Kansas Bob

The Relational Aspect of an Apology

2012-01-27T10:35:00.001-06:00

Never quite thought of an apology in this fashion. On one hand we do not want to live like a doormat always apologizing when we are not in the wrong. On the other hand I think that we are often called to be humble even when we are right. Either way I think that the person offering an apology is often the stronger person.

Do you agree? Can you relate? Care to share?

Should Capital Gains Tax Rates be Higher?

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

The past few days have been rife with discussion of Mitt Romney's fourteen percent tax rate that he has paid on his investments. Paul Krugman speaks to this issue of why gazillionaires pay so little, percentage-wise, in an editorial titled "It's hard to justify low tax rates on the rich". Here are a few thoughts from it:

The main reason the rich pay so little is that most of their income takes the form of capital gains, which are taxed at a maximum rate of 15 percent, far below the maximum on wages and salaries. So the question is whether capital gains - three-quarters of which go to the top 1 percent of the income distribution - warrant such special treatment.
...
When you hear about the low taxes of people like Romney, what you need to know is that it wasn't always thus - and the days when the superrich paid much higher taxes weren't that long ago. Back in 1986, Ronald Reagan - yes, Ronald Reagan - signed a tax reform equalizing top rates on earned income and capital gains at 28 percent. The rate rose further, to more than 29 percent, during Bill Clinton's first term.

Low capital gains taxes date only from 1997, when Clinton struck a deal with Republicans in Congress in which he cut taxes on the rich in return for creation of the Children's Health Insurance Program. And today's ultralow rates - the lowest since the days of Herbert Hoover - date only from 2003, when former President George W. Bush rammed both a tax cut on capital gains and a tax cut on dividends through Congress.

There is a rationale that says that capital gains rates should be low because people who reap dividends from stocks and bonds are partial owners in entities that already pay taxes. My thinking is that these gains are not all that much different from the dividends and interest that is paid on savings accounts and should be taxed as ordinary income. And looking at the chart above it looks like gazillionaires once paid higher tax rates on capital gains.

My Take on the Oscar Nods

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Oscars nominations came out yesterday and I thought that I might give a bit of commentary on the movies and actors that I actually saw ...

Moneyball | best picture.
Really? I gave it seven stars out of ten. It was pretty good but I cannot imagine
how anyone could think that it deserved to be "the best".
Brad Pitt | best actor in Moneyball.
I like him okay but did not think that he was all that great.
Meryl Streep | best actress in The Iron Lady.
The movie trailer has me convinced - but I am a huge fan of Streep.
Jonah Hill | best supporting actor in Moneyball.
He was okay but I think that others would have been better.
Melissa McCarthy | best supporting actress for Bridesmaids
Bad movie and a lame performance. Nothing like her Emmy winning Molly.
Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo | best screenplay for Bridesmaids
Cannot believe that this bad movie got any recognition.
Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin | best screenplay for Moneyball
Not sure what to think about this. The script was okay but it needed a lot of editing.
Moneyball | best achievement in editing
Hard to believe this one. Some scenes just seemed to linger way too long.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes | best achievement in visual effects
The chimps, monkeys and apes did seem a bit believable. :)

You can view all of the nominees at the IMDB site. I am hoping that some of these are not representative of the quality of the awards this year. Please chime in if you have seen any of the nominated movies or actors.

Why God Can't Be Trusted

2012-01-24T10:04:00.000-06:00

Heather Koop blogs at Sober Boots. Recently she wrote a touching piece with the same title as this post where she struggles with the tension of praying and not seeing answers. I suggest that you read it in full here. This passage from it reveals her thinking about the question:

After we hung up, I couldn’t help wondering how long he could hang on.

Or how long I could. Sitting there in my office chair, cradling the phone, something about this whole prayer-of-faith formula—at least as I’d been practicing it—began to enrage me. I just couldn’t bear the responsibility of praying hard enough to save my son anymore. Neither could I deny any longer the betrayal I felt about the very idea that I had to twist God’s arm harder to make Him care more.

I began to cry. More truthfully, I wailed. I told God that I was sick and tired of feeling like I was being forced to repeatedly watch my child about to fall off a high cliff, knowing that no matter how fast I got there, it would not be soon enough to catch him.

And then I felt myself being led where no mother wants to go—deep into the territory of worst-case scenario. In my imagination, and more important, in my heart, my son died. I cried and keened and wrestled with God. I don’t know how long this went on, but I finally arrived somewhere outside of and beyond my faith.

For the first time, I realized that I could not trust God to keep my son—or anyone’s son—out of harm’s way. Because God can’t be trusted to deliver a particular outcome. He can only be trusted with, or in spite of, any outcome. He can only be trusted no matter what.

But “no matter what” is a dagger to a mother's heart, because it means that your only hope is to surrender all hope. “No matter what” is a place you never want to go. Now I saw clearly that it would have to be everything or nothing. Either I trusted God with Noah’s entire life (and his death if it came) in a way that surpassed my understanding of what is good, or I didn't trust Him at all.

That morning, I decided to place my son and all my hope in the hands of a God whose love is so vast and incomprehensible that it encompasses everything— even tragedy. I decided to put my hope in a God so good that one day, if only in eternity, even death and suffering will make some kind of beautiful sense.

Of course, I didn’t resolve all my questions about prayer that day. But something shifted. I determined that I would no longer pray to a God who was a puppet on a string, His will being tugged this way or that, depending on how hard people prayed or if they managed to stay awake.

I still pray. I still ask God to intervene. I still think that kind of prayer has a place. Why else would “Help me!” fall from our lips so often and so naturally? In fact, my entire recovery from alcoholism rests on my belief that God does intervene, that He can and will do for me what I can’t do for myself.

Man Up Mitt!

2012-01-22T14:24:00.002-06:00

Rough week for fans of the Bain Capital man. I do not know about you but I am sick and tired of listening to the Blowhard in Chief brag about his debating prowess. Like beating Obama is all about out-talking him and giving a better speech than he does. Here are a few things I would like to see Romney do this week:

Release his taxes. Explain to people why he made so much money and not apologize for being successful. If he does not he will go down in flames.
Explain how he is different from so many executives in that he actually started something rather than simply working the system and rising from the ranks.
Delineate himself from the other three career politicians who have not held a job in the public sector for over thirty years.
Speak clearly about his story. I have seen him connect with people when he speaks of his wife and her disease. Being faithful should not be a liability.
Take the gloves off. Get some passion in his voice when he speaks about his successes. Unashamedly debate his accomplishments.

It is time for Romney to man up. The election has turned into a bit of a street fight. People like Newt's passionate bravado. Mitt needs to find a way to unapologetically communicate his passion without the bravado.

Moneyball | ★★★★★★★

2012-01-21T10:39:00.000-06:00

I sincerely hope that the management of Kansas City Royals have taken a few hours from their schedules to watch (and perhaps study) this movie. The movie paints a picture of what goes on behind the scenes in Major League Baseball and how teams acquire and fire players. It is based on the true story of how Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt), the General Manager of the Oakland A's, changed the way that players were chosen with the help of a character (played by Jonah Hill) that was based on real-life baseball guru Paul DePodesta. I found it fascinating how a team with limited funds used an algorithmic approach from a young nerdly guy to revolutionize the team and the sport. That said, I did think that the movie dragged a lot and suffered from a lack of hard editing. Even so, I much enjoyed and recommend it to you. On a scale of ten I give it ★★★★★★★.

Access my movie reviews webpage by clicking on "Movie Reviews" above.

Endorsing Herman Cain in SC

2012-01-20T10:00:00.001-06:00

I am recommending Herman Cain in South Carolina to all voters that are fed up with with the current field of candidates. After the events of this week I think that I could vote that way. I think that it might be a good message to send the GOP?

Is God a Micro-Manager?

2012-01-19T09:49:00.001-06:00

I am not sure that I have anything conclusive to offer by way of an answer to the question I pose in the title of this post. Perhaps I can start out with a definition from Wikipedia:

The notion of micromanagement can be extended to any social context where one person takes a bully approach, in the level of control and influence over the members of a group. Often, this excessive obsession with the most minute of details causes a direct management failure in the ability to focus on the major details.

Interesting how the words obsession and bully are used. I have worked for micro-managers and can relate to the obsessive bullying aspect in this description. That said I think that the word bully may be a bit unfair in that a manager may sometimes need to be very detailed oriented in his approach.

Back to the divine question. Perhaps we can frame it best by asking if God's approach is more like Mozart, Bernstein or Heifetz? Is his approach more like the great composer Amadeus Mozart imaging the notes that others will play? Or is it more like the New York Philharmonic conductor Leonard Bernstein who directed the activities of virtuoso violinists like Jascha Heifetz? Or is it most like Heifetz who brought out the best of an inanimate object?

Perhaps it is a bit of each? Perhaps the Great Composer is a way to see the Father as one who has a beautiful plan for the universe. I think that we see glimpses of that plan in the bible. And maybe in Christ we see the head and conductor of a great body of diverse musicians who each have a different role in the orchestra. Yet possibly we understand God best as the Holy Spirit who quickens an inanimate object and brings beautiful music from it?

Back to the divine question. Is it fair to call God a micro-manager when the term relays such a pejorative connotation? I think that it depends on your view of the composer, conductor or violinist. If you have been exposed to negative images of these types then perhaps you would not want them to be involved at all in your life. But what if you have felt your life come alive at the touch of the virtuoso's hands? Or had your eyes opened to the beauty of your life? Or maybe felt the presence of a divine conductor in desperate times?

My thinking is that the answer to the question posed in the title is more about us than it is about God. I feel that we are reticent to call God a micro-manager if we have a difficult time with the way that our life has played out. When we experience difficulty and pain we do not want to attribute those things to God. Yet when things are going well.. when we are experiencing beautiful music.. we love to credit him for the score, the conducting and the instrument. It is a matter of perspective.

What is your perspective? How would you answer the question?

Above and Beyond

2012-01-18T13:34:00.002-06:00

Damon is a member of the Monday morning men's group at church that I attend and I wanted to share this great letter to the editor, titled "KC Police go Above and Beyond", that appeared this week in the Kansas City Star. Kudos to him and Detective Cassady. I think that we just do not hear enough stories like this one ...

I left my Apple iPad in the seat pocket on a flight I took recently.

Fortunately I have the “Find My iPad” application, and one week later my missing iPad was located at an apartment complex near the Kansas City International Airport.

Based on the location, I guessed that someone who works at the airport had picked up my iPad so I called the Kansas City Police Department for help.

I explained the circumstances and gave the location of my iPad to Sgt. Damon Hayes, who was helpful and very professional. He sent Detective Mark Cassady out to the apartment complex.

Apparently Detective Cassady is tenacious and very persuasive.

He figured out quickly enough which residents worked at the airport and after knocking on doors, he somehow persuaded the person to return my property.

Here’s the lesson: If you own an iPad or iPhone, get the locator application.

But even more important, when it goes missing, hope it is located in a jurisdiction with a police department like Kansas City’s.

I hope you are lucky enough to encounter professionals like Sergeant Hayes and Detective Cassady.

Happy 70th Ali!

2012-01-17T07:17:00.000-06:00

Muhammad Ali turns 70 today. Whether you are a fan or not you have to admit that he was a great athlete and stellar boxer. Thinking about him sends me back to my youthful years when things seemed a bit simpler. In honor of the day I give you a few thoughtful quotes from the man ...

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

The man who has no imagination has no wings.

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.

No one knows what to say in the loser's locker room.

It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe.

Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.

Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.

If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.

A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.

Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.

I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."

Martin, Billy and the Lord

2012-01-16T05:54:00.000-06:00

I read a short but great article on the Billy Graham website about Billy Graham's relationship with Martin Luther King, Jr. On this day that we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King I thought that I might share a bit from that article.

