Damn Yankees

Oh, all right - I've been really busy with work the past couple of months and haven't made the time to write here even though there have been many opportunities to be torqued off at something or recognize phenomenal achievements or anything worth recognizing. But I just can't let the 27th World Series championship of the those damn Yankees go by without saying something.

Is it the end of the world now that the Darth Vader of baseball is on top again? You can just hear George Steinbrenner breathing in the background, can't you? He wasn't physically at the monument to sports greed (or is that the new Dallas Cowboys stadium) last night but the force was definitely with him and his progeny last night. What's a billion or so to build a stadium for baseball's most storied franchise? What's another billion or so to sign the top players in the game? Sorry, doesn't matter that they hadn't won it all since 2000. My San Francisco Giants haven't won it all since they were in New York back in '54. Many other small market teams don't have a chance against the big-city juggernauts of New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Boston. Until something is done about making it a true level playing field (pun intended), the small market teams like last year's anomaly that was the Tampa Bay Rays, will be just that, few and far between.

And let's be real - who really wants to watch the San Diego Padres versus the Texas Rangers in the World Series? Certainly not Major League Baseball. Just remember folks - follow the money. Sports achievement is no longer the dream of little kids with some ability. It is now reserved for those that can afford the best trainers as early as possible with the right connections and the right opportunities to show talent and to be lucky enough to not get seriously hurt right in front of that scout. And you better not give up that big home run or flub that ground ball or misjudge that fly ball when the game is on the line. Cuz there are hundreds right in line greedily salivating over the potential for the big payday.

And while I'm at this baseball specific rant, I have to take umbrage with Hideki Matsui being named MVP of the World Series. Not to take anything away from his performance last night at the plate, but a DH as MVP? You have got to be kidding. With the format of the Series, the DH only played in half the games of this 6-game series and then didn't play a position in the field. Sorry but Johnny Damon, for my money did a better job overall in impacting the entire Series. But the MVP should have gone to Chase Utley. Here's a guy who took the whole Phillies team on his shoulders, both at the plate and on the field. If Utley plays as poorly as Howard, the Yankees win in 4. But giving the losing team the MVP has become unheard of in modern times (not in almost 50 years), so the player that made the biggest impact, struck fear in the hearts of Philly fans wasn't Matsui, it was Marino Rivera. Philly knew that if they were behind at the end of the game, they were done for. And Rivera did not disappoint NY fans. Having that kind of stopper distracts the opponent and leaves hitters defeated before they even get to the batter's circle. But a DH or closer as MVP? Now we know that baseball will never go back to it's roots, it's traditions or to value the ability of the all-around player (Jeter may be the last for a while). Listen up kids - if you have one good skill, it's now the land of the specialist. And if you lose that skill and haven't backed yourself up with other non-sports skills, you better get used to bagging at the grocery store, laying pavement or playing security guard.

So, a begrudged congratulations to the Yankees. If I can just get past the millionaires jumping on each other after the last out, I can still see a glimmer of the little kids they once were. And that was what I stayed up last night to see in the moment. Even the most jaded can see the pure joy in the victor's faces even if it's only a brief crack in the facade that is now Major League Baseball.

Educate yourself on health care

This is must reading for anyone in the midst of the argument over the current health care debate. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/21/AR2009082101778_3.html?referrer=facebook

Bottom line: we need to pick a method of delivery for health care and we need to change the motivation in the system to health and not profit.

Comments are gladly accepted.

The President is coming to town! (to talk health care)

Sounds like a new song, doesn't it?

Ok, since no one answered any of my questions, here's where I cast all fear of repercussions to the side and offer my solutions to this acrimonious health care debate. This is with a particular sense of disgust that I post this because the media and talking heads are working the nation up into a froth with misinformation and half-truths, at best, and outright lies, at worst.

So, at the risk of offending all my friends and acquaintances, here is my idea. Wouldn't it be cool if someone from the White House read this before Obama comes to Grand Junction this Saturday? I'm not holding my breath.

You have two major issues in healthcare: delivery and cost. So here goes nuthin'!

1. First, preventive medicine. Studies have shown that $1 of preventive medicine saves $1.68 or so. Why is it that we can't shift the inordinate amount of money being spent on emergency room care by sponsoring wellness programs for all? This should be a no-brainer. So the answer is to design a plan that is (horror of horrors) government-run, where everyone has basic preventive coverage. Cover annual physicals, dental checkups, mammograms, pap smears, basic blood tests, colonoscopies, pre-natal care and other tests designed to catch things before they get out of hand. Wouldn't we all want that? If we save money by making this shift, that's less money that needs to come out of the citizens' collective pockets (read: lower insurance premiums to offset by maybe slightly higher taxes). I really like that the docs in England are incentivized to keep their patients healthy (but only if you can't be dropped by a cherry-picking doctor).
   
