tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34374159502872003442024-03-14T02:04:17.541-07:00MyndFoodPJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.comBlogger399125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-51753080235892510182012-10-26T12:14:00.004-07:002012-10-26T14:30:21.648-07:00Immorality?<div class="tr_bq">
Jerry Brown, the governor of California, in an interview this week with the Financial Times, said that his plan to tax the highest income earners in California in an effort to boost education funding is the moral thing to do. <br />
<br /></div>
The tax increase, which is on next month's ballot as Proposition 30, will effectively raise taxes by 3% on the top 1% of income earners in the state. The proposition will temporarily increase taxes on those earning more than $250,000 per year, with additional increases for those earning more than $500,000 per year, and even greater increase for those making more than $1million per year. Support for the proposition has waned in recent weeks, and Brown is making the circuit warning Californians that if we fail to pass the proposition, schools will have to be closed for up to an extra three weeks per year. <br />
<br />
Brown, in his interview, said that "the richest 1 percent" of California have a "moral obligation" to pay more in taxes in order to keep schools open. He went on to quote from the Bible saying, "Luke 12:48 says: 'For those of whom much has been given, much is required.'" Finally, he excoriated opponents of Proposition 30, calling them "finance guys."<br />
<br />
I'm not sure that all the opponents are "finance guys"; I'm an opponent, and I don't think I'm a finance guy.<br />
<br />
Unless by "finance guy" he means someone who makes decisions based on the financial reality of a situation. In which case, maybe I am a finance guy. <br />
<br />
To be clear: I'm not among what Brown calls the "richest 1 percent" (a classification, incidentally, that's a little dishonest in that the tax has nothing to do with wealth; it's based on income). I'm not going to be faced with any additional tax based on my income here, so I'm not simply trying to protect myself. Furthermore, my children are enrolled in public school, so it's not simply a case of "I don't care; it doesn't affect me."<br />
<br />
I'm insulted, though, that Governor Brown has framed this through the lens of morality--as if those who vote no on Proposition 30 are in some way immoral. Because that view, while perhaps expedient given Brown's need to fund schools now (and certainly convenient in that it ignores some other, painful realities associated with public education) is dishonest in its narrowness.<br />
<br />
In 1920 the cost to educate a student in a US public school (excluding buildings and construction and a few other capital costs) was about $540 (in inflation adjusted numbers--that means this is the cost in today's dollars). According to the California Department of Education, the cost to educate a student in California (in a public school), again excluding building and construction, as well as food services and community services, in 2010-11 was $8,323.<br />
<br />
$8,323, not including meals and the actual buildings themselves! That means that in 90 years the cost to educate a student went up by over 1,500% (again, remember that all numbers are in today's dollars). It costs us over 15 times as much to educate a student today as it did in 1920. <br />
<br />
What have we gained by continuing to increase our investment in public schools? Here are some statistics that should give us some perspective:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>In the period between 1955 and 1983, nationally, math scores based upon the national norm Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) administered by the Educational Testing Service actually <i><b>declined</b></i>! </li>
<li>According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress Long-Term Trends tests, since the last 1960's, there has been no change in math scores amongst high-school 17-year olds. The same test shows a sharp decline in science scores beginning in the 1970's; the scores have still not risen to 1960's levels! </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Of course, I think that, at this point, I'm arguing against a phantom opponent. There's almost nobody out there arguing that public education is fundamentally just fine; even the public educators and unions seem to agree (for the most part) that dramatic improvement is needed in public education. <br />
<br />
But the argument seems to always center around money. As evidenced by Governor Brown's proposal. His comments seem to imply that if high income earners would simply relent and pay more in taxes, education would get better. But it seems to me that we have a very long history of trying that very thing. I think that a 15-fold increase in public education funding (after adjusting for inflation) over 90 years should give us enough history to know whether or not more money makes for better education. And we're all in agreement that it doesn't seem to work.<br />
<br />
So I would argue that our Governor's "morality" argument is either ill-informed (maybe he just doesn't have the data) or a desperate and dishonest attempt to convince California's voting population into voting blindly, without doing any research.<br />
<br />