Describing a 1957 meeting in New York City, Mr. Graham writes in his autobiography, "One night civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whom I was pleased to count a friend, gave an eloquent opening prayer at the service; he also came at my invitation to one of our Team retreats during the Crusade to help us understand the racial situation in America more fully."
...
King credited Mr. Graham with having a significant part in reducing the tension between whites and blacks in the South. In 1965, Mr. Graham canceled a tour of Europe to preach a series of crusades in Alabama, praying that the Gospel would tear down walls of division between the races and seeing the importance of his work alongside King’s.

King later said, “Had it not been for the ministry of my good friend, Dr. Billy Graham, my work in the civil rights movement would not have been as successful as it has been.”

During the civil rights movement, Mr. Graham preached, “Jesus was not a white man; He was not a black man. He came from that part of the world that touches Africa and Asia and Europe. Christianity is not a white man’s religion and don’t let anybody ever tell you that it’s white or black. Christ belongs to all people; He belongs to the whole world.”

Mr. Graham was in Australia at the time of King’s death. He remembers the moment someone approached him with news of King’s assassination, which was followed by journalists seeking a quote: “I was almost in a state of shock. Not only was I losing a friend through a vicious and senseless killing, but America was losing a social leader and a prophet, and I felt his death would be one of the greatest tragedies in our history."

I suggest that you read the entire piece here. I am encouraged knowing that these two were friends. Both of them have exhibited in their lives such a love for God and for the people He loves. I admire them both.

Resurrecting Downtown KC

2012-01-15T12:24:00.000-06:00

Had to share this image from this morning at our new facility in downtown Kansas City. The church is doing well and has almost tripled in attendance since last year at this time. I think that the success is due, in part, to our leader Scott and the way that the church is structured. Instead of requiring that Scott prepare and preach a message each week the church utilizes the weekend teaching of the senior pastor Adam Hamilton (pictured on the screen in the image above). This structure frees Scott's schedule up to connect and engage with people throughout the week. It has created a buzz in the downtown area and I am blessed to be a part of this new expression of worship in downtown Kansas City.

Super 8 | ★★★★★★★★

2012-01-14T10:48:00.000-06:00

This one really surprised me. I added it to my Netflix queue because it was rated well but I had no idea how engaging it would be. This SciFi thriller is set in the 1980s and is about six small town kids who witness weird events while shooting a movie with their Super 8 camera. What follows is a heartwarming, scary and thrilling coming of age story. The movie engaged me. The editing seemed tight and the movie moved along at a great pace. It reminded me a bit of Spielberg's E.T. - it had an alien, a brave boy and adults who didn't really understand what was going on. It also had J.J. Abrams SciFi directing stamp on it as well.

I think that it might be a good family-type movie (rated PG-13) but you might want to preview as it has some strong language used by the kids and several scary scenes. On a scale of ten I give this one ★★★★★★★★.

Access my movie reviews webpage by clicking on "Movie Reviews" above.

Christianary

2012-01-13T12:05:00.000-06:00

This Friday the Thirteenth seemed like a good day to talk about religious clichés. Some seem to superstitiously cite them at the strangest times. And many clichés, in some weird sense, give us a way to superficially get us past the awkwardness of responding to difficult situations. Here are a few clichés replete with my thoughts.

Let Go and Let God!
I think that I would like it better if it said "Let Go and Trust God".

But For The Grace Of God, there go I!
What strange theology credits God for helping me but not you?

God hates the sin but loves the sinner!
Seems to communicate the idea that God is all about what we do.

God is still on the Throne!
Sounds like some of the superficial advice that Job heard from his friends.

God helps them that helps themselves!
My thinking is that the gospel is all about God helping those who cannot help themselves.

Don’t be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good!
I suggest the the "heavenly minded" are usually people in denial of earthly reality.

Prayer changes things!
Mostly I think that prayer changes us and the way that we act.

Love the exclamation points! Thinking about these religious clichés reminded me about the word "Christianary" that my friend Jim made up many years ago. We Christians do seem to love to use all sorts of religious words and phrases that many unchurched folks do not understand. Do you have any religious clichés to add to the list?

Is this Post is a Waste of Time?

2012-01-12T09:35:00.000-06:00

"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." -Bertrand Russell

Read this quote the other day on my friend Barbara's blog and got to thinking about the things that many judgmentally deem a waste of time. Perhaps some consider blogging a waste of time? Occasionally I get a backhanded compliment about my blogging that seems to convey the idea that this sort of activity is a waste of time. Here are a few other things that people deem to be wasteful and my ornery commentary on their judgments.

Television: So often the people who rail against couch potatoes are the ones who spend hours reading romance novels and newspapers.
Sports: People who do not like athletics often portray jocks as dumb dolts who cannot do anything else. I counter with: Rhodes Scholar, NJ Senator and NBA Star Bill Bradley; Congressman and NFL Quarterback Jack Kemp; and Minnesota Vikings Purple People Eater Alan Page who became an associate justice on the Minnesota supreme court.
The Internet: Many people mock the folks who enjoy web surfing and interacting with others in venues like blogging and Facebook. I have grown so much through these venues. My thinking about many issues have been challenged and I have grown as a person from these venues.

Just a few examples. What other "time wasters" could be added to my list? What do you enjoy "wasting time" doing?

Hodgepodge

2012-01-11T14:19:00.001-06:00

The folks at This Side of the Pond have a meme called Wednesday Hodgepodge. Heard about it at my friend Susan's blog. I have never tried it so I thought that I might today ...

1. Lake Superior University has once again banished a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen's English in 2012 -

amazing, baby bump, shared sacrifice, occupy, blowback, man cave, the new normal, pet parent, win the future, ginormous, trickeration and thank you in advance.

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why.

amazing. I think that it and awesome are way overused

2. Are you easily embarrassed?

I can be when I do not know the folks I am around.

3. what is your go-to snack?

I have a few. Lately it is munching on Bison Summer Sausage watching the NFL playoff games.

4. Have you ever been to Washington DC? if not do you have any desire to go? What site/attraction would you most like to see in that city? If you have been what's your favorite site?

Our spring day trip in Junior High School included a train ride from Staten Island to DC. Enjoyed the Smithsonian the most. I'd love to go again. I have heard that DC is fairly wheelchair accessible.

5. sit ups-planks-lunges-squats-which one do you hate the least?

My arthritis keeps me away from such things. I do well to get a walk in.

6. What's a small act of kindness someone did for you that you've never forgotten?

A supervisor gave me some tough advice when I worked in Newark in 1975. I wanted to blow it off because I did not like what he said. I took it to heart and it changed my life.

7. Have you ever been a blood donor?

I give blood every three months. I have donated over three gallons. Would have been higher if I was not banned from giving for about 12 years because of HH.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

In my life I have found that pain has changed me more than love has. I am hoping to see that change. :)
Which do you think has changed you more - pain or love?

What ever happened to cars riding on air?

2012-01-11T12:20:00.001-06:00

ZDNet has posted some great images from the Detroit Auto Show. Several interesting concept cars and hybrids were included in their photo gallery. I did not see any though that rode on air, instead of wheels, the way that folks dreamed of 50 years ago.

Of the 24 cars displayed I think that I enjoyed this BMW i8 Concept Car the most. Maybe it is just those Delorean style doors. :)

Does God select the President?

2012-01-10T10:12:00.000-06:00

Ever since Pat Robertson ran for the US presidency in 1988 God has often been credited with calling such people to run for the high office. Even today there are a few GOP presidential candidates that credit God calling them to run for office. There are a few verses in the New Testament that causes some to ponder the idea that the Almighty chooses, or at least calls, the leaders of nations. Consider these thoughts that the apostle writes to the Romans:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Taken in a literal and dogmatic way these verses pose a problem for Americans because our nation was founded by people who rebelled against British governing authorities. The verses also are troubling when one considers those who are rebelling in countries like Iran, Egypt and Libya. Is Paul telling these people to simply submit to tyrants who kill and oppress their neighbors? I think not.

I submit to you that Paul's words can be helpful when they are considered in the light of history. Ancient events record the rise and fall of nations - even Israel fell at the hands of pagan nations indicating that God allows such events. So, I believe that Paul is not saying that governing authorities are not to be challenged. My take is that Paul is simply saying to obey the law and stay out of jail. Tax evaders do well to heed his words. :)

But to the issue of the nations, I think that the prophet Isaiah said it clearly when he declared that God "brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness". In truth God's sovereignty over the earth is not about raising up or bringing down nations but about raising up and bringing down leaders. To that issue we would all do well to understand that, especially for leaders, God opposes the proud but empowers the humble.

Pride and humility? Something that people in New Hampshire should consider today when they cast their ballots.

Nothing to Say

2012-01-08T11:06:00.000-06:00

Sometimes a cartoon like this one,
from the Shoebox blog,
speaks volumes.

Sometimes the sound of silence
is the best way to communicate
the way that we are feeling.

Sometimes the most friendly thing
that we can do is to simply listen
with an open and understanding heart.

Popularity is an Accident but Character Endures.

2012-01-07T09:44:00.001-06:00

Saw this chart this week and was reminded how fleeting popularity can be. I can remember how many of the entities pictured were once esteemed in our country. In light of that I thought I might share a few quotes:

Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character.
-Horace Greeley

Avoid popularity if you would have peace. -Abraham Lincoln

Avoid popularity; it has many snares, and no real benefit. -William Penn

I don't care whether people like me or dislike me. I'm not on earth to win a popularity contest. I'm here to be the best human being I possibly can be. -Tab Hunter

One of my proudest moments is I didn't sell my soul for the sake of popularity. -George W. Bush

The presidency is more than a popularity contest. -Al Gore

I don't know one of my friends who is considered a conservative who has not had to go back and thoroughly think through everything. You do a lot of soul-searching - 'cause we are not going to win any popularity contests.
-Clarence Thomas

To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs. -Aldous Huxley

I firmly believe that respect is a lot more important, and a lot greater, than popularity. -Julius Erving

Popularity should be no scale for the election of politicians. If it would depend on popularity, Donald Duck and The Muppets would take seats in senate. -Orson Welles

The Candidate Match Game

2012-01-06T08:49:00.000-06:00

I took the US Today Candidate Match Game and came up with these results. Not great results considering that I only resonated with five of eleven issues of the candidate that they declared most resonating with my views. I suspect the 66.7% was the result of the way that I weighted the importance of the eleven issues. Of course my number three is moot now since she dropped out of the race. That said, I admit that the other two candidates did not surprise me as they are my top picks from the crowd. Let me know if you play the game and if you are surprised by the results.

Kill the Irishman | ★★★★★★★

2012-01-05T10:39:00.001-06:00

I read a review on this movie that said there are more car bombs in this flick than any other movie he had ever seen. That somewhat sums it up for this dramatization of the rise of real life Cleveland mobster Danny Greene. Ann and I watched the documentary that came with the DVD and was fascinated how the violence was so integral to the telling of Greene's story. I enjoyed the movie and thought that Ray Stevenson did a magnificent job in bringing out the gritty persona of the main character. A few other big time actors, Paul Sorvino and Christopher Walken, had bit parts playing off Greene but their contributions were just anecdotal. The movie was all about the Irish mobster.

If you enjoy gritty action packed reality based movies and are not put off by "R" rated action (and one risque scene) I think that you might enjoy Kill the Irishman. On a scale of ten I give it ★★★★★★★.

Access my movie reviews webpage by clicking on "Movie Reviews" above.

Google Search Tips

2012-01-05T09:25:00.001-06:00

... with complements from the How-To Geek ...

Red State Blue State TV

2012-01-04T10:55:00.004-06:00

Entertainment Weekly recently weighed in on the political aspects of TV watchers in an article titled "Republicans vs. Democrats TV: Lefties want comedy, right wingers like work". They report:

In the findings, “sarcastic” media-savvy comedies and morally murky antiheroes tend to draw Dems. While serious work-centered shows (both reality shows and stylized scripted procedurals), along with reality competitions, tend to draw conservatives.

