Vinyl Goes Digital

Thomas Edison once invented a machine called a phonograph (also known as a record player or turntable) on which one would listen a vinyl disc called a record. A record could be a single song or a collection of songs (called an album - a term still used today). Actually a single consisted of two songs as - unlike compact discs - records are playable on both sides. I don't think my grandchildren are even aware of these precious antiques.

The phonograph forever changed the way we listened to music, just as the printing press changed how we communicate the written word. In my generation, the phonograph was in its heyday. It wasn't until the advent of the compact disc that the phonograph met its demise - along with the cassette player.

So what about all those vinyl records? Are lost forever in the dust? Nay, nay! The turntable is making a big comeback - as a device that connects to your computer and converts your vinyl recordings into mp3 files.

Between my wife and myself (hey, she's older) we have a pretty extensive record collection. This turntable also has an input for tape players - and that collection is even more extensive.

So now I'm enjoying a bit of nostalgia this weekend by converting my collection of 45 rpm records (from about 30+ years ago) into mp3 files - complete with that slight scatchy noise associated with records. I plan to burn these into a CD (or CD set) aptly entitled Paul's 45's. It's been so long since I've played these that on some I've forgotten which was the hit single and which was the flip side. Sometimes I've forgotten them altogether!

Well, as my wife once said to her father: "That's the great thing about getting old - there's no reruns!" This will be a nice nostalgic weekend for me as my vinyl goes digital.

So Young, So Tragic

I was saddened to hear some of the news this week.

Five-year-old Maria Sue Chapman, the youngest adopted daughter of Contemporary Christian artist, Stephen Curtis Chapman, lost her life yesterday after being struck in her driveway by an SUV driven by one of the Chapman's teenage sons. The police said the incident at the Chapman's Franklin, Tennessee home was simply a terrible accident.

In Phoenix earlier this week, a three-year-old boy who was with his mother visiting a friend's home found a loaded gun on a nightstand and fatally shot himself. Again, just another terrible accident.

My prayers go out to these families and friends, especially to those who may somehow feel responsible and struggling under a mountain of guilt.

As children of God, we often find it difficult to understand why these things happen. Fortunately, God knows perfectly well, and understands our pain, too.

Reflections: Ted Kennedy

I must admit, I have very little love for Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). This week, Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. That will be a struggle. No doubt he will get the best medical treatment that money can buy. No doubt he won't have to pay a dime for it. He probably doesn't have to hassle with insurance companies, or be concerned whether his treatment is in-network or out-of-network. Meanwhile, the rest of us do.

Kennedy is considered a giant in the US Senate. I'm not sure if that's a compliment or insult when you consider that Congress has an appalling 18.7% approval rating right now. At least President Bush has a 30.5% rating. [source]

For someone who has championed civil rights, I'm disappointed that he has turned his back on the illegal immigration issue which is so prevalent here in the states bordering Mexico. He could have at least gotten his fat rump down here to see for himself. But no.

Kennedy has suffered back pain due to a plane crash in 1964. Of course, that pain extended into his neck after that little car crash in 1969. His passenger wasn't so lucky. She died. And Ted's presidential hopes fled as quickly as he fled from the scene of a fatal accident (one that possibly would not have been fatal if he stayed and helped the poor girl).

Despite my disdain for the Honorable Edward M. Kennedy, I don't wish him ill. This is a terrible illness he has to face. I've lost two friends to cancer just this year. My prayers are with him as well.

Should Hilary Quit?

At this point, the Democratic presidential nomination is certainly not decided - but try telling that to Hillary Clinton's detractors. Some are calling on her to quit the race. But why? Just because it's May already and she doesn't have enough delegates to secure the nomination? Well, neither does Obama.

I seem to recall that as of late last year, John McCain's run for the presidency was in serious trouble. His campaign was out of money and he was lagging far behind in the polls. But McCain did not quit. Look at him now. The GOP convention is a mere formality in which he will be named the Republican nominee for president.

