Let's Get The Troops Out of Iraq!

Yes, you reading the headline correctly. I am calling for the withdraw of U.S. Troops from Iraq.

What prompted this? While away for Christmas at my parents I saw a couple new bumper stickers calling for troop withdraws from Iraq. My parents live in a small town with a lot of "artistic" type people who tend to be very liberal.

However, I want to slightly modify that bumper sticker to add one condition on this: We will withdraw troops from the Middle East as soon as the Islamic terrorists leave other countries and return home.

That seems like a simple condition to me. Why don't liberals call for the withdraw of terrorists from countries? (especially the U.S.)

Over the past couple of decades, we have the demise of several terrorist groups like FARC, IRA, Sendero, and UFF. Now Islamic terrorist groups account for the majority of the terrorism in the world today. However groups like al-Qa'ida, Hamas, Hezbollah, Fatah al-Islam, and Taliban continue to "wage war" against others who do not fit into their views.

Through the years, terrorism has taken the lives of countless people. The U.S. (and other countries) need to step up and take them out if they will not live peacefully with others. This is basically the same view as Winston Churchill's call to resist Adolf Hitler before the start of World War II.

I am not advocating being the "world police", but we need to do it to protect ourselves. They have a right to their own views and how they want to run their own countries (as long as we do not see the genocide of Adolf Hitler or Saddam Hussein). But when they threaten and harm others they step over the line in my opinion. That is when they must be dealt with.

This is a problem that has been going on for centuries and will not be solved overnight. However, we must remain firm and resolve not to let them terrorize the world.

Playoffs?

Yes - we really are in the playoffs. It is heard to believe. This is not the Jim Mora interview questioning if we could make it.

Honestly, I was nervous watching the game yesterday. A Dolphins win and they were in the playoffs. There were some misplays and missed plays that had me chewing my finger nails - Ricky Williams dropping the flea-flicker pass, Brown missing a wide open Haynos in the wildcat formation, the long snapper putting it over Fields' head, and the Pennington fumble. However, they played well in a lot of aspects to win the game. It was a great way to end the regular season.

The season was a remarkable turn-around from 1-15 to 11-5 AFC East Division Champions. Some of the things that helped with the turn around included:

• Drafting players like Jake Long, Phillip Merling, Kendall Langford, and others to bring some youth and talent to a team that has drafted poorly the last few years.
• Trading for players like Anthony Fasano to fill in gaps (and without mortgaging future drafts).
• Signing free agents like Justin Smiley (who unfortunately got hurt late in the season) and Devon Bess.
• Younger players like Ted Ginn and Channing Crowder stepping up their games.
• Players returning from injury like Ronnie Brown and Yeremiah Bell to contribute.
• Getting an experienced QB in Pennington after the Jets dropped him. This was probably the single biggest reason for magnitude of the turn-around.

Personally, I thought we would win 5 or 6 games. When we signed Pennington I upped it to 7 wins. To win 11 and the division was unthinkable in my mind back in September. I would have been happy with my prediction considering where the team was last year.

The Dolphins did get some good breaks this year - an easy schedule (thanks to the prior season), Tom Brady getting hurt, the Jets and Bills collapsing mid-season, and of course the Favre trade to the Jets. They also got good production from a lot of players on the roster.



There were some things that did not go as well. FA WR Ernest Wilford did not contribute anything (and will probably get cut). A couple players acquired in trades did not contribute as much as expected. This is to be expected - you cannot expect every deal to work out.

The Dolphins will face a much tougher schedule next season with games against the Colts, Steelers, Falcons, and Panthers. However, I expect the Dolphins to continue improving this team. We will have more draft picks and probably some more free agent signings. We need to continue to improve (and increase the depth) of the lines and edges (WRs and CBs).

With the South Florida economy dominating the news (negatively) with real estate and employment woes, it is nice to have some positive news that most people can get excited about.

Next Sunday's playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens will be fun to watch. We lost to them earlier this season but it was not our best game. They are playing well at the end of the season like the Dolphins and it will be battle to the end.

The Christmas Story

Luke 2:1-20

1Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

4Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12"This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

15When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." 16So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

We should remember the true meaning of Christmas – it is the birth of Jesus. Let’s celebrate what God has done for us! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Congress Gives Themselves A Christmas Gift

This is what really irks me about politics. They are out of touch with reality in Washington.

Members of Congress are allowing the automatic pay increase for 2009 to take place. They will get a $4,700 increase to $174,000. That is an increase of 2.8%. This will cost taxpayers $2.5 million next year. The total cost is not the issue - it is the principle and timing.

This puts lawmakers in the top 6% of wage earners in the country (without any consideration to other sources or spouses' incomes). At time when the nation is struggling it is appalling that they would give themselves a raise when you consider their income.

Most companies are not giving raises and a lot are not getting bonuses. My company is not giving raises and bonuses where cut considerably. I consider myself fortunate especially when I hear of peers at other firms loosing their jobs.

Congress can block the increase, but the bill to halt the raise only has 34 co-sponsors. Its needs 218 to get through. (The names of the 34 should be listed so we know who is really watching out for us.)

Fox News reported that two of the sponsors will give back their money to the Treasury. That is a nice gesture. Maybe others will follow suit or better yet give it to a charitable cause that will do some good for somebody.

This is one that I will email my local representative. (FYI - I did not vote for Ron Klein because of liberal views and the fact I look at him as a Washington insider which is the problem today.)

We should be outraged by this behavior but it is not surprising. Washington asks citizens to do as they say and not as they do themselves. Maybe the average citizen will start to realize the problems we face with our government. The system is good but the people in it are not.

Final interesting note: The Sun Sentinel does not have any coverage of this story. I commend them for questioning Governor Crist's London trip expenses and elected officials actually living outside their districts, but they failed to cover this story that has as much significance.

Winterfest Boat Parade

Saturday night was the annual Winterfest Boat Parade in Broward County.

This is actually the first time that I have gone since they moved the start to downtown FTL. I have to admit I was surprised by the number of people and the atmosphere. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Even the condos in downtown had a lot of people out on the balconies - maybe there are more people living in them than I thought.)

I do not care to see boats advertising "American Idol", "House of Rock", or the sponsor the "Hard Rock Casino". Fortunately, those were confined for the most part to the big boats at the beginning of the parade.

The smaller boats seemed to have a better spirit of the season and more originally as well. The best one in my opinion was the Nutcracker themed sailboat with toy soldiers. They fired a cannon (which you could probably hear in the Weston!) and all of the soldiers fell down in unison.

The start itself was interesting to watch. It was around the 3rd street bride with all of the mega yachts tied up there. Tow boats had to maneuver them out of the tight quarters with a east wind and strong incoming tide. Some of the smaller sailboats had to be towed just to make it against the tide and wind.

The Nutcracker sailboat almost was almost swept away by it. When they let go of the dock, the tide caught them and spun them around. Fortunately the captain got the righted before they got to the bridge.

This is an event that the community definitely enjoys and I think should continue - just with a little less blatant advertising.

A Possible New Plan for Tax Refunds?

So the Federal Government has gone down the path of "investing" in our economy in order to keep us from going into a depression (which was not that likely). They have stakes in financial services and the automotive industry. Who knows what is next...

Monday night a friend and I were talking about Warren Buffet with all of the companies he owns through Berkshire Hathaway and why he doesn't cross sell more. He owns Diary Queen, Benjamin Moore, Geico Insurance, Shaw Industries, Fruit of the Loom and the list goes on... The question was why doesn't he cross sell between them? He has a lot of good brands.

