Having your environmental emergency and eating it, too

Earlier this week, I was on the bus traveling home from a basketball game, and I was freezing. It was a (relatively) short drive from Bullhead City to Lake Havasu City. Both cities have pretty much the same climate. It's the desert here. It can cool down a little, but not too bad. Anyway, I am sitting there thinking to myself that it just feels colder than normal. I mentioned that to somebody and they said something about global warming. Okay, so I have heard this before: global warming accounts for hotter summers and colder winters.

Now, I understand that we can point at some scientific theory to justify this claim (I have Google, too), but I'm starting to think that the global warming alarm is the greatest conspiracy known to man. Here's why:

Scenario 1.
Person A: "Man, its sure feels hotter than normal today."
Al Gore: "uh-huh... global warming"

Scenario 2.
Person A: "Boy it's colder than I ever remember it being."
Al Gore: "well... it's global warming."

So just so I understand... if it gets too hot: it's global warming. Too cold: yep, global warming. Is it just me? Does that not seem convenient - I mean - odd?

Just to make sure I wasn't the crazy one here, I ran this by my 5-year-old. His response: "ha-ha-ha, Dad. You're silly." The kid gets it.

If you read my last post, you will catch the common point about scientists, journalists, and politicians consistently manipulating statistics and theory to represent something as irrefutable fact. Now I don't know enough about climatology and global warming to really state a good argument either way. But I am a logical thinker, and I am pretty good at detecting BS in the form of theory and statistics... and when it comes to the global warming alarm, my BS detector is going off.

By the way, Lake Havasu's low temps in the first half of December have been 6 degrees colder than average.

The irony

Everybody remember the constant messages we were being fed by the media and the Hollywood crowd a few years ago, like say, early 2007?
1. Bush is brazzen, evil, and dumb.
2. The sky is falling! -- er, I mean, "Global Warming!!"

So... now what?

1. Now that the Global Warming alarm is being shown to be misrepresented at best, and at worst, fradulent...
(and)
2. We haven't exactly upgraded within the office of the presidency...

Can we call those (the media and Hollywood crowd) who were so willingly duped into this man-as-agent-of-doom theory,

Brazzen, evil, and dumb?

Journalism "Spin of the Week"

As a journalism teacher, I like to try and catch when reporters are spinning things to dupe us into thinking what they want us to think. With msnbc, it's like stealing candy from a baby... but I couldn't resist on this one.

Even though this article is mostly about the concern over the black community potentially having a harder time overcoming this down job market, there is some strong implication that racism is the cause for this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34068710/ns/business-economy_at_a_crossroads//

Now, there is no doubt that every race is being affected by the recession. Of course, some are more affected than others. In a complex system, such as the job market, it is impossible to achieve equal distribution of goods (jobs, in this case).

Realistically speaking, of course racism is the culprit in some cases, and that is sad that some people would use race as a factor in hiring an individual. However, this article is telling us that black people, due to racism (and not other potential factors), are suffering worse in this economy.

So I did a little number crunching. Here is what I came up with using the exact same statistics. In fact, I just pulled the numbers they used and looked at it from another angle:

Since this recession started, if you are black, you are 43% more likely to be unemployed than before.

However, if you are white, there is a 52% greater chance you are unemployed.

Or, if I want to stretch it even farther, the white community has been more adversely affected by the recession than the black community by almost 10%.

But you won't get any of that from msnbc...

"Charisma. Circumstances, promises... Not enough of us spoke out to question him until it was too late. It happens on your planet, doesn't it?"

Well I am back from the land of the sick. I’ve been out for a little while. I was hit with some illness that never was diagnosed. I never have been sick like that. Finally, after about 5 days, I went in to Urgent Care. They tested me for H1N1 – I had no idea something could go that far up my nose (anyone who has been tested for this knows what I am talking about), then they tested me for strep throat, then for mono (“great, how am I going to explain this to my wife”), and then – for good measure – H1N1 again.

Unfortunately the world doesn’t stop when we are sick, so it has taken me the last couple weeks to catch myself up at work, but I’m back in the saddle again, as they say.

The other day, my wife and I were watching an old TV mini-series from the early 1980’s. Some of you may have seen it; it is a show called “V” and it is a sci-fi thriller about “V”isitors coming to Earth from outer space because their planet is tapped of its life-sustaining resources. (It was replayed on ScyFy channel because ABC recently launched a re-hash TV series which I haven’t had a chance to view yet.) The visitors come to Earth hoping that we will help them with their needs of resupplying their planet with these resources. At first they come as “friends” with a plan to put in action (working together, we help create the materials they need to replenish their resources), then they start to impose an agenda on humans (controlling us through fear and public persuasion to the point that humans won’t act of their own will), then they begin to take over the whole system. Soon any humans who are not part of their movement are outcast and ultimately forced into hiding, and ultimately the visitors enforce their real plans (enslaving and harvesting humans).

