Qoute of the Day

"I'm not one to talk about money..."

-Ky Risdall (Host of the radio program, Market Place)

Complainers

Two months ago Mark Perry posted this video on his blog. Originally, I thought it was clever thinking, yeah we don't realize how nice we have it. However, that was before the video was emailed to me 4 times, shown in 2 meetings, posted on facebook, and finally played to me by my roommate. I am sick and tired of hearing this guy complain about the complainers. And so I feel it is time for me to complain about the people complaining about complainers.
Complainers always get a bad wrap. They are an easy target because, let's face it, everyone hates a complainer. That being the case I would ask you to put aside your grudges and consider for just a moment everything we owe to the complainers. For instance, the reason we don't have those annoying rotary phones is because, sometime, someone said "Hm, I really hate having to go all the way to a phone booth to make a call, wouldn't it be nice to call while I am in my car or as I walk through the park?" Now, there were probably nay sayers at the time who said "You spoiled brat, don't you realize how amazing the phone is!" The same person probably would have said "Why are you complaining that it takes 3 days to take a train across the country. It took the pioneers three months! You complainer." I would personally like to thank the guy on the plane complaining about not having wireless access. And the girl who had to wait a few seconds for her phone signal to reach space.
So to all of the other complainers out there...Keep on complaining!

Anomaly?

I just finished reading Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. One thing struck me as odd. Mr. Krakauer called it an anomaly that Chris McCandless would lampoon Joe Biden and praise Regan. However, Chris was clearly someone who wanted to prove he could live on his own, he didn't want all of the safety nets our society provides. He wanted to prove he could live without Social Security, unemployment insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Public Schools, FEMA, and all other forms of welfare we entrap ourselves in. Few people can really say that they "made it on their own". And now that we are surrounded by government bailouts it is even less likely that they ever will. It seems we all have become paralyzed about what might happen if we have to step out side of our comfort blanket. Perhaps we could all learn something from the letter McCandless wrote to his friend Ron:

So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism. All of which may appear to give one peace of mind but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventure spirit within a man than a secure feature. The very basic of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon. For each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, Ron, you must lose you're inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter sketer type of life. That will first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life, you will see it's full meaning and it's incredible beauty. And so, Ron, in short, get out of sulton city and hit the road.

So with 2009 approaching and all the looming talk of layoffs and depression maybe we can pause before crying for help and leaping into the nearest safety net, and take a page out of Chris's book to let our adventurous spirit escape...Just make sure you don't starve to death.

Gee vs. Shurtz

Yes I know, I am very late posting these. But as promised here they are. Photographic evidence of the Gee/Shurtz show down in SLC.

This photo was taken for Where's Waldo's 2009 Calendar

Haven, in just another attempt to get away with murder...or putting his finger in cake
A reception wouldn't be complete without BYU football updates.

Rebecca getting swept off her feet

Final Final

As many of you already know, just before thanksgiving break I decided that a doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering would not help me attain any goal that seemed even remotely desirable (at least that is what I'm still trying to convince myself of). As such I have put an end to my days as a University of Texas graduate student. I quickly realized it would have been wise to come to that conclusion after taking my last final as my motivation to study approached zero faster than a fourier series heading to infinity at light speed. However I still had the desire to exit at the top of my game. So I put my final cramming abilities to test one more time. And I must say I surprised myself. I think this is how Micheal Jordon must have felt when he retired from the NBA the first time. Well at least now I know if things don't work out for me in minor league baseball then I can take another stab incompressible flow.

I'll get up at 4AM tomorrow

If the Big 3 had a nickle for every time I've said that they wouldn't need a bailout. But apparently I'm not the only one making promises to themselves that they can't keep. In my last post I mentioned an article saying 77% of consumers would spend less this Christmas. That same article said 20% would spend the same amount and 3% would spend more. Here is what is actually happening.I guess those $2 DVD's were just too good to pass up.

