San Francisco - The Most Spiritually Oppressed City in America

I'm in San Francisco this week for a technology conference. The conference is downtown, and there are lots of people who are homeless or just beaten down by life. Monday I drove throughout the city and was surprised to see that it's not just a downtown problem-- it's city wide!

Most locals probably believe it's because of the fair weather; that it attracts those who don't have a home. But I live in a place with fairer weather, and have been to other places in the country with fairer weather. And it's more than about the homeless. It's about people who look as though life has been very hard on them-- it goes beyond poverty. I've never seen as many people who are beaten down by life-- anywhere!

As I thought about it I remembered some Bible verses (Daniel 10 and Ephesians 6:12, for example) talking about how demons of various strengths and ranks have rule over geographic areas. San Francisco is the strongest real-world evidence of that. I think there is high-level spiritual oppression here. This is a city where wickedness (which I define as those things that are done which are contrary to what God has communicated as good and right in The Bible)-- where wickedness rules.

To my friends who call San Francisco home, I will be praying for you with a new emphasis:

• For your focus on and dedication to walking with God,
• For your protection from the enemy, and
• For your impact on those around you and on your community.

The Dumbing Down of America

Americans are being trained by many around us to care about things that don't matter.  I live in Southern California, and today's main news story is that we have a major winter storm coming.  In fact, we are under storm watch! The details of this story that consumes about 20% of our local newscasts are that the storm may dump as much as one tenth of an inch of rain and we may experience some cold drizzle!  That's the biggest story on the news here!

Newscasters are motivated by what gets them ratings.  I get that, and Storm Watch works.  What they're not doing is boring us with the details about why our fuel prices are rising or why the U.S. is losing ground on the world leadership front.  Those don't produce ratings, and they also don't fit the political perspectives that many on the news media have.

What would happen if someone did an in-depth study on the reasons behind why our fuel prices are rising to historic levels?  They'd find it could be fixed by the public putting pressure on our political system to allow domestic drilling and require a high percentage of domestic oil be sold in the U.S.

What about the world leadership front?  They'd find it's the policy decisions our politicians are setting that are driving us into debt and that are causing world opinion to lose respect for the U.S.

When was the last time you saw something on the news about these or about how many millions are stolen from credit card users because they don't reconcile their monthly statements?  Merchants now ask us if we want receipts in a supposed effort to save the environment.  They're really cutting their overhead, while at the same time teaching consumers to not reconcile their statement (how can they without receipts?).  (This is also the real reason behind why hotels no longer change bedding daily.)

The news could serve the public if it wanted to.  It would mean going against newscasters' political perspectives, though, and most aren't willing to do that.  And their supposition that it would drop their ratings is false!  Americans are hungry for truth and for help.

An Ostrich View of Applied Medical Technology

My HMO, Kaiser Permanente, advertises that it wants it's customers to thrive, but only using older technology.

Some Background
My knee was injured in a triathlon when in college, and has been operated on six times.  It's beginning to hurt again and is making me cut back on activities, so I went in to see their lead orthopedist about it.  He's ready to replace my knee, and thinks it should be done soon.  I asked him for details on the technology he uses (which replacement knee), and he told me he's using the same solution that he's been using for the last 15-20 years.  He confirmed that it will only last 10-12 years, and that it will quite likely not allow me to continue surfing or cycling.  There are newer proven solutions available (I've paid for second opinions and done some research), but he said they stay with what they're using because it works.

So That Got Me Thinking...
What was technology like 15-20 years ago?  Here's a brief list:

• No cell phones, smartphones, or text messaging
• No hybrid cars
• No digital data & video projectors
• No satellite radio
• No DVDs or BlueRay
• No Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Netflix
• No Internet or email
• People still used/ relied heavily on:
• CRT monitors & displays
• Faxes & US Mail
• Telephones & extension phones owned by the phone company
• Dot matrix printers
• VHS & Beta video players
• Answering machines
• Typewriters

Wake up, Kaiser, and serve us better.  There's lots of good new technology available.  Help us thrive.

Political Landscape Shifts Again!

Yesterday political history was made again when Scott Brown, a Republican, won the Massachusetts Senate seat vacated by the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy.  Senator Brown won by 5 percentage points, or 120,000 votes.  Former Massachusetts Republican Governor Mitt Romney told Fox News, "To have a Republican senator, that's unheard of. ... This is monumental. This is epic."

37% of Massachusetts voters are Democrats, compared to just 12% who are Republicans!  And President Obama carried the state by 26% in his 2008 election!  This marks a definite swing.

On 7/19/2009 I posted a blog entry about why I needed to stop following the news:  the direction of politics and the way they are running the country was making me so angry.  I think many Americans feel like me, that most in the two main political parties are watching out for their self-interests and those of large contributors; they are not watching out for the American people and doing what is best for our country.