The thing that really got me with this show is how it reminded me of what is happening in our country right now... except for the human harvesting (as far as I know). In the course of this mini-series, my wife and I must have looked at each other half a dozen times with that look – the look of… “ohh, that sounds all-too familiar”. The irony of this is that the show is really a political allegory to Nazi Germany during its rise to power. I swear that if an American with no context of the history of Nazi Germany were to watch this mini-series, they would think it is a political play off of our current administration. At first, the humans saw opportunity. They were so charmed by these visitors, they didn’t stop to consider any of the right questions. Then, before they knew it, the opportunity to do anything was no longer there and their lives were no longer under their control.

Main Protagonist, Mike Donovan: (Asking a question similar to one I ask myself often) How'd someone like that get to be your leader anyway?
Friendly Alien, Martin: Charisma. Circumstances, promises... Not enough of us spoke out to question him until it was too late. It happens on your planet, doesn't it?

By the end, I wished I had taken notes to point out all the similarities between what the aliens imposed (with the help of blinded Earthlings) and what is going on in our government today (with the help of blinded Americans). I guess you’re just going to have to watch it. Now I am waiting on Netflix to send me the follow-up, "V: The Final Battle" and I should have a solution to our countries problems.

Fox News not real journalism??

This is the new play from the White House - and I've got to wonder if it is in response to all the investigative journalism Fox News has been using to expose Obama Administration-friendly organizations (ACORN). Take the chance to read this article about the White House's effort to marginalize Fox's objectivity:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/18/white-house-escalates-war-fox-news-1925819282/

One of these days, I would love to hear a specific complaint that holds water. Something that I can read and say, 'yeah, Fox got that wrong.' You know, of course they have gotten some things wrong - every news organization does. But if the White House has a legitimate complaint, they should show us what Fox has been reporting, and then show us how they are wrong?

Why don't they do this? Is it because repeating what Fox News reports is detrimental to the administration's public perception and they want to avoid re-running negative press?

Or is it simply because it is part of the liberal game-plan that any time someone blows a whistle on their agenda, they immediate dump mud on the person/organization and try to portray them as "biased, right-wing zealots (and therefore aren't truly relevant and we shouldn't listen to them)."

Even if the White House is spot-on with this... even if Fox News is really, really biased and non-objective - why are they the only news organization in the cross hairs? CNN and MSNBC (to name only 2 of the many) are highly biased and that has been shown (in specific cases) over and over again.

All in all, this makes me smile. As I read the article, I kept thinking to myself: "Fox ratings will only go up with this kind of press." And it has according to the article; apparently Fox News' ratings have gone up 20% this year. That's huge. The funny thing is, I'm not a huge Fox News person. I just find their stories more interesting, more relevant, and more representative of how I view the world.

The Obama Administration is walking a dangerous line by calling to the carpet a news organization with such a huge platform and influence on the public... not to mention ballsy reporters who will dig deep and expose corruption.

Never thought I'd say this, but...

I'm siding with the Muslims on this one.

A club football team in Paris known as PFG - or Pro Foot Gay, because they are a team comprised of gay football players - is threatening litigation on a Muslim team after the Muslim team decided they would not compete with the PFG team because they "don't agree with their philosophy."

So the press is throwing around terms like "homophobic" and "intolerant". Well, yeah. My question is: when exactly did it become wrong to be intolerant of people's choices? If someone commits murder, are we not intolerant of their behavior?

Wait, I know the argument you want to give me. Homosexuality doesn't hurt anyone. Well, there are very relevant arguments against that overly-stated mantra; none that an immoral, god-less society will really consider, though. So for the sake of argument, let's say nobody gets hurt any more or less in a gay relationship than in a straight one. Philosophically speaking, I am against homosexuality. And I am not in the monority. Obviously, I have my reasons. Our society has gotten to the point that I am expected to keep my philosophy entirely to myself in order to avoid being "homophobic" or "intolerant". Why should we care? Really? Why should we be so concerned about being labelled "intolerant".

A couple weeks ago, we went to McDonalds. As I was getting the kids out of the car, there was a man in the parking lot yelling across to his friend in very colorful and persistent offensive language... and he knew we were there with our three little ones. As I stepped away from the car to kindly ask him to stop, my wonderful wife beat me to the punch and not-so-kindly told him to stop. Obviously, we don't want our kids to hear such coarse and offensive language. My wife showed intolerance towards his language. Those words can not hurt my children in any measurable way. The words can not break their arms or scratch their knees. In fact, it is likely that our kids would forget the language after getting their chicken nuggets. However, as members of this obsessively non-judgemental society, are we to close our eyes and ears and ignore all forms of deviant behavior, or do we have the right to draw the line and stand up when the line is crossed?

When my wife tells the guy that he should choose different words when he is in public, is she showing judgement towards that man? Or is she showing judgement towards his behavior? I know my wife, and I know that she could say what she said to him, and 5 minutes later have a pleasant conversation with him and invite him over for dinner that night.

So I learned something from my wife that day. And I learned something from the Muslims this week, as well. We all have a line in the sand were we become "intolerant" of certain bahavior, regardless of others' opinions and responses. Where exactly your line is drawn depends on many factors. Ironically, an ever-increasing number of people have moved their "intolerance line" so far that the only thing they are intolerant of is when they perceive other people being intolerant.

