I'm not sure who is creating the SEC schedule this year but it is beyond unusual. The first couple weeks started out with a couple noon games that I don't remember ever happening. Then they went with 0 or one 3:30 game and all the rest at 7:00. It was hard to watch six games at once, and it will be hard to watch four games at once this week when they switch the majority of games to noon. Can't we stagger these games a little bit? What ever happened to playing 1:30 and 2:30 games. What about the 5:30 kick? I guess those are gone with the TV start times but there has got to be a better way.
Mississippi State is playing a day game for the first time this year at noon vs. Alcorn State. That should be an easy win to say the least...I'm expecting a 40 point cruise to victory and plenty of rest to get ready for Houston and Florida. Auburn is playing ULM and it couldn't be at a better time after 3 really tough games. I'm not sure a Sun-Belt team gets you a super easy victory and your players plenty of rest but I'm sure Auburn will be able to pull away by a substantial margin in the 2nd half. Vanderbilt is going to UConn and I think they've got a shot. It's a 7 point spread and I think they can cover for sure. I like Robby Caldwell and they have had two weeks to prepare after a big win at Ole Miss. I'm taking Vandy, 21-17. Kentucky is going to Oxford, MS and this should be an interesting game. Ole Miss' prized defense hasn't been able to stop anyone and so I don't think they will be able to stop Randall Cobb and the Wildcats. The question is how will Masoli and UK's defense play. I hate Ole Miss and I want them to lose again at home, plus I think it will happen...Kentucky wins.
Tennessee is going to LSU, lucky for them it's a day game. Unlucky for them it's their first road game and they stink. LSU wins by three touchdowns. Georgia fans are all pissed off at Mike Bobo and upset about this terrible start. They get A.J. Green back and they will need to pull it together to win at Colorado. They have a better team than the Buffalos, and I think they've hit rock bottom and will come back up away from their disgruntled fans win a solid win, 30-20. Arkansas and South Carolina are not playing this week.
The big game is Florida at Alabama. Bama is an 8 point favorite which tells me Vegas doesn't really think Florida's offense is back even after that explosion last Saturday vs. Kentucky. The Tide's secondary made some key picks last week but they also gave up a lot of yards to Mallett. I'm not so sure that is going to be a huge problem as Florida's receiving corps have under-performed all year. Right now Bama looks unstoppable, especially at home, however I think Florida has the D line to contain Ingram and Richardson and in the end the difference will be Florida's offense executing in the 2nd half. It's too hard to pick against Alabama at home and I'm not going to do it here. Tide win, 28-24.
I'm going to take Clemson at home vs. Miami...I think they will be the most physical team in the ACC this year, big win for Dabo. I'll take Wisconsin over Michigan State on the road. I think Oklahoma gets Texas back for the past couple years and handles them in the Red River Shootout. I still think Iowa is a good team and I like them to beat Penn State at home. I think Jake Locker is highly overrated but I'm going to take him and Washington to upset USC in Los Angeles. The second biggest game of the day is Stanford at Oregon in what could be a game for the PAC 10 title. I like Oregon at home but very close.
JB
Friday, October 1, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Perception of Reality
Is there more crime now-a-days then there was in the 50s? People always say pre-1960 was 'the good ole days'. Maybe people were nicer to one another, maybe there were less crimes. I think that is a big maybe, a real big one. In fact, I think we are safer now than we were in the good ole 1950s.
In today's time there is more television coverage so we see all the crimes that were committed each day. When people say, "I remember when I never had to lock my door" I think, 'well if all the robberies were brought to your attention back then maybe you would have locked your door'. I can leave my door unlocked everyday right now, how many times do you think someone comes to my door and tries to get in when I'm not there? Chances are it rarely ever happens, if ever. So I could leave my door unlocked and it would be fine just like it was fine so many years ago. But since we have 24 hour news and movies that all make us aware of how many creeps there are we stand on our guard to make sure we stay away from them. Way back when there was no news telling you about all the crimes and so it was fine to just let the kids run around the neighborhood until who knows when. The kids can still run around, we just want to know where they are because we are aware of what can happen with all th predators out there.
In the 1950s and prior there was mass corruption in the police force, politicians interacting with the mob, all sorts of behind the scenes crime. People were gay back then, there were rapes, murders, kidnapping and all the same things you hear about today. The difference is all of that is brought to light in no time flat today.
