Big Brothers
Big brothers always seem to have great ideas and then try them on their younger siblings. Things like “I wonder if I can bounce this ball over his head” or “I wonder if I shoot this blow dart at him if it will hurt” etc. Case in point:
Big Brothers, Friend or Foe? from Keb on Vimeo.
Dangerous Pants
Some time ago I was putting on my pants and some how lost my balance and fell upon the bed, bounced off of it and onto the floor. Wifey thought that is was quite funny.
This morning Jared (3) was putting on his shorts by the fireplace and fell over, hitting his chin on something hard. The result of this was 4 stitches in his chin.
I am calling to all politically correct people and regulators of an obsessive nature: Force the companies that make pants to put a label somewhere warning people of impending falls while dressing.
Vacation?
So, I go up to meet my family mañana. They’ve been gone since Monday leaving me alone in my house to work. I started work at 9 this morning, and aside from a dinner break I just stopped (It’s 11:31 pm). So I’ll be leaving for the weekend where I desire to just lay down from exhaustion. I don’t like vacations much, you work twice as hard so you can leave and then twice as hard when you get back. Bleh.
I did a photo shoot of five different facilities today, Retirement living centers. It was 106 degrees today. The first place I went I finished the outside shots and went inside with my tripod and lights. Two little old ladies were sitting on the couch watching TV. They seemed disturbed that I was there. One kept turning and looking at me every 45 seconds with suspicion. Several times through the shoots, I tried to say hello to some of the tenants and I got blank stares most of the time.
I’m tired, but really I am thankful for the work.
Lost
So, in a past post I mentioned it’s taken me months to get all the numbers I need to fill out all the forms so I can pay taxes properly for my business.
So, a few weeks ago I sent a fax ( the Status Report From) to the department of workforce services so I could receive my unemployment insurance number. Suprise! They “never received” my fax. I asked what they suggest I do. “Send it again” they said. Rather than say “Here, since we lost or misplaced the fax you sent why don’t I enter the information as you give it to me so we know you are in the system” they just tell me to do what didn’t work last time. I’m going to try to do it online, if it was as much as a mess as the Payroll Withholding number process I am in for a treat.
*sigh*
Department of Workforce Services Rating: 
9
9 years ago today I married Melissa, my best friend. People often look at their wedding day as the happiest day of their life. I don’t. I am happier now than I was then. She completes me and makes me a better person. She really is one in a million.
Wife Rating:
Interesting (warning: novel alert)
It is interesting being a strong conservative today. I find myself having to defend my point of view more often. Being an entreprenuer and running my own business I see first hand how some law and regulation really make it difficult to do business. Do you know that I need 5+ numbers just so I can fill out the proper forms? This is for one small business with just me as an employee! And of course I can’t get these numbers all in one place - it’s taken me two months, and I still am missing one number so I can properly file for the last quarter. I need to follow up the third time to some government agency to get what I need to fulfill their requirements.
The battle of ideas is raging. It’s not effective to label people in two camps, but there are a few basic underlying philosophies: One is law and regulation “for the greater good.” Another is unrestrained freedom (hi libertarians). Another is personal responsibility and accountability in relation to law and liberty.
I wish I had time to present why I feel the last is superior. Alas, I am running my own business. 50-60 hour weeks are normal. I had once thought to start a blog focuing just on this very idea of Liberty and conservatism (not the current republican diluted form - but real conservatism attached to the law of the harvest and accountability)
Sadly, each camp sees each other as the enemy. The conservatives see liberals as people who just want government to take care of all their problems and have no moral compass, and the liberals see conservatives as greedy capitalists intent on destroying the planet.
In reality it is much more complex. There are people who are more liberal who I personally catergorize as “compassionate socialists.” These people are kind and generous and see those less fortunate and people that need to be helped and rightly so. It’s not the ideals I disagree with, but the methods. Their methods in the right hands might work, but opening the door to socialsm makes it easier for some intent on power and power only to enter in more easily.
There are capitalsts who want the government our of their business because they are selfish. They want more and more money and don’t care how they make it. They favor a lot of the conservative legislation and somehow get lumped in this group and then paint the whole of conservatives as greedy hate mongers only intent on helping themselves.
