the mission

On the Road to Oaxaca...

2012-01-13T20:33:00.000-08:00

I am heading to Oaxaca... to help people like this...

Who typically live in homes like this...

Get more of this...

By using this... our water well drilling rig...

Pray for safety, water, and God's blessing on what we are doing the next few weeks...

I will post updates as I am able...

Brian McLaren Speaks

2012-01-06T09:33:00.000-08:00

Is he political? He can be.

Does he confound conservative thinkers in the church on a variety of issues? Yes he does.

Is he guilty of pushing young evangelicals to consider theology from some non traditional angles? Most certainly.

And do I love reading him, wrestling with his conclusions, and seeing how he challenges the established church? You know I do.

Here's the latest article from one of my favorite writers, Brian McLaren, a former New England Pastor who has really connected with a new generation of Christian leaders. Mainline thinkers and Pastors ignore him at their peril.

Even if they do not agree with him, he is speaking the language of the people with whom they are are trying to connect.

In “America the Exceptional,” an article published in the January 2012 issue of Sojourners, I intentionally misquote Genesis 12 as follows:

“And the Lord said to Abraham, I will bless you and make your name great. I will make you a great nation and all nations will submit to your exceptional status. They will kow-tow to your interests, submit to your invasions, and defer to your economic policies. You will act unilaterally and lead, not cooperate with, unexceptional nations. You will use and abuse the alien and stranger among you as you please, for they are not my chosen people blessed by manifest destiny.... For I am the Lord who shows favoritism to whom he will, and you are my chosen people.”
Then I added, “Oops! That is not Genesis 12 -- but it might as well have been,” based on projects and attitudes promoted via distorted notions of the theory of American exceptionalism.

Read the entire article.

The Heart of Las Vegas

2011-12-29T11:29:00.000-08:00

***Update Below***

Many people have wondered what makes Las Vegas tick.

Is it the gambling? The girls? The shows?

Well, the easy answer is yes, it's all of that, and more.

And that more is best understood as UNLV. Not the university mind you, but the basketball team.

Yep... the UNLV Runnin' Rebels are really the heart and soul of Las Vegas.

When all is right in the universe, the Rebs are runnin' and gunnin' and playing a swarming defense that can completely disorientate an opponent in a few short minutes.

I was fortunate to get a ticket to the game last week against Louisiana Monroe. Now I know this is not what one might call a quality team, but what I saw that night impressed me.

Like most teams today, the kids, or young men, are always looking for a way to get on the ESPN highlight reels and this game was no exception. Mike Moser had a couple of reverse dunks that brought the house down in the second half.

But those dunks were the product of a lock down man to man defense not seen in Las Vegas since the glory days of Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony, and current coach Stacy Augmon in the late 80's and early 90's.

I watched as time after time the current group of Runnin' Rebels controlled the tempo of the game, stole the ball, and kept Louisiana Monroe from even getting a shot off before the shot clock ran out.

Yes, as evidenced by a 50 point blowout of Central Arkansas last night, and the recent trashings of Cal, Illinois, and North Carolina, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels are back.

And that is good news for Las Vegas. The heart is beating again.

Here's a nice video of Karam Mashour's dunk from the game against Bakersfield Thursday Night... Enjoy!

Can Magic Strike Twice?

2011-12-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

A little over a year ago I wrote an article for Bleacher Report, an online sports blog site, asking Magic Johnson to consider buying the Los Angeles Dodgers. I felt then, as I do now, that the Dodgers deserve local, respected leadership that believes in Los Angeles.

We do not need a carpet bagging owner from another city who only wants the franchise so they can make money. We can do just fine with our own guy making money thank you!

As a long time Dodger fan, my heart, along with those of millions of other followers has been in a funk pretty much since the O'Malley family felt they had to give up the team.

Today brings word that apparently Magic Johnson has finally agreed with me and is putting together a team to make a bid to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers.

All I can say is that it is about time we had some good sports news out of Los Angeles. Hopefully, with an owner like Magic, the Dodgers could put together a nice run of championships over the years just like the Lakers did. I wonder what Showtime would look like at Chavez Ravine?

Hey, do you think someone passed my article on to Magic last year?

Interracial Couple Banned From Church Membership

2011-11-30T18:41:00.000-08:00

I am not sure what to even say about this except that apparently racism is indeed alive and well in some areas of our country.

That is if this story out of Kentucky is to be believed.

Thankfully, my church in Las Vegas has a different view.

What's Your Problem?

2011-11-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

Sometimes in our zeal to find a solution, we make a fundamental error that deposits us inside an imaginary house of mirrors with no obvious way out.

Take politics for example.

Both the left and the right in country are 100% sure that if the other side would just adopt their solution, then our country could again move forward and exit this economic funk we have been in since 2008.

And so we find ourselves trapped, unable to convince the other side that one side has a better solution for what ails you.

The truth is that no solution being proposed is likely to make much of a difference and has almost no chance of being embraced by the other side.

Why?

Because the problem is not the solution.

The problem is the problem.

Until we as a country can agree as to what the problem is, how can we possibly work together to find a solution?

Is the problem the rich, fat cat Wall Street bankers who are literally swimming in money ala Scrooge McDuck?

Is the problem lazy liberals who refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions and spend the day sitting around complaining about others instead of working hard?

Or is the problem somewhere in between, with both sides being partially right, yet also partially wrong?

Could it be true that a small percentage of people growing extremely wealthy while others in the country fall though the cracks might have a negative effect on our union?

Could it also be true that government, in some case does need to get out of the way and let that good old American entrepreneurial spirit take hold?

You see, there are a myriad of potential problems that may or not be addressed by the solutions currently being offered.

But that’s why the problem is the problem.

As any good businessman will tell you, we need to agree on that first, and then we can start to work together on some solutions.

Coffee Anyone?

2011-11-15T11:35:00.000-08:00

If you open the doors to the smell of fresh coffee, look around and see yourself surrounded by handmade teapots, baseball cards, scarves and a wine bar, where are you?

In the middle of Café Earth, a local coffee house that doubles as an eclectic small town emporium in the heart of downtown Silverton, Oregon.

Silverton is perhaps most famous for Stu Rasmussen, the first transgendered mayor in the US. Stu stopped in while I was there and we had a nice conversation as he was waiting for his mocha. I must say the fire engine red platform heels, the midi skirt and the handcuff strapped purse were a stunning combo for the mayor.

But while Stu is famous, I went in for the coffee and the local character of this downtown venue. I was not disappointed and knew I was somewhere special as soon as I opened the door of this 120 year old historic building.

Too often a cup o’ joe has been reduced to a strip mall Starbucks, or perhaps in Oregon, Coffee People. But if you really want to get some local flavor, leave those behind and visit the non traditional places like Café Earth.

Here you’ll find cards, cribbage boards, games and books to occupy your time and even a small living room alcove complete with HD TV. Once you add the fresh coffee from Silver Falls Coffee Roasters, you’ll think you are in heaven.

Michelle, queen of the kitchen, makes sure her customers are happy, whether that means responding to a request from a customer for a specific lunch soup, like she did today, or putting the finishing touches on one of the daily vegetarian or gluten free offerings.

Trust me on this. In an era of big box coffee retailers, a place like Café Earth, owned and operated by locals Monte and Michelle Fenney is a welcome throwback to an earlier time. You’ll like it, you can talk to the owners, and in this case, if you visit in the afternoon, you can even taste some wine from the Pudding River Wine Cellars.

And who knows, maybe Monte will even point you to the famous murals of Silverton, Oregon.

A Nice Cold One...

2011-10-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

A cowboy, who just moved to Wyoming from Texas , walks into a bar and orders three cold ones.

He sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finishes them, he comes back to the bar and orders three more.

The bartender approaches and tells the cowboy, "You know, a mug goes flat after I draw it. It would taste better if you bought one at a time."

The cowboy replies, "Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is in Arizona , the other is in Colorado . When we all left our home in Texas , we promised that we'd drink this way to remember the days when we drank together. So I'm drinking one beer for each of my brothers and one for myself."

The bartender admits that this is a nice custom, and leaves it there.

The cowboy becomes a regular in the bar, and always drinks the same way. He orders three mugs and drinks them in turn.

One day, he comes in and only orders two mugs. All the regulars take notice and fall silent.

When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bartender says, "I don't want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your loss."

"Oh, no, everybody's just fine," he explains, "It's just that my wife and I joined the Baptist Church and I had to quit drinking."

The cowboy looks quite puzzled for a moment, then a light dawns in his eyes and he laughs.

"Hasn't affected my brothers though...."

[a nice tip o' the hat to mi amigo denny, happy halloween to all]

Bud Selig Fiddles While Baseball Continues to Burn

2011-10-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

The Cardinals of St. Louis have won the World Series.

In a little less than 36 hours we were able to witness the good, the bad, and the ugly of what was once America’s Pastime.

For those of you who missed the last two games, first the good...

Game six was incredible. I know we are not supposed to use adjectives like often, but in this case, it fits. Twice, the Cardinals were down to their last strike before somehow managing to pull even.

The stadium was rocking in the ninth inning when with two outs and two strikes David Freese tripled to the wall in right to tie the game and send it into extra innings.

The Texas Rangers struck quick and the Cards once again saw themselves headed home in the bottom half of the inning. This time the hero was Lance Berkman who singled to bring in the tying run and we were on to the 11th.

As if on cue, David Freese found himself at the plate again. Hometown hero David Freese, a modern day Roy Hobbs, connects and drives the ball over the wall in dead center sending the series to a game seven finale.

But that’s the good, now we move on to the bad...

The game ended at 12:45am on the east coast. I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, 10:00pm was my latest bedtime on a school night, and that was the exception.

How is baseball going to draw kids into the fold if they cannot see their sports idols in the Fall Classic? How many young kids in Pittsburgh never would have given baseball a second thought had they not been witness to Bill Mazeroski’s famous home run that beat the mighty Yankees in 1960?

In the 60’s and 70’s, baseball ruled the US sports scene and the World Series was a huge part of the reason why. With Curt Gowdy and later Vin Scully calling the games on television and the home town announcers helping out on radio, time stood still in America for 3 hours in the middle of every game day.

If you were not watching the game somewhere, you smuggled a transistor radio into school or work and listened on your crummy little earplug.

And then, if you were a kid, you went outside and became not only Sandy Koufax, Whitey Ford, and Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, but also unlikely heroes Bucky Dent, Gene Tenace, and yes David Freese. Because you had witnessed their greatness on the World Series stage.

But if that is the bad, what’s the ugly?

The St Louis Cardinals winning the World Series.

Now I have nothing against the storied St. Louis franchise. They won the games they needed to win, and in stirring fashion to boot. Coming back from from the grave during the season, as they did, should serve as a testament to the old cliche “it ain’t over til it’s over.”

But they did not deserve to be in the World Series. They finished second in their division.

Baseball was the last of the major sports to suckle up completely to the teat of television and allow losers into the championship. And the man most responsible for that is baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

Since assuming the mantle of commish, Selig has a record that, while delivering millions to the owners, has left the game a shell of its former self.

A missed World Series, an All Star Game tie, interleague play that has diluted the Fall Classic, steroids, and the wild card, allowing second place teams a chance to play for the championship are just a few of the foibles of Bud Selig’s reign of terror on baseball.

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

The fans, after witnessing it all the last 36 hours can only say, “Hey Bud Selig! You know what you are? Just a dirty son of a bitch!”

Games People Play... or should!

2011-10-05T13:01:00.001-07:00

[Ticket to Ride... Nordic Countries]

We like to play games in our family. Board games, card games, computer games, it doesn't matter.

I've posted a few times on this and every time we, or should I say my son, comes across something new, I like to share.

Games these days are a far cry from the Candyland, Mystery Date, and Monopoly board games of our youth. As fun as it was to sit all day long in the summer listening to music, sipping ice tea and hoping you might somehow get both Boardwalk and Park Place, the new crop of games available takes the experience to a new level.

First up is one from Days of Wonder. This company has been incredibly successful with their Ticket to Ride Series and this game is part of that. The most recent version I played was the Nordic Countries Edition. Like the rest of the Ticket to Ride series, this game has great looking cards and a fantastic board where you build your train lines, connecting the different countries.

Where this one is different is that you play with a maximum of three players. This makes it a little quicker, about 45 minutes, and honestly, sometimes you just do not have a gaggle of people available to play.

Cost is between $40.00 and $45.00 at either Amazon or Board Game Geek.

Next we have Dominion from Rio Grande Games. This is a wonderful game of strategy, and luck. Think Medieval Times meets... well just think Medieval Times with cards. Anyways, your objective is to collect more point cards that your opponents.

With multiple cards sets within the game boxes, no two games are ever alike, so it never gets boring.

A typical game will take about an hour and the game plays best with three or four players.

Dominion has a ton of expansion sets available, all pretty reasonably priced, and as such, makes this game a great addition for the family that likes doing stuff together that does not involve the television.

You'll spend between $20.00 and $30.00 on each set.

Finally, we take a look at Family Business from Mayfair Games. This is a Mob based card game where your objective is to kill the mobsters that your opponents control.

Filled with cards of real life wise guys, this game moves pretty quick as you look for ways to knock off the likes of Al Capone, John Dillinger, Joe Valachi, and Joe "Bananas" Bonanno.

Priced at less than $15.00, this game, if you are okay with the Mob stuff, should be part of your game chest.

So there you have it. Three new games to play while you figure out a way to pay for your heating oil, or put gas in your car this winter.

Enjoy!

There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

2011-09-29T10:53:00.000-07:00

The other day I was in a restaurant with my mother-in-law. Yeah, I know but she offered to pay so I rolled with it.

As we were looking at the menu everyone at the table noticed something horrible under every item. The damn calorie counts!

I don't think anything can spoil a lunch with your mother-in-law quicker than to see how many stinking calories you are gonna be eating for free. It kinda takes the fun out of the afternoon.

Seriously, about the only thing under 8500 calories on the menu was the 4 ounce fish filet boiled in lemon water and served on a bed of lettuce. Who wants that?

I went in for lunch, not an appetizer.

Just looking over the menu was depressing. Are you aware that a hamburger is something like 1250 calories if you get the fries? After my three egg breakfast, sausage, hash browns and toast, 1250 more calories would mean I'd have to skip the ribs for dinner and eat a salad.

Even the free bread is not free... 450 calories, per roll! Must be the butter that is dripping off of it.

Anyways, a friend of mine passed this on to me a while back and for those of you who like to watch what you eat, it has some sage advice on nutrition and health.

If you are like me, I am sure you can appreciate the simple clarity that comes from this list.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans..

5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION:

Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

By the way... I am actually pretty lucky... my mother-in-law is a jewel!

notes from dave...

2011-09-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

I spend about half my year serving as a Christian missionary in Mexico.

As part of that work over the years I have helped build a number of protestant churches, met untold numbers of people from all over the country, and have tried, sometimes with more success than others, to do good stuff and leave Mexico better than when I arrived.

I have also had hundreds of those short-term mission teams from churches all over the United States come and serve with me.

When I am back in the states, I visit churches and speak to groups trying to raise awareness of my ministry, Adventures in Life, and funds for what we are trying to do.

I also write, and occasionally, something gets published.

Friday, DELTA Ministries, with whom I have worked for a number of years, published one of my articles, titled "God Hates Short-Term Mission Trips... and these things too!"

Please check it out here at notes from dave..., my other blog, where I write about the issues affecting short-term missions.

