For the most part, I think the ACLU is full of libtard nut-jobs who ain't happy until nobody's happy. But, I think I might have to agree, somewhat, with them on this one...
In its written objection to the law, the ACLU claims REAL ID amounts to the "first-ever national identity card system," which "would irreparably damage the fabric of American life."
I understand the concerns of the Federal government; the hijackers had multiple driver's licenses registered to them. But I think this is a States Rights issue. Complicated to be sure and I don't think there's going to be an easy answer.
I also think there are going to be two camps should this go through further polarizing our country. One camp will scream their rights are being violated. Those will include the fringe kooks who see conspiracy behind every news story as well as those who see the ever-encroaching US gov't taking one more step closer to their Constitutional rights to privacy.
EDIT: I was taken to task at another board for the above sentence. My point was that people interpret "provide protection" both internally and externally as a justification for limiting/giving up certain rights.
The other camp will nod their head and say, "Yep, we can't do it so we should let the gov't handle it...too much for the States, this is a national security issue." This camp will include those who think the gov't owes them safety. Those people need to read the Declaration and the Constitution a little more closely.
9/11 changed the US more than Dec. 7th (Pearl Harbor attack for those of you who went through the Public School system!) After Dec. 7th, we united to stand against an aggressor. We rallied around our President regardless of our political affiliations and sacrificed for the greater good. We gave up some freedoms but most were returned to us. After 9/11, we sought out who to blame, hid in our homes, and closed our eyes to how, as a society and a country, we allowed our defenses down in the name of not hurting anyone's feelings. We gave up some of our freedoms reluctantly and have yet to get many of them back. We have a gov't we can't always trust anymore because many politicians and voters have decided that Washington knows best how to take care of us because many of us have let Washington take care of us instead of striving to take care of us and our own.
It's a mess we have no one to blame for but ourselves. The solution will not be pretty and will piss many people off. Unfortunately, not all medicine is chocolate coated to help the taste...
Eric
Friday, January 11, 2008
Monday, January 07, 2008
Broken Wrists and Corporate Idiocy
Back in June, my son broke his wrist. He fell from his scooter when it hit a piece of pea gravel on our driveway. Small fracture, easily set. He is covered under my wife's insurance policy. Her company pays for the entire premium but has a very high deductible...$5100. When we got the bill it was $3225...no break down of charges, just $3225. My wife called and asked if she could make payments or talk to someone about a break down of charges and was basically told "no, we don't do payments."
Enter the husband.
I call the hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center here in Redding. I ask for an itemized bill before I make any payments. That's fair. No problem. "It's in the mail Mr. Lancaster."
I get the bill and see things like:
Sodium Bicarb, Pediatric - $138.00
Cold Pack - $70.00
2 Gal. Plastic Bucket - $86.00
Lidocaine, 1%, 30ml - $115.00
Splint - $338
Administer Single Vaccination - $52.00
Other charges include nearly $1000 for X-rays of his wrist. (The orthopeadist who saw him later charged me $50 a pop for the very same x-rays!)
Being the kind of person who now does research in to things before he buys and working for an air ambulance outfit, I go to www.boundtree.com and find out what this stuff costs...really.
Surprise, surprise, surprise!
Sodium Bicarb - $4.66
Cold Pack - $17
Splint - $32
Lidocaine - $17.95
And so on.
I call back to the hospital and ask to meet with someone or speak with someone to dispute some of these charges. "We don't do that. You must mail your disputation to us."
No problem. Print out a nice letter complete with graphs and charts and a request to discuss such asinine charges and wait...
And wait...
And wait...
Finally, get a phone call. "Sorry. State of California says we have to charge that amount. Oh, and by the way, we found a couple more charges we forgot to charge you for so your bill just went up to $3714!"
Huh?
They offer to re-bill the insurance company to which I reply, go ahead, won't do any good. We are responsible for these charges and would like to negotiate a payment that is equitable to both parties.
They re-bill the insurance company anyways.
