Oman Family Christmas Newsletter 2012

THE NEW AND IMPROVED OMAN FAMILY CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER 201

Where Did The Year Go?

2012 started with uncertainty but lots of hope. Ben and Melissa both graduated in May from Utah State University in Logan. He in Electrical Engineering and she in Psychology. Yea! They are done with school at least for a while. Kyle, our son in law, finished his residency in Family Practice Medicine at the University of Utah. He is now working up there. Becky is being a Mom mostly which is great, but she does some instruction in some exercise classes and works with a Care Center doing Speech Pathology work.

Ben has a business he is working on called Citygro. Check it out on the web. He is always doing stuff on the computer. Melissa is a great Mom, and works part time.

THANKSGIVING 2012

Here you have a fairly good two dimensional illustration of our family. The newest addition in Melissa’s arms is Miles Benjamin Oman, born Nov 6 at 2:23 in the afternoon. He wasn’t really sure he wanted to come but he made it. So Ben and Melissa are really experiencing life. Becky and Kyle have three youngsters represented here; they are Weston in the red, Elijah and Addie on Joyce’s lap. This photo was taken Thanksgiving Day in Ben and Melissa’s new home.

May took Joyce and Greg to DC for meetings and visits with the Utah Delegation in both houses of Congress. That has been an interesting and enjoyable experience the past two or three years. The highlight of the year for Greg at least is the fact that Joyce took up the game of golf. We got her some lessons and she was off. We have really had a fun time in the evenings after work going down and playing together. She got her first legitimate, sure enough 100% par on the 9th hole of the Bear Lake Golf Course, a par 5 no less. Greg was cheering, yelling and all around hurrahing.

In July we took another few days at Bear Lake and had our two friends from Honduras, Valeria Buitrago Wells and Marcela Buitrago Oliveira, with their husbands Steven and Davidson came up and rode the wave runners, did some swimming and all around had some great fun. Later their father Aristides came up to Salt Lake with their younger brother from Honduras and we were able to spend some time with them. Friends are great.

We didn’t do any traveling out of the country this year. I blame it on TSA. I hope this doesn’t offend anybody but TSA sucks. So changing the subject there are a lot of things going on around us. As I write this we found out one of our neighbors down the street passed away unexpectedly and suddenly early this morning. The fragility of our existence is part of life. Joycie said to me, “That’s why one should never go to bed mad.” That’s an easy rule, isn’t it?

So it is now Christmas Time all over the world, except parts of the world don’t think of it the way we do here. It isn’t important nor does it have any sentimental meaning. We love Christmas. As the years pass it gets harder in some ways because our kids are all gone. The excitement of Christmas morning is different from what it was. In some ways though, it is better. Because of the memories of great friends. When we think the places we have lived and the people who live in those places that have blessed our lives it is easy to realize our blessings.

In our married life we have lived in Centerville, UT; Berwyn, IL; Sandy, UT and now Farmington, UT. In all of those places we have lived among some of you who are the Salt of the Earth. We wish you a Merry, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Here they are, Weston holding Miles, and Elijah hugging Addie. There is never a dull moment with these guys.

Love Joyce and Greg

Thanksgiving With Family

Our day today, this Thanksgiving, was really enjoyable.  We had our children, their spouses and their children all together at the Elements Restaurant in Logan, UT.  The food was wonderful and they accommodated us in a private little room all to ourselves.  The grandkids had a great time and in the confined space their behavior was exceptional.  Our newest grandson was there, all 2 weeks and 2 days of him.

We had our Thanksgiving prayer together and really enjoyed the familiar atmosphere.  Later we visited my younger brother and his family.  Our parents were there with them.  They have a new daughter in law and the couple seems happy and extremely dedicated to one another.  We had a wonderful day and all of us hope yours was too.

Urban Coccoon

I came across this link via Instapundit.  (Where would we be without Glenn Reynolds?)  It is from Forbes Magazine.  Why Urban vs Rural?  This may give a piece to the puzzle.

Miles Made It

We received a text from our son Ben early this morning indicating that his wife Melissa was going to bring a new child in the world.  We made it up to the hospital an hour away just in time to hear the little cries of our newest grandchild.  It was a poignant and wonderful time for us all.  Miles Benjamin Oman is the name that have picked out.  He was 7 lbs 11 oz and 19 inches in length with some fairly impressive hands.

I looked at my son look at his son and saw the tears slowly making their way down his cheeks.  I grabbed him shortly after and told him that he now knows how I felt when he was born.  He just couldn't stop smiling.   The mother is doing fine and we have high hopes for good health and much happiness for them all.

Although we may not reach the same number of grandchildren as many of you our friends, what we cannot reach in quantity we make up and surpass all the rest in quality.  Cheers to you all.

