A Look at Memory Lane

As some of you recall,  I was a politically engaged student while I was at Carleton.  I was a leader of the Carleton Conservative Union as a student.  It's been 11 years since I've been a student on campus, but the memories are still there.  One of the joys I recall being involved in the CCU was participating in the  debate on ideas in bringing different speakers on campus such as Ward Connerly, Dinesh D'Souza, WIlliam F. Buckley as well as writing columns in The Carletonian newspaper.  Recently, due to some intrepid work of the Carleton archive staff, the following picture of the back cover of the alumni magazine, the Carleton Voice, was passed along to me from the Winter 2000 issue.  

Apparently the orange juice had an effect of my demeanor and dress.  Memories...

Head Slapper of the Week

Things in Minnesota are a bit out of sync these days.  The latest evidence of that is the recent event at the Minnesota Arboretum, run by the University of Minnesota.

National Public Gardens Day
Friday, May 10, 2013

Celebrate National Public Gardens Day on Friday, May 10, by visiting Minnesota's premiere public garden, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Gate admission will be free for all visitors on this special day. This year, the Arboretum is attempting to break the world record for the "Largest Tree Hug" at noon in the Shade Tree Exhibit on Three-Mile Drive! The current record is 702 people, set by the Forestry Commission (UK) in Delamere Forest in Cheshire, United Kingdom. Come help break the record!

Tentative schedule of events:

• All day: Free gate admission for all visitors
• 10 a.m.-noon: book-signing with author Jim Gilbert in the Gift Store. *Special Arboretum books will be free with qualifying purchase in the Gift Store.
• 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: "Arboretum Department Expo" in the Visitor Center for visitors to learn more about the staff. Spin-the-wheel for prize giveaways. 
• Noon-1 p.m.: Record-breaking attempt at the Largest Tree Hug in the Shade Tree Exhibit on Three-Mile Drive. Those interested in participating are asked to begin arriving at 11:30 a.m. onward. A picture will be taken of this attempt and participants will sign a record book.

Join us for a fun day in the gardens!

Background
Now in its fifth year, National Public Gardens Day celebrates the vital role public gardens play in promoting environmental stewardship and awareness, plant and water conservation, and education.  More than 500 North American public gardens are participating in this special day, which was initiated by the American Public Gardens Association in partnership with NPGD official sponsor Rain Bird irrigation products. 

"National Public Gardens Day is a great time for families and enthusiasts to enjoy the Arboretum gardens and learn about our educational outreach and research efforts," said Ed Schneider, Arboretum director. "Our mission is to engage and educate the public on the irreplaceable value of plants." 

What happened?  Apparently success.

We broke the world record on the Tree Hug! Our count is 935, besting the record by 233 people! Thanks to all huggers —it was a spectacular sight!

Need I say more?  Four Head Slaps.

A New Feature

As I journey back into providing opinions on public policy, I thought I would provide words of wisdom from a leader that I have a truly admire and respect, President Calvin Coolidge.  I have multiple books in my bookcase regarding America's 30th president.  However, I have had trouble sharing President Coolidge's wisdom clearly since my mom tells me that speaking English is a challenge of mine.  

But I have a solution, one of the books I have is the Quotable Calvin Coolidge.  So each week I'm just going to allow Slient Cal himself provide you some wisdom each week.  This should be quite interesting.

For the first entry, I will reference President Coolidge's Inaugural address upon his re-election on March 4, 1925.  Here, President Coolidge is speaking of America's aspiration.

America seeks no empire built on blood and forces...she cherishes no purpose save to merit the favor of Almighty God.

Is this still America's aspiration?

A Stand I Make

I've decided that I will come back into the public policy area providing commentary that can be seen as insightful or myopic.  It will be what it will be.

Today I want to make a quick note regarding the MN state legislature and the Governor's hard drive to legalize same-sex marriages.  To be blunt, I call it legalized sodomy and I am opposed to it.  I oppose it not only through my Christian faith, but also for the societal and public costs such a policy would entail.

