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blog

Test Recording

I just wanted to see how this new software worked… listen

Categories
blog

Ezra’s Personal 2020 Voting Guide:

For Candidates:

  1.  Did this candidate put in at least the minimum effort to get on the ballot and make a written statement like the other candidates did?
  2. Does the candidate have any sort of distinct presence online?
  3. Does their online presence look foolish?
  4. Does this candidate promote larger amounts of federal and state controls and collected taxes to be implemented under their leadership, for programs that have not demonstrated successful and clearly measurable results or benefits to average citizens?
  5. Does this candidate spend the majority of their time and direct any attention they get to the failures (or supposed failures) of their political opponent(s)?
  6. After hearing or reading a statement by this candidate, am I curious to hear more about their ideas on other topics?
  7. Does this candidate have any previous success in a role that is at least vaguely considered productive in their life before entering politics?
  8. Does it sound like this candidate is over-promising, and is it hard to clearly explain how their ideas could be paid for because of an absence of which programs they might suggest cutting?
  9. Does it sound like they are just listing ideas or goals that sound good, but there is no reason for me to believe that they could ever work as part of a team to garner support, make a comprehensive plan, or that they could encourage others to want to work with them to achieve any of these goals?

For Measures and Bills:

  1. Does it increase spending?
  2. If it costs anything, is it for a very specific cause that I can clearly and wholeheartedly endorse?
  3.  Is it confusing, unclear or vague?
  4. Does it obligate the government to borrow or spend in the future?
  5. Does it change anything in law that I do understand into something that isn’t clearly understood?
  6. Does it create another government institution with more departments and employees to do a thing that didn’t exist before? Am I really excited about what this institution will or could do with any of their new power?

Tie Breakers For Candidates:

  1. Is one an incumbent? Unless I am excited or impressed with their performance already, that may be a disadvantage.
  2. Is one less transparent? If I have reason to believe they are dishonest, that is a disadvantage.
  3. Is one engaging in newer media channels that engage younger voters? That is an advantage.
  4. Does one have a frowny-looking face? That might be a disadvantage.
  5. Does one candidate have an uncommon hobby, value, or a weird interest that I also have? That is an advantage.

Other Considerations:

  1. Do other people think I should vote for them? I don’t care
  2. Do other people think I am throwing my vote away by voting for them? I don’t care
  3. Do popular opinions, articles I see on Facebook or Twitter, or glossy mailers I receive at home move the needle a bit? No, I don’t really care.
  4. Do influential people that use their authority and power to try to encourage me to “do the right thing” and vote for their candidate influence me? Yes, but only to move their level of influence in my life down another notch below where it was previously. Once they reach the bottom notch, their public voice is merged with the glossy mailers in my recycling bin.
Categories
thoughts

Podcasts I like

Podcasts.numbers.pdf

    Podcast Artist RSS Location Description

  1. The Dave Ramsey Show http://daveramsey.ramsey.libsynpro.com/rss Dave Ramsey Radio Show 40 minute excerpts
  2. Edgewater Covenant Church http://edgewaterchurch.org/?feed=podcast Edgewater Church Sermons
  3. Everything is Alive by Ian Chillag http://feeds.everythingisalive.com/everythingisalive Humorous Interviews of inanimate objects
  4. Faith Legacy Church by FLC http://faithlegacychurch.com/?feed=podcast Faith Legacy Sermons
  5. Forgotten by Ronnie Brown http://forgottenpodcast.com/index.php/feed/podcast/ Christian Biography History of heroes of faith
  6. Freakonomics Radio with Stephen J. Dubner https://rss.art19.com/freakonomics-radio an economic take on things
  7. Get-Fit Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips to Slim Down and Shape Up by Quick and Dirty Tips https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/xml/getfitguy.xml quick Fitness show
  8. Get-It-Done Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips to Work Less and Do More by Quick and Dirty Tips https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/xml/getitdone.xml an odd quick productivity show
  9. Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Quick and Dirty Tips https://www.qdnow.com/grammar.xml quick Grammar show
  10. Hidden Brain by NPR https://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=510308 about how the the brain works
  11. IndieFeed: Indie Pop Music by Indiefeed http://feeds.feedburner.com/IndiefeedFolk original music show
  12. Most Useful Podcast Ever Popular Mechanics by Panoply https://feeds.megaphone.fm/mupe quick tips and reviews of things
  13. The Moth http://feeds.feedburner.com/themothpodcast Stories told by the people who are associated with them
  14. The Nutrition Diva’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Eating Well and Feeling Fabulous by Quick and Dirty Tips https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/xml/nutrition.xml quick Nutrition related show
  15. Radiolab by WNYC Studios http://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab engaging show well-produced about many things
  16. The Savvy Psychologist’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Mental Health by Quick and Dirty Tips https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/itunes/5472 quick psychology show
  17. StartUp Podcast by Gimlet http://feeds.hearstartup.com/hearstartup stories about start ups in businesses, risk success and failure
  18. TED Radio Hour by NPR https://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=510298 TED talks arranged in a theme
  19. University Covenant Church Weekend Messages http://ucov.com/podcast.cfm Pastor John Fanous’s church sermons in Davis
  20. The Voice by Ezra Engle http://upstreamteens.org/blog/feed/ My daily bible chapter reading
  21. The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe http://thewayiheardit.rsvmedia.com/rss/ short well-produced stories about things mike rowe likes
  22. 99% Invisible by Roman Mars http://feeds.99percentinvisible.org/99percentinvisible well-produced mentally engaging detailed stories about stuff
  23. 200churches Podcast: Ministry Encouragement for Pastors of Small Churches with Jeff Keady and Jonny Craig https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/8862.rss Encouragement for church leaders of small churches
Categories
politics thoughts

