Tuesday, June 10, 2008

He's here and I'm back!

Ok, so having a third child takes away from your blogging. My bad. As it is, Trey Douglas Mitlo is a stud and is doing fine. Rachel is still the best mom in the world and Junior and Bella are great with their little bro (though Bella has been having "accidents" for the past few days, including peeing on me yesterday, and it's getting a bit old). One thing that you run into is a general sleep malaise. Not straight deprivation, but slow weathering of your stamina and patience...well at least mine. So I've been grumpy as crap today and the worst part is that I know that it's all me. So, having attempted to get some work done, and getting further grumpy, I will now post the long awaited Global Warming Post. I will put my grump to good use.

Global Non-Warming...by Jay Mitlo


There are three types of people who will read this.
1. Those who agree with me...read on.
2. Those who aren't sure what they believe...read on, with patience.
3. Those who disagree with me. I dare you, read on. I bet you don't.

In a macro sense, my opinion on global warming is that it is an attack on the United States and our economy by at least three main groups.
1. Foreign governments who want to remain, become, hope to financially more competitive than us.
2. People within and outside of our borders who want a socialist agenda in all areas of government instituted to control more people and more economies.
3. Opportunists who see mass hysteria as a huge selling point for industries that they are invested in to flourish.


First, a few facts:
*Over the past years the global temperature has remained constant.
*During this same period, CO2 levels have risen 4.5%, thus pooping on the idea that CO2 levels effect temperature. There are many who believe that CO2 levels actually follow temperature.
Thus thwarting the idea that controlling CO2 will control temperatures.
*The arctic ice cap (purported by Al Gore to be shrinking) is at it's greatest size in 30 years (which is all the time that they have been measuring it).
*This past winter saw the greatest amount of North America that was covered in snow in history.
*Hurricanes, fires, floods, have been occurring with no more frequency or size than any other point in history.

The above information is accurate and verified through the Global Climate Conference held earlier this year in NYC and Dr. Bob Carter (who is not connected to or receives any money from "Big Oil".

The hypocrisy:
*In the 1960's the "great impending tragedy" was overpopulation and mass starvation.
*In the 1970's it was Global Cooling and an impending ice age. It was even suggested to put coal dust on ice caps to keep the temperature from lowering any further.
*India and China use an increasingly exponential amount of oil and coal but no one wants to tax or restrict them.
*Al Gore's house, every environmentalists private jet, blah blah blah, practice what you preach and shut up.

The common sense of it all:
*The earth has had something like 4 or 5 ice ages. Which means that there have been 4 or 5 warming periods that brought us out of those ice ages. These all occurred without the combustible engine and CO2 output. Thus, it wasn't man made "warming". Couldn't that be what's warming the earth now? Oh wait, it's not warming...see the first fact above.
*Sun spots are random and incredibly difficult to measure the impact on earth. They are highly variable and could, just maybe, have an impact on our weather.
*Maybe, again, maybe, we are not so powerful and important. Maybe the earth is bigger than us all.

Government's "solutions":
*The new light bulb!!! Yes, it's green week on NBC and we want you to buy Green light bulbs that use less energy (oh by the way, we, NBC are owned by GE which makes these light bulbs but don't pay attention to that obvious conflict of interest). Oh, by the way again, if you dispose of it improperly, the amount of pollutants in one of these can contaminate 60,000 gallons of water (for just one bulb!).
*Let's all turn to Ethanol!!! Yes, the USA will give subsidies (read: free money) for farmers to grow corn for Ethanol. This will save on oil consumption. Well, no. It takes more CO2 to produce Ethanol than it saves. It also has to be transported by truck (instead of pipe line). Trucks emit CO2. Now, farmers are growing so much corn for fuel that food prices are through the roof (one reason) and we now import grain for the first time ever. Third world countries that depend on us for our extras are starving due to this great green idea.
*Let's attack big oil. The government makes 40 cents on the dollar for every gallon of gas. Gas companies make about 7. Government gets in the way of oil companies from drilling for more, refining more, or even using coal to oil technology....WAIT!!! I'm getting into my "why the price of gas is so high rant.........not today my friend....
*The USA has taken steps to put the polar bear on the endangered species list due to global warming. One problem, their numbers are increasing.
*Global warming is a far better problem than a global cooling. Slight warming would actually save lives and increase crops in most areas of the world. Global cooling (which could happen if we keep getting in the way, though they would never be that effective, but humor me) would kill many more.

