I am a venerable old man, at least according to Websters. Yes, it is a new roll that I am not sure how to handle, but we will do it just like everything else, one day at a time.
Take Care,
Steve
Investing If I had one thing to do differently in life, I would have started investing like I am now back when I graduated college. I find joy in seeing how things do every day and it is nice to see the dividends roll in each month. No, it isn't a lot of money yet, although I have made a couple of thousand this year when you include in the stock trades. It is more the effects of compounding and how much I can make in the future by simply letting my money work for me, which I consider exciting. I recommend Charles Schwab. I feel safe doing my investing through them. Giving It is ironic that I will end up giving more this year than I made off my investments. What is the point in making the money if you are going to just give it away? The point is making the money so that you can give it away. Being able to make a different in people's lives is one of the most amazing gifts anyone can receive and I feel blessed. Don't give until it hurts. Give until if feels good. Another aspect of giving is what we are doing in the Middle East. I do not believe we should be bringing democracy to the region. It is kind of like a government program to give free tacos to every American. There are going to be some Americans that don't like Mexican food and are pissed off you are wasting all that money on tacos. Give the people of these countries a chance to decide for themselves as long as they have a government that will respect the rest of the world community. War, What is it Good For? President Obama is apparently going to give a speech next week outlining why we must win the war in Afghanistan. At the same time I see a tweet where 18 Al Queda where captured in Iran. I hate to see how this has been so drawn out. We haven't approached war correctly since the first Bush. The politicians need to tell the military what they want done, give them the resources to do it, and then shut up and get out of the way. I have seen estimates where we will be in Afghanistan another nine years. Are we winning the war? One of the things we have to ask ourselves is if the war on terrorism has been successful. Since this is a war on terrorism and not on an individual group, it is hard to quantify. The best I think we can do is look at how the war has effected specific terrorist groups. That is when I turn to the world leader in news, Wikipedia. You can check out when stuff happened and what happened and get an idea how things are going. I will leave the judgments up to you. Exit Strategy You must have an exit strategy? Why? We still have troops in South Korea. We shouldn't be sending the message that we are unwilling to do whatever it takes. The message getting out should be that if we cannot stabilize the region, we may be there indefinitely. Why? Because saying that we have a time table encourages the terrorists to keep up what they are doing. The terrorists should be getting the impression that we have unlimited resources and that what they are doing is fruitless. Thanksgiving Resolution People are always making New Years resolutions and they typically fail, so I figured we should buck the trend and come up with Thanksgiving resolutions. Yea, it sounds crazy, but it may just be crazy enough to work. A mind may be a terrible thing to waste, but a waist isn't a terrible thing to mind. After I suck down lard portions of Thanksgiving goodies, I am going to concentrate on my health and improving it. | Life It is almost as if life is a yin-yang thing. You have to throw in enough yang to compensate for the yin. Clean Energy The Obama administration seems to be taking some steps to combat pollution. Now, I don't believe we need to save the planet. The planet will be just fine no matter what we do. It would be nice to save ourselves, though. Not only will clean energy help the environment, over the long haul it can reduce the cost of energy. China I listen to CNBC a lot and just heard an example of one of the things that has bothered me for a long time. A guy was describing how it is much better to invest in companies in China partially due to labor cost, but also due to lower taxes. Why are jobs going overseas? Because that is where the money is, including some of mine. Let the Punishment Fit the Crime Some Navy Seals are accused of punching a guy arrested for killing and mutilating some civilian contractors. They should each be required to receive a check for $10,000 and a promotion. Coke Bottle Shape I saw a show on Coca-cola the other day. During the show they mentioned that the shape of old coke bottles is patented and that they are going to start making 2 liter bottles shaped like that. I thought this was pretty cool. Party Crashers Apparently some less than reputable people crashed Obama's first White House state dinner. Incredible. These people are trying to get on a reality TV show, while ironically many people like this are far from reality. |
It's a Wonderful Life This has long been one of my Christmas favorites. I think we can all appreciate George Bailey and the pressure that he is under. Yes, many people get the holiday blues. It is understandable because everyone wishes they could do more for the holidays than they are capable. This movie clearly shows what is really important and is a good check to get your priorities in order. Jimmy Stewart has a very memorable moment. Christmas Vacation I simply love this movie. No, it isn't serious. Yes, there are some messages in it. But mainly I just love it because it is so light hearted. There is even a religious side to the movie if you listen carefully. A Christmas Story This movie captures the feelings of a kid anticipating Christmas better than any other movie I know. This is what I grew up with. This movie also contains one of the coolest beans insults you will hear. Plains, Trains, & Automobiles Yes, this one is about a guy trying to get home for Thanksgiving, but it has that same Christmas message. This is a movie that continues to grow on me. This movie had one of the most unique bonding moments in movie history. This one is a movie that I really didn't get into at first, but the more I watch it, the more I love it. The guy that plays Santa Claus is my picture of the ideal Santa Claus. This movie contained a wonderful message regarding faith. Now, this clip is a bit different. You can find a radio version of the entire thing free here. A Christmas Carol There are numerous versions of this story and I like them all. No, I don't consider this as good as I once did, but it is still a must see at Christmas. You can find an audio version of it here. The Santa Claus Out of the recent Christmas movies, this is probably the closest thing to becoming a classic that I have seen. I didn't really care for the sequels that much, but the first one is very entertaining. | Quarterback Punch I just heard on ESPN that a Notre Dame "fan" punched their QB, Jimmy Clausen, in the face. Man, I love college football and the kids that play it, but some fans seem to take stupidity to a different level. Star TrekFeedback I am starting to get the blogging itch again, as if you hadn't noticed. As usual, I tend to just blog about whatever happens to be on my mind. Any feedback on what you like or dislike would be appreciated. Milk Executions China has executed two people associated with the tainted milk scandal. Yes, they were killed for selling tainted milk that lead to the death of some babies. I am a Star Trek fan. Often I find parables in Star Trek episodes that correspond with real life events, which I find interesting. I also admire the actor's ability to say some of the things with a straight face. Is there something other than a level 3 diagnostic? How can you talk intelligently about clever engineering solutions to problems when you have no idea what you are talking about. Hey, what if we rotate the shield harmonics, re-calibrate the photon torpedoes, and put on side two of Led Zepplin IV? It just might work. What's In a Name? The name you choose for your kid can make or break their career. Is it fair? No. Is it reality? Yes, I find it very likely. Check out this story. |