The Fiscal Cliff is Coming!!

Okay, so it’s not another horror movie but it does seem to reflect the fear, chaos, and mayhem that generally envelope every horror movie I have ever seen. People are scared, unsure, and generally untrusting of everything and anything our representatives in Washington are saying – AND THEY SHOULD BE!!


Regardless of whether our elected officials are Republican, Democrat, Independent, Socialist, Green, Libertarian, Whig, or Organic (just checking to see if you’re listening); we need representation in Washington and we need that representation to work together. We send our representatives to Washington to serve in the House, the Senate, and the White House to work together to set policy and govern the country; not to divvy up into two sides and then loom over every topic from an unapproachable point of view.

Each representative sent to Washington is sent there to represent the people they are elected to represent; pretty simple huh? But what has been lost in Washington is the ability to work together to make decisions and compromises that make legislation possible to run the country. Tip O’Neil and Ronald Reagan had it. Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton had it. But since 2000 that whole spirit of bi-partisanship has been lost. Well we need to find it again.

We elect our representatives based on the majority opinion of the electorate. Then those people go to Washington to make legislation based on those same principles and beliefs they were elected on. Amazing enough you can be true to those ideas and beliefs and still work together with those of differing beliefs and accomplish the necessary business of the country; a concept that has been lost for the last 12 years.

Take the Fiscal Cliff. Does anyone really understand it or have we just labeled it as such so both sides in Washington can use the title to their benefit and scare the American Public. So let’s look at the facts.
1. No one has a specific definition of the problem
2. No one had a specific plan or even a proposal.
3. No one wants to be a leader and the first start the discussion by talking in specifics.
4. No one wants to address tax reform.
5. No one wants to address entitlement reforms.
6. Medicare will cost us $42 trillion over the next decade; no one wants to address its reform.
7. No one even wants to have an open door meeting as promised.
8. AND NO – WE CANNOT KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN.

On January 1st the Bush Tax-Cuts will sunset (they were supposed to in 2009) and we will all be paying higher taxes; EVERYONE has to pay higher taxes. I am not crazy about that idea, but maybe this is what we all need to make the country realize we need real tax reform.

On January 1st there will be huge reductions to the budget (OK not huge but there will be significant cuts) that will affect anyone who receives government (i.e. Tax-Payer) sponsored entitlements. Of course that will have a positive effect on the deficits our federal government is racking up, but at what cost and for what reason?

Because those “Responsible” people we send to Washington keep holding to their partisan mantras and rather than work together for the betterment of the nation, they still want to work separate for the betterment of their parties. But who’s really to blame?

UMMMMMMMM…..US….ALL OF US!!

That’s right, we had a chance to make changes this year and we instead chose to send practically the exact same people back to Washington; the same House, the same Senate, and the same President.

Well we better start paying attention to what is actually going on in Washington and who is actually doing what. We have two more years just like the last two and then we have another election. The voters made their choice in support of the status quo on Election Day; now those elected to office need t make a choice; two more years of the same and a more outraged electorate, or they work together to make something happen.

And You – The Voter!! Will you pay attention and figure out how it works and let your voice be heard; or will you once again sit on your laurels and wait until there is even less left of this once great country. The choice is yours to make and yours to live with.

Pay attention, be active, and make a difference.

Maybe our leaders should do the same!
Bill

A Black Eye for Black Friday

Well it’s over!! Once again Thanksgiving has come and the real reason approximately 247 million people celebrate is now over. That’s right, that four-day shopping frenzy called Black “Friday” is over – Hallelujah!!

Granted the Marketing gurus have increased the size of it by calling it Gray Thursday, Black Friday (Uh-Hum and Saturday and Sunday) followed with Cyber-Monday.

Holy Mistletoe Batman!!

What the heck ever happened to just driving to Grandma’s, eating too much wonderful food, playing some chess with Granddaddy, shooting some hoops with the cousins, taking a turkey-induced nap, watching some football, and enjoying the comedic styling’s of Uncle Charlie in his slightly drunken stupor later in the evening (Okay, maybe that last part was just at our house).

But seriously, I just saw a commercial for Ford saying they were extending their Black Friday savings through the entire month – REALLY? Do we actually need a full month of this?

Okay, maybe I’m a little sensitive to all this, but come on folks; why do we feel this constant need to save money we don’t have. Remember when the holidays were about what they are supposed to be about? You know, spending time with family, eating good food, being thankful for the blessings in our lives, enjoying the actual holidays and not the spending it with 247 million other holiday shoppers who are out spending the money they really don’t have because some advertising schmuck sold us on a bill of goods.