Where are the GOP Leaders? Is What we are Seeing the Fringe, or the Mainstream?

2011-09-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

You be the judge.

Last night before some friends arrived, I was watching the GOP Debate from Florida.

Most of you know I tend to lean more to the left politically than many of my friends. However, you also know I am not reflexively anti-GOP, have worked on Republican campaigns in the past, and on occasion, when I believe it is the best option, will vote Republican.

But last night, I was stunned. After hearing GOP partisans cheer the death penalty a few weeks ago, I was taken aback. After hearing people say "Yeah, let him die" if someone does not have health insurance, I wondered how far the GOP might go.

Last night I got my answer. The crowd in attendance booed a US Serviceman serving in Iraq, simply because he said he was gay and was in support of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If you don't believe it, follow this link to Andrew Sullivan's commentary where he has posted the video.

And just like in previous debates, not one candidate for President from the GOP said that type of response was wrong.

We have watched over the years as many conservative pundits and politicians have tarred and feathered Muslims for their faith.

We have been told that in the absence of any public rebuke of extremist Muslim views, that we can safely view the entire religion as extremist.

We have been told that at least 10% of the Muslim people are terrorists.

And we have been told that we, as Americans, have a right to look suspect on an entire people group.

Why? For two reasons.

One, a relatively small number of the followers of Islam have gone off the deep end and believe in terrorism.

And two, the apparent lack of Muslim leaders who will publicly say that the actions of that relatively small number of terrorists are wrong and have no place in civilized societies.

It is time that those that advocate this type of stance, step forward and accept their due.

Unless and until we see national leaders from the Republican Party stand up and disavow the words and attitudes of people like Mr. Santorum and the crowds that cheered the death penalty, said "yeah, let him die" and then booed a gay serviceman, it is safe to assume that these views are representative of the entire party.

Where are the national GOP leaders that will say these people do not represent our party?

Where is one elected GOP congressional leader who will publicly state that what we have been watching the last three weeks is wrong?

Republicans, this is your dancing in the streets Palestinian moment. Your masses are booing US Servicemen, celebrating the death penalty, and saying let 'em die to your fellow citizens.

In the absence of any leaders stepping forward, why should we not tar your entire party with the same brush you have used for years to tar Muslims?

Cheap Heroism? You Tell Me...

2011-09-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

I am not sure when it started. This devaluing of the word hero. But it is running rampant.

Used to be someone had to do something heroic to be considered a hero. Like save someone’s life. Now they just have to die, sometimes just doing their job.

Let me give you an example.

I grew up hearing about a soldier named Audie Murphy, pictured here. This guy was a hero. During WWII in France, while fighting in 2 feet of snow, he single handedly held off an entire unit of German soldiers. Not single handedly as in Audie and his men. Single handedly! He had sent his men to the rear for their safety.

And then he fought the Germans himself. First with his gun, then using the guns on a burning tank and finally calling in an airstrike.

Audie Murphy was a hero, the winner of the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars with Valor device, and three Purple Hearts.

I bring this up because of a disturbing trend I am seeing. I am sure it started further back, but I first noticed it during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

Our soldiers and public servants are being called heroes when they die, no matter the circumstances. Soldier dies in a mess tent accident, he dies a hero. Motor pool mishap, another hero. A policeman is gunned down during a traffic stop and he too is now hailed as a hero.

How did this happen?

Now don’t get me wrong, every single one of those guys above was somebody’s dad, brother, mom, sister, son or daughter… and for that we mourn, offer our condolences, and thank them for their contribution and ultimate sacrifice to our country.

I just wonder if in our need to see everyone as a hero, we’ve devalued the term.

CNN has heroes, the fire department has heroes, the Boy Scouts have heroes, and here in Nevada, a likely unconscious pilot is somehow being called a hero for avoiding the grandstands and only crashing his plane into the box seats at the Reno Air Show.

If all those folks are heroes, what does that make a real hero like Audie Murphy?

A Super Hero?

You tell me…

Vive Mexico

2011-09-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Today Mexico celebrates it's independence from Spain. Legend has it that the battle for independence started after Father Miguel Hidalgo issued the famous grito, or shout, to rally Mexico for her battle against the European forces.

Vive Mexico!

A Call to Personal Responsibility... From A Democrat

2011-09-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

It is taken as an article of faith among Democrats, Independents, and some Republicans that Ronald Reagan could not win the GOP nomination these days.

People point to his willingness to raise taxes, grant amnesty to illegal immigrants, and dare I say it, compromise with the Dems on a host of issues to get things done.

I would agree. I see no way any serious Republican candidate could reasonably expect to win the necessary primaries with a record such as the one Reagan held both as Governor of California and as President.

But lest the Democrats get smug, let's turn the tables a little.

Last night I watched an excellent special from ABC News. It was about the here to fore unheard tapes of Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President John Kennedy.

Diane Sawyer did an excellent job of taking us back to that time and giving real insight into the couple and their family. Full disclosure time... while I was a young kid back then, I have always held the Kennedy's in high regard. While flawed, few American families have a record of public service that can match that of the Kennedy's.

That being said, here is what got my attention. During a segment on the inauguration, we once again heard the line for which perhaps JFK is most famous... "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

That one line, at the end of this great speech is a clarion call to personal responsibility. Certainly President Kennedy did not believe, as the current crop of GOP contenders does, that government has no place in the lives of Americans. But this President, even though he was a strong advocate of Keynesian economics, and a fighter for universal health care, also believed government should not be your first option.

I do not believe a Democrat would be elected, or supported by a majority of voters in his or her party with a view of personal responsibility like that of John Kennedy.

Our system has changed and if the Dems demand that the GOP recognize how far they have shifted from the ideals of Ronald Reagan, it is only fair that the Dems also realize how far they have shifted from the ideals of JFK.

Are we better for it? Time will tell.

The Party's Over!

2011-09-06T08:46:00.001-07:00

The Obama Presidency is over.

Oh, we're still in it, but much like Germany was lost when the Allies landed on Normandy Beach before the actual surrender, this war has been decided.

The country is in a funk, and when we are in a funk, the guy at the top loses his job.

It's the American way.

When a football team is unable to win, rarely do owners look at the bunch of losers suiting up every week as the problem, because to do so would also necessitate looking at who hired them.

Nope, when a football team fails to live up to expectations, the coach is dismissed and they try another approach.

And that is what is going to happen here, and no amount of wishing, hoping, reasoning, or complaining is going to change this metric.

Because day by day, President Obama is losing his base.

A new study from the LA Times reveals the problems he is facing. In a state where he still outpolls every GOP challenger, a state where government largesse is legend, people are calling on the biggest employer in the nation, government, to put more people out of work.

Yes Virginia, even California is calling for reduced government spending.

If a Democrat is going to have issues in California, how is his message going to play in Missouri? Virginia? Nevada? or Pennsylvania? These are all states Obama must win to secure the nomination.

Now I know people can point to a host of reasons behind these findings. You can probably even argue that the GOP has been the driver of the bus to oblivion. But that will not matter.

What will matter is what the Clinton War Room instinctively knew in the 1992 and 1996 elections. It's the economy stupid! And right now our economy sucks and does not look like it is getting better anytime soon.

This has been coming for the Democrats for a long time. It is their day of reckoning. As it is for our country.

What we are facing is not a GOP manufactured, or a Democrat manufactured crisis. What we are facing is the natural result of our headlong rush to live outside of our means.

Instead of saving and buying, as our parents and grandparents did, we believed we were entitled to a better life and we borrowed to get it.

Sure the political parties enabled us, and to a point, even exacerbated the problem, but no one put a gun to our heads and forced us to refinance our houses did they?

Who made you buy your son that shiny new bicycle when he could not yet ride it?

Did someone sign our names on all those charge receipts for dinner at the local Sizzler when we were short of money, short of food, and wanted to feel better about it?

The Republicans are right. We have been on a spending spree for years now, and the note is now due.

Unless President Obama can figure out a way to get this economy moving without additional funds, in the words of old Dandy Don Meredith on Monday Night Football, "Turn out the lights, the party's over!"

Consider the Alternatives

2011-09-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

[getting ready for the dance of the old men in morelia, michoacan, mexico]

The days go by faster now.

I am not sure when I first noticed it.

But it started a while back.

Maybe it was in the knees. Or the back.

I love playing games sitting on the floor, but getting up started to leave a little tingling. Soon that tingling became a general stiffness.

When I would get home from a few weeks of work in Mexico, I used to be able to be in the office the next day. Now I need a day or so laying on the couch to recover.

Remember when that recovery took a few minutes, a glass of water, and some shade?

Not any more.

As a kid, Mom pushed me out the door around 9:00am with the understanding that I would be running, jumping, tackling, and playing until the dinner hour, usually around 6:00.

I can't imagine playing a game of tackle football these days, even with pads, which no self respecting kids ever used in my neighborhood.

This morning my feet hurt. After I slept all night. What's up with that?

An old axiom says that a body at rest tends to stay at rest, or something like that. Well guess what, it's true! Some days it just pains me, literally, to get moving.

Did it begin in my twenties? I don't think so. Thirties? Maybe a little. But back then I could still work 16 hours a day and be up to a bike ride with the family when I got home.

No, it happened after that, I am just not sure when.

My wife diagnosed it last night. As I was slowly getting up off the floor after watching a little television, she heard the creaks, snaps, and groans, looked at me and said "David, you're getting old!"

You know what? I think she may be right.

But I'll take it, because as one of my good friends always says, "Growing old sucks, but consider the alternatives."

Can Anyone Fix Mexico's Image?

2011-09-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

That's the question Malcolm Beith poses in his well written article on some of the issues facing Mexico.

Beith writes "Mexico's economy is growing, tourism is rebounding, security in some parts of the country has never been better, and the middle class is continuing to expand. So the key question going into 2012 is: Can anyone put back together Mexico's broken image, both on the world stage and at home?"

It's a question many who live in and love Mexico are asking.

Here's the entire article. Enjoy.

Believe It! I Agree With Glenn Beck and Rick Perry... sort of...

2011-08-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

This may come as a shock to most of the six people who actually read my blog, but I agree with Rick Perry and Glenn Beck. As a people, we do need to return to God and fix our gaze on the author and perfecter of our faith.

I just interpret that a little differently from the Perry’s and Beck’s of the world.

Here’s what I mean.

Many of our political leaders want to focus on the God of the Old Testament. The avenging God of Israel if you will.

They posit a theology that says if we do not follow the will of God, as they interpret it, then like so many Old Testament people, we will be wiped off the face of the earth.

Thus we see statements that equate earthquakes, hurricanes, and even wars, as punishment for our misdeeds and failure to live up to God’s Law.

Rarely do we see, or hear from people like Glenn Beck and Rick Perry, the need to live the radical life of Jesus as seen in the New Testament. The life of unconditional love of others and denial of self.

It is as if, in their attempts to claim the title of the Godliest person out there, they have cast aside the teachings of God’s own son.

Why is it we seldom hear the clarion call to return to God’s teaching when that teaching tells us to “love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us?”

How come we have yet to hear someone on the campaign trail bring up Paul’s admonition to “in humility consider others better than ourselves… and look to the interests of others?”

What about serving others, as Christ served us that day on Calvary? When was the last time you heard a speech that said "give up everything for your brother?"

Where is the cross of sacrifice, pain, and self denial in what many proclaim publicly to be the “Heart of God?”

You see, the God I want us to return to is the one that calls us to have a drink of cold water with the person we most despise. Wasn’t that Jesus example when he sat alongside the Samaritan woman at the well and quenched His thirst?

Do you think the Good Samaritan was thinking about what the poor man had done to deserve being robbed and beaten, or was his primary concern helping him?

The God I want us to return to is the one that says when your fellow man needs your coat, you give him whatever you have, because it is not yours anyway. It belongs to God!

What about the church community in Jerusalem? When was the last time you heard any of our political leaders speak of following her example and selling everything to give to the poor?

Yes, I am 100% behind the efforts to see our country and society put a bigger focus on God.

I am just not sure I recognize the God to whom many in the public arena are calling us to follow anew.

What about you?

We Love Government!

2011-08-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

Americans love government.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

There are very few folks out there who really want to live in a world where there is no government, or even in a world of limited government.

What Americans don't like is people telling us how to live our lives. It doesn't matter who is doing the telling, we just don't like it.

Think it isn't so?

When was the last time you followed the advice of your doctor when he told you to lose weight and exercise more?

If you attend church, chances are you are pretty big on seeking counsel before big decisions.

When was the last time you asked for an opinion from someone you knew might disagree with the choices you were set to make in your life?

Government is just the current boogeyman of the day.

I know, I know, government spends a lot and we are facing some pretty big deficits, but let's be honest here, is it really government in general we want to see trimmed, or is it governance?

I suspect it is the latter.

Because the roads you drive on, the police that protect you, the fact that you can drink from a faucet, and know your money is safe in a bank are all because of government.

If you live out west, the electricity for your home, courtesy of Hoover Dam, is a result of government.

If you live in the east, I’m guessing in about a week, you are going to be asking for government help to clean up after Hurricane Irene. And of course, your government is always there to help rebuild after earthquakes and fight those devastating wildfires.

If you've been unjustly detained in another country, who ya gonna call? Yep, your government.

Do you ever get on a plane? It's your government that is working to keep you safe.

Feeling blue and need a doctor? Maybe you should be thankful that the government helped fund the research that just might save your life.

Want to read a book, but can't afford to buy it? How about the daily paper. Or maybe you need to check your e-mail. If so, you can usually do all of that and more at your local library, of course provided through your government.

Is our government perfect? Not at all. Has it made mistakes? Yes it has. And it will make more, because nothing is perfect.

But understand this, we all love government and the benefits we derive from it, so instead of vilifying it, and pretending we’d be better off without it, why not get real and try to make it better?

A Story About Corn, Mexico, and Arturo

2011-08-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

Arturo and his family did not come to Mexico. They are natives, having descended from one of the many indigenous people groups that populate the country.

Arturo is a farmer. His father was a farmer, as was his grandfather. In fact, if you sit and talk to Arturo, you will hear that his family has been farming in Mexico since before it was Mexico.

They have farmed corn for centuries on the family lands. Some years the land yielded a bountiful harvest, and other years, no so much, but always there was enough to feed the family. Until recently.

Arturo and his family have a large plot of land comprising almost 100 hectares, or almost 250 acres. To put that into a practical perspective, the original footprint of Disneyland was just 160 acres.

With this much land, the family was able to not only grow corn for their own consumption, but also sell to some of the commercial buyers in Mexico. As the economy in Mexico grew, so did Arturo’s ability to acquire additional land and expand his business.

Soon Arturo was one of the largest corn growers in his area with almost 150 hectares of corn planted each year. He was living his dream. Working hard, supporting his family and helping friends. At one point he had over 100 employees working for him.

But then something happened. His buyers approached and asked him to lower the price he was charging for his corn. He was given no reason, except to say that they wanted a better price. At first he agreed, after all, it was a small sacrifice to make to keep his main customers happy.

But it did not end there. His buyers soon returned explaining that if he wanted to continue to sell to them, he would have to cut his sales price in half. Arturo tried to explain that there was no way he could possibly sell his corn at half price and be able to pay for the costs of production.

They told him he had no choice. Their companies were demanding higher profits and they had found a source in the United States that could supply corn at half the cost of Arturo’s.

Arturo soon learned how a corn producer in the United States, paying higher wages, could possibly sell corn cheaper than a Mexican farmer. Subsidies. He learned that the American government would step in and guarantee a certain rate of return on corn for US farmers, regardless of sales price.

