Wabi-Sabi

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! Lots of great memories from 2011:

Jonah's first hit in tee-ball.
Jake's state championship soccer tournament game.
Disney World with the family.
Revolutions in Egypt and the middle East.
A healthy Mom. (YES!!)
Standing in solidarity with the 99% in Chicago and at home.
Successfully advocating for expanded services for children and families.
A job I love working with brilliant, funny and passionate people.
My beautiful, crazy wife and family.

It's been a great year. I hope that 2012 will be even better for all of us.

Happy New Year!!

Peace of Earth

2011-12-18T13:51:00.000-05:00

In this time of holiday thanksgivings, it is truly a joy that the last of our U.S. troops have left Iraq today.

The following is the message from President Obama that was sent out from the Obama for America Campaign.

Jim --

Early this morning, the last of our troops left Iraq.

As we honor and reflect on the sacrifices that millions of men and women made for this war, I wanted to make sure you heard the news.

Bringing this war to a responsible end was a cause that sparked many Americans to get involved in the political process for the first time. Today's outcome is a reminder that we all have a stake in our country's future, and a say in the direction we choose.

Thank you.

Barack

It's heart wrenching to consider the loss of life and devastation caused by this war - especially in light of how the threats were exaggerated to justify military action. I pray that our nation has learned its lesson and that the Bush Doctrine of Preemption will be relegated to the trash heap of history.

But today, our brave soldiers are returning home. Thank God the war has ended. I pray that our soldiers in Afghanistan will be home soon too.

Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T00:41:00.001-05:00

Happy Veteran's Day. Thanks to all who have bravely defended our country and fought on behalf of liberty and justice for all.

You deserve all our support, which unfortunately tends to go more towards defense contractors than to those who serve in the military. Thank you for your tireless support.

Hope in the Unseen

2011-09-11T08:41:00.000-05:00

My cousin Josh Mallett, Nov. 1987

In honor of today's solemn anniversary, this is my all-time favorite New York picture. This is my cousin Josh during our Thanksgiving trip to NYC in 1987. This photo was taken as we waited for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

Seeing the World Trade Center juxtaposed behind a youthful Josh is so powerful to me. In the time since this photo was taken when I was in college, Josh has gone on to graduate from Georgia Tech and now has a successful business career. I now have a family of my own and am the proud father of two sons who both look an awful lot like Josh.

Meanwhile, the Twin Towers have fallen, and our nation has endured countless challenges since we were attacked 10 years ago. Both of my sons have lived their entire lives in a nation that is perpetually at war. Wars that have cost our nation greatly in lives, treasure, and human spirit.

Yet, despite our nation's challenges, when I look at this photo, and as I see my own children growing up, I realize that the strengths of our nation, of our people, and the grace of our Lord, are enough to help us move beyond the fear of 9/11 and beyond the violence that has followed.

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

As we look upon the New York City skyline, we no longer see the World Trade Center, but with faith we can see the true greatness of America isn't found in our skyscrapers -- it's found in the unseen hopes and dreams of our children. For our country to truly be great, let's use the next 10 years to focus on helping all children achieve their dreams with the same steadfast commitment that we have pursued in demonstrating our military power for the past decade.

On this anniversary, my thoughts and prayers go out to all those who perished and sacrificed on 9/11, and during the decade since. By God's grace, may our world now be filled with peace and the joy of children smiling at the prospects of a bright future.

Say YES to Safe Sleep

2011-07-27T21:16:00.002-05:00

Sadly, and somewhat surprisingly, unsafe infant sleep is the leading cause of death for infants one month to 12 months old in West Virginia. A baby dies every 10 days in WV due to accidental suffocation or strangulation when parents co-sleep with their babies or have their babies sleep on couches, recliners, beds or other adult furniture that is unsafe for babies.

To help address this issue, we launched the Our Babies: Safe & Sound campaign last year. The campaign now includes over 125 community organizations across WV, who are sharing posters, brochures and other information with parents and caregivers of infants.

More than 75,000 materials have been shared across the state in the past 14 months. We also have public service announcements airing statewide through a partnership with the WV Broadcasters Association.

Our latest update to the campaign is this new 5 minute Say YES to Safe Sleep video based on recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

I hope you will take a few minutes to watch the video, which features the most awesome pediatrician, Dr. Hana Zibdeh-Lough, describing how pediatricians recommend that you help your baby sleep safely.

Take a look at the video and share it with others. Then head over to our website at http://www.safesoundbabies.com for more information and order some free materials.

Thanks also to the great folks at The Manahan Group and Morgado Design for helping us produce a great video. Many thanks also to the West Virginia Children's Trust Fund and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation for funding the campaign.

Help babies in West Virginia grow up safe and sound -- say YES to safe sleep!

Advocates Call for the Nation to Awaken for Our Children

2011-07-22T16:17:00.001-05:00

If you have a chance, please check out my latest submission to Huffington Post, Advocates Call for the Nation to Awaken for Our Children.

While you're at it, please visit the new National Movement for America's Children website at www.movementforchildren.org and sign the pledge for America's children.

SIGN THE PLEDGE
Yes! I support the National Movement for America's Children, which calls on our country to develop and implement a national strategy to help ensure that every child has an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development.

We even have a West Virginia group on the National Movement site.

Please join our group and help us work together to answer the big question, "How can we ensure that every child has an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development?"

Thanks!

A very important thing to do...

2011-07-20T23:05:00.005-05:00

Jonah and I went to the new Winnie the Pooh movie tonight. It was an enjoyable time with just the two of us, but on the eve of tomorrow's launch of the National Movement for America's Children, I couldn't help but think this song described the work of PCAA and the other founders of the Movement this week.

As Zooey Deschanel and her friends from the Hundred Acre Wood remind us with their signs and song, "Come one, come two, come all... everyone heed the call, there's a very important thing to do..."

The important thing to do right now is to Sign the Pledge, Shape the Strategy, and Stand for our Children as part of the National Movement for America's Children at http://www.movementforchildren.org/.

Do it now. What are you waiting for? A jar of honey?

Happy Memorial Day. Thank You to the Troops who Defend our Liberty.

2011-05-28T11:19:00.000-05:00

This Bud's for you.

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Hattip Jayne.

Study Finds Union Mines Safer

2011-05-26T22:10:00.000-05:00

Ken Ward Jr. reports on a new study from Stanford University law professor, Alison D. Morantz, which found a "substantial and significant decline in traumatic mining injuries and fatalities" at underground mines where workers were members of the United Mine Workers union.

The report was published last week by the John M. Olin Program in Law and Economics at Stanford.

So let's get this straight... mines that pay closer attention to worker safety and values their workers are safer than those that put corporate profits and production first? Imagine that.

In other news, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Although, FoxNews and MSNBC will be sure to have two pundits on to discuss both sides of the sun rises in the east debate.

Getting Stoned for Jesus

2011-05-22T22:19:00.007-05:00

Well, it's been a long time since I posted anything here. I don't think I've gone this long between posts since I started blogging 9 years ago way back in 2002. I even missed my blogiversary on May 5th. With the advent of Twitter and Facebook, my blog has been sadly neglected, but don't worry, this is not one of those "goodbye cruel blogging world" posts. I hate those.

What's prompted me to post is that today I've just been thinking about the stoning of the disciple Stephen (Acts 7), which Carol preached about this morning.

Stephen was proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus when those in power took exception and ultimately stoned him to death. Despite facing his death at their hands, Stephen asks God to forgive those who are attacking him. It is a tremendous testament to his faith that he was willing to be stoned for Jesus. (I know that's a bad play on words, but I can't resist a provocative title.)

The following video reenacts the events of that fateful day.

While Stephen's faith is overwhelming, and his forgiving grace is second to none, the parts of this story that stand out to me are the actions of the crowd.

It is easy for us to sit in judgement of those in the crowd and wonder how they could be so foolish to be caught up in a fit of blood thirsty rage that they stone Stephen to death. But what stands out to me is that they attack him in God's name. Stephen is put to death because his faith differed from theirs and they thought he was blaspheming God.

The crowd attacked and killed Stephen in the name of God. Tragically, this happens far too often in our history - even in our Christian history. We are far too willing to say we are putting on the armor of God and then wage battle with others.

The hymn says "They will know we are Christians by our love", but for many people they know we are Christians because of our hate - especially for those who are different than us.

That's not the type of faith that Jesus calls for us to have. We are not supposed to defend our beliefs with our fists; we are called to defend our beliefs on our knees in prayer and in sacrifice for one another.

That is not to say that we should not take action. We definitely should. But our actions should involve excessive grace - not violence.

In recent days we have witnessed the death of Osama bin Laden, and I have struggled to reconcile my feelings about his death.

On the one hand, I am relieved that he is no longer alive. He is responsible for the deaths of thousands, and to my knowledge never expressed repentance for his treacherous actions. I am hopeful that his death will allow us to bring our troops home and out of harm's way. I am hopeful that his death will mark the end of our nation's perpetual war.

I am also thankful that the "boogie man" in my 10-year old son Jake's life is no longer able to give him nightmares. Jake was 8 months old on 9-11 and has never known life without that fear.

However, I must admit that part of me is troubled by the joy I feel in my heart from the death of another human being -- even someone as despicable as Osama bin Laden. Vengeance is a powerful thing. It is seductive, and it is dangerous. I want no part of it.

Lord, help me to be more like Stephen. I pray that my enemies' hearts will be turned towards you, and I ask your forgiveness for those who have killed or sown seeds of hate in your name. Please forgive us all. Amen.

Remembering Buffalo Creek

2011-02-26T15:11:00.002-05:00

39 years ago today, the tragic Buffalo Creek flood killed 125 people, injured 1,100, left over 4,000 homeless and obliterated the town of Saunders, West Virginia. The Buffalo Creek tragedy should be a stark reminder of the dangers when there aren't adequate regulations and corporate earnings outweigh concerns about safety.

The flood followed the collapse of the #3 Pittston Dam when approximately 132 million gallons of black waste water rushed through Buffalo Creek hollow.

According to the WV Division of Culture and History,

"In the days preceding February 26, 1972, rain fell almost continuously, although experts later claimed this was typical for late winter weather in the area. Buffalo Mining officials, concerned about the condition of the highest dam, measured water levels every two hours the night of the twenty-fifth.