I thought about what would the government do with all of their investments. Then I thought about the fact that they already have our money (tax payments). Maybe instead of tax refunds they might offer some other "deals". Here are some possibilities:

• If you have a sub-prime mortgage maybe your tax refund goes towards principle reduction to reduce default risk.
• If you are driving a car over three years old maybe you get a certificate to put towards a new Chrysler, Ford, or GM (except Hummer sense they guzzle too much gas).
• Homeowners could get certificates towards solar panels or wind generators.

The list could go on and on if the government continues to bail out different industries.

Whether or not you agree or disagree, there are some interesting things to think about. How will the Federal government deal with them? That is the $10K question.

Obviously I am trying to add some humor here but it some to seriously consider.

Shopping Report

I started my Christmas shopping for real tonight. I hit the retails stores in person (against the advice of a co-worker who said to shop via the internet). I went to Linen N Things (nothing left since they are liquidating under bankruptcy), Pier One, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Target.

It was a mixed bag from an economic perspective. Some stores (Target, BB&B, Barnes & Noble) were busy, others seemed a bit sparse (Pier One, LnT). I asked the cashiers how was business and answers ranged mixed, to good weekends, to steady stream. Most of the places had specials on Christmas related items.

The tough part of our economic base is that it is really become consumer driven. Consumers will get us out of the recession - not capital spending.

Overall I did pretty good on things I was looking for tonight. I still have to go to a few more places to finish my shopping. Some of the things I got tonight included:
- D&S are getting cigars (him), teas (her) and some candy (both of them)
- D&L are getting some glass snack trays for their new kitchen
- R&C are getting some nifty wine glasses and a bottle of wine
- F&F are getting some candles and holders
- My boss is getting a bottle of white wine and chocolates - that will keep her happy
- Parents are getting a new fancy carving knife and some assorted candies for stocking stocking stuffers
- I did get some Christmas cards to send out

I still can't figure out what to get my grandparents. They really don't need anything. They don't like to go out to eat. I got some stocking stuffers but need more ideas...

I did not purchase any gifts for myself. I did my "personal" Christmas shopping in September when I got a shinny new M1 (actually its black). That was my present to my self this year before the market really took a nosedive!

Do I think people are spending money - yes. Do I think people are holding back - definitely. Is it the doom and gloom the media is say - I do not think so. I am spending but not as much as last year.

Note 1: The codes names are because I know some of my friends actually do read this blog (even they do not leave comments - hint).

Note 2: This is by no means a buy or sell recommendation for these companies since some of you know who I work for!

Heaviest known element discovered

The US Government's Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (symbol=Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.

A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2 to 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium (symbol=Ad), an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium, since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

(P.S. I believe it can be found in all parties...)

Something Most People Knew

Well it's now official. We are in a recession.

Most people probably already realized this but Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said yesterday that the economy has been in a recession since December 2007. Anyone who owns a business (or is involved in management) knew that the economy has slowed down (or retracted in some areas). We see companies laying people off. We have seen a rise in bankruptcies and defaults.

What surprised me was how the stock market reacted to the news yesterday. I assumed that the results from Black Friday (and rest of the weekend shopping) would be the key driver to the market along with some profit taking on Monday.

However, the market reacted very negatively to the news with the Dow giving up 679 points (7.70%). I thought the market was intelligent and efficient when it is open and active. Yet the market seemed to be surprised by something the average person probably knew. I do not understand how this was not priced into the market already.

I still feel that the government needs to take some active role in the recession to help stimulate the economy and put safeguards in that this will not happen again (specifically for the bad mortgage practices). However, I am still not sure that the current intervention of infusing money (or taking stakes) directly in companies is the best approach.

I just hope that years from now President Bush is not compared to Hoover for his inaction at the start of the Great Depression. I also hope that President-elect Obama is not compared to Roosevelt for extending this recession longer.

Flip the Calendar - December is Here!

Today is the first of the month. Its time to flip the calendar from November to December. Fall is over and we are moving into winter (and out of hurricane season too).

It also means the countdown to Christmas has begun. It is the celebration of the coming of Christ. It is the time to remember that Christ came to earth to offer salvation and peace to anyone who will accept. (We must also not forget that Christ is coming again.)

I want to get into the spirit of the season this year. It has been tough to think it about it though. The past several months with the economy, negative news, and terrorist attacks internationally has driven me to a depressed state. I realized in church yesterday that I have let world dampen my spirit.

Over Thanksgiving I contemplated talking to my parents about scaling back on giving this year. They are concerned with the economy (and their savings taking a hit) but they are looking forward to the Christmas season.

So I hung some lights on my house yesterday, started some Christmas shopping (to the help the economy too!), and looked at Christmas trees at Publix (where shopping is a pleasure). The cooler temperatures we have already seen also help get me into the spirit. (Shorts on Christmas day do not do it for me - I could not live in the southern hemisphere.)

Remember the reasons for the season - it is about giving. Just as Christ came to give, we should give as well. Look around and see who you can give to this season.

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving, we have a lot to be thankful despite the troubled times we are in.

• We have not seen an attack on soil since 2001.
• People have lost investments and jobs, but we have not seen the collapse of our monetary.
• The majority of us are able to put food on our tables to feed our families.
• We live in a great country that give us many freedoms that other wish they had (or are envious of).

Just look around the world at the conditions that a lot of other people live in. We are a blessed nation.

Personally, I have a lot to be thankful.

• I have my health. My family is healthy as well. (My father was battling prostate cancer last year.)
• I have set of friends that are dependable, open and honest, and willing to listen to me.
• I have a great church that I am involved with.
• I have a good job.

I thank God for the many blessing that He has given to me. What are you thankful for?

Charity vs. Socialism

"I'd rather give it to charity..."

Wayne Huizenga on paying taxes

Webster definition of Charity:

1: benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity

2 a: generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering ; also : aid given to those in need b: an institution engaged in relief of the poor c: public provision for the relief of the needy

Wayne Huizenga recently came out saying that he was selling his holdings now because he does not want to pay higher taxes. Instead he would rather give the money to charities of his choice.

This is in response to the expectation of higher taxes with the new administration. They are talking about more government entitlements to people. It is a re-distribution of wealth based on the government's terms. This is an approach that I obviously do not agree with.

Christians should step up to help widows, the poor, and the sick. This is model that Jesus put forward and He lived it. We should take our abundance and share it with those in need. This is way our country worked before the Great Depression when the government entered the charity business.

Personally, I became a Christian when I was in high school. There was a man in our church who worked hard to expand his business in order to give more. He would buy turkeys (by the truck-load) at Thanksgiving and Christmas for our church to distribute. He did not want any recognition. (I am not sure he knows that I knew about what he did.)

This is what we need to do. We need to give what we can, when can, to help others around us (without seeking glory or recognition). This is how we will change our communities and our nation. During this Thanksgiving season I would encourage you to give to your church or some local charity that is making a difference in your community.

Dolphins Miss An Opportunity

The Dolphins missed an opportunity today to move in sole possession of second place in their division. They would have been one game behind the Jets in the AFC East. Instead, they are in third place and probably further behind in the wildcard chase.

I was disappointed with the 48-28 loss. They team did not look like they were ready play. They did not handle the pressure of the big game very well.

Surprisingly it was not the problems that we saw in recent games.

