I'm done with the Republican Party...(you should be, too)

So all 176 republicans in the House are patting themselves on the back because they stood up to Democrats and excessive government waste.  I feel so much better now.  It reminds me of the good old days of the original TARP legislation when all the republicans stood up and voted against that piece of legislation.  Wait a minute, that was a dream I had, because 91 republicans voted for the original legislation in October.  Did you know in October the original TARP bill would have been defeated if all 91+108 republicans had voted against it?  In fact they defeated the first version of it.  But they gladly switched their votes when $50 billion in additional pork spending was added to it.  So let’s all pat the 176 house republicans on the back for standing up for their principles and voting against this new round of useless government spending.  Funny that they weren’t so principled back in October.

To be fair some of those 91 original republicans are out of a job now, but not all.  What a crock of crap, they should not be getting kudos for adhering to republican values for once.  I don’t know why they didn’t start acting like republicans 5 years ago.  I am done with them.  I will no longer lend any support to or vote for another republican until they can get their act together.  What a bunch of sniveling cowards they are.  Cowering in the corner like a whipped dog underneath the watchful eye of the all powerful benevolent leader Obama.  This was a pointless stand that they took.  Rush Limbaugh is correct in saying the republican leadership is impotent.  They can start to prove to me that they are capable of acting like republicans if they put aside this silly feel good word bipartisanship.  Bipartisanship is acting like a liberal- voting for liberal causes and moving our country in a socialist direction.  The whole republican party is a joke.  Until they start voting against everything the democrats bring forward as a group showing solidarity and unity they are dead to me.

So, where is my support going?  Why to the Libertarian Party of course.  I can get over the whole legalization of drugs thing, especially given the option of the republican party.  Other than the drug thing, everything the Libertarians support of think I agree with whole heartedly.  It is time for everyone who is just as disgusted with the way things are going is to get behind and support a true opposition party.  I will give money to and campaign for and lend just as much time and support to the Libertarian party.

 ‘Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"’

Conservatives have been exiled from the republican party.  We need a new home.  Let conservatives everywhere migrate to the Libertarian Party. 

 

Peace- I’m out.

 

First Congratualtions

Congrats to Bo and Andrea!  I saw Maggie last night and must admit she was cute as a button.  Here’s hopin’ you guys get just as little sleep and rest for the next 10 years as the rest of us!  Seriously though, she is absolutely beautiful, and congrats to you.

 

Some actual deep thoughts...

Seems Mom, Merilee and Sharel were out getting their nails done and they had a discussion about the HPPV vaccine.  Sharel wanted to discuss with me this vaccine and make sure we were on the same page.  We are.  Not saying we are right about this and everyone else is wrong- just that this is what we feel is right for our family.

Sharel and I won’t be giving our girls this vaccine until they are 18 for the following reasons: (My info is from the CDC here- http://www.cdc.gov/std/Hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm)

1.        It is not a cervical cancer vaccine, but rather an HPPV vaccine.  HPPV is a sexually transmitted disease that is one of the causes of cervical cancer, not the only one.  According to the CDC, no sex=no virus.

2.       While mom and Merilee made a good point that one could acquire it after marriage, therefore the vaccination should be given- it does not need to be given to my 13 year old- the vaccination is proven effective and safe up to 26 years of age, hence my statement above that we will give it to them when they are 18.

3.       Sharel and I do have certain expectations from our kids, and one of the them is being moral.  We will teach and explain the reasons why, and we will hope they choose to do the right thing.  Just personally, we don’t want to shield them from the consequences of their actions.  I know that may sound cold and heartless, but it really isn’t.  It would be just as hard for us as it will be for them should they get sick or pregnant- but we can’t protect them their whole life as much as we want to.  Like I said- not saying our way is right, and everyone else’s is wrong- just that for our family it is right.

 

While Sharel and I were having this discussion, another one popped up about what we would do if one of our kids did get pregnant while a teenager.  First- we would love them, that will never change.  We would strongly suggest they give the baby up for adoption through LDSFS, as that is what the Brethren have taught us is the best thing not for us, or for the mom, but for the baby to be able to enjoy the blessings of a two-parent household and the wonderful blessings that come through the ordinances of sealing.  I know it would be extremely difficult not only for our daughters, but for us as grandparents.  But a life is not something we can be selfish about.

