iThink iT's iDiotic

iMac.
iPod.
iPhone.
i'MSpoiled generation.

iT's $500
Plus $60 per month
Equals $1220 for the first year
For a phone.

iDon't
Plan to get one
Antime
Soon.

iCan't
Get away
From work
As it is!

iThink
These fads
Are
Crazy.

The Spin Doctor

Abby the Blog Dog is sometimes a real joker. I received the following from her:

Judy, a professional genealogical researcher, discovered that Hillary Clinton's great-great uncle, Remus Rodham, a fellow lacking in character, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows. On the back of the picture is this inscription: "Remus Rodham; horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. “Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889."

Judy e-mailed Hillary Clinton for comments. Hillary's staff of professional image adjusters cropped Remus's picture, scanned it, enlarged the image, and edited it with image processing software so all that's seen is a head shot.

The accompanying biographical sketch is as follows: "Remus Rodham was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad.

In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."

Now that's spin!!! I think Abby should have posted this herself.

Just Call Me Gramps

Congratulations are in order. I am now a grandfather!

Wow, that's hard to believe. My daughter delivered a beautiful 7 lb. 5 oz., 21 1/2 inch baby girl at 3:03 this afternoon. She's beautiful!

I'm not old enough to be a grandfather!!! My beautiful red-headed daughter should still be 4 years old -- not married and having children of her own. My how life flies by.

For Paris Hilton

Paris,
The world envies your wealth,
Your popularity,
Your opportunities,
And so,
It revels in your fall.
But, not God.
Unless it was God
Who gave you this opportunity
To redeem yourself.

Paris,
The world wants to see you
Fail again.
Fool the world.
Use your celebrity for good.
Surrender to God's will for your life.
Only by His strength
Will you succeed.
If you take your eye off of Him
You will fail.
Don't fail.

Paris,
You have the chance to be
A shining example of God's redemptive power.
Show the world.
Don't fall into the traps that Hollywood lays.
Don't fall for the liberal lies that God is not real.
Don't let the world take away eternity.
Heaven will make this world
Look like a black smudge on your white dress.
Only God can save you.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." __ John 3:16

"'Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool'" __Isaiah 1:18

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." __John 14:6

I Love Sales

I enjoy my job most of the time. I manage a small company with multiple locations. We utilize a very lean business model with many of the "overhead" functions being outsourced. Not only am I responsible for general management, I also am the primary sales force for our company. Each week I allocate my time between the various functions that I must perform for our business to operate effectively and continue to grow. I have been fortunate in being able to hire good people who for the most part do not require close supervision. This allows for a tremendous amount of flexibility in my scheduling. Today was fully devoted to business development/sales.

Many companies -- especially small ones -- have difficulty differentiating between the sales function and the marketing function. The best way that I know to look at the difference is that marketing sets the stage, or creates the environment for sales. Sales is the actual transaction which includes the offer, the negotiation, overcoming objections, and closing the deal. A successful sales call is any customer contact in which there is progress made in any of these areas. In other words, if in my first contact with a prospective customer I am able to introduce myself, my company and my product or service and schedule a next contact with that prospect, then I have had a successful sales call. Successful marketing on the other hand is more difficult to measure. Essentially, a marketing campaign is successful if it raises awareness of your product or service to the point that the prospect knows what you are about before you ever walk in their door as a salesperson. Marketing also is the function of providing support material and research for sales. In many ways the two functions are inseparable, but they are two different functions.

Today was a successful sales day. I have to admit that no deals were closed, but out of six calls on prospects, there were three that produced significant movement toward a close. In addition, at lunch I was able to visit briefly with two additional prospects. Now, prospect is another term that needs some definition. To me, a prospect is a qualified potential buyer. Until you know that someone is definitely in the market for what you wish to sell, they are only suspects.

Our business is one in which a sale typically creates a long-term customer relationship. It is not a single transaction. It is establishing a non-contractual agreement to provide an ongoing service. The volume of business that relationship creates is a direct function of the size of business that I am working with. In the three successful calls today, the potential volume is extremely large. One of the prospects would be similar to getting the contract to supply all plastic bags to every Walmart in the Dallas-Ft Worth metroplex. That is a lot of plastic bags. No, I don't sell plastic bags. What we provide is a service.

I love sales call days. One of my greatest joys in business is meeting and visiting with my customers, prospects, and suspects. In fact, the thing that typical salespeople fear the most is the thing that I most enjoy -- the "cold" call. A cold call is showing up at a potential customer's place of business without an appointment, introducing yourself and your product, and attempting to establish a relationship that will ultimately lead to a sale, or will help you to determine whether that individual is truly a potential customer. It is extremely intimidating to new salesmen because of their fear of rejection. Across most industries, it takes approximately 9 customer contacts before a transaction occurs. Most young salesmen never get to contact number 2. They become discouraged if the potential customer doesn't immediately purchase from them. They typically see it as a personal rejection instead of a step in the right direction.

I may decide to post more on this in the future, I don't know. I don't normally go on about what I do for a living in this blog. I guess that I'm still a little pumped up from the success of the day. I hope it didn't bore you too much! Tomorrow will be another sales day. Let's hope I'm still as fired up tomorrow night as I am tonight.