Although a Pittston official in the area was alerted to the increasing danger, the residents of the hollow were not informed. The company sent away two deputy sheriffs, who had been dispatched to assist with potential evacuations. Despite the lack of warning from company officials, some residents sensed the danger and moved to higher ground."

We would be wise to learn the lessons of Buffalo Creek as we debate new regulations (and the lack thereof) for Marcellus Shale drilling and impacts of Mountaintop Removal mining with huge sludge impoundments like the one with 2 BILLION gallons of coal waste sludge that sits 400 yards above Marsh Fork Elementary School.

Let's honor the memory of Buffalo Creek by ensuring that similar tragedies never occur again. Based on last year's BP oil spill, and the reluctance of lawmakers to fund increased inspectors for Marcellus Shale drilling, we still have a lot of work to do.

-- Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Quick Thoughts on Egypt

2011-02-12T16:39:00.001-05:00

I am in awe that the people of Egypt have succeeded in overthrowing Hosni Mubarak. They have shown that the power of the people can only be kept down for so long.

The people of Egypt stood strong to resist the attacks of hired thugs and intimidation from the government. Their commitment to peaceful demonstrations in the face of attacks was especially inspiring and a key to their victory. If they had given in to the temptation to fight back or attack with force, then the military would likely have squelched the revolution in an effort to maintain the peace.

It will be interesting to see what happens next. Democracy can be a messy thing, but the manner in which the protesters have handled themselves thus far gives me great hope for their future... and ours.

URGENT MESSAGE FOR HOSNI MUBARAK

2011-02-06T02:00:00.001-05:00

You do not hit Anderson Cooper in the face!

Wisdom from the Elders of the Hopi Nation

2011-02-05T00:07:00.000-05:00

As my friends and I work toward a better future for children, battling for decimal dust in state and federal budgets, and fighting to keep the doors open in organizations and agencies that work on behalf of children and families, I found these opening words from Margaret Wheatley's book, Perseverance, to be very inspiring.

It is a Prophecy delivered by the Elders of the Hopi Nation on June 8, 2000, at Oraibi Arizona. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

TO MY FELLOW SWIMMERS:

Here is a river flowing now very fast.

It is so great and swift, that there are those

who will be afraid, who will try

to hold on to the shore.

They are being torn apart and

will suffer greatly.

Know that the river has its destination.

The elders say we must let go of the shore.

Push off into the middle of the river,

and keep our heads above water.

And I say see who is there with you

and celebrate.

At this time in history,

we are to take nothing personally,

least of all ourselves,

for the moment we do,

our spiritual growth and journey come to a halt.

The time of the lone wolf is over.

Gather yourselves.

Banish the word struggle from your attitude

and vocabulary.

All that we do now must be done

in a sacred manner and in celebration.

For we are the ones we have been waiting for.

Marcellus Shale - The Industrialization of Rural West Virginia

2011-01-28T18:27:00.000-05:00

At a joint committee meeting of the WV House Judiciary and Finance Committees yesterday afternoon, legislators heard about recent developments regarding drilling operations for the Marcellus Shale in West Virginia.

Marcellus Shale is a vast resource. It's the second largest field of gas -- in the WORLD. It is twice the size of the gas fields in Saudi Arabia.

Drilling operations from across the country are descending on West Virginia to access these rich gas deposits that were previously unattainable using traditional drilling techniques. The impacts are significant and policymakers are struggling to keep up with advancements in technology. In particular, the process of hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" is causing widespread concern due to its environmental impact.

The influx of drilling operations is essentially the industrialization of rural West Virginia. While the Marcellus Shale presents tremendous opportunities - there are also many issues that need to be addressed such as water quality, impact on roads, property owners rights, worker safety, etc.

Dave McMahon, an attorney who represents WV surface property owners, has prepared a very informative slide show comparing the new Marcellus Shale drilling operations to traditional drilling, which is familiar to many West Virginians.

The DEP is proposing legislation that would begin to mitigate the impact of drilling operations that are beyond the reach of current regulations. It is a good start to impose higher fees so the DEP can hire additional inspectors.

However, West Virginia probably should do more to ensure that all West Virginians benefit as this resource is extracted. Some have recommended looking at Alaska as an example of how a state's citizens are given a share in the natural resources of its state. It's an idea that is worthy of consideration, but must be done expeditiously.

Out of state drillers are arriving every day. We welcome them here, but hope that they will tread softly on our beloved state. Our children deserve clean water, healthy forests, and safe roads. Let's make sure they aren't lost in the name of "economic development."

Link to Marcellus Shale Slideshow.

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Haiku Reflections on the Dead Birds (American Idol Edition)

2011-01-05T00:33:00.008-05:00

Much to the dismay of my wife @SmallestAngel, I've written two more Haiku poems. She rolls her eyes, but I know she loves them.

The first...

My Topical American Idol Audition Haiku

Dead birds on the ground...

Lookin' like a plague with those...

Dead birds on the ground.

And a bonus poem...

Bye, Bye Birdie

Birds fall from the sky.

My magic 8-ball forecast?

"Outlook not so good."

Feel free to share your own Haiku in the comments.

New Year Haiku

2011-01-01T01:04:00.000-05:00

Regrets put aside...
Bold new adventures await...
The new year is here!

Merry Christmas from Wabi-Sabi and Ricky Bobby

2010-12-24T12:22:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends, and Happy Birthday to the precious little 8 pound, 6 ounce, newborn infant Jesus, don't even know a word yet...

I hope you have the best Christmas ever!

10 Life Lessons from Charlie Brown & the Peanuts Gang

2010-12-23T12:47:00.002-05:00

I loved this presentation from Sompong Yus on SlideShare.net.

The Day in Review Haiku

2010-12-18T21:19:00.000-05:00

I've been playing around with writing Haikus lately. Here are a couple based on today's events in the U.S. Senate.

Don't Ask and Don't Tell

What would Robert C. Byrd do?

Study, Vote and Lead

Don't Ask and Don't Tell

What would Senator Joe do?

Hem, Haw and Leave

Plus a bonus in free verse text (as if that is a literary form)...

D.A.D.T.

W.W.R.C.B.D.?

W.W.MOJO.D.?

A.W.O.L.

Sen. Manchin AWOL on DADT

2010-12-18T13:26:00.001-05:00

The U.S. Senate is taking significant votes today on Don't Ask, Don't Tell and immigration reform, but Senator Joe Manchin is absent and not voting.

Earlier today, the Senate voted 63-33 to invoke cloture to overcome a filibuster on the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The bill is now expected to pass and allow gays to serve openly in the military. Sen. Rockefeller voted in favor of repeal, but Sen. Manchin was conspicuously absent from the vote on cloture.

A vote on passage is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, but there is no word whether Sen. Manchin will cast a vote. (Sen. Manchin did issue a statement today expressing opposition to repeal DADT.)

Sen. Manchin was also absent from this morning's vote on the DREAM Act, which would help young immigrants have a path to citizenship. The vote on cloture was defeated by GOP Senators, on a 55-41 vote. (Because we live in bizarro world, 41 no votes is more powerful than 55 yes votes.)

Does anyone know where Senator Manchin is today? Apparently, he supports the GOP position on both of these issues, which is in itself a huge disappointment. But, failing to even vote makes the situation worse.

Something tells me that Sen. Byrd would have found a way to cast votes on these important issues.

UPDATE:
The Charleston Gazette's Alison Knezevich reports that Sen. Manchin missed today's votes due to a “family obligation”.

Sen. Manchin's spokeswoman Sara Payne Scarbro said in an e-mail to Knezevich that Sen. Manchin and his wife Gayle:

“planned a holiday gathering over a year ago with all their children and grandchildren as they will not all be together on Christmas Day.”

“While he regrets missing the votes, it was a family obligation that he just could not break,” Payne Scarbro said. “However, he has been clear on where he stands on the issues.”

Cross posted at WVaBlue.

Coal Companies Abandon Mines: Taxpayers Foot the Bill

2010-12-15T23:34:00.002-05:00

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced today that it's distributing $395 million to states this year to clean up abandoned coal mines. $245 million is coming straight from the U.S. Treasury. (Fees on coal production provide the other $150 million.)

That's nearly a quarter of a billion dollars directly from tax payers to clean up the messes left by coal companies that have abandoned their responsibilities to keep our land safe and our water clean. The program has provided over $7 billion since the program began.

I am happy that this funding is going to clean up many devastated areas with $51.3 million slated to come to West Virginia this year. However, it's important to keep these costs in mind the next time coal companies like Massey Energy and the loyal politicians who represent them talk glowingly about the importance of coal to our economy.

There are many hidden costs associated with mining coal - especially when it's done irresponsibly. Sadly, folks who want West Virginia to be "Open for Business" at all costs and want to "Unleash Capitalism" never seem to include these costs in their bottom line.

When the government provides funding for social programs such as health insurance for children - it's decried as "socialism". But, when the government provides funding to clean up messes from corrupt corporations, those same budget hawks and government critics are eerily quiet.

For example, after much debate and overriding a Presidential veto from President Bush, the federal government provided $36 million to West Virginia for sCHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) in 2008 with an $8 million state match.

On the other hand, there was hardly a peep about today's action to give the equivalent a $51.3 million handout to offset the expenses that coal companies should pay themselves.

If that $51.3 million went to support programs for children and families, I bet the conservative elite and their followers would have had something to say about it.

Cross posted at WVaBlue.

Obesity: Something's Happening Here...

2010-12-15T18:00:00.001-05:00

We hear a lot about how people just need to make better dietary choices in order to address the obesity epidemic facing our country. However, the fattest states would have been the thinnest just 20 years ago. There is more at work here than just personal responsibility. We need action at the societal and public policy level.

I pulled together this video to show how shocking the national trends have been since 1990. Perhaps it's time to stop subsidizing high fructose corn syrup?

Thanks to Lawrence Wallack for the PowerPoint slides.

Sen. Byrd Wanted to Repeal DADT. Sen. Manchin Should Do the Same.

2010-12-05T14:56:00.001-05:00

As Congressional leaders debate repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", I keep thinking how our late Senator Robert C. Byrd's position had evolved on the issue to the point that he was actively working to pass the repeal in the final days of his life.

