Ethics Schmethics and other stuff...

When the Fourth’s on a Friday, American productivity probably slumps 22% by Thursday. Nothing like a front-loaded three-day weekend to make people itchy for freedom on Wednesday afternoon. Already the detonations are going off in my neighborhood – people cannot wait to BLOW STUFF UP.

Which of course leads us right into...

Ethics. Talk about a relative subject.

I had a conversation with a fellow employee about business ethics the other day. The conversation wasn't about ethics per se but it turned out that way. She was concerned about an individual in our company who she claimed was being unethical. I mean she was really peeved. Called him a shyster and said the best thing for this company would be for him to leave. I don't know all of the facts in this situation so I will reserve judgment. She knew as much as I did but had no reservations in condemning this guy to business Siberia.

The problem I had with this was this is the same woman who parks in handicapped parking places because "She'll just be a minute." She takes 2 hour lunches to go shopping. She has phantom Dr.s appointments to go home early. I could go on but you get the point.

What is it about ethics? I am not prepared to get into a philosophical debate about Socrates vs Aristotle and their differences as it pertains to applied ethics. I am not prepared mentally or physically. I'm pooped. It's just that you would think someone that can jump to an ethical conclusion that quickly would see the unethical manner in which they conduct their own lives. I'm no saint by any means. Kelly is though. So, I don't have much room to talk but I can assure you I've never parked in a handicapped space, never made up excuses to leave work early and never taken a 2 hour...well, I've never done the first one anyway.

First picture of water on Mars...

What do you expect on a Monday?

John Denver's influence...

While riding in the car today, Rocky Mountain High came on the radio. Instantly, I was taken back to a campfire in Yosemite National Park. The family sitting around it, Dad on the guitar and all of us singing John Denver. Those types of memories are the best ones I have of our childhood. Everyone together, singing, laughing and enjoying each other.

The next memory I had was driving to Colorado with 4 fraternity brothers to go fishing. The second we hit Colorado John Denver's Greatest Hits was put in the cassette player and we sang like there was no tomorrow. That led to another fraternity image of 30 guys whitewater rafting down the Rio Grande singing Take Me Home Country Roads and listeneing to the sound bounce off the canyon walls. Those were fun times.

The point of all this is there is something about John Denver and his sound when you are in God's country. There are those who get it and those who don't. I tend to want to be with those who get it. I have never gone back to all of the people in my life with whom I did not get along or about whom I just did not have a good feeling to see if they liked John Denver but I'll bet my instincts are right. Most of them probably did not.

It goes beyond Mr. Denver. He looked like a nerd and he was easily ridiculed for his folksy type of sound. But those of us who got past that, could see that he got it too. Mountains, rivers, valleys, the ocean, in short nature is a gift. To be cherished. To be revered. To be enjoyed. It is a gift from God. Some look at the majesty of the mountains and see upheaval of tectonic plates. Some see the hand of God. Some look at the oceans and see global warming. Some see the hand of God. Some see the vast expanse of space and see the Big Bang. Some see the hand of God.

All of the guys on that fishing trip who liked John Denver: their parents are all still married, their siblings are all still married and they are all still married.

I'm not trying to infer anything from that. Those are just the facts. But there has got to be something to that. I couldn't tell you about all of the guys on that rafting trip but I do know the ones I keep in touch with, still married. Again, I'm not saying. I'm just saying.

And by the way, my parents still married, my siblings still married, I am still married. Although I do think there is a hater among us but I can't remember who that is.

Money, its a gas...

Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.
-Pink Floyd

It really sucks to be on a budget. If Kelly was working right now, we would be living high on the hog. This phrase comes from the south. The good meat can be found on the back of the pig. That's what the owners of the plantations ate. They would give the slaves the pigs feet and jowls. If you lived high on the hog, you were eating the good meat and therefore well to do. Yep. We would never have to have the budget discussion. Man, I hate that talk. As a matter of fact it is about the only thing Kelly and I have issues with. We rarely get through a money discussion without someone crying. And it's usually me. I'm just kidding. Kelly never cries.

I don't know what it is. It probably comes out of some ancient primal instinct that I am the man and I need to provide for my clan. (insert monkey noises now) When that primitive feeling is tweaked in a bad way I get...oh I don't know...Kelly may refer to it as defensive. I admit I become a little reserved but I promise you whatever she says, she's lying.

After looking at the financial statement the words red and dark red came to mind. It's not because we aren't bringing in enough money. It's because we were spending too much money. A lesson the federal government could stand...no...stop...I promised myself this post would not be political.

We know what we have to do. No more eating out. Dollar store for any presents. No more ATM withdrawals outside of our network. No more diapers, milk, clothes. You know the extras. Yep it's time to tighten the belt. Time to shine all the penny's. Time to bite the bullet.

Now if you'll excuse me. I need to go get my daily Venti Mocha Frapuccino.

It's time for "Name That Pary"...

