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N.Y. Jets at Pittsburgh -
Jets crash in Blitzburgh
AV~Picks Blitzburgh 38 Jets 17 (55)
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St. Louis at Atlanta-
Blackburds look to head south for the winter. All the way down to Jacksonville.
AV~Picks Blackburdz 27 Rams 19 (46)
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Sunday, Jan. 16, 2005 --

Minnesota at Philadelphia -
Without Terel, the Eagles ain't got no wings. McNabb also chokes in big games.
AV~Picks Vikes 27 Eagles 16 (43)
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Indianapolis at New England -
Colt Train gets derailed in New England
Patriots 31 Colts 30 (61)
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Last Week 2-2 By the way, did you see the way my Broncs dominated the Colts? Man they looked good! The Broncs looked unstoppable. All through the thrid quarter the Broncs dominated winning that fifteen minute period 14-0.

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St. Louis at Seattle -
Hawks give Rams the blues
AV~Picks Hawks 23 Rams 14 (37)
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N.Y. Jets at San Diego -
Jets upend the Chargers
AV~Picks Jets 24 Chargers 23 (47)
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Sunday, Jan. 9, 2005 --

Denver at Indianapolis -
Indy had two weeks to prepare for Denver.
AV~Picks Colts 49 Broncs 16 (65)
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Minnesota at Green Bay -
Packers run over Moss, Vikes.
Packers 27 Vikes 10 (37)
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This is not something that would be good for America, nor the world. The highest office an American should be able to hold is as the United States President. The American President should be focused on the interests of the United States first, the rest of the world is secondary.

What we have seen is a progression in politics, one starts off as a city council member, then moves on to a State representative, then runs for governor, before making a run at the presidency. By allowing an American president to become Secretary General of the UN, we will have devalued the POTUS. The President, an ambitious person, would no longer put the United States first. The President would be concerned about helping the right countries in order to help him become Secretary General.

The Presidency would no longer be the highest office in the land, rather, just a stepping stone to greater ambitions.

Furthermore, this only encourages the strongest military nation to be more proactive in the world, more willing to force countries to submit to our will. The United States President would be more likely to take action to give the UN more power over both the United States as well as other countries. An ambitious politician wants to govern as many people as possible. An ambitious politician wants to be remembered. An ambitious politician doesn't care about people, they care about theirselves.

It has been the dream of many leaders to be in control of an entire empire, not just a small country. People remember leaders by the empires they controlled. American Presidents would be focused on how to empower the U.N. for a day when they can be the Secretary General. The POTUS would term his presidency on appeasing countries necessary to win the vote of the council in order to become World President.

I fear that if U.S. Presidents can become Secretary General, all politicians would put the will of the United Nations as a far greater service than they would of the American people.

Not only would politicians be focused on the new high prize, but they would more willing to go to war, less likely to recognize liberty. It's a beautiful thing that the United States and the United Nations are two different entities. Let's not mix the Ambassadors of the world with the most powerful military, we'll save wars by not doing so.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. Thomas Jefferson

It seems to me a great mistake that government punishes its existing businesses while giving favor to new business. Locally we have raised taxes here in the community and wonder why existing business will leave the state, then turn around and give tax breaks so that new businesses will come in. Our new mayor has promised today that he will be the most travelled mayor in Baton Rouge history, that he wants to let the world know about what we have to offer and the talent we posses here in Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish."

Unfortunately, this Democrat has raised taxes time after time on not only businesses but the public as well. We lobby hard for new business come into the state, businesses that have not yet delivered jobs to the state, while we tax into oblivion the the businesses that have been providing jobs in the state.

Reward those who have done nothing for you, crucify those that have.

We think we benefit from making the rich pay their fair share, as if the rich ought to pay more than the rest of us. Is it true that we are all created equal? Why is it then, that we consider the rich unequal to ourselves? Does it make us happier that another pays a higher tax rate than the rest of us? We have came to the belief that by empowering the government we level the playing field for the weak. Truth is, we do not empowered the weak, only weaken the strong and strengthened a much crueler enemy.

