The Tax Man Cometh

This is a bit old, but it's been on my "to blog" list for a while... Of course there's been no consistency to my blogging, and such it's taken me a while to get here, but still..

An interesting read. 

100 (or 50+) Rules to Live By #3

-Don't be the embarrassing "old guy" inappropriately hitting on college girls at the bar.

-If you're going to be labelled make sure it's positive.

-Everyone is someone's role model.  Own it.

-Cigarettes don't make you look cool.  They make you look ignorant.  (Did you know that cigarettes are bad for you AND those around you?)

-Always try things.  But never "just fitting in".

-The ultimate is dying with a smile on your face.  Since you can't know when that time will come make smiling a habit.

-Love means putting yourself second.  If that other person also puts you second rethink your stance.

-Turn off your TV, Facebook, and Twitter for a week.  See what you can do.  And don't worry, you've got DVR.

-Stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to expand it.

-Reconnect with that old friend you still think about every now and then.

100 (or 50+) Rules to Live By #2

-You've spent a lifetime building a network.  Use it.

-He/She may be your best friend, but he/she is still not a mind reader.

-Don't be a douche.

-Don't live beyond your means.

-No one is out of your league.  Act accordingly.

-Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke.

-"So I just try, fail and try and try again.  Cause someday I swear I'm gonna get it, Cause I'm convinced giving in is the worst thing there is." - Straylight Run

-"Just so I can say I did it" is not a reason to do something.  “For the Story” (FTS) might be.

-Don't settle.

-"You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could’ve, would’ve happened…or you can just leave the pieces of the floor and move the fuck on." -Tupac Shakur

-Help others… Don’t be used by them.

100 (or 50+) Rules to Live By

Previously I wrote some Rules To Live By.  It was inspired by another blog I read but my list was created pretty quickly.  Recently (probably inspired by the New Year) a lot of these lists have come to my attention.  Though many are good, I figured I'd take another shot.  And let's be honest, I have no idea who reads this blog, so this is really more for me than you.

A few notes:

1 - I'm doing this list in chunks.  1 so it looks like I'm posting more often and 2 because I want you to digest it.
2 - I couldn't come up with 100 "rules" without them starting to become just silly.  I hope you will submit yours to me and I can round out the list with those provided by my readers (all credit given to the submitter).
3 - I'm not going to pretend I do everything on this list, but this if I was the ideal version of myself, I would follow every one of these "rules"... in 2012 I'm going to try to follow them more closely.
4 - I tried to put this list in some "from most important to least important" order, but that didn't really seem feasible.  Feel free to create an order out of these and let me know.
5 - I apologize if there is a tilt towards the male centricity.  I am who I am and my perspective is thus. If my female readers wish to add their perspective please see note #6!
6 - Feedback and your additions are encouraged.. good or bad.


-See the world.

-Show your commitment to your country once every four years.  Vote.

-I don't know if laughter is an emotion, but no matter how bad my mood or how sad I feel, laughter is the easiest way to break out of the funk.  Find your laughter.

-Throughout your life you'll take steps backwards.  With diets, friends, family, jobs, whatever.  Make sure you rebound with 2 steps forward.  Whatever it takes.

-Read.

-Don't just think about it. Do it. 

-Whatever was the first thought you just had, GO!  Finish this list later.

-Be spontaneous.  Even if it's scary.

-"Serious" is a great place to visit, but it's no way to live.

-Speak up.

TMQ

If you're not reading ESPN's weekly TMQ then you're missing out.  And if you're thinking about starting now, you're pretty much out of luck - as this column/blog/content is only updated during football seaons.  And, sure, it's mostly football related but author Gregg Easterbrook almost always adds a piece about the state of the world or political corruption or just interesting stories.  This one for example, that I thought was worth passing on:

"Another Class-Action Swindle? TMQ has written items on class-action lawsuits that appear on paper to be victories for consumers, but mainly benefit lawyers. The settlements might pay huge sums to plaintiff's counsel and little or nothing to the supposed class of victims, while allowing a corporation to shed liability. (Presumably the offending behavior is stopped.) In some class-action suits, the corporation that appears to "lose" and the tort attorneys who say they are "standing up for the little guy" appear to be cooperating for the purpose of shafting the little guy.
The latest suspicious class-action settlement is noted by reader Sterling Crockett of Bothell, Wash. The proposed settlement appears to be a victory for anyone who bought a ticket from Ticketmaster using its website. As Crockett notes, the lawyers will receive up to $16.5 million and people who bought tickets get a $1.50 discount on a future Ticketmaster purchase. (Click on "settlement agreement.") So the lawyers receive a mere 11 million times as much as any one of the victims! Like many class-action suits, one must actively opt out. If a Ticketmaster customer does nothing -- or never hears the litigation occurred -- his or her standing to sue Ticketmaster is voided.
Basically the proposed settlement has the company paying some lawyers a tax-deductible $16.5 million to shed its own customers' rights, and the "award" to the victims requires them to make future purchases from the company."

Update:  As John mentioned a link to the article is probably appropriate.  Thank you for the feedback.  (As noted, this is an ongoing "column" and each new article will have a different link.)

