Peace.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
In California
Got in last night at 1:16am. Looong drive. My computer is still broke. Tori's sister Kortney is taking a cake baking class-- I am reaping the benefits. Anyways, we'll upload the pictures and videos later.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Things That Make Me Puke
From bamainbetween.blogspot.com, I bring to all of you, the most disturbing quote of the week (and it's only Monday) :
"Jessica Simpson might have a right to wear what she wants, but she doesn't have a right to eat what she wants – eating meat is about suffering and death. Some people feel like they are standing up against a tide of political correctness when they make a statement like this – what she is really doing is standing up for the status quo." (Alistair Currie, PETA spokewoman)
Jessica Simpson was wearing a shirt that said "Real girls eat meat," by the way. It wasn't "real girls eat dead babies," or "real girls eat bald eagles." It was just straight up, grade-a meat. PETA
The UN climate change committee also decreased in intelligence, which I didn't think possible. They said that in order to combat global warming, everyone should go vegetarian.
I'm not sure what's worse, this, or presidential nominee Barack Obama saying that we can't drive SUVs, eat the food we want, or heat our homes when he's president.
Remember how America is suppose to be the land of the free?
"Jessica Simpson might have a right to wear what she wants, but she doesn't have a right to eat what she wants – eating meat is about suffering and death. Some people feel like they are standing up against a tide of political correctness when they make a statement like this – what she is really doing is standing up for the status quo." (Alistair Currie, PETA spokewoman)
Jessica Simpson was wearing a shirt that said "Real girls eat meat," by the way. It wasn't "real girls eat dead babies," or "real girls eat bald eagles." It was just straight up, grade-a meat. PETA
The UN climate change committee also decreased in intelligence, which I didn't think possible. They said that in order to combat global warming, everyone should go vegetarian.
I'm not sure what's worse, this, or presidential nominee Barack Obama saying that we can't drive SUVs, eat the food we want, or heat our homes when he's president.
Remember how America is suppose to be the land of the free?
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Road Trip to the Future
So, I'm leaving on July 7 to go play in California. I am not completely sure what I'll end up doing down there, but my goal is to become rich and famous. Right now, reality tv shows are hot. My good friend Tori and I have decided to make a reality show out of our simple quest. I'm not saying we'll be on any cable networks in the next few months or anything, but we will certainly be taking over YouTube. Also, our funding is nil at the moment, and we are not opposed to including advertising in our adventures. If you are a large corporation, LP, LLC, LLP, or sole proprieter, please feel free to contact me at cmtrost@gmail.com to make a lucrative donation to our cause. You won't regret it.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Ugggh!
I'm having computer issues. This deeply saddens me, because I love my mac, yet I'm really flustered with it right now. Especially because I don't even know what's wrong with it.
So, no posting for me for a couple days.
So, no posting for me for a couple days.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Freedom vs. Equality
I’ve recently come to the real reason for hatred between conservatives and liberals. The arguments about big government, taxes, illegal immigration, affirmative action, healthcare, privatization, social programs, etc., all stem from internal beliefs regarding freedom and equality. Conservatives would rather have freedom, while liberals would rather have equality. Obviously, governments get in the way of freedom, but can be strong agents in trying to bring about equality.
Freedom hinges on: capitalism/free markets, democracy, innovation, peace, wealth, discrimination based on merits, inequality. Means: hard work. Ends: attainable.
How much does freedom create inequality?
Inequality has always existed. It will always exist. There have always been haves and have nots. Some people are smarter than others. Some are stronger than others. Some people are blind, and others are deaf. The government tries to fight these 'gross inequalities' by throwing money at problems that can't be solved.
Equality hinges on: socialism, communism, fascism, discrimination based on race and gender, and ideas. Means: infringe on freedom. Ends: unattainable. (Did I just give equality unequal treatment?)
How much does equality suffocate freedom?
Example: government-sponsored healthcare. Government says they will provide healthcare for all. Everyone gets equally crappy healthcare. Though the rich can afford to pay for better healthcare, they are not allowed to pursue such care because well, that would be unfair for the poor people if the rich could, you know, spend their money.
Why can’t we still work towards equality?
I’ll let John Adams do the talking here:
“Are the citizens to be all of the same age, sex, size, strength, stature, activity, courage, hardiness, industry, patience, ingenuity, wealth, knowledge, fame, wit, temperance, constancy, and wisdom? Was there, or will there ever be, a nation, whose individuals were all equal, in natural and acquired qualities, in virtues, talents, and riches? The answer of all mankind must be in the negative. It must then be acknowledged, that in every state...there are inequalities which God and nature have planted there, and which no human legislator ever can eradicate.”
