Thoughts

Of God and evolution

2010-10-05T16:54:00.005-07:00

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who is a devout Christian. Years ago, this man (A Republican) and I (A Democrat at the time) had a conversation about politics, in which I was embarrassingly whipped. Because of this conversation, I spent many, many hours reading and educating myself on anything and everything I could find on the subject of political theory with a particular emphasis on "left vs right" or "Conservative Vs Liberal" theories, only to find that I was actually standing on the wrong side of the issues. My ignorance was causing me to take positions I didn't fully understand, and my friend knew it. Not once did he beat me up about it or even try to teach me, but if I ever had a question, or an argument I wanted to try out, he was always ready to smack me down and direct me to the places where I could learn what I was talking about before I opened my mouth again.

Nearly ten years later, this man felt it was time to talk to me of God, and my lifelong Atheist/Agnostic position on the subject. We spoke for several hours about what he believed, and how it was different from the common Christianity that I so openly mocked. He spoke to me of words that translated poorly into the English language, and how to find proper translations. He explained that my resentment of the Christian masses was misplaced, and that it was the teachers of that faith who were to blame for the overwhelming amount of misunderstanding within Christendom. Then he proceeded to blow my mind.

When I asked about Evolution and the age of the planet, he refrained from answering. Instead he asked me a question.

"Do you believe in man made Global warming?"

"No" I replied, and listed off the reasons why I considered it to be a scam.

"So, you think that scientists across the globe are either lying or flat out wrong?" he asked

"Yes" I answered.

"SO why is it so implausible that the very same people and institutions are wrong or lying about another subject? Doesn't it stand to reason that once their credibility is compromised, that all things from the scientific community must be questioned?"

I found myself stumped. I could hardly argue with the logic my friend presented, yet wasn't evolution obvious??

It was at this time that he presented me with "Haeckel's embryos", a chart showing various embryos of various animals, used in the 60's and 70's in science books to demonstrate how evolution was not only possible, but PROVABLE by watching the development of different forms of life "evolve" from nearly identical organisms into distinctly unique creatures.

"This was taught as fact to me in High school. Now it is a hidden, dirty secret of our education system because it was proven to be not only wrong, but intentionally fraudulent." He told me, as I sat staring, jaw agape.

After stewing on this information for several weeks now, I have come to one conclusion and that is this;
The steadfast belief in science is based on faith as much as belief in God is based on faith. Those of us who claim science as our basis for our beliefs must realise that in the course of human history, science has repeatedly proven itself wrong on many issues. Perhaps someday, it will prove itself wrong on the biggest issues of life, death, or even God.

sleep deprived babbling....

2010-08-02T04:54:00.005-07:00

"DO NOT DIE WONDERING"

This was the billboard that changed my life. I have no recollection of what it was selling, but the message had a profound impact on my life. From the moment I read it for the first time, close to a decade ago, until now, these words have always stricken me as an indisputable challenge to get out and see what this world has to offer.

As a younger man, I was unfortunate enough to experience the death of my fiance, and still bear the tattoo that will always remind me of the suddenness of death, and the beautiful girl who, at only eighteen years old, left this world before she ever had a chance to really see it. While I didn't realize it then, the death of Joanne would cause a lifelong passion in me to see and do as much as I can before I too make my exit.

This morning, I received news of an old friends passing, and it made me think. Have I begun to take this gift for granted? Am I doing everything I can to fully soak up the full benefit of this blessing called life and how can I live more completely? All of these questions led me to naturally wonder about all of my friends and family. Are you letting your life pass you by while letting the television rob you of the experiences that are out there?

As for me, I refuse. I refuse to let slip away the chance to become a good writer. I refuse to waste the moments, wherever I find them, to enjoy my son. I refuse to lie on my deathbed with a list of unfinished business. I refuse to squander away the opportunities that my friend no longer has. And neither should you. Get out there and start living.

DO NOT DIE WONDERING.

Dear Congresswoman

2009-10-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

Congresswoman DeGette,
I recently read a press release from your office touting the Passing of the Mathew Shepard Hate Crime Act. I would like to take a moment to express my absolute puzzlement as to how you, or any other member of congress can so boldly and proudly claim victory in the passage of a bill that you chose to sneak in between pages of another, completely un-related bill.

To make matters worse, congresswoman, you chose to hide this abomination inside a military appropriations bill! This makes the disdain you feel towards our men and women in uniform painfully obvious. The willingness you have shown to use our military personnel as political human shields underscores your level of corruption and incompetence in the office you so undeservedly hold. I can tolerate many things in quiet frustration, congresswoman, but the manipulation of our military to move your political agenda forward is more than I can bear. I promise to actively work against your re-election during your next campaign, and will tout this bill as evidence of the type of deceit that you are capable of.

Ryan Tuleja
Arvada, CO

hate crime legislation hidden in the military budget

2009-10-15T14:59:00.003-07:00

Looking through the news, I have been seeing a trend in Washington that I find both appalling, and terrifying. The dishonesty and inconsideration for the will of the American people are becoming increasingly evident by the day.

In a recent move, congressional Democrats have pulled an incredibly disgraceful move, by attaching hate crime legislation to the 2010 military appropriations bill. What does that mean, you ask? Well, by putting this legislation INSIDE the militaries' budget (see division E, aka the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act), they have made it impossible for any representative to vote against the bill without being accused of standing against the better interests of Americas finest. This is political sleaze at it's most ugly and depraved, and I simply cannot see how we the people can stand to have these kinds of tactics used by either side ever again! The very concept of rider bills is so despicable that several states (including my own) have laws against such dishonest and underhanded tactics.

Things have to change. We, the people of the United States of America, can not sit idly by and watch as these bureaucrats, liars and thieves use our military men and woman as political human shields to achieve their ideological goals. Please join us here and help to make the changes that we can actually believe in.

The DOW climbs to 10,000

2009-10-14T14:48:00.002-07:00

Today the DOW climbed over 10,000 for the first time in over a year, and Americans are understandably pretty excited about it. Reporters are interviewing experts who proclaim that the recession is over, and that we can credit it all to the stimulus bill that President Barak Obama so wisely signed into law at the beginning of his term in office, nine months ago.
On the surface, this seems like great news, and we should all be out in the streets celebrating such wonderful news. Ticker tape parades should be littering the streets and we should all find ourselves on shopping sprees that would make Paris Hilton look like a pauper...But we aren't.
We aren't, because something doesn't add up, and we the American people know it. We remember that the government printed money to the tune of a trillion dollars, a number so large that we choose to spell it, rather than use digits. A trillion dollars that largely went to the very same companies who's stock prices have been rising since. Companies that needed the money due to their own incompetence. Companies that, according to the national unemployment rate 9.8% still aren't hiring. Companies that, according to our government, saw lower that expected sales this quarter for something like the millionth quarter straight.
So how do companies that are not selling their products and show no sign of growth have stock prices climbing? You guessed it! With the stimulus money!! So before you run out and start buying stock again, think it through, because as in almost everything else these days, things arent quite what they appear.

I am the reason you are dying

2009-09-30T04:39:00.002-07:00

Dear Media,

You dont know me very well, but I have seen you around over the years, and have become pretty aware of who you are and what you are capable of. I remember, somewhat vaguely, how you were once very powerful and influencial in all the happenings of my childhood era, but that was before.

I remember when people would repeat things that were spoken by your anchor men about the important topics of the day. I remember when your writers still had the integrity to report news as if it was...well...news. But again, that was before.

"Before what?" you may ask. Before me.Before you became so impressed with your own influence that you forgot that your job was to report the news, rather that dictate what the news should be.

I would like to take a moment to tell you a little about myself, and the reason you should care who I am.

I am the reason you are dying. I refuse to blindly accept one sided stories that only recognise one side of the political spectrum.

I am the reason you are dying. I believe that when thousands of people march on the capital of Denver, or hundreds of thousands march on Washington DC, it is a story worth covering.

I am the reason you are dying. I believe that media can and should remain neutral, but if you are going to take sides it should be on the side of the American people, rather than the side of those who come here illegaly and steal jobs and services that could otherwise go to my..no, YOUR countrymen.

I am the reason you are dying. I believe that you have become a bully and your size and age likens you to the schoolyard kid that got held back a couple times and wants to take out his anger on the nearest member of the chess club.

I am the reason you are dying. I am the generation you once deemed "X" and I dont need you.

