Tom Tancredo Flips the Bird

Recently a candidate for governor in Colorado flipped off a protestor for being vulgar and cursing at him. While I do not agree with this response, and think this could have been handled better (like by just ignoring the person), I did like his response to the media's questions about his actions.

He said, "I’m just a regular guy and I have the same sort of reaction to things that regular people do...I will tell you this; if you vote for me you’re going to know what you’re getting."

Like I said, I don't agree with his actions, but I like his response. He did not try to hide the fact that that is who he is. If people vote for him, they will have at least seen part of his character to know what he is like. Unlike too many politicians that hide who they are through the campaigning, then, when elected, become a completely different person, he appears to want people know who he is. If for no other reason than that, he has my respect.

Please know this is not an endorsement, because I do not know his stance on different issues. I only wanted to say that at least he can be honest about who he is...even though it is an imperfect person. After all, aren't we all pretty imperfect...?

NFL Unsportsmanlike Conduct Rule

With opening week of the NFL regular season here, and nearly every red-blooded American excited about the start of a new season, there is tension in the air around how calls will be made for celebrations. Referees are saying they have been charged with keeping a closer eye on how players celebrate, and cracking down on anything outside of the rules enacted before the 2012 season. The rules are so strict that players will be penalized for nearly every act of celebration, because the rules outline what is and isn't allowed as far as celebratory actions.

In a game where players play with such emotion, expecting them to not celebrate is ridiculous. A player gives all he has, fights to go up for a catch, runs fifty yards for a touchdown and then is expected not to celebrate. This is not second grade anymore. If the other team can't handle a little celebration, they need to rethink whether they are in the right profession. Maybe they should find a different sport. Maybe try golf where even the cheering is regulated.

If the celebration by the players is regulated, what's next? Will they give the cheerleaders silence signs, and the fans' cheering will be regulated? This is fostered by the fact that we teach our kids that everyone is a winner, and there are no losers.

I hate to break it to you, but in life there ARE winners and losers. In a game where there are two teams, someone has to win, and someone has to lose (except for hockey, where they allow ties BLEH!!!!). The sooner people learn that, the better off they will be. All that to say, the new enforcement of rules is ridiculous, and they should be repealed. The celebrations are part of what makes the game fun, and if players' feelings are going to get hurt, SUCK IT UP!!!

Salary Cap vs. Minimum Wage

$1,332,460,000
One billion, three hundred and thirty-two million, four hundred and sixty dollars thousand dollars!!!
This is the amount of money that Americans spend each year on ticket sales to NFL games.

$770,000
Seven hundred and seventy thousand dollars!!!
This is the average salary of an NFL player.

$46,326
Forty-six thousand, three hundred and twenty six dollars!!!
This is the average household income in the United States for a single income household. 

How is it that the average American, who makes only 6% of what one of the 53 guys on his/her favorite team can scrape together enough money to go to multiple games every year??? Most people have spent more than the average ticket price of $78.38 before they ever get into the stadium. Many people buy a jersey, which runs anywhere from $50-$200, plus any other gear like hats, pants, facepaint, weird jewelry, cheese blocks, etc. Lots of people tailgate before the games, so figure $40 for all the food, soda, water beer, beer, charcoal, etc. Some people will buy games to play while tailgating. $60 for beanbag toss. Then you have parking. There's another $10-$30.

Ok...so let's see where we're at so far. We'll assume 4 people in your group.

$600 - 4 Jerseys at $125 each.
$50 - Other gear
$40 - Food
$60 - Games
$20 - Parking

$770 - Total Pre-game cost
$313.52 - 4 Tickets at $78.38 (average NFL ticket cost. May be more or less.)

Then you have the food, drinks, souvenirs, etc inside the stadium. It is easy to spend another $100-$200 on these things for a group of 4 people before you know it. We'll say for argument's sake that $150 was spent.

$770 - Pre-game
$313.52 - Tickets
$150 - Inside cost
$1,232.52 Total cost for 4 people for about 6 hours of entertainment.

