Too Busy to Blog

I've been too busy to blog the last week or so. This past weekend was Easter (duh) and Erin and I performed in our church's Easter play. We also had family visiting from both sides (my parents and sister and Erin's sister and her family). Then, I have an April 1 deadline at work for a new Time and Leave System and a couple of deadlines for this weekend with my other job. Needless to say, all these activities have kept me busy.

Anyway, I think most of the stressful stuff is done and my day should be slowing down enough to get an entry or two in... We'll see...

SS Privatization Success

It continues to look as if the President's plan for reforming Social Security is going to be defeated by the cowards in Congress.

I just don't understand the opposition. We have great examples of privatization working. Look at this article featured in USA Today a couple of weeks ago that tells the story of Social Security privatization in Galveston County, Texas.

Then, there is the example of Chile.

Notice that in both of these cases, the people are better off. How can rational people read these stories, hear these testimonials and still be opposed to private accounts? I wish that politicians and lobbyist would stop demagouging this issue and actually deal with the problem head on.

What is wrong with this headline?

Headline: "Candles Recalled Because of Flame Risk"

I wonder if I should look for a recall notice on our kitchen matches?

Do you think this would cause a revolution?

Our government has been stamping out political speech for many years under the guise of fair elections. A little over a year ago the future incumbents of elections wrote a law that hamstrings citizens from combining their dollars and donating money to to political candidates. The McCain-Fiengold bill was supposed to regulate how much money a person gives a candidate. However, under the bill, other types of non-monetary donations are given monetary value and must be reported as a donation. The writers exempted the internet from the bill, however, a judge has ruled that any donation must be tracked. This means that if I as a private citizen, use my private computer to write a blog entry supporting a candidate, I am required to report that to the candidate for him to count as a donation. Failure to do so, will cause the FEC to fine me.

This is absurd. I do not have to tell anyone what I write or why I write it. Furthermore, I refuse to pay any fines that may be levied against me. I will go to jail first. I have the right to express my opinion via any means of communication available and NO GOVERNMENT can deny me that right or legislate that right. NONE!!!!

So, Federal Election Committee, just go and try and enforce this ruling on the blogger world. Bloggers changed the tide of the last election. The internet is more powerful than you. There will be a revolt because we will not put up with you and your stupid, idiotic, asinie rules.

Having Eye Trouble

I almost called in sick to work today to tell them I was having eye trouble: "I couldn't see myself at work." (This is one of my co-worker's standard joke)

I tell you, though, it was tough to come in today. I was playing with Mihaela on the floor before work...and I just didn't want to get up and leave. I just love her so much that I could snatch her up and hug her close all day and never tire of it.

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of us finding out that we would be getting a little girl. Tomorrow we will have had her as part of our family for a year. God has blessed us richly by allowing her to be part of our lives. Some people say she is lucky to have us. I tell them that they are wrong, we are the "lucky" ones. She brings more to our lives than we will ever be able give her.*


* I can't believe it, I'm "tearing-up" as I write this...Of course, one of the good things about blogging is that there are no "electronic" tear stains to mar this post.

New Sound Booth

About 7 or 8 years ago (before we moved to Montgomery) the church where we attend worship services (in Prattville) purchased some land and bought a HUGE building that another church in Montgomery had begun constructing when circumstances forced them to stop. Our church then deconstructed the building and moved it to Prattville where they re-erected the building. Now, this building is huge with space for a seating of capacity of about 3,000. The church however, back then, was only about 75 members.

Well, obviously you can't put 75 members in a space designed for 3,000, so the church has been meeting in the lobby. The lobby contained a grand staircase that led to the second (unfinished) floor. At the top of the stairs was the "sound booth." It is from this place that I have worked most Sundays for the past 5 years (that's how long we have been at Hunter Hills and I have been the A/V Ministry Leader).

Well, our church has continued to grow. We have out-grown the available space in the lobby. A couple of years ago we went to two services to help alleviate the space problem. We continued to grow. Now, as we consistently have over 300 people attending each week, two services is not enough. The Shepherds do not want to go to in debt to finish the first phase of the auditorium (which will seat about 650), so it seemed good to all for us to remove the beautiful staircase and add more chairs to the auditorium (we are raising money to finsih the auditorium and move in to it...but it will probably take another 12-18 months to raise the money and have the work finished). Well, obviously, if the stairs come down, then Randy can not perch at the top of the staircase...since there are no stairs.

