Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again expecting a different result?
If only I could ignore the insanity of our government and join the masses of blissful ignorance. At least that might let me keep more hair and lower my blood pressure.
Last year we all got our little bonus check from the Federal government, ostensibly to help stimulate the economy. It didn't work. So the House, supported by the Great and Powerful OB, passed a bill to do it again.
The government decided to give 700 billion dollars to big banks and brokerage houses and insurance companies, no strings attached. The idea was that would loosen up credit to stimulate the economy. But the recipients gratefully accepted the money, salted it away in their vaults, paid out fat bonuses, took elaborate vacations, and/or bought other banks. It didn't work. So again, the Great and Powerful OB and his minions are continuing to dole out money by the billions to the same people with no change in the result.
So we move on with a trillion dollars the citizens don't have slated to satisfy a liberal Christmas wish list. Oh wait, they don't believe in Christmas; so let's just call it a general wish list. Eugenics, ACORN, Illegal Immigration, Fraudulent Global Warming pseudo scientists, windmill and solar panel boondoggles and political payback.
It takes some gall to introduce an openly fraudulent trillion dollar spending proposal labeled as an emergency plan to save the failing economy. And there seems to be nothing that can be done by the minority of the population that see what's happening but are ignored by the leftist government that ascended to power by fooling enough people.
The beginning of the 21st century dark ages is upon us.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Only Hope
for Republicans to slow down the Democrat juggernaut is to become the source of common-sense alternatives.
It's a faint hope at best. On the whole, Americans have proven themselves shallow, ignorant, and self-absorbed. Facts are easily obscured by emotional appeal with empty nonspecific promises of "change" to bring about "hope".
Then there is the media, which will continue to wield its overwhelming power to filter information to cast everything the Dems push through in the best possible light while ignoring any and all contrary facts and positions.
The last and only hope, then, is the strongest possibly Public Relations Campaign from the GOP and their supporters to counter the Obama juggernaut with a positive alternative.
Instead of saying "no" to the radical plans being railroaded through Congress under the guise of "economic stimulus", an alternative stimulus plan must be detailed and rolled out to the public with an advertising blitz.
Instead of saying "no" to government control of healthcare, develop and present details of the GOP's preferred "market-based" approach. Stop just saying "market-based", but present exactly how the GOP's plan would keep medical decisions between the patient and doctor while making access to care affordable for all.
Bypass the media in this PR blitz to point out the moral hazards already evident in the power-drunk party in power. Let the public know about radical policies being entrenched by the majority such as overturning bans on infanticide (aka late-term or partial-birth abortions), parental consent for minors seeking abortion, and eliminating all education and waiting periods imposed by states.
Unless the GOP can regain a moral high ground and demonstrate to Americans that they can introduce common-sense policies that solve problems without massive government bureaucracies, they will be irrelevant as a party for at least a generation.
It's a faint hope at best. On the whole, Americans have proven themselves shallow, ignorant, and self-absorbed. Facts are easily obscured by emotional appeal with empty nonspecific promises of "change" to bring about "hope".
Then there is the media, which will continue to wield its overwhelming power to filter information to cast everything the Dems push through in the best possible light while ignoring any and all contrary facts and positions.
The last and only hope, then, is the strongest possibly Public Relations Campaign from the GOP and their supporters to counter the Obama juggernaut with a positive alternative.
Instead of saying "no" to the radical plans being railroaded through Congress under the guise of "economic stimulus", an alternative stimulus plan must be detailed and rolled out to the public with an advertising blitz.
Instead of saying "no" to government control of healthcare, develop and present details of the GOP's preferred "market-based" approach. Stop just saying "market-based", but present exactly how the GOP's plan would keep medical decisions between the patient and doctor while making access to care affordable for all.
Bypass the media in this PR blitz to point out the moral hazards already evident in the power-drunk party in power. Let the public know about radical policies being entrenched by the majority such as overturning bans on infanticide (aka late-term or partial-birth abortions), parental consent for minors seeking abortion, and eliminating all education and waiting periods imposed by states.
Unless the GOP can regain a moral high ground and demonstrate to Americans that they can introduce common-sense policies that solve problems without massive government bureaucracies, they will be irrelevant as a party for at least a generation.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Three at a Time
The magic number 3 strikes again. 3 vehicles in the family need repair at the same time.