In the end I think we are safer and better off in our present time. Sure the morals and attitudes of America has changed and landed us in some socially bitter times but as far as our safety I think we are better off today. Law enforcement knows more, we know more, medical care is 100 times better today...there are a ton of reasons to belief the 'good ole days' were just the 'ignorance is bliss' days. So when it all seems bleak and like were all headed to hell in a handbasket, just remember that society has always been like it is. That doesn't mean we shouldn't strive for a better existence, just that we don't have to be so down about the one we are in.
JB
In today's time there is more television coverage so we see all the crimes that were committed each day. When people say, "I remember when I never had to lock my door" I think, 'well if all the robberies were brought to your attention back then maybe you would have locked your door'. I can leave my door unlocked everyday right now, how many times do you think someone comes to my door and tries to get in when I'm not there? Chances are it rarely ever happens, if ever. So I could leave my door unlocked and it would be fine just like it was fine so many years ago. But since we have 24 hour news and movies that all make us aware of how many creeps there are we stand on our guard to make sure we stay away from them. Way back when there was no news telling you about all the crimes and so it was fine to just let the kids run around the neighborhood until who knows when. The kids can still run around, we just want to know where they are because we are aware of what can happen with all th predators out there.
In the 1950s and prior there was mass corruption in the police force, politicians interacting with the mob, all sorts of behind the scenes crime. People were gay back then, there were rapes, murders, kidnapping and all the same things you hear about today. The difference is all of that is brought to light in no time flat today.
In the end I think we are safer and better off in our present time. Sure the morals and attitudes of America has changed and landed us in some socially bitter times but as far as our safety I think we are better off today. Law enforcement knows more, we know more, medical care is 100 times better today...there are a ton of reasons to belief the 'good ole days' were just the 'ignorance is bliss' days. So when it all seems bleak and like were all headed to hell in a handbasket, just remember that society has always been like it is. That doesn't mean we shouldn't strive for a better existence, just that we don't have to be so down about the one we are in.
JB
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Baseball Playoffs
I am a huge Braves fan and I watch them all season long, every year. I probably catch between 100-120 games a year so it's safe to say I keep up with the team pretty consistently. The only time I don't watch is when I'm out of town or somewhere I can't watch it. I started watching the Braves in 1991, when I was 7 years old, and that was the year that began the 14 consecutive division titles. So even though the last 4 years they haven't made the playoffs, for 14 of the 18 years I've been watching they have. After watching the Braves go through this long, 6-month season, the thing I can't stand is to watch them die out in the first round, in 3 or 4 games. So, this has made me think of ways the playoffs could be better.
After watching a great team go through 162 games, and following that team, knowing they are going to make the playoffs for the last month of the season and being excited about it, the team has a bad pitching performance and one of the top hitters hits a dry spell and next thing you know they get swept in 3 games. My opinion: this is ridiculous!
There is no way after all of that long season that it should come down to such a short series. The least baseball could do is make it a 7-game series. But I want more, in fact, I want the Division Series, LCS, and World Series to be 9-game series. Why? Because in baseball the best team rarely wins and this would help to determine a more true champion. The first 3 games would be held at one team's park, then 4 games at the other, and then switch again for the final 2 games.
There's a saying in baseball that goes "you're only as good as your next day's starting pitcher", and that is true. So if you've got your ace on the hill in game 1 of the series and he doesn't have his good stuff, you're down 0-1. Then he may never get to pitch again for the rest of the series! A starting rotation needs to be turned over at least once in a playoff series, and you should have to beat someone's ace twice before you can sweep them. If you can do that then you deserve to move on quickly.
And the logistics of this are not a problem. I love the NBA Playoffs because there is a great game on every night, and yet the series last 2 weeks so I don't get hit every night with the same teams. When the Hawks are in the playoffs, I get a day or two between games...I like that, time to digest it. But the problem is when you get to the Finals, the most important series, it is boring and easy to lose interest because of the gap between games since there are no other series going on. So a 9-game series for all 3 rounds in baseball works great because you're making each series a week and a half long and the games are each day (with the exception of travel days). So you don't lose interest, and at least after having watched my team for 6 months, they'll get a week before they're ousted instead of 3 days.
As for the length of the playoffs, which would now go from about 27 days to about 35 days, you would want to still end everything in late October. To do this you would have to start the playoffs a week earlier, so just start the season a week earlier and begin the playoffs around September 25th.
Some people might say they should add more rounds and not expand the series. Well, baseball is a marathon and so you need to keep the playoff teams at a minimum because you don't want to let the "pretty good" teams in....they might win it all because like I said the best team rarely wins. If you wanted a true champion then you'd just play the regular season and whoever was on top of all of baseball would win. Of course, that doesn't spark interest and they need a playoff system to keep the fans interested and create excitement at the end of the season.