So what am I to do? I see personal liberty being taken away in tiny tiny ways. When I mention it and where things could go, some think I am paraniod or unrealistic. Some say “it will never get that far.” How can they guarantee that?
Ultimately, the solution is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is Christian to help one’s neighbor, to clothe the needy, to feed the hungry, and comfort those in need of comfort. It is also Christian to be industrious, ceasing to be idle, to do an honest days work and reap the fruits of your labor. It is also Christian to be accountable for one’s own actions, teaching others to be self reliant, prize knowledge and do do things of one’s own free will and choice without coersion.
People very close to me may think differently politically. And I honor and support their freedom to think the way they do. But I also honor my freedom to state what I believe and stand for priciples sacred to me.
So to those conservatives who find it their purpose to yell at every liberal that passes thier way, it would be more effective to live a Christian life, spread goodness and charity of your own freewill as examples, take accountability, and stand for True Christian Values.
To those liberals who find it their duty to force everyone to take care of everyone else, it would be more effective to show how to be kind and giving of your own free will, teach people about duty to take care of those less fortunate, be more accepting of people rather then lifestyles, and show your love for you planet by showing others how much joy and pride you feel in taking care of it - rather than forcing people to pay for what you believe is wrong.
I think I will spend my time sharing the Gospel. I could make a blog about liberty and law and conservatism, but I could also spend more time with my family and teach my children why I have these values. I have an opportunity to mold 4 (so far) children into accountable person’s who value industry, AND supporting the needy. I think this is where my time will be best spent. That doesn’t mean I won’t speak out or refine my stance politically. Well, I guess that’s all for now.
Yikes
So, the second largest bank failure in U.S. history happened today.
IndyMac Bank seized by federal regulators
The interesting thing about this is that this is who our home loan is with. I’m just glad it’s a loan and not an account or CD or something like that. So if you go to indymacbank.com you will see this:
On July 11, 2008, IndyMac Bank, F.S.B., Pasadena, CA was closed by the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was named Conservator. All non-brokered insured deposit accounts have been transferred to IndyMac Federal Bank, F.S.B., Pasadena, CA (”assuming institution”) a new FDIC-insured Federal Mutual Savings Bank. No advance notice is given to the public when a financial institution is closed.
We are living in crazy times. I haven’t seen anything like this in my life time. The 70s OPEC thing happened before I was around. The last 9 years have been more monumental than any of the 90s ever were. I miss the 90s.
Oh ‘93 & ‘94 - what awesome years
The 90s Rating: 
Sprint
Short Version:
Sprint: Hi. We can get you a new phone.
Me: Great! I need a new phone and one for my wife too
Sprint: okay, two new phones, new plan unlimited texting both lines. 550 minutes shared. The phone are $99 each plus rebates of $50 off, and I’ll credit you $50 off too.
Me: Sounds great
Sprint: (the next month) Your bill is $604
Me: #$%^$!
Sprint: $200 was in texts
Me: We aren’t on a texting plan?
Sprint: No.
(many calls by me or wifey to attach her phone to a plan that they didn’t do in the first place)
Me: Okay we want to take off the auto debit please
Sprint: Fax this
Me: Okay
Wifey: Hi Sprint did you get my fax?
Sprint: yes, you should be off the auto debit
Wifey: Good.
Wifey: (Calls again to verify) Hi. Are we off the auto debit?
Sprint: Yes.
Wifey: (Calls the next day) I’d like to make our corrected payment of $238.
Sprint: We’ve already debited your account $438.73
Wifey: %^&@%! You told me we were taken off twice!
Sprint: Well, the payment is in process we can refund you in 10-14 days
Wifey: No. You don’t understand we do not have that money. You told us it was taken off..
(continues to try to get it in their stupid head)
Me: Wells Fargo? Hi, I’d like to make a stop payment for $438.73…….
Wells Fargo: Okay, we will do all we can to get it stopped, We can’t guarantee it if it’s already in process. Your account will be charged $29 for a stop payment fee.
Me: Common guys, I have 5 accounts and have been with you 15 years.
Wells Fargo: I can try to remove the fee
Me: Yes lets try that
Wells Fargo: Okay Mr. Bennion, the stop payment request had been entered, and your account will be charged $0.
Me: Thanks.
I hereby rate Sprint the Following:
Sprint Rating: