Blog-Cramp

In a relatively quiet political environment since the elections, I find myself really lacking in the blog topic department-Here are some of the choices I have to choose from......................

Al Franken-Liberal, foul-mouthed nutcase comedian running for Minnesota Senate Seat involved in a recount of votes since he lost by so little-Minnesota has a knack for electing nutjobs...Ask Jesse Ventura.

Black Friday-Mental Institutions nationwide are searching for escapees this weekend. They have warned that they will trample fellow human beings to buy a DVD for $9. Is the current state of our economy so bad that our populous has resulted to acting like savages to secure their treasured bargains?

Terrorist Attacks in India-Good luck figuring out who's behind all the killing of Jewish Rabbis in India. It's obviously white conservative gun-owners who are mad that the Republicans lost the election. Maybe we ought to quit acting like we don't realize that all these folks are Islamic Fundamentalists and start profiling these people. If our nuclear-equipped-mentally-unstable comrades of India and Pakistan decide to wage war on one another, get ready for your calls to be answered in another country. Just when I get used to Johnny Singh's accent! Blast!

Twilight- Some movie/book phenomenon occurring around the country that has women everywhere more excited than when Senjiah was voted off American Idol. At the movies last night i heard a girl in the popcorn line talking about the next two movies in the Twilight series. She claimed she was so excited she couldn't sleep. Obviously it's going to be a rough little while for her and the males in her life.

Disney Movies-While watching Peter Pan with my three year old today, I realized how incredibly politically incorrect these old movies are today. But thanks to Peter Pan and his animated red Indian friends and their rousing rendition of "Why the Red Man's Red" I know understand that mystery completely. Unlike Peter Pan...these films would never fly today...and frankly I'm surprised that the Anti-Defamation League and their cohorts haven't made a bigger fuss about it. I actually enjoyed Peter Pan immensely...

So I don't know.....is any of it really worth expounding on?

The reason they make Movie Theatres

Why do men love Bond? Bond Movies have always epitomised the manly man's idea of a testosterone-filled mission that incorporates every aspect of a man's fantasy land; full of masterfully crafted car chases in supercars, willy-nilly gun fights (without consequence) and mysteriously exotic women. Daniel Craig is the perfect Bond...no wonder the women like to help him find his stationary. My review of the new Quantum of Solace can be summed up in Bond-like fashion. Good..........Very Good.

Thank you KSL!

Deseret News/ KSL-TV has done another wonderful piece of reporting in the Deseret News this week. Yesterday's paper had the following headline "Obama urges swift stimulus action" Directly below was a poll, which I have tried to take a picture of and post here. The poll asked a total of 406 people if they are currently employed. 57% said yes and 43% said no. Excuse me?! This jumped off the page at first (which I think goes along with their investigative reporting tactics that scare you to death to breathe on a foggy day when it's a full moon) What surprised me even more than Utah apparently having a 43% unemployment rate was the headline next to it that was related to the poll. "JOBS: Most Utah workers say they'll be employed in '09." Really? The same 406 people you asked if they were unemployed? Even more surprising was the fact that about 20% of the text in the article was explaining their poll numbers. "Twenty eight percent of the respondents were over the age 65 and most all of these people said they were not working. But 23 to 30 percent of those in the other age groups interviewed also said they were not employed, with the exception of those ages 35-44. For that age group just 12 percent said they were not employed"


Thanks for explaining yourself! You might want to conduct a poll of "workers" on people who are actually "working". Is this not alarming to anyone else? The poll on the front page was practically fabricated to induce reading. They might want to stop setting up their polling stations at the senior center and the local Labor Ready. I don't think that a poll of 406 people has much if many clout at all...and I didn't even go to journalism school. If Utah had even a 12% unemployment rate, we'd be more than twice the national average. Now that would be a front page news story!


In reaction to the Headline about the need for another stimulus, (which we were so nicely excluded from), I took this picture today at Costco. It is the line after checkout to show your receipt to just get out the door. There were so many people there on a Wednesday afternoon that had already paid, that the line was about 50 people long to just get out of the place. Most weren't just buying cheese and a pair of pants either. Apparently 50" flat screens were the hot buy today. Maybe KSL should do a news story about how there seems to be no recession or slow-down in spending in an isolated area of South Ogden Utah.

KSL might be better served to just run a classifieds site and call it good.

Listen to this...

Check out this artist...his name is Xavier Rudd. He's from Australia and has a very interesting laid-back surfer sound. A little bit Dave Matthews, a little Jack Johnson, some didgerydoo and some wicked pickin'! Makes we want to play again. I put some of his tracks in the playlist in the sidebar. He's got a really great talent with dynamics in his songs. Give it a listen.

