5 mOst ExpEnsIvE AddIctIOns! (UPDATED FOR 2008)

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, HOMIE!!!




For those of you who don't know, my cat's name is HOMIE!. And it usually takes a little cAtnIp to get him to at least THINK outside the box.

3/18/07: Anyway, today I wanna talk about thE 5 mOst ExpEnsIvE AddIctIOns:



And ironically on this st. pAtrIck's dAy wEEkEnd, the MOST expensive addiction is Alcohol, w/ an estimated annual cost of $166 BILLION! Now, I know this is a sensitive subject for A LOT of people out there. And without a doubt, alcohol and I are very, very fond of one another. I had some of the bEst and dEfInItEly thE wOrst experiences of my life UndEr thE InflUEncE. I started drInkIn' at a pretty young age, and although my consumption has definitely decreased over the years, there was never a time that I can remember where I didn't drink ANYTHING for longer than a year or two. We're talking probably a span of 15-16 years (half of my life); and strangely I've never considered myself dependent on alcohol. Hmmmm...? I have thought of completely quitting as a goal. sUch A dIlEmma!

How about this? ...LET'S ELECT SOMEONE WHO WILL MAKE ALCOHOL ILLEGAL!!!

12/30/07:
I've come to realize this year that when you actually USE your brain, you don't like ANY interruptions. Your brain is close to 80% water and there is no greater dehydrator than "the juice." It's getting to the point where I'd rather sprain my ankle than suffer a hangover (which is actually withdrawal symptoms.) Top priority for the New Year! I guess it comes down to having something else, more productive to do. Still a continual battle…

3/18/07: The 2nd most expensive addiction is SMOKING, estimated $157 BILLION ANNUAL COST!


Excuse me if it sounds like I'm taking these personally, but hopefully we can get to one that I'm not contributing to. AAAAHH! So this one is even more personal than the drinking because I'm cUrrEntlY At wAR wIth nEwpOrts! I haven't had a puff since the first week of January! This is a battle I've had many times before, BUT this time, as you noticed, I referred to it as a WAR. And I say that confidently because this time I had the mEntAl wAkEUp cAll!

This story can be confirmed by thIs gUY......but the first day of my quit-smoking-struggle, I was TAKEN to a few bars and I didn't pay for one drink, but I had a lot to drink!!! And I was even voicing my concern to this non-smoking group of unsensitive, peer pressure-applying, unsupportive, drink buyers...but my words fell upon deaf ears. MORAL OF THE STORY: I DIDN'T SMOKE! thIs AlsO hElps! I'll keep you updated...




12/30/07:
Again, as I puff this f*ckin' Newport, it comes down to having a healthier "time-filler." THEY say it's harder to get off Nicotine than Heroin. Though that may explain why a lot of the homeless Vietnam vets were disproportionately strung out on that "China White." They were trying to kick cigarettes! Or maybe not? Nonetheless, squares are tuff to shake, especially during stressful times. My 2008 plans are a little more stable and structured (for now), so I hope this leads to a higher consciousness for me, where WHATEVER void exists that smoking fills no longer exists. Starting/quitting again Wednesday, Jan 2. READ MORE BOOKS!



3/18/07: The number THREE spot also hits pretty close to home. DRUGS! Let's try to look at this at a very basic level. Besides the thE wAr On tErrOr, the WAR ON DRUGS is the most ridiculous idea ever created. It's a great POLITICAL strategy! And executed beautifully I must add. WOW! Drugs are a part of OUR culture! That's what happens when a government recruits the best scientists from EVERY country in the world, and has a pOpUlAtIOn Of OvEr 300 mIllIOn, of which the bottom 1/3 is slowly being exterminated by various physical, mental, economic, etc., experiments and studies. AND DRUGS ARE A BIG PART OF THIS!!! I guess my biggest frustration when it comes to drugs is the hypocrisy involved. Don't get me started on prEscrIptIOn drUgs...and that whole mess! Even if we ignore HOW drugs get in the country, WHERE they end up, WHEN they're available (usually kinda tuff around election time, I've heard), we're left with the WHO and WHY!

WE SHOULDN'T HAVE PLACES IN OUR COUNTRY WHERE IT'S EASIER (SOMETIMES CHEAPER) TO GET DRUGS THAN FOOD!!! This is such a SAD and DISHEARTENING subject. Amazingly, it took us till the 3rd spot to come to a partially ILLEGAL addiction.

12/30/07:
I would absolutely LOVE if tobacco was illegal. But overall I feel EVERYTHING should be legal and regulated. Do some legitimate studies on the health effects of cocaine, THC, etc., AND compare the side effects to the ones rolling up my TV screen, requiring 5-minute commercials. Without honest analysis of the facts, which our government seems totally against, the "war on drugs" will continue oppressing us alongside the new "war on terror." Shit's depressing…


3/18/07: NUMBER 4: OVEREATING($107 BILLION)



The mere existence of the chart above is CRAZY! Add to that, ESPN televises these "competitions(?)" now! People are being rewarded for THIS! The direction MY FINGER is pointing on this one is fAst fOOd and vIdEO gAmEs Who knows what's in fast food? YOU?

With all that being said, I must admit that I am yet again contributing to the list. For me though, it's more LACK OF EXERCISE than OVEREATING. But I gotta plan for that too. With the weather trying to break into spring here in the NORTHEAST, my plan is to run the track around my complex on Monday and Wednesday mornings before I go to work. In the meantime, I'll be playing basketball Fridays, 4:30-6:00. AND WHAT ABOUT YOU? START HERE!

