Wednesday 11 June 2014

The Sting in IT Training - Get Best Learning Centers in USA



If you're looking for a Python training course, the choices may seem bewildering as well as overwhelming. There are actually sites on the web that claim they are able to teach you Python in less than half an hr! That's nonsense, needless to say. But you'd be surprised the amount of people falls for your sort of marketing tactic. (Don't be one.)

On one other hand, there may also be three day boot camps which cost one thousand dollars and up (plus a huge selection of dollars in plane fare, hotel and dining costs).They are legitimate, and many offer excellent instruction, but for many people they're not really the best option. These boot camp style events are best if you a) already have a substantial amount of experience in encoding other computer 'languages' and b) need to learn Python in a hurry for a work assignment. In reality, it's likely that a lot of people attending these boot camps aren't paying their particular tuition - their employers are paying so they can attend.

In the current workplace, Python training is and increasingly important part of a programmer's schooling. As a powerful language whose layout philosophy revolves around readability and conciseness, Python is a popular choice for use as a scripting language. Just like other interpretative languages, it is much more flexible than put together languages, and it enables you to tie disparate methods together.

Indeed, Python can be a versatile language along with many applications inside growing fields. For instance, Python is a popular programming language regarding educational software. Raspberry Pi, the single-board computer project for teaching students education, uses Python as its primary encoding language.

In addition, much of the application for the just one Laptop per Youngster XO is written in Python. In the other end with the educational spectrum, Python is also a very effective language for scientific computing and numerical software for theoretical math. As educational software development continues to grow, Python will become a growing number of important languages to know.

 In addition to educational software, Python is also a favored language for used in AI tasks. Because Python is really a scripting language together with rich text digesting tools, module buildings, and syntax simplicity, it is a natural choice for programs involving natural terminology processing. Programs like Wolfram Alpha dog and Siri are only beginning to sink into the end-user market and many such programs yet in the future will be written in Python.


Tuesday 10 June 2014

The Ten Worst Cars Sold In The U.S.

Below y'all will find a list of cars I found interesting. I found this list while looking thru the Los Angeles Times. All the information will be from that article. All the pictures related to this post were found at a variety of places on the internet using a Google search for pictures of each car. The information and pictures used in this post are for the sole purpose of sharing with anyone that wants to check it out because they too were curious. If you follow the link for the Los Angeles Times you can do a search for the original story if you are so inclined. I found this list interesting and if I were asked I would be able to add to the list provided. I have owned a few pretty crappy brand new cars in my life that I could add, but I will save that for another post. Anyway, for your viewing/reading pleasure I present you with The Ten Worst Cars Sold In The United States.
#10) 1971 Ford Pinto
Built to a $2,000 base price, the subcompact Pinto lacks protection for its rear-mounted fuel tank. It earns a reputation as a fire-prone death trap and Ford pays out millions in judgments.
# 9) 1917 Chevrolet Series D
Chevy's first V8 could only manage 36 hp, which was less than the brand's four cylinder engine. GM killed it after 1918, the next Chevy V8 didn't come for another 37 years.
# 8) 1979 Oldsmobile Cutless Supreme Diesel
As bad as the 5.7 liter Olds diesel V8 was, the 4.3 liter version was worse. Sold only in the '79 Cutless, the 4.3 liter diesel made a mere 90 hp before shattering into shrapnel.
# 7) 1982 Cadillac Cimarron
Shamefule, cynical attempt to compete against BMW with a redecorated version of the front-drive, four cylinder Chevrolet Cavalier. A self-inflicted headwound that almost killed Cadillac.
# 6) 1958 Edsel Corsair
Ford goes hunting for a market niche that wasn't there with a redecorated Mecury that had been beaten with the ugly stick. The legendary flop of ALL automotive flops.

Bonus Tips: Find Best Educational Lessons Around Your Area


# 5) Saturn Ion
Shockingly incompetent to drive and with a stupid interior to match. Kick it and your foot could get stuck in the gaps between it's plastic body panels. Easily the second worst car of the 21st century.
# 4) 1971 Chevrolet Vega
An engine that couldn't hold oil, in a car built with total contempt for it's buyers. It's the car that invited Americans to buy Toyotas and Hondas, however, it did make a good Pro Stock Racer.
# 3) 1987 Yugo
A Serbian-made version of the Fiat 127 that people thought couldn't possibly be as awful as it's low price suggested. But it was!
# 2) 1974 Ford Mustang II
Built upon the spindly bones of the Pinto, this shrunken, malformed pony is instantly appalling to ALL of the Mustang lovers. And, unfortunately, hugely popular with buyers stuck with the serial fuel crisis.
# 1) 2001 Pontiac Aztek
Drive one and you will quickly realize that the Aztek's exterior design is it's best feature. It's the very worst car of all time because it's the only car on the list to kill an 84 y/o car company. It's undeniable that the Aztek's utter hideousness drove the biggest and last nails into Pontiac's heavily side-clad, plastic coffin
Okay, as I mentioned above I had nothing to do with this list. But, what this list provided me an opportunity to do was to do a little research to find out how accurate the complaints actually were. I was surprised, each of the cars listed above have their diehard fans and haters alike. Of the list provided I can say that my dad was a proud owner of a '71 Chevy Vega. He would cuss that car daily but would't ever give it up, he drove that car for 15 years before selling it to a "hot rod enthusiest" kid who just had to have it. For that matter, my mother drove the '74 Ford Mustang II until it was stolen a few years later. I know, who in the hell would steal that car! All in all, I am sure all of us could make a top ten list of the worst cars we ever owned. I know I could, but it would make this post quite long, plus, some of mine were bought overseas in their country of origin so my list would be international. Look f 8000 or it, but don't hold your breath because I may or may not ever get to it, it just depends how things go. But, I had fun looking for information on these cars and more fun searching the internet for all the pictures to use. I had a hard time finding one or two of them. I guess when you suck they don't want your picture plastered everywhere. If you happen to own or ever have owned one of these cars I would like to hear what your opinion is about it. Well, that's all folks, catch you next time and thanks for checking in, and I hope y'all enjoyed it all.