That's more than my mortgage costs each month!!!! People complain about having to live off of minimum wage. People try to strike from working a fast food job, because they aren't getting paid enough. People complain that professional sports players are making too much money. People complain that ticket prices are too high. People complain that food is too expensive inside the stadium. Guess who's paying the professional sports player's salaries. YOU!!! The one's who are whining and complaining that you don't get paid enough, and they get paid too much. You sit there and whine about it, and then go to the game, buy the gear, and pay their salary.

They are getting paid that much because the money is there. Guess what would happen if no one went to the games, or bought the gear. They would have to quit paying them so much money. The NFL does not have its own mint where they are printing their own bills so they can pay their players tons of money just for fun. NO!!! You, the whiny, complaining fools who sit there and moan about how your life is so horrible and everyone else has it so much better...You are paying their salary. Congratulations!!! Now...quit reading and get back to your minimum wage job so you can afford to go to another game this year, and pay someone's salary and have something to whine about.

Plexus Slim Weight Loss Progress Update and Motivation Pictures

I wanted to share my wife's most recent blog. She is taking a product called Plexus Slim, and the results she has had have been amazing!!! She has been taking it for about 3 months now, and now weighs LESS than she did when I met her 7 years ago, and she has had two babies since then. Ok...enough of me. I'll let her tell share her success in her own words. Feel free to go check out her blog, too.


"Since I started Plexus I have lost many inches and even more pounds! This is the easiest, most successful way to drop weight without all the work. This is a dream come true! Here is the breakdown on my inches lost...

Measurements

April 22, 2013

Arm 13.5

Bust 41.5

Waist 38.5

Hips 44

Thigh 25

August 19, 2013

Arm 12

Bust 38.5

Waist 31

Hips 40.5

Thigh 23

I am down 22lbs and only 8lbs away for my first major goal of 150. 

Not only has Plexus helped my health immensely it has also helped my wallet. I do not pay for any of my products and I earn money weekly and monthly. Any questions welcomed abilovesplexus@gmail.com

abistruska.myplexusproducts.com"

Obesity and Diabetes

With so much emphasis in the media on obesity and how it negatively impacts our country and world, you would think there would be a heightened awareness, and people would take advantage of every opportunity available to ensure they are doing everything possible to keep themselves from getting overweight/obese. Also, those who are already overweight/obese should be doing everything possible to turn their lives around, changing their lifestyles, and making lasting changes which will help them to lose the weight they have gained, and get into better shape. The negative impact of obesity has on a person's lifespan by causing many different types of diseases and illnesses should be enough motivation to make people want to lose weight and get in shape.

The cost of treating diseases and illnesses related to obesity is in the trillions of dollars each year. Many people suffer from type two diabetes, because they are unwilling to control their weight, thus spiraling into a life where they are dependent on insulin, because their body is unable to cope with the state into which they have forced themselves. They do not have to remain this way, though. Most type two diabetics, through diet changes and exercise can get back to a place where they are no longer insulin-dependent.


I recently found out about an amazing product that is fairly new to the market (it has been around for about 8-9 years). It is called Plexus Slim and was originally designed to help diabetics control their blood glucose levels. It works for both type one and type two diabetics, but the results are slightly different as you will see. A study was done with this product, which had amazing results, showing that not only were the blood glucose levels controlled, but each of the participants in the study also lost weight.

This product is now being used by hundreds of thousand of people across the United States, and around the world. Many use it to control their blood glucose, but many also use it for it's amazing weight loss properties. As a type 2 diabetic, the ability that Plexus Slim has to help with weight loss is crucial. Many who are type 2 diabetics are that way because they are unmotivated to lose the weight. Once they get to a certain weight, they feel they are so far beyond help that they give up hope of losing weight, and just depend on insulin injections. There is a better way.

Type 1 diabetics have a different challenge, in that they are insulin dependent based solely on their body's inability to regulate their glucose levels. Plexus Slim is able to help in regulating their glucose levels. While it does not always control it completely, this is a much more natural way to control your blood glucose than constantly injecting insulin. You simply drink one delicious, all-natural drink each morning, and it helps to regulate your levels.

If you are skeptical about this product, as most people are, and I DEFINITELY was, please try it. It comes with a complete 60 day guarantee, so if you are unsatisfied for any reason within 60 days, or you do not get the results you hoped for, you can return any part of the product you haven't used, and receive a full refund. That is a pretty good deal. Try it today. You have NOTHING to lose.