On the bright side, theoretically other things should improve after we get past these 3 bad ones.
We're overdue for a break, I think.
On the bright side, theoretically other things should improve after we get past these 3 bad ones.
We're overdue for a break, I think.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
How Bad?
My consulting trip this week was a shocking example of how bad the economy has tanked. Although I certainly have seen a frightening slowdown in my business and have heard and read the bad economic news every day, my trip this week provided tangible proof.
It started with my Sunday departure from Indy. Parking in the "Economy" lot at the airport, there seemed to be a relatively small number of vehicles parked. But it's a new airport where I haven't had a chance to compare, plus this is traditionally a slow travel period, so I didn't think much of it.
I have settled on my new habit of parking close to the last bus stop in the lot, which I've decided is the best strategy for getting to the terminal fastest. Of course, it takes the longest to get back to my car when I return, but that's less important. I was the only person on the bus to the terminal, which was surprising.
Then I walked to the check-in counter and found myself the only passenger there. It was eerie, almost as if I was the only customer at Northwest this particular Sunday afternoon. The agents were hanging out, talking with each other or looking bored.
Walking through the main terminal to the security checkpoint, there was a noticeably small number of people waiting for arriving passengers or sitting at the tables fiddling with their laptops. The stores and restaurants were empty aside from the workers.
Once again, I was the only person present at the security checkpoint. TSA agents were also just hanging out, shooting the breeze or looking bored. The guy checking my ticket and drivers license seemed happy to have something to do.
Walking to my gate, all the stores and restaurants were empty except for the clerks. Even Starbucks, which has had a line a the counter every time I've walked by in the past, was empty of coffee connoisseurs.
As I waited to board my flight, I noticed other flights departing with unusually small passenger loads. Strangely, my flight turned out to be the only full flight in the concourse. I'm not sure why the only full flight of the afternoon was to Minneapolis, although I overheard the people around me talking about their final destinations, which were California and Florida.
I picked up my rental car in the Avis area of the garage, seeing my name on the renter's directory list that was smaller than I'd ever seen it. There were no empty parking spaces, and I was again the only traveler driving out of the garage with my rental. I grumbled a bit to myself that with all the cars they had available, they gave me a Kia. Oh well.
I arrived at the hotel, where it seemed the only people there were the desk clerk and me. The next morning I was the only guest in the breakfast room. Nobody else came in the 30 minutes I was there.
The second night and following morning I did notice a few guests had arrived, and there were maybe a dozen guests at breakfast Tuesday morning. Which was still a small group for the size of the hotel and its dining room.
The client's office showed a continuation of the trend. About half the offices and cubicles were empty. The people I worked with were a bit demoralized, mentioning they had just done a big layoff right before I arrived. It was their second round of layoffs in 3 months.
My trip home was perhaps the most shocking. Of course, checking in my rental car at MSP took place in record time. I was the only customer returning at the time, so the Avis agent was at my door ready to check me in the minute I shifted the car into Park.
The convenient check-in on the lower level at MSP was closed for the first time in years of so many trips I've lost count. I had to go upstairs to the main check-in counter. Where I was the only passenger checking in.
Again I was the only passenger walking through security, the shops and restaurants were mostly empty, and the concourse had fewer people than I have ever seen. The flight back to Indy had a light load as well.
I know that January and February are the slowest travel months of the year. But to see the airports practically ghost towns is frightening.
Everyone I talk to recently is saying the same things. Business everywhere is in the tank. Nobody's spending money, therefore nobody's hiring or starting any new projects or investing in anything. Everyone is keeping their head down and hoping things turn around before they lose everything.
And the first substantive act of the messiah President is overturning the restrictions placed by Bush on Federal support to UN organizations providing abortions to women around the world.
That's change. But hope?
It started with my Sunday departure from Indy. Parking in the "Economy" lot at the airport, there seemed to be a relatively small number of vehicles parked. But it's a new airport where I haven't had a chance to compare, plus this is traditionally a slow travel period, so I didn't think much of it.
I have settled on my new habit of parking close to the last bus stop in the lot, which I've decided is the best strategy for getting to the terminal fastest. Of course, it takes the longest to get back to my car when I return, but that's less important. I was the only person on the bus to the terminal, which was surprising.