2009-09-25T05:10:00.002-07:00

As of the last several months, I have been on a reading tear that I think may be unmatched in my life previously. In an effort to make up for my educational shortcomings, I have been making an effort to read as many of the greatest books in history as I can get my hands on. Now the books I have chosen have been referred to me through various sources including word of mouth, press articles and by simply holding the status of "classic".

It is a very interesting thing to note how ones thought processes begin to change and the paradigms shift as the mind expands to accomidate new ideas. It is also quite interesting to note how some of the ideas that once changed the world due to their insight or originality, are now common place thoughts and it is pretty hard to see them as anything other than basics.

Why didnt I preach for a third party when Bush was president?

2009-09-24T04:30:00.002-07:00

Lately, I have been very vocal about the political climate in this country. During a recent conversation, I was asked why I never touted a third party back when Bush was President. As a reply, I would like to re-post a blog I wrote in April of 2007.

Third party
Flip to just about any of the major news networks and chances are, on any given day, you will see a member of either major political party being exposed for some disgraceful activity. From the virtual vacuum of new ideas and strong leadership in the Democratic party, to the unbelievable levels of arrogance and corruption of the Republicans, we can clearly see a problem with the current two-party system.
Talk to just about anyone on the street, at school, or at work, and chances are, you will find them to be of relatively moderate opinions on many of the major political issues of the day. Why then, do we see only staunch ideologues take positions of authority in either party? For instance, John Kerry is often considered to be the second-most liberal Senator (second only to his Massachusetts colleague Robert Kennedy) in the country, yet he is considered to be one of the dominant members of his party.
Another very big, and little discussed issue is cronyism, the appointing of friends, family and big donators to key positions. An example of this would be the recent debacle around the presidential appointment of Robert Brown to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. Mr. Brown, or “Brownie,” as president Bush so fondly referred to him, has no real credentials to land him in this prestigious position. As a matter of fact, his only “real” job was as president of a horse association, a position from which he was fired. Prior to this, Mr. brown was a non-practicing lawyer whose only qualifications for the FEMA position were connections. It can be reasonably assumed that people died during the complete mishandling of the hurricane Katrina emergency due to this man’s incompetence and the presidents embarrassing decision to hire him.
Many people will say the existence and general failure of the Green and Libertarian parties are proof that alternatives do exist, and they are simply not of any real value. The major flaw of this idea is simple. Both of these parties are even more extreme Left and Right, respectively, of their mainstream counterparts. The Green parties affiliation with radical environmentalism and the Libertarians isolationist concepts tend to be too much for the average citizen. How, then, can we actually consider these two groups to be realistic alternatives?
Perhaps changing the major parties from the inside could be an option, but at what point do we decide to just tear up the page and head back to the drawing board? As the young up and coming members of either party begin making a name for themselves and rising to the upper echelons of their caucuses, party rhetoric and propaganda become the only tools available for further advancement. To speak of change or to go against the senior members by trying to “fight the tide” would only be political suicide. And those members with enough seniority and clout to feel confident in their ability to speak their minds have already become vested in the current stance of their political allies.
Many subjects such as: marijuana legalization, gay marriage, oil drilling in sensitive areas, affirmative action, and taxation are issues where a seemingly ever-increasing portion of our country are crossing party lines in both directions. As our leadership continues to lean farther and farther apart, the chasm of moderation between them grows exponentially larger. Where, then, is the representation for the average citizen? Are we to hope and pray that these men and women with such fringe positions and ideas are going to set aside their personal beliefs and work to achieve some compromise? Or do we simply accept that the career politicians who occupy our representative seats have become so far removed from the common citizen that we can no longer trust them to use common sense? In order for our government to be a body by the people and for the people, it needs, once again, to be of the people.
There is a saying, which states; if the people will lead, the leaders will follow. The time for the people to lead is now. By forming a third party and taking the power out of the hands of those who have abused it for so long, we will once again hold the reigns and control the direction in which our country moves. A party, which, instead of taking the most extreme stance on every position, tries to find ways to compromise and actually achieve progress. A party that recognizes cooperation as a key to social and fiscal progress. And most importantly, a party which can actually claim to be made up of the working class which the other guys so laughably claim to represent.

some conservative approaches to health care

2009-09-23T04:16:00.003-07:00

After having many conversations about health care in the recent past, I seem to continually run into the same, baseless argument over and over again in defence of the socialised systems being proposed today. Generally the argument sounds like this, "I know the current proposals have some flaws, but at least the Democrats are trying. What have the Republicans done other than 'just say no'?"

Now the first issue I take with this question in simple. While buying a new car is indeed one way to fix a flat tire, it is not really the most economical or intelligent way of operating, and that is what the current plans (including what I have seen of the Baucus bill) are proposing. The fact of the matter is that we as Americans enjoy the worlds longest survival rates for most of the common types of cancer among many other terminal illnesses, and the ideas being debated today would put that at risk so that less than 10% of our population can have an option other than the emergency room!

Next off, lets talk about why we don't hear any ideas coming from the conservative camp. We currently have large Democrat majorities in both the house and senate. Period. The majority position has the ability to control the dialogue in congress, in terms of which bills get brought forward for discussion and, ultimately, the vote.

Lastly, I would like to touch on a couple of the ideas I have heard, so that any of you who are truly interested in free market solution can see that some interesting possibilities exist.

1-REMOVE LEGISLATION THAT PROHIBITS INTER-STATE COMPETITION.
The first idea that out there is also my favorite. During a recent speech before a joint session of congress, President Obama spoke of how wrong it was for one or two insurance companies to be able to monopolize an entire state. This practice stifles competition, and allows the companies to raise rates with absolute certainty that no other company will come in and take away their business. Mr Obama was right. The issue here, is what our Dear Leader did not say. He did not say that it is Government regulation that outlaws competition between insurance companies from different states. Let me make that more clear. THE GOVERNMENT OUTLAWS COMPETITION IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY. Removal of this legislation would be relatively inexpensive, require no intrusion on the lives of the citizens, and foster the spirit of competition that has the folks in the auto insurance industry practically fighting each other for your business.

2-TORT REFORM
In every industry, liability insurance is a big expense that is considered part of the cost of doing business. This expense is added into things like rent, utilities and salaries to make up what is known as overhead. This overhead is then divided up by the hours of anticipated work for a given period of time, and the result is an amount, sometimes called a margin, that makes up a portion of the bill which is presented to the customer.

Do to the general litigiousness of our society, these insurance costs are disproportionate in the medical Field. Allowing the government to institute some protections for the medical industry against frivolous lawsuits would help to lower insurance premiums, and therefore, the bills that eventually end up in the hands of the consumer.

3-GIVE INDIVIDUALS THE SAME TAX BENEFITS FOR PURCHASING INSURANCE AS BUSINESSES GET
To date, I have still not heard a single reasonable answer to my question of why we as individuals cannot purchase our own insurance, and utilize the same tax write-offs as businesses do. While this option would not apply to everyone, it would ABSOLUTELY benefit the young and healthy who are generally in need of little more than catastrophic coverage. By covering just one individual or even a family, the insurance company has the ability to gauge the risk of that customer and adjust it's prices accordingly, without needing to consider the overweight or sickly that would otherwise be part of any larger group plan.

Some simple gun rules

2009-09-19T16:29:00.002-07:00

OK, so I'm no gun expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I feel the need to post a few simple, unoriginal rules for all of you first time gun buyers to keep in mind as you are looking for a new firearm. These rules are not of my creation, and they are really simplistic. They will also keep you from being beaten to a pulp by a fellow gun lover.

1- Do not cover anything with the barrel of a gun that you are not willing to destroy. That includes your fellow customers, the sales clerk and if that thing even comes close to my child's direction, you and I are gonna have a MAJOR problem. Comprende, sport?

2- ALL guns are ALWAYS loaded. While this is not technically true, you had better get used to the mindset. By treating the weapon as if it's loaded, we can avoid allot of the problems with rule number 1 while in the store, and you wont have to have your head bashed in with the butt of the aforementioned firearm.

3- Now this one is important, so pay attention, numb nuts. Keep your finger off the trigger until you have acquired your target and are ready to fire. I don't care if it just came off the shelf of the store, and I don't care if you know it is unloaded. Most accidents happen because the idiot who pulled the trigger thought the gun was unloaded. You want to dry fire the gun? No problemo, just do it in a safe and unpopulated direction, and no one has to pistol whip you for your stupidty, ok fucktard?

