I was in the bookstore tonight.  I went to look to get a book about blogging.  I saw a book called “Blogging for Dummies.”  I looked through the book but it was all over my head.  I really couldn’t see how anything in the book would be helpful.  I was looking for something on how to increase traffic to your site.  This book on blogging was a few hundred pages and there was one page that I thought was related to increasing traffic on your site.  I don’t know why they would put something helpful in their book.

There was a section that was dedicated to the “rules of blogging.”  They gave helpful hints about some informal rules that a person should understand about blogging.  They mentioned that you should link a site if you are going to borrow for the ideas of that site.  I think that every group has sort of these informal rules that guide the group.

Someone asked me if it was proper etiquette to nudge a person if they nudged you first.  I told the person that I thought that was proper etiquette.

I want us to discuss proper etiquette on xanga.  I want you to think as if you were talking to a person that was starting on xanga for the first time.  You were telling them the things that were acceptable or not acceptable on xanga.

What would you tell a friend is proper xanga etiquette?  (Extra points will be given for creativity).

Are you impressed when people answer my questions with Bible verses?

There has been much press dedicated to the fact that George W. Bush has not used his power to veto during his whole presidency.  In fact, he has gone a longer time not using the veto than any president since Thomas Jefferson.  An article in USA TODAY cited a few opinions why he has not used his veto.  One opinion was that he would not “confront fellow Republicans.”  Others point to the idea that maybe Congress is unwilling to stand up to him.  Still others believe that it is the result of him working along with Congress in the right way.

Why do you think George W. Bush has not used his power to veto?

I want to talk about strip clubs for a moment.  An article appeared in the USA TODAY about how many deals are made in a strip club.  Apparently a bunch of executives hold their meetings at strip clubs.  I had a friend who used to work in the automobile industry in Detroit.  He mentioned that a great deal of the business was done in a strip club. 

The problem has been that some women are recognizing that they are being kept from some business because men are taking other men to these strip clubs.  In fact, the IRS allows it as a tax-deductible business expense.  So women in some cases have sued because they knew they were losing clients to men who could go to a strip club.

According to the article in USA TODAY, the NASD and the NYSE are proposing rule changes that would essentially force companies to adopt practices that would guide in picking appropriate venues for business to be handled.

Do you think that going to strip clubs is just a regular part of conducting business?

If you could work one job as your dream job, what would you want as your dream job?

I was talking to a lady one day about what it meant to have a good marriage.  She defined a good marriage as one that each partner was faithful to each other.  I asked, “That is all it takes.”  She said, “Yes.” 

Other people think of the movie “The Notebook.”  They want the dream marriage and anything short of that is not a good marriage.

What would a good marriage look like?

I met a lady who was talking about her marriage and how it broke up.  She cited the number one reason for the breakup as the differences in their faith.  She was raised from a different religious background than he was.  They fought about how they were going to raise their children.

Is it wise to marry someone of a different faith?

I believe only two people have ever left me a comment on my welcome message.  It is a quote from Pablo Picasso:  “I have discovered photography. Now I can kill myself. I have nothing else to learn.”

What do you think Picasso meant when he said that quote?

I am still taking friends for those who are using the new xanga feature.  If you need to know how to use it, look 3 post before this one.

I was reading in the USA TODAY newspaper and they had an interesting article about self-defense.  The NRA (National Rifle Association) is pushing for states to change their laws concerning self-defense.  Apparently many states are adopting those laws or currently considering them.

The old laws gave immunity from prosecution anyone who killed someone in defense of their home.  For example, if a criminal went into your house and you killed them you were generally given immunity from prosecution to protect yourself.  You were authorized to use deadly force to defend yourself.

The new law would expand self-defense to include crimes committed in public.  The current laws in most states allow you to kill someone if your life is in danger.  If someone killed another person, they could be prosecuted if they couldn’t prove a danger was presented.  According to the article, the idea was that a person could only use deadly force to defend their life.  They also put forth that there was a “duty to retreat” which required a person to “avoid potentially deadly confrontations.”

Now the same principle that applies to a person in their own home would apply to a person in public.

Should a person have the same right to kill in public that they have in the privacy of their own home?

I am still accepting new friends on xanga’s new feature.  Go back two post if you want to know about it.

I want to discuss an issue tonight that I can’t remember if I discussed before.  I talked about body image before but I don’t think I have talked about American fat.  I was hearing Oprah playing in the background today and I heard them talk about the topic of the book “French Women Don’t Get Fat.” 

On the show they were talking about how we as Americans are fat.  In fact, it is hard to go very long listening to the news without hearing how fat Americans are getting.  I have looked at those BMI weights at the doctor’s office.  I don’t think I will ever hit them.

Are we as Americans fat?