NoCalMike

Are we talking his entire career, or just his WWE run?

So I am going approx 4 times a week, 2 nights of about an hour of cardio and 2 nights of weight machines working my chest, arms, legs, back, abs.

I am not sure but it definately kind of feels like the Democrats are at a crossroads. They have one candidate that represents the status quo and another that is bringing in new voters and energizing the base. Either candidate is capable of winning the general election and honestly a lot of their policies are similar however they just have a completely different feel to them. I have said before, I am not really all THAT into Obama, I think he will be a much more centrist President then other people feel(I hope I am wrong) but I am just tired of the status quo. I think the Democrats have an oppurtunity to really show they are breaking the mold this election cycle with Obama and it would be a shame if they don't run with that oppurunity. Even if Obama ended up losing the general election, I would still like to see them as a party take the chance in 2008 that they wouldn't take with Dean in 2004.

Maybe because the "they'll raise your taxes and take your money" line of bullshit still works.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080410/ap_on_...signs_of_strain By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer Thu Apr 10, 2:15 AM ET WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers are committing suicide at record levels, young officers are abandoning their military careers, and the heavy use of forces in Iraq has made it harder for the military to fight conflicts that could arise elsewhere. Unprecedented strains on the nation's all-volunteer military are threatening the health and readiness of the troops. While the spotlight Wednesday was on congressional hearings with the U.S. ambassador and commanding general for Iraq, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard Cody was in another hearing room explaining how troops and their families are being taxed by long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the prospect of future years of conflict in the global war on terror. "That marathon has become an enduring relay and our soldiers continue to run — and at the double time," Cody said. "Does this exhaust the body and mind of those in the race, and those who are ever present on the sidelines, cheering their every step? Yes. Has it broken the will of the soldier? No." And it's not just the people that are facing strains. Military depots have been working in high gear to repair or rebuild hundreds of thousands of pieces of equipment — from radios to vehicles to weapons — that are being overused and worn out in harsh battlefield conditions. The Defense Department has asked for $46.5 billion in this year's war budget to repair and replace equipment damaged or destroyed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both the Army and Marine Corps have been forced to take equipment from non-deployed units and from pre-positioned stocks to meet needs of those in combat — meaning troops at home can't train on the equipment. National Guard units have only an average of 61 percent of the equipment needed to be ready for disasters or attacks on the U.S., Missouri Democrat Ike Skelton lamented at Wednesday's hearing of the House Armed Services Committee. Cody and his Marine counterpart, Gen. Robert Magnus, told the committee they're not sure their forces could handle a new conflict if one came along. The Pentagon and Congress have worked in recent years to increase funding, bolster support programs for families, improve care for soldiers and Marines and increase the size of both forces to reduce the strain. Cody said the U.S. must continue the investment, continue to support its armed forces and have an "open and honest discussion" about the size of military that is needed for today's demands. An annual Pentagon report this year found there was a significant risk that the U.S. military could not quickly and fully respond to another outbreak elsewhere in the world. The classified risk assessment concluded that long battlefield tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with persistent terrorist activity and other threats, are to blame. The review grades the armed services' ability to meet the demands of the nation's military strategy — which would include fighting the current wars as well any potential outbreaks in places such as North Korea, Iran, Lebanon or China. Similarly, a 400-page January report by the independent Commission on the National Guard and Reserves found the force isn't ready for a catastrophic chemical, biological or nuclear attack on this country, and National Guard forces don't have the equipment or training they need for the job. Strain on individuals has been repeatedly documented. It contributes to the difficulty in getting other Americans to join the volunteer military. The Army struggles to find enough recruits each year and to keep career soldiers. Thousands more troops each year struggle with mental health problems because of the combat they've seen. The lengthening of duty tours to 15 months from 12 a year ago also has been blamed for problems as has the fact that soldiers are being sent back for two, three or more times. President Bush will announce on Thursday that the length of tours will go back to 12 months for Army units heading to war after Aug. 1, defense officials said Wednesday. Some 27 percent of soldiers on their third or fourth combat tours suffered anxiety, depression, post-combat stress and other problems, according to an Army survey released last month. That compared with 12 percent among those on their first tour. In Afghanistan a range of mental health problems increased, and 11.4 percent of those surveyed reported suffering from depression. Medical professionals themselves are burning out and said in the survey that they need more help to treat the troops. The report also recommended longer home time between deployments and more focused suicide-prevention training. It said civilian psychologists and other behavioral health professionals should be sent to the warfront to augment the uniformed corps. Though separate data reported on divorce rates appeared to be holding steady last year, soldiers say they are having more problem with their marriages due to the long and repeated separations. As many as 121 troops committed suicide in 2007, an increase of some 20 percent over 2006, according to preliminary figures released in January. If all are confirmed that would be more than double the 52 reported in 2001, before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks prompted the Bush administration to launch the war in Afghanistan. -------------------------------------- But hey, what's 100 more years, right..............?