• They were unable to get consistent pressure on NE QB Cassel. He wound up passing for 415 yards. With the time he had, he was able to wait for his receivers to get open.
• MIA QB Pennington was not as sharp as we have seen. He had some bad throws and a bad pick.
• The Dolphins kick returners did not help very much in field position. Fortunately the kick coverage did a better job.
• The running game (and the wildcat formation) was ineffective.

The Dolphins have a favorable schedule with games against St. Louis, Buffalo, San Francisco, Kansas City, and the New York Jets. We should win three of the five games but that probably will not be good enough to make the playoffs.

On the positive side, you have to like the direction the team has taken this season. We already have more wins and the foundation for a solid team in the future.

Dilbert in Real Life...

My co-workers wonder at times if Scott Adams get inspiration for his Dilbert comic strip from our office. Our boss even agrees that it is uncanny some of the strips that match real life. (She is not the pointy haired boss either!)

Some of the crazy stuff we see every day includes:

• A manager who does not know how to print documents from the accounting system we use so they ask others to do it for them. (And this was after someone showed them how to...)
• The same manager is a delegator pushing everything they can to their co-workers (but still taking the credit for it when it goes well).
• A chain smoking grand-mother who pushes eating organic in the break room. That is a bit ironic.
• An administrative assistant practically running a small business out of her office.
• Drama queens in the mail sniping at each other each day.
• A manager who claimed ignorance on a decision during a meeting because she was not paying attention.
• End users submitting project requests without requirements (and expecting an estimated of when it will be delivered).

Other people are probably in similar scenarios at their office. Most of us that work in corporate world have a pointed haired boss, Wally, Dogbert, Asok, and Dilbert. What funny things have you seen?

Consequences of Sin

This weekend I had two stark reminders of how sin can bring people down.

First, I heard about a pastor in the county who was caught in an extra-marital affair. (He is someone who I have known personally for 10+ years and I know his family too.) He had recently been installed as the senior pastor of a church that was going through difficulties because of mis-management from the previous pastor.

He started the affair while working at his previous position at another local ministry. (The leader of that ministry is livid over what he did.) As a result we see two families in turmoil and two ministries having their names disgraced in the community.

Second, I was cleaning up some trash in my swale. One of the things that I picked up (very carefully) was a syringe. I live in a pretty good neighborhood - it is not the type of place that you would expect to find something like this. It is also not the first one that I have found in my yard. We see people around our city that are obviously addicted to drugs and it is not a pretty sight. It is a sad situation that they are in.

Both of these things are reminders that sin (vices, addictions, or whatever term you want to apply to them) can bring good people down. It does not matter if your name is Billy Graham or Billy Madison.

"Sin for a season" will ultimately bring someone down despite how strong we think we are. Paul wrote in Galatians, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps with he sows."

Marlins Appear to be Purging Again...

The baseball season has been over for a few weeks and free agency starts next week. The Marlins are already on the move trading away several key plays from the last couple of seasons - Scott Olsen, Josh Willingham, Mike Jacobs, and Kevin Gregg.

Sun Sentinel columnist Mike Berardino makes an argument in today's paper that the Marlins are following the Tampa Bay Rays' formula for success - better defense and speed. I agree that those are important factors. The Marlins do need to imporve their defense.

I understand the Jacobs trade (and agree with it). You get a possible closer of the future. You also have Gabby Sanchez on the verge of being ready to take over (a potent bat with defense that Jacobs never had). Letting Gregg go also makes sense after his meltdown last season.

But Olsen and Willingham trade does not make much sense. You trade a solid (not spectacular) left-hander and a dependable bat (who could play the corners on the infield besides LF) for a 2B who has not hit in the majors and a couple minor leaguers. (2B Bonifacio might be the hand writing on the wall for the end of the Uggla era too...)

I think we should be following the Cleveland Indians model of the 90s - sign younger, talented players to long term (below market) deals before they become arbitration eligible or free agents. We signed Hanley Ramirez long term, but players like Dan Uggla are going into arbitration and the Marlins will not be able to keep them long term.

Instead we have a team that resembles the Pittsburgh Pirates. They get a good player and trade him for minor leaguers or let them depart in free agency to get extra draft picks. They are always sub-mediocre as a result.

This is team with limited revenues when you compare them to the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, or Cubs. They cannot buy any player they want, but they do need to spend more to keep a competitive team and attract fans. I have probably been to 400+ games through years and I am not interested in somebody who is not competitive.

Economy Still A Mess

So far it has been a another brutal week on Wall Street if you own stocks. The market continues to head south on speculation of the economy slowing even more.

Treasury Secretary Paulson announced today they the federal government will not buy bad mortgages from banks. I applaud the move for the federal government to stay out of taking a stake in the problems, but the timing and change of course were disheartening to the market.

We see consumer confidence (and spending) continue to decline. Companies continue to announce decline sales and profits. Some are folding or laying off employees. Other governments are injecting stimulus packages to bolster their stagnant economies.

The question many are asking is "are we at the bottom?" It is a legitimate question to be asking. I have been wondering since August if we have reached the bottom. Personally I hope we have.

I was talking with my grandparent about the current environment this week. They lived through the Great Depression. Fortunately they were in Missouri living on farms. (Think John Grisham's novel A Painted House which they say some of the characters sound too much like their relatives.) They knew they were poor but they also knew they were fortunate to have food on the table every day.

They think times are tough today but not like during the Great Depression. They are hopeful that we are going through the worst and better things are coming. They have seen a lot through their years and I think they are right.

Dolphins Win Again Barely...

The Dolphins won their 5th game of the season on Sunday. Far more than most of us expected at this point when the season began. (I was expecting 5 or 6 wins for the whole season.)

The Dolphins did not play their best, but they did enough (and at the right times) to win the game in end. They played a team in Seattle Seahawks that were beat up and missing some of their key components.

They had to hang on in end when Seattle mounted two late drives one of which resulted in a touchdown and failed two point conversion with less three minutes to go. Then another at the end of the game where they gave it up on down at mid field.

There were some good things that we saw including:

• The Dolphins were able to run the ball and get yards when they needed it (including two fourth and one plays)
• Ted Ginn made a couple nice catches including a touchdown grab in double coverage
• Ricky Williams showed flashes of his younger days with a 100+ yard rushing performance
• The "Wildcat" formation was effective in keeping Seattle's defense off balanced

But unfortunately there were some bad aspects to the game as well:

• Pennington made a couple bad reads including one pick-six (interception returned for a touchdown)
• Special teams coverage gave up some big returns
• The offensive lineman allowed Seattle to get more pressure on Pennington
• The defense failed to come up with any turnovers

In the end they won the game - that is the important part. They have also won three games in a row. When was the last time the Dolphins did that?

Some people are starting to talk about the prospect of making the playoffs. That might be a bit premature at this point. The Dolphins are now going through the softer part of their schedule with games against Oakland and St. Louis over the next three weeks. If they can win 3 of the next four, then maybe we can legitimately talk about that.

The New White House Starts to Form

My original thought for my next blog was going to about moving on from the election. I took down my yard sign and removed the bumper from my car because the election is over (not because my preferred candidate lost).

However, after reading the Sun Sentinel this morning, I realized that we are probably seeing the first true signs of what the new White House will look like.

President-Elect Obama has named Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff. At face value he seems to just be part of the Democratic machine working in the Clinton administration and later being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

However, if you read his history there are some things that should raise questions. During 2000-2001 he was a director for Freddie Mac earning $262,705. This during the time when the plague of accounting and political contribution scandals started at Freddie Mac.

The Sun-Sentinel / AP Wire story failed to mention this in his "resume". They also failed to say that he used his political connections during the time he was an investment banker to broker several large mergers and earn millions.