You don't hear many people calling for much change in the baseball playoffs, probably because it occurs during football season and people have lost interest in baseball by then. But as a fan of a team who is usually in contention, I would like to see a more drawn out playoffs, I think it would be better.
JB
After watching a great team go through 162 games, and following that team, knowing they are going to make the playoffs for the last month of the season and being excited about it, the team has a bad pitching performance and one of the top hitters hits a dry spell and next thing you know they get swept in 3 games. My opinion: this is ridiculous!
There is no way after all of that long season that it should come down to such a short series. The least baseball could do is make it a 7-game series. But I want more, in fact, I want the Division Series, LCS, and World Series to be 9-game series. Why? Because in baseball the best team rarely wins and this would help to determine a more true champion. The first 3 games would be held at one team's park, then 4 games at the other, and then switch again for the final 2 games.
There's a saying in baseball that goes "you're only as good as your next day's starting pitcher", and that is true. So if you've got your ace on the hill in game 1 of the series and he doesn't have his good stuff, you're down 0-1. Then he may never get to pitch again for the rest of the series! A starting rotation needs to be turned over at least once in a playoff series, and you should have to beat someone's ace twice before you can sweep them. If you can do that then you deserve to move on quickly.
And the logistics of this are not a problem. I love the NBA Playoffs because there is a great game on every night, and yet the series last 2 weeks so I don't get hit every night with the same teams. When the Hawks are in the playoffs, I get a day or two between games...I like that, time to digest it. But the problem is when you get to the Finals, the most important series, it is boring and easy to lose interest because of the gap between games since there are no other series going on. So a 9-game series for all 3 rounds in baseball works great because you're making each series a week and a half long and the games are each day (with the exception of travel days). So you don't lose interest, and at least after having watched my team for 6 months, they'll get a week before they're ousted instead of 3 days.
As for the length of the playoffs, which would now go from about 27 days to about 35 days, you would want to still end everything in late October. To do this you would have to start the playoffs a week earlier, so just start the season a week earlier and begin the playoffs around September 25th.
Some people might say they should add more rounds and not expand the series. Well, baseball is a marathon and so you need to keep the playoff teams at a minimum because you don't want to let the "pretty good" teams in....they might win it all because like I said the best team rarely wins. If you wanted a true champion then you'd just play the regular season and whoever was on top of all of baseball would win. Of course, that doesn't spark interest and they need a playoff system to keep the fans interested and create excitement at the end of the season.
You don't hear many people calling for much change in the baseball playoffs, probably because it occurs during football season and people have lost interest in baseball by then. But as a fan of a team who is usually in contention, I would like to see a more drawn out playoffs, I think it would be better.
JB
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Week Four
Week four was good because State beat a big time program for the first time in Dan Mullen's tenure and it's the first time Mississippi State has beaten Georgia since 1974 (9 straight losses). I know Georgia is down this year, and they were without A.J. Green, and they were on the road but they have had better years in recruiting every year by far for every year the players who were on the field Saturday night were recruited in. So UGA had better players at pretty much every position but State won so that is a big time win for MSU.
In all the games I think the weekend lived up to the billing with all the big games being close except for Florida/Kentucky. I'm glad Notre Dame got stomped, now can we shelve them for 2010? I was very surprised by Texas getting blown away by UCLA, that really takes some of the luster off the Red River Shootout next week. I actually picked the correct final score for the LSU/West Virginia game...first time this season. Overall, I went 5-2 in the SEC and 4-2 nationally, so that brings my total up to 29-7 for the SEC and 15-9 nationally. I don't really have much to say because I only saw a small portion of the games since I was in Starkville, and I haven't really seen much of the replays. Here's my SEC power poll:
1. Alabama, 4-0 (1-0) - They survived the passing blow that was their first 3 games and the first upper cut this week. They also proved they can come from behind in the 2nd half and on the road, which is huge going down the stretch with several more tough road games. They are going to be tough to knock out...next in the ring - Florida.
2. Florida, 4-0 (2-0) - The Gators are back at number two because Arkansas lost and their offense finally looked good. Just in time too because the Tide is next. It will be the second straight week my #1 faces #2.
3. Auburn, 4-0 (2-0) - Micheal Dyer crushed Marcus Lattimore 100 yards to 33 and Auburn pulled out a big time victory. Three straight very hard fought wins by Auburn and they get a much easier game vs. ULM this week. They are a very tough team with experience and I think they are only going to get better.
4. Arkansas, 3-1 (1-1) - They had Alabama down 20-7 in the 3rd quarter but just couldn't get it done. Ryan Mallett looked like he could be great in the 4th quarter against Georgia but he threw 2 late picks and another costly INT in the first half in this one. They gave Alabama a run for their money and they are a really good team.