I called Sen. Joe Manchin's office Friday to ask him to follow Sen. Byrd's leadership on the issue and support repealing the outdated policy. During my call, I reminded Sen. Manchin's staff of Sen. Byrd's position and faxed them a copy of a letter that Sen. Byrd sent me on June 22, 2010 - just 6 days before his death - expressing his support for repeal. I received the letter after Sen. Byrd died, which was exceptionally powerful.

Here is what I wrote in my fax to Sen. Manchin along with a faxed copy of the letter from Sen. Byrd:

Senator Manchin,

I hope that you will honor Sen. Byrd’s legacy by voting to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) and allow all members of the military to serve openly. This is especially important to me because I received the attached letter from Sen. Byrd expressing his support for repealing DADT after he passed away.

I was on vacation when Senator Byrd died and upon my return home this letter from him was waiting in my mailbox. It was very powerful to read – knowing it would be the last letter I would receive from him.

Since you are serving the unfinished term of Sen. Byrd and given that the Pentagon report released earlier this week affirmed that the policy could be repealed in a manner that Sen. Byrd supported, I hope you will also support the repeal of DADT.

Thank you very much,

Jim McKay, Lavalette, WV

I posted a Twitter update about my call and the letter, and @davidbadash asked if he could publish a copy of the letter on TheNewCivilRightsMovement.com. I scanned in a copy and David published a nice article this morning praising Sen. Byrd for his leadership.

I appreciate David helping spread the word. Hopefully, Sen. Byrd will continue to inspire others to do the right thing even after his death last summer. I especially hope that Sen. Manchin will defer to Sen. Byrd's position since he is serving Sen. Byrd's unexpired term.

Byrd DADT Letter

My Favorite Thanksgiving Story

2010-11-25T16:09:00.004-05:00

My favorite Thanksgiving story is about my twin brother Tom. He was driving home to East Tennessee for Thanksgiving and had an unfortunate accident.

As he was rounding a curve, he accidentally drove his car into a group of live turkeys that were walking across the country road. As he struck one of the turkeys, it rolled up his hood and flipped over the roof of the car.

Making matters worse, the turkey landed on a State Trooper's car behind him and broke the Trooper's windshield!

Then as Tom stopped to see if everything was OK, the Trooper gave him a ticket.

Needless to say, Tom was upset and demanded to know why he got a ticket.

The trooper replied, "Don't you know it's against the law to flip a bird at a State Trooper?"

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

DJ Woods, Meet WVU's Keith Tandy

2010-11-20T00:54:00.000-05:00

This is an awesome hit. Let's go Mountaineers!

Good Beginnings Last a Lifetime

2010-10-28T23:21:00.000-05:00

As this video powerfully shows, when we change the first 5 years of a child's life, we change everything... for them... and for us.

President Obama Defends His Record in Song

2010-10-16T18:29:00.002-05:00

The President's detractors won't give him credit, but as this video clearly shows, Barack Obama is "the very model of a Modern U.S. President".

Hattip Huffington Post.

Dwight Schrute Shows Why West Virginia Needs a Quality Rating System for Child Care Centers

2010-10-08T13:33:00.004-05:00

The GOP Pledge: New ideas that are EXACTLY like their old ones.

2010-09-26T21:57:00.002-05:00

Jon Stewart does it again. Thursday night he skewered the GOP's "new" Pledge to America showing how their supposedly new ideas are EXACTLY the same words they've been saying for the past 20 years. WV Rep. Shelley Moore Capito even makes an appearance with her elite friends in the GOP leadership.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Postcards From the Pledge

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

Dancing with the Stars: Canine Edition

2010-09-04T11:35:00.004-05:00

We've seen the gravity defying kitten, and the bulldog couch potato. This week it's time for the amazing dancing merengue dog.

Enjoy!

The Bulldog Couch Potato

2010-08-25T22:53:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I shared the happiness of a kitten trying to defy gravity. Today, we get to share the joy of an English Bulldog watching Family Guy in a manner that would make Peter Griffin (or Homer Simpson) proud. Obviously, she has a crush on Brian.

The GOP Mosquerade

2010-08-23T20:09:00.003-05:00

It's clear that the Republican Party would rather talk about wedge issues instead of offering real ideas to improve the lives of Americans.

In response to their latest faux outrage issue of the day, I've reached the conclusion that they're correct... Rev. Jeremiah Wright should NOT perform gay marriages or abortions for illegal immigrants in a mosque at Ground Zero.

As for the proposed islamic community center in the former Burlington Coats Factory 2 blocks AWAY from the perimeter of Ground Zero, I think government should NOT interfere with religious organizations by deciding where church buildings are allowed to be located.

If someone wanted to build a YMCA or a Methodist Church there, no one would care. Freedom of religion should apply to all faiths - not just Christianity.

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Tonight's LEVERAGE Features Corrupt Mining CEO "Dan Blackwell" (aka Don Blankenship?)

2010-08-15T19:55:00.003-05:00

Apparently tonight's episode of Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton, could be ripped from the headlines in West Virginia. "The Underground Job" features the Leverage team infiltrating the coal mines of West Virginia to take on a corrupt mining company in the aftermath of a deadly mine explosion.

The explosion is caused by a deadly build-up of methane gas, just as the Upper Big Branch explosion earlier this year. The mine owner "Dan Blackwell" (interesting choice for the character's name) also funded the election of his hand-picked Attorney General through corporate campaign contributions. (Doesn't this sound eerily similar to the election of our WV Supreme Court Justice Brent Benjamin.)

Check out this preview. They even mention Massey Energy's practice of appealing violations to prevent paying fines. The episode premieres Sunday at 9:00p.m. on TNT.

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Kitten Tries to Defy Gravity

2010-08-07T00:06:00.002-05:00

This is 7 seconds long, and it's hilarious.

The poor kitten has been listening to Idina Menzel singing Defying Gravity too much.

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes: and leap!

Gov. Manchin Issues Statement Regarding Federal Probe

2010-08-06T17:52:00.003-05:00

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin's Office has released the following statement after the conservative blog, WestVirginiaWatchdog.org and the Associated Press reported that federal investigators had requested documents and information from West Virginia officials earlier this week:

STATEMENT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

"The State of West Virginia was served this week with two federal subpoenas.

"Neither subpoena was directed to Governor Manchin or the Governor's Office. No individual in the Governor's Office was served with a subpoena.

"The Governor has directed State officials to fully cooperate and comply expeditiously.

"Governor Manchin wants to get to the bottom of the issue as soon as possible.

"The State has not been informed that Governor Manchin or any other state employee is under investigation."

It's still early to see what's happening here, but I can't help but recall how the WVGOP and current Republican Senatorial candidate Mac Warner's brother, former U.S. Attorney Kasey Warner, helped defeat WV State Senator Oshel Craigo (D) in 2002 amid allegations of a "pending federal investigation".

Is the WV GOP playing from the same playbook that they used in 2002? The timing of this "investigation" seems fishy to me.

Check out how Gary Abernathy described the 2002 events to the State Journal and see if they don't sound similar to the current situation.

Gary Abernathy, former state Republican Party executive director under Kris Warner [Mac and Kasey's brother], wrote a book called "Elephant Wars: Why Fight the Democrats When We Have Each Other," in which he provides a behind-the-scenes account of Republican politics in West Virginia.

In the book, Abernathy describes how he got a tip that Craigo was the subject of a federal investigation.

"Kris told me he thought the information was legitimate, and we did a series of press releases on the subject, which became a big media story," Abernathy writes. "Of course, the fact that Kris' brother, Kasey, was the U.S. attorney whose office was doing the investigation brought howls of protest from the Democrats suggesting that Kasey was tipping off Kris for political purposes.

"I never witnessed any such communication between the brothers, but I also knew well who my chairman's brother was," he continues. "If Kris told me a tip seemed legitimate, I couldn't deny feeling safer about doing a press release on the subject. The investigation itself never did seem to yield any results, but the publicizing of it no doubt led to Craigo's defeat."

Could it be that the WV GOP still has friends working in the U.S. Attorney's Office?

Let me be clear, if misdeeds occurred, then those responsible should be punished to the full extent of the law. However, if the U.S. Attorney's Office is being manipulated for political purposes, then those responsible should face serious consequences as well.

(If you saw the classic 1991 film "True Colors" starring John Cusack and James Spader, then you know what I'm talking about.)

-- Cross posted at WVaBlue.com

Rahall Leads Passage of Safety Standards for Offshore Drilling -- Capito Votes with BP

2010-07-30T22:50:00.001-05:00

Kudos to WV Rep. Nick Rahall (D) for being the lead sponsor on H.R. 3534, the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act (CLEAR Act). This bill is the boldest offshore drilling safety legislation to pass the House of Representatives in over 30 years. The legislation passed the House of Representatives 209 - 193 earlier this evening.

The legislation is a comprehensive response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. It removes the existing $75 million cap on oil companies’ liability in the case of future spills. It also prohibits BP and companies with bad safety records from getting new offshore permits until they meet new safety requirements.

In addition, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the legislation will reduce the federal deficit by $5.3 BILLION over the next 5 years. (Link to .pdf)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi commended Rep. Rahall for his leadership on the issue calling him a "visionary" for beginning work on issues of offshore drilling safety more than a year ago, well before the gulf oil spill.

Rep. Rahall commented, "While we may not know the exact cause of the incident, we clearly know what contributed to it. A culture of cozy relationships that had regulators interviewing for jobs on the same rigs they were supposed to be inspecting."

Thanks to Rep. Rahall's leadership, the foxes won't be guarding the hen house when it comes to keeping workers safe and preventing future offshore drilling disasters.

Unfortunately, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R) chose to vote as a rubber stamp for Minority Leader John Boehner and aligned herself with corrupt corporations like BP to oppose the legislation.

Apparently, Capito feels that oil companies shouldn't pay for their own messes, regulators should look the other way when companies put profit before safety, and there's no need to trim $5.3 billion from the deficit. Instead, we should just "drill baby drill."

Thankfully, Rep. Rahall was able to garner the support needed to pass his landmark legislation. Hopefully, Senators Rockefeller and Goodwin will be similarly successful in getting it passed in the Senate.