I tend to be eternally optimistic about our voting population; I believe that they are, on the whole, smarter and more inclined to think deeply than the average politician (like Brown) would seem to believe. It's clear to me that Governor Brown hopes that by playing to a sense of "moral outrage" over our high-income fellow citizens not kicking in more money to bail out public education, he can get us to vote blindly without examining the data--data which tells a story that is in stark contradiction to what Governor Brown would have us believe. <br />
<br />
So ask yourself this: is this really a case of "moral obligation"? Do the high-income earners in California really have a "moral obligation" to kick in even greater amounts of money to fund a system that has been overwhelmingly overfunded over the last century--and which has proven to be increasingly less effective has the investment has risen? <br />
<br />
Call me a "finance guy" if you must, but in my admittedly simplistic way of looking at things, there's a point in time at which you begin to throw good money after bad, and a wise person makes the decision, at that point, to stop throwing money at things, and instead try to actually fix what's broken. <br />
<br />
The moral failure, in this case, is the shameful waste that has led us to continue to pour money into a failing system, and nobody has had the courage to stand up and cry out for a change to the system itself.<br />
<br />
My vote is NO on Proposition 30--not because I'm immoral, but because I believe it's immoral to perpetuate our legacy of wastefulness and mediocrity. My vote is for one of my elected representatives to simply speak the truth. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
Sources:<br />
Charles Murray and Richard J. Herrnstein, "What's Really behind the SAT-Score Decline," <i>Public Interest</i>, no. 106 (Winter 1992): 32-56</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
Rebecca Moran and Anthony D. Lutkus, NAEP 2004 Trends in Academic Progress: Three Decades of Student Performance in Reading and Mathematics (Washington: U.S. Department of Education, 2005), p. 17</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
www.cde.ca.gove;ds/fd/ec/currentexpense.asp</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
http://www.publicpurpose.com/gf-edada.htm</blockquote>
PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-74097593532784145132011-09-27T23:18:00.000-07:002011-10-08T10:42:02.878-07:00A DreamWhat is the American Dream?<br />
<br />
I know we toss the term around quite a bit, as if we all know what each other is talking about, but what is it? Can you verbalize what it really means?<br />
<br />
I used to think it had something to do with home-ownership, a somewhat common, albeit narrow, view of our common Dream. Various researchers over the years have surveyed Americans in an attempt to provide a common definition of the American Dream, and have come up with various concepts, ranging from dreams of abundance to the dream of home-ownership (that I once shared). Incidentally, this latter dream is come by honestly; in 1774, the Royal Governor of Virginia, Britain's representative in the colony at the time, wrote somewhat sarcastically that Americans were uniquely infatuated with the idea of land-ownership, and even went so far as to say that even if an American had attained Paradise, he would move on if he heard of a better place farther West.<br />
<br />
But I've come to realize that land ownership is merely one manifestation of the achievement of our Dream. It's not the Dream itself; it's a representation of, in one small way, having achieved the Dream. The Dream is really something more fundamental than merely a quest to own land (a noble quest, incidentally, and rooted in our Constitution; in nations where there exists a more rigid and structured social order, it's often nearly impossible--and sometimes even illegal--for "average" citizens to own land; land ownership is reserved for nobility).<br />
<br />
The other day, on my way into the office, I stopped at the gas station, and as I waited at the counter to pay for my fuel, I overheard the owner, a kind middle-aged man with a vague accent, talking with his daughter about her college experience. I asked her where she went to school (Berkeley--she just graduated) and what she studied (Economics) and if she was done (no; she's going back to Berkeley for an MBA). I was impressed--and told her as much, to the obvious delight of her proud father.<br />
<br />
Her father made a comment about his college experience, so I asked him where he'd studied; Berkeley as well. Somehow, my quick fuel stop turned into a 15 minute chat, and I learned much about this man who, until that morning, was merely the guy who ran my favorite gas station.<br />
<br />
He'd emigrated, with his family, to the U.S. as a teenager, and worked hard (at the perpetual urging of his parents) to go to college. He landed at Berkeley, graduated, married, and some years later owned (among other things, I suspect) a gas station, convenience store, and a small chain-restaurant franchise--and had an obviously intelligent daughter also studying business at Berkeley.<br />
<br />
But somewhere in the middle of the conversation, my new friend showed me exactly what the American Dream means to someone born and raised in a place where such a Dream is not allowed.<br />