Now, I would like to apologise to every responsible, knowlegeable gun owner for the fact that I simply walked away from this idiot instead of confronting the situation and maybe educating him a little on proper firearm handling, but, as I mentioned earlier, I am no expert and I dont even play one on tv.

Why I protest

2009-09-13T08:30:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, September twelfth, I had the pleasure of joining four thousand like minded individual in Denver Colorado, and Millions of people nation wide in a protest of our government. After arriving home, I began searching for the media coverage of the events both locally and nationally and found to my utter dismay a pathetic amount of attention being paid to the gatherings. To add insult to injury, what coverage I did find was either very brief, or very misinformed. Political pundits talking about the motives of the protesters is almost as unrealistic as our politicians speaking for us! Because of some of the ridiculous claims I have heard espoused, I have decided to talk about some of my reasons for taking part in this, and one prior protest of the same nature.The list of reasons I have for my dissatisfaction with the government is long and maybe a bit too much to write in a single day, so I'll keep it to a few key points that I consider to be of the utmost importance.

The first issue that I find terribly concerning is health care reform. Not because I believe the representatives of our nation have concocted some devious conspiratorial plot to bring our country down into the bowels of communism, but because it is, thus far a plan wrought with potential for severe unintended consequences and massive corruption. I do not see included in the bills that I have looked through, any reasonable means of financing these plans, nor any real consideration for the fact that we are a free, capitalist society that has,not in spite of, but because of capitalism, brought forth most of the greatest advances in medical technologies and techniques the world has ever known. Freedom is in my blood, and no crises will ever scare me away from that.

The second issue may be directly tied to the first, as well as many others. I am truly upset..No, I am PISSED OFF that our elected representative have the nerve to pretend to have the best interests of their constituents in mind while they are signing bills that they do not read. This is an idea that offends me more than I have the words to express. I would never sign a contract without reading it, and I simply cannot except the idea that these men and women are doing it regularly in the name of the people! This must stop, and I want to see prosecution of ANY elected official, of either party, that signs a bill without reading and understanding the potential ramifications of the legislation.

Next, I want to discuss what is, in my opinion, a filthy word. Debt. Washington, Franklin and Jefferson all spoke at length about the dangers of a national debt. They, like many more of the founding fathers were very clear in their belief that each generation should consider it a matter of the utmost urgency to pay off the debt that they accrue in order to hand to the next generation a clean slate, free of an overwhelming burden that could inhibit the ability to act freely. As a man much smarter than I once said, "Debt is slavery." Our government is spending money faster that they take it from us, and I do not wish to see these corrupt and power hungry people mortgage the future of my son for the sake of political expediency.

Finally, an issue that I find increasingly appalling, is the treatment of our service men and women. I cannot recall the number of stories I have heard about poor conditions in our VA hospitals, poor rehabilitation of our soldiers who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, or poorly equipped soldiers on the field of combat. Senator Barbera Boxers' recent display of arrogance toward a man who deserves far more respect then she ever will, was the straw that broke the camels back for me. Here we sit, stateside in our comfortable homes, working our jobs and enjoying rights and liberties that these people protect while no one seems to be standing up and fighting for them here in our own government! This must change, and it must change NOW!!

My reasons listed are not in any way an attempt to speak for anyone else. I neither pretend to be anyone elses mouthpiece, nor will I allow another to act in this capacity for me. I protest because I am free, and I plan not only to stay that way, but to hand to my son the very same right.

"I would rather die on my feet than live on my Knees."

On Rules for Radicals..

2009-09-09T04:34:00.004-07:00

After reading about half of this book in two days and covering it with highlighters and notes, I feel compelled to compliment the author, Saul Alinsky on his many shrewd observations and thorough understanding on the nature of people. Make no mistake, I do not agree with the mans politics, but his tactics are unarguably Machiavellian.

An idea that I find particularly interesting is this: "Our cause had to be all shining justice, allied with the angels; theirs had to be all evil, tied to the devil; in no war has the enemy or the cause ever been gray."

I am made to think of the way anyone who denies global warming is called a Flat Earther, one of the modern versions of heretic, an intellectual death-sentence in today's politically correct thought.

"If you start with nothing, demand 100 percent, then compromise for 30 percent,you're 30 percent ahead."
Fundamentally, this is a fairly simple idea, and I think most people are somewhat familiar with it, conceptually at least. It is when this idea is taken to a grand scale, and applied repeatedly that this becomes a powerful tool in moving any agenda foreword.

Lets look at the current health care debate as an example. Currently, The argument is between two sides who basically consist of two positions. The first is; the system is fundamentally sound and needs only minor modifications; the second calls for drastic, if not complete overhaul. At the time of this writing, bills that have been produced in congress are very unpopular, and will probably be rejected outright. Those who stand in opposition to these bills, of which I may be counted, should not consider this a victory though, because now, the minds of the American public have a very extreme reference upon which to measure all future plans. In comparison, all future proposals will appear moderate and the word compromise will be proclaimed by people with a much longer field of vision. With this tactic,as in football, the opposing team can win by moving foreward only by inches.

I will continue to write on the this book, as I believe it should be required reading for anyone who has an interest in how and why this administration is moving in the way it is.

One possible piece of the healthcare puzzle

2009-09-05T13:13:00.007-07:00

Bear with me as I work through a rough draft of an incomplete concept. With the whole health care debate raging on, I encountered a lady who is in a situation that I think I have an idea of how to help. Please, please correct me if any of the following suppositions or concepts are wrong, as I am woefully uneducated on this particular topic, and could be flailing wildly for something beyond my grasp.

Many Americans find themselves in something of a situation when they work and try to live responsible lives, meanwhile struggling with the dreaded "pre-existing condition", or they make too much money to qualify for medicaid, while their income is insufficient to cover insurance expenses. Here is my question/idea.

What if a new level were added to the medicaid system where people who make too much money to qualify could buy into the system through a voluntary increase of their federal taxes to offset the additional burden they place on the system?

To illustrate, lets say I am a 30 year old male with an existing condition who makes roughly $30,000 to $50,000 (I'm not sure where the numbers would actually work, these are just arbitrary) annually. Now because of my condition, I have been denied coverage by my employers program, into which I WOULD have paid several hundred dollars monthly, and find myself with limited options.

Now lets just imagine that the govt had a program where people in my situation could sign up to have several hundred dollars taken from my salary or paycheck in the form of additional FICA taxes and I would be allowed to receive all the benefits of other Medicare recipients, with maybe some additional co-pays and or deductibles comparable to those I would have dealt with in the private program offered by my employer.

This is not a panacea and I recognize it would not help everyone. I do think, however that this concept could be utilized to allow the government to assist people in need without placing undo financial strain on the system.

Again, this is a rough idea. Something like this may already exist, or it could just be stupid. Pleas let me know what you think.

My intellectual short mans' complex

2009-09-04T04:21:00.002-07:00

A few months ago I was driving with a few buddies of mine and college life came up in conversation. The subjects studied, the teachers and the interesting people all spent time at the center of the conversation before I realized that I was merely listening, unable to participate intelligently in the topic. Suddenly, after thinking about it, I realized that most of the people I choose to associate with have some form of higher education while I was a high school drop out! When I say suddenly, I mean it. This fact hit me like a hammer and did not leave my mind for the remainder of the day.

After a few months of wrestling with this reality, I have come no further towards a conclusion to some of the questions I asked myself. Now I pose them to you, dear reader, to help me tackle.

The first question I have is; Do I lose credibility when I speak as a man with only part of a 10Th grade education behind me? This is definitely the hardest question because I cannot feign to answer it with any honesty. How can any man truly know how he is perceived in other people eyes?

The second question I ask is one that I think I can answer on my own, but would love to know if I am missing part or all of the answer. Am I unable to recognise/grasp significant ideas and or concepts due to my limited exposure to them? I never read the books that get assigned in the latter half of high school, much less college, and am often finding new and revolutionary ideas in books that most people read years ago. Is it safe to assume that my thinking is several years behind the thoughts of my educated counterparts, due to their having years to mull these things over? Or do I have an advantage in being a bit older with more life experience behind me as I try to dissect some of the great works on politics, philosophy and literature?

