Research on the Vote

So, since I'm off parole in a week, I get to vote in this election November 6th. That's pretty exciting to me. I have only voted in one election since turning 18, and it was a local one. After that I was in the Marines, or in prison or parole, and haven't been able to. So now, at almost 43, I can vote again.

I've been researching to be up on the issues, and there is something concerning to me. Some of the Idaho Gubernatorial candidates do not publicly post their opinions on issues. Bev Angel Boeck(L) and Walter Bayes(constitutionalist) do not have any information available, and do not have websites available. Boeck has received and declined to answer issues questions from voter information websites. Bayes's fb page is blank, and Boeck's told me enough about her that I had no interest.

Just shows that just because we both like the L, we don't think the same.

But how can I vote for a Governor that won't publicly answer issues questions? That won't get a website made for their campaign that will tell me what they think and what values they hold?

Oh, wait. Looking a little deeper, Bayes was on that debate back in 2014 with Harley Brown when Brown told his story about God telling him he's going to make him Commander in Chief. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23LR7mqceA8) Guess I'll vote mainstream. Ugh. Can we get a 3rd party candidate that isn't insane, please?

I'm not voting for a party here, I'm voting for a person that will represent my interests.

For example, I looked into  Democrat Kristin Collum (Lt. Gov), because i think that's who Stephanie said she was voting for. I agree with her on the economic policy, but not with her endorsement of Prop 2 to increase power of the federal government by expanding medicaid, or on her education policies. But I looked. I was interested to see how she would vote.

I also looked at Democrat Aaron Swisher (US House). I agree with his desire to balance the budget. I agree with his desire for tax reform. Not sure what that will entail, but I know its a mess and could use some reform. But he wants to raise minimum wage, and I think that's a mistake. Adults are not supposed to be working at McDonalds for minimum wage. That's a job for teens in school. Once adults become adults they should be plying a trade, going to college, working a career that doesn't involve minimum wage. There are 7 million available jobs in this country. Don't settle for what you have, improve!


but I looked. I gave them a chance. Can't do it.

In presidential elections the popular vote means nothing, the electoral college decides the president. So basically my vote in that election doesn't matter. I'm okay with that. I don't think that I really see any difference in my life between Obama or Trump. After almost two years with Trump in office, I barely realized it had been so long because my daily life doesn't revolve around him.

But when it comes to local elections and senate elections, those are issues that can directly affect me because they are in my neighborhood. They are right here in my yard, and those are based on the popular vote, so I think it's important to participate.

So get out there, read up on the issues ( i use https://ballotpedia.org/), and make your voice heard.

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The war isn't coming. It's already here.

Kavanaugh. Ford. Republican. Democrat. Feminists. Old White Men. We are in a civil war and only a few recognize it. Here's what I see: 

• A left-leaning middle of the road Supreme Court justice decides to retire because he knows that President Trump will pick someone on the right, and hopefully someone moderate, which will maintain a kind of balance.  
• Democrats, fearing the overturning of Rowe v Wade, declare immediately that they will staunchly oppose anyone that Trump picks, and they begin their plans. 
• A list of candidates is made.
• Democrats threaten to do everything in their power to stop it. (Note: they don't even know who it is yet)
• President Trump picks Brett Kavanaugh. 
• Democrats grill him for several days, but can find no fault in him. 
• Republicans plan on going through with the vote, which they will win by majority.
• Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein announces she has a letter that she received at the end of July accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault by a woman that wishes to remain anonymous, from 1982. They did not mention this letter when they interviewed him in committee or in closed meeting. It was held as a last resort in case the Republicans favored him, which they do.
• The news leaks the identity of the author of the anonymous letter, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. How did they get it? Dr. Ford says she didn't do it, Senator Feinstein says she didn't do it, so where did the media get the letter? Someone is lying. This is a power play. 
• A few days later Dr. Ford comes forward as the author of the letter, since she's being harangued by the media anyway.
• Her story is this:
• She went with her friend Leland to a "gathering" (not a party). Mark Judge and Brett Kavanaugh allegedly pushed her into an empty room where music was playing. One of them turned the music up. Kavanaugh allegedly pushed her onto the bed, jumped on top of her, groped her and attempted to take off her clothes, but was too drunk and passed out. She left the room, went downstairs, left the gathering, and somehow found herself home, but doesn't know how. She can't remember who gave her a ride, it wasn't Leland.
• Ford can't remember the location of the house, other than it was somewhere between her house and the local Country Club where her parents had a membership. 
• FBI question Brett Kavanaugh. He says it never happened.
• FBI question Mark Judge. He says it never happened.
• FBI question Leland. She says it never happened and she doesn't even know Kavanaugh, has never been to a party or gathering with him.
• Feminists and the left demand we must believe all women.