So, they built me a sound booth on the floor. It was finished (for the most part) today and I set up all my stuff in it. It is quite cozy and I am looking forward to Sunday when I can see how it really works for me. The craftsmen did a fine job and I am really proud of their work. It has been quite a harrowing ordeal lately because they took stairs down 2-3 weeks ago, so I have had to go in before each service, set-up the sound system. Then, at the end of each service, take everything down and put in out of the way so construction could take place. Then bring it all back out before the next event. It will be nice to have it all set-up again.

I'm a Hero!!

My Inner Hero - Wizard!





There are many types of magic, but all require a sharp mind and a cool head. There is no puzzle I can't solve, no problem I can't think my way out of. When you feel confused or uncertain, you can always rely on me to untangle the knots and put everything back in order for you.



How about you? Click here to find your own inner hero.

Small Group Material

Week 16 - Chapter 8

• Teacher Notes
• Homework

Critique of Libertarianism = Marxism article

Vox Day, the WorldNetDaily columnist, fully critiques the "Marxism of the Right" article that I wrote about the other day on his personal blog. Before reading that, though, you need to read his partial critique on WorldNetDaily.

Day's critique is average. I really expected more from him. An intriguing read if you like the philosophical debate type stuff...

"No to Presidency" says Condi

This weekend Condoleezza Rice is reported to have claimed she has no intention of running for President in 2008.

I don't know how many ways to say no, so let me just say it. I don't have any desire to run for president. I don't intend to. I won't do it. I won't. How's that? Is that categorical enough?"

~ Condoleezza Rice

Oh well. She has a couple years to change her mind. In the meantime, J.C. Watts is still out there and he didn't make my brother's "Republican's have no chance" list.

As always, I expect to be surprised by how the politics plays out.

The Eagle has Landed

President Bush just touched down at Maxwell AFB. He is here in Montgomery for a townhall meeting on Social Security Reform. I tried to get tickets, but, alas...I am a powerless, middle-class worker with no connections. I was put on a "list," to be called back if tickets were available. However, without political clout to call someone who knows someone, I am going to watch the President on TV.

The President is in my city, speaking on the political issue I am most passionate about, speaking on the issue that I have written my congressman and senators about, speaking on the issue that I have spent the most time detailing on this blog...and I don't even get a chance to get close enough to be in the same room with the man and maybe shake his hand.

I must admit I am little disappointed about not being able to see him. Not a lot. Just a little. After all, he is just a man. His message doesn't change because I am not there. It just would've been fun...

Defender of Libertarianism

Yesterday I pointed you to a scathing article that compared Libertarians to Marxist and wrote a little retort. This spurred my brother and I into a little exchange.

Anyway, Daniel McCarthy of "The American Conservative" retorts yesterday's article and provides a rousing defense of Libertarianism. This guy much more elequotenly defends the concept of freedom and limited government. I love his ending paragraph:

A libertarian order is not coming any time soon, but it should be plain to anyone who undertakes the investigation that the solution to war, bureaucracy, taxation, personal irresponsibility, and the rot of culture is not more government, it’s less.

A good read.

Libertarianism is a form of Marxism?

Boortz linked to this article in "The American Conservative" from his site today. I read it and it sounds to me like the Conservatives are starting to see Libertarians as a viable opponent and are trying to attack the philosophy before it reaches the mainstream. The truth of the matter is that the Democratic Party is falling apart. It lost so much this last election. It then replaced it chairmanship with Howard Dean. Everyone sees the party declining.

However, our political system requires two distinct political parties. Just as when the Whigs disintegrated they were replaced with the Republicans, as the Democrats disintegrate, they will be replaced with the party of choice, Libertarianism. Conservatives must demonize this party while it is in infancy because they understand that if people really understood the philosophy, both conservatives and liberals would flock to the party.

A couple of thoughts on the article:

• The author mischaracterizes libertarians as being a social deviants (drug abuser, sexual eccentrics). This is an attempt to marginilize the philosophy as belonging to those who are outside of the mainstream.
  
  
• It appears as if the author does not think highly of those who work hard and seek to make good choices. He lumps them in with the crazies mentioned above and calls them selfish for wanting to reap the rewards of their hard work.
  

  "While it is obviously fair to let people enjoy the benefits of their wise choices and suffer the costs of their stupid ones, decent societies set limits on both these outcomes"
  

  This quote of his shows clearly that he believes it is good to not be fair. Actually, he argues that society has a moral obligation to be unfair. I think most people can see that this goes against the basic principle that we are taught that if you work hard, you will be rewarded. This guy thinks that if you work hard, you will be rewarded...but if it looks like you are getting rewarded too much, then the best thing to do is for society to step in, decide how much you should be rewarded, and then take any reward you earn over and above that amount.
  