<br />
"So many people I meet," he told me, "are just looking for the government to help them with this or with that--to give them a job or food or money. That's not why I came to America. I came here because I wanted a chance to make something of myself and my family."<br />
<br />
I realized that most people who immigrated to our great country did not come with the goal of tapping into our great unemployment programs, or our medicare system, or our social security plans. In fact, my friend, the gas station owner, was very clear: he'd be insulted if you tried to offer to "help" him through one of these government programs.<br />
<br />
For him, the American Dream was about him, and what he could achieve. It was merely him finding a place where, by definition, he started on equal ground with everyone else; he asked for nothing more than that, and wouldn't accept anything more than that if offered.<br />
<br />
It's, perhaps, a subtle distinction, but I don't think our friend, the gas station owner, wants a nation that "compensates" for the things he wasn't born with, or the opportunities he "missed' because he wasn't born into the right family. In fact, for him, it's a matter of personal pride that he has achieved what he has achieved without any programs to compensate for his relative disadvantage. All he asked for--and what we gave him--was the same opportunity as anyone else.<br />
<br />
I almost cried--literally--as, near the end of our conversation he, with a fierce look on his face, told me, "You know what? This country is the greatest place on Earth. This is the land of opportunity; it gave me the opportunity to do everything I've ever dreamed of, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love America."<br />
<br />
It's been a long time since I've heard anyone so passionately in love with our country. And you know, as I listened to him talk about his fierce loyalty to America, it occurred to me that I've met numerous people who interpreted the American Dream as meaning they "deserved" certain things--like a certain level of income, or guaranteed income at retirement, or paid-for healthcare, or income regardless whether they were working. And none of those who I've known who've seen these things, these programs, as central to the American Dream--none of them have ever told me how much they love America; I've never heard a single one of them tell me passionately how great our country is.<br />
<br />
There's a frightening trend in Washington today, and it's not just a Republican or just a Democrat thing. Virtually every politician running for office somehow weaves into their platform a theme that outlines what they are going to do for us. It's as if, in order for a politician to get elected, they have to demonstrate that they can give us more, get more for us, expand programs to include more people.<br />
<br />
And as a supporting theme, our would-be representatives tell us how they are going to eliminate the unfairness that's keeping us from receiving those things that they want to do for us. They're going to rectify the fact that wealthy people don't "pay their fair share" in taxes. Or, as President Obama proposed recently, they are going to pass laws allowing job applicants who aren't hired to sue their would-be employers for discrimination if they believe they weren't hired because they've been unemployed for an extended period. <br />
<br />
But there's something wrong with this--and it's not simply whether you believe the wealthy should be taxed more or less, or whether job-seekers should be allowed to sue for discrimination if they aren't hired. It's our increasing tendency, as Americans (or at least, as a group of politicians who purport to represent Americans) to point to others as the reason we, individually or collectively, haven't achieved prosperity. It's our collective tendency to depend on our representatives in Washington to "do more" for us to enable us to achieve prosperity.<br />
<br />
But that's not our Dream. Our dream is more noble than that; it's about opportunity unencumbered by the weight of social ceilings or by legal barriers constructed for the purpose of excluding some to the benefit of others.<br />
<br />
It is, as historian James Truslow Adams wrote:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><i>"a dream of being able to grow to fullest development as man and woman, unhampered by the barriers which had slowly been erected in the older civilizations, unrepressed by social orders which had developed for the benefit of classes rather than for the simple human being of any and every class."</i></blockquote><br />
Why do we, as a nation, insist of cultivating a dependent citizenry? A nation as great as ours should have, by now, weaned ourselves of our dependency on our government for our income, food, healthcare, transportation and retirement. Yet it seems as though we've done the opposite; it's as though our representatives in Washington count it a mark of distinction that we have increasingly created a dependent class through our ever-expanding suite of social welfare programs. A nation as great as ours should birth noble people, driven to achieve personal success despite all obstacles, and as a gift from no one. Our increasing reliance on our government to provide for us is not a mark of distinction. It is not great--and gives no one cause to fall in love with our country. <br />