You May Like these too:



  1. Best Financial Advisor in your Area
  2. Where to Find Best DJ Services?
  3. Beautician Services near You.
  4. Where to get Travel Tickets in Cheap cost?
  5. True Astrology Services!

What Has The World Come To?

Those of y'all know me know that I grill food and smoke food on a regular basis. I take pride in the fact that over the years I have become quite good at it. That's nog bragging, it's just the facts based on everyone always comes back for seconds, thirds, or forths and are very disappointed when they find out I will not be cooking. I have a way with meat, it's an art, even better one might even call it a gift. I have spent the better part of my life perfecting cooking meat on a grill or smoker, I have allot of time and money invested into something I love to do. Which, in the end, is why I generally don't mind cooking the meat(s) for family get togethers, when we camp, when friends get together, or even at work when we have company parties two or three times a year. What can I say, I trust me when it comes to the preparation, cooking, and final consumption of the meat. Call it vain, call it conceded, one might even consider me kinda anal, but there is a right way to grill or smoke and then there is the wrong way. I pride myself on the simple fact that I have never received a complaint and I always get asked to come back to do it again. But, enough about me. I just thought a little background was in hand before I went on to explain that I was in charge of the grilling this past Saturday for one of my nieces 4th birthday. How could I ever say no to that?
 
After I got my charcoal going, let it burn down, and adding my wood chunks soaked in a secret blend of concontion, I was ready to let it rip. My wife brought me the platters of meat, yes platters, we were feeding some 25 adults and just as many kids, we were going to have a little bit of everything. We had 100% all beef hamburgers, 100% all beef hot dogs, bonless pork chops (thick cut), some of my home made venison sausage, of course we had some gator tail, and some venison flanks I had left over. Yes, it was going to be a small feast. I began laying out my spread of meat, adding a light dust of seasoning, closed the lid and listened to the meat sizzle. Meanwhile, I had to assist in putting up an air inflatable jump castle that the kids (and adults) were begging me to get up so they could all jump and play. I must say that this jump casle was the absolute best $300.00 investment I have ever picked up at a garage sale. Y'all might not understand, it's a 20 ft x 20 ft jump castle, it's huge and loads of fun for all ages. When I got done my wife was walking up to me holding the box I have pictured above and wanted me to slap it on the grill when I got a chance. WTF? Who in the hell brings veggie burgers to a meatfeast? I honestly think I broke out in cold sweats for fear that someone was going to see me sneak one of these veggie burgers onto a grill loaded with all of this fine meat. I wanted to cry. I was ashamed of myself that I was actually considering complying with this wacko request. Yes, I was a little emotional, my feelings were actually hurt I think. I couldn't believe I was about to open my grill and insult all the other meats.
 
Needless to say, I opened the box, I opened the sealed plastic bag, and removed one perfectly formed 2.5 oz oddly colored patty. Now, I know this is supposed to mimic the look of a hamburger patty, but damn, it didn't even look like meat or anything I would ever put in my mouth, and trust me when I say I have tried many strange things to eat from all over the world. Then, I made a hole on the grill and slapped it down. It didn't even sizzle! It never sizzed! I am thinking the world has finally come to the absolute end and my grill will never be the same. I feel a power washing coming on in the near future. I have had this particular grill for 25 years and I have never threatened it with the power washer ever before, I should be ashamed of myself I know. I let it "cook" to the desired temperature as it stated on the box, 160 F. To top it all off I was even asked to put this special cheese on it. I know I shouldn't have been shocked, but there was nothing cheese related about this sad slice of cheese. I know, I shouldn't bitch about these things, and I am almost done. Amazingly enough, it was all placed on a breadless bun, go figure. The rest of my meat was done at about the same time so I pulled it all off and put that on big platters as well. I took it inside and all the wolves came at me for the first sight of this mega meatfeast. What can I say, I aim to please, and everyone was pleased.
 
