As owner of Colorado Health Insurance Brokers, I may not be the most impartial person on the planet but I am getting really sick of President Obama’s repeated attempts to demonize the health insurance industry.   The reason why we have so many people that are uninsured or that struggle to pay their premiums isn’t because of greedy insurance companies, it is because the underlying costs have been spiraling out of control for years.

Putting the hammer down on the insurance companies won’t fix the problem any more than killing the canary in the coal mine would make the coal mine any safer.  Rising insurance premiums are the leading indicator of the bigger problem.

Unless Obama has the courage to address the cost side of the equation the increased insurance regulations he has proposed will drive up costs for people that buy their own insurance.  Providing government subsidies to provide the illusion that premiums are affordable is an expensive band-aid.  Without addressing the cost side of the equation those subsidized costs will be eaten up by health services inflation and we’ll be in the same boat we are now in a relatively short time frame.

Black Dog - Harley rocking out to some Led Zeppelin in August 2009

Ally gave me Led Zeppelin’s box set for my 47th birthday, which was a very thoughtful gift indeed.  Lovingly remastered by Jimmy Page, the box set recaptures the shades and textures of their work I’ve not heard since listening to them on the pressed vinyl back when I was Ally’s age.

All I can say is wow!   Although I was burned out on the few Zep tracks played relentlessly by the the pablum that passes for FM radio these days, there is nothing tired about this master work.  This 4 disc box set is selectively representative of Zeppelin’s best work and plays it in rough chronilogical sequence. 

Forget the stories of bullshit mysticism, Led Zeppelin was a group of 4 regular, albeit super talented, guys that loved the blues and possessed a singular desire to do the hard work required to write a good song and then work painstakingly together to craft it into a brilliant song.   These guys took pride in their work and it showed throughout their career.

Led Zeppelin was a band that helped to develop the album format in sharp contrast with the more singles oriented Beatles and Stones.  In their early days, Led Zeppelin toured relentlessly to build a following and became superstars without the aid of any top 40 singles.  Of course, Led Zeppelin 4 changed all that with “Stairway to Heaven” which remains one of the longest top selling songs of all time.

Cheryl gave me some awesome Bose headphones that really reveal the brilliance of this music.  Listening to those very nearly recaptures the feeling of being 16 years old and lounging on a bean bag chair in  a small bedroom covered with posters of the guitar heroes and villains of the day, listening to the vinyl recording while admiring the album cover and reading the liner notes as the music played.   

Still miss the LP's, but iPods played through surround sound are pretty cool too

The other thing I enjoy about the Led Zeppelin box set is the discography and they have 3 outstanding essays about the band from respected rock journalists of the day.   It was fun to sit in my living room this rainy afternoon and listen to all four discs, tirelessly enjoying all 59 songs (yep, all in one sitting!!) that make up the Led Zeppelin box set.   Rediscovering old treasures and newer ones like,  In the Light , this is as close as one can get to reclaiming those original magic feelings of discovery and appreciation.  

What is your favorite Zep song?  Here is the the track listing for the box set:

Track listing
Side one
1. “Whole Lotta Love” (from Led Zeppelin II, 1969) Bonham, Dixon, Jones, Page, Plant 5:34
2. “Heartbreaker” (from Led Zeppelin II, 1969) Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant 4:14
3. “Communication Breakdown” (from Led Zeppelin, 1969) Bonham, Jones, Page 2:29
4. “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” (from Led Zeppelin, 1969) Bredon, Page, Plant 6:42
5. “What Is and What Should Never Be” (from Led Zeppelin II, 1969) Page, Plant 4:47

Side two
1. “Thank You” (from Led Zeppelin II, 1969) Page, Plant 4:50
2. “I Can’t Quit You Baby (live January 9th, 1970)” (from Coda, 1982) Dixon 4:43
3. “Dazed and Confused” (from Led Zeppelin, 1969) Page 6:27
4. “Your Time Is Gonna Come” (from Led Zeppelin, 1969) Jones, Page 4:41
5. “Ramble On” (from Led Zeppelin II, 1969) Page, Plant 4:23

