This is a story that I heard the other day on Glenn Beck's show. It is a story written by Dr. John Rossi.
"Once upon a time there was a very happy couple. Their names were Freedom and Capitalism. They married and had many wonderful children. Their names were Independence, Self-worth, Hard work, Dignity, Charity, Faith and Hope.
They all lived happily for many years and the children respected their parents and loved them both very much. But Freedom and Capitalism, later, had several naughty children, very naughty. They weren't so respectful and never appreciated their parents. Their names were Wealth envy, Environmentalism, Animal rights activism, Racism, Feminism, and Ultra liberalism.
These evil children blamed their parents for everything and hated their parents', Freedom and Capitalism. In fact, these unappreciative children began to hate their parents since they didn't realize their parents gave them everything they had and didn't realize that they wouldn't even exist without their parents. They hated their parents so much, they began to plot with their neighbors to kill their parents and to keep their home.
Their neighbors' names were Socialism and Communism, who on the outside were a very lovely couple; but inside they were very, very ugly. They and their children, whose names were Despair, Poverty, Hopelessness, Suffering, and Repression had been welcomed into every neighborhood they had lived in, but then thrown out after years of suffering and the loss of many lives.
So late one night in total darkness, because Socialism and Communism did everything in darkness and the way from the light of the truth, while everyone was asleep, Wealth envy, Environmentalism, Feminism, Animal rights, egged on by their younger obnoxious brother, Hollywood, disguised Socialism and Communism and let them into the house of Freedom and Capitalism. It wasn't hard, for the two parents, Freedom and Capitalism, always left their gates and their door open for everyone.
Wealth envy led the way because he knew the house oh, so well. The evil children led Socialism and Communism throughout the house, one room at a time. And one at a time they killed Hard work, then Dignity, then Independence, Self-worth, Charity and Faith.
They finally found the room of Freedom and Capitalism and killed them as well. It wasn't hard to do, since freedom and capitalism always left their door unlocked and open for everyone. Only Hope survived. Hope survived hiding in the closet. She ran out during the ensuing celebration.
After Socialism and Communism moved in, things went well for a while but then they decided they didn't like Freedom and Capitalism's evil children either. They wanted their own children to have the rooms in their new house. So late one night in total darkness, because socialism and communism did everything in darkness and away from the light of the truth, they sent their children to kill Freedom and Capitalism's remaining evil children.
Poverty and Suffering killed Environmentalism and Animal rights first, for they were so hungry, they had to kill all the animals for food and the trees for their wood. And besides, why should animals have rights if people don't? Hopelessness killed Liberalism, the retarded brother of Communism. Then Poverty, Suffering, and Repression killed Feminism, the retarded sister of Liberalism. And Hollywood, the young obnoxious son of Freedom and Capitalism, was also killed. Finally, Wealth envy, who led the attack on his parents, died at the hands of Poverty since there was nothing left to envy.
So Socialism and Communism and their children, Poverty, Despair, Hopelessness, Suffering, and Repression lived in the once beautiful home of Freedom and Capitalism, which was now in great disrepair and they all lived sadly ever after.
All that was left of the family of Freedom and Capitalism was Hope, who was quietly hiding in the woods."
Not a bad little sorry from a doctor who woke up in the middle of the night to write this. I think Dr. Rossi plans on making some sort of children's book out of this story. I hope he cleans up some of the verbiage and story incongruencies around the "retarded brother and sister" parts. I understand wanting to link them together, but it doesn't make sense in the story at all, and the word retarded is really unnecessary...a better word could be found.
But for me, the overarching plot hits home. Unfortunately Freedom and Capitalism, as we have known them, are taking their last breaths. Unwarranted wire taps, nanny state issues, bailouts, nationalized industries and the like is seeing to that.
Socialism is setting in...unless Barack Obama can stop it. Unfortunately he ran on socialistic ideas, such as nationalized health care and government sponsored energy, on his way to being elected. I worry that if worse comes to worse, Communism will take hold, unless America falls before then, before Hope will take over and restore Freedom and Capitalism to their rightful place in this country.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
What economic talking heads aren't seeing...or just not saying.
Coming out of this weekend, you may hear some news reports saying that retail sales increased to save the year for many retailers. The people that will be telling you this are either ignorant, or they are hiding the truth...that we are in a deflationary period. What follows deflationary periods?? Typically hyper-inflation. Yikes.
Sorry to be a downer over this holiday weekend, but I think our economy is hanging on by a thread...and no one is saying a darn thing about it. Of course, I'm not an ecnomist myself, but I am a common sense guy, and my common sense alarms have been going off for a while now.
So what is deflation, and why aren't people talking about it? Deflation is when prices decline in relation to wages. This may sound like a good thing, and perhaps sporadically, or in cases when prices were artificially inflated, it is. But when prices are dropping in bulk or across a spectrum, it isn't.
Think about it. We want the value of our house, e.g. house prices, to rise...wage earnings rise...the inflation that is built into our economy rises. Everything in our economy rises, except during corrections such as a recession, or when idiots mismanage/over-manage a recession, a depression.
These after Christmas sales aren't about retailers being kind and wanting to give shoppers a deal out of the kindness of their hearts. They need to sell product. They can't sell it at regular price...so they have to reduce the price, via a sale. When sales of regular, non-holiday items are in the area of half off, that's beyond your typical sale. That's a price reduction without calling it that. Retailers are having to reduce the prices just to get shoppers to come out to buy things. They call it a sale for marketing purposes...but if items were only 10 - 15% off, most people wouldn't waste their times this time of year in this economy.
How do you get out of a deflationary period before retailers just start closing their stores because they can't make a profit on such deep mark-downs? Well, the federal reserve typically increases the money supply, creating inflation, to get prices to rise again. Well, unless you've been in a stupor for the past year, you know that the federal reserve has already pumped a couple trillion dollars into the economy, with guarantees of up to 7.6 trillion in the future. Uhhh...that's some massive money supply there already. They are printing money like it's going out of style with these promises...because I assure you, the federal reserve doesn't have trillions of dollars sitting around in a vault somewhere.
So if the federal reserve realizes that they are in a deflationary period and tries to introduce more money into they supply...that could create hyperinflation. Hyperinflation, by definition, is out of control. That leads to those $10 candy bar prices I was talking about over Thanksgiving because hyperinflation begins to greatly devalue money.
If you think back 10 years ago...what was the general cost? The two examples I have on the top of my head is McDonald's hotcakes and gas. The age range I'm thinking of is roughly 14 years ago, but both of those things cost at least half of what they cost now. That's inflation. That's roughly 7% inflation, which is solidly more than what the government tells the public the inflation rate is...but I digress. Think of what "out of control" inflation will do? It could double prices in the range of a couple of years, rather than 7 years or more. Wages can't and won't keep up with that kind of inflation...hence a horrible economic situation occurs. Depression.
I hope to God that it won't come to that. But I think that's the path we're headed. Don't let the economic talking heads tell you that everything is rosy without specifically saying how we will or have gotten there. Some economist on NBC today said that the recession will be officially over in 3-6 months because Barack Obama is coming in and will change economic policy...that the market will reach bottom in the next month or two because it's been so fluctuating recently.
Hogwash! Tell me some specific, logical indications of how these are going to happen?? They can't...hence, they don't. They just paint a rosy picture. Whether they believe it or not, I have no idea. I hope they don't actually believe what they are saying, or we're in worse trouble than I thought we'd be in. If our economic "experts" believe that the fed throwing money at the situation isn't like throwing gas on a raging inferno, we may have lost not just the battle, but the war.
So what can you do if an economic apocalypse is coming? Well, nothing if that's the case, but let's just say what you can do if a depression is coming? Pay off debt...save money...stock up on essentials. If this economic tsunami doesn't happen, you're in a sweet position.
Don't do what I did and go out and buy a new flat screen TV before paying debt. That was a battle I wasn't going to win, though. It was from mostly Christmas money(as hard as I try, I can't win an argument to use Christmas money to pay debt)...and it was replacing a television that was over 15 years old. Our other television is 5 years old and still chugging along fine. So it wasn't like we were buying something that we have a track history of replacing every couple of years. Besides, I'm winning the war...we've got a good game plan to be completely debt free except for our crummy little living-within-our-means house(and my stupid student loan) in a year.
Hopefully my oh so simplistic way of looking at problems is just too hayseed for those fancy Washington economist types, and hopefully I'm way off my rocker. In any event, it's time to live like our grandparents taught us...well within our means. Good luck! I'll be hoping and praying that a horrible scenario doesn't happen so we're all living on easy street in a couple years.
Sorry to be a downer over this holiday weekend, but I think our economy is hanging on by a thread...and no one is saying a darn thing about it. Of course, I'm not an ecnomist myself, but I am a common sense guy, and my common sense alarms have been going off for a while now.
So what is deflation, and why aren't people talking about it? Deflation is when prices decline in relation to wages. This may sound like a good thing, and perhaps sporadically, or in cases when prices were artificially inflated, it is. But when prices are dropping in bulk or across a spectrum, it isn't.
Think about it. We want the value of our house, e.g. house prices, to rise...wage earnings rise...the inflation that is built into our economy rises. Everything in our economy rises, except during corrections such as a recession, or when idiots mismanage/over-manage a recession, a depression.
These after Christmas sales aren't about retailers being kind and wanting to give shoppers a deal out of the kindness of their hearts. They need to sell product. They can't sell it at regular price...so they have to reduce the price, via a sale. When sales of regular, non-holiday items are in the area of half off, that's beyond your typical sale. That's a price reduction without calling it that. Retailers are having to reduce the prices just to get shoppers to come out to buy things. They call it a sale for marketing purposes...but if items were only 10 - 15% off, most people wouldn't waste their times this time of year in this economy.
How do you get out of a deflationary period before retailers just start closing their stores because they can't make a profit on such deep mark-downs? Well, the federal reserve typically increases the money supply, creating inflation, to get prices to rise again. Well, unless you've been in a stupor for the past year, you know that the federal reserve has already pumped a couple trillion dollars into the economy, with guarantees of up to 7.6 trillion in the future. Uhhh...that's some massive money supply there already. They are printing money like it's going out of style with these promises...because I assure you, the federal reserve doesn't have trillions of dollars sitting around in a vault somewhere.
So if the federal reserve realizes that they are in a deflationary period and tries to introduce more money into they supply...that could create hyperinflation. Hyperinflation, by definition, is out of control. That leads to those $10 candy bar prices I was talking about over Thanksgiving because hyperinflation begins to greatly devalue money.
