Kimmer G's Life

I love this song....

2010-02-05T10:23:00.005-05:00

There is no song out there right now that compares to how this makes me feel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJyW55AXJAk

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

That He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

I have a dream....

2009-11-06T11:25:00.007-05:00

Famous words from a famous speech, but do we really ever reflect on this speech? Today one particular line caught my eye.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Martin Luther King Jr.

Do we really judge people by their character and not the color of their skin? We claim we are colorblind, but are we? Do we not assume certain things about people based on height, weight, race or religion? What is it in us that makes us do this? We all have, at one time or another, judged someone based on these criteria. Being born one race is not a privilege or a disadvantage. People are people and should be treated as equal.

That being said, I tread into hostile waters. My friends are varied. Most of them believe as I do and are of similar backgrounds at least ethnically. It seems to be in human nature to bond with people who are most like yourself. Why is it some intelligent people, who accept conservative ideals, voted for Barack Obama? I ask myself this and remember the Howard Stern experiment in Harlem. It was because of the color of his skin and not the content of his character.

Mr. King had a great point and one that is overlooked in an effort to promote diversity. People should not have privileges because of their race. All men and women are created equal. We should judge people based on their character and their ideals not their skin color. Yet, we do and we did. Make no mistake; I know many people who disagree with over half of what Mr. Obama stands for yet voted for him. They wear “The first black President” shirts and political T-shirts that speak of “Change”. The very change they did not want all because of the color of someone’s skin.

It is a sad fact that we still do not vote based on character. We vote based on who is the most like us or to break some tradition. One day, I hope I see a nation that focuses on character and not skin color. I too have a dream that all people are created equal and that one day we will vote based on principles and character and not skin color.

Circus or Trial?

2009-10-22T09:47:00.007-04:00

There are many things I do not understand about the legal system. I am trying to cure this by getting into law school. One such example is the circus known as Lemaricus Davidson's trial. Two college students were raped, tortured and subsequently murdered and 5 individuals have been charged. There are many things the jury is not allowed to hear because it would "taint" the jury's opinion of a known violent thug. It is a circus.

You can watch it here:

http://www.wbir.com/video/breakingvideo.aspx

And read about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Channon_Christian_and_Christopher_Newsom

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/christian_newsom.aspx

Lamar Alexander and Student Loans

2009-09-24T09:02:00.003-04:00

This is also worth reading....

Floor Statement of Senator Lamar Alexander
On
FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS

September 23, 2009

"…I would like to say a few words about Federal student loans.

President Obama said the other day, in what I thought was a very perceptive comment, that he understood the health care debate and all its intensity is a proxy for a larger debate, and that is about the role of government in our society. What I and many Republicans believe and, I think, many Independents and Democrats, as well, in the State of Tennessee, and I suspect across the country, is that we have suddenly seen too many taxes, too much spending, too much debt, and too many Washington takeovers.

The President says, and he is correct to an extent with this, that some of these Washington takeovers were not his fault, were not his doing. I suppose he would say that about some of the bank takeovers and the insurance company takeovers. I am not so sure about the takeover of the automobile companies or the takeover of the farm bonds or the proposal to takeover health care. But here is a voluntary takeover that is absolutely unnecessary, is unwise, and the American people should pay attention to this.

This goes to the center of what the President said. If health care is a proxy for a debate about the extent to which the American Government ought to be involved in our society, then the proposal by the President to take over the entire student loan program and move it from the private sector into the government is a perfect example of what we ought not to be doing.

Let me speak first to the dimensions of this program. The United States has the best system of higher education in the world. One of the greatest aspects of it, one of the greatest contributors to its quality, is that we have a generous amount of Federal dollars which permit about half or more of our students to either get a Federal grant, which we usually call Pell grants, or a Federal student loan which follows them to the institution of their choice. So unlike our our elementary and secondary schools, your Pell grant -- your grant going all of the way back to the GI bill in 1944 -- can follow you wherever you go.

That choice and that competition and that money have helped to create not just some of the best colleges and universities in the world but virtually all of them. Most observers agree on that.

The higher education system today is 6,000 institutions. These are the universities of North Carolina and Tennessee. That is what we might think of first, but there are also community colleges, the 2-year schools. There are also nonprofit colleges. There are also the religious institutions -- Notre Dame and Brigham Young and many others. So there are 6,000 institutions.

Last year, 4,400 of those 6,000 institutions used the regular student loan program. That is the one where you go to the bank, usually your community bank or local bank, and you get a student loan. And 1,600 schools, or about one-fourth, used the direct loan program, which was put in at the time I was Secretary of Education about 20 years ago, and you just go to the U.S. Department of Education and get your money. On the private side of it, which is what 3 out of 4 students choose, there are 2,000 lenders that participate in the program.

This year, there are nearly 19 million loans to students and parents and 14 million of them are in the regular student loan program, 4.5 million through the government. There was $86 billion of loans made. So the regular student loan volume through the private lenders was about $64 billion; the direct loan volume was $22 billion.

So all in all outstanding, $617 billion of volume for both programs, and the President has said we are going to take all of that and put it in the U.S. Department of Education. So what his proposal is, if you are one of the 14 million students today who are getting their student loans from their local banks, starting in January you are out of luck. You better line up outside the U.S. Department of Education with the other 19 million people who want a student loan and hope they can provide you with the same sort of service your community bank or lending institution or nonprofit organization in your area provides you today.

There is a lack of evidence to show that the U.S. Department of Education can do a better job of making loans than banks can. I used to work at the U.S. Department of Education. I was the Secretary. It is one of the smaller departments in government. The people there know a lot about education, but none of them really is running for banker of the year.

Arne Duncan is President Obama's Education Secretary. He is one of his best appointments. I would much prefer seeing him in Memphis working on charter schools or in Denver trying to find ways to pay outstanding teachers more or trying to help create a better system of colleges and universities or community colleges instead of trying to manage the problem of, how do I grant $100 billion in new loans to 19 million people every single year? How do I replace 2,000 private lenders?

Let me give you an example of what a private lender might do. In Tennessee, we have EdSouth. This is a nonprofit provider. Here is what they do. They had five regional outreach counselors to canvass Tennessee to provide college and career planning, financial aid training, college admissions assistance, and financial aid literacy. They made 443 presentations at Tennessee schools through college fairs, guidance visits, and presentations. They worked with 12,000 Tennessee students to improve their understanding of the college admissions and financial aid process. They provided training to over 1,000 school counselors so those counselors could work better with their students. They distributed almost 1.5 million financial aid brochures to Tennessee students and families. Will the U.S. Department of Education start providing those services, or will the 19 million students who want student loans simply line up outside the U.S. Department of Education or one of its offices somewhere and apply for a loan? I think I know the answer to that question.

According to the Department of Education, it costs them about $700 million a year to administer the loans they make today. That is for one-quarter of all the loans. They estimate they can make those same loans to 19 million students with about the same amount of money. I doubt if that is true, which brings me to the point of the savings -- the alleged savings of this program.

Senator Gregg and I -- the Senator from New Hampshire, who is the former chairman of the Budget Committee, the ranking member now -- talked about the alleged savings in moving all of these loans from the lending institutions that make them to 19 million students today, to the U.S. Department of Education.
Senator Gregg received a letter from the Congressional Budget Office on July 27. I ask unanimous consent to have that letter printed in the Record.

Senator Gregg basically asked: Is it true that if we stop making loans through private and nonprofit lenders whereby the Federal Government guarantees the loans and pays a regulated subsidy to the lender -- if we stop that and start making all of them through the government directly, will we save $87 billion? And the short answer -- if you want the long answer, the letter is available -- the short answer is no, you do not save $87 billion; you are likely to realize $47 billion in savings over the next 10 years.

Instead of saving $87 billion, we save $47 billion. Then we have to deduct the administrative costs. Remember, instead of making some of the loans, the Department of Education is going to make 19 million loans. The Department estimates it might cost it $7 billion over the 10 years to do that. Others think it might cost $30 billion. So the real savings -- the real savings are either $47 billion or more like $20 billion or $23 billion in savings over 10 years.

In order to do that, of course, we are going to have to raise the Federal debt. We are going to have to borrow $1 billion a year for the next 5 years. So at a time when we are concerned that we are adding $9 trillion to the debt over the next 10 years, we are going to add another half trillion over 5 years so we can make student loans instead of doing it through private institutions.

Here is the real clincher. When you press and say: In order to make these loans, what is the real reason you think you can do this if the savings aren't really $87 billion but they are more like $47 billion or more like $23 billion over 10 years?

They say: Well, the real reason is the government can borrow money cheaper than the private banks can.

That is true. The government can borrow money at a quarter of a percentage point, and then it loans it to the students at 6.8 percentage points.

Well, my first point would be that I don't think the government ought to be making a profit by overcharging students for their student loans and then turn around and take credit for starting new programs. What the government is actually going to be doing is charging a student who has a job and is trying to get a student loan -- is going to say: OK, we are going to borrow the money at one-quarter of 1 percent and loan it to you at 6.8, and then we are going to take that money and pay for your Pell grant or pay for someone else's Pell grant.

In other words, they are going to overcharge the student to make the Congressman look good. That is what we are doing. We are going out and announcing all of these programs. So we are spending $87 billion, when it is really between $23 and $47 billion -- that is the amount we really have -- and we make that money by overcharging the students.

At the very least, if we are going to take all of these loans into the government, we ought to reduce the interest rate so we don't overcharge the students.

I see the Senator from Oklahoma. I am going to defer to him and welcome him to the floor. But I hope, as we think about the issue the President so accurately described -- he said: The health care debate is really a proxy for the role of government in our society. He is exactly right about that. And while some of the Washington takeovers may not have been avoidable at the beginning of the year, there is no reason in the world why Washington should take over 19 million student loans, eliminate 2,000 lenders, stop students on 6,000 campuses from having a choice in competition, and say: The government is the best banker in America; line up outside the Department of Education, all 19 million of you, in January and get your student loan.

So I am thinking of introducing an amendment that is called a truth-in-lending amendment if this legislation were to pass, and it would say to every one of the 19 million students: Truth in lending -- beware. Your government is overcharging you so that your Congressman and your Senator can take credit for starting a new program.

I yield the floor."

Something worth passing on...

2009-09-23T10:19:00.005-04:00

I received this via email from a co-worker. I think Corker's response is important to read and worth the time. I have inserted the text below:

"Thank you for taking the time to contact my office about H.R. 3200, the America's Affordable Health Choices Act. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.

I share your concerns about the provisions in H.R. 3200, and I assure you that I will not vote for this bill as written if it is introduced in the Senate. I believe that all Americans should be able to purchase affordable, private, quality health care coverage for themselves and their families; however, I do not support an overhaul of the system that eliminates choice of doctor or health care services, forces Americans out of their current coverage, or further burdens Americans with more taxes and more debt.

The America's Affordable Health Choices Act would take money from Medicare, a program that is itself almost insolvent, and use it to create a whole new set of health care entitlements. This is not sensible and will add incredible amounts of debt to our country's balance sheet. To address this issue, I have written a letter signed by 36 senators to Senate Majority Leader Reid stating that that any potential monies found through Medicare reform should only be utilized to secure the financial stability of this program.

I also have concerns about the America's Affordable Health Choices Act's creation of a public plan option as an alternative to private health insurance plans. I believe that the private health insurance market, with many improvements, has the capability to effectively lower the cost of individual health insurance. Although I am supportive of increased competition among health insurers, I believe that a public option could seriously threaten private plans' ability to compete on a level playing field. As the Senate debates comprehensive health care reform, I assure you that I will be working with my colleagues to craft legislation with the best possible balance of choice, quality, affordability, and competition among health insurance plans. The attached op-ed article further explains my views on how I believe responsible health care reform should proceed.

The America's Affordable Health Choices Act has not yet been introduced in the Senate, but the insight you have provided in your letter will certainly help my staff and I more effectively look in to this issue.

Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me.

Sincerely, Bob CorkerUnited States Senator"

Here is the content in the attachment:

August 6, 2009

I’ve spent two years and countless hours in bipartisan meetings working toward comprehensive health care reforms that would enable all Americans to access affordable, private health insurance, and last month I accepted President Obama’s invitation to discuss health care reform at the White House. I believe we have a moral obligation to give our honest attention to a crisis that is affecting, to varying extents, every single American.

Unfortunately, I believe the Obama administration’s proposal takes us in exactly the wrong direction. It would be, in Governor Bredesen’s words, “the mother of all unfunded mandates,” sending billions in costs to already overburdened states. It takes money away from Medicare, an already insolvent program, and leverages it to create a new entitlement program, further jeopardizing a program our seniors depend upon and adding to our country’s burgeoning deficit. It asks small businesses to bear the largest brunt of its costs, and perhaps most disturbing, the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says the proposal would “significantly expand” health care spending. Clearly, the administration’s plan is not the answer.

Congress’s first objective should be to do no harm. Second, we should create a budget neutral mechanism to make health insurance more accessible to millions of Americans. Next, it’s critical that we focus on making Medicare more solvent and begin addressing the $40 trillion in unfunded liability that threatens its future. Finally, we should modernize our health care system to increase efficiency, improve quality and lower costs.

Millions of Americans could be covered today, without adding to the federal deficit, by providing advanceable, refundable tax credits, which would give citizens cash in hand to make monthly payments for health insurance. It could be paid for by changing tax code to limit tax benefits for the “Cadillac,” or most costly insurance plans, which are currently not taxed. I believe this concept, and the many variations of it that have been discussed, could win strong bipartisan support.
We could also pass reforms requiring insurers to issue policies to all applicants and preventing insurers from pricing policies based on health status, so that even those with pre-existing conditions would be offered competitively-priced coverage. These reforms would help every American, not just the newly insured.

Nothing poses a greater risk to our country’s financial future than out-of-control entitlement programs like Medicare. Medicare trustees expect the program to be insolvent in 2017. Unbelievably, the administration’s proposal would take cuts made to Medicare and use them to leverage a new program to cover the uninsured – rather than putting the funds toward extending the life of Medicare. Instead of robbing Peter to pay Paul, which compounds debt on future generations, we should focus on making Medicare more solvent. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Health and Human Services Department should spend ample time implementing pilots and doing the hard work to determine how we can deliver Medicare better than we are today. Americans should be fearful of 100 senators and 435 members of the House trying to make these highly specialized decisions about how beneficiaries receive care and what services should be available.
Finally, we need to modernize our health care system to create better, more efficient care. Today, instead of a health care “system” we have health care “silos” that prevent providers from coordinating care effectively. Standard health information technology platforms would help providers communicate, eliminate duplicative tests, and ensure patients receive the best standard of care possible. Standardized insurance claim forms would allow providers to spend more time treating patients and less time doing paperwork. Requiring providers to publish transparent pricing and quality outcomes would empower consumers to make informed decisions about their health. Tort reform is also long overdue. According to the American Medical Association, liability pressure raises health system costs by $84-$151 billion per year. With modernization reforms, Congress could expand access to those who need it most, while strengthening coverage for those already insured – all without adding to the federal deficit.

There is no issue more important or more personal to Americans than health care, and there may be no issue more complex. Reforming our health care system in a way that protects America’s unparalleled quality of care and innovation, preserves choice, expands access, and lowers health care costs for all Americans will take time and hard work. I still believe responsible health care reform is possible this fall, and it’s my hope that Congress will slow down and get it right.

Worth noting..

2009-09-16T11:00:00.004-04:00

Canada is not the only failure in national health care. Someone recently asked me why I didn't discuss the Cuban model instead of Canada and suggested that perhaps it was because it was the ideal model.

Ideal? To prove my point of how things go awry when government is involved- yes, it is ideal!

Here I thought I might find something enlightening regarding the good sides of government run health care. Nope, just more reasons to oppose health care legislation that puts the government more in my life than they already are.

Don’t get me wrong. I do not hate the government. I respect its institution and the need for laws (after all, I want to be an attorney) and someone to enforce them. Beyond that, I do not need the government intruding into my life and telling me how I should raise my family. It has gotten too big and too all encompassing. We need a limited government that protects the people not controls them.

http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA557_Cuban_Health_Care.html

In a Tight Spot, Pelosi Calls Health Care Critics 'Un-American' - Political News - FOXNews.com

2009-08-10T16:42:00.003-04:00

In a Tight Spot, Pelosi Calls Health Care Critics 'Un-American' - Political News - FOXNews.com

Posted using ShareThis

I guess she only supports citizen's expression when it falls in line with her own views.

Love this video

2009-08-07T18:47:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O68MByaMVdM

Health Care

2009-08-03T08:58:00.003-04:00

This is an interesting article on health care in the United States. It can be found here: http://www.stumblingontruth.com/

Health Care Mythology

REVISED DRAFT

7/22/2009

Clifford S. Asness, Ph.D.

