High five for Christmas, ya'll!

So, as my brother and sister-in-law conveyed to us the story of the high-five statue of Christ, the table burst into conversation about religion, the good and the bad of it. Yes, the humor in the story, particularly my brother's chuckle and his wife's admonishment of the same, is certainly amusing. It is amazing that the story of a high-five Jesus statue could indeed create such a stir, particularly tonight, Christmas Eve.

At a table surrounded with the religious and not-so-religious, one would imagine that a combustible environment was close at hand. As I imagined writing this next blog entry, I almost desired it, willed it even, to be full of entanglement, animosity, and comic antagonism. However, as I think about the image of the high-five Jesus, I am stirred by the vision having blessings delivered to the followers. I am in awe of what has been constructed all around us – the people, the trees, the oceans, and yes, the roads, power plants, and all the items we openly berate, but passively, almost subconsciously, hale as minimal requirements for the better life. There is no doubt in my mind that God exists.

But why is there such a loud, often painful running polemic about God? We constantly debate various things about God – his or her existence altogether, the “right” God, and worst of all, the “wrong” God. If I had a dime for every time someone said “your God,” I could buy God. More importantly, everyone tends to argue more about the path to God than the ultimate deeds to honor God and to benefit our fellow human beings and the planet we inhabit. So, on this Christmas Eve 2008, I shall speak more about God and why I think we should give him or her or it a break, high five all around, and pray for peace, humility, and a better human race.

Serving God has long been an issue for me. Does God really sit around counting deeds we complete or don’t complete; deeds that amount to nothing more than idol worship and God brown-nosing? I think it better we honor God by doing good deeds, working hard, taking responsibility for our own actions, and enjoying life but without the most recent excess. I truly believe God is not looking for sacrifices to serve God. Rather, God seeks for us to make sacrifices for our fellow men and women and for the preservation of this vessel we call Earth. All of us, including yours truly, need to make these sacrifices. In these sacrifices, we shall find peace. This is yet another high five for us all.

The path to God has always been an interesting discussion for me. I have obviously been on the wrong path according to many around me. How could a polytheistic religion like Hinduism compare to our beautiful and completely pure monotheistic religion(s) that shows a direct path to God? “Our path is the only path,” they say. I honor these individuals and their corresponding faith in God, regardless of the path. I am, however, in disbelief at the arrogance inherent in their rhetoric, particularly given that their respective religion(s) preach humility as a virtue. Take God’s blessings, the ubiquitous high five, to heart and leave the proselytizing aside.

Finally, on this Christmas Eve, pray for a better human race: a race that seeks greater knowledge and wisdom, a race that desires to be fair to those that live and breathe, and a race that takes only what it needs from its members and invests in a better environment for us all. This is not a political conversation, folks. This is not about right or left, red or blue, Congress or Labor, socialist or capitalist. This is God’s conversation. This is God’s desire. God gave us dominion over the garden. Let us honor God by cultivating it to the highest use and greatest yield.

As always, be thankful for what you have, take only what you need, and work diligently for peace. I shall try to do the same. From the subzero, riverside hamlet that is Iowa City, IA, I bid you all a good night and a very Merry Christmas.

Rocks, plastics, and a seat next to Al Gore

Many of my friends know that I travel the country and do so often. In a recent cross-country dash, I met two young Americans that had studied hard, and, at a seemingly young age, reached some fairly stout heights in terms of affluence. We'll call one "Rocks" and the other "Plastics".

Rocks

On a recent leg from Syracuse to Atlanta, I had the pleasure of sitting next to an individual that is a geologist. Rocks works for a petroleum refining firm. He provides testing of rock samples, water samples, and the like as the firm looks for oil in California. Rocks, as made clear by his description of his work, loves what he does. He is energetic, focused, and tireless about his work. Regardless of what many of us think about the petroleum cartel and its various affiliates, there are wonderful people doing exceptional work for these companies.