There are those in our society that do not want to achieve their happiness, their own wealth, their own place in the world. They want everything given to them. Certainly the Daytime talkshow analyst comes to mind, but they are not alone. We have thieves that steal from others rather than get a job and earn their own things. There are those that will sue others for any reason whatsoever. There are so many examples of selfishness and laziness that I could go one for sometime.

I am reminded of Smeagol in the Lord of the Rings, how his face was destroyed, his mind, his sanity wasted over a tiny ring. I can't help but to see him as a crackwhore, wasting his life away for a small piece of nothing.

Lying, cheating, tricking, stealing, and manipulating others, and for what? For a little bit of something today?

People, it seems, want everything today. We even want to live forever and we want others to pick up the hospital bill for us. We call it compassion, but in truth its selfishness, we want our health at somebody else's expense. We want everything now, and we want to give so little in return. We have become a selfish society.

Again, make the rich pay for it.

But many wealthy people didn't get rich by birth. Well, I can't speak for the Kerry's of the world, but most have not. They have sacrificed more than the rest of us. While we bought cable, they did without and invested. They did without the big screen television while we sat back and watched the big game and drank beer. We lived for today, they lived for the future.

I am not one of those that hate the rich, I appreciate them, they sacrificed more than I have. By the same token, there are those who sacrificed much less than I have and in turn see me as being rich. Many of them had more than I did when we were kids.

But am I so much worse off than the rich? Is Donald Trump so much better than me? I think not, just as I am no better than the potsmoker who has done nothing with his life. I've made different choices, but I was still created equal to everybody else. I didn't always believe it, may God help me to never forget it.

I don't know what others want, but as for me, I want nothing from the government. I don't want to sue anybody, I don't want to win the lottery, I don't want free healthcare. I don't even care to have Social Security when I retire. I want to earn everything I have, I'll appreciate it far more than if it were simply given to me. Like my good friend John once told me, 'I'll take the road less travelled.'

I am going to try to see this from President Bush's point of view, as well as the House and Senate's. Let's see if I am sitting in most seat on an airplane, I won't be able to do much with a lighter. For example, with a window seat, I couldn't possibly light the toilet on fire. But, if I am sitting in the aisle, I might be able to light the carpet on fire, which will make the captain so mad, he'd ram the plane into the Statue of Liberty, just to teach me a lesson.

A lighter? Seriously, what could somebody do with a lighter? Can you imagine a terrorist with a lighter, crashing into the cockpit and demanding the captain to turn over the control of the cockpit, or he's going to have his hair burnt, praise Allah?

I really don't believe this provision has anything to do with anti-terrorism.

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Cincinnati at Philadelphia -
Bengal pluck Burdz
AV~Picks Bengals 27 Eagles 14 (41)
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Cleveland at Houston -
Texans pummel Browns
AV~Picks Texans 37 Browns 17 (54)
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Detroit at Tennessee -
Lions slip past the Titans
AV~Picks Lions 31 Titans 30 (61)
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Green Bay at Chicago -
Packers skin the Bears
Packers 27 Bears 16 (43)
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Miami at Baltimore -
Baltimore crushes the Fins
AV~Picks Blackburdz 27 Fins 0 (27)
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Minnesota at Washington -
Vikes slam the Skins
AV~Picks Vikes 31 Skins 10 (41)
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New Orleans at Carolina -
Panthers claw the Saints
AV~picks Panthers 27 Saints 17 (44)
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N.Y. Jets at St. Louis -
Jets blast the Rams
AV~Picks Jets 28 Rams 13 (41)
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Pittsburgh at Buffalo -
Streak continues
Steelers 24 Bills 21 (45)
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San Francisco at New England -
Patriots shred the Niners
AV~Picks Pats 37 Niners 9 ()
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Atlanta at Seattle -
Hawks escape with a win
AV~Picks Hawks 29 Falcons 28 (57)
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Tampa Bay at Arizona -
Buccs cruise by the Cardz
AV~Picks Buccs 33 Cardz 17 (50)
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Indianapolis at Denver -
Colts end Broncs playoff hopes
AV~Picks Colts 32 Broncos 12 (44)
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Jacksonville at Oakland -
Jags poke out Raiduhs udder I
AV~Picks Jags 24 Raiduhs 13 (37)
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Kansas City at San Diego -
Chiefs scalp the Chargers
AV~Picks Chiefs 45 Chargers 13 (58)
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Dallas at N.Y. Giants -
Army Ants bury the Boize in the North endzone
AV~Picks Army Ants 23 Boize 10 (33)
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Open date: None

It has been said that 'God doesn't give you more to handle than you are capable of handling, you just got to be willing to handle it.' I've had a lot of struggles in my life, but the last couple of years have been filled with challenges to overcome, each challenge followed by what seemed to be a greater challenge. I may not be so willing for the new challenges, much less like the challenges, but what other options are there other than to try to overcome it? What good could possibly come from submitting to our weaknesses?