But as for me, I'm siding with the Muslims on this one.

ACORN

Hopefully you've heard this story already. Though if you haven't, I wouldn't be surprised. Last Friday, reports emerged on the internet about an organization called ACORN (them of the alleged practices of voter fraud, cheating, etc) being exposed as an unscrupulous organization willing to lie, cheat, and promote fraud to achieve their purposes.

In short, a man and a woman - dressed as a pimp and a prostitute - walk into an ACORN office and inquire about getting a loan for a house in which the woman plans on running her prostitution business. Her business is, of course, illegal. A government agency helping her in her efforts to run this illegal business is corruption. However, here is the catch: the man and woman set it up to record the conversation. After the incriminating interviews took place, the videos were sent to Fox News.

There are just so many things wrong with this organization:

1. If you get a chance to watch these videos, you will notice that the man sets up these workers brilliantly. The workers attempt to be somewhat vague in their statements, saying things like, "You don't have to tell the government what you do. Just make up a business name and say you perform 'services'". Then the man says, "But what we are doing is illegal! We will get in trouble for breaking the law." The workers follow up his statement by repeating that even though it is illegal, they don't have to report the nature of the business to the government and can therefore skirt the legality of it.


2. The man told the workers that he is bringing in underage El Salvadoreans to work as hookers, and the workers didn't even bat an eye.

3. These workers are women! Women having no problem with this man pimping the girl. No problems with the girl offering her services in their neighborhood. And NO PROBLEM with them bringing in young girls (probably against their will) to work in the brothel.

4. This man (as of Monday morning) has submitted 3 different videos in 3 different ACORN offices, each with the same result... corruption, greed, and fraud!


On top of all this, Foxnews.com and CNN.com both broke this story on Friday. Foxnews pulled no punches and gave us the obvious and sad story. On the other hand, CNN pretended to play the high road and avoided accusing ACORN of doing anything wrong. CNN's dancing around the issue was comical with statements such as "the video appears to be edited in places" and "both women appear enthusiastic to help". Here is the CNN story as it appeared on Friday.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/10/acorn.prostitution/index.html?iref=newssearch

As the story progressed and ACORN fired the workers involved (implying/confirming that the allegations are true), Fox News continued to give us the news. CNN.com however, pulled the story altogether. I guess corruption in nation-wide government agencies isn't new-worthy at CNN, though Kanye West is worth 2 stories (see CNN.com front page).

The bias in our media infuriates me. I'm not saying Fox News isn't biased, but I AM saying the CNN and most of the liberal media is biased and shameless!

Quick Hits

A shotgun approach to some of my more recent thoughts...

- I never thought I would see the day that I wished I had SPAM blockers to protect me from White House emails.

- Anyone who wants to know how hot it is here in Havasu right now should bake some cookies, and when they reach in to take the finished product out, just hold your head down there as close as you can for about a minute. THAT's how it feels to walk outside in the afternoon here. Oh... I forgot a step -- send the finished baked goods to me.

- Speaking of cookies... was watching a cooking show the other day and my wife wanted me to make the Stir-Fry being spotlighted. Now, I'm not boasting, but when I sat down to eat this meal, I was entirely disappointed that it was nowhere as good as my own Stir-Fry. I'm not braggin', I'm just sayin' mine was better is all...

- Speaking of my wife... I am now officially married to a hot 30 year old mom! (only about half of you will get why that is so cool)

- Speaking of things that are cool... the Dodgers sure seem to be cooling off. I am starting to worry a little about the boys in blue. Their relief pitching is getting worse as the season continues. Broxton especially seems to be losing his stuff. Heading into September with a weak bullpen makes me nervous.

- Speaking of September... Fall means it's time for college football, but more specifically, USC football. Here's my preseason take on the Trojans. I know their defense is supposed to be weak compared to last year - but then again, last year they had one of the best defenses ever. So, yeah, there is going to be a drop-off. I still think the defense will be very good and the offense, I think, will be just as good as always. I don't buy the some ol' story line that there are going to be considerable quaterback problems for them. Seriously: Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, John David Booty, Mark Sanchez, (insert here a top recruit with excellent wide receivers, offensive line, running backs, and coaching). I think things will be fine offensively.

- Speaking of offensive... are there really sane Americans who support this Hugo Chavez character? Shutting down any anti-Chavez media outlets. Did you see the picture of his thugs, er, supporters beating down a reporter?
So there is a long list of American leftists who support Chavez, including, of course some of the nutters in Hollywood. The IRONY!! The people who were constantly in front of the camera utilizing their American right to disparage President Bush are supporting a leader in another country who would silence those very actions. I guess the answer to my question, is that, no, there aren't any sane Americans supporting Chavez. Just some "useful idiots" as Vladimir Lenin might have called them.