If you think back 10 years ago...what was the general cost? The two examples I have on the top of my head is McDonald's hotcakes and gas. The age range I'm thinking of is roughly 14 years ago, but both of those things cost at least half of what they cost now. That's inflation. That's roughly 7% inflation, which is solidly more than what the government tells the public the inflation rate is...but I digress. Think of what "out of control" inflation will do? It could double prices in the range of a couple of years, rather than 7 years or more. Wages can't and won't keep up with that kind of inflation...hence a horrible economic situation occurs. Depression.
I hope to God that it won't come to that. But I think that's the path we're headed. Don't let the economic talking heads tell you that everything is rosy without specifically saying how we will or have gotten there. Some economist on NBC today said that the recession will be officially over in 3-6 months because Barack Obama is coming in and will change economic policy...that the market will reach bottom in the next month or two because it's been so fluctuating recently.
Hogwash! Tell me some specific, logical indications of how these are going to happen?? They can't...hence, they don't. They just paint a rosy picture. Whether they believe it or not, I have no idea. I hope they don't actually believe what they are saying, or we're in worse trouble than I thought we'd be in. If our economic "experts" believe that the fed throwing money at the situation isn't like throwing gas on a raging inferno, we may have lost not just the battle, but the war.
So what can you do if an economic apocalypse is coming? Well, nothing if that's the case, but let's just say what you can do if a depression is coming? Pay off debt...save money...stock up on essentials. If this economic tsunami doesn't happen, you're in a sweet position.
Don't do what I did and go out and buy a new flat screen TV before paying debt. That was a battle I wasn't going to win, though. It was from mostly Christmas money(as hard as I try, I can't win an argument to use Christmas money to pay debt)...and it was replacing a television that was over 15 years old. Our other television is 5 years old and still chugging along fine. So it wasn't like we were buying something that we have a track history of replacing every couple of years. Besides, I'm winning the war...we've got a good game plan to be completely debt free except for our crummy little living-within-our-means house(and my stupid student loan) in a year.
Hopefully my oh so simplistic way of looking at problems is just too hayseed for those fancy Washington economist types, and hopefully I'm way off my rocker. In any event, it's time to live like our grandparents taught us...well within our means. Good luck! I'll be hoping and praying that a horrible scenario doesn't happen so we're all living on easy street in a couple years.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Resolutions revisited...and commited...
It's been one of the better Christmas' I've had in a long time. Believe it or not, I attribute part of that to one of my New Year's Resolutions...to simplify my life. Part of simplifying was to organize, and thanks to good organization in putting away things last Christmas, we wrapped every present for our kids and most of the rest of the family on Christmas Eve...in 4 hours.
Not bad...and I had fun doing it. I decided to be Marvin Stewart and learn how to wrap presents well. The verdict? Well, it was no Martha Stewart, but it was much better than I've ever done in the past.
I took some time off work around before Christmas, and I think it helped get me into the "Christmas Spirit" more this year than in recent years. Ever since I worked retail back in college, Christmas just wasn't the same for me. I think I finally snapped out of the retail induced Christmas funk.
I did fairly well with the reading Resolution I made at the beginning of the year. I didn't read just non-fiction books, but I averaged a little over one a month...very good for me.
I think I succeeded with the get-in-shape Resolution. I didn't really lose much weight at all, but jogging 12 miles a week for the past 4 months has helped out quite a bit. I even did a couple 5Ks in the past month and a half, and am scheduled for a half marathon in April.
The father thing didn't seem to take. I don't know why...probably I didn't put enough effort in, though I feel like I did. I did give it a good honest try though, so I'm not calling it an utter defeat.
So for the first time in a long time, I finished the year in fairly good shape in regards to the beginning of the year Resolutions. There was definitely some neglect throughout the year, but it was definitely not a last minute scurry to try to get back on the path of the Resolutions.
Going forward for next year, aside from continuing to read at least a book a month and keep in shape(did I mention I've got a half marathon scheduled in 4 months? I'm already dreading it), and of course continue to keep my life simple and organized....my main Resolution for this up coming year is to live a life of meekness.
I've always liked the word meek. I learned it a long time ago in church. It just seems to encompass many of the things I'm doing now...keeping myself strong physically and mentally...but instill restraint from displaying this training unless necessary. I used to be much more laid back...not get so worked up about stuff, so impatient so quickly, etc. I want to get back that way. Yet I want to know that when there's a "fight" to fight, I can go to "battle" when needed. I'm fairly good at picking my fights at work...I just need to do that throughout my whole life now.
We'll see how it goes.
Not bad...and I had fun doing it. I decided to be Marvin Stewart and learn how to wrap presents well. The verdict? Well, it was no Martha Stewart, but it was much better than I've ever done in the past.
I took some time off work around before Christmas, and I think it helped get me into the "Christmas Spirit" more this year than in recent years. Ever since I worked retail back in college, Christmas just wasn't the same for me. I think I finally snapped out of the retail induced Christmas funk.
I did fairly well with the reading Resolution I made at the beginning of the year. I didn't read just non-fiction books, but I averaged a little over one a month...very good for me.
I think I succeeded with the get-in-shape Resolution. I didn't really lose much weight at all, but jogging 12 miles a week for the past 4 months has helped out quite a bit. I even did a couple 5Ks in the past month and a half, and am scheduled for a half marathon in April.
The father thing didn't seem to take. I don't know why...probably I didn't put enough effort in, though I feel like I did. I did give it a good honest try though, so I'm not calling it an utter defeat.
So for the first time in a long time, I finished the year in fairly good shape in regards to the beginning of the year Resolutions. There was definitely some neglect throughout the year, but it was definitely not a last minute scurry to try to get back on the path of the Resolutions.
Going forward for next year, aside from continuing to read at least a book a month and keep in shape(did I mention I've got a half marathon scheduled in 4 months? I'm already dreading it), and of course continue to keep my life simple and organized....my main Resolution for this up coming year is to live a life of meekness.
I've always liked the word meek. I learned it a long time ago in church. It just seems to encompass many of the things I'm doing now...keeping myself strong physically and mentally...but instill restraint from displaying this training unless necessary. I used to be much more laid back...not get so worked up about stuff, so impatient so quickly, etc. I want to get back that way. Yet I want to know that when there's a "fight" to fight, I can go to "battle" when needed. I'm fairly good at picking my fights at work...I just need to do that throughout my whole life now.
We'll see how it goes.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Merry Christmas from The Mad Hoosier...
If you're offended by the usage of "Merry Christmas", please don't be. Saying Merry Christmas is merely a greeting of the Christmas Season, in which we are currently in. I use it when I know I'll be seeing someone before the New Year's holiday, or as a good-bye when in close proximity to the holiday...wishing they have a Merry Christmas. Otherwise I will say Happy Holidays to incorporate the full holiday season. If for some reason you are offended by "Merry Christmas", please allow me to explain further why you shouldn't be.
Here in the United States, Christmas was declared a national holiday in 1870 and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant. At that time, the country was still torn apart by the effects of the Civil War, and the holiday was used as a way to help unite our country.
Christians use this day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. While not believed to be the actual birth date of Jesus Christ, the date was chosen to coincide with other winter festivals, such as the Winter Solstice or Roman festivals at the time.
As such, the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the federally recognized holiday of Christmas Day is secular, meaning not specificially religious, as are most symbols generally attributed to Christianity, such as a Christmas Tree, a wreath, lights, etc. Of course, the Nativity scene is clearly a symbol of Christianity's tribute to the holiday. Christians are, of course, entitled to that symbol, just as Jews are to the Menorah, for example.
Christians do celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday(with Santa Claus throw in). So what? Get over it and let them celebrate the holiday in their own way. But for the record, the phrase Merry Christmas is not some secret code word used by Christians to suggest that they wish you to denounce your faith or non-faith and immediately swear allegiance to God or Jesus Christ.
So if you are offended by Merry Christmas, I suggest you lighten up, and take it as it is mostly intended, a greeting with seasonal pizazz added. If you do have a supernatural ability to read the true intentions of a greeting, turn the other cheek and treat this holiday as it was intended...a unifying celebration for the nation...and internalize the greeting as the most personal and kind greeting someone could offer during this holiday season.
So have a Merry Christmas everyone. I say that because Christmas Day is two days away, and while I may not post again before the holiday, I'll likely post again before the next holiday, at which time I will personalize that holiday as well.
I sincerely hope everyone has a great, happy, and safe holiday spent with family, friends, and whomever makes you feel good inside.
The Mad Hoosier
Here in the United States, Christmas was declared a national holiday in 1870 and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant. At that time, the country was still torn apart by the effects of the Civil War, and the holiday was used as a way to help unite our country.
Christians use this day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. While not believed to be the actual birth date of Jesus Christ, the date was chosen to coincide with other winter festivals, such as the Winter Solstice or Roman festivals at the time.
As such, the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the federally recognized holiday of Christmas Day is secular, meaning not specificially religious, as are most symbols generally attributed to Christianity, such as a Christmas Tree, a wreath, lights, etc. Of course, the Nativity scene is clearly a symbol of Christianity's tribute to the holiday. Christians are, of course, entitled to that symbol, just as Jews are to the Menorah, for example.
Christians do celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday(with Santa Claus throw in). So what? Get over it and let them celebrate the holiday in their own way. But for the record, the phrase Merry Christmas is not some secret code word used by Christians to suggest that they wish you to denounce your faith or non-faith and immediately swear allegiance to God or Jesus Christ.
So if you are offended by Merry Christmas, I suggest you lighten up, and take it as it is mostly intended, a greeting with seasonal pizazz added. If you do have a supernatural ability to read the true intentions of a greeting, turn the other cheek and treat this holiday as it was intended...a unifying celebration for the nation...and internalize the greeting as the most personal and kind greeting someone could offer during this holiday season.
So have a Merry Christmas everyone. I say that because Christmas Day is two days away, and while I may not post again before the holiday, I'll likely post again before the next holiday, at which time I will personalize that holiday as well.
I sincerely hope everyone has a great, happy, and safe holiday spent with family, friends, and whomever makes you feel good inside.
The Mad Hoosier
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Santa's Prayer Is Answered...
I had this story sent to me some time ago. I don't know of it's veracity, but I do know it's a story that tugs at my heartstrings, so I thought I'd share it.
Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa at Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin . The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl.
"Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling."Your friend? Your sister?"
"Yes, Santa," he replied. "My sister, Sarah , who is very sick," he said sadly.
Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
"She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!" the boy exclaimed. "She misses you," he added softly.
Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy's face, asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas. When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap, and started to say something to Santa, but halted.
"What is it?" Santa asked warmly.
"Well, I know it's really too much to ask you, Santa, but ..." the old woman began, shooing her grandson over to one of Santa's elves to collect the little gift which Santa gave all his young visitors.
