The Year in Review

In the year that was 2010 I learned a lot about a lot of things, some I didn't want to know. I was able to do a lot of things that I had been meaning to do and there remained some things I needed to do that I never felt the sense of urgency to get around to.

1) We are becoming a nation of wimps. I had seen this coming before but with greater dependence on others, including the government, I see it so much now. I don't blame the government for this one. I blame bad parents. For so long parents have enabled this behavior by not making their children suffer the consequences of their actions. Children don't get to solve their own problems early on. Then suddenly they are expected to solve their own problems and they don't have a clue. That is why so many of them are dependent upon someone or something else. It's not that they don't want to it's they don't know how to.

2) Economics is really simple. Well, that might be an oversimplification of the whole science but it is not as difficult as I thought it was when I was in college. I guess it wasn't real interesting when I there. But, it is because of the complete lack of understanding on behalf of our government officials, including the President, that we are in the position we are in. When I was growing up I knew that living on borrowed money (credit) was a bad idea. There are some things that you will probably borrow money to purchase. Homes, cars, and other large purchases. Most of us lack the skill to plan that far out and save.  We have lived in a country where our leaders for years have let our government live on credit. Obama was not the first to spend like a madman. But, with the continued emphasis on spending and not cutting the spending and reducing the size of government, we now have an unsustainable economic model that will crush us for years to come unless something is done soon.

3) Family matters. Family is really important. It sounds rather trite but I get to see it first hand on how important family is. I work with students who have loving and caring parents and it shows. I see students whose parents have given up on them and it shows. I see families where there is only one parent and teenagers left to their own devices are destructive and ruthless. I am a big believer in family now more than ever. But, with the continued hostilities towards families and the low rate of marriages and weddings one has to wonder where we will be as a society 20 years from now if this trend does not turn around.

4) Sports is, unfortunately, something I really enjoy. I love to watch college football. I enjoy basketball. I wish I understood hockey more because it looks really entertaining. But, what I don't enjoy is the hero worship given to so many of these athletes. These athletes are not heroes. They are entertainers, plain and simple. I don't consider what they do vital to the survival of society. They produce nothing. Last time I checked I didn't see any competition of what team produced the best garden or manufactured and built a car. Don't get me wrong, athletes do contribute to society like any one else. But, they, like their Hollywood counterparts produce nothing. What makes it worse in professional athletics is how much they are paid. I understand the economics of it but 2 major sports are talking about a lockout next year because of the financial setup of the respective leagues. Gee, I think I might struggle a little bit making $5,000,000 a year. Just a little. And please don't get me started on the earnings window. Heaven forbid that after 10 years they might have to find a real job.

5) I learned that real conservatism is not the same as being a republican. I am concerned that we continue to move on that political spectrum towards a completely oppressive government where individual rights are meaningless, where economic growth is dictated from the government, not from the people. I worry that religious freedom does not exist like it should. We fall for such inane arguments that people are offended or their rights are abridged by someone saying a simple prayer in public.

6) This one will probably get me in trouble. I've always known this but it became so very transparent this year. Islam is a religion that does not treat women as equal individuals but as property. So many stories I have heard and read where women are required to do unbelievable things and subject themselves to the whims and desires of men. That Islam is oppressive, particularly towards women, is only the tip of the iceberg. The hatred they have for everyone else is remarkable. And please spare me the peaceful religion part and its only a few radicals. Give me a koran and let me burn it or defile it, post it on YouTube, and watch the Islamic World go mad. Do that to a Bible and there will be some upset people but you won't see death threats and cities on fire. Why? Because one is a religion and the other is a relationship.

Execute Michael Vick

Tucker Carlson, news reporter and part-time host at Fox, stated that the manner in which Michael Vick killed dogs should have gotten Vick executed. He should have received the death penalty for killing dogs. Really? For killing dogs he should be executed? We are now equating the value and life of a dog with humans. Where do we go from here? How far are we from worshiping animals?

Let me say this up front: I am no fan of Michael Vick nor a defender of his. He ran a dog-fighting ring and killed dogs in what would be called an inhumane way. I get it. He went to prison for 23 months and is on probation until 2012. From all appearances it seems he has grown up and matured. When he played with the Atlanta Falcons I always got the sense that he wasn't serious about life, football, or his money. He paid the price for it. I believe that if Dan Reeves had stayed as the head coach of the Falcons that either Vick would have had a real mentor and grew up or he would have found himself out on his rear-end, which is what ultimately happened.