In their article they list TV shows that attract politicos with right or left leaning tendencies. Using their piece as a guideline I have to admit that I must be somewhat of a moderate or a centrist. Consider the evidence:

Red State shows that I like:
Hawaii Five-O
The Mentalist
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
Blue State shows that I like:
30 Rock
Modern Family
Saturday Night Live
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
The Late Show With David Letterman

You can check out their whole list here. I did find the list a bit limited and they did report that some of these shows appealed to both sides of the political spectrum. Even so, I wonder how some of the old shows would have fared. Would Bonanza fallen to conservatives and MASH to liberals. I think not. Yet I do think that Star Trek probably would not appeal to libertarians because everything seems to be run by the government.

2012 Word Dreams

2012-01-03T10:05:00.000-06:00

I like the idea of thinking of a single word to represent your focus of intention for the new year (rather than a list of resolutions). What word would you choose?

One of my friends posted that to her Facebook status. I loved the responses she got.. Doomsday did not make the list.. my word was 'change'. Thought I might share a few of them along with a bit of commentary.

Happy: I often allow happenings to affect my happiness. I would like that to happen less.
Acceptance: I think that there may be a connection between this and happiness.
Intentional: There is something empowering about making plans and living on purpose.
Creativity: Not just for the artistically minded. Living and changing is sometimes all about this word.
Determined: Love that word! Speaks to me about persistence in the face of trials.
Adventure: A challenging word for someone like me who likes to play it safe.
Simplicity: Ann and I began to simplify and enjoy life more in 2010 when we downsized.

Do you resonate with any of these words? What is your word for this New Year? Hopefully it is not Doomsday. :)

The Middle Matters

2012-01-02T13:36:00.000-06:00

With the Iowa Caucus just a day away I thought that I might share a few quotes from a Christian Post article titled Huckabee: GOP Needs to Skip Political Bashing, Focus on Independents.

“I watched this whole cycle unfold, sadly the focus seems to be about who can tear each other up as Republicans or how can we tear up Barack Obama, not whether we can build up the country.” -Mike Huckabee

“While Obama-bashing may again fire up the conservative base, it delivers nothing to those crucial Independent and middle-of-the-road voters who are anxious, confused and looking for someone to convince them they have a better plan.” -Kimberley Strassel of the Wall Street Journal editorial board

“On issue after issue, the opinions of the GOP’s conservative base are out of step with those of white working-class Independents. Rather than grasp this fact, however, many Republican political leaders have listened solely to the base and ignored the other partner in the marriage.” -Henry Olsen, vice president of national research for American Enterprise Institute

I feel that the candidates would do well to take this advise to heart. The independent middle matters.

Can a Christian be a libertarian?

2012-01-02T11:09:00.000-06:00

“It’s a far stretch and a great distortion to use Christianity in any way to justify aggression and violence.”

I lifted that Ron Paul quote (written in his book Liberty Defined) from a Washington Post blog post titled "Can a Christian be a libertarian?" The post tries to explain what a Libertarian is and how this ideology synthesizes to biblical Christian views. Here are a few clips from it:

Christians from the left and the right are increasingly turning to libertarianism not because it is a “middle ground,” but because it is an entirely different way of thinking about government and power.

The core of libertarianism is the non-aggression principle: that the initiation of force against person and property is immoral, and it is in many respects a kind of political corollary to the Golden Rule. Thus, Christian libertarians think that government power should be limited, sound money and truly free markets should return, aggressive war must cease and civil liberties must be preserved.
...
Libertarianism treats man’s sinful nature realistically. James Madison famously quipped that if men were angels no government would be necessary. Christian libertarians take this a step further, saying that it is precisely because men are not angels that government must have extraordinarily limited powers.
...
It is truly unfortunate that modern American churches seem to think the state’s means of “spreading democracy” through aggressive war is more important than spreading the peaceful message of the Gospel of Christ. Jesus came to bring “peace on earth, good will to men,” and by extension the Christian’s goal ought to be the same.

Norman Horn, the writer of this post and the founder of LibertarianChristians.com, obviously believes that a Christian can be a libertarian. I, of course, agree with that answer. Being a Christian is all about a relationship with Christ and not about embracing a political ideology. It is true that there are Christians in conservative, liberal and libertarian circles.

My struggles, however, with libertarianism is about how passive and isolationist it appears to be - not only in foreign policy but in domestic policy as well. I heartily endorse the idea that we are our brothers keeper and Christians do well when we help the poor - both here and in other countries. And I heartily wish that people of faith would care for the poor so much that government assistance would not be required. But history teaches us that people of faith spend more on religious buildings and teachers than they do on the poor.

Now, for my libertarian leaning friends, I am not saying that I endorse a bloated entitlement driven federal government. All I am saying is that the answers to caring for the poor are complex and excluding governmental help may be a bit short sighted. And perhaps it is all about the kind of government that we, the people, want?

12 Predictions for 12

2012-01-01T07:17:00.000-06:00

It really wouldn't be New Years Day if someone wasn't making resolutions or predictions. As I have given up on the making of resolutions I thought that I might weigh in and prognosticate a bit about the year ahead. Here goes:

Chris Christie will be the GOP VP candidate.
Charlie Sheen will return to Two and a Half Men.
Google will unveil a major new piece of hardware.
Harold Camping will not predict the end of the world.
To the dismay of many, the Supreme Court will validate Obamacare.
Sarah Palin, and other would be king makers, will endorse a GOP presidential candidate when it is safe to do so.
Congress will stay the same - Dems will barely keep the Senate and the GOP will make gains in the House.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals will surprise us and have great seasons.
The Iranian government will topple the way that the governments of Egypt and Libya did in 2011.
The Kansas City School District will still be a big mess even though big changes are made.
Iraq will be embroiled in a Civil War for much of the year and Obama will get the blame for it.
A Mormon will shock the nation by winning the GOP nomination and the presidency.

Agree with any of my prognostications? Care to make any predictions of your own?

I wish you a blessed New Year that is filled with much love, peace and joy!

Moments that Touched me in 2011

2011-12-31T10:19:00.000-06:00

Love the sentiment expressed in this image. Reminds me that life is marked by the moments that touch us deeply. Thought I might share a few of my moments, both deep and not, from the past year - a few of them I share with many of you.

That moment in July that the tube came out and my wife Ann came off the ventilator. I will always remember the feeling of inexpressible joy when she first breathed on her own.
That moment when my son graduated from MidAmerica Nazarene University. Feelings of pride rose in my heart knowing how long and hard he worked to make this happen after he left the Army.
There seemed to be a closure for many of us in the moment that we heard of Osama bin Laden's death. Reminded me of the moment my warrior son came home from Iraq for the last time.
Shared a few beautiful moments over a meal with blogging friends in Chicago. It was sweet to meet Keith and Therese in person after years of virtual friendship.
The moment that I visited my friend John for the last time before he passed away haunts me. Seeing him in such pain was hard on my heart.
Coming home after a long and difficult summer in Chicago was one of the more blissful moments of my year. Was blessed to find my cabinets stocked by our church.
I remember that gut-wrenching moment in October when I heard that my beautiful niece Lynn had lost her three year battle with cancer and of how I cried with my brother and sister on the phone.
Love the many moments that I spent with Ann enjoying a simple meal and sharing our hearts in conversation. Reminds me that life is all about the simple things.
Remember the moments when Mary Jo, Todd, Jim and Kathy touched my heart by just being there in Chicago with me when I was afraid and hurting the most.
I seem to be able to remember the moments that I heard of the death of friends and public figures. There is something that touches us when a fellow traveler dies.

What are the moments in 2011 that you will remember most? Please share at least one.

I Am Number Four | ★★★★★★★

2011-12-30T10:32:00.000-06:00

You might enjoy this movie if you have a penchant for science fiction, fantasy and super heroes. It is about a Superboy type of figure who is fourth among ten aliens who were brought to earth to protect it from the Mogodarins, another alien race. Oddly enough the teen, named John (played by Alex Pettyfer), is next in line to be eliminated because his attackers kill them in numerical order. Fortunately for John he has help from his protector and a beautiful surprise character that emerges late in the movie.

The movie is filled with suspense, romance and geeky gadgetry - and it has a pretty good story line that even my wife, a non-geek, enjoyed. I do think that the movie's target audience is teens but I would probably catch a sequel if there is one. On a scale of ten I give Four ★★★★★★★.

Access my movie reviews webpage by clicking on "Movie Reviews" above.

Beautiful People do not Just Happen

2011-12-29T09:22:00.000-06:00

The sentiment in this quote is so beautiful that I just had to share it.
I think that the challenge inherent in trials and troubles is to allow them to change us and make us beautiful, instead of bitter, people.

Last week I shared with about 40 people about my struggles this summer watching my wife fight for her life in Chicago. Watching her contend with breathing tubes, ventilators, physical therapy, and overcoming all sorts of obstacles, convinces me even more that beautiful people do not just happen but are born on the ash heaps of such difficulties. My Ann is a testimony of God's grace in her life and the things that are possible when a person works hard and does not give up. Such people inspire me to persevere when things get hard.

The Public Face of Atheism

2011-12-28T10:58:00.000-06:00

Christopher Hitchens was born in the same year that I was. He lost his long battle with cancer and died a few weeks ago. I mourn his passing. Many have written much about him but I thought that Preston Gillham's comments about Hitchens on his blog were very thought provoking. Here is a clip from it ...

He gambled to the end that he was right about there being no God. Now he knows for sure, something he asserted vehemently that was not knowable in this life.

Joel Siegel of ABC News writes of Hitchens:

“Hitchens became the public face of atheism. Critics assumed his cancer diagnosis, in 2010, would lead Hitchens to relent and embrace God. But he remained a proud non-believer to the very end, as he made clear in an early October 2011 speech at the annual Atheist Alliance of America convention in Houston, as he accepted the Freethinker of the Year Award. His body gaunt from the ravages of cancer, Hitchens said, ‘We have the same job we always had: to say that there are no final solutions; there is no absolute truth; there is no supreme leader; there is no totalitarian solution that says if you would just give up your freedom of inquiry, if you would just give up, if you would simply abandon your critical faculties, the world of idiotic bliss can be yours.’”

Lots of humanity in that quote, huh? Lots of misconceptions about what becoming a Believer means. Lots of hostility. Lots of strong words—too strong.

Strong words can belie doubt. Not always, of course. But I’m just saying: the superlatives in Hitchens’ acceptance speech caught my attention.

Lots of Christianity’s brightest minds debated Hitchens, ostensibly believing that by intellectual argument they could convince heartfelt assent. Apologetics are for Believers. Unbelief isn’t about belief at all. Unbelief is a conflict of wills—the divine in tension with the human.

Life and death are a wager. Pascal said in essence, if I believe in God, and govern my life according to that belief, only to die and discover I was mistaken—i.e., there is no God—then what have I lost? On the other hand, if I live a life of unbelief, and die to discover I was wrong, then I have lost all eternity.

