Not sure how much longer my van is going to last but it's running really good still. So it looks like I'm going to have to live with people thinking I'm running for Senate for awhile longer yet. Kind of proves that I'm not all that bright. Back in 1999 I thought I would try and be a little funny with Hillary getting the free ride from the Democratic party of New York. And if you want to see Tom humor you can still click on the Original Button to the left. Mind you it is dated now.
Up until now I've tried to let everyone that had the nerve to ask about the web site know that I was trying to be funny. Interestingly many people are scared to talk with me because they worry I am political. So I've relented. I'm about to make this a real political site meant to shed light on the most import political and social subjects of the time.
Why do Eastern Cities have 55 mph Speed Limits
I just made the trip from California to Dayton. I wish the dog gone Eastern States would go to a winter and summer speed limit with 75 mph in the summer months and 65 (Texas has day and night speed limits on the same side why not winter and summer?), but that's not the most annoying part about driving in the East. As soon as I hit Indianapolis I got into this idiotic practice of trying to slow traffic down to 55mph through the city. While traveling I try to plan my trip so I hit the bigger cities away from traditional rush hours. The 55 mph speed limit becomes especially annoying because I have to spend 10or so extra minutes traveling those 30 or so miles. As a resident of the city or a city planner I would think you would be annoyed to have the extra traffic meandering through the town when I could have easily been out of the way. Additionally, with the 55 mph speed limit there is a much larger range of speeds the vehicles on the road travel. This makes the roads much more dangerous and increases the likelihood accidents.
The American Orator
Obviously I'll need a better title for my new TV show. If you actually read the articles in the original web page you'll see some that were kind of serious. In there was a pretty good idea for cleaning up campaign finance. It hasn't really gone anywhere. Actually Bill Bradley proposed a similar plan when he ran for President and the media got worried and made fun of it and the American Public like the lambs they are howled in laughter. I can understand the media's position. Except for maybe the Stupid commercials telling people they need a Hummer to build their self confidence political commercials must be the most lucrative funding source for this medium. Therefore any real campaign reform necessarily hurts the media. However, I have a compromise. How about a TV show (with a better name than "The American Orator") that starts out with hundreds of candidates trying to become Senator of say NY. A panel of say three "judges" goes all through the state and interviews the potential candidates and recorded for the first 4 or so episodes of the season. If the candidate looks like he would do well with for the people he/she is given a yellow card and asked to come back for live interviews and debates. At the end of each show the TV audience is given some 866 numbers or text message numbers where they can "vote" the candidate to the next level of the competition. This goes on until the audience picks one person to represent them as an independent candidate for Senate.
Political Express
So I'm going to need to bring in some extra money since I bought a house I can't really afford. How is this for a restaurant idea? How about a place that invites you to come in and talk politics? There will be a place to actually have face to face discussions or maybe even a soap box but in order to keep the fisticuffs to a minimum I'm thinking it would be a good idea to have a computer at every table and blogs set up internally to the walls of the restaurant. This way people can get in discussions and know the other people are close but not really worry about getting beat up. Also, there should be an array of news sources, including TV, newspapers and perhaps internet.
Request more on these subjects if you find them interesting
I’ve been thinking a lot lately that I should be writing more. But you know – we’ve just moved into a new house and the kids just started school again so by the time I get done cleaning the gutters or listening to the kids read most of the time I just want to sit and eat a bag of chips. I have made a list of a few of the things I have been thinking about lately. If I would just turn off the TV more often this is what I would write about.
We just left CA and I noticed every time I left the state my highway gas mileage would increase from 18 – 19 MPG on CA gas to 21-23 MPG on gas purchased in other states. Makes me wonder if CA gas emissions are that much less that they make up for the 15% more gas that I have to burn to go the same distance.
Diesel engines - gas mileage vs. pollution controls
This is about the same theme.
I hear of diesel cars that get 60 mpg but can not be
registered here in the
Paying to have gas station pumps checked
There is a gas station I recently bought gas at and the
mileage on that tank was about 17 mpg.
I never seen that before or after – even in CA.
