Who will pay the piper?

My children and their children will pay the bill. What a shame to leave them this kind of legacy.

Here's what people in Kenya think about Pres.O

I don't suppose you'd see one of these in Hawaii? Well, maybe it's just an honest mistake. Does anyone actually check?

Here's how people are feeling about change

New Clovis, NM you'll see this billboard. Citizens are rising up to say what they really think about the current President.

What's a lake for?

Many of the houses on Lake Louise had their own plane parked on the lake. If you ask an Alaskan about it he'll say, "What's a lake for?" Perhaps this makes a lot of sense. If the Lord had wanted people to fly, he would have made it simpler to get to the airport! There you go!

The mountains on the other side of the lake were beautiful. Wasilla is a small town, with some nice big lakes like this. Where I come from in Arizona, the fish are still learning how to swim. Here, they have to wait in line.

Mountain biking & bear cub

Yesterday, Nancy and I went mountain biking up Waterton Canyon. The canyon has re-opened. Now, the one day I don't take my camera we see wildlife everywhere. We saw over 30 big horn sheep and a bear cub!  Yes, that's right! On the way back down the canyon we saw a bear cub, right by the road feeding on a shrub. We stopped and watched him for a few minutes and then wondered... "where is mom?"  Hmm... Upon further consideration, we quickly departed and rode back to car, happy to see some wildlife today.

Birthday party

The birthday party was great for the kids. They played in the water, ate lots of fun food, including that frozen chocolate cake, and they enjoyed everything in the back yard.

One of the highlights of the party was this hose with a bunch of squiggly little hoses squirting up in unpredictable directions. The kids squealed and ran though it over and over. Oh boy, was it ever tempting, but my dignity is still in tact!

Everything was set up in the shade in the back yard. Well okay, the umbrellas provided the shade, but what else do you need? The parents came out and a few of the got wet, but all of them had the frozen chocolate cake. I don't blame them. I told everyone I was a light eater. I only eat when it's light. They all went back for seconds.

Diets just take the starch out of me

Andy had his birthday party last week and I was there. Everyone had a great time at the party, but no one was smiling too much until the frozen chocolate cake was eaten. Mmmm, was it ever good! The days mantra was; eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we diet! Then, the second day on your diet is always easier than the first. By the second day you're off it and you eat leftover frozen cake again!

Andy got a new bike for his birthday. He learned pretty fast. At first I was walking beside him, coaching him along. Then a few minutes later I was jogging beside him, coaching him along. Then I was yelling, "Hey, wait for me!" Then there was the party.

Letter from a frustrated business owner to employes

I decided to publish this letter.  He's a friend of my sister in law and I don't know him, but I hope you read it.  This letter captures what it's really like for small business...

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job.

What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country. Of course, as your employer, I am forbidden to tell you whom to vote for - it is against the law to discriminate based on political affiliation, race, creed, religion, etc.

Please vote for who you think will serve your interests the best. However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interest. First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story.

This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You saw my big home at last year’s Christmas party. I'm sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life. However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 12 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living space was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's.

My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business --- with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, ****, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to me like a 1 day old baby.

You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.. Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail out all the people who didn't.

The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for. Yes, business ownership has its benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check?

Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country. The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. Here is what many of you don't understand .. to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the mud of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine.

Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep. So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem anymore. Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire.

You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

While tax cuts to 95% of America sounds great on paper, don't forget the back story: If there is no job, there is no income to tax. A tax cut on zero dollars is zero. So, when you make decision to vote, ask yourself, who understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn't? Whose policies will endanger your job? Answer those questions and you should know who might be the one capable of saving your job. While the media wants to tell you "It's the economy Stupid" I'm telling you it isn't.

If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me in the South Caribbean sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.

Signed, Your boss,

Michael A. Crowley, PE Location: This is a real letter

Waterton Canyon

Waterton Canyon has opened up again. We are excited about the prospect of late summer and fall rides up the canyon. Sunday, I flew over Stontia Springs Reservoir and looked right down over the dam. I could see the reservoir, the road, and the start of the Colorado Trail going up to the South Platte area. Below is a photo of one of our last trips up the canyon prior to the closing. We stopped to look at the big horn sheep grazing by the road.