Managing and Founding Principal

AQR Capital Management, LLC

Comments welcome: comments@stumblingontruth.com

Related essays at: www.stumblingontruth.com

What We Know That Ain’t So

Will Rogers[1] famously said, “It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so.” So it is with the health care debate in this country. Quite a few “facts” offered to the public as truth are simply wrong and often intentionally misleading. It seems clear that no truly productive solution will emerge when these false facts represent our common starting point. So, this essay takes on the modest task of simply disabusing its readers of some untrue notions about health care.

I do not take on the harder task of prescribing how we should (and if we should) reform health care, though I offer a few thoughts. Important work must be done here by those who understand, far better than I, the details of health care provision. However, no details are necessary for this essay, and no animals (though perhaps some egos) were harmed in its creation. The fallacies I present are basic and it takes only a rational economic framework to expose them

There are large groups of people in this country who want socialized medicine and they sense that the stars are aligning, and now is their time to succeed. They rarely call it socialized medicine, but instead “single payer health care” or “universal coverage” or something that their public relations people have told them sounds better. Whatever they call it, they believe (or pretend to believe) a lot of wrong‑headed things, and they must be stopped. Step one is understanding how and why they are wrong. Step two is kicking their asses back to Cuba where they can get in line with Michael Moore for their free gastric bypasses.

Finally, please read my standard disclosure (though it’s more designed for something that might be construed as financial advice, it can’t hurt) and my admission of non-originality.[i],[ii]

Myth #1 Health Care Costs are Soaring

No, they are not. The amount we spend on health care has indeed risen, in absolute terms, after inflation, and as a percentage of our incomes and GDP. That does not mean costs are soaring.

You cannot judge the “cost” of something by simply what you spend. You must also judge what you get. I’m reasonably certain the cost of 1950’s level health care has dropped in real terms over the last 60 years (and you can probably have a barber from the year 1500 bleed you for almost nothing nowadays). Of course, with 1950’s health care, lots of things will kill you that 2009 health care would prevent. Also, your quality of life, in many instances, would be far worse, but you will have a little bit more change in your pocket as the price will be lower. Want to take the deal? In fact, nobody in the US really wants 1950’s health care (or even 1990’s health care). They just want to pay 1950 prices for 2009 health care. They want the latest pills, techniques, therapies, general genius discoveries, and highly skilled labor that would make today’s health care seem like science fiction a few years ago. But alas, successful science fiction is expensive.

In the case of health care, the fact that we spend so much more on it now is largely a positive. The negative part is if some, or a lot, of that spending is wasteful. Of course, that is mostly the government’s fault and is not what advocates of government control want you to focus upon. We spend so much more on health care, even relative to other advances, mostly because it is worth so much more to us. Similarly, we spend so much more on computers, compact discs, HDTV, and those wonderful one shot espresso makers that make it like having a barista in your own home. Interestingly, we also spend a ton more on these other items now than we did in 1950 because none of these existed in 1950 (well, you could have hired a skilled Italian man to live with you and make you coffee twice a day, so I guess that existed and the price has in fact come down; my bad, analogy shot). OK, you get the point. Health care today is a combination of stuff that has existed for a while and a set of entirely new things that look like (and really are) miracles from the lens of even a few years ago. We spend more on health care because it’s better. Say it with me again, slowly – this is a good thing, not a bad thing.

By the way, I do not mean that the amount we spend on health care in this country isn’t higher than it needs to be. Myth #4 covers that.

In summary, if one more person cites soaring health care costs as an indictment of the free market, when it is in fact a staggering achievement of the free market, I’m going to rupture their appendix and send them to a queue in the UK to get it fixed. Last we’ll see of them.[2]

Myth #2 The Canadian Drug Story

Ah … one of the holy myths of the “US health care sucks” crowd. This should be fun.

The general story is how you can buy many drugs in Canada cheaper than you can buy them in the US. This story is often, without specifically tying the logic together, taken as an obvious indictment of the US’s (relatively) free market system. This is grossly misguided.

Here’s what happens. We have a partially free market in the US where drug companies spend a ton to develop new wonder drugs, much of which is spent to satisfy regulatory requirements. The cost of this development is called a “fixed cost.” Once it’s developed it does not cost that much to make each pill. That’s called a “variable cost.” If people only paid the variable cost (or even a bit more) for each pill, the whole thing would not work. The drug company would never get back the massive fixed cost of creating the drug in the first place, and so no company would try to develop one. Thus, manufacturers have to, and do, charge more than the variable cost of making each pill.[3] Some look at this system and say to the drug companies “gee, it doesn’t cost you much to make one more pill, so it’s unfair that you charge much more than your cost.” They are completely wrong and not looking at all the costs.

So, let’s bring this back to our good natured friends to the North (good natured barring hockey when they’ll kill you as soon as look at you[4]). They have socialized medicine and they bargain as the only Canadian buyer for drugs, paying well below normal costs. Drug companies that spent the enormous fixed costs to create new miracles are charging a relatively high cost in the free and still largely competitive world (the US) to recoup their fixed cost and to make a profit. But socialist societies like Canada limit the price they are allowed to charge. The US-based company is then faced with a dilemma. What Canada will pay is not enough to ever have justified creating the miracle pill. But, once created, perhaps Canada is paying more than the variable cost of each pill. Thus, the company can make some money by also selling to Canada at a lower price; as it’s still more than it costs them to make that last pill.[5]

However, this is an accident of Canada being a less-free country than the US, much smaller, and next door. If we all tried to be Canada, it’s a non-working perpetual motion machine and no miracle pills ever get made because there will be nobody to pay the fixed costs. I’m a big fan of Canadians in general (particularly Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, who, if healthy, probably would have eclipsed Gretzky – but I digress), but when it comes to pharmaceuticals they are lucky hosers, subsidized by Americans. Drug companies in general sell their products to Canada at low prices, making a little profit, and reducing slightly the amount they need to charge us. This does create the silly illusion that the Canadian system is somehow better than ours because our own drugs are cheaper there. They are only cheaper to the extent we are subsidizing them by paying their portion of drug development costs and, unfortunately, we cannot subsidize ourselves (or we go blind).[6],[7]

So, what is the purpose behind those who tell tales of cheap Canadian drugs? They seek to imply that our system is broken, and delivers only expensive drugs, when the socialist Canadian system delivers the goods for its people. Thus, they implicitly argue that we need to have socialism here. It’s not complicated.

So, repeat after me. We could go with the Canadian system and have super cheap drugs, if only we can find a much bigger, more medically advanced, freer country right next to us to make miracle drugs for themselves, and then we insist that we pay them only a bit above their variable cost for our share, and then they in turn agree to let us be their parasite. Mexico, would you mind helping us out?

Myth #3 Socialized Medicine Works In Some Places

This is a corollary to the “Canada as parasite” parable above. The funny part is socialized medicine has never been truly tested. Those touting socialism’s success have never seen a world without a relatively (for now) free US to make or pay for their new drugs, surgical techniques, and other medical advancements for them. When (and I hope this doesn’t happen) the US joins in the insanity of socialized medicine we will see that when you remove the brain from the body, the engine from a car, the candy from the striper, it just does not work.

So, please, stop pointing to all those “successes” that even while living off the US still kill hard-working people who could afford their own health care while they stand in line for the government’s version (people’s cancers growing while waiting ten weeks for a routine scan, which these people could often afford on their own if allowed, is a human tragedy). Even the successes you gin up for them would not be possible without the last best hope of humankind (the US) on the front lines again making the miracles for the world.

Specifically, let’s also stop citing the Nordic countries as examples. The temporary success of (comparatively speaking) twelve herring-eating homogenous people is not an example that applies to anything outside of perhaps Minnesota, and they elected Stuart Smalley, so under any system they need serious free anti-psychotic medication immediately. Anyway, the Nordic country’s touted “success” is going to go the way of the Soviet Union’s plan to bury us, as their changing demographics (far more economic and social diversity and an aging population) change their culture and show the cracks in their utopian fantasy. As Milton Friedman (paraphrasing) said to a Swede bragging about how little poverty there was in his country "well, yes, I too have observed that among Swedes in America, there's also very little poverty."[8]

To put it simply, right now the US’s free system massively intellectually and financially subsidizes the world’s unfree (socialized) ones. That sucks. The only thing that would suck worse is joining them without anyone to subsidize us all.

Myth #4 Socialized Medicine Is Better Because Their Cost/GDP For Health Care is Lower

The favorite statistic of fans of socialized medicine is that in the US we spend more as a percentage of GDP on health care than in many countries with “universal coverage.” I do not argue with their statistics, but their logic is, as usual, way off. Warning, this list of why these cost/GDP numbers are misleading is long, here goes...

Measuring cost/GDP is inaccurate as it leaves out most of the cost, the cost of lower GDP growth. As one would expect, countries with larger government sectors (including socialized medicine) generally seem to experience slower GDP growth. People are great at measuring costs that they easily can look up, but those are not all the costs!

If I’m right about the US subsidizing the world of course their costs would be lower!

Many of the countries we are being compared with come from, frankly, healthier cultures than ours. I do not think the government should be allowed to make, for instance, your health vs. fast food trade-off for you. If free Americans more often than others go for the Wendy’s Triple w/ Cheese like I do, our cost/GDP will be higher. Freedom sometimes ain’t sugar‑free. By the way, if we change our system to socialism, but these habits persist, our costs will still be higher. So, here come the diet and exercise laws...

I do agree the US system could be better. I mention this again at the end, but I do not think health care should be tax-free if provided by an employer. Being provided by employers in the US leads to over-consumption (as it’s pre-tax and the marginal cost of service is lower to the consumer), and worse, does indeed help lead to the fractious less efficient organization of insurance (and the famous, and real, “portability” problem). I certainly agree that this structure raises costs, but if you have a simple problem like this, you fix it, you do not say “hey, let’s try communism.”

A large fraction of health care costs are sadly in the short period before death from long-term illness. If socialized societies ration these costs then their total cost/GDP could indeed be lower than in the US. But, I can not see disallowing free people from spending their own money on their last few months of life. If people have what economists would call a “taste” for this (in this case the word seems callous but it’s accurate) then a free system could indeed voluntarily choose to spend more per GDP on health care. That is not a bad feature of the system. It’s a wonderful feature of the system, as it allows someone who spent a lifetime saving for retirement to use a little bit of that to live a bit longer if it’s their desire. Just because you (perhaps) do not agree with the choice does not mean you have a right to dictate to these people.

As I mention again near the end, we also have a true cost problem in this country emanating from our insane tort system. Some argue that this is exaggerated as they measure the cost of the literal payouts to plaintiffs and say that while it is higher here than in other countries it is not enough to explain our cost differential. But, again, they only measure what they can see and fail to account for the massive cost of “defensive medicine” we force doctors to practice in anticipation of these tort lawyers. This indeed makes our cost/GDP spent on health care too high, but the solution is again not the gulag for us all, but perhaps only for half of the American Bar Association (ok, just cap their awards, that would be fine).

I admit this is near a matter of religion for me, but do fans of socialized medicine really want to argue that if both were properly organized and not fettered with things like voracious ambulance chasers, that the government could deliver material goods and service, like health care and drugs, cheaper and more efficiently, for the same efficacy, as the private sector? Really? Wow, even writing this essay, I just didn’t think anyone could really believe that... And, by the way, by “religion”, all I mean is I’m really sure, it’s fact not faith based!

So, all considered, we should indeed be measuring our cost/GDP, and within a free system attempting to keep it reasonable through reasonable policies (like rational tax and tort policies). But a dictatorial socialist system is unnecessary for this purpose. It’s only necessary to enslave the population.

Myth #5 A Public Option Can Co-Exist with a Private Option

This one has been the subject of some hot debate. Let’s first define it. Part of the current administration’s plan is to add a “public option” for health insurance. That is health insurance provided by the government (actually provided by you and your neighbors – this is a good thing to remember whenever you find yourselves thinking anything comes from the government; really, if you take away anything from this essay, take away this!). They claim this “public option” can co-exist fairly alongside private health insurance, increasing competition and keeping the private system “honest,” and not deteriorate to a single payer (socialized medicine) system. They are not leveling with you, as in unguarded moments they admit that the single payer socialized system is what they really want. The New York Times disagrees with me, thinking the two can co-exist. But the New York Times still thinks Stalin was a pretty decent Joe.

Those advocating the “public option” say it’s just there to keep private enterprise honest. They point out that private doctors prescribe more expensive procedures than ones employed by the government, and then use that as evidence that the private system has inefficiencies (to get as inefficient as the government they’d have to prescribe enough CAT scans to turn you into Spider-Man if conveniently bitten by an arachnid along the way). It makes me want to ask them, “but then don’t we need that in every industry? Doesn’t the already massive competition in health care keep things honest?” Of course, this leads to the uncomfortable conclusion that by their logic the government must be a major player in every industry. Ah, just when you think you have them, you remember, they have you! This is in fact what they desire. Don’t throw them in the briar patch, remember, they are socialists! But, in our case they are mendacious socialists who know that if they are honest, the public will not allow them to achieve their massive imposition of state control on all aspects of life. So they are dismantling liberty piece by piece. Now, let’s get back to the idea that the government can run a fair “private option”, but not forget that there’s nothing special about health care.

The government does not co-exist or compete fairly with private enterprise, anywhere. It does not play well with others. The regulator cannot be a competitor at the same time. It cannot compete fairly while it owns the armed forces and courts. Finally, it cannot be a fair competitor if when the “public option” screws up (can’t pay its bills), the government implicitly or explicitly guarantees its debts. We have seen what happens in that case and don’t need a re-run.

The first thing the government does is underprice the private system. You can easily be forgiven for thinking this is a good thing. Why not, cheaper is better, right? Wrong. They will underprice private enterprise by charging less to the purchaser of health insurance, not by actually creating it cheaper. Who makes up the difference? Well, you and your family do if you pay taxes, or your kids will pay taxes, or their kids will pay taxes. The government can always underprice competition, not through the old fashioned way of doing it better, they never do that, but by robbing Peter to pay for Paul. They are taking money from your left pocket and giving you a small portion of it back in your right pocket. They do it every day before breakfast, and take a victory lap for the small portion they return.

Second, the government ultimately always cheats when it’s involved in “honest” competition. Try mailing a first class letter through Fed-Ex, or placing an off-track bet on your favorite horse with a bookie, or playing a lottery through a private company. Uh, you can’t, so please stop trying, I don’t want you to hurt yourself. Once the government discovers it cannot win, it changes the rules. You see, the government has the power to legislate, steal, imprison, and even kill. Those are advantages most private firms do not have, save Google, and you did not hear that from me (we all know the Google guy with one eye-brow would crush your larynx for creating a competing search engine).

I have friends who say that I can’t compare doctors to postal workers or truck drivers or bookies as doctors are tireless altruists (pretty damn arrogant no?). I respect the skills of doctors, but they are the kids in college who wanted good jobs with prestige and money, and worked damn hard to attain them, but barely a one was more altruistic than the average truck driver (ever have a doctor drive you from Cleveland to Spokane for nothing but your participation in a Captain and Tennille duet?) And anyway, those who want socialism want to enslave these altruist doctors while I want to free them, so I am not sure I need to argue this point.

Perhaps the best example of the destructive “public option” is our nation’s schools. Here we clearly have a government provided “public option” competing with (and in fact dominating in size) private schooling. But, is it fair? Does it work well? Not by a long-shot. To send your kids to private school (i.e., a school that competes with the government) you need to first pay your taxes for the public schools. Absent vouchers or tax credits, the bête noirs of the “socialism in education” set, if you eschew the “public option” you have to pay for education twice. Double payment is not only unfair, but the quality of the public product without competition is inhuman and a catastrophe to a generation of children the Left weeps tears over, but actively works to destroy (after all, the Left needs future customers). That the schools provided by the government pale next to the private options, which themselves pale next to what we would have with a full private system (even if publicly funded) is beyond sad, but not the direct point here. The direct point is a “public option” cannot exist without cheating – in this case making you pay for it even if you don’t use it (I’m pretty sure if a private company tried that it would be called stealing).

With a “public option” things inevitably would go the horrific way of our public schools. Instead of existing to please customers (patients and students, respectively) the “public option” in schools exists largely to benefit empowered stakeholders of the system (health administrators and unionized school employees, respectively), who will shamelessly pretend to give a darn about sick people and children. Watch the analogy play out if we go this route in health care. It will be like looking in a funhouse mirror and seeing a doctor where you used to see a teacher. All else will be the same.

Finally, let’s worry a bit about the end game. We are not here yet, but in a world where the “public option” replaced all private options, would we still be allowed, if we had the resources, to pursue private medical alternatives? Some socialized countries say yes, some say no. Imagine the answer is “no” in this country, where freedom is valued more than anywhere else in the world. Imagine a person is to be prevented from spending their hard earned money on their, or their children’s, health care, or a doctor was prevented from earning what he could in a parallel free system after all his training and work. If we get to this point, and I pray we do not, it’s time to skip all the Constitution but the second amendment (while we still have it), as it won’t be America anymore.

