Stupid Letter of the Week

Today I start a new series that will be repeated weekly until if tire of it. I call it the Stupid Letter of the Week where I take an especially stupid letter from the Opinion page of the Kansas City Star, paste it into a post and add my own ridicule. This weeks letter comes from a mental midget named Klaus Karbaumer. Here is Klaus' knowledge nugget of the day:

Profit system part of health care problem

People pool their money as protection against life’s hazards. Claims and administrative costs will be paid out of this pool. That in a nutshell is insurance.

If you also want to pay profits out of this pool, premiums will have to be higher to start with, and whenever possible claims will have to be rejected. I do not know why this is so hard to understand for so many people.

So take your pick: Go for the profit-driven system and end up with what we have in the U.S. or look around how nonprofit systems work in health care. Unfortunately, too many people have been brainwashed in perceiving that profit-driven systems are always superior.

The increasing wealth concentration on top and the vanishing middle class as well as the growing ranks of the poor are the immediate and obvious consequences of believing in unfettered capitalism.

Klaus Karbaumer
Platte City

Klaus sounds like a German name to me. Isn't Germany a socialist country? I think Klaus might be happier if he would move back to the motherland. My first issue with Klaus is his apparent hatred of profit. I wonder what he does for a living. Would he agree to work for free, becoming sort of a non-profit trash collector?

I guess I am brainwashed because I do preceive that profit-driven systems (such as capitalism) are superior. Capitalism is the only way innovation and entrepreneurism can reward the risk a business takes. Profit is why competing businesses attempt to provide better service for less money that their competitors so that they gain more customers. It is the mechanism that provides the consumer with the best price versus value.

There are many countries that would satisfy Klaus' need for non-profit services - and they have all failed or are failing. Klaus sounds like an Obama Kool Aid drinking loser.

Evidence of Global Warming?

Even after the myth of global warming, or the new term "climate change" was exposed for the scam it is, proponents continue to say the "overwhelming evidence" still supports their belief. It is funny how many have faith that somewhere there exists a file cabinet filled with overwhelming evidence, but it is never produced or reported on. Now, the guru of global warming, Phil Jones, has admitted that several key aspects of the overwhelming evidence is tainted. Specifically, he admits that:

• Data for vital 'hockey stick graph' (a key to the myth) has gone missing
• There has been no global warming since 1995
• Warming periods have happened before (such as the medieval period) - but could not have been due to man-made changes

Phil also says that he lacked organizational skills. This from the man who's findings are used to support Cap and Trade legislation that would cripple the US economy. One would hope that our leaders would find a more organized scientist to cite when supporting legislation that could have such dire consequences.

As I have claimed before, Global Warming is not scientific. It is based on phony science. To believe in Global Warming, one must have faith in the science behind it, that now appears to be nothing more than junk.

If you have watched any of the Winter Olympics, you may have noticed a tone that blames global warming on the lack of snow in Vancouver. I have read newspaper stories that directly tie the snow conditions to man made global warming. Kudos to CBS for reporting the average February high in Vancouver is 48 degrees - about what the Olympics are experiencing. It can get up into the 60's there during February. Vancouver is the warmest city ever to host a Winter Olympic. So don't buy into the propaganda that a lack of snow for the games is a symptom of global warming - it is not based in fact.

So if Vancouver weather is within the normal range for February, where are the anomalies? How about 12 inches of snow in Dallas, a winter storm warning in Pensacola Florida, snow in southern Louisiana, or Atlanta airport closed for 2 days due to snow?

Liberal Letters to the Editor

Michael Savage says that liberalism is a mental disorder. I think most liberals are unaware, uninformed, or extremely short sighted. A letter to the editor this morning caught my eye as a good example. The letter follows:

Sarah Palin is clueless [NOTE: The KC Star creates the title, not the letter's author]

Television pundit Sarah Palin asks, "How’s that hopey, changey thing workin’ for ya?"
Well, for my middle-class family it’s already paying off. With the new tuition tax credits we knocked more than $2,000 off of this year’s tax bill. This credit was not available to us previously. So thank you, President Barack Obama, for working hard for my family and others to ease the burden of higher education.

Jack Myers
Overland Park

So I guess Jack gauges Obamas' performance by the personal benefit he receives. Other than being ridiculously self-centered, it is also very short-sighted. Would Jack feel the same if that $2,000 credit he received was money obtained by a a loan taken out with China showing his children and grandchildren responsible for repayment? Jack might think differently, but both are the same.

I don't begrudge Jack for the tax credit. You take what you can get. But identifying this as an indicator of Obama's performance is simply short-sighted, and indicative of a larger problem with America. Is it all about what is in it for me, or should it be about what is better for all of us?

