Alba

A Couple of Cartoons

2009-04-09T15:42:00.001-04:00

Economic Models Explained

2009-04-07T10:29:00.002-04:00

Someone sent this to me and I thought it was amusing enough to publish. Stereotypes are always dangerous.

21 Economic Models Explained.

SOCIALISM
You have 2 cows.
You give one to your neighbor.

COMMUNISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and gives you some milk.

FASCISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and sells you some milk.

NAZISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and shoots you.

BUREAUCRATISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both, shoots one, milks the other, and then throws the milk away.

TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM
You have two cows.
You sell one and buy a bull.
Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows.
You sell them and retire on the income.

SURREALISM
You have two giraffes.
The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows.
Later, you hire a consultant to analyze why the cow has dropped dead.

ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND VENTURE CAPITALISM
You have two cows.
You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute adebt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows.
The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island Company secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company.
The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more.
You sell one cow to buy a new president of the United States, leaving you with nine cows.
No balance sheet provided with the release.
The public then buys your bull.

A FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike, organize a riot, and block the roads, because you want three cows.

A JAPANESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.
You then create a clever cow cartoon image called 'Cowkimon' and market it worldwide.

A GERMAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You re-engineer them so they live for 100 ye ars, eat once a month, and milk themselves.

AN ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows, but you don't know where they are.
You decide to have lunch.

A RUSSIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You count them and learn you have five cows.
You count them again and learn you have 42 cows.
You count them again and learn you have 2 cows.
You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.

A SWISS CORPORATION
You have 5000 cows.
None of them belong to you.
You charge the owners for storing them.

A CHINESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.Y
ou have 300 people milking them.
You claim that you have full employment, and high bovine productivity.
You arrest the newsman who reported the real situation.

AN INDIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You worship them.

A BRITISH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Both are mad.

AN IRAQI CORPORATION
Everyone thinks you have lots of cows.
You tell them that you have none.
No-one believes you, so they bomb the crap out of you and invade your country.
You still have no cows, but at least you are now a Democracy.

AN AUSTRALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Business seems pretty good.
You close the office and go for a few beers to celebrate.

A NEW ZEALAND CORPORATION
You have two cows.
The one on the left looks very attractive.

Nationalization

2009-04-03T13:43:00.003-04:00

At some point, we probably need to let one of the major car makers fail. It is ironic that the Government believes it can run the auto industry and the banking industry. Hard to fathom the level of nationalisation that is going on.

I suppose the Government does such a good job of running itself that it can bring that level of expertise to other industries.

Really enjoyed this cartoon.

I know Obama was dealt a bad hand by both the Democrats and the Republicans. This is not Obama bashing. I want him to succeed, but let's be honest the Government has a history of wasteful spending and poor management. Do we really want this spreading to other parts of our economy. The blind leading the blind.

Painful and not so funny, but unfortunately true

2009-04-03T13:40:00.001-04:00

Cigarette price hike and cancer

Colbert & Beck

2009-04-02T13:03:00.002-04:00

I know that everyone is not a fan of Colbert, but he is relentless in his pursuit of certain issues. I tend to agree with him on Glen Beck at the moment, whose behavior is increasingly strange. Click on the link below. His parody of Beck is funny.

http://www.theweek.com/article/index/94932/Video_Stephen_Colbert_tears_into_Glenn_Beck

Another Funny

2009-04-02T13:02:00.000-04:00

Funny

2009-04-02T12:59:00.001-04:00

Black holes and financial institutions

$1 Trillion

2009-03-31T08:09:00.002-04:00

When did you become aware of the term $1 Trillion? Five years ago? Ten years ago?

The word trillion comes from the French tri- (three) and -illion (from million). Jehan Adam first coin the word in 1475 as trimillion and this was later adjusted in 1484 by Nicolas Choquet to tryllion.

But how much is a trillion. Let me put it in context. If you take $1,000 bills and build a single stack you get the following results:

A $1 Million stack of $1,000 bills would measure 4 inches high.

A $1 Billion stack would measure 358 feet tall.

A $1 Trillion stack would stand 67.9 Miles high.

Now think about the national debt being $11 Trillion and climbing.

National Debt

2009-03-30T09:23:00.003-04:00

We reached a major milestone over the last week: the National Debt now stands at $11 Trillion. With another $1 Trillion about to be added I thought it might be interesting to see who owns the US national debt. You might be surprised. In reverse order:

15. Luxemburg: $87 Billion (B)
14. Depository Institutions - US Banks, Savings Banks, Credit Unions: $107B
13. Russia: $120B
12. UK: $124B
11. Insurance Companies: $126B
10. Brazil: $133B
9. Caribbean Banking Centers: $177B
8. Oil Exporters - Venezuela, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lybia, Ecuador: $186B
7. Other Private Investors: $413B
6. Pension Funds: $456B
5. State & Local Government: $550B
4. Japan: $639B
3. China: $740B
2. Mutual Funds: $769B

Drum roll please. And the winner is:

1. The Federal Reserve: $4.8 Trillion (although another $1T is about to be added to this number).

So much for the theory that the Chinese and Japanese own the country. Although at a combined $1.38 Trillion they own 12.5% of the national debt.

I'm Back

2009-03-30T09:22:00.001-04:00

Been insanely busy at work over the last few weeks and fell behind on the blog. Will catch up this week. The focus will be on the economy.

The 90/10 Thought

2009-02-22T17:03:00.002-05:00

Spoke at both services again this morning on what it means to be part of a transformational community. Still very much challenged by the question: can the 90 look after the 10?

Simply can't be done unless a transformation takes place at the individual level first. Three thousand people on the day of Pentecost where changed and one aspect of this change was that none had need.

Not communism or socialism at work where people feel coerced into action, but a voluntary response from individuals whose lives had been radically altered.

So what does this mean for me?

Wall Street CEO Pay

2009-02-14T11:03:00.003-05:00

Can you imagine living on a base pay of only $500,000 per annum? A number of years ago CEO pay was 24 times the pay of the average worker. Last year the multiple had soared to 275 times. Core to this country is the belief that a honest day's work deserves a fair wage.

Is $10,000 per week a fair wage for a CEO? How about $2,000 per day?

While families are losing their homes, workers are losing their jobs, and taxpayers are footing the bill for the enormous errors on Wall Street, it would be nice to see bank executives accustomed to $20 million incomes share in the suffering. That is, if you think making $500,000 is suffering.

The down side is that many of the banking leaders will leave the newly nationalized banking industry and for more lucrative positions elsewhere. Depending on your view this may or may not be a good thing.

I think integrity demands that they stay and clean up the mess they created. Maybe a goodwill gesture of $1 annual pay until the mess is fixed would restore their reputations.

I think Obama is doing the right thing forcing the issue. It is a shame that they couldn't work it out for themselves. Poor things.