If Obama can secure enough delegates to secure the nomination, then certainly Clinton should bow out. But that hasn't happened yet. It just may go down to the wire. And then there's those pesky super-delegates (courtesy of Richard "Vote-early-vote-often" Daly). Don't get me wrong - I'm no fan of Hilary. But tell me again why she should quit.

Blogging From Remote (Sort Of)

This post represents the first one done away from my desktop.

I wanted a laptop so that I could work away from my desktop (or even away from home). Turns out we just happen to have a laptop here that no one was using (S has a laptop from work with a wireless connection). So I checked it out to see what it would take to get it up to speed. After all, I successfully assembled my own desktop PC last fall, right?

All it really needed was more RAM (it had 256 MB and is upgradeable to 2 GB) and a wireless card. I ordered those last Thursday and they arrived today. Easy upgrades. Blazing speed. And I can surf in the living room in front of the TV. This year I'll even be able to blog from camp. Sweet.

Advice To Our Youth

I heard this on the radio the other day.

1. Finish high school.
2. Don't go to jail.
3. Don't bring children into the world that you're not capable of taking care of.

If our youth would just heed this three basic rules, perhaps we wouldn't be such a welfare state.

Rising Food Prices: A Taste of What's To Come

"I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, 'A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages...'" Revelation 6:5b-6b

Rising food prices. Yet another sign of the end times prophesied in the Bible. The timing of this passage would suggest this event takes place during the Tribulation.

It's interesting to note that this Bible passage mentions wheat specifically, especially in light of recent news of the rising price of wheat. In an effort to create more biofuel, price of corn is up and the supply is low, therefore leaving less to feed our livestock. Now there is a run on rice worldwide, even here in the United States where Costco and Sam's Club are limiting how much they sell to each customer. And in Japan, butter has become a luxury item.

It might be a good idea to start growning your own food.

Keep watch, my brethren. Be vigilant.

Immigration Is Not The Problem

There's a lot of talk regarding illegal immigration, and as long as the issue remains unresolved by country's leadership, it will only serve to polarize our nation.

I would submit to you, however, that illegal immigration in itself is not the problem. Instead, it is merely a symptom of a much bigger problem.

I think it is quite obvious that the United States is becoming or has become a welfare state. The Democratic Party under Franklin D. Roosevelt made some sweeping and progressive moves to help those who can't help themselves. I applaud FDR for this. Unfortunately, every Democratic administration has somehow perverted Roosevelt's policies to the point where we are close to living in a socialist state. Both candidates vying for the Democratic nomination are certainly capable of tipping our nation over that edge if elected.

I don't have a problem helping those who truly need it. But our government makes it relatively easy to enable many who don't work just because they don't feel like it. Conversely, it is also difficult for people to get out of the vicious circle of the welfare system.

Our country is not in very good shape. The health care system is near meltdown, schools are not adequately educating our children, drug abuse is as rampant as ever, and our prisons are overcrowded. These may be a contributing factor to the moral decay in this country.

A good case in point is Hurricane Katrina. A lot of folks in New Orleans are angry at the government. They feel let down because they expect the government to take care of them, but the government has not been able to take care in the manner that they are used to. Meanwhile, the rest of the Gulf region, and other areas hit by disaster (i.e. - the California wildfires) are quietly rebuilding without bitching to the government for a handout.

Despite all the indications that we are or will soon be a welfare state, we are an attractive country, especially to those who have a rough life in places like Mexico or Central America. It's not their fault.

Since our country was born, many have immigrated here. They came here for a better life than what they left behind. It wasn't necessarily an easy life. They didn't come expecting a handout from the government - nor did they get one. These immigrants took care of themselves and each other. That's still true today (if you go to a homeless shelter you will see very few Hispanics).

So if it seems that immigrants today - regardless of where they're from - are taking advantage of the system, it's because they can. It's not their fault. If you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day; if you teach him how to fish, you can feed him for life. People are deemed disadvantaged because the standards set by our government are set too low. We're giving out too many fish and not teaching enough how to fish. We need to get our act together before it's too late.