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Legislature Approves Special Election for U.S. Senate

2010-07-19T23:33:00.006-05:00

Facing a likely legal challenge if the Governor unilaterally called for a Special Election to fill the vacancy created by the death of Sen. Robert C. Byrd, representatives from the WV Senate, House of Delegates, Governor's office and Secretary of State's office reached agreement earlier this evening and adopted HB 201 calling for a Special Election on Nov. 2. A primary election will be held on Aug. 28 to select nominees.

As late as Monday morning, it appeared doubtful that legislators would reach agreement, and the Governor was reportedly seriously considering calling for a Special Election by Executive Order or proclamation. However, the threat of a legal challenge, and the resulting delay a court challenge might present, provided motivation to continue agressively pursuing a legislative option.

After meetings during the day between the Governor and members of the House of Delegates and State Senate, the Conference Committee met at approximately 5:00 p.m. and formally reached agreement.

Final passage of the bill in the House was 83-7 in favor with 10 members absent. The Senate passed the bill 29-0. Members of the House Republican caucus, which voted as a block against the bill on Saturday, changed their votes and voted for the final bill Monday evening at 8:20 p.m.

The final bill treats the upcoming Special Election as an independent election, so current candidates on the November ballot, including Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, will be permitted to run for both offices concurrently.

The bill also limits the discretion of the Secretary of State to make changes in the operation of the Primary and Special Election. In addition, the legislation sunsets after this November, signaling that lawmakers intend to adopt more permanent changes when they convene for the 2011 Regular Session.

The filing period is a brief 4-day period beginning Tuesday and ending this Friday. Proposed provisions that would have eliminated the Primary if only one candidate filed were not included in the final bill.

It is expected that Gov. Joe Manchin will sign the bill immediately, and he is expected to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate Tuesday morning at the State Capitol.

UPDATE:
Kudos to Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and her team. Less than 3 hours after the legislation was adopted, they posted critical information about the Special Election online, including the Enrolled House Bill, Filing Documents, and an election calendar.

That is a very impressive accomplishment and helps ensure that the election is handled professionally. It also encourages participation from all prospective candidates and WV voters. (Whoever says government doesn't work efficiently needs to take notice of the work that Sec. Tennant and her staff have accomplished. Great job!) (Link to Special Election Information)

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Gov. Manchin on MSNBC today: "Highly Likely" to Run for Senate

2010-07-09T16:10:00.000-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rest in Peace Senator Byrd

2010-06-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

I awoke to the sad news that West Virginia Sen. Robert C. Byrd died early this morning. This is a sad day for West Virginia and for the United States.

Senator Byrd will be greatly missed. His commitment to the people of West Virginia and the U.S. Constitution was unparalleled and truly legendary.

The only solace we have is knowing he was a man of faith and remembering his many contributions to our state and nation. He is finally reunited with his dear bride Erma, and he also gets to personally debate with the authors of the Constitution that he defended so vigorously.

In tribute to his memory, I share the following video of his stirring speech on the floor of the Senate in opposition to the War in Iraq. Sen. Byrd had the courage to stand up BEFORE the U.S. invasion when very few others were willing to do so. It was one of his finest moments in a long career of fine moments.

Thank you Senator Byrd. God bless you, your family and the great State of West Virginia.

Massey Energy Sues MSHA in Federal Court

2010-06-22T22:20:00.000-05:00

The good news is Don Blankenship may finally be on his way to Federal Court.

The bad news... it's for the wrong reason.

The Charleston Daily Mail's Ry Rivard reports that Massey Energy is suing the U.S. Mine Health and Safety Administration (MSHA) for allegedly violating due process rights because they feel there is not an adequate process to challenge MSHA decisions.

The suit does not mention the Upper Big Branch (UBB) disaster specifically, but references issues related to mine ventilation, which are at the forefront of the ongoing UBB investigation.

The AP also has a story about the lawsuit.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming weeks. It seems like Massey is using the courts as part of its public relations strategy and attempting to shift the debate from their culpability to some complexities about regulations.

It reminds me of the advice my departed grandfather used to offer, "If you can't dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with bullshit."

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Don't Worry About the Oil Spill! Invisible-Hand-of the-Free-Market Man to the Rescue!

2010-06-22T20:14:00.001-05:00

This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow via Salon.com

In his next adventure, Invisible-Hand-of-the-Market Man is on his way to to West Virginia to fight on behalf of Massey Energy and those nice coal companies that keep the lights on for America. (Too bad it's at taxpayer expense too.)

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T08:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Father's Day to my Dad and all the other fathers out there. We have the greatest and most important job in the world. Let's not screw it up.

Cartoon by Pat Bagley of the Salt Lake Tribune.

A Better West Virginia... Where every baby is safe and sound.

2010-06-19T13:08:00.000-05:00

Sunday is West Virginia's 147th birthday, and once again West Virginia's online community is coming together to share ideas and opportunities to build a better West Virginia. In recent years, Jason Keeling has done a great job of pulling together bloggers from across the mountain state to offer ways to build new stereotypes for WV and contribute strategies to strengthen our state.

For example, last year Skip Lineberg suggested we begin building towards a fitter West Virginia by supporting one another in making healthier choices and getting physically fit by including the hashtag #FitWV on Tweets when people exercise or make good choices.

Being part of the #FitWV tribe has been a great encouragement to me as I've tried to be healthier and lose weight during the past year. It's been great to have support, and I'm proud to say I've lost 55 pounds since last August -- currently 189 lbs down from 244 lbs!

For my contribution to this year's a better West Virginia challenge, I'd like to invite people from across the state to join in our latest initiative at Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia entitled, Our Babies: Safe & Sound.

The campaign is a statewide effort to address two of the leading causes of death for infants in West Virginia - unsafe sleep and abusive head trauma (shaken baby syndrome). Tragically, 3 to 4 babies die every month in West Virginia due to accidental suffocation -- often while co-sleeping with an adult or smothering in an adult bed or sleeping on a couch or recliner.

Infants are 40 times more like to die sleeping on an adult bed or other furniture than in their crib. These are preventable deaths.

Using guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Our Babies: Safe & Sound includes three levels of activity or "inoculations" to prevent these deaths:

Education of parents and other caregivers, particularly those caring for infants and babies from birth to age 1,
Reinforcement in the community (community organizations, local agencies, networks and collaborations),
Statewide paid and earned media strategies.

My hope is that West Virginia's online community will join in the Our Babies: Safe & Sound campaign by sharing our campaign's message to "Say YES to Safe Sleep".

How You Can Help Others Say YES to Safe Sleep

Talk about safe sleep practices with everyone who takes care of your baby: teenagers, grandparents, babysitters, child care staff, friends and other family members.
Help us spread the word by sharing Say YES To Safe Sleep tips. Visit SafeSoundBabies.com and forward it on to other parents, caregivers, and friends. If you are a provider of services to families, sign up to be a Community Partner for the campaign and share our campaign materials in your community.
Set a good example to other new parents and caregivers. We know the safest ways for babies to sleep: on their back, alone - not on adult beds or furniture -and in a safe crib.
Take action if you see unsafe infant sleeping positions or unsafe crib displays in the media, or when you shop. Talk to the store manager, or write a letter to the editor of the magazine or newspaper.

How you can Keep Your Cool when Babies Cry
In addition to safe sleep, we are encouraging parents and caregivers to Keep Your Cool when babies cry. Inconsolable crying is often a trigger for a parent or caregiver to lose control and shake their baby. This is very, very dangerous and can cause serious injury, brain damage and even death.

As our PSA describes, all babies cry, so it's important to have a plan for what to do when they do. Most important is keeping your cool.

When a baby won't stop crying, and you are getting upset, if you need to take a break, that's OK.

After you've checked the baby's diaper, you know they're not hungry, not hurt or sick -- if you feel like you're about to lose control, it's OK to lay a baby down on their back in a safe crib and step away for a few minutes.

We want everyone to have a plan for how they will keep their cool when babies cry. Maybe it's talking to a friend, listening to music, doing a few quick exercises (#FitWV!), whatever it is to chill for a few minutes, and then you go back and help soothe your baby.

As part of the #abetterWVNetwork challenge, I hope you will help us spread the word about Our Babies: Safe & Sound throughout West Virginia. You can embed these videos on your own site, and we would love to have links to our campaign website at http://www.safesoundbabies.com. After you sign up as a community partner, you can also order free posters, brochures and other campaign materials online to share in your community.

Working together, we can build a better West Virginia where every baby is safe and sound! THANKS!

USA vs England in LEGOS

2010-06-14T23:11:00.000-05:00

This is brilliant.

See more LEGO World Cup videos at http://www.legofussball.eu/.

Hattip Gavin.

The Sandlot, 4th Grade Parliamentary Procedure, and Kevin Costner

2010-06-13T18:20:00.000-05:00

I had to share this exchange that I had with my 9-year-old son Jake last night.

We were returning home from watching the A-Team movie -- an awesomely good action-fest movie in our opinion. Jake and Jonah were watching The Sandlot 3: Heading Home on the DVD player in the van.

Before you ask, we realize that Sandlot 3 and the story of Tommy "Santa" Santorelli's redemption is not nearly as good as the classic original The Sandlot, which is one of the best baseball movies of all time, but let's face it, The Sandlot 3 is SIGNIFICANTLY better than The Sandlot 2, which was less of a sequel and more of a blatant retelling of the original with subtly different characters. C'mon, the kissing booth scene was a definite rip off of the Wendy Peffercorn's rescue of a drowning Squints. Seriously! But, I digress...

As you are no doubt aware, (I mean who isn't?) there is a critical scene in Sandlot 3 when the elected officials can't decide the future of the Sandlot. (Will the city sell the lot to a greedy condo developer or keep it as is?) The decision is deadlocked 3 votes for and 3 votes against.

This conundrum in plot presented a teachable moment for me, as a political junkie and former Reading Clerk for the House of Delegates. I asked Jake if he knew what would happen in the WV House, if the vote was 50-50?

Jake correctly said the bill wouldn't pass because it wasn't a majority i.e. half plus 1. (We had discussed previously this during an earlier viewing of the movie. Did I mention that I'm a political geek?)