  
• He does make a good point when he points out that libertarians are deluded if they think they can achieve a utopian society based on the libertarian principles. Philosophically pure libertarianism can only work when every member of that society behaves in a moral manner. Our Founding Fathers understood this and said :
  

Liberty is the prevention of control by others. This requires self-control and, therefore, religious and spiritual influences; education, knowledge, well-being.


Lord Acton


The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected, in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.


John Quincy Adams


Obviously libertarians must ensure that the people have the knowledge, moral fortitude, and mature character to be able to handle freedom. The author is exactly right when he says libertarians must teach people how to use freedom. This means that before liberty can reign in the nation, Christ must reign in the heart. People must first choose to live lives that show the virtues given by the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). Because we live in a fallen world, these virtues can only be present consistently in a life that has been transformed by Christ.

However, all this said, this does not mean that we shouldn't be trying to move toward a more free society. We are over-taxed and over-regulated as a society right now. The Federal Government is an impediment to progress. I think we need to make some incremental steps to restore freedoms we have lost. We need to repeal the federal income tax. We need to repeal the direct election of senators. We need to add term limits to all federal political offices. We need to get the power to regulate our society as close to the individual as possible.

More Small Group Stuff

I haven't added my most recent stuff about small group in a while. So for your ignoring pleasure:

Week 14 - Chapter 6
Teacher Notes
Homework (Note: This homework was not actually used. One of the other members in teaching chapter 7 and he provided his own chapter 7 study sheet...much better than this one, but I don't have an electronic copy of it so you get my study guide).

Week 15 - Chapter 7
Teacher Notes (Note: These are my own notes and were not used in the small group. As previously mentioned above, one of the members is teaching chapter 7 so that I can have a break. However, I still like people to be prepared when I teach, hence the study guides every week, and I wanted to be prepared for when he taught. These are just my own notes so that I could participate meaningfully in his discussion)
Homework

We only got through the first half of chapter 7 last Sunday, so my friend will finish up the chapter this week. I will be back teaching on the 13th with chapter 8.

New Chair

I got a new chair at work because my old was getting pretty raggedy. This new chair appears to be really nice. I will have to work in it a few days, though, before I know if I will really like it.


Old Chair - Note the wear and tear...



Old Chair - Close-up of the wear and tear...


New Chair

How sad that one of the highlites of my week is a new chair at work... sigh

Two Mondays in a row

Today was the second Monday of my week.

Last Friday I was asked to make a few changes to our purchasing system. So I made them and then tested them and implemented them on Monday morning before anyone else got there. There were no problems with the purchasing system, but other things went all kooky. The leave system that I wrote five years ago and has been humming along started being grouchy. While that was going on, the people we moved into our office building last week were barraging us with phone calls and emails about things that weren't working. It was just small, annoying fire after small, annoying fire. Nothing too big or too complicated, just so many of them.

Then, I left work early to go to PCA to install some new server software that they have purchase to manage the school. Prior to the software, there was no centralized school management system in place. The install went OK, but went late. One of the teachers there got the "about:search page" hijacker...DOH!!!!

Today, though, I come in and my email is chock full of error messages from the purchasing system. It was crashing with regularity and the wierd thing was that I had not touched the part that was broken (or so I thought). So, I recovered from a backup (yes, I always make a backup of my source code prior to revising it) and started over making the requesting changes. Amid me trying to work, I get a call from the state teleconfernceing center because the a very high-ranking official wants to use our video conferenceing room for a video conference and we have not been on the state system before and they want to test it. Needless to say, there were problems that had to be resolved. Then, my boss brings me a fax from one our colleges who got a memo from the Governor's office about a centralized email system for the state that I had no idea was going out or was being talked about. Meanwhile, my users are clamoring for the purchasing system to be back up...my boss is clamoring for me to deal with two of his projects...I have the teleconfence people clamoring to get a successful test done...and I have to roll-out a new web-based Time and Leave Sytem by April 1.

Let's just say...I pulled out a few more hairs today. However, all's well that ends well, right? I found and corrected my purchasing system problem (kinda - I was able to implement all the changes but one and get it all back working). One of the changes had unintended consequences (duh! it brought the system down) and I will investigate it more fully before implementing a solution for it. I got the centralized email handled. I got the video conference stuff working. I will jump in early tomorrow and get the two things my boss needs off my desk and then spend the afternoon coding away with the door shut and the phone forwarded...if our email server doesn't crash! That is the only thing that could make Wednesday a third Monday.