- Speaking of tyrannical leaders, I finally finished the 5th Harry Potter book (the start of the school year really slowed my pace). So far, this has been my favorite (book and movie) - in case anyone was keeping score. By the way, the tyrannical leader I am speaking of is of course Lord Voldermort.

- And speaking of movies... I need to take my wife out on our anniversary this weeked and I think it would be prudent to watch something romantic (unlike last year when we saw Dark Knight). Any suggestions??


Until next time...

My nerd initiation

This will be short and sweet...

A meaningful idea occured to me the other day and I thought to myself, "this would be a really good thing to blog on." So I sat down first to get some work done on the computer, then to post a blog. As I started sorting through my thoughts on how to present this, I kept drifting to the Harry Potter book I am reading that I really like and really want to finish. So let the hazing begin. It's 9:30, the kids are asleep, my wife is watching So You Think You Can Dance, and all I want to do is read about a boy-wizard. I hope I haven't lost all credibility.

p.s. I'll post again soon... I am almost done with the book.

American's 'acted stupidly' by electing Obama

Stop me if you've heard this one...
A white police officer arrests a black man. The black man calls it racial profiling. The white officer says it was for his own safety. Who really knows other than the two people who were there?

Apparently, President Obama thinks this is an important enough issue to deal with. Mr. President says that the "Cambridge police acted stupidly (to make this arrest)." Then, he states the media is obsessing over the issue. Well... yeah - you thought it was important enough to pass judgement on. Next comes this gem: "There's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately." (And really, anyone with a shred of logic or common sense - you don't even need both - can refute this statement.) How often do we hear presidents passing judgement on individual law enforcement officers AND playing the race card at the same time? Hate to say you started this media frenzy President, but - "you started it!"

Yes, we can and will argue over the rights and wrongs of both Officer Crowley and Professor Gates, but my question is: does it raise anyone else's eyebrows when the President of the United States looks at race first as he did here, admitting to not having the facts, but still making those statements, and therefore puts himself in a completely non-objective position? For you or I, losing our objectivity over an issue is usually forgivable. When it's the man running the country, it bumps Health Care Plan issues. I read a quote that sums it up well: "Automatically, the words are more significant when it comes out of the president's mouth" - Whit Ayres, Fox News.

Now Obama wants to set up a meeting with the officer, the professor, and himself to have a beer at the white House. How cool! (I think that is the response Obama is looking for when he makes those kinds of statments... please wake me when everyone else gets sick of it, too.) For reference on this statement, see: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32132522#32133926
(6:15 into clip)

"Have a beer (at the white House)." Come again? What exactly is the president going to do at this meeting? Talk the professor out of suing the police department and Officer Crowley? Seriously, would this meeting have any other purpose than an attempt to improve Obama's declining approval ratings? They will say that this is with the purpose of discussing and improving race relations in America, but would anyone with half a mind fall for that?

It really has come down to this point for me. I simply can not watch President Obama speak, or VP Biden for that matter, without my double-talk radar blowing up. He continually makes ambiguous statements that are INTENDED to either mislead us, allow him to sit on the fence ("I should have callibrated those words differently"), or protect him when he is wrong ("This economic stimulus package will create or save X number of jobs" [paraphrased]). It drives me absolutely crazy to try to interpret what he is saying because nothing is straight-forward. In the end, I just don't take anything he says at face value. That's okay (though unfortunate) when you are talking about your next door neighbor. It's downright scary when you're talking about the leader of the free world.

I really, really want President Obama to succeed, but with each passing week, I become increasingly unable to see how he will with the way he operates his administration. In short, we have elected a man who will lead us deeper into the abyss, tell us we really aren't headed that way, and then blame others for what he did. Let me correct that sentence. Those things have already happened...

Healthy Care

Most (if not all) of you know that we had a scare last week with our baby. For a couple days, we had an increasingly fussy infant on our hands, followed by a very lethargic day of him mostly sleeping. As Saturday afternoon became Saturday evening, his symptoms increased to the point where we realized that he HAD to see a doctor. In the emergency room, the staff appropriately informed us that if he was going to need extended care, he would have to be taken to Las Vegas, as Lake Havasu City does not have the facilities to care for an infant (a different discussion for a different day). Later, they informed us that he would be flying to the child care facility in Vegas, as it required immediate attention.
As with any good mother, my wife's attention was completely on comforting and caring for the little guy. As the father, my mind starts processing through the many other issues we are now facing...
-what to do with the other kids
-did my wife eat dinner?
-how to politely, but firmly, tell the doctor that my baby is not flying to Vegas without his mother
-how to efficiently get myself to Vegas (cause I would be driving) with the things we need for our stay
...and not the least of my concerns...
-how much of this is my insurance going to pay?

In short, at that point (as far as insurance claims go) we were facing:
-the trip to the Havasu ER
-an ambulance ride to the airport in Havasu
-medical flight from Havasu to Vegas
-ambulance from Vegas airport to Sunrise Children's Hospital
-urgent care surgery
-recovery in the hospital.