Rogonomics

2009-02-11T17:10:00.002-05:00

My friend Roger is getting himself into trouble by stating the obvious in too candid a way. Have we become so desperate that we do not care how much money the government borrows? We buy from China. They take our dollars, say 'thank you' and then lend our dollars back to us. If the Chinese economy starts falling apart and they have to start raising cash, I would not be surprised if they started calling in the loans from the US government. Wow, that would be a problem.

Has anyone ever successfully borrowed ever increasing amounts of money and managed to get themselves out of debt? Probably not, so why does everyone think this is a great strategy for the government?

Roger, I don't think you are that far off the mark. Hold your ground.

What is going on?

2009-02-11T17:06:00.002-05:00

Am I the only person that thinks there is something wrong with giving the banks billions of dollars and zero accountability? It is the same people criticizing on the hill today that approved the package in the first place. Politicians are incredible. Teflon, as in nothing sticks.

One CEO stated today that despite receiving $25 billion, his bank lent the same amount of money in Q4 2008 as they did in the prior year. what happened to the $25 billion?

And the answer is.....

An interesting question....

2009-02-07T14:34:00.002-05:00

Can the 90% take care of the 10%?

What a wild idea / notion. Somewhere as the 19th century ended and the 20th century began, the church abdicated it's social responsibility to the government. Up until the end of the 19th century the church was the social / welfare program.

So, with unemployment expected to reach 10%, my question is: can the 90 take care of the 10. Can you imagine how the world would be turned upside down by a church that lives a radical message? It will be hard to deliver with so much of the budget tied to buildings and infrastructure, but what if the church broke free of it's existing paradigm and became the 90 that looked after the 10.

Impossible. Really?

Back home in Indy

2009-02-07T14:30:00.002-05:00

Arrived back in Indy on Thursday evening. The journey was complete. The amazing thing is no jet lag at all. Tokyo is an interesting place. Some nice food and great tea. Glad to be back home with Fiona.

So, the January job figures were bad and the big question is, when will it all end. Some are already predicting the worst is over. From a business perspective it just doesn't feel that way. I will be surprised if we see any improvement in 2009.

Liverpool et al

2009-02-05T01:04:00.003-05:00

Arrived in Manchester on Jan 31st after a lot of drama in the sky. For the first time I was part of an emergency landing. The crew could smell burning in one of the galleys. This resulted in an emergency landing at JFK (New York). It was weird seeing the runway lined with emergency vehicles. Anyway four hours later, we took off again the same plane having taken another 50 passengers on board.

The story behind the 50 passengers was interesting. Delta, in the process of pushing two planes back from the gates at the same time, managed to push them into each other. One was damaged therefore the 50 additional passengers. Oops. Imagine explaining that to your boss. "I don't know what happened. We didn't notice the other plane". They should really make the 777 a little bit bigger and more noticeable.

Even though we were delayed by 4 hours, we still made it to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon to see Man Utd record a 1-0 vistory over Everton. The difference in quality between the teams was much greater than the score line suggests. My brother in law, Steve, hooked us up with great tickets for the game. The 'us' is Graham and me (plus Spee). We spent the evening after the game at a 16th Century pub in Manchester. Ate 'toad in the hole. Excellent.

On Sunday, we travelled up to Liverpool by train to see Liverpool play Chelsea. Given that Graham is a life long Liverpool supporter, my nerves were on edge. I knew this game could go either way. This was his first time at Anfield and I was hoping /praying not only for a Liverpool win, but that Torres would score.

What a great day. We visited the museum at Anfield, which was a history lesson in all things Scottish. Bill Shankly kicked things off, then we walked past tributes to the myriad of stars that made Liverpool great: Billy Liddell, Ian St.John, Kenny Dalgleish, Graham Souness, Alan Hansen,etc. After the museum tour we made our way to the Legends Lounge where Liverpool great Ronnie Moran was hosting a small pre and post match event. Then we headed off into the stands to see the game and we were not disappointed. See, there is a God in heaven.

Not only did Liverpool win, but Torres scored twice. The atmosphere at Anfield during the singing of 'You'll never walk alone' reminded me of the emotional experience you have during the 1st lap at Indy as a wall of sound moves towards you and the hits you full force.

Truly amazing experience. Next up to bat is an Arsenal game with Alistair.

Serious name dropping here, but none of this would have been possible without my brother in law giving us the Man U tickets and George Gillett giving us the Liverpool experience.

Around the world in a week

2009-02-05T00:59:00.002-05:00

I always had the notion that one day I would like to fly around the world. Well I am typing this from the airport in Tokyo on the final leg of an around the world trip. It is definitely not for the faint hearted.

I set off last Friday (Jan 30th) and travel from Indy to Manchester via Atlanta. The second leg of this epic journey was on Tuesday (Feb 3rd) as I travelled from Manchester to Tokyo via Paris. I am now heading back to Indy (Feb 5th) from Tokyo via Atlanta. I thought i would have been trashed with tiredness by now, but not the case. I suppose let's see what happens when i get back later today.

It was a great trip though.

Sorry

2009-02-05T00:58:00.001-05:00

I have been remiss over the last two weeks and have not posted to the blog. That will change today.

A big front door

2009-01-13T22:20:00.003-05:00

Spent the weekend in Houston with Al & Sarah and a bunch of our friends from our time down there. Always enjoy the opportunity to see folks.

Spent time with some church leaders and had a good discussion around the size of the 'front door'. One of the things you recognize in the gospels is Jesus' ability to draw a crowd. The other interesting point is that at the end of 3 years of unprecedented ministry he only had a 120 dedicated followers. There may have been more, but the results were not startling.

Some times we wear small as a badge of honor. The problem with small is that visitors often feel left out. They struggle with the inside jokes, the quirkiness of the family, the disorganization, the offhand comments that so easily offend, etc.

The concept of the big front door is to create an opportunity for people to connect, to hear, to belong. The big front door represents an environment that is inclusive not exclusive.

So how do you through open a big front door? Some thoughts....

1. Do not try to be all things to all people? Not everyone will like who you are.

2. Identify who you are and consistently communicate it and live it

3. Get rid of the inside jokes.

4. don't make off hand and potentially offensive comments

5. Make sure people who attend every week are commissioned to welcome new people

6. Make sure that everything that goes on in the service is understood and makes sense to the visitors.

7. Be organized

8. Have a desire to embrace everyone who shows up - celebrate diversity

9. Life is not a formula that can be replicated

10. don't be risk adverse - make the necessary changes to make your group relevant

11. Keep it real - non religious is probably best

12. Open up your homes to the new people - let them see you outside of the services

13. Meet round the table - food and fun go a long way to breaking down the barriers

14. New people centric, not self serving and self indulgent

15. Talk about things that are meaningful to people

There are lots more. Being small is not all bad, but it doesn't have a long term future either. In this environment, people need a real message of hope and change. It is a shame that the church often gets in the way.

Create a bigger front door and once they come, do something meaningful that will drive real and lasting change.

