In Praise of "500 Nations"

Some may have noticed that I have a little side roll called "Currently Watching". This stems from the fact that I have a portable DVD player that has become a good friend, and that my time on BART (our local rapid transit provider) works out to about an hour every work day for me.

During the past month, I've decided to dig in and enjoy the various interesting and unusual works stocked at my local library (they have the benefit of having a number of titles I might otherwise never see at a video store, and they have the distinct advantage of usually not costing anything to check out). Sometimes, though, you need to make an arrangement to reserve a title or get it shipped from another library in the county. This service costs $0.75, and I'm quite happy I made that arrangement for my current DVD "settle in", a so far gorgeous program called "500 Nations".

Unlike most DVD’s you get from the library, which only allow for a seven day check-out, this one allows for a 21 day loan, and I am glad, because I see myself not just watching this, but watching it again and again until I have to return it.

500 Nations is over eight hours of episodes and also includes a CD-ROM with a bunch of extra materials. This series goes well beyond the traditional Plains Indian image that is so well known and almost synonymous with the way most people view American Indians. The series explores many different tribes ranging from the Maya of Central America on up to the Inuit past the Arctic Circle. Its scope is huge, and its mix of commentary, interviews, archival photographs and computer animation bring the viewer into the respective cultures and contrast their similarities and differences in a thoroughly interesting and profound manner... and yes, I’m basing this on having seen only the first episode. If the production quality holds up to this level throughout the entire series, I will indeed be impressed.

500 Nations was created in 1995, and features Kevin Costner as the series host. Coming off the monumental success of Dances With Wolves just a few years earlier, this really shouldn’t surprise anyone. Nor should it be a surprise that key actors from DWW are also featured, such as Graham Greene and Wes Studi, two of the most well known Native American actors today.

This series takes a very compassionate view of the Native American narrative, as well it should, in my opinion. The many trials and sorrows of the First Nations people, including alcohol, the spread of disease, corrupt practices of the U.S. Government to defraud tribes of their land and resources, the forced removal knows as the “Trail of Tears”, the massacre at Wounded Knee, and the stories from both the reservations and the forced practice of removing native children from their ancestral lands and housing them in Eastern boarding schools, stripping them of their native heritage and forcing conformity to a “western” ethos, are all represented. We also see truly ancient peoples, such as the Anasazi, the builders of Cahokia and the Mayans, as well as more recent events such as the various tribes and their participation in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 (on both sides), and popular legends, such as the first Thanksgiving.

Again, I’m only one episode in, but it’s thus far beautiful and compelling, plus it has that hallmark cedar flute soundtrack, so reminiscent of R. Carlos Nakai and others, that gives this program a different and ethereal flavor compared to more standard and somber documentaries (neat side note, Warren Buffet's son was the main musical producer and composer for the series). As I said, not only do I plan to watch this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I watch it several times until I have to return it to the library. Thus if you don’t see the "Currently Watching" entries change for awhile, now you know why :).

Madd Money: To All My Friends... PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!!!

Hello Everyone!

I've decided that, in the times that we live in, I will give a loud and public recommendation for what I feel will be the second most valuable book that one can apply to their life today and make dramatic changes (the first most valuable book I can recommend is "The Book of Mormon", but that's a much biger topic than what I can fit into a blog review :) ).

No, today, with our wild and chaotic times as they currently stand, I feel it absolutely essential that I tell everyone I know to READ THIS BOOK... Dave Ramsey's "The Total Money Makeover".

Yes, I freely admit, I *ADORE* Dave Ramsey and his advice. I think we have reached a time in our country's history where people *must* do all they can to make a commitment to do one thing, and that's do all that they can to live within their means and make an absolute commitment to GETTING OUT OF DEBT!!!

What's more, I think that every member of CONGRESS and both of our Presidential Candidates should commit to reading this book. In my personal, rather humble opinion, the best thing that this country and its inhabitants can do is learn to get off of the DEBT binge, put ourselves on a spending diet, plan and budget for real, and make a point to put hard work and diligent personal productivity first and, dare I say it "ACT OUR WAGE"!!!

The motto of this book is that we should "Live Like No One Else, So That Later, You Can Live Like No One Else". Imagine a world where people are not focused primarily on working to pay off credit card debts, student loan debts, car debts and mortgage debts. What kind of spirit would you bring into your workplace if you didn't have to work under those burdens? I can only speak for myself, as I am currently and hope to forever stay debt free, but it is a wonderful feeling. My hope is that *everyone* can feel that way.