And here’s a scary thought: What if we let our freedoms go, and the government really did achieve stable, financial freedom for all. What would they equalize next? Do you think they would really stop with money? What would they do to people who are stronger, or taller, or prettier? Am I going to far? Is this a slippery slope idea that would never happen? I’m not speculating or anything, but I remember there was one this guy named Adolf who came pretty close to killing everyone that wasn’t like him.
Is there a happy medium?
Yeah. The government needs to give everyone equal opportunity to succeed or fail. The government needs to intervene equally in everyone life. People own the government; the governments don’t own the people. The government’s job is to be an administrator of justice, and should apply punishment to those citizens whose freedom infringes upon another citizen’s freedom.
That was my sarcastic, albeit true, response. Here's something to chew on: Maybe freedom can actually promote equality. Maybe the rich would benefit from giving to charity, helping the poor, or even throw money at eradicating disease. No one told Bill Gates that he had to start up the Gates Foundation. Maybe if people had more money, they would spend more money. And maybe some of that spending would go towards creating a 'more equal' world without forcing the government to force the people to be less free. But that's just me assuming that people have good intentions and generally like to be happy.
But the Constitution says we are all equal!!!
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…
John Adams, who helped to write the Constitution, says this:
That all men are born to equal rights is clear. Every being has a right to his own, as clear, as moral, as sacred, as any other being has. This is as indubitable as a moral government in the universe. But to teach that all men are born with equal powers and faculties, to equal influence in society, to equal property and advantages through life, is as gross a fraud, as glaring an imposition on the credulity of the people, as ever was practiced by monks, by Druids, by Brahmins, by priests of the immortal Lama, or by the self-styled philosophers of the French revolution. For honor's sake ... for truth and virtue's sake, let American philosophers and politicians despise it.
1. Freedom is more attainable than equality.
2. Freedom does more to promote equality than equality does to promote freedom.
3. Our nation is built on freedom and justice.
4. Pursue your happiness, don't wait for the government to give it to you.
Freedom hinges on: capitalism/free markets, democracy, innovation, peace, wealth, discrimination based on merits, inequality. Means: hard work. Ends: attainable.
How much does freedom create inequality?
Inequality has always existed. It will always exist. There have always been haves and have nots. Some people are smarter than others. Some are stronger than others. Some people are blind, and others are deaf. The government tries to fight these 'gross inequalities' by throwing money at problems that can't be solved.
Equality hinges on: socialism, communism, fascism, discrimination based on race and gender, and ideas. Means: infringe on freedom. Ends: unattainable. (Did I just give equality unequal treatment?)
How much does equality suffocate freedom?
Example: government-sponsored healthcare. Government says they will provide healthcare for all. Everyone gets equally crappy healthcare. Though the rich can afford to pay for better healthcare, they are not allowed to pursue such care because well, that would be unfair for the poor people if the rich could, you know, spend their money.
Why can’t we still work towards equality?
I’ll let John Adams do the talking here:
“Are the citizens to be all of the same age, sex, size, strength, stature, activity, courage, hardiness, industry, patience, ingenuity, wealth, knowledge, fame, wit, temperance, constancy, and wisdom? Was there, or will there ever be, a nation, whose individuals were all equal, in natural and acquired qualities, in virtues, talents, and riches? The answer of all mankind must be in the negative. It must then be acknowledged, that in every state...there are inequalities which God and nature have planted there, and which no human legislator ever can eradicate.”
And here’s a scary thought: What if we let our freedoms go, and the government really did achieve stable, financial freedom for all. What would they equalize next? Do you think they would really stop with money? What would they do to people who are stronger, or taller, or prettier? Am I going to far? Is this a slippery slope idea that would never happen? I’m not speculating or anything, but I remember there was one this guy named Adolf who came pretty close to killing everyone that wasn’t like him.
Is there a happy medium?
Yeah. The government needs to give everyone equal opportunity to succeed or fail. The government needs to intervene equally in everyone life. People own the government; the governments don’t own the people. The government’s job is to be an administrator of justice, and should apply punishment to those citizens whose freedom infringes upon another citizen’s freedom.
That was my sarcastic, albeit true, response. Here's something to chew on: Maybe freedom can actually promote equality. Maybe the rich would benefit from giving to charity, helping the poor, or even throw money at eradicating disease. No one told Bill Gates that he had to start up the Gates Foundation. Maybe if people had more money, they would spend more money. And maybe some of that spending would go towards creating a 'more equal' world without forcing the government to force the people to be less free. But that's just me assuming that people have good intentions and generally like to be happy.
But the Constitution says we are all equal!!!
