Don't Be a One-Issue Voter

Recently, in a letter to the editor of the local newspaper, someone indicated that they would vote for McCain based on Obama's and Biden's stand on abortion rights. They gave no reasons other than this.

There are many such "one-issue voters" out there. They vote based on the candidate's stand on one issue only. For some, the issue is abortion rights. For others it may be gay rights, or gun control, or some other thing.

This is not the way to pick our political leaders. We must figure out which candidate will do the best job overall leading our nation. We may not agree with their view on every issue, but sometimes sacrifices must be made. We must try to pick the person who has the best vision for our nation's future and will do the best job turning things around and getting us back on track as a world leader.

As far as abortion rights are concerned, I believe that this is a personal issue. I personally believe that abortion is wrong, but I believe that each woman must be given the freedom to decide this issue for herself.

As far as gay rights are concerned, I believe that we must treat all human beings equally regardless of their sexual orientation or other characteristcs. If being gay is a "sin" then God can deal with it at the appropriate time.

As far as gun laws are concerned, this would have been a much better world if guns had not been invented in the first place. Can we go back in time and undo that one? But seriously I believe that everyone has the right to own a gun to defend themselves, their family and their property, and to hunt if they so desire. The exception would be convicted criminals and those who are mentally unstable and have displayed suicidal or homicidal tendencies.

So Sayeth The Shack

After Fifty Years, What I Believe

As of today I have spent a half-century on this earth and during that time I have developed certain beliefs, based on what I have seen and experienced. I will now share those beliefs with you (whether you want me to or not).

BACKGROUND: I was born into a Catholic family and raised that way. We went to church on Sundays and Holy Days and and I also went to Catholic school through 8th grade. I didn't go to Catholic high school because it would have meant taking a bus to another city while the public high school was virtually right in my backyard. So I went to public high school instead. Still went to weekly and Holy Day mass with my family. For the most part though I, like many, took my religion for granted. I didn't think much about what it all meant. I recited the prayers and stuff pretty much mindlessly. During college, my church attendance became more random. If I was home for the weekend, I would go, so as not to disappoint my parents. If I was not home, I generally wouldn't. After college, my church attendance remained rather random. One day, two well-dressed young men with name tags knocked on my door and introduced me to the Mormon Church. They were good salesmen and I was an easy sell, so I decided to give it a try. I got baptized and went to church there...a bit more regularly than I had been. I lost my fiance over it and almost my parents too. I thought I agreed with most of their beliefs. I even married a Mormon woman. But eventually I couldn't take it any more. Three hours of church every Sunday plus all kinds of other meetings, conferences, etc, some in far-flung distant places was just too much. I couldn't and still can't afford to pay one-tenth of my income for tithing. I didn't have the time to say all the prayers and read scripture every day. And no coffee or alcohol? Come on! So I "fell away" or "went inactive" as they call it. This was a few years ago. So that leaves me now as what I will call a "religious floater". I generally don't go to church, although I do still enjoy a good Catholic Mass now and then.

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD: The foundation of all religions is a belief in something that cannot be proven. Namely that there is a being that created the universe and everything in it and that after we die we will live with this being in heaven (or not, depending on how we live our life here). I am not really sold on the existence of God to start with. Obviously it cannot be proven one way or another. My big problem is the idea that God is supposed to be perfect and that he loves everybody. If He is really perfect then how could he have created this earth and the rest of the universe, which are imperfect and filled with natural disasters, etc, and how could He have created us, who are also far from perfect. And if he really loves all of us, then why do some of have it so good and others have it so rotten? If I loved all my children I would make sure that they were all equally provided for and given the same opportunities. But that is not the case with the human population. So I have a problem with the God thing to start with. I suppose that it is possible that the imperfections of this universe and the people in it are actually part of an overall perfect plan that is so large that we simple cannot perceive it. That is probably what some ministers and others will say. And maybe it is so. But I haven't quite gotten to the point where I can grasp that yet. Sometimes I think God is like Santa or the Easter Bunny. Many children believe in these mythical, make-believe things, then find out eventually, to their great disappointment, that they do not exist. And yet I think there is a "spirit of Santa" a spirit of gift-giving at the holidays and other times. My wife and I both give each other gifts at Christmas labeled that they are from Santa even though be both know that there is really no such person. Our teenage kids think it is corny as all heck. So, too, perhaps, there is a "spirit of God" that helps many of us strive to be better people, whether or not God himself really exists.