And the way I see it, immigration is not the problem.

Taxes: Well, That's Done

Finally got the taxes done today (Good, Paul - they were due today). When it comes to taxes, I normally procrastinate about them. Last year was an exception as we needed the money for our vacation. But with this year's crazy schedule and everything else going on, it was back to our normal procrastination, already in progress. I don't know. We always get a refund on both Federal and state. Turns out our refund was even bigger this year (I think that happened as a result of having to redo our W-4's last year - I evidentally allowed for additional withholding). Taxes are done. Life is good.

Another Saint Called Home

Our church said goodbye to yet another saint today.

C was a wife, mother, and friend who was a vibrant member of our church. Although she couldn't sing terribly well, she was an accomplished bell player. She once chaired our trustees committee, served as an executive director for our community theater. C had a knack for convincing people they needed to do whatever it was she needed them to do. And she was so nice, described frequently as a cheerleader.

It was a difficult service to get through - there was so much love in the Sanctuary. The choir sang Daniel Gawtrop's Sing Me To Heaven and Franz Biebl's Ave Maria. Many former members of our church were there today - some even thought they might be back. Just what C would have wanted.

Wanna Refinance? Sure!

After buying a new car with payments bigger than we had anticipated (but could still afford on our stellar credit), I was thinking more seriously then ever about refinancing some of our debt. But with the busy time and all, I was somewhat procrastinating.

Then a few weeks ago, I got a phone call from the company that services our first and second mortgages. They wanted to know how things were going and was there anything they could do to help? I jumped on that opportunity.

It's now been finalized, and we are now saving about $500 a month without taking on any additional debt. Sweet.

Timing: A Strange Spring

You gotta love the lunar calendar upon which the date for Easter is set. This year Easter fell on March 23 - which is the second earliest date possible for an Easter Sunday. Therefore Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) began barely six weeks after Christmas on February 6!

Needless to say, this kind of switches things around a bit. Last year, during S's spring break, we took a vacation to visit S's aunt and cousins who live between Baltimore and Washington (and of course to see the sights). That didn't work this year because of Holy Week and spring break falling the same week (my choir director would never go for that, and frankly the Maundy Thursday service is one of my favorites). Maybe we'll go in October or next March instead, depending on the economy and airline fares.

Then of course are all the rehearsals in preparation for Easter and Holy Week. It's almost as busy a choir season as Christmas.

On top of that, I am serving on the talk team for a Walk to Emmaus weekend in June, which means I have to prepare a talk and present it to the team. I'm scheduled to give it on April 5.

And I haven't even done my taxes yet!

When Memorial Services Are Bittersweet

Today we celebrated the life of a dear friend. After her fourth battle with cancer, G was taken home to be with Jesus on Valentine's Day.

Personally I enjoy funerals and memorial services. It's not a morbid fascination, but it is fascinating nonetheless. On earth we live in a plane of existance that is different than that of heaven. When someone I know moves from this life on earth and goes to the next, I can sense that these two planes of existance are intersecting; I feel very close to God at these moments.

Our lives on earth can be so intermingled with those of others, and in the case of G, this was very much so. G and her mother were once members of our church choir. G's sister, by the way, is married to one of my closest childhood friends.

My friend, A, lived down the street from me. We were in the same grade in school, and we had been classmates from first through eighth grade. A's family was a strong Christian family - every single one of them. They were active in their Baptist church and took me along once in a while. At home, they walked the walk as much (if not more) as they talked unashamedly the talk.

I call this blog the Signpost Chronicles as there have been many signposts along the path of my life. These people were the ones at Milepost One. These are the people that planted the seed of the Holy Spirit in me.

I was a tough nut to crack. It took a long time for me to truly accept Christ in my heart; when I was a mere lad of 14 years of age, I really wasn't ready. A and I went to different high schools - he went to a Christian high school, and I continued in the public school system. I admit that I was somewhat relieved.

But God never left me and kept throwing signposts along the way. Eventually I did embrace Christ as my Lord and Savior, and I continue to grow.