2. Second, supplemental insurance policies. With the basics being covered, that leaves the insurance companies to sell supplemental health insurance policies to those that can afford it. You want plastic surgery insurance, you got it. You're living an unhealthy lifestyle by your own choice and need more than the basic coverage, you get to pay for it. I personally think that if you smoke, drink, have weight problems, heart problems or are diabetic due to lifestyle choices, then you should be paying more into the system. Why should healthy people subsidize the unhealthy ones? You don't get that same treatment when buying life insurance. If you don't like it, guess what, you can make a change or live with it and pay your own way.
3. Third, pharma companies. Guess what you get to do under this plan? You still get to sell your overpriced legal drugs to consumers. But, we're sick and tired of you using us to cover all of your R&D and marketing costs when the same pills end up in other countries at a fraction of our cost. Also, all drugs ads are gone in my world. You can spend that money on R&D. With the internet, we all have plenty of opportunity to find information if we want to search for it. At home, we don't need to be bombarded with TV and radio ads, warning us of side affects while selling us on the fabulous results we'll all have with better bladder control or sexual function. And generic drugs are price controlled, period.
   
4. I'm tempted to take away the health care premium deduction for businesses, but I'm not convinced of this one yet. I think that it's outrageous that I would have to spend 20-25% of my takehome pay to cover a health insurance premium when I have actually used maybe 1-2% over my entire life! You want to create some competition for premiums - quit expecting that huge premium increases can be saddled by business. Many Americans don't have insurance because their employers can't afford it either. You on the right - with the cushy jobs with choking benefit packages, imagine if you had to buy your own insurance. You'd be screaming for reform too! That includes members of Congress too - in my world, you all join the rest of us in having to deal with this burden.
   
5. Tort reform - Lawyers are going to hate me. I think we need strict caps on medical lawsuits. I don't know what the number should be, but someone needs to be bold. Since when do we think we are worth so much? Since when is it possible that we think that because we are injured that we can't do anything else? Seen that video of the guy with no arms or legs? Seen his attitude about life? There's no way we should allow the injured to win the lottery on a malpractice suit. Yes, as my grandmother, the RN, used to say, "They all didn't get A's.", we also need to have better review and disciplinary actions against the medical profession. AMA - if you don't like it, too bad. It's our health and our children's health that you're messing with. But guess what? Now you won't have to order up the store in tests to cover your ass.
   
6. Medical records - Like I've suggested before, put the software companies in a room and tell them they can't come out until they have standards for data structure and ease of use. This is also a no-brainer and please don't tell me it can't be done. If Larry Ellison of Oracle fame can build a multi-million dollar boat for a yacht race, he can have passion enough to be the hero of medical information.

So who's going to pay for all this? We are. But guess what? It should be cheaper. We should have less total medical expenses because we're preventing major issues before they need emergency care. We'd be saving time and money in staff in managing the mountain of data. Insurance companies wouldn't be making a profit on basic care. Marketing funds spent by pharma companies would be passed on to consumers (or at least spent on R&D where it needs to be spent). Multi-million dollar settlements simply don't happen. And guess what? It would probably all behoove us to pay a little bit more into our taxes (since we should save a bundle on insurance premiums) since we're all going to benefit from this new delivery system.

Bottom line: everyone pays into the system of basic care because we all would benefit from it. And I mean everyone! If you work, you pay through Medicare taxes. If you own a business, you pay through Medicare taxes. If you're unemployed, no co-pays for six months. After that, you pay a sliding scale - the longer you are unemployed or not paying Medicare or self-employment tax, the higher your co-pay. If you're illegal in this country, you pay too. It seems that some illegals can get jobs and avoid many opportunities to pay but this is where you need to pay too. We are already subsidizing their care since they are not paying for emergency room care, so why can't we make them pay even a small amount for preventative care? Again, it would save us all so much.

Universal means all of us benefit, but all of us pay. The Hippocratic oath compels medical professionals to treat the sick. Our system should have the basics available to all and all of us should pay for that benefit.

Yes, this is a complicated issue and I'm willing to have that conversation with anyone.

Health care reform 2009

So, with Mr. Obama's press conference last night, I thought it was time to weigh in on this extremely complicated issue.

While I did vote for Mr. Obama, I must confess that I don't quite understand the nuances of this reform package (I probably could be paying more attention but there are other things in life frankly). With all the stakeholders involved, it would be great to see the flow of the new system, especially compared to the existing system (if you can call it that). The reason for wanting to see some kind of flow (I'm talking about the money cuz that's what most people care about) is to see what we, the American taxpayer and citizen, are going to have to pay.

So, I have a number of questions:

1. What type of public plan will be offered? Will it be basic coverage that focuses on preventative care? I'm sure that more detail on this answer would be better for everyone. Will private companies sell me a supplement if I want more coverage? What kinds of premiums are we looking at for the public plan? Will there be a sliding scale based on ability to pay? Will there be additional premium for smokers or other unhealthy lifestyles?
2. Will the public plan offer regional payment schedules or will it be one national payment schedule? This will have massive implications for small communities across the country.
   