RELIGION AND CHURCH: There is supposedly one God, so why so many different religions? The biggest problem is that many of them claim to be the "only true religion". The Catholics claim this. The Mormons claim this. Other churches and religions do as well. Obviously they can't all be true, although there might be some element of truth in many of them. If there is only one God, there can really only one true religion, and at this point I do not believe that there is any such thing on the face of the earth. I do believe that a religion or church is good for a person if it motivates them to be a better person, live a more Christ-like life, be more loving to their neighbors, etc. On the other hand, a religion or church that excludes anyone for any reason, or motivates people to kill or harm others, is not good. In my opinion, religion, right along with race and nationality, has been and continues to be one of the biggest causes of wars and conflicts in the history of our world. It has divided many more people than it has ever united. To this day it divides families to the point that parents disown children and wives divorce husbands.

PRAYER: Prayer is defined as "talking to God". I have tried this. Problem is, since I'm not sure that God exists, it is like having a one-sided phone conversation. I don't know that anyone is listening, so there isn't much of a point. Sometimes we are told to pray for faith, but this is a circular argument. If we don't have the faith that someone is listening to our prayers to start with, it is rather difficult to pray and ask that person we are not sure is there to give us more faith. In the Catholic church we did a lot of praying to different saints and to the Virgin Mary. I never really saw the point of that. Sure they were great people, but they're not God. Some people claim to have been miraculously healed as a result of prayer. I think these are cases of mind-over-matter. If you believe strongly enough that you can do something or can be healed, it just might happen. Besides the idea of a miracle implies the idea that something has gone wrong and God has to "fix" is, again bringing up the imperfection idea. And if God really is all-knowing and all that stuff, he already knows what we need and what we want, so why bother him with our incessant begging and whining?

So this is where I stand. I don't go to church regularly. I don't pray or read scriptures. I'm not sure whether or not God is there. Nonetheless I try to be "good" person. I try to treat others with the love, respect and dignity that they deserve, because they are human beings, and without regard to their race, nationality, religious beliefs, political affiliations, and so forth. I am not perfect at this by any means. I try to do what I can to make this world a better place for mayself and others. I believe that every human being has basic needs which include love and fair treatment by others as well as food and shelter. I may not be able to help much with the latter two, but certainly I can give love and respect to all, or at least I can try. if we could just all treat each person with the love and respect they deserve, what a great world this would be! And I don't believe that one necessarily has to go to church or any of that other stuff in order to be able to do that.

So Sayeth The Shack

Still A Tough Choice

A while ago in Vote For The Veep I advised picking the new president based a great deal on who they picked for running mate.

So the choices for vice president have been made by both parties and it is still a tough choice. I believe the Obama/Biden ticket is well balanced, combining youthful exuberance and ambition with wisdom and experience. Of course the same might be said for the McCain/Palin ticket in reverse. And of course you can find a scandal against just about anyone. Even me. I kicked a nun once when I was in grade school. That's my scandal. It would be a big deal if I were nominated for office.

One of my biggest problems with McCain is that he has how many houses? 7? Who the frick need seven houses!??!! I'll bet they're all mansions too...not one of them like anything I'd be able to afford. Is that how he will run this country...spending taxpayer money on extravagances? So for now I lean toward Obama/Biden.

So Sayeth The Shack

Empty, Alone, Worthless

Hello, I am Nobody.

You might know me, or at least be aware of me. I might be someone you work with, someone who lives near you, or somebody you see walking along the street.

And yet, it seems as though I am invisible.

No one seems to care about me or wants to be my friend.

When I was a kid, all the other kids picked on me and no one would be my friend.

Later, people stopped picking on me, but I still didn't have any friends.

Hot girls never liked me...only the average or below-average ones ever had an interest.

Oh, there have been a few "friends" along the way, but over the years we have gone our separate ways due to various life circumstances, and nobody keeps in touch. No one writes, e-mails, calls, etc. The "friends" I had in college...I never heard from afterwards. "Friends" or coworkers from years ago, I never hear from. So I ask, were they ever really "friends"?

