Why is Steve Job's Haunting My Thoughts?

“...because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do." – Steve Jobs

I heard this Steve Job’s quote for the first time this week.   I thought it was great quote.   I even changed my signature tag on my work email to this quote.   My signature tag had been a quote from Henry Ford about not finding fault but finding a solution.   Needless to say, I didn't think Mr. Job’s quote was anything more than an inspirational quote.    Boy was I wrong.

I have had this quote infecting by brain since I have read it.   It is as if this was given to me for a reason, I have been obsessed with this quote!   I have no idea why, and this is not in my personality to get this obsessed with a quote (unless it is funny and will get a laugh).    I had to go and get the full quote and this is what Mr. Job’s said:

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes ... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. ... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. ... They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

When you read the whole quote in context it is even more powerful.  Because of how this is weighing on my mind, I am questioning if I am being told something.   Is there a message I am supposed to be gaining from this and I am just not getting it.   Am I being called to more than I am or is this just the musing of a middle aged man on the downward side of his existence attempting to find relevance again?   Am I becoming scared or even feeling irrelevant in my advancing years realizing that I have more days behind me than in front of me?   Is God telling me that you are on this Earth for a reason and you better get to it?  

I do not believe in randomness of things.   I believe God puts you where you need to be at the right time.   He places things in front of your eyes for you to see, take note of, and use.   Why did I see this random quote from Steve Jobs and why is it weighing on my mind so?   Not knowing sucks!   As most of you know I am not known for my patience, so this not knowing is killing me.   I will have to continue to pray about it.

Maybe God has something more for me?   Maybe this restlessness I am feeling lately is a desire to change the world, or at least my little part of it.   I do believe that a man who believes he can make a difference will.  I do believe God calls us out of our comfort zone to do his will.   I do believe that we are called to make an impact on our world.   I also believe we have to die to ourselves and put the needs of others in front of our own wishes.   God calls us to serve our fellow man.    In Matthew 25:40 he said “And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”   I don’t feel the need to change the world by technological advances or making great wealth.   I do have a burden to serve my fellow man.    God has put a burden for others in my heart.  I hear this, and I wonder what a difference can I make?    Maybe I have this quote to help me believe that I can make a difference or change the world.

I don’t know why I have this quote stuck in my brain.   Maybe it is just the musings of a middle aged man on the back side of the mountain of his life who desires to be more relevant than he is today.   Or maybe God is telling me it is time to change the world, or at least my little part in it.   We have a finite number of days on this Earth and we are obligated to do what we are called to do.   I just hope I am open to find out what this message is!

Pray for me…

Dr. Carson on President Obama's Actions

Here is a brief video addressing President Obama's lawlessness.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/ben-carson-brody-file-obama/2014/11/20/id/608747/

Now can he be a racist because he disagrees with the President?

The Nation at a Crossroads - The Imperial Presidency of Barack Obama

Tonight President Barack Obama is set to announce an executive order; if signed, would most definitely be grounds for his impeachment.   The President’s political allies and friends will say that I am throwing around that word too easily.   They will say that I am being sensationalistic, or that I am being a partisan.   Please let me firmly say that I am not!   What I am doing is standing up for the Constitution of the United States of America.  

What President Obama proposes doing is simply legislating from the Executive branch of government. The violates the separation of powers set forth in the US Constitution.   If you don’t believe me, the President himself believes this to be true.   Quotes from speeches that Mr. Obama has given will show his understanding of the actions that he is about to embark on:

•         “I take the Constitution very seriously. The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with [the president] trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch and not go through Congress at all. And that’s what I intend to reverse when I’m President of the United States of America.” (3/31/08)

•        “We’ve got a government designed by the Founders so that there’d be checks and balances. You don’t want a president who’s too powerful or a Congress that’s too powerful or a court that’s too powerful. Everybody’s got their own role. Congress’s job is to pass legislation. The president can veto it or he can sign it. … I believe in the Constitution and I will obey the Constitution of the United States. We're not going to use signing statements as a way of doing an end-run around Congress.” (5/19/08)

•        “Comprehensive reform, that's how we're going to solve this problem. … Anybody who tells you it's going to be easy or that I can wave a magic wand and make it happen hasn't been paying attention to how this town works.” (5/5/10)

•         I do have an obligation to make sure that I am following some of the rules. I can't simply ignore laws that are out there. I've got to work to make sure that they are changed.” (10/14/10)