5. LSU, 4-0 (2-0) - The Tigers just keep moving up the board because they keep winning but it still is ugly football. No offense whatsoever in every game this year. It's all special teams which may work next week vs. Tennessee but they better find something on offense if they want to win in the swamp.
6. South Carolina, 3-1 (1-1) - I thought the Gamecocks could take advantage of a worn down Auburn team but they couldn't get it done. I have to question why Spurrier took Garcia out of the game, I know that is what he does but this was a huge game on the road and you've got to rely on the experienced QB. They've got two weeks to get ready for Bama.
7. Mississippi State, 2-2 (1-2) - If you had said we can have one win in the early stretch of three tough SEC games or take my chances at the beginning of the season I probably would've taken the one victory. State bounced back from the LSU game nicely and got a huge win and they're on the path towards a bowl game.
8. Georgia, 1-3 (0-3) - This is a terrible record for UGA and I know all their fans want to jump off a cliff but I still think this a good team that can end up 8-4 or 7-5 and have positive momentum heading into next year. They've played tough for the last three games just have come up short. They need to find a way to regroup on the road next week at Colorado.
9. Kentucky, 3-1 (0-1) - I thought Kentucky would play much better at Florida, but that was to be combined with poor Florida play which didn't happen. They look a lot less dangerous to me now but I think they still have some fight. It will be interesting to see what happens at Ole Miss.
10. Tennessee, 2-2 (0-1) - After three games I thought UT had overachieved in 5 out of 6 halves this year and was poised for a nice win vs. UAB but they needed overtime and UAB's kicker to miss 5 field goals! It's bad in Knoxville and they are facing at LSU, at Georgia, vs. Alabama, and at South Carolina in the next 4 games...ouch.
11. Vanderbilt, 1-2 (1-1) - Vandy had the first week off in the SEC this year. It will take a lot for me to move Ole Miss ahead of them right now.
12. Ole Miss, 2-2 (0-1) - The Rebels actually won a game at home against a lesser team...1 out of 3 so far this year. But they still gave up 38 points, where is that defense?
I think this weekend separated the teams into 4 evenly divided tiers. The first 3 are the top of the league teams that have great athletes and experience. The second tier are 3 teams that want to take the next step but still have some hurdles they can't jump over. The next 3 teams are very talented but haven't been able to put it all together. And the final 3 are just not very good. Here my national Top 5:
1. Alabama, 4-0
in a very distant 2nd. Boise State, 3-0
3. Nebraska
4. TCU
5. Ohio State/Oregon
The Falcons won in New Orleans, that is a huge victory. How about the 49ers? I think Alex Smith can be cut now, and Mike Singletary can be fired. The most amazing thing to me is the Pittsburgh Steelers, down to their 4th quarterback and 3-0...and their 1st string is a two time Superbowl winner. I certainly thought Big Ben's suspension would kill their season but they are a great franchise, incredible.
The Braves couldn't pull off the 4-2 week so instead they pulled a 1-5. They played the Phillies tough and I'm ok with them getting swept because they were completely outmatched in every way and all the cards were stacked against them but they needed to pull out at least two victories in Washington. They've got to go 5-1 this week, if they don't and still make the playoffs they will have officially backed into it. But I'm not giving up, I'll be watching all week hoping they can make it for Bobby, and me, because they haven't made it since 2005 and I want to see them back in the playoffs. When they are in the dance that first weekend of it coupled with great college football games makes that Saturday probably the best sports days of the year.
JB
In all the games I think the weekend lived up to the billing with all the big games being close except for Florida/Kentucky. I'm glad Notre Dame got stomped, now can we shelve them for 2010? I was very surprised by Texas getting blown away by UCLA, that really takes some of the luster off the Red River Shootout next week. I actually picked the correct final score for the LSU/West Virginia game...first time this season. Overall, I went 5-2 in the SEC and 4-2 nationally, so that brings my total up to 29-7 for the SEC and 15-9 nationally. I don't really have much to say because I only saw a small portion of the games since I was in Starkville, and I haven't really seen much of the replays. Here's my SEC power poll:
1. Alabama, 4-0 (1-0) - They survived the passing blow that was their first 3 games and the first upper cut this week. They also proved they can come from behind in the 2nd half and on the road, which is huge going down the stretch with several more tough road games. They are going to be tough to knock out...next in the ring - Florida.
