CLARK KENT'S INBOX October 24th

As is the normal routine, I met the girls at the bus, got them a snack and let them watch a little TV once homework was done. It's a challenge to flip through the channels while attempting to steer clear of shows with silly ideas about living the dual life of a rock star / student, or notions of saving the world by shooting magic love rainbows out one's belly button, but I'm up to the task. As I'm clicking and screening, Allie announces her choice for president. "I'm voting for Joooooohn McCain!"

The first question a parent might ask is, "What made you say that, Sugar Blossom?" But Allie's prone to such randomness, and I've long since learned to skip such formalities.

"Why the hell would you do that?" I asked, pondering the merits of a constitutional amendment allowing first-graders the right to vote. God knows they are smarter than some people I've come into contact with over the election.

Allie, turned her head to the side, "Because." She didn't realize how much her comment detracted from the efforts of those working so hard as part of the first-grade voter lobby. One day she may realize the sacrifices made by 6 year olds who had struggled before her so that she might be a part of a brighter America, but sitting here in front of Nick Toons wouldn't be that moment.

"Because? Because! You have to give a reason - a real one - for why you're voting for someone," I explained. "You can vote for anyone you want but you have to know why you're picking them, Allie." Maybe my explanation to her seems a tad harsh, but poor Allie is the quintessential independent voter (after that amendment is passed anyway), having been at the center of a vicious campaign waged by an ultra-right wing aunt and her so-liberal-I'm-from-France mother.

Both sides have been shoving so many arguments into Allie's head, the poor kid is literally traumatized. A few weeks ago I had to explain to her that Sen. Obama's abortion policy did not mean he hated babies. Apparently, Aunt Republican boiled the issue down for Allie into terms only a child could understand. "Obama is going to kill babies," I believe is how it was presented in true conservative fashion. It took me several hours to debunk this notion for Allie who somehow got the idea (and I'm not kidding) that upon taking oath as the Commander in Chief, Sen. Obama's first edict would be to have all newborns killed during his term in office. Finding this out, answered allot for me as I'd watch Allie run to her room and clutch a baby doll every time Obama's name was mentioned.

Equally, disturbing was the discovery of how effective Mommy Democrat (Mommy Commie might be better) had become in pounding the evils of big corporations into little Allie's brain. Last weekend the subject of buying Halloween costumes was casually discussed in front of the girls forcing Allie into hysterics (again, I'm not kidding here). Through uncontrollable sobs she coughed out, "We can't go to WalMart! They exploit their workers!" If you were to ask her what "exploit" means, she will rightfully explain that WalMart refuses to pay for health benefits for their workers. Jebus on a Ritz Cracker! I thought to myself, What did they do to this kid!

You can readily see the hell, poor independent Allie, has been going through the past several months. I mean with family like this, who needs pundits? This is why I wanted to press upon her the need to think for herself. "So, can you tell me why you're picking John McCain, Allie?" I was still flipping through the channels knowing that what she said next would be the difference in Allie becoming the next Gloria Steinem or a mother of 8, living in an east Texas trailer park.

When I looked back in her direction, Allie's brow was furrowed in concentration. However, what she was concentrated on was her finger moving back and forth as it touched the pointer and index fingers of her other hand. As she did this she mouthed, eeiny, meeiny, miney, moe. Then her finger stopped and she paused before looking up at me. "Obama. Ya, this time Obama."

What I just wrote is 98% true - hardly any embellishment at all. If this is what a kid is going through then I have to imagine for many independents making a real decision still is difficult based on all the rhetoric out there. However, there are a few that don't see the choice as being that hard.

Two nights ago, my wife and I went to see David Sedaris read here in Houston, and one of his pieces was from the New Yorker commenting on Independent voters. As he was reading, I turned to my wife and told her I wanted to find that essay from the New Yorker and post it in the InBox. Apparently a certain big name blogger (oh, what's her name? rhymes with goose, or moose, loose, truce, excuse, obtuse, caboose, Jimmy Choo's - oh, to hell with it, I'll remember after I fall asleep) heard Mr Sedaris read the same essay two nights earlier and had the same idea. As such, David Sedaris is a now a household name and so popular God can't get through to request and signed copy of the author's latest release. I have to say this lest anyone think me a copy cat in sharing this essay today (I mean no disrespect, uh, you. Big. Blogger. Person, you It's no one's fault his tour slated Salt Lake ahead of Houston).

Undecided
- David Sadaris

I don’t know that it was always this way, but, for as long as I can remember, just as we move into the final weeks of the Presidential campaign the focus shifts to the undecided voters. “Who are they?” the news anchors ask. “And how might they determine the outcome of this election?”

Then you’ll see this man or woman— someone, I always think, who looks very happy to be on TV. “Well, Charlie,” they say, “I’ve gone back and forth on the issues and whatnot, but I just can’t seem to make up my mind!” Some insist that there’s very little difference between candidate A and candidate B. Others claim that they’re with A on defense and health care but are leaning toward B when it comes to the economy.

I look at these people and can’t quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?”

To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.

I mean, really, what’s to be confused about?

When doubting that anyone could not know whom they’re voting for, I inevitably think back to November, 1968. Hubert Humphrey was running against Richard Nixon, and when my mother couldn’t choose between them she had me do it for her. It was crazy. One minute I was eating potato chips in front of the TV, and the next I was at the fire station, waiting with people whose kids I went to school with. When it was our turn, we were led by a woman wearing a sash to one of a half-dozen booths, the curtain of which closed after we entered.Read the entire essay...


