This morning

Does anyone know what it is like to wake up to the sound of someone playing the triangle? You might be wondering what I am referring to, well it would be one of my children eating cereal. Apparently it is impossible for them to perform this task without hitting the bowl with the spoon. Honestly, this is not a difficult task. Some mornings it is even better. The boy for some reason cannot figure out how to comb his hair. Why are the simple tasks so damn hard? Zip it dad, no one wants to hear how I was.

Here is another thing. Can anyone explain to me why when my dog goes to the bathroom in the house it happens to be on the floor on my side of the bed?!?!?! I mean really. She will go outside then come in and finish on my side of the bed. So not only do I have to dodge my wife’s damn shoes and clothing but dog poop as well. I have come to the conclusion that they only clear area on the floor is on my side of the bed.

Ok on to more serious issues. I am taking issue with those people are way too liberal and feel the need to voice their opinion on how bad Bush was as a President. Where were the WMDs?!?! Look what he did with the economy?!?!?! Blah, Blah, Blah. http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/history/2009/02/17/historians-rank-george-w-bush-among-worst-presidents.html

Here is my question to you, how does history view President Wilson? Most people believe that he was a good President. The above article puts him in the top ten!?!?!? This was a man that segregated the federal government. He was an extreme sexist. On a political level, he attempted to colonize just about everywhere. He invaded Mexico not once, but twice for no reason. At least the second time the citizens called him out on it. He sent American troops to fight with the separatist “white” Russians, making him the only U.S. President to invade Russia. Sure he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his creation of the League of Nations. A group that was completely ineffective, so much so that the U.S. did not even join. His “14 Points” were also a very bitter pill for the German’s to swallow. There is a high possibility that these “Points” lead to the foundations of the Nazi ideals. But when we view him let’s not bother with the bad things he did and give him way too much credit for ideals that failed spectacularly.

In our current time to many people are swayed by the media. Do I think the Bush Presidency was among the top, no. There were mistakes made and ultimately he will be held responsible for the mistakes of others as well.

Until Tomorrow

Let me get this straight

I am attempting to understand something, the economic problem. It’s the banks fault that people took out mortgages they could not afford. It’s President Bush’s fault that the economy is messed up.

First off to those who blame the bank: SHUT UP. You took out the loan. The bank did not make you take the money. It is time for people for take some of the responsibility for themselves. We do not get to blame all of our problems on everyone else.

Second to those who want to blame President Bush: CHECK YOUR FACTS. The amount of income per family has not gone down it has actually increased. However during the Clinton era there was a large boom in HMOs which cost less. The problem was the HMOs did not provide quality health care, so people began to switch providers. These other providers cost more.
Clinton surplus vs. Bush deficit - http://www.craigsteiner.us/articles/16 Enjoy this article. Did Bush spend more money? Yes. He had to fund a couple of wars. Please do not debate the validity of either Iraq or Afghanistan. Obama is increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan and still has two other major foreign issues on the horizon to deal with North Korea’s “satellite” and Iran’s “satellite”. Plus he has already increased the number of drone attacks in Pakistan. So with these issues coming up what do you say we withhold judgment?

I am not judging Obama, we cannot do that yet. All the same we should watch where “our” stimulus money is going http://www.recovery.gov/ . Also, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2009/02/01/GR2009020100154.html , some more good info on that package. Do not forget that any money the government gives us back like all previous stimulus packages, that money will be taxed in the future. The government will get it back. They government does not do anything for free.

Until Tomorrow

Short Post

What have I been missing? It seems that with school and work that I have not been keeping up with this place. I will attempt to change that with shorter posts more often. I have been told by someone, my wife, that my posts are too long. This will just be a test as most of you know that I am very long winded.

So I am sitting at school now, about 20 minutes before my first exam of the semester. It feels like a milestone but it is really only the beginning of the end. The end of “I must get a degree” phase, which I hope will soon be followed by the “I get to actually get my second degree” phase. This will no doubt be followed by the “holy crap, I have to pay back how much for student loans” phase. This test should be easy. I may have mentioned before that I took a Journalism class so I could write more, however the only Journalism class on the planet with no writing is the class I selected. Oh well, it is just a filler class anyway.

So last night I got home from school at my normal time, around 9:30ish, and I was searching for something to eat. I came across some chicken and cheese taquitos, a great quick microwavable food. Here is where the taquitos bother me. They say there are two servings in a box, which is fine, but they put 15 in the box. Why not add one more freaking taquito? It is not like they would have to make the box bigger.

Until Tomorrow

The letters T and the D make different sounds

I feel I should apologize to my two readers for not posting for awhile. I do believe that damn LSAT took more out of me than I thought. Here are a couple of thoughts.

Number 1 is the title of the post. I understand the English language can be difficult to speak and to write. We have words that are spelled the same yet sound and mean something completely different. I also understand that I grew up in Oklahoma with a father that grew up in Texas. So yes, my vocabulary can at times be rather unique. My children on the other hand, spent time in Minnesota and until recently not enough time around me to screw up their speech. So I am left with one of two conclusions; either people from Minnesota are complete and utter morons or my children were dropped on their heads as babies. I am pretty sure my children were not dropped on their heads when they were young. Which leaves me with only one option, however if we do not mention it, people from Minnesota will not realize they are morons. On to the kid’s speech impediments, the princess pronounces her “Ts” like “Ds”. So “that” becomes “dhad” and “the” becomes “dhe”. One would wonder why this is so annoying, but you are going to have to take my word for it, it is. Both of them have extreme difficult with the two words: much and many. I know what you are thinking, what could be so hard about those two little words. I do not know. Here is a simple little quiz:
Which is correct?
a) When buying a new car there are many different options.
b) When buying a new car there are much different options.
My children for some reason always select option “b”. It seems that these two words are interchangeable. I am considering electric shock therapy. Would it be bad if I used the electrical outlet? I digress. Maybe I should move on to topic number two.

Topic number 2 comes from my work at the “evil empire.” This is going to require a lot of explanation for a short point but I have nothing else to do so here it is. At the “evil empire” work is divided up into what I refer to as silos. This is a very common practice, in which each silo has its own realm of responsibilities. This is not a bad thing because you create experts in a particular area and ideally that person is able to do the work efficiently and at a high level. This is the theory anyway. In practice however this is not the case. For example, I work in the SharePoint silo. My entire job is dedicated to SharePoint but only SharePoint. What follows is a very high level overview of my job. SharePoint is a single application that has a couple requirements: 1) the application must be run on a server (a really big computer, for the technically challenged); 2) a SQL server (a database application run on a separate server); 3) a monitoring product that scans the SharePoint environment and reports errors. Some of you may already be able to see where the problem with this system occurs. My application is 100% dependent on a minimum of three other teams, never a good thing. So here is what happened. We are having issues with server hardware failing and operating systems with errors left and right. So naturally the question has come up on my team on what we should do about it. We have had a number of meetings about these problems. There are really only two possible solutions: 1) We get the other teams to step up and do their jobs or 2) we go out of our way and completely reinvent the wheel. Guess which one the team has selected? Yep that is correct option number 2 because apparently responsibility and accountability do not apply to everyone. So now I am tasked with the incredibly stupid prospect of writing software to monitoring and report on our environment. Yes you read that correctly. I am tasked with building a new software program (one of which is already in place, except for the fact that apparently the team with responsibility for it are all complete morons, can we just get our own access to it and use it. Nope, that might be logical, we cannot have that). My teammates find it odd that I feel others should be accountable for work they are being paid to do. It would be a bad thing for us to question other teams, yet we are more than willing to bend over and do over and above what we are required to do for them. Oh well, I guess I will do their jobs and mine, too bad I cannot get paid for both jobs.

I cannot wait for yet another day in paradise.

Until Tomorrow

My Saturday

I figured out what not to get myself for next year’s birthday. It is quite simple really, no LSAT exam. That is correct. I will never give myself a gift like that again. Some of you might actually be thinking, “hey that is not a bad gift, it gets you ready for the next step of your education.” To those of you that are thinking that: !@#$!@$#*@!#!@#$&!@(!@#)!@#*&!@#$&@$!@#$(@!$) you. It is a lot like having a root canal with the only difference being the only way to get to your mouth is through your @$$.

I shall explain a bit further. The LSAT is the Law School Admissions Test. Anyone who wants to go to law school must take this exam. Here is the exam:

There are 6 sections: (In no specific order, since it is different for everyone)
Each section has 23 to 27 questions and a 35 minute time limit. That should be plenty of time right? My @$$. Oh by the way there is one 15 break after section 3.

Here are the sections along with some sample questions. Give it a shot. Remember you have 1 minute 27 seconds for each question. The answers are at the end of the blog. The questions are not difficult themselves but add the time limit and you have a different ball game. Enjoy.