What was even more interesting about Rocks is that he embodies the career choice my daughter might pursue. My daughter's interest in geology, mainly in rocks such as diamonds, grows every day. In talking with Rocks, who graduated high in his class, it is a great deal of work and has a supply/demand imbalance. How many people do you know that pursue a career in geology? Not many is my guess. I know of only one other in my own network. The pay, therefore, is very good as are the choices of location and type of position.

Ultimately, what did I gain from my 2-hour plane ride with Rocks? There is still a great deal of energy, passion, and intellect left in our public/private school network. I was beginning to lose faith. My faith is now stronger than it was prior to my trip and is further buoyed by my conversation with Plastics. Mind you, it's not completely confirmed, but it is stronger.

Plastics

On my next leg - ATL to DAY - I sat next to a gentleman that worked in polymers. Wow, polymers, I thought. He confirmed that he did work with plastics. A PhD in Chemistry, Plastics traveled the world working with his clients on various products issues. Plastics was a pretty straightforward young man - hybrid vehicle, independent views, and plastics research. He even sat next to Al Gore on a plane ride back from India, so he claims, and discussed, after much courage was mustered, global warming and the former Vice President's work on climate control.

By now, I'm in a bit of a dilemma. Which individual, Rocks or Plastics, did I admire less, even though both of them seem quite accomplished? Which did I admire more given their relatively young age and my perceived sense of their financial and career stature? At the end of it there is no dilemma really just a different reality.

Though we all begin our professional careers with the hope that we end up doing something noble and something to better the communities we serve, it doesn't always end up that way. Money is a wonderful motivator to do something else other than the noble. How often is it that we come across someone working in the field they studied? Are they happy? How often do we find ourselves working on something that truly serves nothing but the machine in which we all spin? Woe is us.

Be it rocks, plastics, or the seat next to Al Gore, the social contract compels us to do something...anything...to serve those around us. Be it a hamburger, a rock sample, a plastic mug, or strategic planning for financial institutions, we make the machine spin. The real question is the whether or not the machine is worth working for given all of the rust, the corruption, and the out and out lack of responsibility. I don't know. This is why I write. I hope to make some sort of difference. Add some new thinking to the overall conversation. When that spirit dies in all of us - whether we are made of rocks or plastic - all is lost.

Alas, be thankful for what you have, take only what you need, and work diligently for peace. I shall try to do the same. From the arctic hinterland that is Iowa City, IA, I bid you all a good night.

Under an efficient national government

Amen.

John Jay argued that the American people would best be served by "an efficient national government." He argued this point strongly in the third Federalist paper which dealt largely with the influence of foreign powers. I believe he was certainly correct in his assessment that all of us would be better served by this efficient, central government. I daresay it extends beyond the concept of foreign powers and their influence, but more importantly, takes center stage in our own national economic, social, and political frameworks.

It is because of this lack of efficiency, closely followed by the unintended state of ineffectiveness, I can support neither of the candidates or the parties that sponsor them. Reform, true reform, is so terribly different from what the candidates are currently proposing that I simply cannot let either of them have my vote. They have no desire to limit the size of neither government nor its role in our day-to-day lives. I have heard nothing about a reorganization of government - employees, processes, or the various secretariats - that leads me to believe that true reform is up for debate. They both simply want more of the same - bigger government, larger loopholes, and vaulted power without constraint and no true check and balance. Mobilizing the true intent of government, demanding the proper structure and billet of resources, and maintaining this through the act of limiting the power of the elected will go a long way in serving our republic.

Let us begin with the true intent of government. We must redefine, within the context of the constitutional republic we inhabit, the true role of government. We must also begin with the end in mind: simple is better and less is more. The current reality is in stark contrast with this desired future state. I believe that government plays three crucial roles: national defense, regulating lawful activity and ferreting out fraud, and upholding general welfare without the welfare state.

National defense is a key element in this new model. We must not waiver in our desire to keep our nation free of international and domestic terrorists. This does not mean we should enter foreign shores to infringe upon the sovereign territories of other nations. This does not mean we should support various governments in their pursuit of a style of government that we uphold. As I believe government should meddle less and less in our daily lives it should restrain itself from the lives of our fellow global citizens. Now, this does not mean that we should not support efforts through coalitions we have collaborated with in the past and spent countless dollars to support. Also, I believe we should continue to provide intelligence and counter-intelligence services to our allies and insure that threats, once revealed, are quickly squashed by the local government or regional coalition.