Still can't decide - then maybe this will help. I was surprised at some of what McCain brought to the table here. You might be too.


Unbelievable McCain Vs. Obama Dance-Off - Watch more free videos

When someone like me, with a blog like this, gets an email with this in it, you know I have to post it.

Find more political action figures here at ImageGate.

And finally...

I've been reading Blogger Dad almost since he started over four months ago. Blogger Dad is a writer, cartoonist and new dad who I'm lucky enough to have an occasional discussion concerning comic book characters and not get laughed at. For being relatively new to blogging, Blogger Dad, aka David, has quickly created a quality site that draws in a number of readers. A large part of this is due to his writing style which is a combination of a down-to-earth tone, intelligence, and simple honesty, making David likable both as a blogger and as a person. Read Blogger Dad over the weekend and you'll see what I mean.

Have a good weekend! We're taking the girls to an intervention!

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX October 17th

Sorry for getting this out late (and for not replying to everyone's comments in a timely manner) as I learned yesterday afternoon my ATM and credit cards got jacked. What a mess, but thankfully it's fixed now. I'm running about a day behind and will be playing catch up this weekend. I know, excuses, excuses.

How many watched the debate? How many flipped the channel half-way through to Paris Hilton's New BFF? Either way, I wouldn't judge you. "Lois" and I caught the second part of it and were having fun enjoying the Twitter comments on the bottom of the screen. I get a kick out of Lois when it comes to the election, not that I don't respect her opinions. She does keep informed on issues so she's not just talking trash. What makes me laugh is her vocal reactions and her strong stance on Gov. Palin.

Sitting on the couch watching the candidates talk, or listening to sound bytes on the news, Lois rarely can sit there without bolting forward, and making a comment in a demonstrative fashion. Usually it's something to the effect of, "That's bullsh#@!" She could easily be mistaken as having turrets syndrome, or even an angry football fan reacting to a bad call. I've had beer and nachos spilled on me more than once in these situations.

Lois, also has some strong views on the Republican VP candidate. I've become keenly aware of the amount of work she has on a given day, based on what she says when she walks through the door in the evening. "Did you know Palin only has an IQ of 98?" or, "Guess what. Palin scored below a 900 on her SAT's." Once Lois has shared all her findings, it's only then that I get a kiss and hug (No, one ever asks how my day went - pouty lips). If it's not obscure facts pertaining to the governor's attendance record in elementary school that I hear, then it's an onslaught of emails sent throughout the day with links to Palin's spoofed MySpace profile or flow charts depicting the nominee's thought process in answering debate questions.

Not being able to help myself, I sometimes egg her on by playing devil's advocate. "But Honey, Palin represents us Joe/Josephine-Six-Packs (I'm going to work that into every Friday post until the election, doggonit), and she's a mom who understands you like no other candidate in history?" I sound as innocent as a six-year old on Sesame Street. This immediately sparks a heated response on par with a televangelist's railings about a fiery judgment and the need for donations. Yes, we're a regular old George Burns and Gracie Allen we are.

I jest, but as I said before, she truly is intelligent with test scores and attendance records that far out-distance Alaskan governors. Lois works for Matt Simmons. If you've never hear of him, he's probably one of the most key figures in the oil industry today. Yesterday, he held a get-to-know-you lunch with some of his company's associates to include Lois. During the session he went around the room for introductions and then opened it up for each person to ask a question. In true reporter-like fashion, Lois want to hear Mr. Simmons' thoughts on both Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain's stated energy plans. He then explained in detail the fallacies of both plans concluding that Obama's was naive, but McCain's was exceptionally naive. The three minute summary Lois relayed to me outlining the arguments, we're factual, and just plain common sense (if you'd like to hear it, I'll put Lois on the phone).

There are two points I'd like to make in my drivel. Lois and I essentially agree concerning our choice of candidates (I'm just a stinker), but I've noticed a great deal of hostility in the blogoshere (and elsewhere), stemming from people's extremely polarized positions on their choice for President. What has always baffled me is the mindset some people have in believing a their vicious tirade against someone with a diametrically opposing point of view is miraculously going to win that person over. I've never seen a referee reverse a call after the guilty player punched him in the face. The same principle applies here. If you want to write in Ralph Wiggum for president (see below), fine by me, but don't verbally abuse someone if they question it. I guess I'm of the opinion, that those that appear as zealots for their cause sometimes undermine the credibility of the cause itself.

My other point is this. Politics is politics. No matter who you plan to vote for, right now each presidential hopeful is just that, hopeful. They are going to say whatever they need in order to appeal to voters, which means making promises they can't keep or are impossible to achieve. Using the energy policies as an example, according to Mr. Simmons, with McCain's proposal of increased drilling the ability to build new rigs is not feasible because no one will lend money to construct them, and there are few, if any new drilling sites even being explored beyond what already exists. The Obama position is admirable, but to build the number of nuclear power plants promised over the next decade isn't feasible either because of the time it takes to do this and the lack of materials and resources required of such an undertaking.