One final note. I'm not knocking the vegan lifestyle. It's just not my style. I respect a person that can change from being a born carnivore into a reborn vegan. Again, I like meat way to much to even attempt to notice the notion that there is meat alternitives out there. I refuse to admit that people are happy not eating meat. Call me wrong, call me bad names, whatever, but y'all will never convince me that I can get the taste of a bloody steak from something artificial. And, no, I am not willing to let you attempt to prove me wrong either. To each his own or "a chacun le sien" as my high school French teacher used to tell me. I have spoke to many family members, people I have worked with, and friends who have given up meat and dairy in my interest to find out more about that lifestyle. I can't say I am willing to make the change. Why, you ask? It's just not something I am remotely interested in attempting. I meant what I said, if people wish to live this lifestyle I have no problem and I won't jusdge, just don't ask me to ever grill it for you. The thought of that still gives me goose bumps up and down my spine. In the end everything works out I suppose, everyone goes home happy, and I will still look forward to my next time in front of the grill, I can hear the meat sizzling already.

The Things People Say

The things people say right in front of you are sometimes very disturbing, Especially when what is being said is in another language that you don't understand. For years my wife and now 17 y/o daughter have been coming home telling me they just know the Asian women working at the nail salon are talking about them in a negative way. To be honest, I have always just blown it off. It has been my experience that most women always think someone is whispering something about them. I have seen this my whole life with family, friends, spouses, daughters, co-workers, and yes, even with the strippers I used to work with at the bar. I have always tried to figure out if it is vanity or some kind of insecurity that most women suffer from. I have a simple life and a simple outlook on life, I just don't care what people outside of my immediate family think about me or say about me to my face or behind my back. So, okay, where am I going with all of this in such a round about way? Well, last night my wife was busy and was needing to break her date with my daughter to go get their toes done. I was asked to take my daughter in a manner I couldn't refuse, I was asked nicely with a smile, she said please, and there was no guilt trip anywhere in the questioning. So, I said yes, of course.

Bonus Tips: Find Best Educational Lessons Around Your Area
But, it actually was a loaded question, a question which had underlying motives which were made clear to me in the car while we were on our way. I was to be my daughter's secret weapon against the women at the salon. How could I be a secret weapon y'all might be asking. Well, I spent many years in South Korea, Japan, and in the Philippines. You cannot spend time in these countries without learning some of the language spoken. Which I learned how to speak all three, understand all three, and I could write what I needed to in all three. Now a days, I have to be listening pretty close to what is being said so I can translate it all in my head. I am worthless speaking any of it or writing it any more tho, but I can still understand most of the spoken word, I said most not all. So, my daughter explains to me that she will pay to have my toes done and take me to dinner at the place of my choice if I just do one favor for her. She wants me to listen to the women at the salon and see if they are talking bad about her or not. I agreed. I figure at this point, now sitting in the parking lot at the strip mall in front of the salon, that this will be pointless and fruitless, but I will have my toes done for the first time ever and get dinner at Olive Garden. So, it was a win win situation for me, I have nothing to lose in this entire arrangement.
We head inside, take our seat as instructed, and wait our turn since they were remarkably busy in my opinion. There were some 18 stations/chairs and at least two women working at each station. If nothing else, if all else fails, I will end up with the munchies because I can feel myself becoming lightheaded, not unlike being a little high, not that I know anything about that of course. Glad we will be going to eat. While we waited my daughter wandered around the salon looking for the perfect shade of red, she reported to me that there was like 90 shades of red and it was very hard to decide. Hey, I know, let me pick the color, which is more like playing Russian Roulette since I would have to read the bottle. She didn't like the joke and continued on her quest to find the perfect red. So, no fun for me, this time. Finally, we are instructed to follow the woman that will be servicing one of us. Lucky me, she is speaking Korean and I can understand 80% of what she is saying to the other woman.

As soon as I was seated she was explaining to me to sit back, relax, and use the vibrating massage chair at my leisure. Ok, now I know why women come here. I can see how women like sitting in these chairs, the vibrations and massaging balls hit ALL the right spots. That's right ladies, I know the secret now, I have infiltrated, observed, and concluded. Y'all are very naughty, here I thought this was going to be an innocent experience. No wonder they charge so much. They know they are hitting all the right spots which turn y'all to jelly and they keep hearing yes, yes, yes, since y'all have a hard time keeping it all under wraps. Ok, enough with the analysis, back to why I am here. Other than the chair being nice, the woman handling my feet is pretty rough. Now, being a diabetic, I take excellent care of my feet. I keep them lotioned, I keep my nails trimmed just at the right length so I don't get in-grown toenails, and so forth. Plus, I never knew I was so ticklish, someone should have warned me, I am a pedicure virgin here. Which reminds me. As the woman began the soaking process of my feet she was going on and on about how big my feet were and they didn't exactly fit in the little tub the right way. My daughter immediately started giving me the "look" for me to tell her what the woman had said. Following etiquette of the other ladies at the salon, I pulled out my cell phone and began texting my daughter, who I remind you was sitting right next to me. It was kind of awkward for me, I am used to talking to those who are in my immediate vicinity.