Feeling proud of my young ~~third~~ fourth grader and his vast parliamentary knowledge, I asked Jake if he knew what happens in the U.S. Senate when a vote is 50-50?

He asked if it was the same, and I told him the Vice President can vote and break the tie.

Jake seemed to understand, and I was feeling pretty good.

Until he said...

"So it's just like that movie 'Swing Vote'."

Um... not exactly, Jake.

With all due respect to Kevin Costner, (I hope his super-duper water and oil extraction system works well with the BP oil leak), but Vice President Biden wields a very different type of Swing Vote than the fictitious Bud Johnson that Costner immortalized(?) on the big screen.

All in all though, Jake is still well on his way to a prosperous future in politics, or maybe becoming a screen writer, or maybe both... he could be a political consultant.

USA! USA! USA!

2010-06-12T11:06:00.003-05:00

The United States soccer team has its most competitive team in 50 years. Having rooted for them through the lean years in the 80's when I was playing soccer as a kid and later when I coached my own teams, it's thrilling to see them march through World Cup qualifying rounds.

Today is a huge match vs England and a victory would be the biggest for US soccer in my lifetime!

No matter the outcome, the US has a great chance to advance to elimination play.

Who knows what happens then -- maybe the US team can become the George Mason of the World Cup and make a run to the World Cup final four.

USA! USA! USA!

Post-Game UPDATE:
US gets the 1-1 draw vs. the heavily favored England team. England's goalkeeper Robert Green knows how Bill Buckner feels, but I'll take it. Woo-hoo!

-- Post From My iPhone

Another BP Spill!

2010-06-10T23:08:00.003-05:00

Uh oh! BP is dealing with another unexpected spill...

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

The Joy of Kickball with the Kids

2010-06-06T23:13:00.002-05:00

My friend Anthony captured my lack of kickball prowess playing with the boys at the Lavalette Little League Drive-Inn Movie Night last night.

Notice Jake says I'm an easy out as I come up to kick. My coordination rounding 1st is something to behold.

:-)

April Marks Largest Job Gain Since March 2006 (graph)

2010-05-09T00:22:00.001-05:00

This week the Bureau of Labor Statistics released jobs numbers for April. The US gained 290,000 jobs and has had job growth for each of the past 4 months.

This growth is a pretty stark contrast over the results of the Bush Administration.

We still have A LOT of work to do, but these positive results are very good news.

-- Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Flash Mob at Marshall University

2010-04-10T13:45:00.005-05:00

The long awaited "flash mob" episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution aired on ABC last night.

Courtesy of Hulu, here is the "flash mob" section including yours truly as one of the dancing chefs. (You can also see my picture on Jamie's wall later in the episode.)

That's me serving my stir fry in the thumbnail, and there are a few shots of me getting my groove on and cooking with my fellow flash mob dancers.

I'm on the right side of the Memorial Fountain opposite Jamie. Along with the other "chefs", we jump in about 1/3 through the song and start cooking. We literally cooked the dish during the 3 minute song.

There's an interesting shot of my back side when my "sous chef" dancing partners are tying my apron on. You can also see me standing on the edge of the fountain at the end of the dance.

It was a lot of fun and that was a very exciting week to be in Huntington with everyone focused on healthy eating and literally cooking in the street.

By the way, if you missed your chance to cook with Jamie last fall, it's not too late!

Jamie is coming back to town and will be hosting a Community Instructional Bootcamp where you can see and taste the food he's prepared for school lunches and get some great ideas on how to make healthier choices!

The event will be this Tuesday April 13th from 2-5pm at First Baptist Church of Kenova, 1120 Poplar street, Kenova, WV 25530.

Email JOFoodRevolution@gmail.com to sign up, and don't forget to sign Jamie's petition for healthier school lunches at http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition.

Viva la' revolution!

The Difference Between Democrats & Republicans

2010-03-25T09:00:00.003-05:00

With all his usual eloquence, Rep. John Boehner (House Minority Leader) summed up the essential difference between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party during his remarks on passage of health insurance reform this weekend.

Democrats say, "Yes, we can."

Republicans ~~say~~ yell, "Hell no, you can't!"

Sorry John, but "Yes, we can."

WVU Wins Big East Championship!

2010-03-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a game and what a tournament!

Great job by the whole team, especially Da'Sean Butler!

"It's a great Da' to be a Mountaineer wherever you may be!"

Remembering Hank Gathers

2010-03-06T22:27:00.003-05:00

It's hard to believe that 20 years ago this week Loyola-Marymount star basketball player, Hank Gathers, collapsed and died during a conference tournament game.

It was a tragedy to see someone so young collapse and die before our very eyes. Then the play of Bo Kimble and Hank's teammates captured the nation's attention as they made a great Cinderella run through the NCAA tournament defeating Michigan and Alabama before falling to a great UNLV team in the Elite Eight.

They are still my all-time favorite tournament team. Their fast-break, 3 point, attack was great, and I don't know anyone who could watch Bo Kimble shoot a left handed free throw in tribute to Hank Gathers without getting misty.

ESPN has posted the following as a preview for their upcoming documentary, the "Gurus of Go", about Loyola Marymount's miraculous run and their coach Paul Westhead, featuring "haunting footage" of Gathers final game.

Seeing the preview brings back both sad and happy memories from that unforgettable tournament. How is it possible that it's been 20 years?

Rest in Peace Hank Gathers. We still remember you and your over-sized heart.

Party in the USA - The 'Lost' Version

2010-03-04T20:37:00.002-05:00

If you're a Lost fan, especially of the lovable Hurley, then you will love this LOST /Miley Cyrus Party in the USA mash-up.

Enjoy!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Hattip Huffington Post

Proposed Amendment Banning Gay Marriage Dies in WV Senate

2010-02-27T18:23:00.004-05:00

Mannix Porterfield reports for the Register-Herald that "the door is closed" for efforts to place a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in West Virginia on the ballot this November.

Republicans in the House of Delegates tried unsuccessfully to force a vote on the issue earlier this week, but their procedural motion was defeated before the issue reached the floor. On Thursday, supporters of the amendment held a rally at the Capitol in an effort to urge State Senators to adopt the Joint Resolution.

However, after discussing the issue in Democrtic Caucuses, Sen. Jeffrey Kessler, Chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee, stated he does not plan to put the bill on his committee's busy agenda prior to the deadline next Wednesday for bills to pass from their House of origin.

Kessler noted that West Virginia already has a DOMA law defining marriage as between a man and a woman and questioned the urgency of the issue in light of more pressing issues such as unemployment and the economy.

As the Register-Herald reports:

“There doesn’t seem to be any march to the courthouse by any gay couples to try to get married in this state,” Kessler said afterward.

“It doesn’t seem to be a problem. It appears to be more of a manufactured problem or crisis than it is to be one of actuality.”

Kessler said he is yet to see anyone turned down at the courthouse seeking a marriage license, or even any homosexuals asking for one.

“I just don’t see it being worthy of the limited time we have left to fight that battle,”

Kessler also commented, “I’ve always been very skeptical of making discriminatory behavior constitutional,” Kessler said. “The Constitution, as I view it, protects the rights of the minority.” (emphasis added)

Congratulations to Senator Kessler and other members of the Legislature for having the courage to stand up against discrimination and focus the Legislature on more important issues affecting the lives of West Virginians.

-- Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Jon Stewart Skewers Glenn Beck

2010-02-24T08:35:00.002-05:00

This is a must see video from The Daily Show. Jon Stewart nails Glenn Beck's criticism of "the dangers of Progressivism" at last weekend's CPAC convention.

My favorite line is when Stewart calls out Beck for saying he was self-taught by reading books at the library.

"Glenn, the library isn't free! It's paid for with tax money. Free public libraries are the result of the Progressive movement to communally share books. The first public library was the Boston public library in 1854. It's statement of purpose: every citizen has the right to access community owned resources. Community owned? That sounds just like communist. You're a communist!"

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Rage Within the Machine - Progressivism

www.thedailyshow.com

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Health Care Crisis

The Right Way and the Wrong Way to Tie Your Shoes

2010-01-20T23:30:00.003-05:00

This video from Runners World is more helpful that you might think at first.

If you're like me, it seems like I'm always having to re-tie my dress shoes. I thought it was the slick texture of the smallish laces, but it appears that I've actually been tying my shoes incorrectly all these years. Who knew that there was a "right" way and a "wrong" way to tie shoes?

Apparently, I've been using a "granny knot" when I should have been using the more efficient "reef knot". The granny knot gets loose over time, while movement actually causes the reef knot to tighten.

In my defense, I have had an interesting history with shoe tying through my life. In kindergarten when my teacher asked me why my twin brother Tom was 20 minutes older than me, I replied "Well you know I have trouble tying my shoes!"

Jake Sings Jingle Bells

2009-12-24T23:12:00.003-05:00

My 8 year old son Jake made this video himself and e-mailed it to me. I love that he's in the holiday spirit and already showing his computer expertise and creativity with a video for the web.

Merry Christmas!

Corey Brewer's Monster Dunk

2009-12-12T23:54:00.002-05:00

This is awesome!

The Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Contest

2009-12-06T00:52:00.001-05:00

I had a great time at the Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Contest during my trip to Seattle this week. It was fun to just walk out my hotel and see literally thousands of people gathered in the streets singing Christmas carols in groups on every corner.

There were some great performances, but most of all, I enjoyed the groups who put their own twist on the old classics. The Llew Crew donned dreadlocks for an island flavor for a couple of songs, and the Carol Brunettes did a great Rudolph rendition to the tune of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

I will be posting some pictures soon, but in the meantime, check out this video from the Seattle Labor Chorus for a little taste of the fun times from Friday night. Here they are "getting figgy with it" at the 2007 contest singing about solar power to the tune of Angels We Have Heard on High.

I would love to do a contest/event like this in West Virginia. Anyone else?

The Roger Staubach Story

2009-12-02T00:02:00.001-05:00

Kenny Mayne and Adam Corrola audition for the Roger Staubach story.

Thankful

2009-11-25T22:44:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all who may be reading this. I am grateful for the many countless blessings I have in my life. The gifts of my family, my friends, my job, my faith all are greater than I deserve.