In this election, more than any I can recall (except maybe Carter/Reagan), the American people's expectations are so high that the winner will lead them out of our current state of affairs. I believe that will happen, it's just a question of how long it will take. The realities are, however, that even if their choice takes charge, those expectations will not be fully met. Politicians make promises, but when the dust settles, they will bend to the influences of their party, and they will compromise on some initiatives in order to gain the support needed to pass other initiatives. I don't mean to sound cynical, but this is how the balance of power works these days. My hope is that not too many people will become disillusioned when promises are broken, or when change doesn't occur fast enough.

I've rambled enough, but I would like to know you're thoughts (and I will respond, sorry again).

Why do you think people are so defensive in their political positions?

Am I overly cynical in my opinion about the candidates delivering on their promises?

Okay, on to some stuff that's a little more fun, like this little photo I was sent. I'm not necessarily trying to make a statement with it, but who thinks to liken the candidates to different versions of trains? Made me laugh anyway.

Naturally, I'm drawn to anything making light-hearted commentary on the housing situation, so when I saw this hilarious segment on the Colbert Report, I was rolling.

Based on my earlier posts expressing my appreciation for Canadian Health Care (read here and here), I'm adding a new regular feature for the InBox where I'll post the latest examples of ads and emails I've received. It's called... Canada's Concern For My ED!

Hmmmm? Not quite sure what they're trying to convey to me? Any ideas?



And finally....

I have an entire list of blogs to feature, and that list is growing weekly. This week I wanted to talk about Writer Dad. If you haven't already been reading his posts, then frankly, you are missing out. His writing covers a range of relevant topics from fatherhood and family to blogging and social concerns. Writer Dad, aka Sean, and his wife (see her blog, Namas Daisy) have been running a preschool for some time, but have made the decision to move on to pursue writing full-time. Already Sean, has authored a innovative concept of children's books called Wee Books. This same out-of-the-box thinking is evident in his unique perspectives on conventional topics. What I enjoy is his mature writing style that fluidly conveys emotions in a manner readers instantly connect with. There is an almost Zen-like quality that has a calming effect as you breath in the thoughts expressed in his posts. Take time to get to know Writer Dad. It's worth it.

Enjoy your weekend. God bless you, Plumbers of America!

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX October 10th

The second Presidential Debate occurred this week as you already know. Town hall formats are my favorite format, because of the presence of a small group of "Joe Six Packs." The "Six Pack" label I'm starting find ironic in the sense I can't even afford to drink beer, especially in a time when I need it the most. Even a bottle off Boones is beyond our budget. If this goes on much longer, I may have to make 6 or 7 trips through the communion line at church.

The debate itself eventually got on my nerves, Sen. McCain being the main culprit. Joseph Sextuplet-Bundle (it's German, think about it) would ask what the senator what he was going to do to get millions of people back to work to which the Senator would respond with something to the effect of,

Well, Joseph, I appreciate your question. What I plan to do is point to my voting record where I've challenged my party a number of times while reaching across the aisle in a spirit of bipartisan cooperation. I've been doing this my entire time as a public servant, and I'm going to keep reminding the American people of my record and I'm going to keep holding hands with strange men for the next four years. This is my point-by-point plan in excruciating detail. Senator Obama, I have to mention, has no such plan. Senator Obama hates kittens and preemies. Thank you again for that thoughtful question Joseph.

Then Tom Brokaw would roll his eyes, reminding the candidates for the umpteenth time like they were kids being called to dinner, that they needed to keep their remarks to the previously agreed upon limit of one minute. At a certain point I could take no more of this and changed the channel to Paris Hilton's New BFF which is an utterly pointless show, but at least I could laugh.

One of the points covered in the debate was our country's energy consumption. Senator Obama's goal is to reduce foreign dependency on oil in less than a decade. It sounds tough, but as he said, so was going to the moon. I am all for this, but want to make sure the environmental consequences of such a move are taken into consideration.

Given that being green is the in thing these days there's not an company out there that doesn't want to out of the loop. Still, when it comes to industries like big oil you have to wonder about their sincerity in their efforts. Thankfully there's one oil company that's getting it right.I only hope the others will follow Prescott Oil's lead.

Still on the topic, one of the problems with being green is a lack of established standards. One of the things to watch for in companies that claim to environmentally friendly is key indicators in their message that can help in determining if they truly care about the environment or in truth care about their image more. Read this CNN article, It's Not Easy Being Green.

By the way, are you still not sure who to vote for, or want to see where really stand on the issues? Try this fun little survey from ABC News.

Still on the economy, you may have seen this skit on SNL already, but given my background in the housing industry, I was falling off the couch laughing. It perfectly captures most of the players involved in the housing crisis.

Finally, this has nothing to do with the economy, but more with kids, school and disgusting bugs. In light of my Lice Pandemic story, my wife is quick to find any opportunity to perpetuate my "freaked-outted-ness." In this case an article from MSNBC reporting on a strain of Mutant (ok, that might be an exaggeration) Super Lice (that is not), schools and parents are dealing with.

And now...

The first is Tara at From Dawn Till Rusk. It's a parenting blog as part of The Coventry Telegraph where Tara shares her experiences and opinions as a mum. I've mentioned her site before, but it needs to be spotlighted again as Super. Reading her posts, you can quickly sense the tenderness she feels for her children and her husband. Tara can be as equally concerned about issues affecting families as she can be cheeky in retelling moments at home. Some of my favorite examples of this include her story of what happened when her honeymoon was interrupted by the events of 911, and her discussion on if it's appropriate to tell kids there is a time to fight.