These subsidies allowed American farmers to undercut the price of Mexican farmers in their own country and effectively wipeout thousands of good paying jobs across the country.

But Arturo was not easily discouraged.

Rather than let his land go fallow, he changed his crop and began to grow sugar cane. It was not long before he was once again moving forward. He sold his cane to one of the large sugar plants in Ameca, Jalisco where it was processed and sold to corporations as a food ingredient.

Just like when he grew corn, the days were long and hot as he had to keep his arms covered to avoid being cut by the sharp leaves of the cane.

But just as he was thinking that he might be able to soon retire and turn the farm over to his son, sugar prices in Mexico collapsed. Mexican soft drink manufacturers began to cut back on sugar and started using cheaper high fructose corn syrup imported from the US.

The North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA] had recently been signed and approved between the US, Canada, and Mexico. One of the conditions forced Mexico to abandon tariffs on imported sugar, put in place to insure the continued employment of 2.5 million sugar farmers across the country.

Under NAFTA, Mexico was assured that they would have full access to US markets once the tariffs were removed. What they were not told, or did not understand was that the US market was dominated by low cost government subsidized sugar in the form of corn syrup.

Mexican sugar cane had no way to compete in the international market because of US government intervention and was left sitting in silos rotting for a lack of buyers.

Arturo was crushed. Unable to sustain the business, his land became useless. There was nothing he could farm and his land was not an attractive parcel for development, a route many of his friends took.

With help from the state government of Jalisco, he tried a few other crops, but was unable to make any progress. Nothing he tried offered any real promise of being able to move ahead. At best he was just able to break even and provide his family with the corn necessary to eke out a meager existence.

It was not long before Arturo, once a proud farmer of more than 150 hectares of corn and sugar made his decision. Despite the fact that his family lived on and worked the same land for centuries, Arturo knew he had to go north.

Unable to get immigration papers, Arturo used the last of his savings, $4000.00, to hire a coyote to take him north.

Today he works for one of the largest corn farmers in the United States. He does the same thing he did for years in Mexico.

Except now, instead of helping employ Mexican farmers in his own country, the very company he is working for, effectively is disemploying thousands of Mexican farmers a year.

Instead of coming home each night to see his family, he lives in small crowded house with 10 other men just like him who also came north after their jobs were eliminated in much the same fashion.

And like most of them, he sends as much money back home every week from his weekly earnings to help support his family as he possibly can.

He makes $9.00 an hour, works ten hours a day and prays every night that “La Migra” does not show up at the little house he now calls home.

Ay Caray! Stories From the Field...

2011-08-01T05:42:00.001-07:00

As he backed up the truck, he never saw the tree. At least this time.

Americo [pictured above with his family] and I had just purchased a load of lumber to help a senior citizen of Mitla get her own house. He was excited because he loved being able to make a practical difference in someone’s life.

When you live in Oaxaca, the second poorest state in Mexico, sometimes the only practical help you can offer your friends is some of your food. Because frequently you are in just as dire straits as they are.

But today was going to be different.

Through the donations of the church he pastors, Americo and the church members were able to buy enough lumber to help this woman get a roof over her head and have a dry place to call home.

Few things make the human heart sing like it does when you are able to really help someone. And Americo and his family needed to sing that song.

The last few months have not been kind to them. Being a pastor is no way to get rich. Being a pastor to some of the poorest people in Mexico during a global economic crisis is also not going to get you on Forbe’s List of Richest People.

But in spite of declining tithes and donations, shrinking support from his home church, and a rapidly rising cost of living, Americo and his wife Norma struggled on. Trying to make a difference in the lives of the people they see each day in their ministry.

I marvel at how they keep a positive outlook no matter what comes at them, confident that God will care for and provide for them.

As Americo backed his truck up and hit that tree, the wood in the bed came forward and shattered his rear window, sending broken glass everywhere. However, more than a window was broken at that moment as I watched the spirit of joy, trust, and faith drain from Americo’s face and body.

As we unloaded the lumber and began to clean up the broken glass, Americo started to cry. I put my arm around him he looked at me, tears running down his face, and said “Esta lloviendo sobre los mojados.” Literally, it’s raining on people who are already soaked.

It’s a saying here in Mexico when you are wondering if you can take it any more, because the bad news just seems to keep coming.

For a family that has literally been living on beans and tortillas, giving their lives to others, this was too much to bear.

I have served along side Americo and Norma for years in Oaxaca. If you have served with me here, they have helped provide you meals, have served you, and have more than likely, helped get you to your ministry site in the white truck that hit that tree.

Americo needs some encouragement, in a very practical way. If you would like to give a 100% tax-deductable donation to Americo and his family, you can do so through Adventures in Life Ministry. Just click here, and you will be directed to our Paypal Donation Page.

Choose a donation amount, make sure to put Americo in the notation line and I will make sure !00% of your donation goes to Americo and Norma here in Oaxaca.

Thank you and as we say here in Mexico, Dios le bendiga!

Real Life... When Politics Don't Matter

2011-07-06T12:06:00.001-07:00

I had just finished a great post on the politics of government when I got to the office and saw the news that UNLV Basketball great Armen "The Hammer" Gilliam had died. He was 47.

Somehow politics, the blame game and all the arguing seems so petty when real life intrudes.

Most of you will never understand what UNLV Basketball meant to our little community back in the 70's and 80's.

The Rebels made us big time. The center of the college basketball universe. Showtime before Showtime!

And Armen was a huge part of that. One of our all-time greats.

He reportedly died while playing a game of pick up basketball. To the end, probably finishing off a fast break with a dunk.

I saw Armen play many times back then at the rockin' Thomas and Mack Arena at UNLV. He was a true delight to watch.

You just knew the Rebels were going to win when he had that big smile on his face.

Armen, you will be missed.

Thank you for all you did for Las Vegas while you were here.

For more on this, the Las Vegas Sun has a nice article.

Rockets Red Glare... And a Great Super 8 Movie...

2011-07-01T09:13:00.001-07:00

[a classic red devil firework flyer circa 1976]

What are you going to be doing this Fourth of July Weekend?

I remember as a kid the day started with the Annual Parade which ended in Cameron Park. We all followed it to the end and then you just hung out until the temperature got too hot.

We then headed over to my friends house, swam in their Doughboy Pool, drank ice tea from metal glasses, ate corn on the cob and waited for dark, when we could light our Red Devil Fireworks.

My how times have changed. The other day I was helping man a fireworks booth for our church when it hit me that kids today cannot even buy fireworks. We used to do that. When ever we had a few spare bucks, we headed over to the stand and bought whatever we could afford.

But not anymore. Kids need to be escorted and if you are caught selling to a minor, you are in deep doo.

Nowadays, while waiting for the evening orchestrations of fireworks, and here in Vegas, they are pretty good, people go to the movies.

If that is your bent, let me recommend something for you. Go see Super 8.

This is one of those movies that stands up well as a story. Think of it as Close Encounters of the Third Kind meets E.T. meets Stand by Me and you've got it.

It is also the perfect summer movie. Action, adventure, some romance, and a lot of great memories.

Then, after you've seen it, click here to see if they got all the historical stuff right.

And if you are going to be personally shooting off fireworks this year, make sure you check out this message from Fire Marshall Bill on the unknown dangers of fire!

For some great firework memorabilia, follow this link...

Strike Three Called... Frank McCourt and the Los Angeles Dodgers Strike Out

2011-06-27T11:27:00.001-07:00

I awoke this morning to the news that pigs were flying, hell had frozen over, and that apparently, after a month of Sunday’s, the apocalypse was upon us.

For those raised on the steady stewardship the O’Malley family provided the storied Los Angeles Dodgers for over 40 years, news this morning of their bankruptcy filing was like a sucker punch.

This is a franchise that was once one of the most valued in sports. And the most innovative.

Baseball farm system? Developed by the Dodgers. First black baseball player? A Dodger. West coast baseball? Pioneered by the Dodgers. Tiered stadium design so all fans had open sight lines with no columns? Yep, that too came from the Dodgers.

Campanella, Snider, Reese, Koufax, Drysdale, Garvey, Orel, Fernando, and of course, Jackie Robinson.

Mike Piazza might have made that list, but after O’Malley sold the team, the new owners didn’t think he was worth keeping around.

We have been assured in press releases from the current owners today that there will be "no disruption to the Dodgers' day-to-day business, the baseball team or to the Dodger fans."

What the current owners, Frank and Jamie McCourt, fail to understand is that their ownership constitutes a disruption of the Dodgers baseball team and is itself, a continuing nuisance to the fans.

From the moment the political leadership of Los Angeles rebuffed Peter O’Malley’s offer to build an NFL Stadium on Dodger property and bring football back to LA, we were doomed.

O’Malley saw the writing on the wall. Understanding that it was becoming increasingly hard for a family to make money with baseball as your sole business, he thought he would use his own money and build a brand spanking new state of the art football stadium in LA.

Los Angeles politicians however were still wedded to the aging Coliseum downtown and told him to back off. They had it handled. Strike one and O’Malley sold the team to Rupert Murdoch, head of FOX Broadcasting.

Soon after taking over, FOX axed the famous grilled Dodger Dog and then handed future Hall of Famer and fan favorite Mike Piazza his walking papers. Strike two.

Murdoch then sold the team to longtime Boston residents, Frank and Jamie McCourt, who learned nothing from Murdoch about respecting local legends and fired broadcaster Ross Porter, a Los Angeles sports institution almost before the ink dried on the contract.

Now I can understand that it is your team, and you should have the right to hire and fire who ever you want, but when you choose to whack a 28 year loyal employee, don’t you think a personal call might be in order?

The McCourts let Porter know he was being let go after 28 years by leaving a message on his answering machine! It was called third strike in the heart of the fans. And that was before we knew the lovely duo of Frank and Jamie had leveraged the team finances in a single handed bid to save the Los Angeles real estate market.

Today the Los Angeles Dodgers are bankrupt.

I hope the judge that will settle this understands that this bankruptcy extends well beyond the finances of the Dodgers. I hope he understands that it reaches into the very soul of this once great Los Angeles institution.

Like Murdoch before, the McCourts have failed.

Let’s hope there is indeed some disruption in the “day to day operation” of the Dodgers, because since the O’Malley family sold the team, that operation has struck out.

It Must Be True, I Saw It on The 'Net!

2011-06-22T10:41:00.001-07:00

Some things are cool, like this image by Octavio Ocampo, titled Solo para Siempre. Some things are just weird, like these little tidbits below.

Every once in a while we just need to change it up so we don't get stuck in a rut. Enjoy!

An eagle drops a deer on power lines in Montana leading to a power failure in that state. Who knew an eagle could do that? Maybe he wanted it barbecued... See the report here.

Here's a new spin on the old line asking if that is a gun, or are you just... well you get the point. Read about it here.

Apparently the now unemployed representative from New York is not the only person who has some issues with the whole social media, texting, tweeting universe. Believe it or not, even Amish folk are not immune.

And finally, just when you thought things could not get worse, a story like this comes along. I am not gonna ruin it for, suffice to say this has a very high ick factor.

Rep. Anthony Weiner Will Never Measure Up To This

2011-06-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

All this talk about Anthony Weiner and his, well you know... has had me reminiscing about the good old days.

Those days growing up in a little town east of Los Angeles. The biggest things going on in our little hamlet generally happened in the parking lot of In-n-Out Liquor at the corner of Glendora and Service Avenues.

That was where my friends and I bought our half gallon jugs of Mother's Pride Root Beer, stole magazines, and watched the flames dance from the torches of the old Love's Wood Pit Barbecue.

The center that housed our beloved liquor store was one of those classic strip malls of 60's that were so prevalent in the suburbs. I think there were maybe 8 small stores that were part of this little hub.

There was a craft store where we bought all the models we used to put together with that incredibly dangerous glue, a beautician, [in those days they were not called salons] a laundromat that also housed the local Chinese Hand Laundry, and of course a Fotomat. For you young folks, Fotomat was where we took film from our Kodak Instamatics to be developed in just one day!

And we had the Capri Theater. It was one of those big types of theaters that sat about 1000 people. I saw my first movie, Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, there. If you weren't playing baseball over at the park, the place to be on a Saturday afternoon was definitely at the Capri. I saw a ton of those great Disney classics there.

But one day, in the parking lot, we all got to see something really special. Sometime around around noon, on a day long ago past, he rolled up, got out, and showed everybody who was there the biggest wiener we had ever seen!

It was magical. The stuff of dreams. Must've been about 20 feet long.

It was, of course, the Oscar Mayer Wiener Wagon.

This is the only wiener I care to be seeing in public and much more interesting than any of that other junk that passes for exciting news in todays world.

An American Classic Turns 40

2011-06-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

One of the cars I lusted after as an uninformed kid was the Pinto, from Ford. That was before we knew a rear ender could send you to eternity faster than warp drive on the Enterprise.

But that didn't matter. People thought this car looked cool and you wanted it. You even wanted the station wagon with the fake wood grain on the side. And if the car was orange, that was even better.

This year the Pinto turns 40. Here's a nice story on the classic.

And yes, this is one of those early Ford ad photos showing a cheerleader mom hauling the kids around.

What was the first car you wanted as a teenager fresh from the DMV with your newly minted license?

Memorial Day 2011; A Great Idea

2011-05-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

[from the scranton times-tribune]

Water, Water Everywhere... We Hope!

2011-05-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

While people in the United States have been busy looking for ways to portray those with whom they disagree as loony, I've been busy with some friends looking for water in Southern Mexico.

Two weeks ago I arrived in Oaxaca again to put a drill rig we recently purchased to the test. Our task was to drill a well at the demonstration farm we have been working on in Tlacolula, Oaxaca for about two years.

Here's a good picture of our team next to the rig.

[dave miller along with his team, tom, mark, and jay]

We started drilling on a Saturday, and at noon the following Wednesday, we had reached 20 meters. [that's about 66 feet for you metrically challenged folks]

Now if you are like me, you are probably thinking that 20 meters doesn't sound like much. Especially for almost five days work. But on Tuesday afternoon another local well driller came by to what we were doing. He was drilling a well 60 meters deep and he said he was getting about a meter a day. He had been at his well for 50 days and had reached a depth of 50 meters!

Once I heard that I was pretty happy.

The ground where we are drilling is incredibly rocky. At one point Monday, we were measuring progress in inches, not meters. But we just kept at it. At about 16 meters, we hit a small vein of water. It is not enough to sustain our farm, but all signs point to us finding that kind of water at about 30 meters.

[no, they are not resting... they are adding some weight to the drill stem...]

The work is not glamourous. It is dirty, time consuming, and tedious. You start early, and you end late. Or you just keep going. But there is a payoff. Eventually.

For us and my ministry with Adventures in Life, that payoff will be local farmers learning some new ways to increase their crop yields and better manage their water resources. This will lead to more food on the table, a better standard of living, and healthier lives.

In an area where the infant mortality rate is over 10% for all children under five, how can we not look at this as a good investment in God's Kingdom.

And a much better use of our time than bickering over politics, the NFL lockout, and why on earth Scotty is our new American Idol.

Just Stop It!

2011-05-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

[from the LA Times]

Stop it!

Enough is enough.

This constant carping from both sides of the political spectrum over who is to blame or who gets the credit is tearing us apart.

Are we not able when we see something good happen in America to simply step back a few moments and enjoy it? Or does each side of the political aisle have to look for way to score points?

