For the past few months, Melissa and I have been trying to decide what the next step in our life was going to be. We concluded that the long term approach would determine when any new mouths to feed would occupy the house. We focused on stability as our benchmark for changing things up. I know that sounds oxymoronic, but hang with me. As I am currently unemployed, we thought it was better for me to focus on getting work. Well, sometimes opportunities happen when you least expect them to happen, and you never can tell what you will find (or in this case, what Melissa will find) on the internet. I still don't have a job, in fact getting a job seems far in the distance. But, we do have a new mouth to feed. I would like to present to you our 7 pound little yellow girl, Buffy.
She is our new Yellow Lab that we will be training for the next year and a half to be a guide dog. She is a real character and loves to pee everywhere (hopefully outside after this week is up). If you would like to see pictures and track our progress follow this link http://buffysdiary.wordpress.com/. Melissa has already posted the story of Buffy's first day with us, and some information about Guiding Eyes, the organization we are partnering with to raise our little "squirt."
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Necessary Silence
Get 200 people and gather them on the steps of the local library on a certain day in March and watch the media tout the mass demonstrations against the war in Iraq. This week, hundreds of thousands marched on Washington, as they have done for the last 35 years, to call for an end to the most oppressive and deadly US policy since slavery, abortion. Being the dutiful propagandists they are, the media ignored this march as their favored One is all for abortion (as are most in the media).
The only silence on the subject of abortion more shocking than this was from Regent College. When a pro-abortion couple on the campus of UBC violently destroyed (watch the video here) an Anti-abortion booth at the student union, the minutes to the student council called for no response from the Regent which holds a seat on the UBC student union. I am not surprised by either Regent's unresponsiveness or the media's inaction, but I am disappointed.
The only silence on the subject of abortion more shocking than this was from Regent College. When a pro-abortion couple on the campus of UBC violently destroyed (watch the video here) an Anti-abortion booth at the student union, the minutes to the student council called for no response from the Regent which holds a seat on the UBC student union. I am not surprised by either Regent's unresponsiveness or the media's inaction, but I am disappointed.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Day After Thoughts
After yesterdays festivities and the quadrennial inaugural prayer service, it is once more okay for American politicians to pay public homage to God. I expect it has more to do with Obama being the 'correct' politician compared to Bush, but I do smile to myself when I think of the many times I heard Regent College students bemoaning the fact that Bush refused to separate Church and state to their liking. I guess we can all sing God Bless America once more (the number of times I had to endure some self-styled above-it-all Christian describing how wrong it way to sing that song...).
Another reflection I have concerns the worldwide pant for Obama. Having lived in Canada for several years, I was under the impression that the rest of the world did not yearn for the USA to determine and lead all things good. Help me out on this one my foreign friends. Is the media wrong in portraying a world that longs for American hegemony to reassert itself? I thought such hubris ended as Bush left for Texas? I am suspicious, but Obama appears to be the 'correct' American President to reassert said hegemony.
Finally, I am beginning to think that post-partisanship will only be demanded of the conservatives. Pelosi and Reid have squeezed committees of republican lawmakers and the Dem leaders have blocked rules allowing for alternative (read opposition) legislation from being introduced into the debate. This was a courtesy granted by the Republicans to the Democrats in the 1990's and into the 2000's.
Another reflection I have concerns the worldwide pant for Obama. Having lived in Canada for several years, I was under the impression that the rest of the world did not yearn for the USA to determine and lead all things good. Help me out on this one my foreign friends. Is the media wrong in portraying a world that longs for American hegemony to reassert itself? I thought such hubris ended as Bush left for Texas? I am suspicious, but Obama appears to be the 'correct' American President to reassert said hegemony.
Finally, I am beginning to think that post-partisanship will only be demanded of the conservatives. Pelosi and Reid have squeezed committees of republican lawmakers and the Dem leaders have blocked rules allowing for alternative (read opposition) legislation from being introduced into the debate. This was a courtesy granted by the Republicans to the Democrats in the 1990's and into the 2000's.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Some Thoughts on Today's Inauguration
1. It was good to hear President Obama say: "Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched." Let us hope that this is the time we can welcome home Democrats from 40 years in central planning exile.
2. Listening to the media, it is obvious they believed their own propaganda that the USA was too racist to ever elect anyone other than a white male president. They still sounded surprised when Senator Obama become President Obama. I find it humorous that the conservatives I know and read are not surprised that a black man has become the President.