Now, I have no friends. No one to get together and have fun with or talk things over. I have "co-workers" and "acquaintances" but that is all.

No one invites me to their weddings.

I have a blog, but no one reads it. Well maybe one person.

I have tried joining various social and service organizations, even churches. But I always felt like I was on the fringe, never really like a part of the group. Almost like I was invisible.

EVEN MY MOTHER HATES ME!!! She never writes; she never calls.

And the hot girls still don't like me. Well I guess I'm too old for that now anyway.

What did I ever do to anyone to deserve this kind of treatment from anyone? What is wrong with me? I guess I am an empty shell and have nothing to offer anyone.

So I get up every day and go to work. Then I come home and feel empty, alone and worthless not to mention BORED OUT OF MY FRICKIN' MIND!!!! until I get up the next day and do it all over again.

I guess I really don't see the point of it all.

Some days I can keep myself busy and occupied and keep these feelings buried deep down inside, but today was not one of those days. The feelings are always there; deep-seated feelings of unhappiness, loneliness and emptiness. Never going away. Because no one ever really liked me.

So Sayeth The Shack

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A Fifty Percent Chance, Huh?

Back on Tuesday, just like many other times this year, the National Weather Service was forecasting a 50 percent chance of rain for Wednesday night and Thursday. I have seen this forecast many times this year...a 50 percent chance. What good does it do tell people that there is a 50 percent chance of rain? It's like..anyone can say it might or might not rain on any given day. You sure as heck don't need to go to college for 4 years. Now maybe the NWS has some kind of policies about doing this, but it seems to be that they can to a lot better than saying there's a 50 percent chance of rain. It's like throwing up your arms and saying "I don't know what's going to happen". Even on Wednesday I think they were still saying a 50 percent chance. Finally on Thursday morning, they took the chance up to 100 percent, AFTER IT HAD STARTED RAINING! A lot of good that did!

So Sayeth The Shack

Vote For The Veep

Given the state of affairs in this country and around the world, the upcoming presidential election will likey be one of the most important in a long while. But there are two big problems. First of all, is either candidate qualified to lead in these times of trouble and turmoil? More importantly, will either candidate, if elected, live out the term of office? One risks getting assassinated, for various reasons. The other is so old that he might die in office. This makes the vice-presidential candidate perhaps more important than the presidential candidate. I am not happy with either candidate, but will most like choose based on who they pick for running mate more than anything else.

Don't Be Fooled

The price of crude oil and gasoline have tumbled from their recent record highs, but make no mistake, they will sooner or later be heading back up. And this time they will set even higher records...maybe 5 bucks per gallon..maybe even more.

The point is, whatever you were doing earlier this summer to save on gasoline, KEEP IT UP!!
Drive less, combine trips and errands, put off that vacation trip, switch to a more fuel-efficient vehicle, if possible. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security that the crisis is over. This has happened time after time in the past, and we never learn. Do you think we've learned this time? Only time will tell.

So Sayeth The Shack

George W. Bush Presidential Library

The following is from internet discussion boards, not my original work....

The George W. Bush Presidential Library is now in the planning stages.

The Library will include:

The Hurricane Katrina Room, which is still under construction.

The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won't be able to remember anything.

The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't even have to show up.

The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in.

The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don't let you out.

The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find.

The National Debt room which is huge and has no ceiling.

The 'Tax Cut' Room with entry only to the wealthy.

The 'Economy Room' which is in the toilet.

The Iraq War Room. After you complete your first tour, they make you to go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth tour.

The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shotgun gallery.

The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty.

The Supreme Court's Gift Shop, where you can buy an election.

The Airport Men's Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators.

The 'Decider Room' complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, and straws.

The museum will also have an electron microscope to help you locate the President's accomplishments.

Congressmen and Senators get in free. After all, they've had a free ride for the past 8 years!

So Sayeth The Shack

Post-Election Taxes

The following was received via e-mail. Thought I would pass it on.

DATA ON TAXES

Proposed changes in taxes after the 2008 General election:

CAPITAL GAINS TAX

MCCAIN

0% on home sales up to $500,000 per home (couples). McCain does not propose

any change in existing home sales income tax.