The current administration vehemently opposes this sort of focus on national defense. Why? Self interest is the underlying driver. More war, more conflict and more engagement keeps them in power, our tether inextricably tied to their misdeeds. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not because we are trying to save the world. It is the opposite: we simply influence the rest of the world with our culture, our religion, and our form of government. National defense should be about protecting our citizens, our borders, and our natural resources. It should not be evangelical in its execution. It should be about defense and not offense.

A final word about defense is needed here. We must work harder in terms of diplomacy, economic sanctions, and galvanizing worldwide coalitions (without a heavy handed approach and without dispensing countless dollars). There is no worse leader than a leader that leads through bribery and coercion. This is not a leader at all. It is merely a bully, a self-aggrandizing fear monger. This should not be the United States of America.

Our second action item is the creation of a more streamlined system of regulating lawful activity, finding those that abridge the laws of our fair republic, and swiftly and with great resolve moving against them with the appropriate sanctions. As I mentioned, this needs to be a streamlined process. It is beyond comprehension the level of waste, the layers of management, and the bloated gravy trains we have created in our country when it comes to government. Neither of the two candidates will do anything about this. They cannot. The elected officials that work alongside them in congress have much too much to lose by dismantling the Christmas tree.

I would start with the tax system. All of us, rich and poor, black and white, and smart and not-so-smart have lived too long on the teat. Government is not the great equalizer. Government is not the last stop for those that abuse the system, do not study, or do not get off their dead asses and work. Everyone must pay their fair share. Whether you earn $1 or $1,000,000, you must pay the same amount of tax. I believe we should dismantle the entire tax system as we know it. You earn a $1, you pay 3 cents. You're done. Simple is better. Less is more. We shut down the IRS. We redistribute accounting resources in our companies to do other work. This entire system is a waste of money, time, and energy. It is fabricated to serve the needs of a monster that can be killed in one slice of the sword - utilizing our own courage and determination to make true change in our national tax and accounting infrastructure.

Finally, a critical assessment of "general welfare" needs to be made. We need to stop carrying those that do not seek out their own shelter of responsibility. Those that do not study, or work, or move into public service through Obama's new civilian work corps, must not be given the funds for nothing. Fraud is the number one perpetrator here. The same can be said of corporate welfare. Subsidies, earmarks, and general pork barrel spending must cease and desist. Means tested, measured, and monitored fiscal policy and execution must rule the day. I am all for the general welfare of our nation, but not at the expense of the greater good and not for special interest or for those citizens unwilling to seek out a better, more responsible way of life.

Efficiency must come from within and from outside of our government. We must all try to understand process, work flow, and organization in such a way that we seek to minimize waste and create cost savings while all the time enhancing effectiveness of service and service delivery throughout our government. Moreover, we must seek to make more efficient our state and local governments by minimizing the replication of school systems, municipal bailiwicks, and departmental fiefdoms. This is the call to action. This must be part of our national, strategic framework.

Alas, be thankful for what you have, take only what you need, and work diligently for peace. I shall try to do the same. From the frozen tundra that is Iowa City, IA, I bid you all a good night.

Return of the King's English

After many long years of dealing with the fabrication of creative vocabulary, the fascination with multiple language forms, and the modification of the King’s English into thumb-ready bits and pieces from its wholesome original, it is an exciting precipices upon which we now stand. The incoming president’s use of the language, both in the verbal and written medium, has already initiated the process of renewal. It will be important that he and his leadership team establish a strong example for the rest of us. My hope is that the days of “strategery” are gone. I no longer want to read about the flood of cultural-centric English and the growing use of a bilingual message in our common, public arena. And please, let us have the courage to teach our younger citizens that English is the language. Later is not “ltr.” If we do not uphold our language, the President-Elect’s ability to galvanize the nation around a common mission will be lost. We must give and receive our communications in a single dialect. Because of this I believe our probability of overcoming our many woes will indeed increase.