Is she telling the truth? Is she lying? I don't know.

But I do know that when a woman says she was assaulted/raped, we should listen, we should support, we should trust that the reason she is saying so is important. Care about her. It is important.

However, if she wants the accuser to have legal consequences she needs to provide corroboration or proof. She needs to provide details and witnesses, if available. If not, who did she tell? Who knows about it? They need to stand up. She needs to provide evidence to convict.

That isn't for my peace of mind, that is for the rights of the accused. Because if all it takes to convict someone is an accusation, we are doomed.

Dr. Ford has none of that. The details that she has don't add up. She names five people at the gathering: Mark Judge, Brett Kavanaugh, her friends Leland and PJ, herself.

All people at the gathering, other than Dr. Ford, deny the gathering happened. So no witnesses.

She says that there was an empty bedroom with loud music playing. Leland and PJ were downstairs. After using the bathroom she was pushed into the room. Why was music being played in the bedroom when everyone was supposed to be downstairs? Why did Leland and PJ not wonder when Dr. Ford, Judge, and Kavanaugh went upstairs and the music got louder? Why did Leland and PJ not wonder when Ford came downstairs, distraught, and left the gathering suddenly? Why did they not ask her about it the next day or days later at school?

These are important points that WOULD happen to anyone who cared about a person, and Leland was supposed to be her best friend. Leland WOULD ask about it, or at least hear that Ford didn't want to talk about it. But she doesn't. Leland says she doesn't know anything about the gathering and doesn't know Kavanaugh.

So Dr. Ford has no witnesses. No corroboration.

Kavanaugh provided detailed calendars of his activities for the entire year in question. He shows that he was out of town for a sports event. He shows that he had study activities or sports activities every weekend. He notes places he went, appointments he had, and shows where things were marked out and noted when appointments or gatherings changed.

Dr. Ford cannot provide a date other than the year. Kavanaugh has details for that entire year that show he was not at any gathering.

Dr. Ford says she was concerned when Kavanaugh was appointed to the Supreme Court because it was something she had to do as her civic duty.

She didn't raise this concern when Kavanaugh was appointed a DC Circuit Judge. She didn't raise these concerns when he was part of the Kenneth Star investigation during the Clinton administration and his name was all over the news.

I believe something happened to her. I believe she experienced a trauma, and perhaps even sexual assault. I do not believe it was Kavanaugh that did it. All evidence points to quite the contrary, that he is quite innocent. I believe this is a political play by Dems to allow them to continue having access to legal abortion, and that makes it terrible.

But there is a second part of this, one i mentioned before:

• Feminists and the left demand we must believe all women.

When Feminism says, "Believe all women" it suggests the opposite, "Don't believe any man."

Ideology of any kind is dangerous, be it left or right. As a center-right person who believes in voting the issues, not the party, I hold to no ideology. I don't think of myself as Republican, never will. I find it dangerous. This situation is an example of that, and it is a display of the civil war. 

See on the news as leftists dressed in black armor and face masks show up to peaceful gatherings and attack, claiming they are standing against fascism. They enter restaurants and pubs, attacking people or screaming at them and disturbing dinners. They scream slurs like, "Racist!" at groups that contain mixed races and religions. They are supported by the media like heroes. 

Feminist SJWs gather and attack on social media to shut down free speech. They cry out for diversity, to end white male patriarchy, and inject their politics into private business to destroy from the inside. Comics, Star Wars, Linux, video games, Hollywood. They hate white men and call for their deaths.

Diversity. Intersectionality. The belief that the more marginalized a person is the more important they are. And since a white male is the at the top of their hierarchy, all other persons are oppressed by them, and they must be shut down.

I see it only getting worse. I don't know what to do about it. This country has gone mad and it isn't going to be something we can just wake up from. It isn't something we can just decide, 'Hey, let's knock this crap off and get along' because each side sees their side as being the only way.

