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Then I do the work of getting it down on paper, because I'm the designated typist, and I'm also the person whose job it is to hold the lantern while the kid does the digging. What is the kid digging for? The stuff. Details and clues and images, invention, fresh ideas, an intuitive understanding of people. I tell you, the holder of the lantern doesn't even know what the kid is digging for half the time - but she knows gold when she sees it. -- Anne Lamott
In mankind's millennia-old pursuit to escape the confines of the earth, it turned out that gravity was the tether and that a mixture of kerosene and liquid oxygen was the fuel to push into the freedom of space.
I loved space, as a kid. Still do. One of my favorite movies is Contact. Star Trek can mesmerize me. On the clearest nights, I watch for the still persistence of satellites moving through the sky overhead. Space, I guess, stands for what is possible.
My heart aches as I watch my fellow citizens vote for economy-wrecking politicians who push economy-wrecking policies. I've written before that the next elections are not at all about the politicians, but about the collective intellect of the American people.
Speaking personally, I don't care much for tether. I'm a bit like the dog that would chew its leg off before settling for chained existence.
This past Friday, Duane and I moved ahead with Worldwide Amplified by signing franchising papers with Francorp, the #1 franchiser in the world, responsible for helping Jimmy Johns, Buffalo Wild Wings, and McDonalds, to name a few of their hundreds of clients. 90 days from now, anyone can purchase a Worldwide Amplified franchise.
It will be a low-cost franchise. To our knowledge and Francorp's, it will be one of the first social networking franchises available. We're working feverishly to polish the model. Once the legal framework is completed, I'll be traveling just about every week. I'm the guy who will train franchisees and spend a week at their location to settle them into the process.
I'll know more in the next 90 days as they finesse their numbers and we finesse ours, but I expect this to sell well. Even if we only sell 1 per month, we're doing great. And Francorp tells us that they think this might be particularly attractive in certain countries. They have offices in 17 countries around the world. My passport stands at the ready... as does Tamara's when that day comes around that we open a franchise outside of the US.
My personal goal is to reach escape velocity, where I push beyond the reach of any tether and I can move freely in any direction. I've strapped the rocket to my back. The rest is up to me.
Re-route as many jobs through government as possible.
Spend money as fast as it can be spent, no matter how much waste and fraud there is.
When your policies fail miserably on every front, try to buy votes and sink future generations into further and further debt. After all, today's children (aka tomorrow's taxpayers) can't vote against the current crop of politicians.
This November's election and the election in 2012 are not referendums on government, but are instead measures of the intelligence of the American people.
Back in October of 2008, a fella introduced himself to me through the comments of my blog here. He'd been doodling around on the Dare's drawing pad application, as I had, and he sent me some of his work. He increased in his proficiency over time, as I did. We even collaborated on a Christmas tree together.
He lives in New York somewhere, owned a pizza outfit, had kids, like the band Rush, and spent time on computers as I did. We had much in common. I spent a bit of time introducing him to SQL, the database query language, and he took that and ran with it and attends college now, pursuing a degree in computers.
You never know who you'll meet when you put yourself out there on the Net. My web site has allowed me to get to know Pale Rider and Chris, as well - people I've never met in person, but I now know them fairly well through their comments on my web site and through a few email.
In Hoss' case, I met a remarkable guy.
He recently took up oil painting, and I wanted to share some of his artwork with you. By his own words back in 2008, he started with no talent for drawing, but as you can see, he certainly changed that.
How cool is that? It's a privilege to know him, and to watch him transform his life. He sent these images to me through picture message on the phone.
I love explorers. I look forward to Hoss' next leaps in life.
Last April, MSNBC ran the above headline during a Contessa Brewer segment, proving that just because you graduated with a college degree doesn't mean you're smart.
Today, the New York Times channels that same intelligence.
The Arizona law - which Ms. Brewer signed in April and which, barring an injunction, takes effect July 29 - makes it a crime to be an illegal immigrant there.
Anybody who still has an Obama bumper sticker on their car is just telling the world that they aren't paying attention. And trust me, when we see it, we get the message.
ETC: Here's a wonderful primer for those who don't understand the velocity of money. A couple trillion not moving into the economy... because of the uncertainty created by massive government expansion.