OBAMA

28% on profit from ALL home sales

How does this affect you? If you sell your home and make a profit, you

will pay 28% of your gain on taxes. If you are heading toward retirement and

would like to down-size your home or move into a retirement community, 28%

of the money you make from your home will go to taxes. This proposal will

adversely affect the elderly who are counting on the income from their

homes as part of their retirement income.

DIVIDEND TAX

MCCAIN 15% (no change)

OBAMA 39.6%

How will this affect you? If you have any money invested in stock market,

IRA, mutual funds, college funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, or

anything that pays or reinvests dividends, you will now be paying nearly

40% of the money earned on taxes if Obama becomes president. The experts

predict that 'Higher tax rates on dividends and capital gains would crash

the stock market, yet do absolutely nothing to cut the deficit.'

INCOME TAX

MCCAIN (no changes)

Single making 30K - tax $4,500

Single making 50K - tax $12,500

Single making 75K - tax $18,750

Married making 60K- tax $9,000

Married making 75K - tax $18,750

Married making 125K - tax $31,250

OBAMA (reversion to pre-Bush tax cuts)

Single making 30K - tax $8,400

Single making 50K - tax $14,000

Single making 75K - tax $23,250

Married making 60K - tax $16,800

Married making 75K - tax $21,000

Married making 125K - tax $38,750

Under Obama, your taxes could almost double!

INHERITANCE TAX

MCCAIN 0% (No change, Bush repealed this tax)

OBAMA Restore the inheritance tax

Many families have lost businesses, farms, ranches, and homes that have

been in their families for generations because they could not afford the

inheritance tax. Those willing their assets to loved ones will only lose

them to these taxes.

NEW TAXES PROPOSED BY OBAMA

New government taxes proposed on homes that are more than 2400 square feet.

New gasoline taxes (as if gas weren't high enough already)

New taxes on natural resources consumption (heating gas, water, electricity)

New taxes on retirement accounts, and last but not least....

New taxes to pay for socialized medicine so we can receive the same level

of medical care as other third-world countries!!!

You can verify the above at the following web sites:

http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/election/2008/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.taxes.html

http://elections.foxnews.com/?s=proposed+taxes

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/politics/articles/mccain_obama_offer_different_visions_on_taxes.html

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/candidates/barack_obama/

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/candidates/john_mccain/

Twenty Million To Retire? Sure!!!!!!

So the Packers have offered Brett Favre $20 million over 10 years to stay retired.

WOW! I wish somebody would give me $20 million to retire! In fact, I'd be happy with a tenth of that....it should last me the rest of my life with no problem whatsoever, and I'd be living better than I do now.


So Sayeth The Shack

A Crappy Situation On The Mountaintop

From the Centre Daily Times:

A.M. BRIEFING: Monday
Burglar leaves dog feces after break-in
State police at Rockview are investigating a burglary earlier this month in which someone went into a Snow Shoe home, stole some electronics and left dog feces inside the refrigerator.
Police said the incident happened sometime between 9 a.m. July 11 and 11 p.m. Saturday.
Someone got into Jenifer Jo Bickel’s home, 210 W. Olive St., through an unlocked porch and then through a window, police said. The person took video games, DVDs and CDs, valued more than $1,000, then left dog feces in the refrigerator, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 355-7545.


So Sayeth The Shack

Leave The Gas Tax Alone

Over the past few months, as fuel prices have skyrocketed, there as been talk, especially among presidential candidates, of lowering or (temporarily) abolishing fuel taxes. One of the more popular ideas has been a "summer break" from fuel taxes.

According to an article in yesterday's paper, however, this talk has been mostly silenced, and replaced by the idea of raising fuel taxes. This new idea is being "quietly" discussed in congress (sounds a little like pay increase that Pennsylvania lawmakers voted themselves in the not so distant past) especially among those who have constituents who would profit from additional road construction.

At this time I feel that both of the above are bad ideas. Lowering or temporarily eliminating the tax would be bad because the money is need for road repair. And oil companies would probably just raise the prices back to where they were before the tax reduction anyway. Raising the tax is an even worse idea given the current economic situation. The consumer, the very engine that is supposed to be driving this economy, is already being suffocated by massive increases in the cost of necessities such as food and fuel. The higher tax would further increase the cost of fuel, which would, in turn, cause even higher prices for everything else. This would just strengthen the economic choke hold on the consumer and would ultimately not benefit anyone. So the best thing to do right now is to not change fuel taxes at all.