We are in a civil war.

This will not end well.

*[Due to my wife's comment, I am removing the paragraphs that were assuming her views. I am sorry for my assumption.--Soulie] 

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I am not a mechanic...

Growing up, I was interested in D&D, computers, reading sci-fi books, playing video games, and girls. My brother is the one that had a subscription to Hot Rod magazine, took auto shop every year since middle school (small gas engines, then, so he could fix a lawn mower in 7th grade), and dropped out of school when he was 16 to work at a local oilry and work his way to head mechanic at the used car dealership where our cousin Johnny was a salesman.

I didn't care about cars, or about anything to do with them.

When I got my license I drove my mother's old '77 AMC Gremlin with the in-line 6 cylinder, until it died on me and i traded up to my grandfather's '77 Pontiac LeMans Station Wagon. I went through a few other un-noteworthy cars, until I got my '92 Civic from my brother. He and a buddy had bought it from a title loan place and fixed it up. That was the coolest car I owned, and that is where I got interested in cars. I put on a cold air intake, new exhaust and muffler, body kit, aftermarket lights, and got a set of R15205s from an '03 Si. It was decent fast, though not to compare with if I had a bigger engine in it, but I was happy. It worked well, until I went back and Sage drove it until it was having electrical issues, and Skipp took it to Kansas where his brother's kids used it as a trampoline. That made me nauseated.

Stephanie and I have an '01 Accord (my daily driver) and an '05 Odyssey. I've always loved Hondas - well, since I had the Civic - and I want to stick with them. Solid vehicles.

Last week the van started to make this awful noise when she tried to start it. *Grind!*  Ugh.

Well, I figured that if it has trouble when trying to start it, it makes sense that it would be the starter, so me, amateur shade tree mechanic that hasn't worked on a car other than to change oil and breaks since my Civic, I'm going to do it myself. I watched half a video on YouTube, took out the battery and air cleaner, pulled the starter, took it to O'Reilly to be tested, and sure enough, starter is bad. Lucky me it goes in as easy as it comes out and her van works great now.

For not being a mechanic, it's good to know a little about cars. I bet that would have cost me 500$ at a shop, instead of 120 for the starter and 50$ for a good set of ratcheting wrenches. Love a good set of wrenches.

What is a thing that you occasionally do that is outside your normal hobby? Do you sometimes have to fix the sink? or do you always call the plumber? Do you sometimes replace a breaker switch, though you are afraid of being electrocuted? Leave a comment below or on facebook.

--Soulie

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Working in the shop

Just spent the last several days working on the 'Shop' for the site, making it fit in with the theme of the site. No easy task. Shopify uses a modified CSS code, so I had some new things to learn. I did some HTML coding way back when, but this was something new.

I'm most familiar with VB.net and C#, and people think, "Ah, a website... pshh.. that's easy." but when you mash up two different sites to make them look seamless (or, in my case, almost seamless) it takes some time and figuring. Move a pixel, compare... move a pixel, compare.. repeat ad nauseum.

I will be posting game product reviews and then selling them in the shop. i will be making t-shirts and selling them in the shop. I appreciate the business, it keeps me running and keeps my twins in diapers.

Thank you and welcome.

--Soulie

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I tried to start a baby store.

It didn't work out as well as I had hoped.

With the twins and the sheer amount of money that was being spent on stuff, I figured it was a decent market to break into. I started an e-commerce store, found items that were similar or better than the ones we purchased, ran ads, and got nowhere. I had a facebook blog where I posted almost daily amusing anecdotes about my babies, pictures of their cuteness, advice on raising them, and tagged products that were for sale in the pics or the stories. I could have done that forever, but I need to make use of the store, and it isn't happening, so I am moving on from that, too.

I'm trying again, but in a different niche. I know that you're supposed to pick something that will have a high emotional sales volume, that maybe you know nothing about but just find the right thing. I may try that, but I think instead I'm going to focus on what I love, which is the things in the link bar at the top. Games, reviews, comics, writing, blogging, and home. Note that there is a new one called Shop. Right now it will only have tshirts, but I'm in the midst of making a contact with a distributor to sell rpg games, I have found some absolutely amazing dice, and maybe I'll get together with some friends to make a table top game of our own. Most likely a board game.

