Here comes Black Friday 2014!

Well happy Thanksgiving week of Pre-Pre Black Friday Sales everyone! That's right, it's my 7th annual Black Friday Post!

This year, like every year, money is tight. Yeah I didn't plan on my clutch finally failing in my beloved Honda last week, but I should have expected it. After all, it does have 185k miles on it. I'd say I was lucky it lasted that long. But with that all fixed up, we now turn to figuring out this annual shopping debacle, and maybe even sitting down to have some ham and turkey on Thursday!

While my wife and I have decided that we will not encourage business's being open on Thanksgiving day, by running out and buying anything, we hope that you all out there do the same. As a country, we already rank pretty low on the 'day's off for family' scale among developed countries, so is giving away yet another holiday, one of our very few days off, really something we should encourage...for 25% off some socks and a crappy T.V.?

I've already witnessed one poor soul colliding with a vehicle this week, I hope that everyone out there remains aware of their surroundings and drives SLOW in parking lots. Public Safety Notice 101.

"i said that was MY spot!"

So do your homework, hopefully the list below will get you in the right direction. Keep an eye out for those lightning deals and utilize those smartphone apps that allow you to monitor those, as well as scan items to get an instant internet price check! Amazon has one, Google shopping has one, they work great and will save you some money. I hear Amazon price matches the local stores now, so keep an eye out for your spendy-er items going on sale at local stores, but have sold out!

Did I mention yet that I luv the holidays?   ;/

-And just so I didn't completely waste your time reading excerpts from my personal life, here's a few links to get you on your way. I'm sure they will be happy I led you there.

#1 sites: Black Friday Ads.net and http://blackfriday.com/  and http://www.theblackfriday.com/

http://www.bestbuy.com/

http://www.amazon.com/ (my personal fav)
http://www.newegg.com/ (for your favorite lovable nerd)
Google Shopping (a good all-around search for prices online and from local stores!)

http://www.target.com/ (my fav local store)

http://www.frys.com/

http://www.fredmeyer.com/ (for you Oregonian/Washingtonians)  

http://www.walmart.com/ (if u really have to..ugh)

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.toysrus.com/

http://www.babiesrus.com/

http://www.sears.com/ (for that angle-grinding,circular sawing,super-sanding, Makita-drilling, Tim Allen-worshiping dude on your list)
http://www.oldnavy.com/
http://www.kohls.com/ (You can find great deals on Kids toys at Kohl's!) 

-and last but not least!

http://www.tylenol.com/ (the most important one for this holiday season methinks)

HAVE 'FUN'!

2015 Military Pay Chart - For my fellow military peoples.

On May 23, 2014, the Senate Armed Services Committee released their mark-up of the National Defense Authorization Act, 2015, and in it contains a recommendation for a 1% military basic pay raise which is in-line with the President's proposal (with pay freeze for pay grades O-7 though O-10). The bill will be debated in the full Senate where the 1% is expected to carry, and the difference with the House's version of 1.8% will have to be worked out in conference.

 

The United States military pay scales below would become effective on January 1, 2015 if approved. It is the basic pay amounts for the active components of the Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard.

Full chart (and credit goes to navycs.com) HERE:

Helpful Link for MYPAY HERE.

A small excerpt for the enlisted:

Black Friday Mayhem! Thanksgiving Shopping Havoc!

Well happy turkey day everyone! That's right, it's my 6th annual Black Friday Post! -wow time is flying by.

This year, I only have the day after Thanksgiving off of work, so we will have to plan accordingly. We also are on a fairly tight budget this year, as times have been kind of hard as of late! This year we did the Chinese Buffet option aka ‘A Christmas Story’, and all went well, and then it was back to work for me. I’m already getting primed up snagging a few items off of Amazon’s awesome lightning deals!

We aren't any strangers to shopping on black Friday, so we are going to arm ourselves accordingly. We have high-tech strollers for Liam, which will be equipped with an ample supply of snacks, diapers, toys, to (hopefully) curtail the inevitable tantrum throughout the business. We have a list of the family members and a rough idea of a budget to work with. I have my best gel-inlaid sneakers and probably will strap on a powerful set of elbow and knee pads. Hey! It's a JUNGLE out there!