So Sayeth The Shack

No Double-Nickle, No Tolls

Two articles in today's paper aroused my ire just a bit.

The first concerns the idea of re-instituting a national speed limit of 55 mph to help save gas. This will be a massive waste of time and money. Virtually no one obeyed that speed limit the last time around and a large percentage of drivers don't even obey the current speed limits. I was on I-80 just last month and while my cruise was set at 86 (the speed limit) I was still passed by the majority of other cars. (For some reason the fastest drivers always seem to be from New Jersey or Michigan). If people want to slow down a little to save gas, that's fine, and the increasing price of gas might motivate more and more of them to do so, but I really don't think the goverment needs to spend all that time and effort necessary to re-institute a national speed limit of 55 mph.

The second concerns tolling I-80. Reading the article, I was almost tempted to change my mind on this issue. It spelled out how the money would be spent for new interchanges and other upgrades. The idea is invest the money now for later benefits. However I think that at the very least, this is a bad time. Drivers are already burdened with steeply higher gas prices and while some people can cut back on trips, the commercial drivers cannot. The cost of the new tolls will, like the higher cost of fuel, will be passed on to...guess who? you and me, the consumer. It will be reflected in the cost of the goods shipped along that interstate which, in this area, is just about everything. This at time when inflation, driven by steep rises in the cost of fuel and food, is at a pace we have not seen in a long while. Perhaps in the future when the economy has stabilized a bit, but right now is a bad time. Plus, how much is it going cost to construct and man the toll booths anyway? And where will these toll booths be? Many interchanges have rather short and steep on and off ramps so there is really no safe place without major alterations. I cannot fathom putting them between interchanges, making all the traffic stop to pay. This is extremely unsafe. Look what happens now when traffic is stopped or slowed down unexpectedly....it usually gets rear-ended by someone not paying attention. And one more thing...some percentage of drivers will simply take the "back" roads to avoid the tolls, putting more traffic on what are often narrow 2-lane winding, hilly roads that pass through small towns...creating more unsafe situations. So even though the money may be needed, I am still against the idea of tolls on I-80.

So Sayeth The Shack

Well Said

I was walking through town a few days ago and saw a bumper sticker that said: "Live Simply, That Others May Simply Live".

I think that very nicely sums up some of the things that I have been trying to say in posts concerning the economic excess of some at the expense of the unmet needs of others. If everyone in this world would simply take only what they needed. I believe that there would enough to cover the needs of everyone and that no one would be homeless or starving.

There are those who say that people who live a lavish and extravagant lifestyle have perhaps worked hard and earned the money and the right to spend it any way they want. That is true, but does anyone really need massive homes on huge plots of land, a fleet of lavish, gas-sucking vehicles, designer clothes, jewelery, etc.? It would be better that these people would donate of their excess and live humbly and simply so that others' basic needs might met.

So Sayeth The Shack

The Most Pointless Thing I've Ever Seen

This has to be the most useless "accomplishment" I have ever heard of.

And I thought I had no life!!

http://www.kare11.com/news/whatsup/whatsup_article.aspx?storyid=517399&catid=333

Man tries to break new world record on stadium sitting

	Updated: 3 hrs ago
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Getting a seat in the Rose Bowl could be a difficult task but one man in Pasadena is taking all 92,542 of them. So when I tell you there's a guy a world record stunt on stadium seat sitting you might ask yourself several questions.

World record holder Jim Mouth says "Why? Because it was here. Because this is the granddaddy of stadiums in the world and the home of the Rose Bowl."

Jim Mouth says "I challenge myself. It's kinda like fasting but I fast as far as sleeping and relaxing. And I said I'm going to raise money for a good cause, I'm going to challenge myself; I'm going to do something I've never done before. That's sit in every seat in the Rose Bowl. No one's ever done it. And it took me 20 years to get the permission. And I'm jumping on it."

You might also think "what's so hard about about that?"

Well to answer that you've got to give it a try.

92,542 times under the Pasadena sun in July.

Jim Mouth says "your knees will go out because you're spinning on your knees. And you quads, right here on the top of your thighs. Are you feeling soar?"

So now you may just be wondering about this guy.

What kind of person does things like this?