Other interesting things about Emanuel include:

• He mailed a rotting fish to a former co-worker after they parted ways.
• He earned the nickname "Rahm-bo" for his tough take no prisoners attitude. President Clinton leaned on him to get things because of this.
• Rolling Stone reported that Emanuel was so angry at the president's enemies that he stood up at a celebratory dinner with colleagues from the campaign, grabbed a steak knife and began rattling off a list of betrayers, shouting "Dead! . . . Dead! . . . Dead!" and plunging the knife into the table after every name. "When he was done, the table looked like a lunar landscape," one campaign veteran recalls.
• He supposedly told British Prime Minister Tony Blair not to "f### it up" before a public appearance with Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal according to the London Guardian.

If the "Average Joe" did things like this at work, he would be fired. But they helped Emanuel become White House chief of staff instead.

President-Elect Obama has gone back on a promise in less than 2 days after winning the election. During he acceptance speech he said "Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long."(Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks On Election Night, Chicago, IL, 11/4/08) But his first political appointment goes squarely against that statement.

The bottom line is we are seeing the hyper-partisan side of the Democratic party take over Washington. People need to wake up to the fact that this is not "change" they thought they were getting. It is the re-cycling and re-packaging of the Democratic left.

Election Day

Today is election day across the country. (Except for Fort Lauderdale mayor and commission elections which are coming February. Who knows why they are held then...)

We have the right (and responsibility) to vote on who will lead our government at the federal, state, and local levels. This is something that millions of other people around envy because they do not have say in their government.

One of my co-workers in another state was questioning whether he was going to vote because his preferred presidential candidate was way behind in the polls. I reminded him that there are other local candidates and amendments that he needs to vote on. In the end, he decided to vote today

People should not gripe and complain about our government if they do not vote. If you want change (whatever type that might be) you need to vote. I will be going this morning to cast my vote and to be heard.

Keep this great republic moving forward and vote!

Is the weekend over?

This weekend is finally over. It was not one of my better ones. The highlights / lowlights included things like:

• Friday night I enter my neighborhood to see police cars with lights flashing and sirens blaring. (Halloween hoodlums I guess...) That winds down around 10:30 but there is still a bit noise in the neighborhood so I cannot get to sleep.
• Saturday I play golf with one of my buddies and shoot my worst round of the year. It seemed like every other shot went awry. I put two in the water on one hole and lost 6 balls total for the day. (I was able to putt well...)
• I get home to see that my alma mater looses their homecoming game by a last minute field goal...
• Sunday morning I should get an extra hour of sleep with the time change - but instead of waking up at my normal 7:30am I wake up at 6am. Not sure why but I would have loved the extra hour of sleep.
• I decide that I will go for a bike ride. About 8 miles from my house I get a pinch flat. (I did have a spare tube and was able to get home.)
• My fantasy football team lost this week to one of my arch rivals. The difference was a defensive lineman returning an interception for a touchdown.

Granted my weekend could have been worst. I did not loose my job. My girl friend did not dump me. (that happened a few months ago...) No family members passed away. I did not get hit by a car (or bus). My health is in order.

At the end of this weekend, I should count my blessings instead. It could have been a lot worse.

Global Warming?

The past three days have been a bit chilly for October. If you are not a native Floridian you probably do not understand. You are probably used to cooler fall weather.

Most of us in South Florida are used to wearing shorts almost to Christmas time each year. To have three consecutive days in the 50s in October is unheard of. (Actually record setting.)

Now I like cool weather now and then. Football was meant for cool fall weather. But to have this cool of weather for an extended in October? What is going on?

We keep hearing about global warming and how it is effecting our environment. They say that pollution is causing our climate to warm, yet last winter was the coldest since 2001.

I do not think we know enough about our climate. We have limited set of data on our climate, yet the tree huggers claim they know what is best. For all we know the earth goes through warm and cool cycles. If you deny that, look at the track record of hurricanes over the last 40 years. They go through cycles of increased and less activity. I think the earth does the same thing.

Hopefully it warms up soon - its been too cold for this native to ride in the mornings.

Presidential Charity

The statistics should come as no surprise.

The Obamas have not given very much to charity until he became a US Senator (and into the public spotlight). Once again this points towards his belief in government solutions. Below is a table of Obama's charitable contributions for the past several years:


The Obamas are by no means scrapping by. They are making a pretty descent income. And with his book sales, their income has skyrocketed the last three years in comparison to the "average Joe". He talks about helping others but it appears that he has not done it personally.

As a Christian, I tithe to my church and support other charitable ministries that help people in my community. I make a descent living and I try to give back (and feel that I need to give more at times). It is surprising that the Obamas have not given more to their church over the years.

Obama's idea of charity is government entitlements - a return to the socialist leaning "New Deal" that Roosevelt instituted during the Great Depression of the late 1920s and 1930s. It is a belief that the government can do a better job of helping people than a church or non-profit organization.

A Wall Street Jounral article from October 24th warns that the Democrats might be contemplating restrictions on what is a charitable contribution. They want a litmus test on organizations around who they help and who they hire.

What does this potentially mean? Gifts you make to colleges, churches, and other non-profit organizations will be scrutinized by the government because of who they support. If the government does not like them - they will not qualify. The gifts I make to the conservative Christian university where I got my MBA (and rated in the top 50 by Newsweek) probably would not qualify.

This is just another reason that I cannot support Obama.

Obama's Plans to Raise Taxes

Obama claims that he is lowering taxes for 95% percent of the population. However, other statements that he is making do not add up. It continues to sound like the typcial Deomcrat tax and spend philosophy.

If you read between the line of his tax policies, you will find taxes going up for more people than going down. Some of the examples include:

• Obama wants to increase the "phase out" of certain tax credits such as child care and education. This is a hidden way to raise taxes.
• Obama wants to remove the ceiling for social security - this is a 12.4% tax increase for anyone making over $102,000. Yes, this is paid by the employee and employer unless you are self employed and you pay the full 12.4% yourself.
• Democrats are looking at removing the charitable contribution for non-profits. I agree there are a lot of loop holes in the tax code but there are legitimate items like this that move money toward more efficient chartiable efforts than the government. Charitable individuals will loose this deduction and pay more in taxes.

The net effect is that middle class working people will be subject to more taxes at the end of the day.

The independent, non-partisan Tax Policy Center put together a "tax calculator" to compare your tax bill under McCain and Obama. Surprisingly my taxes will go up under Obama even though I make far less than $250K a year.

Obama has also proposed massive government spending increases. Somehow he has to come up with the money to support those initiatives. The only way he can really do that is through raising taxes. Remember this when you vote next Tuesday.

Sun Sentinel Endorses Obama

It really should not come as a surprise. The Sun Sentinel endorsed Obama for President. They dedicated almost the entire Outlook section of Sunday's paper to the presidential race and the reasons they support Obama. It was also scattered to other sections including Sports. You almost you not escape it.