2. Florida, 4-0 (2-0) - The Gators are back at number two because Arkansas lost and their offense finally looked good. Just in time too because the Tide is next. It will be the second straight week my #1 faces #2.
3. Auburn, 4-0 (2-0) - Micheal Dyer crushed Marcus Lattimore 100 yards to 33 and Auburn pulled out a big time victory. Three straight very hard fought wins by Auburn and they get a much easier game vs. ULM this week. They are a very tough team with experience and I think they are only going to get better.
4. Arkansas, 3-1 (1-1) - They had Alabama down 20-7 in the 3rd quarter but just couldn't get it done. Ryan Mallett looked like he could be great in the 4th quarter against Georgia but he threw 2 late picks and another costly INT in the first half in this one. They gave Alabama a run for their money and they are a really good team.
5. LSU, 4-0 (2-0) - The Tigers just keep moving up the board because they keep winning but it still is ugly football. No offense whatsoever in every game this year. It's all special teams which may work next week vs. Tennessee but they better find something on offense if they want to win in the swamp.
6. South Carolina, 3-1 (1-1) - I thought the Gamecocks could take advantage of a worn down Auburn team but they couldn't get it done. I have to question why Spurrier took Garcia out of the game, I know that is what he does but this was a huge game on the road and you've got to rely on the experienced QB. They've got two weeks to get ready for Bama.
7. Mississippi State, 2-2 (1-2) - If you had said we can have one win in the early stretch of three tough SEC games or take my chances at the beginning of the season I probably would've taken the one victory. State bounced back from the LSU game nicely and got a huge win and they're on the path towards a bowl game.
8. Georgia, 1-3 (0-3) - This is a terrible record for UGA and I know all their fans want to jump off a cliff but I still think this a good team that can end up 8-4 or 7-5 and have positive momentum heading into next year. They've played tough for the last three games just have come up short. They need to find a way to regroup on the road next week at Colorado.
9. Kentucky, 3-1 (0-1) - I thought Kentucky would play much better at Florida, but that was to be combined with poor Florida play which didn't happen. They look a lot less dangerous to me now but I think they still have some fight. It will be interesting to see what happens at Ole Miss.
10. Tennessee, 2-2 (0-1) - After three games I thought UT had overachieved in 5 out of 6 halves this year and was poised for a nice win vs. UAB but they needed overtime and UAB's kicker to miss 5 field goals! It's bad in Knoxville and they are facing at LSU, at Georgia, vs. Alabama, and at South Carolina in the next 4 games...ouch.
11. Vanderbilt, 1-2 (1-1) - Vandy had the first week off in the SEC this year. It will take a lot for me to move Ole Miss ahead of them right now.
12. Ole Miss, 2-2 (0-1) - The Rebels actually won a game at home against a lesser team...1 out of 3 so far this year. But they still gave up 38 points, where is that defense?
I think this weekend separated the teams into 4 evenly divided tiers. The first 3 are the top of the league teams that have great athletes and experience. The second tier are 3 teams that want to take the next step but still have some hurdles they can't jump over. The next 3 teams are very talented but haven't been able to put it all together. And the final 3 are just not very good. Here my national Top 5:
1. Alabama, 4-0
in a very distant 2nd. Boise State, 3-0
3. Nebraska
4. TCU
5. Ohio State/Oregon
The Falcons won in New Orleans, that is a huge victory. How about the 49ers? I think Alex Smith can be cut now, and Mike Singletary can be fired. The most amazing thing to me is the Pittsburgh Steelers, down to their 4th quarterback and 3-0...and their 1st string is a two time Superbowl winner. I certainly thought Big Ben's suspension would kill their season but they are a great franchise, incredible.
The Braves couldn't pull off the 4-2 week so instead they pulled a 1-5. They played the Phillies tough and I'm ok with them getting swept because they were completely outmatched in every way and all the cards were stacked against them but they needed to pull out at least two victories in Washington. They've got to go 5-1 this week, if they don't and still make the playoffs they will have officially backed into it. But I'm not giving up, I'll be watching all week hoping they can make it for Bobby, and me, because they haven't made it since 2005 and I want to see them back in the playoffs. When they are in the dance that first weekend of it coupled with great college football games makes that Saturday probably the best sports days of the year.
JB
Monday, September 27, 2010
Government
There are two schools of thought on the government. One is that it is good and provides valuable services. The other is that it is a necessary evil that can't get out of its own way. I tend to agree with the last one there, I don't care for the government, especially the federal government.