3. The heckling of Pres Bush by the reserve seated guests was rude. I have come to expect this sort of rubbish from the partisans of the left, but every time I see the playing out of such juvenile antics, I am still offended. Good grief, you won the election.
4. On the same point, I won't miss the vile and often time violent mass protests of the far left. Apologizing for terrorism, calling for the murder of politicians, smashing storefronts, and fomenting hate under the auspices of justice is something the right has not adopted. While these parades of rent-a-mob protestors are humorous in their own right, the in-your-face tactics of these groups has created deaf ears and closed minds on those who claim to be the most tolerant and curious among us.
5. The Benediction was dissapointing, divisive, and racist. I don't think Jesus approves of such language. "[God,] we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right." Did this man just forget what happened? I really hope the African-American community will see President Obama as a main stream reality. Reverend Lowry does not help things by diminishing the accomplishment of this day.
6. Will my Christian brothers and sisters who based their politics on opposing power now be forced to vote Republican? The Dems have swept into office and now hold most of the power in the US. I doubt my Christian siblings will change a thing except their reasoning for being partisan.
2. Listening to the media, it is obvious they believed their own propaganda that the USA was too racist to ever elect anyone other than a white male president. They still sounded surprised when Senator Obama become President Obama. I find it humorous that the conservatives I know and read are not surprised that a black man has become the President.
3. The heckling of Pres Bush by the reserve seated guests was rude. I have come to expect this sort of rubbish from the partisans of the left, but every time I see the playing out of such juvenile antics, I am still offended. Good grief, you won the election.
4. On the same point, I won't miss the vile and often time violent mass protests of the far left. Apologizing for terrorism, calling for the murder of politicians, smashing storefronts, and fomenting hate under the auspices of justice is something the right has not adopted. While these parades of rent-a-mob protestors are humorous in their own right, the in-your-face tactics of these groups has created deaf ears and closed minds on those who claim to be the most tolerant and curious among us.
5. The Benediction was dissapointing, divisive, and racist. I don't think Jesus approves of such language. "[God,] we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right." Did this man just forget what happened? I really hope the African-American community will see President Obama as a main stream reality. Reverend Lowry does not help things by diminishing the accomplishment of this day.
6. Will my Christian brothers and sisters who based their politics on opposing power now be forced to vote Republican? The Dems have swept into office and now hold most of the power in the US. I doubt my Christian siblings will change a thing except their reasoning for being partisan.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Two Vexing Situations
1. The Arizona Cardinal are going to the NFC Championship game next week to play the Philadelphia Eagles. Where was this scenario hatched? Both teams were written off 4 weeks ago only to prove all the experts wrong.
2. The current economic problems in the US and the world are being blamed on 'unrestrained capitalism' instead of the real culprit, creeping fascism. The GSEs of Fannie and Freddie are fascist entities, protected by the government and expected to toe the government line. Because the GSEs are directly influenced by government and report to government, they have become a political reward for many on Capitol Hill (Barney Frank's boyfriend works for Fannie). In 2001, president Bush said the following in his budget to Congress:
2. The current economic problems in the US and the world are being blamed on 'unrestrained capitalism' instead of the real culprit, creeping fascism. The GSEs of Fannie and Freddie are fascist entities, protected by the government and expected to toe the government line. Because the GSEs are directly influenced by government and report to government, they have become a political reward for many on Capitol Hill (Barney Frank's boyfriend works for Fannie). In 2001, president Bush said the following in his budget to Congress:
Fannie and Freddie were too large and overleveraged. Their failure "could cause strong repercussions in financial markets, affecting federally insured entities and economic activity" well beyond housing.So, instead of heeding the warning, Chris Dodd (Dem-Connecticut) filibustered any reform bill that would have headed off such a massive failure after Fannie and Freddie spend $170 million to protect its interests. That's how fascism works, the company gets favored status and in turn pays off its political patrons. In 2001 we knew the potential problems, why was nothing done? Why is government the answer when it caused the problem?
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Dear Nevada
Your Senior Senator is drunk on power and must be replaced in the next election. He thinks that the he owns the Senate and that the seats belong to him and not the people of the 50 states. First he refused the seating of Mr Burris from Illinois, and now he promises to bar Senator Coleman from Minnesota if he is shown to be the rightful winner. Mr Reid has chosen to anoint himself emperor of the Senate. His delusions of grandeur will eventually embarrass the great state of Nevada. So, for the good of the people, it is time for him to be retired.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Virginian
Sincerely,
A Concerned Virginian
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
A Question Few Are Asking
What are the potential problems when both the world's climate and economy are cooling? Under President Bush's excellent leadership, two liberal goals have been met. First, the climate has started to cool off and the 2008 year end icepack is back to 1979 levels. Second, per capita consumption is way down with automobile sales leading the way. People are spending less, manufacturers are closing down carbon polluting plants, and worldwide oil demand is through the floor.
