For 2009, I will find one good thing in life every day. This could be in the form of an event, action, or individual (pets included) every day. I want to see if I can focus on the positive every day and find things that I believe are good and benefit us as a whole. If my work travel intervenes, obviously I will need to catch up after the trip, but I plan on being accountable for every day of the year.
Merry Christmas, and stay tuned, because come Jan. 1, 2009, a little bit of good will be spread every day!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Baggy Pants...Well, they sure aren't wranglers.
My colleagues and I today witnessed something interesting. A courier service that supports our building had an employee with pants hanging so low they could not stay up by themselves. No kidding, office setting, and boxer underwear were a showing with some print similar to a picnic table cloth. I did not look of course, but that is what they tell me :-)
I did a little research and found what may be the first "big" city to pass a law against the adornment of large saggy pants ( http://globalgrind.com/source/www.palmbeachpost.com/13958/saggy-pants-law-approved-i-first-big-city/ )
I do not know how stringently it is being enforced, but is this OK? Do not get me wrong, I am not an ACLU diamond supporter or anything, but is it OK for agencies to legislate the appropriateness of clothing? For one thing, I would think that the police would want to endorse baggy pants. I do not think that a criminal, and not all folks sporting baggy pants are criminals, can reach top sprint speed trying to hold up their pants or the parts of pants falling down where the skull and cross bones belt buckle failed. An interesting discussion at work none the less. And after all, even our President-elect believes that, "brothers should pull up their pants." (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/11/obama-to-mtv-br.html)
Take care y'all and have a great weekend. Enjoy the weather and cook something good, because I know that we will.
I did a little research and found what may be the first "big" city to pass a law against the adornment of large saggy pants ( http://globalgrind.com/source/www.palmbeachpost.com/13958/saggy-pants-law-approved-i-first-big-city/ )
I do not know how stringently it is being enforced, but is this OK? Do not get me wrong, I am not an ACLU diamond supporter or anything, but is it OK for agencies to legislate the appropriateness of clothing? For one thing, I would think that the police would want to endorse baggy pants. I do not think that a criminal, and not all folks sporting baggy pants are criminals, can reach top sprint speed trying to hold up their pants or the parts of pants falling down where the skull and cross bones belt buckle failed. An interesting discussion at work none the less. And after all, even our President-elect believes that, "brothers should pull up their pants." (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/11/obama-to-mtv-br.html)
Take care y'all and have a great weekend. Enjoy the weather and cook something good, because I know that we will.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Bailout...what is up?
I just want to let you all know, financially, I believe that I am in the competitive range for folks with conservative values, who mainly value supporting your family as opposed to owning a fancy car. If that makes sense, you will need to tell me how :-)
Don't get me wrong, I do not hate people for being rich; I do though dislike when they are decision makers and they do not exercise common sense.
For example, and I base this primarily on am radio, because I have not had the time to do my own research, but look at the auto maker big 3 doing their thing in DC today. They are asking the American people for a "bridge loan" or bailout to rescue their industries. Do you know how they arrived at the meetings, in light of their hard times and struggling businesses? Private, or corporate funded jets, when you are asking the American people to give you 25 B dollars? As Joey from the old show Blossom: would say....."WHOAAAA".
Security concerns are cited as a justification. I would not be able to identify any of these folks out of a line up, maybe with the exception of Mullaly(sp?), because I once was employed by Boeing, but to cite security as a reason to use the corporate jet...really?
Where I currently work, is the first place that I have worked that consistently provides you with all of the plastic cutlery and coffee that one could desire. Cutbacks have taken their toll on everyone, and we are attempting to have folks reuse coffee cups. It is our part, but every little bit helps. Being a part of a global company, we have been in a cost containment mode for a while with layoffs and such, and I do believe that if other local companies have not taken that route, it is coming.
Off topic, and yet weirdly connected, I look at the current economic times as an opportunity to spend time with my family and learn the true meanings of the holidays. I read a "children's" version of the bible with my 4 year old, and I absolutely love it. Not only because I was a cradle catholic and always enjoy when I can personally immerse myself in the word, but also to see my child's expressions. As a result, even if I am able to afford X gift this Christmas, I view the economic downturn as an opportunity to play boardgames or read the bible more, so my kids and I can know the true meaning of Christmas.