But, we have Tucker Carlson stating he should have been executed for killing dogs. Those are pretty strong words. He said it with conviction. I heard it. His point was about another matter but he made the statement about Vick. Amazing. Most convicted murderers don't go to death row. Shoot, how many people are playing in the NFL today who have assaulted others, dealt drugs, or have done other heinous things that we don't even know about? I am sure there are many.

And Carlson wanted this man executed. Where are our priorities? We go through a lengthy process to try a person for the murder of another human being. After that we often times have another process to determine if the murderous act itself merits the death penalty. Sometimes it does. Often, though it does not. Carlson called himself a Christian. Tell me Tucker, where in the Bible does it say we should execute a man for killing dogs? Big hint: it doesn't. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sins, including Michael Vick's. So let's leave Vick alone. He paid his debt to society. He is making a living and doing well. It seems that he has learned his lesson as we all do at some point in time. It is time to move on.

Zero Tolerance and Stupidity

I found this article while perusing the web.

Lunchbox mix-up leads to charges for Sanford teen


A 17 year old teen in Sanford, NC was suspended from school for the remainder of the school year because a small pairing knife was found in her lunchbox. The knife was discovered when school officials was searching student items for drugs. The girl and her father claim that the lunchbox was the father's and she picked it up on accident because they are identical.

According to the article the student had never been in trouble. She was also taking college level courses and a very good soccer player.

Now, the only thing that matters here was that she had never been in trouble. The other items are indicative of an involved student with a focus. She was charged with a misdemeanor weapons possession and expelled from school. What happened to common sense? Zero tolerance is what happened. And before you blame the schools and the school system you might want to see where this comes from.

Zero tolerance policies came from the outcry that schools were full of drugs and weapons and gangs were taking over. In some areas that might actually be true though I seriously doubt it. But, school board members were elected on the premise they would push for such policies. And push they did. These types of policies are rampant throughout the country. And they are applied with a heavy hand regardless of who is affected.

It is my belief that these policies are oppressive and, in some instances, un-Constitutional. Though they may be written with the best intentions and with the proper due-process procedures we have taken out common sense. Without knowing all of the particulars in this case but I have seen so many like these, this often ruins a student's education. There is a great deal of research about zero tolerance and how it reduces a student's educational opportunities. My thought's are it is just plain wrong, We need to treat students better than we are. When we enforce policies like this without a modicum of thought then we create an adversarial position with the public. We need the public to support public education as much as possible without creating division. This is one of those things that erode public support. Public schools need to treat students fairly and protect them. If, after the investigation process it is found that expulsion is warranted, then so be it. But, let's use some common sense.

Breakfast time

This morning I was on breakfast duty and had called the boys to get their meal from the kitchen. Son #2 began to get really upset because I had cut his crust off of his cinnamon bread. He was so upset that he went to wake up mommy and tell on me. He then got two more pieces of bread and sat down and ate breakfast. Go figure.

Gas Prices and other observations

Did anyone notice the sudden increase in gas prices today? In my locale there was a $0.10 increase in just a matter of a few hours. We are now paying $3.06/gallon. Fill up to go to Atlanta and it was $2.96 at 10 AM. Return at 4:30 PM and it had jumped that much.

I am finding myself wanting to stay at home more and more. With the increase in gas prices home is looking really good. I just hope I can afford to buy food.

We had to go to the ATM today because of our travels and I had to wonder again why are there Braille symbols on the ATM machine? It just makes me wonder why we have to do such nonsensical things.

What was I thinking?

My 7 year-old asked me the other day if we had a Birthday Card for Jesus. I told him no and he asked why not? Isn't December 25th the day we celebrate Jesus' Birthday?

Merry Christmas

It is December 24th and I have the good fortune of having 2 children that still believe in Santa Claus. It is a most wonderful time of the year and I am blessed.

Merry Christmas to all.

What Holds for the Next Year

As we move forward into 2011 we must ask what does 2011 hold for us? Let's look at some serious issues.

