Let's Talk About Mr. Trump's Tax Returns

Over the weekend, the New York Times obtained and published Mr. Trump's 1995 New York tax return - or, more accurately, 3 pages from it, his Connecticut, and his New Jersey non-resident returns.  The breathless headlines talked about Mr. Trump being able to avoid taxes for 18 years.

Let's analyze this a little:

(Disclosure:  I despise Mr. Trump.  I find him to be a disgusting pig of a human being, a poor businessman, a xenophobe, a racist, a misogynist, and just an all around sad sack of poop who has the potential to launch nuclear missles at 3 in the morning because he is pissed off at someone)

By the way:  I assume that Mr. Trump is designated as a "Real Estate Professional" - this designation allows a person to deduct real estate losses, which are ordinarily considered to be passive losses that are only deductable against passive income, down to a net of zero, and then carry the rest forward to net against future passive income (as always, there are a few exceptions, but they wouldn't affect Mr. Trump's return).

Ok - in 1995, Mr. Trump's NY tax return showed a $909 MILLION net operating loss carry-forward, as well as current passive losses of almost $16 million, and other/capital losses of $1.36 million. Wage income, interest income, dividend income, and business income was a positive (almost) $11 million - he had over $41 million in New York deductions, for a New York adjusted gross income of $<913,765,884> - to make this clear, that is NEGATIVE $913 million.

Click link to Mr. Trump's really bad, no good, horrible tax returns 

Now, it is important to understand a couple of things:

First, Mr. Trump wasn't able to lose all that money in 1995 - the majority of the losses came from his uncanny ability to bankrupt gambling casinos in 1992 and 1994 (someone please fact check me on those dates).

Second, if one is such a colossally poor businessman that one can manage to lose almost a billion dollars, tax law dictates that one can either go back and recover previously paid income taxes, or carry the losses forward as a credit against future income - THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS.

Third, apparently Mr. Trump uses a lot of "pass-through entities", which means that the income or losses flow through to the individual shareholder's tax returns (I don't know how many partners Mr. Trump had in these various passthroughs, but he did have partners to some extent).  So, the losses would have actually been greater than those shown on Mr. Trump's 1995 New York return.  The beauty (it seems to me) is that Mr. Trump can ruin businesses, (and therefore peoples lives), and yet take the tax benefit of his (apparent) hugely poor business decisions on his personal tax return.

Again - there is nothing wrong with utilizing net operating loss carryforwards, truly there isn't.  He hasn't avoided paying taxes in subsequent years simply because he had these massive losses that were available to him.

Here is what bothers me:  This man, who brags about his business acumen, lost almost a BILLION DOLLARS in the '90's - for comparison, the stock market had an average ROI (return on investment) of 18.17%:

Stock market ROI

Mr. Trump is a fraud.

A short treatise on the correct positioning of the toilet seat, using gender normative examples as proof

Executive summary: leave it up

Men are sloppy pigs. 

Women are petite fleurs.

Men only need to leave the toilet seat down when, umm, you know (not #1).

Women, on the other hand, always need the seat down to do their business.

Men are inherently lazy.

It takes just as much effort for a man to lower the seat after he is finished as it does for a woman to raise the seat after she is finished. 

A man will not bother to lift the seat up if it is already down, and will thereby leave splashes on the seat. Because, you know, men are sloppy. This creates an unpleasant sensation on the delicate rump of the female as she sits down, never suspecting that someone (a man) would be so careless with his wee wee (aka "tinkle" for the women).

Conclusion: it is far better for a woman to lower the seat when she, umm, you know, than it is to rely on nasty men to be considerate and lower the seat after they are done - or, more importantly, raise the seat before, umm, you know.

Guess what I did?

Or, guess what I'm doing?



I'm getting rid of my smart phone, and switching to, well, a dumb phone I guess.

About a month ago, I got Android Pay on my phone (you know, where you can pay for a purchase by magically touching your phone to a terminal at the store). Part of the security aspect of Android Pay is that you have to have a password, or a swipe pattern on your phone, so if you lose it, folks won't be able to have you purchase their double soy latte with nine shots of espresso in it via your unlocked phone - good move.

Now, I love a gadget.  I'm kind of a gadget head, actually. For the first couple of days, every time my phone would beep, or buzz, or ping, or chime, I would pick it up, turn the screen on, and then have to trace my password pattern in order to see who had favorited my tweet (or something equally as important).  It became annoying pretty fast, but more than that, it drove home to me just how many times a day I pick up my phone to look at it.  It had become a 200 times a day habit! (numbers may not be accurate, IDK, I didn't really count).