I’d love to be able and call the
Homes
with DC lines installed - regulate new construction
I’m thinking that if a state were really interested in lowering fossil energy consumption they would do things that create a market for other types of energy. For instance if a state required all houses to not only run AC wiring but also DC wiring in all new construction it would make it much more affordable for the home owner to purchase alternate energy devices. Not only that but companies would develop products that took advantage of them.
Paying all parents to send their kids to school.
I like the fact that the Federal Government gives me $2500 or so each year on my taxes for my kids. I think if that money were present to the parent by the schools via a child’s “pay check” more parents would take an interest in ensuring the kid earned the money for them.
Lately I’ve heard people say the lessons of 1930’s
Ford
Executives vs. ball players
I fully agree that executives should not be making so much
more than those that actually produce products.
However, if you think about it, professional baseball players
make their money from TV commercials, car companies are one of the
biggest TV advertisers therefore Ford is probably paying Alex
Rodriquez more each year than it’s new CEO.
Commercials
vs. production
I believe that tax policy should be base on public objectives. Currently we tax the crap out of production facilities and don’t tax commercials. This makes it much more profitable for a company to move its production facilities outside the country.
Of course this should be my Mantra - at least for the next 3 years.
"Others will debate the controversial issues, national and international, which divide men's minds. But serene, calm, aloof, you stand as the nation's war guardian, as its lifeguard from the raging tides of international conflict, as its gladiator in the arena of battle. For a century and a half you have defended, guarded, and protected its hallowed traditions of liberty and freedom, of right and justice.
Let civilian voices argue the merits or demerits of our processes of government: whether our strength is being sapped by deficit financing indulged in too long, by federal paternalism grown too mighty, by power groups grown too arrogant, by politics grown too corrupt, by crime grown too rampant, by morals grown too low, by taxes grown too high, by extremists grown too violent; whether our personal liberties are as thorough and complete as they should be.
These great national problems are not for your professional participation or military solution. Your guidepost stands out like a tenfold beacon in the night: duty, honor, country."
I actually wouldn't mind making some extra money. I'm thinking I could set up web pages for those that don't need to many advanced options. Since I don't have anything on my Web page creation resume' I'm pretty sure I should offer pretty good rates for that opportunity.
You can try and get hold of me
10 am Feb 15th 2004 - Marylin yells for me to come get LeZelle from out of the bed. We had stayed up to about 1am but I complained she should be getting up since this still equated to 9 hours of sleep. She tells me she was having trouble sleeping all night because her back hurt. So I grabbed the baby and closed the door. About 5 minutes later she comes out and sits on the couch and asks me what my plans are cuz she wants to take a walk. Ok, I said and she goes out and starts doing laundry.
11 am - Marylin has started to cook lasagna, I decided to go for a run. Marylin complains she wants to go for a walk. I tell her I'll be able to go for a walk even if I run now. After my run Thomas and I jump on the trampoline for a while, by then the lasagna is done and we eat.
1:30 pm - Marylin is ready for a walk. She tells me she doesn't want to take Thomas and Angelica. We have a pretty good walk. She needs to go in the house but tells me the walk has made her feel a lot better and wants to go out again after a couple minute break. This time we take all the kids. On the way back she tells the kids she'll take them to the park. This was at 3:30 pm and I wanted to see the Wisconsin Debate, when Marylin wanted to stay home and read her Taking Care of Baby book we asked Nina to take the kids to the park. They were there about an hour.
After the debate I wrote down some of my comments - wishing that Gov Dean could better convince people he was the genesis of the good ideas adapted by the present candidates. I read some of the comments in the Dean Blog. About 5:40 pm Thomas said he was hungry and wanted me to make dinner. I told him we could go to Burger King if momma wanted. Marylin said fine and we all got in the car and headed that way.