The Paris of the MidWest

2011-12-27T09:50:00.002-06:00

Loved the buzzworthy list presented in the image above. If you looked a few blocks past the tallest building in the picture you would find our loft in the River Market area of downtown KC. Recently I heard Guy Fieri, of Food Channel "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" fame, call Kansas City the "Paris of the MidWest". Reminded me of how great it is to live in this small city - or is that big town? Here are a few things about our fair city that you might not know:

With over 200 fountains, the city claims to have the second most in the world, just behind Rome.
Has more boulevards than any city in the world except Paris
The U.S. Government is the largest employer in the Kansas City metro area, with more than 146 federal agencies.
Has more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation.
Is the 29th largest metropolitan area in the USA - 2 million people spread over 4,777 square miles.
Ignored Prohibition during the 1920s, leading to an abundance of jazz clubs, brothels and gambling halls.
Home to the world’s largest greeting-cards maker, Hallmark Cards and to Sprint telecom.
Walt Disney opened Laugh-O-Gram Studios, his first animation studio, in Kansas City.
Is ethnically diverse with a population of about 60% caucasian, 30% African American and 10% Hispanic.
Since 1857, the City Market has been one of the largest public farmers' markets in the midwest.
Municipal Auditorium has hosted more NCAA Final Four Championships than any other venue in the country.
Home to the Kansas City Ballet, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, the Lyric Opera, the Nelson-Atkins Museum, the Kansas City Symphony, the Kauffman Center and many other venues for the Arts.
The scoreboard at Arrowhead Stadium (home of the KC Chiefs) was the first to transmit instant replay.
Swope Park is one of the nation's largest city parks and is more than twice as big as New York's Central Park.
Referred to colloquially as the Heart of America as it is near both the population center of the United States and the geographic center of the 48 contiguous states.

If you are ever in KC I would consider it an honor to show you around a bit - including some great KC BBQ joints!

Iowa and New Hampshire :: Not What They Used to Be!

2011-12-26T16:36:00.000-06:00

I agree with the Christian Science Monitor's article titled "In GOP race, Iowa and New Hampshire aren't what they used to be". It reminded me that Michele Bachmann won the big-time Iowa Straw poll just a few months ago. Here are a few good clips from the article:

"When Iowa Republicans caucus on Jan. 3, chances are the voters will know more about the candidates from nationally televised debates and interviews than from personal interaction. Ditto the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 10."
...
"On-the-ground retail campaigning, it just doesn't pay," says Fergus Cullen, former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party. "That's a disappointing realization. The idea of Jimmy Carter building support one by one is not nearly as effective as having a good debate moment that goes viral on YouTube."
...
"The GOP’s new rule awarding delegates proportionally based on the vote, rather than winner-take-all, in most contests before April also makes the early contests less important than in the past."

Hat tip to Iowan Shane for pointing me to the article even though he vehemently disagrees with what it says.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T01:00:00.000-06:00

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

2011-12-24T08:23:00.000-06:00

Dysfunctional Christmas Carols

2011-12-23T11:52:00.000-06:00

With complements of Therese Borchard at Beyond Blue ...

Schizophrenia — Do You Hear What I Hear?
Multiple Personality Disorder — We Three Kings Disoriented Are
Dementia — I Think I’ll be Home for Christmas
Narcissistic — Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me
Manic — Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and…..
Paranoid — Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me
Borderline Personality Disorder — Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire
Personality Disorder — You Better Watch Out, I’m Gonna Cry, I’m Gonna Pout, Maybe I’ll Tell You Why
Attention Deficit Disorder — Silent night, Holy oooh look at the Froggy – can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder — Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells….
Oppositional Defiant Disorder– You better not cry – Oh yes I will
You better not Shout – I can if i want to
You better not pout – Can if i want to
I’m telling you why – Not listening
Santa Claus is coming to town – No he’s not!!

Hope a few of these brought a smile and a bit of cheer to you today.

Charitable Giving Habits of GOP Candidates

2011-12-22T10:39:00.000-06:00

Recently Pastor Steven Andrew, president of USA Christian Ministries, called out Franklin Graham telling him to repent after Graham said that it is acceptable for a Christian to vote for a Mormon. Pastor Andrew also said “God cannot bless us for betraying Jesus and voting for a non-Christian.” It got me to wondering who amongst the crew acted Christian when it came to charity.

In a series of articles the Huffington Post took a close look at the charitable giving of Republican presidential candidates. How much and to whom did they give? How does their giving compare with their fellow Americans? And what impact did they ultimately have? Here are the titles and links to those articles:

Bachmann Charity Work: Christian And Controversial

Newt Gingrich's Charities Wither While His Political Organizations Thrive

Jon Huntsman 2012: Legacy Of Charity Efforts May Be Liability In GOP Presidential Race

Ron Paul's Charity: Libertarian Views Fail Reality Test

Governor Rick Perry: Big On Prayer, Not So Big On Charity

Mitt Romney Gives Millions To Charity, Most To Mormon Church

Rick Santorum is noticeably absent from their list - feel free to provide a link in the comments to an article that deals with Santorum's charitable habits. Even so, I think that you might find the reading insightful. Reminds me of how the Lord tells us that we will know his followers by their fruit.

The Longest Night

2011-12-21T09:12:00.002-06:00

Tonight is the winter solstice (i.e the longest night). At 7pm tonight I will be briefly sharing about "My Longest Week" with a few folks at a service in Kansas City called "The Longest Night". It is a time where folks that are hurting gather together acknowledging that this is a tough time of the year for them. I will be sharing simple lessons that I learned this summer watching my wife Ann struggle for her life breathing with the help of a ventilator. As I prepared for the service I found myself thinking about this wonderful meditation (posted below), written in 2001 by Rev. Diane Hendricks. As you read it please pray for those who are hurting so much this season.

Longest Night Meditation

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Only it's not.

Not for everyone.

Not when there is an empty chair at the table.
Not when your body is ravaged with illness.
Not when the depression is too much to bear.
Not without her voice joining yours on the Christmas carols.
Not when you feel all alone even in a crowd.
Not when you are not sure you can even afford the rent or mortgage, let alone the presents.
Not when they are trying their best to the best of you.
Not when another Christmas party means he will come home drunk again.

It's the most wonderful time of the year?

No, it's not.

And trying to smile and say Merry Christmas is more than difficult. It's pretty near impossible.

C.S. Lewis once wrote:

"No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning..."

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Only it's not.

Not after he has died.

Not after the doctor gave you the news.
Not after they told you they would be downsizing.
Not after... you fill in the blank.
Not after September 11.
Not when there is so much violence and destruction in the world.

In truth, it has never been the most wonderful time of the year. Certainly not in the days surrounding that first Christmas so long ago. The story of the birth of Jesus is not to be told with a jolly voice and a merry ho-ho-ho.

It is the story of a teenage girl, pregnant with a child that is not her husband's.

It is the story of a child born in a dirty animal stall.

It is the story of a family of refugees who had to flee their homeland so that their child would not be killed.

It is the story of one sent into the world in peace who was condemned to death.

It is the story of a light sent to shine in the darkness, which the world snuffed out.

It is the story of God's never-ending, self-giving mercy which was rejected and condemned.

In the great work the Messiah, Handel quotes the prophet Isaiah, proclaiming that Jesus was "despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." One great theologian reminds us that we cannot come to the manger without acknowledging that it lays in the shadow of the cross.

It is not the most wonderful time of the year.

Only it is! It is:

If we forget about the tinsel and the trees.
If we forget about the holly jolly tidings.
If we forget about the presents and the ornaments and the trappings.

And remember. Remember the story.

Mary was alone and afraid.
But God was with her and exalted her among women.

Joseph was disgraced.
But God revealed in Joseph's cause for disgrace God's plan to save the world.
The world was in darkness.
But God sent the light of life to shine.
The lowly were imprisoned.
But Jesus set them free.
The blind wandered aimlessly.
But Christ gave them eyes to see.
The lame were rejected.
But through the Holy One they were made to leap and dance.
The deaf were confined to the silence.
But the song of life unstopped their ears.
The sorrowful grieved.
But God wipes away our tears.
We were alone.
But in Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God is with us.
The people rejected God.
But God embraces us.
The world crucified Christ.
But God would not allow that to be the last word, and gave us the sure hope of the resurrection.

It is the most wonderful time of the year, not because you have to be cheery and happy and merry.

But because you don't.

You can have heavy spirits and shattered dreams. Broken hearts and deep wounds.

And still God comes to be with you.
To comfort you.
To redeem you.
To save you.
To restore you.
To empower you.
To strengthen you.
To grant you peace.
To be raised for you.
To hold you in the communion of saints with those whom you have loved and lost.
To store your tears in his bottle.
To offer you eternal life.
It is the most wonderful time of the year.
For Christ is born.
Love has come.
God is with us!
Thanks be to the Lord our God.

iPhone or Android? How to decide?

2011-12-20T11:54:00.000-06:00

David Gewirtz weighed in recently in his ZDNet piece titled "How to decide: should you buy an iPhone or an Android phone?" Here are a few things one should consider when deciding between the iPhone or an Android based phone:

4G/LTE: Android phones support very high speed mobile broadband. iPhones don’t.
Physical keyboard: A few Android phones have physical keyboards but the iPhone doesn't.
Voice recognition: Both Apple and Android have voice recognition.
Accessories: If you have adapters and accessories for a platform already, that might be the one you’ll go for.
Familiarity: If you’re upgrading a phone, do you want to stick with an environment you know?
Apps: If you made your choice based on number of apps, the score would be tied.
Customizability: If you want to deeply customize your phone, the choice can only be Android.
Camera: In test after test, the iPhone 4S bested the various cameras in Android phones.

I have heard that Apple nickel-and-dimes iPhone owners when they add apps but do not know if that is true or not. I do know that all of the Android apps that I use is free. After years of struggling with my Palm Pre (not too many apps on that phone) I really like my Android powered phone. I like the seamless interface with the Google email, calendar and contact apps - it is great having the same calendar and contacts on my laptop and my phone.

What has been your experience? In hindsight, do you wish that you bought a different phone?

Dumb Wheelchair Ramps!

2011-12-19T10:58:00.000-06:00

This morning I spent a few minutes trying to share with a new friend what it is like living life with the limitations imposed by a wheelchair. I felt like I was not communicating what it was like very well at all. Perhaps it is something that you have to be involved with on a day to day basis to really understand. Or maybe I need to work on my story. :)

That said, I do think that this image of a wheelchair ramp dead ending into a column tells a bit of a story. You can see more dumb wheelchair ramps here.

Poobahs, Priests, Pastors and Pride

2011-12-18T12:37:00.000-06:00

Lee Grady writes an editorial column for Charisma magazine. One such oped caught my attention a few weeks ago. It is titled "A Message to His Holy Highness the Worshipful Bishop Rev. Dr. Apostle Grand Poobah". Here are a few clips:

I am often asked if I have a title, and my answer doesn’t satisfy some people. I travel a lot, so I don’t consider myself a pastor. All kinds of labels have been pinned on me: Reverend, prophet, apostle … even bishop. Once I was introduced to a church as “Dr. Grady” and I almost crawled under my seat. I only have a college degree. There are no letters after my name. I tell people: “You can call me Lee. Or if you want to sound formal, you can say, ‘Brother Grady.’”
...
Jesus didn’t play this religious game, especially when he was around the Grand Poobahs of His day—the long-robed scribes and Pharisees. After accusing them of loving the best seats in the synagogues, He pointed out that they loved to be called “Rabbi” by men. Then He warned them: “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. … the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted”.
...
When I was in China several years ago, I met some amazing leaders who had planted thousands of congregations. They had also spent a lot of time in jail for their faith, and they’d been beaten with iron rods for preaching the gospel. They were the bravest apostles I’ve ever met. But when I asked them if they used “apostle” as a title, one guy said: “We believe in those roles in the church. But we prefer to call each other ‘brother’ or ‘sister.’”

That settled it for me. A few years later I met Iftakhar, a Pakistani apostle who has oversight of 900 churches. He also has two scars on his arm from gunshots fired by Muslim extremists who have put a price on his head. When I asked him how I should address him, he smiled and said, “Iftakhar.”

If these two giants of the faith—and true apostles—don’t require to be addressed with titles, then Your Worshipful Grand Master Rev. Dr. Bishop Jones (who claims oversight of maybe four churches) shouldn’t wear his ministry role around his neck like a tacky neon name badge.

