CommenTerry

The Main Way to Take Advantage of Adversity

They say adversity builds character. However, that doesn’t seem like much consolation to me. Personally, I would rather avoid all adversity, even if it meant never building any character. If I had my druthers, I would like to live in a kind of ignorant bliss in which all of my needs for ease, comfort, and pleasure would be automatically met. But back to the real world. It is, of course, completely impossible for anyone to avoid all adversity. It will eventually come knocking at everyone’s door – and more than once. It has been said that everyone either going through a crisis, has just come out of one, or is about to enter one. That’s unfortunate but quite true.

So the next best thing is to find a way to take advantage of adversity when it comes your way. True opportunists know how to take advantage of both the good and the bad things that happen to them. Now if you’re expecting a lot of Pollyannaish platitudes, please look elsewhere. You’ll never get that kind of stuff from me. My goal is to provide some realistic advice about how to make the best of adversity.

While I don’t know about the character part, I do know that the primary way to take advantage of adversity is to demonstrate to others that it is not getting you down. When you are enduring some kind of major setback, most of the folks around you will know it. If you can show them that it is not getting to you, you will win their respect. Even your enemies and those who normally disagree with you on most issues will be impressed, whether they will admit it or not. This will earn you their admiration when nothing else will. I can personally vouch for this one. When I was younger, I remember trying every trick in the book to earn the respect of others, all to no avail. It wasn’t until hardship came my way and I endured it with dignity and grace that I finally started earning the respect I wanted so badly. Now I’m highly regarded by many people who used to think of me as a wimp or a “lightweight.”

People will think you are some kind of superman or superwoman for not allowing yourself to be beaten down by life’s major adversities. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to be undaunted by your circumstances – you just need to project that image by not giving in to the temptation to pout or throw yourself a pity party. Never complain or whine publicly. No one likes a complainer and it never does any good anyway. Now that doesn’t mean going it alone. If necessary, talk to a wise counselor, close friend, or family member privately. Talk to God about it in prayer. However, laugh, sing, and make it business-as-usual while most other people are watching. And, believe me, they will be watching.

Five Things I Will Never See

There are least five things that will never happen in my lifetime because they would simply be too good to be true. These things are: cable TV subscriptions sold on an a-la-carte basis, a federal sales tax replacing the federal income tax, the election of a Libertarian president, a major league sports franchise coming to Virginia, and the United States actually living up to its reputation as The Land of the Free. 

Congress and the FCC have begun to talk about the idea of forcing cable (and satellite) companies to offer channel subscriptions to the public on an a-la-carte basis. But, mark my word,  it'll never happen. Fearing that it might actually happen, cable and satellite companies will soon begin to offer "family" tiers of channels which do not contain a lot of harsh language, violence, near/implied/partial nudity, or sexual situations. This, of course, will probably appease the "family" advocate groups, at least to the extent that they will stop pushing so hard for a-la-carte. Shortly after that, the whole concept of a-la-carte will fizzle out. Too bad for me. I only subscribe to basic cable for the sports and news channels. I don't have much use for boob tube anymore, so I rarely watch any of the other channels I'm forced to pay for.  I'd love to be able to put the kibosh on worthless channels like AMC, Bravo, The Disney Channel, E!, Comedy Central, F/X, MTV, Lifetime, VH-1, USA Network, and many of the rest. However, I'll be stuck with them as long as I feel the need for ESPN and CNN.

President Bush and many in Congress have talked about  the idea of replacing the Federal Income Tax with a national sales tax. That would take all the paperwork burden off taxpayers, but it won't happen. There are too many powerful people who benefit from keeping the current system. They will do whatever they have to do to punch holes in the concept of a national sales tax. They will say that it isn't fair to the poor (regressive), it would cause a budget disaster, and it would be a nightmare to implement,  none of which are true. Unfortunately, their strategy will work and chance to get of the Federal Income Tax will be foiled again.

No one from the Libertarian Party (or any other third party) will be elected President in my lifetime. The Democratic and Republican parties have to much control over the electoral process to ever let that happen. Voters always say they want change, and many of them agree with the libertarian point of view, but they never opt for very much change at any given time. In addition, since most don't believe a third party candidate could win, they won't vote for one, thus making it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Is voting like a day at the race track? Is politics only about picking a winner? Obviously, I don't think a third party candidate could win either, but that's never stopped me from voting Libertarian anyway. Too bad there are not enough people who have the moral integrity to follow my example! 

In the past, various groups have tried and failed to bring major league sports franchises to the state of Virginia. They will continue to fail. This is true for several reasons. First, we have too many NIMBYs in Virginia (especially in the northern part of the state) who do not want a sports stadium or arena anywhere near them. Second, too many people in Virgina are content just to be "near" major league sports franchises like those in DC, Maryland, and North Carolina. They see no need to have any of our own. Third, Virginians are willing to spend tax dollars on anything and everything except a little to defray the costs of a new sports stadium or arena. Fourth, while Virginia is the 12th most populous state in the Union, it has no metro areas of its own that rank in the USA's top 30. Pro sports leagues use this along with the fact that Virginians can be "served" by the teams in DC, Maryland, and North Carolina as a reason to always pass over Virginia when it comes time for expansion or relocation. 