<br />
There is little noble in receiving a grant to prosperity; and prosperity granted yields no satisfaction for the recipient. My Dream, the true American Dream, I think, is of an America that offers me nothing but an opportunity. I ask for no guarantees and no backup plans. I simply ask for a right to pursue prosperity, and for the right to call that prosperity mine--and only mine--if I achieve it.<br />
<br />
What is your Dream?PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-23487316864174883692011-06-24T12:26:00.000-07:002011-06-24T12:26:27.840-07:006/24/2011 Ride<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="http://app.strava.com/rides/801266/embed/10faadda0098b4a3bde9fd139dd6c6cd1005a870" width="590"></iframe>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-55799596113507249452011-04-16T06:01:00.000-07:002011-04-16T06:02:09.706-07:00Finish Line<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQinDRm0N8vZLo3_ss9OrXwK2DretJjN-sJw3-lJJlGD8nJ2wAQrxzKhJYfgS3VvL_fyQjo70hUIqG3fhRlNqr2PBj_u2doKd49hYerfc8_2_zvW_zcK1uyUKv2y_rGgq5fZW4LXNDCOg/s1600/photo-729712.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQinDRm0N8vZLo3_ss9OrXwK2DretJjN-sJw3-lJJlGD8nJ2wAQrxzKhJYfgS3VvL_fyQjo70hUIqG3fhRlNqr2PBj_u2doKd49hYerfc8_2_zvW_zcK1uyUKv2y_rGgq5fZW4LXNDCOg/s320/photo-729712.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596165989095807394" /></a></p>I forgot to tell you my time: 28:10.PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-6847581263412406242011-04-16T05:59:00.000-07:002011-04-16T06:00:16.206-07:00My First 5K!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wZ9EbUG92p-sSWPGBRGdvcp3ML8c8UesmVm_vYH35Lse97FRDP2Q6L9u_5noDAJXh1Azi-WOQTo1-tHJPFpbVDYzMYNMhcNGbh5-o4XifovyMWy4SR2vJ2lxjzHTtvRpaWIGvCqdb_c/s1600/photo-716207.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wZ9EbUG92p-sSWPGBRGdvcp3ML8c8UesmVm_vYH35Lse97FRDP2Q6L9u_5noDAJXh1Azi-WOQTo1-tHJPFpbVDYzMYNMhcNGbh5-o4XifovyMWy4SR2vJ2lxjzHTtvRpaWIGvCqdb_c/s320/photo-716207.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596165506055962786" /></a></p>Ran the Frank Landy 5k Fun Run this morning in Chicago. I'm here for a conference and couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a leisurely stroll through the Windy City on a fine Spring Saturday morning. <p>Actually it was kinda miserable. About 50 degrees, but with a light--very cold--wind, and as you can see in the picture, a heavy drizzle that turned into a light rain at the end of the race. <p>I had a blast! It was truly a lot of fun! Spent some time with a friend, and beat my best time ever for this distance by over 3 minutes! To be fair, this is the first organized run I've ever done, and there's something about it that pushes you to run just a little faster than you otherwise would. <p>Next goal: a 10k.PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-65341557240897646302011-03-02T18:38:00.000-08:002011-03-02T18:38:19.379-08:00Zombie WatchThe Boston Police Department is on it! Thought this was funny...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwye8H2ODmK8Qeuwd80BrCaKSf5en1MOn25cJ28brmjxXAc7_RpkXXQmuffSzUgY4S1LotsBp8Kf7LkiHaHdgs_6fIQp9ouNatO8zWhMZx83R20rwqZ7nKihq85lNInPzzZI1xKbeRWjQ/s1600/bostonpolice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwye8H2ODmK8Qeuwd80BrCaKSf5en1MOn25cJ28brmjxXAc7_RpkXXQmuffSzUgY4S1LotsBp8Kf7LkiHaHdgs_6fIQp9ouNatO8zWhMZx83R20rwqZ7nKihq85lNInPzzZI1xKbeRWjQ/s640/bostonpolice.jpg" width="347" /></a></div>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-69538150018606686752011-02-24T21:11:00.000-08:002011-02-24T21:11:44.956-08:00Alexis Had to Build a Mission...She decided to build San Juan Capistrano.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cMdwJug3NwrUcjOuWudAD6T0CX8-LeHZkoBs6Uyc2wTOK2Ze2cE3ECc0S8BqEVs7X6ux3q6ZiRNH_89_YN2CTxHtOLd28vH4-zRItXvtEJhQAxN5_dCRfdlAQSxM_kTEWqvEwxgoaUs/s1600/DSC_0664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cMdwJug3NwrUcjOuWudAD6T0CX8-LeHZkoBs6Uyc2wTOK2Ze2cE3ECc0S8BqEVs7X6ux3q6ZiRNH_89_YN2CTxHtOLd28vH4-zRItXvtEJhQAxN5_dCRfdlAQSxM_kTEWqvEwxgoaUs/s400/DSC_0664.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> This is what she ended up with...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpMXFpBMVRNOrLkHKfdW_JArOtt2V2yePR1TMAWOpqF5ZnEdy4Br0UU4ZNYxfsyPomp1yGDb7K_2hOcvyWkFdOOJRFn60RxLx8lmep5fZj8CHDD0_FExGNYjK6WXsD3QShDiuZo4932Y/s1600/DSC_0666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpMXFpBMVRNOrLkHKfdW_JArOtt2V2yePR1TMAWOpqF5ZnEdy4Br0UU4ZNYxfsyPomp1yGDb7K_2hOcvyWkFdOOJRFn60RxLx8lmep5fZj8CHDD0_FExGNYjK6WXsD3QShDiuZo4932Y/s400/DSC_0666.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> I think it looks pretty incredible!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgZ8vrLd5sNyx5VISOldlCnrTbOKThTWLD-k3tYUtO0xWCQ3hl3WsVbyCRv3E-RKsoUbq0zeEjztGKX_RnbP2gV3fkUONSpy0oU2f0xDcTdctDIyopHQC6GELa4sz9FnFBRaAj-nBhOs/s1600/DSC_0680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgZ8vrLd5sNyx5VISOldlCnrTbOKThTWLD-k3tYUtO0xWCQ3hl3WsVbyCRv3E-RKsoUbq0zeEjztGKX_RnbP2gV3fkUONSpy0oU2f0xDcTdctDIyopHQC6GELa4sz9FnFBRaAj-nBhOs/s400/DSC_0680.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-79356997213649776742011-02-07T01:22:00.000-08:002011-02-07T01:22:06.746-08:00I'm Back!I made a random visit to godaddy.com last week to see whether the status of the myndfood.com domain name had changed (my constant readers will recall that the <a href="http://www.myndfood.com/2010/02/crooks-that-run-wwwacquirethisnamecom.html">truly despicable people at acquirethisname.com acquired my domain name a few years ago</a> under less than admirable circumstances).<br />