A and I have run into each other occassionally over the years. But today was different. They were all there - A and his entire family. I hadn't seen most of them in over 30 years. It goes without saying that we were overjoyed to see each other.

I heard it said one time that God sometimes calls us to plant seeds for shade trees that we will never sit under. Well, today was an exception for my friends. They had planted a seed, and today they got to sit in it's shade.

Today was like one of the best days ever.

Election 2008: So Many Issues, So Many Compromises

"We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them."
- Michael Douglas (as President Andrew Shepherd in The American President)

Boy, what an election year this seems to be turning out to be! Will a real presidential candidate please stand up!

On Tuesday, I went to cast my vote in Arizona's presidential primary. After standing in line for over an hour-and-a-half to draw a line on a piece of paper (which took less than a second), I found myself rather frustrated. Not because I had stood in line so long. It was because I thought I had my mind made up. Upon seeing the long list of names I could not in good conscience vote for the one I had settled on. So I did what I've done in the past - I cast my "rebel" vote for one of the many who already dropped out of the race.

This past week I've heard many others - those around me, and those in the media - voice their frustration as well. While I heard the term "Obama Republicans" for the first time, I also was told by a friend of mine - a Democrat - say he would probably vote for McCain. In terms of the populace, the divsion between Republican and Democrat is clearly blurred (no pun intended).

Conservatives are especially frustrated as it appears that a not-so-conservative John McCain will be "coronated" as the Republican nominee for President. This was voiced most loudly by Focus on the Family's Dr. James Dobson who stated he couldn't possibly vote for McCain. I wonder, though, that Dobson couldn't possibly vote for Mitt Romney because he's a Mormon - something else that rubs fundamental Christians the wrong way. Although I consider myself a pretty strong Christian myself, I resolved in my own mind that a Mormon was acceptable as president - although I don't agree with their form of religion, I at least know where they're coming from. Their stand on family values is a lot stronger than some fundamental Christians I know (sorry, but it's true). But that's moot point now. Anyway, Dobson has now given his support to Mike Huckabee, who is really the conservatives' last best hope - and it's slim at best.

While technically it's a two-man race for the Republicans, it looks like it's all over except for McCain.

Hillary Rodham Clinton promises change, but frankly I shudder at the prospect of adding four more years to what will have already been a 20-year reign under the Bush and Clinton administrations. Considering the mess we're in now, I can't possibly see how she's going to change things. What sticks out in my mind is how she's going to reform health care. She already tried that when she was First Lady (which accounts for eight of her "35 years of experience") and failed miserably. If she is serious about health care, she should be doing it now while she's a Senator.

And then there's the wonderkid, Barak Hussein Obama. He is often compared to John F. Kennedy, even by JFK's own family. Whereas JFK challenged us to go to the moon, Barak Obama promises to bring the moon to us. I admire Obama for that, but the price is too high. Personally, I find Obama quite likable - I just don't like his politics.

John McCain is an interesting character. When he first ran for the U.S. House in Arizona, McCain was accused of being a carpetbagger (since he really had no ties to Arizona except for his new wife). He answered those charges stating that he was brought up in a military family, was in the Navy himself, and as a result lived in many places. Referring to his experience as a POW in Vietnam, he then went on to say, "As a matter of fact...the place I lived longest in my life was Hanoi." This public rebuke helped him win the primary against two experienced opponents and an easy victory in the general election. That statement pretty much describes how John McCain rolls, like it or not.

Is this country ready for a woman for president? Absolutely. Is this country ready for a black president? You bet. It is very exciting to realize that we've finally come to a point in our country's history where that may actually happen. But I would caution my fellow Americans that they should or should not vote for a candidate just because of their race, color, or creed.

This is a very strange election year indeed. There are a hodgepodge of issues, as well as a hodgepodge of values that each candidate possesses and represents. Often, the values don't seem to coincide with the issues. That is unfortunate because I think this year - more than ever - this election has become personal for many of us. Yet in order to support one candidate, we have to make compromises within ourselves that we might not otherwise (hence the Obama Republicans and McCain Democrats).

