Senate Bill S.190

Barack Obama has been so busy trying to place blame for our current financial crisis and accusing Senator McCain of being out of touch. Well, refer to my previous post regarding the then-upcoming real estate/mortgage bust.

Apparently others were well aware of what could happen to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and actually tried to do something about it (as opposed to just indicating "present"). One of those was John McCain, a co-sponsor of the Senate Bill S.190, entitled the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005. Please read the following statement McCain made on May 26, 2005:

"Mr. President, this week Fannie Mae's regulator reported that the company's quarterly reports of profit growth over the past few years were "illusions deliberately and systematically created" by the company's senior management, which resulted in a $10.6 billion accounting scandal.

"The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight's report goes on to say that Fannie Mae employees deliberately and intentionally manipulated financial reports to hit earnings targets in order to trigger bonuses for senior executives. In the case of Franklin Raines, Fannie Mae's former chief executive officer, OFHEO's report shows that over half of Mr. Raines' compensation for the 6 years through 2003 was directly tied to meeting earnings targets. The report of financial misconduct at Fannie Mae echoes the deeply troubling $5 billion profit restatement at Freddie Mac.

"The OFHEO report also states that Fannie Mae used its political power to lobby Congress in an effort to interfere with the regulator's examination of the company's accounting problems. This report comes some weeks after Freddie Mac paid a record $3.8 million fine in a settlement with the Federal Election Commission and restated lobbying disclosure reports from 2004 to 2005. These are entities that have demonstrated over and over again that they are deeply in need of reform.

"For years I have been concerned about the regulatory structure that governs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac--known as Government-sponsored entities or GSEs--and the sheer magnitude of these companies and the role they play in the housing market. OFHEO's report this week does nothing to ease these concerns. In fact, the report does quite the contrary. OFHEO's report solidifies my view that the GSEs need to be reformed without delay.

"I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190, to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation. If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole

"I urge my colleagues to support swift action on this GSE reform legislation."

Here's a link from Bloomberg on this also.

What McCain predicted, even before the bubble burst, is now coming true. Evidently, his plea for Congress to act fell on deaf ears as usual.

It was the Clinton administration that first allowed mortgage companies to make bad loans to people who actually didn't qualify.

Some of you may say, "Well, McCain just co-sponsored the bill." So how many bills have you co-sponsored?

McCain was not the problem. He offered a solution but got shot down. But unlike Vietnam, we are all prisoners.

Electoral Votes: September 20, 2008

National Percentage:
McCain 62%, Obama 38%

Even as I was writing my last post, the numbers changed. Colorado and New Hampshire - two states that were very close anyway - changed from Obama to McCain. Alaska, a perennial red state is still an anomaly which I had to place as a blue state. But they are getting close anyway with a 61% advantage toward McCain.

As AOL resets the straw poll every Thursday, perhaps Saturday is not a good day to post results as the data has only had two days to refresh.

States to Watch:
Alaska, Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Wisconsin.

source: AOL Straw Poll
see also: Methodology

Counting the Vote: My Methodology

Recently, I've gotten interested in the AOL Straw Poll. Not that it is terribly scientific, but because I believe I have found that with some simple adjustments, it may actually reflect what's going on out there. So I'm conducting this little experiment to see how close it is. Of course the true test will be after the actual votes are counted on November 4.

My Methodology
If I were to follow the raw data on America Online, it would be totally unrealistic. Today, for example, the whole map would be red except for Maine and DC. Surely there are plenty of liberal Democrats out there who would muster considerably more than the seven electoral votes than what today's numbers represent (it's no wonder why they whine and complain on the comments section on how unfair and inaccurate AOL's poll is).

So I tweak the numbers. First I note what the national percentages are and who the leader is. Then I check the results from each state. If the percentage is greater than or equal to that of the national leader, I award that state to the leader. For example, in last week's poll, John McCain was the leader at 60%. Any state where 60% or more of its votes went to McCain was awarded to McCain on the electoral vote map.

REVISION EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 3rd
America Online has revised the Straw Poll to include presidential candidates from other parties or who are running as independents. They are also counting undecided votes. This is good news as I feel it is an even more accurate gauge of what's going on. As a result, my methodology is also slightly changed.