To what political party does the person who said the following belong:

Representative James Fagan voiced his opposition to Jessica’s law requiring stiff mandatory sentences to child rapists. As a defense attorney, Fagan promised if such a law were in place and victims assume the stand "I’m gonna rip them apart." Fagan continued "I’m going to make sure that the rest of their life is ruined, that when they’re 8 years old, they throw up; when they’re 12 years old, they won’t sleep; when they’re 19 years old, they’ll have nightmares and they’ll never have a relationship with anybody."

Because this is probably the first you've heard of this, you know he's a Democrat. Imagine if a Republican had said this. Do you think it might have been in the news or the papers? Maybe? Somewhere?

Monkey Business...

With an ongoing war in Iraq, $4 a gallon gasoline, Midwest floods, a credit crunch and creeping inflation, rest assured, our congressmen have their eyes on the ball. By a vote of 302-96 last week, the House of Representatives passed the Captive Primate Safety Act, a bold step on the road to outlawing pet monkeys.


Animal rights aside, one thing is clear: This is not the business of the federal government. In criminalizing pet ownership, the nanny state is going too far, and few can argue against the idea that making monkey trafficking a federal crime borders on the absurd. A Heritage Foundation report released last week estimates there are at least 4,450 federal crimes on the books. As John Baker, a Louisiana State University law professor writes, "The federal government is supposedly a government of limited powers and, therefore, limited jurisdiction. Each new crime expands the jurisdiction of federal law enforcement."

Did Congress step in because of an absence of pre-existing monkey regulations? No. The monkey industry does not operate in a vacuum; states have various restrictions on primate ownership, varying from licensing to breeding restrictions to total bans. If monkey-owning is your hot-button issue, as opposed to, say, taxes or abortion, you are free to move to a more monkey-permissive, or anti-monkey, state.

__________________

(begin sarcasm)
While watching the news the other night I was struck by the images of all the looting going on during the midwestern floods. What is it about a natural disaster that brings out the worst in people? Why do they feel they are entitled to other peoples property simply because they have had some hardship enter their lives. Where are the pictures of people rolling up their shirtsleeves and making sandbags to thwart the swollen river?

I am sick of all the midwesterners blaming the federal government for their plight as well. Rain comes. Rivers crest. Floods happen. I wish those midwesterners would take some responsibilty themselves and stop blaming others.

At least we will be able to see another good benefits concert for the flood victims of the midwest. I'm sure Kanye West and Fitty Cent are lining up to help their fellow Americans. Because as you know, George Bush does not like midwesterners.
(end sarcasm)

The $%^$#@ Supreme Court...Updated...

UPDATE: IF it is a matter of levels of moral depravity as Justice Kennedy says it is, please read this phrase by Justice Alito in his dissent:

Indeed, I have little doubt that, in the eyes of ordinary Americans, the very worst child rapists—predators who seek out and inflict serious physical and emotional injury on defenseless young children—are the epitome of moral depravity.

UPDATE: This post was a knee-jerk reaction to a Supreme Court decision with which I did not agree. After time to calm down and reflect and pray on this...I still feel exactly the same way...


If you haven't figured it out already, this will be a political post. So if you don't like that sort of stuff, you may want to stop reading.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has struck down a Louisiana law that allows the execution of people convicted of a(sic) raping a child.

In a 5-4 vote, the court says the law allowing the death penalty to be imposed in cases of child rape violates the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment

I know I am supposed to be against the death penalty and all that because all life is precious and blah blah blah but there is something about this decision that effects me beyond words. I am pro-life. I give to pro-life organizations. I pray that the justices will see the errors of their ways and overturn that horrific decision. Instead, they deem raping a child...raping a child...raping...a...child...is not worthy of execution. I am dumbfounded. If the laws are not here to protect the most defenseless of us then what are they here for?

I am supposed to be pro-life and anti-death penalty. In public, I am. I say all the right things. Life is a gift from God and who are we to take it. But deep down in places I don't talk about at parties, I feel there is a fundamental difference between an unborn baby and a child rapist. One had his chance and he blew it. The other never got the chance. Snuffed out before it could grow. Love. Smile.

In the past few weeks, the Supreme Court has told us that enemy combatants held on foreign soil have all the rights and privileges that Americans do when it comes to justice. This is precedent setting. It has opened up the federal courts to all 290 terrorists sitting in Gitmo. You think our court systems are bogged down now, just wait until these guys get involved. Imagine the CIA having to hand over documents or agents to 290 different trials. And they have told us raping a child is not punishable by death. They seeem to be batting a thousand.

Scalia, Alito, Roberts and Thomas are holding on for dear life. This court will go down in history as the one that started the fall. It's a shame those judges will be lumped in with the Ginsburg's and Souter's of the court.

By the way, one of the reasons - Biblically speaking - that Israel was sent away into captivity, according to most of the prophets, was their corrupt judicial system.

Today's the day...

Yesterday there was a horrible wreck in Plano. A family of 5 on their way home from church was hit by a guy who ran the red light. All 5 were killed.

Just like that.

In as much time as it took me to write that sentence, 5 lives had been snuffed out. Gone.

