Guns Guns Guns

When thinking about gun control I think it's important to take into consideration a few things:

1.The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that police officers at all levels of the government have no duty to protect the lives of the citizens of this country. Police officers are to enforce law, investigate crimes, and apprehend criminals.

2. If that is the case, we can assume the weapons and gear police officers carry is to protect themselves from perceivable threats. As law abiding citizens, are we not subject to similar threats? Shouldn't we be allowed to equip ourselves in a similar manner of gear and weaponry? Most notably in cases of large civil unrest as seen during riots and large natural disasters.

3. In cases of large scale civil unrest our government has seen it appropriate to use the National Guard to help restore order. With both police and NG personal their gear and weaponry is for their personal defense while working to restore order. 

4. Can't a conclusion be made, of our right to arm and equip ourselves in a somewhat like manner? Can't  we raise our level of protection ability to closely resemble that of the police and NG soldiers, who do not have a primary mission to protect our lives or property?

5. A semi-automatic rifle with a 30 round magazine and semi-automatic pistol with 13-15 rounds seems like a reasonable compromise, to raise ones protection level to meet the perceived threats our civil servants feel are out there.

6. If a 7 round pump shotgun and 6 round revolver is all it takes to defend ourselves, shouldn't that be the limit of our law enforcement and soldiers when deployed in civil unrest.

We must be smart about gun control. To act on emotion or just because it can be done defeats the purpose.

Code Name God: Part 2

One big part, for me anyway, in understanding my position with God is the Father aspect. I think people overlook that sometimes, and take a prideful I know it better stance when contemplating God. 

It can be hard to grasp if you're not a parent, but if you can remember when you were a kid there was a time to just trust your parents. We didn’t have the wisdom to fully understand the sitch yet. With age comes wisdom, right? Here I sit at 39 still working on grasping this natural world...how long would it take to grasp the supernatural? Again taking the perspective that God is real, I’m still just a baby at 39. Look at it like this. We were created to live for eternity. For discussion sake stretch out your arms all the way, and we’ll call that eternity. Now take the smallest speck on your pinky nail and that is still not as small as 39 years. Our wisdom level in that perspective is of an infant, we just can’t grasp it yet.

Bad things happening is not God’s intention. He created us to live for ever, to never be sick, sad, or feel the sting of death. So He created our kind, our nature, He created man, Adam and Eve. In the garden we had it all, we loved God and He walked with us. God created us with free will, because He wanted us to love Him by choice, our love would be pure. We would be different from the angels, not conscripted to service. 

Now in the garden was a few different trees bearing fruit, a couple in particular where, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God told us just don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. One rule man, just one, and we kept it until tempted. Now here is where some will differ, who tempted us? Wether the fall of Satan happened before or after this is unknown and irrelevant. The big thing is how the temptation was presented, “You can be just like God”. 

When Satan split from God his battle cry was to big like God or better. That is the temptation that struck a cord with our pride, so yum yum. Now we knew evil, we knew fleshly desires, and they sure were appealing. Our free will was turned on it’s head. God as any parent had to act. He had to act because if we ate from the tree of life we would live forever. We would have no consequences for any of our actions because we would never die. We would have no reason to come back to God, He would be useless to us, and we would be permanently lost. So we were banished from the garden, given a world that would be overgrown with thorns (hard times), and our bodies would be subject to disease and death. It must not have been easy for God, but in a round about way He did it to save us. The whole, this is going to hurt me more than you. I hate disciplining my kids, but I know they need it. Now when God comes to the Earth as Jesus this gets resolved, another story completely.   

Our bad actions are, just that, ours. How can we hold God accountable for what we did? He gave us everything and just one simple rule to follow and we couldn’t follow it. In fact  we were so arrogant we went after the tree to make us like God not the tree giving everlasting life. Now is it fair? I would assume most people think it’s not. I remember thinking a lot of punishments as unfair when I was a kid. We may ask why are we all punished for one persons actions. Can’t we find many examples of that in the world? Don’t some of our laws take away from many innocents because of the actions of a few guilty? But perspectively, we are all guilty, we all fall short. Adam is us, he is a representation of our core. 

