Disney Cruise!

'first class'

Carolina Camera: The Sling Shot Man

NASA, Apollo & 40 years

40 years ago, I was in Florida for the launch of Apollo 11 in 1969. Even though I was a kid, I remember it with great clarity as a most awesome experience. I also remember watching on a black and white tv the images of man's first steps on the Moon. Over the years I have followed many NASA programs. I am disappointed that the country could have done so much more by this time--we simply did not have the will to do so.

If you ever get a chance to see a launch in person, it is an experience you will never forget. I have seen a shuttle launch and several of the Apollo launches. The Apollo was much more graceful off the pad and even louder than the shuttle, making the ground shake and the reverberations drumming on your chest were unbelievable even at over 3 miles away. Let me tell you, people wept with tears of joy, relief, awe and pride.

The Apollo mission was one of exploration and adventure. The Shuttle program, while very useful, was simply a glorified shuttle bus to low earth orbit. Will Obama continue Bush's goal to send men to Mars? Will Dems fund any further NASA missions other than the occasional unmanned pod? Will we continue to receive the spinnoff benefits of an advanced space program? Or, will the Chinese and Europeans reap the benefits instead? The shuttle will "retire" in about a year. It will be some time before such a launch will shake the ground again.

Spending

Stimulus Package?

GM

Read Up, Stop It, or pay $$$$

Excellent aticle in the wall street journal on the damage a massive government takeover of the medical system would cost:
How to Stop Socialized Health Care

Daniel Hannan MEP: The devalued Prime Minister of a devalued Government

Vaccine could save millions

This has the real possibility to save millions of lives:

Anti-diarrhea vaccine could save millions

Congressional Hearings-Funny!

Congressman's Son Won't Shut The Hell Up During Hearing

The Detainees - 9/11

Close Gitmo? Why?

An "Intel Star" TV ad -- Sponsors of Tomorrow

This is good

That's it

Well, haven't posted much lately as many things I post on facebook these days. but..
I have become so dissapointed that the Federal government has taken such incorrect action in the last months.

1. Federal bailouts-the federal government should not favor one company over another. Bailout money to banks, GM, anyone, favors that entity over their competition. It rewards bad business decisions. Bush was wrong, Obama is more wrong. It simply is wrong and may be a violation of the equal protection claus of the US Constitution.

2. Massive spending-the stimulus plan is simply too too much. It is deficit spending at that. It is useless and burdensome on the economy and our national security.

Things will improve with the business cycle, but we will then have inflation and a future much more anemic that that which would have happened if government had not mucked it all up. I have read the depression of 1920-21 was worse in some ways that he one in 1929-, but we recovered much more rapidly without any government intervention. Freeing up the economy and making the rules clear is a major role of government--it aint happening folks.

Well, there it is.

John Stossel

I am not a big fan of 20/20--tends to be a lot of dramatic music etc. However, John Stossel is often spot on:

This is Minority Report Technology--Cool!

A Million Dollars a Day Since Jesus Was Born

This is shocking.

Everything's Amazing, Nobody's Happy

Sooo True!

I am India

Are we positioning ourselves to compete or to redistribute? India is on the move, are we?

Do not Steriotype

Who says all Prius owners are Democrats?

Michael Steele

I am impressed with this man. One of his political opponents Bob Beckel writes an interesting article. Here is one passage from that article:

Steele once told me a story that speaks volumes about his determination to succeed: Steele attended college at Johns Hopkins University. In his freshman year, Steele said, his grades were so bad that the dean of students told him he would not be invited to return. His mother forced him to go back to the dean and insist he was prepared to do anything to continue his studies. The dean said "no," but Steele's mother made him confront the dean again. This went on for weeks until the dean, in desperation, agreed to readmit Steele with the proviso that any bad grades would end in his dismissal, mother or no mother. Steele went on to graduate near the top of his class at Johns Hopkins and was elected student body president.

Michael Steele

Economic Worries

Economic change whether it be rising gas prices or changes in the business cycle elicit immediate concern and calls to action. The concern is warranted. Seems we often we over-react to bad news by excessive government response to "save or protect" us or our businesses (bailouts for instance), or by markets that rush in to over buy when the market heats up causing over exuberance and a bubble effect in stock prices. In these times we should be careful to rush to over-react here. Our children will suffer greatly with all this debt. The public often expects immediate action--if it's not better in 30 days, well major action is called for. Thing is with the business cycle, things will get better no matter what government does but it may be a year or more. The question is when it does did we create too much debt? Did we stimulate businesses and individuals in time to jump-start the economy effectively enough to minimize suffering and damage? Here is a good article:

Fox news article

New Office Progress

Check out the progress!