3. Who is going to police the providers that are submitting claims to this new system? Who can do a better job than the existing agencies that can't handle the fraud in the existing government programs?
4. If the current health care system is paid by American citizens, taxpayers and businesses through insurance premiums, taxes and private pay, how will this change in the new system? With the requirement for insurance companies to not turn down applications due to pre-existing conditions, how will premiums NOT go through the roof like they would today?
   
5. What is the meaning of "affordable health coverage"? Seems like it all depends on how much money you make and how you choose to spend it. Will the public plan be "cheap" for some and still "out of reach" for others? Bottom line: how are you going to price it?
   
6. How are small businesses (I'm talking 20 employees or less) going to survive if they are required to provide insurance? Will they have to pay part of the premium? If so, how much? With small business being the engine of new jobs, a requirement to pay for part of employee's premiums could be the death knell for many. Remember Washington, many small businesses cannot offer health insurance benefits because they cannot afford it now.
7. What new regulations or restrictions will be put in place on insurance companies? Will they be required to offer an identical plan to the new public plan? Sure would make it easier to pay if you were going to purchase a supplemental insurance policy from the same insurance company.
   
8. How will my taxes change? (listen to the optimist that thinks there may be a possibility for them to go down) Will payroll taxes be impacted? Will businesses have to pay a higher percentage for payroll taxes? Any tax increase will have profound negative psychological affects for the economy during the current recovery.
   
9. How will existing insurance premiums be impacted? Will benefits change? What about companies that self-insure their health benefits for their employees? What about existing state-funded programs?
   
10. If someone wants better coverage, can they pay for it (assuming that private pay is still an option for the wealthy)?
11. What is going to be done about tort law? Are we going to continue to allow people to sue for millions putting unnecessary burdens on premiums and taxes and requiring providers to practice defensive medicine (one of the biggest money wasters in the current system)?
12. Will it be more difficult to get tests that the patient feels are needed? We currently have to manage our own care since medicine today is more about covering lower rear portions than it is about providing care. What about hypocondriacs? Instead of massive numbers of emergency room visits, will the new system allow for these patients to get the psychiatric care they need? Right now we have insurance examiners that decline people and procedures every day. What will be different? What standards of care will change?
    
13. Who is going to standardize the medical records? In this day and age, this is probably the most frustrating, aggrevating, unconcionable activity in today's "system". Come on people. This is just another example of no one at home policing the industry. Associations such as the AMA haven't done it. Who then? The insurance companies? The government? I say bring together a handful of the top software companies in the business together, put them in a room, lock the door and tell them that they have to come out with a solution. They are the ones with the vested interest. Let them come up with a solution.
14. What about illegal aliens? Are we going to continue to subsidize their free emergency room care (not the best solution for them either)? Are they going to have to pay to play? As citizens we will be required to pay into this new system either through taxes or premiums, so why not have illegals and visitors pay as well?

So these are just some of the questions that I have come up with in the past day. I'm sure that there are many more that the American people want to have answered. If you have accurate, reliable sources of answers to these and other questions on this topic, PLEASE comment on this blog entry and let's pass it along. I would also love to see a simplified chart that visually shows the old system and the new system with the major stakeholders and the money flows, current and projected.

I welcome your feedback that sticks to the facts!

Being a gentleman and a sportsman

There were three events this weekend that reminded me of what we have become and where we may be going.

With the passing of Walter Cronkite, we were all reminded of the past quality of our news media and how we have gotten away from reporting the facts while being more concerned with titillation and opinion. Not only did Walter want to be called Walter, he reported the facts expect for some extremely unusual situations. And he was a gentleman in retirement. If you can find an interview he did with Roger Mudd a few years ago, Walter talked about how they didn't use adjectives when reporting the news. The reason for not using adjectives is that they convey opinion and they didn't feel that it was their job to provide opinion. When asked about tips to success, he said things like, "Hang in there" and "Do your best". This simple advice isn't flashy and not designed to grab headlines. It just epitomized his commitment and achievement. He was truly a master.

Also this weekend, golf fans had their hearts ripped out as Tom Watson came so close to winning The Open. And we also watched the sportsman congratulate Stewart Cink with his victory on the final hole and in the interviews afterward. We were reminded what a true gentleman in sport looks like. Thank you Mr. Watson for your performance on and off the golf course. I would rather watch your simple, effortless swing any day of the week than the scowling, club-throwing, whining Tiger Woods. Mr. Woods is swiftly becoming the "McEnroe" of golf with his bad behavior and poor sportsmanship. He needs to take a page from the sportsman's handbook and quit the fist-pumping, in-your-face attitude to competition. Yes, you set high standards for yourself, but take a look out there - there are others in the tournament, other golfers and kids out there watching you act like a child who got his teddy bear taken away. Clean it up and learn from Mr. Watson. He is truly a master.

