Look Out Rusty Eck Ford

It's a done deal now. The state of Kansas has successfully slipped its foot in the door of a room any government would love to have access to. With relatively little commotion in the local media and with the usual vagueness that comes with the ostensibly compelling arguments offered by politicians the state has laid claim to KTA resources. Now comes the easy job of misusing the language to demonstrate how much money the state will save over the next couple of years to go along with the misuse of language they used to get the bill passed. "No KTA fares will go to state projects". Give me a break. Fares are, in fact, what give the turnpike its very life. If you use KTA equipment and personnel on state projects you are using money from KTA patrons. Where do you think the money comes from to buy the truck and pay the salary of the workers? What money the Turnpike gleans from selling ads or fibers from their private computer network are of minimal substance financially and simply help keep our fares among the lowest, (if not "the" lowest), in the turnpike world. Can the state find some "savings" by using KTA resources? Gosh, I hope so. Could I save money if someone else paid my electric bills? Using the state's logic the next step will likely be to pass a law requiring Rusty Eck Ford's repair shop to start servicing 20 state vehicles a month. It seems to me that could save the state some money too. And don't worry, the state wouldn't think of taking money from the patrons already using their services. No, really.

Why I quit Facebook

Silly subject for a post I suppose, but I thought it might be good to go through my thoughts on the wildly popular internet site called Facebook. As most of my followers know, I was once a Facebook user and would occasionally peruse the various sites of friends and family. This would result in a bit of entertainment as well as being informative as to what various people were up to. Of course the pictures of the latest vacation or a young one's first steps were always fun to check out and I would take the chance to post a cleverly crafted caption for a pic if the opportunity arose. I think when I began questioning my Facebook visits was when people became so anxious to share their displeasure with each other's political views. I actually enjoy a dialogue with someone about various social and political topics, but Facebook only seemed to lend itself to a bumper sticker sort of approach. A quick comment here and there sandwiched in between all the other conversations. This easily leads to misunderstandings on both sides and leaves one turning the Facebook experience into a political forum. People with whom I have never had a political discussion with in person are anxious to offer opinions on whatever is in the news at the time. I know some people grew up with these discussions taking place over dinner and other family gathering but not our family. At least not until Facebook offered whatever it is that it offers to us to make us want to jump in with both feet to discussions we are hesitant to have in person. I mean when someone chooses a picture or icon to represent them online that is tied directly to a political or social issue it immediately says to me that there is a bent, or a filter in place. An agenda, if you will, that is not limited to updating folks on the latest family activities but is rather positioning oneself on a variety of "important issues". Yes I can, and do, interact with people daily who have a very different view of our country and the world than I have. And yes, we can interact in a civil manner. But when people you have known your whole life and with whom you have never engaged in political dialogue, decide Facebook is just the right tool for expressing such opinions it seems, I guess, a bit odd and maybe inappropriate. So there you go. If I thought "posting" my objections to abortion would stop the wanton slaughter of innocent children; or my hope that the social and political winds may be changing in favor of another shot at Prohibition to at least lessen to 10's of thousands of lives we seem willing to sacrifice so we can have that oh-so-great feeling of not feeling; or how about the government forcing all swimming pool owners to fill their pools in with concrete, which would save far more children's lives then a gun-less United States would; or how about bringing back DDT so we can significantly reduce the number of deaths due to malaria. No, I think I would rather just see that new grandbaby take his or her first steps. I'm just not willing to wade through all the crap to get there. Sorry.