"The girl in the photograph...my granddaughter...well, you see...she has leukemia and isn't expected to make it even through the holidays," she said through tear-filled eyes. "Is there any way, Santa...any possible way that you could come see Sarah ? That's all she's asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."
Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the woman to leave information with his elves as to where Sarah was, and he would see what he could do. Santa thought of little else the rest of that afternoon. He knew what he had to do.
"What if it were MY child lying in that hospital bed, dying," he thought with a sinking heart, "this is the least I can do."
When Santa finished visiting with all the boys and girls that evening, he retrieved from his helper the name of the hospital where Sarah was staying. He asked the assistant location manager how to get to Children's Hospital.
"Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on his face.
Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah 's grandmother earlier that day.
"C'mon .... I'll take you there," Rick said softly.
Rick drove them to the hospital and came inside with Santa. They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he would wait out in the hall. Santa quietly peeked into the room through the half-closed door and saw little Sarah on the bed. The room was full of what appeared to be her family; there was the Grandmother and the girl's brother he had met earlier that day. A woman whom he guessed was Sarah 's mother stood by the bed, gently pushing Sarah 's thin hair off her forehead. And another woman who he discovered later was Sarah 's aunt, sat in a chair near the bed with weary, sad look on her face. They were talking quietly, and Santa could sense the warmth and closeness of the family, and their love and concern for Sarah.
Taking a deepbreath, and forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the room, bellowing a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!"
"Santa!" shrieked little Sarah weakly, as she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes in tact.
Santa rushed to her side and gave her a warm hug. A child the tender age of his own son -- 9 years old -- gazed up at him with wonder and excitement. Her skin was pale and her short tresses bore telltale bald patches from the effects of chemotherapy. But all he saw when he looked at her was a pair of huge, blue eyes. His heart melted, and he had to force himself to choke back tears.
Though his eyes were riveted upon Sarah 's face, he could hear the gasps and quiet sobbing of the women in the room. As he and Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to the bedside one by one, squeezing Santa's shoulder or his hand gratefully, whispering "thank you" as they gazed sincerely at him with shining eyes.
Santa and Sarah talked and talked, and she told him excitedly all the toys she wanted for Christmas, assuring him she'd been a very good girl that year.
As their time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray for Sarah, and asked for permission from the girl's mother. She nodded in agreement and the entire family circled around Sarah 's bed, holding hands. Santa looked intensely at Sarah and asked her if she believed in angels.
"Oh, yes, Santa ... I do!" she exclaimed.
"Well, I'm going to ask that angels watch over you, "he said.
Laying one hand on the child's head, Santa closed his eyes and prayed. He asked that God touch little Sarah, and heal her body from this disease. He asked that angels minister to her, watch and keep her. And when he finished praying, still with eyes closed, he started singing softly, "Silent Night, Holy Night - all is calm, all is bright."
The family joined in, still holding hands, smiling at Sarah , and crying tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment, as Sarah beamed at them all. When the song ended, Santa sat on the side of the bed again and held Sarah 's frail, small hands in his own.
"Now, Sarah ," he said authoritatively, "you have a job to do...and that is to concentrate on getting well. I want you to have fun playing with your friends this summer, and I expect to see you at my house at Mayfair Mall this time next year!"
He knew it was risky proclaiming that, to this little girl who had terminal cancer, but he had to. He had to give her the greatest gift he could – not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE.
"Yes, Santa!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes bright. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and left the room. Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick 's, a look passed between them and they wept unashamed. Sarah 's mother and grandmother slipped out of theroom quickly and rushed to Santa's side to thank him.
"My only child is the same age as Sarah ," he explained quietly. "This is the least I could do."
They nodded with understanding and hugged him.
One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set in Milwaukee for his six-week, seasonal job which he so loves to do. Several weeks went by and then one day a child came up to sit on his lap. "Hi, Santa! Remember me?!"
"Of course, I do," Santa proclaimed (as he always does), smiling down at her. After all, the secret to being a good Santa is to always make each child feel as if they are the only child in the world at that moment.
"You came to see me in the hospital last year!"
Santa's jaw dropped. Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, and he grabbed this little miracle and held her to his chest. "Sarah!" he exclaimed.
He scarcely recognized her, for her hair was long and silky and her cheeks were rosy -- much different from the little girl he had visited just a year before. He looked over and saw Sarah 's mother and grandmother in the sidelines smiling and waving and wiping their eyes.
That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus. He had witnessed --and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about -- this miracle of hope. This precious little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive and well.
He silently looked up to Heaven and humbly whispered, "Thank you, Father. ' Tis a very, Merry Christmas!"
LIFE IS GOD'S GIFT TO YOU...HOW YOU LIVE IT IS YOUR GIFT TO GOD, YOURSELF AND LOVED ONES.
Just as touching as the story itself, to me, is the end "moral" that someone added on along the way. I've struggled lately, and still do, with the particulars of my faith. I have no doubt in God...it's just the rest that I am still trying to figure out. :) The main thing I know, as I continue along my journey, is that the way I live my life is my homage to God.
Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa at Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin . The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl.
"Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling."Your friend? Your sister?"
"Yes, Santa," he replied. "My sister, Sarah , who is very sick," he said sadly.
Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
"She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!" the boy exclaimed. "She misses you," he added softly.
Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy's face, asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas. When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap, and started to say something to Santa, but halted.
"What is it?" Santa asked warmly.
"Well, I know it's really too much to ask you, Santa, but ..." the old woman began, shooing her grandson over to one of Santa's elves to collect the little gift which Santa gave all his young visitors.
"The girl in the photograph...my granddaughter...well, you see...she has leukemia and isn't expected to make it even through the holidays," she said through tear-filled eyes. "Is there any way, Santa...any possible way that you could come see Sarah ? That's all she's asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."
Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the woman to leave information with his elves as to where Sarah was, and he would see what he could do. Santa thought of little else the rest of that afternoon. He knew what he had to do.
"What if it were MY child lying in that hospital bed, dying," he thought with a sinking heart, "this is the least I can do."
When Santa finished visiting with all the boys and girls that evening, he retrieved from his helper the name of the hospital where Sarah was staying. He asked the assistant location manager how to get to Children's Hospital.
"Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on his face.
Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah 's grandmother earlier that day.
"C'mon .... I'll take you there," Rick said softly.
Rick drove them to the hospital and came inside with Santa. They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he would wait out in the hall. Santa quietly peeked into the room through the half-closed door and saw little Sarah on the bed. The room was full of what appeared to be her family; there was the Grandmother and the girl's brother he had met earlier that day. A woman whom he guessed was Sarah 's mother stood by the bed, gently pushing Sarah 's thin hair off her forehead. And another woman who he discovered later was Sarah 's aunt, sat in a chair near the bed with weary, sad look on her face. They were talking quietly, and Santa could sense the warmth and closeness of the family, and their love and concern for Sarah.
Taking a deepbreath, and forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the room, bellowing a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!"
"Santa!" shrieked little Sarah weakly, as she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes in tact.
Santa rushed to her side and gave her a warm hug. A child the tender age of his own son -- 9 years old -- gazed up at him with wonder and excitement. Her skin was pale and her short tresses bore telltale bald patches from the effects of chemotherapy. But all he saw when he looked at her was a pair of huge, blue eyes. His heart melted, and he had to force himself to choke back tears.
Though his eyes were riveted upon Sarah 's face, he could hear the gasps and quiet sobbing of the women in the room. As he and Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to the bedside one by one, squeezing Santa's shoulder or his hand gratefully, whispering "thank you" as they gazed sincerely at him with shining eyes.
Santa and Sarah talked and talked, and she told him excitedly all the toys she wanted for Christmas, assuring him she'd been a very good girl that year.
As their time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray for Sarah, and asked for permission from the girl's mother. She nodded in agreement and the entire family circled around Sarah 's bed, holding hands. Santa looked intensely at Sarah and asked her if she believed in angels.
"Oh, yes, Santa ... I do!" she exclaimed.
"Well, I'm going to ask that angels watch over you, "he said.
Laying one hand on the child's head, Santa closed his eyes and prayed. He asked that God touch little Sarah, and heal her body from this disease. He asked that angels minister to her, watch and keep her. And when he finished praying, still with eyes closed, he started singing softly, "Silent Night, Holy Night - all is calm, all is bright."
The family joined in, still holding hands, smiling at Sarah , and crying tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment, as Sarah beamed at them all. When the song ended, Santa sat on the side of the bed again and held Sarah 's frail, small hands in his own.
"Now, Sarah ," he said authoritatively, "you have a job to do...and that is to concentrate on getting well. I want you to have fun playing with your friends this summer, and I expect to see you at my house at Mayfair Mall this time next year!"
He knew it was risky proclaiming that, to this little girl who had terminal cancer, but he had to. He had to give her the greatest gift he could – not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE.
"Yes, Santa!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes bright. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and left the room. Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick 's, a look passed between them and they wept unashamed. Sarah 's mother and grandmother slipped out of theroom quickly and rushed to Santa's side to thank him.
"My only child is the same age as Sarah ," he explained quietly. "This is the least I could do."
They nodded with understanding and hugged him.
One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set in Milwaukee for his six-week, seasonal job which he so loves to do. Several weeks went by and then one day a child came up to sit on his lap. "Hi, Santa! Remember me?!"
"Of course, I do," Santa proclaimed (as he always does), smiling down at her. After all, the secret to being a good Santa is to always make each child feel as if they are the only child in the world at that moment.
"You came to see me in the hospital last year!"
Santa's jaw dropped. Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, and he grabbed this little miracle and held her to his chest. "Sarah!" he exclaimed.
He scarcely recognized her, for her hair was long and silky and her cheeks were rosy -- much different from the little girl he had visited just a year before. He looked over and saw Sarah 's mother and grandmother in the sidelines smiling and waving and wiping their eyes.
That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus. He had witnessed --and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about -- this miracle of hope. This precious little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive and well.
He silently looked up to Heaven and humbly whispered, "Thank you, Father. ' Tis a very, Merry Christmas!"
LIFE IS GOD'S GIFT TO YOU...HOW YOU LIVE IT IS YOUR GIFT TO GOD, YOURSELF AND LOVED ONES.
Just as touching as the story itself, to me, is the end "moral" that someone added on along the way. I've struggled lately, and still do, with the particulars of my faith. I have no doubt in God...it's just the rest that I am still trying to figure out. :) The main thing I know, as I continue along my journey, is that the way I live my life is my homage to God.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Ridiculous Liberals and Bush Haters
This past weekend, the President of the United States visited Iraq to mark a recent agreement for the United States military to begin pulling out of Iraq beginning next year.