An oft quoted phrase in my Church is that "if you have knowledge of something that you cherish and enjoy, wouldn't you want to share that with others?". It's the guiding principle behind why Latter-day Saints try to preach the Gospel and send missionaries out into the world. Well, I'm going to say that I feel the debt-free lifestyle is something I cherish and enjoy, and I want to share it with everyone as well. So consider this a heartfelt recommendation in the strongest of terms... if you are in debt and want to get out of it, if you want to get your hands on a very common sense, uplifting and yes, spiritually focused way to frame your debt issues and get your spending, debts and future investing power under control, I strongly urge you to read this book. If you want to fix the economy, start at home, and then work your way out from there. We are the change that we want to see, and the power is within US, not the U.S. Give it a read, check it out from the library, borrow it from a friend, whatever, but seriously, read the ideas, ponder the message and the principles, and then put them into action. You will not be disappointed.

New Homes For Old Fish

I used to have a bunch of aquariums up and running, but I scaled them back several years ago to just one big tank because I couldn't justify keeping them all up and running at the same time. However, now that my kids are old enough to take care of a few of them theirselves, and the fact that the big community tank is suffering under a heavier than normal bio-load lately, it made sense to ask if they'd be willing to have me set up the tanks with the proviso that they take care of them :).

So here are the setups as they appear today.



In the girls' room, since they have the least amount of space, I gave them a small 6 gallon tank and a pair of juvenile Archocentrus Nigrofasciatum (yes, I realize that that's being totally nerdy, but I only get a few occassions where I can be a total fish geek, so indulge me please (LOL!) ). These are a pair of Convict Cichlids; one's a black male, the other is an albino female. The girl's have named them "Bert and Ernie" (I explained that the orange tint was because the albino is a female, but they didn't care, so "Ernie" she is (LOL!) ).



Nick had more space to work with, so we set up a larger 20 gallon tank. This used to be my African tank, and I was planning to just set it up with regular gravel, but when he saw the crushed coral and the tufa rock, he wanted to use it. He has two black Convicts and one female albino convict. The male black convict and the albino female don't have names, but the black female's name is "Ebony". She is my oldest living fish (close to ten years old). She is the "mother" of the Convict colony; most of the fish in the main tank today are her descendants; her original mate, an albino convict named "Clyde", died about three years ago from old age.



This is a shot of the now less crowded "colony tank". It's been awhile since there have been any spawnings in this tank, and I think the population density just got to be too heavy. Removing five fish should help a little bit. The big guy is named "Kite". He's a Heros Severus (Severum), and he just sort of drifts around the tank, kind of like a kite in the wind. The rest of the Convict Cichlids in the colony are unnamed (when you have more than a dozen, it gets hard to keep track).

Here's hoping that the fish like their new digs, and that the colony tank may see some new young now that the population has been thinned a litle bit.

Madd Money: You Fix YOU!

Every once in awhile, I'll come across something that just deserves to be repeated, and that I cannot add anything else to (and believe me, that's hard; I have an opinion on just about everything (LOL!)).

Yes, you may all fill in the "Yadda Yadda Ramsey Shill Yadda Yadda", but please read or (preferably) listen to this. And then apply the advice. I'm certainly going to try to give it my best shot.

Casting a "Vengeance" Vote?!

There's a phrase I heard today, and I like it a lot. If you poke a sleeping bear long enough, it's likely to wake up, get mad, and eat you. Well, I think the sleeping bear is the American public, the entity doing the poking is the U.S. Government, and the stick is this latest bill... you know, the one that has now caused the US to add "seven hundred thousand million" dollars to our national debt.

I encouraged people to send a letter to their representatives and senators saying not to support this bill, and if they did, they should be voted out of office. Well, the U.S. Government, against the will of 85% of the American people, have decided to ignore our request and voted the way that they wanted to, and to hang with what the people wanted. Well, that's OK, they chose to not listen to me. I understand. No hard feelings. Just like there will be no hard feelings when I vote against them in November.

See, I think this whole idea of "government of the people, by the people, and for the people" is a crock unless someone actually follows through and holds these people accountable. Thus my votes this coming election will be as follows: if you voted for this debacle of a bill, I am casting a vote *against* you. I do not care what political party you belong to, if you are a Senator or a House Representative. If you voted for this, you're going down. I encourage everyone else to do exactly the same.

