Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts

Behold, The Power of Branding

Category: , By Christian
My daughter is so American. She has already been brainwashed by the powers of consumerism and branding, at the ripe age of 2.9 years old.

Even though we don't frequent McDonald's, she proclaims "FRIES!" every time we pass the Golden Arches.

An announcement of "Nuggets" greets the sight of Chic-fil-a.

And anytime we are in the neighborhood of a Target, a joyous "Red Store, Daddy!" greets me from the back seat.

It's even gotten to the point where she threw a minor fit last week when we had to drive past the Red Store to get to an actual grocery store. She insisted on Red Store. I was like, "they don't have groceries." She didn't care.

So I thought Elli would be thrilled on Monday when I had to swing by Target. But as I get ready to unbuckle her from her car seat, she protests.

Elli: No. I want the other Red Store.

Me: What other Red Store?

Elli: The Blue Red Store.

Me: There is no "Blue Red Store". The Red Store is by definition, red.

Elli: Definition red?

Me: Yeah. Let's go.

It then dawns on me that my daughter isn't just rambling incoherently. I start to connect the red dots and blue dots.

Me: Do you mean WalMart?

Elli: Yes.

Granted, Elli answers "yes" to 90% of the questions we ask, regardless of whether or not it's the factually correct answer. Nonetheless, it seems reasonable that she is referring to WalMart.

Me: We don't go to WalMart. We're Dashiells.

Elli: Ok.

I thought about explaining to her that the stance isn't elitist. I thought about explaining globalization and WalMart's habit of crushing small-businesses in little towns. But I thought better of it. No need to raise a jaded child.

Though I am a little worried about the standards we are setting for the future. It's easy to not go to Walmart in the city. But if we ever find ourselves living in rural Kansas, we will be challenged. Because WalMart has effectively choked out all competition in the region, and we will thus be forced to purchase a combine so that we can manufacture our own wheat-based toiletries.

Renew and Restore
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I Am America

Category: , , By Christian
I didn't vote today. I voted a week ago. I voted while sitting on my couch and watching Sportscenter. Then I tidily folded up my ballot and sent it off in the mail.

Wait in line? Pfffffffffft. As if. I ain't waiting in line for anything if I don't have to. People can feel free to follow me, but I ain't lookin' at nobody's backside for 20 minutes. You crazy, son.

What's that? Oh. Chick-fil-a is giving out free sandwiches since it's Election Day? Holla at ya' boy! That's what I'm talking about. Ok. I'll wait in line for 20 minutes. Becuase I'm American. Because I love convenience almost (but not quite) as much as I love a $3.50 chicken sandwich. That's worth looking at some backside for.

You know what the hardest part of waiting in line for 20 minutes to get free food is? Behaving yourself.

One of the things that cracks me up is how often people have misued the word "socialism" these past few weeks. Like, there is a big difference between big government and socialism, technically speaking. There's a big difference between socializing certain programs and being a socialist country. But we're not generally skilled in the art of nuance when it comes time to vote. We're more the broad-stroke life-or-death kind of people.

So the term has been misused and people are all worked up about it. It's actually turned into a slur of sorts, but this too shall pass.

So anyway, I'm sitting there in line when I see some people with McCain shirts on. And this idea pops into my head.

Wouldn't it be really funny if I raised my fist up in the air and hollered at the top of my lungs, "Free food for the masses. Socialists UNIIIIIIITE."

Now that would freak some people out. But then I remembered that I didn't want to get people all worked up on election day, so I just stood there and played with a straw instead.

Renew and Restore
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Border's is Dead to Me

Category: , By Christian
I'll warn you up front. This post is very, very ranty. I don't care if "ranty" isn't an actual word. It describes this post.

So a while back I used frequent flier miles to pick up a subscription to The Economist. Strong move on my part. The rag has been great. The depth of coverage is fantastic, and it's really healthy to have a non-American view of the news. Good reporting on Asia, Africa and South America. And no particular lean toward either political party.

The best aspect of the magazine is that it has really challenged my views on the free market. Socialized government has sounded appealing to me over the past decade or so, but now I wrestle with the two paradigms. Clearly, that is a week's worth of posts in and of itself, so we'll just leave it at that.

