It's been a while since I have taken the time to write anything. Alot has happened. Birth's and deaths, basketball and work, the normal things that happen when you have a very large extended family. The births and deaths I will write about in the next couple of days. This morning riding to work I made the mistake and found myself listening to the local talk radio. The discussion was on the president's remark of this not being a christian nation, nor a jewish nation etc, etc but a nation of citizens. All the callers (as you would expect) said we are a christian nation.
All though I agree that the majority of Americans claim to be Christians, are we truely a Christian Nation? As a nation do we strive to be Christ Like? Do we love our enemies? When we give to the needy Do we "announce it with trumpets" or "give in secret"? Are we a Christian Nation when 44% of married men, and 36% of married women have committed adultery? We want to announce to the world that we are a Christian Nation, but we are the only country in the world to have ever used a nuclear bomb on another country. We are quick to invade a country for military use but slow to send troops into Dafur."Whatever you did not do for the least of these you did not do for me". So are we a Christian Nation?
I have always said that no one should ever have to ask whether or not you are a Christian. Your actions and the way you treat others should be proof enough. The same applies to our country. No one should ever have to ask whether or not America is a Christian Nation. Our actions should remove all doubt. St. Francis of Assisi says " Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words".
Syd
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Bye!!!
I thought of something over the week-end as I was watching a new documentary on HBO. The documentary was done over the course of the election with all the views coming from the McCain campaign. The amount of hatred was unreal. I also remembered how many people said that if Obama won they would leave the country. Well, I'm figuring it was @ 5-7% of the population. If this is the case and our national un-employment is @ 7.5%, then I have one word for them, BYE. It's time to go. If you are so unhappy, leave and let someone have your job. Also, leave the keys to your home for the people who are losing their homes to foreclosure. My expedition is about to turn 285k, I need your car also. That is if you are not taking it with you. Yep, gotta go. You are the ones preaching honesty and integrity. If you said it then stand by your words, pack your stuff and get out.
And please take Mark Sanford with you.
Syd
And please take Mark Sanford with you.
Syd
Friday, February 20, 2009
It's everybody's child support
This morning the rants and raves continued about PRESIDENT OBAMA'S plan to help the toxic morgages. Everyone was saying "we shouldn't help these people who bought beyond their means", or "I paid my morgage on time, why should I be responsible for their irresponsiblity?". Well as I see it there are a couple of factors that have been left out.
1) If you did not see your house go up in value over the last 7 years then you are right, you shouldn't have to assist. The value of houses did not go up 5-7% annually on their own. It was a direct result of more buyers (qualified or not) entering the market. Greenville was not as badly effected as other markets but we for sure were not exempt.
2) If you did not see a significant jump in your 401 or in your stocks during this period you are exempt too. In Jan 2003 the stock market was at @7600 pts. Over the next 5 years it almost doubled. Peaking at @ 14000 at the end of 2007. People were not only buying houses they couldn't afford, but they were 2nd/3rd mortgaging and buying items they couldn't afford. Thus driving up the market with borrowed money.
It happens all the time. During those prosperous 80's, it was called junk bonds. The market crashed in 89,we stayed in a recession until the mid-90's then the dot.coms came to the rescue. The market took a downturn in 2000, 9/11 hit and we used make believe mortgages and money to bail us out. The only problem this time is peoples homes and lives are effected. We used greed and a lack of oversights to create this problem. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend watching "House of Cards" on CNBC. It is very educational and explains how deep it really goes.
Bottom line is this: homes and the stock market were never meant to be cash registers or slot machines. Houses were things you made a home of and raised your family in. The stock market was something for long term investments. Not a source for a quick fix. This is our baby.
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction". 1 Timothy 6:9
Syd
http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Dow_Jones_Industrial_Average_(.DJIA)/WikiChart
1) If you did not see your house go up in value over the last 7 years then you are right, you shouldn't have to assist. The value of houses did not go up 5-7% annually on their own. It was a direct result of more buyers (qualified or not) entering the market. Greenville was not as badly effected as other markets but we for sure were not exempt.
2) If you did not see a significant jump in your 401 or in your stocks during this period you are exempt too. In Jan 2003 the stock market was at @7600 pts. Over the next 5 years it almost doubled. Peaking at @ 14000 at the end of 2007. People were not only buying houses they couldn't afford, but they were 2nd/3rd mortgaging and buying items they couldn't afford. Thus driving up the market with borrowed money.
