The irony (x 2) of a free handout at a YMCA safe kids fair

Above is a pill toy. This was given to children with the message: Use only as directed. That is correct, a 4" x 1.5" soft, squishy pill toy was given by the county's human services department to elementary-aged children so they know not to play with pills.

This is like giving a toy gun to kids so they won't play with guns. Or handing brass knuckles out at an anti-bullying rally. A little ironic.

The second thing I noticed deals with the name of the county department that sponsored these toys: Weber Human Services Prevention. No colon, no hyphen or any punctuation between "Weber Human Services" and "Prevention". Therefore, based on my understanding of the English language, this department is established to prevent human services within the county of Weber.

This time release capsule toy may be more of a PR time bomb.

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An additional tidbit...

The movie's acting and dialogue was good. It was not spectacular, but it was good enough that I never felt the urge to cringe (which is something I do quite often). Actually, I take that back. The final scene had a bit of contrived dramatics. After a seven to eight second voice-over narration, Dagny shouts, awkwardly, "No!"

Additionally, there was one exchange between Dagny and Rearden where the back-and-forth, meant to share with the audience their plan-of-attack, seemed a little forced.

This story is a non-partisan, but ideological one. It addresses the questions of how long can non-producers feed off the labor of producers and do people have the right to work hard to pursue their dreams and keep the fruits of their labor.

In sum, the movie is not inferior in any way to other movies of the day, contrary to what is being peddled by other reviewers. I give the movie an 8.6 out of 10. The story still gets a 9.7 out of 10.

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Atlas Shrugged Part I

I caught the first theatrical installment of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged this afternoon. Although this is not my official review, I felt the urge to make a quick note.

The overall impression I have of the show is positive. The filming provides plenty of great shots contrasting the urban versus natural ambiances that are central to the book's setting. The soundtrack is complimentary to the story, not distracting, as some trend to be.

Contrary to many of the other reviews I've read, the movie (and originally the book) is not about angry, frustrated Conservatives complaining about government regulation of their industries, but rather a look into the results of certain mindsets and philosophies.

One is a utopian view that if all are equal, all is well. Happiness and sadness are irrelevant when all are equal. The other view believes that hard work, ingenuity and individualism is a quest worth seeking and the rewards are... well, rewarding.

The beauty of the message is that when reality is consulted in this matter, only one of these view points is actually sustainable. By focusing on the legislation of equal outcomes, no one is lifted up, but many are pulled down. The net difference is an overall decrease in the standard of living.

More to come.

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Welcome to 2011!

After a year that saw many financial uncertainties and political upheavals, it is time to leave 2010 in the past. Although it was a fine year for our organization and our families, there were plenty of our fellow Americans who struggled professionally. Our hearts go out to all those who are still battling the economic downturn and pray for their desire to pursue success and for the health of their families.

Americans went to the ballot boxes this last November to reject the over-zealous agenda of the Liberals and Progressives who had been drafting and passing legislation that hurt the economy and its chance for a rebound. Rather than wait for the government to solve their problems, American voters clearly demanded fiscal restraint and commonsense approaches to spending and social programs. The lame-duckers in Congress decided to stick it to the voters by doubling down on their unpopular, destructive agenda.

Here's hoping 2011 brings much industry, commerce, hard work & success to all of us!

Good luck and God bless!

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