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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
[ Interim Obstacle Blogging - Type I]  I wanted to do a "Type II" entry (see explanation entry below) in response to the recent " Earth Week" events [ latest news], and the annoyance at seeing the supposed conservationists and environmentalists overlooking the elephant in the room. It was at least refreshing last night to find that the Audubon Society at least recognizes what the #1 cause of the issue they complain about is (though they instead choose to focus on a secondary cause of it). That will hopefully be my next entry, but for the moment, I want to do a "Type I" entry, related to the issues raised in my last post (and mentioned several times before, in blog entries, etc...). [Update (5/19/08): From my Internet Explorer HP Laptop AOL default home page today: What Foods will help you stay up? || Also see: Mood-Boosting FoodsAOL: How to get to sleep faster ("At-Home Sleep Remedies") Too much, too little sleep tied to ill health in CDC study, MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer [Note: Related to the issue I mentioned up above, the problem of URBAN SPRAWL has also been determined to be a cause of obesity.] [Update: Not to mention hypertension!]
posted by Aakash at 1:47 PM
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Interim Obstacle Blogging
Trying a new tacticI've expressed, numerous times before, how frustrating it is, having an ever-growing backlog of blog entries (partially composed as drafts, partially composed in class notebooks, office pads, Post-Its, Notepad f iles, e-mails to self, restaurant placemats, margins of whatever else, napkins, etc..., saved as IE shortcuts, as mental notes, etc...), but not having the free time, energy, stamina, focus, or whimsicality to fully complete and publish them - especially with so many other priorities that continually stream through my days (and nights).  "You should post them," is what a leading conservative blogger has said, as he and many others have commented about my lack of posting. It is even more frustrating to me than it is to others. One idea I had, to keep my blog updated, until [ if that point ever comes! ;-) ] the time when I can publish the entries I have planned, is to post shorter pieces, which will mostly be related to topics that I have to deal with, which are involved, or related to, obstacles that myself (and others) are facing. Who knows - this might even inspire myself [and some who still come across this weblog], to rise up, and overcome. These entries will be either: Type I: Related to issues and subjects that myself and others come across, implement, or otherwise deal with, in our daily lives. (like my first post... see below) I will try to make these at least somewhat uplifting, or helpful. Type II: Fisking or polemicizing about current people, events, perspectives, and topics that are wrong, or which are making me mad at the moment. ******** Interim Obstacle Blogging [Type I]
In one of the raise moments when I actually looked at the pull-down "Latest Headlines" feature, in my Firefox toolbar, an article caught my eye. I didn't shortcut-save that news article link to my Desktop (one tactic I mentioned above, for saving future blog entries) remembered that it was from the BBC, and a pro-caffeine piece. (I remember linking to a similarly-stanced at Matt Margolis' personal weblog... For someone like myself, it's always neat to see those types of news items.) A web search surprisingly provided multiple articles from that news source, which could fit the description. But the thing is, just from the first page of that hit result list, I can see that other b loggers have also liked this story [wow... a lot of them!] - Perhaps that means I should go ahead with my idea, to do this type of blogging (described above) - especially the Type I kind. A lot of bloggers think alike. BBC NEWS | Health | Daily caffeine 'protects brain'Along these lines, I recently started going to the local Starbucks (the actual restaurant, not in Barnes & Noble... though our Barnes & Noble one is just as good as - probably better that - the separate Starbucks establishments). I seem to keep forgetting the differences, between those types of 'adult beverages' [not the Ted Kennedy - or College Republicans - kind]... I mean, you have the "Cafe Mocha," the Cappuccino, the "Frappuccino," the "Cafe Latte," the Expresso, and whatever other drinks and variations that are available, with varying flavors, temperatures, etc... It helped that the lady the first two times I went (though not the third time, when I met with someone from church, to discuss a vital matter... which was probably good, because I didn't need the distraction) was so friendly - she even offered to make me an alternate beverage, if I did not like the one that I ordered. My first time, I saw a young man and woman there, who had a textbook, and seemed to be studying. I wondered if Starbucks has become the new place where students go, to meet up for group/individual studying, dialogue, reading, writing, and 'rithmetic.... When I was in high school, I used Barnes & Noble for that. I asked that couple this question, and they said they didn't see many other students at Starbucks. Perhaps I should go to Barnes & Noble then. (I certainly have more work to catch up on, than ever before... and I can't afford to have an office. Then again, if I want a place to go to work, why not use campus? Well, that now comes attached with many memories and emotions - and regrets - some of them painful... so perhaps Barnes & Noble would be best. Too bad they close at 10:00 PM.) When I brought this up with someone else, he said that he thinks some people use Panera now... I had gotten the same impression, last year, from UIS students. I think it may be because they decided to implement open-access wireless (WiFi). I am mentioning Starbucks, because around the same time I had the idea for this entry, I saw Starbucks being mentioned in the news. I think it has to do with a "new brew." From my experience, McDonald's has the best regular coffee, but perhaps I should give this a try. (I don't drink coffee regularly, especially not from restaurants - though I had to many times, at work last year - but perhaps I should start. It might be better than the Red Bull.)