Pardons, Rosie, and Bailouts

Retraction requested-I read a comment on a blog of a friend about how the President really doesn't have that much power because of the checks and balances in our government. In your Utopian dreams buddy. Farce! Cockamamie! D's vote with D's and R's vote with R's. Everyone with a (D) or (R) next to their name has to vote with "their" president or be refused democratic/republican communion. The days of Representative government that thinks more about what's right for the country and less about what's self-dealing are nirvanic antiquities. There are very few real patriots in our current government.

Anyway...I digress..the Presidential pardon is an interesting part of our constitution. It enables the President to commute a sentence or pardon someone outright regardless of their crimes. I know Clinton and even Reagan did their fair share of pardoning in their days in office..mostly near the end of their terms. Does anyone else find it interesting that the President can be the judge of all judges and override the sentences of those convicted by trial? All I can say is I'd be pretty ticked off if I spent a 2 months serving jury duty to convict a guy and then the president said "It's okay...you are really a good person...and I love you...so I am going to set you free....because I can!" Seems pretty crazy to me. I need to figure out why the founders put that in the Constitution..they had to have a better reason than to excuse tax fraud and bank embezzlers from their prison "duties". By the way Mr. President, if you could swing it, I'd like a pardon from work this week....thanks.

Rosie O'Donnell-She has her own "variety" show? Come on NBC! I know revenues for advertising are down and that the major TV networks are asking for bailout money too but come on! So they can't sell enough advertising to fund their programming budgets-and they think people will want to advertise during a Rosie O'Donnell variety hour? Must be giving away free airtime. I'd personally rather watch a naked Rosanne Barr at a fast trot on a treadmill for an hour. (honestly try the visual for more than 5 seconds) Whatever is being passed around the boardroom table at NBC programming meetings must be pretty strong.

The Citi never Sleeps...Citi finally got their bailout today. Goodie. $20 Billion now and $306 Billion dollars of freakin' taxpayer money to grow on. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks Citi...glad we could help out with your business ventures. My future grandchildren would thank you. What's in your wallet?

Fiscally Responsible Government? Yes! Kind of....

So imagine my surprise this weekend when the front page of the newspaper announced that our favorite permanent government contractor UDOT was not starting around $4 Billion dollars worth of projects that were slated to start next year.

You may ask, why was I surprised. Well, perhaps it's cynicism about government, lack of faith in elected officials or just an overall negative vibe I get about government but I was actually happy to see this headline on Friday.

Many people are really broke up about all these projects that they want done and are throwing a hissy about their project not getting done. If I may be Frank for a moment and not Kirk. I applaud our state government and UDOT officials for this decision. They are practicing what I have been talking about in our nations plethora of failing businesses and industries asking for bailouts from the federal government, our state has made a very commendable decision.

It's not that they don't have the money now to fund the projects. It's the fact that they foresee some economic slowdowns ahead and are saving the money to meet the other obligations of government. Ho-rah! You mean government is saving it's money and looking into the future to avoid a shortfall in revenue? Good work.

It's not as if UDOT is going to let little potholes turn into big sinkholes, enveloping entire city blocks. They just aren't starting any new projects because the bonds they issue will be paid for by tax revenues(which are down). Imagine my surprise when I opened the paper and found a story of a government office exercising responsibility with tax dollars! As a result of these actions, I don't think that you will soon find the state of Utah lined up in the state bailout line behind California, New York and Nevada (who is by the way, lobbying officials to alter Nevada State law to decrease the legal gambling age to 18 to help out these poor, suffering casino owners that are verging on having to sell their 19th Ferrari to keep their penthouses.) They should really read our newspapers down there in sin city.

This announcement may affect some jobs in Utah, but maybe they will finally figure out that it doesn't take 10 guys to fill a pothole and practice a little business sense now that it seems like they are doing the right thing and pinch some pennies. Granted Utah state law mandates a balanced budget but I still give props to UDOT who has a little now-demonstrated clout when it talks about fiscal responsibility and looking into the future without reckless abandon (at least on the budget side).

A Little Over the TOP

So I spent the last 12 hours with some brilliant minds today. I had a conference with some economists and marketplace reps that gave some interesting perspective on the current financial situation in our country. The resounding consensus was a positive one. Yes, there are some major problems that the economy is going through and even some in the future. But for those who didn't retire last year without proper planning or those who were planning on retiring within the next year, your outlook should be one of educated confidence. These are not unprecedented times. Yes there are some changes that we will all have to deal with but faith in our system and our people should remain for a long term perspective.