I remember when I left the Democrat party and was a lone Republican. Yeah, I was raised Democrat. Everybody I knew was a Democrat, my Grandma was going to hit me over the head with her cane because I was helping the local Republican party. I just knew what I believed and decided I was going to stand for those beliefs.

I made the switch a friend said to me, "That's that Roman Republican brainwashing that you're getting". The other guy at the table stood up and forcefully said to me "YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN? HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DIE BECAUSE YOU GOT KICKED BY A JACKASS ON THE SIDE OF YOUR HEAD??" I wasn't a Republican at the time, but I took his comments serious enough to switch party affiliation. I've been a Republican ever since and I'll be damned if I let anyone control my thinking.

What led to the Roman Republican comment and the quasi-threat was a conversation in which I questioned whether or not I could succeed. I believed that I could, that I could overcome any obstacles placed in front of me. I was told that people didn't want to give me a chance because I was poor, that I was status quo, that I didn't belong, that I simply just could not do it. I decided that I would try anyway. I was certain then, just as I know now, that I could live with failure, but I could not live without ever trying. I had to know just how far I could go.

So off I went and I worked my way up in the business world, working long hours which helped me get the job I am currently working at. It's not the greatest job in the world, but it definitely isn't the worse, though I admit, somedays I think otherwise. Someday I will talk more about what I currently do. It's not illegal btw.

One of those challenges that I had to overcome was being robbed. I was riding with my boss at the time when two men approached my car one on my side and the other on my boss's side. We were getting in the car at the time it happened and I tried to close my door quickly, but he was faster. I grabbed the guys gun, I wanted to take it from him, I wanted to shoot him. Before any of you give me a lecture on how stupid that was, let me tell you that you don't know how you are going to react in that situation until it happens to you. I didn't think he was trying to rob me, I thought he was trying to kill me, I was trying to save my life, too bad I didn't end his in the process.

He pulled the gun away, then stuck the gun back in my face and said "Give me your money". I thought to myself Oh, he's going to rob me, then he's going to shoot me. So I grabbed the gun and began to push the barrel towards him. Again the gun was pointing at me. "I ain't playing with you."

At that point I noticed my boss with his hands up in the air. I reached in my pocket and pulled out the money. Knowing I had no other options calmed down just enough to submit. After they got the money they took off and I started the car. As I started to drive off I grabbed my cell phone and called the police.

When the police came, they began to ask all the questions that police people ask, most of which seemed like senseless questions. Normally I don't cuss, it makes people sound, well, stupid. But this was a special occassion so I was cussing quite a bit.

In her attempt to calm me down the officer said to me "You have to understand, they have to make a living out here." That comment ignited me. My response was "Let me f***ing tell you something, I f***ing starved, I never f***ing robbed anybody!" I'm almost one year removed from that night.

Needless to say, the thought crossed my mind to quit my job. I didn't have anything else lined up, much less a good paying job like I currently have, so I didn't quit immediately. It gave me time to reflect on what had happened. I thought long and hard about it, my past, my present, and my future.

I thought about what would happen if I quit my job, but then I realized that I couldn't quit. Quitting only gives these punks a permission slip to go out and rob somebody else. It only encourages them because they can scare people enough to chase them out of their neighborhood. I figured my best option was to stick around. Why should I quit? I didn't do anything wrong, it was them. It was these punks who ought to be afraid. It should be them that ought to go in hiding, not me. I ought not back down to these punks. What choice did I have, either they can hide everytime they saw me drive down their street, or I could teach them if they rob somebody, the person will get scared and they will never see them again.