•        “I am president, I am not king. I can't do these things just by myself. We have a system of government that requires the Congress to work with the Executive Branch to make it happen. I'm committed to making it happen, but I've got to have some partners to do it. … The main thing we have to do to stop deportations is to change the laws. … [T]he most important thing that we can do is to change the law because the way the system works – again, I just want to repeat, I'm president, I'm not king. If Congress has laws on the books that says that people who are here who are not documented have to be deported, then I can exercise some flexibility in terms of where we deploy our resources, to focus on people who are really causing problems as a opposed to families who are just trying to work and support themselves. But there's a limit to the discretion that I can show because I am obliged to execute the law. That's what the Executive Branch means. I can't just make the laws up by myself. So the most important thing that we can do is focus on changing the underlying laws.” (10/25/10)

•         “America is a nation of laws, which means I, as the President, am obligated to enforce the law. I don't have a choice about that. That's part of my job. But I can advocate for changes in the law so that we have a country that is both respectful of the law but also continues to be a great nation of immigrants. … With respect to the notion that I can just suspend deportations through executive order, that’s just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed …. [W]e’ve got three branches of government. Congress passes the law. The executive branch’s job is to enforce and implement those laws. And then the judiciary has to interpret the laws. There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system that for me to simply through executive order ignore those congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President.” (3/28/11)

•        “I can't solve this problem by myself. … [W]e're going to have to have bipartisan support in order to make it happen. … I can't do it by myself. We're going to have to change the laws in Congress, but I'm confident we can make it happen.” (4/20/11)

•         “I know some here wish that I could just bypass Congress and change the law myself.  But that’s not how democracy works.  See, democracy is hard.  But it’s right. Changing our laws means doing the hard work of changing minds and changing votes, one by one.” (4/29/11)

•         “Sometimes when I talk to immigration advocates, they wish I could just bypass Congress and change the law myself. But that’s not how a democracy works. What we really need to do is to keep up the fight to pass genuine, comprehensive reform. That is the ultimate solution to this problem. That's what I’m committed to doing.” (5/10/11)

•        “I swore an oath to uphold the laws on the books …. Now, I know some people want me to bypass Congress and change the laws on my own. Believe me, the idea of doing things on my own is very tempting. I promise you. Not just on immigration reform. But that's not how our system works. That’s not how our democracy functions. That's not how our Constitution is written.” (7/25/11)

•        “So what we’ve tried to do is within the constraints of the laws on the books, we’ve tried to be as fair, humane, just as we can, recognizing, though, that the laws themselves need to be changed. … The most important thing for your viewers and listeners and readers to understand is that in order to change our laws, we’ve got to get it through the House of Representatives, which is currently controlled by Republicans, and we’ve got to get 60 votes in the Senate. … Administratively, we can't ignore the law. … I just have to continue to say this notion that somehow I can just change the laws unilaterally is just not true.  We are doing everything we can administratively.  But the fact of the matter is there are laws on the books that I have to enforce.  And I think there’s been a great disservice done to the cause of getting the DREAM Act passed and getting comprehensive immigration passed by perpetrating the notion that somehow, by myself, I can go and do these things.  It’s just not true. … We live in a democracy.  You have to pass bills through the legislature, and then I can sign it.  And if all the attention is focused away from the legislative process, then that is going to lead to a constant dead-end. We have to recognize how the system works, and then apply pressure to those places where votes can be gotten and, ultimately, we can get this thing solved.” (9/28/11)

•        “Now, what I’ve always said is, as the head of the executive branch, there’s a limit to what I can do. Part of the reason that deportations went up was Congress put a whole lot of money into it, and when you have a lot of resources and a lot more agents involved, then there are going to be higher numbers. What we’ve said is, let’s make sure that you’re not misdirecting those resources. But we’re still going to, ultimately, have to change the laws in order to avoid some of the heartbreaking stories that you see coming up occasionally. And that’s why this continues to be a top priority of mine. … And we will continue to make sure that how we enforce is done as fairly and justly as possible. But until we have a law in place that provides a pathway for legalization and/or citizenship for the folks in question, we’re going to continue to be bound by the law. … And so part of the challenge as President is constantly saying, ‘what authorities do I have?’” (9/20/12)

•        “We are a nation of immigrants. … But we're also a nation of laws. So what I've said is, we need to fix a broken immigration system. And I've done everything that I can on my own[.]” (10/16/12)

•        “I'm not a king. I am the head of the executive branch of government. I'm required to follow the law. And that's what we've done. But what I've also said is, let's make sure that we're applying the law in a way that takes into account people's humanity. That's the reason that we moved forward on deferred action. Within the confines of the law we said, we have some discretion in terms of how we apply this law.” (1/30/13)