I had this other phone (LG Cosmo 2, complete with slide out qwerty keyboard, not the one pictured -that's the ultra snazzy LG Cosmo 3) that I have used in the past when I want to unplug, or to carry with me when I run), so I decided to carry it for a few days, and you know what?  I loved it.  That was a month ago.  Lately, I've noticed that I don't automatically reach for my phone every 37 seconds, as I don't have Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, GroupMe, Words With Friends (and probably something else I've forgotten), on my dumb phone.

It is also smaller!!  I love it. I love not having to cram this enormous phone into my pocket.





There are some drawbacks, of course.  Typing a text is painfully slow, I traded a 12 megapixel camera for a 1.3 megapixel camera, but I have an iPad I can use for all of those functions and apps - it just isn't as accessible as the phone - which, I guess, is the point.

But, don't worry, I can still argue on Facebook - I just have to do it more mindfully (hahaha)

Wish me luck.

Hey, Michele Bachmann

Ms. Bachmann, I think you are attempting to somehow justify the flying of this flag NOW, by showing (on your Facebook page) a Feb. 16, 1972 picture of Jimmy Carter standing next to the flag - you've captioned it with this snarky sentence: "Apparently "someone" didn't take the flag down...."

(https://www.facebook.com/michelebachmann/photos/a.10150251638202361.323973.162625492360/10152942681712361/?type=1&theater)

Here is why you are so wrong (these are MY thoughts):

Jimmy Carter is a product of the white South. As he grew up, matured, and became a thinking man (honest, reflective thought - you should perhaps try it sometimes), he noticed things around him that he felt were not right. One thing he noticed was that the Southern Baptist Convention did not align with his Christian beliefs (I'm not picking on the Southern Baptist Convention, by the way - this is an illustration of what Mr. Carter did as he examined his beliefs), so, in 2000, he severed ties with it. Mr. Carter has evolved into a first class Christian, putting his faith into action - his global human rights involvement is legendary, and his commitment to equal rights for women, and racial equality is well documented. This is what thinking people do - they examine their thoughts, their perceptions, their beliefs, and when they find them wanting, they make changes.

The flag that flies on the lawn in front of the state capitol in Columbia South Carolina has always been a divisive flag.  It has always been seen as a symbol of hatred by black folks – it is billed as a symbol of “heritage” by a lot of us white folks – except that the flag wasn’t flown over the Capitol until the early 1960’s, as a thumb in the eye of the Federal Government over the civil rights movement: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/06/21/the_confederate_flag_and_south_carolina_127062.html.

Ms. Bachmann:  Your Wikipedia page says that you attend Eagle Brook Church, which is a Christian Evangelical Church, and that prior to this church you were a member of Salem Lutheran Church.  The Wikipedia page also mentions that you and your husband own a “Christian Counseling practice” – Having listened to your rhetoric since about 2011, I can tell you that I don’t recognize a Christian message in much of what you say. I was just on your Facebook page scrolling through your posts to make sure that your words match my opinion of what I think you say – and they do.  I find you to be a hateful person, and, in a way, a poster child for what is wrong with both politics in America, and a portion of Christianity in America.

As a Christian, I want to make sure that non-Christians understand that you are not representative of Christians, at least not the vast majority of Christians – just like radical, murderous Muslims are not reflective of Islam as a whole, and Dylann Roof is not representative of white people as a whole.

God gave me a brain (and put it into this enormous, round head) for a reason - He wants us all to think. I hope to evolve throughout my life, and hope that at the end of my life, I will have changed my mind about all of the wrong thinking I’ve done previously. I sincerely hope that you will try to do the same.

Catharsis

• Racists
• Homophobes
• Racial minorities who hate homosexual people
• Gay people who hate racial minorities
• People who lack compassion for those who are less fortunate, less talented, less able than they are
• Business people who will screw anyone in order to get whatever they can
• Baristas who correct me when I order a small coffee (one tall blonde roast coming up {smug smirk})
• Liars
• Betrayers
• Autocorrect
• People who text while driving
• Climate change deniers
• Corrupt politicians (redundant, I know)
• Religious people who hate others because MY GOD IS BETTER THAN YOUR GOD
• Me, when I do anything, or act like anyone on this list (and I have, and it hurts my soul)
• Lazy assed government employees who only do the minimum, and who don't give a shit about their customers
• Lazy assed non-government employees who only do the minimum, and who don't give a shit about their customers
• Bureaucrats who don't understand, or care, that every person, and every situation is different from every other.
• People who understand the proper use of a comma

To these (and I'm sure I've missed others), especially today, I'd like to offer up a heartfelt “Fuck You”

Our national lack of compassion

I’m pretty confused right now.