Daytona 500

It is after 7:00 PM on Sunday and I just finished watching the Daytona 500. The race started just after noon today. Repair of a pot hole that looks like it was shipped in from Kansas City delayed the race for over 2 hours. After 2 attempts at a green flag finish, Jamie McMurray won. The final lap was as good as most restrictor plate races are, with close driving, risky moves and final lap passes for the win. Dale Jr. moved from 10th to 2nd place in the final lap. It was a race that showcased why NASCAR racing is the fastest growing sport in America.

Terri and I were fortunate enough to experience the Daytona 500 in 2001. That was the year after Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a last lap, turn 4 accident. Daytona is a sporting spectacle. Much of the event happens outside the track. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to Daytona and Orlando the 2 weeks proceeding the race. Pre-race events begin one week before the 500. Terri and I were part of a racing tour, so were able to listen to hall of fame drivers speak about the traditions and history of the race.

We learned about restrictor plate racing. Restrictor plates limit the amount of air and gas that enters the engine and thereby restricts the horsepower and speed. Restrictor plates are for fan safety. Without them, cars would reach speeds of 240 MPH. The track would not be able to contain cars or parts during accidents. Drivers would also suffer from excessive G-forces be more likely to make poor decisions that lead to accidents.

We also toured the track and the pits. Witnessing first hand the steepness of the 33 degree banking deepens the appreciation of the skill required of the drivers. Just before the start of the race, we were able to meet several drivers (Rusty Wallace, Elliot Sadler, and Ryan Newman) in a Hospitality tent paid for by NASCAR sponsors. NASCAR does a fantastic job of making their stars accessible to the fans.

The start of the race is hard to explain. Forty-three cars, each with engines producing over 800 horsepower, make 3 laps at low speed. The noise is deafening, but only a sample of what is to come. Once the green flag drops, the cars gain speed slowly. Engines rev to over 9,000 RPM. The cars near their top speed of 200 MPH after the first lap. All 43 cars remain nose to tail as the speed pastes them against the high banked corners. There is nothing I can compare the noise to. You must wear earplugs or risk deafness. Even so, the volume can be felt deep within your chest.

NASCAR is a strange sport. The big event of the season, the Daytona 500, is the first race of each season. It is like holding the Super Bowl in September. The stereotype of NASCAR stars are that of dumb hillbillies with deep southern drawls. Many are seen as knuckle-dragging idiots that could only make a living driving fast and risking their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. Today's NASCAR drivers are college educated athletes that have spent most of their lives honing a skill. The drivers work their way up from go-carts to local short tracks, and then through the progressively more difficult levels of NASCAR racing. Many of the younger drivers hold engineering degrees. Their job is not only driving a car, but also leading a team comprised of engineers, body, chassis and engine builders. On race day they motivate the pit crew that is instrumental in their success. They feed their pit team the information they need in order to improve the speed and handling of their car during pit stops. NASCAR is truly a team sport.

NASCAR fans are stereotyped as beer drinking, pot bellied, back woods hicks. Partially true. But the sport is growing in all demographics. CEO's and movie stars are normally seen at any race. The fans are more loyal than average. Since the NASCAR season rotates through 30-40 cities each season, each race is a big event locally. Most races draw at least 100,000 fans. Some draw over 200,000. Many fans follow the races from city to city much as a dead head would follow the Grateful Dead to each concert. The difference is that NASCAR groupies usually own fifth wheels and live in luxury the week leading up to the next race.

This year's Daytona race ended as it should. Over 30 drivers were within 2 seconds of the lead, fighting and clawing to improve their position. The most minuscule of error led to dramatic consequences. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment were destroyed in high speed crashes. And it came down to one lap. At least 10 drivers had a legitimate shot at winning the race. The winner was not evident until he completed the 4th turn and shot towards the checkered flag. That is NASCAR at Daytona.

REPOST: Jon Stewart

Funny guy, but has always been one of Obama's loudest cheerleaders. You know that Obama is in trouble when he loses the support of Jon Stewart. The original post used the wrong video link. The correct video can be found here.

What Should They Do?

Prior blogs have described the deep federal debt hole we find ourselves in. It is a hole so deep that very little wiggle room is seen since 75% of our spending is locked into entitlements or the military. Obama did not help the current debt situation with his recent budget. First, he showed great timidity by delaying spending freezes until next year. Even then, his savings are analogous to finding a few coins in the sofa seat cushions while the house is in foreclosure. They do little, almost nothing, to solve our deficit and debt problems.

So what are my ideas on what should be done? Thank you for asking. As you might expect, I have an opinion. The first and most important step in gaining control over the budget is very short term limits. Huh? Yes, we will never control the budget while the Congress is looking at their next reelection. They have a habit of making budget-stupid decisions in an effort to retain their job. Solving our budget mess will require hard decisions that have never been made before in Washington. The Congress will not make those decisions unless a significant percentage will not be returning due to term limits.

I would favor a 1 term limit in this time of crisis. House members get 2 years, and senators get 6, and then they go home. Can you imagine the freedom this would give to our representatives to make decisions in the country's best interest? With a 1 term limit, the next step in budget control could occur with a reasonable chance of succeeding.