Imagine my disappointment this week when I get an unexpected package from the United States Postal Service. A small clear bag, boldly stating "We Care". I never accused the postal service of not caring. But clearly, they felt the need to explain themselves since the contents of the package included the cover of this week's Economist. Only the cover. The rest was laying helplessly in some street, or on the floor of the postoffice or at the back of some postal vehicle.

Look, I completely understand that the post office can't possibly bat a thousand. Stuff is going to get mixed up. We're cool. But dang. Of all the weeks to not get The Economist. You know. Only the week that hosted the biggest financial crash of my lifetime.

Still no worries. I read a couple of articles online, but really wanted a hard copy. I had a Border's gift card, and figured I'd swing by to pick up a copy there. But following a 5-minute search of the magazine rack, I was still empty handed. No copies to be found. So I sought out a customer service representative. She verified that they did indeed carry the magazine, but surmised that they were sold out. Fair enough. I could easily imagine people flooding into Borders to get The Economist so they could actually hear about a good idea for fixing the economy. Clearly, the Executive and Legislative brances of our governement don't know how to find those.

I just proceed to the checkout to get a book instead. Slowest...line...ever. The one checkout guy spends five minutes arguing with some lady about why he can't give her the educator discount. So I wait and wait and wait. Finally it's my turn. I pay for my book. I start walking out.

Whaddya know? A rack filled with The Economist is sitting up by the last register as you walk out of the store. No wonder their weren't any in the store.

I pick one up. I glance back at the line. 5 people. Still just the single slowest checkout guy in the history of book selling. No bueno.

But then, a glimmer of hope. This manager is at the register right in front of me with another employee. The sign says the register is closed, but I ask politely if he could just sell me the mag really quick.

"Sorry man. I'm training someone right now."

Seriously, bro. No way am I getting back in that line. I wince. I put the magazine back. I say, "Thanks". I walk out the door.

And that is the story of the last time I ever bought something at Borders.

Renew and Restore
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Vigilante Socialism

Category: By Christian
You've heard me lament the fact that our country does not have a socialized health care system. If you are willing to risk tricking the federal government, it is apparently possible to provide socialized health care like this doctor did, however. I found the story interesting, because of how the doctor was viewed by his patients and by the prosecutors.

Because he cooperated with the authorities (and apparently because he was seen as helping people who had no other recourse for treatment) Dr. Ahmed will not face jail time and will have his most serious charges dropped. That sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

However, Dr. Ahmed isn't the purest Robin Hood figure by any means. The fact that he has to give up nearly $3 million leads me to believe he was living quite the posh life. Which is a great demonstration of one of socialism's chief breakdowns...somebody always has to be a jerk and ruin it for everyone else by trying to work the system for personal gain.

If only we could get around that whole greed issue.

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Keeping an Open Mind

Category: , By Christian
I guess I'll have to keep my "Wal Mart is Satan" shirt in the closet for a while.

Ok, so I don't actually have that particular shirt, but there have been times I wish I did. I don't shop at Wal Mart. I find some of their practices to be dubious at best, and I detest what they do to local businesses. That being said, there are a couple of recent developments that cause me to soften my stance somewhat.

I was talking to a architect friend of mine a couple of weeks ago, and one of his projects involves working with Wal Mart to make their buildings more environmentally friendly. I've heard it said that McDonald's is really in the real estate business with all of the property they own all over the world, and I think that Wal Mart is in the same boat in this country. They are in every town, and usually get sweetheart land deals to move in. If a country that size makes even a minimal effort to improve their environmental footprint, then you have to think that the efforts can make a large overall impact.

The second development was a bigger shocker to me. It actually doesn't involve Wal Mart proper, but rather Sam's Club. They have made the decision to switch their Premium in-house coffee over to Fair Trade Certified coffee. Their 39 ounce cans are going to sell for under $7, which is really a great deal. The word on the street is that this is one of the biggest contracts that Fair Trade coffee has secured, which raises two major questions:

1. When will other companies step up to the plate and follow the example of Sam's Club?
2. At a little over $2/pound, shouldn't churches be flocking to Sam's to buy their Sunday morning coffee reserves in a way that is both socially and financially conscious?

Which brings me to a strange place. Actually encouraging churches to support the empire that is Wal Mart. So here's the deal. I'll stop being huffy, sucking my teeth, rolling my eyes and muttering under my breath when people tell me that they are going off to shop at Wal Mart. I'll stop fasting and praying for their release from sinful bondage. I'll stop referring to Wal Mart as "Freaking Wal Mart (ugh)". I'm not ready to start shopping there, but I'll give them props for their efforts and will soften my militant stance.