Take a moment in your lives to be a person that brings savings to your workplace in the hopes of maybe saving a job, or a parent (if applicable) to bring the true meaning of the holidays to you and yours.
Don't get me wrong, I do not hate people for being rich; I do though dislike when they are decision makers and they do not exercise common sense.
For example, and I base this primarily on am radio, because I have not had the time to do my own research, but look at the auto maker big 3 doing their thing in DC today. They are asking the American people for a "bridge loan" or bailout to rescue their industries. Do you know how they arrived at the meetings, in light of their hard times and struggling businesses? Private, or corporate funded jets, when you are asking the American people to give you 25 B dollars? As Joey from the old show Blossom: would say....."WHOAAAA".
Security concerns are cited as a justification. I would not be able to identify any of these folks out of a line up, maybe with the exception of Mullaly(sp?), because I once was employed by Boeing, but to cite security as a reason to use the corporate jet...really?
Where I currently work, is the first place that I have worked that consistently provides you with all of the plastic cutlery and coffee that one could desire. Cutbacks have taken their toll on everyone, and we are attempting to have folks reuse coffee cups. It is our part, but every little bit helps. Being a part of a global company, we have been in a cost containment mode for a while with layoffs and such, and I do believe that if other local companies have not taken that route, it is coming.
Off topic, and yet weirdly connected, I look at the current economic times as an opportunity to spend time with my family and learn the true meanings of the holidays. I read a "children's" version of the bible with my 4 year old, and I absolutely love it. Not only because I was a cradle catholic and always enjoy when I can personally immerse myself in the word, but also to see my child's expressions. As a result, even if I am able to afford X gift this Christmas, I view the economic downturn as an opportunity to play boardgames or read the bible more, so my kids and I can know the true meaning of Christmas.
Take a moment in your lives to be a person that brings savings to your workplace in the hopes of maybe saving a job, or a parent (if applicable) to bring the true meaning of the holidays to you and yours.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Space Shuttle Launches
I personally have never witnessed a Space Shuttle Launch up closely, but some day I may. What is entirely and undeniably cool, is the fact that it does occur. I previously worked in the space business, and have an affection for all of the folks that support these great endeavors, both civilian servants and contractors.
As I drove home from my job last Friday, the local am radio broke in to their broadcast to have the launch on live. I honestly had goose bumps, which is no easy feat with the other parrallel frustrations I usually encounter on my commute. I thought to myself that the coolness of a space shuttle launch had not worn off, even if I had not been associated with that work for about 3 years.
I hope that the space program and space sciences have adequate funding through my lifetime, or at the least are supported vigorously by someone in the commercial sector. When it appears as if Americans are personally making fewer and fewer products stateside, I miss supporting a proud US product with my professional services, where my mouse pad was actually something that all of the supporters contributed to, and it was far more than just a corporate logo.
Long live US Space dominance, and hopefully a reasonable contributive relationship with cooperative international partners.
As I drove home from my job last Friday, the local am radio broke in to their broadcast to have the launch on live. I honestly had goose bumps, which is no easy feat with the other parrallel frustrations I usually encounter on my commute. I thought to myself that the coolness of a space shuttle launch had not worn off, even if I had not been associated with that work for about 3 years.
I hope that the space program and space sciences have adequate funding through my lifetime, or at the least are supported vigorously by someone in the commercial sector. When it appears as if Americans are personally making fewer and fewer products stateside, I miss supporting a proud US product with my professional services, where my mouse pad was actually something that all of the supporters contributed to, and it was far more than just a corporate logo.
Long live US Space dominance, and hopefully a reasonable contributive relationship with cooperative international partners.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Driver's License Checkpoints..for or Against?
Recently, there have been discussions in Houston related to the general populations feel for implementing driver's license checkpoints. The local am radio, as well as print media, appear to have folks from both sides of the story offering excellent reasons to support their thumbs up or thumbs down for the idea.
Let me tell you one of the reasons that I believe this may be a slippery slope. Assume that as a US citizen, you willfully decide to give up this right and offer yourselves up to these newly established checkpoints. First, lets say hypothetically, that there is a car stopped randomly. These stops on average result in increased revenue by allowing for more citations to be written against expired inspections, no proof of insurance, or a license that has not been renewed to reflect a change of address. Second, to increase the benefit of what is highlighted above, we begin to stop every car. Finally, every car is stopped at this checkpoint, and rather than license production, the stop is a full car search.