It's sad enough that a handful of punks, members of the new KKK, hold hostage and in fear, 95% of the people who live in the ghetto. Why give them anymore power over people?

I am thankful that it happened to me, not because I enjoy getting robbed, but because the situation helped me to grow as a person. I had my courage tested, as well as my heart. I didn't give into hatred. I understood that the majority of blacks in America don't approve of such cowardly acts, and the many blacks I have talked to since then have reiterated it for me. The vast majority of people desire goodness and righteousness.

Most importantly, it helps put life into perspective. What really is important to me? What did I want to accomplish in life. Did I accomplish it? Why haven't I accomplished it yet? I also realized it's not the amount of time we have on earth, it's what we do with the time we are here. I know I'd rather be here for the betterment of the world. I also realized the only way to make the world a better place to live, is to become the best possible person that I can be.

I may not be able to change you, but I definitely can change me, unfortunately, most of us just give lip service to that. Many of us realize that we can change who we are to make the world a better place, then go thinking we are better people for it. We realize what we ought to do, then praise ourselves for thinking about doing something we could've done, but in the end, didn't do.

Another incident happened to me Wednesday night that could have had similiar results. Fortunately what could have happened, didn't happen, but it put the robbery incident back on my mind.

This is the first time that I have seen this quote, but I do believe it is a reliable quote. This is my sentiments best expressed. Although I believe in anarchism, I do believe, as Thomas Paine stated, that government is but a necessary evil.

It is often thought that self governing people can not live peacefully. How is it then, that men can govern others peacefully when given a greater power over others? Why can we trust ourselves with self governance but won't trust our fellow man to be self governing?

Why do we support freedom for ourselves, but not for others? Why do we esteem some Rights with the highest regard, but feel that so many others can be thrown away? Are we so superior to the founders of this country that we can recreate a country without the sacrifices they had?

I've thought about the abortion issue for the last couple of weeks, and have come to the conclusion that many people support abortion simply because the Supreme Court has ruled on Roe V. Wade. Others support it because the Democrat party has openly embraced it. Not that it doesn't happen on the right side of the aisle, I'm not saying that. What I am saying is that many people let life happen to them. They figure that because the law says it's okay, then it must be okay. They never really question the validity of laws. Others merely know what there party politics are and assume that the party is right, in this, they will disagree with laws as long as it appears their party disagrees with the law.

I am not talking just about abortion. I am sure that it happens on the right as well. How many Republicans support tax cuts without understanding that concept that tax cuts lead to higher tax revenues and a more stimulated economy? More so, how many Republicans would support Bush's education reform bill despite the fact that it was authored by Ted Kennedy? How many Democrats oppose it, despite the very same thing? So many people, it seems to me, think no matter what their leaders do, as long as they are on the same side, can do no wrong.

One commenter stated that I was "another right wing whackjob who cannot think or speak for themselves, still need to be told what to say, believe and think...so sad." If the poor gal had even taken the time to read my blog, I think she would have come to a much different conclusion. However, my impression is that she doesn't take them time to think about what different people have to say. All she knows is that Republicans = Bad, Democrats = Good. She never gives much thought to anything other than that rule.

I started smoking about three weeks ago, stress has a way of making a person start again. One of that I found was that since I restarted, I was going to sleep much earlier and just did not have as much energy as I did before. I didn't do anything else that would have made me tired besides start smoking, so I strongly suspect that it was the cigerettes. I did post about being tired and it was affecting my posts.

During my ChrIstmas vacation, I put the cigs away with little trouble and should be able to post regularly and with more energy.

Anyway, I went to Tennessee this past week, nice state. I was in Memphis on the 23rd, then drove through the icy streets into Nashville on Christmas eve. Ah, it's always a blessing when you are in a true red state.

I came across the unbearable stench of hypocrisy today. How is it that one can complain about "war crimes" even though, they just voted for a self admitted war criminal? As far as I am concerned, if you voted for John Kerry, then you don't have room to complain about war crimes.

I have come to the conclusion that the far leftist in this country aren't the least bit concerned about the innocent lives lost in Iraq, anymore than they are concerned about war crimes. Iraq is a low casualty war, yet people are complaining about Don Rumsfield. Rumsfield has produced results. A 10:1 Iraq-U.S. casualty is excellent.