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Blog Details for "Rizzo's Random Thoughts"
Rizzo's Random ThoughtsRizzo's Random ThoughtsMy views and thoughts for anyone to see on politics, the environment, games, sports and any other random dribble I can come up with. I'm a geek at heart, so many of my entries are geared towards technology, although I dabble with politics and news i Articles
Plastic Bag Tax
2008-03-05 04:18:00 Citizens in Ireland have been faced with a tax on plastic bags for the past five months. In doing so, the government has reduced the use of the litter producing bags by 90 percent and increased revenue.I feel that this a great measure in helping reduce the litter of these bags. They clog up the environment and create dangerous situations for some animals as well. Not to mention that they require oil to be manufactured.I have already seen a trend where more and more people are beginning to use reusable bags to do their shopping, but it hasn't quite reached the mainstream just yet. I believe that the U.S. could learn a thing or two about this.In fact, why should we stop at plastic bags? Why don't we start taxing everything else that is not eco-friendly? I believe that gasoline should be taxed more than it is at the moment. If it were, you would begin to see people drive more fuel efficient vehicles, ride bikes more often and use more public transportation.But instead we will ... More About: Plastic
Google Provides Free Voicemail to Homeless
2008-02-29 02:09:00 Google announced yesterday at a Project Homeless Connect event that they would provide free voicemail to homeless in San Francisco, if they choose to accept it. According to the article by MSNBC, A homeless person will be able to call in for his or her messages from any phone. The move by the city and the company would allow someone to be able to fill out a job application, which asks for a call back number. It will allow clinics to share test results. Mayor Gavin Newsom and Google said they want to empower people. "How do you communicate as a homeless individual? " Newsom asked. "How do you expect your life to turn around if you can't even get information or if someone can't even get in touch with you?" I believe this a great offer and Google should be lauded for their efforts in trying to help those who are less fortunate get back on their feet. Homeless people come from all backgrounds and each has a different story that got them to where they are today, but each of them can... More About: Google , Free , Voicemail
Double Dipping Bacteria
2008-02-04 21:41:00 Clemson University professor, Paul L. Dawson, was intrigued by the "Seinfeld" episode in which George Costanza explodes into a diatribe about double dipping. So, he conducted a study where volunteers double dipped into various dips.In my opinion the results were amazing. By double dipping, over 10,000 bacteria were introduced into the dip. I've never been a fan of double dipping, but if I am sharing something with my wife or other close family, it doesn't bother me as much.But be warned germophobes! Bacteria could be lingering in the dip at the next party you attend! More About: Double
Get Your Money From Congress
2008-01-23 14:00:00 You could soon be receiving a rebate check from the government worth $300 to $800 a person. With the economy sinking faster everyday, the government is looking for a way to spur a turnaround. Along with rebate checks, President Bush also favors tax breaks for businesses.There are many people out there that believe that this is an ineffective patch to the problem at hand. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review puts it bluntly, "Tax rebates, however, don't stimulate the economy. Cutting tax rates does". Becky states in her blog Just a Girl in short shorts, "Now, what would make a difference is if the government were to quit pocketing one third of our income, or at least knock it down in a meaningful way."While I feel the rebate checks will undoubtedly be welcomed, I don't think it will help jump start our economy out of a recession. I believe that what ever positive spike in the economy is felt, it will be short lived and we will be back where we started.What are your thoughts on the su... More About: Congress , Money
More Women Bisexual Than Previously Thought
