Looking for a short term business loan. Kinda different for a blog post, but…please read on

Okay. Here’s what’s shaking. I recently became part of a successful direct sales company in the health and wellness industry, and, thus far, have seen some pretty positive results. The name of the company is Rodan and Fields, and is a skin care business founded by two well known Dermatologists: Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields.

With my initial experiment in the business being successful, I am now looking to take things to the next level. To do that I’ll need a short term loan of $1,500 for a period of 90 days, which will allow me to reach out with marketing to a larger audience (read that nationwide). I’m asking for your participation in raising this amount, at whatever level it may be, whether it be $100, $200, or $500. If you have $1,500 to loan, it will most certainly be made worth your while.

Mind you, this is a request for a short term loan, one which I expect to come with terms attached. If you are inclined to participate, please respond with what you consider a reasonable offering. Perhaps in lieu of interest paid against the amount, you would be interested in receiving a product package from Rodan and Fields. Believe me, it would be worth it. Let’s discuss the terms and come to some sort of agreement.

As I say both Doctors are well known, but you may be more familiar with their ProActiv product line. ProActiv was started more than 20 years ago to combat skin breakouts in youth, and since inception has been very successful. Having turned their focus to skin care for all ages with the Rodan and Fields line, the reception in the cosmetology and business worlds has been nothing short of phenomenal.

While you’re thinking about my request, take a few moments to visit the R&F website of one of my associates: Rodan and Fields Feel free to ask questions. We have answers. Remember also that there are business opportunities open for those desiring to become Consultants in the business. Taking care of our skin, as with so much else, becomes more important as we get older.

I look forward to hearing back from you, and, if nothing else, would value your feedback.

Thanks so much!

Mother’s Day

Now hear this. Now hear this. Standby for a few words from the Captain your host.

Happy Mother’s Day to you Mothers.

All others, carry out the plan of the day.

That is all.

May Day…a day of faith, coming together, and values.

In one context a call for help, a sign of distress. In another context a day of celebration, which, as Jerry Ashton writes in the Huffington Post, we find

“is a holiday for the 99 percent. It is a day for people to come together, across all those lines which too often divide us — race, class, gender, religion — and challenge the systems that create these divisions.

Succinct. To the point. Not a whole lot of palaver. Sometimes less is more.

When earlier I awoke to read a post on Faith written by Lex in December of 2003, graciously posted again here, it caused some moments reflection of my own faith and beliefs. Albeit a lengthy post, even by Lex’ standard, all written served to convey a heartfelt message. Sometimes more is more. I’ll not expound on my own faith and beliefs here, but, rather, leave the reader to reflect upon their own. Perhaps one day we’ll share the matters of faith and belief in conversation, but not this day. ’tis not the reason for this post.

The second post I happened upon, written by a certain lovely New England lass named Kris, touched, if only in a seemingly ancillary way, upon faith, coming together, and values, but written with the core intent of expressing, I believe, that enough is enough. We most often are not alone in our accomplishments, and would do well to maintain sufficient decorum and humility as to avoid straying into self serving purposes. Else, as with fire, hubris becomes a fearsome task master. A well written piece I encourage the good reader to indulge in. Nicely written, Kris. Thanks for that.

Item third. A short missive making the rounds containing a message from the Catholic church. Applicable to all of us, it said. Really, I thought. Not a little brazen of them. Turns out they’re right, if you’ll accept my thought on the matter. Not being a Catholic and all, BZ to them for a right fine production. Give credit where credit is due, I say.

After seeing the piece on YouTube, it occurs to me that this May Day may bear some of each context expressed above; distress and celebration. A distress plea coming from Hizzoner on High, a plea for coming together, a plea to challenge the systems that create divisions among us, a plea that we gather together and say “Enough!” as one voice. A day to celebrate a oneness in family, in community, in the nation, and wherever else we may roam.

Let others panic. Let us keep our wits about us…and celebrate our unity. For as one we shall stand. Else, divided we shall?

A lovely and good day to all, my friends.

Obama justifies FEMA imprisonment of civilians

Already shared this over at Facebook, so it’ll look I plagiarized myself

Is that  crime? Double jeopardy, if Barry doesn’t like what I’m posting here? Like I care…

Obama Justifies FEMA imprisonment of civilians!

