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Like most Christmas seasons, this one finds me in a contemplative mood.  I start remembering past Christmases.

Christmas was always an event on my dad’s side.  Not only because of the Christian aspects of the holiday, but also because Christmas Eve meant family, and lots of it.  I was an only child, but every Christmas Eve meant an evening at the farm house with the local aunts, uncles, and cousins.  And every so often all my dad’s family would get together.  Did I mention he comes from a brood of nine? 

When you are a kid, you get wrapped up in the Christmas season.  Not only in wondering about what gifts you are going to receive, but also about giving gifts, and what the season means to you.  For me it meant family, good food (sans the oyster stew), and the birth of Christ.

Last Christmas season was hard, because I realized that I would never again hear Grandpa singing carols, reading the Christmas story, or talking to me about what Kath, I and Nick had been doing.  (Grandpa passed away in July.)

Luckily, I don’t have to deal with it most of the time.  Instead I get to have the type of Christmas I had as a child.  No we don’t have snow down South, but I do have a family that loves and accepts each other for all of our differences and imperfections. 

We open presents on Christmas Eve and relax on Christmas Day with the traditional ham and trimmings.  We sit around and share memories of Christmases past from our separate histories and our combined past as a family.  I get to tell my son about Christmases at the farmhouse, with all the family gathered, eating, singing,  celebrating, and opening gifts.  I get to tell him about the Christmas 2003, his first, and how dirt poor financially we were, about homemade decorations and paper snowflakes decorating our little tree.  I get to listen to him tell me about his favorite Christmas moments as he continues to grow up.

And when we do all our traditions again this year, and when it brings a tear to my eye like every year, I’ll hear my son say “You’re so sentimental”, in a voice that not only is starting to sound a lot like mine, but also has a tinge of Grandpa’s deep voice in it.

Merry Christmas to all.  I pray that this season brings you the joy of remembrance, and hope for the future, and finds you with your loved ones and friends.

Story: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259524,00.html

While I think the banner a stupid way to test free speech within a public school, there are certainly worse messages that could have been used.

What I find more troubling is President Bush’s grab for clamping down on free speech if the public school disagrees.  Why?  Because it limits free speech and teaches students that they don’t have the right to voice opinions that differ from the school.

Please think about this.  If they limit free speech to only what is school approved, how is that free?  Our forefathers must be turning over in their graves wondering what is going on in this country.   Schools are suppose to teach students about their rights and how to be effective members of society.  How are students to learn if the school is allowed to quash anything that puts a ripple in the water.   It seems teachers along with President Bush want it their way all the time, rather than allowing actual freedom for the students.

Personally I think you all should write to President Bush at comments@whitehouse.gov and VP Cheney at vice_president@whitehouse.gov and tell them what you think of this attempt to use this case to further limit free speech.  Limiting student speech will only be the beginning if this case is upheld and Bush gets what he wants.  It is obvious that President Bush feels no guilt for unconstitutionally increasing Presidential power since he is a lame duck.  What he should realize is that this also increases the power for the next president. 

As blogging  was at first a text-based challenge to the media, podcasting, or audio-blogging, is becoming a challenge to traditional talk show radio. 

And thank God for that.  Talk show radio has long been dominated by hosts that are so ensconced in their own beliefs that they cannot listen with an open mind to any opposing viewpoint.  They traditionally are rude to people that call into their show with opposing viewpoints because it supposedly drives up ratings.

Rush Limbaugh started the trend, in fact he is the one who is sited most often for saving AM radio and in fact talk radio as a whole.  With his conservative viewpoints and format, he gave a conservative viewpoint to the traditional mass media which seems to be dominated by a liberal viewpoint.  As his new format became more popular, more conservatives started popping up with both national and regional shows, some more conservative, some more centrists.  But all seem to be stuck in this name-calling, anti-tolerant format.

And it’s just not the the conservatives, it’s the liberals too.  One needs only to go to the Air America Radio Network and it’s shows to hear the liberal side of talk radio and it’s own name calling and anti-tolerant rants and raves.

Now thanks to the cyclic nature of everything, podcasting has come to address the voice of the new politically active culture who believe listening with an open mind and treating differing viewpoints with respect are the ways and means to political objectives.  It’s not liberals or conservatives; it’s a new wave and there are talk shows through podcasting to embrace this concept.

The one I like the most is Common Sense with Dan Carlin.  He is objective, fair, and actually balanced.  He looks at both sides of the issue.  I also find I agree with him most of the time.  He represents those who are fed up with the titles of liberal and conservative and believe that an option for a viable third party is the way out of this mess.  He represents those that are politically independent, mostly the Generation X crowd and younger, or those who want change in a positive manner.

Now I feel there is actually an option for those of us who were raised to be respectful of others and their viewpoints, even if they differ.  Dan Carlin, thank you.

I am constantly trying to convince parents around me to take control for their child’s education.  The public school system that we dealt with in the past is a failure.  Which is why we decided to homeschool our son and also use a learning center to further his education.

Taking a look at this video, I was reminded why we yanked our son out of the public school system.

1. The system here is myopic and focused on statewide results.  Don’t bother mentioning nationwide or worldwide.
2. The system here is more concerned with AYP numbers than with an actual quality education for it’s students.  If they were actually concerned with quality education the AYP numbers would improve.
3. The system here has no logical concept of global economics, or the global job market and the competition for jobs that their students will have to face.
4. Too many parents in this system think the schools are babysitters and don’t take an active interest in the system or the education provided.

Thank God we are out of public schools.

For a rather long time now, I’ve been thinking about the night I graduated high school.  Why?  Because of all nights to take a stand against something that I saw as wrong and do the right thing, I stood down, fearing that the diploma I worked for would be revoked.  I had my speech written and ready to go, and instead of giving my speech I grabbed the empty folder and walked off stage, the last student to graduate from the class.

