We didn't include a letter in this year's Christmas card but if we did here is what it would have said (It is likely that my wife would heavily edit the letter but here it goes.)(I haven't blogged since May, so I'll pick up from May- actually I'm going to go backward to May):
Well, it is the 23rd and I just finished wrapping gifts. Mmjhokie is having a night out with the girls- I hope that is code for Christmas shopping for me, but I doubt it. Boys are watching a loud kid movie that seems to go on forever.
This past weekend I suffered an enormous dissapointment. I lost in my fantasy football league superbowl. This is the 3rd time in 5 years I have lost in the superbowl. The pain is unimaginable.
Go see China's Terracotta Army at the High Museum. It is fascinating, mmjhokie and I went last weekend. The first emporer of China, who was born 200 years before Christ, thought he could rule forever with the help of these clay warriors. And people say the Christianity is for the ignorant and weak, whatever.
I have been really busy at work this fall. I'm in finance and the financial meltdown has created challenges for me and my company. I'm thankful that I'm busy and our company is on solid footing. I know a lot of people are job hunting this holiday season. I read a great book this fall that succinctly describes the economic crisis: The World is Curved. It is written by David Smick. Brilliant book, brilliant man. I believe he is my mother's second cousin.
I coached my seven year old's flag football team this fall. I had so much fun. We were undefeated. I like to think that I had something to do with it. My seven year old has already lectured me on humility- role reversal.
UGA football. Well, so much for the undefeated season followed by the BCS Championship. After the Alabama beat-down, I was scared of the Florida game, but the season was a total loss after we lost to GT. Part of me is happy that they finally beat us in this millenium. I'm sure we will continue to abuse them in the future.
Barrack Obama. After this fall's financial collaspe the inevitable outcome should have been more obvious to everyone, even considering the media's obnoxious Obama cheerleading. So far his cabinet selections have relatively moderate, especially on the financial side. Republicans had better understand how to sell their message to minorities or the Democrats may be in power forever.
Sarah Palin. I called this one (ask my wife). I knew McCain was going to pick her: Young governor of Alaska, mother of five, NRA member, new natural gas pipeline, smoking hot. Seriously, I like her but she performed poorly in her interviews (Gibson and Couric). I know that Gibson is a pompous ass, but regardless, she perform poorly. Hopefully, some skilled handlers will get a hold of her and help her in the future.
Kids are doing well in school, blah, blah. I am blessed, I have great boys and a wonderful wife that puts up with me.
I can't remember much from this summer. We went to Hilton Head in early June. Laid on the beach, played golf. My handicap has crept up a little this year, it is north of 15. I need to work on putting. I ran in the Peachtree for the 3rd year in a row, sadly I haven't exercised much since then and I'm really starting to look portly. I'll go on Atkins and start running during the holidays into the new year.
O Holy Night is a beautiful song. Willingly or unwillingly, the first emporer of China, Barrack Obama, Sarah Palin, Urban Myer and I will fall on our knees and worship Christ someday. Weird thought, comforting thought.
Stay classy,
Cajdawg
cajdawg and mmjhokie
Go Dawgs!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Fantasy Baseball
Well, spring training has started and we all know what that means: baseball is around the corner. Yes, but more importantly fantasy baseball drafts will be taking place all over the country in the month of March. My league's draft is in mid-March and I'll pick 10th in a 10 player league.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Another campus shooting.
The world is broken thanks to original sin. Original sin is the only reason I can come up with for such evil and senseless acts.
Utopian liberal or conservative political policies are ultimately useless against stopping such acts of violence in a free society.
The liberal prescriptions: "Ban guns! Tighten mental health qualifications during the gun purchase screening process!" Guns are a global commodity and they will be in our country even if there were an all-out ban. We cannot keep out anything else that is illegal (including people). Tightening qualifications is a slippery slope- What are the specific rules? Also, the mental health of any particular individual is always changing. Additionally, not all acts of gun violence are performed by those with "mental illness(es)", many people are simply evil.
The conservative prescription: "If more people were packing heat, including places where guns are normally banned, then this would be a deterence or those vigilantes could take out the "nut-jobs" about to committ gun violence or are in the process of committing a violent gun crime." This perscription is too idealistic plus many shooting rampages are over within seconds, so even if multiple people have guns in holsters ready to take out "nut-jobs-about-to-go-on-a-rampage" it is likely that many victims would be killed and/or injured before the vigilantes could take care of business.
The solution: A new heaven and a new earth.
Utopian liberal or conservative political policies are ultimately useless against stopping such acts of violence in a free society.
The liberal prescriptions: "Ban guns! Tighten mental health qualifications during the gun purchase screening process!" Guns are a global commodity and they will be in our country even if there were an all-out ban. We cannot keep out anything else that is illegal (including people). Tightening qualifications is a slippery slope- What are the specific rules? Also, the mental health of any particular individual is always changing. Additionally, not all acts of gun violence are performed by those with "mental illness(es)", many people are simply evil.
The conservative prescription: "If more people were packing heat, including places where guns are normally banned, then this would be a deterence or those vigilantes could take out the "nut-jobs" about to committ gun violence or are in the process of committing a violent gun crime." This perscription is too idealistic plus many shooting rampages are over within seconds, so even if multiple people have guns in holsters ready to take out "nut-jobs-about-to-go-on-a-rampage" it is likely that many victims would be killed and/or injured before the vigilantes could take care of business.