On top of all of this, I am offering to make some kind of monetary payment to keep the collection agency they sicced on me who kept calling every Monday at 8 a.m. and sending me letters every month off my back. Nope. Don't send any money, it will just mess up our system.
Greeaaat...now it looks like I'm a delinquent!
Finally get someone to call off the collection agency dogs. She says she'll kick it up the food chain and not to worry, I should hear back in a couple of weeks.
Two months go by.
Thanksgiving.
Christmas.
Sister's Birthday.
New Years.
Dad's Birthday.
I open the mail today...1/7/08 to find another nasty-gram from the hospital via the collection agency. For $3495.
Huh?
What the...
Soooo...I get on the phone and rant.
I rant hard.
I rant loud.
I use words you shouldn't use in polite company.
I escalate the call.
I get told it's the insurance companies problem, they haven't notified the hospital. You should call Blue Cross and see what's going on.
Okay.
The nice computer at Blue Cross says they've received 3 statements from SRMC, two were denied (no duh...we didn't meet the deductible.) one was sent back "approved, patient is responsible for the $3225."
Gee...didn't I say that way back in June?!
I file an appeal via Blue Cross against the hospital then call back to the hospital to let them know what's coming down the pike and again, ask for someone who can help me resolve this issue.
Finally...I get someone who has the authority to do something on the phone. I give him the Reader's Digest version and he says, "No problem. Let me cut the bill in half and you pay by the 31st."
Great...that's all I wanted. Someone to make a decision. Someone to work with me on this bill. Someone who wouldn't give me the corporate run-around. Someone who responds well to threats of lawsuits and a phone call to "60 Minutes"!!
Seriously. How hard would it have been to simply say, "Sure, you want to pay but aren't going to be raped by outrageous charges that both you and I know are what's wrong with the health care system in America today. You and I can meet at such-and-such a day at such-and-such a time to discuss this issue."
Oh, I see. It doesn't work that way.
So now the gals that answer the phone at Patient Services at Shasta Regional Medical Center think I'm some kind of raging lunatic who doesn't want to pay his bills. Far from it. I started out calm, explaining in plain English, what do I need to do to get this resolved plus stating that I was standing my ground about not paying the full $70 for a cold pack (they're $4.99+tax at Walgreen's!). I ended up ranting like a lunatic!
Right in the middle of today's rant, I quickly thought, "What's my BP now!?" It was 110/70 this morning at the doctor's office. I'm sure it was much higher 30 minutes ago!
Eric
Enter the husband.
I call the hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center here in Redding. I ask for an itemized bill before I make any payments. That's fair. No problem. "It's in the mail Mr. Lancaster."
I get the bill and see things like:
Sodium Bicarb, Pediatric - $138.00
Cold Pack - $70.00
2 Gal. Plastic Bucket - $86.00
Lidocaine, 1%, 30ml - $115.00
Splint - $338
Administer Single Vaccination - $52.00
Other charges include nearly $1000 for X-rays of his wrist. (The orthopeadist who saw him later charged me $50 a pop for the very same x-rays!)
Being the kind of person who now does research in to things before he buys and working for an air ambulance outfit, I go to www.boundtree.com and find out what this stuff costs...really.
Surprise, surprise, surprise!
Sodium Bicarb - $4.66
Cold Pack - $17
Splint - $32
Lidocaine - $17.95
And so on.
I call back to the hospital and ask to meet with someone or speak with someone to dispute some of these charges. "We don't do that. You must mail your disputation to us."
No problem. Print out a nice letter complete with graphs and charts and a request to discuss such asinine charges and wait...
And wait...
And wait...
Finally, get a phone call. "Sorry. State of California says we have to charge that amount. Oh, and by the way, we found a couple more charges we forgot to charge you for so your bill just went up to $3714!"
Huh?
They offer to re-bill the insurance company to which I reply, go ahead, won't do any good. We are responsible for these charges and would like to negotiate a payment that is equitable to both parties.
They re-bill the insurance company anyways.
On top of all of this, I am offering to make some kind of monetary payment to keep the collection agency they sicced on me who kept calling every Monday at 8 a.m. and sending me letters every month off my back. Nope. Don't send any money, it will just mess up our system.
