Religion or Relationship

Recently I have been impacted by the dearth of my "relationship" with God. I mean, I'm going through the motions and all, but it has felt more like participating in arms-length transactions with an institution than engaging in an ongoing, interactive relationship. And so, upon receiving some needed exhortation, I am examining this more carefully. I am utilizing this forum to discuss it as I hope that others out there might help me in this process with their thoughts, reflections and probing questions.

I am starting things by turning to a source that has so often helped me in the past, Dallas Willard. In this case, I am re-reading "Hearing God." I was particularly struck by one statement in the first chapter,

"In the last analysis nothing is more central to the practical life of the Christian than confidence in God's individual dealings with each person."

Dang. That hit the nail on the head; that is right where the struggle is for me.

What does the relational aspect of faith look like in experience? When is it safe to say "God spoke to me" and when is it just conscience, circumstance and our own desires and perceptions? I have always been suspicious and wary of people who try to add to the credibility and authority of their arguments by claiming divine authorship of their ideas. Perhaps I am jaded by experiences in which people who have said "they have been praying about it and think this is God's will" typically followed that statement by either breaking up with me or asking for money.

But I have swung to far in the other direction. I found myself being described in unflattering terms by Dallas:

Our need for understanding is clearly very great. We are all too familiar with the painful confusion of individuals who make big efforts to determine God's will for them - people who are frequently very sincere and devout. We see them make dreadful errors following a whim or chance event that because of their desperation, they force to serve as a sign from God. We see them sink into despair, skepticism, even cynicism, often accompanied by a continuation of religious routine now utterly mechanical and dead. They 'know' on the basis of what has happened to them, that for all practical purposes they are simply on their own.

But I was comforted and encouraged by his First Steps Toward a Solution.

I believe we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, cannot abandon faith in our ability to hear from God. To abandon this is to abandon the reality of a personal relationship with God, and that we must not do. Our hearts and minds, as well as the realities of the Christian tradition stand against it. The paradox about hearing God's voice must, then, be resolved and removed by providing believers with a clear understanding and a confident, practical orientation toward God's way of guiding us and communicating with us.

Advanced Degree Not Required

I saw this sign on the way home tonight:

"Now Hireing. Servers Wanted."

How True

Bad habits develop naturally, while virtue, if obtained at all, is slow, hard work. - William Wilberforce.

Huh?

So I was driving home last night and I noticed this bumper sticker:

Evolution is just a theory,
. . . kind of like gravity!

Um, gravity is a law not a theory. I guess there is some argument around the precise meanings of theory and law and the difference between them and whether or not they represent a hierarchy. If those in the field of science could clarify and help me understand the difference better I would appreciate it.

But this still seems like an odd thing to put on a bumper sticker. And really, can we stop shouting at each other and claiming "the other side", whichever it may be on any given argument, are all stupid with bumper stickers? They tend to aggravate and annoy rather than inform and persuade.

Odometer

Odometer reading of the day: 111111.

Keep going little Saturn. Apparently you're the only new one I'll ever own.

It's Not Something I'm Proud Of

But Steve + Pet Fish + House Plant =

I'm Still A Guy

My latest iTunes purchase is Brad Paisely's I'm Still A Guy:

And I’ll pour out my heart
Hold your hand in the car
Write a love song that makes you cry
Then turn right around
Knock some jerk to the ground
‘Cause he copped a feel as you walked by

These days there’s dudes getting facials
Manicured waxed and botoxed
But with deep spray on tans and creamy lotioney hands
You can’t grip a tackle box
With all of these men lining up to get neutered
It’s hip now to be feminized
I don’t highlight my hair
I’ve still got a pair
Yeah, honey I’m still a guy

My eyebrows ain’t plucked
There's a gun in my truck
Thank God I’m still a guy

In Like A Lion

So, I just heard on the radio that we're supposed to get 8-14 inches of snow between tonight and tomorrow. I could get excited about that if only work were canceled, which it probably won't be.

This has felt like such a long winter.

Not Shedding Any Tears for HENRY

So I was reading an article in Fortune today and I found myself getting really irritated with whiny rich people. The editor was lamenting the Obama tax plan and how it impacts HENRYs, "High Earners Not Rich Yet" and used the following illustration:

Say a family earns $300,000 a year, and pays $50,000 a year in mortgage interest; the family also contributes $5,000 to Boy Scouts, Red Cross and other charities. Under the AMT's top effective tax rate of 35%, they benefit from savings of $19,250 on those deductions. But under Obama's new plan, the share of that $55,000 that HENRYs can deduct is no longer 35%. It's capped at 28%. Hence, their tax bill rises by almost $4,000.

Oh heavens! Where on earth will these people who make 1/3 of a million days per year and have a McMansion big enough that it's generating $50k a year in interest (and who donate a paltry 1.6% of income to charity) ever come up with an extra $4k to pay in taxes?

This article laments the plight of these poor individuals whose

chance of accumulating the couple of million dollars needed to qualify as rich were virtually nil even before Obama took the stage.

Chance of accumulating a couple million dollars was virtually nil? Are you kidding me?

Let's see. According to one website, the average American's income is roughly $42,000. Assuming that is a family, they would be in the 15% tax bracket so in their after tax income is $36,500. Now, if Henry is making $300,000 per year he would be in the 33% marginal tax bracket and his after tax income would be about $222,300.

If Henry lives at the same standard of living as the average American (as a shortcut, I'll use $36,500 in annual expenses) he would be able to save $185,800 a year. Even if he just puts it into a CD earning 2.5% interest a year, at the end of 5 years he would have $998,675 and thus would basically be a millionaire. His chances of accumulating a couple million dollars are "virtually nil" only if he lives an extravagantly opulent lifestyle well above the average American, who is already grossly rich by most of the world's standard.

Tall about being out of touch with the worries and concerns of the average American.

Automotive Parts and Accessories

After helping someone at church replace their flat tire with a spare a couple weeks ago, I started thinking about preparations for roadside emergencies. I went to Wal-Mart and noticed a couple products of interest. Has anyone ever tried the Slime Smart Spare

or the Schumacher 6-4-2 amp charger


or any similar products they would recommend?

Face It

So recently, with Jake and Rita's persuasion I finally broke down and joined Facebook. It has been cool connecting with people I haven't seen in ages.

Will you be my friend?

