Preparedness

Alright, two days in a row. Not bad. Now I don't have to write for another eight months. YES! I thought that I would write today on preparedness. I have an burning feeling of being unprepared. I don't know what for, but I feel quite unprepared. I tried over the last three months to join every branch of the military, but no takers due to my asthma. I thought that it would be the best place to get the best training and skills that I am feeling that I need. During this same time period of trying to enlist, I had two experiences that re-confirm that I am having these feelings for a reason, that is not known to me. First, my friend from the mission field that I keep in touch will called to small talk, and then out of the blue told me that he was selling his house, and was going to join the army with the intent of going SF. He told me that he has know for a long time that he needed to join the military, but did not feel that the timing was right until now. The second story is that my father-in-law came to me about a month and a half ago, and told me that he felt strong impressions that he needed to prepare for not only himself, but for those of his kids that are not as prepared as they should be. Now why would all three of us have the same impressions within a month of each other?
So on to preparedness. What to start with. That is the hard part for most people. In a wilderness survival situation, you first should be concerned with First Aid,Shelter, Fire, Water, and Food. So I think of home preparedness, and why not follow the same principles? First get training in first aid and get some supplies, second prepare your home for the worst, third make sure that you have fuel, a way to cook, and keep warm, fourth, have water for drinking, cooking, toilets, and showering, lastly, to get the food that you need for a year. Just that easy. Right? I wish. I just finished a book called "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It". AWSOME book. I placed it on my favorite books section on the main page. So many of the survival books put an emphisis on what I would classify as wilderness survival. Kits, supplies, and skills that would help you stay alive untill you get "rescued". Things like a "Go Bag", or a 72 hour kit. This book that I just finished by James Rawles, is a preparedness book on how to survive for months, and or years with out planning on having a rescue. Lets face it, in a disaster, the police, firefighters, and emergency persons are not going to come to our rescue. I know that Scott Lashmett is the last man on the totem pole for the city of Salem emergency crews, and my family may be even lower. So what does that mean?
That means that I am responsible for me! I have to make sure that I have the kits, supplies, trainings, and skills to survive for extended periods of time. This could be anything from a job loss, to a deadly robbery attack, to a power outage for extended amount of time, to a terrist attack. As the patriarch of my home, I also have become responsible for the rest of my family. Could you imagine not being prepared for a potential long term disaster, and you have to watch your children starve, because the new SUV was more important than the year supply of food. I will say that there are some of us that just seem to have a greater desire for prepardness than others. Most men watch sports, play golf, build a car, ect., ect. I have no interest in doing much of any of that. I do however have a deep interest in emergency first aid, becoming proficient with a pistol, carbine, and long range rifle, food storage and garndening, and financial security. Some people would call me a crazy radical, but it is what I like to do for a hobby. I have no plans on building a fortress or castle (although it would be awsome to have), but I do believe that you should have a safe home (even better would be a safe room), and a plan to get you and your family to have security. Hopefully I will be able to host some classes to teach others some of the things that I have found to be of value. It is hard to get started, but once you are, it is almost contagious, and impossible to stop.

English Technicalities

I thought that I would put a little disclaimer for those that surf blogs like my wife. I am a college drop out, and not verry good at english, grammar, and/or spelling. I think that you will get the point of what I am trying to write without having to be all professional and stuff. So correct me, laugh at me, ignore me, its all alright. I can handle it.

Sacrifice

Alright, almost a year since the last post. I guess that I was not as dedicated to this whole blogging thing as I thought. I read a quote by Thomas Jefferson today "The worst day in a man's life is when he sits down and begins thinking about how he can get something for nothing." As I look at the world today, and see how there are so many people, agencies, and governments that get votes, customers, and friends by offering something for nothing I cannot feel the importace of that quote by Mr. Jefferson. The problem with the world today, is that individuals and societies are not willing to sacrifice and require others to do what is required in order to be prosperous. There is no way that a few will be able to support the many. The plan of our Heavenly Father and the founding fathers was not to have some do all, while the rest sit around and reap the rewards.
We can read in the bible the parable of the talents. While some used their talents to get more, others burried their talents in fear of loosing them altogether. What is the Saviors response. He rewarded those that used them and rebuked those that did not. We are to work, use our talents to support ourselves and our families. If we burry all that we have and let others tell us what our talents are, we are no better than those that were rebuked by Jesus. The founding fathers set up a government that required work. It has evolved into a government of fat pigs that sit up on a hill, and tell the rest of us what we need, how we should work, and getting to the point that what we shall do for work. I heard a sound bite on a liberal talk radio show last week that had a congressman say "there is nothing wrong offering healthcare substites to a family of four that earns $85,000.00 a year" Holy crap! A family of four that earn 85K a year is not in bad shape. According to our public officials, that is almost the poverty level. There is no way someone whith that small of an income could budget, sacrifice, and afford their own health care?
I am going to go back to the bible for a moment, and quote our Savior again. We are told that he rebuked the Pharisees for their false traditions and ceremonies by saying "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." To many times I talk to people, those that do not like what is going on in the word today, and ask what they are willing to sacrifice to change it. Would you stop paying taxes as a revolt? Would you be willing to go to jail? Loose your home? Stop using credit cards? There are so many things that we can sacrifice to make a difference, but are we willing to do it? We fight the fight with our lips, but we do not put our hearts into the cause. I personally know people whom say that the country is being destroyed, but they are get food stamps, government insurance, unemployement, and other hand-outs. Free things that the government has for people who are willing to take it. Sometimes we take things from Big Brother, and not even know that we are doing it. What happend to a days work for a days wages? Reap what you sow?
Lets close with the quote from Thomas Jefferson again "The worst day in a man's life is when he sits down and begings thinking about how he can get something for nothing." We all have fallen on hard times. This economy will affect everyone in some capacity, but how we react to it will show the true measure of a person. Will we roll over and take what the government says that we "need"? Or will we roll up our sleaves, sacrifices a little, work hard, and get what we earn? I know where I stand, I know where I am going to take my life, and I know at the end, I will be able to look back and know that I never had a worst day because I tried to come up with the best way to get something for nothing.
-Scott