2008-01-19 23:33:00 According to the January edition of Developmental Psychology, more women are bisexual than previously thought. Many researchers believed that bisexuality was more of a "phase" and that women grew out of it. This most recent research shows that bisexual women retain their attraction for both sexes over the years.Personally, I can completely understand how a woman could be attracted to both sexes. Women are all around beautiful and can make an deep emotional connection. While being attracted to a male might represent security or submissiveness in some cases. Of course, one could see those same attributes in the opposite sex, that is what makes everyone different.I also think there are probably more women out there that are bisexual that either don't want to admit it, or they are unsure because the thought of being bisexual is social unacceptable in most cases.Source: USA Today More About: Bisexual , Thought
How To Look Good Naked
2008-01-08 01:04:00 One of the shows that I didn't think I would find myself watching was "How To Look Good Naked". For one, it is on the Lifetime network and I vary rarely find something on that network that I watch and secondly, I don't like the host, Carson Kressley. One thing that I do like though, are bigger girls. The first episode had me hooked when they showed me Layla.Layla is a curvy girl who was dissatisfied with her body. To me she looked absolutely gorgeous and just needed an adjustment with her self-esteem. The show does a great job of showing her how she sees her body and how it does not fit with the image she has placed in her head.For example, Carson brought Layla to a room with a set of girls lined up in their underwear from smallest hips to biggest hips. Layla was also in her underwear and asked by Carson to place herself in the lineup where she thought she would fit in. Layla placed herself second to last. When Carson showed her that she should actually be second in line, ... More About: How to Look Good Naked
Out for the Holidays -ns
2007-12-21 16:25:00 I wanted to take the time and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I will be off for the holidays and will return on the 2nd. In the meantime, check out my top rated articles:Boston Tea Party and Ron Paul?Will the Internet Help Ron Paul Win in 2008?EA pulls topless girls from promotionBBW Nude Appreciation RevisitedBBW Nude AppreciationMurder by TylenolDoes your vote count?Ride the Seattle SlutReligion and NudityPassing of a GenerationTop 10 Reasons I Love TivoAir Force SSgt in PlayboyNew lights on the subject?High Speed Rail in AmericaEnjoy the articles and enjoy the holidays! I will see you all next year! More About: Holidays , The Holidays
Top 10 Geek Movies
2007-12-19 16:28:00 10. While this probably isn't a true geek movie, it still had quite a following. Killer Klowns from Outer Space was a hilarious attempt at a horror flick. If you're looking for a horror movie that has the same feel as "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", then this movie is for you.9. As much as he annoyed us, Pee-wee Herman seemed to fit the bill when it came to nerds. We all seemed to hate him out loud, but deep inside we had a desire to keep watching this movie again and again. So, Pee-wee's Big Adventure comes in at number 9 in my Top 10 Geek Moives list.8. While these guys were never nerds or geeks, they sure were outcasts, and therefore fall into the same category. Plus, who can fault a bunch of high school guys for trying to get into a strip club? Porky's comes along with two sequels and a fair amount of female nudity. If you've never seen these classics, take the time to rent these.7. Of course, this movie is a fan of many. The 40 Year Old Virgin not only has some great... More About: Movies
Boston Tea Party and Ron Paul?
2007-12-16 14:55:00 On December 16th, 1773, American colonists entered Boston Harbor and climbed aboard British ships. Once aboard, the colonists proceeded to throw all the crates of tea overboard in protest to being taxed without being represented in Parliament. Large amounts of American colonists also began to boycott tea imported by the British government or their companies. Some believe that these actions helped stem the American Revolution a few years later. Fast forward 234 years and you will find a tea party of another kind. Ron Paul , a Republican candidate popular on the Internet, has organized a fund raising campaign. The goal is to gather donations from citizens around the country interested in changing how America operates. Ron Paul is on record for wanting to pull the troops out of foreign wars (i.e. Iraq and Afghanistan), tighten our borders and above all, reduce government involvement in our lives. He feels the government places too many restrictions on our daily lives and look... More About: Party , Boston Tea Party
Will the Internet Help Ron Paul Win In 2008?