Side three
1. “Travelling Riverside Blues (live at the BBC June 24th, 1969)” (previously unreleased, 1969) Johnson, Page, Plant 5:11
2. “Friends” (from Led Zeppelin III, 1970) Page, Plant 3:55
3. “Celebration Day” (from Led Zeppelin III, 1970) Jones, Page, Plant 3:29
4. “Hey Hey What Can I Do” (appeared on b-side to “Immigrant Song” single, 1970) Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant 3:55
5. “White Summer/Black Mountain Side” (recorded) Page 8:01

Side four
1. “Black Dog” (from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971) Jones, Page, Plant 4:55
2. “Over the Hills and Far Away” (from Houses of the Holy, 1973) Page, Plant 4:50
3. “Immigrant Song” (from Led Zeppelin III, 1970) Page, Plant 2:27
4. “The Battle of Evermore” (from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971) Page, Plant 5:52
5. “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” (from Led Zeppelin III, 1970) Jones, Page, Plant 4:20
6. “Tangerine” (from Led Zeppelin III, 1970) Page 3:12

Side five
1. “Going to California” (from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971) Page, Plant 3:31
2. “Since I’ve Been Loving You” (from Led Zeppelin III, 1970) Jones, Page, Plant 7:24
3. “D’yer Mak’er” (from Houses of the Holy, 1973) Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant 4:23
4. “Gallows Pole” (from Led Zeppelin III, 1970) trad., arr. Page, Plant 4:58
5. “Custard Pie” (from Physical Graffiti, 1975) Page, Plant 4:13

Side six
1. “Misty Mountain Hop” (from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971) Page, Plant, Jones 4:38
2. “Rock and Roll” (from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971) Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant 3:41
3. “The Rain Song” (from Houses of the Holy, 1973) Page, Plant 7:39
4. “Stairway to Heaven” (from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971) Page, Plant 8:02

Side seven
1. “Kashmir” (from Physical Graffiti, 1975) Bonham, Page, Plant 8:32
2. “Trampled Under Foot” (from Physical Graffiti, 1975) Jones, Page, Plant 5:37
3. “For Your Life” (from Presence, 1976) Page, Plant 6:24

Side eight
1. “No Quarter” (from Houses of the Holy, 1973) Jones, Page, Plant 7:00
2. “Dancing Days” (from Houses of the Holy, 1973) Page, Plant 3:43
3. “When the Levee Breaks” (from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971) Page, Plant, Jones, Minnie 7:07
4. “Achilles Last Stand” (from Presence, 1976) Page, Plant 10:25

Side nine
1. “The Song Remains the Same” (from Houses of the Holy, 1973) Page, Plant 5:32
2. “Ten Years Gone” (from Physical Graffiti, 1975) Page, Plant 6:32
3. “In My Time of Dying” (from Physical Graffiti, 1975) Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant 11:05

Side ten
1. “In the Evening” (from In Through the Out Door, 1979) Jones, Page, Plant 6:49
2. “Candy Store Rock” (from Presence, 1976) Page, Plant 4:11
3. “The Ocean” (from Houses of the Holy, 1973) Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant 4:31
4. “Ozone Baby” (from Coda, 1982) Page, Plant 3:35
5. “Houses of the Holy” (from Physical Graffiti, 1975) Page, Plant 4:02

Side eleven
1. “Wearing and Tearing” (from Coda, 1982) Page, Plant 5:31
2. “Poor Tom” (from Coda, 1982) Page, Plant 3:03
3. “Nobody’s Fault but Mine” (from Presence, 1976) Page, Plant 6:27
4. “Fool in the Rain” (from In Through the Out Door, 1979) Jones, Page, Plant 6:12

Side twelve
1. “In the Light” (from Physical Graffiti, 1975) Page, Plant, Jones 8:46
2. “The Wanton Song” (from Physical Graffiti, 1975) Page, Plant 4:07
3. “Moby Dick/Bonzo’s Montreux” (remix of previous two recordings) Bonham, Jones, Page 3:50
4. “I’m Gonna Crawl” (from In Through the Out Door, 1979) Jones, Page, Plant 5:30
5. “All My Love” (from In Through the Out Door, 1979) Jones, Plant 5:51

This morning I watched this episode of “In Touch” about raising kids.  While the beginning of this free show seems a bit negative, talking about all the threats that kids today face, the program then goes into 11 principals that parents should employ to love and lead their children in a positive direction.