In France, Alberto Contador won Stage 15 in the Tour de France and put himself in position to spoil the return of Lance Armstrong to world-class bicycle racing. And look at how Mr. Armstrong responded - he reminded us that it was about the team. Lance has won plenty of times and wants to win again, but understands that in competition, sometimes you win, but most times you lose and it's important to be a sportsman and congratulate winners. Thank you Lance for showing us why you are a master and a role model.

In the end, when we look at our economy, the media and sports, it has become about greed - grasping for more money, more attention and more dominance over others. It will be our downfall. Yes, winners can celebrate and they can make room for losers as well. But again, we have become all about winning, at all costs. In the grand scheme of things, we can't all be winners all the time. So a message to all who read this - look at how the masters I've mentioned above have mastered not just their talents, but mastered their emotions and the ability to be humble. If we need to have role models, look to the ones that congratulate the losers and empathize with their disappointment. Cuz we've all been there.

The MLB All-Star Game 2009 rant

Congratulations - AGAIN - to the American League for winning the summer classic where fans get to see the best players in baseball. American baseball that is... you wonder how many more Ichiro's there are in Japan that are just as good but prefer to stay in Japan.

OK, so I'm a traditionalist. I grew up watching Mays and McCovey playing for the San Francisco Giants. I like the National League. I like that the pitcher has to bat. I like that if a pitcher beans a guy, he has a chance to get up to the plate and get beaned himself. In my humble opinion, the designated hitter has forever changed the game when you try to compare the two leagues. Specialization has created better players at two specific positions, pitcher and designated hitter. When they can concentrate on those skills, it's natural that the average player in those positions would be better in the American League than their counterparts in the National League.

I also abhor the idea that the All Star Game should determine home field advantage for two reasons. First, see above (it just ain't fair). Second, why penalize a team in the National League that may have won more games than the American League champion and not give them home field advantage? Look at the NBA. The team with the best record over an entire season gets home court advantage in each playoff series. That's fair. MLB would give home field advantage to a team that is tops in a weak division over a more successful team that wins the wild card spot. What's up with that?

I understand that home field has not made a difference in the past 6 World Series, but come on. Since when do we give laurels to someone for being mediocre? Oh that's right we do it every day. Kids are learning that just showing up gets them a prize, treat or some phoney baloney ribbon. So why should baseball be any different? Because of the guys that made the game great - Ruth, DiMaggio, Yaz, Mays, Aaron, Gibson, Koufax, Feller, Seaver, Ryan, just to name a few.

So here's my solutions

1. Stop using the All-Star game as a carrot for home field advantage in the World Series. It's an insult to the players that play well as a team.
2. Take the top four teams in each league and create playoffs like the NBA - the team with the best record (#1) plays #4 and #2 plays #3 (with #1 & #2 getting home field advantage). And of the two teams that play for the pennant, the one with the best record gets home field.
3. Like many traditionalists, I vote strongly to get rid of the designated hitter in the American League. It has poisoned the parity between the two leagues.
4. Ironically, I'm okay with interleague play during the season. I think that it fosters the crosstown and intradivision rivalries.

So that's my rant against baseball and "GO GIANTS!!!"

Why the Lakers beat Orlando

With all the talent in the NBA, it's still amazing that great teams can kick it up a notch come playoff time. As much as it pains me being an LA sports hater since the womb, the Lakers were definitely the best team and wholeheartedly deserved the championship. Here's why:

1. Kobe - the highlight reel looked similar to Jordan in his heyday
2. Kobe - he led his team, getting them all involved using their strengths and sheltering their weaknesses
3. Phil Jackson - yes, he is the best coach because he created the environment where the players could flourish (Mike Brown, coach of Cleveland - take note)
4. The support players - Gasol ran the floor and played great defense like he's never played, Odom played clutch minutes, Ariza was the hidden, unsung goldmine throughout the playoffs and Fisher was just Fisher when they needed him (reminded me of Horry nailing clutch 3's)
5. They played a team that was two-dimensional. While Dwight Howard has amazing talent and they shut down the heavily favored Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Championship, they lived by the 3 and died by the 3. It showed in Game 5.
   
6. And lastly, the Lakers played like a team. Just like Boston last year, the Lakers proved that great team defense is what wins championships.

So in closing this NBA season, even though it's the Lakers winning their 15th championship, it was great to see a TEAM win it all. And much congratulations to Phil Jackson! He has to be a hero and the envy basketball coaches around the world. I personally hope that he comes back for another year - just get rid of Luke Walton (sorry Bill - but he's just too slow and too small).