2007-12-14 15:38:00 The Internet seems to be a great predictor of many outcomes, but will it allow Ron Paul to ride to the Presidency? Recent research compiled by Compete indicates that Ron Paul is getting almost double the traffic than his closest competitor, Mike Huckabee.Forbes also shows that if the race for the Presidency were to take place online, Ron Paul would overtake Hillary Clinton. They show that Ron Paul is the most Googled candidate, even though in the news media he is a relative unknown.Others have pointed out that the Internet has become the ultimate equalizer. News media still controls which candidates they favor, and if you aren't on the list, chances are you are going to get the votes at the poll.I'm very excited to see that other candidates can use the Internet to their advantage and overcome this media obstacle. Hopefully this will encourage the media to be more open in fair in their debates and coverage. Ron Paul could be paving the way for other great non-traditional candi... More About: The Internet , 2008
How To Buy a Digital Camera
2007-12-13 16:18:00 Whether finding a replacement camera or shopping for a gift, choosing digital camera can be a difficult decision. Today we are going to go over the different features of a digital camera so that so can make a more informed decision when shopping for a camera. Zoom is one of the most confusing features of a digital camera. Usually there are two zoom numbers listed; one number is optical zoom and the other is digital zoom. Optical zoom is the camera's ability to move the lens towards the subject to enlarge the image. With optical zoom, there is no loss in quality because the lens is optically enlarging the subject. Digital zoom uses technology to enlarge the image. It can cause the image to become blurry or grainy because it uses the digital processor to manipulate the image. I usually ignore the number indicated by the digital zoom because I don't feel this is a true zoom. Of course, the more optical zoom a camera has, the bigger the lens has to be and therefore the bigger... More About: Digital Camera , Camera
Free Anti-Virus Software
2007-12-12 16:19:00 Most people who buy new computers don't realize that their brand new machine does not come with virus protection. (link to wikipedia) Some computers come with a short trial of McAfee or Norton AV, but then you are required to pay to keep the service. Personally, I believe both programs are bloated and slow your system down. Today I'm going to talk about three free alternatives that will give you the same great protections, but at no cost to you. AVG has been around for a while and provides great anti-virus protection. The do not provide support for their free software, but they do provide regular updates to keep you on the front line of defense. AVG also received a 5 star rating from the editors of C|net. avast! adds a few features that are not covered in AVG. As well as providing anti-virus protection for your files, avast! also protects files coming through your network and through instant messenger. This application also updates on a regular basis to keep you protected... More About: Software , Anti Virus , Virus , Anti-Virus , Free
How to buy a Computer
2007-12-11 11:22:00 I was thinking about this Christmas season and how I don't have a second job selling computer this year. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the extra money, but explaining the ins and outs of computers got old pretty quick...as did the people just looking to get the cheapest thing, even though it may not do what they wanted.Since I'm not selling computers this year, I figured that I would write to tell you how to buy a computer, so that you may be the hero of your household. There are a few things that you must know before buying a computer, but don't worry, I'll walk you through it all.The first thing you need to know is what you are going to be using the computer for? Is it going to be for just internet and email, games, school work, or video or image editing? Most people will know what they will be doing with the computer. Don't look too deep into the question...I mean do you plan on doing any of those tasks in depth.Most all computers can do simple image/video editing for ... More About: Computer
5 Easy Ways to Help the Environment
2007-12-10 16:51:00 I will have to begin this to say that I'm not a treehugger, but I have thought about a lot of common practices in our American lifestyle that are wasteful. Some of this is out of convenience; some of it is out of ignorance. Below I am going to list five easy ways that you can adjust your lifestyle, or make simple changes to help the environment.1. Adjust your thermostats Try lowering your home thermostat to 68º Fahrenheit (20º Celsius) in the Winter or 78º F (26º C) in the Summer. Also adjust your water heater to 140º F (60º C) or lower. You will be surprised on how little you will notice the difference. My house is an older house with some single pane windows, therefore I keep my thermostat a bit higher at about 72º F. 2. Switch your regular incandescent light bulbs to Compact Florescent Light bulbs (CFL). CFL's are more efficient than standard light bulbs as they convert more of the energy supplied to actually producing light. I blogged about CFL's in April and I... More About: Environment , Easy , The Environment , Envi