<br />
I was overjoyed to find that the domain had expired, and was up for grabs! So I bought it--again! And as quick as that, Myndfood.com is back in business! <br />
<br />
I am happier than you can imagine. Yeah; I'll have to build my readership up again--but I'm not worried about that! There have to be a few truly strange folks out there who, for some unknown reason, enjoy hearing my admittedly strange perspective on things; you'll find me, I'm sure!<br />
<br />
So, read on!PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-29549096555200685122010-07-01T09:02:00.001-07:002010-07-01T09:02:52.660-07:00Italy is Beautiful......but I miss my wife...so much! Her here would make this just about perfect...<br />
<br />
Love you Shawna!PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-26917359116568570652010-06-30T05:58:00.000-07:002010-06-30T05:59:54.425-07:00Riva del Garda<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAHdWXPVNx3Lg4gapRrFNqp08Z2kyGyhyc7Pn0W12LePnmajgrrMAsF3ocmSOcakU6Ar2Cc76lOQwYu6u4e6T7PmMIX2cz4b0rGSOzi6waDwkYcbL6rGvPx9Fwc2rtDMjftp1rwoSvrc/s1600/photo-794426.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAHdWXPVNx3Lg4gapRrFNqp08Z2kyGyhyc7Pn0W12LePnmajgrrMAsF3ocmSOcakU6Ar2Cc76lOQwYu6u4e6T7PmMIX2cz4b0rGSOzi6waDwkYcbL6rGvPx9Fwc2rtDMjftp1rwoSvrc/s320/photo-794426.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488550709546183794" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-1780873949214004422010-06-30T05:57:00.000-07:002010-06-30T05:59:55.913-07:00Riva del Garda<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI5kaL7Z8w8hLUrq3BJpGAN_hM8-qjFBt3wnkHONFGaHfXasj7DTWtPB35yjdgBIxsIO-UvcTR6sdPetGGbezQgSM7cDZPm_FKn0bygYtQ066qu4kBUdaIuuNyMxaguZ1JdixLlGPrKg/s1600/photo-795916.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI5kaL7Z8w8hLUrq3BJpGAN_hM8-qjFBt3wnkHONFGaHfXasj7DTWtPB35yjdgBIxsIO-UvcTR6sdPetGGbezQgSM7cDZPm_FKn0bygYtQ066qu4kBUdaIuuNyMxaguZ1JdixLlGPrKg/s320/photo-795916.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488550718769090290" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-53141774096730754622010-06-30T05:14:00.000-07:002010-06-30T05:16:43.199-07:00Riva del Garda<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TsMjspex6Bp6VRmcMf9CeIlMRR4ZBvzUG0Y7r1Zf4CdUAIDRrZwZySr8UTw4yx-Eue3_hdpPMDzuFuJ1TbOSdco5rt3oU4FaJ3qopjgT3h_tON1TqV-sD-C06dJffSTampBUmlRqUng/s1600/photo-703200.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TsMjspex6Bp6VRmcMf9CeIlMRR4ZBvzUG0Y7r1Zf4CdUAIDRrZwZySr8UTw4yx-Eue3_hdpPMDzuFuJ1TbOSdco5rt3oU4FaJ3qopjgT3h_tON1TqV-sD-C06dJffSTampBUmlRqUng/s320/photo-703200.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488539582195504914" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-25834564917189001172010-06-30T05:13:00.000-07:002010-06-30T05:19:19.123-07:00Riva del Garda, Italy<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq0Wa-QTA4XK-KYNBOciiT-72pHLs0Yg4wx429JcMVLDIj_ec-VbdMk2zRQV55JMO6hZddxSdhQI6kkeiK5FQJLx7vEO8ZuLLqcvXzfmO98IFFJMTlOUZlRu6axbIvcgtmSKzWJAxboU/s1600/photo-759128.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq0Wa-QTA4XK-KYNBOciiT-72pHLs0Yg4wx429JcMVLDIj_ec-VbdMk2zRQV55JMO6hZddxSdhQI6kkeiK5FQJLx7vEO8ZuLLqcvXzfmO98IFFJMTlOUZlRu6axbIvcgtmSKzWJAxboU/s320/photo-759128.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488540251570580738" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-85557362720577228882010-06-30T05:11:00.000-07:002010-06-30T05:13:39.954-07:00Grand Staircase, Venice<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8Nm5s2T94tSceTZRnxaUcFMx2avh_k47ov4qKCZzVSuyE3dm4MWSKpGYrX5_J06q2QcEQOhL3hAFiVMzh7m73mpjdHBlyufQZVSU_K7yUSb-M5QWKhz4dE9B5n-HNvV91xjj3cYX3Hc/s1600/photo-719955.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8Nm5s2T94tSceTZRnxaUcFMx2avh_k47ov4qKCZzVSuyE3dm4MWSKpGYrX5_J06q2QcEQOhL3hAFiVMzh7m73mpjdHBlyufQZVSU_K7yUSb-M5QWKhz4dE9B5n-HNvV91xjj3cYX3Hc/s320/photo-719955.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488538794822062002" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-64522474472790800972010-06-30T05:04:00.002-07:002010-06-30T05:10:21.721-07:00Venice<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduNXrznz-W6j2MXJHEFDFMyq56KBVPVGvwwrlo0I7AVlodwRHNJwQOKPNin9WpsMtHGI0BTR1adpHesqAGhSRxt3k783jz_gacKAr9XkqwDX21CQwiBfQsheYS58CIU3AT6MjOVbCANk/s1600/photo-721722.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduNXrznz-W6j2MXJHEFDFMyq56KBVPVGvwwrlo0I7AVlodwRHNJwQOKPNin9WpsMtHGI0BTR1adpHesqAGhSRxt3k783jz_gacKAr9XkqwDX21CQwiBfQsheYS58CIU3AT6MjOVbCANk/s320/photo-721722.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488537938932227458" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-7407732224435655692010-06-30T05:04:00.001-07:002010-06-30T05:07:58.560-07:00Venice<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkeXoPKS3WxI7ll54dp1w_JqGw99x9BJeE0IUhZemhsaWV9dyuTq-KVHqIt71wN4ZRKG_qSiLKxCZRI2NBbNS4NFyC8hCtogOCuht5MYNM8WoHcGO6KfnDDVx-TFoUcJyVf3lLCsxio8/s1600/photo-778561.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkeXoPKS3WxI7ll54dp1w_JqGw99x9BJeE0IUhZemhsaWV9dyuTq-KVHqIt71wN4ZRKG_qSiLKxCZRI2NBbNS4NFyC8hCtogOCuht5MYNM8WoHcGO6KfnDDVx-TFoUcJyVf3lLCsxio8/s320/photo-778561.