This all leads me to the topic of this post... health care. First off, let me say that I am categorically against state-run programs. I don't see the logic behind paying more of my money to the government for them to decide how to spend it. I know it sounds great to have "free" health care, but all that really means is that the people who are paying most of the taxes in this country will be paying more, and the pool of individuals who are actually getting truly free health care (already receiving health care through the government and not paying their portion of the bills, i.e. taxes) will just increase in size. Let me also say that I have been on state health care. In fact, my wife and kids are on a modified state care program now (we pay our premium directly to the state). I understand the benefit of welfare medical insurance. This is difficult for me, considering my ideals; while we are not a poor family, we certainly can't afford to pay the $492 a month it would cost to cover my family.

Now on one hand, I can say that my family and I haven't historically required a great deal of medical attention. When you consider the the amount of money being spent each month by myself and my employers towards insurance over the years, I have got to think that the insurance companies are making a killing off of my family. On the other hand, this little trip to the emergency room combined with the air ambulance, etc., surely cost the insurance companies a lot of that money they have made off of me over the years (not sure the cost of all this stuff, but of what I can find, the transportation alone probably cost around $30,000).

So, what is the deal with this? I can't be doling out close to $500 per month on health insurance. Still, the insurance companies need to charge enough to pay our claims. And, yes, it is a business for them, too; they need to make some money off of us. I appreciate that President Obama is trying to reform health insurance, as it clearly needs reforming. I just obviously have concerns over how he plans to reform health care.

The way I see it, one of three things needs to happen:
- Either we need to just accept - as citizens - that it is going to cost A LOT of money to insure ourselves (and I recognize Americans have been doing for some time now), which will (continue to) result in millions of under- and uninsured Americans... which will effectively mean that taxpayers will be picking up the tab anyway as these uninsured can't pay their hospital bills.
- Or government needs to step in and make a pay schedule that will be (what they believe to be) fair to everyone so all can receive "free" health care.
- Or... the cost of health care needs to drop into a range that allows insurance companies to lower their rates, thus making it possible for people to be able to afford health care. This would also mean that insurance companies need to pay the claims as they are billed, so there isn't this circular problem of over-billing to compensate for underpayment, and underpayment to compensate for over-billing.

I recognize that I may be oversimplifying this, but it seems to me that when considering all things, the third option would be best for our country. The hard part is figuring out how to make that happen (maybe someone who reads this will know and leave a comment, cause I certainly don't know). I imagine at the very least it would require people in the medical fields and the insurance companies (and the ambulance-chasing lawyers) to function within a moral and ethical fair zone in regards to money. Again, I just don't know how that is going to be enforced, but I take consolation in the idea that there are representatives for us right now working on this trying to do the right thing and give us strong, positive health care reform... and I hope (I am trying very hard not to being cynical here) they make the right long-term decisions that are best for all Americans.

What I can say is that my little boy is doing better and I appreciate all the love, prayers, and concern over him.

My not-quite-a-movie-review movie review

I love movies - all kinds. Well, most kinds. I've never liked musicals (I could never figure out how a group of people could spontaneously stop what they are doing and do a dance in flawless unison). But, for the most part, I really enjoy all kinds of movies. I enjoy movies about sports, like Hoosiers. Funny movies, like Young Frankenstein. Fantasy, like Lord of the Rings. And I like funny movies about sports with fantastic elements, like Field of Dreams. I love deep, thought-provoking movies which cause me to reflect, like The Dark Knight. And still, I often love to sit and watch a silly, turn-off-your-brain-and-laugh slapstick, a la Dumb and Dumber.

What I love most in movies, however, is when people are taken to their limits, causing them to rise above what they previously thought they could do or achieve, and they "overcome"... the Rocky concept. However, as much as I love sports (and Rocky), underdogs winning in a competition takes second to the sub-genre of man fighting for his rights of freedom and/or life. Of course there are so many movies based off of this concept, and like any other sub-genre, some are good and some are bad - some are simple and some are complex. Here's a short list: Independence Day, Braveheart, The Matrix, Gladiator, The Great Escape, and of course, The Terminator franchise.

For a long time I have based all action movies on the T-2 (Terminator 2, for the unenlightened) scale of satisfaction. It's funny ("You were gonna kill that guy." "Of course. I'm a terminator"), it has great action, an iconic hero, a bad, bad, bad, kick-some-serious-butt female lead -- remember Sarah Conner repeatedly pumping and firing that shotgun at the liquid metal terminator with her one good arm to protect her son. But above all, T-2 is (save the snickering) deeply philosophical for a blockbuster action movie. Without getting too into the plot (cause if you don't know the plot of T-2, you should immediately go to your local movie rental store and check it out - and then get back to this post), one of the main points of the movie is that our future is up to us. Fate or bad luck or poor choices may influence what happens to us, but ultimately we are in charge of our own course. We are in control, and if we want something badly enough, we need to act. Do what it takes to make it happen rather than sitting passively by as the world acts on us.

A couple days ago I went to see the new Terminator movie. I know a lot of people were disappointed with it - I wasn't. I loved it! I loved the action, the storyline, the acting, the climax, everything. I even loved the new philosophical bit we got from this movie.