As I read through Facebook comments (maybe that’s my problem) about several topics, I’ve noticed what I see as a lack of compassion these days.

Specifically as they relate to:

Health Insurance

Minimum Wage

Voter Registration

Entitlement Programs

Illegal Immigrants

(but oh, so many other topics)

(I’m going to include some links that I think are interesting to read, not necessarily to support my positions, but more to provide additional information)

I guess that folks who are against the Affordable Care Act are against…governmental intrusion into health care?  But the free market hasn’t done anything but price healthcare out of the realm of affordability for many.

In my case, I bought Blue Cross/Blue Shield Bronze plans for me, my wife, and each of my two kids (we are all healthy, by the way).  My monthly premiums total $795.03 per month, and we each have a $5,200 deductible, with an out of pocket maximum of $12,800.  This means that my potential liability, before insurance kicks in, is $21,940 per year – AND THIS IS BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN I HAD A GROUP POLICY

If everyone in America was covered, and paying premiums into the system, it stands to common sense that premiums would drop, that bankruptcies due to defaults on medical expenses would drop (and then those unpaid bills would not be added to the cost of health care). Of course, there are other problems relating to health care costs, but right now, I’m just talking about affordable health insurance. (http://obamacarefacts.com/costof-obamacare/ )

Why do we treat people who can’t make top dollar with such contempt?  Shouldn’t everyone be paid a living wage?  Have those who say that paying people a living wage would cause prices to rise, looked at the statistics to back those claims up?  (I have, they aren’t true).  I often read “They should stay in school, get educated, and climb the ladder”  Sounds good, until you remember that not everyone is capable of doing that.  Are we saying that those people are not deserving of a living wage? (http://somestufffromian.blogspot.com/2013/12/thoughts-on-living-wage.html)

Given the absolutely miniscule number of voter fraud cases, why are many of us so eager to make it difficult to vote?  Why is it that those with the least are so much more likely the ones to be affected by the laws that have been passed in the last few years? (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/08/06/a-comprehensive-investigation-of-voter-impersonation-finds-31-credible-incidents-out-of-one-billion-ballots-cast/)

The cost of drug testing welfare recipients vs the results makes no economic sense – as a matter of fact, very, very few people are testing positive:  In Florida, the overall rate of illegal drug use is 8%, while the failure rate among Florida welfare applicants is 2%.  In Utah, 12 people IN TOTAL tested positive in a year’s worth of testing.  So, what is the point here?  It’s not about saving money, given that the cost of administering these programs is greater than the savings by keeping horrible drug addicts from receiving benefits.  Is it about making sure that we shame those who have to apply? Do we feel some sort of collective superiority? (http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/08/07/3468610/tennessee-welfare-drug-test-positive/).

Did you know that illegal immigrants are helping to prop up our social security system?  Under current law, illegal immigrants are not entitled to social security benefits, but you know what?  When a worker, using a fake social security number collects his paycheck, Social Security and Medicare are withheld, and matched by the employer.  That money goes into the US Treasury.  Over and above that, though, I'm amazed on a daily basis at the nasty, mean spirited things said about these people - I'll tell you this, if I were Guatemalan, and saw an opportunity to make a better life for myself, I'd for damn sure be trying to get here, to a country where hard work can be rewarded.  Don't we like that characteristic in people? Why do we feel the need to call these people names? (http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/high-school/top-10-myths-about-immigration)

To me, though, the common theme seems to be a lack of compassion aimed at those who have nothing by those who have something – such as people like the Koch Brothers (whom I consider to be evil, greedy, men), but more surprisingly, by people a few instances of bad luck away from being those people without health insurance, or jobless, or subsisting on government assistance.

And this is why I’m confused.  Why is there so much irrational hatred in our country right now?  Has it always been like this?  I don’t think so.  Is it because ordinary people feel like their lives are out of control?  That they have no power, and therefore, must hate those who might be seen as someone who is out to get their stuff?

I can't dance

I mean, I really can't dance. I've got no moves. I'm terrified of how I look on a dance floor. You know how people say things like "Oh, no one is watching, just let loose"? Well, people would watch me, because I look like one of those trees found in the petrified forest, just sort of standing there, waiting to fall.

I remember the first time I ever went onto a dance floor. I was 10 and living in England. As I remember it, my sister and I went to a neighborhood dance. When we came home, I distinctly remember my mom asking Suzanne about my moves. Suzanne got this pitying look on her face and said (oh, yes, Suzanne, I can quote you, 45 years later), "well, it was sort of a walking step." I cringe every time I think of it. I imagine all of England does as well.  "I say, whatever happened to that odd American?" all of England says, in polite bemusement.