Do you believe the United States  truly lives up to its billing as The Land of the Free? Contrary to popular belief, it does not -- at least not yet. While we as citizens of the United States are the freest people on earth, we do not have true freedom, i.e., the libertarian concept of freedom. Now, many liberals will complain about not being "free" because society doesn't hand them everything they want on a silver platter. What they are wanting is not freedom, it's just the opposite -- socialism. However, what I'm talking about is true freedom - absolute property rights, the right to do whatever you want as long as it doesn't directly and adversely affect someone else, and the outlawing of censorship. We do not have any of those things yet in the United States. I have listed a few examples of what I'm talking about below.

(1) A person does not have the right sell or rent his/her property to whomever they wish. They should have this right. They should have the right to discriminate against whomever they want. While I don't agree with discrimination, someone who owns a piece of property should have that right. They've earned it.

(2) A person can be sent to jail for hundreds of years for acts that do not harm anyone. Sodomy laws have been on the books for many years and apply to the consensual act as well as the non-consensual, heterosexual acts as well as homosexual. Although these laws were originally religious-based, many pastors (even some fundamentalists) will now admit that the Bible does not condemn sodomy between a man and woman.  And even if you agree with my belief -- that homosexual activity is a sin -- you should also agree that they will have to answer to God for their actions and should not have to be subjected to punishments by meddling governments for so-called "crimes against nature." Also, there are now some new (and completely ridiculous)  federal child pornography laws that allow people to be sent to jail for the rest of their lives for reading, possessing, and/or producing cartoons or fantasy stories depicting child porn! That's right, stuff that was produced without harming a single child can send you away for life! What is our country coming to?

(3) As hard as it is to believe, in the 21st century, we are still plagued by heavy censorship in United States. Religious,  "family", and so-called decency advocacy groups almost universally claim this is "for the children." I don't buy it for one second. While I agree that children should be aggressively protected from inappropriate material, that can be accomplished without imposing on the rights of adults. What these people want in reality is to be able to tell adults what they can and cannot read, hear, and see.  At this time, they do indeed have this right. Of course, that means no one else has their right to read, hear, and see anything they want as long as it's not hurting anyone else.

Classic Rants and Raves #28

In the history of the world, there has never been a benevolent theocracy.    

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Why is a big city (Nashville) the capital of country music?   

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Isn't it funny how some people have a way of remembering stuff that never happened? 

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If a major college football team can go undefeated and still not have a shot at the national championship, then that team, in effect, had no chance for the national championship when the season started.

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Sometimes the best kind of block you can make in a football game is to just get in the defender's way.    

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People who always defer decisions to others are usually quick to complain when those decisions don't work out.

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Beware of so-called "interest only" mortgages. Most of them require you to pay a lot of interest up front and/or require you to start paying back the principal after the first five years of the loan.

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What appears to be the "long" side of a fitted sheet, based on visual inspection, usually isn't. It must be some type of optical illusion.

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Many people, especially members of the media, need to be reminded that a church is not a building. Instead, a church consists of its members. The physical structure in which they meet is the church building. Therefore, churches do not burn down; church buildings burn down.

How Both Races Could be Over in January

Yep, that’s right. Forget Super Tuesday -- Both the Democratic and Republican races for their respective presidential nominations could be essentially over before the end of January.

On the Democratic side, it’s easy to imagine Hillary Clinton steamrolling to the nomination after a win in Iowa. Barack Obama’s campaign flame, which is currently threatening to burn through Clinton’s firewalls in the subsequent contests, would be effectively doused. That would likely make Clinton the prohibitive favorite in New Hampshire, which would be her gateway to dominating the remainder of primary season. With just five days between the Iowa and New Hampshire contests, Obama would not have time to recover. Clinton might even run the run the table like Al Gore did against Bill Bradley in 2000, when he defeated Bradley in every single primary and caucus. Keep in mind that the race was very close that year as it headed into the Iowa Caucuses, with Bradley holding slight lead there in some polls. Once Gore, the establishment favorite and original frontrunner, won in Iowa, his nomination became a foregone conclusion and Bradley could never regain his footing. 

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney has lost his once-formidable lead in Iowa, after having been recently overtaken by Mike Huckabee. However, losing his lead could be a blessing in disguise for Romney if he ultimately regains it and scores a victory in Iowa. Whereas before it would have been seen as an expected victory, it would now be viewed as a stunning comeback and a great show of resilience. No doubt it would solidify his standing as the frontrunner in New Hampshire, where he has never lost his lead. With wins in  Iowa and New Hampshire in hand, Romney would likely shoot to the top of the polls in Michigan and South Carolina, venues where he is already very competitive, although not currently leading. Wins in those contests would likely leave him with competitors who would be too weakened to put up much of a fight in Florida and in the Super Tuesday states that follow a week later.