A History Lesson at Work

I had a man in my office today to whom I have had the privilege to provide my professional services for more than two decades.  He is a native Norwegian.  He was born in 1929.  For some reason it came to my mind to ask him when he was born.  He told me and then I asked if he was there during the early 1940's when the Nazi's invaded Norway.  He said he was a young boy then, an early teenager and he remembers it vividly.  He related an incident when the German army was throwing anti aircraft fire at bombers coming from England.  He said that sometimes they would fall to the earth and then explode.  One night, it was 1 AM and there was tremendous noise during a bombing raid and suddenly there was a big explosion across the street.  He said a lovely family lived there, but fortunately they had left for the country leaving an older gentleman there.  The explosion killed him.  But he went on to say that he thought that he was going to die for sure that night.  Then he said the worst thing was the Gestapo.  They were brutal; they would rape the women and torture the men.  But, he said he remembered the everyday, run of the mill German soldier as nice people who were there because they had to be.

Recently this man's wife has suffered a stroke and she requires his help.  The greatest thing he said during his visit today was that "she is my first priority".  And so it is and should be.  Later that afternoon I kind of said to my staff members who were listening to his stories.  "Quite a history lesson, huh?"  They all said they couldn't imagine living through something like that.

Two Graphic Budget Links

From the inestimable Iowahawk the inflow problem.  And the inflow and outflow problem. Admittedly this is a simple example, it does not get down to all the nitty gritty minutiae, but we don't have to in order to get the picture.

In The Reredorter at Abravanel Hall

We had the chance to attend the Utah Symphony performance last night.  It was Rachmaninoff and it was wonderful.  Prior to the performance I was in need of using the facility.  Walking in I approached the area dedicated to the males of our species to relieve renal byproduct.  As you can imagine there were already others participating in that delicate activity.  As I passed behind one man he was proudly, I assume proudly because he did not appear shy in the least, discharging methanic pressure in a loud, unabashed manner.  There was no delicacy here, take my word for it.  I suppose he fancied himself challenging the big brass bass player.  Frankly, I hadn't experience such a performance in such a place in such a manner before.  I am not sure, but I think the pitch of the notes were about a D in the bass cleff.  The whole performance would have demanded an encore if there had been 12 year old Boy Scouts there.  We mature symphony goers didn't even snicker.

Someone's Point of View On Mitt Romney

I saw this on a Forbes posting regarding a NY Times articles concerning President Obama.  The following was a reply to the article.  Here is the link.


Twister 12 hours ago

Helen –
You’re arguing mere semantics. The President’s job title may not say “CEO” but he needs to “lead” LIKE a CEO needs to “lead” (the emphasis being on “leadership” and NOT on the specific duties). Now, rebut this, please….27 qualifications Romney has to lead America back to greatness and prosperity. Verify it yourself from multiple, independent sources like I did.
ROMNEY:
- Graduated with “University Honors” from BYU (also known as “Highest Honors”, their most prestigious from of recognition, somewhat equivalent to valedictorian) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English; he’s not just a numbers guy
- Master’s degree in Business (Harvard, a Baker’s scholar: top 5% of business students)
- Master’s degree in Law (Harvard, graduated Cum Laude / with Honors, top 1/3)
- Earned both master’s degrees (business AND law) at Harvard University simultaneously (Could you do that? I couldn’t.)
- Enormously successful in private business and now worth between $200 and $250 million (compare this to Obama and many of Obama’s closest advisers who have never had to turn a profit or go hungry, and, no, don’t whine about workers Romney let go when taking over a company while at Bain Capital because you’d be forgetting to look at: A) the fact that Bain was INVITED by the companies to have Bain invest in them; there were no “hostile takeovers” by Bain Capital and B) the workers’ jobs Romney saved by saving a dying company and C) the jobs he created after those struggling companies were turned around and started to grow again)
- Gave away his inheritance in 1998 to start / help fund the “George W. Romney Institute of Public Management” at BYU (his father, George Romney, died in 1995)
- As head of the 2002 Winter Olympics (Salt Lake City) turned a potential loss (-$379M shortfall) into one of the few profit-earning Olympic games (+$100M profit)
- Donated his entire Olympics salary and severance package ($1.4M) to charity
- Put aside partisanship prejudices/trash-talk by successfully campaigning/winning the governor’s seat (2003 – 2007) as a Republican in a heavily Democrat-controlled state LONG before Scott Brown
- While governor of Massachusetts, at HIS request, served the people of MA at the salary of $1/year (that’s right, ONE DOLLAR)
- Previous executive leadership experience as a state governor, including Massachusetts’ Commander In Chief of state military forces (Yes, a state governor is legally the Commander In Chief of that state’s National Guard forces unless those troops are called to active-duty by the President)
- Turned Massachusetts’ budget from red to black while governor (- $3.0B to +$2.16B; that’s “billion” with a “B”)
- Cut taxes 19 times as Massachusetts governor (that’s not a typo, NINETEEN)
- As MA governor, developed a plan that would make deadbeats pay for their own health care (you may not like the MA health care law but that’s what it’s sole purpose was. Still don’t like it because of the mandate? Don’t move to MA.) (BTW, how would YOU have solved the MA healthcare free-loader problem and how would you have done it with an overwhelmingly Democrat-controlled state legislature like Romney had to work with?)
- “Service over self”. Romney endorsed McCain only 2 days after ‘Super Tuesday’ in 2008 when it became obvious McCain was the clear front-runner; America is more important to him than his ego
- Volunteer service to community as a church head pastor for 13 years all with ZERO pay (that’s right, none); 5 years as a “bishop” and 8 years as a “stake president”
- Would give ALL his Presidential salary ($1.6 million total) back to the American taxpayers if elected (yes, he’s on record as committing to this)
- Voluntarily turned down enrolling in Medicare when he turned 65 on March 12, 2012
(in other words, he’s NOT sucking up our precious tax dollars because he knows he can, and therefore should, take care of himself)
- He also chose to NOT receive any Social Security payments upon turning 65 because, again, he knows he can take care of himself and therefore should not rely on our tax dollars to help fund his daily living
- Looks, talks and acts “Presidential”
- Understands commitment (never divorced, in a loving 43 year marriage)
- Understands morality (never had an affair)
- Understands family (5 kids, all successful adults)
- Willing to let all of America see his birth certificate without a fight
- Released his most recent filed tax records (2010) proving he’s not a tax cheat (the IRS has no problem with his filed taxes), with more tax records (2011) promised to be released before the election
- He’s pledged (repeatedly) that he’ll repeal Obamacare.
- And finally…..he’s N-O-T Obama
P.S. – If all one can say about a candidate is that they are a member of “X” church and ignore the talents and character of the person, that person does not deserve the privilege of voting.