Transformational or Transactional

2009-01-04T16:37:00.002-05:00

Thinking about life today and came to the conclusion that I tend to live life at a transactional level. Very task driven. In other words, life is made up of a large number of small, routine tasks that are performed and repeated on a daily basis. Another way of putting this is: going through the motions.

None of the tasks, in and of themselves, are pointless, but in isolation from serving a purpose or a sense of passion, they are very transactional in nature.

Life is made up of a large number of small actions and you do not need to chase the 'large' action to have a sense of purpose. If there is a clear commitment to a transformational lifestyle, the many small actions that serve that lifestyle are driving lasting change.

Entering 2009, I am challenged about the need for more transformational behavior and thinking that will drive a commitment to lasting change. Our interaction with others folks can be transformational, as can the desire to see change within our own lives.

A transformational lifestyle harnesses the many transactional actions and channels them towards an end goal that leaves our lives, the lives of others and the world in a better place after the action.

It is a lifestyle that believes all things are possible. A lifestyle that stays focused on the end result. A lifestyle where every action, large or small, serves a greater good.

If nothing else, some food for thought as we enter 2009.

6 Feet

2009-01-04T05:42:00.003-05:00

We are following 4 teams in the McIntyre household: Texas Tech, Texas, Ball State and the Colts. The red Raiders lost in the Cotton Bowl on friday and the Colts lost to the Chargers. Hope Texas and BSU do better.

The Colts choked on a 3rd and 2 with 2 minutes to go in the game. The Chargers were out of timeouts and the Colts led by 3. The longest 2 yards in Colts history resulted in a sack for Manning, followed by a poor punt that sent the game into overtime as the Chargers kicked a game tying field goal.

The Colts self destructed in overtime with 3 critical penalties that resulted in a winning touchdown for the Chargers. In the space of a few minutes the Colts season came to a crashing halt.

Mind boggling that the NFL's MVP and one of the league's most potent offenses cannot move the ball 2 yards to kill the game. The margin between success and failure in sports is so small. 6 feet in this case between moving on towards the Super Bowl or going home.

A crazy season made up of inconsistent play and too many tight games was over. We now wait to see if Tony Dungy will be back and if Marvin Harrison retires.

Monday night we will sit down to watch Texas play Ohio State in what we hope will be a convincing win.

Playoff Weekend

2009-01-03T18:02:00.003-05:00

Big game tonight for the Colts against a team that they have struggled with in the past. Everyone seems to have the Chargers as the favorites for this game, which will take some of the pressure off Manning. Earlier this season it came down to a long field goal from Adam Vinatieri.

The Chargers looked great against a very poor Broncos team last week. However, the Colts have won their last 9.

At this time of year, you are playing for the right to have one more game. Lose and you are out. Your season is over. It is amazing that you can play hard all season; win nine in a row and one poor game and you are done. Now that is pressure.

Looking forward to watching the game this evening. Go Colts.

Cotton Bowl

2009-01-02T18:11:00.002-05:00

Just watched a great Texas Tech season come to a disappointing end with a loss in the Cotton Bowl. The difference in the game were turnovers, mistakes and defense. The tech defense just didn't show up. Graham Harrell was 36 of 58 for 364 yards, 4 touchdowns with 2 interceptions. You expect the winning QB to have stats like this. Snead was 18 of 29 for 292 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. Give up over 200 yards rushing killed Tech.

They finish the season 11 and 2. To be honest, it was a great season for them.

The focus now shifts to Texas on Monday and Ball State on Tuesday. College football has been very exciting this year in our household. Really want Texas to beat up on Ohio State. Too many Big Ten colleagues.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T09:53:00.003-05:00

In Roman mythology, Janus (or Ianus) was the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings and endings. His most prominent remnants in modern culture are his namesakes: the month of January, which begins the new year, and the janitor, who is a caretaker of doors and halls.

This is always an interesting time of year. A time where we reflect on the past and at the same time look forward to the future.

2008: In Review

+ Fiona and I started the year as empty nesters and finished the year that way, but we did have a six month period where one of our sons was back at home. Still feel way to young to be empty nesters.

+ We traveled a lot in 2008 and probably will continue in 2009, but you can never tell.

+ Managed to see a lot friends from around the world in 2008. Definitely a highlight.

+ Enjoyed a great family vacation with the grown up kids.

+ Attended a lot of events in 2008: great concerts; the Colts; Brickyard 400; etc

+ Had a number of visitors in 2008: Fiona's Mom, My Dad, the Blackmores, Matt Wells, the Swindells for Christmas

+ Still part of a good church family here in Indy and still connected with Houston, Inverurie, Ellon and Aberdeen

+ Did a lot more speaking in 2008 than I intended on doing

+ Fiona started to play golf this year

+ Christmas was great this year. We didn't spend a whole lot this year, so the presents were ok. The big plus was having all of the kids here plus Steve, Lorna and their kids. Excellent time.

2009: ???

+ Travel will feature a lot in 2009: dad's 80th birthday, Houston, New York, Asia and UK are already in the calendar for 2009

+ Fiona's twin sister arrives for a week in February

+ Need to think through New Year resolutions that I can live with (i.e. ones I will actually execute on)

+ Navigating the business through another year of uncertainty and turbulence will be challenging

+ A more conservative approach financially is in play for 2009: spend less, save more

+ Some weight loss and better fitness levels are also on the agenda (Fiona will be happy to read this part)

As I look back, I have a lot of things to be thankful for. While it is important to reflect, we cannot live in the past. With all of the uncertainty that is ahead of us in 2009, I am going into the year with an air of excitement about what is possible. Knowing that the throne is still occupied provides a sense of security that I need to focus on the things in life I can influence or control, but release the things to Him that are outside of my control.

Whatever 2009 holds for you, I pray that you will know His blessings and guidance every step of the way.

Invested

2008-12-30T09:18:00.000-05:00

Spent a fair bit of time recently thinking about what am I invested in? Not talking stocks, but rather reflecting on the parable of the talents. I have come to the conclusion that where I am investing my life will ultimately define who I am. Confronted with work 60+ hours per week and then thinking about work when I am not at work, I have come to the conclusion that work is defining who I am.

We invest to get a return. What kind of return am I getting on this type of investment? Sure the pay is nice (it pays the bills after all), but is the financial aspect of being a provider for my family the complete definition of provider. I don't think so. In terms of life balance I feel very challenged about my investment as a husband, father, friend, human being, boss, employee, etc.

What is being invested in each of those areas? Am I happy with the investment? Is it giving me the return I am looking for?

Holidays

2008-12-30T09:15:00.002-05:00

As an other Holiday seaon winds down, I wonder if the country has completely and utterly lost it's mind over the issue of being politically correct. God forbid that anyone would dare to use the word Christmas. Last week, I was composing an email to send out to those who work for me and I thought, is it 'appropriate' to use the word Christmas any more. Are we permitted to wish people 'every blessing at this Christmas time'?