Greeaaat...now it looks like I'm a delinquent!
Finally get someone to call off the collection agency dogs. She says she'll kick it up the food chain and not to worry, I should hear back in a couple of weeks.
Two months go by.
Thanksgiving.
Christmas.
Sister's Birthday.
New Years.
Dad's Birthday.
I open the mail today...1/7/08 to find another nasty-gram from the hospital via the collection agency. For $3495.
Huh?
What the...
Soooo...I get on the phone and rant.
I rant hard.
I rant loud.
I use words you shouldn't use in polite company.
I escalate the call.
I get told it's the insurance companies problem, they haven't notified the hospital. You should call Blue Cross and see what's going on.
Okay.
The nice computer at Blue Cross says they've received 3 statements from SRMC, two were denied (no duh...we didn't meet the deductible.) one was sent back "approved, patient is responsible for the $3225."
Gee...didn't I say that way back in June?!
I file an appeal via Blue Cross against the hospital then call back to the hospital to let them know what's coming down the pike and again, ask for someone who can help me resolve this issue.
Finally...I get someone who has the authority to do something on the phone. I give him the Reader's Digest version and he says, "No problem. Let me cut the bill in half and you pay by the 31st."
Great...that's all I wanted. Someone to make a decision. Someone to work with me on this bill. Someone who wouldn't give me the corporate run-around. Someone who responds well to threats of lawsuits and a phone call to "60 Minutes"!!
Seriously. How hard would it have been to simply say, "Sure, you want to pay but aren't going to be raped by outrageous charges that both you and I know are what's wrong with the health care system in America today. You and I can meet at such-and-such a day at such-and-such a time to discuss this issue."
Oh, I see. It doesn't work that way.
So now the gals that answer the phone at Patient Services at Shasta Regional Medical Center think I'm some kind of raging lunatic who doesn't want to pay his bills. Far from it. I started out calm, explaining in plain English, what do I need to do to get this resolved plus stating that I was standing my ground about not paying the full $70 for a cold pack (they're $4.99+tax at Walgreen's!). I ended up ranting like a lunatic!
Right in the middle of today's rant, I quickly thought, "What's my BP now!?" It was 110/70 this morning at the doctor's office. I'm sure it was much higher 30 minutes ago!
Eric
Friday, December 21, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
PC 12 Days of C*****mas
(HT Mickey's Funnies)
THE POLITICALLY CORRECT TWELVE DAYS OF C*****MAS
On the 12th day of the Eurocentrically-imposed midwinter festival, my potential acquaintance gave to me,
TWELVE males reclaiming their inner warrior through ritual drumming.
ELEVEN pipers piping (plus the 18 member pit orchestra made up of members in good standing of the Musicians Equity Union as called for in their union contract even though they will not be asked to play a note...)
TEN melanin-deprived, testosterone-poisoned scions of the patriarchal ruling class system leaping,
NINE persons engaged in rhythmic self-expression,
EIGHT economically-disadvantaged female persons stealing milk products from enslaved Bovine Americans,
SEVEN endangered swans swimming on federally-protected wetlands,
SIX enslaved fowl-Americans producing stolen, nonhuman animal products,
FIVE golden symbols of culturally-sanctioned enforced domestic incarceration, (NOTE: after a member of the Animal Liberation Front threatened to throw red paint at my computer, the calling birds, French hens and partridge have been reintroduced to their native habitat. To avoid further animal American enslavement, the remaining gift package has been revised.)
FOUR hours of recorded whale songs,
THREE deconstructionist poets,
TWO Sierra Club calendars printed on recycled, processed tree carcasses,
and a Spotted Owl activist chained to an old-growth pear tree.
Eric
THE POLITICALLY CORRECT TWELVE DAYS OF C*****MAS
On the 12th day of the Eurocentrically-imposed midwinter festival, my potential acquaintance gave to me,
TWELVE males reclaiming their inner warrior through ritual drumming.