The sitting president has not necessarily hurt us in our attempts to rally around a common language, but he has not helped us either. From “strategery” to “nucular” (I don’t even know how to spell it) we have allowed our chief public relations officer to mangle not just the language, but the intended and desired result of delivering the message. The incoming president has done much to allay my fears about this, but must be careful that he continues on the path he has forged thus far. He must uphold the language. It is important that we learn other languages. It is understandable that there will be different accents, different forms of speech, and other variants from the common language. The government must settle on a common language and not make exceptions to the norm. “You betcha” is an immediate disqualification.

With that being said, I continue to grow tired of being asked about English and Spanish. I grow tired of the improper use of the language and the notion that because of the color of one’s skin so too goes their language. Our school children must not be allowed to graduate without complete comprehension of the written and spoken word. We must make a stand that English is indeed the national language and in order to apply oneself in our United States of America, one must learn this language sufficiently, regardless of age, race, national origin, gender, or sexual persuasion. It is politically correct to demand this from our citizenry. I also believe that our citizens, in order receive certain public benefit, must be able to speak and write the language. Personal responsibility is the standard and it is the responsibility of each and every member of our union to incorporate English into their lives.

With this, I must say that there is too much slang in our daily lexicon. With the current Supreme Court argument pending, we must all endeavor to use slang less and less in our daily work and personal lives. It is unbecoming of an American. It undermines the common purposes we all embark upon every day. It marginalizes the human being in all of us. It detracts from the marrow of each and every dialog. It turns us into monsters of hate.

Finally, texting is out of control. The language is, bit by bit, being disassembled. It will be the youth of today that become the leaders of tomorrow. Parents and children alike must exercise some discipline. I know that is easier said than done. Just look out our current financial crisis. However, we must make an honest attempt. Why do 9, 10, and 11-year old children have cell phones? What is so important about shortening words? Are we that lazy? Are we that crunched for time? The proliferation of texting and other forms of communication like it will lead to a complete failure in communication. Communication that should uplift us, teach us, and guide us will be reduced to nothing but mere checks in the box.

Our common potential and our common future demand that we unite on this front. We must all learn to make better use of the language of our country and that language is English. A declaration saying so would be a wonderful first assault on the politically correct environment we currently inhabit. The President-Elect would send a message to all Americans that it is your personal responsibility to learn our language, use it, and teach it to others. The cost of printing multiple documents in multiple languages is only making our fiscal situation worse. The cost of teaching in multiple languages in our schools inflates the cost of public education. Let us stop this madness today.

The Weekend of my Discontent

The Browns beat the Bengals. McCain, in my humble opinion, slightly edged out Obama in the debate, but that actually equates to a win for Obama. And the bailout seems to be coming of age, with both candidates supporting it. Palin found love for Obama in Philly, drawing the ire of her colleague, Senator McCain. She's fit to be dismissed. Enough people did enough bad things this weekend to warrant this latest entry. And so my discontent continues.

First, let's start with the gridiron mayhem. Our poor Bengals, who at 0-3 needed a win. A big win. I'm a huge fan of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, the second stringer from Harvard. He's gutsy, is not afraid of running, and showed it today by leading the team in rushing. He's certainly no Sarah Palin. He stepped into the role of leadership without revealing his limited experience. Ah, so he did throw an interception. We are all allowed a bad Philly cheesesteak now and then, right? Alas, the Bengals lost, capping off a rather somber weekend.

Second, and I think appropriate next topic, Sarah Palin. She has once again undermined her team by speaking the truly offensive: Obama's words. And without missing a beat, Senator McCain retracted what she said. I find myself an independent of sorts, which is really an excuse to be able to piss anyone off, but I must say that the Palin/McCain camp blew it. Sorry, did I just say Palin/McCain? As if he didn't have enough problems, retracting strong and courageous policy statements, even those that border on logical, just doesn't make sense. Senator McCain, you have made a mistake by allowing your team to select Governor Palin. And by the way, you unfortunately have to give her the ball every once and a while and let her run with it. That's what you signed up for in this election.