Car Disabling Device Could End Chases
2007-12-08 20:21:00 A new device created by Eureka Aerospace could end car chases as we know them. In work since 2003, the High-Power Electromagnetic System (HPEMS) uses microwave energy to disrupt a car's electrical system, causing it to shut down.The military could also be interested in this technology as it could help with vehicles charging checkpoints. This device would enable the soldier to disable the vehicle without harming the occupants. Currently the prototype is 5 feet long, 3 feet wide and a foot thick; it also weighs a hefty 200 pounds. The max range is around 50 feet, but the developers are looking to increase the range to 600 feet as well as reduce the size to something that resembles a plasma TV.Mounted in either a police vehicle or helicopter, the HPEMS device could really save lives and stop criminals before they get too out of hand. Sometimes car chases are fun to see on the news, but many lives are at stake and held in the balance of the one who is driving. This device will giv... More About: Device , Hase
A Day Which Will Live In Infamy
2007-12-07 15:32:00 December 7th, 1941. On this day the United States was attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Most of the Pacific naval fleet was wiped out, but a few ships were able to be salvaged and returned to duty. Some ships, such as the U.S.S. Arizona were not so lucky.Fortunately, for the U.S., none of our aircraft carriers were in harbor at the time. That could have spelled disaster for the United States in the Pacific theater.I would like to take the time to pay my respects to all who served in World War II, specifically those who lost their lives in Pearl Harbor. I respect any person who has the courage to serve their country, and I especially respect and honor those who give their life for this country.God Bless all the service men and women out there as they continue the tradition of our volunteer armed forces. More About: Live
EA pulls topless girls from promotion
2007-12-05 15:41:00 EA Sports figured that sex sells and decided to use the Sun's Page 3 girls, Becky and Amii to promote their new game, Need For Speed Pro Street. These ads were only released in the UK where it is a bit more acceptable for topless women to be in advertisements.Since the internet makes everything so accessible, the ad did not stay within the United Kingdom. As word got out about the advertisement for an ESRB "E" rated game, EA began to do damage control and pull the ads from circulation.After some digging, I was able to find a video of the photo shoot, which is embeded below (NSFW). I also have a picture collage of the photos (NSFW via the ROFLMAO.com) that were in the ad, but I was unable to find individual pictures.Personally I feel that EA did the right thing in pulling the ad. You usually won't hear me say things like this that involve boobs, but in this case I think it was the right thing to do since it was an "E" rated game. Promoting it like they were was only going to g... More About: Girls , Promotion , Pull
Missouri Football Gets Rejected
2007-12-04 00:51:00 The day after losing the Big 12 Championship game to Oklahoma, Missouri awaited the BCS Bowl selections to see how they faired. Missouri finished at 6th in the BCS standings, after being number 1. When the BCS Bowl selections were released, Missouri was surprised to find that they were not listed.It turns out that the Orange bowl committee decided that Kansas would be a better team to have in the bowl. The same Kansas team that Mizzou beat the week earlier and finished higher in the rankings. Kansas finished 8th in the BCS rankings, two spots behind Missouri, yet they got the BCS bowl over Missouri.The Jayhawks do not deserve the Orange bowl. They lost that bid when they lost to the Tigers. It is a shame that nothing more can be done about this because the Tigers deserve better than this. After being ranked first in the country a week ago, they do not get a bowl game. West Virginia, who lost this week as well as the number 2 ranked team, still has a BCS bowl game even though... More About: Football , Rejected
Mizzou loses Big 12 Title Game
2007-12-01 11:06:00 As a fan of the Missouri Tigers, I have to tip my hat to the Big 12 Champion Oklahoma Sooners. They played a great game and beat a difficult adversary. I only wish the outcome had been different. The Tigers weren't the best team in the Nation, it just happened upon that rank due to LSU losing last week. Not to say that the Tigers weren't a great team...they were.Their defense stuck in there until the fourth quarter. The game is sixty minutes long and you can't stop playing a minute too soon, and after the only turnover in the game, Mizzou seemed to lose steam and give up.I'm so angry I could throw something through my T.V. at the moment, but I hesitate because I know the damage it would cause. Mizzou has not beat Oklahoma in five years and they couldn't stop the trend tonight. What started out as a great defensive game between both teams opened into a great offensive second half by the Sooners.It seemed that Mizzou lost the agressiveness that they had playing Kansas and ... More About: Game , Title
Legal Hemp in North Dakota?