1) Jobs - Until someone figures out that reducing taxes is a good thing and stop burdening the producers of the economy then there will be little in the way of job growth. Our government is really great and spending our money. And they are spending a lot of it. This translates into an increased need for money and a more oppressive government. I don't see this improving until the government makes a real attempt at reducing spending.
2) Economy - This goes hand-in-hand with jobs. The overall US Economy does not look very good right now and I believe it is teetering on the brink of currency collapse/hyperinflation. Call me a pessimist but until a group of politicians get in Congress and rein in the spending it will only get worse. China will not continue to fund our deficit spending forever. Europe cannot do it. South America is still emerging and Japan has its own problems to contend with.
3) Social - Political Correctness has reached new levels in our society and continues to demand that certain behaviors be accepted by society in general. This arrogance among the ruling class has caused quite a bit of anger among the common folk and if thing don't change quickly look for a lot of discord. From stupid things like Happy Meal toys at McDonald's in San Francisco to the NFL with its pink cleats this whole notion that corporate America and Americans in general must accept certain ideas is just plain arrogance. Things will continue to get worse because people have now gained a foothold in Congress and the courts. It is almost to the point that if you don't agree then plan on being investigated, ridiculed, chastised, or being called a racist.
4) Technology - Look for this part of our society to continue to emerge and evolve because it is almost devoid of political control. People can still have great ideas around the globe and take a chance on its success or failure. But, even with that it still contributes to the advancement of technology and it does not seem to be slowing down.

The Geeks - Dad and Son

While getting dressed one day my wife asks our son does he like wearing his button up shirt with a tie. He says “Yes, I like being a geek like Daddy.”

Well, at least I am a good role model.

A White Christmas

Call it the little kid in me. I want to experience a White Christmas right here where I live in Georgia. I know, I know. I live in Georgia and we don't get snow. But, I can't help but get a little excited now that there is a good possibility of snow.

You have to know something about where I live. This city I live in shuts down completely at the mere mention of sticking snow. And if the white stuff is actually seen then it's over. No bread on the grocery store shelves. No milk in the dairy coolers. Nothing. We are hunkering down for weeks because we have an inch of snow forecast to fall.

Well, gotta go to the grocery store now. We're out of milk and the two loaves of bread won't get us through the one day of snow.

The Census and Its Implications

Maybe I am just a bit too partisan for my own good but deep down I am excited to read that most of the states gaining house seats from re-apportionment are republican states and those that are losing seats are generally considered democratic. Over the next few weeks we will hear various reasons as to why but I have my own theories.

My reasons are pretty simple and I will go into more detail later. But, just thinking out loud people want to earn a living so they will go where the jobs are. They also want to be comfortable. Cold weather is nice and all but people grow weary of snow and ice every year. Another reason is the unions and their influence. This ties into my first reason to some extent, people want to work. But, it speaks to something else. People want freedom and liberty and when there are oppressive taxes people will move away.

The Infinite Wisdom of a 5 year old

My 5 year old had gotten into trouble one evening and I was speaking to him about it. He says “Okay Daddy. I’ll pop my own butt.”

Now that is what I call self-discipline.

The Ruling Class

I love my iPhone. I really love the iPhone Kindle edition provided by Amazon.com. This little device has allowed me to read great books, save money, and most importantly, save space on my crowded shelves. But enough of that. I digress.

My latest book is "The Ruling Class: How They Corrupted America and What We Can Do About It" by Angelo M. Codevilla. It is absolutely a great read particularly when taken in the context of where we are in our society. Most of us will identify ourselves as being part of the Country Class. We want to be left alone to run our own lives. I don't want to be told that portion sizes are limited at McDonald's because someone in the government says it is best for us. I don't want to be told that my next vehicle will have to get 60 mpg. Because with that smaller vehicle comes some risks I don't want to take. Pure physics takes over in collisions, namely that size almost always matters. That means the bigger vehicle usually wins. I don't want to be told what I can and can't do in the name of what is best for the country because that usually is a self-serving government. Codevilla defines the Ruling Class so well. He describes their thought process, their arrogance, and their ignorance.

If you want to learn what has happened to our country and why, this book fills in many of the blanks.

Words of my son, age 5

Occasionally my son will say something that I have to stop and take notice. Like one day he was in the restroom and we had this little exchange.

While I was tucking in his shirt (he is such a geek) after leaving the restroom at Wal-Mart he says "Hurry up Dad." I say "Why? Have you got a hot date tonight or something?" He says "Hey, you never know."

Ordinary guys - Don't inquire

Did you see the article on FoxNews.com? It seems that Victoria's Secret Model Jess Hart is telling ordinary guys to forget about ever getting up with one of them. That is so sad. I wonder if she has ever watched "Revenge of the Nerds" ?