Maybe someday I'll do something on YouTube as well. My daughter wants to, she is all hyped up, and I think it's great. She wants to do Let's Plays with her brother. I would love to see her succeed.

Swing by the store, I've got some great t-shirts up there, as well as my current favorite, Not Every Cleric is a Healer. A painting that I did based on one of my player's characters.

Thanks for visiting, and Happy Hobbying.

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Reviewing my views

It has been a minute since I reviewed my views on things. I think it's important to write down your views to understand what you believe, to really put it in a place where it can be read, thought about, and considered. I don't write my views to tell anyone else their views are wrong. You are entitled to your own opinion.

My libertarian left-leaning feminist part-time SJW wife doesn't agree with everything, but she agrees with fundamental things that allow us to find a place to still be happy. When I started looking into politics it started problems with us. She was afraid that my new awakening was putting us at odds. In some ways it was. I had to examine my views in these things to know what I believed so we could have a discussion and work some things out. We did, and found that things we thought were problems weren't, we believed the same. Or in the case of gay marriage, while she doesn't support it, she would happily go to the wedding of our wonderful friend, should he find someone to marry.

As I said before, I watched a  lot of politics and found myself to be a middle of the line conservative libertarian, but that doesn't really describe what I believe, so here goes: (removed inset bullets for easier read on mobile)


I now favor homeschooling above public schooling. I understand it better. My twin daughters will be homeschooled. And my next child, when they come, too. I suppose this depends on the parent that will be doing the teaching, but many programs exist to give the parents the tools they need, and homeschool co-ops are a wonderful chance for homeschool families to share teaching. My wife can teach music lessons, english, and history, and I can teach math, art, and science. We can take the children to the co-ops to fill in other areas where we are weak. It's wonderful.

I am a fan of individual freedoms.

• I believe in your right to work in any field you want.
• I believe in your right to believe any religion you want.
• I believe in your right to follow any political path you want.
• I believe in your right to live in any country you want.
• I believe in your right to take any drug you want.
• I believe in your right to think anything you want.
• I believe in the right of free speech, and I also believe in the consequences of saying something stupid publicly. 
• Roseanne recently said something offensive. Don't remember what it was, but so far as I remember, Roseanne always says something offensive. ABC cut her show. That's too bad, I liked the original Roseanne show, and never even got to see this one.
• James Gunn said some very awful things a long time ago, and apologized for them. Those things were said before he got his job at Disney, but I don't know about the apology. Yes, they were horrific, awful things. He has been good since, and I love his movies. 
• He stated that Roseanne has a right to say the things she said, which she does, and ABC doesn't have to carry her show, which they don't. 
• Gunn and Disney have the same rights.
• I think how he has behaved since shows true growth.
• I bet Gunn understands irony better than ever.
• Basically, public life is a hard one, because you have to constantly watch what you say. I don't know if I'm satisfied on where my stance is on these two people. I think I would support them both getting their jobs back.

I believe that hate speech is still speech, and in this country we have that right. You also have the right not to listen, to walk away, or to argue.

• You do not have the right to attack. Your rights end where another's begin.
• I think hate speech stems from ignorance. Once you get to know the person as an individual, it's harder to hate them.
• Prison is full of white supremacists. I knew some. I didn't buy in. But I saw at the lunch table a black man sitting with a white man who was part of the Arian Knights. This was during receiving. They were becoming friends, cellies I bet (that means roommate) and the black guy had concerns:
• "When we get out of RDU, are you going to hate me because I'm black?"
•  The AK waved it off, "Naw, man. That's just for survival. I don't really believe that. We're cool."
• Many white supremacists love the movie American History X because of the Arian brotherhood / Neo-Nazi scenes at the beginning. What they seem to forget is that the rest of the movie is about recognizing that bigotry and hatred is stupid. Ed Norton's character works with a black man in the laundry, and they begin to be good friends. He is attacked and victimized by the white supremacists that were supposed to be his brothers in arms. He leaves the culture behind and when he gets out, and his friends try to drag him back, he sees the ignorance and the hatred that shaped his life and sent him to prison and he wants nothing to do with it. That is the true message of American History X.

I believe people can change and overcome their past. I have, having rebuilt my life three times now from really bad decisions. My wife is a missionary for the LDS Church's Addiction Recovery Program and we have seen great things happen as addicts get help.