Or one of his many other Ripley's Believe It Or Not accomplishments.

Like shoving the most cigarettes, cigars, french fries, hot dogs, straws or pizza slices into his mouth.

Jim Mouth says "and the 25 mile crawl where I crawled 25 miles on my hands and knees. And that was by far the most devastating on my body. This is number four. Number four as far as brutal. I jumped a parking meter 5,000 times. Past out twice."

You almost have to be a comedian to do this.

And Jim Mouth is a comic musician. When he's not sitting around, and around, and around.

Jim Mouth says "now you're slowing me up. I'd already be on the next row by now. You know that suit ain't going to be worth much after this."

(Copyright 2008 by NBC. All Rights Reserved.)


So Sayeth The Shack

Now This Is What I'm Talkin' About!

I have often railed about how our economic system allows some people to have so much as the expense of others who have so little. Read below about a family that did something about it.


http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/07/02/hunger.house/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

By Rusty Dornin
CNN

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- One day while driving with her father, Hannah Salwen noticed a Mercedes stopped next to a homeless man sitting on the curb.

The Salwen family of Atlanta, Georgia, has decided to sell this house and give half the proceeds to charity.

"I said to my dad, 'If that guy didn't have such a nice car, then that guy could have a nice meal,' " the 15-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, recalled.

And so began the tale of what the Salwen family calls "Hannah's Lunchbox." Watch why family wants to give away $800K »

It started as family discussions about what they needed versus what was enough. Hannah's father Kevin, an entrepreneur, is on the board of the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and is no stranger to community work, but he said this family conversation was life-changing.

"We stopped and paused and thought about what are the things in the world that could really make a difference, a little bit of difference in the world," he said.

They talked about selling their cars or other things, but it was Hannah's mother, Joan, who came up with selling their 6,500-square-foot house, donating half the proceeds and then moving into a house half the size.

For nine years, the family lived in a historic 1912 mansion near downtown Atlanta. It boasts five bedrooms, eight fireplaces, a kitchen that would make any cook jealous and even an elevator. See the new and old houses, side by side »

When Hannah would bring friends over, she said, often their jaws would drop and they'd gasp, "Wow, you live here?"

Like most teens, Hannah loves to shop, and she jammed every space of her massive walk-in closet full of clothes. But she also knows many people are less fortunate; she volunteers at a local community food bank and other relief agencies.

Joan Salwen, a teacher, said the mansion was her dream home.

"It was a challenge," she said of giving up that house. "It was a test, almost, to see: How committed are we? I mean, how serious are these kids about what we should do? And they all nodded and there we were."

So the Salwens put the house up for sale in May 2007 and started figuring out what they would do with half the proceeds, which would amount to more than $800,000.

They spent six months researching charity organizations before deciding on the Hunger Project, an organization dedicated to helping end world hunger through people helping themselves.

Hunger Project Vice President John Coonrod said the family met with organizers in New York and notified them months later that the charity was the winner.

When the Salwen house sells, the money will be channeled through the Atlanta Community Foundation over a six-year period and end up in Ghana, Coonrod said.

"This will underwrite a process in more than 30 villages to enable people to meet all of their basic needs on a sustainable basis," he said. "They will be able to grow enough food, to build clinics and schools, and the villagers will be doing the lion's share of the work."

Coonrod said he'd never heard of a family donating in this way.

"Hannah's awakening to social injustice, and her family's ability to make a difference in that issue will make a profound difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people," he said, estimating the money could affect more than 20,000 people in Ghana.

Hannah's 13-year-old brother, Joseph, was so impressed with his big sister's ideas that he made a three-minute video of the family's project. Watch Joseph's video

The video won the grand prize in the 2008 "My Home: The American Dream" contest, sponsored by Coldwell Banker and Scholastic Publishing.

In the video, Joseph tells viewers, "We're showing you can redefine the American dream."

But the Salwens' house has sat on the market for more than a year. It's a tough time to sell any house, let alone one with an asking price of nearly $1.8 million.

Real estate agent Sally George said she's shown the house 40 or 50 times, and there have been nibbles but no buyers. See the house's real estate listing

Many people are interested in the house's rich history but often don't know anything about the philanthropic aspects of the family's project.

"I've never handled a house selling for this reason," George said. "I didn't learn about what the family was doing until early this year."