Why Cleveland lost to Orlando

As good as LeBron James is (and all the comparisons to Michael Jordan can stop until he wins a championship), the Cleveland Cavaliers just didn't have the horses to finish the race. Primarily, they didn't have a big men to support James. Mo Williams and Delonte West did an admirable job, but Varajao was nothing but a big distraction with his flopping, whining, complaining way of playing and Ilgauskas with his feet of stone (nice outside shot for a big man but that was because other's weren't doing their job - Varajao) kept James from having real options for scoring and didn't play good team defense. Read the word TEAM in the last sentence. The bench was also of little help to the best player in the league as well. And where did they get off giving Mike Brown the coach of the year? Van Gundy completely out-coached him in this series!

So I don't blame James for being upset. His team was not capable of playing with him. While they are better than they were last year, they will continue to come up short when you have to rely on the likes of Ben Wallace and Wally Szerbiak to provide a jolt of energy and experience. Again, I don't understand why Brown gets coach of the year. His biggest play was give it to James and see what happens. And I have never seen a team that whines to the refs more than the Cavs (the Lakers are right up there). That all starts with the tone set by the coach.

All that said, James should have congratulated his opponents at the end of the series. His behavior showed bad sportsmanship, bad example for younger kids and a bad taste in my mouth for him as a person going forward. This is just another reason why the NBA changed the rules on taking kids right out of high school. While James proved to be a great guy in his 60 Minutes interview, all I have to say is "grow up". Quit acting like someone took your ball away. Orlando beat you fair and square. Man up and shake their hands no matter what you think.

Here's my advice for next year: dump Varajao for a real shooter in the #3 slot, put James at #4 (with his size - that's where he belongs), learn how to play real team defense (see Boston from last year) and develop some men with the rest of the group (never, never, never guarantee a win in public - how immature was that?). With that, good luck to Orlando - you guys are a better matchup for the Lakers anyway.

Grand Junction Art & Jazz Festival 2009

I had the distinct honor and pleasure of being the emcee at last weekend's Wells Fargo Art & Jazz Festival. A big thank you to Mary Watson and George Rossman for having me. And a big thank you to all the musicians that I had the change to meet and hang out with back stage. You all were fantastic. And to the folks that attended, thank you for coming out for a great weekend! The weather was perfect and we know that you had lots of options of things to do.

Special thanks to Aakash Mittal for the autographed CD - you guys were fantastic.

My personal favorite? Anyone who knows me should not be surprised that I loved the Western Colorado Jazz Orchestra. Best big band on the Western Slope. I hope you guys do more gigs in town soon!

And thanks to the artists that put the art in Art & Jazz!!! And to the Art on the Corner folks - great job again of picking out new sculptures to beautify Main, Colorado and Seventh!!!

Simon Cowell is pathetic!

Mr. Cowell is a coward, plain and simple. The first words out of his mouth after Susan Coyle's amazing performance on HIS show was that he knew they were in for something special. What a bunch of horse hockey! You can obviously see the reaction on his face when she starts to sing that he was shocked. He like all the others in the audience expected the worst because Ms. Coyle is not a supermodel. Then for him to make that kind of comment just shows what a horse's ass he is. See for yourself - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk&feature=PlayList&p=C1013D515FB71D60&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=52

I have never watched "American Idol" because this numbnut thinks he's God's gift to talent searching. I am calling for everyone to stop watching any Simon Cowell productions and not put another penny in this disgusting excuse-for-entertainment's pocket. Remember folks, he makes millions to put people down on national TV. Surely we can think of something more constructive to do with our collective time in this country.

USS Halyburton or USS Haliburton?

When I heard the reports of our navy sending ships to save the captain and crew of the Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia, I couldn't believe my ears. NPR said that one of the ships was named the USS Haliburton. I thought, "You've got to be kidding?". Is our military selling naming rights? Are we that hard up for cash? Or is it something more sinister? Is the military-industrial complex becoming an ever-blurring line in the sand of our tax dollars?

Well, leave it to Wikipedia to clear this up. If you do a search on "USS Haliburton", you will not get a match (THANK YOU!!!). But, if you search for "USS Halyburton", you will read a summary of a ship that was named for Pharmacist's Mate Second Class William D. Halyburton, Jr. (1924–1945). Halyburton was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism while serving with the 5th Marines, during the Battle of Okinawa.

Thank you to Wikipedia from keeping me from having a stroke/coronary over the possibility that we had really sold out as a country.

Who's to blame?

I just love the feature in Grand Junction's Daily Sentinel called "You Said It". It gives anyone the opportunity to be anonymous in their personal rant, thank you or rhetorical question. And it gives anyone and everyone an opportunity to see how much or how little education is required to put out an idea, belief or criticism of our neighbors, both locally and globally.

So now some of our beloved community members are trying to make either Obama or Clinton or other Democrats to blame for our current economic woes. I find this laughable (for the record I am an undeclared voter - no party affiliation). If anyone has been paying attention over the past 40 years or so - give or take a decade or two - you would know that each and every president and member of Congress has had responsibility for where we are today, regardless of political party affiliation. All have monkeyed with our economic system in one way or another, by choosing what to tax and what to spend, and how to police it all with government agencies that are supposed to be looking out for ALL of us as citizens. I defy anyone to say that any of the above mention government officials are not responsible.