My second Super Blog recommendation is Jen at Steenky Bee. I've just started getting to know her, but already I think her site too hilarious not to share with others. Jen is both zany and upbeat which makes you smile at her antics and observations. her profile pic alone will show what I'm talking about. Even with the humor Jen can make you laugh and kind of choke you up at the same time as she did me in her story about her son's love of the hotel maintenance man and the swimming pool (don't get confused, it was a guest post for Stiletto Mom who originally introduced us). Another fav is her attempts at reducing the amount of time she takes to get ready. I felt a little awkward reading it, but I think there are allot of people who could relate.

Get to know them this weekend!

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX October 3rd

So I'm sitting here watching the debate with Sen. Biden and Tina Fey, uh, I mean, well you know, and I'm thinking about the events of this last week. Honestly, I feel like I've had the crap beat out of me mentally. I don't have any commentary yet on the debate except to ask what do I care about "cyclical climate changes that are cyclical in the only arctic state in America?" (Actually, according to the news commentators she didn't do too bad, Doggonit! Like soccer, sometimes in politics, I guess a tie is as good as a win.)

I was talking to a good friend this week about how serious the credit situation is and to put things into perspective, a loan officer we know was telling about a millionaire who he had to turn down for a mortgage, because of an long ago balance owed to Blockbuster Video. Now, even I find that hard to believe, but in today's economy it wouldn't surprise me either. Actually it's kind of funny in the ironic sense of someone with all this money being unable to qualify due to an outstanding debt for a video rental costing what? $3.50?

That's not the funniest thing from this week. No, that would be CNN's article reporting that the number of illegal immigrants living in America has dropped by half a million over the last year. I started laughing as I imagined migrant workers chatting about the failed bailout plan and deciding they could make better money back across the border.

Then there's these...

A boat load of immigrants crowd the rails for a glimps of the Statue of Liberty and watch as another boat crammed full of US Citizens leaves NY harbor on its way to the land of opportunity in Russia.

Bodies of Americans wash up on the shore of Cuba, the result of a tragic attempt to look for work.

A band of Mexican zealots band together to form the Minuto Men to help stem the flow of Americans streaming across the border and stealing good-paying Mexican jobs.

The Chinese government detains over 200 defaulted homeowners from California after discovering them hiding in shipping container on a cargo freighter.

Career Builder reports jobs painting houses, mowing lawns and cleaning homes are the three most competative industries for people looking for a job (while WalMart greeters are now required to have an MBA, but are also among the highest paid at $20 an hour).

And then of course, there's this...

Allow me to switch gears. One of the great parts about blogging is the connections you make with people all over the world. There are so many exceptional people out there, and what they have to say is funny, meaningful, and intelligent. I really enjoy them and think they should be shared with as many people as possible. I have about 25 or so (and the list grows daily), but I'm going to spotlight a few each week so readers take the time to really check them out. Quite frankly they write...

The first one is IRREGULARLY PERIODIC RUMINATIONS, by "Mr. Heinous," who writes about being a dad and his life as an IT guy at a Pennsylvania college. He's a real crack up. I keep picturing him as on a sitcom, playing the part of the sarcastic computer tech that dresses like Jimmy Buffett and has these zingers that get the big laughs. Don't be fooled though. He has a soft side too. His comments to his to his blogging friends are always encouraging and there's no doubt he loves being a father.

Then there's THE STILETTO MOM. Okay, it's not fair she's leaving for a week to party in Mexico, but I suppose she's earned it. That aside, Stiletto is all glam and class with a touch of quirk on the side. She could be one the characters on Lipstick Jungle, allowing her the freedom to chase her lifelong crush. Want pointers on how to conduct yourself at a funeral? Steletto Mom can help. Smart and funny, Stiletto Mom's a hit.

Last but not least is iVegasFamily. Raising kids in Las Vegas would scare the crap out of me, but not for this dedicated dad and husband. The thing I like about him is that he seems really down to earth and practicle. There's an undertone in his style that strikes you as being real even, and the friend everyone likes to have around. One of my favorite posts was a thought-provoking piece on going to a certian type of doctor. And no, I didn't do this because he tagged me (which will be posted Monday).

Take some time this weekend to get to know them.

Next week, check the InBox when it spotlights several more... Blogs That Are Super!

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX September 26

This post is based off a comment I left on the blog Rude Cactus (nice guy, check him out) in response to a question he posed concerning the personal opinions of his readers over the current economic crisis. Typically, you’re not supposed to leave such lengthy comments, but I guess I had a great deal to say on the matter. Someone, maybe my dad, once said if you don’t have anything to say, don’t say anything at all. In other words, spouting off just for the pure sake of hearing the sound of your voice (or your keyboard), is not going to help anybody so make sure your input counts. I hope this meets the criteria of being helpful.

One side note: I edited this slightly from my original comment in order to direct it towards a more general audience. Incidentally, much of what came across Clark's Inbox this week coincided neatly with my response so I sprinkled links to what I read through out the text.