I believe that talking about issues, such as racism, does not make someone a bigot.

• Papa John was discussing with his board of directors the awful biggoted comments other people said, and was called a racist and released from two jobs. If we can't even talk about it we have bigger problems.

I believe that you don't have the right to force your beliefs on me or anyone. Your rights end where another's begin.

I support Gay Marriage.

• That one is tricky for me. 
• The LDS Church supports marriage, and believes, based on the Bible and God's revelations, that homosexuality is a sin. They say that a gay couple that marries, in order to be worthy, should remain celibate.
• If I were gay, there would be no way I could be celibate with the person I love.
• I have several gay friends, and I could not ever imagine standing up to say that they don't have a right to pursue happiness, to find love, or have sex. I am at odds with the church in this, and I guess that's okay. I love both, and I love the church for standing up for their beliefs. 

I support my adult friend's decision to transition from male to female. I love her no matter what she wears or what pronouns she wants me to use. I worry about the high level of trans suicide, upwards of 40%, and don't wish that on anyone. Jasmine is an adult, and if it makes her happy, good for her.

I do not support teaching children that they can choose their gender, or that gender is a social construct, or that men and women are the same.

I believe men and women have roles to play in families.

• I believe children are best served by learning those roles and following the model.
• I believe that children grow up happiest and most well adjusted with fathers and mothers in the home to teach them right from wrong, and without the confusion of calling them neutral pronouns until they are 4 or 5 and letting them choose before they go to school, when they barely understand the world around them. 
• I believe that my son can play with dolls, that my daughters can play with trucks. I also believe that children have natural desires to play with certain toys, and if my son picks up a doll I will not then wrongly assume he has decided to be a girl and put him in a dress. Likewise, if my daughters are playing dress-up and put my son in a dress, it won't destroy his psyche or turn him into a girl. 
• My wife and I, because we recently had this discussion after I watched way too much political stuff, spoke about this. She helped to remind me that make-believe play isn't something that defines life-long characteristics. I have played female characters in video games, table top rpgs, and the NPCs in the games I run. It doesn't change who I am.
• Men have physiological differences about them that make them men, including bone structure and muscle build. While men come in many shapes and sizes, this is still a truth.
• Women have physiological differences about them that make them women. Bone structure and muscle build are only two of them. The same is true, different shapes and sizes doesn't stop them from being women.
• I believe that both are necessary in society. I believe that the differences are necessary. I believe that when we snuff out the differences we lose what makes being men or women beautiful and unique.
• I believe gay couples that have children can show children similar lessons that straight couples teach: respect and love for your partner, respect and love for your children.
• i believe that there are some things that it would be helpful to have a male or female godparent to assist if there is a missing role in the couple. I am not trying to say that men cannot fill a woman's role, or vice versa. None of my gay friends are married, or have children, so I don't know enough about this situation. But I do still feel that men and women are different, and children do best with both roles filled.

I love my country and hate my government.

• I don't really like Trump. Never did. Think he's a total ass. 
• I don't know if he's a traitor, and I think that the Left wants everyone to think that. 
• I think that his policies are not the same as his rhetoric. 
• I think he's a shock-value TV star, that he likes to be that way. 
• Sage (previous wife) and I voted Obama because he promised change, not because of his race.
• I would have voted Nader if I could. Or Ron Paul.
• This time I would have voted for pretty much anyone else besides Clinton or Trump. It had nothing to do with Clinton being a woman, she's just an awful human being.
• So is Trump.
• So is Giuliani
• I wouldn't have voted for Romney, either. It has nothing to do with his faith. We share the same faith. I think that he's a plank of wood that is disconnected from the people. 

I don't believe that a person of faith is bad for the country. The Pope didn't run the country when Kennedy was president, President Nelson wouldn't run the country if there was a Mormon in the office.

• I sustain our President and hope he does the right things for the country.
• I will hope the next president, being D or R, male or female, straight or gay, black or brown or red or yellow or white or whatever, will also do what is right for the country.
• I thought we were pretty great to begin with.

Socialism is a terrible idea.

• This coming from the guy that has socialized health care from the VA.
• This coming from the Mormon that believes one day we will all live the law of consecration, which is basically socialism.
• The difference is that it will be run by Jesus and God, not by mortals that have flaws and weaknesses. 
• All the current socialism countries are barely hanging on, starving their people, have tax rates that are unsustainable. The money has to come from somewhere. It's good in theory, but so far the practice has proven to be a really bad idea. 
• Until something better is developed, I'm happy to be a Capitalist and work for what I have. 