Section 1: Analytical Reasoning Questions or Logic Games
Eight dogs in an obedience class are learning to follow two commands—"heel" and "stay." Each dog is either a shepherd, a retriever, or a terrier, and each of these three breeds is represented at least once among the group. All female dogs in the group are retrievers. The results of the first lesson are as follows:
At least two of the dogs have learned to follow the "heel" command, but not the "stay" command.
At least two of the dogs have learned to follow the "stay" command, but not the "heel" command.
At least one of the dogs has learned to follow both commands.
Among the eight dogs, only terriers have learned to follow the "stay" command.
1. Which of the following statements CANNOT be true?
(A) The group includes more females than males.
(B) The group includes fewer terriers than shepherds.
(C) The group includes more shepherds than retrievers.
(D) More of the dogs have learned to stay than to heel.
(E) More of the dogs have learned to heel than to stay.
2. If each dog has learned to follow at least one of the two commands, all of the following must true EXCEPT:
(A) All retrievers have learned to heel.
(B) All shepherds have learned to heel.
(C) All terriers have learned to stay.
(D) No retriever has learned to stay.
(E) No shepherd has learned to stay.
3. If four of the dogs are male and four of the dogs are female, all of the following must be true EXCEPT:
(A) One of the dogs is a shepherd.
(B) Four of the dogs are retrievers.
(C) Three of the dogs are terriers.
(D) Three of the dogs have learned to stay.
(E) Four of the dogs have learned to heel.
4. If the group includes more shepherds than terriers, the minimum number of male dogs among the group that have learned to heel is
(A) 0
(B) 1
(C) 2
(D) 3
(E) 4
5. If each dog has learned to follow at least one of the two commands, and if two of the dogs have learned to heel but not stay, it could be true that
(A) Two of the dogs are female
(B) All of the dogs are male
(C) Only one male dog has learned to heel
(D) One female dog has learned to stay
(E) Two of the dogs are retrievers

Section 2: Logical Reasoning Questions
1. People should be held accountable for their own behavior, and if holding people accountable for their own behavior entails capital punishment, then so be it. However, no person should be held accountable for behavior over which he or she had no control.

Which of the following is the most logical conclusion of the argument above?
(A) People should not be held accountable for the behavior of other people.
(B) People have control over their own behavior.
(C) People cannot control the behavior of other people.
(D) Behavior that cannot be controlled should not be punished.
(E) People have control over behavior that is subject to capital punishment.

2. As any economist knows, healthy people pose less of an economic burden to society than unhealthy people. Not surprisingly, then, every dollar our state government spends on prenatal care for undocumented immigrants will save taxpayers of this state three dollars.

Which of the following, if true, would best explain why the statistics cited above are not surprising?
(A) The state's taxpayers pay for prenatal care of all immigrants.
(B) Babies born in this state to undocumented immigrant parents are entitled to infant care benefits from the state.
(C) State benefits for prenatal care serve to promote undocumented immigration.
(D) Babies whose mothers did not receive prenatal care are just as healthy as other babies.
(E) Pregnant women who do not receive prenatal care are more likely to experience health problems than other pregnant women.

3. Beautiful beaches attract people, no doubt about it. Just look at this city's beautiful beaches, which are among the most overcrowded beaches in the state.

Which of the following exhibits a pattern of reasoning most similar to the one exhibited in the argument above?
(A) Moose and bear usually appear at the same drinking hole at the same time of day. Therefore, moose and bear must grow thirsty at about the same time.
(B) Children who are scolded severely tend to misbehave more often than other children. Hence if a child is not scolded severely that child is less likely to misbehave.
(C) This software program helps increase the work efficiency of its users. As a result, these users have more free time for other activities.
(D) During warm weather my dog suffers from fleas more so than during cooler weather. Therefore, fleas must thrive in a warm environment.
(E) Pesticides are known to cause anemia in some people. However, most anemic people live in regions where pesticides are not commonly used.

4. Our school district should not spend its money on the new Verbal Advantage reading program. After all, our students get all the reading practice they need by studying history and science.

The argument above depends on which the following assumptions?
(A) The Verbal Advantage program would not help the students learn history and science.
(B) Other reading programs are just as effective but less expensive than the Verbal Advantage program.
(C) The Verbal Advantage program involves only reading practice.
(D) Teaching students history and science is more important than teaching them reading skills.
(E) The students can already read well enough to study history and science.

5. Newspaper publishers earn their profits primarily from advertising revenue, and potential advertisers are more likely to advertise in newspapers with a wide circulation—a large number of subscribers and other readers—than with other newspapers. But the circulation of the newspaper that is currently the most profitable one in this city has steadily declined during the last two years, while the circulation of one of its competitors has steadily increased.

Any of the following, if true, would help explain the apparent discrepancy between the two statements above EXCEPT:
(A) Advertisers generally switch from the most widely circulated newspaper to another one only when the other one becomes the most widely circulated newspaper instead.
(B) Advertising rates charged by the most profitable newspaper in the city are significantly higher than those charged by its competitors.
(C) The most profitable newspaper in the city receives revenue from its subscribers as well from advertisers.
(D) The circulation of the most profitable newspaper in the city is still greater than than of any of its competitors.
(E) The number of newspapers competing viably with the most profitable newspaper in the city has increased during the last two years.

Section 3: Logical Reasoning Questions – This is the same as the section above. Apparently one section is not enough. This is not experimental, this is by design.

Section 4: Reading Comprehension Questions:

The nub of the restorationist critique of preservationismis the claim that it rests on an unhealthy dualism thatconceives nature and humankind as radically distinct andopposed to each other. Dissatisfaction with dualism hasfor some time figured prominently in the unhappiness ofenvironmentalists with mainstream industrial society, asin the writings of Carolyn Merchant and Theodore Roszak. However, the writings of the restorationists themselves—particularly, William Jordan and Frederick Turner—offerlittle evidence to support this indictment. In their view, preservationists are imbued with the same basic mind-setas the industrial mainstream, the only difference beingthat the latter exalts humans over nature while the formerelevates nature over humans. While it is perhaps puzzlingthat Jordan and Turner do not see that there is no logicthat requires dualism as a philosophical underpinning forpreservation, more puzzling is the sharpness and relent-lessness of their attack on preservationists, accentu-ated by the fact that they offer little, if any, criticismof those who have plundered the natural world.... The crucial question, however, about the restorationistoutlook has to do with the degree to which the restora-tionist program is itself faithful to the first principle ofrestoration: that nature and humanity are fundamentallyunited rather than separate. Rejecting the old dominationmodel, which sees humans as over nature, restorationtheory champions a model of community participation. Yetsome of the descriptions that Jordan and Turner give ofwhat restorationists are actually up to—for example,Turner's description of humans as "the lords of creation,"or Jordan's statement that "the fate and well being of thebiosphere depend ultimately on us and our relationshipwith it"—do not cohere well with the community partici-pation model.... Another holistic model—namely, that of nature as anorganism—might be more serviceable to the restorationists. As with the community model, the "organic" model picturesnature as a system of interconnected parts. A fundamentaldifference, however, is that in an organism the parts arewholly subservient to the life of the organism. If wecould think of the biosphere as a single living organismand could identify humans with the brain (or the DNA), orcontrol center, we would have a model that more closelyfits the restorationists' view.... However, to consider humans as the control center ofthe living earth is to ascribe to them a dominating role innature. Is this significantly different from the old-fashioned domination model? In both systems humans holdthe place of highest authority and power in the world. Also, neither view recognizes any limits to the scope andrange of legitimate human manipulation in the world. Thisdoes not mean that there are no constraints; onlybeneficial manipulation should be undertaken. But it doesnot mean that nothing is off-limits. A further parallel isthat, because the fate of the world rests on humans, theymust have a clear idea of what needs to be done.

1. The author's primary purpose in the passage is to
(A) examine the similarities and differences among models for environmental philosophies
(B) formulate a new philosophical model of the relationship between humans and their environment
(C) critique a modern-day environmental philosophy
(D) argue that one particular environmental philosophy is more workable than competing approaches
(E) demonstrate the limited usefulness of models as the basis for environmental philosophies

2. The author of the passage would probably agree that preservationists
(A) are not critical enough of those who have plundered the natural world
(B) base their ideas on an unhealthy dualism
(C) have the same basic mind-set as the industrial mainstream
(D) have been unfairly criticized by restorationists
(E) have been faithful to the principles upon which their ideas are based

3. Which of the following best expresses the function of the first paragraph in relation to the passage as a whole?
(A) to establish the parameters of an ensuing debate
(B) to identify problem areas within a school of thought, which are then explored in greater detail
(C) to discuss secondary issues as a prelude to a more detailed examination of a primary issue
(D) to provide an historical backdrop for a discussion of modern-day issues
(E) to introduce opposing viewpoints, which are then evaluated

4. In asserting that the organic model might be "more serviceable to the restorationists" (line 36), the author implies that
(A) the descriptions by Turner and Jordan of the restorationists' program conform more closely to the organic model than to the communityparticipation model
(B) the organic model is more consistent than the community participation model with the principle of restoration
(C) the organic model is more consistent with the storationists' agenda than with the preservationists' program
(D) holistic models are more useful than the dualist model to the restorationists
(E) the organic model, unlike the community participation model, represents nature as a system of interconnected parts

5. Which of the following models would the author most likely agree is least like the other models listed below?
(A) domination model
(B) holistic model
(C) community participation model
(D) dualist model
(E) organic model

6. Which of the following best expresses the author's primary criticism of the restorationists?
(A) They fail to recognize any limits as to the scope of legitimate human manipulation of nature.
(B) They assign to humans a controlling role in the world.
(C) They reject the most workable model for the relationship between humans and nature.
(D) Their critique of preservationism is not well supported.
(E) Their program does not coincide with their principles.