In Dreams I Walk With You

So I had this other crazy dream last night which also makes me think maybe I've been working too much. It started because I was having a discussion with a co-worker, Matt, about how much space in the bathrooms is devoted to toilets and I felt there should be more room for cots to sleep on. My old college dormmate, Ty was there. Afterwards, I ended up at my parents house in Ohio where my friend from Delaware, Mei-ling, was dogsitting for my parents. In addition to the dog that my parents actually have, there was a husky and some other breed. She was surprised to see me there. Then, after walking up some steps with my pastor Karl and friend Noel, I somehow was at this summer camp with some other co-workers. Susan was mad because Frank ate her food, and someone wanted me to intervene which I reluctantly did but Frank was unrepentant. Then, in the basement, my friends Jake and Rita were there laying on cots, but the A/C was out so everyone was in their swimsuits and sweating profusely. I ended up again in the bathrooms and woke up.

So, as I was discussing with some friends from church today, do all dreams have meanings? How do dream experts derive consistent meanings in the interpretations of dreams? How can you tell if your dream is expressive of deeper internal concerns or if it's just a random conglomeration of people and events?

Workaholism?

I think I may have been working too much lately. When I got home tonight after dessert with some friends, I tried to unlock my door with my office keycard.

Dental Dreams

So the other night I dreamed that I had three rows of teeth, sort of like in the movie Coneheads only not quite that bad.

Is my subconscious telling me I need to do a better job flossing?

Weird. Very weird.

Interesting Song

I'm also intrigued by The Fray's new song, Where Were You? It brings to mind lines from Lewis's A Grief Observed.

New Tunes

I'm digging the first track from The Airborne Toxic Event. Little bit of an Arcade Fire kind of vibe.




"and the piano's this melancholy soundtrack to her smile"

Mint

The last few weeks I have been checking out an on-line personal finance website (similar to Quicken or MS Money software only web based) called Mint. I thought they had a pretty good synopsis of things in their article, Three Principles of Personal Finance: All You Need to Know for Financial Success:

1. Spend less than you earn
2. Make the money you have work for you
3. Be prepared for the unexpected

Like physical fitness, vital to financial health is "strengthening the core" and following these simple and intuitive principles.

Creighton, if you're reading this I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the article.

Is It True?

As I haven't been able to sleep again tonight, I continued reading The Pilgrim's Regress. I came across this statement:

Do you know how it is with love? First comes delight: then pain: then fruit. And then there is joy of the fruit, but that is different again from the first delight. And mortal lovers must not try to remain at the first step: for lasting passion is the dream of a harlot and from it we wake in despair. You must not try to keep the raptures: they have done their work. Manna kept, is worms.

Think he's right?

Obama Gets It Right on Trade

I was encouraged to see President Obama offering some correction to Congress on their attempts to insert protectionist language into the stimulus bill. According to CNN,

President Barack Obama "wants to ensure that any legislation that passes is consistent with trade agreements and doesn't signal a change in our overall stance on trade," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a briefing Wednesday.

That is marvelous. While I am all for buying American goods out of my personal wallet, writing it into legislature in a huge federal spending bill would only incite a round of international protectionism which would further cripple the global economy as it did during the Great Depression. American companies must be effective and efficient and compete on their own merits against their international counterparts, just as we insist these international firms must do so in their own borders.

Thank you Mr. President.

Stimulating Bad Behavior

Yesterday I saw an article that part of the stimulus package being crafted by Senate Democrats included "above the line” tax deductions for interest payments on car loans and state sales/excise taxes for new cars purchased between November 12, 2008 and December 31, 2009."

Okay, so let me get this straight. Part of the reason we are in a financial crisis is because consumers overstretched themselves with debt. And part of the solution is to provide an incentive for consumers to borrow more money to buy a new car?

This is completely unfair. In essence, I, who have been frugally saving for my next car as I hope to drive my Saturn for another 90,000 miles or so am providing a tax subsidy for someone to go out and borrow money to buy a new Lexus.

This is a bad idea. I'm all for a stimulus package that focuses on improving our failing national infrastructure and creating energy independence, but leave it to Congress to totally screw up this opportunity.

Good to Great to . . . Crap

This week Circuit City announced they were going out of business. I find it interesting and mildly amusing that eight years after its publication, 2 of the 11 companies profiled in the book Good to Great have gone bankrupt. The other is a company you have probably heard mentioned lately in the news, Fannie Mae.

I would like to see the author, Jim Collins, do an autopsy on the firms to examine the inner dynamics that led to their failure in the midst of the macroeconomic collapse. Except that one can't help but question the credibility of his claims when these supposedly great and enduring firms didn't even make it out of the following decade.

Maybe when I grow up I'll write a management consulting book. It's a bit like forecasting the weather in terms of the acceptability of its margin of error in predicting the future.

That's A Man

I heard this song for the first time on the radio tonight. I dig it. It makes me think of my dad and grandfathers.

Jack Ingram
 
More CMT Music
 
More CMT Music Videos

That's Cold

So, the high temperature on Friday is supposed to be 17 degrees.

Without the wind.

It's actually going to feel like it's 6 degrees, at best, during the day with a low of negative 13 at night.

I am so ready for Spring.

Hope From The Pope

For Christmas I also received a copy of Pope Benedict's second encyclical, Saved in Hope. I have found it to be very nourishing and refreshing. I was particularly struck by his insights regarding "faith in progress." (Pastor Bo's recent sermons on freedom served as a helpful groundwork here):

The nineteenth century held fast to its faith in progress as the new form of human hope, and it continued to consider reason and freedom as the guiding stars to be followed along the path of hope.

He then develops how technical innovation and industrialization gave rise to gross class inequalities which would in turn lead to the Marxist revolution. Concerning Marx, he makes some observations which have a very contemporary ring given the current national focus on economic concerns.

He forgot that man always remains man. He forgot man, and he forgot man's freedom. He forgot that freedom always remains freedom also for evil. He thought that once the economy had been put right, everything would automatically be put right. His real error is materialism; man, in fact, is not merely the product of economic conditions, and it is not possible to redeem him purely from the outside by creating a favorable economic environment.

While recognizing the ways in which progress may benefit humanity, Pope Benedict closes the section with an appropriate caution:

Without doubt, [progress] offers new possibilities for good, but it also opens up appalling possibilities for evil - possibilities which did not formerly exist. We have all witnessed the way in which progress, in the wrong hands, can become and has indeed become a terrifying progress in evil. If technical progress is not matched by corresponding progress in man's ethical formation, in man's inner growth, then it is not progress at all, but a threat for man and for the world.