If, when checking the results from each state, the leader does not have a percentage equal or greater to the national average, then I compare the national average of the runner-up. If the runner-up has a percentage of that state's votes that is equal or greater than that of the national average, then that state's electoral votes are awarded to the runner-up (otherwise they are awarded to the leader).

Here are some examples: In this week's poll so far, McCain leads with a percentage of 54% of the straw poll vote nationally. Obama has a percentage of 42%. Example 1: In New Hampshire, McCain has 53% of the votes in the straw poll. Prior to the revision, New Hampshire would have gone to Obama automatically. But now we compare Obama's numbers; he has 43% of the vote. New Hampshire still goes to Obama. Example 2: In Utah, McCain has 50% of the vote, which is not even close prior to the revision. However, when we compare Obama's numbers, he only has 41% of the vote (he would need 42%); therefore Utah goes to McCain anyway.

Anomolies
As with any polling method, there is a margin of error. Surprisingly (or not) these results have been fairly close to what everybody else's polls have been saying with only a few exceptions. With the revision to AOL's Straw Poll and to my methodology, I expect fewer anomalies.

One of those exceptions, strangely enough, was Alaska. Maybe those in Alaska who have internet tend to be Obama supporters. Or perhaps, it's been a long time since the other polls have taken place in Alaska, and really are turning blue.

I've even seen a few traditionally red states turn blue. But who knows? Perhaps that has really been happening.

One factor I have not considered in my methodology is the number of votes in each state. For example, Colorado and Alabama each have nine electoral votes. As of a few seconds ago, Colorado shows 4,300 have cast their vote on AOL. But in Alabama, over 13,000 have voted. Doesn't quite sound fair, does it?

But I have seen some of the battleground states switch back and forth between candidates, just like all the other polls. So maybe I'm not too far off.

Sharing My Results
Over the next several weeks until the election is over and the real votes are counted, I will be posting my my results in this blog. I will state the source of my data, how I came up with the results, and also post a link to a site (maintained by the L.A. Times) showing a map of how the states voted.

Enjoy. And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take the opportunity these next 44 days to study the candidates and what they stand for and make an informed decision before casting your ballot.

Stay brave, stay free.

Joe Biden: An Unwise Choice?

Vice President nominee Joseph Biden has led a distinguished career as a U.S. Senator from Delaware, including legislation which helped create a "drug czar" and significant measures to combat domestic violence.

Biden has unsuccessfully run for President twice, including this year. However, he has come one step closer by being tapped by Barak Obama as his running mate.

But I wonder if he really wants the job.

Many wonder why Obama chose Joe as the Vice Presidential candidate. Earlier in the campaign, Joe said that Obama was clearly not experienced and that the Oval Office was not a good place for on-the-job training.

He was later quoted as saying that Hillary Clinton would have been a better choice for Vice President.

Joe Biden appears to have the enthusiasm of a block of wood when it comes to the possibility of being Vice President. The polls show it.

Obama may have scored a slam-dunk if he had chosen Hillary Clinton as his running mate. That would have united the Democratic Party. Instead, it is quite possible that Obama made a fatal error and his campaign is - at least for the time being - sputtering.

By the way, in light of the crisis in our financial markets, Joe Biden was a sponsor of the new bankruptcy law - which helps the banks (many of which are based in his home state of Delaware) but not the consumers. Banks don't vote. Consumers do.

So Where Was Congress?

I don't have a PhD in economics, but even I could foresee the bubble bursting in what was once known as our last real estate boom.

Apparently there were a considerable number of lenders (even reputable ones like Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac) who were giving away mortgages to people who didn't even qualify to begin with. HELLO!!! HOW STUPID IS THAT?!?!?!

Meanwhile, as the real estate market was showing signs of unraveling - even to those of us who do not have PhD's in economics - where was our Congress?

Lest We Forget: The Democrat-Controlled Congress

Here's something I found on AOL I thought I'd share:

It was only 2 years ago. Remember the election in 2006?
Thought you might like to read the following:
A little over one year ago:

1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:

1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3.50 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value
evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion
dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.

America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!
Remember its Congress that makes law not the President. He has to
work with what's handed to him.

Remember this on November 4.