I will make it very clear, I have done a lot in my life, sacrificed a lot, and make a lot of tough choices to live my life within my means. I think it is time our Government does the same. And yes, that's coming from a Democrat, just in case that's not been made apparent by my other posts in the past. I'm all for Social Justice, I'm all for helping people get a better footing when they are ready, willing and able to do something to help get there. I'm *not* going to support Government Welfare without end for individuals, companies or institutions. And I'm not going to support politicians who think that selling more pork and making more unfunded mandates on the backs of the American people just to keep their jobs are doing us any good service. That goes for whether or not you are a Democrat, Republican or an Independent, or any other party affiliation.

Thus, while I'm being a little facetious with my post title, I am going to follow through with my decision. I may write in a candidate, I may do something else, but if you are up for election, and you voted yes for this pile of junk, in my eyes, you're gone. I'm hoping enough other people are fed up enough to do the same.

Home for the Week

Well, Christina is away for a few days. She'll actually be back Thursday Evening, but as is our bartered custom, I get a fair number of days each year to do things like Scout Camp, snowboarding treks, and other functions that usually revolve around Scouting. In return, my wife only asks for a few days each year to go to Las Vegas with her mom (it's a roughly annual trip they have taken since before we were married, but has definitely gone to annual since we've had kids (LOL!) ).

Christina and her Mom tend to go to look at the hotels, revel in the excess, enjoy good food, and look around. Neither has much of an interest or propensity for gambling, thank goodness :).

The inevitable result, of course, is that the week before she leaves, she puts notes up around the house so that everyone knows what she expects to be done, and she spends the week prior to leaving making sure that we all know what we need to do. Now, to be fair, we both have different ways that we look at things and consider to be important as does the other, and that's OK. We have gotten to the point where the lists are just for the essential stuff, such as kids assignments and appointments I need to make sure I know about. The rest we allow to the vagaries of the person running the household at the time (LOL!). Still, it's pretty funny to see a reminder in just about every room of the house :).

Of course, what fun is having Mom leave for a week if Dad can't inject some of his own social order (disorder? ;) ) into the mix. Thus, while Mom's been away, Dad's added a few things to the house. Each of the kids rooms now have Aquariums in them (they've been asking me for ages to set some up for them, and I've had several in the garage for the past few years just collecting dust). This also helps that my main colony upstairs can finally get a litle bit of population depressurization (two of the convicts went into the girls small tank, and four of them went into Nick's larger tank). So far, all are doing well, though it will take about a week for the foggy water of the new tank setups to stabilize.

Meals are covered, or at least, they've been mostly prepared in advance. I appreciate this, as I'm not actually on vacation this week. I'm still working, only I'm working out of my office upstairs rather that at the office, so I still have my deadlines to meet and all that. Not having to worry about a lot of cooking time helps that immensely.

It's always interesting to see the kid's attitudes when Mom goes away. It always seems that the first day is the realization of "oh yeah, Mom's not going to be here for a week, and it all Dad, all the time". I think this realization makes them a little bit anxious (LOL!). All I know is that they will probably have yet another renewed appreciation for their dear mother when she comes back home (LOL!).

So yeah, we're doing good, holding down the fort, and having a good time while Mom's away. Don't worry dear, you'll still recognize the house when you get home... we think ;).

In Case Anyone Wondered...

Here's what I look like with hair.

Notice how little of it is its natural color, and how little of it still graces the top of my head (LOL!). I merely mention this because my Dad recently commented that he really liked how I looked with hair, much more distinguished and dignified. I hate so much to disappoint him... but I'm going to :)

I just wanted my kids and others to see this picture so that, whenever anyone wants to ask "why do you shave your head?", now you know why :).

As soon as General Conference ends, the hair goes bye-bye. It was fun, but I have gotten to the point where I cannot stand having hair on my head anymore. It feels competely wrong. Odd for a guy that used to cherish having lots of hair hanging from the back of his head two decades ago, I'm sure. Still, Mother Nature has forced my hand. In this day and age, if I have to choose looking like Ben Franklin or Mr. Clean, Mr Clean it is (LOL!).

Scoutmaster Mike: The Importance of Being Prepared

As I am actively involved in both Scouting and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it should come as no surprise that I look forward to reading words of encouragement and inspiration from Charles W. Dahlquist II, more often referred to as "President Dahlquist" by me and many others, as befits his role as the general Young Men's President of the Church. In addition to that role, he is also a member of the National Boy Scouts of America Executive Board, thus he combines two areas I care about greatly. This is a long winded way of saying "when President Dahlquist talks, I tend to listen!"