Some random calendar entries

    This is my annual random calendar entry blog. Thought it might be nice to get it done before my taxes are due knowing how busy we all get around April 15. I haven't thought through this so I will be flying by the seat of my britches. So here we go.
These are not in any particular order:
1) Mental Insolvency ( a by-product of aging)
2) Allow markets to tell the truth. (If the government were not actively skewing the markets trying to "fix" inequities we would not be in our current financial mess and we would all, including those who were targeted by their good intentions, be better off.
3) A robin was spotted by Rick on Jan 5. (I've decided they don't all leave town for the winter)
4) "Sales of automobiles were up last quarter but growth was held in check by the biggest government cutbacks in years." (If you don't see the lunacy in this news report then you are most certainly a liberal)
5) Treadle Doc input 1 is the light curtain. Input 2 is the loop.
6) I've always relied on my good looks and the kindness of others to get by. Unfortunately, as I have gotten old people have become less kind.
7) An "ideological pose" is something every successful politician strikes as an election nears.
8) A loop is a proximity device. A light curtain is a precision device.
9) The left believes in cradle to grave entitlements, it's getting to the cradle that can be tricky.
10) Paying your own way is the essence of freedom.
11) I'll take your secret to my grave or the break room which ever comes first.
12) The commercial said, "take Progene and be the man you want to be" so I sent them an order stating that I wanted to be Robert Redford.
13) Hope is not deceptive when we are not deceived.
14) We should make politicians speak through a deFIBrillator.
15) 70 percent of Utah is government land.
16) A motorcyclist received jail time for going 171 in a 60 mph zone. He also lost his license. I'm thinking he should have kept it in his front pocket.
17) Incentivising non-work if not a waste of money is certainly a waste of people. (I think this is a loose translation of a Mark Styne quote)
18) Would speaking on her and my behalf be a bewhole?
19) Did you go to Occidental on purpose?
20) I was in my turnpike uniform one day when I asked an attractive young lady if it was true women swoon over a man in unform. She said, "probably".
21) (Weds. Sept. 5) Chris and Joan arrive.
22) The weatherman says, "part your hair to the south today".
23) Half of the states general fund goes to K-12 schools.
24) Globally, obesity is the cause of more deaths than mal-nutrition.
25) Regualatory agencies have the power of law.
26) Why do tax cuts have time limits but not tax increases?
27) Healthcare administration under the new healthcare law will increase over 2 fold from 28 billion to 71 billion.
28) People who rudely interject themselves in others conversations are Jaytalking.
    Hope you enjoyed reading this more than I enjoyed entering it on my eye pad :-)

I Just Don't Get It

So anyway, I'm sitting in Cracker Barrel, head bowed, wondering if; hoping that; my Heavenly Father is catching a whiff of this wonderful meal I'm about to eat. My goodness! The smell of the chicken-fried steak giving way to the fresh green beans then the odor of the mashed potatoes makes an appearance in my nostrils. It was after 10 pm so I was pretty hungry too. I'm amazed at this world God has made. We invent something and then embark on an endless path of revisions and modifications to try to get it right. God made something and pronounced that it was good. Man oh man am I in agreement with Him on that.

Today there was a story in the news here in Wichita about a newborn's body that was found in a dumpster. These stories just tear at our hearts as we consider the poor baby left there to die in a dumpster. Heartbreaking. As I have continued considering this event a bizarre thought wandered into my head. If the teenager who left the baby there had walked into an abortion clinic and had a late term abortion of this same child there would have been millions rushing to her side to defend her "right" to a safe and sterile abortion. A legal procedure that would have gone virtually unnoticed. It would have been another act that everyone says they want to be rare and safe and yet it is neither. Are there no tears for a life that is only devalued by our legal system, not by any moral or ethical measure? Is this any different than the law Barack Obama voted for in Illinois to allow doctors to simply abandon a newborn if the mothers intent was to abort the child? If that child were to be deposited in the dumpster by a doctor does that make it OK? You begin to see why our nation is coming apart at the seams. The thread that holds our nation together is weak and breaking in places and there is no government that can rule a nation of amoral people and continue to offer the freedoms that were intended by our founders. May we all consider our own lives and consider turning back to Jesus. His forgiveness can bring our country back to a place of freedom and hope. But that will only happen as a by-product of a spiritual awakening of those who make up the country.
Spread the news. Jesus saves and His arms are open wide.

