John Halverson Vs. Jorge Gurgel (Lightweight)
I like Jorge, but honestly... If this was not held in Ohio, he would no longer be in the UFC. The did get a good opponent for him though, a guy who beat my friend and training partner Bryce Teager last year.
Jorge by decision.
David Bielkheden Vs. Diego Sanchez (Welterweight)
Ummmmm Sanchez by KO first round.
UFC is throwing Diego a cream puff from Sweeden, who has lost his last two fights, to get him back on track.
Dustin Hazelett Vs. Josh Koscheck (Welterweight)
Dustin is a good fighter... I don't really like him, because he knocked my friend and training partner Chad Reiner out, but I have to admit he is a good fighter. Not as good as Koscheck though...
Josh by G&P KO second round.
Luigi Fioravanti Vs. Luke Cummo (Welterweight)
Interesting fight... Luke by decision.
Jake O'Brien Vs. Andrei Arlovski (Heavyweight)
Stupid fight. Unless he has been spending his time snorting coke and eating Krispy Kreems Arlovski by KO first round.
Chris Wilson Vs. Jon Fitch (Welterweight)
Wilson is good, and he trains with Team Quest, but Fitch is unstoppable right now. Fitch by RNC second round.
Yushin Okami Vs. Evan Tanner (Middleweight)
Tanner is back!!! I hope he worked out his mental issues. He was really out there for a while. I don't think that he will be able to do much against Okami though. Honestly Okami has been fighting guys like Mike Swick, Rich Franklin, and Jason Macdonald for the past year. Tanner has fought... only his own demons. Okami by decision.
Alessio Sakara Vs. Chris Leben (Welterweight)
Sakara has no chance. Leben by wild punching KO second round.
Heath Herring Vs. Cheick Kongo (Heavyweight)
Interesting fight. We have Kongo the French Kickboxing sensation versus Heath Herring the guy who used to train with Golden Glory the greatest Dutch Kickboxing team. Heath has not looked good in the UFC, and Cheick looked very good against Cro Cop. If Heath is smart he will take Kongo down and submit him. I don't think that Heath can stand with Kongo for very long. Herring by RNC third round.
Anderson Silva Vs. Dan Henderson (Middleweight)
Very interesting fight. Silva has looked unstoppable since Ryo Chonan caught him with a flying heel hook back in 2006. Dan looked good against Rampage, but could not deal with the Champion's improved boxing and wrestling technique. Not to mention a significant size advantage.
Dan is aggressive with a big right hand. I think that Silva can deal with that. Anderson will not worry about the take down, he is very comfortable off of his back. His striking game is more of a counter striker and that will play very well off of Dan's aggressive come forward style. Anderson by KO third round.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
春休みに行きます！！
私とけいさいは春休みに行きます。ドミニカに行きます。面白そう、ね？
あたかいくてきれです。
これ、私がたくさんお酒を飲みます。
これも。
これ、私は泳ぎます とたくさの酒を飲みます。
これ、行きません！運動をしたくないです。食べたくて飲みたくて、泳ぎたくて、ねたいです。
あたかいくてきれです。
これ、私がたくさんお酒を飲みます。
これも。
これ、私は泳ぎます とたくさの酒を飲みます。
これ、行きません！運動をしたくないです。食べたくて飲みたくて、泳ぎたくて、ねたいです。
House Approves Tax Hike on Oil Companies
Thus guaranteeing higher gas prices. The oil companies will keep their margins the same. The only way to do that is... RAISE PRICES!!
Government is stupid.
Story
Government is stupid.
Story
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Holly Crap!!! Global Cooling is BACK!!!
It turns out that 2007 was so cold that it wipes out a century of "global warming." That's what happens when the sun decides to turn down the heat a little bit.
Everybody google sun spots and their relation to global climate. It explains all of those inconvenient truths that Al Gore and the rest tend to overlook in their zeal to destroy the American economy. Little Ice age, Medieval warming period, modern warming period, all correlate to a drop or increase in sun spot activity.
Right now we have a decrease in solar activity. What happens? It gets colder. 2007 was NOT the warmest year on record. 1998 was. Since 1998, we have experienced global COOLING!