                                  Me, at the neighborhood dance (top middle)

There have been a few times that I've let my guard down, say at a wedding, where I've wandered out of the "Zone of Safety", and gotten too close to the dance floor. People don't seem to understand that I'm dead serious as I pull away saying "No, thanks, I don't dance." I'm very awkward.  

                                                         Me, being awkward

My niece, Maggie was married on November 1 of this year, and the party was fantastic! Maggie and her husband live in Montana, and a bunch of their friends came. Maggie's friends and family from here came, and Matt's family and friends from Texas came.  Every single one of them was fun.  Lisa was on the dance floor early, as were most of the people.  The picture above is me at that party.

Anyhow, against my better judgement, I started dancing with Lisa (strategically at the end of a slow song).  It was horrible for me, much worse for Lisa, I'm sure.  12 seconds into it the song finally ended, but before I could get off the floor, Christine from Montana grabbed me, and started dancing. She is very bendy and coordinated.  I was kind of like Lurch on a bad day.

                                                 Me, dancing with Christine

Finally, even she realized that nothing could be done with me.  I left the floor, deeply shamed, and embarrassed for Christine.

Apparently, Gina from Montana hadn't seen the debacle, and hadn't been warned by Lisa, because she grabbed my hand and tried to drag me out there.  This time I was successful in avoiding her and retreated to a corner somewhere where I drank beer and discussed the intricacies of FIFO and LIFO inventory methods (probably).

There is no point whatsoever in this story, by the way.

Christmas movies

(Sorry, I realize it isn't even Thanksgiving yet)

Yesterday, Lisa and I were talking about trying to watch as many of our favorite Christmas movies with the kids as possible - it is problematic these days, as the girls won't be in from school until close to Christmas.

These are the movies that come to mind:

Elf
The Santa Clause
A Charlie Brown Christmas (my favorite)
The Polar Express (Almost my favorite)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Of course, the Rankin/Bass films:

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Frosty the Snowman
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

People really like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, but I never really saw the appeal.

Shoot (get it?), I almost forgot A Christmas Story  - "You'll shoot your eye out, kid"

Holiday Inn
It's a Wonderful Life (of course)

What are some of your favorites?

Why I'm angry with Tennessee women

This past Tuesday, 29.1% of registered Tennessee voters actually turned out to vote in the midterm elections:
(http://www.nashvillescene.com/pitw/archives/2014/11/06/only-one-state-had-lower-turnout-than-tennessee) - the only state in the nation with a lower voter turnout was Texas (Steve Golden's fault).

On the ballot were 4 proposed amendments to Tennessee's Constitution.  The first proposed amendment was aimed squarely at the abortion issue.  Ultimately, after sifting through all the lies spread about the amendment, we see that the effect of passing this amendment removes the issue from the judiciary, and places it squarely in the hands of the legislature. People like State Senator Stacey Campfield.

Now, I have a very strong opinion of how the voting should have gone, but that's not the point of this post.

My point is that only 29.1% of the registered voters bothered to vote.  To my knowledge, the vote was split across gender lines, meaning I don't believe a higher or lower incidence of women turned out to vote than did men.

{This is directed at the women who didn't vote}

Every. Single. Eligible. Woman. Voter. Should. Have. Voted.

Shame on women who didn't vote!  Regardless of how you feel about that, or any other issue, shame on you for not voting.  By not voting about an issue that directly affects all women in the State of Tennessee, you have agreed that the legislature, of which 83% are men, will now make decisions about your body.



Shame on you for letting that happen.

Vote, Vote, Vote

Vote.  Think about it, and vote your conscience:

If you hate what that Kenyan, communist, Muslim, Ebola spreading, ISIS sympathizing, illegal alien loving, Mom-jeans wearing, evil dictator (did I miss anything? Oh, yeah, BENGHAZIIIIIII), President Obama and his ilk are doing, then vote against him/them.

If you hate what those Tea-bagging, do nothing, Fox News watching, obstructionist Neo-con, lyin' if they're breathing, Republicans are doing, then vote the other way.

But vote!

In Tennessee, if you are a woman, you have a vested interest in voting - Amendment 1 to the State Constitution directly affects you.  Pro or con, this amendment, if passed, moves the state authority regarding abortions, and certain rules and regulations out of the judiciary, and into the realm of the legislature.

It's been mischaracterized as giving women a say - but that is an out and out lie - and while you should vote your conscience, those spreading that lie should be ashamed of themselves.