Politics - Yikes!

It is interesting to see that despite the deeply personal nature of politics, people are willing to openly share their opinions. When that happens, those who are listening tend to want to jump in with their own opinions. And when all parties don't agree, it tends to get a little heated.

With the presidential election coming in about 60 days, it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to avoid getting sucked into these conversations. I have pretty strong convictions as how to run the country, and I'm usually quite willing to share my views. That's why I like to blog. I can state my point of view in peace; you can read it and you can agree or disagree with it and I'm safe right here in my chair in front of the computer. Chicken.

Yesterday morning was a prime example of why I don't like to discuss politics with family and friends. As I do every Saturday morning, I was meeting with two other Christian men for breakfast where we discuss how our week went and pray for each other for the next week. Something related to the upcoming election came up and there was a disagreement. Fortunately we didn't go too far with it, but it was clear that we may be on different sides of the fence. Although a little awkward, we did change the subject and were able to move on.

Why we are on different sides of the fence is not important - as long as we are making an informed decision. And while my friend and I disagree on the point (which - funny thing - I don't remember what it was), I respect his viewpoint because I know - based on his knowledge and his experience - he has made an informed decision. Besides, who's to say who's right and who's wrong?

With the passing of my wife's uncle on Thursday, we will have a lot of family getting together. This is a family where the the political spectrum literally runs from the far left to the far right, and political discussions are common. This will be a difficult time. I think the safest thing for me to do is just smile and walk away.

Personally my mind is made up. Based on my own knowledge and research, and my own values, I have made my decision.

Saint Called to Heaven

My wife's Uncle Roger passed away a couple of hours ago. His health had been deteriorating gradually for the last couple of years, and the deterioration had accelerated this past summer. He had already been in hospice once already, but recovered enough so that he could move into a group home. But last week he suffered a stroke and ended up back in hospice.

While it is never an easy thing for the family, at least there is some satisfaction that he did have a full life, and is no longer suffering.

His room at the hospice had a large window by his bed. There was a bird feeder outside and you could watch the birds. His wife and daughter were there when he passed. They say that as he breathed his last breath, a bird hit the window, then flew off.

Roger is at peace now. No doubt he's playing cards with his twin brother.

Storm Damage

It appears that our summer monsoon is going out with a bang. After today we should see a drying trend which could actually be the end of the season. Meanwhile, we've had some crazy weather here in Maricopa County. A very powerful storm swept through on Thursday night which packed winds estimated at 100 mph in some parts (Sky Harbor Airport reported winds of 75 mph - which is considered hurricane-strength. Although we didn't experience the brunt of the storm here at our house (but got to see a spectacular lightning show nonetheless) Tempe and downtown Phoenix were hit especially hard. I saw that first hand today when I went to church (which is just north of downtown Phoenix). The neighborhood, which normally looks immaculate, was scattered with debris - mostly palm tree parts along with leaves, twigs, and small branches of all varieties. I didn't go down the street with the downed power poles still hanging there at an angle - but heard about it. I noticed some roof tiles that were askew, especially on the bell tower. The courtyard of the church showed a fair amount of damage, including one of my favorite trees (which is probably a total loss). You could see water damage on the carpet where the wind had driven the rain under the door. Amazing. I don't know about the trees, but hopefully the church's insurance will cover the roof damage. At least new trees can be planted (an idea for a youth project!).

Here's an aerial photo of our church in calmer times:

Election 2008 - Now It's Getting Interesting

This is certainly shaping up to be an interesting election year after all, and strangely I've commented very little about it so far. I guess I've just been more or less underwhelmed by the choices given to me until today.

Barak Obama has his moments. He is articulate and charismatic. He is a wonderful speaker, and if elected President, he would be the finest orator since Ronald Reagan (and light years ahead of the White House's current occupant). He speaks of hopes and dreams.

Unfortunately, Obama hasn't outlined a viable plan for attaining those hopes and dreams. He promises the moon - but how do we pay for it? He sounds just like another tax-and-spend Democrat of old.

Critics harp on his lack of experience, especially in matters of foreign policy. Joe Biden, his running mate, has been quoted several times that Obama lacks the experience needed to be presidential. Even before he ran for President, Obama stated he lacked the experience and it would make sense for him to run until he got it. Now he's running for President. Just when was it that he gained the experience?

