BMI Fact or Fiction?

If you haven't been living under a rock for the last 10 years you've probably heard of the Body Mass Index or BMI. Your BMI is a formula used by the health industry to determine you ideal weight. It is based off of your height, weight, and gender. If you are below 18.5 than you are under weight 18.5 to 24.9 is normal 25 to 29.9 overweight and 30 or above is considered obesity. The problem with BMI is a man that is 5'8" would need to weigh no more than 163 pounds to be in the normal category. Do we need a better system for measuring obesity? I believe we do. Health insurance companies use the BMI to determine if a person qualifies for coverage as do life insurance companies. The real problem is that the BMI doesn't take into account muscle mass. If you are a weight lifter with 22 inch biceps you will be considered overweight. I think it is time to revise a decades old system to fit the modern world.

The Japanese Tea Garden

The Power of a Kiss

This morning my two year old son Dylan bumped his arm. he ran to daddy for comfort. I kissed his arm and he was healed. I had never thought about it before. How amazing is the healing power of a kiss. You kiss your wife in the morning or evening and it makes all the problems of your day melt away for a moment. So my advice to you is stop and kiss the ones you love. It will do you wonders.

Overwhelmed?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed? This week has been so far for me and it's only half over. I think the trick is to find a way to unwind. For me it is this blog. I never would have thought I would enjoy something like this but I do. Also don't be afraid of a little prayer time. It can do wonders. Then every so often I think about Tim the Enchanter and what he used to say.

Follow only if ye be men of valour, for the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man yet has fought with it and lived! Bones of full fifty men lie strewn about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

Monty Python's quest for the Holy Grail

History is written by the winners

Have you ever thought about what that really means? It's like saying there are two sides to every story. The winner of a war is the one that writes the book to slant in its own favor. Take the english. If you read the history books you would most likely find that Scotland was inhabited by savages that fought with each other over the rule of the country and the english brought them peace and humanity. If you ask the Scottish you might get an entirely different answer. So think about that the next time you read a paper or watch CNN or Fox News. Don't just take somebody's' word for it. Take advantage of the web and decide for yourself. Don't be afraid to ask someone for their opinion or just a little help.

I want you

Let your voice be heard. Dylan wants you to vote on the poll. There are only a few days left so don't miss your chance.

Dylan also wants you to watch his newest video. It's at the bottom of the page.

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball

If you know what that means then you may already be laughing to yourself as you remember when Saturday Night Live was still funny. It was a great show for 20 years or so. Even after that it had a moment or two. So what has happened to make it the crap we have today? Is there just no creativity left or has our society fallen so far as to find SNL funny? I guess I'm just getting to old to understand today's humor.

Degree of change

This morning when I was getting ready for work I grabbed a new stick of deodorant. Degree for men. When I opened it up the was a plastic top under the lid. I removed it to see the words EMBRACE CHALLENGE stamped into my deodorant. I thought to myself what an odd place to get your life goals from. Despite the oddity I thought about it for a minute. Why not embrace challenge. You really only have two choices run from it or embrace it. A person that embraced challenge may fail more often than one that doesn't but he will succeed where the other is unwilling to try. Successful people have to embrace challenge and I want to be a successful person. So if you have been the type of person that runs from a challenge for fear of failing make a change in your life today. Do it today and you may fail but then again you may be successful.


Who knew you could learn so much from your deodorant.

The Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial

These pictures were taken today as my family and I visited the memorial. I go there every year on the 19th of April but have never just taken the time to look at everything. It brings back difficult memories. That is the day I almost lost my father. God had an angel with my father that day.

The first picture is of the chairs. Each chair represents a person that died. There are 168 of them.
The second is of the reflection pool and the main gate.
The third is the survivor tree.
The fourth is my father and I standing in front of the survivor tree.
The fifth is a statue named The weeping Jesus. You may notice that his back is to the bombing memorial. It is across the street from the memorial.

Why the Democrats won't win in 2008

Now before everybody gets all upset I would like to preface this post by saying I neither agree nor condone the following I am simply stating how I view the general public.

The reason I don't feel the democrats will win the election in 2008 is simple. This country isn't ready to elect a woman or a black man. At least not one named Barack Hussein Obama. The best chance the dems have for winning this election is John Edwards. The problem is he wont be able to raise the money. Hillary can't carry the female vote and without it she can't win the election. Obama won't be able to carry enough of the white vote and will have the same result. Therefore we will have a Republican in office again in 2008.

If you can't find something wrong with this there is something wrong with you

I was reading the story that I have linked to at the end of this article and remembering how it all went down. Now I read this article. This is a problem. We are supposed to have a system of checks and balances. If we aren't allowed to for our elected officials responsible for their wrong doings then who is. I just see this a more proof that our system and our politicians are corrupt.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/03/jefferson.investigation.ap/index.html

If the link does not work then you may have to cut and paste it into the address bar of your browser.

2008 Presidential Election

Vote Younger/Smith We Keeps it REAL
West Side




Paid for by the people for a candidate that doesn't suck.
I'm Bryan Younger and I approved this message.