Third, the bailout seems to be in the offing. The pundits, even those that are generally against this plan, acknowledge that it must be done or terrible things will happen. As I have stated here before, let those things happen. Our free market and our republic depend on government staying the hell out of our business. Specifically, government need not craft a welfare state, whether it be in the pursuit of upholding those individuals that are less fortunate, voluntarily or involuntarily, and those corporations that have crawled up into the fetal position in the corner. It bodes of more governmental intervention and less delegation of responsibility to the people. Teach the men and women to fish. Don't just give them the fish, damn it!

Whew! Finally, the debate was an interesting mix of Harvard snobbery and articulation, strong-willed one liners, and courteous respect. Obama's cool and calm exterior, coupled with his speaking abilities, painted him as the junior Geek from Illinois. I thought that McCain was better prepared than I imagined he would be, and used the theme of inexperience to his advantage. Let's face it, folks. Obama is inexperienced. There's no arguing it. But what got me was the courtesy that Obama showed McCain several times throughout the sparring. At first, I thought it was a bit of a low point. Obama was not forceful enough. He didn't parry as often and as strongly as he has in the past. In hindsight, don't we have enough sparring, fighting, and war on the global stage to last a lifetime or two? Don't we need leadership that will stay the course in providing protection and (some) oversight, but also someone who will, when the time comes, let others speak and work to resolve issues through more diplomatic, and perhaps less expensive, channels?

So, my fellow Americans, my weekend of discontent has left me with a broken nose from the gridiron, a broken rib from the laughter invoked by Palin/McCain, a broken wallet with a slow leak thanks to Capitol Hill, and a strange sense that no one is in control and, worse yet, that no one is fit to take control.

With that, I bid you a good Sunday night and do sleep tight. Most of all, be thankful for what you have, take only what you need, and work diligently for peace. I shall try to do the same.

The Economics of Fast Times

Incredibly, the earth spins at the same rate every day, and we make up for the 4-minute shortfall every 4 years. Undeniably, people do not move at the same speed, have the same countenance, or desire the same results in the time that it takes the earth to rotate about its axis.

The hard won lesson is the economics of fast times. We cannot move faster, or perhaps beyond, the sum of our income and net wealth. So we were lead to believe. And even though most of us have taken at least high school mathematics, we believed this notion that you could overcome the natural mathematics and achieve fast times with little or no downstream, negative impact. We believed that in fact it was okay to take out a loan that was greater than the underlying value of the real estate and the improvement, be it currently standing or proposed. We demanded faster even still. Let's take that out to 40 years versus 30 years. So, the deed is done. The river has now overflowed its banks.

Also, the economics of fast times suggests that every dollar beyond the limit (the sum of income and net wealth) has to be repaid at some sum greater than the amount by which we surpassed the limit. Interest, additional financing costs, and potentially even loss of equity play into this. But, that was never supposed to happen. Real estate is a fixed commodity, with only so much of it left. We cannot, technically, create more real estate. The value has to continue to rise. But how far should it rise? No farther than the lowest yield (interest rate) will allow. In my opinion, housing prices are very similar to bond prices, which are inversely related to bond yields. As the yield goes up, the price comes down.

Ah! The economics of fast times also catches us in its snare outside of our homes. Our cars, our manicured lawns, and our expensive habits. Prices rise, and, according to our central bank, rates should indeed rise to curtail inflation. Oh, but I have an adjustable rate mortgage. Rates (yields) rise and prices fall. What, pray tell, is the cure?

As you would have expected, and by the very nature that I don't wield a Harvard MBA, it is a very simple answer. The economics of slow times. We have ingested all we can hope to devour and ultimately we will have to purge ourselves of it. What will this ultimately lead to for you and me? Learning, I hope. Understanding the nature of people is really is what is at the heart of this meltdown. Capitalism is often called out as the ruthless, unrelenting monster in this tale. I give its detractors some credit if they only would add the phrase "and greed" after the term. I don't believe that capitalism by itself is the pensioner's executioner. It is the greed we have assigned to it that catapulted us into these most recent fast times. Our understanding, and admitting to it, will help us to see clearly what it is that is a matter and find reason before spending in the next cycle.