It is as if people immediately fall into some type of Alice in Wonderland wormhole when their candidate, or party, is not in office.

Let me give you a couple of examples.

In early 2009 when Barack Obama was sworn in, GOP partisans instantly began calling the economy his, as if there had been no involvement, good or bad, from President Bush and the largely Republican Congress that had been in charge for 6 of the prior 8 years.

The Democrats, feeling outraged, chimed in almost immediately that perhaps it was unfair to criticize the new President for the economic anemia that had its roots in an earlier day. President Barack Obama was about as responsible for the economic failures of the US when he took office as I was.

And yet that did not stop the partisans from making that accusation. Barack Obama was almost singularly responsible for every financial problem we had and had personally wrecked this once great economy.

Fast forward a couple of years and let’s look at a more recent example, the successful raid and killing of Osama bin Laden last week.

I have watched the predictable back and forth since then and I am as disgusted now with the Democrats as I was then with the Republicans.

Beyond the facts that are known, and they are many, the blatant rush to claim political credit for the killing of this little turd is little more than another fine example of political revisionism and convenient memory loss.

It is as if, for many, George Bush and his team of people who worked tirelessly to find Osama bin Laden, streamline and connect our 12 million intelligence agencies never existed, or spent their days in office sipping margaritas on the beach.

If in 2009, President Barack Obama cannot be held responsible for all of the economic woes of our country, because of the policies of the past president, it would seem to follow that he also cannot get all of the credit for getting bin Laden, as much of the groundwork that led to his demise was begun during the Bush Administration.

But perhaps I am the one who has fallen into some other parallel universe.

Maybe my fervent hopes that as a people, we Americans of all political stripes could set aside our ideologies for the sake of compromise, pragmatism and a mutual search for the common good are just a pipe dream.

For more on this, check out this excellent piece from Tim Rutten, “Snapshot of a Split America.”

And then if you need a laugh, check out Bob Newhart's excellent advice in this video to someone suffering from psychological distress and apply his remedy to our politicians.

Happy Birthday to the Say Hey Kid

2011-05-06T11:35:00.001-07:00

Willie Mays turned 80 years old today.

No one who has ever played the game was a better all around player. No one.

And it is doubtful that in this greedy day and age that anyone will ever come close to greatness and grace that Mays exuded both on and off the field.

In the early 1980's my wife was selling shoes at a little storefront in Las Vegas when a woman came in and asked to see some mens shoes. She brought them out and then the woman rather sheepishly asked if she could take them to the car and have her husband try them on. Seems he was a little shy.

My wife, selling on commission said of course. And as she watched it finally dawned on her. Willie Mays was outside trying on shoes.

A public star, but in real life, a shy private man. My wife got his autograph for me, which I cherish to this day.

Willie, may you receive double the blessings today on your day, for all the joy you have brought into the lives of countless others.

Happy Birthday.

I'm Calling for a Change Up

2011-05-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

[One of my favorites, Juan Marichal, had a great year in 1968, but does not make the cut]

That's right, a change up. We are streaking towards Memorial Day, the proverbial beginning of summer. But more than that, Memorial Day also means it is time to start thinking seriously about baseball.

When I was younger, the first weekend in February was when pitchers and catchers showed up to spring training. It gave them a few extra days to get some work in before the rest of the team showed up. In that vein, today we are going to take a look at some of the best years by a starting pitcher in the last 50 years.

So here's my list, in no particular order.

1. Sandy Koufax 1966 - Even though he toiled in pitcher friendly Dodger Stadium, his year represents a career for some people today. 27 wins, 27 complete games. Need more? Over 300 K's, an ERA under 2.00, and only 77 walks in 323 innings pitched. All with arthritis in his pitching elbow.

2. Bob Gibson 1968 - Maybe the greatest single pitching year ever. His dominance caused MLB to lower the mound to give hitters a better chance to actually hit the ball. 22 wins, and 1.12 ERA, and 29 complete games. Over one 10 games stretch, he allowed only 2 runs.

3. Vida Blue 1971 - This Oakland A's rookie set the baseball world on fire, and then just as quick, his fire dimmed, never again matching the brilliance of his rookie year. But for one shining year, he was phenomenal. 24 wins, 24 complete games and an ERA under 2.00. All with those white shoes Charlie O made his team wear. Did I also mention that he struck out over 300 batters?

4. Denny McLain 1968 - For some reason McLain gets left off a lot of these lists. Maybe it's because his year was just so sick, it is almost hard to believe. 31 wins and 28 complete games in a not to be believed 41 starts. Sadly, he only had one more dominant year before his personal demons caught up with him.

5. Ron Guidry 1978 - Louisiana Lightning. His year in 1978 was what was needed to propel the Yankees over the hated Red Sox. Guidry was the last pitcher to pair 25 wins with an ERA under two [1.74]. This guy was money on the mound losing only 3 games all year.

6. Dwight Gooden 1985 - New York was his apple. As a lanky 20 year old, Gooden finished 24 -4 with a 1.53 ERA. Throw in 16 complete games, 8 shutouts, and an undefeated September and you have one of the best years of the modern era.

7. Steve Carlton 1972 - Unlike today, back then the Phillies were an embarrassment, winning only 59 games all season. But Carlton was on the mound for 27 of those wins. Lefty, as he was known, finished the year with one of the worst teams in history with an ERA of 1.97, 30 complete games, and 310 strike outs.

Honorable mention...

Randy Johnson 2002 - I can admit it was a great year. But I have always had a bias against carpet baggers.

Greg Maddux 1985 - Another great year, but sorry Greg, you gotta win 20 or you don't make my list.

Pedro Martinez 2000 - 20 wins baby! Sorry, but it was a dominant year for him. Martinez has possibly the strongest argument for being part of the list, but again, ya gotta win 20!

Roger Clemens 1997 - Another carpet bagger, and a steroid user to boot. Sorry Roger.

Wild Cards - because I grew up in Los Angeles watching the Dodgers.

Orel Hershiser 1988 - 59 1/3 scoreless innings. That stat alone makes him worthy of the list. But he also won 23 games, the Gold Glove, and led the Dodgers to the World Series title.

Fernando Valenzuela 1981 - Fernandomania was born that year as he threw 8 shut outs in a strike shortened year. But the importance of that year had immense ramifications in the Latino barrio known as Chavez Ravine.

Here was one of there own doing battle against the established powers of baseball and winning. With his arm, with his glove, and with his bat. When was the last time you saw a pitcher used as a defensive/hitting replacement late in a game?

So there you have it. Now... who did I miss?

Short-Term Mission With Long-Term Vision...

2011-04-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I spend a significant amount of time serving in short-term mission in Mexico with Adventures in Life.

One of the biggest problems facing short-term ministry today is the tendency to not only serve short-term, but think short-term as well.

I have addressed that issue and included some thoughts on how the US church, by far the largest participant in short-term mission work, can reframe its thinking to a more long-term approach on my ministry blog.

Read about it here and leave your thoughts!

You've Been Surplussed

2011-04-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

The other day I was in church when I learned a new term. During the prayer time, one of our members, a teacher here in Las Vegas, shared that she had been surplussed.

Not having any idea what that meant, I turned to my wife, who generally is much smarter understanding these things and she explained that surplussed is the nice way to say we got too many teachers.

But the problem in Las Vegas isn't that we have too many teachers, it's that there is no money in the system to pay them.

So instead of just saying we are laying teachers off, a politically risky move, we now just surplus them. You know, categorize them as extra. Like too many ball bearings at an axle factory.

The problem is, we are not talking about a commodity here. We are talking about real people. People who just a few years ago we were convinced we needed to educate the children of the Las Vegas Valley. Is that not true now, or were we wrong then?

In a state woefully short on quality education in good times, imagine what havoc this will wreak on our education system now. Las Vegas regularly ranks at, or near the bottom of the pack in almost every educational marker, including per pupil spending. Yet while the truth of that sets in, our politicians seem intent on closing a budget short fall they themselves helped create, not with a mix of spending cuts and revenue increases, but solely by cutting spending.

As anyone who has ever grappled with a tight budget at home knows, seldom can you make all the ends meet by just tightening the belt. There comes the time when the stay at home mom or dad must get a job, or perhaps a second job, to bring more money into the pot.

There is always a point at which you cannot cut budgeted spending any more and expect to move forward. You must consider ways to raise additional revenue.

If we are at a time when teachers are told the state can no longer afford to have them educating our children, and that they are little more than surplus, perhaps that time has come in Las Vegas.

Bishop Oscar Romero and Real Tyranny

2011-03-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

31 years ago today, Bishop Oscar Romero was assassinated by pro-government forces in El Salvador.

His crime? Daring to use the church pulpit to denounce a government that was openly, with US government help, targeting, torturing, and killing their opponents and demanding some rights for the "least of these," as Jesus might have termed the poor of Romero's country.

This week I will be serving with a pastor in Oaxaca, Mexico who fled El Salvador during those times. Times when he says you could not sleep because of the noise of people crying in the night for relatives who were tortured for resisting the government. Times when bullets flew indiscriminately with just one mission, to kill.

As we remember Bishop Romero, it just might do us good to recall what real tyranny looks like.

It is not a government making you get health insurance, and it is not a government taking away your right to have a union ask your bosses for a raise.

Oscar Romero and many of his Christian brethren of El Salvador who also died trying to serve the poor of this small Central American country knew first hand what government tyranny looked like.

Vegas Craps Out Again... Sahara Hotel to Close

2011-03-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

[the sahara hotel, scheduled to close may 15, 2011... from the las vegas sun]

I am frequently asked by friends and acquaintances how it is in Las Vegas and if things are improving.

Here's a couple of items that should help with that answer.

First up is an article that tells the story of our housing market. Almost 70% of all homes with mortgages in the Las Vegas Valley are under water.

And then, the Sahara Hotel and Casino, a longtime anchor at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, will be closing its doors in May.

Taking a Right Turn

2011-03-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

[here i am in a little water soaked cave midway to the colorado river]

Sometimes you just need to get away from it all.

Legendary Marquette University basketball coach Al McGuire used to talk about his drive to the university each day. He talked about coming to a tee in the road where he could turn either left and head into the city, or right, and head out to the country.

The city held all the hustle and bustle, energy, noise, and electricity of thousands of people recognizing the famous coach. The country was where he could be alone in the quiet of the Wisconsin day, unknown in appearance to all but a few.

Usually he said, he took the left turn and headed into Milwaukee. But every so often, to keep his sanity, and reconnect with who he was, he turned right and headed straight for the quiet roads of the more rural areas of Wisconsin.

A couple of days ago, I did just that. No, I didn't go to Wisconsin, but I went hiking here in Las Vegas with my son. Far from the Strip, away from all the glitzy lights of the city, are places where you can walk and see nature as it has been shaped by thousands of years of evolution.

We headed out to Goldstrike Canyon, and took the three mile trail all the way to the Colorado River. My blogging friend Tim favors skiing, but for me, a chance to hike, in the warmth of the sun and scrmble over some incredible boulders is an incredible get away.

It is my right turn away from the city. Enjoy the pictures.

[here we are about half way down to the river]

[amazing how little water a cactus needs to flourish]

[the payoff is in sight, el rio colorado]

Some Pre-Lenten Reading

2011-03-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

Each year as we head into the Lenten season and Ash Wednesday, it seems as if for a lot of people, their hearts turn towards the spiritual side. This year I feel will be no different, so let me get ahead of the curve and share a few items that have recently come across my desk.

First up are a couple of videos. Actually it is one video broken into two parts talking about Christianity and the Mayans in Mexico. The first video starts at the Pyramid of Kukulcan [pictured above] in Chichen Itza in the Yucatan.

Taken together, the two parts give a good overview of the impact of Christianity in Mexico. If you have served with me in the past, you will want to check out both of these clips.

I apologize for just giving links, but the embed code has been disabled on both of these clips. Part 1. Part 2.

Next up is a little post titled "Is Christianity Evolving or Eroding?" If you keep up on the latest news coming out of the Christian world, you know the name Rob Bell. Well it seems that Bell, like Brian McLaren before him, has decided to ask some questions about hell. At least that is what the dust jacket for his most recent book, "Love Wins" says.

As you can imagine, that has jump started the religious discussion this Easter season. The post I've cited has collected some great posts from people on the issue.

Then we have something from one of my favorite writers, Don Miller [no relation, at least not this one!]. It is titled "When Truth is the Enemy of Truth."

Miller, like me, is one who likes to ask questions. The problem is, a lot of times, orthodoxy does not like questions. You can imagine how that plays out when it comes to religion. Check this one out, it is a good read.

Finally, from Eugene Cho, comes this little gem.

Sometimes, in our zeal as Christians, we lose sight of the fact that we are to act in love towards not just our brother, but our enemy as well. As Cho talks about contending for the Gospel. he urges us to do so without being jerks.

Good counsel for all of us I'm sure.

Was President Bush Right?

2011-03-01T09:17:00.000-08:00

I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and this is one of those moments.

Most of you know I am a pretty strong partisan when it comes to politics. But I try to be fair.

I can't stand it when the two sides of our political divide are guilty of some horrible behavior when the other party is in office, but get chagrined when it happens to their guy. To me that is part of the problem in politics today.

We need an atmosphere that will allow each side to celebrate the accomplishments of the other side, simply because it is, or even may be good for our country.

Let's face it, Republicans are about as likely to be Worshipers of Satan as Democrats are to be part of the Sons of Hitler Facebook group.

So let me say this.

While I am not sure it will all work out as we might wish, President Bush was an early voice calling for democracy in the Middle East, something perhaps we are seeing in the earliest stages today in places like Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia.

Additionally, let's give Bush and his administration credit for the work they did in curtailing the nuclear ambitions of Libya and their leader, Mr. Qaddafi. [ Read more about it here ] You might remember it was in 2003 that then President Bush and his administration announced the removal of the remnants of the Libyan nuclear program. Can you imagine what we might be looking at today in that country had that not come to pass?

George Bush, it looks like ya done good!

The Mission... Oaxaca 2011

2011-02-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

Many of my friends have been asking to see some pictures of our work in Mexico. You can view some great shots not only of our ministry, but the people and area of Oaxaca here.

Brother Joe Ramirez and his team of photographers from The Rock Church in San Diego came and tirelessly shot picture after picture of what we were doing to document the work and help publicize our mission.

I have written about how his specific ministry can make an impact on people at my Adventures in Life Ministry blog, "notes from dave..."

Check it out. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from my time in Oaxaca.

here I am waiting for a glass of the aztec drink, tejate,
with pastor chable

hermanas julia, her daughter norma, and maria elena... they cooked all week for our group...

our team of men, pastor jesus, and pastor americo and his family

hermana julia heating up a batch of zapotec tlayudas on her comal

see more of brother joe's photos and those of his team at MISSION Focused

Is There a Doctor in the House?

2011-02-22T08:57:00.001-08:00

I need to see a doctor today.

I've been battling a bad sinus infection since I was in Oaxaca, Mexico and now my medicine is about out and I am not feeling much better.

The trouble is, a visit to the doctor costs about $100.00 these days.

I asked my wife to look up some other options and this is what she found out.

I can go to urgent care for about $75.00 and wait with some really sick folks for a few hours to get a new prescription. I can go to Walgreen's for about $60.00, or I can see my own doctor and have to endure all the normal medical stuff you face when you are over 50. In case you missed it, the last time I went in to see her for a sinus infection, she felt a need to check my prostate. I never prostate problems could cause a bad cold.