Gary Vaynerchuck and Entrepreneurship

Gary Vaynerchuck is the host of WinelibraryTV

His "show" is a (mostly) daily video blog about wines, business and the New York Jets. He is quite a personality. Watching him you learn a lot about wine, but also about entrepreneurship. He has become somewhat of a celebrity in the online community. His new book "101 wines" is a good read. He spoke recently at the BlogWorld (new media) expo. Very innovative but also down to earth, and in touch with the new (and tried and true) business models of today.  Here is a text summary of his comments, although he has many more:
Gary's Comments at Blogworld
Check out his vlog:
Winelibrarytv

Oh, here is a little taste in a compilation video someone put together:

Oh, Gary if you read this (and he checks all these things out as a good businessman), well, I think you will appreciate my post below on the wounded Navy Seal.

A Sign

The sign on a wounded Navy Seal's hospital door:

(click photo to see larger)

Flip MinoHD First Impression

Wallace and Gromit Music Video

Snowzilla

Now this is impressive. Snowzilla (22 feet high) in Anchorage Alaska.

Restaurant Review

Check out the best three restaurants in Huntsville. Well, the best to take a date (or maybe your wife too)--Ha!

Sometimes Pizza is the ticket, sometimes Mexican, but sometimes you just have to step it up a notch:


Really, I don't eat at fancy places like this much, but Huntsville is blessed to have some surprisingly exceptional restaurants. Others I like in Huntsville are Little Rosies and Cantina Laredo for Mexican, Surin of Thailand, and for faster fare, nothin' but noodles, Jason's Deli, and Cheeburger-Cheeburger.

Cyber Attack?

This is worrisome:









U.S. not ready for cyber attack

Now this is some real money

I think Washington has gone mad. This is an enormous amount of money to borrow. It's not only Obama, but he certainly needs some new "advisors".

Obamas Economic Advisers Considering TRILLION Dollar Stimulus Plan

How Much Sorrow?

This man lost his whole family in a tragic accident. Pray for him. This is soo sad, but I do admire the way he is handling such a loss.




Also read more here:

San Diego Tribune

Great music, Great Movie

Cadillac CTS

This is an awesome car:

Pay it Forward

Monster Wave-- DUDE!

This is Awesome:






Surfer Takes 41 Foot Monster Wave--Lives to Tell Tale

Try this one:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Election 2008 is Over.

Election 2008 is Over.

This year:

1. I contributed to a political campaign for the first time ever.
2. I found a presidential candidate I felt could lead the country effectively.
3. I somehow, by the grace of God, became a delegate to the national convention and that was an experience of a lifetime.
4. I actually got to meet a presidential candidate in person.
5. Disappointment at the results- I am relieved the senate dems. do not have a supermajority.
6. I fear for my country's future. Our economic competitiveness, our national defense, our fiscal debt, the drift towards socialism.
7. I am concerned for the state of journalism in this country.
8. I am Glad--for my African American friends. Though I wish him the best, I fear Obama will not live up to expectations. Still, it can never be said this country would deny election on the basis of color.

I look on this defeat as a challenge to improve, to organize (which is essential in politics these days), to come back stronger than ever.

3 year old SARAH PALIN!!!

CUTE!!!

Arnold and Ditka

How Low Can You Go?

Ever Changing definitions--simply class warfare.



People once committed to a candidate (or anything) are ashamed to admit they were incorrect in their original assessment. They will "convince" themselves that the other campaign is negative, rather than accept the arguments of the other campaign as valid---because if they do, they admit an error in their own judgement.

So, yes, there will be a few that do see the light, but it may take time, ie, past the election on Tuesday for them to accept they made a major error and were just swept up in the crowd.

Fireproof (2008) movie trailer

We saw this the other night. It's a great movie. Kirk Cameron was great and the other actors did very well considering they were amateurs and volunteers. It's a little preachy, but who cares? Other good films by this group include Facing the Giants and Flywheel.

Huckabee Show, Aaron Tippin Performs

Check out this song!

McCain's Speech

This is text of the end of McCain's acceptance speech. I think everyone should read this:

I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency, for its faith in the wisdom, justice, and goodness of its people.