I don't support open borders.

• This one is a tough one. I believe that undocumented workers fill a role in our society. There are jobs they are willing to do that people like me are not. 
• I know refugees need a place of refuge. The city I live in has always been a place of refuge. Basque, Korean, there were some from some Soviet country awhile back, and now the new refugees. I can't remember what culture. They wear long beautiful robes and walk everywhere. Nice people.
• I think I still support the citizen vs non-citizen approach. Maybe not as I did way back when I started this blog, but similar.
• Those that want to come here and work, that do the farm work and construction work that I don't want to do, should be given non-citizen visas and be allowed to work. 
• This visa does not grant them a right to vote,  or healthcare. I think that charity organizations would rise to support their needs and provide health care. I don't think that it should be paid for by the state.
• Those that commit grievous crimes should be sent back to their country. If they return, well, that is something I still have to think about.

I believe in rehabilitation instead of incarceration.

• That being said, prison was the best thing that ever happened to me. It gave me the opportunity to step away from what I was doing and get the help I needed so my addictions don't control me.
• I know that isn't the same for everyone.
• I guess I think that incarceration during rehabilitation is the best way. But warehousing us isn't the answer. I'm sure there's statistics on all this, and I'm pretty sure they agree with me.
• ARP, AA, NA are wonderful programs when you work them. A better life.

I support equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome.

• Redistribution of wealth is stealing.
• We have opportunity in this country. 
• I'm a felon that spent 8-1/2 years in prison and 10 years on parole. I have two businesses, a home, a family. I've been married three times and divorced twice. I grew up very poor. I've been to college (and I'm still paying for it). I don't wait for the government to give me anything, I go out and make it myself. I don't blame anyone for my bad decisions that hurt my family and friends and sent me to prison. Those were my bad decisions. No one made me think those things or do those things. I spent the last 18-1/2 years in recovery from my addiction and repentance for my sins. Change happens, just not over night.
• Go out and make yours, don't steal it.

I believe that businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone. Individual freedoms still stand.

• Why would you want to shop at a business that doesn't agree with your values?
• This stems from the cake decorators that wouldn't make the cake for the gay couple.
• This stems from the couple that made all the invitations and decorations, but didn't want to have the wedding in their home or be a part of it because they didn't support gay marriage. 
• Your rights end where another's begin.

I don't agree with abortion. I think that life begins at conception and that a woman's choice to do what she wants with her body does not extend to the body that she carries within her. Once the baby is born, she can go do whatever she wants with her body. Your rights end where another's begin. That includes a baby.

• If you don't want a baby, use protection. Take the pill. Abstain. Wear a condom. Get snipped. 
• You have choices. That child does not.
• Adoption is an option. 

I don't believe in micro-aggression. I think this buzz word was created to make people victims by claiming their victimhood as a weapon against those that don't agree with them.

• A person that doesn't use specified pronouns is not committing an act of violence.
• I do not have the right to force speech on anyone.
• I don't have a right to not be offended. If I expect anyone who speaks to not offend, then no one can speak. 
• There is no safe space. 
• Hard speech makes us tough. It builds that outer defensive shell that helps us to handle tough things. 
• I learned this in the Marines. 
• First, by working my body to make it stronger. 
• Second, by working my voice to make it louder. 
• Third, by the stress the Drill Instructors put on me and my fellow Marines so we could handle the pressures of battle. 
• You can't request a safe space from an enemy. You will die. 
• Toughen your skin, recognize that not everyone believes the same things you do, and accept that. 
• I believe that if you claim victimhood in everything, you will have a miserable life. 

I am a straight, white, male. I was born white, I was born male. I have no desire to change either. I love my wife, my children, my pets, Jesus, the LDS church, Star Wars, RPGs, books, good pens, candy, pizza, and all my various hobbies.

• I want to homestead, build my house out of papercrete, have a sustainable self-sufficient piece of property with goats, rabbits, chickens, and a garden.

I believe happiness is found in achievement, overcoming, and growth. Do not be comfortable in your current surroundings, or you will be there forever. Be better than the labels placed on you. Strive to make it so.