So here is what I am thinking. We need something like urgent care, but for guys. Maybe we can call it Murgent Care, urgent care for men.

First off, all visits are $50.00 or less. Second, they only treat, or check out what you tell them to check.

None of this treat the whole body crap. We're men, and we've learned to live with a certain level of pain and discomfort, so just leave that stuff alone. Just treat what we want you to treat.

"Yes, I know doctor I have a raging infection on my finger, but I've had that for three weeks now and can live with it. Besides, I need to get back to work so just give me something for the flu."

"No! I am not here to have my annual colonoscopy, I hurt my back yesterday and need some pain medicine."

"No sir, I am not going to loosen my pants! I am here to have a cut stitched up on my arm, you don't need to be checking out anything down there."

Why can't doctors understand this? Maybe it is different for a woman, but when a man goes to the doctor, he ain't going in for a full physical. He is going in because he is really sick. Men do not do checkups, we just want to get well and wait another 10 years before returning.

But apparently that option is not on the table these days, so I'll be off to some office where they will ask me why I am there, look at my throat, pretend to listen to my chest, check me for a hernia, and then write me that prescription.

Then I'll pay them a Benjamin, go to the pharmacy, and hopefully put off my next visit for another few years.

Murgent Care, urgent medical care for men. The time has come.

Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Oaxaca

2011-01-19T10:57:00.000-08:00

Here's where I am headed...

Oaxaca, Mexico for three weeks and then to the Yucatan for some time with family and friends.

Our ministry time will be spent drilling one or two water wells, planting corn for a late spring harvest, setting up a couple of small green houses and finishing up construction of a training center for Zapotecan church pastors and leaders.

I will post as I can to keep folks up to date.

Blessings all and remember to pray for us!

A Short Break...

2011-01-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

While much of the country frets about snow, cold, ice and the recent shootings in Tucson, sometimes it is better to focus on our personal stuff.

My 86 year old dad has taken a turn for the worse, so I am off to see him.

Right now that is more important than the next football game or some idiot with a gun who needs to be in a mental institution.

Peace

Pop-a-Shot Busboy Schools Kobe Bryant

2011-01-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

As we wait for the new Congress to come up with some sensible, practical solutions to high unemployment, out of control health care costs, and things like crumbling infrastructure, let's take a moment or two to focus on something even more important.

FUN!

That's right, FUN. Something we tend to ignore as we get older and problems seems to mount.

This Jimmie Kimmel video is just fun. I mean what else can you say when NBA great Kobe Bryant gets schooled in the fine art of shotmaking by Ricardo the Bus Boy!

Enjoy.

Congress, Health Care, and Politics

2011-01-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

Congress is getting to their first order of new business, repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [PPACA] signed into law by President Obama last year.

It is interesting to note that the justification the GOP is using to repeal the act is that they have heard the voice of the people, and the people, in the recent election, resoundingly rejected the direction of the Obama administration.

Well here are a few central parts of the PPACA that are already in force, as detailed in this column by Eugene Robinson at truthdig.

No child can be denied insurance coverage because of a pre-existing condition.
Coverage can no longer be canceled when the policyholder gets sick.
Insurance companies can no longer impose annual or lifetime limits on payments for care.
Adult children can remain on their parents’ policies until they turn 26.
Policyholders cannot be charged extra for seeking urgent care at an emergency room that is not in the insurance company’s approved network of providers.
A rule that gives seniors free screening for cancer and other diseases.
A requirement that insurance companies spend a certain percentage of the premiums they collect on actual care.

Does the GOP really think a majority of Americans do not support these provisions?

Certainly there are things in the new law that need to be fixed, and even the Democrats want to do that, but when they tried last year, the GOP said no, preferring the chance to be able to tell their base they stood for total recall.

Instead of fixing the bad parts of this legislation, a common Washington practice, the GOP played politics.

So I look forward to the next few months as Republicans try and convince us that since they won a majority of seats in the last election, they have a right to legislate as they see fit, because the American people said so.

I just don’t understand why they did not support that right after the 2008 elections when the Democrats won big.

Can someone answer that question for me? Please.

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

I took the above picture a few years back when I was at the Rose Parade in Pasadena. This year my family and I will again be enjoying the parade in what I hope will be sunny and dry Southern California.

My sincere best wishes to you and yours as we celebrate the coming of 2011!

Games People Play

2010-12-28T09:54:00.001-08:00

For as long as I can remember, I've been a gamer. And not the type most people think when they hear that from someone from Las Vegas. I don't play the slots, the poker machines, roulette, or anything else likely to take away a large chunk of my money.

I am not a Mortal Combat player and I've never been in a Halo Tournament. I will admit to a love for some of the original NES and Sega games, but that is about as electronic as I get.

For me when I say I am a gamer, think cards and board games. Classic or new. Doesn't matter, I just like the experience of sitting around a table with friends and having some fun.

So here's my list of what I am playing this week.

Pandemic - My son got this game from his girlfriend and it is completely different from anything I have ever played. Because you work together to beat the game. My wife says that I am already addicted, and she may be right.

So here's the scoop. Working as a team, you strive to stop deadly outbreaks of diseases before they overwhelm the planet. I've never played a game with people where at the end of the game, no one is pissed off because their friend beat them.

If you are the type that gets frustrated because someone always has to win, and you tire of the constant competitiveness in games, Pandemic is for you.

Contrario. - This is a great word game for kids and adults that causes you to really twist the way you think about words, phrases, and sayings. It goes quick, needs little or no space, and you can take it to your neighborhood coffee bar pretty easily. All in all, a great game.

Quiddler and Five Crowns - Quiddler is card game where you make words. Five Crowns is similar, but you make combinations of runs and groups of numbers and suits. Think Rummy with a twist.

Here is what I like about both of these games. They are easy to learn, the games go quick, and they allow for plenty of conversation around the table as you play, perfect for date nights and playing in a group.

All of these games can be played with two people, something not always possible with the new generation of games out there.

Each of the links above will take you to a site called Board Game Geek, which I guess I am.

You'll find lots of info on all sorts of games and some great prices in the event you find yourself longing for a little quiet entertainment with family and friends sometime soon.

Let's Move, Sarah Palin, Hypocrisy and Pass the Dessert

2010-12-20T08:34:00.000-08:00

Yet Another Update...

As more and more people hear about Ms Palin's snarky attempt to slam First Lady Obama over her efforts to get Americans to think and do something about childhood obesity, we add another voice to the mix.

Today the Wall Street Journal, no friend of liberals, came out in an editorial supporting Ms. Obama in this ongoing saga. The Journal admonished the former Alaska Governor not with empty criticism, but with her own words from a 2009 State of the State Address.

Sarah Palin, when she was in government said the same thing that Ms. Obama, a private citizen, has been saying for months, that "we can save a lot of [health care] money and a lot of grief by making smarter choices, ending destructive habits and beginning healthy habits in eating and exercise."

As each day goes by, it becomes increasingly clear that even if First Lady Michelle Obama was to 100% agree with Sarah Palin on an issue, which in this instance is true, Ms. Palin would disagree.

Makes you wonder why, doesn't it? Any thoughts?

Here's the link...

Update...

I recently came across this quote that obesity is... "a national health crisis . . . [that] is driving up healthcare costs and crippling the fabric of our communities."

Based on the hysteria that has followed First Lady Michelle Obama from people like Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck as she has tried to encourage Americans to exercise, eat better, and lose weight, you might assume this quote had come from the health care loving I'm gonna take away your dessert socialist commie Democrats.

You might assume that. And you would be wrong.

The above quote came from Steven K. Galson, the last Surgeon General of the administration of Presdent George W. Bush, who considered American obesity a health care epidemic.

It seems Michelle Obama sees our obsession with obesity and unhealthy foods just like the Bush Administration did, and yet neither of these charlatans, Beck or Palin found time to be critical of that Administration.

Blatant hypocrisy...

Here's the link.

***************************************************

Enough already! Or as we say in Spanish, Ya basta!

I am generally a middle of the road guy when it comes to politics. Sometimes I lean a little right, and sometimes I lean a little left.

But something I saw today just got my goat.

It seems Sarah Palin, of whom admittedly I am not a fan, once again took a shot at First Lady Michelle Obama. Her criticism was not about any policy issue mind you, she was being critical of Ms. Obama because she has had the audacity to suggest that perhaps, maybe, quizas, we might want to consider cutting back on the amount of sugar we allow our kids to eat and get our them exercising.

As study after study continue to show, America has a problem with obesity, and for a lot of people that problem begins in the younger years.

Ms. Palin apparently, does not think that encouraging the youth and families of America is something First Lady Obama should be doing.

For her, this is a parental rights issue. Parents, in Palin's view, know best, and need no advice, or encouragement from someone like the First Lady.

And so, she has been unsparing in her snarky ridicule of a program with a single goal of raising healthier children.

Ms. Palin, I have a few questions for you about this.

1. Is anything Michelle Obama has suggested in her Let's Move campaign a bad thing?

2. Were you as critical towards First Lady Laura Bush for suggesting that kids read more?

3. How about First Lady Barbara Bush, was it wrong for her to promote literacy when George the Elder was President?

Now I know that Sarah Palin is not coming to my blog anytime soon. I also know that she would have no problem with either of the causes the Bushes supported, even though, using her logic, a parent has a God given right to educate, or not educate his or her children as they see fit.

That leads me to believe that the only reason for opposing First Lady Obama's program to encourage healthy eating and exercising habits in children is nothing more than blatant hypocrisy and partisanship.

Something we see way too much of from our elected and public leaders.

Penguins Targeted As Next Source Of Cheap Labor

2010-12-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

Cute little things aren't they? Who doesn't like penguins? But the worlds penguin population is in mortal danger and it isn't from global warming.

While many people argue about the validity of climate change, penguins are concerned with something more daunting than the melting of their homeland... Capitalism!

Let me explain.

We have been watching a steady march towards a capitalistic world since the mid 19th century. One of the things that makes capitalism tick is a cheap work force.

Europe and the United States sorta got the ball rolling using slave labor, the ultimate in cheap labor. But then Lincoln freed the slaves and the corporate types had to look elsewhere.

Enter our friends south of the border. People who would do an honest days work for an honest hours pay up here in the good old US of A.

But then the unions entered the picture and demanded that people actually get paid a living wage in exchange for working every day.

To combat this we had this idea that if we located our factories down there, we could make even more money. Soon factories all over Latin America were roaring to life making goods for our consumer driven society paying their workers as little as $2.00 a day.

But that was not a low enough wage to ensure the big profits that we needed in our 401K's and stock portfolios so the Wal-Marts of the world went looking elsewhere. Besides, after a while those workers demanded to see their wages go up, sometimes to as much as $10.00 a day.

So we turned our eyes upon that vast untapped employee resource, China. It was perfect. Far enough away and mostly closed to the press and those pesky human rights people that wages looked to remain low for years to come.

The perfect capitalistic marriage, insatiable desire on the part of the west and unlimited low wage resources in the east.

But wait, China is changing the equation. They are investing heavily in Africa. Is this because they have figured out that eventually their own lowly workers, like those here and in Latin America, will soon see that the promise of an honest days work for and honest hours pay won't work there either?

Could it be that China has looked at the world and surmised that the only workers left to be exploited live on the African continent? I mean even a few bucks a day is great when you have nothing.

Perhaps soon, instead of everything here in the US saying "Made in China" it will say "Made in Nigeria, Ghana, Burundi," or some other country over there.

All this has got me to thinking.

There's only one continent left where capitalism can look to for cheap labor. Antarctica.

So you penguins better start organizing now, because we'll be coming for you soon.

Nothing comes between a good capitalist and cheap labor.

A Few Questions About Immigration

2010-12-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

As our congress debates over whether to approve the DREAM Act, or vote it down, I've decided to pose a few questions, let folks respond, and see where it heads.

Without further fanfare, here we go.

1. If it can be shown that US policies and practices have had a negative impact on the economy and employment picture of another country, do we have a responsibility to help mitigate that impact?

2. If someone is willing to study hard, get a degree and/or serve our country in the military, is this the type of person we would want as a US citizen?

3. Should the US have set standard rules for obtaining a VISA that are transparent and objective that applicants from other countries can understand and work towards?

4. Can anyone give me a rational explanation as to why a person can come here illegally from Cuba and receive legal status, but someone coming illegally from any other country, communist or not, is subject to deportation?

And finally, number 5.

If everyone who arrived here illegally looked like Salma Hayek, who recently admitted she was once an illegal alien, would we really be so concerned about this?

A Little Sports Potpourri

2010-12-07T10:37:00.001-08:00

1. I miss Dandy Don. Early Monday Night Football announcer Don Meredith passed away yesterday. For all you folks who like watching football, I am not sure I can explain the importance of Don Meredith and his two buddies, Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford to the sport.

They came along when football was just another game, along side basketball, and right after the baseball season. But Monday Night Football changed that. It was an event. It was appointment viewing, either at home or in a bar. Monday Night Football made the NFL and sports television what it is today.

If you go to sports bars to watch games these days, thank Don, and Howard, and Frank.

Rest in peace Don Meredith... and say hello to Howard.

2. Auburn vs. Oregon in the BCS Championship. I admit, I am conflicted about this. I grew up rooting for the Pacific 8/10 and have been a fan all of my life. But my son went to Auburn and I have come to love that school.

I have many friends who have attended Oregon, and a nephew who is also an Auburn grad, so picking a winner is going to be tough. But here is where I am.

I am taking Auburn in a lower scoring game than most people think. I think Auburn coach Gene Chizik is a better defensive coach than Oregon coach Chip Kelly, and defense wins championships. Sorry Gordon.

3. Adrian Gonzalez signs with the Red Sox. With apologies to my blogging friend Shaw over at Progressive Eruptions, this is another nail in the baseball coffin.

Following a trend that started when Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause of baseball, Gonzalez is the latest star to leave the team that gave him his start for more money. Is it any wonder kids have no allegiance to a specific team.

Except for a few rare exceptions, gone are the days when players were identified primarily with one team. Think Mays and the Giants, Ripkin and the Orioles, Koufax and the Dodgers, and now Jeter and the Yankees.

While good for the Red Sox, this was bad for baseball.

4. With apologies to Peyton Manning, Tom Brady is the man in the NFL. A winner and champion to me is someone who can elevate those around him to another level. Think Magic Johnson here. He came to a team that had all the parts and made them champions.

If you take Tom Brady off the Patriots, they are not the same team. They'd still be good, but not the dynasty they are on the verge of becoming. If this team wins the AFC and the Super Bowl this year, Brady just might replace Joe Montana in the eyes of many as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

5. A judge has ruled in favor of Jamie McCourt in the Dodger Divorce Duel. This potentially means that to settle their divorce, the McCourt family will have to sell the Dodgers.

I could only hope that maybe Magic Johnson might be interested. We could do a lot worse.

The War on Extremism

2010-12-01T18:26:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine shared this with me today. It is written by one of my favorite authors, Donald Miller. Sadly, he is not related.

I am just posting a snippet for you here. Follow the link, read the entire article, and let me know what you think.