The mainstream media likewise seems to have an agenda, and it's not about what is best for the United States of America.  Rather, it's about what they'd like to see happen in the U.S. to correct wrongs-- whether accurate or not-- against the environment, less fortunate countries in the world, minorities, and special interest groups.

The American people are starting to revolt!  And it's about time.  We want our country back!  We want it back so we can fix the wrongs recently done by politicians and make this country a true world leader again!  It's time to take back the power we've given to lawyers and news agencies... those that look with disdain on the citizens of this country who are speaking out against the current tide of political elitism.

Yesterday's election in Massachusetts gave me hope.  I think that's true for many.  I pray that the U.S.A. will again become the world's beacon of hope; a place where all are equal and where the government and the press respects citizen's rights and perspectives.

IRS Announces 2010 Standard Mileage Rates for 2010

Today the IRS announced the 2010 optional standard mileage rates in bulletin ir-2009-111.

They are:

• Business Mileage: $ .50
• Medical & Moving Mileage: $ .165
• Charitable Mileage: $ .14

The IRS sets business, medical, and moving mileage reimbursement rates; the charitable mileage reimbursement rate is set by Congress who has not acted to increase the rate for years.

Tired of Bein' Angry

Our church began a new series last night, and the first topic was Managing Your Emotions, taught by Harold Bullock. It was very good (thanks, Harold!).

Even before it began I realized that I'd been angry for awhile. As I thought it through, I identified two primary things that were getting me so mad: the economy and recent directions made by our federal government.

The economy is hurting most of us. Blame whomever you'd like; it doesn't matter: most of us are feeling it and making changes in our lives to accommodate less cash flow. I've been going out to eat much less, putting off buying a replacement pair of Levi's, checking books out from the library instead of buying them, riding my bike as much as possible, etc. These are all good things, and I'm not complaining... but changes in lifestyle always meet emotional resistance, and are thus not comfortable.

Our country is spending like there's no end to the money supply (something that's true if you can print as much as you need, I guess), and nearly all of what they've spent has been benefiting a few rather than stimulating the economy. As I've researched the issues, I'm astounded at what the truth is in what they're doing, and I believe it is really hurting the U.S.' future. In fact, I don't believe we'll ever be able to recover; that's how bad what they're doing is.

Both of these combined to make me a very unhappy guy. And that meant my anger was always barely below the surface of my heart. Trust me: that is exhausting! Exhausting to me, and to everyone who has spent much time with me recently.

So I've changed a couple of things:

• Regarding the economy: I decided to focus on God's provision and manage positively rather than focus on the negative economy. I can already feel the difference that decision is making.
• regarding politics: I decided to stop focusing so much on politics. If I'm going to be an activist on behalf of my citizenship, I'll do so based on my heavenly citizenship rather than on my U.S. citizenship. That doesn't mean I won't be a good U.S. citizen... it's just not going to be my driving focus.

Decisions like that need to be put into practice as soon as possible. So today while on a short bike ride I picked up a couple of small I love you gifts for my wife and daughter-- the two ladies in my life. It felt good to prime the pump! Maybe I'll even get that pair of Levi's!

Is the U.S. a Christian or a Muslim Country? President Obama Weighs In!

While on his last trip to the Middle East President Obama told the world the U.S. is not a Christian country. That surprised many in the U.S. because our roots are definitely Christian. Then in an interview yesterday with French television's Canal Plus, President Obama said:

"...one of the points I want to make is, is that if you actually took the number of Muslims Americans, we'd be one of the largest Muslim countries in the world."

So, I'm trying to understand his message. It almost sounds like he's saying we're not a Christian country, we're a Muslim country! Can I possibly be understanding this correctly? What do you think?

Is It Time for the 2nd American Revolution?

I don't know who put this video together, but it is awesome! It's definitely worth 6-1/2 minutes of your time.

Were We Warned?

A YouTube video was reportedly pulled from U.S. sites, but is still available from Canada that shows Congress was warned multiple times about the impending crisis in the U.S. mortgage market. Here it is:

Shocking News! (Not Really Surprising Though)

According to CNN Politics.com the adult porn industry will be asking Congress for a $5 billion bailout today because their DVD sales have been off a bit. Foe Francis (Girls Gone Wild CEO) said, "the US government should actively support the adult industry's survival and growth, just as it feels the need to support any other industry cherished by the American people."

Frances and Larry Flynt (publisher of Hustler magazine) said the industry is not in any danger according to CNN Politics.com. But their reason for the request, according to Flynt, is "People are too depressed to be sexually active. This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such but they cannot do without sex."

I've got news for Mr. Flynt. America doesn't need Hustler or Girls Gone Wild to be sexually healthy. What America needs is a return to its Judeo-Christian morals regarding sex and marriage... and everything will be just fine. Better yet, we need a revival!