Links to some stuff (To Be Updated)

The housing bubble and the causes are complex but the basic underlying cause was the incredible number of loans that were defaulted.  They were made to people who generally would not qualify.  The banks problem?  This didn't help.

Dennis Prager emphatically talks of the American trinity and the state of Americanism here.

Hard choices vs easy choices.  Here is one guy's opinion on the choices the President has made.

This one here seems to smack of voter suppression.

Foreign Policy?  Obama is Carter?

There is this,  It is all over.

Peggy Noonan via Hugh Hewitt

I read this at www.hughhewitt.com by Peggy Noonan:

One good thing about good parents these days is they always look tired.  A lot have hard lives--two jobs, different shifts, helping with homework, cleaning the house.  But they also have the exhausted look of hypervigilance.

Once parents could take a break at night, park the kids in front of the TV and let the culture baby-sit.  Not anymore.  Our culture, they know, is their foe.  The culture brings sick into the room.  They have to guard against it, be hyper vigilant: "Put that off!"  "I don't care if your friends are going, we're not."

It's a wonder they don't revolt.

I wish I could have said it as succinct and clearly.

You See Stuff If You Look For It

I was driving through Bountiful, UT today during my lunch hour heading for the Subway.  I arrived at the intersection of 5th South and 2nd West.  Much to my surprise, a guy on a horse crossed 5th South heading towards the South.  I imagine 120 years ago that was a fairly common sight at the spot but it sure was odd today.  He looked good though.  It appeared he had Wrangler jeans on, a cowboy shirt, cowboy hat.  I looked around and all kinds of people were taking pictures with their phones.  I couldn't because I had to drive.

Next I was sitting in Subway and this little kid was laughing so hard in the booth across from me he kind of rolled on the floor laughing.  Well, an elderly man behind him turned and noticed this chap on the floor.  He said, "Get up off the floor and act like a gentleman."  The kid got up and was still kind of goofing around like a kid does and the old fellow turned and sort of flipped him in the head.  The kid got some watery eyes and called the old man Grandpa.  Well, I guess that is one Grandpa you don't mess around with.

Finally, I stopped quickly at a used book store and as I was entering I noticed a young lady walking away from me.  Everything about here was quite acceptable to the eye; nothing wrong with her morphology.  But she was wearing these boots, with high heels and as she walked I swear she looked like a wounded giraffe or something.  For the life of me I cannot reconcile that in my mind--females and fashion.