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Flaming Mad

Category: , , By Christian
There are many things I appreciate about my county government. They do a good job with their schools, which is no short order considering our urban environment. They have done well in the last few years when it comes to economic development, pretty much trumping all other development projects in the metro area. Overall, I am a satisfied citizen. Though, as big a supporter as I am, I am currently disgruntled over one issue.

Gambling.

Wyandotte County is proposing two questions for the June 26th election. The first is whether or not we should have a $250 million casino and the second is a request to put electronic slots out at one of our classiest destinations, the local horse track. I'd be slightly annoyed if it was a fair fight and they were giving people space to explore the issues, but that is far from the case. The local government has turned into the biggest cheerleader for the passing of both questions and has thrown all of their resources into promoting their cause.

The main website that is promoting gambling in Wyandotte County tells you all you need to know. It's a really slick site. Sharp and well done. My favorite part is the About Us page. First and foremost it lists the Citizens for Gaming in WyCo Honorary Chairs. Clausie Smith, Heinz Rodgers, Joe Reardon are listed under that heading which is interesting because they also happen to be the mayors of the three cities that make up Wyandotte County. Classic.

But that's not the worst part. The thing that really infuriated me was when an official Wyandotte County newsletter showed up at my house the other day. The thing was practically an infomercial dedicated to getting these two questions passed.

I was pissed. And I don't say that lightly. But seriously, it made me want to cuss. Nothing like your tax dollars at work to support gambling.

At the end of the day, gambling is a justice issue for me. I don't think that God wants us to get caught up in the idea that we should seek opportunities to get a lot of money really quickly. This obviously sounds a little hypocritical coming from a guy who made a butt load of cash in 30 minutes on national television, but for the first time ever I'm going to play the trump card that most of those winnings were funneled back into something that I believe honored God and the paradigms of restorative justice that run throughout the Bible. If I'm out of line and being a hypocrite, then call me out.

I also have a big problem with people benefiting from somebody in a way that feeds into addiction and values that are not helpful to sustaining and building strong families and communities. But that's what casino's do. Yeah. I'm really impressed that 2% of the casino earnings will go to fight gambling addiction. Someone certainly deserves a cookie for that. I'm not sure that one of the kingdom ethics we see in scripture is that it's ok to contribute to social dysfunction as long as you make a half-hearted effort to help the people you are hurting.

What really disappoints me is that I used to go to church with one of the honorary chairs mentioned above. It's sad to see Christians in government who throw their entire weight behind principles that are anti-justice. And it makes me really mad. So mad that if this thing passes, I will absolutely refuse to vote Reardon back into office.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to call MTV. I'm going to ask them to make a reality show out of this whole deal. We'll call it Pimp My Constituency. It'll be a huge hit.

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Not A Happy Man

Category: , By Christian


I just love this Rock and Roll revolution that has evolved around the Biblical theme of justice. There's not much more to say other than that.

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Spot Me Some Coin

Category: , By Christian
I don't know how much money the cigarette companies make. I have a sneaking suspicion it is in on par with what our good friends the Oil Mafia make. As a side note, oil companies just reported record profits again. Fantastic.

What made me ponder cigarette profits was a little article in the paper this morning. It seems as though smoking will now contribute to the rating of a movie. Too much gratuitous smoking? Could result in a harder rating.

Which raises the question...If something is so bad for people that it receives numerous sanctions, at what point do we just cut bait and stop selling cigarettes to people? Honestly. They have to put a huge warning label on their product. They are taxed astronomically. They have to pay for anti-cigarette advertising. They are restricted in terms of where and when they can advertise to promote their products. They have been sued like crazy over the past decade.

Is there any other industry that could deal with these road blocks and still come out with a profitable product? The only assumption I can make is that the cig CEO's have Scrooge McDuck type money bins filled with all types of currency. Not only that, but they still have to be earning cash by the bucket load, or else why bother? That's pretty lucky. It's also lucky that their money obviously compels lawmakers to offer up moves that nibble at the edges of the problem without really landing a powerful death blow. Cash Rules Everything Around Me.

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Words of Truth

Category: , , By Christian
Yesterday I was messing around with some of the kids I work with. We got to the topic of video games, and I made the astronomical claim that I own a PiiBox 360. For those who might not be up on the current generation of gaming hardware, my hyperbole was an obviously witty amalgamation of the three biggest systems right now (Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3). In one of those "never saw that coming" situations, the following conversation ensued...