6:00 pm - Marylin tells me she doesn't think we will be able to see the movie at the base theater tonight. I rolled my eyes not wanting to give up the opportunity to see the free preview of "Fifty Blind Dates". But she told me she thought she needed to go to the hospital tonight. I asked her if she wanted to leave now. She said "let them finish eating". When she said again we'd have to miss the movie I told everyone to pick up their food, they could eat the rest at home. On the way out of the Burger King another lady there asked Marylin if she was do soon. Marylin said we were going to the hospital tonight. The lady replied, "I thought so, I was watching you and could tell. Mothers know these things."
6:10 pm - On the way home Marylin tells me she wants to call her friend and take a shower before going to the hospital. We were feeding one of her friends fish and missed doing it Saturday. On the way in the house I ask if she's alright and if I go over and feed the fish. She tells me "oh yea go".
6:25 pm - I walk in the house and the 12 year old is grabbing a pan to put on the stove. "What are you doing", I asked. - "Marylin doesn't think she is going to make it to the hospital and told me to boil some water" - " Did you call 911" - "No". I walk back into the bedroom and Marylin is on the bed sitting in the birthing position. "What are you doing", I ask. "I'm not going to make it to the hospital" She tells me in a not so call voice. Of course the bedroom phone is not in the craddle.
6:30 pm - I walked out to the kitchen and called 911. "My wife is pregnant and she doesn't think she'll make it to the hospital" - "What is your name" - answer - "What is your address" - answer - "how far a part are the contractions" - don't know - "Is this her first baby" - "Fourth" - "I'll send someone out right away", "They usually come pretty quick to"
6:32 pm - Lots of wailing - "Relax babe, the paramedics will be here soon, Don't push". I go into the bathroom and start to wash my hands. More wailing and a plea for me to come to her. "Let me finish washing my hands". This seemed to make sense to her. "Don't Push", I said again, "the paramedics will be here soon". I go over to her and grab her hand. She says something about it being time. I direct her to relax and not to push. The 5 year old comes in the room and asks, "What's wrong with momma?" - "She's going to have the baby tonight, go back in your room please." Then Marylin's water breaks and she asks, "What was that?" - "Your water broke" I said. "Breathe deep and don't push". About three wails later she tells me the baby is coming out and I should help guide him out. I tell her the baby is not coming out yet and to relax. On the next wail I can see the top of his head. On the next wail it is obvious the baby is coming out. I yell to the 12 year old "make sure you let the paramedics right in". "Alright momma, push on the next one". With that she screams and the baby come right out. He cries right away but as wrap him up in the towel he stops. I try and look at him to see if he is breathing. He looks fine. That is he doesn't seem to be choking. But I can't tell if he is breathing. I unwrap him a little to see his color and wonder what is the best position to ensure nothing goes down his throat. Marylin tells me to wrap him up and lay him on her chest. Not sure this will work as I've done nothing to the placenta and not planning to either.
6:39 pm - The fire department comes into the room. They use the suction to clear the baby's nose and throat and he cries a little and stops. The paramedics follow shortly after and they work on the rest of what is needed. They get the oxygen out and coordinate getting the back of the ambulance warm. I had heard the girls crying but put that in the back of my thought process until now. I went to the other bedroom and one of the firemen was back there talking to the 5 year old trying to comfort her. This was great effort. I was happy for the effort more than I can say. Angelica was happy to see me but she was crying because she was worried about Marylin screaming. I picked her up and took her to the other room and showed her, her mother was fine. Marylin smiled at her and said she was fine. This made Angelica really happy. The 2 year old had been sympathetic crying. Showing her Marylin did not help stop her crying. Thomas started to cry when I told him he couldn't go in - so he made it in afterall.
7:05 pm - Marylin and the baby were in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. I had planned to follow right away, leaving the 12 year old with the kids. The firemen were cleaning up some so I made sure they had everything I could help them with. With their departure I started to give Nina directions. She started to look disturbed and I soon determined leaving her with the kids was not a good idea. When I asked if she was alright she showed her emotions were not under ontrol. We called one of Marylin's friends and she promised to come over right away. I took a little time and changed my clothes, collected up Marylin's toothbrush and shoes.
7:35 pm - Driving to the hospital and thankful everything happened prior to starting this 40 mile drive.