In the situation where she does not want to give the baby up, then Sharel and I talked about what the best way to help her would be.  We came up with the following ideas- first as much as we love her and want her to be happy, she has chosen an adult lifestyle and so now she needs to become and adult- that means no more high school- go get your GED and enroll in college, and a job.  We are not babysitters, but would be more than happy to watch the baby while you are at work or school (although with online classes one need not actually go to school).  Your income from the job will pay for most of what the baby needs,. If there is any leftover it can go for rent to us. (sharel and I didn’t talk about this part, but we would probably put the “rent” money away in savings for her).  I am sure there are other things we would do, but those would be the core aspects, and above all those harsh conditions we would give her unconditional love.  We would do everything in our power to make sure she succeeds, without doing it for her.

 

I think this is a good discussion to have with our spouses.  If we kind of have an idea of what we would do in certain situations, then when and if those situations arise we will be able to make a more informed decision not solely based on emotion.  WE also like an idea we heard from Mom. She was watching a talk on the BYU channel about telling our kids what the rules are while they are young.  This way we can have this talk with our kids when they are old enough and tell them what the consequences would be and what we would do in any of these cases.

 

That brings me to one last point- sometimes I get the impression that people think Sharel and I are like German school administrators with our kids- cold, harsh and intolerant.  We are not.  I think what people see is us enforcing rules and consequences that we have already taught our kids.  We try not to bend rules, or not follow through with consequences.  We don’t believe that counting to 10 is effective with our kids.  We don’t believe in telling or asking them to do something 3 times before we follow through  with the consequences.  We also don’t believe in making empty threats- if we tell them if they don’t do something they will go to timeout- and they don’t do it, we put them in time out.  I think it has worked out since our kids behave for the most part.  We also know when they are actually hurt, or when they are merely being dramatic.  But with that we can tell when they are acting hurt for some desperately needed attention, and that is when we give it to them, and cuddle with them and tell them how much we love them.  People don’t see the long nights spent up holding them because they are sick, or the 3 on 1 wrestling matches with the kids, or sometimes those days where the kids just want to be held to feel safe and content.  We are not perfect, we yell when we shouldn’t, occasionally we spank out of anger and frustration, and sometimes we aren’t as compassionate as we should be.  Our kids, not just ours, but every child needs to be told they are loved every day, they need to be shown they are loved and wanted.  Sometimes that involves us sacrificing what we would rather be doing and read the same annoying book over and over to them.  Sometimes that involves us getting down on the floor and playing with them, sometimes that involves holding back our frustrations and annoyance when they want to follow us around the house. Sometimes that means making a big deal out of their hurt finger which we are sure doesn’t hurt nearly as much as they are acting.  The thing that sick to my stomach is that one of my kids would be afraid of me.  I want them to look forward to the time when I come home from work.  I want them to feel safe around me.   I want them to know without a doubt that above all else I love them, and that it is not merely a given, but that I have shown them I love them  and will listen to them.  It is an everyday effort to make sure that I am accomplishing these goals, and some days are better than others, but as long as I am having more better days than bad,  I think I will be ok.

Sorry for the ramblings.  But it was quite therapeutic to be able to say all that.  In case anyone feels like I am on a soap box- I’m not, just sharing what we are doing and what we feel will work for our own family.  Every family is different, so different ways of doing things abound.

 

Peace- I’m out!

Office amusements

I figure I have a year’s worth of head shaking stories involving the two previously mentioned products of modern education, so I figure as often as possible  I will post stories involving them.  It is important to note that I am not embellishing or exaggerating in any way.  The following stories are true, only the names have been changed to protect the naïve.

So, Music Guy thinks computers run on magic.  He reminds me of an 82 year old man who cannot wrap his mind around even the most basic workings of a computer.  This is surprising since he has a college degree and was born in the computer generation.