Should You Vote?

I guess this is fun quiz day. This is one of the best that I've seen.





I scored A+ -- 100%. They suggested that I go into politics. My wife has told me that for years.

I'm Pretty Conservative

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 90% Conservative, 10% Liberal Social Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal Ethics: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

I don't know why, but I enjoy these things.

7 and 7 at Life in America

CDO over at Life in America has posted his response to my seven and seven tag from a few days ago. I was impressed with his poetic effort. Y'all go visit him.

Ratings

I just checked to see what my "blog rating" was.




I am pleased although I don't know what they use to rate it!

Misty Serenity

The early morning mist
Rising over the coolness
Evokes a serenity of place
That contradicts
The activity of the day.
Muffled sounds punctuate
The stillness yet are unable
To displace the peacefulness.
A perfect start to the week.

Procrastination

I find so many ways
To put off what I should do
When it is something
That I really don't want to.

It's amazing how much busy work
One can find about
When there's something big you're dreading.
And I just can't figure out

What makes me put it off
Until I can wait no more.
Although I know if I'll just jump right in
It will be done before

I know it. But I delay.
Is it something in my nature
That makes me do such things?
It's understandable from someone immature

But I'm old enough to know better.
So, I make excuse
For not proceeding with the task
Until it is no use.

And as I go about my job
I wonder what the fuss was about.
Because all I had to do
Was take the garbage out!

The Lighthouse

Shaped by the hand of time,

The Lighthouse stands.

The enduring symbol of the Palo Duro,

The Lighthouse stands.

Through the ravages of wind and rain,

The Lighthouse stands.

In spite of the adoration of man,

The Lighthouse stands.

May we each stand as

The Lighthouse stands.

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." __ Ephesians 6:13

The Ethanol Impact

I've been saying for some time now that ethanol production in its current form is going to have serious detrimental repercussions on the consumer's food dollar. The following article indicates that the pinch is already showing itself.


Fed Oversight? Inflation Seems To Be Eating Out

Before Federal Reserve policy makers meet to decide what to do with interest rates next week, they should visit a local eatery. They'll find something unappetizing: higher prices and fewer diners. Casual-dining restaurants are getting hit by rising inflation. Corn prices have surged due to demand for corn-based ethanol.

Because corn is a big feedstock, it's trickling into the cost of everything from chicken to cheese. Wholesale butter, cream and milk prices have jumped about 20% in the past three months, according to Raymond James. Cheesecake Factory's stock tumbled 7.1% yesterday after.... (complete article here)

__________________________________________________

As the impact on food expenditures increases, we will begin to see a secondary impact in the housing market. Many people today have interest only mortgage payments betting on rising real estate prices to create equity. As more disposable income goes to food, fewer dollars will be available for housing. The bubble will burst and mortgage companies will end up with empty houses that are worth less than the loan against them. It won't be pretty. It will make the S&L fiasco of the 80's look like a picnic.

Straw Hat Weather

Sun broiling,
Umbrellas shading,
Mowers
Mowing,
Everything growing,
Roses blooming.

Iced tea
Sipping,

Heat blistering,
Everyone
Roasting --
Even me!

Rein Her In!!!

It's about time!!! (From TheHill.com)


House Republican wants to restrict Pelosi’s travel

By Jackie Kucinich
June 21, 2007

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will not be permitted to use State Department funds to travel to nations that are known to have sponsored terrorism if a Republican amendment to appropriations legislation passes the House on Thursday.

The amendment to the $34 billion State and Foreign Operations bill, offered by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), prohibits funds to be used to travel to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan or Syria.
In a “Dear Colleague” letter released earlier today, King said Pelosi had overstepped her constitutional role as Speaker when she traveled to Syria in April.

“Taking her cue from the Iraq Study Group’s recommendation that the U.S. enter into talks with Syria to forge a new way forward in Iraq, Speaker Pelosi decided to ignore the requests of the President that she refrain from traveling to the terrorist state,” the letter said.

King told The Hill that he believed Pelosi was in violation of the Logan Act, a 1799 law signed by President John Adams that prohibits unauthorized U.S. citizens from interfering with relations between the United States and foreign governments.

“I was one of the members of Congress that was incensed the Speaker had taken it upon herself to conduct foreign policy,” he said. “It was a blatant violation of the Logan Act.”

No one has ever been prosecuted under the 208-year old law, according to the Congressional Research Service.

He said that it was not the visit that caused him to introduce the measure, but Pelosi’s decision, in his perception, to act as a diplomat that made him take action.

“She carried a message from Israel to Syria and that message according to representatives of both Syria and Israel wasn’t consistent with what one of them agreed to … these are the kind of problems you get,” he said.

A spokesman for Pelosi brushed off the amendment as a partisan attack.

“How can anyone take this amendment seriously, especially when it comes on the same day that Bush Administration officials are in North Korea? And why would anyone think it is responsible to restrict the ability of the Speaker of the House to bring the concerns of the American people to foreign leaders? It is part of the Speaker’s job,” said spokesman Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for Pelosi. “This amendment is a cheap political stunt that just won’t fly.”