So, in reply to how the economy affected me, and what are my thoughts I write,

As a former homebuilding exec I had front row seats to this whole mess. I used to marvel at how people who just defaulted on all their credit cards and recently had their cars repo'd could still qualify for a home loan. It was a pretty good company (the CEO refused his 9 million dollar as a matter of principal while his peers cashed in) made up of a great bunch of people whom I will always miss. Even so, the market where I transferred to in order to be closer to my kids was shrinking rapidly and layoffs were occurring on an almost bi-weekly pace. I was a loyal associate that made the company some big bucks earning me a high salary, that ironically, made me a huge target for a layoff. Right or wrong, I felt it best to leave on my own terms and in an amicable fashion so I resigned returning to Houston where the economy remained solid. At the very least, I wanted to be able to provide a steady income for my children if I couldn't be near them.

With little trouble I landed a job, albeit a lower paying one, but a job nonetheless. Because it was an international homebuilder, what was happening on Wall Street and the American housing market had minimal effect because the revenues it created internationally translated into stability for the company, and for my position. Or so I thought.

Not 60 days later they laid me off along with 20 other people. And talk about your Schadenfreude moments, my fiancee (now my wife) called to tell me she got let from her job at an oil and gas company the same day!

Since then, we've got rid of both our cars for a fuel efficient mini-van (mini-van cries desperate by itself), moved to a new apt (during the middle of a hurricane no less) with lower rent and utilities, combined cell phone plans, as well as cutting back on all manner of variable expenses. It resulted in huge savings, but still not enough for us to make ends meet.

I've been working on a job hunt for nearly 7 months. They say it takes longer for executives, but this feels different when you can't even get a phone call or returned email. I remember not that long ago when headhunters called at least once a week trying to whisk me away off to some other great company. Not so anymore. Now my unemployment has run out making my search all the more desperate. The fact McDonald's conducts interviews every Monday is not out of the question. (It's true,I do some consulting work to investment firms and research companies, but it's not steady enough to be considered a real job)

My wife, thankfully, landed a great job this summer working for Matt Simmons (read about him in the upcoming issue of Forbes as well as here). This of course, puts us on the forefront of information concerning the future of the oil industry making us very informed on the energy situation. I'm telling you, and everyone - watch what happens to oil and which candidate has the most solid plan for dealing with our energy dependency. That will be a key element to our future recovery.

And forget the housing sector. It's not going to happen anytime soon. Some markets are okay like in Texas, and sure the demographics support a steady demand for housing, but with a nearly two-year supply comprised of newly constructed inventory, existing homes and foreclosures the math is fairly easy to figure when it comes to predicting when stability will return to the real estate market. That's assuming lenders hunkered down in their bunkers ease up some. Their poop chutes are so tight right now that, if you added a little carbon to the mix they could crap diamonds.

On a macro scale, watching Bill Clinton on The Daily Show (watch Part 1 & Part 2) and reading his interview on CBS this morning, I was impressed. I'm a veteran, and I like McCain, but I think Bill's right in his comments concerning who will best lead the country out of our current situation. I have a hard time trusting a candidate who yielded to his party's will and pandered to female voters just to get votes) And the bail out? I'm undecided as of yet. It depends on how it's structured. In any case, nothing is going to get better anytime soon and I think we all have to be realistic in our expectations and prepare ourselves according in the interim. One thing's for sure, taxes will be going up for all of us at some point. Bet on it.

That being said, I'm not sitting around having any pity parties for myself. Many good things have come out these circumstances. One, I got married, and because I ended up at home allot, I spent most of that time getting to build a relationship with my new step daughters. I also started a blog, which not only improved my writing skills (being a writer has always been my lifelong dream), but it also afforded me the opportunity to meet many great people and bloggers via the net. Most importantly, it made me a more aware parent of the issues concerning my step-daughters and my 3 boys from my previous marriage. I'm certainly more attentive and involved in their lives than maybe I would have been in my old job.

I'd still like to have a job, and it doesn't need to be as high paying as the ones I once had, just something steady would be nice at this point. Until then, I guess it's what you make of it. It always could be worse.

When I say it could always be worse, that's not just a cliche I say in a feeble attempt to convince myself I have it easy. It's the truth. Here's a perfect example. Read about writer Lori Hall Steele's circumstances. Single mom to a seven year old, stricken with a paralyzing illness and no health insurance and a house about to be foreclosed on. If that doesn't put a human face on two serious issues that will be influenced one way or the other by this election, I don't know what does. If you can, get involved. Even something small can make a positive impact for her.

These are just a few of the reasons it's important to vote in this election. It's rousted me out of my decades of apathy, and that's saying allot given how lazy I can be. So, to end on a lighter note, I guess I'll have to put up with this (see the video below, and yes, that's me in there) for the next few months. Lest you think me cynical, read this article from the LA Times. Both parties are at fault, so pointing fingers is immaterial in my book.

Allow me to mimic Rude Cactus's question if you will.
What has been the personal impact of the economy for you?
What is the fix?
And which candidate stands a better shot of correcting it?

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX September 5 (LATE EDITION!)