It strikes me that in our efforts to keep everyone happy we are giving up a lot. For me, it is a Christmas Tree, Christmas Day, Christmas Cards, Christmas Gifts, etc. Everyone knows he wasn't born on December 25th, but this was the day that was set aside to acknowledge and remember His birth.

You never know, given what Christmas has become maybe He would support the action of His name being removed from the season.

Unemployment

2008-12-26T22:04:00.002-05:00

We came out of November with unemployment at 6.7%. Some economists believe we will be at 8% by the end of January and over 11% by the summer.

This is heartbreaking for anyone who experiences it. The line is usually that we are eliminating your job due to economic conditions and this action is not a reflection of your performance. Most people know that the economic realities are driving the loss of their job, but it is hard not to take it personally. One night you sit at the family dinner table as the bread winner, then the next night you are trying explain that you lost your job today.

In this economy losing your job is something many will experience. Companies are fighting for survival, which means tough decisions need to be made in the interests of the majority who are still employed.

The church has an opportunity to step into the middle of this economic disaster. It has the opportunity to be a transformational community that reaches the downcast, the poor, those whose confidence is shot.

The church can bring a true message of hope that restores confidence and faith, not simply a message of words, but action. Hope is not a message spoken by those of great oratory, but a transformational lifestyle that manifests something of the divine nature. A lifestyle that displays the majestic nature of a God who loves; extends grace; liberates and creates new opportunities when none seem to exist.

Many families are looking for help, for hope, for opportunity. The church has an unique opportunity to reach a nation.

Give Thatcher US Citizenship

2008-12-26T14:26:00.005-05:00

Some thoughts as the year draws to a close:

+ Times are tough for a lot of folks and the retailers are now calling foul. They have joined the bailout line with hands outstretched. The bailouts really concern me. Why are we giving money to management teams that have provided poor leadership through bad decisions? Why give money to business leaders, who for years have pillaged their businesses?

+ I wish Thatcher was 20 years younger and a US Citizen. I think she would tell the government that the spending party is over. The waste needs to be eliminated. The lack of accountability within the government needs to be fixed.

+ Stop the bailouts. The big 3 will burn through the money fast and then will be back asking for more. Natural selection will take care of the problem. Companies that cannot manage themselves well should fail.

+ Get incentives out there to stimulate the economy, not through hand outs, but through rewarding job creation and those who start new businesses.

+ How about giving tax breaks to the people rather throwing money at failing businesses?

+ Time to get serious about real change and trust me, socialism is not the solution. Ask anyone who lived in the UK during the 70's.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T12:43:00.002-05:00

Just grabbing a quick couple of minutes of space before the rest of the day unfolds. We have a 11 staying in the house this week. Al & Sarah, my sister, her husband & three kids, Graham and Joanne. The holiday season is definitely a time for family and catching up. it's great to have the whole crew here.

We started with breakfast at 10 am (this was a challenge for some of the older ones). We opened the presents. Definitely spent less this year as Fiona and I concluded that we simply did not need a whole lot. Struggling to even think of something I wanted never mind needed.

We are now in play mode as the food for the Christmas meal is organized. You know Fiona.

This was just a quick note to say, have a great Christmas and take a moment in the midst of all of the commercial madness to remember the real reason for this season.

Colts Win Again

2008-12-14T17:07:00.002-05:00

This is the ugliest run in football. After last week's big win, the Colts played the 0 and 13 Lions. This is a game that the Colts did ever in their power to lose. The interesting thing is no one in the NFL is playing that great. It is almost impossible to pick a Superbowl favorite with any degree of certainty.

In these times, it is a privilege to be able to go to the games, even though the performance is not great to watch. Stadium was still packed, so there is still money out there.

Economy hits close to home

2008-12-14T17:01:00.004-05:00

Seriously busy week this week which meant I didn't make the time to update my blog.

On Thursday, the company I work for announced that we would be cutting 2,000 jobs and closing three plants. Very concerning for the 1,500 employees I am responsible for. My phone rang off the hook on Thursday. So, the economic problems come a little closer to home this week.

This coming week will be a tough week for everyone at work. Laying off people at any time is difficult, but the week before Christmas will be particularly difficult.

In order to protect the jobs of the majority to preserve the company's ability to be viable it is inevitable that actions like these need to take place.

A lot of families across a lot of business are going face a similar fate this week. Tough times.

Football

2008-12-07T19:56:00.001-05:00

The Colts won and won in style for a change. However, before declaring they are back completely, they were playing the hapless Bengals. Hey, six wins in a row. Maybe the Superbowl in not beyond the realms of possibility.

Hope is born

2008-12-07T19:48:00.003-05:00

Mary was confronted with an awful situation. Pregnant, but her husband knew the baby was not his. As he contemplated his options, in particular a quiet divorce, he had a revelation that even in the midst of a grave situation God is with us.

Immanuel, God is with us, not only came down 2,000 years ago, but He is still in the business of stepping into the middle of grave situations. He may not be the cause of the economic problems that are touching so many, but He is definitely the Hope that can lead us forward.

In tough times, know this is true: God is with us.

The day God became man hope was born.

Christmas is fast approaching

2008-12-06T17:54:00.002-05:00

The stores near us are very quiet in comparison with prior years. I get the sense that folks are being real careful this year not to over spend. Cash is king this year.

It is going to be a tough Christmas in many households across the country. The big surprise for many last month was losing their jobs. Over half a million Americans lost their jobs in November. I think the number this month and next will be even higher. Unemployment is now worse than it was in 1974.

I suspect people are thinking about bigger and deeper issues than simply how much do we spend on presents this year. Maybe the real reason for the season will penetrate the minds and hearts of many who are uncertain about their future and are looking for a more solid foundation on which to base their lives.

It is hard to run the table

2008-12-06T17:51:00.002-05:00

In a very unexpected way, Ball State lost last night in the MAC conference final and with that loss their unbeaten run this season came to an end. It is amazing how difficult it is in sports to maintain an unbeaten run. This season we followed three teams to 10 and 0. Now all three have a loss.

Maybe perfection, in this life, is over rated.

St. Andrews Day

2008-11-30T18:22:00.002-05:00

This always seems like the best day of the year to watch Braveheart and celebrate all things Scottish. For all those. like my father, who are longing for full independence once again, I post the Declaration of Arbroath. You can read the whole thing or scroll down to the line in bold.

A bold declaration that many in the US can identify with.