Oh Well, I guess I will stay on the outside looking in. I’ll continue to spend the holidays as I have in the past; sitting around the house enjoying the day. I’ll just keep spending time with family and friends. Eat some great food and watch some good (and not-so-good) football. And most importantly I’ll be keeping Drunk Uncle Charlie out of trouble!!

I got to find the chess set!

Bill

 

NOTE: the names in this blog have been changed to protect the innocent…and the intoxicated.

Be an Informed Voter, not a Victim.

For those of us who are political junkies it’s hard to rationalize an existence where someone does not keep up with the current events of our times. So many people waltz through life with no idea of how the events in Washington or their state capital actually affect their daily lives. They simply see the problem as too big for them to do anything about and rely on others to handle the situation.


Some folks will say they did their part by voting, but did they really? It’s simple to go into the voting booth and select a name. The question is why are you selecting that name? Is it because that person believes as you do or is it because that person had a really cool commercial or a really catchy sound bite you heard?

Recently Howard Stern had one of his minions go out and do a man-on-the-street segment where he asked people questions about the presidential election. Not really hard questions like who is the Constitution Party’s Candidate (that would be Virgil Goode if you were wondering), but he had his reporter ask some none-the-less tough questions like if Mitt Romney being black would prevent you from voting for him? To which he mostly received a response of “No.”

Some of the other questions were such as; did they like President Obama’s selection of Paul Ryan as a running mate, how would Sarah Palin fare in this election, Can John McCain get more votes this election, if Obama has a second term can he get bin Laden, and others that were just as ridiculous. I say ridiculous because anyone with even a minor grasp of reality would know that these were all trick questions. Trick questions that were only asked to demonstrate the lack of knowledge 90 percent of America actually has about the politicians who are aspiring to, running for, or serving in elected office that do control our government.

I am writing this blog today not to solicit votes for either party, I have other blog sites for that and you can check those out if you want to as they are linked to this blog. Today I am writing this blog to ask each of you who will read this to take the time and check out the candidates who are running for office. Check out their records and what they have accomplished. Watch the upcoming debates on TV so you can get a feel for the candidates.

Whether you watch ABC News, CBS News, CNN, FOXNEWS, MSNBC, NBC news or any of the others; whether you read the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Austin American Statesman, Dallas Morning News, or the Washington Post; don’t go to the polls uneducated, be an informed voter. Get some facts, talk to those you’re close to, and learn what the candidate’s stance is on the issues; then you can go out and make an informed vote.

For far too long, Americans have simply voted based on name recognition and half-truths. Sadly, many politicians, and those who want them in power, will tell you what they think you need to hear to vote for their candidate. It’s not their job to make an informed choice, that’s your job. It’s their job to get elected and sadly many will do whatever they have to in order to accomplish that.

So this election season, get out and be active in the election process. Don’t wait until the last minute and make a spur of the moment decision. Get out and take a look at the candidates and see who best represents the values and beliefs you hold dear. Be a part of the solution, not an enabler, and thereby victim, of the problems.

I’m off my soapbox now!
Bill

How Much College is too Much College?

Having attended college (many colleges), having watched my wife go through college, and having two kids in college, err….paying for two kids to go to college, I feel more than adequately qualified to speak on this topic. We get our college bound kids ready for college with 13 years of school prior to high school graduation and then send them off to college to select the education that will drive their future. This is where the insanity begins.

Once they arrive they have to complete the basic “Core” curriculum. For those who may not know, the core curriculum is made up of the same core classes these kids took in high school consisting of Math, English, Science, and other various classes. This is the problem I have with a typical college degree program. Why is it that a student majoring in English needs to take biology or geology? Likewise, why is it a student majoring in Geology needs to take British literature? Similarly, why does a student majoring in kinesiology need to take a class in philosophy or theatre?

Why? Well there seems to be a couple of reasons. One of them is to make a well-rounded student which is complete bunk as I never ever seen a high school coach whip their athletes into a no real frenzy by quoting Shakespeare of by philosophizing like Socrates. My personal favorite reason is the most overused line of all, “that’s the way it’s always been done.” But none of these are the real reason.

The real reason is that many people each year get degrees in English, Math, Theatre, Philosophy, Foreign Language, Humanities, PE, and other subjects for which that only real use for these degrees is in the realm of education. Therefore the only way to continue to secure these people jobs and to provide for a future generation of folks getting these degrees is to make them required torture for those looking for a degree in say engineering, medical fields, or electronics.