The solution: A new heaven and a new earth.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Jump on the McCain train!
I didn't intend for my blog to be focused on politics, but politics has dominated the media recently.
After last evening's Florida primary win, McCain's nomination is inevitable. AGAIN, I'M NOT PERFECTLY IDEALOGICALLY MATCHED WITH MCCAIN, BUT HE HAS THE BEST SHOT AT DEFEATING SHRILLARY OR BARACK HUSSEIN OBOMBA. ROMNEY WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME HOLDING OHIO, FLORIDA, COLORADO AND EVEN VIRGINIA. MCCAIN PUTS PENNSYLVANIA, MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, AND MINNESOTA INTO PLAY; HE WOULD EVEN FORCE THE MARXISTCRATS TO DEFEND CALIFORNIA.
http://rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/john_mccain_match_ups/election_2008_mccain_vs_clinton_and_obama
There have been numerous articles written about why McCain isn't a true conservative and there have articles written defending McCain's conservatism. Excluding electability (which I think is equally as important as ideology), I plan on voting for him for the following reasons:
1) He is his own man. I generally dislike all politicians, they are mostly lemmings that get in line and follow their own parties directed dogma. Not McCain, while he has supported some positions that I disagree with, he doesn't care what anyone thinks- and I find that attitude kind-of-cool.
2)Foreign policy. I won't rehash his military record. His foreign policy and military experience is greater than all of the remaining candidates (Republican and Democratic) combined. He is one of the few polititians that called for a change in Iraq policy, including the removal of Rumsfeld and the "Surge". He doesn't deserve total credit for this view and I don't think he expects it; however, in hindsight it appears this strategy is working.
3)Conservatives keep running around like lemmings screaming cut taxes, cut taxes, cut taxes! I am for tax cuts, if the tax cuts will definitively increase tax revenue, while tax cuts frequently increase revenue that is not always the case. If cutting tax rates does not bring additional revenue, then spending cuts become of equal importance. Frankly, spending cuts are important regardless of tax revenues. McCain is unquestionably a fiscal conservative when it comes to spending. I don't think conservatives fully understand how badly spending has gotten out of control: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/927ed960-ced5-11dc-877a-000077b07658.html. This article leads me to my next point:
4)Non-descretionary spending (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for any democrats reading this blog). I think, given McCain's maverick and independent nature, he has the political capital and capability to permanantly fix non-descretionary spending.
5)McCain has a very respectable conservative voting record- a lifetime American Conservative Rating of 82.3. Rick Santorum, who is the second coming of the messiah according to Rush Limbaugh and other arbiters of conservative thought, has a rating of 88.
7)Gang of 14. I was not planning on any links, but I'm lazy and I don't want to plagarize:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/01/the_base_is_wrong_about_the_ga.html
I'll add to this as I feel moved.
After last evening's Florida primary win, McCain's nomination is inevitable. AGAIN, I'M NOT PERFECTLY IDEALOGICALLY MATCHED WITH MCCAIN, BUT HE HAS THE BEST SHOT AT DEFEATING SHRILLARY OR BARACK HUSSEIN OBOMBA. ROMNEY WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME HOLDING OHIO, FLORIDA, COLORADO AND EVEN VIRGINIA. MCCAIN PUTS PENNSYLVANIA, MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, AND MINNESOTA INTO PLAY; HE WOULD EVEN FORCE THE MARXISTCRATS TO DEFEND CALIFORNIA.
http://rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/john_mccain_match_ups/election_2008_mccain_vs_clinton_and_obama
There have been numerous articles written about why McCain isn't a true conservative and there have articles written defending McCain's conservatism. Excluding electability (which I think is equally as important as ideology), I plan on voting for him for the following reasons:
1) He is his own man. I generally dislike all politicians, they are mostly lemmings that get in line and follow their own parties directed dogma. Not McCain, while he has supported some positions that I disagree with, he doesn't care what anyone thinks- and I find that attitude kind-of-cool.
2)Foreign policy. I won't rehash his military record. His foreign policy and military experience is greater than all of the remaining candidates (Republican and Democratic) combined. He is one of the few polititians that called for a change in Iraq policy, including the removal of Rumsfeld and the "Surge". He doesn't deserve total credit for this view and I don't think he expects it; however, in hindsight it appears this strategy is working.
3)Conservatives keep running around like lemmings screaming cut taxes, cut taxes, cut taxes! I am for tax cuts, if the tax cuts will definitively increase tax revenue, while tax cuts frequently increase revenue that is not always the case. If cutting tax rates does not bring additional revenue, then spending cuts become of equal importance. Frankly, spending cuts are important regardless of tax revenues. McCain is unquestionably a fiscal conservative when it comes to spending. I don't think conservatives fully understand how badly spending has gotten out of control: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/927ed960-ced5-11dc-877a-000077b07658.html. This article leads me to my next point:
4)Non-descretionary spending (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for any democrats reading this blog). I think, given McCain's maverick and independent nature, he has the political capital and capability to permanantly fix non-descretionary spending.
5)McCain has a very respectable conservative voting record- a lifetime American Conservative Rating of 82.3. Rick Santorum, who is the second coming of the messiah according to Rush Limbaugh and other arbiters of conservative thought, has a rating of 88.
7)Gang of 14. I was not planning on any links, but I'm lazy and I don't want to plagarize:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/01/the_base_is_wrong_about_the_ga.html
I'll add to this as I feel moved.
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