Forbes Most Powerful Celbs.

I was listening to the radio this morning, and something struck me as crazy while I listened to the radio. The morning show was listing some of Forbe's Magazines most powerful celebrities. On the list were Angalina Jolie, of course the racist Oprah, Brad Pit, ect., ect. They used the income for the year, the popularity, and how many times they were in print in any form to come up with the list (this according to the radio). What struck me as crazy is when they started to say that they were suprized that Obama was not on the list. I might totally be off my rocker on this one, but last time that I checked being the President of these United States of America does not classify you as a celebrity. THANK YOU FORBES MAGAZINE. For two things. First for keeping the spirit of entrepnourship alive, and refusing to make Obama on a celebrity list. Of course whey you use reason (and according to Senator Wyden of Oregon, something that is not in government), how could he be on that list. You can not count campaign funds as income since I am sure that there was no tax paid on it (even if you were supose to, he is exempt due to he would have made a slight mistake in his calculations). His ratings are in the toilet and the only people that he is popular with are the N. Korean's, Iran, Saudia Arabia, and all other known dictators, pshyco paths, and terrorist (which Forbes does not track). I will give it to him that he has made it into print on just about anything. I can't belive that I saw a magazine in Walmart dedicated to his first 100 days in office. I have not been around too long, but I don't remember seeing any other President with such media. I am disapointed though. After seeing that, I went to wear I really was looking to find him in print, which was in the toilet papter section, and I had no luck what so ever. He is managing too kiss the butt of every country in the world on his appology tours, I figured that I might be able to use him to wipe mine. I am thankful that Forbes did not make Obama into something that he is not, and celebrity. The people that voted for him though did a fine job of that by making him the President. He is definatly not the leader of the the free world. He is a discrase to all that America stands for and has been built upon. At what point will enough be enough? At what point will the people say no, and take this great nation back and stand on the priciples upon which they were founded. The Pilgrims came to the Americas to practice CHRITIANITY openly and freely. It was the decendants of those settelers that fought agaist England for freedom. Please show me in any historic document a group whom fought for freedom in the Civil War proudly professing to be muslim or any other religion. The words "...one nation under God...", and "In God we Trust", should be loud and clear. WE ARE A CHRISTIAN NATION! WE WERE FOUNDED ON CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES! IF YOU VIOLATE THOSE PRICIPLES, YOU ARE SUBJECT TO THE PUNISHMENTS OF GOD (having Obama as your President)! I guess that we should hold on or repent and get back on the right path.

Why? Why? Why?