Finally,(and this sort of ties into the first question) can I honestly expect others to take my thoughts and ideas seriously if they know that I have only a few years of schooling behind me when they have dedicated so much time and effort toward their degrees? Does it display too much arrogance on my part to believe I can grasp so many complex ideas and concepts without the aid of teachers, fellow students and considerable amounts of discussion?

I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts on this subject, and appreciate all feedback.

How the elected leaders really feel

2009-09-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Hypocrisy Continued

2009-08-31T17:13:00.003-07:00

In my last blog, I spoke of how both major political parties were actively engaging in betraying their own position in ways that threaten the liberty and freedom of average Americans. I then went on to illustrate how the Republican party was inconsistent in it's stances, and would now like to move on to the democrat party.

Let us first look at immigration policy. As the "Party of the working man," the democrats should logically take the position that helps the blue-collar workers in this country. Instead what we see are the power players standing side by side with their Republican brethren, albeit for different reasons.

Think about this for a moment. By making sure our borders remain wide open, we allow enormous quantities of people to flood our job market with cheap, often unskilled labor. This helps to fill all those jobs that "Americans wont do" such as farm worker and house cleaning right? WRONG!! People who cross our borders illegally are poor and some are quite desperate, but not necessarily stupid. These people are taking jobs that keep America running. Jobs like sheet metal installers, mechanics, tile settiers, ironworkers and electrician! Jobs that traditionally occupy a significant portion of our middle class are rapidly becoming minimum wage jobs because the Dems work to keep the steady stream of future potential voters pouring in! Imagine, at nearly 10% unemployment what those thousands of jobs could do if the Democrats weren't selling us out!

The next idea I would like to touch on, is tolerance. While we have been battered over the heads for most of my life time with speech about tolerance and peace, the Democrats have been altering the way these words are defined. By describing an idea that stands in opposition to their own as hate speech , the Dems have found a way to silence people. Any idea that they deem inappropriate is called "intolerant" or "closed minded" while they shut down discussion in college campuses and other places all over the country.

While indeed bigoted and racist statements are difficult to hear, the ability to say those things is part of the foundation of our country. People have the freedom to say what they please (with certain limitations) regardless of how offensive or distasteful. The party that has been basking in that freedom for decades by burning the American flag is now working to shut it down by invoking Orwellian thought police whenever a valid political argument arises that they cannot otherwise counter!!! We already have hate crime legislation, and I predict hate speech legislation will come soon.

Lastly, I would like to bring up entitlements programs. By this term, I mean social security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare and the current health care debate. These programs are unarguably strongholds for the Democratic party from which they draw a tremendous amount of voters, but here is the rub. While I am not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, I cannot see the difference between these programs and the illegal pyramid scheme! While the system can function quite well when the people at the top are few, and the bottom are many, everything starts to crumble when the system approaches even, and it completely falls apart when it becomes top-heavy. Now this isn't complicated mathematics that only a brilliant mind can see, but simple common sense that the Democrats are arguing against when they fight to bring more people into the system at the higher level. Why are they trying to expand these programs if they are destined to fall apart you ask? My response is simple. Power. They are seeking to create an entire class of people who are completely reliant on the government and would therefore only vote for politicians who promised to keep the paychecks coming. By expanding these programs and creating more government dependants, the Democrats are purchasing a higher level political power with our freedom as the payment.

Hypocrisy

2009-08-28T07:44:00.004-07:00

I have long been making the case that out two party system is deeply flawed and in need of a third party, which would better represent the middle of the road Americans. One reason for this belief is the distance between the major parties, and their commonly claimed principles. I believe that I can make the case that through either of the big two, we as Americans find our liberty encroached upon.

Let me begin by "eating my own" and pointing out the issues with my former party. While the Republicans run on a platform of fiscal responsibility, small government and strong national defence, I believe they have strayed very far from these principles in ways that burden the average citizen.

When speaking of fiscal responsibility, we are generally talking about balancing our national checkbook. When a family, small business or even a large business sits down to make financial decisions they must consider how much money they have, and try to spend less in order to remain positive, or profitable in the business analogy. Seems fairly straight foreword right? Well, as many Americans know, another way to do get by is to borrow more, or use credit to purchase things that they cannot currently afford. The problem with this is two-fold. First off, that money must be paid back, which then leaves even less money with which to pay bills. Second, interest charges added on to the money borrowed increases the price of every item purchased. Now anyone with a little sense understands that this is a dangerous trap to fall into, and many Americans have found themselves very deep in this hole.

Republicans in the last administration didn't fall into this trap, they drove in with both headlights on and floored the gas pedal! Our national debt skyrocketed under Bush, and we were borrowing just to pay the interest on a sum of money that you and I will pass to our grand kids. In this way, the Repubs have bound us to generations of servitude to our creditors, primarily China. Hardly responsible.

Smaller less intrusive government has long been a mantra of the Republican party, and I submit to you that both parts of this phrase are flat out lies. Lets start with the less intrusive part. The Repubs have been fighting to prevent gay marriage for as long as this has been an issue. Think about that. Two adult individuals want to enter into a contract in which they share most or all of their personal property and responsibilities. How is this less intrusive exactly? Or what about the "war on drugs"? Why can a man drink himself to death under full protection of the law, while the same man cannot pick a plant from the ground and smoke it?

These are two examples of how the Republican party fights to keep government involved in the lives of private citizens, where there is no justifiable cause.

The argument for smaller government has been proven as just rhetoric over the last eight years as the govt has grown more under Bush than it did under any of the prior three presidents, and the office of homeland security shows no signs of slowing it's growth.

And finally, National security. We have under our command, the finest fighting force mankind has ever witnessed. The men and women of our armed forces are more highly trained, better educated and (in my humble opinion) of a higher caliber than that of anything the world has ever known. So what do we do with this massive tool in times of war? We send our nations defenders into dangerous places without proper equipment, in too small of number and with restrictions on their behavior that the enemy makes no pretense of respecting or imitating. We send these people to fight with one arm tied behind their backs and claim to support them! it is a shame and a disgrace to the Republican party that congress can even function without every advantage being first given to Americas finest! For this I am embarrassed.

Additionally, there was a man once, many years ago by the name of sun tzu who wrote a book called "The Art of War". This book and many like it have written about being outflanked and why any body at war should always guard its rear. This is basic warfare, and the Republicans have been ignoring this simple concept by leaving out borders open for the sake of importing cheap labor.

In these two examples, the Republicans have robbed us of the ONE basic premise of the Federal Government, protection of our borders and our interests, by first fighting a war without fully engaging, winning and leaving and secondly by ignoring the borders, allowing millions of unknown persons to cross without any authorisation in order to take jobs that could be done by the millions of Americans who are currently unemployed, or maybe worse.

Fake hate crime by the Left!!!

2009-08-26T15:37:00.007-07:00

Yesterday, members of the Democratic party in Denver showed up to work to find all of their windows busted and pictures of the president smashed. Much of the day was spent talking about the right-wing extremists who must have committed such an act, and how they should be tried when caught. The phrase "Hate crime" was ringing in the air like church bells on Sunday Morning.

When the man was apprehended, it was discovered that he had a history of working for the Democratic party in various ways. Maurice "The Hammer" Schwenkler does not appear in the Colorado voter database, but he is recorded as having received $500 from a leftist political committee known as "Colorado Citizens Coalition".

Suddenly, the church bells have stopped ringing, and the locals are no longer quite so interested in how this man is prosecuted. I bet he gets a simple vandalism charge.

Moderation

2009-08-24T20:09:00.003-07:00

I often feel compelled to cringe a little whenever I hear someone proclaim proudly that they are a moderate. The look of moral superiority shines in their eyes while their chest swells ever so slightly as if they were stating some bold position that none but the truest of patriots would dare to utter in the public arena. I sometimes feel bad for them before I dismiss them altogether.

"But why would you dismiss someone says they are a moderate?" you may ask. "shouldn't people be less partisan?" you may wonder. To you I say shut up. Shut up and think before you waste another moment of you're life repeating that senseless gibberish. Can you be moderately concerned for your own well being, or that of your loved ones? Can you be a moderate on issues concerning your life? I say no. Not just no, but Hell no! You are passionate in the pursuit of what you deem right for yourself, as you should be, and so should you be for the positions you take in the political realm!