Whatever operation the government is in charge of doesn't work as well as it would if it were held privately. That is a fact, there is no disputing it. The DMV, IRS, FBI, you name the federally funded government organization and we can walk through it and see plenty of slacking off and mediocre work. The Post Office, permit office, tag office, wherever you go and have to deal with the government the service is going to be slow and poor. That is because there is no incentive to work. They don't care if you come back because you have to, they are the only show in town. They don't need your business because you have to pay for them with you tax dollars anyway. Take anything in America, give it to the government and they will run it into the ground.
There are things that we need our government to handle. The police force, military, constructing roads, schools, and other necessary services are good for the public. Somehow we need to create incentive laden programs to get government workers to perform better. The benefit to working for the government is a decent wage, good benefits, and job security. I think the majority of people who go into these positions are lazy and scared of not making it so they fall back on the government security blanket of their job. That is ok, there's nothing wrong with having a secure job, but there needs to be more accountability so the government services mirror the private ones.
So I don't like government services. And so that also means I don't like increasing the government to handle more and more things and create more and more layers of bureaucracy and more taxes to pay. I, like most people, am not a fan of taxes. I prefer to shrink government and government spending and lower taxes. I want to push some of the services the government wants to provide to the private sector. Let's cut the cost of our taxes so we'll have more to spend and less government oversight watching what we spend it on.
I don't like the government creeping in on my business. This is the land of the free, and I don't need to be scared that if I make one wrong move Uncle Sam is going to be breathing down my neck. There's already enough corruption, we don't need to have bigger government and make it easier for that corruption to effect our daily lives. That is why it is so important to protect the 2nd amendment. Our founding fathers gave us the right to bear arms because they didn't want a government persecuting its citizens. We can create a militia and fight back against a corrupt government. Don't be naive and assume that will never happen, we already have a terrible and detached federal government right now. The Constitution of the United States starts out, "we the people". That means the people, the public, run this country. We certainly don't need to expand the government to where there's more people working for it than themselves.
I believe shrinking the federal government and lowering taxes is going to be the best step to take to get our economy back on track. More government programs just lead to more taxes and less jobs for the American people, not to mention the terrible service, mishandling of money, corruption, and greed that will take place if we allow the government to grow into an insurmountable force.
JB
Whatever operation the government is in charge of doesn't work as well as it would if it were held privately. That is a fact, there is no disputing it. The DMV, IRS, FBI, you name the federally funded government organization and we can walk through it and see plenty of slacking off and mediocre work. The Post Office, permit office, tag office, wherever you go and have to deal with the government the service is going to be slow and poor. That is because there is no incentive to work. They don't care if you come back because you have to, they are the only show in town. They don't need your business because you have to pay for them with you tax dollars anyway. Take anything in America, give it to the government and they will run it into the ground.
There are things that we need our government to handle. The police force, military, constructing roads, schools, and other necessary services are good for the public. Somehow we need to create incentive laden programs to get government workers to perform better. The benefit to working for the government is a decent wage, good benefits, and job security. I think the majority of people who go into these positions are lazy and scared of not making it so they fall back on the government security blanket of their job. That is ok, there's nothing wrong with having a secure job, but there needs to be more accountability so the government services mirror the private ones.
So I don't like government services. And so that also means I don't like increasing the government to handle more and more things and create more and more layers of bureaucracy and more taxes to pay. I, like most people, am not a fan of taxes. I prefer to shrink government and government spending and lower taxes. I want to push some of the services the government wants to provide to the private sector. Let's cut the cost of our taxes so we'll have more to spend and less government oversight watching what we spend it on.
I don't like the government creeping in on my business. This is the land of the free, and I don't need to be scared that if I make one wrong move Uncle Sam is going to be breathing down my neck. There's already enough corruption, we don't need to have bigger government and make it easier for that corruption to effect our daily lives. That is why it is so important to protect the 2nd amendment. Our founding fathers gave us the right to bear arms because they didn't want a government persecuting its citizens. We can create a militia and fight back against a corrupt government. Don't be naive and assume that will never happen, we already have a terrible and detached federal government right now. The Constitution of the United States starts out, "we the people". That means the people, the public, run this country. We certainly don't need to expand the government to where there's more people working for it than themselves.
I believe shrinking the federal government and lowering taxes is going to be the best step to take to get our economy back on track. More government programs just lead to more taxes and less jobs for the American people, not to mention the terrible service, mishandling of money, corruption, and greed that will take place if we allow the government to grow into an insurmountable force.
JB
Sunday, September 26, 2010
French Fries
You can call them french fries, freedom fries, french-fried potatoes, fries, chips, wedges or whatever but who doesn't like french fries? You can get them anywhere and they are a great compliment to your sandwich or burger. There are all kinds of fries, and I think there are various ways to eat them. So I'm going to give my list of the top places to get fries...and my choice of dipping sauce if any.