My good friend (and boss), Laurie, shared the lyrics to this beautiful Josh Groban song, "Thankful" during our staff Thanksgiving meal yesterday. It is terrific and embodies my feelings on this Thanksgiving.

Enjoy and know that I am thankful for each one of you being in my life.

The Beauty of a Flash Mob

2009-11-04T22:47:00.006-05:00

If you've been following my Twitter updates, you may be wondering what all this talk about a "flash mob" means?

Check out this video of a great flash mob featuring 20,000 people celebrating the opening of Oprah's 24th Season during a Black Eyed Peas concert in Chicago.

Francie Zimmerman of the Doris Duke Foundation mentioned this at last week's national Strengthening Families Summit as an example of how Strengthening Families (and child abuse prevention) efforts are spreading across the country.

On the day of the concert, a relatively small group of dancers taught others the choreography and soon the crowd of 20,000 was able to join in a complicated dance routine with stunning results. Similarly, prevention advocates are sharing information with others in West Virginia and across the country, as we build a national movement to eliminate the abuse and neglect of our nation's children.

Together, we are all part of the flash mob that supports children and families, and "I gotta feelin' it's gonna be a good, good ~~night~~ future."

UPDATE: Here's a link to an article in the Parthenon with photos of the Marshall University Flash Mob with Jamie Oliver that I was part of on Wednesday.
LINK

Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas

2009-10-30T16:43:00.004-05:00

It's Halloween and you may be scrambling at the last minute to find a costume for a Halloween party this weekend.

Fear not dear readers, Wabi-Sabi is here to help with five unique ideas that I posted a couple of years ago. They are guaranteed to make an impression (although not necessarily a good one) at your party.

Take a fabric pen and draw a large "P" on the front of a shirt (or cut a "P" out of paper and pin it to the shirt) then put black make-up around one eye. Voila! You are a "Black-Eyed Pea".

Take a Frankenstein mask (or some bolts and green make-up) and attach a wild Einstein-style wig. Spray the wig with green hair paint. Wear a lab coat with pens and a pocket protector. Ta da! You are "Frank-Einstein".

Wear all black and attach a large white number "8" to your shirt. When asked what your costume is, say "Reply hazy, try again" and ask them to shake you. After all, you are a "Magic 8 Ball".

For a couple, he wears a giant "E". She wears paper clips. Presto chango! You're an "e-male and attachment".

Wear a bra on the outside of your shirt. Attach a letter "Z" to the bra. Suddenly, you're a "Z-bra".

Special Bonus Idea:
Dress as Superman, Charlie Brown or other recognizable cartoon character. Attach long strings to the front of your costume with safety pins. Tie little army men to the end of each string. Walk slowly while leaning forward, and when people ask what you are say, a "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon!"

Happy Halloween!

P.S. I loved Jim's "Facebook" costume last night on the Office.

New blog layout...

2009-10-24T03:57:00.002-05:00

What do you think?

I lost a few things including my blog roll in the transition, but I think this design has some potential.

Now who were those bloggers that I liked...

UPDATE:
I think I'm almost done tweaking things. I added a picture and a few links to the title bar. The blog roll is a work in progress, but lists the 10 most recently updated blogs. Click the "view all" to see the entire list. I hope you like it.

Images from the Create WV Conference in Huntington

2009-10-22T23:41:00.001-05:00

Please enjoy this slideshow of pictures and images of the Create WV Conference that was held in Huntington earlier this week. It was a great event that shows we have good reason to be very optimistic about our state's bright future.

Congratulations to Jeff James and his talented team of state and local volunteers who made the conference a great success!

Pictures by Tracy Toler.

Jon Stewart vs CNN

2009-10-13T13:25:00.004-05:00

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is at its best when it's skewering the media for its coverage (or lack thereof) of the news. This report tears CNN into shreds for doing an in-depth fact checking of Saturday Night Live's recent Obama Report Card sketch, while failing to fact check their own guests.

It's particularly funny, and troubling, to hear how often CNN and other 24 HOUR / DAY news networks wrap up a story with "We'll have to leave it right there..."

You're on the air for 24 hours a day! How much more time do you need?

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

CNN Leaves It There

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Ron Paul Interview

So you think you can dance...

2009-10-11T22:31:00.005-05:00

Dancing at the 2009 Chili Cookoff World Championship

Check out how much fun the competing chili cooks had during the awards ceremony at today's International Chili Society World Championship Cook-Off at WV Power Park in Charleston.

It was a fun day with GREAT chili and lots of fun characters. Now, I'm eager to try my hand at a cook-off to see if my Lavalette United Methodist Church champion chili can compete with some of the major league chili chefs I saw today!

A Classic Post on Socialism from the Goat Rope

2009-10-03T01:10:00.003-05:00

Somehow I missed this post, No Socialism Here, by my friend el Cabrero over at the Goat Rope earlier this week, but it's so good I want to repost most of it here.

In his post, he shares the following email that's been popping up in email boxes recently...

This morning I was awakened by my alarm clock powered by socialist electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the socialist clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that, I turned on the socialist radio to one of the FCC regulated channels to hear what the socialist National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined the weather was going to be like using socialist satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I watched this while eating my breakfast of socialist US Department of Agriculture inspected food and taking the socialist drugs which have been determined to be safe by the Food and Drug Administration.

At the appropriate time, as kept accurate by the socialist National Institute of Standards and Technology and the US Naval Observatory, I got into my socialist National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approved automobile and set out to work on the socialist roads build by the socialist local, state, and federal departments of transportation, potentially stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the socialist Environmental Protection Agency, using socialist legal tender issued by the Federal Reserve Bank. On the way I deposited mail to be sent out via the socialist US Postal Service and dropped the kids off at the socialist public school.

If I get lost, I can use my socialist GPS navigation technology developed by the United States Department of Defense and made available to the public in 1996 by President Bill Clinton who issued a policy directive declaring socialist GPS to be a dual-use military/civilian system to be managed as a national socialist asset.

After spending another day not being maimed or killed at work thanks to the socialist workplace regulations imposed by the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, enjoying another two meals which again do not kill me because of the socialist USDA, I drove my socialist
NHTSA car back home, on the socialist DOT roads, to my house which did not burn down in my absence because of the socialist state and local building codes and socialist fire marshal's inspection, and which had not been plundered of it's valuables thanks to the socialist local police department.

I then got on my computer and used the socialist internet which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and browse the socialist World Wide Web using my graphical web browser, both made possible by Al Gore's socialist High Performance Computing and Communication Act of 1991. I then post on freerepublic.com and Fox news forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can't do anything right.

By the way, what do people think Medicare and Medicaid are?

It's an instant classic!

By the way, I'm still wondering where the outrage is over socialist public bathrooms.

Picture of the Day

2009-09-12T15:27:00.006-05:00

Members of Glenn Beck's army demonstrate just how clueless they are.

Photo credit: @FireFlower_

The Lion Roars No More - Sen. Edward Kennedy Dies at Age 77

2009-08-26T01:25:00.002-05:00

I'm so saddened to learn that the Lion of the Senate, Ted Kennedy has lost his battle with brain cancer.

We must renew our efforts to fulfill his legacy and ensure that health care is a right for all Americans and not a privilege.

In honor of his lifetime of service on behalf of the nation that he loved so much, I think it is appropriate to share his historic speech that he made one year ago on August 25, 2008 at last year's Democratic National Convention in Denver. It was an honor and privilege to be there in person.

Rest in peace Senator. You will be greatly missed.

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Loving Memories on our 12th Anniversary

2009-08-23T22:15:00.007-05:00

My darling Carol,

As we celebrate twelve loving years of marriage today, I wanted to share some of my favorite special memories of our lives together over the past 12 years and the 2 years before we were married.

Here are just a few of the fun and special moments that come to mind that I wanted to share with you. I love you very much and eagerly look forward to building a lifetime of even more fun times and memories in the years ahead.

Love Always,
Jim

Some of my favorite memories together...
Chatting online on AOL and talking on the phone in the wee hours of the morning when we met online.
Getting your picture in the mail at my old apartment in Charleston and being blown away.
The first time we held hands while walking at the festival in Lima.
Seeing “The Net” as our first movie.
Cooking you dinner for the first time (and almost making you sick in the process).
Driving though the cornfields across Ohio as we were visiting each other and falling in love.
Watching you courageously discern your call to ministry and leave a comfortable life to follow God’s call.
Getting to know Stimpy and going from her hissing at me to her being my fat cat buddy in Dunbar.
Rooting for Michigan and learning how despicable Ohio State is.
My joy when you accepted my proposal of marriage.
My breath being taken away as you walked down the aisle and became my wife.
Our first dance as husband and wife and the fun intros for the wedding party at the reception.
Our honeymoon cruise with fun in the sun, exploring the rain forest, finding bargains, seeing the sights of the Caribbean, snorkeling and spending some time on a certain special beach in Santo Domingo.
Watching you grow as a minister and becoming a strong worship leader, preacher, and caring pastor.
Finding out you were pregnant!
Walking in the cold and snow on Christmas eve trying to see if Jake was going to be born early.
Hearing Jake’s heartbeat for the first time and feeling him kick.
Holding your hand when Jake was born and again when Jonah joined our family a few years later.
Watching the anesthesiologist put you to sleep for “just a bit” after you did so great delivering Jake.
Handing Jake to you and hearing him say “mum, mum, mum…” for his first words on his first day!
Your patience, care and love while I was going through a rough time when Time Out closed.
Helping me find a new great job with TEAM for WV Children.
Our first trip to Disney World with Jake and seeing the magic in his eyes when Mickey waved at him.
Our initial joy followed by sadness at the loss of a new life when we endured a miscarriage together.
Finding out you were pregnant again with Jonah!
Our trip to San Diego doing everything we could during a magical vacation – even singing “Great Balls of Fire” at the piano like Goose and Maverick.
How much you were a trooper while we waited in line forever at Chicago O'Hare Airport and got stuck in Chicago for 2 days.
Giving birth to Jonah and nurturing his great energy, joy and enthusiasm.
Staying faithful and loving me even when things have seemed rocky.
Making each of our three houses into a home.
Going on vacations and your always accommodating my desire to explore and find adventures along the way.
Building sand castles with Jonah on the beach.
Helping me see when I was blind in each of my eyes.
Nursing me back to health and being by my side as I’ve endured a host of medical challenges in the past couple of years.
Teaching Jake & Jonah and me about unconditional love through your words and actions.