In the Outlook section, they provided a one page overview of how they rated the candidates on key topics. They gave more advantages to Obama over McCain to help back up their decision:

• Wall Street Financial Crisis - They gave the advantage to Obama even though he has two of the former CEOs of Fannie Mae (one of the largers contributors to our current economic problems) on his economic counsel. Obama offers entitlements and tax relief as the solution to the mortgage crisis. McCain did not offer much more but did point out the sub-prime mortgage problem before it melted.
• War in Iraq - They support Obama because he opposed the war and calls for a timeline on withdraw. A timeline makes no sense. Do we tell thieves when the police will not be on patrol in a neighborhood?
• Immigration - They admit that McCain had a better plan but could not get it through Congress. So they supported Obama because he voted for a bill that passed... I do not agree with either candidate on this issue. I do not support the free ride both are offering to illegal immigrants.
• Cuba - Obama might have the advantage, but it is also the same approach with Iran and Korea. Opening relations and easing restrictions do not always make bad people behave better.
• Leadership - I am not sure how Obama got this one either. They say he inspires and upset the Clinton political juggernaut in the primary. But with a war-chest of $600M in campaign contributions he should have. Obama has never held an executive position and has never succeeded in getting a major piece of legislation through. Maybe they are counting his volunteer work with ACORN...
• Abortion - They support Obama with his anti-life stance. As Christian, this is something that appalls me.
• 2nd Amendment - They support Obama for wanted to ban guns (and taxing ammunition). They painted McCain as someone who will allow almost anything. We do need better background checks and stiffer penalties for committing crimes with guns. Not restoring felons voting rights and making sentencing less stringent. The bad guys do not want the average person to have a gun - it puts them in danger.

They gave no advantage to either candidate on Education, Health Care, Taxes, Israel, and Energy. I agree with that on all but Taxes and Energy. Obama has changed his stance more recently on oil drilling to be more politically acceptable. McCain changed his stance but it was early in the primaries as oil prices started to raise. He also supported more alternate forms from nuclear to wind just without government entitlements for it. Taxes are vastly difference. Obama's plan is almost anti-business and will suffocate an economy that needs to rebound. McCain supports tax relief for everyone to help stimulate the economy.

They did give McCain advantages on Campaign Finance, Labor, Environment, and Social Security. (Surprising the Republican has the better environmental plan...) However the Sentinel failed to cover topics such as Foreign Affairs (beyond Cuba and Israel), Crime Control, Military Veterans' Benefits and Entitlements which are also important. They are also items where McCain has an advantage.

Granted, I am a conservative. I will not deny that. But I am not so blind that I cannot judge two candidates fairly. I have even voted for Democrats in the past. I am not an ardent McCain supporter, but he is the better choice for our nation in a time of need.

The Sentinel did point out Obama's questionable connections with Rev. Wright (but failed to mention Bill Ayers, Jimmie Johnson, or Franklin Raines). They also pointed out that Obama's tax plan and entitlements probably will not work with the state of our economy. They also pointed out doubts because of his inexperience but still support him in the end. They said Obama made a safe choice VP in Biden (despite all of his gaffs).

They said that McCain chose shrill over statesmanship - I guess they never saw the attack ads on McCain or Palin. They liked McCain but felt he gave into the right. More proof that they are left leaning in their thinking.

I saw this coming in the primary season. The Sentinel's coverage leaned towards Obama based on the coverage they provided. They showed more articles and pictures of him than his opponents. In comparison, I was in North Florida during the same time and saw the Jacksonville Times-Union provide more coverage to Hillary Clinton. She was their candidate they were pushing in the primary.

I am not sure if the editors of the Sentinel are really providing a fair and balanced view of the candidates. Maybe they drank the Kool-Aide at the convention in Denver...

Dolphins Beat The Bills!

Another win by the Dolphins today!

We saw more good things from the team today. The defense looked better and held Buffalo to one TD and three field goals. Joey Porter terrorized QB Trent Edwards and got a sack for a safety. The Dolphins got four turnovers and only gave one back.

Special teams were not special but did what they needed to do. Pennington took advantage of a porous pass defense. Ted Ginn showed up and torched Buffalo CB McGee for 175 yards.

The running game did not look great, but Buffalo has a descent run defense. The Dolphins moved the ball enough to keep the Bills off balance.

Pennington should get the game ball for today. He played smart and took advantage of what the Bills gave him. He hit Ginn in stride several times for large gains. Some of Pennington's passes looked like wounded ducks, but to complete 70%+ of your passes for 314 yards is pretty good.

CBS commentator Rich Gannon was correct in saying that the Dolphins got more out acquiring Pennington than the Jets did in getting Brett Farve. Where would the Dolphins be without Pennington?

Next week, the Dolphins go to Denver. They are team that is hurting with multiple injuries. This is another chance for a win, but they need to play like they did today.

This team is still a work in progress - they are not playoff contenders yet. But you can tell they are headed in the right direction.

A New Retirement Plan

I do not forward funny emails, so I decided to post this one instead.

If you had purchased $1,000 of Delta Air Lines stock one year ago, you would have $49 left. With Fannie Mae, you would have $2.50 left of the original $1,000. With AIG, you would have less than $15.

But, if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, consumed all of the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling REFUND, you would have $214 cash.

Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.

It's called the 401-Keg Plan.

Thank you Bev for the laugh!

The sad part is that this is close to the truth except that I buy bottled beer...

Where Are Your Investments?

America has become a second-rate power. Its trade deficit and its fiscal deficit are at nightmare proportions... The new law of evolution in Corporate America seem to be 'survival of the unfittest'...

The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed - for lack of a better word - is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms, greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward of mankind - and greed, you mark my words - will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.

Gordon Gecko, as played by Michael Douglas in Wall Street (1987)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and Money.

Matthew 6:19-24

It has been depressing to look at the stock market and my investment statements. Over the past year we have over 1/3 of the value of the stock market evaporate.

There are days of late where I get angry and frustrated over what has been happening with our economy. I blame Congress for lack of a oversight. I blame corrupt CEOs who raped their companies (and investors).

The sermon this week at church helped to put some things back in perspective.

As a nation we have become a debt based, materialistic society. We put our security in things around us - and over time they will fail or not satisfy us. They also create anxiety in our lives as we worry over them.

Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount said that we can only serve one master - and we have choose whether that is God or Money. He pointed out that the eternal is more important than the temporal. (But we should not ignore the temporal - just keep it in the right perspective.)

When I was an undergrad, my fellow students and I loved the movie Wall Street. We all wanted to be part of the action in the finance industry - just without the illegal part. But I put my faith in the wrong things - a love for money. And it disappointed me in the end.

I have been through this before. I was invested in the stock market during the 1987 crash. I went through the Internet crash and 9/11 in 2001. Maybe today it hurt more because I had more. Maybe its because my faith was in the wrong place this time around.

What drives you? Where do you put your trust?

I still believe that the free market economy is the best - but the current situation is a lesson once again in what is most important.

No Speeding in the Express Lane...

So I stop by Publix, where shopping is a pleasure, to pick a few items.

I picked up eight items to be specific. I was paying with my ATM card, so I headed to the express lane.

So I get in line and there is a family of four checking out in front of me. They keep putting items on the counter. Then their elementary aged child walks up and drops something else on the counter.

I am standing counting the check-out screen and its 13 items! (The sign says 10 items or less.)

Then the lady pulls out her check book. (I think the sign also says cash or ATM only...)

By the time she finishes there are six people in line behind me.

This is not the first time I have been stuck behind someone over the limit. I have asked cashiers why they don't say something to them. They couldn't answer me.

Unfortunately it comes down to a lack of courtesy. The express lane is there for people who have a small purchase to get out quickly. Yet people do not follow the instructions on the sign. (Buying 10 yogurts for $4 does not count as one item when they scan each one...)

We see a lack of courtesy all around - from people trying to cross the street, holding the elevator for someone, to helping unload something. If we each did one small courtesy each day the world might be a little better.

Is the season almost over?

No I am not referring to summer. I am referring to election season.