*If I say ketchup, I mean warm ketchup - the way it's served at a restaurant...cold ketchup is disgusting.
1. Zaxby's - I know their fries are just frozen from a bag that they fry but I love to eat them. The Zax sauce is awesome and they always use just the right about of seasoned salt. Just thinking about them makes me want to go there right now.
2. Chili's - I love Chili's fries. They are as solid as it gets, perfectly seasoned and they taste great with a variety of dipping sauces. I use ketchup, honey mustard, ranch, honey-chipolte, etc...whatever they serve the meal with.
3. Five Guys - The burgers are okay--I prefer flame broiled myself, but the fries are awesome. They are perfectly salted and go great with no condiments, they taste great all by themselves. They also have great fountain cherry coke which is nice to wash them down with.
4. Chick-Fil-A - They've got great waffle fries, which I'm a huge fan of. I used to insist on no dipping sauces at Chick-Fil-A, but then I tried Chick-Fil-A sauce and I was hooked....got to use some with each and every bite.
5. Checkers - They've got the seasoned fries that are delicious. They are always so hot and salty, good stuff. No need for a dip, they taste great by themselves.
6. Taco Mac - They've got some really good fries, they taste so good. And their ranch is the best. It doesn't really taste like regular ranch so if dipping stuff in ranch doesn't sound appealing you should give theirs a try anyway.
7. O'Charley's - Their fries are very similar to Taco Mac. I like the way they are seasoned and they have a great taste. Since O'Charley's has great honey mustard the combo is terrific.
8. Back Yard Burgers - To me their seasoned fries are a lesser version of Checkers. They are good but can be a little too potato-y and might need some ketchup.
9. Arby's - Arby's has two great fries, but the curly are better than the homestyle. I enjoyed dipping the homestyle in their honey mustard, the curly fries are good by themselves, with honey mustard, Arby's sauce, horsey sauce, or any or their sauces.
10. Wendy's - They have good fries, although many times they don't salt them enough. I don't like to use any dipping sauce with their fries. I have dipped them in a Frosty, which is okay but I'll just stick to no condiments with them for my meal.
11. McDonald's - I find Mickey D's to be absolutely disgusting, just thinking of eating there makes me want to puke...the smell is just terrible, BUT they have good fries. Their fries are always heavily salted and they are pretty tasty.
12. Krystal's - Basically Krystal's kicks out decent fries. Nothing to talk about, nothing to desire to eat, but it's not bad. They are good alone or with a dip. Very forgettable which can be a good or bad thing.
13. Captain D's - Their fries taste okay but they are so crusty, it's like an old booger. I guess they throw the fries in the same batter and fryer as the fish but why do so many seafood places have fries like this? I just dip them in the tartar sauce.
14. Hardee's - This is a classic example of not giving any thought to how your fries taste. It's not always all about the burger, put some effort into it. Eating these fries is basically just to make sure I'm full, ketchup is fine since they don't have any dipping sauces.
15. Burger King - The King's hamburger is way better than McDonald's, but their fries are not as good. How they can get away with such mediocre fries is beyond me, but if I'm eating them I prefer to have a dipping sauce...probably ketchup.
16. KFC - Basically KFC has potato wedges, they almost shouldn't be called fries but I'm including them. I enjoy a wedge every now and then but sometimes you take a bite out of one of theirs and it's all potato...thick and dry. Not that good but if their in front of me give me their ranch.
That's all I can really think of. I tried to keep it to chains, nothing too obscure.
JB
*If I say ketchup, I mean warm ketchup - the way it's served at a restaurant...cold ketchup is disgusting.
1. Zaxby's - I know their fries are just frozen from a bag that they fry but I love to eat them. The Zax sauce is awesome and they always use just the right about of seasoned salt. Just thinking about them makes me want to go there right now.
2. Chili's - I love Chili's fries. They are as solid as it gets, perfectly seasoned and they taste great with a variety of dipping sauces. I use ketchup, honey mustard, ranch, honey-chipolte, etc...whatever they serve the meal with.
3. Five Guys - The burgers are okay--I prefer flame broiled myself, but the fries are awesome. They are perfectly salted and go great with no condiments, they taste great all by themselves. They also have great fountain cherry coke which is nice to wash them down with.
4. Chick-Fil-A - They've got great waffle fries, which I'm a huge fan of. I used to insist on no dipping sauces at Chick-Fil-A, but then I tried Chick-Fil-A sauce and I was hooked....got to use some with each and every bite.
