Evan took his SAT and ACT a few weeks ago and we are anxiously awaiting the results. He
did awesome on his PSAT! mom

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANELLE!

I know this tribute is late, but Janelle you are GREAT! You have done A LOT for keeping our family in touch and connected. You always remember birthdays and other special days. I went through my old pictures and found a few good ones of Janelle.


North Branch Ward girl's basketball team. Mom was our coach?!!


Janelle torturing Jen with an unidentified brother's arm in the background.

Janelle looking beautiful her senior year.

Does anyone else have any good pictures of Janelle that they can share?

Claire's baptism

Claire's baptism day was wonderful. I put pictures up of her day on my blog (including pictures of Dad trying to teach my children some basic basketball skills). I really appreciated the gifts, phone calls and family support for her--even if it was long-distance. And thanks to Dad for flying out! It meant a lot to me.

"AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT PLAN"

I become disturbed when I think about where our country is heading. The expansion of the federal government, the decline in morality, the increasingly hostile feelings toward religion, the increasingly thin spread of american resources througout the globe, and the increase of stupidity are just a few of the problems we face. If we continue down this path it will become increasingly difficult to take the "high road" in the future. That is why we need to do something about these issues today.

The new stimulus package will do more harm than good. Its like if you were stuck between two rocks and to save yourself you saw off your lower half, however, you are saved from death only temporarily until you eventually bleed to death. That is the problem with this new law, it offers minor relief in the short run, but cripples us in the long-run. Many of the politicians who made this law have the same mind set as fraudulent business men. If a business begins to deteriorate some managers will do all in their power to keep it afloat. They begin to secure financing, perhaps through fraudulent means, in order to avoid lay offs and decreases in share holder value. However, this does not always work and eventually they will probably go under. This scenerio can be compared to how the government is handling the economic crisis. By spending their way out of the crisis they leave a debt to future generations that they will not be able to repay. What politicians need to understand is that unlike a business America doesnt need a stimulus to exist. The ideal of America is dependent on the goodness and innovation of the american people.

Barack Obama is using the stimulus bill more for the advancement of his radical political philosophy than for the improvement of the economy. Much of the money that the federal government is giving to individual states is stipulated on the expansion of certain social programs which the federal government decides on. For example, the federal government may give a state 300 million dollars only if they use it for their welfare programs. The problem with this is that it imposes Barack Obamas political ideals on the states and these ideals may not be sound for their individual economies. Barack Obama in essence is saying to the govenors, "i know what is best for your state better than you." If anything money should be sent to the states to be used at the govenors own discretion. The jobs that the stimulus bill might create will certainly not replace the already 3.6 million jobs that have been lost already. The bill does hardly anything to address the housing crisis or the value of stocks which are the two biggest factors in ones net worth.

The biggest problem with this stimulus bill is that their is too much borrowing and not enough tax cuts. Businesses need incentives to reinvest and hire people in the long run, permenant tax cuts will provide this incentive. Also, tax cuts need to be implemented in capital gains so as to offset the huge losses that have been incurred in the capital investment pool.

In short, I agree with Thomas Jefferson who said,"government that governs least, governs best."Only the private sector can create the millions of jobs our country needs and the government should excersise greater restraint when dealing with the private sector.

These are some of my initial thoughts about the stimulus bill.

Jon

a few thoughts....

1. Why are the people who are not paying their bills ie: mortgages; and creating more debt being rewarded with help from the president?

2. What is the point of Reality TV? We always talk about how deplorable celebrities are but what about all these freaks that turn up on reality tv shows, survior, rock of love, big brother, etc...liars and sexual deviants. Is this how we are evolving as humans?

3. Did anyone like the movie "The Village" besides me and michael?

I have drastically changed my hair. What do you think? Do I look like Cleopatra or Cher?

Moto Moto - Big And Chunky (WHOLE SONG!)

we saw this song in madagascar 2 and we are obsessed with it. it is so hilareous. it is about a hippo that likes another hippo. it is just funny.