Section 5: An Experiential section comprised of one of the other sections, no you do not know which on this is. For example I had to sections of Logic Games; therefore one of them was the experimental section. I am sure they will take the section I did worse on and choose the other as the experimental section.

Section 6: This is a writing section. You are give two sides of an argument and must pick on and defend it. This would be an incredibly easy section if not for the previous 3 hours of testing.

Answers:
Section 1:
Question 1—Analysis
The correct response to Question 1 is (A). At least three dogs are terriers, all of which are male. At least one dog must be a shepherd, and all shepherds are male. Thus, at least four dogs must be male, and so it is not possible for there to be more females than males among the group. Statement (A) must be false.

Question 2—Analysis
The correct response to Question 2 is (C). All dogs other than terriers must have learned to heel but not stay, because all dogs that have learned to stay are terriers. Thus, all retrievers and all shepherds have learned to heel but not stay, and statements (A), (B), (D), and (E) must all be true. However, it is possible for a terrier to have learned to heel but not stay; thus, statement (C) is not necessarily true.

Question 3—Analysis
The correct response to Question 3 is (E). Since all females must be retrievers, terriers and shepherds must all be male. There must be at least one dog of each breed among the group, and so one dog must be a shepherd, and three dogs must be terriers. (The remaining four dogs must be retrievers.) Thus, statements (A), (B), and (C) must be true. If a dog has learned to stay, the dog must be a terrier; thus, three dogs have learned to stay, and statement (D) must be true. Although at least three dogs have learned to heel, it is possible that as many as three dogs have learned neither to heel nor to stay. Thus, statement (E) is not necessarily true.

Question 4—Analysis
The correct response to Question 4 is (C). At least three dogs must be terriers. Since each breed of dog must be represented at least once among the group, one of the dogs must be a retriever, and the remaining four dogs must be shepherds. One of the three terriers (all of which are male) has learned to heel. All four shepherds are male, and at least one the four shepherds has learned to heel; otherwise, only three of the dogs at most could be shepherds. Thus, a minimum of two male dogs must have learned to heel.

Question 5—Analysis
The correct response to Question 5 is (B). All dogs other than the two that have learned to heel but not stay must have learned to stay. All of those dogs (six in total) must be terriers and thus must be male (see general comments above). Since each breed must be represented among the group, of the two remaining dogs one must be a shepherd while the other must be a retriever. Both the shepherd and the retriever must have learned to heel but not stay. The shepherd must be male, although the retriever could be either male or female.

Section 2:
Question 1—Analysis
The correct response to Question 1 is (B). The argument includes the following two premises:
Premise: People are accountable for their own behavior.
Premise: People are not accountable for behavior they cannot control.
Here's the logical conclusion based on these two premises:
Conclusion: People can control their own behavior.
(A) would require that people never have control over the behavior of other people. Yet the argument does not provide this premise.
(C) would require that people should not be held accountable for the behavior of other people. Yet the argument does not provide this premise.
(D) is not a conclusion; (D) simply reiterates one of the argument's premises (the second sentence).
(E) is not inferable. The argument allows for the possibility that a person might not have control over another person's behavior which is subject to capital punishment.

Question 2—Analysis
The correct response to Question 2 is (E). The argument relies on the unstated assumption that prenatal care results in better health and therefore less cost to society. (E) helps affirm this assumption.
(A) is irrelevant to the argument, which makes no distinction between undocumented immigrants and other immigrants.
(B) describes benefits that might decrease the overall tax burden, but only if the prenatal care program serves to reduce the amount of infant-care benefits paid. The argument does not inform us whether this is the case. Thus it is impossible to assess the extent to which (B) would explain how the prenatal care would save the taxpayers money.
(C) actually renders the statistics more surprising, by providing evidence that prenatal care will add to society's economic burden.
(D) also renders the statistics more surprising, by providing evidence that the cost of the prenatal care program will not be offset by a particular health benefit—a benefit which would lessen the taxpayers' economic burden.

Question 3—Analysis
The correct response to Question 3 is (D). The original argument bases a conclusion that one phenomenon causes another on an observed correlation between the two phenomena. The argument boils down to the following:
Premise: X (beautiful beach) is correlated with Y (crowd of people).
Conclusion: X (beautiful beach) causes Y (crowd of people).
Answer choice (D) demonstrates the same pattern of reasoning:
Premise: X (warm weather) is correlated with Y (fleas).
Conclusion: X (warm weather) causes Y (fleas).
(A) demonstrates a different pattern of reasoning than the original argument:
Premise: X (moose at the drinking hole) is correlated with Y (bears at the drinking hole).
Conclusion: X (moose) and Y (bear) are both caused by Z (thirst).
(B) demonstrates a different pattern of reasoning than the original argument:
Premise: X (scolding children) is correlated with Y (misbehavior among children).
Assumption: Either X causes Y, or Y causes X.
Conclusion: Not X (no scolding) will be correlated with not Y (no misbehavior).
(C) demonstrates a different pattern of reasoning than the original argument:
Premise: X (software program) causes Y (efficiency).
Assumption: Y (efficiency) causes Z (free time).
Conclusion: X (software program) causes Z (free time).
(E) demonstrates a different pattern of reasoning than the original argument. In fact, (E) is not a complete argument; it contains two premises but no conclusion:
Premise: X (pesticides) causes Y (anemia).
Premise: Not X (pesticide-free regions) is correlated with Y (anemia).

Question 4—Analysis
The correct response to Question 4 is (C). The argument boils down to the following, including the unstated assumption provided by (C):
Premise: Students get enough reading practice already.
Unstated assumption (C): The reading program provides only reading practice.
Conclusion: The reading program is unnecessary.
(A) is not a necessary assumption. The argument is not concerned with whether improved reading skills would help the students learn history and science. Rather, the argument involves whether the new program would help improve reading skills.
(B) is not a necessary assumption. The argument is that no additional reading practice is needed, regardless of which program provides that practice.
(D) is not a necessary assumption. The argument does not aim to compare the importance of one discipline over another.
(E) is not a necessary assumption. The argument is not concerned with whether improved reading skills would help the students learn history and science. Rather, the argument involves whether the new program would help improve reading skills.

Question 5—Analysis
The correct response to Question 5 is (E). Assuming the number of viable competitors has increased during the last two years, the likely result would be to draw circulation away from already viable newspapers, including the most profitable one. Given that profitability depends primarily on advertising revenues and therefore on circulation, (E) actually exacerbates the discrepancy between the two statements.
(A) and (D) help explain why the most profitable newspaper remains most profitable even though its circulation is declining: Advertisers have not yet begun to switch because the most profitable newspaper is still the most widely circulated.
(B) helps explain the discrepancy. Although the argument provides that advertisers are more likely to advertise with widely circulated newspapers than with others, it is entirely possible that other factors, such as advertising rates that a newspaper charges, also affect which newspapers advertisers choose.
(C) helps explain the discrepancy, by identifying another source of revenue and therefore another means of enhancing profitability. Simply stated, the more sources of revenue the more profitable a newspaper is likely to be. This in turn helps explain why the most profitable newspaper in the city remains the most profitable one, despite declining circulation. Admittedly, as circulation decreases so does subscriber revenue, and thus overall profitability. Yet the newspaper's profitability is still greater than it would be without revenue from its subscribers.

Section 4:
Question 1—Analysis
The correct response to Question 1 is (C). Although the passage does digress in the last paragraph (suggesting a possible transition to another area of discussion), the passage is devoted mainly to a critical analysis of the restorationists' environmental philosophy, as exemplified by Turner and Jordan.
(A) is too narrow. Admittedly, the author does discuss (in the third and fourth paragraphs) the similarities and differences between the organic and community participation models. While response (A) would appear to encompass this discussion, (A) does not embrace the author's larger purpose: to critique the restorationist philosophy.
(B) is too narrow and is not well supported. Admittedly, the author does introduce (in the third paragraph) an alternative model—i.e., the organic model. However, the author's limited purpose in introducing the organic model is to underscore the author's broader point that the restorationists' program is inconsistent with their principles. Moreover, the author makes no claim to having formulated the organic model or that it is a "new" model, as (B) suggests.
(D) distorts the author's purpose. Admittedly, the author does explore the possibility that a model other than the community participation model might more accurately reflect the restorationists' agenda. However, the author's point here is that another model might be more consistent with the restorationists' program, not that one particular model is more workable or otherwise preferable for everyone. For all the reader knows, the author might be a mainstream industrialist who opposes all pro-environment policies.
(E) calls for an unwarranted inference as to the author's purpose. Based upon the last paragraph, the passage might conceivably continue by asserting that all environmental models are problematic and therefore of limited usefulness. However, whether the author would continue in this vein is speculative. Since the passage itself does not include such a discussion, (E) is not a viable response.