The societal costs are notable.  If (and looks more like when) sodomy is legalized in Minnesota, what costs would that entail. 

• One would be that monogamous relationships would be less likely.  For example, in the Netherlands where sodomy is ingrained in societal acceptance, a  homosexual who averages eight partners per year would seen as having a "steady partner."   

• If monogamous relationships are less likely, the occurrence of marriage would like decline as well.  In a society where monogamous heterosexual relationships are losing value, legalizing sodomy would only further disintegrate  the value of any monogamous relationship, let alone the value of marriage.  Therefore, fewer couples will marry.  This is borne out by facts such as in Massachusetts that half of sodomite couples do end up as married and that figure is only one out of eight in the Netherlands.

• More children would grow up fatherless is another obvious cost of legalized sodomy.  Fatherless children are more likely to grow up in poverty, more likely to be incarcerated and more likely to be part of a "broken home" later in life.  

Birth rates would fall.  Mother and father are needed to create children.  A declining birth rate harms society due to a shrinking taxpayer base to support a growing aging population as well as the growing demand for public services of the existing society.  That's just a fact.  Look at a country like Japan that has a quickly aging population but a low birth rate to see the fiscal troubles it is creating.

That's a couple of the societal costs, how about the public health costs.

• Sodomite make up more than half of new HIV/AIDS infections according to HIVandHepatitis.com.  There is notable evidence from the CDC that sodomites make up nearly two out of three new cases of syphilis. According to the CDC, sexually transmitted like these make up $16 billion of straight medical costs.

• Sodomite men on average live 20 years shorter than the average of all men.  This means that is 20 years less than they could of had to contribute to society as a taxpayer and a human being.  

• Sodomite men are 50 percent more likely to suffer depression based on an article written in BMC Psychiatry (a UK outfit)

These are just a few of the costs that I haven't heard about in this debate, which is really disgraceful in my myopic opinion.  But as Bob Dylan says, "The Times are a Changin"  no matter if we like it or not.

Pondering a Policy Return

Ever since the last election I said that I would disengage in public policy opinion-making for an extended period of time.    I have kept my word there, providing more commentary on life events, showing that I'm not an utterly boring person, hopefully.

However, I have gotten the itch to discuss public policy again.  Significant issues both on the social and economic fronts are on my mind that i do have an opinion to provide.  I could say it would be an informed one based on my education with a Masters in Public Policy, but I wouldn't want to be seen as that prideful.  So I'll just say it would be at least a myopic opinion.

So I'm wants some feedback from you.  Should I provide public policy opinions?  Would you be bored if I did?

BTW, I was informed by a blog reader that I've been writing some sort of blog or listserve for over ten years now.  More evidence that I am indeed aging before your eyes.

Please provide some comments to help me in my decision.

Had Enough?

When I saw snow flying outside my window this morning, this pretty much summed up my thoughts.

Updated Musings

It's been a busy and interesting couple of weeks for me.  A few points:

- I'm about a month into my new position at Deluxe Corporation.  I'm still in the transition phase of learning about different processes of the business and learning what the leaders need.  It's a pretty casual environment here where folks generally work normal business hours to get things done.  A vastly different environment compared to Best Buy.

- I have kept in touch with my old colleagues at Best Buy and I have to say the more I hear from them the more I am appreciative of the Almighty's guidance in my career decision.  Let's just say that if I went back my area would look a bit different.

- With this new job I've been able to go up to Duluth to help my mother at the Golden Inn a couple times this month.  It's nice to help out, but even through April the city looked like this.

I do invite you to come to the Golden Inn this spring (it's this season, right?) and summer.

- I'm also glad that the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) is going to be playing soon.  As an SPCO member, I wondered if I would ever see a concert this season.  But soon enough, I'll be hearing high quality music live and in person.  That's a good thing.

So that's it for now.  I'll surely figure out something more interesting later (like tax policy, ha) to talk about.