ELEVEN pipers piping (plus the 18 member pit orchestra made up of members in good standing of the Musicians Equity Union as called for in their union contract even though they will not be asked to play a note...)
TEN melanin-deprived, testosterone-poisoned scions of the patriarchal ruling class system leaping,
NINE persons engaged in rhythmic self-expression,
EIGHT economically-disadvantaged female persons stealing milk products from enslaved Bovine Americans,
SEVEN endangered swans swimming on federally-protected wetlands,
SIX enslaved fowl-Americans producing stolen, nonhuman animal products,
FIVE golden symbols of culturally-sanctioned enforced domestic incarceration, (NOTE: after a member of the Animal Liberation Front threatened to throw red paint at my computer, the calling birds, French hens and partridge have been reintroduced to their native habitat. To avoid further animal American enslavement, the remaining gift package has been revised.)
FOUR hours of recorded whale songs,
THREE deconstructionist poets,
TWO Sierra Club calendars printed on recycled, processed tree carcasses,
and a Spotted Owl activist chained to an old-growth pear tree.
Eric
Friday, December 07, 2007
Tinted Windows
I grew up in a conservative Baptist church. We loved to say "in the world but not of it". Which basically meant...we were growing up in the ghetto of evangelical Christianity. We cloistered ourselves with Christian music, a list of movies not to see, the evils of alcohol among other things. While we were being fed a good dose of the Bible what we weren't being fed was a good dose of how to engage with the world we were "in" but not "of".
That left some of us with a rather narrow view of the world and a bit of a shock when we entered it and found not everyone believed as we did...after all...we were right and they were going to hell.
20-some-odd years later we still have Christian's getting up in arms about boycotting movies, theme parks and whatnot. "We must protect our children!" is the battle cry. Hey, as a parent of two teenagers, I'm all for protecting my children. But I'm also for making sure my children can function in the world they are going into someday. Which means they need to know how to think for themselves.
I'd never heard of "The Golden Compass" or "His Dark Materials" or of Pullman. My son read the book in school last year and, because of his upbringing, wasn't immediately swayed to the Dark Side! He enjoyed it for what it was; a fantasy book but scoffed at the idea that kids could kill god. He even wants to see the movie. (Might not be a good idea as the last book turned into movie he saw as "eragon" and he was very disappointed with the movie.)
Rich Copely writes about "The Golden Compass" makes this observation...
But the whole episode, which has included some schools pulling the books from their shelves and proposed boycotts of the movie, has me humming a tune by contemporary Christian singer and songwriter Derek Webb. He’s a provocative artist in Christian circles, and one of his songs, A New Law, addresses people who don’t want to think for themselves. He sings: “Don’t teach me about/ Truth and beauty/ Just label my music.”
Or ban books, or run movies out of town.
Here’s another idea: Why don’t we raise critical thinkers?
Now, I’m not saying Pullman or anyone else controversial comes out any better this way. In fact, they could come out worse. Growing up an evangelical Christian kid in the 1980s, I had friends whose parents shielded them from the world and ones who didn’t. In general, it seemed most of the kids who were cloistered through high school were shocked when they entered adulthood and weren’t really sure how to engage with a culture that didn’t fit their narrow perceptions.
Entering my fifth decade, one of my firmest beliefs is the strongest faith is one that’s been challenged.
(HT to BHT)
Critical thinkers. I had to train myself to become more of a critical thinker in my late 20-early 30's. It has helped me from having knee-jerk, evangellyfish reactions to some of the lame-brained things my fellow brothers in the Lord do. I am raising my kids to be strong in what they believe. But I'm also hoping they will not just take my word for it. That they'll incorporate other thinking into their own beliefs. They have a good, strong foundation in the Lord that is serving them well into their early teens. But like all of us, their beliefs will be challenged and their view of life, the universe and everything will go through a major remodeling during this time of their life. It's the way of things. My prayer is that when they come out on the other end they will see that what Mom and Dad said wasn't all that far off. What the preacher-man said at church was pretty much right on. What they read in the Bible was pertinent and relevant to those who wrote it and to them in their day and age.