People like Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey will be deciding this issue for you.
People like State Senator Stacey Campfield (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stacey_Campfield), will be deciding this issue for you.

There is also a proposed amendment that would ban the legislature from enacting a state income tax - please think about this one before you automatically vote to pass it. Think about how the State is getting its money now - 'cause it is getting it.

I have opinions about all 4 of the amendments, and will be happy to tell you mine if you want (I guess you can figure out my vote on the two mentioned above).

Also, FYI:  It is my understanding that in order for your vote to count, you must vote in the gubernatorial race - don't waste your amendment vote, by not voting for governor.

VOTE 
VOTE
VOTE

(but think about it)

I think we are all born with the proclivity to be good or bad, honest or dishonest. Every day, I wake up and have to decide what kind of person I'm going to be.  I mean, I'm limited by my own imperfections, but I believe that God gave me the ability to discern right from wrong - it is putting that ability into practice and making good choices as a result of that ability, that can be a problem. I'm not even talking about religion here - there are some incredibly shitty {insert religious persuasion here}'s in the world, and some incredibly good atheists - and vice versa.

So, again, every morning I wake up and have to decide what kind of person I'm going to be - and let me tell you, I've failed spectacularly on occasion.

I do believe that you can train yourself to either go toward the light, or turn toward the darkness, so that the daily choice is not as pivotal as it could be.

That's what I'm trying to do.

Mujahideen

In the summer of 1984, I was living in Athens, Greece. I lived in a fancy schmancy building on Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, a couple of hundred yards from the 1896 Olympic Stadium (my roommate, Scott and I snuck in a couple of times and ran the then cinder track. It was a lot like "Chariots of Fire" I imagine) - unfortunately, I lived in a dumpy basement apartment, barely larger than a broom closet. The point was though, that I got to explore Athens and the surrounding areas.

Back then I smoked (Salems - loved that menthol taste).  As a poor traveler, I couldn't afford Salems, instead I smoked a European knockoff brand called Reyno:

My morning routine would be to go to the little shop around the corner, buy a pack of Reynos, walk through the National Gardens to Syntagma Square for some breakfast, maybe try to steal some stationary from the Hotel Grand Bretagne (I was living on about $5 a day and needed to save my money for Reynos), and would explore Athens.  Sometimes we would go to Piraeus (a port city about 7 miles away), and would catch a boat to one of the islands in the Cyclades - Santorini was my favorite, spent a week sleeping on the beach that summer.

(it really is that beautiful)

or maybe Spetses, one of the Saronic Islands:

(also that beautiful)

It was a good time.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS POST IS ABOUT

One afternoon, I was wandering around a street close to the Parthenon (modeled after the one in Nashville, I think), probably smoking a Reyno, and I came up to a guy in traditional Afghan clothing who was handing out flyers. I talked to him for a minute, and he told me that he was Mujahideen - asked me if I knew what that was. Well, I vaguely did. They were the group of Afghan freedom fighters that the U.S. was helping to arm in their fight to run the Russians out of their country. Guy was pretty friendly, and very appreciative of the help that the U.S., among others (including a fellow by the name of Osama Bin Laden, as it turned out) was giving them. Now, after the Russians left Afghanistan, the Mujahideen started fighting amongst themselves. Ultimately, a mulla named Mohammed Omar and his group came out on top.  You might have heard of them.  They are known as the Taliban.

Anyhow, now we are talking about arming "moderate Syrian rebels" in our fight against ISIS. I hope that somewhere in Washington, D.C., someone remembers that the enemy of our enemy is not necessarily our friend. 

Remote Area Medical

This weekend, a very worthy group called Remote Area Medical will be in Ooltewah setting up a free clinic (http://www.ramusa.org/#!about-us/c172w). Their mission statement is:


                                       "To prevent pain and alleviate suffering by providing free                                                     quality healthcare to those in need."


First, donate to them. They do good things.


Second, the United States has the richest economy in the world, with $17.5 trillion in purchasing power (http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/rich-countries/the-10-richest-economies-in-the-world-in-2014/10/).


Third, look at this map:

(http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/heres-a-map-of-the-countries-that-provide-universal-health-care-americas-still-not-on-it/259153/)

The green areas represent countries with universal healthcare. Notice the western hemisphere.  Notice specifically the NOT green areas.  Yep, the United States, with the richest economy in the world, does not make affordable healthcare available to EVERYONE. Healthcare costs in the United States are such that an organization such as Remote Area Medical sees the need to provide free clinics inside the United States.

And THAT, my friends is something that embarrasses and disgusts me, and I hope it embarrasses and disgusts you as well, regardless of your politics.

