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Am I ...?

Am I a geek?
-I wear a bluetooth headset and my cell phone has a 400mhz processor.
Am I a good father and husband?
-I have only seen my sons and wife 2 hours in the last 2 days.
Am I against a woman's right to choose?
-I believe that abortion in most cases is murder.
Am I a fisherman?
-The biggest fish I have ever reeled in was not hooked on my pole.
Am I smart?
-I have never taken a college level course outside high school.
Am I poor?
-I do not own a home.
Am I rich?
-I have never been hungry.
Am I going to heaven?
-I believe that the Lord gave his son to pay for my sins on the cross.
Am I articulate?
-I sometimes stutter when I get excited.
Am I stubborn?
-My wife thinks so.
Am I friendly?
-Most people annoy me the first time we meet.
Am I kind?
-I sometimes turn on an internal switch which allows me to ignore the world.
Am I humble?
-I feel better than some people at times.
Am I fair?
-Long ago I stopped judging people by looking at them.
Am I a honest?
-I have lied in the past.
Am I lucky?
-I have never won the lottery.
Am I making a difference?
-It's hard to say, I hope so.
Am I dependable?
-I have let people down.
Am I strong?
-I can't bench press 350 lbs.
Am I athletic?
-I can't honestly say that at a pitch from the mound would successfully reach the catcher.
Am I proud?
-I am a husband, a father, a son, an American citizen and a United States Marine, of course I am.

What are you?

Bill Gets Denied

For all those that have not seen this...



Bill Clinton Gets Denied A Kiss - Watch more free videos

Mental Explosion

As I downloaded Senator Obama's "Blueprint for Change", I remind myself to be open-minded and free from preconceptions. I had read parts of it before but saw the same evading attempts to answer questions to his position as I saw in the movie Dodge Ball. So with renewed patience and dedication to the pursuit of Senator Obama’s “open, candid, and clear” plan/stance I embarked on my journey.

As a Marine I find myself taking this “mission” to understand the enemy very seriously. I am not implying that Senator Obama is an enemy. I feel that his ideologies are the enemy to our great nation. The belief that America is not great NOW is the enemy. The idea that the USA is so bad that it needs to be changed, rather than maintained and improved is the enemy. The suggestion that HOPE is needed to get through the dreary American life is the enemy. The shameful association with ones country is the enemy.

After peeling back the blue cover page and table of contents I see a message from Sen. Obama to me. One sentence really hits a nerve with me. Sen. Obama states his reason for running for President,

"The dream that so many generations fought for feels as if it’s slowly slipping away… I run to offer this country change that we can believe in."

What dream is slipping away? Why is that dream slipping away? Is it because of President Bush? Is it because of Iraq? Is it because of Congress? Is it because of the American people? Is it because of the global economy? Is it because of our environment? Is it because of the media?

Sen. Obama feels, “This is the defining moment in our history.” Don’t get me wrong, the times to come are important but defining? I guess to Sen. Obama this election will be more defining and important in our history than the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, the Civil War, women’s suffrage, the defeat of the Central Powers in World War I, the defeat of the Axis military alliance in World War II, the civil rights movement, etc.

I will continue to go through this blueprint and try to piece together the puzzle that as Sen. Obama’s asserts is, “…where I stand on the fundamental issues facing our country.”

I encourage any and all thoughts, concerns, complaints and suggestions.

Please stay tuned for future posts as I wade through these murky waters…

Mark43 Out!!!

The Pit Bull who wears lipstick

At the expense of being the last person to write my review/opinion on Gov. Palin's speech, I decided to wait till this morning. As I was only able to watch pieces of her speech last night my initial thought was that she was going to play it safe. I was gladly mistaken when I watched the whole speech via You Tube. I was immediately hit with her confidence, a confidence that can only come from a person who has been tried and tested. I witnessed a woman who was humble but also very proud of her family, state, running mate and country. She struck me as a leader who can rise above the immature bickering that has plagued our political structure and get to the real reason she was there, to serve and defend America.

I have enough confidence in Senator McCain to know that he would not pick a running mate based on who he thinks would win him the election. Senator McCain is not the type of leader who is willing to change who he is or what he believes to win. He wins by sticking to his beliefs and convictions and trusting his instincts and his gathered wisdom. Not only does it disrespect Gov. Palin, but all women to think that Senator McCain picked her because of her gender.
The answer to all the questions to why Senator McCain choose Gov. Palin was obvious last night. She has experience on an executive level, while this is not a prerequisite it is noteworthy. She is knowledgeable on our fight for energy independence and the methods for achieving this. Gov. Palin is the commander in chief of a military organization. She comes from a small town that is very similar to most American towns. She has, by all accounts, an average American family who supports and loves her. Gov. Palin is not part of the "machine" and is not subject to the rules and regulations of the "good-old boys". She is not looking for the approval of the beltway, rather, the chance to serve Americans.

