Blog Moved

Just a reminder to redirect your RSS Feed readers to my new blog at

blog.rhettolsonphotography.com

Blog Moved - Update your RSS Feeds

I've finally finished getting a Wordpress server up and have moved my blog to a new location. You can find it here:

http://blog.rhettolsonphotography.com

Please take a minute to update your bookmarks and RSS feeds.

President's Day Snowshoe Trip

This morning a neighbor and I took a quick trip up Payson Canyon to Maple Lake. It was a fun little climb, but it was still big enough to remind me that I'm in horrible shape. Here's a quick pick of Zoe and me.

Amtrak Photographer

Seems my posts lately have been more about politics than photography. Here's one that blends them both.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Nailed 'Em - Amtrak Photographer

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Paul McCartney Appearance

Funny Political Videos
More Funny Videos

More Time With the Kids

Update from the commercials I used to see when I was a kid. Rings a different bell now that I'm a dad.

My Solution

In a comment to my last post, a friend of mine asked what I would do. I think there are really 2 things that could be done immediately. They are as follows:

1. Decrease the amount of federal spending
2. Decrease taxes, all taxes


Unfortunately, our representatives in congress feel the only way to stay elected is to ensure money is spent on projects in their home states. I'm reminded of this quote from a book I just read.

Of course the Founders would understand exactly what this generation is doing to itself. It is the very essence of human nature to pursue this disastrous course once the appetite has been created to demand it. As a result, American taxpayers now discover themselves playing a role almost identical to that of an addict on hard drugs. The addict denounces his "habit" and despises the "pusher" who got him into it, but when he is confronted with the crisis of needing a "fix" he will plead tears of anguish for the narcotic remedy.

The "fix," of course, is not a remedy at all. The real remedy is "withdrawal." The addict must escape from the tortuous cycle of vicious repetition witch is not solving his problem but compounding it. If withdrawal is painful, at least it is not prolonged. The problem is primarily a matter of will power---the determination to change.(Cleon Skousen, The 5000 Year Leap)

We are trying to get out of a problem caused by spending money we don't have, by spending money WE DON'T HAVE. If we can go through that withdrawal period, and stop spending money we're either printing, or borrowing from the Chinese, (BTW, China just announced they aren't going to buy any more 30-year US bonds. So who's going to buy our debt? The Fed? Yup! Holy crap!) we can take care of this problem now rather than passing it on to our children and their children.

This bill is not a stimulus bill, it is a spending bill. In fact, it's my understanding a large part of the money won't be spent in the first 4 years, how can that be considered stimulus? It is taking money from the citizens of the country and redistributing it. This "spending" bill is a step toward socialism.

World's View of the Untited States

If you've been following my blog, you know that I've been in Australia for the past couple of weeks. While there, it was interesting to watch the news and talk to people about the election of Barrack Obama. I found it interesting that the people in Australia (and I assume the rest of the Western world) see him as the savior of the world. He's going to right every wrong. If that's the case, he has a long, uphill battle. Especially considering the leadership of congress that he has to work with.

I personally think the government is making a mistake with this $800 Billion bailout and I call on my representatives not to endorse it. Why is Obama trying so hard to get Republican buy in? He doesn't need it to get the bill passed. I concede that there may be some part of him that is trying to prolong the honeymoon and build a bipartisan consensus. However, I also believe a dominating reason is to make sure he can distribute blame to Republicans, as well as the Democrats, when the plan doesn't work. I'm hoping Republican reps. will un-CY his A by not voting for it. I don't thing the first big bailout has done much, and another is not going to be any different. We can't fix the mess by doing what got us here in the first place, overspending.

I've been thinking about this after hearing the following quote by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md, made to President Obama during a meeting yesterday:

"Mr. President, I probably come at this from a slightly different perspective. I remember when FDR beat Hoover in 1932. So I remember the Great Depression very well. I don't remember any of the many government programs affecting the course of the Depression. Government programs didn't work then, I don't know why we think they would work now. Mr. President, I think our obsessive borrowing has fully mortgaged my kids and my grandkids. Now we're working on mortgaging my two great-grandkids. Mr. President, I think it's more than a little bit selfish to try to solve our economic problems which we created by burdening future generations yet to be born."

This prompted applause.

I agree with Rep. Bartlett.

Afternoon At Manly Beach

Here are a few pics from yesterday's afternoon outing to Manly beach. I caught a ferry ride over to the beach, then spent the afternoon walking around, eating dinner (a kabob), and soaking my feet in the ocean. Here are a few pics from the outing.




Here are a few pics from yesterday's afternoon outing to Manly beach. I caught a ferry ride over to the beach, then spent the afternoon walking around, eating dinner (a kabob), and soaking my feet in the ocean. Here are a few pics from the outing.