President Dahlquist gave an address at LDS Business College regarding the Importance of Being Prepared. Needless to say, as a good Boy Scout, I tend to enjoy my favorite outdoor organization's motto get repeated often and publicly. I particularly enjoyed the areas that he focused on for this talk. His notions of preparation covered a number of different areas, and in this particular devotional, he made a point to address spiritual preparation along with temporal preparation.


This quote struck a chord in me, and I want to share it here:

“Do we wait until challenges come along to become prepared?” President Dahlquist asked. He cited Alma 34:32, “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.”

He then gives five challenges:

1. Remember you are a child of God, in all times and at all points and walks of life.

2. Stand in holy places, or "being where we ought to be".

3. Learn to control your thoughts:

Mosiah 4:30: “…if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.”

4. Learn to do things that are hard to do. “Don’t just scoot by. Stand up. Do things that are hard!”

5. Give service. “Service is not a project; it’s a way of life,” said President Dahlquist.

I feel impressed that, in these challenging times we are currently facing, these are words that all of us could put to good use. I certainly will give it my best shot :).

To My Great-Aunt Betty Jane

My Great Aunt Betty Jane passed away Monday evening. She was the last surviving member of my grandmother's generation, and knowing that she has passed away makes me feel a bit lonelier today. Last night, I attended a ceremony prior to the funeral, and I had a chance to share a few off the cuff words about Betty Jane with my family. My mom said that she really appreciated the words I shared, and that it was a shame I didn't write them down.

Thus, I decided to come home and see if I could capture what I said. It's not verbatim, but I think I've come close with what I have here.

Remembering the Fire: In Memory of my Great Aunt Betty Jane

During the years that I grew up in Danville, our house was often the center of activity for my mother's side of the family. There were many times that our house was a gathering point for the women I called "The Mariani Trio", which were three sisters; my grandmother Barbara, my Great Aunt Betty Jane, and my Great Aunt Marie. During their lives, I thought of these three women by three symbols. Those symbols were Stone, Steel and Fire. Anyone who knew these women knew that these descriptions were apt for them, and those who knew them already know which symbols belong with whom.

Barbara was Stone; steadfast, unmoving, and firm. When Barbara made up her mind about something, that was it, argument was over. She was as immovable and firm as stone. Marie was Steel; sharp, powerful, cutting, and ready to fight for what she believed in. Over the years, I freely admit, I contended with Stone, and I fought with Steel. Betty Jane, however, was Fire. Not a fire that burned or caused harm, but a fire that created warmth, cheered you and invited you in. Betty Jane was the one with a warm smile, with a kind word, the one that was able to get others to see her way of things because her cheerful nature always won you over. I never fought with Betty Jane, there just was never a need. She also never had to fight with me to see her point of view.

Betty Jane was always interested in every one's lives, and would enjoy listening to all of us kids, whether we were her own children or cousins, like me, talk about our lives, our goals and our dreams. She had a way of making you feel like she was the biggest fan of whatever it was you were doing. I remember back when I was trying to make it as a musician (not the easiest endeavor under even the best of circumstances). When my grandmother and Aunt Marie would often look at me like I was crazy (and really, I can't say I blamed them at times :) ), Betty Jane would ask me how my most recent show went, about the latest song I'd written, about the antics of friends and people that I'd met. She'd always laugh and smile, as though she was thoroughly enjoying learning about my day to day life. She didn't just do this for me; she genuinely did this with everyone!

Watching Betty Jane and her husband Frank over the years was a beautiful experience. They were inseparable, and I know that losing Frank when he died left a big hole in her life. Watching the two of them over the years helped develop the resolve in me that that was the kind of relationship I wanted to have with my wife someday, the kind where the thought of seeing the two of them separate from each other just made no sense. I was happy to have had that example throughout my life, and when I think of the closeness Christina and I share to this day, it is with a smile that I say that Betty Jane and Frank had a hand in influencing that.