_________________________________________

Diplomacy is the responsibility of the Executive Branch of government. BTW, check out the name of her spokesman.

A Brief Ray of Light

I think sometimes
The followers of the liberal spiel
Do so out of misinformation.
After visiting with someone
Last night of a much more liberal persuasion
I found he had a vivid imagination.

Or, at least that's what it seemed to me
Until I quizzed him at length
On the foundations of his belief.
It only took a few questions to find
That he was clueless as to the facts.
Much to my relief

He was willing to listen as I
Explained the issues to him about
Which he was confused.
After some additional clarification
He realized that he was missing some facts
And it left me somewhat amused.

Wouldn't it be great if it
Was always that easy to refute the
Wrong-headed views of the left?
Instead it seems like beating your head
Against a wall trying to convince them
That their argument is bereft

Of all reason. But that doesn't
Matter to them because they are "right"
Even when they are wrong.
I could go on forever about
The frustration I have with their logic
But it would make this poem too long!

Seven and Seven

Janie at Sounding Forth tagged me. I am to tell seven random things about myself and then tag seven people. I've not been tagged before so I'm game to give it a try. She seemed to hint that I should make this rhyme...

I once dreamed of becoming a star
From singing and playing guitar

I was once a Republican County Chair
Way back when I still had hair

My favorite color is blue
Which is the color of my eyes too

If you'll look closely at my little rhyme, you'll see that there are seven things listed. So, now I have to list seven victims -- I mean individuals to tag.

1) CDO at Life in America -- I'm anxious to see what he'll come up with!
2) Strawberry at Middle Age Ramblings -- She's pretty creative.
3) Ranando at The Ranando Report -- What have you got out there on the west coast?
4) Patrick at Born Again Redneck Yogi -- We need a South African transplants input.
5) Incognito at A Closet Republican in the Arts -- Our actress.
6) Blazing Cat Fur -- for his interesting sense of humor.
7) Neal at The Odom's in Wellington -- I'm just curious what he'll put.

Now, I'd better go let all of these folks know they've been tagged!

Let the Debate Continue

It was a dark and stormy night...

It is a dark and stormy night...

It's still a dark and stormy night...

From out of the dark and stormy night...

No wonder Snoopy could never get past the first line. The wind and rain and lightning are too distracting!

Growing up, the breakfast table was one place we all managed to be at the same time. Dad always had the newspaper and we waited until he was through with a section before we read it. Of course, there was only one section in my mind for many years. The Comics. I always read the Comics to start my day. The newspaper was the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. During the week, the Comics were black and white and then Sunday was color. Charlie Brown was one of my favorites. In reality, I liked them all except the "soap opera" ones like Mary Worth (I think).

As I grew older, I started reading the news sections. Dad challenged me one morning in Jr. High. He started asking "what do you think about...." questions. If I didn't have an opinion (which I didn't) he'd say, "If you don't know what you think, who does?" "If you don't form your own opinion, someone else will form it for you." So, I started reading the news and becoming informed. That way, when he asked me what I thought about something I would at least know what he was talking about.

Reading the newspaper became a habit with me. After I moved away from home and went to college, I subscribed to a newspaper. I became a news junkie. If I didn't get my newspaper "fix" each morning, my whole day was ruined.

Sometime in my 30's I quit reading the newspaper. I became completely disenchanted with all media. I felt that the stories were slanted. I still do. I felt as though I was allowing someone with wrong-headed ideas force feed me the news they wanted me to know so that I would think like they did. I still do.

A few years back I started back to reading the news again and listening to Fox News Channel. I read the news on the Internet. I don't subscribe to a physical paper anymore. I also have learned to read and listen much more critically than before.

Blogging has added a new dimension to the news. It is a way to voice, and by reading other blogs, to read a wide variety of opinions and viewpoints of newsworthy (and not so worthy) events. Many times it can become a truly informative and useful exchange of ideas and information. Many times though, it is merely a platform for ranting about a particular pet peeve. I enjoy the exchange of ideas. I've always loved a good debate.

The Piano

There is an old piano
That sits in our house.
It was made around 1903.
It is showing its age
With scratches and scars
And the chips in some of the keys.

It is silent most days
Which brings sadness to me
For none of us here can play.
It was bought for my daughter
Who's married, in school,
And living a few towns away.

I remember when she
Was just learning to play
How she struggled with every note.
And then as she grew
How her hands fairly flew
Making the music to float

Throughout the house.
And I'd listen and listen
And listen some more
Until she grew tired of playing
And had to rest for awhile.
It filled something deep in my core.

Was it pride that caused me
To beg her for more or was
It filling some deeper need?
Was it that I was wishing
That it was me playing
Such beautiful music indeed?

Or was it the music itself
That I craved that drew
Me to beg her to play?
Was it a vicarious
Need that was being filled?
I just can't really say.

Perhaps it was all
Of these things and more
That gave me such a lift.
There is one thing certain;
It must have been God
That granted this beautiful gift.

Birds of a Feather

CDO has a good post on his "Life in America" site that is a great analogy for the Illegal Immigration issue. Check it out.