Question 2—Analysis
The correct response to Question 2 is (D). In the first paragraph, the author asserts that a preservationist need not have a dualist view, and therefore the argument of Turner and Jordan that the preservationists are also "unhealthy" dualists is an unfair claim. Response (D) is also supported later in the first paragraph, where the author criticizes Turner and Jordan for the "sharpness and relentlessness of their attack on preservationists." The author implies that other groups (e.g., "those who have plundered the natural world") are more deserving of sharp criticism than the preservationists. In this sense as well, then, the author would probably agree that Turner and Jordan have unfairly criticized the preservationists.
(A) confuses the information in the passage. The author suggests that it is the restorationists such as Turner and Jordan (not the preservationists) who are not critical enough of those that have plundered the natural world.
(B) and (C) confuse the author's viewpoint with the viewpoint of others mentioned in the passage. It is the restorationists, not the author, who claim that the preservationists base their ideas on an unhealthy dualism and who suffer from the same mind-set as the industrial mainstream.
(E) confuses the information in the passage and calls for speculation. First, the crucial question that the author poses (in lines 22-25) is whether the restorationists, not the preservationists, have been faithful to their principles. Second, although the author asserts that the restorationists have not been faithful to their principle, it is unfair to infer that the preservationists have been faithful to theirs.

Question 3—Analysis
The correct response to Question 3 is (C). The author refers in the first sentence of the second paragraph to the "crucial question," signaling that the primary concern of the passage is to follow. Accordingly, the first paragraph introduces the topic by discussing non-crucial questions.
(A) is wholly unsupported and runs contrary to the passage. Although the first paragraph does establish parameters insofar as it identifies the topic of the passage, in no sense does it identify which issues are subject to debate and which are not. To the contrary, the primary issue (whether the restorationists have been faithful to their own principle) is not even mentioned in the first paragraph.
(B) is only partially supported. Although in the first paragraph the author does indeed identify some problems with the restorationist critique of preservationism, rather than exploring these problems in greater detail, the author turns in subsequent paragraphs to another, more "crucial," problem.
(D) distorts the information in the passage. Although the author does include some "historical" background insofar as the environmentalists' unhappiness with mainstream industrial society (lines 5-6) is mentioned using the past tense, aside from this single reference to past events, the first paragraph speaks in terms of the present day.
(E) distorts the overall structure. The first paragraph does not really discuss opposing viewpoints but rather critiques one viewpoint: the restorationists' view of preservationism. Moreover, in subsequent paragraphs, the author makes no attempt to evaluate this viewpoint.

Question 4—Analysis
The correct response to Question 4 is (A). In the preceding sentence, the author asserts that Turner's and Jordan's descriptions of restorationist activites "do not cohere well with the community participation model." By following this assertion with the suggestion that another model might be more serviceable, it is reasonably inferable that restorationists' activities are more consistent with this other model than with the community participation model.
(B) confuses the information in this portion of the passage. The author is concerned with which model more closely conforms to the restorationists' program, not which model better conforms to their principle.
(C) confuses the information in the passage—specifically, by bringing in irrelevant information. The author is not concerned at all in this portion of the passage with the preservationists. No attempt is made here or anywhere else in the passage to relate the organic model to the preservationists' program.
(D) is somewhat consistent with the information in the passage, but it does not respond to the question. The author does identify the organic model as one type of "holistic" model; however, the author asserts that it may be more serviceable than another holistic model (i.e., the community participation model), not the dualist model (which is not a holistic model).
(E) is partially supported by the passage, but (E) also contradicts the passage. The author does indeed assert that the organic model represents nature as a system of interconnected parts. However, according to the author, so does the community participation model (lines 37-39).

Question 5—Analysis
The correct response to Question 5 is (D). The author finds some point of similarity among all other models mentioned (see below). Therefore, by elimination, (D) is the best response.
(A), (B), and (E) are not viable. The author points out (see last paragraph) several parallels between the organic model (a holistic model) and the domination model.
(C) is not a viable response, since the author points out in the third paragraph that the community participation and organic models both picture nature as a system of interconnected parts. For this additional reason, (E) is also not viable.
Question 6—Analysis
The correct response to Question 6 is (E). The "crucial" (primary) question for the author involves the degree to which the restorationists are true to their first principle (lines 22-26). The author then claims that they are not so true in that their program "does not cohere well" with their principle (lines 33-34). Since this issue is "crucial" to the author, it is reasonable to assert that this criticism is the author's "primary" one.
(D) is the second-best response. Although the author does indeed criticize the restorationists on this count (in the first paragraph), this criticism is not the author's "primary" one, since the author raises and answers a more "crucial question" in the second paragraph.
(A) and (B) are supportable statements, but they do not respond to the question. Although the author ascribes the characteristics mentioned in (A) and (B) to the restorationists (as well as to the dominationists), the author does not identify this characteristic as a point of criticism.
(C) is unsupported by the information in the passage. The author neither states nor implies that one model is more workable than others (except insofar as one model might be more appropriate than another for a particular school of thought) or which model that would be. In addition, although the passage is clear that the restorationists have embraced the community participation model, the passage is not at all explicit that they have "rejected" any particular other model (except for the dualist model).

What could I do today?

I could mock the moron single mother in California for bringing in 8 more morons into her family of 6 other morons.

I could mock the Presidential cabinet selections for not paying their taxes, even though one of them is the head of the IRS.

I could mock the majority of people who are so self involved and self centered to notice anything else going on in this world.

I could mock the French. Why not?

I could mock all the morons on Facebook. Most of whom I attended high school with, and I am learning quickly that while they no longer attend high school they still act like it.

I could mock the pimp here in Chicago that was arrested 12 times for driving with a suspended license, and ordered to spend 10 days in jail starting today, except for the fact that on the day of his sentencing, the 23rd of Jan, he was arrested 20 minutes after his hearing for; yes you guessed it, driving home.

I could mock myself for turning 36 and not having graduated from school yet.

I could mock my wife for being short and I could definitely mock her driving (except it scares me).

I could mock my father for being a Democrat.

I could mock my friend who was in the Army, but is currently looking for blue light specials for being an elitist Republican.

I could mock my friend at BOA for being in a work sorority.

I could go on and on, but I will not.

As most of you know today is my 36th birthday. I know some of you are surprised I made it that far. Some of you are surprised my lovely wife has not smothered me with a pillow yet, maybe for next Christmas. Everyone knows that it is easy to mock people or find faults in others. One of the hardest things in life is to find and acknowledge the faults within one’s self. This is what I believe that life is or should be about; locating our own faults and doing everything we can to make them better. If you are sitting reading this thinking “but I have no faults”, reach up slowly with your hand and slap yourself. You do. It does not matter if you are 36 or 76. There is always something we can change to better ourselves. I know that I have to work harder on finding my faults and do everything I can to correct them.

I do not want my birthday to be just about me, so I am going to make my birthday wishes for other people:

I wish that we all can become better people tomorrow than we are today.

To my friend MP in Afghanistan, I wish for your safety and the safety of those fighting with you. We’ve got your back here.

To my friend the Professor, I wish for everything to get resolved peacefully. As you know sometimes life is difficult, hell it could be worse, everything could be what it used to be.

To my friend TopCop and his family, I wish for a healthy new baby and health to find my niece. These are the days that will make you stronger as a family. You know that I am here if you need me for anything.

To my friends the couple that is on plan in Charlotte, I wish you all the best with your first child, which is due in a month now. I will say this, anyone who has had children knows that no matter how well you have things planned, it all goes to shit the first moment you see you child. So prepare yourselves for an adventure like you have never experienced or could have even imagined. There is something about children that can take you over the highest mountains while at the same time bring you to your knees in prayer. Always remember that you have friends and that they are here for you. There are also people that you may not have considered friends before but they are also here for you.

To my parents, I wish for you to live as long as you like and see and experience everything your heart’s desire. My inheritance be damned. I know my baby sis was going to get it all anyway, so enjoy life you cannot take it with you.

To my father in-law and potential future step-mother-in-law or whatever, I wish for you both to find happiness in whatever you do; whether that is 10 fathoms under the sea, or sipping margaritas on a beach.

To the son of my potential future step-mother-in-law or whatever, I wish you were not so damn smart. I do envy you and the journey you are about to begin. If you ever need some really bad advice, ask my father-in-law. If you even need advice on what not to do ask me. If you need good advice, sorry I think you may be in the wrong family.

To my children, I wish that you find peace and happiness throughout your lives. M & M you are facing what will be the tipping point in your lives. You will learn or you are not going to make it to your next birthday.

