Merry Christmas...Now Go get yourself a Ferrari

Do you remember the seagulls on "Finding Nemo"? Mine.mine.mine.mine.mine.mine. I found their human equivilents.

I wonder sometimes why there is so much distrust in the financial services industry. Probably for the following reasons.

1. American Express Financial Advisors. It always made me wonder why anyone would think it was a good idea to get your financial planning advice from a credit card company. To boot, earlier this week AMEX credit card division abandoned its status as a credit company and gained Federal reserve approval to be a bank holding company so it could be eligible for Federal TARP funding. It apparently needs $3.5 Billion to stay in business.

2. E-trade. The do-it-yourself-because-you-know-better-than-a-professional website that touts being the discount broker is also asking the government for $800 Million. It's apparently made some bad investments in home equity loans. sniff...sniff.....

3. American International Group. Our favorite "world's largest corporation" AIG has spent the initial $85 Billion from the taxpayer and now wants a piece of the financial pie. But not much. Just another $40 Billion.

4. Merrill Lynch. A standard of supposed strength in brokerage houses is now a subsidiary of the Bank of America. Obviously a good acquisition since Bank of America is asking the government for $15 Billion in addition to the $10 Billion Merrill Lynch already received. "Honey, we are bankrupt. But my friend has a Ferrari and I bought it so it wouldn't be repossessed."

5. Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. The last two investment bankers in the world. Not anymore. They have died their hair and got a little plastic surgery and are now bank holding companies-enabling them to ask the treasury for a sugar-daddy loan. Apparently they have a need to reach their hand in the treat bag as well. At the tune of $25 Billion a piece.

This hasn't stopped Wall Street Bankers from getting their year end bonuses. Somewhere around $200,000 a piece. Merry Christmas to you. ooops.. I mean Happy Holidays.

I can't understand why people are so cautious about big corporations that handle their money. It just doesn't make any sense. Do you think if I sit hear with my mouth wide open, do you think the government would drop something in my mouth for doing nothing? Oh yeah...that's the welfare program. Silly me.

Ye-Haw Buckaroo.

Two posts in one day I know...but in an effort to understand the reason why so many people in our country have leaned to the left, I consulted the thesaurus. I found my answer.

For your consideration
The thesaurus defines conservatism as bourgeois, constant, controlled, conventional, die-hard, fearful, firm, fogyish, fuddy-duddy*, guarded, hard hat, hidebound, holding to, illiberal, in a rut, inflexible, middle-of-the-road*, not extreme, obstinate, old guard*, old line, orthodox, quiet, reactionary, redneck*, right, right of center, right-wing, sober, stable, steady, timid, Tory, traditional, traditionalistic, unchangeable, unchanging, uncreative, undaring, unimaginative, unprogressive, white bread

Liberalism is defined as advanced, avant-garde, broad, broad-minded, enlightened, flexible, free, general, high-minded, humanistic, humanitarian, indulgent, intelligent, interested, latitudinarian, left, lenient, libertarian, loose, magnanimous, permissive, radical, rational, reasonable, receiving, receptive, reformist, tolerant, unbiased, unbigoted, unconventional, understanding, unorthodox, unprejudiced

Which would you pick to be labeled? Redneck or Intelligent? Obviously the younger generation in particular chooses to take the route of the populist. Perhaps it's the written definition of conservatism and the way conservatives are perceived that drive people to their pre-conceived notions about conservatism. I, for one, do not feel that a conservative is unimaginative, unprogessive and "white bread". There are plenty of free thinkers out there that are conservatives. Perhaps what is needed is a redefinition of the word conservatism or at least an explanation of what a conservative stands for.

I'll do my best.