Today, I am here to say goodbye to Betty Jane, and part of me feels sad, and a little cheated... because the Fire that I always remembered and perhaps took a little for granted over the years has gone out. Truthfully, though, it really hasn't. Her example and her warmth will live on in my heart and in my memories. Her and Frank's example of love and devotion I hope will live on in my own family. Her kind words and her wonderful laugh will resonate in my heart for years to come. Part of me is sad, because she is gone, and I will miss her. But another part of me knows that she isn't really gone, that her spirit lives on, and that she is reunited with Frank, the love of her life. While I will miss her, I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, and through the blessings of a loving Father in Heaven, I will see her again one day. I expect that she will want to be filled in on everything since the last time we talked, and she will listen, and she will laugh, and the warmth of that fire that I've always associated with her will once again wrap around me anew.

Madd Money: THE COMMON SENSE FIX

I'm usually not one to SPAM people's emails with things that they are not already associated with me regarding (my scouting families know that I am an annoyingly compulsive emailer when it comes to Troop updates and happenings, but then they already know they're in for that). I'm not one who forwards chain letters, political requests, or any other "PASS IT ON" type of messages. If I ever do, I always BCC them so that others don't know who I'm sending the messages to. That doesn't mean that I cannot use my blog to post about something I care about and want to see others do something about. I've already stated my support for Proposition 8 and that I will vote for it on Election day, and I encourage everyone else to also vote their conscience on election day as well. What follows is not something that will wait until election day. We need to deal with it *NOW!!!

Here is the text of a letter that is being circulated called "THE COMMON SENSE FIX" as relates to the proposed bailout, and some suggestions as to alternatives. Please note that I did not write this, but I agree with just about everything that is in it, and frankly, I consider it a far better proposition than the ones that have been discussed in the house to date. Regardless of your political position or affiliation, I urge everyone to look at this and give it serious consideration. If you agree with the suggestions, send this letter (or word it your own way) to your Representatives and Senators. If you do not agree with the suggestions below, please contact them anyway and tell them what you would like to see done. The key is to SPEAK UP!

Finally, pray for them to resist a spirit of FEAR and to embrace WISDOM. Even if you don't like them or agree with them, pray for them and tell them you are praying for them. There is a spirit over this problem that must be broken. Also, most of the media personalities are afraid as well and that is affecting their reporting. Pray for fear to be removed from them; they are making this worse. While I know it's cliche to say that time is of the essence, in this case, it really is.

THE COMMON SENSE FIX

Years of bad decisions and stupid mistakes have created an economic nightmare in this country, but $700 billion in new debt is not the answer. As a tax-paying American citizen, I will not support any congressperson who votes to implement such a policy. Instead, I submit the following three steps:

I. INSURANCE

A. Insure the subprime bonds/mortgages with an underlying FHA-type insurance. Government-insured and backed loans would have an instant market all over the world, creating immediate and needed liquidity.

B. In order for a company to accept the government-backed insurance, they must do two things:

1. Rewrite any mortgage that is more than three months delinquent to a 6% fixed-rate mortgage.

a. Roll all back payments with no late fees or legal costs into the balance. This brings homeowners current and allows them a chance to keep their homes.

b. Cancel all prepayment penalties to encourage refinancing or the sale of the property to pay off the bad loan. In the event of foreclosure or short sale, the borrower will not be held liable for any deficit balance. FHA does this now, and that encourages mortgage companies to go the extra mile whileworking with the borrower—again limiting foreclosures and ruined lives.

2. Cancel ALL golden parachutes of EXISTING and FUTURE CEOs and executive team members as long as the company holds these government-insured bonds/mortgages. This keeps underperforming executives from being paid when they don’t do their jobs.

C. This backstop will cost less than $50 billion—a small fraction of the current proposal.

II. MARK TO MARKET

A. Remove mark to market accounting rules for two years on only subprime Tier III bonds/mortgages. This keeps companies from being forced to artificially mark down bonds/mortgages below the value of the underlying mortgages and real estate.

B. This move creates patience in the market and has an immediate stabilizing effect on failing and ailing banks—and it costs the taxpayer nothing.

III. CAPITAL GAINS TAX

A. Remove the capital gains tax completely. Investors will flood the real estate and stock market in search of tax-free profits, creating tremendous—and immediate—liquidity in the markets. Again, this costs the taxpayer nothing.

B. This move will be seen as a lightning rod politically because many will say it is helping the rich. The truth is the rich will benefit, but it will be their money that stimulates the economy. This will enable all Americans to have more stable jobs and retirement investments that go up instead of down.


This is not a time for envy, and it’s not a time for politics. It’s time for all of us, as Americans, tostand up, speak out, and fix this mess.