To my Oklahoma Girl, I wish you stay just the way you are. You have an incredible strength that inspires me.

To my sis, I wish that you would get off your ass and bring your family up to visit more often. There is more to do in Chicago than it PC.

To my wife, I wish that you get everything you wish for in the coming year. I know it’s a big list, but dreams do come true, I know I married you.

To my brother-in-law and hippie girl, I wish you two would just figure out what the hell you are going to do and do it.

To my friend who never forgets anyone, I wish for you to find your soul mate. Whatever the distance that must be traveled, down the street or across the country, if you need a ride let me know.

To my sorority girl friend (everyone shut up I know how that sounds), I wish you and your husband the best and hope for continued happiness.

To everyone else, I wish for you to find what you are looking for in life. Once you have it hold on to it.

To those that have passed on over the past year, my wish is that we can celebrate your lives and not morn them. You will always hold a special place in our hearts and for that we love you and miss you. We will do everything we can not to let you down.

My final wish is for Robert Joseph Acalotto and his family. I know that all of you have no idea who this person is; to be honest I didn’t know either until a few days ago. Robert Acalotto, born January 30th 1951, was a SP 4 in the Army attached to the 48th Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation Battalion, and 1st Aviation Brigade in Vietnam. He was a door gunner in a UH1C (Huey Helicopter). His helicopter was shot down February 20th 1971 over Laos during Operation Dewey Canyon II. While the helicopter made a safe landing, the pilot was the only member of the crew ever seen again and that was in numerous POW camps. SP 4 Acalotto was never found nor was he confirmed dead; he is listed as Missing in Action. I tell you this story because we should never forget those people who came before us and gave everything they had for this country. I proudly wear a bracelet to remember him and the cost that he paid.

Until Tomorrow

A Movie

Riggs: “You cut yourself shaving, old Razor?”
Murtaugh: “Old Face.”

I think of the most random things at the most random times. I was shaving earlier and I cut myself. The scene above from Lethal Weapon 3 popped into my head. Yes, part of it could be from my birthday looming on the horizon. Maybe part of it is I am getting closer to closing a chapter in life with the completion of my first college degree. The one thing that is a constant is that life continues to roll on.

I find it interesting that movies pop up at different times in our lives. Some movies define us, some inspire us, and some relieve stress. The really good ones pull us in and allow us to escape for a couple of hours. The movie I watched last night was one of those. The movie was “Traitor”. Don Cheadle (Ocean’s Eleven) plays “Samir Horn” an ex-US Solider who joins an Islamic fundamentalist group. He is recruited because he is a devout Muslim and explosives expert. The group is planning an attack on America, but first he must prove himself worthy. Some quality bonding time in a Yemeni prison and moving around through France, Canada, and the United States brings him into the heart of the group. Samir is being tracked by FBI agent “Roy Clayton” played by Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential). Clayton is also involved with other agencies all tasked with preventing terrorism. This is a difficult movie to discuss without spoiling it. This movie showcases the problems with inter-departmental communications. It shows the lengths to which terror groups will go to attack. Cheadle and Pearce play their characters to perfection. Passion, desire, and drive to succeed live at their core. This movie attempts to answer the questions: How far does one have to go to keep this country safe? What is the cost of our freedom and protection by those who have to pay it? An overall great movie with great performances from main characters and a supporting group that can make a believer out of anyone with plenty of drama and twists, 4.5 out of 5. A must rent but be forewarned the road ahead provides a thought provoking and powerful emotional journey.

Until Tomorrow

Facebook

I have been sitting here all day looking at Facebook. Which after careful consideration I do believe is the dumbest freaking thing I have ever seen. It is not as if people are having actual conversations. It is not as if people are actually text messaging. Someone puts up a post of what they are doing. This consists of a sentence or two at most. Now I just updated my profile and all of these people from high school start adding me as a “friend”. I did not like these people in high school, what makes them think that I might give a crap about their lives now? Do not get me wrong I had some friends in high school, but I have moved on. If I was given a lineup I would not be able to pick out 10 people from high school. I cannot even get my head around the stupidity of this site. I mean what does this site think it is, blogspot?

Anyway, I received a disturbing phone call last night. My father called and left a message for my aunt to call him. Yes you read that correctly. Apparently, my aunt and I are close on the speed dial. Now for the disturbing part, I am number 9 on my own father’s speed dial. Number 9!?!?!? I guess it is only fair since I do not even have anyone one speed dial. Honestly being that low on the speed dial range is not necessarily a bad thing. He may forget to call me as often. Just kidding dad, you know I enjoy every second of our phone calls.

Until Tomorrow

The end is near

It has begun, that is right my final semester for my B.A. I know it has been a long time coming but it is now here. I am not sure how I feel about it, a little excited and little nervous. I am sure it will be an interesting semester. Here is my schedule:
· Monday
o Leadership in Public Policy – The most Liberal Professor in a school of Liberal Professors.
o Problems in U.S. Foreign Policy – The most Conservative Professor in the school. He was brought in to balance the scales.
· Tuesday
o Communications in the Information Age – This is a journalism class, should be interesting.
o Introduction to Public Administration – Not sure about his one.
· Wednesday
o History of the U.S. to 1865 – This is a 100 level class. Shut up, I need the credits.
· Thursday
o Communications in the Information Age – A continuation of Tuesday.
o Urban Politics – The Professor for this class is widely known as one of the foremost experts on Chicago Politics. It is my third class with him, always interesting.
As anyone can see I am going to be pretty busy over the next few months.

I do not have much else to discuss today. I am currently ignoring the moron on my conference call. The guy on the call is attempting to teach us how to use a search engine. I think most of us have actually uses one of those before. This is yet another product where the “Evil Empire” has reinvented the wheel. We have a product that does exactly what the product does that they are pushing on us. Here is the problem the product that is already in place is the product that my team supports. Yes, that is correct. This moron on the phone is “training” us on how to us a product that is to be used in addition to the product my team supports. That may sound a bit confusing, let me try and explain this a little more. My current job is to support a product called SharePoint. This is collaboration software. It allows groups and organizations to share documents and organize all electronic communications. The search functionality is utilized by (not to mention designed by) Microsoft. It works well. However, this is not good enough for the “Evil Empire.” We must purchase or design a totally new product that provides a search functionality that sits on top of SharePoint. This is extremely redundant, extremely redundant. I know this paragraph is a little all over the place. I cannot even put it into words how mad it makes me when money is wasted on reinventing the wheel while cutting jobs and losing quality people. I have to stop now.

Until Tomorrow

Some thoughts

I have a couple of thoughts for today. The last couple of days have been interesting. Beginning Friday morning, I decided to go downtown to get my books for school. So I choose to take the train. The trains were running 40 minutes behind. The reason they were running behind was someone was killed by a train a few blocks away from the Palatine train station. My sympathies go out to this person’s family. Any lost of life is a tragedy. With that being said, I have said this hundreds of times, any one getting killed by a train has to have some serious issues. IT IS A TRAIN!!!!!!! It is limited to where it can go. It cannot go right or left quickly or in a short distance. Here is a quick tip to avoid being hit by a train: take one maybe two steps to either the right or the left. If you are one of those people who find it difficult to make a decision: step to the right. There are no valid reasons for getting hit by a train. They do not come out of nowhere. People have built in a few signs that a train is coming: For those people who are hard of hearing there are flashing red lights along with a white and red beam that blocks traffic; for those that have trouble with those visual aids the good people who work the rail have added a loud bell. Now if a person misses these subtle hints that a train is coming, maybe they should not be driving.

Is it possible for an office holiday party to be fun? The answer is no. They can be tolerable, mainly because of adult beverages. However these beverages do tend to cause uncomfortable situations, such as karaoke and dancing. Let’s be honest here, there are some lights in which a person should not be forced to view his or her coworkers. These parties are worse when you are attending with a spouse. Now the party I attended last night for Lisa’s work was not all that bad. It did however make me happy that I work out of the house.

Until Tomorrow.

Page Edits

I am attempting to make some changes to this site (content and layout), so if you notice anything unusual just refresh your browser. Chances are that I have already fixed the issue. I am sure that this is something I will be doing a lot; as I get bored often

New additions to the page:
Updated “Playing on the iPod” with videos (if they are available) and lyrics (for those of you like my wife that are lyrically challenged)

Added “Calvin and Hobbes” daily cartoon strip. If you have to ask why then you have never read Calvin and Hobbes and I encourage you to start.

I also have fixed the comment section. Someone complained that she could not post a comment. I will not say who (Lisa), but she happens to have a little influence on me.

Until Tomorrow

A New World

Below are comments and opinions of today’s events. The comments are on the events as they occur. Some of you may be surprised. I also may be jumping around a little, so you will just have to deal with my ADHD. I am sure it will not be eloquent or even make sense, but I am the one doing the writing.