Why does it say that Amber posted this blog? Why do I have to have so much stress? Why do I have to feel all emotions including anger and frustration when dealing with my kids? Why do people schedule you for work, and not be ready when you show up? Why does family seem to get more complicated the longer you are family? Why do people not pay you for services rendered two months ago? Why do people not return phone calls? Why does it take so much pressure to create a diamond? Why does Murphy's Law exist? Why does it cost so much to do anything? Why do public school think that it is o.k to cut sports programs? Why do city councils cut funding for schools, and give them selves a raise three day later? Why during a recession does my water bill triple? Why does health insurance go up for no reason what so ever? Why does life seem to be so great at one moment, and so frustrating the next? Why is it so hard to loose weight? Why do children have the ability to love unconditionaly and adults don't? Why do I seem to learn so much, but apply so little? Why do I settle? Why does the government think that it is o.k. to run my life? Why don't we have term limits for Congressmen and Senators? Why do I feel so hopeless? Why do I feel so helpless? Why do I feel unprepared, when I do all that I can to prepare? Why do I love? Why does time seem to evaporate when I use devices to give me more time? Why do I put aside my dreams? Why don't I dream bigger? Why do I limit my own potential? Why do I wear chains of the past? Why don't I just get a long with everyone? Why does Talmadge always, and I mean always have to do what I do? Why before I had kids I only had one shadow, and now I have four? Why don't I know how to get a money tree to grow? Why do I have to spend more money for florescent light bulbs when you can only take 10 to the dump to recycle them due to the large mercury content? Why do I have to listen to people make rules that make no sense? Why do I alway feel so tired? Why can't I be a better speller? Why does service suck so bad, but make you feel so good? Why do I complain so much? Why can't I trust God more? Why can't I read my scriptures everyday? Why do I procrastinate? Why do things break at the most inconvenient time? Why do you always have unexpected cost, whey you unexpendly have no work? Why do kids alway have to find out the hard way how things work, and what pain is? Why do I tolerate so much? Why can't I revolt more often? Why does my wife put up with me? Why do my kids alway run to see their dad when he come home from work? Why don't the kids run to see mom when she comes home from church service? Why do new babies always have to cry? Why can't I make time to do everything that I want to do? Why did I buy a Mac that always seems to be breaking? Why does manual labor not pay more? Why does the American dream always seem to be someone elses dream? Why does the news not tell the whole story? Why do people want respect, but don't want to give it? Why do people lie? Why do people charge too much for services that they should charge much less? Why do sales people alway try to push you too far? Why do people think that the laws of men are better than the laws of God? Why don't business fail when they make too many mistakes? Why have people come to feel that they are entitled to a piece of my pie? Why does is take so long to make a pie, and such a short time for it to disappear? Why can't I figure out the secret? Why does college cost so much? Why does a white male who does not have a disabliliy, is not a veteran, and has been in business for eight years not qualify for an SBA loan? Why is the last question not reverse discrimination? Why do schools no teach things about checking accounts, savings accounts, investing, real estate, and credit in class? Why do people think that using riches to keep score is bad? Why don't friends be more honest to your face? Why do people get hurt when you don't invite them to your house for dinner everytime you have someone else over? Why could I not teach Lucy to ride a bike for six months, and last week she picked up her bike and decided that it was time to ride by herself? Why did I promise her a new bike? Why am I so scared of snakes? Why do people get rewarded for failure? Why do I fail, and decide that I will never be good at that one thing? Why is Talmadge able to catch flies with his bare hands every time? Why does Zoie always have to be that last to go to sleep and the last to wake up in a family of early sleepers and early risers? Why are T.V. shows so lame? Why has the golden rule changed to "He that has the gold rules"? Why can't I seem to ever finish a project at home? Why don't my kids eat their great stake and potatoe dinner, but then want an apple right before bed? Why do I have so many unanswered questions? Why ask Why?

The Goverment Auto Group

I have been thinking for a long time to start a blog to keep somewhat of a journal. I will be posting things that are on my mind about business, politics, religion, family, and what ever else I decide to be important at the time that I am writing on the blog. I am not an english major, so things will be spelt wrong, and grammer may be wrong too. So here is what is on my mind today. As you can see the title is the government auto group. I am totally pissed off that the president of the United States has more time to run a auto company (or two), but does not have the time to deal with threats such as N. Korea or Iran. As I pondered the recent auto industry failures, I can't help but think about how a business should and/or should not be ran. They are a perfect example of how poor customer service has totally destroyed any hope it seems at this point. Any and all businesses are created to serve a customer. In my line of work (tile installation) I have to provide a service to contractors, businesses, suppliers, and homeowners. I have employee's, and there job is to provide the same service I would if I was there. I do what I can to make my employee's happy and try to treat them fair. The auto industry has been ruled by unions. They don't serve the customer any longer. They care as much about the person buying a vehicle as they do the toilet paper on the roll holder in the bathroom. The group that the auto makers have to keep happy, and that ultimatly dictate the price of the cars are the employee's. The amount of money that is spent on vacation, raises, PTO, cost of living increase, bonuses, severence pay, and union dues dictates the cost of the car. If the unions were to step a side, let the car companies run a company instead of having to conform to union "rules", we would see the cost of cars go down and the auto industry revived. All business are there to provide a service to their CUSTOMERS, not to the employees. About three months ago I went to a town hall meeting with Senator Wyden here in Oregon. I asked about the credit crisis, and if any legislation was being passes to stop creditors from lowring credit lines and raising interest rates without a just cause. His respose was priceless. In his own words "You are too logical for governemnt". Toll logical for government? What in the world? Mabey that is exaxtly what the goverment needs, a little bit of logic. We definatly need a little bit of leadership with some logic. I am scared for the future of this country as many fellow Americans are. But we must put our faith in God, and know that he is in charge. A scripture that is on the wall of our home reads "Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall pocesess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ." This is what I believe the founding fathers knew, and this is what Heavely Father has given to us in this the greates country in the world. Only problem is that we have turned from the very Person that has given us this choice land. The promise will not stand true untill we return to following Jesus Christ. I pray that we may all strive to better our own lives, influence those that we come into contact with and return to what the founding fathers knew. May God bless all that strive to live the higher laws of Heaven, and not the laws of liberal supreme court justices with empathy.