The Morning Before

Just some quick thoughts here on the morning before one of the most important political debates of our generation. Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican, or of another political persuasion, it is important you realize that that this debate occur. The political process, regardless of how jaded we are by it, must continue with all its vigor. Regardless of the economic woes we face, this debate must continue. Also, regardless of affiliation, truly consider why Senator McCain suggested the delay. Look deep in your hearts and search your mind. I do believe it was to bring presidential politics onto the economic battleground and to put off the inevitable: a confrontation with an opponent that is more articulate and photogenic.

Well, that's all good and well. I certainly understand that articulation and good looks doth not make a good president. Is Obama the better choice? More experienced? Better able to lead? I truly don't know. From where I sit, it is not about the person but more so about the institution itself that needs to be reformed.

But why not let free politics reign? We keep speaking of free markets and the free press. So, Oxford, MS., let us hope that you have the opportunity to play hosts and hostesses to this evening's political supper. Let us also hope there is more than one guest at the table.

The Day After

It's apropos that I write my first blog post the day after Senator John McCain declared defeat. Yes, that's right. In his supposed innocent move to defer the debate and to divert attention to the real problem, our economy, he has all but resigned himself to concession. Ladies and gentlemen, the real problem is not the economy. The real problem is us. We are the enemy. We have a society and a government out of control.

Why is it apropos? Well, truly, there is no other moment in recent political campaign history that stands witness to such a foolish move. This has finally sent me hurdling headfirst into the blog torrent. It's indecent and I must call him on it.

It is also apropos because the government, the media, and the people themselves refuse to grapple with the true crux of the problem. The true problem, of which I am party to, is that we have bloody lost control. We have lost control of government. It is awash in money and fringe benefits that clearly cloud judgement. Media is simply not as qualified as it once was in reporting the facts. Just give me the facts, man. Finally, we, the PEOPLE, have taken freewill to an all time frenzy.

The enemy is truly us.

First, let's consider our government, which, by the way, is a republic and not a democracy. If I hear democracy one more time, I'll "have to barf up a lung." Anyway, I spoke with a colleague today who insisted we should completely abandon term limits. Friends, this is completely ridiculous. His reasoning was that the lame duck nature of the presidency disqualifies the person in office from doing anything in his or her second term. The presidency was meant to be limited in the number of terms to keep power from accruing to one single individual for a inordinate amount of time. Though it is unlikely we will return to the imperialist rule that dominated the world less than 100 years ago, we must keep power in check. We must add term limits to the Congress. It is long overdue. Career politicians are like whores in an Old West saloon - drinking liquor, gambling, and well, whoring. Deliberate the facts, represent us in the clutch, and make the tough decisions based on what is right - what the politician believes is right.

Second, the media is equally out of control. They have become the entertainment. They are the center of their own storm. The phrase "fair and balanced" was created by marketers based on focus groups and survey data. You must consider yourselves as servants of the truth and not the creators of hegemony. You are neither the leaders or the followers. Another "-er" word comes to mind. You are reporters.

Finally, the people are squarely to blame. Whether they are people on Wall Street or people on Main Street. The excesses, again which I am party to, have completely transformed our society into a band of Bedouins, searching for the next one-day sale, the best rate on the house, and the flashiest ride we can find. Who cares? What about mathematics? Science? The arts? Education? Ah yes, education. This is fundamentally where the United States needs to make the most headway and it is the primary battlefield upon which the war will be won. We have all but turned over education to the PC. In 3rd grade, my daughter has a calculator? Why? My guess is that others the world over, particularly Asian children in Asian countries, add it up green - no calculator and no batteries - only brain power. With education slipping, wealth has continued to rise. And now we know why. It is artificial. We have outpaced our actual intellectual and productive capacity by borrowing against future generations' prosperity. Shameful.

So, on this day after, do sleep tight. Do wish John McCain well in the debate, which, God willing, will occur. Pray this bailout works, because it, in its most fundamental form, undermines our way of life and sets us in motion towards more irrational actions. Most of all, be thankful for what you have, take only what you need, and work diligently for peace. I shall try to do the same.