Another purported benefit is that the checkpoints would help to curtail illegal immigration. While I am no expert on the matter, there are many laws already on the books that would allow for illegal immigration to be curtailed and/or monitored. The addition of checkpoints would only be another process that probably fails to be value add in dealing with immigration.
For example, the Houston Chronicle today has a story http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6115223.html that is an investigative report on how federal immigration officials have allegedly allowed many criminals back on the streets after they disclosed there citizenship, or lack there of. This article is a troubling read and applicable to the discussion here. Most of the folks that I have heard being for the license checkpoints are previous victims of some type of event caused by individuals here illegally. For example, hit by drunk driver, robbery, random acts of violence, and others. I am not sure if additional checkpoints would do anything more, than establish another process to gather information that may not be acted upon.
For my children's sake, I hope that as they grow up, they will be as proud of America as I am, and be surrounded by citizens that share in this pride, regardless as to where the citizens previously came from. I just believe that illegal immigration taxes our already weakening infrastructure systems that we probably need a renewed focus going forward. It is hard for me to believe that it is too hard to police at the border. When I read stories of how technologically successful our armed forces are at attacking from so many miles away, or that special forces were able to track an individual over crazy terrains to ultimately detain them in some remote hiding holes; I struggle to understand how we can't stop a family of five from crossing the border without papers.
Let me tell you one of the reasons that I believe this may be a slippery slope. Assume that as a US citizen, you willfully decide to give up this right and offer yourselves up to these newly established checkpoints. First, lets say hypothetically, that there is a car stopped randomly. These stops on average result in increased revenue by allowing for more citations to be written against expired inspections, no proof of insurance, or a license that has not been renewed to reflect a change of address. Second, to increase the benefit of what is highlighted above, we begin to stop every car. Finally, every car is stopped at this checkpoint, and rather than license production, the stop is a full car search.
Another purported benefit is that the checkpoints would help to curtail illegal immigration. While I am no expert on the matter, there are many laws already on the books that would allow for illegal immigration to be curtailed and/or monitored. The addition of checkpoints would only be another process that probably fails to be value add in dealing with immigration.
For example, the Houston Chronicle today has a story http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6115223.html that is an investigative report on how federal immigration officials have allegedly allowed many criminals back on the streets after they disclosed there citizenship, or lack there of. This article is a troubling read and applicable to the discussion here. Most of the folks that I have heard being for the license checkpoints are previous victims of some type of event caused by individuals here illegally. For example, hit by drunk driver, robbery, random acts of violence, and others. I am not sure if additional checkpoints would do anything more, than establish another process to gather information that may not be acted upon.
For my children's sake, I hope that as they grow up, they will be as proud of America as I am, and be surrounded by citizens that share in this pride, regardless as to where the citizens previously came from. I just believe that illegal immigration taxes our already weakening infrastructure systems that we probably need a renewed focus going forward. It is hard for me to believe that it is too hard to police at the border. When I read stories of how technologically successful our armed forces are at attacking from so many miles away, or that special forces were able to track an individual over crazy terrains to ultimately detain them in some remote hiding holes; I struggle to understand how we can't stop a family of five from crossing the border without papers.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
A great week...
My wife and I just received exceptional news. We will be expecting our fourth child, and I could not be more excited. This news made me reflect on many things: Faith, Politics, My health, etc. There is nothing more rewarding in my opinion than the being a parent.
It could be argued that there is no understanding of unconditional love, until you have experienced this with a child/parent relationship. I look forward to using this medium as a place for me to gather my thoughts and general ideas related to life in general.
I view raising my kids as a great challenge and wonderful opportunity. My end goal is to have my kids grow up and look back on their childhood and say, "My father was more than a provider, he was also a great dad."
It could be argued that there is no understanding of unconditional love, until you have experienced this with a child/parent relationship. I look forward to using this medium as a place for me to gather my thoughts and general ideas related to life in general.
I view raising my kids as a great challenge and wonderful opportunity. My end goal is to have my kids grow up and look back on their childhood and say, "My father was more than a provider, he was also a great dad."
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