Rethinking Failure

Recently I have been plowing through my copy of John Maxwell's 3-in-1 book on leadership. There are a few good nuggets in the midst of hundreds and hundreds of platitudes and obligatory anecdotes. Here is one of those nuggets:

Mistakes mark the road to success. He who makes no mistakes makes no progress. Make sure you generate a reasonable number of mistakes. I know that comes naturally to some people, but too many people are so afraid of error that they make their lives rigid with checks and counter-checks, discourage change and, in the end, so structure themselves that they will miss the kind of offbeat opportunity that can send their life skyrocketing. So take a look at your record, and if you come to the end of a year and see that you haven't made any mistakes, ask yourself if you have tried everything you should have.

It is a cliche to say that we learn by our mistakes, so I'll state the case more strongly than that. I'll say you can't learn without mistakes. On reason some people never grow through change is that they can't stand failure. Even the best people have a lot more failure than success. The secret is that they don't let the failures upset them. They do their very best. So let the chips fall where they may, then go on to the next attempt. - John Maxwell

This was like holding a mirror up to me. I tend to be a perfectionist and so to me a "reasonable number of mistakes" would be about, oh, one or preferably none. I am admittedly rigid with "checks and counter checks."

This is going to be a difficult area for me to change and grow in. I mean, I'm an accountant for a reason. I appreciate the beauty of things tying out perfectly. But I also instinctively recognize the internal fault lines that are there with this fear of failure.

Spin Cycle

I have talked about Kiva a few times on my blog already. Recently, they made a program change so that contributors receive back their loan proceeds incrementally instead of as a lump sum at the end. This allows funds to be reinvested more frequently.

I just received enough back from my "portfolio" to be able to make another loan. This time I went with Thomas in Ghana who needed some parts for repairs and maintenance for his taxi, as it is his sole income source to support 6 dependents. Act quickly, and you can join me by clicking the link below. If you no longer see Thomas, then his loan has been filled and a different entrepreneur is available for your consideration:



Merry Christmas Thomas

Lab rats?

That's it. I'm sick of it. I've had enough. It's time for us all to opt out of the rat race. To get off the hamster wheel of consumerism.

Yesterday, I ran into Rite-Aid on my lunch break to pick up a box of Dayquil. As I was walking out of the store, I noticed they already had an entire aisle set up for Valentine's Day. Are you kidding me? It's bad enough they start setting up for Christmas before Halloween (that alone Thanksgiving), now they have to start this crap?

When are we going to wake up? When are we going to realize we're all being strung along from holiday to holiday by our pride, fear and greed? Do we really have no way of expressing our love and appreciation for one another except for buying more and more stuff?

As an interesting backdrop to my Rite-Aid experience, I was talking to a co-worker yesterday and he told me that for Christmas, instead of buying each other gifts his family all makes a donation to a charity. On Christmas, they spread all the envelopes out on the floor and everyone picks one to see which charity received a donation in their honor. I was deeply impressed by this.

While I appreciate the gifts I have received (as evidenced by my last post) and have enjoyed giving them as well, next year just make a donation to one of the fine charitable causes you see listed on my blog. We'll all be better for it.

"I've seen enough and it's never enough, it keeps leaving me needing you." - Lifehouse

2009 Reading List

I finished reading Churchill this past week and am starting to draft up a prospective reading list for 2009. I am particularly excited as I received a B&N gift card from my parents for Christmas. My tentative list so far:

• Common Wealth by Jeffrey Sachs
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
• The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo
• The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila
• Saved in Hope by Pope Benedict XV
• The Winning Attitude, Developing the Leaders Around You and Becoming A Person of Influence by John Maxwell
• Selections From the Writings and Addresses of Abraham Lincoln edited by Cornelia Beare

Any recommendations to add to the list?

Gift Books

So, I happened to stop by the local Christian bookstore yesterday, and I noticed the prevalence of "Gift Books." Now, what is it that makes a "Gift Book" different from say, a regular book that one may either consume themselves or give to another? I think by definition, a "gift book" must be a book that is given by someone who has no intention of ever reading it to someone who has no intention of ever reading it.

O Holy Night

I'm not a big fan of Christmas music, but shortly after I woke up yesterday morning, I heard a rendition of O Holy Night by none other than Weezer. I find that my enjoyment of nearly any song can be enhanced by the utilization of an electric guitar.

Farfegnugen

It's not just the American Big 3 automakers who are looking to their government for loans in this economic climate. Volkswagen seems to ponying up to Germany's bank bailout too.

So, is it okay to loan billions of dollars to banks and financial institutions with lousy management and to spend $100 billion in Iraqi reconstruction with lousy management, but it's not okay to loan money to 3 companies who constitute actual domestic industrial output and represent, by their measures at least, 10% of employment?

I'm not sure it should happen, and I'm probably biased because I actually like GM, but once you've opened the bailout can, it's hard to get the worms back inside.

Running Start to a Resolution

So I have been pondering my New Years Resolutions today. My intent is to start to work them out now in the weeks leading up to the new year. I like to make new year's resolutions because it helps me refocus on things that are important, and it is a fresh attempt at retraining the habits of my mind, heart and body. I understand that no mystical transformations take place simply because the last digit of my calendar changes. I do not wake on January 1st with any more discipline and willpower than I had on December 31st. But we all need opportunities to clean the slate and start over. It is part of our sanctification to step back, consider our lives, and see if there is "any harmful way in me."

I am trying to draft my resolutions in both broad categories with smaller "SMART" goals. So, instead of just saying, "I want to eat healthier and get into shape" my goals are to "Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day." and to "Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week."

What do you want in 2009?

Where's the News?

The fastest-growing bet in the oil market these days is that the price of crude will double to $200 a barrel by the end of the year. Options to buy oil for $200 on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 10-fold in the past two months to 5,533 contracts, a record increase for any similar period. - Bloomberg, January 7th.

So, has everyone noticed that oil is now below $45 a barrel and gas is now well below the $2 mark? Hmmm. Where are all the stories on the 6 o'clock news? Where are all the people ranting about the government not doing anything and how greedy "big oil" is fleecing everyone? What about all the conspiracy theories? What about the windfall profits tax?

On The Mark

A couple weeks ago the News Journal reported that in lieu of the expensive and glamorous inaugural ball, Governor-elect Jack Markell was using the time as a rally for a volunteer initiative across the state. Today they are reporting that the Democratic Governor has appointed noted local Republican businessman Alan Levin for secretary of the Delaware Economic Development Office.

It seems that on both the national and state executive level, there has been a big step up in managerial talent.

100 Year Bond?

Bloomberg is reporting,

BlackRock Inc.’s Peter Fisher said the U.S. Treasury should consider selling 100-year bonds to ease the federal government’s borrowing costs as it faces a budget deficit expected to top $1 trillion.

This makes sense to me. Let's get the money now before the world wakes up and asks themselves why on earth they're loaning us all this money for so cheap.