My last week's Inbox commentary concerning the election elicited more than it's share of attention (mostly emails, torches and pitchforks), which was greatly appreciated. The tongue-in-cheek tone was intended to address a few issues that are hot buttons for me in approaching the election. I have registered to vote, but to date, I am still undecided on either of the two major presidential candidates, thus my hot buttons are serving as a filter of sorts in making an educated decision. Specifically, these buttons include:


Hot Button #1: If you don't plan to be involved, keep your opinions to yourself. That one was pretty obvious last week. Chances are we can all think of people who take a strong stance on the issues, but then don't vote. I mean, what was the voter turn out in past elections? For the loud-mouths it's more about drawing attention to themselves that putting forth effort to make a difference.

Hot Button #2: Know the issues that affect you & where YOU stand on them. I was a senior in high school living at home in my first opportunity to vote so making a choice boiled down to which candidate did my parents go with, which wasn't hard to guess because Republicans are always right. Nearly, 20 years later, I know what affects me. I worked for a home building company that downsized and laid me off over 6 months ago. I switched from a gas-guzzling hemi to a fuel efficient, foreign-made minivan to afford $4/gal gas, and yes, I really did have an electric bill over $400 last month. Maybe I'll expound upon these later, but in any case, I clearly have issues (clearly) that will be impacted by the next administration, and I'm going to make sure I'm educated.

Not sure where to get non-partisan information? Try these sites: On The Issues, Glass Booth, and Pollster.com

Hot Button #3: Jesus is not a Republican... or a Democrat. Remember when I said Republicans are always right? Well, that's because they are all Christians. Uuuuh, no. This can be a tricky one, and I don't mean to offend or insult, but if you're picking a president because they are "God's choice," then that is idiotic. However, if you're using your religious beliefs as a baseline in evaluating where a candidate stands on pertinent issues, that's something different. Listen, I may agree with the "Religious Right" on a number of issues, but I also subscribe to the bumper-sticker mantra, that the Religious Right is neither. It's sad they've become a political entity and not examples of how to treat your neighbor.

Hot Button #4: It's okay if we don't agree, but baseless, personal tirades are a turn off. There are some of you out there that will not agree with me and visa versa. Heck, my own wife I don't agree. I can respect someone who has some valid points behind their position, but I loathe it when a someone reduces themselves to making personal attacks or use obviously slanted info to create a soundbite for a crusade. There is a popular blogger I read on a regular basis doing this right now. I believe that person to be well-intentioned, but the way they present themselves on the matter makes me want to tell them to stick to their day job as a photographer and playing second fiddle, and refrain from political commentary.

Hot Button #5: It's great that we DO agree, but personal tirades are not facts either. Same concept except you are damage the credibility of a credible position when you sound like a jackass. The blogger I mentioned above, guess what? I agree with them. However, if we were in a bar together and they started going off like that, I'm acting like I don't know them.

That said, there's one more thing I'm going off of - my gut. I can read all the facts. I can listen to the speeches. I can watch all the debates. I can filter all of these through my "hot buttons," but at some point I'm going to have to make a call based on what I feel in my gut. The one thing I feel compelled to state, after making my earlier points, is that my gut is purely subjective, and if anyone can provide me a well-articulated argument to the contrary, I'm all ears.

In the mean time here's a few other posts and articles I've read this week.


Rebel Dad weighs in on Sarah Palin, Parenting and Dads.

Rude Cactus - Won't Get Fooled Again by the Gov Palin

Dad Gone Mad - On being objective & other things in "On Notice"

Whiskey In My Sippy Cup - An Independent... like me.

Most commonly used words in both the party's convention speeches from the NY Times

The chosen party of the Religious Right bends the rules on telling the truth. Isn't lying a sin?

Speaking of which, don't mess around with God, politics and blogging as Neil at Citizen of the Month found out... almost the hard way.

Finally, an example of how to help/hurt your political party's cause by talking out of both sides of your mouth.



This clip was posted by the Lunchbox and I approve of (laughed pretty hard at) this message.

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX August 29

Given that the Democratic National Convention was this week, the majority of the stuff I read on blogs or saw on Twitter naturally dealt with people's personal perspectives on the upcoming election. A great deal were insightful. Some were funny, while others were proof of that old axiom stating, "It's better to say nothing and let people think you a fool, than to blog about it and remove all doubt."

Personally, there's not much I am permitted to say about the elections. Why? Because I don't vote. To some, that fact may make me as reprehensible as a flag burner or possibly a necrophiliac, but before you judge me, know this. In not voting, I recognize the fact I have conceded my voice on the matter. I think the current president is likely the most disappointing since Nixon or Carter, but I don't run around with "Bush Sucks" (he does, you know) scrawled on my minivan, given that I failed to participate in either election where he won. Like they say, "If you don't like something, change it." I didn't, so no witty bumper stickers for me.

One reason I don't vote is that I've become very cynical about politics and our federal government. It's just posturing with no sincere concern for the little people, unless, of course you're a midget lobbyist with billions of dollars behind your cause. Besides, the way I see it, God already knows who's going to win, and so my one little vote isn't going to change his mind. I think it insulting on my part to thumb my nose at the Almighty and centuries of predestination, by trying to make a difference. Maybe there's a reward in heaven for people like me who persevere in practicing their apathy. I really really really want that reward, but then again, whatever. I guess the only subject I am probably more cynical about other than politics is organized religion, so combining the two just makes me want to take a nap.