A Week of Independence Thought

I came across a speech by President Calvin Coolidge on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  You can read the entire thing right here.  Near the end I read this:

Under a system of popular government there will always be those who will seek for political preferment by clamoring for reform.  While there is very little of this which is not sincere, there is a large portion that is not well informed.  In my opinion very little of just criticism can attach to the theories and principles of our institutions.  There is far more danger of harm than there is hope of good in any radical changes.  We do need a better understanding and comprehension of them and a better knowledge of the foundations of government in general.  Our forefathers came to certain conclusions and decided upon certain courses of action which have been a great blessing to the world. Before we can understand their conclusions we must go back and review the course which they followed.  We must think the thoughts which they thought.  Their intellectual life centered around the meeting-house.  They were intent upon religious worship.  While there were always among them men of deep learning, and later those who had comparatively large possessions, the mind of the people was not so much engrossed in how much they knew, or how much that had, as in how they were going to live  While scantily provided with other literature, there was a wide acquaintance with the Scriptures.  Over a period as great as that which measures the existence of our Independence they were subject to this discipline not only in their religious life and educational training, but also in their political thought.  They were a people who came under the influence of a great spiritual development and acquired a great moral power.


No other theory is adequate to explain or comprehend the Declaration of Independence.  It is a product of the spiritual insight of the people.  We live in an age of science and of abounding accumulation of material things.  These did not create our Declaration.  Our Declaration created them.


Read the whole thing.  It is worth the 10 or so minutes it takes.

The Declaration of Independence

The text of the Declaration can be found here.  I want to encourage all of you to read the text and think about it a little on this 4th of July.  One day I was wondering what to do in my study.  I decided to get a copy of the Declaration and the Constitution and hang them up as a daily reminder of the origins of the republic and our charge to keep it.  I hope your 4th is a great day and a safe day for all of you and your families.

Political Glossary

Thomas Sowell has the enviable ability to explain concepts so clearly and simply it is simply impossible to not understand what he is saying.  This series of four articles from Townhall magazine explains some of the words we will be hearing in the upcoming political campaign.  The first can be found here.  The second here.  The third here.  The fourth and last is here.

Another Dred Scott?

When I first heard of the 5-4 decision on the Affordable Care Act my first thought was this could go down as one of the worst decisions ever to come out of the Supreme Court.  I thought is could be another Dred Scott decision.  I hope it is because Dred Scott was overturned.  I read this today and it took me back to my time living in Mexico.  There were two types of medical care.  The kind for regular folks like you and me which was full of pain, delay, shoddy care and corruption, and the kind for the folks with money who basically paid cash for their care.

I can see that happening here.  Physicians could decide to do a cash business, pay as you are treated.  Fees for services would probably drop precipitously and you could see a doctor within a day or two if you needed to.  There might even be private emergency rooms where you could go for treatment and receive instantaneous care.  I hope somebody looks at this again and comes to their senses.

Lloyd Marcus Comes Through Again

I often read Lloyd Marcus' blogs on American Thinker.  I find him thoughtful and sincere.  This post is an expression of what many think concerning the topic.

The Price

http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/25/as-memorial-day-nears-a-single-image-that-continues-to-haunt/

Memorial Day

I was thinking of Memorial Day and the weekend attached to it.  My thoughts went immediately on the lives of my grandparents who all have passed on some time ago.  I have many great memories of them and the experiences we had together.  I also have many friends and acquaintances who have suffered disease and accident that have taken their lives.

The real purpose for the consecration of this day is to ponder those who have fought for our liberty.  At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, looking out on Arlington certainly is most poignant.  Other military cemeteries I have visited give the same result, a profound feeling of indebtedness for those who paid far more than I have.

My nephew is now flying Blackhawks in Afghanistan and we are full of hope that he will be safe, as well as all the other military who are serving there and around the world.  Memorial Day?  The Warriors of Liberty and our ancestors are those we ought to ponder; at least from time to time this weekend.

The Flowers Are Starting to Really Talk

Our gardens have really started blooming the last couple of weeks.  We have planted a few things but the perennials we have had for some years have matured and are really doing their job.  Looking out the windows while dining is quite a treat.

John Wayne on Liberalism

I came across this quite by accident.  This interview was done in 1975.  Sounds quite prescient.

White Guilt

I came across this little book the other day and to tell you the truth I don't know how.  But I read it today.  It is 180 pages of fascinating light thrown on a subject I have wondered about from my observations of life and people.  As I examine diversity and multiculturalism and all the PC stuff that is a part of life now I feel it has been much more destructive in human relations than anything I have seen or experienced.  This book White Guilt:  How Blacks and Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era by Shelby Steele is worth your time.  He talks of dissociation and the loss of moral authority because of conscious decisions that came about between the races and was inculcated in just about ever venue of life.  Read it.  Think about it.

Donors now "threatened" by IRS, Justice Dept

I noticed this story (Take a look for yourself.)  and wondered why a political campaign could threaten donors to somebody on the other side.