Then I walked to the check-in counter and found myself the only passenger there. It was eerie, almost as if I was the only customer at Northwest this particular Sunday afternoon. The agents were hanging out, talking with each other or looking bored.
Walking through the main terminal to the security checkpoint, there was a noticeably small number of people waiting for arriving passengers or sitting at the tables fiddling with their laptops. The stores and restaurants were empty aside from the workers.
Once again, I was the only person present at the security checkpoint. TSA agents were also just hanging out, shooting the breeze or looking bored. The guy checking my ticket and drivers license seemed happy to have something to do.
Walking to my gate, all the stores and restaurants were empty except for the clerks. Even Starbucks, which has had a line a the counter every time I've walked by in the past, was empty of coffee connoisseurs.
As I waited to board my flight, I noticed other flights departing with unusually small passenger loads. Strangely, my flight turned out to be the only full flight in the concourse. I'm not sure why the only full flight of the afternoon was to Minneapolis, although I overheard the people around me talking about their final destinations, which were California and Florida.
I picked up my rental car in the Avis area of the garage, seeing my name on the renter's directory list that was smaller than I'd ever seen it. There were no empty parking spaces, and I was again the only traveler driving out of the garage with my rental. I grumbled a bit to myself that with all the cars they had available, they gave me a Kia. Oh well.
I arrived at the hotel, where it seemed the only people there were the desk clerk and me. The next morning I was the only guest in the breakfast room. Nobody else came in the 30 minutes I was there.
The second night and following morning I did notice a few guests had arrived, and there were maybe a dozen guests at breakfast Tuesday morning. Which was still a small group for the size of the hotel and its dining room.
The client's office showed a continuation of the trend. About half the offices and cubicles were empty. The people I worked with were a bit demoralized, mentioning they had just done a big layoff right before I arrived. It was their second round of layoffs in 3 months.
My trip home was perhaps the most shocking. Of course, checking in my rental car at MSP took place in record time. I was the only customer returning at the time, so the Avis agent was at my door ready to check me in the minute I shifted the car into Park.
The convenient check-in on the lower level at MSP was closed for the first time in years of so many trips I've lost count. I had to go upstairs to the main check-in counter. Where I was the only passenger checking in.
Again I was the only passenger walking through security, the shops and restaurants were mostly empty, and the concourse had fewer people than I have ever seen. The flight back to Indy had a light load as well.
I know that January and February are the slowest travel months of the year. But to see the airports practically ghost towns is frightening.
Everyone I talk to recently is saying the same things. Business everywhere is in the tank. Nobody's spending money, therefore nobody's hiring or starting any new projects or investing in anything. Everyone is keeping their head down and hoping things turn around before they lose everything.
And the first substantive act of the messiah President is overturning the restrictions placed by Bush on Federal support to UN organizations providing abortions to women around the world.
That's change. But hope?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Stark Contrast
It's a lonely feeling I was expecting, which is why I did my best to avoid the news yesterday. But there is no avoiding the over-the-top giddiness of the media over the inauguration. The messiah is King, and anyone not celebrating the fact should be ashamed.
The things I noticed were the stark contrasts between previous presidential transitions and this one.
Even the leftist media have acknowledged that the efforts made by the outgoing Bush administration to transfer information and assist the incoming Obama administration in every possible way were admirable. President Bush was gracious and open, wished Obama well, and smoothed the way. George and Laura Bush exemplified class in their gracious exit into a private life. The Senate Republicans are offering little to no resistance in confirmations of Obama's cabinet, despite publicly aired ethical, legal, and competence issues with key appointees.
Contrast this with the transition of Bush into the White House replacing Bill Clinton. The Clintons reportedly were not only cool to the Republican president, but did very little to assist in the transition. Their staff famously looted the White House on their way out, stealing everything that wasn't nailed down. The Democrat Senate blocked and delayed and fought nearly every Bush appointment for apparently no reason other than spite. Appointees with the most minor past issues had to withdraw and be replaced.
Bush left with a relatively small number of pardons and clemencies, none that can be seriously challenged as self-serving or ethically questionable. The Clintons left office with a record number of pardons, with some shamelessly self-serving and quid-pro-quo (Marc Rich and FALN).