I am not a Mad Cow fan, but this is truly one of the most profound expository commentaries ever delivered. Clearly, this has been out a while, but I wonder how it is that the Nation, as a whole, is virtually unaware of the President’s intentions regarding the indefinite detention of American citizens. Yes, I hear some of you, this was about Al Qaeda detainees. Not American citizens. Tell me something, are you really that, I don’t know…umm…stupid…easily deluded?

I could kiss Ms. Maddow for taking such an ardent stand against this heinous abrogation of our Constitution’s founding principles, and can’t help but believe this is an example of what Barack Obama intended when he said “fundamentally transform America. I hope people will pay closer attention to what is taking place in the White House, because, soon enough, their very lives will depend on it.

I side with Ms. Maddow’s objection over the President creating a new legal framework that steps outside of Congress, the Courts, and the Military. Holy cow! So what are you saying, Mr. President? Are we to infer that FEMA is your new private Army, with powers to arrest and detain as it suits no one but you? Dude, you really are so in love with yourself if you believe Americans will tolerate something like this. I’m thinking Chief Justice John Roberts will have to have a tragic auto accident for you to get away with this. I’m thinking Conservative talk show hosts are going to find new allies from the Liberal side of the show, and you’re going to feel mighty lonely the first time it hits the airwaves that an American citizen got sent away to a detention camp.

Yes, we know, Mr. President, you can fool all the people some of the time and all of the people some of the time. Just don’t forget that third part. um, kay? We’re watching. We’re listening. We’re preparing. And, yes, we already have our pitchforks.

One thing, however, and I post this not as a disclaimer, I would like to see the whole of the speech. It always disturbs me to see snippets published, when I’m not entirely sure of the publisher’s intention. Just sayin’, Rachel… I guess all the years of taking Dubbya out of context have done something to your credibility in my eyes. You’re intelligent, very well spoken (which in today’s world is truly remarkable), but I don’t completely trust you yet. Hence, the verify part. Fair ’nuff?

Update:

Seems to be some concern about my being in a panic, where there need be none. I disagree. Three critical steps in the wrong direction since January, 2011, and we’re in a position to renew this character’s license to kill. This is putting me in more of a mind to gather my family around me on some patch of dirt atop a mountain somewhere, and pray to God above that we can stay off radar enough to be left alone. Reality says “Good luck with that. Not a chance in hell.”

Obama Signs Update to National Defense Resource Preparedness Act

…an update that wholly embraces the “fundamentally transform” notion…or not. Nothing like taking on cancelling out that whole over arching/reaching government business. FEMA is ostensibly removed from the text in 10 different locations, only to be replaced by the much more trustworthy and vaunted Department of Homeland Security. Hmm…

Obama Signs 2012 version of National Defense Authorization Act

…with some disturbing additions. View Rachel Maddow’s video again for her astute take on the dangers involved.

I wore a hat on Sunday…

an it looks like that’ll become par for the course throughout the rest of Spring and an ’till Fall. Used to be I’d enjoy the sun bearing down on my gourd, bleaching the blond hair to a lovely shade of towhead, but not so much anymore with that thinned out spot somewhere back by the crown. Damn this getting old stuff anyway.

So the reason for the hat was a lively little stroll to the Whole Foods grocery establishment, which we believed would be good for the constitution. Google maps says 1.1 miles, as the drunk wanders, so it was off with an unloaded bag harnessed over the shoulders…and the hat. It’s a good little bag, as bags go, being part of a two part dive gear bag setup purchased some few years back. It’s also a good limiter as to what one might actually force oneself to carry on the return leg. See above, the last sentence of paragraph 1.

Whilst putting one foot in front of t’other the mind wandered through a field of cerebral creativity, touching upon various matters and taking in the sights of lovely Speedway Blvd. Coming off of Alvernon is always interesting because of the change in the nature of personages, those on Speedway seemingly more focused on places to go and things to do. I’ll leave off commentary regarding many encountered on Alvernon. but anyway, where was I?