I had an interesting experience the other day at lunch. Carin's dad and I went to Jake's Over the Top for lunch and walked in just in time. Following close behind was what sounded like a flock of wild geese in heat. I am hoping for humanity's sake that they were no older than college freshmen at Weber State. Probably 5 girls and 4 boys. If you've ever been to Jake's up by Weber State in Ogden, you know it is close dining quarters. As we sat and tried to eat our lunch, we had to strain to even hear ourselves talk over the incessant laughter, screaming, rough-housing and adolescent behavior unbecoming of anyone over the age of 3 or 4. We walked out and savored the relative silence that was Harrison Blvd during the lunchtime rush hour and both asked the question, "Why do girls think that is attractive to act like that around boys?" Having fortunately left that awkward dating stage behind, I did not envy those creatures seeking to impress the opposite sex. I had to seek further advice from my wife on the matter and she explained that it was a combo of two things that make girls act this way. I'll take her advice as she has a degree in this.

1. Nervousness around the boys. Obviously these girls were not shy but maybe nervous that they were not married at the ripe old age of 19.
2. To get attention in a group. I couldn't tell who made the most ruckus. They all did a pretty good job in my book.

My intent of this post is to make any young reader aware that as a third party to such obnoxious behavior, it is obvious that neither male nor female enjoys this environment. If you are a newly post-adolescent female trying to impress the male counterpart, try fewer decibels in the laughing department and acting like a lady. Honestly, you've already got the boys' attention. You are eating his cheese fries.

For guys, don't be afraid to tell the girls that they are making your ears bleed and would rather be kissing instead. Lunch would be much more enjoyable for the masses.

In the animal kingdom, I thought the males usually threw up their feathers and strutted to get the girls' favor? Perhaps they should be banned from public places until they've bred.

Count the Passes

Watch this video and leave a comment with your thoughts.

Bailout of the Week

I read the newspaper again today. Seriously I need to stop. If it's not a story about angries protesting Proposition 8 or the Obama's new dog, it inevitably reverts back to a story about a laundry list of companies that are either on the verge of going out of business or are waiting to go out of business until they get some help from the government.

The "Big Three" automakers are on the verge of closing their doors. Ford, GM and Chrysler are the lifeblood of the Midwest economy and a major cog in the national economy. In 1979, Chrysler was struggling financially due to massive recalls on some of their more popular models. Their large gas guzzling cars in the 70's didn't help the situation any. Chrysler received government guarantees on loans in 1979 under Lee Ioacocca. Ioacocca, (who was former president of Ford Motor Company until 1978 and helped innovate the Ford Mustang-One of Ford's most successful and profitable lines) was fired by Ford. Ioacocca was snatched up by Chrysler and started making more fuel efficient and innovated new models that sold in record numbers. Ioacocca brought with him ideas for what is now called the mini-van and small, fuel efficient, compact, front wheel drive cars. They sold like hotcakes and the loans were paid back long before the government required.

The situation the "big three" find themselves in is hardly one of virgin origins. Like downturns of the past, no plan for the future, no innovative new models, no planning for global and economic changes. These big three automakers embody the epitome of reactionary economics. "Wait until something happens and the government will bail us out because they have in the past and we are too big to fail." Wait! I have a better idea!

Try American innovation. Henry Ford did. Try running a business like a household. In the black. Save some cash for a downturn or change in the economy when people might not be buying as many cars. Bet on the future. Imagine something unexpected. Like them or not, the Prius was an idea from Toyota that resonated with many people. Now GM makes hybrid models. Like the Tahoe. It used to get 15 mpg. Now it gets 20. Big flippin' horah! These are not new problems these companies face. The auto industry as a whole has forgotten the lessons of the past, ignored the warning signs and proceeded with reckless abandon with their business models that have proven to fail.

Can we blame all of the woes of the auto industry on automakers? No. They are, like many others, experiencing difficulty because of lack of credit and the current economy. One topic seldom brought up is the UAW (United Auto Workers) one of the country's largest unions. It has a stranglehold on the American car industry. I sat through a continuing education course on health insurance a while back and was stunned to hear that GM spent more on its employees' health care in 2007 than it did on steel. On steel! Unions have crippled the business with labor contracts so prohibitive and constricting, that the automakers are at an obvious competitive disadvantage with the rest of the world. I believe that Unions do have the workers' best interest at heart but tell me this...if GM goes out of business due to these labor conditions, what good are those benefits to a due-paying member of the union? UAW have publicly declared that they will make no more concessions to the auto industry. Why because you've made so many? Again I say bleh.