posted by Aakash at 7:02 PM
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Update (3/30/08): I haven't done a good web search yet, for a compilation of Easter sermons from this year, but the one from my church is available here (along with all other Sunday sermons, by date). Here is the direct link to the Easter sermon's web page (for streaming audio), and here is the mp3 download link. Our main pastor is Eddie Lowen. Update update: I should have realized that SermonAudio.com was a good resource for this. I found a good page on that site, which listed this year's Easter sermons... I can't find that link right now, but here is a list of Easter sermons, ranked by popularity. And: I had meant to include this article I've found (via The American Cause's home page, and other sites) by the great Dr. Chuck Baldwin. "He is Risen"*****
* Also: Chris Bennett, mentioned in this entry, is currently running for Vice-President of the United States. When wanting to link to his regular weblog ("Blogging from the Black Side"), I found his 2008 campaign blog, among other related web pages.
Easter Sunday
Blogging Brainlock Breakthrough[Note: This is the second time I'm typing this, because my laptop (let = "Toshiba A") disappointedly shut off, a major problem that I've been dealing with since December, and which I may blog about later... in the context of my need for a new Notebook. I am now using my brother's old laptop (let="Toshiba Y").]I recently saved entry drafts below, about how I have totally dropped the ball on this weblog. Despite being backlogged and behind and burned out, I could have gotten guest bloggers, which I said I would do, and as I've done in prior years. There are so many entries that I myself would love to blog about... that backlog has still been growing longer and longer. As I participate in major experiences (political and otherwise), from Springfield, to northern Illinois, to Washington, D.C., and back, and as I observe events, issues, and curiosities in the news [some of which I've been indirectly or directly involved with personally], my inability to remark and polemicize about them becomes more and more frustrating. For today however, I know I have to post something. I have been making a little headway organizing and uncluttering things recently, but I was upset about missing the Good Friday services (both the campus CSF one, and the late-night one that may have been held at LaTrice's church, an event which I attended last year - earlier that evening, I had been at the Springfield Black Chamber of Commerce's Candidates Forum, for the important spring elections, which I had helped Chris Bennett* with. I made it a point therefore, to be at the morning service at my main church, and perhaps also stop by a later one, like at LaTrice's church. I failed, in all regards. I was intermittently awake and asleep today, and was plagued with horrible dreams... When I awoke the second time, the sun was going down, and in looking out the kitchen sink window, the first thing I noticed was a black cat crossing the view. (not making this up) I remember Joe mentioning, perhaps for Easter 2006, that Michelle Malkin had an entry up, linking to the major Easter sermons for that day. I was there last night, but nothing like that was posted, and nothing seems to be there today. (Instead, a misleading entry implying - alluding to a past much-linked to entry at another weblog - that things are much better for Christians in Iraq... while ignoring the problems that this war has caused them - another topic that has been in the news multiple times, but which I've been on in the past.) I will try to find some good resources, and append them to the top of this entry. Here are my Easter-related entries from years past: April 16, 2006: I've Got IssuesMarch 27, 2005: Happy Easter!March 27, 2005: Easter items, from now and before [This news article is especially relevant.] May 23, 2003: Christians of Iraq [first entry on this topic; see the next one from January 2004] [I need to do more entries about this...] [Update: Wow! Even NRO's editors may have caught on (just found this article they allowed on their site) to what we warned about, even five years ago (...and were attacked for doing so.]