Tools

I was staying with my daughter and son-in-law last week and we needed to adjust a few things on my grandson's new bicycle. We bought bike for his birthday and of course he was very anxious to try it out (more on this later). Anyway, I realized that my son-in-law has a very nice set of tools. However, tools are only as good as the person who uses them.

Alaska

After the party I flew to Fairbanks, Alaska. Fairbanks doesn't have the big mountains you see around Anchorage, unless you drive South to Denali. Since it was cloudy during most of my time in Fairbanks, I decided to take a photo of my rental car. They all have extension cords hanging out of the front grill, for that cold weather in the winter.

Then, on to Anchorage followed by a short drive to Wasilla. Below is a photo of Lake Louise. I stayed at a hotel right on the lake for a couple nights and enjoyed some very nice views. It's nice to have a job, even if you do have to travel. Problem is, I drink too much coffee at work, I toss and turn at my desk all day!

Hawk attack

Yesterday I was on the phone with someone from work and a large red tailed hawk just like this one, landed in the open space behind my house (maybe 35 feet from the back of my house). He had caught one of those pesky rabbits and was tearing it to pieces and eating it. Since I was on the phone, I couldn't get my camera fast enough to catch the action, so you'll have to settle for this rendition. At first I thought it was a Golden Eagle because it was so large (looking through the blinds), but after a closer look I realized what it was.

Who's done it wrong here, govt or business?

A number of years ago while travelling, I had the usual layover in Detroit. I went to my favorite shoe shine stand to find my friend Washington. He told me, it would be my last shoe shine because he was retirin' at the end of the month. I asked him why and of course I told him I would miss seeing him and miss talking about the Tigers, hoops, and his grand children and everything.

He said, "The City of Detroit decided to make me pay rent  for my little space here. They want $450 a month. I can't afford that kind of money!" he said, and then he went on, "After taxes, supplies, gas to get here, and parking out here, and everything else, I'd have to do over 200 shines in a month before I even started makin' any money. I'm too old to work for $3 an hour. So they just plain puttin' me out of business. Greedy politicians is what they are."

I felt bad for Washington because he was not really ready to quit. In my mind, he had been providing a great service for tired travelers at DFW. He wasn't in any one's way and he wasn't in a location where another vendor could take his place. He was a hard working black man, trying to make a living, removed by the uncaring Democratic leadership in that city.

When government gets too involved in the lives of businesses and people, you end up with situations like this everywhere. The unintended (and sometimes intended) consequences of things like Obamacare, heavy burdensome regulation, and union favoritism lead to these kinds of circumstances. This isn't really what we want is it?

Ephesians

For those of you who haven't gotten my Dad's book yet, here it is.  You can order it on Amazon by clicking on this link. I think you will enjoy it and find some refreshing approaches to a beautiful book in the Bible.

Kierkegaard on Christ

"Christ had the certainty that what He suffered was atonement for all, unconditionally for all, and the confidence that with his every step, his every word, "the scriptures were fulfilled." He was the Scriptures given life."

SK goes on...

"It is as if Christ said to the soul: How can you be anxious about me and become more anxious in my presence; I am in fact your very Savior. Believe me that I am. This is not an assurance, this is infinitely more than an assurance; I let myself be crucified for you; if this cannot convince you, then it is impossible."

Black Lake

On our hike to Black Lake last weekend, we found the creek cascading down a granite slab. We were really tempted to get in at the top and slide into the pool below. This would have been an unfortunate thing since the granite is really pretty rough. I think it would have torn up more than our shorts! That's one of the problems of places like this. You see something that looks really cool, and you want to do it, but... your brain is writing checks, your body can't cash!

All you have to do

My last camping trip looked like this. In Peru we had porters, cooks, and guides. We had everything provided. I doubt I will ever enjoy camping like this again. When you go here, everything is done for you, all the cooking, the preparation, the carrying, the labor, the clean up, and I got all the enjoyment. It's sort of like being born again I suppose. All you have to do is show up.