That they will be strong enough to stand for what they believe and gracious enough in their disagreements!
Eric
That left some of us with a rather narrow view of the world and a bit of a shock when we entered it and found not everyone believed as we did...after all...we were right and they were going to hell.
20-some-odd years later we still have Christian's getting up in arms about boycotting movies, theme parks and whatnot. "We must protect our children!" is the battle cry. Hey, as a parent of two teenagers, I'm all for protecting my children. But I'm also for making sure my children can function in the world they are going into someday. Which means they need to know how to think for themselves.
I'd never heard of "The Golden Compass" or "His Dark Materials" or of Pullman. My son read the book in school last year and, because of his upbringing, wasn't immediately swayed to the Dark Side! He enjoyed it for what it was; a fantasy book but scoffed at the idea that kids could kill god. He even wants to see the movie. (Might not be a good idea as the last book turned into movie he saw as "eragon" and he was very disappointed with the movie.)
Rich Copely writes about "The Golden Compass" makes this observation...
But the whole episode, which has included some schools pulling the books from their shelves and proposed boycotts of the movie, has me humming a tune by contemporary Christian singer and songwriter Derek Webb. He’s a provocative artist in Christian circles, and one of his songs, A New Law, addresses people who don’t want to think for themselves. He sings: “Don’t teach me about/ Truth and beauty/ Just label my music.”
Or ban books, or run movies out of town.
Here’s another idea: Why don’t we raise critical thinkers?
Now, I’m not saying Pullman or anyone else controversial comes out any better this way. In fact, they could come out worse. Growing up an evangelical Christian kid in the 1980s, I had friends whose parents shielded them from the world and ones who didn’t. In general, it seemed most of the kids who were cloistered through high school were shocked when they entered adulthood and weren’t really sure how to engage with a culture that didn’t fit their narrow perceptions.
Entering my fifth decade, one of my firmest beliefs is the strongest faith is one that’s been challenged.
(HT to BHT)
Critical thinkers. I had to train myself to become more of a critical thinker in my late 20-early 30's. It has helped me from having knee-jerk, evangellyfish reactions to some of the lame-brained things my fellow brothers in the Lord do. I am raising my kids to be strong in what they believe. But I'm also hoping they will not just take my word for it. That they'll incorporate other thinking into their own beliefs. They have a good, strong foundation in the Lord that is serving them well into their early teens. But like all of us, their beliefs will be challenged and their view of life, the universe and everything will go through a major remodeling during this time of their life. It's the way of things. My prayer is that when they come out on the other end they will see that what Mom and Dad said wasn't all that far off. What the preacher-man said at church was pretty much right on. What they read in the Bible was pertinent and relevant to those who wrote it and to them in their day and age.
That they will be strong enough to stand for what they believe and gracious enough in their disagreements!
Eric
Sunday, November 25, 2007
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...
...Christmas!
Every year, my wife wants me to get all of the Christmas stuff out of the attic the day after Thanksgiving. Every year...I put it off until Sunday! After church we put on some Mannheims Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra with a sprinkling of Vince Guaraldi's "Charlie Brown Christmas" and set up the real fake tree. I string up the lights and the put up the red beads and set our 17-year-old angel on the top. Then the kids and the wife decorate the tree with ornaments and 24 of the 50-some odd balls we started out with 19 years ago!
So our house looked a little messy for a while...
Messy House
More Messy House
Even after 5 years, the dogs are still confused about what's going on. Bandit, the black Doxie, wanders in and among everything. Samson, the red Doxie, gives up early and lays on his pillow!
Confused Dogs
Even the wife is bit confused!
Confused Wife
But in the end the tree looks good...even Samson thinks so!
End Results
Eric
Every year, my wife wants me to get all of the Christmas stuff out of the attic the day after Thanksgiving. Every year...I put it off until Sunday! After church we put on some Mannheims Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra with a sprinkling of Vince Guaraldi's "Charlie Brown Christmas" and set up the real fake tree. I string up the lights and the put up the red beads and set our 17-year-old angel on the top. Then the kids and the wife decorate the tree with ornaments and 24 of the 50-some odd balls we started out with 19 years ago!