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488537325265344914" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-24924804206085590872010-06-30T05:04:00.000-07:002010-06-30T05:07:52.938-07:00Venice<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXk_G_KXz4Z7dvyqqQcDSTLylAg6FHj40Zpr_K-LlIe27T9xnmQxIB95KkMIWAfhe5nrBTzkGlY9MERwNZHSEkVpB-YOE3H9HgKNVZ2l3Ykj43JkO7HKy6w1ovUEJAt0q7ymWiSN23lU/s1600/photo-772939.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXk_G_KXz4Z7dvyqqQcDSTLylAg6FHj40Zpr_K-LlIe27T9xnmQxIB95KkMIWAfhe5nrBTzkGlY9MERwNZHSEkVpB-YOE3H9HgKNVZ2l3Ykj43JkO7HKy6w1ovUEJAt0q7ymWiSN23lU/s320/photo-772939.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488537303040141858" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-66136126556836165642010-06-30T05:02:00.001-07:002010-06-30T05:07:12.521-07:00Grand Canal, Venice<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_Bv3L2ZN89cXbrBjlHOtFmCe-zu-MPdRZHgIDY-6JKs-01mHVNs3xuhPejPKqF5ewKrSk5ukRoK_omjybMyH3h_kAz6frPH1uMHglGvKny3hU_tkfSapuAGguIDM0CW8pGmgrl7T8JU/s1600/photo-732522.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_Bv3L2ZN89cXbrBjlHOtFmCe-zu-MPdRZHgIDY-6JKs-01mHVNs3xuhPejPKqF5ewKrSk5ukRoK_omjybMyH3h_kAz6frPH1uMHglGvKny3hU_tkfSapuAGguIDM0CW8pGmgrl7T8JU/s320/photo-732522.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488537131185856418" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-33499141525124604522010-06-30T05:02:00.000-07:002010-06-30T05:05:48.735-07:00Gondolier, Venice<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmef4QohyphenhyphenAF425pp1qVOu3Vqdf5LDwLkRVpDJPeop19tCI7wZuQoGACOegl4oqjiwJ6MmMhG-k1TUwqyBQn5B6L1jH52XSwoeKTT_7nUhNwTl84KTF0W8Uw5xkNdI4L54dVfVZzBUQLik/s1600/photo-748735.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmef4QohyphenhyphenAF425pp1qVOu3Vqdf5LDwLkRVpDJPeop19tCI7wZuQoGACOegl4oqjiwJ6MmMhG-k1TUwqyBQn5B6L1jH52XSwoeKTT_7nUhNwTl84KTF0W8Uw5xkNdI4L54dVfVZzBUQLik/s320/photo-748735.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488536770029232706" /></a></p>PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-31992543910343102402010-06-26T23:20:00.000-07:002010-06-26T23:20:14.770-07:00Italia BoundSo I'm heading to Italy for a conference. I'm gonna have a few days to do some sightseeing while I'm there, though, so my plan is to use my new iPhone 4 (with it's incredible 5 megapixel camera) to photoblog the trip.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned! PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-44217864760190425072010-04-24T21:32:00.000-07:002010-04-24T21:32:36.892-07:00SouthparkI'm not a fan of Southpark; I don't have a television, so it'd be difficult to watch even if I wanted to, but the humor (while funny) is usually just a little too off-color for prudish me.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, I'm a little disgruntled. I guess (you Southpark watchers out there, tell me if I've got this wrong) that the writers, in their typical sacrilegious style, included references to the prophet Mohammad in a recent episode. I guess that there's this aversion amongst Muslims to pictorial portrayals of Mohammad so the Southpark writers cloaked the prophet in a bear costume (I'm thinking this might've been their cheeky way of poking fun at this admittedly strange Muslim custom).<br />
<br />
Muslims have apparently not yet grown up. They got really upset and threatened to kill the Southpark writers. Which is kinda childish, you know? I mean, really. A stupid (not said disparagingly at all, Southpark fans) TV show pokes fun at your prophet. So you want to kill them?<br />
<br />
That's just absurd. In fact, as I sit here thinking about it, it just makes me angry. Don't get me wrong; I think there are some things that are kinda sacred. I'm a religious guy and, I admit, it kinda bothers me when people debase something that I view as sacred. I've never threatened to kill anyone over it though. In fact, as I think about it, I recall that Southpark once aired a show in which Jesus battled Santa Claus in hand-to-hand combat; seems equally as sacrilegious as Mohammad in a bear costume. Yet I don't recall any Christians threatening to kill the Southpark people.<br />
<br />
And I DEFINITELY don't recall Comedy Central (the network that airs the show) censoring the Jesus vs. Santa Claus episode as they did with the Bear Mohammad episode. Which gets me almost as much as a bunch of petulant (and, frankly, arrogant) Muslims threatening to kill someone.<br />
<br />
Seems like such a double standard: Jesus vs. Santa Claus is funny; the Bear Mohammad is just too inappropriate. To be clear, I don't think the Jesus vs. Santa Claus episode should have been censored. I DO think, on the other hand, that there's something wrong with someone who threatens to kill another human being because they air a television show construed by the would-be killer as sacrilegious. I further think it's pathetic that the network would crater to the pressure from an extremist group.<br />
<br />
I'm going to stop ranting while I'm still ahead. (I am still ahead, aren't I?).<br />
<br />