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…
John Adams, who helped to write the Constitution, says this:
That all men are born to equal rights is clear. Every being has a right to his own, as clear, as moral, as sacred, as any other being has. This is as indubitable as a moral government in the universe. But to teach that all men are born with equal powers and faculties, to equal influence in society, to equal property and advantages through life, is as gross a fraud, as glaring an imposition on the credulity of the people, as ever was practiced by monks, by Druids, by Brahmins, by priests of the immortal Lama, or by the self-styled philosophers of the French revolution. For honor's sake ... for truth and virtue's sake, let American philosophers and politicians despise it.
1. Freedom is more attainable than equality.
2. Freedom does more to promote equality than equality does to promote freedom.
3. Our nation is built on freedom and justice.
4. Pursue your happiness, don't wait for the government to give it to you.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Things That Matter
As you all may or may not know, things are changing for me. In the past 6 months, I've graduated from the UW, held dodwn 2 jobs and took 37 credits of post-bach paralegal courses. I've been to Iowa and back, gone on a lot of dates with a lot of awesome guys, and I temporarily moved back in with my parents. 2 of my friends have left on missions, and almost 2 are returning. I got my car broken into right before finals week, and I'm coordinating my move down to California on July 7.
I will admit, I have not been doing the things I know I should be doing consistently, and I have definitely engaged in activities that I know are never acceptable. However, that doesn't disqualify me from being able to think reasonably. Today, I was thinking about things in life that really, honestly, matter.
I don't think anyone will dispute that family matters. Family matters the most. The stability (such a vague term..) and happiness of your family should be everyone's number one concern. Hand in hand with this is religious beliefs. Whatever religion is yours, make sure that you practice it consistently, and that it 1- brings you closer to God, and 2-brings your family closer together.
Family is a given. I want to address everything else that matters. I used to think that only family and religion mattered. I have come to realize that families are enriched by experiences that happen both within the family and outside the family. Surely, people are not influenced by only their family and church. Some of these influences include friends and education. This is what I'd like to address.
Somewhere, at some point in time, someone or something made me think that friends were dispensible because they weren't completely dependable. Friends come and go, so why put a lot of effort into building friendships? Just have a couple good friends that you can count on--that's all I could expect out of them.
That is completely false life-doctrine! Friends rock! I have had so many awesome friends, I don't know why I ever thought that they didn't matter in life. As far as i am concerned, my happiness outside the family is contingent upon how many rich relationships I have with my friends. And I am so very thankful for every friend that I have, no matter what the relationship is.
Another thing that really matters in life is education. But I'm not talking degrees, or certificates, awards, honors, or academic prestige. I'm talking about real learning experiences. I think everyone should go to college. I don't care what college it is, pick one and go to it. It doesn't even matter too much if you get a degree, or what degree you get. Just have the experience of meeting new friends, doing things you can only do at a school, networking, et cetera. Have the experience of getting an A. Have the experience of getting an F. And if you do manage to graduate, realize that your degree basically means nothing. Having BA, BS, MA, MS, JD or PhD on your diploma will not get you a job. YOU will get yourself a job because of what you have chosen to do with your life, both inside and outside of school. Sure, these initials are important, but they are only important because a lot of people have gone out of their way to stand up and make it important. Go out of your way and prove that you are worth something, even without the intitials. School may not be for you, but education and experience is.
One last thing on my short list of things that matter is belief. I like politics because it categorizes everything that's wrong with the world. I am conservative because I believe freedom is greater than equality, unlike liberals who believe opposite. Both liberals and conservatives need to viciously defend what they believe in, or else good ideas will cease to exist. Going along with this, my friend Isaac sent me a quote by John Stuart Mill:
"The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
So whatever you believe regarding anything like politics, religion, pudding, food, tv shows...be passionate about it. Passion matters.
Recap: Things that matter-
Family, friends, education, passion.
I will admit, I have not been doing the things I know I should be doing consistently, and I have definitely engaged in activities that I know are never acceptable. However, that doesn't disqualify me from being able to think reasonably. Today, I was thinking about things in life that really, honestly, matter.
I don't think anyone will dispute that family matters. Family matters the most. The stability (such a vague term..) and happiness of your family should be everyone's number one concern. Hand in hand with this is religious beliefs. Whatever religion is yours, make sure that you practice it consistently, and that it 1- brings you closer to God, and 2-brings your family closer together.
Family is a given. I want to address everything else that matters. I used to think that only family and religion mattered. I have come to realize that families are enriched by experiences that happen both within the family and outside the family. Surely, people are not influenced by only their family and church. Some of these influences include friends and education. This is what I'd like to address.
Somewhere, at some point in time, someone or something made me think that friends were dispensible because they weren't completely dependable. Friends come and go, so why put a lot of effort into building friendships? Just have a couple good friends that you can count on--that's all I could expect out of them.