For the beauty of the earth

For the beauty of the earth,

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies;

Lord of all, to Thee we raise.

What you don't see

 Sublime. I don't know how else you can describe it. The views and magnificent scenery in Colorado are absolutely over the top. What you don't see in the photo below is the creek rushing down the rock with a delightful noise, or the wind blowing in the trees. You don't see the birds singing and smell the pine in the trees blowing in the air. What you don't see is the crisp air making bumps on your skin and cooling you off like no other air. What you don't see is the creator resting in His creation and enjoying what He's done. You only see an image, you only catch a glimpse of glory.

Black Lake hike

Our hike to black Lake yesterday was spectacular. It was five miles up to timberline to the lake with about 1,400 feet of elevation gain. We started at the Bear Lake parking area in Rocky Mountain National Park. I had done this hike two times before with Leon in January (some 20+ years ago) for purposes of ice climbing. The area certainly looked different in the summer.

We stopped and had lunch on this nice ledge by the lake and enjoyed the wonderful views and smell of the forest. We could see the fish jumping in the lake and a couple times I could see the rainbow trout swimming in the shallows on the edge of the lake.

The trail was well maintained by the Park Service but it sure didn't make the hiking any easier. This trail was moderate + I would say. We all had a great time during out 2.5 hour hike up and 2.5 hour hike down. I would highly recommend this trail to anyone in good shape, and say; "take your camera!"

Who will help the Rockies?

I wonder if this guy could help the Rockies? I doubt that any minor management changes in the front office will do much. Another trade maybe? Well to get someone good, you have to give something up and other teams are smart enough to know what you've got. For example, let's trade veteran Marco Scutaro to the Giants for a minor league player, and then play the Giants tonight and see how he does! What! How about finding another proven player?  Nope, too much money! What's left? Fire everyone?  How about "let's develop our minor league players!"  Nah, they're too much fun to trade away, like Matt Holiday and many others. How about a new manager?

I'm told the Rocks may be in real trouble tonight against the Giants. This afternoon, the pitching machine threw a no-hitter! We've been in the cellar so long, it's damp!

Why do we do, what we do?

I bought a couple of small finger dolls from this little girl on Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca. They are the little puppet like dolls you can slip over your finger and are made of Alpaca fiber. Anyway, my first instinct was to  get the best deal I could. But then I thought, 'what kind of ugly American would I be then?' Besides, her mother had just finished cooking lunch for me and my friends and was standing nearby. You could tell Mom was watching and concerned about her little one. I gave this beautiful little girl more than they were worth and we were all happy.

What a treasure children are, in all cultures. Where does that idea come from? Was it planted in us? Animals don't think this way. A horse does not show concern for his stable-mate. In the stable the heaviest and clumsiest does not give up his oats for the other or is in any way concerned about him, the way men wish to be treated. Why is that? We didn't just learn this from our parents, it's everywhere.

Ankle breaker

This is Butler Wash road. It is very close to where Nancy broke her ankle. She rolled her ankle about 7 weeks ago at the end of a nice hike up to procession panel. For those of you who have been asking, she is on the mend and exercising her foot now. She is in and out of a walking cast but mostly out now. She can't wait to get back to Butler Wash! She's standing over my shoulder and laughing right now!

When we went to the Doc in Blanding, I was cringing at the cost of health care. Of course obamacare doesn't address the costs, only who will pay for it. But I digress. At the doctors, Nancy got an x-ray, a really nice cast, lots of attention, and good medical care. The insurance did pay for it, or will except of course the deductable. Then it dawned on me why doctors wear masks. It's the cost of health care!

For those of you who've been to Bluff before you probably understand the soft sandy soil. It's pretty easy to slip or lose your balance and twist or break an ankle. I wonder if any of those Anasazi ever did this? If so, I imagine it would be life threatening. Doctors are amazing, they cure people faster.

My question is, "Do doctors who treat people for amnesia make them pay in advance?" Paul, what do you think?