Maybe only Spencer and Mark will understand the utter stupidity of this – but he pulls out his laptop one day and gets a very confused look on his face.  He messes around for a few minutes and frustrated he comes over and wants my help.  Seems he cannot get onto the internet.  Not surprising since the company is not wireless, and he does not have a CAT5 cable stuck into his computer.  He wants to know why, and I tell him there is no wireless signal, so he cannot get on the internets.  Once again, a very confused look passes on his face, and he asks how come we can get on the internet from our work computers if there is no wireless internet.  I bend down and show him the cables and explain those are wires, they plug into the wall which provides the computers with the internet, and the  company does not provide wireless internet.  Then the kicker- he says- “oh, so wireless means there is literally no wire hooked up to the computer, but an antenna like a radio!”  Right, Sherlock.  “I thought wireless was an internet company.”

 

It's a magical day...

So, today is the grand coronation of his High Magnificence the Great and Infallible, Most Kindly and Benevolent Grand Poobah Barack Obama!!!!!!!!!  Change is in the air, the birds are singing, animals playing together.   Does anyone think it a coincidence that this year has been one of the coldest years in a lot of years, that now experts are saying that in fact instead of the planet warming it is now cooling?  It is because Barack Obama has reversed Global Warming!!!!  I think we should all be so grateful that we have been graced with the leadership of Barack Obama.  He is not merely a president, but an ambassador of change, who flies around with his magic fairy wand making right what once went wrong, hoping someday that his next leap- will be the leap home… (sorry, been watching Quantum Leap lately).

 

So my loony coworker who watches Charlie Rose (yes, someone actually watches Charlie Rose) said there was a guy on there who was discussing the differences between Bush and Obama.  In essence- ‘Bush was selfish and did not want to unite people or play as a team.  That is why Iraq is Bush’s War, not the American peoples war.  Obama has ushered in a new age of collective ownership- meaning we all have a vested interest in Obama succeeding, so therefore Obama’s failures are everyone’s failures.  If he loses, it is because we have all let him down.’

 

I kid you not, this is what my coworker was excited about and what this idiot was spouting in Charlie Rose.

 

So many socialist and communistic ideas presented in that little synopsis, I don’t even know where to begin.  Let’s start with the obvious political spin- If Obama fails, don’t blame him, it is your fault.  Very subtle, yet very obvious what his people are trying to do- make Obama not accountable to us.  “Obama’s plans actually made the economy worse?  Not his fault- it is your fault, our fault.  Not sure how, but we all need to accept blame because if he fails, we all fail.”  Think about that and what someone could get away with.  Kind of reminds you of Battered Woman Syndrome – “Stage two of battered women's syndrome occurs when a battered woman truly recognizes or acknowledges that there is a problem in her relationship. She recognizes she has been the victim of abuse and that she may be beaten again. During this stage, most battered women will take on the blame or responsibility of any beatings they may receive. Battered women will begin to question their own characters and try harder to live up their partners ‘expectations’.”

 

Now the subtle varieties of Socialism and Communism espoused in the explanation- collectivism.  For those that are not aware- collectivism is a fundamental tenet of Socialism and Communism- that is there is no individual rights, only group rights and collective rights.  Once everyone starts being lumped into one group and we all have to take the blame for failure it seems to me that we are being subtlety groomed and led down the road to Socialism.  Individual responsibility.  That is the essence of Agency.

 

I am not sure what the next four years have in store for us, I hope it will be more like a Clinton presidency and Obama will do nothing at all.  I do think that we will have another attack on US soil, hopefully not on the scale of 9/11, but it will happen again.  Obama will either do nothing and want to talk with the terrorists about it, or he will go on the offensive like GWB has, except people will applaud Obama for protecting us.  I think we will see more of our individual freedoms be taken away.  We will see another shift in the courts to a more liberal stance that focuses on the so called ‘rights’ of the offenders rather than the justice for the victims. The UN will play a greater role in all of our lives.  The things Obama promised but that he cannot do he will blame on Bush.  Bush will still be a catch all for blame for the next generation or so.