Churchill on Buffett

Thanks to Steve Hayward on Powerlineblog.com for this:

Churchill on the Buffett Rule

Since I was a couple days late with last week’s helping of Winston, I might as well do this week’s a day or two early, especially since I was reading the source material for this one just this morning—WSC’s 1937 essay about Franklin Roosevelt.  Obama (and Buffett the Buffoon) ought to read this warning, one of several, that Churchill offered about the New Deal:

A second danger to President Roosevelt’s valiant and heroic experiments seems to arise from the disposition to hunt down rich men as if they were noxious beasts.  It is a very attractive sport, and once it gets started quite a lot of people everywhere are found ready to join in the chase.  Moreover, the quarry is at once swift and crafty, and therefore elusive.  The pursuit is long and exciting, and everyone’s blood is infected with its ardour.  The question arises whether the general well-being of the masses of the community will be advanced by an excessive indulgence in this amusement.  The millionaire or multi-millionaire is a highly economic animal.  He sucks up with sponge-like efficiency money from all quarters.  In this process, far from depriving ordinary people of their earnings, he launches enterprise and carries it through, raises values, and he expands that credit without which on a vast scale no fuller economic life can be opened to the millions.  To hunt wealth is not to capture commonwealth.
This money-gathering, credit-producing animal can not only walk—he can run.  And when frightened he can fly.  If his wings are clipped, he can dive or crawl.  When in the end he is hunted down, what is left but a very ordinary individual apologizing volubly for his mistakes, and particularly for not having been able to get away?
But meanwhile great constructions have crumbled to the ground.  Confidence is shaken and enterprise chilled, and the unemployed queue up at the soup kitchen or march out upon the public works with ever-growing expense to the taxpayer and nothing more appetizing to take home to their families than the leg or the wing of what was once a millionaire.  One quite sees that people who have got interested in this fight will not accept such arguments against their sport.  What they will have to accept is the consequences of ignoring such arguments.  It is indispensible to the wealth of nations and to the wage and life standards of labour, that capital and credit should be honoured and cherished partners in the economic system.
If this is rejected there is always, of course, the Russian alternative.  But no one can suppose that the self-reliant population of the United States, which cut down the forests and ploughed up the soil and laced the continent with railways, and carried the wealth-getting and wealth-diffusing to a higher point than has ever been reached by mankind, would be content for a week with the dull brutish servitude of Russia.

Human Animal

I pretty much do all the human animal stuff that is described in this video. I believe that the human animal stuff can be a part of either a man or a woman. It's trying to figure it out and not do it at the wrong time that seems to be the trick.

Coming Apart

A couple of months ago I read Charles Murray's new book Coming Apart. I doubt there will be a more important book published this year. You can view an interview of the author here. It is well worth one's time to watch this. It might help you figure out what is going on.

Afghanistan and Texas and Two Sons

I meet a lot of people in my line of work. I always say that behind every door there is a story. A man came in with a dental problem. During the course of the visit we covered a lot of ground. I asked about his son who is serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas. The missionary is assigned to work with Spanish speaking people. The area he is in has an LDS ward. Virtually the entire membership including the local leadership (the ward Bishop and other leaders) are in the United States illegally. We had quite a discussion on that, coming to common ground that the border needs to be secured first. His position was that the illegals here, contributing and living their lives should not be deported back to Mexico. I have to agree with that because I don't know how it could be done, and many have fled Mexico to get away from the drug wars while looking for a better life. I added the caveat that anyone here illegally who has been arrested and convicted of a crime must be deported and not allowed back. He understood that and agreed with it.

We then turned to his other son. He is an Army vet, Ranger qualified and served in Afghanistan. While on patrol one of his team stepped on and IED. The resulting explosion took the right arm off of this man's son. He has endured about 20 surgeries to develop some muscle to attach a prosthesis. He has had muscle transplanted from the latissimus dorsi to just below his shoulder. He is in pain that barely diminishes even with the continual use of oxycontin which he has become physiologically and psychologically dependent on.

He talked of the ridiculous rules of engagement our Armed Forces are being forced to follow. They are limited when and how they can use force, thus placing them in more jeopardy. He wondered what our mission was there. If it was to get Bin Laden, well, we're done he explained and we need to bring everyone home. He said he asked one of our US Senators that question at a Town Hall meeting. The Senator said the mission was to keep Afghanistan as stable as possible so Pakistan does not fall with their nuclear arsenal. I listened mostly. But I did say that people either live in Liberty, Tyrany or Chaos. That is the cultural and governmental state of countries. The people in Afghanistan have mostly existed for centuries in Chaos. When looking at these countries as a whole they are use to Tyranny or Chaos, they cannot morph into a culture of Liberty. It just is not possible. I could see the moisture building up in this father's eyes as he talked of his sons. He had hope and happiness while taking of the boy in Texas, but was desperate talking of his son who had been to Afghanistan.

I have a nephew who leaves this Saturday to prepare to go over for his 2nd tour in Afghanistan, having also served a tour in Iraq.