2007-12-01 09:24:00 First, for the uninitiated, the hemp plant is different than marijuana. Although both are derived from variations of the Cannabis sativa plant, the subspecies indica is the one that is referred to as marijuana. Hemp (Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa) contains no or very little THC, the compound that gives marijuana is psychotropic properties. The plant differences don't stop there; the hemp plant is taller and easily made into a variety of different products, while the marijuana plant is very short and bushy.North Dakota is the first and only state to allow commercial hemp production in the country. Hemp production is a growing industry all over the world, while the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) does not allow the production of hemp as it deems all Cannabis sativa as marijuana, despite the distinct differences.Dave Monson and Wayne Hauge are two farmers from North Dakota who decided to make a good business out of selling industrial hemp. They met all the state's cr... More About: Legal
Free Store Credit
2007-11-30 04:11:00 If you live near a Staples or an OfficeMax, and have a surplus of empty inkjet cartridges (Lexmark, Dell or HP originals), these two stores will give you a $3 store credit for every one that you bring in. The credit (no pun intended) for this goes to the bargain section on About.com.The stores will let you use up to three credits (read: $9) at a time. With this you will be able to find some really good deals on various items as both stores have great value sections. So whenever you see an empty inkjet cartridge laying around, go ahead and pick it up, it will give you $3 in store credit! More About: Credit , Free , Store
Reduced Cable Bill?
2007-11-28 15:33:00 Over the past few years advocates have been touting that A La Carte cable TV packages would be much cheaper than the way packages and tiers are sold today. The cable companies say that this is not feasible with the technology today. Personally, I think that both sides don't see the whole picture and whatever gets worked out, hopefully it is a good compromise.The FCC published a study in 2006 that stated consumers could save as much as 13 percent on their cable bill if they could choose channels a la Carte style. They also noted that the average household only watches 17 channels. While I don't know about the percentages, but I could agree that the average family watches only 17 channels. Although the New York Times article does not address how the prices would be reduced, it just states that they could.The New York Times has now reported that an a la Carte channel selection would be bland and actually cost us more. They state as an example that ESPN costs $3 per subscriber w... More About: Bill , Cable
BBW Nude Appreciation Revisited
2007-11-25 15:14:00 By far, the most traffic to my site comes to my article about BBW nude appreciation. I guess sex sells, and I'm not going to complain if it gets me a few extra readers in the process. Besides, I feel that the topic should be presented to the public, as I don't feel like a majority of the population understands.As I stated in my previous article, I believe that many men feel that they will be ridiculed for stating a preference for chubby, BBW or curvy women. They feel that they must keep this "secret" to themselves, for fear of being taunted. I have seen this first hand before, and I must say that after a while, your true friends won't care and in fact like your honesty.In our society it has always amazed me how stick models have made it this far. To me, when I can see the rib cage or bones, it is a huge turn off. But it seems in the fashion world, that if you are above a size six then you are "fat". To me, the perfect size of woman is anywhere from a size 8 to a size 22, b... More About: Appreciation , Reci
Missouri beats Kansas
2007-11-25 07:58:00 There are plenty out there that don't know much about the Missouri -Kansas rivalry, but it is the second oldest rivalry in the country. This year it couldn't mean more; Kansas is ranked #2 and Missouri is ranked #4. The winner of the game would become the Big 12 North Champion, proceed to the Big 12 Championship versus Oklahoma and be one win away from a National Title game.For Missouri, Quarterback Chase Daniel racked up 361 yards passing and completed 40 of 49 passes. The Heisman trophy hopeful did not seem to be bothered by the stakes of the game and dominated the Jayhawk defense. Kansas, who had only seen one ranked opponent in #24 Kansas State, was not prepared for the high powered Missouri offense.Missouri's defense showed signs of fatigue during the second half as the Jayhawks were able to come within six points before a safety with twelve seconds left, sealed the fate of the Kansas hopeful.Now Mizzou must contend with West Virginia for the #1 ranked spot. Many say tha... More About: Beats , Ansa
$1 Gas Tax
2007-11-19 15:40:00 In the past six years, the price of a barrel of oil has increased almost $65 by going from $25.50 to $90. Apparently after the tragedy of September 11, 2001 occurred, many called for a gas tax of one dollar to allow for more energy efficient designs from American automotive manufactures, and to keep revenue from going to the very countries that oppose the United States of America.But the government decided that it would be in their best interest to not interfere with the free market and the price of oil has steadily increased. The tax was to be phased in over 12 months, and was to help Americans switch to more economical friendly automobiles and to be more energy conscience.Personally, I think Americans have become spoiled in how we use our energy. Many always state that we have the freedom to do this. My question would have to be, "At what price?" The United States is one of the biggest polluters in the world and we don't seem to care.While I'm not as dedicated or severe as ...