Do NOT let these people cripple our economy with their talk of Climate Change! It is simply a thinly veiled attempt to weaken the US, and bring us a more Communist form of government.
Go green for the right reasons! Clean air, water, and sustainable cheap clean energy should be something we want simply because that is good for us. There is a way to encourage industry to clean up their act, and it is NOT through government action. Right now business are tripping over themselves to prove which one is the "greenest." This is not because they want to, it is because YOU are buying products in stores that help out. Using market pressure, is the only way to solve the environmental problem.
Government pressure only leads to companies going out of business, job loss, increase in prices, and bad things. Look at the health care industry. The more government intervention, the more money is spent by the health care companies dealing with the regulations, the more money YOU have to shell out when you see the doctor.
Chart:
Everybody google sun spots and their relation to global climate. It explains all of those inconvenient truths that Al Gore and the rest tend to overlook in their zeal to destroy the American economy. Little Ice age, Medieval warming period, modern warming period, all correlate to a drop or increase in sun spot activity.
Right now we have a decrease in solar activity. What happens? It gets colder. 2007 was NOT the warmest year on record. 1998 was. Since 1998, we have experienced global COOLING!
Do NOT let these people cripple our economy with their talk of Climate Change! It is simply a thinly veiled attempt to weaken the US, and bring us a more Communist form of government.
Go green for the right reasons! Clean air, water, and sustainable cheap clean energy should be something we want simply because that is good for us. There is a way to encourage industry to clean up their act, and it is NOT through government action. Right now business are tripping over themselves to prove which one is the "greenest." This is not because they want to, it is because YOU are buying products in stores that help out. Using market pressure, is the only way to solve the environmental problem.
Government pressure only leads to companies going out of business, job loss, increase in prices, and bad things. Look at the health care industry. The more government intervention, the more money is spent by the health care companies dealing with the regulations, the more money YOU have to shell out when you see the doctor.
Chart:
The Surge... Working
In talking to my friends in the military, some who are serving multiple tours. One is going back to Iraq, after participating in the initial war, another tour during the worst of the violence, and one during the surge. They have said that pre-surge, the military strategy was simply search and destroy. Find the enemy and kill him.
The problem was, they did not take any ground. As soon as they won a battle, they would pack up and leave. What was left of the terrorist groups would re-occupy, rearm, and re-recruit. Two months later we would have to roll in to the same place and replay the bloody mess again. The only ground we owned was various bases and the "green" zone in Baghdad.
Post surge, our strategy was basically the same one conquering armies have used for millenia. Take and hold the ground. It has worked better than the commanders could have wanted, militarilly at least.
Here are some charts:
You can see that violence has picked up just a bit in the last month or so. We got some intelligence that Al-Queda is nearly out for the count, and they have been doing some mischief to let us know they are still around.
And the chart that I care most about:
The surge is working. With this stability, the people are beginning to make money, and the government is slowly starting to work together.
The problem was, they did not take any ground. As soon as they won a battle, they would pack up and leave. What was left of the terrorist groups would re-occupy, rearm, and re-recruit. Two months later we would have to roll in to the same place and replay the bloody mess again. The only ground we owned was various bases and the "green" zone in Baghdad.
Post surge, our strategy was basically the same one conquering armies have used for millenia. Take and hold the ground. It has worked better than the commanders could have wanted, militarilly at least.
Here are some charts:
You can see that violence has picked up just a bit in the last month or so. We got some intelligence that Al-Queda is nearly out for the count, and they have been doing some mischief to let us know they are still around.
And the chart that I care most about:
The surge is working. With this stability, the people are beginning to make money, and the government is slowly starting to work together.
Hope for Islam?
I am not a big fan of religion. If we would have discarded it way back when, there is no telling of where we would be today. What if the Church did not exist to keep us in the dark ages? What if Islam did not exist to oppress and confine the minds of the people of the Middle East and Asia? What kind of advances and technology would have been developed?
Anywho, since abolishing religion now would never ever work, anytime a major religious group says "Hold on here... Maybe our profit did not say to kill our sisters and daughters for talking with a man." I have to support it.