Most telling was the disrespectful behavior of the partying crowds as they mocked, booed, and chanted obscenities at the departing Bush family. Was there a single conservative singing "Na Na Na Na, Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye" at Clinton during Bush's inauguration? And that was one of the milder classless offenses by the Obama crowds.
Bush took office with hordes of Democrats hating him. Personally. Hear any hatred of Obama from the right?
Finally, a group of congresspeople including the Speaker of the House are determined to hound the Bushes and members of their administration for the foreseeable future in an endless series of investigations designed to make their lives miserable and hoped to uncover some justification for jailing them. Simply out of spite.
When called on by some conservatives to investigate the many obvious legal and ethical lapses by the Clintons, Bush declined. There was nothing to be gained, in his opinion, by investigating past corruption.
I don't hate the new president. I simply disagree with nearly every policy he has promised to implement. Even if I'm the only person left who hasn't succumbed to the national infection that is Obamamania. It's easier to understand how someone like Hitler could ascend to power in Germany. Not that Obama is another Hitler. Vladimir Lenin or Hugo Chavez maybe, but not Hitler.
The things I noticed were the stark contrasts between previous presidential transitions and this one.
Even the leftist media have acknowledged that the efforts made by the outgoing Bush administration to transfer information and assist the incoming Obama administration in every possible way were admirable. President Bush was gracious and open, wished Obama well, and smoothed the way. George and Laura Bush exemplified class in their gracious exit into a private life. The Senate Republicans are offering little to no resistance in confirmations of Obama's cabinet, despite publicly aired ethical, legal, and competence issues with key appointees.
Contrast this with the transition of Bush into the White House replacing Bill Clinton. The Clintons reportedly were not only cool to the Republican president, but did very little to assist in the transition. Their staff famously looted the White House on their way out, stealing everything that wasn't nailed down. The Democrat Senate blocked and delayed and fought nearly every Bush appointment for apparently no reason other than spite. Appointees with the most minor past issues had to withdraw and be replaced.
Bush left with a relatively small number of pardons and clemencies, none that can be seriously challenged as self-serving or ethically questionable. The Clintons left office with a record number of pardons, with some shamelessly self-serving and quid-pro-quo (Marc Rich and FALN).
Most telling was the disrespectful behavior of the partying crowds as they mocked, booed, and chanted obscenities at the departing Bush family. Was there a single conservative singing "Na Na Na Na, Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye" at Clinton during Bush's inauguration? And that was one of the milder classless offenses by the Obama crowds.
Bush took office with hordes of Democrats hating him. Personally. Hear any hatred of Obama from the right?
Finally, a group of congresspeople including the Speaker of the House are determined to hound the Bushes and members of their administration for the foreseeable future in an endless series of investigations designed to make their lives miserable and hoped to uncover some justification for jailing them. Simply out of spite.
When called on by some conservatives to investigate the many obvious legal and ethical lapses by the Clintons, Bush declined. There was nothing to be gained, in his opinion, by investigating past corruption.
I don't hate the new president. I simply disagree with nearly every policy he has promised to implement. Even if I'm the only person left who hasn't succumbed to the national infection that is Obamamania. It's easier to understand how someone like Hitler could ascend to power in Germany. Not that Obama is another Hitler. Vladimir Lenin or Hugo Chavez maybe, but not Hitler.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Post-Racial?
A side discussion that seems to be happening out there with the Obama inauguration is concerned with whether or not America has moved on from racism, or if in large part we have become a "Post-Racial" society.
So it seemed the best place to start in thinking about the whole idea was to grab the definition of racism. Here's the definition from Dictionary.com
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races
So has our society largely moved on in terms of the above definition?
Well, nobody that's taken seriously believes the first point. In fact, the level of political correctness we find ourselves in today would cause anyone expressing racial superiority for any race to be ostracized or possibly even jailed.
I'm aware of no government policy based on the first idea. In fact, there's plenty of accepted discrimination in government and big business. When it's racial it's discrimination that hires and promotes based on race where the "majority" race is the one discriminated against. Other types of discrimination happen every day against people of all races, except perhaps those given favoritism: it's considered perfectly acceptable to discriminate against smokers, overweight, unattractive, uneducated or undereducated, speech impaired, etc. But none dares discriminate against black or mixed-race individuals, at least not where such discrimination can be detected.