I have been watching the inauguration for a few minutes now. I find the formalities interesting. Going to the same church, having coffee with the Bush and his wife, and then riding out to the capital together. This is where history actually begins.

I do think this is a historic day, the first African-American to take office as President of the United States. Now I do have a couple of thoughts about some of what I believe are misconceptions about President Obama. The first is that race relations in this country will change. Race relations in this country have been changing for a long time. There will still be strife between the races. Just because an African-American is President does not mean these issues are going to go away. Individuals who have felt persecuted for 400 years are not going to feel vindicated over night. “Equal Rights” for all is a myth. Power is a commodity that people want and there will always be people complaining that they do not have enough. This is an issue that I believe will always exist. Some minority group will always feel slighted. People fear change. Electing an African-American President is one thing. Changing the way people feel is a whole different thing. An African-American President was not made possible due to the changing of people’s beliefs; it should be attributed to changes in the electorate. Personally I feel that as a country we need to move forward. Stop living in the past and stop discussing past transgressions. Do not forget the past, just stop reliving it and stop throwing it back in everyone’s face. A second thought is have we set the bar to high for President Obama? Could anyone live up to these expectations? Fix the economy? End the war? Find alternative energy and put it in place? I do not believe that any of us can fathom the pressure that is put on a President everyday let alone the pressures put on President Obama. I hope that he is successful in even 10% of the things that he needs to get accomplished.

Watching this unfold is truly amazing. Now I am watching CNN. They are providing some good information but for the most part they are filling in with a bunch of crap. They are now showing all the VIPs walking in. I understand the former Presidents, Vice Presidents and members of congress and other political figures. However the movie stars need to go away. This is just proof positive that money does buy everything. This country has come a long way. The Constitution says that non free individual were only worth 3/5 of a person. Now, we are all free and an African-American is President. We should not over shadow the fact that we are getting a new President. I guess if race relations have moved forward enough we would not be swearing in an “African-American” President. Can we be truly free of racism when we still label people?
The former Presidents and their wives are now being introduced, starting with Carter, followed by Bush Senior, then Clinton and finally Bush Junior. Our entire government is sitting within 50 feet of each other. Supreme Court Justices, members of congress, the new Presidential cabinet, and of course the Vice President and new President. The formalities and the ceremony is a sight to be seen. The transfer of power is an awesome spectacle, the changing of the guard. It is interesting how people just look the part. Police officers have a certain look about them and you know they are police officers. A few months ago Obama did not look Presidential. He does now. Yes I realize that it is a psychological thing but I still find it interesting. It can be difficult to understand history when it unfolds in front of us. The impact is unknown. I do not believe that any of us can understand it. The separation of church and state is right out the window here. No I do not have issue of prayer anywhere. We all should pray more. Aretha Franklin is now singing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”. I think Lee Greenwood and “God Bless the U.S.A” would have been a better choice, but that is just me. I like Aretha and I understand the symbolism of having her up there singing. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. The Vice President is taking the oath on a Bible that his wife is struggling to hold up. Beautiful music performed by some of the best artist, but do we really need a musical interlude? Now that I hear the music and see the images I cannot imagine not having this interlude. Obama became President by law during the music. And now for the 35 words: The oath of office as set out by the Constitution, Article II Section 1, "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States; and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend, the Constitution of the United States." Even though the oath was messed up by the Chief Justice; President Obama who obviously knew the oath, made it through. I would be so nervous I would most likely fall over.

President Obama is definitely a good speaker. The speech itself addressed the issue facing this country. The time has come to set aside childish things; speaks volumes of about what he will attempt to do while in office. As he said, “Greatness is earned” pointing to those that came before and earned that moniker of greatness. We do need to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off. We all have the opportunity to change and better ourselves. The changes he is proposing are on a grand scale; new energy, health care overhaul, and economic growth. Ambitious, absolutely, but this country needs to get behind something, behind someone that at least wants to attempt lofty goals. Challenging the cynics by pointing out how imagination has allowed this country to overcome all previous obstacles. JFK said, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth”; this was just crazy talk in 1961. Obama has placed the American people at forefront of the world to once again become leaders in the international community. I am impressed with the goals and the strength of his speech, inspiring with history and promises of future. I cannot even begin to describe the feelings as the words were spoken, vivid imagery and amazing delivery.

I did not vote for President Obama, but I hope he does the job he needs to do. Today, I believe the country made the right choice. God Bless our Troops and God Bless America.
Until Tomorrow.

Six Day Weekend

Well, the end of the kids six day weekend is approaching. They spent a couple days with family so that was good for them. We have now reached Monday morning’s events. The kids woke up around 8:00 AM that is sleeping in for them. The boy comes down stairs and starts playing the Wii. I am on a conference call so I don’t mind too much. The princess wakes up and strolls down stairs to join the boy in playing the Wii. Still everything was going along nicely. They then proceeded to eat breakfast, still no issues. I mention to the boy that the Steelers won and they would be playing the Cardinals in the Super Bowl. Jokingly mind you, with mild hysterics in my voice, Madison laughed as well. I suggested that we get four tickets to the game, again while laughing at the cost of the tickets. The tickets range from $2500 to $15K per ticket. So then I call Lisa and make the same comments to her, she almost had a stroke and told me to go away. Here is where the fun begins. The boy started to get mad. He stated that “You got my hopes up about going to the game and now I can’t go”, to which the princess replied he was joking about going to the game. This is where he comes unglued. I calmly send him to his room; which is ceremoniously followed by the stomping of the feet up the stairs and then the fifteen minutes of cry and complain mode. You all know the mode I am referring to here, it sounds like: You never let me do any thing. Slightly amusing the first couple of times you hear it, but it can get old. I can say this is a vast improvement over the initial tantrums when the kids moved here in August, talk about a powder keg. Any way, he finishes that off and proceeds back downstairs and calmly with a serious expression on his face says “I figured it out.” To which my only reply was “Figured what out?” He states that “You [Lisa and I] do not want me to have any fun and that is why you won’t take me to the Super Bowl.” Followed by the “Mom and Dad Patrick will take me.” I calmly hand him the phone and let him know that I a perfectly okay with them purchasing the tickets and that I believe he will enjoy the game. Ten minutes later the phone call was over and it was determined that he was not going to be attending this year’s game. What a great start to the week.

This weekend the boy’s basketball team finally pulled of a victory, 14 to 12. Tar heels over the fighting Illini (all the teams are named after college teams). Yes, it brought tears to my eyes. A little because the team won their first game, but the memories that came flooding back from the NCCA National Title game from a few years ago. Of course the city was ready to explode; Illinois was the top ranked team in the country with no losses going into the game. Lisa and I adventured downtown to a bar called the “Orange Crush,” I could not even make that name up if I tried. The bar was filled with Illini fanatics. All of Lisa and her friends went to U of I. So naturally I am the only person in the bar who is cheering for UNC. The one common thread between all Chicago fans of any sport is simple; not one of them understands how the sport they are cheering for is actually played. This night was no different.

Now having blind faith in your team is not a bad thing that is part of being a fan. The issue here is the level that Chicago fans take it. Bears fans are insane. Let me run you through a typical Bears fan and their emotions through the season: Preseason – “Man, Rex is looking great, he is going to take us all the way”; End of Preseason – “We will win it all”; Game 1 – “Why the hell is Smith leaving Grossman in the damn game, he can’t throw, hell he can barely take the snap from center”; Game 2 – “Grossman sucks, put in Kyle Orton.“; Games 3 – 10 – “As long as we beat the Packers we had a successful season”; Games 11 – 16 – “we better draft or trade for a good quarterback”; Playoffs – “We had the 85 Bears and there was no team better than them.” This last one is not even up for debate. Bears fans will not even acknowledge that any other teams exist. Sure you can start off a conversation about the Steelers teams of the 70s or the 49ers of the 80s maybe the Cowboys of the 90s, possibly the Patriots of the 2000s. However the conversation always ends a few seconds later with “the 85 Bears were better than all of them”. Except for the fact that the very same Bears team came back the next season only to fall short of the Super Bowl, where as all of the other previously mentioned teams won back to back Super Bowls, hell a couple of those teams won 3 out of 4 Super Bowls. I really could go on about this all day but I digress. Back to the “Orange Crush” and a room full of basketball fans that don’t know the first thing about basketball. I was being as quiet as possible and trying not to smile as the game went along. The “juicy” orange made a valiant attempt at a comeback in the second half, but fell short. One could have heard a pin drop in this bar. It is hard to explain, I have been there. I have watched my team fall short on the last second or even get blown out. I would just finish my beer and head home; tomorrow is another day. This was not the case with many of these people. I actually started to feel bad for them. The dejection was complete. I believe that some of these people have not recovered to this day.

I have told you this entire story to get to across one simple point in life: It’s just a game. This could be possibly one of the hardest lessons to learn and defiantly the hardest to teach a young child. There are more important things in life to fret about: family, friends, and even people you do not know that are risking their lives for us every day. Try and put everything in perspective.
I think I may have come up with a post for later this week, Life Lessons. Tomorrow’s post should be obvious, with the historic inauguration.