So, we are laid back, relaxed, and suprisingly this salon is noisy as hell. I was trying to pay attention to three diiferent conversations to see if I could relate anything being said to either one of us, or towards others in the chair as well. I watched the woman go after these lady's feet with grand furver, it reminded me of a farrier who must use brute force to contort and hold the foot he is about to shoe. Those nail clippers, similar to the one I own, are chopping away, toenails flying everywhere, I was kind of worried that I might get an eye taken out or something. As I said, I take care of my feet very well, I have heard way too many horror stories. In the end, I got lotioned, she did push all my cuticles back and applied the antibiotic gel which stops the bleading and keeps one from getting infected. She really had nothing to do, she looked like she was struggling a bit because my feet being well off and thrown her way off. So, in Korean, she begins commenting to the other woman at my daughter's feet about how I didnt need to be here because nothing was being done. Then there was quite a bit of jibberish about how this was a nice break for her. Then the woman at my daughter's feet began talking about how short my daughter is and how tall I am. She was talking about how large my feet were compared to my daughter's feet, but her's were dry and crack and mine were pretty. I was kinda grinning listening, I get the nudge from my daughter so I began texting her. Before long I was done, my woman had nothing to do, so she dry my feet and slid my shoes back onto my feet for me. However, she decided to stay and "help" the woman with my daughter. The talked about how she must be spoiled because she is in here every 2-3 weeks and always spends alot of money. They chit chatted back and forth while they painted on the perfect shade of red. There was nothing special being said, just frivalous talk about weekend plans, about their kids, and how the one woman needs to make an appointment for her back pains.

We are all set now, they slide on my daughter's flip flops and stick her under the dryer. I was told, kind of rudely I might add, to get out of my chair and go sit at the front of the salon to wait for my daughter. It was in her tone that it was rude in my opinion. Who knows, it was probably just me, I don't like being bossed around or rushed when I am doing the paying. Soon enough my daughter emerges to the front. She pulled out her wallet and presented a hundred dollar bill to the cashier. She rang us up, gave my daughter the change and reciept, and then pointed us towards the door. My daughter went to both of our woman and gave them their tips. I had told my daughter to tell them both "Komawoyo", which is thank you in Korean. I thought they were both going to pass out. Quietly one turned to the other and told her my daughter spoke Korean and they both began to blush a bit. Then they let her have it, my daughter had no clue what they were saying so I approached to help out. I told them, in English, they should be careful when talking in the native tongue because they never know who may understand them. For reference, I told her thank you for saying I had pretty feet and I really didn't think my daughter was spoiled since she spends the money she earns. Almost instantly both woman got up, turned, and headed into the back room. I have found, with past experiences, this tactic works better when I speak to them in their native tongue, but my spoken Korean is all but broken to the extent I have no real clue as to what I am saying anyway. Better to just tell them I understood and move on.

After we got home my daughter explained everything to my wife. It was funny to watch, those two gossiping to the extent it began sounding like two old hens in the yard just chewing the fat. My wife told my daughter that I was always full of surprises. Which she knows, since we spend allot of time people watching when we are out and about. I suppose the moral to this entire story is that you never know if the person beside you understands what is being said. I have found that people use their native tongue to speak bad about others when needed. I work with many bi-lingual people, Spanish speaking people, and when I am around I hear what they say and understand most of it. One day I will pop off and explain something to them when the moment arrises. But the, my work kids aren't really worth my effort other then messing with their heads a bit.

You May Like these too:



  1. Best Financial Advisor in your Area
  2. Where to Find Best DJ Services?
  3. Beautician Services near You.
  4. Where to get Travel Tickets in Cheap cost?
  5. True Astrology Services!

Beer Flavored Ice Cream

Frozen Pints


Being a bartender at heart doesn't mean that I am a big drinker. For me, however, I like to use alcohol in different ways, like cooking. But, I still enjoy mixing, creating, and conjuring up new drinks in terms of being experimental, that will never change I am afraid. In the spirit of looking for new creations I was on-line looking to find out how to make the perfect beer ice cream float. You know, I was looking for what kind of beer yields the best results. Which for me is all new information since I do not drink beer, I only cook with it. So, this whole quest started out as an inquiry from friends of mine who thought just because I was a bartender that I automatically knew how to make a beer ice cream floats. I did find what I was looking for in the end. However, as y'all can see by the title of this post that this isn't about beer ice cream floats, I will leave that for another day. Today, however, we will be discussing what I found that side-tracked me. I live in my own little world and was not aware that there was such a thing as beer flavored ice cream. This began to intrigue me since I dabble in making home made ice cream when the need arises, which is only about 3-4 times a year. I will share a web site called Yummly which has proven to be very useful in my quest to satisfy my new needs for something just different enough to make sense.