A gold star to the student who can outline the drastic difference between the High Middle Ages and the Late Middle Ages in terms of climate, economics, food supply. and public health.
A gold star to the student who can outline the drastic difference between the High Middle Ages and the Late Middle Ages in terms of climate, economics, food supply. and public health.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The Auto Bailout and the Problems of Left Wing Economics
When listening to the ongoing debate concerning the automakers, there are two things that have been overlooked. First, the language of the debate is couched in economic terms that no longer apply to the realities of today. Second, the loss of the Automakers tomorrow is not averted by a bailout today. The first point will determine the outcome of the second point.
Point one, the economic model for the Big Three is based upon 1930's economic theories. What has changed in the past 70 years? Among other things, the lifespan of the average American worker. The 1935 pension model assumed the death of the worker to be 61.7 years. The 2004 reality is 77.5 years. There are 16 extra years of pension and medical expense that must be accounted for in the sale of every new car. The dirty little secret about the politics of retirement was the average worker was supposed to die before collecting any benefits. FD Roosevelt sold Social Security to people who would never receive it. In fact, it is the African American community that was hurt the most by the government system. By taking 12% of the pay of all African American workers, a massive transfer of wealth out of the black community was perpetrated for 40 years before the African American life expectancy reached 65 years in 1974. For some reason, the Social Justice crowd never brings up this point.
I digress. The Big Three pay more people pension and health benefits than wages. This comes as a result of antiquated vesting rules that were designed to give people a couple years retirement before they died, but North America's vast improvements in public health and extremely low levels of poverty were never dreamed of by the writers of the rules. Couple this with the most difficult task in all the universe, taking away something that people are told they are entitled to, and you have a recipe for economic failure.
This leads to the second point. These companies will not avoid bankruptcy after nationalization. It is almost surreal, but the USA seems to have time-warped back to 1970's Britain. How many people remember British-Leyland? The company was know for its union strikes rather than its cars and now they no longer exist. This is the specter facing the Big Three. A history of bad cars coupled with a union culture that prides itself in adversarial tactics will bring about collapse.
The era of the thirty year career is over. The pension was used to make room for the younger workers and reward the older worker. With the US population aging, we must rethink policies put in place when the demographics were radically different. Failure to act in reality will have far reaching negative effects for everyone involved in the US auto industry.
Point one, the economic model for the Big Three is based upon 1930's economic theories. What has changed in the past 70 years? Among other things, the lifespan of the average American worker. The 1935 pension model assumed the death of the worker to be 61.7 years. The 2004 reality is 77.5 years. There are 16 extra years of pension and medical expense that must be accounted for in the sale of every new car. The dirty little secret about the politics of retirement was the average worker was supposed to die before collecting any benefits. FD Roosevelt sold Social Security to people who would never receive it. In fact, it is the African American community that was hurt the most by the government system. By taking 12% of the pay of all African American workers, a massive transfer of wealth out of the black community was perpetrated for 40 years before the African American life expectancy reached 65 years in 1974. For some reason, the Social Justice crowd never brings up this point.
I digress. The Big Three pay more people pension and health benefits than wages. This comes as a result of antiquated vesting rules that were designed to give people a couple years retirement before they died, but North America's vast improvements in public health and extremely low levels of poverty were never dreamed of by the writers of the rules. Couple this with the most difficult task in all the universe, taking away something that people are told they are entitled to, and you have a recipe for economic failure.
This leads to the second point. These companies will not avoid bankruptcy after nationalization. It is almost surreal, but the USA seems to have time-warped back to 1970's Britain. How many people remember British-Leyland? The company was know for its union strikes rather than its cars and now they no longer exist. This is the specter facing the Big Three. A history of bad cars coupled with a union culture that prides itself in adversarial tactics will bring about collapse.
The era of the thirty year career is over. The pension was used to make room for the younger workers and reward the older worker. With the US population aging, we must rethink policies put in place when the demographics were radically different. Failure to act in reality will have far reaching negative effects for everyone involved in the US auto industry.
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