A few nights ago, twelve friends and I attended the lighting of the Portland Christmas tree in Pioneer Square. My friends had all flown in for Thanksgiving, and we decided to join ten-thousand others who walked from all over downtown for the event. What we didn’t know is the spot where we squeezed into the crowd was 25 feet from a van filled with what a young man believed were six, fifty-gallon barrels of explosive material. As you know, the FBI had staged a sting, and as the young man made a call on his cell phone from the train station across town that would detonate the bomb, we were singing Christmas carols well within the blast zone. We didn’t hear about the threat until the following morning, and didn’t even know how close we were to the bomb until I saw a picture in the paper, taken only a few steps from the corner of Pioneer Square where we had been standing. read more...

Thanksgiving, Excess, and the Economy

2010-11-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

Thursday for dinner we had turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, collared greens, macaroni and cheese, gravy, rolls, and of course dressing.

For dessert we had lemon cooler cake, angel food cake [for my birthday], sweet potato pie, cool whip, and ice cream.

It was a veritable feast, of excess.

Friday and Saturday most of America got up early and hit the malls, shopping centers, and of course, Costco. For another type of excessive feast, the annual weekend buying spree to get every little boy and girl those special 27 gifts for Christmas.

At the end of the day, we went home, repeated the ritual feeding with the Thursday leftovers and then settled into our own personal food comas, to watch another 6 football games on our 72 inch HD cable connected flat screen televisions.

Over the last few years many Americans have lost their homes, jobs, families, and in some case, their lives as a result of the ongoing economic woes here in the United States, brought on in large part by a need to have more, bigger, and nicer things.

It seems as if we have become insatiable in our desire to have more than we really need.

The problem is we have grown as a nation to depend on it. If all of America was to suddenly decide to live a life based on real needs, as opposed to wants and supposed needs, imagine what would happen to the economy. Just consider the recent set of economic numbers from Washington. Overall they were pretty good. Until you get to new housing starts, which were down.

Many leading economists believe we cannot recover from the downturn until that particular number turns around.

But do we really need more new houses? Are people living on the streets because we have a housing shortage in this country? I doubt it. Yet Americans have grown into an almost cult like belief that we are entitled to everything we want, when we want it, and in large quantities, available only at Costco.

Somehow when President Washington declared Thanksgiving a national day of thanks, I don't think the picture he had in his mind was what the day and weekend has become.

Any thoughts?

Oaxaca, Ministry, and a Chance to Make a Difference

2010-11-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

Yes I love politics, and sports, hanging out, reading, and lots of other stuff.

But what I really live for is this, seeing lives changed through a radical living out of the Gospel of Christ.

Every February I lead a group of men on mission in Oaxaca, Mexico. This year we are building a house for a director of a Zapotec Training Center partially dedicated to our work helping indiginous farmers in what is the second poorest state in the country.

Get in touch with me if you want to be part of this trip because I can use your help. It's only a week out of your life to make a real difference in Oaxaca. Click here to register and get more info from Adventures in Life Ministry.

February 5 - 12, 2011

One week to make a real difference, are you in?

Just a Little Humor for Your Weekend

2010-11-04T10:10:00.000-07:00

After the last few weeks of political battles, I thought it was time for a couple of pics designed to make you laugh. The first one is a little subtle.

I can understand the anger towards Harry Reid, and I've even commented on it in past blogs, but even Reid haters should be able to laugh at this sign that was prominently in south east Las Vegas in the days before the election.

An educated electorate is a good thing.

And then a good friend sent this over to me, appropriately titled...

"Adam and Eve in the Garden of Islam"

Have a great weekend...

Better the Devil You Know?

2010-11-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

Today is the day.

Today millions of Americans will head to the polls to either take America back from someone, presumably the Anti Americans, or to vote against the extremists. You’ll be able to tell who is voting against the extremists because they include the Code Pink people and folks who wear cow costumes to political events.

Here in Nevada, the biggest race is between Senator Dirty Harry Reid and Sharron Extreme Right Angle.

I am amazed at the conversations you can have here if you are willing to put up with a little foaming at the mouth from folks.

Those supporting Ms. Angle decry the government getting involved in all walks of life, yet they reject her ideas to privatize Social Security, the VA, and Medicare. Apparently anti government ire has its limits and those limits run about like this…

Keep the governments hands off of my Medicare.

And while many in the crowd supporting Angle believe that elected officials should just follow the will of the people, many in Nevada suspend that view when it comes to Yucca Mountain and a national nuclear repository.

The Reid supporters, who are apparently unable to say Ms. Angle’s name with adding the extremist moniker, seem fundamentally unable to grasp that folks are worried here and want to see an end to the economic crisis and the way it is impacting our state.

Everyone knows Reid is prone to making verbal gaffes, but he does not have the personality of Joe Biden to weather the storms connected to those gaffes.

The Reid camp does not seem to understand that his statement that the war in Iraq was lost, true or not, was offensive and hurtful to people, especially in a military state like Nevada. Calling a sitting President a liar, another Reid classic, does not win you a lot of friends back home.

And so here we are, forced to choose between the lesser of two evils in our little insignificant state that is made up primarily of land owned by the federal government.

As for me, I am a living example of the old Tip O’Neill adage that “All politics is local.” States like Nevada do not have a lot of influence back in Washington. I believe that it is not in our best interest to enter the fracas known as the next national budget cycle with one hand tied behind our back.

Nevada will need every resource, friend, and trick in the book to guard our interests in the coming season of declining revenue.

Freshman senators do not have that kind of clout, but I fear I am in the minority with that thinking here in Nevada.

I believe tomorrow morning we will wake up to the news that Sharron Angle has upended Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid.

**Update**

The Associated Press and Fox News have just called the race tonight for Senator Reid. At this moment, Sharron Angle is not winning her own county. Like Former Vice President AL Gore in 2000, the people that knew her best, her friends and neighbors, did not have enough confidence in her abilities. Here's hoping this will be the last we see of the person the conservative newspaper, the Las Vegas Review Journal, twice called the worst legislator in the state.

Jesus For Congress?

2010-10-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

Just a few more days and then we can return to our regular diet of commercials for little blue pills, feminine hygiene products, and the latest gadgets you can get for only $19.99 plus shipping and handling.

But wait, there’s more!

That’s right. Before you can experience that return to nether land and enjoy a sweeps month of no reruns of your favorite shows, you have to endure one last week of campaign ads, all aimed at convincing you that everyone running for office is either:

A. a sleaze ball
B. a thief, murderer, or child molester
C. a commie, socialist, pinko, gun hating Godless idiot
D. an extremely estreme extremist or
E. all of the above

It’s a wonder anyone would want to serve when to get elected, you must subject yourself to the most heinous character assignations imaginable.

Valerie Dixon, writing in the On Faith column of the Washington Post recently, wondered how Jesus might fare if he were running for office in any of the most competitive districts across the United States next Tuesday.

See what you think as he imagines what types of commercials His opponent might run.

On foreign policy:

Scene: A shot of the World Trade Center towers falling.

Voiceover: 9/11. The nation suffers the worst attack on its soil in history. But Jesus says that we ought to love the people who did this. He says: "do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who misuse and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44) Love al Qaeda? Do good to the people who attacked us? This is no plan to keep us safe. Jesus. Soft on defense. Wrong for America.

On guilt by association:

Scene: Nighttime on a city corner where prostitutes and drug dealers are doing business. Cut to Jesus having dinner with the same people.

Voice: People are known by the company they keep. Jesus is friend to prostitutes, drug dealers, tax collectors. Is this the kind of man we want in the United States Senate? Jesus. He's just not one of us.

On family values:

Scene: Children outside playing in the yard, happy and carefree. The father is washing the car while the mother watches from the kitchen window. Everyone is happy and contented.

Voice: Strong families are the backbone of America. Faith and family are what make this country strong.

Next scene: Father and son are screaming at each other. A daughter stomps out of the room, slams the door and leaves the mother looking lost and bewildered.

Voice: But Jesus wants families to be at war with each other. He said: "For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be those of his own household." (Matthew 10: 35-36) Is this what we want for our families? Is war in our homes a family value? Keep Jesus in Nazareth and in the carpenter's shop. We do not need him in Washington.

On Jesus' patriotism:

Scene: Jesus is speaking to a large audience. He says: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of Judgment than for you." (Matthew 11: 21-22)

Voice: Why does Jesus hate America? Do we really want someone who hates his country so much making laws for us? Real America, tell Jesus no on Election Day.

On socialism:

Scene: A scene from the movie Dr. Zhivago when he comes home from the war to find strangers living in his house. The woman says there was room for many families here. Freeze frame.

Voice: Karl Marx says that the government ought to take from each according to his abilities, and give to each according to his needs. This is socialism. This is communism. Jesus agrees with Marx. He says to be saved, you have to give your hard-earned possessions away. He said: "Go and sell whatever you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven."(Mark 10: 21) Jesus. Socialism. Dangerous for America.

Your thoughts?

Buffalo, Wings, and Beef on a Weck

2010-10-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have been on the road the last week of so. After a conference in Wisconsin, I traveled a little further east to Buffalo, New York, home of the famous Buffalo Chicken Wings.

Let me just say that this place has a list of must eat foods about a mile long.

Pizza, beer, wings, beer, beef on a weck, beer, and of course, more beer.

Once I got through the stuff above, I was talking to a guy and he gave me a list of other things I must try. Look like I'll have to go back. After I lose the 27 pounds I put on in my three days.

But let's start with the big one. It is what Buffalo is famous for. Chicken wings. From the Anchor Bar. You buy them in plates of 10, 20, or 50.

Anchor Bar is the original and in the minds of locals, the only place worth going. Get 'em extra crispy because they'll hold up to the sauce better and make sure they're hot, as in spicy. Dip away in blue cheese dressing, wipe your face about 50 times, and just enjoy the experience.

But it is not all about wings. Buffalo is also the home of a marvelous sandwich known locally as "Beef on a Weck." Weck is short for a Kummelweck roll. It's a little variation of the french roll and comes topped with caraway seeds and kosher salt. Add a pile of roast beef, horseradish, and a pickle and you've got it. Beef on a Weck.

We went to a place called Charlie the Butcher for ours. It is completely worth the trip, in my opinion, delivering a much better sandwich than the classic french dip from Philippe's in Los Angeles. And since the roll is a little smaller, you can get two sandwiches and experience daily special from Charlie.

Here's a few other pictures from my time in Buffalo. Enjoy!

[ 20 wings from the anchor bar ]

[ those same wings a few moments later ]

[ pizza from another Buffalo favorite, Nino's... you keep the wing box open so the steam does not make them soggy ]

Diaper Rash Changes Everything

2010-09-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Last night I was at bible study. Normally there are about 8 of us guys, all around 50 years old, and it’s a good time of fellowship and study.

But last night there was a youngun among us.

I mean to say one of those under 30 types, fresh faced, and a new dad to boot.

When we got to the point where we talked about prayer requests, he had the line of the night… “Diaper rash changes everything!” We all about died laughing. Think of it as the “been there done that” laugh.

That got me to thinking about how guys change when kids come into the family.

Kids can reduce even the most hardened individual into a belly blowing, face making fool. But there is so much more.

Men who would never think of playing with their food at the dinner table suddenly think that the best way to teach a kid to eat is to convince him that it is not really food, but a toy. And that you get to eat that toy. Think flying spoons here.

Is it any wonder kids are confused when parents get mad at them for putting toys into their mouths?

Men, who can hear the slightest difference in a car engine, or a new noise in the suspension, suddenly go deaf when the lights go out. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about here.

It’s three in the morning, and young Mr. Dad is pretending that he can’t hear the blood curdling screams in the next room. To make it worse, when he wakes up, he’ll ask you when the baby got up, as if he wasn’t aware.

Men, who can tell from outside the refrigerator that the milk in the carton is bad, tend to lose the ability to smell when kids are born. It’s amazing, but thank God it is only a temporary condition, as full recovery usually comes a few weeks after potty training is complete.

But perhaps most of all, us guys seem to lose the ability to communicate with real words in a normal language. Between the goo goos, the gaas gaas, and the rest of a litany of made up words and sounds, we somehow think that kid of ours can understand us.

It’s just too bad that for a lot of us, that ability to effectively communicate, unlike our senses of hearing and smell, never seems to return to normal after kids.

Yep, diaper rash changes everything!

Mexican Independence, Is Everybody Happy?

2010-09-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

At 11:00pm tonight, millions of people will gather in state capitals and cities all across Mexico to reenact the famous "Grito de Independencia."

It was 200 years ago this year, in a little town then known simply as Dolores, Mexico that Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, called the nation to fight for independence from Spain with his famous Grito, or shout.

Here's a short video of former President Vicente Fox issuing the Grito from the exact place Hidalgo stood 200 years ago, that little town of Dolores.

But tonight, and tomorrow as the country celebrates, all is not well. Oh sure, people will take off work, go on picnics, visit friends and family, but underneath the surface there will be unease.

Worries about security, lack of jobs, governmental corruption, poverty, and thousands of people either missing or dead in a seemingly never ending drug war are always there. Just below the surface.

For many, they will celebrate, but there will be no joy as chronicled in this story from CNN.

Tonight, as President Felipe Calderone, still perceived by many to be an illegitimate president, issues the Grito, there will be another Grito in the hearts of many of my Mexican brothers, sisters, and friends.

And it will not be the pretty Grito you will see tonight on the evening news.

A Little Sunday Humor

2010-09-10T12:59:00.001-07:00

[thanks elwood]

Burning The Koran, Is Silence Acquiesence?

2010-09-08T10:06:00.000-07:00

Hello, is anybody there?

Florida pastor Terry Jones has announced that on Saturday, September 11, he, along with the members of his congregation will hold a meeting at his church to burn copies of the Quran, the Muslim Holy Book. This despite being denied a permit from the city, making the act illegal, and requests from the military to not do so.

General David Petreaus, and other military leaders, are on record saying that this act will incite violence against American troops in the Middle East and make achieving our military and political objectives in that region more difficult.

So let me pose a few questions.

Where are our political leaders in this country? Or more appropriately, where are our Republican leaders? Wasn’t it the GOP that went ballistic, and rightfully so, when MoveOn.org published that “General Betray Us” ad?

Did not we see the faces of John McCain and others in that party saying essentially that criticism of General Petreaus at that time was tantamount to treason? Wasn't there a hue and a cry from GOP leaders about the release of the GITMO photos because doing so would needlessly endanger our troops?

What about the blogosphere? Normally whenever anyone on the left does something that goes against the wishes of the military, the right wingers go bonkers.

But all we hear now are crickets. Why is that? Could it be that to be critical of Pastor Jones at this time would not advance any political aims?

But I expect this type of response and leadership from politicians and their lackeys. What I am really surprised at is the lack of response from this nation’s religious leaders.

With the exception of Jim Wallis at Sojourners, and those connected to his circle of influence, we have heard nary a peep from the rest of the Christian community.

One might be tempted to say that is because our Christian leaders are rightfully focusing on matters of faith and avoiding political issues. But this has never been the case before as Christian leaders Gary Bauer, James Dobson, Pat Robertson, and even Franklin Graham have all weighed in on political matters in the past.

Is this how Jesus would have reacted? Would he demand total allegiance to the law when it suited his political aims, think immigration, and yet look the other way if it was convenient? Or would he have found a way to live out his admonition to "love your enemy?"

Perhaps the silence from our churches and her leaders on this issue really is their response, in the form of quiet acquiescence.

I hope not.

Update***Late Wednesday Haley Barbour, GOP Governor of Mississippi, GOP House Leader John Boehner, Sarah Palin, and Reverend Pat Robertson voiced their disapproval of the actions of Pastor Terry Jones of Florida.