While I am on that topic, I would like to mention what doesn't make sense in the form of the type of conflict of interests and concerns sales of a multitude of different brands which sell their beer flavored ice cream in the United States. Feel free to correct me if needed, but the information I have found about the sale of beer flavored ice cream in the United States is pretty limited to put it mildly. I know for me personally I have never seen a television commercial for beer flavored ice cream, nor have I ever seen any advertisements in magazines or newsprint, nor have I ever heard about it on the talk radio stations or the more mainstraem radio stations. I don't lead a sheltered life by any means, but I also don't follow the craft beer industry either. If you take the example I have used, Frozen Pints, I have found, according to their web site, that pretty much the only place to get ahold of their beer flavored ice cream is at select places in Atlanta Georgia. There is a whole slew of places that offer it to the general public, most of which are bars, pubs, liquer stores (package stores), and a few resturants. My search is real limited in the Houston Texas area, but then again I only made this discovery yesterday, so I will search it out because I want to try theirs versus the ones I attempt to make myself. I know, I have allot of spare time on my hands and all I can think to do with it is to find new ways to make my own life interesting. But don't worry, because I am not, I am very sure that I will have people lining up to try my concoctions. 

I mentioned above that I found in certain areas there is quite an uproar about beer flavored ice cream being available to "underage" people. I will let y'all do some internet searches and see what you come up yourselves. Why bring it up then? It is simple, because I would like for y'all to form your own opinions based on your findings. From what I have seen, a person has to be of legal age per the state of residence to purchase it. The question that arrises in my mind is how do you stop a minor from getting anything it wants to get it's hands on? We can't. We can't be with our children 24/7/365 and that is a proven fact. We end up have little control of their influences outside the realm of our own households. I can guarentee when I make my ice cream flavored beer that my 11 y/o son and my 17 y/o daughter will eventually get a taste, with or without my personal consent. Do I want them to seek it out on their own? Absolutely not. However, the "exploritory laws" present in my house are pretty lax. Meaning that I try to expose my children to things at home so when they are out and about in the world without us that there isn't so much shock and awe. My children are not sheltered from much since we are open to discussions and questions of all sorts at home. I would rather talk to them about the things they have questions about so I might help them get the right answers instead of having to depend on friends gossip or even worse, the internet. Because we all know they can't put anything on the internet that isn't true......wink....wink.

So, I guess I will leave it all right there. If y'all are so inclined might I suggest y'all seek out beer flavored ice cream in you local areas. I know I have friends from the great state of Georgia who can hook me up....hint....hint. I am sure that I have overlooked allot of information and so forth, I assure y'all it wasn't intentional. The links provided in this particular post belong to the respective owners and I only provided them as helpful examples. In no way am I being paid to post their links. I borrowed the picture from the website listed below it and I in no way claim ownership of it. Therefore, what I am trying to say is that I am borrowing the information, the links, and the picture for the 6ec0 sole purpose of illustration for this single post.
You May Like these too:



  1. Best Financial Advisor in your Area
  2. Where to Find Best DJ Services?
  3. Beautician Services near You.
  4. Where to get Travel Tickets in Cheap cost?
  5. True Astrology Services!

Diablo Scorpion Chili

I don’t know the exact Scoville heat factor for my chili. I know it’s freaking hot. This, ironically, is how the name Diablo Scorpion came about. It burns like hell going in and has a pretty wicked sting coming out as well. Why people like it is beyond me, but they do. I make chili year round, at least once a month, if not more because of the holidays. It’s my wife’s favorite dish that I make. She would eat it all the time if I would make it. These days, I have become smarter. I make roughly 3 gallons of chili at a time. She has a meal of it the first day, we keep out another meals worth in the fridge, and then I freeze the rest in two serving size bowls for her to pull out and heat up at her leisure. I have been making this version of my chili for about 25 years. I make others, inspired in part where I have lived in the past and the flavor influences of that region of the world.

So, what makes it hot? The ingredients, the slow simmering of the flavors, and the fact (my opinion) that I grow most of my ingredients and I have my own chili powder blend that I have mastered over the years. I will pass on the chili powder mix when I am unable to cook someday. The rest I am going to give to you as my way of giving back to so many people that have helped me over the years with great dish and meal ideas. It’s funny, I enter quite a few chili cook offs here locally in the Houston area. I have won a few over the years, but not all. I do get quite a few placements just for heat. The heat will numb your teeth, gums, tongue, inside of your mouth, and your throat within the first two bites, and then you can enjoy the flavor. So, if you don’t mind sweating while you eat, this is the perfect chili for you. I must give one absolute warning that always must be adhered to. Never, under any circumstances, get this chili in, near, or around your eyes because it has about the same effect as U.S. Military Grade Pepper Spray. As a personal warning, I do not recommend breathing, burping, farting, or any other expellation of gases in or around any open flame source.