I can respect the person with whom I disagree, no matter how passionately, but I cannot feel the same towards one who doesn't have the courage or the honesty to proclaim their positions. Stand up, take your position and defend it as long as you feel it is right! Foam at the mouth with passion and spit venom in defence of what you believe is the truth!

I'm not saying to follow blindly in the path of your chosen party, and I'm not claiming that everyone should opine on every subject. But please, stand and fight for what you believe, either with me when we agree or against me when we don't, because this is America and our ability to have passionate discourse, not moderation, is truly the lifeblood of our system!

Obamas visit to Colorado PartIII

2009-08-21T09:45:00.005-07:00

In my last couple pages, I talked about some of the issues that I noticed on both sides of the protest/rally during President Obama's visit to Grand Junction Co. I would now like to run through a couple issues that I see on BOTH sides, that I think need to be addressed.

The peaceful transfer of power is one part of our political process that truly separates our nation from so many others. On a set date, we go from having one President to having a new one, and often that new man will share very few common ideas or beliefs with his predecessor. This is a concept that I don't see many people considering when they support legislation that has a broad range of powers. I listened to many Republicans argue for the necessity of the patriot act during the Bush administration, only to cry "Big Brother" now that a Democrat is sitting in the White house. I cannot help but wonder how many of the supporters of this (H.B.3200) current health care bill will think it was such a good idea the next time Republicans take power.

For my second point, I would like to discuss political division. Anyone who knows me has probably heard me talk about how I think the two parties are no more than "a two headed snake", to use a term I heard somewhere. We as Americans often argue and bicker over party lines when, in fact, they are both actively campaigning to rob you of your liberty. Sound crazy? Then tell me why the party that constantly chatters about "small, non-invasive government" fights like hell to keep two consenting adults from getting married due to their gender! Or tell me why the party that has argued against the government telling women what to do with their bodies, is now trying to dictate EVERY ONES health care choices! We have been duped into believing that this oligarchic two party system has a good side and a bad side when they are both villains in every equation I can think of.

Lastly, I would like to bring up, once again, education. The average American can rattle off winners in their favorite reality show, or statistics about "their team" in a given sport, whereas I find few that can speak intelligently about American history or our political system. In other words, we watch mindlessly as people entertain us with no practical impact on our lives, while politicians are making decisions about our money, safety, health and children without so much as a glance from the majority of us. We need to wake up and pay attention! It was once illegal to educate slaves because it was believed that education bred the desire for freedom. I believe we have collectively lost our fierce attachment for freedom as our senses have been dulled by the television. Our understanding of the system, how it works and how it came to be has grown so vague that we are allowing those in power to slowly drain our liberties away while we watch, unknowingly.

I believe that it is time to turn off the TV, find our common ground as Americans and Fight! Fight to have our politicians represent the people, not the special interests! Fight against the idea that we can spend our way out of debt! Fight against the leaders of the two political parties who believe we as Americans must sit by silently as they run roughshod over our Constitution! And fight to remain the greatest nation this planet has ever known! Together we stand, divided we fall.

Obamas visit to Colorado PartII

2009-08-18T18:39:00.005-07:00

This is the second part, of a 3 page piece about my experience during the protest outside President Obama's health care town hall in Grand Junction, CO. In the last piece, I wrote about what I found on the "pro-reform" side. Now I would like to cover a few issues I saw on my own side. One thing that became very evident to me very quickly, was the absolute lack of organization. Now I know there is some sort of stigma about conservatives organizing before a protest, ending in people being referred to as "astro-turf", but I don't care what people on the other side say. I saw buses, a stage, a professional sound system, dozens of pre-printed signs and several professional demonstrators leading all the festivities on the other side. These people were coordinated and well versed in setting up these types of events, and in terms of cohesion and sheer volume, they dominated. The next issue I found on our end was any common direction. People were protesting the health care bill, the stimulus package, Obama's birth-certificate, tobacco taxes and religion. While the message came across very clearly that we were very upset, the subject of said dissatisfaction seemed to come across a bit muddled. Lastly,I want to mention the passion of the people I met last Saturday. Indeed a wonderful thing when kept reigned in to some degree, this can serve to undermine any position if it gets out of hand. On more than one occasion, I witnessed individual from the "pro" side come over to engage in conversation. When this happened, instead of viewing it as an opportunity to present a clear, intelligent position to someone who seemed willing to participate in debate, people began shouting insults and demands that the person "go back to their own side". It is my belief after this experience, that the conservatives of this nation need to ignore all the "grassroots" conversations and gather together in order to organize and formulate a clear, concise message which the majority can stand behind. Simultaneously, people on both sides of this argument need to be educated in our constitution, some basic American history, simple economic ideas and, of course, this bill which threatens to unravel the intricately woven fabric of our great nation.

Obamas visit to Colorado

2009-08-18T18:35:00.001-07:00

This weekend, I made the 3-4 hour drive to protest outside of President Obamas healthcare townhall, and I thought I would share some of my observations. In the interest of full honesty, I want it understood ahead of time that I am biased against this plan, and that I spoke to roughly 10-12 people, so this may not be representative.

I approached everyone I met from the "pro-reform" side with the same three questions, in the same order.

1- Have you read the bill? The answer to this was uniformly (with one exception which I will cover later) no. The only person I met who said yes was an obvious professional demonstrator, who could not speak intelligently aboput any portion of the bill, and would not answer ANY question in a straight foreward manner.

2- How will we pay for it? Mostly I heard "I dont Know" with occasional "Tax the rich" thrown into the mix. When confronted with the bills statement that the "surecharge" on the rich and the 8% payroll tax would only account for 1/2 of the amount stated, I recieved a look that strongly resembled a deer in headlights.

3- social security, Medicare and Medicaid are broke, the DMV is a pretty widely disliked office due to long lines and gross mismanagement, and by the Presidents own statements, the post office is getting whooped by private industry. What makes you think THIS program would be better when it will be run by the same people who have screwed up all of the afforementioned? From this question, most people chose simply to walk away.

The green movement and political conservatism

2008-12-16T17:46:00.003-07:00

Over and over I run through this in my mind, and still I come to the same conclusion. The green movement should be embraced by all who consider themselves conservatives. Think about it. Conservative. Conservation. Say those words a few dozen times and you'll notice that there is at least some small similarity, like maybe somehow they might share a uh..whats that thing called...Oh yeah, a root word! Now I'm not sure about you, but I usually take that to mean the two words are SIMILAR!! Lets go a bit deeper.

Lets start with the energy issues involved. We as Americans currently import roughly a shit-ton (I think it's Metric) of oil annually to power our lives. Of that shit-ton, a whole ass-load of this oil is used to help produce electricity to power our buildings (Buildings account for a large majority of the American energy use). Now, lets just pretend for a moment that every building in the country provided 1/10th of it's power from solar panels on their roofs. If my math is correct, that would add up to a grip of oil that we as Americans wouldn't have to buy from some other country. The other effects of this would be: Job creation from installation and servicing of the solar panels, More cash in each Americans pocket, some security from price fluctuations, and lastly a dramatic increase is self sufficiency. All of these effects stand right in line with conservative values.

Next, lets discuss environmental protections. Often,environmental regulations are considered costly and non-business friendly. While for many companies this is true, there is an entire industries based around building and operating equipment that helps other businesses operate in a cleaner fashion. Imagine the economic impact of shutting these guys down. In the coming years, environmental stewardship will foster large quantities of well paying jobs that will be difficult to outsource. This form of economic stimulation is real, and could help keep our country running for a long time.

Finally, lets discuss the food that we eat. Fresh food is healthier. Period. By growing food locally and organically, we as individual communities empower ourselves with the ability to choose what goes into our food. We create a stronger local economy, and we reduce the amount of fuel needed to ship produce (I read that on average, you're food travels 1500-2000 miles to get to you). This independence is both economic and social, creating a stronger, more capable citizenry. Who could argue that that is not a conservative value?

Conserve. Conservative. Hmmmmm....

The dream

2008-12-15T23:43:00.002-07:00

Hearing a strange noise, I turn and walk down a hallway, followed by others I cannot identify. Coming to a door that rests slightly ajar, I push the door open slowly. In shock I stand stock still as the door moves to reveal a man hanging by his neck. This appears to be a recent occurance, I note, as the body is still swinging.
Slowly the body spins, bringing the mans face toward us, revealing a pair of black holes where his eyes should have been. Unlike the hanging, this is definately not recent, because the color is not that of a recently exposed eye socket (why do I know that?)The man wears a horrible grimace, and the dark pits that should have been eyes seem to stare at me accusingly.
Suddenly I realize that I'm waking up, but I cant decide if this is a dream...Or a memory.