In conclusion:
Stop being a lemming and following the rants of Ted Turner (look up his global warming beliefs...woof), socialist environmentalists (I'm all for the environment and conservation, just not the whole socialist agenda part of the movement), opportunistic politicians and speculative industries. Look for real facts. Look and follow the money. The money will lead you to the liar...always.

Monday, April 14, 2008

It's Over...it's over....woof, it's over.

Sleep is the sweetest thing ever. We all lead desperate, over extended, busy but not always productive, too loud for the Holy Spirit to be heard, too much yet so little, no margin, unChristlike, self important, inward focused, lives that leave us needing, wanting, coveting, more sleep that we never get. But that's enough about me, let's talk about some other things that interest me. I apologize for letting this blog become positive when I committed to making it about the things in life that should but don't make sense. Next post....Global Warming...no such thing.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Sweetest Four

Let's bring it home. I have been amazed at the number of replies to this thread! What I mean to say is that I mourn the sad lives most of you must live. No Sweetness, no love, no fantastic moments...no opinions. As it is, here are the final four.

Nature Bracket: Summer Rain vs. Ocean Breeze. The winner is.......

Ocean Breeze!!! (Ocean = vacation, rain = ruined summer day)

Sports Bracket: Favorite Team Winning vs. Perfect Moment. The winner is......

Favorite Team Winning!!! (perhaps the Steelers Super Bowl and Penguins potential Cup pushed this one forward)

School/Work Bracket: 2 Hour Delay vs. Last Day. The winner is......

2 Hour Delay (on nostalgia alone...few of us have these anymore)

Random Bracket: Concert Moment vs. More Sleep. The winner is.....

More Sleep (by a landlside)

Final Four Matchup!!!
Ocean Breeze vs. 2 Hour Delay

Favorite Team Winning vs. More Sleep

As always, if the titles of the sweetest things confuse you, check the original entry. Vote early and often. This will gladly be over soon.

Global Warming can only wait so long......

Monday, April 7, 2008

Elite Sweet...Eight.

Since tonight is the national championship game we are announcing our Elite Sweet Eight (what the...?). Anyhow...here goes. Most of you have chosen to respond in person but special thanks to Hannah and Diz who took the time to vote on the blog. If you are confused about what the items are, just check the earlier posts for a full description.

Nature Bracket
Summer Rain (8 votes) beats Snowy Morning (1)

Ocean Breeze (10) beats Fall Drive/Leaves (2)

Thus to get to the final four we have:
Summer Rain vs. Ocean Breeze

Sports Bracket
Favorite Team Winning (9) beats Best Game Ever (1)

Perfect Moment (6) beats Game With Friends (5)

Final Four Matchup:
Favorite Team Winning vs. Perfect Moment

School/Work Bracket
2 Hour Delay beats the piss (sorry Rachel) out of New Pencil (234 votes to 1)

Last Day of School/Work (7) beats Good Test (2 votes)

Final Four Matchup:
2 Hour Delay vs. Last Day

Random Bracket
Concert Moment (6) beats Perfect Shopping (6) via tie breaker
-tie breaker being my vote and Diz' passion for her vote

More Sleep (10) beats Amusement Park (3)

Final Four matchup:
Concert Moment vs. More Sleep

Get your votes in, every vote counts...some count more than others. I will post the next round exactly when I feel like it and when I have the time.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

The Sweetness Sixteen!!!

You thought it was gone? How wrong you were. Here are the results of the tens of responses I got for the sweetest thing ever. Several of the responses were similar so they have been combined. Here are the matchups, vote early and often.

The Nature Bracket
The smell in the air after a summer rain storm.
vs.
The sun shining off of the snow after an overnight storm...all is quiet.