It happens all the time. During those prosperous 80's, it was called junk bonds. The market crashed in 89,we stayed in a recession until the mid-90's then the dot.coms came to the rescue. The market took a downturn in 2000, 9/11 hit and we used make believe mortgages and money to bail us out. The only problem this time is peoples homes and lives are effected. We used greed and a lack of oversights to create this problem. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend watching "House of Cards" on CNBC. It is very educational and explains how deep it really goes.
Bottom line is this: homes and the stock market were never meant to be cash registers or slot machines. Houses were things you made a home of and raised your family in. The stock market was something for long term investments. Not a source for a quick fix. This is our baby.
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction". 1 Timothy 6:9
Syd
http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Dow_Jones_Industrial_Average_(.DJIA)/WikiChart
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Does this sound familiar?
Someone please help me here. Utah goes 13-0 and doesn't win the National Championship. They beat 4 ranked teams, destroyed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and still no national championship. Florida had a loss, and was losing to Alabama into the 4th quarter. Oklahoma a loss. Texas a loss. USC lost to Oregon State who Utah beat earlier in the season. What more did Utah have to do? They did everything they were asked to do and still was not invited to this private club known as the BCS. The BCS, a system to make the rich richer and to keep the poor poorer.
The BCS is more of a reflection of our country over the past 20 years than we want to admit. More times than not it seems that those who do everything that is asked of them are left out of the party. You do all that is asked of you at your job, and it is sent overseas. You buy a house in your price range only to see the overbuilt and overpriced houses around you foreclosed on, and thus drive down the value of yours. The so-called best schools are built near the more affluent areas of a city. Thus denying equal education for all social classes. Your kids must go to the "Right" church or wear the "Right" cloths to fit in and be invited into the club.
In the coming years what incentive does Utah or any other school have for seeking perfection? It's not going to insure anything but self satisfaction. Knowing that you have done your best whether its on a playing field, as a husband/father, employee, or simply being a decent human being, should be all that is needed anyway. In Utah they know who the champions are.
Syd
"If it makes you happy, it can't be that bad"
If it makes you happy, Then why in the hell are you so sad"
Sheryl Crow
The BCS is more of a reflection of our country over the past 20 years than we want to admit. More times than not it seems that those who do everything that is asked of them are left out of the party. You do all that is asked of you at your job, and it is sent overseas. You buy a house in your price range only to see the overbuilt and overpriced houses around you foreclosed on, and thus drive down the value of yours. The so-called best schools are built near the more affluent areas of a city. Thus denying equal education for all social classes. Your kids must go to the "Right" church or wear the "Right" cloths to fit in and be invited into the club.
In the coming years what incentive does Utah or any other school have for seeking perfection? It's not going to insure anything but self satisfaction. Knowing that you have done your best whether its on a playing field, as a husband/father, employee, or simply being a decent human being, should be all that is needed anyway. In Utah they know who the champions are.
Syd
"If it makes you happy, it can't be that bad"
If it makes you happy, Then why in the hell are you so sad"
Sheryl Crow
Saturday, January 10, 2009
No Excuses, No Pics only this
It's been almost 2 months since I have taken the time to post a blog. Baron DeKalb reminded me this past Tuesday at Madmen. Those who know me know that it wasn't from not having anything to say but basically from laziness and a problem with pictures. See, someone suggested a while back to add pictures to my blog. Well that would be fine and dandy if this was meant to be a running pictorial of the day to day life of Anna and Syd Smith. Its not. I always viewed this as an avenue for me to express my feelings on certain subjects. A place to let off a little steam and a place (as meagerly as it is) to realize my journalistic dreams. In my early years I dreamt of being the next Woodward of Bernstein. The funny thing was so did alot of others. Damn that "All the Presidents Men". My letters to the Editor at the Greenville News filled some of the void. But, owning a local business I had to be carefull on what I wrote or said. Here I don't have to make any excuses or begin to explain my warped view of the world. So Peg, No Pics and No excuses.
Now that the new year is upon us I have plenty of things to say. I'm not going to waste alot of time reliving the past 2 months. In a nutshell it went like this:
1) Clemson beat USC. (Nothing new, one is always the hammer and the other the nail)
2) Dabo got the job. (I was very happy. $$$$$)
3) Christmas with 4.5 grandchildren was what you would expect.