So our house looked a little messy for a while...
Messy House
More Messy HouseEven after 5 years, the dogs are still confused about what's going on. Bandit, the black Doxie, wanders in and among everything. Samson, the red Doxie, gives up early and lays on his pillow!
Confused DogsEven the wife is bit confused!
Confused WifeBut in the end the tree looks good...even Samson thinks so!
End ResultsEric
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Am I Reading Too Much Into This?
Historically, FAR 135 Operation Specifications (that book that tells an operator what they can and cannot do), has had errors in it in the management category. When I was Chief Pilot, my name never showed up on the Ops Specs. As a matter of fact, by the time the Ops Specs caught up with me, there had been 2 Chief Pilots after me! Not uncommon.
I got our revision today for our Ops Specs and noticed some things in the management structure that struck me odd. We've changed Chief Pilots and the new CP's name was in all the right places save for one. No problem. Happens.
Then I looked at the individual base Lead Pilots of which I am one.
Someone else's name was in the spot where mine should have been. Hmmm...
The name that is there is the guy who transferred from the Lake Havasu base where he was the Lead Pilot, to our base where I'm the Lead Pilot. In his place in Lake Havasu is the guy who used to be Lead Pilot and is now the new Lead Pilot and the Ops Specs shows that. The company has opened another base and basically pointed to 2 guys and said, "You're going here." The other two pilots had volunteered to go including one from my base. (My problem pilot.)
I just get this gut feeling that I'm being replaced as Lead Pilot and I had to find out by reading the Ops Specs. No phone call. No email. No heads up. This concerns me because the Ops Specs were finalized on October 30th. Which means they were submitted long before then. (The wheels of government grind exceeding slow.) On several occasions I've asked the higher-ups to explain to me just what being a Lead Pilot entailed. What authority do I have? Where do I fall in the hierarchy of the base? (There's a medical side to the base and an aircraft side to the base. You can break the aircraft side into airplane and helicopter so there are 3 chains of command at our base!) To whom do I take my lead from?
I never really got a clear answer. I was led to believe the Lead Pilot position was the one who did all the paperwork, made the schedule and was the go-between between the home base in Phoenix and Modesto and Lafayette and Redding. That's what I asked and that's what I was told in clarification. But comments and emails expecting me to do other things from different chains of command and no clear answers to questions made the job somewhat frustrating.
I really have no problem giving up the Lead Pilot position and just becoming a line pilot. The only downside is the extra $30/day I get for being Lead Pilot. It adds up to over $4000/year. The thing is, 10 days of work-over gives me the same kind of money and I get more than 10 days of work-over in a year so it's kind of a moot point.
I don't know...gut is rumbling. Not feeling good about this.
I sent an email to the Director of Operations asking about the situation. Awaiting and answer will make this a long weekend...
Eric
I got our revision today for our Ops Specs and noticed some things in the management structure that struck me odd. We've changed Chief Pilots and the new CP's name was in all the right places save for one. No problem. Happens.
Then I looked at the individual base Lead Pilots of which I am one.
Someone else's name was in the spot where mine should have been. Hmmm...
The name that is there is the guy who transferred from the Lake Havasu base where he was the Lead Pilot, to our base where I'm the Lead Pilot. In his place in Lake Havasu is the guy who used to be Lead Pilot and is now the new Lead Pilot and the Ops Specs shows that. The company has opened another base and basically pointed to 2 guys and said, "You're going here." The other two pilots had volunteered to go including one from my base. (My problem pilot.)
I just get this gut feeling that I'm being replaced as Lead Pilot and I had to find out by reading the Ops Specs. No phone call. No email. No heads up. This concerns me because the Ops Specs were finalized on October 30th. Which means they were submitted long before then. (The wheels of government grind exceeding slow.) On several occasions I've asked the higher-ups to explain to me just what being a Lead Pilot entailed. What authority do I have? Where do I fall in the hierarchy of the base? (There's a medical side to the base and an aircraft side to the base. You can break the aircraft side into airplane and helicopter so there are 3 chains of command at our base!) To whom do I take my lead from?
