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.