Death, disease, violence, and suffering it’s all our fault. Our original sin set this all in motion. God doesn’t let it happen. In our prideful nature we are so much smarter than him and we chose to do it.

Later Jesus will come to pay the price and provide a road back to God. So God doles out the curse, but came to pay the price for the road back. We are all prodigals.

If God is real, why does He let bad things happen?.....it’s all on us.

Code Name God: Part 1

So I thought I’d start series on God. Fun topic to me. In light of recent events seems like the God topic is popular again. I’ve seen a fair amount of people using some common questions to challenge the existence of God. What I find interesting is the strategy of the questioning. Reasons being used to prove God does no exists are failed expectations that God never guaranteed. In fact, the Bible tells the exact argument being used was going to happen.

Question: If God was real, why would He let bad things happen?

The hard part is people expect a secular answer in a short sentence to rebut this argument. Also most making these arguments will not except an answer they don’t like. They look at them as excuses. Any answer given is going to be from the perspective that God exists, because that is the context of the question. So logically the staunch non believer will reject any answer.

No answer on this is short or easy. My best recommendation is if you really want to know about God, get yourself to a Biblical church, that teaches the Bible verse by verse from Genesis to Revelation. Go for a year, yes a year. It’s going to take time to expose yourself to a big portion of the Bible. After every Bible study go to the pastors let them know you don’t believe in God and have serious questions. Challenge them, take your challenge straight to the, lack of a better word, source. I recommend Calvary Chapel. It has been a Bible based church to me. Sundays have been like going to class, I find no other agenda there, other than teaching the Bible.

Now you may be set in your opinion, that’s fine then let it be. Why ask questions if you’ll never accept an answer.

I hope to write more parts on this, but I just wanted to get started. To take a short stab at the answer to the above question. It all has to do with the original sin, the fall of Adam. More on that in part 2. 

America: Land of Milk, Honey, and Band-Aids

We have a severe problem in this country we fix things with band-aids. We take care of symptoms only, very rarely do we deal with the core cause. Hell, we won’t even acknowledge the core problem. In the great struggle not to offend anyone we place off limits any discussion about the true cause. 

ANALOGY: If you are cut on the arm and bleeding on the road, and I come along, I will put a bandage on it. If it bleeds through I may put another bandage over it, or put on a tourniquet. Now that tourniquet may stop the bleeding but does not fix the problem. Somewhere underneath a vessel bleeds. Now we could just let it go, because it looks like everything is good, the bleeding has stopped, we win! Eventually, the arm will die if action is not taken on the core cause. More work, a deeper look, must be taken to save the arm. In the end some things may have to be sacrificed to save the arm.

RELEVANCE: Just because one symptom is under control, does not mean the core cause will not manifest itself again to destroy what we thought we saved.

Right now, as a nation, we are bearing witness to one of the most horrific events we can conjure in our minds, the slaughter of helpless, innocent children. I have seen more dead kids then I have ever wanted to, I have watched more heart broken parents run into ERs then I have ever wanted to, and I have held lifeless hands of little children then anyone should. I have seen kids that are the victim of violence and neglect. I’ve seen first hand children suffering. With all that said, I know there is a underlying problem, not just and simple symptom to put a band-aid on.

I grew up with violent cartoons, playing guns, questionable video games, horror movies, and the list of dangerous exposer goes on. How am I not jacked up? I own a Glock 23 and S&W M&P 15 Sport 5.56. I was in the Army, I have scary military training. Are you scared of me shooting up a school? Why not? Or why? What makes me different? I had a strong core family. 

DISCLAIMER: I AM IN NO WAY STATING IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GROW UP WELL ADJUSTED IN A LESS THAN DESIRABLE FAMILY GROUPING. SOME GOOD PEOPLE WILL RISE FROM BAD SETTINGS, AND MONSTERS WILL COME FROM GOOD SETTINGS. THE IDEA IS WHAT GIVES CHILDREN THE BEST CHANCE. 

