Holidaze

I just had time to sit down and really look at the book of pictures and quotes by Catherine that I received for Christmas. It is a very nice remembrance book. It not only took a lot of work for Amber to use the program to make it, but also to match up pictures with quotes. Thank you!

I am looking at a cracker that Mary took a bite out of and refused to eat the rest of. She wanted pizza. We told her no. She had been sick all day and we didn't trust her stomach to behave on the plane ride. Next to the cracker is an apple. Guess who took a bite and decided she didn't likeit? I miss those kids.

Bailey also is lost without the girls. She had been getting double treats each time she came in from the outside. (Doing her duty!) BOTH girls had to give her a treat EACH time she came in.

I just finished shampooing the carpet. As I said above, Mary was sick yesterday. And Bailey thought she would mark her territory in several spots letting Lyla know whose house this was.

We visited FedEx several times this week. We sent 3 boxes out east and 4 boxes to the west coast. I would say the kids were wonderfully blessed this Christmas!

I didn't take any pictures of our Chuck E Cheese adventure on Saturday but everyone had a good time. Uncle Chris spent time in the tunnels with Catherine, while Uncle Tommy found a skeeball machine that gave out extra tickets. Aunt Jena was a pro on the Deal or No Deal game.

We had a good meal last Wednesday at Kitaro. Lots of Sushi.

We also hit up Victoria's Secret for their big sale. As Catherine and I wandered around the store, she informed me and several nearby customers that this store had lots of underpants!

Looters

I recently plowed my way through Atlas Shrugged, starting in late November and ending the 1200-page missive a few days ago. While recognizing the quality of the book, it would have been even more effective at half the size. One speech within the book lasted 60 pages alone. Ayn Rand tends to the verbose.

However, the central concept was brilliant. It explored what could happen if people were forced to create a society in which everything was fairly (and artificially) redistributed by central planners. It removed the morality of achievement and ownership, and replaced it with the capriciousness of men in power who lacked any moral compass at all. Although their mantra was "fairness", they pursued this in a corrupt fashion as they lacked a moral compass. Once the rules started changing, the situation devolved into chaos. The planners, educators, and scientific community - whom Ms. Rand labeled as "looters" - sucked the producers dry until the golden goose eventually died. They were smart enough to loot wealth, but not smart enough to generate it!

This book, written in 1957, casts a negative light on current events, and exposes the "looters" who threaten us today. The health care bill nationalizes 1/6 of the economy even though only 32% of Americans express support for it. Passage was obtained by buying votes (another form of looting since it came from our taxes). Cap and trade is another form of looting, i.e. forcing the producers to pay for some ill-defined concept of global fairness (aided by scientists on the "payroll"). The stimulus bill and TARP funds are another example of "central planners" counting on you to pay the freight.

In short, Atlas Shrugged is a bit scary. It bravely calls for individual excellence and individual rewards in a society in which leaders naturally stray toward their own (artificial and self-serving) vision of utopia.

The Music Gene

The music gene existed in the two generations prior to me (perhaps more, I don't know), skipped over Greg and I, and is present in the next two generations.

I offer the following as proof:

The video is a bit dark; here is a better photo:

A Fair Deal

My system for ensuring a fair deal on a purchase is simple. I look at the product first without the price, and formulate a valuation in my mind. "I would pay $60 for this lamp, how much is it? ... $90? ... Too bad." Of course, this is all silent (or maybe to Kim only), for if the lamp is only $40, we'd happily purchase at that price!

Now pretend like you keep all of the salary you earn. Have you ever thought about how you'd be willing to pay for common services such as roads, defense, schools, and safety-net social programs? Personally, I'd be willing to work one day a week for these common services, no more. I think working one-day-a-week for larger societal efforts is a generous contribution.

So how much am I paying? If you add all forced taxation (there's no nicer way to say it) - federal income, state income, property taxes, real estate taxes, sales taxes, etc - I work 2.5 days a week for government spending and 2.5 days a week for me. In my valuation system, that's way too much!

It's too easy for bureaucrats to spend the dollars of others. Think about the way health care is being designed. If Congress designed auto insurance the same way (let's hope they don't), then we'd need to contribute to a pool for oil changes and tire rotations!

In short, our representatives desire too much central planning powers, and we pay for it. The loss of those private dollars is not without consequence as it drains the economy. No wonder jobs are leaving the US at an alarming rate. Less government "help", not more, is what's needed.

When Losing is Winning

Let's sort this out ...

If the Rams win their final game of the season (as I'm sure the players want to do), they could lose the right the #1 draft choice. Since there is a clear top player this year - Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska, a dominant defensive lineman (right) - this would be a big loss.

By holding the first draft pick, the Rams have two excellent strategies available: either select Suh outright, or recognizing how other teams covet him, trade down for multiple players. Either option would help immensely.

If the Rams win their last game (and assuming Detroit loses again), the Rams would lose the first draft choice. The second draft pick would demand far less trade interest as there is no clear-cut #2.

So if the Rams win, the payback is pride. If they lose, the payback is greater potential improvement next year. So, to win the top pick, they must lose on the field.

With this team, that's likely anyway.

Photo's by Catherine

Catherine was very busy on Christmas night. We had all of our family over for dinner and she busied herself taking photos. I think she did a pretty good job!

Bailey
Great Uncle Frank

Grandpa and Great Grandpa

Uncle Tommy

Daddy

Uncle Chris

Mommy and Grandpa T

Aunt Jena

Not bad for 2 years old!

Tommy Article

See the following article featuring Tommy:

Tommy at Examiner.com

Then pledge some money and tell him to cut his hair.