Conservatism- the school of thought that America was built on standards, and moral foundations that have served our country well and should not be abandoned. Conservatism does not equal racism, bigotry, prejudice or the umbrella of the uncreative. And I triple-dog-dare anyone to debate that. Perhaps there are those in the Republican party that call themselves conservative that embody these unwanted virtues, however I don't appreciate being labeled as a dogmatic sheep that is afraid of anything that doesn't speak English or have ancestral origins in western Europe. I'm my own thinker, and I don't appreciate being told I am an idiot for believing in traditional values. I ask the question-"What's left in our society outside of our own Sunday worship that identifies our country as one that believes in anything but itself?" It's under attack in our anthem, on our money, gone in our schools, and mocked in our media. I find value in standing up for the only part of our political/social system that seems to have any trace of moral worth left to be found in an ever increasing, godless and secularist society. Does this mean I am a religious fanatic? No. Does this mean I want everyone to convert to Christianity at the end of a bayonet? No. I do believe that when government has the ability to remove all likeness of religion from our lives and is run without morals and the thinking of men trumps what a man's conscience and heart dictates to him as moral, then we can all sit back and watch the country let her last air bubble rise to the surface as we see our country sink into the black abyss that is apathetic acceptance of secularism. I choose not to ignore this. I'm a conservative and if the dictionary and the masses label that a redneck, I say ye-haw buckaroo.

Pass the Duct Tape!

Here is something interesting and disturbing. Valerie Jarrett, the co-chair of the Obama transition team, must be feeling a little sheepish among her colleagues today after her appearance on Meet the Press. President elect Obama will of course be ready to to rule our country as soon as the mantel falls. In what country do we live again? Perhaps there's been a little confusion among the transition team. Although there will likely me magical waterfalls, emissions free unicorns who've mastered their evacuative functions to reduce CO2 and monarch butterflies dancing atop honey covered lollipops after January 20th, I don't think we live in a new fantasy land ruled by a messianic ruler the likes C.S. Lewis never imagined for the Chronicles of Narnia.

As I recall, we now see on every news outlet the liberals of our fine country claiming to be the victors of party politics and the flag bearers of post-partisanship. It's been a while since I earned my "Citizenship in the Nation" merit badge but it may be time to open the text book and realize that the word "civics" refers to more than just an economical little Honda.

If I wanted to be ruled I would live in Venezuela, Russia, Iran or the likes.

Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps we are being ruled already under guise of democracy. I'd just like to think that the freedoms and liberties that our military forces have so bravely fought and died for are not so trivial as to make such a remark that our country will soon be ruled by Obama and his socialist minions.

And Happy 233rd Birthday to the Marine Corps. Thank you for your service.

Obama's transition team may have to use a bit of duct tape to keep the Freuds in his circle from slipping again.

Speaking of duct tape, these guys have way too much time on their hands. Click here. Very entertaining.

Will you please pass the Blackberry Jam?

My wife is awesome. She is the model wife. Example. She understands that I think if I am talking, she is listening. She also understands that if she's talking to me, it's really a crap shoot to assume that I am giving her the same respect. She deals with me with great understanding.

I say incredibly stupid things that would make most women cry off a whole tube of mascara and lock themselves in the bedroom until they received a pound of chocolate to open the door and discuss the gross negligence of her husband in the sensitivity department. She just looks at me and gives me the "grace period" to correct myself. I usually catch on in the first awkward 10-20 seconds that I should stop the brain, rewind the stenographic transcription and see what it was that I just said that didn't sit right. If I don't try to overdue the apology, she usually just laughs and we both realize that our brains work on different networks. However, if I try too hard to make things right, I have obviously forgotten that I have just parachuted myself into a dormant mine field and apologies are best left to "I'm sorry. I love you."

Yesterday we had friends over to try dutch oven beef brisket, bread and potatoes and I'm not so sure that something in brisket doesn't make me have crazy dreams. Either that or the cup of bacon grease used to cook the cheesy potatoes. Exhibit A for your consideration. The conversation last night turned to how much she likes my Blackberry addiction. Obviously I tried to change the subject but the eyes had already been rolled back in the head, her head had shaken and I knew it was coming. Her opinions made clear that I may have a bit of a problem. So last night in the depths of slumber, in un-wife like fashion, my wife presented me with a list of 10 Blackberry conduct rules. She called it the Blackberry Ultimatum.