Ah yes, Speedway. Quebedeaux Buick/GMC and its 100 yards or two of streetfront lining appurtenances. I don’t keep up with new vehicle models anymore, preferring mostly to gawk at the classics from before the 80′s. All else after seems…well…uninteresting.

As an example, the style seems to have gone blocky. Round off the corners a tad, and you have something looking like it was drawn by a first grader. Take the GMC Terrain, fer instance. Dude, you really need more schoolin’ on that CAD/CAM stuff. Please tell me you’re not getting paid for what you do. ‘kay? Then there’s the travesty of Chevy’s otherwise lovely looking Camaro, otherwise lovely because the damn thing has a V-6 under the hood. What? REALLY?!?! There’s laws against such travesties, finding themselves in the same category as pedophilia and sexual assault. It’s just not done!

Anyway, once past Quebedeaux, your humble came upon this dirt park covered with numerous undulations. I said dirt, mind you, so that rules out skateboards. Too small for a bmx track, which…do they still have those? Of a sudden a whirring little four wheeled widget comes slamming into one of the 4 inch high guard berms streetside. Ah, RC 4 wheeled widgets, and the undulations being that from which the widgets launch themselves for some air time. To launch from one undulation and clear the next, all without balling it up, is the objective. Okay, got it. A brief pause to observe, take a pull from the hose providing hydration, and moment’s over. There might be room in the budget for one of those one day soon…maybe.

Next in line and set back a tad from the street, Eden’s Adult Cabaret and Cafe. {sigh} Strip club with what passes for a greasy spoon in back. Lovely. Wuz a time when we might have been interested. Gack! And we’re walking!

Ah, little bit of a strip mall (not to be confused with strip club) and Whole Foods market. Once inside a left 90 brings one to produce, organic and from various locations non-USA, leaving the purchaser to peruse whatever shopping list there may be. In my case, a mental checklist. I like those, really, because they’re so easily amended without the time lost crossing out a line or rewriting something. Think the thought. All done!

$37.84 and a Mango smoothie later, your humble’s back is converted into a beast of burden. Not so much that the back had any right to complain about how we’re getting older and ‘what the devil were you thinking?!? We don’t subscribe to such notions. Ignore now that last sentence in paragraph one. Moment of weakness…moment’s over. I’m thinking I’ll go back to Whole Foods again, it being a much better source of victuals. Not that I’m all tweaky about organic foods, but the range and freshness of produce is something to yearn for.

So that was Sunday and the hat. Yesterday we slaved for monetary gain, although sometimes we wonder what the point is. For all that, too soon expended and we’re left wondering wha’ happened?

Today and tomorrow are freed up from slave labor, so there was a bit of laundry and this…the catching up of online pursuits. A not so chance meeting with fellow veterans from the Navy’s Search and Rescue community opened up some possibilities, one or two of which are giving me a thrill up the leg. Hey, it worked for Chris Matthews!

Before I hit Publish, I need to remember to post some tags. For whatever reason in the blogospere, tags are good. To not tag is considered uncouth, which I’m not so sure I care a lot about that. However, being a somewhat accommodating sort…Tags.

With that, off with you now. I’m sure I’ve used up more than today’s allotment of goof-off time. If your boss yells at you for being here, own it. It’s yours!

Tags. Must do Tags. And Categories. Oh, the minutiae of it all!

It is that day, Tax Day, and the fabulous Thunderbirds are in town…

…gleefully expending our tax revenue. No, silly, not Jimmy Vaughan and his crew. I speak of THE Thunderbirds, they who go thundering across the sky like there was nothing better to do. Ever. Which, they’re absolutely right. They are here in beautiful, (sorry, just can’t make myself say it.) sunny Tucson. Whilst transiting to the VA Medical facility in the southern reaches of town yesterday for to get some blood work done…Doctor’s orders, you know…we espied what appeared to be lithesome aeronautical creations flinging themselves about in a somewhat artful fashion.

We were entertained. As always. May it ever be so among us, that the USAF Thunderbirds entertain us.

We need to be reminded of what it is we are paying for, and military flight demonstration teams are a darn good way of making it so.

No, we did not take pictures. We were having too self-centered a moment to have thought of pictures. Google them. That’s all I got.