For the Ladies: What You Can Learn From Kristen Stewart

I know it's been a while, but there was a time when I sorta, kinda, semi-regularly posted on something "for the ladies".  It's my way of taking my very male-centric attitude (hey, I am a guy after all) and contributing back to my female readers.  Today I'll rekindle that fire - for better or worse. 

To start, Kristen Stewart is the actress who stars in all those vampire movies (Twilight to be more exact), among others.  And now that you know who she is I'm imaging many of my readers with a confused look on their face and a question on their mind: what could I possibly learn from her.

First, let me tell you what I've learned about her and then I'll tell you what you can learn from her.  What I've learned about her is that she is a sex symbol.  Though from looks alone she would hardly seem to match up with some of the world's sexiest women, she still has obtained a certain level of sex appeal. (Of course this is all opinion, but one that seems fairly popular especially amongst the media.) The "why" is what you can learn from Kristen Stewart.

Why are men attracted to Kristen Stewart?  From my own observations I think it boils down to 1 thing - and oddly enough it actually does have to do with her acting.  That 1 thing is her expressions.  It's the way she portrays vulnerability, desire and need.  When she does her signature lip bite and plays the scared or naive or "damaged" female it sends out all the signals that men are genetically geared to attract towards.  I know it's a stereotype and I know that in the 21st century we should be past this, but the fact remains that men want to be needed.  This of course dates back to the beginning of time and still exists today - though admittedly less so. 

There's an old quote that says, "men cheat because they don't feel needed and women cheat because they don't feel loved".  (I wish I could cite this quote but unfortunately I can't remember where I heard it and a quick Google search hasn't provided the source.) Now of course this isn't always true and people cheat for tons of reasons, but I have found validity in this quote.  (I thought long and hard about providing a few "exhibits" from my own life, but, while I'm fairly unabashed and far from ashamed, I've rambled enough without going into the longer stories of my life...)

I guess the overall point here and the key takeaway is not that you, as a lady, should be anything but what you are, but rather understand that guys want to be "guys" (this is a generalization of course).  Telling them and showing them that you need them, that you want them, that they are special - these are things men want.. and hey, isn't it coincidental that it's pretty similar to what [you say] you want [though evidence also proves contrary]. 


Now, I know this post is going to illicit feelings either with or against me.  Speak up.  One way conversations get pretty boring.

Amit

Earlier I posted "Give a Spit about Cancer".  I only felt it right to provide a follow up.  I know most of you don't know this guy, and honestly I don't either.  But what better thing can anyone do than try to save another's life?  I'm happy to do even my smallest part and thank all of you for the same.

http://tumblr.amitgupta.com/post/16079119166/many-of-you-have-asked-so-heres-whats-going-on

Chihuahua in the Wild

This blog certainly serves as a window into my person, but today we both get to baffle at the mystery that is my brain.  I don't know where this stuff comes from honestly, but yet, here it is...

Did you ever think to before dogs became domesticated.  No?  Well until today, neither did I.  But, there was a time when the concept of a pet didn't exist.  I don't know how far back you have to go to find that time (and I don't care to do the research), but I know the first dog wasn't house trained and the first kitten didn't use a litter box... 

Just crazy to think that there was a time when Chihuahua's and poodles roamed the wild and hunted (scavanged?) for food... 

Reading Between the Lines

*Please see the disclosure on the earlier post before reading further.

I've been listening to the information stemming from the Iowa Caucus and a few things bother me.

1 - Several of the candidates have spoken up about making abortion illegal and I need to say a few things on this.
a) Why does this keep being a go-to issue for politicians?  The subject of abortion has been dealt with at every level of government and will not change.  The legal precedents have been set and cannot be overturned.  Using this as a political talking point is a ploy at best and a mockery at worst.
b) Several candidates have said they will make abortion illegal even in cases of rape.  What?!  If a women is raped and impregnated the government is going to force her to have the baby?  To have a constant reminder of what was likely the worst experience of her life?  And, are they also going to force her to raise the child?  And who is going to pay for this child to grow up?  Is the candidate offering to foot the bill for 18 years of child support?  Are they going to throw money at orphanages?  So much for cutting the deficit.  As we should do with all of these political issues, think "what if this was me or someone I love"...

2 - Several of the candidates have said they will eliminate the Department of Energy to shrink the government and reduce the deficit. 
From the Department of Energy's website their mission is "to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions"
In essence this is the department within the United States Government which is working towards a more sustainable planet through energy efficiencies.  These are the people who encourage (and sometimes force) companies to raise energy effeciency standards - such as fuel mileage on cars.  These are the people that are promoting alternatives to fossil fuels.  Is it any coincidence that Republicans want to eliminate this department?  This is after all the department most devastating to Big Oil.  The same Big Oil that is well known for its lobbying and political contributions to Republicans.
Eliminating the Department of Energy would not only be a blow to our environment, but it would be one more step towards big business officially (its currently unofficial) running the government.

A Petition to Support the Saving American Democracy Amendment

As a business man I know that Big Business is not looking out for me.  You want to take your chances?

http://sanders.senate.gov/petition/?uid=f1c2660f-54b9-4193-86a4-ec2c39342c6c

Thank you Jillian S. for sharing!