Disneyland not Mohammedville

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Disneyland is one of my favorite places to take the family. Since I live in Southern California it is only a short drive. For a few years we had family passes so we could go for visits whenever we wanted. It was great. One thing about Disneyland is you, in one sense know what your getting. The employees all wear the appropriate Disney costume.

Recently a female Muslim employee wanted to wear a headscarf. Well, it's Disneyland, I do not know any Disney employees' religion when I visit. I guess some people feel that it is question of diversity or freedom of religion. No, it's Disneyland. I mean, what if she was an Orthodox Jew? Should Disneyland be forced to allow her to dress in customary manner? Let's take this argument to it's illogical end and ask if she was a nudist?

We all play and work by the rules. If you choose to work at a place that has a dress code you agree to dress according to company policy. If it violates your personal beliefs, religion, you should not work there. Freedom, in our country means you can make a personal choice where to apply to work.

Freedom does not mean forcing others to accept your beliefs. We better hold the line on this or we'll be voting on whether all women should be wearing head coverings.

Paper or Plastic or Bring Your Own Bag

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In my lifetime I have seen a matter of simple choice evolve from simple to complicated to absurd. We used to go to the market and walk out with our groceries in paper bags. Then one day the bag-boy (or girl) asked, "Would you like paper or plastic?" Now I can buy a re-usable bag or use the "one-time use" plastic bags or I think if I request it I can still use paper bags. Now, it seems some folks are trying to take away my choice of paper or plastic!

I wonder if these are the same nuts who want to legislate my salt intake? Isn't there something else people can do with their time than worry about paper or plastic? Besides the fact that I find those plastic bags great for gathering recyclables what is the deal?

Now, I going to take a little stretch here and relate this to another choice Californians have.  Just like the paper or plastic choice has become absurd so has our Senator. We also get to choose who will be our next Senator, the old...Barbara Boxer or the new Carly Fiorina. For me it is a simple choice revolving around what has been and what should be. Barbara Boxer has left California in dire straights. All her liberals policies are killing the greatness of what was once California. Her insane need to "be green" has left us gang green with economic death. People and jobs are fleeing the state like I have never seen before. Like a plastic bag over a child's head, liberals policies have suffocated California.

California doesn't need to be more green, we need more jobs and more common sense. Boxer is so far out to the left she can not see the needs of her own state. Her record, which is the current state of the economy in California is the legacy of Boxer, Pelosi, and the Democratic state legislature. It is time for common sense Californians to vote these left-nuts out.  

We need Fiorina and people like her to rebuild or once proud state.

Well, given the choice, I say no-thanks to the old bag.

The POTUS calls the GOP anti-business?

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The President accused the the GOP of blocking small business growth. What? To me that is like a wolf accusing a deer of being a predator. Since when has a Democrat been for business of any kind?

All Democrats ever want to do is tax those evil profit pirates and act like they (Democrats) are the modern equivalents of Robin Hoods, taking from the evil rich and redistributing money to the poor and needy. The problem is that money never seems to actually get to those who truly need it. How else can they pay for a Redistribution Czar?

Now the POTUS wants me to believe that suddenly wants he wants to give tax cuts to businesses? Taxing is the Democrats preferred method of redistributing "wealth." He also wants to give money to banks to loan to small businesses. We saw how that worked out with the first "Stimulus" bill. The banks don't need the money, small businesses need the money.

Here's the deal: The more that the government "helps" the more they mess things up and mess up the natural corrections of the market. When governments intervene they only delay and worsen the negative effects. Who gets hurt? Employees and small business owners suffer the most from government intervention. Because government intervention normal involves the word tax. Tax means less money to give raises, hire new employees, and expand the business. Taxes mean I work  longer to maintain the same standard of living.

No thanks, Mr. President, just try to get out of the way.

Thanks, I'll have some tea.

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I have been on vacation this past week so I have kind of been taking it easy as far as trying to keep up with current events.

It is amusing to see the reaction to the Glen Beck/Tea Party rally held in Washington, D.C. What is the issue to oppose here? Why does the Rev. Al Sharpton feel he needed to hold a counter rally? I mean besides being a self-serving nut, what was his point? I do find it, if not offensive, at least insulting that he abuses his title of Reverend to force his racist opinions upon others.