Thanksgiving Depression

I woke up thanksgiving morning to three stories in the paper describing the dire straights our economy is in. The Johnstons aren't going to grandpas for thanksgiving this year. Gas prices are just too high. 77% of consumers are going to spend less this Christmas. And the Patersons are eating at the soup kitchen for the first time. "Prices for everything are just too high. Gas, Food, everything is going through the roof."
Then we drove to Chuck A Rama, passing by several gas stations posting prices of $1.69 the lowest I have seen in over 4 years. Upon arrival I was immediately bombarded by mounds of every type of food I could think of. Once I was sufficiently satiated I rolled out to go home and read the rest of my paper. $29.99 for an mp3 player, $79.99 for a new GPS, $2 DVD's...Seriously $2 for spider man II, I don't even like spider man II and I suddenly I need to get to Walmart to buy 3.
Now I really did intend to get up at 4, and hit all of the stores before 6 as I had mapped out on my macbook, but since I stayed up all night watching Monk and other TV shows, that are available at any time of night, I wasn't able to wake up to my alarm. Of course it didn't help that I was fell asleep listening to my ipod.
Yes, these are going to be troubling economic times...Now I'll probably have to pay $5 for that copy of Spider Man II I didn't want. No wonder people keep comparing this to the great depression.

Year Vacation

Today I read that the FED is pledging up to 7.7 trillion dollars to help ease the frozen credit market. Which amounts to approximately $69,268.11 per household. The average household income in 2007 was only $50,233. So if all that money is going to Americans who can't pay their mortgages and investors who, quite frankly, have preformed awfully. We could just skip all of these complicated processes of deciding who gets what and instead just give everyone 51 grand. Then all of those hard working Americans I keep hearing so much about could all take the year off. It would be a Nation wide holiday....all year! There would even be 2 trillion left over (we would give it to Barack Obama to use for his next campaign). I'm really looking forward to this year of plenty. Now I just need to find someone to make me lemonade while we are all on vacation.

congratulations Ta!

My Sister Natasha got married Saturday. Pictures are still forthcoming, but for now I just have a reminder that you should think twice before decorating the honeymooners vehicle. At least that is what my sister Rebecca and my dad realized when they found out, after dropping Ta off at the airport, that they would have to use the "Just married" vehicle for the rest of the week. I'm sure there were more than a few surprised people when they saw my dad driving Becca to school with a big heart around each window.

Obama's School Choice

John Stossell is speaking about school choice here in Salt Lake next week. It comes at an interesting time considering the Obama's have just made their school choice.

Mr. Obama says he opposes such vouchers, because "although it might benefit some kids at the top, what you're going to do is leave a lot of kids at the bottom." The example of his own children refutes that: The current system offers plenty of choice to kids "at the top" while abandoning those at the bottom.

Mark Perry points out that the Obama's aren't the only ones who prefer private schools, public school teachers do as well.

Doing what they are best at

Secretary of Green Technology

Everyone has been trying to figure out where Tim Dehne is going to be moving on to. There has been speculation that he will take over at GM or perhaps follow in Michael Jordon's shoes and take up minor league baseball. All of these rumors are, of course false.
To set the rumors straight; on behalf of the Obama administration I am pleased to announce that Tim Dehne (former VP of R&D at National Instruments) will be the new Secretary of Green Technology.

I know, you would think they would have chosen a publication with an actual reader base for this announcement, but hey, this is the administration of change. I'ts all about giving an opportunity to the little guy.

The next bailout

My Dad just alerted me of the next threat to our economy.

Unless we get an immediate, gargantuan, government bailout of our oil companies our whole free enterprise system may be in peril!

Tax Time

To be clear I am always one of the first to chastise any tax increase. After all, what you tax you decrease, you are essentially saying that thing you are taxing is in someway evil. So things like Capital gains or income taxes I have been quick to criticize. However, there are a few things I support taxing. I support taxes on cigarettes, Alcohol, and things with a negative externality.
Believe me, I loved being able to fill up my car this morning for $28.34, just over half of what I was paying earlier this year. Every politician this summer was saying "We need to end our dependence on foreign fuel". I heard constant whining about souring gas prices and how the government needed to step in. Although since the price is plummeted congress doesn't have people breathing down there necks to do something about it anymore, and like many things, now that congress could do something, they probably won't.
But, perhaps this new administration will show some real change and before everyone decides to pull their SUV's back out of storage they will step in and raise the gas tax.

Depression Economics

Today, Paul Krugman tried to give some encouragement to Obama and the Lame ducks in congress on their bailout plan.

Under current conditions, however, it’s much better to err on the side of doing too much than on the side of doing too little.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't that what made the great depression, Great?