By the way, gold is now $774/ounce. Time to load up before it all hits the fan?

1934?

Rated below the story of Guns and Roses' spat with Dr. Pepper in terms of popularity on CNN.com is the report that a committee in Congress expects a biological terror attack on a major city within the next five years.

These truly are strange days to be living.

This is striking to me on a number of different levels. Is the indifference to this report an aspect of living long under the delayed threat of another attack on US soil? Has complacency set in such that since it has not happened yet it, we therefore believe it cannot happen again? Do we dismiss the raised spectre of such an event to be yet another political gimmick to convert fear into power? Are we so fatigued by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that we do not want to contemplate a new angle on the global war on terror? Are we too absorbed in financial news and the threat of another global depression that we are deaf to all other threats to our security and well being? Do we feel hopeless in any vain attempts to personally prepare for such an event (i.e. "duck and cover")?

With an appropriate timeliness, I am still going through a biography on Winston Churchill. I read tonight that in July of 1934 , he spoke loudly in the House of Commons about England's vulnerability and the impending threat of bombings (particularly incendiary bombs) by the German Luftwaffe. He spoke of London being

"the greatest target in the world, a kind of tremendous, fat, valuable cow tied up to attract the beast of prey."

Later that year he added,

"The danger which might confront us would expose us not only to hideous suffering, but even to mortal peril, by which I mean peril of actual conquest and subjugation . . . The flying peril is not a peril from which one can flee. It is necessary to face it where we stand. We cannot possibly retreat."

At the time he noted,

"The fact remains that when all is said and done as regards defensive methods, pending some new discovery, the only direct measure of defence upon a great scale is the certainty of being able to inflict simultaneously upon the enemy as great damage as he can inflict upon ourselves."

With what defense do we arm ourselves against the threats of today?

Dare You To Move

I was listening to Switchfoot on the way to work yesterday, and this song struck me yet again with some of its great lines and fantastic sound.

I dare you to move.
I dare you to move.
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor.

The tension is here, the tension is here,
Between who you are, and who you could be,
Between how it is, and how it should be

Maybe redemption has stories to tell.
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell.
Where can you run to escape from yourself,
Where you gonna go, where you gonna go?
Salvation is here.

Green Christmas

The commercialization of Christmas is nothing new, although it may feel that way to us. The classic satire, Green Christmas by Stan Freberg, illustrates this from 50 years ago. This song used to be on a Christmas music cassette that I listened to as a kid, and I enjoyed it greatly.

Thanksgiving Proclamation

I still find President George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789 to be one of the most beautiful political speeches I have ever read.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

What My Blog and My 401k Have In Common

Both have been falling this year. I like to see if I am attracting and retaining visitors to my site as a measure of gauging the resonance of my thoughts. Viewership is definitely down on Lamponian Wisdom.


So, how can I boost my ratings?

Quite Possibly The World's Most Perfect Water Bottle

A couple weeks ago when I was at Target, I picked up a new BPA free water bottle, the Thermos Intak. This thing is awesome. Even though it holds 24 oz., it still fits in my car's cupholder. And unlike my Camelbak, you don't have to suck through a straw and the mouthpiece allows an ideal flow of water. Plus, the mouthpiece is well protected yet easily accessible which is nice when I am working out at the Y and don't want to handle it with my germy hands. I have noticed that I have been drinking more water since I got it. Oh, and it even has a little dial on the lid so you can track the number of refills and know how much you have been drinking. I showed it to a coworker and she went out that night and bought a purple one and loves it. I highly recommend it.

Marathon

Today I enjoyed the great thrill of watching my friend Jacob complete the Philadelphia Marathon. It was an amazing achievement, all the more so for having been ran on a frigidly cold day with pain for the latter part of the race and in still just 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Two things stood out to me most. One was that I experienced a newfound understanding and appreciation for Hebrews 12:1.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

The other is being shown yet again the great strength, courage and determination that resides in my friend.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

Through This Dark Night

An e-mail from a friend prompted me to take out an old journal this evening that covered one of my "dark nights." I remembered around the time I was writing that I put together a CD that told the story of the year, and that two songs by the same artist formed something of a book-end for my experience: Silence and The Valley Song by Jars of Clay (Regretably there are no official videos, but these were the songs.)



"scream
deeper, i wanta scream
i want you to hear me
i want you to find me
i, i want to believe
but all i pray is wrong
and all i claim is gone

well, i, i got a question
i got a question
where are you?"



"When death like a Gypsy
Comes to steal what I love
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face

But I fear you aren't listening
Because there are no words
Just the stillness and the hunger
For a faith that assures"

The agonizing thing about my "dark night" experience of faith, is that the thing that should have brought me the most comfort seemed to only accentuate the pain. Not only was there deadness or dryness when I would try to read, pray or worship but it seemed to only further wring my heart. Fortunately, over enough time, experience and healing, the darkness lifted but it was not a pleasant journey. In hindsight I think John of the Cross was right:

"No soul will ever grow deep in the spiritual life unless God works passively in that soul by means of the dark night."

Snow

I woke up this morning at 3:30, looked outside, and in the streetlights saw there was already snow on my car. Why do I live here? The weather sucks almost half the year.

The song Boston by Augustana has always resonated with me, except for me it would be in reverse because I would want to get away from the snow and the sunrise and head somewhere warm like California.

She said I think I'll go to Boston
Think I'll start a new life
I think I'll start it over
Where no one knows my name
I'll get out of California
I'm tired of the weather
Think I'll get a lover
And fly him out to Spain
I think I'll go to Boston
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town
To leave this all behind
I think I need a sunrise
I'm tired of a sunset
I hear it's nice in the summer
Some snow would be nice
Oh yeah

Not Much To Say

I have a received a few comments recently noting that I have been slack in my blogging. I really appreciated that as it was nice to know there are interested readers out there. I guess I feel like I haven't had much to say lately. And, the things that have been on my mind, such as work, are not things I would be comfortable offering for global public consumption. Also, I've been a little burned out on economics, politics and religion which tend to be the primary emphases and materials of my blog.

Maybe I need a new hobby . . .

Strange Lights

So, uh, did anyone else notice some strange lights in the sky tonight? What appeared to be something like a bunch of spotlights vertical in the sky, only it was over a large area. What kind of strange meteorological event was that?

There Will Be Blood

So I had a new experience today. After work, Becky and I donated blood at the American Red Cross. She is a blood drive veteran, but it was a first for me.


It felt good to do my small part to help someone in desperate need. Besides, I figure if Jesus shed his blood for me, the least I can do is share a pint of mine.

Check out the Red Cross and sign up to donate today!