•          “I’m not a king. You know, my job as the head of the executive branch ultimately is to carry out the law.  And, you know, when it comes to enforcement of our immigration laws, we’ve got some discretion. We can prioritize what we do. But we can’t simply ignore the law. When it comes to the dreamers, we were able to identify that group and say, ‘These folks are generally not a risk. They’re not involved in crime. … And so let’s prioritize our enforcement resources.’ But to sort through all the possible cases of everybody who might have a sympathetic story to tell is very difficult to do. This is why we need comprehensive immigration reform. To make sure that once and for all, in a way that is, you know, ratified by Congress, we can say that there is a pathway to citizenship for people who are staying out of trouble, who are trying to do the right thing, who’ve put down roots here. … My job is to carry out the law. And so Congress gives us a whole bunch of resources. They give us an order that we’ve got to go out there and enforce the laws that are on the books.  … If this was an issue that I could do unilaterally I would have done it a long time ago. … The way our system works is Congress has to pass legislation. I then get an opportunity to sign it and implement it.” (1/30/13)

•        “This is something I’ve struggled with throughout my presidency. The problem is that I’m the president of the United States, I’m not the emperor of the United States. My job is to execute laws that are passed. And Congress right now has not changed what I consider to be a broken immigration system. And what that means is that we have certain obligations to enforce the laws that are in place even if we think that in many cases the results may be tragic.” (2/14/13)

•         “I think that it is very important for us to recognize that the way to solve this problem has to be legislative. I can do some things and have done some things that make a difference in the lives of people by determining how our enforcement should focus. … And we’ve been able to provide help through deferred action for young people …. But this is a problem that needs to be fixed legislatively.” (7/16/13)

•          “My job in the executive branch is supposed to be to carry out the laws that are passed. Congress has said ‘here is the law’ when it comes to those who are undocumented, and they've allocated a whole bunch of money for enforcement. And, what I have been able to do is to make a legal argument that I think is absolutely right, which is that given the resources that we have, we can't do everything that Congress has asked us to do. What we can do is then carve out the DREAM Act folks, saying young people who have basically grown up here are Americans that we should welcome. … But if we start broadening that, then essentially I would be ignoring the law in a way that I think would be very difficult to defend legally. So that's not an option. … What I've said is there is a there's a path to get this done, and that's through Congress.” (9/17/13)

•          “[I]f, in fact, I could solve all these problems without passing laws in Congress, then I would do so. But we’re also a nation of laws. That’s part of our tradition. And so the easy way out is to try to yell and pretend like I can do something by violating our laws. And what I’m proposing is the harder path, which is to use our democratic processes to achieve the same goal that you want to achieve. … It is not simply a matter of us just saying we’re going to violate the law. That’s not our tradition. The great thing about this country is we have this wonderful process of democracy, and sometimes it is messy, and sometimes it is hard, but ultimately, justice and truth win out.” (11/25/13)

•            “I am the Champion-in-Chief of comprehensive immigration reform. But what I’ve said in the past remains true, which is until Congress passes a new law, then I am constrained in terms of what I am able to do. What I’ve done is to use my prosecutorial discretion, because you can’t enforce the laws across the board for 11 or 12 million people, there aren’t the resources there.  What we’ve said is focus on folks who are engaged in criminal activity, focus on people who are engaged in gang activity. Do not focus on young people, who we’re calling DREAMers …. That already stretched my administrative capacity very far. But I was confident that that was the right thing to do. But at a certain point the reason that these deportations are taking place is, Congress said, ‘you have to enforce these laws.’ They fund the hiring of officials at the department that’s charged with enforcing.  And I cannot ignore those laws any more than I could ignore, you know, any of the other laws that are on the books. That’s why it’s so important for us to get comprehensive immigration reform done this year.” (3/6/14)

•          “I think that I never have a green light [to push the limits of executive power].  I’m bound by the Constitution; I’m bound by separation of powers.  There are some things we can’t do. Congress has the power of the purse, for example. … Congress has to pass a budget and authorize spending. So I don’t have a green light. … My preference in all these instances is to work with Congress, because not only can Congress do more, but it’s going to be longer-lasting.” (8/6/14)

These are not my words, but those of the President himself.    The most damning case against what he is doing has been made by the President.   He is about to take a leap from President to Emperor.  He is spitting on the oath of office he gave twice and wiping his butt on the Constitution of the United States.