Yes, Clinton relaxed the rules with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but Mr. Bush II did nothing to avoid the current calamity. Both Reagan and Bush I ran on a platform of reducing taxes and both increased taxes during their terms. Why? Because they realized that they had to in order to support the bloating nature of our government. Why have over 700 miliary bases overseas? Why spend hundreds of billions of our taxpayers money funding useless and outdated military strategies every year (or protecting some corporations overseas interests)? Our representatives in our federal government have made these decisions not for the good of us all, but for the good of a small group on constiuents, political insiders that are personally benefitting. It's been the military-industrial complex as warned by Ike that's been benefitting. It's former congressman that have been at the trough of taxpayer monies during and after their terms. Now it's the bank's turn (count AIG as the worst offender). And this is called "public service". They should be in jail.

I challenge any federal, elected official either currently in office or "retired", to refuse any federal payment for "retirement" going forward. Put meaning back into the term public service. For those in office, become real stewards of this country not heavier burdens. Make those that are getting a handout have to work for it. Make those getting assistance have to give up their ownership but with an opportunity to earn it back. And I mean earn it the old fashioned American way, not with some slick investment scheme that's more designed to confuse than to reflect an honest day's work.

In the end, it's KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), with heavy emphasis on the Stupid because you've dumbed down our electorate with an education "system" that has failed our country in more ways than one. Why let the facts get in the way of the truth? And who's to blame? Look in the mirror - we all are to blame. And don't forget what's coming down the horizon - baby boomers on Medicare and Social Security, energy sources becoming more scarce or unusable and fresh water demand continuing to be under pressure from our growing populations. So, guess what? It's time to show that history can repeat itself and we can have another "greatest generation".

Is anyone talking about inflation rearing it's head again?

I'm just wondering out loud here - is anyone else is seeing the possibility for inflationary times ahead. Imagine this:

1. increased deficit spending,
   
2. means more treasuries being sold, particularly to overseas investors looking for a safe haven,
3. when their economies start to turn around they pull their investments out of the the US to invest in their own countries
4. creating a wave of selling treasuries
5. pushing prices down and interest rates up
6. the ripple effect of rising interest rates means increased cost of money for businesses,
7. thus putting new pressure on the business sector to raise prices to cover the cost of higher interest rates,
8. and again raising the possibility of another, albeit shorter recession after the economy does a "dead-cat bounce".

Just wondering if anyone else is connecting the dots like this. And what do you invest in during inflationary times? - Gold and land according to friends of mine.

Today marks the beginning of the return of the swallows!

Today marks the traditional date that the swallows return to the Old Mission at San Juan Capistrano in California. This miracle of bird migration occurs every year as the mission itself becomes home to thousands building their mud nests in the tiniest of crevices. While their numbers are not as large in the city proper as in the past, it is still something to see and quite a local event. Here's more on the return of the swallows.

The mission is 6th of 21 missions built by Franciscan monks, initially led by Father Junipero Serra. Stretching up the California coast starting in San Diego, the missions are supposed set a day's walk apart. Another thought is that they are a day's horseback ride apart. Click here for more on California's missions.

Happy St. Patrick's!!! Raise a Guiness!!!

Time to put on yer green and raise a pint!!! This year is also the 250th anniversary of Guiness. Check out their website to find out more http://www2.guinness.com/en-US/Pages/thebeer-draught.aspx.

While it's not the same as being around the "green hills of home", at least we get to have a pint of the finest beer in the world! And for those that haven't been to the Emerald Isle, it tastes even better in Ireland (if you can imagine that)!

Erin Go Braugh!!! Ireland Forever!!!

Won't catch me down at the Old Courthouse

Recently, Janet Rowland, a Mesa County Commissioner, announced that she thinks that county staff should be allowed to carry guns while on the job. The perceived need is because the bad guys have guns so the staff should be ready at any moment to defend themselves.

Since it's so dangerous at the county building that the staff needs guns, it's probably best to stop hand delivering property taxes and car registration fees and instead send them by mail. If more people do that then maybe they could reduce their staff if other county residents follow this practice. Downtown must be really scary. Maybe we should stop going to restaurants downtown too because those same gun totin' bad guys are bound to be in the area all the time. And what about the Farmer's Market in the summer - it's gonna be open season on all those people that are not carrying a weapon, so that's too dangerous too. Forget the Avalon, shopping or looking at all the Art on the Corner pieces too. You could be a target.

While this post is meant to be a little tongue-in-cheek, you can see where fear will take you. Tell your county commissioners that there are other solutions to ensuring safety in the county's workplace. Otherwise we run the risk of unnecesary violence from unpracticed, untrained members of our community: our friends and our neighbors.

With the recent shooting in a church on the Front Range, will there be a similar call to be armed during Sunday services, in places that are meant for peace?