Forever.

The driver of the car who ran the red light is in critical condition in the hospital. I don't know what my feelings are about him. Should he die to pay for his actions. Or should he live to pay for his actions. I don't know what thinking about killing 5 people for the rest of my life would do to me. But I can't imagine it would be very pretty. I guess that's why God handles the big stuff. He will do a better job of it than I would have anyway.

The one thing it does make me think of is how precious life is. How fleeting. How fragile. But just to add the dichotomy life is also vibrant and resilient and strong.

How can that be? How can one thing have so many differing qualities?

Precious? Look at the pictures of your new born babies again. That my friends is precious.

Fleeting? Fragile? I think about the miscarriages. God knew who they were before they were born. They were human. They were alive. They are our children.

Vibrant? Resilient Strong? The 28 of us have been through some difficult situations yet here we are. Somewhat battered and bruised but still here for one another.

Just like that.

I love you guys.

Forever.

It's all in my head...

Yesterday was a good day. We all got up and went to the Coppell farmer's market. It was fun. We bought some fruits and vegetables. I bought some grass fed beef and Kelly got some Alaska salmon. It ain't your daddy's farmer's market. Organic seems to be the way to go now. All of the organic stands had long lines. I felt sorry for the chemically enhanced tomatoes lady. She was lonely. I think it's great. Growing healthier foods. Eating healthier. It's a win-win.

I mowed the lawn when we came home. Nothing like a sense of accomplishment. There is something about seeing the fruits of your labor. It is something else entirely to see the your fruit of the looms.

We all hopped in the pool and cooled off. It was marvelous. Did I mention I bought some stuff to put in the pool that makes it crystal clear and softer? Well, I did.

I later was on my way to work thinking I had left my phone there when I looked down and lo and behold there it was on the floorboard. I didn't have to go all the way there. Score!

Kelly took Madison to a shower and I spent the afternoon with Ian and Reagan. Reagan slept most of time as did I. I put Reagan down and Ian asked to watch Ooh and Aah. Puppet monkeys on Playhouse Disney. These monkeys are actually very funny. You can tell the guys who master the puppets are catering to the kids but with their mannerisms and comedic timing it is enjoyable for this adult as well. I love those kinds of shows. Anyhoo, Ian asked me to watch with him so I laid...lied...lain...plopped down in bed with him and promptly fell asleep. He let me go for about 45 minutes before requesting another movie. A nice nap with my favorite dude. If I wasn't talking about my son, that could sound relatively weird.

Spent the evening with Mike and Kim's family. Repaying them for all they have done for us. Had a good meal and a good swim and a good dessert. Kelly made blueberry pie with fresh blueberrys she bought at the farmer's market. Good conversation too.

A wonderful day.

I'm just glad I was in a good mood. If not, the day may have sounded like this:

(begin bad day)

Got up and went to a farmers market where the prices were outrageous. It was hot lugging three kids around! What a pain! I could have mowed the lawn instead but I had to wait until we got home. It was freakin hot. I wanted to get in the pool to cool off and relax but to no avail. Everyone got in too. I had to lug Ian around as he jumped from everywhere and throw Madison. I left my freaking glasses at work so I went to go get them. Half way there I found them on my floorboard. Half a trip to work all that gas wasted for nothing.

Kelly had to go galavanting so I was stuck watching the kids again. As if a week of work isn't enough. Is it too much to ask for a Saturday of rest?

Unfortunately, we had asked Mike and his family to come over earlier in the week. I am damn tired and do not want company. Maybe they'll leave early.

(end bad day)

Yep. It's all in the way you look at it. I'm glad my head was right yesterday. I would have missed a beautiful day.

P.S.Now, the win-win statement may come as a surprise to some of you. But like I told Kelly, to choose to go green is a good thing. To be told to go green, by telling me what kind of light bulbs I can have in my house and how much water can flow from my toilet, not so much.

That's right, dawwwwg...

Return of the Mack.

Hangin' at de crib. This lime has no juice. So, I got my sky iced. Skeet a little water on my ride. My blades is tin foil and I'm all g'd up. My beezy be trippin bout some berrys but my whodies go in foe deep. Got my b-coat and my biscuit. It's time to crunk.

I'm chillin as a BG but I'm loking to gaffle and knuckle up. Always one eight six.

Don't need no knocka hangin' on my junk. Don't be bringin' no fakejacks all up in my grill.

Catch my vapors. It's all raw.

I'm ghost.

TRANSLATION

After spending a quiet evening at home I decided it was time for some fun. I showered shaved and washed my car. I am dressed to the nines. My wife is concerned about my safety as my friends and I leave. I have my bulletproof vest and my legal firearm. It's time to go have a good time.

I'm still a little fish in a big pond but I hope to make a splash in the world. I am looking for a few others to debate and argue. I am always on the lookout for those who would do me harm.

I would prefer to stay away from the bad people and the pests.

I hope by example, people will want to be like me. It's all good fun.

Bye Bye now.