Let’s again conclude by asking why they are lying here about the “public option”? Well, the President has said if starting from scratch he’d prefer socialized medicine (he calls it something different, but it isn’t different). He also now insists that this “public option” is not intended to lead to fully socialized medicine, and accuses those who say it will lead there of, you guessed it, lying. Odd no? But it takes literally seconds to realize that this “public option” cannot co-exist with the freedom to choose and thus will indeed lead to full‑on socialization. Since the simplest answer is usually best, and the President has already declared his preference for a “single-payer” system, and since this “public option” leads there with near certainty, might I be forgiven for assuming he knows this and has a socialized medicine end-game in mind?

Myth #6 We Can Have Health Care Without Rationing

Rationing has to occur. This sounds cold and cruel, but it is reality. A=A. If you have a material good or service, like health care, that is ever increasing in quality, and therefore cost, there is no way everyone on Earth can have the best at all times (actually the quality increases are not necessary for rationing to be needed, it just makes the example clearer). It’s going to be rationed by some means. The alternatives come down to the marketplace or the government. To choose between those alternatives you judge on morality and efficacy.

Everyone on both sides seems to hate the rationing word. People favoring free markets point to the explicit rationing that occurs in other countries with glee, while those favoring socialism point to the number of uninsured who get their health care through emergency rooms and the like (a form of rationing). Both sides are wrong to complain about rationing per se, that’s a fact of life. But there are differences.

It is an uncomfortable truth that tough choices will have to be made. There is no system that provides for unlimited wants with limited resources. Our choice is whether it should be rationed by free people making their own economic calculations or by a bureaucracy run by Congressional committee (whose members, like the Russian commissars, will, I guarantee you, still get the best health care the gulag hospitaligo can provide). Free people making their own choices only consume what they value above price, using funds they have earned or been given voluntarily. With socialized medicine health care is rationed by committees of politicians trying to get re-elected and increase their own power, and people consume as much of it as the commissars deem permissible. I do not find these tough alternatives to choose between.

By the way, nothing says that part of this rationing cannot include large amounts of charity, privately or even (and the libertarian in me quakes) publicly, but that still involves rationing. Sorry, we can’t suspend the laws of physics and arithmetic.

So, why do they lie about rationing, other than habit? Well, rationing isn’t pleasant news for those who don’t get that 2+2 will always equal 4. Telling optimistic innumerates that your plan does not include rationing wins support.

Myth #7 Health Care is A Right

Nope, it’s not. But we are at the nuclear bomb of the discussion. The one guaranteed to get me yelled at or perhaps picketed by a mob waving signs printed up with George Soros’s money. Those advocating socialized medicine love to scream “health care is a right.” They are loud, they are scary, but they are wrong about rights (as the 1980 kid in me resists the temptation to type “TO PARTY” – you had to be there).

This is more philosophy than economics, and I'm not a philosopher. But, luckily it doesn't take a superb philosopher to understand that health care simply is not a “right” in the sense we normally use that word. Listing rights generally involves enumerating things you may do without interference (the right to free speech) or may not be done to you without your permission (illegal search and seizure, loud boy-band music in public spaces). They are protections, not gifts of material goods. Material goods and services must be taken from others, or provided by their labor, so if you believe you have an absolute right to them, and others don’t choose to provide it to you, you then have a “right” to steal from them. But what about their far more fundamental right not to be robbed?

In fact, although it’s not the primitive issue, the constant improvement in health care gives another good example of why the “right” to health care makes little sense. Did you have a right to chemotherapy in 1600 AD? You could have protested to Parliament all you wanted, but chemo just didn’t exist. Then, did you have a right to it the moment some genius invented it? You did not pay for the research. You did not make the breakthrough. Where do you get the right? How did it come into existence for you the moment somebody else created these things? I’m pretty sure you cannot have rights to material goods that don’t exist, and I am pretty certain that the moment some genius (or business, or even government) brings them into the world your “rights” do not improve. But strangely, many disagree.

Conundrums are easy to create. If a cure for all disease is discovered but it costs the GDP of Europe for each treatment, do we all have a right to it? Of course not. We can say we do, but it does not matter. We cannot have it (unless you agree with my forecast for Europe’s GDP and wait 50 years). But the absolute “health care is a right” position leads to a clear yes (you know those people bussed in by ACORN and the SEIU carrying signs saying “health care is a right”? Ask them what they think about this issue; I dare you). The smarter crazies might argue that they only mean the right to a reasonable level of health care. But then we have government running and rationing health care, as Congressional committee decides what’s “reasonable”? Health care is not a primitive right, but keep printing those signs.

So why do people scream health care is a “right” if it so obviously is not? If not a right it can still be willingly provided as charity by society. But those screaming “health care is a right” worry that this will not work out as well for them. In fact it would work out if all they cared about was good health care for all, and not power, but they do love that power.

Those seeking free health care could admit these are not rights but they simply want other people’s stuff, and be honest supplicants, or open thieves. However, they believe that guilt and the false moral high ground work better for them. Do not cede that ground. They are beggars with the government’s guns behind them. They are beggars you may, or may not, choose to help. I personally have chosen to help many (those with my views are painted as non-humanitarians but we believe our ideas will make everyone better off and many of us are willing to help). But that is your and my choice, not their right. When they ask you to help, please consider it, and do what your conscience and abilities suggest and allow. When they try to take it as their right, they are thieves, tell them “no.”

Finally, while again we may choose to provide a minimum standard of health care to our neediest, we should not be ashamed that better health care, like all material goods, comes with success. Capitalism is simply what happens when you mix freedom and economics. Capitalism says if you achieve and build more, you can spend more and have more. You can have a bigger TV, a bigger house, a hotter spouse, and shinier teeth for your pets (or a hotter pet and shinier teeth for your spouse). How on Earth did the notion that it’s “unfair” to spend the money you earned on your own health care, probably the most important thing to you, come about? Well, I know how it came about. It has been pushed by a far left academia, political candidates who don’t have a clue about economics beyond cashing a lobbyist’s check, trade union organizers pining for a workers revolution that just never came but now they’re trying to steal on the sly (but God forbid a secret ballot), and a biased media who just thinks they are smarter, better and kinder people than everyone else because they enjoy making snotty sarcastic comments about Republicans (and where is Jon Stewart going to get his health care under the new system anyway?).

But I digress again.

Ironically of course, as in all things, the profits made on allowing people to spend differentiated amounts of their own money on health care would fund so much better health care for all it’s sickening (pun intended). Think of the newly invented drugs and other advances that shortly would be cheap enough for everyone if companies were actually fully free to profit on them. It would be too long of an economics lesson to explain to my beret-wearing friends of Che that profits are a good thing, and that companies cannot charge whatever they want forever, as the essence of capitalism is not love of the corporation but love of competition. But, while I admit it looks dark now, everyone would do well to study up on those things as signs are beginning to emerge that they are going to be making a comeback soon.

Finally, to reiterate, calling something a “right” and holding up signs screaming you have that right just does not make it so. I once picketed NASA for a whole summer with a sign that said "Faster Than Light Travel Is A Right" and "FTL NOW!!" (it was actually a whole back and forth chant that went “when do we want FTL!!”, with the sing-song response,“now!!”, etc., but it was just me and didn’t work too well). Alas, those twisted fascist bastards ignored me and we still have not visited the Crab Nebula.

So, Why Are These Crazy Things Believed (Or, Pretended to Be Believed)?

I forgive individuals (not that they need or want my forgiveness!). Lots of people are scared and misinformed by their politicians and the media or else they would understand the whitewash that is going on here and reject socialist “solutions” to a problem best solved for their families by freedom. In fact, eventually I think they will (if Congress and the President don’t first intentionally jam through a bill they know cannot survive scrutiny by the American people). Now as to why the media and politicians say what they say, and propose what they propose, it is more complicated.

Actually the media is often just plain intellectually lazy, repeating tired leftist dogmas and looking down on anyone who believes in freedom as just a red state moron (trust me, they think that). How else do you explain free infomercials for Obama’s socialized medicine without rebuttal? How else do you explain the failed New York Times front page that’s less news and more editorial parody than Steven Colbert? Why the politicians do it is somewhat more complicated, and a bit more nefarious.

Some politicians may indeed just be idealistic dupes who actually want to help people but don’t realize they will harm them. I have sympathy for these people but they still should not win the day. Some just want to feel important. But let’s leave Ms. Pelosi out of this for now. Let’s talk about the smart ones who understand these issues. I do not think true confusion among the political and intellectual class is most of their problem. I do not think they believe for a second that socialized medicine will make people better off. How could they? I think most of the Congressmen for socialized medicine, Rahm Emanuel (and his boss), and the rest of the K-street gang are smarter than that. I think they understand that when the people’s power grows, theirs shrinks, and vice versa.

Lots of politicians understand that the simple free system leaves them out in the cold. No power for them. No committees to sit on to decide people’s lives. No lies to tell their constituents how they (the government) brought them the health care they so desperately need. No fat checks from lobbyists as the crony capitalists pay dearly to make the only profits possible under this system, those bestowed by the government. Libertarians are often accused wrongly of loving “big business,” but we don’t, particularly when corporate executives predictably turn themselves into crony capitalists who try to succeed by wheedling from the government. On the other hand the socialists love cronies of all sorts, ones who command large enterprises all the better. Liberals are far closer than libertarians to building and countenancing the all-powerful corporate state they claim to fear. Odd I know!

That an array of crony capitalists are lining up from Wal-Mart to hospitals to medical insurers (bringing back Harry and Louise - this time for socialism) hoping to cut the best deals for themselves before the iron curtain falls is sad. That they are being lauded by the administration as a sign its health care position is right is simply propaganda. Yep, when someone agrees to pay Al Capone protection, it's a clear sign Al Capone was right to begin with....

We further see this predicted abuse of power as the health care proposals are already filled with freebies to the President’s friends – including exempting unions from onerous features. Gee, the same unions in whose favor he has re-written the bankruptcy rules and wants to exempt from the most American of ideas, the secret ballot. It’s good to be a friend of “the most ethical administration ever.”

For another example how this is about government power and the suppression of private liberty, and not about helping people, look no further than the fact that their proposed massive tax increase on the "rich" (which by leftist definition are never paying their "fair share" if they have enough left over to remain rich) is on pre-deduction income.[9] That means if you give all your money to charity you still owe Caesar his 5+ percent on money you did not keep and do not have, but gave away to a good cause. This might raise some revenue, but it is largely about the destruction of private charity. Barack and Harry and Charlie and Nancy and the other gang of four (yes our gang of four is much bigger than four) are about the people having to crawl on their knees to government (them) instead of anyone else, including private charity, not about helping people.

BTW, Congressman Rangel, the House’s chief tax writer and current tax cheat investigatee, said lawmakers targeted high earners because it “causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people.” So does, in the short-run, imprisoning the rich and harvesting their organs for better health care for everyone else. Charlie, any thoughts on where you stop? When is enough enough?

Finally, if the above is not enough, the rush to pass a huge expansion of government now, and limit debate and discussion, is indicative of a group that knows it is wrong, and if people have time to think they will refuse to go along, but is attempting an exercise of naked power, to impose dictatorship before the people wake up. Paraphrasing Mark Twain, a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. They are counting on this, and they don’t want to give the truth time to be shod.

And In Conclusion

At this point you might accuse me of offering only complaints about the Administration's plans, without constructive suggestions of my own. There is truth to that. But I make no apologies. If people believe crazy things it’s first and foremost important to change that before progress can be made. But also, I think we're doing okay enough without radical changes, certainly not hastily panicked changes towards socialism, and also because I lack the expertise to recommend the detailed practical steps that would be productive (in contrast it requires much less expertise to see that the myths above are indeed lunacy).

I do understand people are frustrated at many aspects of the current system, and it is tempting to tear it all down and build something that looks shiny and new and perfect in the advertisement. Many of the complaints concern the complexity of getting insurance, treatment and reimbursement. I blame this mostly on excessive regulation, a complex employment-based insurance system strongly encouraged by tax law, and litigation for the benefit of trial lawyers rather than patients or anyone else. We do not need a single payer (socialized medicine) system to cut confusion and inefficiency. On the contrary we need unfettered competition and clear legal standards. Another major concern is provision of basic health care to the needy. This is an important issue, but not an expensive one in the scheme of things, and not one that should drive the trillion-dollar health care debate. You do not reorganize the entire housing industry and tax policy around the need for homeless shelters, you just build enough shelters and let the market take care of, and discipline, the people who can pay for their own housing. Finally there is the concern that health care costs make US workers too expensive to compete in global markets. As long as workers get full value for their health care dollars, it shouldn't matter whether companies pay in cash or in health benefits. The competitiveness issue is an important one, but health care costs versus wages versus taxes to pay for public health care is a minor detail in it. The main thing is not how it’s divided up but total costs, and total value received by the worker. Costs are minimized, and value received maximized, by open competition. I recognize these are general prescriptions rather than specific health care reform proposals, but you don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows (are non-Leftists allowed to quote Dylan?).

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[1] A few commentators on my earlier drafts have pointed out that this quote is attributable to several different people, and it’s far from clear it’s really, or only, by Will Rogers. Interestingly these particular commentators went on to say that nothing I say has value because of this possible “oversight” of mine (while admitting that many others also attribute the quote to Rogers). The only possible response a gentle author like myself can have is that they can bite me.

[2] Some say health care advances are really an achievement of the government as the government funds university research. Wow. What a clear case of the government muscling in, taking over, and then pointing to their taking over of Poland as a success. We Poles feel differently.

[3] By the way, that companies try to maximize profit is not something they or I should apologize for, it is beautiful and fair and the reason why great things are created.

[4] FYI, your author is a hockey nut.

[5] Canada's national healthcare does not cover all prescription drugs, just those prescribed in hospitals and drugs for poor people. But it imposes price controls and uses bulk purchase negotiations, and it recognizes less patent protection than US law. The net result is drug companies recover much less of their fixed costs per person in Canada than in the US. If the US imitated Canadian health policy, rewards for medical innovation would be much less.

[6] Truth be told this isn’t about just Canada but any group that negotiates en masse for prices that cover variable not fixed costs. But the general point is still valid. The success of some groups at this does not mean it’s a viable system for all, in fact it’s impossible to be a viable system for all. We cannot all be free riders.

[7] The true subsidy of the US does not result only from US companies producing most of the drugs, but free people in the US paying full price for drugs produced the world over.

[8] Note that doctors also get paid comparatively very little in these countries. This was a bait and switch on the current generation. It remains to be seen if it can be done again to the next generation, though one has to presume not. The best and brightest will choose other careers. Another reason why the future for the socialized medicine Nordic El Dorado is less bright than its current reputation.

[9] While not the subject of this essay, let’s put another widespread myth to bed. “The rich only give to charity for the tax deduction.” Please note, when the rich give substantial amounts to charity they end up with substantially less for themselves. The idea of the charitable deduction (which some libertarians may argue with as it subsidizes behavior the government finds “nice”) is that if you do not keep the money you earned, but pass it on to a good cause, you do not also pay taxes on it. That seems pretty reasonable as you did not keep it. That many, even most, think this is somehow a giveaway to the rich is a statement on the sorry state of understanding, and the dangerous level of class-warfare we already have in this country.

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[i] AQR Disclosure

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AQR Capital Management, LLC its affiliates, or its employees. The information set forth herein has been obtained or derived from sources believed by the author to be reliable. However, the author does not make any representation or

warranty, express or implied, as to the information's accuracy or completeness, nor does the author recommend that the attached information serve as the basis of any investment decision and it has been provided to you solely for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation of an offer, or any advice or recommendation, to purchase any securities or other financial instruments, and may not be construed as such.

Cliff’s Additional Disclosure

This is Cliff speaking now. AQR's legal department would like me to add that I am criminally insane and barred by an order of rhetoric protection from speaking on AQR's behalf. Anyone trading on my advice, or a client, consultant, employee or Iraqi insurgent thinking he has been wronged by my attitudes or opinions can have a $250 out-of-court

settlement right now if you'll sign a waiver, otherwise we'll break you. Oh, and we lied about the $250, but seriously, we will break you. Please note, nobody can predict where markets will go in the short-run and sometimes even the long-run. When I point out individual things in the marketplace that I think are strange, or wrong, it doesn't mean I have the perfect answer or can easily make money from it for my clients, for myself, or certainly for you reading this essay! Furthermore, if you read one guy's opinion and do anything based solely on that, you are an idiot. Next, as the legalese above alludes to, the actual funds and accounts AQR manages are run using models that may or may not agree with what I'm writing herein, particularly as our models will generally have a shorter time horizon than the things I'll be writing about. Listen to me at your own risk! If you choose to read what I write please only use it as one input for you to critically evaluate in your decision process.

Finally, my style is to write very aggressively and passionately about what I believe. So unless you are a libertarian/objectivist, small government and free market loving, socialist hating, value investing geek you probably won't agree with everything or anything I say. If you find the way I say it insulting, I'm sorry about the first few words you couldn't help reading, but if you read a moment past that (in this disclaimer or later), it is on you. I agree we need to censor things occasionally but only to protect children and madmen (and of course the children of madmen). If you believe in censoring anything else short of a nuclear secret you'd probably look good in hobnail boots and the crooked cross. Thanks for listening.