Rambling..

2008-12-15T12:13:00.003-07:00

Troubles with my mind are causing me to start new writings, get a few pages into them, then delete them entirely. I find myself frustrated over the lack of perfect wording, or suitable metaphore. Maybe i will just write, and see what comes out. Fuckin free for all.

Recently, I have found myself in deep thought over the poor and homeless in my country. I find that my mind has a very difficult time accepting the situation as hopeless,rather, I see an issue that is dying for new tactics, ideas, and movements. I have been collecting coats as a warm-up for further actions. Once this drive is wrapped up, I will gather those who took part, and conduct a "lessons learned" meeting, so that the next event will benifit from the knowlege gained in this one. If an attept is made at continual, intentional evolution....I dunno, maybe something great could come of it. i am avoiding the recipt of advice from any who have done this before, in an attempt to try an maximize the potential "out of the box' thinking that I tend to be capable of.

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A fathers pride

2007-08-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

"C'mon, stand up! Find a good place for your feet,and stand up! You got it, dont worry so much about your hands, watch your feet!" I say excitedly, as I have with so many others, as they begin their rock climbing lives with me as something of a mentor. "Just trust your feet, and remember that I've got you!"
Like just about everyone else I have put on a rope for the first time, I see the fear in his movements as I shout encouragement upward,with my head craning back to a point just beyond uncomfortable.
In so many ways, he is like everyone else with whom I have shared my passion. Scared, excited, and a little clumsy. But he is very different. He is different, because he's my son, and he has never known life without climbing. Only now it's me looking up at him as he climbs steadily higher,not only facing the challenges....But persuing them. Life is good, and I am proud.

Love of money

2007-06-15T22:46:00.000-07:00

Who among us hasn't, at some time in our lives, uttered the words "I don't really care about money" or something with a similar point? I know that I have made statements like this dozens of times throughout my twenties, and even more often in adolescence. Well, I would like to go on record ,officially, that I now care about money, and I'd like to explain why.

POWER

Money is, above all other things to me, about power. The greater the financial resources of an individual, the greater the power held by said person. With that said, allow me to discuss power for a moment. If you are struggling to make ends meet and your child falls ill, you have only a limited number of resources at your disposal with which to work. With money, however, you are blessed with more power, in the form of the quantity of resources available to you and your family.
Humanitarianism is another avenue in which ones power is directly proportional to ones wealth. While, indeed, many people have done great things without the greatest funding, money can allow even the most ordinary person to make extra-ordinary contributions to society and mankind in general.
Time is without a doubt, our most valuable resource. Just think of all the time we spend away from the people and activities that make our lives richer and fuller, just so we can earn enough money to pay our bills, and continue with the "Money isn't really important to me" line. Now imagine if you had the kind of money that would allow you to double the amount of time you spend doing the things you truly enjoy. Now that's power!

FREEDOM

When asked about my long term goals, I have a long standing habit of answering first with, "freedom." Recently, I came to the realization that this was probably a little vague, so I decided to explain it, in writing, in a way that will make sense.
The first thing that comes to mind when I speak of freedom, is the freedom from a job. I hope to someday stop working, and the more money I have, the longer it will take for me to gain that freedom.
The second thing I think of, is freedom to relax. With poverty comes an intense level of stress over whether or not the bills will be paid, or how to fund Christmas. While people with money obviously still stress about things,the fundamental survival of their family isn't quite as heavy a burden as it is for the poor.
The third idea of freedom is the freedom to be yourself. We have all heard of the eccentricities of the wealthy, but how do we know they aren't just doing the things we'd all like to do, if only we didn't have to maintain our status in society. Think about it, a wealthy woman who wears strange clothing and behaves unusually is called eccentric, and is generally tolerated, and often adored. Take away that woman's money, and she is just weird, and generally ostracised.

To summarise, I think that every out there who says they don't really care about money, or that money cant buy happiness, should think a little harder. Money can give you time to spend with your family and Friends. Money can allow you to help people. Money can free you from many of life's burdens, and allow you to more fully enjoy this, the only chance you have at living this life.

Memorial day road trip, Part 1

2007-05-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

This Memorial Day, my family and I joined the masses and took a road trip for the long weekend. After looking into a few different areas, we decided on the Colorado National Monument, just West of Gran Junction in Western Colorado.
Having experienced a couple of National Parks, we were prepared for the crowds that were sure to block our every attempt at solitude. What we found, however, was a delightful surprise. Pulling into the ranger station, we were told that the campground rarely filled up, and that large crowds were pretty unusual here in this park. Thrilled by this news, we began the drive into the park.
As an avid rock climber, I immediately noticed the size and variety of the rock walls that formed the rim of the canyon. This was unlike any place I had seen. Hundreds of feet tall, with the reddish color that we Coloradans have become so familiar with, these rocks stood everywhere. The farther we drove into the park, the louder our “oohs” and “ahhs” became as every corner we turned revealed another majestic view with increasingly large rocks. After a few minutes of driving, we came upon the campground, and turned in its direction.
We decided to see what each loop had to offer before we decided on a space, and so we began the drive around each of the three loops. After going around loops A and B, we entered loop C with no expectation of what we were about to find. After spotting a couple good spots, we turned a corner and discovered the lookout over Monument Valley. Before us stood towers of sandstone that stood alone, hundreds of feet tall like some strange reminder of the giant dinosaurs that once roamed this area.
After we managed to pick our jaws up off the ground, we went back around and set up camp, as near the overlook as we could get, in anticipation of the next mornings sunrise photo-shoot we had planned. Within moments of our arrival in camp, we were greeted by a lizard that managed to show up and entertain us several times throughout the trip. Seeming to have no fear of us, it posed for photos, and did a strange dance for us, providing us with hours of entertainment

Things I learned as an adult, about the things I learned as a kid

2007-05-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

I have recently found myself questioning some of the things that I have considered true, based on lessons and experiences of my childhood and adolescence. This got me to thinking about all the other beliefs I once held, and have chanced since I entered the adult world.

Childhood belief #1 - Cops are assholes.
Adult perspective – So are many firefighters, doctors, carpenters and beggars. A person’s vocation has nothing to do with their personality. While many people say that cops often act too aggressively, I ask, wouldn’t you? If every person I encountered in my daily life was a potential enemy, I would be a little aggressive also.

Childhood belief #2 - The rich are greedy.
Adult perspective- So are the poor! In fact, I say the poor are even greedier. Most wealth in this country is first generation, meaning the rich guy made his own money. No matter if they made their fortunes with an idea, a business, or a novel, they had to compete with other ideas, businesses, or novels. In order to make their fortunes, their money making vehicle had to serve an ever increasing pool of people, or they would stop making money.
The employees of these companies, on the other hand, often expect to see their salaries increase regularly, often for no increase in productivity! In other words, while the business owner must constantly find a way to serve more of his product to more people for a more competitive price, the employee asks for more money while the change in their productivity often goes unchanged. I’ll bet the business owner would like to increase his income without increasing his output! So who’s really the greedy one?
Childhood belief #3 - I’m basically an adult.
Adult perspective- This might have been the dumbest thing I ever said. Ever. At 16 or 17, I thought that having a job, paying some bills, and making some rudimentary decisions on my own somehow signified adulthood.
Marriage, fatherhood, car payments, career decisions and a mortgage have all served to open my eyes to the reality of adulthood. This status of maturity is not as simple the ability to perform some basic requirements. The weight of your decisions increases significantly when the consequences of your actions begin to affect not just you, but your family, home, and future. I read somewhere that in ancient Jewish cultures, a man could not be a judge until he fathered at least two children. This was because only in fatherhood and marriage could one gain the maturity, empathy and compassion necessary to judge other people.

Childhood belief #4 – My friends are my family.

Adult perspective- No, they’re not. While indeed, some friendships may last a lifetime and grow continuously richer and more fulfilling, this is the exception. For the most part, as you grow older, your friends will slowly fade away, being replaced by new relationships in the form of romantic interests, professional associations, and new friendships based upon things more relevant to your adult life. The simple fact is, people change. With that change in our personalities often comes a resistance to the changes in others’ lives and perceptions. Eventually this leads to a decline in the regularity of communication, which further widens the gap between what were once very close friendships. Often when this gap grows too wide, it will sever the relationship entirely.