When I first started teaching over 20 years ago there was a bona-fide loon teaching at the same school. One of my students, an African-American, wrote a nice little essay in response to a prompt of a picture of a clown. The young man wrote that the clowns face was all black and dirty among other descriptive observations about how come the clown was not in the best of shape. Well, I had placed this young mans writing along with others on a common wall to show off their work. The loon (yes, an African-American)read it and asked me who wrote it. I told her the boys name and she called him over (if I knew then what I know now I would of told her later) and started to interrogate him. "Did you write this because people make you feel that because you are black you are dirty and ugly?" "No, the clowns face is black and dirty so I wrote black and dirty." This nut went on harassing him until he finally said yes and then she told me to have him re-write it. What that lady did was impose her insane racist thoughts and beliefs on a younger mind. After a few interactions with this nut I told her to back off because she was the meanest, most racist, hateful person I had ever met.

The point, that nut cake teacher and the Rev. Al only care about serving their personal prejudice for profit. Enough already.

What I did hear from the Beck/Tea Party was that all Americans, even nuts, should enjoy their freedom.

Thanks

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It's Friday. For some people it becomes a TGIF day. Well, what are you thankful for.?

I am on vacation so I have had a few minutes to think about what I am thankful for.
I am thankful that I have a job, and was able to  take a vacation of any sort. I know people who are struggling with their current job situation. So, maybe I am not in the position I would like right now, at least I have a job.

I am thankful for my wife. She has stuck with me for 14+ years. We have four wonderful children, who I am thankful for also.

I am also thankful to God for just keeping me safe in some tuff situations and have His hand upon my life.

Thank you to anyone who has read my postings and to anyone who has left a comment.

The Art of the Vacation

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It's funny that when you go on vacation, especially with family, how many things people can suggest for you to do. Which leads me to the question, "What is the point of going on a vacation?" I always thought it is was to rest, recuperate and rejuvenate. But, most people think it is to spend the most money while enjoying yourself the least.

For me, if I am visiting my family, the point is to get to know each other again and catch up.

So, here I am on vacation, enjoying my family.

My two youngest children really enjoyed chasing a leaf down a little stream with the cousins. Did I get a picture? Of course not. I'm on vacation. In the town of Aspen, Colorado there is a sidewalk fountain that changes height. No charge for maximum fun. One hour of dodging water, memories for a lifetime. Did we get pictures? Yes.

So, my vacation is going fine. My family is having a good time. That's what it's all about.

No Tax Tuesday: The Minimum Wage Tax

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Yea, yea I know that the minimum wage law is not officially a tax. But, because it is forced upon employers to pay employees a minimum wage, it acts like a tax.

Now, I know some of you bleeding hearts out there will ask,”But don’t you think people should earn enough to provide for themselves and there families?” Who said they didn’t ? Conservatives believe even more strongly that everyone should earn a fair wage for their services or product. That is why we know that raising the minimum wage is a farce and hurts those it purports to help more than it helps.

Why I know that minimum wage increases sound good, in reality, like all other liberal ideas, hurts the most the ones it profess to want to help.

It is pretty simple actually. When the minimum wage increases the price for any goods or services that rely on minimum wage employees rises also. The price rises because the cost for labor is part of a simple formula used to calculate profit. Let’s take McDonald's for instance. McDonald’s has been around for a long time. Their business model and profit formula is set. So, anytime the government raises the minimum wage, the price for a Big Mac rises also. Because McDonald’s needs to at least maintain its profit margin if not increase it.

Now, let me ask a question. Who does it affect more when they go to buy that Big Mac for their children, the minimum wage earner or the “wealthy” wage earner? Isn’t that a no brain-er? Of course the minimum wage earner will feel it more! Yes, s/he makes more, but everything s/he buys costs more. So, it doesn’t help the minimum wage earner, it only frustrates them because while they are making more money the end result is zero gain and the carrot stays the same distance away.

Now I know that liberals will blame those horrible capitalists (who provide jobs) for being greedy. Please, grow up. Just because someone wants to make a profit, which is another way of saying make a living and provide for their families, that doesn’t not make them an evil person.

The minimum wage “tax” hurts, it does not help.