I will take no prisoners.

I fear for the worst, and expect that it will be bumper to bumper roads, and near-misses in the parking lots that day. Good thing we have decent insurance!

I said it was MY spot!

Well it certainly has been an eventful year, to be sure. Hopefully now that we got that turkey business out of the way, it will be time to jump start this economy a little bit. We're certainly going to be doing our part! These kids’ toys aren't cheap. That's a whole other topic, but really? –Why does the Legos Corporation insist that little plastic blocks, arranged in a simple pattern, should cost over $80-$130??

One of the things I’m wanting for my boys is a Estes Rocketry starter kit, which immediately brought back many great memories of building my own when I was a wee lad. It’s astonishing that the engines now cost as much if not more than the whole kit! [if you get both started and higher flying ones]. And unless you get the higher difficulty kits, they’re pretty much pre-built…that’s right you young engineers of America, you won’t have to stress your little minds and dexterity with anything such as manual labor on these babies. Just click, snap and launch…and hope they go straight.

Things just aren't made like they used to be, and yet they want 4 times as much money for them.

So do your homework, hopefully the list below will get you in the right direction. Keep an eye out for those lightning deals and utilize those smartphone apps that allow you to monitor those, as well as scan items to get an instant internet price check! Amazon has one, google shopping has one, Red Laser is another, they work great and will save you some money.

What do you all think?? Does anyone have any ideas?

I will leave it at that for now, did I mention yet that I luv the holidays? ;/

-And just so I didn't completely waste your time reading excerpts from my personal life, here's a few links to get you on your way. I'm sure they will be happy I led you there.

#1 sites: Black Friday Ads.net and http://blackfriday.com/ and http://www.theblackfriday.com/

http://www.bestbuy.com/

http://www.amazon.com/ (my personal fav)

http://www.newegg.com/ (for your favorite lovable nerd)

Google Shopping (a good all-around search for prices online and from local stores!)

http://www.target.com/ (my fav local store)

http://www.frys.com/

http://www.fredmeyer.com/ (for you Oregonian/Washingtonians)

http://www.walmart.com/ (if u really have to..ugh)

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.toysrus.com/

http://www.babiesrus.com/

http://www.sears.com/ (for that angle-grinding,circular sawing,super-sanding, Makita-drilling, Tim Allen-worshiping dude on your list)

http://www.oldnavy.com/

-and last but not least!

http://www.tylenol.com/ (the most important one for this holiday season methinks)

HAVE FUN!

Happy Zombie Jesus Day Everybody!

...Eastre (Ishtar, Astarte), whatever...it's still the pagan Goddess of Spring after whom your holiday was named.

With my penchant for anything zombie related- today seems like an interesting religious tie-in for discussion!

Today the Christian’s celebrate the death and subsequent undeath (so-called resurrection) of Jesus. From our modern vantage point we now know that there are only a handful of ways that the dead can walk the Earth. There are vampires, zombies, and of course folks like Keith Richards, Michael Douglas, and Leonard Cohen. Since Jesus was seen walking in broad daylight we can assume that he was not a vampire or a music industry celebrity, so he must have been a zombie.

The case for Great Zombie Jesus is strengthened when we look at the rituals of his followers, the Great Zombie Army. Great Zombie Jesus had his followers eat of his flesh and drink of his blood. This is how the zombie pathogens are transferred from generation to generation in an attempt to maintain the Great Zombie Army. Through the miracle of transubstantiation, consubstantiation, and even the sacramental union (all popular definitions of the Eucharist Infestation) people are eating the flesh of the Great Zombie Jesus and drinking his blood in an effort to be more Christ like, ergo, zombies.

Many a Sunday I spent in the presence of the Great Zombie Army as they feasted on the flesh and blood of Great Zombie Jesus while chanting and groaning in off pitch monotones. How I managed to escape infection I may never know. Perhaps I had a natural immunity to the pathogens. The liturgy was quite clear. Great Zombie Jesus will come again. He will judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will have no end because it is made up of zombies that can’t die, eternal life.

So this Easter remember, aim for the head and torch the bodies. If they have no teeth and their greyish undead mobile carcasses have all of the body and blood of Great Zombie Jesus burned from them, they can’t infect you.

Must read--> challenge your christian friends with this Easter quiz---very interesting indeed, take a look--> http://ffrf.org/legacy/books/lfif/stone.php

source:http://repeatedexpletives.blogspot.com/

Bioshock: Infinite - Brand New Teaser Video: 'Columbia: A Modern Day Icarus?'

Really love the style of this promo teaser for the epically crafted, anxiously awaited PC game 'Bioshock: Infinite'. Reminds me of bygone days sitting in front of the ol' analog TV as a 6 year old watching Saturday morning cartoons...

Check it out!

HGTV Dream Home 2013 - Giveaway ends in 21 days!

From the Website HGTV:

“Enter twice online per day — once on HGTV.com and once on FrontDoor.com — for your chance to win the luxuriously furnished HGTV Dream Home 2013, a low country Zen coastal cottage located on Kiawah Island in South Carolina, plus a new GMC® Acadia® Denali® and $500,000!”

Ooooh...peaceful.....

 It's built on an island people! wow.

Lots of light to view the natural scenery!

Looks like lots of privacy...except maybe 'gaters...

I could see myself kickin' back with a beer and a good book right here!

This year's home looks like it has a Zen theme going, simplicity, calmness and merging into the local unique coastal environment seems the goal. Last year, the dream home was valued at $1,500,000! While the final numbers haven’t been posted as of yet for next year’s model, I can tell you, from the looks of the last couple year’s homes, the amount of customization and care that goes into it makes it a very special house!

 

I will definitely take this garage...and the SUV.

I did this competition last year, tried faithfully to enter every single day, but probably had more of a 75% ratio when all was said and done. But nonetheless, it was fun…and nice to dream a bit for a month or so…”What IF we won it!?” … “What if YOU won it???”

   

Remember, you can enter through February 15, 2013, at 5p.m. ET for a chance to live the dream.

As I write this, there are 21 days, 3 hours and roughly 11 minutes until the winner is selected!   Let the fun begin!

More shooting-related news involving police suppressed by local Right-Wing FOX ‘news’ media.

Another shooting incident occurred a couple houses down in my 'nice' neighborhood just tonight! Watch how conservative-Murdoch owned, NRA influenced FOX12 news makes this story all but disappear within minutes..!!

I live a few houses over from a home that just contained a quick and violent exchange of gunfire this evening, and my wife and I are understandably pretty alarmed by all this- within what we thought was a pretty safe/sane neighborhood! Police apparently first arrived at 834pm. My wife reported hearing [what she said sounded like] automatic gunfire around 9:50pm...this must have been a very tense situation going on right in our backyard...very thankful and relieved this gunfire didn't enter into my home!

An apparent domestic dispute, leading to a armed standoff between police and the suspect whom was previously my neighbor, sent them both to the hospital. As far as I gather the officer wasn’t seriously harmed in the exchange of fire, thank god.

But despite the adrenaline of my family being placed in potential danger from gunfire getting me worked up…what really got me fired up here was when I attempted to get an update as to what was going on. Since I was at work downtown during my grave shift, I noticed with disgust how FOX12 news had a 20 second blurb about this on TV, then dropped the story after showing their regular fluff news...while KOIN6 had a reporter on scene, far out of the metro area, and was following the incident with further televised reports. [Kudos to them for actually reporting!] However:

FUNNY, how a Right-Wing puppeted/NRA money infused 'media' reports regarding gun crimes and shootings (Like this one), on FOX were QUICKLY dropped like the black plague on their 'network'! Never before have I witnessed directly such a clear example of how obvious and controlled the programming [or lack thereof] on this network was! Political agenda much? Noooo waayyy…not FOX!

Regardless of which side of the battle for gun rights you find yourself in, in the wake of recent shooting tragedies…our response to these events, and how our media reports them, should also be held under great scrutiny and with equal passion! The fact is, 90% of the talking heads most people listen to on TV are NOT news reporters, but left or right leaning entertainment opinion pieces that mask themselves, and thus look very much like NEWS broadcasting! This in turn, creates very strong feelings and opinions in viewers that don’t understand what they are really watching…regardless of any factual information presented.

We the people need to take back dishonest media, made to look like news, act like factual reports, but really are thinly disguised propaganda and partisan-influenced dogma loaded with agendas from the boys upstairs! It’s not a conspiracy, it’s a widely known FACT, and it needs to stop! Yes we have freedom of speech, yes of the press as well…but when the line between the two is purposely muddled by devious intent, that is unethical at best, criminal misconduct at worst!

[Some] American media is getting more blatantly corrupted and disgusting every year....

Are we happy with this? What do you watch at night? Is it non-partisan? Truly non-biased? Is it really…as FOX news hilariously proclaims…”Fair…and BALANCED!”?

I’m betting its not.

A link to the very brief news story in Oregonlive regarding the event in my neighborhood:
http://www.oregonlive.com/forest-grove/index.ssf/2013/01/police_officer_shot_during_sta.html

NORAD Santa Tracker 2012 Here! -->

Merry Christmas everyone!
It's that time of year again, to track Santa using our friendly neighborhood NORAD unit!

That's right kiddies, Santa Tracker is up and running now that Santa is out delivering his presents. You can download the Santa Tracker file for Google Earth while at NORAD’s Santa Tracker website and track him on your own. You'll definitely want to go to the page on Christmas Eve and follow his progress as he moves throughout the world, but check back often, he moves fast! You wouldn't want your young one up while he has 'visited' your town! HA

This is a fun site that I first discovered back in the 08' year, there are many options to play with, as I mentioned-like viewing Santa’s journey using Google Earth.
So, without further ado...-enjoy!

Black Friday Mayhem! Thanksgiving Shopping Havoc!

Well happy night-before-turkey day everyone! That's right, it's my 5th annual Black Friday Post! -wow time is flying by.

This year, I only have Thanksgiving off of work, so we will have to plan accordingly. We also are on a fairly tight budget this year, as times have been kind of hard as of late!

But alas, I'm sure we may brave the shopping madness and hopefully score some sweet deals.

I am looking forward to celebrating our second year in our home, (we made it!) drinking some nice wine, having some Turkey, ham, and sweet 'tater pie with the kiddos! ....mmmmmmm....pie....

We aren't any strangers to shopping on black Friday, so we are going to arm ourselves accordingly. We have high-tech strollers for Liam, which will be equipped with an ample supply of snacks, diapers, toys, to (hopefully) curtail the inevitable tantrum throughout the business. We have a list of the family members and a rough idea of a budget to work with. I have my best gel-inlaid sneakers and probably will strap on a powerful set of elbow and knee pads. Hey! It's a JUNGLE out there!

I will take no prisoners.

I fear for the worst, and expect that it will be bumper to bumper roads, and near-misses in the parking lots that day. Good thing we have decent insurance!

"i said that was MY spot!"

Well it certainly has been an eventful year, to be sure. Hopefully now that we got that election business out of the way, it will jump start this economy a little bit. We're certainly going to be doing our part! These kids toys aren't cheap anymore! That's a whole other topic, but really? -A plastic doll house for $87 dollars?? And when did the value of little colored plastic blocks become akin to the scarcity of Gold? [looking at you LEGO'S].  Things just aren't made like they used to be, and yet they want 4 times as much money for them.
So do your homework, hopefully the list below will get you in the right direction. Keep an eye out for those lightning deals and utilize those smartphone apps that allow you to monitor those, as well as scan items to get an instant internet price check! Amazon has one, google shopping has one, Red Laser is another, they work great and will save you some money.

What do you you all think?? Does anyone have any ideas?

I will leave it at that for now, did I mention yet that I luv the holidays?   ;/

-And just so I didn't completely waste your time reading excerpts from my personal life, here's a few links to get you on your way. I'm sure they will be happy I led you there.