The United States has worked hard, spilled blood, and lost lives all for the cause of liberating Iraq from a despicable dictatorship rule. It matters not why we went there initially, those are the marching orders now...to help a nation live free and under democracy, if that is their wish.
It's a noble cause, as we are a noble country.
Yet somehow, when the leader of this noble and great country, the President of the United States of America, comes under attack in foreign lands, all some people can do is laugh and praise the dissenter.
Why? Because the President of the United States happens to be President George W. Bush, and many Americans' hatred of President Bush and self-importance run much deeper than the respect of their own country and demand that honor be shown for the office of President.
Many have already forgotten September 11, 2001...for an attack on the President of this country is the same as an attack on this country. It's quite sad that this country has run amuck, and that many take their freedoms that this great country provides for granted.
Trivialize it as merely a shoe if you want, but know this truth: Conservatives would have been outraged if anyone would have attacked President Clinton in a similar manner. Likewise, conservatives will be outraged if anyone attacks President Obama in a similar manner. There has already been outrage over Al Queda's comments regarding President-elect Obama...from conservatives and liberals alike.
It's a shame that liberals are blinded by hate, so much so that they can't even put the Office of President into proper perspective.
The United States has worked hard, spilled blood, and lost lives all for the cause of liberating Iraq from a despicable dictatorship rule. It matters not why we went there initially, those are the marching orders now...to help a nation live free and under democracy, if that is their wish.
It's a noble cause, as we are a noble country.
Yet somehow, when the leader of this noble and great country, the President of the United States of America, comes under attack in foreign lands, all some people can do is laugh and praise the dissenter.
Why? Because the President of the United States happens to be President George W. Bush, and many Americans' hatred of President Bush and self-importance run much deeper than the respect of their own country and demand that honor be shown for the office of President.
Many have already forgotten September 11, 2001...for an attack on the President of this country is the same as an attack on this country. It's quite sad that this country has run amuck, and that many take their freedoms that this great country provides for granted.
Trivialize it as merely a shoe if you want, but know this truth: Conservatives would have been outraged if anyone would have attacked President Clinton in a similar manner. Likewise, conservatives will be outraged if anyone attacks President Obama in a similar manner. There has already been outrage over Al Queda's comments regarding President-elect Obama...from conservatives and liberals alike.
It's a shame that liberals are blinded by hate, so much so that they can't even put the Office of President into proper perspective.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Lesson Learned : If you're going into a snake pit, bring backup.
Or at least some snake repellent.
So, I've visited my last forum for a while. I posted something as my first post in this "community" and was quickly swarmed by the self-described "vets". I had the audacity to post something critical, and because of that, I was subject to my rightful "hazing".
Now, as a first post, it may not have been wise to post something critical of the owner of this forum board, but that's what happens when you let something fester in your mind for a while...until it just has to come out. And perhaps I shouldn't have been so negative, though being critical by definition tends to have a negative tone to it. But I certainly could have rephrased it, to take away the bite of my sarcastic tone in the message.
The thing that may surprise you is that this was a conservative forum board. In fact, it was the forum board for whom I've stated in the past that I'm a fan of. It was the forum board of Glenn Beck's web site.
Since we don't get Glenn's his radio show around here, I subscribe to his service so I can download his radio show to the iPod. I've watched Glenn for a little over a year now, and there is something that's always bothered me about him...or more specifically about his website.
He sells merchandise on his website with the insignia "Hate U" and "H8U" branded on it. I was shocked when I first came upon this. I knew there'd have to be an explaination, but also suspected that any explaination likely wouldn't justify the insignia...at least to me.
As it turns out, the Hate U, as in Hate University, merchandise came about when Glenn was on Good Morning America one day with Geraldo Rivera. I am not positive if Glenn was saying that he wanted a closed border, or if he was merely in favor of a border fence, but in any event, he was labeled a hatemonger by Geraldo Rivera, and told that he teaches people to hate. So Glenn decided to embrace the label, albeit sarcastically, and create a line of merchandise that would sarcastically display the hatemonger label. Thus, Hate U was born.
To me, that's not justifiable reasoning to create t-shirts in which any person that doesn't know Glenn Beck(an overwhelming majority in this world) wouldn't understand the meaning behind Hate U. A t-shirt can not explain the sarcastic meaning behind Hate U, and any passerby reading a Hate U shirt would, in all likelihood, automatically be offended by the shirt. I'm not saying we have to walk on eggshells not to offend people, but "Hate U" ignores the eggs and the shells, it stomps all over the chicken.
I should clarify that I don't believe Glenn to be a hatemonger. I find him to be upstanding, inciteful, reasoned, and very much caring of the future of this country. As such, I felt that I needed to send an email to him, which is to say his staff, that I though he should drop the Hate U merchandise. Of course I had no expectations that this would happen, but I felt compelled to try to plead my case.
I hadn't really thought of it much sense, until he recently started saying on his radio show that we had to let go of the hate. That message was within the larger context of each individual person needing to find out who they are and what they believe in. I could get into a big rant on this larger message he spoke of, but suffice to say this larger message he was preaching about already had me in a negative frame of mind. So when he came to the bullet point of letting go of the hate, it was the first time I thought the man a hypocrite. Lecture about letting go of hate, but sell shirts with Hate boldly emblazened on it?! Outrageous!
So, after the second day of him speaking about letting go of hate, I felt compelled again to point out this incongruency, only this time to his "Insider" forum. To be honest, I figured his forum would be filled with conservative, reasoned individuals such as myself, and quite frankly like Glenn.
Boy was I wrong. The tongue lashing I took...the personal attacks that were flung my way...the unreasonable spin in which a few, very few, tried to justify the incongruency...well it shocked me.
It shouldn't have. I knew going in how gang-like other forum communities are. But this sealed the deal...if you've seen one forum board, you've seen them all. I was trying to confirm Glenn's message of letting go of hate, which should include not brandishing Hate on t-shirts, and all I got was hatred for even daring to question the glaringly obvious double standard.
The mere way the forum board is set up was creepy, to say the least. New posters(based on post count) are labeled Corky. I quickly recognized that to be a slam on the intelligence level based on the main character from the TV show, Life Goes On. Their forum rules openly promoted hazing on the new posters.
Many posters, at least the ones that replied to my thread, had over 15000 posts. I can only assume that the vast majority of those had to be emoticon filled replies that had nothing to do with the topic of the thread.
To be honest, all of this made me question the very integrity of Glenn Beck. Even if the man is a huge proponent of free speech, this seemed to be well beyond political incorrectness run amuk or promoting rational discussions on his board. But I had to try to not hold him responsible for what others said on his board. Then I soon realized that many of the people on his forums either didn't listen to Glenn anymore, or didn't like him anymore, or both. The very next broadcast that I listented to of Glenn's made me realize that he has left those in him forum boards behind. He has evolved his thinking, grown as a person, whereas these others had not.
So that was my first personal experience with hatred on the on the right. It was good though, because it reinforced me to think critically of everyone, even those I listen to and agree with a lot...for no one can be right 100% of the time. Except for God, that is...right Rocket? :)
So, I've visited my last forum for a while. I posted something as my first post in this "community" and was quickly swarmed by the self-described "vets". I had the audacity to post something critical, and because of that, I was subject to my rightful "hazing".
Now, as a first post, it may not have been wise to post something critical of the owner of this forum board, but that's what happens when you let something fester in your mind for a while...until it just has to come out. And perhaps I shouldn't have been so negative, though being critical by definition tends to have a negative tone to it. But I certainly could have rephrased it, to take away the bite of my sarcastic tone in the message.
The thing that may surprise you is that this was a conservative forum board. In fact, it was the forum board for whom I've stated in the past that I'm a fan of. It was the forum board of Glenn Beck's web site.
Since we don't get Glenn's his radio show around here, I subscribe to his service so I can download his radio show to the iPod. I've watched Glenn for a little over a year now, and there is something that's always bothered me about him...or more specifically about his website.
He sells merchandise on his website with the insignia "Hate U" and "H8U" branded on it. I was shocked when I first came upon this. I knew there'd have to be an explaination, but also suspected that any explaination likely wouldn't justify the insignia...at least to me.
As it turns out, the Hate U, as in Hate University, merchandise came about when Glenn was on Good Morning America one day with Geraldo Rivera. I am not positive if Glenn was saying that he wanted a closed border, or if he was merely in favor of a border fence, but in any event, he was labeled a hatemonger by Geraldo Rivera, and told that he teaches people to hate. So Glenn decided to embrace the label, albeit sarcastically, and create a line of merchandise that would sarcastically display the hatemonger label. Thus, Hate U was born.
To me, that's not justifiable reasoning to create t-shirts in which any person that doesn't know Glenn Beck(an overwhelming majority in this world) wouldn't understand the meaning behind Hate U. A t-shirt can not explain the sarcastic meaning behind Hate U, and any passerby reading a Hate U shirt would, in all likelihood, automatically be offended by the shirt. I'm not saying we have to walk on eggshells not to offend people, but "Hate U" ignores the eggs and the shells, it stomps all over the chicken.
I should clarify that I don't believe Glenn to be a hatemonger. I find him to be upstanding, inciteful, reasoned, and very much caring of the future of this country. As such, I felt that I needed to send an email to him, which is to say his staff, that I though he should drop the Hate U merchandise. Of course I had no expectations that this would happen, but I felt compelled to try to plead my case.
I hadn't really thought of it much sense, until he recently started saying on his radio show that we had to let go of the hate. That message was within the larger context of each individual person needing to find out who they are and what they believe in. I could get into a big rant on this larger message he spoke of, but suffice to say this larger message he was preaching about already had me in a negative frame of mind. So when he came to the bullet point of letting go of the hate, it was the first time I thought the man a hypocrite. Lecture about letting go of hate, but sell shirts with Hate boldly emblazened on it?! Outrageous!
So, after the second day of him speaking about letting go of hate, I felt compelled again to point out this incongruency, only this time to his "Insider" forum. To be honest, I figured his forum would be filled with conservative, reasoned individuals such as myself, and quite frankly like Glenn.
Boy was I wrong. The tongue lashing I took...the personal attacks that were flung my way...the unreasonable spin in which a few, very few, tried to justify the incongruency...well it shocked me.
It shouldn't have. I knew going in how gang-like other forum communities are. But this sealed the deal...if you've seen one forum board, you've seen them all. I was trying to confirm Glenn's message of letting go of hate, which should include not brandishing Hate on t-shirts, and all I got was hatred for even daring to question the glaringly obvious double standard.