Driving through the country in the fall, windows down, music on, leaves changing.
vs.
The smell of the ocean breeze in your super suite comfy beachfront hotel room, first thing in the morning.

The Sports Bracket
Playing your best game ever, everything you did was great.
vs.
Your favorite team winning it all.

That moment when you did one thing perfectly (crush golf/soft ball, dunk, motorbike jump etc.)
vs.
Playing your favorite sport with your friends and having a great day.

School/Work Bracket
2 hour delay
vs.
Having a sharp, brand new pencil and clear paper and time to create.

Doing great on a test (whether you thought you'd done well or not).
vs.
The last day of school (or work before vacation).

Random Sweet Thing Bracket
Getting lost in a concert moment, your favorite song, dancing, screaming, having a blast.
vs.
Shopping and finding exactly the right size...on sale.

Waking up in the middle of the night and realizing you have hours left to sleep.
vs.
Going to an amusement park on a sunny/perfect day (being next in line on a rollercoaster).

I will take votes through the blog (worth 2 points) and via email/IM/text/person to person (worth 1 point). Results to be posted later this week!

Monday, March 17, 2008

March Sweetness!!!

Ok, I was going to post on some serious topics. The farce of Global Warming (yeah, it's a farce and I will post on it at some point), Barrack Hussein Obama's spiritual mentor being a racist hate monger http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/Obama_Church_Racism/2008/01/07/62285.html John McCain being 40% of the candidate I'd vote for (still leading by the way...sigh), the government aided/caused financial crisis are all topics I thought of perusing. As it is, a more lighthearted topic arose.
With the brackets for the NCAA tournament being revealed today and Pitt being predicted to win it all by Bobby Knight (read: "Hey Indiana, I used to be your coach, hire Jamie Dixon" out of that prediction) I had a fun, senseless, idea. Why not have the ultimate bracket of sweet things. No, not like Swedish fish dipped in corn syrup and rolled in pixie stix sweet, but sweet as in, "Dude, that is so sweeeeeet."
For example, it is so sweet when you hit a golf ball (or softball) so hard and perfect that you barely even feel it and it just flies. Another would be sleeping in on a chillyrainy day with the windows open while under many covers. A third would be when you think you really have to poop but when you sit on the toilet you let out a high near whistle "toot" that last for 10 glorious seconds.
So, I will compile a list of the first 65 things people suggest as the sweetest things. I will then reveal them and we will go over and eliminate them until we have the sweetest thing ever.
Here are the rules.
1. No entries related to God/Faith/Ministry. This would be unfair and make the rest of the entries trivial when the point is that they are all somewhat trivial.
2. Nothing x rated...'nuff said.
3. Nothing mean spirited. I deem what is mean (and I know mean).
4. All entries must be submitted before Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.
5. The top 65 will be revealed on Thursday.

Ok, here we go. I will take entries in person but will give special consideration to any entered through a comment to this page. By the way, the examples mentioned are already in the tourney.

ps-please do not wager on whether or not I will actually follow through on this.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

HONK!!!

How many of you, you being people who drive with a modicum of responsibility, have had multiple people honk at you when you are driving? Further, how many of you have actually had people yell out the window at you?

Both have happened to me but I think that I have cornered the market on female yellers. Once I was going the wrong way, knew it, and was going 5 miles an hour on a 3o ft. wide road, (the entrance/exit to Linton Jr. High just after they switched directions). I stayed way to the right and crept up the ramp. A lady came flying around the corner and screamed out her window (20 ft. away from me) "You son of a %itch!!!". I had to stop the car I was laughing so much. This was the only time I could have been considered in the wrong at all.

I have had females yell out the window at me no less than 5 times. I am committing right here on this blog to follow the next one (at a safe distance) no matter long it takes, and eventually asking them, "What's wrong? Are you ok? Why are you so angry? Can I pray for you? Who pooped in your Cheerios? Did you vote for John Kerry?"

Now, I put this in the same category as the, "I'm going to write a letter of complaint!" which never happens. We all know I won't but it's nice to dream. What scares me is that a guy who rolled through a stop sign honked at me the other day. I knew he would so I turned and acted surprised while yelling "Heyyyyyyyyyy" and waved out the window as if we were long lost friends. He must be gruff with his friends as he gave me the finger. Have I branched out to irrational male hate as well? What could the spring hold for me as windows come down again?