As always, don't frequent www.acquirethisname.com. They're the scumbags who stole my domain name, and tried to screw me over when I wanted it back. They're the lowest form of entrepreneurs, the pond scum of capitalism, business people who ADD NO VALUE WHATSOEVER to the economy; rather, they suck the last dregs of life from those who've had the misfortune of failing to renew their domain name. They are extortioners of creativity, and I hope to see them out of business someday soon.PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-33352422819942196132010-02-26T16:49:00.000-08:002010-02-26T16:49:37.430-08:00The Crooks that run www.acquirethisname.comSo my email address has changed since I originally purchased the "MyndFood" url. And thus, when the domain name registration came up for renewal, I didn't know, and eventually, GoDaddy.com canceled my domain. <br />
<br />
So I called them, explained to them what happened, and they offered to help me buy the domain back out of this virtual limbo (where nobody really owns it). So I said, "Sure". And they proceeded to go through the list of fees I'd have to pay to get the domain back during this "limbo" (basically, they were going to charge me about $150 to get the domain that I'd paid $9 for originally back). <br />
<br />
Frankly, that's just crooked. I've thought a lot about this, and they've built a significant stream of income on taking advantage of people in distress. <br />
<br />
Scumbags.<br />
<br />
So I told them no. I figured that domain name limbo only lasts three months; I'll just wait until limbo is over, then hop back on and buy the domain again for the $9.99 price.<br />
<br />
Wrong.<br />
<br />
Turns out that there are crooked scavengers out there who are even more scumbag-ish than GoDaddy! Apparently there are these people out there who don't have a creative idea of their own, so they wait for folks to forget to renew their domain, they buy it out from under them, then they try to resell it!<br />
<br />
Yep; some other jerk decided to buy MyndFood.com! He's at www.acquirethisname.com, by the way. I would STRONGLY urge you to NEVER go to acquirethisname.com to acquire a name because they will, without question, rape you. <br />
<br />
The site asks me how much I'm willing to pay to get my url back; so I put in $35 (a fair premium, I think). They email me back telling me that they'll sell it to me for $3,000! <br />
<br />
Insane! $3,000 for a url that, in its heyday, got like 60 hits per day? So I sent him a very kindly worded email, informing him (Blake, his name is) that he's nuts, and that, since I made up the word "MyndFood" in the first place, it'd be WAY cheaper for me to put on my creative cap again, and make up a different word than it would be to give him three grand for his crummy url.<br />
<br />
So, my friends (if you can read this), MyndFood is dead. Which is OK. <br />
<br />
Just wanted to vent a little!PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-13582275408735827692009-09-03T21:08:00.001-07:002009-09-03T21:54:06.374-07:00Obama's Speech to Your KidsPresident Obama has planned a special speech, directed specifically toward students, to be broadcast via the Internet to schools around the country. <br /><br />As a prestigious blogger, I've been allowed an early preview of the speech, and I have to say, Obama is doing a wonderful job of reaching out to America's students. I saw the California version, which begins:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Buenos dias, estudientes. Para Ingles, marque numero uno; para Espanol, marque dos."</span><br /><br /><breeep> (the sound of the "1" button).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Good morning students. Yesterday, as you know, was Labor Day, a special holiday that we Americans celebrate in honor of the various labor unions that have made the American workplace a safe and happy place for some of your parents. The labor unions, as you know, are foundational to America's prosperity for without them, ALL of your parents would be forced to work consistently without any hope of long-term unemployment benefits. Instead, Americans all over this great land have the ability to stay home a good part of the year and live comfortably, thanks to the wonderful benefits that the labor unions have been able to extract from over-wealthy business owners.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"But I wanted to take a few moments to talk to you today about the importance of the public school system. As you know, we in the Democratic Party have made public education a priority. We have invested enormous amounts of money in your education, and we are committed to giving you the best education available in this country. And we listen to you: as you know, I ran for President last year on a platform of Change, and we are working to make the public education system even better. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"First, there are over 40 million children between the ages of 1 and 4 here in America who are not in a school. I firmly believe in education for everyone. That's why I have instructed congress to pass the "Private Helps Public" act of 2009, in which every dollar that a wealthy parent pays for tuition so that their child can attend a high-priced private school, they must donate a dollar to the "Private Helps Public" fund. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"And what will those funds be used for? You noticed that, as part of my "Change You Can Believe In" campaign, I made some promises to better the public education system. True to my word, this year, when you came back to school, things had changed. Now, EVERY student gets a free breakfast at school; EVERY student has access to either reduced price--or even free--lunches. The money we receive from the "Private Helps Public" program will go to support a student free dinner fund, so that every child in America receives three meals a day. That's the kind of change you can believe in: we here in Washington are committed to ensuring we provide you with everything you need.