Happy Anniversary! I love you very much!

Lost in Translation with Humorous Results

2009-08-20T23:05:00.006-05:00

Last Friday I was on my way to a meeting in Charleston and thought I'd post a Twitter update about the meeting.

I'd been meaning to try out the Vlingo application on my iPhone, which is supposed to let you "control your mobile phone with the power of voice", so I gave it a try for a mobile Twitter update.

Here's what I said:

Heading to Healthy Kids & Family Coalition Meeting. Love working with those folks."

But Vlingo apparently thought I was doing something much more provocative...

I couldn't help but laugh at the initial results.

By the way, I eventually I posted my update successfully using Tweetie for the iPhone, but I will probably give Vlingo another try soon. It seems to be a good app as long as I take the time to speak clearly when using it.

Health Care Reform Explained on the Back of a Napkin

2009-08-19T20:56:00.003-05:00

Dan Roam from the Back of the Napkin Blog has posted a great summary of the current health (insurance) reform situation as part of a 4-part health care series.

Healthcare Napkins All

View more documents from Dan Roam.

Hattip to Bob Coffield of Health Care Law Blog.

Jake, Jonah & the Beagle Lebowski

2009-07-17T19:14:00.002-05:00

Dude!

How to Peel a Banana Like a Monkey?

2009-07-11T23:36:00.006-05:00

We go through more than our fair share of bananas in our house. Jonah loves them most of all.

It wasn't until reading this post on Lifehacker that I realized that I have been peeling them incorrectly.

It turns out if you want to peel your banana perfectly every time, and avoid the occasional mushy squishy consequences that occurs from time-to-time using the traditional peeling method from the stem, then we should take a cue from our primate cousins. They peel bananas from the bottom, which is easier than it sounds.

Check out the video and you'll never peel a banana the same way again.

For more food peeling advice, check out this "Eggcellent Way to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs" that I posted a couple of years ago.

Mousavi Knows Kuzushi: Judo Strategy & the Iranian Election

2009-06-18T01:48:00.011-05:00

A wise friend of mine often talks about applying ancient martial arts strategy to advocacy, and one of his favorite lessons is the importance of maintaining balance. He describes "in judo, the art of breaking the opponent's balance is called kuzushi, which can be the first step to victory."

Maintaining one's balance is very important because when someone is off balance or reaches too far, perhaps due to "the influence of anger, fear, ideology,or even a conviction of being right" then an opportunity is presented for the opponent to act, sometimes with devastating results.

I was reminded of this concept of Kuzushi when reading the following quotes from Reza Aslan on Wednesday night's Rachel Maddow show, (as quoted by Nico Pitney for Huffington Post).

Pitney has been live-blogging the developments of the Iranian election and protests. Here is his 1:28 AM ET update:

1:28 AM ET -- The mourning rally. Thursday is gearing up to be a hugely significant day for the Green Uprising. Reza Aslan appeared on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show tonight, and laid out the importance of what is going to happen:

What's really fascinating about what's happening right now in 2009 is that it looks a lot like what was happening in 1979. And there's a very simple reason for that. The same people are in charge -- I mean, Mousavi, Rafsanjani, Khatami, Medhi Karroubi, the other reformist candidate -- these were all the original revolutionaries who brought down the Shah to begin with, so they know how to do this right.

And so what you're going to see tomorrow is something that was pulled exactly out of the playbook of 1979, which is that you have these massive mourning rallies, where you mourn the deaths of those who were martyred in the cause of freedom. And these things tend to get a little bit out of control, they often result in even more violence by the security forces and even more deaths, which then requires another mourning rally which is even larger, which then requires more violence from the government, and this just becomes an ongoing snowball that can't be stopped.

That's how the Shah was removed from power, was these mourning ceremonies. And so Mousavi very smartly calling for an official -- not a rally -- but an official day of mourning tomorrow. I think we're going to see crowds that we haven't even begun to see yet, and then follow that, on Friday, which is sort of the Muslim sabbath, the day of prayer, which is a traditionally a day of gathering anyway. This is just beginning, Rachel, this is just the beginning.

Notice the thinking from "the playbook of 1979" to organize mourning rallies that have positive value rather than protests, with the expectation that supporters of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will likely overreact and thus place themselves off balance.

Just as in a Judo sparring match, when an opponent reaches too far, they leave themselves off-balance and open for a counter attack. It appears that Mousavi and his friends learned this lesson well about 30 years ago with the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

Will history repeat itself with the overthrow of another Iranian leader who reached too far and left themselves off balance?

For the sake of Iranians who seek freedom. I hope so.

Carol Delivers the WVUMC Nominations Report

2009-06-13T17:36:00.003-05:00

Thanks to the Web 2.0 savvy WV Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, I've been able to follow the actions of this year's Annual Conference gathering in Buckhannon. They're providing updates on Twitter (@wvumc), complete with their own hashtag, #WVac09, and a live stream of the proceedings on uStream.

It's great to see the church utilizing social media to engage those who are in attendance and others who could not attend in person.

I was pleased that the Immigration Reform Resolution was adopted almost unanimously, but disappointed that one of the proposed Constitutional Amendments related to pastors accepting new members was not ratified. Apparently, "all" doesn't mean "all" to many voting members who objected to the Amendment.

My wife, Rev. Carol (aka @smallestangel) delivered the Nominations Committee Report at the beginning of this afternoon's session and through the magic of uStream, you can view it below.

Her report lasts about 8 minutes including time at the beginning while folks who skipped yesterday's afternoon Evangelism workshop raise their hand to get a copy of the report because they didn't get it yesterday when it was passed out originally. (I don't think the Bishop was pleased that so many missed the Evangelism workshop, and the expression on Carol's face shows how "thrilled" she was with the delay as well.)

Enjoy!

Great job honey! Now come home so we can go on VACATION!

Gov. Manchin Expresses "Concern" Regarding Oversight of MTR

2009-06-11T21:27:00.012-05:00

Earlier this evening, Gov. Joe Manchin issued the following statement about the Obama Administration's announcement to strengthen oversight and regulation for Mountaintop Removal Mining:

STATEMENT FROM GOV. MANCHIN AND DEP SECRETARY RANDY HUFFMAN: ABOUT OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Joe Manchin and DEP Secretary Randy Huffman released this statement today about the Obama Administration’s action to strengthen oversight and regulation for surface mining:

Gov. Joe Manchin explained, "Early this morning, I spoke with chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson about today’s announcement; I shared my concerns about how this decision impacts West Virginia families.

“I think that we all agree that surface mining must have proper oversight. As I have said before, with a new administration comes new policies and this administration has the right to evaluate past policies to determine where improvements can be made.”

DEP Secretary Randy Huffman noted, “While the federal government in its evaluation might have determined that minimal oversight was used previously in federal regulation regarding surface mining, in West Virginia we have used and will continue to use a high standard of oversight. West Virginia has significantly increased its regulatory standards for surface mining since we gained primacy over the Surface Mining Reclamation and Control Act in the early 1980s, and will continue to make changes as information is gathered and technology changes. The EPA, Department of the Interior, and the US Army Corps of Engineers believe their part of the regulatory process needs more attention and we will be paying very close attention to the changes they propose.”

Gov. Joe Manchin added, “I have always said that mining is vital to West Virginia’s economy, but at the same time, we must constantly look for ways to improve mine safety and operate in an environmentally responsible way. That is why today I asked EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to examine our Post-Mine Land Use legislation that was recently passed in the special session. I explained how responsible this piece of legislation is and how it will assist us in finding the balance between protecting our environment and protecting our jobs.

“We will continue to work with the federal government to ensure that coal companies comply with environmental regulations every step of the way, so that the environment is protected while the West Virginia economy stays strong and our people stay working. We also ask for the administration to work with us to find the balance between our economy and our environment.

“I truly believe that coal is essential in meeting our nation’s energy needs and keeping our economy strong and competitive, while allowing our country to be less dependent on foreign oil and more secure. Rest assured, I will continue to do everything I possibly can to fight for West Virginia families and the jobs that support them.”

Both Gov. Joe Manchin and DEP Secretary Randy Huffman, with their staffs, will continue to evaluate the MOU in the coming days.

What I don't understand is if things really are as Sec. Huffman says, "in West Virginia we have used and will continue to use a high standard of oversight. West Virginia has significantly increased its regulatory standards for surface mining since we gained primacy over the Surface Mining Reclamation and Control Act in the early 1980s" then why does the Governor feel the need to share his "concerns" about the Obama Administration's action to strengthen oversight and regulation for surface mining?

Perhaps, WV DEP isn't doing as well as they claim? Nah, that couldn't be it. Could it?

(Posted orginally as a comment on WVaBlue.com.)

Donutbuzz Missed National Donut Day (again)?!

2009-06-05T23:43:00.006-05:00

I'm pleased to call Hoyt of Donutbuzz a good friend, but his consistent failure to commemorate National Doughnut Day on a blog entitled "DonutBuzz" is troublesome. I'm not sure why he keeps forgetting such an important "Holey Day", but I fear it may be the result of organized crime.

C'mon Hoyt your loyal fans expect more. :-)

Tweets for the Day

2009-05-28T23:50:00.000-05:00

My Twittering Thursday...

Kansas' Kavya Shivashankar wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee. "Laodicean" was her final word.
@gavoweb I had a thought re names for baby Richardson. What about Kyan? It was our 2nd choice for Jonah. Jonah has been good too. #babynames
randomly pulled together dinner was surprisingly tasty. Gnocchi with marinara, grilled salmon, and mixed vegetables. Even Jake liked it.
Pondering more game theory specifically threats vs. rewards. A threat's cheaper than a reward b/c if it works you don't have to do anything.
rethinking plans for Leg. Action Team press release praising lawmakers on budget, in light of Senate cut for Equal Pay. Hope it's restored.
@KarlRove if having "empathy" is so bad in judicial proceedings then why are we guaranteed right to a jury of our peers?

You can follow the madness at http://www.twitter.com/wabisabi/.