Now I’m not saying we should ignore those in the fields that make up the core curriculum. And I do believe that all college students should have to pass a qualifying course in basic English, basic math, and basic science; however, if a student passes a qualifying class then they shouldn’t have to sit through three or four more years of English, or math, or science, or philosophy. This would save students (and their parents) money and allow for two other alternatives.

The first alternative is that students could graduate earlier and then be allowed to take an internship to complete the degree. This would not only get the student the education he will actually need but it will provide them with real world experience before they are launched into the work force.

The second alternative would be for students to remain in school for the same amount of time they currently do, but they would have the opportunity to take more classes that pertain to their major. This would allow the students to be better educated in the job skills they are actually at college to learn.

Either way the students will be better educated in the major they are in school to pursue. Unfortunately we have a collegiate culture that is more about continuing the same traditional methods we have always used and not about what is actually better for the consumer, a consumer who is directly the student in this case and indirectly the work force in which they will be going out into after their time in academia is over.

It’s amazing that we have been able to streamline and improve most everything in our lives, but when it comes to a good college education somehow we have managed to leave that process back in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, the decisions over this sort of qualifying process are made by the very same people who benifet from the system being stuck where it is.

Maybe I need to create a college? Anybody got some land, money, buildings, books, teachers, and mascot they can spare?

I need to look at my degree plan!

Bill

Father’s Day

I know this is a day late but I just couldn’t get this blog to sound the way I wanted it to (and I still don’t know that I did). I hope all you dads had a great Father’s Day. Mine was pretty good. We didn’t do much, but then again I enjoy those lazy days working around the house. It just seems like too many times people get caught up in the material aspects of Father’s Day and they forget to think about its real meaning.

Father’s Day should be a day to reflect about all aspects of fatherhood; being a father, a husband, and a son. Too many times it becomes about “Me the father,” and not enough about the other facets of life. Being the father and wanting that recognition is pretty important to all fathers, but how are we doing with fatherhood.

Are we the fathers our children need? I can’t tell anyone how to be a perfect father, the good Lord knows I’ve not been anywhere near a perfect father. But I can promise to work hard and be a better father each day. Be there for them when they’re happy and when they’re sad; when they are healthy and when their nose runs; when they hit the homerun and when they throw the interception; when she loses the beauty pageant or wins the science fair. No matter what, be there for them.

What about their Mother, Father’s Day is about recognizing how important being a good husband is to actually being a good father. Whether married or divorced, being good to the children’s mother is extremely important to the children. Sometimes it is hard and sometimes it is a loving chore that we are more than happy to complete; however, being a good father is predicated on being a good husband (or in some cases an amicable ex-husband).

Then there is being a son. This is where many of us have had problems in the past. We all have a father or father-figure in their life (and sometimes that could be a single mother). Whatever your situation is, you are someone’s child. SO, on this Father’s Day take a few minutes and think about your father, or father-figure, and give thanks for those virtues they have given you. The let them know how much you appreciate them.

I used to think of all these sort of days as greeting card holidays, but if you dedicate a short bit of thought to them they can all produce some self-improving aspects. Use these days to think on those things that are important to you, but also use them to help you to remember these same values on those days that aren’t “special” holidays.

Happy Father’s Day to everyone and I hope that we all take the time to consider our lives, how we live them, and how our lives affect those around us and reflect on us as a parent, spouse, and child.

By the way, I did get a lot of fishing stuff, but no boat….

Bill

Tuesday is the best day of the week.

We often hear folks saying how much they are looking forward to the weekend and how much they dread Mondays or how much they look forward to Friday. But to be realistic for everyone concerned, Tuesday has got to be the best day of the week; hands down it’s definitely the most productive and least stressful day of the week.

Let’s look at this from a logical viewpoint. Let’s start with Wednesday or “Hump Day.” When Wednesday comes around it usually starts off well enough with nearly as much productivity as Tuesday, but by lunch it becomes convoluted with thoughts of the weekend and of what needs to be done in the next two days to get ready for the weekend.

Then Thursday rolls on in and the “one more day till the weekend” thought train wreaks havoc with the whole day. Concentrating on work goes right out the window as the thoughts of the weekend and what it might bring will most assuredly confuse everything.

Friday breezes in and before anything gets done, everyone is contemplating what minimal amount of work they can do to call it a “productive” day and then there is the concentration on how to be the first person out of work in order to start the weekend.