One of my very first blog posts was one I called "On Rabbis, Monsignors & Pastors". In it, for reasons that Grady elaborated on in this editorial, I asked people to not call me Pastor Bob. As I am retired it is no longer an issue for me but I am still okay if you want to call me Kansas Bob. :)

K Street :: the Rodeo Drive of Influence Peddling

2011-12-17T13:40:00.000-06:00

Congresswoman and presidential wannabe Michele Bachmann recently said this:

"Gingrich has built a multi-million-dollar business from his perch on K Street,
the Rodeo Drive of influence peddling in Washington, D.C."

Got me thinking about the great 60 Minutes episode where Jack Abramoff, a contrite former lobbyist, blasted the Lobbying Industry. Here are a few quotes from his "Capital Punishment" book complements of the Huffington Post ...

"As a lobbyist, I thought it only natural and right that my clients should reward those members who saved them such substantial sums with generous contributions," he writes. "This quid pro quo became one of hallmarks of our lobbying efforts."

He also describes wooing congressional staffers -- particularly chiefs of staff -- with the lure of future employment. "After a number of meetings with them, possibly including meals or rounds of golf, I would say a few magic words: 'When you are done working for the Congressman, you should come work for me at my firm.'

"With that, assuming the staffer had any interest in leaving Capitol Hill for K Street -- and almost 90 percent of them do, I would own him and, consequently, that entire office. No rules had been broken, at least not yet. No one even knew what was happening, but suddenly, every move that staffer made, he made with his future at my firm in mind."

Abramoff points out that he was "not alone in this method" and that "it continues today, unabated by reform campaigns or public ire at the Congress."

Sadly there are few candidates running that are blasting this sort of activity. Says a lot about the systematic corruption that exists in our government. Even Bachmann is supported by and gets mega-bucks from Super PACs.

Larry Crowne | ★★★★★★★

2011-12-16T16:19:00.002-06:00

Ann and I watched this fun romantic comedy this week and much enjoyed it. There was no spectacular message and no thrilling twists - maybe that is what I liked about it. At the heart of it was the story of two people (played nicely by Hanks and Roberts) struggling to work through problems and reinvent themselves. I think that some 50 somethings might be able to relate to them and be inspired a bit. I particularly found Larry's story engaging as we watch him (a retired Navy vet) be "downsized" from a big box store because he did not have a college degree. I thought that Larry modeled class and integrity in the way that he met his new challenges and also the way that he interacted with a hurting and wounded love interest. I recommend it to you especially if you are looking for a romantic comedy. On a scale of ten I give it ★★★★★★★.

Access my movie reviews webpage by clicking on "Movie Reviews" above.

What a difference a few days makes!

2011-12-15T08:26:00.000-06:00

This banner was seen a few days before the Chiefs owner, Clark Hunt, and General Manager, Scott Pioli, took action and fired head coach Todd Haley. It serves as a reminder that things and people can change in a very short time. Consider these gems about the nature of change from people of note:

Change before you have to. -Jack Welch

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. -Anatole France

Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have. -Margaret Mead

Always remember that the future comes one day at a time. -Dean Acheson

Christians are supposed not merely to endure change, nor even to profit by it, but to cause it. -Harry Emerson Fosdick

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. -Leo Tolstoy

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. -Maya Angelou

It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad. -C. S. Lewis

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. -Reinhold Niebuhr

Is it really possible to make Congress work?

2011-12-14T10:25:00.000-06:00

These days it seems that a new "movement" (grass roots and otherwise) pops up a few times a year. The Tea Party rose up a few years ago and have (for the most part anyways) given us the high level of congressional dysfunction we see in DC today. Other "movements" like the Coffee Party and Occupy Wall Street have arisen with more moderate and left leaning messages - if there is really a message in such "movements".

Today I once again became aware of the No Labels "movement". I like some of their ideas but am doubtful that they will go anywhere. Here are a few of them that supposedly will "Make Congress Work":

No Budget, No Pay
If Congress can't make spending and budget decisions on time, they shouldn't get paid on time either.
Fix the Filibuster
Require real (not virtual) filibusters, end filibusters on "Motions to Proceed" and allow more issues to be debated and voted on
Empower the Sensible Majority
If a bipartisan majority wants to get something done, they shouldn't be held back by party leaders who prefer to organize Congress into warring clans.
Make Members Come to Work
Most Americans put in a five-day workweek. So should Congress.
Bipartisan Leadership Committee
Republican and Democratic leaders have allowed virtually every meeting to turn into a partisan pep rally.

There are twelve of these in all. I suggest that you check them out at the No Labels website.

Not sure what you think but I am appalled by the dysfunction in Congress. Thinking about how they profit from insider trading information and lobbyist money makes me ill. Looking at this list reminds me of how pitiful these slackers really are. I mean really! They need new rules to tell them to work five days? Give me a break!

I do not think that it is possible to make these fools work. The system is broken. What do you think?

Laptop Battery Quiz!

2011-12-13T18:27:00.001-06:00

According to ZDnet which one of these top five rated laptops got the best battery performance? The times, measured by the ZDNet video playback battery drain test, were 418, 421, 425, 442 and 513 minutes. Here are the laptop names in alphabetical order. Which do you think won - a PC or a Mac?

HP Pavilion dv7
Lenovo ThinkPad
MacBook Pro 13" model
MacBook Pro 15" model
Toshiba Portege R835-P70

Answer is in the comments. Extra credit if you get the one that came in second. :)

Are Evangelicals Warmongers?

2011-12-13T06:46:00.000-06:00

I came across a post on Chuck Baldwin's blog where he asks the same question that I have proposed in the title of this post. Consider a few things that he has to say on the subject:

I do think it is more than fair to say that, historically, Christians have always attempted to be–and have always publicly taught the importance of being–peacemakers. Historically, Christians have preached–and tried to practice–love and brotherhood.
...
The vast majority of Christian believers understood the Biblical, Natural Law principle of self-defense. But believing in the right of lawful, God-ordained self-defense was never to be confused with warmongering.
...
The biggest cheerleaders for the unprovoked, unconstitutional, pre-emptive attack and invasion of Iraq were evangelical Christians. Ditto for the war in Afghanistan, the bombing of Libya, the attacks in Yemen, etc. Who is calling for the bombing of Iran? Evangelical Christians.
...
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but more Christians have been persecuted under the US-imposed regime in Iraq than were ever persecuted when Saddam Hussein was in power. Oh! And don’t forget that it was the US government that was responsible for putting Saddam Hussein in power to begin with.
...
I never thought I would hear myself say what I’m about to say, but the truth is, the term “Christian” today means anything but Christ-like. To many people today, “Christian” refers to some warmongering, mean-spirited, throw-anyone-to-the-wolves-who-crosses-them person, who then has the audacity to look down their nose in contempt against anyone who disagrees with them for even the smallest reason.

You can read Chuck's post in full here. I think that he poses some great questions for Christians to consider in it.

I am not a dove or hawk in these matters. I think that sometimes a country needs to be involved in wars like the first two world wars. And sometimes wars need to be fought to gain independence or to insure the rights of the helpless. On the flip side I am very uncomfortable with the way that our country has waged the "war on terror" because of the rationalizations and faulty justifications that have been used to invade countries.

How about you? Are you uncomfortable with warmongering? I am.

Water for Elephants | ★★★★★★★★

2011-12-12T09:21:00.000-06:00

Every once in a while a movie comes along that takes us back to a former time when American life was so different. This movie paints such a story as it takes us to a depression era circus where a young grieving man is taken in and finds purpose in the midst of chaos and dysfunction.

The tagline "Life is the most spectacular show on earth" speaks to the heart of the story line. I think that the story is revealed in these things that Jacob, the hero of the story, says.

I don't know if I picked that circus.
But something told me that circus picked me.
You're a beautiful woman, you deserve a beautiful life. Nothing less.
I'm not running away, I'm coming home.

The story spoke to me about the cost of having courage of conviction and how kindness can overpower brute force. I recommend this movie to you and, on a scale of ten, I give it ★★★★★★★★.

On Living Simply ...

2011-12-11T18:30:00.001-06:00

These five simple rules are beautiful reminders that real happiness is within our grasp. For me these all are a part of what it means to walk by faith. Consider a few of my thoughts on these rules listed in the image:

Hatred and ill feelings can so take hold of us when we fixate on our pain, trials and disappointments. Being free from such is but a simple prayer away.
Worry and fear have held me in bondage when I allow my senses to rule me. When I trust the Lord with my heart I am set free from such captivity.
I think that humility lies at the heart of living simply. My life gets so complicated when I become full of myself and walk in pride. I am really not that great.
Living the life of an accountant has never produced lasting joy in my life. I have learned that generosity is so good for my soul and often the path to blessing.
Uncommunicated expectations always get me in trouble. Better to always simply communicate your expectations to others. Expect nothing if you do not.

On that last point it is wise to note that there are no guarantees in life regardless of what your expectations are.
Always take the time to love. If you do not have time to love then I suspect you need to simplify your life.

Do you stop or pass by those red kettles?

2011-12-10T08:40:00.001-06:00

Heard a great story this morning of a Salvation Army kettle donation in a Kansas City suburb. A Shawnee, Kansas collection center was surprised to find a solitary diamond had been dropped into a red kettle located at a Walmart store. The diamond was assessed by a jeweler and valued around two thousand bucks. Inspires me to make sure to stop at those red kettles and make a donation.

How about you? Do you stop or pass by those red kettles?

Buddy Roemer's Friday Tweets

2011-12-10T02:06:00.000-06:00

Thought I might share a few of Buddy's tweets from yesterday ...

I'm learning that becoming president is not always about experience and ideas. It's about money, fame and momentum.

Washington is bought and sold like a sack of potatoes.

We are a representative democracy where gov't must be held accountable by the people. America, corp $ owns your politicians!

My biggest beef is with Super PAC's because they allow unlimited corporate campaign contributions. They should be illegal.

If corporations are people, I can't wait for the day they draft them and send them off to war instead of our young men and women.

At the center of our gov't lies a bankrupt institution: Congress. Not financially bankrupt, but politically bankrupt.

Congress spends between 30%-70% of their time raising money. They don't govern, they grovel. They don't lead, they collect.

Why is CEO of GE (a major offshorer of US jobs) top advisor to current US Jobs Bill? Any surprise that GE also top 2008 campaign donor?

Pundits Weigh in on Newt Gingrich

2011-12-09T17:44:00.001-06:00

A few select recent quotes from conservative journalists ...

“He would severely damage conservatism and the Republican Party if nominated. -David Brooks

“He is a human hand grenade who walks around with his hand on the pin, saying, “Watch this!”” -Peggy Noonan

“There is almost an artistic vulgarity in Gingrich’s unrepentant role as a hired larynx for interests profiting from such government follies as ethanol and cheap mortgages.” -George Will

Are Evangelicals are Playing the Faith Card?

2011-12-09T08:16:00.001-06:00

Has anyone seen Rick Perry's recent television advertisement where he speaks of President Obama's "war on religion". It is an interesting video where candidate Perry begins by saying "I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian". Reminded me of the evangelical pastor, and Rick Perry supporter, who told the press that Mitt Romney is not a Christian because Mormonism is a cult.

Got me to thinking about the many conversations I have had about Jon Huntsman, another Mormon candidate, and how my evangelical friends avow that they could not vote for him because they believe him to be a moderate even though the evidence say that he is a conservative.

A few years ago a blogging friend told me that they could not vote for a Mormon because they believed that all Mormons are deceived. I have come to believe that this is the case for a very large percentage of Evangelical Christians who will not vote for any Mormon regardless of how qualified or conservative the candidate is. Along with Rick Perry these voters are playing the faith card but refuse to admit that they are. I wish that they would.

Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves

2011-12-08T09:21:00.001-06:00

With the winter coming I thought that you might be interested in this Christmas gift. With these gloves you'll be able to answer a call or send a text on your iPhone, iPad or Android device without exposing your fingers to the cold.