Meanwhile, as each candidate strives to win the nomination of their respective parties, we have the luxury of coming up with the tough questions that each nominee needs to address. We as citizens need to air out our concerns with each other so we can make an informed decision next November.

These are serious times. We have serious issues, and we need serious people to address them. Now that would be a refresshing change!

Finally A Super Bowl Worth Watching

If terrorists had struck this year's Super Bowl, I would only be four miles away from Ground Zero. Fortunately, that didn't happen, and we're still standing here.

I drove past the stadium after church just a couple of hours before the game (just so I can say that I drove past the host stadium on Super Bowl Sunday).

I typically don't watch NFL football except for the Super Bowl - and I typically only watch that for the commercials. This year was no exception. I thought it interesting that insects didn't fare well this year (a firefly caught by a spider, a grasshopper eaten by a lizard, and another grasshopper sucked into, then blown out of a Shopvac, then run over by a robot. Yet another grasshopper was found screaming in terror but was otherwise okay).

But tonight's game itself was worth watching. A close game with the underdog eeking out a victory is always exciting.

I didn't really care at first who to root for, although New York was my slim favorite just because they were the underdog. Then Randy Moss of the Patriots shot his mouth off saying that Arizona wasn't that great of a place to be for the Super Bowl and that he'd rather be in Miami. Then I became a Giants fan.

Great game. Great result: Giants win 17-14. Be sure the door hits you on the way out, Randy.

Fixing America: The Healthcare Crisis

Healthcare - now there's a hot topic! What is up with all of that anyway (besides the costs)?

And why do the costs increase at a much higher rate than inflation? There is no rhyme or reason. Except for greed. Greed on the part of the insurance companies. Greed on the part of the pharmaceutical companies. Greed on the part of the doctors. Greed on the patients who sue them (whether it is justified or not). Greed on the part of the lawyers who get in the middle. Even greed on the part of corporate America which seems to feel obligated to provide for their employees but are willing to skimp on what they can provide to those who really need it.

Considering that I am diabetic and that my wife has a plethora of medical problems (one of the least of which is her diabetes), we are pretty dependent on what happens with the healthcare industry. Because of the choices my employer offers, we've had insurance through three different providers in the last five years. Once again we have new insurance, and we are on pins and needles in regards to the ongoing treatment of my wife's pancreatitis. And our prescription drug service frankly sucks.

I have a friend who is going on 68 years of age. He is still working because he otherwise doesn't know how he can afford health benefits for himself and his wife.

My friend and I are certainly not poverty-stricken. But these healthcare costs are killing us financially, and many others. It is as if the industry is hemmoraging. And if we don't stop the bleeding soon, the whole system will melt down.

The pharmaceutical companies charge us consumers billions upon billions of dollars when they pimp their designer drugs on TV and in our magazines. Their pharmaceutical reps take my valuable time at the doctors while they pimp their wares and kickbacks on our doctors. And I swear they make up new diseases so they can treat them with new drugs they just created. They claim a lot of money goes to research. Well, if you spend billions on research, then I expect you to get it right. Look at Vioxx, one of numerous examples.

If I were in charge, I would see to it that the CEOs of these pharmaceutical companies get their butts hauled in front of a nationally televised Senate hearing and testify - under oath - to the American people as to why their drug prices are so ridiculously high, and explain why so many safety issues were not addressed. The FDA is probably in on approving unsafe drugs as well. While we're at it, we need to haul in folks from the FDA to explain that. Those responsible for rubber-stamping unsafe drugs into the market should be dealt with severely as if they commited a capital crime.

Then there's the emergency rooms. While many go there because they need to, there are too many others that go there when they have the sniffles or a scratchy throat or a hangnail. Sometimes they're there because their family doctor is simply too busy to see them. Fortunately my doctor doesn't do that.