4) Bethelem Revisited - COLD!!!
5) New Years Day - a 50/50 split. Good Randall's Food, Bad Gator Bowl.
There you have it. I'm not going to worry about finding or uploading pictures only giving my opinion on things that don't matter to most.
PS: Peggy, I am working on another blogspot for pictures and happenings with our clan. That will hopefully be a joint effort.
Also, 10 days left until Inaguration!!!
Syd
Now that the new year is upon us I have plenty of things to say. I'm not going to waste alot of time reliving the past 2 months. In a nutshell it went like this:
1) Clemson beat USC. (Nothing new, one is always the hammer and the other the nail)
2) Dabo got the job. (I was very happy. $$$$$)
3) Christmas with 4.5 grandchildren was what you would expect.
4) Bethelem Revisited - COLD!!!
5) New Years Day - a 50/50 split. Good Randall's Food, Bad Gator Bowl.
There you have it. I'm not going to worry about finding or uploading pictures only giving my opinion on things that don't matter to most.
PS: Peggy, I am working on another blogspot for pictures and happenings with our clan. That will hopefully be a joint effort.
Also, 10 days left until Inaguration!!!
Syd
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
3 yrs later
Here is a picture we took last week of me and the boys. Here is also a picture of me and the boys taken almost 3 yrs to the date.
Syd
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Catch up time
I was reminded this morning at MADMEN that I needed to catch-up on my blogging. I replied that I had too much to write about and once I started it would not stop for a while. But here goes.
Observations from the campaign trail.
I had a chance to go and work a day in NC with the Obama campaign. I had worked in the phone bank and canvassed here in Greenville back during the primary but had not traveled. I spent a day in Hendersonville going house to house knocking on doors and reminding everyone to vote early. The neighborhoods we canvassed in were mostly low-income homes and some government housing. A very Obama friendly area. I was paired with a lady from Chattanooga who along with husband had driven their motorhome over in Auust and had been working with the campaign since. She was originally a Hillary supporter but was committed to electing Senator Obama. The most interesting thing I noticed throughout the campaign was the number of young people involved. The head of the Hendersonville office was a 19 yo young man from St.Louis who is a sophomore at Georgetown. Also working in the office were 2 students from the University of Iowa. These kids had taken a semister off to travel and work on something they believed in. Something else I found interesting was the response everyone had for anyone who showed interest in the campaign. They did not simply ask someone to vote, they ask them to make phone calls or canvass and if they couldn't do any of these things to simply bring food by the campaign headquarters. They were asking them to take ownership in the campaign.
Historians will write many books about this campaign. Mostly about the election of the 1st African-American president. What shouldn't be lost in this and should be a model for all campaigns in the future is how they were able to get so many people involved for the 1st time in their lives. We are going to need the same enthusisiam because it's going to take every single american to get us out of the mess we are in.
Syd
Observations from the campaign trail.
I had a chance to go and work a day in NC with the Obama campaign. I had worked in the phone bank and canvassed here in Greenville back during the primary but had not traveled. I spent a day in Hendersonville going house to house knocking on doors and reminding everyone to vote early. The neighborhoods we canvassed in were mostly low-income homes and some government housing. A very Obama friendly area. I was paired with a lady from Chattanooga who along with husband had driven their motorhome over in Auust and had been working with the campaign since. She was originally a Hillary supporter but was committed to electing Senator Obama. The most interesting thing I noticed throughout the campaign was the number of young people involved. The head of the Hendersonville office was a 19 yo young man from St.Louis who is a sophomore at Georgetown. Also working in the office were 2 students from the University of Iowa. These kids had taken a semister off to travel and work on something they believed in. Something else I found interesting was the response everyone had for anyone who showed interest in the campaign. They did not simply ask someone to vote, they ask them to make phone calls or canvass and if they couldn't do any of these things to simply bring food by the campaign headquarters. They were asking them to take ownership in the campaign.
Historians will write many books about this campaign. Mostly about the election of the 1st African-American president. What shouldn't be lost in this and should be a model for all campaigns in the future is how they were able to get so many people involved for the 1st time in their lives. We are going to need the same enthusisiam because it's going to take every single american to get us out of the mess we are in.
Syd
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