Purchase this stocking stuffer for about $34(US) here.

Caption This One!

2011-12-07T17:45:00.001-06:00

Coffee, Lattes and Cholesterol

2011-12-07T07:58:00.001-06:00

Much has been made in recent years of the positive and negatives effects of drinking coffee. However there is something I did not know about coffee that is discussed in an article by Dr. Rob van Dam, Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. Here is a clip from it:

Coffee contains a substance called cafestol that is a potent stimulator of LDL cholesterol levels. Cafestol is found in the oily fraction of coffee, and when you brew coffee with a paper filter, the cafestol gets left behind in the filter. Other methods of coffee preparation, such as the boiled coffee common in Scandinavian countries, French press coffee, or Turkish coffee, are much higher in cafestol. So for people who have high cholesterol levels or who want to prevent having high cholesterol levels, it is better to choose paper filtered coffee or instant coffee, since they have much lower levels of cafestol than boiled or French press coffee. Espresso is somewhere in the middle; it has less cafestol than boiled or French press coffee, but more than paper filtered coffee.

Interesting how a simple paper filter makes all the difference between a drink that raises your cholesterol levels and one that does not. Makes you think about those French Press brewers (pictured) and the espresso makers used to produce lattes and cappuccinos. Something to ponder while you wait in line at your neighborhood Starbucks.

Anybody really care about slower Snail Mail?

2011-12-06T09:20:00.001-06:00

The Post Office announced yesterday that next-day mail may soon be a thing of the past. Here are a few clips from a Reuters article titled "U.S. Postal Service seeks to end next-day mail":

The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service on Monday moved forward with plans to end next-day delivery of letters, postcards and other First Class mail. In a notice filed with its regulator, it also sought approval to close more than half of its 461 processing facilities that have been critical for next-day delivery.
...
U.S. Postal Service (USPS), which does not receive any tax payer money and relies solely on the sale of postage and other products to fund its operations, sees reducing its network of post offices and processing plants as crucial as consumers increasingly pay bills online and correspond by email.

"The fact of the matter is our network is too big. We've got more capacity in our network than we can afford," David Williams, USPS vice president for network operations, told reporters on Monday.

"More importantly, we've got to set our network up so that when volume continues to drop, our network is nimble and flexible enough to respond to those volume losses."

I am glad that the USPS is making these adjustments. Delayed delivery does not concern me at all with one exception - Netflix. Once these changes are implemented I will most likely either cancel my Netflix account or try the streaming service again. Other than that I cannot even imagine how the changes will affect me. Maybe I will have to drive further the one or two times a year I visit the post office? Will the changes affect you? Do you care about the changes?

Is Newt really a Conservative?

2011-12-05T09:48:00.001-06:00

Many Republicans are embracing Newt Gingrich as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney in this primary season. In answer to those people conservative researcher Steve Baldwin cites the following:

"Newt Gingrich is a political chameleon that has inexplicably managed to fool conservatives for 30 years. He is a globalist to the bone and supports every opportunity to erode American sovereignty and the constitution. He disguises his statist positions with an abundance of flip-flopping and pandering as needed. He has a long history of expanding the Federal Government and deficit spending. He is the very definition of an Establishment Insider."

Here are a few examples that Baldwin cites to support his position:

Voted for NAFTA, a blatant circumvention of Congress’ exclusive power to regulate commerce with foreign nations.
Supported the National Endowment for the Arts.
Voted for the creation of the Federal Dept. of Education in 1979 under Jimmy Carter.
In one year (1994-1995) Gingrich voted for nearly $45 billion in foreign aid.
He’s a paid lobbyist for Federal ethanol subsidies.
Supported spending $30B for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 that shackled gun owners with new restrictions, federalized a number of crimes, and handed the feds police powers that the Constitution reserves to the states.
Voted to give billions of dollars to United Nations “peacekeeping” operations.
He cheated on one of his wives while she was suffering from cancer, delivered divorce papers to her in the hospital.
He blames his infidelity to multiple wives on his passion for the country.
He was paid $300,000 by Freddie Mac to halt Congress from bringing necessary reform.

There are many other examples cited in the post - read more here. I am obviously not a fan of Newt and think that he is no more of a conservative than Romney is. What do you think? Is Newt really a conservative?

Country Strong | ★★

2011-12-03T14:14:00.001-06:00

Not sure how this movie got on my Netflix queue. Perhaps someone who enjoys melodramatic bad-acted movies just because a few country songs are sung got hold of my password? I sincerely wish that I had not wasted 117 minutes of my life watching the video version of it.

For starters the plot was really lame. I thought that it pandered to the people who always vote for the country artists on American Idol even when they are out-sung by others. Gwyneth Paltrow was horribly campy in the lead role and Tim McGraw was wooden at best.

If there is a redeeming value to the movie it might be the message that one should not place their career above the well being of themselves and their family. On a scale of ten I give it ★★.

Access my movie reviews webpage by clicking on "Movie Reviews" above.

Should Tim Tebow be Silent?

2011-12-03T11:04:00.001-06:00

I love how so many people are talking about how Tim Tebow acknowledges God on the football field. I love how his actions make some feel uncomfortable. I think that it is great how some even feel a need to mock him. It reminds me of what the Apostle Paul once wrote to the Philippians:

"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice."

I love Tim's comments to ESPN in this news clip and I rejoice that he is bringing attention to Christ in this wonderful season of Christmas. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season. :)

What do you think about Tim's bold actions?

Should Tim Tebow keep quiet?

Why even have a password?

2011-12-02T12:18:00.001-06:00

Following is Time Magazine's "25 Most Popular (and Worst) Passwords of 2011". Hard to believe that people even bother to enter this sort of nonsense - no offence intended. :)

password
123456
12345678
qwerty
abc123
monkey
1234567
letmein
trustno1
dragon
baseball
111111
iloveyou
master
sunshine
ashley
bailey
passw0rd
shadow
123123
654321
superman
qazwsx
michael
Football

If you find your password on this list I suggest that you learn how to create strong passwords or perhaps use a password manager like LastPass. You might thank me some day if you do. :)

Churchill Wit

2011-12-01T10:21:00.001-06:00

Whenever I read the things that Winston Churchill once said I see a man of great wit. Consider the evidence ...

"I have never developed indigestion from eating my words."

"I'm just preparing my impromptu remarks."

"If you're going through hell, keep going."

"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

"Although prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it be postponed."

Lady: If I were your wife, I would give you poison.
Churchill: Madam, if I were your husband, I would take it!

"We are masters of the unsaid words, but slaves of those we let slip out."

"We are all worms. But I believe that I am a glow-worm."

"I like a man who grins when he fights."

"Never hold discussions with the monkey when the organ grinder is in the room."

"I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."

GB Shaw: "I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend.... if you have one."
Churchill: "Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second.... if there is one."

The Unknown Unpopular Conservative Candidate

2011-11-30T08:30:00.001-06:00

In his latest Politico post, titled "Who is the real RINO?", Joe Scarborough poses twenty multiple choice questions where you can choose between Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman to answer the questions. His answer to the title question about who is not a RINO becomes fairly obvious as he ends with these questions.

Which candidate is the only GOP presidential contender to come out in full support of the Ryan plan?
Which candidate was ranked by Cato Institute in 2008 one of the most fiscally conservative governors in America?
Which candidate was cited by the Pew Center for running the “best-managed” state, hailed by Forbes magazine as the “most fiscally fit” and ranked first in the country for job creation?
Whose economic plan does The Wall Street Journal consider the most impressive and conservative of the Republican presidential field?
The American Conservative wrote this about which GOP candidate, “For the past two decades a ‘moderate’ Republican was one who didn’t generally side with his party on three issues: taxes, guns and abortion. [This candidate’s] record on those isn’t just to the right of the moderates. It is to the right of most conservatives”?
Which candidate was praised in a Club for Growth report for reforming health care with “no individual mandate, no employer mandate and no provision for a massive expansion of subsidized care unlike Obamacare or Romney’s plan”?

Perhaps Joe does not understand that it is not Forbes, the American Conservative, the Cato Institute, the Pew Center or the Wall Street Journal who defines what a conservative is and which candidates are RINOs. Everyone know that it is squawk radio hosts and cable TV celebrities that define these terms. Duh!!

Who is Buddy Roemer?

2011-11-29T09:52:00.001-06:00

I was surprised this morning to learn that this man is running for president. It speaks to how a former governor and congressman can be excluded by the powers that be in the Republican Party. Here are a few of his quips:

"Washington works for the 1%.
DC gives tax breaks to corps that send jobs overseas;
lets top campaign contributors write policy."

"We've Become a Government of Big Checks"

"Occupy Is Fighting Against Corruption"
If you want to find more about Buddy check out his website or follow him on Twitter here. He might surprise you!

Did you know that Buddy is running for president?

Is Warehouse Shopping a Scam?

2011-11-28T17:03:00.001-06:00

When I was younger and shopped for a family of four these kind of places seemed like a good idea. Then I started comparing them to Walmart prices and found them lacking. I checked one of them out this afternoon and my mind was not changed.. especially when the membership is over $50.

Do you warehouse shop? If so, what do you like about it?

Preventing Cyber Monday Identity Theft

2011-11-28T10:28:00.001-06:00

Sadly this is a time of the year that identity thieves prey on folks making purchases online. So on this day called Cyber Monday I give you the following checklist with complements of the folks at ProtectMyID.com and ConsumerInfo.com:

Don't access secure websites, such as online banking, from shared computers or in public.
Use the privacy settings on social networking sites to ensure you're only sharing information with those you trust.
Only provide your Social Security number when necessary, such as for employment, tax forms or bank records.
Be careful opening files, links, emails, etc. from unknown sources or from a friend's account that may have been hacked.
Check the security of online stores before you purchase.
Shred all sensitive information before throwing in the trash
When sharing personal information with certain professionals, such as tax preparers or mortgage lenders, be sure to choose companies you trust.

Ann and I will probably do a bit of online shopping this season. How about you?

Does God need a Lobbyist?

2011-11-27T08:41:00.001-06:00

Many of us in the religious sector decry the systematic abuses of lobbyists in Washington, DC. With that backdrop I read with interest a post titled Lobbying for the Faithful. Here are a few interesting bits from it:

"The number of organizations engaged in religious lobbying or religion-related advocacy in Washington, D.C., has increased roughly fivefold in the past four decades, from fewer than 40 in 1970 to more than 200 today."
...
"Efforts by religious groups to influence U.S. public policy are a multimillion-dollar endeavor, with combined annual expenditures conservatively estimated at more than $390 million."

Do you think that religious folks should be using lobbyists and spending millions of dollars trying to influence public policy. I have my doubts.

Happy Bottoms

2011-11-26T08:55:00.001-06:00

I am always amazed by the creative and imaginative ways that people find to help folks who are struggling and in need. Consider this clip from the Happy Bottoms website:

Imagine choosing between diapers or paying your electric bill. Or putting gas in your car. Tough choice, right? Now imagine making that decision every day. Chances are you won’t face this scenario, but it’s a common one for low-income families.

We hope to alleviate situations like these by holding diaper donation drives throughout Kansas City, and we ask you to join us. Whether you’re donating or sponsoring a drive, it’s a simple, easy process that supports a basic need – and makes a big difference in children’s lives.

The need is so great because federal programs like food stamps do not help with this basic need. I plan to check Happy Bottoms out further and see how I can help. Does your town have a group that helps in this area?

Made in Dagenham | ★★★★★★★

2011-11-25T13:34:00.001-06:00

I think that the Occupy Wall Street protests could take a cue from this 2010 flick that tells the story of a 1968 labor strike initiated by hundreds of women who rebelled against discrimination and demanded the same pay as men for their work in a Ford manufacturing plant in London. Here are a few pointers the OWS could learn from these passionate women:

1) A great cause requires a great leader. In the film the amazing Rita O'Grady (played by Sally Hawkins) rises from obscurity and defeats a gigantic auto maker. It is a great David and Goliath story.