The mere way the forum board is set up was creepy, to say the least. New posters(based on post count) are labeled Corky. I quickly recognized that to be a slam on the intelligence level based on the main character from the TV show, Life Goes On. Their forum rules openly promoted hazing on the new posters.
Many posters, at least the ones that replied to my thread, had over 15000 posts. I can only assume that the vast majority of those had to be emoticon filled replies that had nothing to do with the topic of the thread.
To be honest, all of this made me question the very integrity of Glenn Beck. Even if the man is a huge proponent of free speech, this seemed to be well beyond political incorrectness run amuk or promoting rational discussions on his board. But I had to try to not hold him responsible for what others said on his board. Then I soon realized that many of the people on his forums either didn't listen to Glenn anymore, or didn't like him anymore, or both. The very next broadcast that I listented to of Glenn's made me realize that he has left those in him forum boards behind. He has evolved his thinking, grown as a person, whereas these others had not.
So that was my first personal experience with hatred on the on the right. It was good though, because it reinforced me to think critically of everyone, even those I listen to and agree with a lot...for no one can be right 100% of the time. Except for God, that is...right Rocket? :)
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Just Can't Relate to Book or other like statements...
I'm a big Glenn Beck fan. I credit him and Bill O'Reilly for opening my eyes, getting me to think more critically, and giving me the confidence to speak up for my beliefs. However, in regards to his recent book, The Christmas Sweater, and his recent statements on his show about the recent internet suicide that was watched online, I just can't relate.
I'll try not to spoil the book for anyone as I explain myself. I won't give a book review, persay, as there were some things about the book itself I didn't like as well, but that's neither here nor there in regards to not being able to relate to Glenn in this instance. Much of what he has said himself about his book in broad strokes I can use anyway, so I won't be giving away any details that he has spoken about himself.
This book of his, The Christmas Sweater, was written as a fiction work, but he has said that it's based on his life story. In it, the character that's based off himself, is really a jerk to his family. It starts with not getting the Christmas present he wanted, and ends with blaming his grandfather for his mother's death, screaming and yelling hateful things to him before running away.
Now, while I come from a divorced family, I have no reference point for the death of a parent as a youth. In an attempt to be empathetic, I'm not even sure I could do that justice. I can assume what I'd be like if I lost a parent when I was 10, and it's even easier for me with the hindsight of age experience...but I don't think I could accurately put myself into a 10-year-old's shoes who has just lost their parent and confidently say that I wouldn't be a jerk.
Other than yelling at my mother daily as she simply tried to wake me up so that I could make it to school on time (she's such a saint for doing it day after day despite my morning grouchiness), I didn't have many fierce words with my mom. And I certainly never once believed that I hated my mom. I never even thought that of my Dad. In fact, I sought his love more than I sought my mother's since we only saw him twice a year...my mother's love I always knew was true and lasting. But Glenn has read some letters on air and said that he has received countless letters similar to them about how so many people say they relate to the message in the book and how they saw themselves in the title character.
I have no reference point and can't possibly understand the numerous times when the book's character was mean or hateful just for the sake of being mean or hateful...even when there was a clear chance to not be mean and hateful.
Beyond the book, Glenn recently made some statements about the young kid who killed himself online while hundreds of others watched as he posted it from his webcam. The kid left a suicide letter which, in part, says "I hate myself, and I hate living...I've let everyone down, and I feel as though I'll never change, or I'll never improve." Glenn goes on to ask his audience if they see themselves in that letter at all, before saying that this note rings true for him(in the past tense). He said that he believed lots of people could relate to the suicide note left by the kid, and I'm just bewildered by that.
I've never gone more than a few hours of actually hating myself for some previous stupid action I did, and I've never once hated living. And I've never once believed that I'll never improve on things or that I'll never change. It's sad, of course, but I just can't empathize with the train of thought that would leave me to believe that I'd never get better at things throughout my life.
Is it just me? Am I the only one, or even someone in the clear minority, that has never experienced true disdain for someone in their family? If many people can relate, as Glenn hypothizes, then it's no wonder that this country has begun to fall from grace.
I'll try not to spoil the book for anyone as I explain myself. I won't give a book review, persay, as there were some things about the book itself I didn't like as well, but that's neither here nor there in regards to not being able to relate to Glenn in this instance. Much of what he has said himself about his book in broad strokes I can use anyway, so I won't be giving away any details that he has spoken about himself.
This book of his, The Christmas Sweater, was written as a fiction work, but he has said that it's based on his life story. In it, the character that's based off himself, is really a jerk to his family. It starts with not getting the Christmas present he wanted, and ends with blaming his grandfather for his mother's death, screaming and yelling hateful things to him before running away.
Now, while I come from a divorced family, I have no reference point for the death of a parent as a youth. In an attempt to be empathetic, I'm not even sure I could do that justice. I can assume what I'd be like if I lost a parent when I was 10, and it's even easier for me with the hindsight of age experience...but I don't think I could accurately put myself into a 10-year-old's shoes who has just lost their parent and confidently say that I wouldn't be a jerk.
Other than yelling at my mother daily as she simply tried to wake me up so that I could make it to school on time (she's such a saint for doing it day after day despite my morning grouchiness), I didn't have many fierce words with my mom. And I certainly never once believed that I hated my mom. I never even thought that of my Dad. In fact, I sought his love more than I sought my mother's since we only saw him twice a year...my mother's love I always knew was true and lasting. But Glenn has read some letters on air and said that he has received countless letters similar to them about how so many people say they relate to the message in the book and how they saw themselves in the title character.
I have no reference point and can't possibly understand the numerous times when the book's character was mean or hateful just for the sake of being mean or hateful...even when there was a clear chance to not be mean and hateful.
Beyond the book, Glenn recently made some statements about the young kid who killed himself online while hundreds of others watched as he posted it from his webcam. The kid left a suicide letter which, in part, says "I hate myself, and I hate living...I've let everyone down, and I feel as though I'll never change, or I'll never improve." Glenn goes on to ask his audience if they see themselves in that letter at all, before saying that this note rings true for him(in the past tense). He said that he believed lots of people could relate to the suicide note left by the kid, and I'm just bewildered by that.
I've never gone more than a few hours of actually hating myself for some previous stupid action I did, and I've never once hated living. And I've never once believed that I'll never improve on things or that I'll never change. It's sad, of course, but I just can't empathize with the train of thought that would leave me to believe that I'd never get better at things throughout my life.
Is it just me? Am I the only one, or even someone in the clear minority, that has never experienced true disdain for someone in their family? If many people can relate, as Glenn hypothizes, then it's no wonder that this country has begun to fall from grace.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Be Careful of Annuities
I met a respected friend over the holiday who is testing out selling Annuities. He seemed quite gung ho about this new opportunity, so I kept my beliefs about the product to myself. The part that made me cringe was when he talked about how easy it was because of the turbulent market.
It is this kind of thinking that allows people to take advantage of people's fears...predominantly older people. So if you have some money to invest, or have someone that's trying to talk to you about moving money into an Annuity, let's quickly explore some "gray areas" that may not be given much detail during the selling pitch. I used to be a stock broker, and while I didn't sell Annuities, I was licensed to sell them if I wanted.
First and foremost, an Annuity is an Insurance Product. It is not a wealth building tool, but something people use because they are scared of losing the value of their money/investments. If you have no stomach for the market, and let's face it...who does these days, then perhaps an Insurance policy protecting your money(which is what an Annuity is) is for you. I could have made an argument(will explain past tense later) that you could do just as well with a conservative investment elsewhere, but an Annuity does accomplish the preservation of money.
Secondly, the avoidance of probate. Seemingly one of the big pitches is that an Annuity avoids probate when you die. There are two things misleading about this. Firstly, I believe that some allow the people who are buying the Annuity to believe that probate is the taxes that are charged to the estate after death, aka the death tax. This is misleading, probate is not the avoidance of the death tax. Uncle Sam will get his money, regardless of your belief about taxing money that has already been taxed once.
What probate is, is the state appointing someone to oversee a deceased persons estate in the event that no one has been selected to do this by the deceased. The state winds up charging a fee for this service, sometimes up to 5% of the estate...then you get taxed.
So the other thing is that I think salesmen are leading people to think that an Annuity is the only unique product that avoids probate. This is, of course, untrue. Aside from setting up a Trust, any IRA and even some brokerage accounts with a Designated Beneficiary avoid probate. Because all probate does is divvy up assets, so if you have a beneficiary, there are no assets to divvy up. Of course, taxes are still due on the estate.
Another main thing that salesmen try to do is brush over the fees of the Annuity and the other terms that could be unflattering, such as a termination fee, should you want to cash out or need access to the bulk of your assets early.
It's these fees that are the main reason I don't like Annuities. Because some annuities sell you on the fact that your annuity is invested in the market and you can actually grow the value of your annuity, the large fees are overlooked or underrepresented. If you want to invest in the market, get a brokerage account and pay little to no fees. The fees you pay are, again, for the security of being in an Insurance product. It's like you're paying a premium as you would for your car or home, only it is coming out of your nest egg. You may as well find a good bank and put your money into the money market fund there and not pay premiums.
Now, to even more worrisome thoughts. The reason I stated earlier that I would have made the argument that you would have had just as safe an investment as an Annuity, was because of US Treasuries and Mortgage Backed Securities. Of course the Mortgate Backed Securities are in the toilet, and there are worries with the exponentially increasing debt that the US Government is taking on, that US Treasuries may not be as safe an investment as they once were....they may even be at risk of losing their AAA Credit rating. Yes, it is conceivable that the US Government could lose it's credit rating.
And finally...what if insurance companies continue to fail like AIG? Will the Government guarantee all those annuities? Well, insurance companies aren't FDIC insured, so they aren't obligated to.
Let's simply look at the Annuities from the Insurance Company perspective. You sell people market insurance, with the hope of investing in the market yourself and then just keeping the profits you make in the market. But if the market continues to be in the crapper, how do you make money on Annuities if your an Insurance Company? You continue to increase fees until the market suffocates you and your Annuities are worth less and less. Neither of those options bode well for the annuity holder.
So while I'm no longer an investment consultant and won't recommend that you don't buy an annuity. I do recommend that you do all your homework before getting into an Insurance Product that's sold as a complicated investment vehicle.
It is this kind of thinking that allows people to take advantage of people's fears...predominantly older people. So if you have some money to invest, or have someone that's trying to talk to you about moving money into an Annuity, let's quickly explore some "gray areas" that may not be given much detail during the selling pitch. I used to be a stock broker, and while I didn't sell Annuities, I was licensed to sell them if I wanted.