I am tired of the campaign rhetoric from both sides. I am tired of debates not providing new insights. I am tired of campaign signs plastered everywhere.

The election cannot come quick enough for me on November 4th.

Please do not get me wrong - I think elections are an important process of our government system and a right we need to cherish and appreciate. Not everyone on the earth has this.

Unfortunately for Fort Lauderdale residents the season will not be over. We have primaries on February 10th and the general election on March 10th. We have to endure several more months of campaign rhetoric.

My question is why can't the City of Fort Lauderdale hold their elections at the same time as the national and state elections? Are we wasting our tax dollars by having separate elections? (I would say yes.)

I think they should be at the same time as other elections. People are already coming to vote. The equipment and polling workers are there. Why not vote for Mayor at the same you vote for the President and state legislators?

I like what Brenda Snipes has done to clean up the image of Broward county elections. It lacked integrity for years with voting machine problems, missing ballot boxes, and voting registration anomalies. Now I would like for her to question the municipalities about why they need separate elections.

Shoot The Aliens!

South Florida has been invaded.

Okay - maybe not by what you are thinking but it has been invaded by plants and animals that do not belong in South Florida.

The Sun Sentinel pointed out on Sunday (Oct 12th) that lionfish are multiplying in the Caribbean waters and disrupting native fish populations. They supposedly escaped (or released) during hurricane Andrew in 1992. Now they are spreading through the Caribbean and up the east coast.
Unfortunately, man is to blame for most of the aliens. We grow tried of pets and release them (or allow them to escape). Or we try to introduce new species to "improve" our ecology. In the end we have just disrupted the balance of nature that God put in place.

We see other native species around like iguanas, nandy and quaker parrots, boa constrictors, peacock bass, and oscar fish. In addition we see non-native foliage taking over like Australian pine, carrotwood, prickly pear cactus, Brazilian pepper tree, and melaleuca trees.

My vote is for open season on all of the critters that do not belong. You might ask why - isn't that cruel? It is cruel for the native species in Florida because they are being pushed out.

I am in favor of gigging lionfish when you scuba dive, popping an iguana with a pellet gun (always be safe), or pulling out those non-native trees. We need to return Florida to the way it was. In the end this is another way to go "Green" because we will save natural resources.

These aliens are destroying Florida's ecology:

• Most of the animals have no natural enemies in Florida - they are able to multiply at will and beat out native wildlife for food.
• They are distributing ecological balance that was in place - lionfish eat small fish on reefs. This includes fry of commercial fish that puts food on tables.
• Non-native foliage typically have greater water demand than native foliage - melaleuca trees are drying up parts of the everglades.

The government spends millions of our tax payer dollars fighting these aliens.

After Hurricane Wilma, I took advantage of the city picking debris by cutting down two carrotwood trees. My neighbor (non Florida native northerner) scolded me for cutting them down. I explained to her they they are non-native weeds that are a problem. She didn't buy it. In the end I replacing them with palm trees (more native than carrotwoods). She continues to water her backyard every other day to keep her non-native foliage from burning up - what a waste of our water.

Almost Another Statistic

I came close to becoming another statistic over the weekend.

While riding in the bike lane, a county bus came within three feet of me (and the driver blew the bus horn as well to let me know she was there).

This is the third time this year a county bus has nearly side swiped me. I have been hit by cars twice before (including a trip to the hospital). At this point I am fed with drivers who hold no regard for traffic or cyclists lives.

Cyclists in South Florida are getting mad for a reason. Our lives are at risk on the roadways when we ride. People complain about cyclists but we have a right to be on the road according to Florida Statutes.

The Sun Sentinel had a cover story in the local section about the fight over roadway between cyclists and automobiles. Cyclists do have a right to be on the road and must obey the traffic laws as a car. However when you read all of the comments posted you see the hatred between drivers and cyclists.

In my case over the weekend, the bus driver failed to use proper care while passing me. The Florida State Statues states the following about automobiles passing cyclists:

316.083 Overtaking and passing a vehicle.--The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to those limitations, exceptions, and special rules hereinafter stated:
(1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall give an appropriate signal as provided for in s. 316.156, shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance, and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle. The driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle must pass the bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle at a safe distance of not less than 3 feet between the vehicle and the bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle.

I followed the bus to the next stop, pulled in front, and asked the driver if she realized what she almost did. She proceeded to tell me that I needed to get off the road and I was at fault. Unfortunately this is the prevailing attitude among drivers.

If she would have been more understanding, I would have let it go. Instead I called the Fort Lauderdale Police and filed a traffic complaint against her. (I am calling the bus operations as well.) Officer Alsamawi was very helpful with situation but arrived after the bus left. He recommended the following in situations like this:

1. Get the tag of automobile (camera phone works great)
2. Get a description of the vehicle
3. Call the police with the information and file a complaint

I do agree that there are cyclists on the road who blatantly disobey the traffic as well. We are like a car on the road as well. The police should address them as well. It is both elite and casual cyclists who contribute to the problems.

But the bottom is that South Florida drivers blatantly disobey the driving laws and do care for others. They speed, do not yield the right of way, talk on cell phones, and perform other dangerous maneuvers. Local governments need to enforce the traffic equally for everyone.

Unfortunately the bottom line is that if you are a cyclist, motorcyclist, or pedestrian - watch out!

FTL = Fix The Lights

I was driving home last Friday night and came across Broward Boulevard from I-95. I got stopped by three lights. The next day I was headed to a wedding and got stopped twice going towards I-95. Coming home I got stopped three times again by lights. (I go through six lights driving across Broward to and from my house - getting stopped by half of them is not very good.)

This scenario is true on any of the major roads in Fort Lauderdale - Broward, Sunrise, Davie, and Federal Highway. You cannot drive any distance on them without getting stopped by lights. I expect stop and go traffic during rush hour, but off hours?

Everyone realizes that stop and go driving wastes gas (especially when the price is north of $3 a gallon). The City of Fort Lauderdale encourages people to be "green" and save energy but they do not help us in what seems to be a simple way. (Another blog deserves to be written on the paper they send out to promote saving resources...)

Why can't they synchronize the lights better on the major roads? I am not expecting every light to be green when I approach it but it would be nice to get through a few in a row without being stopped.

Drive north on Federal and see how far you can get without being stopped. I bet you will only get through 2 or 3 lights before you catch a red light.

The only way to get around this is to speed or run red lights. (And I am not advocating either of those options!)

The City needs to step and help the citizens out by managing the traffic flows better. I wrote previously how they open bridges during rush hour. Does the mayor and city commission care about the citizens? I am not sure.

The Dolphins Win Again!

The Dolphins won their second game of the season today. That is something that we could not say last year.

They beat a team that went to the AFC championship game last year. A team that is loaded offensively. And they had no excuses today. Tomlinson had been hurting but looked good early in the game. Miami simply outplayed their opponent like their last game.

The Dolphins controlled both lines of scrimmages. We saw them run the ball at will and get tough yards when they needed it. We saw the defensive line limit the Chargers in their running games including a critical 4th and goal at the 1 yard line. (I had mixed emotions since I have Tomlinson on my fantasy team!)

Sprano has the team playing like a team. They are doing the little things that it takes to win (i.e. Ricky William's key block on Ronnie Brown's touchdown run). We are also seeing creatively with the offense with the "wildcat" formation. Opponents will have to figure out how to stop it. It worked again this week and definitely confused the Chargers.

The Dolphins travel to Houston next week to play the Texans. The Texans are winless and have given their last two games away. Miami still needs to play well to win. They are not that good yet and Houston has some talented players at the skill positions.

