Headwind

Hey everyone, check out my new website and blog. Also, once you get there, sign up to receive email updates.

http://www.profrevkev.com/?p=3593

Updated Blog Site

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted you to know that I have combined all my blogs into 1 blog site. You will find it at www.profrevkev.com. Here is a direct link to the new blog site.

New Blog Site

Hey Everyone,

I am grateful and humbled for how many people follow my blog and send me notes of encouragement. I am trying to take my social media skills to another level. Part of that is developing my own website, complete with my blog. So, I am in the process of closing down all my blogs and moving them all to one place. That place is http://www.profrevkev.com. Once at that site, you will see a heading titled “blog.” That is where my blog will be. When you get a chance, go there and sign up to receive notices from that blog.

Thanks again for your support and encouragement.

Not Guilty

Well, the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial was reached and read and reacted to on Saturday evening, July 13, 2013. Mr. Zimmerman was found “not-guilty.” I have my own thoughts about the verdict and the guilt or innocence of Mr. Zimmerman. But none of those thoughts matter. The prosecution made its case. The defense made its case. The jury made its decision.

I respect that.

I really have no right to criticize or praise the final outcome because I was not present in the courtroom. I did not even come close to hearing all the facts. I followed the trial from a distance. In reality, unless you were sitting in the courtroom for the entire trial, you really can’t say much about the verdict and how it was reached. All you can do is respect the decision. You don’t have to agree with it or disagree with it. You don’t have to like it or dislike it. All you can do is respect it and say, “Wow.”

Right In Front of Us

While it seems a lot of my friends are concerned about all the scandals going on in Washington, something is happening right in front of us that very few people notice, much less discuss, and that is the injustice aimed at the middle-class and working-class in our society. The middle and working class are dwindling and no one seems to care.

Beginning in January, all employees were faced with a 3% increase in payroll taxes. Put another way, every worker in the United States pay decreased by 3%. While all of us face this tax, it harms the lower-middle class, working class, and minimum wage employee the most.

Then, because of uncertainty regarding how the Affordable Care Act will work, large companies cut part-time, low-wage, workers shifts below 28 hours a week. For many, this equals another 20% reduction in pay. (Personally, as an adjunct professor at a state college, I have felt this reduction.)

If you are keeping score, that’s a 23% reduction in pay. If you add a conservative 2% increase in cost of living, all of a sudden, a family already struggling to make ends meet has lost 1/4th of its income!

If any of these people had the opportunity to go to college and had to take out student loans to do so, beginning Monday, their interest rates on those loans will double. UNBELIEVABLE!

Local Mayor’s Breakfast

On Wednesday morning, May 22^nd, I had the privilege of attending Mayor Ken Moore’s “State of the City” breakfast at The Factory in Franklin, TN (http://www.franklintn.gov/index.aspx?page=25&recordid=1978). I have attended most of these breakfast events and consider Dr. Moore to be a friend. I believe Dr. Moore to be a person of faith and integrity and I think he has provided solid leadership for our city. We are fortunate to have him.

I love Franklin. I was born and raised in Nashville, but have spent the last 20 plus years living in this gorgeous city. There is no other place I would rather live, work, and raise my family. Franklin is home.

Franklin is also blessed. We are an affluent city with a very low unemployment rate (5.2% compared with the national rate of 7.5%, http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000). Our local economy is rebounding and the future looks bright. Thus, the Mayor’s speech was full of creativity, lists of past accomplishments, and extreme optimism for the future. I share that optimism.

What in Tarnation?

Pardon my Southern upbringing for a moment, but what in tarnation is going on? I was hoping things would calm down after the presidential election and our Federal Government would actually try and get some things done for the good of the people.

Well, I was wrong.

Our entire governmental process is becoming more and more unjust and less and less trustworthy. The lengths people will go to stay in power, or gain power, proves the truthfulness of the old saying, “Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” While this post is primarily about the injustice of the present administration, please understand I believe there is enough blame to go around. Our entire governmental system is in need of deep cleansing.