What would Jesus do if he was being attacked by a Polar Bear?

2009-05-25T13:05:00.004-05:00

I recently agreed to start teaching Sunday School again, and I've had fun teaching the 4th and 5th graders for a couple of weeks. It's great to join with them as they explore questions about their faith and what it means to follow God.

The experience is not without it's challenging moments though, particularly when they ask those special questions that kids want answered. You know the ones that have no easy answers.

Check out some of these questions that make children's ministry such a joy.

I'm kind of glad those kids aren't in my Sunday School class.

Hattip Hacking Christianity

Memorial Day Thoughts

2009-05-24T08:47:00.000-05:00

I've posted these thoughts before, but it's Memorial Day weekend, and I must once again say THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who has sacrificed to help protect our freedom.

Thank you to those who have put themselves in harm's way, so that I might have the freedom to rant and rave online and speak up on issues that are important to me.

Thanks to my Dad, both of my Grandfathers, my recently departed Uncle Pat, my uncle Frank, cousins Eddie, Joey, Keegan, Brittany, my friends and everyone else who has served and continues to serve around the world.

I'm very proud that so many people I am close to have served with distinction and honor.

I may have disagreed strongly with our former Commander in Chief (and you may disagree with our current one), but I fully appreciate the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for your distinguished service.

Semper Fidelis -- Always Faithful

UConn vs. USF: So You Think You Can Dance?

2009-05-22T09:01:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it, check out this exciting action(?) Thursday at the Big East Baseball Tournament. During a 5-hour rain delay, players from UConn and USF began an impromptu "dance-off" with hilarious results.

A couple of the USF players have some good moves, but UConn should keep their focus on the baseball diamond and not the dance floor. Still it's like a wreck during a Nascar race, you can't look away.

Also, WVU beat PITT 20-8 to eliminate the Panthers from the tournament!

Crazy Enough to Change the World

2009-05-17T11:12:00.002-05:00

"The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do."

Hattip @DaveWiner.

The First 100 Days

2009-04-29T22:04:00.002-05:00

Nice job Mr. President.

Hat tip The Senate Guru.

The Sound of Music in a Train Station

2009-04-14T23:47:00.000-05:00

Check out what happens when 200 people start dancing in the midst of Antwerpen's Central Station in Belgium. It's guaranteed to brighten your day.

I'd love to do something like this in Charleston. Anyone else?

Hattip to Huffington Post.

Andy & Dwight Sing "Country Roads"

2009-04-10T15:53:00.004-05:00

In case you missed it, this clip is an instant classic from The Office.

As we try to create a new stereotype for WV, I hope we don't forget how great people feel when they hear this song. No other state can match it.

Great job Andy (Ed Helms) and Dwight (Rainn Wilson)! Turn the volume to 11 and rock on!

P.S. If you're a fan of Rainn Wilson, be sure to check out his latest venture, Soul Pancake. It's very cool too.

A Modest Proposal for WV Budget Woes

2009-04-05T05:44:00.002-05:00

Here's a novel idea to help Governor Manchin and legislative leaders address WV's budget challenges...
Stop cutting taxes for dead millionaires!

According to the WV Center for Budget and Policy, WV could generate $21 million per year if WV restored our estate tax to 2001 levels. (PDF)

In 2001, West Virginia estates over  $675,000 ( after  deductions for  funeral  expenses  and  charitable  donations) were subject to the Estate Tax, but that tax is being phased out and in 2010 will be eliminated completely.

According to the phase-out, in 2009 only those estates worth more than $3.5 million are subject to the estate tax.

(Don't worry millionaires, if you can hold on for just a few more months until 2010, then your children's inheritance will escape the tax completely. Whew!)

In the meantime, rather than having $21 million per year for things like early childhood programs, schools, health care, infrastructure, law enforcement, fire fighter pensions, etc., WV will have a whopping $0 in state revenue from the estate tax. (Seriously... $0. None. Nada. Zilch.)

At a time when our state is struggling to pay its bills and can't afford to invest in programs that will improve our state's future, I don't think it's wise to cut taxes for dead millionaires.

Let's do the right thing! Restore the Estate Tax to a reasonable level and use the revenue to support efforts that help ensure all WV children have the opportunity to be prosperous as adults - not just those fortunate enough to have wealthy parents.

Cross posted at WVaBlue.com.

Profound Thought of the Day

2009-03-09T21:13:00.003-05:00

I saw this provocative quote from Richard Stearns' book, The Hole in Our Gospel, over at the jester's pub, and it has stuck with me all day.

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it."

"Well, why don't you ask Him?"

"Because I'm afraid He would ask me the same question."
-Anonymous

How true that is. Sad... but true.

WV YouTube Youth Forum Featured on WSAZ

2009-03-03T23:18:00.004-05:00

In case you missed it, yours truly was interviewed by WSAZ's Carrie Cline earlier today. We talked about the upcoming WV YouTube Youth Forum on Children's Day at the Legislature.

It was fun talking with Carrie, and I really like that she included some students in her story. I appreciate her helping us promote the Forum. Thanks also to Mountainside Media for providing the video highlights from last year's youth forum.

Here's the story from WSAZ...

Jake's Question for the WV YouTube Youth Forum

2009-03-03T22:33:00.004-05:00

With an assist from Jonah, here is Jake's question for the WV YouTube Youth Forum.

He wants to know "Why don't kids get to vote?"

Here is another take, this time from his tee-pee....

Here's an earlier version:

Here's the first take...
(Watch how Jonah does his part to creatively grab the viewer's attention.)

I have a feeling Jake may be submitting some more questions for lawmakers soon. He also wants to start his own weekly Web Show featuring his favorite jokes, songs, video games and other fun parts of being an 8-year old boy.

You can submit your questions for the YouTube Youth Forum online at http://www.wvyouthforum.org and be sure to join our YouTube Group at http://www.youtube.com/group/wvyouthforum.

The YouTube Youth Forum will be held on March 19th at the State Capitol as part of Children's Day at the Legislature. Register online at http://www.preventchildabusewv.org.

So which version do you like best?

How a Bill Becomes a Law in WV

2009-03-02T19:55:00.005-05:00

Kudos to the Charleston Gazette's Phil Kabler and Brenda Pinnell for putting together this fun and all-too-accurate civics lesson for how a bill really becomes a law in West Virginia.

Click picture to enlarge.

Hattip to the Squawk Box.

Jindal vs. the Volcano

2009-02-28T20:58:00.003-05:00

Illustration for West Virginia Blue by Scott Elson.

By now, you've no doubt heard about Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's underwhelming GOP response to President Obama's non-State of the Union Address on Tuesday night. It was an interesting speech to be sure that has been fodder for much discussion online and around the water cooler.

I particularly liked this Photoshop illustration from Scott Elson satirizing Jindal's criticism of federal funding for volcano monitoring.

You would think that the Governor of Louisiana could appreciate the value in having better monitoring and responses in place to protect citizens from the threat of natural disasters.

The Speeding Ticket

2009-02-19T23:26:00.005-05:00

This story is funny enough that I hope it's true.

Two California Highway Patrol Officers were conducting speeding enforcement on I-15, just north of the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar. One of the officers was using a hand held radar device to check speeding vehicles approaching the crest of a hill. The officers were suddenly surprised when the radar gun began reading 300 miles per hour. The officer attempted to reset the radar gun, but it would not reset and then turned off.

Just then a deafening roar over the treetops revealed that the radar had in fact locked on to a USMC F/A-18 Hornet which was engaged in a low flying exercise near the location.

Back at the CHiP Headquarters the Patrol Captain fired off a complaint to the USMC Base Commander. The reply came back in true USMC style:

Thank you for your letter. We can now complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Hornet had detected the presence of, and subsequently locked on to your hostile radar equipment and automatically sent a jamming signal back to it, which is why it shut down. Furthermore, an Air-to-Ground missile aboard the fully armed aircraft had also automatically locked on to your equipment location. Fortunately, the Marine Pilot flying the Hornet recognized the situation for what it was, quickly responded to the missile system alert status and was able to override the automated defense system before the missile was launched to destroy the hostile radar position. The pilot also suggests you cover your mouths when cussing at them, since the video systems on these jets are very high tech. Sergeant Johnson, the officer holding the radar gun, should get his dentist to check his left rear molar. It appears the filling is loose. Also, the snap is broken on his holster. Thank you for your concern. Semper Fi

An Historic Day

2009-01-20T23:38:00.005-05:00

What a day! I have never been as hopeful or optimistic about our country's future as I am on this historic day.

I am so happy that my prediction 4 years ago that Barack Obama would be our nation's first black President has come true so quickly.

It was amazing seeing so many throngs of people from all across America come together on the National Mall. I was there with over 1,000,000 christian brothers in 1997 for the Promise Keepers Sacred Assembly, Stand in the Gap. It appeared that there were even more people there today.

At Stand in the Gap we prayed together for reconciliation and redemption for our nation. 11 years later those dreams have been answered as a reconciled nation came together today.

During the ceremony, I absolutely loved President Obama's Inaugural Address. There were so many highlights in a relatively brief speech.

The President set a clear distinction between our future and our past saying "Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake."

Goodbye torture, preemption and privacy invasions.

He pulled the country together. Telling us "the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

Goodbye partisan shenanigans, petty bickering and fighting amongst ourselves.

He was a strong presence for our enemies saying "for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."

Yet, he showed his willingness to do more than rattle his sword saying "we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

Then he concluded with a great call to action for all of us to follow the example of those who came before and carry forth. "With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Is is a truly great day for America and beyond. What a great beginning!

Photo credit: Colin Miller

The Prayer of the Day by Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery

2009-01-20T14:29:00.003-05:00

Among my favorite moments of today's inauguration were these closing words from the inaugural benediction by Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery.

Amen!

Yes we cake!

2009-01-19T22:45:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by WabiSabi

In honor of tomorrow's inauguration, today's Project 365 - Picture of the Day is a picture of my first try at an Obama cup cake.

It was a little messy, but yummy.

Yes we cake! Yes we cake! Yes we cake!

Hanging Ten with Jake

2009-01-19T00:10:00.002-05:00

Jake and I had fun creating this first video of his budding extreme sports career. Enjoy!

Rock on Jake! You're the man!