5. Checkers - They've got the seasoned fries that are delicious. They are always so hot and salty, good stuff. No need for a dip, they taste great by themselves.
6. Taco Mac - They've got some really good fries, they taste so good. And their ranch is the best. It doesn't really taste like regular ranch so if dipping stuff in ranch doesn't sound appealing you should give theirs a try anyway.
7. O'Charley's - Their fries are very similar to Taco Mac. I like the way they are seasoned and they have a great taste. Since O'Charley's has great honey mustard the combo is terrific.
8. Back Yard Burgers - To me their seasoned fries are a lesser version of Checkers. They are good but can be a little too potato-y and might need some ketchup.
9. Arby's - Arby's has two great fries, but the curly are better than the homestyle. I enjoyed dipping the homestyle in their honey mustard, the curly fries are good by themselves, with honey mustard, Arby's sauce, horsey sauce, or any or their sauces.
10. Wendy's - They have good fries, although many times they don't salt them enough. I don't like to use any dipping sauce with their fries. I have dipped them in a Frosty, which is okay but I'll just stick to no condiments with them for my meal.
11. McDonald's - I find Mickey D's to be absolutely disgusting, just thinking of eating there makes me want to puke...the smell is just terrible, BUT they have good fries. Their fries are always heavily salted and they are pretty tasty.
12. Krystal's - Basically Krystal's kicks out decent fries. Nothing to talk about, nothing to desire to eat, but it's not bad. They are good alone or with a dip. Very forgettable which can be a good or bad thing.
13. Captain D's - Their fries taste okay but they are so crusty, it's like an old booger. I guess they throw the fries in the same batter and fryer as the fish but why do so many seafood places have fries like this? I just dip them in the tartar sauce.
14. Hardee's - This is a classic example of not giving any thought to how your fries taste. It's not always all about the burger, put some effort into it. Eating these fries is basically just to make sure I'm full, ketchup is fine since they don't have any dipping sauces.
15. Burger King - The King's hamburger is way better than McDonald's, but their fries are not as good. How they can get away with such mediocre fries is beyond me, but if I'm eating them I prefer to have a dipping sauce...probably ketchup.
16. KFC - Basically KFC has potato wedges, they almost shouldn't be called fries but I'm including them. I enjoy a wedge every now and then but sometimes you take a bite out of one of theirs and it's all potato...thick and dry. Not that good but if their in front of me give me their ranch.
That's all I can really think of. I tried to keep it to chains, nothing too obscure.
JB
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Metal Buildings
Many people don't know that metal buildings account for 50% of all non-residential buildings in America. When people think of metal buildings they think of an ugly old hardware store, a shop in someone's back yard, or a country church. But those are only the metal buildings you recognize because of the metal panels, there are actually many buildings you go into many times but you may not realize they are metal buildings.
Metal buildings are also called pre-engineered steel buildings because they are designed and fabricated in a plant and then assembled at the job site. So they go up a lot faster than wood or masonry construction, and are obviously a lot stronger as well. Metal buildings can span long distances, reach tall heights, and be designed for any criteria needed based on wind, seismic, and snow loads, etc.
One of the great things about metal buildings is that you can put whatever exterior surface you want on them. It is true that the outside of a plain metal building isn't exciting to look at, but the great thing is you can use the look of masonry with the strength, design, and cost-effectiveness of a metal building.
The primary users of metal buildings are churches, warehouses, manufacturing, agricultural, schools and other government uses, and industrial parks. A growing trend related to metal buildings is using metal roofing on houses. This provides for a maintenance free roof for 30+ years.
Next time your in a store look up and check out whether it's a metal building or not, you may be surprised at the versatility and importance they have in the way America builds!
JB
Metal buildings are also called pre-engineered steel buildings because they are designed and fabricated in a plant and then assembled at the job site. So they go up a lot faster than wood or masonry construction, and are obviously a lot stronger as well. Metal buildings can span long distances, reach tall heights, and be designed for any criteria needed based on wind, seismic, and snow loads, etc.
One of the great things about metal buildings is that you can put whatever exterior surface you want on them. It is true that the outside of a plain metal building isn't exciting to look at, but the great thing is you can use the look of masonry with the strength, design, and cost-effectiveness of a metal building.
The primary users of metal buildings are churches, warehouses, manufacturing, agricultural, schools and other government uses, and industrial parks. A growing trend related to metal buildings is using metal roofing on houses. This provides for a maintenance free roof for 30+ years.
Next time your in a store look up and check out whether it's a metal building or not, you may be surprised at the versatility and importance they have in the way America builds!
JB
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