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Pouring money down the drain...

Why do you suppose it is, that in this "green" world we live in, that there is no method to save all of the water that you waste while waiting for it to become hot? Now, don't get me wrong. I care about the environment but am far, far, far from being "green" or even caring (please stop back for my "Global Warming is a Crock of Endangered Polar Bear Crap" post). My complaint is monetary. You see, we here in Penn Hills used to save money on waste management by not managing it and pumping said waste directly into the river. Well, the EPA rightfully found that to be egregious and fined us 1 billion dollars (or something like that, may as well have been). For the past ten years rather than paying for it like we thought we were, we were just paying the interest. So, next year, our water costs $8.00 gallon (or something like that, I may be exaggerating by several 100%). This leaves me wishing that I had a way of not pouring money down the drain, waiting for it to get hot. And yet, none exists.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

MMA!!!

For those of you who know me, I'm sure you're shocked that I haven't posted yet on MMA. Sweet news today. EliteXC (partner of Showtime) announced that they have made a deal to partner with C freakin' BS to show 4 live shows on Saturday nights!!! That's MMA on network tv boys and girls. The IFL has been on MyTV or whatever network that is but so have I, I believe. Tell me, how much boxing do you see on live network tv during primetime? Oh yeah, there's none. Why? Because boxing is poop (this is objective) compared to MMA! Further, for more details, check out MMAJunkie.

EDIT: The UFC announced today that they have signed on Bud Light as a primary sponsor. This is monstrous news as well inasmuch that it gives even more legitimacy to MMA as a sport. This will open the door for other companies to do business with the UFC and MMA in general. Huge deal for the UFC and MMA. Will all due respect though.....R.I.P. Mickee's.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Yoi! I'm sad?

Myron Cope died today. He was old, that's what old people do. They die. Yet I'm sad. I am surprisingly sad. I didn't love him. He was fine. I didn't not like him. He was just Myron Cope. Crazy, unintelligible, passionate, loyal, funny, remarkable, inventor of the "Terrible Towel", he was many things. Why am I sad?
Part of me is sad for the simple fact that he became like a grandfather to Steelers fans. You know, that crazy old man that you don't quite get but you love him. As he got older you got more nervous anytime he talked for fear of him saying something just ridiculous. You cared about his stories about the old times but not enough to really listen. You felt bad about that but not enough to listen more the next time. Now, he's gone.
Another part of me is sad because he represents something that is missing in today's world. The strong man. Now, he could barely lift three pirogi to his mouth in his prime let alone as he got older but I mean strong in different way. He was old school, he was who he was. You didn't like it? Pound salt. He called any woman he worked with "girlie" no matter what their age. Sexist? Sure. Did he do with it with mal-intent? No. He drank. Too much? Sometimes. Did he hide it or go to therapy? No. He was old school. I heard today that he could dance. At weddings he would dance every dance with either his wife or any other woman there. The women would line up to dance with him. Why? Because he was old school and knew how to lead a woman (even if he only came up to their shoulders). Very few younger people know that he was originally a sports writer, a very accomplished sports writer. Only after years of writing did he begin to do broadcasting. He wrote nothing like he spoke. They were two different mediums to him. Why? Because he was old school.
Lastly, I wonder if I'm sad because it's another bit of my youth, slipping away (well, gone). It's in the back of your head when you get older..."when will I be old?". This doesn't help. Now, I don't really care, at least I think I don't. But maybe it is why I'm sad. Maybe.
If you read this and have thought, "huh, I didn't ever really think about that crazy old Myron Cope before...what a shame." Then seek out and listen to Beano Cook. He is a grumpy old man who knows everything about football (especially college) and (because he is old school) politics, history and life. Further, if you have that old man in your life, listen to him for just a few minutes, he may just say something remarkable. He may offend you or go off in a rant about walnuts or something, but he may just teach you something.

Monday, February 25, 2008

New Christians....