1. Don't use your Blackberry at the dinner table.

2. Don't check your email on the Blackberry after you leave the office.

3. Don't write blog entries on the Blackberry.

4. Don't use Google Maps while driving.

5. Don't use the Blackberry for Facebook.

6. Don't drop everything you're doing to see who just emailed you.

7. Don't check your email in the middle of the night.

As we walked and talked about the list, I rebutted after #7, "So what's the point of having a Blackberry?" I realize this was one of those moments to say you're sorry and admit you're an idiot but instead I got a Facebook friend request on the Blackberry and had to run. I guess I don't see what the big deal is. That doesn't change the fact that she's by far the best wife I've ever had.

Sent via Blackberry on T-mobile

I got gas

On a personal note, I have had a knot in my back for days that will not go away. I was thinking maybe it was ORSD. (Obama-Related Stress Disorder) However, today I have figured out what's ailing me. I got Gas.

This fall, I've been doing my part to rid my family from its dependence on foreign oil. I bought a motorcycle in August. I have traveled 2000 miles on two wheels since August and have left my 1991 4x4 Toyota Pickup in the driveway 95% of the time. In addition to awesome acceleration and an ear drum-damaging exhaust note, the bike gets me 56 mpg. Before I dog too much on the truck, I have to admit that it gets me a freakishly good 33 mpg hauling a dirt bike and a trailer carrying a 4-wheeler. That being said, I figure the bike saved me about $300 in gas this fall. I filled it up in August with gas and just yesterday, I had to drive it to Salt Lake for work and so I filled it up. (I had a $50 gift card I won at a business meeting that was only good in SLC) That's three months people. I can handle 4 tanks of gas a year.

So if you're on the fence about a motorcycle...or you are a wife that is concerned about your country's dependence on foreign oil, you have to get over yourself and let your husband get a motorcycle! It's for the good of the country! Imagine if we all did such a patriotic thing as buy a motorcycle! We could give OPEC one big collective biker "finger"

*At the time of this posting the author owned stock in 5 major motorcycle manufacturers

A Historic and Circumstantial Rise to Power

Ever since I lived in Austria, I have been fascinated with the Nazi's rise to power and the circumstances that led to the third reich having so much power. I have recently been reading Hitler's orations and trying to find similarities in our current political landscape. If you read Hilter's words in German they carry a much more convincing tone than the translations.

At the end of the First World War, the Allies badly bobbled the responsibility to resolve the underlying causes of the war and put the German Republic in a position where it could not escape the responsibility for having accepted the armistice and the Peace Treaty of Versailles. There was a lot of animosity in the parliamentary democracy of Germany at the time and it just so happened that during this time of political dissatisfaction, world economic events thrust German industry and economy into complete oblivion. In Oct of 1929 the stock market crashed, and American investors started calling their money back from overseas. This resulted in a European credit crunch that saw significant bank failures in Germany and England. This is the time when Britain left the Gold Standard. Mass poverty, unemployment and distrust reined throughout Europe. Through this economic collapse, many people naturally blamed capitalism for their down-troddeness and blamed the corporations and big businesses. In fact, the problem was non-regulation, greed and investor naivety. This set the stage for an orator the likes Germany had never seen. Someone who clashed against all that was wrong in the world, invoked class-warfare and championed the ideal of government for the middle class. These ideals rang true for many Germans. And he had broad-based support.

I find it ironic that Hitler's rise to such absolute power was mostly due to world events outside his control or ability to manage. His luck came as he smartly put himself in a position to rise to power on the anger of the people for their failed government-not for his own policies. Hate became a powerful motivator for him.

Hilter said in 1922, referring to England, "...Already in those early days they saw to it shrewdly that here were always two or three groups apparently hostile to each other, but in fact all hanging on a gold thread, the whole designed to take account of a human characteristic - that the longer a man possesses an object, the more readily he grows tired of it. He craves something new: therefore one needs two parties. The one is in office, the other in opposition. When the one has played itself out, then the opposition party comes into power, and the party which has had its day is now in its turn the opposition. After twenty years the new party itself has once more played itself out and the game begins afresh. In truth this is a highly ingenious mill in which the interests of a nation are ground very small. As everyone knows, this system is given some such name as 'Self-Government of a People.'

