Buying versus renting in a down market

If you are considering buying a home, The New York Times has a nifty multimedia device on its Web site today that may help you determine whether buying or renting is more cost effective. As a side observation, this is a good example of how online journalism - specifically interactive graphics - can add value and not just eye candy to a well-reported story. The NYT seems to do this better than most news sites.

The article that accompanies the calculator provides useful information about the changing real estate markets around the country. What was true three years ago is not necessarily true today. The recession has created buying opportunities in some areas, while having little or no impact in other regions. Read more at the NYT site.

A horrendous decision by the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court's decision to strike down a law that prohibits the sale of animal-abuse videos is another moral loss for America. The ruling shatters every ounce of commonsense one would hope the high court possessed. Animal-rights advocates are profoundly disappointed in this ruling. President Obama had supported the law. This one is truly mind boggling. When did it get so hard to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil? Read more.

Taking aim at real discrimination

Gun owners gathered in Northern Virginia yesterday. They carried loaded weapons at a park near D.C. They were protesting, uh, well... I am not exactly sure what they were protesting. The gathering was legal. I have no issue with people owning guns, but I do worry about folks who feel under attack when no obvious threat exists. Nor am I crazy about loaded weapons in public parks.

This protest, and others like it, seem to be more about intimidation than debate. There are a lot of angry people in this country right now, and gun owners can express that anger with a bit more gusto than your average Tea Party supporter. What are they angry about? Well, your guess is as good as mine. I see no shortage of gun shops where I live.

Living in the Washington area exposes residents to a lot of protests. But the one protest I haven't seen yet is a march of unemployed middle-age men. These are guys who were and are openly discriminated against in the job market. There is virtually no one who would argue against the statistics that prove mid-career men face obstacles (some of them illegal) that most other segments of society don't face when looking for work. There's no affirmative action plans in place for mid-career men. These are men with college degrees and years in professional trades. These aren't untrained, unmotivated guys making a life of hanging out on street corners.

As the result of men being discriminated against by some employers, many women are now carrying the financial load for their families. And while there are signs that the economy is improving, it's not improving fast enough for unemployed people over 50.

My guess is that many older men are without work for the first time in their lives as a result of the current recession. And there is an embarrassment factor associated with that. They've never asked for help so it isn't likely they are going to organize a mass protest or file a lawsuit. My gut feeling is that many of these men come from a generation where personal feelings and failures are concealed.

Gun owners, on the other hand, have no qualms about openly displaying their firearms. They believe that packing heat and yelling out unfounded fears towards the White House is somehow going to protect their rights to shoot things. But unlike the unemployed, no one appears to be threatening their rights. Best I can tell, there is no discrimination against gun owners. I can go buy a gun in 10 minutes and be shooting by noon. No one is going to say I am too old or overqualified. Men and women are treated equally at the gun checkout counter. So what are these protests really about?

We live in a time where far-fetched threats seem to mobilize people more than real threats. Emotions run high when guns, Obama or taxes are mentioned. But the real threat to our way of life has less to do with these topics and much more to do with a decaying sense of self worth in individuals who played by the rules -- folks who want existing laws to be enforced so that they can earn a living. Whether white, black, male or female, people want the right to earn a paycheck more than they want to carry guns in parks and restaurants. So maybe the next protest in D.C. should be about evening the playing field in the job market.

Save the planet

Florida's Gov. Crist won't penalize teachers

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist jeopardized his political future by striking down a bill that would have based teacher pay and job security on student performance. The Republican politician went against his own party in issuing the veto. In my opinion, it was the right thing to do.

Teachers get a bad rap. Are there some rotten apples at the head of America's classrooms? Sure. I had a math teacher in high school who simply couldn't teach. It was universally known that a disproportionate number of his students failed. However, teachers like that are the exception. Most teachers go into the profession because they sincerely want students to learn. They certainly aren't in it for the pay.

The real problem concerning low-achieving students is the decline of parenting in this country over the last 30 years. Parents have neglected their roles in supporting educators. How many parents are even around to help kids with their homework? Many moms and dads are either too busy or simply absent.

In addition, it appears to me that parents today can't even provide direction in how their kids should behave in a restaurant or department store for an hour, let alone in a classroom for an entire day. I see more and more children roaming the streets with nothing to do. I see 17-year-olds lounging around the house or loitering at the shopping center all summer instead of seeking a part-time job. Many don't even seem to have the motivation to pursue worthwhile hobbies.

Parents are relying more on daycare centers and public schools to instill values. That's not the primary job of educators. It's the job of parents to set boundaries and promote good work ethics.

I find it interesting that Michelle Obama prohibits her two daughters from watching television during the school week. She apparently also monitors Internet use and sees to it that her kids are doing their homework. I am sure she also has a lot of help around the White House. But the basic lesson is a good one. Parents need to filter out what our declining culture is feeding kids these days. Parents must get more involved, start backing up teachers and demand higher standards of themselves and their kids. Watching television three hours a night isn't going to produce smarter young people.

The solution to improving education in America is not to punish teachers for problems created by poor parenting. The fix is for parents to take more responsibility in raising their children.

The public school system is failing in many parts of the country, but not necessarily because of a wave of bad educators. It's the lowering of culturally standards and parental expectations that has caused a collapse in the schools. Teachers simply don't get the respect they once did. It lessens their effectiveness to have students, in essence, running the asylums. But it's the parents, and some administrators who don't want to rock the boat, who permit that.

Because of poor parenting and a dumbing down of our culture, teachers have a tougher job than ever. I am glad Crist recognized that, even if killing the bill wasn't the popular thing to do.

Read more in The Orlando Sentinel.

Fireballs and firestorms on a mid-April day

A lot of strange things are happening lately.

