A BLACK MAN FOR THE MCCAIN / PALIN TICKET?

This guy speaks his mind and actually knows what he's talking about. This couldn't be said any better.

IT ALL HAPPENS ON MY DAY OFF

Firefighters monitor chemical fire in San Clemente
Fire was ignited in polypropylene container in TRW (Northrop Grumman) property, officials say.

SAN CLEMENTE – About 60 firefighters are monitoring a chemical fire that has been burning for almost four hours today in an unincorporated area of the county, authorities said.

A chemical fire inside a polypropylene container on property owned by TRW (Northrop Grumman) was reported at 9:49 a.m. in the 33000 block of Avenida Pico. The flames caused a small brushfire nearby, but it was quickly extinguished, said Capt. Mike Blawn of the Orange County Fire Authority.

Firefighters are keeping an unspecified area near the container cleared because of other containers located nearby, Blawn said.

The fire was reported a few hundred feet from Camp Pendleton.

It is unknown what sparked the fire, Blawn said.

Helicopters also are monitoring the fire to make sure nearby brush is not ignited, Blawn said. Firefighters have decided to let the fire burn itself out and make sure it does not spread.

Courtsey of The Orange County Register

OH THE IRONY...

A Margate, Fla., man suing a Pompano Beach club claims a performer's shoe flew off during a pole dance, shattered the mirrored ceiling and caused glass and the shoe to hit him.

The lawsuit filed in Broward County by 35-year-old Charles Privette says the Booby Trap breached its duty when its employee failed to perform her routine in a reasonably safe manner. The suit seeks at least $15,000 in damages.

Privette's attorney says his client suffered a small cut to his eyebrow, headaches and nose bleeds because of the Jan. 14 pole dance. Booby Trap general manager George Gettinger acknowledges paramedics were called but says injuries were minor.

-Courtesy of FOX News

LISTEN TO THIS (CRAP)!!!!

I'm no a fan of Howard Stern at all, however, this audio clip is really hard to pass up. I was sent this audio clip from one of his morning talk shows. Basically, one of Howard's staff members went into Harlem, NY. and asked some very basic questions. Either people slept through all the debates or people just want Barack in office. YOU'LL BE SHOCKED AT THE ANSWERS!

Listen: Presidential Poll in Harlem, NY

This country is in for mass disaster within just a few months if Barack is elected president (and having Sarah Palin as his V.P.) Maybe this country just needs a swift kick in the ass to straighten us up. Then again, who needs to go to school to vote anyways? The sad part isn't that these people being interviewed aren't running for office, but that these people are the mass majority uniting together in sheer ignorance making fatal decisions for the future of this country and don't even have the basic knowledge to comprehend the results of their actions.

OCTOBER ARIZONA TRIP, PART 1

I left Sunday morning to return to the Phoenix area to see my uncle and to also test for the Police Officer Recruit position with the Mesa Police Department. The last trip in September I made to Arizona basically sealed the fact that I am dying to get out of the Orange County / California chaos. However, I’m not working at a job where I can just transfer out to that area, so there’s a little more to it than just putting in for a transfer and picking up and going.

Prior to arriving to my uncles on Sunday afternoon, I stopped off to see if anyone had purchased the house that I had been looking at. Seeing an “available” sign in the window (no pun intended), I drove over to the sales office a few blocks over to see my friend who I had been e-mailing about the house. I was able to do another walk through and saw some of the areas that were in the process of being repaired (a drywall nail went through the main water pipe in the master bathroom shower).

Monday morning I arrived to the Mesa Police Training Facility at 7:30am to begin the testing process. After submitting my application and it being approved allowing me to test, I spent the next several hours at the training facility. The test started a little after 9am and I finished shortly before 11am. I was later told that I passed the written porting of the test and was being scheduled for an oral board interview within the hour.

After quickly changing from shorts and a t-shirt into my suit and submitting my background packet, I was the first applicant of the testing process to go through the oral board selection. Approximately 30 minutes later I returned back to the lobby area and was greeted by the recruitment sergeant and was congratulated on passing the oral board portion of the process.

Tuesday morning I woke up shortly before 5am and reported back to the Mesa Police Training Facility for complete the physical agility portion of the initial testing process. I had mixed feelings about how this was going to turn out. The physical agility testing in Arizona is completely different than what I’ve done in California. It wasn’t the 1.5 mile run that I was afraid of being disqualified for, but rather about the sit-up portion.

A few months back I pinched a nerve in my lower back and I’ve been going to a physical therapist for the pain. A week before the scheduled test my back had been in a lot of pain, especially the extreme lower left side. Needless to say, I was sweating that portion of the test. When I attempted to complete my first one I felt a sharp pain shoot up my back, however, each one there after got less and less painful. After completing and passing the initial physical agility portion of the test I was assigned a background investigator and an interview time for Wednesday, then returned home (or my uncles “spare house” and sat in the Jacuzzi for about an hour.