I really wish there was an outlet to hear about people coming to know Christ. I believe each story is a miracle. Further, I believe that Christians who are stuck in their pews would have a much better chance of reaching out to others if they did in fact see that people could come to know Christ. Imagine the stories you would hear and the hope that they would give you for loved ones or people you are trying to love with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I have many of those stories stocked up after 11 years in ministry. I tell each of them from time to time. I think I will talk of them more often. Big Bill anyone? Jim Bradley? What about a little early "BVon"? Let me walk you through a guy I like to call, "Chris Gongaware". But wait, you don't know about Maura O'Donnel? You've never heard of Chris (ok, I forget his last name), Jenn Bergman, and the weird chick from Gateway? What about my boy that we got out of Shuman to go to camp? He had to paint every morning as community service.
The stories are many. Yet each of you who believe are a miracle as well (very often not as funny but a miracle). Start by telling your story. No, not all of the details of your sin. Just let people know how much the Lord means to you by living for Him today. Love someone, love them until they ask you why you care. Then, tell them how Christ loved you first, and loves them too. It's not hard.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

"Energy Crisis" Cost of oil goes to 1 billion dollars a barrel...or whatever.

Idiocy: We are dependent on foreign oil. That's bad. We buy oil from countries that will do us harm. That's bad. They use the money to fund terrorism. That's bad. To stabilize these hostile regions of the world we send troops in harm way. That's bad. In order to do that we are fighting two wars in the middle east or one war on two fronts. That's bad. This costs tons of money and weakens our economy. That's bad. So what are we do? We don't have any oil here...right?
Truth: We do have oil...tons...literally. In Alaska, we have enough oil to supplant 15 years of foreign oil. Off of the Gulf Coast we have even more. Look west and you'll find oil off of that coast as well. So what's the problem? Oh, it will harm the environment if we drill there? Hmmm, so will a nuclear attack from the middle east. And yet, there is no proof that it will harm the environment. Drilling is currently going on off of the Gulf anyway, but not by us. They stay in International waters and drill at an angle toward the coast...nice. But WE can't! Why? Because of politics. The environmental lobby groups pound Capitol Hill into submission (because they are weak...like the Ukraine) and they acquiesce (I spelled that correctly on the fist try). We haven't even built an oil refinery in over 30 years due to government regulations. Dumb. Yeah, you'll get that kind of sharp linguistic jujitsu here. I say it again, dumb.
Common Sense: I'm all for the environment...just not for environmental anti capitalist pro socialist front groups. Let's drill, aggressively. While we drill, we build nuclear plants. Yes, that nuclear energy that was so dangerous and forgotten about in the 90's that has yet to ever cause loss of life here in the United States (Chernobyl was outdated, under and mismanaged and not possible here). Create huge incentives for research into new fuel technologies by freeing the tax burden on companies that fund said research (in other words, get the government out of the way of companies that want to create). Ahhhhhhhhh, that feels good. I fixed our foreign oil problem all the while taking a break to help Rachel and the kids make whole grain applesauce muffins (with flaxseed meal, be very afraid).
And Another Thing: Do not talk to me about ethanol. Our present love affair with corn as fuel is as befuddling as young girls looking up to Paris Hilton. Food prices are through the roof due to government incentives to raise corn for fuel, leaving less for consumption. We have less to feed the world (which we do more than you'd ever realize), less for us at home, and less space (and farmers willing) to grow other crops. Beyond that, it actually has a larger carbon footprint (I can't believe I used that term) than fossil fuels because of the energy it takes to create and that it has to be delivered by truck instead of pipelines (too caustic). Harrumph!

Welcome!

As I sit here, listening to the coffee perculate, percalate, perkalate, make noise, I find a similarity in my head. Something is brewing, steaming even. I hear things, read things, see things and can't believe what I encounter. Someone needs to scream out and tell the truth on behalf of common sense. Allow me to rephrase, I need to speak out. I want it on the record somewhere and here it will be. Now, this won't be all heavy political, faith, parenting type stuff. There will be plenty of material for the douche bag as well. So, please, check back and comment on what you read, especially if you disagree. There is still free speech after all....for now.