First and foremost, an Annuity is an Insurance Product. It is not a wealth building tool, but something people use because they are scared of losing the value of their money/investments. If you have no stomach for the market, and let's face it...who does these days, then perhaps an Insurance policy protecting your money(which is what an Annuity is) is for you. I could have made an argument(will explain past tense later) that you could do just as well with a conservative investment elsewhere, but an Annuity does accomplish the preservation of money.
Secondly, the avoidance of probate. Seemingly one of the big pitches is that an Annuity avoids probate when you die. There are two things misleading about this. Firstly, I believe that some allow the people who are buying the Annuity to believe that probate is the taxes that are charged to the estate after death, aka the death tax. This is misleading, probate is not the avoidance of the death tax. Uncle Sam will get his money, regardless of your belief about taxing money that has already been taxed once.
What probate is, is the state appointing someone to oversee a deceased persons estate in the event that no one has been selected to do this by the deceased. The state winds up charging a fee for this service, sometimes up to 5% of the estate...then you get taxed.
So the other thing is that I think salesmen are leading people to think that an Annuity is the only unique product that avoids probate. This is, of course, untrue. Aside from setting up a Trust, any IRA and even some brokerage accounts with a Designated Beneficiary avoid probate. Because all probate does is divvy up assets, so if you have a beneficiary, there are no assets to divvy up. Of course, taxes are still due on the estate.
Another main thing that salesmen try to do is brush over the fees of the Annuity and the other terms that could be unflattering, such as a termination fee, should you want to cash out or need access to the bulk of your assets early.
It's these fees that are the main reason I don't like Annuities. Because some annuities sell you on the fact that your annuity is invested in the market and you can actually grow the value of your annuity, the large fees are overlooked or underrepresented. If you want to invest in the market, get a brokerage account and pay little to no fees. The fees you pay are, again, for the security of being in an Insurance product. It's like you're paying a premium as you would for your car or home, only it is coming out of your nest egg. You may as well find a good bank and put your money into the money market fund there and not pay premiums.
Now, to even more worrisome thoughts. The reason I stated earlier that I would have made the argument that you would have had just as safe an investment as an Annuity, was because of US Treasuries and Mortgage Backed Securities. Of course the Mortgate Backed Securities are in the toilet, and there are worries with the exponentially increasing debt that the US Government is taking on, that US Treasuries may not be as safe an investment as they once were....they may even be at risk of losing their AAA Credit rating. Yes, it is conceivable that the US Government could lose it's credit rating.
And finally...what if insurance companies continue to fail like AIG? Will the Government guarantee all those annuities? Well, insurance companies aren't FDIC insured, so they aren't obligated to.
Let's simply look at the Annuities from the Insurance Company perspective. You sell people market insurance, with the hope of investing in the market yourself and then just keeping the profits you make in the market. But if the market continues to be in the crapper, how do you make money on Annuities if your an Insurance Company? You continue to increase fees until the market suffocates you and your Annuities are worth less and less. Neither of those options bode well for the annuity holder.
So while I'm no longer an investment consultant and won't recommend that you don't buy an annuity. I do recommend that you do all your homework before getting into an Insurance Product that's sold as a complicated investment vehicle.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Week of Thanks. Day 4 - Thankful for God, Country and Family
Ok...so a slightly different tone from days 1-3...not that I didn't fully and literally mean every word of the other posts in the week of Thanks. *shifty eyes*
But Thanksgiving is meant to remind us to be thankful to those things near and dear to our hearts, rather than be focused on parades, football, and glutany.
I've been off the beaten path lately when it comes to God as I try to find out what it is that I really believe. But I've never once waivered in my belief in the Almighty. I know He's there, and I know He adores me, just as he does all His children. I'm thankful that He's there, and I'm thankful that He loves me enough to be patient with me as explore the details of my faith.
I've said before that I believe it's His inspiration that launched this nation. I know things didn't just fit together like a puzzle, but I'm often astounded at the great gathering and collaberation of all the great minds that make up our Founding Fathers. While I often rail on how I believe this nation has turned away from what the Founding Fathers intended, and I wonder if, when I'm old, I'll even recognize this as the same nation I grew up in; but I'm so very thankful that I live here and get to make out of this life what I put into it. Freedom is a wonderful gift that I all to often take for granted, but I'm thankful to everyone who made freedom and this great country possible.
And it would be a shame if I didn't get to share our gift of freedom with people I cherish greatly. I'm thankful to my Mom for raising a man whose wife consistently says she's lucky to have for a variety of reasons. Most of those reasons seem quite ordinary to me, but apparently stacked up against her friends, they are more than ordinary...and my mother is to thank. I'm thankful to my wife for being my best friend and for being so patient with me as I become more outspoken in regards to my conservative beliefs. She still hates it when I argue with the television, but it's certainly understandable and can easily be overlooked for all the rest that she does for me. And of course, I'm thankful for my kids. They are my pride and joy, and while I sometimes feel like a failure in life because I'm merely a night auditor at a local hotel, I have but to look at them once and realize how lucky I am to be able to raise them myself rather than being stuck at work while a sitter raises them.
Luckily, I do give thanks for all these things more often than once a year, and while Thanksgiving's prayer may not be any more important than all the others in which I give thanks, it is a great occasion to share with everyone else the blessings that I'm thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. Enjoy the day, enjoy the family, enjoy the fun...stay safe and take care.
The Mad Hoosier
But Thanksgiving is meant to remind us to be thankful to those things near and dear to our hearts, rather than be focused on parades, football, and glutany.
I've been off the beaten path lately when it comes to God as I try to find out what it is that I really believe. But I've never once waivered in my belief in the Almighty. I know He's there, and I know He adores me, just as he does all His children. I'm thankful that He's there, and I'm thankful that He loves me enough to be patient with me as explore the details of my faith.
I've said before that I believe it's His inspiration that launched this nation. I know things didn't just fit together like a puzzle, but I'm often astounded at the great gathering and collaberation of all the great minds that make up our Founding Fathers. While I often rail on how I believe this nation has turned away from what the Founding Fathers intended, and I wonder if, when I'm old, I'll even recognize this as the same nation I grew up in; but I'm so very thankful that I live here and get to make out of this life what I put into it. Freedom is a wonderful gift that I all to often take for granted, but I'm thankful to everyone who made freedom and this great country possible.
And it would be a shame if I didn't get to share our gift of freedom with people I cherish greatly. I'm thankful to my Mom for raising a man whose wife consistently says she's lucky to have for a variety of reasons. Most of those reasons seem quite ordinary to me, but apparently stacked up against her friends, they are more than ordinary...and my mother is to thank. I'm thankful to my wife for being my best friend and for being so patient with me as I become more outspoken in regards to my conservative beliefs. She still hates it when I argue with the television, but it's certainly understandable and can easily be overlooked for all the rest that she does for me. And of course, I'm thankful for my kids. They are my pride and joy, and while I sometimes feel like a failure in life because I'm merely a night auditor at a local hotel, I have but to look at them once and realize how lucky I am to be able to raise them myself rather than being stuck at work while a sitter raises them.
Luckily, I do give thanks for all these things more often than once a year, and while Thanksgiving's prayer may not be any more important than all the others in which I give thanks, it is a great occasion to share with everyone else the blessings that I'm thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. Enjoy the day, enjoy the family, enjoy the fun...stay safe and take care.
The Mad Hoosier
Week of Thanks. Day 3 - Thankful for Super Majorities
With all the hope and change coming, how could you not be thankful for the trifecta of Democratic leadership that will usher in the next great movement. Now technically the Super Majority refers to there being enough members in one party of government to prevent a filibuster. With two races still to be decided in the Senate, that's still a possibility, given that the two Independents vote with the Democrats. However, today, we're just referring to the watered down version of Super Majority, referring to a Democratic President AND Democratic majority in the House of Representatives AND a Democratic majority in the Senate.
This trifecta has only happened twice in our history, and each time it was with the Democrats being in charge. The first time was when the majority crafted andpushed through The New Deal, and the second time was when the Democratic majority crafted The Great Society. There has already been talks of a New New Deal, and a New Great Society. Hopefully they will come up with a better moniker to describe the blissfulness that will follow the skewed legislation.
Now I know what you're thinking: Each of those brought about change that changed our country, left millions enslaved to the Government, and will eventually cripple our great nation. I say, lighten up Sally Sourpuss...let's not think about the future, let's live in the here and now.
The New Deal gave us the wondrous gift of Social Security. A way to not have to work after the age of 65 and still get paid as though you were working...at a percentage of what your once were...for the next two years of your life because life expectancy when the New Deal was created was 67. That's outstanding. Anyone who can look at that and point out that the mere fact that life expectancy has went up 20 years yet the age at which benefits kick has remained the same is looking at the glass as half-empty. Our government loves us...they aren't trying to buy votes of the aged or anything by keeping things as is. AND, the unemployment benefits that were enacted during the New Deal were such a great idea, that the current congress just extended the coverage of unemployment benefits by nearly 2 months.
So on to the Great Society, as I'm sure there are some naysayers out there that aren't a fan of Medicare and Medicaid. To be honest I'm not sure what's not to love about making the elderly and destitute rely on the government for their basic life needs. The all inclusive brand of healthcare works so well in other countries for those that still maintain their own private health insurance. So there may be an instance or two where a government run healthcare provider has had a decision between two people in the exact same situation and the decision came down to age. I'm sure the elderly person realized that they had lived a full life, it was time to let someone else have a chance at a full life. It's the right perspective to have, when you're sharing thewealth benefits of all inclusive health care. I'm sure they were all thankful to be in the position they were in.
Just like I'm thankful that I'll be able to partake in the next New Deal and/or next Great Society. Thank you Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reed, and Barack Obama...thank you for loving me so much.
This trifecta has only happened twice in our history, and each time it was with the Democrats being in charge. The first time was when the majority crafted and
Now I know what you're thinking: Each of those brought about change that changed our country, left millions enslaved to the Government, and will eventually cripple our great nation. I say, lighten up Sally Sourpuss...let's not think about the future, let's live in the here and now.
The New Deal gave us the wondrous gift of Social Security. A way to not have to work after the age of 65 and still get paid as though you were working...at a percentage of what your once were...for the next two years of your life because life expectancy when the New Deal was created was 67. That's outstanding. Anyone who can look at that and point out that the mere fact that life expectancy has went up 20 years yet the age at which benefits kick has remained the same is looking at the glass as half-empty. Our government loves us...they aren't trying to buy votes of the aged or anything by keeping things as is. AND, the unemployment benefits that were enacted during the New Deal were such a great idea, that the current congress just extended the coverage of unemployment benefits by nearly 2 months.
