Ramble On

* One year ago I drank beer only when I left my flask in my other pants. Now I love beer and try new ones all the time. I'm even in one of those stupid beer clubs at a Chili's rip-off here in Fargo. What the hell?

* I seriously need to get back to Las Vegas sometime this year, preferably the fall. Anybody up for that?

* I believe that the federal government should be smaller rather than larger. I believe that many questions that cause such divisiveness in our society should be answered at the state level. Abortion. Gun control. Drug legalization. Let the states deal with those issues. The federal government should stick to things like maintaining the military, regulating interstate commerce, etc. According to the Department of Homeland Security, what I just wrote may label me a rightwing extremist. I'm so glad Bush is gone and federal agencies are no longer politicized.

* I saw a report on Good Morning America that showed those new compact cars getting crushed into jagged paperweights when they hit larger cars. So let me get this straight: a smaller, lighter car that trades safety for fuel economy doesn't do so well when it gets hit by one of those big sedans that have uppper/lower/side/front/back air bags and more crumple zones than the Titanic had hulls? Amazing. I have a message for the "scientists" that carried out these tests: F=M*A. Look it up. (hint: the "M" is the important one here.)

* The cost to take my family of four to the ball park, get tickets, park, eat, have a beer or two: $196.89. The cost to watch the game on TV (free), park (free), eat ($8.99: thanks, Papa Murphy's!) and have a beer or two (Dos Equis: $7.99 a sixer): $16.98. Not to mention I don't have to risk getting turned into road butter when my puny compact gets hit head on by a Cavalier.