I Know I'm Home When . . .

A few indications that I am home in Ohio:

1. The sign on the YMCA door says you can not work out in your jeans and work boots.
2. The other sign on the YMCA door says no firearms permitted in the building.
3. The KFC has a buffet line.
4. Drivers stop at red lights.
5. You genuinely think of the people living next to you as your neighbors.

Keep On Rockin' In The Free World

This song came up on my iTunes this morning. Sounded appropriate for an election week soundtrack.

Right here, right now
Watching the world wake up from history

Target Is Awesome

I just want to say that Target is definitely my favorite department store. It is a little bit more expensive than Wal-Mart, but since there's no sales tax in Delaware it kind of washes out. I noticed tonight that they made a change in their receipts so that your purchases are sub-categorized into "grocery, health & beauty, home, etc." There is also a "+" sign for items that can be deducts from your FSA. These are small things that most non-accountants probably would never notice but it's just another simple, common sense gesture that makes a lot of sense and makes for a more satisfied consumer. And they definitely have the best pharmacy bottles around.

Yeah Target.

President Obama

The campaigns are finally over. I thought he have a good acceptance speech last night.

A few excerpts that struck me:

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

To my fellow Republicans I ask that we be gracious in our loss. Do not succumb to bitter cynicism, anger, defeatism. Do not immediately set out to oppose all that he offers. Give him a chance. We do need to move forward together as a nation and cooperate on many opportunities. We don't have to disagree with everything someone proposes just because they are of a different party.

I hope that Obama and the Democratic Congress will start out on things that have a broad, resonant connection with America such as energy independence and rebuilding our infrastructure. Be humble in your victory and resist the opportunity to "stick it to the Republicans."

Enough Already

Recently I received an e-mail forward written from the prospective of a political and religious conservative in 2012 after four years of an Obama presidency. I found the e-mail to be very troubling, but probably not in the way the author intended. (Apparently this e-mail has been circulated a lot as it received coverage in an AP article.)

What troubles me is when people mingle hatred and fear with religion and politics. That is at least an unhelpful and more likely a very harmful cocktail. I also wonder if the person who penned this fictional, futuristic letter quite realizes that a movement towards the left or at least towards the democratic party is in large part a response to the repeated failures of the current administration?

This letter raises a spectre of lost freedoms that Christians would be enduring. I doubt this. I am more apprehensive of losing my freedoms due to what could become a fearful and tyrannical department of homeland security (which of course was created under the current administration) than I am in losing them under an administration led by a former professor of constitutional law.

But it was not really the particular arguments of this letter that were so upsetting. It was the tone of fear and fatalism. I would also offer an idea to the conversation that God's redemptive movement in the world is not primarily channeled through a particular nation-state (America), political ideology (conservative) or party (Republican) but through the Church.

I simply do not believe the argument that they sky will fall and world will end if a particular politician or party is elected. Somehow we have survived eight years of the Bush administration. I'm pretty sure we would get through at least four years of an Obama administration. The more outlandish attacks I see on Obama coming from the religious right, the more inclined I am to actually vote for him.

But while we are talking about a Christian perspective on politics, I would like to share some more words of wisdom from Dallas Willard.

The revolution of Jesus is in the first place and continuously a revolution of the human heart and spirit. It did not and does not proceed by means of the formation of social institutions and laws, the outer forms of our existence, intending that these would then impose a good order of life upon people who come under their power. Rather, his is a revolution of character, which proceeds by changing people from the inside through ongoing personal relationship to God in Christ and to one another. It is one that changes their ideas, beliefs, feelings, and habits of choice, as well as their bodily tendencies and social relations. It penetrates to the deepest layers of their soul. External, social arrangements may be useful to this end, but they are not the end, nor are they a fundamental part of the means. - Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart

CNBC Fatigue

All day long at work the TV is on CNBC. I'm thinking of switching it to a nature show or something today. I mean really, work is bad enough right now. It doesn't help that every time I pick something up at the copier the Dow is down another 200 points. It looks like the Dow Jones is going to fall about 900 points today on "news" of a global recession. Exciting.

I know it hurts to be losing money every day, but seriously people, it's a recession, not the black plague. Get some perspective.

Resolve

Winston Churchill is far and away one of my favorite historical figures, and I am currently reading a lengthy biography of his. I have not yet got to the WWII years, but I was reminded today of something I learned in history class. My professor shared that at the end of his famous "We'll fight them on the beaches" speech that Winston, thinking the microphone had been turned off, quietly muttered "and we'll fight them with beer bottles because that's all we have left."

I love that. I love the inspiring courage and idealism of the speech coupled with the gritty realism of the situation they were in. It's a good reminder on bad days.

"I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.

"At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government - every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation.

"The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength.

"Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of the Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail.

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and the oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old." - Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940

Palin & Clinton

I'm a little late on this one but thought it was quite funny.



"And I can see Russia from my house."

Um, Why?

So, I saw on Yahoo that Zondervan says their next edition of the Bible will be handwritten by more than 31,000 Americans.

I don't get it. I can barely read my own handwriting sometimes. Why would I want to try to read someone else's?

They have these things out now, they're called printing presses. They're pretty cool.

Debate Results

I was able to catch a portion of the debates last night. The biggest take-away for me was an additional confirmation that both of these candidates seem much better informed, intelligent and capable than their predecessors in the last presidential debate.

By the way, it annoys me when a candidate repeatedly answers, "When I'm President . . ."

As Shrewd As Doves and Innocent As Serpents

I read what I considered to be a disturbing article on USA Today that some Christians keep tithing even as they face foreclosure. And so, I would like to offer some counsel to the flock. Those who have ARM's to hear, let them hear.

1. First, there is no explicit New Testament command to tithe. Impossible, right? Look it up. If you can find one I have overlooked, I am open to correction. Tithing is a good idea and a commendable practice, but not a command. Jesus didn't say don't do it. He did say it's not necessarily the most important aspect of our giving (Matthew 23:23).

1. Second, reneging on your debts is wrong. "The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously." - Psalm 37:21. Unless you really want to try to twist this verse, failing to repay your loans in order that you may give generously does not make any sense.

1. Third, failing to care and provide for your family is wrong. "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." -1 Timothy 5:7. Also see Mark 7:11.

1. Fourth, buying something you couldn't afford to start with is wrong. (Mark 4:19, 1 John 2:15-17). Perhaps there were unforeseen circumstances such as a loss of a job or loss of health which might be excused, but tithing does not make it okay to live beyond your means. Also see earlier posts on prosperity theology.