Hatred and intolerance is the most interesting part of the definition for me. Does anyone actually "hate" an entire race? None but perhaps the most extreme paranoids.
So, based on the above definition, I'd say we have been "post-racial" for a very long time.
I hear some continue to suggest that the mere fact that black people are statistically more likely to be poor, unemployed, and/or incarcerated is enough to prove that an invisible institutional racism is still in play.
Any reasonable analysis of the root causes of these problems in the black community would have to assume that the blame is misdirected. Although it can be said that government policies beginning with LBJ's "Great Society" either caused or exacerbated the problems in the black community just as it caused today's ongoing problems in all communities, the problem is mainly cultural.
The "Great Society" led to welfare programs that rewarded single mothers, with greater benefits based on the number of children in the home. Husbands were a detriment to getting so many benefits, including housing, food stamps, medical care, free education, and even a paycheck. So women of all races abandoned marriage and the nuclear family to get the government free ride. This devastated both black and white communities, but especially the black community.
Asians, Hispanics, Carribean Islanders, and even African immigrants arrived by the millions and found great success. People from places like Korea and India opened businesses in the black neighborhoods and found success, albeit sometimes angering some in those communities who somehow felt victimized by those entrepreneurs.
Affirmative Action and the simple attitudes of people trying to help the black community escape poverty led to companies scouring the country for qualified black candidates. But qualified candidates were hard to find, because so much of the black community rejected American Public Education as white institutions. Somehow excelling in school became akin to playing "Uncle Tom", knuckling under to some sort of oppressive system set up by some invisible white conspiracy.
Forced busing was tried, and didn't work. Now Charter Schools and Magnet Schools are popping up everywhere, but the jury's still out on their long-term prospects.
Truly there is a much greater number of successful people from the black community today than ever before. It just seems that the message hasn't fully reached the multi-generational welfare classes. Want to escape from the ghettos? Go to school, study hard, and get into college. It probably requires the strongest of wills and courage to buck the attitudes of others, but absolutely can be achieved by those willing to put forth the effort.
Unfortunately for many the "hope" and "change" promised by the new president isn't about equality, but socialism. The victimized underclass are poor not because of anything they did or failed to do, but because of some sort of national conspiracy designed to keep them poor and in the inner cities. So the answers they seek seem to revolve around new government "programs" that will simply re-emphasize the welfare state. The "change" many seem to "hope" for is ever expanding welfare checks that allow the poor oppressed to live a middle-class lifestyle without having to go to work every day.
And I promise I'm not being racist by suggesting that these may be underlying goals of many of those celebrating tomorrow's inauguration. Because those goals belong to millions of people of all races, who somehow think they will soon get free healthcare, higher wages, a nicer car, a better home, or low energy bills just because the almighty Obama will somehow make the evil capitalists stop gouging and exploiting everyone.
Such a letdown for all of those masses who believe the Obama fairy tales.
So it seemed the best place to start in thinking about the whole idea was to grab the definition of racism. Here's the definition from Dictionary.com
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races
So has our society largely moved on in terms of the above definition?
Well, nobody that's taken seriously believes the first point. In fact, the level of political correctness we find ourselves in today would cause anyone expressing racial superiority for any race to be ostracized or possibly even jailed.
I'm aware of no government policy based on the first idea. In fact, there's plenty of accepted discrimination in government and big business. When it's racial it's discrimination that hires and promotes based on race where the "majority" race is the one discriminated against. Other types of discrimination happen every day against people of all races, except perhaps those given favoritism: it's considered perfectly acceptable to discriminate against smokers, overweight, unattractive, uneducated or undereducated, speech impaired, etc. But none dares discriminate against black or mixed-race individuals, at least not where such discrimination can be detected.
Hatred and intolerance is the most interesting part of the definition for me. Does anyone actually "hate" an entire race? None but perhaps the most extreme paranoids.
So, based on the above definition, I'd say we have been "post-racial" for a very long time.
I hear some continue to suggest that the mere fact that black people are statistically more likely to be poor, unemployed, and/or incarcerated is enough to prove that an invisible institutional racism is still in play.