Obviously, these views are mine, and they probably don’t apply to you’re life. I think we all undergo so many changes in the course of our lives that we are often different people from one phase of our lives to the next. What do you think?

Baby Boomers and HVAC

2007-05-04T22:45:00.001-07:00

In approximately three years, the first of the baby boomer generation will begin to retire. With such a large portion of the American workforce phasing out of every imaginable industry, the younger generations must consider the implications on our own lives. This paper will focus on the future, as I envision it, of the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry, and how it will affect technicians who are still in the early stages of their careers.
In a business that has already had a very hard time recruiting people, the loss of key personnel could prove devastating to many companies. As long time, highly skilled employees say goodbye, employers will have to deal with replacing them with much less experienced candidates. Advertising, hiring, training and then finally utilizing these new members of a given company will take considerable amounts of time, energy and money. All of which will only be profitable if the new employee proves to be capable and reliable enough to last awhile.
As a technician in the field the most notable effect of this will be demand. Long days, hectic schedules and consistently heavier workloads will be almost impossible to avoid. Unemployment in our industry will plummet for even the most unskilled techs and installers. Anyone who takes the time now to train themselves and develop skills will be able to enjoy job security in ways previously unheard of.
One of the most valuable tools on any job is experience. Even the most complicated troubleshooting problem can easily be solved by someone who has seen the same thing before. With the retirement of the baby boomers, uncountable years of experience and practical skills will be lost to our community. Having a problem with an electrical system? Put your phone down and figure it out yourself, because the guy you have been calling for help with this stuff is fishing. Need some information on that new thermostat? Remember the fishing thing.
Those of us who have already been involved in our trade for a few years will begin to see advancement opportunities opening up everywhere. Positions from project manager to lead man to purchaser will fall onto our collective shoulders. As fewer and fewer of the older workers will be available, the “generation Xers” will find little competition for the newly open jobs. The benefit of a few years experience needs no explanation in a field where practical skills are so valuable.
As manpower comes into greater demand, and the workload increases on existing personnel, technology will have to begin playing an even more important role than it does now. Building automations, remote operated control systems, will enable technicians to make minor adjustments via the Internet without having to drive to every jobsite. The ability and technical know-how to operate and utilize this technology will be of great value to any employer. Anyone capable of performing these tasks along with the common technician responsibilities will be virtually guaranteed a job with all but the smallest of companies.
While many of these changes may appear to be rather negative for entry-level personnel, we must consider the financial compensation. Right now, HVAC/R technicians are the most sought after tradesmen in the country. Take a look in just about any newspaper classified section and you will see a disproportionately large amount of ads seeking techs. People do not want to live without heat, air conditioning or refrigeration, and they are willing to pay for those things. Since the pool of qualified people who can install, maintain, repair and replace this equipment is shrinking, the cost is growing rapidly. In an already lucrative career, we can expect to see ourselves profit tremendously.
To summarize, I believe the retirement of the baby boomer generation is going to affect the HVAC/R industry in many ways. While some of these effects will result in our being greatly overworked and often over extended, those of us who continue to develop new and better skills will see a very comfortable future.

Monster

2007-04-22T15:29:00.001-07:00

“Close your eyes,” he whispered, “and try to remember your life before I came along.” Smiling maliciously just inches away from her ear, the monster inhaled deeply of her expensive perfume and ran the edge of his knife along her shoulder.
Trembling with fear the woman obediently clamped her eyes shut and prayed he would not cut her again.
“Tell me what you see.” He demands.
I s-s-see my m-mom… She came t-to s-see my new apartment,” the woman stuttered, not sure if fear or cold was causing her to shiver. “W-we had l-lunch and AAAAHH!!!” she shrieked suddenly, as the monsters knife cut cleanly into her skin for the fourth time in as many hours. She barely feels the blood gliding down her back and bare buttocks, slightly increasing the size of the murky puddle on the hard wooden chair she had been tied to all morning. “Why are you doing this?” she shrieks, as her body tries in vain to buck foreword.
“Because you want it, need it, feeeel it…..” The monster groans, as though caught in the throes of passion. Running the callused tip of his dirty finger down this new wound, the monster pauses briefly when he reaches the small of her back and then suddenly steps away, leaving the room. The woman barely notices the dark patch on the front of his faded blue jeans.
Struggling to stay conscious, the woman studies her prison. The bare concrete walls of an unfinished basement surround her, with a single door behind her leading up a flight of stairs. Except for the chair she is tied to, and its mate witch still holds her predecessor, the room is completely without furniture. A single row of blinking fluorescent lights illuminates the room like a set for movies with scenes very similar to this.
Hearing the door open, she tries to shrink into the chair she straddles. As the monsters footsteps draw nearer, she turns and sees that he is still wearing the same pants, and he has a belt. The monster wields this belt menacingly close to her face, close enough that she can smell the curing oils in the leather. Suddenly she hears, more than feels the dry snapping sound of the leather striking her upper back. With a loud cry she rocks foreword hard enough to tip the chair onto two legs, stalling momentarily in the purgatory between crashing down on her face and gently rocking back into place. It is at this moment, the monster strikes her again, sending her face first into the blood stained concrete floor. Only the rich metallic taste of blood and the sound of the monsters heavy breathing followed her into darkness.

Awareness comes slowly to the woman. First, bringing the dull throbbing of a badly bruised body, then with light as she forces open the eye that didn’t hit the ground, the other too badly swollen to do anything but hurt. Scanning around the room she sees that she is again upright and her predecessor is gone. “At least I don’t have to look at her anymore.” she thinks, grasping for something to be positive about. “I wonder why she looked at me like that.” she wonders, thinking back to her first, and her predecessors last three hours in this room.

Stumbling, completely nude except for the bindings on her wrists, down the stairs and through the door, she sees her predecessor only peripherally at first, until the screaming started. Looking around, the woman immediately saw that the wailing was coming from a horribly beaten and lacerated young lady. “Nononononono” seemed to be all the lady could say while staring at the woman.
So entranced by the spectacle was the woman, she hadn’t noticed her hands and feet being bound to the legs of the chair in identical fashion as those of her predecessor. Snapping her out of this daze, a fire spread down her back as The Monster made a long cut down the middle of her back. “Oh my God!!” She screamed as the predecessor continued her one word monologue.
“I’ll be back for you every hour.” the monster said with a lazy smile, as he walked toward his other victim to begin the three hour series of deep cuts and brutal whipping that would drain the life and will out of anyone.
“I see you’re awake!” the woman hears the monster shout, snapping her back to the present. “Good, cuz I’ve got a little surprise for ya!” he says gleefully, as he turns and bounds back through the door and up the stairs.
Turning around at the sound of footsteps coming rapidly down the stairs, the woman feels her sanity snap back like a shade being pulled, as another woman enters the room.