Nightmares and Burgers

Today we went up to the University of Utah's Kingsbury Hall and saw a children's theater production of Nightmare in My Closet. My two grandsons enjoyed it. It was cute. Afterwards we frequented Hire's Big H in SLC on 4th South and 700 East. More enjoyable than the food was observing the family next to us. Three cute teen age daughters, a younger son and the mom and dad. The mother had this porcelain white skin, the father olive skin. What was fascinating was watching the back and forth in conversation between all of them. There were no cell phones out, nothing like that. I don't know about you but I enjoy watching people, looking at parents and their children, seeing the genetics passed on from one child to the other. Two of the girls had the same white skin of their mother and the middle girl had olive skin with her mother's face. I'll never see this family again but really enjoyed sitting next to them.

Hell's Angels Anyone?

Here is a collection of photos taken by a photographer for Life Magazine in 1965. They have never been published.

Stiff

I am not terribly squeamish when it comes to the human body. Unless of course it is my body with blood coming out of it or suffering some kind of pain. We all have an understanding that eventually all living things on this planet eventually go through the unavoidable gate we call death.

I was introduced to this book Stiff by Mary Roach via a friend. It was published some years ago but is still a fresh examination of the many different ways a human being experiences life (can I say that?) after he or she dies.

It talks of medical research, education, forensics, death facts and fables, ancient practices with the dead, new ways of handling the deceased and all at times in an amusing and entertaining way. Would you like to be fertilizer for and apple tree. This books explains the easiest and best way to do that. I recommend this book and give it at least 3 out of 4 stars.

Odds and Ends

Via Instapundit. 1937 advice on wives and how they should get ready for bed is visibly displayed here. It is pretty interesting.

Along those lines there is this. "Why does a woman always want to change a man?"--Rooster Cogburn.

Update: Vox Day throws this out too. Maybe the eternal ethos and pathos of man and woman will always exist, one way or another.

Critical Race Theory

I watched a clip of Joel Pollak being interviewed on CNN by Soledad O'Brien. They discussed a clip released by Breitbart.com with Barack Obama as a law student talking about Derrick Bell. It relates to something that I, frankly, had never heard of--critical race theory. This gives a pretty good synopsis for the lay person.

Cold Day In....Promontory

We spent yesterday up near the Golden Spike National Historic Site. My daughter in law Melissa has a rather active family. Her uncle Tom and his friend Cort, her Dad and brother, a friend, and she, Ben, Joyce and I drove out to Promontory to shoot guns. They had ATV's but it was a cold, windy day as you can see from our attire so they weren't used much. Joyce is trying her luck shooting the clay discs with a 20 gauge shotgun as is Ben. We later took out the Glock 19 and the Springfield .45 and tried to hit discs from 45 yards. That was a waste of ammunition but it was fun. Some of the other weapons included a black powder muzzle loader, a little .22 Baretta, I had my 12 gauge and hit more targets than I ever have.

The best way to finish a day like this would probably be to head back home to Farmington through Brigham City's Main Street, reminiscing of the years I spent there visiting my grandparents and then stopping in Perry at Maddox for a late afternoon lunch. So we did.

Character and Romney

I have read a lot the past couple of days about character; the character in candidates. Particularly that Mitt Romney is lacking in character. Full disclosure—I have never met Romney. I am a Mormon. Hopefully, what I say may help others who are not Mormon understand a little of the character that I believe Gov. Romney has. (I admit also that I am still evaluating the candidates and am not settled on Gov. Romney as the one I think should be the nominee)

Mitt Romney served as a Stake President for a number of years. He was the one called to preside over a collection of congregations, usually 6 or more. He was involved in many different areas that demonstrate character above and beyond the norm. He dealt with members of his stake in confessions as part of the repentance process. He helped with circumstances dealing with welfare and the needy on a very personal level. He prayed and fasted many times for and with the members of his Stake. Believe me that he was involved in a deep and committed level with many people. As a Stake President he interviewed hundreds of members of his stake in many different connections ranging from extending callings to serving in positions and signing recommends allowing them entrance into the Church’s Temples.

Mr. Romney served as a missionary in France. He lived for some time in humble circumstances. During this time of service he knocked on doors, talked to people and bore his feelings and his soul as it pertained to Christ’s teachings. France, being a very secular and un-religious place then and now, must have been a veritable desert as far as teaching opportunities. It was undoubtedly a difficult mission and took patience, devotion and faith to fulfill it.

Gov. Romney has made covenants that guide his life. These are made at baptism and also in the Holy Temple. These covenants are binding commitments of obedience to God’s laws, Sacrificing, Living the Golden Rule, living a moral and pure life and consecrating all that God blesses you with to building up His Kingdom and being a blessing in the lives of His children. Overarching these is the covenant of Marriage he made with his wife.

There has been some comment made in a mocking manner by Chuckie Blow of the New York Times relating to an object of clothing that one wears after participating in Temple ceremonies. It is not “magic”. It is sacred. Its sole purpose is to act as a constant reminder of the covenants made.