Healthcare

Stand back world, I have a plan to help fix healthcare. Ready for this? I think we should add a "sin tax" to fast food. Every fat, greasy, unhealthy Big Mac and Whopper I eat should cost me an extra 5%. Back in 2001, Americans spent $110 billion on fast food. I'm sure it's only gone up since then. And, federal spending on SCHIP programs in 2007 was $5 billion. So, in one fell swoop I have doubled our spending on health coverage for poor children while at the same providing an incentive for Americans to eat healthier food which should bring down the actual amount spent on healthcare.

Oh, and maybe healthcare premiums should be adjusted based on our actual, managble risk factors, like they're doing in Alabama.

Stumbling Towards Election Day

The election contest has eroded into complete senselessness. Need proof? Consider the fact that CNN is reporting how Biden's comments on the University of Delaware and Ohio State University's respective football teams could impact the election. Are you kidding me? Look, my family is from Ohio and I now live in Delaware so I have an affinity to both schools, and I couldn't care less about his comments. Of all the challenging and substantial issues we are facing as a nation, someone wants to make comments about a college football game a campaign issue?

The Economist has a few good articles this week talking about how the election has taken a nasty turn and how the Republican party idolizes Reagan but acts more like Nixon. Even as a Republican, I think both articles are true. Lest one think I have come down with terminal Obamamania, you might also want to read their review of the new book, "The Case Against Barrack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate."

Although McCain's choice of Sarah Palin has energized the base and apparently improved McCain's chances of success, it has done little to help win me over. While she has a charming personal story and I appreciate that she was willing to take on the powers that be in Alaska, I'm not convinced she is ready to be President. I understand that I am in the minority who holds this opinion, but I tend to believe that experience in the Senate better prepares a candidate for the responsibilities of the Presidency than experience as a governor because you are more heavily confronted with both national and international issues rather than state and local issues. I understand that most of our recent presidents have been governors and it's been ages since a senator has become president, but I still hold this as a general principle, especially when a governor is only half way through their first term.

So who should I vote for? It sounds strange, but at this point I remain undecided. There are aspects of both candidates' positions that I agree with and that I disdain. Just for fun, I went to Who Should You Vote For? and it revealed, unsurprisingly, that I match up much more strongly on the issues with McCain than I do with Obama. Another quiz I took recently that included independent parties revealed that I best match up with Bob Barr and the Libertarian party.

I don't think either candidate has put forth a workable, comprehensive agenda that will suitably address our national concerns nor assembled a grass roots body that would help to achieve those goals on the local, state and national level beyond election day. I can't necessarilly say that I blame them though. We have brutal realities to face as a nation and as a whole we are either apathetic or in denial. We the people, are a bit like an obese, smoking, depressed alcoholic who goes to the doctor and when told that we need to change our ways or face the consequences would prefer instead to blame and fire the doctor.

Or maybe I'm just cynical. There's more to say about the whole election, but that's all I have time for today.

Disappointing Unveiling

Chevrolet officially unveiled the production version of the Volt yesterday. While not nearly as ugly as a Prius, it's also not nearly as attractive as the prototype designs were. I guess it's going to take a couple iterations on the battery development before it becomes all that I hoped it would be.

BPA Free

The last time I was home for vacation, I couldn't sleep one night and was watching a PBS documentary on plastics. They talked about the dangers of BPA, so I went out and replaced all of my water bottles with new ones. As a new study reports, that was a good idea.

Bipartisanship

So, it turns out that both McCain's and Obama's health care plans suck. Good job guys.

Compassion Corps

I would encourage everyone to take a look at the Compassion Corps new website. Get involved. Make an impact.

21 Ways to Serve America

So Time has a little article on 21 Ways to Serve America. I found it reinvigorating, and that this comment was particularly interesting:

Statistically, the biggest single difference between volunteers and nonvolunteers is how much television they watch. Volunteers spend about 15 hours a week tuned in, compared with 23 hours for nonvolunteers. Those 8 hours a week add up to more than 400 hours a year — enough time to take on any number of service projects. And there's always TiVo.

How We've Changed

It didn't seem appropriate to me to be adding much commentary on September 11th. While I have posted comments on 9/11 in the past, I find that some days are meant to be spent in quiet reflections, silent prayers and solemn exchanges.

But I have had some things on my mind. I was scanning through the radio the other day, and I heard a new country song. It struck me how the mood has changed from songs that came out just after the attack to now. To get a glimpse, compare Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" to songs such as Tim McGraw's "If You're Reading This", and Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream." Something of the journey can also be seen from John Michael Montgomery's "Letters from Home" to Darrly Worley's, "I Just Came Back From A War"

War is hell.

Strange Logic

I found Sarah Palin's position on Russia to be interesting. "She said the United States must be "vigilant" about larger powers invading small democracies." I guess larger powers invading small dictatorships is completely okay though. It's amusing watching administration officials and their supporters attempting to condemn Russia for its transgressions in Georgia. They have to add qualifiers like "neighboring countries" or "in Europe" when discussing why it's wrong to preimptively invade another country because, of course, the same rule does not apply when it comes to preimptively invading, say a country half way around the world in the Middle East.

Can we really back up that position to defend Georgia? We're already stretched out between Iraq and Afganistan, that alone the threat of Iran and Korea. Now we want to add Russia to the mix? Do you think Putin's not going to call that bluff? Then what? Should I be getting ready to spend my 30's fighting on the eastern front?

Figures. It's cold there.

When In Doubt, Scare The Old People

Reuters reports,

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama warned the elderly on Saturday that Republican rival John McCain would put their retirement income in danger.

How is Obama, the "candidate of change", going to change a Social Security system headed towards insolvency? Oh, that's right, he's not going to do anything. I know, I keep bringing it up, but only because it's important.

The thing that irks me the most, other than the financial lunacy of it all, is the fact he thinks the government can do whatever it wants with my money.

"But we want to give, if we can, younger workers [that would be me and probably you] the option of taking some of their own money and the option to put it into an account with their name on it."

Wow, really Barrack? You might really let me have my own account with my own name on it since it's MY FREAKIN' MONEY?!?!?! Oh, wait, that's only "if we can." But I thought your campaign was all about "yes, we can."?

Tired of Receiving Credit Card Offers?

Are you tired of receiving a relentless stream of credit card offers in the mail? You can visit OptOutPrescreen.com to get off the list.

ID Theft Prevention

ID Theft has become a scourge on our modern society. The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year.

The other day I was listening to the Clark Howard Show on AM radio, and he shared this bit of information that I found to be very helpful:

Credit freezes are one of the most effective tools against economic ID theft available to consumers. They allow you to lock up your records and select a secret code that only you know and can use to temporarily "thaw" your credit. That added layer of security means that thieves can't do anything with your information even if they are able to obtain it.