#1 sites: Black Friday Ads.net and http://blackfriday.com/  and http://www.theblackfriday.com/

http://www.bestbuy.com/

http://www.amazon.com/ (my personal fav)
http://www.newegg.com/ (for your favorite lovable nerd)
Google Shopping (a good all-around search for prices online and from local stores!)

http://www.target.com/ (my fav local store)

http://www.frys.com/

http://www.fredmeyer.com/ (for you Oregonian/Washingtonians)

http://www.walmart.com/ (if u really have to..ugh)

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.toysrus.com/

http://www.babiesrus.com/

http://www.sears.com/ (for that angle-grinding,circular sawing,super-sanding, Makita-drilling, Tim Allen-worshiping dude on your list)
http://www.oldnavy.com/

-and last but not least!

http://www.tylenol.com/ (the most important one for this holiday season methinks)

HAVE FUN!

Presidential Debates- From Big Bird to Buffoonery

Well did you all see the first Presidential Debates the other night? There were some highlights, to be sure.  There was an attack on Big Bird, there was a overpowered and irritatingly ineffective Moderator (Jim Lehrer), there were awkward silences and a stone cold audiance [as directed], and there was lots of spotty make-up jobs.

Mostly, it was a snoozer, unless you were the Republicans, whom  seem invigorated by their candidate's apparent "victoire triomphale". It just goes to show you, in my humble opinion, in our American society, it is often the ends that justify the means. Apparently such minor quibbles as 'accurate statements', half-truths and outright lies are just the tools of the trade for Mr. Businessman. Now that we've all had a chance to sit and analyze every statement, every fact of the parties statements...a cooling off of heads is sure to be the result.

The first thing that sticks out to me, was how 'slick' Romney was. The Blue guys rallied, quick to point out this as a mark of a strong showing...a demonstration of a man in charge, a real leader! I could see him giving speeches exactly like this in a boardroom, as he sets the gameplan for the fate of their recently acquired failing business. During some moments, when he glared at Obama, It almost looked to me as if he were explaining to his teenage daughter why she couldn't go to the prom with that 'colored' fella she likes so much. (sic)

 I saw a comment that basically iterated well my thoughts, so i'll spare you more of my limited intellect and show you what he observed, more eloquently than I could:

Demtpajoe-

A center-left democrat's opinion:

Romney: He held it together, spoke like a leader, stayed more on the offense, provided a little more clarity into his plans, and showed a faith in what he believes in. He did show some testiness, appeared to have pity in his face when looking at Obama, and I'd swear sometimes he looked like he was about to cry (kinda like Boehner looks).

Obama seemed confident, stayed more on the defense but defended his record well and showed a true concern for the unfortunate. He had a number of struggling pauses in his speech, trying too hard to say the right thing, showed some arrogance, and he sometimes appeared frustrated.

Romney's tone and rhythm outshined Obama's. Obama had a number of chances to channel his debating mentors and step it up a couple of notches, but he didn't. He almost seemed a little nervous and was definitely on the defense.

Both candidates were courteous, with the exception of time-grabbing, which Obama did more of.

Both candidates had missed opportunities, but I understand the pressure they're in when on stage and under the lights and microscope.

Romney's best moment to me, explaining how he can support Romneycare, but not Obamacare - because he believes healthcare should be left up to the states.

Obama's best moment to me, owning Obamacare, providing clarity and anecdotes in support of it, and owning his belief in the federal government handling and nationalizing social programs.

Although the debate as a whole was fairly dry, I do think Romney came out on top in this one.

FYI this doesn't change my vote. Overall, and I mean overall, accounting for all important issues, I still trust that by the end of a second Obama term, we'd be better off than having a fiscal and social conservative run our country. I believe Romney would do wonders for the private business sector, but I do not trust that the private business sector will in turn trickle those wonders down to us. Using a metaphor, I believe Romney is the type to cut off the arms and legs in order to save a terminal Cancer patient, while Obama is the type to take the chance and hit the spreading Cancer with a clinical trial chemotherapy in order to try to save the whole patient. If the recession is the Cancer, then I support Obama's methods.