Hannah and Joseph said most of their friends at school don't know about it.

"We didn't do it for the fame or the glory," said Joan Salwen. "This was something Hannah sort of yanked us into."

Even though it was Joan Salwen's idea to sell the house, it has been tough for her to give it up. "I have to admit," she said, "I loved living in this house. Does that make me an evil person? I hope not because it's a beautiful place."

The family recently moved to a house less than half the size of their mansion four blocks away. While Hannah's friends called her old home the "wow house," this one is more ordinary and that's fine with her.

Lately the family has spent a lot of time around the kitchen table talking about an upcoming two-week trip to Ghana. The Salwens will spend six or seven hours a day visiting the villages where their money will be put to work.

Kevin Salwen said the new house is great, it's just smaller.

"We as Americans have so much," said Salwen, a former Wall Street Journal writer. "We love the concept of half. We are going from a house that's 6,000 square feet to a house that's half the size, and we're giving away half the money.

"And we do think everyone can do something if they think through half."


So Sayeth The Shack

July Fourth Waste

It's that time of year when many cities, towns and organizations spend large amounts of money purchasing fireworks and putting on displays. Many individuals also purchase their own and set them off. I personally do not see the value in any of this. All that money, all that work...what do you get out of it? A few minutes of ooohs and ahhhs and that's it for another year. I've seen some fireworks displays in my time and I'll tell ya what.....you've seen one, you've pretty much seen them all. It really wouldn't bother me if I never saw another one. As far the ones individuals can buy and set off, as I've said elsewhere on my website, you might as well just pull some money out of your pocket and set it on fire for all the good it does you. So you can call me a grinch if you want, but as far I as I'm concerned, they can take all the fireworks and send them back to China. And speaking of that, with all the problems there have been with products from China over the past year or two, I wouldn't want to be within a few miles of any Chinese fireworks!!!!


So Sayeth The Shack

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Some Of Us Have The Freedom

Here in Pennsylvania, if you ride a motorcycle, you have the choice, according to law, whether or not to wear protective headgear to reduce the chances of serious or fatal injury if you are involved in a crash. (Not to mention to make an atrocious amount of noise!!) However if you drive or ride in an automobile, van, SUV, pickup or commercial truck, the law does not afford you the same choice when it comes to seat belts. A recent news story indicated that a study has shown that head trauma resulting in injury or death has increased over the years since wearing helmets has become optional for motorcyclists. As some have opined in the local newspaper, duh!...fewer helmets, more injuries and deaths. Other studies have indicated that someone wearing seat belts are more likely to survive a crash than someone who is not. The issue here is one of both personal safety and personal freedom. Looking at it from a personal freedom viewpoint, we should all be free to decide for ourselves whether or not to wear a helmet or to use seat belts. So why is it that one group, the motorcyclists, is free to make that decision for themselves while another group has the decision made for them by the government? From a safety standpoint, it would make sense for motorcyclists to wear helmets and for drivers and passengers in automobiles to wear seat belts, no matter what the law says. So why do we need to have a law? Oh yes, because a lot of people don't have any common sense. But why the different treatment for different vehicles? Either require both helmets and seat belts, or neither. The current laws make no sense to me.

So Sayeth The Shack

A New Way To Fund Our Roads

Pennsylvania's roads and bridges are in bad shape, as are those in other states. They are in need of a great deal of repair work. A variety of ideas have been presented to pay for the needed work: leasing the turnpike, putting tolls on I-80, raising gas taxes and registration fees. Most of these will have a detrimental impact on the economy at a time when the economy is aready floundering. So it's time to think a new direction: corporate funding of our roads. We could have the "PNC Pennsylvania Turnpike", the "Capital One Keystone Shortway" and so forth. Companies would pay some amount of money in return for being able to advertise along the roadways. Rest areas and individual interchanges could also have their own sponsors. Maybe each bridge (at least the big ones) could have their own sponsors. Even construction areas could be sponsored" "road improvement next 10 miles, brought to you by (insert company name)." In a world where advertising is everywhere, why not our roads as well?

Some of the more comical ones might be "The Enzyte Expressway" and "The Viagra Viaduct Bridge"!!

So Sayeth The Shack

A New Way To Fund Our Roads