#%$# Peta

I am just amazed at the follow the crowd mentality that so many of the PETA members adhere to. I have never been one to downright criticize an individual for his or her beliefs but come one! The whole problem with their cause is that they don't have a solution. They feel bad for the animals, I get that, but what do they propose we do with them all. It's not like we can just release cows back into the wild. In the early-to-mid 80's PETA and other animal activists were vocal enough to cause the bottom to drop out of the fox skin market. The cost fell so low that it was cheaper for farmers to let the foxes go than it was to kill them and skin them. The resultant strain on the ecosystem was disastrous. The instant kill-off of all roosting birds meant that there were no new broods in several large areas. Some areas have still not recovered and probably never will. I get the notion that they would like animals treated more humanely. But let's not chop of the head to spite the nose.

New thoughts for 2009

Once again the media conspiracy has shafted a local institution. The BCS system is broken but the East Coast / USC biased media is to blame as much as the BCS itself. If they really did believe there should be a playoff in major college football, the idiots who call themselves "experts" would have voted Utah #1 in the AP poll. Only a split national championship would have helped sway the major colleges involved in the BCS to look for a better way to determine who should be crowned the national champion. I'm not saying that Utah is the best team in the nation but I can't say they aren't either. After watching both teams struggle last night, the commentators made a big deal about the awesome defenses on both teams. I'm not convinced the defenses were that great. I believe TCU and Alabama had better defenses on a week-to-week basis, and Utah would have made it difficult for OK or UF since it appeared in the game last night, that speed on defense was the biggest factor. I know things won't change as long as the big conferences are given so much power but the media created that power more than anyone else did. The BYU vs. OK game at the beginning of the season next year will not mean anything to what happened this year but if - and this is a big if - BYU beats OK next year, and has only one loss against Utah, and Utah again goes undefeated, they should both be ranked in the top 4 and both would deserve to be in the BCS. Just some thoughts to ponder.

Why does everyone miss the point?

I was browsing some articles today on Newsweek and the Salt Lake Fibune and couldn't help but notice how irritating some people in this state, and country can be. I don't usually fall into the trap of reading reader comments on stories about the different religions because it just turns into a heated discussion between groups that have no chance in changing each others' minds. I do find it amusing however that these people don't quite find the humor in the their comments. On the one side you have those that insist on bashing any and all who do not believe as they do. The stupid thing is that they choose to live in a country that gaurantees people the right to worship (or not) as they please. What is even more assinine is that most of them are former members of the church they are bashing, who either lacked self-control or were just too lazy to follow the beliefs of that religion. I admire those who used to be members of a given church but don't find fault in that church or it's members. These are some of the best defenders of these religions. They usually have a high self-awareness, and are honest with themselves. Those who bash any religion are usually biased because they have "faith" that they know a better way (this goes for all religions). A true "Faithful" person doesn't bash others for their beliefs. They may teach others about what they believe, and may even explain why they believe they are "right", but they don't hate or grow angry with someone because they believe differently. I grew up believing that we should be kind to everyone...not just those who believe the same. On the other side, you have people responding that don't always know the teachings of their own church. They get in philisophical arguments and end up making themselves and the church they believe in look completely different than what they intended.

Here is something to ponder. Our country was founded on the freedom of religion. The seperation of Church and State was never intended to prohibit religious symbols in court houses, government buildings, or parks. The seperation of Church and State was only to gaurantee that there would not be a State sponsored religion. So those that complain that it is offensive to see a cross next to the highway honoring a fallen trooper, or who believe that our children should not be exposed to the Pledge of Allegiance because it contains the word "God", need to understand what our founding fathers intended. I do not fault them for their belief or lack therof, but I also believe that they need to understand the original intent of our constitution. Unfortunately, even many of our Supreme Court Justices haven't studied the founding fathers writings enough to know what their intentions were. If I reverse the argument of believing in nothing, then every square inch of the country should be covered with something, because the belief in nothing means that the non-religion of athiesm has their symbol (nothing) almost everywhere.

Another day to rant

I am becoming older and grouchier every day. The way I see it, what's left of the middle class is going to end up with the short end of the stick come election day. (I don't think it matters who wins.) If Obama wins, he'll classify the middle-class as the upper-class and raise our taxes so we can pay for the failed social programs that the Dems love to fund. I'm sick of paying for welfare for someone who refuses to work. I have no problems with helping those who help themselves but our country wasn't founded on the premise that those who work should take care of those who don't. If the Reps win, we'll be in for another "Trickle Down" theory of some sort that won't help anyone but the rich (yes I think that a small business owner who makes 250k per year is rich.) The Dems want socialized medicine but that is the stupidest idea I have ever heard. Ask someone in the UK who is lower middle-class how the health care is there. It's horrible. If they were really serious about fixing health care they would work on tort reform so the damn lawyers and insurance companies didn't get rich while the rest of us pay 3 times more for health care because of malpractice insurance. The problem is that the politicians on both sides are out of touch. Palin is the closest thing to understanding what it's like to be middle-class and even she doesn't quite get it. Obama is completely out of touch - I don't care what he says, he is. And Mccain doesn't even know how many homes he has. We are in for a wild ride the next 2 years at least. If some major changes are made in congress we might be able to make some positive changes but I see the status quo coming either way.

Wussification of Our Country

We have thoroughly screwed up our country by "wussifying" our children. I'm not saying that I don't think kids should wear helmets when riding a bike or skateboard, but I think the whole idea of not encouraging competition, even at a young age, is a disaster. We have gotten away from the American Dream that anything is possible because we have decided it is better if the entire population is on a level playing field. This has created a society with a belief system that is totally screwed up. We have become a country that believes "I deserve to have everything I want." Newsflash - you don't deserve anything that you didn't work for. Sometimes life isn't fair. The whole "No Child Left Behind" policy is making kids who had a chance to be superior average. We as parents are responsible. If your child is slow, then work with them, don't send them to school thinking it is the responsibility of an underpaid teacher to work extra with them. These things being said I do believe in helping those who truly need it. I think the welfare system is broken. If you are a single parent and you have a full time job but still can't make ends meet, you should be helped. If you are a single parent and you are to lazy to work, your kids would be better off with someone else. Disability is a joke. If someone is truly disabled, that is fine, but I see to many people on disability who have the ability to do something yet they keep getting handouts. Poverty is a problem in this country because we reward it. During the depression, those who were out of work would do anything to get a job. I actually see people who are proud that they don't have a job and the government takes care of them.

The Recession is on

Blame it on the media. We are in for one of the worst economic slowdowns in history. Since the number of people alive who actually remember "The Great Depression" is rapidly decreasing, this economic climate will probably be this generations "I remember when..." battle cry. The sad thing is that although we were set for a recession due to the housing and credit market, what really is sinking the ship is the media. Bad news sells, so only those "experts" who prophesy doom are getting air time. The common man on the street hears this and expects the worse. That being said, I believe that this may be just what is needed for the younger generations to get over the sense of entitlement that their grandparents never would have dreamed of. Many young people today don't want to work for what they have. Look at how many 20 somethings are living in homes bigger than their parents. Look how many drive expensive new cars. Look how many are going to lose those homes and cars because their dreams and expectations were built on easy credit. I was always taught that if you can't pay for it you can't have it. (Although I must admit I didn't always follow that advice.) These words of advice are proving more and more wise as credit shrinks. With unemployment set to rise along with inflation, many young people today who don't know how to work hard are going to have to learn quick or starve.