[ii] I don’t claim any great originality here. Much, or even all, of what I’m saying has been said elsewhere. But, we’re still losing, so it’s worth repeating all this again with some new angles, a few new pieces of black humor, and perhaps a different font. In particular, and not even close to exhaustively, I can recommend recent pieces of Newman, Sowell, Stossell, Szasz , Will, and many by the Cato Institute that cover a lot of the same ground I attempt to re-take.

Happy 2 Months Jeff- I love you!

2009-07-24T09:55:00.003-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Very interesting video

2009-07-23T12:16:00.003-04:00

Chicago Tea Party..

http://www.foundingbloggers.com/wordpress/2009/04/founding-bloggers-exclusive-our-footage-of-the-cnn-chicago-tea-party-throwdown/

Health Care and Abortion

2009-07-21T08:59:00.006-04:00

This is an informative- yet short- read on what is going on legislatively regarding the new Health Care plan and the implications is may have regarding Federal funding and abortions. I am pleased to see some Democrats are pushing to not turn this Health Care plan into an abortion debate (by not including language in the bill which could create abortion centered issues).

Two things

2009-06-17T16:55:00.007-04:00

Anonymous. It's a title that cloaks people who are not brave enough to state their opinions and ideas and attach a name; it affords them the ability to attack at a whim people who are not hiding and who are publicly stating their ideas and opinions. It's an act of internet cowardice and I have decided to no longer respond to it.

This is the last post I will make regarding comments from anyone who attempts to post as "Anonymous". In his/her last comment, you could feel the hate spew from the screen. It is always a sign you have won a debate when the other side resorts to name calling, rash generalizations, sexism and stereotypes.

I am a stickler for grammar- particularly your and you're and the like. I am not perfect, no one is, but if you are going to attempt to insult someone, it is best you use proper grammar. Another thing I assume someone in the South isn't expected to understand.

This is the end of Anonymous. If you have something to post and would like to comment, find the courage to post under your real name and engage in thoughtful, calm, rational debates, in which no name calling is tolerated. I do not tolerate childishness, sexism or stereotyping.

It's my blog; I make the rules. If you can't stand behind your ideas and opinions by posting under your true name, then perhaps you shouldn’t post at all.

FFELP comments

2009-06-04T14:49:00.003-04:00

I had a recent comment on my post about Obama and his socialist plan to take over not only the auto industry but the student loan industry. Instead of just sharing the comment and it likely going unread, I am going to publish it in a new post along with my comments. I appreciate the alternative point of view but disagree whole heartedly as someone who use to work in the industry and who is married to someone who still does.

Kudos to the President, the first president who actually had student loans.

The student loan industry is ripe with greed, arrogance, and corruption. The Sallie Mae CEO has taken nearly a half billion dollars personally as a middleman. He now owns three mansioned estates (annapolis, MD / Harwood, MD / Naples, FL), one with a private 18 hole golf course - although an old photo and the golf course is still under construction, you can see where taxpayer subsidy dollars go via Google Maps at coordinates 38°51'38.52"N, 76°40'4.47"W

I know of no industry that is not ripe with greed,
arrogance or corruption. When people are involved, these negative aspects
pop up. It’s not an excuse but it isn’t a reason for the government to
control the industry either.

Sallie Mae owns two private jets - they used to own three. The jets are tail numbered N50FD and N188AK.

And the President of my company, no doubt, owns a boat and a lovely house
but it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t.

That is where the taxpayer subsidies are going, private golf courses and private jets.

When a FFELP loan defaults, the taxpayer pays nearly twice the amount of the loan. Sallie Mae is allowed to attach fees, penalties, and crank the interest rate up to above credit card rates. After a period, they capitalize those fees, penalties, and interests and put the loan to the taxpayer for payoff. So, a 20k loan becomes more than 40k cost to the taxpayer. In the direct program, the 40k might still be the receivable, but it does not effect cash flow as we see with the middlemen involved. Why are we funding this madness?

When a loan defaults, the loan is turned over to the DOE. The DOE will add
additional fees and increase the rates in order to pay to collect the
debt. When you promise to pay a loan back and fail to do so, the lender
has the right to charge a fee. Unlike a mortgage, Sallie Mae and the like
cannot take away your education like a lender can take your home. Everyone
is a taxpayer- the CEO of Sallie Mae as well as you and me. So the
taxpayer who defaulted on their student loan will have to pay more than
borrowed; that is the nature of a loan a defaulted loan is even more
expensive. Student loans are the only loans that allow you to apply a
forbearance or deferment to your account. Try deferring your mortgage
payments because you have an economic hardship let alone your credit card
payments.

Let's not forget the corruption that the subsidies fund. The following student aid administrators got into more than a little hot water for taking kickbacks and other inducements from the student loan industry - most lost their jobs:
Ellen Frishberg - Johns Hopkins
Catherine Thomas - USC
David Charlow - Columbia
Lawrence Burt - University of Texas
Walter Cathie - Widener University
Tim Lehmann - Capella University
Daniel Pinch - Emerson College

Yes, there is corruption in some schools but you don’t cut down the apple tree because it produces one bad apple.

In the investigations of 2007, many Universities were fined for revenue sharing schemes. Specifically, University of Pennsylvania, New York University, Syracuse University, Fordham University, Long Island University and St. John's University have agreed to reimburse students a total of $3.27 million for inflated loan prices caused by revenue sharing agreements.

Perhaps we should nationalize those schools also…

And it just seems to never end. In May of 2009, "District attorney's investigators raided City College of San Francisco on Wednesday, seeking evidence that college officials had illegally spent public money on donations to education-related political campaigns. A copy of a search warrant served on the college shows that investigators are scrutinizing the actions of former Chancellor Philip Day, who left the college last year to work for an education lobbying firm in Washington, D.C." (from San Francisco Chronicle) Mr. Day happens to be CEO of the NASFAA, the organization that represents financial aid directors.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/07/MNJQ17FTEQ.DTL

Again, this is a college with corruption not a lender and not even corruption-
they were “seeking evidence” meaning none had been found as of yet.
Corruption exists from the White House to the taxpayer house. We are
imperfect people and cannot expect to have a perfect world or system.

CHOICE? Choice is a myth or a lie depending on how you look at it. In 2008, more than 100 Universities were under investigation for more than 90% of their FFELP loans going to one provider. The notion that there is competition in this "market" is ridiculous - the student loan companies pay or induce schools for preferred lender status resulting in nearly all loans at any one school going to one provider. In the above instances, those inducements were to the administrators themselves. From "School as Lender" to call centers to printing - the inducements to schools are great and the payoffs for the middlemen even greater.

There is competition; in most schools, you can choose from a multitude of
lenders. Have you had a different experience? Some schools however, do not allow the student to choose; they are forced to go with Direct…the government run lender. My personal experience is any student that enters these doors can choose from any lender who agrees to make the student loan for them.

Of course, some in congress receive so much cash from the student loan industry, they will try to derail this improvement. Particularly, Buck McKeon and John Boehner receive the most from the student loan industry. Buck and Boehner have been the champions of the industry for years and are responsible for much of the elimination of competition and stripping of consumer protections for student loans - all to the benefit of the middlemen lenders. There are no student loan companies in Buck or Boehner's districts and no meaningful employment by student lenders in those districts. Now, Lamar Alexander is joining in with them. This is pure pay for play.

And Barack Obama received a lot of money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac yet
bailed them out- Kudos to the President? Fannie Mae….sounds a lot like
Sallie Mae another of Obama’s favorite GSEs?

Regardless, it appears my point has been missed. The employees of these companies will be unemployed; where will they work? Will Obama help or is this the change he promised? There is more corruption in the government than in the private industry, as your comments proved; so why would we want to turn this industry completely over to the government?

This weekend.....

2009-05-22T15:07:00.001-04:00

This weekend my life will change.
This weekend I will marry my best friend.
This weekend my life will be the same.
Because this weekend I will marry my best friend.

It’s amazing to find the one person who gets you
And doesn’t run away.
It’s amazing to finally have someone who loves you
And loves you in spite of your ways.

This weekend I will marry my best friend
And this weekend, I will hold on to my forever with open arms.

I love you Jeffrey with all that I have-

Forever and Today

T-Mobile Mom to Mom Quiz

2009-05-21T15:07:00.000-04:00

T-Mobile Mom to Mom Quiz: "

Take the fun, Mom to Mom quiz and discover your parenting style.

Pot....meet Kettle

2009-05-13T16:55:00.003-04:00

Is Shannon Moakler really critiquing Miss California's pictures? She claims she wants to be a role model for her children- does that include her Playboy stint? I know I am not perfect but I’ll admit when I am wrong. But does Shannon even understand that her posing in Playboy is far worse than any modeling pictures Miss California took? Am I the only one that sees this? I haven't checked out either's photos, nor do I intend to, but something tells me we aren't even comparing apples to oranges. Perhaps potatoes to athlete's foot....hmm

Kettle meet Pot- Pot meet Kettle….in this case I think the kettle has been smoking so much pot it doesn’t know its own color.

Moakler resigns after Miss California flap
Pageant co-director Shanna Moakler says 'I no longer believe in it'

Access Hollywood
updated 1 hour, 53 minutes ago

A day after Donald Trump allowed Miss California Carrie Prejean to keep her crown following a semi-nude photo scandal, Shanna Moakler resigned from her post at the organization.
“Since the press conference yesterday, I had a chance to think about what has taken place, and I feel that at this time it is in my best interest to resign from the Miss California USA organization,” Shanna released in a statement to Access Hollywood. Up until her resignation, Shanna held the co-Executive Director post at the Miss California Organization.
Shanna continued on that following yesterday’s press conference, she lost faith in the organization.

“I can not with a clear conscious move forward supporting and promoting the Miss Universe Organization when I no longer believe in it, or the contracts I signed committing myself as a youth,” Shanna’s statement continued. “I want to be a role model for young woman (sic) with high hopes of pageantry, but now feel it more important to be a role model for my children. I am sorry and hope I have not let any young supporters down but wish them the best of luck in fulfilling their dreams.”

When contacted by Access Hollywood, the Trump Organization was unaware that Shanna had resigned.

Despite racy photos of the beauty queen that surfaced on TheDirty.com last week and new topless photos that surfaced on TMZ.com on Tuesday, which showed Prejean posing without a shirt, Trump allowed the beauty queen to retain her title.

“We’ve reviewed the pictures very carefully... we are in the 21st century and I talked about relevance and the pageants have been updated tremendously. And Carrie is a model, she’s a very successful model, we have determined — and we have the absolute right under the contract — we have determined that the pictures taken are fine,” Trump said at Tuesday’s press conference. “So, we’ve made a determination that everything we’ve seen to this date that she’s done, some were risque, but again, we’re in the 21st century, so we’ve made a determination that the pictures taken were acceptable they were fine in many cases. They were lovely pictures and in some cases they were modeling pictures, so I think that’s very important to understand.”

Trump also addressed the strife between the co-directors of the Miss California USA, Shanna Moakler and Keith Lewis, and Prejean.

“The last thing… is we have Keith and Shannon from the pageant, the directors of the Miss California pageant. I met them today for the first time…they were having some miscommunication with Carrie. The communication, I believe, is totally solved. They are really getting along very well,” Trump said on Tuesday. “They’ve been meeting for hours in my office and I really think that they are and have developed a relationship that they didn’t have before. Carrie will remain Miss California. She, I believe will do a fantastic job.

“And I think that Carrie will go down as somebody that Shanna and Keith will be very proud of in the end,” he added.

When contacted by Access Hollywood, the Trump Organization was unaware that Shanna had resigned.

Scattered

2009-05-07T09:15:00.008-04:00

This is a scattered post but I suppose there is a theme- encouragement.

I did not know this woman’s face nor did I know her name. I read it this morning on Love 89’s site and decided to find out who she was and why Pat Summit was at her funeral. This is a touching video and well worth the time to listen, even if you cannot watch it. There is a lot that comes into focus when you know you don’t have much time and I hope this puts your life into perspective and you are encouraged by it.

Secondly, I heard about this book on Love 89 this morning. The author, as it turns out, goes to my church. The book just seems like a good read for any woman who has children and struggles to keep her own identity in Christ while still being mom and wife. I may end up getting this for my mommy-to-be friend for a shower present! The author’s site can be found here. If you join Chick-Chat on Love, they will give you a 20% off coupon to use at Cedar Springs Bookstore. My favorite passage on her site is this-

“I am grateful to be God’s child, knowing my life is in His hands and He is in control of my time. God also reminded me of the scripture that says “whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31 I am serving Him as I wash dishes and do the laundry because I am serving my family! What an awesome opportunity and blessing to know that I am where He wants me doing what He has called me to do.
I just wanted to encourage some moms who may think that your work at home is meaningless. God says that He knows those who trust in Him and is close to all who call on Him. I pray that today you will call on Him and know that whatever you are doing, do it for the glory of God!”

I love you all-

Senator Alexander Statement on Motion to Instruct Conferees On the Budget Conference to Preserve Choice in Student Loan programs

2009-04-28T09:11:00.004-04:00

Senator Alexander Statement on Motion to Instruct Conferees On the Budget Conference to Preserve Choice in Student Loan programs

April 24th, 2009 - This should be a relatively easy motion for our colleagues to support because it simply instructs the conferees to support a position that the entire Senate adopted unanimously. That provision during our budget debate was to accept the position of maintaining a competitive student loan program that provides students and institutions of higher education with a comprehensive choice of loan products and services.

Madam President, there are three reasons in support of maintaining a competitive student loan system. The first is that 12 million students rely on it today in New Hampshire, in Tennessee, in North Dakota -- all across our country.

Second is that now is not the time to be creating a new half-trillion-dollar national bank that would run up the debt, a bank that would replace 2,000 private lenders, and make $75 billion in new loans a year. That is not a proper function of the U.S. Department of Education.

And third, the cost savings that is alleged is -- and I will be gentle in my words -- a trick on students to make Congressmen look good. What we are going to be doing if we do not preserve this choice is saying to all the students who get a loan that we are going to take money from them and then give it to other students so that Congressmen can go home and brag that he or she has increased the amount of the Pell grants. Let me be specific in what I say.

I was the U.S. Secretary of Education in 1991 and 1992 when we created something called the Direct Loan Program. We have a federal student loan program. Most people who go to college are familiar with it. About two-thirds of the students at our 6,000 different institutions from the University of New Hampshire to the Nashville Auto Diesel College to Harvard to San Francisco State have a Federal grant or a loan. When you get a student loan, you take it to the institution of your choice.

We now have 2,000 lenders who help provide all those different kinds of loans. They give financial aid counseling, they give interest rate deductions, they help students and families plan on how to pay for college. In other words, they service the loans and then the Government supports that by guaranteeing almost all of the loans.

We set up a separate program which we called direct lending. That was, you could come straight to the Government to get your loan. In other words, we created a government bank run by the Department of Education. We said to the students and to the institutions: You make the choice. You may either have a private student loan guaranteed by the Government through your local bank or financial institution, or you may come to the U.S. Department of Education to get your loan.

We have had more than 15 years of experience with that now, and what have the students and institutions said? Three out of four say we like the regular student loan program, we like the choice, we like the private lender. Since we are getting the loan, we like the idea of going to a bank to get a loan because that is what banks do. If you want a car, you go to a car dealer. That may be changing. You may have to go to the Department of Treasury to get a loan the way the country is going. For 15, 16 years we market tested this and so we have that direct loan program.

The situation right now is we have 12 million students at 4,400 different institutions getting $52 billion in loans by their choice from banks instead of from the Government. One-fourth get it from the Government. It has been that way for a long time.

What the President's proposal wants to do is to take all those choices away from the students and say: Line up outside the Department of Education to get your student loan, all 15 million of you. There will be 4,400 institutions and 12 million students who may not like that.

Second point. Is a national bank a good idea? We read in the paper that the Government is going to take stocks in the biggest banks. So we are going to nationalize the banks. Then we read in the paper the Government is going to take stock in General Motors and Chrysler -- hopefully that is not true -- so we are going to have the Government deciding what kind of car we are going to be making, what kind of plants we will have, where the plants are going to be. I cannot think of a worse organization to do that. This is a proposal to say: All right, now the Government is going to be your bank. It is going to be the bank for your student loans. We are going to create a new national bank. It would have over a half trillion dollars in outstanding student loans. It would make 15 million student loans every year, $75 billion in loans a year.

We will run all this out of the U.S. Department of Education, a wonderful Department. I was myself there for 2 years. But what do we know about being a national bank? Not very much. Andrew Jackson would roll over in his grave about the idea of a national bank of this size.

My final point. This proposal, with all due respect, is a trick on students to make Congressmen look good, and here is why.

The budget we originally got said we will take $94 billion in savings and we will spend it on Pell grants. Let's think about that a minute. Common sense will tell you that the Department of Education is not going to know more, is not going to be able to replace 2,000 lenders at a cheaper cost. That simply is not going to work. That is what common sense would tell you.