There is a major reformation movement in semi-secular Turkey to rewrite the Hadith, the second most sacred text in Islam after the Koran. I did not know what it even was until I read this article. I try to know the basics of every religion, just so I can figure out the crazy of most people. I will have to look in to this book.
Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7264903.stm
Anywho, since abolishing religion now would never ever work, anytime a major religious group says "Hold on here... Maybe our profit did not say to kill our sisters and daughters for talking with a man." I have to support it.
There is a major reformation movement in semi-secular Turkey to rewrite the Hadith, the second most sacred text in Islam after the Koran. I did not know what it even was until I read this article. I try to know the basics of every religion, just so I can figure out the crazy of most people. I will have to look in to this book.
Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7264903.stm
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Satoko Shinashi is Cute.
She is.
She is 28-2-1 too.
Nice abs too.
Oh,and she just won the DEEP 105 pound championship tournament.
Good for her!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Clinton Getting Desperate
Hilliary is getting desperate, now distributing a picture of Obama in full Somali Elder garb. She is trying to get people to think that he is a Muslim and be afraid by proxy.
They do not mention that the picture was taken in Africa when Obama was about to meet with some other elders. Just as we expect our leaders to be in suits, these elders expected Obama to be dressed as he was. He was being sensitive to the culture. Exactly what all good diplomats should do.
While I am a proponent of simply getting rid of religion all together, it really makes no difference to me what religion the candidates practice, provided that their decisions are based in logic, and they are not simply a puppet of their religious leaders.
Obama clearly has his decisions based in logic, albeit flawed logic, and clearly is not a puppet of a religious leader. End of story. Anything else is simply fear mongering.
I am beginning to believe the Right Wing Pundits when they say that the Clintons will tear apart their party just for power.
The Picture. Doesn't the Socialist look cute?
They do not mention that the picture was taken in Africa when Obama was about to meet with some other elders. Just as we expect our leaders to be in suits, these elders expected Obama to be dressed as he was. He was being sensitive to the culture. Exactly what all good diplomats should do.
While I am a proponent of simply getting rid of religion all together, it really makes no difference to me what religion the candidates practice, provided that their decisions are based in logic, and they are not simply a puppet of their religious leaders.
Obama clearly has his decisions based in logic, albeit flawed logic, and clearly is not a puppet of a religious leader. End of story. Anything else is simply fear mongering.
I am beginning to believe the Right Wing Pundits when they say that the Clintons will tear apart their party just for power.
The Picture. Doesn't the Socialist look cute?
Mo Smith Wins!!!
I met Maurice Smith when I was in Seattle last month. He was a cool guy who immediately gave me a hard time.
I introduced myself to him, and let him know I was a huge fan. He asked me what I was a fan of, I and I, of course, replied that I had seen him in his first UFC fight and was so happy that he, as a striker, won, because I was in to TaeKwonDo and kickboxing at the time. He told me that I was not a real fan, because a real fan would know that he was a kickboxing and Muay Thai champion in the 80s.
He took pleasure in my squirming.
Anyway, Rick Roofus is a kickboxing legend. Mo Smith is a kickboxing/MMA legend. What do you do when you have two legends who want to fight? You throw them in the ring! BodogFight and Strikeforce put these two together hoping to see a bare knuckle kickboxing match. Mo, now a MMA fighter, did what MMA fighter do. They find their opponent's weakness and exploit it. Mo took Rick down and finished him with a straight armlock.
Mo is now 2-0 in recent fights. Go MO!!!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Profits and Profit Margins
Hillary says that she is going to take more money from Exon.
Great. It sounds good to take money from the companies that seem to be making a lot of money. Some members of the media say that the oil companies are gouging the consumer.
It is difficult to say this when you look at the profit margins of the companies in question. What is a profit margin you ask? Well technically: it is the net income divided by the net sales revenue. What does that mean? How much money you make on each dollar of sales. What is profit? That is revenue subtracted from expenses. What does that mean? How much money you make.
When looking at the profits and the profit margins of the oil companies, you see something very interesting. While the profits have gone up, the profit margins have remained the same. (If you don't believe me) This means that the company is simply taking in more sales, while still making the same amount on each dollar. We are not being gouged. YOU are simply buying more of their product. The company has an oblagation to its stock holders to make as much money as it possibly can. So if you are willing to buy the product at the price they are selling it, you can bet that they will sell it at that price.