I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again; I wasn't my own man anymore; I was my country's.

I'm not running for president because I think I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need.

My country saved me. My country saved me, and I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.

My friends, if you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you're disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them. Enlist...

Enlist in our Armed Forces. Become a teacher. Enter the ministry. Run for public office. Feed a hungry child. Teach an -- an illiterate adult to read. Comfort the afflicted. Defend the rights of the oppressed. Our country will be the better, and you will be the happier, because nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself.

I'm going to fight for my cause every day as your president. I'm going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank him, that I'm an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on Earth. And with hard work -- with hard word, strong faith, and a little courage, great things are always within our reach. Fight with me. Fight with me.

Fight for what's right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children's future. Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies. Stand up for each other, for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.

Stand up, stand up, stand up, and fight.

Nothing is inevitable here. We're Americans, and we never give up.
We never quit.
We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America.

Do we have to act?--Unfortunately, Yes

Over the past few weeks and this economic crisis, I have done a lot of research and talked to some very knowledgeable people on all this. These are my current conclusions:

1. The first "bailout" bill was not a good bill. It is good that it did not fly.
2. The revised "buyout" bill that failed yesterday, was better. A much different beast.
3. Most importantly we need to have some significant bill to deal with this credit crunch. My initial reaction was the market will work it out--no federal involvement. Although I still see this perspective and share it's goals, I also see that something major needs to be done-
4. What to be done now? My hope is that although we conservatives would like a drastically different solution (capital gains tax reduction, etc) a pragmatic approach would be to fight to at least have these items in a revised/improved/passable bill-

a. --Change the Mark to Market accounting rules.
b. --Increase the FDIC insurance limits from $100,000 to $250,000
c. --Endorse an insurance plan funded by wall street to cover a significant portion of these potential losses from bad mortgages (some of this is there now).Dave Ramsey has an interesting take on all this on his web site "common sense plan"
d.--There will still likely need to be federal money to buyout the mortgages--I do not like this, but from the advice I have obtained, the President is correct in that the Government is the one that can wait out the markets and sell the properties when the market rises. All this restoring liquidity, etc. I am hoping the insurance provision can do the job without the buyout, but I am doubtful. I am worried about possible problems down the pike with all this federal involvement.
e.--as part of this or a separate piece of legislation-repeal Sarbaines/Oxley?

This "plan" is much better than the original and is politically pragmatic ie. enough so that Republicans AND, yes, enough Democrats will support it. IF the politics and Nancy Pelosi get out of the way, this bill will pass and we can move on. Inaction is not an option.

*Update April 2009--I was wrong. We should not have acted, at least not in this bailout way. It has gotten way out of hand.

Obama Missile Defense Flip-Flop

Huntsville needs to see this. Obama is unreliable and does NOT support Missle Defense!

John McCain Discusses His Bracelet

China Rising Dragon

While we were "debating" last evening, China marches forward with their space program. I hope the USA will wake up and support NASA and not let us fall behind.

McCain just won the election

I was at first confused. Good grief, I am looking forward to the Friday--why delay?

McCain just won the election. It hit me when Dick Morris said as much on Orielly:

1. McCain suspends campaign--Rides into Washington (on white horse)? to actually work.

2. Obama says --call me if you need me--I'm not that important.

3. McCain and the Republicans will be on the same page and a (hopefully more reasonable package will pass to help the mortgage crisis). McCain gets credit. (I don't want a big bailout, but some kind of plan is needed)

4. McCain may or may not go to the debate, but has seized the initiative--the bill will eventually pass soon and the stock market will soar--(they don't like unknowns). Problem "fixed" at least in the short run.

5. Obama is left looking like the politician he is.

Hmmmm

$700 Billion for what?

My opinion:

I fear the 700 billion dollar proposal to buy up bad debt of wall street companies is a bad idea as it is presently constructed. They should not do this. They should protect bank deposits, and increase liquidity. Once this monster is created, it will never go away. Why should taxpayers pay for investment bank's bad decisions? Well, I am at least sympathetic to them because it was bad lawmaking that encouraged their bad banking practices.

Oh, Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac should have never been created as they were in the first place. They need to break up these companies and make them private, not governmental and not the quasi public institutions they were. If anyone has more perspective on all this, please fill me in.

See here:

Newt's response

Masterful Timepieces

This is my next watch. Greubel Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon a' differential. Oh, it's only about $500,000



Or maybe this one, the Jaeger LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon (it's only $395,000):