2) You have to know what you are protesting about. Equal pay for equal work was uncommon in the 60s but these women knew they were in the right.

3) You need the support of others. At first the men were not on the women's side because the strike was negatively affecting their jobs. Things changed when the men changed. Shared sacrifice was essential to succeed.

I enjoyed the film and its message. On a scale of ten I give it ★★★★★★★.

Interesting to note that some think that women's pay may overtake men's pay by 2020. Do you think it will?

FYI: Access my new movie reviews web page by clicking on "Movie Reviews" in the navigation bar above.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T05:05:00.000-06:00

In honor of the day I am giving thanks for our troops and for you.

- Have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving -

Occupy Black Friday?

2011-11-23T10:59:00.001-06:00

Saw this image on the Occupy KC website along with a few videos of folks being trampled trying to get into stores and score deals on Black Friday (i.e. the day after Thanksgiving). Also saw a few clips on TV of folks camping out at Best Buy and Target waiting for the great deals on that day. Seems like a bit of insanity just to score a few hundred bucks off a big screen television.

Guess Black Friday has never been much of an attraction for me.

How about you? Are you planning to get to a store before the sun comes up?

Gas in KC :: Barely Below $3

2011-11-22T16:02:00.000-06:00

Glad to see gas in our area dropping.

How much does gas cost where you live?

Crony Capitalism: Socialism for Tycoons

2011-11-22T10:27:00.001-06:00

Many of my libertarian and conservative friends often regale the virtues of capitalism and free markets. Some of them however understand that much of what our system looks like these days is an example Crony Capitalism. Here is how Wikipedia defines it:

Crony capitalism is a term describing a capitalist economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, and so forth.

Nicholas D. Kristof shares this about it in his New York Times opinion piece titled "Crony Capitalism Comes Home".
Here are a few of his thoughts:

I’m as passionate a believer in capitalism as anyone. My Krzysztofowicz cousins (who didn’t shorten the family name) lived in Poland, and their experience with Communism taught me that the way to raise living standards is capitalism. But, in recent years, some financiers have chosen to live in a government-backed featherbed. Their platform seems to be socialism for tycoons and capitalism for the rest of us.
...
Capitalism is so successful an economic system partly because of an internal discipline that allows for loss and even bankruptcy. It’s the possibility of failure that creates the opportunity for triumph. Yet many of America’s major banks are too big to fail, so they can privatize profits while socializing risk.

The upshot is that financial institutions boost leverage in search of supersize profits and bonuses. Banks pretend that risk is eliminated because it’s securitized. Rating agencies accept money to issue an imprimatur that turns out to be meaningless. The system teeters, and then the taxpayer rushes in to bail bankers out. Where’s the accountability?

The lack of accountability in Crony Capitalism is troubling. The lawmakers in DC do not seem to have it. The executives in Corporate America do not want it. And the rest of us seem powerless. Small wonder that some feel a need to protest.

On Education and Learning ...

2011-11-21T09:22:00.001-06:00

In light of this interesting chart I thought that I might share a few thoughts from educated folks on the topic ...

"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education." -Albert Einstein

"Everybody who is incapable of learning has taken to teaching." -Oscar Wilde

"No man ever prayed heartily without learning something." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"We do not learn; and what we call learning is only a process of recollection." -Plato

"The only things worth learning are the things you learn after you know it all." -Harry S. Truman

I tend to agree with Einstein's sentiment about education and learning. What do you think?

America is 83% Religious

2011-11-20T15:27:00.001-06:00

To listen to many folks these days one might think that there is an onslaught invasion by a massive anti-God army in America taking place. This USA Today Faith Topography seems to indicate otherwise. I guess many atheists are outspoken causing them to seem to be large in number while many religious people exercise a faith that is a bit quieter.

Feel free to check out the faith topography of your state here.

Stress Test | Not the Treadmill Type

2011-11-19T10:04:00.001-06:00

Yes, I have had several treadmill stress tests that have evidenced a healthy heart. I take them because my cholesterol levels run a bit high. But that is not what this post is about. It is about the other kind of stress - sometimes I forget that stress is something that I can do something about. Consider this excerpt from Kim Allen's post Storm Warning ...

When did we forget that stress is the body's way of warning us something is out of kilter? Take this short 'stress test' if you're still not sure it's time to stop all the talking and do something about it.

Low stress levels

I feel well
I am able to relax
Physical recreation brings me pleasure
Increasing pressure enhances my performance
My thinking is clear and I learn easily
I am able to say "No"
Others see me as adaptable & approachable
Others see me as energized and successful

Moderate stress levels

I feel driven, hyperactive, and restless
I tend to make snap decisions but with errors
I feel over-burdened but can still say "No"
I often feel tired but am taking steps to recover
I often try to squeeze a few extra drops out of my performance
Discipline, fitness, social pressure & stimulants play a greater role in my ability to perform
My sleep is just about adequate
Others see me as tired yet successful

High stress levels

I often loose perspective
I feel irritable & on edge
I complain and grumble regularly
I work longer hours but get less done
My home/work balance is suffering
I have repeated minor ailments, aches and pains
I don't think as clearly as I used to
I have sleep problems
I feel like I'm operating in survival mode

Now don't get stressed out about stress! Events and situations (the traffic, the deadlines, the bills, etc.), don't cause the damage; our negative reaction to these events –how we feel –do. And how we react is something we can change.

The Values Debate

2011-11-18T08:02:00.001-06:00

Richard Cizik was the vice president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals from 1998 to 2008. He left that group and started the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good. He understands the political issues relevant to evangelical voters at a very detailed level. So I was interested in his Washington Post editorial titled "The values debate we’re not having". Here are a few clips from it:

As an evangelical Christian who believes the Republican Party does not have a monopoly on moral values, I believe this discussion is long overdue. The “compassionate conservatism” espoused by President George W. Bush and many prominent evangelical leaders has been supplanted by a Tea Party ideology that bears more resemblance to the anti-Christian philosophy of Ayn Rand than it does to the Gospel.

Whether the Christian duty to love our neighbors is compatible with a political movement that embraces radical individualism and rejects the ethic of collective responsibility is a central question as the GOP attempts to cement the Tea Party and the religious right into a cohesive base. Tea Party activists and Republican leaders have consistently targeted for cutbacks vital government programs that protect the poor, the elderly, children and other vulnerable Americans. Yet calls for shared sacrifice and proposals to modestly raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans in order to fund investments and protections that promote the common good are derided as “class warfare.” This is what passes for family values?
...
At a time when our nation is plagued by the worst poverty rates in decades, religious leaders are not buying this narrow ideological agenda. In fact, evangelicals, Catholic bishops and Protestant leaders are leading a “Circle of Protection” campaign to defend government programs that provide a basic measure of dignity and security to those struggling to make ends meet. We are also urging a balanced approach to deficit reduction that doesn’t put the greatest burden on those hit hardest by the economic crisis.

I suggest you read the rest of the article here. And if you are one who says that the government should not be involved in the welfare of the poorest I suggest that you point me to religious institutions (i.e. churches, mosques and synagogues) that spend more money on the poor than they do on brick, mortar and salaries. They may be out there but most of these institutions look more like fraternal organizations than advocates for the poorest amongst us.

Ancient Sounds

2011-11-17T17:23:00.001-06:00

Well maybe not really ancient but these sounds from the folks at Mental Floss bring back a lot memories.
Here is the list in short of "11 Sounds That Your Kids Have Probably Never Heard":

Rotary Dial Phone
Manual Typewriter
Coffee Percolator
Flash Cube
TV Channel Selector
Record Changer
Gas Station Driveway Bell
TV Station Sign-Off
Cash Register
Film Projector
Broken Record

Any of those bring back memories? I suggest that you check out the entire post, replete with videos, here.

What is an Abundant Life?

2011-11-17T10:28:00.001-06:00

Last week in our small group we read and talked about John 10 where Jesus speaks of a life filled with abundance. Our leader asked us what the words "abundant life" meant to us. Each shared a different perspective. Some mentioned experiencing life with your heart and others talked about having a life described as a cup that is filled to over flowing. I mentioned a life that is filled with the fruit of God's spirit (i.e. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). What do you think of when you hear the words "abundant life"?

The Inequality Map

2011-11-16T10:31:00.001-06:00

I am a big fan of David Brooks and find his writings to be interesting and thought provoking. Such is the case with his most recent NY Times editorial titled The Inequality Map. In it he writes about inequality that is acceptable and inequality that is not. Here is a clip that speaks to his point:

Fitness inequality is acceptable. It is perfectly fine to wear tight workout sweats to show the world that pilates have given you buns of steel. These sorts of displays are welcomed as evidence of your commendable self-discipline and reproductive merit.

Moral fitness inequality is unacceptable. It is out of bounds to boast of your superior chastity, integrity, honor or honesty. Instead, one must respect the fact that we are all morally equal, though our behavior and ethical tastes may differ.

He goes on to sarcastically speak of inequality in the realms of academia, ancestry, church, sports, income, spending, technology and other areas. I particularly like this example of inequality:

Travel inequality is acceptable. It is perfectly normal to have separate check-in lines and boarding procedures for airline patrons who have achieved Gold, Platinum, Double Ruby or Sun God status.

I think that you will find the whole piece interesting especially if you enjoy a bit of a sarcastic approach to this kind of topic. I recommend that you read it here and let me know if you have a favorite inequality line.

Institutionalized Congressional Corruption Revulsion

2011-11-15T10:59:00.001-06:00

The 60 Minutes episode titled "Congress: Trading stock on inside information?" is one of the most troubling things that I have ever watched. Here are a few telling clips from the transcript:

Most former congressmen and senators manage to leave Washington - if they ever leave Washington - with more money in their pockets than they had when they arrived, and as you are about to see, the biggest challenge is often avoiding temptation.
...
Schweizer says he wanted to know why some congressmen and senators managed to accumulate significant wealth beyond their salaries, and proved particularly adept at buying and selling stocks.
...
There are all sorts of forms of honest grafts that congressmen engage in that allow them to become very, very wealthy. So it's not illegal, but I think it's highly unethical, I think it's highly offensive, and wrong.

You would do well to watch the 15 minute installment at the 60 minutes webpage here. If you do please let me know if you came away with as much revulsion for our lawmakers as I did.

Facebook as Evidence in a Divorce

2011-11-14T17:44:00.001-06:00

Sometimes it is even heard to believe the headlines these days. Such was the case when I read a ZDNet post titled "Couple ordered to swap Facebook passwords in divorce case". Here are a few clips from it:

New London District Superior Court Judge Kenneth Shluger recently ordered a divorcing couple to hand over their “Facebook and dating website passwords” to each other’s lawyers.
...
Interestingly, the ruling forces both parties to violate Facebook’s terms of service.
...
The issue was first raised when Stephen found some information on the couple’s computer regarding her feelings toward their children and her ability to take care of them, according to Forbes.
...
Courtney initially refused, but on her own lawyer’s advice, she eventually handed over the passwords. She then reportedly texted a friend and asked him or her to change said passwords and delete some of her messages. Since the destruction of evidence is illegal, Traystman went to the judge and asked him to issue an injunction, so that she would not delete be able to delete any further material and so the attorneys could exchange passwords for both spouses.
...
As I’ve reported in the past, the evidence from social networking sites is becoming more and more useful in lawsuits and divorces.

You can read more of the story here. Had not really thought of all of the implications that social networking sites like Facebook could present when a marriage goes south. Wonder how much things like this happen?

The Company Men | ★★★

2011-11-13T08:47:00.001-06:00

This movie was billed as one of the best of the year. It was not and maybe that is it's subtle message. The movie tries to mirror the angst in modern day America where fat cat executives get richer as they lay off their employees.