I wish I had this information when I was a new parent and I hope younger parents will have the wisdom to invest a small amount of time to learn these principals, as it will yield dividends for the rest of your child’s life.

Watch the video at  http://vidego.multicastmedia.com/player.php?v=s5×148jg

Here are highlights from the program notes:

How should you teach your child?

A. By investing quality time. There is no substitute for a mother or a father. Be sure to invest in your kids early and often.

B. By listening to them. When your children are ready to talk to you, give them your undivided attention. They will be more likely to do the same for you when the time is right.

C. By admitting when you are wrong. Don’t let pride keep you from being transparent. You’ll be surprised at how confession removes barriers to intimacy and trust. And your kids will have an easier time admitting when they’ve sinned too.

D. By loving them unconditionally. Don’t make your acceptance contingent upon their appearance, personality, or performance (1 Cor. 13:8). Shower genuine affection on your kids, and they will do their best to please you.

E. By disciplining your children. Many modern parenting books discourage correcting, punishing, and spanking children—even when they willfully disobey. This idea is diametrically opposed to the clear teaching of Scripture (Prov. 3:12).

F. By encouraging them to fulfill their potential. Time after time, my mother said to me, “Charles, you need to look your best, do your best, and be your best.” Without criticizing or shaming your kids, challenge them to rise to their full potential.

G. By teaching them to be accountable to God. Until your children understand that their heavenly Father watches everything they do, they are likely to rebel when you aren’t around.

H. By emphasizing the importance of a relationship with Jesus. Through your words as well as your lifestyle, teach your children the importance of committing to one-on-one time with the Lord.

I. By encouraging them to read the Word. Daily Bible reading and prayer will give your children a strong moral compass. Unless the light of God’s Word shines on their paths, your children will stumble through life (Ps. 119:105).

J. By teaching them that God has a plan for their lives. I told my kids that the Lord had the right spouse, a particular career, and a specific calling for them. When children are raised knowing that God has planned their future, they are motivated to seek Him for direction.

K. By telling them to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. In this one statement, you are teaching them to recognize the sovereignty of their Creator and His personal interest in them—this principle will help them know that they can trust Him to take care of the consequences.

IV. Conclusion: Train your children in such a way that they will follow Jesus all the days of their lives (Prov. 22:6). With your guidance and support, they will be ready to overcome attacks from the Enemy, courageously defend their faith, and take a stand for truth. Despite a world that is hostile to our faith, they will be able to reach their full potential—not just spiritually but also in every other way.

Watch the video at  http://vidego.multicastmedia.com/player.php?v=s5×148jg

Source:  http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5400919/k.767A/Training_Our_Children.htm

Here in Colorado, Congress has requested that the BLM expedite it’s environmental impact study of the proposed “Over the River” project which would take place over roughly 6 miles of Colorado’s Arkansas River. Bulgarian-born Christo and his partner-wife Jeanne-Claude, made famous for their art projects in Paris and New York, drove throughout the Rocky Mountains looking for just the right place for their new art project, which will blend, fabric, sun, water and wind for their desired artistic effect.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude propose to hang translucent fabric panels over eight segments of the Arkansas River between Canon City and Salida. The artwork would hang for just 14 days, sometime between mid-July and mid-August in 2011.

while I appreciate art, my initial take on this was negative, but the more I thought about it the more open minded I have become. Provided there is no long term environmental impact, the project would bring a lot of attention and (I hope) appreciation of Colorado’s mountains and rivers. It would certainly be an economic boon to local communities as well.

If you want to read more about this, here is the artists’ web site.

I’m curious what others think about this as well.  What are your thoughts?

Hi folks,

I am playing with the new Media Gallery Feature located in the Dashboard.  I uploaded a couple of photos to the Gallery and now I am going to add them to this new blog post by clicking on the “Add Media” function.

 If that’s not clear, check out the video tutorials.  That guy sounds like a pretty cool cat.  Wish I had a British accent so I could sound cool too.   ;-)   Maybe in England there someone things I sound cool.  Think so?