The same problem exists in the United States Postal Service. The Postal Workers' Union has done such a great job negotiating contracts throughout the years that 8 out of every 10 dollars are spent on USPS employee compensation and benefits. Tell me what business could survive that model? Perhaps that's why the USPS asked the government for a bailout this week. Double bleh.

If a car company's leadership approached congress with a massive program to innovate new products, change the way people bought cars, expanded new technologies that were actually beneficial and not just a political statement, how much more willing do you think the congress and the average taxpayer would be to lend these companies money? Otherwise, what good would taxpayer money do...delay the obviously inevitable? If you're interested in flushing money down the toilet, I'd suggest a do-it-yourself approach.

Oh by the way...if you're standing in line for a bailout, the line starts here and wraps around the block.

Proposition 8-Forgive the Long Post

I haven't blogged about Proposition 8 because I see nothing good coming from the hate which spews forth most of the time when it's brought up. This doesn't mean I don't have an opinion. Although I have a strong opinion on the matter itself, most of my opinions have to do with the reaction of the people in opposition to Prop 8. A few thoughts before I hope this thing rests it's weary head.

1. Mormons donated over $15 Million dollars to pass proposition 8. More than any other group. I say great job in standing up for something you believe in.

2. Perhaps Mormons are protective of the traditional form of marriage because of the significance of marriage in their beliefs. As instituted by God, and evidenced by anatomy, a marriage and the act thereof is obviously meant to be between a man and a woman. Noone is telling a gay couple they can't love each other.

3. The state grants favorable rights to those who are married because of the apparent benefit of that marriage to society. I personally don't see the benefit that granting legal marriages to gay couples would bring our society. Every child deserves to be born into a home with a mother and a father. There are obviously examples of the abuse of procreative powers by those who are heterosexual as well.

4. Some gays may be treated differently because their "special sexuality" is often paraded and flaunted in such a way as to cause some sort of purposeful embarrassing discomfort to those who don't share their persuasions. This is no way implies that hate towards gays is justified, rather an explanation as to why they may be ignored or treated as obnoxious. Being gay in 2008 is NOT the same as being African American in the 50's. To suggest such is an insult to blacks. Gays have not been lynched, shot at, killed or made to sit in the back of the bus because they can't marry their partner.

5. A church that has only backed a handful of legislative battles in it's history is now labeled as the definitive source of all discriminatory evil by the gay community. Because Mormons showed massive support they are now labeled as the homophobic church. Bleh.

6. Mormons are obviously the freckle-faced red-headed kid standing in the corner of the playground that that no one likes and is easy pickings for protest. Why not the black Churches that supported it, why not the Catholics? Mormons have always been the low hanging fruit.

7. Boycotts-Enough with the talk of the gay-friendly community boycotting Utah, its ski resorts and film festivals. In protest, many say they won't bring their family back to Utah because of it's discrimination against gays is childish and worthless. On second thought...yes...stay home. They are more than within their rights to not go somewhere because of their beliefs but boycotts are outrageously ignorant. They never work and they only end up hurting people that are unintended victims. Get over yourself and boycott boycotts. On second thought, I am going to do business with those with enough guts to donate money in the name of their business. I ought to help out some of these donors whose businesses are now hurting because of political sabotage.

8. Challenging the Mormon church's tax status...Good one...A church or it's members can't mobilize in a free and democratic process to protect something they believe in? Welcome the the Soviet States of America. Perhaps these people should look in the mirror at their own "tax exempt organizations" (Planned Parenthood, NARAL, NAACP etc. etc. etc.) and see how many liberal policies are formed in these groups. The Mormon church's teachings throughout the past have influenced Mormons' thinking for decades and not the letter that was read throughout the church in June. The letter simply encouraged the action on those beliefs. Faith if you may.

9. Vandalism and intimidation. Those that choose this form of "protest" are deplorable and a disgrace to the freedoms and democracy they so freely use to express their opinions. These acts have no place in a democratic election. Vandalism and intimidation for reason of religious affiliation or political leaning are not covered under the rights afforded them by the Constitution. Perhaps they should try reading the document they so often refer to.

10. I'm cutting this off at number ten....If those for Proposition 8 had lost in the election, they would have been expected to roll over and take it. There would be no churches to protest. There would be no places of worship to vandalize. And if they did protest against the decision, they'd have been label haters, bigots and the such. Double Standard? Now that California has spoken by way of ballot and not judge, there is obviously dissatisfaction with the political processes here in America. Obviously California holds a special place in the gay community's heart-40 other states in our Union have banned gay marriage either by constitutional amendment or through elected officials. Maybe California was the Battle of Little Big Horn. We can only hope.