Do I have educated opinions about John McCain and Barack Obama? Absolutely, but I'm not going to share them here because I don't plan on voting. I'm too busy trying to find a service station with gas under $3.50 a gallon, so I can drive around to find a job that will allow me to pay my $420 electric bill. Once I figure that out, then maybe I'll have the time to sit down and learn where each candidate stands on the issues affecting me. Until then, I'll just keep my mouth shut and post links to other peoples' thoughts on the matter who actually intend to vote. Reading them almost made me want to go register.

Neil Kramer at Citizen of the Month writes very poignantly as to how bloggers can influence independent voters who are undecided. Although he's advocating Obama, his arguments are less than arbitrary and I respect that.

Blue Like Jazz author, Donald Miller, who delivered the benediction at the DNC, shared on his blog, the recent email exchanges he had with Obama this week.


Rude Cactus and Daddy's Toolbox have both decided to get involved in the election, but each in their own special way. One is going to be President of Bitterland while the other is looking for a running mate in his bid as an independent.

Shifting to the economy, Discovering Dad posted a great piece asking How Have Economic Pressures Affected Your Home while providing some very practical solutions in making adjustments to your personal finances.

Do your children have food allergies? One of my boys and one of my stepdaughters have severe reactions to peanuts so being cautious at the grocery store or in a restaurant is critical. It can be very frustrating at times dealing with the inconsistencies of warning labels provided by manufacturers, but that could change according to this report.

Speaking of food. I'm sure you've seen the blog Cake Wrecks, but this post, well, it takes the cake (no pun intended).


Finally, I have no idea why I'm posting these except that they generally sum up my attitude toward PETA and unionized labor.





Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX August 22

This week my oldest got pink-eye during his first, full week of school. When I asked him how he was doing he said all was good.

"Do you have to wear an eye-patch or glasses?" I teased.

"Dad," he shot back, "It's the 21st Century, they have eye drops for these sorts of things."

And so they do.

This is a pretty short inbox to make up for a few of the massive posts put out this week on the Lunchbox. A couple notes of gratitude to Jeremy at Discovering Dad for having my guest post on his site, to Tara at From Dawn Till Rusk for mentioning the Lunchbox - she has a great site to read - and to Aimee at Greeblemonkey for hosting a cool photo contest (oh, ya, and I was a finalist). Here's a few other posts and articles from the week.

Dad Gone Mad's version of play of forward.

DadCentric's review of the new Star Wars Movie

One of my recent favorites has become Citizen of the Month. Read his story of when he became a writer and have a chuckle.

Then there was this appalling article questioning the identity of Superman courtesy of Christ and Pop Culture.

And finally, I leave you with a wedding that will ensure you never see a Waffle House the same again.

Have a great weekend. Thanks.

UPDATE ON THE PHOTO CONTEST... I WON! Thanks for the votes! Check out the site - click below.

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX August 15

I was standing in line with the girls last week when I overheard this other guy commenting that he couldn't believe summer was over and the kids were headed back to school. I was thinking to myself , which pagan calender does this guy follow, and then it occurred to me, Crap! school's starting in just a few weeks. Of course then I'm talking to my boys on the phone this week and they told me they couldn't talk long because the next day was their first day of school. I guess I'm the one whose calendar is a little off.

This weekend we'll be getting school supplies (if you haven't gotten yours check out the deals at EZ School Supplies found in the right sidebar & some testimonials from other blog sites), new clothes, and haircuts.

At least the doctor's visits are out of the way. Allie had been complaining of a sore throat and I took her to get checked out which made for an interesting situation. After examining the normal ears, nose and throat, the doctor explained she'd have to obtain a throat culture and a urine test. Pretty standard stuff until we got down to the mechanics, at which point the conversation went something like this.

[Doctor to Allie]: Okay Sweetie, we're going to do a couple easy tests.

[Allie]: Are they going to hurt?

[Doctor]: Oh no, Sweetie. One is just us tickling your throat.

[Allie]: Will I get a sucker?

[Doctor]: Yes, but you have to do the other test and that's peeing in this cup (which looked like a thimble).

[Allie]: Uh, how am I going to do that?

[Doctor]: Oh, it's easy, Honey. First you take this pad and wipe reeeeeal good all over... down here (points to... down there. Allie's eyes get huge), then you just hold this cup under you and pee in it real carefully.

[Allie]: I'm gonna need help.

[Doctor]: I'm sure your step-dad (doctor looks at me)...

[Step-Dad]: Uh... (I'm looking over the top of my glasses and shaking my head back and forth emphatically. Doctor looks back at Allie and she is doing the same thing).

[Doctor]: ...orrrr, well, if the throat culture comes back positive we won't need a urine sample.

I don't think I or Allie ever wanted a throat culture to be so positive our entire lives. Then 5 year-old Avery, whose been sitting there reading a book chimes in.

[Avery]: If I clean my "bagina" real good can I have a sucker too?

Thank God the throat culture was positive. We all got suckers on that visit.

Blog Carnival
Couple things from my inbox this week to pass along, the first of which is the Blog Carnival at Daddy's Toolbox Daddy's Toolbox (where I have a submission posted). His carnival has a great collection of writing and tips on parenting by some very good guys. I've really been enjoying this site in general (Show your support by Stumbling the posts you enjoy. They'd really appreciate it.).

Olympic Mom
No doubt you've heard the amazing feats of Michael Phelps this week during the Olympics. I'm pretty sure he'll get a key to the city, meet the president and go to Disneyland when it's all over. For as amazing as he is, his mom deserves a great deal of credit in helping him deal with his ADHD growing up as you will see in this article from the NY Times.