Saturday is a jumbled mess of trying to recover from Friday (or Friday night) and getting to the plans we have for the day. And what if there are no plans? Well then there is that perceived need to find something to do so as not to spoil a perfectly good day off from work.

Sunday is church, possibly recovering from Saturday night, and the preparation for the work week to come. Also there is the possibility cleaning up from the weekend that is tailing off; however, this is optional and can be left to Monday evening.

Next up, we fall into Monday only begrudgingly as we ponder where all the time went to do what we had planned over the weekend. Little if any productivity comes from Monday as everyone is trying to get back on track from a couple of days off. By the end of the day we are more prepared for the week but still dreading the remainder of the work week to come.

But Tuesday, well that is the day where last weekend is a distant memory and the up-coming weekend is still too far away to concern ourselves with. As a result, we concentrate better on Tuesday, have less distractions, and get much more accomplished that on any other day of the week. Think about it, there is no need t prepare for the weekend yet. If something needs to be done there is still three more weekdays to complete it. So with none of the pressures and distractions of the rest of the week, Tuesdays are most definitely the day of choice.

Maybe I’ll just pretend everyday is a Tuesday….

How many days until Friday again???
Bill

Grow the Big 12?

First of all just let me say that if A&M wishes to go to the SEC good for them; however, it reminds me of the old proverb (some folks say Chinese but my Grandfather used to say it and he wasn’t even close to Chinese). “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!” In other words, if history is any clue, look out because the move to the SEC was hardly what Arkansas thought it would be.

But with the departure of A&M, what the Big 12 may need to do is look to go bigger, not smaller, or back to twelve. Let’s be proactive in this mess and create the first BCS super-conference. Of course with the current leadership decisions the Big 12 has made, I am not sure they are well equipped to handle this subject, but I’ll make my proposal anyway.

Here it goes!!

So A&M leaves and the Big 12 goes to nine (9) teams so they’ll need seven (7) more to reach the super-conference level. Of course Television markets are always important so let’s look at where a sample of the Big-12’s current markets sit. With our current members we have the following:
31 – Kansas City
45 – Oklahoma City
49 – Austin
88 – Iowa (I think the list has every major Iowa town on it)
94 – Waco-Temple-Bryan
143 – Lubbock

Not looking all that impressive, but before you say it, yes I know we pull a lot from Dallas and Houston, but that’s not where the home of our schools are. So now let’s take a look at my suggestions, and remember, these are just my suggestions and they’re only offered as a good natured look at the subject; so all you haters out there keep your comments to yourselves.

First off most Big 12 schools not in Texas want to keep the number of Texas schools somewhere less than the Non-Texas Schools so we’ll only include three new Texas additions to keep that point of view in mind. I’ll list the additions in regards to their Television markets (Texas teams first so as not to confuse anyone).

SMU – Sits soundly in the No. 5 TV market in the country and has already been harping about joining.

U of H – The No. 10 Houston TV Market would help solidify the conferences foothold on Houston.

UTSA – Yes I know they’re only in their first season of football but they had 50,000 plus at their first game, they play in the Alamodome, and they are located in the No. 37 TV Market in the Country. Plus they’re the Roadrunners – Awesome Mascot!!

Air Force – Regains a foothold into Colorado, they play in the 91 ranked TV market but are just south of the 18th TV market in Denver. Plus it’s always good to have a service academy in your conference.

Memphis – Great basketball, improving football, and the No. 48 TV Market helps hold the Missouri Valley Region with the Kansas schools and Missouri. And on the up-side, an occasional trip to Beale Street is always a good reason to travel to Memphis.

Tulane – Yes Tulane; I know they’re probably not what most people have in mind but they live in the No. 53 TV market, play their home games in the Superdome, and let’s face it, wouldn’t we all like the occasionally road trip to New Orleans every couple of years – YEAH!!!!

BYU – While the TV markets they are located in are relatively small compared to the rest, they already have their own television network and bring a prestige with them from the west that nicely compliments bringing in the Air Force Academy and is a major improvement to what we had out west before!!

NOTE: For you TCU fans out there, I would love to have TCU in the conference; however, unless TCU’s plans have transformed and they have changed their opinions of the Big 12, they made it clear last year they were not interested in being in the conference and wanted to move to the Big East. But if that has changed, I would highly recommend finding a way to bring them in also.

Well there you have it. These are my recommendations, of course they will probably go no further than this blog, but they’re fun to look at and think about. Who knows, maybe some of these teams will get the chance to play in the Big 12.

Sure would like the trip to New Orleans!!
Bill