April 20, 2003: Happy Easter!
posted by Aakash at 8:45 PM
Saturday, March 15, 2008
!Ten cuidado!Today is the Ides of March. Beware!
posted by Aakash at 11:40 PM
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
My first real Bleg (with PayPal)The deluge of new tasks and responsibilities I've been faced with, regarding things that I need to get done, for myself, and to help other people, has not stopped. It has been slower at some points, but then new things keep arising - especially with the Illinois primary being earlier than ever before (it's TODAY!!), and with the 35th Annual " Conservative Political Action Conference" ( CPAC 2008) no longer just coming up, but now right around the corner. www.CPAC.orgRemember CPAC 2006? I did get to do some live-blogging from there (the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.) - despite all else that I had to deal with - in fact, I got to be on Blogger's Row!! [ along with Sean Hackbarth, Little Miss Attilla, Rocco from David Horowitz's Front Page Magazine, Mary Katherine Ham (from Hugh Hewitt's site, and I think TownHall.com as well), Jen (from 'Girl on the Right'), Ryan Sager, and perhaps Ace of Spaces HQ (though too fast and secretive to know), and of course, La Shawn Barber (though I missed Bryan Preston and John Tabin)] My College Republicans organization (at the University of Illinois at Springfield - the UIS CRs) brought 11 people to CPAC that year, more than any other organization in Illinois. We have 11 students signed up to attend CPAC again this year, again at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. [I retired as Chairman of our capital-city College Republicans organization at the end of last Spring semester, but have still been very involved in it's leadership (often a lot more than I would prefer to be), since my last term ended.] Not only is the Illinois primary earlier than ever before, but CPAC is unually early as well. Ryan Bilodeau told me that last year (CPAC 2007 - which we decided to skip, though that seems to be the one that the presidential candidates were more focused on, which Matt Mau and Dan Miller had predicted would happen), it was held in March. The CPAC we attended was, in fact, in February, but I think a few days later than it is this time. Even those extra few days would have helped. I am pulling an all-nighter (no, those haven't entirely stopped, even though I am no longer Chairman of the UIS College Republicans), due to the Illinois primary, but also: This year, I have the responsibility to raise almost all of the funds, to sponsor the 11 students to CPAC 2008. Costs are significant. I did find a round-trip airfare rate lower than $200.00 per person, from Southwest Airlines - though it is from Chicago Midway Airport (about four hours away). The hotel costs (three rooms, for four nights) are major though, even though we tried to find a low rate via Hotels.com. Right now, we are over $800.00 short of what is needed, just to cover the hotel and airfare costs, for the UIS students who wish to attend CPAC 2008. Credit cards have been used to make these purchases, so even if the funds do not arrive until after CPAC is over, that will be okay. This is technically not my first "bleg" (and not even my first CPAC-related "bleg") - but it is the first one, since the UIS College Republicans signed up for PayPal, so we can now accept contributions online. www.HelpCollegeRepublicans.orgI have so far resisted the trend - which it seems that bloggers have been doing, ever since the Blogosphere began - of putting a "beggar's bowl" contribution link on their sites, so their readers can send them money. While I've used other methods before (such as Amazon.com referral links), I have never put a donation link, for people to send me financial assistance. Nor am I doing that now. These funds will go into the treasury of one of the most active College Republicans organizations in the United States. www.HelpCollegeRepublicans.orgWe have over $800.00 to go... If we do end up raising it all (which I doubt will happen anytime soon - Plus, additional surprise expenses could arrive in Washington, D.C., like they did last time), I will publish a follow-up note, indicating that we no longer need any CPAC sponsorship funds. But we do need the sponsorship funds right now, so PLEASE send us something, if you can. Thank you, and please let us know what we can assist you with, in the future. [ P.S. - I did not get this idea from Little Miss Attila. ;-) ]
posted by Aakash at 11:58 PM
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Had to post something right now, despite the time/energy crunch
As New Hampshire goes, so goes the nation...All voting booths in the Granite State just closed... Earlier, I was looking online for exit polls; they were difficult to find online. I am glad that Mark Blumenthal (I hope no relation to MiniMax!?) dealt with the issue of the voting irregularity controversy in the 1996 Republican nomination contest... One of the entries that I wanted to do was one about how voter fraud allegedly kept Pat Buchanan from winning the Iowa Caucus and Arizona Primary (and thus, the Republican presidential nomination) in 1996. As I am typing this entry, Mad John McCain has been projected as the winner of the Republican New Hampshire pri | 
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