2nd Update***Thursday afternoon, Pastor Terry Jones announced that his church would not proceed with their book burnings. Read the AP report here.

Little League, High School Football, and $50 Million Bucks

2010-08-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

As we head into another fall season of football, a couple of items caught my attention.

I was at my pastors house the other night and he was watching the Little League World Series on ESPN. Today I picked up a newspaper and sat down at Cici's Pizza for lunch and there it was again. 11 and 12 year old kids playing baseball on national television.

While watching, I opened the paper to the sports page and there at the bottom, just below the fold, was an article on a Texas high school spending over $50 million bucks on a new football stadium.

Maybe I am missing something, but this does not seem healthy to me. In an era of less spending on education, maybe spending that $50 million on educating that schools athletes might have been a better investment.

Perhaps things like kids playing baseball on national television and high schoolers playing football in $50 million dollar stadiums contributes to a mentality of privilege that tells athletes they can have it all, are above the law, and that the rules don't apply to them.

I don't know. What do you think?

What's a Chilean Mine Worker To Do?

2010-08-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have finally returned from two months in Mexico, am sorting through a mountain of e-mail, and I come across a headline in the news that talks about the plight of the trapped Chilean mine workers.

As you may be aware, a group of 33 mine workers were trapped about 1000 feet underground in San Jose, Chile a little more than two weeks ago.

After fearing the worst, authorities were amazed when they actually were able to make contact with the workers and learn that, while pretty wiped out, the boys were indeed alive.

But with that good news comes some bad news.

It seems as if the mine company in Chile must have contracted with BP Petroleum for the rescue because the bad news is that it will take 4 months to drill a hole through which the miners can be rescued!

I am guessing that after 4 months underground the tooth brushes that the guys asked for will be the least of their worries.

Maybe the Chilean government could ask Johnson & Johnson to sponsor the rescue effort and send down a case of Shower to Shower so the boys can sing out “A Sprinkle a Day Helps Keep Odor Away!”

Since presumably the miners are all guys, I'd recommend the sport version...

A Ministry Break and a Chance to Blog...

2010-08-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

This is literally my first chance to stop, take a breath and write since the middle of July.

Serving in Mexico, while certainly a blessing, can be a challenge for communications, especially on the limited funds many of us missionary folks usually have.

So after looking over more than 300 e-mails and returning a bunch of telephone calls, and rerouting some cancelled plane reservations, let me share a little.

My last two or three weeks have been spent in Oaxaca, Mexico. For those unacquainted with Mexico, Oaxaca, located in the southern end of the country, is the second poorest state. A majority of the 50 poorest cities in the country are located within Oaxaca.

These are the areas where I work. Places with names like San Pablo Guila, San Baltazar Guelavia, Santa Cruz Papalutla, and San Pedro Amatlan.

The farmers from these areas are struggling to stay alive. Kids come to camp with no change of clothes because the family cannot afford one. It is not unusual for a family to go days at a time without eating meat or eggs.

It is difficult for me to hear people from the United States say they are poor when I have spent time with people from these villages. Maybe poverty is relative. Maybe it depends on where you are from, or your perspective.

For instance, I am writing this from Queretaro, Mexico. Almost the antithesis of Oaxaca. Next to Mexico City, Queretaro is perhaps the most advanced city in this vast country. And one of the wealthiest. Middle class homes here sell for about $200,000 dollars, not pesos!

A lot of the people in Queretaro may not even be aware of the poverty many of their paisanos in the south face on a daily basis. And that is where I find myself right now.

In a beautiful city with good friends, surfing the net, enjoying some fantastic food, while some of my other friends struggle to have a meal of tlayudas and beans. Because they live in a place where people steal water tanks from ranches just so they can be sold to make ends meet.

Some days the tension between these realities and my life in the states is really hard.

Coffee, Arts, and Crafts

2010-07-09T16:10:00.001-07:00

Huichol art, Mexican crafts, and great coffee. Where am I? I am in Cafe Arabica, my newest coffee haunt in Ensenada, Mexico.

I was introduced to this place soon after it opened earlier this year by a good friend and it has quickly become my northern Mexico office.

First, the Huichol art.

Known primarily for their beaded representations of jaguars, deer, and iguanas, the Huichols, one of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, are also famous for their colorful string art. All of the designs in the picture above are made from continuous strands of string or yarn dyed to whatever color the artist needs.

Most of the art from this group, hailing from the central Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit, takes years of practice to perfect. The work is incredibly laborious, yet the results, as you can see, are spectacular.

The current display of Huichol art is being shown alongside classic rustic Mexican tables you would expect to see in the Guadalajara region of the country. Rough sawn wood, exposed hinges, black iron handles all combine to give this furniture a unique strong Mexican look.

The weight, depth, and roughness are the perfect complement to the detail and delicateness of the Huichol string and bead art.

Then there is the coffee. The owner and I spent a nice morning the other day talking. He shared how he used to have two or three shops along the main tourist boulevard and with the economic slow down, was unable to continue.

So he decided to open a place for us locals. And serve great coffee. He seeks out some of the best coffee grown in Mexico, primarily from places like Oaxaca and Veracruz, and is committed to giving his clientele a great cup of java, in a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere.

And comfortable it is. With two interior rooms and an outdoor patio set inside one of the oldest buildings in Ensenada, you can easily forget where you are and imagine sitting in a cafe in one of the more colonial cities of Mexico like San Miguel Allende or Guanajuato. Combine this with a professional staff that knows how to serve and make you feel welcome and this place is unlike any other in Ensenada.

So the next time you are in Ensenada, stop by Cafe Arabica, it is on the corner of Blancarte and Calle Segunda. You’ll be glad you did. And if I am in town., the coffee’s on me!

Satire, Flash Mobs, and Parodies... Oh My!

2010-06-29T07:49:00.000-07:00

Lately we tend to see a new group of flash mobs invading our cities every summer. Everything is fair game from "Thriller" to "Everybody Dance Now."

So here's my question, what will be the big one this year?

Here's one from last year, using a little ditty from the "Sound of Music."

Parodies and satires have been around for awhile now. I can remember listening to some of the old classic satires from folks like Tom Lehrer and Spike Jones on the old Dr. Demento Show on KMET Radio, Sunday nights in Los Angeles.

Parodies are another thing altogether, and for the current popularity of that, perhaps we have none other than Weird Al Yankovic to thank. His hilarious send ups of current hits were a staple of the 80's. Think "Like a Sturgeon" or "My Bologna," mocking Madonna and The Knack respectively.

Today I came across a funny riff on the enormously popular "All the Single Ladies" from Beyonce.

It's called "All the Wrinkled Ladies." If you know the original, I think you'll like this "newer" version. It's from Anita Renfro.

See you soon. I'll be serving in Mexico for awhile, so my postings, and comments will be sparse. Blessings!

Maíz, Corn, and Immigration

2010-06-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

I was talking to friend awhile back and he asked me about immigration. His question was along the lines of why people from Mexico come to the states looking for work, as opposed to staying in their own country and finding a job.

Let me answer that as best I can.

In Mexico, Maria needs to buy corn to grind into masa to make tortillas and any other number of incredible Mexican culinary delights.

Increasingly over the last few years, the cost of buying that corn locally has climbed. It has not climbed because the growers are making more money, it has climbed because the raw costs associated with corn growing, things like water, seed, and fertilizer have all gone up.

Now what is interesting in this is that the cost of buying corn in Mexico that is grown in the United States has actually gone down.

Now the savvy folks out there are probably saying “Well of course Dave, we are more productive growers up here.” And you know what, we may be. But that is only half of the reason.

The other half has to do with the fact that the US government subsidizes US corn growers, guaranteeing a non level playing field between us, and the Mexican farmer.

In essence, what we do for our corn farmers is this.

We guarantee them a stable price for their corn, and even sometimes pay them to not farm, just so we can manipulate the price of corn.

There is no free market in the US corn industry.

Because of this, international corn dealers can dump cheap US corn on the Mexican market, essentially creaming the local village farmer.

So what does Juan do if he cannot farm corn profitably on his ancestral land anymore? He comes to the US to seek work in beef and chicken slaughterhouses where the animals we stuff full of good old US feed corn are processed.

As I talked with my friend, he began to see why this was a problem. And then he asked me why Mexico just didn’t support and protect the price of corn in their country like the US does.

Interesting isn’t it? Instead of becoming indignant that the US government is subsidizing prices in a supposed free market system, my friend asks why Mexico doesn’t do the same thing our government is doing.

Do you know what the answer is? It is because when the Mexican government tried to impose tariffs on the importation of cheap US corn [syrup] to protect their sugar cane growers, we took them to court, charging illegal trade practices.

To quote Sidney Weintraub, a political economist with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC., “The Mexicans never had a chance because their argument was based on fair play, and the US [argument was] on law."

Now the sugar industry in Mexico is struggling to stay afloat, sending even more potential immigrants towards el norte looking for work.

I wonder why Mexico just can’t get this system fixed.

Tlayudas Anyone?

2010-06-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

This will be my lunch Tuesday after I land in Oaxaca, Mexico. A giant tlayuda with all the trimmings.

One of my favorite foods.

I'll be back later in the week.

All Eyes Are On Washington Tonight

2010-06-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

*Update Below*

Tonight is the night. The phenom takes center stage in Washington D. C. and I ain’t talkin’ about Sarah Palin, Rand Paul, Barack Obama, or any other politician.

Nope, today is not about primaries, tea parties, and oil. Today is about Stephen Strasburg, the fireballing right handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals.

To hear his backers tell it, this guy is Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan, and Walter Johnson all wrapped in one, with perhaps a little Carl Hubbell on the side.

The savior of a franchise. The Lord of the mound, the anointed of Major League Baseball.

I am not sure we need to really play the game tonight. After all, it is against Pittsburgh, one of the worst teams in the National League for as long as I can remember. Let’s just give the guy a win and call it good.

Even Dan Patrick and the Danettes were musing on the radio this morning about the possibility of a no-hitter.

Not one to want to throw cold water on a party, but we’ve been down this road a few times before. Here’s the pattern.

Young player is dominant in high school or college, signs for millions in bonus money and is quickly brought up to the bigs because no owner is making this type of investment to watch a kid play ball in Toledo.

Now some of these kids make it, but for every Koufax, who took 7 years to become the dominant pitcher he was, there is a Mark Fidrych, a one year respite from the doldrums of summer.

I am not saying young Mr. Strasburg will not have a long, spectacular career. I hope he does. I am just saying let’s keep our wits about us. While it is entirely possible this kid is the second coming, it is also possible he will be just an average pitcher, struggling with control and lacking a major league curve ball when it counts.

Besides, even if he flames out quickly, we’ll soon have Bryce Harper, baseball’s newest 17 year old future star coming up soon. He was just drafted last night and will be signing for about $345 million dollars to play for the same team as Strasburg, the Nationals.

I wonder where Rich Reichardt is today?

*Update*

In his debut, Strasburg struck out 14 in seven innings while walking none. A pretty impressive performance for the rookie pitcher.

Now Entering the Hall of Fame, Ken Griffey Jr.

2010-06-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

Sometime in the early 90's I decided to take my son to see the California Angels play the Seattle Mariners at Anaheim Stadium. We went figuring we would be able to by tickets at the gate, because back then no one ever went to see the Angels play.

As we were walking into the parking area, us savvy folks always parked outside and saved a few coins, a guy approached me and wanted to know if I wanted some good tickets. I think I paid $40.00 for two club level seats just up the third base line from home plate.

It was the perfect place to watch Ken Griffey Jr. hit. And hit he did.

I am not sure when it happened. I am not even sure who won that night. But this much I know. Griffey hit a line drive shot out of the park that night and we saw it.

Now I know a lot of you are saying big deal, lots of guys hit home runs, and I agree. But not every hitter can put a ball clean out of the stadium. And very few will ever do it like Griffey.

You see, he didn't put the ball over the tops of those right field bleachers. Nope. He put that screaming line drive through the entrance tunnel to the seats in right field. He could have killed someone. It was one of the hardest balls I have ever seen hit.

Yesterday, Ken Griffy Jr. retired from the game of baseball. From 1993 through 2000, he was the most feared hitter in baseball. An all star every year, gold glove winner every year, and the American League leader in home runs 4 of those years.

He was the total package, hitting .294 and 351 home runs .

And he did not take steroids.

Griffey is retiring with 630 lifetime home runs. In my book, that places him fourth on the all time list, right behind Aaron, Ruth, and Mays.

I count myself as privileged to have seen the future Hall of Famer play.

Congratulations Ken Griffey Jr. on a great career.

It's a Nice House...

2010-05-23T18:05:00.001-07:00

Church this week started just like any other service. A nice welcome, a few songs, and then our pastor asked for prayer requests.

One guy, about 60 just says "yeah, pray for me, they're gonna take my house, it's a nice house, I've been there 11 years. You can get it cheap..."

I live in Las Vegas, Nevada and I belong to a church that has a lot of members from Michigan.

The two states with the highest unemployment in the nation, Michigan and Nevada. Thousands of people living with upside down mortgages, no more unemployment benefits, lack of work, and facing foreclosure.

"They're gonna take my house..."

I can't get the words out of my head, because my heart is still breaking.

Luke, I Am Your Father...

2010-05-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

30 years ago this weekend I was standing in line at the Brea Mall in Southern California with my wife to get into the just released second installment of the Star Wars Trilogy, "The Empire Strikes Back." Here's a great story on the anniversary.

Like many, I was stunned when I heard the line "Luke, I am your father" uttered by the epitome of evil, Darth Vader.

Growing up in So Cal, this was what summer was about. Movies, baseball, and hangin' out, usually at the beach.

Didn't life seem so much more enjoyable then?

Have a great weekend...

Mexican President Calderon Addresses US Congress

2010-05-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

The Speech, or at least bits of it, as it was called by the commentator on C-SPAN, from Mexican President Felipe Calderon. My comments are in the brackets [… ]

Our Congress is standing around… apparently no one told folks you don’t start a party for someone until they are in the building…

The speech starts and I switch to Univision because after yesterdays horrible translation job, I want to hear the message in Spanish. Felipe is speaking in English, and they are translating back into Spanish. I switch back to C-SPAN.

Calderon states at the top that Mexico was the first country in continental America to abolish slavery…

Mexico is confronting organized crime with determination and courage… [that line gets a standing ovation even if it is a failed effort]

Calderon states that to restore public security in Mexico will cost still more lives, but will ultimately be won…

He states that the challenge to their security has roots on both sides of he border… that the US desire for illegal drugs is part of the problem…

Here is what Mexico is doing to solve the problem. They are using the military and weakening the financial abilities of the gangs and arrested many felons, [except those from the Sinaloa Cartel… see this NPR Report].

They are moving to an open and transparent judicial system… [finally Felipe]

Mexico needs help… please stop the flow of assault weapons across the border… I’ll let the GOP work on that… He states that he admires the US Constitution and the 2^nd Amendment, but, our open gun laws are helping fuel the violence in Mexico… The violence in Mexico, Calderon states, primarily started in 2004, when the assault weapon ban was lifted…

Calderon is asking for help here… half of Congress stands and applauds… the other half sits quietly…

Mexico is trying to keep their public deficit at 1% of GDP… [imagine of we did that]

Felipe is touting the investment of the gov’t in the infrastructure of Mexico… [I am still waiting to see that investment in the areas where I work]

Mexico did not bail out their banks, not one cent went for bailouts… [take that you bailout favoring socialists!]