Must have been a freudian fubar. Yeah. That’s it…

To preview is, according to Websters:

An inspection or viewing of something before it is bought or becomes generally known and available.

To publish is, again, according to Websters:

Print (something) in a book or journal to make it generally known.

’tis always better to Preview before Publish(ing), thus allowing one to edit that which shall eventually be published.

We shall Preview before Publish and disabuse the reader of multiple e-mail messages. We are not seeking attention. We are not. We are not!

We shall Preview before Publish and disabuse the reader of multiple e-mail messages. We are not seeking attention. We are not. We are not!

We shall Preview before Publish and disabuse the reader of multiple e-mail messages. We are not seeking attention. We are not. We are not!

Thus endeth the self-flagellation…with apologies to those faithful few whose inbox was sorely abused earlier.

Tax Day Rallies, hither, thither, and yon upon the land. Good on ya!

Whilst yer hapless scribe was anxiously engaged in his daily flailing about yesterday, it was thrust upon his somewhat short attention span that there were rallies being conducted throughout the land. Tax protest rallies! Umm…kewl! From friend Greg in Seattle came this:

Hopefully you have your taxes done.   Mine are done, and I luckily have a little refund coming back : )

Taxes are a necessary “evil”.  They pay for national defense, the federal and state safety nets, roads, the Post Office, all kinds of things we need.  However, did you know that the federal government spending has grown about 50% since 2000? At the same time, our population has only grown about 13%.

So, I think it’s easy to see that the government is growing at a very rapid clip, and we’ve had $1 trillion+ deficits since 2008.  Our total debt is about 15,500,000,000,000, or about $45,000 per American (or, if you prefer, $90,000 per taxpayer, since about 1/2 of us pay no taxes at all).

Anyhow, I’m soon heading down to Olympia, WA for a Tea Party Patriots Tax Day Rally.  Our theme will be pro-small business, limited constitutional government, fiscal responsibility, and free markets (the last 3 are the TPP’s “core values”).   Who knows what protesting actually accomplishes, but it’s good to know there are others out there who share your philosophy, and we may get some press!

I’m hoping the protest went well, and that some kind of indelible impression was left with the gooberning body in Oly. For my part I’m really hoping Rob McKenna is able to secure the election over Jay Innslee in November, or Washington is going to experience another wave of economic downturn. After 8 years of Gregoire’s mismanagement and ignoring pleas from business for lower tax rates, people had better realize just how important a different course is going to be in the next few years.

With the exception of a few sectors, businesses are scaling back or leaving the State! A key indicator of this just 2 years ago was a comment made to me by a construction manager at a Redmond site. He said at the time that of the 5 largest home construction companies in Washington, only 2 would be left operating because the others were leaving the State. The companies owners, including Weyerhauser, had seen the writing on the wall and were not going to stick around.

There simply is too much regulation and taxation put upon businesses to allow for a profitable environment, and business owners, to the extent that they are able, are packing up and leaving. Technology and BioTech are doing okay, but they cannot sustain Washington. Even Boeing, notwithstanding their significant presence, is farming out much of their production to other States, primarily because it’s cheaper to do so.

Part time employers, such as Wal-Mart, love this kind of environment because they come in and offer hundreds of part-time, no benefit (to speak of) jobs, while longer standing companies with tenured employees are suffering greatly. In the lovely berg where I once resided there is a Fred Meyer’s, a Rite-Aid, along with several other establishments, that now face the spectre of a Wal-Mart coming to town. Wal-Mart declares that it brings “hundreds of jobs!”. Uh, yeah. Part time jobs at little, if any, over minimum wage and yielding approximately 10-15 hours a week. I don’t know how it goes in yer part of the planet, dear reader, but in lovely Monroe, Washington, those kinds of hours at minimum wage leave one scrambling for more work elsewhere. As an alternate reality, where other gainful employment is lacking, those so unencumbered find themselves sleeping in a tent under the Lewis street bridge alongside the lovely Skykomish river…along with other homeless folk. Pleasant thought, isn’t it?

