If You Can't Beat 'Em....

From the WBIR website:

"
Tennessee "Crack Tax" brings in nearly $2 million in first year
Amanda Dill, Producer
Last Updated: 1/24/2006 4:55:27 PM
During its first year, Tennessee's "Crack Tax" has brought in nearly $2 million dollars in state revenue.
The illegal substances tax went into effect last January.
Basically, drug dealers are supposed to pay taxes on illegal drugs and alcohol.
They pay confidentially, and when they do, they get a stamp.
If they're caught without the stamp, they'll be prosecuted for not only selling drugs, but for not paying their taxes too.
All money made from the stamps goes to fighting drugs.
"

So Harry and Suzy Lawmaker in Tennessee finally admitted that they can't win the war on drugs. In addition to that, they had some relatives looking for work. So they're thinking went something like this:

Well, we can't stop the drug traffic, so let's try to profit from it and extort money from the dealers. We also need to find jobs for our friends and relatives, so let's set up a bogus drug task force and put them on it. And let's make it all seem legit and create some laws ands statutes on it. Hey! Let's create a tax on illegal drugs! We'll allow the dealers to keep dealing and won't harrass them as long as they give us a piece of their profit. Then we'll use that money to pay our "task force". Great idea!

How could something so stupid and counterproductive ever get enacted into law?

Things You Don't Read About In Those "What To Expect..." Book Series....

Last night the boys were in the beds watching "Cinderella" and Jennie and I were in our bedroom watching "Will & Grace" live on NBC. Will, Grace, and Jack had all just had a childish fight where they were in a dressing room and had wound up squirting lotion, squirting hairspray, throwing powder, and throwing various other itmes at each other. The three of them were just standing there getting grilled by Karen. For those of you who don't watch the show, then what I just wrote means nothing to you, oh well.

The boys walked into our room to tell us that the movie was "broken". Nicky took a seat on the recliner and TJ laid down on the floor. On the show, the three of them were a big mess and Karen said to Grace: "Grace honey, you've got a tampon in your hair." It took about 30 seconds then Nicky said: "Tampon? Mommy, what's a tampon?" Stunned silence with muffled laughter ensued. "Tampon. Tampon. Tamp. On. Tampon. What's a tampon mommy?" said Nicky.

Jen's response: "Ask daddy."
Nick: "Daddy, what's a tampon?"
Me: "It's something mommies use."
Jen: "Not all mommies."
Me: "Let's go fix your movie."

I then got up and took the boys back into their room.

Where's the book for how to answer awkward questions?

New Job vs. Old Job....

Today's events sum up exactly how this new job compares to my old one. Thomas had a bit of a fever (102) and wasn't acting like himself so the daycare called to have him picked up. I was disappointed that I had to leave work to get him and insisted on bringing work home with me so I could get it done. Had I still been at my previous place of employment, I would have jumped at the opportunity to leave work early to pick up a sick child and not have worried at all about the workload I was leaving.

New Year's Resolutions....

Happy New Year to anyone reading this.

I've made a couple of resolutions this year. Nothing specific, but general things that I want to change about myself this coming year:

1. Eat better.
2. Exercise more. I got this stationary bike for my birthday last year and I could probably count on two hands the number of times I've used it. No more excuses.
3. Be a better father. Set a better example for my kids. They're at the age where they mimic things that my wife and I do. If I want them to grow up to be the best they can be, then it's got to start with us parents. (This kind of relates to #'s 1, 2, & 4)
4. Be a better husband. I'm not a terrible husband, but I know I can do better.
5. Write more entries in my blog about the kids and their funny little quirks. Memories fade over time, but at least we'll have this blog to look back on in years to come to help us remember the funny little people we had running around the house before they turned into teenagers, adults, parents, etc...