 While I agree that immigration reform must happen.  Matter of fact a lot of the reforms reported to be made by executive order, I agree with.   I also agree that Congress has sat back in stalemate not doing a damn thing to fix the problem of immigration.   This doesn’t allow him to supersedes the powers bestowed upon his office by the Constitution.

My son this week was in Philadelphia visiting Independence Hall.   I saw a picture from the trip and told my friend that if I entered those hallowed halls I would probably break down in tears.   The tears would be because of the emotion from being in the birth place of freedom, and the nation of laws.  A nation where man’s destiny is self determined.   As I see it we stand at a crossroad.   We continue to be a nation driven by the rule of law or we become a dictatorship ruled by despot.   It is time for Congress to take a stand.   Political fallout be damned.  It is time we stand up and be a people of principal and law or defecate on the graves of our founders.

Open Letter to Taylor Football Part 2

WOW!   What a fun and wild ride you guys have given us this season!   Thank you is not enough to say for the results of all your hard work!   You have not only entertained us on Friday nights, you have helped bring a community together.   It is hard think of anything over my last 22 years living in this community that has rallied us all together like Taylor Football!   It was a tremendous ride, so thank you!!

Special thanks to the senior leadership on this team.   Sean Engels, Zach Fulton, Cameron Jameson, Koty Kendall, Nick Koehne, Nate Marmol, Evan Martini, Austin Miller, Connor Murphy, Mark Murphy, Roman Murray, Ryan Sandling, Austin Slovacek, Wyatt Walton, Tristen Walton, Dylan Wical, & Michael Wood your finger prints are all over this team.   Your years of dedication to a sport you love were quite evident.  You set the tone for this team and raised the bar!   Thank you for showing us how fun football can be again at Taylor!

Brett Berra, Dalton Crouch, Hunter Gillespie, Sam Koehne, Jordan Mock, Hunter Murphy, Ethan Murray, Chris Mutter, Noah Oser, and Noah Urmston you are now on the clock!  You guys are now the leadership for Taylor football.   You have had great examples in front of you, so if you follow their model you should do fine.   I know you will be able to help keep this ship going in the right direction.   Make us proud boys!

Thank you Coach Huffman and his staff for all they have done!   Your countless hours of watching film, game planning, conducting practice, in the weight room, and having leadership development have not gone unnoticed.   You have not only given us great football players, but great men.   Your impact on our boys has not been only on the field, but in their lives.   As a proud parent of one of those boys, I cannot thank you enough for the positive impact your staff has had on my son’s life.  At the end of the day, what you have done for our boys off the field is far greater and more important than what you have done for them off the field…  Thank you.  

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank say something about the wives and family of the coaches.   Thank you for sharing them with our boys.   Most people do not realize the commitment you all have made to Taylor football too.   The extra burden you take on during football season is tremendous.   Not only are you the emotional support for them during the football season, but you are picking up the slack left behind due to their commitment.   The tremendous thing is you would have it no other way!

Again boys, thank you for the exciting ride!   The fall you have given us will not soon be forgotten!

Am I STILL proud to be a Jacket?   YES I AM!

An open letter to Taylor Football

First let me say how proud you men have made each and every one in the Three Rivers community!   We have been waiting for this moment for many years.  You have helped galvanize the community behind one single point of focus!   You can’t go anywhere in this township and not hear people talking about Taylor Football.   Public school families, private school families, alumni, and those new to the community; all are talking about our boys.  No matter what happens tomorrow night, you have made us extremely proud.   The specialness of this season will always be remembered for years to come.   You will always be known as the men who put Taylor Football back on the map!   Win or lose, you boys have done something special for this community!

With all of that being said, TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS TOMORROW NIGHT!   Many of you have been preparing for this moment all of your life.   Since you first strapped a helmet on that was bigger than the rest of your body in first grade, to the last snap at practice today, you have been working for this moment!   Thousands of snaps, hits, and passes have prepared you for tomorrow night, so do not let this game be bigger than you.   This is what you have been working towards, so you are more than prepared.  Go out and execute the game plan that the coaches have prepared.   Trust in them, each other, and yourselves.  You are ONE, now it is time to let the world know you are THE YELLOW JACKETS!

I believe that God puts people where they belong for a reason.   I truly believe that God has brought all of you men (coaches and players) together for a reason.   I will not venture to guess what that reason is.  I do know that if you give your best, and execute to your fullest, we will find out what that reason is.   Say a prayer to God tonight.  Not to win the game, but to keep all players safe, to help you perform to the best of your ability, and to allow you to realize the reason you are here at this moment.