What are your views? Do you agree? Disagree? Let's keep it civil. I think we can share ideas without calling names. Have you tried this? writing down your views? Link them in the comments and I'll read them. I welcome an open exchange of ideas.

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The dangers of Politics

I have never been interested in politics. For a time when Obama was running for president Sage and I did our due diligence and studied up. We were most interested in Ron Paul, but he was basically laughed off the stage at the debates, so we voted Obama because he was charismatic and promised change. I have no idea if there was really change, but I didn't believe all the hype that the other side threw at him. Whatever. I was away for his term. Presidents don't mean much in prison.

Star Wars has always been big in my life. I love the movies, the books, and my favorite RPG is Star Wars Saga Edition by WOTC. I know it's scattered all over all the books, but that's why I condensed the feats, talents, and races into their individual books. A project of love for the game I enjoy most.

What does SW have to do with politics, you may ask?

Three words: The Last Jedi.

I'm sure you've heard the debate. Fans didn't like it so they spoke up, said, "Hey, Rey is a Mary Sue. She has no growth, you set her up as unbeatable with absolutely no training." "Hey, Why did you make Finn into a joke?" "Why the hell would you make a huge change like the weaponization of hyperspace??!! That changes everything!! What the hell are you doing??!!", and in response directors called us names like misogynists, manbabies, racists, and dismissed the criticism; media attacked the fans, calling us toxic white males and saying we are racist woman haters, and it's too bad that the reality didn't live up to the story in our heads.

Still don't see the politics? Neither did I. I was mad enough about the way LucasFilm was treating us. And then I watched Alex Becker's video on SJW politics in Star Wars and I had no idea what an SJW was. I had to look it up. And then I had to follow the trail down the rabbit hole to learn more.

Have you ever watched the movie or read the book Flowers for Algernon? SPOILER ALERT: Charlie is mentally challenged and becomes the test subject for some scientists working on brain enhancements. (See also: Lawnmower Man.) Charlie gets smarter, but then he gets so smart he starts to recognize his own superiority to the scientists. He gets resentful. He gets angry. Then the drugs start to wear out and he goes back to being hapless, innocent ol' Charlie again.

I wish I could go back to my ignorance. My research has made it clear that I am pretty conservative in many things, and that has set me at odds at some points with my wife, who is a self proclaimed feminist and part time social justice warrior herself, though not to the degree as some of the leftists I see online. We had to have a serious sit down discussion to sort through our views and make sure they were still in line for the raising of our children. That was a tough couple days.

And finally, to wrap it all up, my knowledge of SJW politics still does not always come to mind when I post things online. On my twitter feed I posted this:

And you can see at the bottom that it got one retweet. Fantastic! I only have 8 followers, and this guy has 460 something. So maybe someone would click the pic, like it, and buy the shirt. It'd be free advertising. I followed them to give my support.

But then over the last couple days I started paying attention to what this person was posting, and I realized I made a mistake thinking this was a good thing. I mean, I was wondering why they didn't like the post if they retweeted it, and I noticed that no one had gone to my store. That's when I started to pay attention to the stuff they were posting and retweeting. OMH! This person didn't like my post... they hated my post. They are vegan animal activists and I just posted a pic of a crazy naked dude pouring the blood of a squirrel into a bowl to use in a sacrificial magic ritual.

And that's when it hit me, politics is everywhere.

So, buy my shirt if you like it, don't if you don't.
If you buy it from here I'll even give you free shipping.
Use promo code: BlitzHobbyFS at checkout.

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Been too long

it has been far too long.

I dropped off suddenly for reasons that don't matter anymore. Let's catch up:

• That girlfriend that I got? I married her. We had twin baby girls. We took them to the temple and were sealed to them. They'll be a year in September.
• I own two businesses, partner in one, Soul (snicker) proprietor in the other.
• I put one of my designs on a t-shirt, you've seen this in the art page:
• 
• We are selling her house and buying land and I get to finally build my papercrete house =D
• I've watched way too much politics the last several months... but i'll get to that later.
• I am still running D&D... a family game for my in-laws and going to start another for some friends. I have so many games that I have never been able to play because everyone wants to go the safe route with freaking D&D!! gah! oh well. least it's playing.

If you're still out there, thank you for reading. I'll post more often.

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