The Congressional Budget Office has told us that in order for the Department of Education to administer these loans, it would cost about $28 billion over the next 10 years. That is the computation I have made. They estimate that the cost of administering the current Direct Loan Program is about $700 million a year. So if they did them all, that would be at least $2.8 billion a year.

Conservatively speaking, you don't have $94 billion in savings; you have 94 minus 28. So you have around 66. So you have $66 billion that goes somewhere out to banks, maybe to reduce loans, maybe to reduce interest rates, maybe to administer the loan program. But the bottom line is, if the Government takes this program over, it is going to be borrowing money at one-half of 1 percent and loaning it out to 15 million students at 6.8 percent. Borrowing at one-half of 1 percent and loaning it out at 6.8. On every student loan -- and I hope all 15 million students listen to this -- your friendly Government is going to take back 6.5 percent of the 6.8 percent interest you are paying. What is it going to do? The Congressman or Congresswoman can go home to Tennessee or wherever and say: I increased Pell grants. But they won't tell you: I took money from this student to give it to that student. That is not the way to do it.

What we should do, if that spread is too high right now, is let's cut it down -- if the savings is estimated at $90 billion. We know it is closer to $60. Maybe it is $20, maybe it is $30, maybe it is $35. Maybe we should lower the interest rate to 3 or 4 percent or 5 percent or whatever is the appropriate rate.

But that does not justify creating a national bank in the Department of Education to try to handle 15 million loans.

So my argument, Madam President, is this: There are colleagues on both sides of the aisle -- and there are a number of Democrats -- who strongly support the idea of competition and choice in higher education. That is why we have the best higher education system in the world. We have competition and choice all the way through it. The grants and the loans don't go to colleges; they go to the students, and the students choose the college. They can go to Nashville Auto Diesel College if they want or they can go to Harvard; it follows them to the school of their choice. They ought to be able to go to the lending institution of their choice and not line up outside of the Department of Education to get 15 million loans every year. That is not right. It is not the way our country ought to work. So the first is to preserve choice for the 15 million students who now have it at 4,400 institutions.

The second reason is, let's not be creating another nationalized asset in America. We need to be thinking of ways of getting the Government out of the private sector. I mean, this recession is not for the purpose of the Government taking over every auto company, every bank, all the student loans, and every business that is in trouble. We need to be thinking of ways of going the other direction. That is the America we know. That is the America we want.

So we don't need a new national bank.

Arne Duncan is the new Secretary of Education. I think he is the President's best appointee. He ought to be working on paying teachers more for teaching well, creating more charter schools, helping states create higher standards. That is his agenda. I don't think he came from Chicago to Washington to be named banker of the year, which is what he would be doing if he became a national bank president for student loans. That is what this proposal would do unless the Senate sticks to its position.

Finally, I don't want to be a part of any situation which has Congressmen and Senators playing a trick on 15 million students and saying: I am going to borrow money at a quarter of 1 percent and loan it to you at 6.8, and then I am going to take credit for giving the rest of it away. I think that will come home to roost, and it ought to come home to roost.

I appreciate the opportunity to make this motion to instruct, and I hope it will come to a vote. I hope it has the kind of bipartisan support it had before. I hope the President will think of all the other things there are to do that need attention, such as fixing the banks, getting credit flowing, restoring the auto companies, and leave the student loan system to continue to work in the way it should work.

Obama and the FFELP** Update with Knoxville lender statement

2009-04-27T08:55:00.004-04:00

**UPDATE**

Check out this new link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/apr/25/obama-touts-plan-for-loans/?printer=1/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090424/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_college_costs;_ylt=AiS0Fnh0QBcWE5R37LpsvcKs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJvdDdhNnQ5BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNDI0L3VzX29iYW1hX2NvbGxlZ2VfY29zdHMEY3BvcwM0BHBvcwMxMwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNvYmFtYXB1c2hlc2Y-

Just some more information for all of you interested in the latest on FFELP.

Minors- you can't go on a field trip without a parent's permission but here take an abortion pill, it's like candy!

2009-04-23T09:23:00.005-04:00

I often wonder how many people pay attention to the world around them. How many people go beyond the news stories and actually think and formulate opinions for themselves? How many Americans care enough about the world and their community to act when something needs action? It doesn’t appear to be too many.

I live in the great state of Tennessee. My views and opinions are among the majority here. Country-wide I am in a smaller group yet still mostly the majority. Why is it our voice is never heard though? I think it has to do with our lazy attitudes. We have taken for granted that we have the ability to be vocal and change our community if we feel the need for it. Pretty soon, we will be in the minority as we are stepping ever closer to socialism.

Amazing as I was listening to Power 96, a radio station in Miami, I discovered there are people just like me in Miami. Miami is filled with many differing cultures and people. I was amazed to hear a female radio DJ be against allowing minors to obtain Plan B. While our views are not on point in all areas concerning abortion, it was great to hear another female who formulated her own ideas and stuck to them regardless of who might be in opposition. So first before I go into the FDA and Plan B, I want to thank Ivy at Power 96 for suggesting people take personal RESPONSIBILITY for their own actions. It is an amazing simple concept that so few people get and I am pleased to see that in other more diverse areas of the United States, that concept is still alive.

Back to the topic at hand: now, thanks to a decision by a US Court, 17 year-olds can obtain Plan B, also known as the morning after abortion pill, without a prescription. The FDA had requested this be limited to adults 18 years and up. Now this is the FDA mind you, not a judge without medical training who is making the decision to allow a minor to obtain an abortion without a prescription and without parental consent.

If your child is going to go on a field trip, a parent or guardian must sign a permission slip. If your child (under 18) is going to have a surgical procedure, a parent or guardian must sign forms permitting the doctor to perform the procedure. If a 17 year-old walks into a gas station to buy cigarettes, they are denied because they are a minor. However, the courts believe it is ok for them to obtain a pill to prevent pregnancy? This is not Tylenol. It amazes me that people actually think this way and that so few people are upset enough to do anything about it.

I suppose the next solution is Plan C; kill your children after they are born. Oh wait, that has already happened. Surprised? Don’t be, just read this article: http://www.suite101.com/blog/marilynnhughes/mother_tells_story_behind_baby_born_alive_left_to_die_in_clinic Note in particular the woman’s description of the baby:
Sycloria said she stood against the wall, glancing in horror at her newborn baby. "She wasn’t moving much. Twitching, gasping for air. She wasn’t crying though, just hissing. Hissing sounds only."
But what did the staff do to help this child- born and alive?!?
According to Williams, Gonzalez, the clinic’s owner, who has no health care licensing, came into the waiting room, cut the umbilical cord, and scooped Shanice’s body into a red biohazard bag, sealed it and tossed it into a trash can

“An actual baby”

Sycloria told the Florida Catholic that she still recalls the most startling part: Her 23-week-old pregnancy looked like an actual baby. "They never said anything to me that would make me think it was a baby. They never said anything like ‘baby,’ ‘fetus.’ Nothing. They only said things like ‘termination’ and ‘pregnancy’ and ‘termination of pregnancy’," "They cheated me because they didn’t tell me everything and the doctor wasn’t there."

Can you really wonder why Columbine happened? Can you really question why society has a lack of respect for human life? We teach our children that life has no value when we promote the killing of an unborn child and call it a choice. Why should we be surprised when our children reflect what we have taught them and choose to kill another human being? It is, after all, their choice isn’t it.

See:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=7404420&page=1
Also on the Fox News site

FFELP Elimination- sounds like socialism

2009-04-23T09:19:00.003-04:00

In a recent letter to the Secretary of Education, a friend of mine received a response that bothered me. So in response to his email, I wrote the following letter to Secretary Duncan and have yet to receive a response; wonder why. Perhaps it is because they have figured out I am a 'terrorist' under the DHS new guidelines about pro-life supporters.

Secretary Duncan,

The Obama Administration has recently proposed to eliminate the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Eliminating this program would not only hurt students but also cut nearly 35,000 jobs! In the current tumultuous job market, how does the Administration plan to supply those family’s basic needs once their income is removed? Surely, the Administration does not want these laid-off employees to become another statistic in the increasing unemployment rate and look for more government handouts.

It has been said that the FFELP is “barely functioning” and I question that statement. There are many FFELP lenders and servicers who are functioning and due to the poor economic situation are actually functioning better and more efficiently as they have cut unnecessary items from their budget. I also question the statement that the elimination of the FFELP will save the tax payers any money let alone $4 billion. It is going to cost the taxpayers nearly one-half trillion dollars in new Treasury debt over the next 5 years to even originate the federal student loans. Where exactly is that money going to come from, China again? We cannot borrow from Peter to pay Paul any longer. The elimination of the FFELP is not going to help American students it is going to hurt America by increasing the national debt once again with borrowed money from China.

It appears the past and current Administrations do not understand that in real companies (such as student loan lenders) and households, we have to deal with real money and real numbers. At the end of the month, we cannot have a $11,199,755,734,764.56 debt. We have to deal with real numbers not fictitious “play money”. I again ask where is this money going to come from to originate these student loans?

I have worked for a student loan lender and currently work for a higher education school. The FFEL Program has helped students and parents, not hurt them. It has increased competition and as a result, borrowers have reaped the benefits. The cost of loans for students is lower because each lender wants to compete for their business. They offer incentives in regards to repayment or discounted/no origination fees. Have you ever called the Direct Loan Servicing line? I have. I have a loan with both Direct and with EdFinancial. Direct’s customer service, or lack thereof, is evident from the unpleasant voice that “greets” your call. You receive the same treatment at the DMV or other government-run agencies. Pardon me, but do you ever hear any citizen who enjoys going to a government agency? Do they praise the efficiency or do they dread the trip and the people they will encounter? This is not the case with private lenders. They have to be pleasant because they are competing with others. Competition fosters customer service. Democracy is about competition; socialism loves government control and monopolization. To quote studentloanfacts.org, “Competition in the private sector student loan program has driven down the cost of this program to the point that in both 2003 and 2004 the lenders participating in the FFELP managed the entire program at no net cost to taxpayers – making it the only federal entitlement program to break even.”

America needs LESS nationalization of private corporations and entities and more corporate and government responsibility locally and nationally. I urge you to reconsider your position on eliminating the FFELP and 35,000 jobs of men and women who no doubt have families to support in these tough economic times. We cannot abandon the FFELP and turn our back on the people who have provided the means for students to attend college.

I am a terrorist? Does the DHS think you are too?

2009-04-17T09:15:00.003-04:00

It puzzles me that pro-life groups are considered terrorists by the Department of Homeland Security. Pro-life groups do NOT bomb or kill pro-abortion facilities or leaders. There are extremists out there but anyone who murders another is not pro-life. How is my prayer for the end of abortion terrorism. Please explain this to me; how is my appreciation for human life terrorism?

How is it that people cannot see the correlation between abortion and stories like this http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h-zVt9ohBMtzzXZN3EM4guLGy-zgD97K7DUG0 The woman stabbed herself to kill her unborn child and successfully killed her 9 year old. How could a mother do that? The same way a mother can walk into an abortion clinic and kill her unborn child. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad they are charging her with the death of two people but the sad fact is if she walked into an abortion clinic 7 ½ months pregnant and killed her child, it’d be called a choice. The difference is what? Can anyone rationally explain this? No, because killing children is completely irrational.

So please, Department of Homeland Security…let me know how I am the terrorist here and not the pro-abortion groups and facilities? They shout obscenities and threaten us when we peacefully protest during the 40 days for life campaign. No disturbing, yet true images of abortion, just signs reading pray to end abortion. I never knew how hate filled pro-abortion people were until I was cursed at by a passing car for praying across the street from an abortion clinic.

I sure feel safer now that the DHS is watching out for people like me instead of the hate filled pro-abortion groups.

http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/041609_extremism.pdf

Obama and the actor famous for playing a druggie

2009-04-08T09:35:00.002-04:00

Can you imagine if Bush did this? The media would have a field day....barely a blip for Obama. And they say there is no media bias.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040800950.html

Penn resurfaces in White House after "suicide"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood star Kal Penn has swapped television's "House" for the White House. The 31-year-old actor, who made his mark as the pot-smoking Kumar in the "Harold and Kumar" feature film comedies, will become associate director in the White House office of public liaison, Entertainment Weekly reported on Monday. For the past two seasons, Penn played Dr. Lawrence Kuttner on Fox's medical-mystery drama "House." His character exited the show in a violent fashion on Monday's episode by committing suicide for no apparent reason.

Commentary: Don't confuse money with happiness

2009-04-07T16:39:00.002-04:00

I had to share this great article on money and happiness. I hope it helps you realize what life is truly about. We all need this from time to time.

By Peter BregmanSpecial to CNN

Editor's note: Peter Bregman is chief executive of Bregman Partners Inc., a global management consulting firm, and the author of "Point B: A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change". He writes a weekly column, How We Work, for HarvardBusiness.org.

Peter Bregman says good times persuaded people to sacrifice what they loved for money.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- I started my consulting business 11 years ago with a laptop computer in a living room. It grew quickly.

The first year I made more money than I had in the previous three combined, the second year I doubled that and by the third year I began to fantasize about retiring within the decade.
Then everything crashed; the dotcom revolution, the financial services industry and my business.

I had a large number of subcontractors and a small number of employees who had become friends. I also had a bad feeling things wouldn't turn around quickly.

My wife and I were in a tough spot. We had one child and another on the way, bills that were accumulating and hopes for the future that were moving out of reach.

However bad it was then, these days it's worse. Back then the recession hit certain sectors and left other ones alone. Home prices were going up, so people felt protected, and there were loans to help. Today, everything's been hit, nothing's going up and credit is frozen.

Many have already lost jobs, homes, self-identities, luxuries and necessities. And there's more to come.

That's especially true for many older Americans, who might not have 10 years to recover and who don't have sources of income other than their savings -- which have dwindled dramatically. They don't deserve to live with the fear they now feel.

I'm still living in a rental apartment because I didn't want to take out a loan I couldn't pay back. I saved money. Invested it. And now my investments are down 70 percent.

But it is what it is.

And when we wake up in the morning we are left with the question, "Now what?"

It's actually a great question, because in a situation in which we've lost control, it gives us a little back. "Now what?" means we have a choice, in this moment, to do something. What's it going to be?

I think it's a mistake to try to rebuild what we've lost. We have less now and I think we can do better with less. Having less forces choices. And consciously making those choices can bring us closer to the things we care about. Which can make a poorer life richer than a rich one.

Because the research is clear. Above a basic threshold, more money doesn't make us happier. But we think it will, so we do all sorts of things that make us unhappy in order to get it.

A senior leader in an investment bank called to tell me she was leaving her job. She realized she wouldn't make much money in the next few years and didn't want to miss her children growing up. Did you get that? She was willing to miss her children growing up if the money was good enough.

People act in ways they'd rather not in order to make money that doesn't make them happy.

Maybe, if we do this downturn right, we can get out of that cycle.

So, what makes you happy? Is it spending time with people you love? Working on a pet project? Having the time to exercise? Being part of a community and feeling cared for? Knowing the answer enables you to make decisions that will prioritize those things.

Of course, losing money can break people apart; we fight about money, people lose jobs and get depressed; tension rises as mortgage bills sit on the kitchen table unpaid; resentment builds when one person doesn't live up to his own and others' expectations.

But I am also seeing the opposite. Losing money can bring you closer to your values; can actually bring people together. It's hard to appreciate in the midst of our loss, but embracing the forced reduction in lifestyle can be positive.

I know of a couple whose marriage was saved when they moved from a bigger house into a smaller one and actually began talking to each other again.

Last weekend, two people had a beautiful wedding in Central Park surrounded by family and friends, months before they had planned, avoiding thousands of dollars of expenses and all the tension that goes with it. Why? Because she lost her job and needed to get onto his health insurance.

Friends of mine held their daughter's bat mitzvah at another friend's house, avoiding tremendous expense while creating the warmest community celebration, filled with gratitude and tears, that I have ever seen.

In 2003, after my business crashed, my wife and I decided to move to Savannah, Georgia, where she grew up and life was much cheaper. Had my business continued to grow we could never have afforded to make that choice. When the business crashed, we couldn't afford not to.
While there, we spent priceless time with her family, had another child, made lifelong friends and rebuilt my business -- this time very differently. I love consulting and writing and speaking, but the bigger the business became, the less I did those things and the more I managed others doing it.

Eventually we returned to New York. Now I'm back to a laptop in a living room and I love it again. It's smaller, more sustainable and a lot more fun. And I have the time to spend with my family and friends. My fantasy is no longer to retire; it's to keep doing what I'm doing for as long as I can.

Life is not a linear path of increasing wealth, accumulation and achievement. Don't let the money crisis draw you apart from people you love and things you love to do. Use it to draw you closer.