Kid 1: Dang. Mr Christian's all rich.
Kid 2: No he's not.
Me: How do you know?
Kid 2: Because. If you were rich, you wouldn't be here.
Me: Why not?
Kid 2: You wouldn't be a Christian.
Me: I'm pretty sure rich people can be Christians.
Kid 2: No, they can't.
Me: Why?
Kid 2: Because. They are greedy and
mean.


There are times when I am saddened because kids say things that are profoundly true. Sometimes these truths have to do with the levels of brokenness and dysfunction in their lives. And sometimes these truths have to do with the paradigms they have developed as a result of the social dysfunctions around them. In the 6 months that I have been working at The Hope Center, I have had kids communicate to me that: rich people can't possibly be Christians, the huge houses in Brookside (a wealthy area in KC) must be where the white people live, and black people don't get married.

Technically, these statements are not 100% factually accurate. And yet, there is truth in those statements as far as these kids' experience is concerned. They don't see a lot of people who they perceive as rich treating them with dignity. They don't see a lot of black people getting married. And they don't see a lot of black people who are wealthy.

And so we have two problems. Both fall under the umbrella of "segregation". A group of people who is segregated from people who are of a different color than they are. This is a huge issue in Kansas City (as well as in Christianity). Races just simply don't mix. The other issue is a group of people who are largely segregated from people of different classes. Including people of their own skin color who have attained a measure of upward mobility, socially speaking. When black people reach the middle class, they leave they hood. They follow the example of white flight and create pockets of black people in the suburbs. They still go to church in the 'hood, but they don't live here. And so our kids grow up touching very few people who are different from them. They grow up feeling like other possibilities are not possible for their own lives, because they just don't see them all that often.

And so we teach them to dream. We teach them to listen to God's story. We teach them that God is bigger than all of these walls that they perceive and that God has big plans for them. Sometimes, it can just be a slow learning process.

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Fish To Fry

Category: , , By Christian
The traditional phone book is pretty much an endangered species in my life. I am so wired that I typically just look things up online. I rarely ever crack the Old Yeller open these days, even though it seems at least three different companies court my business by delivering their edition to my doorstep each year. I think they need a little better demographic research.

For some reason I decided to go back, way back, back into time and flip through the Yellow Pages to accomplish my goals. As I was going through, I noticed an ad for a traffic attorney. It had a remarkably huge Jesus Fish on it. I thought it was a little bit funny, considering traffic lawyers are not known as the most reputable and upstanding folks in the world. And yet, I found that numerous traffic lawyers had Jesus Fish in their ads.

After mentioning the irony to Stacy, we thought of a couple of companies we know of whose owners are stud Christians. One of the owners we know personally, and he is hugely active and generous in his faith. He's really into missions and has a great spirit. Well, we were amused to find that neither of these businesses had ads that included any mention of Jesus or religious fish of any kind. It would seem they let their reputations as business people and Christians speak for themselves without the use of Christian symbols to sell their services. There's a novel idea.

The whole exercise reminded me of a quote from a Business professor we had in college. His feeling was that you could measure how much a car dealership was going to rip you off by how big their American Flag was.

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Outsource Ethics

Category: , , By Christian
I'm usually not a huge fan of Charles Krauthammer. He has a syndicated column that appears on Op-Ed pages all over the country, so he obviously has a lot of people out there who are huge fans of his. It's not that I dislike his writing per se, it's just that he tends to spend most of his columns talking about one specific topic and I prefer writers who are more balanced in both subject and content.

Mad props to Krauthammer this week though for this article that showed up in Time. It essentially calls the wealthy to task for using their vast wealth to outsource environmental responsibility. I didn't even realize you could do stuff like this, but apparently it's common practice.

I'm all for environmentalism. It's a big part of my faith as a person who views the Earth and all that is within it as gifts from God. I'm also a big fan personal responsibility, however. Really internalizing the ideals you are convicted of, and then going out and living out those ideals. If we are doing this thing right, then we are going to be convicted of things that align our thoughts and actions with the heart of God, thus living out the Gospel in ways that are real and tangible to the people around us.