Finally I want to say how much it has meant for me to get to know you all.  Not only as a great team, but as great people also.   I have watched you all grow up to be tremendous young men.  You put your teammate and others before yourselves.  That is a rare quality today, so make sure you carry that with you all through life!

It has been my distinct pleasure to call your games the last three years.   I look forward to many more years of calling Taylor football games.   I have a feeling that this year may be my most memorable season.

Am I proud to be a Jacket?   YES I AM!

Ebola in the US

Ebola has hit the US.   When you don't limit travel from the hot zone and you have a WIDE open boarder (northern and southern), this is what you can expect.    If you trust the US government to keep you safe, you are more trusting than me.   This is considering they can't even keep the President safe in his own mansion.

Here are some links to help you out on the topic.  This isn't meant to cause panic, but rather inform you.


CNN on 1st Ebola case in the country.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/01/health/ebola-us-no-reason-to-panic/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

The Hospital screwed up on dealing with an African who recently flew to this county with influenza symptoms.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/01/health/ebola-us-no-reason-to-panic/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Second possible case of Ebola in the US:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/10/01/officials-reportedly-say-hawaii-patient-placed-in-isolation-may-have-ebola/

Signs and symptoms of Ebola:
http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/symptoms/

Mayo Clinic article on Ebola:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ebola-virus/basics/definition/con-20031241

World Health Organization article on Ebola:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

Preper's guide to dealing with a pandemic:
http://www.theorganicprepper.ca/when-the-cdc-tells-us-to-prepare-for-the-ebola-pandemic-things-are-about-to-get-real-09152014

Going Back to War Again!!!!

As September 11^th is tomorrow, and after hearing the President speak tonight and members of congress speak the last couple of days something has become increasingly clear to me.  In thirteen years we have learned nothing.   We are ready to ramp up the war machine again without clear direction nor with the commitment to do what needs to be done.

War is a very ugly business.   Loss of life will occur, and some of that will be of the innocent.  Our young men and women will give their lives in the name of freedom.   We keep doing this over and over again and get the same pathetic results (Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq).  This is because we as a nation do not have the stomach to fight a war with the means necessary to win it.   President Bush and now President Obama are making the same mistake.  This mistake is not fighting a war to win it.  

We won the WWII because we understood the barbarism of our enemy.   We were willing to do all that was necessary to devastate and destroy or them.   We killed thousands of innocent women, men, and children while defeating our enemy.   We dropped the most devastating weapon known to man to end the war with victory.   We had leaders who understood our enemy and what it would take to defeat them.   I say this not with glee or a blood lust, but rather with a clear understanding that if we do not win wars and completely destroy our enemy, we have to repeat the wars.   There is not a “surgical solution” for war.   If we believe we have the moral authority to enter into war, we better damn well be willing to do what is necessary to win.   If we don’t, we spit on those whose lives were lost.

We also have made the mistake that if we give these people “freedom” they would be our friend and we would have planted the seed of democracy in the Middle East.   Like the fools in Washington, I believed that crap too.   The one thing that we either didn’t recognize or refused to believe is that we cannot take a people who have lived under a despot for thousands of years and automatically expect them to be able to live free.   For a people to be able to support freedom, they have to of experienced some self rule.   The colonist of our nation had common law and had some form of freedom which gave them the structure for self rule.   They developed the taste of freedom and wanted ultimate and complete self determination.   Without this experience, we would have fallen under complete anarchy if we attempted the great experience of freedom.   To expect a people whose standard of living hasn’t seen a significant improvement for thousands of years, and who have never had any sort of self determination to automatically be able to self rule was foolish.   I remember Colin Powell stating that if we broke it (Iraq), we bought it.  He knew that Saddam Hussein; while a dictator, gave stability and structure.   With the vacuum of leadership we left when we ousted him, we gave way to the rise of ISIS.   We questioned why President Bush 41 didn’t take Bagdad in the 1990’s.  I believe he understood that what we are experiencing now would have occurred.

We are going take this folly on again, and unless we are truly willing to do ALL that is necessary to defeat ISIS; no matter the cost, we should come home and leave the Middle East to take care of themselves.   Let us protect our boarder, have true immigration reform (so we know who is in this country), and become completely energy independent, so that we are not willing to entangle ourselves in the issues of others again.    If we as a people (both Republicans and Democrats) are not willing to take a Jeffersonian approach to our place in the world, we will continue to be at war.  Our biggest influence on the world should not be because of our military might, but because of the example we set.