A Photo Essay:

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this photo I took near some construction in my town. See any irony here?

I Heart the Bear...and That's About It.

by Nicole McIntyre

Several months ago I posted an article about The Golden Compass and all the hullabaloo. My personal conclusion was that I was going to read the books and see the movie and use my God-given judgment.

I just read The Golden Compass in December, not having the time or inclination to delve into the other two books in the series. Last night we finally had a chance to watch the movie.

When I read the book, I could certainly see why some people would be offended by the constant use of "The Church" in a negative light. Especially since it was implied that they were corrupt and very Spanish Inquisition about heresy. Didn't really bother me, since we've already seen that in history. And the fact that it's fiction. Certainly in the first book there was no God Killing. I had been told that little tidbit was in the final book and I'm not there yet. So I'll save my final judgement on the literary side when I finish the series.

I had also been told by several people that the movie was going to be "watered down." Honestly, aren't most movies? Even my beloved Harry Potter was. What I did notice is that they never used the phrase The Church. How much of that is watering down and how much is it's a 2 hour movie and they don't have time for every character and fact? There were times I had a hard time following and I had already read the book. I spent quite a bit of time explaining things that they had left out to a confused Hubby. And the book and the movie had two completely different endings. Night and day different. I know they are doing that so they can make the second movie, but it still irked me.

Was it a great movie? Not really. Enjoyable and entertaining, but it's not setting my world on fire. Was it a trailblazing tool to convert small, innocent children to atheism? Nope. This Christian's opinion is that it was a sub-par movie with confusing characters and plot lines. The book was one that I had a hard time getting into (which pretty much explains why the other two are still unread) and the movie was of similar substance. My I Heart Harry Potter t-shirt is safe.

International Relations 101

By Cameron Clark

Help is on the way to Myanmar today.

As our thoughts and prayers are with the Burmese people, our governments certainly don't see eye to eye on the ideas of democracy and capitalism, which had resulted in the prideful refusal of American aid by the Myanmar Junta.

As heart-breaking as the conditions are on the ground in the cyclone ravaged nation, the rules of international diplomacy and national sovereignty are still intact regardless of the keen insight of the American public.

Four days ago CNN ran a poll on its website asking if the United States should air-drop supplies into Myanmar even if the government refused aid: Much to my chagrin, 60% of the respondents said the U.S. should deliver supplies without Burmese consent.

People are dying there, and I would imagine they don't care where help comes from so long as they receive it (thank God they are getting it now), but my problem is the 60% of respondents who couldn't quite get their mind around the entirety of the CNN question.

"Should the United States continue a string of ignoring a foreign government's sovereignty in a region of the world that is not crazy-go-nuts for America in the first place?" (China shares a border with Myanmar, just in case you were wondering.)

The answer is not an opinion. The answer is an inpenetratably firm "No."

It may not look like a parallel question, but CNN ran another poll a month ago asking popular opinion on the war in Iraq. Unsurprisingly, 70% of the respondents said they disapproved of American involvement in Iraq.

So, 60% of people think we should drop supplies over Myanmar, but 70% said we shouldn't be involved in Iraq. There is an incongruent philosophy at work here.

70% of people think we should not waste American money and lives to stabilize Iraq, but 60% of people think we should violate another nation's sovereignty and spend American money and resources for the people of Myanmar.

Well, at least 30% of respondents took a consistent philosophy to both questions, while 10% of respondents are confused, and the other 60% just don't know what the hell they're talking about.

Don't get me wrong, as an American tax payer I'm very happy we are giving aid to Myanmar now that we have been asked to give it by the government. My concern is the lack of regard these poll respondents (who likely vote) have for international relations. If you're one of these people, especially if you have a college degree, you must return to your alma matter and demand that you be better educated.

Don't have the time for a return to campus life? If you would like to brush up on your international relations, the University of California at San Diego has an online program just for you.

Have a great Monday!