This next step is painful, but it happens many times every day in boardrooms across the country. The step is simply to meet the budget. Only the dollars that come in can go out. Every line in the budget must be inspected and a key question asked - How important is spending these dollars in comparison to other line items. The result would be a 1 to x list of budget lines in priority order. The expected revenue (taxes) is then used to see how far down the list we can afford.

In today's situation, the money would not go far. It would not cover all current entitlements and defense spending. Any"below the line" budget item could be elevated "above the line" only if savings from a funded line can be realized - robbing Peter to pay Paul. This is the discipline that is happening every day in businesses large and small across the country. Even most state governments are required to institute this discipline. It is the discipline federal officials (that can borrow or print money at will) are not able to follow.

This is the discipline that Congress must adopt, but one they will never adopt if running for reelection.

Mary

Thursday is the funeral for my mother-in-law, Mary Hansen. You may remember previous blogs on our trip to the Mayo Clinic, Passing the Torch, or on Christmas 2009. In these blogs I recounted the progress of her battle against thyroid cancer. This cancer took her life last Saturday evening. If interested, arrangements follow:

Visitation on Wednesday 2/10 from 6-8 PM at Amos Funeral home in Shawnee
Funeral is Thursday 2/11 at 10:30 AM at Overland Park Lutheran Church, 79th and Lowell
Burial immediately following at Johnson County Memorial Cemetery, 75th and K-7

Mary has been an important person in my life for the past 33 years. As her health was failing, I began to think about that time. What came to mind first is the stereotype associated with mother-in-laws. That stereotype is they can be overbearing, and men should just tolerate their mother-in-law in order to get along with their wife. That has not been my experience. My memories of Mary are are more like that of a mother. Mary accepted me and her other son and daughter-in-law as if we were her own children.

Mary had a servant's heart. She worked tirelessly at her church. She was a "Church Basement Lady", always helping out during church events, weddings and funerals. She was a servant at home. Christmas and Thanksgivings were usually celebrated in her home. She would prepare most of the food and work in the kitchen until the meal and desserts were served. Then she would clean up. Most of my memories of Mary relate to holidays, cooking and cleaning.

After a surgery, Terri was not able to transport me to a doctor's appointment. Mary volunteered. After a different health problem, Mary was at the hospital visiting me, volunteering to stay with me during the recuperation, and bringing me a fresh batch of her awesome cinnamon rolls (she knew was my favorite). Mary and I had a secret deal. Whenever I prepared barbecue for a family meal, she made the slaw. It was a tasty combination. So tasty that during her illness, Terri learned her recipe so the tradition would continue.

Mary was also known for her Dutch Apple and Cherry pies, Christmas Eve Chili and shrimp, Ess cookies, and Eble Skiber (spelling unknown, but they are Danish pancakes). Even with all of her kitchen talent, Mary could never master the fried egg. Hers were always burnt around the edges. It became sort of a joke within the family.

The speed of her decline was amazing and sad. Just 6 months ago, Mary arose each weekday at
5 AM to participate in water aerobics. After her cancer was diagnosed and was creating mobility problems for her, she remained active and continued to play bridge and pool. The turning point occurred during the second week at the Mayo Clinic. It was mid-November. A series of tests indicated that her right sided weakness and pain was caused by brain tumors. She went on steroids which provided some short term relief from the symptoms. The relief lasted through the holidays. Her family is thankful for that quality time.

During Thanksgiving, she enjoyed a visit from Lloyd,Cindy, Heather, Kelly, and Kelsey. Most of our Christmas traditions remained intact. Mary was able to assist (you could not make her sit down) with the food preparations. She played games with her family. She enjoyed her great grand children. In late January, Lloyd, Cindy and Robin visited. Mary's mobility continued to fail, but she was still social and participated in conversations and activities. We are thankful the entire family was able to spend a few of her last days with her.

By the first week of February, her legs had failed and she could not longer walk. She was also wanting to sleep the majority of each day. Getting her from the bed or chair to a wheel chair became a challenge for several people. The decision was made to move her to a nursing home. Mary was admitted to the hospital on Monday 2-1-2010. There she was evaluated to make sure there were no other issues impacting her health. On Thursday 2-4-2010 Mary was transferred to Trinity Lutheran Nursing home for rehabilitation. The doctors and family thought that if he could regain the strength in her legs, she could return home.

On Friday, she indicated to her rehab therapist that her goal was to work hard, get strong and go home. The therapist believed that was possible since her muscle condition was good. However on Saturday morning Mary's breathing became labored. Doctors thought she might be getting pneumonia and ordered a chest x-ray. The x-ray showed no signs of problem with her lungs or heart. At 8:55 PM that evening, Mary passed away peacefully. The brain cancer had won.

Our family has witnessed a great living example of servanthood. Mary had a huge heart. I will miss her much like Terri, Cindy and Steve will - as a mother.