Let's look at their taxes now. Last year Exon paid about $27 billion in taxes. That is more than the bottom 50% of all tax payers paid! How many is that? 65 million people. If you do the math of all tax payers, total income versus total taxes paid the average tax rate comes out to be about 3%. Do the same math on Exon and you see that the total tax rate comes out to 41%. Any more taxation and you can bet that this industry will leave the US.
If Clinton and Obama really want to reduce the cost of gasoline on the consumer, they would cut the federal tax on each gallon of gas purchased. Currently about 65 cents of every gallon of gas goes to taxes. Cut that in half and you have yourself a very nice reduction in the price.
Great. It sounds good to take money from the companies that seem to be making a lot of money. Some members of the media say that the oil companies are gouging the consumer.
It is difficult to say this when you look at the profit margins of the companies in question. What is a profit margin you ask? Well technically: it is the net income divided by the net sales revenue. What does that mean? How much money you make on each dollar of sales. What is profit? That is revenue subtracted from expenses. What does that mean? How much money you make.
When looking at the profits and the profit margins of the oil companies, you see something very interesting. While the profits have gone up, the profit margins have remained the same. (If you don't believe me) This means that the company is simply taking in more sales, while still making the same amount on each dollar. We are not being gouged. YOU are simply buying more of their product. The company has an oblagation to its stock holders to make as much money as it possibly can. So if you are willing to buy the product at the price they are selling it, you can bet that they will sell it at that price.
Let's look at their taxes now. Last year Exon paid about $27 billion in taxes. That is more than the bottom 50% of all tax payers paid! How many is that? 65 million people. If you do the math of all tax payers, total income versus total taxes paid the average tax rate comes out to be about 3%. Do the same math on Exon and you see that the total tax rate comes out to 41%. Any more taxation and you can bet that this industry will leave the US.
If Clinton and Obama really want to reduce the cost of gasoline on the consumer, they would cut the federal tax on each gallon of gas purchased. Currently about 65 cents of every gallon of gas goes to taxes. Cut that in half and you have yourself a very nice reduction in the price.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
日本語
わかた。にほんごを書きませんでした。はい、はい、はい。
日本語はむずかしいけど私は頭が悪いです。かなしいになります。
全部わすれました。ほんとに。ぜんぶ。
でも、書かないとだめです。れんしゅうがひつようです。多分たくさん書くからもっとおぼえます。
日本語はむずかしいけど私は頭が悪いです。かなしいになります。
全部わすれました。ほんとに。ぜんぶ。
でも、書かないとだめです。れんしゅうがひつようです。多分たくさん書くからもっとおぼえます。
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Economic Stimulus
Hooray!!! We are all saved!!! The Government has decided to give the people back some of their money!!! AWESOME!!!
Wait a second... Economic Stimulus... Hummmm... What does that exactly mean? How will this stimulate the economy? Don't get me wrong. I love that the government is giving our money back, BUT will that really stimulate the economy?
Short answer yes with a but, long answer no with an although.
YES the tax rebate will stimulate the economy in the short term. At most the money received will pay for a couple tanks of gas, and a night on the town, but those rebate checks will not convince anyone to buy a house, start a business, or build something new. The things that really stimulate the economy. It just is not enough.
NO the economic stimulus will not stimulate the long term economy. You might as well say that it will hurt the long term economy. Why? Because the government is already spending too much money.
Last year they over spent what they took in by over $400 billion. Where did they get the extra money? Two ways.
One they borrowed it directly from anyone who bought US Treasury and other government bonds. This money goes directly in to the general fund, just like when you put money in to a savings account, the bank uses that money you gave it to fund somebody else's house.
The other way they get money is again from you and I, but they do it in a sneaker way. They print more money. This lessens the value of the dollar, making everything more expensive. Anybody notice the value of the dollar?