I did not grow up in a traditional family. I was raised by my grandparents and aunt. What they provided was a parenting team all on the same page. A stable safe place to grow up. I was told no more than yes. I was give unshakable moral values, that were explained and promoted everyday under the same roof. I always had one parent available to me 24/7. I was raised by my family not someone else. Teachers were at school to teach academics, laws were to maintain order, neither were to give me a moral compass. I was taught absolute right and wrong. I was taught about good and evil. I was taught cartoons, movies, and games where just that not reality and not an example of how to live my life.

I was not shuttled back and forth between two or more homes. I did not have to be raised under two sets of rules. I was never used a pawn between two battling parents. I did not spend 6-8 hours a day in dare care. I was not patronized, or told I would always win. I was not taught that life was relevant and my needs out weigh the needs of others. I was not taught to hate or knowingly do bad. 

There is a destructive breakdown of the family unit today. I am not preaching “traditional” family. I’m talking a core unit that raises children together, a parenting team. Straight couples, gay couples, grandparents, aunts, uncles, the possibilities are numerous just create a team focused on raising healthy well adjusted kids. Having money is not key to raising kids. Having things will not make your children successful in life. I stood in line for free cheese and butter. My first brand name clothing item was a pair of Levis in JR high. I grew up with very few material things. Only love and time accomplish the goal of raising well adjusted kids. We are so selfish as a society today, that we make choices for our benefit not even factoring the effects on our kids. We are losing the desire to sacrifice everything for our kids, because it will make things hard on us. We want our unfulfilled needs and desires met. Challenges with video games, social media, guns, insert anything, will always be there. All of this can be overcome, if we build strong core family units.

The world is a bad place period. Monsters do exists and the Boogie Man is out there. Guess what it’s our fault. We have created it. I see fellow humans that we have cast off every day at work, and its sad. We have lost the value of life. The one thing that once made this country great, made us second to none was an overwhelming compassion for others, and a deep conviction to value all life. Today everything is relative there is no more common moral standard. Your individual situation is your reality. That reality has you justifying all you actions. That justification sets your morals. Those morals are your truth. How cant there be more than one truth when it comes to morals? I learned a few things from algebra. One thing was how to solve problems. We start with an equal sign in the middle. Now we must add, subtract, divide, and multiply both sides to make them equal, to get to a real answer. Both sides must give to the other, stop using band-aids.

The World Needs Ditch Diggers Too: Nope! Welcome to the land of entitlement.

BLOG UPDATE:  The “Occupy” movement is getting violent.

So as I pay more attention to the 99%, which I apparently am a part of, I have noticed some of the attention given to the rising total of student loan debt. Since when did everyone need to go to a four year plus university? Why does everyone have to be a doctor or lawyer? What makes all these people spending trillions of dollars collectively that they don’t have on possibly a pipe dream they will never have? Then they enter a work place that is short on supply with a four year degree and a 40-50K debt coming due.

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT ENCLUDING ALL STUDENT LOAN RECIEPENTS IN THIS OK.  A $ 4 TRILLION DEBT HOWEVER, REALLY!? HAS EVERYONE THAT HAS GONE DOWN THAT PATH MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE?

We have a problem in this country we have undervalued the ditch digger. I am not using “ditch digger” in the negative at all, but more to sum up the blue collar job.  The blue collar job is dying, because we have given it a negative connotation. Tech jobs are the “way” of the future. We can’t find people to pick fruit, landscape, clean hotel rooms. These jobs are below the American standard so much to the point that we have an influx of immigrant, some illegal, to fill the void of our poor poor 99% that won’t go swing a hammer. Then we complain about the issues associated with these immigrants. I offer this, how about we put our 8-9% unemployed to work at these jobs. People would be back to work and illegal immigration would slow because there would be no jobs for them. Trust me they come here to work. But now Americans don’t want to do those jobs. Americans all want six digit salaries and all the bling that goes with it, can’t do that picking fruit. Welcome to the land of entitlement!