Freezes have always been available for free to victims of ID theft. But recently all three of the major credit bureaus adopted new rules allowing more non-victims to have access to them than ever.

This is a big step forward. Before the new rules, only residents in the 39 states (plus Washington D.C.) listed in the columns below were allowed by statute to request a credit freeze. Now everyone else in the other 11 states -- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia -- will be allowed to take this preemptive measure against ID theft. If you live in one of the 11 states, here's what you need to know:

• The cost varies by state and can be up to $10 per bureau. Under that scenario, the total amount to freeze all three credit reports would be $30. (For Georgia residents, the cost will be $3 per bureau as of Aug. 1, 2008. It will be free for senior citizens and victims of ID theft with a valid police report.)
• It will also cost you up to $10 per bureau each time you want to unfreeze or "thaw" your records to apply for new credit. Again, this fee varies on a state-to-state basis.

Full instructions for requesting your credit freeze online are available at TransUnion.com, Experian.com and Equifax.com*.

Requesting your freeze by telephone? Here are the numbers to call:
For Experian, dial 1-888-397-3742
For Equifax, dial 1-800-685-1111
For TransUnion, dial 1-888-909-8872

If you'd like to request a freeze by mail, use the following form letters for TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. Special thanks to our listener Ed who put together these letters.

* The online option for Equifax currently is only available to residents of Georgia, Iowa, New Jersey and Wyoming.

Love And Desire

So I was getting my daily dose of Dallas as I was getting my oil changed yesterday, and I came across this refreshing and challenging insight:

And first, what exactly is love? It is will to good or "bene-volence." We love something or someone when we promote its good for its own sake. Love's contrary is malice, and it simple absence is indifference. Its normal accompaniment is delight, but a twisted soul may delight in evil and take no pleasure in good.

Love is not the same thing as desire, for I may desire something without even wishing it well, much less willing its good. I might desire a chocolate ice cream cone, for example. But I do not wish it well; I wish to eat it. This is the difference between lust (mere desire) and love, as between a man and a woman. Desire and love are, of course, compatible when desire is ruled by love; but most people today would, unfortunately, not even know the difference between them. Hence, in our world, love constantly falls prey to lust. That is a major part of the deep sickness of contemporary life.

Our human world as we find it is not like God, though it was intended to be. Love is not natural in our world, those desire or lust certainly is. 'The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life,' the apostle said, is 'all that is in the world.' (1 John 2:16, PAR)

Pride is defined by desire, not love. It is, above all, the presumption that my desire should be fulfilled and that it is an injustice, a crying shame, and an injury if they are not.

Lust and pride all around us inevitably result in a world of fear. For they bring us into a world of little dictators; and the most likely thing is that each person will be used and abused by others, possibly destroyed, and at least not helped and cared for. Our families, which should be a refuge from such a world, often turn out to be places where victimization is at its worst. 'The dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence' (Psalm 74:20). The tender young are initiated into an adult world hardened in evil. A baby is not even safe from its mother while in her womb. 'And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey' (Isaiah 59:15).

Injury brings pain and loss, then fear and anger, which mingle with resentment and contempt and settle into postures of coldness and malice, with brutal feelings that drain the body of health and strength and shatter social well-being. - Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart.

Lamponian Life Coaching Services, Inc.

So, I remember being on a shuttle bus leaving Las Vegas, and the driver of the bus shared that she was a "life coach." I had heard the term before but had never actually met one. I found this rather interesting, as apparently a night bus driver in Vegas has all of the skills and qualifications necessary to be a life coach.

Then I was thinking the other day, "What could I do to find alternative sources of income?" That's when it hit me. I could become a life coach! I mean, it's a completely unregulated industry so all I have to do is make business cards that say "life coach," and I'm in.

As far as I can tell, being a life coach is really little more than being a mentor and accountability partner. Dude, I can totally pull that off. I can even offer "Christian life coaching" because I took a survey on a Christian life coaching website, and "I would be comfortable charging significantly for my services because I am worth it."

Although I write this largely in jest, this is about the best idea I've come up with so far. And, in a sea of snake-oil vendors proclaiming to be life coaches, I might actually be able to help some people. What do you think?

And You're An Expert?

Here is an interesting piece of journalistic and academic garbage. Should people be taught more about financial literacy?

Teaching them is a waste of money. Studies show that sending people to either high school personal-finance classes or adult retirement seminars does not result in better financial behavior. Instead, try to get everyone to understand that the people selling you financial products often don't have your best interests at heart.What's more, politicians need to regulate financial products and make them into things that will benefit consumers, rather than expect education to be the cure-all it is not." - Lauren Willis, an associate professor at Loyola Law School

So, today's lesson is: You're not smart enough to understand how your money works. Financial institutions do not have your best interests at heart but politicians do. Education is not a cure-all but more government regulation is.

Where do I even start?

Say What?

"Suppose you're a voter, and you've got candidate X and candidate Y. Candidate X agrees with you on everything, but you don't think that candidate can deliver on anything at all. Candidate Y you agree with on about half the issues, but he can deliver. Which candidate are you going to vote for? This has nothing to do with what's going on now." - Bill Clinton.

Um, yeah. Exactly. And maybe candidate Z is still mad and pouting because she lost.

It's 3 AM, And You've Just Received A Text Message

So, what is worse? Actually picking Joe Biden as your running mate, or waiting way to long to formally announce it, have it leak to the press, and then rushing to text all of your supporters, who were supposed to know first, and waking people up on the east coast at 3 AM? Brilliant.

On the other hand, I wonder if McCain even knows how to text message.

Anyway, the Economist has an interesting article on the challenges Obama faces, and the steps he needs to take noting that he is slipping in the polls.

It will be interesting to see if Clinton's supporters finally fall in line behind their party's pick after the convention. It's hard to imagine that they are going to swoon over someone like Joe Biden. (Of course, it's unlikely but never impossible that she would try some sort of commando tactic and leave the convention as the nominee.)

If the Democrats remain divided they will lose the presidency. Were that to happen, after Iraq, Katrina and an economic crisis, they might well want to consider an alternative line of work.

Cruze'n?

I am definitely digging the looks of the new Chevrolet small car, the Cruze. It is supposed to get a very solid 45 mpg. On the down side, they're releasing it first in Europe, and it won't be here for two years. And the Cruze is kind of a weak name.