Contrary to Popular Belief

And a hardy good morning to each and every two of you. Wanted to put down a thought or two on a specific political topic this morning. I'm struck with how often the conservative category of thought, and it is a category, not a rigidly defined doctrine, is presented as being "against" so very much but ambiguous about what it is "for". I'm guessing most reading this will shake their heads in agreement.The media are quick to define us as being "against" so many things and we are perceived as being "for" very little. While some of this affect is exacerbated by the conservative movements shortcomings in the presentation of it's position, it is also largely a function of the media's desired perception of conservatives. If we begin listing all the things that liberals are against the list becomes rather lengthy in a relatively short amount of time. They are certainly well ensconced, (I know how very unprofessional this is but I spelled ensconced correctly without the use of the spell checker), in a contrary position to our 2nd amendment rights. It would seem they are against an unborn child's pathway to citizenship as well and how about the general public's freedom to eat what it wants and use the type of light bulbs it wants and use the type of flush toilets it wants and to drive the type of cars it wants etc. etc. etc. Additionally, they are against our right to see whatever evidence they have justifying their insistence of us using the afore mentioned items.  How about the lefts obsessing on getting the societal sugar daddy's to let go of even more of their money while letting the country go off the fiscal cliff. The small amount of money being talked about in the higher taxes debate is nothing in the big picture. The only real effect these tax hikes would have is to further the misconception that the left is "for" the little guy while extending our financial woes out another several years by ignoring the real problems of a government that is spending to much. Let's fix our economy first then attack the successful when it won't hurt so many of us to do so. Certainly both parties are "for" and "against" a lot of different things but to characterize one party as being against so much and for so little doesn't even make sense. How can you take a contrary position on something that only has one side? You can't. If the media wanted to they could put the "against" label on our liberal friends but then they would have one less straw hammer to beat conservatives over the head with. If liberals decided stop signs should be considered suggestions then the media would say conservatives are "against" the proposed changes in sign interpretation. Those darn conservatives are at it again, just being against stuff and all, can you believe it?  Just for the record let me list a few things this conservative is "for". I am for the freedom of speech; separation of and balance of powers provided by the constitution; federalism; gun ownership (exclusive of the second amendment); the citizen's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Each of these things I am for can be expressed by saying I am against any number of contrary positions to these positively stated items. Please be sure that I am for preserving what's left of our language and would stand beside anyone who will help in this preservation effort.

Can We Talk?

Just sitting here at 3:45 am wondering when we will, as a nation, be able to have a meaningful discussion about abortion. (by the way, my wife is away for a few days so this entry will have more grammatical and spelling issues than usual) I know it's anecdotal but my efforts to have a meaningful discussion on the issue usually ends up focusing on something other than the actual issue of abortion. A recent effort landed us at the predictable "if you're against abortion but aren't a foster parent then you are a hypocrite". This is a comment given during a dialogue supposedly about abortion. While it's way off the subject lets waste a little more time and follow the logic for just a moment. If in order to be legitimately against something you must be personally involved in an effort to repair the damage then it would appear that we live in a society that is OK with child abuse. If you're against child abuse but aren't volunteering  40 hours a week, which is actually less time than a foster parent gives, at a children's home then you're a hypocrite. If you "say" you think it's wrong that Priest's have molested young boys but haven't offered to man phone's at a hot-line for young people abused by Priest's then you're a hypocrite. If you are against animal cruelty but haven't had an endless string of abused pets in your home then you are obviously a hypocrite. For cryin' out loud, all you have to do to show how much you care about wiping out breast cancer is to wear something pink. All you have to do about young boys being molested by adults is to gossip about it at work. But abortion, well, if you're not a foster parent then you obviously don't give a rip about unborn children. Gossiping and wearing ugly clothes will land you precisely in the center of the "I care" target on virtually any issue except abortion. But to answer one idiotic position is to ask for an endless string of them. Once you start down that road there's no end in sight. If you are going to offer a meaningful opinion on abortion then there is a never ending list of prerequisites that must be met. If, however, you are going to move a whole nation down the bloodiest path it has ever embarked on, all  you need is a black robe. Oh, and an apparent indifference to our constitution. Gee, I think it would be easier to be a supreme court justice than to hold a meaningful conversation on the street about abortion. Maybe I should look into that as a good retirement activity.

Dishonesty

As you might have guessed, this particular entry is about our government's inclination toward being less than honest with us. So let's just jump right into it. I was in the parking lot of a convenience store here in Wichita, USA when I was approached by a young black lady requesting some help, in the form of cash, so as to provide for some gas and a meal for her and her daughter. While I did inquire as to where she lived I did not ask a lot of questions before handing her 12 bucks. She walked back to the old van she had pointed to when I asked about her vehicle and got in. I pulled over to another part of the parking lot but did not leave. She did not put any gas in the van and the driver, whom I assume was her daughter, looked like an old white man. (I suppose she had a nasty disease of some kind). I followed the van which took a route that would be a very inefficient way of getting to where she said she lived and pulled into another convenience store parking lot. I did not confront them but left quietly having been proven the fool once again. As I drove home it hit me how very similar this experience was to our journey as a nation down the Social Security highway. The money you put in will be put aside and used to help you as you enter old age. No really. So here we are with Social Security going bankrupt. How could that happen if the money was set aside as they said? Welcome to the legal scam known as Social Security. The only difference between my experience tonight and the Social Security scheme is that Social Security is being carried out by an armed perpetrator. We are forced to participate in this scam with no pretense of choice. It seems choice is a popular topic for discussion in matters other than taxes. Funny thing that.