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"This, American students, is my great dream: a nation in which your government ensures you have three meals a day at no cost to you; that you have all the health care you need at no cost to you; that you have an apartment in which to live that costs no more than 1/4 your monthly net income; that you have a fuel efficient, new car.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"This is my dream for you. There are those who don't want you to have that dream, though. Look around you: the parents of some of your fellow students, sitting right there in that room, would like to strip away all of the positive changes we've made, and keep us from doing this great work. But it need not be that way. You have a voice; you have an untapped source of power greater than any America has ever seen (you have, after all, given the guy with the flyless, elastic waisted camoflauge pants a swirly three times already this year). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Use that power! Be a force for change! Go to my website and give us your email address; we'll forward links to free flyers you can pass out in your neighborhood. And talk to your parents; educate them. And if they refuse to listen, get them hopelessly drunk this November the night before voting.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Remember children: you are the America of tomorrow. Our hope lies in you--and so you MUST stay in public school and continue to believe in the change that we continue to bring. And soon, we will have the country we have envisioned.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Thank you, and may America be blessed."</span><br /><br />OK. So, I'm not a prestigious blogger, and I certainly haven't been given access to Obama's speech in advance, but I have a somewhat active imagination, and based on all the uproar, this is what I imagine it'll be like.<br /><br />Maybe not...who knows.<br /><br />Thing is, a few years ago, I wouldn't have cared, but as I age (and become, I think, a better parent), I realize how raw my children are. They're literally begging for someone to shape their beliefs and values. And, regardless how noble--or ignoble--our President's intentions, if we're not careful, this speech and others like it will do much to shape those raw, searching children, many of whom have no real force in their life to provide the value structure.<br /><br />And those children, a few short years from now, will project those values by way of a vote in the voting booth. <br /><br />Hitler had it right when he formed the Hitler Youth: shape them while they're young, and they'll never depart.<br /><br />The question you have to ask yourself: is this the message that I want to influence my child's value system?PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-9687571418973345862009-08-28T21:03:00.001-07:002009-08-28T21:03:50.845-07:00I Forgot to Take Out the Garbage...<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi250G4wtVkTyCFoLXcbBu-JojLJl3M8K8PzUxewNuS-93pXbCn1SZ6klc0HS4G8BEp8WxzL8YbxsPaQfut3AzXG3DTv_oB8gBuXlu0Uqw8QjNIvp7rHBfbYrM88XCkM0ni7iIUFVJKojA/s1600-h/photo-730846.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi250G4wtVkTyCFoLXcbBu-JojLJl3M8K8PzUxewNuS-93pXbCn1SZ6klc0HS4G8BEp8WxzL8YbxsPaQfut3AzXG3DTv_oB8gBuXlu0Uqw8QjNIvp7rHBfbYrM88XCkM0ni7iIUFVJKojA/s320/photo-730846.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375231588313145986" /></a></p>...and Shawna demands a ship-shape house.<p>Just kidding. I had eye surgery today. Figured those who bear me <br>affection can poke fun, those who are curious can marvel, and those <br>who dislike me can revel in my enormous discomfort.<p>It's really quite disgusting and more than a little uncomfortable...PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3437415950287200344.post-21685924963493908222009-08-22T00:47:00.000-07:002009-08-22T00:56:03.817-07:00An Old, Old Friend (well, she's not old...the friendship is though)I had quite a pleasant surprise this evening.<br /><br />I had a comment pop up in my email from Christina over at Cacoethes Scribendi, a blogger who I enjoy reading Oh, so much. <br /><br />Imagine, then, my surprise when I saw a familiar face standing with a familiar village king from the Ivory Coast. And then, just below, myself, all those years ago, holding a sign crafted (I think) by my friend, Ogre, welcoming me back to the U.S. after weeks spent traveling abroad. <br /><br />Christina was on that missions trip with me! I was dumbfounded!<br /><br />At any rate, you simply have to <a href="http://expespuella.blogspot.com/2009/08/siste-viator.html">stop over to her blog</a>, check out the pics and read her stuff! <br /><br />Good to hear from you again! Stop by again and say hi!<br /><br />(and it's kinda nice to know SOMEONE still reads this blog! Here's a test: if you still read this blog--or if you're reading this now--post me a comment; make me feel better).PJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17258618427009965643noreply@blogger.com6