Sorry for the above sidebar, but it is thrown in for the general purpose of illustrating the direction taken by a business community increasingly burdened by government regulation and taxation. No surprise to anyone these days, the lifelong career with a company providing benefits and retirement are ink blots in the history books. We thank a benevolent government for that, one whose overreach grows steadily.

At the lower altitudes of the working stiff, it’s difficult to maintain a high altitude view of national and global economics when the day to day living is perpetually constrained by $5 a gallon gasoline (In a year from now we’ll be asking “Can we go back to that?!?), peanut butter cost that rose by over 40% in a year’s time, and other cost of living increases not offset by flat line wages.

To the Tea Party protestors: Methinks ye protest not enough! Where might one join and give voice? Might one bring a pitchfork or two?

Added upon:

One wonders, having a free moment, whether such crushing personal debt, as inflicted upon them, might not be cleared in bankruptcy. Notwithstanding changes in bankruptcy laws, might the general tax paying body not declare bankruptcy? Not possible, you say? {sigh} Oh well. It was just a thought. I’ll leave you alone now…

On Arizona, the third war, and the parties involved. Pretty ugly stuff.

I’ve been musing of late about how to raise funding for a group of citizens in Southern Arizona involved in the Third War, which, it seems, will soon be the only war left. Not that I’m complaining, mind you. Except for the part about ass-whooping some turd what deserves it, war sucks.

Arizona Border Defenders are citizens who regularly go out on reconnaissance patrols looking for evidence of drug and human trafficking. They frequently leave hidden cameras to capture movement of drug mules and illegal aliens, sometimes with sufficient success as to allow DEA and Border Patrol to capture bandidos and/or their contraband. As an example, recent captures have resulted in the confiscation of several millions of dollars in marijuana and meth.

Additionally, volunteer Search and Rescue efforts are saving lives. The desert is ramping up the thermostat a tad, and pretty soon there’ll be triple digit days to suck the moisture out of their bodies. Say what you will about illegal immigration, death by dessication sucks is an ugly way to go out. Some of these poor bastards have been out there for several weeks, and by the time they get found are showing some serious wear and tear.

Not to mention the moo-hairs…most of which have been raped as partial payment for their journey to the promised land. Oh, and the Cartels (the Sinaloa in our region) resent having the human trafficking bring the attention of Border Patrol to THEIR DRUG ROUTES. Their solution? Kill the Illegal Aliens (IA’s). I find the situation intolerable. Laying aside the legal issues with IA’s coming to America as they do, nobody deserves what they’re put through. Yeah, I know, it’s their own damned fault, but the Christian side of me says “So what?” Two wrongs aren’t making this thing right, and the Arizona Border Defenders need help putting a stop to it.

Problem: these folks are volunteers paying out of pocket, paychecks are flat-lined with expenses on the rise, with the ultimate result that forays into the desert are becoming a financial challenge beyond the formidable.

Looking for ideas to bring in funding: grants/how to write them, best practices for charitable functions and a website.
Any ideas?
Much grass! er…mahalo. Yeah. Better word. Mahalo.

Phantom Pr0n – Let’s Make It a Trio!

Phantom Pr0n – Let’s Make It a Trio!.

Phantoms. My first love. Spent a dozen good years dating the old girl, tweaking her many woes and afflictions back into good health. I ran off with a Tomcat for a few years, and loved the two-timing adrenalin rush, but in the end it was the Phantom.Back to the one you know and love most.

Many a trip we took back in the day to exotic resorts like Naval Weapons Center China Lake, San Nicholas Island, Roosevelt Roads, and even a two week soiree to Barbers Point. Made an unscheduled rescue trip to Reese AFB once, but she made the trip worthwhile and carried her valiant warrior off to his destination. Many a late afternoon and evening likewise were spent preparing for to challenge our foes…we actually being the foes.

We were Threat Simulation, and we were nobody’s friend. Those mornings when unsuspecting Carrier Battle Groups received their morning reveille call to General Quarters, and all because one of my lady loves was inbound supersonic with a missile target to launch for their benefit. Mmmm…oh, to watch her return, shimmering and shivering like a thoroughbred after a challenging race. The laughter. The gaiety. We were the accursed. We were incorrigible.

Well, thanks for allowing me a moment to reminisce. We return you now to your regular daytime programming.