So on to the Great Society, as I'm sure there are some naysayers out there that aren't a fan of Medicare and Medicaid. To be honest I'm not sure what's not to love about making the elderly and destitute rely on the government for their basic life needs. The all inclusive brand of healthcare works so well in other countries for those that still maintain their own private health insurance. So there may be an instance or two where a government run healthcare provider has had a decision between two people in the exact same situation and the decision came down to age. I'm sure the elderly person realized that they had lived a full life, it was time to let someone else have a chance at a full life. It's the right perspective to have, when you're sharing the
Just like I'm thankful that I'll be able to partake in the next New Deal and/or next Great Society. Thank you Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reed, and Barack Obama...thank you for loving me so much.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Week of Thanks. Day 2 - Thankful for conqurring man made Global Warming
Today I'm thankful that we have finally defeated Global Warming. And not just your run of the mill global warming, this is the global warming that was clearly man made. If you can't accept that fact, you may want to leave now. Holocaust deniers are not welcome here.
And if you're among those that are in the crowd of crazy right wing speculators that believe studies that suggest Global Warming may be due to the temperature of the universe, sun spots, or any other studies that suggest that all planets near the Earth have suspiciously gone through similar warming and cooling periods as this planet, again, call up your friend President Ahmadinejad and have fun.
Less than 10 years ago, there was snow on Halloween in Southern Illinois. If that's not enough proof of man made global warming, maybe you've heard of a little documentary called The Inconvenient Truth. And before you right wing nuts bring up the fact that Al Gore advisor James Hansen fudged historical numbers for temperature, let me just say that there's no proof that he did that.
The fact that when you Google October's temperature and you find hundreds of websites "citing Hansen's data", saying that it was the second warmest October in history, just shows that those websites don't know what they are talking about. I mean, Canada supposedly found the mistake, who's to say that someone in Canada isn't making this all up. Clearly all someone had to do was walk outside in North America during October, and they knew it was colder than normal. A full 3 degrees cooler than last October, in fact.
And there's where part of the victory over Global Warming comes in. All it's taken is our friend Al Gore to win the Nobel Peace Prize, a few green weeks from NBC Universal, who's parent company GE definitely had nothing to gain from those innovative Green Week themes, and that was half the battle. The only other thing to do was drive the price of oil so high that everyone stopped driving, and wallah...cooler temperatures.
In fact, The Inconvenient Truth is the hero of the day. We, meaning the planet of Earth, have lost 1/3 of a degree since the release of The Inconvenient Truth. And thanks to that, we are now cooler than when enemy to the environment, George Bush, took office.
So it is clear that the chapter is closed on Global Warming. All the science is in, and these facts are irrefutable. If you refuse to admit that the war against Global Warming is over, then you're akin to those who refused to believe that Global Warming was man made, which was akin to being a holocaust denier.
So to the end of Global Warming, I am so very thankful.
And if you're among those that are in the crowd of crazy right wing speculators that believe studies that suggest Global Warming may be due to the temperature of the universe, sun spots, or any other studies that suggest that all planets near the Earth have suspiciously gone through similar warming and cooling periods as this planet, again, call up your friend President Ahmadinejad and have fun.
Less than 10 years ago, there was snow on Halloween in Southern Illinois. If that's not enough proof of man made global warming, maybe you've heard of a little documentary called The Inconvenient Truth. And before you right wing nuts bring up the fact that Al Gore advisor James Hansen fudged historical numbers for temperature, let me just say that there's no proof that he did that.
The fact that when you Google October's temperature and you find hundreds of websites "citing Hansen's data", saying that it was the second warmest October in history, just shows that those websites don't know what they are talking about. I mean, Canada supposedly found the mistake, who's to say that someone in Canada isn't making this all up. Clearly all someone had to do was walk outside in North America during October, and they knew it was colder than normal. A full 3 degrees cooler than last October, in fact.
And there's where part of the victory over Global Warming comes in. All it's taken is our friend Al Gore to win the Nobel Peace Prize, a few green weeks from NBC Universal, who's parent company GE definitely had nothing to gain from those innovative Green Week themes, and that was half the battle. The only other thing to do was drive the price of oil so high that everyone stopped driving, and wallah...cooler temperatures.
In fact, The Inconvenient Truth is the hero of the day. We, meaning the planet of Earth, have lost 1/3 of a degree since the release of The Inconvenient Truth. And thanks to that, we are now cooler than when enemy to the environment, George Bush, took office.
So it is clear that the chapter is closed on Global Warming. All the science is in, and these facts are irrefutable. If you refuse to admit that the war against Global Warming is over, then you're akin to those who refused to believe that Global Warming was man made, which was akin to being a holocaust denier.
So to the end of Global Warming, I am so very thankful.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Week of Thanks. Day 1 - Thankful for reaping what others sow
It's good to pause and give Thanks from time to time. The Bible teaches us to be more enthusiastic with our Thanks than with our desires. There are so many things I'm thankful for; clearly I won't be able to name them all here, but I figured I'd list a few this week, in no particular of importance.
You've heard of reaping what you sow, but that's more of a capitalist way of looking at things. In light of upcoming events, let's go the socialist route and speak about reaping what others sow.
There are things such as reaping the benefits of soldiers hard work to keep our nation free, but that seems like such a downer for a Thankful week such as this. Besides, that's old hat. Sowing the oats of freedom...being thankful for that is so the past 8 years.
So let's look to the future...to hope and change. Boy I'm glad that this change is something worthy of being Thankful for.
So here's to you, sowers of the change I'm about to reap. Thank you lenders, for sowing the labor of faulty home loans. Thank you Congress and Presidents, for pushing home ownership to those that can't afford it. Thank you Treasury Secretary and banks for freezing foreclosures on said owners that couldn't afford the house that you sold them. Thank you all for refusing to let companies fail. Thank you Government for taking ownership in America's banks. Thank you auto unions for your 2200 page union contracts with auto makers and double employee salary compared to foreign competitors. Thank you Congress, again, for bailout after bailout after bailout. Thank you for the wonderous gift of so much tax burden that my grandchildren will be able to hear stories of how candy bars only cost their grandpa ten bucks. I am so thankful for being able to reap the benefits of all these wonderful gifts you all have sown for us lately.
You've heard of reaping what you sow, but that's more of a capitalist way of looking at things. In light of upcoming events, let's go the socialist route and speak about reaping what others sow.
There are things such as reaping the benefits of soldiers hard work to keep our nation free, but that seems like such a downer for a Thankful week such as this. Besides, that's old hat. Sowing the oats of freedom...being thankful for that is so the past 8 years.
So let's look to the future...to hope and change. Boy I'm glad that this change is something worthy of being Thankful for.
So here's to you, sowers of the change I'm about to reap. Thank you lenders, for sowing the labor of faulty home loans. Thank you Congress and Presidents, for pushing home ownership to those that can't afford it. Thank you Treasury Secretary and banks for freezing foreclosures on said owners that couldn't afford the house that you sold them. Thank you all for refusing to let companies fail. Thank you Government for taking ownership in America's banks. Thank you auto unions for your 2200 page union contracts with auto makers and double employee salary compared to foreign competitors. Thank you Congress, again, for bailout after bailout after bailout. Thank you for the wonderous gift of so much tax burden that my grandchildren will be able to hear stories of how candy bars only cost their grandpa ten bucks. I am so thankful for being able to reap the benefits of all these wonderful gifts you all have sown for us lately.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Time = Money...
So if Time = Money...and Money is necessary to "spread the wealth", let's do a little experiment and take out the middle component to determine if "spreading the wealth" is fair, or even a good idea.
Let's say, for this argument's sake, that your job is one that you thoroughly love doing. So in the time component, we've got your time filled passion in the form of a job, sleeping time, and family time, and personal/leisure time, which would also be comprised of doing something you enjoyed.
So, for instance, your typical day is filled with your passion (work) which presumably provides a service or product for people, playing with the kids, spending time with the spouse, reading a good book, and then getting rest to do it all over again the next day.
Now, it's determined that "spreading the wealth" is good and is now government mandated. Since time = money, we're taking money away and using time as our wealth component.
Now a lady down the street, we'll call her Suzie, has applied and been approved for the "spread the wealth" government sharing program. Suzie is a drug addict, she has a life in boyfriend, and other than a part time job at the local fast food joint that Suzie has, her day is spent getting wasted. Still, the government has decided that she needs a fair shot and says that you need to help her out so that she can stay in her home and have the opportunity to get treatment for her addiction.
So at 4:00 every Tuesday, you have been assigned to mow Suzie's lawn and take her trash to the local dump, and any other odds and ends she needs you to do until 5:30. You have no option at this point. It's a government mandated program, and if you don't do your share, you're in violation of the law.
Of course, 4:00 to 5:30 is when you have to take your daughters to piano lessons, but don't worry about that. Someone else has been chosen by the government to "spread the wealth", and they will be taking your kids to piano lessons and then out to eat afterwords. They will have a good time...and who knows, maybe they will teach your daughters something.
After a couple of months, Suzie has relapsed. In all honesty, she never went to the treatment facility...she was out getting high. But she's at home all the time now, wasted, and you're still mandated to mow her lawn and help her out for an hour and a half weekly.
But all is right with the world...it's time for your daughter's recital. You go to your daughter's recital and are blown away by how good she is at playing the piano. Then you realize that you've missed an integral part of your daughter growing up. But at least you were "spreading the wealth", right?
After the recital, you all pile into the car and head to the local fast food joint to celebrate. Upon getting in the car, you learn that your daughter has added a few 4-letter words to her vocabulary, thanks the the other person that's been taking her to piano lessons. Nice. So you decide to get the food to go, because you're going to have to have a talk with your daughter and try to de-program her new vocabulary out of her.
You pull up to the fast food joint, and there's Suzie...ready to take and fill your order. She looks halfway strung out, so you're in that much more of a hurry to get out of there, and when you get home, you realize that Suzie completely jacked up your order. Now you're daughter's bawling because she didn't get her chicken nuggets...and now your de-programming time is put off for another day.
That sounds ludicrous, right? Well, it's no more ludicrous than "spreading the wealth" through the government mandated program of taxes. You're still giving away your heard earned "wealth" (time or money) to someone that is totally unwilling to help themselves. Why is everyone so eager to let our government spit in the face of our Constitution, which never called for any "spreading of the wealth" whatsoever?
Let's say, for this argument's sake, that your job is one that you thoroughly love doing. So in the time component, we've got your time filled passion in the form of a job, sleeping time, and family time, and personal/leisure time, which would also be comprised of doing something you enjoyed.
So, for instance, your typical day is filled with your passion (work) which presumably provides a service or product for people, playing with the kids, spending time with the spouse, reading a good book, and then getting rest to do it all over again the next day.
