Husband and Father to a beautiful little girl. Avid reader, writer, and blogger. Huge political junkie. Addicted to coffee. Born again runner. Enjoy cooking and adult beverages.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Who can ask for a better Sunday morning? Amanda got me @dunkindonuts coffee and the weather is perfect to sit outside and read @nytimes. (Taken with Instagram at The Riviera Patio)
Relaxation…
Enjoying the sunshine and readingThe Passage of Powerby Robert Caro is relaxing and great for the body, mind, and spirit.
Beginning my summer reading. (Taken with Instagram at The Riviera Patio)
Chicken almost done. (Taken with Instagram at The Riviera Patio)
Making a chicken on the grill for family dinner. #LovinSummerTime (Taken with Instagram at The Riviera Patio)
Enjoying a beautiful spring day in Raleigh with Amanda and Meredith! (Taken with Instagram at Natty Greene’s Pub & Brewing)
This week’s cover: we warn British readers that the West’s most radical government is in trouble. It needs to rediscover its boldness and honesty.
Why do Democratic activists want Parker? Follow the money - Politics - NewsObserver.com
It was a sad day Saturday when the State Executive Committee of the North Carolina Democratic Party failed to accept the resignation of disgraced Chair David Parker. As I always tell my government and econ students, “if you want to figure out why events take place, follow the $$$.” This lesson plays out once again as Parker essentially bribed local party activists to reject his resignation.
Richard Nixon and All the Presidents Men would be so proud of our state party chair and executive committee for their actions!
The way David Parker and his loyalists out-maneuvered the state Democratic Party on Saturday left many political observers scratching their heads. But it boils down to the driving force in all political stories: money.
Parker, the state party chairman, resigned in the wake of a sex scandal in his office only to resume that post after a majority of the Executive Committee rejected his resignation. He had promised the party’s district chairs taxpayer money this election season, even though others wanted to spend it differently.
After a 5.06 mile run, mowing the lawn, edging the yard, and tilling the garden, it’s nice to sit on the patio with a good book while enjoying the absolute gorgeous weather of late spring in Eastern NC! (Taken with Instagram at The Riviera Patio)
Pics from my first 5K race this past Saturday at the Ham & Yam Festival in Smithfield, NC!
Every Sunday morning with @nytimes and coffee is fantastic! (Taken with Instagram at The Porch & Pub)
My First 5K Race
I had a fun time today in Smithfield at the Ham and Yam Festival where I ran my first ever competitive race. I finished 17th with a time of 25.01 for the 5K race. I will post pics sometime tomorrow for all to see.
I can’t wait to run in a competitive race again and am looking forward to tomorrow’s training regiment at sunrise.
What a beautiful morning in Eastern North Carolina. Heading to Smithfield for a day of fun with my family and to run in a 5K Race at the #Ham
I Wonder…
in 12 years when my little girl is 15 and asks me why we are involved in Afghanistan if I will be able to tell her it was worth the human blood and economic sacrafice to involve our nation in a 23 year committment to a policy of nation building. There is a reason that historians have labled Afghanistan “the graveyard of empires.” Extending the stay in Afghanistan does not mean success, it guarantees as the President stated last evening in his speech that more Americans will suffer further casualties and our scarce resources will be allocated to prop up a corrupt government for fear that Al-Queda will return.
In typical President Obama fashion, the speech was delivered eloquently, convincing many that the end was near in this longest of U.S. military actions. But what does this President mistake Americans for? One does not have to be a military historian or student of foreign policy to understand that combat patrols will not come to an end anytime soon and that 2024 will become 2030 then 2040 and so on. It has been 67 years since the conclusion of WWII and our military presence is still felt in Europe and Japan. When President Obama says all U.S. troops and advisors will leave Afghanistan in 2024, he is playing us for fools.
Private Sector Job Growth Slows
This is not good news for unemployed Americans seeking employment, the part time worker looking for full time, or the under employed striving for a job that matches their skill level. As an under employed worker, I am getting very frustrated that I can not find employment which matches my skill sets and am beginning to wonder if going to graduate school was worth the time, effort, and expense. If the GDP is only going to grow at 2%, it does not take a PhD in Economics to see that job creation will be lackluster at best. I have tried to remain optimistic about future employment prospects but am finding it harder to keep hope when after applying for jobs, I receive the rejection letter stating “the job has been filled”, “the job has been eliminated”, or “we are no longer filling this vacancy due to uncertainty over future economic events.”
I do pray for the millions of Americans like myself that this economy improves so we can provide a better standard of living, now and in the future, for our families. We are not asking for much, just a fair shot at living the American Dream, which feels so far out of reach at the moment!