And In Girl's Underwear...
Rmember my issue with some of the creepy stuff on little girl's underwear. Apparently, Disney finally crossed the line with their High School Musical undies which sport a popular show's theme "Dive In" on them. Not exactly the thing a dad wants to see when he's folding the girls' laundry.



BlogHer / BlogHim
Those of you that are familiar with the blogospher have probably heard of BlogHer and their blogging convention targeted primarily at women in the blogging community. Lately, there has been interest in starting a BlogHim convention, and Seattle PI Family Reporter, Paul Nyhan has posed the question openly. I support the idea of a convention, and so it was interesting to read what dooce's husband (if you don't know who dooce is, she is the Oprah Winfrey/Michael Jordan of the blogging community) wrote about his experience while attending the BlogHer convention as a guy on his own blog Blurbomat.

Star Wars
Aside from the Batman Movie, the other film I could not wait to see was the animated Star Wars movie coming out this weekend. I already have the tickets and have almost converted my young step-daughters to the dark side of geek-dome. If you have any interest in the movie, you should read 7 Reasons the Clone Wars Will Be Worth Seeing.

Finally...
I apologize there's not much from the inbox as it's been kind of a cruddy week for me. Thanks to everyone for your encouraging comments, emails and phone calls. My wife has been great too, all except when she explained how she'd signed me up for a men's fashion catalogue advertising these swim wear selections.

**DISCLAIMER** If you are reading this at work or with your family scroll fast or pick another time to brag to your boss/hubbie/wife/pastor/mother about this blog!







There were more, but in the name of decency, I could not post them. No sucker for my wife.

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CLARK KENT'S INBOX August 8

It's been a few weeks since I've done anything with Clark's Inbox, so I figured it's time to get things back on track. Since the last one there have been several new (and exciting) developments. First, there's been the updated layout now with three columns so I could better highlight some of the many great blogs and blog communities out their (you should check them out). The additional column allows for spotlighting your reader comments on the face page too (thanks to those of you who have taken the time - much appreciated).

One of the other exciting items of note has been some recent exposure the Lunchbox has received in the past couple weeks which included a mention on the very useful blogsite, I Saw Your Nanny (July 30th) as one of their favorite Daddy Blogs, along with A listers like The Sneeze, Dad Gone Mad, Joe-Prah, and Busy Dad Blog.

Soon afterward, Appropriate / Inappropriate was included on The Houston Chronicle's Blog, Good Mom / Bad Mom in their Blog Share Sunday feature.

Then on Wednesday I was notified of that the Lunchbox had been included in Alltop's list of top Dad Bloggers. If you're not familiar with the site, Alltop compiles the best blogs by category and lists them for readers to easily find the top sites in their area of interest, so to be added to a list with some of the most well-known and popular fathers in the blogosphere blew me away.

Finally, this morning as I was writing this post, I noticed another mention for the Clark's Lunchbox on Paul Nyhan's Working Dad Blog which he writes as the family reporter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Enough tooting my own horn. It's not in my nature to do so, but it's nice to be recognized and it's flattering that people enjoy reading about your personal delusions of reality. Thank you.

I want to switch gears now and highlight some of the writing and blogs out there that blows mine away.

If you a serious Dark Knight fan and like reading intellectual takes on the movie that go beyond just a flick review, then you should enjoy these two articles featured on Christ and Pop Culture. Thomas Hibbs explores noir elements of the Batman in Christopher Nolan's Achievement: The Dark Knight, while Jonathan Dodson gets a little freaked out about the philosophical and phsycological elements of the characters within the movie in Dark Thoughts From The Dark Knight. (Thanks C&PC!)

Are you a competitive person? Do you have young children that are playing or you plan to have play sports? This was a great post on That's Live v 2.0 (if you're a runner, follow Mrs. Incredible as she trains for the Chicago Marathon on her other site Run Fast Lane Run).

Did any of your kids go to any day-camps this summer. As I read Cynical Dad's post on his newest job description, all I could do was laugh in between the times I was rolling my eyes going, "Oh, that's just crap!" I've seen camps like this and you probably have too.

Two blogsites of note Discovering Dad and A Good Husband. I just came across these sites this week and have been really enjoying them. Check out Time Bandits & What Women Think Of Daddy Blogging as a good place to start.

Two new books I'm looking forward to. The first is Paul Turner's Churched: One Kid's Journey Toward God Despite a Holy Mess which comes out in October. Being as he's been compared to one of my favorite writers - David Sedaris - I've already pre-ordered the book. Check out his blog Jesus Needs New Pr for an excerpt.

The second book is by Dad Gone Mad writer Daniel Evans and won't be released until this time next year. Right now it's called Rage Against The Meshugenah, but in that amount of time it could change before publication. When I first started reading Dan's stuff, I really didn't like the guy even though we shared several similar circumstances - getting laid off from a corporate job, dealing with depression, being a father. Then I read this post and thought, "Okay, cool. He likes beer."

Finally, with all the summer heat everyone's been mentioning I thought I'd leave you with a quick trip down nostalgia lane to the days of Christmas and those Holiday Cartoon TV specials we would drool over in a time before cable and Youtube. Anybody else remember these?

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