These Men Served Our Great Country

Sgt. Robert C. Gee
US Marine Corps Recon
Somalia, Iraq, Barundi

Sgt Robert L. Gee
US Army Air Wing
Panama

SSGT George Pettyjohn
US Marine Corps Drill Instructor
Soloman Islands, Australia, New Britian, Guadelcanal, Northern Papua New Genea, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa.

Thank You

Thank you to all who have posted comments on the back to school special. My father was there for a meeting as he was every month. He worked for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for 35 years. If you get a chance to go to the memorial you will find his name on the survivor wall. It is Charlie Younger. It touched my heart to get such sympathetic comments from perfect strangers. I'm just glad to still have my dad with us.

The Back To School Special

So I am back to school the 20th of next month. I have a class that I am looking forward to more so than any other. It is Dealing with Terrorism. Most of you may already know but for those of you that don't my father was in the Oklahoma City Bombing. He survived but ever since that day I have wanted to do something that could help people like him. I am very close to my father so it bothers me that he is in pain everyday because of the bombing. Once I am finished with my degree I will have a practicum. They offer with the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT). The professor for this class just so happens to be the head of this program at the Oklahoma City Memorial. So let's all keep our fingers crossed that I make a good impression with Dr. Robison

There is a link to their web site on the right hand side of this page.

The Younger Family Blog

The Younger Family Blog is now up and operational. Be sure to check it out. There is a link to it on this page. We have three great videos and a picture or two. Remember you can subscribe to it as well as this blog and the car blog. If you haven't already please vote on the monthly poll.

Sticking Feathers Up Your Butt Does Not Make You A Chicken

Many people try yo portray themselves one way around certain people and act totally different at other times. This is never more prevalent then on sunday. If you are a beer drinking biker then be a beer drinking biker. You shouldn't be ashamed of who you are. Don't be afraid to be a christian or a republican. Neither are bad. Just because it is unpopular doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud of who you are.

America's Own Sweatshop

Walmart. It is americas very own sweatshop. Sure they don't have a bunch of thirteen year old children working there but they buy their products from companies that do. They treat their employee's like crap and give them almost no benefits. They put other companies out of business and they have no regard for anyone other than their stockholders. That is why I won't shop there unless I have no choice. If you need to buy something that you can get somewhere else do so. If you just can't afford to shop elsewhere then only purchase what you have to and get the rest at another place.

Freedom isn't Free

Most people today have forgotten there is a price for freedom. Numerous people have died for the wonderful county we live in. I know the United States is perfect but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world. We have the right to voice our opinion here. If you don't think that is a big deal you should go live in the desert for a while. In some countries the will behead you just for being a christian. So the next time you see a member of the armed forces tell them thank you. Thank you for risking your life for mine. Thank you for saying your not going to hurt any americans. Not tonight and not on my watch. Buy them a meal or a drink if you can but no matter what tell them thank you for letting me be free. You don't have to support war to support our troops.


So thank you Chris Gee, Hahns Fisher, Charlie Younger, Tom Simonson, Lynn Larrison, George Pettyjohn, and to anyone else that has ever served this great country. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. We couldn't be free without your sacrifice.


If you or anyone you know has served please click the comment link at the bottom of this post and let us know. I would like to thank all of you for serving individually for doing so. If you would like to hear from me just send an email to bryan.younger2345@gmail.com and I will do so. Also I would like to start a post with the names, ranks, branches, and places served so that others may do the same.

25 or 6 to 4

My sister met the trumpet player from Chicago a few days ago. She has been trading recipes with him for over a week before somebody told her who he was. Turns out it was Lee Loughnane. How cool is that.

The Thrilla in Manila

I need everybody's help on this one. My wife feels that it is a sin to get a tattoo. In the old testament it says you should not mark your body. Which I get but the real argument is over the validity of the old testament itself. Is the old testament still applicable today or is it just something meant to be studied for historical purposes? I heard a very good argument about tattoos that goes something like this. In the old testament not tattooing your body was more of a public health issue for god than a you'll go to hell type of thing. So if you have an opinion or just some insight about this issue please click comment and write an answer. Also vote on the poll question so I can keep track. Please ask around on this one or send a link to everybody you know. The greater the response the more definitive the answer.

The Blogosphere

Welcome all my friends to the show that never ends. Come inside come inside. Why because I like big butts and I cannot lie you other brothers can't deny when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face you get sprung. So tell the pinball wizard to take on me and we will all go on a magic carpet ride.

67 Fastback

Hey everybody the car blog is up so make sure to check it out. There is a link to it on the right hand side of this page.

Failure

Why does a family fail? In short it is because you fail to lead. The bible says the man is head of the household. I don't think this means that he makes all the decisions. It means he is willing to hear what his family has to say about the decision that needs to be made. If you and your wife are unable to compromise then your decision should be to lead your family in a godly manner. As head of the household it is your responsibility to lead your family in a godly direction. You should be teaching your family about god. You should be leading them in prayer. If your family is failing then you need to stop failing them and lead then to victory. I am not the best at this myself but I am trying to improve. And no ladies I didn't forget about you. As a wife you should submit to your husband. That doesn't mean you should do everything he says but it does mean you should respect him and his position. Being a leader is hard enough without having to fight with you about every decision we make. So you should remember you not are the head of the household. If the two of you can work together and find cohesion your family will benefit from it greatly. So start taking an active roll in your family and lead them to god and ladies let your husband lead your family to god. You will see it is worth the frustration it may cause in the beginning. Remember this may be the first time he has ever lead anyone and it will take some time to figure it out. So just support him any way you can.

