NineToez

Vaping on an e-cigarette

I’ve smoked cigarettes for too long, and actually liked it. Like many smokers, I do know that it’s horrible for your health yet continue to do so anyway because it’s an addicting habit. I’ve gone a day or 2 without a cigarette before and was fine, but mostly I smoked because of boredom.

I first heard of electronic cigarettes or “e-cigs” about 3 or so years ago, but didn’t give it much attention mostly because of their price and lack of information/availability. Today, they’re on TV & radio ads, in just about any local pharmacy store, and becoming more accepted everywhere. What attracted me to them is that you can “smoke” inside your home without offending anyone, no odor on your fingers/clothes, and in the long run, can save money vs. purchasing regular cigarettes. I personally can care less of the “vanilla bean mocha cheesecake frappuccino menthol” flavors that are offered, but mostly wanted your standard smoking experience while using less of the real thing, thus quitting traditional cigarette smoking altogether.

Ok, so it’s only been barely a week as I’m writing this, however I’m a huge skeptic and am a hard sell but this… vaping… is legit. Mind you, I wasn’t a hardcore pack-a-day, Marlboro Reds smoker, however I do like to smoke and I decided to give vaping (smokers smoke, vapers vape) a shot. I spent literally hours pouring through Google searches and watching many YouTube videos, trying to get someone to convince me that it’s a bad idea, it’ll suck, or whatever. Instead, I got confused! If you’re not very familiar with vaping and all the terms, mods, models, voltages, twist batteries, cattys, e-juice, blah, blah, blah, it’s a clusterfuck of information to wade through!

After much reading, watching, and researching, I found what I believe is the best way to go and that is the Triton tank system by a company called Halo. They’ve also been highly recommended for their “e-juices” or vapor liquid since they’re laboratory grade made in the U.S. Without trying to sound like a commercial, I’m highly impressed by what I’ve experienced so far. I purchased their sample pack of liquids and the entire order arrived in one business day (they’re based in New Jersey while I’m in Los Angeles; USPS Priority mail was at no cost to me!).

I’ll admit, I do still smoke regular cigarettes as of the time I’m writing this, however I’ve cut back drastically since using an e-cigarette. It satisfies the whole exhaling smoke thing we smokers enjoy, and there is nicotine in the vapor however not the other 3,000 other chemicals that is applied to tobacco. As prices go down due to competition and demand goes up with increased users, I think this will be the year that many take real notice of vaping.

We’ll never know Dorner’s true story

The first half of February has been ravaged in the media by a one, Christopher Dorner, the ex-LAPD officer that waged war against his former employer. I’m not going to romanticize or celebrate his actions, but rather try to understand them. Why? Call it morbid curiosity.

I’ve lived in Southern California all my life, so I’ve known since I was a teen firsthand just how how fucked up our elitist police department can be. Oddly enough, movies like ‘Training Day‘ gave further speculation on the possibility that our men in blue, who are supposed to protect and serve, are not much more than trained professional thugs with radios in an organized gang. Of course, who could forget the rap group “N.W.A.” and arguably their most popular song in their catalog.

Whether Dorner really was a good guy that was wrongly fired doesn’t excuse his commitment to kill people that he felt wronged him. If you’ve read his manifesto, it’s fascinating and methodical, however I think he should have turned his rage into a movement instead. Yeah, I know, this ain’t the 1960′s, but he would’ve had more traction if he truly had evidence to prove his side of his story. I’m certain other former officers would have come forward and joined him, despite the stigma it may have cost them to do so, but it would’ve been a more sound and reasonable way to deal with the situation.

Mr. Dorner is now dead, whether by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, by a police sniper, or the cabin fire that mysteriously came about that may have actually been started the police. No matter what you believe, the cops lie. They lie constantly. They lie to protect themselves from judgment. They lie to keep state and federal aid money piling in. They lie to protect their pensions. They feel as if they’re superior to us civilians, when it’s us civilians they work for. They only promote from within those that will maintain their code of secrecy. Truth is, we will never know the full Christopher Dorner story and how he really died as we have to accept the story coming from the police themselves that will lie at any given moment.

Reading comments on YouTube from people of other countries (meaning non-Americans) over news of the Connecticut school shooting this past Friday, and I guess we do appear as a nation that’s just out of control with our 2nd Amendment to the world. I’ll go on record by saying I don’t own firearms, however many of you know that I like playing first person shooter video games, which the media has already mentioned the shooter also enjoyed.

Gun control has been mentioned whenever possible and even banning them altogether, however will even that solve anything? Remember the Norway shooting in 2010? What about Virginia Tech in 2007? Columbine anyone? Notice anything similar in all of them? Yes, young people were targeted because they were defenseless and unknowing. A sick individual has to pull a trigger in order to cause harm or worse.