Golf - The game of futility?

"Golf is a good walk spoiled."
Mark Twain

I am on vacation this week in NC. I have been enjoying riding in Pisgah National Forest, but I have also enjoyed playing some golf with a friend up here.

Golf is a game that will just frustrate someone with perfectionist tendencies like me. I can get a par (or occasional birdie) on one hole and get a double (par - not double bogey) the next. I realize that I do not practice enough - it really shows in my short game.

I do believe that golf is great social sport - when you are playing with friends it is a great way to spend half a day (or a day). But the game is definitely hard and I have a ton of respect for the pros.

This year I have been playing more golf - partially due to the fact that my buddy's boat has been out of the water in disrepair and that I have new friends in FLL that play. It has definitely have build some deeper friendships.

Maybe Twain was not right about golf in the end.

The Erosion of Our Rights

There are movements underway today to erode our rights as individual citizens. The founding fathers of our great nation setup individual rights to protect us from the tyranny that they saw under King George of England. However, they are being slowly chipped away.

• 1st Amendment (Right to Free Speech) - They want to restrict the conservative commentators because they feel like they are not getting fair airtime. The liberal radio network Air America is not failing because it could not get equal time. It is failing because nobody listens (i.e. poor ratings which means no ad revenues). Instead they have to push their agenda through tax sponsored outlets like NPR.
• 2nd Amendment (Right to Bear Arms) - The Democrats in recent years have favored restrictions or bans on arms being owned by law abiding citizens. Instead of punishing those who abuse the right they would rather restrict the freedoms of others.
• 4th Amendment (Unreasonable Search and Seizure) - The federal government continues to increase the monitoring of communications and monetary transactions in the name of homeland security.
• 5th Amendment (Right to Own Property / Eminent Domain) - The government cannot take property except for public use and not without fair compensation. Here in Florida, local Democratic controlled city and county governments have taken personal property away (or attempted to and failed in courts) in the name of economic renewal. The intention of the 5th Amendment is only for schools, highways, military installations - not for building condos or office buildings.

We have also seen amendments themselves restricting rights of individual (18th amendment outlawing alcohol consumption that was later repealed) and expanding the power of the federal governments (16th amendment allowing the collection of income taxes).

We have also seen "judicial legislation" through controversial decisions like Row vs. Wade (1971) legalizing abortion. The role of the courts is to enforce and interpret the law - not make laws. That is for the legislative and executive branches under the authority of voters.

I will agree that some of these "rights" are controversial. However, there is a dangerous theme going on. Proponents of big government are pushing this agenda to erode the rights of the average person and pander to the special interests and elitists that want to re-shape America into their own views. This is primarily being done by the Democrats but a number of Republicans are guilty of this as well.

The next president will probably be naming two justices to the Supreme Court. They will also have the ability to continue how the federal government interprets our rights as citizens. It is important that we elect someone who will protect the rights of the majority - not the minority and special interests. Let's stop the erosion before there is nothing left.

What Is Going On With Our Economy (Part 3)

Congress is at an impasse. That is a surprise.

The supposed deal to bail out financial institutions fell apart late yesterday afternoon and Congressional leaders worked late into the night to try and figure something out.

Democrats are blaming the Republicans on reneging on an agreed deal. Republicans counter that senior leaders were not part of the deal. Even as this deal came together we saw the politics enter in.

Here are some of my concerns with the deal:

• Make Wall Street (the company and their stockholders) take on more responsibility in the bailout. The current deal is a free gift for mistakes they made.
• Prevent tax payers from bearing all of the risk / failures without any positive benefits. If we do bail them out and the companies become profitable again, then the federal government should share in those profits for the risks put out.
• Keep the US Government out of the mortgage business. The idea of a new super Fannie Mae continues the trend of expanding the federal government.
• Keep the pork barrel spending and special interests out of any resolution. Its needs to be a deal about the financial crisis.
• Washington (Capital Hill and the White House) need to figure out how they let this happen. The US Treasury, Senate Finance Committee, and others should have seen this coming yet they did nothing to prevent it.
• The company leaders (not just the CEOs) who created this mess should be fired if they have not been already. Corporate boards should also be held accountable. Shareholders in these companies should strongly consider voting against their re-elections. (I will for Wachovia which I still own.)

Some people are calling for government to do nothing - let the companies fail. I agree in principle but I am afraid that this would have a worse impact on the economy than a bad bailout deal. The capital markets would be in gridlock. Individuals and companies would not be able to borrow money which would further suppress our fragile economy.

The bottom line is that Congress needs to lock themselves in a room (that includes Paulson and Bernacke) and not come out until something reasonable is determined. Aides can just slide the pizza boxes under the door until they are done.

The taxpayers deserve better than this. A $700B bailout is a tough number to swallow. People are speaking out about it and Congress is now nervous about how the public is perceiving them. People are afraid this is going to increase their tax burdens for years to come.

On a related note Washington Mutual is no longer. The FDIC shut them down and JP Morgan took them over yesterday. This may not be the last deal.

Socialism: The Real Democratic Agenda

1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3: a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done
Webster Definition of
Socialism

The Democrats ultimate agenda is socialism - it is plain and simple.

Joe Biden called on Americans to do their patriotic duty and pay more taxes. He said that their plan was to increase taxes on people making more than $250K a year. That might sound okay to the average person who makes less than $100K but this has serious potential impacts to our economy.

Barack Obama has said basically the same thing (with an additional twist). He has said that he will tax on one class and lower taxes on other classes to create wealth transfer. He is proposing more tax credits to the elderly and poor (who pay little or no taxes to begin with).

If you create a wealth transfer system like the Democrats are pushing, you will create disincentives for people to create new businesses. Existing companies will not make investments. Wealthy individuals will not provide capital (equity and loans) and will move their money elsewhere.

This means fewer jobs being created. The cost of capital (money) will increase for people borrowing money. The Democrats will then push for more entitlements for the people effected thus continuing to expand the government handouts.

We need to stand up and end the entitlement in Washington. The socialist ideals that the Democrats are promoting will not help our fragile economy - it will push it deeper into despair.

Note 1 - In the coming weeks, I will address how the Democrats are threatening our rights of owning property.

Note 2 - You are allowed to pay the federal government more in taxes if you want. Maybe the celebrities like Clooney and Damon who are campaigning for Obama should pay more in taxes if they feel that strongly about being "patriotic" like Biden said.

Marlins Season Over...

The Marlins' season ended on Tuesday night in D.C.

Many people are disappointed that they were knocked out of the playoffs. But this is far change from the beginning of the season. If you would have said that they would have 81 wins and be in playoff contention until the last week of the season, most baseball fans would have laughed.

The infield was one of the most prolific home run hitting groups in baseball history. Cantu made most people forget about Cabrera. The pitchers returning from injury (i.e. Johnson, Mitre, Sanchez) definitely gave them a spark.

Hopefully Loria and Sampson will agree to keep this team intact and give Beinfest the ability to fill some holes in the bullpen and the outfield. There are some youngsters like Maybin and Miller that could make the step up to the majors. If they do that, I will be back next season and will definitely attend more games.

We are progress with the young Dolphins and the Heat are excited to have Beasley and Chalmers. Maybe sports in South Florida is really turning around...

The Dolphins Show Us Something

The Dolphins Win!

That is something that we have not been able to say very much the past couple of years - but we could today against a team people love to hate - the New England Patriots. They did not just win - they man handled them.