And on social issues, which are certainly important to many people, no matter how some try to chant "economy, jobs, economy, jobs", I fully support Obama's policies. I do not feel comfortable with a Romney presidency, where the big social issues are left to the states. We are the United States, and I believe there are some social issues that belong to our identity as a country as a whole, and not as a collection of states with varying and opposing social issue laws. Only the federal government can bring all states together.

"One nation"...so why can we not behave like one?

________________________________________________________________________________

I'm anxiously awaiting the next debates. Especially October 16th, in NewYork, where undecided voters will fire off questions to the candidates in a Town Hall style format. The following will be October 22nd, in Florida. 

Like most of us, my vote is still safely locked in my head, but I still like to see what we're gonna get, and whom I'm glad we won't!  Until then, Policionado’s!

2013 Military Pay Chart - For my fellow military peoples.

On May 24, 2012, the Senate Committee on Armed Services completed its mark-up of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013; previously, the full House of Representatives, on May 18th, passed the Defense Authorization Act for FY-2013 by a vote of 299 to 120. The Act includes the 1.7% pay raise proposal made by President Obama on February 13th.

On February 13, 2012, President Obama released his fiscal year 2013 budget proposal for the Department of Defense. The budget proposal included the expected 1.7% raise for military basic pay, which when approved should become effective January 1, 2013.

On October 28, 2011, the United States Employment Cost Index (ECI) was released. The following pay charts are based on the private industry worker's wage and salary series of the Employment Cost Index's increase of 1.7 percent for the 12 month period ending September 2011, and it is expected to be part of President Obama's budget input for the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2013.

Without further ado, here is your Military Pay Chart 2013 (Proposed 1.7%)

Full chart (and credit goes to navycs.com) HERE:

Helpful Link for MYPAY HERE.

A small excerpt for the enlisted:

Titanic Revealed -Film here-->

This night, or early morning...100 years ago to the minute...the R.M.S. Titanic slipped under the cold North Atlantic surface, and entered into the fascination and timeless regard of man and it's fragile mortality for all history. Before James Cameron, there was Dr. Robert Ballard, former Navy Commander and scientist whom discovered the ship.

The last known picture of Titanic taken as she heads out....

A great video with a different look at the story of a Navy Commander whom discovered Titanic, and his bittersweet return 20 years later. Lots of interesting stuff about the ship...

There are a few more worth-watching videos on the National Geographic site HERE



For decades the wreck of the liner RMS Titanic had eluded those seeking to locate her grave site. Many failed until Dr. Robert Ballard turned a dream into reality in 1985 when he found her remains over 12000' beneath the North Atlantic Ocean. Dr. Ballard tells how his missions to two lost submarines from the Cold War helped him find the debris trail of the Titanic that she left across the sea bed. Interspersed with this intriguing once-Top Secret mission is the story of Ballard's 2004 trip back to Titanic to document the ensuing effects of visitors and salvagers since his last trip in 1986. Understanding that the Titanic and her remains belong to everyone, Dr. Ballard returns with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help make his vision of a museum - a museum available to all - become a reality.

Mega Millions Winning Numbers, March 30, 2012: Here They Are!

The odds of winning the Mega Millions Lottery are stacked against you, as you may guess.

If you think you can win this week’s mega lottery, think again ... you have a better chance of being killed by flesh-eating bacteria than rolling in lottery gold.
The Mega Millions jackpot is at $640 Million (and rising), with odds of winning at roughly 1 in 176 Million ... but get this ... 1 in 3 people think winning the lottery is the ONLY way to be financially secure in life (eeek!).

So we looked into the odds and found a bunch of crap that is more likely to happen to you ...


-- Death by lightning: 1 in 2,650,000

-- Death by flesh-eating bacteria: 1 in 1,000,000

-- Getting eaten by a shark: 1 in 11,000,000

-- Death by fireworks: 1 in 1,000,000


That said… anyone care to join me in an office pool?

To find out if you ....er..won...tonight, at 11pm, check out the homepage HERE.
UPDATE: Here are the numbers....and...I  didn't win...I know, shocking.



Winning! !