IRON MAN DVD

Link to the Candidates!

A couple of weeks ago I got LinkedIn to John McCain. Yesterday Sarah Palin accepted my request to link. This just seems so funny. The whole point of LinkedIn is to expand your network for mostly business reasons. By linking to people you know, you can find out who they also know and therefore share opportunities and other stuff.

Now all of the candidates are using it as another place to post their platforms. I guess it was inevitable, what with the advent of the Web 2.0. and social networking. It still seems kind of weird though.

Interestingly, I can't link to Barack Obama, Hillary/Billary, and Biden. Apparently I need to know their email addresses...which I don't. Is this some kind of commentary on their willingness to connect with me, the "common man?" Do I need to be an elite who knows their email address?

Ah, who cares! I can't wait until all this political theater is over! My portfolio is dropping every day!

Letter to my Senators (Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole)

Message sent to the following recipients:

Eric Banks
Charlotte, NC 28211-2905

September 25, 2008

Dear Senator Burr and Senator Dole,

Senators,

Our country is at a crossroads. We are at the mercy of OPEC member nations at a time when our very economy needs a shot-in-the-arm. I urge you to do everything in your power to stabilize the world oil market in the short-term while, in parallel, supporting the long-term solution, energy independence.

America has always been the beacon of hope for the world. Our world not only needs new energy alternatives to keep the engine of industry going in the short-term, but to power the world economy for the next two hundred years.

American innovation can lead the world down this path.

First, I would like to see short-term solutions such as offshore drilling and greater use of clean-coal, put into place immediately. We are the Saudi Arabia of coal!

Second, I would like to see more tax revenue diverted towards education, specifically towards alternative energy research and development. Make this a strategic goal for America for this generation! This should be an effort akin to the Industrial Revolution, which shot America to prominence in the world economy.

Third, more needs to be done to commercialize alternative technologies.
Duke Power is leading efforts to commercialize solar farms in NC but that is just the beginning. Tax breaks for commercial alternative energy companies are one idea. Subsidizing homeowners to help them get off the grid is another.

I am no expert, but believe we can do more right now to move us away from being at the mercy of OPEC member nations.

Please help to make this a strategic goal to keep our country first in the world for the next several generations.

Sincerely,

Nicole Kidman credits fertile water with pregnancy - Yahoo! News

Nicole Kidman credits fertile water with pregnancy - Yahoo! News

These are the people (Hollywood types) who are recommending, nay, demanding, that we vote for Obama as the next President?

Scary

Ba-Rockin' the Queen City

Barack (The One) Obama spoke in Charlotte yesterday. Apparently he and Michele just realized they'd better get down here. Of course 20,000 of their adoring flock showed up to say "Hello." My stepson went to try and see him at the last minute then found out those who got to see him went at 7:30 in the morning.

As he was on the way out I kidded him about going to see the "Rock Star." I think he thought I was joking. When he got back he was wearing an Obama T-Shirt! I chuckled to myself.

Gas shortage

There are 3 gas stations at the intersection of 2 major roads about 1/2 a mile from my house. All 3 ran out of gas last Friday when threats of widespread destruction by Hurrican Ike caused a gas-panic in Charlotte. Not only that, but the few stations that had gas jacked up their prices to $4.29 or higher. One station has gotten a shipment or two but for as of last night all 3 were dry again. However, on the plus side, the price on the signs is marked down to $3.99 so at least we've got that going for us.

I keep thinking about the best chapter in Glenn Beck's book (An Inconvenient Book) about the coming energy crisis. Basically it will be an economic disaster unprecedented in history. The best solution is to develop alternative energy sources now and use "clean coal" technology to get us through the short term. Why don't we hear more about this from the presidential contenders?

Repair a Lawnmower - wikiHow

Repair a Lawnmower - wikiHow

Sarah and the Bridge

I don't understand the furor over Sarah Palin and the bridge to nowhere. I guess its actually only a furor to the left as they try and dig up dirt on her. Today some judge from her past has been "discovered" who allegedly warned her not to seek the firing of her brother-in-law. Mind you she was a private citizen at the time.

So here's what Obama's commercial says. Governor Palin supported the bridge to nowhere as a candidate, then was against it.

So where is the problem here? She was running for Governor and supported federal money for projects in her state. Then, after she was elected and did more research, she opposed the bridge but kept the money. It seems like she was looking after her state's best interests.

I think the left may be trying to insinuate a double standard here.

They're probably still upset that Kerry was caught flopping on the war issue. He admitted he VOTED for the war, then voted against it.

There is a big (HUGE) difference between a candidate supporting a project then changing her mind and an EXPERIENCED US Senator voting to declare war!