Amazing Article

2009-04-03T08:49:00.004-04:00

http://townhall.com/columnists/StarParker/2009/02/09/back_on_uncle_sams_plantation?page=full

Back on Uncle Sam's plantation
Star Parker - Syndicated Columnist

Six years ago I wrote a book called Uncle Sam's Plantation. I wrote the book to tell my own story of what I saw living inside the welfare state and my own transformation out of it. I said in that book that indeed there are two Americas -- a poor America on socialism and a wealthy America on capitalism. I talked about government programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS), Emergency Assistance to Needy Families with Children (EANF), Section 8 Housing, and Food Stamps.

A vast sea of perhaps well-intentioned government programs, all initially set into motion in the 1960s, that were going to lift the nation's poor out of poverty. A benevolent Uncle Sam welcomed mostly poor black Americans onto the government plantation. Those who accepted the invitation switched mindsets from "How do I take care of myself?" to "What do I have to do to stay on the plantation?"

Instead of solving economic problems, government welfare socialism created monstrous moral and spiritual problems -- the kind of problems that are inevitable when individuals turn responsibility for their lives over to others.. The legacy of American socialism is our blighted inner cities, dysfunctional inner city schools, and broken black families. Through God's grace, I found my way out. It was then that I understood what freedom meant and how great this country is.

I had the privilege of working on welfare reform in 1996, passed by a Republican Congress and signed 50 percent.. I thought we were on the road to moving socialism out of our poor black communities and replacing it with wealth-producing American capitalism. But, incredibly, we are going in the opposite direction. Instead of poor America on socialism becoming more like rich American on capitalism, rich America on capitalism is becoming like poor America on socialism.

Uncle Sam has welcomed our banks onto the plantation and they have said, "Thank you, Suh."

Now, instead of thinking about what creative things need to be done to serve customers, they are thinking about what they have to tell Massah in order to get their cash. There is some kind of irony that this is all happening under our first black president on the 200th anniversary of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln.

Worse, socialism seems to be the element of our new young president. And maybe even more troubling, our corporate executives seem happy to move onto the plantation. In an op-ed on the opinion page of the Washington Post, Mr. Obama is clear that the goal of his trillion dollar spending plan is much more than short term economic stimulus.

"This plan is more than a prescription for short-term spending -- it's a strategy for America 's long-term growth and opportunity in areas such as renewable energy, healthcare, and education."

Perhaps more incredibly, Obama seems to think that government taking over an economy is a new idea. Or that massive growth in government can take place "with unprecedented transparency and accountability." Yes, sir, we heard it from Jimmy Carter when he created the Department of Energy, the SynfuelsCorporation, and the Department of Education. Or how about the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 -- The War on Poverty -- which President Johnson said "...does not merely expand old programs or improve what is already being done. It charts a new course. It strikes at the causes, not just the consequences of poverty."

Trillions of dollars later, black poverty is the same. But black families are not, with triple the incidence of single-parent homes and out-of-wedlock births.

It's not complicated. Americans can accept Barack Obama's invitation to move onto the plantation.. Or they can choose personal responsibility and freedom.

Does anyone really need to think about what the choice should be?

Great quote on socialism:
"The trouble with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."

More politics

2009-02-28T20:21:00.001-05:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=29446125�

Hospitals will be forced to close

2009-01-28T09:58:00.004-05:00

Abortion Foes Warn Of Hospital Closures
CBSNews.com Reports: Catholic Churches Are Pushing Parishioners To Pressure Congress Not To Pass "Radical" Abortion Bill

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/27/politics/main4757890.shtml

(CBS) This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter Brian Montopoli.
On the past two Sundays, parishioners at the Holy Family Church in Nutley, New Jersey, have received a stark warning: If the Obama administration and Democratic Congress have their way, Catholic hospitals around the country will be forced to close. The reason? A piece of legislation known as the Freedom Of Choice Act, or FOCA, that opponents believe will force hospitals and doctors to perform abortions even if they have moral opposition to doing so. Since doctors at Catholic hospitals won't perform an abortion, the logic goes, the hospitals would have no choice but to shut their doors under FOCA rules. Abortion rights advocates dismiss the claim, saying it is an effort to distract the public from the real abortion-related issues likely to be taken up by Congress.

But Catholic groups are now making a push to drum up opposition to FOCA, with millions of postcards being distributed in English and Spanish in churches across the country, according to Deirdre McQuade, an assistant director for policy and communications at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Catholic leaders are asking parishioners to sign three copies of the postcard - one for each senator and one for their representative - and then leave them with their church, which will mail the cards to Washington. "The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress, would create a 'fundamental right' to abortion that government could not limit but would have to support," the postcard reads in part. (See the full postcard here.)

Church leaders say FOCA would end requirements for parental consent, legalize partial-birth abortion and overturn so-called "conscience" protections that allow hospitals and health care providers that receive public funds to decline to perform an abortion. (The Bush administration tried to strengthen conscience protections shortly before leaving office, though President Obama ordered a halt to implementing the new guidelines until further review.) "The [FOCA] law as it currently exists is taking that entire conscience clause away," said James Goodness, spokesman for Archdiocese of Newark. "And Catholic hospitals will not perform abortions. And if they are told they have to, hospitals are going to have to figure out what they can do."

Debate rages among legal scholars over whether FOCA, if instituted, would really overturn "conscience" protections and thus potentially mean the closures of Catholic hospitals, which make up about a third of all hospitals in the country. According to Ted Miller, the communications director at NARAL Pro-Choice America, Maryland is among the states that have adopted FOCA-like legislation in an effort to codify abortion protections, "and you don't see Catholic hospitals closing in Maryland."

But as Melinda Henneberger notes, Sen. Barbara Boxer, who introduced FOCA in the Senate, said in a statement that the legislation "supersedes any law, regulation or local ordinance that impinges on a woman's right to choose" - which could be taken as a sign that it would invalidate prior "conscience" clauses. NARAL's Miller says FOCA isn't really the issue: It is instead "a distraction from issues around birth control and sex education for teens that could actually be considered in this Congress."

FOCA won't see passage anytime soon, he says, because according to NARAL's calculations, there are only 40 truly "pro-choice" senators in the 111th Congress and 146 "pro-choice" representatives in the 111th Congress - not nearly enough to pass the legislation. Still, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who introduced FOCA legislation in the House in 2007, plans to reintroduce it in the new Congress, according to his office. (An aide declined to provide a timetable, but predicted the introduction would come "sooner rather than later.") Boxer also plans to reintroduce the legislation, the 2007 version of which is here. Her office says there is not yet a timeline on when she will do so. Mr. Obama has vowed to immediately sign the legislation if it crosses his desk.

(AP)The push by Catholic leaders around FOCA and abortion issues comes as abortion rights opponents have grown worried that they will lose ground under a Democratic Congress and president. Some Catholic leaders were harshly critical of Mr. Obama even before he was elected, dubbing him "the abortion president" and warning that he is committed to pushing an abortion rights agenda. "The pro-abortion agenda is strong, and it has momentum now because of the pro-choice majority in Congress and also the pro-choice president," said McQuade of the U.S. Conference on Catholic Bishops. "There's a lot of momentum now seeking to roll back incremental gains that have been made over the last 36 years." Last Thursday, on the 36th anniversary of the Roe V. Wade decision, tens of thousands of abortion rights opponents marched on Washington. One marcher told the Associated Press she was praying that Mr. Obama would "surprise" her on abortion. On that very day, the president released a statement reiterating his support for abortion rights. The next day he quietly signed an executive order ending the so-called global gag rule banning federal funding for international groups that promote or perform abortions.

Polls suggest that slightly more than half the country believes that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. In the presidential election, Mr. Obama won by nine points among Catholics. "The anti-choice side lost the election, and they lost control of Congress," said NARAL's Miller. "That means they no longer control the debate."

No longer control the debate? So it's about control and not choice Miller? I thought you would want debate so women could make informed choices...oh wait if she chooses life then you make no money off her so really women are only good to you if she brings you money by allowing you to kill her child? What a sadistic country we live in.

"I won. I'm the President" B. Obama

2009-01-26T14:33:00.004-05:00

Excuse me but this isn't the middle school play ground. ‘Nanner nanner boo boo’ isn’t going to fix this country. So for the newly elected President to declare "I won. I'm the President" in response to criticism of his new policies isn’t just juvenile it’s down right scary. Where are the bipartisan workings? Where is the compromise, the hope? Am I really the only person who saw through Obama’s “charisma” and “character”?

Does Obama really think he can tell people who to listen to and who not to listen to? It was bad enough that in less than one week he overturned legislation that banned Federal money (i.e. my money and your money) to support international charities that give information and even perform abortions now he wants to tell me I cant listen to Rush Limbaugh and “get things done.” Who is he? Does he really think he is Emperor of the free world?

Obama-
You ARE old politics. You are promising to hear MY voice through my republican representatives and yet you are ramming a bill through without MY input. Reach out to me through my senators and representatives. Because when you slight them, you slight ME and I am not quick to forget.

Don’t forget Mr. Obama that this is a government FOR the people and BY the people and if you aren’t careful, you don’t have to be in power any more. Reach across your political aisle and sow seeds of compromise and not discord. I refuse to be politically bullied all for the sake of your fake promise of change.

Get out of your ivory tower and come play with the rest of us. This isn’t your playground- you aren’t going to bully me out of my lunch money or tell me who I can and cannot play with. End the juvenile “I won. You lost” mentality and come back to reality- we’re waiting but we wont wait long.

Only 207 week left....

Help is needed

2009-01-22T16:03:00.003-05:00

http://www.fightfoca.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0__ctD48nfQ

Please educate yourselves on this issue and help fight for these children.

This is a crucial bill that just cannot be allowed to be signed by President Obama. The most appalling idea is the repealing of the Partial Birth Abortion ban. It is one of the most inhumane procedures humankind has thought in their most devious of minds. It is unfathomable to me how any man or woman could agree to kill a child especially in such an egregious manner. Additionally, the possibility of this act repealing the Hyde Amendment would also enrage me. I do not support abortion and feel I should not have my federal money spent on securing them.

Is it any wonder we do not have a cure for AIDS or cancer? Perhaps our cure was a child who was “unwanted” and killed for convenience. Perhaps the reason social security is failing is the smaller workforce due to all the aborted children since 1973. These children could be productive members of society putting money in the system. How is it we support such a hideous act when Norma McCorvey (Roe) no longer does and admits the case was based on a lie? How long are we going to cling to this lie?

“We are all guilty of the good we did not do”.

Palin and Biden

2008-10-13T15:50:00.001-04:00

PULL THE HAIR PLUG ON THIS GUY
October 8, 2008

If Sarah Palin had made just one of the wildly inaccurate statements smugly uttered by Sen. Joe Biden in last week's vice presidential debate, there would have been 3-inch headlines in newspapers across America. (I can almost hear Katie Couric asking me, "Which newspapers?")

These weren't insignificant errors, such as when Biden said, "Look, all you have to do is go down Union Street with me in Wilmington or go to Katie's restaurant or walk into Home Depot with me where I spend a lot of time, and you ask anybody in there whether or not the economic and foreign policy of this administration has made them better off in the last eight years."

It turns out that Katie's restaurant, where Biden gets his feel for the average American, closed 20 years ago. The only evidence that he spends any time in Home Depot is that it appears that a pipe wrench fell on his head one too many times.

Palin would surely have been forced to withdraw from the ticket had she said something like that, but most of Biden's errors were not trifling mistakes like these. They were lengthy Lyndon LaRouche-like disquisitions that were pure fantasy from beginning to end.

For example, Biden said about Hezbollah: "When we kicked -- along with France -- we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon." Hezbollah was never kicked out of Lebanon.

He continued: "I said and Barack said, 'Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't, Hezbollah will control it.'" This is madness -- Lebanon is not a NATO country, nor had any NATO country been attacked by Lebanon.

Somebody please tell me that Biden wasn't picked for the Democrat ticket based on his knowledge of foreign policy.

Biden also stoutly denied that Obama ever said he would sit down with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Liberals find it hilarious that McCain can't use a computer keyboard on account of his war injuries, but Biden is apparently unaware of the Internet, because there are clips all over the Internet of Obama saying exactly that during the CNN/YouTube debate last year.

Biden might have remembered that debate since: (1) He was there, and (2) he later attacked Obama's answer, telling the National Press Club in August 2007: "Would I make a blanket commitment to meet unconditionally with the leaders of each of those countries within the first year I was elected president? Absolutely, positively, no."

And that's still not all! Obama's own Web site says: "Obama supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions."

Somebody please tell me that Biden wasn't picked for the Democrat ticket based on his ability to remember well-known facts.

Biden also gave a long speech at the debate on vice president Dick Cheney's "dangerous" belief that "he's part of the legislative branch." The great constitutional scholar Biden cited Article I of the Constitution as proof that Cheney "works in the executive branch" and has "no authority relative to the Congress." Biden huffily added: "He should understand that. Everyone should understand that."

Palin would have had to deny that Alaska is a state in the union in order to say something comparably stupid.

Article II, not I, describes the executive branch. Someone tell Biden, who is supposed to be a lawyer. Apart from getting the Articles of the Constitution mixed up, what on earth does Biden mean when he says that the vice president "has no authority relative to Congress," apart from breaking ties?

The Constitution makes him president of the senate every day of the week. I realize that Biden may not be able to count to two, but Article I says the vice president is president of one of the two houses of Congress -- the one Biden is in, for crying out loud -- which is what you might call "authority relative to Congress."

Somebody please tell me that Biden wasn't picked for the Democrat ticket based on his knowledge of the Constitution.

In one especially hallucinatory answer, Biden authoritatively stated: "With Afghanistan, facts matter, Gwen. ... We spend more money in three weeks on combat in Iraq than we spent on the entirety of the last seven years that we have been in Afghanistan building that country."

According to the Congressional Research Service, since 9/11, we've spent $172 billion in Afghanistan and $653 billion in Iraq. The most money spent in Iraq came in 2008, when we have been spending less than $3 billion a week. So by Biden's calculations, we've spent only about $9 billion "on the entirety of the last seven years that we have been in Afghanistan building that country." There isn't even a "9" in $172 billion.

Somebody please tell me that Biden wasn't picked for the Democrat ticket based on his knowledge of math.

In the same answer, Biden went on to claim that "John McCain voted against a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty that every Republican has supported."

The last nuclear test ban treaty the Senate voted on was the one Clinton signed in the '90s. As The New York Times editorialized on the Senate vote a few years later: "Last week, Senate Republicans thundered 'no' to the nuclear test ban treaty, handing the White House its biggest defeat since health care in 1994." Forty-nine Republicans voted against the treaty; only four liberal Republicans voted for it. That's the treaty Biden says "every Republican has supported."

Somebody please tell me that Biden wasn't picked for the Democrat ticket based on his ability to function as vice president.

COPYRIGHT 2008 ANN COULTER
DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111

Geeze AIG

2008-10-07T17:07:00.001-04:00

Can I get a bailout too?

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/aig-executives-blow--getting-bailout/

http://www.foxbusiness.com/pdfs/AIG_hotel_bill.pdf

Not a resident? It's ok vote in Ohio

2008-10-07T11:36:00.002-04:00

A convicted Felon? That's ok too but just for today.....is this democracy???

CLEVELAND - Volunteers supporting Barack Obama picked up hundreds of people at homeless shelters, soup kitchens and drug-rehab centers and drove them to a polling place yesterday on the last day that Ohioans could register and vote on the same day, almost no questions asked.

The huge effort by a pro-Obama group, Vote Today Ohio, takes advantage of a quirk in the state's elections laws that allows people to register and cast ballots at the same time without having to prove residency.

Republicans have argued that the window could lead to widespread voter fraud because officials wouldn't have an opportunity to verify registration information before ballots were cast.

Among the volunteers were Yori Stadlin and Vivian Lehrer of the Upper West Side, who got married last week and decided to spend their honeymoon shepherding voters to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

Early yesterday, Stadlin's van picked up William Woods, 59, at the soup kitchen of the Bishop Cosgrove Center.

"I never voted before," Woods said, because of a felony conviction that previously barred him from the polls. "Without this service, I would have had no way to get here."

My new favorite song...

2008-09-17T09:23:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED2ZnQ5rFIY

Love is not a place
To come and go as we please
It's a house we enter in
And then commit to never leave
So lock the door behind you
Throw away the key
We'll work it out together
Let it bring us to our knees

Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
If we try to leave may Gos send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

To some, love is a word that they can fall into
But then they're falling out
Keeping that word is hard to do
Love will come to save us, if we'll aonly call
He will ask nothing from us, but demand we give our all

Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
If we try to leave may Gos send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

I would fight for you, would you fight for me?
It's worth fighting for.

How precious! Piper takes care of Trig....

2008-09-05T19:46:00.000-04:00

I LOVE SARAH PALIN

2008-09-03T23:10:00.003-04:00

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/text-palin-speech/story.aspx?guid=%7BFC1CC010-CBD5-4063-A9CB-FF80C30C313F%7D&dist=msr_1

Hey Michelle....
"They love their country, in good times and bad, and they're always proud of America."