We saw the Dolphins control both lines of scrimmage, play smart base offense without being too conservative, and put a new wrinkle into the plans with Ronnie Brown at QB! Brown ran three TDs with direct snaps and threw another in college style trickery that worked. The great Belichick of NE was unable to make adjustments.

The team is improved from what Parcells and team inherited. They brought in guys to control the line of scrimmage (i.e. Long, Smiley, Fasano, Merling, Langford, and Ferguson), a QB to manage the game (Pennington) and one to groom for the future (Henne). They have playmakers at RB (Brown and Willams) but need more. The WRs, DBs, OLBs, and KRs need to show more. This is what we need to get to the next level.

The Dolphins showed us something else today we did not see at all last year - heart. Soprano has them playing hard and with passion. After last week's debacle in Phoenix, I was wondering if this was going to another futile season.

We may not see many more wins this season, but Sunday was sweet.

What is Going on With Our Economy (Part 2)

I think the corruption on Wall Street — that is to blame. And that violation of the public trust. And that contract that should be inherent in corporations who are spending, investing other people's money — the abuse of that is what has got to stop.

And it's a matter, too, of some of these CEOs and top management people and shareholders too not holding that management accountable, being addicted to, we call it, OPM — O-P-M, "other people's money."

Spending that, investing that, not using the prudence that we expect of them. But here again, government has got to play an appropriate role in the stringent oversight, making sure that those abuses stop.
Sarah Palin on Fox News

The volatility we saw this past week was crazy. The US stock market had 4 days were the DOW moved up or down by 3%. Watching the London exchange go up by 8% on Friday just capped the week of craziness.

I still believe what I wrote previously about the state of our economy. I think it is fragile but it could be much worse. I think the root of the current problems exposed this week was driven by greed. (Gordon Gekko played by Michael Douglas the movie Wall Street summed it on greed - but it is still a great movie and I believe in capitalism. The former CEOs of Fannie Mae, Merrill Lynch, AIG, and Lehman should be vilified like Gekko.)

If you tried to introduce a new food product to sell in the grocery, the government has certain standards for quality and labeling. (If someone introduced a new product that was made with liver and it was 100% of your daily allowance of fat it probably would not sell very well - I would not buy it!.) The government is trying to protect the public and make sure people understand what they are buying.

This should have been true with financial instruments as well but the government let us down. People were sold mortgages they should have never received. Financial firms tried to pass off risk through credit rate swaps. In the end, risks were not clearly identified (or labeled). No one really understood who would be holding the bag if things fell apart. Now that it is falling apart, borrowers and investors both are now paying the price.

Ultimately this will lead to more government regulation (that is up for debate as far as the merit of it). We will probably see foreign governments pressure the next President into adopting a Basel like framework (like Europe has today) to asses and report risk. We (the taxpayers) will wind up footing the bill for several generations to come.

What is Going On With Our Economy

Are we in a recession? Is this another depression? Those were the questions I heard last night from a couple friends.

After the tumble the stock market took yesterday it almost feels like. I avoided looking at my portfolio last night because I knew it would be depressing. The Sun Sentinel headline this morning was "riding out the financial storm" as a comparison to another hurricane hitting the US. (Poor taste in my opinion when you turn to page 3 and see the real devastation in Galveston.)

Is our country failing financially? Are we in dire straights? I do not believe things are bad, but they are not great either. For example:

• Inflation is not as bad as other countries - we complain about 5% when other major countries struggle to keep it under 10%.
• Unemployment might be up to 6% but this is not the great depression where up to a third of the workforce was unemployed.
• People are not loosing their savings from bank failures - bank accounts, brokerage accounts, mutual funds are protected and laws are in place to safe guard them. (Granted the value of the securities has gone down but all is not lost.)
• Gross National Product (GNP) is down but still positive.

So what is next? What are we going to do (or should be doing)?

• I think the Fed will be forced to lower interest rates again in order to stimulate the economy. We can take a little inflation in order to keep the economy moving forward (growing). Some banks will need capital to stay liquid.
• The SEC should examine the acquisitions of financial firms closely to make sure that firms are not covering their tracks for fraudulent deals they made. (I am not accusing anyone or know anything but it is suspicious for failing firms to be bought for a premium.)
• I do not like regulation, but new financial instruments need to be examined and fully explained. With mortgage derivatives, the risk holder has been clouded and we are now seeing who is holding the bag. Government in general should not interfere with free markets, but they need to insure that rules, instruments, and risks are clearly defined for everyone so that it is a level playing field.
• As individuals we need to be cautious about taking on new debt, paying down what debt we do have (especially if you credit card debt), and looking at investment opportunities (Buffet, Forbes, Trump, and others start buying at the bottom of the market downswings).

Several friends work in industries effected by this turbulent markets in areas such as banking, investment management (including myself), and real estate. I have seen (and felt in my wallet) to other major corrections in the stock market (1987 and 2001). America and the markets will be fine but it will be bumpy ride in the meantime.

The Anniversary We Do Not Want

Usually anniversaries are dates in time of events that we want to remember - weddings, long time employment with a company, and historical major events like when man walked on the moon.

However September 11th will be remembered for the tragedy of terrorists attacking our country and killing hundreds of people in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania.

I worked in the World Trade Center for about 8 weeks in early 2001. My company had acquired a company that was based in the south tower. I went there to help integrate our business processes.

As a result, 9/11 became personal to me. I walked through underground network of walkways. I rode the elevators up. I knew people who worked there. I also knew people who passed away in that tragic event. Fortunately I know people who made it out as well.

To this day I still cringe at the images of the WTC burning and collapsing. I still can not watch the movies or documentaries about the events.

One of my good friend's wedding anniversary is 9/11. I try to remember that along with the tragedy. But it is also hard for me to forget those who died that I knew.

Fair and Balanced Media?

Fair and balanced media? Hardly the case in this election (or in general for that fact).

Today's media reports (and "investigates") what they want - not what is really news worthy and important. In addition they mix editorial with news and blur the line between fact and opinion. Examples of their bias include the following:

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has five children but no one asked her if she is able to spend adequate time raising them. Palin on the hand has been criticized for trying to run for VP with 5 children.
• John Edwards, who was a presidential candidate, admitted an affair but denies being the father of the women's child. Mainstream media no longer considers it news worthy despite the pending outcome of the paternity test. Yet Palin's daughter Bristol in under intense scrutiny for becoming pregnant as a teenager.
• Obama's links to William Ayers have not been asked despite the fact that Ayers was convicted and jailed. Palin on the other hand was accused of dirty politics for firing her brother in law from the Alaska state police despite the fact that he is accused of tasering his nephew.
• Obama's voting record or more appropriately lack of voting record (missed and no votes) has not been brought to light. Why not? His job in the US Senate and Illinois legislature was to sponsor and vote on bills yet his track record is limited. McCain's voting record is criticized because he voted with President Bush's opinion 90% of the time. At least he showed up and voted for the majority of the bills.

There are a number of other examples from the past including Jesse Jackson's love child, Biden raising his children as a single father, to the Clinton affairs in the White House.

The news media wants two things at the end of the day - ratings (which drives ad revenues and profits) and to push their own liberal agenda. They sensationalize everything and promote their beliefs.

Now I realize that all media does not fall into this trap. There are also a small handful that fall into the opposite trap (that sees no wrong with conservatives). But I will call out 5 of the 6 major network news outlets for being biased - ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and PBS.

The American people will see through some of it. We are not as dumb as the media elite thinks. In the end it will probably backfire against them because the average is smarter than them.