Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

but beautiful. my heart wasn't in photographing it tonight however. this is the one good pic i got. enjoy it.

3 years ago Citibank signed a contract to purchase a new Jet. The new jet would have replaced two existing ones, saving money and shrinking the company's carbon footprint. As the jet was built, Citibank made good faith payments. Then came the bailout, otherwise known as the socialization of the American banking industry. Now, even though it would benefit the company, the stockholders, and the environment, the jet can't be purchased because it looks bad. Obama's message to Citibank "fix it." That means make this PR nightmare go away, no matter the damage to the things we pretend to care about (environment and people, in that order). This is par for the course. Here's the truly frightening part. Carl Levin: "to permit Citigroup to purchase a plush plane -- foreign-built no less -- while domestic auto companies are being required to sell off their jets is a ridiculous double standard." It's scary for two words, permit and required. The government is now directly managing schools, the auto industry, the banking industry, the insurance industry, and as this bailout goes forward, state government, and eventually health care. Make no mistake, if this trend is not reversed, America as we experience it now, will cease to exist. The government is buying its way into monopoly power. We may have already reached the tipping point. True, complete nationalization is the natural outcome of what we are witnessing. So, lets spend 2 trillion, buy everything, and destroy over 2 million more jobs. Viva la revolution. I only hope that when it's over, there is enough of America left to pick up the pieces.

In the new year, I'm thankful for lots of things. I may just have gotten a personal relationship right for once. Being in love with an unmarried woman is a nice change of pace. I always thought I'd marry an academic, but Suzanne is so much better for me than anyone I've dated for a very, very long time. I am thankful that my female loved ones aren't in Pakistan right now. Found this piece of news:

In the States, the January event most on our minds (for better or worse) is the inauguration of President-elect Obama, but in the areas of Pakistan under Taliban control, it is the month when the education of girls will cease, and that’s just one in a long line of new dictates from the unofficial government of many regions. Women (or all those over the age of seven, yes, seven) caught out without identification papers, a marriage certificate and a male relative face “dire consequences,” which in some cases has equaled a death sentence for those who have dared to speak out against the crackdown. Announcements have also been made in mosques recently instructing families to report all unmarried women in their family so they can be forced into nuptials with militants. So while going back to work after the holidays may be a drag, we can be thankful that leaving your driver’s license at home isn’t a capital offense.

I don't have time to look up all the particulars, but their culture sure is different from ours.

I am also thankful that my kids and I are getting along better than ever. I sincerely hope that it is not an artifact of being in different houses. I don't think it is though. They are growing up, and regardless of what everyone else thinks, they are growing up the way I want them to. It may not be the idyllic version of childhood that the Beavers' had, but they will (eventually) be strong enough to take care of themselves in an increasingly uncertain world.

I am worried that there don't seem to be enough education jobs for all my friends. I think I will be ok. I'm working hard, and I've never had a problem getting and keeping work anyway, but I still worry for my friends. I am looking forward to being done with my dissertation and getting a job, but I can't really say why. My work will be no different than what I'm doing now. Of course I'll have more money, but I have everything I want now. (That's not true. I want a GPS for my car, and another for walking. I want a PS3 and Rock Band--played the other night for the first time and I was awesome at singing. I want a wireless presenter to give class and professional presentations with. I want a laptop with a built in cellular feature, or at least one that still has a C key. My C is a white rubber button right now. And the list goes on, but I'm happy without all this stuff). The only thing that will really make a difference after graduation is that my kids will be in the same house as me. That is a reward worth working toward.

I spent the entire day with Matthew yesterday while Thomas went hunting with his grandfather. We had a great time. He is the lovingest boy ever. He is so sweet you can't hardly stand it. And Thomas is great too. He is very passionate. Both of those boys make me very proud. I am looking forward to growing up with them all over again, over the next several years.

Well, I'm supposed to be editing a paper, so I'll get back to it. Hope that this post is not too unusual for those of you that tune in. I promise to be a more regular writer in this year. Peace.