Stereotypes

By Alan Gable

We tend to pigeonhole people into groups based on many different characteristics because very few of us have the time or the brain power to really get to know each other individually. Some stereotypes are fair. Some are funny. Here are a few that I think are worth mentioning:

-Proud to be a Texan Guy - I love him, but he's obnoxious. Main stereotype characteristics include giant cowboy hat, "don't mess with Texas" bumper sticker, unreasonable loyalty to either a longhorn or an aggie(?), and takes great pride in the fact that he can eat fire in the form of a crescent shaped pepper. He uses phrases like "padna" and "druther". Likes to kill animals. Good guy.

-Depends on his athletic ability to make him money Guy - Most all professional athletes and many former college football stars are this guy. Main stereotype characteristics include multiple tattoos with names of his children on some kind of shrub, speaks in the third person about himself, thinks a strip club is a perfectly acceptable place to get a burger, and has more surgical scars than teeth by the time he is 30. He uses phrases like "(athlete's own name) is only one man" and "know what I'm sayin?". Later in life, he will own a flurry of car dealerships. Good guy.

-Pristine Landscaped Yard Guy - This guy is retired and apparently has not yet figured-out golf. Main stereotype characteristics include inability to put on a shirt, unhealthy obsession with mulch, gobs and gobs of free time, and a smug sense of superiority to his neighbors. Can be seen mowing 2 to 3 times each week. The entire county could be dying of thirst and he would still have his sprinklers on. Conversation focuses on recent or upcoming trips to the local nursery or the shameful lack of rain. Annoying guy.

-Express Lane Price Haggle Coupon Box Lady - Can be any age, but typically pretty old. Main stereotype characteristics include small framed reading glasses placed on the end of nose with corresponding neck string so they don't get lost. Always knows the market value of a gallon of whole milk. Carries convenient card-sized conversion chart for calculating the best deal when items are available in bulk, and willingness to argue with a teenage cashier who may or may not be able to read. The front portion of her cart is reserved for her trusty index card box of coupons separated by category with multi-colored tabbed dividers.

She considers it a victory when a coupon is accepted after having reached its expiration date. Constantly comments on the price of fruits and vegetables that are currently out of season. She apparently has no understanding of the term "10 items or less", and her ears are deaf to loud sighs and obvious communicative throat clearings from other customers. Her frugality should be admired but come on, lady!

What stereotypes do you like?

Thanks for the Money...Can I Send it Back to China?

by Nicole McIntyre

So our "economic stimulus" arrived on Tuesday. I have some mixed feelings on it's arrival. My own opinion is that this is a bad idea. I don't like debt and our national debt is ridiculous. It doesn't really surprise me that in a country that thinks debt is a way of life that our government would be leading the charge.

Very little discussion went into what we were going to spend "our" money on. Our original plan was to put it all in savings. I have my eye on a minivan for a kiddie wagon replacement. We also have some work we want to do on our house that we are saving up for. No brainer, right?

But then our ceiling fan died. I've been waiting for this stupid thing to die for a year. When we first bought our house we changed several of the light fixtures and such. There was only so much extra cash and the ugly fan didn't make the cut since it unfortunately worked. First on the new China Money list is a fan and some other smaller householdy things. The rest is staying in our savings.

Two weeks ago I was pretty ho-hum about the arrival of this check. If anything, I was leaning towards the negative. Now I'm feeling a tad bit decadent with my new fan sitting on the guest bed waiting to be installed. And that is making me feel a little guilty about my anti-stimulus beliefs.... I'm a sellout!

Reflections on a Sunday

by Nathan McIntyre

Hey there folks...been a little bit. I know. Things have been hectic in the lives of your friends from the Porch, and honestly, as much as we enjoy writing to you family and friends come first.

I come to you this evening very tired. Another long day at the office, coupled with providing a semblance of guidance for my raging man of a toddler gets exhausting, and while there's a lot on my mind, which I'll get to soon, I just thought I'd share something a little special with you.

This past Sunday was a very good day.

It was about 2:30 on Sunday afternoon. I was the only person in the house awake, as Nikki and Braedon had both chosen siesta over society. The porch was, as usual, shaded and cool with a slight breeze drifting across from right to left, west to east. I love my neighborhood, as folks aren't too far away, and yet there is a sense of solitude that tangibly rests on each doorstep.