To Brian and Craig, I’m truly sorry for two things.  The first, not standing up for you both when we were all in that classroom and basically held hostage.  I’m not saying you all did the right thing, but basing your punishment on a lie and on revenge for being embarrassed (on the part of the teacher and even in a greater sense the school) was wrong.  Given the other members of the class, myself included, a great number of us should have been expelled for breaking those infamous rules, rather than just you two.  The second, for not giving that speech that night.  I’ve kept the text of that speech in my mind ever since that night.  The original draft has long since been creased beyond belief.

Not that it changes things, but if you want to read it here is my speech from that night. Read the rest of this entry »

I have been to politicalcompass.org and walked away convinced that this is probably the most accurate political standings quiz that I have seen.  I used to think that I was a conservative through and through, especially when I was in my 20s.  As I got older I realized that while I heartily agree with the Constitution, I most definitely don’t fit in with most conservatives.  So when someone suggested that check this sight out, I thought what the heck.  I took the quiz a number of times.  The result shown above is my last time.  The first couple of times I rushed through it and didn’t really think about what I believed socially or politically.  I mean I answered honestly, but off the cuff.  The last time I really thought about it.  The difference.  My two previous scores had me at an economic of -1.25 and a social of -.97.  As you can see it didn’t move that much.

After I took the quiz, I read the rest of the website, and I have to say I was impressed.  My answers weren’t skewed from what I can tell.  I still hold to the Constitution more than left/right leanings and the political havoc that is U.S. politics.  But if you are really honest with yourself and you take this quiz, you might find out that where you stand isn’t where you thought.

Christmas this year was a treat.  I was home for 8 days with an almost even split before/after Christmas Day. 

I honestly believe Kath liked all her gifts I got her this year.  God knows I tried to get gifts that she would not only enjoy, but had meaning for both of us.

Nicholas, this year was almost brought to tears.  He is a computer and game console nut just like his dad.  Unfortunately, thanks to current marketing schemes, trying to get your hands on a Nintendo Wii this Christmas was like trying to win the lottery without buying a ticket.  You know what I mean?  We told him since early September not to hold out too much hope for getting one since the release date was so close to Christmas and they were releasing simulatenously in the US and Europe/Asia markets.   Release day came and we were starting our cruise.  We got back and everyone was sold out.  We kept enforcing the idea that we were not going to be able to get one.  Meanwhile we had already purchased and had one at our home.

Christmas Eve (which is when we open our presents) rolled around.  Nick started opening gifts.  First a Wii remote and nunchuck, and then a game came out of their wrappings.  We kept telling him we couldn’t get a Wii but had placed an order and it was to arrive early January.  Then came another game.  Oh yeah we lied our butts off about not having the Wii.  All told about four games, an extra controller set, a memory card, and a bunch of clothes, he was down to the last package.

We made him close his eyes and open it.  When all the wrapping was off he opened his eyes, and his eyes got real wide and wet.  He almost cried he was so happy.  As the credit card commercial goes “$XXX for the Wii, $XXX for accessories, the look on his face when he opens the package…. priceless.

Well we took our cruise to the  Western Caribbean.  We sailed on the Costa Magica.  The ship was decorated nicely and provided a semi-relaxed atmosphere which is something we didn’t have when we took our first cruise on Carnival which was nothing short of a drunken party boat.  But compared to our cruise on the Costa Mediterranea, the experience was less than optimal.   The service on the ship and the lack of food choices were so pathetic.  Given the enjoyable experience we had on the Mediterranea, it left us severly dissappointed with what we experienced on Magica.  Unlike it’s namesake Magica had no magic at all.

Sans the bad weather which forced us to miss our port at Grand Cayman (which we really didn’t care too much about as it is so expensive) and provided us with a drenching down pour in Ocho Rios, Jamacia, the ports were enjoyable.   Our last port Grand Turks actually had decent sunshine and the Margaritaville there made the port worthwhile.  Shopping was limited but enjoyable, and the locals were friendly without being overly pushy.

Overall I’d give the cruise on Magica a score of 5 out of 10.  Our previous cruise on Mediterranea easily scored a 8.5 out of 10.  We might give Costa another chance but not with their Caribbean cruises.  They are based in Italy so me might try them for their Med cruises were they are a bit more familiar with the customs.

I will readily admit that I am 35 and a parent.  But has anyone recognized that new music has taken a turn for the creative worse?

Modern music has for the most part come from the roots of Jazz and Rhythm & Blues.  This includes rock, country, gospel, Christian contemporary (all forms) pop, and rap.

When I was growing up my parents listen to a lot of religious music and few secular songs.  I wasn’t so limited.  There was a separation of musical styles and it’s intended audience.  For the most part, R&B and country were focused on the blue collar worker and his problems.  Rap represented the inner city and a cutting edge musical style.  Rock-n-roll represented the angst and problems of the teenage and 20-somethings (for the most part).  Pop was pop and was mainly sugar coated music aimed at anyone who would listen.

The artist all had a message they wanted to get across, either explaining situations or trying to make a difference.   You didn’t always agree with the message, but at least they were expressing themselves about something that meant something to them.

Read the rest of this entry »

Well, I can’t say I’m surprised by how the Elections turned out.  It was the Republicans election to lose, and they did so.

The Republicans deviated from the core set of values that allowed them to sweep into the White House, Senate, and Congress.  They absolutely betrayed the very voters who voted for them, and Tuesday they saw the result.  And hopefully, they learned a lesson, but as they are politicians I doubt it.

Read the rest of this entry »