12/30/07: Lack of exercise easily can be defined as lack of motivation. Four months of unemployment in 2007 could've been such an opportunity. Shoulda, coulda, woulda's are senseless. It takes a big man to get up and run in the morning with bills on the table. I'm growing, but I ain't GROWN. But on the upside, my NEW house and NEW job are 3 blocks away. Walking distance! I can't wait to be ignorant of the gas prices. Now, I just have to decide between an iPod or the Sirius walkman…



3/18/07: I COULDN'T RESIST THIS PIC! But 5 is GAMBLING! And I can honestly say, I've never had a close affiliation with the gambling community! For me, it never went any further than some scratch-offs or a MARCH MADNESS bracket @ work!

12/30/07:
Slot machines were recently added to Pennsylvania's Lotteries and Horse Racing revenue-builders. Although gambling may be the only vice I DON'T have, this "gambling in PA" hits very close to home. Lancaster real estate taxes are pretty high. BUT, if the gambling revenues hit a certain $ amount, TAX BREAK! So although I could care less in 2007 whether gambling was sanctioned or not, it now piqued my interest. The quandary is "cheering" for people to throw their money away. The hopeless tugs on the nickel slots…


MY STANCE AS OF 3-18-2007:
(ON A SCALE OF 1-5, 5 = QUIT, 1 = IGNORANTLY LOVIN' IT)

1) ALCOHOL: 3, Cutting down, but I'm lOvIn' thIs shIt rIght nOw!
2) SMOKING: 4.8
3) DRUGS: 1
4) OVEREATING: 4
5) GAMBLING: 5

CHECK YOURSELF! IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD! PEACE!

12/30/07:
1) ALCOHOL: 4
2) SMOKING: 3
3) DRUGS: NEED MORE STUDY
4) OVEREATING: 4
5) GAMBLING: 5

MAKE 2008!

BILLS, BUSHES, & BULLSHIT!

Demolition halted! Thank god. This is serious stuff. I've long surrendered to the facts of American ignorance, but there's no better time to wake up to the truths of the world than right now. Let's take a little deeper look at what is and isn't happening in the aftermath of our country's worst natural disaster (so far.)

We all have events that touch our hearts in a way where it becomes a part of you and expands your being. For better or worse, these events are usually very emotional times for you. And we all know how irrational emotions can make us. That's why it's very important to be conscious of events that may change your perspective forever. To be unaware of certain triggers or sensibilities you may have is very detrimental to your self. Another topic entirely, but you feel me.

Needless to say, Katrina has been one of these events for me. I can't let it go. Every chance I have to hear an "update," I'm there. It takes over my life for however long the report may be. The shame of it all is that I'm disappointed 99% of the time. To this day, the only good news is the saints winning their division last year. All other news borders human rights violations.

We know of the televised delayed response, the media's labeling victims as refugees and looters, gun confiscation executed by Blackwater, cops going AWOL, lack of ANY organization on state and local levels, no-bid contracts to haliburton, increase in illegal immigrant workers, homelessness, thousands still displaced all around the country. Just to name a few.

I was definitely not a fan of former democratic governor Blanco, but with the recent election of a Republican governor, it begins to look quite hopeless for residents of Louisiana, and New Orleans public housing in particular. 4,500 units were scheduled to be demolished yesterday, to be replaced with fewer units. This is the Federal answer to New Orleans in a time where their homelessness has doubled to 12,000 since before Katrina hit. I've heard nothing on the improvements needed for the levees from the Army Corps of Engineers. Probably because they're working on the new elevated, hurricane-proof Gulf Coast money-maker.

This is a horrible chain of events we're witnessing. And to think your community could not fall victim to this greedy neglect of human rights and infrastructure is a mistake. If it rains, snows, or hales in your area, you're at risk. The national guard and their equipment's primary mission is disaster relief. They're no longer available for this purpose because of the continuous deployments to the Middle East. These are the types of services we could depend on because of the taxes we over-pay. No longer the case.

It's no secret, as we saw in Minnesota, we need serious upgrades of our infrastructure. That's not gonna be cheap, and we'd rather spend this money to defense contractors for little-to-nothing in return. There is a COUNTLESS amount of money unaccounted for with no one asking where it is. This missing money could provide universal healthcare, update our infrastructure, and make us proud to be American again. Maybe we could even start manufacturing something here.

Somewhere along the way, "people" has turned to "person." Many Americans run their rat race, with no interest in their fellow citizens' well being. Life is way bigger than you and your family, and like it or not, your actions are a part of the whole. As is every single person's on this planet. A trees does make a sound in the woods, even when you're not there. "HELP!"

And a verse to close on:

Bill, Bush, and Katrina
Nothing could come between ya
During the world tour
For the poor,
Poor people who bought
Your snake oil plot.
Where's the money?

"ROCKS N POWDER"

CRACK KILLS IN MANY WAYS
BEBES LIVE LIFE IN A DAZE
NO CLUE TO TRUE VIEWS
BRUISES ATTRIBUTED TO WHO?

YOU, YO, ME, TU
ANYBODY YOU KNOW WHO
HEARD OF CITIES
WHERE THEY FEED THEIR HIJOS
CONTAMINATED TITTIES

CRACK HAS A HISTORY
W/ NO DISCRIMINATION
EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE GIFT
FROM THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION

KILLS MORE PEOPLE THAN BULLETS
POISON PLANTED AMONGST THE TULIPS
WHOSE LIPS KISS PIPES ON TWISTED WRISTS?
AND WHOSE COLLOSAL NOSTRILS ARE "ON THE LIST?"