My Menudo Manifesto

Menudo, is it a soup or is it a boy band from the 80's? Ricky Martin would answer " Hold Me" and Pedro might say that sounds bueno. Turns out it is both a soup and a boy band. It's like Chevy said. New Shimmer is both a floor wax and a dessert topping! New Shimmer, for the greatest shine you ever tasted! But I digress, In my humble opinion Menudo is nasty regardless. Eat it or listen to them either way it's enough to make me sick to my stomach.


Sincerely
T. K.

What up Gee?

This is for my homies. Throw me a frickin bone. Hope all is well in Florida look forward to seeing you guys one of these days.

Dependency on Foreign Oil

Here is my plan to cut our dependency on foreign oil by twenty percent in five years. Replace all of the government vehicles federal, state, and local with some sort of hybrid. I know this doesn't sound like much but if we could get just 5mph better per vehicle the savings would be surprising. Think about it. If the cars used today get 25mpg and they bought cars that get 30mpg just how much money that would be. 1 car driving 20,000 miles in 1 year at 25mpg would use 800 gallons of gas at $3.00 per gallon and that would cost $2,400.00 per year. If that same car got 30mpg it would use 667 gallons and cost $2,000.00 per year. That is a savings of $400.00 and 133 gallons of gas per car. Now think about how many cars the government has. I'm not sure what the exact numbers are but I will bet it is at least 100,000. If so that would be 13,300,000 gallons of gas and $40,000,000.00 per year. That is what 5mpg could do. If they would use hybrid cars that get 40mpg or more........well you do the math.

Where is your money going?

If you've ever wondered what the government is spending your money on you should read the Anderson Cooper blog for July 11th. Here is a link to it. You may need to copy and paste it in the address bar of your browser.

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/

Ode to Billie Joe

Wait you don't have to jump from the Tallahatchie Bridge. There is still time to make something of your life. I never thought I would go back to school but I am. It's never to late to change your path in life so don't settle for second best. God has a plan for you and he will reveal it when you are ready.

BTW if you didn't get the joke at the first of this post ask your parents about it.

Coming Soon to a Computer Near You

As soon as our other blogs are complete I will add the links for them to this page.

There's more than one way to skin a ministry

I know what you are thinking. What does this guy know about about how to minister to a non christian? That is a good question. What I know is that most non christian people don't like to be preached at. For to long now so many good christians have tried so hard to sit down and tell their non christian friends about a verse in the bible. That might be effective for some, but most don't feel comfortable doing that with people. In my own experience leading through example is the best medicine. I am not one to go around talking about how christ is my savior. When people see you praying at lunch or reading God's word without you pressuring them to drink the Jim Jones punch they become comfortable enough to ask you a question. That is your opportunity to give some godly advise. I have found that it is much appreciated and very rewarding.

Support Our Troops

I think this one speaks for itself.

God is Good

Another somewhat unpopular thing I do is talk about my belief in God. I remember my senior year in high school meeting around the flag pole at school to pray with other students. The faculty and staff were not allowed to attend such a meeting since it might offend the parents or certain organizations. None the less we meet and prayed. For that fifteen minutes it wasn't about what clothes you were wearing or how popular you were. It was just about God. Today if students want to do what we did they have to leave school property. Something is wrong with that picture.

The Politically Correct.

When is it ok to NOT be politically correct? I say people prefer honesty. It's the best policy. In today's society to many people are so worried about offending somebody that they are afraid to speak the truth. I feel you should be able to tell people how you feel about something without the fear of the liberal backlash.

Goals!!! You can achieve them too.

I was never a goal minded person until recently. I was complaining to my wife about my job ,as I always did, wen all of the sudden she stopped me and said something that changed my life. "Then get a new one." I responded it's not that simple and to that she said, yes it is. How can you expect a different result if you never try a different approach. Those are some very wise words. After years of dead end jobs that didn't make me happy I decided to go back to school. Hayden ,my wife, has a master's in public health. I am a year older than she is and have nothing but a high school diploma. So that very day I set my first goal. I want that college degree. Today I am in my third semester of college and have a 4.0 GPA. Now my second goal was a little less honorable. I weighed 202 pounds as of January 1, 2007. I decided to set a goal to loose weight. My wife and I took part in a weight loss contest with her family. The goal was to loose ten percent of your body weight. With diet and exercise I lost 44 pounds n six months.

Networking and Appearance?

Does your appearance matter when you are networking?

The short answer is yes it does. We would all like to believe that how we look doesn't effect our ability to rise up in the job market but we know that it just isn't true. Think about it. The well groomed man in the three piece suit down the hall usually doesn't work in a cubical like everybody else. He's the boss. So why is that and how did he get there. The first step is dressing for the job you want and not the one you have. In other words, if you want the corner office dress like you already work there.