Call me nuts but it sounds to me like he hit the nail on the head. This was no idiot folks..crazy..but no idiot. He came right out and said what he was going to do-create a national Socialistic government that would be completely different than what they had. He told the people that the evil Americans/English had a broken party political system that saw a transfer of power when the masses became dissatisfied. He in fact used the same dissatisfaction to rise to power. He told them exactly what he was going to do years before he did it. And no one saw it coming. If you read this and substitute Obama's (and others) circumstantial rise to power with that of Hilter's you wouldn't have to do anything but change the dates.

Obama blamed everything on Bush and his administration and Hilter blamed everything bad in the world on the "war-profiteering" Jews. There is always a scapegoat, someone or something evil and wrong with the world- a blame sponge to soak up the evils. "Once they are out of the picture, we will govern the way we want." This is what incited such hatred for the Jews. They weren't evil, they just got blamed for every bad thing that happened to Germany-especially the wars. Hilter become drunk on power that obviously led him to do horrendous things but I can't say with certainty that he was evil from the beginning. But I do think he was racist and an egomaniac to begin with. It is almost impossible for a man with complete dictatorial control to remain level-headed and govern rationally. I see the majority of our country's citizens desiring a move more and more to that of a dictatorship. They want one man to be able to change the whole government, change their lives, change every aspect of what they see wrong with the world. You must be careful what you wish for.

Could this same story be true with a Republican ousting a Democrat? Perhaps it could. Hilter was the right wing in his political day ousting the existing "progressive" party.

I've shared these ideas with friends and have decided to blog them. By posting this, I know I put myself out there as being labeled a racist radical because I don't like Obama and anyone who's read my blog can clearly see that. Many people hear the name Hilter and throw up the race/hate blockade and stop listening. To call me racist is false and childish. If it offends you, I'm sorry. I don't care. I am not comparing Obama and Hilter's policies nor am I comparing them as individuals. I am comparing their circumstantial and historic rise to power. There are many similarities. Dissatisfaction with current government, wars and leadership, economic uncertainty, credit crisis, bank failure, unemployment, inflation and ultimately overthrow. My objective in writing this post is to make people aware that leadership is obtained by those lucky enough to be the benefactor of circumstance.

Not taking anything away from the historic night that Nov. 4 was, I can still expose the tactics used by every politician-that of blaming the masses sad misfortune on someone else to leverage "hope" and "change"-true motivating human principles. I am no fan of the current political system...the way it's run....the way we transfer accountability to the government in the name of the common good when in reality we stop thinking and doing for ourselves and place the vast power of our country in the hands of men and women we trust to do the right thing with our country.

Obama has never once told a stadium full of supporters that if they are behind on their mortgage or credit cards to go out and get a second job, earn some extra money, scrape together all your resources and pull yourself out of it. He's never told college hopefuls to get a job and save and invest for their own college. His answer to everything is.."Elect me and we will Change our Country for the better." This is not motivation..it is holding that person's head underwater and watching him drown.

I welcome comment and opposing viewpoints-obviously I am the minority now that Obama has secured the election. But if you take offense because I invoked the name of Hilter in an effort to understand and convey history and our current Obamian political landscape please go to the library and check out some history books before arguing with me.

A moment of silence for Racism

I almost feel obligated to write something tonight. I think it is wonderful that African Americans have a successful role model to look up to. I am glad that a black man is able to be elected POTUS. We have obviously shown that race doesn't matter in America. Let's all bask in the glory of the historic evening, wake up tomorrow and move on. Obama was the benefactor of much support by the younger generation who came out and voted, across racial lines in part to prove to the world and themselves that America is where it should be. Now let's ignore race. If we have truly moved on from racial inequality, why do we need to even talk about it? I understand the excitement but bringing up race only deepens the divide. It rubs an intolerant history of bigotry in the face of every white person in America-the vast majority of whom are not racist and had nothing to do with the past. However, I will probably be labeled a racist for my comments but If I am labeled a racist for disagreeing with Obama on issues, I am not the racist...but the accuser who acknowledges race is a factor. Racism can take on many forms including favoritism. Let's all live off the same standard.....forget about race and look at the person not for his/her background but how he or she will govern. I would be writing this same post regarding sexism if Hillary had won. I guess that makes me a sexist and a racist.