Speaking of Cara, at work today I was in the break room watching TV and she was in some commercial for a random technical school. I was like..."WTF, Cara?"

IMO, the Democrats are just not doing enough to un-blur the reality check that Bush spent a year blurring, which is that Iraq = Al Qaeda. I think the Dems are too afraid that too many people still associate the two together. Of course, the american public's tolerance for "intelligent discussion" is pretty low and they would probably tune out after five minutes, but it is still worth a shot. The best part is, John Kerry in 2004(and Howard Dean as well) as lame as a candidate that he was, pretty much had it right about what he was saying about the War in Iraq, but like usual he said it a little bit too early. If the Presidential election is held a year or so later he probably wins easily. There is something about the temperment of the american public that wants to "act now and think later" and we sure don't seem to like to listen to rationale and reasoning until the damage is done. Then we sit around, wallow, and wonder why things have gotten to be the way they are.

So yeah I am getting this show at my house so if anyone in the immediate area wants to head down to my pad, hit me up a PM....

If Mark Ellis stays healthy he might have a big year. He is off to a pretty good start. 4-5 tonight. Of course this is the A's organization we are talking about so if he gets too hot during the first half of the season he will probably be traded for "future prospects"

So far..... CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights Saturday, May 31, 9 p.m. ET, CBS Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. TBA EliteXC Mwt. Title: Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith Gina Carano vs. TBA Phil Baroni vs. Murilo Rua Brett Rogers vs. Jon Murphy EDIT by Mik: Kimbo Slice's opponent is mostly likely James Thompson

The only guess I can make at the Ron Paul cult is that maybe he gave a voice to the conservatives and indy voters that didn't like the war, so they just overlooked everything else coming out of his mouth. As a liberal I did appreciate some of the dialogue he brought up during the republican debates on the Iraq/War on Terrorism issue, however on anything other then that subject he had me doing double-takes at the screen wondering if I was actually believing what I was hearing.

If I remember correctly, Nehemiah was more talking about the Iraq War and not being a "real war" and Rachel was getting BUTT-hurt because she thought that he was implying that she wasn't a "real soldier" when Nehemiah was more speaking out against the war itself and not Rachel's role in the war. I also remember a brief argument he had with Danny where Danny called Bush a "great leader" lol.

I want to thank you, Eric, for at least expressing cautious optimism, unlike your counterparts here, who don't seem to want to hear any sort of news of positive progress. I don't think it is THAT so much as it is the fact that when we hear someone say "the surge is working" we decide to do a little research and we find evidence that points to another conclusion. I don't think anyone is trying to claim that "nothing positive" is happening in Iraq, however the point trying to be made is that the policy itself is the problem. I am sure Enron did some positive things during it's years in business but the policy of price-gouging and ripping people off was bad POLICY and that was the bigger issue. Surely, the troops in Iraq are doing some good things working under the chain of command umbrella that is the Administrations Iraq War policy, but that doesn't change the fact that the strategy and/or policy of how we are going about this whole thing is pretty backwards and wrong.

It can be bought in America now but I think the ingredients have been modified so it is kind of like....what's the point?

Maybe this is why Al-Sadr's support is diminishing.... US troops pay Iraqi warlords for loyalty: Report http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/T...how/2438353.cms NEW YORK: The US military is paying tribal leaders in Iraq to secure their loyalty and ensure peace, but critics contend empowering regional strongmen is creating a warlord state with tribal and religious leaders operating increasingly independent and often unconstitutionally, a media report said on Monday. The US military has discovered too late that Iraq's tangled network of tribal leaders is a major key to security, the upcoming issue of Newsweek says. Over the past one year, "government from the bottom up" has become one of Ambassador Ryan Crocker's favourite catchphrases, it adds. As violence has declined in Sunni enclaves like Ramadi and Fallujah in recent months, the US commanders have tried to replicate the apparent success of the region's Anbar Salvation Council elsewhere, the report notes. Last summer US commanders spent millions of dollars on "concerned local citizens" programmes - essentially paying off tribal sheiks to keep their followers from planting roadside bombs, Newsweek reported. In Tikrit's Salah Ad Din province, the Army has spent more than USD five million to buy the loyalty of 26 different sheiks, it adds. With Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki government, weaker than ever, unable to provide basic services even to Baghdad power brokers in the provinces are enjoying something of a renaissance. Giving the example of Gen Qais Hamza Aboud, the local police chief in the mostly Shiite city of Hillah, about 85 km south of Baghdad, the magazine says, a former fighter pilot in Saddam's Air Force, Qais is now probably the most powerful individual in Babil province -- more influential than either the governor or local Iraqi Army commanders. --------------------------- This article is a little dated and we have already seen over the last month or so what happens when the payoff money starts running dry.