Patriotism?

I support Freedom, Liberty, and the right to stand, sit or kneel for what you believe in. Symbols represent different things to each of us depending on our known personal and cultural histories.

 I may not agree with a particular demonstration, but I respect the right to demonstrate. I am against the bullying of people with unpopular views.

 I hope to be supported by likeminded people when I am under fire for standing for my beliefs as well. It is just a matter of time. 

Categories
Uncategorized

Re: Status

Dear Vivint,

We have been waiting on the design team for this exact same task since May of 2015. What assurances do I have that they will complete this task before May of 2016? I called and talked with Mike, the city inspector today, they have not heard a peep from Vivint about this address since not passing May 2015’s inspection.

Everything has been waiting on Vivint’s design team for 9 months now. In that amount of time someone has conceived a child, grown a human being and given birth to it, the most complex and fascinating work of God and nature, yet Vivint cannot update their simple autoCAD drawing in this amount of time. Nobody has touched it. It is just sitting there waiting for someone to care enough to do it.

Please escalate this. Talk to design team managers, engineering managers, Vice Presidents. Get names of people, phone numbers, dates, assurances. After that, call or email me with what you find and what was said, and why.

We have run a marathon 99% and fallen asleep a few yards from the finish line. Wake up, wake others up and stop wasting my and your time with this. This is ridiculous. I know, because the ridicule has already started among my friends and relatives on Facebook.

Thanks,
-Ezra J. Engle

On Feb 25, 2016, at 9:52 AM, Vivint <obfuscated-employee> wrote:

Hello Ezra,

Sorry I missed your phone call this morning. I was on another call. After talking with my local office regarding your account. We are waiting for our design team to make a correction to the CAD so the local city can sign off on it. Once the city approves of the design we then can schedule you for your final inspection.

Thanks,

On Wed, Feb 24, 2016 at 5:17 PM, Ezra Engle <my-email-address> wrote:

Hey Vivint,

I am paying my $328.45 PG&E Estimated monthly Bill today because your company has neglected finishing their job for en entire year that I was promised would simplify and reduce my energy bills. This reminds me that you last told me that someone would be at my house within a week and that my account was very high priority. I wish I had good news from you, or any news from you each week. I am not even a happy customer. I am an contractually obligated future customer.

Thanks for nothing,
-Ezra J. Engle

Job update

my new job is going well and I am learning a lot.

Categories
My Kids science wife

Under Pressure

Karyn (my wife) told me that everyone at home has been trying to pull apart these two plastic baby sipping cups that have been pressed together for days (not sure for how long). The smaller cup was so far inside the larger one, that there was no edge to hold on to.

two stuck together cups

New Job

I just heard my employer is offering me a new position with higher pay. Sounds good to me.

Categories
Spiritual thoughts

Men’s Monthly Meeting Talk

Me

I was asked to talk at a men’s group today, and I was honored to share some things about spiritual habits that can really help us. They would help me a lot more if I did not get so distracted at times. It takes less than 30 minutes to listen to, and a lifetime to implement.

Listen

Hope it helps you too. It helps to look in the mirror sometimes.

Categories
crying family My Kids News politics Spiritual thoughts wife

A Moving Poem

I want to move to a place where there are no tears and there is no sorrow, but that may have to wait until beyond tomorrow.

There is suffering here until death from our birth , we must strive to bring healing while we’re still here on earth.

If we don’t do this- I ask you, who will? We can’t leave our poor earth to those who would kill.

I will pray for the healers to not leave prematurely, while those who love evil can go fast and early.

Unless they would change, and join in the fight- to defeat selfish suffering and uphold what’s right.