That is completely false life-doctrine! Friends rock! I have had so many awesome friends, I don't know why I ever thought that they didn't matter in life. As far as i am concerned, my happiness outside the family is contingent upon how many rich relationships I have with my friends. And I am so very thankful for every friend that I have, no matter what the relationship is.
Another thing that really matters in life is education. But I'm not talking degrees, or certificates, awards, honors, or academic prestige. I'm talking about real learning experiences. I think everyone should go to college. I don't care what college it is, pick one and go to it. It doesn't even matter too much if you get a degree, or what degree you get. Just have the experience of meeting new friends, doing things you can only do at a school, networking, et cetera. Have the experience of getting an A. Have the experience of getting an F. And if you do manage to graduate, realize that your degree basically means nothing. Having BA, BS, MA, MS, JD or PhD on your diploma will not get you a job. YOU will get yourself a job because of what you have chosen to do with your life, both inside and outside of school. Sure, these initials are important, but they are only important because a lot of people have gone out of their way to stand up and make it important. Go out of your way and prove that you are worth something, even without the intitials. School may not be for you, but education and experience is.
One last thing on my short list of things that matter is belief. I like politics because it categorizes everything that's wrong with the world. I am conservative because I believe freedom is greater than equality, unlike liberals who believe opposite. Both liberals and conservatives need to viciously defend what they believe in, or else good ideas will cease to exist. Going along with this, my friend Isaac sent me a quote by John Stuart Mill:
"The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
So whatever you believe regarding anything like politics, religion, pudding, food, tv shows...be passionate about it. Passion matters.
Recap: Things that matter-
Family, friends, education, passion.
Monday, June 9, 2008
An Open Letter
To the person who broke into my car:
1. I saw you, you were tall and dressed in black. Little do you know, my office is located directly above the parking lot and I have a clear view of my car.
2. You took my car charger and my ipod FM transmitter, but you failed to take my iPod. I just want to know if you were stopped by my picture of Jesus, staring at you; or, because you failed to check the center console.
3. I'm not worried about those things, or the fact that you shattered my window. I'm more curious as to why you decided to take my backpack, that was filled with boring paralegal text books like "Wills, Estate, and Probate", "Family Law" and "Legal Research and Writing." Is it really because you wanted to screw someone over during finals week? Really? No, seriously. Really?
4. I will give you two days to contact me and return my backpack and it's contents in it to me. Go through my file folder, you have my name, address and phone number. It's in the back pouch--I have my resume back there. Feel free to keep a copy.
5. I work for a defense attorney, and I'm all about justice and giving second chances. Two days, I think I'm being fair.
6. Also, the attending officer dusted my car for finger prints and we were able to track that down.
7. And really, out of all the days you had to break into my car in the last 5 months, you chose the day summer day that was the most windy and rainy. Do you not realize that I had to drive back to OAK HARBOR with torrential rain pouring down at a sideways angle into my broken window that was only covered with two trashbags and 3M duct tape? I don't think you meant to target me, but if you did, I applaud you. That was good.
8. They also installed cameras in the parking lot last week. The chances of you getting caught are extremely against your odds. Let's just be civil about this, I have a final exam on Thursday, and I'd like my bag back by then.
You were sitting right here at one point.
You know my name.
PS: This is what I do to people who piss me off:
1. I saw you, you were tall and dressed in black. Little do you know, my office is located directly above the parking lot and I have a clear view of my car.
2. You took my car charger and my ipod FM transmitter, but you failed to take my iPod. I just want to know if you were stopped by my picture of Jesus, staring at you; or, because you failed to check the center console.
3. I'm not worried about those things, or the fact that you shattered my window. I'm more curious as to why you decided to take my backpack, that was filled with boring paralegal text books like "Wills, Estate, and Probate", "Family Law" and "Legal Research and Writing." Is it really because you wanted to screw someone over during finals week? Really? No, seriously. Really?
4. I will give you two days to contact me and return my backpack and it's contents in it to me. Go through my file folder, you have my name, address and phone number. It's in the back pouch--I have my resume back there. Feel free to keep a copy.
5. I work for a defense attorney, and I'm all about justice and giving second chances. Two days, I think I'm being fair.
6. Also, the attending officer dusted my car for finger prints and we were able to track that down.
7. And really, out of all the days you had to break into my car in the last 5 months, you chose the day summer day that was the most windy and rainy. Do you not realize that I had to drive back to OAK HARBOR with torrential rain pouring down at a sideways angle into my broken window that was only covered with two trashbags and 3M duct tape? I don't think you meant to target me, but if you did, I applaud you. That was good.
8. They also installed cameras in the parking lot last week. The chances of you getting caught are extremely against your odds. Let's just be civil about this, I have a final exam on Thursday, and I'd like my bag back by then.
You were sitting right here at one point.You know my name.
PS: This is what I do to people who piss me off:
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