Preconceived notions

Here's the deal: O.J. Simpson murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Everyone knows it - he skated because he could afford the best lawyers. His actions after the trial showed how irrational he was, and again, everyone knows he did it. I mean, really!

Now, today, we hear of George Zimmerman threatening to kill a motorist:

(http://www.clickorlando.com/news/george-zimmerman-threatened-to-shoot-man-in-road-rage-incident-florida-police-say/28030558)

another in a long line of incidents like that from him.  Objective people realize that he murdered Trayvon Martin, and just like O.J., his actions since then have borne out what kind of person he is.

 

I remember how disappointed I was the day that O. J. was acquitted, particularly at the black people I saw on TV cheering at his acquittal - again, come on, folks.  We know that O.J. did it.

I was likewise disappointed at all of the white folks coming out of the woodwork to defend Zimmerman, and do everything in their power to make Martin out to be the meanest, baddest…you know what…around.

We’ve seen it in the last month, as (mainly) white folks are working pretty hard to bring anything into the Michael Brown case that will confuse the actual event of him being shot six times by a police officer – including trying to make it look like Mr. Brown beat Officer Wilson and broke his eye socket by planting a fake picture of another man from 2006: 

Or posting a picture of someone who is NOT Michael Brown, but trying to pass it off as him:

This picture is of a man named Joda Cain, who is a murder suspect. This picture was posted by a POLICEMAN!

So, again, we let our preconceived racial notions affect what we believe – on both sides.

O.J. murdered his ex-wife and Ronald Goldman.  George Zimmerman murdered Trayvon Martin, and will wind up killing someone else, or will be killed by someone else, and it sure does seem like Michael Brown, unarmed and with his hands up according to witnesses (including construction workers with nothing to win, by the way), was executed by Officer Darren Wilson.

This is what I believe.

Some thoughts on Homosexuality and Christianity

I've thought a lot about the subject of homosexuality, and how it affects my beliefs as a Christian.

Years ago (probably close to 20 years ago), my thought was something along the lines of "It's wrong, but I won't condemn someone who is gay".

But the more I thought about the subject, and the more gay people I got to know, the more I became convinced that the proclivity to being homosexual is built in, as opposed to being learned behavior.

So then, how do I square this with my beliefs as a Christian?  I am a Christian, and I'm proud to be one.  I will say that lately my definition of what a Christian is, and what Christianity means, has been changing (evolving?  devolving?) - but that's a different topic for a different day.  

Here is my deal:  If we were created by God, as I believe we were (His method was evolution by the way, although it doesn't matter His method.  Could have been the Adam and Eve story, although to me that seems to limit God: Evolution is so much grander a way to do it in my view.  Anyhow, again, His method of Creation doesn't affect my Christianity), and if homosexuality is built in rather than learned, as I believe it is, then why would I have a problem with it?

I've heard people say "hate the sin, don't hate the sinner" - and I love those people, but I disagree with them that homosexuality is a sin.

Things that homosexuality is not:

Pedophilia

Promiscuity

Immorality

Sure, homosexual people can be immoral, and can be promiscuous, just like heterosexual people and we can have a discussion about those subjects any time, but I don't believe there is anything immoral about homosexuality.  I guess that's the first time I've actually written that down as definitively as I just did (the equating of pedophilia with homosexuality is just ignorance, btw - 'nuff said about that).

I'm sure that many people who read this will disagree with me, and that's fine.  People can have differences of opinion, as far as I'm concerned. I just wanted to tell you mine.

Fifth Amendment question

Help me out here, folks - I'm not asking for anyone's partisan political opinion, so please, please, please don't give one - So, Lois Lerner, formerly of the IRS, has been found in contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives for invoking her Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate herself by answering questions during their hearings.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/05/07/house-votes-to-hold-lois-lerner-in-contempt-of-congress/

I watched some of the Congressional hearings, and the bloviating Congressmen (of both parties) went after her with gusto.  Love to watch them posture, by the way.  It's great theater.

Here is a Wikipedia* explanation of the portion of the Fifth Amendment that deals with protection against self incrimination:

"The privilege against compelled self-incrimination is defined as "the constitutional right of a person to refuse to answer questions or otherwise give testimony against himself or herself. ... "^[34]To "plead the Fifth" is to refuse to answer any question because "the implications of the question, in the setting in which it is asked" lead a claimant to possess a "reasonable cause to apprehend danger from a direct answer", believing that "a responsive answer to the question or an explanation of why it cannot be answered might be dangerous because injurious disclosure could result."