 

 On the bright side I also see things that will bring me slight amusement- things that are already happening- Venezuela will still hate us, as will Iran, Russia, North Korea, and most of the muslim countries.  The French will continue to be arrogant buttholes.  Radical Islam will still want to destroy us.  The Obama administration will not be any different politically from any other politician.  There will still be steep divides ideologically.  Congress will continue to fight like little children.  There will be no new tone in Washington.

 

Peace- I’m out!

A few things...

This last week has been rough- Rachel and Grant both had the little kid stomach flu (rotovirus), and not the 24 hour kind, but the 7 day kind that is extremely contagious.  So, there were many sleepless nights, load after load of laundry to do, and the constant cleaning of vomit.  On top of all this, Sharel found out she had a sinus infection.  Friday night I took Grant to Children’s Mercy for dehydration.  Children’s Mercy is awesome!  They got an IV in him, and within two hours he was up playing around and being semi back to normal.  He is almost back to normal now, although he lost about 5 or 6 pounds from this whole mess.  Rachel did much better and was over it a few days before Grant.  A huge blessing for us is that Eryn never did get it.  I owe all that to the priesthood.  Eryn received a blessing when Rachel and Grant first started vomiting that she would be immune to it.  There is real power there.  All of us seem to be getting back to normal, even Sharel.

 

We are not too far away from our due date- Feb. 22, just a little over a month away.  No, we have not really decided on a name yet, but we will be sure to let you know.

 

Bigger news- as you might have guessed, I finally acquired a new handgun.  A very powerful one- a Charles Daly 1911 in .45acp.  I am super excited, and just bought a box of ammo for it, so I can’t wait to get out and shoot it.  Get ready, Bo, I just need to clear a day and we can get our shoot on!  Spencer- too bad you live in Tennessee.  Sucks to be you, bro.

 

Political Front:

It is so sweet, and tickles me to no end that the congressional democrats and Obama are having a little tiff.  It all seemed to start when Obama failed to consult with Diane Feinstein over the selection of the CIA chief.  After all, Diane is the chair of the senate intelligence committee, a very high power democrat, and she was not even informed of what was going on.  This started a little chest thumping amongst the two camps.  Now it seems that the congressional democrats are telling obama- “look, you are not king, we got you elected.  You need to remember where your bread is buttered buster.”  Seems Obama’s gotten a little too big for his britches.  Stay tuned for the media to fall next- it will take longer- but I think within two years the media will not be as kind to him as they are now.  We can see some journalists already taking offense as evidenced in this article- love affair crumbling?

 

Peace- I’m out

A day in the life of the newest member of the Olsen Family...

I'd like to introduce the newest member of the Olsen clan- Chuck D.- through a pictorial entitled "A Day in the Life of..." or "Chuck D's Routine"

Enjoy.

"Rise and shine, Chuck!"



"Shake those groggy cobwebs off with a nice shower"



"Looks like a good healthy breakfast, Chuck!"



"Time to check some email!"



"You'll never get ahead without hittin' those books!"




"A few phone calls..."



"Can't miss 'Gilmore Girls'!"



"Chilaxin' and playin' some GameCube!"



"Getting tired, time for a bedtime story."



"Brush your teeth good, Chuck!"



"Shhh, he's already asleep."

Hope you enjoyed the pictorial.

Peace, I'm out!

Batman and Superman Part 2

First- Response to Spencer:  Your super comic book nerdery should be a shameful secret that no one knows about. 

Second- you are right, Punisher is the greatest comic book hero of ALL time.

 

Well, I guess my in depth discussion of the Batman and Superman is over.  Thanks for ruining it Spencer. 

 

Korynn- Bruce Wayne does not give money to Law Enforcement because there is only one honest cop on the Gotham City PD.  Booyah!

 

Merilee- Mark doesn’t count until he has a comic book and stops a crime.  You just got served!  (He does have awesome sideburns.)

 

Brian- Ghostrider, the undead and a flaming head on a motorcycle?  Yup- Awesome x5.

 

Stay tuned to my next roundtable discussion where I discuss the merits of a company that haunts liberals dreams and makes them soil themselves- Blackwater USA.