Gov. Palin did take shots at Senator Obama, not for the sake of attacking him but to highlight the difference in principles and beliefs. I personally believe that she was very effective in her criticisms of her opponent. Gov Palin said, "But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or even a reform, not even in the State Senate.
This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word “victory,” except when he’s talking about his own campaign." She asked, "...what exactly is our opponent’s plan?" Then she described the answer, "The answer — the answer is to make government bigger, and take more of your money, and give you more orders from Washington, and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world."
She continues to question Senator Obama's position on energy, victory in Iraq, terrorists, building a bigger government and raising taxes. Some will state that she was sarcastic, but as Matthew wrote in chapter 11, " He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
I heard and I believe America heard.

Did you hear?

Good read

I came across an opinion piece posted on The Wall Street Journal written by Martin Feldstein and John B. Taylor.
"In stark contrast to Barack Obama, Mr. McCain believes that tax policy should be used to foster the creation of jobs and higher wages through economic growth, rather than to redistribute incomes."
Read the whole article here.

Why is this a big deal?

If Gov. Palin's daughter had decided to get a abortion, would the press leave this story alone? Would all liberal readers respect her decision?
If they (the liberals) would respect her decision to have an abortion, then why do they not show respect for her decision to have the baby?
If Senator Obama had a 17-year-old daughter who became pregnant out of wedlock and the conservative side attacked this way, would America condone that behavior?

This story is not about Gov. Palin's daughter or the baby. It is not about the vetting process. It is not about Senator McCain's judgment. This is just another tactic used by sick individuals trying to hurt Senator McCain and Gov. Palin. I do not understand how this hurts their campaign. Maybe I am stupid, but I do not see how the pregnancy of Gov. Palin's daughter is relevant in the election process. It does, however, show me that the left is afraid of the McCain-Palin ticket. What does this story highlight? Does it highlight the fact that Senator McCain picked a running mate who has a family that, like all families, has made mistakes? To me it shows that a traditional family is the foundation of America. Children will always make mistakes, we all know this. I fear for the child that makes a similar mistake but has no support.
If we can stop the deterioration of the family and the destruction of the support it brings then I believe a lot of the problems we see in America will decrease. I know that people will say that I am oversimplifying the problem but in my experience the simplest solutions are the most effective and efficient.

As I step off my soapbox I would like to offer this last question:
Do you want a President who will protect America, respect life at all ages, respect your individual rights, nurture personal development, demand personal responsibility, make tough decisions and KEEP America great?
or
Do you want a President who will minimize our military and negotiate with terrorists, allow the murder of innocent infants, take away your guns, nurture instant gratification, demand successful people to pay for the lazy, check the polls for decisions and CHANGE America?

Going back to Cali

As I received my preliminary orders to report to Camp Pendleton California by February 2008, I realized that my civil rights are about to be violated. You see, the People's Republic of California does not recognize the 2nd Amendment. I have a DPMS AR-15 rifle. It is chambered in 5.56x45 NATO or .223 Remington. According to the Riverside California Sheriff's office it is illegal for me to bring my rifle into the the state. I have a friend who works in the Los Angeles Sheriff's office and he sent me some paperwork. He said if I filled it out and told them that I was in the Marine Corps that I might be able to bring it with me. I really do not see what being a Marine has to do with my eligibility to legally own a firearm. This rifle is single shot and completely legal in the Evergreen State. This rifle is perfect for coyote hunting and fairly inexpensive to shoot compared to my wife's 300 Winchester Magnum. I do not see what the problem is with a legal citizen who obeys the laws and safety regulations owning an AR-15. If there is someone out there that has far more intelligence than your humble author, please tell me why this is. How can a state infringe upon constitutionally promised rights? What's next? Not being able to freely express my opinions regarding the state of California on my blog? How can a city like San Francisco allow an illegal alien to kill 3 people before they think about deportation? They care so much for an illegal aliens' rights and the rights of the terrorist in Gitmo. My rights, however, seem to be of the least importance to California's "leadership".

Question:

What will happen to everyone's rights if Senator Obama is elected? Do you think that this is the kind of civil liberty that the ACLU will help out with?

The ones who will suffer most, if Senator Obama wins in November, will be the infants that are murdered. We need to become more responsible. If you do not want a baby, do not have sex, or at the very least use protection. Stop looking for the easy way that leads to a feeling of entitlement. Make the hard choices and put in the hard work because America needs you. Stop needing America.

p.s. If you do not believe that the USA is the greatest country, then I respectfully ask you to leave this blog and never come back. America does not need change, it needs leaders, workers and patriots!

Don't try and sell me! I'm tired of it.

I have had some "sales" training over the last 4 years. Sales is a bad word in my opinion. But, at the request (order) of the Marine Corps I found myself in a classroom with 15 other Marines trying to learn as much as possible so that we could have a successful tour on Recruiting Duty. As my journey started and I began to talk to people about the Marine Corps and the opportunities that are available in the Corps, I started to understand that it is not "sales". It is helping someone make a decision or what I like to say help them buy. I got this idea from Jeffrey Gitmer. Like I said I think sales is a bad word and I did not want to come off as a salesman. So when I stumbled upon Gitmer I saw the proverbial "Light". I realized that all people have a desire to improve or accomplish something and that if I listened and cared enough about THEM that I could help them either discover their need or remind them of it. Then, and only then could we explore the Marine Corps and see if it would benefit them.