Now, it's determined that "spreading the wealth" is good and is now government mandated. Since time = money, we're taking money away and using time as our wealth component.
Now a lady down the street, we'll call her Suzie, has applied and been approved for the "spread the wealth" government sharing program. Suzie is a drug addict, she has a life in boyfriend, and other than a part time job at the local fast food joint that Suzie has, her day is spent getting wasted. Still, the government has decided that she needs a fair shot and says that you need to help her out so that she can stay in her home and have the opportunity to get treatment for her addiction.
So at 4:00 every Tuesday, you have been assigned to mow Suzie's lawn and take her trash to the local dump, and any other odds and ends she needs you to do until 5:30. You have no option at this point. It's a government mandated program, and if you don't do your share, you're in violation of the law.
Of course, 4:00 to 5:30 is when you have to take your daughters to piano lessons, but don't worry about that. Someone else has been chosen by the government to "spread the wealth", and they will be taking your kids to piano lessons and then out to eat afterwords. They will have a good time...and who knows, maybe they will teach your daughters something.
After a couple of months, Suzie has relapsed. In all honesty, she never went to the treatment facility...she was out getting high. But she's at home all the time now, wasted, and you're still mandated to mow her lawn and help her out for an hour and a half weekly.
But all is right with the world...it's time for your daughter's recital. You go to your daughter's recital and are blown away by how good she is at playing the piano. Then you realize that you've missed an integral part of your daughter growing up. But at least you were "spreading the wealth", right?
After the recital, you all pile into the car and head to the local fast food joint to celebrate. Upon getting in the car, you learn that your daughter has added a few 4-letter words to her vocabulary, thanks the the other person that's been taking her to piano lessons. Nice. So you decide to get the food to go, because you're going to have to have a talk with your daughter and try to de-program her new vocabulary out of her.
You pull up to the fast food joint, and there's Suzie...ready to take and fill your order. She looks halfway strung out, so you're in that much more of a hurry to get out of there, and when you get home, you realize that Suzie completely jacked up your order. Now you're daughter's bawling because she didn't get her chicken nuggets...and now your de-programming time is put off for another day.
That sounds ludicrous, right? Well, it's no more ludicrous than "spreading the wealth" through the government mandated program of taxes. You're still giving away your heard earned "wealth" (time or money) to someone that is totally unwilling to help themselves. Why is everyone so eager to let our government spit in the face of our Constitution, which never called for any "spreading of the wealth" whatsoever?
Thursday, November 06, 2008
A Bold Prediction About Communism??
Nikita Kruschev, a Russian leader in the Communist party back in the 1950's, visited the United States under the Eisenhower administration and spoke with the Secretary of Agriculture at the time, Ezra Benson. Later, Benson recounted the meeting as follows:
"I have personally witnessed the heart-rending results of the loss of freedom. I have talked face to face with the godless communist leaders. It may surprise you to learn that I was host to Mr. Kruschev for a half day when he visited the United States, not that I’m proud of it. I opposed his coming then, and I still feel it was a mistake to welcome this atheistic murderer as a state visitor. But, according to President Eisenhower, Kruschev had expressed a desire to learn something of American Agriculture — and after seeing Russian agriculture I can understand why. As we talked face to face, he indicated that my grandchildren would live under communism. After assuring him that I expected to do all in my power to assure that his and all other grandchildren will live under freedom he arrogantly declaired in substance:
‘You Americans are so gullible. No, you won’t accept communism outright, but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of socialism until you’ll finally wake up and find you already have communism. We won’t have to fight you. We’ll so weaken your economy until you’ll fall like overripe fruit into our hands.’"
I've seen and heard quite a few intelligent people speak about what we can "learn from France" or "Canada" or the like...in other words...what we can learn from socialism. Could Kruschev's prophecy be coming true? There's no doubt that we have little doses of socialism already. Is it enough to say we will live under communism shortly, or are there many more doses of socialism still to come before things get so bad that someone steps out and says, 'I will take care of you. I will lead you and this country into a new direction." and everyone follows?
"I have personally witnessed the heart-rending results of the loss of freedom. I have talked face to face with the godless communist leaders. It may surprise you to learn that I was host to Mr. Kruschev for a half day when he visited the United States, not that I’m proud of it. I opposed his coming then, and I still feel it was a mistake to welcome this atheistic murderer as a state visitor. But, according to President Eisenhower, Kruschev had expressed a desire to learn something of American Agriculture — and after seeing Russian agriculture I can understand why. As we talked face to face, he indicated that my grandchildren would live under communism. After assuring him that I expected to do all in my power to assure that his and all other grandchildren will live under freedom he arrogantly declaired in substance:
‘You Americans are so gullible. No, you won’t accept communism outright, but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of socialism until you’ll finally wake up and find you already have communism. We won’t have to fight you. We’ll so weaken your economy until you’ll fall like overripe fruit into our hands.’"
I've seen and heard quite a few intelligent people speak about what we can "learn from France" or "Canada" or the like...in other words...what we can learn from socialism. Could Kruschev's prophecy be coming true? There's no doubt that we have little doses of socialism already. Is it enough to say we will live under communism shortly, or are there many more doses of socialism still to come before things get so bad that someone steps out and says, 'I will take care of you. I will lead you and this country into a new direction." and everyone follows?
The 10 Cannots
This is a quote by William J. H. Boetcker. If things go as promised, the truth of this quote will be tested.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
This Day...
History was made. America's voice was heard, and our nation forges ahead with renewed passion. Congratulations to Barack Obama. You are the beacon to which countless minorities and all Americans in general will look to in their search for the American Dream. All things are possible. If you can dream it and you work hard enough, you can make it happen.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
I Love Fall...
It's easily my favorite time of year. Recently plowed fields...colorful trees distant in the background. It's my idea of heaven.
Sure, many people look at fall as the ending of a life cycle. While factual, I think those may be the glass half empty type of people. I see fall as the beginning. Preparation. It is what is necessary for future growth.
If you're wise enough, you take in the beauty of "fall", and let it fuel you through the hard times until you can sense the rebirth and gain additional inspiration. For we may not know exactly how long the hard times will last, but there will always be growth in the future.
Sure, many people look at fall as the ending of a life cycle. While factual, I think those may be the glass half empty type of people. I see fall as the beginning. Preparation. It is what is necessary for future growth.
If you're wise enough, you take in the beauty of "fall", and let it fuel you through the hard times until you can sense the rebirth and gain additional inspiration. For we may not know exactly how long the hard times will last, but there will always be growth in the future.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Constitution is full of negative liberties?!?!?!
The man doesn't understand...that, or he's a complete idealogue. In an interview in 2001, when Barack Obama was a Illionis State Senator, he said this:
"If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court, I think where it succeeded was to invest formal rights in previously dispossessed peoples, so that now I would have the right to vote...I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order and, as long as I could pay for it, I’d be OK.
But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in the society. To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it's been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the federal government can't do to you, but doesn't say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf."
Let's put aside any underlying arguements about Barack Obama's stance on repairations, and just focus on his sentiment of the founding documents of this country.
If this doesn't convince you that at minimum he believes in Socialism, then I hear Joy Behar has some great Kool-Aid for you.
I believe the Constitution of the United States was divinely influenced. I know some will disagree, and I'm not saying that the Constitution is the word of God by any means. What I'm saying is that it was divine influence that gathered these Founding Fathers together...brilliant minds from many walks of life...and they created this document that is...well...Awesome. Who can look at that great document and see negativity?!
Barack Obama is exactly right. The Constitution doesn't say what the Government must do for us. Because the Founding Fathers believed that too much Government was a problem. That the role of government must be small...but not tyranical. THAT is why it says what the Government CAN'T do. It CAN'T take away our freedoms...right now.
And it is absolutely NOT the role of courts to say what Government can do. There's a reason that Lady Justice is blindfolded. She's supposed to follow the letter of the law as it's written, not change it on a whim based on one judge's interpretation of the law.
"If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court, I think where it succeeded was to invest formal rights in previously dispossessed peoples, so that now I would have the right to vote...I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order and, as long as I could pay for it, I’d be OK.
But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in the society. To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it's been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the federal government can't do to you, but doesn't say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf."
Let's put aside any underlying arguements about Barack Obama's stance on repairations, and just focus on his sentiment of the founding documents of this country.
If this doesn't convince you that at minimum he believes in Socialism, then I hear Joy Behar has some great Kool-Aid for you.
I believe the Constitution of the United States was divinely influenced. I know some will disagree, and I'm not saying that the Constitution is the word of God by any means. What I'm saying is that it was divine influence that gathered these Founding Fathers together...brilliant minds from many walks of life...and they created this document that is...well...Awesome. Who can look at that great document and see negativity?!
Barack Obama is exactly right. The Constitution doesn't say what the Government must do for us. Because the Founding Fathers believed that too much Government was a problem. That the role of government must be small...but not tyranical. THAT is why it says what the Government CAN'T do. It CAN'T take away our freedoms...right now.
And it is absolutely NOT the role of courts to say what Government can do. There's a reason that Lady Justice is blindfolded. She's supposed to follow the letter of the law as it's written, not change it on a whim based on one judge's interpretation of the law.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Personal Crusade for Empathy...
I think I've always been very good at "feeling someone else's pain". I think I have a good ability of putting myself in someone else's shoes and, that the extent to which I possibly can, see where the other person is coming from...no...feel what the other person feels.
This, I have always thought was Empathy. I was shocked to find out recently that this is more accurately the description of sympathy. How can this be? I don't understand. Empathy sounds so much more involved...so much more personal.
Eh...I can sympathize with that. I have empathy for what you're going through. Which sounds better? Which would you prefer...that someone merely sympathized with your feelings, or that someone had great empathy for your situation.
The choice is clear. Empathy wins....hands down.
What's that? You're not so sure? Well, mark my words...and no, that's not a Joe Biden pot shot...mark my words, by the end of my lifetime, people will come to know Empathy to be the more deeper sentiment of the Empathy vs. sympathy battle.
This, I have always thought was Empathy. I was shocked to find out recently that this is more accurately the description of sympathy. How can this be? I don't understand. Empathy sounds so much more involved...so much more personal.
Eh...I can sympathize with that. I have empathy for what you're going through. Which sounds better? Which would you prefer...that someone merely sympathized with your feelings, or that someone had great empathy for your situation.
The choice is clear. Empathy wins....hands down.
What's that? You're not so sure? Well, mark my words...and no, that's not a Joe Biden pot shot...mark my words, by the end of my lifetime, people will come to know Empathy to be the more deeper sentiment of the Empathy vs. sympathy battle.
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