And to be clear, yes we have a right to "bear arms", but can't this all come with a little common sense? And by the way, read the all of the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights and make sure you understand that bearing arms is allowed only in the context of forming a "well-regulated militia". Is there a militia in Mesa County? Just wondering.

Are we still in the "wild, wild West"?

Remember the character James West in the TV series "The Wild, Wild West"? With sidekick Artemis Gordon, they were like James Bond and "Q" of the 19th century western United States fighting all kinds of enemies. Why? Because it was wild! And it was "out west"!

Al Roker from the Today Show (love you guys, really...) was referring to a weather system on this morning's show about how a storm was going to coming onshore "out west". From someone who was born and have lived "out west" all of my life, I'm just sick and tired of easterners referring to the western half of the United States as "out west" like we're still fighting in saloons, riding horses and mining for gold. Don't you people travel?

Yes, I realize that 3/4 of the US population is east of the Rockies and that national TV has to address the bulk of their audience, but isn't it possible that national media types can refer to the weather system affecting "the west coast" instead of "out west? Is it necessary to continue using a tired reference to a part of the nation that has most of the iconic National Parks, natural resources, great outdoors, picturesque vistas and open spaces?

I'm sure that anyone from the east will sit back and dismiss the whiners "out west". You can just hear it. Too sensitive - big babies - buck up - man up, blah, blah, blah. Sometimes someone has to say enough. It's bad enough that you don't care about the sports world west of the Mississippi, but we can live with that.

Bottom line: it's the 21st century and the western half of the country is still part of the United States and we don't refer to you as "out east". We're just asking for a little respect.

GJ Chamber continues to allienate

Having not learned from the fiasco of endorsing Laura Bradford last year over a past GJ Chamber citizen of the year, Bernie Beuscher, the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce has endorsed candidates for city council (see article on www.gjsentinel.com).

Being a membership organization, endorsing candidates for any level of office is the height of arrogance and lack of long-term thinking. It is turning a business-focused organization into a high school clique or a college fraternity where popularity is more important than substance.

Here's my humble opinion: if you're going to make legislative issues the cornerstone of the reason for the Chamber to exist, stick to the issues and quit making it personal. You depend on membership dues for your very existence. Don't alienate existing or potential members by choosing sides, regardless of their propensity to support business issues within your jurisdiction especially during these times of polarity among ideologies.

I'm sure that this issue is a deal-killer for many members of the Grand Junction business community. While this practice continues, you can count me among them.

To Republicans in Mesa County

To all of the Republicans that stood outside the Mesa County offices and asked Obama to veto the stimulus package just passed by the House and Senate, it's time to get your head examined and then I have a challenge for you.

So, it's assumed that you feel that we should do nothing or continue to wrangle over the political nature of every item in the bill. Obviously none of you have any education in macro-economics. Look it up, take a class or ask someone. Since the banks (all of your rich, white-collar buddies) are too busy paying themselves huge bonuses and not loaning, businesses can't borrow and therefore have to cut payroll, which means that consumers spend less and the cycle continues. The only major sector that can stimulate the economy is the government. Period. And guess where they have to get the money? From our friends overseas and those domestically that want to keep from losing any more wealth. Yes, China and Japan are still investing in treasuries and when that money is spent by the government, it gets spent many times over. It's all about keeping people working for now so they can pay their mortgages and taxes (yes we need to keep paying taxes so that we can eventually balance the federal budget - all of us).

So here's my challenge to local Republicans - you want Obama to veto the stimulus bill? If your local governments or businesses are planned to receive ANY funding from this stimulus package, send it back. Deny your constituents the opportunity to affect the local economy. Keep your myopic thinking in place that the county isn't affected by anything outside of the Bookcliffs, the Grand Mesa and the Colorado National Monument. Keep thinking that the local banks are strong enough to support any local lending requirements and are not affected by the economic crisis in front of all of us. Keep thinking that you are right. Keep thinking that all you have to do is cut taxes and that will make everything alright. Keep you collective heads in the sand. But don't you dare take any of the stimulus funding for anything after your senseless demonstration that comes from a complete lack of education and forward thinking.

I'm just appalled and waiting for the hypocrisy to start.

NPS maintenance backlog and the stimulus package

I have another thought regarding the latest stimulus package. Why not invest some of those billions right here on our own soil by addressing the huge maintenance backlog with the National Park Service? This seems like a no-brainer to me!

• You preserve our national treasures for future generations
• You put Americans to work
• You use supplies made in the good ol' USA
• You encourage Americans to travel domestically and spend locally
• You make our national parks more attractive to international tourists
• You make the NPS staff proud to represent their parks, monuments and recreation areas
• You make Americans proud of their heritage and great outdoors

So there's the challenge without earmarks or pork and creates a win-win for our country. Now we'll see if anyone listens.

The stimulus package - Take 2

I only have two things to say.