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution)

[Oh, by the way, I'm a CPA and I deal with the IRS all the time - there are a lot of good folks who work for them, but I also think that as an organization they have a lot of meanness inside (they need a good hug, is what I say)]

 I'm in no way defending what Ms. Lerner or the IRS may, or may not have done.  I'm talking about Congress apparently feeling that she should not be afforded Constitutional protection when it doesn't suit them.

Anyhow - here is my question:  Why is she being held in contempt of Congress? I mean, what is the legal justification for that charge?

I was at the Post Office the other day - you know, that place where you send messages that are written on pieces of paper, instead of sent electronically - and a guy was at the counter, talking about the whole situation.  He said "they ought to arrest her for taking the Fifth".

Do we now pick and choose when to follow the Constitution? Does our Constitution only apply to those we like?

*It's on the internet, AND on Wikipedia, so it must be correct, right?**

**That was snark, in case you didn't catch it.

Rich F Scott. I hardly knew ye.

An ode to RuFuS. A friend I never met.

I virtually "met" Rich Scott, aka RuFuS on an online forum populated by people who run marathons. Rich had the gift of being hilariously funny, while at the same time being completely incomprehensible. I mean, you never really knew what the hell he was talking about. On two separate occasions, he really offended me - that is, until I realized that I had totally misunderstood what he was saying. On both occasions, he privately messaged me, apologizing for offending me. Again, it wasn't until I went back and reread his comments that I figured out I had only been offended because I'd had no idea what he had said to me in the first place.

 In the past couple of years, he and I had "talked" via email several times, and a couple of times on the phone. The guy was a tender hearted, good person. He made sweet comments about my family, and he and I had made tentative plans to meet at some future time (he apparently had some business in Atlanta - he lived in Iowa). I was alternately excited and terrified at the thought of meeting him in person.

Last few months, RuFuS had spent some time in the hospital. I never really knew what was wrong with him. He downplayed whatever it was as a stomach bug, although he was in the hospital for (I think) about three weeks. He was finally released, but I only heard from him a few times after that. I did check in with him to see how he was doing, and he always gave me some BS answer. A few weeks ago, I messaged him, but didn't get a response. About a week later I had this odd need to find out if he was ok, and messaged another imaginary internet friend. Well, she hadn't heard from him either. The next morning, we found out that he had been found dead in his apartment, supposedly from natural causes. Rich was 40.

There was quite an outpouring of grief from the online running community I am a part of. Rich was well loved, and Rich was evidently a part of many peoples lives, both those he had met in person, as well as those he had only met online. I've read more than one story of how he touched peoples lives.

I've missed his profane and head scratching comments on more than one occasion since his passing on April 11. I think that Rich is a person I would have liked to have known better. I think that the world is a duller place without him.

Stockholm morning

Back a gazillion years ago, Lisa and I went to Scandinavia. We went because Volvo has this really cool program where you pick up your new car at the factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. Back then, Volvo would pay your airfare (now I think they pay a flat $2,000), pick you up at the airport, put you up in a hotel, then take you to the factory to sign ze papers, and get your new car. The point, from the Swedish side of things was (is) that you then drive your new Volvo around Sweden. I guess that's the point. I don't know. We just thought it would be a great way to pick up a car and have a vacation heavily subsidized. Oh, they then ship the car back to your home auto dealer for you to pick up a month or so later.

On that trip, we started in Stockholm, then took a train to Gothenburg where we picked up our shiny new 240, which we proceeded to drive for the next couple of weeks through Sweden and Denmark. We fell in love with those two countries in general, and with Copenhagen in particular.

My Friend, David Kleeman, is in Copenhagen right now, or was over the weekend. David travels extensively to the neatest places. We are collectively very jealous of his travels, and call him names regularly.  Looking at David's pictures on Facebook is why I'm writing this post.

BUT I DIGRESS

We went back a few years later, and picked up a station wagon (with the turning radius of an oil tanker, by the way). We had both of our girls on this trip, and wound up driving it down through Germany (of course with a few days in Copenhagan, and a side trip to Billund, Denmark, the home of the original Legoland) hanging a right and dropping it off in Paris - never, ever, drive a new Volvo station wagon with manual transmission around the Arc de Triomphe during rush hour. Don't. It will send waves of terror up the back of the strongest individual.

Where was I? Oh, yeah. A few years ago, we went back to Scandinavia, this time to Norway with some friends (no car involved this time), and fell in love with Norway - guess what? We went back to Copenhagan on that trip as well. Want to see my pictures?

I'M ALMOST TO THE POINT OF MY STORY

I've always gone to that part of the world in spring or summer, and the weather has always been spectacular.