Until Tomorrow.

Last couple of days

Again the children are out of school because it is too cold. I challenge anyone to be landlocked with two children who cannot go outside and have the attention spans of goldfish. My sanity is being pushed to the limits. Oh yes I forgot to mention that they are out of school on Monday and Tuesday. A 6 day weekend, this is getting out of hand.

I am at a loss for words today. I am drained. So I will end the week with a couple of my favorite poems.

HE WISHES FOR THE CLOTHS OF HEAVEN
By
William Butler Yeats
HAD I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

The Road Not Taken
By
Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Until Tomorrow.

Ridiculous

I have to start off today with a major complaint. The kids are out of school today because it is cold. That’s right because it’s cold. Not because of too much snow, it is a “cold” day. What the hell is that? I remember having snow days but give me a break. I have more than enough issues with the educational system, not really the teachers, but the system. No child left behind, lack of art, lack of music, and a lack of social studies. Math and English are important but so is creativity. Art and music promote creativity. Is it just me or are we creeping closer to living in an Orwellian society back in 1984?

A friend of mine, I call him a friend even though we have never met however I feel like I know him, serving in Afghanistan wrote that to solve the problems over there that we needed to put our(the United States) resources into schools. Then utilize the military to protect those schools. If we could just provide an education to people who don’t know any better, there is a good chance that they will begin to see the injustices for themselves and rise up against their oppressors. Maybe we should also look closer on the home front. Our educational system is in dire need of repair.

Spinning around on my soap box, I was getting my hair cut yesterday and the issue of government came up. The majority of the people where sitting around complaining that our government officials are corrupt. I sat there quietly and listened to the complaints. “There is nothing we can do about corrupt officials”, “Government officials do whatever they want, they are not acting on the people’s behalf”, and “Everyone is corrupt.” After a few minutes of listening to this lunacy, I had to say something. “It is our responsibility as citizens to exercise a certain power provided to us by that same government, part of that whole checks and balances system. It is called voting.” The response I got was “voting doesn’t help there are not enough people to change things.” I guess they are right, we should give up and let the status quo remain. Or to quote the Declaration of Independence “That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.” I am by no means advocating an overthrow of our government. Again for any governmental censors out there, I am by no means advocating an overthrown of our government. We need to adjust government. What the statement is saying is that if there is a problem with the government, we the people must change things. This is the foundation of our independence. We send our soldiers overseas to address these issues, we need to stand together at home as well and solve these issues.

Sorry for the rant, but there are obviously things that I believe deeply in. This country happens to be one of those things. I do not care if the Republicans, Democrats, or even the Green party changes things. Let’s get behind a group that is for real change and real progress. Now I am a Republican that sits close to the middle of the road, I do not hate the fact that our new president is a Democrat. According to my father this country needs Democrats to fix our problems. He is also fond of telling me that someday I will be a Democrat and I should just go ahead and accept that fact and move on. Maybe, he has been right about some things throughout my life. Before you start smiling to much dad, the key world there is “some”. I hope President Obama will do some good, if he cannot you can be damn sure I will be out there doing everything I can to make sure he does not get a second term.

Ok let’s see is there anything else I can talk about. I know how about religion. Just kidding, I am not going there.

I thought of a few more questions to add to yesterday’s post:
6) Why is it that when my damn dog goes to the bathroom in the house, does she do it on the floor on my site of the bed?
7) Along the same lines, is there anything worse than a wet sock?
8) In the middle of the night when getting up to go to the bathroom or get something to drink and you step on a high heel shoe of your significant other (I am not judging here) strategically placed and pointed up, is it wrong to scream loudly making sure that everyone in the house is woken up by your pain? The same applies to little freaking toys left out by children.
9) Why is it that after you are done going to the bathroom you look over and realize that the toilet paper is empty and the nearest full roll in 10 ft away?

Top Ten Music Albums: These are in no particular order of importance.

"No Fences" Garth Brooks: Set the bar for music in my generation.
"Twice the Speed of Life" Sugarland: Stunning vocals and all around good album.
"Country Club" Travis Tritt: This was the first country album I owned.
"Hysteria" Def Leppard: This was the first concert I ever went to see.
"Greatest Hits" Kenny Chesney: I hate greatest hits albums but this is a collection of good songs from earlier albums.
"Slippery When Wet" Bon Jovi: Do you even need a reason this made the list?
"Appetite for Destruction" Guns N' Roses: A brand new and unique sound, a promising start.
"The Joshua Tree" U2: Their best album, newer material not any good.
"Who Needs Pictures" Brad Paisley: The first album in what has become a phenomenal career.
"Not a Moment too Soon" Tim McGraw: An album where song after song does not disappoint.

Top Ten Songs: Again in no particular order. Before anyone starts in with me, this is my list.

“Friends in Low Places” Garth Brooks: Is there any one on that does not know the words to this song regardless of your musical tastes?
“Rock and Roll All Night” KISS: Party anthem, tough to beat except with maybe…
“The Joker” Steve Miller Band: Party anthem number 2 on the list.
“Sweet Home Alabama” Lynyrd Skynyrd: Party anthem number 1. Turn it up.
“The Visit” Chad Brock: A heart wrenching song that gets me every time I hear it.
“November Rain” Guns N’ Roses: Mainly because my mom could play it on the piano.
“The Dance” Garth Brooks: Everyone can relate to this song.
“Country Roads” John Denver: These roads will always take you home.
“The Gambler” Kenny Rogers: Taught us when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em
“Photograph” Nickelback: Most of it just fits.

Until Tomorrow.

Slow Day

I don’t really have much to say today. I do however have a few questions.
1) The TV has been on all day working fine with no one paying any attention to it. I sit down to watch it for a minute or two as I grab a quick bite to eat and what do I see but “Searching for Satellite signal”. Yes sometimes the satellite loses signal when the weather is bad, but why at the precise moment when I sit down to watch it. The kids were able to watch TV this morning while eating breakfast. Lisa was able to watch the weather. Me I get a black screen. Why?
2) Why is it that when a windshield wiper starts to leave streaks; does that streak appear directly in the middle of your field of vision? This event also occurs, when it is snowing and a piece of ice freezes to the wiper at the perfect location, directly in the middle of your field of vision. It makes no difference if you are tall or short, the smear will find you.
3) Why do they make clothing for dogs? Some people argue that it is cold outside and the dog needs a coat. IT HAS ONE!!!!! All dogs do, it is called a fur coat.
4) When it is snowing and people are driving around, why do they forget how to use a blinker?
5) When the temperature is in negative numbers; does anyone actually care that it “feels” colder than it really is? Tonight it is supposed to be around -11 degrees, but it will “feel” like -39 degrees. I am going to have to take a page from Ron White’s understanding the terrorist threat level here. According to Ron no one understands the colors of the threat level anyway so he simplified it to be: 1) Get a helmet and 2) Put on the helmet. So for the weather: 1) Get a jacket and 2) Put on the jacket. I do not need any more information than that.

How about some news?
There is a 22 year-old selling her virginity, so far bids have reached $3.7 million. Also a man accused of selling his child for $16,000, beer, and meat. Apparently, my generation was not all that creative when it comes to making money.

In other news by an ironic twist of fate a convicted sex offender in Alaska wins the lotto. All proceeds from the lotto go to benefit STAR - “Standing Together Against Rape”. The lotto winner was severely beaten.

Author Ann Coulter was harassed on the television show “The View”. Did they not know who she was before they booked her?

Worker in Peru cannot be fire for being drunk on the job. I have too many comments for this one. http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE50D6J720090114

Until Tomorrow.
I am working on my music top ten, it is taking longer than I thought.

Last Night

First off, I need to address the issue of last night’s National Title game. Florida wanted it more and they got it. Florida has a better coach. Bob Stoops is college football’s answer to Marty Schottenheimer; he is one of the best regular season coaches with a record of “109–23–0, the most wins by any Division 1-Football Bowl Subdivision school and the best record of any BCS school during that stretch.” (Thanks Wikipedia) He can get the team to a bowl, according to the Oklahoma Sooners own web site “All 10 of Bob Stoops' Sooner teams have been to bowl games (1999-2008) including seven BCS and four national championship games.” That is a fine and dandy but if you cannot win the bowl game no one cares. Here is a list of Stoops’ Ten bowl appearances:

Date	Bowl	Outcome	Teams
01.08.09	BCS Championship	L	Florida 24, Oklahoma 14
01.02.08	Fiesta Bowl	L	West Virginia 48, Oklahoma 28
01.01.07	Fiesta Bowl	L	Boise State 43,Oklahoma 42 (OT)
12.29.05	Holiday Bowl	W	Oklahoma 17, Oregon 14
01.04.05	Orange Bowl	L	Southern Cal 55, Oklahoma 19
01.01.04	Sugar Bowl	L	LSU 21, Oklahoma 14
01.01.03	Rose Bowl	W	Oklahoma 34, Washington State 14
01.01.02	Cotton Bowl	W	Oklahoma 10, Arkansas 3
01.03.01	Orange Bowl	W	Oklahoma 13, Florida State 2
12.31.99	Independence Bowl	L	Ole Miss 27, Oklahoma 25

1-4 in National Title games and has six Big Twelve titles. 4-10 in bowl games, someone should give this man an award. I will say this; the Fiesta Bowl of 2007 Boise State v. Oklahoma produced in my opinion the best last seven minutes of any football game I have ever seen. Well this is not entirely true in 1994 the Texas High School State Championship game tops the list. The teams: Plano East v. John Tyler. The situation: 3:00 left in the game Plano East is losing 41 to 17. For the rest of the story you have to watch and listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHkABO0VwCg&feature=related .