Start With What You Have

I need some new reading materials. But, before I make one more trip to Barnes and Noble, Borders or CBD.com, I have a few items on my shelf that I have purchased or received and not yet read. Here is my list to tackle next:

1. Common Wealth by Jeffrey Sachs
2. Churchill by Roy Jenkins
3. God is Relevant by Luis Palau
4. Assassins by LaHaye & Jenkins
5. The Winning Attitude / Developing the Leaders Around You / Becoming a Person of Influence by John Maxwell
6. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

I also have a few partial-reads. So, what's been sitting on your shelf that you haven't picked up yet?

On The Bright Side

I still find myself a bit confounded by the speculation that Barrack Obama would choose Joe Biden as his running mate because of his foreign policy credentials. Just because you have done something for a very long time doesn't necessarily mean that you are good at it. The bright side that I see to this though is that it gets Biden out of Delaware, and we can finally get a new Senator.

The incoming Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday said he will try to block President Bush from sending an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq, calling it "the absolute wrong strategy."

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware plans three straight weeks of congressional hearings on Iraq policy next month in hopes of persuading the president to abandon a plan he is thought to be seriously considering.

"We've already broken Iraq. We're about to break the United States military" by sending more troops, said Mr. Biden, who is seeking the 2008 presidential nomination.

Mr. Bush early next month will announce a new strategy for the war, and is thought to favor a temporary increase in troop levels in what has been dubbed a "surge." - The Washington Times, 12/27/06.

Oh, and then there was this little gaffe.

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Schrödinger's Cat

From Jeff's blog I was clued into this website which brings out the small cat lover within. From time to time, I am reminded of a lunch conversation with Joe F. regarding Schrödinger's cat.



more cat pictures


more cat pictures


more cat pictures

Foreign Policy

So, as I am still searching for a presidential candidate to fully support, I found myself again looking at the Constitution Party. One of the items on their platform that is striking to me is how fundamentally different foreign policy is approached today (since WWI and perhaps most notably under the current administration) from how our founding fathers seemed to have considered it. Our current involvement in the Georgian-Russian conflict ("We're all Georgians"? What the . . .?) only provides a more stark relief against which to see this.

"Europe has a set of primary interests, which have to us none, or very remote relation. Hence, she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collusions of her friendships or enmities. "Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor, or caprice?" (George Washington's Farewell Address)


"America has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when the conflict has been for principles to which she clings....She goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own." (John Quincy Adams, Speech Delivered in Washington DC 04 July 1821)


"In the wars of European powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken any part, nor does it comport with our policy so to do....Our policy in regard to Europe...is, not to interfere in the internal concerns of any of its powers..." (James Monroe, Monroe Doctrine)

I.O.U.S.A.

Yeah, so I was only sort of kidding about the government defaulting on its debt. I think everyone should go see the upcoming documentary, I.O.U.S.A.

Where have you gone, Ross Perot?

More Contrarian Investing

So now that gold prices have plunged by 20% in the last month , I wonder if it's about time to get in on the action. Again, I see this is more of a long term investment (as in 30 years from now when the US government defaults on its debt sending world financial markets into complete chaos and marking the end of the American empire. Or maybe I'm just being cynical.)

I have found that one convenient way to trade in gold is through the iShares COMEX Gold Trust ETF (IAU). Unless you kind of dig having gold bullion lying around the house.

I'll add the IAU shares to my hypothetical slush fund.

The Americans Arrive

There is a good article in the Economist about the Georgian/Russian conflict and the arrival of US forces. It appears President Bush has played his limited hand as best as he could in sending Rice, Gates and the humanitarian efforts, delivered through naval and air forces, over to Georgia.

Reference To A Blog Cooler Than Mine

This post on Prayer Ninjas made me laugh out loud. Which still kind of hurts to do.

New Blog Feature

So I have added a new feature to my blog. You will notice on the right a listing of the lowest and highest gas prices in town courtesy of GasBuddy. Just click on the link to find the location nearest you with the lowest price. I hope you will find this helpful!

So What Have We Learned

A few lessons come to mind when hearing the updates from the Georgian-Russian conflict:

1. Saber-rattling with a country whose army is 20x larger than yours is typically not a good idea.
2. Expecting/hoping the US or NATO to come to your aid with military force when we are already engaged in two other wars with a threat of a third is not a good idea.
3. Condemning a country for "using military force to invade a sovereign nation and effecting a regime change" sounds pretty weak when you have, uh, invaded another sovereign nation with military force for the effect of a regime change.
4. As everyone guessed, Putin is still in control of Russia.
5. At the moment, it would appear that Russia holds all the cards.
   

Miracles Are Not Guaranteed, Credit Cards Accepted

So, as I stayed home on Sunday morning in my recovery, I found myself watching a shady televangelist on the one channel that comes in clearest on my TV. It's hard for me to grasp that people like this still appear on air. The whole setup was comical. I think everyone in the large choir was under the age of 30 and had flawless skin. You could see a few gray hairs in the audience, but only the back of their heads. The speaker was talking about prosperity theology of course. That "there is nothing more beautiful in the world than a $100 bill" and that you have to give expecting a return. He held a Bible pretty much the whole time, but I don't really recall him using it. He was a very harsh, unpleasant person.

At the end of the message, he pitched his new book on leadership, which profiled Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Donald Trump and others. The final close came with an appeal for donations of $1,0o0. He asked everyone to get out their checkbook and hold it up so he could pray over them. Then, a disclaimer came on the screen in medium sized font: "Miracles are the works of God. They are not guaranteed." Just below that in much larger font was the message: "Credit Cards Accepted" and their phone number.

Sir, I would rather flip to the other fuzzy channel on my TV and buy the colon cleansing product being advertised than send one dime to you.

If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. - 1 Timothy 6:1-10

This Is Gonna Hurt

So, today at 1:15 I will be getting all four of my wisdom teeth removed. One of my bottom teeth is impacted and also has a large cyst (the dental surgeon said if I had waited long enough, eventually my jaw would have just broken.) I would appreciate your prayers for a safe and successful procedure. Thanks!

Rock Star Dreams

So last night I had a dream that I was at a concert performing Rise Above This by Seether. I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've ever actually dreamed of being a rock star. At least I was rockin' out to a song that I liked.

So anyway, here is a video of the real Seether doing a live acoustic set at a concert in Philadelphia.

Upromise Is Useless

So six years ago I joined Upromise as a way of trying to help my nephews save for college. The idea is that a small percentage of many of your common purchases gets put into an account and accumulates over the years until a child in your life reaches college age. It's supposed to be a win-win situation, building customer loyalty for the corporations sponsoring the program and helping you save money. Well, after six long years, I have accumulated a grand total of . . . $17.20.

Wow, I guess the only question now is if they want to go to Yale or Harvard.