The Declaration of Arbroath 1320 — English Translation

To the most Holy Father and Lord in Christ, the Lord John, by divine providence Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Roman and Universal Church, his humble and devout sons Duncan, Earl of Fife, Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, Lord of Man and of Annandale, Patrick Dunbar, Earl of March, Malise, Earl of Strathearn, Malcolm, Earl of Lennox, William, Earl of Ross, Magnus, Earl of Caithness and Orkney, and William, Earl of Sutherland; Walter, Steward of Scotland, William Soules, Butler of Scotland, James, Lord of Douglas, Roger Mowbray, David, Lord of Brechin, David Graham, Ingram Umfraville, John Menteith, guardian of the earldom of Menteith, Alexander Fraser, Gilbert Hay, Constable of Scotland, Robert Keith, Marischal of Scotland, Henry St Clair, John Graham, David Lindsay, William Oliphant, Patrick Graham, John Fenton, William Abernethy, David Wemyss, William Mushet, Fergus of Ardrossan, Eustace Maxwell, William Ramsay, William Mowat, Alan Murray, Donald Campbell, John Cameron, Reginald Cheyne, Alexander Seton, Andrew Leslie, and Alexander Straiton, and the other barons and freeholders and the whole community of the realm of Scotland send all manner of filial reverence, with devout kisses of his blessed feet.

Most Holy Father and Lord, we know and from the chronicles and books of the ancients we find that among other famous nations our own, the Scots, has been graced with widespread renown. They journeyed from Greater Scythia by way of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Pillars of Hercules, and dwelt for a long course of time in Spain among the most savage tribes, but nowhere could they be subdued by any race, however barbarous. Thence they came, twelve hundred years after the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea, to their home in the west where they still live today. The Britons they first drove out, the Picts they utterly destroyed, and, even though very often assailed by the Norwegians, the Danes and the English, they took possession of that home with many victories and untold efforts; and, as the historians of old time bear witness, they have held it free of all bondage ever since. In their kingdom there have reigned one hundred and thirteen kings of their own royal stock, the line unbroken a single foreigner. The high qualities and deserts of these people, were they not otherwise manifest, gain glory enough from this: that the King of kings and Lord of lords, our Lord Jesus Christ, after His Passion and Resurrection, called them, even though settled in the uttermost parts of the earth, almost the first to His most holy faith. Nor would He have them confirmed in that faith by merely anyone but by the first of His Apostles — by calling, though second or third in rank — the most gentle Saint Andrew, the Blessed Peter's brother, and desired him to keep them under his protection as their patron forever.

The Most Holy Fathers your predecessors gave careful heed to these things and bestowed many favours and numerous privileges on this same kingdom and people, as being the special charge of the Blessed Peter's brother. Thus our nation under their protection did indeed live in freedom and peace up to the time when that mighty prince the King of the English, Edward, the father of the one who reigns today, when our kingdom had no head and our people harboured no malice or treachery and were then unused to wars or invasions, came in the guise of a friend and ally to harass them as an enemy. The deeds of cruelty, massacre, violence, pillage, arson, imprisoning prelates, burning down monasteries, robbing and killing monks and nuns, and yet other outrages without number which he committed against our people, sparing neither age nor sex, religion nor rank, no one could describe nor fully imagine unless he had seen them with his own eyes.

But from these countless evils we have been set free, by the help of Him Who though He afflicts yet heals and restores, by our most tireless Prince, King and Lord, the Lord Robert. He, that his people and his heritage might be delivered out of the hands of our enemies, met toil and fatigue, hunger and peril, like another Macabaeus or Joshua and bore them cheerfully. Him, too, divine providence, his right of succession according to or laws and customs which we shall maintain to the death, and the due consent and assent of us all have made our Prince and King. To him, as to the man by whom salvation has been wrought unto our people, we are bound both by law and by his merits that our freedom may be still maintained, and by him, come what may, we mean to stand. Yet if he should give up what he has begun, and agree to make us or our kingdom subject to the King of England or the English, we should exert ourselves at once to drive him out as our enemy and a subverter of his own rights and ours, and make some other man who was well able to defend us our King; for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom — for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.

Therefore it is, Reverend Father and Lord, that we beseech your Holiness with our most earnest prayers and suppliant hearts, inasmuch as you will in your sincerity and goodness consider all this, that, since with Him Whose vice-gerent on earth you are there is neither weighing nor distinction of Jew and Greek, Scotsman or Englishman, you will look with the eyes of a father on the troubles and privation brought by the English upon us and upon the Church of God. May it please you to admonish and exhort the King of the English, who ought to be satisfied with what belongs to him since England used once to be enough for seven kings or more, to leave us Scots in peace, who live in this poor little Scotland, beyond which there is no dwelling-place at all, and covet nothing but our own. We are sincerely willing to do anything for him, having regard to our condition, that we can, to win peace for ourselves. This truly concerns you, Holy Father, since you see the savagery of the heathen raging against the Christians, as the sins of Christians have indeed deserved, and the frontiers of Christendom being pressed inward every day; and how much it will tarnish your Holiness's memory if (which God forbid) the Church suffers eclipse or scandal in any branch of it during your time, you must perceive. Then rouse the Christian princes who for false reasons pretend that they cannot go to help of the Holy Land because of wars they have on hand with their neighbours. The real reason that prevents them is that in making war on their smaller neighbours they find quicker profit and weaker resistance. But how cheerfully our Lord the King and we too would go there if the King of the English would leave us in peace, He from Whom nothing is hidden well knows; and we profess and declare it to you as the Vicar of Christ and to all Christendom. But if your Holiness puts too much faith in the tales the English tell and will not give sincere belief to all this, nor refrain from favouring them to our prejudice, then the slaughter of bodies, the perdition of souls, and all the other misfortunes that will follow, inflicted by them on us and by us on them, will, we believe, be surely laid by the Most High to your charge.

To conclude, we are and shall ever be, as far as duty calls us, ready to do your will in all things, as obedient sons to you as His Vicar; and to Him as the Supreme King and Judge we commit the maintenance of our cause, casting our cares upon Him and firmly trusting that He will inspire us with courage and bring our enemies to nought. May the Most High preserve you to his Holy Church in holiness and health and grant you length of days.

Given at the monastery of Arbroath in Scotland on the sixth day of the month of April in the year of grace thirteen hundred and twenty and the fifteenth year of the reign of our King aforesaid.

Football

2008-11-30T18:18:00.002-05:00

The Colts are terrible. I cannot believe the best they can do is a 10-6 victory over Cleveland. Anyway, they say that champions know how to win ugly. The Colts are officially the champions of winning ugly.

The Big 12 south ended in a 3 way tie and the BCS standings have determined that OU are going to the Big 12 Championship game next weekend against Missouri.

Big disappointment for Al & Graham as Texas and Tech lose out. Texas will still make it to one of the Big BCS bowls and it looks like Tech will be playing in the Cotton Bowl.

Ball State appear to be headed for the Motor City Bowl.

3 Dead

2008-11-29T11:36:00.002-05:00

While the horror of Mumbai was unfolding over Thanksgiving reports were emerging that 3 people died on black Friday and others were injured. What is wrong with us that a man is trampled to death at a Walmart by hundreds of shoppers stampeding through the doors. Two people were killed at a Toys R Us store.

It is hard to fathom that a civilized nation lives like this. Trampled to death so people can get the present they want for Christmas. I hope they review the tapes; identify the offenders and prosecute them.