I chose such solitude this day.

An occasional car would lazily drift by, leaving only a trace of sound behind my house. It is the anniversary of our moving into our first home- the opening of our real American Front Porch. The garden is freshly planted, and a few adolescent dogwoods stand where bare grass used to reside. We love our yard. A garden is a sign of a happy home in my estimation. The azaleas are in bloom, as well as the carpet of verbinum and Mexican primrose I[planted around Nikki's Mother's Day rose garden. It is a day of peace. One which we desperately needed.

I settled into my old white rocker, only giving a slight creak of wood on nails. I had chosen a book to read, Willie Young's The Shack, at high recommendation from a few close friends.

If only I had known earlier.

I rolled the 5 Vegas Limitada Toro slowly around the tip of my flame as my sweet tea slightly sweated onto my book table. The light gray smoke danced in the slight breeze, up and over the top of the porch as the aroma of leather and a little chocolate wafted from my newly lit cigar. A good cigar is like a good friend. You should be always ready to share some quiet time and a good book, and this was no exception.

I soon became entranced in this book, unlike any in a long time. Friends, The Shack is incredible. It took every common idea that I held about God, the Universe, and much about myself and turned them on their ears. I laughed, wept, and repented page after page. This was not a book. It was an experience. Eugene Peterson rightly called this "the Pilgrim's Progress of our generation." I must simply agree.

To attempt to exegete this book does it a disservice. It is a work to be experienced. Much like God. Much like this day. Amazing.

I began and completed the entire work on Sunday. As the final ribbons of smoke slowly sailed away, a cardinal and his mate that normally would pass by my yard perched for once in my trees and sang, as if to say "welcome home."

This day was indeed a very good day.

Live Free Today

Maverick Healthcare

By Alan Gable

Senator McCain has been campaigning quite a bit lately on health care. The latest plan is that he wishes to offer Americans a tax credit - $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families - to purchase and hold their own health insurance. I have to assume that this credit is available each year and that it will not be a "refundable" credit. Refundable credits are those tax breaks that refund to the taxpayer more than was actually paid in if the application of the credit results in the taxpayer having a negative tax liability (which means the government owes them). Anyway, these are a few of my thoughts on this "plan".

$5000 is a massive tax credit for the average middle class family. This would almost certainly wipe out any tax liability they have. It would force families to choose between their employer's group health coverage or purchasing health insurance on their own. I would guess that the net dollar effect would come close to breaking even but McCain's tax credit plan would give the additional incentive for these families to purchase health insurance plans that are customized to their specific needs instead of the least expensive group health plan that their employer could find.

The basic premise behind this strategy is rooted in conservative thought. Health care costs have skyrocketed because the actual consumer is almost totally out of the loop. Currently, most insured folks don't pay for their insurance directly so they don't know the cost of the plan under which they are covered. Also, the insurance plans cover the costs of their medical procedures so they are just as clueless about these costs as well. When consumers don't know and frankly don't care about the costs, the providers run wild. Meanwhile, premiums increase to levels that individuals can no longer afford which chains them to certain jobs and certain employers. McCain's tax credit plan (as well as President Bush's health savings account initiative) puts the consumer back in the driver's seat. The only time a market can be efficient is when it is consumer driven. This is a solely conservative thought pattern.

This is a simple plan but it is a step in the right direction (in my opinion). This credit is large enough to get the attention of most Americans. When middle class Americans begin to pay attention, the insurance companies will market specific products to them (Capitalism at work).

What about the older folks? Many, many, many retired pensioners are dependent upon medicare. In fact, their medicare premiums are withheld from their Social Security checks before they even see the money. Will retired folks be given a chance to actually waive their Medicare coverage and make the choice to purchase their own private health insurance in order to take advantage of this tax credit? Might this plan have a shocking side effect of reducing the number of citizens drawing on government social programs?

Any other thoughts on this idea?