Gov. Romney’s character can also be displayed by analyzing his family. He is devoted to his wife who has her own hardships to bear. Looking at a picture of his children, their spouses and their children, one wonders what kind of place it would be to live with families like that in your neighborhood. They love each other and are devoted. I have all kinds of families like that living around me. Yes they have challenges and problems but it is an amazing thing to be a part of. And no, it doesn't happen that way because of great wealth, just true commitment to their faith.

Character? Some many criticize him for not having character, but I assure you, he has character; a lot of character and capacity. He has plenty of character to serve as the President of the United States. Character? You have got to be kidding!

The Pill and Faith

I was fascinated to watch the birth control tango the past couple of weeks. Tying this to George "Stephy" Stephanopoulos and his question to Mitt Romney in a debate several weeks back is an interesting aside.

I hear everyone say that this is about womens' health. I am all for womens' health. When a woman feels good, the man feels good, the kids feel good, the world feels good. So it is with no small sense of confusion when I hear that the "right" to contraceptives, abortifacients and other birth control or birth cessation medicaments and treatments should be able to be purchased easily, through insurance, by anyone who desires them, with no copayment. Maybe they ought to just be OTC.

My entire life I thought pregnancy was a physiological condition caused by determined actions of at least two people of opposing genders. I never, ever considered it a pathology. Pregnancy isn't a disease. That is not to say gestational complications do not occur, in fact they do. I freely admit and understand from observation that the woman walks through the valley of the shadow of death. But by and large the course of a pregnancy is a physiological condition, that for the vast majority experiencing it is inconvenient, uncomfortable but leads to the birth of another human being. And except for rare occasions the condition is caused by voluntary, free will behavior.

So if this is REALLY a women's health issue I can only figure that it is caused by some recently discovered virus. I know UV exposure is not good for your skin, but maybe there is a virus that causes another UV condition--Uncontrollable Vagina. Evidently, it afflicts a great portion of the populace, and it must grasp unsuspecting penises, extracting biological procreative material, sending it willy nilly up the Fallopian tubes, colliding with an ovum, causing uterine implantation and, voila the start of another human being. If it wasn't so widespread then this drastic State intervention would not be necessary.

I imagine any human infected with this UV virus probably has no capacity to control themselves. It must cause some irresistible urge that affects the woman and pheromones then are produced which cause the same illicit behavior in the dude. The more one thinks of this there is no way around it. This type of human behavior is totally unavoidable, and to think that it ought to be restrained until marriage is unthinkable; how archaic! I guess if you have the UV virus there is nothing you can do. I suppose guys get a virus too, it must be the UP virus--Uncontrollable Penis.

I have never observed either condition in any of my patients (I fix teeth) and I usually see my clients when the sun is up. Maybe, the UV light from the sun affects the UV virus, and it can only replicate and infect or modify the human behavior at night. I doubt UV light affects the UP virus. Who knows?

From my way of thinking, if contraceptives are a womens' health issue, and should be acquired freely with no copayment, does that mean all medications used by women should have no copayment? I wonder. What if the UV condition leads to syphilis and antibiotics are needed? That certainly is a health issue and I cannot imagine not linking these two conditions, hence, no copayment should be required, but on my medical plan there is a copayment for all medications so contraceptives would be in a special class, hence a form of discrimination. Most probably the majority of people who are on medical plans with small businesses have the same requirements.

What about the adoption copayment? I know a lot of folks who want to adopt a child, but their copayment is in the tens of thousands of dollars. I mean, shucks, they are taking the little urchin off the hands of the pregnant woman who will not have the burden of raising the child. That alone is worth a 100 grand in savings to the woman in costs that are incumbent in raising a child that she will not have to pay. I think adoption should have no "copayment" either. It ought to be nearly free of charge. But, if the pregnancy is aborted that option is out obviously.

I always hear the Church and State argument as a reason for complete spiritual enucleation from all activities that have the slightest connection to the State. So, in my mind I wonder, how can the State dictate to the Church requirements that cause the Church to break their covenants and ties to their Doctrine, which they consider sacred? There is no separation there. This argument by the State that the insurance companies will pay for it is...Nonsense. The Church will directly be forced to pay it with higher insurance premiums. The Church doesn't force people to be employed in its schools, hospitals and charitable enterprises. They can go other places to work. In my mind though it isn't just the dictatorial attitude towards the Church. Why should governmenta be able to dictate this to insurance carriers? Because they can? It seems to me if it is desired, insurance companies will make them easy to get as a benefit and a reason to buy their product.

I wonder if the Administration has the foggiest idea what real life is like. The Leviathan is running amok. This dictate coming down is about control of institutions that the State does not like. It is not about women's health. This is not about disease, pathology or life. It is about controlling institutions and then controlling individuals.

So as the game starts drawing to a close, I kind of wish Dandy Don were here to sing for us again--"Turn out the lights, the party's over."