For one family this is going to be a miserable Christmas. Pray for the Walmart employee's family.

More on Football

2008-11-29T11:13:00.005-05:00

There are two games today that will bring an exciting season in the Big 12 South to a conclusion. Texas won on Thursday night, so they have done everything they can to secure their place in the national championship game.

Oklahoma play Oklahoma State in Stillwater. A convincing win to night could cause them to jump past Texas in the BCS standings. A loss for OU would leave the way open for Tech to potentially climb back up the rankings.

Tech must beat Baylor today in very convincing fashion to extend their run and take them into the Big 12 championship game against Missouri, but they need OU to lose.

We still have an unbeaten team represented in our household from an unusual source: Ball State. They should beat Buffalo quite easily in the MAC conference final. A big bowl game awaits them.

For the Colts, it is straightforward - keep winning. They have clawed their way back into contention for a wild card spot.

Another weekend of Football in the McIntyre household.

Thanksgiving Day

2008-11-26T22:07:00.002-05:00

This year we have Graham and Joanne with us. Alistair and Sarah are in Houston and will be missed from the table. However, at the table this year are our great friends from New York (Long Island actually) Roger and Gill Blackmore.

I first met Roger in 1984 because he had invited Reinhart Bonnke to Aberdeen. One thing I admired about Roger immediately was his ability to delegate in order to get something done. Things like, "Douglas I will lead the public meetings, but could you organize everything else."

We have been through a lot with Roger and Gill over the years. We have shared in moments of great joy and also of pain. The constants have been their love for us; their unconditional acceptance; their generosity of spirit; their great friendship.

It is a great thing to have friends that are there for you in spite of everything. We are blessed in that Roger and Gill are representative of a greater number of friends that are truly family.

Sitting around the same table tomorrow is more than simply sharing in a meal together it represents a shared life with those closest to you.

Thankful? You bet.
Blessed? You bet.
Hey, I am rich in ways that money can never buy.

Being Thankful

2008-11-26T21:53:00.002-05:00

Growing up in Scotland we did not celebrate Thanksgiving (pretty obvious I suppose), but this has become my favorite holiday. The opportunity to break from the busyness of life and to take a moment to reflect on the many blessings and good things that make up my life is a very positive and beneficial exercise. Here are some of the things I am thankful for:

1. My best friend is still with me after 27 years of marriage. Hard to imagine life without her.
2. Three kids that are doing well and have made us very proud as parents. Not that we contributed everything they needed, but hopefully we gave them enough to help them along the way.
3. Our extended family comprised of friends and family.
4. That we are in good health
5. That I am still employed, especially in this economy.
6. That we are part of a good church.
7. The list goes on.....

Two additional things that are connected:

1. A dynamic faith in Christ that was given to me, because I could not more forward without Him.
2. A great byproduct of this life in Him is being able to share your life with a new family. Fiona and I have been blessed beyond anything we could imagine with great friends. These are people that even when we have not seen them for a while, when we do we pick up immediately where we left off.

Life is tough for a lot of folks right now. Take a moment to give thanks for the blessings in your life.

U.S.S.A

2008-11-26T13:25:00.003-05:00

About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh , had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.""A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury."

"From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result thatevery democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, whichis always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years"

"During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. from bondage to spiritual faith;
2. from spiritual faith to great courage;
3. from courage to liberty;
4. from liberty to abundance;
5. from abundance to complacency;
6. from complacency to apathy;
7. from apathy to dependence;
8. from dependence back into bondage"having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.

Here is the bottom line: the author of these words is hotly disputed and there has been no way to successfully verify that Tyler is the author. However, regardless of this, it is still an intersting commentary on where the US is heading. Feel very confident that this is the road that our President elect is leading us down. Remember when we get there, the majority voted for this.

By the way, USSA is United Socialist States of America

Big 12 South

2008-11-23T07:21:00.003-05:00

Wow. Oklahoma completely blew out the 'Cinderella' team. To lose 65-21 was embarrassing. It is amazing how much can turn on one game. Unbeaten up until last night, Tech lost not only a game, but the their chance at the Big 12 Championship and the National Championship against Alabama.

What happened? They looked liked they were over hyped. Completely unsettled before the first play had even happened. They played like a team completely out of sync. The defense, that had been one of the top ranked, capitulated. It appeared that an open field tackle was beyond them.

Graham Harrell threw more than his opponent; racked up more yards through the air; threw for three touch downs; but the nature of the loss will take him out of Heisman consideration, which is a shame.

In life, there are games to be played where we risk a lot and losing can cost us big. Being earthed in a foundation that keeps us balanced when the pressure is on is invaluable. Without the calming influence of a principle based foundation bad decisions will be made and life will be simply out of sync.

Economic Update

2008-11-22T19:39:00.002-05:00

I am still pessimistic about the economy, because a lot of employers are only now getting around to laying off their workforce. I heard today that Citi Group will be letting 50,000 workers go. I suspect that my initial estimate of 2 million jobs lost is understated. This is going to be a rough year end and holiday season for a lot of folks.

Now that Obama is pushing the country towards socialism it will be interesting to see what happens next. Again the government with borrow to spend more. The biggest bubble is yet to burst. Rising unemployment with unleash a credit card crisis that will make the one we have just faced seem like nothing.

As we approach year end more and more businesses will simply run out of money as short term credit lines are simply not available. This is the problem that the big 3 auto makers are facing. Not a lack of orders, but really a lack of cash to run the business.

I would let the big three fail. They won't completely. They will file for chapter protection and re-emerge in the future hopefully minus the unions. Don't forget the unions. Paying factory workers $30 to $40 per hour to build cars is unsustainable. Bring back Maggie Thatcher and let her run the US for a year.

This is going to be a miserable next two years for a lot of folks. It is time to for the church to start thinking through how it is going to cut it's own infrastructure costs to be better positioned to help the people who have been supporting it financially all of these years. Now this will be interesting to watch. What will be the church's equivalent to the CEOs private jet fiasco this week? Will the church step up and do the radical thing? Acts 2:42 comes to mind.

College football

2008-11-22T19:33:00.002-05:00

I have come to the conclusion that college football is more exciting than the NFL. Maybe the inconsistency of the Colts is influencing me. On the other hand Ball State remains unbeaten in the MAC and Texas Tech and Texas still have everything up for grabs in the Big 12 South.

Tech play OU tonight in a game that they must win if they want to win the Big 12 and have a shot at the national championship game. Texas hoping for a OU win to put them back in the picture. Three kids aligned with three different schools who have all had great seasons.

My bias says that Harrell, Crabtree and company will be too good for OU.

Watch out for Crabtree - definite future NFL Hall of Famer if he can stay healthy.

Big 12 South

2008-11-17T21:23:00.002-05:00

This weekend we will learn a little bit more of the fate of the teams in the Big 12 South (the number 1 conference in college football). Oklahoma plays Texas Tech in Norman. Stoops has only lost twice at home in 62 games. While one son is desperate for Tech to win, the other is hoping they lose.