The Third

2007-04-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

My alarm went off at 3:00 am and I violently slapped the snooze button as though it had offended me. Pulling myself out of bed I began the familiar routine of starting a climbing day. This, however, was going to be no ordinary climb. Today I would be climbing the third Flatiron, by far the largest rock I had attempted.
Gulping hot coffee and making last minute adjustments to the gear I planned to bring, I found myself becoming nervous. I knew I was going to have a few new experiences, and the butterflies in my stomach seemed to be turning into bats or maybe buzzards. Would I freeze up under pressure? Would I slip and fall? One way or the other I would find out.
By 4:45 am my partner, Steve, and I were at the trailhead and beginning the long and steeper-than-it-looked hike to the rock. Guided by moonlight and the dancing beams of our flashlights, we wove our way through rocks and trees until we arrived at “The Third,” as it is affectionately known. Still in near total darkness we decided to watch the sunrise over Boulder, Colorado.
By the light of the rising sun I got my first view of the route we planned to climb, and was awed by its beauty. Eight hundred feet of vertical sandstone, glowing in the reddish hue of daybreak, stood before me like some colossal dorsal fin. I felt as though I was gazing out at a sea of molten lava.
Beginning to climb, I quickly noticed two things. First, standing on a wall this big, all perspective was lost. After one hundred feet of climbing, I looked up to find the top seemingly no closer than when I started. Second, due to the nature of the rock, we climbed with none of our usual protective equipment. Although the climbing was very easy, I couldn’t help thinking about the horrendous fall potential.
Moving up the rock I could not help looking around and smiling to myself, thinking how much I pitied “normal people” who would never see or do anything like this. The trees that stood so high above me only a few hours ago were now small like some toy in one of my sons train sets. At some point I watched a peregrine falcon soaring below me, close enough that I could see the colors in its feathers shimmering in the sunlight. Even the feeling of the sun on my bare back, or the light breeze caressing my skin seemed different, as though being so high in the air made everything more vivid, more real.
Pleasant climbing, crystal clear skies, and good company had me regretting the sight of the summit. Sitting atop this massive stone, we opened our packs and had lunch. Lingering over our food, we spoke the way climbers always do at the end of an adventure. Jobs, spouses, children and bills are set aside and for a few moments, grown men would sound like boys if overheard.
“Dude, did you see that lizard?”
“Hey, check out the hawk!”
Rappelling off of the backside of “The Third” is said to be one of the highlights of this climb. Steep, dangerous, and intimidating are common descriptions in guidebooks. Leaning back on the first of three rappels, I could see why so many people seemed to find this awkward. Lowering myself down was made considerably more difficult by the angle of the rock below me, which jutted inward enough that I feared smashing my face into the upper section while trying to get my feet onto the lower section. After clearing this section of the descent I found myself dangling high above a large boulder field. Sliding down my thin rope I once again thought of “normal people” and how glad I was not to be one of them. As the weight of my body transferred from my climbing harness and rope, to my shoes and the ground, I smiled broadly and laughed, “That was so cool!”
With hiking in the dark, huge lengths of unprotected climbing, and an infamous rappel behind me, I chuckled at my nervousness of the morning. As we hiked back to the trailhead, making frequent stops to stare at the behemoth we had just scaled, I found myself looking forward to my next bout of anxiety.

Renewable energy ideas

2007-04-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

So, today my family & I went to the museum, in part to check out the renewable energy expo that was being held in honor of Earth day. Walking around and talking to some of the people who are involved in these areas, I found my self thinking about ways to use some of thes technologies for a business of my own.
One thing that became immidiately obvious, was the focus on the heating and air conditioning of homes. Apparently, housholds makeup a very large potion of our countries "carbon footprint." With my experience and background, going back into the HVAC business seems a rather obvious choice. Selling and installing only high efficiency systems would allow me to make a living, while simultaneously making a difference in the use of our natural resources. I would, however, have to go back into working and getting dirty, which I'm not sure I want to do.
The second thing I noticed about the show, was the number of new products on display that could be used to make people more comfortable while either using less energy, or using some other type of energy altogether. This got me thinking about maybe getting into retrofitting homes with solar hot water, air mixing ventilation, solar lighting or even photvoltiacs. This would enable me to use my HVAC background, electrical and plumbing knowledge to give some of these ideas a larger market, and hopefully, help make the market profitable enough to encourage increased funding of these technologies.
Lastly, I noticed the interest of so many people on the subject of creating and using non-traditional energy sources. This got me to thinking about all the people who either havn't considered the idea, or are against the idea of change, for whatever their reason. Of these people, I am sure there are many who hold the belief that the whole global warming craze is just another fad, or maybe it's part of some liberal agenda.
I wonder, are there arguments being made for conservation that make sense to all who are involved?

winter activites

2007-04-19T23:09:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION

Live in any area where cold weather is common, and sooner or later you are likely to hear someone complain about the snow. Some times, this complaining is about the winter driving, sometimes the snow shoveling, and often, it is about being cooped up in the house for long periods of time. This “cabin fever” is often felt by people who, otherwise, spend large amounts of time outside, hiking, biking, camping, or just enjoying the solitude that only nature has to offer. Counting my self among this group, I have, from time to time, contemplated the idea of moving to one of the desert states, where snow is rarely, if ever seen. Gone would be the days of looking out my window, seeing snow, and dreaming of open spaces in which I could be free to explore the worlds many treasures.
I no longer feel as though the winter weather has me, or my adventurous ambitions, held hostage. Sometime last year, I had something of a revelation. Why not find a way to actually enjoy the winter? So simple was this idea, that it actually stunned me a little. How had I let something so obvious pass me by unnoticed?
I decided then and there that, since I lived in Colorado, it only made sense to begin skiing or snowboarding. Oh, wait, that was very expensive and therefore pretty unlikely that I would do much of it. And then….I drew a blank. What does anyone do with themselves in the winter besides ski, snow board, ice fish or snowmobile? As I had already found a problem with the first two, and had no interest in the second two, I decided I had to start looking a little harder.
Having spent some time exploring the options, and trying a few of them, I have found that I no longer think of winter as something to “get through,” so much as an opportunity to see to outdoor experience from a whole different angle. As quoted by Kent and Donna Dannen (2002), Enos Mills once said, “In winter I discovered solitude, boiled down, refined, and twenty-two carat.”
Take a walk
During the warmer months, I will often spend hour upon hour strolling with my wife and son through one of Colorado’s countless trails. In the winter, we have found that this doesn’t have to change. Early this year, I and my family discovered “perhaps the ultimate winter activity for families,” according to Clair Walter (2004). Snowshoeing has provided us with a way to spend time together while still getting some exercise and enjoying the outdoors.
One thing that must be mentioned about snowshoeing is that it is, well, pretty easy. Having spent time involved in many other sports, I was almost suspicious at how quickly one can learn to maneuver with these strange baskets on your feet. With time, though, I have found that there really is no catch, it is just an easy sport that anyone can learn with little time spend thinking about technique or complicated equipment. All you have to do is dress warmly, and walk.
Even the introduction of a small child doesn’t seem to complicate things too much. I found that pulling a small sled works wonderfully. As soon as the kid gets tired from stomping around in the snow, he can sit and enjoy the ride for a few minutes, that is of course until something interesting catches his eye! The only draw backs to taking kids on snowshoeing trips are that you must, obviously, be vigilant in your observations of their well being, and often the trips must be kept somewhat short. You should absolutely familiarize yourself with the signs of frostbite and hypothermia, as well as dehydration and fatigue. Any one of these signs should be enough to call it a day and head to someplace warm for some hot cocoa.

Dig a hole
I have often thought of the irony behind people going outside to sleep in the elements, which centuries of technology, development, and instinct have taken us out of. Never the less, I have always enjoyed camping, and after having tried camping in the snow a couple times now, I am almost certain that winter camping is my favorite time of year for sleeping out doors.
Craig Connaly (2005) states that “…the best shelter for winter mountaineering, or whenever there’s movable snow, is a snow cave…They are warm, quiet, and storm proof.” To this, I would like to add that snow caves are also pretty fun to build, as long as you are prepared to get wet….Really wet! I have also found snow caves to be surprisingly warm, and according to Tawrell (2006) “a lit candle can raise the temperature to 40 degrees Fahrenheit”, which I have found pretty comparable to a tent during the fall.
While small children may not be well suited for the life inside as snow cave, teenagers may find it quite enjoyable. In fact, during the construction of our three-man snow cave, I heard my 17 year old sister on several occasions say how much fun she was having. Even during the coldest hours, she didn’t seem to have much of a problem staying warm in her sleeping bag. Admittedly, though, she did seem much more comfortable once she had a couple foot warmers on.
While digging a snow cave may not be terribly convenient, there are some aspect of living in one that make up for this. One major benefit to camping in a snow cave is dealing with wildlife. During the winter, bears are hibernating, and even the rodents seem to be dormant. For us as humans in the wilderness, this translates into greater ease in regard to food storage, cooking and eating. Just keep your food, cook, and eat in your cave. Compare that to all the hassles involving your food during the warmer months!

Conclusion

Over the course of the last winter, I have finally found a way to not only deal with the winters of Colorado, but to revel in them. By focusing this paper on activities that can be done with kids, and for relatively little money, I hope to encourage people to go out and try something new this winter. While the overpriced ski resorts continue to raise prices beyond what many families can afford, there are still plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy some good company, and the great outdoors.

Works Cited

Connally, Craig, (2005), The Mountaineering Handbook, Ragged Mountain Press/McGraw-Hill, 376pp.

Dannen, Kent and Donna, (2002), Best Easy Day Hikes Rocky Mountain National Park, Falcon, 134pp.

Tawrell, Paul, (2006), Camping & Wilderness Survival, Paul Yawrell,1080pp.