Any reasonable analysis of the root causes of these problems in the black community would have to assume that the blame is misdirected. Although it can be said that government policies beginning with LBJ's "Great Society" either caused or exacerbated the problems in the black community just as it caused today's ongoing problems in all communities, the problem is mainly cultural.
The "Great Society" led to welfare programs that rewarded single mothers, with greater benefits based on the number of children in the home. Husbands were a detriment to getting so many benefits, including housing, food stamps, medical care, free education, and even a paycheck. So women of all races abandoned marriage and the nuclear family to get the government free ride. This devastated both black and white communities, but especially the black community.
Asians, Hispanics, Carribean Islanders, and even African immigrants arrived by the millions and found great success. People from places like Korea and India opened businesses in the black neighborhoods and found success, albeit sometimes angering some in those communities who somehow felt victimized by those entrepreneurs.
Affirmative Action and the simple attitudes of people trying to help the black community escape poverty led to companies scouring the country for qualified black candidates. But qualified candidates were hard to find, because so much of the black community rejected American Public Education as white institutions. Somehow excelling in school became akin to playing "Uncle Tom", knuckling under to some sort of oppressive system set up by some invisible white conspiracy.
Forced busing was tried, and didn't work. Now Charter Schools and Magnet Schools are popping up everywhere, but the jury's still out on their long-term prospects.
Truly there is a much greater number of successful people from the black community today than ever before. It just seems that the message hasn't fully reached the multi-generational welfare classes. Want to escape from the ghettos? Go to school, study hard, and get into college. It probably requires the strongest of wills and courage to buck the attitudes of others, but absolutely can be achieved by those willing to put forth the effort.
Unfortunately for many the "hope" and "change" promised by the new president isn't about equality, but socialism. The victimized underclass are poor not because of anything they did or failed to do, but because of some sort of national conspiracy designed to keep them poor and in the inner cities. So the answers they seek seem to revolve around new government "programs" that will simply re-emphasize the welfare state. The "change" many seem to "hope" for is ever expanding welfare checks that allow the poor oppressed to live a middle-class lifestyle without having to go to work every day.
And I promise I'm not being racist by suggesting that these may be underlying goals of many of those celebrating tomorrow's inauguration. Because those goals belong to millions of people of all races, who somehow think they will soon get free healthcare, higher wages, a nicer car, a better home, or low energy bills just because the almighty Obama will somehow make the evil capitalists stop gouging and exploiting everyone.
Such a letdown for all of those masses who believe the Obama fairy tales.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Columbus Christian School Basketball
Today's Columbus Republic did a mid-season review of the local public high school basketball teams. Since there is no press given to the Columbus Christian School program, I thought it might be interesting to post my own mid-season review for the Crusaders.
First, the varsity roster. Pardon me if I made any errors - I'm creating this from memory.
The Crusaders are one game under .500 at mid-season, at 9 and 10. They use a small, quick lineup with a 3-guard and 2-forward offense. There are 7 players in the rotation, including starters Derek and Kyle Roth, Luke Mathis, Gavin Harvey, and Baxter Binnion. Coming off the bench are Nolan Andes and Alex Morrison. Among the rest of the roster, Tyler Schaub and Jacob Harvey see limited playing time, with the rest of the bench used rarely.
Luke Mathis is a quick, energetic player that is fun to watch and is the team's second leading scorer behind Derek Roth. Luke is often able to use his speed to create layup opportunities, force turnovers, and is the team's most prolific 3-point shooter.
Derek Roth is a powerful force in the post. When the team is able to feed him in the paint, Derek is able to score consistently, even against taller defenders.
Baxter Binnion and Kyle Roth are both quick ball-handling specialists who can both run the offense in a point guard role.
Gavin Harvey is energetic and enthusiastic, and is capable of hitting mid-range jump shots.
Alex Morrison and Nolan Andes both can provide a spark off the bench when needed. Alex has good defensive skills and can create shots in the paint, while Nolan is capable of disrupting the opponent on defense and can hit the occasional 3 point basket.
The team is close-knit and enthusiastic. They have a chance to improve their competitiveness, especially within their private school league, if they can develop some of these potentials:
Best of luck to the CCS Crusaders for the rest of the season!
First, the varsity roster. Pardon me if I made any errors - I'm creating this from memory.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Luke Mathis is a quick, energetic player that is fun to watch and is the team's second leading scorer behind Derek Roth. Luke is often able to use his speed to create layup opportunities, force turnovers, and is the team's most prolific 3-point shooter.