So as I was reading this article last night, it brought up some questions concerning how Christians and Churches possibly outsource certain things that we claim to be important to us. For instance, this whole idea of helping the poor. It's a pretty en vogue subject these days, especially since it is a subject that people in their 20's seem to be passionate about. As churches reach to become for edgy or emerging or whatever they want to call themselves, the rhetoric about helping the poor has escalated.

Here's the problem...how many people are actually living amongst the poor? Is it enough to preach sermons and support ministries that do work amongst the poor? Is it enough to occasionally volunteer for ministries who help the poor? Or should be be radically reconfiguring our lives so that we are really living out this ethic in a real way? Tough saying. I will say this, however. If you find a church that talks a lot about justice and helping the poor AND has a pastor that live amongst the poor, you should let me know. That would really excite me. What I tend to see however, are pastors who live comfortable to extravagant lives while preaching about justice. That pretty much does nothing for me, but maybe that's just me.

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Coffee News

Category: , , By Christian

I've never had a favorite coffee before. I have enjoyed coffee for a number of years, and have come to appreciate good coffee. There has not been a particular blend that has caused me pause to have a particular affinity for it above all others, however.

Thus, you must understand that today's proclamation of a first ever favorite coffee should not be overlooked as a flippant award of little merit. What might this first ever favorite be? I'm glad you asked.

I would like to present the honor of favorite coffee to the Whole Bean Tango Blend, roasted by Cafe Mam. The "equal mix of French and Italian offers a robust body with a rich, smoky flavor". I couldn't agree more with the tagline from the can.

I came across this particular brew thanks to my dear mother. She gave me a can for Christmas, knowing that I enjoy receiving Fair Trade and Organic coffees as gifts because it allows me to be socially conscious in my love of coffee without going financially bankrupt. I was glad to find out that this company also supports pesticide reform and grows their beans in the shade to help sustain migratory bird habitats.

What really blows the mind is that the company has very reasonable prices, at only around $7 per pound. Compare that to Starbucks ($10-$13 per pound) and it's great deal on better coffee. Granted, if you live in the middle of the country like I do then you can't just go to the store and pick up a bag. No stores in KS or MO. Stink. Oh well. At least they have a cool online store, and I can always pick some up on my pilgrimages to the PDX.

In an tragic turn of events, just as I discovered my favorite coffee my coffee maker broke. Two years ago my mother hooked me up with a beautiful stainless steel Starbucks Aroma Solo machine. It brewed a hot cup directly into my Aroma Solo travel mug. I loved that machine. My first one actually broke about a year ago, but Starbucks has a two-year warranty and a great return policy. They let me bring it back (without the box or receipt), and gave me a new one. Well, when my second machine broke 11-months later I had a tough decision to make. Exchanging for a third machine would be fine. After all, if it lasted just one more year then I would have gotten 3 total months of daily use from a birthday present, which is pretty stinkin good. Or, I could exchange it for a gift card, sell it on Ebay and then use the money to get another brand.

In the end, I decided to go with the other brand. It was not easy to do because sans its fragility the Aroma Solo was fantastic. And yet, I have been putting some distance between myself and Starbucks for a while and this was another opportunity to take a step away.

Not that Starbucks is the Great Satan, or anything. I appreciate that they provide health insurance for employees who work at least 20-hours per week. That's fantastic. Also, growing up in the PDX I grew up on Starbucks. It's part of my social DNA and heritage. Shoot, when I started frequenting the joint, I don't think there was one store in all of Kansas. And let's not forget the generous return policy that Starbucks has.

And yet, I'm just not fully convinced that Starbucks is doing enough to encourage economically fair and environmentally equitable coffee harvesting practices. When you go through as much coffee as they do, you have a certain responsibility to do so (especially when you charge as much as they do). And coffee is as important to me as it currently is, I have to put my money where my mouth is and make sure that I am supporting companies that have similar values to me.

Starbucks has improved in these areas over the past few years (link). And yet, they could do a lot more (link). I'm not going all militant on the company. I'm just trying to make my life a little more consistent each day. I really think that's what God wants from us. Transformation that makes us a little more consistent each day with the Kingdom of God taking place here on Earth just as it does in Heaven.

Next week my Zojirushi Fresh Brew should arrive in the mail. I'm pumped. I got it on sale, and it's had some good reviews from coffee enthusiasts. Many call it the best machine under a Benjamin (aka hundred dolla bill, yo). Until then, I'll be rocking the french press that I usually keep in my office. Expect a review on the Zojirushi sometime in the coming weeks.