Hospital care is another serious issue. We're simply not training enough nurses, and they're the ones who really make people better, not the doctors. Hospital doctors seem more concerned about, well, I'm not sure. And some of them are just egomaniacs. Many times when my wife was in the hospital, there would be considerable differences in opinion over her treatment amongst several doctors who would see her. Several times, a particular doctor who was passing through that day would try (sometimes successfully) to override the orders of the treating physician who actually knew the most about her! It's like a pissing contest between doctors to see who can out-diagnose the other! No wonder I get as grumpy as House!

Barack Obama thinks he can fix the healthcare system. I wish him luck - first on actually getting elected, then on actually fixing the system. With all the other ambitious projects he has planned (and I admire him for his ambition), I don't see where the money will come from. Maybe if he calls those special hearings like I mentioned, we might have a fighting chance.

Otherwise, I really do think we will see a complete meltdown of healthcare in this country, and it will happen fairly soon.

Fixing America: The Subprime Mortgage Crisis

It's amazing how the housing marketing was booming so much and now it looks as if it will end up being the catalyst of the worst economic crisis this country has seen in many, many years. It's amazing because real estate is supposed to be a sure bet in one's investment portfolio. Real estate tends to appreciate in value because "we're not making any more land." But now we're seeing it actually depreciate in value. Some people are stuck with a high mortgage payment on a property that's now worth less than what they owe on their adjustable-rate mortgage. To make matters worse, they can't qualify for fixed-rate mortgage; they have no choice except to face foreclosure.

And thanks to all the greedy speculators, everybody's property taxes are higher because our homes were worth a lot more a couple of years age. We've lived in the same modest house for almost fifteen years, have done a few very minor improvements, and yet its value more than doubled by the time the boom peaked. Now I have to pay considerably higher property taxes because of the greed of others. Thanks.

To top it off, our government - which likes to stick its fingers into everything - has surprisingly little legislation in regards to what happened during the housing boom.

It seemed like at one time, the mortgage business was a reputable one. Then the real estate market boomed. It seemed like anyone who wanted to could hang up a shingle and call themselves a mortgage company. I can't begin to tell you how many pounds of paper from mortgage companies and real estate agents I shredded. I didn't need to look up the comps - they were printed on the mailings and flyers.

They even got into the telemarketing business. One company, Acacia Mortgage in Phoenix, blatantly disregarded the Do Not Call registry. I even had a heated argument with one of their agents who claimed they weren't subject to the DNC list. I asked him if he wanted my business, why was he arguing with me? What an idiot! Subsequently they were slapped with a $770,000 fine from the Federal Trade Commission. They said they would appeal. It's been a couple of years, and I haven't heard much about them. Can't even find their website anymore. Bastards deserved it.

Anyway, if I were in charge, here's what I would do:

1. For the immediate short-term, allow borrowers with an adjustable-rate mortgage to obtain a new mortgage fixed at a rate no greater than what they are currently paying provided they qualify at the current rate and are in good standing. Those who do not qualify at the current rate, but qualify for a lower rate within the range of the original adjustable rate, should be allowed a new mortgage fixed at the lower rate provided they are in good standing. Those who would not have qualified for the mortgage even at its lowest rate could be allowed to refinance at a fixed rate but only under strict guidelines and if they are in good standing. In other words, if a borrower has managed to keep up, by all means, reward them. Otherwise, if they've gotten themselves into a mess, too bad.
2. Require mortgage companies to adhere to laws and standards that are as stringent as those in the banking industry.
3. Require sufficient training and licensing for mortgage companies and real estate agents.
4. Require mortgage lenders to fully disclose all costs of the mortgage, including those that will be incurred if an adjustable rate increases.
5. Ensure that loan applicants actually qualify for a mortgage, even if the rate increases (gee, what a concept). Otherwise, the lender forfeits all protections afforded by mortgage insurance.

Personally, I would do away with adjustable rates. It caused a lot of havoc in the 70's, and it's causing even more havoc now. Get yourself a fixed rate. When you become eligible to refinance again, and the rates are lower, get off your butt and refinance. Otherwise quit whining and be glad you have a roof over your head that you can pay for.