Experience and a Servant's heart...
"Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown.And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities.

I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening.We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco. As for my running mate, you can be certain that wherever he goes, and whoever is listening, John McCain is the same man.

I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment.And I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. But here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, and not just to mingle with the right people.Politics isn't just a game of clashing para, authties and competing interests. The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it.No one expects us to agree on everything.But we are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and ... a servant's heart.

Obama, author? Ficton writer?
I've noticed a pattern with our opponent.Maybe you have, too.We've all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers. And there is much to like and admire about our opponent.But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate.

Fight for the country??
There is only one man in this election who has ever really fought for you ... in places where winning means survival and defeat means death ... and that man is John McCain. In our day, politicians have readily shared much lesser tales of adversity than the nightmare world in which this man, and others equally brave, served and suffered for their country. It's a long way from the fear and pain and squalor of a six-by-four cell in Hanoi to the Oval Office.

SARAH PALIN FOR PRESIDENT

What a blessing...

2008-08-29T14:38:00.001-04:00

Some people are put in your lives to enrich and embolden you. That was definitely my grandmother. She taught me many little things- some of them trivial in nature but always with a moral. Whether it was playing cards and not cheating, even if you are playing solitaire and no one will know, or doing your chores right the first time not the fastest time.

She was an amazing woman who raised 6 amazing children. She was hard headed- I think that is where I get it from that and my ability to grow long nails in a week! She was a loving person and I love her very much. I am proud to have some of her amazing characteristics.

I think about her from time to time and see how many lives she affected just by raising 6 children- how many families have started from there and how much good she is still doing through the values she taught her children that were passed to her grand and great-grandchildren. I hope one day my life can be looked at as having such a great influence on others through my family. That is probably the best testament of a life.

So for now, I will look at the lives living on in her memory and watch children grow up and flourish all because of my grandparents and how they raised a family.

I miss you and I love you Grandmama B

Oh China....

2008-08-18T08:56:00.001-04:00

Why does this not surprise me at all?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,405187,00.html

Kim for President....

2008-08-05T14:15:00.003-04:00

This morning I heard the Tyson story on the radio and heard many callers defending both sides. I was disappointed with a local radio station's responses to the callers and composed an email with my opinions on the subject.

Below is the email:

I agree that what makes this country great is the freedom of religion. You are not required to be a Muslim, Buddhist, Christian or Taoist. In countries like China, you are not allowed to express your religion especially if you are Christian. One of the things that makes America so great is the ability to express your religion publicly.

That being said, I agree with some of your callers' points. The man who wants to boycott Tyson has every right to do this. Just as a vegan has the right to 'boycott' Tyson for selling meat products. Why he boycotts is no one's business but his own and he has that right. By calling him intolerant because he does not want to support a company that has adopted a Muslim holiday, which he disagrees with, is intolerance at its core.

To truly be tolerant, you must tolerate other's behavior regardless of how you feel about their actions or even inactions. Being tolerant does not imply or suggest acceptance or approval of a behavior. It simply means recognizing a difference in behavior or attitude and respecting it. I find it hypocritical when someone calls another intolerant. To truly be tolerant, you must tolerate intolerance. This morning, it was proven that the morning show is not tolerant of intolerance. I respect your right to be intolerant and hypocritical; however I feel the need to point out that your intolerance negates any valid point you may have because you have proven yourselves hypocritical.

America was founded on Christian ideals. The pilgrims came to this “new” land to express their religion (Christianity) in the manner in which they chose. They were oppressed in England by the Roman Catholic Church. In the Bill of Rights, Amendment one states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” This is one of the most misquoted Amendments. It is not freedom from religion. This Amendment was meant to protect the English Christians from being forced to worship in the manner the Roman Catholic Church did. It was not meant to be used as it is today- touted around as ‘get out of jail free card’.

The point of the female caller who was trying to explain assimilation is just this (I believe): by adopting a Muslim holiday and subsequently removing an American holiday, the American culture is being disintegrated. We are assimilating to others’ culture and there by losing our own. Yes, we are the melting pot and we do say “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” But we need to preserve the American culture, our identity and our heritage.

Immigrants can come to this land with their culture, their heritage and their language. But to choose to live in a different land is to choose to adopt their culture. I am not suggesting they lose their cultural identity but I am suggesting they adopt the American culture. Much as I would if I moved to France. I would speak their language, use their currency and respect their culture. I would not attempt to make France an extension of America. Assimilation is not a dirty word. It is a sign of respect for the new cultural environment you, as an immigrant, live in.

It isn’t about Christianity and Islam. Tyson is removing an American holiday which was established to recognize the hard work of Americans- be it a Jewish American, Christian American or Muslim American. It is said by the U.S. Department of Labor that the American holiday “is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.” Tyson is replacing an American holiday with a religious holiday. This does disintegrate our culture. I fully agree with the idea of giving employees a certain number of holidays and allowing them to choose which days they will take off. It does not establish a religion nor does it promote any religion. Tyson is not the government therefore they could very well support any religion they deem worthy. However, I feel that removing an American holiday to make room for a religious holiday is a poor call.

Additionally, Jesus was not tolerant of sin. Jesus loves everyone regardless of whether they love Him. He went to the prostitutes; He reached out to the lepers. Did He go to them and tell them to stay as they were or did He go to them out of love and require a change in their life? No, we are not to be judgmental. No, we are not to cast stones. However, God hates sin. He does NOT hate the sinner. If you are a Christian, you believe that God cannot stand sin because He is perfect and cannot be around sin but He is anxious to forgive and willing to come to you. Jesus was not tolerant of the money changers in His temple. He overturned their tables and made them leave. He died for the sins of the world. No one wants to say something is right or wrong because it isn’t tolerant to take a stand in this world. Jesus did take a stand for right and wrong so essentially He was not tolerant- not by today’s standards. He does not tolerate sin. I am therefore proud of being “intolerant” in this world. I am far from perfect and try my best to not cast judgment but to be reasonable and come to people out of love the way Christ would require. I fail; I falter but I try.

One last comment on some of the callers’ views... The man who called and stated his wife is Muslim and he is Christian yet they worship the same God: The God of Abraham is not Allah. If you research the origins of Islam, you can see Allah is not the God of Abraham. Islam says Jesus was a prophet and nothing more. Yet, Christianity says Jesus was God who came and redeemed the world. How is this the same God?

There is a quote from C.S. Lewis that I love that is summed up by saying Jesus was either a lunatic, liar or Lord. Jesus said “I am that I am”. In that time, the Jewish people referred to God as the great “I am”. Jesus said He was God. He did not claim to be a great moral teacher nor did He claim to be just a good man. He told everyone that He was God. Therefore, the idea that Islam and Christianity worship the same God is false. He was either God, a lair claiming to be God or crazy. One thing He could not be is just a great moral teacher if He knew He was preaching a false doctrine.

This is much longer than I intended and I am not sure you have even read up to this point as I am sure it deviates from your views extensively. It is likely that it has already been deleted and these words only exist to be read by me. But if you have made it to this point, I appreciate your time.

Kim

Wow...

2008-08-05T09:52:00.001-04:00

I dont really have many words for this. I am concerned about our world is all I can really say.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,397645,00.html

Nothing new

2008-07-23T11:30:00.006-04:00

Nothing new really happening....

I had Christian chicken last night before seeing The Dark Knight. That was yummy- got me a 4 count kiddos meal. The cow came over and we "talked". I asked him why he wasnt on all fours and assured him I was eating chicken and not cow. He came back with those yummy buttermints. yum yum!!

Work is busy. School is busy. Life is busy. But really nothing new to report. Had a great time with the kiddos this past weekend. Everyone got along well so that is good.

Until next time..........

Christian Chicken

2008-07-10T10:44:00.005-04:00

Just a little post about some of the greatest food in the world- the Christian Chicken. I love Chick-Fil-A. They have great food. And a great mission; Chick-fil-A's mission statement is "to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."

I love the batter this yummy, Christian Chicken is rolled in. It's just delicious!! The little yummy pickles at the bottom- which I take out and eat first- are a staple. To top it off, I can get this delicious chicken in the morning on a perfectly cooked biscuit! Umm hello?!?! Does it get any better? I think not.

If I get the little nuggets of gold, I always look forward to the "crunchies" at the bottom of the box. The dipping sauces vary- honey or ranch and buffalo sauce. Either way, it is the greatest.

Then, there are the waffle fries. Yes, I love waffle fries. The kind of fries you push down into your ketchup or ranch and watch it bubble up from the openings. Yummm! Perfect, golden and lightly salted potatoes of perfection.

Have I mentioned their awesome sweet tea? I could be hooked up to an IV of that- woo hoo! Right now, I am enjoying a gallon of their tea. Ok, well probably a half gallon but who cares? I decided that breakfast was so good, I had to share....admit it....it made you hungry didnt it?

Well, tomorrow if you dress like a cow you get free food! I am seriously considering it....mooo!

Here today, gone tomorrow

2008-07-02T09:41:00.002-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows I dont deal with death well, at all. I don't grieve like 'normal' people and I certainly don't "get over it" like most.

My paternal grandmother passed away almost 3 years ago and while I dont cry every night thinking about her, it is hard to think of her and not cry. I had the opportunity to visit with her the week before she died. However, work got in the way. My boss was pretty much insane and I knew she would give me crap about leaving so I waited until the next weekend- a 3 day weekend. One week too late. I hated myself. I didnt understand why or how it happened and why I wasnt able to say goodbye.

To say I love her is to barely scratch the surface. I saw so much of myself in her and admired her traits. She was hard working- she got on to me for half cleaning my bathroom when she visited one and as a 12 year old I was upset with her for that.

She taught me to play solitare. When I was losing, to myself (!!!!), I would only turn over 1 card instead of three and instead of letting me just play, she called me out. "That's cheating!" My first thought, 'I am losing to myself...and who am I cheating on? Me?' As simple as those two things are, it taught me a lot about self. Honor isnt necessarily a badge one wears but it is what you do in secret. That reveals the most about who you are on the inside.

Unfortunately my paternal grandfather passed away before I was able to make any strong memories with him but if he was anything like my father, he must have been a wonderful man: a generous, intelligent and loving man. He produced 6 wonderful children- children are reflections of their upbringings. My grandfather was no doubt a great man...after all my Grandmama B loved him!

This past weekend, my maternal grandfather passed away. I still cannot deal with death. How was he here last month and not today? I played board games with him and my parents for almost 2 hours. The only health issue he really had was a bum knee! Why did God choose to take him from us? Yes, it is selfish to want him back...to wish him back from the very presence of God but still I want to be selfish. I want my grandfather. I want to hear his voice, his laugh and see his smile. It isnt fair. I know life isnt fair but why cant it be? He touched so many lives with his warmth and smile. God, he was a good man. I dont understand suffering and I dont understand this pain nor how it could be part of God's plan. What kind of plan is this? He was my granddaddy and I miss him.

I am not angry with God. It is one thing I purpose myself to remember. However, I am mystified and want some sort of answer, some big pointy arrow to show me why. So I like to tell God, I am struggling. I am upset and confused but not angry at Him. I am angry at the situation but not Him. It's hard because I dont understand. Again, I dont deal with death well and I dont ever really want to deal with it "well", better sure.

I never read C.S. Lewis' books 'The Problem of Pain' or "A Grief Observed" but I think it might be time. I need something. This weekend reminded me of my own mortality and my parents'. That thought makes my heart stop. I cant bury my parents. I cant bury my father. I just cant. So I guess he is going to have to take better care of himself :-)

Keep me in your prayers.

Prayer

2008-05-22T12:19:00.000-04:00

Please be praying for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family today

http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/inmemoryofmaria/

Hope and Peace

2008-04-29T12:08:00.001-04:00

It's all I can say...such a beautiful story

http://www.vimeo.com/951902/

Survey of me

2008-04-15T10:10:00.002-04:00

What was I doing 10 years ago?

Going to Karns...wanting a car desperately but getting a DVD player instead :-)

5 things on my to-do list for today?
1. Work
2. Homework- I went back to school
3. Figure out plans for August
4. Start buying stock and setting up retirement accounts
5. Sleep

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Popcorn
2. Pretzels
3. Peanut butter and crackers
4. Kashi protein bars
5. peanuts/almonds

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:(this is in no particular order)
1. Buy a home
2. Pay off any debt I have
3. Donate to my church
4. Vacation
5. Save some money for children/grandchildren....then donate $ to a local organization

5 bad habits
1. Procrastination
2. Perfectionist
3. Picking at my cuticles
4. Checking everyone's grammar
5. Overreacting

5 places I've lived:
1. Gloverville, SC
2. Biloxi, MS
3. Knoxville, TN The Colonies
4. Knoxville, TN Spring Ridge
5. Knoxville, TN Halls/Fountain City

5 jobs I've had:
1. Papa John's
2. Fragrance Selling Specialist haha
3. Edfinancial Call Center
4. Edfinancial Reporting & Statistics Analyst
5. Business Office South College

Free Association

2008-04-07T15:48:00.000-04:00

Free association--a psychoanalytic procedure in which a person is encouraged to give free rein to his or her thoughts and feelings, verbalizing whatever comes into the mind without monitoring its content--is what this post is all about...

1. You've got a friend :: In Jesus
2. Immigration :: Press 1 for English!
3. Waitress :: Diner
4. Snickers :: Candy Bar
5. Recognize :: Know
6. Concept :: Idea
7. Birthday :: Happy
8. Told you so :: Brag
9. Unlikely :: Hopeful
10. Extension :: Family

Random

2008-03-28T14:42:00.005-04:00

After disappearing off the face of the earth, I decided to post something new....so here it is :-)

Me at Biltmore after Christmas... Me in the winery at Biltmore
Jeff and I at the Kevin Mahogony Jazz concert
Us at one of the UT men's basketball games....Awesome arena!
Us at Greekfest!

Not much to say....

2007-11-28T20:06:00.000-05:00

Really....not much to say at all. Watching CSI reruns about to call it a night early and get ready for work tomorrow. Ugh...yep just ugh!

I did have a great time with the family this year. All the children look 2 feet bigger and more beautiful than last time. Each time, I feel closer to my family. I know I am not great at visiting my family but it is so nice when I do...

Great time

2007-10-29T10:10:00.001-04:00

I had a great time this weekend and met some new people at 40 Days for Life. It was amazing to see the pictures from previous days, the journal notes others have left and the care and warmth from so many people towards human life born and unborn.

We did not yell. There were no graphic pictures- only pictures of born babies and signs with the words "Choose life", "Every life is precious" and other similar signs. We had the honks of approval as well as angry people yelling. I wonder how 3 women holding signs, sitting in a chair reading Bibles or even just information on the campaign could evoke such a response. I suppose their conscience got the best of them and that was all they could do was get angry with us instead of themselves.

One thing is for sure, the program worked. We even got Planned Parenthood upset. Their concern is of course the $400-650 they lose as each person turns away. I think of the little life that got a chance that day and it makes a world of a difference to me.

Life

2007-10-22T11:01:00.000-04:00

The gift of life is all too often a gift unappreciated; whether it's our own life that we allow to quickly slip through our hands without intervention or the lives of loved ones that we don’t appreciate until it’s too late. Perhaps though, it is the greatest tragedy to not appreciate the lives of the most innocent in our culture. To stand by idly while the innocent are devalued; their lives reduced to the word “choice” and do nothing- to stand silent and shake our heads in disbelief and walk way, never to think on it again.

Inaction- inaction is acceptance and toleration. In our culture, tolerance means to show no qualms with whom you disagree. It means to accept what your opponents say as fact and to stay silent. To utter an opposing word is not only intolerant but it is to some ignorant. I, for one, stand proud to be intolerant.

I will not tolerate the devaluation of human life and it’s most precious and sacred form. I will not tolerate those who tell me to stay silent for the ones who cannot defend themselves. I will not stand idly by and cover my mouth when I see injustice in hopes that I will be viewed as tolerant as being part of the “in” crowd that society has made. I will not comply with societal conventions that tell us not only is God not real but life isn’t valuable- it’s your choice to take it away and do with it what you want. I will not accept their lies and their false truths. It isn’t me and it never will be.

I may fall and I am imperfect but even I see the value in human life and the need to keep your mind guarded- some call it close minded. I call in intelligent thinking. One of my favorite quotes is “An open mind is a sign of an empty head”. I will think for myself and not subscribe to mob mentality. It’s not me to be a follower. I was born to be a leader. It’s just who I am.

For a touching story of life....
How to get involved in your community...

Who has the right to determine the value of a human life but God? He died for us- how can we call a child, or any life, invaluable if he was willing to die to save it?

Petit Le Mans and the ATL zoo

2007-10-15T16:28:00.000-04:00

October 5th we left Knoxville and headed to Georgia for the Petit Le Mans race in Braselton, GA. The race was Saturday the 6th. It was a lot of fun and my first time at anything of this sort. It was great- the weather gave us a small break in the morning but it did heat up in the afternoon. I was also visually reminded exactly what "Georgia Clay" is- it's not dirt, it's not sand...it's clay...plain and simple.