Derek Roth is a powerful force in the post. When the team is able to feed him in the paint, Derek is able to score consistently, even against taller defenders.
Baxter Binnion and Kyle Roth are both quick ball-handling specialists who can both run the offense in a point guard role.
Gavin Harvey is energetic and enthusiastic, and is capable of hitting mid-range jump shots.
Alex Morrison and Nolan Andes both can provide a spark off the bench when needed. Alex has good defensive skills and can create shots in the paint, while Nolan is capable of disrupting the opponent on defense and can hit the occasional 3 point basket.
The team is close-knit and enthusiastic. They have a chance to improve their competitiveness, especially within their private school league, if they can develop some of these potentials:
- Outside Shooting: Luke has been the most consistent, and Jacob Harvey is reputed to be the best outside shooter in practice, but the emergence of a consistent shooter would be a great complement to Derek's inside offense.
- Defense: The team's defense is inconsistent. Good teams are able to dribble-penetrate, draw the defense, then find an open man for an easy score a bit too often. Work on defensive fundamentals, help defense, and improved defensive schemes could improve the win/loss percentage.
- Matchups: The player rotation could be changed to better fit the lineup of the other team. Rather than always using the same rotation regardless of the opponent, a big lineup could be used against bigger teams and the smaller lineup against smaller teams. Size and talent among younger albeit less experienced players on the bench is ignored at times when some of those players could make a positive impact in certain game situations.
- Mental Attitude: There have been some close games that were lost because the Crusaders lost focus or became discouraged. Sometimes the response to such challenges is overcompensation or individuals trying to carry the team by themselves; other times the energy level is deflated when the opponent makes a run to pull ahead. The entire team must ignore real or perceived bad calls or mistakes and keep playing their game to the best of their ability. It's the coach's job to make any adjustments to the game strategy, and players should focus their energy on playing hard and avoiding mistakes rather than trying to be the hero of the game.
Best of luck to the CCS Crusaders for the rest of the season!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Interconnectedness
There is an unquestionable relationship between the health and prosperity of a society and its moral compass. It seems to be evident in the events of the past few months.
American traditional morality has been defined in lifelong committed marriages, the nuclear family, hard work, self-reliance, charity, temperance, and responsibility.
If applied within the mainstream of America, these values lead to low crime, high productivity, less poverty, and technological progress.
But a prosperous nation seems inevitably to abandon those principles, leading to America's current state.
In place of committed marriage, couples seem to treat marriage like teens treat "going steady", divorcing the moment things get rocky or a seemingly better partner appears on the scene. Extramarital sex cheapens the marital relationship and produces a whole new class of single-parent households, which are mostly stuck in permanent poverty without the benefit of the marital partnership. Then sex becomes an end unto itself, as those who sadly find their identity in their homosexual behavior.
All that has led to a quiet epidemic of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and the scourge of the "gay disease" of AIDS. Rather than promoting the traditional marriage model which practically guarantees the solution to the problems of disease and illegitimate children, the society promotes gay marriage, abortion, and tax-supported research seeking to cure these behavior-driven diseases. Anyone trying to suggest the simpler traditional cure for these ills is vilified as a bigot, homophobe, or right-wing fundamentalist extremist.
Productive people see their earnings increasingly confiscated in a direct transfer to those who are not productive. After a featherbed bureaucracy takes their very large cut, of course. The unproductive, nonworking recipients of the transfer payments feel no shame in making a living on the back of another; instead, they actually feel entitled to the meager income. Certain political officeholders delight in continuing these transfers of income, as it builds their constituencies into a dependent class that will guarantee they remain in power indefinitely.
Business owners and managers abandoned any sense of responsibility to their workforces and communities, laying off longtime employees the moment it becomes profitable to do so. Importing workers from other countries to replace American workers at a lower rate, and exporting plants and operations to poorer countries to save costs has enriched the corporate elites at the expense of the rest of America, combining with the increasing high taxes to lower the standard of living for everyone but themselves.
Wealthy trial lawyers invest in keeping friendly politicians in office who continue to expand their opportunities to sue anybody anywhere, so even the innocent find themselves paying off their legal extortionists because it costs less than dragging the case through the inefficent and increasingly unjust judicial system.