Texas (Longhorns) stand to win big if Tech loses to OU.

Tech are in the enviable position of controlling their own destiny. If they win out the next three games they will play in the national championship and Graham Harrell will win the Heisman. A three way tie at the top of the Big 12 south is possible if OU win and of course that becomes a BCS nightmare.

3 teams in the Top 5 of the BCS rankings.

I should also give a shout out to the other unranked team that we follow: Ball State. When was the last time a MAC team was nationally ranked. the only problem is that they will go to a big bowl game and probably lose big. But hey, going unbeaten is no small feat.

Winning Ugly

2008-11-17T21:19:00.003-05:00

Back on one of my favorite topics: the Colts. Fiona and I dressed up and headed off to see the Colts play. While the team continues to struggle, the new stadium is terrific. They simple look completely out of sync on offense.

One of the things they say about champions is that they know how to win ugly. The Colts are making this into an art form this season. The first half was boring and the second half, though more lively, still wasn't very exciting. Hey, the won. It could be worse I suppose: I could be a Detroit Lions fan.

The life lesson is: a win is a win even if you win ugly.

Economy

2008-11-08T18:07:00.002-05:00

The biggest problems are yet to come. Consider the following:

+ The economy will get much worse as many companies have not pulled the trigger yet on their layoffs.
+ Unemployment came in at 6.5% through the end of October. i think it will rise to somewhere between 9% and 11%.
+ Higher unemployment means lower tax revenue at the federal and state levels.
+ A lot of states are going to run out of money in the next 6 months. Large deficits are on the way.
+ Can't see how Obama can lower taxes or give tax credits with less money coming into the government's coffers.
+ The next big problem is going to be the collapse of the credit card house of cards.
+ Another two banks failed this week.
+ It will be interesting to see how it is before the DOW tests 7,500. Those jumping back into the market - BEWARE.

Bottom line: there is a lot going on out there and the worst is yet to come.

HJust as well we know you is in charge. Things that we had confidence in have been shaken and have been found wanting.

The winner is.......

2008-11-08T18:05:00.002-05:00

Barack Obama. Not sure if my friend, Roger, will return from his trip to India. He threatened if Obama was elected he might move permanently.

It will be interesting to see if he drives any significant change. The country is looking for change and there will be a lot of disappointment if doesn't step up. We will see.

Music

2008-11-08T18:04:00.000-05:00

Tonorrow, it is football again with the Colts playing the Steelers. However, we will miss the end of the game due to the Celine Dion concert tomorrow evening at Conseco Fieldhouse. We have been very fortunate this year to see Rascal Flatts, Brooks & Dunn, Taylor Swift, Eric Clapton and the Idol Tour.

The Idol Tour was interesting. Only three of the ten could sing and even then there is such a huge gap between these hopefuls and the real pros.

Will post after the concert and will see what recommendation is given.

College Football

2008-11-08T17:57:00.004-05:00

Getting ready to see if Texas Tech can win again this evening. Last week's game was insane. The finish had both Fiona and I up out of chairs. To score a winning touchdown with one second to go was amazing. It was a tough game for us to watch with one son a Longhorn and the other a Red Raider. Both teams were unbeaten going into this game.

Texas won today against Baylor which will keep them in the top 4 BCS rankings. Tech go into tonight's game against Oklahoma State unbeaten and number 2 in the BCS. The Big 12 South is the nation's toughest conference this year.

Economic conditions

2008-10-26T11:44:00.003-04:00

At work we have been building our operating plans for next year, which is proving very difficult. the current economic climate makes it very difficult to forecast what is going to happen next year. a recession seems inevitable at this point. The two additional pressures that are out there are the credit card problem and rising unemployment. It is hard to imagine for a lot of folks, but as unemployment rises the level of credit card default will rise and the next financial crisis will unfold.

A lot of people are struggling and the problem will get much worse before it gets better. Where is the church in all of this? Where is the message of hope?

I think it is time for the church to take a hard look at how it is spending money and q begin to discuss how it can become the welfare state for the US. There was a time when church was far more involved in social programs that made a difference.

Does anyone really believe that a politician can solve this problem? I think less money spent on staff / buildings and more money spent on the welfare of people could create a huge opportunity for the church to life out the message rather than talk about it.

Come on, church leaders. Stimulate some creative thinking among your folks. don't just think outside of the box, live outside of the box. It is time for change, but not the type the country will be voting for. It is time to review and redirect church finances. Matthew 25 makes a compelling argument as does Acts 2:42ff.

Colts Winless at Home in 2008

2008-09-21T20:23:00.003-04:00

Who would have believed that the Colts would lose their first two games at home. Add the preseason and they are still waiting to record their first win at Lucas Oilfield.

Fiona, Graham and I sat through the game live at the stadium. This is a team that is hurting with a number of key injuries, but the biggest area of pain is that they are simply out of sync. Peyton had two drives today where he looked like the guy we love, but the rest of the game was painful to watch. Marvin and Reggie dropping passes they should have caught is just too much.

the next home game is against Baltimore and they need to take a hard look at themselves before then.

To make a bad day worse, the Europeans lost the Ryder cup. Kudos to the US who needed the win after losing five of the last six. Faldo will get crucified and deservedly so. He was a bad pick as captain and made some bad decisions. Leaving Monty out was a mistake. Monty has not had the killer touch in the majors, but he owns the Ryder Cup and the match play format in particular.

Election

2008-09-16T19:31:00.003-04:00

My friend, Roger is clearly supporting McCain. Of course, this is simply age association.

You have to give kudos to McCain choosing someone with a personality given that he is devoid of one. I think McCain would be terrible as President, but to be honest Obama is not much better.

Obama needs to get back on point with his message. Falling into the gutter with McCain has hurt him. The key is the economy. How can you lose to a guy that doesn't even think there is a problem.

IKE

2008-09-16T19:29:00.002-04:00

Al and Sarah are safe and have power after a couple of days without it. The city is a mess and a lot of people are really struggling with significant losses. It has been hard to watch. Houston was home for 8 years and we definitely feel for the folks down there especially those on the coast. I suspect the death toll will go higher.

All kinds of things

2008-09-16T19:19:00.002-04:00

The month has flown by and I have a number of things to update on:

COLTS: Went to the home opener at Lucas Oil to watch the Colts lose to the Bears. I kept thinking to myself this is the Bears for goodness sakes. They looked completely out of sync as if it was the first preseason game. I suppose the good news is that the beat the Vikings in week two, but again an ugly win. This team just doesn't look ready for the regular season. They have a lot of injured players, so that probably doesn't help. Harrison simply doesn't look like he has the speed any more for the deep ball.

RANGERS: Got to watch the Old Firm game. 8 bookings; 2 players sent off and a Rangers 4-2 win at Parkhead. Enough said.