I don't agree with Obama's views or policies but he will be the next POTUS. I do think that a certain respect is owed this office. I may not respect the man but I will respect the office and will teach my children the same. At the top of my racist list reside Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and the likes who will need to find another line of work because it is clear that America is no longer in need of professional race-baiters. America has proven herself tolerant hasn't she?

Do as I tax, Not as I do......

Perhaps the democratic socialist party would like to know the reason why their candidates support an even more progressive tax code. They have apparently had a rough time redistributing their own wealth. Perhaps with a new tax code they can create a kind of forced charity for themselves. I have to actually laugh at this because it is so hypocritical. If you want to know the character of the man you're voting for, perhaps you ought to examine how he practices what he preaches. Nevermind....if he preached this, he'd want 10%.....we all know that's impossible to do.

Barack and Michelle Obama had an average annual income of more than $500,000 between 2000 and 2006, but only gave two percent of their income for charitable purposes.

The Bidens' income averaged $260,000 over the last 10 years, but they averaged just $650 a year in charitable giving.

And the cherry on top.....last week in Florida.....

"We want to do this, change our tax code... John McCain and, and Sarah Palin, uh, they, they call this socialistic. You know I, I, I don't know when, when, uh, when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness." ---Barack H. Obama

Tomorrow's Morrow

What will America be like on Wednesday? Obviously not like this. Our lives won't change on a daily level. Any changes that we experience with a McCain or Obama administration will be slow. Americans don't like to have their "cheese moved" and American politicians, however grossly negligent they seem/are, are not blind to the fact that it takes time to move the country in a certain direction. The government will still give us the appearance of a balanced and solidly- founded checked-and-balanced government. My distrust of their real motives comes from not what they have said in the campaigns but what the machine of Washington has done to our elected officials in the past.

If I could ask one question of each presidential candidate with a guarantee of a truthful answer it would be, "Sir, if you could snap your fingers and transform America in an instant into your ideal America, without political consequence, what would your America look like?" Without the smoke and mirror of the talking points I swear I've heard from both sides a thousand times, I fear these truthful answers might frighten me. Does Obama really want a more community-based socialistic society while cutting taxes? Does John McCain mean what he says when he calls for energy independence and more oversight of the economic powers that be?

Since Monroe, our presidency has been occupied by a career politician. Up to Monroe, the founding fathers saw themselves as statesmen and not politicians. There was little dissent from the ideals of the constitution. George Washington was elected unanimously to the office of President twice. Americans knew who he was, what he stood for and how he would lead the country. Here it is the night before the election and I still can't answer these simple questions about our two "real choices" Mr. More-Evil and Mr. Less-Evil.

My feeling of anticipation for this election is not an excited positive anticipation like biting your nails in the 4th quarter hoping that your favorite team can pull it out. It's more like a kid waiting for his dad to get home to tell him he wrecked the car and just wants the punishment to start to get it over with. All I can say is thank goodness it will all be over tomorrow.

And a Child shall lead them...

I was impressed and humbled on Friday when my wife and I had a conversation with our 3 year old daughter after the donut party and MDA fundraiser. We had already had a family discussion for family night about what we were doing for the fundraiser and why we were trying to raise money. As we cleaned up the party and counted the money in the boot, I asked my daughter if she wanted to donate some change. She excitedly said yes and ran in to get her piggy bank. I helped her pull some money out and explained to her again why we were donating money. I asked her if she wanted to give a dollar bill and she responded with an enthusiastic YES! I started putting the rest of the money away and she said "Daddy, what did you do with the other monies?" I responded that I had put it away in the piggy bank. She looked at me and said, "I want to do another one. I want to give another one to the scientists." I pulled out another dollar and asked her if that was good. She said no. She ran in and got a second piggy bank where she keeps change I give her for helping me outside in the yard and pulled out more money until her donation equalled $5.68. I watched in wonder as my little girl counted her quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies until she had emptied her little piggy bank of all of her change and deposited each one by one into the boot.



It was a moment I will never forget. My little girl showed me once again the most important things in life are not things and made me a grateful father that God sent us such a sweet and generous spirit. We try to teach her what she needs to know to be a decent and polite person but I often feel that roles are reversed in these regards.