So, you want to make my chili? First you will need the ingredients. As mentioned, almost everything I use is homegrown and fresh off the bush. Grown in my garden are Jalapeno Peppers, Serrano Peppers, Habanero Peppers, Tomatoes, Green Chiles, and Mushrooms. However, if you cannot provide fresh, I guess store bought or even canned/jarred will work also. Gives me the shudders just thinking that my chili would be made from a can. So, the ingredients list first, and then I will give instruction on preparation and cooking. This recipe is based on about a 3 gallon yield, so you might have to scale the portions if needed. For those of you who cook, there should be no problem.
Diablo Scorpion Chili

4 cup Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila
5 lbs Lean Ground Beef
2 cup Jalapeno Peppers, sliced and chopped
2 cup Serrano Peppers, sliced and chopped
½ cup Ghost Peppers, chopped finely
½ cup Habanero Peppers, chopped finely
2 cup Green Chile Peppers, chopped finely
2 cup Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 cup Black Olives, sliced (optional)
2 cup Green Olives, sliced (optional)
3 can Red Kidney Beans (optional)
6 lrg Tomatoes diced to preference
¼ cup Tabasco Sauce (pick your own flavor, I use the Original)
¼ cup Salt
¼ cup Pepper (I use white ground)
3 cup Chili dry mix (my secret, see below for alternate dry ingredients that will be substituted)
5 pkg Chili Mix (found in the store with the gravy)
1 tbs Onion Powder (or Onion Salt)
1 tbs Garlic Powder (or Garlic Salt) 1 tbs Lemon and Herb mix spice
½ cup Chili Powder
½ cup Granulated Sugar (optional) (see note)
8 cup Water (tap or bottled, your choice) (add or decrease based on thickness desired.)
Note: You can add about 1/2 cup of sugar also, if you want, it helps take off some of the edge without messing up the flavor or making it sweet.

Preparations:

Chop/ slice/ dice everything that needs to have it done, be sure to keep all juices, seeds, and skins with it. Drain and rinse beans.

Brown ground beef, add in 2 cups of tequila, jalapeno peppers, Serrano peppers, Habanero peppers, and chiles. When ground beef is browned, do not drain.

Add everything else including the other two cups of tequila Use the amount of water you wish to get your desired thickness. Chili mix will thicken some as it cooks and blends under heat. Bring the entire chili mixture to a boil, stirring lightly. Let boil ten minutes then turn down the heat, cover, and let it simmer to stew and meld all the ingredients (stirring on occassion) for 1 ½ to 2 hours for best flavor results.

And now you have Diablo Scorpion Chili, enjoy.

Is being an alcoholic a disability?

Did y'all know that being an alcoholic is a "disability" which is both covered and protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act? Included in this post will be, but not limited to, information, links, and my opinions on this little factoid. When did being an alcoholic become a disability? When did being an alcoholic become a disease? I have news for y'all, being an alcoholic is neither a disability or disease. For example, one can quit drinking, but one can not quit having MS or CF. I found that reading at the Americans with Disabilities Act website that the definitions of terms are very screwed up. In fact, I challenge y'all to to look up four words, for fun of course, and then review how they are applied in the Americans with Disabilities Act. The four words are Disability, Disease, Alcoholic, and Addiction. Meanwhile, let me continue. Consuming alcohol is a choice a person makes. Stopping the consumption of alcohol is as well a choice.
 
This seems to be a very blurred subject when it comes to employment, benifits, and a person living their life. Unfortunately, as we see everyday, we tend to pay for the mistakes made by people making bad choices. Alcoholism is an addiction, it is a choice, it is a matter of a person's will power, and that doesn't make it a disability or disease. Makes no sense to me that an alcolholic is considered sick, he/she is not sick, he/she has an addiction to alcohol. Let me give you an example taken from the ADA questions and answers page. Click the "ADA" for an entire list of questions and answers.
 
Q. Are alcoholics covered by the ADA?
A. Yes. While a current illegal user of drugs is not protected by the ADA if an employer acts on the basis of such use,a person who currently uses alcohol is not automatically denied protection. An alcoholic is a person with a disability and is protected by the ADA if s/he is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job. An employer may be required to provide an accommodation to an alcoholic. However,an employer can discipline,discharge or deny employment to an alcoholic whose use of alcohol adversely affects job performance or conduct. An employer also may prohibit the use of alcohol in the workplace and can require that employees not be under the influence of alcohol.

I tend to look at the choices we make in life as being similar to choices we would make while playing a game of chess. Each move in chess is a choice, each choice has a consequence, and in turn each time we make a choice, good or bad, we have determined what the outcome will be in advance. The non-chess players are now scratching their head. Just in case one or all of y'all are curious to what brought this up with me today, let me take a minute to explain. I was listening to the radio and one of the commercials boasted information in reference to lawsuits based on the discrimination of alcoholics in the workplace, either being hired or grounds for dismissal. The advertisement went on to explain it was in violation of the ADA and that lawfirm was there to help. Needless to say, it pissed me off just a tad. It pissed me off enough to do some research on my own.