I never really got a clear answer. I was led to believe the Lead Pilot position was the one who did all the paperwork, made the schedule and was the go-between between the home base in Phoenix and Modesto and Lafayette and Redding. That's what I asked and that's what I was told in clarification. But comments and emails expecting me to do other things from different chains of command and no clear answers to questions made the job somewhat frustrating.
I really have no problem giving up the Lead Pilot position and just becoming a line pilot. The only downside is the extra $30/day I get for being Lead Pilot. It adds up to over $4000/year. The thing is, 10 days of work-over gives me the same kind of money and I get more than 10 days of work-over in a year so it's kind of a moot point.
I don't know...gut is rumbling. Not feeling good about this.
I sent an email to the Director of Operations asking about the situation. Awaiting and answer will make this a long weekend...
Eric
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The Zen of Sarcasm
1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the hell alone.
2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.
3. Its always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
9. If at first you don' t succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.
12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the wind shield.
14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
17. Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
19. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
20. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
Eric
2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.
3. Its always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
9. If at first you don' t succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.
12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the wind shield.
14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
17. Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
19. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
20. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
Eric
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
My Old Youth Pastor...
...hits the big time!
Tom Mercer and High Desert Church Rocks!
When I was in Jr. High, our little Conservative Baptist church, Foothill Baptist on 15th Street in Upland, got a new Youth Pastor. Tom Mercer had longish hair, a mustache, drove a white Camaro with orange stripes and played Larry Norman tunes on his guitar in Sunday School. He took the High School group and grew it into the largest in the area. He developed "Power Unlimited" (PU to us!), a youth choir of about 100 teens that also did drama, and then took them on the road. We "toured" every summer and spring.
Tom taught the Bible. Pretty in depth on Wednesday nights. He was cool, hip, a bit radical but not too far over the edge. Was always on the cutting edge with ideas...or at least very near the edge. Looking back, I'm surprised at some of the stuff that he got approval for. We had a very straight-laced congregation and Deacon board. The Pastor at the time was open to Tom's way of doing things and as far as I know, really didn't call Tom on the carpet too much although I wasn't privy to staff meetings.
(I became a avid Wittenburg Door reader because of Tom and even stole a subscription form from a copy of the magazine he had laying around the office.)
Tom eventually left Foothill and accepted the Senior Pastorate at High Desert Baptist church in Victorville. Several of his old youth leaders followed him and the church has grown immensely. HDC is what church is in the 21st. Century. Much different than what I grew up with. Much different. I would like to visit one day...
Eric
Tom Mercer and High Desert Church Rocks!
When I was in Jr. High, our little Conservative Baptist church, Foothill Baptist on 15th Street in Upland, got a new Youth Pastor. Tom Mercer had longish hair, a mustache, drove a white Camaro with orange stripes and played Larry Norman tunes on his guitar in Sunday School. He took the High School group and grew it into the largest in the area. He developed "Power Unlimited" (PU to us!), a youth choir of about 100 teens that also did drama, and then took them on the road. We "toured" every summer and spring.
Tom taught the Bible. Pretty in depth on Wednesday nights. He was cool, hip, a bit radical but not too far over the edge. Was always on the cutting edge with ideas...or at least very near the edge. Looking back, I'm surprised at some of the stuff that he got approval for. We had a very straight-laced congregation and Deacon board. The Pastor at the time was open to Tom's way of doing things and as far as I know, really didn't call Tom on the carpet too much although I wasn't privy to staff meetings.
(I became a avid Wittenburg Door reader because of Tom and even stole a subscription form from a copy of the magazine he had laying around the office.)
Tom eventually left Foothill and accepted the Senior Pastorate at High Desert Baptist church in Victorville. Several of his old youth leaders followed him and the church has grown immensely. HDC is what church is in the 21st. Century. Much different than what I grew up with. Much different. I would like to visit one day...
Eric
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