If the government really wanted to stimulate the economy they should do two things. First and foremost, they must balance the budget. No more deficits. How do they balance the budget? CUT SPENDING!!!!!! Let the states handle schools. They do a better job of it anyway. Bye, Bye Education department. The war on drugs is costing both the states and the federal government much much MUCH more than simply treating the addicts. Legalize drugs and set up "needle" zones or some such. Safer drugs, better treatment for addicts, less crime because morons won't be selling it any more. Who would you rather buy drugs from, the Crips in the bad neighborhood or Walgreens? Who would you rather make your drugs? Pablo Escobar or Pfizer? You might also say that the money is already IN the economy, we paid it to the government. The government handing out that money without cutting spending devalues the dollar further, thus it shrinks the actual value of the money we are getting.
Second, the government must be honest with themselves and conceded that ALL taxes are paid by the individual. Business don't pay taxes. It is an expense to them, and they pass that cost on to the price of their products. Who pays for their products? You and I do. Go ask the CFO of the company you work for about it. They will tell you, if you don't believe me.
After the government accepts that all taxes are paid by the individual, they must come up with a way to collect the taxes from the individual in such a way that will maintain the current level of revenue, yet not stifle individual spending which accounts for 70% of our economy. If only there was a way... It would have to be fair what ever way it is... hummmm... A fair way to collect taxes... hummmm... a fair tax... Holy Crap!!! The FAIRTAX does all of what I was describing AND it is a volentary system. Just like the framers of the Constitution wanted!!!! How about that.
If we make the US a tax haven for business, more business will locate themselves here. If business locate themselves here they bring jobs, you bring jobs you bring money which means... you stimulate the economy long term!!
Write me in for President.
Wait a second... Economic Stimulus... Hummmm... What does that exactly mean? How will this stimulate the economy? Don't get me wrong. I love that the government is giving our money back, BUT will that really stimulate the economy?
Short answer yes with a but, long answer no with an although.
YES the tax rebate will stimulate the economy in the short term. At most the money received will pay for a couple tanks of gas, and a night on the town, but those rebate checks will not convince anyone to buy a house, start a business, or build something new. The things that really stimulate the economy. It just is not enough.
NO the economic stimulus will not stimulate the long term economy. You might as well say that it will hurt the long term economy. Why? Because the government is already spending too much money.
Last year they over spent what they took in by over $400 billion. Where did they get the extra money? Two ways.
One they borrowed it directly from anyone who bought US Treasury and other government bonds. This money goes directly in to the general fund, just like when you put money in to a savings account, the bank uses that money you gave it to fund somebody else's house.
The other way they get money is again from you and I, but they do it in a sneaker way. They print more money. This lessens the value of the dollar, making everything more expensive. Anybody notice the value of the dollar?
If the government really wanted to stimulate the economy they should do two things. First and foremost, they must balance the budget. No more deficits. How do they balance the budget? CUT SPENDING!!!!!! Let the states handle schools. They do a better job of it anyway. Bye, Bye Education department. The war on drugs is costing both the states and the federal government much much MUCH more than simply treating the addicts. Legalize drugs and set up "needle" zones or some such. Safer drugs, better treatment for addicts, less crime because morons won't be selling it any more. Who would you rather buy drugs from, the Crips in the bad neighborhood or Walgreens? Who would you rather make your drugs? Pablo Escobar or Pfizer? You might also say that the money is already IN the economy, we paid it to the government. The government handing out that money without cutting spending devalues the dollar further, thus it shrinks the actual value of the money we are getting.
Second, the government must be honest with themselves and conceded that ALL taxes are paid by the individual. Business don't pay taxes. It is an expense to them, and they pass that cost on to the price of their products. Who pays for their products? You and I do. Go ask the CFO of the company you work for about it. They will tell you, if you don't believe me.
After the government accepts that all taxes are paid by the individual, they must come up with a way to collect the taxes from the individual in such a way that will maintain the current level of revenue, yet not stifle individual spending which accounts for 70% of our economy. If only there was a way... It would have to be fair what ever way it is... hummmm... A fair way to collect taxes... hummmm... a fair tax... Holy Crap!!! The FAIRTAX does all of what I was describing AND it is a volentary system. Just like the framers of the Constitution wanted!!!! How about that.
If we make the US a tax haven for business, more business will locate themselves here. If business locate themselves here they bring jobs, you bring jobs you bring money which means... you stimulate the economy long term!!
Write me in for President.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
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