They Say the Economy is Improving

Being a self employed health care provider I would have to say that I do not see much of an economic improvement. This blurb here has what appear to be some pretty good links to data on some basic questions.

Hayek on Utopia

This is a good synopsis by F. A. Hayek on Utopia, Socialism and Communism.

And add this from Allen West.

This from Rick Santelli. It is the New Math.

And this from Mark Steyn, Now you should be all relaxed, ready for bed.

Poor Redux

With all the talk of fairness and social justice I think it is smart to at least consider this post on Poverty in America.

Where Are We?

Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand

Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!

Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!

Then conquer me must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is Our Trust!"

I was thinking of these words this morning along with E Pluribus Unum, Liberty, and In God We Trust. I wonder how many others consider these three thoughts important or if the Great American Experiment is important enough to not let it die off into a world of darkness and despair?

This Is What Happens With A One Year Old

Today my daughter and her family dropped by for dinner. As Grandparents we do our best to spoil the kids. This is our granddaughter Addie and she wants to have the same thing everybody else is having. Here is the result of putting a Fat Boy Ice Cream Sandwich in her hand.

Disparity by Sowell

I have tended to enjoy the writings of the incomparable Thomas Sowell. This post explains in few words what nobody wants to talk about but is an inviolable fact of life.

Are the Candidates Really Crummy?

Selwyn Duke in his post at The American Thinker posits that the field is really way above average. Read it here.

My 2011 Reading List

I often am asked what I have been reading lately. I offer here a list of most of the books I was able to read this past year. If anything looks palatable, well, enjoy.

Righteous Indignation by Andrew Breitbart ♥♥♥♥

Fat Politics: The Real Story Behind Americanʼs Obesity♥♥♥♥

The Greatest Game Ever Pitched by Jim Kaplan ♥♥♥

Charlie Wilsonʼs War by George Crile ♥♥♥

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis ♥♥1/2

Epidemic by J. Eric Oliver ♥♥♥♥

56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number In Sports by Kostya Kennedy ♥♥♥

NeverEnough by WilliamVoegel ♥♥

The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History by Thomas E. Woods, Jr. ♥♥♥

Affirmative Action Around the World by Thomas Sowell ♥♥♥

Are the Rich Necessary by Hunter Lewis ♥♥♥

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Socialism by Kevin Williamson ♥♥♥

The Global Warming Deception by Grant R. Jeffery ♥♥

Manning Up: How the Rise of Women has Turned Men into Boys by Kay S. Hymowitz ♥♥♥♥

The Sex Industrial Complex by John Harmer and James Smith ♥♥♥

Why We Get Fat And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes ♥♥♥♥

Where Keynes Went Wrong by Hunter Lewis ♥♥1/2

MacArthurʼs Undercover War by William B. Breuer♥♥♥

Menace in Europe by Claire Berlinski ♥♥♥

Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan by Del Quentin Wilber ♥♥♥♥

Charlie Finley by G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius ♥♥1/2

Please Enroll Responsibly by Lee Doren ♥♥♥

Sgt. Rock: Last Warrior Standing by Rocky Olson ♥♥♥

After America by Mark Steyn ♥♥♥♥

The Secret Knowledge by David Mamet ♥♥♥♥

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell ♥♥♥1/2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J. K. Rowling ♥♥♥

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer ♥♥1/2

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science by Tom Bethell ♥♥♥

Saved by Her Enemy by Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak ♥♥1/2

Your Teacher Said What?! by Joe Kernen and Blake Kernen ♥♥♥

Economic Facts and Fallacies by Thomas Sowell ♥♥♥♥

Left Turn by Tim Groseclose ♥♥♥♥

Demonic by Ann Coulter ♥♥1/2

Of Thee I Zing by Laura Ingraham ♥♥1/2

Perelandra by C.S. Lewis ♥♥

Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis ♥♥

The Politically Incorrect Guide to The Sixties by Jonathan Leaf ♥♥♥

The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge by Calvin Coolidge ♥♥♥♥

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans ♥♥

Stealing You Blind: How Government Fat Cats Are Getting Rich Off Of You by Ian Murray ♥♥♥

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell ♥♥♥

In My Time by Dick Cheney ♥♥1/2

Scorpions For Breakfast by Jan Brewer ♥♥

The Delinquent Teenager by Donna Laframboise ♥♥♥

Throw Them All Out by Peter Schweizer ♥♥♥♥

Lost In Transition: The Dark Side of Emerging Adulthood by Christian Smith, et al ♥♥♥

The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Middle East by Martin Sieff ♥♥♥1/2

The Affair by Lee Child ♥♥♥♥

American History in Black & White by David Barton ♥♥♥♥

A Steynian Buffet

This guy is smarter than Al Gore and I think what he says should be considered.

Here you can feast on the highlights of Mark Steyn, 2011 edition.