KENNY CHESNEY CONCERT: Spent 8 hours on Saturday at this concert. Fiona really enjoyed it. I enjoyed watching College Football in the suite. 8 hours at a concert. It was loud and good fun.

27th ANNIVERSARY: Friday marks the 27th year that Fiona has put up with me. We are going out for dinner to celebrate on Friday.

Gustav

2008-09-01T14:44:00.002-04:00

It looks like the levees in New Orleans are holding up better than the did during Katrina. However, the high water mark still has not been reached. So we will see.

New Orleans is testament to the folly, stupidity and pride of mankind. Who in their right mind would choose to build a city below sea level in a hurricane zone? How many times will we continue to rebuild a city in an area that was never intended for a city to be? How much money has been spent to dat and how much more will be spent?

At what point would it be simply cheaper to return the land to swamp and build the city in another part of the country completely?

When I think about New Orleans, I think about King Canute. He was the guy who drowned as he commanded the incoming tide of the sea to go back.

I get the fact that a lot of people are suffering down there and even if the levees hold, there will still be a great sense of loss for many people. Just seems a lot of resource is tied up on an event that will be repeated again the future.

Obama in Denver

2008-08-28T18:04:00.002-04:00

I need to preface my comments by stating that I am not allowed to vote in the US, because I am still a permanent resident.

It will be interesting tonight to see if there is any substance to the message of hope. I am going to watch, because I still think it is amazing that 75,000 people will show up to here a politician speak.

The Clinton's seem to have done their part and Biden told everyone why they should not vote for McCain. Tonight we will find out if there is a reason to vote for Obama. I am still interested to see if he makes it all the way whether or not Washington will allow him to drive real change. Also interested to know how he is going pay for all of the change. Higher taxes?

Mexico

2008-08-24T12:56:00.002-04:00

Spent the last week in Mexico visiting a plant we own and one we might buy. Though there are parts of Mexico that are beautiful and make for great vacation spots, there is still an insane poverty issue. Fully loaded labor costs are only $3.50 to perhaps $5 for factory workers. Some only get just over $2. As long as that continues families will risk everything, including their lives as they head north in search of a better life.

I am not sure what the answer is, but it is easy to understand why so many want to live in the States. If you were responsible for a family in Mexico, as a father what would you do?

Difficult People

2008-08-17T09:40:00.002-04:00

Need to define difficult people after receiving an email on the last post.

Our lives are a journey and along the way all different kinds of people intersect our journey. At those points of convergence some simply pass through, while others join us on the journey. Some walk for a short period of time and others will walk with us to the end. This aspect of the journey makes it interesting.

What types of people are allowed to join your journey? It is easy to let those that we like join us, but occasionally we are confronted with people that we find difficult. Life never seems easy around them. It is easy to hold this type of person at arms length or even reject them as too difficult and not worth the effort.

A few years ago I had an epiphany: I am someone else's difficult person.

I now realize that when I perceive someone as difficult there is something in me that needs to change or be adjusted. People who make it their mission to be difficult don't hang around and quickly move on. There are those where they move from being difficult to being agents of change. Those people are to be valued as they drive necessary change in our lives.

Organizational Constraint

2008-08-14T21:54:00.002-04:00

An organization is constrained by the by it's leader and the passion of that leader. I have been learning this at work. The key is to build great teams. To surround yourself with great people. People who will challenge you. People who have a different perspective. People of passion and great thinking.

The team you build will define the quality of our output.

The failure of many organizations is to become dependent on a single leader who is surrounded by people who are easily lead and influenced. Build a great team. Hire some difficult people.

Art... Really?

2008-08-12T20:50:00.002-04:00

GENEVA (AFP) - A giant inflatable dog turd by American artist Paul McCarthy blew away from an exhibition in the garden of a Swiss museum, bringing down a power line and breaking a greenhouse window before it landed again, the museum said Monday.
The art work, titled "Complex S(expletive..)", is the size of a house. The wind carried it 200 metres (yards) from the Paul Klee Centre in Berne before it fell back to Earth in the grounds of a children's home, said museum director Juri Steiner.

The inflatable turd broke the window at the children's home when it blew away on the night of July 31, Steiner said. The art work has a safety system which normally makes it deflate when there is a storm, but this did not work when it blew away.

This story made me smile on two accounts. Firstly, is this really art? A large inflatable dog turd? The size of house? What kind of dog does this artist own that inspired him to create this. Secondly, can you imagine the laughter at the children's home? Not hard to work out the topic of conversation at the dinner table that night.

Obama & Hope

2008-08-11T17:59:00.003-04:00

When was the last time a politician filled stadiums with people desperate to hear their message? The Obama phenomena is quite remarkable. The upcoming Democrat convention is testament to that. All of the other speakers address the convention attendees at the Denver Conference Center, but Obama makes his speech in the local pro sports stadium to make sure they can get everyone in. A crowd of 200,000 plus showed up in Germany. He filled the Compaq Arena in Houston. The list goes on.

What is this message of hope that has transfixed a nation and a watching world? Great question that is really hard to answer. The message of hope does not appear to have a lot of substance. Even if it had substance, are we really to believe the Washington insiders would allow him to drive change?

What is remarkable to me is that his message of hope is touching something within the folks of this nation and beyond. People are fed up with same old. They are looking for change. Against the background of economic uncertainty people need the assurance of something hoped for. That a better day is coming or is around the corner.

My question is: where is the church in all of this? If the rhetoric and words of a politician can inspire hope, where are the true dealers of hope? Where are those who have received an eternal message of hope that drives real change?

Calling all dealers of hope: time to step up.

Disobedience

2008-08-10T12:58:00.002-04:00

Two postings in the same day. Wow. I will end up like my great friend Roger Blackmore if I am not careful.

The John Edwards situation brought home to me that it is also true that people are waiting on the other side of our disobedience. His wife, family and friends are devastated and feel betrayed. His admission of guilt was very lame. Was I the only one to wonder where his contrite spirit was? He played the whole thing in my opinion as if it was not that big a deal. Ask those on the other side of our disobedience if it is not a big deal.

Don't want to sit in judgement on this, because we are all capable of this, but maybe a focus on the folks waiting on the other side of our disobedience might be enough to sober us up. Understanding the pain that will be caused is enough to override the selfish drive for immediate pleasure. Is it really that good? Really worth putting everything on the line for.

Any way, people are waiting on the other side of our disobedience.

Obedience

2008-08-10T12:48:00.002-04:00

People are waiting on the other side of our obedience. I have been thinking about this a lot over the last two weeks. If I can only commit to my life being made up of a large number of small actions, I think I would have an easier time serving. Too often I get caught up with the notion of waiting for that significant opportunity. While I am doing that many opportunities are passing me by. People have points of convergence with my journey every day. There are many small opportunities for me to act on. It is quite a sobering thought to think about people waiting on the other side of my obedience. Maybe I need to think less and act more.