Monday, April 14, 2025

"State of Fear"

I'm beyond sick of mainstream legacy media with their biased and political agenda focused so-called news. Their "demonizing" of Trump has created a "Trump Derangement Syndrome" that is nothing short of mass-induced brainwashing. 

They can't just disagree with him, they have to create a "State of Fear" induced mania. 

That is how both George Orwell in his book "1984" and Michael Crichton in "State of Fear" both predicted this fear-based dystopian segment of society. 


GARP Stocks

 Investors typically view growth and value as two totally distinct equity types.

But there's a style that seeks to identify both characteristics in a single stock. Growth at a reasonable price, or GARP, was popularized by Peter Lynch, the legendary former manager of Fidelity Magellan Fund (FMAGX). During his 13 years at the fund's helm, ending in 1990, the fund returned an annualized 29.2%, more than double the S&P 500's performance during that period.

The key to identifying GARP stocks is to screen for stocks with higher growth rates than the broader market and lower-than-average valuations.

In its GARP screen, Fidelity filters for criteria including:

  • Quarterly and yearly earnings growth.
  • Earnings growth forecasts.
  • Price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio.
  • Price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio.
  • Security price.
  • 90-day average trading volume.

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Environmental Studies Major.

Well, at least it's not an "Environmental Studies" major, which is basically activism training and has very little to do with Biology. So that's something.

Save your money and get a REAL Biology degree, not a degree in activism!

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Forgiveness.

Forgiveness Is a Gift You Give Yourself: One of the most powerful moments in the audiobook was Livingston’s perspective on forgiveness. He had seen patients carry grudges for years, holding onto anger like a shield. But all it did was make them bitter. Forgiveness, he explained, isn’t about letting the other person off the hook. It’s about freeing yourself from the weight of resentment. It’s not easy. But it’s necessary. Because in the end, anger chains you to the past. And life is too short to stay stuck there.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Madeline's Wedding Toast.

I just want to say thank you to everyone or making the trip out to this beautiful black hills. And cheers! 

I'm going to take a minute to tell you guys a little story. About 3 years ago we were gathering in Chamberlain for our annual week long 4th of July celebration. And while we were getting prepared Madeline called and said she wanted to bring Sean for the week. 

Well we had met Sean once before and they'd been dating a few months so we said yeah that's okay. 

So everybody showed up at Grandma's house and Madeline and Sean came pulling up and took Sean's hand and said hi. And two Sean's credit he was very respectful and polite so he had that going for him. 

Well we stayed the week and had our usual great time and when fishing and boating and got together for the big picnic on the 4th of July and it was a great week. 

On that last day when we were packing up and getting ready to return home, is upstairs in grandma's house and Sean came up and said Dave I'd like to have a word with you. I said sure Sean what is it, what's up? So Sean very seriously and earnestly looked me in the eye and said well I have had a great weekend and love this family and had so much fun and I'd like to ask you a question. 

So I said sure go ahead. Sean said well you know how I feel about Madeline and I think she's wonderful and I'd like to ask you permission to marry her. 

Now I didn't respond right away, mostly because I was in total shock. And after about a minute or two I looked at Sean and shaking my head (I think I made a really strange face, something like this) and said well Sean I think I need you need to talk to Mama Terri about this. Kind of reminded me of a saying my dad said my grandpa liked to say " they don't put old heads on young shoulders". 

So I got Terri alone and said wow you're not going to believe this but Sean just asked me permission to marry Madeline. Well then Terri made a face something like this.
We talked, and Terri said one word after making that face -- and that was "No! ".

 So, we had a talk with Sean and Madeline and said, you know you guys, you need to get to know each other a little better and you know you need to see each other in your not just during your happiest days but also on your hardest days and that'll really give you a measure of if you know this other person. 

So, well here we are 3 years later and hey it's crazy isn't it?  It's got me thinking you know, "How do you know that this one is the one?". How do you know, right? 

I had a cellular biology professor that showed us two slides under a microscope. One dead, one alive. He asked: What gives the one that's alive that spark of life. Is it just a chemical reaction? No, he said. Life is proof of a higher being with a plan. That spark of life in that cell he said, "That's God". 

I guess you know after all these years being married 37 I still can't answer that question. Is it physical, metaphysical, chemical or logical? is it emotional? I don't really know.  I do like to think, just like that living cell, God is the spark of life between two people.

And I do know this, somehow you just know!

So I'd like to propose a toast we're going to take a drink and take a few seconds to ponder those mysteries of life. 

And in honor of my grandma Mildetta O'Hara Shogren, I'd like to leave you with a small piece of advice and an old Irish toast:

May the wind always be at your back,
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow
May the soft winds freshen your spirit
May the sunshine brighten your heart
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love."

Cheers and welcome to the family Sean and congratulations to both of you!

Spark of Life

  God's plan can also include evolution. 

I had a cellular biology professor that showed us two slides under a microscope. One dead, one alive. He asked: What gives the one that's alive that spark of life. Is it just a chemical reaction? No, he said. Life is proof of a higher being with a plan. That spark of life in that cell he said, that's God. 

The 2nd law of thermodynamics expounds that all things trend toward a state of chaos. But not life. It has evolved not toward chaos, but toward perfection. 

That spark of life in that cell? That's God. 

Did God direct creation? He is the creator of the universe, so of course he can and did! Believe and be humble, and he will reveal this to you as well!

Sunday, March 23, 2025

The US - Dakota War of 1862, A Minnesota History

On August 18th 1862, Dakota Sioux murdered more than 600 people (innocent settlers), because the annuity payments were late due to the civil war. The agency traders wouldn't give them food on credit until the payment checks came in. It was called the Dakota Sioux War 1862. Of the 498 trials, 303 men were convicted and sentenced to death. President Lincoln commuted the sentences of all but 38. It's called history, learn it and learn from it.

Even the tribes chief (Little Crow) and other tribal leaders did not want an uprising. Unfortunately, a small faction were incited by comments the agency traders made, which led to a group of younger members to start the killing. Many people were starving and hungry in those times. Most did not resort to murder of innocents to solve their predicament.

As I mentioned before delayed annuity payments (prescribed in a treaty that was agreed upon by both sides) were the root cause. The central issue was that Congress was arguing about Civil War funding and the annuity payment money was locked up in Congress until the budget could be resolved. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

 I'm well aware of broken treaties. I could recommend to you the book "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" for reference. It outlines the string of treaties and atrocities on both sides. In this instance though, "due process" was being carried out both by Congress (although slowly) and by the courts afterwards.

So what's the point of this discussion? That the world is full of injustice? That's not what we are discussing here. The Great Sioux War of 1865 has been reported and studied by both sides. The fact remains that 600 settlers were killed over late annuity payments. Yes, people were starving. Many people have gone hungry in the past, yet have resisted committing mass murder.

In fact, they scalped, disemboweled, beheaded, burned and raped many women and children. So the fact remains, justice was served by hanging and due process was upheld. 

So, in this case "due process" (which is now a hot topic concerning deportation), was followed. A few young Sioux murdered more than 600 people, going against the opinion and wishes of the tribal Chief Little Crow and most of the rest of the tribal elders. The due process comes in where, of the 498 trials that were done, 303 men were convicted and sentenced to death. President Lincoln commuted the sentences of all but 38. None of that can be disputed, or re-written based on opinion or bias, not even argued, because there is nothing to argue. Those are the facts whether you like them or not.