One - create jobs here in the United States. You can't trust that money given to everyone through vehicles such as tax cuts is going to get spent in the good ol' USA. And I'm not considering going to Wally World and buying a big screen TV the best way to stimulate our economy. China's yes, but not ours. Infrastructure, whether it be highways and bridges or alternative energy development, is the best place to put the funding. Include dealing with the enormous backlog of maintenance in the National Park system. This is a perfect place to put Americans to work using American goods and labor.

Two - ACCOUNTABILITY! I can't say this one loud enough. The American people have had enough with Wall Streeters and others getting OUR MONEY and treating it like toilet paper. Everyone in Washington should have to live with a wage freeze or a wage cut to feel what it's like out in the real world. And those responsible for the lack of accountability with the first bailout plan should be strung upside down and have the money shaken out of every orifice! It's OURS! PERIOD! Take Thane from Merrill and seize his personal property. That's what would happen to someone in the middle class. Who is he that he should be exempt from prosecution? Or how about tar and feathering like in the old days?

Virgin territory in Colorado

I just got back from a week in Albuquerque for business and on our return trip (yes we drove! - 8 1/2 hours each way) we drove up Hwy 141 from Dove Creek through Naturita and Gateway. Wow, what a beautiful stretch of highway! With the passes north of Durango a little dicey, we decided on 141 versus going through Moab. It took about the same time, but it certainly was much prettier driving through the canyons than that ugly stretch of road on I-70 between Hwy 191 in Utah and Grand Junction.

Try it sometime. I think you'll be surprised. Oh, and the Mexican food was awesome!

Truly a time for change

Finally, it's here on our doorstep! The day that many have been waiting for! No, not the new phone books (thanks to Steve Martin as "The Jerk"), it's the day that officially ends what is arguably the worst presidency since WWII and maybe ever (even when compared to the one month term of William Henry Harrison who caught the flu during his inaugural speech - we should have been so lucky). And tomorrow we look to the future and what is possible. Only time will tell, not some crazy apocalyptic prediction, as to the success of our next president.

With Israel pulling troops out of Gaza, I'm reminded of the Iranian hostage crisis and how the Iranians thumbed their noses at Jimmy Carter only to free the hostages on Reagan's watch. Is this because Israel knows that they need to start fresh with a new US administration or just that they've done all the damage that they planned to do in the first place? We'll probably never know, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Congratulations to the millions that have made the pilgrimage to Washington DC for the inaugural. Believe that there are many millions that will be there in spirit willing this new president to create a better life for all, a better union for this country and a better standing in the world.

Thank you to Jon Stewart and the crew at The Daily Show

As we watched the show from last week that pimped on the media coverage of the Obama children going to school for the first day, we realized that The Daily Show folks carp on the media nearly as much as everyone else combined. For good reason!!! Manufacturing news out of the school lunch menu at Sidwell Friends School is just pathetic. And it wasn't just one news outlet that needed filler, it was nearly ALL of them! How about doing more in-depth reporting on where all the TARP money is going or the latest on what is happening in Afghanistan or analysis of the current Palestine-Israel conflict (not opinions, but facts)?

All I can say is a big "Thank you" to Jon Stewart for doing your best to keep the honest. And Aasif Mandvi's piece on Sanjay Gupta was HYSTERICAL!

Where in the White House is "W"?

So here's my question of the day (or two or three): What is our illustrious, infamous President since the transition started? Is he taking advantage of Nixon's bowling alley before it get torn down to make room for a basketball court? Is he wandering the halls, opening doors to rooms he's never seen having the Secret Service give him a private tour of the White House before he must depart at 10:00 AM January 20th? Is the lame duck feeding the ducks?

George (if I can call you that - everyone else feels that they have to call you Mr. President), I'm wondering if you're earning your keep these last weeks of the most disastrous presidency in modern times. Or are you just taking inventory of all the precious items that are going in the moving truck? Doesn't look like there are any more arrows in the administration's quiver for the economy (I know let the next guy handle it...) and it looks like Gaza will just burn like Lebanon.

Here's a suggestion: since your approval rating is below 50%, I think that you should have to forgo your pension after you leave office. And I'm talking about all pensions that you would receive from public service, not just the presidency. I'm sure that even Texans are embarrassed to be seen with you. Try what other ex-presidents have done to earn a living - write a book, make a few speeches - oh wait, you're not real good at these things are you. Time to put a thinking cap on, be a little entrepreneurial - oh wait, you were a big failure at that too.

Well, George, I think you better enjoy these last days in the glory of your administration because you're going to be out there with the rest of us, trying to find work, making a living, getting credit and spoiling grandchildren (I'm sure they are on the way soon). And make sure you check out Clinton's closet for any skeletons you may be leaving behind. Oh wait, they don't have a room big enough for your skeletons. Just make sure that the movers don't take them down to Crawford (the picture is from official "western" white house website). Looks like the Bentley is already there.