Will Ron Paul’s Money Translate into Votes?

As a Ron Paul supporter, I am absolutely delighted that he has been able to raise more than $18 million this quarter. What a thrill it was to see him pull in $4.5 million on November 5th and then set a single-day fundraising record with $6 million on December 16th! But will all of that money translate into enough votes to get Paul some key victories in the early primaries and caucuses and ultimately the GOP presidential nomination? With my heart, I certainly hope so. But with my head, I’m thinking it probably won’t.

The reason I’m thinking the way I am is because I don’t believe our country is ready for a great man like Ron Paul. That’s too bad for all of us. No matter how much of that money Dr. Paul spends to familiarize voters with his stands on the issues, too many people are going to automatically reject his brand of politics. They have been conditioned and preprogrammed to do so.

In this country, people have grown too accustomed to having the federal government do what the states should be doing or even what individuals should be doing for themselves. They have become too comfortable with pandering politicians offering to “help” them with the management of their daily lives and promising to hand out more goodies than the next guy. Paul’s style just cuts too much against the grain of the conventional foolishness. The general population of voters will find his minimalist approach to government too foreign to them and, due partly to irresponsible “reporting” by the mainstream media, they will be spooked.   

Therefore, I believe Paul, despite all the money, will still have difficulty rising above single digits in most states. I see the only possible exceptions being New Hampshire and Alaska, where he could garner 15-20% of the vote. But, then again, maybe I’m wrong. I never thought the $18 million was possible.

Watch Out for a Resurgent John McCain

This past summer, John McCain’s presidential campaign was given up for dead. Having relinquished his position as the early frontrunner (to Rudy Giuliani), McCain was dropping in the polls, having trouble raising funds, and was being forced to lay off some of his staff. Now McCain’s campaign has suddenly been resurrected as he is quickly picking up steam in the national polls as well as those in New Hampshire and even Iowa. He is now running a solid second in New Hampshire, where he scored a decisive victory over George W. Bush in 2000. Many of those independent voters who helped him win in 2000 might be willing to cast their votes for him this time around as well. He has even risen to third in some Iowa polls. A third-place finish in Iowa would be a real coup for him, since no one has expected him to do well there. Combine that with another win in New Hampshire and he could be off to the races.

McCain’s late surge, which has just materialized in the last week or so, is reminiscent of John Kerry’s late surge in 2004, just before the Iowa Caucuses took place. Like McCain, Kerry was written off a few months earlier by most of the pundits after his campaign began to stall. Will history repeat itself with McCain capturing the 2008 GOP presidential nomination in the same come-from-behind scenario in which Kerry won the 2004 Democratic nomination? I would be afraid to bet against it at this point.

Remember Why We Celebrate Christmas

In the Old Testament days, God seemed distant, mysterious, and even unpredictable at times. Even His prophets wondered what He was really like. Back then, it was impossible to really know God.

Fortunately, all of that mystery was finally put to bed when Jesus came to earth to reveal God's true nature in human form. Today, we joyfully celebrate that advent, as we do each year on this date. Now, it's possible for anyone to know God through a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Always remember that Christ is the reason for the season. Without Him, even the best of us are hopeless wretches. Besides, when you take Christ out of Christmas, all you have left is the "mas."

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Random Rants and Raves #122

Never volunteer any information that might make you look bad.          

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That fact that "everyone" is doing something is more of a reason not to do it than to do it. 

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When you go see the new movie The Great Debaters, don't expect to see anyone like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani, or Mitt Romney.

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Bill Clinton claims that it would be a "miracle" if Hillary won in Iowa. Don't people realize that he's just priming the expectations pump, which is one of the oldest tricks in the book of presidential politics? 

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If I got $100 for every idiot driver I saw on the road, I'd never have to work again. 

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There's no way to anticipate all the potential trouble that awaits each one of us just around the corner. Most bad things take us completely by surprise, despite any precautions or planning. 

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Most of my fears in life have ultimately been justified. Perhaps that vindicates my fearfulness.  

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When I was growing up, I was a rebellious kid -- I rebelled against those peers who would have had me experiment with alcohol or illegal drugs.

Beware of Early Success

Early success seems to breed cleverness or cuteness, which in turn, often diminishes future success. Television is a prime example. When a show has early success in the ratings, its writers/producers, instead of just sticking with the formula that got the show there, will usually opt to tweak it with a little cleverness or cuteness. In many cases, this tweaking will lead to the show's decline in the ratings. Some people never learn.

More Benefits from a Keyless Entry System

Obviously, a keyless entry system helps prevent you from locking your keys in your car. However, your car's keyless entry system can also be used to prevent you from locking yourself out of your house. I keep a house key in the glove compartment of my car. Whenever I lock my keys in my house, I simply use my car's keyless entry pad to unlock the car doors and access my house key.