bravo to some Nifty Nines

Bravo to Ben for the upcoming job! It sounds like a marvelous opportunity and you have earned it. Does everyone know that this summer, taking a heavy load so he can graduate in December, Ben has consistently received the highest grade in all his classes?! Bravo also to Emilie for being awarded a place in the Leadership Training Seminars and to Carlin for being Colorado's representative to the Student Congress which seeks to develop greater diplomacy and conflict resolution in U.S. policies.

Global Warming

Having lived 80 years, I have seen heat waves, cold waves, droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and ideal weather conditions. I have read about ice ages and seen charts of weather accounts starting with the year 1,000A.D. through 1900 A.D. These charts would seem to indicate a warming (Medieval Warm Period) for about 500 years and then a cooling (Little Ice Age) for about 500 years. During the l970's I decided to buy a home in Florida (if possible) because climatologists were predicting another cold age. Recently, Al Gore made a speech in which he predicted dire consequences in 10 years if steps were not taken to alleviate the anthropogenic (manmade) global warming. In my opinion, he is either delusional or a political charlatan. No one disputes that climates change. The amount that man is able to affect this change I believe to be so minimal as to not be cause for concern. I do not accept the argument about "consensus". This way of coming to a decision is foreign to the scientific method where skepticism is essential to progress and learning. I'm sure we all agree that there are excellent reasons to use less oil, develop new sources of energy and avoid polluting our environment. This is now a matter of our national security and economic health. Unlike Al Gore, I predict that 10 years from now it will be business as usual as far as the climate goes, but I'm not so sanguine about the economy and world peace.

Ashford Reunion

The Ashford Reunion has come and gone and the general consensus was that it went well. One highlight for me was hearing my cousin, Buck Ashford, tell stories relating to his father, Admiral William Ashford. He said that on two different occasions, two different Japanese men on hearing his last name and learning of his relationship to the admiral, told him how graciously and generously they had been treated in the weeks following their surrender after World War 2. One told him they had expected to be shot, but were treated with courtesy instead. The other told of food shortages his family experienced that were helped by the admiral purposely always having more food at their meetings than they could eat so that he could have some to take home. This was especially gratifying to hear after reading "Overthrow", the book Reid gave me that makes it sound like the United States has never done anything right in foreign relations. Another highlight was having Emilie here with me. She added much to my enjoyment and was so helpful. I can't count how many relatives told me how lovely she was and how they enjoyed meeting her. She and I discussed ways to make Connected Importants keep us better connected, and decided a discussion of controversial subjects might be one way. I will soon be introducing my subject so stay tuned. Fill free to introduce your own.



1

ICE COLD, I have to do this.

I had hoped to stimulate a more heated argument by presenting views from a very extremist viewpoint, however I do NOT hold these views personally. I was in fact too successful in my intentions and must make sure that I am not thought of to personally hold the views expressed here, although I do believe a lot of it partially. I will post my personal beliefs in the next post.

BEN IS AN OBAMA CONVERT!!! OMG WHAT?!?!?!

I believe, and have for a while, that Obama will better restore the opinions foreign countries have regarding the United States. He has 85% approval ratings in France, and is about 70% worldwide. Those are the kind of ratings it will take to get the United States back in its recently historical role of leadership. McCain is too old, I have recently seen footage of him giving a speech in which he lost his train of thought, and I watched him stumble pitifully through some questions presented to him. This does not lessen my opinion of McCain, but it does make me worry about him being president. Obama will also undoubtedly spend leagues more money than McCain will on R&Ding alternative sources of energy. Offshore drilling should be allowed in my opinion, but it isn't really a long term solution. I am undecided on what I believe with regard to abortion. But, I do know that if I were to have information ahead of time alerting me to the fact that my child was going to have downs syndrome or be retarded, I would want to abort the child. It is an unfair burden to place on the other children to grow up with such a sibling. I do believe that homosexuals should be allowed to wed. I think that historically it is true, marriage has been between a man and a woman. The term marriage by definition connotes the union of a man and a woman. However, times change. The way I see it, seeing as how homosexuals are currently afforded all of the rights of married people, they just don't get the certificate, not getting this thing over with (and believe me, it will never be over with unless there is a concession) just gives them something to do and complain about. During John's high school graduation ceremony many of the immature students were tossing around beach balls, when one of them fell on the stage the receiving teacher did not confiscate or pop it, he just through it back. This is what needs to happen with homosexuals. They already have the rights, give them the damn paper and stop wasting time discussing it. Long term, I am unsure of the consequences of bringing homosexual lives more out in the open. Undoubtedly letting homosexuals marry will eventually have an impact on how they are viewed by the non-gay populace. But, I believe that if we do have a homosexual revolution, so to speak, it will end in the same way that the hippie revolution ended. AIDS and stds will be rampant, and there will be a flocking back to heterosexuality and monogomy. As for foreign policy...Obama does not know nearly as much as McCain, no one argues that. The question is...what good is the knowledge McCain is holding in his head? Does knowledge have anything to do with a current ability to judge what is best for the United States at this point. Obama being one of 6 senators to actually read the report on the situation regarding our entering into a war gives him an additional boost. My ability to do business and operate in foreign countries will be increased by a president who brings respect back to the United States. As far as economic policy goes...We are in such an egregious amount of trouble that it has become evident to me that we are do for some sort of ubiquitous capitulation. I do NOT believe that the raising of taxes by Obama will help us whether this current crisis, in fact it will most definitely make it worse. However, the long term consequences of continuing to let the value of the dollar drop (this happens as a result of the U.S. Government having a large deficit) will be far worse. I think that instead of putting off the inevitable, we need to shake out the wrongs now and get it over with. Besides, history tells us that democratic candidates are rarely elected two years in a row, while republican candidates are more than not. Does this mean I think Obama will not be elected more than once? No. I point this out in order to say why I believe this to be the case. Republican candidates always run on a ticket of lowering taxes, people like lower taxes. When democratic candidates get elected it is because of issues revolving around the republican candidates and the state of the country. Republican candidates have a built in advantage in their wish to always lower taxes, and they know this. As anyone who has lived more than a few decades knows, the world functions cyclically. I believe that Obama getting elected, and raising taxes for the next 4 or 8 years (or longer if legislation is passed inhibiting a "quick fix" coming in with a new president), will be the price that we have to pay in order to receive a stable and strong currency, and lower taxes in the future. Why would I rather have lower taxes in the future than now? BECAUSE...ALL OF THE GRANDKIDS WILL HAVE JOBS AND BE MAKING LOTS OF MONEY IN 9 YEARS. AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL ALL BE IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING STINKING RICH!!! As a family, I would much rather pay higher taxes when our incomes are much lower, than be having to go through this rebuilding process when I am making millions of dollars.

Disclosure: My choosing Obama for president is a result of my belief that his policies will lower the deficit and set us up for low taxes and a Republican president who is economically conservative down the line. If this viewpoint changes then so will my presidential choice.

That's my two cents.