Every time our world faces a senseless act of violence, almost immediately the cries for gun control or outright bans go up. You seriously don’t think that manufacturers will simply just stop making guns and ammo, do you? I mean, it’s not like prohibition really “fixed” anything, right? Drugs and alcohol (during the U.S. prohibition) were still aplenty even though they couldn’t legally be sold.

I’m pretty sure that when this country’s founders wrote the constitution almost 250 years ago, they didn’t imagine that weapons would have advanced as they have today. The foundation of the second amendment is still sound today, but I do agree stricter methods to obtain weapons and their ammunition must be introduced. After all, a doctor can prescribe a potentially addictive medication after an examination, so why aren’t we looking closer at the people that own guns and/or wish to purchase them? We have to register our vehicles with the DMV annually, so why isn’t something similar in place for individual weapons to the government? We gotta do smog checks on our vehicles, so why not inspect each individual registered weapon every year or so and make certain that not only the owners are mentally fit to use these guns, but that the guns themselves aren’t modified for their intended purpose. Maybe even limit the number of guns a registered owner can purchase in a given year, or even at a time.

I know, I’m not the biggest fan of having the government meddle with who can have what, but this might be a case where they might need to step up and implement new regulations. Average citizens shouldn’t have access to high caliber assault rifles, but it’s a state by state thing now as I understand it. If home defense is your motivation for owning guns, isn’t a pistol good enough? Deer hunters wouldn’t shoot with assault rifles or they’d ruin the meat. There are portions of this country that shoot for sport in a controlled environment (i.e. shooting ranges) or even shoot for hunting for food, and there are appropriate guns for either scenario. Keeping sub-machine guns at home for defense is just ridiculous.

I’m saddened that innocent children were murdered along with their trusted teachers and care takers in this latest episode. I wouldn’t call what happened a tragedy as the definition truly doesn’t match what had occurred. Banning all weapons isn’t going to prevent a future occurrence anywhere. We really should have a closer look at the individuals that are likely to commit such cowardly acts instead of just the weapons themselves.

Apple vs. Android Fight

The world knows by now that the new iPhone 5 was just released this weekend along with their latest iOS software that runs on most all Apple mobile devices including the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

While I didn’t run out and buy an iPhone 5, I am eligible to get one however didn’t want to get involved with the pre-order scramble madness that usually surrounds each and every mobile Apple device. I do plan on getting an iPhone in about a month, upgrading from my iPhone 4 from 2 years ago.

With that now all laid out, I’m aware there is a community out there that absolutely despises anytime Apples does, well, anything and it makes news. I personally have used the iPhone since 2007 and converted from Windows computers to Mac as of a few years ago, mostly because it has been the standard within the creative and design world for several years. While I do still own a Windows 7 & Linux netbooks, my MacBook Pro is what I use on a daily basis, and haven’t looked back since.

What I don’t understand is the deep seeded hate from one “community” to another. Whether it’s a preferred mobile phone, operating system, computing hardware, etc., we all have our preferences and reasoning for choosing one over another. Many have tried an Android phone and an iPhone, and have settled on their choice and some have been rabid about their feelings when “the other” does something that apparently was originated from their platform of choice. Do you honestly think that spewing your dislike and angst filled comments on online forums, videos, social media, and any other outlet is going to make the masses just drop what they’re doing and convert on the spot just because you said it? And if that was a possibility, what benefit is it to you?

While I too grow tired of reading all of Apple’s issues, faults, and news, it is indeed huge media fodder for the people out there that care to read it or listen. If that audience didn’t exist, then neither would the news surrounding it. Alas, it’s there, and it doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon so no matter what you like or prefer, we all need to stop acting like children in the backseat during a long road trip to visit relatives constantly screaming, “he’s touching me!”

Can I count on your support?

Just coming off a birthday weekend and with under 2 months to go before we Americans get to play yet another installment of “pick the prick to fuck us!” game. In this episode, I’m going to do something I rarely choose to do, and that’s talk politics.

I despise that this is even a topic, because it’s really a popularity contest in disguise. How else do you explain Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Al Franken, and Kal Penn? I thought we were supposed to choose the right person for the job, and instead it’s mud slinging, drama, and bullshit until the one person with the most support rises to the top. Since when has that person historically ever been the best person suited for the job to begin with?

Listen to any politician during his or her campaign for office where they speak on the others faults, mistakes, and failed promises. When has any politician in history ever made good on each and every campaign promise? Yet, they think we the public are stupid enough to forget after each term? Think for a moment; we’re the fragile, virgin who’s trying to keep our legs crossed while some person in a crisp suit and perfectly coiffed hair is trying to get us to open them up. Do you really think that person gives two fucks about us once they get what they want, which is the office they’re attempting to get into?

Not voting at all because “we’re going to lose anyway” is a shitty attitude. No matter who you think has the best values, morals, or cutest ass, don’t vote for the individual that’s the “hottest”. This isn’t the 8th grade student body elections here. I’ve already made up my mind for this coming election year, and it should be based on the best person for the job. Get out there this year and vote for who you feel will represent the American public the best for this country.