Now an incoming president promises to confiscate unprecedented amounts of money from the approximate 60 percent of citizens that actually have some to give away to the other 40 percent in the name of "economic stimulus". Instead of solving the problems of runaway medical cost, even more income will be confiscated to establish a government-controlled insurance system that addresses none of the underlying causes of the problem.
Thus the greatest country in the history of the world is destroyed.
American traditional morality has been defined in lifelong committed marriages, the nuclear family, hard work, self-reliance, charity, temperance, and responsibility.
If applied within the mainstream of America, these values lead to low crime, high productivity, less poverty, and technological progress.
But a prosperous nation seems inevitably to abandon those principles, leading to America's current state.
In place of committed marriage, couples seem to treat marriage like teens treat "going steady", divorcing the moment things get rocky or a seemingly better partner appears on the scene. Extramarital sex cheapens the marital relationship and produces a whole new class of single-parent households, which are mostly stuck in permanent poverty without the benefit of the marital partnership. Then sex becomes an end unto itself, as those who sadly find their identity in their homosexual behavior.
All that has led to a quiet epidemic of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and the scourge of the "gay disease" of AIDS. Rather than promoting the traditional marriage model which practically guarantees the solution to the problems of disease and illegitimate children, the society promotes gay marriage, abortion, and tax-supported research seeking to cure these behavior-driven diseases. Anyone trying to suggest the simpler traditional cure for these ills is vilified as a bigot, homophobe, or right-wing fundamentalist extremist.
Productive people see their earnings increasingly confiscated in a direct transfer to those who are not productive. After a featherbed bureaucracy takes their very large cut, of course. The unproductive, nonworking recipients of the transfer payments feel no shame in making a living on the back of another; instead, they actually feel entitled to the meager income. Certain political officeholders delight in continuing these transfers of income, as it builds their constituencies into a dependent class that will guarantee they remain in power indefinitely.
Business owners and managers abandoned any sense of responsibility to their workforces and communities, laying off longtime employees the moment it becomes profitable to do so. Importing workers from other countries to replace American workers at a lower rate, and exporting plants and operations to poorer countries to save costs has enriched the corporate elites at the expense of the rest of America, combining with the increasing high taxes to lower the standard of living for everyone but themselves.
Wealthy trial lawyers invest in keeping friendly politicians in office who continue to expand their opportunities to sue anybody anywhere, so even the innocent find themselves paying off their legal extortionists because it costs less than dragging the case through the inefficent and increasingly unjust judicial system.
Now an incoming president promises to confiscate unprecedented amounts of money from the approximate 60 percent of citizens that actually have some to give away to the other 40 percent in the name of "economic stimulus". Instead of solving the problems of runaway medical cost, even more income will be confiscated to establish a government-controlled insurance system that addresses none of the underlying causes of the problem.
Thus the greatest country in the history of the world is destroyed.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Holiday Hangover
The time off was very nice, making it all that more difficult to return to the real world.
Apparently the real world is now suffering mass hysteria. The insanity has gained momentum to the point I can't even begin to describe its many manifestations.
The national intelligence has apparently dropped to an all-time low. Nobody, as represented by our own congress and incoming President, seems to have the slightest clue about basic history, economics, or common sense.
Thus I watch helplessly as the inmates run the asylum. Fears of the Great Depression may be realized because of the very policies being implemented by the all-powerful Left.
I only wish I had the answer to my basic question: Are they really so insanely ignorant, or are they acting on this opportunity to destroy America as we know it so they can build their own Marxist society out of the ashes?
I can't help but suspect the latter.
Apparently the real world is now suffering mass hysteria. The insanity has gained momentum to the point I can't even begin to describe its many manifestations.
The national intelligence has apparently dropped to an all-time low. Nobody, as represented by our own congress and incoming President, seems to have the slightest clue about basic history, economics, or common sense.
Thus I watch helplessly as the inmates run the asylum. Fears of the Great Depression may be realized because of the very policies being implemented by the all-powerful Left.
I only wish I had the answer to my basic question: Are they really so insanely ignorant, or are they acting on this opportunity to destroy America as we know it so they can build their own Marxist society out of the ashes?
I can't help but suspect the latter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)