Back from Deployment
2007-11-16 15:58:00 For those of you who follow this blog, I wanted to let you know that I have returned from deployment. It was only a month long, as I was replacing someone who needed to get home. Unfortunately, where I was at does not allow access to Blogger or any other blogging site. So that left me without a way to post to the blog. Hopefully I will figure out a work around before I have to head out again.I will try to be back up on my feet here within the next day or two so that I will have content flowing again. I wanted to thank all of those who sent emails and comments while I was gone, I really appreciate it. More About: Back , Deployment
Out on deployment
2007-10-19 15:10:00 One thing I've never really mentioned in here is that I am in the United States Air Force. I never thought it really needed to be mentioned, but now I am mentioning it because I will deploying within the next few days and posts will be sporadic for a while until I can get a good rhythm going. I know I don't have that many readers, but those that I do have, I wanted to make sure that you were aware of my posting had stopped for a bit.I hope to be up and running soon, take care. More About: Deployment
Want to stay fit?
2007-10-17 12:49:00 For most people, keeping fit is very difficult and takes dedication and initiative. You find yourself making excuses as to why you can't go to the gym and little by little you eventually stop going altogether.But when you do go, you like the rush that you get after a great workout. You like seeing the positive results that you get. For some the results may not be as great, but that may be because they are not using the right exercises.Enter in, CrossFit.com. This website shows you how to perform exercises correctly, what the exercises are good for and lists how they are effective. There is a long list of exercises available, so you'll find various different ones for your needs.CrossFit.com even has a section for children as well. This section will keep kids active while keeping them physically fit. Give CrossFit a try for yourself and see how well you can do! More About: Stay
Sound Barrier Broken
2007-10-15 05:09:00 Prior to 1947, not many thought that the sound barrier could be broken. Many believed that it was a barrier that could not be surpassed; that is until Bell created the X-1. Chuck Yeager was selected as the pilot of the X-1 after Bell's own test pilot demanded money (presumably for insurance) before flying.While I do believe it takes great skill to fly an airplane, I don't like to give that much credit to Chuck Yeager. If it wasn't him flying the plane, it would have been someone else. If the X-1 were to have crashed, then another aircraft would have been built and another pilot used. I see the technology here as the big winner, but a lot of people look past that.Many other pilots and planes went on to compete as the fastest in the world, but on this day in history in 1947, the X-1 was king. More About: Sound , Broken , Barrier
Gay Rights Around the Corner?
More articles from this author:2007-10-13 23:33:00 A recent poll has revealed that 50% of straight people feel that gays should have the same rights as everyone else. Although the release does not reveal who conducted the poll, but claims that 2,000 people were polled.Many gave religious reasons for not speaking more openly for gays, even though they feel that they should have equal rights.Being religious myself, I feel that every person in America should receive the same rights, no matter what their sexual orientation, race, or gender. I know it is not the religious standard to give gays rights, but our laws should not be based on religious preferences. It is stated that we should have a separation of church and state.I don't see gays getting equal rights in the near future, but possibly in 5 to 10 years. What are your thoughts on the matter? Leave a comment! More About: Rights , Gay Rights , Corner , The Corner 1, 2, 3 |