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Messy Ethics: Revisited

Category: , , By Christian
The government actually went and hooked a brotha up in regards to my environmental quandary. It's probably because most of congress reads my blog and takes it to heart.

Last week, the House passed HR-6. It essentially rolls back tax breaks to oil companies and will instead use those billions of dollars ($14B I believe) to explore alternative energy sources. Apparently, Congress didn't think that individual companies that are making $10 billion profits each quarter don't need help paying their taxes. That's probably a good call.

It's pretty hard to believe that congress passed a bill that is such a double-whammy. Not only do the oil companies have to pay their fair debt to society, but the money they are now paying goes into figuring out how to get out from under said companies. I read through the bill and I didn't really see any loopholes that would give the companies an easy out. Granted, bills are full of a lot of political and legal jargon, but I think I limped through it ok.

I am honestly so pumped about this bill that I emailed my Representative a thank you note today. I hope he reads it, because I doubt Reps get all that much positive affirmation without a check attached.

For this to work out it still has to get through the Senate and escape the President's veto pen which could very well be a daunting task. But at least there is a strong voice that is standing up against big oil and letting them know that we're not just going to sit around and do nothing about our oil addiction and the ever-growing energy footprint that our nation leaves behind.

This whole thing is still a process. In all likelihood, the energy crisis will not be solved in one year. But at least there is a chance there could be some serious financial backing to working for a solution

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Messy Ethics

Category: , By Christian
Man, I wish it was easier to do the right thing.

I often rail on the oil industry. It's a mafia. No joke. Not only that, but oil consumption is killing the US economy as well as the environment. Because of this, I've been a big proponent of alternate fuel sources. The most plausable has seemed to be ethanol because it would be good for farming communities and would also be something that we could deal with in-house.

However, I just read the other day that increased interest in ethanol has increased corn prices, and now poor families in Mexico are having a harder time affording one of their most depended upon food sources.

Now, one of two things is happening here. Either it was propaganda put out by the oil companies, or I have a new ethical quandry. Both of those are viable options in my mind.

And that is an example of why it is difficult to be the good guy. Because it turns into a contest to see who we can hurt the least, which still results in hurting people.

We just need to try harder and be more creative, I guess.

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Lusty Lusty Me

Category: By Christian
I usually don't have a huge appetitite for technology. On the launch days for the Xbox 360 and PS3 I had units in hand but shipped them off to other people the same day and absorbed the profit into our family budget. I have an old-school black-and-white ipod that I got on the cheap via ebay. It's great and I love it, but it's nothing fancy. We got our computer when we got married and haven't really upgraded it since. Our TV was a gift from a friend. Whenever we get cell phones we get the free ones.

You get the idea.

But now I'm "that guy". I'm the guy that finds himself infatuated with some high-tech toy that is not a necessity. I'm the guy who is beleiving the hype. I am the guy who really believes he might find joy in something as temporary and fleeting as a gadget. (I'm also the guy who is STILL listening to High School Musical) I really try to not let myself get caught up in such passions, but I've been overcome by lust. iphone lust, to be precise.

Yesterday Apple announced an ipod/cellphone/pda/internet browsing machine that puts to shame any other cell phones out there. It is all screen (widescreen at that) and just about every command you give is done with your finger gliding across the touchscreen. No stylus. Few buttons. You can show off pics, check your email, organize your schedule and listen to music.

When it comes out, I'll have some cash to get it. Between Christmas money and Fantasy Football earnings I'm just about there. And yet, I have dedicated myself to saving all such funds until 2010 when I hope to be lucky enough to score tickets to the World Cup.

Consider this my first temptation. If they get worse than this, I cannot imagine what they could be. Perhaps some company will release a functional lightsaber before 2010. I can't imagine the government would just let people own them, what with very few of us being trained as Jedi in this day and age. But if a real live lightsaber came out, my desire for it would equal my desire for the iphone.

As it is, I'm going to practice the discipline of delayed gratification. I'm going to try to not be so shallow as to let the desire for a toy derail what could very well be the experience of a lifetime. I'm going to keep reminding myself that such a toy would be fantastic to have, but there is little chance of it actually revolutionizing my life. I will tell myself that over and over and over again. I will be strong.

And I'll be crushed if South Africa doesn't work out and I dont fanagle those Cup tix or a Light Saber.

