Helping is Sometimes Hurting

Let me preface this blog by saying: What has happened in Haiti is all kinds of sad. I can't even imagine having my family and the next second not. It is the really sad to see all the pictures and hear all the stories. They deserve help and need it more than I could ever know....

However, I think the way it's being handled is hurting us and our government. Let's look a little bit back in history....When the terroist attacks of 9/11 happened most of us sat around and thought of ways to help....When Hurricane Katrina struck the people of the Gulf Coast we sat around again and thought of ways to help. In the case of 9/11 many people/companies donated money to the American Red Cross. In a matter of fact they raised over $564 million to help the victims and help rebuild. Only $154 million was used towards 9/11. That means only 27% of the money was used. Where did it all go? I could sit here and speculate that lobbyists/president of the Red Cross went on a nice vacation or bought their 3rd or 4th house. But, that is not my place. What I know is a lot of people have donated hard earned money and it never got put to use.

There are so many things with Hurricane Katrina that break my heart. Having a family member who was directly impacted by it of course makes me more emotional about it. But, there are still people without houses, waiting for their houses to be built. But, FEMA and the Red Cross are still trying to figure out what to do with all of their money. Oprah can only build so many houses.

How does 9/11, Katrina and Haiti all tie into this? The American people are giving their hard earned money to this "non-profit" organization for what? So, they can pull a Joker then burn Chinese accountants on huge piles of money? They need to put our money to work and actually help someone instead of themselves. They have raised over $200 million and it makes me sick thinking that about $54 million is going to actually get put to use (According to the 27% used during 9/11). The Red Cross doesn't see this as a disaster but, as a gold mind that just landed in their laps.

Durning these rough times we should be smart with out money because the government isn't. They are in trillions and trillions of dollars of debt and spending money on Haiti like they got some. This is a time for America to send the National Guard and then let other countries step up to the plate. I don't know who said it, but you can't help others until you help yourself. The towers, homes and business still need rebuilding from previous disasters.

What can we do? First, don't donate to the Red Cross. I don't care if the 1st Lady is the spokeswoman, it doesn't make a difference. Look to where your cash is actually going. StillerStrong is the best donation site for Haiti I have found. Try to find people directly tied to Haiti and donate to them. All in all, make sure your money is getting put to work and just making some big wig richer and my God Bless the people in Haiti.

My 'BIG LOVE' of hating Utah

It's been another interesting week in the state of Utah once again. As I was watching the news yesterday the #1 story was about the HBO show Big Love. If you haven't heard already like many people outside of Utah haven't heard that Big Love will be showing an LDS ceremony that is very sacred. I acknowledge that what BL is doing is wrong and probably shouldn't be aired, but they can and that's their right. They won't get all the facts right and it'll probably upset a lot of people, but oh well. I find it very ironic that Mormons all across Utah are writing letters and writing blogs (I am also very ironic) to tell HBO not to show this or else......Why is this ironic? Well HBO has such shows on it called 'Real Sex' and other shows that are far worse than this. My question to all members of the church is why take a stand now? Why not take a stand against Dustin Lance Black (The writer of the movie 'Milk') who during the Academy awards bashed LDS members for taking a stand on prop 8? Why don't LDS members right to Cinemax, HBO, Showtime and demand that they take off their pornography during late night? What does it matter in the end? The LDS members know what they believe. If someone watches the BL scene and comes to ask one of us about it, what a wonderful opportunity to explain what we really believe. We should not defend ourselves but explain the truth.

I know I will probably be shot down for this but I love Matt Stone and Trey Parker (Creators of South Park) for when they make all their comments and shows about the LDS church. I have had a lot of opportunities to talk to people about our beliefs and help them understand. The LDS community needs to stop thinking BL is going to bring the LDS church to the ground or that the rest of the world is going to round us up and put us in concentration camps. It's the 21st century and if the LDS church has been around for 180 years, I think it'll be around for another 180.

My suggestion to everyone is this: Instead of writing hate mail to HBO go write a letter to a solider in Iraq and tell them thank you for all their doing. Better yet stop making such a big deal about this because the LDS church has already come out with an official statement explaining the situation. Stop with the chain-emails, groups on Facebook and just move on.

Just a little something

I've never done this whole blogging thing but I've decided why not. My name is Andrew and I currently like in the sweaty athlete's foot of the US: Provo, UT. Thank the maker I am not from here I am from Puyallup, WA. But, I like to think I am from Chicago where I was born. Everything I love in life is from Chicago Bears, Cubs and Bulls except my wife who is from Cheyenne, WY. Her name is Bobbi and that is very important to my life that I let everyone know that she is a she. Whenever I am talking about people and they don't know Bobbi is a she they always give me a weird look because Bobbi could also be a male. For example, I was talking to my best friend at work and I said "Bobbi and I were lying in bed together..." and "When Bobbi and I were in the shower....." I could tell this guy was a little uncomfortable. He looked at me very concerned and asked me, "Ummm, is Bobbi a female?" So, one could see the confusion that happens with not explaining this before hand. 

I am currently a student in waiting. I was going to school at University of Washington but then came down here temporally and 6-months later here I am still. I am a PR major and hoping to go get into law school. I don't want to be a lawyer because I am a horrible liar, just a sports agent so I can apply what I enjoy to my career. I love sports and everything about them even when A-Rod admits to steroids just so he can fit in with all the other Yankee players. I really think it's so he can look like the man in the relationship w/ Derek Jeter. As you could also see I can't stand Boston and New York teams except for when Boston plays the Yankees teams then I go put on my vintage Red Sox's hat and act like I've lived there my whole life. 

Nerdy is just one of the many words to describe my self. I love comic books, video games and Star Wars. I'm not ashamed, probably because I don't have to go on a first date ever again. Usually when I did I would tell the girl that I loved welding and four by-ing. Chicks love guys who do man things. A lot of this blog will have to do with these things minus welding and four by-ing because I don't like when my hands get dirty, so enjoy.

I am the youngest of six kids and love being the youngest. Let me just say I never had the same rules as my other siblings. I'm man enough to admit to that. I wasn't supposed to be the youngest. Let's just say I'll never take a second honeymoon. My siblings are my best-friends. I don't think that any other family laughs as hard as mine does when we get together. My dad is the coolest old guy I have ever met. I learn more and more each day I am exactly like him and it makes me laugh. My mom is thee coolest old lady in the world. To describe what kind of women she is and what kind of dad my dad is I have to tell a story. One year for mother's day my dad got my mom a hammer and that was it. Most women would be upset by this but, not my mom she was stoked. My mom does the maintenance and my dad runs the garden.

I am faithful member of the LDS church if you couldn't figure that out from the "I live in Provo" line. On the other hand I am very liberal and that drives Mormons insane in Utah. If you don't believe me try having a different opinion than one of them and then you would understand. I served a 2-year mission in Korea and keep up with the language everyday. That is because I work at Nuskin and have to talk to angry Korean women everyday. I never thought I would learn the word for menopause.

Well in the future blogs I will rock your minds with knowledge and ridiculous stories. I also hope everyone will enjoy my horrible grammar and typing skills. Until the next time....