I was expecting a rather contentious Democratic convention, especially when you consider the rift between the Obama and Clinton campaigns. It was a brilliant move that when New York was to pledge its delegates, Hillary Clinton made the motion to nominate Obama by acclamation. Brilliant.

What bothers me about Obama is that he doesn't seem able to make a firm stand. For example, there was that speech where Obama basically said that black men needed to take more responsibility toward their families, especially the children they father and leave behind. Good point. And having been raised by a single mom himself, Obama speaks from personal experience. I would go farther and say that all men, regardless of race (etc.) take responsibility. It's a proven fact that children do better with a father in their life. There are a lot of men out there that agree with Obama's statement - me included. It's even one of the cornerstones of the Promisekeepers movement. The Reverend Jesse Jackson took exception to that statement, saying on (what he thought was not) an open microphone that Obama should have his nuts cut off. That caused a big uproar that further exposed how irreverent the Reverend is (having joined the ranks of sperm donors around the world who have also fathered illegitimate children).

Irreverand Jackson later apologized to Obama, and Obama accepted it - without question or hesitation. And that was it. Considering how strongly I feel about this issue, I would not have been as gracious. I would have called Jackson out on the carpet for modeling his inappropriate behavior. Ah, but I guess Obama feels he still needs Jackson's support and doesn't want to offend the powerful voting bloc of fathers with illegitimate fathers.

That, I believe, is when Obama lost me for good.

John McCain, up to now, has been okay. Yes, he's from my home state of Arizona. So was our infamous former-now-late-governor Evan Mecham. But I've always liked him anyway. He says what's on his mind. And I don't care about his reputation for his temper. Most of time the one who made him mad deserves it anyway.

I think the turning point came when Russia invaded Georgia a few weeks ago. McCain was quick to make a televised statement condemning the invasion - and looking presidential when he did it (as many of the news outlets also noted). Barak Obama - as he deserves to do - was vacationing in Hawaii and did not avail himself to comment. McCain seized the opportunity, and it seems to have worked.

But what really blew me away was today's announcement of his running mate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

My first reaction was like that of many others - who? But when I checked her out on Wikipedia I thought, "Wow!" This young lady of only 44 has tackled the good ol' boys of the Republican machine in Alaska and won. She has fought corruption and lowered taxes, and has truly worked for the good of the people of Alaska.

Many have criticized the candidates for being out of touch. This one-time beauty queen and hockey mom is the real deal. Keep your eye on Sarah Palin. In this election, I truly believe she will appeal not only to a lot of women (even those disheartened by Hillary Clinton's failed run) but to a lot of real people. P I think this may be the most brilliant political move John McCain has ever made. Time will tell.

Obama plays the game of politics pretty well. But I believe McCain is playing it to win.

People want change. They are tired of how things are being run in Washington. I believe McCain/Palin can actually accomplish some. Obama/Biden is hoping for change, but it looks more like business as usual. Obama, you have 67 days to prove to me otherwise. Give it your best shot.

Midsummer Musings: What I've Learned

I've learned a few new things so far this summer:

1. There is always something new and exciting to discover even in the most familiar places.
2. Camp rules need to include rules against cross-dressing.
3. Talking like a pirate is hard on the voice.
4. Some of my high school classmates look old.
5. Some of my high school classmates still look hot.
6. I love singing karaoke.
7. Air conditioners are built to be more efficient than they were even just 10 years ago.
8. Toilets are built to be more efficient and flush less than they did prior to 1994.
9. Toilets are easy to install.
10. The wax ring used in installing toilets is really disgusting - even when it's clean.
11. There's a better way to get to Prescott and avoid the traffic on the main highway.
12. Our dog is smarter than I thought.
13. 18-inch tiles are heavier than they look.

Again, I've been reminded that God doesn't give us more than we can handle, and gives us just enough of the resources we need. Between the refinance, a generous tax refund and a stimulus check, we have had just enough to pay for new flooring and a new air conditioner without going further into debt. Nice.

And as always, good friends are more valuable than money in the bank.

Midsummer Musings: New Flooring

After a real busy June, I thought I could go into cruise mode. Nay, nay.

