just get down below $2.00 by the end of the year - it was down to $2.09 at the local discount gas station a couple weeks ago - just 10 cents from the golden $1.99 - but then it jumped back up to $2.19 last week. Bummer. Hybrid here I come.

Happy Holidays!

With some Christians making such a big stink about the words "Merry Christmas" not being used enough in the retail industry and on cards from the prez, and the calls for boycotts, and O'Reilly's "bringing horror" to those who don't straighten up, it seems to me that all of this smells of another exclusive club thing. It teaches children and other people that an all inclusive "Happy Holidays" isn't okay - which would be considerate to others who don't happen to be Christian.

The war on Christianity is some made up thing. Get over it too. Get to the roots of your faith and realize that all this holiday shopping and overspending and stress isn't what the birth of your savior is about. How about this: put down your pocketbooks and just have a good family or friend get together, go to church and pray or whatever you do on Christmas eve or day and celebrate the season for its true meaning. Spend it with people you love and care about and get the stupid crass commercialism of getting 100's of gifts for your over stimulated unimaginative kids out of the holiday. How bout one gift per person? How about limit the relatives from buying two, three, four gifts for the kids, and all the uncles and aunts buying buying buying. What the f*&k does this have to do with Jesus' birth anyway? Isn't faith supposed to be a personal thing with you and your god?

These Christians who feel they are under seige need to work on the whole inclusiveness thing a bit too. But then again, I think their bible says if you don't believe in Jesus and you aren't "saved", you will rot in hell or suffer some less fortunate fate in their made up after life.

I thought all the crass commercialism is what Jerry Falwell and his ilk would be denouncing. Oh, but that would mean that our economy would suffer, and if that happens, people might not fork over their hard earned money to him. That would be bad, now wouldn't it?

Just a Thought

You know....

You are the other driver to the other driver you are complaining about.

Thongs, A Thought

Thong underwear is all the rage these days. I guess the old days of trying to hide the old panty line are over. Now we get the pleasure of seeing women with there pants crawling up their butt crack and the faint outline of the thong underwear at the top.

I find it interesting that women prefer having their underwear in their butt crack along with their pants. I see it time and again - at work with most of the younger female staff and while I am out shopping. It is hard not to notice. Being the warm-blooded male that I am, it doesn't bother me so much if you have the goods to show off. Call me sexist or whatever, but I am certain that women aren't doing it just for the way it feels - they are doing it because of the effect, the look, and the fact that men can look at their asses without that annoying panty line. I suspect they are saying deep down inside, "Look at me, I have a nice firm ass that needs no panty support!!!" I say it works - the few that can get away with it look awesome. That is, except for the panties in the crack part.

Why else would they choose them? Perhaps I am mistaken and thong underwear are actually more comfortable than regular run of the mill panties. I find that hard to believe. But, maybe it is like wearing a pair of flip-flops (they used to be called thongs too.) with a single attachment for the front of the foot that goes between the big toe and 2nd toe. That was annoying the first few times I wore them, but then I got use to them. Maybe all these women get used to the feeling of a string up their crack. I don't know.