My wife tried it, and we now get paid several hundred dollars a month, and we're just getting started. Could you use extra cash? Want to make it a full time job? Whatever you want it to be for you, it can be. You can work as little or as much as you want at it, and make a very substantial living, or just earn some play money. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Paypal Scam Email

Hey, just wanted to post this in case you get an email like this that looks convincing. The email comes from service@paypall.com (notice there's two "l's") and I'm guessing bad things will happen if you click the links. I didn't try. It may look like the PayPal homepage, and when you input your login, you'll then have given someone your information, and they will drain your PayPal account. So...just a heads up. Make sure you check your emails carefully when you get them. People will try anything they can to get what isn't theirs. Here's what it looks like:

"Hello [Your Name],

As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in the PayPal
system. We recently contacted you after noticing an issue on your account.

We requested information from you for the following reason:

A recent review of your account determined that we require some additional
information from you in order to provide you with secure service.

Case ID Number: PP-774-736-419

This is a second reminder to log in to PayPal as soon as possible. Once you log
in, you will be provided with steps to restore your account access.

Be sure to log in securely by using the following link:
Click here to login and restore your account access


Once you log in, you will be provided with steps to restore your
account access. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure account
safety.

In accordance with PayPal's User Agreement, your account access will remain
limited until the issue has been resolved. Unfortunately, if access to your
account remains limited for an extended period of time, it may result in further
limitations or eventual account closure. We encourage you to log in to your
PayPal account as soon as possible to help avoid this. 

To review your account and some or all of the information that PayPal used to
make its decision to limit your account access, please visit the Resolution
Center. If, after reviewing your account information, you seek further
clarification regarding your account access, please contact PayPal by visiting
the Help Center and clicking "Contact Us".

We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that
this is a security measure intended to help protect you and your account. We
apologize for any inconvenience.

Thanks,

PayPal Account Review Department

Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you
will not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account
and click the Help link in the top right corner of any PayPal page.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 1999-2011 PayPal. All rights reserved.

PayPal Email ID PP522"

Life in a Museum

If any of you have ever had to live for months feeling like you were in a "museum", you will be able to relate to the unnecessary amount of stress that is placed on so many families each year. The ridiculous expectations and the unbelievably high standard that so many are forced to strive for causes a stress level that, if people would have a realistic view of life, is completely unnecessary.

Millions of Americans go through a process each year that causes an undue amount of stress. This process is one that unfortunately, most people will have to go through at least once in their lifetime. Some will have to go through it many more times than that. The process of selling your house is one that causes a huge amount of stress that is entirely unnecessary.

While your home is on the market, you are asked to pack up so much of your stuff that living becomes uncomfortable. Your home feels as if it has become a museum, because everything has to be in exactly the right place all the time, "just in case there is a showing." Furniture is rearranged from how you had it to live, placed in unnatural positions and you have to keep everything just so. Every time a kid takes a toy out to play, you stress, because you'll have to pick it up in 5 minutes. Your house appears to be a staged room from a museum. It looks like someone used to live there, but only the people passing by care to look now.

Why is it that when we look at a house to buy, we expect that it will look like this? Why do we think that when we leave our lived-in house to go look at another house, the house we are looking at should appear to be something from a museum, staged to look like no one lives there, with absolutely nothing out of place? Are we really so narrow-minded that we can't see past someone's mess, and see the house instead of the mess?

Because people are so specific about how they want things to be when they look at a house, people are now paid to "stage" houses. In this time when most people are worrying about how much they will get out of this house to put towards their next house, and to have for being able to move, they have to consider whether or not to hire a professional to help them stage their house, as well as make upgrades like changing the carpet, repairing things around the house, etc. So now, you have an issue where you are spending money just to sell your house, and the years of mortgage payments you've made don't recoup you anything in equity towards your next house.

Why can't we overlook small imperfections to envision a house that we want to live in, without having to have everything in perfect order? Why does it always have to be in immaculate condition, looking like a museum for us to be able to have any sort of insight into what it will look like? Are we really so narrow-minded?