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Christmas Eve Eve

Category: , , By Christian
Nothing like a little down time in PDX to clear space in the schedule for more blogging. Some thoughts on events taking place around the world...

*In about two hours my family is going to a huge Star Wars exhibit at OMSI (the big science museum in Oregon). As a life-long Star Wars junkie, I am very excited. Not just for myself but also for my daughter's glorious introduction into the great events that occurred "long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away." I think that Stacy and my mom are just going so that they can make fun of my nerdiness for a couple of hours.

*Bono has been awarded honorary British Knighthood. Darn straight.

*I added a new blog to the "Blogs I Read" column on the right. In the interest of full-disclosure, you should know that it's written by my brother. Adam Paul is not actually my real brother, but we are both skinny punks and people often mistake us for family. Sometimes they even think we are the same person. Anyway, it's a good read and you would be well-served to peep it.

*One of the KC area news stories I have been following lately is a Council meeting that took place in Wyandotte County on Thursday. I'm ticked. There is an area of The 'Dotte called Village West that has had remarkable economic development over the past few years. The county handed out a bunch of tax breaks and free land in order to land a NASCAR track, a waterpark resort area, some fantastic retail opportunities and many eateries. Village West is now one of the premier shopping and entertainment districts in the region. Congrats to the county for making that happen. Boo to the county for handing out a $45-million dollar tax break to Wal-Mart (that's right...freaking WALMART!!!) so that they will bring a Supercenter and a Sam's Club to this now-profitable area. At this point, any new retailers should be paying out the nose to get out of Village West. The county could then use that money to build up the dilapidated urban core. But instead of making a killing on one of the most valuable pieces of property in the state, my fine county has decided to provide an absurd amount of corperate welfare to a company that needs no favors. I am so ticked. For the first time in my life I am going to write a letter to the editor of the Kansas City Star. I am also going to write to my Council members and tell them that they will not receive my vote in the next election.

*In one night, Stacy and I got hooked on 24. We dug into Season 1 last night, and watched 4 straight episodes. Great stuff. I think it should be called 18 though, because without the commercials it only lasts 18 hours. Talk about false advertising.

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Lazy Brainz

Category: By Christian
First off, we made it to Portland. We were an hour late, but I think most of the flights around the country were in the same boat. With Denver's airport being shutdown everyone was in a scramble to get planes, pilots and passengers to the right areas. I feel really bad for people who were supposed to fly through Denver on Wed or Thursday, because the soonest they can travel is Friday or Saturday. That would be utterly frustrating.

On to the main topic for today...Our Lazy Brainz. I was listening to an interview with a famous marketing advisor named Jay Conrad Levinson the other day on the radio. He said a lot of interesting things, but one that stuck with me is that "90% of purchases are made spontaneously. The key to getting to customers is repetition."

The concept makes sense. So much of what we do, we do on autopilot. As I discussed the other day, we rarely put a lot of mental effort into our conversations. Entertainment options are becoming less and less intellectually strenuous. Even living is made simple as our brain tells our body when to breathe, blink, swallow, etc. There is so much going on in us and around us that our brains create shortcuts to help us be more efficient in everything we do. It's so sweet that God made our brains in a way that allows us to live life to the full. However, this trait can also be taken advantage of. When people can make money off of this neurological phenomena though, we have to watch our backs.

I have learned over the years that advertisers are smart. There are hundreds of billions of consumer dollars out there to be won in the high stakes game of sales, so they don't pull any punches. They know our strengths. They know our weaknesses. They exploit us and we typically don't even know it.

I was thinking about this the other day in relation to our parental stance on Elli watching television. We don't want her to be a couch potato so we'll probably have some time limits on how much our kids watch tv. Based on content alone, there are a lot of things out there that we don't want her to be exposed to. But even the most innocent shows are financed by advertisers who are intent on manipulating kids into thinking that they "need" whatever product they are selling, because people spend tons of money on their kids. Not only that, but it's easy to get over on kids. If you can endear their heart to your product at an early age, they will be quite likely to be a loyal customer over the course of their life. Go ahead. Pimp my kid. At least she'll be entertained.

Are we throwing out the tv when we get home? Probably not. But the lesson for me is that not only do I need to spend a little more effort thinking through how I spend my money and why I chose to spend it the way I do, but I also need to train my kids to do the same. If advertisers are going to bring the big guns, we have to be prepared to blast back.

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