“I deserve …..”, you fill in the blanks. In America you can be whatever you want, but you may have to be what your skill set and circumstances allow you to be. That hurts to hear huh? The world needs ditch diggers too. I am in total awe of people that can dig ditches, construct buildings, do electrical work, do plumbing, lay tile, and can fix a car. I cannot do any of that. But guess what I cannot be a doctor or lawyer either! Thank God I found my place in public service. My skill set and circumstances, plus hard work, led me to where I am. I will never break the bank or have all the bling, but I can put food on the table and put clothes on my kids back.

Nowhere does it say that we as Americans are entitled to have a big house or fancy cars. Your life may lead you to a small apartment, a used car, and basic cable. Here’s the shocker that’s o.k.!!! It is not a life less lived. You can find happiness without material things and debt. You can be happy working a room service job living within your means. Don’t like it work harder find a second job. Find out where your skill set can take you, but remember it may not be the top, and that is O.K.

Take an honest evaluation of yourselves people there is no golden yearly salary that equals success and happiness. Also next time you enncounter someone doing a job you may have once thought below you, show them you appreciate what they do. Maybe we could change the ditch digger quote to, “The world needs a supporting cast too”

Occupy This I Am The 0%

It is time to blow the dust of this blog and re-ignite the Mole. I’ve had the thought of a comeback for a while but then I realized, I never left. All that was needed was a catalyst, a reason, something that I could wrap my brain around and make my own. I give you the Mole's break down of the “Occupy Movement”

DISCLAIMER: I UNDERSTAND NOT EVERYONE FITS INTO WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DISCRIBE. BUT FOR EVERY PERSON IN TRUE NEED I KNOW TWO THAT HAVE MORE THAN 50% OF THE BLAME FOR THEIR OWN PINCH. IF THE SHOE FITS WEAR IT, IF NOT, “MOVE ALONG, MOVE ALONG”.

I honestly feel for the small percentage of those protestors sitting out there with real gripes. People that have been left behind by our government, but most of them are victims of their own greed. That’s right GREED. Now I get it, the big bad corporations are the greedy ones, right? They pull whatever punches to pull a buck and get the things they want….me me me me…GREED! Let’s hang ‘em!, tax ‘em!, burn ‘em! Make them give up their wealth to me the poor guy who they tricked into buying their stuff. Huh? We bought their stuff?

You did we all did. You put off getting health insurance to get a new flat screen, a PS3, or the latest iGadget. You got rid of perfectly good things just to pay over inflated prices on the latest MUST have thing that their deceiving commercials twisted your arm to buy. You put it on credit cards paying no attention to an interest rate of over 20%. You had to get your greedy hands on it. In other countries people are trampled for food, in the US we trample people to get to any item labeled “five only at this price”.

You demanded to deregulate the home loan industry because you must be able to buy the same house as everyone else. Your greedy little fingers lied on your stated income to get a house you had no way to pay for in 5 years when your ARM adjusted.

You took 99 weeks as a vacation, your greed filled eyes relaxing at home with the new flat screen and PS3 all the while texting on your iPhone “I have a paid vacation” You took valuable and needed public assistance programs and turned it into a way of life, trying very little if at all to change your life. Your greed for a free ride quenched by a check from the dole every two weeks, the government owes it to you I know.

You have over indulged, over spent, and extended yourselves well past your means all the while feeding the corporate giants you so want destroyed now. You gave them the ammo to buy elected officials and then in turn elected the officials that could be bought, because they offered a free or easier ride, you greedy little free-loaders.

And now you sit and do nothing to show how mad you are, that your greed created the greedy corporate world. Have no doubt in your mind, you are the same person as those you hate, they just profited from your greed to feed theirs.

I’m not the 1% and I’m not the 99%. I’m part of the ever shrinking and always quite 0%. We go to work every day to earn money to SENSIBLY buy the products that fuel this economy. Without our spending businesses cannot create jobs. I go without the latest crazes so I may live below my means. I pay taxes to help those who need public assistance. What should we occupy? That’s right nothing we have work to do.

I came from welfare having very little to a place where I can give my family more than I had. I did it slowly, paying attention not to over stretch myself, not become greedy to the point of breaking.

