Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! No matter how I look at 2009, it was a tough, tough year, but that said, there is still so much to be thankful for. We made it back to Myrtle Beach in mid December, and it was very hectic. On top of that, December 29th, is also Jesse’s birthday. So to commemorate all the the things to be thankful for, I decided to have a nice photo shoot of me and my wonderful family. The pictures turned out great. Read More »
14 months ago the American economic bubble burst bringing about the worst recession since the Great Depression. Since that time, in the age of internet enlightenment, we have all watched as the Fed has done everything in is power to re-inflate the bubble. It is a very weird time in the history of our country and I hope I can bust a few myths related to our economic bubble.
Our economy is not improving
They are quick to rush out any sign that the economy is improving because GDP is on the rise. The best measure of the strength of our economy is not GDP; it’s employment. No matter how you cut it, the unemployment numbers continue to grow. Plus if you add in the people that were searching for a job and have given up, the picture looks even worse.
Although the Fed and the government would like us to believe that things are improving, it is a hard pill to swallow as long as unemployment continues to rise. If one takes into account, all of the illegal aliens and transient workers that have left since the economy imploded, the employment picture looks abysmal.
The Stock Market is not a proxy for the economy
The Dow has hit over 10,000 and is up to over 30% from its lows a little over a year ago. Wow! That is great growth. The problem is that in times such as these, there is little or no relation to stock market performance and that of our economy. Read More »
I received this amazing set of photos via email last week. When I get these “chain” mails, I try to put them on my web site for the really good ones. The photography is just simply amazing. I imagine a photographer that hasn’t eaten for days just waiting in the wild to take the perfect photo. Enjoy. There are thirty different photos but it goes so fast because the photography is so well done. Read More »
Solange’s mother came to visit us and we decided to take a quick weekend vacation. Solange searched the map and found Mangaratiba. It is about 70 miles from Rio de Janeiro, but given the condition of the roads and the traffic, it takes between 2-3 hours to drive there. All that said, it was worth it. I have been all over the world, and I would put Mangaratiba up there with Yosemite National Park as one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited in my life. Read More »
It was 9 days ago that I easily had the absolute worst experience I have had with any airline. I have been a frequent flyer all my life, and I realize that flights get canceled, bags get lost, and things happen. People that get upset over these things should not fly as much, but what happened to me goes beyond any of the normal issues one has when traveling. Here’s the story.
Last Monday, September 7, my family and I (Rob, Solange, Teddy and Jesse) were flying from Myrtle Beach to our second residence in Rio de Janeiro. We were on the return segment of our ticket, and there were no problems arriving in April. On international flights, according to Delta policy, infants must purchase a special lap ticket that allows the infant to sit on their parent’s lap. Unbelievable as it sounds, each lap ticket was about R$800 or $500.
I have been rearranging all of my video files, and I found this one taken back in May 2002 in Columbus, OH. Ryan, 7 years old in the video, was acting like a hyper active 7 year old. Ryan was always trying to figure out how to be a little more absurd. I took this video, and I said to him, “I can’t wait to show you this when you are 15 years old.” Here it is 2009, and unbelievable as it sounds, Ryan is now 15 years old.
Now that we are in the digital age, it is really fun and easy to see how much children change over time. Whereas us adults, we are basically the same. Well, maybe in Ryan’s case, he hasn’t change that much. Just kidding. Actually, Ryan will be 15 in October, but close enough. Also, I am no longer hosting my videos on YouTube (It’s a long story), so let me know if there is any difficulty viewing. Read More »
Teddy’s second birthday party was held in our home in Myrtle Beach, SC. Solange bought an inflatable castle for the kids to play in. At the same time, Brazil played the United States for the soccer championship called the Confederate Cup. Brazil won 3-2 in a very exciting match. Every one had a great time, and here is some video of the event.
The theme of the party was Spiderman, and the food was delicious and the cake was especially memorable. Read More »
Although so many people want to be successful, very few people are. Quite often, we end up rationalizing the success of others and inventing reasons why we are not successful. I have always believed different. It is not easy to be successful, but if one tries to achieve the following principles, ultimately successful will follow.
1. Tell the Truth
Or better put, don’t lie. If you tell the truth over the a long period of time, you earn something that is key in life, trust. Once people trust you, then it is easier to achieve more difficult tasks.
There is also a more important reason to strive to tell the truth. Do you remember when you were a kid, and you could tell when someone was lying to you? Over time, we adults lose this instinct. I believe it is because as we learn to lie, and our ability to detect lies declines. So the less you lie, the easier it is to see the truth. Read More »
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 | When The Game Was Ours by Bird & Johnson Read in Jan 2010 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn Read in Jan 2010 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | House of Cards by William Cohan Read in Oct 2009 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | The Yankee Years by Joe Torre Read in Oct 2009 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | Memorial Day by Vince Flynn Read in Oct 2009 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | End The Fed by Ron Paul Read in Sep 2009 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | Scarecrow by Michael Connelly Read in Aug 2009 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | Free by Chris Anderson Read in Aug 2009 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | The Gate House by Nelson Demille Read in Jun 2009 Check it out at My Book List. |
 | The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly Read in Jan 2009 Check it out at My Book List. |
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Welcome! I've been building this web site since 1997 and it's a work in progress, and so is my life.
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