In case you are wondering, yes I do have family members and friends who are "classified" as alcoholics. I have had the exact same conversation with them as well, I have explained to them they do not have a disease, they have an addiction. I can't say much about a person's addictions, I have my own since I make the choice every day to light just one more cigarette. Maybe they should make smoking a "disease" and then I wont have to go out in the rain to smoke. Seriously. Speaking of which, I am being very serious here, I am not making light of someone being an alcoholic. Trust me when I say I fought my own demons of self control not too many years ago. I used to be a heavy drinker, even could be considered an alcoholic, and one day I made a choice. My choice? My choice was to stop drinking. Why? Because I was tired of waking up sick every morning. I was tired of throwing money into the bottle. I was done. Hence, I wanted to quit. Therefore, I made the choice to quit and uphold my decision. Yes I know, what happens with one person is not the blanket answer to everyone's problems. But, I do know, that making the choice to stop drinking is still just that, its a choice.

Bigfoot, God, and Ghosts

Bigfoot, God, and Ghosts share one common factor that nobody can deny, they truly are, in all basics, just myths. I can hear it already, ringing in my ears, questioning me where I can get off making such a statement. So, I will give y'all my answer in advance this time and it is this, prove me wrong. I don't usually like bogging down my blog with my own personal opinion of God but I found myself having a particular conversation with a neighbor of mine this weekend. I will say, based on my own observations, that he is very self-immersed in being a devout believer in God. How do I know? Fair question with no real answer. I listen to the topics he discusses since, being neighbors, we do talk more frequently than what I actually like. Now, this entire conversation began this past Sunday when my neighbor payed a visit to me in my shop un-announced. Meaning, I was in my shop sharpening the chain off my chainsaw and when I looked up he was standing there. Why this is strange? From my front gate to the door of my shop is 3/4 of a mile or so. So, yes, his presence shocked me, greatly. Not because he was standing in front of me exactly, but because I know he didn't come from the front gate since I didn't get a text informing me the gate had been opened, which is part of the alarm. No, he had to have come from the back of my property that has no fence, which opens up the the creek back there. He tells me he saw the doors open so he figured I was out here.
 
Ah, yes, now we get into why he stands before me. He wants me to help him pull a stump out of his yard later, after he returns from church, since I have a tractor and his wife wont let him have one. Now, I don't mind helping him, that is not what this about at all. I like that people know I know how to do things the right way, plus, this will give me an opportunity to try out the new steering knuckles I replaced a few weeks ago. He made a comment which bugged me before he left though, he said he knew I wouldn't be busy with church or anything since I don't believe in God. It isn't that it is an incorrect statement about my belief in God, its the fact that he felt the need to use that as a reason for my availability later. I don't know, just struck a chord with me that I couldn't shake. It hasn't made me mad or anything, just made me wonder why he would put it like that. As I got back to work grinding the teeth on chain saw I found myself thinking about the most bizarre things ever. There are many things I don't believe in. The top three are Bigfoot, Ghosts, and God. My reason is simple. Put the proof in my hand. Your answer is pretty simple as well, you can't. All three share many likenesses in their own special ways. Bigfoot, a North American great ape which many claim to see and hear, but can never produce a body or evidence that science can't explain. Ghosts get the same, people see them but they can never prove it. The there is God, again, something people believe in yet can't prove his existence. Now, in defense of all three, the can't be disproven either. All three remain a mystery to mankind. Unless, of course, you find yourself believing in ghost stories, fairytales, and legends. Oh, don't get me wrong, I do look forward to an actual discovery one day of one, two, or all three. Wouldn't it be a great day to finally have mankind fall straight on his ass with overwhelming evidence? But, until then, they are all just myths and/or legends, end of discussion.
 
Finished, and now bored, I didn't feel like waiting for my neighbor to return. I have a nap to take later and his schedule just might jack that all up. I loaded up the chains into the bucket of the tractor and set off. Since I knew where the stump was I set up for the pull. He had done most of the grunt work digging out around the stump so all I had to do is drop the chains and rock and roll. It came out like pulling a nipple from a babies lips, pop and it was out. I dragged it over to my burn pit and dropped it off. I scooped up a load of dirt and returned to his yard, dumped it out and leveled it, then returned home. Shortly afterwards I went in to the house, got undressed, and showered. I decided at that point, it was nap time. I was woke up by my daughter, who let me know it was dinner time and my presence was required. We ate, talked, played a few games of Farkle, and everyone part ways to do their own thing. My wife and I sat on the couch and watched a movie. Eventually we headed off to bed.
 
I never heard back from my neighbor that afternoon. I just figured he had seen what I did and just decided to leave it alone. Wrong. While I was driving to work this morning he called me to apologize for getting tied up yesterday and not letting me know what was going on. Before I could get a single word in he was asking if we could go ahead and get it done this afternoon. Um, sure, whatever you say. Which is screwed up because that means he has no clue that it is already done. Oh well, perhaps he will figure it all out before he wastes his time walking over to get me later. Funny how people are too busy in their own lives to realize even the simplest of things. I meant what I said with all honesty you know, about finding Bigfoot, Ghosts, and God, I do hope they find at least one of them in my lifetime. Until then, I will just live my life one day at a time, hopefully disappointment free.
 