The movie begins when a junior exec, played by Ben Affleck, is laid off with others as his company downsizes. The separation package includes twelve weeks of severance and six months of help finding a job. Things get bad as he goes through the grieving process and eventually is forced to eat a slice of humble pie and work as a laborer for his brother-in-law. That worked but I thought that his eventual job ending was pretty unrealistic.

In some ways the movie was thoughtful and got me thinking about the year after I was laid off and looking for work. Even so the story came across as more of a caricature rather than reality because of how the main character is a junior fat-cat himself who made big bucks, drove an expensive car and lived way above his means. It was simply hard to feel sorry for someone who seemed so detached from reality. The movie would have worked better if the character was an assembly line worker for that same company.

So despite a wealth of great actors I cannot give this one high marks. On a scale of ten I give this movie ★★★.

FYI: Access my new movie reviews web page by clicking on "Movie Reviews" in the navigation bar above.

What it means to Let Go

2011-11-12T06:44:00.000-06:00

To “LET GO” is not to deny, but to accept.

To “LET GO” is not to cut myself off, it’s the realization I can’t control another.

To “LET GO” is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To “LET GO” is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.

To “LET GO” is to fear less and love more.

To “LET GO” is not to judge, but allow another to be a human being.

To “LET GO” is not to care for, but to care about.

To “LET GO” is not to be protective, it’s to permit another to face reality.

To “LET GO” is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To “LET GO” is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To “LET GO” is not to try to change or blame another, it’s to make the most of myself.

To “LET GO” does not mean to stop caring, it means I can’t do it for someone else.

To “LET GO” is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To “LET GO” is not to nag, scold, or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To “LET GO” is not to criticize and regulate anybody, but to try and become what I can be.

To “LET GO” is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it comes, and cherish myself in it.

..complements of Barbara.. one of my favorite bloggers.

Happy Onesday

2011-11-11T13:35:00.001-06:00

The
Donut
is on me!

An Aging Veterans Prayer

2011-11-11T06:46:00.000-06:00

"America i loved you in my youth,with all my heart and soul....
And i still believe in what you stand for,now that i have grown grey and old.

We live in a republic where freedom of speech, justice,liberty and equality for all, are the mortar, brick,foundation and cornerstone of our great democracy.

Precious guidlines and undeniable truths that our founding fathers weaved and express so eloquently in the U.S.CONSTITUTION.

Principles to strive for and live by not for just the present moment,but for a lifetime.Every second, minute,hour and day of each and every passing year.

Our past and present veterans blood was shed and flesh was torn on foreign battle fields in defense of these shining truths and principles so others should remain free.

So please keep us vets in your heart felt thoughts and prayers for we are growing old,you see.

Liberty and freedom comes at a high cost and is never really free,For without the sacrifice of our brave armed forces there would be no liberty.

So,always remember the one's who fell in combat and the aging veterans who still remain... and when you meet and greet them tell them their heroic efforts in defense of freedom and liberty were not fought in vain."

Copyright Joseph P. Martino 2005

Misplaced Allegiance

2011-11-10T14:35:00.001-06:00

The big story this week about how child abuse was overlooked by management at Penn State reminds me of how people sometimes misplace their responsibility to the helpless for a perverted allegiance to people in power. It gets me to wondering how many people misplace national, political and religious allegiances. Sadly responsibility and integrity is often sacrificed on the altar of allegiance to undeserving people.
Can you think of any examples from this week's news?

The Anyone but Romney Candidates

2011-11-10T07:02:00.001-06:00

Conservative blogger Erick Erickson over at RedState.com is frustrated with the race for the GOP presidency. Here are a few clips about the candidates Erick feels can win next year from his recent post titled "Perry, Gingrich, Cain, and Huntsman. Oh My."

Rick Perry: He just has to improve his debating skills and figure out how to reconcile his immigration views with the base (not easily done).
Herman Cain: I do not know that he can improve his image with women quickly enough.
Newt Gingrich: Throughout his long career, has a habit of shooting himself and others in the foot and I sometimes get the impression that Gingrich, like George W. Bush before him, thinks conservatism is what he says it is and not what it actually is.
Jon Huntsman: I still find it shocking that the guy running as the liberal in the race, or at least the media accepted moderate, came up withe boldest, most conservative economic plan. His deficit reduction plan alone makes all the others look weak.

Suggest that you read all of Erickson's piece here. He elaborates further on why he likes these candidates and why he thinks they can beat Obama next year and why he believes that Mitt Romney can not.

What Earthquake?

2011-11-09T17:58:00.001-06:00

Seeing this funny pic on Facebook reminded me that folks on the first and third floors of my building said that they felt some shaking from the Oklahoma earthquake last Saturday night. We are on the second floor and felt nothing. I wonder why?

Atheists have Commandments?

2011-11-09T08:32:00.000-06:00

Magician and atheist Penn Gillette recently listed his version of the ten commandments. You can find the list here. Following is my take (in italics) on the first two commands on his list:

"The highest ideals are human intelligence, creativity and love. Respect these above all."

The longer I live the more I understand how love really trumps everything else. I think that the secret to integrating love into the reality of our lives is humility. This, I think, is where many (including atheists) come up short.
"Do not put things or even ideas above other human beings."

Hard to argue this point. Religious people have been doing this for ages. Interesting that even atheists seem to operate from commandments.

On that last point I do think that all human beings, atheists and believers alike, suffer from a desire to follow external rules or commandments. Perhaps we would all do well to first follow the voice of God within us?

Trying on the new Dynamic Views from Blogger

2011-11-08T17:47:00.001-06:00

As you may have noticed, the blog looks a lot different today. That’s because I am trying out a new set of Blogger templates called Dynamic Views.

Launched recently, Dynamic Views is a unique browsing experience that makes it easier and faster for readers to explore blogs in interactive ways. I am using the Magazine view, but you can also preview the blog in any of the other six new views by using the view selection bar at the top left of the screen.

I have not decided on it yet and would love to hear your thoughts.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Shred it Now!

2011-11-08T10:38:00.000-06:00

Years ago we bought a shredder and have not regretted the investment one bit. In fact, we wore our old one out and had to buy a new one last year when we downsized and move. Matt Brownell recently offered "8 things you should shred right now". Here is his list:

Old Tax Returns | older than three years
Bank Statements | especially old one with SSNs
Credit Card Offers | tearing up is not enough
Old Photo IDs | info on it can be used
Pay Stubs | gold mine for identity theft
Convenience Checks | from credit card offers
Cancelled Checks | contain bank routing info
Cancelled Credit Cards | info on mag strip

This is a great list and is worthy of a complete read at the MSN Money site. Last year we shredded boxes of cancelled checks, bank statements, pay stubs and tax returns. It took us days to go through all of our files but it was worth the effort. I suggest you give it a try.

Did you find this helpful? Anything missing on the list? Do you own a shredder?

Saturday Evening Blog Post

2011-11-06T09:44:00.000-06:00

If you blog then you might be interested in being a part of the Saturday Evening Blog Post that is featuring favorite posts from October. Just click here and join in.

This month I am featuring the my October post titled "Why I Reject Christian Universalism". If you missed the post I hope you will check it out and let me know what you think.

Andy Rooney, 1919-2011

2011-11-05T12:41:00.000-05:00

Rarely has there been a voice in our culture like Andy's. A guy who covered World War II, saw so much in his life and offered a weekly opinion on the events of the day. I enjoyed listening to Andy on 60 Minutes and will always remember him sitting behind his desk. My prayers for comfort go out today for his family and close friends.

The Unintended Consequences of Choices

2011-11-03T11:11:00.000-05:00

These images are bouncing around Facebook these days and I thought that I might offer a few comments:

1) Choices do have consequences.
2) We don't choose consequences.
3) Often they are unintended.
4) The unintended ones get you.
5) Caring has consequences.
6) Care about people not opinions.
7) Caring can imprison you.
8) It can also set you free.

The Self Importance of Little States in the Primaries

2011-11-02T10:13:00.000-05:00

The GOP primaries are not too far away. According to this webpage, determining how many delegates will go to the national convention is based on an interesting combination of the number of Republicans elected to the State Legislatures, Governors chairs, U.S. House seats, and U.S. Senators seats through 31 December 2011. Unpledged delegate counts are determined by state (or equivalent) party rules.

The states colored in red on this map hold primaries in January. The state of Iowa with 38 delegates (out of 2,284 nationally) holds a caucus on January third. The New Hampshire primary (with a whopping 12 delegates) is seven days later. Eleven days after that the stakes are so much higher when 25 delegates are in play when South Carolina holds a primary. Ten days later, 50 delegates are at stake when Florida holds a primary.

These states declare themselves important simply because they are first. Some of us don't think they should not have any influence and will not be swayed by their biases.

Viral Misinformation

2011-11-01T10:15:00.000-05:00

It seems like I get a viral email message forwarded to me every week. The latest message of misinformation ends saying "If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message".

Small wonder that people are so sadly and badly misinformed these days.

Merry Halloween

2011-10-31T13:42:00.000-05:00

Wishing those of you in the northeast that were hit by nasty snow storms and power outages a great day of shoveled sidewalks and booted costumes!

Sometimes the day is full of tricks and you have to find a way to make your own treats!

Kansas Bob

The Relational Aspect of an Apology

Should Capital Gains Tax Rates be Higher?

My Take on the Oscar Nods

Why God Can't Be Trusted

Man Up Mitt!

Moneyball | ★★★★★★★

Endorsing Herman Cain in SC

Is God a Micro-Manager?

Above and Beyond

Happy 70th Ali!

Martin, Billy and the Lord

Resurrecting Downtown KC

Super 8 | ★★★★★★★★

Christianary

Is this Post is a Waste of Time?

Hodgepodge

What ever happened to cars riding on air?

Does God select the President?

Nothing to Say

Popularity is an Accident but Character Endures.

The Candidate Match Game

Kill the Irishman | ★★★★★★★

Google Search Tips

Red State Blue State TV

2012 Word Dreams

The Middle Matters

Can a Christian be a libertarian?

12 Predictions for 12

Moments that Touched me in 2011

I Am Number Four | ★★★★★★★

Beautiful People do not Just Happen

The Public Face of Atheism

The Paris of the MidWest

Iowa and New Hampshire :: Not What They Used to Be!

Top Ten Viewed Posts of 2011

Merry Christmas

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Dysfunctional Christmas Carols

Charitable Giving Habits of GOP Candidates

The Longest Night

iPhone or Android? How to decide?

Dumb Wheelchair Ramps!

Poobahs, Priests, Pastors and Pride

K Street :: the Rodeo Drive of Influence Peddling

Larry Crowne | ★★★★★★★

What a difference a few days makes!

Is it really possible to make Congress work?

Laptop Battery Quiz!

Are Evangelicals Warmongers?

Water for Elephants | ★★★★★★★★

On Living Simply ...

Do you stop or pass by those red kettles?

Buddy Roemer's Friday Tweets

Pundits Weigh in on Newt Gingrich

Are Evangelicals are Playing the Faith Card?

Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves

Caption This One!

Coffee, Lattes and Cholesterol

Anybody really care about slower Snail Mail?

Is Newt really a Conservative?

Country Strong | ★★

Should Tim Tebow be Silent?

Why even have a password?

Churchill Wit

The Unknown Unpopular Conservative Candidate

Who is Buddy Roemer?

Is Warehouse Shopping a Scam?

Preventing Cyber Monday Identity Theft

Does God need a Lobbyist?

Happy Bottoms

Made in Dagenham | ★★★★★★★

Happy Thanksgiving

Occupy Black Friday?

Gas in KC :: Barely Below $3

Crony Capitalism: Socialism for Tycoons

On Education and Learning ...

America is 83% Religious

Stress Test | Not the Treadmill Type

The Values Debate