The main character and leader of the human resistance against the machines is John Connor. His words to the destitute, desperate people: "Above all, stay alive. You have no idea how important you are."

Back in our world, we are living in difficult times. Life is hard. Sometimes it is hard to know what's right, and it is often hard to do what's right. It can drag you down. It's easy to step onto the slope that takes us into a zone of indifference to the world around us.  My wife and I were just talking about this the other day. We are frustrated about some of the things going on in our country and world. And now, more than ever, we feel like we have no control, no voice to express our disapproval...  

Then we realized... now, more than ever, we must express our voices and opinions and we must act.  We must do what we feel is right and stand up against the things that are wrong, against the Terminators (of freedom).  Sounds cheesy, I know, but I couldn't resist. 

John Connor's words to his people brought optimism and encouraged his followers to always maintain some control over their lives so they could act and do what's right.

Some of us may feel that, like the human resistance in Terminator, The Matrix, and Star Wars, that we are being taken beyond our limits of what is acceptable and what is expected as a human being and an American.  For you I say, "Stay alive. You have no idea how important you are."  We will rise above - perhaps higher than we previously thought we could - and we will overcome the challenges facing us.

... and cheaters never prosper (unless you are a professional athlete)

So, should I amend my last post or what? I have been asked by a number of people how I feel about Manny Ramirez and his streroid use. I don't really know how to feel; I haven't taken a whole lot of time to think about it because I am so sick of this stuff happening in baseball. I can't even stand to read about it - it just bugs me.

A week ago the Dodgers where on top of the baseball world - and realistically speaking, they should still be pretty competitive (I know they have lost 4 of 5 since losing Manny, but they were due to cool off and lose a few games, anyway) - but what kills me is that this euphoric sense of "this is our year" when the Dodgers were playing so well was forged by cheating.

Now looking ahead - the games will continue, Manny will hire an excellent spin doctor, er, PR Agent (hint to Manny: try calling A-Rod's agent, he did an excellent job of making it so we didn't care about his cheating), and we will forgive. Actually, we will look forward to Manny coming back and finishing the season. Manny will only make $14 million dollars this year (how will he make it), the Dodgers will make the playoffs and possibly win the World Series.

Ultimately, nothing will change. The Dodgers are still going to do what the Dodgers are going to do. Manny will still be rich. Too many athletes will continue to cheat. We will continue to watch, listen to, and attend the games, paying the salaries that afford them this lifestyle and encourage them to skirt the rules.

Again... should I amend my last post, or what?

Hope Springs Eternal

For those of you thinking you were going to get a dose of philosophical discourse with this post, you are in for a special treat. I am a few weeks late with this one. It is time to talk about my true - I mean 'first' - love, baseball.

I was thinking that my first posts on this blog have been political in nature, and so now would be a perfect time to break that and discuss another of my favorite things to talk about... certainly something I am more qualified to speak on. That, of course, is America's Pastime (baseball). Then I was thinking that nobody would really be interested in hearing who I think is going to win the World Series (Dodgers!) or who is the most exciting player in the game (Manny Ramirez). Those posts are why people go to ESPN.com or watch Sportscenter; this isn't quite the format for such. Besides, some people might think there is a little bias in my opinion (Go Blue!!).

Hence, I am three weeks late with a post on one of my favorite subjects. Well, as it turns out, I am glad I waited. Many of you know that I am the advisor for our school's newpaper and we produce a page of school news/articles twice a month. Some of my best students are in this class; there are some real good writers with a blend of tastes and personalities. In particular there is one student who is a favorite of mine and Jessica's (you'll all know why soon). In the last issue of the Knight Life (the publication), this student wrote an article about baseball, titled America's Distraction. With his permission, I wanted to share a couple portions of his article with you and point out that I couldn't have said it any better when considering the effect baseball can have on our culture.


"Baseball is like an escape of sorts. With each baseball season comes new hope. When the 30 major league teams lace up the cleats and take the field on opening day a sigh of relief sweeps across the land. Since the turn of the 20th century Baseball has been a buffer between hardship and joy. Americans of all ages fall in love with the perfection that is baseball. A warm and breezy summer day sparked by the sound of a ball hitting the glove captivates our senses. Those as young as 3 and as old 93 see baseball as far more than a game. It’s a way of life.

The country is now facing its worst economic downturn in more than twenty years. Americans once again are looking for a sense of relief, a journey from the real world of bills and taxes. Without fail, baseball once again will answer the call. On April 5, 2009 America reopened its eyes. Baseball season is now, refreshingly, underway. Each and every fan has hope that their team can win the Fall Classic. It is this hope and joy that will get America through these hard times."

Let me restate that this young man is a junior in high school, a 17 year old boy. He loves baseball and his country, he is a superb student and a standout football player, and he is a reason to have hope that these hard times won't last forever. As a teacher, daily I see reasons to cringe at what is wrong in the world. But just as often, I see reason to have a positive outlook to our future. There are teenagers out there who "get it." There are young men and women who don't feel entitled, but rather, ambitious to achieve and earn what they can.