Specifically though, on the last day of that very first trip, Lisa and I went for a 4 am walk in a park in Stockholm - it was sunny, as it is for about 18-20 hours a day at that latitude during the summer. The temperature was chilly and the air was crisp. The sun was shining, and it was beautiful. I've always remembered that morning, and always will.

So, here's the point of my story: this morning, on my walk to work, the air had that same crisp feel, and the sun was shining. It was a beautiful morning in Cleveland, Tennessee. It reminded me of that Stockholm morning.

High School

Recently, some of my high school classmates created a Facebook page dedicated to my high school class (good old class of '76).  It's been interesting to see the page, and to catch up on what many of them have been doing. It's also been interesting to see some of the folks on there who I never knew - even now there are a couple who I have absolutely no recollection of (not telling who they are, either). I guess in a class as large as ours, there are bound to be people you didn't know.  I don't remember exactly how many graduated from the Bradley Central High School class of 1976, but I'm guessing it is somewhere around 500.

One of the people in the class posted that she wished she had been more involved, and felt like a nobody.

I remember going to school at Bradley High. I had moved from England a couple of years earlier, still had a little bit of an English accent (and a lisp for goodness sakes!), and was in a high school full of people who'd gone to school with each other for most of their lives.  To make matters worse, when we had moved to the U.S., I'd skipped the 6th grade, going from the 5th to the 7th, so I was a full year younger than anyone else in my class (except Denise Massengail, didn't she also graduate at 16?).

Point being, for my entire high school career, I felt like an anomaly, never fitting in with any of my peer groups - sure, I had good friends (Doug, Jeff, Artie and Bryan), don't get me wrong, but I always felt like a fish out of water.  Couple that with standard teenage angst, and a couple of unrequited crushes (you girls know who you are), and I didn't really enjoy my high school years.

Even years later, at my 10 and 20 year reunions, as excited as I was to go, I still found the same groups of people hanging with the groups they had hung with back during school. I didn't enjoy those reunions, and didn't attend the last one we had.

It wasn't until today, when I read what my classmate posted, and the comments that everyone made after, that I realized that my feelings were not unique. As a matter of fact, I would bet that those feelings of insecurity are standard fare for high schoolers, always have been, and always will be.

Now - my teenage insecurities haven't affected my life. I'm fairly well adjusted (those of you who know me better not say a word), have been married for 28 years to a Cleveland High school graduate (Lisa Gobble), and have two beautiful daughters who thankfully look like their mom.

Life is good, and yes, it was me who threw the M-80 in the band hallway, and yes, it was me who streaked the R.O.T.C. banquet. Both years.

Runs with earbuds

That would be my Native American name if I weren't a lilly white Englander.

I used to poo poo listening to music when I ran (My friend Paul Stein, on the other hand, is a known and wanted earbud wearer and flouter of rules that would ban their use during a marathon) - except in the latter stages of a marathon, when, as usual, things wouldn't be going well.  In those instances, listening to music would take my mind off of my ineptitude and lack of proper training.

Back when I used to have running partners, I didn't listen to music - I would talk with them, Jerry and Steve in the AM, and Kevin when I would run in Chattanooga. When Lisa and I bike, we chat while riding, and obviously, I wouldn't listen to music then (although I neeeeed a Go-Pro camera.  I neeeeed one). Someone buy me one of these, please

A couple of years ago, I completely fell out of love with running, and now that I've rediscovered what I like about it, I've begun running again, but by myself. One of the things I've noticed is that I'm hopeless when trying to maintain a pace.  I've got no idea how fast I'm running (hint: not very) without a GPS - see below.

Now, I loooove gadgets.  If you know me, you know this to be true.

All of the above was to tell you about last nights "run".  I've got a new Garmin Forerunner (the 220, and I like it.  I even wear it as my daily watch {geek} ), so I had it set.  I also set the "MapMyRun" app on my Galaxy III to record and stream my route.

The final piece to all of this was the Google Play app on my phone, which enabled me to listen to a cheesy 70's playlist.  Here it is, by the way: Ian's Cheesy Playlist   (if you have Spotify, you can listen to it. If you want, you can follow me on Spotify and listen to all the same crap I listen to!!!)  Please understand that I didn't pick this playlist, so I'm not responsible for it. It's Googles fault.

Last night was a good "run".  (I'll remove the quotation marks when I feel like one of my runs can stand on its own.) I think it had to do with Lisa's vegetable soup.  I think it powered me. It was about 5 miles.  I'm starting to feel more comfortable running again, but I'm not there yet. The music helps. So does my Garmin. So does my smart phone. So does Google Play. Pity about the whole ability thing.