I had (grudgingly) promised my wife that we would replace the flooring in the house. We had some old carpet that desperately needed to go, and some pretty ugly vinyl that pretended to look like birch or something.

We have a friend in the flooring business so we met with her on July 3. We decided to go with ceramic tile throughout the whole house and tentatively scheduled the job for the end of July/early August. M then told us that we had to pack up and essentially move out of the house during the job. We could save a little money also if we pulled off the baseboards ourselves. They would take care of removing and replacing the toilets.

So that got us moving. We started filling about 20 or 30 boxes full of our stuff, as well as doing a general housecleaning.

Realizing that toilets would be pulled had me a little concerned, especially knowing that one was having a bit of a problem with the connection between the tank and the bowl. I figured it would have to be replaced. When I felt around for the bolts and one fell off, I knew we were buying a new toilet. And since the other toilet was flushing well, I thought, "Why not replace both?" So off I went to Home Depot for two toilets and we (meaning I) set out to replace them. Even though I knew they would have to be pulled again in a few weeks, I decided to get some practice in. It went well and was easier than I thought.

I then looked at my computer desk. It's a nice desk, but it would have to be disassembled before I could get it out of the room. I didn't want to disassemble and reassemble it again. So I decided to convert the closet in this bedroom (which is my computer room/study) into a computer work station. This entailed another trip to Home Depot for materials and some paint. I now have a nice computer work station tucked away in the corner and have virtually added considerable space to this room.

Then came the phone call from our friend M on the 11th. The contractor had to start work on the 18th. We had just a week to get everything ready. Yikes! Near-panic set in. But the good news was that they could work around us a little (i.e. - we only had to move the piano a few feet).

Nonetheless, we were still scrambling as the day drew nearer. Packing with finesse went out the window and things were getting thrown into boxes. Some boxes ended up on the patio, wrapped up in plastic sheeting like a big burrito. Other boxes that needed protection from the heat outside ended up being stacked in one of the bathtubs. With help from family (my son-in-law was especially helpful), we managed to get most of the furniture into the garage or on the patio. Our bed would move as needed.

By the time the contractor and his helper showed up on Friday, I still had a little bit of baseboard to pull, but I did manage to keep ahead of them.

M had told us the job would take three days. The contractor said it would take five. He was right. But it did go rather smoothly.

On Saturday I pulled one of the toilets and was able to reinstall it the next day (we were assured that there would always be at least one usable bathroom during the entire job).

Also on Saturday, it was becoming apparent that the monsoon storms would be coming back. There wasn't much protection on the patio except for the boxes that were wrapped like a big burrito. Fortunately there was plenty of plastic sheeting left, so I tacked it up all around the patio (leaving just enough of an opening for the dog). You'd think we were boarding up for a hurricane.

The effort to weatherproof the patio proved not to be in vain as we were awakened by a loud crack of thunder in the wee hours of the next morning, followed by the sound of a heavy rain pounding on the roof. The patio was just fine.

On Sunday morning we were able to move the piano back into the now-completed living room (by now that whole half of the house was done and the concrete and grout was set). We also moved our bed into the living room along with the refrigerator and a dresser. We essentially camped out in our living room for two nights. Our living arrangements, coupled with the blackness outside our patio door due to the black plastic sheeting, made it feel pretty weird.

On Monday I pulled the other toilet as they worked on our kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. And on Tuesday - as promised - they were done.

Our son-in-law helped us get our couch back in place, and a couple of friends came over to help with most of the rest of the furniture; I reinstalled the second toilet as well. At last we had our house back.

The new tile is gorgeous and was well worth the time and effort. I even admitted to my wife that I was glad I didn't do the job myself, and at my own pace (which would have taken until Christmas - 2010).

Since the baseboards are off, that has inspired me for our next project - painting. That I can do at my own pace and be done by Christmas - this year. Besides, I've already purchased new baseboards.

Midsummer Musings: Retreat

I had the opportunity to serve on a three-day men's retreat in Prescott. As always it was nice to get away from the heat of the Valley. I pretty much sat a table with a partner where we helped facilitate the procedings with three other men who had never participated on one of these weekends. On Sunday of the retreat, I had my own opportunity to speak to the group.