Calderon is making his case that Mexico is determined to move forward, and because of an economic recovery, [that I am not seeing] the country is already moving forward, expecting 4% economic growth... [good luck]

And he says they are auctioning national wireless opportunities… [just give them to Slim and save yourself time, he’s gonna get them anyway. Carlos Slim owns almost 90% of the Mexican telecom market]

“We are improving the quality of all Mexicans under the principle of equal opportunity for all.” Great statement Felipe, but you didn’t say that your reported drop in poverty has done little in the indigenous south… [and all the numbers were from 2006, before the worldwide economic crisis.]

Felipe says they are providing more and better education… [Tell that to the maestros de Oaxaca]

I think Pelosi is falling asleep…

Universal health care by 2012... [Long a goal of the PAN Party, but I will wait until I see it. Again, one side of our Congress sits and another applauds, even though since a lot of our politicians say Mexicans come here for free medical care, universal care in Mexico might just keep some of them home, a fact Calderon quickly points out as he heads to the issue of the day, IMMIGRATION]

Now Nancy wakes up, and Felipe switches to Spanish to speak to his paisanos in what for many, is their native tongue, I am sure some in Congress are loving this now…

And he says… in Spanish, we are working hard for your rights in Mexico and we miss and admire you for working hard to make America great… But we are working to provide you jobs in Mexico… we are determined to assume our responsibilities for the immigration problem… we do not favor the breaking of rules… I fully respect the right of any country to enact and enforce it’s own laws… but we need to fix a broken system… we favor laws that work for everyone…

The goal of Mexico is to provide people the opportunities they are looking for… I am convinced that comprehensive immigration is crucial to securing our borders… however I strongly disagree with the law in Arizona… [no surprise there]

Now onto climate change… global warming demands the commitment of all countries and Mexico was one of the first to commit to reductions… because of your global leadership, we need your support in November in Cancun… [are you inviting me? Nancy was pretty quick on this applause line, maybe she has never been there]

Mexico is transforming… to a country of laws, security, and a place free of fear… with a future where dreams can come true…

I believe in North America as the most prosperous region in the world.

Let us work together to give our people the future they deserve…

God bless America, Viva Mexico!

President Calderon had a lot of nice things to say. He was correct in some areas, and he was putting the best foot forward on some others. Whether Mexico can become the Mexico of his dreams, remains to be seen.

Calderon is still deeply disliked by many in the country who resent his election and believe Mexican Courts illegally intervened to give him the Presidency in 2006. [Sound familiar?] This fact, and the ascendancy again of the PRI party, a group very effective at saying no, should make real progress difficult in the near future.

Time will tell.

Sports and Role Models... Are We Expecting Too Much?

2010-05-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

[Baseball great Henry "Hammerin' Hank" Aaron and Willie "The Say Hey Kid" Mays]

I was talking to friend of mine the other day and in a round about way, we touched on the subject of role models and sports. He is a big Los Angeles Laker fan, and by extension, a big fan of Kobe Bryant.

I have been a Laker fan since I began to follow basketball. From the teams of West, Goodrich, Baylor, and of course, Wilt, I have been dyed in the wool Laker purple and gold.

I listened as those early great teams always seemed to fall short to the dreaded Celtics. I also listened on my little transistor radio as they ran off 33 consecutive wins right after Baylor retired, and finally broke through to the NBA title in 1972.

I was hooked watching Magic, Kareem, Worthy and the rest of the Showtime gang rescue us from the mediocrity of late 70's teams that included names like Robisch, DiGregorio, and Tatum.

But today, on the eve of the next round of this years NBA playoffs, I must confess that it is hard for me to root for the Lakers. And the reason is Kobe Bryant.

For me, Kobe lost some of his luster with his 2003 arrest for rape, a charge that ultimately went unproven, a common occurrence in rape cases.

My buddy says that it is what happens on the field that counts. It is what happens on the court, between the lines that counts. He says that what athletes do in their private life is up to them, and the bottom line is, to quote Jim Rome, scoreboard baby!

But is it?

A few years back, Sir Charles Barkley made the announcement that he was not a role model. He claimed that kids should look to parents, and whether or not kids looked to him as a role model, that was not his issue.

However, when people play their sports like OJ Simpson, Lawrence Taylor, Tiger Woods, and yes, Kobe Bryant, they are role models. Whether they asked for the role or not.

Over the weekend, Major League Baseball held a Civil Rights Roundtable featuring among others, two of the games greatest players, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.

Here is what Aaron, who endured countless death threats as he approached Babe Ruth’s home run record thought about role models in sports, as reported by Mike Bauman of mlb.com.

On the topic of role models, which was central to the roundtable discussion, Aaron related a story about a blue-chip football recruit he met at the end of his own playing career. The player was being sought by big-time college programs and Aaron noted how he looked the part, impressively large and muscled. The young man's idol was Walt Garrison, who had been a prominent running back with the Dallas Cowboys. Garrison was also a longtime spokesman for a brand of smokeless tobacco.

As a result, the football prospect used "snuff" incessantly. He eventually died from the effects of it. Aaron said that whenever he thought about what his actions as famous baseball player meant to young people, this example came to mind. He was inescapably a role model.

Think about that last sentence. He was inescapably a role model. Unlike Barkley, both Hank Aaron and Willie Mays understood this and made lifestyle choices based on this reality. They did not let themselves get in situations that might be misinterpreted, or reflect badly on their employers or their sport.

Is it too much to expect the same type of decision making maturity from our sports stars today, knowing inescapably that whether they like it or not, they are role models?

In light of the fact that we pay them millions of dollars to play a game, I think not.

What are your thoughts?

Is This Your Church?

2010-05-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post videos twice in a row, but this one came to my attention yesterday.

As a church guy, I visit almost 30 different churches a year in both the US and Mexico and when I saw this I couldn't resist.

Enjoy...

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Pistol Packin' Mama

2010-05-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

I listen to a lot of different music. I happened to catch Willie Nelson last week on The View.

He performed an old country classic, "Pistol Packin' Mama" from his newest album. Even at 77 years of age, Willie still knows how to sell a song. Many are saying this album, simply titled "Country Music" is his best in years.

Note in this video how closely he interacts with his fellow guitar player and back up singer over his left shoulder. The guy has his eyes locked on Willie to know exactly what his boss is going to do.

Enjoy!

Cinco de Mayo... and Immigration

2010-05-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

[Victory of Cinco de Mayo]

I was talking yesterday with someone about Cinco de Mayo and I asked her if she knew what was the reason for celebrating the day. Almost without thinking, she said, "Mexican Independence Day, of course. "

Well of course, her answer was wrong. Cinco de Mayo is the day the Mexican Army, under the direction of General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the French troops in the Battle of Puebla. There is a great account of that battle and the history here.

Now in Mexico, unless you are in Puebla, the day is hardly even mentioned. It seems as if the hoopla generated by the day here in the US is more a creation of Budweiser than anything else.

Nonetheless, in honor of the day, I want to take a few minutes and share some of my personal thoughts and observations on the immigration issue as it relates to Mexico. And then I will step aside and let the more educated people and the politicians sort it all out.

I hear frequently that people have no problem with immigration, they just wish Mexicans would "play by the rules." This is a fair statement, if in fact there are rules. Or if those rules are explained.

Many may not be aware of the process to try and receive a VISA to even visit the US. After you get your Mexican passport, you must make an appointment for an interview with a case worker in one of four consulates in Mexico. They are located in Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana, and Mexico City.

When you get there, you must pay your fee for the interview, approx. $125.00, just for the interview. The fee is not a fee for the VISA, it is only for the chance to get a VISA.

During your interview, you may be asked about anything. Remember, our agents are trying to protect our country. And then after a few minutes, the interview is over. Minutes later, you learn your fate. And there are no appeals.

You are seldom, if ever, given a reason. You are just told, after having paid your fees, and followed all the rules you could find, that no, you may not even visit the US. And you are not told why.

And this is part of the problem. Mexicans want to play by the rules. They understand buereaucracy, it is in their blood. Just tell them the rules. The hard and fast objective rules. Rules that our agents must also follow.

When we do that, and eliminate a subjective judgement based on some unknown criteria, then we can say "play by the rules," because it is unfair to enforce rules that only one side knows.

I am asked frequently here in the US why Mexicans cannot just stay in their country, that we cannot afford to have them taking jobs from Americans. On the surface, this is a reasonable concern. But let's look deeper.

What if you were a steel worker in Pittsburgh and the government of China decided that they would guarantee their steel producers above market price for their steel, allowing those producers to undercut the world market, yet still get their profit, courtesy of the government?

Would you support that? Of course not. Yet that is exactly what is happening in Mexico. It costs less for Maria to buy US corn than locally grown corn. That's right, Maria can save money buying corn from the US because our farmers and US agribusiness can sell our corn at below market prices and still make money.

How can this happen you ask, because our government guarantees a basement price for corn that enables US producers to undercut emerging markets like Mexico.

This in turn has idled many small corn farmers because they have been frozen out of the local market by cheap US corn. Under these conditions, is it any wonder Mexicans might want to come and work here?

I could go on like this for hours. Our history of dealings with a country whom President George W. Bush said "that the United States has no more important relationship in the world than the one we have with Mexico, " has been shameful. And this includes the current drug war where many in the US act as if we have no guilt ourselves, even though it is our insatiable desire for these drugs that is at the root of the problem.

But none of that is to say we, as a country, do not have an absolute sovereign right to secure our borders. I just wish we could do it in a way that is mutually beneficial, respectful, and takes into account the needs on both sides of the border for the other.

Defining American Culture

2010-05-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

When people serve with me in Mexico, we try and introduce them to a little of the Mexican culture. It is my belief that until you know a little about what makes people tick; you can’t really understand and effectively serve them.

Now many people can readily identify certain aspects of the Mexican culture. Things like mariachi music, charros and the Jarabe Tapatío [the Mexican Hat Dance] from Guadalajara readily come to mind. Foods like tacos, salsa, carnitas, and pozole are some of the traditional foods many in America have experienced either here in the US, or across our southern border.

But there is another culture in Mexico as well and that is the indigenous culture. Found primarily in the south, instead of tacos and tortillas, we see more breads, tlayudas, and of course the heavy molés found in the state of Oaxaca. And we have the Guelaguetza, an annual celebration of the Oaxacan culture shared every July in almost every city and town across the state.

I bring this up because one of the concerns I have seen expressed a lot recently in the wake of the new Arizona legislation is that we are losing our American culture. I have been wondering a lot about what exactly that is.

Maybe Chevrolet had it right a few years back with their “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet.” But I would like to believe who we are can be expressed better than an advertising slogan.

So help me out. If someone came to you and asked for those quintessential examples of American culture, what would they be?

What You See At 35000 Feet

2010-04-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

If you fly a lot, you know when you get into your cereal box the airlines call a seat, you want to make sure you have access to all of the in flight magazines, especially if your journey is one of those cross country beauties.

Perhaps the best thing to look at on a plane, especially if you like to laugh, is that SkyMall Catalog. This little baby has every useless invention known to man, all of them costing at least an arm, if not more.

Well the other day I was doing a little Facebooking [Yes! It is now an accepted verb] and one of my friends had a little picture bit from The Huffington Post. It was called the Most Ridiculous SkyMall Products Ever.

Here are just a few of my favorites to start your weekend off right.

First Arrests Under New Arizona Immigration Law Announced

2010-04-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

ARIZONA (INAC News) - Three suspected illegal aliens were reported arrested in Southern Arizona early Sunday morning. News of the arrests are only now becoming public. According to Santa Cruz County Sheriff Juan Ojosbuenos, William Loper, Mary Daly, and Hans Kung were all spotted walking their dogs before dawn.

The three suspects had their animals on leashes in a local park, cleaning up after the dogs had their morning constitutional.

The three individuals are the first people detained under a controversial new law signed Friday by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.

Here is a transcript of a hastily called news conference from Sunday Evening.

Sheriff Juan - Buenos dias, dejar me un momento hacer, oops, I forgot you all don’t speak Spanish. As I was saying, give me a moment to make a statement and then you can ask your questions.

I want to say that the Sheriffs Department of Santa Cruz County acted completely within the new law. Governor Brewer signed the law Friday, and our job as members of the law enforcement community is to uphold that law, whether we agree with it or not.

My officers saw the suspected illegal aliens walking their dogs in the park. As they approached the individuals, our officers felt something was just not quite right. When they asked each of the people for proof of citizenship, all they could produce were drivers licenses, Costco cards, and a host of credit cards, none of which can legally used to establish legal right to be in the United States.

Since none of the three could prove citizenship, or provide the requested documentation, they were taken into custody.

I am thankful the members of my department put aside their personal dislikes of this new law and did their job. Now I will take a few questions.

Samuel Delamigra - La Opinion ~ Sheriff, how did you determine that these people might have been illegal?

Sheriff Juan - It was very simple, we watched them, observed their actions, and from that, made an accurate judgement that this group of individuals was not from here, and therefore had to be here illegally.

Maria Lamojada- Univision ~ But what was it that led you to initially suspect that these people were illegals? How did you justify probable cause?

Sheriff Juan - First of all, they looked different from the rest of here in Southern Arizona. And then, they had their dogs on a leash. Come on Maria, you’re from Mexico, you know we don’t walk our dogs on leashes and we certainly don’t carry bags with us to pick up dog… uh, poop. Can I say that?

Peter Lelo - Fox News ~ Hold on Sheriff, are you saying that you could tell these people are illegal based on how they looked and just their actions?

Sheriff Juan - Yes I am. Look, you heard Congressman Bilbray on Friday didn’t you? He said you can tell people were illegal, or don’t belong, by the way they’re dressed, “right down to their shoes.”. All three of these people had nice clothes, designer shoes, and, well they just stood out. So we took them into custody.

Peter Lelo - A follow up question Sheriff... you just looked at the people, and made a judgment based on that?

Sheriff Juan - Peter, Peter, Peter... you know us better than that here. We looked at other things too. Like their car. It was a Volvo. Ain’t nobody around here driving a Volvo. We all drive Chevys man. That, and the fact it had dents from some intentional accidents, were real red flags. Those dents were real man, probably from an accident targeting us real citizens, like Senator McCain said.

Look, here is what we did. We were patrolling an area where we have had some problems. In the course of that patrolling, we spotted three people in an area where they stood out and were acting in a way not consistent with the general population of that area. We stopped them and asked to see proof of their citizenship, which they were unable to produce. We then arrested them in accordance with the recent law signed by Governor Brewer.

If they are innocent, as some people are telling me, when we see their birth certificates they will be released from custody. Until that time, they are in jail, awaiting arraignment.

No mas preguntas. Gracias por su tiempo.

What Are You Listening to?

2010-04-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

I came into my office today and the Administrative Assistant had a question for me. She wanted to know why she, as an African American woman, only hears the same 30 or so songs each day from the local Christian radio station. Basically she was asking why the station was only playing the typically popular white Christian music.

Now I know that stations pay lot of bucks for demographic studies and such, but really, are we so isolated that we can't have a little variety in our radio preferences?

For instance, as I write this, I am listening to Grover Washington, Jr. in his prepop funk stage. His songs like Funkfoot, Sausalito, and On the Cusp are just fantastic. But I am pretty sure there are not a lot of 50ish white guys listening to Live at the Bijou these days.

What about you.

What is on your ipod that if someone saw it would be a surprise? What do you listen to that would just drive those demographic studiers nuts?

If you are interested, click here to listen to Sausalito, one of my favorite cuts off this album.