These occupy movements have only one way to go, that is violent. Have you checked out Greece lately? Do you think we are move civil then those guys?

Pick yourselves up people, downsize, stand on the corner with the migrant workers looking for an honest day’s pay, join the armed forces, or collect cans. Do something find a way. There are still ways to support yourself. Granted you may not have all the latest and greatest things but that won’t bother you if you’re not greedy. That's all I got.

DISCLAIMER: I UNDERSTAND NOT EVERYONE FITS INTO WHAT  I HAVE JUST DISCRIBED. BUT FOR EVERY PERSON IN TRUE NEED I KNOW TWO THAT HAVE MORE THAN 50% OF THE BLAME FOR THEIR OWN PINCH. IF THE SHOE FITS WEAR IT, IF NOT, “MOVE ALONG, MOVE ALONG”.

Reap What You Sow Senorita Sainz

Disclaimer: You are not gonna like this!

I first heard of the plight of Mexican television reporter Inés Sainz a few days ago on AM radio. I know most of you may not know of this thing called AM talk radio but I and two other people listen. The story went; the "self proclaimed" hottest female sportscaster was harassed by the New York Jets. My first thought was wow really??? A pretty girl around NFL players and those fine, upstanding, morally sound, all around gentlemen harassed her??? Impossible! I was shocked, with the likes of Ray Lewis, Ben Roethlisberger, Terrell Owens this league of gentleman was above reproach! I dismissed it as utter shenanigans.

Today while watching the news at work, (side note: AM radio always breaks news first! try it sometime and don't blame me if you learn something) I see how lady Sainz portrays herself. TV Azteca sells this woman's looks period. The news then shows her website, all it is is provocative pictures of herself. 

Facts: She says she is the hottest female sportcaster, and her website along with TV Azteca sells her looks. 

Confusion: Why would those sites not have photos of her interviewing famous sports stars, samples of her writings about sports, or maybe a paper published in JAMA about the events of full contact sports in coloration with the increased number of athletes developing rheumatoid arthritis? 

Interrogative: When you go to the zoo and kick the monkey cage are you shocked when they throw poop? Can we assume the average NFL player is locked in the behavioral age of a 13 year old boy? Most of them have never been asked to grow up because they can throw a ball over that mountain(snuck in a movie quote). 

Hypothesis: Your biggest assest and the thing you put forward, your looks not your sports reporting, (sorry) plus full grown men stuck at the age of thirteen equals?? You got it baby birds Inés Sainz is at least 50% responsible for this conundrum. Ah-hah that's the part you hate!

Conclusion: Folks you are what you put forward. Don't expect everyone to be mature and see past the shallow nature of your fake persona you put forward under the guise of "looks". You sell it, people buy it, and you are shocked they buy it?? Ninny! This is the part where I say, "I don't condone what has happened". I shouldn't have to but I will, because I'm sure someone will think I do, weirdos. I have a daughter and I will do my best to show her that her actions while she may seem to think otherwise will lead to how people see you and treat you. If I sell crack-corns, put my crack-corns out for everyone to see, and make sure you know I have the best crack-corns. I should not be shocked when all you want me for is my crack-corns. (Jimmy crack-corn and I don't care, sorry digression)

Advise Baby Birds: Hookers, strippers, "entertainers" stop it. "Stop what?", you ask. "It", I retort. Do not sell you body, looks, sexuality. Do not let that be the cover sheet of your fax. Present qualities you want recognized first. Oh and I hear you in the back, "I can't help it if I'm beautiful". Silence! I have the same problem. The fix to that is maybe not wearing panted on jeans and shirt to a place where negative interaction may occur by those less mature than you. Miss Sainz try a nice looser fitting pant suit, perhaps a skirt to the knees with a shirt and blazer, and cut out the twelve inch stilettos. Stop wearing boxers with pictures of milk bones in a dog eat dog world! (Nooooorrrrmmm!*)

*reference to the character Norm Peterson from cheers who once quoted, "It's a dog eat dog world, Woody and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear." You are welcome!