Ok I think it is time to move on. Everything started with a Christmas present for M & M. They received the Guitar Hero World Tour game and guitar. I watched for awhile thinking it would be a really stupid game. The boy was pretty good and he is getting a little better. But, here is where it went wrong with me. I gave it a try. At first I was frustrated because it was more difficult that it looked and second the boy was better than me (which cannot happen, ever). So I have been spent all my free time playing. I am now better than the boy. Anyway I broke down yesterday and purchased the Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit. It comes with another guitar, drums, and a microphone. I am considering creating a family band. So for the next party we host at the house be prepared for some good times, Lisa will be on the Mic. This has me in tears for multiple reasons.

I will post my music Top Ten lists in a few days.

Until tomorrow.

Top Ten List

I have decided to put together a few lists. Why am I doing this you ask? Well, I am at work and I am bored. Please don’t be jealous that I have nothing better to do at work. Some days I am actually busy. Wow, sorry I almost got that out without laughing. My work is like most things in life, “Hurry up and wait,” but now I have this place to ramble on about whatever I want.

What is on my mind today? Well, I am getting a little tired of telling people not to do stupid things yet they go ahead and do them anyway. For example, “Don’t run in shoes that don’t have laces, you will fall am bust your @$$.” The response I get is “No I won’t”, and then 10 minutes later they get really mad at me when I am laughing and saying I told you. I wonder why that is? Yes, I am sure my dad could say the same thing about me. Maybe it is just the best way to learn. Funny thing is that it is not just the kids; it is people at work too.

I do have one memory (at least I think it’s a memory, I could be making it up) of a lesson my dad attempted to teach me. It dealt with the “new” automatic garage door which at the time this was a novelty (we always did have the new technology pretty quick) as opposed to the “old” automatic garage door opener. Some of you may remember the old one, dad yelling “get your @$$ out of the car (usually in the rain) and open the damn door.” At any rate, my dad thought it would be a good time to teach me one of those “I told you so” lessons. The “beneficial” training involved the use of this fancy new piece of technology. At the age of 5 or 6, I thought I was getting to do something cool by going out into the garage and climb in the car then hit the magic button to close the door. Never once did it occur to me that I had an issue with closing a car door without smashing my fingers. This is where I feel my memory may be making things up because I feel like I had to close that damn garage door everyday for a week. Now I now coming from Oklahoma I may be a little slow sometimes but it seems ridiculous that it took me a week to learn this handy skill. Again, who knows, maybe I am just making all this up. I have had an adult beverage once or twice in my life that may or may not have harmed some brain cells.

Any way here are my lists:

Top Ten Movies: (kind of like the Big Ten conference with eleven teams)

1. Braveheart - Best movie of all time, not even up for debate. This movie characterizes a man living his life for love of both a woman and his country. Vivid images and story.
2. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope - A film way ahead of its time. Science Fiction that still captivates me today.
3. Caddyshack - "Cinderella story.. outta nowhere... former greenskeeper about to become the Masters champion." enough said.
4. A Beautiful Mind - Showcases acting at its finest. Russell Crowe playing John Nash a schizophrenic, a work of art.
5. The Natural - one of the greatest sports movies of all time. Not to mention it show that a person can never be too old to achieve their dreams
6. Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Saw this at the theater with my dad and Uncle Richard. My dad was laughing so hard I thought he was going to die. Plus I think about this movie every time I go into Chicago.
7. Batman The Dark Knight - Incredible acting and storytelling. (See yesterdays blog post)
8. I, Robot - Will Smith one of my favorite actors. This is a movie I can watch over and over again.
9. Elizabethtown - This is hard to explain, it is just a great movie.
10. Airplane! - "Shirley you can't be serious" "I am and don't call me Shirley"
11. Armageddon - Cheesy movie maybe but fantastic. The characters all played perfect together, very good side stories.
12. Saving Private Ryan - Very emotional film. Once I was able to get myself prepared to get past the first scene, the rest of the movie did not disappoint. Now Black Hawk Down would have made the list but the book was much better.

This was a difficult list to make. There are so many movies that I love. I imagine that this list changes, aside from the top 3, from week to week depending on any recent viewings.

Movie Character Pantheon:
These are all characters that become something bigger than their role. There are in no particular order. Also ever changing for the moment.

1. Ferris Bueller - Who has not wanted to be him at one point or another
2. John McClane - "Yippee-ki-yay, Mother@#@$@."
3. Ty Webb - "Find your center, picture the shot, Danny...picture it. Turn off all the sound...just let it happen...be the ball. Be the ball, Danny..."
4. Cornel Nathan Jessup - The kind of man we need on that wall
5. Indiana Jones - Leather Jacket, bull whip and a cool hat
6. Spock - Always logical
7. Crash Davis - Showed us how to love the game of baseball
8. Forest Gump - Life is a box of chocolates
9. Andy Dufresne - constantly striving to make the most of his troubles
10. The Joker (Heath Ledger) - Crazy, just plain crazy.

Tomorrow I will work on some music lists.

Until tomorrow.

Sorry for the delay

I want to apologize to my two readers out there. It has been pretty hectic around here with Christmas, New Years, getting back to work, and the kids back in school. I know blah, blah, blah. Get on with the good stuff.

Before I get into today's section, I have to say that yes I am behind the times a little when it comes to movies (See previous post on movies). I wait until they are released to DVD then watch them when I find some free time.

If you have not seen "Batman: The Dark Knight" I have attempted to give a review without revealing too much of the story. If you are worried about spoilers, then go rent the movie and then come back.

Very seldom does a movie live up to its hype. How many times have we heard this is the best movie of the year or so and so delivers an amazing performance; only for the movie to fall short in all categories. Last night I watched Batman: The Dark Night. I will admit that I was initially put off by the concept of a new Batman series. So many people try to go back and remake a movie and fall way short, not with this series recreation. This is the second movie in the series. The movie stars Christian Bale (Batman), Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent), and Heath Ledger (the Joker). Bale provides a dark persona to the caped crusader which I feel makes for a better image; his performance as the “I am richer than you so I can do whatever I want” Bruce Wayne is spot on. This is the attitude of how I see people with too much time and money on their hands. Aaron Eckhart delivers an always solid performance. This guy comes out in most of the movies I have seen him in and delivers. Harvey Dent/Two Face is a challenging character to play. Passion for justice had to shine through both sides of the coin as Dent and Two Face, especially while being incredibly damaged by loss of a love and half of his face. Moving on to the Joker, again a tough character to play, in my opinion this is mainly due to Jack Nicholson and the memory of his Joker performance. In tragically his final role, Heath Ledger was fantastic; worthy of an Oscar, maybe. This performance was so stunning that it showcases an actor taking a role to a new level. This character has moved into the movie character pantheon (I will work on a list of others for tomorrow). Throughout most of the movie I found myself staring at the screen, at times almost lost in his performance. Some of the other characters in the movie who shined in supporting roles: Morgan Freeman (Lucius) – rarely disappoints, his role helps to balance Batman’s conscience; Gary Oldman (Lt./Commissioner Gordon) – fantastic ability to portray a character that is in a powerless position and make it actually believable; Michael Caine (Alfred) – no other Alfred has even come close to Caine, perfection; Maggie Gyllenhall (Rachel) – an ok performance but I really hate it when roles are recast, more often than not the replacement leaves something to be desired (I am not a big Katie Holmes fan but I thought she was good as Rachel). The director Christopher Nolan (who also directed and co-wrote Batman Begins, The Prestige, Insomnia, and Memento) has the keen ability to keep viewers on the edge. Just when you think you have prepared yourself to go down that same old predictable road he throws in a major turn. The movie was fantastic. The way the characters develop and evolve throughout the film is incredible. I would rate this movie 5 out of 5. I would put this movie in to my personal top ten, which is not an easy list to crack (see tomorrow’s blog for this list).

I really liked reviewing this movie. More fun than I thought it would be. I will try to do this more often, if you like it and want to see more let me know.

Until tomorrow, good day.

Happy New Year

I want to wish everyone a happy new year. Last year was a good year. We got to see family in Oklahoma and the kids came to live with us. As for new years resolutions, I have none. This year will be full of challenges but I will take each one as they come.

Have a good New Year.