... And we can learn from them. These young Americans are looking ahead to a daunting future, but with confidence gleaming in their eyes. We can look to them with optimistism and strive together. Just like in baseball - each Spring, everyone thinks their team can win, and there is reason for hope.

Going Green

So I have finally broken down.  I fought a good fight.  I agree that it is important to do what we can to save the Earth, etc, etc.  But I have a hard time believing the worst-case scenarios that we get fed sometimes.  Still, at the behest of many around me, I am going to do MY part and become a little greener.  I have decided that, whenever possible, I am going to pee outside. You know I live in Arizona, so it's just rock and dirt.  I figure with the average toilet in the US flushing 1.5 gallons of water with each flush, if I can go outside just three times a day, I will be saving 1642.5 gallons of water a year.   That is enough water for the annual dietary recommended consumption of between 5.5 to 8 people (depending on whether we are counting men or women). Go me!

I hate to do this, but I fear that some potential readers do not understand my sense of humor well enough to know that I am only kidding....... mostly.

Progress vs. Status Quo

I finished reading a real fun book over the weekend. A few weeks ago I was in Las Vegas with some relatives for the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament and my Aunt and Uncle recommended this book to me. The reason they recommended the book is because it is about the Colorado River and, for those of you who don't know, Lake Havasu is part of the Colorado River. We were talking about the region and some of the "River Cities", and my Aunt said (sort of under her breathe), "I wonder why all these city names (Bullhead City, Laughlin, Parker) sound so familiar. Oh yeah, because of this book I read." We got talking about the book and of course I was interested, so she sent it to me about a week later. The name of the book is Wet Desert and it is about an environmental terrorist who blows up Glen Canyon Dam (the dam that holds up Lake Powell). Essentially, the plot follows a main character trying to figure out how to save the dams down the river and minimize any flooding that will take place. Really fascinating story. I am not one for hyperbole, so when I say that this book is riveting, I mean it. Its really akin to a novel version of the show 24. I highly recommend the novel.

But let me get to why I am putting this on the blog...

(I will avoid using any "spoilers" in this, so it is pretty safe to read) Okay, so as I mentioned, Glen Canyon Dam is blown up by environmental terrorists, which are environmentalists who take extreme measures to achieve their objectives. The ultimate plan of this terrorist is to restore the Colorado River to its natural state.

Now most people do not realize, and I just recently learned (as many of you know, this is just the sort of thing I would research), that the Colorado River never actually makes it to the ocean. It is diverted so many times that, by the time it gets to Mexico, it is too small to make it all the way through and it dries up. Supposedly the Colorado River Delta was one of the more beautiful river deltas in the world. I think this is sad. I also think it was an inevitable side-effect of progress. And this all got me thinking about similar sacrifices made in the name of advancement.

We live in a very dynamic world and things can change pretty quickly. Often, these changes happen as a function of progress. For example, handwriting is becoming a lost art. What was once an artistic display of expression is barely relevant. And rightfully so (sorry mom). Think about it, why should handwriting have anything to do with our lives anymore? (Almost) gone are the times of slowing down to "stop and smell the roses". Just today I was at the park with the kids. With them in the playground area, I couldn't sit for 2 minutes and just enjoy the nice day without thinking of someone I needed to send a text message to. We are so connected as a culture; always on the computer or cell phones or Ipods or whatever. I was thinking the only thing that would have "disconnected" me was if I had a book to read or a friend to talk to (what I decided to do after sending a couple texts was to go play with the kids). Now here is the scary part: I was not raised with this mentality... but a generation is being raised with this way of thinking. Oh... and it's not their fault. It's inevitable.

Many of you are thinking how negative a thing this is. IT'S NOT! Think of how fast things get done. Saturday night, I was able to get a babysitter in 5 minutes while at the grocery store. I texted a potential sitter, she asked her mom if she could go and a friend if she wanted to help (all done through texting) and got back to me - I then texted her directions to my house and - BOOM! - a nice evening out with my wife. Very hassle-free.

Here is where I am going with this. There was a term (now kind of a bad word) used in the 19th century: Manifest Destiny. Generally speaking, Manifest Destiny refers to "the inevitable victim of progress." The Colorado River, as beautiful as it was, has had its resource tapped in the name of progress. We have very relevant cities like Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles because of these policies. The inevitable result of tapping the Colorado River, is ultimately a worthwhile sacrifice. Many people, I am sure, disagree with that comment. I understand the argument, but I really can't see it working any other way.

Some of our pasttimes are being lost to this more modern version of Manifest Destiny. Again, the art of handwriting is one. Interpersonal communication is another (recognizable to anybody who has walked by a group of teenage girls and laughed as each of them are engaged in text messaging other people instead of talking to those they are with). How many of us have spent an entire evening within 50 feet of other people, family members(!), without finding out how their day was? Of course, what Simon Cowell thinks of that annoying blond girl is much more important.

By the way, this logic of "sacrifice in the name of progress" is, I believe, a good reason to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska.