There was a considerable amount of preparation that our team took part in prior to the retreat (every other Saturday for several weeks) but it was well worth it. Now that it was over with, I finally would get some free time (so I thought).

Midsummer Musings: A/C Goes Down

Our house is over 20 years old, and sometimes it feels its age. Unfortunately, we sometimes have to feel its age with it.

We have this guy who comes and gives our heat pump and our evaporative cooler a checkup every spring. He's managed to keep our old units running for several years, but with a warning that they could go at any time.

The first casualty was our evaporative cooler. We didn't even turn it on this year. Repairs were deemed inoperable. No big deal. We could replace that at our leisure.

About mid-June, I noticed the house wasn't cooling off as well as it should. The A/C kept cycling. I called our guy and he checked it out. Sure enough, our heat pump's time had come.

Fortunately he called around and got us a good deal on a new unit. The price included installation, a new digital thermostat, the crane rental, and a ten year warranty. In less than 48 hours, we had our new unit up and running. Nice.

Midsummer Musings: High School Reunion

I had just come home from a week at camp when I just as quickly took off for my 30-year high school reunion.

It was fun to see some old friends (although a little disappointing that some others didn't show). Lots of memories were shared with folks I hadn't seen in 10, 20, or even 30 years. One surprise was seeing someone who had been at a retreat I had led (I didn't know him in high school). And I knew his wife - a pastor with whom I had served on another retreat.

Another surprise was that I actually sang karaoke - something I had never done before. I picked out Desperado by the Eagles. Although I was not in the best voice (my throat was still scratchy from performing my pirate voice two nights prior), it actually turned out okay and I got a rousing ovation. Even the guy running the karaoke said it was good.

It was a fun evening. Hopefully I don't have to wait another ten years to see some of these folks again.

Midsummer Musings: Pirate Humor

Did you know that there is a table grace sung to the tune of Pirates of the Caribbean? Just another tune you can sing the Doxology to.

And this grace was the inspiration for some levity during music camp. I was getting a bit silly with one of the other cabin leaders with some pirate jokes, and it just escalated from there. Before you knew it, I was asking my pastor if T2 and I could lead the grace for dinner that evening.

We managed to get eye patches from the camp nurse (and colored them black); bandanas completed our outfits. And so the Mingus Mountain Pirate Standup Comedy Show was born:

"What's a pirate's favorite letter of the alphabet?" - "R(rrrrr)!" (okay, that's old, but a good warmup).

"What's a pirate's favorite subject in school?" - "Arrrrrrt!"

"What's a pirate's favorite Bible story?" - "Noah's Arrrrrrrk!"

"What's a pirate's favorite Gospel?" - "Marrrrrk!"

"What's a pirate's favorite movie?" - "Purty Woman." - "Purty Woman? Why?" - "Because it's rated R(rrrrrrr)!"

And who said pirates couldn't have good Christian fun?

Midsummer Musings: Music Camp

Music camp went as well as expected. The kids worked hard and played nice (for the most part). I only had one incident where I had to intervene and lay down the law with one camper. But all in all, I had a very good group this year.

Our theme this year was writing a musical around the Creation story (Genesis 1, 2). We also had quite a bit of technology where a fair amount of music was done electronically and there was a Power Point slideshow going on in the background.

We had a several hikes, as usual, including a biodiversity hike where we would go out and photograph as many different species of plants and animals as we could find in an hour. We would then go back to the camp and - with books and internet - try to identify as many of the species as we could. Our group had managed to find an Abert's squirrel - not real common, but not as rare as its cousin, the Kaibab squirrel.

The weather actually was a bit cooler - even cold at times - this year. It wasn't so much the temperature, but the windchill. On Wednesday morning, a steady breeze came up and it didn't let up all day. Normally we have one day at camp (usually Wednesday) where we pick up a sack lunch and take our groups somewhere outside on the grounds or just outside of camp. But it was so cold this year, everyone opted to eat in the dining hall.

The show was written and rehearsed. Unfortunately, as well-behaved as my guys were, they weren't as focused, and had some difficulty learning their parts. It was down to crunch time. But T and I gave them a good pep talk, and they were all able to step up to the plate. They did alright.