If you haven't seen the video of last night's fireball in the sky, check this out. The video shows a couple different perspectives of what lit up the sky over several Midwestern states. Watch video.

There have been several earthquakes, a few volcanic eruptions and a couple unexplained light shows in the sky in recent months.

I find this kind of stuff interesting. Or at least more interesting than the debate over whether the government should get involved with airlines charging passengers for baggage. What's up with that? Why are some politicians making a stand on that issue? Low-hanging fruit for the petty-minded vote seekers, I guess. But this still is a capitalist country, and private companies do have a right to charge for services. It appears to me that baggage fees are an issue that belongs with consumer rights agencies, not Congress. My advice to pissed off passengers: Fly another airline, take a train or drive. When airlines lose business, the fee will go away.

It also seems reasonable to think that if you can afford a $500 plane ticket, you can spring for another $30 for baggage transportation. Maybe that kind of thinking won't get me elected, but it also wouldn't distract me from the larger issues at hand.

Speaking of things that really shouldn't occupy elected officials time during a terrible recession, the Confederate History Month in Virginia debate has finally died down. Virginia took quite a hit in the national media for this brilliant idea that was recently renewed by Gov. Bob McDonnell. But before you come down on Virginia too hard, I did a little research that might interest you.

Did you know there are seven states that celebrate something called Confederate Memorial Day? Yup. And Virginia is not one of them.

I will probably take a glance up in the sky tonight, just in case a fireball streaks by the D.C. region -- before some desperate politician can take ownership of the heavens.

Are things looking up for newspapers?

I have been seeing some positive signs regarding the revitalization of the newspaper industry. That's certainly good news for seasoned guys like me who are looking for a way back into the business or related professions. There are thousands of unemployed journalists with a lot of talent out there -- victims of the recession -- so the competition for good jobs will be intense even if newspapers do rebound. But at least there are some signs of life and hope for those with ink (and pixels) in their veins. Too many good folks are either out of work or are pulling double and triple duty in newsrooms across America. A strong, credible media -- one that doesn't just run on fumes and interns -- is a must for this country. Read the latest from Editor & Publisher.

UPDATE: More good news.

Dolphins get a troubled but talented receiver

I am a little surprised by the Miami Dolphins acquiring Brandon Marshall, the wide receiver with a lot of off-the-field baggage during his days as a Denver Bronco.

Bill Parcells, Miami's general manager, usually hangs onto his draft picks. Today, however, he gave up two second rounders to get Marshall. Parcells, a legendary no-nonsense coach during his days in New York, New England and Dallas, is bringing in a guy who seems to define nonsense. South Florida is not a good place for players who have a knack for finding trouble.

Troubled or not, Marshall is a physical talent. He will upgrade the Dolphins. However, talent alone isn't always a reason to hire anyone. I thought Parcells knew that, but as he enters the twilight of his career, maybe the desire for another Super Bowl title was the blinding force that led to this trade. Read more.

Hoping Palin has the smarts not to run

This paragraph from a New York Times opinion piece is one of the better descriptions of Sarah Palin (and George W. Bush) that I have read. It refers to the possibility of Palin running for president and offers some hope for the future.

I think she’s too smart to even try — she is very smart, in an uncurious, intellectually lazy way. Sort of what George Bush would be like if he’d been sent to Wasilla High instead of prep school. In fact, let’s give Sarah some credit here. If George W. had her background, he’d be serving fast food and cursing the day he got fired from the overnight shift at the canning factory.

While there is some humor in this, I find very little to laugh about concerning Palin. Regardless of one's political leanings, can anyone deny Palin has significant intellectual shortcomings? Whenever I hear her speak, I am reminded of kids in seventh or eighth grade who didn't do their reading assignments and were trying to fake their way through oral exams. I find her as manipulative as a beauty pageant contestant and as hypocritical as a preacher who speaks out of both sides of his mouth.

Palin is a one-trick pony. And that trick is rather shallow. I haven't heard a new or interesting idea from her since she came onto the scene during her vice-presidential run. Her opinions are so thin that they aren't worth debating most of the time. There is just nothing to grab onto, unless you're debating her approval of acts like shooting wolves from helicopters.

I am not impressed by her parenting skills or governing abilities. She quit on the people of Alaska in order to cash in on FOX News and various speaking appearances. Where is that family while she is constantly parading around the lower 48?

We can't afford anymore dumb presidents. This is a complex world we live in. Issues aren't as black and white as Palin portrays them. America is at the crossroads, but not for the reasons Palin states.

We're going to need a lot more intellectual fire power in the White House and in all branches of government in the future. We need well-rounded leaders who are interested in things like math, science, philosophy and literature.

While book smarts alone shouldn't determine who leads, we can't turn the keys over to greedy pretenders who happen to look good on camera. We need more authenticity and less reality TV-type personalities -- leaders with open and fertile minds and introspective abilities, not just blind ambition and whitened teeth.

In a Jim Croce state of mind

But there never seems to be enough time to
do the things you want to do once you find them.

For a variety of reasons, these lyrics in the chorus of the Jim Croce song "Time in a Bottle" seem to be on my mind today. The singer-songwriter died in a plane crash in 1973. He was only 30 years old. His death shortly after releasing this song certainly gave new meaning to the words.

While I am not much of a Croce fan, I believe these simple words would match up favorably against any single line of lyrics in any song ever written. In fact, I think the song is even more relevant in today's distracted and often cluttered society.

If you've never heard this hauntingly melodic tune, it's worth a listen. It's not a rocker, but it does what music should do. It stirs something deep inside us. Like any good piece of art, it speaks to a part of us that can't be reached through other means. How much you relate to it depends largely on what you've experienced in life. Almost four decades ago, the song was just a sappy pop tune on the radio. There was plenty of time to do all the things that I wanted. Or so I thought.