What it really comes down to is that we have to know where we draw our line in the sand. We have to decide what is important to us. For example, I think it is more important to have water in Southern California than a beautiful delta as the Colorado dumps into the ocean. I also think we should find moderation in some of these "progress" issues. We have to have a handle on technology in order to compete in today's marketplace, but I really hope I can influence my children so they don't always have to be "plugged in." I know it is a tough battle (and I have no idea what is ahead of me), but that is something that is important to me. I know where I draw my line in the sand on these issues. Or at least I know which ones I care about. Who knows what the ultimate result will be of any of the decisions we make today; all we can do is try to make the decision that is best for us, our families, and our communities.

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

I want to share something with you all as I just found a way to save a few minutes of time each day. By my estimates, I figure this will save me 3-5 minutes per day - or one and a half to two and a half hours per month. You see, there is a new website - informationageprayer.com - where for only $3.95 a month, a computer with text-to-speech capability will say my prayers for me! Through speech synthesizers (and I'm assuming faith and humility, although the website does not explicitly state this) a computer will voice my prayer at a volume and speed equivalent to a typical person praying. Now, you might be that person who is not strapped for time like many of us, but consider that this website "gives you the satisfaction of knowing that your prayers will always be said even if you wake up late, or forget." Can't ask for much more than that.

In fact, there are a variety of prayers: a prayer for financial help ($3.95); a prayer for your children (a great deal at $1.99); Hail Mary prayers at 7 cents each; or you can (I'm not kidding, it really says this!) "Show God you are Serious... Get the Complete Rosary Package." Now if they could just throw in some blessings on food, we could really be in business!

I shared this website with my classes today, and I had some really funny responses as to how stupid this is. What does this say about our world? At least these 14 year-olds in my classes, many of whom can't remember what day of the week it is, understand. They get it; they know ridiculous when they see it. Gives me some hope for our future.

By the way, I doubt this computer can simulate the humble (and cool) prayers of my 4 year old. Doubt it knows to ask to get bitten by a spider so it can turn into Spiderman.

Sacrifice is the Answer

A few days ago, I got an email from my wife's uncle about Michelle Obama serving meals at a soup kitchen. It had an attached picture of a man (who appeared to be there for a meal) taking a picture of her on his cell phone camera. Now, I am not against soup kitchens by any means. And I am not against cell phones. I am not even against people in soup kitchens having cell phones (in fact, it is entirely possible that the individual taking the picture was not there for food at all, but could have understandably just come in off the street to see the First Lady). What I AM against is my generation's entitlement complex. For those of you who haven't seen the email, the text reads:

JUST TOO GOOD TO TRUE !First Lady Michelle Obama showed up Thursday as a surprise and welcome volunteer at Miriam's Kitchen, a soup kitchen for homeless poor people not far from the White House.If this unidentified meal recipient is too poor to buy his own food, how does he afford a cell phone?And if he is homeless, where do they send the cell phone bills?


If, in fact, we have homeless people in America who have cell phones, then doesn't that really mean that we are doing alright. I mean, the doom and gloom we hear sometimes about the "starving" and the "homeless" might be a little melodramatic if they (and by "they," I do mean the starving and homeless) have nicer technology then some of the housed and fed.

What it comes down to is that the real punch line of the joke is that the first question "how does he afford a cell phone?" is rhetorical... we all know how it works. That's a discussion for another day. I just don't like that people can be considered "poverty-stricken" when they drive nice cars, have cell phones, and satellite TV. Pisses me off, really. My wife has gone without a cell phone for 4 years... FOUR YEARS!!! One of the most social people I have ever known. We've been a 1 car family for the same amount of time (with the exception of the last 4 months). I could have bought her a phone, or updated my 3-year-old-been-dropped-so-many-times-it-hardly-works Razor (remember when those were "the thing"). We could have even afforded another car. But we made it work. Some days I needed it and my wife went without. Some days she needed it and I rode my bike or walked (and got in pretty good shape, too... hmmmm). We made it work not because we are better than anybody else, but because we have goals and we want to EARN(!) what we have. It took a lot of work, a lot of faith, and a ton of sacrifice. Sacrifice of the things we wanted at the moment (and still want, some of them): car, cell phones, trips, nice dinners at restaurants. Sacrifice of things we can't get back - time with each other.

Now our country is looking at very bleak economic times and the solutions being offered are bailouts and handouts and tax increases. I recognize that I am not a financial genius, or a history buff, but I know that America has faced similar challenges. And there are individuals still living who faced those challenges. If we were to ask those people how they got through those tough times, I bet the answer includes something our President has not really asked of us. Ask members of "the greatest generation" how they got through The Depression and they will tell you that it was because they went without. They sacrificed. I fear not that this is a crisis. I fear that our President doesn't have the cajones to ask for the one thing that is critical to its recovery; for this entitlement-minded generation to give. And give some more. And not to expect. To produce and not to drain. We will never get out of this mess if Americans (yes, even the "poor") are not asked to sacrifice heavily.