*********** Story Update ***********
 
It would appear that somewhere during the day my neighbor realizued that something happened in his yard and chose to investigate it further. How do I know this? When I got home I did my normal routine and went into the kitchen to put up my lunchbox. There stood my wife pointing to a bottle of Crown Royal. When I questioned what the occassion was, she informed me that it was from my neighbor. He had explained to her he felt bad that he missed his arranged job with me and thought he would leave a bottle of Crown Royal as payment for my selfless services. What could I do? I just smiled and looked for a glass. I spoke with him later in the evening and thanked him for the gift. He was very apologetic and said he knew I liked Crown Royal and it seemed to be a way to thank me and pay me at the same time. I appreciate the gesture but I wasn't looking to get paid. Funny thing is that eventhough I assured him, repeatedly, that there were no hard feelings, he kept apologizing. So, in the end, I guess everything worked out just fine. I got to try out the improvements I had been making to the old Beast tractor, he got a stump pulled, and I get to have a nice bon-fire during the chilly nights while enjoying some Crown Royal and roasting marshmellows.

Twisted X Boots

Twisted X Boots Website


I spend allot of time giving hell to places I don't like or brands I don't like. This is not one of those times. This is a time where I will praise the brand Twisted X Boots because this brand has never let me down. Over the years I have had a couple of pairs of Twisted X boots. I don't find myself having to buy them too often since they last such a long time. I, for one, am very hard on boots and shoes in general. The last pair of shoes I purchased was a Twisted X brand shoe. Yes, a shoe and not a boot.
 
 
These here are Twisted X Boots Men's Driving Mocs Slip On. I know, such a long name. But, if I am going to take the time to brag on something I want y'all to know what it is specifically. This all came about quite by accident since I was shopping for shoes in the first place. We were actually at Baskins Western Wear shopping for jeans for my son. While he was trying on jeans I wandered over to the boots and shoes to see what they had to offer. I saw these and knew I had to have them. I was very surprised, they had one pair size 15 just begging me to try them on. So, I did. I have to admit, I don't ever buy slip on shoes, but I did buy this pair. I have to say that I am very impressed. I see myself getting allot of time out of these shoes. Without sounding like any kind of shoe diva I will say that I have found "THE" pair of shoes just for me. Period. Oh, since I mentioned it, Baskins is the ONLY place I can find blue jeans in my size and my sons' size as well. That is why we shop there. That is why they get a mention and a link to there store. Yes, my son did find jeans that day, they were even on sale just like my shoes.
 
 I guess that will be all. But, if you are looking for an absolutely bad ass shoe that is so comfortable you would swear you are wearing slippers, then this Driving Moc is perfect for you. And, yes, it does come in women's sizes as well. Check out the web sites and see what you can find, you won't be disappointed. So, go, we are done here. What are you waiting for? Go!
 

Still McHating It!

It has been a while since I have had to write about my absolute disgust and hate for any food that comes from my least favorite food chain on the planet. Believe me, I have been around this planet more than a few times in my life time. During such adventures I have had the opportunity to sample many foods from many establishments in many countries. Over the years I have found myself entering McDonalds for a quick meal because of the lack of options offered. Each time I ever made that mistake I was filled with disappointment and usually had to force myself to puke the vile garbage out of my system. I will give McDonalds one thing, these serve consistently crappy food worldwide. I really don't know how people do it. Frankly, I don't know why people want to go there in the first place.
So, some of y'all are probably wondering what I am writing or ranting about today. Very good question. I have, in my opinion, a very good answer. It all started yesterday after I got home from my doctor's appt. I was tired, wore out, and sore, so I did not want to cook, eat, or go anywhere. My wife made the command decision to take herself and the children out for something. Great idea. They were gone for about 25 minutes before they returned. I knew right when the front door opened that the had returned with crap from McDonalds. The smell made me sick to my stomach. I went to my shop and stayed there for a few hours. Yes, literally, the vile, putrid smell of that garbage brought chunks to my lips, and I have a very strong stomach. I found things to do to occupy the time. I found it to be a good time to clean up and get ready to start something new.

By the time I went back into the house my wife had taken out the fast food trash to the trash bin to get it out. She was also nice and lit a few candles that do a good job of masking foul smells. We talked a bit about her dinner choice. I explained I don't really care if the eat food from there, but please eat it there or go have a picnic somewhere. She agreed never to bring it in the house ever again. When it is all said and done I kinda feel bad because I am letting the way I feel about a particular place impact my family. At the same time, I also feel if they just considered what they were actually consuming that they too would be able to see the light. I know, I know, it is a very popular fast food chain and since it is so popular most people overlook that the food really isn't actually all that great. I can't speak for others and their taste buds so I don't know what they see in the food. I know one simple thing, I am still McHating it!