Well that is the entire thing. The casts of the first four or so seasons weren't doing the Real World to launch an "acting career" They were people who had plenty going on outside of the show thus it made for a very different dynamic in the house.

AKA will be bought off.

This show is at Arco Arena in my town Sacramento. I just checked ticketmaster and there are $35 lower level tickets still available....$35 for lower level is a fucking steal.

How do Obama's "non-answers" make you want to vote for McCain? I mean non-answers are annoying, but not as bad as the WRONG answers. It just comes down to policies to me and on the two biggest issues McCain basically wants to follow the current Bush strategies; "Surge is Working" & "Cut taxes for the wealthy" Now if those are policies you are in favor of, then ok I understand your vote for McCain. I am not really THAT excited about Obama. To me he is basically another member of the democratic establishment, but he happens to have some intagibles that draw people to him over other politicians. Also it is important that a Democrat gets into the whitehouse in 2008 because they don't have enough of a majority for veto overrides so a lot of the "haven't got anything accomplished" rhetoric will dissapear when there is someone in the whitehouse that signs bills that pass the House & Senate into law, rather then throwing down a veto.

Marion Barber......REALLY?

Redskins w/ five preseason games......

Irene from Seattle is Burnim & Murray public enemy #1 last time I checked. She left the show because of the way producers tried to manipulate people and situations, and then the editors cut and pasted clips to make it look like she was leaving because of "lyme disease" I think another reason the show changed is because it seems like the first four or so seasons featured a bunch of people that had somewhat of a life outside of reality-TV, they were either attending school, in a career, and were still doing that stuff while taping. It was a more accurate potrayal of people actually living their lives, but they just happened to be sharing a house with six strangers. Everyone had other things going on. Now the show is basically casted by wannabe actors/actresses that probably got laughed out of the audition room for actual tv shows and someone pointed them in the direction of the MTV-Reality Show casting room. It's like they are all thinking that "Real World" will launch a career in the industry.

Yeah and how in the blue hell did Danny/Melinda win best "romance" Danny was and still comes off like a douchebag most of the time and Melinda is just, well she is hot, but she never developed much more then that on the show. I didn't even think they had the best "romance" of their own cast. (Wes & Johanna). Out of the nominees I would have given it to Colhutta and Kellyanne.

So as much as it pains me to say it, I have been a Real World viewer since the first season. Out of the nineteen seasons wrapped so far, only a couple here and there are hazy in my memory. Anyways, they had some "awards show" tonight for it and I must say it is really kind of a shame to see the de-evolution of the show over the years. For about the last twelve or so seasons it has followed the basic format of "attractive wannabe actors are picked to live in the house, have free access to alcohol; watch them hookup & fight" Sadly this is probably what the entire series is going to be remembered for which is kind of unfortunate because seeing the highlights from the first three or so seasons rekindled my memory about how much more serious the show used to be. It actually was kind of relevent for it's time. I think the last remaining debate is which season officially turned the series into a circus, most are split between Hawaii & Vegas. Although some of the older seasons were nominated for awards, they were shutout from winning which means it was basically rigged to cater to the younger viewers who were probably babies when the first few seasons aired. I mean really how can "Puck" not have won hands down for "Hardest Roommate to live with" ? Anyways, this all sounds pretty petty probably, because afterall I am all BUTT-hurt over the fucking "Real World" but whatever......I had a point that I lost.....

As silly as that kind of logic is, it is actually a pretty accurate account of what McCain has said on the campaign trail. On more than one occassion he has talked about keeping a large presence in Iraq and how it is ok as long as we are "not taking casualties" and then he points to other countries around the world, as if every post-war torn country will offer the same situation and variables when ALREADY Iraq has shown to be nothing like Germany and/or Japan post-WWII.