Sadly, most people feel that there is nothing that they can do to change their situation and circumstances, they feel as though today is the same as yesterday that will lead to tomorrow. This feeling of being stagnant with no other alternative is where the opportunity to buy becomes intriguing.

An example of this:

You are driving your car and the AC goes out on a hot day, you start to hear a knock in the engine. You start to question how much longer this vehicle will last you. You have things to do, a job to get to on time, so you make a decision to go to the car dealership during your lunch break to see what is out there. You get there and meet a salesperson who runs to meet you. They do this so they can get your "sale". They show you a couple of cars that you can not afford and frankly, are not interested in owning. They try and tell you how good you would look or feel driving it. You leave the dealership to go back to your job, that you probably only go to in order to make money to pay for your house and expenses, and you feel like $h!t.

What if the salesperson asked some questions about what you were looking for, what you needed and what your price range is? What if they truly cared about your situation, do you think you would still feel as bad? No you would not, in fact you might even have "hope", not because they told you to have hope but because it came from inside you. Then you would feel powerful and people like feeling that.

How does this apply to you?


Politics:

Do both of the candidates truly care about you. Do they know your thoughts, dreams and desires? Are they running for office for themselves or you?


Your Life, Job, Family etc.

In your day to day interactions with people, do you care about them as much as yourself? Do you show compassion, interest and understanding? Do you listen to respond or understand?

You can always tell who is faking. Do they offer emotion to you first or facts? If it is facts first then they are allowing you to make the choice and develop your own feelings. If it is emotion first then they are trying to sell you.

Stop selling and start helping them buy!

Senator Obama and Change

Being an idealist, I would never believe that a member of Congress was unpatriotic or he/she hated America (then I learned of Nancy Pelosi). I do not believe that Senator Obama is a bad man or even a bad legislator. The reason for my conclusion is based on the belief that you are innocent until proven guilty. Let me explain. I hardly know anything about him. I do not know the type of information that a American Citizen would need to vote for him. It is a big decision, casting your vote for the person to rule the greatest nation ever. I do believe, that Senator Obama is hurting his campaign (big time) by only speaking when his words are "teleprompted". When will Senator Obama keep his promise and go on the Factor? Maybe he is not the "Great Orator" that everyone claims he is. Maybe this little point is enough for me to assume that he is too naive and too inexperienced to win the Long War. I know that everyone has their faults and that at some point in life they have made mistakes but all I hear about Senator Obama lately is negative. Being curious I look into the negatives to see if they are true and I see stuff like this.

Check this out




Question:

Is this the type of person who you want to lead this country? If he is your "Savior" please tell me how you came to this conclusion and what "Change" is he going to bring to America.

I do have a suggestion for Senator Obama: Change yourself. Do the hard interviews, tell America who you really are. Who knows, America might like you. I do not vote Republican just because I am a Republican. I vote for the person, their leadership principles and traits, their strength, their wisdom, their walk with God and their views.

Hi, my name is...

This is my first blog and I am still a little confused about the concept, so bear with me. I am a United States Marine. I have been in 10 years and loving every minute. My family is my strength and God is my foundation through Christ. I am very opinionated and I can admit that I am sometimes wrong, either because at times I am naive or just because I am sometimes rash. I am still figuring out my political views, it is hard to do in this time and age because it seems that the party platforms shift as often as tectonic plates do. I love technology (taken from Napoleon Dynamite). I have a super phone (HTC Kaiser aka AT$T Tilt), which I will go into further details in posts to come, that seems to take up entirely too much time of my life. I love to fish. I do not keep the fish, just being out in nature with my sons and spending time with them is enough.

Here is the first of many topics...

Background: I was driving somewhere and heard an ad on the radio to support the UNCF (United Negro College Fund). So you know, I am not Caucasian or Hispanic. I am both. I have friends and colleagues from all ethnicity's, races, gender etc. For a long time now I have given up trying to figure out people by looking at them. I am all for people getting college education. I am all for helping out people who are in need of assistance.

So here is my first question to anyone who will read this and has time to answer:

Do you think that the name of the organization United Negro College fund is further dividing the nation, or is it helping repair the injuries of the past?

I believe it hurts America by bringing up a chapter in history that was wrong and horrible and focusing on it rather than focusing on the bigger picture. We need to move on and pave a new future, one away from skin color and all other divisors and get to the real problems. How to secure and protect our Nation from terrorists, how to fix our economy and how to bring America back to conservative family values that will allow us all to be prosperous. You do not have to believe in God or be a Republican to believe that a strong family unit is the key to our children's future.

FYI, I would not endorse, donate to , or defend the UCCF (United Caucasian College Fund) or the UHCF (United Hispanic College Fund).

Mark43 Out!!!