All and all we had a great time- toured the 'city' we stayed in-Cumming, GA and apparently insulted a local when I said "Ooooh" to the fact that a fair was coming to town the next week. I mean we had been searching for the hotel for an hour- they like to give their roads 3 names each--no kidding. Apparently Buford Blvd is the same as Old Atlanta Hwy and Ronald Reagan Hwy....and really who knew the fair was such a big deal? I must admit there are some very nice homes around this hole in the wall though :)

So on Sunday we left and played at the zoo- saw a crocodile that we thought was dead. He did eventually move- although I did not witness it- we think it was on rails and they move him when people notice he isn’t breathing...or moving when hit on the head with a pebble or two (no not me...ahem Jeff). We saw the red, white and black zebras- again due to Georgia clay. It seems once I mentioned the clay being the reason the zebras were red, everyone did. I am a trend starter what can I say??

Then we took a spur of the moment road trip to Buckhead. I've never been and we are pretty random so it made sense to us. The drive was beautiful. I miss substantial, old trees lining a road. The way the light peeks through the leaves and all the games the shadows play on the road. There are definitely times I miss Georgia and of course my family. But, I have made new memories in Tennessee and have family here also. Not to mention my countless friends and love. It’s a great state also but every now and then I get homesick.

The trip was a success and we had a great time. I will post some pics to keep you all entertained--lol

Jeff and Kim outside the Zoo
Monkeys in the trees (I dont remember the 'real' name)
The "dead" croc
Kangaroos!!

My kangaroo!!
____________________________________________

This is me and a monkey who wore a racing outfit- he had a helmet too....very funny!! And this is one of the Ferrari race cars

One of the shots I love....
Jeff and Kim at the race track
The cars were fast- can you tell??

The end :)

More pictures

2007-09-13T18:21:00.000-04:00

More picsMe at the waterfall in Gatlinburg
Me looking all loving :)
Me on the bike with my wrinkly shirt-

dont like the way it makes me look- oh well!

Me outside of Gaylord Entertainment Ctr in Nashville

after the Nickelback concert (with Finger 11 and Puddle of Mudd)

Me in Nashville at the Titans Pregame

Pictures

2007-09-13T18:04:00.000-04:00

Here are some random pics :)
Alisha and I at Bailey'sMe posing
Me being silly again
Me on a rock in the Smoky Mountains
The bike we rode on to get to the Smoky Mountains-

that was so fun!

More pictures to come--just in case you didnt notice...

the red is worn off and I cut my hair to have bangs....random I know

New beginings

2007-09-13T17:31:00.000-04:00

I am sure by now you all thought I had fallen off the face of the earth- well, not so! My life has been crazy and very busy. I will try to explain...

Let me first say that I am in a great place. I am happy, content with who I am and who I think I will become, filled with love and optimism, still the same warm and caring individual I have always been. I had a burden I carried but I do not carry that anymore. My life has changed in almost every possible way. For some you already know how and why and others do not. I struggle putting it out there over the internet instead of a personal email, call or letter but I am going to anyway.

In March, I made a decision to change my life. I wasnt happy where I was or where it was going. I hadnt been happy for a while and didnt realize it until December of 2005. Things started happening that showed me something was wrong. I denied it for so long, or accepted it, and hid it from everyone. I struggled to be the perfect daughter, employee, student and fiance for such a long time. Once I graduated from college, the student persuit of perfection left but the others stayed the same. I struggled to be everything for everyone and nothing for myself.

Then the fiance changed. I became a wife and on that day was happy- or so I thought. It was the moment I had always waited for- the day my parents dreamed of and they couldnt have been happier. I thought I was. I had been with him for so long and given so much of myself to him. It seemed like the 'right' thing to do-what everyone wanted me to do or expected me to do. "When are you all getting married" "when are you all having kids" It's pressure no one tells you about. You cant change people and it's wrong to think you can. It's worse to think they will change on their own. He wasnt a bad person- still isnt as far as I know- but he wasnt the right person either.

So March I moved out. I decided to start a life on my own and see what I wanted. He was kind enough to let me leave-although I never really gave him the choice. I knew in my heart I had already made up my mind that it was over but I needed to do this to prove it to myself. I went to counseling for months and it really helped me discover how I quickly lost myself, my desires and needs in his. I am not going to place blame because that is not what this post is about.

On, or about, October 6th, I will be divorced. I never thought it would describe me. It may describe me but it will never define me or who I am. I always hated that word but today I appreciate it. I know what it means for me. It is the end to one chapter and the begining to another. Divorce is looked at so negatively and while it isnt the ideal, nor should it be, some times it is necessary. I dont see it the way I use to. I dont say it with a whispered voice or a hushed tone. I say it with a matter-of-fact attitude. It happened. I did NOT fail. I am NOT a failure. Life changed and so did I. I grew with it and love where I am today!!

I feel that today I dont search for perfection or at least not how I use to. I do still have my OCD tendancies. I have my quirks and sometimes expect too much of myself. It's my eternal flaw. I dont know that I wont ever expect perfection of myself but I pray to God I never do expect it of my children. That is one thing I will try my hardest to prevent.

So it's September 13th 2007....I am happy. I am optimistic. I am fulfilled and truly feel that for once in my life I control my destiny and no one else does and it is an amazing feeling. I love my family and my friends. I couldn't ask for better of either.

I love you all....

And I am back....

2007-02-28T21:31:00.000-05:00

So it has been a while sine I have put anything on here. I have so many of these pages that I forget my passwords and all that fun stuff. What have I been up to? I recently got another promotion....yep another one. I am super excited about it. It is taking over someone else's job, since they are leaving, and then taking on new paths. I am so happy about it. More opportunity and more responsibility...hope I can live up to it! So I got my eyebrows done- I was very girly this past weekend. I also cut my hair. I have much shorter bangs- they meet the actual definition of bangs now. You know, where they hang in your eyes LOL. I love them. I have also set up an appointment to dye my hair red. Yep red with caramel highlights...random I know...so crazy but I have wanted it for a long time. Lots of changes in my life recently and more to come in March. You never know where your life is going to take you and where you will end up. I am surprising myself. :)

Kimmer signing out.

Enjoy the random pics from the Christmas Party....

Congrats.....

2006-11-06T21:49:00.000-05:00

Have you ever?

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink

02. Swam with wild dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside outside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone

08. Said “I love you” and meant it

09. Hugged a tree

10. Bungee jumped

11. Visited Paris

12. Watched a lightning storm at sea

13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise

14. Seen the Northern Lights

15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)

16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

18. Touched an iceberg

19. Slept under the stars

20. Changed a baby’s diaper

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon

22. Watched a meteor shower

23. Gotten drunk on champagne

24. Given more than you can afford to charity

25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

27. Had a food fight

28. Bet on a winning horse

29. Asked out a stranger

30. Had a snowball fight

31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can

32. Held a lamb

33. Seen a total eclipse

34. Ridden a roller coaster

35. Hit a home run

36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

37. Adopted an accent for an entire day

38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment

39. Had two hard drives for your computer

40. Visited all 50 states

41. Taken care of someone who was drunk.

42. Had amazing friends

43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country...nope but Alisha has

44. Watched wild whales

45. Stolen a sign

46. Backpacked in Europe.

47. Taken a road-trip

48. Gone rock climbing

49. Midnight walk on the beach

50. Gone sky diving

51. Visited Ireland

52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them

54. Visited Japan

55. Milked a cow

56. Alphabetized your CDs0 yes I am OCD!

57. Pretended to be a superhero

58. Sung karaoke

59. Lounged around in bed all day

60. Played touch football

61. Gone scuba diving

62. Kissed in the rain

63. Played in the mud

64. Played in the rain

65. Gone to a drive-in theater

66. Visited the Great Wall of China

67. Started a business

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken

69. Toured ancient sites

70. Taken a martial arts class

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight

72. Gotten married

73. Been in a movie

74. Crashed a party

75. Gotten divorced

76. Gone without food for 5 days

77. Made cookies from scratch

78. Won first prize in a costume contest

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice

80. Gotten a tattoo...ALMOST

81. Rafted the Snake River

82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”

83. Got flowers for no reason

84. Performed on stage

85. Been to Las Vegas

86. Recorded music

87. Eaten shark

88. Kissed on the first date

89. Gone to Thailand

90. Bought a house

91. Been in a combat zone...Work some times feels like this

92. Buried one/both of your parents

93. Been on a cruise ship

94. Spoken more than one language fluently- use to

95. Performed in Rocky Horror

96. Raising children- nannied 3 of them :)

97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour...currently following Hinder around the South East

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking

103. Had plastic surgery

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived

105. Wrote articles for a large publication

106. Lost over 100 pounds

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback

108. Piloted an airplane

109. Touched a stingray

110. Broken someone’s heart

111. Helped an animal give birth

112. Won money on a T.V. game show

113. Broken a bone

114. Gone on an African photo safari

115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

118. Ridden a horse

119. Had major surgery

120. Had a snake as a pet

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states

124. Visited all 7 continents

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

126. Eaten kangaroo meat and ugh!!

127. Eaten sushi..yummmmm

128. Had your picture in the newspaper

129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

130. Gone back to school

131. Parasailed

132. Touched a cockroach

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes...yummm

134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey

135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

137. Skipped all your school reunions

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

139. Been elected to public office..not yet!

140. Written your own computer language

141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

143. Built your own PC from parts

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you

145. Had a booth at a street fair

146. Dyed your hair

147. Been a DJ

148. Shaved your head

149. Caused a car accident

150. Saved someone’s life...or so they tell me

It's been a while...

2006-10-25T23:16:00.000-04:00

And so I will update!! My dog has gotten longer- I swear she has to have gotten bigger. She is too cute. She is very spoiled and can pretend to be high maintenance but so loveable.

I went to the Alabama game this weekend with dad and geeze that game was too close!! But it was a lot of fun. :) Now, I am part of a group that 'pokes' the opposing team's QB the week before gameday- it is a facebook thing. I love it!!

So...no real news...oh wait!! I go promoted woo hoo...it isnt announced until Friday but I was told Monday. I am super excited!!

Political

2006-07-19T20:30:00.000-04:00

For now I have gotten myself in a debate on Embryonic Stem Cell research. I find myself in these discussions often.

Here is my opinion, if you care to read it:

I approve of the President's rejection of a bill that would further promote the dehumanization of human embryos and result in further promotion of , in an attempt to legitimize, abortion.

I value all human life. It is my core belief that all life is sacred and I use this as a basis for all my political votes.

Lyrics....

2006-06-20T18:49:00.000-04:00

Everything Changes

If you just walked away
What could I really say?
Would it matter anyway?
Would it change how you feel?

I am the mess you chose
The closet you cannot close
The devil in you I suppose
Cause the wounds never heal

But everything changes
If I could...... Turn back the years
If you could..... Learn to forgive me
Then I could learn to feel

Sometimes the things I say
In moments of disarray
Succumbing to the games we play
To make sure that it's real

But everything changes
If I could........ Turn back the years
If you could.... Learn to forgive me
Then I could learn to feel

When it's just me and you
Who knows what we could do
If we can just make it through
The toughest part of the day

But everything changes
If I could.......... Turn back the years
If you could....... Learn to forgive me
Then I could Learn how to feel
Then we could
Stay here together
And we could
Conquer the world
If we could
Say that forever
Is more than just a word
If you just walked away
What could I really say?
And would it matter anyway?
It wouldn't change how you feel

Reply
I have seen
Too many sad eyes look at me
The eyes that set me free
All the places that I've been

Thank you for
The letters that you thought you wrote in vain
And for
The times you chose to stand out in the rain
And wait
For me

Your words help me to see
A little honesty
In a world that doesn't share
And your eyes
Tell the story of your pain
Severity of your disdain
In a world that doesn't care

So thank you for
The letters that you thought you wrote in vain
And for
The times you chose to stand out in the rain
And wait
For me

You understand my pain
From this I gather strength
In that we are the same

So thank you for
The letters that you thought you wrote in vain
And for
The times you chose to stand out in the rain
And wait
The life I live would never be the same
Without you here

That's all for now...Everything Changes is one of my favorite songs now. It just fits....

It's been a while.......

2006-06-15T20:29:00.000-04:00

I have been spending most of my time reading and writing recently. I have read four chapters in Ann Coulter's new book and I am addicted. I also picked up True Believer by Nicholas Sparks this weekend. I havent started it yet.

Th rest of my time has been consumed by writing poetry, letters or anything that allows me to be expressive. I enjoy spending the latter half of my lunch at work on a blanket, under a shade tree (half in the sun), earbuds in (MP3 Player turned up) with my pen and paper, feverishly writing. Does it turn out well? Sometimes but not always....some of it is well...crap..but at least I know it..well off to write more and read my book before bed.

A tribute...

2006-06-04T00:04:00.000-04:00

Here is a little photo tribute to my cousin and her beautiful family!

He is a little man!!

TA DA! I believe this was Maggie pointing to the movie "Shark Tale" during the song 'car wash.' Either way it is a cute picture!
And here is me, Maggie, Amy, Bentley and my uncle Mike.

Maggie and Bentley sharing a chair and being oh so adoreable!

Here's to many more fun pictures and cherished memories. :)

Dulce Bella

2006-05-28T16:32:00.000-04:00

My beautiful dog

While grilling the kabobs outside, my dog Dulce (pronounced Dul-chay like the ice cream) decided she wanted to be part of the action or at least witness it. Here she is staring at me, licking the window and giving me a sad face to get outside...I love my baby girl

Martha Stuart- Maybe not...

2006-05-28T16:15:00.000-04:00

Sunday afternoon lunch:

I may not be Martha Stuart but I play a good one. Today, I made BBQ chicken kabobs and steak kabobs marinated in worchestershire sauce (My favorite!) with squash, zuccini and onion. They were wonderful. It was another 90 some odd degrees here. I was so proud of the way the kabobs turned out, I took pictures...yes it is strange but then again so am I...

More randomness- political

2006-05-28T00:50:00.000-04:00

Poli Sci major? Yes!

Anyone dare guess my political affiliation? I have to say that I am a republican but first and foremost just plain ole Kim- a conservative. I associate with republicans because they best fit my ideals, morals and vision. I am not a republican because of my parents. I am more political than both of them combined.

Admittedly, I was reading Rush Limbaugh's book "The way things outta be" in 6th grade, but what Poli Sci graduate didnt? Ever since I can remember, I have been opinionated, outspoken and passionately committed to my beliefs. Ann Coulter is my hero. I dont want to hear it. She is the only woman out there- scratch that- the only PERSON out there that will speak their mind regardless of what the media will say about them or what it will do to their career. It is refreshing to hear people express their true feelings and beliefs with no regard to what others will say.

I believe in the freedom of speech. I believe in the 10 commandments. I believe in the right to pursue happiness as long as it does not violate someone else's rights. I believe not everyone is a victim. I believe in personal responsibility- tell me why a man who allowed his mistress to drown (after driving the car into a river) can hold public office and be revered by the media. I believe "America's sweetheart" is a callus, calculating, manipulative woman with ill intent. She uses her exposure in the media to influence people and to bias stories. Pay close attention to those who deliver the news and the verbage they use. You can tell someone is trying to influence you when they say the "so called right to lifers;" they are trying to change the topic from a news story to propaganda. Be careful and listen closely- get your news from more than one source...can you tell I am political??

My number one topic is a 'hot button' issue: abortion. As a woman, I feel that I have no more 'right' to kill a child than anyone else. A person is a person. We can argue over personhood- when it begins and what it is- but that does not matter. It is human. If not, then what is it? It is a being. If not, then there is nothing to kill or abort. All human life is sacred. No child should be punished for someone else's mistake- be it the woman, the man or both. The most innocent form of human life can be killed in its most fragile state. Is it really any wonder that mankind is so violent by "nature". When you teach that life is not valuable, you cannot expect people to respect human life in any stage.

I will get off my soap box. I warned you that I am opinionated. I have an education to back it up so I am not a rambling fool foaming propaganda from my mouth. One day, I will be in a position of public office. I just have not gotten there yet but I'm only 24. I have plenty of time. :)

First Time...

2006-05-24T22:14:00.000-04:00

Well, it is my first time 'blogging'. I have attempted a similar activity in High School but abandoned it after much distraction. I tend to lose focus. I begin things and then....what is that over there? Oh what a pretty butterfly...wait what was I saying? Oh yes, I get distracted.

To catch anyone and everyone up to speed, I am Kimmer. This is my life. It is crazy. It is like a rollercoaster- albeit rough at times, dramatic lows and sky-high highs, it is a ride and a half and I am buckled in.

Well, I am up entirely too late for my work schedule-as usual. I am a night owl that has to be at work at 7:30- by choice. I dont know what I was thinking. I suppose the dramatic difference in traffic caused me to make such a wretched decision. So, adieu until next time!

Kimmer

Welcome to my crazy life!!!!!!!!!

2006-05-24T21:46:00.000-04:00