Our New President-Elect -- Congrats, U.S.!!

Yesterday’s political decision was truly historic. Just decades after civil rights marches, we have a black president-elect! This is a good moment for the United States of America.

How I Voted
I come from a very conservative part of the country; I am an independent conservative and did not vote for Mr. Obama. Some with whom I've spoken today are concerned about the future of our country— not because he’s black, but because he is so liberal. One even went so far as to say he’s evil!

What does scripture say? Romans 13:1 says our authorities are put in their position by God! For our good! And that was written at a time when the political leaders-of-the-day were killing Christians!

While the coming political season in the U.S. will be interesting to watch, let’s agree to pray for the success of our leaders— even those for whom we did not vote— in accomplishing what God put them in place to accomplish.

Do Gays Want Free Speech?

California is going through a challenging time regarding the gay community vs the non-gay community. The gay community believes strongly in free speech, and bases their right to demonstrate and do things like hanging effigies of Sarah Palin on free speech.

But they're not fair in their application of free speech.

A neighbor had a sign in her front yard supporting California's Proposition 8, which defines marriage in the state constitution as between one man and one woman-- until it was taken! The sign said "Proposition 8 = Free Speech"! How ironic.

Congress Just Can't Control Themselves!

I pulled down a copy of the Rescue Bill's table of contents today because I had heard rumors of lots of pork. I was astonished to see what Congress has packed into this emergency legislation needed to bail us out of the financial crisis it appears they have created! Here are a few things I found:

• Authority to Suspend Mark-to-Market Accounting (this will actually fix one of the laws Congress enacted following Enron that has caused the recent collapse of so many companies)
• Energy Project Tax Credits! For renewable energy, electricity generated from marine renewables, wind generation, geothermal heat pumps, steel industry fuel, coal gasification, biomass ethanol plants, biodiesel and renewable diesel, plug-in electric drive cars
• Increased taxes to fund black lung disabilities
• Environmental Tax Credits! For carbon dioxide sequestration, energy-efficient buildings, green buildings and sustainable design projects
• Transportation Fringe Benefits for Bicycle Commuters
• Something called a Carbon Audit of the Tax Code
• Expense Deductions for Elementary & Secondary School Teachers
• Rum Excise Taxes for Puerto Rico & The Virgin Islands
• Economic Development Credit for American Samoa
• Credit for Mine Rescue Training & Equipment
• Indian Employment Credits & Accelerated Depreciation for Business Property on Reservations (sounds like Casino help!)
• Railroad Track Maintenance
• Motorsports Racing Track Assistance
• D.C. Tax Incentives
• Tax Relief for the film industry and those who import toy wooden arrows
  
• Funding to encourage mental health and substance use disorder parity with other health insurance provisions

What do these have to do with getting us out of our current financial crisis?

Politics

This is a topic I don't usually talk about in forums like this because it can be so polarizing. But I must say that I'm pretty fed up with politics, and I don't think I'm alone. In fact, I changed my party affiliation this year in protest. I'm no longer tied to any party; in California it's called decline to state.

Here are a some of my observations:

• Most politicians have lost nearly all interest in representing their constituencies and are now focused almost entirely on representing their political parties and their special interests. Evidence of this is in the details of every bill passed by congress at the state and federal levels. They always have myriads of provisions used to buy supporting votes; they never just address the issue they purport to address.
• Most news broadcasters no longer report, they influence. I listened to the major speeches of both party conventions and was disgusted with those who tried to interpret what I just heard as though I couldn't figure it out for myself. Even worse was the obvious bias they displayed in doing so! It was not objective reporting in any way.
• I was impressed by Obama's speech at his convention by his inspiring words. I was disappointed, though, when he made promises that no politician could ever accomplish! I've heard such promises before, and then heard politicians later say they didn't realize how complicated the issues were and how hard it is to move such a large bureaucracy. He was very inspiring, but I concluded that his promises were empty. Then I watched the Saddleback Civil Forum where he said one thing that I didn't like: faith-based organizations who accept federal funds will not be able to discriminate in their hiring based on religious beliefs. In the same forum, McCain said they need to be able to hire only those of like faith or their effectiveness will be severely compromised.
• I was surprised as I listened to Palin's speech last night-- she is a strong player who reminded me a lot of Ronald Reagan. Then I got to thinking of the promise for change Obama made, realizing he hasn't done anything in the Senate yet that reached across party lines on our behalf... but McCain's done that so much that he's been a thorn to his party. Obama's running mate has been in the Senate for nearly 30 years, so he seems like part of the problem; McCain's running mate effectively shook up the politics of her state and likely has the character to do the same in Washington.

Well, I feel like a revolution of sorts needs to take place in our political system. Politicians need to rededicate themselves to serving their constituencies and not their parties and special interests. If that doesn't happen, the Democratic and Republican parties are doomed to be replaced.