Wednesday morning I arrived to the Mesa Police Department at 8am and met with my background investigator, where he conducted a formal initial background investigation. After leaving the police department at 12:30pm, I went home, changed, and took a nice long drive around the valley area.

Thursday morning was the day of the polygraph. All week it had been in the back of my mind. A few nights prior in one of the many conversations my uncle and I had sitting in the backyard each evening we had talked about this portion of the process. Basically it was something not to worry about. If you can’t control it or change it, don’t worry about it. Things will work themselves out. Before going to the station, I was able to sleep for over 11 hours and had morning coffee with my aunt before driving back to the house that I’m totally in love with. None of the construction workers were around to talk to, but the front door was unlocked so I took another look around looking at all the completed repairs.

When I finally arrived at the station, I was a little nervous with really sweaty palms (it took 45 minutes to be fingerprinted electronically on the LiveScan machine because my fingers were so wet…that’s another story in itself). My polygraph examiner came out to get me and escorted me to his office. The first hour and a half was an interview, sharing stories and experiences, and learning about his position and education as an examiner. I have never met someone so professional, easy going, and easy to talk to such as this individual. Long story short, by 3:05pm I was done with the polygraph examination. He said that there were still some other tests he had to run on the results, however, he was very confident that I would pass. I was brought to another section of the department and had to complete another portion for the process before finishing at 4pm.

I arrived back to my uncles and packed had headed out of town at 5pm. The drive back was relaxing, quiet, and stress free. I got home just before 11pm and fell asleep.

All in all it was a great trip. I’ll be going back next month just for a short weekend trip to spend some time with my aunt and uncle (and to look at the house again…I really need the stock market to turn around, but then again if it’s meant to happen, it will happen).

11 YEARS LATER...

When I got home this afternoon I saw a box on the counter from the National Eagle Scout Association. My directory had finally arrived and was thrilled to open it up.

A few months back I was contacted by NESA asking if I'd like to be put into the 2008 Eagle Scout Roll Of Honor Directory. People have always said that the Eagle Scout accomplishment lasts a lifetime. Quite honestly I rarely look back on it. Every once in a while some type of scouting will come up somewhere and I'll say, "I'm an Eagle Scout." To most people it's a complete shock. It's not something that a lot of people know about me.

When I was going through some of the 800+ pages in the book I came across my name on page 169. Looking back now it was quite an accomplishment, considering all that I was going through.

I started my Boy Scout Journey on July 9, 1991, and earned the Rank of Eagle Scout on May 28, 1997. During those years I held several positions with in Troop 634 which was originally based out of the Sun and Sail Club in Lake Forest and later moved to Rancho Canada Elementary School. I was also a Den Chief for Cub Scouts and Webelo Scouts.

Prior to earning the Rank of Eagle Scout, I became actively involved in the newly formed Lake Forest Division of the Orange County Sheriff's Explorer Post. After starting the explorer stuff, I had no intention on attempting to finish my Eagle Scout. Both programs fell on the same night and same times and I hated missing out on the explorer stuff.

Looking back, I'm happy that I was pushed into finishing it. Not only was I happy that I actually accomplished my goal, but that I was able to accomplish something so important while not liking it at the time and having to sacrifice a lot to actually finish it out.

My accomplishments from those years of my life really help formed and shaped the person who I am today. Not that I near perfect, but it has definitely given me an education and an understanding that so many teenagers are really missing out on in these stages of their lives.

"The Eagle Scout Award. It's Scouting's highest rank and among its most familiar icons. Men who have earned it count it among their most treasured possessions. Those who have missed it by a whisker remember exactly which requirement they didn't complete. Americans from all walks of life know that being an Eagle Scout is a great honor, even if they don't know just what the badge means.

The award is more than a badge. It's a state of being. You are an Eagle Scout-never were. You may have received the badge as a boy, but you earn it every day as a man. In the words of the Eagle Scout Promise, you do your best each day to make your training and example, your rank and your influence count strongly for better Scouting and for better citizenship in your troop, in your community, and in your contacts with other people. And to this you pledge your sacred honor."

This is quite true. My best friend Keagan and I achieved the Rank of Eagle Scout on the same day, just 45 minutes apart. To this day I still have all of my Boy Scout patches, uniforms, other paraphernalia, and yes, my Boy Scout Handbook.

Eagle Scout Board of Review (May 28, 1997)















Me and Keagan (May 28, 1997)

CALIFORNIA BANNING TEXT MESSAGE USE WHILE DRIVING

As we all know, as of July 1 of this year talking on your cell phone without a hands-free devise became illegal. Now Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a law making it illegal to read or send text messages while driving in California (basically you are not allowed to touch your cell phone while driving) starting in January 2009.

The bill imposes a $20 fine for a first offense and $50 for repeat offenders using any electronic devices to read or send messages, e-mails, etc.

Now I'm just waiting for the State of California making a law that every person needs to register their cell phone like a firearm. This is getting WAY TOO RIDICULOUS!